Chapter 1. The Slave from the East Becomes a Maid
The Slave from the East Becomes a Maid
Clank, clank.
The sound of iron chains dragging across the rough dirt road echoed rhythmically.
"Can't you walk faster? If that expensive body of yours gets a single scratch, you'll be the one paying for it!"
The slave trader yanked the leash irritably. The woman stumbled forward, her head nearly snapping back from the force.
Her presence was jarringly out of place in this forest path—
And yet, she exuded a strange, mesmerizing beauty that made it impossible to look away.
Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, glossy as the finest silk thread, flowing down to her waist.
Her skin was pale and translucent, like porcelain that had never seen sunlight, forming a stark contrast against the crude, merciless iron collar around her neck—an eerie allure born from desolation.
The delicate curve of her slender neck, the gentle slope of her shoulders.
But most arresting of all were her eyes.
Monolid, elongated eyes that held pupils as dark as the midnight sea.
A slave's eyes should have been filled with terror or resignation, but hers held only a quiet, detached stillness—as if she were observing the world from afar.
Though clad in nothing but a thin garment, even that wretchedness couldn't conceal her serene grace. Like a lone lotus blooming in a muddy swamp.
It's choking me...
The cold bite of the collar and the rough scrape of the chains were painful, unpleasant—but she didn't grimace. She simply watched, silently, to see where this path would lead.
"Hey! Move! Get out of the way!"
The slave trader barked. At the bend in the forest road, a pitch-black carriage blocked their path.
On its door was an insignia—a red rose and sword against a black background.
"How noisy."
The carriage door opened, and a man stepped out.
The air instantly grew heavy, as if even the birdsong in the forest had been abruptly silenced.
[Count Lucian von Eckhart]
He wore a crisp black uniform, though a few undone buttons gave him a disheveled air.
A sharp jawline, a straight nose, and most striking of all—eyes as red as blood, burning like embers.
The enslaved woman instinctively furrowed her brow.
This man is dangerous.
The aura radiating from him was anything but ordinary.
It was like an untamed wildfire raging inside him, threatening to consume its own master—a volatile, searing heat.
A volcano on the verge of eruption. Or perhaps the presence of a starving beast.
"O-oh! M-my lord Count!"
The slave trader turned pale the moment he saw Lucian's crimson eyes and immediately prostrated himself.
"F-forgive me! I was just delivering this merchandise to the castle—"
With a nervous glance, he yanked the leash, shoving the woman forward.
"See for yourself! A rare breed from the East! Skin smooth as jade, untouched by any man! Perfect for serving Your Lordship at night—"
Lucian's gaze locked onto the woman.
She didn't lower her head. Instead, she met his red eyes directly.
His lips curled with interest as he studied her.
She didn't tremble under his gaze. Didn't try to flee. Didn't beg for her life.
Her dark eyes were deep and still—like a frigid abyss that could quell the fire raging inside him.
Lucian stepped closer.
Ignoring the slave trader, he roughly grabbed her chin and tilted it up.
"Name."
"I-seo."
"I-seo..."
He repeated her name as if chewing on it before letting it drop. His breath brushed against her cheek—warm, carrying the scent of musk.
"How many men have used you?"
"None... I've never been with anyone."
Her calm reply drew a twisted smile from him.
"Doesn't seem like a lie. Your eyes are still alive."
Lucian pulled a pouch of gold coins from his waist and tossed it at the slave trader.
"Take this and shut your mouth. I'm taking her."
"G-gods! T-thank you, my lord! May fortune bless you!"
The slave trader scrambled to grab the pouch before vanishing into the woods. The leash now rested in Lucian's hand.
"Get in."
He led I-seo into the carriage.
The ride was rough.
I-seo knelt on the floor while Lucian sat in the chair, looking down at her.
He didn't remove the collar. Instead, he coiled the leash around his hand and pulled her between his legs.
"Even stranger up close. A woman from the East..."
His fingers trailed down her pale face before stroking the cold iron collar.
"Do you want to be a maid in the Count's household?"
"...I have nowhere else to go. If you'll take me in, I'll follow."
Lucian's expression shifted at her answer. Unlike ordinary slaves, she was neither groveling nor defiant—submissive yet dignified.
"A maid... Yes. That's better."
Then, suddenly, Lucian clutched his chest with a pained groan.
"Gh—!"
Veins bulged in his neck, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
The urge to tear her apart, to claim her right then—something he had been suppressing—was overwhelming him.
He glared at her with ragged breaths, his gaze that of a predator eyeing prey. No—more like a beast silently screaming for mercy.
He's in pain.
I-seo instinctively understood. This man was fighting something. A monstrous force boiling inside him.
Lucian gritted his teeth and looked away. They hadn't arrived at the castle yet. He refused to become an animal in the middle of the road.
"...You'll find out when we arrive. What your duties in this castle will be."
