TLRP 05

chapter 5

 I Want to Be Alone with You

The errand boy grumbled for two days after the Lion King had visited. He was so unfairly upset that he repeated the same story several times. Adeline, bored, told him off, begging him to stop already.

“Shut up, will you!”

“I would never let the princess die!”

Her head hurt. She preferred quiet, but as soon as she brought the errand boy into the palace, everything around her became noisy.

“This won’t do. I should gather the best killers and set up about fifty of them here in the palace…”

“Are you crazy? You might as well advertise how suspicious you are!”

“The princess doesn’t believe me!”

It was ridiculous. Honestly, she even suspected that the Ordo Master might have had some grudge to assign her such a guy.

Adeline thought about appointing him as her personal guard. Although it might raise suspicion, if she claimed he was a guard who had protected her since Nova, she thought she could get by. But this guy had come into her palace as a cook. Seeing him pushing a tray in a white apron, hat, and a white towel around his neck, she was utterly stunned.

He dismissed her complaints by saying the princess’s food might be poisoned. Then he took up residence in the kitchen and even started cooking himself.

Adeline rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought as the errand boy laid out the food on the table.

“Tell me your name at least. I can’t keep calling you ‘errand boy.’”

“My name? Didn’t I tell you?”

“No.”

“Ringo.”

He set down a large plate piled like a tower with salad.

Ringo. Adeline etched his name into her mind.

“And your surname?”

“Ringo. Ah.”

He stammered slightly, apparently not expecting her to ask for a last name.

This guy’s lying. He must have a real name somewhere. Adeline smirked.

“Ringo Ringo? That’s a weird name.”

“Hey, really!”

“Why so, Ringo Ringo?”

Adeline mocked him, and Ringo pouted, complaining.

“We’re a secret intelligence group. You think I’m going to tell you my real name? I threw that away when I joined Ordo, so this is the best I can do.”

“Ringo.”

“Huh?”

“Are you upset that I don’t trust you?”

“Of course!”

Ringo looked sincere. He bragged that he had prepared so many things for her that if he talked about all of them, they might have to stay up all night.

Suddenly, she was curious.

“Ordo doesn’t trust me.”

Ringo’s lips, which had been moving nonstop, suddenly snapped shut. Adeline picked up the fork and knife he’d brought and looked at him steadily.

“They keep testing me because they don’t trust that I’m truly valuable or that what I’m trying to do will actually help Ordo.”

“Princess.”

“I trust you. At least as much as you trust me.”

That wasn’t much of a reassurance.

Ringo narrowed his thin eyes even more and looked at her. He was one of those hard-to-read guys. The fact he always had a smiling face was surprisingly annoying.

“I like you, Princess.”

He said it.

“Really. I like Adeline Vita Marma. I don’t think you’re pitiful or scary. I just like you. If I could, I’d make you my little sister and spoil you.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Trust me a little. I’ll do better from now on.”

She said nothing. She simply watched silently as he arranged the plates. Even the usually loud Ringo was quiet and thoughtful at that moment.

Then another question popped into her mind.

“Ringo.”

“Hm?”

“How old are you?”

“Me? Twenty-six.”

Her lips twisted.

“You’re still young…”

Adeline was twenty-eight.

She teased him until he begged her to stop, saying she was older, not a younger sister. Finally satisfied, she picked up some salad—but something was wrong with the food.

“What’s wrong with this?”

“Oh, Princess, again…”

“The salad smells fishy.”

He looked at her like she was crazy. She opened the lid and took a bite, and the fishy smell hit her. She held the salad out to Ringo’s eyes.

“Eat it.”

“That’s strange. I definitely put the right ingredients… Maybe I got confused because the sauce looked similar? Well, the smell’s bad but the taste should be okay. The sauces all taste the same, right?”

“Eat it, you idiot.”

“…Should I start over?”

He subtly stepped back. Seeing Ringo’s apron still spotless after all that cooking, she seriously asked.

“Have you ever cooked before?”

“No.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

He looked so innocent it made her laugh. He said he was smart and learned things fast, so he’d soon be a cooking pro, boasting loudly.

“Get out.”

Adeline vowed to get back at the Ordo master who had assigned Ringo to her.

That afternoon, twelve bodyguards were stationed at Adeline’s palace. They said they would work in shifts of six. They were lazy and clearly unskilled just from looking at them.

“Sent by Cesare?”

Adeline asked Richard Selmore, who had brought them for a report. After hesitating a long time, he reluctantly answered.

“The head maid at the main palace temporarily assigned some manpower…”

“So the head maid’s gotten quite the promotion, dragging guards from the outer walls without permission.”

The night’s attack wouldn’t be reported to Cesare or her father unless she personally went to tell them, which was unlikely.

Adeline noted Richard’s slightly tense face. He was Cesare’s man and surely had rushed to report to him, but the head maid had intervened.

The situation was ridiculous. Cesare’s mother, the Empress, hated Adeline. She didn’t abuse or try to kill her, but perhaps she was the person who hated her most in the entire palace.

The head maid, basically the Empress’s right hand, must have been thrilled to hear assassins appeared in Adeline’s palace. Not only did she intercept Richard’s request, but she sent only incompetent fools who couldn’t even catch a back-alley thug, let alone an assassin.

They’d all be dead soon.

Adeline shrugged.

“Not sure if you’ve heard, but my palace was attacked. If it weren’t for the Lion King who was taking a walk in the woods by chance, everyone here would have died. They were trained professional assassins.”

