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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 19: Slave and the Master (3)
Ram stopped.
He stopped so abruptly that he almost lost his balance, stumbling slightly.
Then he turned to look at Zenri.
Seeing those round, foolish eyes gave him a strange sense of normalcy.
He was the slave.
Zenri was the master.
When the master speaks, the slave listens!
‘Ah, things are finally back to the way they should be.’
Zenri slowly approached the halted Ram.
“That girl who liked you—she really did, didn’t she? Did you know that? Judging by your expression, you knew. I thought you didn’t, but of course, you had to know. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be as shocked by what I’m about to say.”
The distance between Zenri and Ram closed to a single step.
“Did you know she wrote you a letter? Of course, you didn’t. I made sure you wouldn’t. No way you could’ve known.”
On this vast, green plain, only the two of them stood.
Their faces were so close that they nearly touched.
Seeing the fear etched on Ram’s face made Zenri feel euphoric.
“You can read and write, right? That girl must’ve learned too, in her own way. Seeing her standing there, waiting for you at the entrance with that letter in her hand—it was so hilarious I couldn’t resist. I asked her to hand it over, and she hesitated, but she had no choice but to give it to me. Why? Because I’m the master. She, you—all of you—must give me anything I ask for. Anything!”
Zenri emphasized it repeatedly.
“Do you know how ridiculous that letter was? The handwriting was so terrible! If she was that bad at writing, she should’ve asked someone to do it for her! But none of you ever think. And the contents—oh, they were even worse! It was the most pathetic, laughable letter I’d ever seen. I still remember it vividly.”
Ram just stared at Zenri with vacant, foolish eyes.
He didn’t respond.
Of course, he wouldn’t.
What could he say?
“Should I tell you what it said? Not that you’d want to hear it, but since you saved me and brought me here, I suppose I’ll indulge you. Think of it as your master’s generosity.”
Zenri leaned in close, almost whispering into Ram’s face.
“Consider it a gift.”
He knew exactly how effective this tone could be.
His father had taught him that.
When his father was angry, he would lower his voice.
The angrier he became, the softer he spoke.
When he was truly enraged, he would whisper.
And when he whispered, everyone—whether enemies, slaves, or even family—shivered with fear.
That was his father’s way.
Zenri could mimic it perfectly.
‘You must be terrified right now, aren’t you? No matter how much you try to hide it, it’s no use. Your shoulders are trembling.’
Zenri decided to push a little further.
The slave would soon break down, sobbing and falling to his knees.
“The letter went something like this: ‘I like you. I like your face. I like your voice. I want to be with you. Please talk to me more….’ That’s supposed to be a love letter?”
Zenri laughed deliberately, loudly.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha! Even when I was five years old, I could’ve written something better than that!”
His loud laughter suddenly turned into a harsh shout, his voice splitting into three tones.
He worried for a moment that he might lose his voice later.
It was fine.
Adults always said this kind of hardship would make for great stories someday.
When he talked about how he endured this long, grueling imprisonment, no woman will be able to resist.
Zenri circled the frozen Ram, speaking slowly as if savoring every word.
“You slaves think that’s what a love letter is? Like animals, you mate and spawn offspring. And those children? They’re born as slaves too. Disgusting creatures! That’s why I claimed her first.”
Zenri returned to stand directly in front of Ram.
His expression was still sullen, still pained.
His shining black eyes looked like the tear-filled eyes of a frightened puppy.
“When your master asks for something, you give it. You have nothing. You’re supposed to have nothing. And yet, when I demand something, you cry and beg not to give it. She cried for days, I heard. My mother said she was useless and sold her off immediately. That’s what you people are. Do you understand? That’s what you’re supposed to be. That’s all you can be!”
Zenri grabbed Ram by the collar, pulling him close with force.
“And what did you do? You crazy fool—you dared to abandon your master and run away?”
Ram hung limply in Zenri’s grip, powerless to resist as he was yanked around.
“You should’ve fought to the death! Wolves were attacking me, and you ran away? Do you have any idea how much more valuable my single life is compared to your worthless hundreds? What will it take to teach you that? Do you even have ears to hear it?”
Of course, a slave could never defy their master’s touch.
If pushed, they fell.
If hit, they took the blow.
If abandoned, they begged not to be.
If sold, they served their next master.
Still, Zenri often reminded his slaves that his estate was better than anywhere else.
That they’d face far worse elsewhere.
“I’m the one who should’ve been by General Terdin’s side. I’m the one who came up with the idea of beheading Mantum to end the war! You only followed orders, and now you’re taking credit? A slave’s achievements belong to their master. That position is rightfully mine. Answer me—whose is it?”
Zenri demanded.
Ram, as always—no, more obediently than usual—responded.
“Everything of mine belongs to Master Zenri.”
With such submissiveness, the next step wouldn’t be hard.
He would show him.
He would make sure Ram knew exactly who he was!
“Give me your sword.”
Zenri extended his hand.
“For the crime of abandoning your master, my father will execute you anyway. But I’ll be merciful and kill you here. You know how my father executes people, don’t you? Tortured brutally for three days before dying. He knows every method of torture in the world. If I do it, there will be no pain.”
