I’m Getting a Job As The Duke’s Wife - Chapter 1

My house was completely ruined.

Even though it was not that great, the name was quite well-known, and in the end collapsed by itself.

Someone overwrite the crime of treason, because the house is in one’s bad book*.

*In a situation when someone is disliked.

The connections and property that have been handed down from generation to generation were of no use in the face of treason.

My father was stabbed while gone rampage for unfairness, my mother committed suicide for fear of punishment. They live such comfortable lives until the end.

‘The one who needs to feel unfair is me though.’

Maybe you can get the taste of honey* in a rich family. But, even though I’m a biological daughter in this house, I didn’t even get treated as their child.

*Live a comfortable life.

As soon as I was born, I was trapped in the basement because they thought I’m a demon.

‘What do you mean demon, I’m just reincarnated!’

The problem is, the strange ability created by reincarnation. The ability that turns me into someone unusual.

“Aack! No! That thing is not my child!”

“Get it out of my sight right now!”

Confined in all kinds of screams and swear words, I have not been able to come out of the basement for more than a decade. Since I turned 20 this year, I spent most of my life in the basement.

Suddenly died at a beautiful age and was reborn, locked in the basement without getting cared for, be it dead or alive by the so-called parents, starved and bullied by the wicked maid everytime.

My reincarnated life was like the pitiful Cinderella. And yet it was unfair that I should die with those who abused me.

Then someone pulled my shrugged sleeve. When I turned around, I saw a little blonde boy who was about to cry. It was my brother, Bran.

“Sis, sister. Are we all going to die?”

It will be, as we are all traitors.

I could see just by looking at the servants who were doing housework being tied up one after another.

We, the traitor’s children, will find it hard to survive.

But I didn’t want to make a scared kid cry by giving an honest answer.

Bran was the only one who was nice to me. He brought me food when I was hungry, and he was beaten when he was caught trying to make me escape. So I thought of Bran as a real family.

“It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Even if you die, you will be reborn. Because I did.

I had memories of my previous life. I remember living peacefully in a good country and then dying. So the situation now wasn’t that scary.

I wish I could die without too much pain.

“You are this way.”

The soldiers who had finished searching the house came up and said that.

I nodded calmly and followed them. Bran clung to my side.

* * *

In conclusion, I am not dead.

It was the port, which I thought we were heading to the execution site, where the cart stopped.

I felt puzzled by the smell of the salty sea that I smelled for the first time after reincarnation.

‘Is it not a death penalty, but a labor penalty instead?’

A hard labor who makes you doesn’t die but makes you work hard enough to die.

I was worried that my already frail body would be able to endure the hard life.

‘What are they trying to order at the port? Carrying luggage? Or cleaning the ship’s floor?’

But again, my prediction was wrong.

As soon as I got off the cart, one of my ankles was shackled. The weight of the heavy shackles made my sight blank.

‘Are they afraid we’ll run away from work?’

I, who denied the reality, had no choice but to admit when I was shackled and being put on a ship.

I am a slave, I became a slave that exported abroad.

‘No, I’m a slave!’

I, who was a democratic citizen in my previous life, became a slave!

When I recalled the bad things that female slaves could go through, my lingering feeling for life, which was about the last grain, disappeared.

‘Should I just jump off the boat?’

Suffering from the temptation of reincarnation, I heard a whimper next to me. Feeling my gaze, Bran quickly wiped away his tears and said.

“Do, don’t worry. I’ll make a contribution and quickly save you, sister.”

Slaves who have made contributions in war can be free. Bran seems to think he is going to be a war slave.

I sighed softly.

‘It’s not me who you need to worry about, it’s you.’

Bran is a young boy with blond hair and green eyes. In addition, he is 13 years old this year, but he was exceptionally small and slender for his age.

“Oh, my luck.”

I gave up the idea of escaping by reincarnation. I can be born again, but Bran is not.

‘I’ll have to negotiate with the master.’

I have a special ability. I was imprisoned as soon as I was born for it, but it was actually a very useful power.

