Previously..
"I told you didn't I? How my teacher told me about the Magi and how he would make me king." The Master lets off his playful side. He was childish in many ways, and us slaves took care of this child. He doesn't show it as much earlier, but he's excited. "What do you think? Would I make a great king?"
I nod my head, "Of course, Master. The greatest." His grin widens.
"(y/n)." His green eyes blaze into mine, his face unbearably close.
"Yes, Master?" I ask.
"What do you want?" The question catches me off guard, but I know how to respond.
"I don't want anything." He seems to frown at this.
"Do you want to stay while I take the others into the dungeon?" He's serious, and I almost consider it.
"Only if you order me to." He loosens his grip around me, taking a step back.
"Or, do you want to come with me?" I'd long ago pushed my own free will deep down where it was inaccessible to me. I knew the answer, at least the one I had to make.
"That's not my choice, Master."
"What do you really want? You can tell me. I won't punish you." I pause. I didn't know how to respond. I hadn't considered that question in so long. Besides this could just be a trick after all.
"I.. I don't know.. I only ever want what you want." He doesn't say anything after that. Only nods his head.
"(y/n). Stay here." I try to hold back my surprise.
"But Master-"
"That's an order." He then lets off another one of his fake smiles. But this one is different, maybe it's actually genuine. "Don't worry. I'll come back. As a king! That way I'll know you're safe because.. I always want you by my side." He holds my chin carefully in his hand, smiling at me, before turning to go.
We return to the others who are finishing up the last of preparations. Soon Jamil walks out the front door, the rest of them following. He glances back at me. "See you soon," he whispers in my ear. I didn't know that would be his last goodbye.
I watch him go. It'd be a lie if I said I didn't expect him to come back. A part of me didn't want him to leave, but I'd be deceiving myself to say I didn't hope he'd never return. And so I went on deceiving myself. I start on my usual work, helping to keep the place clean. We decided to plan and prepare a feast for his return, as if he was already king.
It was odd here at home. The air was quiet and a bit melancholic. As if a loved one had just passed away and you were still getting used to the fact that no matter how many times you walk through the door they wouldn't be there. Mixed feelings of dread and hope, but also a bit of pride for our master filled the atmosphere. The silence endured. That is until he showed up.
No. It wasn't the master. It was someone else. The one he had been waiting for. Trudging into the room with his arms behind his head, all eyes turned to him. Subtly, as to not be punished. His red eyes scan over the room, "Where is the lord of this town?" His face shows a mix of distaste and boredom, but changes when he sees me. He approaches me, a grin on his face.
I stop what I was doing, feeling uncomfortable as his eyes trail me up and down. "If you're looking for Lord Jamil, he left just this morning," I state indifferently. I almost talked back to ask him if he thought I looked anything like our lord. I try to go back to my work muttering a quick, 'He went to capture a dungeon' instead as I turn away.
"Dungeon number seven, huh?" He speaks, but something about the way he says it sends a shiver up my spine. "It would be troublesome if someone actually captured it." He lets out a chuckle. I don't know if he was trying to irritate me or inspire some kind of false hope. "Actually, that master of yours won't be coming back. I guarantee it. So why don't you just come back with me?"
I raise my brow at him no longer trying to hide my desire to leave this place. "Who are you and where would I be 'going back' to?"
"The Kou Empire. The name's Judar, I'm a magi." It's tempting. But no, I couldn't leave. I had to at least stay until he returned. But his last words made me realize that the Lord had gone into the dungeon when it wasn't his time. This was the magi he had been waiting for. But that didn't change my status: that I was a slave.
"I won't be going. I have no desire to be free." He lets out a laugh, not seeming to believe me.
"Alright then. Your choice." With that he heads off, his last words sinking in.
It isn't long after he's gone that a commotion breaks out. Some of the slaves that were out to market come rushing back. "The Dungeon! It's sinking!" Some of the others stay, but I run my way over there. They were right. It was falling into the earth. And that's when it hit me. I was free. Because sitting at the bottom of the pit was not my master. It was that boy. The king, with piles of treasure.
"(y/n)!" Morgin yells from the crowd. He runs towards me, nearly leaping at me. My features light up, more than surprised to see him.
"Morgin!" He wraps his arms tightly around me. "Where are the others?" I ask.
He looks down, running a hand through his deep red locks. "They're gone. I was the only one who made it." His words sink in. We made it. We were free. So why did we feel so guilty?