Prologue Chapter B

Several hours passed as Lucina lay unmoving in her cage. At least a half dozen men approached the slave trader for her price, however all of them walked away after a brief exchange. The girl felt the pit in her stomach grow as she hadn’t eaten since yesterday. The slave trader had starved her for two days the previous week as punishment for disobedience, and even now only allowed her one meal a day.

Lucina scowled as she glanced at the trader’s still bandaged right fingers. It wasn’t fair: she didn’t even have the satisfaction of biting off his digits back when he first tried to strip her. He had knocked her out cold before she managed, and she still remembered how his angry whip stung her defenseless body after she awoke. The welts have long since healed without any lingering traces thanks to her physiology as a Samaran, but the pain of having her back so inflamed she couldn’t lie down would always remain in her memories.

“How much?”

The sun filtering through the windows had reached past its zenith when Lucina heard an orotund voice. The beefy slave trader scrambled off his chair before he bowed clumsily in greeting. The young girl reopened her eyes and looked towards the newest buyer. He was a young man who dressed in rich garments and flouted the airs of a nobleman.

Only then did Lucina realize that the question had been asked in flawless Arcadian. Despite his northern features, the young man spoke the official language of the Inner Sea Imperium with barely a hint of accent — something even she could not have managed.

“Your Lordship,” The trader remarked with uncertainty in his voice. He was clearly unsure of how to address the young man, but he nevertheless greased his hands.

“Your Lordship has excellent tastes. She’s easily the most exotic and rare slave in–”

“She’s a Samaran, from the Protectorate of Samara, an eastern member of the Federated Principalities of Polisia,” the newcomer spoke as though warning don’t try to bull me.

The young aristocrat looked no older than fifteen years of age and held a physique that stood just shy of exceptional. He was broad-shouldered, but had a build more lean than muscular, outlined by his tight jacket of brocade and cashmere. He was also taller than average, though no one would consider him a giant. His burgundy-brown hair reached just past his ears and peeked out beneath a thick, bearskin hat. His face could be described as fairly attractive, with his wide cheekbones, even nose, and smooth, chiseled chin, only to be marred by a dull, lazy green gaze and an expression full of pretense.

“I ask again: how much?” His voice rang with impatience. His gaze spoke a different reason as they passed over the girl’s body with a desirous glint. His lip formed a faint curl as he enjoyed her naked form. And despite Lucina staring up in return, the young man never once bothered to make eye contact.

“S-she…” the trader babbled for another moment before collecting himself. “She’s scheduled to be auctioned in two days, Your Lordship.”

“I’m only here today,” the young man replied as though waiting was beneath him. “How much to take her off your hands now?”

“Three thousand silver rubles,” the trader declared; a fifty percent markup from just a few hours back.

“I’ll give you two thousand four hundred for her now,” the young noble replied without batting an eye. “Any more and I’ll have to go track down a bank that conducts business with my House, and I have a tight schedule today.”

The trader stood stunned as he blinked his gray eyes. He clearly did not anticipate the negotiations to end so swiftly, nor with a result that surpassed his expectations.

“Well?” The young noble asked. In between glaring at the trader he glanced at Lucina again, and the young girl shivered as his eyes dove straight towards her lower feminine region.

“Yes. Yes! I’ll have her prepared for transport immediately! Now, Your Lordship,” the trader offered a less clumsy bow this time before gesturing down the hall. “If you’ll come this way, we can sign the transfer of ownership in the office, just down the hallway.”

The nobleman nodded and as the two strode away, Lucina heard the trader beckon for two helpers before continuing his conversation with the highborn.

“Word of advice about the girl though — she might not look it but she’s spirited for a Samaran,” the trader raised his bandaged hand. “Best keep her tightly bound until you’ve properly…”

The conversation cut off as the two men vanished behind an office door. Meanwhile several helpers came up to unlock her cage, Lucina sat stunned as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. A minute ago, she was a slave waiting to be auctioned. Now, she was the property of a lordling who no doubt saw her as a toy and decoration for his bed.

As a male handler pulled her from the cage and dragged her by her collar chain, Lucina came to realize that apart from wanting her for all the wrong reasons, she had almost no idea of whom her new owner even was. She didn’t know his name or even his nation of origin, and he never once met her eyes during the brief exchange.

It felt like she was just another object whose opinions didn’t matter to him in the slightest.

