Chapter 21

Having no recollection of what had transpired in the evening, Freya felt frightened.

As she held onto the haystack, trying to keep her balance, she heard the man laughing as he slowly brought the horse to a standstill. His laugh sounded fake as if he found it ridiculous that Freya looked so confused. Although she felt dazed and confused, she managed to utter, “Thank you.”

Freya felt indebted to the man. After all, he was the reason why she’d been able to eat and why she was able to ride on this cart. The man digging in his ears with his dirty finger uttered words like he was talking to himself. “I have so much blood on my hands that I couldn’t go into goddess Diana’s arms. Helping you is like doing something good before I die, I guess. Oh well.”

When they came to a stop, Freya stumbled off the cart and looked around. It was a place full of clutter. The man saw her bewildered face and continued, “I’m a soldier, and this place is near the battlefield. It probably won’t be difficult to find work here.”

“Oh, okay.” The man seemed to know that the shabby-looking Freya had nowhere to go. Not knowing how to respond to his kind gesture, all she could do was pinch the hems of her raggedy clothes.

The man, who had waited for a moment, soon turned around. “We must part ways here.”

Meanwhile, Freya thought about how ridiculous this situation was. Though bizarre, she imagined what it would be like to live while serving such a kind man. A useless thought, as expected. As the man walked away, he didn’t turn around to look at Freya. I’ve received enough of his grace. Children who didn’t know the world had false expectations. But Freya still bowed to the man who had shown her some kindness, and she said quietly, “I hope you receive Diana’s blessing.”

After saying her parting words to the man, who didn’t hear them, Freya turned around slowly to look at her new surroundings. A strange land with a particular smell unfolded in front of her. She felt alone and vulnerable but gripped her fists tightly, thinking of what she had to do next.

“I can do this, even if I am alone,” she muttered, with a grim look on her face. As Freya continued walking, she couldn’t help but think about the man’s strange words.

After a while, she came across a long line of signboards that looked like market stalls, and her shoulders shrank at the sight she’d encountered for the first time.

“We sell clothes that are almost like new,” a lady called out.

“This is the sword that Tariq of Fasa used long ago,” a man said. The loud voices echoed through the narrow street, and pale-faced Freya fiddled with the money Lotty had given her, which she’d forgotten was in her pocket. She then decided that it would be a good idea to buy a pair of pants. It would be hard to live as a woman in a place with an overwhelming amount of men. On top of that, Freya could already feel people staring at her hair and clothes. She fiddled with various items as she walked about in search of a stand with the kindest-looking owner.

“Looking for pants?” A chubby lady asked.

“Yes, I am.” Freya still wasn’t used to buying stuff, so her voice sounded awkward. After choosing a pair of plain dark pants, she thanked the lady and found an alley to change quickly. And when she walked back down the narrow street, she did feel more relaxed.

Freya suddenly remembered the shabby face of the person who had shown her kindness, “I should have asked for that soldier’s name.” But she was here now, and there was no sense in having such regret.

Feeling self-conscious, she walked hesitantly because her messy hair didn’t go well with her new pants. There was nothing she could do about that now.

Upon exploring the area further, Freya came across a battlefield barracks. A flag of unknown origin was fluttering in the wind, and cows and horses passed through the wide entrance gate. She felt afraid of the unfamiliar scene but told herself everything would be okay.

Peeking through the gates, Freya saw some men brandishing weapons while others lifted their beer glasses. And some men were bleeding from injuries. As she stood quivering from the sight before her, Freya wondered if she could work in such an environment. Her eyes darted around the barracks and Freya saw someone asking for water. Immediately, a young child went to fetch some, and she saw a coin getting handed to the youngster.

Freya nodded her head, “I won’t starve to death if I stay here.” It was all right for a new beginning. She could earn a few coins before sunset. But she had no clue what she was going to do when night fell.

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