《Beatrice》


 Chapter 1 - - He Will Be Mine

    ¡°Are you the princess?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ Ahhh!¡±


    A heavy, thick knife struck the woman in question on the neck, ending her life instantly. As if it was still not enough, the knight of the Nosteros Empire buried his bloodied sword into the flesh of the now decapitated woman.


    Not far away, a woman watched this scene silently¡­


    Obscured by a pillar, Beatrice remained hidden from the knight¡¯s sight. With such morbid sight, she felt her knees uncontrollably buckle beneath her. The hand which clutched her chest also shook in nothing, but absolute trepidation.


    In her life, she had witnessed several people meet their ends, but this was the first time she¡¯d seen a person slaughter another with the intent to kill.


    Undoubtedly, the man looked for her¡ªthe black-haired royal princess who was deemed the least fit in the palace. Fear soared in her heart; the words of the knight ringing in her ears.


    Is this the end?


    Beatrice was living a second life.


    Even so, she remembered her whole previous life, but, she had never confided a thing of this secret to anyone. No one would believe her, anyway.


    Hence, she lived twenty-five years after her reincarnation with only her knowing her true origin¡ªwhich was not this world.


    Two years ago, she was pulled from slavery and lived in the castle as Princess Beatrice, the royal princess of El Pasa. A totally different status was handed to her on a silver plate.


    From slavery to royalty. She surmised, the fatality of her situation dawning on her in waves of emotions.


    My, how my life changed so drastically in such a short time. She felt intense longing at the next thought that came to her. And how quick would it end any time from now.


    But in this life, I¡¯ve been forcefully married and lived miserably¡­ Even if I die now, it won¡¯t matter anymore; my life ended the day I married Gilbert. She thought bitterly.


    The 23 years I spent as a slave was better than two years I lived as a royal princess. There¡¯s no doubt in this.


    Having visited the palace for several days under the guise of her birthday, she woke up one unfortunate day bombarded with such chaos.


    The forces of Nosteros Empire invaded El Pasa and killed her father, the king, along with the queen. They also didn¡¯t spare the princesses¡ªher half-sisters.


    Except for one.


    She heard that the First Princess Alicia had fled, but there was no hope. Whoever was killed first or last was not important. They would kill all the royal family, one way or another¡ªher included.


    But, she had nowhere to go¡­ The pillar won¡¯t be able to hide for long. Besides, the whole place was already swarmed with the knights.


    Once and for all, I must end this. There¡¯s no use prolonging this agony.


    She took a deep breath and stepped out of her hiding spot.


    They will not leave the kingdom until I am executed¡­.I don¡¯t want to hide cowardly and witness more innocent servants end up being killed in cold blood in their search of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Princess Beatrice.¡± Her voice came out calmer than she expected. Is this my voice?


    Suddenly, standing on the crossroad of life and death, she felt strange even to her own voice. At the same time, the eyes of the knight fell on her. A satisfied smirk plastered on his lips.


    He was the same knight, who had just brutally killed a servant named Blair. He slowly advanced to her, the sword resting arrogantly on his shoulders.


    ¡°Do you want to live or die? Since your husband has sold you and your kingdom, I wonder if you still have the will to live. Ooops.¡± The red-headed knight made a wry remark about Beatrice.


    This was followed by snorts and laughter of other knights surrounding them, standing idly as spectators.


    They must be taking this ridiculous treason of her husband, which caused the downfall of the country, as a mere comedy.


    ¡°I¡ªI want to live. But if you¡¯re going to kill me, please hang me at once, and spare the maids and slaves. They are innocent.¡±


    Even if she dies of her husband¡¯s terrible greed, the maids, who cared for her through her years as nobility, should not suffer the same fate as her.


    In her past life, she was run over by truck, a drunk driver behind the wheels, and reincarnated in this world. She was given a second chance at life. But, if her servants would die in vain, just because of her, she would never desire to reincarnate again, carrying this guilt.


    ¡°Ha! This is surprising. The princess still wants to live even after the humiliation of being sold like a worthless property by her sweet husband!¡± He cackled with a boisterous laugh. Beatrice remained unfazed by the mockery and clenched her hands on her sides instead.


    Just then, the knight looked at his back, his posture visibly tensing for a little.


    ¡°Your Excellency.¡±


    At the center of the knight¡¯s squad which marched in the castle¡¯s wall, an intimidating man came forward. Donning a cape, beautifully decorated in black and gold, he had an air of aristocracy. He was also clad in a hard armor that would not be pierced by any sword or spear.


    Yet, he was not as noble as he looked. Beatrice could see specks of blood splattered across his armor.


    Another murderer.


    ¡°What shall we do with this princess who still wants to live?¡± The ginger-haired knight asked the man in authority.


    With the knight¡¯s display of respect, Beatrice realized who this man was.


    Alexandro Graham, Nostero¡¯s Empire Commander of the Knights. He stood like a wall¡ªstrong and overbearing. His sharp, dark eyes harbored an icy glare that sent shivers up her spine. Beneath the thick layer of armor, one could still tell that he was muscular and strongly-built despite his lean stature.


    ¡°Kill her,¡± said him, nonchalantly.


    He ordered without a moment¡¯s delay, as if he wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.


    These turn of events, he found rather bothersome. Gilbert, Beatrice¡¯s husband and the very traitor who abandoned his country also test his patience.


    Judging by Gilbert¡¯s wife¡¯s stupefied face, she was ignorant of the negotiations that took place between him and the Nostero¡¯s empire.


    This crown princess of this crumbling kingdom is that rat¡¯s young wife, yet he didn¡¯t even tell her of the rebellion he orchestrated.


    It was fit to call her as the crown princess, as she was the only one left of the king¡¯s daughters.


    ¡°Then leave her head to hang on the castle gates.¡± Alexandro was not someone who empathizes with other¡¯s feelings.


    He just wanted to finish this work quickly and go back to his empire to immerse himself in a hot, nice bath. No matter how many times he smelled the pungent scent of blood all over his body, it still disgusts him terribly. He never got used to it.


    ¡°But sir, since she is Gilbert¡¯s wife, won¡¯t you rather keep her alive? We should hold her as captive and kill her later if she doesn¡¯t serve a purpose.¡±


    Alexandro¡¯s trusted emissary, Evan, suggested boldly. A true weapon in wars, Evan was a cunning tactician. Moreover, this man was not a talker, but when does speak, everyone listens to him¡ªeven Alexandro himself.


    Princess Beatrice. He cast a measuring gaze towards the figure of the petite woman before him. Black hair and black eyes¡­Her children would not inherit the platinum blonde hair of El Pasa royals. And even if she were to return to her kingdom to rule, she could never ascend the throne.


    Not with that dark locks¡­


    The kingdom of El Pasa was ruled by the royal family, who all had blonde hair, which symbolized their right to the throne, sustained by ancestry.


    Still, she¡¯s what left of her family¡ªroyal blood runs in her veins.


    Alexandro looked at her intensely this time. The crown princess was shorter than the maids and, for some reason, looked young like a girl. But her expression was the most serene of them all.


    A woman of momentous life experiences, for sure.


    Then, he finally retracted his indifferent gaze from her and turned on his heels.


    But, Alexandro didn¡¯t miss her rattling fingertips. Despite her calm exterior, she was afraid of him.


    Who wouldn¡¯t? In all facts, she was nothing special from her half-sisters, whose blood were now staining their chamber floors with a deep red hue.


    She was only the king¡¯s bastard child, born to a foreign slave, and was the most unfit person in this palace. Even if Beatrice gave birth to a male, her child would not be recognized as El Pasa¡¯s royal heir.


    It¡¯s just luck that she was found last.


    He didn¡¯t need to stay longer, so he departed the palace without further words. Besides, these matters would be handled well by the competent Evan.


    As soon as Alexandro was gone, Evan ordered fervently, raising his right hand to convey a command.


    ¡°Seize the princess and take the servants as slaves!¡± His booming voice filled the hall, drowning the cries of help and panic that surged up in the air. ¡°As for the rest, kill them!¡±

 Chapter 2

    The relief she felt was immeasurable, but Beatrice still couldn¡¯t calm her trembling knees. Just from the memory of his gaze looking down at her made her breathing falter significantly.


    She fixed her eyes on Alexandro¡¯s receding back.


    Without a doubt, he was the most ferocious man she had ever seen. Beatrice didn¡¯t need to see him kill people to know that he, the person who possessed the supreme power in this room, was more callous than the knight who took her maid¡¯s life.


    ¡°Kill her.¡±


    ¡°Then leave her head to hang on the castle gates¡±


    At the unsympathetic words he said concerning her life, she felt deeply appalled. It was like he saw her as only a lump of meat he could easily dispose of.


    There was not an ounce of emotion in his eyes, let alone pity. Of course, his towering height, muscular body and thick and broad shoulders, also contributed to his intimidating appeal. Even if she had the chance, Beatrice didn¡¯t scrutinize his face for long, taking her gaze away from him, afraid that she would make eye contact with him.


    Feeling the cold shackles around her wrists, Beatrice couldn¡¯t help but feel ridiculous about her situation. A wheel of life, her life, seemed to exist. She came from slavery and by birthright, entered the castle as a princess. And ironically, here she is again, a prisoner slave by all means!


    Nonetheless, she appreciated the fact that she was still alive.


    She heaved a heavy sigh. She must prepare herself for one thing¨Cthe familiar life she would once again taste.


    ***


    ¡°Your Excellency, El Pasa has many mountains, its plains and lands, rich and fertile. If I become the lord of El Pasa and rule over it, the taxes I will pay to the empire will be formidable, hehe.¡±


    Gilbert, the Chancellor of the Fallen Kingdom of El Pasa, was shameless in doing anything just to catch the eye of the powerful man, Alexandro Graham. As he spoke, expressing his desired proposition to Alexandro, he rubbed his hands together greedily with a sheepish grin on his face.


    For his own gain, Gilbert betrayed his kingdom El Pasa, the king, his long-time close friend, and his wife, the royal Princess Beatrice.


    He hungered for power and thirsted for connections with the Nosteros Empire. There was nothing he could not possibly do to see his dreams flourish into reality. Even if that means forsaking the very kingdom he grew up in.


    ¡®Alexandro Graham is a famous person in the empire.¡¯


    Duncan Graham, who controls the empire¡¯s puppet emperor, and his only son, Alexandro Graham were the two big fishes he wished to catch.


    The Graham family was the elite of the elite. How did they rise to power? Duncan killed the former emperor in a coup*. But there had been rumors that he refused to claim the throne to accumulate more wealth and move in stealth through the puppet emperor¡¯s presence.


    *T/N: Coup is a violent and illegal seizure of power.


    Alexandro Graham was the only heir to the aristocratic family that now has the greatest wealth, power and military presence in the empire. Gilbert looked up at him with a glimmer of hope.


    ¡®I heard he grew up hating slaughters. I guess the rumors aren¡¯t wrong.¡¯


    However, Alexandro still had participated in every war. Thanks to this, he was given the title of Commander of the Knights, but rumors about his expeditions were quite disconcerting.


    ¡°Then, as you promised, when will I receive my prize? When will I have the land of El Pasa¡±


    El Pasa, the last remaining independent country on the continent, had disappeared from history as of today. With its downfall, Gilbert couldn¡¯t be any prouder of himself for joining forces with the Grahams, the foremost elite family of the Nosteros Empire.


    This incident would go down in history because of his betrayal. A traitor. Yet, he felt no shame in it.


    Gilbert, the king¡¯s son-in-law, was promised half of El Pasa¡¯s territory and a  posthumous title of a lord as a payment for his committed treason.


    ¡®The Grahams never break their promises.¡¯


    The puppet Emperor of Nosteros was not involved in any political affairs because the lad was weak and young. Behind him, Duncan Graham examined and controlled all his affairs. This was a fact that everyone in the Empire knew.


    ¡°Commander Graham¡­?¡± A servile expression and a flabby body, Gilbert¡¯s eyes twinkled as though of a child waiting for his candy.


    Alexandro did not like those beady eyes which were filled with nothing but greed. He slipped his fingers on the table.


    ¡®What a shameless twit .¡¯


    ¡°I heard that the princess is your wife. The last royal blood of El Pasa. Will you take her in exchange for the promised territory?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Alexandro proposed a deal using his wife, Princess Beatrice, as collateral. Yet, before he asked, he already knew Gilbert¡¯s response. An answer from someone who betrayed everyone, even his kin, and turned his back on his own country was not hard to predict.


    ¡®What will this greedy man say to refuse?¡¯


    ¡°Did you keep Princess Beatrice alive?¡± Gilbert retorted with astonishment. It was such an interesting sight to see his small eyes open wide for the first time. His fat hands perspired noticeably.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you have several women in Nosteros? She¡¯s only a half-royalty anyway, so I don¡¯t care what you do with her, Your Excellency.¡± As if the mention of his wife was truly a waste of his time, Gilbert spoke in a rash, gruff tone.

 Chapter 3

    Why did he keep her alive? Gilbert was genuinely confused by the man before him.


    Duncan Graham was rather a talkative man. But his son, Alexandro, was not only reticent, but Gilbert also felt sick at the suddenness of his words.


    Most of all, he was wary of his looks¨Cplacid face devoid of any expression, and fierce eyes that seemed to belittle him since the moment it laid on him.


    Why is he so different from his serpent father?Gilbert was trying to figure out how to survive in a kingdom that will soon fall. In his pursuit, he found Duncan Graham, the first ruler of the Empire. Wealthy, powerful and cunning, Duncan was very capable of raising a rebellion against El Pasa and dedicating his success to the Empire.


    Faced with Alexandro¡¯s hawk eyes, Gilbert couldn¡¯t help but recall a brief encounter with this man¡¯s father. He had boldly gone to the Imperial Palace in the capital of the Empire to pay respect to Duncan personally. On his way, he used the position of a Chancellor to avoid everyone¡¯s eyes but finding the Imperial Palace of the Empire proved to be not an easy task.


    By the time he succeeded in locating the palace and coaxing the guards to allow him in, he was greeted by Duncan sitting on the throne in place of the Puppet Emperor.


    Although Duncan was not the Emperor, he looked and acted as though he was. As Duncan was cothed in nothing but luxury, Gilbert, who appeared in colorful clothing, seemed ridiculous to be in the same room as him. An unfavorable position, indeed.


    The man¡¯s colossal physique, sharp eyes, and relaxed smile kept Gilbert from even looking up.


    They exchanged words. While sweating and trying to have a little private conversation with Duncan, he made a stupid mistake.


    ¡°Haha, I heard that the South is as beautiful as Graham¡¯s territory. You should visit it sometime.¡± As Gilbert managed to speak, Duncan replied with a lax smile. But Gilbert didn¡¯t miss the mischievous light in his eyes upon the mention of El Pasa.


    Who in the Empire would dare to stop Duncan Graham? He was a master of negotiation, manipulation and most of all, deception. On the other hand, his son, Alexandro, was like a person who lived independently from the world.


    Is the rumor true? Rumor has it that Alexandro drinks human blood and bathes with it every day. Well, he looked like a devil. I don¡¯t see any expression on his face.


    Yet, with Alexandro hailed as the Empire¡¯s hero, this scandal silenced.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t the daughter of the Empress. Besides, to serve the Empire, I rather have control over the refugees in El Pasa.¡± Gilbert added quickly, looking at Alexandro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°But, Your Excellency, as a precautionary measure, wouldn¡¯t you rather annihilate all members of the El Pasa royals? You know, uh, get rid of any trace of the lineage that will threaten your father¡¯s hold on the territory they once ruled.¡±


    Listening to Gilbert¡¯s remarks, Alexandro fett nothing but absolute disgust. It was his wife they were talking about, yet not once did he show concern. In fact, it was he who suggested that Beatrice must be killed! Thinking any further conversation with him would be meaningless, he rose from his seat without any particular answer.


    There are disgusting people everywhere. Gilbert was the kind of man Alexandro hated most.


    He reminded him of his mother, who had hated him his whole life and didn¡¯t hesitate to hurt him to have what she desired¨Cpower.


    Then, if you do not want her, the Empire will keep your wife as a war slave.¡±


    He felt thirsty; his throat must be moistened with wine right away. Turning a blind eye to Gilbert¡¯s calls and the unmistakable frantic steps that followed him, he left through the door.


    * * *


    ¡°The princess will be treated as a war slave.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Alexandro brought a glass of red wine to his lips. El Pasa is wholly ruined, and tomorrow, he would return to the Empire with his men. He wanted to finish all this work quickly and rest.


    ¡°Huh? Gilbert will get his wife back. Won¡¯t he?¡± Evan was astonished at the Lord¡¯s sudden announcement that he would take the princess, whose life he spared, as a war slave. Beatrice was the wife of the traitor Gilbert. Hence, she held a special position. She would be more useful as a slave as any ordinary woman from a defeated country becomes, rather than a cold corpse.


    Evan was quick to think that this decision was wrong.


    ¡°She would be useless as a slave either. Your excellency, wouldn¡¯t it be better to kill her before she becomes a seed of treason?¡±


    ¡°Keep her alive. Her child will not be recognized as royalty anyway.¡±


    There was nothing he could do but nod. Evan could not understand why Alexandro wanted her to live. Although she did not have platinum blonde and blue eyes, which were symbols of the El Pasa royal family, she was still a princess who was named as the heir apparent. What if she decides to retaliate someday?


    Despite his disagreement, Evan kept these thoughts to himself. His boss, Alexandro, was a reliable man and was never wrong with his decisions.


    Maybe it¡¯s just compassion.


    A princess who was stabbed in the back by her husband. From his musings, Evan seemed to know what caused Alexandro to spare Beatrice alive. He was well aware of the captain¡¯s abhorrence to people like Gilbert.


    Unlike his father, Alexandro loathed people struggling to seize utmost power over the serpentine imperial palace.


    It is because of this reason that he didn¡¯t get along with his father,


    Duncan. Nonetheless, Alexandro was the heir of the Graham family and would have the title of an Archduke soon. As preparation, he had been on the battlefield since he was young.


    War was one of his easiest and biggest escapes from the capital.


    Therefore, the rumors grew scarier, with his unusual physique and fierce expression all the time¡ªthe man who lived only on the battlefield.

 Chapter 4

    Alexandro Graham¡¯s aura oozed with immeasurable intimidation, so much so that ordinary folks would soil their pants in fear upon merely hearing his name.


    He was indifferent to the lives of common people. Hence, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to dispel the rumors and save his reputation.


    Recalling the complicated family affairs Alexandro was surrounded by, Evan felt sorry for him. He was ten years younger than Evan and yet had no interest in worldly affairs. He saw everything with apathy.


    ¡°There will be a party to celebrate our victory once we return to the Empire.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, not a bit interested in attending it. Evan was one of the few people who could grasp his intentions without him needing to say a word.


    ¡°There¡¯s a widespread rumor, stating that Your Highness will be crowned as the Archduke soon.¡±


    As soon as this news reached his ears, Alexandro, who silently listened to Evan¡¯s one-sided chatter and couldn¡¯t help but unconsciously chuckle. It was an unusual rumor, though considering his father¡¯s eccentricity, it wasn¡¯t surprising at all.


    ¡°With such great achievement, the Empire expects you to accept the position,¡± said Evan one more time, clearly undeterred of his master¡¯s nonchalance. Alexandro only gave a nimble nod. After all, if this proclamation would be released, it would be impossible to refuse a title higher than his father¡¯s.


    Duncan Graham was a duke but was no longer referred to as one. Ever since the coup, people started addressing him as ¡®Your Highness¡¯ instead.


    Unlike his father, Alexandro was a very reserved, quiet person who didn¡¯t mingle much with people. His hobbies consisted of reading, fencing, and physical training. And unlike others, he didn¡¯t need to attend social gatherings to establish his identity in society.


    He feared no one and didn¡¯t need to consider other people¡¯s standing before rejecting them. Hence, it was quite rare for him to be seen in a crowd.


    However, this party, in particular, was quite special. The Imperial Nosteros had finally conquered the entire continent. Now that the Empire had control over the last kingdom, El Pasa, it¡¯ll finally be at peace.


    ¡°You must participate this time.¡±


    It was a victory party for a war that lasted a decade and had finally come to an end. Therefore, a grand celebration was only befitting as the continent acquired its peace once more¡­


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die!¡±


    Sobs echoed inside the small dungeon where Beatrice and her maids were locked up. Unlike her, the others had lived ordinarily all their lives, so suddenly being thrown into slavery was a great tragedy for them, who viewed to be the same as being treated as livestock.


    ¡°All of you¡­ please don¡¯t cry. I know that right now, it seems like the world had ended, but one day we¡¯ll be grateful that we weren¡¯t killed today.¡± Beatrice did her best to console them. It was a rather comical sight, a royal princess consoling her maids after being enslaved.


    However, Beatrice was experienced. After all, before she was royalty, she had lived the life of a slave. It truly was better than losing your life.


    ¡°No way!¡± One of the maids cried out loud. ¡°How can I live as a slave in Nosteros?! They¡¯ll definitely treat us like pigs!¡±


    It was Lucy, a maid who had been with her since the very beginning. She was there when Beatrice was pulled out of slavery and recognized as a royal princess, albeit an illegitimate one.


    ¡°Lucy, you should not desire death, you have your whole life ahead of you! We¡¯re alive right now, aren¡¯t we? Everyone in the palace is dead. I can¡¯t predict what kind of life awaits us but it¡¯s better to live than to die. You can find your parents and even get married!¡±


    Suddenly, Lumi, another maid who was crying quietly before, snapped.


    ¡°You can only say such things because you were originally a slave, Princess!¡±


    ¡°Lumi, don¡¯t be rude to the princess!¡± Lucy cried out as she glared at Lumi. Lumi was one of the ladies who looked down at Beatrice. The maids of the palace had a higher position than the commoners. Thus, towards Beatrice who is a former slave, they held an immense feeling of disdain.


    As a result, Beatrice was ostracized by everyone in the royal palace.


    She was a mistake. The King had spent a night with a female slave from a foreign country. The woman later died while giving birth to a healthy named Chloe, who ended up serving a drugstore as she grew up.


    However, the King¡¯s bastard still had royal blood coursing through her veins, and Chloe was later brought to the palace and declared as a royal princess. It was then at that time when she was granted the noble name, Beatrice.

 Chapter 5

    Life had not favored Beatrice at all¡­ After two years of living in the palace, she was struck with a tragedy she wished she had escaped. She woke up one day informed that her father promised her to a loyal ally of the kingdom¨CChancellor Gilbert.