The twelve guards exchanged worried glances.

“The first attack saw over ten of them. Next time, more will come. They use poisoned blades, can climb walls, and shoot crossbows from a distance. You’re the elite chosen by the head maid, right? Those assassins are nothing to you, huh? Ha… very reassuring.”

If they didn’t run, they’d die. Adeline warned kindly.

After the frightened guards left with Richard, the maids came into the reception room. Surprisingly, there was a letter from the Emperor.

A middle-aged maid from the imperial palace handed her a letter in a golden box.

“I didn’t expect a reply.”

The Emperor seemed to want something from her.

“My beloved daughter, Adeline.”

Adeline couldn’t help but be impressed. It sounded like a father who truly loved his daughter.

But the letter deteriorated. He wrote that not a day had passed without pain while she was sold to the enemy, and he thanked God she had returned safely. This land was her prosperous home now, and she should enjoy it.

Then the main point: The King of the Desert was visiting their homeland. He thought they could be good friends.

That was the true purpose. The rest was just a polite preamble. It sounded like a gentle suggestion, but was actually a command.

The Emperor knew she had been attacked several times on her return and had received help from the Lion King. He also knew the Lion King had visited her while she was imprisoned in Cesare’s palace annex.

He could have just told her straight to seduce the Lion King by any means, but instead, he wrapped it in this sugarcoated letter.

Adeline nearly swore but smiled gracefully instead. She thanked the palace maid who watched her with sharp eyes.

“Thank you for coming all this way. Please tell His Majesty I am deeply grateful. Choosing my words will take a long night, so I’ll send my reply in a few days.”

“Yes, Princess.”

It was time to prepare for going out. She was going to be a good daughter and listen to her father.

Adeline turned with a sly smile. The maids looked at her expectantly, probably thinking she was going to invite the Lion King. But they were way off.

She took off her gown and held it in her hand.

“Send a messenger to the Lion King. Tell him to come quickly; I’ll be waiting at the hotel. And bring me dresses and coats I can wear. I won’t be returning to the palace tonight, so pack plenty of underwear too.”

A silent scream filled the reception room. When she declared she was going to meet the Lion King at a hotel and spend the night, the maids threw off their usual elegant masks.

“P-Princess, that means…”

“Call me Lady Vita. Why suddenly ‘Princess’?”

“You don’t mean that hotel…”

“Do I have to report to you every single thing I plan to do with him overnight?”

The maids reluctantly helped her prepare to go out. Richard, who had appeared to offer protection, cursed under his breath when she suggested going to the city’s most expensive hotel.

“Why does your guard look like that?”

The Lion King arrived at the hotel before Adeline and chuckled when he saw Richard’s face as the latter rode away. Richard’s face was twisted in anger and disgust at how he looked at her like a bug.

“I’m going to seduce you with my body.”

“What? That’s part of the plan?”

He looked unbothered.

What a boring guy. Adeline clicked her tongue and pulled his arm as they entered the hotel.

“Let’s get some food.”

Seeing her rush to the restaurant and order food right after meeting, the Lion King’s already scary face became even more serious. Waiting for the waiter to disappear, he quietly asked:

“Did another assassin appear? Was there poison in the food?”

“No. The cook doesn’t know how to cook. He made a lot, but none of it was edible, so I left.”

“What? The cook?”

He looked bewildered. Adeline had to explain about the fake cook, Ringo, before the food arrived. Surprisingly, the Lion King sided with Ringo.

“I think the guy’s right.”

“What?”

“The cook is the third person after guards and maids you should be cautious of. You should fill that role with someone you can trust. Even the kindest people can be shaken by gold. If it’s Ordo, they won’t be bribed with money, so eat the food he makes for now.”

“Why is my life so tough?”

The hotel food was delicious. Since it was a sudden visit, she didn’t suspect poison. Still, the Lion King took her fork away and tasted every dish before handing it back.

“Where to first?”

While eating, he asked. Though he said he had just eaten, he was eating more than she was. She pulled the tastiest meat dish closer before he could take it and said:

“I know where the gypsy is held, but I can’t rescue her. The human trafficker holding the slave auction is a big shot…”

“Who?”

“All I know is he’s a southern noble.”

The gypsy they wanted to rescue was held underground beneath the auction site. Since it was a secret playground for nobles, the guards were numerous. Even if the Lion King brought all his desert warriors, they couldn’t kill all the guards.

Of course, he had other plans.

“The number doesn’t matter. Killing them all won’t be hard. But if we do that, our objective might be exposed.”

“Right. So we have to use another method.”

While she explained the auction layout, the sweet lemon meringue pie disappeared into his stomach. Adeline, who’d been saving the pie for dessert, glared at him like a starving animal robbed of its prey.

The Lion King ate everything. He even ate soft, sweet, slippery, fluffy things men usually hated.

“Hungry?”

“What?”

“Stop eating. I have nothing left.”

“You always eat a couple and leave the rest. Then send me what’s left.”

She swallowed a piece of meat without chewing.

“You want to eat my leftovers?”

“You eat the food I’ve tasted too.”

That was true. Adeline laughed.

After finishing, they moved to the VIP area deep in the hotel. They didn’t hide or cover their faces but walked proudly.

“Ah, huh!”

“Isn’t that the princess?”

Nobles who had come for midday trysts with their mistresses recognized her and shivered nervously. They were desperate to talk to her but quickly turned away when they saw the Lion King calmly walking beside her.

