"May I ask you something more?" asked Ara.
"What's that? Tell me," replied the guard.
"Is every slave going to be treated like this?"
"What are you saying? Don't pretend you don't know," the guard's brow furrowed in confusion. Because since earlier, the woman in front of him kept asking things that were commonplace for the residents of the Qin kingdom to know.
"I'm asking, that means I don't know," said Ara.
"Are you stupid? It seems your brain is a little disturbed. Slaves were usually treated like that. Not only that, but all the women in this kingdom were completely worthless in the eyes of the royal public. Especially if that person is a woman," explained the guard.
Ara silently listened.
"Except for those of royal blood. Noblewomen might receive a bit of different treatment from women of a lower caste than her. All of this was done solely to honor their family. Even some royal families do not hesitate to kill or salt their baby if it is a girl," added the bodyguard again.
"They even killed a baby girl?" asked Ara surprised by that fact.
"Just a few families. Not all families do such a thing. And that is normal in this kingdom," replied the guard.
Ara nodded in understanding. No wonder, since then her views have only been dominated by men.
In the Qin kingdom, from the lowest caste, like peasants until nobles, some of them did not hesitate to kill the newborn in their family if it was a girl. All because women are considered a burden and will only cause trouble for the family. But some of them still maintain and allow the baby girl in their family to live, perhaps because of the feelings of pity that are still lingering in the hearts of some families.
"You still have questions?" Asked the guard when he did not hear any response from his interlocutor.
"Since when did something like this happen?" Ara asked and that only added to the confusion of the man sitting behind her.
"Where are you actually from? Are you lying to me? You're not a servant in the Bai family residence, right?" instead of answering, the bodyguard accused Ara.
"What are you saying? Lying to you? Who lied to you? It won't do me any good after all."
"Your question has been very strange since earlier," said the guard.
"A-ah, I was just curious. My knowledge of the outside world is little. Do you know? I became a tier-three servant in the Bai family when I was only ten years old. Since then, I've never left the residence," said Ara after scavenging the body's owner's memories, trying to look normal.
Third-level servants are servants whose duties are menial jobs, such as transporting water from wells or rivers, washing, gathering firewood, and tending the family plantation.
Servants in the Qin kingdom are divided into three levels. First-level servants are those who serve the Host, taking care of all personal matters, First-level servants usually oversee several second-level servants.
While second-tier servants, those in charge of keeping the pavilion or residence clean, preparing food for the host, and doing the things ordered by the first-tier servants.
First-level servants are also known as butlers.
Hearing Ara's explanation, the bodyguard was silent and didn't respond anymore. Choose to believe the words of the woman in front of him.
"May I ask another question?" asked Ara.
Hearing that, the bodyguard took a deep breath.
"What do you want to ask?"
"What's your name?" asked Ara.
"You don't need to know. Besides, you will soon meet your end, Miss," said the guard.
Ara smiled sadly. "No one knows what will happen next. If we meet again, may I know your name?" said Ara again. She didn't know what she was doing either.
"My luck is on your side, Miss," said the guard.
"Thank you," replied Ara.
The bodyguard just nodded and didn't respond anymore.
They were both silent, only the sound of horse hooves filling the silence. The top of the palace walls is slowly seen from their position. And it means that soon they will reach their destination.
Ara's heart was beating fast. She looked back for a moment then said, "Is the slave girl who was with me also going to be taken to the palace?" asked Ara.
"Right."
"Why? I told you earlier that I would accept their punishment," said Ara as if what she said was nothing at all.
"I do not know. This is the first time this has happened. Don't ask me anymore, I'm just a bodyguard," the man snorted back.
"Besides, do you think the palace prison is a playground, Miss? Why do you say things like that so easily? Or are you tired of living? Or do you have other goals?" he added.
"Not. I don't have any goals at all. I just want to do it, do I have to have a reason to help them?" Ara replied and it managed to make the guard who was with her dumbfounded.
"By sacrificing your life? Do you think that if you help them at this time, they can be out of reach of the crown prince the next time? Even though they were freed from the crown prince, do you think the noble sons who were with him would release those female slaves? After all, they were just slave women. Don't be naive, Miss," said the guard at length.
"Honestly, I'm confused by you. You are a native of the Qin kingdom, but your behavior shows as if you are from another continent, Miss."
"Huh? Another continent? What are you saying?"
Again the guard sighed. "Do you think that there is only Qin kingdom in this world?"
Ara shook her head.
"Well, don't ask anymore. It won't do any good because soon you'll be dead," said the guard.
Hearing that, Ara snorted disapprovingly. She chose silence and did not ask again. Tried searching for body picker's memories of other kingdoms but to no avail. The only thing in her memory revolved around the Qin kingdom.