Chapter 6: Sold, Again...
'KIDDING ME?!'
Osha stood off to the side, mouth slightly agape. Sold again? It had only been a month!
"Splendid. Clervie, Peruere, do bring our new guest to the ship."
Crucabena rose gracefully from her seat, a satisfied smile forming on her face as she exited the office without even sparing Osha a glance.
"Yes, Mother."
Clervie replied, while Peruere simply gave a quiet nod.
Osha remained where he was, head lowered, eyes fixed on the floor. Of all the places he could have ended up… it had to be the House of the Hearth.
'I trusted you… you! You-'
His gaze slowly lifted toward Shuri. She was too busy marveling at the Hydro Delusion in her hands, turning it under the light with quiet fascination, without a single glance in his direction.
"We'll wait for you outside the door, alright? I'm… I'm sorry…"
Clervie knelt down to Osha's height, offering him a quiet apology. There was a softness in her voice that suggested she had seen this happen before, children being taken away without their consent, their protests unheard.
Peruere, on the other hand, said nothing. She simply stared at Osha for a brief moment, her expression unreadable. Then she turned and was the first to leave the room.
After a short hesitation, Clervie followed her, gently closing the door behind them.
Finally, Shuri glanced at Osha.
"Boy, you should get going now. Bena doesn't like to wait."
She spoke casually, as if nothing significant had just happened. Osha remained still, head lowered, ears drooping.
"Am I… really that useless to you?"
His voice was quiet, almost small.
"No. Actually, the knights have reported that the horses have been quite obedient under your care."
Shuri responded evenly, though her tone softened just slightly. She let out a slow sigh afterward, setting the Hydro Delusion down on the table.
"Come closer, boy."
Almost instinctively, Osha stepped closer to Shuri, his head still bowed and his tail hanging low behind him.
"Who's going to make your iced tea, then?"
He finally looked up at her as he asked.
"Frankly, I've already memorized the recipe."
Shuri replied calmly.
"Why do you think leaving this place is such a bad thing? I've noticed the knights use you as nothing more than an errand boy, and you rarely get a decent amount of sleep in this household."
Her tone was practical, almost dismissive, carefully avoiding any mention of what truly awaited children inside the House of the Hearth, and what happens behind the scenes.
'Does she know?'
The thought lingered uneasily in Osha's mind.
"I was just starting to get used to this place, that's all."
He admitted quietly.
Shuri sighed once more. Was she regretting her decision?
Not really. She had truly wanted to get her hands on a Delusion. Still… she hadn't been lying when she said Osha reminded her of her late cat, Duchess.
She turned and walked toward a nearby cabinet, opening it before retrieving a small box.
"That tiny shiv of yours isn't enough to protect your hide. Take this."
She tossed the box toward him.
'What is this…? Wait, did she always know I carry a knife around?'
Osha caught it carefully, staring down at it as curiosity got the better of him. He began to open it-
"Don't rush it."
Shuri said firmly, stepping forward and closing the lid before he could peek inside.
"I know what you're planning to do. So open it when 'they' catch up to you."
'They? Who's they?'
The word lingered in Osha's mind, heavy and unsettling.
"Oh, Osha."
For the first time, she called him by his name, not boy, not kitten. Just Osha.
Instinctively, his ears fluttered.
"Do make them struggle, yes?"
She added lightly.
"And you're free to come back… if you manage to escape, that is."
The words were spoken so casually that they almost sounded like a joke as she patted his head one last time.
Osha stood there, gripping the small box tightly in his hands.
Without another glance at him, Shuri walked out of her office, likely to place the Hydro Delusion among the rest of her collection, already treating the exchange as complete.
'You're all the same…'
The thought weighed heavily on Osha as old memories resurfaced, being sold by his mother… then by Hoshiguma… and now her.
He let out a slow sigh, his grip tightening around the small box.
"Open the box later?"
He muttered to himself.
Yeah… no. There was no way he could contain his curiosity.
Carefully, yet far too quickly to be called patient, Osha lifted the lid.
"Hm?!"
-----<>-----
Osha stepped out of the office and onto the doorstep. Waiting for him were Clervie and Peruere, quietly chatting with each other.
"Ah, ready to go? I'm Clervie, by the way. The quiet one over there is Peruere. Hey, Peruere! Introduce yourself!"
Clervie said this cheerfully, hoping to lighten the mood. She always tried to do this with kids who had just been taken, softening the blow with a friendly smile.
"…You already did."
Peruere replied flatly, her tone nonchalant, showing little interest in the exchange.
