Chapter 1: I Purchased a Broken (Female) Hero as a Slave

Look at this chaos

De.

Revion del Rosel.

Once an ordinary commoner, he etched a deep and indelible mark in the history of the kingdom.

He was the first commoner to be granted the title of “Del,” a duke, and achieved this incredible feat in just five years—a record documented in history.

This was an unprecedented event in the history of the Elrond Kingdom and one that is unlikely to ever be repeated.

Even Yulis, who was previously the highest-ranking commoner, only reached the title of baron, and it took him ten years to do so.

Yet Rosel became a duke in just five years, trivializing Yulis’s achievements and cementing himself as the king’s most loyal confidant.

Of course, there were justifiable reasons why he surpassed existing dukes to earn the king’s favor.

First, he provided crucial information leading to the complete dismantling of the [Red Flag Bandit Group], a long-standing thorn in the kingdom’s side, including the capture of their leader.

Second, he predicted and helped thwart a major attack by the [Demishka Pirates] on the southern coastal city of Haila, the kingdom’s maritime capital.

Third, he foresaw an epidemic that threatened the capital city, saving countless lives.

His name inevitably reached the king, who acknowledged his contributions by granting him the title of “Viscount.”

This all happened merely two years after he had come of age.

Rumors spread widely, hailing him as a prophet sent by the goddess.

His reputation soared as even the king summoned him for an audience.

He was subsequently granted a small fief near the capital, and under the king’s unwavering support, he transformed the land into a prosperous domain.

The people of the fief followed him wholeheartedly.

He was wise, compassionate, and possessed exceptional judgment.

Day by day, his fief grew stronger, and within two years of being named viscount, the influx of new settlers had turned it into a truly flourishing domain.

A robust system was established, and a new civilization began to take root.

Rosel solidified his legacy by introducing a groundbreaking invention to the continent: the “pencil.”

Made from graphite, this writing tool outperformed the ink pens previously used across the continent, becoming one of Elrond Kingdom’s key exports.

The export of pencils transformed Elrond from a peripheral and insignificant kingdom into a wealthy and powerful nation.

Even the emperor of the empire traveled to meet the king of Elrond just to secure a deal for pencil imports.

As a result, the domain governed by Rosel expanded to rival the capital and became a key hub for trade, known as [Rosel’s Domain].

The domain bustled with crowds, and its streets were filled with laughter and vitality.

One year later, King Brickal honored Rosel for his contributions to the kingdom’s prosperity by bestowing upon him the title of “Del,” a duke.

The people of his domain celebrated their lord’s rise with a festival that lasted three days and nights.

Rosel, who had risen to such heights that he seemed almost godlike, then did something unexpected.

“500 gold.”

He raised his hand at a slave auction in the central square of the capital.

Unlike other domains, Rosel’s domain was distinct for having no slaves.

While there were distinctions between commoners and nobles, the nobles did not exploit the commoners as slaves, and all commoners in the domain were treated fairly as its citizens.

The same was true for Rosel’s estate.

Thus, when rumors spread that Rosel would be attending the auction, people were perplexed.

Even when he arrived at the auction without placing any bids, they assumed he was merely there to witness the downfall of the hero accused of treason.

But to everyone’s surprise, he made a bid.

A staggering 500 gold.

An amount more than double the bid placed by the wealthy Count Lubran, as if to declare that no further bids would be entertained.

Defeated, Count Lubran stormed out of the auction, growling in frustration.

“500 gold! Is there no higher bid?!”

The auctioneer shouted at the top of his lungs, but the auction house was filled with silence.

The Duke of Rosel, known for refusing to keep slaves, had just spent 500 gold to buy a slave.

And not just any slave—a woman accused of treason, a crime punishable by death.

The fact that he had spent 500 gold on such a slave left the crowd surrounding the auction in murmurs.

“So the Duke of Rosel is still a man, after all.”

“Five hundred gold… That’s an amount I can’t even begin to imagine.”

“Well, she must be worth that much. If I had the money, I’d probably empty my fortune to buy her too.”

“A virgin hero… Just hearing the title makes her worth every bit of that 500 gold, doesn’t it?”

