The statement was so unexpected that I was momentarily speechless. A specimen? Displayed in a glass case? What could that possibly mean? The Karial I remember was just an ordinary noble girl. Aside from her interest in swordsmanship, there was nothing particularly remarkable about her.

I couldn’t understand why such words were coming from Zetak. As if sensing my confusion, he spoke again.

“The reason I haven’t touched her is because she is of royal blood. It’s just something I couldn’t bring myself to do.”

“How do you know that? You didn’t have any personal connection with her, did you?”

Zetak’s brow furrowed slightly. It was a very subtle reaction, and his hair obscured it, so I couldn’t be sure. But it was obvious that he was reacting to something, and that gave me a sense of certainty.

“So, you knew her personally. Now that I think about it, you had some animosity toward Karial. Is there a connection?”

I remembered the hostility he had shown Karial outside the dormitory. It wasn’t just hostility, I could sense a deep-seated hatred. He didn’t react, but that was essentially a confirmation.

Moreover, that reaction didn’t come from a relationship formed just recently. It must have been from long ago—probably dating back to when he served as my attendant.

They must have shared a connection that only they knew about… But what kind of situation would allow a servant to meet the daughter of a count? Judging by his reaction, it couldn’t have been a positive relationship.

“Will you meet her?”

Zetak, who was drying my hair with a towel, wore an expressionless face. But his red eyes, glinting menacingly through his hair, clearly conveyed a message. It seemed to say, Don’t die before I’ve had a chance to kill you. At the same time, I could see a hint of concern for me.

I had sensed it from his reaction during our sparring sessions, but now it was unmistakable. Something other than hatred was growing in Zetak. However, it wasn’t the emotion I had anticipated.

Affection. It was completely different from the slimy, disgusting lust that monsters felt for humans. This was yearning. Admiration. Loyalty. Affection. I found traces of a deep-rooted affection within him, planted long ago. It was fascinating.

I thought he had completely eradicated all attachments five years ago. Was that not the case? Or had the memories simply resurfaced because he was living in the palace again?

My goal was to use the desire that would awaken him as he transformed into a monster. I intended to tame that feeling of wanting humans and mold it into my body. However, before I could even do that, the emotion of affection was beginning to hatch first, despite what had happened long ago.

Was there any reason for him to be so blindly in love with me? I thought about it, but couldn’t come up with anything plausible. The four years I had spent with him had been incredibly peaceful. Instead, something else occurred to me.

[I am honored to serve you, Your Highness!]

The image of him stuttering when he first met me flashed in my mind. His eyes had widened, and his mouth hung open in surprise when he saw me. I remembered it vividly because he looked so foolish. Although I had forgotten it until now, once that memory resurfaced, it stirred many others, like a stone thrown into still water. Yes, I distinctly remember his stupid reaction.

‘Why didn’t I notice…?’

His wide, red eyes. His mouth was open in astonishment. Was that the reaction of someone seeing a stranger for the first time? No, it wasn’t the reaction to meeting someone new. It was the reaction to seeing someone familiar in an unexpected place. Why didn’t I notice anything strange at that moment?

[Don’t be like that, Your Highness. It’s his first time, he’s probably just nervous, he’s a smart boy, and he’ll adapt quickly.]

Did I simply assume he was nervous because it was his first time, based on what the nanny said? Could he and I have already known each other? But how?

“What are you thinking about?”

Just as I was about to remember something, his voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I could see him in the mirror, gently brushing my hair back. Had he met me before becoming my servant? I considered asking him but decided against it. He certainly wouldn’t answer.

If he wanted to talk about it, he would have had plenty of opportunities, considering he’s been at my side for four years. The fact that he hasn’t said anything in that time means that he probably has no intention of doing so in the future. Besides, what difference would it make if I knew now?

“What will you do if I say I’m going to see Karial?”

With that, I returned to the main topic. Whether he had known me before becoming my servant was irrelevant now. I wanted to understand what kind of relationship he had with Karial in the past.

“I told you not to meet her.”

“Your tone seems to have shifted to one of authority.”

“That must be your misunderstanding.”

“You still insist it’s my misunderstanding when it goes against you.”

Did I misinterpret that? For a brief moment, it seemed like the corners of Zetak’s mouth lifted slightly. However, when I looked again, he was still expressionless. It seems I was mistaken.

“You know Bapharos’s personality well. Even if I refuse now, he’ll find a way to make it happen with her. It’s better if I go on my own rather than wait for that. Besides, I want to uncover the past you refuse to talk about.”

“So, you’re set on ignoring everything I say.”

“If you don’t like that, then just tell me. What did she do to you?”

“……”

“Your stubbornness hasn’t changed. Yes, you were always a child who followed my orders well, but once you decided to be stubborn, you never backed down. A perfect example is when you refused to let another servant take over your bathing duties.”

“That’s because you chose to ignore it, Your Highness.”

“……That’s true.”

It was true. After all, he was just a servant boy. No matter how much authority I wielded over him, he would have had to follow orders, whether he liked it or not. But I didn’t. I let him do as he pleased. That’s probably why there were rumors that I cared for him.

“It’s Your Highness who spoiled my habits. So, you have no right to blame me.”

“No. Wait a minute. That doesn’t seem right. You were just that kind of kid from the start.”

“That’s just your misconception.”

“…….”

I thought he had changed a lot, but how come he hasn’t changed at all in this regard?

“Fine. Let’s say it’s my misconception. Now answer me. What did she do to you? Did she whip you or something?”

I tugged at his arm, and as I slid my hand beneath his shirt, Zetak stiffened like a statue.

Ignoring his reaction, I let my fingers trace the uneven scars on his back. They were unmistakably the marks of a whip. But I couldn’t be certain that I was the one responsible for them. 

I had used a whip on him before, back in the prison. I had lashed him until the skin on his back was raw, so these scars could just as easily have been from my hand.

“…Please stop touching me.”

Zetak said this with a grimace, his breath coming out a little heavier as if he were struggling to hold it in. Was it a shame that made him uncomfortable with the scars? Or was he still in pain?

I ran my fingers slowly down his back to his waist. Burn scars. Snake scales. There was no soft skin anywhere. The moment my fingers brushed the spot where a slave mark would be, Zetak flinched and yanked my arm away.

“…!!”

The unexpected grip made my face twist involuntarily in discomfort. The sound of crunching bones was certainly not pleasant. I couldn’t scream, the intense pain had rendered me speechless for a moment. I looked down at my right arm, held firmly in his grip.

His fingers dug deep into my flesh and my forearm was bent at a grotesque angle. It was as if a broken bone had pierced the skin, and my clothes were quickly stained with blood.

I never thought he would do something like this, so I didn’t even think about defending myself. It all happened in an instant. Or maybe I had relaxed, believing that Zetak would never do such a thing to me. I had no idea he would attack me so openly, especially when he should still be hiding his claws.

“…Stop. I told you to stop.”

Zetak spoke in a hoarse voice as he let go of my arm. His eyes glittered dangerously, filled with a mixture of emotions I couldn’t quite comprehend. Blood began to drip from my arm, staining my clothes. He looked at my mangled arm in silence, his gaze obscured by his hair. What was he thinking?

“Well, that works well. Even with divine power, you won’t be able to hold a sword with that arm for a while. Since it’s your right hand, there’s a reason why you can’t teach Karial how to use a sword.”

“Was that on purpose?”

“I can’t say it wasn’t. Even if it wasn’t intentional, I like the result.”

“…”

He tore the tablecloth and tied it around my shoulder to stop the bleeding.

“As you’re losing a lot of blood, keep your arm raised. I’ll call the priest.”