Chapter 3
“The imperial order is that the women of the Duchy of Lancaster be brought in as captives.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the two horsemen next to the man approached and helped Idel to his feet.
Luckily for her, he wasn't the type to harass women.
“We want to treat you as kindly as possible, so please don’t do anything unnecessary, ma’am.”
Therefore, Idyll had no intention of engaging in a hopeless resistance. Nevertheless, a chill ran down her spine as she could not fathom the Emperor's intentions when he ordered her to bring the duchy's women back alive.
It took about two weeks from the Duchy of Lancaster to the capital, Tirgo. Although the usual journey by carriage would have taken about ten days, the transport of artworks, gold, and prisoners from the Duchy lengthened the time.
During the dreary carriage ride, Edel learned some disturbing facts.
First, it was expected – the Duchy of Lancaster had fallen. All the men who controlled Lancaster Castle were dead, and the duchy was annexed to the imperial lands.
Secondly, her father's household, County Canyan, also faced repercussions. Through legal arguments and the provision of crucial information, Count Canyan was able to mitigate their situation. He disavowed any connection with Edel and relinquished all rights.
Third, the purpose of bringing the Lancastrian women, according to the Emperor’s order, was painfully clear: they were to be distributed as spoils of war among the heroes of this war.
The most devastating news among them was undoubtedly the last one.
'To be treated as spoils of war…'
Idil closed her eyes tightly.
Those who received the spoils were essentially slaves.
Although the imperial system of slavery had long since disappeared, the sight of them being offered as spoils of war brought the idea of slavery to everyone's minds.
'It's worse than death.'
At that moment, Edel gave up any attempt to understand. She was left with resentment.
A clean death – mercy now seemed like an expensive wish.
If I had known it would come to this, perhaps I wouldn't have lived like a fool.
A life in which not a single moment unfolds according to her will would be unfortunate.
However, she did not cry. No, she could not. Because she was not yet dead, and being a widowed duchess required her to remain composed.
The position imposed on her since childhood clung to her like an invisible chain. Yet, the women on the other side, oblivious to this fact, looked down upon Idil with disdain.
“She is an absolutely magnificent duchess, behaving with dignity right to the end.”
It was Lauren, the Duke's eldest daughter. In response, the second daughter, Daria, joined in, narrowing her eyes.
“She seems to be having difficulty understanding reality. Since she got married, her mind seems to have wandered. She sells herself and pretends to be a real duchess or something.”
After days of sulking, these women now seemed eager to blame someone for their misfortune. Even though it wasn't Edel's fault they were caught while fleeing, they wanted to pin the blame on her.
“They say Count Kanyan’s property has burned to the ground. Why would he bring the daughter of such a family into our home in the first place!”
"She must have used her father's influence to secure the duchess's position! Shameless woman."
While being ridiculed and mocked was nothing new for Idell, hearing such harsh words was a first for her. Judging by their angry comments, it seemed that Lauren and Daria had given up on everything.
With a steady gaze, Idil responded calmly to her two daughters who looked at her hostilely.
“Perhaps it’s time to think about your own situations, Lauren, Daria, you two too.”
Edel's calm reaction seemed to have further enraged Lauren and Daria, but she didn't want to waste her energy engaging in a pointless argument. She needed to conserve her strength for the chance to end her life, taking advantage of a moment of lax vigilance.
'The fate of the young female captives ultimately leads them to become pawns. Rather than endure such a life, death seems preferable.'
Suicide was considered an unforgivable sin, but the ruler, who did not bother to look into her suffering, lost all control over her.
However, it was difficult at the moment. Even if she wanted to die, there was no easy way.
'Certainly, there will be a victory celebration where the spoils will be distributed. After the event is over, there will be a moment when surveillance becomes lax.'
Everyone will likely get drunk, and the guards will relax, believing the mission has been accomplished. The atmosphere after any celebration tends to be similar.
Idil had that moment in mind.
***
"Where should these women be taken?"
“To the Northern Prison! Transfer them tomorrow. It is a direct order from His Majesty the Emperor, so keep a close eye on them!”
