《Fairy Trap》 CH 1 PROLOGUE A Christmas Eve with heavy snow. The busy streets were full of brilliant lights and carols were ringing everywhere. Trees that were sometimes fully decorated or shining brightly wrapped around by light bulbs catch people¡¯s eyes. The streets were crowded with those who wanted to enjoy Christmas in advance. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so lonely! Damn it!¡± Suddenly, a shout drew the attention of countless people walking on the street. Some of them giggled and laughed at him. Yi-Gyeol looked at his friend and awkwardly smiled. Then he stabbed his friend¡¯s side, who shouted a while ago, with his fingertips. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Shut up. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± The male student, wearing a coat over a school uniform, pouted his lips while rubbing his side that was stabbed by Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Yeol, they¡¯re all couples. It breaks my heart just looking at them.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, you can just find a lover yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy for you to say since you aren¡¯t the one you¡¯re suggesting to do it.¡± The student put both his hands in his pocket and glanced at the cake box in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand. It was a Christmas cake he bought a little while ago from a famous franchised bakery. It¡¯s also cute and prettily decorated with red strawberries. ¡°Hey, do you have a girlfriend?¡± Yi-Gyeol grinned when he noticed that the male student¡¯s suspicious eyes were directed at the cake box. ¡°Where do I have the time to get one? I¡¯m busy preparing for college.¡± Although his grades were originally good, he got a particularly good score on this CSAT[1]. Thanks to this, he was able to enter the prestigious university he was aiming for, so he started preparing for college early. ¡°Really? Then what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°My sister¡¯s.¡± After hearing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s answer, the student fell one step away and trembled. ¡°Uhhh, so much for denying you¡¯re a siscon¡­.¡± ¡°What, you punk?¡± He jokingly raised his fist, and the male student quickly apologized and stuck next to him again. ¡°But isn¡¯t it too much to buy a cake for your sister on Christmas Eve?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? Christmas is originally meant to be spent with your family, don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what kids without lovers say at Christmas.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re the one who should be saying that even more than me.¡± ¡°Right. I also think that Christmas should be spent with your family. Seriously.¡± Yi-Gyeol burst into a small laugh when he saw the male student nodded boldly with a serious expression on his face. Then suddenly, Yi-Gyeol felt a throbbing headache. ¡°Urgh¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol closed his eyes tightly with one hand on his forehead, distorted his face, and shook his head due to the headache. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± The headache quickly began to subside but the momentary pain was so severe that his complexion became worse. After removing his hand from his forehead, Yi-Gyeol tried to smile and shook his hand as if implying he was okay. The male student looked at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s pale face and sighed. ¡°Have you visited the hospital? You frequently have headaches these days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been there and they said it¡¯s just a normal headache. Probably because of stress.¡± ¡°Well, the stress of entrance exams is indeed no joke.¡± The male student clicked his tongue and recalled two months ago. Every time he remembers when he was studying until his head almost broke for the CSAT, he thought he would have a headache, too. ¡°Make sure to take your meds. You¡¯ll be in trouble if it turns into a chronic disease.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m taking them even without you reminding me.¡± Although Yi-Gyeol answered in that manner, his complexion gave him away. It hasn¡¯t been too long since he started getting headaches he has never had in his entire life before. It was just before the CSAT, so he thought it was caused by stress as the hospital said. He was afraid that the headache would interfere with the CSAT, so he took medicine and went to the hospital often, but it seemed that the frequency and pain were getting worse, let alone getting better. ¡®Should I go to a bigger hospital?¡¯ Even today, it was already the fifth time he¡¯s having a headache. As many modern people suffer from stress-related headaches, he thought his case would be the same, but nevertheless, he¡¯s also worried that something else might be the cause. When he visited a hospital for an examination previously, nothing wrong was found with his brain, so it could be just a simple headache as the doctor said, but sometimes, unknown anxiety chilled his spine. After parting with his friend, his anxiety reached its peak when a headache wound him up again in the alley heading to his home. ¡°Euurgh-!¡± A pain more severe than he had ever experienced came. It hurt so much that Yi-Gyeol wrapped his head with his hands, and was so distracted that he didn¡¯t even notice he dropped the cake box he was holding in his hands. He fell on his knees in the snow-covered ground and screamed as he sat down. It seemed as if someone was squeezing his head and beating him without mercy. Along with the smashing headache, his whole body convulsed and leaped, running wild. From his hands and feet, to everywhere in his body that has muscles aches terribly. The severe headache stopped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s thoughts. The only thing left in his head was the thought of being in excruciating pain. He couldn¡¯t even think of picking up his cell phone, calling an ambulance, or asking someone for help. He grabbed his sore head and groaned, hoping and praying that this pain would pass quickly. Then at some point, he couldn¡¯t stand the severe headache any longer and lost consciousness. When Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes again, what he saw was a pure white ceiling. Looking up at the strange cool-looking ceiling, his head, which seemed to have been paralyzed, began to hurt. Only then did he recall that he lost consciousness due to the headache that overcame him and lifted his arms. ¡°Aarrgh-!¡± More shock was delivered to his head as he tried to raise his arm. The pain that was as if an ice pick was poking through his head seemed to be a little less if he avoided moving. ¡°Oppa[2], are you okay?!¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was groaning, slowly turned his head to the worried voice from his side. That alone led to pain, but he clenched his teeth and endured, and looked at his sister. He felt sorry as he looked at his sister¡¯s face that was covered with tears as if she had been crying for a long time. Next to her, was their likewise tearful mother and distressed father. As soon as he saw their faces, his heart dropped and an unfamiliar fear surrounded his whole body. He frowned and narrowed his eyes because of the headache but still tried to squeeze out a voice. He asked why he was in the hospital and why everyone was crying so much. Did he catch an incurable disease? His eyes turned dark before he could even hear the answer. The sun had already risen while he was out of consciousness, and even though bright sunlight was coming from the outside, it seemed that every side of the room was immersed in darkness. ¡°Yi-Gyeol¡­. Hic¡­.¡± His mother, who slightly opened her mouth as if to tell him something, eventually sat down and wailed loudly. Her younger sister tried to raise their crying mother and was also on the verge of tears, but eventually, they just hugged and cried together. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face rapidly darkened by their reaction. The thought that something was definitely wrong with him made his head hurt even more. ¡°Stop crying! He doesn¡¯t have a terminal disease, what¡¯s wrong with all of you?! You¡¯re just making him nervous!¡± My father scolded with a loud voice. However, his face wasn¡¯t good either. Yi-Gyeol was belatedly relieved when he realized from his father¡¯s words that he was not suffering from a deadly disease. And as if the blockage in his heart had been cleared, he breathed out a loud breath and spat out a despondent voice. ¡°What is it, you all made me so nervous, I thought I was dying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not like that. Why would you even die?¡± His father forcibly smiled and stroked his head. Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t feel any relief as he looked at his deeply sunken eyes and sad face. Prickling anxiety struck him. ¡°Then what is it? Why am I in the hospital?¡± He could tell why he was in the hospital even without asking the fact. He collapsed due to a severe headache, and even now after he came to his senses, not only were his hands and feet numb but his head was still also hurting. The reason why he is in the hospital is probably because of these symptoms. His father painfully smiled and trembled. His father, who repeatedly opened and closed his mouth as if he was choosing the correct words to say, slowly voiced out, hiding his agitation as much as possible. ¡°Yi-Gyeol, don¡¯t be surprised and listen. The truth is¡­.¡± His father¡¯s voice endlessly trembled as it resonated. The more his sad words went on, the more Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face gradually turned pale like a corpse. ??????? Rostov Syndrome. A rare incurable disease that affects 1 in 1 million people. They can only stay awake for two hours a day. Even with a small movement of the muscles, toxins flow out of the body and move forward to damage the brain. To relieve this toxin, 22 hours of sleep must be taken every day, otherwise, the toxin will soon become pain and you will suffer from severe headaches. Nevertheless, it is a terrible disease that can eventually lead to death if the toxins continue to accumulate in the brain. Joo Yi-Gyeol became such a rare terminally ill patient that he had to spend 22 hours a day sleeping. The only time he could move with his eyes open was when he¡¯s awake for those two hours. December 25. It must be a happy Christmas for some, but for Joo Yi-Gyeol, it was the day when the future he had dreamed of was shattered and his warm daily life began to collapse. CH 2 BOOK 1 Day by day, time passed quickly. Yi-Gyeol felt it worse and more desperately than others. It has already been nearly five years since he got the disease called Rostov Syndrome. His father, who looked much younger than his peers, suddenly grew white hair as if he was older than them, and the wrinkles on his mother¡¯s face increased as days went by. His younger sister, who was a middle school student, was stuck in the reading room and his room because she was busy preparing for the college entrance exam. Every time he closed and opened his eyes, it seemed that the whole world was changing except for himself. He couldn¡¯t adapt to the passage of time just by waking up for a couple of hours a day or so at the most. Yi-Gyeol, lying upright and looking up at the ceiling, barely raised his creaking body and sat down. Thanks to getting enough sleep, he didn¡¯t have a headache. As the life of having to sleep more than 22 hours a day repeats, his muscles also began to be difficult to control. Like at the moment, just lifting his body made him harder to breathe, so actions such as standing up and walking were impossible at all. He raised his hand that didn¡¯t have enough strength and put it on his hollowed stomach. A few minutes ago, his mother, who finished her part-time job, hurriedly made porridge and fed it to him quite generously but the thin belly did not change much. He said he was generously fed but because of his weakened digestive system and small stomach, he could barely eat a bowl of rice. The hand that went up from the stomach touched the ribs that stood out above it. His body is so skinny that he can feel the curves of each of his bones. As his day quickly went by, he had only grappled with his body for a while, but his throat was already dry and his mouth tasted bitter. He picked up the tumbler that was placed near where he was lying and put his parched lips to it but only a sip of water flowed in. His mother might have forgotten to fill it up when she dropped by. After drinking a sip that couldn¡¯t even moisten his lips, he felt even more parched. ¡®I¡¯m thirsty¡­.¡¯ While holding an empty tumbler in his hand, he lifted his eyes and looked at the door. The tightly closed door as if it was not going to open felt exceptionally large. He put down the tumbler and picked up the old phone next to it. Without internet or gaming features, it was only being used as a means to contact someone. And there were only three of them. ¡®Who could be at home right now¡­. Dad¡¯s still at work and mom went to her next job¡­.¡¯ It¡¯s past 9 p.m. The only person at home was his younger sister, Joo Yi-Jin. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face quickly darkened. His family made sure that one of them should unconditionally stay at home for Yi-Gyeol. When Yi-Gyeol woke up, that person had to be with him when he needed someone to support him, whether he was going to wash up or go to the bathroom and had to feed him something. Furthermore, the cost of using a caregiver or being hospitalized is never cheap. He put down the phone he was holding. No matter how his current condition is, his younger sister was staying at home for her studies, and he doesn¡¯t want to break the flow of her studies and disturb her just for something like this. He removed the blanket and touched the floor with both hands. His forearm wobbled for a moment, but it wasn¡¯t enough to hinder him from touching the floor. He was using a thick mattress instead of a bed because he could get hurt if he fell down, so he could do enough to crawl out of the floor by himself. By the time he reached the front of the door by dragging his body, his forehead was already filled with sweats. While lying on his stomach, he reached as far as he could and turned the doorknob. As he forced himself to turn it with his lack of strength, he failed a couple of times, but soon he was able to open the door wide. He passed through the room where Yi-Jin would be and reached the kitchen. Like a person who had been running a race, he was already profusely sweating and dizzy. He also regretted that he should have just ignored his thirst. ¡®I¡¯m almost there.¡¯ Lying down, he grabbed the side of the refrigerator door and opened it. The heaviness made it difficult to open, so he had to hold his breath, but thanks to the cold air from the refrigerator that suddenly came, he somehow felt better. He reached out and picked up the lightest-looking water bottle in the refrigerator door. However, it was never light for Yi-Gyeol. Unable to hold the weight, the bottle of water fell to the floor. As a result of the shock, water poured out of the water bottle with the lid open, and some even soaked the front of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s clothes. As Yi-Gyeol panicked and quickly raised the water bottle with little water left, Yi-Jin¡¯s closed door suddenly opened. ¡°What the¡­. Oppa, what are you doing?!¡± Yi-Jin, who tied up her long hair like an apple as if even a single hair was disturbing, crumpled her face. Yi-Gyeol tried to raise his upper body first, saying he was sorry for making a loud noise, but his weak arm kept slipping in the water. ¡°Why do you have to make everything worse, why?!¡± Yi-Jin, who quickly grasped the situation, shouted and raised Yi-Gyeol¡¯s upper body. Leaning him against the bottom of the sink, Yi-Jin took a towel from the bathroom and sharp-temperedly wiped off the water. ¡°Ah, really! So annoying!¡± At Yi-Jin¡¯s angry roar, Yi-Gyeol could just smile, feeling sorry, and lowered his eyes. ¡°¡­Sorry. I was trying not to disturb you¡­¡± ¡°Is this not disturbing right now?! I¡¯d rather you called me?!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re studying¡­ No, I¡¯m sorry, sis.¡± After wiping the water off the floor, Yi-Jin took off Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soaked top and threw it into the laundry basket with the towel. After putting the water bottle that fell on the floor back into the refrigerator and turned around, Yi-Gyeol, who was trembling with his fleshless body, faintly laughed. Which made Yi-Jin even angrier. ¡°Is this the situation to laugh right now? Stop laughing like a fool!¡± Although he lowered his eyes again, the awkward smile on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth did not disappear. Seeing Yi-Jin¡¯s annoyed voice made Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulders shrink even more. ¡°From what time have you been awake? I think mom gave you food before she went earlier.¡± It sounded as if he was treating him like a dog, but Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t express his feelings. ¡°I¡¯ve been up from around 7:30.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s been two hours. You have to go to sleep quickly, why did you come out?!¡± After estimating the time, Yi-Jin became angry again like fire lashing out. She put her hands under Yi-Gyeol¡¯s armpits and dragged him to the room. ¡°If time runs out and you have a headache again, you¡¯re not the only one who suffers. Can¡¯t you think of us, too?