Part 1From the Ashes

After the Great War, the military prostitutes were to be sold into brothels. To avoid this fate, they tried everything to seduce soldiers and get taken home.

When the taciturn, dark-skinned Captain came looking for me, the entire camp was empty except for me and an old woman dying of a terminal illness.

She laughed at me:

"Little Rose, if someone is willing to take you, just go. Who are you waiting for? Don't tell me it's that high-and-mighty General Peyton, who's about to marry the princess?"

I said I needed to think about it.

That night, Peyton pinned me to the bed.

He gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"I'm marrying the princess, and you're jealous?"

He scoffed.

"You've got quite a temper."

"Nothing between us will change after I marry the princess. I bought a house outside the city. Wait for me there."

He never asked about the man who came for me during the day.

He was so sure I wouldn't leave with anyone else.

But he didn't know I had already agreed to go with the Captain named Zane.

The day he married the princess was also the day I would marry Zane.

* * *

After the war ended, according to custom, we military prostitutes were to be sold into the lowest brothels.

Those places were filled with all kinds of people: old, young, perverted, disgusting. It wasn't a place for humans.

So, starting three days ago, the younger women began trying every trick to seduce the soldiers.

These men were the survivors of the war. Having won, they would be rewarded based on their merit. Even if they already had wives at home, becoming a kept mistress wasn't a bad end.

Zane appeared when a scoundrel was trying to take me back as a concubine. After I refused, he got angry and tackled me onto the bed in the tent.

"Bitch! You're the daughter of a criminal minister, a military prostitute, and you still think you're a lady? Usually, the young general gets first dibs, but now it's my turn to taste..."

Before he could finish, he was grabbed by the collar and thrown to the ground.

I scrambled up in a panic and saw Zane.

He carried the scoundrel out like he was carrying a chick.

At first, there was shouting outside, but it soon died down.

After dealing with the man, Zane came back in and stood at the tent entrance like a mountain, blocking all the light.

His wheat-colored skin was solid and vibrant, sweat dripping down his neck into his collarbone. He was breathing slightly hard, looking at me, but didn't say a word.

I don't know how long passed.

Finally, he said just one phrase:

"I can."

It was a bit baffling, but I understood what he meant.

These days, besides that scoundrel, five or six other men had come to me, saying they could take me home. Some even promised me the position of principal wife.

After all, I was once the cherished daughter of the Minister of Revenue. I could play the zither, play chess, do calligraphy, and paint. My beauty alone was once famous throughout the capital.

I refused them all.

But this time, I stared into Zane's eyes. He stiffly looked away.

His face was taut, as if someone owed him money.

But I saw that the tips of his ears were bright red.

"I need to think about it."

I said.

After Zane left, a weak voice came from the corner.

"He might be the last one."

That was the only other woman left here besides me, an old prostitute suffering from a serious illness and running out of time.

She laughed at me:

"Little Rose, if he's willing to take you, just go with him. Who are you waiting for? Don't tell me it's that high-and-mighty General Peyton, who's about to marry the princess?"

She knew I had some kind of relationship with Peyton.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be a military prostitute who didn't have to serve others.

But every two days, I would go out at night holding my zither.

The only person who could have this privilege was the now-distinguished and glorious Peyton.

She thought Peyton was just treating me like a plaything, and I shouldn't pine for someone out of my league.

But she didn't know that it wasn't me who refused to let go.