    Bitter memories haunted her, Beatrice could only shake off the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.


    But the time I spent as Chloe was far more blissful compared to the two awful years I spent as Princess Beatrice.


    Unbeknown to the many, Chloe was not a normal person. When she was young, she realized that she could recall memories from her previous life. They weren¡¯t mere dreams, even in reality, she could remember everything from her past life with vivid clarity.


    After years of contemplation, she finally admitted to herself that she had a previous life and had reincarnated as Chloe. It was thanks to the same realization that she survived despite being abandoned as soon as she was born.


    I¡¯m still alive.


    Chloe thought she was extremely lucky when she became a princess. However, her life fell apart after her husband¡¯s visit to the palace. Gilbert was El Pasa¡¯s best man and a close friend of the King. So when he asked for the hand of one of the princesses, the King couldn¡¯t refuse.


    Dreaming to claim the throne someday, Gilbert wanted one of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed royal daughters, which was the symbol of El Pasa¡¯s royal family. However, the King couldn¡¯t attain giving his legitimate daughters to Gilbert, a man of significantly lower standing.


    Luckily though, the King had Beatrice; the only royal princess with black hair and eyes to give as he wished. For this, Gilbert was extremely disappointed but could not turn down the King¡¯s offer. Well, he was at least satisfied with the nights he had spent with her.


    At that time, Nosteros, the largest empire in the continent was invading other countries with the intention of conquering the entire continent. Thus, eventually, even the ever-independent El Pasa collapsed due to the betrayal.


    As Beatrice looked back on this series of events, she did not shed tears. It seemed like a dream but unfortunately, it was the harsh reality.


    I had been with Gilbert for two years¡­


    She calmed herself down at this morose thought. Her marriage was nothing short of a nightmare and it never failed to make her desire death. But with her untimely captivity as a slave, she had somehow escaped the marriage. And it gave her a sense of hope¡­


    For her, the most important thing was the fact that she was alive. She couldn¡¯t just give up her life and wished to build her life all over again. To pull herself from the pile of rubbish she was thrown into.


    ¡°Lumi, Lucy, everyone¡­ You have always been so nice to me. Thank you very much for helping me at the royal palace all these years.¡±


    Beatrice calmly expressed her sincere gratitude towards the maids. They simply glanced at her with teary eyes. To them, her words sounded like her final words.


    ¡°As knight Evan stated in the morning, we are all slaves now. Please don¡¯t call me Princess Beatrice anymore.¡± She gave a small smile before continuing, ¡°Actually, I think I make a much better slave than a princess. So from now on, don¡¯t treat me with reverence and just be comfortable with me.¡±


    Some of the maids seemed startled by the princess¡¯ shocking remarks, but most of them chose not to answer her.


    It was time for everyone to start thinking about their own situation first anyway. El Pasa had collapsed. Gilbert, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was the only one with some sort of power but even he didn¡¯t have enough strength to return the country to its original glory under the Nosteros¡¯ mandate.


    ¡°You guys sure are having a lot of fun.¡±


    The ladies turned their heads towards the sudden voice of a male. Their breaths hitched as their eyes failed to hide the fear they felt. They could never forget the face of the man who had killed the maid named Blair.


    His name was Leo.


    His voice echoed in silent barracks. No one could respond to his words. Leo was a madman, his words and deeds proved that fact.


    ¡°Ah, princess! If you like the fact that you¡¯ve regained your status as a slave, you should at least have a ceremony to celebrate it.¡± As he said so, he unlocked the dungeon, much to the captives¡¯ horror.


    Leo roughly grabbed Chloe and dragged her out of the dungeon. Before she knew it, all the other knights surrounded her to watch the show. What did he want from her?!


    ¡°It must be so much fun to be able to go back to slavery. We should celebrate this, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Amusement danced in his eyes as he looked down at the defenseless Chloe.


    As if manhandling was still not enough, he seized her shoulder and began to play around with her, dragging her body all over the floor as the other knights began to shake with laughter.


    ¡°Lord Leo! I¡¯ve never seen black hair before! I wonder if her hair¡¯s black in other places as well.¡±


    As soon as one made that remark, the others began to cheer for her clothes to be stripped off of her.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m curious too,¡± Leah said with malice.


    As the other knights chimed in agreement, Chloe began to doubt whether they were even actual knights. After all, they were so cruel. Ashamed, she didn¡¯t dare raise her head. She knew they wanted to tease her but she had a foreboding sense that they¡¯d do something much horrible¡­

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6 ¨C Marking a Pleasure Slave (1)


    ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ll check it out later though. First, I need to do something else. Please excuse me, my lady.¡± When Leo said that, the onlookers assumed he was going to leave but instead of releasing her from his grasp, he gripped Chloe¡¯s bodice and ripped it apart.


    Chloe, now exposed, covered her chest as much as she could with her hands as she glared at Leo out of anger and humiliation.


    ¡°My princess, or should I call, my slave?¡± He sniggered then continued, ¡°Special slaves are branded with a seal. Did you know that?¡±


    As he uttered these sardonic words, Leo slowly walked over to the blazing fire. His gestures were slow and lazy on purpose, just like a lion¡¯s while hunting its prey.


    The man dragged out an iron skewer at a leisurely place from among the firewood, the glowing, hot color of which seemed to burn in her eyes. Leo looked at Chloe with a predatory gaze, as if she was ripe fruit ready to be plucked.


    Their eyes met.


    The corner of Leo¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile. Fear surged through Chloe as she noticed the genuineness of his cruel smile.


    The crazy knight was actually intending to brand her with a hot iron bar!


    Leo picked up the iron bar and walked over to Chloe, the bar scraping the floor behind him. With each step, Chloe¡¯s heart seemed to plunge even more.


    He stared right into her eyes, causing Chloe¡¯s pupils to dilate as the fear coursing through her amplified. She unconsciously started crawling backwards as he approached slowly. Her mouth dropped open, however, she was too afraid to let out a sound.


    Please don¡¯t come any nearer!


    As she backed away, a small rock jutting out the ground obstructed her way, causing her to collapse on her back. However, she didn¡¯t feel anything, not even pain.


    After all, little prickles of pain were nothing compared to the horrific sight Leo approaching her with a burning hot iron rod.


    It was her first time being subjected to such horror. Even during her time as a slave in El Pasa, she never experienced such a thing.


    The knights looked at the spectacle in front of them with the most excited look on their faces while the maids shivered in the corner of the dungeon, trying their best to avert their eyes.


    Chloe, who was once again crawling away from Leo, felt the hard surface of a wall thump against her back. Despair washed over her like an icy wave as she realized there was no escape out of the situation.


    Suddenly, the wall behind her spoke up.


    ¡°Leo, enough. War slaves belong to the imperial palace until they¡¯re assigned to a territory or knight. No matter, you can¡¯t just brand them as a sex slave without permission.


    The ¡®wall¡¯ turned out to be Evan. Instead of being shocked by Evan¡¯s presence, however, Chloe was more fixated on what he had just said.


    He was going to brand her as


    El Pasa did not have any distinction in their slaves. As a former slave, she was never branded as one either. In these terms, El Pasa, compared to the Nosteros Empire, was quite lenient to its slaves.


    Unfortunately, the Nosteros Empire didn¡¯t believe in mercy.


    Since Nosteros was notorious for waging wars, they came up with extremely strict slave laws in order to deal with the people from the countries they conquered. It was barbaric but it made the noble¡¯s job of managing the slave so much easier.


    If that mark had been seared on her body, she would have been turned into a plaything for every man in that place.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s no fun!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Leo threw away the rod without any objection. Although, he did look at Evan with discontent as he folded his arms.


    ¡°Just let me take her.¡± He paused, then raked his meaningful gaze over her face, ¡°I wonder what those lips can do.¡±


    Chloe turned her head away at Leo¡¯s words. Each word from his vulgar mouth made her feel disgusted. She looked towards Evan in hopes of being rescued, however, Evan held no interest in Chloe and answered Leo without any care in the world.


    ¡°No. If you wait for a bit longer, you¡¯ll be assigned a slave soon enough, so just let this one go for now.¡± Evan refused, familiar with the nature of the man before him.


    Leo leered at Chloe with a smack of his lips. Her whole body was on edge because of his lecherous gaze. His eyes were blazing with lust but he held back with a regretful lick of his lips.


    He bent down next to her hand and smiled as he grasped her chin, pulling her face close to him. His nauseating breath fanned her face as he harshly patted her cheek, almost as if slapping her.


    ¡°You hear him, right? We just have to wait for a while.¡±


    Chloe couldn¡¯t reply to his frightening words. His touch was hurting her yet she could do nothing but try and avoid his gaze in order to not provoke him anymore.


    Leo looked down at her doll-like figure, which seemed lifeless due to the lack of resistance she put up. Her shivering form was quite cute but a dull opponent who didn¡¯t let out any scream or resist anything was no fun.


    With a sudden jerk, he grabbed her long hair and pulled her ear close to his lips. A terrifying sensation ran down her spine as she heard his voice whisper into her ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m into rebellious women, Royal Lady. So, don¡¯t be so docile.¡±


    As soon as he said this, Chloe¡¯s mouth moved almost instinctively.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this to me¡­!¡±


    Listening to her terrified voice, Leo chuckled softly. ¡°And I think you¡¯ll scream quite well.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± Chloe let out a loud scream. At the same time, he kicked her with all his strength, however, Chloe¡¯s ears hurt much more than her body. His bite definitely must have left behind a mark. She held up her hand to her ear, there was no blood but it felt like it was going to fall off at any moment.


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Tears streamed down her face as Chloe watched the barbarous man turn his back towards her with a boisterous laugh.


    She finally realized her position as a ¡®war slave¡¯. After experiencing this, she started to wonder whether it really was better to survive. Now. all she could do was hope that tomorrow would never come for her. Thus, she collapsed, unable to shake off the fear from the traumatic experience she just underwent. T/N: Please stay safe everyone. <3


    T/N: Please stay safe everyone. <3

 Chapter 7 - - He Will Be Mine

    Chapter 7 ¨C Marking a Pleasure Slave (2)


    After a long night, the sun finally rose, blanketing the earth with a reddish hue.


    However, Chloe had not slept a wink. She sat still in a corner of the dungeon and looked on as the knights bustled around. As she sat frozen, just like a doll staring off into nothingness, a powerful shout rang in her ears, shattering the serene silence.


    ¡°We found her!¡±


    The knights who were up until now, trying to fight off their drowsiness, suddenly snapped wide awake and jerked their heads in the direction of the voice, curious to see what the commotion was about. Some of the maids sleeping inside the dungeon stirred awake as well.


    ¡°I found the last princess, Boss!¡±


    The knight who was yelling suddenly came into Chloe¡¯s sight, dragging behind him, the struggling figure of the first princess, Alicia.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Alicia had always looked down at Beatrice, even going as far as to compare her to a mere bug. But gone was the arrogant, disdain filled look, now replaced with the face of a woman frightened for her life.


    Chloe shut her eyes as Alicia, who was normally known for her formidable temper, was dragged in roughly.


    The other knights surrounded them, creating a ruckus. However, it wasn¡¯t Evan who appeared to check on the situation.


    ¡°Where did you find her?¡±


    Chloe instantly recognized him by his voice.


    I-It¡¯s him.


    Instinctively, Chloe averted her eyes from the scene in order to avoid attracting the attention of the man. Merely his appearance was enough to frighten everyone out of their wits. All the other maids trapped in the dungeon trembled with fear. They all knew how this scene would play out. The heads of the royal family that were hung on the palace gates were enough of a proof.


    ¡°I found her hiding in the palace warehouse. They were cleverly hiding under the snow.¡±


    Alexandro looked down at Princess Alicia with cold, unimpressed eyes. Just like the other daughters of El Pasa¡¯s royal family, she was a beautiful lady, with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes. Alexandro, convinced that she was the real princess, gave a brief order.


    ¡°Behead her and hang her head on the castle gates.¡±


    Alicia couldn¡¯t stand his nonchalance towards her. When he coldly turned his back to her, as if she meant nothing to him, she could no longer suppress her anger.


    A few years ago, her father, the then King of El Pasa had proposed a marriage between Alicia and Alexandro. Duncan Graham had accepted it as well. However, for some reason, the marriage proposal ended in vain.


    Unable to hold back any longer, Alicia started to shout.


    ¡°You bastard! How could you conspire with Gilbert and stab us in the back like that?!¡± But Alexandro wasn¡¯t bothered by her words and continued walking away. The princess would turn into a corpse soon enough anyway. He didn¡¯t have even an ounce of interest in her what she had to say.


    But even after being ignored, Princess Alicia didn¡¯t stop talking.


    ¡°Your father¡¯s just a traitor who started an uprising and now acts like an emperor, right?!¡±


    ¡°Your methods are proof that blood does run thicker than water! You¡¯re exactly like that insect of a father of yours!¡±


    This time, Alexandro turned around and approached Princess Alicia. Chloe, who couldn¡¯t help but watch the scene play out, covered her face with her hands. Even if he was bare-handed, his aura was much more oppressive compared to any armed knight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re complaining.¡± As soon as Alexandro faced her, Alicia shut her mouth. Although she glared at him with sharp eyes, her knees still shook with fear. She thought of this whole thing as a last attempt to harm him before dying, but in fact, the difference between her life and death depended on a single word from this man.


    ¡°Have you ever done anything for your kingdom other than beg for a marriage? Think of this as your last duty as a royal.¡±


    He was unbelievably cold-hearted to a woman who could have become his wife. ¡°Also, blame your helpless country for this mess if you want to blame anyone.¡±


    At his last remark, Princess Alicia glared at the man with all her might. As she looked up at his cold, dark expression, devoid of any warmth, she spat on his face as a last act of courage.


    Everyone was surprised at the interaction between Alicia and Alexandro. The ladies¡¯ eyes widened with shock at the princess¡¯ unexpected behavior. Even knights standing next to Alexandro were frozen in shock. No one dared to open their mouths and break the tense silence.


    Alexandro fixed a fierce glare at Princess Alicia. Eventually, she averted her gaze and avoided meeting his eyes. No one could understand what he was feeling from his expressionless face.


    As a thick silence fell over them, Alicia finally realized the consequences of her actions and immediately regretted it. However, it was too late. His cold voice resounded in her ears like loud thunder.


    ¡°I changed my mind.¡±


    Startled, Princess Alicia looked up at him with desperate eyes. She could see his eyes stare right into hers, unwavering. Her expression stiffened as the truth dawned over her. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    She frantically struggled against the tight grip of the knights holding her captive. She shuddered in fear as she thought of the punishment he would bestow upon her. She struggled in vain and her body collapsed on the floor, exhausted.


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±


    As Chloe watched the whole scene, she wrapped her arms around her trembling form, forcing it to stop. She didn¡¯t want to watch the scene at all, but couldn¡¯t help but take notice of it.


    ¡°Bring me my sword.¡±


    Roughly wiping his face, he accepted the sword from one of the knights and pointed the edge of the blade right at her neck.


    ¡°Save me, please..¡±


    Princess Alicia was trembling, terrified to the point of not being able to utter a word. His ruthless sword gently carved a wound, starting from her slender neck and ending right at the clavicle of her chest. A thin trail of blood flowed down her now white, nude torso.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°I was showing mercy to you by just taking your head.¡±


    Upon hearing these alarming words, Alicia was seized with fear. As she crazily shook her head in denial, Alexandro gazed at the knights surrounding them. All the eyes were fixated on the two in the middle, not daring to let out a single breath and miss the fun. Princess Alicia immediately understood her fate.


    ¡°No! No way!¡±


    Alicia let out a desperate cry, making Alexandro turn towards her again. She broke away from the knights holding onto her arms and knelt before his feet.


    ¡°Please, please¡­¡­.¡±


    Bowing her head as she begged him for mercy, she eventually hugged herself as tears began to stream down her face, too afraid to die.


    ¡®Oh my God.¡¯


    Chloe, who was watching everything, couldn¡¯t believe the state they¡¯d been reduced to. She never thought she¡¯d see the haughty and prideful first Princess Alicia collapse into a mess like this.


    ¡°Looks like something interesting has popped up after a long while.¡±


    A loud, excited voice exclaimed from within the crowd of knights.


    ¡°Let us have a taste of the princess as well!¡±


    The sudden, flippant voice belonged to Knight Leo. A chill ran down Chloe¡¯s spine due to his sudden appearance.


    Alicia was alarmed by his words as well because after Leo¡¯s exclamation, the other knights began to rumble in agreement as well.


    Alexandro gazed at the wet, young eyes of the princess and pulled her up her arm. Her legs shook with fear but Alexandro still managed to make her stand up, as if her body was hung from his grip at her arm. Alicia made the mistake of looking up and her eyes met with the countless number of lecherous gazes roaming all over her body, causing her to put her hands together and beg for mercy in an incoherent mumble.


    ¡°Just kill¡­Please save me, please. Please have mercy¡­¡±


    Even Alicia couldn¡¯t recognize what she was saying anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s our turn with the princess, no?¡±


    As Leo grabbed onto her arm and tugged at her, she began to scream.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    Alexandro released his hold and she fell right into Leo¡¯s arms. Soon enough, her body was tossed back and forth between the hands of different knights, causing her to let out a blood-curdling scream.


    It was a horrific sight to look at but not a single person felt sorry for her. The knights continued  to treat the soon-to-be-dead princess of the defeated nation as a mere trophy.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    As Alicia was toyed with, she was suddenly pulled back with a great force. Having their toy snatched away from, the knights donned a face of disappointment.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    In a split second, Alexandro ran his sword through her body. Leo smacked his lips in disappointment as he watched the life fade away from her eyes.


    ¡°Hang her on the gate.¡±


    Alexandro took his gaze off of her dead body and walked away without any regrets. Realizing that this sort of thing may happen to her as well made Chloe wish to just pass out then and there. However, suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Startled, she turned around and found it to be Lucy, who attempted to hug Chloe as she shivered with fear. But this sudden movement alerted the others.


    Chloe felt like her heart was ready to jump out of her throat as she slowly craned her neck to look behind her.


    She felt a cold wave of dread wash over her as she accidentally met eyes with Alexandro in the distance. It was only for a moment, but she didn¡¯t dare breath.


    Fortunately, he turned away with an indifferent face. He probably didn¡¯t realize that their eyes met.


    What a relief!


    A mere gaze of his in her direction was enough to frighten her. She snapped out of her thoughts when one of the other maids called out to her.


    In the end, Chloe and the other maids were tied up, one by one and made to follow the knights to the empire¡¯s capital, where the imperial palace was.


    Will I ever get to be happy again?


    In her past life, she was killed after getting run over by a drunken driver when she was just 35 years old. She wasn¡¯t married and was exhausted from living after failing the college entrance exam and the civil service exam. She had barely managed to become an oriental pharmacist but ended up losing her life due to the carelessness of some stranger.


    That¡¯s why she decided to be as happy as possible after being reborn..


    There¡¯s nothing I can do.. I still want to live.


    The trip to the capital was rough as they were slung over the horses with hands tied behind their backs and somehow, they realized that their future lives as slaves would be even worse.


    * * *


    The journey lasted for over a week.


    It¡¯s tough¡­


    Chloe usually has an extremely positive and bright outlook but the journey drained all of it away. On top of that, she was on a constant lookout for Leo and Alexandro, never knowing when they¡¯d come to play around with her life. She still couldn¡¯t forget Princess Alicia¡¯s miserable death. After all, it haunted her in dreams every night.


    Have we arrived at the capital now?


    The empire¡¯s capital was enormous and much more advanced than she¡¯d expected, El Pasa was nothing in front of it. Chloe had never been to another country, so the foreign sights of the empire unsettled her nerves even more.


    After arriving at the capital, they were smoothly taken through the procedure to turn them into slaves. Since the empire was in the habit of conquering multiple nations, the laws to deal with war slaves were well-established. They stripped the women of their possessions and titles. Chloe was treated as ¡®slave¡¯ as well, no one spoke of her previous status as a ¡®princess¡¯.


    I guess I¡¯m no longer  a princess.


    However, Chloe preferred it that way. When she thought of Princess Alicia¡¯s fate, she thanked lucky stars that she didn¡¯t have to suffer the same fate. She could easily predict what would have happened to her if she was treated as a ¡®special slave.¡¯ The gross sight of the knight named Leo glancing and winking at her with lust all the time last week popped up in her mind.


    I¡¯ll take good care of you, princess. Just wait.


    I wish I don¡¯t have to see them ever again, both that crazy knight and their captain.

 Chapter 9

    Good Heavens!


    Aaron, Evan¡¯s brother, was not fit to be an army officer, but his excellent brain and loyalty, like Evan, allowed him to be a deacon and assist Alexandro. Right now, Aaron¡¯s biggest concern was the discord between the Grahams. After witnessing their interaction during the Title Ceremony, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    As though unaware of Aaron¡¯s worries, Alexandro sat indifferently inside his office, frivolously drinking wine, not caring to attend the victory party following the ceremony. Well, not like he went out often anyway.


    ¡°His Highness asked you to join the dinner tomorrow.¡±


    But to be precise, Alexandro did go out, just never to the imperial palace. Since his father resided in the imperial palace to rule in place of the emperor, he tried his best to avoid going there. Alexandro simply hated the hassle and formalities when it came to visiting the palace. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to meet his father.


    ¡°Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Reject it.¡±


    ¡°No, there is no more reason to refuse. Your Grace, you¡¯ve got piles of work related to tax to deal with. Why don¡¯t you stay in the capital and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to my estate after training the knights.¡±


    ¡°The imperial battle competition is approaching soon. Isn¡¯t it better to finish it all at once rather than return to the capital again?


    The order of knights was the only thing Alexandro cared about. It¡¯s where his comrades whom he played and trained with since young were, and most importantly, he didn¡¯t have to be involved in the imperial palace¡¯s schemes.


    ¡°Your Grace, it would be better for you to attend tomorrow¡¯s dinner. His Highness has announced that he will fix your marriage this year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, father¡­ he¡¯s the same as always¡­¡± Alexandro chuckled to himself. Despite the fact that people saw him as a war hero, how could his father simply announce his marriage like this? Alexandro knew that his father considered himself to be the emperor and that no one could oppose his whims and fantasies, but the fact that Alexandro wasn¡¯t even the emperor and yet his marriage was being decided like one, made him laugh.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t express your discontent to His Highness  at the dinner tomorrow, he might prepare for marriage without your consent.¡±


    Ever since Duncan awarded him with the title, everyone started referring to Alexandro as the Archduke. Alexandro shook his head; his father was too stubborn. There was no way he could win against him.


