I Only Raised Men for Revenge - Chapter 11

Black hair swayed in the breeze. But the golden eyes within remained unwavering.

Much taller than Sesenia. His beauty, unnoticed when confined in the slave market, seemed to shine brilliantly under the sunlight. He opened his mouth, as if finally about to ask a question.

“And earlier too. Why didn’t you use the ring? When I tried to kill that merchant, you could have subdued me with it easily.”

“You’re not a beast. And even if you were, I wouldn’t use a ring like that.”

“…”

“I’d like to throw it away if I could, but I can’t because I’m afraid you’ll run away. So, stay here and behave, okay? Rohan will come to give you food sometimes. If you need anything or want anything, tell him then. I’ll provide it.”

He hung his head low. Seeing him like a puppy soaked in rain, Sesenia stroked his hair.

“You have to listen well, okay? Only then will I let you go, right?”

“Please tell me exactly. Please tell me honestly.”

His eyes were truly pleading.

“What are you so curious about?”

“Why did Master buy me?”

“To fluff cotton?”

With those words, he slowly raised his head.

“The real reason.”

‘How can I tell you the real reason? That you’re the Emperor’s hidden child. Something only I know.’

A royal no one knew about.

Royal blood was precious, so his appearance was quite novel.

No one openly supported him, and he had no education, but he possessed a strength more formidable than any other prince.

Therefore, he immediately became a threat to the throne. He was an object of awe. A person born with a stronger royal power than anyone else.

‘That’s why I chose you.’

At least until that time came, until he was revealed to be royalty, Sesenia wanted to give him a complete life instead of letting him experience the excessively sad future that a royal without backing would face.

‘I don’t even know if this is right. But ultimately, the choice will be yours. It doesn’t matter if you don’t become Emperor. Your existence alone will threaten them. But you will eventually choose to become Emperor.’

Sesenia’s expression subtly changed.

In reality, Sesenia didn’t know everything about him perfectly either. He didn’t know who he was or why he was a slave despite being an imperial citizen when he came to the Imperial Palace.

He was a prince who had appeared a week before Sesenia suffered that incident, so not much information about him was known.

It was said that he had been kidnapped from his mother by those who feared his birth, and there were also rumors that his ill-natured mother had smuggled out the precious imperial bloodline.

Almost nothing was known about his mother either.

‘I don’t know if anything was revealed after I died.’

In the end, Sesenia had brought him to raise him as a candidate for Emperor. She had no good intentions. She had rescued him from the slave traders a little early, but it wasn’t because she was kind or gentle.

‘I’m not a kind or good person. It’s just for my own benefit.’

Therefore, Sesenia hardened her expression even more.

“Just think of it as the hypocrisy of a rich person.”

“…”

“I intend to support you no matter what path you take. That’s why I bought you.”

“…”

“Hmm… if even this isn’t an answer, just think of it as buying your future.”

His eyes were golden, but inside, they were deep and profound, as if containing the universe. If he washed up and dressed up a little, he would have an air of dignity that would rival even the Emperor and the princes.

“Name…”

“Huh?”

“I won’t run away. I’ll gratefully accept even that hypocrisy. You’ve freed me. So, give me a name.”

“Ah.”

He didn’t have a name? But there was definitely something he was called.

“Was there no name you were ever called?”

“Emers.”

“Huh?”

“It was a name meaning someone who has to go a very long way. My mother gave me that name before she sold me off.”

Emers. It wasn’t a name you would ever give a child. But through that name, Sesenia could be sure. That he was that prince.

The royals were very precious beings. So, even if they became Emperor, they didn’t kill their brothers.

That’s why even the late Emperor’s children, and the current Emperor’s brothers, freely came and went in the Imperial Palace. It was a law established because of the past massacre of the royals.

All royals must be protected by the Imperial Family.

Unless they committed the grave crime of rebellion, the royals maintained their dignity.

Even the Emperor could not arbitrarily harm his brothers, those who inherited the blood of the Imperial Family.

That was why Sesenia’s execution was so easily carried out, just because Elzer had tried to kill the child she bore. The royals were precious and valuable.

‘That’s why information about new princes was reported to the Emperor and Empress.’

Sesenia knew the rough story about the new prince who had been discovered a week before that incident. He had a name, Emers, but he didn’t want to be called by that name.

He had lived in a slave market and barely escaped with the help of a patron. Who that patron was and what their intentions were hadn’t been revealed, but Sesenia knew one thing.

