Parallel World: The Master's Command
"Of course I'm the young master's slave. Whose slave would I be~? And please just call me like usual—'hey' or 'you bitch' will do."
"...What?"
I froze for a moment at Lee Ayoung's answer, but quickly grasped the situation. So Lee Ayoung is my slave. Once the realization sank in, my heart began to race. I took another long look at her. The floral dress clung to her slender frame. Her short hair swayed gently. Beneath the hem of that same dress, her pale thighs peeked out, half-exposed. Her lips, glossed with tint, shimmered faintly. The strap of the bag slung diagonally across her chest pressed between her breasts, emphasizing their shape. Innocence. Girlish charm. Beauty. Fragility. I couldn't find enough words to describe her.
She's so pretty...
"Hehe. Young master, why have you been speaking so formally to me this whole time?"
While I was quietly admiring her, Lee Ayoung smiled brightly and asked the question. From her perspective, it must have seemed ridiculous that someone of higher status was using polite speech toward a lowly slave like her.
"No... it's nothing. You look like you're in a good mood today?"
"Hehe... I feel happy because I'm wearing pretty clothes."
The innocent Lee Ayoung I once knew had vanished, replaced by this slightly naive girl who answered like a child. Now that I thought about it, her name tag—written with only her given name—looked exactly like the kind preschoolers wore.
"Ayoung... By the way, your name tag doesn't have your family name? It would be better if it said Lee Ayoung."
"Huh? Slaves don't have family names."
Ah... so slaves have no surnames? I glanced again at the name tag pinned to her chest. [A Young]
"Come to think of it, do slaves receive any education at school?"
"No. Hehe. My head hurts just thinking about studying, so even if they tried to teach me, I couldn't do it..."
"Then you can't even read?"
"No..."
Good grief... She's nothing like the Ayoung I used to know.
Just then, a man approached from a distance and called out loudly to me.
"Young master!"
Who the hell is that? I'd never seen him before. Yet he walked toward me with a familiar smile. Once he reached me, he rummaged through his pocket and handed something over.
"Young master, I brought the phone you left in the dormitory, just as you instructed."
"Oh... right."
I accepted the phone. It was definitely mine. At the same time, I caught sight of the name tag on his chest. [Yoon-seok]
"...Hmm?"
Yoon-seok. I'd heard that name before. It was Park Yoon-seok, Lee Ayoung's boyfriend in the original world. Now that I thought about it, I vaguely remembered his face. Ah... so both of them are my slaves. The affectionate couple from the original world had both become my property in this one. Anyone who saw us would think I was the slave. After all, both Yoon-seok and Ayoung possessed striking looks and an air of refinement. They were the perfect picture of a handsome couple.
While I was lost in thought, Yoon-seok and Ayoung chatted casually. Yoon-seok grinned and spoke to her.
"Ayoung, you look really pretty today."
"Hee... Really? Do I look that beautiful?"
Ayoung seemed delighted. She spun around in front of him, proudly showing off her dress.
"Yeah. Really pretty. Prettier than any flower I saw on the way here."
"Heh..."
They spoke to each other in casual, familiar tones. These two still get along well even in this world.
Just then, a relatively familiar face passed by the fountain.
"Oh! Taeyoung!"
It was Taeyoung, my roommate who shared the two-person dorm room with me. His usual chubby belly jiggled as he walked briskly, but the moment he heard my voice, he turned and came straight over.
"Yes, young master. Is there something you need?"
Taeyoung was also wearing a red name tag. Wow...
"Are you my slave too?"
"Huh? No, I'm a public slave assigned to Nuri University."
"Ah..."
This is getting ridiculous... Why is everyone a slave? Plenty of nobles walked around the campus, yet everyone I originally knew had turned into slaves.
"Ugh..."
"Is something troubling you, young master?"
"It's not really a problem..."
The situation was so absurd it was almost funny. In truth, I had nothing to worry about. At least I'm not a slave myself. If I had been, I'd be running errands for nobles all day. The fortunate part was that, as a noble, I didn't seem to have any hard labor to do... and I could order slaves around however I pleased.
Hmm...
As the thought crossed my mind, my gaze drifted back to Ayoung. She stood a few steps away, chatting and smiling with Yoon-seok, looking utterly content. I suddenly felt curious and beckoned Taeyoung closer. With each passing moment, I was adapting more naturally to this class-based society.
"Taeyoung, come here. Lend me your ear."
"Yes? Yes, young master."
Taeyoung leaned in close, and I whispered the question that had been on my mind.
"Hey... do nobles ever have sexual relations with slaves?"
"What!?"
Taeyoung looked shocked. I quickly shushed him, worried Yoon-seok and Ayoung might overhear from a few steps away.
"Shh! Keep your voice down."
"Oh! Yes! So, um..."
Taeyoung paused to organize his thoughts before continuing.
"Well... usually, they don't."
"Huh? Why? If you're a noble, can't you do whatever you want with slaves?"
But Taeyoung's answer differed from what I'd expected.
"Come on... Nobles usually think it's shameful and disgraceful. They say things like, 'Why would a noble lower themselves to sleep with a slave when they can have anyone else?' Haha."
"Oh, really?"
