“M’Lady, Ryu is a money-making machine in my Colosseum. To suddenly ask me to give him to you is a little . . . unreasonable.”

Said a man in his thirties with white skin and hair. He was in an all-white robe and trouser, radiating elegance, appearing magnanimous as he unfolded his fan, covering his thin red lips. His eyes were squinting, curving upward as if smiling while he knitted his thick red-blotted brows a little.

“Insolent!”

Dozla roared. His hand shot to the hilt of his sword, and the people with scrawny appearances behind the white-haired man brandished their weapons.

The air tensed, cold sweat erupted as muscles flexed, ready to do battle at a moment’s notice.

Cecily raised her hand to stop Dozla, who was standing behind her. She was sitting on a couch while her teacher, Murok, was seated on another sofa beside hers inside the Owner’s office. In front of them was the Owner, and behind the man were his bodyguards standing at the ready.

Cecily raised her eyes towards the kind-appearing young man. Though the Owner appeared weak, Cecily knew that he was a sly fox.

No one knew the Owner’s real name. It wasn’t a big deal to have no names or family names since many generations of youngsters were war orphans without knowing their families or names. Instead of giving a name for himself, the man self-proclaimed to be just called the Owner.

The reason why was because he owned many establishments in all parts of the mortal realm. Mostly underground and black markets.

Though the Owner appeared weak, everyone knew that he was a skilled assassin who could fight with trained soldiers and skilled mercenaries. And at such a young age, the Owner established many connections, and these connections involved dangerous beings in the entire realm. Rumors had it that he had relations with other races. As a result, no one dared to mess with him.

Cecily knew of this. Her father warned her not to be rude and not to offend him.

Cecily remained poker-faced as she said, “Name your price.”

The fan in the Owner’s hand folded with a whack as he tapped it on his palm. The Owner’s curved eyes stared at the beauty. He knew who Drago Byron was in the entire mortal realm. One of the five legendary heroes who led humanity to freedom fifty years ago. He was not that insane to picked on that man’s granddaughter just for a half-breed that raked him a huge amount of gold and pleasure. It was not like he couldn’t attain ecstasy without Ryu’s help.

Ashamed though, I really like that toy.

Though the Owner would give up Ryu, he was not someone who took the losing edge of the negotiation. This wager, he made sure that he would get something more from it.

“I don’t need your money. I have plenty of those.” The Owner smiled and leaned on his chair as he snapped open his folded fan and lazily fanned himself.

Cecily restrained a frown. She was about to say something when the Owner stopped her with the following words.

“I am willing to give Ryu at no cost. But in turn . . . the Byron family will owe me one.”

Money, he had plenty of those, but a single favor from the royal family, especially from that man, was priceless.

Cecily knew of this too. That was why she was hesitating. It was not her place to put her family in debt with this person.

Dozla snorted and sneered. “How impudent. Just accept the money if you know what’s good for you. You’re not in the position where you can negotiate with our young Lady.”

The Owner softly laughed, not minding the intimidating Dozla. “If I don’t know any better, I’ll assume that the young princess that came from the mighty kingdom of Byron, granddaughter of the great legendary Byron himself, is resorting to such measures as threatening. But of course, who am I to say my piece as I am just an ordinary merchant in the mortal realm.”

Cecily’s stoic face cracked a little. The one thing that she detested the most was using her name to intimidate others.

They were raised at a young age to be prideful and fair to fellow humans. Even her grandfather detested using his status to threatened others, much less her that was born from a lowly concubine.

The family of Byron was known for their strength and fairness, a pride and title that were nurtured and cherished –– and I won’t be the first one to taint it.

Cecily inhaled in silence and calmed her beating heart as she met the Owner’s gaze.

Frankly, if it were another race, she would cut him into pieces and ground his flesh to paste to feed the beasts.

But this was her race.

Humans developed a sense of kinship and camaraderie to their fellow brethren who suffered alongside them during the war. After the war, most humans grew even more protective of their own against other realms.

“I am not qualified to agree to your condition on behalf of my family,” Cecily started and added in a serious face and voice, “but I am at least qualified to decide for myself. If you’re alright with me, I will owe you a debt in turn.”

. . .

. . .

“M’Lady––!”

Dozla’s protest was trapped inside his mouth when Cecily raised a hand.

“Do we have a deal?” Cecily asked.

The Owner watched the young maiden. Her unwavering gaze unnerved him, but he took delight in it, nevertheless. He broke into a smile and raised a finger.