"Yeah! But it should be you introducing yourself, not me."
Clervie countered with a small laugh, nudging her lightly.
"I'm Osha… just Osha. Can I pack my stuff before we go, please?"
Osha asked quietly, keeping his voice low, though there was a polite firmness to it.
"Hm! Take your time. We'll be outside, okay?"
Clervie replied warmly, smiling as she watched him walk away, giving him space to gather his things.
She leaned slightly toward Peruere and whispered.
"He's surprisingly calm, considering the situation. Normally, they'd be kicking and screaming right now… though I'm not saying I want to see that happen again."
Peruere only gave a small shrug, her expression unreadable, but the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips suggested she was quietly impressed.
"…I'm getting out of here. I'm not going there! Ever! I don't want to be a child soldier!"
Osha finally bolted the moment Peruere and Clervie were out of sight, his legs carrying him with a mix of panic and determination.
He slammed the door to his room shut and locked it behind him. His heart was pounding in his chest. For the first time, he wasn't just quietly accepting his fate of being sold again; this time, he was going to try to run.
"Well… I just hope they won't cut off one of my fingers if they do catch me…"
Osha's mind flashed back to his numerous escape attempts when he had been with the ronins and Hoshiguma, each one a narrow miss, each one a lesson learned.
He gulped, eyes fixed on the window. It was the second floor of the mansion, but he didn't hesitate. With a deep breath, he leapt.
"Whew… I guess being part cat isn't so bad after all."
Thanks to his feline traits, he landed with surprising grace, silent and smooth, barely making a sound as he touched the ground.
He dashed toward the horse stables, the only creature in the household he truly trusted.
"Roach!"
At his call, several horses lifted their heads, ears twitching, peering curiously at him.
"Oh my Archons… this must be my cheat skill, but now is definitely not the time for that!"
He pushed past the others, heading straight to the horse he had known since day one in this household—the wise Roach. The horse bobbed his head gently in response, as if acknowledging Osha's presence and ready to answer any question, just like always.
"Roach, I need your help. Will you help me get out of here?"
Osha asked the wise, omniscient Roach. The horse stomped his hoof and let out a strong, approving neigh.
"I knew I could count on you."
A small smile spread across Osha's face as he turned to the other horses.
"Thank you all for being such great companions. Goodbye, my friends."
He grabbed a giant hay bale and set it down for them, a final gesture of gratitude before letting them loose to feast.
"Let's go, Roach."
Osha attempted to place his foot in the stirrup, but he was still too short. Without hesitation, the wise Roach knelt down, lowering his back to help Osha mount.
"Thanks, buddy."
Osha murmured, patting Roach's neck gently before they set off.
*Gallop* *Gallop*
'This is actually starting to hurt...'
Osha's thoughts raced as the muscles in his small, young body began to protest. His legs ached from gripping Roach's sides, and his back throbbed from the unfamiliar posture of sitting in a saddle. Every bump in the path sent jolts of discomfort up his spine, and his arms strained as he held onto the reins for balance.
'But I can't stop now… I need to get at least far away from the mansion…'
Despite the soreness and the sting of his muscles, determination and fear pushed him onward. Each painful jolt reminded him of the urgency, of the need to escape before anyone could catch up.
'...Clervie, she's probably gonna get killed by Arle one day...'
The thought struck him harder than the pain in his back.
Was this really the right choice?
Being a reincarnator, knowing some of the future, had its advantages. But it also came with a cruel weight. He knew things others didn't. He knew how Clervie's story ended. And sometimes, knowing felt more like a curse than a gift.
Still… the benefits outweighed the risks. Didn't they?
How was he supposed to save Clervie?
He had been reborn with nothing. No overpowered skill. No system. No grand destiny. The only beings that ever seemed to side with him unconditionally were horses. That was it. No Vision. No Delusion. Just Roaches who bobbed their heads at him like he mattered.
How exactly was he supposed to defeat Crucabena?
Unleash a stampede of Roaches?
The idea formed in his head for a brief second, then immediately crumbled. He wasn't the type of person who would sacrifice the only creatures that had shown him consistent kindness in his entire life. They weren't weapons. They were companions.
Roach, somehow sensing his troubled thoughts, began to slow down. The horse let out a soft neigh, almost as if asking what was wrong.
"I'm fine, buddy. Just the usual problems of a main cha- R-Roach?!"
Osha's words were cut short as Roach suddenly neighed sharply and burst into a faster gallop.
"Ow-ow! R-Roach! Slow down!"