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± That¡¯s the only thing that Yi-Gyeol could say. Even though he was dragged by his younger sister like a sack of hot potato, he couldn¡¯t think of raising his lowered eyes even slightly. Yi-Jin, who barely managed to lay Yi-Gyeol on the mat, took out an appropriate shirt and put it on him. She covered him with a blanket then checked the time, and again, she made an annoyed expression on her face. She told Yi-Gyeol, who is still wearing an awkward smile, to quickly go to sleep with a disapproving voice, and then left the room without looking back. He heard Yi-Jin making annoyed sounds as she went to the door. Soon, with the bang of the door closing, there were no more other sounds heard. The darkened room was as quiet as if nothing had happened. All he could hear was the faint ticking sound of the wall clock. The smile on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips gradually disappeared. A useless lump of nuisance. He can¡¯t even drink a sip of water without the help of others, he can¡¯t also find anything to do on his own. It was not enough that he brought trouble to his family, but he makes it even more difficult for them as time goes by. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s parents dragged money from all over the place just to try to overcome the incurable disease somehow, and now they are in debt. They became so busy working just to pay off their debts, but Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, which actually cost them the money, only got worse day by day. Even now, even though he had been visiting the hospital every two weeks and receiving a generous amount of nutritional supplements after a long IV, there was no sign of improvement at all. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s much better to just die.¡¯ He sneered at himself and closed his eyes. The thought that living itself was nothing less than tormenting his family quickly brought tears to his eyes. He squeezed his trembling hand under the blanket. Is there anything he can do to help everyone if he stays alive? He couldn¡¯t drink water, so his throat hurt, but he tried to ignore it and forced himself to sleep. It seemed that being asleep is the best thing he can do for his family. He thought that it would be much better if he could just completely fall asleep like this, never to wake up. He slept until he was fed-up with it, but sleep always comes to him as he will it. That¡¯s the only advantage to him. At some point that he doesn¡¯t know when, the moment he fell asleep, he felt freer than when he¡¯s awake. When he was asleep, he didn¡¯t have to lie down and stay locked in his room like a rat. He doesn¡¯t have to worry about anything, let alone pressure someone just to help him. In fact, he also thought it was strange to say he could feel something as he was asleep. How can someone sense anything when he is asleep? However, Yi-Gyeol was feeling a strange sensation all over his body as if denying the possibility of such thoughts. The moment he felt like falling asleep, his whole body seemed to finely shake and seemed to rock up and down and repeat over and over again. By the time the vibration stopped, Yi-Gyeol slowly opened his eyes. He could see the same surrounding area exactly as if he hadn¡¯t closed his eyes from the beginning. The ceiling looks much closer than when he was lying down. Nevertheless, Yi-Gyeol looked away without showing any signs of being surprised. With the feeling of floating in the air, his vision gradually returned. In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, he could see himself sleeping deeply with a thin and gaunt face. CH 3 He couldn¡¯t remember when it started. Everything was ambiguous about what day of the month he was awake, whether it was morning, day, evening, or night. Countless hours were filled with his long sleep. The only thing he gained from the passing of time was a body that was getting weaker day by day and a dream. Originally, he could hardly remember even if he had a dream. However, as his sleep time increased, he was able to remember his dreams from time to time, and he also had occasional lucid dreams. Even though he knew that the scenery he was seeing, the sound he was hearing, and the pleasant conversation he had with someone, was all a dream, he moved as much as he wanted with the thought in his mind ¡°it was all just a dream.¡± He was so free in his dreams. That¡¯s why there was nothing more difficult every time he opens his eyes and faces reality. The bitter taste that he felt right after he tasted the sweetness made his mind devastated beyond control. There were times when a surge of extreme depression hit him and he wanted to just stop breathing and fall asleep forever. Still, he didn¡¯t delve into such feelings thinking that his family would feel sad and guilty the moment he died. In order not to worry his family, he would always smile every time his eyes met with them, and when he couldn¡¯t fall asleep in time, he would hold back the pain from his headache until he could finally fall asleep. His dreams were his only refuge. And at some point, his place of refuge began to gradually change. At first, he thought he just woke up from his sleep. He looked up dazedly because he could see the ceiling of his room in front of him when he suddenly realized that his body was fluttering as if he was floating into the sea. Realizing that, he tried to get up and was able to sit down without any difficulty. He discovered it only after turning his head in surprise. That his body is still quietly sleeping. It is commonly called an out-of-body phenomenon. The moment Yi-Gyeol realized that he was experiencing the out-of-body experience that he had heard only with words, he felt the feeling of being sucked into his body at the same time. Shortly after returning to his body, he opened his eyes with an unbelievable expression on his face. Since then, this phenomenon has occurred frequently. From the first time in which he woke out his body, the range of activities widened as the days passed by. He was able to go out freely without having to open the door, which was closed and heavy as an iron gate, and he could see and hear what his sister was doing in the next room, and what his father and mother were fighting about for the day. Yi-Gyeol, who wished that he could leave for a while before going to sleep, was able to escape from his body due to the phenomenon and left the house that was filled with heavy atmosphere and wandered outside. Nobody could see him, but the fact that he could fly through the air and go somewhere according to his will soothed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s exhausted heart. This time again, Yi-Gyeol left his body and came out freely. Perhaps because it was night, there were especially few people walking around. Meanwhile, he saw some small shiny white butterflies flying around. He¡¯s been able to see them occasionally since a few months ago, and instinctively, he knew it was a ¡®soul¡¯. ¡®Who knows, I might look like that too.¡¯ He wondered because he could not see his own appearance no matter how much he turned his eyes. Yi-Gyeol, who was following the shining butterfly, was surprised to see a good-looking middle-aged man suddenly popping out of the corner in front of him. The middle-aged man passed through Yi-Gyeol and was walking behind him. ?Oh, that surprised me¡­. He muttered as if he had a mouth. The middle-aged man, as expected, did not hear Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words and strode along. Even the spirits just like him couldn¡¯t hear him. The same was true of his family, and so was everyone he met outside. He talked to the white butterflies just in case, but they flew away as if they couldn¡¯t see him. But that didn¡¯t make him depressed. Even if no one could hear his voice, it was enough just to be able to fly outside and feel the unrecognizable passage of time rather than when he was locked up inside his room. It would be considered a luxury if he asked for more than that. He soared up high in the sky while gauging his bitter heart. He was planning to go to the main street today after a long time. The busy street, which he flew in an instant, was as dazzling as the day when he collapsed. As he approached with anticipation that there was an event, he saw banners and signs everywhere saying, ¡°Wish you pass the college entrance exam.¡± ¡®CSAT¡­.¡¯ Yi-Jin¡¯s face naturally came to his mind as he looked at the kiosk selling items that were blessed for an examinee¡¯s acceptance. Yi-Jin would also take the CSAT just like he did ten days later. ¡®Your Oppa couldn¡¯t even do anything for you.¡¯ His heart stung. When he was about to take the CSAT before, Yi-Jin, who had saved up her pocket money, handed him a finely folded letter with chocolate wishing him to pass. His younger sister, who was a middle school student at that time, smiled cutely and encouraged him that he would do well on the test and pass the university he wanted. Although he could not go even after passing, he thinks that his younger sister¡¯s encouragement played a big role for him to pass the exam. Therefore, Yi-Gyeol also wanted to do something for his younger sister. However, because he was just lying at home, he had no money and couldn¡¯t go to buy anything. All he could do was write a letter. Since her younger sister had always liked folding things out of paper, he thought he should also write a letter and shape it prettily just as she did. Yi-Gyeol felt better for some reason. He felt motivated thinking that there was something he could do. The fact that there is something he can do for someone made him feel absolutely pleasant. When suddenly, Yi-Gyeol, who was looking around with excitement, felt nervous all of a sudden. It was as if someone was calling for him with all its might. That was impossible, but still, Yi-Gyeol looked around with a feeling that he had never felt before. What caught Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes was a golden butterfly shining in the dark far away. It wasn¡¯t like a real butterfly but like a soul as it is brightly shining, but for some reason, it seemed to be looking straight at this side. He flew straight to the butterfly, being amazed by something strange that he experienced for the first time. The closer he got, the more confident he was that the butterfly was looking at him. By the time that the butterfly was already so close that its wings could be clearly seen, the standing still butterfly turned half a turn from its place and started flying somewhere. ?Wait! He unknowingly shouted and followed. The butterfly did not stop flapping its wings, scattering golden dust in its wake, and Yi Gyeol flew and flew as if he were being led by something. The place where the golden butterfly headed was a dark alley a little far away from the busy street. The alleyway, which was narrow enough to be blocked when two people were standing side by side, gave Yi-Gyeol a sense of foreboding. ?Where do you even want to go? He asked, but as expected, the butterfly did not respond. He could only just silently went deep into the alley. Flying through a maze of narrow alleys, the butterfly only stopped until it reached a dead end. A dead-end wall where only darkness could be seen because of the lack of street lights made Yi-Gyeol disappointed. He thought that the butterfly was leading him to show him something, which caused a strange expectation to rise from his heart. ?Why did you bring me here? He thought that the golden butterfly wouldn¡¯t hear his voice like the other butterflies, but he was curious so he still tried to ask. Why did it bring him to this place? The butterfly didn¡¯t answer. But as if it heard his question, the butterfly turned around and looked his way. The light was so strong that the body was not completely visible, but the approximate shape of the butterfly was fully recognizable. The butterfly¡¯s slow flapping of its wings became a little faster. Then, it looked his way and slowly moved back. Soon, the butterfly¡¯s body disappeared as if it had been sucked into the darkness-covered wall. ?Wait! Normally, if a butterfly he was following passes through a wall, he would just let them go on their way, but this time it was different. He strongly felt that he should not send it just like this. He chased the golden butterfly and rushed to the wall. And as expected, the golden butterfly was clearly across from it. However, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to stop as soon as he passed through the wall after chasing the butterfly. ?What the¡­. He stood absentmindedly and looked around. The space, completely contradictory to the dark alley where there was little light, made him a little dizzy. The hallways that stretched out before his eyes reminded him of castles and mansions from medieval times. Not only the various metal decorations and splendid patterns but also the enchanting murals were drawn enough to captivate Yi-Gyeol¡¯s attention. And as if to say that was not enough, a chandelier made of brilliant crystals shone on the ceiling, and even a luxurious red carpet was laid on the floor. Yi-Gyeol, who was looking at the hallway in rapture, wondered if he was dreaming while he was still experiencing the out-of-body phenomenon. Otherwise, the current situation was completely incomprehensible. CH 4 Yi-Gyeol looked back, wondering if there was a European museum or a house decorated by a geek, beyond the dead-end alley. ?¡­.! Obviously, there should be a wall through which he passed behind him, but all he can see is a corridor that stretches far away. Frustrated, Yi-Gyeol imagined himself floating while maintaining his composure as much as possible. It seemed that it¡¯d be much quicker for him to just go outside the building, look down and figure things out. He climbed up past the ceiling of the hallway as he wanted. It wasn¡¯t a roof right away, but he had to go through several ornate hallways just like the place he had passed when he arrived. ¡®Is it an apartment or a villa?¡¯ Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be hallways like this. However, considering the big corridor doors that were connected to the hallway, they don¡¯t seem to be just simple apartment front doors. Yi-Gyeol, who finally was able to come out after passing several corridors, was stunned in surprise while floating in the air. It was still the same deep night, but the scenery was completely different. ?No way¡­. His heart almost collapsed by the sight of the giant castle beneath him. This has never happened before. He knew he wasn¡¯t dreaming, but it was the first time that the scenery had ever changed so completely, so he didn¡¯t know what to do. The large castle, the fortress encircling it, and the outside surroundings were full of old wooden houses that could only be seen in world history books or paintings. Far outside from the private house, which surrounded the castle as its center, is a tall wall, and men wearing heavy metal armors stood guard on it. It was strange wherever he looked. He climbed up a little higher and looked far, but all he could see was a few dirt roads, forests, and hills. ¡®There can¡¯t be a place like this in Korea.¡¯ Both Yi-Gyeol¡¯s house and the downtown area were in the middle of Seoul. And although it is said that he had deviated from his mortal body, he was still clearly wandering around reality, so passing a dead-end alley can¡¯t lead to such ridiculous scenery. ¡®Am I dreaming within my out-of-body experience now?¡¯ With such gibberish thoughts, Yi-Gyeol slowly descended towards the castle. He really doesn¡¯t know what happened, but going back to the hallway where he first stepped in was the first thing that he could think of. He thought that he¡¯ll find out something if he looks around there. However, Yi-Gyeol stopped just before entering the castle. He saw something black moving near a window in the tall castle. It was inconspicuous at first glance, but as he got closer, they were two men dressed in black clothes. Wearing masks, they were hanging from the frame of the window where the lights couldn¡¯t reach and exchanging eye contact with each other. ¡®Those men¡­.?¡¯ The moment Yi-Gyeol thought they seemed strange, the two men put something thin in the window frame then moved from side to side several times. It was only when the closed window opened silently that he realized what the frustratingly slow movement meant. The two men secretly unlocked the door and went inside, seeming like robbers. Yi-Gyeol, who followed them into the room thinking that even such a castle could also be robbed, immediately felt the air cooled down. It wasn¡¯t because the temperature in the room was low, but because the two men who noiselessly entered the castle pulled out two sharp daggers. The two men stood on the left and right sides of the bed in the dark room. And in the bed between them, someone tall was lying down, sleeping. He was covered in a blanket and his face was veiled with shadow, so he couldn¡¯t recognize him, but he sure seemed to be an adult man. Looking down at the man in the bed, the two held the daggers in their hands and held it up high. A thought quickly passed by his mind. When he got closer to the men and looked closely at the dagger, it seemed as if it could cut deeply just by brushing on its sharp blade. If you get stabbed by something like this, it depends on where you got stabbed, but there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll be fine. Yi-Gyeol turned his head and looked at the man that was sleeping in the bed. Although he couldn¡¯t see him clearly because of the darkness, he was a foreign young man similar to his age. ?Wake up! Yi-Gyeol unknowingly shouted. Without hearing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice, the men were seeming to strike the dagger at any moment. ?I said wake up! When Yi-Gyeol shouted one more time in his frustration, the young man in the bed suddenly opened his eyes curiously. Then, just before the man on the left and the right struck the dagger, he sprung up his upper body and avoided the attack. Two sharp daggers dug deep into the pillow where the young man was lying a little while ago. Just as the two masked men panicked, the young man swung his legs and knocked a man over. Then he took the dagger from the hand of the man who collapsed and struck the other man¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°Urgh!