Chapter 5 – A Strange Conversation
There’s a man named Uncle Billy who works for Mom.
He’s always very kind to me, but with other people his mouth is really harsh.
Whenever he looked at the workers, he always shouted:
“Hey! If you’re gonna work with those rotten fish-eyes, just get lost! Go sleep at home before you hurt yourself!”
I never understood what “rotten fish-eyes” meant.
How could a person have fish eyes? I thought it was silly and laughed.
But now, I think I know.
Because that’s exactly what Rigel’s eyes looked like when I walked into his room.
He had been staring blankly out the window, looking lifeless.
But the moment he saw me, the emptiness disappeared and his eyes turned sharp and cold.
“Uh… hi,” I said carefully.
It was a little awkward after what happened yesterday, but I decided to greet him first.
Rigel stared at me, biting his lip like he was thinking hard about something.
Then, as if he had made up his mind, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Master.”
“…Huh?”
What? Yesterday he refused so hard to call me ‘Master.’
Why the sudden change?
“Should I start calling you ‘Master’ from now on?”
And he even used polite speech.
I froze in surprise. Rigel then shut his eyes tightly and added:
“I’m sorry for threatening you yesterday.”
He apologized calmly, admitting his mistake.
He felt like a completely different person from the boy yesterday.
I knew that in the old days, when slavery was common, giving a slave a name meant strengthening ownership over them.
Maybe that was why his attitude had suddenly changed after collapsing yesterday.
Still, it was strange.
But even as he apologized, his eyes were still fierce—like he was glaring at me.
I cleared my throat and shook my head.
“It’s fine. The situation changed suddenly, so I understand. Oh, and just call me Elena. Nothing fancy.”
“But… you are my Master.”
“I know. But I don’t want to be called that. And besides…”
I let out a sigh, dropping my shoulders.
“I don’t plan to keep you as a slave forever.”
“…Then?”
Ah, maybe I said it too vaguely.
“I’m not saying I’ll sell you, don’t worry. I plan to erase your slave mark and set you free. So you don’t need to treat me like your owner.”
“But I already have the brand carved into me.”
Rigel lowered his shirt slightly and showed me his shoulder.
“They say the brand is almost impossible to erase.”
“I know. But there’s still a way. When I studied the Empire’s slave system, I learned about the most common slave mark, called Tal Cruha. It looks like a tattoo, made from stone mixed with mercury, ground into special ink. It’s really hard to erase, but not completely impossible. So I’ll free you eventually.”
So just trust me, okay?
I smiled brightly, expecting him to be happy.
But instead, Rigel only tilted his head, confusion in his golden eyes.
“Don’t understand?” I asked.
“Aren’t you… ten years old?”
“Call me Elena, I said. And yes, I’m ten.”
“But you know such complicated things…”
“Complicated? I just memorized it from a book. Isn’t that normal for kids?”
“No. Normal kids can’t do that.”
“Well, I did.”
Rigel just stared, clearly unsettled.
But honestly, I liked that look better than his constant glare. His golden eyes were beautiful when they softened with surprise.
“Anyway, if you don’t get it now, just wait. I’ll handle it,” I said.
“…Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why would you set me free? Didn’t your mother pay a lot of money to buy me?”
“She did. Not me.”
“But still—”
“Explaining everything would mean starting from my childhood all the way to now, and I don’t want to. Just remember this: I don’t need a slave, so I’ll set you free. If you can’t understand, then memorize it. Memorizing isn’t that hard, right?”
I grinned. Rigel bit his lip again.
Of course it sounded unbelievable to him. A boy bought at such a high price, suddenly told he’d be freed. Who wouldn’t doubt it?
But the truth was, I had to free him.
Whether I became empress or not, Rigel’s identity was too dangerous—an emperor’s illegitimate son and a slave at the same time. Keeping him around was asking for trouble.
It was better to erase his mark and let him go quickly.
Still, Rigel didn’t know my thoughts.
His eyes flickered with confusion and doubt. Suspicion glimmered there now.
Honestly, that was the smart reaction. He was sharper than most kids. Maybe the emperor’s blood really did run in his veins.
“Anyway, that’s enough for now. Just rest,” I told him, turning to leave.
Then I remembered something and turned back.
“Oh, right. Do you remember anything? Last night, when you woke up, you were calling for your mom.”
“…Mom?”
“Yeah. Did you remember being separated from her? If you did, tell me. I’ll help you find her.”
His golden eyes flickered like a wheat field in the wind. For a second, I thought his guard had lowered.
But then he frowned and turned his head away.
“You don’t need to do that much for a slave.”
Still guarded, huh.
I sighed softly. He was like a little wild beast, baring his fangs at everything.
“I already told you, I don’t see you as a slave.”
“Then you really have no reason to care about me.”
Suspicion again.
