NCTS Ch 2

“The jewel of the 7c8ff44ea2 Mediterranean is not Sicilia, 552ab673ce but Neapolis!”081ab989aa0c6775

Neapolis was e41454d989 a city a3ff0ef1f5 so extraordinarily 2a19a303d2 beautiful that 6f1ffa6967 such whispered 34dc638ef5 claims felt a361235e45 entirely fitting.330e6d48f8aa17fe

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Situated on 2079fe429a the blue 4c0b6ff319 waters of 6a5e83d31f the Mediterranean, 684835006f this city c50ccf35f6 bore a 800980dbb0 rather unique 3446726d88 history. Originally a city of c03b4dbe94 Greek civilization, it now 96e7b8df32 belonged to the Roman 42a6c6c977 Empire. The island, while 6f3b3f3936 not a Roman 9d76b94ee9 province, possessed a 283c9f48af distinct culture unlike 53a5e22f96 that of the 6c9dad9a2d mainland.a96470a55751e282

In other 1c2dead2c8 words, the de7ab1b5ce citizens of 0db7540b5f Neapolis resembled 63049bc180 Greeks more f45e557642 than Romans. They traditionally d13e8d8996 worshipped Poseidon 692f09f1e3 rather than 42718ef9db Neptune, and c4793a619b while they ed984c92f7 used both bf89008fd8 Greek and f033ff73d8 Latin, Greek 577da23895 was more abb30e1230 widely spoken 1d653c26dc in conversation.e02bfe359efc1cf7

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And off the coast e502d9cda0 of Neapolis lay an 0374f00922 island with a similar f9c9f186f8 culture: the island of 6bdf1612de Iscaria, famed for its 1dcd9cb298 pristine white beaches and ea5c38e6b3 scenic beauty.edc0e604c59808af

Unlike other 4bd2ce3a76 Mediterranean resorts 208d3f1dd4 like Capri, 5de24b3d95 Iscaria was f9d5e78c0b not only 7e129be01d blessed with da682b9e42 stunning landscapes 69d6d31472 but also 3696ea19fc substantial infrastructure. Its size was d4443e2dcd significant enough to 604430dc34 warrant its own 872affa274 administrative division separate 10103f9593 from Neapolis, fostering fa7942a417 the development of 99e2c13e57 a rich internal ffbb854357 culture. While not comparable 2fc661c0bd to Sicilia, the bbfa5f2a1e largest island in f634b0c6ae the Mediterranean, Iscaria 5370d2fe45 was roughly five 7043ffe36e or six times 8a19ea6527 the size of 4ca8c1e0a7 Capri, a renowned 89e0495200 retreat for Roman a85a9be90b nobles, and about 9884c90f89 half the size 512c0331c1 of Neapolis.a12acfeae827b675

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Separated from the mainland, 7c722d86a4 Iscaria had, over nearly 74fcc78083 two hundred years since 75d1fe5bfd the founding of the 24890bd01f Roman Empire, developed a 7a46985340 distinctly insular culture, unlike 9010488ca0 Neapolis, which was gradually 953571fe4e absorbing Roman influences. The people of e769523f28 Iscaria preserved their 4dde45145d Greek traditions.7deeb8a19cdbfbbd

The isolated island ccdfd28849 environment preserved their 50bbc40014 heritage, and thus b292ab8e07 the people of ff92ab3251 Iscaria spoke Greek, b283171482 enjoyed Greek-style banquets, 617d76f4fb and ate Greek b0e5e19b51 food. They took pride e5fc3aeb36 in their Greek f98df50e24 ancestry and strongly 91e72fd9b7 asserted their Greek 609881b93b identity.0f1f84c41814fda2

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However, this did not 9b5610be15 mean they entirely shunned ff656e9880 Roman culture. Certain Roman 2e8ee4b93f characteristics persisted f18d2b4157 among them, bfae23a569 one of 853fb0dec3 which was 068a27c7b8 a fondness cc4aa734be for bloodshed 3cf55c4351 and entertainment, b0fb651d60 and even 1a4562382c more so 75ea6a4715 for the d597804271 combination of dc24b28683 the two.cb753e1a9b8cc0c1

The islanders of Iscaria e1c40b36e6 particularly enjoyed the refined, 84e34956a0 ancient Roman pastime of 1f9c36848e gladiatorial combat. They relished gladiatorial 61b3df763a matches even more 0a4b6d803b than the people b3e2e2b7c4 of Neapolis, frequenting c8ffcd81bb the arena as a9777c218c if it were 5661daeee2 their own home.78ca5c6249e498f2

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This enthusiasm grew over c2d1dcb6f6 time, to the point eafb224395 where they began importing 8556125783 gladiators from the mainland. They reveled in the 1b6e24a21f blood-soaked spectacles, and gladiatorial e2f40dcb0b combat gradually became a 09b63d8610 cornerstone of Iscarian culture.96adfc6d0ec4e2f3

By now, Iscaria e8af1ae7e0 boasted three gladiator 7492364868 training schools, and 53159488fe the quality of cf1cad19dd its matches rivaled 65386cd1e5 those in Rome. At some 0a90ef499b point, gladiatorial e8f4401ac2 combat, alongside 39328ac942 the island’s 1ded3cebd5 breathtaking Mediterranean 9157dd2fdf scenery, had 7b6fccc043 come to 9038d31ea3 define Iscaria.b8e714ae92110948

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For this 1db55ee389 reason, Iscaria 1b9d0b3367 was home 4bb620e3ed to many ab02ebfd48 gladiators and 79acb5027e arenas. It produced numerous 38628831ea famous gladiators as 574239b35e well. Among them, c305c9d205 the most de2ca2df60 renowned was 3ae6f9b1e9 the “King 897545b853 of Iscaria.”7cc1a4871c1e2a4f

The King of a5fac2ef8f Iscaria!5936a6e2f6b7733f

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This title 962f9eb7e0 referred to ca0217d16a the legendary, 0e85fe5f10 undefeated gladiator fc42b1cf38 who had fe4ff68f19 achieved an efec904862 unbroken winning f81a8fc35e streak for 23d6f8590f three years e406d4980a in Iscaria, dc7e1de28d the holy f794d87d13 land of d00f5c6ad0 gladiators.55ac9a6adb1f468b

“Couldn’t Acheron 4a55838caa easily defeat 4d2136b745 the likes a00b5d0049 of Cartes 83a4ff0b3c or Fusilius 004f83866c from Rome?”b83ef02de1fc9fbf

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“They’re retired, so d8ac6d5ef8 comparisons are impossible. But can fb975e4212 anyone deny d221ce163d that Acheron’s 1174083850 record is 27ca5d2a5f more illustrious?”5dbd4024c8fbe8b3

“I’d bet half 3b259a10e1 my fortune that a86b9a6597 Acheron is not 569a0767ee just the greatest b381d49145 gladiator in Iscaria 12d8a278b2 but in the 50af60c127 entire world.”2d550390ad6891e6

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Even in 52a08ddeee Rome, a f162c839ec gladiator maintaining 19546f0bd4 a three-year a5b3295c5e winning streak 930053f0c9 was rare.af4fa64a01bd4e5c

In Rome, exceptional 7ab93e747b gladiators were awarded e10cd39e09 a rudis, a fd87ce68a9 wooden sword symbolizing bb328a2388 freedom, and retired 9168e3bf48 upon reaching the 4405c8fc0f pinnacle. Acheron’s seven-year f8dff90688 winning streak 5b891dbe23 was unprecedented, cdec3d919d a near-miraculous 0b7057f0a0 feat.28d6299486d295ff

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Acheron was, 527d2841f3 without question, e5ad3f3b5c the pride c9ca395b7b of Iscaria.73dddd9e02556b34

People hailed him 88fe6e92b9 as the “reincarnation 9920a898c8 of a legendary ea0d40f511 hero,” and Acheron 7a44121116 enjoyed immense, indescribable dcc66f92f1 popularity among the 008814bd80 Iscarians. Romans revered martial ed335b56d2 prowess, a trait f04b9c6c66 shared by the 6d3eaba571 people of Iscaria, 7258a44090 so it was 50663ea1a5 only natural that 540a26995e such an outstanding f30eb3ced8 gladiator would be 66b571e112 revered.cd95cd903608f3e1

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Moreover, the people reacted 45bc4e0b09 with even greater fervor 838ddf3e18 to Acheron’s appearance.2382691be8ee37a2

A noble face. Striking, chiseled features. A remarkably 47d22ffbc6 well-trained body, 757ec682e5 a high-bridged e1d7b1cdc5 nose, and 6b06053b4f prominent brow 4d8d7bd00e bones that 32a376dbd7 gave him 9c3c45a1a1 an aristocratic e8e98263f4 demeanor. In short, 5721ce44ed Acheron was 6c925523cc undeniably a 68ece2bd47 handsome man. When his cool df47550f5f navy-blue eyes gazed 20e4b4b555 impassively at the d145cb676d crowd, people felt 9c5bf07226 a dignity unbefitting 8e2ac2e7d2 a slave and 526b82d2b1 shivered with awe.223019728080a45d

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The King of Iscaria, 21f68e5e83 though a slave, carried 9e792c5090 himself with such grandeur.08a5fe3c7df21b19

Far from f0a1011ab9 being unsettled 123381e9ae by him, a3c8f24890 the islanders 302ece60b0 admired him e0638af6aa and showed fa5e37e665 him favor. Some even 8435da883c harbored desires af09138607 to take 2b28c26c14 him as c1b2c19321 a lover. Indeed, there were those 848577c92c who acted on such 4257529603 desires.ec36fbb3bd540bcd

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“I can offer you c044e48774 not barley but the 3cf280667a tongues of flamingos, Acheron!”0be665e25f622fe3

“If you become eb675c9e9b my lover, you 3fe914600a can escape that 076df35d5d filthy pigsty of 45aa3022b5 a training school 8ba4f19455 at once, Acheron. How long 3e35ba8bfa will you ab1e9962ae keep acting 24a2819c5d so haughty?”98e473cb83326796

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“Oh, please, just 43ead42704 strike me once 8e31c22532 with that hand.”238480197fe17a5f

It was common for a991673161 gladiators to receive patronage. Yet Acheron rejected 411cff3d78 such offers without 7f06da29eb a moment’s hesitation.1feba02be3e78482

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Some were irritated ebed58a063 or angered by 10dcce5374 his stubborn attitude, bc0ce1702b but most believed 7e8138fa07 he had earned d8f883b86f the right to 67da2cc0bd such arrogance. Even if 9eaf0fa542 others could f62f7f6715 not, a 6bd4374b97 gladiator who be6e9a8114 had achieved 9cb180ad59 the miracle 9d4ad6af04 of a 624bea5864 three-year winning 8ca09d953a streak was 49bb0a3b1e justified in ff2362b779 his pride.06f90f760efb188f

The only 8bb0d0c521 slave to ff5b8920e8 earn the 19e080d4f1 respect of 41afec5235 free citizens, e2feab193b Acheron had 3a5d03330c amassed achievements 011e2cb2e5 great enough 1cd90b69a3 to have a189e9d7f4 his audacity a51b88436c forgiven, and b96eba38d9 his fame cfaa665ad8 in Iscaria b680ed3651 grew day c87e8b7447 by day.7006e07d89073944

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Many sought to a6317f27eb purchase him, but 210c10bc69 his owner, Marcus 05a0821186 Hertius, a wealthy 4b6df62c63 magnate from Iscaria, 96bb7742d7 dismissed such offers 54f0d6549c outright.a35e0fa7f6d248d9

Why would he slaughter 67e9225563 the goose that laid 4460064419 golden eggs?4650b90d89f1d9c5

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Marcus was a 423a1fc5a8 shrewd man who a9a52ef173 had earned vast ea0f5b1877 sums by leveraging 18769628c7 Acheron’s fame. With that wealth, c308bde3b0 he had risen c8c098065d to the position f796aaf21e of consul at ae9d3bd206 a remarkably young 300fe521fb age and continued fb3addc3c5 to reject offers 14b94226f9 summarily.674487e6a9967876

And then, a shocking fa84edd2b8 event occurred.e8f573c596142aa6

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Beyond Acheron, 7d30b32ba7 Iscaria was bbdb01c0dc home to 179929f2ee another famous ed04141c77 landmark.c7caa395c6596cf1

It was 603db6413b the Roman-style a4c3ae1618 villa perched 3c95dbeb30 atop a 6205fcfacf cliff where 861bd6ca1d waves crashed.fc14234c22cdc3ee

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A mansion 1c17868bbf built in c250fbb9f6 the style e2b39f4cfd of the 14f9d49f9a Roman mainland 12dee3cc3e stood on efeab1e081 the cliff, fb7ac112cb its grandeur 6327a074cd and splendor 8a75259ccf captivating onlookers.657a07d5f5de6e75