¡± Even though the dagger was deeply lodged in his right shoulder, the man only distorted his face and swallowed a groan, but did not scream. Instead, he moved the dagger from his right hand to his left hand and swung it toward the young man. The young man, who narrowly escaped the dagger by leaning his neck, grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and strongly struck the man¡¯s elbow with his knee. The sound of something breaking and the man¡¯s elbow folding in reverse took place almost at the same time. Yi-Gyeol, who was watching the scene, was so terrified and nervous that he didn¡¯t know what to do. On the other hand, the young man, who struck the back of the man¡¯s neck with the weapon and overpowered him, did not even show any signs of being tense or nervous. As a result, Yi-Gyeol felt like this situation could never be more disparate than he could ever think of. Meanwhile, a black shadow popped out behind the young man¡¯s back. ?Behind you! He shouted even though he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to hear him. The man who was about to attack the young man was aiming for his neck with another dagger he pulled out. Yi-Gyeol was so anxious and restless that he couldn¡¯t stay still. The young man was startled for a moment, and without looking back, he leaned over and avoided the dagger. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, he quickly turned his body and hit the man in the face with a rather loud noise. When the man who fell on the floor was about to get up quickly, the young man knocked him out, striking his neck with his feet. It all happened in an instant. The two men, armed with hideous weapons, collapse and are overpowered in the blink of an eye by the young man who was still sleeping just a moment ago. And the young man, who made them as such, was still placidly calm and expressionless as if nothing had happened. The young man, who was cloaked by the moonlight¡¯s reflection, surprised Yi-Gyeol by his dazzling appearance. He was much more gorgeous than most Hollywood actors and has distinctive features. So much that just one look at him would catch people¡¯s attention and get enchanted by him. Before he even knew it, Yi-Gyeol was already thoroughly gazing over the young man¡¯s face. Then suddenly, Yi-Gyeol felt a bit terrified. He was a young man who was just on the brink of death, but he too casually stabbed a knife at someone and broke his arm, as if this was a normal occurrence. It was a little scary that he acted mercilessly in self-defense without even blinking an eye. Bang, bang-! ¡°Prince! What¡¯s going on?!¡± There were violent thrashings on the large door and a man¡¯s loud voice was heard. Listening to the man¡¯s words, it was his first time hearing the language, but surprisingly, he could understand it without any difficulty. He couldn¡¯t believe that in the OOBE[1] state, it would be easier to understand another country¡¯s language, and the letter characters would also be readable. He doesn¡¯t know why, but he thinks it was because he was in a state of being just a vague soul. Because in real life, he couldn¡¯t even understand any single language he saw and heard while he¡¯s still in the OOBE state. ¡°4th Prince!¡± Although the man outside was calling for a person entitled, ¡°Prince,¡± which made Yi-Gyeol cringe a little, he must have been calling the young man in front of him. After hearing the title, he thought that it suits the handsome young man in front of him very well. The young man called Prince was slowly looking around the room without answering the man outside. Deep, sharp eyes that could not capture any emotion shone in the moonlight. The young man only moved when the man shouting on the other side of the door called to him for the third time. Then he approached the candlestick on the bedside table and allowed the man to enter the room. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as he heard the young man¡¯s low voice, the door burst open. It was a large guy wearing red armor. Wearing short dark brown hair and an intimidating impression, just by looking at his face, anyone would think that he¡¯s a person who could be seen in the underground world of a foreign country. Each time he moved, a series of rattling sounds could be heard from the heavy metal armor the man was wearing. ¡°Are you ok¡­! No, these bastards again¡­.¡± Upon seeing the two men lying on the floor, the man made a fed-up expression on his face. Meanwhile, the young man lit a candle in the candlestick to light up the inside of the room. ¡°Drag them and find out who¡¯s behind it this time.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The man in the armor bent down politely to the young man, then grabbed the back of the two men who had collapsed on the floor. A man who could hold one person in each of his hands and dragged them out without having any difficulty would surely be a person with no ordinary strength. Yi-Gyeol, who was watching the scene even until the door closed, turned his eyes and was suddenly surprised. The young man, who was standing next to the candlestick that was lighting the room was looking around as if he were searching for something with his arms crossed, accidentally met his eyes. The young man¡¯s violet hair, exposed by the light, stood out as noticeable as his light green eyes. CH 5 At that moment, Yi-Gyeol was captivated by the expectation that the young man might have completely seen him. He tried to get closer to him without any hesitation when suddenly, the young man¡¯s eyes regrettably turned to another direction. Yi-Gyeol, who realized that he could not see himself in the reflection of the young man¡¯s eyes, made a weak sound. ?As expected, he can¡¯t see me. As he murmured bitterly and stepped back, the young man¡¯s eyes turned to him. ¡°Who is it? Show yourself.¡± His eyes were so sharp that even Yi-Gyeol, who could not be seen by him, felt nervous. At the young man¡¯s question, Yi-Gyeol looked around as if the young man was talking to someone instead of him. He really wanted to know if there was someone else in the room, so he looked around the whole room instead of the young man. He looked under the bed, but there was little space that no one could ever enter beneath it, and neither was under the chest of drawers, tables, or sofas. There was nowhere else anyone could hide. In the room, there was only the young man who was the owner of this place and himself, a soul. ?But there¡¯s no one else here. As soon as he spoke in doubt, the young man leaned over and picked up the dagger that had fallen on the floor. He looked down at the sharp blade and held it firmly so that he could swing it at any time. The chilling face reflected on the smooth blade was creepy enough to induce fear to anyone. Yi-Gyeol, who was looking nervously at the figure, felt the rising of the fine hairs in his whole body, even though he doesn¡¯t have one. ¡°The one who spoke just now, I¡¯m asking who you are.¡± ?What¡­? Yi-Gyeol was quite surprised at the young man¡¯s cold words. He seemed to refer to himself, who could not be seen nor heard by anyone. ?Me? But you shouldn¡¯t be hearing¡­. Until now, no one has ever been able to hear his voice. However, the young man heard and listened to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s confused voice. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t hear it when your voice sounded so clear?¡± The young man asked, tilting his head crookedly. Even though no figure was reflected in his beautiful light-green eyes, he was clearly aware of Yi-Gyeol. The air in the room seemed to freeze. Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t say anything because he, too, also wanted to know what was going on. Did this guy really hear his voice? But no one¡¯s ever heard of him all this time? ¡°I asked who you are.¡± The young man coldly said. His voice was so low and cold, that it seemed if he had been visible in front of him, he would have stabbed him first and asked with the dagger in his hand. Like the men before, Yi-Gyeol might have been stabbed painfully by the dagger and broke his arm. However, because of the mysterious fact that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice could be heard by the strange young man, he forgot all of the previous situations. He felt something overwhelming that he couldn¡¯t control up to the top of his head. Through the OOBE phenomenon, he wandered from place to place in his soul state and spoke various words to the people he encountered, but none of them could hear his voice. In addition, it was ambiguous to describe it as a ¡®voice¡¯ since he doesn¡¯t have a body, and the reality was he was just imagining it as if he was speaking out loud. There¡¯s not much difference between thinking in one¡¯s mind when that person is in his soul state and speaking out words in the same state. It¡¯s not through the vocal cords, so no one can hear it. However, the young man in front of him clearly responded to his words and understood his language. He could understand all the languages of any country when he was in his soul state, so he tried, but he was amazed at how the man understood him. Yi-Gyeol felt a soaring excitement after a long time. His heart, which couldn¡¯t be because he didn¡¯t have a body, seemed to pound once loudly. ?My voice¡­ Can you really hear it¡­? ¡°¡­.¡± The young man gave no answer with an expressionless face. Then, it was Yi-Gyeol¡¯s turn to be anxious. ?Can you hear me? Please answer. Can you hear my words? The young man briefly responded, ¡°Yes,¡± to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s desperate words. Then suddenly, a thrilled sound passed through the young man¡¯s ears. ?Haa¡­. What going on, what the hell is this¡­. Yi-Gyeol was engulfed in a pleasant shock and couldn¡¯t get out of it easily. The young man, who was still listening to the excited voice, lowered the dagger he raised so that he could swing it at any time. He scanned the surrounding area once more with his eyes, paying keen attention to catch any sign of movements. The young man, Sethian Wren Kinelly, has been dogged by numerous assassination threats since childhood. As a result, he was not only capable of overturning most knights and generals but also has an extremely acute perception. If the distance was such that the voice could be heard clearly, there would be no way that he would fail to notice the opponent¡¯s presence. ?No one has ever heard me before¡­ How¡­. A murmuring voice broke into Sethian¡¯s head. Noticing now, it seemed that someone, who doesn¡¯t have a form¡¯s voice was heard directly in his head, not in his ears. ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of any magic that can communicate a conversation through the head without any medium.¡¯ He wondered if Magic Tower had created some new magic, but he immediately answered his own question that there¡¯s possibly not. In the past, the magicians in the Magic Tower were said to have been extremely invigorated to the point where countless kinds of magic were developed, but now, most of them were unable to even use small magic to help their daily lives properly. Preserving the existing magic and immersing themselves in analyzing the research data of their ancestors, they could not afford to develop new ones. Above all, if they actually created such magic, they would not be able to stay calm until now, wanting to be given a generous budget based on their research results. ¡®Then what the hell is this voice?¡¯ Apparently a young man, he was quite surprised that Seth could hear his voice. To be precise, it felt like the voice was thrilled rather than surprised. ?No one has ever heard my voice before.[1] ¡°It sounds so clear, it¡¯s even more surprising that no one ever heard it before.¡± Even just now, it sounds like he¡¯s talking with his mouth near his head. Seth repeatedly thought about throwing the dagger he was holding into the air and see what would happen next. Originally, he¡¯s already felt the presence of the men who entered through the window in his sleep. He silently woke up, pretended to sleep as he was, and tried to catch the invaders off guard as usual. However, he almost opened his eyes prematurely due to the strange voice that came out of nowhere. The second time the voice was heard, Seth only knew then that the sound could not be heard by the other men. ¡®There¡¯s no way that those old men of the tower would make a new magic and stay quiet, and even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use it inside the Imperial Castle.¡¯ Normally, there are barriers in each country¡¯s castles that could negate magic. And though currently, you can hardly see magic unless you go to the tower, but in the old days, there was a time when it had a golden age enough to be used as a necessity for war. Countries have spent a great deal of money to prevent the damage caused by magic, and impose magic-neutral barriers on the Imperial Palaces and large cities, and as a result, places where magic naturally works are rare. Immediately afterward, as a matter of course, the tower and magic took a path of decline in the blink of an eye. Under such circumstances, he had to exclude the premise that the voice he heard just now could be influenced by magic. Then what the hell is going on here. There is no place to hide, and it is not even magic. And on the subject, the voice is coming through his head, not his ears. It¡¯s a vain hypothesis, but he can only think of one thing that fits. ¡°Are you a ghost?¡± When he calmly asked, the voice, which had been mumbling with excitement until then stopped. After hesitating for a while, the voice gave an answer that¡¯s also not an answer. ?Instead of a ghost¡­ You can just say I¡¯m a lost soul.[2] Seth paused, frowning. He couldn¡¯t believe that the voice that tried to wake him up and save him earlier came from a ghost. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d ever talk to a ghost.¡± ?I didn¡¯t expect I would be talking to Mr. Prince also. The other¡¯s pleasant voice resonated in his head. Seth recalled some of the contents of the Soul Magic Book in the Imperial Library. It also contained information about the soul of a person, commonly referred to as ghosts, and also included some research on magic related to it. To be honest, it was quite amazing. According to what was written in the book, there are only a few cases where you can communicate to a soul without the help of magic. Seth, who was freely living his life daily, felt a strong interest in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s existence. CH 6 ? Knock, knock. ¡°Prince, it¡¯s Lenox. Please excuse my discourtesy for a moment.¡± A familiar voice was heard along with the knock. ¡°Come in.¡± The gray-haired man, who came inside as soon as permission was granted, looked like he was in his early 30¡¯s and had a friendly amiable impression. Dressed in a red uniform embroidered with gold, he bowed politely toward Seth. ¡°We¡¯ll just clean up quickly and leave.¡± Having said that, he beckoned lightly to the attendants standing outside the door. The servants who came in with good manners quickly cleaned the area around the bed. They even wiped the splashed blood on the floor and walls then replaced the ruined beddings with new ones. Meanwhile, Seth beckoned to the knight Lenox who was standing by the door. As he approached, he handed the dagger he was holding in his hand. ¡°Have you seen the bastards Kirsty dragged?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lenox, who received the dagger with both hands, sent out the servants who had finished organizing the room with a glance. Then he lowered the volume of his voice and asked Seth. ¡°I looked at them for a while, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to get any information directly from them.¡± The smile disappeared from Lenox¡¯s face. ¡°They belong to the assassination group ¡®Canael¡¯.¡± Seth¡¯s eyebrows slightly twitched. ¡®Canael¡¯ is an assassination group spread all over the world and they are notorious for assassinating even the emperor of a country if you can give them what they wanted. Those who belonged to it had an iron rule that life itself was solely focused on killing a target, and that failure to assassinate means death. Even if they were caught trying to assassinate and were tortured, they would never open their mouths, still just in case, they even had their tongues removed. ¡°What a nuisance.¡± It was said that Canael was difficult to contact and even more difficult to commission. Since the person who wanted to kill him dabble with such a place quite rashly, it was clear that subsequent assassination attempts would become more frequent. ¡®Things would be even more fun.¡¯ After getting absorbed in thought for a moment, Seth walked to bed and told Lenox to step back so that he could take a rest. ¡°What do we do with the guys we caught?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t open its mouth anyway, so play as long as you want with it then get rid of it.¡± It was like talking about a toy. Lenox, who understood the meaning of Seth¡¯s cold words, bowed deeply and left the room. The spacious room quickly became quiet as if something big had never happened in the first place. Seth, who was looking down at the bed, raised his head. ¡°Hey.¡± He called out into the air once, but he couldn¡¯t hear any response. He thought it was quiet from the time Lenox came, wondering if that person had gone somewhere else. Thinking like that, it seems that the previous conversation was just an illusion. ¡®It cannot be an illusion.¡¯ Seth was not a single-minded person who easily thinks that what he had experienced firsthand was a mere illusion or a dream. How could he dismiss it as such, when the ghost¡¯s voice was still vividly remaining inside his head. ??????? ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol!¡± Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes to the sudden voice. The ceiling, which had been splendid just until earlier, had changed into a faded white color as if it had always been like that from the beginning. He blinked his eyes as he couldn¡¯t adjust right away, and the frown on his mother¡¯s eyes, who was calling his name beside him as if she was frustrated, softened. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t a kid who slept so much wake up like this? I¡¯m surprised that you didn¡¯t even wake up from the alarm.