I decided to let the master know about the power and how to use it. After that, I will negotiate. If they want me to be loyal, they need to free my brother.

I looked at the crying and swollen face of my brother then vowed.

‘I’m going to save you for sure.’

However, an existence that poured cold water on my determination appeared.

It was the slave merchant who bought us. As soon as he saw me, he said with a frown.

“Looking so vigorous. It’s not going to be easy for her to lose strength.”

“Huh?”

Sitting still, I looked at the slave merchant with bewildered eyes.

He shook his fat belly and clicked his tongue.

“She looks too energetic to be auctioned off, starve her.”

“No, wait! I didn’t even want to rebel at all!”

I screamed, clutching the cage in a hurry. Watch it again. I am a soon to be a wage slave.

But the merchant, who glanced at my earnest face, added.

“With just a bit of water.”

“… Hey.”

If I get out of here, I will make you reincarnate.

* * *

It’s been three days since I starved.

The ship is heading somewhere, while I lay weak.

Bran, who was with me, moved elsewhere. Unlike me, a gentle fellow doesn’t need to be tamed.

‘What do you mean taming, am I a beast?’

I imagined hitting the merchant’s thick stomach. I starved because I look vigorous, he is a mad man.

Gritted teeth, I tried to calm down.

‘It’s okay. I’m used to being starved, I can handle it.’

The maid who carried food to the basement was old and cunning.

She stole my food every day and only brought leftover scraps. If I am angry, she pretends not to hear and does not come the next day. Eventually, I had no choice but to get used to hunger.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep. Sleeping without moving was easy to endure hunger.

Then, I heard clatter somewhere. It was a small sound, but because it was dark and quiet it could be heard clearly.

‘What is it?’

The moment I opened my eyes, the door opened silently.

A man who came inside with a faint light, looked around. With all black clothes as if shouting ‘I’m someone who is sneaking in’.

‘Is it a thief?’

I curled up so that he wouldn’t see me. The man who came to confirm something muttered.

“Nobody is here.”

“No, I can hear someone’s breathing. Look it up again.”

Another voice sent my heart down.

The startled man looked everywhere. I decided to turn myself in and find the light.

“He, here it is.”

He crept up and rushed over. Having identified me in a cage, he reported with relief.

“It is one slave. There is no one else.”

“Slave?”

Following the unpleasant voice, it became dark everywhere. A large shadow blocked the light entering the door.

With great nervousness, I looked at the man who approached me.

He was very tall. I was even worried that his head would hit the low ceiling.

The body, which looked black as its back against the light, was slim and moved without a sound.

He stopped in front of me then I felt a strange sense of pressure. He was a person who could weigh down others just by existing. I was sure he had a pretty high noble status.

Feeling my gaze, he said.

“I don’t really like being watched.”

It was a very low, husky voice. My shoulders shrank from the feeling of my eardrums getting rubbed by sand.

I touched my ear and grumbled.

“I can’t even see because it is dark.”

I could feel him laughing in a low voice. Embarrassed for no reason, I pouted my mouth.

“Excuse me then. You stare so intently, I thought you could see it.”

After that, the light came on. Covering my face reflectively, as I realized that it was not blinding, I put down my hands.

The man who made the light as big as a firefly in the air, asked.

“Is it fair now?”

I stared blankly at his face.

‘He’s handsome.’

It is corny, but there is no suitable word to describe it. He frighteningly had a neat, aristocratic face.

No, the word aristocratic was not enough. If the word nobility was made into a human being, I thought it would be like this.

The nobility as if to reject the others. An ice-cold atmosphere. It was even perfect with an ascetic feeling far from this world.

The neatly combed hair was dazzling like silver, the eyes were cold blue. I came to my senses when I realized that the cold eyes were getting colder.

‘He said he doesn’t like being watched.’

With my eyes glancing down, I asked murmuringly.

“Are you a mage?”

“No. And that’s not what you’re curious about, right?”

The man cut me off firmly. It seemed to me that I should not waste my time talking nonsense. So I asked straightforwardly.

“Please buy me.”