No, she reminded herself. There’s no ‘felt’ about it.

In the eyes of society and state, her life had been reduced to nothing more than property. She could be sold and bought with no regards to her needs or wishes. All it took was a handful of silver notes and a signature to pass her deed.

…

The wagon bounced again as its wheels rolled over yet another bump on the uneven dirty road. Lucina winced as she briefly lifted into the air before landing on the hardwood planks. It would have been better if she could stand, or at least sit upright with her feet on the floor, but the cage she sat in was far too small for that. The chain linking her wrists to her collar was too short to allow her the use of her hands for support, and as a result she bounced up and down in the transport cart with nothing but her own rear to soften the impact.

They’ve been traveling across forested roads for several hours already — her, her new master, plus a cart driver that he hired and an armed retainer. The sun has fallen beyond the distant horizon, though its warm glow continued to light the dusk skies. Juno, the guardian moon that shielded a fourth of the sky, has risen high to take its position as the illuminator of the night. Meanwhile Luna, the smaller moon visible only in the dark sky, had just appeared from Juno’s far side.

A slight breeze blew across the road, and the wooden barred cage did nothing to shield Lucina from the autumn chill. The slavers had only tied a ragged cloth around her neck before they loaded her onto the wagon, and the young girl now shivered in the cold as her back and legs were left totally exposed. She gazed up to her new master and tried to utter a sound. Her collar might be enchanted to silence her, but she could still move her lips and plead with her eyes.

Yet for what seemed the dozenth time, the young lord met her gaze for only a second before turning away.

Lucina could see the warm sympathy in his green eyes which had been growing over the past few hours. But if that were true, then why did he do nothing? It would be so easy for him to order the others to cover her body with a tunic, or give her a bite of the bread they munched on. Yet the young lord did neither. He did not even offer her a word of comfort as lip service.

Then, just as Lucina shivered again in the breeze, the lordling fell back behind the others until his horse trotted alongside the cart. For a moment he looked upon her body with only a lecherous gaze. However as the others’ attention turned away, he reached in and adjusted her rags so they at least covered her chest proper. His lips then opened for the first time in hours yet spoke without a sound. Only by reading his lips could Lucina understand what he actually meant.

‘Hang on. We’re almost there.’

His gesture left Lucina only more confused. Why? She thought. What’s he hiding from?

“YA!” The young lord then spurred his horse forward before she could even answer. He led the cart towards a narrow path that forked off from the main road. The forest was dense in this direction, and they had to turn two more bends before their destination came into view.

It was a three-story stone manor built on top of a shallow hill, its design reminiscent of a small, rectangular keep without battlements. The building was encircled by a sturdy fence on one side and a stream on the other. Its isolation from the nearest town suggested that it might be one of those seasonal homes that the Boyar aristocracy in the Polisian Capital kept in the south. Though if that were the case, then a manor of this size must belong to one of the richest nobles in Polisia.

Yet regardless of her master’s status, this was her new ‘home’. And despite relief that she would soon find shelter from the elements behind its walls, Lucina couldn’t help but feel a growing anxiety in her empty stomach at the uncertain future that awaited her.

…

Lucina’s belly growled as she stood in an empty storage room in the basement. Night had fallen, which meant that over twenty-four hours had passed since she had any food.

“You poor thing. When did you last eat?” The maid who was filling the wooden wash tub with hot water asked in a rustic, southern Polisian accent. When Lucina did not respond she asked again: “do you understand what I’m saying?”

The maid was probably only a few years older than Lucina. She had a gentle expression and bright-turquoise eyes that returned an innocent gaze. Her figure, however, was far more mature than the younger girl, with wide hips and an impressive bosom that she proudly showed. Her hair also cascaded down her back in golden-brown waves. Had she not been wearing a servant’s uniform in black-and-white and spoke with a commoner’s accent, Lucina would have thought that the girl was at least a daughter of the land-owning gentry.

The slave girl nodded with vigor, before trying to mouth the Polisian word ‘collar’. Her hands were useless behind her. All she could do was nod awkwardly and hope her chin might add a pointer.

“Are you mute?” The maid asked. Lucina groaned in silent frustration as she tried to mouth the words again.

“Is it the collar? Is it silencing you?” The maid finally asked the right question, and the slave girl nodded hastily in response.

