Chapter 2 - Part 1: Trials of Servitude
The days stretched into a relentless cycle for Shouko within the vast Kaokuri estate. Assigned to tasks that tested the limits of her endurance, she laboured tirelessly from dawn till dusk. Her hands bore the marks of hard labour, her body ached with fatigue, yet she pressed on, determined to fulfil her duties with unwavering dedication.
From the crack of dawn, Shouko traversed the halls, scrubbing floors, tending to the meticulously maintained gardens, and attending to the myriad demands of the household. Each task was an uphill battle, the expectations set impossibly high, leaving her perpetually on the brink of exhaustion.
Days turned into a blur of ceaseless toil, her spirit weathered by the unrelenting demands of servitude. It was on one such day, as she silently traversed the halls, that she inadvertently overheard a conversation among a group of servants.
"I cannot bear this anymore," a voice, heavy with guilt, murmured in hushed tones. "We give her all our work, leaving us with hardly anything to do. It's not fair to her or us."
Laughter echoed in response, dismissive and cold. "She deserves it. She's just a commoner, after all. Why should she have it easy?"
The weight of their words crushed Shouko's spirit, stripping away the last vestiges of hope she clung to. Tears welled in her eyes, yet she turned away, retreating silently before they could notice her presence.
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That night, in the solitude of her small quarters, Shouko's tears flowed freely, a silent testament to her despair. The weight of her servitude bore down upon her, the cruelty of her situation leaving her feeling utterly defeated. Her sobs echoed through the silent chambers, a heart-wrenching lament for a life lost to the clutches of societal hierarchy.
In the darkness, as sleep eluded her, Shouko wept until sheer exhaustion claimed her, the weight of her tears carrying her into an uneasy slumber haunted by dreams of freedom long lost.
Chapter 2 - Part 2: Endurance Amidst Silence
Days bled into one another, a monotonous cycle of servitude for Shouko within the Kaokuri household. Assigned to the most arduous tasks, she found herself amidst the sprawling gardens one day, the task not rightfully hers. Shouko bowed quietly, swallowing the resentment that brewed within her, before setting to work on the garden that housed roses, her hands exposed, lacking the protection of gloves.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she worked, the pain of the thorns embedding themselves in her flesh a physical echo of the anguish in her heart. The burden of injustice, of carrying the weight of others' duties in silence, bore down upon her soul. Yet, she continued, each stroke of her hands a testament to her resilience in the face of adversity.
In the distance, unbeknownst to Shouko, Hana stood at a window, her gaze fixed upon the solitary figure toiling tirelessly in the gardens. She observed silently, her inscrutable countenance betraying no emotion, as Shouko tended to the massive expanse of greenery, her bare hands trembling from the pricks of the thorns, wiping away tears in fleeting moments of respite.
Hana made no move to intervene, no gesture of assistance or acknowledgment toward the overwhelming burden placed upon Shouko's shoulders. She merely watched, a silent observer amidst the poignant scene that unfolded beneath the canopy of the Kaokuri estate.
As the day waned into dusk, Shouko, with a heavy heart and tear-stained cheeks, retired to her quarters once more, the echoes of her silent cries lingering in the stillness of the night. The tears, a testament to her anguish, had become a ritual, a poignant and solitary act woven into the fabric of her daily existence.