Chapter 10
When I was little, my mom often told me fun stories.
Most were fairy tales with lessons, but sometimes she told scary ones too.
One of them was about the Jangsan Tiger.
“The Jangsan Tiger is a monster with white fur. It can copy voices really well to trick people. If you follow the voice, the Jangsan Tiger will suddenly appear and—roar!—eat you. Its mouth is covered in blood, and its golden eyes shine sharply. If you get caught, you’ll be eaten right away, crunch crunch!”
She described it so vividly that I always got scared and ended up sleeping with Mom or Dad afterward.
“So, Elena, don’t stay out too late. Always come home before the sun sets. Okay?”
Of course, now I knew those stories weren’t true.
There are no ghosts or monsters in the world.
Mom probably made it up to scare me because I always came home late.
She usually told that story around sunset, so I thought it was just her trick.
But…
Golden shining eyes.
Blood-stained lips.
And a familiar voice calling my name.
The Jangsan Tiger was real!
If I knew I was going to be eaten, I should have at least eaten dinner first.
Mom always said, “Even a ghost who dies with a full stomach looks better.”
I never understood it, but now it meant I would be an ugly, messy ghost.
“…I! Lena…!”
Because I was so, so hungry.
“Elena!”
“Elena!”
A voice calling me made me open my eyes.
In front of me was the bright light of a lantern—and a boy with golden eyes looking down at me.
“…Rigel?”
It was Rigel.
When I muttered blankly, Rigel sighed in relief and nodded.
I slowly sat up and looked around.
The lantern lit up the place—I was in the dining hall.
“Why am I here… Ah!”
The last scene I saw flashed in my mind, and my eyes widened.
“A monster!”
“…Monster?”
“Rigel, get up! There’s a monster here! I saw it earlier—it had its mouth covered in blood, eating something! We need to call the guards!”
I grabbed his arm and pulled.
But Rigel just sat there, frowning slightly, tilting his head at me.
“What are you doing? Get up! We have to run!”
“…Elena. There’s no need.”
“No need? What do you mean? Don’t tell me—!”
Looking at his face, I suddenly realized the truth.
Rigel saw my expression and calmly nodded.
“You’re right. That monster was actually me—”
“We’re already dead, aren’t we…”
“Yes, exact—wait, what?”
“Waaah! I knew it! Mom warned me! She said never to wander at night! Now look what happened!”
“Uh, Elena—?”
“I should’ve held back even if I was hungry! But I didn’t listen and now the monster ate us! Waaah!”
I cried and cried.
Dying before I could even see Mom and Dad again—it was so unfair.
But there was no way back.
“P-please calm down. That’s not what I—”
“Rigel! You got eaten too, right? I promised to protect you, but I failed! I’m a terrible master, I’m so sorry!”
“Uh…”
“Please forgive me!”
Ah… my short but long ten years of life.
Even though it ends here, I have no regrets.
Mom, Dad, I love you.
When I’m reborn, I’ll be your daughter again.
“Waaah!”
I sat right there and cried louder than ever.
It was probably the hardest I had ever cried in my life.
‘…How can someone cry that much?’
Rigel stared blankly at Elena.
She kept crying like she was already dead, saying she’d been eaten by a monster.
No matter what he said, she didn’t listen.
So he gave up on explaining and just waited.
She cried for thirty whole minutes, like a lake overflowing.
Rigel never had siblings. He lived only with his mother.
He also never had friends.
‘How do you even comfort a girl?’
He had no idea.
So he just sat there, staring at her crying.
“…Hic.”
Finally, after another five minutes, her sobbing slowed.
Her eyes were swollen, and her nose was red.
Rigel looked around, found a cloth in a basket, and carefully handed it to her.
“…Thanks.”
Honk!
She blew her nose loudly into the cloth, wiped her face, and finally sighed.
“…So what do we do now?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Where do we go? I read in a book that when you die, an angel comes to take you. Oh! And pets come too! At least that’s good. I don’t like going with strangers.”
She looked so childish now, even though she usually acted mature.
Rigel thought her red face looked strangely cute and let out a small laugh before shaking his head.
“I… need to tell you something.”
“…Something?”
At last, Elena was listening. Rigel sighed in relief.
“What is it?”
“Well… we’re not dead.”
“…What? But the monster ate us.”
“That monster you saw—it was probably me.”
He reached out and picked up a piece of bread covered in strawberry jam.
Elena blinked, staring at the bread.
“I was too weak and skipped dinner, so I got too hungry. Since it was late and no one was around, I sneaked here for food. But it was dark, and the jam got all over my mouth, making it look like blood. See? There’s still some left.”
He tapped his cheek.
Sure enough, there were red jam stains.
Elena stared at him, then at the bread, then back at him.
“…Oh?”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve endured it, but I made you cry and scared you. I never meant to. Please forgive me.”
Rigel bowed deeply, biting his lip.
‘…It’s over.’
Slaves were just property.
No one would scold a master for how they treated one.
Elena’s kindness so far wasn’t normal—it was just her whim.
And now he had ruined it.
If word spread, the servants and guards would act.
Then his hellish life would return.
Cold, hungry, painful days.
“…Ha…”
He trembled and looked up, ready to beg again.
“I’m sorr—”
“So that’s what it was?”
Instead of an angry master, he saw Elena smiling brightly in relief.
“Oh, thank goodness! I really thought we were dead. You should’ve told me sooner! I cried for nothing. How embarrassing…”
She laughed, her cheeks still red.
Rigel just stared, stunned.
“…You’re not angry?”
“Angry? Why would I be?”
“…I ate food without permission. And I made you cry.”
Slaves weren’t supposed to eat freely.
He had basically stolen.
Punishment was normal.
But Elena tilted her head.
“I already told you—you can go where you want. That includes eating what you want. Just don’t go to the third floor where the family rooms are. Anywhere else is fine.”
“….”
“And if you’re hungry, just say so. A servant would’ve brought you food.”
Was she really that kind? Or just clueless?
Rigel stared at her laughing face and bit his lip.
“…Why…?”
“…Huh? What did you say?”
“…Nothing.”
He shook his head, stood, and clenched his fists.
“Ri—”
Before Elena could finish, Rigel suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed low, his forehead touching the floor.
“Why are you—?!”
“I, Rigel, swear to be the slave of my master Elena, who gave me my name. Until the day you set me free, I am your possession. If needed, I will even give my life for you.”
This warmth… this kindness… it was the first time he had ever felt it.
He wanted to believe in it.
Even if she betrayed him someday, he wanted to trust this pure girl.
“Until the day I remember my true name…”
Rigel raised his head and met her red eyes.
“You are my master.”
His golden eyes blazed fiercely in the darkness.
