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Episode 1
“Here, a top-quality slave that was very difficult to obtain. He’s a virgin, too. Who wants him?”
The ruler of the Kingdom of Baral, Sultan Faisad, threw out a topic that was sure to cause conflict among his children, speaking in an almost sing-song voice.
The eyes of the princes and princesses gleamed with obsession and desire as they looked at the top-quality slave.
A virgin?
My goodness, look at that face. He looks like a god descended from heaven.
The beautiful young man had black hair and mysterious purple eyes. His face looked as though he had only just grown out of boyhood, so pretty that someone might mistake him for a girl.
When he flashed a bright smile, people all around the room swallowed hard. Even the royals, who had grown up surrounded by every kind of rare treasure, had never seen such a beautiful living being before.
Oh, you foolish humans…
But the seventh princess, Haran, could only sigh inwardly while trying not to reveal her expression.
That guy is the mastermind who’s going to kill all of you. Get a grip.
What role had she reincarnated into?
Haran Parpala was the beloved daughter of the Sultan, the girl who obtained the mastermind and then had her head chopped off by her jealous siblings long before the story ended.
So all she could do was keep her mouth shut and watch the situation unfold.
As Haran grew up, she gradually regained the memories of her previous life.
This world was the setting of an R-rated dark romance novel with a bittersweet ending that twisted the usual cliché of the heroine ending up with the male lead.
The mastermind, Lucius, who commanded demons like servants, drifted into the Kingdom of Baral as a slave shortly before the main story began, simply because he was bored.
Then he destroyed the kingdom through manipulation, schemes, and deception before leaving.
“Is there no one?”
At Sultan Faisad’s question, the princes and princesses all bowed their heads politely as if declining.
Showing greed too openly could earn the Sultan’s displeasure.
“It seems everyone already has enough slaves. Ah, that’s right. Our youngest daughter doesn’t have a single slave in her palace, does she? He’s pretty enough. If she takes him around with her, it’ll help her keep up appearances among those lofty priests.”
The question of “Who wants him?” had been a setup from the very beginning.
The Sultan had always intended to naturally gift the top-quality slave to Haran.
He always wanted to give Haran everything without holding back. It was affection that had continued from the favor he once showed her late father, who had been one of his consorts.
Immediately, jealous looks were directed at her.
Unlike in the original story, Haran had abandoned the luxurious life of royalty and chosen the path of becoming a priest.
All for this moment.
All for this answer.
“Mother, I cannot accept a slave. I have abandoned worldly desires and devote myself only to the Lord Aster.”
Lucius’s eyes immediately turned toward Haran.
Not wanting to look directly at a face beautiful enough to captivate anyone, Haran lowered her gaze slightly.
“Ha ha! What a wonderful child my youngest is. To think you’d give such an answer. You’ve already grown up so much. Hearing that you won’t accept a gift almost makes this mother sad.”
Faisad laughed heartily.
At that moment, the fifth princess, Visenna, stepped forward.
“I ask that the beloved Sultan grant Princess Visenna permission to speak.”
Only Haran was allowed to call the Sultan “Mother.”
Visenna hated Haran because of that obvious favoritism.
Though it’s not like any of my siblings like me.
Still, Visenna was especially bad.
If the dazzlingly beautiful Haran was called the Jewel of the Kingdom, then Visenna was known as a pure flower.
Haran had silky white wavy hair, transparent pink eyes, and a curvy figure.
Visenna had straight black hair like ebony, dark turquoise eyes, and a delicate body.
Who was more beautiful?
The two princesses were constantly compared by gossipers and wandering bards.
“Princess Visenna, speak.”
The Sultan’s tone was noticeably colder than when he spoke to Haran.
“One of the slaves who attended me in my bedchamber fell ill with a fever and died a few days ago. He was also a top-quality slave, making him difficult for me to replace. His place has remained empty ever since. Since I have no way to comfort my lonely nights, I request that this slave be given to me.”
Visenna bowed deeply.
Haran sneered inwardly.
The sleeping arrangements of royalty were considered extremely important in the kingdom.
Someone like Visenna would have already known that the Sultan had obtained a top-quality slave.
Yet she was pretending otherwise.
Still, if Lucius becomes Visenna’s slave, it’ll be easy to drive him out of the kingdom using a prophecy as an excuse.
Visenna had caused numerous incidents with strange alchemy experiments and had often been severely scolded by the Sultan.