“Or maybe he plans to hold her accountable for the treason against the kingdom? The Duke has always had a deep affection for the kingdom.”

“Hmm… That might be it. If it’s the Duke of Rosel, that’s something he would definitely do. Either way, I’m so jealous!”

The auctioneer folded his fingers as he announced the close of bidding, and with that, the hero was sold to Rosel.

However, despite winning the bid, Rosel displayed no sign of joy.

His stiff expression was closer to sorrow.

“Sold! The Duke of Rosel has purchased this slave for 500 gold! Congratulations!”

With a grin that revealed he considered this a windfall, the auctioneer announced the sale.

A higher bid meant a bigger cut for him and his colleagues—this would surely call for a celebration tonight.

Rosel stood from his seat and ascended the auction platform.

He approached Emilia.

Her pale, alabaster skin was clean, likely washed for the auction. Yet it looked dry and lifeless, far from healthy.

Her once radiant blonde hair, though combed, had become coarse and unkempt, like a neglected horse’s mane.

It seemed she hadn’t eaten properly either.

The firm yet delicate physique he had seen during her hero’s reception had wasted away, leaving only her skeletal frame behind.

She was so emaciated that it seemed a light push could topple her.

Seeing her in this state, Rosel felt a pang of grief.

“…Emilia.”

Bound in ropes and trembling feebly, Emilia was unrecognizable.

Her pitiful appearance bore no trace of the heroic dignity she once held.

Through the holes in her tattered clothes, bruises and scars were visible, forcing Rosel to swallow hard to keep his composure.

Terrified, Emilia couldn’t even respond to Rosel’s call.

Trembling like a frightened dog on a hot day, she had become the embodiment of a broken slave.

Though she had defeated the Demon King with fate’s strength rather than physical might, that same fate had crushed her, reducing her to this state.

“Emilia.”

“E-Emilia! The Duke of Rosel is calling you! Answer him at once!”

Her trembling form was pitiful beyond words, but the auctioneer had no patience for her hesitation.

At his stern rebuke, Emilia finally opened her mouth.

“Yes… yes, my lord…”

Her voice cracked like a barren desert, dry and lifeless.

Hearing her pitiful voice, so full of the suffering she had endured, Rosel let out a low, sorrowful sigh.

He didn’t need her to explain what horrors she had faced in the royal prison—he could already imagine them.

“From now on, your name is no longer Emilia. You shall be called Chaicel. Do you understand?”

“Ch-Chaicel…”

The name of the hero who once saved this world—an unworthy name for a slave condemned as a traitor.

Rosel, forcing himself to utter such cold and unfitting words, clenched his teeth in disgust at his own actions.

He alone knew of her innocence, but there was no way to prove it at the moment.

She had been labeled a traitor by the king himself.

If he openly expressed concern for her safety in public, he would be branded as a co-conspirator.

That would hand the nobles who despised him the perfect excuse to attack him.

Furthermore, the news of him purchasing Emilia as a slave would quickly reach the king’s ears, and the kingdom would undoubtedly watch closely to see how he dealt with the alleged traitor.

If they even suspected he intended to shield her, years of careful planning to save her would be undone in an instant.

That simply could not happen.

To protect her, he needed to remain steadfast and strong.

Proving her innocence could wait until later.

For now, the priority was to restore life to her dull, brittle golden hair and to mend her shattered heart.

The butler, Damian, approached from behind and bowed deeply.

“The carriage is ready, my lord.”

“Good. Have the slave board it, and we’ll return to the estate immediately.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Damian led Chaicel by the ropes, and she trudged toward the carriage like livestock being led to the slaughterhouse.

Rosel watched her slumped figure with eyes filled with compassion.

“I’ll send the payment for the auction within three days by carriage.”

“Your name alone is guarantee enough, Duke Rosel. I’ll ensure the matter is handled appropriately.”

“Very well. I appreciate it.”

With that, Rosel turned toward the carriage.

And as he did, he renewed the vow he had repeated to himself for years.

With a heart seeking redemption for past mistakes, he swore once more.

From this moment on, he would dedicate his life to her.