Chapter 1. Hypocrisy (3)
Hakan, delayed by the clinging women, quickly followed behind. He knocked on the door, and Madame Cornelia welcomed the two men.
“Oh my, welcome. It’s been so long since you both visited.”
“Madame, you’re still as beautiful as ever. I’d believe you if you said you were still working as a girl.”
“Oh, you flatterer. That’s why our girls adore you so much. You’re so handsome, kind, and witty—how could they not?”
“They’ve been waiting for me? Oh dear, I’ve committed a grave sin against these ladies.”
“Now that you know, visit more often.”
Madame Cornelia laughed elegantly in response to Hakan’s banter. The three of them climbed the stairs and entered a large hall. Women, already dressed to the nines, were sitting in disarray, their sweet words melting the men around them.
“Oh! Lord Hakan!”
“Why haven’t you visited in so long? I thought I’d die from missing you!”
“You’re attending the evening banquet tonight, right? Who are you taking?”
“Take me with you tonight!”
“No, me! I haven’t been out in so long!”
The women swarmed Hakan, quickly linking their arms with his. Even though two women had already claimed his sides, others lingered nearby, waiting for an opportunity. Hakan, now buried in a sea of women, and Grand Duke Canis, who sat apart with his back turned, drew everyone’s attention—though for very different reasons.
“Marilla, who are those two? Why are they causing such a commotion?”
A newly arrived girl expressed her curiosity. Marilla, the longest-serving girl at Madame Cornelia’s establishment, was helping the newcomer adjust. She answered easily.
“Those two are the most famous men in this city. The one surrounded by the girls is Lord Estania, and the one with him is the Grand Duke who rules both the Grand Duchy of Canis and Harun.”
Now it made sense why everyone was making such a fuss. One was the heir to Estania, and the other was a Grand Duke. If either of them took notice of you…
Moreover, even without their titles, both men were stunningly handsome. Lord Estania had ash-blond hair with purple eyes, and from head to toe, he sparkled like a jewel. His bright expression made everything around him seem to glow.
In contrast, Grand Duke Canis had dark auburn hair and indifferent gray eyes, exuding a cold and detached aura. He carried himself with a natural grace and authority, as if born to rule over others. Even his eerily bright, almost animalistic eyes suited him perfectly.
With such striking appearances and wealth, what woman wouldn’t be drawn to them?
The girl, who had been watching for a moment, moved closer. Deciding that Grand Duke Canis, who was less crowded than Lord Estania, might be more approachable, she turned toward him. Marilla gasped in surprise and reached out, but Madame Cornelia was no different. Before she could react, the girl sat beside the Duke and linked her arm with his.
“Why are you sitting alone? Let me pour you some—”
Before she could finish, Grand Duke Canis abruptly stood up. He slapped the girl’s cheek so hard she collapsed to the floor. The atmosphere in the room froze instantly.
“How dare you touch me with your filthy hands?”
Madame Cornelia rushed over, shielding the girl behind her as she tried to smooth things over.
“I apologize. She’s new and still unfamiliar with her work.”
“If she can’t do her job, she should at least have some sense. Otherwise, she’s just selling her body.”
“I’m truly sorry. I’ll teach her better. Marilla, take her away quickly!”
“Yes, Madame!”
Grand Duke Canis wiped his hands and clothes with a handkerchief, his face twisted in disgust, before tossing it at Madame Cornelia.
“Throw it away.”
“Yes. I’ll prepare a new one—”
“Not necessary.”
Grand Duke Canis turned to Hakan, who was still surrounded by women.
“You said this would be quick. I’m leaving. Follow me if you want.”
“Wait, no! I’ll come with you!”
Hakan hurriedly extricated himself from the women and chased after Grand Duke Canis, who was already striding away. Madame Cornelia quickly caught up to them at the bottom of the stairs.
“I sincerely apologize for the inexperienced girl’s mistake. If it pleases you, we have a new boy who just arrived. He’s still a virgin. He was meant for tonight’s auction, but if you desire him, I can—”
“A new boy? Why didn’t you tell me first, Madame! How unfair!”
