Chapter 5. You Want to Be Alone With Him
The errand boy grumbled for two whole days about the Lion King’s visit. He was so indignant that he repeated the same story over and over. Eventually, Adeline, fed up, snapped at him to stop.
“Shut up, will you?!”
“There’s no way I’d let the princess die!”
She had a headache. She preferred peace and quiet, but the moment the errand boy stepped into the palace, her surroundings had become noisy.
“This won’t do. I’ll gather the best killers and station about fifty of them around the palace…”
“Are you insane? Why not just hang up a sign saying we’re suspicious!”
“You don’t trust me, Princess!”
It was absurd. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Master of Ordo had some deep-seated grudge against her for assigning her this lunatic.
Adeline had planned to officially appoint him as her personal guard. It would raise suspicions, sure, but she could just say he had protected her since Nova, and things might blow over. But instead, the fool entered her palace posing as a chef. Wearing a spotless apron, a chef’s hat, and a white towel around his neck, he appeared pushing a tray—Adeline had been dumbfounded.
He dismissed her complaints by claiming her food could be poisoned, and then made himself comfortable in the kitchen, going as far as to start cooking her meals himself.
As the errand boy—now playing chef—laid out the food on the table, Adeline rested her chin in her hand, lost in thought.
“Tell me your name. I can’t keep calling you ‘errand boy’ forever.”
“My name? Haven’t I told you?”
“No.”
“Ringo.”
He said this as he placed a huge plate stacked with salad like a tower.
Ringo. Adeline committed the name to memory.
“Your last name?”
“Ringo… Ah.”
He stuttered slightly, caught off guard by the question.
Liar, she thought. He definitely has another name. Her lips twitched.
“Ringo Ringo? What a ridiculous name.”
“Oh, come on!”
“What’s the matter, Ringo Ringo?”
As she teased him, Ringo pouted.
“Come on, I’m part of a secret intelligence organization. Do you really think I can give you my real name? I already abandoned it when I joined Ordo, so this is the best you’ll get.”
“Ringo.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you upset that I don’t trust you?”
“Of course I am!”
He seemed genuinely hurt. He even claimed that he had prepared so many things for her that it would take all night to list them.
Suddenly, she was curious.
“But Ordo doesn’t trust me.”
Ringo’s lips, which had been moving non-stop, clamped shut. Adeline picked up the fork and knife he had brought and spoke evenly.
“They don’t believe I’m someone worth investing in. That what I’m trying to do will benefit Ordo. That’s why they keep testing me.”
“Princess…”
“But I trust you. At least as much as you trust me.”
Which was, in other words, not at all.
Ringo squinted at her. He was hard to read. Always smiling—that expression was oddly irritating.
“I like you, Princess.”
He said it plainly.
“Seriously. I like Adeline Vita Marma. I don’t pity you. I’m not afraid of you. I just like you. If I could, I’d want to make you my little sister and spoil you.”
“How sweet.”
“Please trust me. I’ll do better from now on.”
She said nothing. She just quietly watched as he laid out the plates. For once, the usually talkative Ringo was silent, deep in thought.
Then another question popped into her mind.
“Ringo.”
“Yeah?”
“How old are you?”
“Me? Twenty-six.”
Her lips curled.
“You little brat…”
Adeline was twenty-eight.
She tormented Ringo until he sheepishly admitted he’d meant “older sister,” not “younger sister,” and begged her to stop teasing him. Only then did she pick up the salad with a satisfied smile. But this time, something was off.
“What’s wrong with this?”
“Oh no, what now…”
“The salad smells fishy.”
He looked at her in disbelief. The moment she opened the lid, a strong fishy odor hit her. She lifted the salad with her fork and shoved it in front of Ringo’s face.
“Eat it.”
“That’s weird. I swear I used the right ingredients… Maybe the sauce colors were too similar and I mixed them up? Well, the smell might be bad, but I’m sure it tastes fine. Sauce is sauce, right? Or maybe not?”
“I said, eat it, you little punk.”
“…Should I redo it?”
He tried to back away. Seeing how his pristine apron was still spotless despite all the cooking, she asked him seriously.
“Have you ever cooked before?”
“No.”
“Not even once?”
“Not once.”
His face was so cheerful, she almost laughed. He claimed he was smart enough to learn anything quickly and would be a cooking expert in no time.
“Get out.”
Adeline vowed to someday get back at the Master of Ordo for sticking her with this guy.
That afternoon, twelve guards were stationed in Adeline’s palace. They said they’d be on alternating six-man shifts. Just by looking at them, it was obvious they were lazy and unskilled.
“Did Cesare send them?”
Adeline asked Richard Selmore, who had brought them for the report. He hesitated for a long time before finally opening his mouth.
“The head maid of the main palace… temporarily reassigned unused personnel…”
“She must’ve gotten quite the promotion. Reassigning outer wall defense guards as she pleases.”
The assassination attempt from the night before wouldn’t be reported to Cesare or her father. Not unless Adeline personally told them.
She noticed Richard’s subtly tense face. As Cesare’s man, he had probably rushed to report to him, but had been intercepted by the head maid of the main palace.
The situation was growing absurd. Cesare’s mother—the Empress—hated Adeline. She didn’t abuse her or try to kill her, but within the Imperial Palace, she was likely Adeline’s most fervent hater.
