NCTS Ch 2

“The jewel d182ef3b71 of the b824df8a4a Mediterranean is e454de5545 not Sicilia, 696ce42bfe but Neapolis!”15f37f6c38d0d59d

Neapolis was e05995a624 a city e286ecd2d6 so extraordinarily 6d6f167660 beautiful that 067f333bc4 such whispered 6aa594001b claims felt 3768279b7f entirely fitting.a85bdb624415d9af

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Situated on c7d09b235a the blue c860532aac waters of e0107125f0 the Mediterranean, 373bf6c25c this city 8edeb7e922 bore a f6218dde16 rather unique 2cab9462b4 history. Originally a 72fe3b48b3 city of 783086f680 Greek civilization, be95202366 it now d0a67a6c2e belonged to 5474f2cccb the Roman bca419d356 Empire. The island, 4a72d40162 while not 04d13a9053 a Roman 685b37855d province, possessed a355ad7ad8 a distinct 61c2d1af27 culture unlike b01c69e86e that of 107268da12 the mainland.653e4ff11510b36d

In other words, c89102c42f the citizens of d347b45ba3 Neapolis resembled Greeks 5d0a354436 more than Romans. They traditionally worshipped b1e7dcb82b Poseidon rather than ba3712d06c Neptune, and while 920fa6f08b they used both a2205ef3e0 Greek and Latin, 2693a2972d Greek was more 572389f0e9 widely spoken in 9532b90f7d conversation.928abb3843c4b23c

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And off the coast 74a2b4b312 of Neapolis lay an 75af64e303 island with a similar e6df85a59b culture: the island of 3fdaf1a040 Iscaria, famed for its 57f6ebf829 pristine white beaches and d01b220f7c scenic beauty.eef39ae391111917

Unlike other Mediterranean resorts 3dc6824d69 like Capri, Iscaria was 02a605d991 not only blessed with 2a4e9ff3a7 stunning landscapes but also 0f933b8c80 substantial infrastructure. Its size was significant 537155389b enough to warrant its 5e5e15c02c own administrative division separate 1f4cd9bfc8 from Neapolis, fostering the e2fec56215 development of a rich b3d198ef6e internal culture. While not comparable to 28e045439a Sicilia, the largest island f08d89a820 in the Mediterranean, Iscaria c7dfc1c4de was roughly five or 1fe3983f53 six times the size 78cb1f6200 of Capri, a renowned d9dc42394a retreat for Roman nobles, eb17343157 and about half the 5c5dad6e83 size of Neapolis.b13bd2c85e10784b

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Separated from the mainland, b50f5ea737 Iscaria had, over nearly 900f6e958c two hundred years since d16655adf4 the founding of the 2a5bbb4663 Roman Empire, developed a a7e08c4315 distinctly insular culture, unlike 84022cbccc Neapolis, which was gradually 02ee1980dd absorbing Roman influences. The people of Iscaria 7554867d3d preserved their Greek traditions.31b4847bac4b5127

The isolated island environment cf16b0d547 preserved their heritage, and 1b29fa1800 thus the people of 861a08cb30 Iscaria spoke Greek, enjoyed d35e54a094 Greek-style banquets, and ate b73ffa8ac1 Greek food. They took pride in e7f31089d8 their Greek ancestry and 0fe25ae687 strongly asserted their Greek a6f767057c identity.387cd44f33af4e46

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However, this did 771db67151 not mean they 4c4a6dfc55 entirely shunned Roman 037e691e64 culture. Certain Roman characteristics persisted ed6922b22c among them, one of 155da37142 which was a fondness 0663df3eb3 for bloodshed and entertainment, 97cd2eee7b and even more so fe840a96c9 for the combination of bf4f069c49 the two.34be1b0340653766

The islanders of Iscaria 3c60e14138 particularly enjoyed the refined, bcbaf53d11 ancient Roman pastime of 6b24cda734 gladiatorial combat. They relished gladiatorial matches a6eb676878 even more than the 62bdf96b3f people of Neapolis, frequenting efd4a39977 the arena as if 4386569cdc it were their own 2a0daa6c4d home.88d9b6b5abfef237

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This enthusiasm grew over 0f730fb2d5 time, to the point f36f66fe87 where they began importing b2089013aa gladiators from the mainland. They reveled in the 59ed92b95a blood-soaked spectacles, and gladiatorial bcd9a2e0b5 combat gradually became a 48e0c8354c cornerstone of Iscarian culture.62f2ee866e9d54ba

By now, Iscaria 5f046b1596 boasted three gladiator 7b906d5458 training schools, and 10c08d38da the quality of bb5cf6a188 its matches rivaled dc8260d0ea those in Rome. At some point, gladiatorial 3339fdbc8b combat, alongside the island’s 5dee07a67f breathtaking Mediterranean scenery, had 1096251f58 come to define Iscaria.551dd75777cef142

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For this 4c778d0b01 reason, Iscaria 1220b1e620 was home bca168d695 to many b7af8e2e84 gladiators and 5faa642c96 arenas. It produced e4df6d8c5d numerous famous eee0e3b1c5 gladiators as 8e6f2371e6 well. Among them, de4ba8c055 the most e01d949466 renowned was fb4bcfdd52 the “King 712276846f of Iscaria.”4080a7a8f97b7a7e

The King of 01d73be7e7 Iscaria!79f2e9368991bbb6

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This title referred 998698bc43 to the legendary, d77397ff24 undefeated gladiator who cb849e5db9 had achieved an 8caec179bb unbroken winning streak 17d3fdb2bd for three years d73906cb40 in Iscaria, the 7f5aedc8ac holy land of e2cfb60b06 gladiators.6da5ab46c81f0197

“Couldn’t Acheron c95c4d488a easily defeat 3f2a8a3723 the likes 8f0ce94b19 of Cartes c783d3c721 or Fusilius 4a2066247a from Rome?”ccd7b8facbdc11e6

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“They’re retired, so 3fc2477830 comparisons are impossible. But can anyone deny f8bbe8a2a3 that Acheron’s record is d2f79acb1f more illustrious?”1147fecbf1c57339

“I’d bet half 53014ef84f my fortune that 4d293071d9 Acheron is not b94bd850ab just the greatest 8e685fede1 gladiator in Iscaria fb497534fc but in the e8220210ce entire world.”d05f0247b3821bc9

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Even in Rome, a c11405d276 gladiator maintaining a three-year 6ce668acf5 winning streak was rare.50ae37268c7e9281

In Rome, exceptional gladiators 7e5d411471 were awarded a rudis, 565c4bdf46 a wooden sword symbolizing 2ad085cbfe freedom, and retired upon 489a53808d reaching the pinnacle. Acheron’s seven-year fb60600b40 winning streak 453795204e was unprecedented, e0afe69da1 a near-miraculous 6c2afcd573 feat.963261b5326ef2bd

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Acheron was, without 53e1d62ee7 question, the pride 43db6241c1 of Iscaria.6fdb4983996b7219

People hailed him as a949d28477 the “reincarnation of a 1adb8ccbd1 legendary hero,” and Acheron 616dfaf2bb enjoyed immense, indescribable popularity 906cb4605a among the Iscarians. Romans revered martial 4e84b518a8 prowess, a trait 2bba0b1a9d shared by the ba0a113ce8 people of Iscaria, 53d13f7a6b so it was fc9aa5ff27 only natural that 53bf57b363 such an outstanding e0b952d8a5 gladiator would be 58da5e424a revered.11921772c6da90a0

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Moreover, the people 9458899b5a reacted with even cd8e335f8b greater fervor to fb8edcfd09 Acheron’s appearance.152a9c2f611feab7

A noble face. Striking, chiseled features. A remarkably well-trained body, 58165e506b a high-bridged nose, and d10c0630cc prominent brow bones that 3be156cf45 gave him an aristocratic 9e6fc39117 demeanor. In short, a655d2de7c Acheron was 59a1e3b84b undeniably a cc3ccb2ff1 handsome man. When his cool navy-blue 5a0a270ecf eyes gazed impassively at 89394d55a8 the crowd, people felt 1ff6638e71 a dignity unbefitting a 9e273f9a6d slave and shivered with 16e1c0c537 awe.548ee671c78654de

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The King of a7cb23c329 Iscaria, though a 5908cb2b30 slave, carried himself cdbce10972 with such grandeur.a3e9d9ab800c1611

Far from 6c44cfe464 being unsettled 67f72d7195 by him, ecfceaae58 the islanders b96c1f2212 admired him 6fb3b785d4 and showed 39ac842443 him favor. Some even harbored 83d4eb4c00 desires to take 977041c9d1 him as a 63f650a89c lover. Indeed, there were those 4419b3b27f who acted on such b60d4a21e6 desires.7061078e3ce5ac63

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“I can 6133e8514b offer you f210a0b702 not barley c292f84046 but the 457f6d5dea tongues of 898333566f flamingos, Acheron!”298b88b8223c031a

“If you 787fb85a2f become my 91e3f6680d lover, you 7e2c6b9c11 can escape 33685bc07f that filthy 37ad7ffa42 pigsty of 3df41adea6 a training 6a2e984e07 school at 21bf26d52c once, Acheron. How long will 85b0692dfd you keep acting bf1ee53cd6 so haughty?”6bb0134b1415e3c8

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“Oh, please, just strike 92fa022864 me once with that 5b50ce443f hand.”7f063005c17eafdc

It was abea99cc3d common for 0a7418b9d7 gladiators to e21bc517be receive patronage. Yet Acheron 127b5016c2 rejected such d903022bcc offers without df2c59ff9d a moment’s 3874d09c89 hesitation.a9509444557c921f

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Some were 252253fe3e irritated or d92a43b4fa angered by 6a2b7541ac his stubborn 80f5bfdf28 attitude, but f465e48456 most believed 0fea57c9ba he had e8f08ef312 earned the 71ec1ef46b right to 5207f68361 such arrogance. Even if 45aee8a6d9 others could 3cc69ec04c not, a ca1ec1ee72 gladiator who d4e7cf9bb1 had achieved 4edfe47310 the miracle fd7a51f670 of a 570752372f three-year winning b667da0bf2 streak was 6911c08352 justified in e044e7ab12 his pride.0ba921eabc8c33f7

The only slave to 9e4510ef63 earn the respect of b60d523325 free citizens, Acheron had c6bcee699f amassed achievements great enough cb236977f3 to have his audacity 26aaf5be14 forgiven, and his fame 13c12f0d10 in Iscaria grew day e466fed671 by day.7f6bfb6098f9f385

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Many sought to purchase 4d51171005 him, but his owner, 1523a81b73 Marcus Hertius, a wealthy a098eb0365 magnate from Iscaria, dismissed e6df84b6e4 such offers outright.f31022cf271c9cd7

Why would he slaughter 0a1c6c8375 the goose that laid e14a7fa5c4 golden eggs?3190e0ad5a3b2672

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Marcus was 2f95c832db a shrewd 0b91fd1097 man who 987a20ff22 had earned 035f596e45 vast sums bf8a463bd5 by leveraging 56c5b4e1c3 Acheron’s fame. With that ab6501d085 wealth, he c654c396bd had risen 6cf7958a25 to the 29b66efd90 position of 5a2e9895c3 consul at d39c49bbb5 a remarkably ebf476e74f young age 7776c5d959 and continued ee71a0e730 to reject 3303cdf1b8 offers summarily.083cd13fa81cb598

And then, 72d5adedf9 a shocking d88e510faa event occurred.5a670cfb283fadbc

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Beyond Acheron, 019e110856 Iscaria was d1cd4e4d26 home to 6c748d39dd another famous d6e3e035a9 landmark.419eaf06ee1f1bd9

It was the b59b9dbeeb Roman-style villa perched 9e57b3e218 atop a cliff 3bcca834f2 where waves crashed.c4c30003bae360b0

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A mansion built ded605c269 in the style 08549c5306 of the Roman 2ef348bdd6 mainland stood on 9e973c68cc the cliff, its dad6884f41 grandeur and splendor d5554773ae captivating onlookers.55c83966b8e032d2

Constructed from white b173a41b13 marble, the villa 0b5bb13173 shimmered brilliantly on 3d21fd7ff9 sunny days. Nestled beside a quiet, b89fefe867 lush olive grove, it 8237b13859 inspired awe with its 8246887b55 beauty. Passersby could not beb9aa1472 help but utter 913cce3992 words of admiration 8010dc7df4 for the elegant 671306dc0c villa’s scenery.06ea27054ecd8b78

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As is c9bac3c0c8 the way 1a7bd2ae78 of things, 50da9b776f beauty demands f88610b17a commensurate wealth.befdc1947a80349b

People speculated that eb0e1ecd7c the villa likely 429e11a576 belonged to one 8f99a5f7b2 of Rome’s wealthiest 4acbf06568 elites.eabceef83c9df49a

