Tamed A Blackened Slave Man

Maintaining his composure, Cassadin responded to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I had only done what was expected of me. So there is no need to bestow a reward on me. What Your Majesty has already done for me is already much more than enough.”

“Please do not hesitate to accept this gift. It is purely out of my will that I want to give it to you.”

He had turned down the offer in an evasive manner, but the Emperor seemed to have no intention of withdrawing his orders.

“I’ve heard that the youngest princess of Elsia is quite a beauty. How about it? I think she will suit you quite well.”

Cassadin had no interest in whether that woman was attractive or not. The only thought in Cassadin’s mind at that moment was about what Aren could be doing at that moment.

On no occasion was anyone else other than Aren ever going to enter Cassadin’s heart, whether that was now or in the future.

Cassadin could feel his insides churn. Could the Emperor, that old fox, have realized his relationship with Aren and been intentionally forcing this gift upon him?

All Cassadin needed was Aren. He considered anyone else just a disturbance to their relationship.

In order to escape this situation, Cassadin decided to give all of the credit for his achievements to Lumen.

“Your Majesty.”

Cassadin’s deep voice echoed through the room.

“I am afraid to say that the biggest contributor to the victory of this war was not me, but Sir Lumen, the Commander of the 1^st Order of Knights. All I had done was take care of the Elsia troops that had been attempting to retreat.”

“……”

“So I believe it would only be right for the gift that is being bestowed on me to be given to the Commander.”

Lumen’s eyes shook visibly. It had been Cassadin who led their army to victory in this war, not him.

Lumen deeply respected Damian for his remarkable swordsmanship.

Which was why Lumen had hated Cassadin. Even after hearing the news that he defeated Damian, he did not believe it and instead sneered at the man.

But after witnessing Cassadin’s swordsmanship with his own two eyes, he realized that his skill was not something that someone could dare judge.

Cassadin’s swordsmanship was something beyond that of a human. A level that ordinary people could not reach even if they dedicated their entire lives to training.

Lumen earnestly thought he wanted to learn from Cassadin. He experienced that when there was someone overwhelmingly skilled compared to oneself, a person wouldn’t feel jealousy but admiration instead.

They were in completely different dimensions. Even if he trained for hundreds—no, his entire life, he could not even come close to Cassadin’s level of swordsmanship.

He felt ashamed that someone as inadequate as him held the title of Commander of the 1^st Order of Knights. Not to mention that he hadn’t done a single thing in this battle, but Cassadin had given all of his credit to him.

How could one man be so generous? Lumen was ashamed of himself for looking down on such a man.

“Commander, is what the Marquess saying true?”

Lumen slowly raised his head at the voice of the Emperor calling to him. The man’s golden eyes were shining visibly as they looked at him. Turning his eyes a bit to the side, he saw that Cassadin had also turned his head to look at him.

Lumen immediately understood what the look Cassadin was giving him meant. Moving his rigid lips, Lumen bowed his head to the Emperor and answered.

“Yes, Your Majesty. His Lordship has spoken the truth.”

“……Hahaha. I see. You both have done well.”

The Emperor laughed lightly, stroking his beard. But he ultimately did not say that he was going to bestow the gift on Lumen.

“Today is a joyful day, so go rest at ease. As a high credit for your achievements, I will open a large banquet in the days soon to come.”

Continuing to stroke his beard, the Emperor then turned to gaze at Cassadin as he slowly added on.

“I request that everyone here attend the banquet.”

“…….As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Though that was how Cassadin had responded, he wanted to escape this suffocating palace as soon as possible.

He wanted to take Aren’s small hands in his and swallow up her plump yet soft lips. He longed to be in her gentle embrace, relishing her fragrant scent.

Those were the thoughts running through Cassadin’s mind, unlike his external, dry expression. He couldn’t have possibly read his mind, but smiling meaningfully towards Cassadin, the Emperor spoke.

“I ask that you come to the banquet with Lady Serkia.”