Upon hearing that an assassin had appeared in Adeline’s palace, the head maid had probably been thrilled. Not only did she intercept Richard’s request, but she had handpicked the most useless thugs to assign as guards.
I’m going to die soon at this rate, Adeline thought, shrugging.
“In case you haven’t heard, my palace was attacked. If the Lion King hadn’t coincidentally been walking through the woods, everyone here would’ve been dead. The attackers were professionally trained assassins.”
The twelve guards exchanged uneasy glances.
“There were over a dozen of them on the first night. Next time, there’ll be more. They use poisoned blades, can scale walls, and shoot crossbows from afar. But you were handpicked by the head maid herself, right? Assassins like that should be nothing to you. Right? Ha… very reassuring.”
Run if you want to live, Adeline kindly warned them.
After the terrified guards left with Richard, the maids came into the drawing room—surprisingly, with a letter from the Emperor.
A middle-aged maid from the Imperial Palace presented a gold box containing the letter.
Didn’t expect a reply, Adeline thought.
The Emperor clearly wanted something from her.
To my beloved daughter, Adeline.
She let out a snort. He sounded like a loving father.
As the letter went on, it became more ridiculous. He claimed he had suffered every day while she was sold to an enemy nation, and now thanked the gods that she had returned safely. This was her prosperous homeland, he wrote—she should enjoy it freely.
The King of the Desert is visiting. I believe you and he could become good friends.
There it was—the real reason for the letter. The rest was just padding.
It sounded like a gentle suggestion, but it was essentially an order.
The Emperor knew she had been attacked multiple times on her return journey, and that the Lion King had helped her. He likely also knew the Lion King had visited her while she was imprisoned in Cesare’s annex.
He might as well have written: seduce him by any means necessary. Instead, he gave her this sugar-coated garbage.
Adeline almost cursed, but forced herself to smile elegantly. She thanked the maid from the Imperial Palace, who was watching her like a hawk.
“Thank you for coming all this way. Tell His Majesty I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I will need several nights to compose an appropriate reply, so it will be sent in a few days.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Now, it was time to prepare to go out. She intended to be the obedient daughter her father wanted.
With a sly smile, Adeline turned. The maids watched her expectantly. They must’ve thought she was going to invite the Lion King. But they were dead wrong.
Removing her gown and holding it in her hands, Adeline gave her instructions.
“Send a messenger to the Lion King. Tell him I’ll be waiting at the hotel and ask him to come quickly. As for you all—bring me a dress and a coat. I don’t plan on returning tonight, so pack plenty of undergarments as well.”
A silent scream filled the drawing room. The maids, hearing her brazen declaration that she would spend the night at the hotel with the Lion King, dropped their usual masks of elegance.
“P-Princess, you mean—”
“Address me properly. I am Lady Vita. Since when did you start calling me ‘Princess’?”
“You don’t mean that hotel, do you…?”
“Do I have to report to you exactly what I plan to do all night with him?”
The maids moved stiffly like broken clockwork as they helped her prepare. When Richard, hearing the news, came forward to volunteer as her escort, and she told him they were going to the most expensive hotel in the capital, he muttered curses under his breath as his lips curled in frustration.
“Why does your knight look like that?”
The Lion King, who had arrived at the hotel before Adeline, let out a short laugh after seeing Richard’s expression as he rode away in his carriage. It was no surprise—Richard had looked at her like she was some kind of vermin and trembled with barely contained rage.
“Because I plan to seduce you with my body.”
“What? Is that part of the plan too?”
Strangely enough, his expression didn’t change a bit.
What a boring guy. Clicking her tongue, Adeline grabbed his arm and dragged him into the hotel.
“Let’s just go eat.”
Seeing her run straight to the restaurant and order food the moment they met, the Lion King’s already intimidating face grew even more serious. He waited for the waiter to leave, then quietly asked:
“There must’ve been another assassination attempt. Was the food poisoned?”
“Huh? No, it’s not that. The cook didn’t know how to cook. He made a bunch of stuff, but it was all so inedible that I just left.”
“What? The cook?”
His expression was one of complete disbelief. Before the food arrived, Adeline explained to him about Ringo, the fake cook. But the damn Lion King ended up siding with him.
“I think the guy had the right idea.”
“What?”
“The cook is the one person you have to be most careful of, after knights and maids. Of course you should replace them with someone trustworthy. Even the most virtuous person can waver in front of gold. If he’s from Ordo, at least he won’t be easily bought. So just eat what he makes for now.”
“My life is so miserable.”
The hotel food was incredibly good. Because the visit was sudden, she didn’t even consider the possibility of poison. Even so, the Lion King took her fork and tasted everything himself before letting her eat.
“Where do you plan to go first?”
They were in the middle of the meal when he asked. He had said he already ate, yet was eating more than she was. Adeline pulled the tastiest meat dish toward herself before he could steal it and said,
“I know where the gypsy is being held, but I can’t rescue her right away. The one hosting this slave auction is a big name in the human trafficking world…”
“Do you know who it is?”
“I only know he’s a southern noble.”
The gypsy they were trying to rescue was imprisoned in the basement of the auction house. Since it was a secret playground for nobles, it was heavily guarded. Even if they brought all of the desert warriors the Lion King had, it probably wouldn’t be enough to wipe them out.
But he disagreed.
“Numbers don’t matter. It’s not hard to kill them all. The only issue is that doing so would expose our goal.”
“Exactly. So we need another approach.”
