Chapter 14
His tone was intimidating, as if she had deliberately provoked him. She wondered if he realized how menacing he was without even trying, but she wasn’t as scared as she had been yesterday. She had learned that fear wouldn’t help her, and she had already experienced his rough nature. She didn’t believe he could be any scarier than that.
Yet, when his hands slipped beneath her collar, her body instinctively recoiled. She wished she could disappear, to hide away from his touch. His actions seemed calculated to undermine her pride, to deliberately upset her. He showed no regard for the onlookers around them.
This guy truly doesn’t care what others think; he just does as he pleases. That must mean he’s incredibly confident.
His bold touch spoke volumes, but she never expected him to grope her in public without hesitation. The notion that he feared nothing, not even the king himself, crossed her mind. Yet, Edna couldn’t ignore the stares of passersby like Eli could.
Trembling, she held his hand still, her heart racing, and said, “I’ll see your true self eventually, but please don’t humiliate me in front of everyone. It won’t benefit either of us.”
“Do other people’s opinions trouble you so much? Even half-aristocrats have some sense of shame. Consider yourself fortunate. The world isn’t kind to illegitimate children, forcing them to carry a sense of shame.”
“Illegitimate or not, lacking shame makes you less than human. I didn’t choose to be born this way,” Edna retorted.
Eli felt a prickling sensation inside at her subtle jab, yet he found himself wanting to provoke her further. His days had been unbearably dull until Edna, alias Anna, appeared, stirring his curiosity and injecting novelty into his mundane routine.
“Let’s be honest, illegitimate children aren’t even considered human, are they? From what I saw today, you seemed to have lived off scraps at Viscount William’s castle. It might have been better to be born a commoner like me. At least commoners have freedom,” Eli whispered in her ear.
Edna shuddered involuntarily and retorted, “You claimed servants were human yesterday. Why can’t I, as an illegitimate child, be considered human? Or is that your intention, to dehumanize me deliberately? Starved or not, it doesn’t diminish my humanity.”
“You certainly have a way with words, don’t you? I can see why there are signs of violence on your body. I mean, who would hit a woman without reason? Don’t you agree? You’ll need to be careful with your words if you don’t want to provoke me,” Eli remarked sarcastically.
Despite his words, Eli removed his hand from her chest and wrapped it around her waist once more, contrary to his threat. Edna was taken aback by his unexpected consideration for her. She hadn’t expected him to comply with her request.
Eli muttered spitefully to Edna, who breathed a sigh of relief, “Don’t think this is over.”
Edna’s face flushed with embarrassment. Her body trembled involuntarily as she remembered the agonizing pain she had endured just the day before. Eli glanced down at her, noticing her distress, and urged the horse to pick up speed.
As they approached the village, it appeared to be ravaged by famine. It was the first time Eli had witnessed the harsh reality of the village. Even those clad in tattered clothes, herding pigs aimlessly, seemed comparatively well-off. A pang of anguish pierced Eli’s heart when he spotted a nearly naked child eating mud outside a dilapidated house.
This was the undeniable truth of their situation. In times of war, only the powerless suffer. Eli, experiencing the misery firsthand, squinted in contemplation. Edna, though not directly responsible, felt the weight of guilt for being part of the problem. Eli regretted not paying closer attention sooner, knowing that perhaps the situation wouldn’t be so dire if he had.
Feeling a heavy sense of responsibility, Eli furrowed his brow, dismounted his horse, and spoke solemnly, “I don’t think there’s anywhere nearby to find you new clothes.”
“That’s quite all right. I don’t need any new clothes,” Edna hurriedly responded, jumping off the horse before Eli could offer his hand to assist her.
His hand remained suspended awkwardly in the air for a moment before he withdrew it, eyeing Edna suspiciously. However, she was so consumed by the heartbreaking sight of the war’s aftermath that she didn’t notice his scrutiny.
As Eli and Edna entered the village, they were swarmed by people, each hoping to gain something. Edna couldn’t hold back her tears as she observed the blank stares of the villagers, unaware of who they were. It felt as though she was looking at her own miserable and listless self from the past two years.
Chapter 14
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