Dylan

To have access to the grand library, one must get a pass. The problem is...

It takes more than a day to get an approval, 'cause I know the high officials would just ignore the request I sent but.. I did specify that it would be for learning purposes, though… It's really not the greatest excuse.. After all, there was indeed a small library inside this small mansion.. What could a little and stupid girl want from the biggest library? I can't possibly say : Oh I just so happen to think that some taboo books are in the building! Let me please check…

I sighed.. Well, I can't say that these waiting days were boring.. We just got a new member.. His name is Dylan…. With no family name...

===

*Flashback*

"Princess! We found an unknown and passed out trespassers!"

Dropping my fork, I fastly ran outside. Sorry salad, can't finish you.

"What happen-" Argh! This stupid mouth. She literally already told you the problem! "Nevermind. What do you think we should do?" I glanced down. It was a young orange haired boy.

"Let's check if he's a wanted criminal first. We could get some bounty, you know?" I heard Lucy suggest. "-Well that is if he's one." Grace added.

We dragged him out the bush, flipped him over, and searched his belongings, which weren't many.

"Iiii-" I hear Blossom's high-pitched scream. "I-is this… a slave marking?"

Under his torned shirt, we found a mark in his upper arm, near the shoulders.

"This sure is…" I see Lucy frown. Why does she know so much about these subjects… "Only slaves have such engravings… It's hotly pressed on them…"

"Terrifying!"

According to the law, it has been 50 years since slavery was banned. Yet… This poor fella, that looks coincedely like Blossom with his orange hair, was suffering from it. I guess the slums and darkest areas of this kingdom still haven't been explored. I guess the king is doing a horrible job… I won't be surprised if there'll be any revolts…

"Princess… I know that it's not appropriate for me to demand.. Could we.. Treat him?" Blossom, a soft hearted human, pleaded.

This request held me back. A good moraled person wouldn't even bother thinking and immediately save him.. But.. I'm no goodie-two shoe. I've seen several pitiful people like these, rather than saving them, I'll ignore them. I know a little help could make a big difference… But...Mother said: "If you give them help, they'll rely on you, and make you feel guilty for not helping another time. Worse, sometimes they'll backstab you."

Yeah. Help others, suffer from the consequence. Besides, this slave could belong to someone powerful. If we bring him in, we could bring disasters.

Seeing my silence, Blossom pleaded harder: "Please, princess…" Maybe it was his hair color, maybe it's because she's naive, maybe she's never seen the backstreets of the candy stores..

Does she really think the world is full of sunshine and rainbows?...Alas, I gave in.

"We'll provide him with treatments, then when he'll wake up, he'll be kicked out." I commanded.

"Okay! Thank you for your generosity!"

With our strength combined, we dumped him in a shabby unused room.

----

"Erk.." I hear a weak voice. It's about time he gets out of this house. We really can't afford feeding another mouth or provide expensive herbs.

I placed a book sign and closed my book. By the way, I've always said I was reading… But what was I actually reading? Theory, math, history? Nope. Ashamed to say, they are all romance novels… Ahem. It's embarrassing to read these, so I often hide them under a pile of educational documents… No one shall know…

"Ahem.." Kinda curious about what would happen next.. Is the heroine going to hide or confront 'him'? The plot of the novel is : an assassin has a quest to kill the prince but then! She fell in love with him!

A lingering stare brought me back. Must've been awkward hearing coughing and then nothing..

"You shouldn't try sitting up. I'll make your wound open." I pulled out my most intimidating voice. You know the vibe some people give? The 'don't bother me'/ 'I don't care'/ unfriendly vibe? Apparently, people would distance themselves from you and not ask for help from you. Well, you're the 'last resort', when calling for a service.

"W..Who a-are you?" He asked with a trembling voice.

"My name is Moonlight, fifth princess of the Crystal Kingdom. You are now in my residence."

"Crystal kingdom.." He mumbled.

"What's your name?"

"I...Don't…" He fraily muttered, looking dejected.

"Slaves, usually those who were born as one, don't own a name, commonly referred as 'it' or 'you'. A family name is rarer." Lucy entered the room, startling us and received a menacing gaze from him.

"I see… Then do you know your age?"

"Eum.. Not sure.."

This was a useless interview..

"I born in winter…" He spoke in a broken language. Word by word, glueing them together, as if he was never taught.

That sure 'helps'… I'm not trying to guess your birth date!

"Mama… Dead… Everyone.. Dead.." Tears formed.

Because Lucy was the type who liked watching people cry, she approached the bed. Then, screamed in delight, almost dropping the bowl of soup on the floor. I quickly ran to her and held the bowl for her.

"He's… HE's so cute!!" She took his cheeks and squeezed them.

"Lucy, stop. You're scaring the child."

"But.. But!"

"Where were you, and what were you doing before you lost consciousness?"

"I… Carriage… Hit. Bandits.. One survive, me."

Hein? As I was trying to grasp what on earth he said, Lucy interpreted: "He was taken hostage and was being driven in a carriage with his master. Then bandits came and attached, leaving everyone dead, but him."

"Name.. They call me twenty-four."

Horror struck my mind. Twenty-four. If they name each slave by a number...Don't tell me they captured more than twenty slaves… Shivers ran through my spine. No, I can't get distracted!

"As for now.. We'll address you as… Dylan." I proclaimed.