The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed

Karami hadn’t slept.

Couldn’t sleep.

The sound of insects crawling on the forest floor, the buzzing of wings, and the distant howls of beasts—or perhaps monsters—echoed through the night.

And maybe, just maybe, it was because Arpia lay beside him.

Even the spirits, usually hidden from view, had gathered around the # Nоvеlight # campfire, singing openly.

To make things worse, Karami bore the blessing of the World Tree.

Simply lying still was enough to draw the spirits to him, pestering him with their chatter.

“Hey! This human reeks of the World Tree’s aura!”

“No way, you’re joking, right?”

“This guy’s no ordinary human, lolol.”

The murmuring felt almost like hallucinations.

‘Tomorrow, no matter what, I’m convincing Arpia to stay at an inn,’ he resolved firmly.

Just then—

“Master, are you asleep?”

It was Arpia’s voice.

Though wide awake, Karami felt a flicker of mischief. If he pretended to be asleep, maybe Arpia would try something sneaky.

Then, he could catch her in the act.

But contrary to his expectations, Arpia did nothing shady. She simply slipped out of the tent.

Bathroom break? Maybe. But Karami’s instincts—honed from years as a slave trader—said otherwise.

If it were something normal, like relieving herself, there would be no need to check if he was asleep.

Her behavior screamed secrecy—something only to be done with him asleep.

Without hesitation, Karami silently trailed her.

Arpia walked deeper into the dark woods. The dimness made it hard to see what she was up to.

But then—a small flicker of fire lit up the space.

And in the glow, Karami saw it—

Something held between her lips.

“What are you doing?”

****

“Miss Arpia. Are you... smoking?”

“W—What?”

Arpia flinched violently, the cigarette slipping from her lips and hitting the ground.

Before she could react, Karami bent down and swiftly picked it up.

“What is this?”

“T-That’s... It’s just World Tree leaf! It’s a tonic for elves! I brought a few because I didn’t know how long we’d be traveling!”

Arpia didn’t particularly feel guilty about self-harm.

After all, hadn’t it helped her keep Karami from leaving?

But smoking—no, worse—this was different.

Especially to Karami—

This, above all else, was something she couldn’t let him see.

Because it wasn’t just a cigarette—

It was a drugged cigarette.

A secret she never wanted him to discover.

“Is that so?”

Karami narrowed his eyes, glancing between Arpia and the rolled leaf.

Then he brought it closer to his nose.

“Don’t—!”

Arpia lunged to snatch it back, but Karami swiftly pulled his arm behind him. Her grasp caught only air.

Calmly, he spoke:

“Why so anxious? If it’s just World Tree leaf, it won’t harm a human to smell it.”

“That’s...”

“From your reaction, I’d say there’s something in here I shouldn’t be smelling.”

His voice dropped, cold and knowing.

“It’s a drug, isn’t it?”

“It’s... not exactly—”

“If you’re going to lie, at least stop your hands from shaking first.”

“Ugh—”

Arpia clutched her trembling hands to her chest.

Karami exhaled a slow, heavy sigh.

He had noticed something was off. Arpia hadn’t looked well since they reunited—far too gaunt, her cheeks hollowed.

But it wasn’t just fatigue from travel or lost sleep.

Her eyes, shadowed by dark circles—

Her fingers, restless and twitching—

Her every movement, jittery and uneasy—

Karami had seen these symptoms before.

Countless addicts rotting on the streets—people he had passed by without a second glance.

Arpia wasn’t fully gone—

But she was teetering on the edge.

“What’s in it?”

“...Larknia pollen.”

A paralytic and hallucinogen.

Inhalation was highly toxic to the body.

Even Karami—who had no interest in drugs—knew what it was.

No explanation was necessary.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Half a year... But I only started using Larknia pollen recently! I swear! I began with regular magic herbs, but the effect wore off and... I...”

Her voice trailed off under Karami’s sharp gaze, the truth weighing on her tongue.

His sigh was deep, weary.

Self-harm was bad enough.

But this—

How had it come to this?

Had he fought so hard to free her, only for her to end up like this?

A cruel paradox—like some Oedipal irony.

She had escaped her chains, only to find herself in another prison.

But Karami had no intention of accepting that.

“Hand it over. Everything. Any drugs, any supplies—you know what I mean.”

“But...”

Arpia hesitated, clutching her pocket tightly.

Karami’s voice dropped into a low, commanding whisper.

“Tell me. What am I to you?”

“...My master.”

“And what are you to me?”

“...Your slave.”

He flicked his fingers—

A clear, wordless gesture.

Her lips tightened, and her gaze dropped to the ground.

But slowly, reluctantly—she pulled the pouch from her pocket and handed it over.

Karami accepted it without a word.

“This is confiscated. Don’t expect to get it back. Unless... you intend to sever everything between us. In that case, feel free to take it.”

There was only one way to break addiction—

And that was cold. Hard. Detox.

Withdrawal would be hell.

But it was non-negotiable.

Some things in this world—

You simply do not compromise.

Karami extended his hand once more.

Arpia frowned, confused.

