I Married a Slave Instead of My Ex-husband

Princess Jains smiled faintly. Benjamin and the Empress also chatted pretending to be cheerful. Then finally, like the main character, Cesare appeared.

Cesare greeted with a smiling face. His gaze brushed past Marian last. Seeing her skinny body picking at food made him lose his appetite. Cesare sat next to Marian with an uncomfortable face.

But at that moment,

‘What is this scent?’

Cesare turned to look at Marian. It was definitely familiar……

‘Ellie!’

Yes, that scent. Cesare frowned and checked Marian again. Contrary to Cesare’s taste, she had a skinny body and pale complexion. Moreover, she was tall as a pole and didn’t even feel feminine. Cesare turned his head again.

‘It can’t be her.’

Cesare shook his head thinking he was having strange thoughts.

Still, looking at Marian again, beneath the black hair, her slender face seemed to show Ellie.

‘Did I overdo it yesterday?’

Cesare sighed and cut meat into his mouth.

Marian watched carefully and spoke.

“By the way, Princess Helena.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Where are you staying now? I haven’t heard anything. I’ve been unwell lately.”

“Ah, I’m staying at the palace Her Majesty the Empress provided.”

“Are those who came with you staying at the palace too?”

“No. They are staying at a hotel outside the palace. Why do you ask?”

“You must be lonely, coming from so far away.”

Marian spoke as kindly as possible. Showing such friendliness to someone was too unfamiliar. Marian worked her tongue as much as possible. To appear more gentle.

“So if you don’t mind, I’d like to be your friend.”

The Emperor and Empress shot sharp looks at Marian. Telling her not to overstep. Before the Emperor could stop her, the princess spoke first.

“That would be wonderful, Your Highness.”

Marian smiled gently. She finally managed to swallow one bite of food that she hadn’t been able to eat due to disgust. Since the princess wanted it, the Emperor and Empress who cared about their public image wouldn’t be able to refuse. She didn’t need much. Two or three times would be enough.

After the meal, the imperial family headed to the greenhouse pretending to be close and harmonious.

Princess Jains entered the greenhouse first, and Benjamin blocked Marian’s path. Benjamin threw a contemptuous look at Marian.

“What are you doing? Who do you think you are to become Helena’s friend? Do you think you have that right? Do you really think you’re equal to us just because you sat with us?”

Benjamin jabbed Marian’s forehead repeatedly with his needle-like index finger. Marian held back a sigh. Her downcast eyes held no emotion.

Benjamin was someone who filled his sense of inadequacy by tormenting Marian, so this was just one of many common daily occurrences.

Benjamin thrust his face close to Marian’s and barked.

“Don’t do anything dirty, just shut up and stay still. If this marriage falls apart because of you, I’ll really kill you.”

Marian glanced up at the malice-filled Benjamin.

“Why? Do you have something to hide?”

Marian asked calmly.

“What do you……”

“I’m asking if there’s something I shouldn’t say. Something Princess Jains shouldn’t find out about. Tell me so I can be careful.”

Benjamin’s lips trembled. He looked around and spoke in a low voice.

“There’s nothing like that!”

No wonder he fails at war when he can’t even hide his thoughts.

“Then why are you acting like this with me? I don’t know anything anyway, and I have nothing to say. I’m just being polite because Mother told me to. Princess Jains seems to like me, fortunately.”

“Marian!”

Benjamin’s face turned bright red, seemingly at a loss for words. In the past, Benjamin had been an object of fear. He always had the Emperor and Empress backing him and was called the future of the empire. Benjamin was someone who could kill or spare Marian at any time.

Someone who could use his power to drive Marian out.

But why wasn’t she afraid at all now?

Marian spoke with a voice mixed with a sigh.

“Stop interfering and move aside, Benjamin. They’re waiting for just us inside. You don’t want Princess Jains to get any strange misunderstandings, do you?”

Though she thought that might be the faster way. As disgusting as it would be, to kiss Benjamin. Who knows if this marriage would break because of dirty acts between half-siblings.

‘What strange thoughts.’

Marian smiled gently and said to Benjamin.

“Let’s go in, Benjamin.”

“You, I don’t know what makes you act like this……”

“What are you saying, Benjamin. I’m just worried about you.”

Marian patted Benjamin’s shoulder.

“We’re family after all. Someone worthless like me can only eat and live if Benjamin does well. Right? I can only benefit if you marry Princess Jains.”

Benjamin stepped aside with a bewildered face. He had no words to reply since it made sense. Could it be that Marian was really approaching Helena with pure intentions?