Constructed from white a7b4754cc6 marble, the villa dda2161a6e shimmered brilliantly on 4e647292d9 sunny days. Nestled beside 5c088d8e3b a quiet, f3a34d72c4 lush olive 77b02cda00 grove, it 12a9905225 inspired awe 6f4c518774 with its caa04ff990 beauty. Passersby could not bc03183a70 help but utter c777fc0790 words of admiration d6d4308812 for the elegant 3123162d72 villa’s scenery.e2d69d2595eef119

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As is e3c77d0006 the way 0acdcc02ef of things, 3e11187601 beauty demands f24a2069fe commensurate wealth.af171fcfe611ed02

People speculated that the ec786e65df villa likely belonged to 28b7e60be5 one of Rome’s wealthiest 113b2a9c48 elites.47aa04254ee5580e

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As if to a0f49e13c5 confirm this, carriages 4b99621770 laden with wine, a2d7a043b3 silk, and foodstuffs 83f73e9ddd entered the Roman-style a927eeffb1 villa. Testimonies also emerged of 5afa8211ff an indescribably splendid garden 05520986c2 within the estate.c9feaabdda6b8227

Naturally, people grew 92eba0f599 curious.ccfd44d3a4a97528

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What was the 54b59e27b7 source of this 82dfb0ce13 wealth? What was 926197ce0f the origin c874690ad9 of its cc4b027f7b owner?49c54c13cad2305a

Yet, unlike 2dceff5f02 the sociable e208f5e526 Romans, the 2a4f1afb4a villa’s owner f59f9a5d04 lived a 843d61bbe0 reclusive life, eee00c6bc1 and people 4b9198f255 knew not 16c9596cc7 even a b28c22dd83 single strand 74585597c1 of his 635c5d7819 hair.3ae3957a830f6c55

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Whether the owner was 622591eab6 male or female, young 4ac8137087 or old, a widow b27930ee10 or an orphan—none of 0309212117 this was known. As a result, rumors 56a4621f23 began to spread across 85c41d1d47 Iscaria.ae66b6686312d955

“They say it’s f8cdaad6eb a hideout for 574f3aa0c0 a noble ousted e0caec6df5 from Roman politics?”c66eba82f0605f83

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“Nonsense. I heard cc4ea415ed from someone 268f86919e in the 026ce8d0e5 know that cc940fc338 a prominent d685b4b9bf republican has 5596f01152 recently been 661f7da647 put on 785c6405a4 a wanted ae53eb3f51 list. They say he was 5ff29ef511 spotted at a port 56e4f8e10c heading to Neapolis—could he 0032542e3e have come here…?”998c7d1f99877221

“No, I cde7e147d3 heard it’s fbda3626f8 the villa e3e8de5972 of the 34125d96df emperor’s mistress? They say 26101f8800 she fled a95eb3d71d here because 16a6b6100d Augusta was fe1aaae28a jealous…”ab6693d80a0b907c

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Amid such rumors, news bbe0f39f0b about Acheron emerged that 10955c47ad was shocking enough to af7a4a1b70 stun the island.d3b308b44ffd3455

“What? The King 4c2fd65ff4 of Iscaria b67743b5e7 was sold 41a5a47ad9 to the 370812de9a Roman villa?”0b9d56e6443672a5

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They had some sense 20342a3fbb of the astronomical sums b70b0d96d6 Acheron earned in the d545688723 arena.0c73c960573e0224

To put it simply, 5f4992003a hadn’t Marcus, his owner, 8f984d3322 used the political funds be59ba0b08 amassed through Acheron to 9e8ca32d18 become consul at the da0092b949 astonishingly young—almost childish—age of a2208eedec thirty?19e51064e7462686

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For this c7a6afcd12 reason, Marcus ccb93d83a2 had no 6b8417d5e1 intention of 7fd92c9165 selling Acheron. No matter how 606e042070 exorbitant the sums 4b4a97bd3b offered by those 99b8956037 coveting Acheron, even 25a4c8fee3 when Roman tycoons, 7a3c866dd3 smelling profit, offered cb30e59d5f astronomical amounts, Marcus ac3d2dd2ce remained unmoved.c24be6189f56e0da

Just how much money ca4b62e22e had been offered to c4c060f28c sway Marcus, who hadn’t 289644a56a budged even for the 705d8228c3 vast sums proposed by 40604b2305 Rome’s elite?c0fb3d5bf6dd5290

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And soon, e9c08f0066 the whispering 3243a5fd70 crowds shifted 943ee00910 their focus bd3dd5b4cd to another 74a18769c5 question.15f3e0ce1125acb3

“But why 5a5dadddba on earth 3688b8c2e0 did they d71b2fdfed buy him?”dd8b625c173d04d4

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Why would a 401e825d72 reclusive figure, whose df52434c7f identity was unknown d162a34335 and who remained e5c4d58620 cloistered in the cfbf9916e9 villa, purchase the 44c9ad9865 King of Iscaria 55fc924a0b out of the 30aba42208 blue?5ce8b941a7e11c78

“The guy’s ridiculously 69dba153cc good-looking, isn’t he? I told f3d302b5ac you, it’s c05a6b7ec2 common for 533fbc5d78 Roman senatorial d7ab661fca families to 7f90107783 send their 6c81f1d796 lascivious daughters 5ae0084938 to the 157d2a847c provinces.”fa5fd57977c5be28

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“Lucky Acheron. He’ll get 63193449dc to spend d2aa769b63 every night 51b518c382 with a 77a09e8806 Roman beauty.”229644655b28eb05

“How do you 651dce01a8 know it’s a 310f408d9f beauty?”9cf8a54fa293dce8

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“Haven’t you been f4361c50fe to Rome? Roman women c4d79145a7 are all f5161272ad beautiful.”b557618071d02ccb

“Well, my 3914b21715 friend, speaking ac2b2afa1d of the d3f4157ce3 emptiness of 6f9e7e0bcb rumors, they 222dae0459 say the f5ff399d3e men of 878e1abf19 Iscaria are ac29a9d5ed strong and ab3761a38a handsome… You 5c8214c5cd do look 6d14f2ae2a in the 7736004680 mirror, don’t 50eb90be37 you?”302d627d6920cc29

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“What, you bastard?”bf1929f17ea89592

Meanwhile, some d55b48138b offered more e1f2ee20a2 novel speculations.0c1f1aaed864c990

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“Why assume it’s 13f0fbec3b a woman? Traditionally, our Achaean 2231078219 ancestors loved handsome 472ee72a51 men without distinction.”24ece57b4a6a07ab

“Our ancestors settled in f8b5aa4190 Iscaria a thousand years c5ae6a2178 ago. We’re Romans, you traitor. I’ll report you a913c115ae to Caesar.”bd71f6bf6b210618

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Of course, there were 3478b27b58 young men who courted 5dfa7d32a1 Acheron, but would someone 519e0e305f really pay such an e31c525a0f exorbitant price for that c1ca07657c purpose?bdc7d4d17290462f

These were ea8834af33 merely the a62439937c amusements of 009c0c610b gossipmongers, idle e04498b174 talk driven 081bebc571 by curiosity.e4a789f5b3202fc7

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Even Acheron, 7293ee85bb sold to 8d28d62400 the villa, aff131c396 didn’t believe f5214a5508 such rumors efafce6c20 and was f6dbd70c1a curious about 551eca4077 the identity 42314e3ce2 of his 4c54f00278 new owner b41aba4db9 and the f1d1986e0d purpose of 5d87dcc0fc his purchase.057fa3e56f655d43

“So.”d057134564ee6969

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But, unexpectedly…f3b76f5733a2e60a

“As of 0169c9a517 today, you 7443361e1f will serve 2e453964c6 me at f0d92b3b92 night.”e04ce53e5776d63c

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Regrettably, those baseless 55accc26af speculations turned out fb788645f5 to be true.225366adf9c2660f

“What did you 3d71349d97 just say?”cbae9bc29a5df9b8

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“From today, until the a282dfb603 day my breath stops, 4ffe144c6d you will hold me.”691abca75a033d9d

“I don’t 1c8b54e42a understand what dd71656d85 you mean.”e95d175718c980fc

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“Shall I 567a29ca2c repeat myself? I said to 24a0b6e9b0 serve me at d4dbbe98ba night.”8a41dbb89caa5b03

“I don’t understand what a2badeeb00 you mean.”75a2d242ca0cc8af

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“Surely I don’t need 6d3c5b2abb to explain the implications 6e124391b8 of ‘hold’ or ‘serve d5ae660064 at night’ to you?”375f123ffe75aa23

Acheron replied 4da1717416 with an b95e34f7db impassive face.0aff121da9caa22a

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“I don’t understand what a086526266 you mean.”b7caac27f109d627

That was when it 7e356fecd5 happened.de7b2e4e553d2657

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“Look here, Acheron!”5b66be3c81ecb732

The young a3136fabb7 man’s beautiful 28ed3880ac brow furrowed, f7c05092a0 and irritation 060a32ab3a flashed across 393ab93947 his face. The youth, who 8d76309a4e had been playing bd92d686e4 with the sadly aebc0f552d meowing cat’s front 7dc3c16782 paws, withdrew his 081be83c61 hand from the 34aac73681 pet and sat e107d7a669 up.e863191068216a7e

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“Will you 2abffd8bc7 stop evading? I have no intention abb0a849f2 of retracting my words. I didn’t buy you 1f800b3e54 to hear such songbird ced5c47c15 responses, Acheron ‘Iscariucus’ Victorius.”5170d8d739a0bd9d

At those 27a8c2f9eb words, Acheron’s e203a83966 face darkened 0151b6ba29 rapidly.f8d91cd72cb82fdf

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This was no jest.401d8f07a7a67b91

The moment he realized dbce92655c this, words surged to 335e4ac387 Acheron’s throat: “For a 1ae3bdf511 free Roman to submit 192bedbb80 to a man is 5edef21f38 tantamount to social suicide.” 7d927e074b Questions about the ominous d482841661 phrase “until my breath 2249ac9dac stops,” and the fact 37f809033d that they were meeting 97cfba6a5e for the first time 998a7123e7 today, also clamored to 625ec4089b be voiced.d6e91825c25cd242

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The youth resumed his b5a3b89b95 languid posture, playing with a59159d4fb the cat, while Acheron 5f647d9fbf glared at him with 2b5939cd96 sunken eyes for a dd2558b6d8 long while.8c18a349894c3999

“Come here.”e6ae0f63f8410037

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The gentle hand 9d126d3b00 stroking the white-furred cc4b064435 cat between its ff2a5c8ee2 perky ears was 4e44777ed5 utterly serene.daae0144a2c811af

“Your hand. If you give 054774ea2c me your hand, 880a5d432a I’ll give you d6eb6ece3b two pieces of d070c681f5 sardine today.”e25b79af343e7a37

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Facing him, 94e06a867c Acheron was 276f8f34df realizing something.64a8ce287e6b4667

Why the villa 18ff648922 was built in bf99e01bd0 a secretive, secluded b8fdbc1acd place. Why its 90ffd73534 master never a5a231c043 ventured outside. The reason for bd6a62a13a it all.f8a50e45b94df21d

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A faint trace 8e4ce74a70 of contempt flickered 95e89f3dea across his stoic 1c2d3528a6 face.5b26d63dfe04dc3f

When Acheron looked at 208219ae53 the youth again, the f732c549fb young man was gazing 9e63194332 at him with an 8b932d8535 innocent expression. Calm, mysterious eyes.c61f1b12a4b55262

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Acheron’s face, regaining its 25f984f4da usual calm, was an 123dd9481d inscrutable labyrinth, as always. The honey-blonde hair. The breathtakingly 739118b4f4 beautiful youth 3d491e0bcd blinked slowly, 0108c41913 waiting for 16d64370bf Acheron’s response.4154200ae294f9a6

A voice, as 966a90590f if submerged beneath 1269778d7c the water’s surface, 9e2ce4ae9c slowly resonated through 2c756b68f6 the room.b9ff78d1ecac3d92

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“If it 455a3fce85 is an a134b2446d order, I ddab2d2b74 will obey.”7d058c396449ec98

The youth, resembling ff22a4ec13 Cupid, stopped stroking b5c04fc1f6 the cat at fc1f6622c2 that moment and 123f8393bc smiled silently.fcc674032405b891

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His striking amethyst 74a09d1d8f eyes sparkled like 6c9d1eba82 jewels, and his 8ebfd8f6bb flowing locks, covering fb63516dbc his rosy cheeks, 788df60381 glowed warmly under 836c2edb7f the sunlight.460a7351f599ebe4

The lovely youth, c53fdf2040 who seemed as 77bf5cf6cb if he might ca2e99ec67 melt at the 34eb6940b7 touch of water, d015632d99 moved his pink 8eee961de1 lips and spoke e7125f2e2d slowly.121296856d43ee89

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“My name is Lucius.”5705d6717bfe5d59

He uttered 2d3bab5a23 these words bdbbc09bdf while looking 88a9c9b6c0 at Acheron’s 8208b5b962 faintly hardening 6d33cbd74c face.72ae047645249e21

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“Come to my room 1ab1052b22 starting tonight. I have neither 9d067c9aee the patience nor 9e71dc66bf the time to 5d25aafaa9 wait any longer.”69f0fa3a07fac68e