    ¡°You go in my stead. Tell him that I¡¯m in love with one of the knights. Leo would be good.¡±


    Aaron burst into laughter as his master cracked an unexpected joke.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    On the outside, his master was a cold-hearted, fearsome warrior belonging to an elite family, but on the inside, he was a man of heart who loved animals and cherished his knights and attendants. Of course, he didn¡¯t express it much, but he was kind to his people.


    Due to his family history, he was utterly indifferent to women and power, but he didn¡¯t hide his affection for what he cherished.


    Still, Sir Chris would be a much better option.


    Aaron commented as he left the office with a somber face.


    * * *


    Everything was executed at a fast-pace.


    Evan separated the slaves into two groups and assigned one group to the order of knights and the other to his own family. Since he was the eldest son of his family and the vice-captain of the order of knights, the slaves assigned to his family would automatically be subordinated to the order anyway. However, if too many slaves were assigned to the knights, then the other nobles would create a ruckus.


    So only on paper were they assigned to his family. After all, although the order of knights was an imperial troop, they were pretty much the Graham family¡¯s private soldiers.


    Evan was adept at this kind of work. The great Empire was a united kingdom and its military power was its strongest weapon. Nobody complains when Evan handles the matter because he spends nearly one-third of the finances into strengthening the military force.


    Until the end of the slave arrangement, Chloe fortunately didn¡¯t encounter Leo, who had been continually harassing her before.


    Perhaps, that jerk is busy back in the Empire¡­


    Even the captain of the knights never came around anymore, so it was a real relief. Apparently, he won the title of a Archduke for conquering Elpasa.


    Everyone was talking about the same story. How the Grand Duke was a title even higher than the Duke¡¯s and was right below the emperor. So, it was obvious he was still in the Empire. He was soaring in the sky while she, was chained to the ground.


    At least, we don¡¯t have to see each other anymore.


    Chloe became a slave for Evan¡¯s family. The first thing she did was cut her hair. In this continent, a black-haired girl was exotic, and would easily stand out. She didn¡¯t want to catch any attention from anyone as she did with Leo, so she cut her waist-length hair short.


    It¡¯s not like any man would want to marry a slave.


    Chloe knew very well what would happen if she drew any attention.


    She managed to find a young boy slave¡¯s pants and wear them instead of the dress usually worn by female slaves. It¡¯s not like she wanted to disguise herself as a man; she just didn¡¯t want to look feminine.


    Fortunately, she got assigned to the pharmacy that belonged to the nursing unit, so her job was to only clean and run small errands.


    Not a lot of maids from Elpasa¡¯s royal palace were brought to the Empire. Hence, after all of them were assigned their work and lodgings, the maids who had been with her throughout the travel were separated from her.


    Everyone around her was a new face. Chloe decided to let go of her life as a princess completely. In the first place, it¡¯s not like she was treated nicely when she was a princess or was happy with her marriage.


    Beatrice isn¡¯t my real name anyway. And, there¡¯s no way to return to Elpasa. She was a mere slave now, but she felt satisfied. Princess Alicia¡¯s death served as a constant reminder as to how fortunate she was that she was still alive. If she was a real princess, she would have been killed and hung at the gates.


    She also owed her life to Evan, if it weren¡¯t for him, she would probably be living as a pleasure slave by now. Or worse, she could have died a miserable death being the lone survivor of the royal family of Elpasa.


    Nothing will happen if I live in obscurity from now on, she consoled herself. I had been a slave before.


    If the other maids would hear of this, they would surely pass out. But, she won¡¯t make this mistake.


    Chloe promised to herself, now that she was in this state, she would try to live contentedly, even if that would mean hiding her identity¡­

 Chapter 10

    A week passed.


    While most of the slaves ended up doing hard labor, Chloe had been given cleaning duties, and for this, she counted herself quite lucky. There wasn¡¯t much work to do, either.


    Her daily schedule was simple. She worked at the pharmacy of the infirmary belonging to the knight training facility near the palace. All the doctors were men, and most of the nurses were women.


    Luckily, none of the nurses and the doctors asked Chloe her name. But she was not disappointed, and did her chores obediently¡ªcleaning and organizing the mess she found her way. She was a good worker, getting things done without being told.


    It seemed that her life as a slave of the Empire was going more smoothly than she had expected¡ªshe had prepared for the worst, and this wasn¡¯t it.


    The pharmacy, particularly, compared to the ward or the examination room, did not require much cleaning, as its only function was to dispense medications as prescribed by the doctors.


    As she was holding a broom and pretending to clean for manners¡¯ sake, she spotted a door labeled, ¡°Medicine Storage.¡± The door looked bolted; hence it was not accessible to anyone, most of all, to a slave like her.


    But curiosity started gnawing in, and she could not simply ignore it.


    Shall I try opening it? I¡¯ll just take a peek


    Wow


    The room was full of countless medicines and ingredients. She thougt that the pharmacy she worked under in Elpasa had the most extensive collection of medicine, but even it couldn¡¯t compare to this.


    This storage room was large and¡­


    Dirty


    The whole place was in complete disarray.


    Chloe looked around the room, losing track of time. She inspected each medicine and placed it in its right place. The next thing she knew, she was organizing the entire stock.


    It was almost time for the slaves to return to their quarters, but Chloe couldn¡¯t stop. She felt eerie pleasure at the sight of the medicine bottles getting organized one by one. If she continued through tomorrow, the entire pharmacy could become pristine.


    It¡¯s all right; these doctors and nurses don¡¯t even know my name


    A missing slave on janitorial duty was not going to attract attention. As long as she didn¡¯t return to the slaves¡¯ quarters too late, and explained that she was cleaning up the pharmacy, she wouldn¡¯t be in much trouble.


    ***


    A few days went by. Reorganizing the medicine storage was not easy. While she was familiar with most of the drugs, the inventory included some items that she had never seen before.


    Good thing I studied herbal medicine back in the day


    Being a herbal pharmacist in her past life, her expertise came very handy in this world where herbal medicine, rather than western medicine, was used.


    In case other slaves came looking for her, she went out once every few hours to show herself. After pretending to clean for a while, she would return to the storage and continue her work.


    After a few days of this, the storage room became very clean and organized. Chloe was immensely proud of her work.


    But suddenly, she heard an unexpected voice from behind, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Chloe was startled¡ªshe had been too absorbed in her work to hear the sudden opening of the door and the footsteps that followed.


    ¡°The¡­the floor was too dirty, so I cleaned it.¡±


    The voice belonged to Jorge Nanapa, the deputy head of the infirmary. Jorge glanced around the storage, completely ignoring Chloe¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°How dare you handle the medicines¡­you¡¯re not a doctor or a nurse¡­ This is a serious offense.¡±


    After a long while of inspecting various parts of the storage, he emitted a bewildered moan through his gaping mouth, ¡°By the way, did you organize the inventory?¡±


    Chloe heard of Jeorge Nanapa, given his prominence as the deputy head of the infirmary. He was an excellent doctor who, despite being in his prime age with a white beard, had sparkling, youthful eyes.


    Trying out her luck, Chloe decided to take a risk. Her past few days spent organizing the medicine inventory had been the happiest since her arrival in Nosteros. If Jorge believed what she had to say, then she could be allowed to continue working in the storage, at least to clean it.


    But what if Jorge simply thought that she was just an impertinent slave? Either way, he was sure to punish her in some way for handling the medicines without permission.


    If it works, that¡¯s good. Otherwise, oh well


    ¡°I deeply apologize, sir. I used to work as a slave at a pharmacy before coming here,  and I have always been so curious about the empire¡¯s medicine that¡­ Despite my limited knowledge, I could not simply ignore the disarray that the inventory was in.¡±


    ¡°So, you have categorized and organized all these items?¡±


    Jorge was in awe.


    ¡°I cannot believe that you know all these medicines¡¯ names, purposes, and uses. How is it possible when you cannot read or write?¡±


    In spite of her status as a slave, Chloe worked hard, first and foremost, to learn to read and write. The little money that she made, she spent it on books. Because most of the slaves and commoners working at the pharmacy in Elpasa had been illiterate, she had worked side by side with the doctors and pharmacists, assisting in bookkeeping and writing of prescriptions.


    ¡°I¡­can read, sir. But I am not familiar with all of these medications. I have set aside the ones that I wasn¡¯t sure about.¡±


    Jorge¡¯s jaw dropped. She had not merely memorized the names of these items and their uses¡ªshe actually understood their usage and the characteristics of the ingredients themselves!


    ¡°Did you say that you could read?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°And write?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I learned to write while studying herbal medicine.¡±


    He could not conceal his astonishment. He had seen this in the case of those who had lost their social status and became slaves. They were literate. However, he had never seen anyone like Chloe, someone with a specialized education.


    Jorge, barely keeping a straight face, said to Chloe, ¡°Regardless of your training in herbal medicine, how dare you count on your shallow knowledge and do something like this? You will be sent to prison and await your punishment there.¡±


    Chloe was not dismayed. She would have been punished even if she had not told him about her knowledge, since she had touched the medicines all the same. The punishment was, in fact, lighter than she had expected.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    By the question, she paused. She had not thought about this before, as no one in the Empire had ever asked her name.


    I don¡¯t want to be called Beatrice anymore


    She replied after a moment of hesitation.


    ¡°My name is¡­Chloe.¡± T/N: Please support Beatrice by heading to and leaving a rating and/or a review. Thank you!

 Chapter 11 - - He Will Be Mine

    ¡°Your Grace, Lord Bandorras¡¯s daughter has been waiting for more than an hour,¡± Aaron the butler appealed to his master with an imploring gaze. ¡°Your Highness, I beg of you. At least go and greet her¡­¡±


    Yet, his master was too cruel even to care. He was in his study, tending to the work pertaining to his dukedom. Upon his return, Alexandro was hailed as the Archduke, his deserved position.


    Alexandro¡¯s gaze remained on the document listing tax revenues. As seconds passed by, Aaron became overanxious, knowing that his silence signified rejection.


    ¡°If it becomes known that a duke¡¯s daughter is visiting a bachelor such as Your Grace, all members of the aristocracy will assume that you are having a love affair.¡±


    Stil so, the Archduke remained silent. He was resolved to ignore the matter entirely.


    Lady Clara Bandorras had begun sending love letters to Alexandro ever since his return from Elpasa. When she became tired of waiting for his answer, she began visiting Graham Mansion at least once a week. She was not discreet about it¡ªrather, she had always arrived precisely at 3 o¡¯clock, just in time for tea and flaunting her horse-drawn carriage.


    She was a daring woman.


    Aaron could not turn away a daughter of a duke, at least for the sake of saving the Archduke¡¯s face. If he refused to entertain a lady visiting a bachelor¡¯s house, his master¡¯s reputation as a cold-hearted fellow could become even worse.


    However, despite the lady¡¯s shrewdness and impudence, the Archduke would never see her.


    ¡°Your Grace, please do go and see her. She¡¯s a charming lady. Just take one look. This is her tenth visit!¡±


    ¡°Aaron.¡± An icy voice finally replied.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace?¡± Aaron looked up at his master with a shred of hope.


    ¡°Is this really something I should worry about?¡± He meant that Aaron should handle it on his own.


    ¡°But Lady Clara Bandorras has been here¡­every day!¡± And with that, Alexandro finally lifted his gaze to his butler¡¯s face. And immediately, Aaron emitted the words, ¡°Understood, Your Grace.¡±


    Aaron exited the study with a sullen face.


    For this, Aaron wondered whether the Archduke had an abnormal fear of women.


    Well, it¡¯s understandable


    Aaron feared that his master would remain unmarried for the rest of his life¡ªhe was already twenty-five. People had begun joking that it would be faster for Duncan to remarry and have another son, than for the Archduke to marry and produce children himself. There were even scandalous whispers of those who were suspicious of the war hero¡¯s sexual tastes.


    Aaron, as the Archduke¡¯s butler, carried a heavyweight on his shoulders.


    ¡°Lady Clara, unfortunately, the Archduke is unable to free himself from his work.¡±


    A beautiful woman with blond hair cascading down her waist could be seen elegantly reclining on a seat. Clara, who was savoring her tea with the teacup nestled in her elegant hands, smiled knowingly.


    ¡°Well, that can¡¯t be helped.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, asked, ¡°Aaron, would you care to show me around the gardens then? I have been sitting for too long, and would love to see the charming roses of Graham Mansion.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, my lady.¡±


    Lady Clara Bandorras did not seem at all frustrated. At this point, she was used to getting the door slammed in her face.


    Archduke Alexandro Graham was fabulously eligible on the marriage market. For one, he was the only heir to the most powerful family in the empire. It was an open secret that his father had deliberately chosen not to become the emperor himself.


    The only son of Duncan Graham¡ªthe man who controlled the puppet emperor¡ªdid not participate in any social events, despite his position as the Grand Master in the imperial order of knighthood. But many aristocratic daughters whispered of the unforgettable appeal of his sturdy physique, dark brown hair, and blue eyes.


    Clara had been watching Alexandro since her chance encounters with him at the horse riding courses a year before. She had immediately fallen in love at the sight of the strappingly handsome man, galloping on his horse.


    The information that this man was the Grand Master had surprised her ¨C he was, despite the rumors, not a scary, domineering man. His blue eyes appeared quite delicate and noble, and the utterly beautiful face exudes elegance. However, his body had a wild appearance that suggested that once held against his firm chest, no woman would ever be satisfied with any other men.


    He would reign supreme over all other men.


    Clara was actually relieved by the fact that he never attended any society parties. The rumors made him sound too frightening for any aristocratic daughters to approach, but if anyone actually saw him, they would not be able to help falling in love with his beauty.


    Above all else, I like that he¡¯s not promiscuous


    No woman could approach him due to his cold and expressionless face, appropriate for his reputation as a war hero. However, Clara Bandorras was different¡ªshe was confident that she could seduce any man that she wanted. She was a member of the Bandorras family, whose power within the empire was only second to that of the Grahams.


    We shall see who wins, Your Grace


    The society was rife with stories of Clara frequenting the Archduke¡¯s house¡ªshe was marking her territory.


    She was also infamous for her temper¡ªwithout her knowing, she was noted as the society¡¯s craziest wench.


    ¡°These roses are absolutely beautiful.¡±


    She flashed a bright smile.


    Though not as beautiful as I am


    ***


    Meanwhile, Jorge, the deputy head of the infirmary, was having trouble falling asleep. The images of the newly organized medicine storage room, with the items ¨C including those whose uses he had not been able to figure out ¨C neatly organized by their usage, danced in his head.

 Chapter 12 - A Late-night Visit (1)

    Did that slave really organize the drugs by its usage?


    But that was nearly impossible¡ªmost of the medicines had been brought in from Elpasa! There had been no exchange in nursing and medicine with the fallen kingdom, due to delicate diplomatic relations.


    Thanks to the tall and rough mountains of Elpasa, many of its herbs were not found in the empire. Those were the ones that Jorge was unfamiliar with.


    I just can¡¯t sleep. And with that thought, he rose from his bed and slipped into a robe.


    He returned to the training facility and began inspecting the medicine storage. His wife thought he was insane, but even she could not stop his dedication to learning.


    He picked out a few of the items and headed to the prison where Chloe was being held. It was already past 2 am, but nothing could stop the passion of the scholar full of doubts. In the middle of the night, he began his short walk to the dungeons.


    Meanwhile, in the prison, Chloe was deep in thought. Being imprisoned had made her think once again about her circumstances.


    Why is my life like this?


    Actually, her life as a slave was better than she had expected. But since becoming Princess Beatrice, her life had started getting complicated.


    She didn¡¯t even want to think about her time with Gilbert. Living with Gilbert was a challenge, despite her efforts to be a positive person.


    And now I¡¯m in prison.


    She knew what she was getting into, but this was her first time in jail. How unlucky she was in life.


    Is this what I get for regretting a dull and uneventful life?


    Her past life had been exceedingly ordinary, and that had been her dying regret. She should have experienced as much as possible, all the things that she¡¯d wanted to try. She should have smiled and laughed more, lived a happier life.


    But instead, she was thrown into slavery¨C at the bottom rung of the caste system ¨C when she opened her eyes again. But she realized that no matter the circumstances, life itself was precious. Knowing that things could not change, she had decided to accept her lot and be happy with her life.


    Living a life of smiles and laughter had indeed made her happy.


    I don¡¯t want to die with regrets again¡­


    She was in the midst of consoling herself when she heard a voice, ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Jorge¡¯s unexpected visit¡ªat such a late hour¡ªslightly surprised Chloe, but seeing the medication bottles in his hand she could guess why he had come.


    ¡°Have you reflected on your behavior?¡± He looked like a child filled with anticipation.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I have dared to do an impudent thing, something a slave should never have done,¡± Chloe promptly rose to her feet and apologized.


    ¡°All right. I am here at this hour because, hmm, I wanted to test your knowledge in medicine,¡± Jorge continued, showing the medicine bottles that he had brought with him.


    ¡°The empire, with its powerful military forces, has favored physical therapy and crude surgeries over therapeutic drugs. I believe we should strive to do the opposite. That storage room is where I have collected all medicines of the empire for the purpose of my research.¡±


    To Chloe, who had been born, raised, and educated for 23 years at the pharmacy in the capital of Elpasa, meeting Jorge was nothing short of good fortune. She began telling him all she knew about the medicines that he had brought.


    Jorge was greatly moved by Chloe¡¯s descriptions of Elpasa¡¯s medicinal ingredients and drug therapies. On the other hand, he was curious.


    ¡°How do you know so much about drug therapies of Elpasa?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­ a slave from Elpasa, captured during the war. I have spent 20 years at a pharmacy in the capital of Elpasa.¡±


    No good could come out of letting him know that I used to be a princess. He doesn¡¯t know anything about me, so let¡¯s just tell him that I have been a slave all along.


    Jorge finally remembered that a few slaves from Elpasa had been assigned to the infirmary.


    This child is from Elpasa! Jorge¡¯s face brightened up, struck with a realization.


    20 years at a pharmacy¡ªshe must have been an extraordinary girl, considering that they taught a slave how to read and write. Elated, he started asking Chloe about various other ingredients and their uses.


    Even in the middle of the night with everyone else asleep, their voices were full of energy. Chloe lost track of the time discussing medicinal ingredients and their uses. The candle had already completely burned out, and Jorge had planted himself in front of the bars. Chloe did not notice the sunrise, absorbed in her first intellectual conversation in a long time.


    ¡°Um, sir, it¡¯s time for the prisoners¡¯ breakfast.¡± A sudden voice intruded their conversation, and they finally noticed that the morning had come. Jorge felt as if he was at last coming to his senses.


    After 20 years at an apothecary in Elpasa¡¯s capital, she¡¯s more of a doctor than a slave doing chores. He could not believe that he had debated nursing and medicine with her through the night. He was amazed by her vast knowledge.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly waste such talent. But she was a slave¡ªa slave captured overseas, to boot¡ªand it was not possible to change her status. No matter how extraordinary, she could never be a nurse or a doctor.


    But having this child work for the empire, isn¡¯t that the patriotic thing to do?


    Jorge¡¯s heart pounded. Like any scholar, he was overcome with the pure passion for enlightenment, an urge to learn and uncover new knowledge.


    That will be her work.


    ***


    Chloe started working in the medicine storage the next day. Her task was to write a book categorizing the medicinal ingredients.


    When told by Jorge, I want to learn the various uses of each ingredient, for different methods of dosage, she began writing unimpeded, as if she had been thinking about the subject for a long time.


    I can do this just like how I wrote my graduation thesis.


    She neatly organized the topics, in the order of each one¡¯s first letter. Once she put together the table of contents, her work was easy. Given that her main job in Elpasa had involved putting things down on paper, this was not at all challenging.


    Jorge was astonished by her skillful handling of the work. She clearly received a high level of education!


    Of course, the favor she received attracted unkind attention from others but Chloe did not care. She knew that the jealousy would be redirected as soon as someone fell into even more favor than she was given.


    Above all else, she was contented. Not only could she do the work that she enjoyed, but she also could decide things on her own and work independently. It was as if she was back in the life that she had lived in Elpasa for 23 long years.

 Chapter 13 - A Late-night Visit (2)

    This was not the only work that Jorge had given to her.


    ¡°Lady Anna, isn¡¯t the water too hot?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s warm and pleasant.¡±


    In the evenings Chloe began looking after Anna, Evan¡¯s youngest sister. The baby of the Cupiheat family, she was more than 20 years younger than Evan. She had reportedly suffered from autism and insomnia since childhood. Even Aaron, the butler at Graham Mansion, visited the family daily for her care¡ªthis was the extent of everyone¡¯s affection for her.


    Poor girl, inflicted with insomnia at such a young age.


    Chloe would clean the medicine storage by day, and by night stay with Anna until she fell asleep. While caring for Anna was other nurses¡¯ responsibility, everyone truly hated the task, as the insomnia was incurable and all they could do was to watch Anna suffer.


    I hear the Cupiheats are one of the best families in the capital.


    This was why Anna¡¯s care had previously been assigned only to senior nurses. However, given that, as a slave, Chloe wasn¡¯t permitted to speak of Anna¡¯s condition to anyone.


    Anna¡¯s late parents, despite their tender love for her and their various efforts, had failed to cure Anna¡¯s insomnia and almost gave up.


    Even though Anna was wary of Chloe at first, she gradually opened up after seeing her sincere, daily efforts.


    It had already been a week since Chloe had begun caring for Anna. They had many conversations, and through these she learned that Anna¡¯s autism and insomnia were congenital illnesses.


    Considering Anna¡¯s young age, Chloe figured that light aromatherapy might be helpful. In fact, it was one of the ways in which she had coped during her horrific marriage to Gilbert.


    She decided to extract essential oils from plants herself. Noblewomen often bathed with flower petals or scented oil, but as their purpose was to permeate the ladies¡¯ bodies with fragrance, all of such oils had overly powerful scents that gave her headaches. On the other hand Chloe¡¯s scented oils were very subtle, and provided a cooling sensation to the head.


    Anna asked to bathe with these oils for hours each day. She felt her headaches fade more and more each day, and began falling asleep faster. She relished the soothing scent whose gentle whiffs she could continue to detect after her baths, when she lay upon her plush bed.


