''I don't support your actions, Master.''

In the same room where the battle between Raven and Damon had taken place, Damon could be seen seated on the old couch, shirtless as the kneeling courtesan attended the bruises. With worried eyes darting to every purplish bruise over his old scars, her slim hands squeezed the towel in the basin of medicinal water. She gently wiped the muscular chest as though the owner was someone precious.

Biting her lips, she stopped herself from saying more, knowing that she would be overstepping her boundaries. At the same time, she couldn't understand how a child as young as that was capable of inflicting this much bruises on her master.

''Seems you have more to learn about me, Lyra.'' Not flinching from stabbing pain on his bruises, Damon said to her, his eyes still glancing at the spot where the pair of hooded figures had previous stood.

''Do I seem like someone who would give out the brothel so easily?'' His eyebrow went up as his serious eyes met with the trembling ones of the courtesan's.

''....No...'' Looking down, she held the squeezed the towel in her hand. Indeed, her master was not one to easily give out the brothel. She, personally knew how this place meant to him...meant to her and the other courtesans.

It was their home...their place of comfort despite the obscene atmosphere around them. There was no way her master would give away such place and them to another.

''Then...'' The courtesan lifted her gaze about to ask her master how they could get their brothel when the ownership was not in their hands anymore.

''It is nothing for you to worry about, Lyra.'' Damon said in a clipped tone, addressing the courtesan with her name once more. His voice was firm as though he wanted to end the discussion about what had just happened between them.

''Yes...'' Understanding the tone of his voice, Lyra gave up on speaking more. She knew her master hated others for worrying about him, but she just couldn't help herself.

After all, he was the man she loved since childhood.

Besides, just from his expression alone, Lyra could tell that he was angry. Angry that he lost their precious brothel and most of all, angry at himself for being weak.

Lyra knew just how much her master hated being weak. His past played a major factor in his resentment.

Mindlessly tracing the old scars on his chest, her eyes watered in tears just thinking about the stories behind these scars. Following this, her fingers were suddenly ceased by another, and she rose her gaze, meeting the irked ones of her master.

Perhaps at the sight of her teary gaze, his gaze softened and his lips released a sigh. ''Don't worry, Lyra. I will protect you...all of you from harm's way, alright?'' Saying this, his hand cupped her cheek, and his finger wiped away her tears.

The touch was so gentle....a very gentle yet familiar touch of her master.

''Hmm....'' In response, Lyra leaned against his large palm, closing her eyes for a moment and enjoy such rare moments of her master's care.

Her master was someone who cared for her, the same way as he cared for other courtesans.

But...

She had always wished that he would treat her a little differently from her fellow courtesans.

Just a little.

****

Meanwhile, Raven and Kieran could be seen back in the Grand duchy. The little lady jumped down from his back, stumbling a bit at the moment. It seemed the fight with her new subordinate did more damage than she thought.

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Steadying herself, Raven sighed as fatigue quickly caught up to her. Her eyes were becoming droopy and sleepy little by little.

She really needed to train this body.

Raven made a mental note.

''Accompany me for a bath, Kieran.'' She said with a yawn. At the same time, her steps took her to the dressing closet behind, unaware of frozen state of her elite slave.

''M-Master?'' Kieran, who did not expect his master to say such, was in a dilemma for a moment. Eyeing his master's body, he thought the young lady was too young for such activities.

Slaves for such was not rare in the Amarian empire. The term for such slaves was known as sex slaves. Kieran was surprised that his master was that type of her person, given the goals she had in mind, especially in the Langston family.

''Master is too young.'' The elite slave voiced his concerns. As a slave, he was prepared such, but his master was just a young lady that hasn't undergone proper feminine development unlike himself.

''....?'' Confused with the advice, Raven turned her body sideways, not understanding why Kieran said such words.

Yes, she was young and that she was something that she knew, but hated to admit. As though something in her head clicked, Raven widened her eyes before bursting out in laughter.

''Oh dear, I didn't expect you to have such thoughts, Kieran.'' She wiped the tears springing up in her eyes. To think her words were misunderstood to this extent.

How hilarious.

''......''

''Don't worry, I don't have such thought and will never have it in the future. Scrawny boys are not my type, Kieran.'' Saying this in a teasing tone, Raven resumed her steps back into the dressing closet. ''I only need you to wait till I return.'' Her giggles could still be heard from time to time.

Before entering the closet, she made sure to carry a lighted candle along. The one she had purposely left on the dressing table had melted fully, indirectly telling her that she had spent a lot of time outside the Grand duchy.

Perhaps before dawn was probably a few hours.

''.....Oh..'' Kieran mumbled, his eyes flickering in understanding. It appeared his master was not such person.

He misunderstood greatly.

'...Why did she say that though?' Kieran wondered why his master chose such words if she just wanted him to wait.

Kieran's questions were later answered after Raven stepped out after washing herself off. She only took some minutes since she had some questions for Kieran. Besides, her body was really tired. She really needed to sleep.

''The old man...'' Raven started, dressed in her night gown that seemed to stick on her little body on some areas as though she didn't dry the water on her well.

Her Langston features were back, with the long hair dripping with water droplets, and her long lashes glistening in water.

''How did you know him?'' She asked, placing the lone candle light on the nightstand. She then sat on the bed with her legs dangling from her edge as her ruby eyes reflected with Kieran still dressed in black outfits.

According to Commander Igor, Kieran has been a slave for a long time in the Langston Grand duchy. In addition, she had also received his slave contract from the commander. Naturally, she knew of Kieran's age, which was currently eight years older than hers.

How did Kieran who had been a slave since the age of five knew of such man? Raven could believe that that they might have met before slavery, but how Kieran knew of the old man's actual profession other than trading, was what she was curious about.

''....From the past.'' Kieran replied after a pause. As expected of his master, nothing really escaped her eyes. The man called Damon also suffered from her sharp eyes. Kieran was hoping that she wouldn't ask because it was undeniably make him bring up the past.

''......'' Without a word, Raven continued to stare at Kieran blankly. It was as though she was still waiting for to say more and wasn't settling with the three words he threw as an answer.

The air became awkward, yet tensed around them, peering at each other's gaze. One wanted an answer, and other was trying to avoid answering but was not in the position to do so.

Kieran, understanding her unspoken meaning, closed the distance between them, and suddenly drop to his knees, holding onto one of her foot.

Raven arched an eyebrow at the action. What did her elite slave want to do now? She wonders....

''H-He helped this slave's m-mother just once...'' His voice visibly shook, giving Raven a good idea why he didn't want to reply to her in the first place.

'Your mother.....she must be the reason....' Recalling how she conversed with Kieran in the battleground, Raven had a feeling that the person holding him back was his mother, who was currently deceased.

''Alright...'' Raven sighed, feeling a little charitable. ''I'll let it go for now, but...why do you hold onto me, Kieran?" Now this action of his, took her curiosity as well.

She asked a question, not order Kieran to grab onto her foot.

''This slave's loyalty is with master. Master is someone this slave will never betray till death.'' Following these words was Kieran's lips touching the surface of Raven's tiny foot.

Her toes curled at the ticklish sensation, but her eyes focused on the older boy, just kneeling and kissing her foot because of loyalty.

Was this how slaves pledge their loyalties to their masters in this world? Raven did not believe in such.

''Prove through your actions, Kieran.'' She pointed out, taking her foot out from his grasp. ''I have no need for such superstitious act.'' She turned away from him, lying her fatigued body on the bed.

In assistance, Kieran held the quilt over her body and gently shielded her little figure away from his sight.

''As you wish, master.''