“Sorry, I don’t have the means to unlock it,” the servant girl brought another bucket of hot water in and poured it into the washing tub. “I’ve only been told to wash you and prepare you for His Lordship’s bed.”

I really am losing my maidenhood tonight. Lucina’s shoulders quaked as a fresh tear emerged and fell from her eyes. She had known during the trip that this was the most likely outcome. But she had avoided the truth in hope of a silver lining, hope that she would simply be a domestic slave kept to impress guests.

The maid gave Lucina a look of deep sympathy before she made her way over. The smaller girl felt two arms envelop her in a warm hug before a hand reached up to wipe her tears.

“It’s alright. It’s not the end of the world.” The maid offered an optimistic smile. “His Lordship might be a pompous wastrel, but he’s also a good-looking young man who inherited far too much wealth from his late parents. Furthermore, he’s a known coward, and as far as I know he has never raised his hand against even a servant. Of all the possible men you could have for a master, he’s really not that bad. And from the rumors I’ve heard, even the brothels he visits like him for his generosity with gifts.”

Lucina gave a faint nod in response. Then maybe at least I won’t have to fear being whipped. She tried to console herself.

“Besides,” the maid then added with amazement in her voice. “His Lordship must really like you if he’s willing to pay five thousand silver rubles. I could live my whole life in luxury off a sum like that! The Steward was so exasperated he almost began chewing out His Lordship!”

That seized Lucina’s attention as she stared up at the older girl with wide eyes. Five thousand? She thought. How did my price more than double?

No. It was far more likely that the lordling lied about how much he paid for her. But why would he do that?

“I know! Isn’t that just insane?” The maid completely misread the younger girl’s surprise. “But chances are if His Lordship is willing to pay enough to build a jewel mine, then he’ll also treat you like a jewel. That’s good news isn’t it?”

Lucina nodded along again as the maid gently removed her rags and took her by the arm. The impressively bosomed girl then encouraged her with a faint pull towards the washing tub — the first person who hadn’t roughly manhandled her in days. Seeing her reluctance towards the hot water, the maid leaned over to brush the steamy water with thin fingers first, before giving Lucina a smile that beckoned her to enter.

“I’m Kalyna, by the way,” the maid held onto Lucina’s arm as the latter stepped into the soothing, hot water and sat down. “I’m one of the three maids working on this estate… well, the senior of two now, since Steward Vitomir sacked the head maid just earlier this week.”

Kalyna released a stressful sigh that was barely noticeable as she began to wash smaller girl with a white cloth. Her attention was so meticulous yet gentle that it felt like she was an older sister taking care of her younger sibling.

Lucina couldn’t help but feel her shoulders tremble as her glazed eyes shed a fresh tear. It had been so long since she last felt such warmth, so long since he had last seen such kindness, that she had almost forgotten such comforts existed.

“I expect you’ll be working under me most of the time, since the staff is shorthanded and His Lordship usually capitulates to the steward’s wishes.” Kalyna did her best to wash Lucina’s arms despite them being held to the slave girl’s back. “I hope we can have a proper mutual introduction next time. But remember that you’re welcome to come to me for help at any time, even if all I can offer is to listen… after His Lordship removes your collar tonight,” the older maid finished without any doubt of it.

Lucina felt her shoulders quake as her eyes tried to squeeze out more tears. It had been months since anyone showed such kindness to her, since anyone even treated her as a fellow human being. She could not believe that even in this nightmare that had grown to dominate her life, she would find a beacon of warmth and a comforting bosom to cry in.

…

After being cleaned, Lucina found herself escorted by Kalyna down a dim, carpeted hallway. The rooms on both sides lay eerily silent with their doors closed. Only a pair of heavy, mahogany doors at the end of the hall revealed light from the crack beneath them.

The young girl felt chills running up and down her thin body. She wore only a white sheet of linen wrapped around the collar at her neck, but it was still infinitely better than walking naked through half the estate’s hallways.

“Good luck,” Kalyna wished sincerely as she pushed the doors ajar and ushered the younger girl inside.

Lucina trembled in fear as she felt like a lamb being sent to be slaughtered. Her fingers yearned for something to grab onto, but she could only brush against smooth linen while her wrists remained pinned behind her back. She turned towards Kalyna with frightened eyes that pleaded for help, however the senior maid could only look back with pity and condolence in her gaze.