Benjamin stared at the back of Marian’s head with an ambiguous expression.

Marian smiled coldly.

Why hadn’t she realized it before? That no matter how nasty Benjamin was, he was just a naive peer. Besides, Benjamin was stupid too.

Marian smiled softly at Princess Jains who was watching her.

Princess Jains smiled back with an unreadable expression.

‘Love is important, isn’t it, Princess?’

Thanks to that, the child born to Princess Jains had been embroiled in a birth controversy and there had been a major incident where the crown prince was changed. If it was going to happen anyway, better to at least be happy.

Meanwhile, deadly intent was gathering secretly around the slave fighting arena. Those hiding their bodies between trees and buildings exchanged glances.

Last night, a sudden summons order had been issued. The reason they hadn’t rescued Abel from there until now wasn’t because they couldn’t, but rather because that place was safer. At the time, managing the North alone had been overwhelming, and they lacked the strength to protect the still young heir.

Though anger had surged when they finally found Abel and saw his wretched state, there was still no disagreement that they had made the right choice.

Abel staying there now was Abel’s choice.

But today, Abel would leave that place.

Tension spread among the masked figures.

The sky gradually grew dark. The sunset settled on the ground. The spectators gathered inside the fighting arena poured out.

“Give me back my money!!”

“Do you know what that money is? It’s for my daughter’s medicine! Please, give it back!”

Gamblers who had aimed for quick riches clung to the mercenaries guarding the fighting arena, only to be kicked and sent rolling on the ground. It was chaos.

The masked figures watched in silence until even those people disappeared and everything grew quiet. And finally—

A small spark that only sensitive ones could notice burst.

“It seems the Master is coming out. Everyone, standby!”

The darkness stirred. The masked figures lowered their bodies full of tension. Both leaving that place and the method of leaving were up to Abel.

‘Where did he get the sun stone from?’

There was no way to know such trivial details.

BOOM!!

Their vision disappeared for an instant. The explosion was strong enough to shake the entire ground. Red flames shot up and an unpleasant smell of acrid ash spread.

The masked figures held their breath and covered their mouths.

“Wait until the Master comes out!”

Someone shouted sharply.

“…… Can the Master survive coming out of such an explosion?”

The man of highest rank among the masked figures waved his hand. Such worries could only come from those who knew nothing.

The sound of consecutive explosions colored the evening.

“Sa, save me!!”

A figure with their body on fire jumped out of that hell of flames. The masked figures lowered their bodies with tension. But before they could make any gestures, a hand stretching out from the flames grabbed the man’s nape.

“Huk!”

Along with someone’s groan, a man like the god of fire emerged through the flames. The man growled in a low voice.

“No one leaves alive without my permission.”

“I, I, I’m sorry! Sa, save me! I, I did nothing wro, wrong!”

Abel threw the captured man back into the flames without any change in expression. With a scream, he pierced the heart of the man flailing in the flames.

Abel wiped the blood splattered on his cheek and came out completely. Who knows how long it had been since he breathed outside air. Abel let out a fierce laugh.

The masked figures who discovered Abel revealed themselves.

They put down the black sacks they had been carrying. Abel swept back his hair and took out the corpse from inside the sack. At a glance, it had a similar build enough to be mistaken for Abel.

Clang.

The sealing devices that fell from Abel’s body rolled on the ground. Abel personally put them on the corpse. He threw the corpse that would die in his place into the flames.

“Whew.”

Abel swept back his hair.

The masked figures who had been watching everything while holding their breath spoke.

“Are you going to the North right away?”

“……No.”

Abel raised his lips. The eyes resembling fire on his back faced the man. The masked figure bowed his head.

“I have something to do here. Continue your work and wait until I contact you. Prepare to leave for the North after organizing the liquidated assets and hidden assets.”

Abel cracked his neck with loud pops. His whole body was screaming at the freedom he felt after so long. Power ran wild inside his body uncontrollably. Abel frowned and spat out blood.

“…… Your Grace!”

“Don’t make a fuss. If you need to find me……”

Abel narrowed his eyes.

“Come to the imperial palace.”

“What?”

“The darkest place is under the lamp. I plan to reclaim my title and return to the North properly.”

“Wh, what do you……”

“I plan to participate in the autumn formal fighting tournament.”

“Weren’t you going to Lorenzo? If you go to Lorenzo, the Federico title isn’t that important, is it?”

Abel slowly turned his head. The edge of the imperial palace caught in his distant view.

‘Marian.’

Marian’s bright face when she came looking for Abel caught firmly in his mind.