When Dusk woke up, nothing's new today. Everything from yesterday is always the same.
"What should I do today. I barely had anything left on me... nothing left actually...
....I paid that old sunk last night, right? So tired I forgot...."
He dragged himself out of bed and threw on his coat. And then he heard a sound of horn from afae.
'Parade? I forgot about that...It's pretty unbelievable people can celebrate in times like these...
....Well of course, money is the solution for them.'
Going downstairs, he saw the same slave from last night again. She was standing near the stairs, not cleaning yet. On top of that, the tavern was still full of mercenaries. And she hadn't been ordered yet to start.
She looked exhausted, like she hadn't slept at all. Well correct, she didn't.
He walked past her, yet he didn't try to ignore her.
After then, he didn't go far once he's outside. The streets were already closing off for the parade. The guards dragged wooden fences and pushed away anyone who looked too poor to be there.
The nobles finally crawl out of their golden holes once a year, and everyone else has to move out of the way.
Then, he saw a paper on a log pole, and what's written there were "Hiring Cleaners" and a description that says they will clean the aftermath of the parade.
But on Dusk's mind, they will simply clean their mess. Still, he signed up to earn a little, could be bigger.
The paper or the note also mentioned the place where they would sign up, just on the central town on the big alley.
So Dusk turned toward the central town and thought he's ging to check every alley. But when he got there, lots of peasants are lined up on a specific place.
'Was that it?'
One by one, they were all accepted.
Inside, they were given buckets and mops, and at least they were also given an opportunity to watch the parade.
Too many people are cheering.
'So this is what the parade is up-close.'
"Woah, first time I get to see the parade, it's so cool!"
"It's be cooler if we're on that carriage!"
"Hell yeah!"
Then the Prince and the Princess came into sight, inside their carriage. Their pressence is enough to attract dozens of people, and cheerings are more louder than before.
'So damn loud!'
After a long wait, the parade moved to a different street. Dusk and the other cleaners started cleaning the mess, like the confettis on the ground and the spilled juice.
"Keep it quick!
...Don't leave a spot of dirt when the royals pass again!"
"I know, I know…"
As expected, another carriage will come after the previous one.
But it wasn't just cleaners that does the job, there were also slaves cleaning alongside them. Like that boy over there who's scrubbing the cobblestone near the carriage path.
And the citizens didn't even look at them, or maybe they simply didn't care. They were busy talking about money, money, money, always money, and how their days were going on.
Not to mention, the riches' homes were near the Royal Capital, and they always had contact with the royalties there.
When Dusk realized slaves are cleaning too. There's no doubt she's also here.
= = = = = =
From the central town, a large number of people gathered and celebrated the banquet after the parade. They also had already built the altar for the royal wedding.
"Cuin, might you set me down, please?"
"So soon? I had thought you'd enjoy the view a while longer."
The princess, known as Yna, had gained popularity for her calm authority and beauty. She wasn't ready for love, but the prince from the allied kingdom, Cuin, had won her heart.
The prince held her hand as they walked through the cheering crowd.
"Shall we? Our people await."
"Yes."
One slave are cleaning the pavement, sweeping off the confettis on the ground and the plastic wastes aside.
But Princess Yna caught sight of her.
"Oh..?"
"Keep your eyes forward, Yna. That filth isn't worth a glance."
Yna's hand from his loosened a bit without him noticing, since he was busy waving to the crowd and that only swelled his pride.
"Right."
It wasn't just the princess who saw the slave. Dusk and the others moved to the next street, that's when he noticed her too from the side of the plaza, and she was blurry from the distance.
'Huh. No wonder she's not doing anything back there at the Inn.'
Indeed, the old woman from the Inn made her clean on the central town after the parade.
Now, the one in charge of the slaves, cracked a whip across the girl's back for slowing down, and after she had drawn attention from the princess as well. She sobbed quietly and pressed her wound.
"You garbage! I should be the one the royalties see, not you!"
"I-I'm sorry..!"
Both the prince and the princess begin walking between the crowds, ignoring the faint sound of punishment. But Yna didn't really ignored it.
After a while...
The path where he parade had started was cleaned now, only the remaining mess was the slaves. Dusk and the other cleaers were sent back home. All of them were paid a few silvers.
