(69) I wanted to live. (5)
Ariana raised her head and stared at Lanster. Lanster, as always, was looking down at Ariana with a blank expression.
“I want to go.”
“There’s nothing in this alley.”
“How do you know that?”
“I know. So you should go back.”
“Still...”
“No.”
“Wait a minute...”
“No. I can’t let the Princess into a dangerous place.”
Lanster was as stubborn as his loyal eyes. Ariana bit her lower lip and looked up at him again.
“Are you sure I can’t? I really want to go.”
Lanster’s eyes narrowed. He studied Ariana’s face and asked,
“Do you know what’s here?”
Ariana debated whether to be honest or lie, then decided.
“There’s a slave market.”
Lanster narrowed his brows.
“Since you know...”
“I’m curious. What kind of place is it? And if there’s anything I can help you with.”
"Princess. Slaves are lowly creatures with vicious natures. I've seen them betray, even when you show them kindness. A cunning slave can even exploit their master's weaknesses."
"I'm not looking to buy a slave. I just want to know what the atmosphere is like."
"No."
"Really?"
"No, no. My lord will be furious if he finds out."
"You can keep it a secret. It's my wish."
Lanster's eyes wavered at the word "wish."
If it had been Isabelle, Lanster would have unwaveringly tied her up and taken her away from the dangerous alley.
But it was Ariana. The pitiful and pitiful Princess of the East, taken to the South immediately after birth, subjected to all manner of abuse, and then escaped and returned to the East. The precious and beautiful Princess whom his lord, the Eastern Duke, always longed for.
Lanster, who had been by Ariana's side all this time, knew that Ariana was much more mature than other girls her age. Ariana, who rarely showed her emotions, desperately begged Lanster, making Lanster weak.
“No deal.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll just stay for a moment to gauge the mood, and then you should come out.”
“Understood.”
“Stay close to me.”
“I will.”
Lanster sighed softly and walked beside Ariana.
Ariana was amazed that her method had worked.
'I was just being a pest.'
She had never begged anyone before.
If she was told no, she assumed it was a given, and if she was told to do something, she assumed she had to do it, even if she didn’t want to.
Frankly, begging Lanster to go to the slave market was a gamble. She wanted to see how far she could push herself in the East.
'So this is how it works.'
It was amazing how she could get what she wanted simply by begging, without having to rack her brain to come up with a convincing argument or devise a plan to distract her.
She wanted to find something she couldn’t do, but she held back.
“You shouldn’t do this too often. Calm down, Ariana.”
Ariana followed Lanster, her face flushed with excitement, and asked.
“Lanster.”
“Yes.”
“Are you angry or upset?”
“Why would you think I would be angry or upset?”
“Because I did something you told me not to do.”
“Princess, that’s not what makes me angry. I’m just worried that you might be in danger.”
“I see.”
Her heart pounded.
He didn’t get angry even though she was forcing him to do something he didn’t want to do.
She truly felt like a beloved child.
'Don’t get excited, Ariana. Calm down.'
Ariana managed to control her expression.
Eventually, she arrived at a small bar at the end of the alley. It was a shabby shop that looked closed from the outside.
A man wearing a hood pulled down low was going inside.
Several people were loitering around the shop. They glanced at Ariana and Lanster suspiciously, who seemed out of place in this place.
Even as he walked among the men who exuded a dangerous air, Lanster showed no fear. Perhaps because of the aura he exuded, the people loitering around made way for him.
Lanster opened the bar door.
The slave market was structured like a theater.
Chairs lined up in front of a stage, and customers would hold up signs and bid on slaves as they appeared.
The stage was the only light source, obscuring their faces, but it was clear that most were nobles or wealthy commoners. While most were men, a few women were also seen.
However, none were as young as Ariana.
Ariana suppressed a yawn, thinking,
'This is the seventh time. Let's just see ten people before we go.'
The host called out loud.
"This time, we have a slave who was a gladiator. He hails from the Bahog region beyond the West Pass, and the people of this region are renowned for their bravery. The famous Baisen, who recorded the legendary fifty-five victories in the Horol Arena!"
The hall erupted at the mention of Baisen. Everyone tilted their heads toward the stage, their attention drawn.
Ariana was no exception.
"Basen. He's been traded here, too."
Baisen's name was famous. Once an undefeated gladiator slave and once a valiant knight of Third Prince Harold, Baisen would do anything for Harold, and Harold cherished him dearly. Baisen was the one who contributed most to Harold's ascension to the throne.
