Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter SS

Shardina’s Morning 

“Princess, it is time to awaken.” 

Shardina’s private maid called out to her from behind the bedroom door, accompanied by a knock. 

As soft rays of morning sunlight streamed in through gaps in the curtains, the first princess of the empire of O’ltormea, Shardina Eisenheit, turned in her sleep atop her luxurious bed. A sorrowful moan escaped her soft, white peach like lips. A pair of sensual, snow-white legs appeared from under the well-made, feather-filled covers. Her gorgeous limbs had equal part the alluring beauty of an adult woman, and the charm of a girl who hadn’t yet reached full maturity. 

The fact Shardina was still unwed was somewhat unusual among the nobility, where it was the norm for one to get married as early as their late teens. O’ltormea was counted among the strongest nations on the western continent. As its emperor’s daughter, Shardina would not be hard pressed to find a groom no matter how unsightly her appearance might have been. 

But on top of being, in fact, one of the emperor’s most trusted people and a general of many military exploits, Shardina’s appearance boasted what one wouldn’t hesitate to call a perfect beauty. 

She bore a spotless combination of lineage, pedigree, intelligence and social status, but compounded on it with valor and resourcefulness; many would wish to wed such a woman. And indeed, she’d received many, in fact incessant, proposals. Mostly from high ranking nobles from across the empire, but also from the royal families and influential nobility of other countries. 

So if anything could explain the fact she wasn’t married yet, it could be attributed to two facts; she was far too skilled, and that among the emperor’s many children, she was especially beloved by her father. 

“Princess, it is time to wake up!” 

The maid’s tone had become a bit strict, and the knocks on the door came across as a bit louder. Her name was Emma; a maid who had served Shardina since the princess’s infanthood, and as of now the only person allowed to enter her private quarters. 

Realizing that Shardina wasn’t responding to her calls, Emma sighed and took the room’s key out of her apron’s pocket. 

“Whatever will I do with you, princess...” 

What greeted Emma upon entering the room was the sight of Shardina with the blankets pulled over her head and very adamantly ignoring the possibility of waking up and getting out of bed. 

“Come now, princess, time to get up. It’s morning, you hear? Morning!” 

Emma tore the covers off of her and began shaking her shoulders. It was an act that would get anyone else surely executed for impiety against the crown, but given that this was how she had woken Shardina up for many years, it would have come all far too late. 

“Ugh... I know it’s morning, I get it, so just let me sleep a little longer...” 

“Another all-nighter, milady?” Emma shook her head, glancing at the papers littering the desk adjacent to her bed. “I understand how important your work can be, but please, do not neglect your health for it.” 

And while Shardina was obviously acting spoiled, Emma had served her for many years and understood her position. A bit of oversleeping wasn’t something she couldn’t overlook. Especially over the last few days, she’d become extremely busy. Yes, ever since that day a fire broke out in the castle... 

Emma then placed the blanket over Shardina again, and closed the curtains, shutting out the rays of morning sunlight from the room. 

How dreadful... The thought crossed Emma’s mind as she unlocked the door to Shardina’s room again. It seems it’ll be quite a while until Lady Shardina would give birth to a child I could care for... 

Sara’s Oath 

A cage was set on the carriage’s luggage tray, jolting each time the wheels drove over a rock on the road. 

How long had it been since that nightmarish day? The girls sat inside the cage, hugging their knees. They all feared and dreaded the fate awaiting them. Each time Sara heard the sound of a sob coming from one direction or another, she felt anger and hatred swirl in her heart. 

“What’s... What’s going to happen to us now...? Are Mother and Father all right...?” 

As her sister clung to Sara’s body, a cough escaped her lips. Hearing those words, Sara tightened her grasp on her sister’s hands. There was no point to asking that question by now. The fact these young girls were sold to a slave merchant told all one would need to know to draw the right conclusion, and that was a truth that applied to the two sisters’ parents just the same. 

Their father had sworn lifelong fealty to the Kingdom of Quift, and it went without saying he wasn’t one to turn his back on his country as it hinged on the verge of collapse to flee in self-preservation. Were he that shrewd, perhaps the vassals he entrusted his daughters to wouldn’t have done something as foolish as betraying them, and the sisters would never have fallen to the plight of being sold to this slave merchant. 

Sara’s sister wasn’t so foolish so as to not understand that. The sight of her sister holding back her anxiety spurred Sara to support her from the bottom of her heart. Misfortune befell these poor sisters, their days of affluent peace crumbling to ashes one day, disappearing along with their family and vassals into the flames. They were left all alone and cast down into slavery. 