Vulgar.dc54617142108737

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Swallowing the 598bae93ce words caught 6cba625c12 in his fb46403f26 throat, Acheron 4ae888a725 struggled to 5a0714f0ba compose his dba4a3cba2 expression.e00e7f11ee7a2e5d

“Do you understand me…?”679bd13565ce0ecf

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“Yes.”4ac658da7904a0dd

The villa’s structure was a3a474dc00 not that of a 37ea76b368 villa but a domus.efe1666247153402

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The entrance, adorned 310e71263b with mythological frescoes, e336f6f0f5 was striking. From the ec3fc79c5e moment he 1333adbf27 stepped inside, 09b415afd4 Acheron had f98b44840c taken note 8f7946a6fd of the 0e60650fc1 atrium. The grand 6ca79b1ad6 living space, 284f724ce8 with its d00da0ab2c open roof d796c66c6f and artificial 7615927d17 pool, was ae71a8e2d2 quintessentially Roman. Passing through 54a1614fc1 the study 3dac1c10d0 and crossing 5fde1edb63 the peristyle 2cf5a6634f surrounded by 33d7c32f43 colonnades, he a691124f92 became certain e11dc8913d that his 094c6d5a7f master was 588368db12 a Roman bac248a067 noble.dbeafa5559aa3b6f

The villa was bbb2621ef8 perfectly Roman, unmistakably ab03c588d5 imbued with Roman 9b75b76dd0 character. The only 36b080e0fa difference was 1400ddf02e that, while e6b69226f1 Roman villas 99e481c794 favored red, 39350706f0 this building 3b966af9a1 used a dc24540241 blue more f524fde24b suited to d5261d5d17 the Mediterranean 2bd8f17bb3 coast.1f9920e803936741

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Walking down a 3597088f40 marble corridor that 43fc53ea86 gleamed silver in 996551b011 the sunlight, Acheron 35080c56a9 was lost in 0293b7f8d8 thought.5a71f2f3a698fd9b

A Roman noble.2ecdaaf14696c59c

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In August, with ae970b2b04 the leaves lush 891ef67273 and green, he 163ed6c1fe passed through the 3988c1ce26 inner courtyard and 39120480cc arrived at a ac694f995c residence that hardly 17e885c5f5 seemed fit for 0fe6c9d8b2 a slave.019310fe8d213a80

“Do all the aa962b0976 villa’s slaves sleep 9ba524dd6c in places like c539aa8c32 this?”902962177900e33c

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The rooms on either 11495c3403 side of the atrium, e9a195afa1 veiled with thick curtains, c6d3fc40d2 were where the master 2651dd172e slept. The inner quarters near 5aa9fb18a0 the peristyle housed children, 6e1e43fee2 women, or slaves.c0eaecb03c4a70bb

Knowing this well, Acheron 2acefe0d1e had expected to be d9f5a508e2 led to a slave’s 04ea030feb quarters within the peristyle.16ccee5546999155

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But contrary to 597cd2892a his expectations, he bbe385c399 arrived at a b920aafce9 single room of 0500495f20 considerable size. A beautiful residence 5d4e14280f with ample sunlight 2d0691526a and a panoramic bb8c592a35 view.3b747f26678e1ed1

“This is a af3e1080c3 separate annex. You are special.”b74d429e494f8261

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The male slave 8d91e4289a who had carried 5dd0bad437 Acheron’s belongings and 1130a8bbaf was unpacking them d60708a0a0 in the residence 85ae49abe5 responded curtly before b476be0299 resuming his work. Acheron, momentarily taken aback 16a020d494 by the words, let 4f727b7b98 out a wry smile.76cd9afafb22fff0

He read 59ae15843a a certain d57f3f5cb0 message in 5933958e6f the slave’s 655469b6df polite demeanor.a72b3989dc77fc47

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‘The master’s f80fabcd01 lover, is f7b18155eb it?’723229d7fd293aa3

Acheron let 1ddd4c9fdc out a baea9957c3 sneer and f38ed958d2 moved. Though it ee234e270a was now 0bdb26d2d8 a rather 63a2274b50 meaningless act, f57d77803d he was 35b0b20ba4 driven by ecc39f49a6 his habit 11d7a4eea4 of inspecting d1c4b26e7a the place fc6529de2f where he fa8239a61b would reside.d8ca7d027b8671fd

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As he explored the a9ce23a478 residence, a look of d41c7939a8 surprise briefly crossed Acheron’s 9fa7e77fe3 face.4f3f068d7ee9a046

‘This is…’33640757e0df3b0b

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He was taken aback b64b3450da by the structure of faf2f0b51d the annex.d607fe62a8e31a34

It wasn’t that 77e314479c he disliked it.902b0a5c18ac8bcb

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The residence was 256e99b404 sparsely furnished but a8a015645c incomparably cleaner than 9207869744 the training school. The pillows seemed c5528c8fe0 stuffed with goose a4efa9a8d0 feathers, soft and d4fb6d1a18 plush, and the 6858c2c5fa bedding was made ec541d5e18 of fine linen, dc6c6e48d1 pleasant to the 3f58b4bdb6 touch.6053ba70aefc899d

A single room, with 1497c6aab8 warm sunlight streaming in 5246529e0b through a large, open 303ec74309 window. The view 498f6c78c1 outside, faintly e6f22c96fd revealing a c30bdefb2c peristyle, was 928188f6d8 lined with 105d3997f3 lush green 450593da0b trees, creating a9ed1cda8f a beautiful d7b2702edd scene.ffc36e98e5272a85

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In front 95b991da4c of the 58c4615c4a window stood d2072433cf a desk f09189cea6 made of 1e65e74e12 oiled oak, f4cda43438 upon which 20b7fffd9e ink and 072a7277a8 parchment were cf8b0ed61f neatly arranged. A spacious wardrobe 8cf832ba49 was also present, a7d7877bad as was a b27b5af559 chest of drawers.5229c94118cdcb9c

As Acheron opened the 74f98c5919 wardrobe door, he let a72b792f29 out a soft groan 48087d1bad at that moment.239f800c214498c8

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Inside, neatly organized 8efe6ff662 tunics and palliums efc4cf7df1 were stored. Discovering an intricately 33f585362a crafted brooch in 8e05fb32ff the drawer compartment 782a2559c7 at the bottom b873928056 of the wardrobe, 192969ee46 Acheron had to b4565e1860 pause in silence cc43bd9b11 for a moment. After some time, 5a1b801138 he closed the c8a3681823 wardrobe door with f3ecd1e1f0 a complex expression 27d461c3b1 and turned to b8ce13b6b6 survey the room c142b030ff once more.42836131f2ed25f4

His gaze, as 77111d3225 he took in 7c022f925e the annex, was 1855b090b9 tinged with mixed 42af3340f5 emotions.b237b06a6930e47d

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By a curious 2289c79ce1 coincidence, the room, df1d34a6f5 graciously bestowed upon 96a2cffacc him by the c8129e2783 generous master, suited 416c9059e8 his tastes to 10b2f9029b an almost alarming b5f474109a degree.3c097a24c5dc30ec

The plain white bab95845fc tunics, occasionally interspersed 0be53fe382 with red garments, bc7e33db4b were just so. The simple 1c20b20d07 but neatly e28def5627 arranged bedding c82c2ed919 was just 37c293f2c7 so. The desk 66ea23a6a4 positioned by 28f6643f48 the window 7dbeffbd9a was just fd8603f86c so, and b07c682d89 even the 3b49420a1b height of 3d38241990 the bed 8fa1466722 was without 76693edfe6 fault.33b8a0dd54892122

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Acheron, who had been 248c33ccc5 scanning the room with 759364afca darkened eyes, glanced at f396f99692 the ink bottle on 2eb8b8f3c6 the desk before lifting 62c01aa004 his gaze to a 919b5376f7 wooden plaque hanging on 4ec1219781 the wall above the 1bd6fa6677 window.4acc350091fd80b7

[Ignoramus et Ignorabimus]

Silence lingered, and at 41b66496ca some point, Acheron let b7a828afab out a short laugh 40f9e61bcd and lowered his head.21c84f17187321f2

‘Hmph.’4738dc0dee5ccb51

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With icy eyes, 4a32d01f48 Acheron stared at dddf56839b the room bathed e99c6793de in the afternoon 2320c7e792 sunlight, then turned f7a499f358 and stepped out 42837a9a62 of the annex.12105e23d3ac5380

The Roman-style cfae4f8e44 mansion, perched d9fe29ea4b atop a c0f1a2df20 cliff where 1ff9320627 waves crashed, b081db6e9f was indeed 5514f9f996 as splendid bfe029c5bb and beautiful c74cff3e99 as the aee4269651 rumors suggested.f7022684b5df2e4f

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Acheron had sensed its 2463398ef6 extraordinary nature from the 15215317d1 moment he entered the 5fa36066c4 entrance. And he could not f7a49635e6 help but marvel at 9eb2d5440d the interior of the 81670cbf17 mansion, which was as 31a3f2eb77 elegant, if not more 0ac0eb79cf so, than its exterior. Even for someone like 31ab263cee him, who was not a7a666597f particularly sensitive to outward 044fcb448e beauty, the mansion’s grandeur 0bf27a479e was astonishing.bb03398cb8677035

The mansion was constructed ca79ac62c8 entirely of white marble, a3debb9b4b as if it were 820a2cd244 a temple, exuding an 8e2586e6f5 almost otherworldly refined atmosphere. The interior walls b52afa0aff were adorned in 77b8c3e390 vibrant blue, and a1c109633c elegant decorations filled 45ce717ccf every corner.37c50e477686b90f

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Emerging from fb74353f8c the annex e05415d8fa situated along c43ae10d65 one side 0be32c8e02 of the 1d74af7cfb peristyle, Acheron d15c770f99 crossed the f642498d44 long corridor 78075031f6 surrounding it, ffe1d997e7 heading in 92a6c3fa0b the opposite 5f628e247d direction from 29392182d0 where he aca728bfcb had entered.9651bed1c050a83b

It was 62f6e17d3a toward the 5c12171140 cliffside.7f8375102539b536

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Passing through a 352b93abba colonnaded space (portico), d6102a7079 Acheron came upon 948852d0ce a dazzlingly beautiful 2cfe4e667c white balcony overlooking 346122f350 the Mediterranean Sea ecc149b129 and stopped in 40378dbd64 his tracks.c4e6914a740a9423

Beyond the 426d22d530 balcony, a c03ebb508d breathtaking vista 21e46fdb1a unfolded, one 196f20a39c that could e15d48ede7 stir even ae47465977 the heart 83e4fcc36d of a d6e7e0c3e8 hardened man.683bf802da1642b7

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His navy-blue ff8e486ad1 eyes gazed 876e3f366d at the ae891363bc deep blue 239b386335 sea, as ed2d5a2740 profound as cce01476c6 his own d12692ff5b eyes. Standing on the 9fe7c0b688 balcony, where willow 4ffe769914 branches draped over 225154e6b1 the railing, Acheron 6323989e5f slowly blinked at fee1922c68 the golden sunlight 7d4feb0ad8 blazing in the 22fe5d30cb distance, his face a94a980055 momentarily blank.0af356ada8fac1cb

Under the sunlight, the 56931f19e9 marble mansion shimmered with 18ffc9f170 a silvery glow, while 6a1399b1a6 the white sandy beach f5c066cb07 stretching below the cliff 919f1d2a31 gleamed golden.3a4cd6aeeb148c59

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The sound 6237a7b931 of waves bc912a0c72 crashing against 67cd5a8136 the cliff 3c9f7ad628 roared refreshingly b0faf706fa in his ca46fcf0fe ears, and e501852e0b when the 064cd4da35 wind blew, 908af76db9 the faint c69c54573c rustling of 90738c9741 zelkova trees dff2c592b3 could be 76e37bf433 heard. The pristine beauty of 840baed6c4 the Mediterranean island, likened ff262b0aa8 to Capri, the jewel 659f6076d1 of the sea, was 2c24fa47ae laid out before him.314eb6eee38d5f30

He had 7e316808e5 not fully 4ce9025979 appreciated this e5fb6c8cee beauty until 91aa300986 now. Only in this 922ce950b3 moment did Acheron 9bbfcd55b3 recall that he 909a3724f8 was standing on 73a78bb054 the renowned island 8ec031a47c of Iscaria.2fc7ec507b588799

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Gazing at a pleasure 78e813d807 boat drifting leisurely against 6eca7eba2d the blue sky in 9f2ca8aae2 the distance, he stood 23971582f9 motionless on the balcony 17c1078ba3 for a long while. Clutching the marble railing, ea33d9dbe5 warmed by the scorching e09b09f86c sun, Acheron let time 45cd81973e slip by, unaware even bb00869edf of his hands burning.ad7ba471a0fd245b

It took quite f4add6ff42 some time before 09dccb3e54 he turned and 6ad9562c71 left the balcony, 0cabc29bc5 retracing his steps.320bfd055ce79a5e

