Chapter 2

As soon as Selene uttered those words, Zirion's face turned deathly pale.

Just then, raucous cheers came from the beast pit next to them. Selene looked over curiously. At the center of the arena crouched a tall, strong beast that had yet to be tamed. Its body was coiled and ready to strike.

Facing it was a dirt-stained and battered young man wielding a longsword. His body was covered in wounds, but his eyes shone brightly with an unyielding spirit.

Selene fixed her gaze on him and asked Rex, "Who is that?"

Rex replied, "He's a wolfman I caught in the mountains a few days ago. Some people are betting on him losing, but he's tough. He's been fighting that beast for two days, and he still hasn't fallen."

As Selene stared at the wolfman's unyielding eyes, she couldn't help but think of her own dreadful end in her past life. She, too, had been thrown into a beast pit like this. However, she hadn't possessed a body as strong as his. Unlike him, she couldn't fight a beast and hold her ground.

She felt sorry for the wolfman and began walking toward him. But she had barely taken a few steps before she suddenly felt a tug at her sleeve.

It was Zirion.

He looked very confused, as if he himself had not expected that he would do something like that.

"Ms. Wyndham…" Zirion whispered, his grip subconsciously tightening.

Selene frowned and glared at him. An intense feeling of disgust arose in her heart.

"Let go! How dare you touch me?" she scolded him.

Rex hurried to appease Selene because he couldn't risk offending an heiress of the Wyndham family. He immediately kicked Zirion hard in the shoulder.

"How dare you? Guys, beat him up!" Rex commanded.

At his order, a guard strode forward with a spiked whip. His arm rose and fell swiftly, inflicting a fierce lash against Zirion's body. Each strike was more forceful than the last. After a few lashes, the wounds on Zirion's body, which had barely begun to heal, split open again. Blood gushed from them freely.

Still, he did not make a sound as he stubbornly locked his gaze on Selene's face.

Selene looked back at him. After a short pause, she let out a cold laugh and brushed the dust from her sleeve. She sneered, "So filthy."

At those words, Zirion's body swayed. Unlike his befuddled look earlier, the corners of his eyes reddened, and there was a pleading look in them.

"M-Ms. Wyndham…" Zirion stammered, looking pitiful and wretched.

But Selene no longer cared to watch his performance. While Rex's guards whipped Zirion mercilessly, she continued making her way toward the young wolfman. Upon climbing onto the high platform, she noticed a pile of weapons set by the stands. She picked up a bow, drew it, and shot an arrow straight into the arena.

The beast shrieked as the arrow pierced its eye. Then, it collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Everyone turned their gaze to Selene, including the wolfman, who was half kneeling and pressing his longsword to the ground for support.

Selene descended from the platform in steady steps and stopped before him. She looked him over and asked, "What's your name?"

"Fen… Fenric." His voice was hoarse, as though he had not spoken for a long time.

Selene nodded and turned to speak to Rex. "I want him."

With that, she pulled a pouch from her robes and tossed it into his hands.

As a fawning smile appeared on Rex's face, Selene led Fenric past Zirion. And there, at Zirion's side, stood Vanessa.

Vanessa called out, her tone anxious, "Selene! How… How could you take a liking to him?"

Her eyes lingered on Fenric with disbelief.

Selene studied Vanessa's youthful face. She looked innocent and charming, like she was incapable of something as dastardly as scheming against another person. Yet, it was this exact young lady who had managed to anticipate every one of Selene's actions and planted Zirion right beside her to bring her down completely.

"Nessa, you seem to know exactly what I like," Selene remarked in a pointed tone, glancing at Zirion's stunning face.

Then, she added, "Unfortunately, I now prefer someone stronger and more robust. You can keep that one for yourself."

At that, Vanessa's face turned ashen.