The carriage raced toward the towering walls of the Eckhart County estate.
The clinking of the iron chains around I-seo's neck was like a bell tolling—herald of the turbulent, sticky fate that awaited her.
The carriage stopped not at the opulent main building but at a red-brick annex behind it.
Count Lucian handed I-seo over to the guards without a word, leaving behind only his icy gaze before disappearing.
"This way. You need to be washed."
As soon as her shackles were removed, I-seo was led by the laundresses into the communal bathhouse.
A wooden tub filled with warm water. She had expected rough treatment, but their hands were surprisingly gentle and thorough.
"My, look at how smooth her skin is."
"They say she's from the East—no body hair at all. The Count will love this."
They scrubbed her meticulously, treating her like a precious item to be delivered to the Count.
I-seo didn't resist. Though the environment was unfamiliar, curiosity outweighed fear—this castle had an odd atmosphere.
Freshly dried and wrapped in a robe, she stood waiting when someone entered the bathhouse.
Click, click.
The crisp, decisive sound of heels.
"Is this the one? The woman His Lordship brought back."
The voice was composed, polite even to subordinates.
I-seo looked up.
A woman in her late twenties—a classic Western beauty.
Her voluminous golden hair was neatly pinned up, and her calm eyes behind glasses radiated intelligence and stability.
But most striking was her figure.
Even the prim maid's uniform couldn't hide her voluptuous curves—a bust that threatened to spill out, wide hips, and a cinched waist. The kind of body that suggested she wasn't just a mere supervisor.
"Would you stand, please?"
At Maria's polite request, I-seo dropped the robe and stood naked.
Maria tilted her chin up slightly, turning her head this way and that as if appraising her.
"Beautiful. Flawless. No wonder His Lordship brought you back himself."
Her gaze trailed down I-seo's collarbone, over her chest, navel, and between her legs.
Not a lecherous stare, but the meticulous scrutiny of a jeweler inspecting an unblemished gem.
"I-seo, was it?"
"Yes."
"I am Maria, the head maid of this castle. A pleasure."
Maria lightly tapped I-seo's backside.
"Good elasticity... You pass."
"Bring the clothes."
Another maid arrived with a freshly pressed uniform and a large box.
A deep navy-blue dress with a grayish tint and a white apron—ordinary at first glance.
"Put these on."
I-seo opened the box and blinked in disbelief.
Inside were an array of luxurious undergarments.
Silk and lace bras and panties—far too extravagant for a maid. Even garter belts and stockings were neatly arranged by type.
"These are..."
"Surprised?"
Maria smiled faintly as she explained.
"The Eckhart household takes great care of its maids' welfare. Especially... the unseen parts."
She handed I-seo a pair of black silk panties.
"His Lordship is particular. No matter how clean the outer clothes, if what's beneath is coarse or unkempt, he can't stand it. We keep ample spares so you can change daily—or whenever his mood demands."
This wasn't mere luxury. It was the Count's preference. Or obsession.
A way to keep even the maids' most intimate layers under his control, ensuring they were always in perfect condition for his enjoyment.
Without protest, I-seo slipped into the smooth silk panties. The sensation against her skin was unnervingly soft.
Once fully dressed, Maria adjusted her collar and met her eyes.
"Miss I-seo. There are many rules you must follow to work here. But above all, there is Rule No. 1—the most important, the one you must never break."
Her expression turned grave.
"Every morning, before work begins, you must bathe thoroughly in the maids' private bathhouse."
"Bathe...?"
"Yes. Not just a rinse. Every strand of hair, every speck under your nails—you must cleanse yourself until you're practically sterile."
Maria pointed to a large wooden bathhouse visible through the window.
"His Lordship... despises filth. No, more than despises—it pains him.
Think of it this way: A single speck of dust in this castle shaves one second off his lifespan."
"..."
"Every morning, you must wash with scented oils and soap, change into fresh undergarments, and only then will you be permitted near His Lordship. If you dare work without bathing first... I can't guarantee how he'll react."
There was something desperate in her words—more than just a cleanliness obsession.
"Your quarters are this way."
Maria led her to a room at the end of the first-floor hallway.
A single room, quite comfortable. The bedding was plush, and there was even a personal dresser—luxurious treatment for a mere maid.
"For now, you'll be on probation, learning cleaning and errands. Rest well today. Tomorrow at 5 a.m., I'll see you at the bathhouse."
With a polite nod, Maria closed the door.
Left alone, I-seo sat on the bed.
The luxurious underwear cradled her hips softly, and the scent of fragrant soap lingered on her freshly washed skin.
What a strange place.
Maids who must ritually bathe every morning for their master, who must wear expensive undergarments.
And the elegant head maid who seemed to hide secrets beneath her poised demeanor.
Gazing at the crimson sunset through the window, I-seo succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep.
(Images included in original text)