You Were My Sl*ve - Chapter 45

“…So that’s why you’re late?”

Kazan stared intently at her as she stepped closer.

“Nothing happened out there?”

“Nothing happened,” Elona replied calmly, placing the white wine bottle down before sitting quietly beside him.

She could feel his gaze on her, but she deliberately kept her eyes forward.

The elevated seat at the banquet hall always offered a commanding view. From here, everything in the hall could be seen, just as the city of Perma and the vast desert spread out below from the Ashatran royal palace.

“This seat… isn’t it supposed to be for the queen? According to royal protocol,” she said suddenly.

“It is,” Kazan answered, frowning slightly. “Why do you ask that all of a sudden?”

The seat closest to the king—by his side. If she were the queen, instead of a slave, her seat would have been adorned with luxurious carpets and cushions, and a feast would be laid out before her.

But she was only sitting on a humble black cushion. The only reason she was allowed here at all was because there was no queen to take this place, and as his slave, she was permitted to serve him.

Elona’s voice grew low as she responded to Kazan’s question.
“I just thought… there must be so many people who wish to sit here. It feels like I’m seeing such a precious view for someone who’s just a slave.”

Adrian’s words echoed in her mind: This place by Kazan’s side is one I’ve merely borrowed temporarily.

For now, this was a period where her situation allowed her some relative comfort. But as time passed, her position would only grow more precarious.

I can’t live here forever. In the end… I have to leave.

Before she was discarded in some miserable way, she had to take action. That was the conclusion Elona had come to.

*

The next day, Elona was unable to visit the temple of Lue and was instead confined to the Mano Palace. She had caught a cold.

“Her fever is quite high. Normally, it would be a minor illness, but the effects of Kiraeli’s poison are likely making the symptoms worse,” the royal physician explained.

“When will she recover?” Miriam asked anxiously.

“If she gets plenty of rest for about four days, she should be fine.”

Miriam, her face heavy with concern, saw the physician out and hurried back to Elona’s side when she heard her coughing. She quickly poured herself a glass of water.

“I’ll stay in Mano Palace today, so don’t worry about anything. Rest, Elona.”

“But the banquets…,” Elona protested weakly.

“Don’t trouble yourself over His Highness’s schedule. He can handle things himself,” Miriam reassured her before leaving to fetch her meal.

Left alone, Elona sat on the bed and let out a weary sigh, her fever making her feel sluggish.

‘Still, I’m lucky. It’s Miriam taking care of me…’

If it had been Irid or some nameless maid, the thought of it sent chills down her spine. Closing her eyes, she recalled the difficult times she endured because of Kiraeli’s poison. Compared to that, this was paradise.

‘At least there’s one good thing: I won’t have to see Kazan for a while. Or run into Prince Adrian.’

She had already made up her mind about Adrian’s proposal but didn’t want to face him and deliver her answer just yet. Something about being alone with a strange man at night unsettled her.

‘This has happened before, hasn’t it? Something about it feels like a bad memory…’

Even before her confinement, Elona had rarely attended balls or parties. She was sifting through her few memories of such events when she suddenly heard the sound of her bedroom door opening. The approaching footsteps didn’t belong to Miriam. Startled, she looked up to see Kazan.

“Kazan? Why are you here so early in the morning…?”

“I heard you were suddenly unwell.”

Without hesitation, Kazan sat on the edge of her bed. He was already fully dressed for the council meeting, looking as though he had stopped by on his way out.

“The royal physician said it’s just a cold. Is that really all it is?”

“Yes, it’s probably just that. There’s no reason for it to be anything else…”

“Last night.”

He frowned slightly and asked, “Are you sure nothing happened? You didn’t meet anyone outside the banquet hall or eat anything unusual?”

Kazan was suspicious of the time Elona had spent away from the hall. He feared she might have been attacked or fallen into someone’s trap during that time. His serious demeanor made Elona uneasy.

‘If he finds out I met Adrian and talked with him… he’ll be furious.’

If Adrian’s scheme were exposed, not a single member of the Bahalen delegation would leave here alive. Elona, aware that the lives of many rested on her words, carefully shook her head.

“Nothing happened. I was just… really nervous, that’s all. Being suddenly called to a council meeting was overwhelming.”

“Was the meeting really so stressful? You seemed to handle it well.”

“…Really?”

It was the first time Kazan had ever complimented her. Seeing her surprised but pleased reaction, he stared at her for a moment before letting out a faint chuckle.

“I should give credit where it’s due. Thanks to you, the situation with the Ashatra mines has improved. The mining guilds were on the verge of rebellion, but now that trade routes have opened, their complaints have eased.”

Elona hadn’t anticipated such far-reaching effects but was relieved that things had turned out well. She had inadvertently done a favor for both Parsion and Ashatra.

“In any case, if it’s truly just a cold, make sure to rest thoroughly. If you sense anything suspicious, inform Miriam immediately.”

“Thank you.”

Kazan’s concern felt genuine, and it made her feel guilty. Watching him rise to leave, Elona suddenly blurted out.

“You know, Kazan… there’s something I lied to you about,” Elona said hesitantly.

“What?” he asked, his voice sharp with curiosity.

“Yesterday… I told you that Parsion doesn’t have any mines,” she began.

“You did,” he replied, his tone cautious.

“The truth is, just before the war broke out, we started mining at some new sites.”

“An iron mine?” Kazan guessed.

“No… they’re diamond mines.”

The unexpected revelation left Kazan momentarily speechless. Elona hesitated, then continued in a small voice.

“I didn’t mention it yesterday because I was worried Bahalen wouldn’t leave those mines alone if they found out… so I deliberately hid the truth.”

“Why?”

“Those mines… my brother sacrificed an unimaginable number of people to develop them. I’ve heard the workers there still tremble in fear. And now, with the war just barely over, if Ashatra forces Parsion to resume mining there…”

Elona broke into a coughing fit, her explanation cut short by the strain of speaking too much. Kazan watched as she struggled to catch her breath and sip water, then calmly spoke.

“I understand your reasoning, so stop worrying about the negotiations. I won’t allow any decisions about Parsion to be made in your absence.”

“You don’t have to go that far…” she started.

“I have no intention of taking any losses. And since you’re here, there’s no need to handle Parsion and Bahalen’s affairs recklessly,” he said matter-of-factly.

Did this mean Kazan now saw more value in her? Elona’s heart fluttered whenever he acknowledged her, however subtly. Each time, she couldn’t help but hope he might eventually treat her as something more than a mere pawn or slave.

“Get some rest. Don’t forget what I told you,” Kazan said before finally leaving her room.

Left alone, Elona lay back down and closed her eyes.

No matter how sweet his words might sound, she reminded herself, she must not let them sway her. Over and over, she silently vowed to remain steadfast.

*

Elona reappeared at the banquet on the fifth night since the Bahalen delegation’s arrival. Having fully recovered from her cold, she was seated beside King Sendar as if nothing had happened.

“In two days, the Bahalen delegation will depart. I’ll have to meet Adrian tonight and give him my answer.”

Tonight, Kazan was not seated at his usual place. Instead, he mingled with the nobles, discussing matters related to Bahalen. He had even refused Elona’s offer to attend to him, seemingly signaling for her to remain seated and rest quietly.

Elona observed him from her spot, her mind preoccupied with what lay ahead.