If Haran, a priest of the Aster faith, gave an ominous prophecy regarding Visenna, the Sultan would usually have no choice but to listen.
Sultan Faisad rested an arm on his throne and supported his chin elegantly.
Then he suddenly put on an exaggerated look of surprise.
“Oh! Haran! Come to think of it, you haven’t had your first night yet, have you?”
This was a public place.
Attendants were present.
A royal scribe was recording every word the Sultan said.
Haran nearly blushed from embarrassment, but she endured it with superhuman effort.
“Yes, not yet.”
“Tsk, tsk. It’s been quite a while since your first menstruation. This mother must not have paid enough attention to you. Visenna, just this once, you must yield to your younger sister. I’ll obtain another slave for you later. Surely you wouldn’t allow some worn-out slave to share your sister’s first night?”
In the Kingdom of Baral, the more pure a slave was, the more valuable they were.
“Of course not.”
Visenna bit her lip.
She had spent almost her entire life yielding things to Haran.
And now it was “just this once” again.
How many more “just this once” moments would she have to endure?
Lucius yawned as he waited for the situation to end.
Even though he was idly playing with his feet right in front of the royal family, the attendants managing the slaves left him alone.
Top-quality slaves were allowed such behavior.
Their faces and bodies were treasures that could not be damaged.
Ah, I really want him.
How could someone be so beautiful?
And a virgin, too!
Just imagining the smooth pale skin hidden beneath the silk clothes decorated with golden tassels—the outfit slaves wore when being presented to royalty—was enough to make someone drool.
But the Sultan seemed determined to give the slave to Haran no matter what excuse he had to use.
Jealousy blazed in Visenna’s eyes.
Meanwhile, Haran’s expression only darkened further.
She couldn’t reject the Sultan’s offer twice.
Her soft pink lips pressed together and then relaxed.
“I ask that the beloved Sultan grant Princess Haran permission to speak.”
“I told you to call me Mother. My youngest daughter doesn’t need permission to speak to me.”
That favoritism is exactly why everyone hates me.
Haran screamed internally.
“Yes, Mother. Since everyone seems bored, why don’t we have some fun deciding the slave’s owner through a wager?”
“A wager?”
“Visenna and I will each put up something precious to us. Then we’ll ask the slave which of us he wishes to spend the night with. Whoever becomes his master gets the slave, but must hand over the item they wagered.”
“Hm… That sounds entertaining. Go ahead.”
The Sultan leaned forward with interest.
Perfect!
In the original novel, the heroine whom Lucius developed a twisted love for was the pure and delicate flower-like type, just like Visenna.
If Lucius was allowed to choose, there was a high chance he would pick Visenna.
Visenna, who was generally more popular with the opposite sex than Haran, immediately looked pleased with herself.
She straightened her shoulders proudly and tossed back her glossy black hair.
“That’s a good idea, Haran. I’ll wager a bolt of silk woven from cocoon threads raised by the barbarian shamans of Sol for a thousand years. What will you wager?”
A mocking smile tugged at Visenna’s lips.
It was obvious she thought Haran was stupid.
As a royal who had given up nearly all her possessions, Haran didn’t have any famous treasures she could offer.
But as a priest, she did.
“Would a single Firebird feather be equal to your silk?”
“A… a Firebird?”
Visenna’s eyes widened.
The other princes and princesses looked equally shocked.
What kind of creature was a Firebird?
It was regarded as the pet of the god Aster and was so rare that only three existed in the kingdom’s temple.
Even more importantly, its feathers could only be obtained during the few brief seconds when the bird died and was reborn.
Everyone desired them because they were ingredients in the legendary elixir of immortality.
They could also be used as a source of fire when needed.
They were treasures whose value greatly exceeded Visenna’s silk.
Though it pained her to part with it, this was the only item Haran possessed that could match Visenna’s wager.
Since she had proposed the game herself, she had to uphold the dignity of royalty.
“To think you possess a Firebird feather. Impressive. As expected of my little sister, Haran.”
A trace of sarcasm colored Visenna’s voice.
“Now then, top-quality slave. Tell us. Which of us would you choose as the partner for your first night?”
Interest filled Lucius’s purple eyes.
The dangerous smile on his lips left the princes and princesses completely mesmerized.
Haran deliberately made the ugliest face she could while waiting for his answer.
At last, Lucius’s beautiful lips parted.