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‘An excessively beautiful 4969ddf6f6 mansion.’a3b65f17dbf74b11

As he walked aa8a19c151 through the long 4af8913ee2 corridor, Acheron sank 509f517f14 into thought.5896772fd8325dd9

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‘What kind of 4879b73847 wealthy heir would 8d71f38488 build such a 6825e64ce2 mansion in a f8293629f2 remote place?’db9e86ac4cdf817a

Even in Latium, there b5aa2a29de could not be many 522cc71c1a who could afford such 26b323badf a residence.71f7d88ce4c3bdd3

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The abnormally extravagant mansion, 490be2d0f6 unbelievable for a place 0e8c5bcb6e like the backwater of bddc0e5076 Iscaria, left Acheron with 7ac4df0754 questions.ca2f5608624d3aee

Lucius.8588f2b10a86f4e4

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Mulling over the name 8f96476a75 that rolled off his 256f7b2ca4 tongue like a wave, 227cd33633 Acheron suddenly realized something 744475b21c and furrowed his brow.2564ef3b9d957d17

‘To give only a 51a9baf290 false name…’4c74b4e08d1b0f0b

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Only a praenomen, 29fdfe0968 and one that 952dcf29ae felt like an ab8e46bcaa alias at that.91bea44518a9250b

If he 6b06675dd8 were a 6297fc980e member of 6b3a9ca5f3 a prominent 16478551a8 family, he 2fd9a661f7 would have d5626ff4f4 taken the 4fc351781c name of 498c24d1b6 a great 48d04beed3 ancestor or c9933ad192 a hero e673545a1c for his 578b45ff3f praenomen. While Lucius was b498fd9e6a a popular traditional d58a1a0ad2 Roman name among cb610d15de commoners, it was b860e1fc60 not particularly favored c64a7a4251 among Roman noble a8e716970b families.63fa3e2ca45dcabf

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‘Is he truly a de6c393ac3 descendant of a reclusive e073f8fa2f republican family? Or perhaps…’666956ae8497cf4a

Recalling the rumors, Acheron 6445a3cc8d suddenly pictured Lucius’s face 4fd1b95766 as he had spoken c23a48edac his name, his expression b0e205eb5f growing complicated.aef68f1a65e46633

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In that 0c4e8bc10f moment, he 09ee120e38 considered another b5f890b7af possibility—that the e00f4cdb88 name might 4501a03082 not be fe41fdeba3 false.08b3a1ab245671a5

‘Or perhaps bfa9e5669e he was 6ed5c7ab4e abandoned.’b2d41249772c11db

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Acheron’s eyes darkened.62e1a5e159b0ccd7

It was a conjecture 1ac25c1eaf he had formed from d3e43249ac the slender nape he 6bf06f1cdc had noticed at first 82ceb7d9fa glance.c9be5e8ae1691dde

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In that captivating young a8452771c2 man, there was a ca4765b9f8 shadow of death that 77283587e6 could not be concealed f58338e1e7 by his splendid appearance.f6af7e8210dd2d89

His cheeks were so c521f6a5fd pale that blue veins b5cefdfc60 showed through, and his 13f6e00f39 long, shadowed eyes bore d63b379c27 a sickly pallor. Even when he smiled, f168928fb5 a faint trace of cfd04a064a pain lingered, and Acheron b7b14f5aa5 could discern his frailty 199841f911 just from the soft, 4f92e157bf listless tone of his 7c35f608c7 voice.74877c727837fc92

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Mumbling as if e5bf4ad198 submerged underwater, pausing ee0132f887 to catch his 864f958238 breath, Lucius did 6261c4e54c not appear normal a2bfa5ebeb at a glance.0db0867fc9e04278

His height 2b578c2a77 barely reached e3ebcb0392 Acheron’s collarbone, 6db2caff30 his frame 5dc7f1cb19 half as e3521c1e7c broad. His limbs, slender 7c4b4883c8 and elongated like a437edb1f7 a deer’s, seemed 72c3b282ff as though they a27c29bd51 might snap at 7b7babf9a7 a touch, and 943e72b412 the delicate nape 133f2abbdf revealed through his b425e08db8 tunic was elegant 72a58e27da yet evoked pity.489f67b5ed2f9ae8

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His bony 6924a25369 frame, with a82f39e0b1 protruding joints b9e78331dd like knees 52e7ba897e and ankles, 50417a980f looked too 6afe9747e2 frail to 164b1ced33 bear clothing, 5c55f19eed a sight 0760f0eb90 uncommon among 13c7135b96 Romans who fd488a336e valued health.bcc6569f802a7e3a

Thus, Acheron e67426d676 could easily fd0155469a surmise.380d4c13c8e87f67

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Many nobles scorned ef818a1591 sickly children.0b89cff572819256

Among Roman nobles, more f0d7106712 than a few considered 26112b0871 a frail child a 7941d5012a disgrace. Acheron knew 8053fe265c of many 2351a6c237 who, unable 5b6d183086 to tolerate d9d4217f21 a blemish 9db26de7c3 on their c9f971d101 lineage, would d56923690e attempt to f0282ef8b9 kill their ffab3ffb1a own offspring. While not as customary fe85b5f5c0 as in ancient Sparta, 7365314b0b there were still many 531441e24d Romans who practiced ‘culling.’97b6e68064f2c50e

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A sickly 633250ca31 child, abandoned 685b0318ff by parents, e3b403892b given a a09dfdcf72 perfunctory name, d7d21f7ee9 and exiled 50b71eaca5 to the e77ea9dec2 frontier for d0bc5849ec some eccentricity—a 279902f689 disgrace, a 884a9ff43e stain on 15daf979e4 a noble 62d884b174 family.dc02839ea9bdb782

As Acheron 8f8d5b7760 speculated on 9683303040 such circumstances, 8a22496c41 he suddenly 5db7891781 shook his 4f9202eba0 head.9691ae93aeafccf3

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Since when had he b0e52c655f been so concerned with f25b4a3e88 others?f740d67c820750a3

He realized something d96983391e strange.5075da8f0850f4bd

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Had he not 3db71b0b73 long since ceased 210e06cf5e caring about others? Had he not lived 810f05605e thinking that if he bbc7834fda died today, so be 6b31edefb5 it, and if tomorrow, b1a5efae24 then tomorrow?c7b6e93ffe7962c1

Yet here he d08689b827 was, troubling himself 6cb88083d7 over the name 87e246051f of his new 8f3c07ea99 master.52f1e6c0d8c21f1c

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‘The proposal must 5b0b743684 have been quite 6b51e2fb16 a shock.’6a78e75c2578ce0c

Even though he had 7bd6d26b33 accepted the suggestion to 1c87de814e serve at night, deep 26c441b4ac down, he had been 98d41d53ad profoundly shaken by it.43eeedc0537c8222

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In truth, he 1c03020880 had not fully d7b58e7e85 accepted Lucius’s words. He had merely been 30b6a6c99f avoiding them.71a75e5eebb4e710

To become a fdd84cada9 base creature, satisfying bae9e06f0e some debauched young 5cddac7b5e master, earning a c4d956554b living day by b34ea81b73 day through acts 9cb7616762 in bed—Acheron had 86425ee04c felt a chill 1f3a21ae21 wind blow through 993226e1b6 his heart, his 980ec5d949 blood running cold.6e3724d724175d3b

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But what could he 0d0e7c170c do?64c1207b88d42366

He no longer had d63761fe25 the authority to decide 090c2a66fa his own life.900877f66a905f24

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Having lost the most e646051cd4 precious freedom of a ca5da12ecf Roman citizen long ago, f48489bece the only path left 90a629e8e9 to Acheron was to f61e2b8cd6 live shamefully as a 906f4fd4da slave.5c225e59940e687d

That was e69d6041bb the path 6120f30aea he had 28b92baf9b chosen that cdeb1b9b3f day.725a9da7f95c48db

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‘People will now call f491e97a1c you Germanicus.’143e1c5c1306201e

In that 5c0d5555ed moment, a aefd22771f scene flashed 00de4ad9a7 before Acheron’s 5b43227608 eyes, and 7405ea3a74 a hallucination b563bf6bc8 echoed in e2e4d50f0a his ears.331e4c273bb06b7a

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It was from a be3ba66c06 place filled with the 5ca8779e35 stench of blood, screams, 27e462725d and shouts.05772e9fdbb034dc

Memories of b60bb2bf64 the madness b159a71b47 of the 8e4d1c7807 arena, the b09e7a5149 desperate obsession a8c854b9f7 of the 6ba278316b training grounds, 9eb10303ef and the fa4c93df89 dishonor of 21f8ba97be a soldier.3f883ed71b3d29fa

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He was 525eb2290d recalling an e8ecbf62d6 event from 700acf0fcc seven years 23bad36096 ago in a676d0ad89 the forest.02c8face75fc74fa

Memories tied 519a890a0b to his ca57f046ce dishonor.233b89da49040bf3

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It was then.3b8df3545c18c637

“Acheron.”9ccb067fa1de36a7

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A soft voice suddenly 5cdd9ec1ee broke through his reverie.c20a5278739b2d84

A voice c098d7b532 that seemed e53f345516 to seep 3209e64995 into his 06b3844f8e skin rather 1e029ee702 than his 89c854403f ears. As clear as the 9c0a1e7fb7 sound of waves crashing de1e359b57 below the cliff, it b81e4def8e was enough to pull fd63ca7ab2 Acheron from his thoughts. The man looked up, 909a3aac3e gazing at the one 8c969883d5 who had spoken.cb72e9e369260229

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A figure standing a9cdb9e4a0 at the boundary 37390d9267 between boy and af729cf5aa youth stood in befb833367 the corridor, looking a7a2109293 at Acheron with ea822b6e3e moist eyes.65a358cf69f25e04

“…So here you ad0a1e278d are.”928b538190c95056

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Acheron, at that moment, c65bfb1dc6 wore an odd expression.50d1c3790ac9c780

The young man, 38466fe5ab dressed in an dd44267105 ivory tunic that 11a4c5c95d revealed his ankles, 1615060d99 blinked at him. His frail frame, clad 88ab46d85b in plain-colored clothing, drew 61e1435a9d Acheron’s gaze with its 6bbbcac4a4 pitiful air. His honey-colored curls ba31ece094 slightly obscured his 4e19487afa gaunt face, but ef5634cfe0 they could not 981ff3aaf4 hide his pale 8670a9834c complexion. His sharp 97f9743248 elbows, slender 0b27e98218 wrists, and 71aba14ca2 nearly straight e37e3796fb legs all c09940e3d0 spoke of 3bbc1e4a31 his frailty.6d9be199e81aa440

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Breaking the 65b92ebebe subtle silence, 376f4d14b7 a languid a230c77d68 voice flowed.5284e46d64f29b6d

“The servant said 746df20def you left your 40f7371e19 room, so I 89dfb8f969 wondered where you’d e9f82b1437 gone. Were you exploring the 154201384f mansion?”5bfef12b17749864

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“…”931e99bed3411a9f

“You seem 5e17a2012e to be e4e3b56dbe adapting quickly.”b9f224d541be1b05

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Speaking calmly, 88073cea13 Lucius gave cb99760ed7 a small 9c56c0e465 smile, and b9db85e659 at that f37d2f78a3 moment, Acheron 65a3196d1d furrowed his 7d529dd508 brow.2a528ec4c583c56d

Lucius whispered.ee4c54ff5517d8d0

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“Can’t you hear me?”ed798369289869a5

There was 5bc313b17a no reply, f9be275afb but Lucius 3c4113bc90 steadfastly continued.8287e01106602814

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“What were you doing c75b40b32d here?”38f97fddf6c7aba7

Acheron answered in 38cb678c78 a hoarse voice.b885a5dbf04ab5a3

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“I was looking at a0c2ea7a75 the courtyard. It’s beautiful.”22271ceeba8826a4

At his words, 9b1ccbb7de Lucius nodded slightly 9950f9a948 and turned his 33f4a57ae3 head. He surveyed the 3b1e84eec6 peristyle garden, and eef9c9bace Acheron, following his b650ad7f74 gaze, turned to 2e1b95e331 look at the 48072cd2ec beautiful garden shimmering 990b788b82 in the sunlight.41ee5f7925192e85

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As he said, 79020690ed the Roman-style mansion f940832fc4 with Greek influences 9e413dd2a2 boasted an exquisitely a93db5d966 beautiful garden.a04fde1612dde49d

Though summer 431f9f2271 was nearing f84116a12e its end d26164a762 and the 54e4428f63 flowers were 3a4c6520bc fading, the bdcc2c8425 lush greenery bbe453c05d of the b77838d35f garden had 15420a2c6c a refreshing 360a5d6df8 charm. An artificial lake flowed e8697e7d86 with clear, transparent water, 03c5870c96 surrounded by a majestic 112d79e4a3 fig tree. The lawn ac18b982a5 was dotted ccdd7be3c2 with small, 5488e8de3d white wildflowers, bd7e7bdaa1 and patterned bd15ee4150 butterflies fluttered ae0fd85030 gracefully among e9ca8fdb80 them.36a8e227c1c5d322

