A glimpse of light that hurt the eyes, a spark that made even the darkness behind the eyelids become bright, and an awakening that made parts of his body ache as though they had been broken. A chilling pain in his face that was only masked by the uncomfortable trickle of blood down his arm.
The boy struggled to adjust his vision to the light of a simple old magic lamp. He looked around and noticed he was inside a cage, somewhat large, yet not spacious enough to let him move properly. As he shifted, he felt his hand touch something. He looked immediately and noticed it was the same noble girl he had spoken with in the alley before blacking out.
— They captured a noble? They must be insane...
He grabbed the girl by the arm, despite the pain, and turned her over to see her face. He extended a hand to touch her face with the intention of waking her, but noticed she was stained with his blood. That made him give up. He then turned around and waited.
It did not take long for him to realize they were in some kind of warehouse. Beside his cage were hundreds of others of various sizes, all sheltering people with the same earrings as him.
— Damn smugglers...
His frustration was so great that he struck the bars of the cage with a punch, making a dry metallic sound echo through the warehouse. That did not seem unusual, given that no one cared enough to look for the source of the sound. But another sound caught his attention: he turned his head and saw the girl rising, still somewhat unsteady. Noticing that, he looked forward again.
— Where... are we? — Elyandra asked, holding her head because of a severe pain.
— How should I know...
The girl looked around, lost and struggling. Given the size of the cage, she positioned herself beside the boy; the difference in size between them showed that he was older.
Elyandra looked around while the boy covered his eyes, giving off a melancholic aura.
— Did you come from here? Back then, were you trying to escape from here? — Elyandra asked, staring at the surroundings.
— ...No, I came from the outskirts. We accepted an invitation to work as helpers, and the pay was good, so some friends and I accepted without thinking much. But in the end, it was a smugglers' trap. I tried to run away, but... Well, you already understand.
— Smugglers? It sounds surreal to think they would do something like this within the Imperial walls and in public.
— It's not like a spoiled child like you would understand that. People like me are valuable objects to nobles, so it isn't rare for this to happen.
The boy looked at the girl and stared at her, while she still observed the surroundings.
— It isn't rare... and even so, you still fell into a trap like this.
— Why don't you shut your mouth? — said the boy, clearly annoyed by Elyandra's last comment. — Besides, you seem pretty calm. Are you hoping someone from your family will come save you? — the boy concluded with a somewhat smug look.
— ...Calm? Is that how I seem to you?
The question gave the boy slight doubt. He looked more carefully at the girl and saw her hands gripping the bars. She held them tightly, and the way she strained herself, trying to find something he had no idea what it could be, surprised him.
— I don't know where I am... much less who is behind this or what plans they have for me. I am... worried, to tell the truth.
Elyandra turned her face slightly to the side while trying to see farther in. The glimmer of her earring shone against the light, and the boy saw it immediately.
— You have an earring too! Did some noble buy you?
Elyandra let go of the bars and turned toward the boy. Her poorly lit face stared at him, and for the first time he could clearly see Elyandra's golden eyes.
— ...A Saint, you're a Saint. — The boy's face changed to one of surprise.
Elyandra stared at him for a few moments after getting a sense of the environment. She knew she was in a complicated situation and could not see any clear way to resolve things. Then she knelt facing the boy, so both of them could look directly into each other's eyes.
— I am Elyandra Valemortis. It is a pleasure to meet you. — The girl extended her hand to the boy.
The gesture was subtle and filled with goodwill. The boy, on the other hand, still seemed shaken by standing before the Saint. He then extended his hand, but before they could greet one another, the sound of a creaking door drew his attention, making them both turn toward the noise.
They watched two people approach the cages. One of them was a woman in a black dress full of ornaments and a black mask that imitated a porcelain face. Her hair was tied in a courteous yet striking manner. Beside her stood the same man who had kidnapped Elyandra.
Upon seeing those people approach, discomfort assaulted Elyandra. She could not stop thinking that she was in serious trouble.
— So... this is the heiress of House Valemortis? — said the masked woman, crouching in front of the cage. — I was a little surprised when you told me you had brought a Saint. I wondered which one you had brought me, but that white hair is living proof of House Valemortis genetics. Your eyes are beautiful. I have never seen a Saint up close. Living in an era where we were fortunate enough to have two at the same time is fascinating... Well, according to what our analysis indicated, ninety-eight percent of the blood flowing through your veins is ancient. Do you have any idea how valuable you are?
"Damn... They already know that? They must have tested it while I was unconscious," Elyandra thought.
— Yes, indeed... Seeing you in person is even more satisfying. However, I do wonder. — The woman stood and turned to the man who had kidnapped Elyandra. — Why did you bring the Saint of House Valemortis to my business, Vargas? I hope you have an excellent answer for such stupidity.
Upon hearing about the Saint, the people imprisoned in cages were startled. Some crashed against the bars searching for the girl, causing a certain amount of noise in the place. On the other hand, that affront surprised Elyandra, since she truly was considered a high-value asset because of the purity of her blood. This also, in a way, surprised Vargas, who remained silent.
