Ron stared at the bag of gold on the table, his eyes narrowed. After a while, he chuckled, "Klaus, I had no idea that my slave could catch your fancy so much, to the point where you're willing to spend such a hefty price on a worthless little slave."
"It's my own affair, Ron. I only ask you, is this enough?"
For a captive slave, being sold off by their master wasn't anything out of the ordinary, especially for maids. If a guest at a banquet liked one of the serving girls and wanted to take them away, sometimes all it took was a word from the host.
But I never expected Klaus to be willing to pay such a high price. This man, after recognizing my identity, not only didn't harm me, but also wanted to free me from Ron's control. What exactly was he after?
What did it mean to be his slave?
I couldn't understand this man's actions, and it made me deeply uneasy.
"Heh, it's enough, of course, Klaus. You are a beloved warrior of the king, and how could I refuse your request? But, I didn't expect your taste to be so low."
After a moment of silence, Ron smiled hypocritically. I couldn't believe it as I looked up at Ron; would he really let me go so easily?
Our eyes met, and Ron's face, with its fake smile, came into view. His eyes were dark, and I could feel his sharp gaze piercing into me, like needles. I shuddered instinctively and quickly lowered my gaze, pressing closer to Klaus's chest in nervousness.
For Ron, I was the symbol of his successful betrayal, so he was happy to keep me in his territory to be abused by anyone. The more painful and miserable I was, the happier he felt about his successful betrayal.
But now Klaus wanted to take me away. For Ron, this wasn't just losing a slave; it was losing the emblem of his victory.
Moreover, Ron's expression didn't seem like he wanted to let me go at all. I think Klaus must have known this, so he made an offer that Ron could hardly refuse.
"Whether it's low or not, I know it myself." Klaus ignored Ron's words, smirking, "And, I really like this little slave, enjoyed her last night."
As if to prove his words, he trailed his hand along the torn edge of my skirt, his calloused fingers leaving red marks on my skin. I stared at him in horror, clutching his shirt desperately, trying to stop him.
'No, no, this is too shameful, I can't be played with by another man in front of Ron, the murderer of my father,' I thought.
But he didn't stop, continuing upwards until his hand reached near the bite marks left from last night, eliciting a sobbing refusal from me.
"Mm, let go..."
I couldn't help but redden my eyes, kicking the man's leg in struggle, but his arm, as if made of iron, kept me trapped in his embrace.
"Quiet, slave, you are mine now." My resistance to Klaus, a battle-hardened warrior, was like a kitten scratching, not even touching his fur.
His golden eyes looked down at my face, containing a threatening intention. Even though his tone was light, I could still understand the threat in his words.
"Ah, Klaus, it seems this slave isn't willing at all," Ron said, grinning.
"She is, of course," Klaus smirked, "Slaves don't have the right to refuse their master's decisions. I'll take her away tomorrow, and I'll have someone send over the agreed upon gold."
In just a few words, it seemed like my fate had already been confirmed. Klaus stood up, and I was pressed against his chest, like a cat being picked up, my face red with blood.
"Wait," Ron's voice echoed from behind me, and my heart tightened with a sense of foreboding.
"But, Klaus, you also know, this slave's identity is not ordinary. If she's unwilling, it's hard for me to just sell her to you like this. After all, I'm a very merciful Alpha."
"Isn't that right, Emilia?"
Ron's voice gradually turned ominous, his throaty tone like a crow over a grave.
"I... I..." I opened my mouth, but didn't know how to answer, nor did I understand Ron's intentions.
"Emilia," Ron also stood up, coming to stand in front of me, a venomous glint in his eye, "Are you so eager to bid farewell to your former home?"
Like being bitten on the most tender wound, my heart tore uncontrollably once again, as if pain flowed through my veins once more.
To fulfill my mother's wish, I endured and survived. To escape becoming the worst kind of s.ex slave, I made a deal with this stranger. But it couldn't be ignored that if Klaus fulfilled the agreement, I would leave my home, or rather, my former home.
With lowered eyelids, my lashes trembled involuntarily, my gaze fixated on the carpet beneath Ron's feet in the reception room.
After Ron murdered my father, he took over my home like birds of prey, changing everything. The paintings and lamps my mother had painstakingly arranged were all replaced with cheap, tacky imitations, leaving only some overlooked details—like the carpet underfoot in the reception room, reflecting the once exquisite and magnificent style of this place.
This was no longer my home; it was plundered loot by criminals.
"I..." Before I could speak, the hand hidden under my skirt suddenly gripped my waist tightly, and golden eyes locked onto me. Even though he didn't speak, I understood the meaning he wanted to convey—"Remember what you said last night," the man's words echoed in my ears.
I felt a certain darkness about this silver-haired man named Klaus, his danger akin to the sea, all the dark depths settling beneath the surface. Though the sea may be calm, you could still faintly sense that unknown, immense danger.
"Klaus, I really don't want to refuse your request, after all, you are my most esteemed guest," Ron took the bag of gold from the table, his eyes captivated by its pure gold color, then he turned to me with a wicked smile.
"Our banquet isn't over yet, why not let her be the final gift of this banquet?"
"What do you mean?" Klaus looked at Ron steadily, his golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh, Klaus, my brother, I just don't want to be a bad person who buys and sells slaves casually, but I also don't want to refuse your request. So, how about this," Ron seemed excited about his proposal, gesturing enthusiastically as he spoke.
"Tomorrow is the last day of the banquet. As usual, we'll go hunting in the back mountain, right? Whoever catches the prey owns it. Tomorrow, this slave will be our prey, whoever catches her gets to keep her, how about it?"
Sure enough, my face turned deathly pale.
That was a perilous hunting ground. When my parents were still alive, the back mountain hunting grounds were strictly off-limits.
To allow werewolves to hunt to their heart's content, ferocious beasts like tigers and leopards were deliberately driven into the hunting ground, while food was withheld, causing hungry wild animals to fight over food.
But now, I was a werewolf who couldn't even shift. Putting me in the hunting ground, I might not even wait for them to find me, I would already have become prey in the mouths of beasts.
What a malicious trap tailored for me. Ron wanted me to die here.