As she explained the structure of the auction house, her beloved lemon meringue pie disappeared into his belly. She had saved that dessert for last, but now she was left with the rage of a beast whose prey had just been stolen.
The Lion King could eat anything. Even those sweet, soft, jiggly, fluffy foods that most men hated—he had no problem eating them.
“Are you starving or something?”
“What?”
“Stop eating. You’re leaving nothing for me.”
“You were just going to take a few bites and leave the rest anyway. Fine. I’ll take only what I want and leave the rest for you.”
She swallowed a chunk of meat without even chewing.
“You’d eat my leftovers?”
“You’re already eating things I’ve tasted first.”
Now that he mentioned it, she realized it was true. Adeline chuckled despite herself.
After the meal, they moved to the private VIP suites deep inside the hotel. They didn’t hide their faces or sneak around. They walked with their heads held high, confident.
“Huh…!”
“Isn’t that the princess?”
Nobles sneaking around with their lovers in the middle of the day recognized her and flinched. They looked desperate to start a conversation. But then they saw the Lion King walking languidly beside her—and instantly turned their heads away, drawing sharp breaths.
“I’m already curious what kind of rumors this will spark.”
“I told you I was against it.”
He disapproved of creating misunderstandings about their relationship. Adeline had told him about the Emperor’s letter, suggesting that following his wishes might yield unexpected rewards, but the Lion King still seemed uncomfortable.
“Did you leave a jealous lover back in the desert?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Anyway, since we’re here at the hotel, shouldn’t you tell me what the next plan is?”
Seeing the bed decorated with red beads, gold lace, and jingling bells, the Lion King cautiously moved toward the window. It was a lavish and decadent bed. He walked as far from it as possible, trying not to touch it.
“It’s just a bed.”
“It’s obscene.”
“At least it’s not dangerous.”
Adeline threw herself dramatically onto the bed. It was awful to look at, but plush and smelled nice.
“Adeline.”
He called her from his seat by the window.
Come to think of it, he was always good at using people’s names. Most addressed her as “princess” or “your highness,” but from the start, this man had stubbornly insisted on calling her Adeline.
He spoke.
“You need trustworthy allies.”
“I know.”
“…Your palace is big.”
There was hesitation in his voice. Lying on the bed, Adeline looked at his face. The decadent lighting of the room reflected in his lush, blue eyes.
“So you want to fill my palace?”
“If you’ll allow it.”
She almost wanted to. If the Lion King entered her palace, the endless assassins would stop coming. The Emperor would be overjoyed, probably calling her his most beloved daughter in the world. That was creepy, but not unlikely.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“The daughter of Marmara and the lover of the Lion King—my value is highest when I’m stuck somewhere in between.”
His face hardened, but he didn’t argue. Then, after a moment, he wore a dazed expression, approached her, and asked:
“So you’re saying you’ll be my lover?”
“We already agreed to that. At least on the surface.”
“Does that mean you trust me?”
She couldn’t answer that. Because even she didn’t know the answer yet.
The Lion King had saved her life twice. If she’d led a normal life, she might have trusted him enough to entrust him with her future. Maybe even sworn to repay him with anything he asked.
But Adeline Vita was a branch burnt and twisted by fire. Charred and reduced to ash. She had been betrayed too many times to rely on anyone.
“The gypsies were all captured in the South.”
She abruptly changed the topic. The Lion King lowered his eyes and sat back down.
“I know.”
“Nobles don’t handle trafficking directly. They’ve got middlemen. It’s simple. We rescue the gypsy, and in return, we get information.”
“About the trafficker?”
“If that’s all we get, nothing will change. We need to find out who really owns the auction house. You’ll stop the gypsies in your land from being sold again, and I get to take down the biggest fish in the South. A win-win.”
“You think the captured gypsy knows that?”
“Ordo seems sure of it.”
If everything went according to plan, they would be the perfect business partners.
Later, Adeline summoned the hotel manager and tossed him a heavy pouch of gold coins. Then she ordered that no one be allowed near the room until the next morning.
“Just the two of us.”
At that moment, she was lying in bed, resting her head on the Lion King’s chest. Both were shirtless. At least Adeline had a thin blanket wrapped around her, but the Lion King had no choice but to hold her with his bare arm over her shoulder.
The manager was a seasoned professional. He weighed the pouch in his hand and smiled, satisfied.
“You’ll make sure no one interrupts, right? It’s been eleven years since I returned home. I deserve a little luxury, don’t you think?”
She asked.
The manager bowed deeply and answered:
“Our hotel has never once refused a guest’s rightful request. Until you call, no one—no sound—will come near this room.”
Adeline deliberately climbed on top of the Lion King’s torso. He grimaced at the weight, and she quickly covered his face with her hair. Then she gestured at the manager.
“Leave. And don’t disturb us.”
“Understood. I hope… you have a pleasant evening.”
He could’ve skipped that last line. Adeline bent her head, laughing silently until the door finally closed.
“Adeline.”
The moment the manager was gone, the Lion King shoved her off with force. She flopped onto the soft bed and grinned at him.
“I heard great desert warriors have multiple wives. A king can have thirty, right? Why are you so awkward?”
“I don’t have a wife.”
“Yeah, no wife… Wait, what?”
“That’s a strange thing to say. Why should a king have multiple wives?”
“What? Because… everyone does.”
“One is enough. The idea of having more is horrifying.”
