Winters in the Holy Radiance Empire were bitterly cold, especially in the north. In the years before slavery was abolished, the empire’s winters seemed even colder.
“Slave No. 103, it’s mealtime!”
The guard in charge of the slaves banged a metal rod against the cage, waking the silver-haired child curled up in the corner with their knees drawn to their chest. He tossed two white steamed buns into the cage as well.
Ordinary slaves weren’t even entitled to steamed buns. The slave traders fed them nothing but coarse bran and wild greens. They were the lowest kind of laborers, after all. As long as they didn’t starve to death, what did it matter if they ate well?
But this silver-haired child was different. They came from a noble family and looked no older than eight or nine. Their features were delicate, and their gleaming silver hair made it hard to tell whether they were a boy or a girl.
A little slave like this wasn’t meant for hard labor. They were meant to be sold to powerful nobles with unusual tastes—a “premium product” among slaves.
That meant they couldn’t be allowed to eat too poorly. If a bad diet left the child looking haggard, it would defeat the whole purpose.
After all, this “product” was being sold for its looks. Appearance was everything.
There were only a little over twenty “premium” slaves like No. 103 in this camp. They weren’t usually put up for sale. Only nobles who’d booked an appointment in advance were allowed to visit the camp and choose a slave they liked.
Put simply, these were high-priced slaves. Most were bought to be kept as playthings, and ordinary people couldn’t afford them. Only nobles and wealthy merchants had the means to buy one.
Most of the time, these expensive slaves had no customers. But today was an exception.
“Mr. Drew, you swore you had the finest slaves in the entire Flowing Jaw Territory. But after looking them over, my An Jieli hasn’t liked a single one.”
The speaker was a strikingly beautiful, highborn woman. She looked down at the owner of the slave camp as she questioned him, clearly displeased.
“I’m terribly sorry, Lady Angeliya!”
Drew hurriedly bowed in apology. He didn’t dare offend the woman before him, so all he could do was apologize for her displeasure.
“Sigh… Never mind. How many slaves haven’t you shown my An Jieli yet?”
“Around ten, I’d say.”
“Ten, huh…”
Angeliya thought for a moment, then crouched beside a little girl with golden hair.
“An Jieli, do you want to keep looking?”
“Let’s keep looking, Aunt Angeliya. I still have some patience left.”
Though the girl named An Jieli was still quite young, her expression was stern and cool, as if she were the one in charge here.
“All right. Whatever An Jieli says.”
Angeliya stood and turned to Drew.
“Go on, then. I hope you find a slave she likes before An Jieli runs out of patience.”
Drew wiped his sweat at her words. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he failed to satisfy them.
“Um, Lady Angeliya, may I ask what kind of slave Lady An Jieli is looking for? If you give me some specifics, I might be able to save you both some time.”
“What I’m looking for? I haven’t really thought about it.”
An Jieli twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
She’d come to choose a slave on a whim. She really hadn’t given any thought to what kind she wanted to buy.
An Jieli thought for a while, then finally stated her requirements.
“Do you have a slave who can control mana?”
A slave who could control mana… That was a pretty outrageous demand.
People struggled to find anyone with the talent to control mana. Why would someone like that be sold as a slave?
Fortunately, though, Drew did have a slave who fit An Jieli’s request.
“I do have a slave who can control mana, but…”
“But what?”
“The mana he controls is black.”
“...Take me to him!”
An Jieli was astonished. She’d only made the request on a whim, partly to mess with Drew, yet he’d actually found a slave who could control mana!
And even more astonishing, the mana he controlled was black!
“Slave No. 103!”
Drew rapped hard on the cage.
“Look up and let the two ladies see your face!”
The silver-haired slave in the cage slowly raised his head, and An Jieli finally got a good look at him.
What a face! It was so delicate that even An Jieli felt a little self-conscious.
His clear eyes were like flawless gems. Dust smudged his smooth cheeks, but his skin was still so pale and soft. His loose silver hair didn’t make him look haggard; if anything, it gave him an air of melancholy.
He was like a startled kitten, curled up obediently in the corner of the cage. It made you want to go closer and stroke him.
When An Jieli saw the silver-haired slave, her heart gave a painful squeeze. For some reason, she suddenly wanted to pull him into her arms.
This slave was just wonderful!
“Open…”
“Huh?”
“I said open the cage!”
An Jieli snapped. She couldn’t bear to keep herself from getting closer to the silver-haired slave.
“Yes!”
