21. Realizing His Feeling

In a cramped room, in a rundown bar, Cassius impatiently waited for Eleanor's arrival.

Although he had just seen her moments ago, for some reason, the name Eleanor always intrigued him.

Not long after, he heard a creaking door open.

He peered through a small glass hole as Eleanor elegantly stepped into the room.

The moment his eyes landed on Eleanor, his heart raced.

Instinctively, he clutched his chest and murmured, "I need to see a doctor after this."

In another part of the room, Theo casually faced Eleanor. "You've only paid the down payment for our agreement, settle the rest, and I'll show you your slave."

Ellie took out a full pouch of gold coins and tossed it onto the table, which Theo quickly pocketed.

"Don't you want to count it first?"

Theo waved his hand. "Come on, I trust you. You're not foolish enough to deceive the largest guild in Astoria."

"Where is the slave?"

"One moment," Theo said.

Theo left and returned with a teenage girl around 15 years old.

He handed over what appeared to be a slave contract to Eleanor.

Ellie looked at the girl Theo brought, furrowing her brow. "I believe I mentioned that I requested an adult?"

"Trust me, she's highly reliable," Theo said confidently.

"What's your name?" Ellie asked the girl.

"Amber."

"Can you count and handle financial reports?"

"I can do whatever you want. Including killing or—"

"Hahahaha, she can do everything, right?" Theo laughed nervously.

"Killing?" Ellie narrowed her eyes, looking suspiciously at Theo.

"Haha, well... she comes from a tough area. And her whole life, she's fought to survive."

"Goodness, a girl this young?" Ellie covered her mouth in disbelief.

In Ellie's previous world, a girl this young would still be in high school, thinking about school and having fun with her peers.

'But this girl... How could she end up in a slave auction? Could it be that this man kidnapped her?' Ellie thought with suspicion.

Realizing Eleanor's suspicious gaze, Theo said, "I know what's on your mind. I didn't kidnap her, if that's what you're thinking. I simply found her at the slave auction."

Ellie looked at the girl in front of her again. "Amber, how long have you been a slave?"

"Three years ago."

"Do you possibly remember where you're from?"

"No. They brainwashed us with magic so we no longer remember who we are or our families."

This information was new to Ellie. She had assumed that illegal slaves were nobles who had been abducted, which would explain why they hadn't contacted their families when sold.

'Is this the reason? They don't know who they are...'

"How can there be such magic?" Ellie asked Theo.

"It's dark magic prohibited in any kingdom. There aren't many users, as it's quite difficult. If you're caught using it, you'd face the death penalty," Theo replied nonchalantly.

Ellie looked at her with sympathy.

"Would you like to come with me?"

"Why are you asking? You've already bought her, of course, she has to come with you," Theo said.

Ellie shot a glare at Theo, signaling him to be quiet.

"But he's right, don't I have to go with you?"

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to. You're free now. This is your slave contract. You can burn it, and you'll be free. So, I won't force you if you don't want to come with me. You can even try to find your family."

Amber looked at Theo, not knowing what to do. This wasn't part of their plan.

When Amber saw Theo's signal to decline, she looked back at Eleanor and nodded.

"No, the outside world is too scary for me. I want to go with you."

Ellie gently stroked her black hair and smiled softly, then turned to face Theo.

"I think our business is finished here. Thank you for your cooperation." Ellie extended her hand, intending to shake hands with Theo.

However, it seemed Theo misinterpreted Ellie's intention and kissed her hand. Then...

Thud!

There was a sound like a crash in the next room.

"What was that?" Ellie asked, confused.

"Ahaha, it's nothing. Just a monster. I bought it from an auction. Don't worry." Theo scratched his head, which is not itchy, and glanced at the next room.

"And you keep it here!? While you serve your clients?"

"Hey, what's wrong with being cautious? The people who come here are not good folks, you know. Except for you, I guess."

Ellie just furrowed her brow and held Amber's hand, and then left the place.

After Eleanor disappeared from the bar, Cassius quickly approached Theo and grabbed his collar.

