Chapter 10 …

The Slave Is Too Handsome!

It was a peaceful morning at the Duke’s estate.

From early in the day, Lucian stood in the salon with his arms crossed, leaning crookedly against the wall. As usual, his lips were sticking out in a sulky pout, as though something displeased him.

A beautiful piano melody filled the salon.

Tall windows lined the walls at regular intervals, and the bright sunlight streaming through them illuminated the room even further.

Seated before a polished grand piano in one corner, Eloise gracefully played an étude with elegant hands.

At first, Lucian looked indifferent, as though he had no interest in music whatsoever. Yet before long, he gradually found himself absorbed in the sound of the piano.

He couldn’t tell whether he had been enchanted by the sweet melody or by Eloise herself, weaving that melody with her slender white fingers.

One thing was certain.

He had become so engrossed in the music that he didn’t even hear the applause that followed when the piece ended.

Clap clap clap clap clap.

As the performance ended on a lively note, Mary, who was standing beside Lucian, applauded enthusiastically.

How can Miss be good at absolutely everything?!

Then Mary glanced at Lucian.

As always, he stood like a statue against the wall.

When Mary lightly smacked his arm, Lucian reluctantly joined in and gave a few halfhearted claps.

“Well? How was it?”

“It was a performance that touched the heart, Miss.”

Mary dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her apron, pretending to wipe away tears.

Eloise rose from her seat and turned her gaze toward Lucian.

“…Well, it wasn’t bad.”

Mary immediately glared at him, fire blazing in her eyes.

Lucian deliberately ignored her stare.

Eloise chuckled.

After observing him for several days, she had realized that a comment like that was practically praise coming from Lucian.

“Not bad, right? You could probably play something like this in no time too, couldn’t you?”

“Hah. You seriously think that’s possible?”

As Lucian let out a deep sigh, Mary finally exploded.

As Eloise’s devoted maid, she stretched out an arm and pointed accusingly at the ill-mannered man.

“Miss! Why is this man speaking informally to you? It’s been bothering me for a while now! Does being handsome excuse everything?”

“Mary. Calm down. There’s a reason for it.”

“What reason could possibly justify that, Miss?!”

In the end, Eloise explained the situation and soothed Mary before sending her outside.

Mary was one of the few people who knew about Eloise’s grand plan.

‘You understand, right? Your role in this plan is very important, Mary. Gather as much information about Lucian as possible. Anything at all. Use whatever means necessary.’

After being driven out of the salon, Mary calmed herself by recalling Eloise’s words from several days ago.

Right. Even that damned guy speaking informally must be part of Miss’s plan.

Only the two of them remained in the salon.

Lucian secretly watched Eloise’s reaction.

He had forgotten that they were only supposed to speak informally when they were alone, and had ended up doing so in front of Mary.

For some reason, that bothered him.

Eloise herself, however, appeared completely unconcerned.

“What are you doing? Come over here already.”

Having returned to the piano bench, Eloise tapped the empty space beside her.

Since the commotion had started because of him, Lucian couldn’t exactly complain.

Dragging his feet, he walked over and sat beside Eloise.

The small bench became completely crowded.

As a result, Lucian’s body ended up pressed right against hers.

The sensation felt strangely unfamiliar.

His face is pretty enough, but he’s really huge.

Eloise glanced sideways at Lucian.

Because they were sitting so close together, she could clearly see his long eyelashes.

For a moment, he overlapped in her mind with an angel from a painting by a famous artist—or perhaps a perfectly sculpted Agrippa statue.

“Aren’t we having a lesson?”

When Eloise simply sat there in a daze, Lucian turned his head to look at her.

Eloise naturally shifted her gaze to the piano and answered casually.

“We are. Go ahead and place your right hand on the keys.”

Following her instructions, Lucian placed his right hand on the keyboard.

“That’s right. Don’t curl your hand up like that. Press any key.”

Lucian pressed down with his thumb.

A C note rang out.

Eloise began patiently explaining the scales.

Lucian listened in silence.

Or rather, he pretended to listen.

His attention was elsewhere entirely.

The person occupying all of his thoughts sat beside him, speaking while looking over the sheet music.

She’s even smaller up close.

The hand pressing the keys, her slender body—everything about Eloise was small.