At An Jieli’s command, Drew hurriedly fumbled for his keys and opened the cage door.
An Jieli approached the silver-haired slave with light steps and reached out to cradle his face in her hands.
The slave didn’t resist. His eyes were clear, but his gaze was dull, as if he didn’t care what happened to him.
“What’s your name?”
The slave didn’t answer. His gaze simply dimmed again. Drew was the one who gave An Jieli an answer.
“Lady An Jieli, this one doesn’t have a name. After his family sold him, they wouldn’t let him use his old name anymore.”
“Sold him… Why would his family sell him?”
What kind of idiot would sell such an adorable child?
“As I told you earlier, his mana is black.”
“That’s the only reason…? Hmph. Idiots.”
An Jieli took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the dust from the silver-haired slave’s face.
So cute.
Why are you so cute?
I want to take you home and cuddle you.
An Jieli fought the urge to pull him into her arms. There were people watching, so she had to do her best to stay composed and graceful.
“I heard you can use black mana. Can you show me?”
The silver-haired slave didn’t move or speak. He just sat there in silence.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.” An Jieli gently stroked his hair. “Come on. Let me see your mana, okay?”
The slave still didn’t answer, and his gaze remained dull. But he quietly held out a hand and opened his palm in front of An Jieli.
Then a little black mana, like dark mist, appeared in his palm.
It was faint, like a flame flickering in a gale, ready to go out at any moment.
Even so, it was enough to satisfy An Jieli.
“It really is black mana. That’s wonderful.”
An Jieli reached out and tidied the slave’s hair, moving his bangs aside to reveal his clear eyes.
“I want you. Will you come with me?”
It wasn’t as if a slave’s consent was needed to buy them.
But An Jieli seemed to feel something different for the silver-haired slave before her. She was even willing to ask for his consent.
At her words, the silver-haired slave, who hadn’t spoken until now, finally asked a few questions in a very quiet voice.
“Will you hit me with a cane?”
An Jieli frowned at the question. She’d just noticed a faint bloody welt on the side of his neck.
She opened the collar of the silver-haired slave’s shirt and saw several similar marks on his body. They looked like they’d been made by a whip or a cane.
“...No.”
“Will you keep me locked in a cage?”
“No.”
“Will you let me eat until I’m full?”
“Yes.”
After asking those questions, the silver-haired slave fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.
“I’ll go with you.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Ignoring the mud on the silver-haired slave, An Jieli drew him into her arms.
“I’ll give you a name. From today on, how about Bai Ye?”
“All right.”
An Jieli took Bai Ye by the hand and led him out of the filthy cage.
“Aunt Angeliya, I’ve decided. I choose him.”
“All right. Whatever An Jieli says.”
Neither of them seemed affected by the ancient legends about black mana. Even after learning that Bai Ye could control it, they still chose to take him with them.
“Oh, Bai Ye, how about I give you a present?”
Bai Ye didn’t reply, but there was a trace of confusion in his eyes. He couldn’t understand why An Jieli would give a slave like him a present.
“My present to you is… I’ll make the people who hurt you die. How does that sound?”
“...”
An Jieli smiled. She looked lovely when she smiled, but the words she spoke were terrifying!
“Huh? Lady An Jieli?”
Drew still hadn’t figured out what she meant, but An Jieli had already lost interest in speaking to him.
“Angeliya…”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At An Jieli’s icy words, Angeliya summoned her mana and swept out a sheet of frost. It froze Drew solid, turning him into an ice statue.
“Your Highness, what should we do with this slave camp?”
Now that there were finally no outsiders around, Angeliya no longer had to hide An Jieli’s identity.
“Do whatever you want. I’ll leave it all to you. I’m taking Bai Ye home now, so don’t bother me unless it’s important.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After receiving An Jieli’s orders, Angeliya slowly withdrew, leaving Bai Ye and An Jieli alone.
“Bai Ye, come with me. Don’t worry—I’ll always be good to you.”
......
At dawn, Bai Ye slowly woke. The sun had just risen above the horizon, but she couldn’t get back to sleep.
“I can’t believe I dreamed about that time…”
Bai Ye rarely dreamed. But perhaps it was because she’d met Yilisi, or perhaps for some other reason—she’d dreamed of the first time she met An Jieli.
The Bai Ye from back then and the Yilisi of today were so much alike. They were both so helpless and timid.
And yet they were both so lucky. At the most crucial moments of their lives, they met the people who mattered most and escaped the fate of despair…