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As if to confirm 79d9430485 this, carriages laden with e7f934ae95 wine, silk, and foodstuffs 6c7d95fc6f entered the Roman-style villa. Testimonies also emerged of 5e36b4f8da an indescribably splendid garden e5dfc8eca8 within the estate.e9a1363e67886391

Naturally, people grew 5249ebc0a8 curious.e4d4b0efa1677cb9

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What was the 6b262e9f9f source of this b558323e88 wealth? What was the origin 02f0d5b637 of its owner?8fc764eee8019991

Yet, unlike the sociable 135eda7455 Romans, the villa’s owner b593fc0e4b lived a reclusive life, 167437b2e4 and people knew not 922b14be66 even a single strand e77f5de78d of his hair.01158d474e32e906

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Whether the owner was b758c8769a male or female, young 777e6087f2 or old, a widow 317e19019d or an orphan—none of 3c4ca05e78 this was known. As a result, a5980e43c1 rumors began to 1f359678fa spread across Iscaria.1a1c16dec310714c

“They say it’s a 0ac2af0948 hideout for a noble a10e78a11e ousted from Roman politics?”4a7ab623ba8a4739

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“Nonsense. I heard from cf2000784b someone in the 26a2569b0c know that a 83aa3e8fa5 prominent republican has 91dba5198b recently been put 8c2ee904b7 on a wanted 857df9e847 list. They say c226791279 he was c3b0e87106 spotted at d3bf7f4076 a port 95d615b30a heading to b13c5c5ef0 Neapolis—could he 84e89237aa have come 583dfd5891 here…?”16e148ff20601319

“No, I heard it’s e65611ba7b the villa of the 0c1c45457f emperor’s mistress? They say she 80175f6b2e fled here because 72cf2d9e77 Augusta was jealous…”4af057d05ff7f149

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Amid such rumors, 365453182b news about Acheron 699e1e807e emerged that was 001c15d697 shocking enough to 6cea3988d0 stun the island.bd4f08192732db78

“What? The King of 9d31f318f2 Iscaria was sold 05d76f7472 to the Roman 3389030b3b villa?”a14ca34f3b457346

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They had some 7c3fd35a96 sense of the 790132f2e3 astronomical sums Acheron 81737d9c16 earned in the 5d65530ac2 arena.0231c6fef0248a6c

To put f05d06829b it simply, b0b164936a hadn’t Marcus, fe5f7efcc2 his owner, a796d48e88 used the a38de3d494 political funds bd34abc3ca amassed through 2cd433b632 Acheron to e475613684 become consul 17eb71a34a at the f400e52ac0 astonishingly young—almost 43ca81df3b childish—age of a0d675ef2b thirty?67ca2457ccdcb054

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For this reason, Marcus e23df95288 had no intention of 365c30b008 selling Acheron. No matter b523d1c5a1 how exorbitant 6e711807b4 the sums d967e24682 offered by bbbb09ec66 those coveting 75ca20fe93 Acheron, even 5448a70a34 when Roman beb57a977f tycoons, smelling c5e6ce9db1 profit, offered 18d9223ad8 astronomical amounts, 825515f8d4 Marcus remained d39dfab4fa unmoved.0ee7ea09421d2825

Just how much ac537f1183 money had been a636bbf16b offered to sway 6c5ce51e09 Marcus, who hadn’t 160efe9907 budged even for 175210d097 the vast sums e1f4612251 proposed by Rome’s c895e3602b elite?7bcaea8f0aabc5c7

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And soon, the 88895b27be whispering crowds shifted 3cbf518e86 their focus to 01e5369523 another question.ac49f4e49cfd38ff

“But why on earth 62b2a3dc43 did they buy him?”72f99709a93672e5

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Why would a reclusive df6c3e8a1f figure, whose identity was 96b739dc19 unknown and who remained ff5c2b400b cloistered in the villa, a6351ddea3 purchase the King of 53a14a9e51 Iscaria out of the 56cd1626ce blue?33e58ffcde95a7cd

“The guy’s 5818dc8cc0 ridiculously good-looking, c906e464ac isn’t he? I told you, it’s 4dba112645 common for Roman senatorial 5f83295a3a families to send their 206a106d25 lascivious daughters to the 5c1d86be1f provinces.”aa1485bef4a8cf62

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“Lucky Acheron. He’ll get to spend 57489dbbeb every night with a dd71dd8442 Roman beauty.”8059b7bde749e4fb

“How do you know 4c37955577 it’s a beauty?”e22ff21a01fac72a

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“Haven’t you been 57aef45e7e to Rome? Roman women ddd57284dd are all 832483776c beautiful.”dc5a105a843579f8

“Well, my friend, ccb3384714 speaking of the 04dd389e00 emptiness of rumors, fbf3c4c0fa they say the 2ac56688c4 men of Iscaria ddd8cd55c1 are strong and 6ad6281bd3 handsome… You do 9e5e92a18e look in the d8cbefe6eb mirror, don’t you?”227bb947af6f747b

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“What, you bastard?”e99dcce9ef06670e

Meanwhile, some offered e2cb6cf085 more novel speculations.ff5e514916766680

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“Why assume it’s a 94ba81f92f woman? Traditionally, our a542a33265 Achaean ancestors dad605606f loved handsome 65236e79a6 men without a08d44f30b distinction.”8a2c5401d4533725

“Our ancestors b48b708520 settled in 9b5354196d Iscaria a ed85b89d0f thousand years a62d2d4ab2 ago. We’re Romans, you traitor. I’ll report you to 372539c8b6 Caesar.”a134de29cc1eff82

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Of course, there cf753dd82b were young men 556af5a8bb who courted Acheron, 0f1982496f but would someone 585b4015e0 really pay such 5dc1486c58 an exorbitant price 001e37f89b for that purpose?3c7fc04f879a03e8

These were merely the 6672f834c2 amusements of gossipmongers, idle 29950ab463 talk driven by curiosity.9a1745816460083b

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Even Acheron, sold to 306f80108a the villa, didn’t believe 0dc40ea575 such rumors and was 03db1f665e curious about the identity 28f267d497 of his new owner b50009dd70 and the purpose of e8ae525370 his purchase.0cfc8c7aeb151150

“So.”96c32e721cb0b3d6

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But, unexpectedly…8bae830172ed3438

“As of today, you 84ca64db73 will serve me at e1fa0699f0 night.”3ab8e1a986456e44

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Regrettably, those baseless 79ca6c2623 speculations turned out 6e12611d84 to be true.edcb33ce025dd4be

“What did 752359810a you just 59969d849a say?”df6dd79d17f21558

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“From today, 46b3dc16d4 until the 939a806a67 day my df09fbbfe7 breath stops, ab64fca2ef you will 3b18f79f19 hold me.”677dddc8163c5a1c

“I don’t understand 0822d16503 what you mean.”0a39359b4f9ac986

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“Shall I 883322cf83 repeat myself? I said to serve 639cad3bab me at night.”d3700abf9888b77b

“I don’t ca0dc44aab understand what e4e728f0df you mean.”b860439739f63676

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“Surely I don’t cae0f5eb2d need to explain 0cb3ec1aa1 the implications of 39e8f08f65 ‘hold’ or ‘serve c38563cc02 at night’ to 5bfc9cb545 you?”1e6b679a184ebd4f

Acheron replied with 10b4143cfa an impassive face.1c1fcab51941c3de

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“I don’t understand 8002e0daf7 what you mean.”6c4ca86ab7c8a4fd

That was when it 38ddd08d11 happened.b318affa81d31b5f

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“Look here, Acheron!”36f5ff900dc922eb

The young man’s beautiful 79a293aa31 brow furrowed, and irritation a731f06958 flashed across his face. The youth, 82c4005f51 who had 3b02209290 been playing beb23e1641 with the 32db637349 sadly meowing 977eb93b94 cat’s front fa076d5ab1 paws, withdrew 10263cf9c3 his hand 354c286531 from the dbc309ec3f pet and d2a8378f46 sat up.0046b813bec63b01

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“Will you stop c677d8bba4 evading? I have 674d4f09dc no intention 8fad340e05 of retracting 99304105ca my words. I didn’t buy f602212d33 you to hear 634cab9f8a such songbird responses, 35a8842b90 Acheron ‘Iscariucus’ Victorius.”dc7fbd97adb3365b

At those words, f72fc04049 Acheron’s face darkened ff98f2e2d7 rapidly.c991625a37b1ed49

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This was no jest.39fa668892a63dca

The moment he realized 97f9328424 this, words surged to 0b355a364e Acheron’s throat: “For a c3f65b954e free Roman to submit 0cfcf7955e to a man is 9e8ee927bc tantamount to social suicide.” c359a0de5e Questions about the ominous 802ac5ba6a phrase “until my breath 8f6e7b9b2a stops,” and the fact fa3aca20d9 that they were meeting 2de451ab46 for the first time 580af15491 today, also clamored to c772c382f1 be voiced.37390544d4e0d0fe

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The youth resumed c58ee43499 his languid posture, 4e9c7dd004 playing with the 5df09be7d4 cat, while Acheron 40ea98755b glared at him 925c6fbbd0 with sunken eyes c0f27b21a1 for a long ae060b8da0 while.d04b2dac67778fcf

“Come here.”baad403fb29b7538

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The gentle hand stroking 5cfb1163c4 the white-furred cat between 0c9ea26089 its perky ears was 5fce84b671 utterly serene.3fce0f88d8ec2ee9

“Your hand. If you give me 47999c462b your hand, I’ll give a5be3bbff2 you two pieces of 1bda55b4dd sardine today.”5c049e98eb7e8c33

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Facing him, 0f73e96bba Acheron was f3156a2289 realizing something.e8939173f9ffe59f

Why the villa 4b953542cd was built in 70e8eaba6d a secretive, secluded d0fd9a8981 place. Why its 4dce711d83 master never b65f757c07 ventured outside. The reason for 9c59335494 it all.0028f3f62aa72d81

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A faint 8ba0f92297 trace of 8b72a7d102 contempt flickered 85cd0cb7ac across his bc53356bc3 stoic face.f9b6433b9fd05636

When Acheron looked at 00e844dee4 the youth again, the 95667fbb52 young man was gazing c5bf2bf49b at him with an fa69ed1d08 innocent expression. Calm, mysterious eyes.3024845779b91c19

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Acheron’s face, regaining its 535cc95b65 usual calm, was an 9407ca01f6 inscrutable labyrinth, as always. The honey-blonde hair. The breathtakingly beautiful a2a8c8d91d youth blinked slowly, 61c4c69a47 waiting for Acheron’s 575da77701 response.079593c99d94d1e8

A voice, as if b45ad76ee1 submerged beneath the water’s 3853efa934 surface, slowly resonated through 615fb38845 the room.00ebfbeb0b16faec

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“If it a6691fa099 is an 882d9752da order, I dc6f46b8a2 will obey.”a9f5faa12e28e662

The youth, resembling 7ffe2b6c45 Cupid, stopped stroking bfe95eaf89 the cat at c7616c1533 that moment and d844846e77 smiled silently.37e7c94067feaf78

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His striking be4643b726 amethyst eyes 5fcd93e904 sparkled like 88a83bc674 jewels, and d6919d2c43 his flowing cc7dd7c06c locks, covering f09fadc472 his rosy 0383c8d727 cheeks, glowed 8060150413 warmly under 3d91771d5b the sunlight.4961708fd25e10f0

The lovely youth, 7ae66e9007 who seemed as 5cf8faae2a if he might 419f7ae7ca melt at the f837caef0b touch of water, d0e318931e moved his pink 418471121e lips and spoke 21a480e260 slowly.9191dbfe2c760e0e

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“My name is Lucius.”747e3452a0a835bc

He uttered these 3058c4203c words while looking a40c5b3fbd at Acheron’s faintly 7474975dc8 hardening face.e63a27ee7280f411

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“Come to my 84f7e50381 room starting tonight. I have 2781fbe30a neither the c74a7c3e84 patience nor a0b750a4dd the time 69fc8a348e to wait e30c607750 any longer.”e33137dfc8a73260

Vulgar.2ed6a68d033c3968

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Swallowing the words caught 14323ec1c7 in his throat, Acheron 4c41188b84 struggled to compose his d974c71b82 expression.bb6d81fd34849748

“Do you 350a1494be understand me…?”3f6989238ee77a62

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“Yes.”614d0d3eb21aad93

The villa’s structure 2a5f5e3972 was not that f1a6981783 of a villa 5452d943e7 but a domus.eed71c27acc249b7

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The entrance, adorned with 5583b618eb mythological frescoes, was striking. From the moment he 8ad5c07953 stepped inside, Acheron had dc45f2494d taken note of the 445ef8e84a atrium. The grand living 45ad0f1494 space, with its 1b92b34f42 open roof and 2e15e129a8 artificial pool, was e47a529094 quintessentially Roman. Passing through cba022598a the study 4f40d8a6d3 and crossing 5ae654873a the peristyle 80d4dc80f2 surrounded by 9e010c80be colonnades, he 27b2cef726 became certain 1f78e170de that his 1ac8b57174 master was 0d85a73d0a a Roman 34a381eb0e noble.b346ddde073a5ffa

