Liberation of The Slaves

Chapter 66 – Chasing Freedom, Losing Hope

— Celestia’s POV —

The Earl raised his hand, a simple yet commanding gesture that brought the sea of voices to an abrupt hush. The energy of the parade faded, the weight of anticipation settling in its place.

Then, he stroked his chin, his tone turning thoughtful.

“Hmm… It seems the guildmaster didn’t tell you.”

Guildmaster?

Confusion crept into me as I looked up at him. What was he talking about?

His gaze met mine.

“Celestia, do you know why only eight individuals are receiving recognition for their contributions, despite the original promise of ten?”

“...Huh?”

I blinked, my thoughts scattering. Slowly, I turned my head to glance at the adventurers standing behind me—seven people. Seven plus me made eight. The realization came belatedly. I had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Freed and Daisy that I hadn't even noticed.

Lowering my gaze once more, I answered truthfully, “Pardon me, my lord. I’m unaware.”

His next words made my breath catch.

"Your sister, Daisy, is the ninth. She shares the same achievements as you. And as for the tenth… it's your brother, Freed."

"Huh?”

Shock rippled through me. Daisy being recognized made sense—she had fought alongside me, had risked her life. But Freed? He wasn’t even in the town during the stampede.

The Earl must have seen the bewilderment on my face because he wasted no time in explaining.

"As the guildmaster relayed to me, your brother played a crucial role in this town’s survival. The two slaves who were owned by an adventurer were reassigned to the guild thanks to Freed's intervention. When that adventurer perished the day before the stampede, the guildmaster received a report from the slaves. That early warning allowed the town to prepare and evacuate in time.”

I stiffened.

"Not only that," the Earl continued, "but he also deduced that the stampede had a mastermind. His insight convinced the guildmaster to entrust command of the battlefield to me so that she could focus on the true enemy. Otherwise, I might lead the reinforcements instead.”

My heart pounded. Freed figured that out?

Not the Earl. Not Karin. But Freed?

"Though he was neither an adventurer nor actively involved in the battle, his actions were pivotal in saving countless lives. That is why I have chosen to recognize him as the tenth person.”

The weight of his words settled in my chest. Freed’s intuition, his sharp mind—even though he had never set foot on the battlefield, he had saved them all.

But a bitter truth remained.

"But… Freed and Daisy are not here.”

My voice came out softer than I intended, trembling with suppressed emotions.

The Earl exhaled, a somber look crossing his face.

"I know. What happened to them is truly unfortunate. That is why I have decided that, as their sister, you are entitled to receive three rewards in their place. You may choose from weapons, armor, or magic tools.”

Three rewards. One for myself. One for Daisy. One for Freed.

My throat tightened. But they’re not here to claim them.

“But… I don’t need th–”

“No, you will need them.”

His words cut through mine, firm and unwavering. Before I could argue further, he spoke again.

"And as for your previous request—it’s rejected."

“Huh?”

My head snapped up to look at him, my heart skipping a beat.

Had he just denied the one thing I asked for?

Did he just say he was rejecting my request to save Freed and Daisy?

But before the frustration could even surface, he clarified,

"Daisy and Freed are the children of former adventurers who once saved my life and my sister’s life. I am indebted to them. Their parents gave their lives in the incident at Aster Village. So, I will repay my debt by doing everything in my power to save their children.”

My heart stirred at his words. I could feel the sincerity in his soft gaze.

He then continued,

"I will gather as much information as possible and share it with you. This is not a reward—it is my obligation.”

A sharp breath escaped me, and before I realized it, my lips had curled into a genuine smile. A real smile.

I bowed deeply. “T-Thank you, my lord!”

The Earl gave a small nod before adding, "It’s not only me. Count Ronan has also offered his assistance.”

My gaze flickered toward Count Ronan Shufillen, who stood among the knights in the center of the garden. His expression was unreadable, and his reasons for helping were unclear.

Why would a noble like him offer to help a complete stranger like me?

