episode_0019

“Have you seen number 25?”

Aser pointed to a maid walking around the hallway and asked.

“Yes? If the number 25 that the Demon King is talking about is a male slave… You were going to the yard earlier?”

After hearing the maid’s words, Aser headed straight outside. I’m not sure why No. 25 went to the yard alone, but I thought about it for later.

Aser stood in the yard and looked around. Contrary to what the maid said, No. 25 was nowhere to be seen. Today was the first time I was annoyed because the yard was large.

‘Are you running away from home? Or kidnapping?’

The latter is completely unlikely, but my negative thoughts grew out of control, leading to useless imagination.

Even in the former case, Aser was able to fully understand. He said such harsh things to me that I ate a snack because I was hungry, so it was no exaggeration to say that he was hurt and ran away from the castle.

Thinking that all of this was due to his own mistake in speaking, Aser’s steps suddenly became heavy, as if he were wearing shackles.

Would anything change if I apologized now?

As if to represent my heavy heart, I arrived at the center of the yard where the fountain was at a slower pace than before.

Next to the fountain, there was the back of number 25, squatting down and looking at the flower beds.

Aser was so happy that he tried to run away, but stopped about five steps away.

First, I cleared my throat and asked in a voice that seemed to exaggerate kindness.

“No. 25, what are you doing here?”

Number 25’s body flinched at the sound of Aser’s voice heard from behind.

He turned his head with an expression that told him what was coming.

“Charlotte asked me to look around the castle for a while… But he told me not to go too far, so I was looking at the flowers.”

Number 25 did not make eye contact with Aser and was only looking at the ground.

I didn’t have confidence to begin with, but I felt sorry because I felt like I had trampled on even the faintest confidence I had left. Aser remembered Charlotte’s advice, approached No. 25, and got straight to the point.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to go for a walk from now on? This time without a necklace.”

Walk without a dog collar. At those two words, No. 25 quietly raised his head and looked up at Aser’s face.

It was a question that seemed to give me a choice, but I knew that the word rejection had to be buried deep in my heart.

As No. 25 nodded quietly, Aser smiled happily.

“Then let’s go right away. Follow me.”

Aser held No. 25’s hand and began walking up the mountain path behind the mansion. Even though it was a rough mountain road that wasn’t even paved with bricks, and even though I was holding the hand of a man named No. 25 and leading him, my steps were much lighter than before.

That was Aser’s case, and No. 25, who had never climbed a mountain before, quickly exhaled heavily as if he was exhausted.

“Shall we take a little rest and then go?”

“Wow… Huh… I’m fine.”

“Really? Just wait a little longer, so be patient.”

No. 25 had no idea what was coming. However, I just believed Aser’s words that I could go just a little further and followed behind her, barely able to lead my shaky, thin legs.

If Aser had not led the way from the front, it was obvious that No. 25 would have fallen behind long ago.

I began to faintly hear the sound of mountain birds ringing among the green forests and the sound of water flowing through them.

For a moment, the bright sunlight obscured No. 25’s vision. No. 25 barely blocked the pouring light with his small hands. As the field of vision gradually became brighter, what No. 25 could see was a clear valley.

Aser let go of No. 25’s hand that he had been holding and looked around. The valley, which was so clear that I could see the inside beyond the ground compacted with rocks and dirt, brought back memories of my childhood.

“I haven’t been here since I was young. Has it changed like this?”

After finishing speaking, Aser climbed onto the wide rock without a single thought and began to take off his cumbersome clothes.

Number 25, who was gulping down his saliva as he watched Aser’s body exposed every time he took off layer after layer of clothes, began to remember what happened last night.

Finally, Aser took off all his underwear, ran his disheveled blonde hair with both hands, then turned around and asked No. 25.

“How about it?”

Aser’s naked body in nature was enough to capture the attention of men.

Number 25 blushed and told her his honest impressions.

“Yes, it’s pretty.”

At No. 25’s compliment, Aser smiled brightly, revealing his pure white teeth.

He then gestured to No. 25 as if to come here.

Number 25 walked carefully and stood next to Aser. Aser looked at the valley and spoke with regret.

“I wanted to take you to the sea, but I’ll just endure this for today. This is pretty good too, right?”

No. 25’s eyes lit up at the word “sea” and he looked straight at Aser.

“Sea?”

“So, you’ve never seen it before?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll make sure to take you there later. It’s a promise.”

As if to remind him of his promise, Aser held out his little finger to No. 25. Number 25 looked at the finger blankly and then hooked his own finger. Aser touched No. 25’s head and emphasized his promise.

“A promise is a type of contract. You can’t leave me until you keep this promise.”

Number 25 immediately nodded at Aser’s mood, which was quite different from usual.

Aser, who was smiling as if satisfied, expressed a minor complaint when he saw No. 25’s body.

“By the way, it would be a little strange if I was the only one naked all the time. You take it off quickly too. No one will come anyway, so don’t worry about what others think.”

Number 25 quickly took off his clothes using the movements he had become accustomed to hearing Aser’s words.

It was a huge improvement compared to the beginning, when I couldn’t even wear rags.

Aser held the hand of No. 25, who was naked, and entered the valley. The temperature of the valley water that touched my toes was a bit creepy, but I could tolerate it.

The valley was not very dangerous, with the water level reaching almost the chest of short No. 25.

In fact, there was nothing to do once we entered the valley. Aser was long past the age where he could play in the water, and No. 25 just stood there blankly as if it was his first time in the valley.

But this was an opportunity.

‘Yes, Charlotte has always been like that. ‘When you’re undressed, that’s the best time to have an honest conversation with each other.’

Aser made a decision in his heart and mentioned what had happened earlier.

“No. 25… Earlier… .”

The word sorry did not come out of my mouth easily, as if it were stuck in my throat. During that brief silence, No. 25 cautiously opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry about what happened at the restaurant earlier… . I think the Demon King is angry because I behaved the way I wanted… I was so sorry about that.”

Number 25 looked like he was going to cry at any moment. Actually, he didn’t make that much of a mistake. Aser was embarrassed and began to comfort him by holding him in his arms.

“No, I’m more sorry. I got a little sensitive and said something harsh to you. Were you scared because you did something like that?”

It was not easy for a master to hand an apple to a slave. Nevertheless, Aser was sincerely apologizing to No. 25.

No. 25 looked at that and became lost in thought.

‘The Demon King thought of me and apologized… . If I don’t convey my sincerity… .’

Number 25 closed his eyes tightly, then opened them as if he had decided on something and looked straight into Aser’s eyes.

“At that time, Aser was definitely different from usual and I was scared… Still, he is my favorite person who gave me light.”

Immediately after No. 25 finished speaking, he said nothing more. I just avoided Aser’s gaze out of shame.

Aser looked closely at No. 25’s face, which was redder than usual.

Trembling body, thin lips, long eyelashes. Everything felt clearer than usual. As if I would never again forget what happened today.

The person he loved most of all, those words paralyzed Aser’s reason.

After slightly pushing away No. 25 in his arms, Aser pulled No. 25’s small face towards himself with both hands and brought his face closer.

The first kiss of my life happened in the blink of an eye. I had no feelings whatsoever. Aser’s mind, paralyzed, stopped thinking.

Lips folded, saliva flowing down. Are men’s lips really sweet and soft?

Before he knew it, the bitter scent of the coffee No. 25 had eaten this morning spread in Aser’s mouth.