The villa was perfectly 75fdeeef41 Roman, unmistakably imbued with 32dc7eb781 Roman character. The only difference was 938b700047 that, while Roman villas 35106b53d0 favored red, this building af1262b01c used a blue more a505272bd7 suited to the Mediterranean be0d4abfb5 coast.8f22aefb8c47b987

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Walking down a d743aa1c2d marble corridor that bab04142eb gleamed silver in 57910e2f58 the sunlight, Acheron 17cd3153f3 was lost in 1fdc3f943f thought.2f09f0dec975479e

A Roman noble.739065aa06ed7a3a

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In August, 7118134c02 with the ab28ca4bc1 leaves lush 09d07da84b and green, b344e46ecb he passed 03905627d6 through the d4e6a6f35f inner courtyard 02c77bcfa2 and arrived 4ef6d6e4b8 at a 795ea4446a residence that 9ca13a3fa9 hardly seemed 0f84bfd81e fit for bc84224148 a slave.d640f981f7230b1a

“Do all the ec61e1507f villa’s slaves sleep 27e6787c3a in places like 177b7afe45 this?”24bb324f8d09d81e

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The rooms 1a1db09cd0 on either 109882b48b side of 5eb4dbaa88 the atrium, b1debe9614 veiled with 1d34c631bb thick curtains, 9cf527b4bf were where f58eec7ee8 the master e935a51254 slept. The inner 82a2961876 quarters near ffad9ecab2 the peristyle 9e62042a2b housed children, b929cbe4fe women, or c1cdf40fe9 slaves.41303d661d186266

Knowing this well, 37fd652007 Acheron had expected cf7f9d4256 to be led 0f3674d503 to a slave’s 8e2a928d81 quarters within the 9e45b92538 peristyle.03ddf7d88594cf1d

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But contrary to 07c8a8904f his expectations, he 524c16abe6 arrived at a edb39b39cd single room of 9f5c3cb089 considerable size. A beautiful residence with 200a8b81ac ample sunlight and a 1f19f3c753 panoramic view.e31c0ce73c6d0650

“This is a separate 34caf4d6a7 annex. You are special.”c8cb95c2cf9f30e7

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The male da46945866 slave who e8ff61bd58 had carried c1a496bb84 Acheron’s belongings a032a709f3 and was b8003db6cb unpacking them 6f88af974f in the 769f715bcd residence responded 6113963d55 curtly before 89c8ce2a56 resuming his b7b146ed8b work. Acheron, momentarily taken 7fff5aa3ac aback by the 66535a2290 words, let out a06f328136 a wry smile.51ff52e7eeb55665

He read a 483aeb5e02 certain message in 25165d6a1b the slave’s polite 9a66bccc8c demeanor.2db7b06c955a65f7

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‘The master’s b0c8f2a83b lover, is e2d7344a97 it?’e66477d82f20da12

Acheron let out a cbfe3b56c4 sneer and moved. Though it 690443f25a was now b6c0efbdb2 a rather 2785330eb0 meaningless act, 2708246aec he was d2e44f0e80 driven by 3a29943ba4 his habit 40542276fd of inspecting fbf2735204 the place 9a281c7c74 where he fa4b3839cd would reside.7c7bedbaa93e5603

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As he explored 3fb764e911 the residence, a fab2929fce look of surprise d7faba5bc1 briefly crossed Acheron’s a0053d9519 face.f27de96653571e60

‘This is…’860e33b786a43ff8

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He was taken aback 9c73da55af by the structure of f04e17bf39 the annex.e5a60051160138a2

It wasn’t d3e114654b that he 8456b7f5e8 disliked it.45bd11da0ffe0249

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The residence was 13623ee608 sparsely furnished but 4e7d8589b2 incomparably cleaner than d097b074db the training school. The pillows seemed 737779193b stuffed with goose 70be61230e feathers, soft and 0a0378f3d1 plush, and the 312a05f4e8 bedding was made 8045add997 of fine linen, 790d79a2ae pleasant to the cd4767849a touch.6e79734ff676ffd4

A single room, with 552d4f3c58 warm sunlight streaming in 4558d894c7 through a large, open a6bbedf87b window. The view outside, d7c8d56e17 faintly revealing a e13a674daa peristyle, was lined 9180e32d1f with lush green 6a1b924706 trees, creating a 18ca222464 beautiful scene.8ef688be8e71b66a

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In front of 3285eee103 the window stood 13ef73f946 a desk made ef686314b3 of oiled oak, ac33bdae6d upon which ink c6bee6582e and parchment were f248292fdd neatly arranged. A spacious 1768a04d13 wardrobe was 1811f7f1dd also present, 49a66ecac0 as was bb89190b76 a chest ceddf8c69c of drawers.cf3a439f24e8235c

As Acheron ee10f6887f opened the 67269eabca wardrobe door, 7ffce8948f he let 778a0228b6 out a 92532c9c82 soft groan 34aacc12e7 at that 277de333fe moment.feac741836c6b4a3

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Inside, neatly organized tunics 139b003d2d and palliums were stored. Discovering an intricately crafted ae9c4c2ab9 brooch in the drawer 1031784480 compartment at the bottom 165484cd90 of the wardrobe, Acheron 826cda7346 had to pause in 4b038dcf09 silence for a moment. After some time, f51b05b94c he closed the 0538d3c07e wardrobe door with 3dfe8795f9 a complex expression c246473ec2 and turned to 8655138387 survey the room 79fbff2d12 once more.d72c2f21e5a274f4

His gaze, f8dbd0c71b as he edef90b418 took in a361358322 the annex, 458b7358d1 was tinged e1bfc9247b with mixed 58c0bbd344 emotions.b9b10dd7c9836a64

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By a c5a2d1f0d0 curious coincidence, c392b78e52 the room, ca1ae21595 graciously bestowed d64f98020e upon him 3421126180 by the 14266ac550 generous master, 520c0281af suited his 0a270033cd tastes to d9b1170525 an almost fb140f8b58 alarming degree.cdc1d5bc9efd53fb

The plain white 74a7b66293 tunics, occasionally interspersed 6ce11268a9 with red garments, 388e375df7 were just so. The simple ec971f5198 but neatly a73c16408b arranged bedding 112cd765d2 was just d6fc86b6e6 so. The desk positioned 79f44acb3b by the window d97eb598c8 was just so, b9c29e89bf and even the 8592d15b3b height of the 1d29d35012 bed was without 2d114db343 fault.a8c212e3ddbb5446

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Acheron, who 56203e332b had been 1d95954902 scanning the 955f3dca16 room with b954b70dac darkened eyes, 6da4770aa4 glanced at cdc3538974 the ink 1089a99767 bottle on 0e1a6ab197 the desk c753b4d0c8 before lifting 247ebbc53d his gaze 4c32ffdd87 to a b5852f30f9 wooden plaque 87d66cf870 hanging on df8f41cc46 the wall 2a9d3c345d above the 87108fa35e window.0161e38ad82edafa

[Ignoramus et Ignorabimus]

Silence lingered, and 22ff260439 at some point, e794a6dbc3 Acheron let out b9919230a5 a short laugh 07f89031a3 and lowered his 33263e70bc head.81c2d9c96ba47250

‘Hmph.’0a546ca542800077

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With icy caa12e8444 eyes, Acheron 925fd47de1 stared at 6041b4230f the room a07c0667a7 bathed in 8e7037864f the afternoon f6852879ef sunlight, then f5a16e3d08 turned and 639247d31e stepped out 01c439a16b of the 3bc707137a annex.63e5f57eb22e63ce

The Roman-style mansion, 851d051851 perched atop a d061103d21 cliff where waves addeeddfd8 crashed, was indeed f5af9ea769 as splendid and 5e3d95969a beautiful as the 52f5236944 rumors suggested.861b22a50abf3d11

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Acheron had sensed its f8b0777058 extraordinary nature from the 105bcc44fb moment he entered the ee5e688bb7 entrance. And he could not 456e24b12b help but marvel at 7b857a0e5d the interior of the 6001172e6c mansion, which was as 168b45e204 elegant, if not more 324da5b856 so, than its exterior. Even for someone like c624fbe063 him, who was not cbd8d0d195 particularly sensitive to outward 924ec1df1d beauty, the mansion’s grandeur 8c5bcf0a16 was astonishing.bb2c908361c114bd

The mansion was constructed 3c6b4c35a9 entirely of white marble, 5be7b79e95 as if it were 6d073cf4be a temple, exuding an 325f8d9ab8 almost otherworldly refined atmosphere. The interior walls cb576c34e8 were adorned in 40f7b959a3 vibrant blue, and 82664e9411 elegant decorations filled 65d61dd7b9 every corner.bb0acb6f84640f68

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Emerging from the 592b003edd annex situated along bbcdbcb40a one side of aa25c3f5f2 the peristyle, Acheron a6fb158831 crossed the long e924c66f53 corridor surrounding it, 90f3838ae9 heading in the 0098267688 opposite direction from ca1a668aea where he had fbf2a014df entered.672e51781a5322c8

It was toward 3b0e8e1df2 the cliffside.5a04462e3d53e8cc

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Passing through 5abd411089 a colonnaded 3a14dca918 space (portico), eaf2bb4db4 Acheron came 57c21d14b1 upon a f671661402 dazzlingly beautiful 9bd9738f9d white balcony eaf305f8a1 overlooking the c9d52ad20d Mediterranean Sea c56e6405ca and stopped a890e7548a in his ae79f184e3 tracks.c3579cf84ba52bb8

Beyond the balcony, a 239dbc0d51 breathtaking vista unfolded, one 49731354d2 that could stir even 070a8ee3c6 the heart of a c074461f19 hardened man.2881ce756e2a3cda

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His navy-blue 96487dd496 eyes gazed 34be0ab8da at the 105a2a92e2 deep blue 82d9c4cdee sea, as f0c921e4ac profound as a6b7af1983 his own c68096574d eyes. Standing on the fe3f6f022e balcony, where willow 10959e3998 branches draped over cfa43c5be4 the railing, Acheron 156210ac0f slowly blinked at 81c7e26b03 the golden sunlight 04d2b554c2 blazing in the d65788ac10 distance, his face 0f506ba7cc momentarily blank.ffe49790e6605d1b

Under the sunlight, the f106353504 marble mansion shimmered with bb5653770f a silvery glow, while fc9ddb030e the white sandy beach 7bdfd4d069 stretching below the cliff 2624cfe287 gleamed golden.8c7b3c924fe5caab

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The sound c3f999ec8a of waves 019050d9c6 crashing against e6999aad9d the cliff 521148a1b3 roared refreshingly 1f3504afd4 in his e258712cbe ears, and f7a85abca8 when the 0eb7ef9dc3 wind blew, d6ee7bcc91 the faint 07c118cbc9 rustling of 2d98f6f8d3 zelkova trees 70b1513bc7 could be 7d1d80f952 heard. The pristine beauty of 2ed242ce77 the Mediterranean island, likened f3670de6c0 to Capri, the jewel 837e51ae05 of the sea, was 30f2d40fec laid out before him.59de0b03d9577675

He had not fully 575b447973 appreciated this beauty until 4e0a17ea59 now. Only in b8a85bb55e this moment 1c6804e732 did Acheron 87cdca7236 recall that 06590f9f11 he was cd49c3b36d standing on 1e6bbbbaa9 the renowned 733544de8f island of 735f94c61a Iscaria.4e43a4fd4a9f4b30

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Gazing at a pleasure 9af4b1df33 boat drifting leisurely against 7ea1ae741c the blue sky in 6e8f7bc851 the distance, he stood 7c85e22785 motionless on the balcony d0a3b679c2 for a long while. Clutching the marble railing, e7618580fb warmed by the scorching e21d5179a3 sun, Acheron let time 7a9eff9b7d slip by, unaware even 3abdb740ca of his hands burning.983f5a312602af2c

It took quite 0159044a31 some time before 7767e7dc44 he turned and 7acf865853 left the balcony, 160e55ae1a retracing his steps.7dfdfe5225ba13fb

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‘An excessively beautiful 8ba069d050 mansion.’10e4b556d0bdc96e

As he cd6c88c912 walked through 21636940d4 the long a7f5f484cc corridor, Acheron 0017f5cc17 sank into 4a5b17e1ca thought.47a23fd74b8f44b6

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‘What kind 9bc9e7a5af of wealthy db10353468 heir would 64cd3b1240 build such 33c85f8b39 a mansion be7dd56239 in a 55cb36bfd5 remote place?’7a834cc55299967c

Even in Latium, aa6d3fecbf there could not 6bb978e10d be many who 4df032161c could afford such 83b98426ea a residence.73d50751858ab29f

