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Prologue
The Slave Is Too Handsome!
The feeling of having obtained everything—well, it was strangely numb, more than expected.
Why was that? Eloise couldn’t shake the feeling that she had left something important behind.
The imperial princess, who had the vast empire beneath her feet, stood on the terrace of the imperial palace with a somewhat bored expression.
“Master.”
At the soft voice of a man, Eloise naturally turned her head.
Lucian, dressed in an exquisite formal robe layered with a thick cloak, looked every bit like a born emperor. Of course, no matter how splendid his clothes were, compared to Lucian’s beauty, they still felt almost modest.
Shimmering golden hair, a refined face, deep eyes, and a high-bridged nose. His tall frame, broad shoulders, and well-built body radiated an aura that no one could easily approach.
No sculpture, no painting could ever be more perfect than Lucian.
“I’ve been looking for you all this time, Master.”
As Lucian, who had just ascended to the throne, walked slowly toward her, a smile spread across Eloise’s previously expressionless face.
Master, huh. How long had it been since she last heard that word?
Eloise suddenly recalled the day she first met him.
When they first met, Eloise was a princess of the empire’s most prestigious noble house, and Lucian was, quite literally, a lowly slave.
Lucian had tried to run away from Eloise many times, dismissing her childish dream of turning a slave into the emperor of the empire. In the end, however, he had taken her hand.
Until he reached this place, he had been her diligent disciple, loyal subordinate, good friend, and at times… yes, let’s stop there. Personal feelings needed to be put in order.
After many twists and turns, Lucian had become the emperor of the empire for her sake.
Seeing Lucian now, finally a proper emperor, Eloise felt the emptiness in her heart begin to fill.
“Congratulations, Lucian. You’ve finally become emperor.”
Standing right before him, Eloise said it with a dazzling smile.
And soon, it would be goodbye.
Swallowing the rest of her words, Eloise gracefully extended her hand to the young emperor.
Lucian took her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world and kissed the back of it. Then, as if stamping ownership, he pressed his lips more deeply before slowly pulling away, gazing at her.
“As expected, your congratulations are the most pleasant to hear, Eloise.”
“The ceremonial robes suit you well.”
“Master, there’s something I want as a celebration gift.”
“Say anything. I’ll grant it.”
“Really?”
At her words, Lucian tilted the corner of his mouth into a playful smile. For some reason, Eloise felt a brief chill.
“There’s only one thing I want.”
“……”
“You, Eloise.”
At the emperor’s sweet words, Eloise’s face stiffened. She roughly pulled her hand away from Lucian’s grasp.
“That’s not what we agreed on.”
“What can I do? I’ve changed my mind.”
Contrary to his apologetic tone, there was not a trace of remorse on Lucian’s face.
With an unyielding expression that showed no intention of taking back his decision, Lucian captured Eloise’s lips. Her eyes, widened in shock, soon fluttered shut.
This bastard…!
Lucian knew very well what her weakness was.
His strong arm supported Eloise’s waist. Unlike his firm grip, his kiss was gentle and sweet—impossibly so, to the point she couldn’t refuse it.
Eloise’s arms naturally wrapped around Lucian’s neck. Through their slightly parted lips, she could hear a faint chuckle from him.
Eloise realized something had gone terribly wrong. And strangely enough, her heart began to race.
Miscalculated predictions, unsolved mysteries, and tangled situations no one had ever unraveled—Eloise very much liked correcting things like that.
