Chapter 03: Slave's Arrival

Princess Felina's birthday would be on the thirteenth day of the third month. The dinner was only yesterday, so the date this morning would be the sixth day of the second month. 

The banquet of the eldest birthday would be on the sixth to the fifteenth day of the third month. Because it was the eldest grand birthday, it was only natural for her to have a week of celebration. 

Zarniya did not need to prepare so early for the event, but the Queen already sent the tailor for her dress for the banquet.

It was busy for the day but when the tailors left, the maidservants left her in the small garden she had. Zarniya had a swing tied to the tree, she was not a child anymore, but there was no one willing to spoil her. So, she took the liberty to pamper herself with childish things that she could acquire.

"Princess, the slave has arrived!" 

A maid came running from the palace and uttered a total surprise. Zarniya almost fell from the swing in panic of standing up. 

"W-what? T-too fast," she pursed her lips, embarrassed by her stuttering but the maid did not care about her reaction. 

The first Princess's steward personally came to deliver the slave. For low-ranking maidservants like them, this visit of the steward of the first Princess was overwhelming. 

Last time, they were reprimanded by the fourth prince for neglecting this bastard princess. They could not afford to get punished again, who knew that the next punishment would be banishment or death?

They just need to do their jobs. 

Seeing the maid waiting for her to get her composure back, Zarniya felt her face burning. The more she panicked the more she was unable to straighten her back. 

She did not expect that the arrival was too early, they just announced it yesterday. Would it not take a month or two for the slave to be transported to their kingdom? Seerian was not a near continent.

The production and distribution of sub-humans had stopped in this country but the demand was limitless. It was not even illegal, just no one could compare the quality of the sub-humans from Seerian. 

As soon as she picked up herself, the maid escorted Zarniya back to the castle and led her to the parlor where she was supposed to welcome the guests. She never had guests before. It was so rare for anyone to visit her. 

"Princess Zarniya may the sun and moon of Aino bless you," Steward Leah said and rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

Zarniya almost bowed her head in return, but she remembered as a member of the royal family the only people who were qualified to have her bow was the King and Queen. She could not even give a courtesy towards the princes and princesses. 

It was hard to live like this. 

Zarniya had a heart of tofu, she was easily flustered and always scared of people. Even maidservants of the low rank could threaten her with a glare, and she would not be able to fight back. 

She was useless and meek; this kind of personality could only survive in this kingdom if she was hidden in the depths of darkness. 

"Yo-you may… may stand, St-steward…" 

Steward Leah ignored the timidness of the thirteenth princess and did not waste her breath and time. 

"The slave arrived at dawn, after preparing him. I took the opportunity to deliver him to you, Princess Zarniya." 

Zarniya looked at the steward. 

Steward Leah did not spare Zarniya a glance. 

Either way, Zarniya's brain began working. 

They seemed to care so much about the slave entering her palace— Or so to say, Princess Felina must be so eager to bring her this slave. It was evident, since not even a week passed but within just a day.

"Let the slave enter," as soon as the steward's voice fell there was the sound of a dragging chain in the corridor. The parlor room fell eerily silent, even the maidservants held their breaths.

Newly obtained slaves were wild cards. They were either nice or not, some and many of them carried hatred for their masters. Most of them were grateful though— but as mentioned it was a mystery to have a well-behaved slave or one that would want to kill. However, this was not the case for the slaves that were being brought to the palace wall. They would not bring danger to the royal family. 

They had to be precautious, a slave was a tamed subhuman. Sub-humans were a lot more powerful than humans, but they were inferior because of their origin, and because of that they were treated worse than animals. 

That means they were chained and beaten in a worse way, to tame them, violence was always the answer. That was why slave masters would always carry whips and weapons to subdue their slaves. Not only that, but they would also even chain their necks, ankles, and wrists as if they were prisoners or pets.

Apart from all of those restrictions, there would be slave contracts through life, if slaves disobeyed their owners they would suffer painful consequences. Yet, they were still shackled and physically abused.