Strange, but also sharp. This boy was no ordinary child.
Why was the emperor’s illegitimate son sold into slavery? Even Mom—who claimed to know the future—hadn’t known about him before he became a slave.
His past must have been complicated, too complicated for words.
“Mom always said this: you must treasure your people if you want to be a great person. So whether you’re a slave or not doesn’t matter. To me… you’re my person. Which means—”
I smiled, looking into his wavering eyes.
“You’re someone important to me.”
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual.
My eyes felt heavy, but strangely, I couldn’t fall back asleep. So I got up and started the day.
After washing, I picked up the book I was reading last night about slave marks.
I had found it in Mom’s study while searching for alchemy and medical books.
Unlike the simple notes I had seen before, this one went into great detail—what the marks were, how they were made, and even how to erase them.
But the problem was… it also showed just how complicated the process was.
Erasing a brand was anything but simple.
Still, why was such a book in Mom’s study?
Maybe because she was such a sharp businesswoman. Or maybe, because of her letter and the “prophecy book,” I couldn’t help but think she had prepared this knowing the future.
By the time I put the book down, it was nearly breakfast.
I glanced at Mom’s prophecy book.
It didn’t mention Rigel’s real name, Claudiel, but there were many events involving someone who seemed like him.
But oddly, the book didn’t say clearly if he would become emperor.
And it felt incomplete, like only part of the story was here.
Maybe there was another volume.
Anyway, if Mom brought Rigel to make me empress, then wouldn’t he have to become emperor first?
“‘I won’t force you,’” I murmured, remembering Mom’s words.
Did that apply to Rigel, too?
There was still so much I didn’t understand.
I’d have to write to Mom and ask her questions about the book.
But first—I had to face the very first prophecy.
And that prophecy said… it would happen today.
“…No, no. It’s probably just a joke, right? Mom was teasing me again.”
She always treated me like a child. Maybe this was just another prank.
I shook my head, got dressed, and left my room.
Just then, I ran into our butler, Taylor. He bowed politely.
“Young Lady, a guest has arrived.”
“A guest?” I stopped walking.
Taylor hesitated. “He says he is a guest of the family. I thought I should report to you first.”
And right then, Mom’s prophecy page flashed in my mind:
A house without its master is the easiest hunting ground for a hyena.
Location: Kalstadt estate
Person: Count Ken Naibel (age 52)
Traits: A typical noble who uses age and rank instead of logic
Event: He will use military law to threaten and extort money
…Wait. No way.
“Why don’t you ask Baron Twarlo, my guardian, to—”
“No. I’ll meet him myself.”
“…Pardon? Young Lady, you will?”
I nodded. Taylor looked shocked.
“The guest room, right?”
“Uh—yes.”
I smiled and walked away.
The Kalstadt family wasn’t powerful in title, but we had money.
Everyone knew it.
That’s why greedy nobles often approached us for donations or business.
When Mom was around, her vicious reputation kept them away.
But when Dad was alone, he always struggled against people pressing him with rank and power.
A hyena, I thought.
Was it just coincidence? I needed to see for myself.
So I headed for the reception room.
Inside, a middle-aged man sat wearing an odd beret.
My heart skipped—he was the exact man described in the prophecy.
“Ah, this gentleman is—” Taylor began.
“I know who he is,” I interrupted with a smile, stepping toward the man.
He stood at once. “Oh! Lady Kalstadt. What brings you here?”
His expression said it all—he had expected me to come.
His eyes glittered with greed, no matter how much he pretended to be surprised.
“Hello. Since my parents aren’t home, I’m taking care of family matters,” I told him.
“Oh, really? At such a young age? Remarkable! I’ve heard you were called a genius, and indeed you are far beyond your years!”
“Thank you. So, why are you here? Both my parents are away.”
This man was Count Ken Naibel, commander of the western border’s sub-forces.
Mom once told me he was a greedy man.
“Haha, straight to the point. Just like your mother.”
“Well, I am her daughter. So, what is it?”
His eyes narrowed, then he smiled confidently.
“Well then. This winter is especially harsh. Therefore, according to 22 articles of the Imperial Military and Supply Laws, four legions, six divisions, and three regiments under my command must follow Clause 2, Section 7. Thus, I must inform you that—”
He adjusted his tie and made a smug little “ahem” sound, clearly proud of himself.
He probably thought there was no way a ten-year-old could understand such complicated laws.
“You’re still young, so perhaps this is a bit difficult to understand… Do you follow me?”
“…”
I rested my chin in my hand, pretending to think. Then tilted my head.
He smirked, certain I was clueless.
“As I thought, it’s too complex for you. Simply put—”
“In simple words, you mean you’re pulling your soldiers back from the border because it’s cold, and if we don’t like it, we should pay you money. Is that it?”
“…What?”
