“Other than you, I don’t belong to anyone. And… no matter when, no matter where, whatever kind of ‘first’ you can think of, I’ll give it to you.”
Heart-fluttering was probably the most accurate phrase to describe Luo Xiya’s mood right now.
An indescribable joy rippled through her chest, and the possessiveness that had been prickly and combative only moments ago quietly softened.
Even after the kiss to his cheek, Luo Xiya still didn’t let go of Roman’s hand.
In fact, she gently interlaced her fingers with his.
In the dance floor, most guests courteously released their partners after each piece ended, either seeking new dance companions for the next number or stepping aside to enjoy refreshments.
From the moment Luo Xiya had pulled Roman onto the floor, eyes had been on him.
People were stunned by his beauty and quietly waited for the second piece, hoping to switch partners and approach him.
Sensing the probing glances around them, Luo Xiya smiled brilliantly and returned the looks with poise.
Thanks to their noble upbringing and social intuition, plus the fact that the invited guests were all Luo Xiya’s close friends, they immediately understood, Roman was now off limits.
A forbidden pleasure marked as Luo Xiya’s own.
No one would be foolish enough to challenge the hostess over a man.
Instead, they smiled politely and tactfully ignored the interlocked hands in the middle of the floor.
From the lounge, a few resting guests even raised their glasses toward Luo Xiya with teasing smiles, giving her that universal “congratulations” look.
Still, Roman’s beauty stirred other kinds of thoughts.
In the Aingloran Empire, trading men was a well-loved form of social bonding among nobles.
It wasn’t just limited to slaves, even “husbands” in name could be shared.
It had become an unspoken tradition in noble circles.
At this point, even if some female nobles were genuinely in love with their husbands, they no longer had a say.
Anyone who refused to participate in such “customs” would be ostracized by the circle, and no one could afford that.
Even those gathered here, supposedly Luo Xiya’s closest friends and allies, couldn’t help but entertain certain ideas about Roman.
To them, men were no different from pets.
And really, who cared about a pet’s so-called “chastity”?
Right now, Luo Xiya was still in the early stages, when novelty and possessiveness were fresh and intense.
But give it time, and those urges would fade.
When that happened, toss her a little benefit, and who’s to say she wouldn’t let someone borrow him for a few days of “fun”?
Just the thought of that face, so stunning it rivaled Goddess Fara herself, made some women flush with heat between their legs.
A few even quickly excused themselves to the restroom.
As the second dance began, Roman, gradually adjusting to the rhythm, started to truly enjoy the feeling of dancing.
The harmony between body and music, the physical freedom and emotional release, it all felt wonderful.
He began to understand why balls were a staple of every banquet.
He shared these thoughts with Luo Xiya, who only chuckled softly in reply, like an older sister indulging a naïve child.
Balls weren’t popular just because they were elegant, it was because they were the perfect pretext for flirtation. Convenient, formal, and socially acceptable.
Just looking at the pairs around them, women clinging together like they wanted to melt into each other, made the point obvious.
As the music swelled to its climax, Luo Xiya suddenly leaned close to Roman’s ear and whispered,
“I’ll catch you.”
And then, Roman spun out like a top.
Round and round he went, no idea how many turns, before finally falling back into Luo Xiya’s arms.
With unsteady steps, Roman nearly collapsed, his entire weight falling into Luo Xiya’s arms.
She caught his soft, boneless frame with ease, and noticing the dazed spiral in his left eye, she couldn’t help but smile smugly.
Satisfied with her fun, Luo Xiya was ready to leave the dance floor.
But seeing Roman’s legs go weak and his sense of direction clearly gone, she bent down without hesitation, slipped her arm under his knees, and scooped him up.
Her hand curled around those smooth, ivory-like calves as she carried him, step by step, out of the dance floor.
The head maid Elise, always attentive, quickly pulled out a chair for Luo Xiya to lay Roman down.
But this time, she misunderstood her lady’s intention.
Luo Xiya looked down at Roman’s delicate face.
The sensation of his body in her arms was so pleasing, she found herself unwilling to let go.
Elise, momentarily stunned, quickly caught on.
She bowed and quietly stepped away, no longer disturbing her mistress.
Once Elise had left, Luo Xiya lowered her gaze.
A vague sense of guilt suddenly rose in her chest.
At first, all she’d wanted was to bring him to her estate to keep him safe.
She hadn’t had any other intentions.
If she had to pinpoint it, the moment came when she reviewed the auction dossier on Roman, that was when her interest had first sparked.
It was an unusual case.
In the world of transcendentals, the higher one’s rank, the less interest they had in men.
The gap was simply too wide.
Just as a human wouldn’t feel attraction to an ant, most noblewomen who indulged in lust were those with limited talent.
After awakening her high-tier Sacred Seal, Luo Xiya had completely lost all interest in men.
Occasionally, at her mother’s urging, she would meet with some passable breeding candidates.
But not only did they fail to change her view, they only deepened her disgust.
No soul.
Just flattery and pathetic self-display.
Raising a cat or dog was far more meaningful, at least pets didn’t come with so many annoying thoughts.
Then she saw Roman’s file.
Read about how he’d worked endlessly to pay for his mother’s treatment.
The auction house had investigated thoroughly.
At first glance, Luo Xiya had simply been confused.
With looks like his, he could have easily clung to some wealthy noblewoman.
Why sell himself into slavery?
She knew exactly how ruthless those flesh-trading capitalists were.
A boy like Roman, with no backing, would be squeezed for maximum profit with minimal cost.
She had thought he was just hopelessly naive… until she flipped to the part about his mother.
Then she went silent.
Her whole body turned cold.
It turned out, not long before he was sold, his mother had passed away from illness.
The record stated that Roman had no money for a coffin.
He used every scrap of cloth in the house to wrap her body, then found a clean patch of soil in a deserted field.
There, with his bare hands, he dug a grave.
He was caught by the auction house’s agents while staggering home, exhausted and alone.
In the Aingloran Empire, without support, he had no human rights.
He hadn’t even been able to bury her properly, before he was taken to the capital’s slave market.
After reading that, something inside Luo Xiya shifted.
Foolish, yes, but not in a way she disliked.
In fact, she admired it.
There was a kind of childish stubbornness in Roman’s actions, and she deeply respected it.
A light, fresh fragrance suddenly reached her nose, pulling her back to the present.
It was coming from Roman’s face, soft, clean, and quietly comforting.
Gently, Luo Xiya laid him down.
She thought of what the record said about what he never got to finish, and made up her mind to help him complete it.
That way… she could do what she planned next with a clear conscience.