Previously
King Roderick Firth Blairk discusses the political implications of his marriage to Hailey Duncan with the First Legion Commander, suspecting Duke Duncan's involvement in the deaths of previous candidates.
Memories of the First Night (Part 4)
Lee-jae watched the King intently for a long time, her gaze sharp.
Before long, however, she tilted her head to one side.
Something was distinctly unusual.
Though it had faded somewhat from prolonged torment, a clear aura flowed from the King’s body.
It felt truly sacred, bearing a strong resemblance to the aura enveloping this royal palace.
In some ways, it was quite similar to the bizarre aura she had seen earlier in the hall.
Yet how could someone like that carry around so many vengeful spirits?
Normally, people could not function properly even if haunted by only one or two.
By all rights, the King should have died long before Hailey threw herself into the water.
At that moment, the form of someone grinning broadly materialized behind the King, whispering something into his ear.
Knowing he must not listen to that malicious voice, Lee-jae spoke quickly to Roderick.
"…"
The King offered no response for a short while.
Yet as Lee-jae kept whispering, he slowly raised his head and looked at her.
Until just moments ago, his expression had been harsh, but now he seemed relatively calm, if somewhat cold.
Even so, Lee-jae detected a terrifying trace in that expression—something others could never perceive—and her body shuddered.
She shouted quickly, “What are you doing? Pull yourself together!”
"…"
Though she hardly knew him, she was certain he was not someone like this.
All of a sudden, a fierce, aggressive bloodlust began radiating from the King.
Seeing that, Lee-jae immediately yelled out.
At that, Roderick frowned.
His face twisted in agony, but that was far better than how he had just looked.
Lee-jae knew her voice had managed to pierce his consciousness, if only a little.
Seeing the vengeful spirits gritting their teeth behind him, she grabbed his shoulder and shook him firmly.
"…"
An unexpected urge to cry welled up, and she bit her lip.
Right at that moment, Roderick collapsed, slumping his entire weight against her.
Lee-jae could not pull away, fearing he might fall.
"…"
He had stabilized.
Lee-jae let out a sigh of relief.
Lee-jae laid Roderick down in the center of the bed.
His body was solid and heavy, taking her quite a while to shift him.
Still, she felt that sturdy frame had been what allowed him to endure.
She pulled the covers up to his chest, catching a faint scent of alcohol wafting from him.
She clicked her tongue softly.
Even if he had only had a glass or two, it was dangerous in his condition.
Before long, Lee-jae realized why.
The wretched spirit of a beggar was wandering around the King.
Anxiety was plain on Lee-jae’s face.
As a ghostly, legless figure resembling a soldier hopped across the room, her expression grew even more miserable.
Lee-jae was capable of coexisting with a few spirits.
That was because of the environment she had grown up in.
Here, however, there were far too many of them, and Lee-jae, having just survived an ordeal, wanted nothing more than to sleep peacefully, while the King was tormented by nightmares even in his slumber.
He was clearly suffering, even while asleep.
He must not have enjoyed a restful night in a very long time.
Just when had it all started like this?
Lee-jae watched the King with a contemplative expression for a while.
What she was about to do was a heavy burden for her as well.
There was a saying in Western philosophy: ‘He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster.’
‘And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.’
Of course, she knew the saying carried a loftier meaning, but the exact same held true for spirits.
If Lee-jae paid them any mind, they would notice her as well.
And if she meddled in their affairs, they would meddle in her life in turn.
She knew from her past life that doing so would only make her miserable. Getting tangled up with spirits never brought any benefit to the living.
Yet after long hesitation, Lee-jae rose from where she sat.
The bedchamber was as large as a small house, yet it was part of a castle, and there was a separate study.
All she needed was a piece of paper, but unable to find one, Lee-jae tore away a section from the hem of her shift.
Then, she bit down hard on her finger.
With a few drops of her blood, she wrote several Chinese characters, then spread the cloth by the bedside.
"…"
She did not know whether this method would work here as well.
Yet Lee-jae had learned from Yunsan that, in the end, it was merely a clash of spiritual energy, wherever one might be.
Lee-jae looked straight at the crowd she had been avoiding until just moments ago.
At once, every one of them turned to glare at Lee-jae with burning eyes.
It was a terrifying, chilling sight, but she did not falter; she simply closed her eyes with steady resolve. If she backed down in this contest of wills, it would be the end of her.
Lee-jae took a step toward them.
"…"
"…"
She sat quietly once the dark shadows slowly faded from the spot, scattering out of the room.
When stillness finally returned to the space, Lee-jae drew a deep, relieved breath.
Lee-jae possessed spiritual sight, but she was not someone blessed with extraordinary spiritual powers.
She was not a formally trained shaman.
Because of that, what she had done was nothing more than a temporary fix.
She lacked the strength to purify every spirit, managing only to drive them away for the time being.
…Still, at the very least, this man would be able to sleep well tonight.
After shoving the bloodstained cloth beneath the bed, she was suddenly overcome by intense dizziness and nausea.
Gagging dryly, she collapsed beside the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
Lee-jae woke up when she felt a sharp gaze directed at her.
When she furrowed her brow and peered out the window, the sky was still somewhat dark.
Turning her head toward the source of that sensation, she found a man beside her watching her intently, like a beast cloaked in black fur.
This man was her husband, whom she had wed just yesterday.
Startled, Lee-jae jolted upright as though launched.
Watching it all unfold, Roderick glanced down at Lee-jae’s body.
He pointed a finger at the bottom of her shift, half of which had been ripped away.
Realizing she had fallen asleep without covering herself, Lee-jae hastily yanked down the hem of her shift.
Even that wasn't enough, however; the cloth barely concealed her undergarments.
Roderick, who had clearly been awake for some time, was far calmer than Lee-jae.
He merely watched her, waiting for an answer.
"…"
Disliking how it sounded like a complaint, Lee-jae added flusteredly.
All the while, she kept trying to tug her shift down to conceal her barely covered undergarments.
Perhaps taking pity on her, Roderick shifted his gaze toward the window and tossed the blanket over her.
Once Lee-jae covered herself, he turned his gaze back to her.
"…"
Lee-jae kept her mouth shut. After a moment of silence, she recalled that he disliked asking twice, yet the King appeared remarkably calm.
He had fallen into a deep sleep for the first time in ages, and his mind felt exceptionally clear.
In fact, he was in prime physical condition.
The intruder last night would have been you.
Roderick asked in a tone that carried genuine astonishment, and Lee-jae answered while biting her lip.
At her naive excuse, he frowned slightly.
"…"
Roderick remarked as he looked at her shoulders, where nothing held up the garment except two thin straps.
Even from Lee-jae’s own perspective, what she was saying made no sense.
Who could feel so stifled and hot that they would sleep like this?
Unable to explain what had actually happened, Lee-jae wore a thoroughly dejected face.
At that, the King asked nothing further and rose from the bed.
Perhaps he already viewed her as an eccentric.
Lee-jae looked up at him, her face filled with grievance, but he had already walked out of the room.
It was a sharp, vivid memory of her very first night of marriage.