    ¡°¡­So today I went¡­riding and¡­mmm¡­¡±


    Chloe found it peaceful to watch Anna drift off to sleep. Of course, considering Lord Evan Cupiheat¡¯s status as a duke, frequenting his mansion went against her wish to live an inconspicuous, quiet life as a slave. And yet meeting Anna, and watching her recovery, filled her with pride and satisfaction.


    ***


    It had been almost 2 months since Chloe had begun looking after Anna. Chloe thought of Anna as her own sister, and aided Anna¡¯s recovery with all her heart. To Chloe the relationship was more than that of a mistress and her slave. This was the case for Anna as well.


    ¡°Men bathe with scented oil, too?¡±


    Anna explained to her second eldest brother, Aaron¡ªwho was feeling quite stressed out lately¡ªabout aromatherapeutic baths. Aaron, blindly dragged there by Anna, could not bring himself to trust the work of¡ªnot even a nurse but a slave. So Chloe, describing scented baths and scented candles as types of psychological treatments, explained that they were frequently carried out by everyone in the foreign country where her mother used to live.


    ¡°Yes, sir. But these are not the flower-scented oils that we typically use in the empire.¡±


    ¡°Then what kind are they?¡± Aaron still could not overcome his suspicion. What if her oils were addictive, or the kind used in anesthesia or hypnosis?


    ¡°I really cannot trust this aromatherapy rubbish.¡±


    ¡°Oh brother, please try! It truly makes your anxiety disappear and helps you feel at peace. It takes all your stress away.¡±


    Aaron, who had been looking at the women disapprovingly, wiggled his eyebrows at the ¡®It takes all your stress away¡¯ part. He had been dealing with crushing stress, thanks to the issue of his master¡¯s marriage, and the enormous pressure from Duncan Graham regarding the matter.


    I feel as if I¡¯m being strangled, he thought. Duncan kept attempting to match the Archduke with a daughter of an aristocrat, and Alexandro continued placing Aaron in difficult situations. Stuck in the middle, Aaron was in a helpless situation. His shoulders were heavy, and his head throbbed at the thought of the Archduke¡¯s need to marry.


    That Lady Clara Bandorras also seems like trouble.


    Though he was a capable butler who never complained, Aaron was having a difficult time, so much so that he found it painful to report to work each day. That morning he had even sent a message to the Archduke explaining that he was unable to work that day, using Anna as an excuse.


    Knowing that Aaron had never missed a day of work before, the Archduke did not make a fuss. Even though having to tend to Anna was not a good reason to miss work, Aaron direly needed a day off, even if it was to be gained under false pretenses.


    Aaron found the claim about complete stress relief simply outlandish. He resented the devious little slave girl for having bewitched his sister like a quack would. But he was also curious.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not dangerous?¡±


    ***


    The Archduke was, for the first time in a while, out riding with his old comrades in arms. His beautiful black stallion, which he had raised himself, was an exceptionally wonderful horse. Sensing his master¡¯s mood, the beloved horse galloped fiercely through the wind.


    Rough mountains could not stop them. The first in his group to arrive at the destination, Alexandro caught his breath, inhaling the clean mountain air.


    His father, Duncan Graham, had visited the mansion the previous day.


    Even though Graham Mansion technically belonged to Duncan, since he had moved completely into the palace the house was effectively under Alexandro¡¯s authority. Duncan only rarely visited.


    Father thinks that the palace is his home.


    Hence, there must have been an ulterior motive for Duncan¡¯s visit. Alexandro was certain.

 Chapter 14 - An Unfortunate Event (1)

    Duncan wanted Alexandro to marry, and it seemed that, in his desperation, he had bought off everyone around them to accomplish this.


    I won¡¯t be defeated this time, father.


    He had no intention of giving in. Duncan had always expected so much of him, telling others that Alexandro was going to be the emperor someday. However, Alexandro did not want to have anything to do with the imperial palace, let alone rule the empire. Having observed what his father had done in order to gain power, Alexandro had no interest in getting married or having a family of his own.


    They had made a deal: Alexandro, rather than remaining in the capital and ruling the empire, wished to join the order of knighthood and conquer the rest of the continent. While Duncan did not want to send his son to war, Alexandro was insistent and Duncan was reluctant to get his son dragged into the political power struggle that had been brewing in the capital at the time. He granted Alexandro¡¯s request to leave.


    While he campaigned the battlefields, Duncan solidified his own power, so that no one would dare to challenge his son upon his return. Alexandro worked tirelessly for the peace of the continent, fighting six major wars over ten years and playing the key role in absorbing five nations into the empire.


    Knights and civilians altogether agreed that the continent couldn¡¯t have been unified without the Archduke, and began calling him the war hero. Alexandro, convinced that he had done his duty, planned to return to his dukedom and live out a quiet life, intending to never set foot in the capital or the palace ever again.


    A cool breeze ruffled his dark brown hair. His blue eyes gazed at his company, now approaching him from the distance.


    ¡°Your Grace! I cannot believe you jumped over that cliff just to win the race!¡±


    One then butted, his words directed to the person who just talked, ¡°And I can¡¯t believe you couldn¡¯t make that little leap.¡±


    ¡°Little! And it was my horse who feared the jump, not me.¡±


    ¡°What a stale excuse, my boy.¡±


    Alexandro chuckled and turned his horse around, slowly retracing his steps.


    ¡°I only have one life, Your Grace. And please be more cautious¡ªwhen you bounded over that cliff, I thought I would have a heart attack!¡± Evan continued, following Alexandro.


    Alexandro scoffed at Evan¡¯s hyperbole and, keeping his gaze forward, quipped, ¡°If I am destined to die falling off a mountain, then perhaps I shouldn¡¯t become the emperor.¡±


    Evan gasped before saying, ¡°Why are you so careless with yourself, sir?¡±


    ¡°If I were to die in a riding accident, would my father not agree with that sentiment?¡±


    Evan could only stare at his lord¡¯s back, unable to respond. Trees made a sound as they shook in the wind. It was only a little past noon, but it was dark in the dense forest. The Archduke¡¯s horse, guided by his master, was going forward, forward, and into the blackness. Evan blankly watched the black stallion, whose beauty was in marvelous harmony with Alexandro¡¯s robust physique.


    Evan sometimes had a strange image in his mind¡ªone in which the Archduke had disappeared without a trace, and everyone that knew him was in deep mourning. But in this scenario, Evan saw himself accepting the situation without any emotions, as if he had known that this was going to happen.


    ¡°That would never happen in real life,¡± he reiterated to himself. What a nonsensical daydream. He chased after the Archduke.


    Having been at the Archduke¡¯s side since his birth, Evan had spent more time with Alexandro than anyone else¡ªeven more than Aaron, Alexandro¡¯s butler and Evan¡¯s brother. Evan believed that he was the person who knew Alexandro the best. Even though the gossips praised him as the war hero and future emperor, Evan knew that Alexandro had absolutely no interest in power or status.


    In fact, he wasn¡¯t interested in anything.


    Evan considered the Archduke ¡®a man who had no attachment to life¡¯. Having been at the top of the totem pole from the beginning, he had never lost anything. And he did not strive to gain something new, either. He appeared completely unaffected by greed.


    But isn¡¯t life all about losing things to win things?


    The Archduke had never actually wanted any of the things he had. This man of broad shoulders was the loneliest man that Evan knew.


    Evan awoke from his reverie and hastened his horse to catch up with the Archduke¡¯s. Alexandro¡¯s stallion, trotting slowly, was soon overtaken by Evan¡¯s horse.


    ¡°It¡¯s for real this time¡ªyou must grant me a wish if I win!¡±


    Evan spurred his horse. To win the race, he had to make that jump over the cliff.


    ***


    Am I in heaven? Aaron thought to himself as he closed his eyes. The warm water¡ªjust a little bit hotter than his body temperature¡ªcaressed his wet, silver hair.


    Splash, splash¡ªthe water made a sensuous noise as he moved.


    The fragrance stimulating the tip of his nose was different from the ones he had tried before. Soothing and sweet, it refreshed him, as if he was standing in the middle of a forest. Although not robust, the scent was enough to captivate his spirit.


    He felt all his senses heightened¡ªthings that had previously been minute and unnoticeable to him were being amplified into strong sensations. The hot water and the cooling scent, especially, put him in an extraordinary mood.


    Have I been transported to paradise?


    A voice roused him from his thoughts.


    ¡°Pardon me, Lord Cupiheat. Are you feeling quite well?¡±


    He did not wish to be disturbed. All his worries and troubles tightly filling his head had, one by one, disappeared into the water.


    That serpentine Duncan, puppet emperor, useless Archduke, my only sister Anna, that crazy Lady Clara Bandorras¡­wench¡­


    ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    He yearned to relish this moment to the fullest. A certain feeling ¨C something that he never had thought he could ever feel ¨C came over him. He did not want to know what this sensation exactly was ¨C he was afraid that the knowledge would make it go away.


    Aaron emerged from the bath two hours later. His pale skin had turned reddish, and his fingertips had swollen and turned white from the long soak in water. Above all, Aaron¡¯s normally vigilant face had become half-relaxed.


    ¡°Brother, are you all right?¡±


    He remained silent, biting his lip as if thirsty.


    ¡°Brother, one must drink something cold and sweet after a scented bath.


    ¡°Is that part of the therapy?¡±


    ¡°No, but please try.¡±


    Anna, with a determined face, offered him a drink¡ªa persimmon tea that ladies tended to enjoy with dessert. Red and sugared, men usually shied away from it. Aaron received the cup from his sister. His masculine pride stopped him.


    A girly bath with scented oil, and now this. He was about to refuse the tea and ask for a glass of cold water instead, when he gazed at Anna and observed, from his sister¡¯s pretty eyes, some sort of mysterious resolve. Had the bath, which he had mistrusted, not given him an incredible experience?


    He decided to trust his sister once again. The moment his lips touched the cold tea, he sensed a certain energy emanate from his heated body. The sweet fragrance and taste immediately enthralled him, and he gulped the drink straight down his throat. He felt the coolness travel down to his stomach, and having rapidly emptied the cup, he couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Whoop!¡±


    This is happiness, he admitted to himself. This bath was the most delightful physical experience he had ever had.

 Chapter 16 - Saving Howl (1)

    Jorge was well aware of the benefits of rest. The clean, refreshing air of the gardens had invigorating effects.


    However, even in the midst of flowers, they continued discussing medicine¡ªthey could not help it. Sometimes like a pair of chattering schoolgirls, and sometimes doctors, Jorge and Chloe remained consumed in their conversations.


    When a doctor from the infirmary passed them, Jorge asked him about Evan.


    ¡°Is the Deputy Grand Master still asleep?¡± Even though he had watched Evan fall asleep, Jorge felt compelled to check the patient¡¯s status once again. Once the doctor reassured him, Jorge described the situation to Chloe while carrying on with their walk.


    ¡°Jumping uncontrollably and harming himself while carrying a man on his back¡ªI imagine that horse is going to be put down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. But they will likely wait until next week since I have asked to examine him.¡±


    Chloe wondered why Jorge wanted to take a look at the horse.


    ¡°Perhaps I should do it now. Have you ever seen a pedigreed steed?¡±


    Chloe, remembering Gilbert¡¯s horse from her days as a princess, took a moment to choose her words wisely.


    ¡°I¡­haven¡¯t. Is the horse that exceptional?¡±


    ¡°There are better ones out there, but this one is the prettiest that I know.¡±


    Chloe could see that Jorge cared about this horse. A steed belonging to the Deputy Grand Master, she figured, would indeed be one of the best in the empire.


    The two headed towards the stables. The trip, given the sheer size of the training facility, required a carriage. Although Jorge invited Chloe to climb into the carriage box with him, she chose to sit out front with the groom. Jorge was too generous about granting privileges to Chloe. She was afraid that accepting them freely would make her life as a slave impossible.


    Feeling a vague sense of separation between her nights in the slaves¡¯ quarters and the days spent discussing medicine with Jorge ¨C the deputy head of the infirmary and a viscount ¨C she tried hard not to forget her status despite the nature of her work.


    I must know my place. No matter what false hopes she had, as a slave captured during a war, her position was never going to change. Chloe knew that pretending not to be a slave would be a ridiculous thing to do.


    Let¡¯s not delude myself. She only wished for what she had been given, as long as she had her work with Jorge at the pharmacy. The uncomfortable bed and terrible food did not bother her ¨C she still knew that she was the lucky one


    Wow.


    The groom dropped them off at an enormous, grand stable. Chloe was astonished by its vastness and the excellent quality of its facilities. This is much nicer than the slaves¡¯ quarters, she chuckled to herself. When they followed the groom into a large, luxurious room, she spotted a black stallion, lying on its side with his nose bleeding.


    ¡°So, this is the horse?¡±


    The stallion panted as if exhausted, with blood gushing out of its nose. Chloe felt pity for the animal. A life of near-abuse, carrying people on his back from birth to death¡ªher heart went out for him.


    As Jorge had commented, he was exceptionally beautiful, even to Chloe¡¯s untrained eyes. Even in its pathetic state, the steed¡¯s shiny coat made him look like a precious black pearl.


    ¡°He seems quite extraordinary. It really is too awful.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a mountain near the capital, called Nalusuwan. Apparently Lord Cupihit allowed him to drink water by the creek while up there, and I think he might have eaten something that he shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°A mountain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nalusuwan is closed to commoners due to its poisonous plants. For some reason, not that many animals live there, either.¡±


    ¡°Forbidden due to poisonous plants¡­?¡± This concept was foreign to Chloe. Even in Elpasa with its mountainous terrain, no areas had been closed off for such a reason. To her, mountains had always been beneficial to people.


    Seeing her puzzled face, Jorge took her to Nalusuwan right away.


    ***


    The mountain was not far, only just outside of the capital. When they arrived an hour later, Jorge and Chloe began examining its plants. Chloe could not hide her amazement.


    Look at all these herbs! My, the amount of money that could be made off of these.


    She observed many plants that were rare in Elpasa. Nalusuwan was rocky but its two peaks were rather low, compared to the mountains that Chloe had climbed in the past.


    ¡°Sir, may I please have a look at the plants at the peaks?¡±


    ¡°I must leave now, but yes, if you¡¯d like. Just please make sure to come back.¡± Even though Jorge knew that Chloe would never do such a reckless thing as running away, he implored once again. Runaway slaves, if caught, were executed without exception.


    ¡°Certainly, sir.¡±


    Her thorough scan of the mountain ended up taking far longer than she had expected. The groom, who had been waiting for her, was greatly annoyed and barked that he had been about to leave without her. Chloe apologized profusely¡ªshe could imagine his anger at having to wait around for a slave all day long.


    ¡°A little girl like you, strutting about a forbidden mountain all day long. Are you out of your damned mind?¡±


    Chloe could only continue to beg pardon. Her short height, small build, and bobbed hair made her look like a girl of only twenty.


    Taking a seat behind the groom, she quietly held on to the train of his cape. A wary voice came at her, ¡°Don¡¯t sit too close.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    It took another hour to arrive at the Cupihits¡¯ mansion, where her quarters were located.


    I should stay in his good graces, or he could take off without me. Setting this thought aside, she was not a bit bothered by the hurtful things that the groom said.

 Chapter 15 - An Unfortunate Event (2)

    ¡°I am so ashamed.¡± Evan, lying in bed, could not possibly face his lord, who was sitting in a plush chair opposite him and drinking three glasses of water in quick succession. There was a good reason for his thirst.


    Alexandro had descended the mountain with Evan on his back. Although Evan was smaller than the Archduke, holding a strapping young man while leading two horses down the hill was not an easy task.


    While Evan was healthy and fit, the trouble began when his horse suddenly fell on the way down. This threw Evan from the horse, injuring him greatly.


    ¡°I have sent your horse directly to the stables. They will probably put him down tomorrow.¡±


    Evan¡¯s horse, outstanding and pedigreed, had sired the Archduke¡¯s stallion. Nevertheless, most horses that had thrown their owners had to be put to death.


    Evan regretted having to lose the horse that had been with him for ten years, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. He could not continue riding him after this.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not sure what happened. Howl suddenly began spinning and jumping, which made me lose control of the reins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    Alexandro could not possibly spare the horse that injured his man, regardless of the Archduke¡¯s long history with the animal.


    However, he was truly sorry to part from the horse. His horse.


    ***


    There was chaos in the infirmary when Archduke Alexandro walked in with Evan Cupiheat, the Deputy Grand Master.


    The imperial order of knighthood had enjoyed a tremendous victory in every battle. They were the mightiest in the entire continent, and the empire¡¯s conquest of the continent had opened a new era of peace and stability. Evan¡¯s grave injury during this time of tranquility sent Jorge into a shock. Seeing the seriousness of Evan¡¯s condition made Jorge dart to his bedside and closely inspect the damage.


    ¡°His Grace the Archduke is also here,¡± Evan spoke in a low voice. Startled, Jorge turned to the Archduke and greeted him ¨C bewildered by the situation, he had not noticed the Archduke in the chair.


    ¡°Please pardon my impertinence, Your Grace.¡±


    The Archduke dismissed the apology and motioned him towards Evan. How could I have not noticed such a presence? Jorge realized how overly anxious he was.


    ¡°He simply fell off the horse,¡± informed the Archduke. Jorge could not believe this.


    ¡°What do you mean, the Deputy Grand Master was thrown from his horse?¡±


    ¡°I also find this absurd, but that¡¯s the fact of the matter,¡± sighed Evan. A knight falling from his horse¡ªit was almost shameful. It was only proper for a horse that has thrown its owner to be executed if only to save the owner¡¯s face.


    ¡°I really cannot believe this. Couldn¡¯t this have been due to some evil plot?¡± Evan was one of the best knights in the order. He was not the kind of soldier who would lose control of his horse, even if he had not ridden in a long time.


    Jorge had been with the order in every battle, assisting the Archduke and Evan diligently. The three men trusted one another.


    ¡°Possible. But the horse suddenly spun around in his place, jumped, and banged his head against a tree. It¡¯s too bad¡ªhe really is a good boy.¡±


    ¡°You said, he smashed his head against a tree?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. We¡¯ve been together for ten years, but this is the first time he has done such a thing. He¡¯s been quite brave, even in battle.¡± Evan was puzzled. In fact, his horse was healthy and intelligent. But on the way down the mountain, he seemed to be in agony. The horse had kept banging his head even after Evan had fallen, almost kicking Evan in the process.


    ¡°We should stay away from Nalusuwan Mountain for some time,¡± Evan suggested to the Archduke. Evan knew that Alexandro climbed it often.


    ¡°You were on Nalusuwan? That area has poisonous plants and even animals don¡¯t go near it. To visit a place that commoners are not even allowed in¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we go there. There aren¡¯t many places where one can ride so freely.¡±


    Jorge asked just in case, ¡°Did your horse graze there, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°No, he only drank the water from a creek. I knew about the poisonous herbs.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Will you have the horse killed?¡±


    ¡°I imagine I should,¡± Evan responded with regret. Sensing this, Jorge asked Evan, his eyes sparkling, ¡°May I please have a look at him?¡±


    ***


    The infirmary was still in a state of anxiety, thanks to the high-profile patient admitted the previous day. Jorge had been diligently treating Evan, working around the clock due to the unexpected turn of events. After Evan¡¯s surgery was successfully completed, he checked to make sure that the patient was asleep and resting.


    My head is throbbing. Jorge decided to take a break and visit the medicine storage.


    ¡°Did you really write all of this?¡± Jorge¡¯s jaw dropped at the draft of Chloe¡¯s book. Glancing at Chloe¡¯s face, he noticed the bags under her eyes and burst out laughing.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    He was proud of Chloe for working so hard not to disappoint him. Having confirmed her sense of responsibility¡ªeven if it had not been his intention to test her¡ªhe suggested to Chloe.


    ¡°I think we both need rest. Would you like to take a stroll in the gardens with me?¡±

 Chapter 17 - Saving Howl (2)

    The horse, emitting a pained moan, attempted to get up on his feet. He had not forgotten the kind hands that would bestow warm strokes on his coat. Trying to rise and walk towards the beloved face, he swayed and fell once again to the floor.


    The horse¡¯s name was Howl.


    ¡°Open the enclosure.¡±


    If anyone else had made this order, it would¡¯ve been refused out of precaution. However, it was Archduke Graham who had spoken these words. His dominating presence, which suggested that he could probably tame any horse or even a tiger with his bare hands, made the grooms obey him without question.


    Alexandro gently caressed Howl¡¯s head. The horse nodded as if responding, and reveled in the petting.


    The Archduke¡¯s horse, Chsantos, was Howl¡¯s son. Howl and Alexandro had a long history¡ªthey had spent their childhoods together.


    From the day of Alexandro¡¯s birth, Duncan advertised his son to others as the future emperor. Given the power and status that he had been born into, Alexandro had difficulties finding real friends.


    Even though Howl could not speak, he was a wonderful companion. Young Alexandro was starved of his parents¡¯ love, and Howl had been parted from his shortly after birth. The two needed each other.


    Alexandro began riding Howl at the age of ten. And five years later, he experienced his first battle, during which Howl took an arrow for him and lay injured for an entire month. Young Alexandro felt deep appreciation and guilt towards the animal. This made him train harder and become stronger¡ªhe felt the need to be powerful to protect those he wanted to.


    Thankfully Howl made a full recovery.


    Even though he wanted to ride Howl again, the captain of the knights could not use a horse that had been previously injured. This forced him to choose Chsantos instead.


    But Howl was still extraordinary, and pitying the steed locked up in the stables all day, Evan volunteered to take Howl for himself. This turned out to be a marvelous arrangement, as Alexandro could see Howl often, and Howl could continue dashing through the empire. Evan treasured Howl for having saved his lord¡¯s life.


    Seeing Howl in his present state broke Alexandro¡¯s heart.


    But we cannot spare him. Howl had injured Evan. Ordering to keep Howl alive would not be the proper treatment of his favorite man.


    Alexandro sat and caressed Howl¡¯s mane for a long time. The horse would be dead by next week.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    He finally got up and instructed the grooms to feed the horse his favorite things. Alexandro wanted Howl¡¯s final days to be happy. His steps were heavy.


    Nothing good ever happens in the capital. Alexandro couldn¡¯t wait to put this place behind him.


    ***


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying, the plants on Nalusuwan are dangerous to animals but beneficial to humans?¡±


    Having pondered about Nalusuwan all night long, Chloe was convinced¡ªthe horse must have eaten twinleaf. Thinking about his obsidian eyes, she had left her quarters early in the morning and waited for Jorge.