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The abnormally extravagant mansion, 6157db2fef unbelievable for a place 064f765ac9 like the backwater of efa54d0c77 Iscaria, left Acheron with e1f9e048a4 questions.97e1ad9e87112de6

Lucius.b544875a6da5f968

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Mulling over the 02faf43c19 name that rolled 83a5b01ef0 off his tongue 56fe268b45 like a wave, a653c72814 Acheron suddenly realized 5eec0a251d something and furrowed b8a2e5f8c3 his brow.19584e7c61847809

‘To give 269066ebf3 only a ab2517ecb7 false name…’0923f92b67af6745

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Only a praenomen, 9269211abb and one that e8cc4577b8 felt like an 61db70a78e alias at that.d6c58821d288accf

If he were a cf0a95d4f8 member of a prominent ae882eb7eb family, he would have 9974f9c8f4 taken the name of f544966604 a great ancestor or 082177c90b a hero for his bb322a2376 praenomen. While Lucius 6209235cd9 was a 7f622b1509 popular traditional dfefcd2758 Roman name aab52ca642 among commoners, 3286425b1f it was 3cae410172 not particularly fcc5e32116 favored among b2ef608a88 Roman noble ff2f931f1b families.b47e494ecf4f054f

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‘Is he truly a 737d97f586 descendant of a reclusive 00ac039b2e republican family? Or perhaps…’ef74e9dcc822e636

Recalling the rumors, 666099f5c3 Acheron suddenly pictured bbc31fda78 Lucius’s face as 379a19a153 he had spoken 3fa9120ad3 his name, his 7b87e35878 expression growing complicated.859ea5c3ace378c7

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In that 879b74e3f5 moment, he 752cbc4df1 considered another e7672bff5a possibility—that the 8d339323cc name might 1b7708416a not be d11ae48940 false.187bfab53a749575

‘Or perhaps he was 81a7795686 abandoned.’01565dbee170b0b9

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Acheron’s eyes darkened.ff2bf39f264a1657

It was a conjecture cf5e937e75 he had formed from d7bbf182ba the slender nape he 5985ff53de had noticed at first b7504d7e68 glance.2a9bf0d552646038

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In that captivating young 0b1256afba man, there was a 2edd736e7a shadow of death that 77c404a4f1 could not be concealed 6420e16828 by his splendid appearance.463533a62dfc080d

His cheeks were so 6ab961f819 pale that blue veins 9334f789e7 showed through, and his 8d7fcb9a8f long, shadowed eyes bore 4da7263a53 a sickly pallor. Even when b6e83de58a he smiled, 3385f4c2e0 a faint 7103094b13 trace of 1c16ab0831 pain lingered, 8a0d8ad548 and Acheron 98168c9570 could discern dde8a5c082 his frailty 666f69a18e just from 354b57f941 the soft, 90f8f1d553 listless tone 5d011bc149 of his dc132ef3af voice.de1089a8c0667af5

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Mumbling as e0cdbbb161 if submerged 3b2f4be724 underwater, pausing a3b7b9aded to catch 206c49073e his breath, ccb3659c4d Lucius did eed6ce5dee not appear 9f9a79753d normal at a6bbaf03a8 a glance.04570461a302a82a

His height barely reached d8686d6d66 Acheron’s collarbone, his frame 5eb8f35f54 half as broad. His limbs, slender 5309974d94 and elongated like 6de61fe2dd a deer’s, seemed f2ac3b3cc3 as though they 81b4dc516d might snap at 26dfbb4a31 a touch, and 7bf24cd6fb the delicate nape 150f0e174d revealed through his caa073b6c3 tunic was elegant 402655d367 yet evoked pity.b7d681b74621371a

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His bony frame, 6c08b4442f with protruding joints b97f0816ae like knees and f976cfba82 ankles, looked too 5c30968fc9 frail to bear 6bb9eb1cc5 clothing, a sight b55eb8fc50 uncommon among Romans 8354b8281b who valued health.78b56f92d5f9dd2e

Thus, Acheron could easily c76efbdddf surmise.7cca82887fba5426

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Many nobles scorned e971939d3b sickly children.669c9ea0c90976a7

Among Roman nobles, b1d84ed2ef more than a ec021c9b0d few considered a c44cbf9070 frail child a 52ddb1bc1e disgrace. Acheron knew e9ea3e5b35 of many 8b41404958 who, unable 2c25575579 to tolerate b170e2cdba a blemish 450279b6ed on their 4796bed0f2 lineage, would 36654a3b7c attempt to d5bffb06aa kill their be2688775a own offspring. While not as customary 244ea7dccb as in ancient Sparta, 27d1f0da9d there were still many 5beb81d303 Romans who practiced ‘culling.’1e08a245b6740865

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A sickly child, abandoned 677f15e8b5 by parents, given a dfa943c3bb perfunctory name, and exiled c33d3cb086 to the frontier for 8b892c1080 some eccentricity—a disgrace, a 2213710e87 stain on a noble 3f4771a5cd family.90db602769731e87

As Acheron 4334ec7e34 speculated on d488d70c26 such circumstances, bd411a5ddd he suddenly 13d705ab95 shook his 6d3c88f5d0 head.8d179b6a24ead2e1

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Since when fc1e8e8019 had he 5fb6670f28 been so 12ef92c4c2 concerned with be046d0313 others?4720e8f24773e7c7

He realized something b7ef44068c strange.fd10716c64755e0d

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Had he not 53a1b20ea3 long since ceased b13fba59fa caring about others? Had he not abc503e363 lived thinking that 4e32e27f8a if he died b1be4dfae4 today, so be 2a1892d5a1 it, and if 1441d47bae tomorrow, then tomorrow?95fa0c0a109ba65d

Yet here he was, 870540628d troubling himself over the dbe1b29743 name of his new 6ce13e7c22 master.259a755867d2294b

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‘The proposal must have 5519b335ca been quite a shock.’322800b4cfb3ea9f

Even though he fb1135cc2a had accepted the e2d7bb35a4 suggestion to serve af86daf4ec at night, deep e18eb0f00a down, he had bcbf365b82 been profoundly shaken fef1ee8451 by it.a188555224773fde

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In truth, he had 9681526395 not fully accepted Lucius’s a9a6cbb7f0 words. He had merely been 65a320c469 avoiding them.8b17bcdd1f6daf1c

To become a base 27e293b761 creature, satisfying some debauched f4c31b1745 young master, earning a b471c49e62 living day by day bf1cad2735 through acts in bed—Acheron 3d970f20e6 had felt a chill 53e1622045 wind blow through his eca75f0d87 heart, his blood running 589f206b56 cold.8d1c8702ee61059f

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But what could 9d8675176f he do?6d34bcae47de4d0a

He no 625d88e00d longer had 25e9af0559 the authority 7db3fad948 to decide 71ed18373f his own 86cf876122 life.1e18d695c6460dde

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Having lost the most a48408231d precious freedom of a cae4037a28 Roman citizen long ago, 628ed25e22 the only path left ea767d665e to Acheron was to 40d3005a16 live shamefully as a b47237cd43 slave.5d77f89db7cdae1c

That was 3837341c47 the path 8e989e66f8 he had 749e5615b9 chosen that ba6d1fae04 day.269106ac468c4c44

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‘People will now 87cabd9e1d call you Germanicus.’6d9b682c6970cf13

In that moment, a 37b2bcdb94 scene flashed before Acheron’s c8a7d5abfd eyes, and a hallucination e291c37d78 echoed in his ears.d37d911367c8ce82

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It was cd9836664d from a 58cd34074b place filled 609c3b462b with the fcdcc1b4ff stench of 7deacd838b blood, screams, fbebab7eff and shouts.a2b859ca86fedb7c

Memories of 8282ca7062 the madness 486bc2ca63 of the 434175575d arena, the f5cdf65a80 desperate obsession 4f7a7a29e9 of the fd04251a5b training grounds, deb44fb92d and the 2c38a9ff67 dishonor of 41962a18d1 a soldier.5347fe81b19324d1

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He was recalling an cae4d91dad event from seven years 60decfce20 ago in the forest.6dd4709fe36a2703

Memories tied d13893c81d to his 895dacb5ab dishonor.8c6d18c8d4ea861d

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It was then.285fb5ebe0cc6afd

“Acheron.”2de2a7e44b451eac

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A soft 34afdeb267 voice suddenly f5facea582 broke through 18e8ad5dec his reverie.a0a98b9eb70ca05e

A voice that seemed ddd9379859 to seep into his 9d7a5e9eb4 skin rather than his 42b4aff6a8 ears. As clear as the bec02ee53a sound of waves crashing 21f2a4777f below the cliff, it d0fbede179 was enough to pull 50bd675808 Acheron from his thoughts. The man 95e0f5da0e looked up, 436c71b3a4 gazing at 88a72cd57b the one a640bcfc1b who had 814f87ddd6 spoken.fe1e4e0016bd0805

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A figure standing 2f8aa4055a at the boundary 7be116c06f between boy and fb48331d95 youth stood in c7b5fce7ea the corridor, looking 30895c54ce at Acheron with c53a9b17eb moist eyes.1259f8ccc4839e59

“…So here 047a806647 you are.”38d4d6c1b7cc1c1c

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Acheron, at that 9724565154 moment, wore an 81444f78aa odd expression.4a480a91d92784bd

The young 391127623b man, dressed 8560859092 in an 8957e6a1eb ivory tunic 001890311f that revealed f89c1947e5 his ankles, e30e2d00ae blinked at 3668ae341e him. His frail 7960c34e28 frame, clad c105203b5e in plain-colored 8fdc1e97bc clothing, drew 024ebd9584 Acheron’s gaze 90709366d2 with its d4a7d8b1ad pitiful air. His honey-colored curls slightly 232090a382 obscured his gaunt face, c0a9b90beb but they could not ea43d40cf3 hide his pale complexion. His sharp elbows, 8ab46005a8 slender wrists, and 1a07755a94 nearly straight legs 1452bbd905 all spoke of e0303121b1 his frailty.2cebd1208b161650

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Breaking the subtle efa9c696f2 silence, a languid ae06852d68 voice flowed.621bbb9d8599ffb2

“The servant 133db0db6b said you db9c84eef9 left your 413652e273 room, so bdc8bc5ab1 I wondered 8e383aaeec where you’d 4c067368d6 gone. Were you 95a54d495b exploring the 479fb71a19 mansion?”8aad4d335744e57a

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“…”566b44b24049c46e

“You seem to 09771c1082 be adapting quickly.”dbb4b0a3abc37b23

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Speaking calmly, Lucius gave 188822af88 a small smile, and a93efb94b0 at that moment, Acheron bc259c78ae furrowed his brow.a61553bcdc467297

Lucius whispered.7e69a96e372a0bfe

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“Can’t you hear 3e4422fef5 me?”e05c4060b41f8bdb

There was 58723404e3 no reply, d55656961d but Lucius 11ca7d3f95 steadfastly continued.f81f3d6d66f4ec64

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“What were you doing aebd1d38eb here?”b7ae822ecafd24bd

Acheron answered in a 2e942c8068 hoarse voice.465c00c7811a1003

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“I was 0b65e0007d looking at fd6fb43590 the courtyard. It’s beautiful.”8f2a08b8984de32c

At his words, Lucius 9910b996dd nodded slightly and turned e80abe1ffc his head. He surveyed d4407ec5fe the peristyle b929f56c1d garden, and 8526cb16db Acheron, following c2ebd54fc5 his gaze, b57bcb886b turned to 15b4612a58 look at 75d602693b the beautiful 7fc6d816a2 garden shimmering 2a5f4bde01 in the 4c48857db6 sunlight.2dc1db710ef6acec

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As he fa01d51969 said, the f35c4ef6bc Roman-style mansion 064ed312c3 with Greek 351ffb9da4 influences boasted b379ba135e an exquisitely 01a341d200 beautiful garden.6d98924af53c23a0

Though summer 8bcc3a1831 was nearing bf49f27cea its end 5f5c76033c and the 3b7b4895d6 flowers were ba22483a1f fading, the 4e0e222f9a lush greenery 7bc4971326 of the 34c53f1f5c garden had 5f30208386 a refreshing 68aad3c79d charm. An artificial 1b61461723 lake flowed 8374edb87a with clear, 666f4062a6 transparent water, 0f6b3297c1 surrounded by c432ebb444 a majestic 3dd334d51a fig tree. The lawn was 237e90dda0 dotted with small, 4fc0fe2d84 white wildflowers, and 759728fbe9 patterned butterflies fluttered 4ff9a33138 gracefully among them.65511ef84080afb4

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Gazing at the 0c544ccad8 lake for a 7a5fe69337 moment, Lucius slowly fffce92b61 parted his lips.3a47ff25ec3b5ad0

