Huff, better set off tomorrow. If we don’t leave soon, it’ll be too late once others discover tonight’s mess. Given Tren’s lot’s nature, they might take ages to notice—but escaping early is always best.
After a quick look at the two hundred surrendered slaves, I returned to my tent. Was it my imagination, or did a girl tremble whenever she saw me? Probably just my imagination. Maybe it was too dark… or I was too tired. Or both. I wiped my face, trying to clear my head.
“Strategist, a little girl wants to see you.”
“A little girl? Let her in.”
“Okay.”
Mentu watched the girl outside the tent, his unease growing stronger. He shook his head to calm down. *Just a little girl. What’s wrong with me?* “Go on in,” he said, softening his voice to avoid scaring her. But seeing her cold expression, he felt he’d overthought it. He gave a bitter smile and opened the tent flap.
The girl staggered up to me. She looked about sixteen, younger than me. Her delicate features promised she’d grow into a stunning beauty. With silver hair and eerie crimson eyes, she had a deadly allure. Her pale, malnourished face and frail body stirred a pang of pity in me.
“Little girl… what is it?”
“Are… are you a noble?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
A strange question, but I answered.
“Hey…”
“Huh?”
Just as I wondered what she’d say next—
A knife flashed before my eyes. In an instant, she wore a feral look. Her murderous intent was unmistakable. I didn’t see where the blade came from or grasp what happened. I only felt the small knife sink into my chest.
As she yanked it out, I saw it stained with my blood.
“Hahahaha! Die! Die, die, die, die!”
She didn’t stop. She kept stabbing me, over and over. Descending into madness, she grinned maniacally but tears streamed down her face.
“Die, die! Why do trash like you nobles get to live!”
“Die! Just die!”
“Why did you take my home! Die!”
“Give my home back! Give my mom and dad back!!”
“Slaves, slaves! Why make us slaves!”
“Die! Die a hundred times!”
Then it was just repeated cries.
Ah, so it’s misplaced anger. This child… her parents were killed, and she was turned into a slave by nobles like us for no reason.
Laughing maniacally through tears, she straddled me, stabbing repeatedly. Her tears fell on my wounds, mixing with blood, stinging me. She had no home.
With effort, I reached out and stroked her cheek. “Don’t cry.” Saying that, my chest felt like it was being torn apart. “So you’re like me… with no family left.”
The girl had imagined this noble cursing her out or begging for mercy—any ugly reaction. But now—
She froze, staring at me covered in stab wounds, and fresh tears flowed. “I’m sorry… sob… I’m so, so sorry.”
“I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…”
“I’m sorry…”
She kept murmuring, her frail body trembling.
“Strategist!!” Mentu burst in the moment he heard the shouts. But it happened too fast; by the time he entered, I was a bloody mess. “You crazy girl, stop!” Mentu grabbed her. But she didn’t struggle, just kept whispering “sorry.”
“It’s okay, Mentu,” I called weakly. “Don’t hurt her.” Though stabbed many times, she’d missed my vitals. But blood loss could still kill. “Call someone to stanch the bleeding.”
“Help!!! The Strategist is badly wounded!” Mentu snapped out of it and shouted.
Huff, this guy.
“Huff, little girl, come here. Mentu, let go.” Reluctantly, Mentu released her. She crept closer.
“I’m sorry, sob, really really sorry.”
“Well, is that all you can say?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
“Seriously, what’s your name?”
“Morana…” she sobbed.
She was nothing like the cold girl from before. Haha, such a crybaby.
“We both have no family now.”
“Sob… Mom and Dad… they’re gone…”
“Then… become my family…” I wanted to be her family, just like Lao Fei had warmed me when I was alone.
She stared at me with those crimson eyes, frozen. I pinched her nose with my cold hand. “Huff, don’t want to?”
“Want, want, want! Sob… I want…”
Are you a parrot?
“Well, welcome ho—”
*Ah, didn’t even get to say ‘home’. How many times have I passed out now? Haha.*
That was my last thought before blacking out.