“Sara...” 

The hollow look in her Laura’s eyes sent ripples through Sara’s heart. Laura was always good at everything. She was gentle and kind, and always more skilled than Sara in both martial arts and thaumaturgy. But the same sister she always looked up to was now sitting terrified next to her. 

“It’ll be all right, Laura. I’m sure things will get better one way or another.” 

That was the lie Sara concocted to suppress the anxiety bubbling up in her heart, a bluff she tried to convince herself with using all her might. A lie even a child would see through. And yet, the light of will returned to Laura’s eyes. 

“You’re right... I’m sorry.” 

Those words were so faint and weak, they hardly reached Sara’s ears.

As the sun set that day, the carriage finally arrived at a certain citadel city, protected on all sides by sturdy walls. Outside the carriage they could hear the lively tumult of people passing through. The carriage rolled along the main street, eventually disappearing into a large manor. 

“Hey, we’re here.” The door to the cage opened, and a middle-aged man with a vulgar visage barked at them angrily. “Get off, starting with the ones closest to the door.” 

Such a big manor... Any merchant that can support such a large estate won’t simply use us and leave us to rot. We’ll definitely find a chance to escape. 

They still had a final, hidden means to freedom their father once taught them. Right now, that path was closed to them, but they had definitely acquired the thaumaturgy to make it possible. 

“Laura. Let us obey for now.” 

Seeing the resolve burning in Sara’s eyes, Laura nodded back in equal. 

Laura’s Thoughts 

Three figures ran across the dark forest, heading east. The only thing lighting their way was the faint moonlight spilling from the heavens. Their rough breathing reverberated through the otherwise silent, deep forest. 

“There should be a watering hole nearby.” 

As Sara, who took the lead, said those words, the sisters’ master, Ryoma Mikoshiba, nodded wordlessly. 

Laura, who had taken on guarding the rear of their formation, snuck a glance back. They were on the run, and from the empire of O’ltormea, which ruled over the center of the western continent. Their clever scheming helped them shake off their pursuers once, but they couldn’t afford to be complacent. 

“There’s no signs of a pursuit. We should be fine. It would be difficult for them to gather the troops they’ve scattered around the forest.” 

“Right... Then let’s take a quick break here.” 

His breathing was terribly disturbed. He tried to feign calmness with his tone of voice, but it was clear that Ryoma’s stamina was awfully depleted. Still, he’d kept up with the sisters, who’d reinforced their bodies with martial thaumaturgy. 

His stamina is astounding, and he has a heart of steel to match that. It’s almost frightening... That’s why this man is capable of escaping the empire... and how he changed our fates. 

The man who changed these sisters’ destinies. Looking at his large back, the memory of that day surfaced in Laura’s mind.

It was six months ago that their then-master, Azoth the slave merchant, informed them of their migration to the western continent. Azoth was already looked upon coldly by people in the same trade as him for his business tactics, but after failing magnificently in a transaction, he’d ended up earning the ire of others. 

Sensing his life was at risk, Azoth likely had no other way to avoid the assassins sent after him but to move to another continent. Carrying all the fortune and assets he could carry and the finest slaves, he’d boarded a ship, sailing around and selling his slaves to influential people in order to recoup his losses and make a comeback as a slave merchant. 

Laura and Sara. The only reason they were left unsold until the very end was because their prices were simply too high. Their appearance, pedigree, intelligence and martial prowess; they were perfect in just about every regard. And they were even chaste and had yet to know a man. Their price outdid even that of the finest jewelry. 

Watching their fellow slaves being sold one after another, Laura spent her days grappling the paralyzing fear that next time may be their turn. 

Yes, until that fateful day...

That day they were beset by bandits, and, throwing everything else had away, Azoth ran off to protect his own hide. Having been left behind in the carriage’s compartment, the sisters were unable to do anything. As she turned her gaze away from the stench of the bandits’ breath, Laura could only curse her fate. 

But the goddess of destiny granted the two her mercy. 

I want to serve this man. To do something for him... 

Was it a sense of obligation, a debt, or perhaps admiration for the one who saved them from adversity? Those words carried some truth to them, but somehow felt not entirely pertinent. But whatever it was, the only thing in Laura’s heart was loyalty and devotion for the man called Ryoma Mikoshiba. With those feelings in her heart, Laura simply continued gazing at that large, bear-like back of the man before her. She simply looked on, silently...