Then, just as Lucina thought she might be abandoned, Kalyna visibly swallowed as she pushed the door wide open and stepped inside.

“Your Lordship,” she began. “Please–”

“Kalyna,” the young noble stopped her as he turned to face the girls with a stern gaze. Standing before a blazing hearth, he was still fully attired in his dress shirt and riding pants.

His countenance then softened as he offered the maid a surprisingly mellow smile.

“You’re a kind girl, Kalyna,” he remarked. “I’ll treat her gently. I promise.”

For a brief moment, Kalyna simply stood there, unsure of what else to say.

“Thank you, Your Lordship.” She then gave a hasty curtsy, before rushing out the door and closing it behind her.

Meanwhile, Lucina felt her body freeze as she stood helpless before her new owner. Her lips trembled but could not utter any sound. Her legs quivered yet felt like they’d been glued to the floor. It was as though his very presence held her spellbound. She could only make a silent, frightened squeak as he slowly closed the distance between them.

The young noble’s eyes were soft as they seemed to offer his condolences. He soon laid his hands upon her linen-draped shoulders.

“It was not my intention to frighten or treat you in such a degrading manner,” he said as he slowly turned her around. “However, I do have a reputation to uphold, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to show generosity to a slave I had just brought. Besides, The trader warned that you were troublesome and that it would be best if I kept you chained until my ownership of you was properly sealed.”

Lucina shivered as she felt him unwrap the cloth linen from her body. The sheets soon fell to the rich rug that covered the hewn-stone floor, and she stood, once again, vulnerable and helpless before the man’s gaze. She expected his fingers on her flesh, to turn her again so he could clearly see her feminine attributes. Instead his fingers grasped the back of her collar, and with a mutter and a snap the metal sprang open.

Magic. She thought to herself. Her collar had a seam but no lock. Even a master blacksmith would have taken time to pry it open, yet he achieved it with little more than a touch.

Between the airs, the estate, and the spellcraft — He really is a noble — she concluded.

“Thank you,” she spoke feebly for the first time in over two weeks. He followed suit with her wrist cuffs before removing the set of restraints, and she added “m-master…” with closed, shameful eyes as she didn’t want the better treatment to end.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to call me that,” the young man answered as he tossed the chains to a corner of his room. Again she expected his touch to land on her naked body, and again he overturned her expectations as he immediately walked away.

“My name is Konstantin Radomirovich Apraksin, heir of the Princely House of Apraksin, son of the last Grand Prince of the Federated Principalities of Polisia, and currently in political exile from the capital,” he declared as he rummaged through a small mess of clothes piled on top of a cushioned armchair. Returning with a simple dress in hand, he added: “addressing me by ‘Your Lordship’ should suffice for decorum. I prefer not to have my head bloated by anything more than that.”

Lucina’s gaze swelled. She instantly recognizing the name ‘Apraksin’ as one of the three Founding Houses of Polisia.

Turning the young girl to face him, Konstantin pressed the black and white garb onto her naked body, covering her fair skin from his gaze. The outfit was clearly meant for a housemaid, though it was tighter at the waist, more embellished with frills, and lacking an apron.

“Close enough. You can get it resized later.” He handed the dress to Lucina’s unsteady hands. “You can put that on, after you tell me your name.”

Lucina almost sputtered. She had been so preoccupied with her anxiety and fearful thoughts that she completely forgot to introduce herself. Although one could hardly blame her either — nobody else who had bought or sold her thus far had taken any interest in her name.

“M-m-my name is Lucina Chandrabha Arrius,” her middle-class upbringing finally kicked in and she dipped in a light curtsy.

“Arrius…” Konstantin frowned. “That’s an Imperial Gens, I believe?”

“Yes,” She huddled behind the cover of the dress. She wanted to put it on, yet… she didn’t want to expose herself yet again. “My father was an Imperial trader. But my mother was a Samaran. Chandrabha means ‘shining moon’ in the Samskrit language.”

“And Lucina is the Inner Sea pantheon’s lunar goddess of childbirth, I recognize.” Konstantin replied as a scowl added to his frown. His tone then grew harsher as he continued: “Can’t say I like that name. I lived in Arcadia for several years during my childhood to attend the Academy. There was another girl with that name who lived nearby, a Nobiles daughter who thought she was free to bully me since I was just a barbaric foreigner.”