He quickly put on his discarded shirt. She tilted her head and began getting dressed too.
They visited the hotel two more times while waiting for the auction. The manager, noting that the pouches of gold she gave him kept growing heavier, eventually cleared out the entire top floor for them.
The Emperor was extremely pleased. The budget allocated to maintain her status doubled, tripled, quintupled—and eventually increased tenfold. Adeline had to admit the truth.
The Lion King was a powerful weapon. As long as this beautiful lion remained by her side, she could move freely without fearing anyone.
“New dress?”
The auction was now two days away. With her growing wealth, Adeline had ordered a custom-made dress. The Lion King entered the reception room, led by a few maids.
“It’s not like the way here is a maze… your maids are certainly thorough.”
Adeline snarked, and the maids who had been smiling at the Lion King threw her a side-eye.
A strong rose scent lingered in the air. The maids, who had been gently asking him about his meal and preferred tea, sighed and stepped back when he reached out his hand to Adeline without even sitting down.
“They’re not being genuine.”
He said.
The Lion King looked particularly handsome today. She thought he only had pitch-black battle gear, but the sharp-lined formal suit suited him well—even though it was also completely black.
“What’s not genuine?”
“The reason your maids are being nice to me. Their heartbeats are too loud for it to be sincere.”
Adeline stopped draping her cloak and widened her eyes.
“Really? Isn’t a fast heartbeat a good thing?”
“Sounds more like they want to fight.”
“What are you even saying?”
She didn’t even know where to begin. Did he not notice how much perfume they sprayed when he came? How they fought tooth and nail to be his guide every time? How they accessorized subtly even in their identical uniforms?
…But whatever. Not her problem. Adeline grabbed his offered hand and began walking.
“What should we do today?”
“At the hotel?”
“Yeah. My father sent a ridiculous amount of gold to seduce you. If there’s anything you want, just say the word. Spending his money is one of the few things I actually enjoy.”
It was said that beneath the Marmara palace lay a mountain of gold coins—a golden fortress that never ran out. If the Lion King wanted, she could erect a statue of him made of gold in the South.
The reason the maids were suddenly nice, the reason her palace was now wealthy—was all because the Lion King was frequently seen visiting.
Even that annoying Richard kept his distance when the Lion King was around.
“I see. So I’m the reason for all this?”
“I hate to admit it, but yeah.”
“In that case, there is something I want.”
“What is it?”
He rested one hand on the carriage’s doorstep. Once again, she stood in the shadow he cast. The blinding sunlight instantly faded into a cool shade.
As the Lion King stared intently at Adeline’s face, he spoke with uncharacteristic sincerity.
“Your trust.”
“…You really don’t know how to beat around the bush, do you?”
“I told you, I’m prepared to do anything to have you. If you asked me to stand guard here every night, I’d do it. Actually, I’d prefer that. It would let me protect you closely.”
She wanted to enter the carriage, but his large frame blocked the way. If she tried to dodge the topic or flee again, she knew she’d hear words of reproach.
Adeline had no choice but to look up at him and speak.
“You’re always worried about me. Why is that?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you slowly—once you’re mine.”
Only then did the Lion King remove his hand from the carriage. As always, he scooped her up by the waist and gently placed her inside. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered,
“I want to show you just how much I cherish what’s mine.”
His hot breath skimmed her ear, and his low, gravelly voice sent a shiver down her spine.
Damn it. This bastard’s voice is too good for his own good.
The auction was held in the underground ruins of Sol-Marma.
Among Marma’s nobles, slave auctions were an ancient and historic form of entertainment. Documented records dated back centuries, but scholars believed it had existed even longer.
As with all noble pleasures, the trends changed often. There were times when free warriors, trained for the arena, sold for the highest prices, and times when young girls prized by the northern barbarians were traded.
Lately, gypsies from the desert fetched the highest bids. Rumors spread that their astrology—which was once dismissed as superstition—could truly predict the future. A slave who could tell the future? The nobles were ecstatic. Female astrologers, who served as guides, were particularly rare, since they traditionally never married.
“Welcome!”
As they arrived at the auction entrance, a clown in a tight, strange suit appeared. His face and body were painted in new makeup. Upon closer inspection, he was dressed as Marma’s symbol— a golden hawk. A long beak covered his mouth, and flapping wings accompanied his grand gesture as he bowed deeply to Adeline and the Lion King.
“Such noble guests! Where shall I begin your tour?”
The Lion King stayed silent. Unfamiliar with Marma’s customs, he preferred keeping quiet over trying to act.
Adeline smirked arrogantly in his stead.
“How insolent. A clown, daring to speak.”
“To receive such praise from a princess—what an honor!”
The clown laughed loudly.
Addicted to ceremony and extravagance, the nobles of Marma ironically enjoyed outrageous deviations like this. Here, masked clowns served as mocking guides for the upper class.
Adeline played along, just enough.
“Shut that mouth and lead us. I plan to gift the Lion King the finest item in this auction.”
“The finest? Then follow me!”
The clown marched ahead.
Adeline wrapped her hand around the Lion King’s arm. Despite the cold, she wore a dress baring her shoulders, back, and chest. She deliberately pressed herself close to him as they walked. All eyes turned toward them.
“Adeline.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve got goosebumps.”
He whispered near her ear, making it look like a flirtatious exchange to the onlookers. She tiptoed and whispered into his ear,
“I’m freezing my ass off.”