“I wonder what rumors will spread.”

“I definitely opposed this.”

He opposed the misunderstanding of their relationship like this. Adeline explained the Emperor’s letter, saying she might get unexpected rewards if she followed it, but he still looked uncomfortable.

“Did you leave a jealous lover in the desert?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Since we’re at the hotel now, isn’t it time to discuss the next plan?”

The Lion King cautiously moved toward the window, having noticed the bed decorated with red beads, golden lace, and tinkling bells. It was a lavish and decadent bed. He walked as far away from it as possible.

“It’s just a bed.”

“Lewd.”

“At least it’s not dangerous.”

Adeline flopped onto the bed, which was awful to look at but soft and smelled good.

“Adeline.”

He called her from the window.

Come to think of it, he was one of those men who liked to call people by their names. Usually, they’d call her princess or lady, but he stubbornly used her real name.

He said:

“You need a trustworthy companion.”

“I know.”

“…The palace is big.”

His words sounded hesitant. Adeline looked at him lying on the bed. The lustrous bedlight reflected in his blue eyes.

“So you want to fill my palace?”

“If you permit.”

She wanted to. If the Lion King came into her palace, the annoying assassins would stop attacking. The Emperor might even call her his most beloved daughter. That was creepy, but it would happen.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“My value is highest when I’m between the Princess of Marma and the Lion King’s lover.”

His face hardened, but he didn’t argue. Then, with a dazed expression, he stepped toward her and asked:

“You want to be my lover?”

“We agreed. At least outwardly.”

“Does that mean you trust me?”

She couldn’t answer. Even inside, the question was unresolved.

The Lion King saved her twice. If her life had been normal, she would have trusted him enough to entrust her life to him. She might have sworn to repay him by doing whatever he asked.

But Adeline Vita was a burned, twisted branch. Charred and reduced to ashes. She had suffered too many betrayals to trust anyone.

“Gypsies are all captured in the south.”

She suddenly changed the subject. The Lion King lowered his blue eyes and sat back down.

“I know.”

“Nobles don’t handle trafficking themselves. They have others do it. It’s simple. We rescue the gypsy and get information in return.”

“Information on the traffickers?”

“If it’s just that, nothing changes. We must find out who really owns the auction. You protect your land’s gypsies from being sold, and I get to capture the biggest player in the south.”

“The kidnapped gypsy knows such info?”

“Ordo was certain.”

If all went as planned, they’d become great partners.

A moment later, Adeline called the manager and threw a heavy bag of gold coins into his hands. She ordered that no one be allowed into the room until morning.

“I want to be alone with you.”

She was lying on the bed, resting her head on the Lion King’s chest. Both were shirtless. Adeline had a thin blanket wrapped around her, but the Lion King was bare-chested, with his arm around her shoulders.

The manager was experienced. He gauged the bag’s weight and smiled satisfied.

“You’ll block all interruptions, right? You’ve returned home after 11 years; you deserve this luxury, don’t you think?”

She asked.

The manager bowed deeply.

“Our hotel has never refused a guest’s rightful request. We will thoroughly manage so no sound reaches you until you call.”

Adeline deliberately rose and climbed onto the Lion King’s stomach. Seeing her weight, he frowned. She quickly covered his face with her hair and signaled the manager.

“Leave. Don’t disturb us.”

“Understood. Please… enjoy your time.”

She wished he hadn’t said that last part. She hid a smile as he bowed and left.

“Adeline.”

Once the manager left, the Lion King pushed her away. She flopped back onto the soft bed and smiled at him.

“The great warriors of the desert have many wives, right? Shouldn’t a king have thirty wives? Why are you so awkward?”

“I have no wife.”

“Yeah, no wife… what?”

“You’re talking nonsense. Why should a king have many wives?”

“Well… everyone does.”

“One is enough. I can’t even imagine having more.”

He quickly put his shirt back on. She tilted her head, picked up her clothes, and dressed.

While waiting for the auction, they visited the hotel twice more. As Adeline’s coin pouch grew heavier, the manager cleared the entire top floor for them.

The Emperor was very pleased. When her palace’s maintenance funds doubled, then tripled, then quintupled, and finally increased tenfold, Adeline admitted honestly:

The Lion King was a powerful weapon. As long as this beautiful lion was by her side, she could act freely without worrying about anyone.

“Your clothes changed.”

The auction was two days away. Adeline wore a newly ordered dress as the Lion King entered the reception room with the maids guiding him.

“It’s not like the way to the reception room is a maze… you all are so thorough.”

Adeline mocked as the maids smiled slyly and glanced at her.

A strong rose scent filled the air. The maids kindly asked if the Lion King had eaten and what snacks he preferred, but when he reached out to Adeline before sitting, they sighed and stepped back.

“You’re not sincere.”

He said.

The Lion King looked especially handsome today. She thought he only had black combat clothes, but sharp suits suited him well. Although everything was black again.

“What’s not sincere?”

“The reason your maids are nice to me. My heart is beating too loudly to believe it’s genuine.”

Adeline stopped putting on her going-out robe and widened her eyes.

“Really? Isn’t a fast heartbeat a good thing?”

“Sounds like you want to fight.”

“What are you talking about?”

I didn’t even know where or how to begin explaining. How those kids spray expensive perfume because of you, how fiercely they fight over who will guide you every time you come, how they delicately style themselves even though they all wear the same-looking maid uniforms.

