BBYW Vol. 3 Chapter 11 (WN)
Chapter 11 – A Slave’s Feelings
【POV: Sue】
My name is Sue. At present, I am a slave in the service of my master Lord Dyngir.
To be honest, however, I am not completely sure of the circumstances that led me to become his slave.
I was born into a wealthy family — but I have no recollection anymore of what kind of family it was, what kind of business it was involved in…I cannot even remember its name anymore.
Ever since I was a child, for some reason, I was able to speak with birds and animals.
Only when I had to leave my family did I realize that it was not a normal thing.
One day, father lost his favorite watch and was raising a commotion. He had received it from mother before their marriage, so it was a treasure for him.
I loved my father very much, so to help find the watch, I consulted my mice friends.
“Oh, that. The crow building a nest in the garden took it, I saw it.”
I immediately climbed the tree and asked the crow to give back the watch.
The crow cried in a vexed tone for a while, but when it saw the tears gradually welling up in my eyes, begrudgingly returned it.
I then giddily hopped over to my father’s place, watch in hand.
He was very surprised to see his silver watch safe and sound, and asked me where I had found it, a slightly stern tone in his voice.
He probably thought I hid it as a prank. So I frantically explained what happened.
“I see…mice…and a crow…”
After listening to me, father became very quiet, his face looking like he had just taken a bitter medicine.
I was worried I had done something wrong, that I was going to get scolded — but father did not say anything.
Then…the next day I had to leave my home and was sent to a monastery.
Still a child, separated from my family without as much as a word of explanation, I spent the first few days crying.
Thanks to the kindness of the abbess and the other nuns, however, I could pull myself together, and began my new life as a nun.
Several years later…
One day, the abbess summoned me, 16 years old at the time.
“Sue, your place of service has been decided.”
“My place of service? But why?”
Some of the nuns would leave the monastery to serve noble or merchant families.
Most of the time, they never came back: they would find a partner there and become united with them in marriage.
I could not even remember the name of the family I was born in, so for me, the monastery was like my real home.
I could not stand being parted from my home again.
“It is necessary to do this, my dear, for your sake. Please understand…”
I resisted for a little while but seeing the abbess’ sad expression convinced me to leave the monastery.
“I am truly sorry, dear. I will pray for your happiness, every day.”
“Thank you…thank you for everything.”
After a tearful parting with the abbess and the other nuns, I was brought to a certain merchant.
And…
“Eh…?”
“C’mon, get in here!!”
For some reason, I was led to a ship and put inside a cage.
There were many children there already, all huddled down, hugging their knees, some even crying.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
I could not truly understand what was going on either, but I was the oldest person there.
Fortunately, we often took care of children in the monastery, so I was used to it. I continued consoling the weeping children.
In the cage, our meals were very frugal.
The monastery’s meals were rather poor as well, always some sort of bread and soup, but in the cage, it was even less than that.
As I dipped the rock-hard bread in water and brought it to my mouth, I reflected.
(I wonder why…for what purpose I was born in this world.)
According to the divine teachings I learned in the monastery, all things, happy and sad alike, had a meaning. Human beings were all tied to a wheel called “fate”.
The fact that I could speak with animals.
That I was forced to leave my home.
That I entered the monastery.
And that I was locked up in this cage.
Everything had a meaning, everything followed the path delineated by fate and divine providence.
After several days of sailing and such musings, he appeared before me.
“So, er…the pirates that kidnapped you, I killed them all.”
The man who appeared in the cage was my current master, Lord Dyngir.
His words revealed to me that the men who put me in the cage were pirates.
I was raised in a monastery, among women, so it was my first time speaking with a man about the same age as me.
I started talking with him, with a pinch of nervousness, and soon after became his slave. That night, I slept in the same bed as him.
That night was something I never experienced before in my life.
It hurt, it was painful, I felt like I lost something important.
But at the same time, it felt pleasant, exciting, as if I was floating. It made me want to hide my face to run around: it was also embarrassing.
That’s how my first night with my master was.
The next morning was brighter and more refreshing than I had ever experienced before.
I was surprised by how light and reinvigorated my body felt.
That same day, I visited my master’s hometown and saw countless rows of shining towers, a view more dazzling than the sea or the stars in the night sky.
I had never seen something so beautiful before in my life.
“Master has shown me so many ‘first times’….”
As we were walking among the shining towers, I had a realization.
This was my destiny.
I was born to become my master’s slave.
(Our next destination is the Sapphire Kingdom…master, what kind of “firsts” you will show me next?)
I was nervous, excited, and eager.
My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest.
I boarded the ship together with my master and headed towards the Sapphire Kingdom.