Chapter 235
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: You Might Get Hurt Badly?
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‘I have to make this work somehow.’
The woman with the green bobbed haircut draped in white robes—Arvela—was growing anxious.
Having been scolded by Maia?
Of course, that stung her heart.
Failing in her duties to host the Black Dragon Princess and tarnishing the face of the princess she revered so much made her want to bite her tongue in guilt.
But what truly unsettled her was Barbara's behavior in delivering Maia's orders.
‘Barbara, you damned bitch!’
Thanks to that woman's blunder, she'd gotten the chance to serve the Black Dragon Princess and rack up some merits. Yeah, real grateful.
Recalling her triumphant sister, Arvela twisted her face into a venomous scowl.
Anyone else, maybe.
But to be outdone by that good-for-nothing who shared her exact face yet had zero talent for medicine or pharmacology? Unbearable.
Especially when it came to handing over the spot as Maia's top confidante.
‘I have to rack up merits and make up for this screw-up!’
That was why Arvela had come to Rimon's quarters at the crack of dawn.
She had to uncover the secrets of this man—whether he was from the Black Dragon Clan or not—as quickly as possible to pay back Barbara for mocking her.
Blazing with determination, she arrived at Rimon's door and flung it open.
“How long are you going to sleep, you slave? Get up already...!”
“G-good morning.”
Arvela's eyes went wide.
And without thinking, she asked,
“Why are you already up?”
“Why? A slave's supposed to rise early in the morning and prepare for his master's awakening. Isn't that obvious?”
“...It's 4 a.m. right now?”
“Hm, a bit late after all? Then from tomorrow, have everything ready by 3 a.m.”
She'd planned to rouse him while he was still groggy and pry information out of him in his dazed state.
But seeing Rimon already up at this ungodly hour made her falter for a moment.
Soon enough, she spotted something off and pressed him again.
“Hold on. Why are you talking down to me? If you're a slave, act like one and use proper respect.”
“Why should I?”
“What?”
“I agreed to serve your princess, not become your slave. No reason to show you respect.”
Rimon stated flatly.
Then, arms crossed, he shot her a cocky glance and tossed out,
“Or do you have a hobby of secretly stealing your princess's possessions and feeling smug about it?”
“Don't talk nonsense!”
“Then you won't mind me talking casually to you.”
“...”
‘What kind of guy is this...?’
Arvela felt at a loss for words.
It was utter bullshit, but she couldn't find a comeback.
Ever since that ancient incident established the Green Dragon Clan's slave system.
By principle, a slave to the Green Dragon Clan was private property owned by their master, and only the master had the right to their service.
Especially if the master was the Green Dragon Princess—no need to explain further.
Not even the pettiest item belonging to the princess could be handled carelessly.
Still, this was ridiculous.
For a guy who'd just become a slave yesterday to declare himself the princess's property and strut around like that.
Even Arvela, who'd dealt with countless slaves, was floored by the audacity.
“So, what's the business?”
“Huh?”
“Whether it's something to do or info to share. You must have a reason to show up at this hour.”
His calm urging for her to get to the point left her off-balance again.
Shaking her head, Arvela said,
“Fine. Follow me then. I'll teach you what you need to do as the princess's slave.”
She couldn't assign him tasks without the princess's orders, but instructing him was fine.
And since she was at it, she'd drill slave duties into him thoroughly.
Arvela resolved inwardly.
But she had no idea.
How utterly absurd that resolve was.
[Team leader, I'm not sure this is okay...]
“Worried?”
[Of course I'm worried. With your personality, there's no way you'd play the meek slave, right?]
Yuna Kyung let out a sigh.
She'd put on a stellar act at the banquet hall, but it was still just acting.
Knowing Rimon's true nature all too well, she felt like she'd left a time bomb unattended.
[Plus, you only know how to swing a sword. Whatever they make you do, you'll screw it up and make a mess.]
What if they deemed him useless as a slave, turned him into a lab rat by force, and he ended up clashing with the Green Dragon Clan?
As she grumbled,
Li Chingwei spoke up with an odd expression.
“Well, you think so?”
[Huh?]
“I see it a bit differently.”
[Differently? In what way?]
Unable to fathom where the counterargument could even come from, Yuna Kyung tilted her head.
Li Chingwei smiled faintly.
“One common misconception is that the Sword Duke is just some simple swordsman.”
[Then what is he?]
“A swordsman who's lived for a very, very long time.”
[I know that much.]
“Yes, you know it. But you probably don't understand it.”