But I couldn’t afford to question it. I needed all the help I could get.

Lowering my head again, I bowed. “Thank you, Count Shufillen.”

He simply nodded in return, a faint smile on his lips.

The Earl then returned his focus to me. "Now, Celestia. What rewards do you wish to receive?”

Now understanding why he had insisted on the rewards, I needed to choose carefully—tools that would help me save my siblings.

After a long moment of contemplation, I made my decision.

"I need a stealth cloak, a masquerade mask, and a magic bag.”

A cloak to help me move unseen.

A mask to alter my appearance.

A bag to carry everything I would need on my journey.

These three tools, chosen on the spot, would be my lifeline in rescuing Freed and Daisy.

The Earl gave a satisfied nod. "Good. I will see to it that they are prepared for you."

I inclined my head once more. "Thank you."

The ceremony concluded, and the crowd erupted into applause. The cheers and whistles echoed through the town, yet I barely registered them.

This was only the beginning.

Starting tomorrow, I would begin training under Karin.

No matter how long it takes, no matter what I must do…

<“Daisy, Freed—wait for me. I will save you.”>

— Daisy’s POV —

The room smelled of damp stone and old, faded incense, a sickly attempt to mask the filth of this place. The air was thick, suffocating, pressing down on my chest like unseen hands, while I focused solely on the night sky.

Beyond the small, iron-barred window, the night sky stretched endlessly, indifferent to my suffering.

A lone star flickered, distant and cold.

Something thick and warm dripped from my skin, pooling at my feet, but I felt nothing. Every part of me bore the evidence of humiliation, but I made no move to clean it.

My body no longer belonged to me.

It hadn’t for a long time.

My mind drifted elsewhere, away from this room, away from the bruises and the raw skin, away from the weight of the collar that bit into my throat.

Three months.

Three months since my world ended.

Since I was dragged from everything I knew and thrust into this waking nightmare.

Three months since I was last myself.

The collar around my neck was more than just iron.

It was a sentence.

A brand.

A reminder that I was less than human.

Forcibly taken to a noble within the empire, they stripped away every trace of dignity, clothes, and weapons. My bare body became a tool for that man and his soldiers, subjected to their perverse desires daily under the guise of maintaining morale for war.

Freed.

I squeezed my eyes shut as his name surfaced, unbidden. My little brother. My responsibility.

They took him too.

I still remembered his face, his expression that begged me to stop.

But I had fought until the last moment, despite my own blood drenched my body.

And I failed.

They had dragged Freed away.

I hadn’t seen him since.

Was he still alive?

Had they killed him, discarded him like trash?

Or had they taken him somewhere else, turned him into something unrecognizable?

I used to pray for him, in the beginning.

Whispered his name like a desperate plea.

But prayers meant nothing in this place.

Nothing did.

Celes.

Her name followed Freed’s, echoing in the hollow chambers of my mind…

A fragile thread I clung to, though I didn’t even know if she was still alive.

Had they taken her too?

Was she suffering like I was?

Or was she free, searching for me, unaware that there was nothing left to save?

I wanted to believe she was safe, that she had escaped this fate. But that hope felt like poison, a slow-acting venom that would only prolong my suffering.

No.

I couldn’t think about them. I couldn’t feel anything for them.

It hurt too much.

Hope was a cruel thing.

It whispered lies, told me to endure, promised salvation that would never come.

I had believed, at first. I had fought, screamed, resisted. I had begged. And for what?

To be broken.

To be reduced to this empty shell, staring blankly at a sky that no longer belonged to me.

The flame of life within me flickered and waned.

I lost my reason to live.

*Click.*

The door creaked open, and my breath hitched.

I had already received food for the day—if the rancid scraps they tossed at me could even be called that—so there was only one reason for someone to come now.

To use my body like a toy.

I kept my gaze on the window. If I didn’t acknowledge them, maybe, for just a second longer, I could pretend I wasn’t here.

Footsteps. Slow, measured. Not like the others.

