"Crazy Master" (2)
I am the daughter of a peasant who was born with nothing and grew up with nothing. At least it was difficult for him due to the current situation.
The breadwinner of the family.
Terrible poverty.
The struggle in this world was the girl’s whole life.
The funny thing is that on top of that, I had five children to take care of.
Unable to bear the grinding poverty, my mother ran away alone, and my surviving father drank and beat us daily.
The youngest child, who needed to be breastfed, was beaten to death, the fourth died of starvation, the second was sold to a butcher shop, and the third was raised and protected like gold or jade, because she had a beautiful face. This was a sign that she would receive a good upbringing and marry a young gentleman from a noble family in order to create her own happiness.
I am the first and the most terrible. I was always kept close to my father.
My whole day was devoted to eating, washing, cleaning, working at the Marka bakery in the city center during the day. The beatings of my terrible father, at night.
It was a terrible life, without a single free breath.
Later my face became swollen and I became even scarier. I broke my leg while growing up and my growth stopped.
"The Ugly Dwarf"
That's what the kids in the city called me.
I thought that if there was a hell, it was here and now.
I envied my younger sister, who became more and more beautiful day by day. It was hard for me to endure beatings from my father. There were even several times when I tried to commit suicide. Each time I was found by my father or someone else on the street because I was "unlucky" or the rope was cut just before I passed out.
This is my personal prison, and I was a condemned prisoner.
Although no, I would prefer to be in a real prison.
My father sold me, and not because he didn't need someone to do the housework. It was half a lie. I was sold because I was ugly. I learned about this from the chatter of local women while I washed my hands, suspecting nothing.
My mother called my father a fiend, and I call him the same. My future life will be controlled by this devil.
If this is not a tragedy, then what is it?
Despite everything, God did not abandon me until the very end.
***
When the girl miraculously grew up, an elderly gentleman visited the village. Her loose bangs covered her ugly face. She did not know why he, drowning in luxury from head to toe, visited this small, miserable village.
This happened on the day when a man was walking through the village. He called to her as she walked along the street.
“I want to hire her.”
An elderly gentleman politely offered a bag of gold coins. Her father, who only thought about gold coins, swallowed. His mind quickly turned to the old gentleman and the bag of gold on the table.
The father wanted to immediately snatch the bag, but he grabbed his own trembling hand and fixed the expression on his face.
"Sir, you gentleman have caught your eye on my humble daughter, but she is rather inexperienced. All she knows how to say is 'thank you,' and all she has learned is to beg. If you don't like it later...”
" - Don't worry about it. Even if I don't like her later, I won't send her back."
The older gentleman pushed the bag of gold coins towards her father and answered calmly. At this, her father forcibly lowered the corner of his mouth, which had suddenly risen, and looked at his daughter sitting next to him. The look was similar to the one he looked at his beloved, youngest daughter, so Paula was horrified.
" - Dear daughter, father respects your opinion. I wish we had money, but it cannot be more important than you. Please do not hesitate to tell me what you think."
Then he grabbed her skinny wrist with his large hand. The grip was strong enough to wrench her bones. It was the face of a father who was worried about his precious daughter, but his eyes betrayed his rage.
The old gentleman also silently waited for her opinion. If she refuses now, he will leave to find another girl, and the father will beat her to death, punishing his disobedient daughter.
" - I agree".
“ - Моя малышка”.
Abby hugged Paula with an ecstatic expression on his face, sobs escaping his hoarse voice. She had to resist the urge to shake off the hand that was gently stroking her back.
Before leaving, she got ready and gathered her luggage, following the elderly gentleman. All she had was one bag. She didn't have clothes or anything else. The dress she was currently wearing was different from the girl's usual clothes, it was embroidered with beautiful flowers, it was not the dusty rags she wore every day.
" - Goodbye. Be careful."
Her father, who had walked her to the door, patted her on the shoulder. There were unspoken words in his touch, to please the gentleman.
The third child, Alicia, stood next to her father and smiled at Paula.
" - Farewell, sister. Go with the flow of the immense river of time."
“-...Never come back.”
Alicia muttered the words. When Paula didn't answer, she simply smiled, pursing her lips.
Paula said a few words to Alicia one last time.
“Take care of this beautiful face, because you have nothing else.”
" - What?!"
Paula turned away, leaving Alicia behind.
The place where she arrived with the old gentleman was a large mansion, which made her eyes widen. It was much larger and grander than the mansion of the richest lord in the village she lived in.
[Wow...]
She let out genuine delight and followed the older gentleman inside.
“You are here.”
A well-dressed middle-aged woman greeted an older gentleman. The man nodded his head once and took off his felt hat.
A middle-aged woman noticed a girl standing behind the man and asked.
“Who is this girl?”
“This is a girl, from now on she will serve her master.”
[Master?]
As she eyed the man suspiciously, he motioned for Paula to come over. The girl slowly crawled forward, the woman looked her up and down. She looked at her as if she was appraising her. Because of this, the girl was nervous, swallowed dry saliva, and waited patiently.
" - Fine."
I think it was a normal assessment. The woman nodded and turned her whole body. Soon after, the old man also turned in the other direction.
Paula took turns watching the two people go in different directions, then she followed the woman.