“Hm.”
He chuckled, his shoulders shaking.
“You two seem awfully close,” said the clown, glancing back at them.
Adeline shot back, telling him to shut up and focus on the tour.
The auction wouldn’t begin until late at night. The nobles of Marma, used to partying from dusk till dawn, were just getting started.
“This way, please.”
The underground ruins were well-maintained. Ancient columns were wrapped in ornamental vines, giving the space an ethereal atmosphere. Hot water spouted from fountains, and a small waterfall of crimson wine cascaded behind clouds of steam.
The Lion King, unfamiliar with such decadent playgrounds, remarked on the extravagance. Adeline told him this was nothing.
They passed through a small plaza and a long corridor, whispering to each other the whole time. Though he was awkward at first, the Lion King gradually relaxed, realizing her tone hadn’t changed from usual.
The clown led them to a wide stone chamber turned theater. A central stage was surrounded by sofas and long benches in a circle. The two took seats on a plush sofa draped in red canopy.
“It’s already begun! I hope you find something you desire!”
The auction began.
The host was a clown, and so were the ones bringing in the slaves. Fully masked and disguised, their real faces would be impossible to identify later. The Lion King narrowed his eyes, seemingly displeased, trying to memorize their faces.
“Even if you killed every one of them, it wouldn’t stop this filth. So drop it.”
“I can’t just ignore it.”
“We’ll take care of it all at once. The chance will come.”
He turned toward her.
“You plan to wipe them out?”
“I can’t let it go.”
“It won’t help your larger goal.”
“You’re wrong.”
It would help. With a smiling face, she moved her lips silently.
It’ll feel so damn good. That’s enough.
“I see.”
There were many more reasons, but it wasn’t the time to say them. Adeline leaned on his shoulder, pulling his coat over her.
“We begin the auction!”
A clown adorned in fake feathers shouted.
Onstage, torches and candles had already been lit. Drunken nobles whistled and cheered.
“Before the slave auction, we present something special—a thrilling item.”
“What nonsense! We came for slaves, not some trinkets!”
“Haha, I assure you, your opinion may change.”
With a sly smile, the clown pranced forward, holding a small box with a golden lock. He placed it on a pedestal, waved his hands theatrically, then flung it open.
“Do you see this?”
A stir rippled through the crowd. The clown held up a white skull, a dark crack in the center of its forehead—clear evidence of a fatal blow.
“What is that?” asked the same noble, this time with curiosity.
For the skull to appear in this auction—especially the hidden one, which featured only the rarest items—meant the person it belonged to had been notorious in life.
The clown raised it higher.
“This is the skull of Hugo the First!”
The hall fell silent.
Hugo I.
Adeline didn’t bother hiding her shock. That skull should’ve been buried in the royal tomb. Why was it here?
Hugo I was recorded as the bloodiest monarch in continental history. Sol-Marma flourished atop the corpses of his victims.
He killed eight brothers to claim the throne, then their mothers and wives, and every possible blood relative, no matter how distant.
He built the grandest arena and tallest tower in Marma. The road connecting the south to the north—one of prosperity—was his doing. Tens of thousands of slaves had perished building them.
A throne forged in blood. Surely, he now burned in hell.
As Adeline stared in silence, the Lion King asked,
“Should I buy it for you?”
“What for?”
“Thought you might want it.”
“It’s just overpriced trash.”
She looked away.
The rest of the auction proceeded normally. Aside from Hugo’s skull, it was a typical slave auction.
Free warriors and northern barbarians fetched high prices. Each sale made her chest sting, like a needle piercing from within.
“And now, the item you’ve all been waiting for.”
Just as things were growing unbearable, the heat of the auction surged again. A woman, blindfolded and chained at the wrists and ankles, was led to the stage.
A gypsy.
She seemed unharmed. Likely, as an expensive commodity, she hadn’t been beaten or starved.
“Do you know of the mysterious gypsies from the Odium Desert? Small, secretive clans moving under the stars.”
“Cut the speech! We know that much!”
“Each clan has one guide—a prophet…”
“How much is she?”
“She’s no ordinary guide. Have you heard of the Stargazer, mother of all guides? Her words reveal the future. A slave like this… even a king would envy you. But beware—she might already know how and when you’ll die…”
The clown’s dramatic tone was cheesy, but it worked. Nobles leaned forward, hands rubbing together in greedy anticipation.
“If she’s pretty, I’ll pay any price.”
Smirking, the clown removed her blindfold.
Her short, golden curls swayed. Hair that short might be a flaw—but when they saw her eyes, the nobles gasped.
Heterochromia.
“An exceedingly rare slave!”
“She’s mine! I’ll pay 50,000!”
“No, she’s mine! You already bought two!”
“Then bid higher!”
Adeline couldn’t look away. The woman’s unfocused gaze, one golden eye like honey, the other a chilling grey.
Stargazer.
Adeline mouthed the word.
Their eyes met. Among the crowd, the Stargazer looked straight at her.
“300,000.”
Leaning on the Lion King’s shoulder, legs draped over his lap, Adeline raised her hand.
The clown’s red lips stretched wide in a grotesque grin.
“A VIP joins us tonight.”
300,000 gold coins. An astronomical sum.
“This is the highest bid in the auction’s history.”
“Must mean you’ve only sold garbage until now.”
“Ha! May I have your name, honored guest—?”