Those who had ridiculed Baisen for being a slave fell silent when he began to wield his sword, and the knights who had ignored Baisen knelt before him after suffering a crushing defeat in duels.
'Baisen...'
Baisen ascended the stage.
A massive, bear-like creature, his body covered in scars, and the thick chains binding his wrists and ankles still posed a menacing presence. Even as a slave, Baisen cast a menacing gaze at the guests.
"Now, look. How sturdy does he look? If you train him well, you can use him as a knight bodyguard, or you can send him to the gladiatorial arena and make a fortune. Baisen starts at 100 gold."
A hundred gold was a significant sum in the slave trade.
Slaves typically sold for 20 gold, and unless they possessed special talents or special abilities, they were traded for around 50 gold.
Despite the hefty price tag, people everywhere held up signs and shouted out the price.
"Yes, it's worth more than 100 gold."
Baisen was strong, possessed considerable swordsmanship, and had the talent to create sword energy through training. Having him by her side would be a significant help, but she felt no desire to do so.
Baisen, who guarded the Harold, always cast a sly glance at Ariana. Even though she'd never exchanged a word with him, she felt an instinctive repulsion.
'But if he were mine, he wouldn't look at me like that. Should I buy him?'
Baisen's price had risen to 150 gold.
'But I don't have that kind of money.'
Buying Baisen now would prevent him from being used by Harold, but she wasn't in a position to spend a fortune on him.
'As expected, buying a strong and smart slave isn't easy. Maybe it's better to postpone saving my own person until later. Or maybe there's a child from the slums who could be saved.'
Being in the middle of a human trafficking scene wasn't pleasant. Ariana was already tired from the long journey, and now a headache was forming.
While she was concerned about Baisen, she didn't want to worry about the inevitable. She was thinking about checking who would buy Baisen before heading back, when Lanster, sitting next to her, spoke quietly.
"He's strong."
"Is he really that strong?"
"Yes, he is."
"If you fight?"
"For now, I'll win. If he receives formal training, I'll have to check again."
While Arjana was talking to Lanster, Baisen was sold for 350 gold. The buyer was an old woman, but her identity remained unknown.
"Someone from the underworld must be. Baisen will be constantly competing in the gladiatorial arena, growing stronger and stronger. Until the legend of undefeated victories is born."
Just as Ariana was about to turn back,
"The product coming out this time is a very famous one. You all know it, right? It's coming out."
The host's voice caught Ariana's ankle.
"That?"
Judging by the atmosphere of the crowd, "that" seemed quite famous. Even just mentioning it as such created a stir.
Ariana was intrigued and sat back down.
"Some of you here might be here to see that. Let's take a look at the item first."
Crunch— unlike before, the servants pushed through the iron bars.
A small iron bar, about the height of Ariana's waist.
At first, Ariana thought "it" was a beast. A wounded animal curled up in a cage. It was only after discovering that "it" was clothed, its face buried in its knees, that she realized it was human.
"What is that?"
Ariana had been through a lot, but "it" was still astonishing.
"What kind of person is locked up in a place like that?"
Long, uncut red hair trailed past the bars.
"I think those are the golden eyes."
The whisper of the person next to her finally brought Ariana the realization of "it."
Ariana raised her head and stared at Lanster. Lanster, as always, was looking down at Ariana with a blank expression.
“I want to go.”
“There’s nothing in this alley.”
“How do you know that?”
“I know. So you should go back.”
“Still...”
“No.”
“Wait a minute...”
“No. I can’t let the Princess into a dangerous place.”
Lanster was as stubborn as his loyal eyes. Ariana bit her lower lip and looked up at him again.
“Are you sure I can’t? I really want to go.”
Lanster’s eyes narrowed. He studied Ariana’s face and asked,
“Do you know what’s here?”
Ariana debated whether to be honest or lie, then decided.
“There’s a slave market.”
Lanster narrowed his brows.
“Since you know...”
“I’m curious. What kind of place is it? And if there’s anything I can help you with.”
"Princess. Slaves are lowly creatures with vicious natures. I've seen them betray, even when you show them kindness. A cunning slave can even exploit their master's weaknesses."
"I'm not looking to buy a slave. I just want to know what the atmosphere is like."
"No."
"Really?"
"No, no. My lord will be furious if he finds out."
