“How foolish!” he spat. He stormed away, pushing aside the onlookers.
“Sir, I apologize, but I don’t have the money on me right now,” Lucianus said. “Could you deliver that child to my house later? I shall pay you then, and I assure you that I will compensate you handsomely for your troubles. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” the merchant replied. “And where am I to deliver this child?”
“To Tenino District, Montierre Street, House Carusso.”
“Oh my!” The slave merchant gasped loudly, unable to hide his astonishment. “Then are you the son of House Carusso?”
“Indeed, I am. I am the current master of the house, Lucianus Carusso Emilius. I understand that my request will trouble you, but I’m counting on you.”
Lucianus made sure to emphasize his place as the master of the house. It’d been three years since he’d inherited his household, and yet, he was still treated as the son of an influential noble. He couldn’t stand it.
Lucianus approached the slave boy. “Can you understand me?” he asked.
The boy looked terrified and looked up at his new master before he spoke. “Yes.”
“From today onward, you will be my slave, but you have nothing to worry about. I don’t whip my slaves, and I won’t let you starve. I promise to provide you with adequate food and a clean sleeping environment.”
Perhaps it would have been better if his expression softened, but regrettably, Lucianus was not one to force a smile. But despite the fact that he sounded horribly indifferent and cold, the boy nodded with a look of relief.
“So that’s Lord Lucianus of House Carusso. He’s as beautiful as the rumors state,” a person from the crowd murmured.
“He must take after his mother,” another said. “Before she married, she was a beautiful temple priestess working at Parefas. That brilliant golden hair is undoubtedly from his mother.”
“He’s the nephew of General Naulo, isn’t he?” said a third. “He doesn’t resemble the general one bit.”
Lucianus disliked being rumored about and swiftly left the scene with Kaira in tow. Only when they entered a deserted alley did Kaira open his mouth.
“You have more than enough slaves already,” he nagged. “What do you plan on doing with a child slave who can’t work at all?”
“Can you blame me?” Lucianus asked. “I couldn’t abandon that boy.”
“You’re too kind, Lord Lucianus. What’s more, you’re so handsome that you’d make even Verna, the goddess of beauty, blush. And yet, it’s rather odd, isn’t it? I’ve only heard rumors that the new young lord of House Carusso is an eccentric shut-in of a man who has interest only in his studies. Indeed, he seems to be rather peculiar.” Kaira sighed.
Rumors are nothing more than the chirping of birds. People may talk as they wish, Lucianus thought as he felt compelled to sigh in response. He was only good-looking because his mother was a famed beauty, and though he was handsome, he disliked his feminine face. It made him look sensitive. In his teens, he had often been praised for being a beautiful boy, and Lucianus had found it to be quite troublesome. However, when people realized that he was only able to spout cutting remarks and was unfriendly to the point where he’d never crack a smile, everyone left his company looking visibly disappointed.
Lucianus deeply disliked socializing and was unable to make any close friends. Needless to say, he had no lover either. He was grateful that he was allowed to be constantly engrossed in his favorite studies thanks to the exorbitant wealth that his late father left behind. But because there was no reason for Lucianus to go out of his way to socialize, he was living like a retired old man, leading a humble life of solitude despite his young age of twenty-two.
“That’s nothing to be bothered about,” Lucianus said. “It’s the truth, after all. As long as I can do what I love—studying—I don’t care about anything else. Silly ideas of conceitedness and ambition should be left to those doddering, old senators. They’re more vulgar than pigs, the lot of them.”
“There you go again with your insults…” Kaira replied.
Both Lucianus’s father and grandfather were senators. The senate was the highest government assembly within the nation and comprised a select few wealthy nobles who would serve for life. This role was hereditary, and Lucianus had the option of joining the senate when he turned thirty. However, he would much rather die than join the rotten world of politics, filled with men who thought of only serving themselves.
Almost all the senators had amassed their vast wealth by purchasing publicly owned land or land from peasants while forcing their army of slaves to suffer through horrific and harsh working environments. The senators, aiming for a higher post, would use a small portion of their profits for the citizens’ entertainment, in hopes of heightening their popularity. It was all very silly indeed. Lucianus’s father was one of the few politicians with high aspirations. Hence, he was often isolated from the rest. Lucianus had been raised observing the unending suffering of his father, and had thus felt only despair in the political world.
“Ah, you must be a rich, young lad,” a voice came from behind. “Couldn’t you spare a coin for the poor?”
Lucianus slowly turned to meet three men. They looked more like rogues than beggars. Kaira stepped in front of his master, remaining vigilant.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any money on us,” Kaira said. “If you wish for aid, visit House Carusso tomorrow morning. Those who know their manners will receive the goodwill of my benevolent lord.”