“300,000. Keep the auction moving.”
The room fell deathly silent. The once fiery energy cooled instantly. The nobles gaped.
Many could outbid her. But none dared. She was Princess Adeline Vita, backed by Emperor Hugo VI of the thousand-year-old Marma Empire.
“…Very well. 300,000.”
The clown approached, licking his lips. He held the end of the chain binding the Stargazer like she was an animal. The Lion King’s breath grew visibly ragged.
Adeline rose and yanked the chain from the clown’s grasp.
“Collect payment at the palace.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Tell the finance officer this: The princess made a special gift for the Lion King. Urgently and out of affection.”
Leaving the stunned clown behind, she walked away.
As soon as they boarded the carriage, they drew all the curtains.
“Let’s go back,” said the Lion King, cutting the chains from the Stargazer’s wrists. Their faces were far too grim for people who had just spent 300,000 on a slave.
Adeline took her seat across from the Stargazer and kept the room dark.
They sat in silence, gathering their thoughts.
Adeline spoke first.
“What’s your name?”
“I have none.”
“Am I supposed to call you Stargazer, then?”
“I’m no longer a Stargazer.”
From the moment she was purchased, her face had remained stone cold. Though being sold to Adeline was far better than those nobles, she looked deeply disappointed.
Adeline knew why.
“You…”
“Did the Lion King ask you to save me?”
The Stargazer looked to him. He silently shook his head. She closed her eyes, lips pressed tight.
“Please… send me back to the auction.”
“Why?”
“I must return.”
Her clenched hands trembled. Her eyes stayed shut, and she refused to meet their gaze.
The Stargazer had let herself be captured.
Adeline knew that through Ringo.
“Going back to rescue the other gypsies? Or… were you planning to kill that pervert and die yourself?”
No answer.
“Gypsies treat Stargazers like sacred beings. Even with all their resources, slavers couldn’t take you easily… right?”
“I…”
“You got caught on purpose.”
The Lion King leaned forward, arms uncrossing. His face was just as grave.
Adeline paused. What she was about to say couldn’t reach any ears but theirs.
“You don’t know why I brought you here?”
“No.”
“I’m not a kind person. But since I saved you, I want you to make it home alive. Screw revenge. I’m not here to say forgiveness is the greatest strength or whatever. Just don’t die for nothing.”
“…Who are you?”
“Just answer one thing.”
She ignored the question and pressed on.
“The southern boss controlling the slave ring. The secret king of the auction. The bastard who sold a white-haired woman and her nine-year-old daughter nineteen years ago.”
Her chilling voice filled the small carriage, vibrating through its frame.
The Stargazer forgot to breathe.
“Tell me that man’s name.”
That was all she wanted. She didn’t care whether the girl could see the future. She just wanted the name.
“…Adeline Vita.”
The Stargazer finally spoke her name.
Adeline met her trembling gaze—and smiled.
“Right. I’m that pitiful little princess.”
The Emperor happily covered the 300,000. Just hearing that his niece had grown close to the Lion King and bought him an expensive slave was enough for him.
Idiot.
She thought of the palace finance officer’s displeased face after paying the sum. Adeline smirked.
But while she had been busy retrieving the Stargazer, something strange had happened in her palace. Change, after all, begins in the smallest places.
“Princess? It’s Colin.”
It started with Colin.
The girl, who had secluded herself for so long, suddenly reappeared. The hideous bruises had begun to fade. She no longer hid behind her hair or bowed her head. In fact, she walked with her head held high.
Her voice was calmer, her gaze sharper. Though still tense around Adeline, she now held her own with others.
“May I come in?”
She waited politely outside the room—so different from the girl who used to barge in, check the bathwater without asking.
“More ornaments have arrived. The palace is looking brighter. The other maids say they’re very expensive.”
The biggest surprise was how she mingled with the other maids, even those from the Queen’s palace, no longer shying away from them.
What was she thinking?
Things seemed better—but Adeline didn’t know what to make of it.
“Um… Princess?”
“What.”
“Is the Lion King not coming today?”
Colin hesitated. Adeline, sensing her old boldness, studied her carefully. She noticed Colin glancing toward the other maids arranging flowers in the parlor.
Ah. They asked her to ask me.
Deliberately, Adeline said in a loud voice,
“Rach prefers fruity scents. Like lime or tangerine…”
The maids scrambled out of the room—likely to reapply perfume.
Adeline didn’t actually know what scent Rach liked. Lime was her own favorite. If she had to deal with these annoying girls, at least they could smell nice.
One thing was certain: no matter how much perfume they wore, that man would never understand the meaning behind it.
“When is he coming?”
Colin asked again. Now, they were alone. Adeline lay sideways on the long sofa and replied lazily.
“Not coming.”
“…Pardon?”
“He’s not coming. I never promised.”
But just then, a loud knock came from outside, followed by the door flying open.
“His Majesty, the Lion King, has arrived.”
Once again, Richard had brought the Lion King upstairs.
Adeline had confidently claimed he wouldn’t come today, and yet there he stood, as if to prove her wrong. Colin, standing behind her, let out a quiet cough.
“Why are you here?”
Her words came out sharper than intended, but he simply gave a small chuckle.
This man came and went from Adeline’s palace like it was his own home. And as a result, her drawing room had been growing increasingly lavish. The tablecloths, curtains, flowers, and candlesticks changed daily. She had never seen her maids work so tirelessly. The problem was that he didn’t even seem to notice any of it.
