Jerua followed her climbing the thick green mountains; he asked her
"who was this heavy woman directing you like some military officer."
Chika did not stop and carried her way ahead but Jerua was assertive. He wanted to know the girl. Chika did not stop. Her eyes filled with tears. Jerua became worried;
"I am sorry if I m pushing you...you can share your feelings with me....at least." he requested
"She is my stepmother and she wants me to do the labor of her part so that her children can grow," Chika replied in her sobs
"Come on, you are a brave girl. I'm sure that the work is not the only problem between you guys, there must be some other than this causing the conflict" Jerua said in a well-advised manner.
"How do you know that there must be some other cause of squabble? Are you an expert on relationships now?" Chika complained about his behavior to him directly.
"No, I'm not an expert over the relationships but I know that the physical labor would never cause any damage to your health (as I have seen you running as fast as a horse yesterday) but the dictatorship and exploitation would make you uprise against her (the proof of which has just been displayed in front of me around the tree)," Jerua replied. He sounded mischievous, funny, and witty at the same time. She could not argue anymore and replied:
"Yes, there are some other roots of contention between us, but I do not think that I should discuss them with you." Chika wanted to see the embarrassment over the face jerua.
"Why not, I think I am the most suitable person to be discussed with, I might help you to get rid of this problem" jerua offered her cunningly
Chika seemed interested in his offer. She stopped from ascending the mountain leading to the castle, for the first time in a while. She asked her secretly:
"How are you going to do this?"
"You know, we have that flute, and it's fluid and I think your mother would like to give it a look if we show it to her," he said in a double-meaning tone. She readily understood the purpose of Jerua. Jerua burst in to laugh and Chika wanted to hit him but he eluded like an ostrich. Chika was running after him to catch him but he was an expert climber. He disappeared in the spur of the moment and now Chika was climbing alone. She forgot the embarrassment her stepmother had caused and all she remembered were the echoes of Jerua talking to her, taking interest in her life and all that.
"Indeed, nobody gets hurt with physical labor; it's just the heart of labor and mind that exhausts a person."
She reached the castle. She went on to ask Hinata what she must be doing here for her task but she could not find him. Hinata was not the person to whom female workers could talk easily about their tasks and duties, but it was the naivety of Chika that she asked every time Hinata about her work and Hinata showed kindness to her childish yet very obediently asked queries. Although Chan Su was the chief of all the workers in the castle, yet Chika did not like him. He seemed too old, mysterious, and snobbish to her. Before that she moved ahead in the castle, she was stopped by Sasha. Sasha told her in a very denigrate tone
"What are you doing inside the castle; you should stay outside with other slaves like you." Chika was astonished at this display of patronizing attitude. She said
"Mr. Hinata, the very master of this place, called me. He may need my services" she said in strong voice.
Sasha was furious at the boldness of this lean and self-confident girl. She told her in a very careful manner;
"Do not you dare to say his name from your little, filthy mouth and asking about the master, I am the master of this castle from now on."
Chika stood silent there.