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Chapter 45
The Slave Who Covets Her Master
Diana sighed as she looked at Giskar kneeling before her. She closed her eyes, staring at the large man bowing before a small girl.
“Yes… you don’t really have a choice, do you?”
“…….”
“I must be the right choice.”
At Diana’s words, Giskar lifted his head. It was true. With a dazed expression, he looked at her. As if he were denying it, he shook his head and said,
“No… I…”
“Giskar. It’s okay.”
Diana now understood him as an adult. She knew this was why Giskar from her past life had once stayed by her side.
Giskar craved even the smallest hint of pity. Especially now, being abandoned by Diana, who had become his ‘master,’ would mean returning to the life of a mere slave.
Memories of the past surfaced. He had worked so hard just to gain the attention and smile of this slave. Giskar had always been cold.
Though he accepted what she offered, he never approached her nor smiled even once. Yet now, he spoke to her like this.
“It’s okay. Nothing happened between us. I’ll forget it.”
“…….”
“Truly.”
Diana smiled brightly, trying to reassure him, yet the atmosphere didn’t lighten. Why? Had she done something wrong? Giskar’s face seemed as though he had witnessed something he shouldn’t have, and Diana felt a twinge of guilt.
Somehow, she thought that something behind his eyes had crumbled.
“From now on, I will see only you…”
“…….”
“There will be no betrayal.”
His expression was desperate. Diana looked at the slave holding her hand. The once proud slave had fallen to his knees, begging Diana.
“There is only you for me.”
Was he trying to show her how base she was? Diana looked up at the sky. Why did this statement bring her satisfaction? Why did it make her happy?
Why… did it bring her peace?
Although the future with Princess Reviann was already foreseen, Diana decided to trust his current vow.
“Alright.”
“…….”
“Alright, Giskar.”
In truth, Diana was angry with Giskar. Anger was natural. Seeing Princess Reviann made Giskar unbearably detestable.
Giskar, you don’t only look at me. You make a child with Princess Reviann… the woman who took my child.
“Don’t look at that woman. Look only at me.”
Her once vague words became a bit more concrete. Hope began to flicker in Giskar’s fragmented gaze.
“That woman?”
Diana didn’t answer the confirming question.
“No matter how much she tempts you, you must only look at me.”
“…….”
“If she harms me…”
“I will kill her.”
Diana snapped back to reality at his words. Kill? Princess Reviann… Giskar would do it himself? Just thinking about it was thrilling! If that were the case, she would shower this boy with kisses.
But Diana suppressed the cruel impulse. Nothing about it was right, healthy, or pure. It was a twisted desire.
“No… don’t. Just show her a lesson.”
Diana smiled wryly. She knew he couldn’t do it. Giskar’s face gleamed with anticipation.
“Ann, we need to talk.”
Philip, who had come to see her, looked at Diana earnestly. Diana shook her head. She knew they had to talk.
“I didn’t mean it that way… that you really—”
“I know. You didn’t mean it that way.”
Philip furrowed his brows and lowered his head, speaking in a subdued voice.
“You’ve been so serious all the time. I kept asking if you were okay, but you wouldn’t give a reason, and your expression kept causing misunderstandings. It frustrated me.”
“Yeah… misunderstandings… I guess that’s fair.”
Diana let it slide gently. Just as she understood Giskar, she could understand Philip too. It’s natural to feel frustrated or even angry sometimes.
Philip smiled and raised his head, but then his expression turned shocked.
“What’s wrong?”
Diana tilted her head at his question. What did he mean?
“Why does your face look so cold if you understand?”
“Me? What do you mean? Did you come here to reconcile with me?”
Diana’s pointed words made Philip shake his head. Emotions collide only when both parties are sincere. Diana was angry and hurt, but she hid her feelings and claimed understanding. Their reconciliation wasn’t truly complete. That was the beginning of the friction.
“Ann. You saved my life. If it weren’t for that quill, I would have died.”
“…….”
“I consider you a friend. More than a friend.”
Diana’s eyes widened. What did he mean? Yet those words were only a prelude for what Philip wanted to say next.
“Aren’t you going to tell me why you’ve been so withdrawn?”
“…….”
“And what about that slave… how did he kill Echidna?”
“…….”
“What happened with Princess Reviann?”
Diana couldn’t answer any of these questions. Seeing this, Philip smiled slightly.
“You hide too much. You don’t try to tell or share anything.”
“…….”
“Can we really be friends like this? We can never truly connect.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Philip shook his head.
“It’s just… lately, you seem to have so many secrets.”
“…….”
“Oh, sorry. I came to apologize and ended up getting angry. Alright, Ann. Take care.”
Take care? Diana wanted to say something, but Philip turned and left the room. She stared at the door, confused.
Bad things tend to happen all at once. Diana frowned. She hadn’t even considered preventing Giskar from meeting Princess Reviann.
In truth, it wasn’t necessary. Princess Reviann didn’t know Giskar at all.
“What will you do with this slave?!”
Princess Reviann shouted at Diana. When Diana turned to Giskar, he was drenched in water.
“What happened?”
Diana saw Ferdinand and Philip, who had come running after the commotion. Philip avoided her gaze.
“How insolent!”
Looking closely at Giskar, Diana noticed his cheek was swollen. He bowed quietly as water dripped down him.
“Are you the princess’s slave?”
Princess Reviann asked.
“Yes… what about it…”
“Does a princess’s slave have a stiffer neck than nobles?!”
“…….”
“Not only did he refuse to bow, he didn’t even give his name, and he disobeyed my command to bring flowers.”
“Oh, that wretched creature!”
Ferdinand echoed Princess Reviann’s indignation.
“My master… how dare she make a joke of me… even to a slave…”
Princess Reviann began to sob. Diana looked at Giskar, as if to give him a chance to explain. Calmly, he said,
“Only my master can give me orders.”
“…….”
“Isn’t it natural to obey only the one who owns me?”
“Shut up!”
Ferdinand kicked Giskar. At that moment, the duke’s furious voice rang out.
“You insolent wretch! How dare you shame your master?!”
The duke, standing among the crowd, had a flushed face. He must have been watching all along. Diana felt a sudden ominous premonition.
“Princess, I apologize. As a token of my apology, I will…”
“Father!”
“Silence! I entrusted you with this household because I trusted you!”
As the duke shouted, Diana looked frustrated. She could never let Princess Reviann have Giskar.
Suddenly, he would be given to the princess? Reviann’s confused face turned into a smile.
“Oh, if that’s the meaning of Your Excellency’s apology…”
No. Why? Diana stood dumbfounded. Then Giskar grabbed the dagger in his possession.
People, including Princess Reviann, screamed as they watched. Giskar stared straight at Diana.
“Wait!”
“My master… is only one person.”
Without hesitation, Giskar plunged the dagger into his own heart.