The Lion King stepped inside the drawing room and, without so much as taking a seat, approached her and held out his hand.
“Come.”
“Where to?”
“There’s somewhere we need to go.”
Adeline, caught off guard, let out a small laugh as she took his hand.
Colin was already preparing her coat with quick hands. She disappeared into the dressing room and returned with Adeline’s outdoor hat and shoes bundled in her arms. Placing the shoes at Adeline’s feet, she stepped back respectfully.
The other maids had also arrived by then, scolding Richard outside the drawing room for being in the way, then rushing in to sweetly ask if they should prepare dinner in case she returned late.
They smelled faintly of fruit. Lime, to be precise.
“Wow…”
“What now?”
“Nothing. Not like you’d understand even if I explained.”
Adeline murmured and awkwardly stood to change her shoes and put on her coat.
Colin moved like her hands and feet, adjusting the hat and tying the ribbon beneath her chin. Saying it might rain, she rushed out to ready an umbrella in the carriage. As the Lion King took Adeline’s hand and guided her forward, the other maids scattered like a school of fish, clearing a path for the pair.
Adeline muttered in awe.
“You must’ve had an easy life.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
To her surprise, he had come by carriage today—a sturdy Marmar-style one of unknown origin.
She hadn’t expected this man, who didn’t understand etiquette, to help her into the carriage, so she opened the door herself and lifted her skirts. But before she could climb in, the Lion King grabbed her firmly by the waist and lifted her up into the carriage.
For the second time.
“Eeek!”
The shriek came from the maids.
Adeline, stunned, turned back as soon as she was seated. She was the one tossed like luggage, but it was the maids whose faces were flushed pink.
“What’s their problem?”
He asked, stepping into the carriage, his broad shoulders nearly filling the doorframe. Adeline sighed and leaned back against the seat.
“Let’s just go. I suddenly feel exhausted.”
The carriage started moving, and for a while, neither of them spoke.
Adeline was examining his face, trying to understand why her maids were so enamored with him. Meanwhile, the Lion King was glaring at her layers of dress, coat, hat, and ribbons. To an outsider, it might look like they were about to fight.
“What is it?”
“What about you?”
They spoke nearly in unison, and he leaned back, giving her the floor first.
“Do you take after your mother or your father?”
“What? That’s what you wanted to ask…? I don’t know.”
“How do you not know?”
“I don’t know who my father is. My mother had brown hair and eyes. I didn’t resemble her, so I must’ve taken after my father… but she had many husbands. No one knows which one was my real father.”
He said this outrageous thing with a perfectly calm face. Adeline blinked, unsure how to respond. He chuckled and added,
“My mother was a chieftain. She had about twelve husbands.”
“Wow.”
“Last I heard, she’s still living well on the edge of the desert. With some young man—no idea which husband he is.”
“Damn. I should’ve been born in the desert.”
Adeline muttered with genuine envy, and the Lion King let out a hearty laugh.
“You could never be a chieftain.”
“Why not?”
“Because you have to fight challengers every year and win. Only the strongest warrior can lead the tribe.”
Primitive, but effective. In a desert rife with conflict between tribes, such customs were probably necessary. She nodded, trying to understand his values.
“Is that why you said one wife is enough? Because you grew up not knowing your father?”
“What? No.”
“Then why?”
He looked genuinely baffled.
“Because I’m a king. Precisely because I’m a king, I should only have one wife. Even if I’m new to the throne, I know at least that much—don’t test me with nonsense. A king must be a role model for his people. If such a person keeps multiple wives and hurts the hearts of many, how can he be any kind of example? A ruler must be strong, but also worthy of respect.”
It was a reason she hadn’t expected. So much so that Adeline was momentarily speechless. How many royals—past or present—on this continent truly lived by such principles?
She finally managed to speak.
“You were a model student, weren’t you?”
“And you must’ve been a delinquent.”
“I was not!”
She shot him a glare. He responded with a soft, whistling laugh.
Leaning back in his seat, his head propped on one hand, he slowly blinked his deep green eyes. His sandy eyelashes matched his hair, soft in color but rich in volume. His eyes, his brows—all of it held strength.
It was absurd, but in that moment, Adeline thought she understood why her maids adored this man so much.
Humans are drawn to untamed nature. Even when they know they can’t possess it, they yearn to touch it—like the raging sea, mist-covered peaks, or fierce, beautiful beasts.
He was like that. Wild and beautiful.
While she was lost in those thoughts, the carriage passed through the royal forest and entered the outskirts of the capital. Rolling hills met well-manicured woods in a breathtaking view.
“Where are we?”
“My home.”
It was the estate where the Lion King and his men were staying.
Upon accepting the emperor’s invitation to Marmar, he had been gifted a residence in the capital. Adeline had heard about it before and imagined a grand, luxurious mansion—old, ornate, and excessive.
He opened the door and jumped down first. There were no butlers or guards at the entrance. The carriage had driven deep into the estate grounds, and they disembarked right at the entrance.
“Nice house.”
“Is it? Feels like there’s too much useless stuff. Like your clothes.”
“Really? Like what?”
“There’s a dress display room, a jewelry display room, a room just for ornamental swords, a tea room, a wine room, a nap room… not to mention separate spaces for receiving guests, hosting meetings, and lounging.”