¡± He turned his eyes and looked up at his mother. Wearing a coat as if she was about to go outside right away, annoyance was still written on her face as if she¡¯s been trying to wake him up several times but still woke up late. As soon as he saw it, Yi-Gyeol automatically put a forced smile on his lips. ¡°Sorry, Mom. Are you going to work now?¡± ¡°En. I have to leave a little early today.¡± He looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall and saw that it was already 7:30 p.m. the next day. He was surprised at how quickly the time passed in an instant, but he turned his head without showing any expression. Next to his squatting mother is a small table with a bowl of porridge with ground meat, soybean paste soup, shredded potatoes, and radish kimchi chopped into small-sized pieces. After lying in bed for a long time, his digestive system has already stopped doing its functions properly, so all he could eat was porridge and a few non-stimulating side dishes. With the help of his mother, Yi-Gyeol raised his upper body and smiled brightly on purpose as soon as she put the pillow behind his back and sat down. He wondered if he was smiling strangely since there was no mirror and he couldn¡¯t check for himself, but fortunately, his mother didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you can now go ahead. You said you have to leave early.¡± ¡°Okay. When you¡¯re done, just tell Yi-Jin to clean it up.¡± After putting the small table above Yi-Gyeol¡¯s leg, his mother immediately jumped out from her seat and hurried to the door. Yi-Gyeol, who saw her mother off with his eyes, thought of Yi-Jin who was in the next room, and called her at once. ¡°Mom, I¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± He was at a loss for words. His mother¡¯s eyes, which stood by the door and turned around, showed a ¡®you¡¯re being a nuisance¡¯ light. After receiving such a gaze, he couldn¡¯t continue saying anything even if he wanted to. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. Please take care of yourself.¡± In the end, without being able to say what he wanted to say, he saw her mother off with his eyes. She muttered quietly as she closed the door without answering Yi-Gyeol¡¯s greeting, ¡°Wasting my time, tsk.¡± At the end of the speech, the sound of the tongue clicking was heard and the noise of the door slamming shut followed. With a smile still on his lips, Yi-Gyeol listened to the sound of her mother opening the front door and leaving the house. As soon as he heard the sound of the door being locked from the tightly closed front door, the smile disappeared from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. ¡®I just wanted to ask for some stationery.¡¯ As he was walking around the streets yesterday and felt that the College Scholastic Ability Test was getting closer, he wanted to write a letter and give it to Yi-Jin just the way she did for him before. Because there was nothing else he could do other than that. ¡®I can¡¯t also ask Yi-Jin, who is busy studying¡­ She¡¯ll be annoyed.¡¯ With a dark face, he looked down at the table placed on his leg. He raised his weak arm and picked up the spoon. Although it was clear that the thing was light, it still felt heavy for Yi-Gyeol. Yi-Gyeol precariously ate the lukewarm porridge with a trembling spoon and recalled the products he had seen on the street the day before. He couldn¡¯t go out in person, and he had no money given to him since he doesn¡¯t go out, so it was impossible to buy something. That¡¯s why he decided to write a letter. ¡®Oh, come to think of it, the memo¡­.¡¯ Recalling the square memo paper slightly larger than the palm of his hand, Yi-Gyeol turned his head and looked up at the nearby small chest of drawers. As he remembered, the memo was placed on top of the chest of drawers filled only with tissues and wipes. It had been there for a few years. His father left it to Yi-Gyeol to write down what he wanted or if he had something to say. Due to the increased debt for borrowing money in order to treat Yi-Gyeol, his father goes to work during the day and acts as a substitute driver at night. Because of that, it was quite a long time ago since they¡¯ve actually met. Perhaps because of his busy schedule, his father¡¯s visits are cut off now, but in the past, he often visited Yi-Gyeol¡¯s room. He looked down at his son who was silently asleep for a few minutes without saying a word, and checked the memo on the chest of drawers. Seeing the faded note that was never left a single word, he sighed with relief. Had it not been for the OOBE condition, he would not have known that his father was doing that. Recalling his father, Yi-Gyeol looked over the chest of drawers then suddenly turned his attention to the flowers adorned next to the memo paper. It was an artificial flower that Yi-Jin bought when he left the hospital and stayed in this room, saying that the unfurnished room was too desolate. It was a pretty dark purple iris flower at that time, but now, it is a little lighter because it has already faded like the memo paper. Yi-Gyeol, who was quietly looking at the purple iris, dropped the spoon he was holding in his hand and opened his eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s even more surprising that no one has ever heard it when it sounds so clear.¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d ever talk to a ghost.¡± His heart raced uncontrollably when he remembered the purple-haired young man he met lately in his OOBE state. It was a strangely fascinating place he saw for the first time, but what was even more fascinating was that young man. With a cold, emotionless face, he calmly listened to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice. No one has ever heard of his voice, not even the souls he met nor the butterflies. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯ He just couldn¡¯t think of it as a dream. He¡¯s been dreaming until he¡¯s had enough of it, and now it has become his daily thing to go out with the OOBE state instead of dreaming. He can never misunderstand that. It was not uncommon for his eyes to suddenly feel distant and wake up during the OOBE period. In those times, he did not come back of his own volition, but he always finds himself inside his own body. It wasn¡¯t surprising because the same thing happened this time, but it was really regretful. ¡®I wanted to talk to him a little more.¡¯ He wondered what kind of place it was since it¡¯s the first time that he had been there, and what kind of person he was, the first person who¡¯d heard his voice. He heard them call him ¡®Prince,¡¯ was that really true? Is there still a country with Constitutional Monarchy that uses such a title? The rising curiosity made him happy for some reason. And a natural smile appeared on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips for the first time in a long time. CH 7 ? ?Hah¡­. Yi-Gyeol let out a pleasant laugh while aimlessly floating in the air. At the end of his gaze was the splendid castle that he had seen the previous day. ¡®I¡¯ve just thought I¡¯d like to see you again but¡­.¡¯ After eating, Yi-Gyeol fell asleep while jotting down a note and met a familiar golden butterfly in front of his house. As he followed behind it again in curiosity, he reached an alley covered in darkness, and as soon as he passed the wall without hesitating, the scenery he wanted unfolded. If there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s different from before, it is broad daylight this time. He looked around, but the golden butterfly that guided him was gone. He was about to go down to the castle thinking it was really amazing, when a procession caught his eyes in the distance. Looking closely at the procession which had already gone quite far from the castle, everyone was riding on horses that he had only seen in movies, leading a gorgeous carriage as if escorting it. ¡®People riding horses and carriages in this day and age¡­.¡¯ Unpaved roads, imperial castles, and solid armor are all amazing. However, it was even more interesting that everyone rode horses and carriages like in the old days. Yi-Gyeol wondered how far these people could live from modern civilization. Yi-Gyeol, who approached them rather than the castle out of curiosity, admired the various hair colors of the men on horseback and their terrifying armor. The dark red heavy armor looked so hard that even a sword wouldn¡¯t be able to penetrate, and a black cape was even stretched over its shoulder. In the middle of the cape, a gold pattern, which he seems to have seen somewhere, was meticulously engraved with embroidery. Suddenly, he felt a menacing feeling. He didn¡¯t know why, but it was a strange sensation compared to getting a fishbone stuck in his throat. Yi-Gyeol, without knowing the reason, looked around and saw something moving on the far left and right hills of the road where the procession had just entered. Floating higher and looking down, it was men in black with weapons such as bows and swords. Hiding themselves deeply, the 22 people were lined up on the left and right hills, waiting for the procession to come. Seeing them preparing as if they were ready to jump in at any moment with hideous weapons, he approached them slowly with a strange foreboding feeling. Because of the black clothes and masks, he wondered if they were from the same place as the men who broke into the Imperial Palace the day before, making him automatically nervous. As he approached them closely, he heard a man speaking in a lowered voice. ¡°Their numbers aren¡¯t that high.¡± ¡°Still, don¡¯t let your guard down. The two knights next to the carriage have no ordinary skills.¡± The man, who had been watching the procession with something like a small wooden cylinder, turned to those who were lined up in a low position behind him. ¡°When I signal as scheduled, block the retreat route and aim for the carriage. Even if you don¡¯t take care of the others, you have to kill the person riding the carriage unconditionally.¡± The others nodded their heads briefly at the solemn voice. It was a short conversation, but not to the point of not knowing what they were trying to do. ¡®Kill?¡¯ Yi-Gyeol, who brooded over the short and definite words, captured the weapons in their hands one by one in his eyes. Those never look like toys and just looking at them terrifies him. ¡®No way, don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡¯ All the men had a grim resolution in their eyes. Their brief conversation also didn¡¯t seem like a joke. While hesitating in surprise, the procession grew closer and closer. As soon as he recalled the man called Prince that he met at the castle and the men who actually targeted his life, he couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. Even though he knew that his voice wouldn¡¯t reach, he screamed as he flew towards the procession. ?It¡¯s dangerous! Quickly, stop! As expected, none of the people riding the horses responded. He knew it would also be the same this time, however, the moment he screamed once again with a restless heart. The window of the carriage which had been closed, opened and a familiar man with purple hair revealed his face. The man¡¯s face, seen in bright daylight, looked much more radiant than it did in his room. Sharp eyes and a chilly blade-like atmosphere were also added, but it doesn¡¯t make his beauty any less. As soon as Yi-Gyeol saw his face, he was startled by the intense pressure that the young man was releasing and almost stopped talking. However, Yi-Gyeol continued shouting as the man glanced outside as if looking for something. ?There are people on the hill! They¡¯re dangerous! As soon as he finished speaking, he was convinced when he saw the man cast his gaze on the hill in the distance. As expected, he could hear his voice. A man riding a horse from the side of the open window came close to the carriage. ¡°Is something wrong, Your Highness?¡± The young man did not answer the question of the gray-haired man in red armor. Then he closed the window again, saying it was nothing. Yi-Gyeol, who was watching this, quickly went into the carriage in frustration. The interior was wider than expected, but the only person riding it was the purple-haired young man. ?Can you hear me? You can hear me, right? He warned him, but the young man only sat down as if nothing had happened which got Yi-Gyeol even more anxious. They possessed countless weapons, but the young man in front of him only had a long sword leaning on the carriage seat beside him. He couldn¡¯t imagine and didn¡¯t want him to kill or die, but he thought that he should at least defend himself. There are only ten men on horseback outside, so at this rate, they will end up suffering without even having the chance to do anything. ?I¡¯m telling you there¡¯s danger! ¡°Calm down.¡± Finally, the young man¡¯s mouth opened. He looked into the carriage he was riding alone and asked nonchalantly. ¡°The ghost from a few days ago, right?¡± ?A few days ago? But it was yesterday¡­. No, it¡¯s even more dangerous this time! The young man was talking so unperturbed that even Yi-Gyeol almost got swept away by his way of speaking. ?All the armed people on the hill are trying to kill you. Speaking with anxiety, the young man rested his elbows on the window sill and raised his chin with an expressionless face. He kept his mouth shut as if implying for Yi-Gyeol to say more. ?You have to stop the carriage quickly and go back. They¡¯ll attack you from both sides when we get between the hills, and at this rate¡­. Yi-Gyeol, who looked into the calm eyes of the young man, blurred the end of his words. He doesn¡¯t know if the young man doesn¡¯t believe what he¡¯s saying, or if it doesn¡¯t matter to him. As Yi-Gyeol pauses, only then did the young man open his mouth. ¡°Are you still here?¡± He doesn¡¯t know how the young man is so carefree. But seriously, who would believe the words of a ghost you¡¯ve only met once? ?I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but I¡¯m telling the truth. There¡¯s a lot of people hiding in both hills with weapons. It¡¯s true¡­. Even if he could hear his voice, it would be hard to believe what Yi-Gyeol was saying. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re looking into each other¡¯s eyes and talking to each other face-to-face, to him he was just a ghost. When Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words were not heard once again, the young man uttered as if he knew what was going inside Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind. ¡°I believe you.¡± It was a short indifferent line. ¡°What you¡¯re saying, I believe it. So tell me everything you¡¯ve seen.¡± Yi-Gyeol felt his non-existent heart pounding and beating again. It felt quite pleasant to know that the young man believed what he said and that he needed it. Yi-Gyeol gave detailed information about the people he saw on the hill. They talked about how many people there are and what weapons they had, he also didn¡¯t forget to mention how they dressed. Subsequently, Yi-Gyeol dissuaded the young man with an anxious voice at the same time. ?We need to stop the carriage now. You have to believe in me, please. It was frustrating as to why he didn¡¯t tell the people with him to stop the carriage even though he said he believed me. Even just at this moment, Yi-Gyeol wished for that perfectly calm and collected face to be a little nervous. Only then did the young man, who had been listening quietly, move. He opened the window and spoke in a low voice to the man who was outside the carriage. ¡°There could be an ambush on the hill.¡± ¡°Yes? Ambush¡­.¡± The gray-haired man¡¯s face stiffened and tensed. As Yi-Gyeol listened to their conversation, he thought that the young man as expected was the abnormal one for having no reaction like that. ¡°If there is really an ambush, they will definitely block our escape route and make a surprise attack when we reach the middle of the hill. Prepare yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡± Although the grey-haired man was puzzled by the sudden command, he replied that he would do so without hesitation. As soon as the window closed, Yi-Gyeol voiced again, frustrated. ?I told you we have to stop. We¡¯re outnumbered. ¡°Unless you¡¯re in the middle of a battlefield, what you need is skill rather than numbers.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s frustration did not abate despite the young man¡¯s complacent words. He tried to persuade him several more times, thinking that something really bad might happen, but the young man did not budge. Meanwhile, the carriage reached between the hills where the unknown men were lying in ambush. Soon, there was a commotion outside. ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!¡± Yi-Gyeol was startled by someone¡¯s cry outside and went out of the carriage. As expected, men in black clothes surrounded them. Some ran fiercely with bows, while others ran at the men outside the carriage with weapons at hand. Yet, their eyes above the masks were tenaciously directed at the carriage. CH 8 ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°Eugh-!¡± The men in red armor got off their horses and mercilessly cut down those men in black. As a result, clear blood splattered everywhere. The sound of weapons clashing and the screams of men in black combined together, and it was a real mess. A man in black, who had managed to get close to the carriage, fell down with a long cut on his chest by someone else. Because of that, splashed blood clung to the wagon with a thud. Seeing this, Lee Gyeol couldn¡¯t look out any longer, so he entered the carriage once again. Unlike the outside, the young man¡¯s peaceful appearance was quite disparate. ?Outside¡­ People are dying. He spoke in a trembling voice, but there was no change in the young man¡¯s expression. He thought he looked like a nobleman who was enjoying his tea time alone. Even though the place was jam-packed with screams. