1 – Sold Into Slavery

As she approached the large mansion, Alice kept her head down toward the ground. She could see her worn shoes and tattered pants that reached her ankles.

Before coming here, Alice’s mother had cried and said:

[“Alice. You must never let anyone discover you’re a woman. Do you understand? If the nobles find out you’re a woman, there’s no telling what they might do to you.”]

Her mother’s face was bruised blue from her father’s beatings. She cut Alice’s lush, long brown hair short, dressed her in her younger brother’s pants, and gave her one final embrace. The door suddenly burst open.

[“What’s taking so long?! Send her now! The butler is waiting!”]

[“This is all your fault…! Why did you gamble!”]

Her father struck her mother’s face again. Her mother tumbled to the floor. She grabbed her father’s pants and clung to them.

[“You should be the one becoming a slave, why should Alice, who’s done nothing wrong, become a slave?!”]

When her father’s hand rose again, Alice quickly stood up.

[“I’ll go now, Mother.”]

[“Alice…!”]

[“…I’ll be fine. It’s a Count’s household, right? The food, sleeping arrangements, and clothes will all be better than here. And in five years, I can certainly earn enough to pay off my price. Then I’ll definitely come back.”]

Alice pretended to be fine.

Even as a slave, she could return to being a commoner by paying ten times the amount she was sold for. Although for some people it took 10 years, and for others 20 years, with no guarantees.

Alice was sold for 2 silver coins. Ten times that amount, 20 silver coins, would be enough to set her free.

In the old cart outside were several children including Alice. All of them were being sold cheaply to noble estates.

She wanted to pay off her debt and start a new life outside as soon as possible. Until then, Alice thought she could live by hiding her gender.

Upon arriving at the mansion, the butler informed Alice of her duties. Her job wasn’t particularly difficult. Alice’s role was to be a playmate for the Count’s son, Khalid Walsh.

* * *

One year later.

Khalid was a son of a… no, a lively, cute puppy. The 14-year-old young master of the Count’s family seemed to enjoy tormenting Alice, who was two years older but smaller in stature.

“This is my favorite tree, Noel. You need to handle it carefully. Understand?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Khalid reminded her of her younger brother Johnny. But they only shared the same age; at 14, Khalid was already taller than Alice.

The tree in the large pot towered over Alice and looked extremely heavy. Alice strained to lift it, but the tree didn’t budge an inch.

“What’s this? Can’t lift it? You really…”

Eventually Khalid lifted the tree himself. Alice wanted to stop him, but Khalid casually walked out alone, and the butler who was tidying the hall was shocked to see them.

“No! Young Master! You shouldn’t be carrying such things, you could have asked a servant…!”

The butler gestured to another burly servant, who immediately moved the large tree by himself. Khalid dusted off his hands.

“Noel couldn’t do it, so I did it myself.”

“Noel!”

Alice hunched her shoulders at the butler’s loud voice. As she listened to the ensuing lecture with a tired face, she glanced sideways at Khalid, who was watching her with an amused smile.

‘Did he do this on purpose…?’

“Noel! You’ll go without dinner tonight!”

“What?”

Before Alice could say anything, the butler turned and left. Khalid placed his hand on Alice’s shoulder.

“Noel. Come here. Let’s go to the garden.”

“…Master Khalid.”

“Since your dinner time is now free, you can play with me. Right?”

“…”

Mealtime was the only time Alice wasn’t with Khalid. For Alice, who was with Khalid 24 hours a day, it was the happiest and most comfortable time.

‘And now I have to be with Khalid again…! How much more is he going to torment me?’

But Khalid would soon be going to school. Alice clenched her fist, thinking she just needed to endure a little longer.

* * *

In the garden, Alice’s body was covered in bruises as she faced Khalid’s wooden sword. How fortunate it wasn’t a real sword.

Thwack! The wooden sword fell from Alice’s hand. As she sat down on the ground, clutching her painful wrist, Khalid finally lowered his sword.

“Noel. What exactly are you good at?”

“…”

“How can you be so fragile? Sometimes I feel like you’re a woman.”

Alice’s face turned pale.

Khalid came closer and grabbed Alice’s thin wrist. Looking at the wrist so slender it could be held in one hand, he clicked his tongue.

“Is it because you’re skipping dinner? Anyway, you must have a body type that doesn’t build muscle easily.”

“…Master Khalid.”

“What?”

Khalid’s magnificent blonde hair was turning red in the sunset. His blue eyes were transparent like glass marbles. Alice took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Khalid’s forehead. She thought even the sweat on his snow-white skin looked beautiful.

“You’ll be going to the dormitory soon, right? Study hard.”

Alice spoke with slight regret. Once he entered the dormitory, she wouldn’t be able to see Khalid as often as now. But perhaps that would be when she could finally detach herself from these complicated feelings for Khalid.

“You’d like me to leave quickly, wouldn’t you?”

“…Pardon?”

The wrist Khalid was holding began to hurt slightly. He glared at Alice.

“But what can I do? I absolutely will not go to the dormitory.”

“…R-really?”

Alice tilted her head in confusion, having heard the Countess say she would send Khalid to a boarding school.

Khalid moved increasingly closer to Alice until, at some point, Alice found herself lying on the garden floor.

“Um… excuse me.”

Khalid looked down at her from above. He looked nothing like a 14-year-old, which terrified Alice.

“…Master Khalid?”

Khalid bit his lip, then stood up and ran back to the mansion. Alice blinked, watching Khalid’s retreating figure.

* * *

It was a day when Khalid had gone out with the Count and Countess. On days when Khalid was out, Alice performed the same duties as the other servants.

Alice was moving supplies from the cart to the kitchen.

Beside Alice were Tom and Mariam. They were the same age as Alice, and the three were friends.

Alice was struggling to carry a sack of flour to the kitchen. It was inevitable since heavy lifting was usually assigned to other servants.

‘I’ll probably collapse after this, but there’s no helping it.’

Despite running every day, she didn’t build muscle like Tom, who was the same age. That was natural. Alice was a woman, after all. However, the Walsh family’s chef was a woman who stood 175 centimeters tall, with very broad shoulders and muscles bulging all over.

Her name was the feminine “Daisy,” and her hobbies were flower arrangement and embroidery. Judging by her build alone, she looked like she could hold her own against a man, which made Alice somewhat envious.

[“Daisy. How exactly do you get muscles like that?”] 

She had asked out of curiosity once. Daisy frowned while wielding an iron pan.

[“What are you talking about? I don’t have muscles.”]

But Daisy’s arms looked twice as big as a man’s. Alice pointed to her arms.

[“Come on. Then what are these? I want muscles like that too!”]

‘With muscles like those, work would be much easier.’

Alice genuinely thought so. However, Daisy sighed deeply.

[“I really hate them. Having muscles like these, men don’t like it. They only block my chances of marriage. Oh, I want to get married… You’re lucky. With your pretty face, even the young master likes you.”]

[“…What?”]

Daisy looked Alice up and down, then shrugged.

[“If you were a woman, he’d make you his concubine right away. Being a concubine is better than being a slave, isn’t it?”]

Alice felt goosebumps all over her body. Seeing her disgusted expression, Daisy laughed loudly.

[“Don’t worry! You’re a man. Surely the young master wouldn’t touch a man? There must be women who like skinny men like you! Certainly. Well, at least your face is decent.”]

[“Enough. I’m leaving!”]

Alice left the kitchen with a sulky face.

At sixteen, she knew well what it meant to become a noble’s concubine. After all, Count Walsh himself had two concubines, so it was impossible not to know. And she also knew how Khalid looked at those concubines with contemptuous eyes.