Adeline couldn’t help but wonder how this man made use of all those rooms.
“So why did you bring me here?”
“The stargazer wants to meet you.”
He pushed open a door with one hand.
“Said she won’t speak unless it’s you.”
The stargazer was wearing an oversized men’s loungewear set. It hung awkwardly on her small frame—shirt down to her knees, rolled-up pants flopping about.
She was brewing tea when Adeline entered without knocking. The stargazer blinked her mismatched eyes at Adeline, then suddenly dropped to her knees.
“Princess Adeline.”
It was odd. The room smelled faintly of tea, and golden sunlight slanted through the large windows.
Her expression was blank, just as it had been when they first met. But her eyes burned with a strange intensity. Bowing deeply with both palms on the floor, the stargazer spoke.
“What is this?”
Adeline asked. The Lion King had followed her in, equally confused. The stargazer kept her head down and said,
“Princess Adeline, I beg your answer.”
“To what?”
“Please. You must answer.”
“I said, to what?”
“Do you… wish to become king?”
“What?”
She felt breathless.
Adeline froze mid-step, unable to respond. The Lion King, too, looked stunned. She thought he might draw his sword, but she said nothing.
Tension settled over the room, thick despite the scent of tea.
“Please, answer me.”
“So you believe the stars are predicting I’ll seek the throne?”
Ridiculous. She hated kings. She loathed royalty. Every royal she’d known was a hypocrite, a cold-blooded killer. The tongue of a king birthed lies, and poison brewed in their bellies.
“Please, answer.”
The stargazer was unrelenting. Still bowed to the floor, unmoving—as if willing to die if left unanswered.
“So much for your mystic prophecies. You sound like a swindler, testing me with lies.”
Adeline despised people like this. Zealots, blind to everything but what they believe. Whatever the stargazer thought she saw in Adeline, she was wrong.
Dead wrong.
“Fine. I’ll tell you.”
She crouched before the stargazer, clasped her hands, and said plainly,
“I’m going to kill them all.”
It was a resolve she’d forced out, long rotting within her. A wish so twisted it had festered into something dark.
“Everyone who sold me and my mother, those who licked their lips placing bids… and the ones who said my mother—already sold—had to be slaughtered… I’ll kill them all. Tear them apart, gouge out their eyes. Got it?”
“Your Highness…”
“If they beg for mercy, I’ll rip out their tongues and burn them. If they run, I’ll cut off their ankles. So they can never again beg or cry like my mother did—trying to protect her child. I’ll drag them to hell and leave them there to suffer forever.”
“Your Highness…”
“That’s what I’ll do.”
That was her first act of vengeance.
Her mother was beautiful. A seamstress hidden away in a rural village, working day and night to feed her daughter. But her silver hair and striking looks led to tragedy.
“The slavers saw us—mother and daughter alike—and thought, ‘If we sell them together, we’ll make double… triple… more gold than we’ve ever seen.’ I still remember it. The auction stage beneath the ruins where you once stood. My mother’s screams echoing through it.”
Her mother had begged—please, spare the child. She had knelt, pleaded, offered everything. Do whatever you want to me, just don’t hurt the child.
Adeline was nine.
“I remember everything.”
The grief. The helplessness. She couldn’t even comfort her mother.
She had been too afraid.
“There’s no god in this world. And if there is, I’ll kill it myself.”
Her reflection flickered in the stargazer’s mismatched eyes. A familiar face. Cold, expressionless. A witch armed with murderous intent. In moments like this, her pale hair and icy blue-violet eyes served her well.
The stargazer, still kneeling, finally lifted her head and asked,
“And once you’ve killed them all, what then? More will rise against you. Will you kill them too? Kill and kill again—what will your hands be left holding? Satisfaction? Is that really what you want?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I understand your rage. But they have families too. Loved ones. Your path creates more victims. Even knowing that… will you still go through with it?”
Adeline didn’t know what prophecy the stargazer had seen. But she could guess.
“How funny. You, who came to the auction for revenge, now say this. What about the man you tried to kill—didn’t he have a family?”
“Your Highness.”
“If guilt is making you hesitate, then walk away. No one will blame you.”
Adeline shook out her skirts and looked around. The Lion King was offering her a seat. He hadn’t said a word the whole time, simply standing guard.
She sat in the chair he pointed to. The stargazer carefully got up and approached, holding something.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“Southern base points of the human trafficking ring.”
It was a map. A meticulously drawn map of southern Marmar. Adeline couldn’t hide her surprise as she took it and looked up at her.
“We gathered it from the information slaves risked their lives to send. We even know a few names. We couldn’t uncover the ringleader you’re after yet, but if you follow these names, you’ll reach him eventually.”
The locations were mostly outskirts of southern cities. The map marked their routes, where the traffickers moved and traded. It wasn’t something that could’ve been drawn over a cup of tea. It would’ve taken at least half a day.
Adeline stood, map in hand. The stargazer looked at her with a defiant gaze.
“Please let me help you in your revenge.”
“So this was your plan from the beginning.”
“I needed to hear your resolve.”
If this had been the old Adeline, she would’ve slapped the impertinent stargazer. But hearing how obsessively she’d gathered all this information… she couldn’t bring herself to.
She must have her own reasons.
The question about the throne had been to determine whether this was personal revenge or something more—a rebellion.
“The stars raised a monster.”
Adeline folded the map neatly and tucked it into her pocket.
