Shadow Oath

Chapter 19: Slave and Master (3)

Ram stopped.

He stopped so abruptly that he almost stumbled, losing his balance for a moment. Then, he turned to look at Zenri.

Seeing those wide, stupid eyes made him feel like everything had returned to its proper place.

He was the slave.

I was the master.

When the master speaks, the slave listens!

‘Yes, this is how it should be.’

Zenri slowly approached Ram, who had come to a halt.

“That girl who liked you, right? Did you know? That she liked you? Judging by your expression, you knew. I thought you didn’t, but no, you had to know. Otherwise, what I’m about to say wouldn’t shock you.”

The distance between Zenri and Ram shrank to a single step.

“Did you know she wrote you a letter to give to you? No, of course not. You couldn’t have. I made sure you wouldn’t.”

In the vast and green plain, only the two of them stood.

Their faces drew close, almost touching.

Zenri was already thrilled at the sight of his frightened expression.

“She must have learned to write because you could read and write, huh? Seeing her standing in the passage where you enter, holding that letter, waiting for you—it was so ridiculous I had to ask for it. She hesitated, but in the end, she had to hand it over. Why? Because I’m the master. Both of you—she and you—are mine. If I demand something, you have to give it to me. Whatever it is, you have to hand it over.”

Zenri emphasized his words repeatedly.

“Do you know how laughable the letter was? And her handwriting—terrible! If she was that bad, she should have asked someone to write it for her! You people never use your heads! And the contents! It was the most ridiculous, childish letter I’ve ever seen. I can still remember it.”

Ram only stared blankly at Zenri.

He didn’t respond.

Of course, he couldn’t. What could he say?

“Do you want me to tell you what it said? I doubt you’d enjoy hearing it, but since you saved me and are taking me along, I should tell you. Consider it a kindness from your master.”

Zenri whispered as if speaking into his nose.

“Think of it as a gift.”

Zenri knew how effective such a tone could be because he had seen his father use it.

When his father was angry, his voice grew lower.

The angrier he became, the quieter his voice became.

When truly enraged, he would speak in an almost whispering tone.

At such times, whether they were enemies, slaves, or even family members, they all quivered in fear.

That was his father’s method.

Zenri could imitate his father perfectly.

‘You must be trembling in fear now. No matter how much you try to hide it, it’s useless. Look at how your shoulders are shaking.’

Zenri decided to push him just a little further.

The slave would soon fall to his knees, crying.

“The letter said, ‘I like you. I like your face. I like your voice. I want to be with you. Please talk to me more….’ And that was supposed to be a love letter?”

Zenri burst into exaggerated laughter.

Hahaha!

“Good grief, even when I was five, I could write better than that!”

He laughed loudly, but suddenly spoke just as loudly, his voice splitting into three tones. He worried if he might lose his voice later because of this.

‘No matter. The adults always said there’d come a day when I’d talk about such hardships as if they were fond memories. When I recount how I endured this long and grueling imprisonment, no woman will be able to resist.’

Zenri, thinking he was about to land the decisive blow on Ram, began circling him slowly, who still stood stiff and upright.

“Do you slaves really think this is what a love letter looks like? Like beasts mating and popping out offspring. Then those offspring become slaves, too. Disgusting creatures! That’s why I took her first.”

Zenri returned to stand in front of Ram.

Judging by his expression, he still looked dejected.

He looked pained.

His glittering black eyes resembled those of a frightened, whimpering puppy, tears brimming in its eyes.

“You slaves must hand over whatever your master demands. You own nothing. You’re supposed to own nothing. Yet you dare to refuse, crying and begging? And then you cry for days and nights? My mother said you were useless and sold you off immediately. That’s what you are. Do you understand? That’s what you’re supposed to be. That’s the way it has to be!”

Zenri grabbed Ram by the collar and yanked him forward.

“And what did you do? You crazy bastard, how dare you abandon your master and run away?”

Ram was dragged along helplessly, swaying as Zenri shook him.

“You should’ve fought for your life! I was being attacked by wolves, and you ran away? How do I make you understand that my one life is worth more than a hundred of yours? Do you even have ears to listen if I teach you?”

Of course, a slave could not refuse the touch of his master. If pushed, he had to be pushed. If struck, he had to be struck. If abandoned, he had to plead not to be forsaken. If sold, he had to serve a new master.

Even so, Zenri always emphasized to his slaves that no place was as good as his domain.

Anywhere else would be far worse.

“I’m the one who should stand by General Terrdin’s side. I was the one who thought of ending the war by cutting off Mantum’s head! You just followed orders, yet you take the credit? A slave’s achievements are the master’s. So that position rightfully belongs to me. Answer me. Whose is it?”

Zenri demanded.

Ram, as usual, no, even more obediently than usual, replied.

“Everything I have belongs to you, Young Master Zenri.”

With him so submissive, the next step wouldn’t be difficult.

‘I’ll make an example of him. Show him exactly who I am!’

“Hand over your sword.”

Zenri held out his hand.

“You’ll be executed by my father anyway for the sin of abandoning me. So I’ll show you mercy and kill you here myself. You know how my father executes people, don’t you? Days of excruciating torture before death. My father knows every torture method in the world. If I do it, there’ll be no pain.”

The only concern was that killing Ram here would leave no one to guide him. But once the sun rose, the mist would clear, and finding the camp in this flat plain wouldn’t be difficult.

