Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 809: Memories (3)
In the village, there was a drunkard named Bassam. Every day, he made Vanessa wash his and his two equally drunken sons’ dirty clothes. In addition to that, she had to weed and catch bugs in his dilapidated fields. Vanessa had to work at Bassam’s house every morning because they had too much work to do. No matter what, Vanessa still completed her tasks diligently and to the best of her ability.
Even so, Bassam and his two sons were always finding fault.
Or they would add to Vanessa’s workload at the last minute.
The knights returned for inspections once a month, almost without fail. Vanessa was terrified that the villagers would turn her in the next time the knights came to inspect. Therefore, even though she knew Bassam’s family was deliberately making things difficult for her, she didn’t dare to resist and took it all without complaint.
Finally, one day.
Bassam, who had been drinking, returned home and happened to see Vanessa cleaning the room.
Her graceful figure and swaying back gradually overlapped with the image of his deceased wife in his memory.
Bassam felt his throat dry and his mind go numb. Like a rutting dog, he charged forward and grabbed Vanessa.
This sudden assault made Vanessa’s face turn pale. From the heavy breathing of the man behind her and his reeking alcohol smell, she immediately knew it was Bassam.
Just as she was about to struggle with all her might, the man’s voice came from behind her.
“I know you are Vanessa, and you are not my wife.”
“But I haven’t enjoyed the taste of a woman in too long!”
“You can go to the brothels in the city!” Tears welled up in Vanessa’s eyes, and she trembled with fear.
She could clearly feel the man behind her tearing at her clothes.
But against such a strong adult man, she was powerless to resist, unless…
No, she couldn’t use that power again. She had already made a mistake once and was considered a witch by the lord.
If she used that power again, the villagers would no longer tolerate her.
The most crucial point was Mole.
Mole was still young. If they were driven out, with her meager abilities, she wouldn’t be able to take care of her brother.
“Going to brothels is expensive, and they are all cunning middle-aged women. It costs ten silver coins for one session, damn it!
Vanessa, why don’t you do this…you spend one night with me, and then I won’t make you work so much.
I won’t report you when those city knights come. I can even give you some money.
You know, I’m a skilled hunter!”
Bassam’s words made Vanessa fall silent. Just the promise of not reporting her was enough to make her cease any resistance. Not to mention that Bassam had offered so many concessions. So she remained motionless, like a cold corpse, silently enduring Bassam’s violation.
Bassam did not lie. He gave Vanessa a dozen copper coins and said he would compensate her later.
Vanessa did not tell Mole about this incident, nor did she want anyone to know.
She still smiled and acted like a warm angel in front of her brother every day.
But secrets can’t be kept forever. Because Bassam violated Vanessa every few days, his two sons soon discovered what was happening and joined Bassam in violating Vanessa.
These two young men, like their drunkard father, only knew how to hunt and drink.
Once, when they were drunk in a chaotic tavern,
They bragged to other villagers that “Vanessa is their family’s public sex slave.”
At first, the villagers didn’t believe it.
Until the two young men, eager to prove themselves, brought the villagers to their home.
In that dirty woodshed, several villagers witnessed Bassam and his sons violating Vanessa.
Thus, the matter became increasingly unmanageable. It spread from ten to a hundred, and in less than a day, the entire village knew about Vanessa.
The women cursed Vanessa as a cheap whore and a slut.
The men looked at Vanessa with strange eyes.
They thought, if Bassam and his sons could violate Vanessa as they pleased, why couldn’t they.
They indeed could.
They didn’t even need money.
All they had to do was say something like, “As long as you are willing to accompany me, I won’t report you,” and Vanessa would obediently comply, like a cursed spell that opened her legs.
Even the village chief couldn’t resist the temptation of a young maiden.
Ultimately, Mole found out about this.
Young and ignorant, Mole questioned his sister why she was doing this. He couldn’t understand how the gentle and beautiful sister had become so debauched, and he only felt ashamed!
“Because if we are driven out, it will be difficult to survive in the wilderness full of monsters.”
That day, sitting in the dim candlelight,
Vanessa was mending Mole’s clothes with needle and thread.
There was no discernible expression on her face, and her voice was faint and cool.
The series of experiences had numbed her.
Chastity and dignity were no longer precious; they were merely tools to protect herself and her brother.
Who knew if those knights would make a move on her brother after she was captured?
“Let’s run away, sister.”
Mole couldn’t bear to see the villagers violate Vanessa, even if he were to die in the wilderness, becoming food for monsters.
Vanessa disagreed, and the siblings had a huge argument.
His sister hugged her knees and wept helplessly on the bed, while Mole stubbornly put on his faded divine priest’s robe.
“God will protect me!” His tone was firm.
“If you are not willing to go with me, then I will go alone. I want to leave here and get away from everything here!!”
Vanessa finally agreed to Mole’s escape plan.
However, they did not succeed.
The siblings walked out of their home under the moonlight, but just as they reached the village entrance, they were blocked.
It was Bassam and his sons.
“Vanessa, you can’t leave.”
After tasting the tender young girl like Vanessa, Bassam lost all interest in the whores in the city. Moreover, Vanessa didn’t cost him any money.
“You still owe the villagers money, and you’re worth five hundred gold coins!”
Bassam’s son spoke loudly, and his shouts awakened the villagers.
The siblings were surrounded by a chaotic mob of villagers, and various insults and reprimands rained down on them like a storm.
Vanessa gritted her teeth and cowered, protecting Mole in her arms, her slender body trembling.
Mole stared blankly at these villagers, unable to comprehend why the usually kind villagers had become like this. Even the kind and amiable village chief stood by coldly, showing no intention of helping the siblings.
Some people reached out to grab Vanessa’s hand, and others tried to rip her clothes.
“You slut, do you deserve to wear clothes? What are you pretending to be so pure for?!”
“Lock her up, she’s our tool!”
“She should serve us until she pays off the five hundred gold coins!”
Stones and rotten vegetables were thrown at them by women with ferocious expressions.
A group of naughty children surrounded them, urinating on the siblings while emitting shrill laughter.
Mole’s hands and feet turned cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. The sister before him was filled with pain in her eyes.
She shielded Mole with her back, taking all the attacks, and simply held him, tears streaming down her face.
