The Slave Is Too Handsome - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The slave is far too handsome!
008.
“Die by my hand.”
Lucian exhaled a deep sigh at the sight of the young noblewoman—her cherubic face belying words so ruthless.
Even if he fled, this woman would pursue him to the ends of the earth and end him. And for good measure, she’d probably have him stuffed and mounted in the Duke’s Mansion as a trophy.
Which meant Lucian would become nothing more than a ghost haunting the halls—neither truly alive nor truly dead.
‘I should have left yesterday.’
Last night had been his final chance to escape this mad noblewoman.
Only now did regret come crashing down. Curiosity about a noblewoman who defied all expectations—he’d told himself yesterday to stay just a little longer, to hear her out. Now he cursed that version of himself. Lucian cursed him bitterly.
He’d grown up on the streets, seen every misery the world had to offer, and built such calluses around his heart that almost nothing fazed him anymore. Yet this—a situation with no way out—was entirely new.
“So, what’s your choice?”
His mouth had gone dry. His head was swimming, and he ran his fingers through his hair in agitation before dropping to one knee before Eloise.
“I shall obey your command, my lady.”
Yes, this was how it had to be. Eloise rose with a triumphant smile.
“Good. I’m counting on you, Lucian.”
Hearing his name spoken by his young master sent a tremor through Lucian’s shoulders.
‘But honestly, no matter how I think about it, her plan sounds absolutely insane.’
For now, he’d play along. He’d humor her whims carefully, all the while looking for any chance to flee. Then he’d cross the border and disappear into a foreign land where she could never follow.
Even if she did come after him and managed to kill him, he’d exhaust every option first.
Lucian lifted his head and smiled at Eloise.
***
A few days later.
In the afternoon, with sunlight stretching long across the room, Eloise sat in her study sorting through ledgers.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened and Mary appeared. Eloise set down the quill pen she’d been using into its stand.
“Miss, I’ve completed the task you assigned.”
“Have you?”
“Would you like to see?”
Eloise nodded, and Mary gestured toward the doorway.
Four slaves filed into Eloise’s study one by one.
“Well? Much better, isn’t it?”
Mary spoke with evident pride. All four men were now perfectly groomed. With their tangled hair trimmed away, their faces—previously hidden by filth—were revealed. Each possessed decidedly handsome features.
But among them, Lucian stood out unmistakably.
Once his long hair was no longer obscuring his eyes, his sharp gaze became all the more striking. A face where beauty and handsomeness coexisted perfectly suited Eloise’s tastes entirely.
“Goodness, I barely recognize them. Mary, your skills are truly remarkable.”
At Eloise’s praise, three of the men laughed bashfully. Only Lucian maintained his blank expression.
“From now on, you four are part of my Knight Order.”
The three men’s faces lit up even brighter. Of course, Lucian wore the expression of someone who’d just been dragged into yet another tiresome situation.
“Though for now you’re only Trainee Knights, and you’ll need to undergo Frederick’s rigorous training.”
“By the way, there’s no one like our young lady in this entire empire!”
Mary puffed up her chest proudly. She wasn’t wrong. To actually accept slaves as Trainee Knights of the Duke’s household? Such a thing was almost unheard of. It was the sort of achievement that might require three generations of accumulated merit to accomplish.
“I shall follow you unto death!”
“I dedicate this life to you, my lady!”
“I shall never forget your kindness, my lady!”
Ned, Finn, and Gabe cried out in turn. As Eloise watched approvingly, she glanced at Lucian, who reluctantly bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Mary threw a sharp look at Lucian.
‘Handsome fellows are always cheeky.’
The boy’s arrogant attitude irritated her.
“You’re all dismissed now.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Lucian, you stay.”
Mary led the other three out and quietly closed the door behind them.
Alone now, Lucian dropped heavily into an empty chair.
“I’m going to teach you directly. You see, there are few people in this empire as versed in Etiquette as I am, who understand politics, economics, society, and culture in their entirety.”
“…”
“Of course, you’ll also undergo combat training with Frederick. Prepare yourself.”
“…Very well.”
“Your words are getting shorter again?”
Eloise crossed her arms, looking down at Lucian.
“Why does it matter? It’s not like I have ears to hear anyway. Besides, we’re in the same boat now, aren’t we?”
Lucian smiled glibly, but Eloise did not smile in return.
“Did you forget? I’m still your master, and you’re still my slave…”
“Who will become the Crown Prince, and eventually the Emperor of the Pinestria Empire. Shouldn’t the young lady be practicing to address me with proper respect?”