His face then softened as his deep-emerald eyes met Lucina’s frightened gaze.

“How about ‘Luna’?” He decided to change her name, as though it could be altered as readily as her clothing. “It’s the personification of the three lesser moon goddesses, and I think it’s a beautiful name.”

“B-but…” Lucina stuttered before she remembered the pain of a whip from the last time she’d been rebellious. Even if Karyna was right and her new master wasn’t prone to physical violence, there was still the slave mark that he, as her new owner, could easily activate to punish her.

She really did not want his kind demeanor to end. She did not want him to become an owner who disliked her at every mention.

“I-if Your Lordship wishes,” she muttered, her voice a faint whisper as she resigned herself to the winds of fate.

A faint apology grew in the young noble’s smile as though he recognized her hesitation. But he did not retract his decision as his fingers brushed her cheeks with a hint of adoration in his gaze. Her body stiffened in nervousness as her stomach decided to interrupt with another growl of hunger. He almost laughed before turning away and making his way to a large, gold-trimmed redwood cabinet.

In fact, as Luna looked about, she noticed that all of the furniture in this room were gold-trimmed. It actually made her feel even more uncomfortable than before.

“You can put on your dress now,” his words came halfway between a recommendation and an order.

Lucina hurriedly stepped into her new outfit as he retrieved a silver jar from the closet. He pried it open to take out a rich, vatrushka pastry which still carried a whiff of freshly baked aroma. The golden yellow of egg-yolk infused the ring of baked dough, and the curdled cheese in the center was creamy white and mouthwatering…

“You can have as many as you like,” Konstantin smiled as his hand reached out in offer.

The girl accepted the delicious food and immediately stuffed it into her mouth. Her bites came ravenously as her body moved on its own to satisfy her famished belly. Even before her last meal a day ago, she had been forced to go hungry without a full meal for weeks.

“Wait! Slow down. You’re going to…”

He hadn’t even finished his warning before the girl started to cough. Her throat had been too dry for pastries. She needed…

Konstantin rushed to grab his tankard of water from the bedside table before bringing it to her lips. His other hand struck her exposed back where she hadn’t even finished lacing her dress. Lucina felt memories flash before her eyes before she finally managed to swallow the piece lodged in her throat. It was utter irony that after living through the worst cruelties, she had almost been killed by an act of kindness.

…

The young girl had consumed almost his entire jar of pastries before she stopped eating. Her thoughts grew nervous again as she sat on the soft, quilted comforters that covered her master’s lavish four-poster bed. He might have been kinder than she imagined but he was still a man. Surely he expected her to perform her function as a slave — why would he have paid for such a hefty price otherwise?

“Your Lordship,” her voice cracked as she tried to breach the uncomfortable topic. “How would you like to…”

“Take you?” Konstantin finished as he sat beside her, looking oddly uneasy for the first time. “I don’t intend to.”

Lucina swung her gaze towards him as a flicker of hope was instantly buried under a mountain of confusion.

“Then why did you…”

“Buy you?” The young lord did it again, before replying with a prolonged sigh, an awkward smile, and a nervous scratch of his head. “Well…” he lingered as though he wasn’t sure where to begin. “I guess the simplest reason is because I found it calming to look at you.”

Lucina blinked. Surely even a rich noble would not spend several thousand rubles to buy a slave just because she was ‘calming to look at’?

…Unless he truly was the wastrel that Kalyna said he was.

“But… but if that’s the case,” Lucina muttered. “Then why wouldn’t you bed me?”

She then flinched as she felt his hand pat the crease between her lap and stomach. Konstantin gave a faint snort as though he had just made his point.

“You don’t have any idea what that mark does, do you?”

Lucina shook her head, although a cold, dark feeling had already began digging a hole inside. Her hands went to her lower abdomen where she knew they marked her with a rosy-red tattoo. She braced herself to hear the dreadful details, only for Konstantin to skirt the issue.

“I’ll explain some other day when you’re not already exhausted and distressed. But don’t worry,” he declared as though making a solemn vow. “I have no intention of forcing you. As far as your maidenhood is concerned, you are completely safe from me.”

Having only just met the young lord today, Lucina had no idea of how trustworthy his word was. But as she heard him speak with such dedication and assurance, the young girl couldn’t help but want to believe it. For the first time in weeks her exhausted nerves relaxed. Meanwhile her body trembled as a deluge of relief washed over it.

