Chapter 5: You Are My Property

Half the allotted time had passed, and Mili’s already frail body, deprived of even a single morsel, was dizzy with exhaustion.

Her fingertips rummaged through the decaying rubble, but all she found were sharp fragments and debris.

Sweat dripped from her pale forehead, soaking her collar, her entire being drained of strength.

She glanced toward the deeper recesses of the room, where more junk was piled high like a small mountain.

The air was thick with dust and mold, each breath scratching her throat and burning her lungs.

“How could I possibly find anything…”

Mili muttered in a daze, tears welling in her eyes.

In a place like this, forget edible food…

Even finding an intact container was a stretch.

Her so-called “luck” was utterly worthless in the face of this death threat…

If they wanted to kill her, why not just say it? Why go through all this trouble?

Mili stood hunched over the pile of debris, stealing a glance at the doorway—Seraphina stood there, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on her every move.

She quickly ducked her head, forcing herself to keep searching.

Just as Mili was on the verge of giving up, a strange premonition surged within her.

She lifted her head from the heap, her eyes drawn to an old, locked refrigerator in the far corner.

“A refrigerator?” Mili froze for a moment.

How could there possibly be food in a place like that?

It must have been thoroughly searched long ago, not even a screw left behind.

The guards at the door showed no reaction, which only confirmed her suspicions.

The rusted refrigerator door was sealed shut, its latch completely corroded.

Mili hesitated but climbed down from the pile and shuffled to the corner, trembling as she reached for the gap beneath the door.

Her strength was long gone, her vision darkening, sustained now only by sheer willpower.

Though the door was locked, the latch was so rusted that with a light tug, it creaked open.

Inside, it was empty, save for a thick layer of dust and dried stains.

Too short to see properly, Mili leaned against the fridge, standing on tiptoe as her small hands groped inside the blackened interior.

Dust quickly coated her fingertips.

Without thinking too much, she followed her instinct, reaching deeper.

Her fingers brushed against something smooth and cold—a cylindrical object.

What was this?

Her heart stirred as she pried the object loose with her nails.

It was a perfectly preserved metal can.

The old-era logo and design were faded but intact, with no signs of damage or bloating.

Mili’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open.

How was this possible?!

“Luncheon meat… old-era production…” Mili flipped it over, reading the label in a whisper, hardly believing her own voice.

How could there be anything in this decrepit, abandoned fridge?

And yet… judging by the expiration date, it was still edible!

The guards, seeing her pull a can of meat out of “nowhere,” began to show changes in their expressions, their eyes glinting with shock and suspicion.

Seraphina’s pupils contracted slightly, but she said nothing, watching Mili’s next move with heightened focus.

After looking around for a moment, Mili headed straight to another corner, reaching for a forgotten wooden crate.

The crate was heavy, and Mili struggled to push aside the debris piled on top, her face flushing red with effort.

The crate itself wasn’t locked, but it was empty, with one corner broken.

Yet, on the lid, there was a narrow compartment, almost fused with the crate’s body, invisible unless closely inspected.

Her intuition told her something was inside.

Almost as if guided, she slipped her hand into the tight compartment.

Soon, her fingertips touched something dry and granular, sealed in plastic, alongside some smaller, rough roots…

Mili carefully extracted the items one by one.

It was a small bag of dried seeds, sealed in a waterproof pouch.

There were also a few sprouted but preserved plant samples.

Though she didn’t know what kind of seeds or plants they were, Mili had a vague sense they could grow if planted…

“Food… and seeds…”

Mili clutched the motley assortment, wobbling back to stand a few steps from Seraphina, muttering softly.

The guards’ shock was now undisguised; they exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.

“How is that possible… We searched that fridge three times; there couldn’t be anything in it…”

“A compartment? Damn it, I’ve smashed that crate open countless times! Nothing ever fell out!”

“Could she… could she really find things?”

Seraphina remained silent, stepping forward to snatch the can and seed bag from Mili’s hands.

Her cold fingers grazed Mili’s, making her flinch.

The woman examined the items closely, especially the seeds.

A fleeting look of suspicion, surprise, confusion, and something like triumphant joy flashed through her heterochromatic eyes.

Seraphina inspected the can and seeds, confirming they were indeed well-preserved, the seeds still viable…

Her usually tight lips curved slightly upward.

But it wasn’t a smile—more a satisfied smirk of achieving her goal.

“Luncheon meat… and these seeds…” Seraphina’s voice was low.

“Well done. You haven’t disappointed me. It seems those rumors weren’t false after all.”

She turned to the guards at the door.

Their faces were already etched with astonishment and disbelief.

They knew full well—

This room had been scoured inside and out countless times, down to the last insect egg. Nothing should have been missed!

That fridge and crate compartment had been turned over by countless hands!

Yet this frail-looking girl had somehow pulled treasures out of thin air…

And in the wasteland, such items were priceless!

“Store these carefully,” Seraphina ordered, handing the can and seeds to a guard.

Then she turned back to Mili, the scrutiny in her gaze now gone.

In its place was a more direct, almost blatant covetousness.

“From this moment, you are officially the exclusive property of Seraphina von Kallen,” she declared.

Her tone was grave, her demeanor as serious as if issuing a royal decree.

“Without my permission, no one is to approach or interact with her.”

“Inform the logistics department to provide her with special provisions,” she commanded the guards.

“Her meals will match the standard of my personal guard. Arrange a clean room for her, right next to mine in the palace… for my personal oversight.”

“Assign a detachment of my guard to ensure her safety, with priority above my own. She…”

“—is now Eisenburg’s most valuable asset.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The guards saluted promptly, their movements swift and respectful.

Mili listened to Seraphina’s orders, her heart a tangle of emotions.

She… succeeded?

Mili herself couldn’t understand how she kept finding things in seemingly empty corners.

If not for her past experiences, she might have thought Seraphina’s people planted them to toy with her…

Not just them, but the drifters outside too—

Was it really not just dumb luck?

“Then… I…”

“You’ll have more important tasks ahead.”

Seraphina didn’t look at Mili again, turning and striding out of the storage room, her figure vanishing through the door.

Mili collapsed onto the floor, finally relaxing, lifting her thin, aching arm to wipe her sweat, replaying the woman’s words in her mind:

“Exclusive property…”

That wasn’t a normal term at all!

Was she a commodity now or what?

She didn’t know what the future held, but for tonight, at least…

She was safe for now.