    ¡°That is only my guess, sir. However, I¡¯m quite sure which plant the horse has eaten.¡±


    ¡°Which plant?¡±


    ¡°When an animal ingests twinleaf, it loses its sense of direction, spins in its place, begins having nosebleeds, and eventually dies. This herb thrives in humid places, and when I was on Nalusuwan, I saw a large number of them by each creek.¡±


    Jorge stared at Chloe, fascinated.


    ¡°Yes, even though the Deputy Grand Master says that the horse only drank water there, it¡¯s possible that the horse also grazed on twinleaf as well. But how do we treat the horse?¡±


    ¡°There is a plant that acts as the antidote.¡±


    ¡°Can you obtain it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will get it to the horse today!¡± Chloe beamed. Jorge immediately summoned a carriage and ordered the groom to take her to the mountain. She ran out of the pharmacy with bright enthusiasm. Her confidence made Jorge smile.


    Will Howl be spared after all? Jorge believed that killing Howl would be a huge waste.


    Evan was a generous, good-hearted man¡ªif he understood that Howl had been poisoned, and if he could become healthy again, he might reconsider having the horse put to death. He may not ride Howl again but may keep him alive. I must ask him.


    ***


    ¡°You again?¡± The groom, the same man from the previous day, complained about having to go to Nalusuwan again. Chloe continued her apologies.


    That poor horse. She felt deep sympathy for Howl, dying in his cage when he should be running through the meadows, and relishing the freedom. He had done nothing wrong.


    The groom had told her that the animal had to be killed, rather than being allowed to die on its own¡ªhe had to pay the price for having thrown his owner.


    It¡¯s amazing what power can do in this world. She knew this all too well. The powerful people around her had forced her to abandon her friends, home, and everything else, and marry a man that she did not want.


    Upon seeing the horse¡¯s ebony eyes for the first time, she had felt a strong affinity with him. Her appearance ¨C dark brown eyes and black hair ¨C was not common in the area. She had never seen anyone who looked like her, although she had heard that such people existed somewhere overseas. And the way that this horse had been used and discarded ¨C she felt that it resembled her life in Elpasa.


    I¡¯ll come save you, black horse, she resolved, just hold on a little bit longer!


    Once she arrived at Nalusuwan, she frantically climbed the mountain, convinced that she had seen anchor flowers on the second peak. It took her less than two hours to get to the top, and the flowers were indeed growing there.


    I probably need quite a lot. While she had treated pigs and dogs with this herb before, she did not know the correct dosage for a large stallion. She needed to take extra flowers just in case.


    She began picking the flowers with purpose, collecting a fair amount in the end. She realized that, in her haste, she had forgotten to bring a bag. She needed to go with the last resort.


    Good thing I¡¯m wearing trousers! Although unseemly, she decided to stuff the flowers inside her trousers. As she finished, she looked like a walking pumpkin, but she didn¡¯t care at all.


    Chloe had started wearing pants instead of dresses due to the physical activity required of her job. Given her tomboyish appearance, no one had chided her for this. She felt extremely fortunate to have made the switch.

 Chapter 18 - Second Meeting (1)

    Chloe rolled up her pant legs as high as she could, and through the opening in her untied waistband, filled her trousers with the harvested flowers. She began descending the mountain.


    With the thighs of her trousers completely stuffed, she looked and walked like a clown. The leaves were itchy against her bare skin.


    Ugh, I should hurry down and ask the groom if he has any bags. Despite the discomfort from having the trousers choke-full of anchor flowers, the thought of the black stallion¡ªlocked up in the cage and bleeding¡ªkept her moving. Out on the horizon, she saw the groom resting under a tree. Chloe waddled toward him.


    That little girl must be obsessed with the mountain. She¡¯s always taking forever up there. The groom, who was enjoying the cool mountain breeze with his eyes closed, was startled by a sudden voice.


    ¡°Um, do you happen to have a bag to hold things in?¡±


    Surprised that she had returned so early, the groom peered up at Chloe. The girl¡¯s clothes and face were covered in leaves and dirt, and her trousers¡­


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    Her trousers, rolled up to above her knees, were stuffed fat in her hip and thigh areas, making her look like she was wearing diapers. Her exposed calves, although pale and shapely, were scratched up and dirty.


    She really is an idiot, isn¡¯t she? Scratching her head and looking helpless, Chloe was confirming his earlier suspicions about her.


    The groom firmly replied, ¡°No bags.¡± She despaired at the prospect of arriving at the stables in such a state. The groom, mounting the horse, warned her once again, ¡°Sit as far from me as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    All the way back to the stables, Chloe was tense with silent worries about the black stallion. What if he¡¯s already dead? The groom, wanting to be rid of her as soon as possible, drove at full speed.


    Arriving at the stables earlier than expected, Chloe encountered yet another problem.


    ¡°A slave can¡¯t enter the stables without permission.¡± The guard at the entrance stopped her, seeing her unsightly appearance. His scrutinizing glance, appraising her from head to toe, made Chloe cringe. The groom, understanding the guard¡¯s concerns, nodded and replied.


    ¡°You may not believe this, but this girl is carrying out the orders of Dr. Nanapa, the Deputy Head of the infirmary. I¡¯m Trigger, the Grand Master¡¯s horse groom. I¡¯ve been temporarily assigned to the infirmary, but Lord Peter, the director of the stables, knows who I am.¡±


    Chloe stared at Trigger as if he was her savior. His help in this urgent situation was in stark contrast with his poor treatment so far.


    The guard peered at Chloe and Trigger with distrust and told them to wait at the gate while he confirmed the details. He returned a moment later, and warily led Chloe to Howl¡¯s enclosure.


    ¡°Why are you going around looking like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡±


    The guard scoffed dismissively. The slave girl¡¯s exotic dark hair was short and disheveled, and she was dressed in men¡¯s clothing. Her face was red from sunburn, and her grimy trousers were clownishly stuffed with something.


    Chloe was dying for somewhere to hide.


    ¡°The horse can¡¯t get up anymore, so he shouldn¡¯t be dangerous.¡±


    The stallion was, thankfully, still alive. His breathing was extremely labored. Chloe was proud of him¡ªit was clear that, despite his spinning head and bleeding nose, he had refused to give up and continued trying to rise on his feet.


    That¡¯s right; it¡¯s far better to live than to die. Just hang in there a little bit longer! Forgetting about the guard standing next to her, she began unpacking the flowers from her trousers.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The guard shook his head in disbelief. Unfazed, Chloe held the herbs up to the horse¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Wait, is it really true that Dr. Nanapa ordered you to do this?¡± The guard suddenly stopped her. Even though the animal was to be killed, he still belonged to the Deputy Grand Master. He was the Grand Master¡¯s favorite to boot. As the man was fully responsible for looking after the horse, the guard couldn¡¯t just allow a strange little slave girl to feed him some suspicious herbs transported in her pants.


    ¡°This is too weird. You wait here.¡± The guard dragged Chloe to an empty cage and locked her in, heading out to find Jorge. If this horse dies before they can execute him, they¡¯ll kill me instead.


    Chloe was at a loss. While she was angry with the guard for finding her so suspicious, when she realized that he was simply doing his job, her agitation slowly subsided. She even felt sorry for any trouble she might be getting him into.


    I hope the horse is doing well enough. Imprisoned in a cage adjacent to Howl¡¯s enclosure, Chloe closely inspected him. Struggling to keep his eyes open, the steed was clearly approaching its end.


    She could not simply sit by and watch him die. Rolling up some anchor flower leaves into tiny bundles, she began throwing them towards his mouth. Howl did not react.


    ¡°Sweetie, please have a bite¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the horse began to stir, panting loudly and attempting to move his legs.


    What¡¯s going on with him?


    She heard voices from outside. ¡°This is the girl. I have locked her in here for a moment. She¡¯s feeding some strange grass to Howl.¡± She peered in the direction of the noise. Out there, the guard and an aristocrat were observing Howl attentively.


    No way¡­! It had already been a few months, and he was no longer in his battle armor, but she was sure. It¡¯s him.


    She at once recognized the Grand Master, the man who had ordered her death. Her heart sank into an abyss. She quickly and instinctively lowered her head. Her extremities began shaking.


    Even though dressed differently from before, she could tell that it was the same man. He was extremely intimidating and full of authority, with a statuesque and firm body. Just as he had done on the day she of her captivity, he naturally created a hostile atmosphere around him even without the aid of weapons. The air seemed to freeze around him.


    She hadn¡¯t thought that she would cross paths with him again.

 Chapter 19 - Second Meeting (2)

    Chapter 19 ¨C Second Meeting (2)


    I mustn¡¯t be noticed. Stealing a quick glance, she saw that he was gazing at Howl with his arms crossed. Despite what the guard had to say, the man seemed utterly uninterested in Chloe.


    Although clad in a simple outfit of brown and black, the Archduke appeared glamorous and fine. She thought it was thanks to his beautiful face. He was such a handsome man¡­ He would look splendid in any clothing.


    Nothing about his appearance was ugly.  His chiseled face was in great harmony with his enormous build.


    While she forgot her situation for a moment and appreciated the Archduke¡¯s beauty, Chloe was thrust back to reality by the guard¡¯s voice. ¡°Confess your schemes at once, slave girl.¡± He approached her and glared intimidatingly.


    ¡°I¡­wanted to cure the horse by feeding him an antidote.¡±


    Alexandro idly turned his gaze towards Chloe, appearing completely free of emotions. When she briefly met his glance, she could not read any thoughts from it. It seemed as if he was looking at an object, like a floor or a flame. She quickly lowered her eyes.


    The guard scoffed. ¡°Cure the horse? What would a slave girl like you know about horses?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Chloe hesitated. He does not remember me. While she wasn¡¯t sure if it was safe for her to mention Jorge at this point, it looked as if they would immediately slit her throat if she failed to defend herself. She knew what kind of man the Archduke was¡ªshe vividly remembered whom he had killed and how he had killed them. She swallowed and replied.


    ¡°I am studying medicine with Dr. Jorge Nanapa. I have learned that this horse had grazed on a poisonous herb on Nalusuwan, and am only trying to treat him by feeding him the antidote.¡±


    The guard belittled her as soon as she was finished, ¡°Ha! Studying medicine? You crazy little¡­¡±


    Right then, the Archduke finally spoke.


    ¡°You.¡±


    His face was still deadpan, but his gaze was precisely fixed upon her. His gorgeous face was fiercely memorable. Chloe absentmindedly stared into his eyes, but hurriedly lowered her face again when his gaze met hers. She did not want to make eye contact with him, or attract his attention in any way.


    ¡°Can you cure him?¡± He inquired in a low, dangerous voice.


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir, I can, according to my knowledge,¡± her head still hanging low, she responded in a soft but articulate voice. Unable to see his face, she could not know what he thought of her answer. He was silent.


    ¡°This wench seems to be out of her mind, sir! I can just¡­¡± the guard, flustered, spouted off treacherously. However, he was met with an unexpected response.


    ¡°If the horse dies, then you will be dead, too,¡± the Archduke said to Chloe, cutting off the guard¡¯s remarks. Chloe felt as if struck by lightning. While she was finally given a chance to treat the animal, if she failed, she would die with him.


    The Archduke spoke of her death with the lightness of a person discussing the weather. But Chloe understood immediately¡ªher existence was, to him, no different from that of an object. She recalled his voice, ordering the knights to kill her and display her head at the palace gate.


    To him, the horse is far more precious than I am


    ¡°I shall do my best.¡± After all, she had won the chance to treat the stallion. And now that things had come to this, she had to save herself by saving his life.


    ¡°Release her.¡±


    The guard bound Chloe¡¯s cage and unlocked it at the Archduke¡¯s command. He let her into Howl¡¯s enclosure.


    She approached Howl, keeping her head down. She collected the leaves strewn on the floor and offered them to the animal. He did not react¡ªother than panting and shaking his legs at his excitement of seeing the Archduke, he did not seem interested in the herbs.


    What should I do¡­ Taken aback, she gently stroked the horse¡¯s head to soothe him, and crushed the leaves in her hands to squeeze out its juice, which she brought to the animal¡¯s nose. She hoped that the fresh aroma of the herb would entice him.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Startled by Howl¡¯s labored breath on her hand, she reflexively withdrew her hand. But a moment later, gathering her courage, she offered the crushed leaves to him once again.


    The animal¡¯s struggle gradually subsided. His eyes now directed at Chloe, he began flaring his nostrils, smelling the offering in short sniffs as if evaluating it. The scent finally tempted the black horse. Chloe, cheering on the inside, carefully brought it to his mouth.


    ¡°Oh!¡± His teeth grazing her fingers, Howl began eating the herbs.


    She had never interacted with a horse in this manner. While she had ridden and petted horses before, she was awed by her first close encounter. She picked up more leaves from the floor and fed them to Howl. He continued to receive them with enthusiasm.


    Alexandro was not happy with the scene unfolding in front of him. The slave was visibly shaking, and her handling of the horse was clumsy at best.


    But if only she could save Howl. The Archduke was a reasonable person. The animal was dying, and the slave claimed to be able to save him. And if Howl had indeed been poisoned, then it would make him innocent of his crime, which meant that he could be spared.


    And sparing Howl was all he wanted.


    Thus the Archduke continued watching the slave at work. But suddenly, she got up from the floor and began doing something entirely unexpected.


    ???

 Chapter 20 - What A Strange Girl (1)

    Without any hesitation, she untied her waistband and put her hand inside her trousers, digging to produce more herbs.


    ¡°How dare you do such a thing in front of His Grace?!¡±


    Chloe winced at the guard¡¯s scolding, but after calmly unpacking the flowers and fixing her trousers in place, she responded, ¡°I did not have a bag for carrying the herbs¡­so I had to use my trousers.¡±


    The guard clicked his tongue at the impropriety. Too embarrassed to observe their reactions, she sat back down and began feeding more leaves to the horse.


    Even though Alexandro remained silent, his face unchanged; he was secretly shocked by Chloe¡¯s actions.


    A girl would do such a thing? The women that he knew¡ªregardless of their social class¡ªwere all perfect on the outside like well-dressed dolls, but sly as snakes on the inside. They would do anything to save their faces and thoroughly ensure that their interests were safe. Even though they always smiled and pretended to care about him, underneath their masks, they were full of greed.


    All talk and no action.


    Alexandro didn¡¯t have a relationship with women for some time now, or had even spoken with them, eliciting rumors that he simply hated them. Unlike most other aristocratic men, who had ties with certain ladies who ran high-class brothels, he refused to do business with women.


    However, this anxious little slave girl was, without a trace of pride or shame, acting like a man¡ªno, worse than that. She was not only dressed as a boy, but her hair was also messy and unkempt. Despite her white, thin legs and round breasts, she could easily pass as a man, if she wore a loose shirt.


    What a strange girl. He dismissed the thoughts about the slave girl in front of him.


    ¡°He ate all of the herbs that I have harvested today. I will continue monitoring him and feeding him some more,¡± Chloe reported, turning slowly towards them and bowing her head. This prevented Alexandro from seeing her face.


    ¡°When will he be fully recovered?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­he will need a week to regain his strength, and at most another week until he can be ridden again.¡±


    ¡°You have given me your word.¡±


    ¡°I, I shall do my utmost, sir.¡±


    He left the stables as soon as she replied. He no longer had anything to do with the place. The sound of his unstoppable footsteps faded into the distance.


    Chloe raised her head only after she could no longer hear him.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    The Archduke put people on edge. She had been breaking out in cold sweats during her conversation with him. This did not surprise her¡ªhad she not witnessed what he was capable of? Unlike the long hikes up and down Nalusuwan, her twenty-minute interaction with the Archduke exhausted her completely. She felt weakness all over her body, and her legs began shaking.


    I hope I never see him again. Chloe was conscious that seeing this terrifying man regularly would end up depleting, destroying her soul. Her palms were damp with sweat.


    ¡°Hey, slave girl, you will remain here until the horse has fully recovered.¡±


    Chloe stared at the guard in disbelief.


    ¡°You must be held responsible if anything happens to him. You can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± As if telling her that no one would ever miss a slave, the guard turned around to leave.


    ¡°W¡­wait! Sir, please tell Lady Anna of the Cupiheat Mansion that I will not be able to come and serve her.¡±


    The guard swung back and peered at Chloe. ¡°Fine,¡± he replied half-heartedly and strutted out of the stables.


    The stables were actually quite clean, and far nicer than the slaves¡¯ quarters. Only the smell bothered her. Chloe sat herself down on a nearby pile of hay, the onslaught of thoughts rammed into her.


    She was worried about Anna, but with the previous event, she felt more concerned about herself. Her unexpected encounter with the Archduke still rattled her.


    Thank heavens, he did not recognize me at all. It had already been about two months since their first meeting at the palace in Elpasa, but she remembered him clearly. On the other hand, it seemed that he had no memories of her.


    She chuckled to herself. Of course, he didn¡¯t recognize me. Back at the palace, she was an elegant princess, clad in an exquisite dress, with long hair styled by maids. Also, given the large number of foreigners living in the empire, he might have seen a few others with dark hairs. She felt relieved of this


    It did not matter whether or not he knew that she had been a princess¡ªno, actually¡ªit was better for him not to know. She wished to remain just a passing slave, not at all memorable to the Archduke. Getting noticed by him could never be a good thing. She trembled at her memory of that crazy knight Leo.


    Then, I must cure this horse as fast as possible, and go back to the quiet life at the pharmacy.


    She flung herself back onto the plush pile of hay. And stop worrying about the Archduke, knowing that fretting wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Whether or not he recognized her, she was grateful she was still alive and was now quick about abandoning the things out of her control. Her life as a slave had taught her that this was the best way to lead a smoother, more satisfying life.


    ¡°Black horse, please get better soon and save me.¡± Taking a small peek while feeding him, she confirmed that the horse was male. Saving him was the only way for her to get out of the stables alive. Thankfully the animal took to the anchor flowers quite well.


    I should return to the mountain tomorrow and collect more. To do this, Chloe had to stay sharp and recover her strength. Worn out from her ordeal with the Archduke, she was overcome with fatigue and could not resist the weight of her eyelids anymore¡­

 Chapter 21 - What A Strange Girl (2)

    ¡°You live such a tiresome life,¡± Trigger commented, staring at Chloe with pity and shaking his head. ¡°Did you prepare a bag this time?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly ask for such a thing at the stables¡­¡± Chloe replied.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to carry them in your trousers again?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She must have planned to do that again. Trigger clucked his tongue and dismounted from his horse, handing the reins to Chloe. ¡°Wait here.¡±


    A moment later, he returned with a large cloth bag. ¡°A girl shouldn¡¯t go around looking like that.¡± He threw the bag at Chloe and climbed onto the horse, taking back the reins. ¡°Sit a little farther away.¡± Then, they were on their way back to Nalusuwan.


    They arrived and dismounted from the horse. When Chloe turned to climb the mountain, he began following her.


    She wondered why Trigger wanted to accompany her, but she did not ask, as it was not going to change his mind in any way. But as if he had felt Chloe¡¯s inquisitive glance, he offered up the answer to her unasked question, ¡°If you run away, I¡¯ll get it in the neck.¡±


    Chloe understood¡ªthe guard at the stables must have implored Trigger to keep an eye on her, in case she ran away on one of her herb-harvesting trips. She smiled to herself and continued ascending the mountain.


    The stallion¡¯s nosebleed had stopped overnight. The anchor flowers must have been working. His breathing had also stabilized, which brought her great relief despite the fact that he was still unable to get back on his feet.


    I¡¯ll be right back with some more medicine, just wait a bit longer. There was a spring in her step¡ªnothing excited a doctor like a recovering patient. Even though she wasn¡¯t a doctor and had never thought of herself as one, with an important task at hand, she felt filled with purpose. Not only her fate depended on her success, but Jorge¡¯s honor was also hanging in the balance.


    She did not want to sully the name of the man who had put his trust in her. Armed with responsibility and iron will, she was unstoppable.


    ???


    The imperial combat tournament was only three days away, and the capital¡¯s preparation for the event was in full swing. All knights and those hoping to become one fully dedicated themselves to final training.


    Nosteros Empire, the first and only country to conquer and unify the entire continent, paid close attention to its military might. It aimed to build an era of lasting peace upon the loyalty of its feudal lords and the military strength of the imperial palace.


    This made the combat tournament one of the biggest events in the Empire. Those who proved themselves at these battles became promoted to the position of swordsman and received bountiful salaries. The swordsmen who further demonstrated abilities and loyalty would, in turn, join the order of knighthood.


    Once promoted during the combat tournament, the new swordsmen and knights were required to participate in a cross-country ceremonial expedition designed to foster patriotism and stamina. During their long journey parading across the continent, they would have a chance to see all corners of the empire and fortify their sense of community, as well as elicit patriotism and security in the minds of commoners witnessing their strength. Moreover, the imperial army¡¯s visits to the significant fiefdoms served as a warning to the high-ranking aristocrats against challenging the emperor¡¯s authority.


    This expedition had been initiated fifty years ago when war broke out immediately after the combat tournament. Obliged to send the group of newly-promoted men to the battle, the Empire, in the end, achieved a great victory. Since then, this ceremonial reenactment of the episode was the order of knighthood¡¯s pride and joy.


    With the tournament being held only once every three years, the men had been looking forward to the event for a long time. The women were also full of anticipation, praying for the victory of their beloved sons, husbands, and brothers.


    However, one person¡ªAaron¡ªdid not feel the same way.


    The world is not on my side. Aaron felt as if every single inconvenient thing in the world was happening to him.


    A scion of an extremely powerful family, he had volunteered to serve as Alexandro¡¯s butler. Even though a personal reason had forced the choice on him, he had never regretted taking the opportunity to work under such an exceptional master.


    Well, I never regretted it until now. Aaron¡¯s job had become impossible lately.


    Duncan had officially announced his search for the Archduke Graham¡¯s wife, which had caused all eligible bachelorettes in the Empire to send a flurry of love letters, party invitations, and servants to Graham Mansion.


    Darn it; I thought he was supposed to be intimidating and unpopular! The Archduke¡¯s large stature and ruthlessness in battle had bestowed him with a terrifying reputation. However, thanks to his reluctance to appear in public events and parties, the few ladies who had actually seen his face spread stories of his beauty, which made him sound desirable even to those who had never met him.


    His bachelor master¡¯s lovely face, a robust physique, and dominant social status only made Aaron¡¯s life harder.