“T-thank you,” the girl managed to squeeze out in a meek voice as her head returned a grateful nod.

For a minute the two of them sat in silence, as though neither knew what to say next. Then Konstantin stood up from the bed and walked over to a redwood cabinet. He slid it open and pulled out a bottle alongside two silver goblets.

“Wine?” He asked as he pulled out the cork and filled both goblets. “Imported Campania. Arcadia’s finest. It’ll help you sleep easier tonight.”

Lucina shook her head, but he pressed a goblet into her hands anyway. It was like he never even intended for her to answer.

The young girl looked at the blackish liquid swirling in the half-filled silver chalice. Her father had given her sips of wine before, and she had never enjoyed its taste. But more importantly…

“T-thank you, Your Lordship, but… we Samarans don’t drink alcohol.”

Sitting down on the bedcovers again, he stared back at her, surprised.

“I didn’t know that. Is your kind allergic to it?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Our scriptures denounce imbibing harmful substances. Besides, we can’t get drunk, since our bodies filter out toxins too quickly.”

He blinked before gazing back down at his own cup in deep thought.

“That would really suck.” He declared as though it was one of the worst afflictions any man could face. He then stared into his goblet before muttering to himself: “If I didn’t drink myself into oblivion back then… I doubt I could have managed.”

As Konstantin trailed off into silence, Lucina wasn’t sure what to make of his statement. Was her new master now a drunkard as well as a wastrel? Did he expect her to serve as a drinking companion when he vented his headaches?

“Relax, Luna,” he took a sip before taking her chalice and setting both down on the bedside table. “I’m not going to bite your head off just because you refuse to share a drink with me. Though I might do that if you reject my next present.”

Lucina jerked her head up as her entire body visibly tensed, meanwhile Konstantin took one look at her and laughed.

“I’m joking, you dolt! Must you take everything so seriously?”

“S-sorry.”

The girl was still looking sheepish as her owner grabbed a small parcel off the bedside table and pressed it into her hands. Upon opening it, she found a pair of violet ribbons, each the length of her forearm.

Being the daughter of a merchant, it was impossible not to recognize the expensive dye color that was associated with the wealthy and elite.

“Your Lordship?” She asked hesitantly. “This–”

“Wear it somewhere apparent. It’s a reminder to everyone that you belong to me, that you answer only to me.” Konstantin stood before her as he explained. “It should ensure that the other servants don’t just push you around. Sure, you might be a slave, but you’re also their lord’s personal attendant, and that means they are not to lay their fingers upon you.”

“Is Your Lordship saying… that I can just work as a personal maid? And that’s all?” Lucina muttered, almost unable to believe it.

“Not one iota more,” Konstantin declared. “The other servants will assume that our relationship is more carnal, but let them think what they will.”

Some say that the third time’s the charm. For Lucina, the third time was certain when she truly began to believe it. First he brought her food and clothing, then he promised not to take her maidenhood, and now he even offered his protection and a reasonable job.

It was true. It wasn’t a dream. Her new master truly was a kind soul whom she could still have a future with.

Lucina could feel her throat choking up. Her eyes blurred as though she wanted to cry, but there wasn’t enough for tears to fall. With her vision bleary, she could only rub her eyes as she gazed towards her new master with the utmost gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Lordship,” she replied before adding in a strong, firmer voice. “I promise I’ll repay your kindness, Sir. A Samaran never forgets their benefactors.”

With a gentle headpat on her silky-white hair, Konstantin sat down next to her.

“To be honest, I already knew the Samarans’ reputation in repaying gratitude, which is part of why I was interested in you to begin with,” he told her with a soft smile and a faint shrug. “You’ll have to come to this room to sleep a few times every week though. I promise you that I won’t touch you anywhere inappropriate, but there are appearances that I must maintain. Don’t worry. My bed is more than big enough for two people to lay apart comfortably.”

Returning his smile at last, Lucina met his gaze from just a forearm’s length away and nodded. She wasn’t sure yet what good deed from her past life’s karma she had just benefited from. But she was certain that, for the first time in months, her life in this world had taken a turn for the better.

 

—— * * * ——

 

At the time, Lucina — or Luna, as she would be known by — did not yet know just how much her life would change as a result of their meeting.

Nor could anyone else have guessed how a single encounter would change the history of Polisia itself.

 

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