Chapter 9: Difference
"Except for you, Julian, I don't belong to anyone, and... no matter what, no matter where, you can have me any time you think of the first time." The phrase "heart blossoming with joy" is probably the best way to describe Losiya's mood right now. An inexpressible feeling of delight rippled through her, and the original, uncomfortable surge of possessiveness that was filled with aggression also subsided.
After the kiss-on-the-cheek ceremony, Losiya still held onto Julian's hand and didn't let go, even gently gripping his fingers.
On the dance floor, many people, at the end of a song, politely released their partners and, before the second song began, sought new dance partners or moved to the side for refreshments.
From the moment Losiya pulled Julian onto the dance floor, some people noticed Julian, admiring him while quietly waiting for the opportunity to exchange dance partners for the second song.
Perceiving the probing glances from those around her, Losiya returned them with a brilliant smile.
The implicit understanding characteristic of nobles, combined with the fact that tonight's guests were Losiya's close friends, meant they immediately understood that Julian was Losiya's exclusive possession. Of course, they wouldn't compete with the hostess of the party for a lover, so they smiled amicably and ignored the two intertwined figures on the dance floor.
Guests resting in the distance even raised their glasses towards Losiya in greeting, revealing 'congratulatory' ambiguous expressions.
However, Julian's beauty still stirred other intentions in some people. In the Sakura Roland Empire, exchanging men was almost a favored way for nobles to socialize and build connections. This wasn't just limited to slaves; even nominal 'husbands' were treated this way. This had even become an unspoken tradition within the nobility.
As it evolved, even if some noblewomen genuinely loved their husbands and didn't want to engage in this form of social exchange, it wasn't up to them. Those who violated the rules of the circle could only be ostracized, and no one could accept such consequences.
Even among those present, who were considered Losiya's good friends and companions, it was hard to avoid various thoughts about Julian. After all, in their hearts, men were no different from pets. Who would care about a pet's so-called 'chastity'?
Losiya, at this moment, was just experiencing these things, so she still had a sense of novelty and possessiveness. Over time, these opportunities would naturally slowly diminish. At that point, if she offered the other party some benefits and he wanted to take him away to play for a few more days, would Losiya still refuse?
Just thinking of that face on the dance floor, comparable to the goddess Farad in beauty, their lower bodies couldn't help but heat up. Some directly made excuses to go to the restroom.
The second song began, and Julian, gradually accustomed to the rhythm of the dance floor, also began to enjoy the feeling of dancing. This feeling of being immersed in the harmony of music and rhythm was incredibly comfortable. As his body moved, his mind and spirit were further released and satisfied. It was no wonder that balls became an essential part of every party.
He told Losiya about this thought. Losiya just chuckled upon hearing it, as if she were dealing with an uninitiated child.
The real reason why events like balls were so popular was... they were a very effective and convenient way to initiate conversations, while also being proper and polite.
You could probably understand by looking at the passionate way the men and women, or women and women, on the dance floor almost seemed to melt into each other's bodies.
The rhythm of the dance music unknowingly reached its climax. Losiya suddenly leaned into Julian's ear and said,
"I'll hold onto you."
Then he spun out like a top, and after countless turns, he returned to Losiya's embrace.
With almost stumbling steps, he directly collapsed his entire weight onto Losiya. With Julian's boneless body, Losiya noticed Julian's left eye almost emitted a mosquito coil-like swirl, and she couldn't help but reveal a pleased smile.
Tired of playing, Losiya prepared to leave the dance floor. Upon realizing Julian's trembling legs and disorientation, she directly bent down and cradled his knees, holding those fair, jade-like calves, and carried Julian step by step out of the dance floor.
The head maid, Alice, thoughtfully pulled out a seat for Losiya to place Julian on.
But this time, she misunderstood her mistress's intention. Losiya looked down at Julian's small face, and the exquisite touch in her hands made her even more reluctant to let go.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Alice immediately understood, bowing her head and walking away, no longer disturbing Losiya.
After Alice left, Losiya looked down again, and an unidentifiable sense of guilt welled up in her heart.
Originally, Losiya had only intended to bring him to her estate for protection; she genuinely had no other intentions.
If she had to say, it was the records about Julian given to her at the auction that first piqued her interest.
This was a very unusual situation.
In the realm of Transcendent Beings, the higher the existence, the less interested they were in men, because the disparity between them was too great, just as humans would not develop feelings for ants. Most noblewomen who indulged in male-female intimacy were those with limited talent.
After awakening her higher Holy Mark, Losiya had basically lost interest in men. Occasionally, at her mother's urging, she would interact with some seemingly good breeding prospects. The result was not only no change in her impression but an increase in her disgust.
They had no soul whatsoever, only knowing how to flatter and boast about their pathetic selves. Raising cats and dogs was more interesting than these types; at least cats and dogs didn't have so many obnoxious thoughts.
It wasn't until she looked through Julian's records, seeing how Julian had traveled all over the place to seek treatment for his mother, that she felt an inexplicable feeling. The auction house's investigation was very detailed. When Losiya first read it, she found it hard to comprehend.
With his looks, if he had ingratiated himself with a wealthy noble, would he still be afraid of not having money to treat his mother? Why would he sell himself to an auction house as merchandise?
She also knew these flesh-eating capitalists, who would stop at nothing to exploit Julian, a homeless boy, squeezing out the maximum benefit with the least cost.
Just feeling Julian was foolish, Losiya suddenly fell silent after flipping to his mother's situation, her whole body even feeling a bit cold.
It turned out that shortly before he was auctioned, his mother had also passed away from a serious illness. The records stated that Julian had no money to buy a coffin for his mother and could only wrap her body with all the fabric in the house.
He found a clean patch of dirt, and in the deserted mountains and forests, he dug a hole with his bare hands. Then, exhausted, he returned home and was caught by an undercover agent from the auction house.
In the Roland Empire, having lost his backing, he had no human rights.
After this, he didn't even have time to bury his mother before he was sent to the auction house in the royal city.
After reading the records, Losiya's heart underwent a subtle change.
Foolish behavior, yet she didn't dislike it. On the contrary, she greatly appreciated Julian's seemingly childish but actually very persistent demeanor.
Suddenly, she caught a scent, and Losiya came to her senses, realizing it was coming from Julian's face. It was fresh and invigorating, subtly intoxicating.
Gently placing Julian down, Losiya remembered the unfinished business in Julian's records and resolved to help him complete it.
That way... she could do the next thing with a clear conscience.