Well, that’s none of my business. Adeline took his outstretched hand and started walking.

“What shall we do today?”

“At the hotel?”

“Yes. My father sent a huge amount of gold coins to tempt you. If you want anything, just say so. Even if I don’t know much else, spending my father’s money is quite enjoyable for me.”

They said the underground of Marma Imperial City was like a mountain of gold coins. A golden castle that never diminished no matter how much was spent. If he wanted, Adeline could even have a statue made of gold built in the south.

The maids became more gentle, and her palace became more prosperous all because the Lion King kept coming and going at Adeline’s palace. Even that annoying Richard was scared to come near when the Lion King was around.

“I see. So you’re saying it’s all thanks to me?”

“Reluctantly, yes.”

“In that case, I want something.”

“What is it?”

He rested one hand on the carriage door sill. Once again, she stood under the canopy he made. The glaring sunlight instantly changed to a cool shade.

The Lion King quietly stared at Adeline’s face and finally spoke sincerely.

“Your trust.”

“…You don’t know how to say things indirectly, do you?”

“I told you. I’m ready to do anything to have you. Even if you told me to stand guard here every night, I would. Actually, I’d prefer such a request—it would mean I can keep you close and safe.”

She wanted to open the door and get into the carriage, but he blocked the way with his large body. If she tried to change the subject or avoid him again, she might hear words of resentment.

Adeline had no choice but to look at him and speak.

“You always worry about me. Why is that?”

“That’s obvious.”

“Why?”

“I’ll tell you slowly after you come to me.”

The Lion King finally took his hand off the carriage door sill. This time he lifted her waist high and put her into the carriage, whispering in her ear.

“How much I cherish my person.”

His hot breath brushed her ear. It was a rough, low voice that gave her goosebumps.

Damn it, this guy’s voice is unnecessarily good.

The auction was held in the underground ruins of Sol-Marma.

Among the nobles of Marma, slave auctions were a very old, historic form of entertainment. Written records go back hundreds of years, but scholars believe it existed long before that.

Since it was noble entertainment, trends changed often. Sometimes free warrior slaves sent to the arena fetched the highest prices, sometimes young girls prized by northern barbarians were sold for high sums.

Recently, desert gypsies sold for the highest prices. It was rumored their astrology, once dismissed as superstition, could actually predict the future. A slave who could prophesy—nobles went wild. Especially because the female astrologers who served as guides never married, making them even rarer.

“Welcome!”

As they reached the auction entrance, a clown in a tight, strange suit appeared. He was wearing fresh makeup on face and body, symbolizing Marma’s golden falcon. With a long beak where his mouth should be, flapping wings, he greeted Adeline and the Lion King with exaggerated gestures.

“Precious guests have arrived! Where shall I guide you first?”

The Lion King didn’t respond. Not knowing much about Marma’s culture, he chose silence over awkward acting. Adeline instead smiled arrogantly on his behalf.

“How arrogant, a mere clown.”

“To hear the princess praise me in my life—what an honor!”

The clown laughed loudly.

The nobles of Marma, addicted to formality, ironically enjoyed such outrageous behavior. Here, unknown clowns in strange makeup mocked nobles while guiding them.

She played along just enough.

“Shut up and guide us quickly. Today I intend to gift the Lion King the most precious thing in this auction.”

“The most precious thing… then this way!”

The clown led the way.

Adeline slipped her hand into the Lion King’s arm. Despite the cold, she wore a dress that exposed her shoulders, chest, and back, deliberately pressing her breasts close to his body. All eyes turned to them.

“Adeline.”

“Hm?”

“Goosebumps on your arm.”

The Lion King whispered softly into her ear. To others, it probably looked like a sticky whisper between lovers. She clung to his arm, lifted her foot, and pressed her lips to his earlobe.

“I’m freezing.”

“Hm.”

He shivered and smiled.

“You two look very affectionate.”

Hearing the Lion King’s laughter, the clown looked back and said. Adeline told him to stop nonsense and guide them properly.

The auction was said to start late at night. Nobles of Marma were accustomed to playing from late afternoon till dawn, so that was their most active time.

“This way.”

The underground ruins were well maintained. Artificial vines decorated the old pillars, giving the place a dreamy, fantastical atmosphere. Hot water spouted from fountains, and behind steam was a small waterfall of red wine.

The Lion King said he’d never seen such a luxurious playground. Adeline told him this was nothing.

Walking through a small square and along a long corridor, they whispered continuously. At first awkward, the Lion King soon relaxed as he realized her whispers were no different than usual.

The clown guided them to a large chamber converted into a theater. A stage in the middle, wide sofas and long benches arranged in a circle. They sat side by side on a sofa draped with a red canopy.

“It’s already started! May you claim your desired item.”

The auction began.

The auctioneer, clowns, and those bringing slaves were all clowns. Since they were in full body paint, it was hard to recognize their faces even outside. The Lion King frowned, trying to memorize their faces.

“Killing them one by one won’t end this filthy event. So stop.”

“We can’t just leave it be.”

“Let’s handle it all at once. The opportunity will come.”

He looked toward the stage, tilting his head to meet Adeline’s gaze.

“Do you intend to wipe them out?”

“We can’t leave them be.”

“That doesn’t seem to help what you want to achieve.”

“On the contrary.”

She smiled but only moved her lips.

“It will feel so satisfying. That’s enough.”

“I see.”

