TMWSH 02

~Chapter 02~

Pawned Life 

A few days later, in the evening.

Irina stepped out of the Count’s mansion, carrying the bag she had carefully packed.

Outside, a carriage sent by the Marquis’ household and an escort knight were waiting for her.

The banner bearing the crest of the Aire Marquis family—the place she was soon heading to—fluttered in the wind.

Count Kosat couldn’t even bring himself to look Irina in the eye as she climbed into the carriage.

Scarlett pressed her tearless eyes with the new silk handkerchief she had bought yesterday.

Irina didn’t look back once. She simply climbed into the carriage, holding her bag.

Her luggage was rather light.

Naturally so—she had taken only two things from this house: her mother’s keepsake and the pendulum necklace left by her first love.

Ah, and one more thing—a small sum of money, just in case.

Just before the carriage door closed, the escort knight glanced at her and spoke.

“We’ll ride straight through to the Gate without rest. Please let me know if you feel any discomfort.”

Irina tried her best not to show her nerves, but sweat gathered in her palm as she gripped the bag.

Her frail arms trembled slightly, though the knight didn’t seem to notice.

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll close the door.”

The Count’s estate was surrounded by mountains, so the nearest teleportation gate was quite far away.

Even the closest one was about a two-hour ride by carriage.

The carriage set off at once, running without pause.

Because the Marquis’ carriage had arrived late, they hadn’t been on the road for even an hour before the sun began to set outside the window.

At first, Irina had been tense and suffocated, but strangely enough, the more the carriage rolled on, the lighter her heart felt.

She didn’t care who awaited her—whether a decrepit noble or something worse.

“I won’t live long anyway,”

she muttered to herself.

Her intuition had never been wrong before, and if it was right this time, her days were numbered.

After all, she’d been dreaming of her own death far too often lately.

Then—

The horses screamed loudly.

As Irina gripped her bag tightly, the carriage jolted violently with a deafening crash.

“Kyaaa!”

The impact was so fierce the carriage nearly tipped on its side. Irina screamed in shock.

“What’s happening?”

She shouted toward the outside of the carriage.

But suddenly, everything went quiet.

The carriage steadied.

Irina blinked.

“I can’t see.”

Since the road was dangerous at night, the escort had shut the double window panels. Even pulling the curtain aside, all she could see was the wooden frame.

Irina tapped on the window.

After a few seconds of silence, a man outside cleared his throat.

“Ah, yes… A wild boar charged at the carriage. It caused some trouble, but the situation is under control now.”

It wasn’t the same voice as the knight who had spoken earlier.

There were two of them, so it must have been the other one.

“Is anyone hurt?”

Silence again, then a short reply.

“…No. We’ll depart right away.”

She could’ve sworn she heard a faint groan earlier—but perhaps she’d imagined it.

“All right.”

When there was no further answer, Irina tapped the window again.

The carriage started moving once more.

Eventually, they reached the first teleportation gate.

“Ugh. I feel sick…”

Irina winced as her stomach churned.

It had been so long since she’d last ridden through a gate—no wonder it felt awful.

Centuries ago, mana stones had been abundant, allowing for the creation of teleportation gates and other conveniences. But eventually, the supply had run dry.

At least the Arendor Kingdom, where Irina was born, still had many relics of that era, allowing relatively easy travel.

Though the fare was expensive enough that she’d never ridden one before, she gave a hollow laugh—thanking the wealthy old noble who had bought her debt for the chance to try it now.

After passing through four gates and riding again until morning, the carriage finally stopped.

Silence fell once more.

“We’ve arrived.”

Irina swallowed hard.

A click sounded as the handle turned, and the carriage door opened, flooding her eyes with light.

The inside had been dim due to the shuttered windows, so the sudden brightness made her squint.

When her vision finally cleared, a gloved hand was extended before her.

“You must be tired from the long journey, Lady Kosat.”

Irina hesitated before reaching out.

The man before her had an air of strangeness—foreign, almost.