“Now, hand me that sword.”

Zenri pressed him again.

Ram still looked at him with frightened and sorrowful eyes.

There was no sign of resistance.

The only strange thing was that Ram kept meeting his eyes.

Ever since Zenri had started talking about Ran, the slave hadn’t once looked away.

A slave who always bowed his head so much that Zenri remembered the top of it better than his face, now refused to avert his gaze.

“Hurry up!”

Zenri urged, and Ram slowly, almost frustratingly so, extended his sword.

Zenri reached out to take it. But the sword Ram handed over stabbed straight into Zenri’s stomach.

Zenri looked down at the blade lodged in his abdomen.

It didn’t particularly hurt.

It just didn’t make sense.

Was the idiot so dumb he handed the sword wrong? Then again, he was always stupid, so now he’s forgotten how to hand over an object?

“What… what are you… doing?”

His voice barely came out.

Still, it didn’t hurt.

The wolf bite had hurt more.

“Are you insane? Where did you stab me?”

“This is the least painful spot in the human body. It’ll just drain your strength. And as long as I don’t pull the blade out, it’ll take a long time for you to die. I hope you stay alive long enough to hear everything I have to say.”

As Ram’s words ended, Zenri fell to one knee. Then, without meaning to, the other knee also dropped. In this way, he knelt before the slave he despised most.

At least his hands didn’t touch the ground.

That would’ve been too humiliating.

The blood of Selkon could never accept humiliation.

“The Chieftain Jedric said this: the one who kills Mantum will be cursed to die in the most horrifying way they can imagine. Naturally, since I killed Mantum, I thought I would be the one to suffer that curse. But you’re right, Young Master. You were the one who ordered it, and without your command, I would never have considered killing Mantum. Even if I had the ability, I wouldn’t have thought of it. Because I’m a slave.”

The pain began to set in.

But no sound came out of Zenri’s mouth.

When the wolf bit him, he didn’t have time to scream, but now, no sound would emerge.

‘I need to make a sound. If I cry out, General Terrdin will hear and come to my rescue. Then he’ll cut this slave down in one stroke and save me.’

But only a faint whistling sound escaped Zenri’s lips.

Zenri realized he would have to overcome this situation with his own strength.

He first reached out toward Ram, intending to claw at his face and knock him to the ground, then tear at his neck with his teeth.

However, his hand fell limply before it could even touch Ram’s face.

He couldn’t muster any strength in his abdomen.

Zenri gave up on grabbing Ram and instead attempted to pull the sword out of his stomach, albeit belatedly.

But instead of grasping the hilt, he grabbed the blade.

Unaware of his mistake, Zenri tried to pull the sword.

Rather than extracting it, he only sliced his palm.

Blood poured out, flowing rapidly along the blade.

He couldn’t tell if the blood was from his stomach wound or his lacerated palm.

“A slave’s actions are their master’s achievements. And the slave’s sins are their master’s responsibility. Everything of mine belongs to you, Young Master Zenri.”

Zenri collapsed forward.

He struggled to breathe.

Ram’s voice grew softer and softer.

That quiet, calm voice filled him with mortal terror.

“Take my curse as well.”

Ram grabbed Zenri by the scruff of his neck and dragged him backward.

Zenri, unable to move under his own power, found his body pulled effortlessly.

He was now lying flat on his back, completely prone.

And in that state, he was dragged somewhere.

The horrifying part was that his mind remained fully conscious throughout.

When he had been bitten by the wolf, he had awakened to find himself already in the barbarian village.

Now, he was fully aware as he was dragged.

He vividly heard the sound of grass brushing against his back and felt the blades of grass and leaves touch his ears.

Ram shoved Zenri into something.

It was a hole, just big enough to fit one person.

Judging by the wet soil, it had been freshly dug.

But Ram hadn’t dug any holes on their way here.

‘He must have prepared this in advance!’

Zenri shivered in terror, his lips trembling.

‘He planned this from the beginning.’

Zenri opened his mouth, and finally, a faint voice emerged.

“P-please… I… I’m… your master… Y-you can’t do… this….”

Ram shook his head.

“General Terrdin told me this: to become a truly free man, I must sever my past as a slave myself.”

Ram spoke softly.

Someone else had learned to use that terrifying, quiet tone, much like Zenri’s father.

Ram carefully kicked the dirt piled at his feet into the hole, burying Zenri.

Looking down from above, Ram’s eyes betrayed no emotion.

They were the same eyes he had when washing Zenri’s clothes, cleaning around the barracks, or bringing food—no different now as he buried Zenri.

“P-please… Y-you’re a good man, Ram, aren’t you? Save me….”

Zenri pleaded.

“Stop it, Zenri. There’s no way to save you now.”

Ram shook his head.

“M-my master… I… I’m begging… P-please….”

“I don’t have a master anymore, Zenri. From now on, my body and soul belong to me.”

Even as he spoke, his voice carried no trace of emotion.

But there was one discernible feeling in the words he uttered in the final moments.

“By the way, Zenri, can you answer one question for me? Is this the most horrifying death you could imagine?”

It was curiosity.

“I need to know to see if Hark’s second curse has come to an end.”

Zenri didn’t understand the question, nor did he have the strength to answer.

Soon, dirt fell over his face, casting everything into darkness.

And before long, everything turned cold.