He seemed to consider my words, his eyes lingering on my right arm for a moment, perhaps reflecting on the damage he had caused.

“In the future, whether you decide to kill me or not, or whether you decide to leave… one day you’ll have to go to the underworld. The more you turn into a monster, the harder it will be for you to live in the human world.”

His expression tightened at my words as if something I said had hit a nerve. He furrowed his brow for a long moment before lowering his eyes.

“…Do you think that I…” he began, but was interrupted by the sudden and abrupt opening of the door.

An elderly servant burst into the room, panting heavily. He was my father’s servant, and though he was out of breath, the tray in his hands remained perfectly steady.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“It’s… huff… huff… I apologize… just a moment to catch my breath.”

Even as he caught his breath, the servant’s eyes scanned the room, making sure that only I and my attendant were present. Satisfied, he bowed his head deeply.

“I apologize, Your Highness, for this sudden intrusion. Please forgive the impropriety, but this is a matter of the utmost secrecy and I had to act quickly without seeking prior permission.”

“Secrecy? What do you mean?”

Without answering, the servant carefully placed the tray on the table. He lifted the lid of the teacup and immediately a strange, overpowering smell filled the room. The liquid inside was dark and ugly, sloshing lazily in the cup. Though there was barely enough for a single sip, the stench was so foul that I instinctively stepped back.

“This is from His Majesty. He instructed that no one should know about it and that I must deliver it directly to you. He said it was good for your health, so please drink it all at once.”

“…”

A strong, almost disturbing sense of déjà vu hit me. I glanced over at Zetak, who had become stiff, his expression reflecting the same unease I felt. I wasn’t the only one to sense this familiarity – something about this situation felt all too familiar, and not in a reassuring way.

I knew exactly what that foul liquid was. The smell… how could I forget? My mother had sent me the same thing once, years ago. Only this time it was my father.

“Leave it.”

“You have to drink it. If you throw it away, I’ll have to return, and it’s not easy to avoid the eyes of the nobles. There’s a magic seal on the cup that will allow His Majesty to confirm if it’s been thrown away. So, please, you must drink it.”

Despite the barrage of words, the servant hadn’t taken a breath, as if determined not to inhale the foul stench. His urgency was evident, not only in his words but in his posture, as if the thought of returning here was unbearable.

“I understand. Leave it.”

“I will deliver this medicine once a week at this time. Please leave the door unlocked,” she added, before bowing hastily and leaving the room, clearly eager to escape the lingering odor.

As the door clicked shut, I looked down at the disgusting liquid, the stench still heavy in the air. Zetak, still tense and motionless, looked at me, clearly waiting to see what I would do next.

When I nodded, the servant seemed visibly relieved and quietly slipped out, still looking around nervously, probably to make sure no one had noticed. He must have known exactly what kind of ‘medicine’ this was. If rumors spread that a prince was taking such a potion, even the servant wouldn’t escape unscathed. Her extreme caution suddenly made sense.

The fact that the servant only delivered it once a week was an attempt to avoid attracting the attention of the nobles. If this had been like the palace, where the medicine was delivered daily, it wouldn’t have taken long for the nobles to find out.

For Zetak, this was probably a relief. Unlike before, he would only have to drink it once a week. I picked up the cup, the sickening stench still in the air, and turned away.

“I’m not going to drink it.”

“I haven’t even said anything yet.”

I replied, though his eyes were already burning with resistance as he glared at the cup. It was clear he was lost in the past – reliving the pain and misery this foul liquid had caused him. His gaze flickered with memories of torment, but it evoked no sympathy from me.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off again, his voice even more determined.

“I said I won’t drink it.”

“But you will drink it.”

“Because I am ordering you to.”

There was no room for argument in my voice.

His face twisted in that all-too-familiar way, and memories of the past flooded back – his resistance, the bitterness, the helplessness of being forced to endure it. But this time he would have to obey.

[Y-Your Highness, please. Please, can’t I skip it just this once?]

[Drink it.]

[Your Highness, it’s unbearable. I’m suffering. Just one day, please… I feel like I’m going to dry up and die.]

[Such exaggeration. No matter how bitter it is, it won’t kill you. And haven’t I been kind enough to give you sweets afterward to cleanse your taste buds?]

I remembered how his face would twist when he drank the medicine, almost as if he wanted nothing more than to hit me in those moments. Or… wait. Could that have been it? Surely not. The memory was so long ago that it could have been distorted by time. Back then, Zetak had been almost blindly loyal to me, showing a strange kind of affection. Surely he hadn’t entertained such thoughts.

[I’m not exaggerating! If Your Highness had drunk it once, you wouldn’t say such a thing…]

[Are you raising your voice at me?]

He fell silent, realizing his mistake.

[Drink it and I’ll forgive you.]

I remembered the look he used to have when he was on the verge of tears. No matter how much he cried, he wouldn’t back down, just as he wouldn’t back down now. He probably wouldn’t cry this time, but I expected a look of defiance.

“When I took you from the temple, I told you that if you wanted to kill me in the future, I’d let you. But that time is not now. Right now you are nothing more than my servant, so don’t disobey me.”

“I would never…”

“Are you disobeying the command of royalty?” 

“…”

Wait. Did I just hear him mumble that word? Or was I imagining things again? I handed him the cup, and despite the obvious disgust on his face, he finally took it. His hand shook slightly as he accepted it – he hated this. Zetak stared at the green liquid for a moment before swallowing it in one quick gulp. As he set the cup down, his eyes glowed with an eerie intensity, almost disturbing in the dim light. It was as if something dark was stirring within him, flickering just below the surface.

“I’ll make you regret this.”

His words dripped with determination, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel any real fear. Whatever regrets might come, it would be nothing like the future I had once foreseen. Still, letting him stew in this resentment would only cause trouble later.

Noticing how angry he was, I took one of the sweets from the tray and pressed it to his lips. Startled, Zetak accepted it involuntarily, his eyes widening as he looked up at me, taken completely by surprise.

“There, it’s a sweet. Happy now?”

He remained silent, his expression unreadable.

“If you’ve had enough, get some sleep. Tomorrow we return to our regular schedule and you’ll have to attend classes.”

It was late, so I climbed into bed while Zetark continued to stare at me as if silently plotting my demise.

After a long moment, he sighed heavily, turned off the light, and reluctantly lay down beside me, the tension still in the air but for the moment he seemed resigned to his fate. Come to think of it, I had mentioned getting him a separate bed. Had I forgotten to ask for an answer? Well, if he wants to bring it up, he will. For now, I let the thought pass and settled down for the night.

As usual, I pulled him into my arms and gave him a comforting pat. For some reason, he remained stiff as a board, clearly not enjoying the gesture. Nevertheless, I continued to stroke his chest, my hand slowing as sleep began to creep in. Just as I was about to fall into a light sleep, I felt him move, rising slightly in the circle of my arms. Half-conscious, I wondered what he was going to do.

He looked down at me for a moment before slipping out of the room. I heard the slow, shuffling steps of his feet as he made his way to the bathroom. Is he having a bath at this hour? I wondered briefly. Then it hit me – he always looked after me during the day. He probably didn’t have time to take a bath until I was asleep.

Had he been doing this every night, waiting for me to fall asleep before tending to his own needs? It dawned on me that I had neglected his time. Even as a servant, he deserved his own space and time. This was my oversight. Tomorrow I will make sure I give him more personal time. He would appreciate it, wouldn’t he?

The soft sound of water running in the bathroom was strangely soothing, like a lullaby. I soon felt myself drifting back to sleep, the rhythmic flow soothing my mind as I promised to make things right.