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was asked the question, could not understand the young man. How can he be so calm when he¡¯s in the middle of a place covered with the sound of people dying. The black-clad men were scrambling to get to the wagon somehow while dealing with others. The men, who were shooting arrows toward this side from afar were unable to penetrate the hard surface of the wagon, so they fired arrows over and over again, despite failures. Just being in the wagon was scary. He knew it¡¯s not him who they¡¯re persistently trying to kill, but he can¡¯t help but get scared. ?Of course. How about you, aren¡¯t you scared? You¡¯re the one they¡¯re trying to kill. Only then did the young man¡¯s face have a change of expression. ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± One corner of his mouth turned slightly upwards. ¡°What are you afraid of when you¡¯re a ghost who¡¯s already dead?¡± Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t like the young man¡¯s words. It was inevitable to treat himself as a dead person, but he particularly hates it when someone says that without any consideration. ?I¡¯m not dead. And I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯re gonna die. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, why are you afraid of that?¡± Doubt crept into the young man¡¯s eyes. Yi-Gyeol thought he was asking because he really didn¡¯t know, so Yi-Gyeol, who was actually asked the question, even more amplified the young man¡¯s doubts. ?It¡¯s natural to be afraid of someone dying. Whether it¡¯s me or not. It¡¯s scary when someone dies. Yi-Gyeol, who has been living while only sleeping for a long time, has repeatedly thought that he might die if he sleeps a little deeper and longer. There are times when he couldn¡¯t sleep for a long time, so when he couldn¡¯t help but stay awake for more than 2 hours, he got a terrible headache even if he just moved a little. Lifting a finger, raising an arm, or even turning his head all became painful. It was so painful that he thought that it would be much better to die just like this. Then he remembered what the doctor had told him. ¡°If you use your muscles while staying awake for more than two hours, the toxins will have a huge impact on your brain. If you continue to use your muscles even when you have a headache, you will die sooner.¡± The doctor¡¯s calm words drove Yi-Gyeol, who had been weakened by pain, into fear. He felt even more pained hearing those words saying he would die just like that if he continued being sick. Not only was it not enough that he lost everything he wanted to do, but the fact that there was an incurable disease that could kill him at any time made Yi-Gyeol feel rotten inside. As human beings, it is natural that we do not want to die. It¡¯s not even the end of your life span, it¡¯s a situation in which you may die unwantedly from something, whether it¡¯s a disease or a person. ?Can¡¯t you just run away? He asked with desperation. Rather than be as carefree as now, he hopes for the young man to at least run away. He wanted to call the police, but he didn¡¯t feel like there were such people in this place, and even if there were, he doesn¡¯t know where to go and how to ask for help. Above all, it doesn¡¯t help that he doesn¡¯t have a body at all. Therefore, he would rather have the young man who could hear his voice escape from this scary place. ?I will help you. You can just let me help you get away safely. He wanted to help the men in red armor ¨C who seemed to be protecting the young man ¨C too, but they were still wearing hard armor and their sword-wielding force was terrifying. On the other hand, the young man only had a sword and his black uniform for self-defense. Even though he had already seen with his own two eyes how he had overpowered two men before, Yi-Gyeol could not stop worrying. ?They are all after you. Let¡¯s run away once the escorts block them, please. He now was even begging to run away. The young man¡¯s eyes, who had been quietly listening to the pleading voice, were strangely curved. ¡°What can you do for me if I run away with you?¡± Yi-Gyeol did not readily respond to the young man¡¯s words. What can he possibly do for him, who has no body and is not even a person here? Yi-Gyeol, who recalled the situation of the young man at the moment, asked with tears. ?I¡¯m the one who¡¯s helping here, so why should I do something for you? Even though what he said just now was the obvious fact, the young man had eyes that seemed to be enjoying something. ¡°It is only natural for those who propose anything to offer compensation as well.¡± ?I¡¯m trying to help you, don¡¯t be ridiculous¡­! Thud-! As if to interrupt Yi-Gyeol, there was a heavy sound of something hitting the carriage. The shock caused the carriage to shake slightly, but the young man was so calm as if nothing had happened. ¡®How can a man be like this?¡¯ In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, the young man in front of him seemed really out of his mind. It was Yi-Gyeol who became nervous. The commotion outside seemed to be getting worse, and a small shock was repeated over and over again on the wagon as if the men in black were pushing further. ¡°If it goes on like this, they might soon open the door and come in.¡± His voice was carefree, but his words made Yi-Gyeol even more nervous. ?Okay, I¡¯ll do anything for you, so let¡¯s run away first. As soon as the words were thrown, the young man raised his sword as if he was just waiting for Yi-Gyeol to say it. As he tried to go out immediately, Yi-Gyeol said, ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ and came out of the wagon. Outside was even more chaotic than before. Red blood was scattered not only on light brown dirt roads but also left traces all over the colorful golden carriage. Most of the men in black were groaning, rolling in puddles of blood, and some of them had bodies that looked like they had been cut off somewhere. Not only that but two of the men in red armor were also seen to have been injured. As soon as he saw it, his eyes went dark. Whether it was an assassin or a person blocking the assassin, he was so scared that he felt he was going to bleed to death. Even so, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s only thought is that he should save the young man who can hear his voice somehow. ¡®I have to help him escape. Get him out of harm¡¯s way¡­.¡¯ Just thinking about the young man bleeding is so bleak it makes his eyes go dark. He flew up high in the sky, repeating several times to calm down. Yi-Gyeol slowly looked around and drew a map in his head on how to get the young man to escape. Then, he found a small road leading to the forest near the hill on the left. The road was cut off shortly after entering the forest, but when he went a little deeper, he noticed that there was a small cave under a cliff. ¡®If it¡¯s there¡­.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for looking down from above, it was a cave that he would have passed without even knowing it existed. Above all, he thought that no one would have known that there was a cave just below the cliff, even if it wasn¡¯t very high. Yi-Gyeol, who entered the carriage again, urgently asked the young man. ?As soon as you exit through the door on the left, go straight. I¡¯ll tell you the way. The instant Yi-Gyeol finished speaking, the young man slammed the left door of the wagon open as he had said. There were also relatively few enemies, and compared to the door on the right, there was room to break through if you just ran in a straight line. The young man raised one corner of his mouth and kicked the ground. ¡°Prince?!¡± A big man who cut down a man clad in black in one fell swoop called the young man in panic. ¡°Take care of it and stand by.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The big man was taken aback, but he didn¡¯t ask what was going on as if the young man¡¯s words were the law. The dark brown-haired man, with his intimidating impression, blocked the gazes of the men who were drawn to the young man and began to force them out. Thanks to the dark brown-haired man, they were able to run without any problem. Yi-Gyeol guided the young man, admiring the man¡¯s committed appearance inside. ?You have to turn left around the tree in front of you. As you go, the road will be cut off, but there is a place I found. A tense voice constantly guided the young man. He had already turned the hill and entered the forest. While holding a heavy sword in one hand, the young man ran around the rough mountain road as if he was jogging. If it had been the usual Yi-Gyeol, he would have been genuinely envious, but there¡¯s no time for that right now. Before he knew it, the young man, who had reached in front of the cave where Yi-Gyeol guided, was motionlessly staring at it without taking a breath. ?Hang on a sec. I¡¯ll take a look inside. He brought him here in a hurry, but he didn¡¯t come all the way inside the cave to check. It would be a big deal if there were any bears or snakes inside. As he said, after confirming that the young man was standing still, Yi-Gyeol flew slowly into the cave. CH 9 As Yi-Gyeol said, Seth, who was standing still in front of the cave, looked around with his eyes. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anyone here.¡¯ Even when he followed the ghost¡¯s words through the hills and entered the forest, all of Seth¡¯s senses were keen as to not miss a single little thing. Seth assumed in his mind that the ghost was one with those who wanted to kill him. It was only a bait that he gave information about the ambush and used that as an excuse to make him believe and drag him to the place where the real trap was in. It was quite predictable from Seth¡¯s point of view. So he decided to be dragged away by him on purpose. If it was really a trap, it was an opportunity to know what the trap was and who was trying to kill him, even resorting to using a ghost. He never thought that he was going to die or something big would happen. However, contrary to expectations, he did not feel anyone¡¯s presence while coming here. He thought that they might be hiding and killing their presence, but so far, there were only a handful of talented people that could hide from him and there were none of them here. He thought there might be something devised in the cave. However, seeing that his necklace that could detect magic was quiet, it seemed that was not the case. ¡®Is he genuinely trying to help me?¡¯ Thinking about it that way made him snicker. ¡®Who is helping whom when he¡¯s the one who¡¯s already dead?¡¯ He¡¯s afraid of ghost topics and is sensitive to someone¡¯s death. Since he¡¯s already dead, he probably won¡¯t die anymore, but Seth wonders why he cares so much about others living and dying, and he also doesn¡¯t understand why this ghost cares so much about other people¡¯s situation who doesn¡¯t even worry about it on their own. ¡®Ghosts¡­.¡¯ It was the first time he had met or talked to a ghost, but it was definitely different from what was written in the soul magic book. Ghosts were said that after a person dies, the soul remains in order to fulfill their overlooked grudges or resentment after the person dies. If he had such a purpose, he would have asked him to do something, but he acted the other way around. Seth recalled what the ghost said during the surprise attack earlier. ?I¡¯m not dead. ¡®How did he become a ghost when he wasn¡¯t dead? Does he simply want to believe he¡¯s not dead yet, or is he really alive and just a soul that came out?¡¯ Three days ago, the afternoon after he encountered the ghost for the first time, Seth stopped by the Magic Tower and read all of the few soul magic books available. Since soul magic itself was designated as a golden technique for several generations, only the emperor and the owner of the tower could read the actual magic book, and all that remained were mere thesis on ghosts and spirits. In the book of soul magic, along with the information containing details about ghosts, there was a record of forcibly taking the soul out of a living person and killing the body. The content of making a new body based on the soul that was drawn out and making it a slave really piqued his interest. ¡®If the body is alive but only the soul is out, I don¡¯t know how much chaos the researchers in the tower would be once they know it.¡¯ If you take the soul out of the body, it will die shortly thereafter. That was the Magic Tower¡¯s claim, and if this ghost wasn¡¯t really dead, but freely moving in and out of the body, it would be enough to shock those old men. He thought that information about this ghost could be a good trading material with the Magic Tower. In fact, even now, if he says he met a ghost and heard his voice, he was sure that they would come to him desperately from the tower and ask him to tell more details about it. Apart from that, there was also his personal interest. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d be so interested in a ghost.¡¯ Before, he only guessed that ghosts could really exist, but he didn¡¯t know that the day he would actually meet them would come. Seth, who knows that it¡¯s extremely difficult to find anyone who¡¯s seen them in their lifetime, was greatly interested in the ghost that piqued his curiosity for the first time in a long time. Rather than tossing it to the Magic Tower to study it on their own, he feels like he wanted to keep him close by his side and watch over him personally instead. It was an unusual kind of interest that he hadn¡¯t felt in a while. If you were just a living person, I would¡¯ve cut off your legs to prevent you from running away, and observed you every day. A cruel smile suddenly appeared on Seth¡¯s face.[1] Those who stay in the ¡®Emerald Castle¡¯ of the 4th Prince already know. That he has a cruel and merciless nature. The emperor, lying on the sickbed, was also well aware of this. Although Seth was the fourth prince, he was the only son of the deceased empress. As a result, there were talks about him taking the position of the crown prince¡¯s position early on, but the emperor withheld his decision on the appointment of the crown prince without revealing any specific reason. This has continued until now, three years after Seth has become an adult. In the Kinellian Empire, it was established that the prince or princess born by the empress was the owner of the crown from generation to generation. This has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, so those who thought that Seth would sit as the crown prince were puzzled by the emperor¡¯s suspension. Nevertheless, feeling that the time for choosing the throne¡¯s successor had come, those vassals began to attach themselves to other princes and princesses. If the emperor left the Crown Prince¡¯s position vacant for several years, there were plenty of opportunities for other members of the royal family other than Seth. And although they had increased their power early on in order to succeed the throne, they still regarded Seth as a thorn in the eyes for being one step ahead with legitimacy. Thanks to that, even until now he was constantly being threatened with assassination. Seth didn¡¯t really care about them. It was annoying, but it didn¡¯t mean he was going to kill them or ascend the throne right away. That was the most troublesome thing for Seth. The reason why Seth did not aim for the throne was simple. He¡¯s not interested. A very simple and insignificant reason. But just in case, he took all the classes needed to become an emperor from a young age. It was not because he coveted the emperor¡¯s throne, but to avoid being swayed by the next emperor. The martial arts he learned because of the threats of assassination and the knights he raised himself were in order to avoid being trampled on by the next emperor. In fact, if he wanted to succeed the throne, Seth would have been the object of fear for all the imperial members by now. It was a fact known only to those close to him, but Seth had earlier joined hands with gigantic guilds, and through this, he had long secured the weaknesses and corruptions of all the imperial family members from the beginning. The amount and quality were never to a level that one could laugh at, and it was enough to cut their power in half if he just put his mind to it. The reason why he didn¡¯t bother to reveal it and remove them one by one was because he had no intention of becoming an emperor. And another reason is that he¡¯s enjoying the situation right now. It was fascinating to see the assassins rush to take their own lives and die after suffering desperately, and it was also funny to see how the imperial family struggled to assassinate him. Others may not understand, but Seth liked all the tension that comes from having his life threatened and the sense of building up the opponent¡¯s weaknesses one by one. For Seth, who had lived a life of no desire and without anything he wanted to do, such stimulation has been a great pleasure. And at that moment, a ghost that appeared out of the blue drew a new interest in Seth. It was only then that Yi-Gyeol, who led Seth into a cave that was not that deep, was able to put down his anxiety. ?I¡¯ll go see how it¡¯s going. ¡°It won¡¯t be sorted out soon anyway. Take a break first.¡± Seth dissuaded, who had his eyes set on a small portable lamp with a radius of about 1 meter. Then, leaning his back against the wall of the cave, he asked a question. ¡°Do you have a name or something?¡± ?Yes. It¡¯s Joo Yi-Gyeol. ¡°It¡¯s an unusual name, but if it¡¯s an alias, tell me your real name. If that was your real name, then you should be cautious.¡± As soon as Yi-Gyeol answered without any hesitation, he heard a scolding from Seth. ?What¡¯s the point of using an alias? It¡¯s my real name. Cautious¡­ I don¡¯t know why I should do that. ¡°Do you even know what kind of person I am?¡± ?But you still listened to my words. Saying that, he murmured, ¡®If you only had done that much earlier, we could have avoided the ambush.¡¯ ¡°They weren¡¯t the type of people who would turn around just because we avoided them for a while. It¡¯s better to face them sooner rather than later.¡± It was as if he¡¯s been through this countless times. And it was also quite amazing that even though he said such a thing, he didn¡¯t lose the casual expression on his face. ?