You Were My Sl*ve - Chapter 44

“When I first heard the rumor that King Sindar favored you, I assumed you’d seduced him with beauty and charm. But after seeing for myself, I realized that wasn’t the case. The king seems to genuinely care for you. After all, how could he not? A woman as beautiful as you, who is also prudent, wise, and humble.”

Elona listened to Adrian’s long string of compliments, but only one thought crossed her mind:

He doesn’t know that the slave entangled with her seven years ago was Kazan. He doesn’t know that she and King Sindar once loved each other sincerely.

Thank goodness. At least the biggest concern is off my shoulders.

With a sense of relief, Elona let out a quiet sigh. But Adrian seemed to interpret her sigh as agreement with his words. He stepped forward confidently.

“Elona, I would like to make a deal with you.”

“A deal?”

“I will give you what you desire most. In return, you will give me what I want.”

“And what exactly do you think I desire?”

Adrian couldn’t possibly know what her heart yearned for. Yet, he leaned in and whispered seductively, “Don’t you want to escape? Escape from a slave’s life with no future, from this suffocating palace?”

Escape.
The word, which had always lingered in the back of her mind, now spilled from Adrian’s lips, rendering her speechless. When she didn’t immediately respond, he continued,

“Don’t try to lie and say you’ve never thought of running away. What royalty, reduced to a slave, wouldn’t dream of escape? Especially in Ashatra, where everyone sees you as an object of hatred.”

He wasn’t wrong. Elona decided against making a weak denial.

“…I won’t deny it. But how do you intend to help me escape?”

“When our delegation departs the palace, we’ll smuggle you out with us. The talks are proceeding in a friendly atmosphere, and King Sindar won’t order a thorough search of the gifts and cargo we leave behind. That would be a diplomatic affront.”

“But if His Majesty finds out I’ve disappeared…”

“He might pursue us, sure. But by the time he suspects our delegation, we’ll already be at sea. The Ashatrans could never catch up to our ships.”

“You’ll provoke the king’s wrath. Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?”

“He’ll certainly be angry. But as long as it doesn’t lead to war, it won’t matter. The recovery from the Parsion invasion is already slow. Do you really think Ashatra would invade Bahalen over a single slave?”

Elona considered the possible outcomes calmly. If she were taken from him, Kazan would be utterly enraged. He was, after all, the man who had ascended the throne for the sole purpose of obtaining her as part of his vengeance.

But even so, going to war over her would be unlikely. The Parsion invasion had been justified by the noble cause of rescuing citizens sold into slavery. Launching a campaign against Bahalen just to reclaim Elona would garner no support. If anything, such a move would paint Kazan as a tyrant and spark internal dissent.

Elona organized her thoughts and looked directly at Adrian. As the prince suggested, the risks involved in the Bahalen delegation taking her were relatively low. But…

“What exactly do you gain by bringing me to Bahalen? Besides, I don’t have the power or ability to give you what you want.”

Adrian immediately shook his head.

“No, I have much to gain, and you do have the power to make it happen.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You were once the second child of a king yourself, so you should understand my position. As the second prince, I have no claim to Bahalen’s throne. At best, I might secure a minor title and some land… or perhaps become the powerless husband of a queen in another kingdom.”

The fates of princes and princesses without succession rights were always similar. Speaking bitterly, Adrian added,

“But if I return home after rescuing the sole surviving royal of Parsion, my destiny could change. The people of Parsion would rally behind you, not the invading king of Ashatra. You could become the focal point of a rebellion.”

His intentions became clearer, and Elona’s voice trembled as she whispered,

“So, you plan to take me with you and marry me. That way, Bahalen could claim dominion over Parsion lands,” Elona said calmly.

“Yes,” Adrian replied without hesitation. “My elder brother, the crown prince, is already married. No one in Bahalen would oppose a union between us. Once we are wed, we can drive the Ashatrans out of Parsion and establish it as a duchy under Bahalen. I would become the Duke of Parsion, and you would be the Duchess.”

Surprisingly, Adrian’s proposal wasn’t just wishful thinking—it was entirely plausible. That realization only made Elona more cautious. Her life now stood at a sudden and monumental crossroads.

Seeing her deep in thought, Adrian pressed further, his voice filled with confidence.