There were other reasons, but not yet the time to share. Adeline rested her head on the Lion King’s shoulder and covered herself with the coat he handed her.

“The auction begins!”

A clown decorated with fake feathers appeared and shouted loudly.

The stage was filled with blazing torches and candles. Nobles, drunk, whistled and cheered.

“Before the slave auction, we have a very exciting item for you to sample.”

“What nonsense! We came to buy slaves, not goods!”

“Haha, I know. But you’ll soon change your mind.”

The clown smiled meaningfully and danced forward. He carried a small box with a golden lock. He placed the box on the platform and made elaborate hand gestures as if casting a spell. Then, with a ‘ta-da’ sound, he opened the lid quickly.

“Do you see?”

A small stir broke out among the nobles. The clown lifted a snow-white skull. A dark bruise was visible on the brow, revealing that the owner had been killed by a head injury.

“What’s that?”

A disgruntled noble asked with curiosity.

Obtaining a human skull was nothing to the auction master, but the presence of such a prized item here meant the deceased had been very famous.

The clown grinned and raised the skull high.

“The head of Hugo I!”

The noisy auction house fell silent instantly.

Hugo I.

Adeline couldn’t hide her surprise. Why was the head of Hugo I, who should be resting in the royal tomb, here?

Hugo I was recorded as the king who killed the most people in continental history. Sol-Marma thrived on the corpses he left behind.

To become king, he killed all eight brothers, their mother and wives, and even distant relatives by blood.

The expansion of Marma’s imperial city to a city-scale was his doing. He built the largest arena and the tallest tower in Sol-Marma’s capital. He built the Prosperity Road connecting south to north. Tens of thousands of slaves were sacrificed along the way.

A throne made of the lowest’s blood. Hugo I, who sat on it, must have fallen to hell.

After staring silently at the skull, the Lion King asked Adeline.

“Want to buy it?”

“For what?”

“I thought you’d want it.”

“Just expensive trash.”

Adeline turned her eyes away from the horrible skull.

The auction proceeded smoothly. Aside from Hugo I’s skull being a special item, the rest was no different from a usual slave auction.

Free warriors chained in iron and northern barbarians were sold at high prices. Each time, her heart and throat stung as if pricked by an awl.

“Now, the item you’ve all been waiting for.”

When the atmosphere was getting uncomfortable, the heat in the auction focused on one place. A woman blindfolded in white cloth, with her hands and ankles chained, slowly walked out.

A gypsy.

She showed no signs of injury. Being an expensive slave, she likely hadn’t been starved or beaten.

“Do you know about the mysterious gypsies wandering the Odium Desert? They live in closed groups of a dozen to a hundred. They don’t stay in one place long and travel by following only the stars in the night sky.”

“Enough! We already know that much!”

“Each group has a guide. A leader, prophet, and also…”

“How much?”

“A legendary astrologer called the Mother of All Guides! Everything she says has a reason. Magic power to predict the future! Having a slave with such talent is a kingdom’s envy. Beware, for she may see when you die…”

His theatrical tone, though childish, worked. Nobles greedily rubbed their palms and leaned forward.

“If she’s pretty, I’ll buy her no matter the price.”

Hearing that, the clown grinned and removed the white cloth covering her eyes.

Her hair was cut short like a man’s, fluttering—a fine, curly blonde. Though short hair might be a flaw, the nobles were excited after seeing her eyes.

Her irises were different colors.

“Oh! A very rare slave!”

“I’ll buy her. Fifty thousand gold coins.”

“Nonsense! I’ll buy this gypsy for sure! You already took two!”

“Then bid higher.”

The nobles argued and sized each other up.

Adeline couldn’t take her eyes off the gypsy’s unfocused, blurry eyes since the cloth was removed. The right eye was golden like honey, warm and sweet, the left eye icy cold gray.

The Stargazer.

She moved only her lips and called the gypsy.

Their eyes met. Among the crowd, the Stargazer looked directly at Adeline.

“Three hundred thousand.”

Leaning on the Lion King’s shoulder, her legs resting on his thigh like a child, Adeline raised one hand and spoke.

The auctioneer clown stretched his red lips wide in a creepy smile.

“A VIP has arrived.”

Three hundred thousand gold coins was an enormous sum.

“Since our auction opened, that is the highest bid ever.”

“Sounds like you’ve been selling cheap stuff until now.”

“Hahaha! I dare not mention the VIP’s name…”

“Three hundred thousand. Let the auction continue.”

The auction hall was suddenly silent. The hot atmosphere turned cold. The nobles were shocked to see Adeline, suddenly appearing.

Some could afford more than 300,000, but no one raised their hand. Because she was the princess of this country. Behind Adeline Vita stood the emperor of the thousand-year empire Marma, Hugo VI.

“Oh my… 300,000. Very well.”

The clown smacked his lips and approached Adeline. He held the chain that bound the Stargazer’s wrist like leading an animal. The Lion King’s breathing grew noticeably heavy.

Adeline deliberately stood and took the chain from the clown’s hand.

“Collect payment at the imperial palace.”

“…What?”

“If the finance manager asks, tell him the princess wanted to give the Lion King a precious gift and had to spend this amount.”

She gave a brief smile at the stunned clown and disappeared.

As soon as they got into the carriage and closed all the curtains, that was the first thing they did.

“Let’s go back.”

The Lion King was cutting the chains binding the Stargazer’s wrists. Despite spending such a huge sum to buy a slave, their faces were very dark.