"You can keep it a secret. It's my wish."
Lanster's eyes wavered at the word "wish."
If it had been Isabelle, Lanster would have unwaveringly tied her up and taken her away from the dangerous alley.
But it was Ariana. The pitiful and pitiful Princess of the East, taken to the South immediately after birth, subjected to all manner of abuse, and then escaped and returned to the East. The precious and beautiful Princess whom his lord, the Eastern Duke, always longed for.
Lanster, who had been by Ariana's side all this time, knew that Ariana was much more mature than other girls her age. Ariana, who rarely showed her emotions, desperately begged Lanster, making Lanster weak.
“No deal.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll just stay for a moment to gauge the mood, and then you should come out.”
“Understood.”
“Stay close to me.”
“I will.”
Lanster sighed softly and walked beside Ariana.
Ariana was amazed that her method had worked.
'I was just being a pest.'
She had never begged anyone before.
If she was told no, she assumed it was a given, and if she was told to do something, she assumed she had to do it, even if she didn’t want to.
Frankly, begging Lanster to go to the slave market was a gamble. She wanted to see how far she could push herself in the East.
'So this is how it works.'
It was amazing how she could get what she wanted simply by begging, without having to rack her brain to come up with a convincing argument or devise a plan to distract her.
She wanted to find something she couldn’t do, but she held back.
“You shouldn’t do this too often. Calm down, Ariana.”
Ariana followed Lanster, her face flushed with excitement, and asked.
“Lanster.”
“Yes.”
“Are you angry or upset?”
“Why would you think I would be angry or upset?”
“Because I did something you told me not to do.”
“Princess, that’s not what makes me angry. I’m just worried that you might be in danger.”
“I see.”
Her heart pounded.
He didn’t get angry even though she was forcing him to do something he didn’t want to do.
She truly felt like a beloved child.
'Don’t get excited, Ariana. Calm down.'
Ariana managed to control her expression.
Eventually, she arrived at a small bar at the end of the alley. It was a shabby shop that looked closed from the outside.
A man wearing a hood pulled down low was going inside.
Several people were loitering around the shop. They glanced at Ariana and Lanster suspiciously, who seemed out of place in this place.
Even as he walked among the men who exuded a dangerous air, Lanster showed no fear. Perhaps because of the aura he exuded, the people loitering around made way for him.
Lanster opened the bar door.
***
The slave market was structured like a theater.
Chairs lined up in front of a stage, and customers would hold up signs and bid on slaves as they appeared.
The stage was the only light source, obscuring their faces, but it was clear that most were nobles or wealthy commoners. While most were men, a few women were also seen.
However, none were as young as Ariana.
Ariana suppressed a yawn, thinking,
'This is the seventh time. Let's just see ten people before we go.'
The host called out loud.
"This time, we have a slave who was a gladiator. He hails from the Bahog region beyond the West Pass, and the people of this region are renowned for their bravery. The famous Baisen, who recorded the legendary fifty-five victories in the Horol Arena!"
The hall erupted at the mention of Baisen. Everyone tilted their heads toward the stage, their attention drawn.
Ariana was no exception.
"Basen. He's been traded here, too."
Baisen's name was famous. Once an undefeated gladiator slave and once a valiant knight of Third Prince Harold, Baisen would do anything for Harold, and Harold cherished him dearly. Baisen was the one who contributed most to Harold's ascension to the throne.
Those who had ridiculed Baisen for being a slave fell silent when he began to wield his sword, and the knights who had ignored Baisen knelt before him after suffering a crushing defeat in duels.
'Baisen...'
Baisen ascended the stage.
A massive, bear-like creature, his body covered in scars, and the thick chains binding his wrists and ankles still posed a menacing presence. Even as a slave, Baisen cast a menacing gaze at the guests.
"Now, look. How sturdy does he look? If you train him well, you can use him as a knight bodyguard, or you can send him to the gladiatorial arena and make a fortune. Baisen starts at 100 gold."
A hundred gold was a significant sum in the slave trade.
Slaves typically sold for 20 gold, and unless they possessed special talents or special abilities, they were traded for around 50 gold.
Despite the hefty price tag, people everywhere held up signs and shouted out the price.
"Yes, it's worth more than 100 gold."
Baisen was strong, possessed considerable swordsmanship, and had the talent to create sword energy through training. Having him by her side would be a significant help, but she felt no desire to do so.