"You're truly asking for death, Theodore."

"Hey, your wife extended her hand to me! What was I supposed to do? Spit on it?"

"You!"

"Fine! I'm sorry, okay? It was unintentional."

But Cassius was not satisfied with just an apology from Theo.

After thinking for a moment, he punched him right on the lips that he had used to kiss Eleanor's hand.

"You crazy man! A man blinded by women! What have you done to my friend, you're not Cassius!"

"I didn't–"

"You still want to say that you don't love her? Open your eyes wide. Do you think, a few months ago, you would have imagined behaving like this because of a woman?"

"..."

"Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Yeah, my friend, you've become a fool. That's love. Pah."

Theo spat out the blood in his mouth from Cassius' punch while patting Cassius on the shoulder.

Cassius brushed him off and said, "What do you know about love? You even treat a brothel as your second home."

"It's precisely because I'm with women every day that I know what love is like. Be honest with yourself, does your heart race every time you see her?"

"..."

"And does your head feel like it's about to get mad whenever another man touches her?"

With a cold gaze, Cassius stared at Theo, who instinctively took a step back.

"How could I love someone? My whole life has been about revenge!"

"Does that mean even a sinner doesn't deserve to love or be loved? I'm your friend. I've seen the change in your behavior when you're near her. Don't keep lying to yourself. Because in the end, you'll be the one hurt."

Cassius fell silent upon hearing Theo's words. He still remembered the pounding of his heart when he saw Eleanor.

As far as he could remember in his life, he only felt that kind of heartbeat during battles, killings, and deceiving the Emperor.

That pounding he felt earlier was the same as the pounding he felt during those actions. However, it held a different meaning.

When he finally realized his feelings, he murmured, "Oh, no..." Cassius widened his eyes and covered his mouth.

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"I'm going to see the Empress Dowager."

"Why all of a sudden? Hey–"

Ignoring Theo, Cassius quickly walked out of the bar and headed toward his grandmother's residence in the royal palace.

***

Upon his arrival at the palace, the lady-in-waiting of the Empress Dowager welcomed him and asked him to wait in one of the rooms.

Throughout his life, he poured out all his grievances to his grandmother. Whenever he faced problems, he sought his grandmother.

To the public, it was puzzling why Empress Dowager was closer to Cassius than to her own grandson, Lucas.

Empress Dowager was Emperor Julian's birth mother and also the one who raised Cassius' father, Magnus Lancaster.

Cassius' father was born from a concubine, who was later adopted by the Empress Dowager while she was pregnant with Emperor Julian.

Or at least, that's the public truth. The true version was known only to Cassius and Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager held significant political influence, almost rivaling the Emperor. However, the Emperor couldn't remove her openly because she was his mother. At least, not without severed consequences.

If the Emperor attempted to remove her, and this taboo act became known to the public, he would be labeled as an unfilial child, and that label would follow him to his grave.

He would be recorded as an Emperor who ousted his own mother in the history books. He didn't want that.

Emperor Julian knew about the closeness between Empress Dowager and Cassius, but he didn't consider it important.

Because no matter how close they were, blood was thicker than water. Lucas was her true grandson.

Moreover, despite Empress Dowager's desire to support Cassius in the struggle for the throne, Cassius wouldn't last long.

Emperor Julian had made sure that Cassius had no political influence whatsoever and couldn't form an army.

He had turned Caspian Grandduchy into a toothless tiger.

As Cassius waited with an empty gaze, the door opened and a 57-year-old woman walked in.

Although the woman was in her mid-50s, she still looked elegant. And with just one look, one could tell that she was once a very beautiful woman.

"Grandmother..."

Cassius stood up and hugged her.

The Empress Dowager patted Cassius on the back.

"What is it that makes you have such a look in your eyes?"

"A look...?"

"I know when I see someone's eyes. You have a look as if you've lost hope. What's the matter?"

"This isn't a problem, Grandmother."

The Empress Dowager looked at him suspiciously.

"I think... I've fallen in love," Cassius said with a sad smile.