The Dialectic of Master and Slave - Chapter 239

Volumes 1-4 + Side Stories of DMS are available uncensored on ko-fi! ※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

“Ah, it’s not like that—I just don’t think I’ll ever see him again. But you’re his teacher, so you might…”

“Still no. I’m not your errand boy.”

“That wasn’t my intention at all—are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

An absolute refusal, leaving no room for negotiation.

With no way to force it on him, Jaha had no choice but to tuck Abrixa’s ring away.

The couple’s ring? She could toss it without a second thought. But this—this was too grand an item to dispose of so carelessly. She’d hoped to return it to its owner, even through an intermediary.

But that plan failed.

‘Guess I have to return it myself.’

She rolled the ring in her palm, then shook her head. She couldn’t muster the courage to face him.

Maybe the only reason she was keeping her composure now was because he wasn’t standing in front of her. If they met, who knew how she’d react? She might fly into a rage, break down sobbing, or faint outright.

The worst-case scenario? Looking into his face and softening—agreeing to continue their relationship.

How could I even consider that?

But lingering affection and attachment had a way of turning people into fools, making them choose paths no sane mind would take.

Jaha didn’t want to become a revenge-obsessed madwoman, nor a pitiful lover clinging to a doomed fate. She didn’t even have the energy for it.

Years in the workforce had taught her one thing: You need stamina just to step into the Colosseum. Already exhausted by life, the emotional toll of a war-like confrontation was too much—so she avoided it whenever possible.

She didn’t want to disrupt this fragile equilibrium. Even assigning blame felt like unnecessary stress.

‘I could just throw it away—why bother?’

But while tossing him aside was easy, the ring from Abrixa was another matter. In Korean terms, this was like discarding a royal artifact tied to King Sejong. Her conscience wouldn’t let her sell it or dump it somewhere.

‘Guess I’ll just hold onto it for now.’

No—still too risky.

‘What if it has tracking magic or something?’

Steeling herself, Jaha made a decision.

“Alright. I’ll be going now.”

Stepping out of the shop, she scanned the streets. A flower vendor stood not too far away.

“What pretty flowers. How about trading this ring for one?”

The child glanced between the flower and the ring, then nodded eagerly. Jaha handed over Abrixa’s ring and accepted a nameless bloom in return. Her heart pounded—it felt like selling off a national treasure.

Did I do the right thing?

Is this okay?

Too late now. The dice were already cast.

She carefully slipped her hand inside the bundle. A small pouch came into her grasp. Inside were a few leftover wages from buying the couple’s ring and some small pieces of jewelry she always carried for emergencies.

This was all she had. What could she do from now on to earn money?

‘If I ask Yuel’s parents to write me a letter of recommendation…’

Jaha briefly considered expanding her work opportunities through the parents of the student she taught but quickly dismissed the idea. They were people introduced to her by that man. If she wanted to cut ties with him completely, she would have to sever her connections with them as well.

Then, what could an outsider like her—whose appearance clearly differed from that of the Empire’s people—do to live a relatively normal life here?

Unable to find an answer, Jaha headed to a jewelry store. If she wanted to stay at an inn even just for tonight, she would have to sell the jewelry she had on hand. Though there weren’t many pieces, and they were all small for easy carrying, they wouldn’t fetch a large sum.

As she waited for the appraisal, she fidgeted restlessly. The employees exchanged hushed, serious whispers among themselves before one approached her as their representative.

“We apologize, but we don’t have enough cash on hand to purchase all of these items. Would you mind giving us some time to go to the bank? We’ll handle it as quickly as possible to avoid inconveniencing you.”

“Huh? Sure.”

The politely requesting employee returned shortly, carrying a heavy sum of money.

Jaha was stunned, unable to believe that a few small pieces of jewelry could amount to such an enormous sum. What she had just sold was merely a fraction compared to the jewelry she had left behind at the mansion. If even this much was possible, then if she sold everything else…

An odd feeling settled over her.

No amount of money could make her forgive him. No compensation could make up for it. Yet, now that she knew, she couldn’t feel at ease. It was as if she had unwittingly incurred a debt.