Previously
Kang Lee-jae uses her spiritual energy to help King Roderick Firth Blairk sleep on her lap, causing confusion among the servants who observe their strange intimacy. She questions Jade about the King's chronic headaches and suggests he visit Arthur's Forest for healing, though Jade notes the forest is restricted.
The Sleeping Pillow (Part 4)
The Commander of the First Legion offered a brisk, disciplined salute and studied Roderick’s complexion.
Surprisingly, the King’s bouts of madness, which had troubled him so frequently, had become far less common of late.
Whenever the symptoms did surface, his volatile energy was more explosive than before, yet soothing him had also grown easier.
The malevolent spirits tormenting Roderick were growing stronger, but those shielding him were exerting ever greater effort in turn.
Lee-jae had never sought such an outcome, yet she had ended up fighting right alongside the King.
Jade placed the sealed document on the desk. “This is a statement of opinion. It clearly shows signs of foul play in the accident involving Baron Mauer’s eldest daughter.”
It concerned Roderick’s first fiancée.
At first, it had appeared to be a completely random accident, but when his second fiancée died of poisoning, the royal family belatedly launched an investigation.
Roderick gave a single nod at the finding, which hardly differed from what he had anticipated.
Even so, the knight commander brought up another subject.
It was a rather odd remark.
Yet it was entirely natural for people within the castle to take an interest in diaries.
After all, everyone understood both the importance and the perils of personal journals.
Had not the royal family passed down critical truths to future generations in words only they could decipher?
That was precisely why Jade had taken an interest in Hailey’s diaries.
He felt they might yield vital information.
The King seemed to be steadily pulling Hailey toward him.
Yet at times, it seemed as though he were the one being swayed.
So Jade asked with great caution, “Should we examine the contents?”
The King did not answer right away, tapping his chin instead.
Roderick clicked his tongue after pondering the diaries a moment longer, then quickly shook his head.
Oddly enough, he was hesitant.
The knight commander seemed inclined to object, but Roderick shook his head once more.
Jade wanted to revert to how he had spoken in their younger days and ask whether such pride would protect the throne.
Even so, had Jade known Hailey’s diaries were merely strings of short sentences never exceeding five lines, he would not have lodged such an exaggerated protest.
Roderick, for his part, had slightly different thoughts.
Like Lee-jae, he was rationalizing his actions.
In any case, Hailey Duncan had already rejected the Duncan family’s requests twice.
Even if he could not yet bring himself to trust her…
Roderick rose without further hesitation.
It was unusual for the King to make such an offer first, so Jade followed behind him with a puzzled look.
Lee-jae sat at some distance from the lakeshore.
Though she was resting by the flowerbeds as she had before, her gaze never wandered from the splendid lake.
Yet when the strange spirit suddenly appeared beside her, she cast her eyes down to the dirt.
Ah, he was here again.
Lee-jae groaned inward.
—Why are you pretending not to know me again?
Lee-jae pretended not to hear and looked around.
Finding a tree branch, she began scribbling earnestly in the dirt. It was a talisman meant to ward off ghosts.
Needless to say, the strange spirit, brimming with such overwhelming presence, did not flinch in the slightest.
Though he was not the sort of ghost to be affected by such a ward in the first place, Lee-jae was simply venting her displeasure.
—Do you really dislike talking to me that much? I thought I was fairly charming.
"…"
—Are faces like mine not competitive in today’s world?
For some reason, Lee-jae could not control her expression, so instead of scribbling on the ground, she snapped the branch sharply in two.
‘Why are ghosts always so talkative?’
Naturally, Kang Lee-jae knew the answer. Ghosts were inherently fascinated by the living and longed to speak with them.
In truth, they were envious. Perhaps simply because mortals were alive, while they were not.
Having encountered him several times now, Lee-jae, far more annoyed than frightened, began picking a fight with him.
She muttered as if talking to herself, “Even if you were competitive, what would you do with it? Go seduce some female ghost?”
At that, a boyish laugh rang out.
Lee-jae gave up entirely and looked around.
The maids and knights were waiting several dozen paces away so the Queen could rest in peace.
Lee-jae turned her gaze up toward the hovering ghost with the boyish face.
—I’m not a bad ghost. I’m just interested in you.
Lee-jae made a face of utter disgust.
No matter how interested she might be in securing a prosperous afterlife, she drew the line at this!
If she were going to do anything of the sort, she would do it with her lawful husband.
—No, that went too far. That’s not what I meant at all! Not that I wouldn’t be tempted, of course.
As Lee-jae looked even more repulsed than before, the boyish ghost threw up his hands in embarrassment.
—I’m only interested in you as a person. I’m not a vengeful spirit; I’m a guardian spirit. If that doesn’t sound convincing, you can think of me as a curse.
He offered no reply to that.
Lee-jae already knew the truth as well.
Born with spiritual sight, she could never live like other people. That harsh reality was Lee-jae’s oldest companion.
Growing curious, she asked the boy spirit,
What Lee-jae was watching was Roderick sparring with Jade in the distance. To her eyes, every time the King swung his sword, vile spirits were violently scattered.
Lee-jae turned back to the boy.
The spirit looked into her eyes for a long time.
Then he answered quietly,
—I cannot tell you that. You must find it out for yourself.
Lee-jae muttered that she had expected nothing else and turned her eyes back to the ground.
She scoffed internally.
After all, conversing with a ghost only ever left her on the losing end.
He could do whatever he liked.
Lee-jae began sketching another warding talisman in the dirt with her broken branch.
The boy, watching her with amusement, asked,
—Is my face really that bad? Don’t you think I look decent for a ghost?”
—I’m old. I’m over five hundred years old.
As they traded pointless banter, she realized this life was bound to be just as ruined as her last.
A sudden thought struck her, and she opened her palm.
She looked down at the lines on Hailey’s hand.
Good looks, yet such a poor palm reading…
The King had everything, yet was it not horribly unfair how fortunes were distributed at birth?
Lee-jae clenched her fists with a grim expression.
As she drew meaningless lines in the dirt with the stick once more, she heard the boy’s voice.
—Kang Lee-jae.
She froze.
He knew her name, though she had never told him.
A being possessed of clear reason and a deeper grasp of the world’s principles than any mortal.
He was no ordinary ghost after all.
When Lee-jae stared at him with slightly tense eyes, he smiled and spoke,
—Both you and Hailey have already died once, haven't you?
"…"
—What are you still so worried about?
Lee-jae said nothing, merely staring at the boy who was smiling brightly.
Her eyes narrowed, and she was about to ask a question.
The spirit shrugged and pointed ahead.
—Look ahead. Roderick is coming.
"…"
—His face looks terribly troubled about something.
When Lee-jae looked forward again, Roderick was walking toward her with a frown on his face.
Now that he had ceased sparring, the spirits hovering around him seemed eager to seize their chance, rushing after him in haste.
Lee-jae tried to muster a smile at the sound of his voice.
The boy’s tone had been rather grating.
Yet she found herself unable to smile.
Even when Lee-jae stood near Roderick, certain evil spirits had failed to draw near him.
Yet this was on an entirely different level.
The spirits pursuing Roderick did not dare approach; instead, they backed away again.
Lee-jae glanced to her right.
On her wedding day, had his surroundings been so clean because this boy was guarding the hall?
‘You’re this strong… so don’t hesitate and help him!’
Of course, Lee-jae was the one looking after Roderick herself.
Even so, having discovered a formidable shield that seemed utterly impenetrable, she couldn't help but smile.