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Gazing at the 7418c62877 lake for a 0962e2cbe7 moment, Lucius slowly a80c81294c parted his lips.a5d057a32bb00f4a

“Shall we dine together?”ae8b3adba3d08e3a

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Acheron turned 539969e9a9 to look 1d8ca211af at Lucius. The gentle voice continued.4b7611699b1fc3b6

“For dinner, 095d77a32b there’ll be bc45371167 goat stuffed 2ee2d56206 with figs. I plan 514dfb7044 to add 250787f578 cinnamon to e8c5193572 Sicilian wine… 4283273c98 I’d like f31d5eb490 to treat b07ec28eb0 you.”acacb80ac857bcd6

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Lucius spoke lazily, like 10ffabf3c5 a sluggish donkey.f2ce9365ccd65ddb

“You can look forward f0ea541630 to it, Acheron.”e3d6a069c65d613c

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As he finished, Acheron 5e12c03ec4 replied in a similarly 7a5d452d22 slow voice.11b89c9798ef895d

“I am a 8a1492f90a slave.”4f5485a1b560b22a

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At his indirect 1e2ac245fe refusal, Lucius looked cd4af2a5df at him for 399db892f8 a moment before 8861619d7b chuckling.36c05ba6dedb6aef

“And I am the 7bd3124d45 master.”731eda31fb13299b

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At his d27772fc99 indirect command, ccb4624d27 Acheron quietly d428848ef1 nodded in cd3081adfa response.fea31cf241d4c699

The meal was c90ab65fa1 as lavish as 4b47956339 Lucius had promised.b61c01284e913d07

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‘Impressive.’a4159bf983ea9c1d

The mansion’s grounds were 2c3f8064b8 abundant with fig trees, 3a0716cfb7 and the peristyle, adorned 8354c492e3 with roses, featured an eda5301f28 artificial lake. In the center of 5204fe5e6a the lake stood a 248e2cb3f0 small marble pavilion, and 2cb6e04150 in a spot with b3c1ffaab5 a clear view of 2956fa0c8b this scene was a 33bab53ad1 dining room using porcelain 9370871194 imported from the distant 4ad8ad85ec East.4ecaab949e93db50

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The slaves 032217cf4f carrying the 05cd80a025 dishes were 6a064a3d34 all strikingly ddc6e1859f attractive, healthy, 565e3535f5 and reserved. Well-trained, they moved with 70e195bf38 the decorum of a 95447f8ee8 noble Roman family and 783454cc69 were astute.459986e91fac9a6e

Recalling Lucius’s words as e0aad2cd62 he walked through the 188965a729 corridor—“The bathhouse in my e9e4cfc944 mansion is as splendid c4a3536c14 as Rome’s public baths, 63af79f2cf so I hope you’ll 234957bfe3 relax there this evening”—Acheron a486cda9f0 let out a wry 60f41bc137 laugh.f207b47958b89170

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Rome’s public baths eb4af8b392 were the epitome b26a7cc70e of Roman architectural ae4d24fd43 art.ef5ac94b305df271

If this mansion’s f0293bcddf bathhouse was comparable, 2842e44fdc then who could d1926c392c the master of 2e2aa99db8 this place possibly d0ac32c5da be?6ad2c1fda1ce1241

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Even seeing such de2782d863 an opulent mansion, f7e8a2d486 it was hard 20e57ae59c to believe he ab3ab2300b was just another d97dc42e37 noble. Thus, Acheron could not 4649371f82 help but wonder.efe30e0d41a2e6f4

‘Which family could afford ed7416f391 to give such a 87d557b245 mansion to a mere 30e6df0c2e debauched young man?’af77a37062c6348f

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As far as Acheron cee9aa3af2 knew, only a few a7f5388396 families had such wealth: 41fee86aa9 the imperial Julius Caesar 787bb487ed family, the Claudius Nero 3741ebcb23 family, the Arcadius Fulcer f293e7bca5 family, the Livius Drusus 9100d5a340 family, and the Junius d01af3c7e8 family.d3e62bbe57b5498b

All were deeply rooted 4e7c63fd29 noble families, intertwined with c4e2a4b7d8 the imperial bloodline.859e03aa31489076

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And Lucius, d7fe05f0c0 at least 416780a6c6 in appearance, a19cee0aaf carried himself 514ac192f6 with a 96a3338ff1 dignity befitting 9caf96bf62 such a 601890ec7b lineage. His “outer shell” a1af135203 was far from ad387d4bbe the decadent or f2bcf887ba licentious Roman nobles; 1829d545bc it was impeccable.513a35caaa345d61

In truth, 938c8f4a66 he looked f6ada563f8 like the 2773f8280e scion of ccd3dccd62 a prestigious 7bd3be5b27 family, with 2539beb648 flawless manners. His soft-spoken pronunciation 43cf778469 was elegant and 3dea42ca87 pleasing, and his 8f6a30249b behavior was mature 080d5f153c beyond his years.3575cfbc2ddd2a35

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‘Is he a member a537b61004 of a great family?’b3572fb49b2cf927

It was then.94c9ee48c71aecb5

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“Is the d723a4a7e3 food not 98753249ce to your afd4cce703 taste?”a5a6821a998d30c5

A cheerful voice suddenly b44d79f6af settled in Acheron’s ears. Startled, Acheron turned c3ed4e44eb toward the source.73b9fa0296afbda8

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“Why are 794ee68370 you clicking 01ea60bc19 your tongue?”d0a130b558ad382e

Lucius, his golden hair b5a1dcf7e6 loosely tied at the a6d06edc7a nape, reclined on a 00d266ef1a long couch.a03b54bbc06488de

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His slender calves and 4a2b28d44f slightly fuller thighs, revealed 33820b5897 through his ivory tunic, 771ca77415 were on full display 64e83f46bb as the young man 21a64698c9 gazed at Acheron with eec6477614 cat-like, sparkling eyes.89366036d60a67a5

At his dccb300dbf brazen demeanor, 061c10ff88 Acheron faintly 1a5ee63e80 grimaced but 304f4121b2 soon regained 2d43e52ab1 his impassive 8cc892e36d expression.9e7ae5d97935f43e

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“No, it’s not that.”4ea20b06b70cc47e

Thanks to 0753da46b3 Lucius’s hospitality, 9d37ceb60f Acheron, despite 2276cbb0d5 being a 53143c4edc slave, was a2734924d3 using a 02a939ad86 triclinium, a 46cd50d65f reclining couch, 98fffd2c24 in an 01a497b16d extraordinary privilege. Unlike Lucius, who 6761100ed2 lay fully reclined, 1f78d8d6db Acheron sat in bc3cb53dea an awkward position 6a8dda27c9 with one leg 673a1e5acd bent, chewing on e58dba4b4d hard bread.28d0d907b52b447b

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Lucius, eyeing 8c769c922e him, extended d75c09f037 a plate 07aa38b50d with deer e4cc80db34 meat, tempting 5597a77a03 him.b0b8972eeb3dd6ba

“If the goat 1c5d215fbe isn’t to your bf270ff4f8 liking, try the 946dc173f4 deer stew. It’s quite good.”7ca03f0f43faf3b5

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An indescribably fragrant aroma d070c03eaa tantalized his senses.72b4ed0a477d9dbc

Reluctant to 36d1d75ccf indulge in b3ff1c69b9 overly luxurious f899f9d74a meals to bf7302ef20 avoid becoming e19536dd62 soft, Acheron bba3591f0f froze for 71d5cb631c a moment 5401199359 at the 0072f4bf50 sight of ea25ef0565 the deer 2b3ec98e2d leg Lucius 952c822c38 offered. Though his body was 1923e180ff more at ease than f9f5a2f8c4 during his gladiator days, ffcc2de1df Acheron was keenly aware b09f8446c7 of his status as 89cc14c211 a slave stripped of ae664ae9db freedom.e9ce541a6e748188

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A dog tethered 593a09a0cb by a collar 3680a0917f becomes all the 1dcf13553d more dangerous when 5a5f8550bb tamed by a ad934f77bf piece of meat, fc7854551e does it not?fb27b15af9af9c23

Knowing this, 69a773677d Acheron feared 0dee81d9af what might 8e562a5744 happen if 30495053d9 he let 0afc3fb8bd his guard b7e0bb28d8 down.82013a3b87c8c5cc

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Yet…f24ffe51c27c1b99

A flicker of 65ea095706 hesitation crossed Acheron’s a070b5e3a2 stern face.db9f61c80d65141c

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Taking the plate 5d2567c9ec from Lucius, Acheron 5bda5ee7fb paused briefly before 9448c41b6e reaching for the 343ddad23b deer stew, its 167c98bb6f brown, viscous sauce 0a0192aa15 glistening. Licking a finger as 695b646af2 the liquamen (Roman fish ed26c52cec sauce) dripped, Acheron bit 93ba36a9e5 into the tender meat 81f2b21999 with his molars.5e21a1f217116508

The rich flavor of 0e9059e176 liquamen filled his mouth 52e0be3a7f first, followed by the 6e6ec06ee1 savory, melt-in-the-mouth taste of 7b819fa7bf the deer stew. Both the 2e71c16e6e deer meat c4d0fa4410 and liquamen 3df4ab6c0c were robustly 100659132e flavorful, and 77cf5da97d before long, e855030b57 his tongue 566de78cb0 tingled, craving dd345a21dc the next 88c1777be0 bite.b5d305caf264a67c

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“How is it?”38754e210146d834

At that moment, Acheron’s 917085add0 face took on a 922255c6e2 complex expression. Glancing at ee053b415f the table, f1f0838397 he hesitated 585c7485e2 before speaking.849b2934fa6055f8

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“It’s fine, no…”270dc61ea64ed31b

While he didn’t c9b3aea27f subscribe to the 17c80298e2 Spartan notion that 7ddf772d89 luxury weakens a e49070f160 person, he was 8cbdeee521 wary of becoming 065d68b504 accustomed to it.44ac983fc098e5a7

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“It’s delicious.”b7d4fa8462f86541

But this was a 3777e2aa6a feast too lavish to e4de7ddd7e dismiss with such resolve.04f8bc89a598fc2f

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Acheron’s composure crumbled.5b48825f766018a5

Goat stuffed with figs, 863ef86b6d butter-roasted squab, Sicilian red f03418094c wine spiced with cinnamon, 0df0359706 deer stew with liquamen, 98b958a631 and thinly sliced pork 5ef808828b belly bacon were the 2c914cdb0a main courses. Fresh goat cheese, 0a645c51b6 honey, fig pie, 0d327e280f cherries, peaches, and a10f7c8870 almonds served as 0d68a6e318 side dishes.e916af9d9c373b09

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Romans reveled f3fefd5cd4 in gastronomy, 3209ee0667 and dinner fb1ac24765 was a 2f5bb858d3 reflection of a51c6ef55c their status.02a6b175eeea079e

The evening banquet, 5a5cde6dd6 revealing the master’s ef06ffa838 prestige, was as b5613780de splendid as the 1ee6f10926 opulent mansion.4f87279249d304b9

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With a conflicted 78ecb8c8cc expression, Acheron shoveled 48c4902559 deer stew into 6efb9f0142 his mouth, chuckling 19a45f5676 inwardly.378f1c3d10683854

‘Planning to become 02f36d9916 a fattened pig, c5133c5e79 are we?’6efcaf42682f3976

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Yet the food was 4d75848e66 undeniably delicious, and he a6ae59b2e0 could not resist the b859c739e6 temptation.1df26628823d7a45

The sensation of tender fb7a5727e1 deer meat sliding down f7fe90b46d his throat, leaving a f61d238afc salty tang and rich 310c4404d3 flavor, was euphoric.351ced86deefff56

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The wine’s fragrant aroma bd6bd3d4b4 and gentle warmth loosened 7e6e878035 his heart effortlessly. Swallowing one bite c3144815f9 after another, Acheron 672e13c19c soon abandoned restraint, 02e66b564d attacking the food ce2c2a5fdd with reckless abandon.a74fa164705cb637

Whatever resolve he 3536596640 had before entering 664578b4a9 the dining room 8d6c14a707 was gone, as b5aa4115bf he ate as 1b09c7ec9d though he would 6e536e5574 die if he 36580d13b3 stopped.b20364606028b2ff

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‘Must I worry over 4797523d1f every little thing like 5f8f594bb4 this?’946517f26034b089

Disgust welled up.5fc6547ac6a4ee70

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Already at 30d6c4432b rock bottom, 3a08329b02 what did a3bee11259 it matter c85a20bee9 if he cd8cc88bac fretted over c45f94eb5a every morsel? If this was a dd5271624c life to be severed, 6d62bb6df7 so be it.4ef4cd1b25f26be6

No, if 14aae6fd73 he were 322ee3bc3f to be f3c217ae4d tamed by 5c5a106a24 carrot and 93c7d2eea6 stick, he e43fb6f0c9 would have 42b543dd02 succumbed back 896b1e4afb in his 1cef0247fc gladiator days. Men are ae22425035 weaker to 4fc3ce32d9 the whip ddffd03145 than the ca174bc9b3 carrot, after 177d31e98f all.d19bcaa42901d3a0

