You Were My Sl*ve - Chapter 101

“Aslan, where is the relic?”

“It is in Ferma now.”

Aslan turned to her with a faint smile.

“The object that Your Majesty retrieved from the desert was originally the relic of this temple. It is no longer needed here, so the god must have allowed it to be taken to the capital. In other words, we have already reclaimed the ‘Ever-Flowing Water.’”

She had found the relic. And yet, as Elona touched the dry base of the statue, she felt both joy and sorrow.

Luka no longer had flowing water. The underground spring that had once led her here had vanished without a trace, and now, even the relic was gone.

Would they need to return the relic from the palace garden to Luka to revive the city? As she pondered this, a small voice called out to her.

“Mother, what’s this?”

Ashad, who had come up beside her, clutched the hem of her dress. He had placed his tiny, dusty hand on the statue’s pedestal.

A sound of rushing water echoed.

“Elona!”

Kazan’s voice made Elona jerk in surprise as she turned around.

Water was gushing up like a fountain from the dry fountainhead where she and Ashad stood. The rising water quickly filled the basin, reaching Ashad’s ankles in no time.

“Ahh!”

“Ashad, it’s alright.”

Startled, Ashad began to cry, and Elona hurriedly scooped him into her arms. As she waded through the water, Kazan and Aslan rushed toward them.

“Here, come this way. What on earth is happening?”

Kazan furrowed his brows as he grasped Elona’s hand, guiding her out of the flooded area. Meanwhile, Aslan stared at Ashad with a mix of shock and awe. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke to Kazan.

“Your Highness, this… this is no ordinary occurrence.”

“Yes, clearly this isn’t normal. Was that spot originally a spring?”

“No. Luka’s water source dried up a long time ago. But the moment Prince Ashad approached, the water…”

Aslan suddenly fell silent, as if realizing something important. He stared intently at Ashad, who was still sniffling in Elona’s arms.

“The god Lu has been waiting for the prince to arrive.”

At his words, Elona glanced around while gently comforting Ashad. But there was no one else in the temple—only the four of them. She heard no divine voice.

“Aslan, why do you think that?”

“This wasn’t the prince’s doing. A member of the royal family cannot wield divine power until they are formally granted a royal decree. That means… the god must have directly intervened.”

Aslan was explaining his theory to Kazan and Elona when Ashad, who had finally stopped crying, rested his chin on his mother’s shoulder and sniffled.

While the adults spoke seriously, the little boy simply pouted, staring down at the spring that had startled him.

The crystal-clear water had filled the wide basin, reflecting the entire temple—the towering pillars, the intricate carvings on the ceiling, and the torches illuminating the interior.

And the little girl sitting at the base of the statue.

Ashad’s eyes widened as he lifted his gaze toward the stone figure. Reflected in his blue irises was a girl he had never seen before.

She was beautiful, with silvery-blue hair cascading down to her knees and violet eyes that shone like amethysts. She looked to be about six or seven years old. When their eyes met, she smiled brightly at him.

“Lu Ashad Mileshatra.”

Her voice echoed in his mind, making Ashad tilt his head in confusion. Seeing his reaction, the girl let out a soft, clear laugh and whispered,

“I’ll wait here. Come find me.”

Ashad was only three years old—far too young to comprehend what was happening. He simply stood still, watching as the girl’s figure shimmered like a mirage and disappeared.

“Ashad, are you alright now?”

Elona turned her head slightly to check on him. Ashad, now quiet, was staring intently at the statue as if suddenly fascinated by it.

Would he truly join the god Lu when he grew up?

Would the god cherish him?

As Elona gazed at the overflowing spring, she thought to herself that she should begin praying again soon.

She prayed that, in the home Kazan had fought so hard to build, their son would live a long and happy life.

A mother’s earnest wish.

*

After spending several days in Luka, Kazan and Elona prepared to depart for Parsion. The final destination of their two-month journey was the royal capital of Parsion, where post-war restoration was nearing completion.

“It is an honor, Your Majesty. To think you would entrust Prince Ashad to me.”