When he returned to the Inn, the familiar slave appeared again, now with multiple cuts on her arm.
He felt sympathy, so he approaches her and tries to talk.
"Hey, uh... you alright?"
She was startled a bit, before responding anxiously.
"Y-Yes... why?"
"Oh, uh, nothing actually.... just, be careful on what you do okay?"
His concern made her blush a little, it's not that she's flustered romantically, only a little embarrassed in a good way, since no one showed kindness to her before.
"Thank you."
But before he could ask for her name, she already walked away.
'At least give me your name....'
He returned inside the Inn instead, and went back to his room. Even though its still noon, he wanted to nap a little with his proudly earned silver coins.
But before he closed his eyes, he made small decision when he wakes up later.
'...Maybe I'll ask her later...'
= = = = = =
Meanwhile on the river where the specific slave was...
She reached the well, and then placed the wooden bucket on the bricks before bringing it down.
When she dipped the bucket on the well, the water splashes to her sleeve, and the liquid coated her cuts. It stung a little.
Because a mechanical rope wasn't installed to easily fill up the bucket.
'Ouch.'
Luckily, she had a small towel saved inside her cloth, just in case she gets dirt on her face again. She used that to tend her wounds a little, then continues her work.
Although, she's a bit disappointed for some reason, because of her encounter earlier.
"I haven't told my name yet... I wonder who he is... he's so nice."
After the bucket is filled, she fills the other one next, she brought two wooden buckets. After that easy step, she returns to the Inn with the two buckets in both hands.
When she got there, she instantly gets jumpscared by her master's loud voice.
"Clean upstairs! You won't rest ti'll I told you to!"
Before she even exhaled, her master added; "Clean each room too!"
She's afraid enough to clean on the hallway upstairs but room by room is more scary. For her, people in this Inn are really terrifying.
'...Why...'
First she sweep the hallway using a towel by hand. But someone's dog peed on the wall, and there's a stinky droppings from an animal right on someone's door.
'Cleaning downstairs is better than these...'
While trying to remove a rotten egg on the wall, someone intentionally bumped on her and the bucket spilled. Thankfully she caught the handle in time.
Now the hard part is going room by room. But all room rejected her, or she rejected those because just seeing a blood stain on someone's wall made her stumble back and ran away.
'I hate this, I hate this.... please the hallway is enough.'
She entered on the last room, and when she peeked, there's no chaos. Only the person inside was the same guy who's concerned at her earlier. Now sprawled down on the bed, and fast asleep.
A sigh of relief came to her and then entered to clean his room.
'..Thank goodness..'
Later....
Finally, she's done cleaning on his room, it only took several minutes though. It was dawn, and she needed to rest a bit. But she heard his groan before she could leave, and he slowly stirred up.
"Ngrr.. what now..?"
She freezed while holding the door handle, then slowly turned her head around.
Both of them made a complete eye contact, even though Dusk's brain was still in process
Then-
"Oh. You're the girl from earlier..!"
"Uhm...I-I.."
Dusk sat right up and finally asked what he wanted to ask her.
"I just want to ask one thing... what's your name?"
She'd planned to say it by herself, but now that he asked... she hesitated.
"Uhm... Y-Yuzuri Henyumi."
"Dusk. My name."
The girl, well Yuzuri, heard her master's voice from downstairs. One more second and her master will surely erupt from exasperation, so Yuzuri didn't waste no second to leave the room then head downstairs. Even forgot to say goodbye.
"Uh.. See you later, then....
...If that's what you're thinking right now."
He almost forgot about the silver coins he earned. It's just five, but more than enough than working his whole afternoon and receive only three silver coins.
Realizing he hasn't eaten yet, it was a perfect opportunity to use his money to eat something decent, cooked from this Inn.
He leaves his room and walked downstairs to eat food. And as expected, Yuzuri will be ne waitress too.
Dusk sat at the table in the corner, waiting for Yuzuri to notice him so he could order. And when she did, she awkwardly approached him.
"Uhm... Sir, your order?"
"Just meat. And don't call me 'sir'. "
She smiled a little and muttered.
"Right... D-Dusk."
Then walked toward the counter to place his order.
.
>> Proceed to the next Chapter <<