Lucianus had always said that it was the duty of the wealthy to help the poor—acts of charity should never be used to gather votes or favor. Thus, Kaira didn’t chase these men away immediately. The three men, however, had smug, mocking grins on their faces as they exchanged a meaningful glance.
“Sorry, but I’m a bit short on time,” one of the men said. “Why don’t you give me all the goodwill you’ve got on you right now?”
“Give us all your money!” another added.
An overweight man on the right threatened Lucianus and Kaira. These three men were nothing more than bandits. Robbing a man was a serious crime that was sometimes punishable by death. It would’ve been more logical if they committed this crime under the curtain of the night, but they were rather bold and did so in the middle of the day.
“Lord Lucianus, please flee,” Kaira said. He tried to put all the scrolls onto the ground.
“Keep those scrolls in your arms,” Lucianus ordered his servant. He stood before the man in the center, who he assumed was the leader of the trio. “Who sent you?”
Panic flashed across the bandit’s eyes for a split second, and Lucianus didn’t miss it.
“Sent by Baramona, I take it,” Lucianus said. “He ordered you three to attack me as an act of revenge for that embarrassing display earlier.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the bandit replied. “We just want money. Stop yammering and hand me all your coin. And gimme that bracelet you’ve got, too.”
The metal bracelet was a keepsake of Lucianus’s mother. She received it from her husband when the two married, and she had worn it at all times. Before she passed away from an illness, she called for ten-year-old Lucianus and entrusted him with her accessory. Ever since, this bracelet has been a treasured item to Lucianus, a lasting memory of his mother. Even if his arm was sliced off, he wasn’t willing to let go of this bracelet. Lucianus unsheathed the short sword that hung by his waist, but the bandits didn’t falter despite being unarmed. It was clear that they assumed that a frail nobleman couldn’t do much against them.
A slender man to the left pounced. Lucianus reacted by swinging his sword, but the bandit was too nimble for the noble’s blade. Lucianus had been training with a sword since he was young, and his skills were decent, but the blade in his hand was smaller than what he was used to, and the toga around his body restricted his movements. He was at a disadvantage.
The moment Lucianus stepped on the hem of his toga and tripped forward, a burly bandit tackled him. The noble’s slender frame was thrown back and slammed into a brick wall. Lucianus managed to avoid hitting his head, but because he’d twisted his body awkwardly, sharp pain shot out from his ankle. He gripped his sword once more and was ready to fight while protecting his right leg.
“What’s all this fuss on such a narrow street?” a low, yet beautiful voice clearly rang out. “You’re in the way. Move.”
The bandits whirled around and found a large man with stubble on his chin. He was wearing a simple tunic that went down to his knees and leather military sandals. His brawny, powerful body was apparent, his chest muscles clearly bulging even underneath his garment.
“Just use another street,” the bandit leader said.
“I can’t do that,” the man replied. “I want to use this street. If you all refuse to move, I’ll simply beat you into the ground. You’re all cowards who prey on the weak. I doubt I’d get punished even if I kill you.”
The bandits couldn’t hide their rage at the fearless gaze of the newcomer who seemed set on provoking them.
“Fuck you! You’re the one who’s gonna die here!” the overweight bandit roared. He leaped forward nimbly, but the man was faster. The man easily dodged the attack and rammed his elbow into the back of the bandit’s head. The overweight bandit fell to the ground with that single blow, and the remaining pair were easily dealt with as well. The battle was over in seconds.
The bandits had lost their will to fight, taken aback by the clear difference in power, and they hastily slinked away while carrying their fat, unconscious friend.
“Thank you. You saved our lives,” Kaira said.
“Are you his only guard?” the man inquired.
“I am,” Kaira nodded.
Lucianus didn’t like walking around with a large crowd of guards. Other nobles would often have a host of men to protect them even across short distances. It made them look splendid and would gather the attention of citizens. Lucianus felt that doing so was beyond stupid, and had decided to only take Kaira along whenever he snuck out of his manor.
“This area has been pretty dangerous lately,” the brawny man said. “It’s no place for a noble to be wandering around.”
The man was rather frank as he approached the pair he’d just saved. Lucianus was mesmerized by the man’s bulging muscles, but on closer inspection, he had a handsome face as well. He had short, brown hair and tanned skin, accentuating his rugged, manly features. His amber eyes, a mixture of yellow and gold, were calm like the surface of a serene ocean, in stark contrast to his powerful physique. He looked quite mystical.
“We’ll be more careful in the future,” Kaira replied.