You Were My Sl*ve - Chapter 98

“Princess!”

A man standing at the edge of the garden pavilion broke into a wide grin at the sight of her. Overcome with emotion, Elona rushed toward him.

“Sir Zerox!”

It had been eleven years since they had last seen each other—since she was imprisoned in the West Tower at twenty years old.

The sight of her dashing toward him, grasping both his hands like an eager young girl, made Sir Zerox’s eyes well with emotion.

“You truly have become a queen now,” he murmured, voice thick with nostalgia. “Just like Queen Veronica once was….”

To him, Elona was the very image of her mother. She looked up at him, eyes filled with joy.

“I missed you so much! You’re still stationed near the border, right? I heard your health wasn’t great—was it hard for you to come all the way to Ferma?”

“Haha, not at all. It was an enjoyable trip. And that wretched lung disease? It’s completely gone now.”

“Really?”

Elona’s eyes widened, and Zerox grinned proudly.

Kazan, who had once seen Zerox on the brink of death, could confirm it—he did seem fully recovered.

“You truly seem to be in good health now. You look more like your old self.”

At Kazan’s remark, Zerox chuckled sheepishly. He had once been frail and gaunt, but now his frame had regained its former strength. He was no longer as massive as in his vice-commander days, but he was certainly much healthier.

Elona led Zerox toward the pavilion’s dining table. Having grown accustomed to Ashatran customs, he settled onto the floor with practiced ease.

She gazed at him warmly and asked,

“Where have you been stationed lately, Sir Zerox?”

“For the past three years, I’ve been traveling from place to place. But last year, I finally settled in Kirshk. The city seems to be growing rapidly. I heard it was at your command, Your Majesty.”

“That’s right. I thought it would be ideal to establish a large commercial hub at the border. My goal is to develop Kirshk as a central trade city.”

“That makes sense. If there’s one thing that brings people together, it’s business. Right now, Kirshk’s population is almost evenly split between Ashatrans and Parsionese. The streets are bustling with trade, and no one cares where someone is from anymore.”

That was exactly what Kazan and Elona had hoped for.

Now that the two nations had been merged, they wished to see their people unite as one.

Even if the scars of war still ran deep between them.

“But how did you end up settling in Kirshk?” Elona asked curiously. “I thought once you recovered, you’d return to Parsion….”

At Elona’s question, Sir Zerox let out a hearty chuckle.

“Surprisingly, my skills turned out to be useful in Ashatra. There aren’t many who can properly teach Parsion swordsmanship in these lands.”

Hearing that, Kazan smirked.

“So, did you open a swordsmanship school in Kirshk?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. It’s nothing formal—I just train those who come seeking lessons. At best, only about five students are truly committed.”

“Do you teach young children as well?”

“Of course. The younger they are, the faster they learn.”

“Then how about training my son?”

The unexpected proposal left Zerox momentarily speechless. He blinked, then began counting on his fingers before scratching his head.

“Your Majesty, I’m honored that you would even suggest such a thing, but… isn’t Prince Ashad only three years old?”

“Too young?”

“Kazan, Ashad needs to learn how to read and write first! Holding a sword comes after that!”

Elona immediately shut down the idea, making Zerox burst into laughter. He watched with amusement as Kazan, for once, didn’t argue back, simply accepting his wife’s firm stance.

“Her Majesty is absolutely right,” Zerox said, nodding approvingly. “To be a wise ruler, knowledge must come first. Besides, if the prince takes after Your Majesty, he’ll reach an expert level in no time—even if he starts late.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t be so sure. Our Ashad takes after Elona more than me. He’s gentle and kind… doesn’t seem to have much interest in swordsmanship yet.”

“Huh? That’s not true, Kazan. Everyone in the palace says Ashad is the spitting image of you. They say he looks exactly the same as you did at that age.”

“…That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“Well, that’s because most people are too intimidated to tell you.”

“And you aren’t intimidated?”

“Of course not. Why would I be?”