“……”

“I have heard that the two of you had quite a remarkable relationship when you were once part of the Serkia Family. Since it will be difficult for you to meet the lady in the future, it would make me happy to see the two of you together in the banquet at the very least.”

‘That old fox. He’s still trying to test me.’

Cassadin internally gritted his teeth. In his thoughts, he was imagining himself using the sword on his belt to slice the Emperor in half.

The Emperor was continuing to test Cassadin, and officially declared that he would be unable to meet her often in the future, regardless of their relationship.

His suggestion for them to come to the banquet together might seem like a considerate act on the surface, but it had a hidden meaning.

‘He had intentionally done that so he would be able to see what my relationship with Aren truly is for himself.’

What a cunning man this person was! He didn’t like a single person out of those who declared themselves to be royalty. Not the Emperor, the Crown Prince, or Damian. Why were they all so intent on disturbing him and Aren?

“…….I deeply appreciate Your Majesty’s benevolence.”

Trying his best not to frown, Cassadin bowed to the Emperor.

‘There is no reason for Your Lordship to dirty your hands like that. I ask that you please do not dirty these clean hands that I healed with filthy blood.’

Aren’s pleasant voice echoed inside Cassadin’s mind.

Cassadin could not rashly use the hands that she had healed any longer. If it were for Aren, he could bow his head more than dozens of times.

“I will bestow the gift on you on the day of the banquet.”

“……”

“You may change your mind once you meet her in person. The Marquess, who is praised for having a face blessed by the heavens, and the neighboring kingdom’s Princess, famous for her beauty. What better pair could there be?”

Cassadin could feel his insides churn once more as he listened to the Emperor. But he managed to maintain a placid expression until the end. He knew that if he continued to decline the Emperor’s orders, he would make Aren suffer instead.

“……Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Regardless of the nonsense the Emperor blabbered on about their harmonic appearances, Aren was the only woman Cassadin loved.

“Then, I will be waiting for your arrival at the banquet.”

The Emperor’s wrinkled eyes folded into long slits. It was clear that he was pleased, from his stretched lips to the look in his eyes.

On the other hand, Cassadin’s expression as he made his way out of the palace was frigidly cold. But as soon as he stepped out of the suffocating room, someone hurriedly called out to Cassadin.

“S-Sir!”

“……?”

Turning his head, Cassadin found Lumen gazing at him with sparkling eyes.

He could see that Lumen was staring at him with almost too much enthusiasm. And Cassadin couldn’t help but narrow his eyes, seeing a man who was almost forty gazing at him with such intensity.

When Cassadin tilted his head in question, Lumen scratched his cheek sheepishly as he apologized.

“I’m sorry about my previous actions.”

“For what actions?”

“For misjudging Your Lordship. I’ve never imagined that your swordsmanship would be that outstanding.”

Cassadin peered at Lumen for a long moment before opening his mouth.

“There is no need for you to apologize to me.”

“……Please teach me.”

What could the commander of the Imperial Knights ask for him to teach? Seeing Cassadin’s eyes narrowing, Lumen bowed his head and continued.

“It has been the first time in my life that I have witnessed such astonishing swordsmanship.”

“……”

“Please teach me the swordsmanship I am lacking. I am willing to do anything in order to learn from you.”

Cassadin was about to turn around and ignore Lumen, but then changed his mind. If the Emperor was trying to test him, he just needed to reach a position where the Emperor couldn’t dare test him.

That would mean he would no longer need the Emperor’s approval to be with Aren. But in order to do that, Cassadin needed people on his side.

He had his swordsmanship abilities, and now he was a Marquess. But these were all mere stepping stones for Cassadin so that he would be able to stand beside Aren.

Making followers was also one of those steps. He needed to collect as many people as he could to be on his side and rise up to a position where not a single person would be able to object to his and Aren’s relationship.

Cassadin slowly opened his mouth.

“……If I am enough for you.”

Lumen’s face brightened after obtaining Cassadin’s permission. It was a historical moment in Lumen’s life when his most respected person changed from Damian to Cassadin.

---

A day before that.