Adeline sat opposite the Stargazer after sealing every window. A small lamp hung from the carriage ceiling, but no one turned it on. They sat quietly in darkness, looking at each other, gathering their thoughts.

Adeline spoke first.

“What’s your name?”

“I have no name.”

“Should I call you Stargazer then?”

“I’m no longer the Stargazer.”

Since being sold to Adeline, the Stargazer had kept a firm expression. It must have been better than being sold to filthy nobles, yet she seemed deeply disappointed.

And Adeline knew why.

“You…”

“Did the Lion King ask you to save me?”

The Stargazer asked the Lion King, but he only shook his head silently. She closed her eyes. Like a martyr about to be sacrificed, she spoke solemnly.

“Please send me back to the auction house.”

“Why?”

“I must return.”

Her tightly shut eyelids trembled. The Stargazer sat silent, turning away from Adeline and the Lion King. Her tightly clenched hands trembled so strongly her knuckles turned white.

She had been ‘kidnapped’ by herself.

Adeline knew this through Ringo.

“What were you going to do going back to the auction? Pretend to be a slave, go rescue the gypsies caught first?”

She said nothing.

“Or… kill that pervert and then kill yourself?”

Adeline asked her one last time.

“I heard the Stargazer is like a life to the gypsies. Even with the traffickers’ skills, it couldn’t have been easy to kidnap you from such a closed group. Right?”

“I…”

“You were caught on purpose?”

The Lion King, who had been listening silently, crossed his arms and leaned forward. His face was stern.

Adeline closed her mouth for a moment and took a breath. What she was about to say must never be heard by others.

“Don’t you know why I brought you here?”

“No.”

“I’m not a kind person, but since I rescued you, I want you to return home safely. Forget about revenge. The greatest revenge in the world is forgiveness… I’m not saying that kind of nonsense. Realistically, you can’t do anything alone, so don’t die pointlessly.”

“Who… exactly are you?”

“So just answer me one thing.”

Adeline ignored the question and instead told what she wanted.

“The southern mastermind behind the human trafficking ring. The hidden power behind the slave auctions. The bastard who sold off a white-haired mother and her nine-year-old daughter nineteen years ago.”

Her voice filled the cramped carriage with a grim tone. The Stargazer stared at Adeline, forgetting even to breathe.

“Give me his name.”

Nothing else mattered. Whether the Stargazer was truly a prophet or not didn’t matter. What Adeline wanted was the name of that bastard.

“Adeline Vita.”

The Stargazer spoke her name. Adeline smiled, looking into her trembling eyes.

“Yes. I’m that poor princess.”

The emperor readily paid the 300,000 gold coins Adeline passed on. It was enough for him to be satisfied that she had become close to the Lion King and bought him an expensive slave.

What an idiot.

Recalling the finance manager who came with a displeased face to collect payment, Adeline smirked crookedly.

By the way, after wandering outside for a while to extract the Stargazer, strange things were happening in her palace. Changes always started in small places.

“Princess. It’s Colin.”

Colin was just the beginning.

Colin, who hadn’t come out of his room for a while, suddenly appeared. The terrible bruises were gradually fading. Previously, he would lower his head or let his hair fall to cover his wounds, but for some reason, now he showed his face fully.

There was more. Perhaps because he was young, things that used to seem a little awkward had settled properly. His voice was calm, his gaze clear. Although he still showed signs of nervousness when meeting Adeline’s eyes, he was quite confident when facing others.

“I’d like to come in.”

Unlike before, when he would enter the bedroom and close the curtains without waiting for Adeline to stand, then check the bathwater as he pleased, Colin now politely asked for permission outside the door.

“More decorations have arrived. The princess’s palace will become even more splendid. The ladies say these are very expensive.”

The most surprising change was this: whatever he had said or done with the maids who came from the Queen’s palace, he no longer noticeably avoided them and was seen socializing frequently.

What was he thinking?

The atmosphere was definitely better, but how should it be interpreted?

“Um… Princess?”

“Yes?”

“Is the Lion King not coming today?”

Colin hesitated as he asked. Watching him carefully, it seemed he had regained some of his old boldness. Colin glanced at the other maids arranging flowers in the parlor.

Ah, so they asked him to ask instead.

Adeline deliberately spoke loudly.

“Ratchi likes fruit scents more than flowers. Like lime or tangerine…”

The maids quickly left the parlor, apparently to reapply their perfume.

Adeline did not know what scent the Lion King liked. Lime was actually her own preference. At least the things she hated should smell good, she thought.

One thing was certain: no matter how much the maids wore nice perfume and hovered around him, that man would never notice what it meant.

“When will he come?”

Colin approached and asked. He was the only one left in the parlor. Adeline lay sideways on the long sofa and replied indifferently.

“He’s not coming.”

“Huh?”

“I said he’s not coming. We never made an appointment.”

Suddenly, there was a loud knock outside, and the door swung open.

“The Lion King has arrived.”

Once again, Richard brought the Lion King upstairs.

Colin, who had confidently said he wouldn’t come today, coughed quietly behind Adeline when he saw him appear like a lie.

“Why did you come?”

Adeline said sharply without thinking, and he chuckled.

This man came and went in Adeline’s palace as if it was his own home. Thanks to him, the parlor was becoming more and more lavish. The tablecloths, curtain decorations, flowers, and candlesticks were changed daily. Adeline had never seen her maids work so diligently. The problem was that he didn’t notice any of it.