A shadow loomed over me, and despite myself, I turned. The face was unfamiliar at first. Then—recognition.

I had seen him before.

My heart, long numbed to emotion, twisted in confusion and dread.

“You are…” My voice cracked, raw from disuse.

The man smirked, tilting his head as if amused by my reaction. “Oh, so you recognize me. Convenient.”

He crouched, meeting my empty gaze. “In short, I’ve purchased you. Starting today, you are mine.”

A cold, bitter laugh clawed its way up my throat.

A new master. Another cage.

But my intuition told me this master would be far worse.

So much worse.

Because as he smiled, something shifted in his gaze—a cruel amusement, a dark pleasure in the secret only he knew.

The walls of my mind cracked. My heart clenched in silent, helpless agony.

I had thought my suffering had reached its peak. That I had endured the worst.

I was wrong.

My nightmare was only beginning.

— Freed’s POV —

<”Hey, Aza… Can’t you ask the Goddess to end my life?”>

【I can’t, Master.】

<”Then tell me how to die.”>

【I can’t, Master.】

<”Why!? I want to die! I want to end this suffering!”>

【Because I promised to accompany you until you find your own happiness, Master.】

Happiness? What a cruel joke. A fantasy meant for those who still have something to live for.

<“What happiness are you talking about!? Mom, Dad, my sisters… they’re all gone! Why am I the only one left alive!? I have no reason to live anymore!”>

【There’s a 10% chance that both of your sisters are still alive, Master.】

<”Quit feeding me false hope! I’ve had enough of those lies in my past life! I don’t want to live clinging to false hope anymore! “>

Three months have passed since my world was torn apart. Three months since I lost everything.

Today should have been my seventh birthday, but what does it matter?

The days blur into one another, swallowed by the darkness of this place.

Aza had hidden my true status before I was taken, making me nothing more than a normal child—weak, insignificant, disposable.

Without my strength, I wasn’t sent to the battlefield as a meat shield of soldiers. I wasn’t given a chance to die like the others. Instead, I was condemned to a slower death, one of exhaustion and despair, shackled in the empire’s mines.

Here, I exist only to work. I was ordered to not utilize aura or mana, and prohibited from escape or any action leading to self-harm. The collar around my neck hums with power, a constant reminder of my chains. If I disobey, it will punish me. At best, it will just render me unconscious, but not enough to kill me. No, death is a mercy I am not allowed.

I begged Aza to let me die, but she refused. Always refused.

But today, something changed.

【Master, if you were to be freed from this place one day, what would you do?】

<“I’d die.”>

The words slip from my mind without hesitation. There is no doubt in me, no hesitation, no fear. I have nothing left. What point is there in continuing?

【Very well. If that is truly what you desire, I will no longer interfere.】

Something feels wrong. I don’t understand why, but for the first time, a sliver of unease creeps into my exhaustion.

<“So you’re finally giving up on me?”>

【No, Master. I am simply respecting your choice. It just means I have failed to make you happy in this life. As per our agreement, you will be reborn in another life after you die with memories still intact, and I will no longer stay by your side.】

The cold finality of her words sinks into my bones. Aza has always been there. Always speaking. Always refusing my pleas for death. And now… she’s letting go?

It should be a victory. This is what I wanted, isn’t it?

But why does it feel like I’ve lost something?

Then, she gave me what I wanted—the way out.

【Write something. Ask other slaves to kill you.】

The master forbids us from speaking. From harming ourselves. But there’s no rule against hurting each other.

It’s so simple.

【If you no longer wish to live, then I have no reason to speak to you anymore.】

And then—silence.

Not a pause. Not a moment of hesitation.

Just... nothing.

I wait. I expect her to say something else. To object, to refuse me like she always does. But the familiar presence in my mind is gone.

Vanished.

It’s such a small thing, isn’t it? The absence of a voice.

And yet, it feels as if something inside me is crumbling.

It’s quiet. Too quiet.

