You Were My Sl*ve - Chapter 62

Hating you until the day I die. Loving you until the day I die. He gave up trying to weigh which of the two was more selfish. All he could do was follow where his heart led him.

The carriage arrived at the royal palace. Kazan lifted the sleeping Elona into his arms and headed toward the main palace. There was no longer any reason to leave her behind at the Manor Palace.

Spending even a little more time with her while they were still alive—
That was his only wish.

*

When Elona opened her eyes in the main palace, the first thing she felt was heaviness.

Where is this…?

The familiar warmth and scent told her immediately that the man holding her as he slept was Kazan. Half-asleep, she instinctively burrowed deeper into his arms. He had stayed by her side until morning, holding her tightly as if to ensure she wouldn’t go anywhere.

He really meant it when he told me not to run away.

Glancing at his sleeping face, Elona blushed. His thick eyebrows, gently closed eyes, and straight nose made her heart flutter as always. Even the weight of his arm pressing down on her didn’t feel burdensome at all.

But where exactly is this?

The space was far calmer and more serene than the extravagantly decorated Manor Palace, with its intricate mosaics. Wrapped in a deep purple wool blanket, Elona looked around curiously.

Decorative pieces of ivory and obsidian caught her eye throughout the room. Soft morning sunlight filtered in, revealing a space divided into various sections, almost like a small home. It was far larger than the queen’s chambers in the Manor Palace, and then it dawned on her.

Ah.

This was Kazan’s bedchamber. The realization made her chest tighten with nervousness. Why had he brought her here? Even allowing her to stay in the Manor Palace had sparked plenty of complaints from the court officials, and now… the king’s quarters?

“Awake?”

At that moment, Kazan stirred, lightly brushing her cheek. Elona turned to him with a dazed expression. His drowsy eyes looked both sleepy and content. She cautiously asked,

“Kazan, where is this?”

“My bedroom.”

Just as she thought. Elona’s face fell in dismay, and Kazan chuckled softly.

“What? You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that… I’m just worried people will talk badly about me again,” she mumbled hesitantly.

He dismissed her concern with ease. “Don’t pay attention to them. You’ll be staying here from now on, anyway.”

“…What?”

“All your things from the Manor Palace will be moved here. Miriam will also start managing the main palace from now on. Let me know if you need anything else.”

Elona was too stunned to respond. Why was he going this far?

“But… but you’re not supposed to let anyone into your quarters. At least, that’s what I was taught about palace etiquette….”

“People said the same things back then—about duty, tradition, etiquette—when I brought you in as my slave.”

He smiled at the anxious Elona, and for the first time in seven years, she saw the gentle expression she had longed for. She felt like she might lose her mind. Sitting up in bed, Kazan casually declared,

“Tell them to shove it. The only thing I need is you.”

“……”

Elona stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. None of this felt real. Was it a dream? Maybe it was.

“I can take my time getting ready, but…”

He reached out, brushing her cheek with his hand. When she looked up at him, flustered, he leaned in and murmured softly,

“You should hurry. The Temple of Ru is farther from here than it is from the Manor Palace.”

With those words, he kissed her lightly on the lips before leaving the bed with leisurely steps. She heard the faint rustling of clothes as he changed in another room. Elona lay there in a daze, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling.

So much had changed. Far more than she could comprehend.

*

The Temple of Ru was indeed farther away. As Elona walked alongside Miriam, exchanging lighthearted conversation, she found herself unable to focus on their words.

Kazan is treating me so well, but… is it really okay for things to stay like this?

Could she simply accept his love without question and live a life enjoying the happiness of days like today by his side? Elona couldn’t adjust to how her life had changed so dramatically overnight.

“Take care, Elona,” Miriam said as they reached the temple.

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Miriam’s gaze seemed subtly different now, almost as if she were looking at Elona in a new light. Feeling slightly awkward, Elona stepped into the temple.

“Elona! How was the wedding ceremony? It must have been tiring to travel such a long way and return in just one day,” Aslan greeted her warmly as usual, his cheerful demeanor showing no sign that he knew what had transpired. Elona quickly realized that whatever Zahhak had done the previous day had been kept under wraps.

“I traveled by carriage, so it wasn’t too exhausting. In hindsight, I think it was worth going,” she said with a smile.

“Oh, that’s a relief. I was worried your condition might worsen from the trip, especially since your body is still recovering. But it seems like everything is going smoothly so far. Let’s begin today’s session, then,” Aslan replied, producing a vial of sacred water with a casual motion and pouring a few drops over a candle.

As the familiar blue flame ignited, Elona stared at it as she always did, awaiting the visions of the desert.

But before anything could appear, the flame flickered weakly and extinguished.

Startled, Elona glanced at Aslan, who appeared just as perplexed.

“Huh…? Why is this happening? Let me try again,” he said, furrowing his brow.

This time, he poured the sacred water more slowly, but the flame didn’t even ignite. Instead, the wax of the candle melted into a limp puddle.

An awkward silence fell between them before Aslan cautiously spoke.

“Elona, by any chance… have you experienced a significant emotional shift recently? Did something happen? Perhaps you were harshly reprimanded by His Majesty again? You seem… a little different today. Or is it just my imagination?”

“Ah, well… I guess there has been a change,” she admitted hesitantly.

“If that’s the case, it could make focusing on the treatment more difficult. Did something troubling happen?” Aslan asked, his gaze filled with concern.

Realizing he was misunderstanding the situation, Elona quickly clarified.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about His Majesty all morning. I haven’t been able to think about anything else.”

“…What?” His expression darkened. “Did he—did he do something to you again?”

“No, no! It’s not like that at all. In fact, it’s… a good thing,” Elona replied, hoping for a moment of insight from Aslan. Perhaps he could offer some meaningful advice. With cautious optimism, she confided,

“Starting today, I’ll be living in the main palace. His Majesty insisted on it.”

“The main palace…? Wait, what? The main palace?!”

Aslan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He seemed to mutter to himself as though struggling to comprehend the words.

“How does that even work? There’s no place in the main palace suitable for you to stay…”

He trailed off mid-sentence, as if suddenly realizing what she meant. When the implications sank in, his face twisted into an expression of utter bewilderment. Seeing his reaction, Elona felt her own doubts resurface. She awkwardly admitted,

“So… it really isn’t allowed, is it? I’ve heard that one of the most important rules of the royal palace is that even a queen can’t enter the king’s chambers. What’s going to happen to me if…”

“Hold on. That’s not something you need to worry about. The one who’ll have a hard time from now on is His Majesty,” Aslan interrupted firmly.

“What?”

He looked at her kindly and began to explain patiently.

“Actually, there have been other kings in the history of the Milleshatra royal family who broke this unwritten rule. For example, His Majesty’s father, the late King Kalima, caused quite the stir when he opened his bedchamber… and that led to some serious trouble. If there are nobles who still remember those days, they might use this as an excuse to criticize His Majesty.”

Come to think of it, Elona realized she knew very little about Kazan’s parents. Half-curious and half-concerned, she decided to ask further.

“Aslan, what kind of person was His Majesty’s father, the late King Kalima?”

“The worst kind of man.”

Elona flinched at Aslan’s blunt and cutting tone. It was the first time she had ever seen him express such sharp emotions. His voice grew noticeably colder as he continued.