Since the journey to Parsion was too long for a young child, Ashad was set to return to Ferma first with Aslan. Elona smiled warmly at the sight of Aslan holding a sleeping Ashad in his arms.

“Aslan, you are the person I trust most. I’ll keep writing to you while we’re in Parsion. Please take good care of our child.”

“Of course. I’ll even send you daily reports on his upbringing. Until you both return, I might as well stay with him in the prince’s quarters.”

Aslan gazed at Ashad with affection, like a doting uncle.

“You’ve probably heard this countless times, but Prince Ashad truly resembles His Majesty as a child. Not just in appearance, but in many other ways as well…”

To Aslan’s eyes, the young prince must have been the very image of Kazan in his youth. Lost in nostalgia, he murmured softly,

“If only Lady Rite were still alive… She would have adored this child.”

His voice carried both regret and longing. Elona hesitated, momentarily unable to respond. But soon, Aslan smiled gently and spoke again.

“That only means we must love him even more.”

As if making a solemn vow to himself, Aslan held Ashad close with great care.

*

“The journey from Luka to the royal capital of Parsion would take over two weeks by carriage.”

“Now that I think about it, this might be the first time it’s just the two of us traveling together.”

Seated side by side in the carriage, Elona murmured her thoughts. Kazan smiled and gently stroked her shoulder.

“When Ashad is older, let’s travel more often. There’s so much I want to show you.”

“I want to see them all—the southern sea of Ashatra, the western highlands.”

This was the land where she and her children would continue to live. Resting her cheek against Kazan’s solid shoulder, Elona thought about her past and future.

When she was first brought here as a slave, she had no dreams or hopes. But now, everything about this land felt dear and precious to her.

“Kazan, how much of Parsion has been restored?”

“The royal palace and the capital are mostly rebuilt. Some regions are still unstable due to the rebellion.”

Unlike the now-stabilized Ashatra, Parsion, which had been conquered, remained in a fragile state. The lands once ruled by noble families were now governed by officials appointed by the Ashatran royal family. Thanks to Elona’s influence, most of the people had accepted this change, but there were still factions resisting the new rule.

Elona muttered with concern, “Was it reckless to travel all the way to Parsion? What if it only worsens public sentiment?”

“Don’t worry. There are many who want to see their queen. To the people of Parsion, you are their greatest source of hope, Elona.”

“What kind of hope?”

“The hope that their lives will be better than before.”

“Because I rose from being a slave to becoming a queen?”

“…Well, you could see it that way.”

The moment she uttered the word slave, Kazan’s expression faltered, and he looked away, troubled. He hated remembering the time when he had treated her carelessly. That regret would likely follow him for the rest of his life.

Sensing this, Elona chose not to press him further. She had no intention of making him feel worse. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder.

How could she be a source of hope for the people of Parsion? Why was Kazan so certain of it?

Just then, he gazed out the window and spoke.

“And this trip to Parsion… it’s not just for political reasons.”

“Then why?”

“I want to feel your time.”

Beyond the carriage window, the desert dunes had given way to a lush forest. As they gazed at the familiar Parsion landscape, Kazan continued.

“You learned about my seven years through the god Lu. But I know nothing about your seven years.”

Elona stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words. It was a reason she had never expected. After hesitating for a moment, she finally replied.

“But the seven years I spent away from you were uneventful. I was just trapped in the western tower that whole time. Compared to what you endured, it was nothing…”

“Nothing?”

Kazan finally turned to face her, locking eyes with her. His voice was firm.

“It was painful, Elona.”

“Kazan…”

“I remember it all. I remember how much you suffered during those seven years. How many times you wanted to tell me.”

His voice grew bitter as he recalled the past—the time when he had treated her as a mere slave.

“The old me stood by and let you suffer. I ignored your pain, belittled it. I regret it more than I can say. Even now, I can’t bring myself to speak about that time.”

His voice thickened as he spoke, his emotions weighing heavily on him. Closing his eyes for a brief moment as if to shake off the past, he opened them again and looked at her with quiet desperation.

“So now… let me bear that time with you.”