Choose, Freedom or Rot?

Robert's face was pale, his eyes slightly strained red, and his body trembled so lightly that it was barely noticeable. He laid on the mattress of white cloth placed on the ground, along with a dozen slaves beside him.

A nun knelt beside the mattress, administering him, her palm opened and hovered above his chest.

"Minor sana hoc homine," a nun casted upon Robert, a small green light miraculously came out of her hand, healing him.

The nun stared at Robert with disdainful eyes after casting the healing magic. Upon noticing Hubert's arrival, she quickly stood up and focused her attention on other slaves.

"Tch, stinky slave," she muttered softly as she passed by Hubert and Ron.

Hubert looked at her, he wasn't unfamiliar with such treatment, especially from the guards or nuns. But her words still pierced his heart like an arrow of poison.

"Don't mind her!" Robert said, his tone affectionate and de-escalating despite his weakness.

Hubert agreed with him.

"How are you, Robert?" Hubert asked, worry etched in his face.

"I'm good! I feel healthy, the nuns here treated us very well!" Robert mentioned. He was pale, but the color on his face gradually returned, he was recovering.

"Well? If that was well-" Hubert exclaimed.

"Ay, don't mind it. Let's not start the day with negativity!" he hurriedly interrupted.

"...If that's what you want," Hubert replied.

"And Ron, how about you? Are you missing me?" Robert gazed at Ron, his friendly smile and gaze greeted.

"..." Ron's silence responded back, his blank stare unchanged.

"I guess you did, huh?! Why don't you two get some breakfast though?" Robert asked, it was a routine that all slaves eventually memorized.

"Don't mind us, we just want to know if you are…" Hubert stopped shortly. Once, he feared and worried for the worst.

"Alive? Of course I'm alive! The ants can't touch me, I even killed one before they poisoned me!" Robert asked enthusiastically.

"You know of my heroism? I did this and…" energetic and spirited, he began telling his story about how he killed an ant with his rusted pickaxe in the wet and damp mana cave.

Hubert and Ron listened.

The day went on.

The morning sun, warm and comfortable, slowly replaced by the merciless version of itself, where its ray akin to a needle piercing their skins. 

The gentle breeze of the wind died out, gradually replaced by the stagnant flow of air that proved useless in the shimmering heat.

"Robert, we must go now," Hubert said, bidding his farewell to his friend as he knew laborious work just beside the tents awaited him.

Ron did the same, though by only nodding.

"Of course, of course, I'm grateful that you and Ron decided to visit me! Be careful at work, don't let yourself get bitten by ants!" Robert said, half jokingly, with a friendly tone.

"Don't worry," Hubert said, smiling back.

They turned around and made their way out of the tent, bypassing a dozen slaves that laid on mattresses similar to Robert. Their empty stomach growled as they walked, but they knew it was worth it.

As Hubert and Ron opened the flap and left the tent, they were greeted by another person, Anna's coachman, Henry. His suit tailored, his demeanor relaxed and commanding.

"I'm the priestess' servant and coachman, you can call me Henry." Henry introduced while bowing, his tone professional, his face stern.

Hubert looked in silence, startled by Henry's sudden appearance.

"The priestess wishes to talk to you," Henry continued.

"The priestess?" Hubert asked. He vividly remembered Anna, the priestess that came to their station a while ago.

"Yes, follow me please," Henry said, his voice commanding.

"No, we will be punished if we're late to our station," Hubert responded, rejecting the order. He knew something was fishy, he used the only valid reason he could think of.

Ron looked at Henry, his stare blank, but his eyes sharpened.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, his hand, gloved, slightly shaky.

"O-of course we have prepared the necessary arrangement with the church for your audience. The guards have approved of you and your friend of this meeting," Henry replied, his tone rather nervous

Hubert looked at Ron, hoping for an answer.

Ron's usual stare greeted him.

He knew there was no way out of this.

"Ha… Okay then," Hubert sighed, giving in on Henry's persistent request.