    The Archduke was going to be leading the ceremonial expedition once the tournament was over. Despite his young age of twenty-five, he had already survived five wars, and was more than capable, which made him a far better candidate than the older, retired soldiers. At first, Aaron thought that Duncan had given this job to his son solely for the honor of the position. However, Evan suggested that Duncan might have an ulterior motive. No one can figure out what¡¯s going on in His Highness¡¯s mind.


    Also, Duncan wished to finalize Alexandro¡¯s engagement before his departure for the expedition.


    Good luck making the engagement happen without the Archduke¡¯s cooperation. He needs to communicate with his son! Now I¡¯m stuck, struggling in the middle. The biggest stressor for Aaron was, in addition to the ladies¡¯ excessive attention, Duncan¡¯s enormous pressure on him.


    As the butler, he had to help organize the various tournament ceremonies, the post-tournament party, and the details of the expedition. All the while Duncan was hounding him to arrange dates between the Archduke and various aristocratic ladies, and the ladies kept knocking on the door.


    But Lady Clara has really been helpful. Lady Clara Bandorras was the most daring of them all. Aggressively¡ªand somewhat madly¡ªmarking her territory, she had successfully reduced the number of love letters and invitations from other ladies by half. In all truth, Aaron felt rather grateful to her.


    The biggest problem is His Grace.


    ???

 Chapter 22 - Confusing Preferences

    The Archduke did not show any interest in women, causing Aaron to question his master¡¯s sexual orientation. However a,ccording to Aaron¡¯s brother Evan, a few years ago in the war zone, Alexandro had had relations with prostitutes or the women sent to him as tributes by the countries that he had defeated. Considering this, it didn¡¯t seem that there were any mechanical issues.


    However, the types of women that he had slept with suggested that he had preferred those who could satisfy his needs, but with whom he never had to be entangled.


    Perhaps he simply does not trust women. The trauma involving his mother had prevented the Archduke from depending on or building friendships with women. This made Aaron¡¯s job impossible. How would he convince such a man to get married?


    As if entirely unaware of Aaron¡¯s troubles, the Archduke completely dedicated himself to the preparations for the combat tournament, spending only his sleeping hours in the mansion. Thinking about him made Aaron¡¯s head throb.


    This headache is killing me. Aaron took a pause from organizing the Archduke¡¯s papers and leaned against the desk on his elbow, squeezing both of his temples.


    Bath¡­I need the scented bath. When is that slave girl coming back?


    Aaron longed for the prim little slave girl, who had been instrumental in managing his stress. The girl ¨C whose name he knew but did not want to utter ¨C was very quick-witted.


    However, she sure was strange. She never spoke unless spoken to, her answer always limited to ¡®yes, sir¡¯ or ¡®no, sir.¡¯ The worst thing was that, after a whole month of assisting with his baths, she had never made eye contact with him. She was skittish, wary, and timid.


    Well, you wouldn¡¯t want her to be chatty during bath time.


    Despite her quirks, Aaron missed her immensely.


    I should reach out and ask about her.


    ***


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your story?¡± Bored during their hike up the mountain, Trigger struck up a conversation with Chloe. It was only natural that he was curious about her ¨C a slave studying medicine under Jorge and running around trying to cure a horse.


    ¡°I¡­used to be a slave at a different pharmacy, sir. I worked there all my life and have picked up some knowledge here and there, which allowed me to serve Dr. Nanapa.¡±


    Trigger nodded as if he understood, but in fact, he was not convinced. Phew, for a slave who picked up some things here and there, Dr. Nanapa seems to really value her.


    He recalled the guard at the stables, who had begged him to monitor the slave girl at all times, pointing out that they would both be dead if she ran away. The guard had wanted Trigger to keep her on a leash fashioned with a rope ¨C Trigger had barely persuaded him that it would not be necessary.


    ¡°Heh,¡± the image of the guard¡¯s face made him burst into laughter. Chloe glanced at him in curiosity but kept ascending the mountain in silence.


    An hour later, when they finally arrived at the peak, Chloe began looking around in search of anchor flowers.


    ¡°Wow, I haven¡¯t seen such a sight before.¡± Trigger busied himself looking down at the landscape beneath his feet, usually forbidden for commoners not permitted to enter vast mountains. Having never climbed such a mountain before, Trigger was occupied entirely with his appreciation of the view, while Chloe was absorbed in her search.


    ¡°I found them.¡± Having identified a patch of anchor flowers, Chloe sat down and focused on harvesting them. It was going to be such a bother to come back to Nalusuwan ¨C finding the groom, asking him to drive her to the mountain and spending hours on the trip. She worked fast to collect as much as possible.


    They returned to the training facility a bit after lunchtime. The horse appeared livelier than he had the previous day. Chloe delightedly began feeding him more herbs.


    ¡°Black horse, eat up and get better soon.¡± The vigorous chewing of the stallion filled her with a sense of accomplishment, rewarding her for the trips up and down the mountain. She became utterly fixated on feeding the horse.


    ¡°Chloe, are you all right?¡± She turned around at the sudden voice.


    ¡°Dr. Nanapa!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that they trapped you in the stables¡­¡± He pitied the state that Chloe was in. Her whole body was covered in dirt from the mountain, and her face and limbs were all scratched up.


    However, her countenance was bright. Happy to see Jorge, her smiling face and sparkling eyes failed to suggest that she was being forced to live in the stables. He could not hide his sympathy for this lovely girl.


    ¡°I was worried about you.¡±


    Chloe was moved by this but decided not to let him know. Expressing any personal feelings to Jorge, she worried, might make her dependent on him.


    ¡°Thank you, but I am doing fine. And the horse is doing better. I started him on the antidote yesterday and¡­¡± She continued updating him on the animal¡¯s condition and her trips to Nalusuwan. From what she had seen Nalusuwan did not harbor many plants that were poisonous to humans.


    Chloe wondered why the empire was so indifferent to the development of nursing and medicine. In Elpasa, this was considered valuable work, even motivating some aristocrats to study the disciplines. But this did not seem to be the case in the empire. There was no interest here in nurturing nurses and doctors.


    Is that because of all the wars? Chloe was curious but was hesitant to ask Jorge as she was wary that it would lead to another endless conversation. Nevertheless, the two ended up having a long discussion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Jorge left the stables with reluctance. His worry was eased only by Chloe¡¯s observation that she would be able to cure Howl and leave the stables soon.


    Chloe chuckled at the horse¡¯s bright, shiny eyes. Even though she pitied herself for having been locked up in the stables, she felt tremendous pride watching him gradually regain his strength. She chose to stay optimistic.


    I should go to Lady Anna as soon as I get out of here. She¡¯s got such a gentle heart; she must be worried about me.


    She also had to continue organizing the medicine storage. She couldn¡¯t wait to return to the pharmacy and take up her work again. Where did I stop? Recalling the drugs one by one, Chloe drifted off to sleep next to the horse.

 Chapter 23 - Failure in Arranged Marriage

    ¡°Shall I wake her?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all right.¡±


    Back at the stables after just a day, Alexandro was left speechless by the sight of the slave girl asleep at this time of the day. While others were hard at work and just starting to retire for supper, this girl was deep in slumber. He did not wish to deal with such a lazy slave.


    Even though he had given her a chance, he was not happy with her at all. He had returned to the stables because he could not trust a slave with the treatment of a sick animal, and was deeply suspicious of her claims that she knew the cause of Howl¡¯s illness.


    However, the source of his worry was comfortably sleeping, laid upon a stack of hay. He was tempted to wake and interrogate her but abandoned the thought. Embarrassed, the guard offered, ¡°She¡¯s usually very manageable¡­¡±


    But at present, all four of her limbs were languidly stretched out. Alexandro marveled at the guts of the girl, passed out in the stables frequented by men after making a bold promise to the Archduke.


    Despite his suspicions, Howl did seem much healthier than he had the previous day. The nosebleed, which had been continuing for days, had disappeared without a trace. He appeared cheerful, too.


    He seems to be doing better. Alexandro felt no need to grill the slave, and decided to wait and see for another few days. She seemed to be delivering on her promise.


    He left the stables without regrets. With the tournament only three days away, he had no time to waste.


    He wasn¡¯t going to be participating in combat himself, not that it would have been a problem for him. Even though he didn¡¯t like to admit, he took after his father, who had been an exceptional knight and the Grand Master of the order himself. The Archduke had the physique, strength, and technique ¨C a genius swordsman adept at wielding the weapon with his either hand.


    I am exhausted. He was having the worst time with his father. Unbeknownst to Aaron, the Archduke had made it clear to Duncan that he had no wish to marry. Not only was he not interested in women, but he also refused to be used as a pawn in an arranged marriage.


    He was familiar with arranged marriages ¨C he was the product of one.


    The marriage between Duncan Graham and Alexandro¡¯s mother, Sophia McCowell, was a celebrated union between the two most powerful families in the empire. Duncan was a bold, ambitious man. The couple, in their prenuptial contract, agreed to produce only one, male heir¨Cthis was Alexandro Graham. The contract appeared successful. Duncan had acquired, through his association with the powerful ducal house of McCowell, power, military strength, and wealth that came close to those of the emperor. He aimed to take over the throne.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    The problem was that Sophia McCowell had the same idea. She aspired to be the first ruling empress, to be forever remembered in history.


    Alexandro had no memory of being cuddled by his mother, or holding her hand. To her, he was only a tool for her success, and later an obstacle. She despised her husband and son for getting in the way of her dreams.


    He had to endure his mother¡¯s bitter screams countless times. In the end she was discovered while attempting to murder her husband, and Duncan, reluctant to turn his wife¡¯s family against him, spared her life, imprisoning her in the dungeon. When Duncan tried to kill the emperor and replace him, she escaped the prison and, holding her own son hostage, threatened Duncan.


    Alexandro was eleven years old. What happened in the mansion that night could never be erased from his mind.


    The first time he held his mother¡¯s hand and was in her arms, his mother spewed hatred while aiming a blade at his neck. She screamed that the previous thirteen years, spent with a man that she did not love and a child she did not want, had been nothing but pain.


    Having spent a year in the dungeon harboring venom towards her husband and son, Sophia was half insane. The elegant, aristocratic lady was mad with greed. Duncan seized her, and to save his son from his own mother¡¯s hands, he ended her life in front of Alexandro. Duncan threw her body out of the palace.


    Alexandro remembered her death vividly. He could not forget what had happened, no matter how much he wanted to. He joined the order of knighthood immediately after the incident and began wandering the battlefields.


    Duncan felt complex emotions towards Alexandro. How shocked the little boy must have been. This was the reason why Duncan had chosen not to become the emperor after all, and why he had left Graham Mansion.


    The two did not meet or talk often, but Duncan felt guilt and pity for his son, and wanted to give him as much as possible.


    Alexandro did not resent or blame his father for what had happened. Having spent his entire life surrounded by greedy, snakelike aristocrats, he was tired of such feelings. Despite his gruff and cold exterior, the Archduke had matured admirably.


    However, he occasionally wondered when he was a child: What if my parents were just ordinary people?


    What if they wanted only a little, and were satisfied with their lot? He felt that it would have made him happy, regardless of his social status.


    Of course, Alexandro did not have such thoughts as an adult. He understood that, without either of them or their greed, he would not have existed in the first place.


    That useless daydream again. He chuckled at himself. While organizing his thoughts, he headed to the training facility. Training was the only way for him to work through complex emotions or self-pity. It was only a temporary escape, but it was one of the things that he knew best.


    ***


    Duncan was reading through a report sent up for his review. Handling all of the emperor¡¯s papers, his workload was vast. However, at present, he was prioritizing the matter closest to his heart.


    ¡®His Grace only frequents the mansion and the training facility and sees only a small number of people each day. Although he maintains relationships with all commanders, the ones closest to him are¡­¡¯ the report read.


    Evan Cupihit ¨C a name familiar to Duncan ¨C was listed first and foremost. As the Deputy Grant Master, he had the highest probability of being intimate with Alexandro, both personally and professionally. Duncan read on.

 Chapter 24 - Disquieting News

    ¡®His Grace and Lord Cupihit meet almost every day to ride and train together. They were occasionally seen in close contact with each other¡ªtouching each other¡¯s shoulders, for example¡­¡¯


    Having devoured the long sentence, Duncan was unable to move on.


    Hmm, Evan? But he is¡­married. Duncan wanted to disregard the report¡¯s observation, but he took a moment to recall whether Evan¡¯s marriage had been arranged or a love match. And he remembered that Evan had quietly married a girl from a worthless family. According to the rumors, he had caused his mother quite a headache, chasing the girl and snatching her into marriage. Already a father of two, Evan was reportedly devoted to his wife.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Duncan sighed and consoled himself by picturing Evan¡¯s face¡ªhe was a rather typical-looking man. Also, he¡¯s older and not exactly handsome.


    Slightly relieved, Duncan continued down the list, picturing the face associated with each name and narrowing down the list of suspects. Given Alexandro¡¯s young age, most of these commanders were men significantly older than he was. A moment later, one name gave him a pause.


    ¡®Even though no man is particularly intimate with His Grace, he seems to have maintained a special relationship with Chris Skaloweg, a young knight who was newly appointed as the commander of the 2nd Division. According to covert intelligence obtained from two knights, during the war, His Grace has taken outdoor baths with Sir Chris on a few occasions. While no one suspected a thing, it sure is strange that only the two of them, so late at night¡­¡¯


    Duncan could no longer read on.


    ¡®Sir Chris is the only person that His Grace spars with. These sessions occur in secluded places, and when they emerge from them, their bodies are always soaked in sweat.¡¯


    The sentences below danced in front of him. He shut his eyes tight.


    Does my son really have abnormal interests? Duncan crumpled up the report and called out to a trusted servant.


    ¡°Humphrey!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    Humphrey, always by Duncan¡¯s side as his shadow, silently gauged his master¡¯s mood, but Duncan was standing facing the window, his back towards the servant. His hands resting upon his waist, he sighed, as if deep in thought.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Greedy and serpentine, Duncan was the most powerful man in the empire. Not the emperor, but above the emperor himself.


    Despite finally having the power that he had craved all his life, he was unhappy. The unspeakable things that he had kept secret all these years haunted him constantly. In this time of peace on the unified continent, the man who had achieved his ambitions was now plagued with regret for the things that he had never wanted to do.


    So he worried. This was an inconceivable thing that should have never happened¡ªand thus a situation that he had never imagined.


    Humphrey remained silent. His master was a thoughtful, intelligent man. He patiently waited for the master¡¯s command.


    Duncan finally spoke, breaking the heavy atmosphere in the office.


    ¡°You have three sons.¡±


    Humphrey, startled, raised his head and stared at his master. Humphrey had never been married.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Your eldest is an ambitious boy, and the middle one is extremely clever. But the youngest is slow, dimwitted, and continues to get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However you cherish and love the youngest the most, because you feel that you failed to care for him as much as you have for the other two sons. You want to do everything you can for this boy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a question for you,¡± Duncan uttered to his servant, still facing the window. The servant swallowed reflexively¡ªhe could not guess what his master was going to ask.


    ¡°If your youngest tells you that he¡¯s going out to the desert in pursuit of the woman that he loves¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you stop him¡­?¡±


    With his master¡¯s back still turned to him, Humphrey could not fathom Duncan¡¯s intent behind this question. He only had one son, a war hero admired by everyone in the empire. Does he have two other sons that I don¡¯t know about? But he could not delay further¡ªhis master was waiting for a response.


    ¡°I would ask him if it was truly what he desired to do, and if he says that he really wants it, then¡­¡±


    ¡°You may go now.¡±


    ¡­then I would respect my son¡¯s will, was what Humphrey was about to say. He took a moment to gaze at his master¡¯s back and obeyed the order without a word. He still could not read Duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    Should I have told him that I would never send my favorite son to the desert? The question seemed metaphorical, but it was difficult to decipher.


    His master resembled a rugged fortress that had never been penetrated, always without regrets. However, at present, he seemed to be struggling with an unknown problem.


    But Humphrey stopped his thoughts there. Trusting that his master¡ªa man much wiser than himself¡ªwould arrive at a logical answer, he returned to his tasks. The tournament demanded his full attention.


    ???


    ¡°She did promise that she would stay awake today,¡± the guard reported to the Archduke in a flustered voice. Alexandro did not respond¡ªwhether the slave was asleep or awake did not matter to him.


    For the fourth day in a row, he had come to the stables to see Howl. The horse was recovering speedily, and could even stand up when he saw Alexandro, who was bewildered by the progress.


    However, the slave girl looking after Howl was perhaps even more bewildering.

 Chapter 25 - In Deep Slumber

    Chapter 25 ¨C In Deep Slumber


    What a display. Once again, Chloe was in a peaceful slumber, leading him to suspect that she was, in fact, trying to avoid him.


    The combat tournament had finally begun that day. People across the empire were thrilled by the festivities, and the first night of the tournament promised to be a boisterous and sleepless one. Everyone was talking about the event nonstop.


    A weeklong event, the tournament would end with knighting of the newly promoted swordsmen and the army¡¯s departure for the ceremonial expedition. The expedition could last anywhere from six months to a year.


    Seeing Howl was actually an excuse¡ªAlexandro was visiting the stables only to escape the commotion of the opening ceremony. Noisy, chaotic places never suited him. Moreover, spotting him at the party, various aristocrats began approaching him, desperate to have a word. Lord Bandorras¡ªthe father of Clara, who was now claiming to be engaged to Alexandro¡ªhad been chasing him around all day. However, intimidated by the Archduke¡¯s irate energy, Bandorras had not managed to address him.


    The stables, compared to the ballroom, were almost peaceful. Most of the grooms seemed to have left work early to celebrate the tournament with their families. Only one man was guarding the enclosures, and save for the occasional noises emitted by the animals, the place was silent. The slave girl was out like a light, tranquil as if totally detached from the festivities in the capital.


    Alexandro gazed at Howl. His bright eyes, moist nostrils, and the welcoming sway of his head appeared vigorous and healthy as if the illness had never happened.


    He threw a glance at the slave. This girl¡­ She was asleep in the enclosure adjacent to Howl¡¯s, comfortably bedded down on a pile of hay. She was dressed in filthy boys¡¯ clothes, and her hair had been cut carelessly into a short bob. But he noticed at once that her skin, despite the cuts on her hands and face, was bright and radiant.


    Although he had guessed that her hair was dark brown like his, at closer inspection, he realized that it was jet black. Her hair and skin colors were not common on the continent, although he had often seen slaves with such appearances during his visits to brothels.


    Were her eyes also black? He tried to picture the color of her eyes, but it seemed that with her head bowed down all the time, he had never had a good look at her face.


    ¡°Shall I wake her?¡± The guard inquired, trying to read the Archduke¡¯s face. He was anxious that his anger at the slumbering slave would be redirected to him. Alexandro quietly raised his hand to stop him.


    The girl had magically saved the dying horse. He was curious about this slave of exotic appearance, but at the same time, he found her deeply suspicious. No one before had achieved what she had done. In the overseas regions that were populated by those who looked like her, people did not ride horses.


    ¡°Does she speak our language?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. She seems to have a slight accent, but I can¡¯t quite place it. She doesn¡¯t speak much, so¡­¡±


    ¡°And she belongs to the infirmary?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, she works there, but precisely speaking, she belongs to the Cupihit household. I have relayed messages from her to Lord Aaron Cupihit a few times.¡±


    The slaves at Evan¡¯s household were mostly those captured during wartime. They were assigned there when there was an overflow of slaves allocated to the order of knighthood and sent to work at the order¡¯s facilities when needed.


    Familiar with this structure, Alexandro was convinced that the girl had been brought from abroad.


    The guard¡¯s continued reply piqued Alexandro¡¯s interest.


    ¡°Lord Aaron Cupihit has asked us to return the slave as soon as possible.¡±


    What does she do at the Cupihit Mansion that is so important to Aaron?


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I am not so sure, but he has already asked several times. He inquires after her every day.¡±


    Alexandro could not conceal his curiosity. Seriously, why?


    The Archduke knew his butler very well. There was no way that he was interested in a slave girl like this. Even if she was the type of slave who served her masters in bed, she was simply not his type. He glanced at the girl once again.


    Other than her pale, soft-looking skin, there wasn¡¯t anything special about her. Her breasts were round, but not as noticeable as those of high-class ladies in their dresses. She did not possess any feminine appeal.


    She didn¡¯t even look like an adult. While some men preferred young girls, neither the Archduke nor Aaron had a taste for them.


    ¡°He really asks about her every single day?¡± Fascination smoldered in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. He wonders each evening when she is going to be released. He has ordered me to bring her to him as soon as she is done here.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure that this slave is a girl?¡±


    The guard responded with a guffaw, ¡°Oh, she looks like a boy, sir, but she sure is a girl.¡±


    Alexandro stared at the mysterious slave girl. He could wake her up right then and interrogate her, but somehow he did not want to.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Her calm breaths suggested that she was deep in sleep. Her black eyelashes were resting peacefully, without a flutter. Her small lips, slightly parted, twitched daintily each time she exhaled.


    The sight of a comfortably slumbering slave was nearly surreal to him. It was as if she was from a world entirely severed from the clamorous celebration outside.


    This was the only quiet place in the whole capital. Alexandro did not wish to break this silence.


    ???


    ¡°Chloe, are you up?¡±


    Chloe had been living in the stables for five days.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to Nalusuwan today, I¡¯ll go fetch Trigger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, sir.¡±


    She had become comfortable with the guards and grooms at the stables, who had at first treated Chloe as if she had been out of her mind. Even though they were still gruff, they took an interest in discussing horses with her. Howl¡¯s rapid recovery also helped them open their hearts to Chloe.


    ¡°Ah, and His Grace came by to see Howl again yesterday. He didn¡¯t say anything, but I think it would be good if you could receive him today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    It was inconvenient that the Archduke had come to see Howl while she was asleep.


    Does he have nothing better to do? It had happened every day for four days already. He had simply come and checked on the horse and left the stables immediately, without any instructions or comments.

 xChapter 26 - The Archduke

    Chapter 26 ¨C The Archduke


    Chloe felt embarrassed about being seen by the Archduke while asleep, but she preferred it than speaking with him face to face.


    He would have woken me up if he¡¯d considered my respite a problem.


    And if she was to be killed, it was far better to die in one¡¯s sleep¡ªshe did not wish to die in abject fear, as what happened with Princess Alysia.


    And even if I wanted to stay up, my body is not doing so well. Having spent a few days in a row hiking up and down the mountain and not eating very well, she was getting exhausted quickly. After returning from her morning trip to Nalusuwan, she would be eager to skip her meals and go straight to sleep.