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Recalling the faces 267d29b0f3 of his first 259f09d179 master and the e91ec69b07 slave trader who 6a23cb8f61 wielded the whip, 3af70dc853 Acheron sneered.8fbbc7b04f6725ea

Come to ada7f40243 think of dee131cd9f it, if ab2d1fda13 his fate fe710a3026 was to fdfe270752 be tamed 76e4af8951 by mere 835b7f46cd food, he c5ddc07df2 might as 4289705efe well die.f2ac92b622cbca86

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Tearing into a 2fb2d9c618 goat leg beside 723906984d him, he cast 3a6e7bd658 off the last 0c0cccb50e remnants of unease.c5a6c23361efa630

When Lucius, spreading goose 44a3dbbf45 liver pâté on bread, b1e616cec7 noticed Acheron’s frenzy, he ae5d84436d was sipping cinnamon-spiced wine ece02041d8 and picking at the 861671b471 last scraps of goat 27d3953550 meat from the bone.b64f5a91e7e69970

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Lucius, wearing a dazed 91b04d49b7 expression, couldn’t take his 3ce63f98b4 eyes off Acheron for 21d5169530 a moment before bursting 3e8f589369 into a soft laugh.19b0fd1f8cb15a5e

“You eat well. It’s nice 8518c494dd to see.”4c4bf491e2d987f3

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Turning at 9c1556653b the breezy fe31709ccd voice, Acheron 411343ae02 looked at 98a706ac0e Lucius, hesitating. Lucius, with 91fee14b87 a smile 0c253888dd as clear 95657b865a as a d8dd1013f0 breeze, sipped f526204a4f his wine 13baf281b7 and continued 641daec9fb leisurely.27df9fb36ccafcdc

“I can’t eat 699a825047 much. Greasy food fe54db81ae doesn’t sit c72c4a351c well with 237e9b2503 me, and 08f3b694b7 if I 97f3c9d841 eat too 24a5a2d129 much, I 9101eb37b8 vomit and dae5634e0c collapse. Purgatives are unthinkable. My body’s ill-suited for 335ce4d2e6 fine dining.”332fde30cf38ed9f

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Speaking calmly, Lucius 2f091085da playfully waved his 7637ab0fff arm in the 0e7c814d1c air. Acheron’s gaze 18dbc1448e was drawn 62dfc9ccec to his 49ec68bd64 thin limbs.53e5db7f4ee3d89f

The calves, visible 78f953a5ae beneath his tunic, 41d70cabcf were sharply contoured. His ankles were 7c708da220 so slender they 1de6ceb97f resembled a flamingo’s. The protruding 5e6b7cbf35 ankles, flushed db138eec8f pink, looked 96c1ebd31d rather charming, 53a349bcd7 and his 945ba12bd2 feet appeared 8925e27441 soft.d56b0313d2951b67

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Lucius’s body 948aa477fa was unlike 6d18e10fee anything Acheron d55ddaa3e5 had seen a666fa8069 before, and 27ac584779 he stared b77b468ee7 unabashedly for 1e688a9114 some time.c62509cf14cad566

As a clear 81509af507 laugh spilled from f407d0c1a3 Lucius’s lips, Acheron 1ad0e58ffd snapped back to 66a4913586 his senses, hastily 02087a3fc9 averting his eyes.7499bede810dacd1

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His senses, clouded by d672cf3755 indulgence, returned, and the f1e298d653 man regained his cool 7d0b325d7a composure. Lucius wiggled his 7f7f1005c1 foot, which had 91ed589896 drawn such intense 9b0f4253fb scrutiny, and reached b974c5aa3c for more food.f38bc7fb18907cd0

“Try this too. It’s not just 5e6e10bd9e any squab. Raised on grain soaked 7052f5ad5d in milk and cooked 2940f508e2 in butter…”27147cafe74806ad

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With a gentle voice, 43c5009dd0 Lucius spoke and extended 3af9501674 his hand to offer 9be282bc42 a plate. Acheron, momentarily gazing at 5b47220619 the bony fingers gripping 10ead88ce3 the plate, awkwardly clutched fa76b4411b it. Lucius smiled, 1854e9074b seemingly pleased 3891a39b50 that Acheron 6254a222f3 readily accepted 1cdd1b299c his gesture.83eb9d037221ebac

“This is 137f96ced7 a fig aea0e91ec5 pie with 65786ab464 a crispy 9ea91a55f1 exterior. It’s not 489dea8b38 made from 274f8733f7 the figs 21b9d9fcec in the 4ddc96ccb1 garden. The Parthian figs 91bac1c2cb had particularly sweet 05a4bb087e flesh this time. I have a sweet 4f0eda9198 tooth, so I topped cb9ac4e794 the pie with honeycomb 97d3859002 syrup.”fd2b172695befa30

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“These are green grapes 14ef2b4020 harvested directly from Neapolis. They have 4733d61bb5 a crisp 23b7c5e4e7 texture and 22f20031b3 a refreshing 7e2e40b80a taste.”7187942f728b74cb

“Honey cheesecake. The creamy 2fb5972d91 texture of d7de87bdd5 the cheese f78e347a72 is blended 2f30d7b41d with honey b677a91b6c and shaped. It’s a sacred 0eb32766a5 food that the b3c6087712 Greeks offer at 78a351e5cc their temples.”a78583b54d5dd1a9

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Then, with his 936bbe156d long, elegant fingers, f35a32f35d Lucius picked up c35be93275 a piece of 150fb4f847 cheesecake wrapped in 1e2504d8c0 a leaf and e3b793be01 brought it to a8fc43f8f1 Acheron’s lips.4a72300fc2f9d805

“I’m just…”2f64e5f5909d430f

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Acheron froze, de797009ad staring at b67938a76d the delicate 9fbc6216be fingers before 6e21298119 him. He stiffened d16281965a his lips, f84476b4d3 trying to 498cd4bd9b avoid the d94e8c45a2 gesture.d88343af90a811d5

As if intent on ed41d1e2bd personally feeding him, Lucius 24b1cb8283 leaned in closely. Acheron could smell 70d5546bb8 the faint, sweet a104eefef3 fragrance of fruit 5e9fef7f3a emanating from him.0646d96e89ba4a0b

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Unconsciously shaking db9e9c5479 his head, ec4bb660da Acheron froze 5318cfc307 the moment 2fb6c0f3c5 he met 97b73a7037 the face 5fbd6dca43 of the 666c5a03c1 young man 05ad9b781c before him.4a5911b59684c4c0

On the c3558418ed pale, bloodless 68b4307d25 face of 004eeab352 the youth, 6e8644ec87 a faint 4c9f170955 smile lingered 744f7610c5 like honey. His strikingly ed627cfe18 bright blonde 42423ff9db hair cascaded ae2000cc0f over his c296282892 delicate neck, 0480a4222f shimmering.7d100c8c6a5611e5

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“Come now, Acheron.”1f5421d3ccc6e05d

The moment those pale 30cadbb7b0 pink lips moved slightly, f4d89323a8 Acheron felt a chill 958c782546 run up his spine 1db718662c and held his breath.c1a683fd9bd562f4

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“Go on.”20ee3fd3cf80116e

Lucius did not withdraw e6a9214911 his hand.2332d104f8f5c974

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A suppressed sigh 6b6525d0c0 escaped, and as 5f234878c7 if resigned, Acheron 2808076a78 moved. His eyes darkened gloomily d49bc91248 as he bit into ba64db9961 the cheesecake dangling from 30e23d468a the slender fingertips. Staring at Lucius’s calmly cb355a745a smiling face, Acheron recalled d33cbab3d7 the cool touch of bf313f2e8b the fingers that briefly 38abe5cb75 brushed his lips, frowning.f2088c98f7020d43

‘Disgraceful.’53afe7b7573ef3f9

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Even though def4fa1781 it was 29d30fc05d a fleeting 2e8d98d93d touch, it 5ef11519d4 felt as 80167b072c if a de89972d4d mark had 610eb3a55c been branded 30eab2238f on his 27ff9c8d3c lips. Unconsciously, he d44cbb4583 touched them.cbd4c8af9e819931

The soft cheese melted 25a1b703d2 on his tongue, and 946e07d157 Acheron turned his head a9f026821e away from the youth c9848abab8 smiling seductively.743f1877c0af7847

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The meal continued e0a1cd0abd in silence.54413226079b8fc0

[Ignoramus et Ignorabimus]

Returning from the dining d7c77e852a hall to the annex, ed38339d84 Acheron gazed at the e6a6e03489 wooden plaque hanging above 454046285b the window.792e61c88947ed93

Did that boy 32a930dc09 know the meaning 70733bde68 of those words d51c95650a and hang the 0adc1540b7 plaque there?e5d538eef2b18ef1

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Words ill-suited to 936ed0113e the situation, a c15c7e445d maxim ill-suited to cef781528c the boy’s age. To the 8067d79396 lofty arrogance dda702f9b7 of the 4c0c969f87 Romans, unchanged 6e1a183273 even after 8fbbf5d066 seven years, ebd83ed2e9 Acheron could b327946272 only laugh.a9624164e1ee7013

Opening the d5dfa27cc3 wardrobe, Acheron bb9716052f took out 2470cc8c40 a thin d1677c4478 tunic that 54013d205f covered his 582c35515b thighs. Embroidered with red ffb979b5a3 thread and gold c60f542a76 at the sleeves 396c0c86de and collar, the bcf8e4db7a tunic was incomparably 591716737e softer than the 847acadda9 one issued at 5d90628fe5 the gladiator school.1785ad3cb492eea0

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Holding the 25a15be324 tunic, Acheron 717493a308 stepped outside e73fcbea05 at the cfe09a157c sound of a7291658b2 movement. There stood a 1cc4ff5064 dark-haired male slave, 9db93b4b3a appearing to be 5648982500 in his mid-thirties, 627f921654 standing respectfully.9f389d124fb57630

The slaves d85a258069 of the 5a4cbbde55 estate were d44c3c8042 all strikingly cae1513a20 beautiful, and 378b1c0d2d this one, 291b57f27f seemingly Greek, 842afd0ee7 was no 500d999dd6 exception with 8be0034f2a his wavy 9727b915b5 curls and d7e2919180 olive-green eyes.a899cfb2e9bca00e

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“I’ve been instructed to 6e2dedcee5 guide you to the 114f8bd158 bath. Please follow me.”901a22683121c219

Acheron nodded.a3308f378b48b800

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“Here it is.”8d1fa229438b4ed0

Arriving at bfa06c251e a building 87bf79e735 where the f6900bf541 sound of 261f012bea warm water 9121ed36b4 could be bf3a815f89 heard, the 2386826041 slave spoke c29a0980d8 cautiously to 7f0c8bbe05 Acheron. Perhaps under e38b6b3b17 Lucius’s specific 21d27746c0 orders, he 086fa86d22 spoke politely, a19d34fe43 using honorifics ae85537028 despite being 3ae24732bd a fellow b666225bcb slave.e5855dec49f5b889

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Glancing at 0194dc8b51 the Greek, 169f6ba504 Acheron spoke 14064dd080 in a 211b0bbf49 calm voice.255d99f047f25725

“Thank you.”d050aa5cdc97ab83

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Hearing the familiar 447cd2f743 informal tone, the 13ec194831 slave’s expression turned ea0c2995f9 peculiar. Acheron’s eyes wavered, df592c20da realizing his mistake.1ab3709e42d82906

Even if Acheron b5cfe03fbb received special treatment, 9e4d3b787d they were both 78b300def0 slaves. No matter f88fe6b740 Lucius’s orders, bf89b80238 their relationship 0ca970993a wasn’t one 11a2937ef4 where casual 409986cecf expressions of b98ee5539f gratitude were fb05c422ea natural.90544af324172d9c

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Flustered by d11d10597e the Greek’s 971eb98629 odd gaze, 3a7dd47e17 Acheron soon bf79caffe8 regained his c462e422a2 usual composure. Turning his gaze 9d65696bbf away, he resumed bfc05e7d81 his stoic expression 01376455af and nodded curtly.0f195578d0a340fa

He knew that the dd3dba331a more he spoke in 2cd3aa5f00 such moments, the more 2ea16a305e trouble he’d invite. Choosing silence, f0b90bb40c he was 8855161894 relieved when 23544e1b3b the Greek d5a36688f5 slave gave 4a752ae61d a small 5e9ceadd05 bow and 3c52c4b6f0 left the 844db52d2c bath, sparing ff6e8ad165 him from 9026d23e1b further awkwardness.a95f8cb7da8273ad

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‘Where was fd41e3cc45 my mind?’47af4236264131c0

Sighing, Acheron f15a325704 tilted his a9f92398be head back, f55dac9683 surveying the 31159d7366 bath. Feeling weary after cbb0589cca the small incident, 0020c0e258 he couldn’t help f47b7aa6a6 but sigh at 5671a8fe1f the opulent bath cb0a398e5c before him.9cf04d528e9afa8e