‘That person is definitely him.’

Because of his black hair, she had some doubts. But the man she had brought was the prince who had been imprisoned by slave traders since he was very young.

“I always thought I was abandoned by God, but it seems God has extended his last mercy to me. So, I will diligently fluff cotton as Master says. So, a name… give me one.”

“Even though you have a name your mother gave you?”

His expression hardened.

“It’s not difficult. Tedel. How about Tedel?”

“…”

“The nickname is Teddy.”

Is it bad? She said the name that suddenly came to mind, but his expression became darker than before.

“I’m bad at naming…”

“No. I like it too much. Tedel… Teddy… Thank you. The name Master gave me… thank you.”

She couldn’t say she knew what his life had been like. How could she know better than the person who experienced it? But she knew well that his life had definitely not been easy.

Tedel, who had lived his whole life in a slave market prison where no light entered. So, Sesenia also thought that he might run away from here. Because it was the first freedom he had obtained.

Even so, it didn’t really matter. Eventually, he would appear as he did in the original timeline.

‘If that happens, I’ll just be a rich person’s hypocrisy doing useless things. ‘

Whatever happens, the future will change. Sesenia will bet on the piece called Tedel.

“There’s no need to thank me.”

What could she say when she couldn’t tell the truth?

It was then. Tedel murmured his name several times, then knelt on the floor and kissed the back of Sesenia’s hand.

“I won’t do it if Master doesn’t want me to.”

“No. You have to show your loyalty. I bought you.”

“Yes.”

“Live comfortably here.”

“I will follow Master’s will.”

There had never been salvation in his life. The only salvation might have been that he came to the Imperial Palace thanks to a patron and was recognized as a prince.

The last thing she heard before she died was that his life had been terrible. When he was very young, he was abused by people he didn’t even know, and after he grew up a little, he entered the slave market and lived like an animal.

Whether he was checked because he inherited the Emperor’s blood, or his mother did such a thing. Or there was another force, she didn’t know. Nevertheless, Sesenia wanted to be his savior.

Sesenia felt sorry for him, who was about the same age as her and unusually thin.

She calmly stroked his hair. Whether he liked it or not, Tedel quietly closed his eyes.

After stroking his hair for a long time, Sesenia stepped back.

“Then I have to go now. Teddy. Take good care of the cotton.”

“Yes.”

That was all she said. Having finished everything she had to say, Sesenia headed to the carriage she had come in with Lizbeth and Rohan.

“Ah, Miss. Is it okay to leave him like that? He might run away, so should we have someone watch him.”

“It’s okay if he runs away. No, he won’t run away. Teddy won’t.”

“Why do you trust that guy so much?”

“Just because.”

Rohan still had an expression that he couldn’t understand, but Sesenia got into the carriage and looked at him through the window.

“If he really runs away, you’ll have wasted your money.”

“Didn’t you hear me? If that happens, just think that the hypocrisy of a rich person did something useless. So, please let this pass.”

Only after hearing those words did Rohan let out a deep sigh and nod.

“Haa… Since Miss says so, I have nothing to say. I understand. Let’s go back now. I’ll keep coming to check on him.”

“Okay.”

Like a puppy watching its departing owner, Teddy couldn’t take his eyes off the departing carriage. She didn’t really know what emotions were dwelling in him. Whether he was happy now, or whether his pride was hurt by being sold to such a young lady. Or whether he was plotting to escape, she didn’t know any of it.

But Sesenia’s heart felt a little more at ease. At least it seemed like he could live like a human being.

She felt relieved because she felt like she was changing the future little by little.

**

Another ten days had passed since that day.

It seemed like a little over two weeks had passed since Sesenia had returned to the past. The winter cold was expected to arrive in about two weeks, and there were no problems with Sesenia’s business.

She continued to check on Teddy through Rohan, and he was diligently fluffing cotton.

He had fluffed it so meticulously that the cotton was in better condition than when she first received it. Rohan still didn’t like Teddy, but he also said that his body was unusual.

‘His muscles are all well-developed, as if he was born to hold a sword. I could see it well because he was thin.’

While he didn’t like Teddy, Rohan seemed to have a desire to teach Teddy swordsmanship. In the meantime, Teddy had gained a little weight and had read all the few books in the warehouse keeper’s lodging due to his quick learning ability.

‘Very satisfactory.’

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