    And without a proper blanket or bed, I¡¯m not sleeping well at all. She observed Howl while massaging her aching lower back. The beautiful stallion had significantly recovered, now able to sit and stand freely. He responded to the treatment unexpectedly well.


    While she wasn¡¯t sure for how long she had to continue feeding him the anchor flower leaves, she decided to keep at it for a couple more days. He had begun accepting more and more food as he recovered, and no matter how much herbs she brought from Nalusuwan, a single batch did not last longer than a day.


    Stroking the horse¡¯s back while waiting for Trigger, she began worrying. Do I need to face the Archduke today? The prospect was vexing. And even if she fell asleep early again this time, it didn¡¯t seem likely that he would get angry enough to take her life.


    During her life amongst aristocrats as Princess Beatrice, she had learned a lot about them. The king of Elpasa feigned affection, but he was a dark man on the inside. Even though he was her father, she failed to feel any familial bond with him.


    She had been told that the Archduke¡¯s family was the most powerful one in the Empire. Even though the powerful Empire couldn¡¯t be compared with Elpasa, she was very familiar with the nature of the aristocrats, even here. They saw themselves as the chosen ones and believed that commoners and slaves existed only to serve them.


    The Archduke, with his ease in killing others, appeared similar to them. But her gut told her that he was a man of his word.


    The Grahams do not break promises, huh? That¡¯s what she had heard about the family. The Archduke didn¡¯t seem frivolous, either. His clear, sincere low voice made him seem trustworthy, and his curt speech suggested that he did not waste time on speaking unnecessary words.


    It was as if he was alone in the world and did not expect others to get close to him. He spoke to his will¡ªnot caring, and without a hint of emotion. He did not try to use others or identify someone¡¯s weakness and use it to dominate them.


    He has probably lived all his life in power. Those who had never lost anything were fair and honorable. They took care of their servants if they were hard-working and honest. She felt that the Archduke might be such person¡­well, could be. She had not yet known him too well.


    He could have done worse things to her¡ªa princess of the country that he defeated¡ªbut he did not. While Princess Alicia¡¯s death was tragic, Chloe understood wars, and that she was lucky to avoid an even bigger tragedy. And this was, yet how much she hated to admit, because of his decision in sparing the dark-haired princess of Elpasa.


    Despite knowing he would visit, Chloe pretended to be dozing off. It¡¯s not like he directly ordered me to stay awake today. Besides, I don¡¯t see the reason why I should speak to him. He should see his horse recovering and leave me to my peace.


    Anyway, he must have visited the stables to appease his suspicion towards the slave caring for his favorite horse. Once he confirmed that the animal was doing well, he must have hurried out of the stables without waking her. The imperial palace was busy with its preparation for the tournament ¨C even the stables had to devote half of its staff to this effort. Given the tournament¡¯s importance as the largest event in the empire, the Archduke would be extremely busy as well.


    ¡°Hey, is he all better now?¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Chloe was startled by an unexpected voice from behind.


    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising? It¡¯s just me. You¡¯re such a scaredy-cat,¡± Trigger, suddenly materialized, standing behind her and staring at the horse. ¡°I remember him being sick and bleeding all over the floor just a few days ago¡ªbut it looks like he¡¯s doing a lot better.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Trigger, marveled by the fast recovery, could not look away from the animal. Once he was able to stand by himself, Howl had never tried to lie back down or sit. Even though she didn¡¯t know much about horses, she could understand this right away. He¡¯s got a strong sense of ego. It made sense, given his status as the steed belonging to the army¡¯s second-in-command.


    ¡°It seems that his exceptional abilities helped him recover rapidly, sir,¡± she replied softly, anxious to leave for the mountain.


    As if he could read her thoughts, Trigger turned to leave the stables and teased, ¡°You didn¡¯t put a spell on him while I was gone, eh?¡±


    She chuckled quietly without responding. They had had many conversations during their daily excursions to Nalusuwan. Despite his appearance, he had only recently come of age. Once they got to know each other, he proved to be mischievous and very sensitive. He often relayed messages from Jorge and had been a great help to her. Even though he must have wanted to enjoy the festivities at the tournament, he tirelessly assisted her in harvesting herbs. Indeed, she was grateful to have Trigger by her side.


    He¡¯s a funny person. He chattered about everything from the combat tournament to trivial gossip about the infirmary, which made their harvesting trip to Nalusuwan enjoyable.


    After returning to the stables and feeding more herbs to Howl, she stayed awake through suppertime. Fighting off the fatigue, she waited for the Archduke¡ªgiven what the guard had told her, she felt uncomfortable with going to sleep early.


    But I can¡¯t bring myself to have another conversation with him. Even as she waited, the memory of their last encounter made her feel uneasy. She knew that falling asleep early was not the best move, but the thought of him filled her with fear.


    I think I should avoid him as much as possible. He had not yet injured her in any way. However, the sound of his footsteps, his robust physique resembling an immense wall, and most of all¡­


    Leave her head to hang on the palace gates.


    His voice ordering her death, utterly devoid of hesitation or care, lingered in her ears, as the image of the Archduke murdering Princess Alicia remained burned in her memories.


    Having experienced it once, Chloe was afraid of death above all else. Regardless of how she lived, she did not want to be done with this life. She was grateful for, and satisfied with, simply being alive. Whether she was a slave or a servant, her life was valuable.


    Although the Archduke had promised to spare her life if she saved Howl, she could not erase the intense memory of their very first encounter, in which he had ordered her death. It was the most frightening day in her present life¡ªthe very thought of blade cutting through her delicate neck¡­


    Most of all, she was afraid that, if he found out that she was Princess Beatrice, he would try to finish the job.


    She could clearly remember the blade impaling Princess Alicia¡¯s naked torso, and his determined, unhesitant motion. In a ridiculous fancy, she automatically overlapped her own face upon the image of Alicia¡¯s in her head. Feeling chills all over her body, she decided just to close her eyes and sleep.


    What if he starts prodding for my origin?


    She sighed and shook off such thought. Nonsense! I am a slave and would remain an uninteresting object in his eyes.


    And she planned to keep it this way.

 xChapter 27 - Suspicions

    Chapter 27 ¨C Suspicions


    All citizens of the empire, praising their homeland for unifying the continent, welcomed the new era of peace. The combat tournament only intensified the celebration. The second day of the tournament ¨C when the battles officially began ¨C unexpectedly turned out to be even more boisterous than the opening ceremony. The reason for this anomaly was that this was when Alexandro Graham, the hero of the empire and Duncan Graham¡¯s son, was going to be put on the spotlight.


    Alexandro himself was tired of the fatuous formalities, and in his attempt to avoid them as much as possible, he only attended the events that strictly required him, and skipped any and all parties. Aaron ¨C the organizer of these parties ¨C was flabbergasted, but could not possibly go against his master¡¯s will.


    Late in the evening, the Archduke escaped to the stables once again. Considering his questions to the guard about the slave the previous day, he figured that the guard would have ordered the girl to stay up and wait for him this time.


    But she¡¯s probably asleep by now. Even though his initial intent behind visiting Howl was to interrogate the suspicious girl, he now hoped that she would be quietly asleep. He sought a sanctuary severed from the outside world where, just like he had on the previous day, he could rest with Howl.


    It was close to midnight and only a few men remained at the stables. They all hurriedly rose to their feet at the sight of the Archduke and attempted to follow him, but he took only one guard with him and quietly headed to Howl¡¯s enclosure.


    ¡°I saw her awake earlier in the evening, but it seems that she fell asleep while waiting,¡± the guard offered a desperate excuse, as if it were his fault. But Alexandro did not care.


    ¡°Open the gate,¡± he commanded, and once in the enclosure, made eye contact with the stallion. Howl could not hide his excitement in seeing his friend, stamping his hooves and nuzzling his head against the Archduke¡¯s hands like a pet dog. And as if showing off his health, the animal emitted a drawn-out neigh and panted wildly.


    Surprisingly, Howl seemed to be wanting to leave the stuffy enclosure and run wildly like he used to. He was not the dying horse from the week before. Seeing this, Alexandro was filled with pride at the animal¡¯s miraculous recovery.


    Still gazing into Howl¡¯s eyes, he asked the guard, ¡°Can he run?¡±


    ¡°Seeing his condition, I believe so, Your Grace. He reportedly neighed all day wanting to go outside, so he must be getting restless, too.¡±


    The Archduke peered into Howl¡¯s face. As though pleading his case, the horse¡¯s eyes were sparkling and filled with passion. His mane and coat shined beautifully, and even his slightest motions exuded power. After a few moments of silent observation, he turned and exited the enclosure.


    He looked over into the neighboring cage, where the slave girl was sleeping.


    ¡°Shall I wake her up?¡± the guard asked promptly. It was only proper to shake awake an impudent slave sleeping in the Archduke¡¯s presence, but the Archduke himself did not appear inclined. The guard felt that, even for a man who was usually quiet, the Archduke was cautious with his steps. He wouldn¡¯t be keeping quiet for the slave¡¯s sake, would he? The guard soon abandoned this ludicrous idea. But as expected, the Archduke instructed him not to bother the girl.


    Instead, he asked, ¡°Was there anything strange about the girl?¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s strange in every way, Your Grace,¡± the guard jumped at the chance to complain.


    ¡°That little girl eats like a starved monster, devouring twice the amount an average groom eats each meal. And she dares to hike up and down Nalusuwan every day. Even though she walks around like a beggar on the street, she¡¯s quite shy and feminine in her behavior.¡±


    The Archduke listened attentively which gauged the guard to talk more.


    ¡°¡ªvery fearful, too. And for a girl who still looks like a kid, she talks like a lady. Ah, and it sounds like she knows a little bit about medicine. One of the grooms hurt himself, and she stopped his bleeding with some herbs from the mountain.  We first thought that she was using some random weed, but she mumbled something about this plant, which made it look like she knew what she was talking about. She looks like a useful girl, but she¡¯s not forthcoming about where she¡¯s from, which is really suspicious.  Most of all, Dr. Nanapa and Lord Cupihit send messengers to check on her.¡±


    ¡°Jorge Nanapa from the infirmary?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. He came by to see her yesterday. When he¡¯s here he talks to her for an hour or two, something about mountains and drugs ¨C I wasn¡¯t really able to understand what they were talking about.¡±


    Listening to the guard¡¯s rambling, Alexandro reached a quick conclusion. This girl gets stranger the more I hear about her.


    While he impassively nodded his head, an idea flashed into his head. His blue eyes, peering down at the slave girl, shined brilliantly.


    ¡°How many horses are we bringing on the ceremonial expedition?¡±


    Taken aback by the sudden change of the topic, the guard replied, ¡°About twenty, Your Grace.¡± Only ten commanders were participating in the expedition, but ten spare horses were going to be taken as well. Given the aristocratic statuses of many commanders, they couldn¡¯t take any hastily supplied horses if their own steeds became injured. The animals that they rode reflected their pride.


    ¡°Test Howl tomorrow and see if he can run. Check for any irregularities and report his status to Evan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    To Alexandro, Howl seemed healthier than ever. But he could not decide to include him in the expedition without confirming that he was fully recovered.


    He had, for some reason, a feeling that the expedition was going to change a lot of things. He couldn¡¯t quite explain why ¨C perhaps it was just a silly idea, inspired by the quiet of the stables in stark contrast with the festival grounds.


    Even though he himself had brought the sudden peace over the unified continent, Alexandro could not quite believe it. It was a strange feeling.

 xChapter 28

    Chapter 28 ¨C She¡¯s Special


    ¡°Do you mean, the girl is currently locked up in the stables?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jorge, as though he had been delivered some tragic news, looked hopeless.


    Why, for what reason? The Archduke had just informed him that Chloe would be joining the ceremonial expedition.


    Jorge had been excitedly planning to bring her back to the pharmacy as soon as she was finished with Howl. This way, they could resume their work of creating a catalog of all medicines in the empire. To the man who had been sleepless with the anticipation of writing the first book of such a kind, Alexandro¡¯s decision was an unexpected, devastating blow.


    But he was Archduke Graham ¨C the Grand Master of the order of knighthood.


    ¡°What¡­a brilliant idea, Your Grace. I am sure she would be very helpful.¡± Jorge did not dare object to Alexandro¡¯s will. All right. The expedition will be over within a year. We can continue our work when she¡¯s back. Jorge tried to soothe himself ¨C he could not possibly harbor any disrespectful thoughts towards the Archduke.


    On the other hand, Alexandro almost burst out into laughter at the sight of Jorge¡¯s face. He looked as helpless as a child whose candy had been taken away.


    ¡°I hear that you have a vested interest in this girl.¡±


    Jorge realized that the Archduke was curious about his work with Chloe. And he vaguely thought that, now that she was to participate in the expedition with the order of knighthood, it would be wonderful for her to use the opportunity to prove herself and gain a place at the infirmary.


    As Jorge was not her owner, and because she had been captured in a war and hence could not be elevated out of her status, he was unable to welcome her as a member of his team. But to the man sitting in front of him, the laws did not apply.


    ¡°That child¡­¡± In Jorge¡¯s opinion, Chloe knew nearly as much as any doctor. He deeply regretted her station in the society.


    ¡°¡­is a bit special.¡±


    Jorge took a moment to choose his words carefully. While the Archduke was generous to those whom he trusted, he was extremely ruthless to others. Even when the wartime conditions and his position as the Grand Master were out of the equation, Alexandro was fundamentally a terrifying man.


    And Jorge did not yet know what the Archduke thought of the girl. But given his desire to bring her on the expedition, he guessed that the Archduke did not dislike her. Participating in the trip was going to be an incredible honor for Chloe. Above all else, had she not saved Howl¡¯s life?


    ¡°Chloe is very knowledgeable about medicine and nursing, as much as an average doctor. She would prove to be tremendously useful on your journey through the empire, sir. And given her vast experience in harvesting herbs, her ability to work with medicinal ingredients should surpass mine.¡±


    The Archduke, after listening quietly, burst into a chuckle. ¡°You are much too modest.¡±


    ¡°But it is true, sir. Nalusuwan has been closed off to the public due to the rumor that it harbored plants poisonous to humans. But this child has discovered that the mountain actually nurtures far more medicinal herbs than harmful ones. And while I did not know that a plant had poisoned Howl, Chloe figured this out. She also obtained the antidote herself.¡±


    ¡°So, the girl¡¯s name is Chloe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Jorge marveled at the fact that the Archduke had not known the name of the slave that he had handpicked to bring on the expedition. Of course, there was no need for him to learn the name of a lowly slave. But having taken time away from the combat tournament just to visit the infirmary and inquire about her, how could he have not known the girl¡¯s name?


    Unaware that Alexandro had visited him simply to escape the festivities, Jorge found the situation curious. The expedition was only three days away. The order of knighthood, along with the Archduke¡¯s household, was hard at work in preparation for the departure.


    ¡°Has she always worked at the stables?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. She belongs to the Cupihit household, and has been working in the infirmary.¡±


    Knock knock.


    Jorge turned towards his office door at the sound of knocking. No one would dare disturb his conversation with the Archduke. The Archduke commanded the person to enter¡ªAaron Cupihit, the Archduke¡¯s butler, appeared at the doorway.


    ¡°I am terribly sorry to disturb your conversation. Your Grace, this is regarding the matter that we¡¯ve discussed earlier.¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°It was just as you have predicted, sir.¡±


    Alexandro had ordered Aaron to research the military capacity of the major feudal lords, predicting that some of them must be concealing armies without the imperial palace¡¯s knowledge. Even though he was to visit all of them during the expedition, it was not going to hurt to prepare in advance.


    Meanwhile, Jorge was observing Aaron, a celebrity in high society.


    The second son of the Cupihits, he had been disowned by his family for a mysterious reason and declared that he would not seek a position in the imperial court. Instead, he volunteered to serve as the Grahams¡¯ butler. For some reason, he was known as the black sheep of the family. He looks totally normal, though. Jorge finished his short meditation on Aaron.


    ¡°Then I shall have the slave join the expedition as soon as the tournament is over.¡±


    And the Archduke, as if he had more to discuss with Aaron, gracefully asked Jorge to leave the room.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I hope that Chloe will prove herself to be useful during the journey.¡±


    Then Aaron suddenly interrupted the conversation, ¡°Chloe¡­Do you mean the black-haired slave girl that looks like a boy?¡± His eyes wide open and faintly glaring at Jorge and the Archduke, Aaron silently demanded an answer.


    ¡°That¡­that¡¯s right. Do you know her as well?¡±


    ¡°The timid slave girl that works for my family and at the pharmacy, with dirty clothes and short hair?¡± Aaron did not stop there. He raised his hand to his shoulder level. ¡°The little one who¡¯s this tall?¡±


    Jorge was surprised by Aaron¡¯s detailed description. At the same time, Alexandro remembered that Aaron had often been asking the stable guards about Chloe. Even though he was curious, he had refrained from prying into his butler¡¯s private life. Aaron¡¯s immediate reaction made it clear that he was somehow tangled with the girl.


    ¡°That sounds about right. Chloe will be participating in the expedition this year. Such an honor.¡± As Jorge replied with a contrived smile, Aaron¡¯s face distorted dramatically.

 xChapter 29 - The Seductress on His Doorstep

    Chapter 29 ¨C The Seductress on His Doorstep


    Aaron had been giddily counting down the days until Chloe could return and assist him with a scented bath. And in this time of immense stress, he was looking forward to the end of the tournament and his master¡¯s departure. Jorge and the Archduke, peering curiously into Aaron¡¯s grief-stricken face, did not dare ask him what the matter was.


    ¡°I¡­I see¡­Are you bringing her along as a laborer, sir?¡± Aaron inquired, staring at the men with blank, focus-less eyes.


    Jorge was quick to butt in, ¡°But given her talents in medicine, why not bring her along as a doctor, Your Grace?¡± The Archduke was about to casually grant Jorge¡¯s stealthy request to include her in the infirmary officially. In fact, he was planning on having her look after the horses.


    The knights on the expedition would be on horseback most of the time, and any injured animals would be switched out with those supplied from nearby fiefdoms. However, the commanders¡¯ steeds were as important as their owners¡¯ self-esteem, and hence needed someone dedicated to treating their wounds and monitoring their health.


    Aaron quickly assessed the situation. It seemed as if the matter of bringing Chloe on the trip had been decided. If that was the case, Aaron figured that he should convince his master to take Chloe as his personal servant ¨C he was afraid of losing her forever to the infirmary.


    ¡°The girl has been looking after my sister Anna as well, Your Grace. She is a wonderful servant, and would serve you well as your personal maid. She is good at healing wounds and giving massages, and with her experience working at the stables, would it not be wonderful to have her look after Chsantos as well?¡±


    While Aaron and Jorge quietly battled for their control over Chloe, the Archduke, as though it did not matter, either way, commanded Aaron to do whatever he saw fit. Aaron, relishing his victory, bowed his head towards his master. Jorge¡¯s shoulders drooped in defeat. But no matter, he thought ¨C participating in the expedition was going to bring great honor to the child.


    Thus, without her knowledge, Chloe was set to journey with the order of knighthood. They would depart after two days.


    ***


    Alexandro was supposed to attend a party at the palace after receiving Aaron¡¯s report but did not go, given that the party was going to be full of marriageable young ladies assembled by Duncan.


    He¡¯s got no pride anymore. Duncan had recently changed his strategy and begun inviting as many ladies as possible to Graham Mansion like a madman. It was exhausting for Alexandro to enter his own home.


    Despite the late hour, fifteen or so women were waiting in the parlor, wanting to speak to him. Even though he had a mind to hold Aaron responsible for letting this happen, Aaron was powerless against Duncan, the true owner of the house.


    A few days later, Duncan sent even more women to the mansion. In essence, this time, in addition to well-bred aristocratic ladies, there were women of all classes, including prostitutes, maids, teachers, soldiers, and nurses. Their ages varied, and some were mature ladies in their forties. Alexandro proceeded to his bedroom, unfazed, but the ladies followed him with persistence and desperation. They screamed and ran off only when he threatened them with his sword.


    He did not wish to be tangled with his father¡¯s plans. Duncan ¨C the chief strategist of the empire ¨C thoroughly represented the greed that Alexandro had despised all his life. The Archduke just wanted a simple life of obscurity away from the capital, looking after farm animals and growing crops. He could not care less about the family name.


    Not wanting to become the head of the household, he had asked his father to adopt or have another son to fill the position. The law of the land prevented an unmarried or unengaged man from becoming the head of his family, and he guessed that this was why his father was so desperate to marry him off.


    Alexandro returned home early in the morning, after a long night at the office. Luckily no one had been waiting in the parlor. He headed to the bedroom with a nagging feeling that something was not quite right.


    The servant guarding his bedroom door flinched at the sight of his master before opening the door. Alexandro entered, finding the guard¡¯s reaction suspicious.


    As he entered the room, he began detecting the perfume of a lady. There was someone else in his bedroom. He proceeded with caution.


    ¡°You were working late.¡± Lady Clara Bandorras was seated in the chair next to the bed. He was revolted by her sweet, welcoming smile. The sight of the woman, who had impetuously entered his bedroom without his permission, hungrily wanting something beyond the riches that she already possessed, filled him with disgust.


    She must be crazy. He quietly took off his overcoat. Not fond of having others touch him, he did not have a valet to help him dress and undress. Clara, watching the Archduke undress, swallowed reflexively. The thought of having him all to herself made her breath heavy with desire. What a beautiful body to go with a handsome face, I¡¯m so lucky.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for hours,¡± Clara spoke in ecstasy.


    The Archduke did not answer and did not even throw a glance at her. However, she was sure that he was going to be hers tonight. No man ¨C not even a terrifying war hero ¨C would refuse her beauty and luscious body. And she was the only child of the Duke of Bandorras ¨C the most powerful single woman in the empire.


    Now dressed in nothing but his drawers, the Archduke plodded towards the bed. Clara approached him.


    ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve come to see you? I have never had to wait for anyone before¡­¡±


    ¡°My lady, it¡¯s rude that you barge in here at this time,¡± with Clara¡¯s face up close to his, the Archduke cut off her sentence impatiently. This was the first time she had heard him speak. His voice is perfect, too. It was deep, charismatic, and masculine. Feeling faint at the sight of the beautiful man about to become hers, she could not control herself.