¡­Why is everyone trying to kill you? Is it because you¡¯re a prince? ¡°It seems like you¡¯re not that stupid.¡± Although Yi-Gyeol was choked up by Seth¡¯s words, he felt mixed up by the expression on the young man¡¯s face that was tantamount to acceptance. Yi-Gyeol, who watched historical dramas with interest when he was a student, has seen various tricks surrounding the fight for the throne. It would be irrelevant if it was a democratic country, but since this is an imperial country, it was understandable that such a thing would happen like a scene from a historical drama. ?It would¡¯ve been nice if this was also a democratic country. If that was only the case, there would have been no attempts to become the emperor by dying and killing each other. ¡°Democratic Country? Is it the name of the country where you came from?¡± Yi-Gyeol was speechless at Seth¡¯s question. What do you mean, name of the country? Don¡¯t tell me he also doesn¡¯t know what it means? CH 10 ¡®How can he not know the word democracy¡­?¡¯ Yi-Gyeol was quite shocked that a grown-up adult ¨C and not even a child ¨C did not know democracy, and explained the meaning of the word as calmly as he could. ?Democracy means that the people are the masters of the country, and politics is done for the people. There is no class such as royalty, nobility, or commoners, and the head of the country is elected by all the citizens by voting. Sethian, who was listening to Yi-Gyeol gently speak as if explaining to a child, distorted the corners of his eyes. ¡°Is there such a nonsensical system? According to what you¡¯re saying, even those who used to be slaves can set up a king with their own hands.¡± ?Correct. And it¡¯s not nonsense, most countries have already changed their system to this. ¡°What a load of crap.¡± ?It¡¯s true. ¡°Every country on the continent legally buys and sells slaves. If a slave-free country really existed, there is no way it would not have been a hot topic of discussion among the court ministers of the Imperial Palace.¡± ?What¡­? He was dumbfounded to hear that not only one or two countries, but all countries buy and sell slaves. ¡°A large part of the nation¡¯s power also includes the labor force of slaves. Why would a sane country get rid of such power?¡± As their conversation continued, Yi-Gyeol realized that something had gone completely wrong. ??????? ¡°Eutcha!¡± A large man in red armor powerfully threw a corpse with a severed arm. Just below the deeply dug ground, is filled with bodies of men that were not much different than that of which had been thrown into the ground just now. ¡°Euurgh¡­, Let go¡­!¡± ¡°Euh¡­, Euuh¡­.¡± Five bloody men who were dragged by the neck by the knights were also thrown into the pit of bodies. They were seriously injured, but unlike other corpses, they still have their breaths. Lenox, the Leader of the Knights under the direct control of the 4th Prince, looked down at the pit of black corpses then turned his attention to the Vice-Leader Kirsty, who approached him. ¡°Are those all the ones we have to deal with?¡± ¡°En. Those who can¡¯t stand torture for even a while are just nuisance.¡± Kirsty wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand and smiled deeply. That smile made his intimidating face immediately look innocent. ¡°It¡¯s noisy, so let¡¯s deal with it quickly.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to like the groaning and swearing from the pit. Lenox cast his eyes behind Kirsty. In his eyes, he saw four men who had been captured and tied by the knights. They were relatively uninjured, and although it would be difficult to run, they seemed to be able to walk well. ¡°Do we still need those four?¡± At Lenox¡¯s words, Kirsty¡¯s gaze followed him to the four men. ¡°You never know what kind of information they could give.¡± ¡°Just leave the one who looks like a coward and the one strongest of the four.¡± ¡°Only two?¡± Lenox¡¯s cold eyes, resembling Seth, turned to the pit again. ¡°Since the prince is not here, you can be a little merciful.¡± ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s going on? They¡¯re all done for anyway.¡± Kirsty grinned and turned to the four men the knights were holding. He went over to them and said something, then dragged two of the captured men like luggage. Still struggling and squirming, they were soon thrown onto a pile of corpses. Two knights, who had gathered branches in advance and were waiting, lit a fire. A few branches that were touched by the fire quickly ignited and burst into flames. Then, burning branches poured down on the pile of corpses mixed with living people. ¡°Eu, uaaak-!¡± ¡°Waaah-!¡± The screams of those dying alive in the pit continued, and long gray smoke billowed into the bright sky. Soon, the smell of burning corpses spread over and horrified the two remaining captured men. Lenox indifferently looked down at the pit filled with red flames, then turned around and walked towards the captives. He held the captives in his eyes, then ordered the two knights who were holding them. ¡°Take them underground and cut off their ankles so they won¡¯t be able to escape. Come back to the cavalcade[1] after hanging them.¡± ¡°Yes, commander.¡± The knights answered immediately as if it was their normal protocol. The two prisoners, who had become pale at the gruesome words, resisted desperately but were easily subdued by the knights¡¯ strength. Lenox¡¯s cold eyes glanced over the two captives. ¡°If you want to die comfortably even a little, it would be better to confess quickly. If the prince visits you in person, you won¡¯t be able to do it even if you want to.¡± Lenox¡¯s sincere words made the complexion of the two prisoners even paler. ??????? It was about an hour after they entered the cave that Yi-Gyeol stopped the seemingly endless conversation with Sethian. ?Unbelievable¡­. Yi-Gyeol was almost completely lost in shock. Everything he learned while talking with Seth was shocking. In fact, even now, he was still having difficulty accepting the details of their conversation directly. Among them, it¡¯s the information that every country is an imperial state and that people who can use magic exist under a ministry called magic tower. All the while, the words ¡°Stop joking.¡± kept popping out of his mouth. Until he saw the two faint moons floating high in the sky in broad daylight. ¡®How is this possible? It doesn¡¯t make sense!¡¯ The world that the golden butterfly took him, was not the world where Yi-Gyeol lives. If he had a body, he probably would have been tearing his hair with both of his hands. A lot of what he heard through Sethian was too difficult to comprehend. ¡®Isn¡¯t this really a dream¡­?¡¯ This situation made Yi-Gyeol wonder once again if he was actually dreaming. However, he knows that he can¡¯t be in his OOBE state and dream simultaneously since each sense is entirely different. Yi-Gyeol looked at Sethian¡¯s face reflected in the small lamp. His face reflected in the flickering light was not much different than it was before the conversation. ?Sethi¡­ Seth, why are you not surprised? He already learned of the young man¡¯s full name, but it was too long so he shortened it without realizing. Fortunately, Sethian didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°I¡¯m surprised enough too.¡± Sethian recalled an anecdote left by the first owner of the Magic Tower recorded in its history book. It was all about following a golden butterfly to cross dimensions and bringing a flower containing mana, but the brief information that there was another world was enough to burn the wizard¡¯s academic enthusiasm. The flower from another world, which is no less proof of that anecdote, was cherished by the wizards and was still in full bloom in the basement of the tower even up to this day. Of course, he didn¡¯t mean to believe everything Yi-Gyeol said, since there¡¯s also a possibility that he was lying to him. However, he had no choice but to believe that he was a human from another world. Because the content of the history book, ¡®Following the Golden Butterfly,¡¯ is something that only members of the royal family and wizards of the tower only know. Even if it wasn¡¯t, the information from the other world that Yi-Gyeol gave him was so specific that it could hardly be considered that he made up his own words. Seth¡¯s interest in Yi-Gyeol grew out of control. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s not enough to entice him that he¡¯s a soul with a living body, but now he¡¯s even a human from another world. It was more stimulating than when his life was on the verge of assassination when he was young. Sethian quenched his interest in Yi-Gyeol and opened his mouth. ¡°Earlier, you said you¡¯d do anything for me.¡± ?What? ¡­Oh! Yi-Gyeol, who belatedly understood Sethian¡¯s words, asked carefully. ?What do you want me to do? Though I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much I can do for you, even if I want to¡­. It was only natural to say that since he was in a state of soul without a body, and there was really no need for Yi-Gyeol to grant such a request in the first place. He was in a fluid state, and he was the one who actually helped, so even if he pretends not to know and disappeared, Sethian would have nothing to say. However, with only two meetings and an hour-long conversation, Sethian had already understood Yi-Gyeol¡¯s nature. He was straightforward, extremely sensitive to death, eager to help someone, and was just the right person to be taken advantage of. If he only had a body, there were plenty of ways to forcefully capture him, but the adversary was that Yi-Gyeol is only an invisible soul. In fact, since he was not really in this world, it was not possible to meet him even if he wanted to. So Sethian decided to take full advantage of his personality. ¡°I want to know more about the world you are in. So come to me every day.¡± As a result of their conversation, they found out that time in this world moves much faster than Yi-Gyeol¡¯s world, so even if Yi-Gyeol came every day, the two would only see each other once every few days. Sethian decided to think of that time as a warm-up period to satisfy his interest. They were words that did not contain much sentiment, but as expected, Yi-Gyeol accepted it without any hesitation. ?Fine. Then¡­! Yi-Gyeol¡¯s bright voice suddenly cut off. Sethian, who had been waiting for Yi-Gyeol to finish his words, did not hear his voice even after a few seconds, so he called him. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol?¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes slightly frowned when there was no response. It felt like the air suddenly changed from before. When he was talking with Yi-Gyeol, there was a pleasant coolness that lightens up his mood, but now, the surrounding is just filled with the unique humidity of a cave. There wasn¡¯t much of a difference, but it was enough to get on Sethian¡¯s nerves. Come to think of it, he had also suddenly disappeared from his bedchamber the other day. Such suddenness was not something Sethian liked very much. It¡¯s already annoying that he can¡¯t touch him with his fingertips, but he even suddenly disappears without a warning. After calling Yi-Gyeol¡¯s name one more time to confirm, Sethian left the cave only after verifying that there was still no response. The sun had already set quite a bit, but it was still bright outside. After passing through the cave and climbing up the forest road, Sethian saw a long smoke rising in the distance and realized that his knights had already arranged everything. As he walked towards them, Sethian slowly brooded over the conversation he had with Yi-Gyeol. CH 11 A loud alarm sounded in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ear. Yi-Gyeol, who opened his eyes to the familiar sound, checked the time as soon as he turned off the alarm on her cell phone. As he reset the alarm, it was around 7 o¡¯clock, almost the same as the day before. ¡®Has it been three days since he said that I appeared there again¡­?¡¯ It was only a day here, but in Seth¡¯s world, where the flow of time was different, a considerable amount of time had already passed. Roughly calculated, it was about 80 hours. ¡®If I fall asleep this time, it¡¯s going to be night when I arrive there again.¡¯ There have been quite a few times when he flew to other countries in his OOBE condition. At that time, he was quite surprised to see people of various races right in front of his eyes and to experience the phenomenon of understanding their language, but it was eminently different this time. ¡®Another world¡­.¡¯ He still couldn¡¯t believe it. To meet a prince who lives in another world. It was like a scene from a fantasy novel that was very popular when he was still in school. The world in the novel where wizards, emperors, elves, and even dragons came out, that place was exactly like that. As such, the surprise given to him by the words ¡®dimensional shift¡¯ and ¡®different world¡¯ was great. But what¡¯s more incredible is. ¡°I want to know more about the world where you came from. So come to me every day.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since someone needs him and wants to meet him. After getting sick, his existence gradually faded away, and now he feels as if he¡¯s unnecessary and as faint as dust. It felt like he was gradually bringing his existence to the surface of an unfamiliar world little by little, so to put it in a nutshell, he was somehow thrilled. His heart was pounding. The heartbeat that he couldn¡¯t feel even if he wanted to when he was in his soul state resonated pleasantly. When he thinks of Seth, whom he met in another world, he naturally remembered the times he had saved him. He woke him up in his bedroom and informed him that he was in danger, but he was more surprised that Seth could hear his voice than the thought that he had saved someone. ¡®And this time, I really helped him.¡¯ He warned Seth of danger and helped him escape. Thinking about it now, he managed to find a way out of the urgent situation and secured a place to let him hide. Yi-Gyeol thought so far but was startled by a sudden thought. He left Seth alone in the cave. He even had an ominous thought that maybe he came outside without even properly checking for the security even though someone¡¯s threatening his life and got into a big trouble. Although the skills of the knights seemed to be superior to the men who ambushed them, it would be a disaster if something went wrong and even those people were killed or seriously injured. As soon as he thought that Seth was in danger, his spine shivered and his fingertips trembled. He comforted himself that he would be fine, but Seth¡¯s face kept appearing in his mind. It¡¯s scary to die. It was the scariest thing for Yi-Gyeol, who has lived for many years thinking that death is always nearby. As soon as he finished eating, Yi-Gyeol urgently went to sleep. He had only met the golden butterfly twice, so he was afraid if he couldn¡¯t see it again, but fortunately, he was able to see it as soon as he left the house as if it had been waiting for him. This time, he tried to remember the way somehow. It was dark, but not to the point of being unable to discern the road. Yet, strangely, he was unable to memorize the path. He couldn¡¯t figure out why he couldn¡¯t memorize it when he wasn¡¯t even slow-witted or someone bad at directions. Before he knew it, the golden butterfly had already stopped in front of the same wall again. His heart was in a hurry, but he didn¡¯t go in immediately and looked around. A narrow, dark alley with no street lights. He floated up, looked down, and went over the alley, but there was nothing special about it. Except that only the alleyway he passed was especially dark. It still wasn¡¯t clear to him, but he couldn¡¯t just pass the time like this. First, he had to find out if Seth was safe. As if reading his thoughts, the golden butterfly entered the wall. Yi-Gyeol followed the butterfly and crossed dimensions once again. ??????? Lenox, who is the Commander of the Knights under Sethian Wren Kinelly¡¯s immediate command, recently realized that his Lord had found a new interest. Other aides didn¡¯t seem to have noticed since he was a person who doesn¡¯t show his emotions very well and the change was so subtle that it was not noticeable. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s nice that there are more things that catch your interest.¡¯ Lenox, who was waiting outside the study, was not worried at all about Seth, who had locked himself alone inside and read some ancient books. On the contrary, he was rather relieved. Seth was a person who only responds to extreme interest and stimulation. He is also well aware that he is not interested in the throne because as Seth always says, ¡®It is not interesting.¡¯ To Seth, being an emperor was nothing more than a boring, authoritative position. Rather than the emperor, he was more interested to see how his brothers struggle to prevent him from sitting on the throne, and if someone becomes the emperor, he expects that person to grab his weakness and shake it at will. Lenox was concerned that Seth¡¯s interests were focused solely on them. Even in the past when he was still young, there were definitely some things that stimulated Seth. But all of them didn¡¯t last long. As soon as he loses interest, they become nothing more than a stone on the side of the road. Sometimes it became a woman or a man, and sometimes it became an object. But once disinterested, Seth never looked into them again. Lenox couldn¡¯t dare to imagine Seth, who was fed up with both the current situation and the threat of assassination, gripping and shaking the neck of the next emperor in the future. Whatever it was, it was good. Anything that makes his Lord happy. Whether he knew Lenox¡¯s thoughts or not, Seth, who was locked up in the study until the sun went down, had no intention of coming out. At that moment, he saw a male attendant approaching this way from the end of the hallway. He was bringing a hot teapot and teacups on a luxurious tray. After Seth locked himself up in his study, the servants had been preparing a new tea every hour like this. Standing in front of the study, the servant bowed his head toward Lenox. ¡°The 4th Prince¡¯s tea has been prepared.