The mines have never been silent before. There’s always the distant clang of pickaxes, the shuffling of feet, the heavy breathing of exhausted bodies. But now, none of it matters. Because the only sound I truly heard, the only voice that tethered me to this world—is gone.

Aza is gone.

The one voice that never left me, the only thing that made this nightmare bearable, has vanished.

And for the first time in three months, I am truly, utterly alone.

A shiver runs through me. The emptiness that follows is unbearable, like standing at the edge of a cliff and realizing there’s nothing beneath me.

I clutch my head, squeezing my eyes shut.

This is what I wanted, isn’t it?

I asked for this.

So why… Why does it feel like I’m falling?

My chest tightens, an unfamiliar panic setting in.

I pick up the rock beside me, pressing it against the cold stone wall. I just have to write the words. Someone will read them. Someone will do what I ask.

It will be over.

…Then why won’t my hand move?

I’ve wanted this for so long. I’ve dreamed of it, prayed for it, screamed for it. I was ready. So why…

Why can’t I do it?

Why does my body feel so heavy?

I stare at the rough surface, my fingers trembling. The weight pressing down on me isn’t physical, but it’s suffocating all the same.

I should be relieved. I should be at peace. But all I feel is—

Dread.

Something inside me whispers that once I finish writing, once I cross that line—there will be no more voices.

No more Aza.

No more anything.

I swallow hard, my throat dry. The rock falls from my fingers, clattering to the ground.

This was not hesitation.

This was fear.

A memory stirs in the back of my mind. A cruel, quiet truth that I never let myself acknowledge before.

I had always claimed I wanted to die.

I had always said I wanted an escape.

And yet, in my past life…

I never once tried.

There were so many chances. So many ways I could have ended it.

But I never took them.

Why?

I had always told myself it was because of my parents. That I couldn’t do it because they would grieve. That their sadness was my chain.

But now, there is no one left to grieve for me.

No one left to mourn.

No one left to hold me back.

So why?

Why am I still afraid?

And in that moment, the truth hits me.

I wasn’t waiting for the right moment. I wasn’t held back by duty or love.

I was just afraid.

The truth crashes over me, drowning me in shame.

I lied to myself.

I was never ready to die.

I was never brave enough.

I never was.

I was terrified.

Even now, with nothing left, with no one left, I still can’t do it.

Because I am a coward.

I press my hand to my chest, fingers digging into the fabric of my tattered shirt. My heart is racing. I can hear it, feel it. A painful, frantic rhythm that tells me, ‘you don’t want to die.’

My hands trembled and I dropped the rock.

The silence is unbearable. It’s too vast, too empty.

I bite my lip, swallow down the shame, and finally whispering to my mind,

<“...Aza?”>

For a moment, there’s nothing. Just the suffocating weight of the void pressing down on me.

Her voice returns, soft but steady.

【Yes, Master?】

A shuddering breath escapes me. I didn't even realize I was holding it.

The relief is instant.

I don’t understand it.

But in that moment, with just that one word—

The world feels a little less empty.

Another realization hits me.

I don’t want to be alone.

I was scared to feel lonely.

And here, only Aza could accompany me.

<“...What should I do?”>

【That was fast. I thought you’d need another month to realize it.】

She mocked me. She knew. She always knew.

That I wasn’t going to do it.

That I couldn’t do it.

And I was too blind to see myself. To understand myself.

I can’t even refute her words like I usually did.

Because they’re true.

I am a coward.

<“...I am sorry.”>

That’s all I can say.

【Train.】

<“Huh?”>

【You may die as a slave. But there is also a chance that you will be freed from this place. I don’t know when.】

【But when that day comes, only you can decide if you will remain a slave or not.】

【So train. Strengthen your body. If you wish to live, fight for it.】

Live.

The word feels foreign. Strange. But for the first time in a while, it isn’t completely unbearable.

<“...Alright.”>

And so, for the first time in a long time, I have a goal.

To escape.

And maybe—just maybe—to live.