Not afraid of the king? Kazan’s expression turned oddly serious. Zerox, on the other hand, remained unconcerned. He knew the truth—Elona wasn’t being disregarded or underestimated.

She was simply loved.

Elona was always kind and warm toward those beneath her. Her generous nature stood in stark contrast to Prince Antonio, which made her all the more cherished by the palace staff. Those who served in the Parsion royal palace had always preferred her over Antonio, and they were endlessly grateful to her.

‘The princess is still as wonderful as ever.’

Zerox smiled contentedly.

She was thriving in Ashatra’s royal family.

The shadows that had once lingered in her childhood had long since faded.

As the three of them shared an easy conversation over lunch, their meal was nearly coming to an end when—

“Mother!”

A small voice suddenly rang out from the entrance of the pavilion.

All three turned their heads at once.

There, at the edge of the pavilion’s low wooden steps, stood their son—Prince Ashad, now three years old.

With the help of his nursemaid, the young boy was carefully climbing the steps, his tiny hands gripping the railing for support.

“Ah, so that’s him….”

Zerox murmured, watching as Ashad successfully reached the top.

The boy glanced at him briefly, curious but cautious, before his gaze naturally shifted back to his mother.

“Mother, can I play with you?”

“Ashad, come here.”

As Elona spread her arms with a smile, Ashad immediately ran toward her. The little boy nestled into his mother’s embrace before glancing up at his father with a bright grin.

Seeing his son’s cheerful expression, Kazan chuckled softly.

“See? He takes after you, Elona. He’s adorable.”

But Sir Zerox tilted his head, unconvinced.

“I’m not so sure, Your Majesty. To me, he looks exactly like you.”

Elona eagerly nodded in agreement. Kazan always seemed uncertain, but to her, Ashad was his father’s mirror image.

His tanned skin was just like Kazan’s, and his hair was jet-black, not unlike his father’s. Even his sharp nose, long eyelashes, and deep-set eyelids were identical.

The only thing Ashad didn’t inherit from Kazan was the color of his eyes.

Whenever Elona gazed into his vivid blue irises, she felt a strange sense of wonder. They reminded her of the endless sky, or perhaps the depths of a still lake.

“It seems the prince takes after both of you,” Zerox mused. “Not just in appearance, but in temperament as well—he’s gentle and thoughtful.”

That was his final conclusion. Watching the child with a sense of admiration, he felt an immense fondness for the son of two people he cherished most.

He had once written in a letter to Elona that he would be honored to teach Ashad swordsmanship someday. If he could pass down the essence of Parsion swordsmanship to the boy—the techniques he had never fully been able to teach Kazan—then…

“It would be wonderful if you could come to the palace and train Ashad,” Elona said in a gentle voice, as if she had read his mind. “Whenever you wish, whenever you feel ready.”

Kazan nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. He’ll have to grow a bit before he can even hold a wooden sword, but you’re welcome in Ferma anytime. You are my teacher and the man who saved my life, after all.”

There was an undeniable ease in Kazan’s voice—he had the air of a true king, speaking as both a ruler and a friend.

Zerox smiled warmly at the sight of them—King and Queen, both steadfast yet gracious.

“I’ll wrap up my affairs in Kirshk and return here in about three years. Until then…”

Zerox turned toward Ashad with a farewell.

“Prince, I’ll come see you again soon. Until then, stay strong and healthy.”

“What’s your name?”

The unexpected question made Zerox pause, before he let out a small laugh.

It seemed the child had been wondering about this for a while.

“I am Kendrick Zerox. You may call me Kendrick.”

“Mmm, Kendrick!”

Ashad beamed brightly and reached out his tiny hand.

“Come back soon! I’ll be waiting!”

His small fingers grasped Zerox’s rough, calloused hand. Feeling the warmth of that little grip, Zerox’s chest swelled with emotion. He had once sworn, after leaving King Antonio’s service, that he would never pledge his loyalty to another ruler again.

But now… that conviction wavered.

Standing before the next generation’s king, a new sense of duty took root in Zerox’s heart. A proud, unwavering smile spread across his face.