The tent was placed right beside the mana stones stockpile. The slaves, in their hands shovels and pickaxes, ready to start their labor, looked at them with confusion and envy as Henry led them away.

"Why are they not working?" one of them asked.

"Did they get caught trying to run away?" another questioned.

"Wait… Isn't that the priestess coachman?!" another realized.

"Hey! Go to work, slaves!" a guard shouted at the wondering slaves, his authoritative voice pushed them back to work.

Hubert's heart pounded as he and Ron were led by Henry into the direction of the church.

The majestic carriage of the priestess, completed with the four horses that prepared themselves to be used, sat in front of the church.

In front of the carriage were four horsemen atop their horses with lances and banners of the Church of Vision, comfortably gripped in their hands.

Behind the glamorous carriage was an open roofed cart attached two two horses. On its driver seat, sat a man that looked like any ordinary peasant with a round straw hat over his head.

Henry stopped beside the carriage, then opened the door of it.

He then bowed and motioned for Hubert to enter the carriage respectfully.

Hubert looked at him, unaccustomed to such treatment.

"Thank you, I guess," he said as he entered the carriage.

Henry closed the door to the carriage, preventing Ron from entering.

The carriage wall was cushioned in crimson red and its curves plated in gold. The chair cushioned to fit anyone who sat on it. Its interior, sophisticated but comfortable.

The priestess, Anna, with her gleaming white hair, white-jade like skin, silver and sharpened gaze, greeted him as he entered. She placed her hand on top of her crossed legs.

Her face, innocent and beautiful, smiled serenely at him as he placed himself face-to-face with her.

Hubert was confused by the situation. A beauty, something that he could not dream to be around with, sat in front of him. A part of him mesmerized by her appearance, another choked by the atmosphere.

"Hubert, was it? I heard you killed an ant back in the cave," she asked, her voice friendly and warm, accompanied by her graceful and elegant smile.

"Ye-yes, priestess," he responded, confusion, nervousness and stress mingling with each other in his tone.

"Are you interested in your freedom?" she asked calmly, akin to offering a piece of candy to a kid.

"Of co-course," Hubert replied.

"But… it's not something that is free, you must do something for me, will you be able to complete what I ask you to?" she mentioned.

"I'-I'm sorry priestess, bu-but…" Hubert replied, his mind hesitated as his body instinctively knew that being involved with her was a danger on its own.

"Hubert Gubert, watchman, you joined because of your mother, right? Especially since your father died, you became the only thing that supported your old mother," Anna began telling his background.

"Ho-how did you?!" Hubert's eyes widened. He clenched his fist, he felt angry.

"Therefore I ask of you, if it's the freedom you desire, I can give it to you. But not only that, I will be gracious, I will give you a lot more than just freedom," she continued.

"..." Hubert couldn't give an answer. His mind was immersed in thoughts and calculations.

"Choose, rot in this place as a slave, or take the chance for freedom and much more," Anna launched the final strike.

"Fr-freedom… If that's what you guarantee, along with the safety and silvers for my mother. Anything that you ask for, I will do it," Hubert said. 

He took the only chance of freedom that dangled in front of his eyes. He chose not to rot in the parish of Darly. He chose to save his family.

Clap

The sound of her clap echoed in the tight space of the carriage.

"Great! Thank you for your cooperation! Henry will guide you on what to do next," Anna smiled.

The door of the carriage slowly opened from the outside. Hubert knew not how or what to say as he left the carriage.

As his last steps left the stair that led to the carriage, Henry motioned for Ron to enter. Then Ron did as he was told.

"Hubert, you are no longer a slave to the Parish of Darly, you are now a direct servant of the priestess. Pack up your belongings and prepare yourself for the road," Henry told. Hubert listened.

"After that, get yourself up on that cart," Henry pointed at the wooden carriage.

Hubert glanced at the cart as he waited for Ron. The driver looked back at Hubert, smiling as he picked his nose.

Ron left Anna's carriage as the sun made its way above their head.

The two of them made their way up to the wooden cart.