Baisen, who guarded the Harold, always cast a sly glance at Ariana. Even though she'd never exchanged a word with him, she felt an instinctive repulsion.
'But if he were mine, he wouldn't look at me like that. Should I buy him?'
Baisen's price had risen to 150 gold.
'But I don't have that kind of money.'
Buying Baisen now would prevent him from being used by Harold, but she wasn't in a position to spend a fortune on him.
'As expected, buying a strong and smart slave isn't easy. Maybe it's better to postpone saving my own person until later. Or maybe there's a child from the slums who could be saved.'
Being in the middle of a human trafficking scene wasn't pleasant. Ariana was already tired from the long journey, and now a headache was forming.
While she was concerned about Baisen, she didn't want to worry about the inevitable. She was thinking about checking who would buy Baisen before heading back, when Lanster, sitting next to her, spoke quietly.
"He's strong."
"Is he really that strong?"
"Yes, he is."
"If you fight?"
"For now, I'll win. If he receives formal training, I'll have to check again."
While Arjana was talking to Lanster, Baisen was sold for 350 gold. The buyer was an old woman, but her identity remained unknown.
"Someone from the underworld must be. Baisen will be constantly competing in the gladiatorial arena, growing stronger and stronger. Until the legend of undefeated victories is born."
Just as Ariana was about to turn back,
"The product coming out this time is a very famous one. You all know it, right? It's coming out."
The host's voice caught Ariana's ankle.
"That?"
Judging by the atmosphere of the crowd, "that" seemed quite famous. Even just mentioning it as such created a stir.
Ariana was intrigued and sat back down.
"Some of you here might be here to see that. Let's take a look at the item first."
Crunch— unlike before, the servants pushed through the iron bars.
A small iron bar, about the height of Ariana's waist.
At first, Ariana thought "it" was a beast. A wounded animal curled up in a cage. It was only after discovering that "it" was clothed, its face buried in its knees, that she realized it was human.
"What is that?"
Ariana had been through a lot, but "it" was still astonishing.
"What kind of person is locked up in a place like that?"
Long, uncut red hair trailed past the bars.
"I think those are the golden eyes."
The whisper of the person next to her finally brought Ariana the realization of "it."
"It's someone with golden eyes."
Legend had it that a child with golden eyes would bring misfortune to anyone around them until they were twenty. Therefore, people would kill a child with golden eyes on the spot when they were born.
Ariana had never seen anyone with golden eyes in her life...
"No, there are."
She had seen them before.
"When?"
Her head throbbed.
For some reason, only the memory of that time seemed faded and hazy.
'It's not that kid. It's definitely... a little older... .'
The host's voice rang in Ariana's ears as she was lost in confusion.
"I know some people are afraid because of the rumor that this thing killed nine masters. I know that. I find it quite creepy, too. But think about it. If you overcome the curse, good luck will come. It's already seventeen! If you wait three more years, it will be twenty, and it will transform into a being that brings good luck."
No one raised a sign as the host spoke. Everyone just whispered.
Even if it could become a being that brings good luck if it endured for three years, they didn't want to keep a slave who had eaten nine masters by their side. Besides, rumors said that over twenty masters had died.
With her headache gone, Ariana erased thoughts of the golden eyes and stared at the iron bars.
Legend had it that a child with golden eyes would bring misfortune to anyone around them until they were twenty. Therefore, people would kill a child with golden eyes on the spot when they were born.
Ariana had never seen anyone with golden eyes in her life...
"No, there are."
She had seen them before.
"When?"
Her head throbbed.
For some reason, only the memory of that time seemed faded and hazy.
'It's not that kid. It's definitely... a little older... .'
The host's voice rang in Ariana's ears as she was lost in confusion.
"I know some people are afraid because of the rumor that this thing killed nine masters. I know that. I find it quite creepy, too. But think about it. If you overcome the curse, good luck will come. It's already seventeen! If you wait three more years, it will be twenty, and it will transform into a being that brings good luck."
No one raised a sign as the host spoke. Everyone just whispered.
Even if it could become a being that brings good luck if it endured for three years, they didn't want to keep a slave who had eaten nine masters by their side. Besides, rumors said that over twenty masters had died.
With her headache gone, Ariana erased thoughts of the golden eyes and stared at the iron bars.
Thank you for translating this novel, I'm waiting for the updatee 🥹🫰🏻
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