Her gentle voice sounded almost like a tiny baby bird whispering.

“…”

Eloise suddenly stopped explaining.

It was obvious that Lucian was lost in thought.

He didn’t even seem to realize she had stopped talking.

Finally, Eloise abruptly grabbed the hand he had carelessly left resting on the keyboard.

Only then did the haze leave Lucian’s blue eyes.

“Don’t you think you’re a little too casual about grabbing someone’s hand?”

Startled, Lucian tried to pull his large hand from her small grasp.

But Eloise refused to let go so easily.

Eventually, Lucian was the first to relax his strength.

“Why? Are you nervous?”

Eloise tilted her head playfully and smiled.

Lucian immediately put on a serious face.

Then he pulled his hand away with renewed force.

Eloise added,

“It’d be troublesome if you fell for me, Lucian.”

“Who would? Me? Fall for a young lady like you?”

A scoff escaped Lucian’s lips.

His head tilted crookedly as well.

With his arms crossed, he looked down at Eloise.

Eloise met his gaze without avoiding it.

“You probably already know this, but I’m the most popular young lady in high society. So I can understand if someone falls for me…”

“Just so you don’t get the wrong idea, you’re completely outside my type. I prefer someone more mature, kind, and grown-up—”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

After interrupting each other once apiece, the two exchanged sharp looks.

Cutting off Lucian’s words, Eloise spoke firmly.

“During lessons, you’ll address me respectfully as Teacher.”

“…?”

“If you don’t, I’ll kill—”

“Alright, alright. I got it.”

Lucian replied as though soothing a child.

That temper of hers. The moment something displeases her, she immediately threatens to kill someone.

Anyone seeing her would think she was a street thug rather than a noble young lady.

“Then say it.”

Hoo…

Lucian sighed inwardly before answering weakly.

“…Teacher.”

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

Lucian glared at the smiling Eloise.

She paid no attention, merely tucking her beautiful hair behind her ear and pretending she still couldn’t hear him.

In the end, Lucian spoke in a stiff voice.

“Teacher.”

“Good. Then let’s continue.”

Only then did Eloise beam with satisfaction and play a simple melody with her right hand.

Completely unaware of what was going through Lucian’s mind.

Fine. Do whatever you want.

I’m leaving anyway.

Lucian was desperately searching for a way to contact his companions.

Once he managed to get word to them, escaping this place would be easy.

Yeah. So let’s just endure it until then.

Playing along with a noble lady isn’t exactly difficult.

Once he reached that conclusion, even the simple melody he was practicing began to sound cheerful.

A sudden question crossed Lucian’s mind.

If he vanished overnight one day—

What kind of expression would this woman make?

Late at night, Frederick wandered through the back alleys.

“First, go see that slave trader again.”

“Tell him to reveal everything he knows about Lucian.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“He might lie. If necessary, you have permission to threaten him—or do worse.”

“As you command.”

Frederick was carrying out the secret orders Eloise had given him.

The entrance to the slave trader’s shop was deliberately difficult to find.

The boundary between the wall and the door was cleverly concealed, ensuring that only those who knew where to look could discover it.

Perhaps because it was his second visit, Frederick found the entrance without difficulty.

“Please wait a moment.”

Recognizing him, an employee immediately guided him to the reception room.

While Frederick sat on the sofa waiting, a scream suddenly echoed through the building.

A scream so sharp it sounded as though someone’s lungs were being torn apart.

Frederick instinctively checked the sword at his waist and rushed toward the source of the sound.

At the end of a dark corridor, he spotted a room with its door standing open.

It appeared to be the slave trader’s office.

The employee who had just greeted him was collapsed on the floor.

The man’s face was frozen with terror, as though he had witnessed something unspeakable.

“What’s happened?!”

Stepping into the office, Frederick found himself unable to continue speaking.

“W-Who would do something like this…?”

The employee’s voice trembled violently.

The slave trader lay sprawled across his desk, mouth hanging open.

His mouth and chin were covered in dark red blood he had vomited.

A longsword was embedded in his brutally mutilated abdomen.

In short—

The slave trader had been murdered.

Unlike the deathly pale employee, Frederick let out a deep sigh first.

This was a disaster.

There were things he needed to hear from the man.

And the dead, after all, tell no tales.