Seeing Yuna Kyung's puzzled look, Li Chingwei's smile deepened.
Starting a fire.
Finding and carrying water.
Foraging edible food.
Unlike the modern era where tech made everything simple, the distant past demanded painstaking effort for every task.
Especially for travelers or mercenaries roaming the world—they had to be jacks-of-all-trades.
And Rimon, who wandered endlessly to hunt the Seven Dragon Society or find disciples, was the ultimate seasoned traveler and old hand at life.
When Rimon called himself a swordsman who only knew swordplay, it also meant he could handle everything a swordsman needed.
Could such a Rimon not manage mere slave chores?
No, even if he couldn't, did it matter?
“Above all, he's a Sword Master.”
What did that have to do with anything?
Li Chingwei smiled at Yuna Kyung, whose confusion was written all over her face.
“Anyone who mistakes a man with a perfect body and superhuman senses for an ordinary person is going to get hurt badly.”
“...What the hell are you?”
“What?”
“Are you a former slave? Or some pro slave or whatever?”
“What's a pro slave job?”
Rimon made a face like he'd never heard such an absurd term in his life.
But if anything, Arvela was more baffled.
From early dawn till now, she'd made him try every slave duty under the sun.
Not just to mess with him, but to glean any clues about his background.
Mocked for rising through her mother's merits or not, she was still Quetzalcoatl's head researcher.
By observing what he could and couldn't do, she was confident she could roughly figure out his life and hidden talents.
But Rimon shattered that confidence.
“Not a pro slave, so why are you so damn good at slave work?”
He cleaned spotless without a vacuum, not a speck of dust left.
Ate up rock-hard, moldy bread like it was delicious.
When she gave him foreign letters to sort, he handled English, Chinese, Egyptian without a hitch.
Nothing she threw at him stumped him.
Far from uncovering secrets, her suspicions only grew.
His answer to her question was simple.
“Slave work? This is basic.”
“Basic? Polishing an old statue to new with just a rag?”
“A rag's all you need. Back in my day, slaves often got nothing at all.”
“Where the hell did you slave away...?”
Arvela looked queasy.
He seemed so naturally adept, his words didn't sound like a joke.
Aware or not of her feelings,
Rimon spoke casually.
“I've learned the basics of odd jobs now. Time to teach me the most important part.”
“Important part?”
“A slave's main job is attending to their master.”
“...You want to attend the princess? You?”
“Why not?”
It was instant.
Her suspicious face turned to one beholding a complete lunatic.
“No need. It rarely happens anyway, and if it does, Barbara or I will handle it.”
“You or your sister attending her?”
Forgetting she was the older one for a sec..., “What's with that look?”
“Makes me think your princess has some weird hobbies.”
“Why say that to me?”
Arvela thought to herself.
Whatever his deal, he was a genius pro slave at begging for the whip.
Grinding her teeth inwardly, she still led him to a room.
Quetzalcoatl HQ's deepest basement.
After layers of security doors and a long passage, they reached a vast artificial garden deep underground.
“This is as far as you go.”
“Wait out here normally for the princess's summons. Enter the garden without permission, and you'll die.”
“Even if you enter, don't linger, and absolutely stay out of the inner chamber if you value your life.”
“Show that arrogant attitude to the princess, and you'll die by my hand.”
Advice?
Or threat?
She piled on warnings with every word, then spoke with uncharacteristic seriousness, like it was most crucial.
“And one more. If possible, don't get close to the princess. Never touch her sacred body, no matter what.”
“No matter what?”
“Absolutely not.”
No exceptions, ever.
Arvela stated it like a blade's edge, staring coldly at Rimon.
“If you want to die nice and easy, remember my warnings well.”
“Got it, I'll keep that in mind.”
“...Did you really hear me right?”
“Don't worry, I get it.”
Arvela felt uneasy.
This brazen, thick-skinned fool—would he truly heed her advice? She couldn't be sure.
But that passed quickly.
She even smirked, thinking it was for the best.
‘Hmph, act cocky in front of the princess. Then you'll learn what a real slave's attitude should be.’
A little breach of etiquette, and she'd nitpick, overwork him, and extract his secrets.
Arvela smirked triumphantly inwardly.
Until a moment later.
When Rimon entered the garden at Maia's summons, and she saw his attitude before that.
“May the forest-overflowing blessings of life, vaster glories than the earth, and wisdom surpassing gods alongside authority deeper than death grace our master, who has awakened to all principles of life, disease, and death. Your lowly slave Ri humbly greets you.”
“...Arvela, didn't you overdo the slave training?”
“...”