¡± The servant had said the same thing an hour ago, and Lenox¡¯s actions were also the same. He shook the tea that was brought by the attendant for Seth to drink a few times into the teacup, then transferred it to a small bowl for signs of poison. Again, no abnormalities were found this time, and the taste was also normal. The servant entered the study with Lenox¡¯s permission and immediately bowed deeply toward Seth. But Seth, who had been concentrating on reading the book, didn¡¯t seem to care about him. He approached the desk where Seth was sitting, collected the teacup he had emptied, and put down the teacup that had been tested by Lenox just a moment ago. He then poured the tea skillfully so as to prevent a drop of tea from splattering. It was when the servant was about to set the teapot down on the tray filled with fragrant tea. ¡°Your nails are too long for an attendant.¡± Seth, who had been paying attention to the book all the while, looked at the servant holding the teapot. It¡¯s always standard for servants to clip their nails and keep them short, and as he said, there was a slight white line at the tip of the attendant¡¯s middle nails. If it was only that much, he wouldn¡¯t actually give a damn, but Seth didn¡¯t let it slip with the fact that the line at the tip of his nails was particularly white. ¡°I, I apologize. I¡¯ll fix it right away¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Without listening to the bewildered servant¡¯s words, Seth took the teapot from him and sprayed the tea in it on the servant¡¯s face which created a loud noise. ¡°Aagh!¡± The servant, covered in hot tea water, covered his face and staggered. Seth didn¡¯t stop there, but grabbed the servant¡¯s right hand and pressed it down to the desk with a thud. He then took out his sword and cut off his wrist at once. ¡°Euu, uaaagh-!¡± The servant screamed at the pain in his wrist and sank. Blood gushed out of his wrist several times. Seth raised the servant¡¯s cut hand and looked at the nails indifferently. A little bit of white powder could be seen stuck under the middle finger of the slightly longer nail. He could guess without telling what the powder might have been in the tea that the servant secretly flicked his nails in. Lenox quickly understood the situation, bowed deeply, and apologized. ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s due to my negligence.¡± ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s fun when these things happen sometimes.¡± Seth nonchalantly threw the hand of the wailing servant who collapsed on the ground in pain and got up from his seat. The servant, who was holding his severed wrist, picked up his hand that had fallen to the floor and groaned even more painfully. ¡°Clean it up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lenox answered lightly and called the guard outside to take care of the servant. Meanwhile, Seth walked down the hallway, wiping the blood from his hands with a handkerchief. ¡®I¡¯ve searched all the old books of the Magic Tower, but there¡¯s still no significant result. It just confirmed that there is another world at the most.¡¯ In some parts of the ancient book, there was a more detailed description of the other world that the owner of the first tower had seen. There was a slight difference from what Yi-Gyeol said, but it certainly seemed more advanced than the civilization of this world. Considering that the content was written hundreds of years ago, it was understandable that times had changed as much as Yi-Gyeol said. Seth headed to his room with that thought in mind, but his footsteps came to a halt when he suddenly heard a voice. CH 12 ?Did you get hurt?! Seth thought that Yi-Gyeol would be here tonight, and he came as expected. The corners of Seth¡¯s eyes, which were always indifferent, moved slightly. ¡°Welcome back.¡± ?Forget ¡®Welcome back¡¯ or whatever, where and how did you get hurt?! Your handkerchief is completely wet! The voice in Sethian¡¯s head is stained with worry and frustration. And Seth felt that that tone of voice is quite pleasing. Perhaps because his current point of interest has finally come. ¡°It¡¯s just wet because a servant got injured.¡± It wasn¡¯t wrong, but it was also different from saying that the servant¡¯s hand was stained with blood because he cut it off. Yi-Gyeol, who believed the words as they were, finally softened his voice that was full of agitation. ?That¡¯s a relief¡­. You aren¡¯t hurt anywhere, right? Is that person all right? Seth¡¯s eyes twitched as he listened to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words mixed with relief, then he threw the blood-stained handkerchief on the floor. For some reason, he didn¡¯t like him worrying not only about himself but also about others. Seth did not show it and walked down the hall while listening to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice. ?Actually, I was worried a lot. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s much calmer voice slowed Seth¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Worried? About what?¡± ?There¡¯s a lot to be worried about. I wondered whether you safely met with the knights that day, or whether you were met with danger again. It was a heartfelt remark, but even though Seth already knew his personality, it still didn¡¯t make sense. He has only met him twice, so how can he worry about him so much? ¡°Come to think of it, you suddenly disappeared during the middle of the conversation that day.¡± ?¡­Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to leave you behind. I still don¡¯t know exactly how long it will take me to wake up there yet¡­. The more they talked, the more interesting he became. Seth could hardly figure out why he was sorry to him. ¡®What an interesting personality.¡¯ He didn¡¯t hate it because he has never seen anyone around him who has the same personality before. To treat him without showing any signs of fear without any hesitation. ?Seth, please take note of how long I¡¯ll be able to stay today. Calling him with a nickname and approaching him in a friendly way. Everything about him was interesting. ??????? In the middle of a garden full of beautiful roses. There were four people sitting at a silver table. They were the three princes and one princess, dressed as colorful as the garden. A little further away from them, stands escort knights and a few servants, each dressed in different uniforms. ¡°I heard Sethian is acting weird these days.¡± It was Raminez, the third prince, who was the first to speak up. As soon as he took out Seth¡¯s name, the first prince Mendel, as if poked at his sore spot, snorted lightly. ¡°And what day or two isn¡¯t that bastard weird?¡± ¡°I heard he goes in and out of the Magic Tower these days.¡± He added, but Mendel¡¯s reaction was lukewarm. ¡°He¡¯s just playing chess with old people who can¡¯t even implement any magic properly. Even then, it won¡¯t be long before I overturn that board.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just simple chess. From what I heard, it seems that brother Sethian goes to the Magic Tower for a different reason.¡± Elina, the only princess of the Kinellian Empire and the youngest of the siblings, greeted with a smile. ¡°What other reasons could there be?¡± Mendel, who was well aware of Seth¡¯s personality, snorted sarcastically. All the successors to the throne that was currently present in that place know enough what is there to know about Seth. For him, the highest priority is always interest and stimulation. And the fact that even the threats of assassination were considered a stimulus in life by him made others get tired of it. Not only that, but they also knew that Seth had no interest in the throne. Perhaps unless something big happens, he probably won¡¯t be greedy for the throne. Since he was young, he has already been saying that the emperor¡¯s position was ¡®the most boring position.¡¯ And those thoughts continued to this day. Nevertheless, the reason he continued trying to assassinate him was because he has the first-order legitimacy of the succession to the throne. If it wasn¡¯t for that, there would be no need for him to deal with the 4th Prince, who was not interested in the emperor¡¯s position. ¡°Brother Mendel knows too, right? About the Golden Art of the Magic Tower.¡± Mendel¡¯s face looked displeased at the words ¡®golden art¡¯ that came out of Elina¡¯s mouth. Then, all of a sudden, his eyes opened wide and flashed like a lightbulb. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Sethian, that bastard, is interested in the golden arts?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Any heir to the throne knows this. The emperor is the only one who can perform the soul magic called ¡®Golden Art.¡¯ And Seth is going in and out of the tower, showing interest in such ¡®golden magic.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know how far Seth¡¯s interest goes, but if he couldn¡¯t delve too deep in the arts because of its restriction and still covets the magic itself¡­. Mendel¡¯s face, which thought so far, ruthlessly crumpled. ¡°I hate being hit in the back of the head when I¡¯m not expecting it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same for me, brother.¡± Raminez curled her long, purple hair between her fingers and curved the ends of his eyes. ¡°After all, aren¡¯t we supposed to have a truce between us for a while? But instead of a truce, why don¡¯t we just form an alliance and eliminate Seth completely?¡± To his surprise, Mendel did not readily answer that he would. Mendel, with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed, tilted his head. ¡°Even if we hold hands, will it be any different from now? After all, it would just be the same, picking out those who show potential and sending them his way.¡± It wasn¡¯t like the probability of getting rid of Seth would increase just by holding hands. There was still no reliable way to kill Seth. And although there is the aspect that he is not resistant to most poisons, it¡¯s impossible to see the effect of that tactic since he has good eyesight and is very cautious. Even when the people around him change, he could recognize them like a ghost, and his ability to catch signs is also excellent, so even a surprise attack didn¡¯t work. He has sent famous and powerful men as assassins, but they could not surpass Seth¡¯s natural martial arts and his knights. And when he goes outside, he is always accompanied by his knights, so even if he sends dozens of people at once, the results are always the same. Just in case, he also tried to send people at night to see what would happen, but the next day, they turned into a piece of meat that was hard to recognize and was thrown away. None of his methods worked out properly. When Seth was still young, there were times when he almost succeeded, but now he felt like he had no place to poke and go through even though it looked like he was full of holes. He wished he had killed him sooner when he was still younger. He hates to admit it, but the various assassination attempts actually made him stronger instead. And because of his bizarre personality, he even enjoyed it happening to him. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we could come up with a way by holding hands, but if there isn¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°There is a way, that¡¯s why I¡¯m suggesting it.¡± The blunt-faced second Prince, Zair, who had been quietly sitting still all this time, opened his mouth. In fact, it was none other than him who proposed an alliance to his other two siblings before meeting Mendel. ¡°Perhaps, does brother know ¡®Canael¡¯?¡± Mendel¡¯s face wrinkled at once. The mere mention of the name made him seem to have witnessed a pest in front of his eyes. ¡°What about that filthy group?¡± Canael, which is a famous assassination group, has actually done anything other than assassination if you give them what they want. Kidnapping, fraud, rape, torture, and all sorts of unethical things. As a result, the aristocrats and even the royal family viewed Canael as unclean people to even speak of. They considered them more lowly and terrifying than slaves, so if someone made a mistake in saying that they had a connection with them, even their acquaintances would leave them. ¡°Actually, not too long ago, I contacted ¡®Canael¡¯.¡± ¡°What¡­?!¡± Mendel jumped up to his feet in shock. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Their other siblings were born to the second concubine, so whether he called for Canael or not, they could not show such a reaction to his own brother, Zair, who was born to the first concubine. It was surprising that his younger brother, who had been quietly following the standard and straight path all this time, reached out to such a filthy group. ¡°Why don¡¯t you calm down first, brother?¡± ¡°Yes, brother. Calm down first and listen to brother Zair.¡± Raminez and Elina dissuaded the enraged Mendel. Mendel, who had been catching his breath for a while, sat down again with an unhappy face. ¡°It was just a request simply to test them. It¡¯s been rumored, but there was no information on how their commissions were set, or exactly what would happen if they failed.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you commissioned them just to know that? Even if it could stain your reputation?¡± Zair remained calm even though Mendel quickly poured words into his seething anger. ¡°I still had to try. It¡¯s impossible to maintain the current situation forever, and if the throne gets vacated in a state where nothing has been properly decided, Seth will be the first to be appointed under the pretext of legitimacy.¡± Zair¡¯s eyes gleamed with ambition, unlike the usual. CH 13 ¡°What I commissioned as an agent for Canael was the assassination of the 4th Prince Seth, and several teams responded to my request and demanded various remunerations.¡± Canael was not simply an organization that receives commission then assigns and dispatches those who met the request conditions. They, who unconditionally form a pair of two, write down their detailed skills, specialties, and desired commission fees if someone requests it to Canael and wants to receive it. The client scans the collected resumes and selects a pair according to the skills he wants and the commission he can afford. Zair also received several pairs of resumes in the same way and selected one of them. ¡°I decided to pay one of the team¡¯s half of the gold they wanted and give the rest after the completion of the mission. But when they tried to assassinate Seth, they were caught and torn to pieces by him instead.¡± Mendel¡¯s face trembled at the last words. He remembered the other day when he went hunting with Sethian, he tore one of his servants alive to death because he said he was irritating to the eyes. Considering the situation, he was the servant who was supposed to shoot a poisoned arrow at Sethian, but he doesn¡¯t know if it was because he was caught or not, but the way he handled it was too cruel. Just thinking about that time still makes him feel nauseated. ¡°It¡¯s a story I heard after stabbing one of the guards in the dungeon they were being held at the time, but it is said that the Canael¡¯s assassins died suddenly, without poisoning them or trying to kill them. They said it was due to Canael¡¯s strong brainwashing to protect information about the client.¡± Mendel has also heard of it while passing by. And as Zair said, the people of Canael not only have their tongues cut off to prevent them from divulging the client¡¯s information under any circumstances, but they have also undergone strong brainwashing to deal with in case of mission failure. But then what? If you got paid, you have to succeed no matter what. ¡°It must have been impossible for the Canaels, who said they could do anything, to cut Sethian¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°I deliberately left it to the least skilled team to make the task impossible.¡± Mendel¡¯s eyes filled with doubts at Zair¡¯s words. Wasn¡¯t it only natural to send the team with the best skills to increase the chances of success? ¡°I just wanted to check what would happen when they failed. This is something we need to know before making a full-scale request. If, contrary to the rumors, that their mouth was light or the suicide from brainwashing was false, the agent who commissioned Canael by now would have been a corpse torn by Sethhian¡¯s hands by now. Fortunately, he is still alive and well. ¡°Their client¡¯s privacy security could be trusted.¡± Mendel, who had been quietly listening to Zair all this time, raised one corner of his mouth, smirked, and crossed his arms. ¡°Even so, isn¡¯t the problem their skill? I don¡¯t believe that Canael¡¯s gutter rats would be able to do anything to Sethian.¡± ¡°In fact, that¡¯s why I proposed an alliance.¡± Zair looked at all his siblings, including Mendel, one by one and said. ¡°On the list of assassins received through the agent, there was a pair of deputy-guildmasters.¡± ¡°Deputy-Guildmasters?¡± Even Mendel, who had neither interest nor thought to know about Canael, opened his eyes wide to the fact that a Deputy-Guildmaster Pair had responded. The Deputy-Guildmaster Pair, which is no different from the second best-ranked team in Canael, which ranks as the most talented members, was famous for their chronicles of attacking the mansion of a war hero who had many enlisted soldiers and was devastated by the two of them alone. It was said that they screen a lot of requests to cover up, so they rarely respond. ¡°Their skills are well known by word of mouth. No matter how tall and high Sethian flies, he won¡¯t be able to withstand the two.¡± Even if they have to pass through countless crises, they will surely bring Sethian¡¯s head. ¡°As you know, we don¡¯t have much time left. According to the imperial doctors, His Majesty¡¯s breath will likely to stop in as early as a month, or at most, two months. Even the nobles who used to stay away from the limelights were now anxious to meet Sethian in a hurry.