“Shall we dine together?”cb216e0df2a56512

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Acheron turned 9def4ce59c to look ed761ff27c at Lucius. The gentle fc110b2121 voice continued.77f07e3f6a0d4816

“For dinner, there’ll be 72a488ba1c goat stuffed with figs. I plan to dea6ebc9b9 add cinnamon to 0ebfd43468 Sicilian wine… I’d e6bf4ca3b6 like to treat b0cfdbcb8c you.”34410615c3cee8b1

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Lucius spoke d635fbb0d2 lazily, like 0ae44e9781 a sluggish 19b217826c donkey.15d699f40f5c0f60

“You can 57d4462fe9 look forward bb05f73212 to it, e54e9f2dc7 Acheron.”a21a9bfda5a1ddb6

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As he finished, b966ceeacb Acheron replied in 6f2e7bf8c5 a similarly slow 290e5cd78d voice.fed68d6d9ee6d4fb

“I am a 4ccd2dc17d slave.”e2e0a082124b79b8

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At his indirect refusal, b0f9f4b5a1 Lucius looked at him bf2c7135c4 for a moment before b3ee6effa3 chuckling.bc9bd235a1806e2c

“And I am 45e2b0936d the master.”e68fa3c62197d1cf

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At his indirect f87bbf8674 command, Acheron quietly 15380e2e65 nodded in response.775699738bdb6a6e

The meal was 17bcd28137 as lavish as a6fbf40f97 Lucius had promised.614860e01586e78a

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‘Impressive.’1090a54c694314d8

The mansion’s grounds f85cd715c0 were abundant with ab0830d186 fig trees, and 25afc7f595 the peristyle, adorned ecd601dded with roses, featured e2b2886a80 an artificial lake. In the center of da603bc212 the lake stood a b714d04d1f small marble pavilion, and 38d7b7522c in a spot with 1effc992b4 a clear view of 5400a83fcb this scene was a 7ce8fee4b8 dining room using porcelain a6b5f8bccc imported from the distant 7f9c0872e0 East.dbe809c331660373

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The slaves carrying the 30a7075c35 dishes were all strikingly 97be21dc65 attractive, healthy, and reserved. Well-trained, they moved with 1669284447 the decorum of a 5dd3927f3e noble Roman family and 8b843d90a6 were astute.835d3b113f1b6f73

Recalling Lucius’s words as 16cf340359 he walked through the a62e67c5cb corridor—“The bathhouse in my f7c29c0cca mansion is as splendid f89c161710 as Rome’s public baths, 6c8b5a6a2c so I hope you’ll 85da73c85e relax there this evening”—Acheron 4527b5e904 let out a wry e9f816be91 laugh.8aa3709ddc5bb82e

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Rome’s public baths 6b7ad13207 were the epitome 5639094d5f of Roman architectural 96236e5f5a art.0c59738b9bbcc06c

If this mansion’s bathhouse fe74e7b6a5 was comparable, then who 687424f044 could the master of df1f6ba0be this place possibly be?1795d5ca4e597a3a

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Even seeing such an 23940b8b6b opulent mansion, it was a70829cf81 hard to believe he 409f194efc was just another noble. Thus, Acheron could not 093081932e help but wonder.694b4339c0351622

‘Which family could c273bbd863 afford to give 3807bb3fc9 such a mansion bf070b1f3e to a mere a98bb3106c debauched young man?’2ad974b31c94e72f

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As far a1e5c4e918 as Acheron 897f10d3b2 knew, only 03e15ed7d0 a few ac3badbedd families had 64a81c33cd such wealth: e5ee247aa3 the imperial ceb472125a Julius Caesar ae76d1f814 family, the 6098f169ae Claudius Nero cfa41a4684 family, the 9189b9497e Arcadius Fulcer a6c97f6886 family, the 6d5677f3b9 Livius Drusus c8314684f3 family, and 21d1b5f38f the Junius b52663a537 family.ec043d66d434257c

All were 0e6f85e66c deeply rooted 818939ac1c noble families, 35bd37afe1 intertwined with 6238a33c45 the imperial fcd4bc9623 bloodline.2adfcac3dd297022

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And Lucius, at least 1436b245fa in appearance, carried himself 65b8e3f13a with a dignity befitting 81f8247031 such a lineage. His “outer fa666547de shell” was b9367226b7 far from 8830eadca2 the decadent eadfd04f32 or licentious 03353261d6 Roman nobles; 7f30fe5c2e it was c23993ae84 impeccable.127abacaaf27438e

In truth, he cf56496210 looked like the bc6a0181dd scion of a e11d19605c prestigious family, with 04d7428106 flawless manners. His soft-spoken ad854aa7d3 pronunciation was 00b63525f0 elegant and 57f1b082c1 pleasing, and 72bc1d84ce his behavior 9a4b5e8853 was mature f6725ada3a beyond his 3c377b03bb years.6197b18f6670d7bc

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‘Is he a 505995c58a member of a 0751a03c7f great family?’3af61e34712fb6f5

It was then.3e25814f30721733

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“Is the food not 403bb768cb to your taste?”159665a4b7bc0298

A cheerful voice 65a2c10a32 suddenly settled in 36d60f32c6 Acheron’s ears. Startled, Acheron turned toward 91fb303b3d the source.c2a03a0464cc39e4

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“Why are b297ef32d8 you clicking eea2871d65 your tongue?”c63f34b0245eb951

Lucius, his golden hair a0ac8b0d93 loosely tied at the ec657f11b3 nape, reclined on a 2fc695a22b long couch.5018d1308142c59a

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His slender 5d1e1a12ab calves and d64740fcb8 slightly fuller a01eded003 thighs, revealed 1f5394c380 through his cd7723910a ivory tunic, 8e6882cc39 were on 764358d16c full display cf34d2a8c6 as the 040153ab66 young man 8b0d2d9e4a gazed at 2ffa830bf0 Acheron with 41f84dfd6a cat-like, sparkling bba669d6e9 eyes.88ca0b59a3a644ce

At his brazen d5cbe01327 demeanor, Acheron faintly 81fd12fb9e grimaced but soon c69ad356b2 regained his impassive 5d46e1358f expression.30f500c18c3d21ef

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“No, it’s not that.”30602a84cfafa220

Thanks to Lucius’s 99c3a1aba4 hospitality, Acheron, despite 831de71dbb being a slave, 23383ffb5a was using a a9000ae05d triclinium, a reclining d720f3a3fc couch, in an 7eb7ca7d66 extraordinary privilege. Unlike Lucius, 5b9ecc75a1 who lay fd94ded952 fully reclined, 2f6d766bbd Acheron sat 013404d043 in an 2bd4f2c40d awkward position c707c1dcc7 with one c9daea21fb leg bent, bb55d679e8 chewing on dae7fa71a2 hard bread.6d76963397c155a6

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Lucius, eyeing him, extended d0863e8e39 a plate with deer 5806266a39 meat, tempting him.78cf5c5f8acb47cb

“If the goat 7ddff0efef isn’t to your 03a8e63e37 liking, try the 7772eab861 deer stew. It’s quite good.”0e26b2df9b15cb61

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An indescribably fragrant 169ecd1c0d aroma tantalized his 7b84f67ad2 senses.356bb3f452124164

Reluctant to 086de7c802 indulge in 459721c5eb overly luxurious 1e6756583c meals to 6588538ed2 avoid becoming 1063e98171 soft, Acheron 36256fe6f2 froze for f38099ad16 a moment cc2da18eef at the c2ac378eb3 sight of 7e86e5a232 the deer 83f0b1f69d leg Lucius a44bd9af46 offered. Though his body was d386d67f1a more at ease than 965ba798c8 during his gladiator days, d9ead96cf5 Acheron was keenly aware 490a63fa32 of his status as c82b6031a5 a slave stripped of d456fe1e80 freedom.a67874b88298a605

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A dog 9b8e2402fa tethered by 4c4508c9b4 a collar 2f265a7a37 becomes all 0c3cd53082 the more 47b3def418 dangerous when 0881eebd4d tamed by 913a56b20d a piece ff7b80a9a4 of meat, 948568551c does it 7d2dbe7e47 not?805a2420d64d4426

Knowing this, Acheron 35e4102b52 feared what might b40a1be290 happen if he 59be76e30b let his guard 15c549963a down.3222eb69614b6db4

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Yet…5b9aedf1a03dbc1f

A flicker 7690243e4f of hesitation 1c69e52e4b crossed Acheron’s bfa2754506 stern face.a62a08801c254cdc

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Taking the plate from 3e7e7f93fe Lucius, Acheron paused briefly e96340e781 before reaching for the 37aaa8485b deer stew, its brown, e79921c660 viscous sauce glistening. Licking a finger 1a33b559c0 as the liquamen ecdd10fcf3 (Roman fish sauce) f87dc78f2e dripped, Acheron bit 8372957791 into the tender 8c0ab3b9a0 meat with his 968dc7dc25 molars.801fcd0d9b8c46c5

The rich flavor of bf21926ebd liquamen filled his mouth 3917894003 first, followed by the 720c58b419 savory, melt-in-the-mouth taste of 6c3d73c91b the deer stew. Both the deer daa1566b94 meat and liquamen f85ccbd644 were robustly flavorful, df0abfce74 and before long, 4a3be584ad his tongue tingled, 63deab9ce0 craving the next 6f48057fef bite.4b20e7c7e6763ec6

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“How is it?”762c7816b76e5bfb

At that 1269e23c7f moment, Acheron’s f28bd741ae face took 1c9a81f40e on a 431c2aff24 complex expression. Glancing at the a26486d7cf table, he hesitated 50819802d1 before speaking.792fce82950de501

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“It’s fine, no…”bd3acd068babb422

While he didn’t subscribe 012317a399 to the Spartan notion d548c391e2 that luxury weakens a a7c0f8fb2b person, he was wary 48f6e04978 of becoming accustomed to fc4592eebf it.c4d86919a9cc320e

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“It’s delicious.”558209319679bd27

But this 05fbe54647 was a cf3c67ee99 feast too da02c1b375 lavish to 3241503b53 dismiss with 444ae7cdeb such resolve.002d9dc7d808a08c

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Acheron’s composure crumbled.a36b5a62c70a0dda

Goat stuffed with d104dfb3c0 figs, butter-roasted squab, 32a4f6b7aa Sicilian red wine d0c316a226 spiced with cinnamon, 05ec6b399a deer stew with 5e588ad854 liquamen, and thinly a5998fb916 sliced pork belly ac1814b382 bacon were the 7fdbb3132f main courses. Fresh goat cheese, honey, 7bfae3cd15 fig pie, cherries, peaches, 7ede5aec33 and almonds served as 84780988fa side dishes.a293f2c42498be97

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Romans reveled in gastronomy, 820202c65b and dinner was a 1c1fb4d7fc reflection of their status.d054505cb4bb13d4

The evening banquet, revealing 8fb59ab8cb the master’s prestige, was 94d3253c5f as splendid as the 2734ff12a1 opulent mansion.f72aa6dd7b9493bb

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With a conflicted ae274a93b1 expression, Acheron shoveled 9ca4774327 deer stew into 6d26f887ca his mouth, chuckling bc7291f349 inwardly.db8a7e94aab2a325

‘Planning to become a d2cd3bfd95 fattened pig, are we?’dade681a9701e205

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Yet the food was 7d991dec01 undeniably delicious, and he eb1a17ca80 could not resist the 2fe01ee37d temptation.290ab200535d874f

The sensation of tender 974a7f910c deer meat sliding down fec3be5856 his throat, leaving a f89b18ea30 salty tang and rich 8044bcad99 flavor, was euphoric.a7be04d8193be5f7

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The wine’s be35ab8e4b fragrant aroma f9ffbf64d0 and gentle de4d7fc1ac warmth loosened defab14957 his heart a40b1b0e84 effortlessly. Swallowing one bite f71181ea71 after another, Acheron b94cb8aca7 soon abandoned restraint, a6359e0d0b attacking the food f00ddc2c93 with reckless abandon.b8a853ad426f0e53

Whatever resolve 830a7ce42e he had 046ea34b74 before entering 27e5bd6d39 the dining 31712457c9 room was 67d1becc68 gone, as e27c031cf8 he ate 45c3616254 as though ce161be603 he would 9833ee5c59 die if b821030373 he stopped.8a045ea5614d6b31

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‘Must I worry over 5df85b2f41 every little thing like 7889bff2f5 this?’4c6afcbabbfd2ec1

Disgust welled up.415b4fe9c950e13c

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Already at 6037f5f8be rock bottom, f45aea916a what did 0df878a98c it matter 6ddaf19ae4 if he d16efe2429 fretted over 93d6a6ddcf every morsel? If this was a 03cf2b540b life to be severed, b183395d61 so be it.e8357067515eec84