Edel awoke from her sad daydreams upon hearing the guards' conversation, which was different from what she had expected.
'The emperor ordered direct surveillance? Why?'
She couldn't understand what the emperor was thinking. They saw themselves merely as a means to announce the fall of the Duchy of Lancaster.
'Our role should have ended since we were sold at auction like slaves at the Last Supper. But why the explicit order for strict surveillance?'
However, no one was there to provide a clear answer to her questions.
With a heightened sense of vigilance, acting on the Emperor's orders, the guards escorted them to the northern prison without negligence.
The northern prison was a facility where nobles involved in minor crimes were held, so conditions were relatively good.
Fortunately, although they could be categorized as moderate offenders, the reason they ended up in a decent prison was not entirely pleasant.
'Thanks to the Emperor's decree, our status has changed from moderate criminals to granted property.'
As indicated by the terms “booty” or “granted property,” Edel and the Duke’s daughters were already in a humiliating situation.
However, this was something she would have to face tomorrow. Edel decided to be grateful that she was finally able to rest in a clean and safe place after so long.
Due to the extreme tension, her muscles seemed to be screaming, and her mind was not functioning properly.
'Let's rest now. After sleeping, things might look better.'
Despite the uncomfortable mattress, Idil fell asleep as soon as she lay down. It was a deep sleep without any dreams.
However, despite the exhaustion, I woke up at six o'clock the following morning. The tyranny of habit.
As soon as she opened her eyes, the realization that she would be handed over to Laszlo today prevented her from going back to sleep.
"When will he come?"
From now on, she had to be vigilant and look for an opportunity. An opportunity to end her life.
Edel felt her consciousness gradually becoming clearer and discreetly observed the situation outside the cell.
She was imprisoned with Lauren and Daria, and there were two guards outside the window.
'Security here is extremely strict. No matter what you try, you will be detected quickly.'
Unable to find any viable plans within the prison walls, Idil decided to seize the opportunity after her release. With this decision, time seems to be slipping away in a blur.
I leaned against the wall and quietly watched the color of the sky change, appearing smaller than ever.
"This is probably the last morning I see before I die."
Perhaps because it was the last one, the colors of the sky were truly beautiful.
The light, initially tinged with deep blue, gradually intensified. The clouds, which had resembled gray patches, revealed a vibrant hue, and the sky a soft orange. At one point, the sun was fully up, and the sky transformed into a watercolor painting.
“I never knew that the sky could be subject to such varied changes…”
After I felt a pang of sadness at this realization, a guard suddenly appeared, striking the bars with an iron rod and shouting.
"It's mealtime!"
Upon hearing the sound, Lauren and Daria jumped up in surprise. For them, who usually didn't wake up before 10 a.m., having breakfast so early was probably a first in their lives.
Fortunately, they considered waking up early a blessing because they were hungry.
Moreover, the prison meal was of better quality than expected. Each prisoner received a piece of white bread with cheese and lightly cooked ham, along with a glass of water. Considering that the meals on the way to the palace had been far worse, this seemed like a final, luxurious meal for the sinner.
'As for the criminal's last meal, it's very expensive.'
Despite the sadness, Idil chews the bread gratefully.
Lauren and Daria also readily accepted the prison meal. However, perhaps to suppress their anxiety, they began making derogatory remarks to Edel.
“The noble lady has hit rock bottom. She has been handed over to some mercenary trash.”
"It probably won't even last a month before it becomes a rag, right?"
“We are grateful that we are only used as servants for knights. The mercenaries enjoy brutally torturing and playing with people before deliberately killing them.”
By doing so, they tried hard to convince themselves that their situation was better.
“Well, at least the Emperor took our circumstances into consideration. Being under the command of Antis and Caper isn’t so bad.”
“That’s right. They are knights, after all. The punishment isn’t that harsh either.”
In response, Idil nodded slightly.
'Is this true? The men who were so eager to acquire the young slaves did not seem very polite.'
However, she hoped their words were true. Despite their cruel treatment of her, she felt sorry for these girls who had fallen into slavery during such a crucial period of their lives.
'Yes, I hope you live comfortably without facing any harsh treatment.'