Chapter 40

As we entered the paved road, the coachman sped up.

He probably wanted to reach the capital quickly while there were still few eyes watching.

The rough ride made my butt lift off the seat several times.

Normally, my whole body would ache, but perhaps because I’d spent half the day sitting on the floor, I managed to endure.

Riorem, however, didn’t seem to think the same — his expression was steadily hardening.

Regardless, the speeding quickly bore fruit.

We reached the castle gates in half the time it had taken when we left for the hunt.

We passed through the checkpoint without any inspection.

It seemed the crown prince had made arrangements to hide my presence.

I decided to repay his efforts — though all I could do was hide behind the curtain and avoid looking out the window.

Riorem, who had been watching me, finally spoke.

“Are you not curious?”

“About what?”

“The royal capital of Arete. Isn’t this your first time in such a large city?”

“I’d rather not let every single person in the capital know that Riorem Velik shared a carriage with a woman.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“There must be — otherwise the crown prince wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of hiding your carriage at the checkpoint.”

Riorem’s face twisted.

“I had originally planned to announce to the world that you had fallen into my hands. After putting in so much effort, isn’t it only fair that I flaunt it a little?”

“So you’re upset you can’t?”

“I’ve accepted it as a reasonable decision. Still, it means I’ve lost a reward I’ve long anticipated.”

“How tragic. I guess you’ll have to console yourself by treating me like a dog.”

Riorem bit his lip.

Silence returned, and neither of us even breathed loudly until we arrived at the capital.

Soon after, the carriage came to a full stop.

“This is where the royal family’s carriages are stationed,” Riorem said as he prepared to disembark.

“It’s a place where only royals or those directly accompanying them may enter. Perhaps a handmaiden could come and go, but…”

His blue eyes turned to me.

“If anyone comes, stall for time as much as possible. If they try to take you elsewhere, follow slowly. I’ll come back to retrieve you.”

“Yes, Master.”

Riorem frowned at my response.

I saw him off as he exited with heavy steps.

The carriage station was quiet.

Peeking through the curtain, I could see the space wasn’t large — it seemed to be a temporary waiting area for departing carriages.

I leaned back against the wall of the carriage and closed my eyes.

I was bored.

I wanted to nap, but I couldn’t let my guard down — I was waiting for someone sent by the crown prince to contact me.

But my moment of peace didn’t last.

Thud, thud, thud.

Rough footsteps echoed from a distance.

Goosebumps crawled down my spine.

My body sensed danger before my mind could.

The sound grew closer, confirming my instincts.

Thud.

The footsteps stopped right in front of the carriage.

Then the carriage door was yanked open violently.

“What the hell? It’s really a woman?”

A mocking voice rang in my ears.

A man stepped into the narrow, veiled space.

A handsome blond man with blood-red eyes shining like rubies.

A face I knew well.

Alpheios.

Why was he here? I’d heard he’d been sent to the frontlines.

But this wasn’t the time for questions.

Alpheios wasn’t the kind of man who would give me time to process the situation.

As expected, he climbed into the carriage without hesitation.

“A slave acting like a master is already funny, but dragging around a woman too?”

Alpheios sneered, half-laughing.

The first thing he did was slowly scan me from head to toe.

His gaze stopped at the shackles binding my wrists.

His red eyes widened.

Then he burst into laughter.

“Puhaha! What’s this? Seems like someone’s done this before, huh?”

A coarse hand — too rough to be a prince’s — gripped my shoulder.

With overwhelming strength, he yanked me to my feet.

“This is gonna be more fun than I thought.”

In a flash, Alpheios dragged me out of the carriage.

Because my ankles were shackled, I stumbled — and he slung me over his shoulder without hesitation.

Only then did a few guards in the distance realize what was happening and run over.

“Y-Your Highness! What are you doing here…?”

“I have business.”

Alpheios ignored the guards blocking his way and walked out of the station.

A brilliant, ornate corridor greeted us shortly after.

I kept my head bowed and stayed still like a slave ordered to remain motionless.

The more I struggled, the more excited this savage would get.

It seemed that Alpheios didn’t know that Riorem had brought a female slave into the palace.

So that’s why he personally came to check.

That meant Alpheios had no spies inside the hunting grounds.

Although he knew that Riorem had let me in, it seemed there were people planted inside Dynamis’s mansion.

Not a good sign.

Though he was filthy in his indulgences, Alpheios wasn’t a man driven by lust.

What moved him was not desire but the hunger for conquest.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what Alpheios would do to Riorem’s slave.

As if to prove my thoughts right, Alpheios threw me down in the middle of the corridor.

Thud.

With a dull sound, I rolled on the marble floor.

A heavy pain spread through my shoulder.

I gritted my teeth and swallowed a groan.

His red eyes scrutinized me thoroughly.

“Do you know who I am?”

“You don’t seem completely unaware.”

Step, step.

Alpheios approached me.

His leather-shod foot stopped near my waist.

“Then let me ask you something.”

The tip of his shoe pressed lightly against my lower abdomen.

“Did you happen to have a slave bastard here?”

“This is an important question, so answer me. How I deal with you depends on it.”

At Alpheios’s words, I clenched my molars.

I almost laughed.

Have a child?

I’ve never even let a drop of seed inside me.

He must have interpreted my silence differently because Alpheios laughed out loud.

Then he planted his left foot firmly on the ground and raised the opposite leg high, as if to kick my belly.

Whoosh.

The leather shoe sliced the air.

But I didn’t feel the impact.

He had stopped his leg just before hitting me.

“Hmm, seems you’re not pregnant.”

Thud.

With a heavy sound, the hard heel struck the floor just in front of the lower abdomen where my womb should be.

An involuntary bitter laugh escaped me.

To decide that not holding one’s belly meant not being pregnant — what a childish man.

Thanks to that, I understood why he had dragged me out of the carriage.

If I were pregnant, he’d want to kill the child.

If not, he’d want to violate me.

Probably in a place where everyone in the palace, including Riorem, would find out.

As expected, Alpheios grabbed my knee.

His pale face approached, wearing a cruel smile like a beast.

“You think it’s obvious, don’t you?”

“But it won’t be so bad. I take care of all my children.”

Pff—

This time I couldn’t hold back.

I laughed quietly, still holding my breath.

My shoulders trembled as I tried not to make a sound.

He said he takes care of all his bastards.

What a ridiculous statement.

Alpheios didn’t take women out of lust but to dominate them.

Of course, he never took care of bastards. He never acknowledged his children and killed them instead.

I wasn’t the only one who had seen that, which was why he had never been engaged and was still desperate for me.

“…No way.”

Alpheios, who had been staring blankly at me, climbed onto my chest.

His rough, scarred hand tore off my veil.

Riiip.

The fabric tore with a sharp sound, spilling out blood-red hair like dripping blood.

Alpheios’s pupils trembled slightly as they took in my face.

“You… why are you here…?”

“Well.”

I answered in a gentle voice.

“Why don’t you ask my master?”

As Alpheios struggled to understand my words,

A jet-black doll slammed into him.