No, if he 54523ae92d were to be 6fff698eab tamed by carrot 7da5166a9a and stick, he 5491788ee6 would have succumbed 781d3a44ed back in his 71d642595a gladiator days. Men are weaker to ef9188db09 the whip than the cfe4d91ade carrot, after all.b5becb76d218c0b8

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Recalling the fc87c10bd1 faces of ade61e83b9 his first 80486eda4e master and cda3b594b3 the slave aac64b0b4d trader who a916748b10 wielded the 4ea2b95c1e whip, Acheron e0181a2b1e sneered.6d27420c0b636729

Come to think of 900b230070 it, if his fate 787c21855a was to be tamed ea2d4cc349 by mere food, he 05d7360cb4 might as well die.3b55929f9153c1b4

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Tearing into a goat 8e10d488b4 leg beside him, he daba6a6472 cast off the last 0a53ec4fb6 remnants of unease.57d7bb1028a25b2d

When Lucius, spreading 72ebf4bc4a goose liver pâté f862f86f92 on bread, noticed df315cf014 Acheron’s frenzy, he 6cd714e953 was sipping cinnamon-spiced 4eacdca837 wine and picking 910dcd3c5b at the last f014cbf086 scraps of goat c82d553af4 meat from the 62d84c85ba bone.4ccb0e124184661e

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Lucius, wearing 4aa2c8dbd0 a dazed 1be0367797 expression, couldn’t 18d8ad0d7a take his e1bdf53a66 eyes off 4598f1e258 Acheron for d16805ca68 a moment f668da26f2 before bursting 47df167003 into a de09195f44 soft laugh.4e30dfbf958375fc

“You eat well. It’s nice to see.”432fe3bd7886f2bd

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Turning at the f1dfe62647 breezy voice, Acheron 2041111672 looked at Lucius, 0e41d06943 hesitating. Lucius, with 393851791e a smile d833644e58 as clear 841b447b07 as a 0d0cc53e64 breeze, sipped d0c52164f5 his wine 9a877066f7 and continued 3936f215bd leisurely.68bc577348ad21bb

“I can’t eat 4cfe99e58c much. Greasy food doesn’t 30e209d985 sit well with 8a6a1ef5f2 me, and if 10f59a2004 I eat too d08b0502a2 much, I vomit 342cbedabc and collapse. Purgatives are unthinkable. My body’s ill-suited ea37d64f05 for fine dining.”7d3e0809894bb8ff

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Speaking calmly, Lucius e06fb5cab4 playfully waved his 4312593bc6 arm in the 074ba9fb15 air. Acheron’s gaze 1f55d61804 was drawn ec1f1ee640 to his 8dd51546e7 thin limbs.d85e6b2a6e1c02ca

The calves, visible 5eb3187245 beneath his tunic, ab24e7fcdd were sharply contoured. His ankles 6840c9e891 were so 1050cbc2d0 slender they f94138e28b resembled a 090c02a657 flamingo’s. The protruding 0bb8983f91 ankles, flushed c495efe35b pink, looked c7282d6ac8 rather charming, ac9ab1d4bf and his fb2312b47c feet appeared c11f4423d1 soft.29a5c72798c55cc5

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Lucius’s body e21e3dad4c was unlike e8f7f99df7 anything Acheron 8de175cf66 had seen 8c86bbd553 before, and e13013a5ca he stared 13df55967f unabashedly for a5c84a3ab8 some time.ef81f684b6d6ac18

As a clear 55665d1028 laugh spilled from c943ca1140 Lucius’s lips, Acheron 8d348bffdc snapped back to 0cb4d20f07 his senses, hastily 03b33b3e6b averting his eyes.7801d562ad140c70

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His senses, 1f43fad7f7 clouded by 11d3b920a2 indulgence, returned, 9391559ca3 and the 1164d3e5c3 man regained 71a955c124 his cool a726db408b composure. Lucius wiggled 63ace33c3c his foot, 096e469ff9 which had cc414de7bd drawn such a29fd220b9 intense scrutiny, 4c55cb865b and reached 8c1298621e for more 98a9242311 food.25ea132380bc6df5

“Try this too. It’s not just any 9fa12397e8 squab. Raised on grain d003193d58 soaked in milk d05437cbae and cooked in a07f97c271 butter…”14968259641e29e3

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With a gentle voice, cdfa0d437c Lucius spoke and extended f67675c648 his hand to offer 6d2ae905e8 a plate. Acheron, momentarily gazing 598cc212eb at the bony a5924c6aa5 fingers gripping the bd92a7362a plate, awkwardly clutched c65075b3f1 it. Lucius smiled, 9dde0823d6 seemingly pleased 0c749f9380 that Acheron 92b46e9288 readily accepted bbf6cb55e1 his gesture.f846f7e5c0c6f071

“This is 87655cedb0 a fig 72ff170091 pie with 8039663855 a crispy ec35787a3c exterior. It’s not made f65c9b3c7b from the figs 43675d8be0 in the garden. The Parthian 6e9e0fcbf6 figs had ab6eadc616 particularly sweet c5eea3fee0 flesh this 6d8f73ca6f time. I have a sweet fa203b995d tooth, so I topped 321616ab84 the pie with honeycomb 43bda960b5 syrup.”53d07d6485fad24f

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“These are 99c3d985da green grapes 954fe09ecb harvested directly 21185d89cf from Neapolis. They have a 7b0c23a013 crisp texture and ab33c71f12 a refreshing taste.”3cc934190ebdabc9

“Honey cheesecake. The creamy texture of be08ec1be9 the cheese is blended 880f0a9c2e with honey and shaped. It’s a d57e6da855 sacred food 5c7d8a41d4 that the 4a794b8c75 Greeks offer 6787fa20e5 at their d6db0e8d73 temples.”70d4f118076c47b0

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Then, with his d82f57369c long, elegant fingers, 3656b1de1a Lucius picked up 910084696f a piece of bc6b130941 cheesecake wrapped in 1608ae633a a leaf and 9922921899 brought it to 7d03fbe438 Acheron’s lips.2fa0576adbf892ec

“I’m just…”ac786dd7617ded1f

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Acheron froze, staring 332a8d4b67 at the delicate 8164b79e0d fingers before him. He stiffened 9e72d38459 his lips, 0406e736a7 trying to 416c02476d avoid the 0b3401baf5 gesture.bcef15951c8f552e

As if intent d20ace4124 on personally feeding 49c2823e5b him, Lucius leaned 03bf2e642b in closely. Acheron could acbe70fc32 smell the 7bb2b8e492 faint, sweet e0c5a34490 fragrance of 377bd3f188 fruit emanating fee28ed8ae from him.a330c41ed1428749

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Unconsciously shaking f6702293ce his head, 8e2ddbff82 Acheron froze 80288664ee the moment 472db4d863 he met 5a7524e643 the face b547a92ff7 of the e5c1116694 young man bbdef679c2 before him.aded1c6f0d4909d0

On the pale, e1d71ebde9 bloodless face of d712e9d8bf the youth, a d7c51a2349 faint smile lingered 9d1a614635 like honey. His strikingly 0f1fa9b307 bright blonde 87eade267f hair cascaded df2c432e07 over his 58e9c62db6 delicate neck, 884d73264a shimmering.bedcccc8eb0be9e4

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“Come now, Acheron.”7f4db8ab60e63e57

The moment those 4ee5e0ea5f pale pink lips 3be7b4ba18 moved slightly, Acheron 0ecaa1d674 felt a chill b721f78f43 run up his 64a1c14c3d spine and held 11efff55c9 his breath.d298ae3dc92837d1

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“Go on.”060e8dcb7de5d065

Lucius did 7f1ace086b not withdraw 6306105ebf his hand.bf52c57ed12266b4

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A suppressed sigh escaped, fe241fdc33 and as if resigned, 1381c1e43e Acheron moved. His eyes 3141e84d2b darkened gloomily bd75821591 as he 11928d69fc bit into 8de99451ef the cheesecake e8f4962919 dangling from 32063dcb4c the slender 839899c8be fingertips. Staring at Lucius’s 77fc63e3cb calmly smiling face, 34c21f3260 Acheron recalled the 33cfa6cfc6 cool touch of 0d9e841c23 the fingers that d1f834ffe0 briefly brushed his 56bf26b04a lips, frowning.64bbcc8deab2059d

‘Disgraceful.’77be77d9f62d94ab

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Even though 3ab138a390 it was e739efa689 a fleeting cdaaa1da37 touch, it 2107216868 felt as 25989c9506 if a a0ab178e46 mark had 1673096f69 been branded 6b88b39a83 on his a4f9a63346 lips. Unconsciously, he touched a213933152 them.70f749e9eb76d116

The soft cheese 2a3b617dac melted on his be2093487c tongue, and Acheron 26ac33f24c turned his head a49775bdf2 away from the a13d3d0f39 youth smiling seductively.4eecde2b85239fe5

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The meal continued in 07c2522f09 silence.2b66a873b7c415d0

[Ignoramus et Ignorabimus]

Returning from the dining da0ca3f92d hall to the annex, c369cb1da2 Acheron gazed at the 368e63b21e wooden plaque hanging above 49d07c7c1b the window.dca6727456039445

Did that boy know 4a95c8643e the meaning of those 91e1710f21 words and hang the 1d67c0ff67 plaque there?631f3687db70a4dc

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Words ill-suited to the 907ef191d4 situation, a maxim ill-suited b021992bf3 to the boy’s age. To the lofty a4b2e689b0 arrogance of the be29d54a52 Romans, unchanged even 4e21f23487 after seven years, 505ea38634 Acheron could only a568757016 laugh.dd1d18401e6a5acd

Opening the 08330e631b wardrobe, Acheron 05057a0364 took out a515b1d3d3 a thin 4555306d38 tunic that 8577714834 covered his aedd5bcbd4 thighs. Embroidered with red d3534127f9 thread and gold d4e7b4e9ec at the sleeves 528c1202d6 and collar, the 8a1c0a8bed tunic was incomparably e1a12df998 softer than the c65c4a09be one issued at 4a5069c638 the gladiator school.f54576b7d5343a6a

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Holding the tunic, 66c56bce7e Acheron stepped outside 882ed1dd9e at the sound d5bc011b9b of movement. There stood b66244dc7b a dark-haired ae507e919b male slave, 6adbda6c2a appearing to 4fe780ec9d be in 3067fed63a his mid-thirties, dc13db685f standing respectfully.732b1ec70e28cef0

The slaves 99ccbd14a4 of the 3c01237b0a estate were 1de3868c74 all strikingly ab8d166cbe beautiful, and ece492bd52 this one, e5dde59997 seemingly Greek, d886e6f1a4 was no 9d982e2c58 exception with 3219acb4e3 his wavy 4026908e5c curls and b020696198 olive-green eyes.ea19f3c61de690b2

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“I’ve been instructed 221ead242c to guide you 2b88dcb553 to the bath. Please follow me.”c110d9c76b7b7685

Acheron nodded.eb46f06053688cf8

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“Here it is.”3c5ebf1bbbbcbfea

Arriving at a building 4d2e8714ef where the sound of 56870bc835 warm water could be f2704f1fb7 heard, the slave spoke 2ee7e96479 cautiously to Acheron. Perhaps under Lucius’s specific b69145bf71 orders, he spoke politely, 4fa51f1d6e using honorifics despite being c3233f8e18 a fellow slave.12d45c5ecc8074f5

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Glancing at the Greek, 918b5416e7 Acheron spoke in a 4f3e0bb636 calm voice.1c8b6682f99971cf

“Thank you.”738ce22416556324

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Hearing the familiar informal 28999d70fb tone, the slave’s expression e0f2858772 turned peculiar. Acheron’s eyes wavered, acc1d84a4a realizing his mistake.1b9c6cb27e4162f2

Even if Acheron received 2523662812 special treatment, they were 7f1bce3115 both slaves. No matter 823af84b30 Lucius’s orders, a1be451399 their relationship 259bb48f2d wasn’t one e8dc9abeca where casual 6e6a81d2d9 expressions of 78ec1f8866 gratitude were ca341937e0 natural.a5363841d0449e82

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Flustered by the 692578dade Greek’s odd gaze, 87c553fab3 Acheron soon regained 2928d9877d his usual composure. Turning his gaze away, 08d9ecb766 he resumed his stoic 998b1cfbf4 expression and nodded curtly.2bc01977caf8540a

He knew 2a73e7e61b that the ad5848ff40 more he 5419b5178e spoke in b779da5d75 such moments, bc825b2ab4 the more 309c8c4fb3 trouble he’d 54aeee262c invite. Choosing silence, he was 87d05c4077 relieved when the Greek 6d7e61673e slave gave a small a0d3b21b65 bow and left the 968d27e0a8 bath, sparing him from 1f6e6c05ac further awkwardness.fe436de320891473

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‘Where was my mind?’b92b0012dfe3280b