— I think you do not understand the trouble you have placed us in. All these people here are irrelevant. — said the woman, opening her arms as if encompassing the entire area filled with dozens of cages. — No one cares about them. If one disappears or twenty disappear, it is the same as nothing. After all, where they come from, there are thousands more to take their place.
The woman raised a hand to her mask as though annoyed, then turned to look at Elyandra.
— Now, what were you thinking when you decided to bring me the Heiress of House Valemortis? — She crouched again, looking at Elyandra. — This little girl is the daughter of a man whose reputation precedes him. Vaelric Valemortis is not someone who can be negotiated with.
— He would not dare attack us knowing we have his daughter. That would be idiotic.
— Vaelric is a methodical, intelligent, and shrewd man. The moment he discovers she is here, we will all be dead. If he is merciful, it will be with great pain. If not... — She turned her face to the man. — Well, I believe there is no need to elaborate further at this point.
— Then what will we do?
The woman stood again, still staring fixedly at Elyandra, analyzing the girl from head to toe.
— We do not have much time. The men who went out with you to collect the merchandise have not returned. I can presume that, given how long they have been missing, they may be in the custody of the guards escorting the Valemortis girl. It will not take long until they discover this place.
— If what you say is true, then we need to move the cargo elsewhere quickly...
— No... Prepare the paperwork, call everyone, and begin arranging our departure from this place. We are taking the Valemortis girl. The rest of this cargo is insignificant.
That left everyone there stunned. Those simple words carried unmatched coldness.
— Insignificant? Do you have any idea how long it took us to gather all this merchandise?
The woman gave a light laugh beneath her mask, then pointed at a cage holding five people.
— In that one, we have products with up to twelve percent of their blood being ancient. — She turned and pointed to another. — In that one, we have products with up to thirty-three percent ancient blood. — Again she turned elsewhere and pointed to another cage. — In that one over there, we have some rarer ones whose blood reaches thirty-nine percent. Do you know what they all have in common?
— ...
— Even if you combined all their value and doubled it, it would not equal even a third of what this Valemortis girl is worth.
The information shocked Elyandra even more than before. Although she already knew that in that Empire she was seen as a luxury article, she had never truly considered that her value could be so high compared to other people.
— Not only that, she is a Saint. I can think of a few barons who would open entire vaults just to lay their hands on her, even certain groups.
Even hidden beneath the mask, Elyandra could tell that woman's expression was repulsive.
— Come, Vargas. I need to prepare to disappear from here.
— And what about the merchandise? What shall we do with it?
— We will give the Valemortis something to worry about. If we leave them here, House Valemortis will probably just free them and come back to pursue us. So when everything is ready, set fire to this place. Even Vaelric could not leave innocent people without a proper burial.
Upon hearing that, many people began screaming and begging for mercy. Some offered to help, while others swore loyalty, all for the sake of survival.
— These animals are noisy today... — said the woman as she walked toward the exit accompanied by Vargas.
The sounds of pleading continued even after they had left, but what was most abnormal in that room was Elyandra. She remained silent even after everything she had heard.
"Those bastards want to kill everyone here... Damn it, I need to find a way out of here and fast. But what can I do to deal with that guy?! He is clearly strong... I don't have the strength to fight him," Elyandra thought with a rather dark expression.
The girl suddenly felt something grab her hand. That pulled her back from her thoughts, startling her. She saw the boy holding her hand.
— You truly are a Saint? Then you can help us. I will do whatever is necessary.
— ...But what?
She could see in the boy's eyes a spark of expectation she did not understand.
— Wait a moment, what are you doing? — said Elyandra as she watched that sudden change in the boy's personality.
— You are the Saint, our channel to the Goddess, so you can help us... We need help — he said while pressing his forehead against the girl's hand in supplication.
"What happened to him?" Elyandra asked herself mentally. Almost instantly, she heard the traditional prayers of the Church coming from the other cages. She thought again: "An Empire full of worshippers of Divine Light... Now I understand." Elyandra finally reached her conclusion. Her eyes moved around the cage, observing other people staring at her with confused, anxious, and hopeful looks.
Realizing that she had been given a responsibility she did not want left Elyandra indignant. She turned to the boy, completely nervous.
— Hey... Raise your head... I...
The words stopped before she could say something that would be interpreted maliciously. That happened when the boy lifted his face, and Elyandra saw the expression there. A flame that seemed to surpass dedication itself, eyes of someone seeking something beyond explanation, as though gazing upon a newly discovered path, was the only image the boy's eyes showed her.
— I...
Her voice seemed to fail, and it was difficult to put into words what to say. She was beginning to no longer feel the pressure of responsibility, but rather an unchanging desire that she needed to do something, and quickly, because not only the fate of those people, but her own as well, was at stake.
She then looked the boy in the eyes, her mind beginning to calm, and she thought, "I cannot deal with that man alone. It would be difficult. Perhaps I could escape discreetly, but..." The girl clenched the hand that was not being held by the boy, her fingers tightening into a firm fist. In contrast, her face showed a determined expression. "I cannot leave these people here, which leaves me no choice. They need to help me, and in return..."
— Raise that head — she said as she pulled her hand back. — I will help you all. We will find a way to resolve this.