IT ALL STARTED THAT DAY...
THE DAY THAT I WAS ORDERED TO MARRY LORD OBERDE.
DON'T YOU KNOW THAT THE MARGRAVE IS THE HERO OF ESTIA?
YOU MUST REMEMBER, YOUR BODY BELONGS TO THE CROWN.
THIS IS YOUR DUTY AS THE PRINCESS.
BUT, MOTHER...
LEAH...
THIS IS ALL FOR THE GOOD OF THE KINGDOM.
WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE GIVEN AWAY LIKE A PRIZE,
I WAS DEVASTATED.
BUT MY DESPAIR WAS ONLY MOMENTARY.
AS I READ THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT, I KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO.
WHEW...
IF I CAN'T AVOID BEING SOLD OFF,
I WILL BRING IRREPARABLE DISGRACE TO THE ROYAL FAMILY OF ESTIA.
A DARK ROBE...
THAT MUST BE HIM.
ARE YOU MY PARTNER TONIGHT?
IT SEEMS LIKE IT.
HIS VOICE IS SO LOW...
I HEARD MEN IN THIS LINE OF WORK ARE SWEET AND HANDSOME,
BUT THIS MAN...
I NEED TO BE CALM. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT IS ANYWAY.
FOLLOW ME.
PERHAPS IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO TURN BACK.
NO.
IT'S NOT AS IF I'M HERE TO DO SOMETHING TENDER AND ROMANTIC...
YOU SEEM QUITE NERVOUS.
YOU'RE A... KURKAN.
DARK SKIN AND DARK HAIR.
SUCH UNUSUAL, VIVID EYES...
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE SOMEONE CALLED ME A KURKAN.
USUALLY, THEY CALL US BARBARIANS.
THE KURKAN
MOST OTHERS AROUND THE CONTINENT LOOKED DOWN ON THEM, CALLING THEM BARBARIANS OR BEASTS.
INDEED, THE INHERENT NATURE OF THE KURKAN WAS CLOSER TO THAT OF AN ANIMAL THAN THAT OF A HUMAN.
THEY ARE IMPULSIVE, UNRULY,
AND DANGEROUS BEINGS WHO ARE DRIVEN BY INSTINCT.
DESPITE ALL THIS, THEY WERE HIGHLY DESIRED FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY AND PHYSICAL PROWESS.
EVEN IN ESTIA, WHERE SLAVERY IS ILLEGAL,
THEY WERE TRADED ON THE BLACK MARKET AS FIRST-RATE SLAVES.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF KURKANS WHILE CAPTURING ILLEGAL SLAVE TRADERS,
BUT THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SEEING ONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THIS.
IS HE REALLY A PROSTITUTE?
W-WAIT!
A RICH YOUNG LADY VISITING A BROTHEL...
I GUESS ALL THE NOBLES AROUND YOU AREN'T VERY WELL-ENDOWED.
AH...!
LOOK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING ALL THE WAY OUT HERE, BUT—
WHAT I'M DOING?
DOES THAT EVEN MATTER? I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH TONIGHT WHILE HIDING YOUR IDENTITY.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ENJOY YOURSELF.
HE'S RIGHT...
I'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN ANYWAY.
AS LONG AS I CAN TARNISH THE CROWN'S PRIZED POSSESSION...
AS LONG AS I CAN DEFILE MY PURITY AND DIE...
THE TOOL I USE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IS IRRELEVANT.
DO NOT OVERSTEP YOUR BOUNDS.
YOU ARE MERELY SOMEONE I AM PAYING TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH.
WELL, THEN...
SHALL I CALL YOU MASTER?
I'LL TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF FOR YOU.
WHAT?
ARE YOU SCARED?
COMING TO A PLACE LIKE THIS...
YOU SHOULD BE SCARED.
HICCUP!
HAHA... DO YOU HAVE THE HICCUPS?
JUST FOCUS ON YOUR JOB.
AHH!
DON'T WORRY. I'LL MAKE TONIGHT WORTH YOUR MONEY.
SO,
LET'S HAVE SOME FUN.
In Predatory Marriage Chapter 3, Princess Leah is ordered to marry Lord Oberde and resolves to disgrace the royal family in revenge. Told her body belongs to the crown and marriage is her duty, she decides to defile her purity before the wedding. She meets a man in a dark robe for the night and discovers he is a striking Kurkan, and despite her nerves and hiccups, she insists he is only a paid tool for her plan.