Those things just proved how inferior humans were to sub-humans. They were deathly scared of the sub-humans but they still pushed the limit, humans were always fascinated by beauty. The thing was most of the slaves were created in perfection to human taste. Zarniya thought it was ironic and stupid. People liked to play with the flame but did not want to burn themselves.

Zarniya did not have time to take a seat, and she was right in front of the door when it opened and revealed many royal guards escorting a huge man in a dark cloak. Though the thick chains were visible on sight. 

Everyone held their breaths. 

A royal guard kicked the slave from behind and the chain's clacking echoed in the room as the slave fell on the floor. 

There was no sound of restriction. 

Zarniya felt her heart becoming heavy. There were too many people gathering in her castle, she was not used to this number of presences in her safe space. And she was not used to seeing a slave that was not tamed at all.

She felt the danger all over her. 

Steward Leah moved forward to the slave and harshly took off its hood. 

A gorgeous man revealed. 

He had jet-black hair, it was long, as long as Zarniya's hair. He had thick brows and very spellbinding dark eyes.

At a glance, one could say he was such a beautiful burly man, his nose and mouth were covered in a mask, as if he would bite anyone if that mask was taken away. But that did not stop him from being so alluring. 

Many young maiden maidservants blushed to see this exquisite man. 

Men in their kingdom had a scholarly handsomeness, this man had a rogue aura surrounding him. His dangerous dark eyes conveyed that he was a warrior, despite his body being hidden in a dark cloak. One could guess that he had a masculine build because of his broad shoulders, and it was impossible for a weakling to carry those heavy chains dragging on the floor. 

Everyone could expect a pretty-looking slave, but this one was beyond expectation. 

Seeing this slave's charm, Steward Leah could not help but frown even uglier. This man was supposed to be given to Princess Felina; however, the first Princess desperately asked the Queen to give this perfect slave to the thirteenth useless Princess. 

While everyone was busy admiring the face of this slave, Zarniya had her feet cemented on the floor, her entire body was rigid, and her face paled from seeing him. 

It was dangerous, he was dangerous. 

No matter how beautiful or alluring he was, Zarniya could not appreciate him. 

He could kill her in a snap. 

Just thinking that this man would be left in her palace… Zarniya felt suffocated. 

She must be overreacting, but Zarniya survived by relying on her intuition and being extra careful. Right now, her guts were telling her that with a single mistake created or with a slight nuisance he could cause her, she would die painfully. 

When he was about to lift his gaze, and was about to meet her eyes, Zarniya looked at the floor. She pressed her fingers together and rubbed them nervously. 

She did not want this slave… 

He was not a person she could cross with. 

He might be a slave, but she knew people she should watch out for. 

One look and she could determine, he was not a simple existence.

But the problem was could she afford to offend the eldest to reject this slave living in her castle either?

"Princess, give me your hand," Steward Leah rudely grabbed Zarniya's hand, the next thing she felt was the sting on her palm. 

Steward Leah let the blood from Zarniya flow profusely and took so much more than she needed. This was her way of relieving her fury for this bastard princess for taking such a fine slave under her lovely princess's nose. 

It was very annoying. 

The blood contract between a slave and its master was done in less than a minute, the slave just had to drink the master's blood and the master had to give the slave a name. It was a simple procedure; the complicated part was the drawing of a magic circle using the slave's blood. 

Zarniya could not help but to crease her brows, she was thinking of how they would take the slave's blood when he was resisting them. But before Zarniya could think of how they would do it, a royal guard used his sharp double-edged sword and slashed it on the slave's body. 

The maidservant shrieked and surprised, Zarniya could not even shout in fear. 

The man did not react but again, Zarniya couldn't see. She avoided looking- but still, she could not cover her ears. 

The slash of the sword, the sound of tearing of fabric, and the blood gushing.

She knew that they had no respect for her, but she did not expect them to display this barbaric method in front of her. 

While her knees softened, she found the slave not even blinking or making a sound in pain. Before she could land on the ground for not having her body supported… Zarniya met his dark tantalizing eyes…