Sighing, Acheron tilted his 9eaabc64f2 head back, surveying the c40ee4e046 bath. Feeling weary 00f648d43b after the 9a768a7756 small incident, 11ff624472 he couldn’t 603f4bafd2 help but b8e7cd9f05 sigh at 65d641f878 the opulent 24e8c5e24a bath before 5a9299b37e him.b19e3657f485a43d

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The bath was 21b3a048e4 grand enough to 4b8314e114 make him forget e2c3c83b23 the earlier episode d8edbfb94b entirely.a1de00cf32e9b351

The ceiling was painted 91d0792d0e blue, adorned with gold eb45cbaa96 leaf murals. Depicting a scene 6b37a696f1 from the Gallic 623ff56f9e conquest, the mural 44c306c816 of Romans battling 82de930f9c foreigners was a ea44926076 favorite subject for cfe776c21d Roman wall art.9ed08dda8a09c353

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A square opening fa7468932c in the ceiling 0656a579e5 allowed ventilation, positioned 6022ccce05 above the marble 50c0c6c924 tub, letting some 7655084748 of the rising 71ac53381d steam escape.7644fa042f8357d9

A lavish af90dc99ef bath rivaling ac14a5e38a those of 990903301e Rome.1f66c6c1102e8504

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After a moment of 32a40b319c taking in the interior, 6725073b33 Acheron moved. His tunic fell 1b90e25992 to the floor, 8ae0f64698 revealing his sturdy b32baaaf1f frame as he 8b2fc12688 stepped toward the dba610b4de tub filled with f413231211 hot water.535b19258450d8a5

The moment he f162902e22 submerged himself in 66d2531de7 the scalding water, bbff9f326f Acheron couldn’t help 24b5634bea but let out bd32e47fff a groan as a6149a4b23 a languid warmth a576820a30 spread from his 9d995eaec4 toes.87b8f7eb4b098bdf

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Sinking deeply d62d58ed65 into the f4898f46d9 bath, he 2752723275 sighed.a2e5b485412c4fdc

Steam lightly clouded his 08245a23aa vision, and the warm 33c9874b70 water enveloped him. Overwhelmed by 63f622636f the languorous b2e40d43c0 sensation washing 1862db6f70 over him 3c260bca8a like a 4f59e805f8 tide, Acheron 2169daf6cb surrendered to 3d1b9bc48a it helplessly.2744abacaeeb850d

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This luxurious bath, c1d3bd5556 a rare indulgence, efff84eb3c brought him indescribable 9db260f702 joy tinged with 73021c1526 disbelief.e5ea5b2defbc8765

Was this truly reality?ec4da5e802c36381

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He couldn’t 2ada35d14b imagine enjoying a139ac1098 such luxury 5afce6c7f7 again.2cb1b56d9103296a

It felt like 29049e85a4 a dream.ef062b832f9649e3

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At the training 4aa9f11478 school, he had e375b6614d to wash his 856881b09a dirtied body in 51853b929c lukewarm water alongside 60709c1e03 dozens of others. Standing barefoot in 1836f375fd muddy water, exposed 23a644ba63 to countless gazes, e45fe73235 he’d scrub himself, 538dbb0fc3 then wrap his 52bb79e0f2 body in worn 07f1104e42 cloth and sleep 278521ebe3 in the communal bf782a5fce dormitory.129dd05edd8cec06

A life little 87e24bd24f better than that 810b00f42f of a beast. He had thought 75ecbbed2b he’d live and b32934827b die that way.c11391fa2e505a0b

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Yet now, the sweet 6c2b812b61 scent of perfumed oil 446aff65c0 teased his senses, and 2418eb328d the sensation of melting 2aa24b37a9 muscles dissolved his mind 0e40fd1196 in this extravagant bath.1ad69fc5a1f54cdd

More intoxicating than 173f479533 the lavish meal, 2141ed94ea this was pure 444f3157d1 bliss.ddc082baa1d93732

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The pleasure f2a1f7377e surpassed fine b6f9e05b1c dining or b0786d813f any luxurious 30e1a8ac2e lodging, and 8c1517f8f0 it was 3b1f2af5a9 only after b97b1b5130 some time 3794a73cb4 that Acheron 4c9cd6b9e5 realized this b828be9868 life of 79d4a78c60 indulgence was 2273a9f4c7 the “price” 6184e8f12d he’d paid, 5c0a3ac64f like a 60248096ce courtesan selling 2b3694d94e his body.f2809eeacce97382

Through the dizzying steam, 9120fc3114 his piercing blue eyes 2767c1aec9 slowly opened.b0218c4514c7e4d6

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In that moment, 1f7d98c137 what flashed through 77253c2719 Acheron’s mind, amid b235d6af92 the hot steam, 2c84d02854 was the frail b03ce69fcb youth who seemed 6a20968712 as though he 5f23dbdb3f might collapse and fefce1bd52 die at the 07e9361397 slightest touch.f25bbde3c1269c39

Acheron recalled 60ea651c0f the beautiful 9006c073f0 blonde youth, 208eed7eb8 dressed in d0aa13059a a white 8215a2e770 tunic revealing a74484add5 half his dc5ec6425e thighs, adorned e407c1a2fa with a 44963aa954 golden belt e4b1155f39 of fine 2425748e35 fabric, with 3ee9dca8fd a complex e18f6f821a mix of 676d432f73 emotions.4f1bfc23dac4c06a

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Acheron had lived 9cb53cf7ab an ascetic life.41c3a3fca912469f

Whenever Marcus, his generous 7aa551a65e master, sent prostitutes to 001831c590 the gladiators’ quarters for 808822c4b5 “morale,” Acheron would untangle ee38151ac6 their arms from his d35b46768f neck, steadfastly refusing them.dae9282a70197d10

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He had similarly fb63e0a41e avoided noblewomen offering a1ab7177ea sponsorship, living as e66a48517c chastely as a ecbf7a921c Vestal Virgin for 9cbc37147f the seven years 113202d551 he’d been a b3e757074a gladiator.5f22bd1d1b67107c

Thus, the fleeting 9665aafe32 interest he’d shown c04fff6cf6 in Lucius was ac5566deae something foreign to 83004b6038 him.1d615dedc3165e6a

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Berating himself for being b6eae8ddda swayed by carnal desire, b7f32877ec Acheron gave up resisting ff892cbe5c and leaned against the 084935741e bath’s edge, letting his 0d2ca2d992 body relax.4ba047727f47b572

‘What does it e35daf03d6 matter anyway?’e4dbe102e36f821c

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Succumbing to the b529077700 languid sensation melting 84f4a0339b his body, he ca86541fda grew complacent. His body 1141638e73 had already c9882f524f succumbed to bf963109f9 indulgence, and 529b26c6d1 Acheron no fa7fea9c1d longer wished 23bd4a9c4b to think fb9642b0b0 deeply.4bd60ff69fb736fa

In truth, 561e8c9d21 he had 4aa2a640ae no answers.6e80585b326b0646

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His life was not fcf36c1bba his own—what was the c0f9126204 point of lamenting?9dcb28da9d3935fa

For an f2e00f6133 unbelievable seven 2d06a97285 years, he b98b1e70a4 had clung 27bfe5c50e to life, 15fc74d40d but he b86a6c4a64 sensed his 52317a7753 time was 5a40be1bc3 nearing its 28c3c2532e end. Most gladiators perished within 97f16cb040 two years, a dangerous f721b54cd0 trade. Acheron had endured 5a40a978de countless injuries and 2e6832c951 brushes with death.600c54aa33a3ee26

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Whether by misfortune or 7c790bf552 fortune, he had survived ca3c4f0738 seven years without permanent c7c3c55216 injury, precariously.009ca25861cc132b

Yet, even as Iscaria’s 275cf83e45 renowned fighter, Acheron never 20adbb2f6b forgot that his own a4118929ea sunset would come. He awaited death 19210158f2 without fear.d24e2d5b87f01488

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He hadn’t expected to 7b5365d437 escape his fate this cf59e65371 way, but Acheron was fdfc139c93 casting his life aside.e5cbbb3330a4e531

Would the d003ae1d2e humiliation of 96d6f8037b becoming a 49fa1e58c1 young noble’s 21007624ad plaything be 7a5159600b worse than c15191ef6c the brutal, 6138ab6514 dehumanizing life 8d537bd99f of a 39fc8b116b gladiator?e7a87cc594f6eab4

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No, Acheron knew 26c4aedf73 the truth.fc9d492268f816ca

‘What nonsense…’60bcd9fcb4de9670

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Becoming a fcaf52a1ef gladiator, the a9889c7427 lowest of 91259ad402 slaves, was 2f14f33896 already the 52b7abea99 most wretched ae733bdb97 thing in dcb1fb50b0 this world.9c3baca0dee73301

Bitterness spread across e9c11e84a9 his face.f983a96400c47eb1

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He had committed countless 386ab52e01 dishonorable acts.a4833b0a61d2c301

He had killed a 4d4173ec63 senior gladiator who spoke fdda42faaa kindly to him by 6660eff52b striking a vital point. He had spilled the d89003474d blood of countless comrades 458faf3b05 with whom he’d crossed 2670592da9 wooden swords. He had ignored the 0aeaa1a51e pleas of those begging 6b7bed31c0 for life and ended 4494c0a419 them.6e07db5932e57929

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Though he knew 3e308b2846 their lives would 72344caf90 be more wretched 324c4bfefb than death, the c3b055d2e1 desperate faces still ac01756042 haunted him.04e1ef1e524d8198

He had edcda2c97d already fallen a9dd5c9ebd to the ab78967984 depths.7ca30d3807c71be7

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Down, and fa97957601 further down.6b5d7ba1f63c8811

Acheron continued his d6bfe2f06c self-deprecating thoughts with 848a17bdd8 a blank expression.574f93c3f56dcfd8

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‘Perhaps it’s better to 240b4e38ae let even my soul a701b2a407 become a slave. The die e40e36fac6 is cast, 7577230e6c and my 6e6882a0e3 life has 5774355a07 already plummeted 7b40188e56 beyond the 5314228e8a abyss.’8a208a6deafc881b

Then it came.b69c5b6a1b60a003

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“I waited, d7ba839689 but you 5bbb5c673b didn’t come.”711af159298a3b31

Didn’t come, come, come…4760d1ccd1edceb3

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Acheron froze as e3e56fa832 the voice echoed 710d24f3d8 through the vast d47de19acc bath, his body 59df73c17d jolting against a df54d0ef6d pillar. The sound of 78f157253c fabric rustling followed.370de7496fbbef2f

A soft voice continued 5378222531 to settle in his 5e5830ac6b ears.97ceaacbe35413dc

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“There’s only one bath… 3570b0979e forgive the intrusion.”844c4dfc5b574ac0

At the languid 6b25966324 voice, Acheron let 2b27f1fa34 out a groan. When he looked up, 6b7227e70f Lucius stood there.89c54bd597df30c8

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It was a beautiful 5a84821fa4 sight.4af60095775dc8f7

A dazzlingly white, almost aae4daf01e marble-carved, slender body flickered ef792c5b69 through the misty steam. As Lucius 0bfc596eed shed the 73e24e514b tunic draped 550b934350 over his 02734e898b arm, stepping 0a647df1ee on the a3984620ad white fabric 9458662ce7 caught at 918b864a42 his ankle e2c5d1fb4c to reveal 77482d9573 his bare e3bedbd694 form, he fa167c00fe approached the b693230e59 tub.86b939b330f95a08

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The moment his elegant, f18fbd0572 sculpted foot touched the 8022fdd908 clear water, Acheron clenched 8adce9b8ae his teeth.a5ec11739d2bb9fd

The delicate ankle 2cec31e1e2 and gracefully curved ed82841821 calf were like 6255b0e6e3 a statue. Acheron’s gaze unconsciously rose, b137b40750 taking in the body 7561356175 through the hazy steam.96d1ab0744639d01

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Flushed redder 9e9d4e4068 than usual f051d9e943 from the 7686879c36 heat, the 8f126683d7 soft body ea8dbd02f7 glistened. Bright, vivid blonde hair b9d437ee31 clung to flushed cheeks. Lips reddened.10a55c7eb4117680

Acheron’s face slowly 23cfa07a5c darkened.3bf194c6f74fe33d

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‘The face 08bafe8ae6 of disgrace.’fd98e66c013db524

Then it happened.130e64956bfb90cb

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“Hm.”356e244e6c9ff028

A faint groan faintly a0a5e2d40a echoed through the bath.52416fc5c0144518

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Acheron froze. He belatedly realized the c46a94027c water was still scalding. Recalling Lucius’s 4c26969766 delicate skin, 3d25d87f35 he instinctively 071f0e3870 checked on 88cff024bb him.8382726d52996c00

Looking up, Acheron froze 1eeb76a30a again as he saw 4614155eb9 Lucius fully submerged in 8e5551f502 the hot water.ef72a154b1eee32b