Hakan, overhearing, protested in an aggrieved tone. Madame Cornelia hesitated—Hakan would pay whatever she asked, but she couldn’t let Grand Duke Canis leave empty-handed.
Reluctantly, she led the two men to a room. Inside sat a boy who seemed to have come from a distant land, with dark hair and eyes, and features unlike those of the locals. He was as slender as a girl, with delicate, refined features. If his gender hadn’t been mentioned, everyone would have assumed he was a girl.
“…He’s my type.”
Hakan muttered to himself. Madame Cornelia responded casually.
“When has anyone not been your type?”
“Well, that’s true. So, how much were you expecting for him at the auction?”
As always, Hakan was unmatched in generosity. Madame Cornelia’s face brightened, but instead of naming a price, she turned to Grand Duke Canis.
“What do you think of him, Your Grace?”
Grand Duke Canis didn’t answer. He simply studied the boy carefully.
The boy had delicate features, an innocent and pure face that blended with an inexplicable calm and elegance. Despite being in an unfamiliar place, possibly about to be sold, he remained composed. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over Grand Duke Canis.
Something blurred and overlapped in his mind—the memory of the first time he saw Ronen.
He had been dressed up for the auction, but his emaciated body, like skin stretched over bones, was unappealing. No matter how much fragrant oil was applied, his hair remained dry as straw. He looked no different from any starving street urchin, yet something about him was captivating.
It must have been his eyes. Fresh and lovely, like new spring shoots, his light green eyes shimmered with the warmth of a summer sun. They were so transparent, pure, and noble that they didn’t seem to belong to this world.
A heavenly gem that anyone would desire—said to dispel darkness and evil, yet in reality, its beauty ensnared people, staining them with greed. The unique, vivid color and the calmness that suggested readiness to accept anything—or perhaps unshakable resolve—evoked a strange fascination. He wondered what lay within those eyes.
Of course, it was only for a moment. He hadn’t been the one to bid on Ronen back then. To him, Ronen was just another filthy street urchin.
“…Doesn’t he remind you of Ronen when he first arrived?”
Grand Duke Canis suddenly snapped back to reality at the unexpected voice. Madame Cornelia was smiling mysteriously.
He had to admit, she had an eye for raw talent. She had spotted Ronen’s potential the moment she saw him begging on the street—a rough gem buried in the mud.
Madame Cornelia, who still retained her maiden beauty despite being a mother, continued in a seductive voice.
“How about taking this one and molding him from the start?”
“Are you mocking me for failing to tame Ronen?”
Grand Duke Canis’s voice was dangerously cold. Hakan, who had been about to say he wanted to try taming the boy, quickly closed his mouth and stepped back. Ronen was the one topic that could wound the Duke’s towering pride.
Ronen, who refused to bend and maintained his stubborn pride, was the perfect subject for torment. A male prostitute who dared to reject the advances of Grand Duke Canis and Duke Harun, and who had tried to escape countless times, only to end up in shackles.
Already famous for his striking looks and unique aura, Ronen’s refusal to be won over by Grand Duke Canis had made the Duke a laughingstock.
Madame Cornelia, well aware of this, quickly denied it.
“Of course not.”
She added hastily,
“I already knew from the beginning that Ronen was a boy who would break before he bent. That’s part of his charm—no matter how you break his wings, tear him apart, or drag him through the mud, he remains unstained. His consistency only fuels the desire to trample him completely.”
Madame Cornelia smirked, her smile a mix of elegance and vulgarity. Grand Duke Canis’s eyebrows furrowed.
“That is enjoyable, of course… but sometimes, don’t you want to see someone take on your color? The satisfaction of discovering the marks you’ve left on them is just as delightful. This boy adapts quickly and is quite obedient. You’ll find the process of taming him quite rewarding.”
Grand Duke Canis’s gaze returned to the boy. As he looked into the dark eyes so different from Ronen’s, he abruptly turned away.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