    ¡°His Highness has proclaimed that any woman who spends a night with you would be rewarded with a large house in the capital, regardless of her class. He has also permitted all women to visit Graham Mansion. Hence, I couldn¡¯t care less about propriety,¡± standing on her tiptoes, she whispered into his ear and daringly wound her arms around his waist.

 xChapter 30 - Treated Like a Common Wh*re

    Chapter 30 ¨C Treated Like a Common Wh*re


    ¡°You never gave me a chance to see you. I couldn¡¯t afford to think about manners,¡± Clara cooed in a coquettish voice, leaning into his chest.


    However, his reply was cold. ¡°Then you probably do not expect politeness from me, either.¡±


    Although disappointed by the indifference in his voice, she thought that she could easily melt an icy heart. Her hand seductively grazed his waist, stomach, and sculpted chest.


    ¡°I shall not treat you as a lady of status and breeding.¡± The Archduke, who showed no response to her caress, suddenly lifted her and threw her onto the bed quite roughly.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Startled by the sudden change in his attitude, she stared up at the Archduke. His enormous body towered over her like a giant. He climbed into the bed and trapped her under him with his arms on either side of her.


    Quickly reading the situation, she wrapped her arms around his neck and attempted a kiss. Then again, the Archduke turned away his face. Her pride wounded, she raised herself and tried once again, but he bluntly rejected her lips.


    As though annoyed,  he grabbed her neck and pinned it down the mattress. Clara was shocked by his violent treatment, but all she could do was to flail under his overwhelming power.


    No man had treated her this way, and no man could.


    When her gaze finally met his cold eyes, she began to come to her senses. She had walked voluntarily into a war-crazy devil¡¯s bedroom and tried to seduce him. Enthralled by his beauty, she had ignored all the warnings about him. She had underestimated the fact that everyone was afraid of him.


    Observing the fear upon Clara¡¯s face, Alexandro released her neck. She assumed that he had changed his mind, and slowly raised herself from the bed. But she was mistaken. The Archduke grabbed both of her ankles and dragged her downward.


    ¡°No!¡± She emitted a short cry, but the Archduke¡¯s next move put her into an utter shock. He violently grabbed at her dress and pulled. The fabric tore like a piece of paper in his hands.


    Her undergarments exposed, she quickly raised her hands to cover her chest. But he snatched both her wrists and pressed them above her head with one hand, while savagely clutching her bosom with the other. One of her breasts became exposed in the struggle. She trembled in humiliation.


    ¡°Let me go! How dare you treat me this way! Right now! Release me¡­ Ahh!¡±


    ¡°How annoying.¡± He furrowed his eyebrows and flipped her over, pinning down her head and pushing her face into the pillow, which muted her screams.


    He handled her as if she was a mere plaything¡ªa wh*re. She could no longer bear such a humiliating ordeal. She struggled against his grip, but underneath his body her movements were meaningless, like those of a butterfly caught in a cobweb.


    Alexandro grabbed her pelvis and lifted it, forcing her to support her weight on her knees. With her face still pinned to the pillow and her hips raised high, she realized what he was after.


    Even though Clara had pleasured herself while thinking about him, she had never imagined being taken this way. He and she were both of noble birth, and no aristocrats to her knowledge made love in such a brutal manner. Rough s*x, she had been told, was reserved to vulgar people looking for something different.


    How could he treat me this way¡­! The Archduke was not fooling around, and she was planning on becoming his wife. She could not marry him and spend her life being treated like a common wh*re. And it was clear that he was only planning on taking her for a night of amusement.


    She could no longer afford to think of what would happen. His hands raised her skirt up to her waist. Her privates, covered only in her drawers, were revealed to him. He hastily tore the drawers off, exposing her luscious buttocks.


    As if playing a joke, he painfully gripped one cheek of her bottom and shook it. With his other hand, he slapped her opposite cheek, producing a loud noise.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± The slap must have made a mark. She quivered in utter disgust. Even though she had daringly come into his bedroom to seduce him, she had not intended to get r*ped. Tears streamed from her eyes in unbearable shame, her face still buried into the pillow.


    Her body shuddered violently. When Alexandro heard her sobbing, he immediately stopped his actions and promptly rose from the bed, snatching her waist.


    ¡°What are you¡­!¡± Dangling like a ragdoll in his hands, she was unable to understand what was happening. His rough handling, carrying her all around the room and lifting her up and down, kept her delirious.


    In his final act of mercy, he released her by the door and lowered her skirt to the floor. She staggered in his savage hands.


    Her legs shaking, she could not remain standing on the floor. Her face was stained with tears. Without a shred of concern, he bent down to meet Clara¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°If you ever come near me again¡­¡±


    She sobbed piteously.


    ¡°¡­I shall not regard you as a lady.¡±


    Fearful eyes, filled with tears, peered at the Archduke.


    ¡°Do you understand, my lady?¡±


    Bewildered by the pressure of his voice and eyes, demanding a precise answer, she nodded her head like a madwoman. Convinced that she had understood, he opened the bedroom door and pushed her out. Faltering at his shove, she fell into the arms of the startled servant guarding the door.


    ¡°Take the lady home.¡± The Archduke slammed the door behind him and went back to bed. The smell of her perfume lingered in the air, making his head throb in intolerable disgust. Despite the icy winds outside, he bounded up from the bed and opened the window. The cold air wrapped around his head and rushed into the room.


    While he did not know exactly who she was, given her daring visit and Aaron¡¯s description of the woman, he assumed that she was Lady Clara Bandorras.


    He could have easily cut her with his sword for entering his room without permission. He believed that he was being generous.

 xChapter 31 - The Abandoned Wife

    Chapter 31 ¨C The Abandoned Wife


    A fat hand gripped a broken banister. The rings on its fingers produced a dull, echoing sound of metal and stone colliding. Gilbert was in the process of surveying the former palace of Elpasa, now his.


    ¡°Should I have fixed up the whole place?¡± The terrace connected to his bedroom¡ªwhich had previously belonged to the king¡ªwas half demolished.


    The empire did not maintain colonies¡ªinstead, it absorbed all the countries it defeated. In a way this was a benevolent thing to do. Gilbert obeyed the policy and accepted all citizens of Elpasa as his feudal subjects. Of course, some refused to serve him, but they all ended up as slaves, regardless of their former statuses. It was a strict, dictatorial system, and the people no longer plotted resistance. The foundation and bloodline of the fallen kingdom died with all members of the royal family.


    And the citizens and remaining aristocrats needed a leader for them to obey. Even though he had betrayed the kingdom, Gilbert was the only person who had the right to rule the new fiefdom.


    He intentionally left the palace in partial ruin, to continuously remind his subjects of the kingdom¡¯s frailty. He had to rationalize his betrayal by explaining that he had had no choice, and constantly displayed the empire¡¯s power and status to everyone dwelling on his land.


    While looking down at the village and its sparse remnants of the war, he suddenly slammed his hand into the banister.


    ¡°What an arrogant bastard!¡± His lips twitched in a rage. A knight standing behind him stared inquiringly. But the subject of his anger was not there¡ªhe was in the imperial palace.


    The war would have dragged on with far more bloodshed, if it weren¡¯t for me! How dare he not realize the debt that he owes me?


    Gilbert pictured Duncan Graham and his perpetually pompous behavior. He hadn¡¯t even shown his face to the conferring ceremony for Gilbert¡¯s new title.


    Gilbert had been created the marquis of the realm by Duncan¡¯s nameless servant. He gritted his teeth at the humiliating memory. Duncan wasn¡¯t even the emperor ¨C he was only the representative of the throne. And yet he had chosen to delegate the ceremony to his underling.


    ¡°How dare he?¡± How could Duncan mistreat Gilbert, who was instrumental to his conquest of Elpasa?


    Gilbert had not been able to see Duncan since their sole meeting before the war. Despite his countless requests for an audience and trips to the capital, the answer was always the same.


    ¡®An audience is not possible at present.¡¯


    There were no reasons, excuses, or explanations of when he might be available. In spite of his bitterness, there was nothing Gilbert could do. It was Duncan Graham. The palace was strictly under his control, and all aristocrats in the capital, powerless on their own, depended on him. The weaker ones were forced to leave the capital, and those who could not afford to keep a house there, including Gilbert himself, could only stay in their fiefdoms and wait for Duncan¡¯s call.


    Duncan¡¯s power and fame were even more unshakable than Gilbert had imagined. And it was only logical. As a knight, Duncan had gained full control of the army more than ten years ago and staged a successful coup against the emperor.


    The emperor at the time was a pathetic man, powerless against the nearby independent nations and whose only idea was to move the palace to a different city. Duncan¡¯s occupation of the palace, which started with the excuse of rescuing the empire from enemy invasions, solidified through the continued victory against the neighboring countries.


    And the victory was achieved by Duncan¡¯s son, Alexandro Graham.


    The Archduke is now being praised as the empire¡¯s hero, Gilbert thought to himself.


    Some of the aristocrats, tired of Duncan¡¯s unquestioned power, even wished that Alexandro would become the emperor as soon as possible. For some unknown reasons, Duncan had not claimed the throne for himself. Some conjectured that it was to crown his son as the first ruler of the unified empire, but no one could be quite sure. Alexandro was currently preparing for an expedition for inspecting the fiefdoms of the empire.


    ¡°How troubling.¡±


    When Gilbert first became the ruler of Elpasa, he visited the lords of the neighboring lands in an attempt to form an alliance. However, they did not seem to welcome Gilbert, who had turned his back on his country and worked for the empire¡¯s benefit.


    Unluckily for him, his new, northern territory was far from the independent nations that had been defeated by the empire. Instead, it was a quiet place, ruled by long-established lords who had been there for generations. The only war they had seen was the few days during which Elpasa was conquered.


    No matter how many letters he sent to the lords, the only reply Gilbert received was, ¡®Let¡¯s meet sometime later. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m rather busy at the moment.¡¯


    Gilbert understood how crucial their support would be for him. Who would vouch for him if he ever got accused of plotting against the empire? What if his subjects rioted against him?


    He glanced behind at the heavily armed knights protecting him. They were watching him at the same time as protecting him. All knights on his land had been provided by Duncan under the pretense of keeping Gilbert safe. All his own soldiers had been taken away, and he was no longer permitted to form his own army.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Gilbert walked on. He couldn¡¯t just sit there and wait until things changed. In order to hold on to the position that he barely won, he had to keep knocking on doors.


    Beatrice must be dead by now, right?


    Pushing the thoughts of the wife he abandoned, he prepared wedding invitations to be sent to the neighboring lords.


    ???


    ¡°I am¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to say it again? You are! Joining! The ceremonial expedition! That starts! Tomorrow! Serving! The Archduke!¡± Trigger shouted at Chloe with frustration. But she could only blankly stare at him like an idiot.


    Heh! He had never seen her looking so stupid. Having watched her only do and say smart things, her expressionless face nearly made him burst into laughter.


    Meanwhile, Chloe was completely incapable of laughing at the same matter.


    Why me?


    She knew about the ceremonial expedition ¨C the entire empire was talking about it. She had been told that it was to congratulate the newly promoted soldiers, boost the knighthood¡¯s morale, and keep the feudal lords under control.


    It could take an entire year¡­ And she was going to be a part of this journey.


    ¡°His Grace is a very¡­charismatic man. You should feel honored.¡± Choosing his words carefully, Trigger decided to express his respect for the future emperor, rather than using his initial choice of ¡®scary¡¯ to describe him.


    Chloe could not conceal her despair at the unexpected turn of events. Never had she ever thought that she would be participating in the expedition. She had heard some of the horse grooms brag about having been invited to join, which they considered a great privilege.


    But why take me? She could not understand. Why had she been chosen to serve the Archduke?

 xChapter 32 - Small Fetish of His

    Chapter 32 ¨C Small Fetish of His


    Chloe had not seen the Archduke since the first day of Howl¡¯s treatment. Although he had come by a few times to check on the horse, Chloe had been asleep, and he had not woken her up. He must have only been interested in the horse, and rightfully so¡ªthere was no reason for him to show any interest in her.


    What would he want from a slave girl like me?


    When Howl was being tested earlier in the day, Evan came alone without the Archduke, who must have been busy preparing for the next day¡¯s departure. Chloe observed Howl quietly from the back. He seemed healthier than any other horse. Moved by his recovery, Evan decided to ride Howl during the ceremonial expedition. Even though Evan¡¯s own injuries had not healed completely, he did not let it show.


    With Howl¡¯s treatment completed, Chloe was returning to the pharmacy with spring in her steps when Trigger found her and gave her the terrible news.


    ¡°Anyhow, you have been summoned by Lord Aaron Cupihit to the Archduke¡¯s mansion. He says you have a lot to learn today and tomorrow,¡± Trigger pressed Chloe, who was still in deep panic. He asked to bring her as soon as possible. Why is this girl so sluggish? He grumbled to himself and nagged her to get moving.


    Am I dreaming? Trigger¡¯s annoyed face suggested that it was all real, but she still could not comprehend the situation. She was about to go on an arduous journey with a man that she had planned to avoid as much as possible. She recalled the days on which she had pretended to be asleep rather than to face him again.


    Chloe wanted to break down and cry.


    Why is my life so complicated? She had a mind to grab someone and ask why. Going to his house and learning to look after him felt like being taken into a tiger¡¯s den. Despite her usual enthusiasm at work, she felt absolutely no motivation for the coming task.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Trigger hounded her, ignoring her reluctant gestures.


    Once at the Archduke¡¯s mansion, Chloe did not speak a word. Even though she usually did not talk much, this time her eyes were dull and her body was sluggish. After being passively dragged around by Trigger, she finally ended up in Aaron¡¯s office.


    Aaron greeted her with a serious countenance, and in contrast with his relaxed attitude during the bath sessions at his house, began instructing her on various matters in an extremely strict manner. Dazed by the rapid development, she did not manage to follow half of what Aaron said. Regardless, he took her to the chief maid of the Archduke¡¯s household.


    The chief maid was a fastidious-looking old lady named Sandra. She began, in a ceaseless flow of words, teaching Chloe about the Archduke¡¯s likes and dislikes.


    ¡°¡­So His Grace does not like being touched. He prefers to bathe alone and sleep alone. Hey, are you listening?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. When I am tending to his bath, I should massage his shoulders¡­¡±


    ¡°No! If you fail, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to get in trouble. You really need to pay attention!¡± Sandra chided her, peering at her with fierce eyes. Her terrifyingly, dangerous gaze brought Chloe back to her senses.


    Knowing that she could not escape the circumstance, she felt that she needed to try as hard as she could. If she made mistakes and infuriated the Archduke, then Aaron and Sandra would be held accountable. The prospect of putting them in danger made her uncomfortable.


    ¡°I, I apologize. I will pay attention.¡±


    ¡°All right. I can¡¯t be responsible for what will happen to you if you displease His Grace. So you need to do your job perfectly. Understood?¡±


    Chloe swallowed. She knew very well what kind of person her new master was.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Your main responsibilities will probably include laying out his outfits each day, making his bed, cleaning his sword every day, keeping his armor in order, occasionally making him his favorite tea, drawing his bath¡­¡± Sandra¡¯s list went on. Chloe was clearly meant to do all the annoying and boring tasks for him, from the moment he wakes to the moment he sleeps.


    Even though she had assisted Anna with her baths, she had never worked as a maid, and this worried her. Sandra kept spouting off until suppertime. Chloe felt uneasy the entire day. If only they would fire me for not doing a good job.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying to get fired on purpose,¡± said Sandra, as if reading Chloe¡¯s mind. Chloe stared with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°Unless you want your throat slit.¡± Chloe swallowed again at Sandra¡¯s chilling words.


    How did I end up like this? Even though she found her situation unfair, Chloe collected herself at Sandra¡¯s remarks.


    Sandra offered her supper, but Chloe wanted to visit the Cupihits and say goodbye to Anna. She hadn¡¯t yet had a chance to discuss her new position with Jorge, either. She managed to gain Sandra¡¯s permission, and Trigger drove her to the Cupihit Mansion.


    ¡°Be careful. The Archduke is no ordinary man.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I have been told many times,¡± she replied in a trance-like state, and entered Cupihit Mansion without remembering to thank Trigger.


    Anna was, thankfully, in good health. Chloe explained the events of the previous week and the sudden directive for her to join the expedition. Having already heard everything from Aaron, Anna soothed Chloe, emphasizing how honorable it was to participate in the expedition.


    ¡°The entire empire is talking about the journey. I wish I could travel the continent with handsome knights. I envy you.¡±


    Chloe didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Breaking the silence, Anna added, ¡°But, Chloe, I¡¯m only telling you this because you¡¯re going as the Archduke¡¯s personal maid. Even though he¡¯s my brother¡¯s master, and the empire¡¯s hero, umm¡­Chloe, don¡¯t tell anyone. This is only because I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    Anna continued in a low voice, ¡°My maid¡¯s friend¡¯s friend looks after Lady Clara Bandorras, and apparently, last night¡­¡±


    Her voice became even softer. ¡°His Grace assaulted Lady Clara.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened. Anna was not done.


    ¡°And I hear, that he enjoys hitting women.¡±


    Chloe inhaled sharply. Is¡ªis it a small fetish of his?


    ¡°Shh! My brother will go ballistic if he hears us talk about this.¡± Anna brought a finger to her lips and, glancing at the closed door, motioned for Chloe to come closer and whispered into her ear, ¡°Apparently, he likes fighting in wars because it satisfies his sadistic desires.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Chloe.¡± Gazing worriedly at Chloe¡¯s frozen face, Anna put her hands upon her shoulders.

 xChapter 33 - Beginning of a Journey

    Chapter 33 ¨C Beginning of a Journey


    Leaving Cupihit Mansion, her steps were heavier than ever. She saw Trigger messing about with another groom of the household.


    Her ex-husband, Gilbert, had never beaten her. But when she was working at the pharmacy, the local lord had a violent habit with women and a constantly revolving door of wives. This made her familiar with those with different sexual tastes.


    So that¡¯s why he¡¯s so war-crazy. This type of men became excited and delighted by blood and violence. Chloe finally understood why the Archduke, who was practically the crown prince of the empire and did not necessarily have to fight, had been out in the battlefield since he was a teenager.


    He simply reveled in violence.


    ¡°Um, Mr. Trigger, please don¡¯t get this the wrong way. I¡¯m just curious¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Trigger peered at Chloe, intrigued by her sudden question.


    ¡°If¡ªand I mean if¡ªa slave runs away, what happens? Honestly, I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Hm. The law of the empire shows no mercy to war-captured slaves. I heard that they¡¯d get their limbs cut off and fed to animals.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t they first get sent to mines or brothels? And if they try to run away from there, then they get killed?¡± This had been the rule in Elpasa.


    Trigger scoffed, ¡°We have so many slaves, that the mines and brothels are already overflowing with them. And given that the empire has been unified through force, there must be a need to prevent slave riots by being as strict as possible. You¡¯re from a defeated country, right? You should count yourself lucky. Oh and actually, I noticed that a lot of Cupihit family¡¯s slaves used to be aristocrats. Are you one of them?¡±


    ¡°No, no way. I¡¯m a slave through and through.¡±


    ¡°Well, you certainly look like it. Anyway, don¡¯t ever try to run away or anything. Given how many slaves we have, we¡¯re really ruthless with them.¡± Trigger hastened his horses to get Chloe back to Sandra on time. His words brought clarity to Chloe¡¯s mind. Running away meant death.


    Now that I¡¯m here, I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do. Let¡¯s just trust my luck and see what happens. She could have spent the rest of her life being miserable at a mine or whorehouse, but she had an opportunity to travel the empire while doing easy, menial work. Even though the idea of working for the Archduke made her uneasy, she decided to stop worrying about the future and do her best for now.


    It was far better to do his laundry and go sightseeing all over the empire, than to plot her escape and be killed as a result. Also, given her appearance it was possible that the Archduke thought she was a boy.


    I¡¯ve always been more or less lucky. Chloe tried to stay positive.


    ???


    The combat tournament was finally over, and the long-awaited ceremonial expedition began. If the tournament was a festival for those living in the capital, the expedition was for everyone else in the empire. Any fiefdom visited by the order of knighthood would welcome them with a grand fete, and celebrate for the entire duration of their stay.


    Despite the vast expenses involved, the people of the empire ¨C having lived through more than a decade of war and hardship ¨C needed this excitement. The tournament this year had been the grandest one to date. The tournament and the expedition were practically celebrations of the newly unified empire.


    Colorful banners and confetti, rooting for the knights starting their journey, decorated the sky of the capital. Everyone cheered in the grand send-off for the men, smartly dressed in their armor and capes.


    As the Archduke¡¯s maid, Chloe was moving at the front of the parade. The discomfort in her mind gradually subsided among the cheering crowd and excited members of the expedition. She wanted to start the journey with a happy face, just as everyone else.


    But things became challenging once they left the capital. The knights were on horseback, while Chloe and the grooms were forced to travel on foot. What¡¯s more, they trudged forward at the same pace as the horses!


    Even though no one complained, the march was not easy. She had been told that they would get only two stops per day¡ªone at lunchtime, and another from suppertime through the night.


    The commanders were to stay at local feudal lords¡¯ castles or aristocrats¡¯ mansions. However, the lower-ranking knights and servants would camp outside under a wool blanket. When there were no houses available, the commanders would sleep in tents.


    You really can¡¯t trust anyone¡¯s looks. She stole a glance at the man riding his horse next to her. Realizing that he could not see her, she slowly raised her head. She had never gotten a good, long look at him before.


    Archduke Graham was traveling on Chsantos, his enormous steed covered in a shiny coat. He looked as robust as his horse.


    His profile was perfect¡ªthe sight of a handsome knight in shining armor, riding a beautiful black stallion, seemed straight out of a fairy tale. As if proving his status as one of the most powerful men in the empire, every bit of his appearance was impressive.


    His hair was deep chestnut, and his eyes were as blue as a cloudless sky, his thick eyebrows framed a sharp, erect nose and a firmly closed, sensual lips.


    A handsome and decent-looking man¡­he really doesn¡¯t seem like that person who could do those horrid things.


    But, looks can be deceiving.


    Chloe didn¡¯t feel any familial love to the deceased royal family of Elpasa¡ªshe never once felt she was part of it. Nonetheless, thinking back how this man¡¯s knights had slaughtered every single Elpasa royalty, she knew that what lies beneath that beautiful face was a hideous persona.


    It¡¯s not the time to be gawping at his face. She quickly lowered her head, afraid that he might notice her gaze. She was finally facing the Archduke again. Even though all she had done was to walk beside him, her head down, this was their first meeting since the day he commanded her to look after Howl.


    He looks like an angel, but he beats up women, huh? What a wast