Not long after, the door bared open and came in two guards together with a handsome young man in only his trousers, barefooted and collared.

“You have yourself a deal, M’Lady. From henceforth . . . Ryu is yours.”

The Owner threw the key to Ryu’s collar on the table, but Cecily didn’t reach for it as her gaze was captivated by those amber eyes, unable to pull away.

When Ryu stepped foot in the office, he already knew who the people were present from their smell. And the one who stood out from the rest was that enticing smell which made his heartbeat like a gong and one that made his stomach fluttered like his innards were twisting most delightfully.

Ryu’s eyes remained locked onto that person sitting on the couch, staring straight at him. For the first time in his life, he was overcome with a new emotion besides killing, a new type of emotion that he thought he would never experience. He didn’t know what it was. Only . . . he felt that it was nice like he was floating and his mind was in euphoria.

Before he realized what he had done, Ryu pounced on Cecily that left everyone startled. With a loud thud, the two fell from the chair and straight to the floor. Cecily was so shocked that she was at a loss on what to do, especially when those mesmerizing golden orbs blazed just inches from her.

Ryu’s arms remained on Cecily’s shoulders and his body pressed against her soft frame while his legs trapped her between his thighs. Ryu bent down and sniffed the tantalizing smell from her neck. His nose brushed so gently, which sent shivers and goosebumps running all over Cecily’s skin.

Before Cecily could push Ryu off her, the latter’s tongue slipped from his mouth and tasted the silkiness of her neck up to the softness of her cheek. His gums itched, and his canines extended. He brought his body down, pressing their frames together while his firm butt rocked back and forth.

Ryu didn’t know what he was doing. His body was running in pure instinct. In pure will to procreate. It was an unshakable force, so strong to ignore, urging him to claim this girl beneath him.

“INSOLENT!”

Dozla kicked Ryu away from Cecily, which sent the boy flying towards the wall.

CRASH!

A crevice was formed from the impact, but Ryu’s body was not hurt the slightest. He didn’t even have a single scratch as he got up in fours, ready to pounce, and ripped the throat of the man who disturbed the incredible pleasure he just felt.

He snarled and barged his claws, but before Ryu could even move the slightest, an electrifying shock jolted his entire body, rendering him helpless on the ground. Light spurs of electricity sparkled all over him, and he was paralyzed in place, unable to move even an inch. He snarled slit golden eyes narrowed while his muscles tensed to the maximum.

Never in his life was he overcome with so much rage than the sight of Cecily being held by another man.

“Quick! Everyone! Ready your weapons! Protect the princess!”

Dozla hollered and stepped in front of Cecily with the guards while the mercenaries on the Owner’s side circled the latter in a protective stance.

At sight, Ryu thought that Cecily was forcefully taken from him. His head snapped, sharp teeth burst from his gums while his claws pierced the floor. Muscles and bones cracked as Ryu got up using all his strength even though he felt like thousands of pounds of force were being rammed over him in succession. He couldn’t feel his limbs as daggers of voltage stabbed his bones, and he grunted in pain. He gritted his teeth and clutched his collar, wanting to break it in half.

Crack!

Crack!

“I-Impossible . . . T-the collar couldn’t contain him!”

“T-the collar’s about to break!”

In history, no one was recorded to ever break a collar except for those high-rank races. But Ryu was just a halfbreed. His strength couldn’t even compare against pure breeds.

Everyone was at a loss on how could a halfbreed be able to move from the collar’s might. But soon, their questions were replaced by panic and fear at every crack of the collar. Everyone knew that the moment the collar break, no one could stop Ryu, a bloodthirsty beast, from a killing spree. Even more, so that this was the first time that the Colosseum guards saw the boy in such an angry state, bloodlust cloaked his entire being enough to suffocate everyone inside the room.

Amidst the panicking and terrified guards and soldiers, Murok stroke his beard, enjoying the show. “Now, this is interesting. Very interesting indeed.”

Cecily snapped at her teacher. “What is?! In case you haven’t noticed, teacher. The servant you regarded so highly is about to go berserk. Not to mention that he is a pervert!” Cecily stared daggers at Ryu, couldn’t wait to slice his head from his neck. “A disgusting beast! How dare he do something like that to me. I will personally chop his tongue off!”

Murok laughed and looked at Cecily with one eye open. “My dear, don’t tell me that you still haven’t noticed.”

Cecily’s forehead crumpled.

Murok smirked and observed the struggling halfbreed from the collars influence, his slit golden eyes not a second leaving Cecily.

“You’re his mate.”