The Lion King approached Adeline as soon as he entered the parlor, without sitting down, and held out his hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“There’s somewhere to go.”

Adeline took his hand in surprise and let out a nervous laugh.

Colin quickly prepared the coat. He went into the dress room and returned carrying a hat and shoes used for going out, placed the shoes at Adeline’s feet, and politely stepped back.

The maids who arrived late were the same. They scolded Richard outside the parlor for being in the way, then swarmed in, asking sweetly if they should prepare a meal early since the Lion King was coming back by evening.

The maids smelled of sweet and fresh fruit scent. Lime.

“Wow…”

“Why again?”

“No, even if I tell you, you wouldn’t understand.”

Muttering that, Adeline stood up awkwardly, changed her shoes, and put on the coat.

Colin moved like her hands and feet. He placed the hat on her head, tied the ribbon, and hurriedly went out saying it might rain and that he’d prepare an umbrella in the carriage. As the Lion King took Adeline’s hand and moved, the other maids scattered like a school of fish, clearing the way for them.

Adeline admired and said:

“You must have had an easy life.”

“What?”

“No, let’s go.”

For some reason, he came by carriage. It was a strong-looking Marmar carriage, wherever he got it.

Adeline didn’t expect him to help her get on, since he didn’t know etiquette, so she opened the carriage door herself and lifted her skirt. But the Lion King grabbed her waist firmly with both hands from behind, lifted her up, and put her in the carriage.

The second time.

“Ah!”

The ones who screamed were the maids.

Adeline was dumbfounded, turned back as she got on the carriage, and saw the maids’ flushed faces.

“Why are you like that?”

He asked. Adeline sighed as she looked at his broad shoulders filling the carriage door.

“Let’s go quickly. I suddenly feel tired.”

The carriage started moving, and the two were silent for a moment.

Adeline was examining his face carefully, wanting to understand why her maids liked this man so much. The Lion King was staring at the dress, coat, hat, and ribbons wrapped around her. Anyone watching might have thought they were about to fight.

“Why?”

“Why you?”

They spoke almost simultaneously. He leaned back, telling her to speak first.

“Do you resemble your mother, or your father?”

“What? I wondered what you’d say… I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“I don’t know who my father is. My mother had brown hair and brown eyes. Since I don’t look like her, I must resemble my father… but my mother had several husbands, so no one knows who my biological father is.”

He said that with a completely serious face. Adeline blinked wide-eyed, unsure what to say. He chuckled and added an explanation.

“My mother was a tribe chief. She had about twelve husbands.”

“Wow.”

“I hear she’s still living well at the edge of the desert, with a young man who might be one of her husbands.”

“Damn, I should have been born in the desert.”

Adeline murmured with envy, and the Lion King laughed heartily.

“You could never be a tribe chief.”

“Why not?”

“Once a year, you have to fight challengers and win continuously. Only strong warriors who can protect the tribe qualify as chiefs.”

It was primitive but effective. In a desert with frequent battles between tribes, it must have been necessary. She nodded, trying to understand his feelings.

“So that’s why you said one wife is enough? Because you grew up not knowing who your father was?”

“What? No.”

“Then why?”

He looked utterly puzzled.

“Because I’m a king, my wife must be one. Even if I’m a first-time king, I know the basics, so don’t test me with strange words. A king is supposed to be an example to his people. If such a man has multiple wives and breaks the hearts of this one and that one, what kind of example is that? A leader must be strong but also have a respectable character.”

It was an unexpected reason. Adeline was so taken aback she lost words. Among all the royalty that exists or existed on this continent, how many actually live by such words?

Adeline managed to move her stiff lips.

“So you were a model student.”

“You were a delinquent, weren’t you?”

“No, I wasn’t!”

When she looked at him indignantly, the Lion King laughed like air leaking from a tire.

Leaning back in his chair, resting his head on a finger tilted to one side, his deep green eyes blinked slowly. His eyelashes were sandy-colored like his hair — pale in color, but intense and thick. His deep eyes and eyebrows were the same.

Amusingly, at the moment he blinked, Adeline seemed to understand why her maids so admired this man.

Humans dream of untamable nature. Even knowing they can never possess it, they want to touch it and don’t know what to do. Whether it’s a stormy sea, a cloud-covered mountain peak, or a cruel yet beautiful wild animal.

This man was similar. Rough and beautiful.

While she was thinking this, the carriage left the royal forest and entered the outskirts of the capital. Small hills and well-kept woods formed a magnificent scene.

“Where is this?”

“My home.”

It was a huge mansion where the Lion King and his men stayed.

He had received a house in the capital as a gift when he came to Marmar at the emperor’s invitation. As soon as Adeline heard that, even before getting off the carriage, she could picture what kind of place it was — probably very old, luxurious, extravagant, and spacious.

He opened the door first and jumped down. There was no butler or guards at the entrance. The carriage was parked deep inside the garden, and they got down at the building’s entrance.

“Nice house.”

“Is it? There’s too much useless stuff. Like your clothes.”

“Oh? What’s there?”

“A dress exhibition room, jewelry exhibition room, ornamental sword exhibition room, tea room, liquor room, nap room… and the parlor, living room, and reception room are all separate.”

Adeline became very curious how he used so many rooms.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“The astrologer wants to see you.”

He opened the door with one hand.

“She says she won’t speak unless it’s you.”

The astrologer wore loose men’s indoor clothes, too big for her small frame. The shirt reached her knees and her pants were rolled up awkwardly.

