As time passed, we reached a massive castle—I assumed it belonged to the Princess. Beyond its gates, our lives would no longer be our own. Anxiety and fear twisted the faces around me, but one boy, about my age, looked… calm. Too calm. I studied him, wondering what he could be thinking.
The carriage came to a halt. A guard barked an order: open the cage and sort the captives into six categories—Slaves, Warriors, Guards, Brawlers, Personal Servants, and Potential Husbands.
In this continent, there is only one Royal Family. The Princess rarely chooses a partner; nobles don't exist to entertain her, and most commoners are nothing but playthings. Fail to satisfy her, and you meet your end. Execution.
Twenty-six males in total. Six Guards, six Brawlers for the arena, four Warriors for war, six Slaves, two Personal Servants, and two Potential Partners. I was placed with the Personal Servants. The calm boy? Chosen as a Potential Partner. That explained his composure.
I let the realization settle. The Princess's gaze might fall on him at any moment, and his fate would hang on a whim. As for me… I had no illusions about what awaited inside. Observation and silence were all I had.