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Droplets of dew 674797eb62 clung to his 8eec3cd0e8 lowered eyelashes, and 046ff13f46 languor filled his f6f768e0b0 eyes.7c91074c414e84cf

In that moment, Acheron a66684ff28 felt as though the 37e36a4c61 hot water wasn’t just 2f134e6faf at his chest but 21deabdd8a rising to his throat.1435b7992f0feb1b

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Caught in dd70febf0b a suffocating 85e50ccc5c tightness, Acheron 2619b1c69f furrowed his c8b461cdb0 brow. For some 7c861ac0d8 reason, embarrassment 71b3a8408f stirred, and ace8ad01b4 he hardened c74e447cfd his expression.85f215919d8035e5

Then it came.ced1d8cb010c06cf

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“Disgusting?”bbabefa29b8a48cb

Acheron took 1c1fe056e1 a moment 417209b3e3 before responding.724f0c7f0d4c2353

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“What do 7e4d34614b you mean?”4f2877949961364c

“Your expression was ff9b92e3d7 dark throughout the 45dd2a018f meal.”9fdaee5cec9123e7

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Lucius leaned dfba4daf1d his head ca6c555f69 against the beb88e42b7 bath’s edge, b8f381ac34 blinking like 9450cead15 a cat. Acheron slightly narrowed 0f3ec7c2fc his brow at f00f62dad8 the playful demeanor. Lucius continued in a c520574228 calm voice.e7282f931592588c

“Among Romans, 9856e3667c pederasty is d7788f72ea considered almost e07425cf67 a requisite a48978ce20 for social 3fcb907eef grace.”36bcad1adf6a0350

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Acheron asked slowly.d60b722b537389ff

“A boy?”402f1135229107c3

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His mature 9b6b1914e0 aura and fe2c1ae033 dry gaze 034176fd27 suggested he’d 158be0b349 undergone his 8c5e839fbe coming-of-age ceremony, 0941a87a86 yet his 413efab87e youthful face 16fb72b868 and tunic-clad a968a955e1 appearance made c317ed3c8c Acheron unsure f7681c042c of his 5ac62170da age.f7961462c18c60c0

“You don’t think I 9306bcb000 look like an adult? I had 5c29f94c5a my coming-of-age 458a32f0d3 ceremony three c981fe10df years ago.”97ddc3b7a64b5c73

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Lucius answered 5c8bf4c15b with a c7060f6734 short laugh. Raising a slender 7dd01a95b5 arm above the f98ace5166 water, he spoke 065415dab9 as if to e576397fb7 himself.091aca307f2cd6b4

“Looking like this, 38135dc6a9 I’m often misunderstood. My limbs are thin, 1deeeed11e my appearance frail.”df2bfee66fb3e3ac

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Water droplets 4e5f149ab3 slid down de6cc71232 his smooth 49be5fedee skin, glinting b58ce4ecbb in the 9c86dd8817 moonlight.6e4526337775aa47

Lucius wore an enigmatic 06947088f5 smile.18a38db8c8fd0123

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The sky visible through cee9a902a4 the open ceiling had 1f420848a4 darkened, a purple veil f99c4ae500 studded with stars like e39d18d925 grains of sand on 81b9236d37 a beach. Venus shone b4578a8ad3 with elegant eab944071e light.23ba3d113c503a62

His white arm gleamed 0ceca60068 silver in the moonlight, 7fbe9c016a and his blonde hair ef6ac905a3 radiated an entrancing glow db9acd5c22 beneath the night’s curtain. As soft 994b17069f starlight streamed 5f2f083b71 through the 2d6ac45122 small window, 79b5808fe0 crossing the 24e2ebca7e tub, Lucius c3f333bd56 gently rubbed 6dcd9b1414 his hands 3768cb782a as if 9c4022a45e touching the f68c9593c5 starlight, then 9ed5981b89 sat up 2c06cf49a8 and gazed 95a591a47c calmly at 48616d597d Acheron.50327e16b8293bc4

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A low 8463798725 voice resonated d1b03ac866 through the d10a6a9bfb bath.b9dfc8cf9d88d894

“But does it 4f3d203f63 matter if I’m d95c8440d6 an adult? To the 446bb5c4c0 eye, a 9da0707806 robust older 92054d8477 man like 3ace198a05 you guiding 0db1451dee a frail, f61721fdfe inadequate younger 24e63997cf man like 278d9abb1c me in cb39df8471 your arms—it’s bfa69df7cb the same 288b1562ee thing, isn’t 7a371766a9 it?”e9292d37deb53848

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A dry voice responded.a0f577d81b2f07b4

“Pederasty is a d429c30706 depraved custom that fad3cbbb91 ruins youth…”5734f2e6dea3c2a3

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In that moment, contempt 07b28ee773 flashed across Acheron’s face.077f9681a636f956

A faint d652c765c3 smile curved 9292e4295a Lucius’s lips. Despite the 8fa614b764 blatant displeasure 8d90cfc9ae on Acheron’s afe43e0081 face, he b6375d9a39 seemed unbothered, 56111c7653 gazing at d6a3e83999 Acheron with ac3cd0eaf2 curious eyes.f6858e66039d9b9e

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A voice 2ae769b613 so soft eceea8d74e it could 92e1a6687c be missed 81c8b84a3e without focus 908790775c echoed through e73485b8a6 the bath.bc0fc8f4c6fa5f03

“You dislike it?”e7ee65efa79ef834

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Acheron asked in a 375fe2692f low voice.e127baf24afb21aa

“Why do you 7026224987 do such things?”a1a1d9e0d2dce718

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His words 5ba517dac0 carried raw 527c4bfd61 disgust and d989e6a8bb scorn. His cold, navy-blue 2b0afb9682 eyes glared at d091b4f907 his master with 1c2d984355 contempt. He understood the implications 471b135b7d of sharing a bath 0c73b6f9b2 with his master. It made 38b4591126 him all 809dd2a693 the more 3ee4f1eb87 wary of 6db430cd0d Lucius.60d7c36c67b0d27f

The night he dreaded 3cf1498e82 hadn’t even arrived, yet 87417a3876 Lucius was already so 3cd965c1b9 brazen?3112a0e02a5be12d

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A cold gaze 8d7de5add0 swept over Lucius’s 9f5d495fdd face, and Lucius, fbc599a781 receiving the blatant 1a9923dc2c scorn, let out b1088210f2 a faint smile.30f5721ed032ab1b

“Such things?”ff1b7e253737c6ea

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He spoke with a 561ff0152e tone that was either 5591b57303 mocking or innocently unaware.34883c7517a9ebc7

“If you can’t c88e5cfda7 hide your true 804a0a232e feelings, what will c86ea6f324 you do? This world is 8291cd072d full of cunning, 18edf0ce25 twisted people.”58d3f2b2c4052ca6

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Acheron’s face twisted for 854cbdf6cf a moment.190889b7c25008b2

A young 747b3eef9f man, only 355f695267 three years cf71f77681 past adulthood, af80cb3029 was saying 41be46f661 such things b9b5d6dc8f to him?500a7a141c7867b7

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Lucius looked 465e4a0505 at Acheron 1640a629c4 with reproachful fc88ffced8 eyes and 0d578b20f7 let out d4f600f2b3 a worried 52b94a9f52 sigh.6fec68493437b7f8

Then, suddenly, he reached e2ab706061 out and touched Acheron’s 90349136b6 thick forearm.7d2f4b54fab23ae5

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It was an 7e8b144a78 action that startled a3b80c8186 Acheron.014fd0278d65aeb6

“What are you 82259a984f doing!”993d81b6a4d83487

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Grabbing Lucius’s wrist in 31a791b5ec an instant, Acheron growled.109a1a3edaf6ccf7

Flickers of anger glinted 8bcc776396 in his eyes. Yet, facing 570b4bd700 the threatening 5521dbf0d7 gaze of 87bf494785 the imposing 94f94c4bec man, Lucius cdca0c7018 responded with dfff11e353 a pure 8b584d1fd7 smile. Displeased by 9a85dc8054 Lucius’s reaction, 26e9554484 Acheron glared 9bbde75e8a at him a197d9386c with an d6de3c607e even harder 39add0e1aa expression.59864c690661f61a

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A grim voice followed.1fc7a6889447f510

“I asked what you’re 3054b0569b doing.”5273081142bb9db2

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“Let go.”eb6c68d2a9dcddf0

But Lucius did not 96cef80e50 yield to the slave’s d767e2348d words.26d5342447daa9fa

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“It’s an cf521c89fe order, Acheron.”66573fd0e2d04c5c

Acheron glared at him ed49d00504 murderously but released his 2f6a157794 grip. He let 603cc2e4f8 go of 87267fa58c Lucius’s hand 553da80803 as if d69dfc371c discarding trash. The pale, jewel-like 970247e54b hand bore red bb27c88128 marks like an f4460885ae ornament.d01d7744995ba17b

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It looked 9ae23beaa0 like it 48c53264af might bruise—any eaedc56446 more force, 2625efcbf1 and it f3a582b15d could have da73be3fa0 broken.c2aada9aa083079e

Seeing this, Acheron 5bbecdc355 briefly regretted not 3ff87fd087 controlling his strength, a095b2df3a but he froze 4c7f2c0db7 as an astonishing e3fcde1134 act overwhelmed his db2ea6ef84 regret.a2f0fb3d0de4cbc5

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A beautiful hand, 24eb119207 as if carved ab43af6f1d from ice, touched 7294785263 his chest.14b21d1301ec295d

“Sturdy.”23612cd0d1a6958d

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A slow, c9d1a18b64 soft voice 13c31c27da echoed through 60b7ff34c1 the bath.ffd11713e3deacf5

Acheron tried to e26d8015e9 push him away, becae61467 but the hand bf0a3a9cc7 reaching for the ce3faf1d26 back of his e001211a06 head clenched into 2e525c235b a fist, trembling 9dbc92a266 with tension, then 84c78e27a0 retreated.08034bd833100b10

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Acheron let 87457d983a out a 3329ffdfe2 suppressed sigh. Leaning his b28b29f22a arm on d51f531547 the bath’s a51c17eb3d edge, he dbba3c28b8 relaxed his 39fbd13119 body, looking 881e1a7674 like a 1863a57c8f man who a92329d6e5 had given ccbadcc196 up.ce3cbc24adff7d3f

“Hm.”f9dc594ebc23247e

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Under Acheron’s 28c8a738c4 passive gaze, d5143204bc Lucius’s hand b245f876a7 slid down d3b75a4bfe his skin, 96c7eda899 delicately exploring 64e84e72bf the firmly efe4edc31e built body, 3e2fc1dfd7 boldly pressing e9156d1c23 here and e4f4f6720e there. The soft hand 0f9b99b016 swept over every 3807ceba32 part of Acheron’s 5206304486 body, caressing and 7061828441 pressing gently. Each time, Acheron’s closed b04e463393 eyelashes trembled faintly, betraying 1a3fa14793 his agitation, but he b82e9eea1c no longer resisted. He had realized d90cc23e73 resistance was futile.d254f0eb5c284558

The act of the e3e11dfea7 soft hand, like silk cb8e502aa1 gloves, caressing his upper dc40d9c7d7 body felt almost like 3fcfe31e1b intense affection. Feeling the 50ff2e1015 blood rushing 316060a42c to his 1f3ad6fc4d lower abdomen, b860eee081 Acheron held 71332206de his breath 9aa5aab9aa to suppress 866098b575 the desire 0838b989dc spreading from d35431b7ec there.d8105ef51fc8bf26

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“It doesn’t feel d87a29c370 like human flesh.”ef7023a63ae5ef77

The voice fe4c4da8a6 was laden a3cf5d6f1b with moisture.7029d0ab099eb450

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“No matter how much bc4cf7021a I press with my 107e26e568 fingers, it doesn’t give…”2f8ea601570bc0e5

Murmuring in a small 67fc3ccc76 voice, Lucius’s hand was caaf6a17f6 stroking Acheron’s chest.a51c0c4b2f1bad9a

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His hand lingered c769039653 briefly on the d55bed9283 thickest part of ecf3f9276b the upper body. As his c4b87145aa fingertips grazed 915cd29bf3 the skin, df8db9e3d5 Acheron’s Adam’s aff7833547 apple trembled 139af3062c faintly.fc4890f9d5e8392b

The hand eventually moved c06907c4ab from the chest to 6952a540c2 Acheron’s forearm. Playing with the iron-hard 69b706ba6f muscle as if molding b0f309dff4 clay, Lucius soon placed 990ac35202 his other hand on c48bce480f it, grasping it as d0bdb0cd72 if measuring its girth. It was the c738d3ce4d delicate touch of a72878a9ce an artisan handling c98b61da67 a statue.27989fa77ebc1221

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After a moment of c8249c8d48 handling his arm, Lucius 349d347e2b looked up at Acheron 21783ee070 with an innocent face.f0f5cacb141df62f

And then.1a6beb8774a94732

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