“Isn’t this a fair deal? With my help, you’ll escape and reclaim your title and freedom as a princess, while I, with your help, gain Parsion territory and the title of duke.”

Elona spoke hesitantly, choosing her words carefully.

“Aren’t you afraid? Claiming dominion over Parsion means effectively invading Ashatra. If provoked, they could retaliate and pose a threat to Bahalen itself….”

“That is not your concern, Princess Elona,” Adrian interrupted smoothly. His confident smile returned as if to reassure her.

“We would never strike first by crossing Ashatra’s borders. Any uprising in Ashatra would begin within Parsion itself. Especially if you were by my side—that would ensure it. Bahalen’s forces would simply ally with the Parsion rebels. Under your name, of course. Everything would fall into place naturally.”

Elona understood the value Adrian placed on her. In Ashatra, she was nothing but the despised slave of a king. But to Bahalen, she was a priceless treasure—a key to the Parsion lands.

As the night deepened, Adrian made one final remark before leaving.

“You have no reason to hesitate. Right now, you are young and beautiful, which is why King Sindar treasures you. But as time passes, that affection will fade. Especially once he weds and produces an heir, your place in his life will grow smaller and smaller. If I were you, I’d act before that happens.”

With those words, Adrian departed the garden, leaving Elona alone with her thoughts. She stood there for a while, turning his words over and over in her mind.

My relationship with Kazan isn’t something that can be explained as mere master and servant. But even so… someday, he’ll marry someone else.

Adrian had forced her to confront the truth she’d been avoiding all this time.

Kazan would never marry a slave like Elona. One day, he would undoubtedly wed another woman.

He would take someone else as his lifelong partner, and their child would inherit everything he had built.

And when that time came, Elona would inevitably be pushed aside. When even the remnants of love between them faded, and only a faint trace of their shared pain remained…

Kazan would never look back at her again.

I’ve always known. I knew it would end this way….

Elona desperately tried to calm herself, but imagining her future in detail still filled her heart with pain. When will he abandon me? When that time comes, will an even lonelier life await me than the one I live now?

Would it be better this time to choose marriage with another man? Just as she had been engaged to the King of Bahalen seven years ago?

Calm down. Think rationally. The circumstances now are completely different from back then.

Elona carefully assessed her current situation. She had already planned to escape from this place once she was ready. If she struck a deal with Prince Adrian, she could leave this country much more safely than if she attempted to flee on her own.

In terms of escaping alone, the prince’s proposal works in my favor. And…

She could reclaim Parsion. If things went as Adrian envisioned and she became the Duchess of Parsion, she would rebuild her homeland.

But all of that would come at a price: a complete and final separation from Kazan.

Marrying Adrian would undoubtedly provoke Kazan’s wrath. Her engagement to the King of Bahalen years ago had been the first betrayal of his heart. If she now chose to marry the Bahalen prince…

If I make that choice again, how will Kazan react?

She could vividly picture his furious face. Yet, this time, his anger would lack the sorrow it had carried seven years ago, when he was just the slave Kazan.

Now, he would not feel the sting of love betrayed. He would simply be enraged at losing the opportunity for revenge.

King Sindar and the slave Kazan were entirely different men. King Sindar had no intention of marrying her. In fact, he didn’t even demand her love. He ruled over her as her master, nothing more.

Especially if he marries and produces an heir…

Elona suddenly thought of Irid’s radiant face—the kind of woman who truly belonged at King Sindar’s side. A perfect Ashatran noblewoman, beautiful and confident, from a prestigious family.

Kazan will marry a woman like her, while I escape this place and marry Prince Adrian… Is that the most ideal outcome? Is that the path I’m meant to take?

Lost in thought, Elona slowly made her way toward the banquet hall. She suddenly remembered the errand Kazan had sent her on and stopped by the wine cellar. Carrying the heavy bottle of wine back, her steps felt leaden.

When she arrived, the late-night banquet was winding down. Most of the Bahalen delegates had already returned to their quarters, and Adrian was nowhere to be seen. As Elona stared at the empty seats where the delegation had been sitting, a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.

“Elona. Where have you been?”

Slowly, she lifted her head to meet Kazan’s gaze. His voice was cold, but his eyes betrayed a hint of worry and impatience. That alone, somehow, gave her a small sense of comfort.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “The nearby cellar didn’t have this wine, so I had to go farther to find it.”