The only concern was that if Ram died here, there would be no one to guide the way.
But as soon as the sun rose, the mist would clear, and it wouldn’t be hard to find the camp in this flatland.
"Now, hand over that sword."
Zenri emphasized once more.
Ram continued to look at him with frightened and gloomy eyes.
There was no sign of resistance.
The strange thing, however, was that he kept looking Zenri straight in the eye.
Ever since the mention of Ran, Ram hadn’t once lowered his head, even while being berated.
It was unusual—Zenri was used to seeing the top of Ram’s bowed head more than his face.
But now, Ram didn’t avert his gaze at all.
“Hurry!”
Zenri urged, and Ram, almost exasperatingly slowly, extended the sword.
Zenri reached out to take it.
But instead, the sword Ram held out stabbed into Zenri’s abdomen.
Zenri looked down at the sword lodged in his stomach.
It didn’t particularly hurt.
He simply couldn’t understand.
Did this fool mess up while handing over the sword?
He was always been stupid—had he even forgotten how to hand things over now?
“What… what are you doing…?”
His voice barely came out.
It still didn’t hurt.
The bite he got from a wolf hurt more.
“Have you lost your mind? Where did you even stab me?”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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“I struck the part of the human body that hurts the least. It will only sap your strength. As long as I don’t pull the blade out, it’ll take a long time for you to die. I just hope you live long enough to hear everything I have to say.”
As soon as Ram finished speaking, Zenri dropped to one knee.
Then, automatically, the other knee followed.
That was how he found himself kneeling before the slave he despised the most.
Fortunately, he didn’t plant his hands on the ground.
That would have been too humiliating.
A descendant of Selken’s bloodline must never tolerate disgrace.
“Great Chief Jedrick said this: the one who kills Mantum will be cursed to die in the most horrifying way they can imagine. Naturally, I thought I’d be the one afflicted by that curse since I killed Mantum. But, as you’ve pointed out, it was you who ordered me to do it. Without your command, I would never have thought of killing Mantum, even if I had the ability to do so. After all, I’m just a slave.”
The pain began to set in.
But no sound escaped his lips.
When he was bitten by the wolf, he hadn’t had time to scream, but now, no sound would come.
‘I need to scream. If I scream now, General Terdin will hear me and come to my rescue. He’ll slice this damned slave apart and save me.’
But all that came out of Zenri’s mouth was the sound of escaping air.
Zenri realized he’d have to get through this on his own.
He reached toward Ram, intending to claw his face and throw him to the ground, then bite his neck.
But his hand didn’t even touch Ram’s face; it fell limply.
He couldn’t muster the strength.
Zenri gave up on grabbing Ram and instead tried to pull the sword out of his stomach.
But instead of gripping the hilt, he grabbed the blade.
Oblivious, Zenri pulled.
The sword didn’t come out. Instead, his palm was cut open.
Blood gushed from the wound, spilling down the blade.
He couldn’t tell whether the blood was from his stomach wound or his hand.
“A slave’s deeds are their master’s glory. And the crimes of a slave are their master’s responsibility. All that I am belongs to you, Master Zenri.”
Zenri collapsed forward.
He could barely breathe.
Ram’s voice grew softer.
That calm, quiet voice was terrifying.
“Take my curse too.”
Ram grabbed Zenri’s scruff and pulled him back.
Zenri, who couldn’t even straighten his body on his own, was effortlessly laid flat on the ground.
Ram then dragged him somewhere.
The scariest part was that Zenri’s mind remained sharp.
When he was bitten by the wolf, he’d regained consciousness only after arriving at the barbarian village.
But now, he was fully aware throughout the ordeal.
He could vividly hear the rustling of grass brushing against his back and feel leaves tickling his ears.
Ram shoved him into a pit.
The pit was just big enough for one person.
Judging by the damp soil, it had been freshly dug.
But Ram hadn’t dug it on the way here.
‘He prepared it in advance!’
Zenri trembled in fear.
‘He planned this all along.’
Zenri opened his mouth.
With great effort, he managed to speak.
“P-Please… I-I’m… your master… Y-You can’t do this…”
Ram shook his head.
“General Terdin told me this: to become a truly free man, I must sever my past as a slave with my own hands.”
Ram spoke quietly, like a father who intimidates through calm words.
Ram carefully kicked the dirt piled at his feet into the pit, covering Zenri.
The look in Ram’s eyes as he buried Zenri showed no emotion.
“P-Please… Ram… you’re kind, aren’t you? Spare me…”
Zenri begged.
“Enough, Zenri. There’s no way to save you now.”
Ram shook his head.
“Y-You… my… master’s… begging… Please…”
“I don’t have a master anymore, Zenri. From now on, my body and soul belong to me.”
Ram’s voice was devoid of emotion.
But in his final words, there was one discernible feeling.
“By the way, Zenri, could you answer me one thing? Is this the most horrifying death you could imagine?”
Curiosity.
“I need to know if Hak’s second curse is complete.”
Zenri couldn’t understand the question, let alone answer it.
His face was soon buried under dirt as darkness enveloped him.
Everything turned cold.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!w
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