He had no idea what had triggered it. He clung desperately to the reins as the world around him blurred. Each powerful stride sent painful jolts through his small frame. His legs burned, his arms trembled, and the pounding rhythm of hooves made his back ache even worse.
What was Roach running from?
"Huh?! Oh-shit!"
Osha twisted around to look behind them, and his stomach dropped.
Peruere.
She was catching up.
Not on horseback. Not in a carriage.
On foot.
She moved with unnatural grace, her figure cutting through the forest with terrifying speed, a small dust cloud trailing behind her as she rapidly closed the distance between them.
"Arlecchino?!"
Osha's voice cracked in panic.
"Faster! Roach!"
Forget the pain. Forget the soreness tearing through his small body. If she caught him, the pain waiting for him would be far worse.
Roach surged forward at his command, hooves pounding harder against the earth. The wise horse suddenly veered off the main path, charging into thicker terrain, branches snapping, leaves whipping against Osha's face, as he took sharp, unpredictable turns in an attempt to throw off their pursuer.
Osha could barely hold on. His arms screamed in protest, his legs felt like they might slip at any moment, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.
After what felt like an eternity of frantic galloping, the sound of pursuit faded. The dust behind them settled. There was no sign of white-and-black hair slicing through the horizon.
They had lost her.
"Whew… Let's hope that's the last time we see her. Good job, Roach."
Osha let out a shaky breath of relief, gently patting Roach's neck as the horse finally slowed to a steadier pace.
"Urk… this hurts so bad…"
Osha slumped forward, resting his upper body against Roach's neck. Every muscle in his small frame throbbed, his thighs burned from gripping too tightly, his back ached from the relentless jolts, and his arms trembled from holding the reins for so long. His body felt heavy, weak… vulnerable.
A big mistake to let his guard down.
"…Enough."
The single word cut through the quiet.
Peruere stepped out from behind one of the trees, her expression as stoic and unreadable as ever, no dust on her, no sign of exhaustion, as if the chase had been nothing more than a casual stroll.
Roach neighed sharply in alarm, rearing up onto his hind legs in surprise.
"R-Roach?!"
Osha tried to grab the reins, but his arms were too short and too tired to steady himself.
"Nyah!"
He tumbled off, hitting the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs as he lay there, dazed and disgruntled.
Roach neighed again and quickly moved to shield Osha, stomping his hoof against the ground in warning, daring Peruere to take another step closer.
"…Loyal steed."
Peruere calmly unsheathed her sabre. If it came to that, she would cut the horse down to reach her target.
"Leave him be!"
Osha forced himself back onto his feet, dirt and dust clinging to his once-neat butler uniform. He pulled out his small knife and stepped in front of Roach, placing himself between the blade and the only creature who had ever chosen him without hesitation.
What exactly was he trying to accomplish? A tiny knife against a sabre?
"…How quaint."
Peruere murmured, almost amused.
In a blink, she dashed forward, her movement swift and precise, arm already reaching to seize Osha's wrist, ready to disarm him and drag him back to Crucabena.
But she stopped.
Dead in her tracks.
The cold barrel of a flintlock pistol was suddenly aimed at her chest, mere inches away, as she closed the distance.
"Leave us be…"
Osha's voice trembled despite his effort to steady it. His knife hand shook violently, and his heart pounded so loudly he could hear it in his ears.
'Never bring a sword to a gunfight… heh…'
The thought tried to steady him, but his nerves were still frayed.
This was Arlecchino.
Just because she was young now didn't mean she wouldn't one day become the Fourth of the Harbingers.
Peruere remained completely unfazed, even with the barrel of the pistol pressed against her chest. Slowly, deliberately, she began to raise her hand.
"Don't do that!"
Osha gulped. If he actually killed Arlecchino here, the timeline would be completely thrown into chaos.
But she didn't stop.
Her fingers gently brushed against his, specifically the ones gripping the pistol.
'What is she doing?! Girl, are you suicidal?!'
Before he could react, Peruere calmly guided his hand, positioning his finger properly on the trigger-
-and pulled.
*CLICK!*
The sharp sound echoed between them.
"Huh?"
The gun wasn't loaded.
The hammer had slammed forward onto an empty pan, producing nothing but a hollow, humiliating click.
Osha slowly raised his head, his wide eyes meeting Peruere's face.
She remained completely stoic, no flinch, no smirk, not even the slightest flicker of surprise. It was as if the empty click of the gun had been expected all along. Now Osha knew the person Shuri was talking about.
"WAI-"