“What? I already gave it to you. There’s nothing left.”

“Not the pouch,” he said softly.

“Your hand.”

“...My hand?”

"You're trembling. Shouldn't I hold you?"

Arpia's eyes widened.

She stared at him blankly.

"You're... not mad at me?"

"How could I scold you? What right do I have? It's the master's fault for not being there when his slave was suffering."

"You... don't hate me?"

"What kind of master hates his own slave? Of course, only if we are talking about you as my slave."

Arpia, who had been staring in a daze, instinctively reached out to take his hand—

But Karami smoothly pulled his arm back.

Her hand grasped at empty air. Arpia’s eyes flickered with confusion.

With a cold, expressionless face, Karami answered her unspoken question:

"The moment you take this hand, you are my slave. Body and soul—nothing of you belongs to you. Everything is mine. You are not allowed to harm what belongs to me. Not even if the one harming you... is you."

He paused briefly, then continued:

"Let me ask you. Are you my slave?"

Arpia’s eyes stayed locked on his.

There was no need to hesitate.

A hundred times—

A thousand times— 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Even if he asked ten years, a hundred years, or a thousand years from now—

The answer would never change.

With a radiant smile, Arpia grasped his hand.

"Yes. I'm your slave forever. My body, my heart—everything I am is yours. You can do whatever you want with me."

****

Crunch, crunch.

The sound of grass underfoot tickled their ears.

The footsteps of two people echoed through the forest.

They were heading back to the campsite.

Their hands were still tightly clasped.

Arpia's cheeks were flushed.

Compared to other slaves, Arpia didn’t have much physical contact with Karami.

Even during their time together, the closest they had come was sleeping in the same room—

And even then, they had used separate beds.

For someone like Arpia, even holding hands felt like a huge step. Especially when it was him.

The man she had longed for—

The one who, like the tradition of elves, wanted the thousand-year bond.

For someone who had never experienced romantic feelings in hundreds of years, it was enough to ruin any girl’s heart.

‘This is really strange.’

The trembling in her hands, which had never stopped without the drugs, and the anxiety symptoms disappeared like a ghost.

Her heart still raced—

Maybe even more than before.

They returned to the campsite.

Though it was late, it wasn’t quite time to sleep yet.

"Let’s deal with things one by one. First, let’s treat the wounds on your arms."

The most urgent matter was the wounds from her self-harm.

“Shall I use a water spirit to heal you?”

“......”

“Miss Arpia?”

Arpia looked at him with an anxious gaze.

“You’re not going to say ‘pain solved’ and leave, are you...?”

“Were you not treating yourself on purpose because of that?”

“Yeah...”

Karami covered his eyes with his hand.

The beautiful elf had returned to him as a complete menhera.

“I won’t leave. And if I do, I’ll be taking what’s mine with me.”

“Mine... Yeah, I’m yours. Heehee.”

Arpia smiled widely, as though the gloom had never been there.

Meanwhile, Karami couldn’t help but feel the seriousness of the situation as her smile grew brighter.

‘Why does it feel like they’re all turning into masochists?’

No matter how high the affection, this was too much. Not only did she wear chains, but she laughed even when treated like an object, beyond being a slave.

At least, she still obeyed without the chains, which was a small mercy.

Drops of water formed and wrapped around Arpia's arm, bubbling up. The wounds were healed completely without leaving any scars.

Her skin was restored to its smooth, flawless elven state.

“All done.”

“Well done. But doesn’t the spirit’s water also help with withdrawal symptoms?”

“I never thought about it. I never thought I needed to heal.”

In fact, the more the wounds grew, the more relief Arpia felt. It was like this—maybe Karami wouldn’t leave her behind.

Of course, she kept her true feelings hidden.

“The water created by the water spirit has significant healing properties. If it’s your servant spirit, the effects will be even stronger. Drink it whenever you remember.”

“Mm-hmm. But...”

“If you’re better and want me to hold your hand, I’ll do it. But don’t get any strange ideas.”

“Mm! Heehee.”

Sigh “It’s late. Let’s go to sleep.”

They returned to the cramped tent.

The air was filled with the scent of Arpia’s skin—

The unique, forest-like fragrance of elves.

It had a calming effect on the mind.

Karami, exhausted, quickly fell asleep.

This time, however, it was Arpia who stayed awake.

She never let go of his hand, even as they lay there.

Unlike Arpia, whose hands were callused from gripping a bow, Karami’s hands were softer.

They weren’t thick or rough—but they were larger than Arpia’s.

The quiet space was perfect for sinking into imagination.

As she tightly grasped Karami’s hand, a forbidden thought crept into Arpia’s mind.

A twisted mindset that not even the water spirit could heal—

Not a brokenness, but a warped way of thinking.

If this hand struck my cheek—

If these large hands wrapped around my neck—

How would it feel?

Would it feel so good that words couldn’t even describe it?

She wasn’t sure—

But the feeling in her imagination started to bleed into reality.

A strange, electrifying sensation ran down her spine.

It was then that Arpia finally drifted into sleep, her body slumping with exhaustion.