Taeyoung chuckled as he replied. My eyes returned to Lee Ayoung. I could see her profile as she chatted shyly with Yoon-seok—her slim waist, the smooth thighs visible beneath her dress. She radiated a pure, delicate charm, yet today there was something strangely seductive about her. I leaned in and whispered to Taeyoung again.
"Is it really that shameful?"
"Of course~ If I had to put it another way..."
Taeyoung thought for a moment, then explained with an analogy.
"Hmm... Nobles generally see slaves as less than human. So sleeping with one is considered disgraceful."
"Hmm... I see."
Taeyoung answered as if the topic embarrassed him.
"It's similar to that. They'd rather go to a courtesan house than mix with a slave. Haha."
"Really?"
Is it really that strange? But Taeyoung wasn't finished.
"That said, the ones who do it... well, they do it anyway."
"They do?"
"Yes. They might feel ashamed and embarrassed, but they still do it quite often behind the scenes."
"Hmm."
Come to think of it, what did reputation matter? Right. Who cares if other people think it's weird? It's not like I'm going to live in this world forever anyway...
"The girl who used to live next door, Minjeong, suddenly started showing a belly one day. She was such a proper young lady, too..."
"Got it. You can go now."
"Yes."
"By the way..."
Once the conversation ended, I noticed Taeyoung still looked as chubby as ever.
"By the way, Taeyoung, how can you be a slave and still get this fat? Isn't slave life supposed to be grueling?"
"Haha. I just have the kind of body that gains weight easily."
That's more than 'easily.' I didn't say anything more and simply waved my hand the same way I had when I first called him over, signaling for him to leave. Taeyoung bowed deeply at a perfect ninety-degree angle before hurrying off to resume his duties. Once he was gone, I turned my attention back to Ayoung and Yoon-seok. They were still chatting happily, looking like something straight out of a youth drama.
After I'd been watching them for a while, Ayoung and Yoon-seok eventually noticed my gaze and walked over. Yoon-seok spoke first.
"Yes, young master. Did you need something?"
"No, I was just watching because you two looked so close. Are you dating?"
"Huh? Hahaha."
"Hehe."
At my question, Yoon-seok burst out laughing while Ayoung blushed shyly and smiled. Confused, I asked again.
"Are you two a couple?"
"Come on, young master. You're teasing us, right?"
"No, just tell me. I really don't know."
"What?"
Yoon-seok looked slightly surprised. Then he answered.
"We're getting married in August, young master."
"Huh?"
I stared at them, dumbfounded. Now I understood why Ayoung had blushed and laughed earlier. I asked Yoon-seok, purely out of curiosity.
"Who decided that you two would get married?"
"Hehe. The lady of the house arranged it."
The lady of the house... Does that mean my mother in this world? Physically, this world wasn't much different from the original, but there was still so much to understand. While I stood there stunned by the news of Ayoung and Yoon-seok's upcoming marriage, the two of them continued flirting.
"Ayoung, come here."
"Heehee. No. It's embarrassing."
Ayoung and Yoon-seok were lovers here in this parallel world, just as they had been in the original one. The fact that they were still a couple even in this world made me murmur without thinking.
"...A match made in heaven."
"Heheh."
Ayoung blushed at my words and let out a silly laugh. She looked completely smitten with him. Hmm... I began to glare at the couple in front of me with a slightly annoyed expression. It was pure jealousy. Before long, I made up my mind. At least in this world, I could make Lee Ayoung mine. I could take her body however I wanted.
I called Yoon-seok over first.
"Yoon-seok. I have a task for you..."
"Yes, young master. Tell me anything."
"Go stand by the back gate of the school over there."
"Yes?"
"Wait there and you'll receive a package addressed to me. Just bring it back."
"Ah... Yes! What kind of package should I expect?"
"It's just a small box. They'll give it to you when you say my name, so just wait and accept it."
"Understood, young master!"
"And don't come back until you've received it. Got it?"
"Yes. I'll definitely bring it back."
"You can't return until you have it. You might have to stand there for hours, understand?"
"Don't worry~."
Yoon-seok answered with a confident smile.
"Then go."
"Yes. I'll head there right away."
As Yoon-seok left on his errand, he turned back after a few steps and waved brightly at Ayoung with a cheerful expression. His eyes overflowed with love as he looked at her.
"Ayoung, I'll be back~"
"Come back soon~"
Ayoung smiled and waved back enthusiastically as he departed. It looked exactly like a husband heading off to work and his wife seeing him off. Ayoung watched Yoon-seok's retreating figure for a long time as he hurried toward the back gate. I stood up from the bench and tapped her shoulder.
"Ayoung."
"Ah! Yes, young master."
She had been staring in the direction Yoon-seok had disappeared. When I called her, she turned to me in surprise. I pointed toward the dormitory.
"Ayoung, come with me to the dorm."
"Okay~"
She began following me without a hint of suspicion. She didn't seem to have any idea why I was taking her there. Instead, her curiosity was piqued by something else, and she asked a question.
"Young master, what kind of package did you order?"
"I didn't order anything."
"Huh?"
I kept walking toward the dormitory without another word. Behind me, Ayoung followed with a face full of curiosity.