Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty
Chapter 107: Lord of Galdreth (02)

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Lord of Galdreth (02)

A servant immediately stepped forward, bowing slightly before gesturing for Cassian to follow.

"This way, Sir," the servant said in a polite voice.

Cassian nodded and trailed behind him. His steps suddenly felt heavy, like someone had tied a heavy weight to his legs. His legs refused to move forward.

Suddenly, he wanted to be rooted in the same place. He did not know how to face him. He had impulsively asked him for a chat.

But now, he was so nervous that he could not even comprehend what he would say to him. Should he just say hello and then run away without looking back?

No... No, he couldn’t do that. It would look like he was running away. If someone asked why he was running, how would he explain that he was scared to talk to the Lord of Galdreth? Never mind—who would believe him at all? This idea was totally a flop and embarrassing.

He should just walk away now and tell them he had something important to do. It would be better and would also save him from the embarrassing moment of facing him.

Just as he opened his lips to talk to the servant,

The servant cut him off and said respectfully,

"The Lord is inside," the servant announced before pushing the door open and stepping aside.

Cassian felt tongue-tied as he realized that he was already in front of a big wooden door filled with finely carved details of a lion. It was so intricately decorated that every single carving made the lion look too alive, as if it would come out of the door and growl the next second.

Soon, the same door opened, and he could see inside the study room. He walked inside with shaky steps. He felt relieved that even if someone noticed his trembling steps, they would think it was because of his thigh injury and not because he was nervous.

Cassian hesitated for only a moment before finally stepping inside.

As his gaze swept over the study, he was surprised. Unlike the rest of the mansion, which was filled with ostentatious decor and heavy embellishments, this room carried an air of timeless elegance.

The deep mahogany shelves, filled with neatly arranged books and scrolls, gave the space a refined and intellectual atmosphere. A large window allowed soft morning light to filter in, casting long shadows over the polished wooden floor.

His eyes settled on the elegant figure seated at the head of a massive mahogany desk. The man appeared absorbed in his documents, but as Cassian stepped further in, he finally lifted his gaze.

"My lord," Cassian began, swallowing his nerves. "I wanted to personally thank you for offering us a place to stay and for tending to our wounds. We are in your debt."

The Lord of Galdreth observed him with a calm, unreadable expression. After a brief pause, he finally responded.

"Never mind that," he said slowly. "It was my duty."

Cassian’s lips parted slightly. His duty? He had expected a nobleman to brush off his gratitude, but something about the way he said it made Cassian’s chest tighten.

After a moment of hesitation, he decided to speak again because as much as he was Cassian, he was also Leader Hayes, who had the responsibility of his comrades.

He had to find out more about the man in front of him. By the looks of it, the man was clearly a noble, as everyone referred to him as the City Lord of Galdreth.

But Cassian had heard that the City Lord had already died and that the city was currently not occupied by anyone.

Was the man in front of him a companion of that demon? Wasn’t that demon also claiming to be the City Lord? Cassian’s hand clenched at the thought. He hoped this was just his imagination and that the man in front of him had no relationship with that demon.

Or else... he really did not know what to do. So, he decided to confirm it before it was too late and they regretted it.

"If I may, my lord," Cassian started carefully. "I have heard that Galdreth lost its City Lord. Then... you are?"

The man suddenly chuckled. His laughter was deep yet smooth, like the melodic chime of a bell.

Cassian froze. For some reason, the sound sent a strange sensation through him—one he couldn’t quite place.

"You must not have been aware," the Lord of Galdreth said, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "I was appointed as the new City Lord just last month."

Cassian stiffened slightly. Appointed?

The man reached for the drawer in his desk and retrieved a rolled parchment sealed with the kingdom’s emblem. He placed it in front of Cassian and gestured for him to read.

Cassian carefully unrolled the decree, his eyes scanning the official script. The wax seal was unmistakably genuine—an undeniable order from the kingdom itself.

His grip on the parchment tightened slightly as he processed the words.

The man before him was truly the new City Lord of Galdreth.

He had been appointed at the same time they had started their journey, which was why he actually did not know about this at all. Cassian blew a relieved breath. Finally, his nerves relaxed.

But thinking about that demon, his expression grew worse. After all, it was because of him that they had all landed in this position. His knuckles turned white as rage ignited inside him. The demons were really just as described in those books—bloodthirsty, with arrogance filling their bones as they looked down on other races.

Tap... tap...

"The parchment will be torn if you clench it any tighter," a melodic voice rang in Cassian’s ear. Cassian felt a sudden jolt in his hands and warm breath too close to him.

He suddenly got startled and looked at his own hands, which were crumpling the scroll in his rage.

"What... I am sorry," he immediately stuttered as he loosened his grip and tried to smooth it out.

"Never mind... I will do it," the man said and took the parchment from Cassian’s hand, showing his smooth, elegant knuckles. His fingers slightly brushed against Cassian’s hand.

Cassian felt itch in his hands as he felt the soft touch and looked at the man’s defined knuckles. He felt like even his knuckles were seducing him.