‘This boy.’
Cute, really. Eloise eventually laughed and nodded.
He’d been trembling at the mere mention of it at first, and now he had the audacity to talk back like this. It was entertaining. Besides, he was still in the palm of her hand.
“Fine, do as you wish.”
Magnanimous me shall indulge you.
‘But once I start your education, I’ll work you until you drop.’
Heehee. Eloise laughed with a distinctly sinister edge.
Watching her, Lucian felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He couldn’t say what she was thinking, but he could sense that whatever it was would not bode well for him.
‘I have to escape before that Second Prince’s birthday, no matter what.’
***
The next morning. Lucian’s complexion had been poor from the start of the day.
He sat at Eloise’s study desk in an awkward slouch as thick books began stacking on the surface, one after another.
“You’ll need to know the history and politics of the Pinestria Empire, its foreign relations, the Royal Family’s genealogy and lineage, basic social Etiquette, an appreciation for the arts, languages, and at least basic proficiency in Piano and dance.”
Eloise stacked several volumes on the desk herself and wiped her hands with evident satisfaction as she spoke.
The books now towered before him, rising well above Lucian’s line of sight. It was almost fortunate they hadn’t reached the ceiling.
Lucian’s face had gone deathly pale as he repeated back to her.
“The… what?”
“The history and politics of the Pinestria Empire…”
“Wait, wait.”
Lucian, whose head was already throbbing from just hearing the list, pressed his fingertips against the bridge of his nose and spoke.
“Do we really have to do all this?”
“Are you going to whine about being weak on the first day?”
Eloise stood with her arms crossed, looking down at Lucian with open disdain.
“Think about it, young lady. The First Prince was only five years old when he was kidnapped. Do you really think a five-year-old knew all this?”
Lucian spread his hand open in emphasis as he stressed ‘five.’ Eloise responded with a clear, almost poetic cadence.
“Fluency in the Imperial language, the empire’s history, basic Piano proficiency and the ability to compose poetry, and lastly, fundamental Swordsmanship. Oh, and proper manners, of course. These were all things the five-year-old First Prince possessed.”
“…Does that even make sense? Is that a person or a demon?”
“That’s precisely why the Emperor is still waiting for the First Prince—unable to confirm whether he’s dead or alive.”
Lucian let out a long sigh and ran his hands frantically through his hair. No matter how many times he thought about it, the only conclusion he could reach was that he’d made a terrible mistake.
“And besides, we need to think long-term. Your goal isn’t just to be recognized as the First Prince.”
When Eloise used the word ‘we,’ Lucian’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
This goal existed solely for Eloise’s benefit. Lucian, desperate to extricate himself from it, resented being bound to her by that pronoun.
“Once you’re officially recognized as the First Prince, you’ll have to compete with the Second Prince for the Crown Prince position. To do that, you’ll need at least this much as a foundation.”
Eloise gestured toward the tower of books as she spoke. Lucian made one final attempt at resistance.
“But you said the Second Prince is incompetent? So why all this?”
“Incompetent compared to me, that is. Either way, the Second Prince is a gifted product of the Royal Family’s excellent education. And that fellow—he’s sharp in all the wrong ways and clever with his schemes.”
“…”
“You must never underestimate him.”
As she said this, Eloise’s expression twisted. The very thought of the Second Prince made her teeth grind.
“Understand?”
“…I understand.”
With nothing more to say and finding the situation equally unpleasant, Lucian puckered his lips slightly as he answered.
“Well, three months until your birthday. We can finish everything in that time, can’t we?”
Eloise murmured to herself, then pulled out a parchment and scrawled something across it. She pushed the parchment toward Lucian.
“Can you read this?”
Lucian stared fixedly at the parchment. He said nothing.
‘As expected. Should I start by teaching him letters?’
Well, she hadn’t really expected a slave to be literate anyway. She’d only tested him on a whim.
Just as Eloise was about to speak, Lucian murmured first.
“Valencio Ses Floren… who is this?”
!!!
“Given that he bears the Floren surname, he must be a prince. Ah. Is this the First Prince’s name?”
Eloise remained silent. So Lucian looked back at the parchment, wondering if he’d misread it.
Valencio Ses Floren.
No matter how many times he read it, that was the name. Yet Eloise still said nothing, so Lucian began to search her face for clues.
But no matter how deeply he gazed into those dark eyes, he could fathom nothing of what lay behind them.
In the end, Lucian’s thoughts crystallized into a single conclusion.
Perhaps I should simply accept death at this noblewoman’s hands.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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