Chapter 19
After saving a collapsed prince and enduring unjust accusations, Freya had expected a grand reward.
Despite her negative view of nobles, she believed they were generous in such matters.
If I take a large amount of gold, how happy will Archer be?
Maybe he’ll finally stop saying he took me in for no reason.
While she was lost in her daydreams, a voice calling her name snapped her back.
She raised her head and saw Lucius running his hand through his blond hair.
“Freya, what are you thinking about?”
For a brief moment, she felt strange.
Why is he calling my name like that?
All she wanted was to take the reward and leave.
As if he had read her mind, Lucius spoke.
“I will give you something special as a reward for saving me.”
Freya clenched her hands tightly and swallowed hard.
“Something… special?”
Lucius looked into her sparkling eyes—bright like a wild animal before food—and felt a surge of irritation.
I hate her, yet her eyes gleam at the thought of gold.
Lucius finally understood why she had bothered him from their very first meeting.
She doesn’t look at me at all.
To her, he was nothing more than an annoyance or an embarrassment.
Lucius laughed mockingly at this new situation.
He had never needed to seduce women—they were always around him.
If he hadn’t been repelled by relationships, he would have married and had children long ago.
She’s definitely suspicious.
Even though she had helped him, his instincts told him something was off.
He glanced away from the prepared chest of gold.
What’s the smartest way to deal with a suspicious person?
He ran his hand through his hair, thinking. Then a brilliant idea struck him: keep the suspicious one close by.
“I will grant you the honor of becoming my personal servant.”
His previous servant had recently fled, so this was perfect.
“What?”
Freya couldn’t believe what she heard and asked loudly.
She wasn’t educated, but she knew exactly what “personal servant” meant.
So I’d have to do for this man the same work I do for Archer?
The man who had crashed into her during their first meeting and later asked her to wash his back!
I don’t want to spend even a moment with him!
Saving him had brought nothing but disasters instead of rewards.
She had faced many hardships in her life, but being tortured was new.
It hadn’t actually happened, but being dragged away had been a nightmare.
Just thinking about it was horrifying.
Freya shuddered and shook her head vigorously.
I’ll regret it if I get greedy for gold.
If she didn’t get out of this, disaster awaited.
She spoke quickly.
“Your Highness, I don’t want anything. I’m fine.”
“What do you mean? I am the crown prince of the Morsiani Empire. I cannot leave a kindness unrepaid.”
“But if I refuse, that’s my decision. Why are you forcing me?”
His insistence irritated her, but she didn’t make the mistake of showing it.
She muttered quietly without raising her head.
“Anyone would have done the same. And I already have a master I serve…”
Lucius grew angry at her words, but he pretended to remain calm.
Being a personal servant to the crown prince was a tremendous honor, yet this foolish girl chose to follow Archer.
Is this some kind of trick? Pretending not to care about power and wealth?
He set the dagger on the table with a thud and smiled quietly.
“Very well. I’ll give you time to think.”
“No, that’s not—”
She had come for a reward, but she had only gained more worries.
There was nothing to think about.
Impossible!
She was only thinking about leaving the tent, sweating profusely.
“So, Your Highness, I’ll assume—”
She was so nervous she didn’t know what to say.
She bowed and began retreating when she heard him call.
“Freya.”
“Yes?”
Lucius’s gaze stopped on her exposed shoulder beneath his robe.
He didn’t like the idea of others seeing her like this.
“Wear this today.”
“No, I’m fine. I don’t feel cold.”
Freya retreated from the expensive black cloak adorned with golden tassels.
“I’m really okay…”
But Lucius approached with long strides, placed the cloak over her shoulders, and tied it.
She couldn’t move; his closeness made breathing difficult.
She raised her head and suddenly thought:
His eyelashes are so long.
“Wear this for today.”
His look said he would cut her throat if she refused.
“Alright…”
He has so many ways to torment people.
Her admiration for his beautiful face faded, leaving only irritation.
* * *
Freya stepped out feeling as though she had been bewitched.
“Wow, my heart is about to jump out of my chest.”
She pressed her chest and took deep breaths.
Just getting out made her feel better.
She looked back and saw the banner fluttering.
Merely seeing the eagle symbol made her feel nauseous.
She tried fixing her hair pointlessly.
Her neatly arranged hair felt strange, so she shook it with her hand.
She looked ridiculous in the long robe and lavish cloak—like a gift wrapped with golden ribbon.
Instead of a reward, what kind of disaster is this?
Working in this outfit would be exhausting, but she had no time to change.
She grumbled as she headed to her tasks.
“Freya, what are those clothes?”
Archer returned from training, saw her clean face and outfit, and reacted as if he had seen a ghost.
Freya understood his reaction, but she had no energy to respond.
“Please, not you too, Archer. Today has been extremely hard.”
Archer approached and examined her face.
“So clean—I barely recognized you.”
Freya sat on the ground.
Working in this outfit was many times more tiring.
“Whose clothes are those? No—tell me about your meeting with His Highness.”
Archer sat down, plucked a chicken leg from the basket, and urged her on.
“Do we have to talk about it now?”
Freya rubbed her sleepy eyes and muttered.
“Do you want to see me die? What did His Highness give you? And what’s with this appearance?”
“Yes, I thought so.”
Freya sighed at his enthusiasm.
Poor Archer didn’t know Lucius well.
She hesitated to criticize him in front of Archer, so she tried to bring it up carefully.
“Archer, what is His Highness like?”
She wasn’t interested in imperial affairs; she only worried about hunger.
But since arriving, she had heard endless rumors about the conflict between Lucius and Hart.
Hart, the second prince, had many followers, so she wondered why Archer followed Lucius.
If Archer didn’t know, she should tell him.
Archer was strong and sometimes grumpy, but he was a good person.
“His Highness?”
Archer straightened his posture respectfully and cleared his throat.
“His Highness is a warrior among warriors.”
Archer, who had grown up on battlefields, had served many commanders.
Nobles and princes often disappeared after leading.
He could never serve them sincerely.
“But His Highness Lucius is always at the front!”
He said seeing Lucius’s broad back as he charged enemies filled him with strength.
“Even death fears facing him.”
Archer, usually lacking eloquence, was deeply moved by his own loyalty.
“While Prince Hart was in dance halls, His Highness’s sword was soaked in blood.”
He believed Lucius was the only one capable of leading the empire.
“Of course, there are bad rumors about him, but they’re nonsense from ignorant people. He fights day and night to protect the empire.”
Archer shook his head seriously.
“Alright, I understand.”
Freya regretted asking.
If she let him continue, he might talk about Lucius’s loyalty all night.
It would be exhausting.
“I’ll be honest.”
He needed to know that the great Lucius hadn’t given her anything.
But before she could speak, Archer—who had been drinking—collapsed onto the bed.
“Archer!”
His snoring answered as if it were a reply.
