Volu 2, Chapter 23: Returning Late
In the end, she still honestly sent her back.
It was already night. Although this was a small town and not in a state of war, there was no shortage of patrolling soldiers.
In order to leave town smoothly, they did indeed expend quite a bit of effort.
"Then, today ends here."
Standing beside the small brook at the village entrance, the night wind carried a chill, and moonlight illuminated the earth. One could hear waves of insect cries and the murmuring sound of water.
Ilo turned her head to look at Leticia. The smile on her face was sowhat like the Mona Lisa's smile Leticia had seen during her studies. Although it was simpler than that immortal work of art passed down through the ages, it was also more vivid and more attractive.
But Leticia had a feeling that this was sothing she absolutely could not touch. It was a serpent's poison, the Damoclean sword above her head, the box brought by Pandora, a cup of fine wine bestowed when one's achievents were complete but one had not yet withdrawn.
She absolutely could not approach it. Otherwise, she would sink deeply into it and never be able to break free again.
"Mm."
So she only needed to respond calmly. There absolutely could not be any more interaction. Otherwise, it would only add much trouble for both sides.
"Tomorrow..."
Ilo suddenly said, "Tomorrow, will you co again?"
"?"
Why would she throw out such a question at a ti like this?
It sounded like the hesitant words of love spoken by a young girl newly awakening to romance when facing the boy she fancied. But if that were truly the case, it would only make goosebumps rise all over Leticia's body.
"I don't know."
Leticia shrugged. "Tomorrow's matters can wait until tomorrow. Today ends here."
"Eh... Then all right~"
Ilo puffed out her cheeks. "I originally wanted to deepen our feelings a bit more. How disappointing... Ah, right, right, Stano... It's fine to call you by this na, right?"
"Mm, it's fine."
Leticia nodded.
"Mm, that's it then. Stano, at night, it's best..."
Ilo suddenly lowered her voice. "At night, don't co here."
"Ah... I understand."
At night, don't co?
What did that an?
Although she did not quite understand what Ilo ant, Leticia never ca out at night anyway.
"...Hm?"
Suddenly, sothing appeared in her field of vision. Leticia turned her head and saw, within the village covered by the dark night, a small group of figures weaving between the houses.
Although they were already very far away, by borrowing those faint lights, Leticia could still see that there was a leader holding several thick ropes twisted together into a large cord. Behind him, a few thin people followed with stumbling steps.
Those were...
"Slaves?"
This world had such roles. Backward productivity inevitably required particular human resources to fill the gap. Then that ancient and backward system that belonged only to the past had a reason to exist, as well as a necessity for existence.
Because in this era, this was the most convenient and most practical thod.
In other words, it was sothing that could not be helped.
When sothing she had once only seen in books truly appeared before her eyes, that impact deepened the unease in Leticia's heart even further.
Yes. Looking at that group of people, at the leader's sturdiness and savagery, and at the thinness and cowardice of those behind him, even from so far away, Leticia still caught the motion of the leader opening his mouth to curse. She could even imagine the leader's roars and reprimands, and could also feel the slaves' lowliness.
What kind of world had she co to, exactly?
Would there be a day when she saw the truth?
"Eh?"
Ilo was clearly stunned for a mont. She turned her head and could only see houses shrouded in darkness and faint lamplight. Aside from that, there was nothing. "What are you talking about?"
"Ah... Nothing."
Shaking her head, Leticia turned around. "Then, goodbye."
If conditions allowed, she truly hoped they would never et again. Dealing with this kind of little girl who looked super scheming was truly exhausting.
On the way back, Leticia turned around once.
She discovered that Ilo was still standing there, watching her.
For an instant, she was frightened.
There was nothing to be done. After all, when one turned around and saw a tiny shadow standing there, with a pair of faintly glowing "light sources" staring at them, anyone would be startled by such a monster-ghost-movie-like scene.
Speaking of which, though, this world even had things like Heretics. Then, did ghosts and monsters truly exist?
Putting it that way made her a little scared...
...
Being afraid of ghosts was a small matter. Although those things were very terrifying, they more or less belonged to things one might encounter but could not seek out.
Mm. Unlike what Leticia was about to face next, which was more real and even more hair-raising horror.
That was right. More frightening than dead things were definitely the things still alive...
"Now then, I rember I emphasized this to you before, didn't I, little girl?"
Sitting on a simple wooden chair, Lady in Black Yemi Ai's faint tone made Leticia's ntal pressure multiply in an instant. "At night, before the sun goes down, you must co back. I should have told you that, correct?"
"Y-yes..."
There was nothing more to say. Leticia directly lowered her head and honestly used the knowledge Lady in Black had once taught her to make a formal gesture of apology. "I am very sorry, Lady..."
She hoped this could reduce Yemi Ai's anger value sowhat...
However, punishnt or the like was ultimately unavoidable, right? What awaited her?
Kicks and punches, slaps, or so other kind of pain?
She only hoped it would not be too excessive. She did not have any masochistic preferences, nor did she wish to be trained into having such preferences.
"..."
Silence was the greatest pressure. Ignorance was the greatest fear. Lady in Black did not speak acidly and harshly as usual. Instead, she sank into a long silence. This abnormality made Leticia feel as if needles were pricking her back.
"Co here. Give your hand."
Hearing Lady in Black's voice, Leticia approached slowly with slight confusion and stretched out her hand.
"Ah!"
A sudden pain stabbed into her palm. Only then did Leticia see that Lady Yemi Ai was holding a thin needle.
A bead of blood soon erged. Leticia struggled and tried to pull her hand back, but that slender lady's strength was unbelievably great. She easily imprisoned Leticia's movents, then took that bit of blood.
After licking away that bright red bead of blood, Lady in Black's hoarse voice sounded once again. "I understand the situation."
"Eh, eh?"
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