Sylas stared intently at James, then silently looked down at his desk. His mind was racing. What could he do? He absentmindedly played with the papers on the table.
This made James uncomfortable. He didn’t understand why Sylas wanted a disabled servant to work in the palace. He was sure the prince knew the strict rules of the palace.
Sylas took a deep breath. He had no other choice at the moment—only one.
"Sir James, I want Kai to help Sean serve me. I know he is very competent; I recommend him," said Sylas.
James was silent. He seemed to have expected this.
"Servants in the royal family’s residence have a high level of education, and not just anyone qualifies for that position. They must understand the palace and royal rules, uphold the dignity of the palace, and serve as an example and focus of attention for all the servants," James said, trying to get Sylas to be more rational.
Kai, the servant Sylas had brought, was not only disabled but also uneducated. James was certain the servant couldn’t even read or count properly. How would he learn the palace and royal rules? His presence would only tarnish the image of the royal family’s servants.
"I don’t care, Sir James. Do you know why servants can’t be disabled and must be healthy? Because they need their bodies to work, and no one wants the trouble of covering for them if they’re sick or unable to work. But I don’t need Kai to work like that. I only need him in the palace," said Sylas.
James stared at Sylas intently, immediately understanding what the prince meant. "You can take him to the harem quarter, Your Highness."
Sylas hadn’t built a harem yet. But he could start now, there were still a few buildings that could be used for that purpose. Though James wouldn’t recommend building new ones, unless Sylas wanted dozens of concubines.
Sylas cleared his throat, suddenly feeling his heart beat faster. The harem quarter? He had never even thought about it. And did he see Kai as a lover?
Considering what had happened to the servant he once protected, who ended up in Adrien’s hands, he didn’t dare reveal his feelings openly. He also wasn’t entirely sure what he felt toward Kai.
As he spoke, Kai’s face appeared in his mind. The sweet smile he imagined on Kai’s lips made his face flush without him realizing it.
No. He didn’t have any feelings yet.
Sylas shook his head quickly. "I don’t need a concubine, Sir James. Make Kai my personal servant. That’s enough."
"Even though your reputation may be damaged for hiring an incompetent servant, Your Highness?" James asked, still trying to dissuade him.
Sylas nodded. "I don’t care. I know he’s capable of doing the job. Who would dare question someone under my recommendation?"
James paused for a moment before finally giving in. "Very well, Your Highness."
But then he added, "However, I must still fulfill my duty. The servant must undergo basic training at the palace dormitory."
Sylas nodded. "No problem. It will be better for him."
Meanwhile, Kai walked behind Amos, who moved without saying a word. The knight was tall and sturdy. His cloak fluttered gently with his steps.
Kai looked at the garden along the colonnade they were passing. The place was very beautiful and spacious. Every corner had several guards with swords in hand.
Kai looked ahead, watching Amos’s steps. But he was startled when the knight suddenly stopped and looked at him.
For a moment, Kai froze. It seemed like he saw a flash of light in the man’s eyes. But it disappeared just as quickly. He quickly looked down, thinking he was imagining it.
He became even more nervous, sure that Amos would scold him for walking too slowly.
But Amos said nothing and continued walking.
Kai hurried to follow with a limp. He stopped paying attention to his surroundings, focusing only on catching up with Amos.
But Amos walked very slowly. Kai felt relieved. He didn’t know where they were going. They entered a hallway in the palace. Kai looked up at the high ceiling above him, decorated with carvings and paintings on the stone.
Kai was startled when, while admiring the ceiling, he bumped into Amos. The scent of sandalwood filled his nose.
"I-I’m sorry, Master..." Kai stammered, bowing his head repeatedly to apologize. Fresh chapters posted on noᴠelfire.net
Amos didn’t answer. Instead, he pointed to a room with a closed door.
Kai followed his gesture and looked toward the door. His gaze wandered around. Several guards stood watch at the end of the hallway and in other areas. But none of them were paying attention to him at the moment, as if they were busy with their own duties.
Kai quickly walked to the room and carefully opened the door.
The scent of sandalwood grew stronger. He stepped inside, looking around.
The room was quite large to Kai’s eyes. But it was dark and stuffy. Hot and humid. It felt as if the air had changed the moment he entered.
It took him a while to get used to the darkness. His gaze fell on a glow in the corner of the room, partly hidden by a thick black book.
The glow changed color. It wasn’t bright, but it was clearly visible in the dark.
It shifted from bluish purple to silver. It was as if the light was wrapping itself around the book.
Kai was too curious to notice the movement around him. He turned when he heard a sound.
Amos was closing the door.
As the door shut completely, Kai saw thin threads of light, like spiderwebs, hanging from the ceiling and converging beneath the black book on the table. It was as if the light was coming from there.
Kai looked around at the threads of light, then turned toward Amos.
Amos placed his sword on the bed, then walked toward Kai, who was still standing stiffly. His gaze never left the servant.
Kai stood frozen, not daring to move. Seeing Amos approach, he only bowed his head. What did the man want? Why didn’t he say anything?
Usually, masters gave him orders right away. He was sure Sylas had told him to follow Amos to serve him.
Amos stopped directly in front of Kai, his eyes filled with questions and curiosity. He pressed down on Kai’s arm, making the servant flinch in surprise.