The day before, the messenger from the Elsia Kingdom had set foot in the Empire, the night of the war. The sun had long set behind the mountains, and the skies had become draped with darkness.

In the midst of this dark night, Aren was greeting Damian in the drawing room.

Aren had been incredibly flustered when she first heard the news that the war, which should have happened much later, had suddenly started.

However, as it was only natural to do so, Cassadin returned victorious. Only then was Aren able to let out a deep sigh of relief.

But that relief was only short-lived since Damian had suddenly visited their residency in the middle of the night.

Aren was unable to turn away Damian, who knew Cassadin’s weakness. And that would be even more so if the one who had started this war was Damian.

If he had come to ask for her to heal his heart condition, then she just needed to alter it a bit and pretend to have healed him. With a kind smile, Aren asked Damian.

“What brings Your Grace here so late at night?”

“I’ve come because I wanted to see you.”

Maintaining a faint smile towards the man who was spouting nonsense, Aren changed the subject.

“Ah, that reminds me, Your Grace. Have you heard the news that a war has broken out?”

“……I have heard that was the case.”

“It’s quite a relief, though, since the Empire has won.”

Clack. Aren set down two cups of freshly brewed tea on the table. Damian stared down at the teacup set down in front of him, then brought it up to his mouth.

“I don’t understand why Elsia would suddenly initiate such a war. They attacked a foe they wouldn’t be able to defeat. It seems no different from suicide.”

“……”

“Your Grace has visited me this late at night so that I can heal your heart disease, correct?”

To Aren’s question, Damian took another sip of his tea, put it down on the table, and responded quietly.

“My heart disease does not matter anymore.”

The Damian I know would never genuinely mean that. Thinking as such, Aren internally sneered at Damian.

“You can be truthful to me, Your Grace.”

“……”

“It isn’t wrong to be in pain. Nor is it a flaw. The disease will only worsen if you try to hide it.”

She could not sound more like a healer at that moment. Closing his eyes, Damian leisurely savored Aren’s voice.

“Your Grace.”

Her clear yet gentle voice reached Damian’s ears. Had it always been this nice to hear her call to him?

He hadn’t planned on utilizing the Elsia troops this quickly, but listening to Aren’s voice, he became certain that it had been the right decision to make.

Of course, not even Damian knew that Cassadin would return victorious this quickly.

But that didn’t matter much to Damian. In the first place, those had just been a few of his puppets that he used to turn the Emperor’s attention away from him.

Once the Emperor accepted and trusted Cassadin in acknowledgment of his achievements, he would also try to keep him under his control for the rest of his life.

And that was exactly what Damian wanted.

Because of the Emperor’s supervision, Cassadin would struggle to approach Aren, and using times such as these, he would be able to visit Aren at her home.

And after several visits, he would be able to cure this damned heart condition.

…….That was what he had thought.

“Are you alright?”

Hearing Aren’s concerned voice, Damian’s mouth stretched wide. Opening his closed eyes, Damian leisurely viewed Aren’s face.

The woman’s face was attractive under the dim light of the lamp. Her platinum hair that reached her waist seemed to have absorbed the moon’s light. Those blue eyes were vivid and clear, just like the deep ocean.

Why was it? That the woman he had considered to be a mere tool seemed so beautiful?

Perhaps it was because the moonlight of this night had been especially beautiful, or maybe Aren had done something to him while healing his heart.

Damian had planned to ask Aren to heal his heart as soon as he met her. But, as soon as he saw the woman smiling at him with crescent eyes, the words were unable to leave his mouth.

Damian reached out his hand towards Aren, who was still looking worriedly at him. As soon as his hands touched a couple of her platinum locks, Aren flinched in surprise and leaned back.

Aren always seemed to be within his reach, but she was never close enough for him to touch. That irritated Damian. Did she not give him a chance because of Cassadin?

‘How strange. Should I call her smart or foolish?’

For Damian, understanding the intentions of people was incredibly easy. But even Damian had a difficult time trying to understand Aren’s true intentions.

And that was the reason why Damian had asked a question that was completely different from his original objective.

“May I ask you why you chose him?”