Translator: Wawaa
Editor: WilsonWilson
“It’s huge.”
Lara took Konny into the building and had a look around. Though this place was shaped in the form of a Colosseum, it was not a real arena. Inside, there was a nice restaurant and a beautiful glass greenhouse. The floor of the arena was covered with soft grass.
Rich young noblewomen were able to choose a young and good-looking slave here and sponsor him. They could buy nice clothes for him, feed him good food and call a professional hairdresser to trim his hair in a fashionable style. Then, the slaves would have a duel while praising their sponsor’s name. Therefore, this arena was prohibited not only from murder but also excessive violence.
The slaves would spout cheesy lines and fought sloppily as if they had planned the fight. All they had to do was show their manly and cool appearance. If there was a particularly handsome or strong slave among them, his price would skyrocket. And to own such a slave was considered to be a great pride among the young noblewomen.
Entering the building, Konny pointed her finger to the portrait of a slave attached to the top of the bulletin board, she shouted with a slow voice.
“Milady, take a look at the mighty warrior of the month. He’s so good-looking! Is this portrait real?”
“Konny, you should go out more and date someone. Don’t just stay at home.”
“Look who’s talking…”
Konny pouted and complained.
Even though she said that to Konny, Lara also did not take her eyes off the board Konny had pointed to. Her scarlet eyes quickly scanned dozens of posts on the bulletin board. Who owns which slave, who will have a duel this week, and which slave is going to have his contract expire soon.
Konny cautiously asked Lara, who stood still and was reading each document tenaciously.
“Are you going…to buy a slave?”
“Yeah.”
“What? For real? Slave… No, wait. Milady, but why?”
“I’m searching for someone.”
Konny might have thought that her lady suddenly acted like a rogue as soon as she became an adult, but for Lara, this was very important.
Her eyes that were scanning the bulletin board moved faster. Demian was a war slave from the Tarragon Empire. And after wandering around, he ended up in the Hautean Kingdom. Lara did not know why such a great man like him became an arena slave, but he had definitely lived here as the mighty warrior of a noblewoman for a while.
“Found him.”
Lara took a piece of paper off the bulletin board.
Unlike other slaves who showed off their charm with impressive flowery languages on their introductions, Demian’s introduction contained only simple personal information. It meant he was a slave who just entered the arena. Perhaps Lara could be his first master lady.
Lara folded the paper that contained Demian’s introduction and kept it. When she was about to enter the stadium where the auction was held―
Bang.
A sound could be heard.
It was the sound of something heavy scratching the rough stone floor.
It was followed by the sound of someone cursing while giving punishment, as well as the rolling of the wheels.
Bang.
It was heavier this time.
She could also hear the sound of chains being dragged up. Lara stopped and stood there. Then, she turned her head to the source of the sound. Her eyes moved on their own accord, without any thought to stopping.
A man was sitting in a transfer prison made of thick bars of iron.
Bang.
The heavy sound―which resonated to the floor where Lara had stood―was the sound made by the broken iron wheels of the transfer prison whenever it crossed the thresholds of the building. The warden and soldiers moved the prison in sweat, while the slave who was trapped in the prison sat leisurely and watched them.
Somehow Lara felt he was familiar.
His black hair had covered his face so Lara could not see his eyes. His body, which was covered with his dirty clothes, was as skinny as sticks, so much so that he did not look strong at all.
Fair skin, big hand.
“….Ah.”
Without realizing it, Lara took a step toward him.
She might have gotten a little closer if Konny had not grabbed her arm. The man turned his head at that moment. Chillingly blue eyes and red lips were revealed. His gaze was cold and his lips were twisted.
She found him.
Lara knew who he was, and she could recognize him at first sight.
He was Demian
Konny pulled Lara―who was distracted by him―close to her.
“Milady, what’s wrong? Let’s head inside.”
“Konny.”
“Yes?”
“Go ask the warden if that man is up for the auction today.”
“What? Whew, why such a skinny slave? Can he even hold a weapon properly?”
“Please.”
“Alright then, I’ll go ask the warden.”
Konny drooped her shoulder and approached the warden. Despite speaking like that about Demian, as she was probably scared of him, Konny did not even come close to him.
It was a wise move.
That man looked helpless at first glance, but in reality, he could defeat all the men in this arena with his bare hands. Not only that, even sorcerers would not be able to overpower him.
Why did no one know?
Why did no one feel his violent temper, as if his heart had frozen? At that time, the man turned his way towards Lara. His messy hair ran down to one side, revealing his blue eyes. His eyes looked like clear seawater under the sun, and it had the color of the dark blue sea under the shade.
A deep blue color―like the Blue Hope Diamond that would ruin its owner‘s lives.
He looked straight at Lara with his lips twisted. A mock that could not even be called a smile lingered near his mouth.
And once again.
Bang.
A loud sound could be heard.
It was the sound of the transfer prison―which was made of heavy iron bars and padlocks―crossing the last threshold. He was still making eye contact with Lara. Even after being taken to the slave waiting room, he kept his eyes on her until the very end.
“Milady!”
Konny approached Lara and tapped on her shoulder.
“Ah… You scared me.”
“What are you looking at absent-mindedly? That slave just came in this morning so no one knows what’s going to happen to him. Maybe that’s also the reason why his introduction is so simple. Some said he could not be sold because he is too violent. Meanwhile, some said he could not be sold because he is too weak.”
“Really?”
“They will clean him up first. If he looks good, they will let him be in this arena. Otherwise, he will be sent to the mine.”
After looking at Demian, who was carried like a beast, Konny murmured, saying that he was pitiful.
Pitiful?
Lara did not think so.
Demian Rhode Drake.
He must have been taken here on purpose. He let himself get caught because he wanted something.
Otherwise, there was no reason for that man to be a slave in Hautean.