She was brewing tea with boiling water when Adeline entered without knocking. The astrologer blinked with her two differently colored eyes and stared at Adeline for a long time. Then suddenly knelt.

“Princess Adeline.”

It was strange. The room was filled with the sharp scent of tea, and slanted sunlight poured through the large window.

The astrologer’s face was expressionless like the first time they met, but her clearer eyes showed an indescribable heat. She bowed low with both palms on the floor.

“What is this about?”

Adeline asked. The Lion King who followed her looked confused too. The astrologer didn’t lift her head but said:

“Princess Adeline, I dare ask you something.”

“What?”

“I hope you will answer.”

“So, what is it?”

“Do you wish to become queen?”

“What?”

Her breath caught.

Adeline couldn’t answer and stopped walking. The Lion King did the same. She knew he might reach for the sword on his back, but she said nothing.

Tense silence filled the tea-scented room.

“Please answer.”

“I knew from the start that you took your life lightly… but I never thought you’d take mine so lightly.”

“Please answer.”

“The star’s prophecy? That I intend to become queen?”

Absolutely not. She hated kings. She loathed royalty. The royals she knew were all hypocrites and cruel murderers. A snake grows under the king’s tongue, poison boils in his belly. The thought made her heart boil with rage.

“Please answer.”

The astrologer was stubborn. She didn’t move a bit in her prostrated pose, as if she would die without an answer, even before the Lion King’s sword.

“A mysterious prophet, but you wag your tongue like a venomous snake. You are no different from a swindler who lies to fish for information.”

Adeline hated such people — those blindly believing what they thought was true. Whatever the astrologer saw inside her, she was wrong. Terribly wrong.

“Listen well. I’ll tell you.”

She crouched before the astrologer and clasped her hands. Then she spoke honestly.

“I will kill them all.”

It was a grim resolution forced out through clenched teeth. A wish festering inside her, rotten to the core. A wish she would die if she couldn’t fulfill.

“The ones who captured and sold me and my mother, those drooling over the prices there, the ones involved in my mother’s brutal murder… I will kill them all, without leaving a single one alive. I will tear their limbs apart and gouge out their eyes. Understand?”

“Your Highness.”

“If they beg for mercy, I’ll cut out their tongues and throw them in the fire. If they try to escape, I’ll cut off their ankles. So no child can cry again begging for mercy, and no mother can fight to protect her child. I’ll drag them to hell to suffer forever.”

“Your Highness…”

“That’s what I will do.”

This was her first vow of revenge.

Adeline’s mother was a beautiful woman. Diligent, working day and night sewing to feed her children while hiding in a remote mountain village. But her shining silver hair and beautiful face had brought great tragedy upon them.

“Slave hunters saw the mother and daughter who looked exactly alike and thought: if we sell them together, we’ll make double or triple… or even more gold coins. I still remember. At that underground ruins’ auction, your mother cried endlessly in the middle of the hall.”

Her mother begged to spare the child, begging with hands and feet, kneeling and bowing her head. She said she would do anything if only they would not take the child.

Adeline was nine years old then.

“I remember everything.”

The grief and helplessness. The little girl could do nothing. Not even soothe her mother.

She was scared.

“There is no god in this world. If there were, I would kill it.”

Her face reflected in the astrologer’s eyes. A very familiar face. A witch without blood or tears. An expressionless face armed with murderous intent. At times like this, her pale hair and cold blue-violet eyes helped a bit.

The astrologer lifted her head slightly, still prostrate.

“What will you do after killing them all? More will rise against you, trying to hurt you. Will you kill them all too? What will remain in your hands after killing and killing? Relief? Is that what you really want?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I understand your desire for revenge. But they also have families and loved ones. Your method creates more victims. Are you sure you want to bear that burden?”

Adeline didn’t know what prophecy the astrologer had received. But she could guess faintly.

“How funny. You who came to the auction house to take the gypsies’ revenge say that? I want to ask you: didn’t the ones you tried to kill have families too?”

“Your Highness.”

“If you hesitate because of guilt, step back now. No one will blame you.”

Adeline shook her skirt and stood up, looking around the room. The Lion King offered her a chair. He had said nothing during their brief argument and guarded the entrance.

Adeline sat in the chair on the opposite side of the window as he led her. The astrologer carefully stood and approached, holding a piece of paper.

“Please take this.”

“What is it?”

“Maps of the southern bases of the human trafficking ring.”

It was a map — a detailed map of southern Marmar. Adeline couldn’t hide her surprise as she held it.

“It was made from information secretly gathered by slaves who risked death. Of course, we know some names. Although we haven’t found the big boss in the south you want, by tracing these names, you will eventually reach him.”

Most bases marked were on the outskirts of southern cities. It showed their scale, routes, and where they trafficked humans in detail. This was not a map made in a tea break — at least half a day’s work.

Adeline stood up holding the map. The astrologer looked at her challengingly.

“Please let me join your revenge.”

“You planned this from the start.”

“I wanted to hear your resolve.”

Adeline would have slapped the cheek of this cheeky astrologer before. But thinking the astrologer was obsessed enough to memorize and draw such a detailed map, she couldn’t do that. This woman had her own reasons.

That was why she asked if she wanted to become queen — to find out if this was a personal revenge or if she was trying to use her for rebellion.

“You nurtured a monster.”

Adeline folded the map neatly and put it in her pocket.