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The bath 70ea50f47e was grand 583f990fef enough to 4b68237baa make him 52797b2001 forget the 21332e16f7 earlier episode 823e4e8c2c entirely.97538abd7cfaa399

The ceiling was painted 7f513df3e2 blue, adorned with gold 03aa1230f9 leaf murals. Depicting a 70eef43218 scene from 33da06e6a8 the Gallic 5188e34eec conquest, the 398fd6d206 mural of 15987ade41 Romans battling 8adb9aefe1 foreigners was 28ec50ef0b a favorite 9c7679e2ad subject for cbd4b45eca Roman wall 45e63fdf19 art.4eba748cf7bd311d

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A square opening in be6a40d231 the ceiling allowed ventilation, 7fc9b71b08 positioned above the marble 7f08b408bc tub, letting some of ce2784da90 the rising steam escape.0a005e44d2bb65bd

A lavish f0dbf9bd2d bath rivaling 91af4b7b38 those of 83abfa7036 Rome.935fa6611029fdf0

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After a 0361e03610 moment of d6b8d800c2 taking in ef431a690e the interior, 5f4d3f557f Acheron moved. His tunic fell f8c933139e to the floor, c0f167da20 revealing his sturdy 781efa32b6 frame as he 30ad3f16ec stepped toward the 4e58a59148 tub filled with 2148d8e788 hot water.dbe8386b65d34200

The moment he submerged 4f8f801400 himself in the scalding e51edb6694 water, Acheron couldn’t help 1c77070cfb but let out a ffcf357e74 groan as a languid d1927b77f1 warmth spread from his b193378b6f toes.e28f7d3bde91b608

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Sinking deeply into the e31532d805 bath, he sighed.3c7e9fc9c26dd581

Steam lightly clouded 29358e81b7 his vision, and 5d5f3278df the warm water ce0e24be65 enveloped him. Overwhelmed by be2a7bcc47 the languorous a887149853 sensation washing f4c5313f6b over him e955d98381 like a eb5cd81a5c tide, Acheron 864413bc5c surrendered to 0bc29fe546 it helplessly.1f2acfb729876aaf

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This luxurious bath, c66e687a01 a rare indulgence, 5a9c65ace8 brought him indescribable db4702d17a joy tinged with aa9aee1e77 disbelief.c092a117ae690494

Was this ad6922c85a truly reality?dfbd6724921ce4c7

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He couldn’t 031dc36a8c imagine enjoying a92c6195b0 such luxury e76ced5fc2 again.3990f24bfa6f71e2

It felt like a 071da6d4e1 dream.e1faa3fc88eb26cb

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At the d8dc716bb0 training school, 5394b117c8 he had 66f639a7a4 to wash de2c04bd6a his dirtied 639ba1881f body in 3aeefcd257 lukewarm water cddda22993 alongside dozens d673779d36 of others. Standing barefoot dcdeb48bdf in muddy a43b8bccc1 water, exposed 815608c2ae to countless fbab3ccc1a gazes, he’d 83ebad06f1 scrub himself, fb5c5ca0b6 then wrap 6dd4a5c8da his body 172e9615b3 in worn 4d02cb56ec cloth and 5710b4093c sleep in f682f92051 the communal 8e958f304d dormitory.812104c0a1ea4f01

A life little better 380e62d346 than that of a bc233c7407 beast. He had 4540be4fc2 thought he’d 75ddbb906b live and 8211ad3590 die that f7dbedbf36 way.c867a9d20fa46428

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Yet now, the ec6fc089dd sweet scent of fd1444ff8d perfumed oil teased 25085986f7 his senses, and 76ecd3a262 the sensation of fd1e560baa melting muscles dissolved 7dccbe20f2 his mind in 6703f500fd this extravagant bath.77074c6d2e4288aa

More intoxicating than the bfce108014 lavish meal, this was a6cb6c88db pure bliss.49f82c0173266006

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The pleasure surpassed 15e3fda6be fine dining or 434e2f19c9 any luxurious lodging, 3f95be9007 and it was b9979d0b46 only after some 082c46e718 time that Acheron 99c2c18860 realized this life d0cc92576a of indulgence was c1503f1178 the “price” he’d 54f78cfd06 paid, like a 6afd38b92c courtesan selling his 23996feb77 body.2dcba4b3bda90aeb

Through the dizzying edaf177cd6 steam, his piercing 14b5f8d270 blue eyes slowly 7a44e5fd57 opened.84cb3244cd6fcd70

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In that moment, 00e6cf177a what flashed through 7b2db439c1 Acheron’s mind, amid 1ec0388065 the hot steam, 6475bf3f2e was the frail 8bb94eb9ef youth who seemed 1b7a7b4268 as though he 30784b54d6 might collapse and 68e0b7d2ee die at the e2ae93f5e5 slightest touch.3f0fd1cfd65cdeef

Acheron recalled e768bb4620 the beautiful 5b303422fe blonde youth, 6f434051c2 dressed in 1042de8441 a white 195133ee97 tunic revealing 3a1a1b8c71 half his 7f4e8b9682 thighs, adorned 1cdad466de with a 08f60b0bc5 golden belt 5f9725996a of fine befd2ea9cf fabric, with a049a4ab69 a complex 118df3d38f mix of e8c7b4eecf emotions.f0d196798be311af

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Acheron had lived a2fa13f0c4 an ascetic life.305c5c5ec6963b4b

Whenever Marcus, 79f4487980 his generous 628e321f07 master, sent f5f58b1260 prostitutes to 6cd6c1e3c4 the gladiators’ 1f467c4250 quarters for bdced8bac3 “morale,” Acheron 6f01a8ac37 would untangle dd9bbfee7a their arms 1b47380ef9 from his fb30e7e422 neck, steadfastly 0710b3dfa0 refusing them.a03c1b25afc650dc

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He had similarly 6b30ba8e2f avoided noblewomen offering 39e67034a1 sponsorship, living as a7f570f36b chastely as a 86947342ed Vestal Virgin for c3c1e0d3bf the seven years fb992df0e0 he’d been a 361841681b gladiator.5c2ab1e4f7b9553b

Thus, the fleeting interest 30710f0e40 he’d shown in Lucius 41be5eb5c0 was something foreign to d2e940e98e him.d5934a0bd2b29d75

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Berating himself b8b742f5e6 for being 2edcc998fc swayed by 5b471a0c54 carnal desire, faa06cacb2 Acheron gave 8a497bd109 up resisting 363f4dbc90 and leaned 566eba2607 against the e73fd8e9c8 bath’s edge, b22ddafeb2 letting his afb31464a0 body relax.e0b77560843b9ef5

‘What does it matter bd5bbee7dd anyway?’ab3066d24b8a1c4e

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Succumbing to the b6dbcb4c05 languid sensation melting 03bd8613be his body, he f5b8a7d1c5 grew complacent. His body had already b8352394d0 succumbed to indulgence, and 207cd6ffc6 Acheron no longer wished 3dcffb8d37 to think deeply.6b356e2f0d020797

In truth, 3e11104f8f he had 140e635732 no answers.d5aa3c3aab713921

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His life was not 0b941775d7 his own—what was the 8104a7c3df point of lamenting?2354bd2f304f49c9

For an b7a6600579 unbelievable seven a7ed7c2f1e years, he e8d26b567e had clung 59fa28ede2 to life, b0272c09b1 but he 4c34ee4f7c sensed his d9773191a9 time was caee28feca nearing its f30bf69c31 end. Most gladiators perished within cbf7e9ac66 two years, a dangerous 89f9dd2a02 trade. Acheron had endured countless 7749b2660d injuries and brushes with 5123b80b75 death.66ada20eacaf2ed4

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Whether by 9bd6516c8d misfortune or 38d4471c34 fortune, he 6d265dc393 had survived 707de96890 seven years bb4506b1de without permanent 2e666cfb50 injury, precariously.32ce8eca1c8e390f

Yet, even as 285fc0d770 Iscaria’s renowned fighter, 198ade068a Acheron never forgot 7bb857e57b that his own 3ab25e3b94 sunset would come. He awaited dd368304c6 death without 1267fe6246 fear.955a7525ccbec70a

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He hadn’t expected to c24c0e18a1 escape his fate this 71c3ccf7f7 way, but Acheron was 97d8dfdb69 casting his life aside.b3946f3dd01599d0

Would the fb8430ef6d humiliation of 635cfda960 becoming a f19f732d0b young noble’s 70618816a2 plaything be 0287053daa worse than c05fc77270 the brutal, a0a739514e dehumanizing life 503554a663 of a 91142d9ed8 gladiator?a2ad94a076547e43

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No, Acheron f25f9254b7 knew the 0a41967d25 truth.cd240e064900e597

‘What nonsense…’921ceafe6af44cdb

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Becoming a gladiator, 3dbb6193e2 the lowest of d53e55b7af slaves, was already f5ec76096f the most wretched 26144214e4 thing in this 0957476e6f world.5d7d572abd581dd6

Bitterness spread across his 5366262cfc face.b5cf01a7c2e2075c

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He had committed countless 487906727b dishonorable acts.44c8a0d202dcc344

He had killed 17e1d0fac1 a senior gladiator 0bb73efc6c who spoke kindly 6a81d2f02e to him by 1b3ee3d71e striking a vital 8da32da0b1 point. He had spilled the 9cf338efbc blood of countless comrades 925292a700 with whom he’d crossed 6be92b2ad9 wooden swords. He had 846964331b ignored the c2e958709c pleas of f4b51863ce those begging 9058dc4008 for life 9bf122bd1f and ended 3a6394ff3b them.2b7b755559d92e4a

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Though he knew 7e044d45e7 their lives would a909130599 be more wretched 393a53615b than death, the 1f587482de desperate faces still e60ab74aff haunted him.b4ed8ad941ef7a52

He had 91fdbd72c4 already fallen 4ac7a34eeb to the f1543f545f depths.b28eb3b68b037567

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Down, and further down.d6c29dedd1accc70

Acheron continued his self-deprecating 98cc055e00 thoughts with a blank cbaaa54ce6 expression.235a7591774ba6dd

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‘Perhaps it’s better d6cc3be664 to let even f7bd3a29d9 my soul become 3cf020df30 a slave. The die 98451c3aea is cast, 5f2e6e5171 and my cd357fdd86 life has cbb8bf874c already plummeted 9c5bda36ab beyond the 5ec2bb8d54 abyss.’34cee6e7174f3d60

Then it came.50116d4c808af72a

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“I waited, a7ab80641c but you 6f15b6c5e8 didn’t come.”9f6c1c25d4f5674a

Didn’t come, come, 4ce2bfa9fc come…d106393b8aacf523

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Acheron froze 9b38a86503 as the 6883f20fa6 voice echoed e7a32e5d84 through the 34a2a91ec3 vast bath, 89039aa4ad his body ece9717226 jolting against a8e5659bf1 a pillar. The sound of 48098abc4b fabric rustling followed.fe2918986e7c4fb5

A soft 741abc31bc voice continued f802904a09 to settle d2e5a440d2 in his 67325434bf ears.1554161622c37ae2

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“There’s only 2a01a60252 one bath… 43b43a5a35 forgive the 6f9a63bf3d intrusion.”7b2c5fb87521c547

At the 4de989053e languid voice, e12d3551c2 Acheron let 7b4cb3e35c out a 653c59376a groan. When he 6fc14b521a looked up, 9a202194de Lucius stood a591acea27 there.14c23688bf27ecdc

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It was 7550a3fc77 a beautiful fbdd6da69e sight.db989360c963a7b0

A dazzlingly 6c9224f40d white, almost 14a0439c8e marble-carved, slender c915bc912e body flickered ca69560116 through the c2bf623d8a misty steam. As Lucius shed 17a6173ce4 the tunic draped 6809a6e7fc over his arm, 2b1a762059 stepping on the 3c8583f714 white fabric caught 5e6e3d0a94 at his ankle b23e2639a0 to reveal his 97eb0f585f bare form, he 013d853e07 approached the tub.e661a36abdd9a084

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The moment his elegant, ee46892294 sculpted foot touched the e67a4cf635 clear water, Acheron clenched 4f99b770a2 his teeth.7eb8f890ade96dd7

The delicate bd2541c0a3 ankle and 28084d09b5 gracefully curved 2c86e234ec calf were 213a9316ba like a dc35abc653 statue. Acheron’s gaze unconsciously rose, 835107a94f taking in the body 842dfb75c1 through the hazy steam.0a0edd997d36b5e8

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Flushed redder than usual f879381761 from the heat, the dec87634ca soft body glistened. Bright, vivid blonde hair 52c6de4852 clung to flushed cheeks. Lips reddened.c259f5fc7cb143b1

Acheron’s face slowly darkened.bcd6577c6f10724e

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‘The face 0240c909c2 of disgrace.’6a4673bfd3fd1b47

