Chapter 2: The Pretty Slave

Chapter 2: The Pretty Slave

All done, Miss!

Thank you, Sasha.

Once out of my pajamas, I headed straight for the dining room, where Father was waiting.

The large table in the dining room was filled with extravagant dishes.

A premium steak exuding the savory smell of charcoal, a freshly grilled turkey billowing with steam, even refreshing herbal tea to wash them all down

Staring down at the food, I sat in the chair opposite Father, who was beaming at me, and I opened up a conversation.

Father, I think this is too much food.

Today isnt an ordinary day. Its the day you, Aren, were born. This is the least we could prepare.

My father replied with a pleased smile. Seeing my fathers smile, which I thought I would never see again, made my eyes well up.

Eat all you want, Aren. And tell me if you need anything else.

Yes, Father.

Why are your eyes so red? Are you feeling ill?

Ive just managed to come back, so I shouldnt worry Father like this. Shaking my head, I picked up a piece of steak and shoved it into my mouth.

Ill? Im perfectly healthy, Father.

Well, thats a relief, but

Wow! This meat is so delicious! The chef must have put in extra effort today.

It was only when I ate another piece of steak that my father finally seemed to relax and started eating.

My father, who had been silently eating the grilled turkey, held a teacup filled with herbal tea in his hand as he asked me,

Do you want anything for your birthday? I bought various gifts, like jewels or dresses, but I dont know if youll like them.

When did you ever give me a gift I didnt like, Father?

Haha! How much youve grown, saying such mature things.

Fathers happy laughter filled the dining room. Now that Father was in a good mood, I decided to bring up the main subject.

Actually, Father, there is one thing I want for my birthday.

Anything you wish.

Could I really say anything? No, I had to. So that I would never lose this peace again.

However, what I want isnt an object but a person.

A person?

Yes.

Father, who blinked several times at my words, opened his mouth as if something came to his mind.

Dont tell me, do you have someone you are in love with?

Father brought the teacup he was holding to his mouth, about to take a sip. I opened my mouth again to correct his assumption.

No, I want a younger brother.

-Pfut!

Father spat out the tea he was drinking when he heard what I said. As a result, I, who was sitting right across from him, was thoroughly baptized by his saliva.

A-Aren? A younger brother? What does that mean? Are you asking your father to remarry..

No. You dont have to do that.

I wiped off Fathers spit with a napkin and continued talking.

I plan to bring the younger brother myself.

What What does that mean? You will bring a younger brother I cant understand what youre saying at all.

Father leaned back in his chair and wrapped both his hands around his forehead. He seemed quite flustered, and his hands were shaking noticeably.

Father, do you trust me?

In response to my question, Father lowered his hands from his forehead and looked at me. As if weighing the gravity of my words, Father squinted his eyes a little, then soon loosened his expression and responded.Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

The only person I trust in this world is you.

..

So I would appreciate it if my smart daughter explained what exactly she meant. Im very confused as to why you suddenly declared an adoption of a younger brother.

Despite how strange it sounded, Father was trying to understand me. That was even more the reason I couldnt tell him the truth.

How could I tell my precious father that, In the future that Ive seen, you died on the battlefield, and I was used by my fianc and was stabbed in the heart by him.

I couldnt say it, regardless of whether he would believe me or not. After all, even I dont know how I had returned to the past.

So what I told my father was pure deceit. However, even if it meant deceiving my father, I wanted to live with him for the rest of my life.

It was only after I died that I realized how precious this small peace really was. I dont care if someone blames me for being selfish.

I gave a vague reply to Sasha with a smile and prepared to board the carriage, marked with our familys symbol of a white eagle. Before I got into the carriage, the coachman asked me for our destination.

Where are you going today, Miss?

Take me to the stadium where the gladiator tournament is being held.

The gladiator stadium, you say?

I heard theres a famous gladiator stadium in the outer region. Since today is my birthday, I thought it would be interesting to watch a slave gladiator match.

Ah, understood.

The coachman seemed a little surprised, but he quickly drove off without a word. Once inside the carriage, I gazed at the scenery outside, then closed my eyes for a bit.

After who knows how long, I was awakened by the coachmans voice,

Miss, wake up. Weve arrived at our destination.

Escorted by the coachman, I got off the carriage.

The moment I stepped out, I was greeted by a multitude of people who had gathered to watch the gladiator tournament. Most of the spectators were commoners, but I also saw a few nobles scattered about.

Fortunately, I didnt see any members of the imperial family, including the Crown Prince.

I breathed a sigh of relief and pushed through the crowd to approach the ticket booth. At that point, one of the people in line shouted at me in an annoyed voice,

Hey, whats this? Dont cut in line!

Ignoring the mans complaint, I spoke to the ticket seller,

Ill pay enough, so guide me to the best viewing spot.

Y-yes, maam!

Im sorry for cutting in line, so pay for everyone elses tickets too.

Everyones?

Yes, everyones.

Then the earlier complaints directed at me were quieted by my words.

After all, money was abundant in our family. This little expense was nothing if it meant acquiring Cassadin as my younger brother.

Thanks to the healing ability inherited by those of the Serkia bloodline, our family has accumulated considerable wealth for generations.

Of course, the fact that our family possessed healing abilities was a closely guarded secret known only to the imperial family. After all, it was no secret that the power would be exploited if it was revealed to anyone else.

When a member of the imperial family suffered a fatal injury that no doctor could treat, it was the Serkia familys job to help out.

In return for the imperial family monopolizing our healing abilities, our family received their protection. It was a mutually beneficial relationship, so there was nothing bad about it.

However, in my past life, I broke our unspoken rule with the imperial family and revealed our familys secret to Damian. All for the sake of dumb love

Thinking back on it now, it was truly foolish.

I carelessly showed off my healing ability to him and was exploited by him until the moment I died.

I will not repeat such stupid mistakes again. Thats why Ive come here to take in Cassadin as my brother.

Then I hurried to the seat the ticket seller directed me to.

Here you are, my lady. The seat is shaded from the sun, and above all, you will have a great view of the games.

The place the ticket seller guided me to was the only place in the stadium that had a tent and spacious seats.

It was indeed the best view, probably because of the large sum of money I paid.

Taking a seat, I slowly surveyed the stadium.

I could see that there were a large number of people in the large circle of the stadiums seats from a short glance.

The people sitting diagonally across from me were talking so loudly that I could hear them from this distance.

Hes coming out again this time. Good.

Who are you talking about?

The one at the end there, the pale guy. Hes the one that I came here to see today.

Are you talking about that ashy, pale slave?

Yes. He looks pretty, but hes a good fighter. I dare say that more than half of the audience here came to see him just like me.

The man pointed to the center of the stadium with his chin.

Following his gesture to the middle of the stadium were the slave gladiators, who were standing in a row as they faced the scorching sun with heavy shackles on their hands and feet.

Among the gladiators, which easily numbered more than ten, I immediately knew who the man was pointing to.

Among the tanned, muscular slave gladiators, there was one person who didnt look like a slave gladiator at all.

One man had a strange aura surrounding him. His skin was pale enough to make me think he was immune to sunlight.

Cassadin.

At almost the same time I mumbled Cassadins name to myself, he raised his bowed head.

His deep purple eyes, which revealed nothing about him, met mine in the air.