章 8: Chapter 3: "Midnight" Part 3
Jade always loved her father dearly just like any daughter would but as she grew older, she noticed that her father was a shrewd and cruel man from the way he treated the maids that raised her to the common garden worker and guards.
He only ever treated people kindly if they were either fellow nobles or the strange men in robes with the symbol of an eye on its chest.
It was not until 8 months ago that she truly grew to detest her father.
Growing up she had always noticed that once every four months her father would make preparations in his garden to receive very special guests, and during these times he would always ban her from leaving her room until the very next day.
Her curiosity grew until one day she snuck out of her room and quietly snuck a peek at the garden, what she saw then was her father presenting children in chains as if they were livestock being sold to the highest bidder.
She secretly glared at her father with utter disgust.
Her father always had high expectations of her, making her train everyday telling her that even though she was unexpectedly born a girl she was destined to one day be an S-rank and raise their family name to the rank of Marquess.
Even then she is expected to marry the son of a Duke all of this is her duty as the heir of the Loui family by the words of her father and so every day she would train diligently in her swordplay, her father got her the best sword teacher that he could afford.
She always enjoyed being showered by her father's attention and always worked her hardest to make him proud but she soon realized that he only saw her as a tool, a means to achieve his ambition, she no longer knew what to feel for her father.
It was after she found where his father kept the children that she truly grew to resent her father, she did not consider him a human anymore.
The kidnapped children were being kept in the mansion's basement where they were locked in cages more unhygienic than the one's in the royal capital that were meant for criminals that were set to be executed.
When Jade first found them, she was welcomed by a foul stench of urine, blood, sweat and feces.
Upon closer inspection she noticed that they had formed a hierarchy amongst themselves, the stronger ones occupied themselves in the cleaner parts of the cages and the weak ones had to stay at the part of the cage where that had urine and feces.
There was two cages in total and although large they could not contain the number of children that were shoved inside each of them, leaving little to no breathing space.
Some of these children were abducted from their families, and most of them came here from the orphanage thinking they were being adopted based on what they told her.
For the past few months, she had made a habit of regularly sneaking in to the basement to bring them food and clean water, she tried her best to ease their suffering feeling guilty that there was little she could do for them.
If she wanted to free them the large chains and locks posed no threat to her as she could easily cut them like paper with her sword, she knew that it would be pointless to do so as there were many guards around the mansion so her efforts would not bear fruit.
Some of them might even get killed if they got caught.
Even if she were to report her father to the authorities she simply could not because in this entire territory her father is the authority!
///
Jade was sneaking downstairs with a large bag over her slender shoulders as she had been doing for the past few months, she tip toed quietly trying not to make a sound, any sound she made would be immensely enhanced by the quiet of the night.
Although the bag she was carrying was very heavy and large she did not buckle, in fact she did not find it to be heavy at all.
This was due to the results of her intense daily training. Ki was flowing through her veins enhancing her body multiple times over.
It took her a while to get down to the basement because it was at least a dozen meters below ground it was more of a bunker than a basement in truth, inevitably she finished climbing down the flight of stairs.
She paused before approaching them, standing in the darkness she took a deep breath as if to muster up courage before approaching them.
She was not trying to hide from the by standing in the dark she knew that they heard her footsteps but she did it nonetheless, it was somewhat of a ritual for her.
She was always anxious every time she went down there but she forced herself regardless of how she felt, but today was even worse.
It had been exactly four months since the last auction, so in less than 24hours the next auction would be held.
Just thinking about it made her mouth taste bitter.
There was a total of four lamps placed above and besides the cages, Jade slapped her cheeks to muster up courage and stepped into the light.
Although dim as soon she stepped into view her silky blonde hair seemed to intensify the light giving the illusion that the basement had gotten brighter.
All their gazes fell upon her as soon as she came in to view, others looked at her with eyes glistening with hope and the others? Pure disdain.
She approached the two cages with a sulky expression painted on her face.
Although the stench coming from the cages was stinging her nose she did not react.
"Oi oi, why is our princess looking so sulky today? Well even with that expression you are still quite the looker. Kekeke".
Said one adolescent boy in the cage to her right-hand side, with his face between two thick steel bars, with a wide grin and his yellow teeth glistening, well not as much or as appealing as Jade's hair.
The other boys in that cage were also making similar remarks.
He added:
"Come closer and give me a kiss, would you? You said you wanted us to feel better, no?"
Jade ignored them whilst putting the heavy bag down effortlessly which made a loud thud.
"Are you not the daughter of the evil pig filth that put us in here? If you want to atone this is the least you could do!"
Another one added:
"Trying to make yourself feel better by bringing us food? You are just as evil as your father! Do not think this makes you any better"
He said as he spat on the ground.
Jade's gaze fell to the floor, she would always get these remarks from them but could not get used to it, she felt that their words had some element of truth.
The adolescent's remarks continued for a good five minutes before a deep and commanding voice came from the cage on her left-hand side.
"HEY. Stop that, how many times do I have to warn you?"
Her gaze fell to a bulky adolescent with a shining bald head.
"Why are defending our captor Huh!? The first person I'll kill when I get out of here is this bitch!"
"Shut your Mouth!"
The one in the cage on the left spoke with a loud voice that seeped into their flesh and bones causing them to flinch.
"I'll beat you to pulp" He added with a viscous look in his eyes.
The ones on the left quietly stood down although they were in different cages, they somehow felt like he could rip open the bars and beat them to a pulp.
