Arc 1: The Abandoned Heiress Purchases a Slave Swordsman
◆ Julius Craft, the Black Prince
MY life could be summarized in one word: unlucky.
However, there was little point in clumsily explaining this fact to the blonde-haired, dull-blue-eyed man in front of me. He sat impudently with his legs crossed. It goes without saying, but I must have him understand my situation, even a little.
In the back of the room was an alchemy furnace. A ray of sunlight from a window with its curtains drawn illuminated the room. There was a red couch and an office desk. The room also had a cute mushroom-shaped lamp and a trunk with infinite storage that was filled with materials.
Most of the items in this room were purchased with my own money.
The man sitting on a sturdy, black leather chair, looking slightly dirty, was also purchased with my money. He was a little underweight, but still had a well-built body. His golden hair looked like an ancient golden ornament that had been neglected. It had grown unevenly and looked slightly coarse, but still served as a reminder of its former beauty.
His right eye was covered with an unhygienic bandage, resembling an eyepatch. His long golden eyelashes framed his beautiful, dull-blue left eye, as it gazed at me with boredom. He sat brazenly with his legs open. His long legs couldn’t be covered by his tattered black overcoat. His tight-fitted pants were wrapped with several stiff belts, and his worn-out boots were caked with mud.
A pair of magical handcuffs were around his wrists as he dangled his arms between his legs. The cuffs were shaped like a mobius strip, a red ouroboros that had no keyhole. A handcuff for slaves, it could only be removed if I, his master, applied magic to it.
He sat slightly slouched. His bad posture and lazy attitude seemed to imply he didn’t retain even a shred of his former noble life.
“Listen well. From today onwards, I am your master. Now, what’s my name?” I said, standing in front of him with my hands on my hips.
I could see myself in his dull gaze. My slightly curled, strawberry-blonde hair came down to my shoulders. I was wearing a lacy headkerchief and my eyes were a slightly darker shade of pink than my hair. My skin was white. I was wearing a pair of knee-length knickers under my red apron dress and a pair of brown boots. Calling me “pretty cute” was an understatement.
I am the unluckiest woman in the kingdom. My name is–
“Chloe Sagrid, was it?” the man replied. He had a moderately low voice that was pleasant to the ears, but also had a hint of bottomless intensity.
“That’s right, Mr. Julius Craft. Oh, should I call you sir? Is that better? If you prefer, I can call you sir, you know.”
“You sure are mouthy. I don’t care whatcha call me.”
“Did you just say I talk too much, again?” I scoffed. “Well, Mr. Julius. I’m your master, and you’re my slave. I bought you with my own money, so you’re my slave from now on. You’re a good purchase! I didn’t think I could buy you, the Ever-Victorious General, the Black Prince, with just five million gold. I could make all that back with just one divine elixir, you know? Alchemy’s great; I can turn a huge profit and the materials needed are free! It’s a perfect business model.”
“And? You purchased me with five million gold, so now what? What exactly are you planning, young lady? Are you going to take over the kingdom? Take revenge?” He had a cruel smile on his face.
I sighed at him. “Mr. Julius, revenge isn’t profitable.”
He doesn’t understand me at all. Revenge isn’t profitable. There may be instances where you might turn a profit, but it’s still very rare. Money is the most important thing in this world. I can do anything with it, so it’s the only thing I trust. Money talks. In other words, I won’t do anything that isn’t profitable.
“See, I’m Chloe Sagrid,” I continued. “In this kingdom of Astria, I was the only daughter of the noble Duke of Sagrid, who reigned over a duchy. But do listen. The story is a real tearjerker.”
“I’m not interested,” he said dully. “But I suppose you’re going to run your mouth anyway.”
“Now, now, don’t be like that,” I tsked at him. “You’ve got all the time in the world, haven’t you? As long as those magical handcuffs are on you, you can’t do anything at all.”
Julius clicked his tongue in annoyance.
How uncouth.
“In any case, I was the only daughter of the noble Duke of Sagrid. Well, I assume it’s only natural that you, a general of the Dystiana Empire, aren’t aware of the noble families of the Astria Kingdom. Well, the Sagrid household had collapsed.”
There was a pause. “Explain,” he said.
“Oh my, you seem very interested in me, indeed. Are you intrigued by this young maiden alchemist of rare beauty?”
“You? A young maiden?”
I was satisfied with his snide remarks. Had he not talked at all, I would’ve been troubled, as I don’t possess enough money to house a large man that won’t communicate at all.
“Well, I’m twenty, so I suppose I’m just an alchemist of great beauty,” I conceded.
“Beautiful? Don’t get ahead of yourself there.”
“And you say I talk too much, Mr. Julius. There’s a reason behind the Duke of Sagrid’s downfall. I think I was thirteen or so. My mother passed away, and my father had remarried. My father had actually been having an affair with my now stepmother for quite some time, and they already had a child. Suddenly, I had a sister one year younger than me, though we came from different mothers. During this time, I was engaged to the prince of the kingdom, Cyril Astria.”
“Cyril Astria…the first prince,” he guessed.