Ashes

Angel chose to end his own life.

The slaves who discovered the scene late whispered behind Vanessa.

“Why’d he do that? He was only fifteen.”

“Ugh, I’m exhausted already and now we have more work again.”

No one in the quarters genuinely mourned Angel’s death.

He had just arrived recently, had no close friends, and although it didn’t happen often, deaths like this were not unheard of.

Vanessa spoke to the slaves.

“Go inform the steward immediately.”

“All right, we’ll go.”

They ran to deliver the news just as Vanessa ordered.

The steward asked uninterestedly while sorting documents:

“Are you certain? He really took his own life?”

“Yes. Vanessa herself confirmed it.”

“What? And why was she even there? Did you annoy her again and make her come deal with this?”

“Well, we—”

“Stop bothering her over trivial things. How many times do I have to say she’s not in the same position as you?”

The slaves swallowed their frustration silently.

One wrong word could earn them a beating.

The steward pointed to the door.

“Get out now. Burn the body with the trash.”

They returned to the quarters and immediately followed the order.

They dragged Angel’s corpse carelessly and threw it on top of a trash pile.

Whatever pity they had felt was buried under exhaustion long ago.

They lit the trash.

—Fwoosh—

The scarlet flames flicked their tongues and engulfed the pile instantly.

The slaves quickly backed away, yawning widely.

“Let’s hurry and sleep.”

“Wait, who’s staying till the end to put the fire out?”

“Not me, please. I have to work early tomorrow.”

A recently arrived s*ave raised her hand.

“I’ll do it.”

She had dark skin and hair white like flour.

The others looked relieved.

“Thanks, Jenoise.”

“Love you, Jenoise! You’re the kindest of us.”

Without looking back, the others ran to the quarters.

Jenoise stood alone, staring blankly before muttering:

“You’re all too much.”

Then Vanessa appeared from behind the wall where she had been hiding.

“What’s too much?”

“Eek!”

Jenoise flailed her arms wildly.

Vanessa grabbed her arms to calm her.

“Relax. It’s me, Vanessa.”

“What, it was you…?”

Jenoise pressed her hand against her racing chest and pleaded:

“At least make some sound. I’ve told you so many times I’m not sensitive like you.”

“……”

Vanessa said nothing and stared at the burning pile.

Jenoise watched with her, then spoke.

“I heard everything from the others. They said you were the one who checked the body.”

“I just happened to be there. Wasn’t expecting that. I was going to meet you quietly and leave.”

Jenoise looked apologetic.

“…Sorry. There was too much dishwashing today.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

Vanessa turned her gaze back to the fire.

“And nothing to call ‘too much’ either.”

“But someone died…”

“Slaves don’t have the luxury to mourn.”

“……”

Jenoise fell silent.

Vanessa asked:

“You’re tired too, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

“Leave this to me and go rest.”

“No, I offered to stay. And really… thanks for being here. If I were alone, I would’ve fallen asleep. I really only have you, Vanessa.”

This time it was Vanessa who fell silent.

Unsure how to respond, she spoke stiffly:

“…Just watch the fire properly.”

“You’re so bad at being honest. It’s cute though.”

The two talked quietly for a long time as they watched the body burn to ash.

It was a shocking sight, yet they didn’t look away even once.

When the fire died, they gathered the ashes and bone fragments into a sack and poured them into a pit.

A sunny burial place was never permitted to slaves.

Then Jenoise asked suddenly:

“Aren’t you even a little sad, Vanessa?”

“About what?”

Jenoise looked down at her shabby clothes.

“Not having nice clothes or a good home, I can accept that… but not being allowed to feel emotions freely, that’s too sad. Tomorrow we have to work like nothing happened. Someone who lived under the same roof died.”

Her eyes reddened.

She threw her arms around Vanessa and pleaded:

“Vanessa, whatever happens, you must never die.”

“……”

“If you die, I really don’t think I can survive.”

While Vanessa listened silently, a rumbling stomach broke the mood.

Jenoise backed away quickly, clutching her belly.

Vanessa asked:

“Hungry?”

“It’s just… they gave us smaller portions today.”

Vanessa’s chest tightened painfully.

They were both slaves, yet one ate luxuriously while the other starved.

‘I guess I’ll never eat comfortably in my life.’

She reached into her pocket.

Two carefully wrapped pastries touched her fingers.

Vanessa handed one to Jenoise.

“Eat.”

Jenoise’s cocoa-colored eyes widened.

She stared at the pastry in awe.

“What is this? It looks so strange.”

“A pastry. It’s really sweet.”

“Really?!”

Jenoise untied the ribbon and bit into it.

“It’s amazing, Vanessa!”

Vanessa nodded, taking out the remaining one in front of the pit.

“Yes. It really is. So…”

She lowered her voice to a whisper, softer than wind.

“I hope you eat it.”

The pastry fell into the pit.

It vanished in an instant.

Vanessa stood there a moment, then turned.

Jenoise, who had already finished her pastry, waited with a bright smile.

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you back.”

“Okay!”

Vanessa walked ahead.

Jenoise hurried to follow.

The path to the quarters was dark and quiet.

Shivering slightly, Jenoise rubbed her arms and called out:

“Hey, Vanessa.”

“What?”

“Why do you think Angel chose death? Did he hate it here? They treat us better than most places.”

Vanessa answered immediately:

“He hated being a s*ave.”

“Yeah… that’s probably it.”

“Or maybe it was because of me.”

Jenoise’s eyes nearly popped out.

She grabbed Vanessa’s sleeve.

“What happened?”

Vanessa briefly explained what happened earlier.

Jenoise’s heart pounded in shock, then she scoffed in disbelief.

“How is that your fault? Thanks to you, no one was beaten. If you hadn’t stepped in, he’d be pulp by now, begging for death. Maybe in the torture room already.”

“He wouldn’t have killed himself though.”

“It’s better to die than end up there. Come on, you know that.”

“Living is better. Because death is the end.”

Vanessa spoke with cold calm.

“He should have stayed alive. If only to resent me.”

“……”

This is the problem with humans.

Their pathetic fragility.

Vanessa shuddered internally.

Jenoise asked softly:

“Do you still hate humans?”

“Of course. I hate them.”

Jenoise’s eyes softened with pity.

She reached out and stroked Vanessa’s head.

“Poor Vanessa.”

“Yeah, I must look pathetic. A human who hates her own kind.”

Jenoise shook her head firmly.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

Jenoise looked up at Vanessa with sad eyes and smiled awkwardly.

“…Sorry. I can’t tell you.”

“Why?”

“It’s something you have to figure out yourself.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I said I can’t tell you. Ah—look, we’re here!”

Jenoise pointed between the trees at the quarters.

“I’m going in! You go rest too!”

“……”

“Goodnight Vanessa, thanks for today!”

Jenoise waved her arms dramatically and ran.

Vanessa watched her disappear into the distance, then lifted her hand slightly.

At that tiny gesture, Jenoise’s face lit up like she owned the world.

Even after twenty years, she was still like a child.

Vanessa couldn’t help smiling back.

‘She’ll probably still smile like that in 10 or 20 years. At least, if she’s still here.’

Vanessa thought quietly.

Fren was not like other masters who constantly replaced slaves.

Even after fifteen years, both she and Jenoise were still here.

Unless something catastrophic happened, they would likely remain.

Vanessa let out a long breath.

‘I’m really lucky to have been sold to Lord Fren.’

She climbed the stairs to her room, sincerely grateful.

Thoughts of Angel were already long gone.

Even the most expensive s*ave in the world, who ate at the same table as her master, was still nothing more than a s*ave.