Slave of the Demon King’s Castle 19

## Chapter 19 – Acer. Jealousy # 3

“Hey you, have you seen Number 25?”

Acer pointed at a maid walking down the hallway and asked.

“Excuse me? If you’re referring to the male slave Number 25, Your Majesty… I think he went to the courtyard earlier?”

Hearing the maid’s words, Acer headed straight outside. She wasn’t sure why Number 25 would go to the courtyard alone, but she decided to think about it later.

Acer stood in the courtyard and looked around. Contrary to the maid’s words, Number 25 was nowhere to be seen. It was the first time she found the courtyard so frustratingly large.

‘Could he have run away? Or been kidnapped?’

The latter was highly unlikely, but negative thoughts grew uncontrollably, leading to useless imaginings.

Even if it were the former, Acer could understand. She had said such harsh things for just eating a snack, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration if he was hurt and ran away from the castle.

Realizing that all of this was due to her slip of the tongue, Acer’s steps became heavy, as if she were wearing shackles.

Would anything change if she apologized now?

As if representing her heavy heart, she arrived at the center of the courtyard, where the fountain was, walking slower than before.

Next to the fountain, there was Number 25, squatting and looking at the flower bed.

Acer wanted to run to him out of joy, but she stopped about five steps away.

First, she cleared her throat and asked in a voice that exaggerated kindness.

“Number 25, what are you doing here?”

Number 25 flinched at Acer’s voice from behind.

With a look that said, “It’s finally here,” he turned his head.

“Lady Charlotte told me to look around the castle for a bit… but she told me not to go too far, so I was looking at the flowers.”

Number 25 didn’t make eye contact with Acer and kept looking at the ground.

He had always lacked confidence, but Acer felt like she had trampled on even the faint remaining confidence, so she felt sorry. Acer recalled Charlotte’s advice and approached Number 25, getting straight to the point.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to go for a walk with me now? Without the collar this time.”

Without the dog collar, a walk. At those two phrases, Number 25 quietly raised his head and looked up at Acer’s face.

It was a question that seemed to give him a choice, but he knew that the word “no” had to be buried deep in his heart.

When Number 25 quietly nodded, Acer smiled happily.

“Then let’s go right now. Follow me.”

Acer took Number 25’s hand and began to climb the mountain path behind the mansion. It was a rough mountain path without any bricks, and even though she was holding the hand of a man named Number 25 and leading him, her steps were much lighter than before.

That was the case for Acer, but Number 25, who had never hiked before, was soon out of breath.

“Should we rest for a bit?”

“Huff… huff… I’m okay.”

“Really? It’s just a little further, so hang in there.”

Number 25 didn’t know what was coming. But trusting Acer’s words that it was just a little further, he barely dragged his wobbly, thin legs and followed her.

If Acer hadn’t been leading him from the front, it was obvious that Number 25 would have fallen behind long ago.

The sound of mountain birds echoed among the green trees, and the sound of flowing water could be faintly heard.

Suddenly, bright sunlight obscured Number 25’s vision. Number 25 barely shielded the pouring light with his small hand. In the gradually brightening view, Number 25 saw a clear stream.

Acer let go of Number 25’s hand, which she had been holding, and looked around. The clear stream, where she could see the bottom beyond the rocky and earthen ground, brought back childhood memories.

“I haven’t been here since I was a kid, has it changed this much?”

After finishing her words, Acer climbed onto a flat rock without a moment’s hesitation and began to take off her cumbersome clothes.

As Acer took off her clothes layer by layer, Number 25, who was swallowing hard as he watched Acer’s body being revealed, began to recall what had happened last night.

Acer, who had finally taken off all her underwear, swept back her disheveled blonde hair with both hands and turned around to ask Number 25.

“How is it?”

Acer’s naked figure in nature was enough to captivate the eyes of men.

Number 25 blushed and told her his honest impressions.

“Y-yes, it’s beautiful.”

At Number 25’s compliment, Acer smiled brightly, revealing her pearly white teeth.

Then, she gestured for Number 25 to come over.

Number 25 carefully moved his steps and stood next to Acer. Acer looked at the stream and said regretfully.

“I wanted to take you to the sea, but bear with this for today. This is pretty good too, right?”

At the word “sea,” Number 25’s eyes lit up and he looked straight at Acer.

“The sea?”

“Yeah, have you never seen it before?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll definitely take you later. It’s a promise.”

As if to remind him of the promise, Acer held out her pinky finger to Number 25. Number 25 blankly stared at the finger before hooking his own finger around it. Acer touched Number 25’s head and emphasized the promise.

“A promise is a kind of contract. Until you keep this promise, you can’t leave me.”

Number 25 immediately nodded at Acer’s atmosphere, which was different from usual.

Acer, who seemed satisfied, smiled and looked at Number 25’s body, complaining about minor things.

“Anyway, it’s a little weird if only I keep taking off my clothes. You take them off quickly too. No one will come anyway, so don’t worry about what others think.”

At Acer’s words, Number 25 quickly took off his clothes with movements that had become familiar.

It was a great improvement compared to when he couldn’t even wear a proper rag.

Acer took the hand of the naked Number 25 and entered the stream. The temperature of the stream water that touched his toes was slightly chilly, but he could endure it enough.

The stream was not very dangerous, with a water level that reached around the chest of the short Number 25.

In fact, there was nothing much to do even after entering the stream. Acer was long past the age of playing in the water, and Number 25 just stood there blankly, as if it was his first time in a stream.

But this was an opportunity.

‘That’s right, Charlotte always said that. When you’re naked, it’s the best time to have honest conversations with each other.’

Acer made up her mind and mentioned what had happened earlier.

“Number 25… earlier…”

The word “sorry” didn’t come out easily, as if it were stuck in her throat. In that short silence, Number 25 carefully opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry for what happened at the restaurant earlier… I thought Your Majesty was angry because of my actions… I was so sorry for that.”

Number 25 looked like he was about to cry at any moment. In reality, he hadn’t done anything that wrong. Acer was flustered and began to hug him to comfort him.

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

It wasn’t easy for an owner to apologize to a slave. Nevertheless, Acer was sincerely apologizing to Number 25.

Number 25 was lost in thought as he looked at her.

‘Your Majesty is apologizing because she’s thinking of me… I have to convey my sincerity too…’

Number 25 closed his eyes tightly, then widened them as if he had made a decision, and looked straight into Acer’s eyes.

“Acer was definitely a little different from usual at that time, so I was scared… but she’s still the person who gave me light, the person I like the most.”

After finishing his words, Number 25 didn’t say anything more. He just avoided eye contact with Acer out of embarrassment.

Acer carefully examined Number 25’s face, which was more flushed than usual.

His trembling body, thin lips, and long eyelashes. Everything felt clearer than usual. As if he would never forget what happened today.

Above all, the words “the person I like the most” paralyzed Acer’s reason.

Acer slightly pushed away Number 25, who was in her arms, and pulled only Number 25’s small face towards her with both hands, bringing her face close.

The first kiss of his life happened in the blink of an eye. There was nothing to say about his impressions. Acer’s mind, which had been paralyzed by reason, stopped thinking.

Overlapping lips, overflowing saliva. Were a man’s lips so sweet and soft?

Acer’s mouth was soon filled with the bitter aroma of the coffee that Number 25 had eaten in the morning.