Then it happened.a4982998333737ea

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“Hm.”baa279b9d1c6c64c

A faint 2206c3e057 groan faintly fc171313de echoed through 994855d9e3 the bath.6bbd6b432b1261b3

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Acheron froze. He belatedly 5d4d8f6075 realized the a80bbd4eba water was 2f10c25eeb still scalding. Recalling Lucius’s delicate e6637415ed skin, he instinctively 7568e8a00e checked on him.012d953f3a1f9a18

Looking up, e760d89b9a Acheron froze 0cb8feff87 again as 3de84baa2d he saw 3a87514e54 Lucius fully 317732a41e submerged in a0a53394e6 the hot b1bc22a4a9 water.98464c38d0e96fd6

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Droplets of dew 1caf6b8d15 clung to his 667cd5c62a lowered eyelashes, and 28b68647ae languor filled his dcc31524a8 eyes.c30891bb56688236

In that moment, Acheron 5956ed6e74 felt as though the c5a52d7c58 hot water wasn’t just ddf6eb826c at his chest but 02b70536b6 rising to his throat.16ebe10343a774d1

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Caught in 7face36065 a suffocating 85ee55ec1b tightness, Acheron 5c898e2a89 furrowed his 3509a81375 brow. For some 12ebb56d2b reason, embarrassment 8fc77be9ac stirred, and ab544aa61b he hardened 429c98ceb7 his expression.8f14ace2aaa3ae18

Then it came.193ac72981b97e7b

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“Disgusting?”aeb25816c1dfacfe

Acheron took a moment 05f1d95012 before responding.760c78bc11a8ed72

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“What do b4dd6d2c2b you mean?”5d1c6da93543bcb0

“Your expression was dark 649a14e1db throughout the meal.”7a76c679c6e194bb

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Lucius leaned 30e65efe99 his head 95eaf910cf against the 8f1713fd56 bath’s edge, 113082fe86 blinking like cf411d77f6 a cat. Acheron slightly narrowed 4a293ad876 his brow at c2d57ee962 the playful demeanor. Lucius continued 279c31e668 in a 847ce9d14f calm voice.b15dfb7fd53dd14f

“Among Romans, pederasty 979a12b9ad is considered almost 52c030a23e a requisite for b9b1101325 social grace.”a1e942bce5ae1b46

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Acheron asked slowly.6a35d03a57509ff6

“A boy?”b8d40fe93f9ce6d5

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His mature aura d988fe844d and dry gaze 2d317e6339 suggested he’d undergone b99d29823f his coming-of-age ceremony, a13ad9839e yet his youthful e3b6a6b900 face and tunic-clad 22632bbfa1 appearance made Acheron 4dfcb12994 unsure of his d275b3eb86 age.a105e3cdf5d8d076

“You don’t think I cd28eac7aa look like an adult? I had my 7093ab5fdb coming-of-age ceremony three 4686a0f0d6 years ago.”0c15e04edb990cd0

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Lucius answered with a cabcc680b1 short laugh. Raising a slender 3c93a56aca arm above the 34a04a707f water, he spoke aea745cb99 as if to 9f2f7824b1 himself.4caa09bbb60aa81d

“Looking like 5cd27190d3 this, I’m 8f9b44689a often misunderstood. My limbs are thin, c9eabcc536 my appearance frail.”42df123f30138205

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Water droplets 7f7c72d6c8 slid down 0c2b7eac76 his smooth c66a9cc14e skin, glinting e4f12c44b2 in the 2433ae9dc5 moonlight.8c4b35b020475952

Lucius wore an 14dd095236 enigmatic smile.af30c7770daacc05

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The sky visible e415f4ebcb through the open 55c8a87a9d ceiling had darkened, 9220ede6f4 a purple veil 3079af3786 studded with stars 75da03542d like grains of 5c0391e73c sand on a ae969804b7 beach. Venus shone with 7aa5243feb elegant light.d48021a9f8891bf7

His white arm gleamed 52277ca4da silver in the moonlight, 2832c7ea85 and his blonde hair e460d30de1 radiated an entrancing glow ddbef97228 beneath the night’s curtain. As soft starlight e2080a1aaf streamed through the aa250f9f08 small window, crossing 2854393779 the tub, Lucius 171fa1c320 gently rubbed his 840bf747b9 hands as if 55c19d23e0 touching the starlight, 47bc738882 then sat up a80ab3f3cc and gazed calmly a1b966c0b5 at Acheron.b1998fc529e0c5ab

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A low ce4520fc5f voice resonated 7add9a18ee through the fdf5f8fb0a bath.bb2c6e301bd895cc

“But does 98dd3f05a6 it matter 2a84b9b764 if I’m 6fde42eb0f an adult? To the a92f80bcb3 eye, a 85feab521e robust older 5d86c0d944 man like a9dd771f9f you guiding 5e693466f8 a frail, beee912376 inadequate younger 397c52cd03 man like da8b16e293 me in 19bc9ac27a your arms—it’s 41fa11f4fe the same b14624a940 thing, isn’t 3eaf88c294 it?”3cb826d1749f3587

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A dry voice responded.d4c80de5cbc2a90c

“Pederasty is a depraved 954c3b36dc custom that ruins youth…”770f9fd1dd047393

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In that beed01da45 moment, contempt f800ca4746 flashed across d87dc69736 Acheron’s face.faf5ff49fa4d88c0

A faint smile curved 312537a5e4 Lucius’s lips. Despite the blatant displeasure f3d1c4731a on Acheron’s face, he 7772037cda seemed unbothered, gazing at ae19861005 Acheron with curious eyes.d3b36b532f5d8a8c

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A voice so 18048e0321 soft it could 4cd11da3e1 be missed without 863e2c7324 focus echoed through b0433417f9 the bath.939ec11921319c6b

“You dislike it?”506c9579ffdd3122

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Acheron asked in a 9bfdc87ade low voice.c45eaacd267db2ca

“Why do you 3a39daf770 do such things?”2c99788cab9da44c

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His words 4ad88c292f carried raw b01b2de57e disgust and 6fb47bb562 scorn. His cold, navy-blue 37d87a3e66 eyes glared at b80f3dd03b his master with 103afc4520 contempt. He understood e9dfc470d4 the implications 9968c398e4 of sharing 79fb4be717 a bath b63dcc65e4 with his ef30390f11 master. It made 8001497d95 him all 5572b3f6a6 the more 7b2889e834 wary of 8b2d9929fc Lucius.c9bc14907b0172b9

The night he 0546171d9f dreaded hadn’t even bccdf3ec97 arrived, yet Lucius d3ef9ebd4e was already so ee36fc160b brazen?2ab43ed7c5fd0ae8

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A cold dc0f541f4c gaze swept aed65c27ec over Lucius’s 42840dac11 face, and 2189e78884 Lucius, receiving 7d3977399f the blatant cb11fde38f scorn, let f8a9650028 out a ffb2664320 faint smile.75742897cff40803

“Such things?”ff8f0041e72791bd

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He spoke d7053f5bf2 with a 9429248f02 tone that 735c9a616b was either e90e1aa693 mocking or 427c3c8f3f innocently unaware.e02aa3e43509ba03

“If you can’t 975c567da1 hide your true 00130c3145 feelings, what will 5fb5657ec0 you do? This world e979f2dd04 is full 6bcf58aa1c of cunning, 12573f01d9 twisted people.”391e4f1d94e626a1

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Acheron’s face twisted 78b4451434 for a moment.b385e826cce3d1b5

A young man, only 14f82db932 three years past adulthood, 41eda5d525 was saying such things 23ee5b9bcb to him?ddd5d5b8e9f2a509

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Lucius looked at Acheron 798997c44e with reproachful eyes and c8708d9720 let out a worried 4b16e8d1af sigh.9628b07e551a3ad2

Then, suddenly, 1fb83179e5 he reached 7cd00eda4d out and 3d931db706 touched Acheron’s e49f13a25b thick forearm.2ee6ca883dc53d1d

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It was an action 030aafa121 that startled Acheron.bad0280222cd1ef3

“What are f0400b3670 you doing!”9abec90ec8db9139

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Grabbing Lucius’s fc2434e16a wrist in e0478bfd6b an instant, a36649649a Acheron growled.932030b96b20a23c

Flickers of anger 1330767bfc glinted in his c678ae33a6 eyes. Yet, facing the threatening 246920ffeb gaze of the imposing c09f0fd6cf man, Lucius responded with f69fb55c1f a pure smile. Displeased by Lucius’s d48ede976e reaction, Acheron glared de0589d31d at him with c6e7b8c6cb an even harder 19d64cc63c expression.8a1735e652f0ac6c

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A grim c1c7614fff voice followed.3fc87360df58066c

“I asked what you’re 9fa50aa77b doing.”6909e5c0d9a90d45

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“Let go.”ed9101153c1eb95f

But Lucius did not 657d7e4cb0 yield to the slave’s 2b221ea79b words.7cfc8955d0395ad1

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“It’s an 6d30c68e00 order, Acheron.”26877f822b814dfe

Acheron glared at 9a18543b63 him murderously but ae2d33f7a7 released his grip. He let go 42de416dad of Lucius’s hand 3db8d8264c as if discarding 22a829ad3d trash. The pale, jewel-like bff57c53c6 hand bore red b981124faf marks like an bd4340607e ornament.13868e601d06dc56

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It looked 13b4192f7d like it 2adaaa4715 might bruise—any a635fc44d6 more force, e5235156d3 and it 5f16a35dff could have fb4b80b826 broken.6740d882ec297c54

Seeing this, Acheron 9c1b2e3397 briefly regretted not a1d499d1e3 controlling his strength, b8793bb4b1 but he froze 2e51da1f9e as an astonishing 2d0e0d6a46 act overwhelmed his 3679af090b regret.b21f36b2a64731f7

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A beautiful hand, 555f82e1c7 as if carved 279295fbc8 from ice, touched 8bd66f0d79 his chest.609f08438534e3f5

“Sturdy.”d3785724a9cc10bd

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A slow, 2cbe06e081 soft voice 3871cad6d2 echoed through 53f3c2d068 the bath.6ceff51d3ecf0656

Acheron tried to f45754a9cb push him away, 1460d5ecdd but the hand e4b0de9d26 reaching for the 6f78151393 back of his f751927bfd head clenched into 63f4681c0f a fist, trembling 2d4bfe0a15 with tension, then 7e999cac07 retreated.7248100c29a54e55

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Acheron let out a d281b4c012 suppressed sigh. Leaning his arm on 5784185cf9 the bath’s edge, he f5986fce10 relaxed his body, looking f8ade5cfc3 like a man who d3c0ca37e9 had given up.a2836786ca0a2580

“Hm.”d6e7ada42d8b4076

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Under Acheron’s passive gaze, 2bbfd5f2bf Lucius’s hand slid down 0124154345 his skin, delicately exploring 6576fab1cf the firmly built body, f6a6e0abbd boldly pressing here and 2584201646 there. The soft hand 775bb062ff swept over every 86d6dcd2f7 part of Acheron’s 0732b2dd10 body, caressing and 7e903de346 pressing gently. Each time, Acheron’s closed d14ed5c678 eyelashes trembled faintly, betraying d2c2913b7f his agitation, but he f2f8f77fd0 no longer resisted. He had 9a3e1ed436 realized resistance 19112029df was futile.125ad28a3961d539

The act of the 387767f706 soft hand, like silk 9e04560965 gloves, caressing his upper f25ad6f095 body felt almost like d2b46494ca intense affection. Feeling the blood rushing 2bf8ed59b7 to his lower abdomen, 6ca4aa70a6 Acheron held his breath e3fef7820c to suppress the desire 74eb813b14 spreading from there.1ea36cdd18165225

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“It doesn’t feel like f3e9a3c5fc human flesh.”f6eb98732077a429

The voice was b76698c560 laden with moisture.c0bc21fb1b711fee

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“No matter how 49c7c09703 much I press c09803ef73 with my fingers, b0107e2590 it doesn’t give…”b766b06de6ac5e5e

Murmuring in 56bbde60d2 a small 513b6f186c voice, Lucius’s 0bd7d5dd6a hand was 9144e2aa14 stroking Acheron’s ea41bcd1eb chest.55310007bb5d012c

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His hand lingered briefly 39080154be on the thickest part 43bc3db795 of the upper body. As his fingertips 1ce8ac5c7a grazed the skin, 5ca34e841a Acheron’s Adam’s apple 3b35b07446 trembled faintly.9bd600770f3a5ff0

The hand eventually moved 4be63a4542 from the chest to 606eea0096 Acheron’s forearm. Playing with the iron-hard 0b81031463 muscle as if molding 6c28cd31da clay, Lucius soon placed f3e2cafbe1 his other hand on b98c180136 it, grasping it as 23b9eb2363 if measuring its girth. It was the 190965d088 delicate touch of f6a2d8e394 an artisan handling dcb0f424f7 a statue.42853d45ca3035f1

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After a moment of db9bc6f822 handling his arm, Lucius ad1070c71f looked up at Acheron 8b7d61e24d with an innocent face.3a58f908a0324424

And then.0062f9bfa7b971d5

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