The Arendor Kingdom, where she was born, lay in the northern continent, known for its bitter cold and heavy snow.

Even in the relatively mild Kosat County, people wore thick, dark, and modest clothing.

But this man—he looked as though he might set new trends in the capital. His attire was luxurious, far too refined for a servant.

“Ah…”

As he waited patiently, Irina finally placed her hand in his and stepped down from the carriage.

“This way, please.”

Following him, Irina’s eyes widened at the sight of the vast garden stretching before her.

“It’s like a royal palace…”

Indeed—it wasn’t the usual mix of grass and earth beneath her feet.

The ground was entirely paved with solid white stone slabs, rougher than marble but firm and elegant.

Long channels flanked the path, ensuring that even heavy rain wouldn’t soak one’s dress or shoes.

“They really do have a lot of money…”

The man led her into a grand mansion and guided her to a certain room.

“I’d like to meet the Marquis,” Irina said.

He paused briefly.

“His Lordship has instructed that you rest first, as you must be weary from the journey. You’ll be presented to him tomorrow.”

Being sold to repay a debt hardly seemed to warrant such courtesy.

Assuming it was simply good manners, Irina nodded without protest.

“Then please excuse me for a moment,” the man said and left the room.

While waiting, Irina looked around.

Every detail of the room exuded care and quality. The rich scent of polished wood filled the air, soothing her nerves.

Despite its immaculate cleanliness, the space made her feel as if she were deep in a forest.

A short while later, a young maid entered, bowing politely.

“My name is Casey. I’ll be attending to you, my lady.”

She was a cute girl with bright red hair braided into two pigtails—probably two or three years younger than twenty-year-old Irina.

Irina tilted her head, studying her.

Something about her seemed familiar…

“Um…”

“Yes, Lady Kosat?”

The maid’s politeness prompted Irina to ask,

“Have we met before?”

Casey blinked, studying Irina’s face before shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, my lady. This is our first meeting. Perhaps I simply have a forgettable face…”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I must’ve been mistaken. You just feel oddly familiar.”

“A meal and a bath are prepared, Lady Kosat. Please tell me which you’d prefer first, and I’ll see to it immediately.”

Her stomach grumbled slightly, and the long day’s dress and shoes made her feel sticky and tired.

But more than anything, she wanted a moment alone.

“I’d like to rest for a bit first.”

“Of course. I’ll take you to your room, my lady.”

Irina couldn’t help but think—the butler earlier, and now this maid—were being far too courteous for someone who had been sold to them.

As they walked down the corridor, something outside the window caught her eye.

“Hm?”

The man who had escorted her earlier was standing outside, speaking with someone.

The other person was tall, but the angle obscured half his face.

The man bowed deeply—it had to be the master of this house, the Marquis himself.

Irina tilted her head, trying to see better.

“Strange. I heard he was supposed to be much older.”

Though his face was unclear, he didn’t seem to match her image of an elderly man at all.

She paused briefly, then followed the maid once more.

“If you need anything, just pull the bell cord, my lady. I’ll come right away.”

“Thank you.”

Casey bowed a perfect ninety degrees, then swiftly exited the room.

“So this is where I’ll be living now? It’s huge…”

The room was at least five times larger than her old one.

Far too grand for the daughter of a debtor.

Still, it struck a perfect balance—neither overly ornate nor too plain.

Irina walked around once, then finally set her bag on the floor.

After checking that her belongings were intact, she placed it close beside the bed.

Instead of lying down, she sat lightly on the sofa, leaning back just enough to rest.

Her eyes burned with fatigue.

No wonder—she hadn’t slept a wink in the carriage.

“When will I get to meet him, anyway?”

Her stiff body sighed in relief as it met the soft cushions.

She tried to fight the drowsiness, forcing her eyes open.

But soon enough, her eyelids drooped and closed.

While Irina slept.

A soft knock sounded at the door, followed by the quiet creak of it opening.

A man entered and approached her where she lay, dozing.

Reaching out, he gently brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen across her face.