"It's okay Apollo, I can at least let them vent their frustrations out on me."
Jade said with a bitter smile, and started unpacking the large bag.
"Jade…."
"Okay let us see what I have for you today!" Jade said with a bright smile trying to change the mood.
"I have loaves of bread, dry meat, grilled meat, dumplings, sausages, pouches of fresh water, apples, bananas, rice---" She took a deep breath before continuing.
"And today's special item is.... Chocolate!!"
As soon as she said that the pre-pubescent kids in the left cage started screaming in excitement, most of them had no idea what chocolate was before coming here as it was a delicacy reserved only for the wealthy, they simply could not get enough of it!
Jade started distributing the food in both cages with a bright smile on her face.
One of the younger children on the left asked her:
"Hey miss Princess can we eat some chocolate please?" he asked with puppy eyes.
"I told you to stop calling me that, you know the rules you have to eat your food first"
A little girl next to the boy added:
"But missy you are beautiful like a princess so you must be!"
The little girl said innocently, this made Jade's cheeks display a reddish hue.
"O-okay you can call me that then."
Jade said, with a flustered voice.
Not long after the all started munching down on the food in both cages, Apollo made sure the kids got enough before munching down himself, even though there was enough to go around.
When he was done, he took one of the pouches and drained it; the cool and fresh sensation going down his throat was heavenly compared to the sludge they were made to drink if not for Jade who brought them fresh water at least twice a week.
He never thought there would come a time where he appreciates the taste of water.
Soon everyone was done eating, Jade who had been sitting down quietly watching them devour the food reached her hand to the bag to a dark brown large rectangular block of chocolate and started breaking it.
That much was at least worth tens of gold coins which is quite expensive!
She then distributed it first to the little ones who were smiling brightly and then to the older ones.
The basement was full of life as they were all chattering happily with Jade on the left cage, the inhabitants of the right cage had been quiet since earlier.
///
And just like that an hour flew by quickly with Jade, Apollo and the kids talking happily.
Soon the little ones fell asleep, Jade and Apollo had soft smiles on their faces.
Apollo glanced at Jade and spoke.
"Thank you for doing all this, at least this way they can forget about their grim reality if even for a little bit."
Jade shook her head, her hair flailing along with it.
"No this is the least I could do, I feel so powerless."
She, said with a bitter smile on her face.
Apollo wanted to comfort her, but before he could speak, a little girls' voice interrupted.
"What's going to happen to us missy? I don't want to die."
She said with her voice cracking and tears falling from one eye to the other and then to the ground she was laying her head on.
Apollo's expression grew dark and Jade had no answer for her with tears starting to well up in her azure blue eyes, she bit her lips.
The misfit who had been insulting her earlier spoke with tears in his eyes.
"Shit! Why does this have to happen to me, I was born in the slums and had to fight for every scrap and now I have to be slave? Why was I even born!?"
He exclaimed furiously whilst bawling his eyes out.
Jade did not dare to say anything, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and she also started crying.
But they all stopped crying abruptly when they heard voices and footsteps descending down the flight of stairs.
She hurriedly grabbed the now empty large bag and nimbly jumped on top of the right cage and pinned her body against the corner of the wall where the dim light could not properly reach.
She crouched and hoped that whoever was coming down would not see her. She regulated her breath and anxiously waited for the figure of whoever was coming down to step into the light.
She heard a loud voice.
"I said hurry up you stupid brats!"
Which was then followed by tumbling sound then a thud.
The descending footsteps got louder and louder.
"Hey are you crazy!? why are you damaging the goods!?"
exclaimed one of the guards wearing a regular foot soldier armor with a little girl over his shoulders.
The other with matching armor answered:
"You are not one to speak!"
He said pointing at the little girl on his shoulders.
"I had no choice she was fussing"
He said, shrugging.
A little boy who did not look any older than 10 ran into the light to check on the adolescent that was kicked down the flight of stairs.
"A-are you okay?" he asked in a timid manner.
"I am fine."
Said the one who fell as he stood up and gently removed his locks that were obstructing his vision and slid them on top of his head.
His skin radiating like bronze in the dim light.
His eyes were frantically looking at each of the cages as if he was looking for something, Jade who was watching saw a glint of hopefulness in his eyes, but that quickly faded as he stopped looking, probably because he did not find what he was looking for.
Jade stared at him curiously in the dark.
Then suddenly he stared directly at Jade, this spooked her and she flinched almost making a sound, but he soon looked away seemingly disinterested.
[Wh-what!? Did he see me?]
Jade pondered to herself.
A moment later the guards stepped into the light.
"Ugh! This place fucking smells!" He said, pinching his nose.
"Yeah let's hurry and lock them in the cages."
As one guard hurried for the keys and unlocked the cage the other unsheathed his sword.
"Go on try something, I'll cut you!"
He said looking nervously at the pale skinned, bulky bald adolescent in the left cage.
[Is he really a child? He has more muscles than me!] the guard cried inwardly.
And soon after shoving the three "goods" into the left cage they left in a hurry not wanting to spend another second in that stench.
After they left the adolescent of the two new boys looked up and spoke.
"Are you not coming down from there?"
The other boy who came in with him looked up but saw nothing, a second later he heard a sigh coming from up there.
Jade nimbly jumped down from the cage and stared curiously at the boy.
Her azure blue eyes stared intensely into his pitch-black eyes that were seemingly emotionless.
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