Chapter 53

Chapter 41: The Hardship (1)

When Enoch headed to the annex used by servants to finish copying the book, which was entrusted to him by the Grand Chamberlain, sarcastic remarks poured out from everywhere around him as if people had been waiting for him to show up.

“Oh look, the ex-fiance of Her Imperial Highness who survived depending on a fair face, appeared. If I knew this would happen, I’d have been born a little handsome.”

“No matter how handsome you are, wouldn’t a face be enough to keep you alive only for a while? Apparently, he’s also of great talent.”

His companions giggled while making lewd hand gestures. Enoch ignored them. Such sarcastic remarks have no effect now.

They beckoned as if they didn’t like Enoch walking in an upright position.

“Hey, come here.”

Enoch approached them, hiding his wretchedness. But they did not miss the contempt that flashed through his polite eyes. To work as a servant in the imperial palace, hiding his emotions was a must.

“You cheeky b*stard… You still think you’re the heir to the Grand Duchy?”

One of them tapped his shoulder with force in his fist. The servant, James, was two years older than Enoch, but half a head shorter. He was one of the most vicious bullies who tormented Enoch, and although he did not have a good appearance or physique, he had a lot of money and was quite aggressive among them.

When Enoch didn’t show any signs of fear even though he had been hit quite hard, James turned red at the humiliation of being ignored.

“Oh, look. This…!”

“That’s enough. Would you be afraid of such petty fists if you were that b*stard?”

Another servant standing by laughed at James. James’ face was about to burst, after hearing his friend’s sneer.

Enoch was not frightened at all. It’s all in the past now, but he was waiting to be formally knighted after a very rigorous training session. This threat was nothing but child’s play to him.

“Then is this enough to scare you?”

James smacked Enoch in the face, pretending to speak to a friend. It was not until Enoch’s body staggered loudly that he smiled contentedly.

“How is it, you b*stard? Are you a little scared now?”

Enoch was rubbing off the blood that burst out of his open lip. “Other places are fine, but please don’t touch my face.”

“What? Ha, don’t touch your source of livelihood you say?”

“Her Highness might get angry if she sees it.”

James hesitated when the princess was mentioned. He couldn’t think of her earlier in the day because he wanted to land him a blow so bad.

“I don’t know. It’s all this guy’s doing.”

James’s friend shrugged off his shoulders quickly. He didn’t want to be hated by the princess for siding with a stupid colleague. James was embarrassed that he didn’t know what to do.

Standing there stupidly, Enoch said, “If you don’t have any more business, may I go now? I’m behind on my work.”

“Where are you going? All right, all I have to do is not hit you in the face, right?”

James kneed Enoch in the stomach.

At first, Enoch who was holding out well, but after being beaten several times, he finally fell to the ground. Relentless kicks rained down on him. He could see servants passing by, but everyone only watched on with a smile. No one stopped it. It was already frequent entertainment for the servants of the annex to watch Enoch get beaten. Some of them even chipped in on the fun.

After beating Enoch for a long time, James finally stopped kicking. Not because his anger was fully released, but because he was tired.

“From now on, behave yourself.”