¡± In the Kinellian Empire, the right to succession to the throne is prioritized over the thickness of the imperial bloodline, the power of the nobility on its back, and the support of the people. Unless Sethian personally comes forward and announces that he will renounce his right to the throne, he may sit on the throne as it is. In particular, if he becomes deeply interested in the throne because of the golden arts allowed only to the emperor, it will inevitably be the case. ¡°It¡¯s now past the time to be wishy-washy in making our resolve.¡± Raminez reached out and brought the already cold tea to his lips. His snake-like eyes curved like crescent moons. ¡°Let¡¯s completely eliminate Sethian first before we keep a tab on others.¡± Mendel, who regained his composure as the conversation continued, remained silent for a moment. He lowered his eyes and focused his gaze on the remaining tea left on his cup. ¡°I know that you guys want to utilize them, and I also know that we don¡¯t have much time left. However, I still don¡¯t know why it is necessary for us to form an alliance. You could have done it by yourself.¡± ¡°Although the remuneration offered by that pair is a deferred payment, it is because I cannot pay it alone.¡± Mendel raised his head and looked at Zair. How-the-hell-much compensation do they want? Zair held out a piece of paper he had received through an agent from his bosom and showed it to him. At the end of the paper, which was full of the history of the Deputy-Guildmaster Pair, the remuneration they wanted was written. ¡°What the pair wants is a written contract of the four of us that promised the position of ¡®the next emperor¡¯s knights¡¯.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mendel¡¯s eyes widened. As he said, that was the only reward written on the paper. The written contract can only be prepared at the Magic Tower, and if the contents of the contract are not fulfilled, the creator will be cursed and will die within a few days. Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guildmaster Pair has demanded four such contracts in exchange for a huge remuneration. If all four of them sign the same contract and give it to them, then whoever becomes emperor has no choice but to give up their personal knight¡¯s position to pay for the remuneration. ¡°If we really want to get rid of Sethian for sure, we will have to ride the same boat, brother.¡± At Zair¡¯s words, Mendel¡¯s dry saliva went over his throat. ??????? ¡°Hmm, do I fold it like this¡­.¡± As he tilted his head and folded the white memo several times, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face suddenly turned bright as if he had found the way to do it too late. His lap was full of memo papers that failed to form a shape, and the paper in his hand, which was successful, had a crooked shape somewhere. Still, he was quite proud that it had a shape enough to recognize what it was folded into. ¡°Your brain¡¯s not dead yet, Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± He praised himself and looked down at the white butterfly in his hand. Five years ago, on the eve of the CSAT exam, his younger sister, Yi-Jin, who was a middle school student at that time, held out a small box of chocolate and a beautifully folded butterfly to pray for his success in passing the test. It was in the shape of a butterfly that Yi-Jin taught when she was still in elementary school and he helped her with her origami homework. When he opened the butterfly that Yi-Jin gave him, there was a lot of encouragement written in cute letters. Unlike the butterfly which was folded with a large letter paper at the time, what was in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand was infinitely small. However, he had no choice but to use a memo paper as it is the only paper he could obtain in this place, his space. So instead of writing a lot, he decided to fold several pages and put a simple phrase of encouragement. Recalling how to fold a butterfly somehow, Yi-Gyeol looked at the white butterfly in his hand and thought of Seth. It has already been eight days since he started meeting Seth, following the golden butterfly that comes every day. Just until a few days ago, he was full of thoughts about what to do if there was no golden butterfly and what to do if he could not meet Seth again. Now that he thinks about it, they all just seem like baseless worries. ¡®It¡¯s no big deal, right?¡¯ He often thinks about that every time he¡¯s awake. And the uneasiness that comes every time it does, destroys Yi-Gyeol¡¯s complexion at once. He(S) was the first friend he had since he got sick. He(S) hadn¡¯t even seen his(JYG) face, so he doesn¡¯t know what he would think, but at least Yi-Gyeol thought of him as a close friend. ¡®Friend¡­.¡¯ He had quite a few friends during his school days, but as he got sick and his waking hours decreased significantly, he naturally became distant from them. His friends stopped contacting him altogether so as not to wake him up from a disease that would kill him if he didn¡¯t sleep for a long time. Even if Yi-Gyeol contacted them from time to time, there were many cases where he couldn¡¯t reach them because of their busy college life or military service. No, he really doesn¡¯t know, perhaps they just didn¡¯t receive it on purpose. To them, he was just a pitiful person who they had to express their sympathy unilaterally, and he was a person who could not even hang out with them even if he wanted to in the future. So he also gave up on his friends early on. If his existence was only a burden to them and was unnecessary, he would rather live cleanly. Of course, he felt bad inside, but it was okay. He has a loving family, and he thought that their affection and care were sufficient. CH 14 Yi-Gyeol lifted his eyes and carefully looked around his room. A flickering light as if signifying it was time to move into a new one, a room that wasn¡¯t cleaned properly, a bed lined with only a single mat, a low chest of drawers with only tissue papers and wet wipes inside in case Yi-Gyeol spilled something while eating, a faded notepad and pen, a burnt glass bottle with an old purple artificial flower and an old cell phone. All of them seemed to remind Yi-Gyeol of his current plight. It was as if he had become a sick animal in an old cage with minimal care. His eyes tinged in the sudden feeling of depression. Yi-Gyeol, who has come to his senses right away, raised his hand, which he couldn¡¯t lift well, and slapped his cheek a couple of times. ¡®Get yourself together, Joo Yi-Gyeol. If you get sent to the doctor again because of this, you¡¯ll just be a nuisance.¡¯ Within a few months of getting sick, he fell into a serious depression. Why does he have to be like this, what sins did his family commit that everyone has to suffer so much, and when the hell will he be able to get back on his own two feet again? But it was regrettable that there was no one who could give answers to his questions. There were even times when he decided that it¡¯s much better to just die because of the uncontrollable depression and guilt. Even when he stayed awake for more than two hours on purpose to commit suicide, his determination did not waver. However, as soon as the limited time passed, a shattering headache that came as soon as he moved drove Yi-Gyeol into a pit of fear. It was so scary to think that the headache was a process that¡¯s gnawing and killing his brain little by little. The scent of death accompanied by pain and fear made Yi-Gyeol even more discouraged. When Yi-Gyeol¡¯s family noticed that he¡¯s struggling with pain and had collapsed because of depression, they took him to a psychiatrist. He talked a lot with the doctor in charge, but there was only one piece of advice that he remembered from him. That his depression makes it difficult for those around him. In conclusion, the words of the doctor in charge worked well. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face had a smile on it whether he was happy or sad, and thanks to this, his family did not have to worry about him making an extreme choice. In the past, he had met the doctor one more time when he talked about his out-of-body experience, but since then, he pretended not to be and appealed that there was no need to spend more money for the hospital. Perhaps that¡¯s why his family doesn¡¯t know that he still has depression. ¡®Get a hold of yourself. Get it together, Joo Yi-Gyeol. You¡¯re already a useless baggage to them, you shouldn¡¯t cause any more trouble. You know that the consultation fee is so expensive.¡¯ He unconsciously wiped the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand. Once depressed, it was difficult to control his emotions as if he was drowning at the bottom of the sea trying to reach its surface. Memories of the past and negative thoughts that he did not want to recall comes up over and over, but as always, as a temporary measure, he deliberately tries to forget about other thoughts and press them down hard inside his heart. He thought he had improved a lot since he met Seth recently, but it seems too unreasonable to be rid of it completely. He looked down at the paper butterflies in his hands and the folded papers scattered over his legs, deliberately trying to erase his bad thoughts. He wasn¡¯t before, but now he feels quite fond of butterflies. The first letter written and given to him by his sister was also folded in a butterfly shape like this. Even though it was just a small, trivial paper butterfly, it seemed to somehow give him warmth, perhaps because it was also warm and pleasant to see the white butterflies in his spiritual state. Not only that, but recently, he even met Seth, who can hear his voice thanks to the golden butterfly. Butterflies were like a comforting warmth provider to Yi-Gyeol. After thinking so, he remembered Sethian¡¯s face and a small smile came out. ¡®No matter how you look at that face, it¡¯s far from warmth.¡¯ If he had to categorize it, he was a person who was best suitable for the expressions such as cold as ice or a sharp blade. Nevertheless, the reason he feels some warmth from him is probably because he always listens and pays attention to his words, even though he considers Yi-Gyeol a ghost. His pure interest and pitiless concern made Yi-Gyeol delighted beyond measure. When he is next to him, he forgets that he is just an inconvenience in reality. He can completely accept the attention Seth has poured into him without hesitation. It¡¯s not the obviously forced creaky smile, but one that¡¯s genuinely pleased always surfaced in his(Seth) gorgeous face. He feels like he has friends just like in the old days. There is nothing more wonderful than having someone need you. And being able to encourage someone was also a happy thing. The current Yi-Gyeol thought so. He looked down at the paper butterfly in his hand and took out the pen he had prepared along with the memo paper in advance. As he was writing a short note for his younger sister, a strange anticipation slowly bloomed on his face. ??????? Yi-Gyeol crossed the dimension following the golden butterfly again today and went down toward the castle with a pounding heart. However today, Sethian was nowhere to be seen. He looked all over the Emerald Castle, which was said to belong to him, but he still couldn¡¯t find a single strand of Sethian¡¯s purple hair. Yi-Gyeol rose high above the castle wondering where Seth had gone in broad daylight and was already starting to get nervous. ¡®We only have two hours to talk, where have you been?¡¯ He was worried that he might end up going back after just looking for Seth like this for two hours. Then, all of a sudden, he thought of something he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡®He didn¡¯t get into trouble while I¡¯m gone¡­didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Once Yi-Gyeol began thinking of negative thoughts, an uncontrollable anxiety came over him. Since he has said that he¡¯s suffered from numerous threats of assassination since childhood, there¡¯s no guarantee that one of them won¡¯t luckily succeed. ?Seth¡­. Yi-Gyeol prayed he wasn¡¯t, at the same time he called Sethian¡¯s name. ?Seth! Passing through the Emerald Castle, he went to every corner of the other castles where the owners were unknown and called for Seth. He cried out frantically, hoping that his voice would reach him. In the midst of that, he suddenly heard someone mention Seth¡¯s name. ¡°Then Sethian will¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol abruptly stopped at the words he heard as he was quickly passing by through several rooms. He passed so quickly that he had to turn back to see from which room he heard it. Then he saw a man and a woman talking about Seth. A young-looking woman in a rich and colorful dress that looks like something that came out of a manhwa and a long-haired man with a decent face seemed to be having tea time sitting at a colorful table. From what he heard from Seth, all of the Imperial family members had their iconic purple hair. Then it was clear that these two were either Seth¡¯s siblings or relatives. A woman in her early 20s, who tilted her teacup of tea and took a sip of warm tea, had a dark smile on her lips. ¡°Will we be able to get rid of him this time?¡± ¡°We have to. We even made an alliance just for that.¡± The man crossed his legs and smoothed his long hair like a habit. ¡°As Brother said, we don¡¯t have much time left. Before Sethian could even take any interest in the throne, it¡¯s better to get rid of him in advance and then compete among ourselves.¡± Hearing this, Yi-Gyeol had an intuition that they were trying to kill Seth. From what he vaguely heard from Seth, his siblings were trying to assassinate him for the throne, but as the parties were in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but get furious. ¡®How could they treat their brother like that with such unconcerned expressions¡­.¡¯ The frustration and anger of the difference between heaven and earth from what he saw in historical dramas came up. Despite the frequent threats of assassination and the transparency of who did it, Sethian has never tried to retaliate. He doesn¡¯t think much of it, saying that it would disappear after someone ascended to the throne anyway. But now that he sees it, it wasn¡¯t something to pass over. They didn¡¯t seem like human beings at all, talking about trying to kill their brother like that in a casual way. ¡°It¡¯ll work out well, right?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already completed the contract. Now we just have to wait for Sethian to disappear in five days. They¡¯ll take care of it and make it seem like he¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like Canael, but I think they¡¯re the best in terms of skills.¡± The man¡¯s eyes lit up and he moved closer to the woman sitting opposite him. He asked, slightly lowering his voice. ¡°Did you just release the Research Team?¡± The woman nodded her head with a smile. ¡°Recently, all the knights who went on reconnaissance in the Protel Empire went missing, right? At that time, the commander of the knight was quite an experienced and talented person, but all the knights, including him, disappeared without a trace, so we still can¡¯t find them now.¡± ¡°The cause of that incident¡­.¡± Seeing the woman responding with a beautiful smile instead of answering, the man let out a pleasant laugh. ¡°It seems that there¡¯s no need to worry about cleaning up after the task.¡± The woman gently placed her soft hand on the back of the man¡¯s hand that was on the table. ¡°The real battle will only start after Brother Sethian is sorted out. Brother Mendel and Brother Zair would think that I was also competing, but I¡¯ll be on your side and always look after your back.¡± The man looked at the woman with warm eyes and gently stroked her hand that was on the back of his hand. ¡°Thank you. Even if I ascend to the throne, please always support me as you do now.¡± ¡°Naturally, Brother.¡± The two looked at each other and smiled meaningfully. Seeing this, Yi-Gyeol suppressed his anger and stormed out. He¡¯s not quite sure about the content, but it was clear that they were trying to kill Seth and make him disappear. CH 15 ¡®Judging from their conversation, it could be inferred that Seth is still unharmed. I need to quickly meet him and let him know.¡¯ There¡¯s no time to spare. ?Seth! Where are you?! If he had been in his physical state, his face would have been red by now from screaming until his throat hurts. Yi-Gyeol, who had been wandering all over the castle, now even went into the garden and ceaselessly called for Seth. ?Seth! He shouted loudly, hoping that Seth would respond from somewhere, but a strange man¡¯s voice suddenly popped out instead. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Yi-Gyeol abruptly stopped and froze as if he had been caught by something. Looking around, he saw a curt, well-built man sitting at a table in the middle of the garden. With his back straightened, he glanced around the garden with sharp eyes. ¡°Is anyone over there?¡± The man raised his voice a little more as if ordering him to answer and got up from his seat. Yi-Gyeol looked around too, but no matter how much he looked at it, he was the only one in the garden. Yi-Gyeol approached the man by any chance and cautiously called out to him. ?There¡­. ¡°¡­.!¡± When Yi-Gyeol spoke from up close, the man turned his head with a shudder on his shoulder. But what is strange is that the man¡¯s eyes are looking at his side. ¡°You¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol confirmed that nothing was reflected in the man¡¯s eyes. Nevertheless, the man gave a precise gaze as he floated around and moved to and fro. ?Are you looking at me right now? He doesn¡¯t seem to have much of an age difference with Sethian, so he instantly asked without honorifics. When Yi-Gyeol asked due to the unfamiliar reaction he had seen for the first time, the man stretched out his hand. Yi-Gyeol, who was floating still, felt as if his hands were touching him. ?¡­.! It was amazing. Obviously, even though he doesn¡¯t have any shape, he felt a pleasant touch as if the man was touching somewhere in his body. Yi-Gyeol was greatly surprised at how this was possible. ¡°It¡¯s not just a mere soul.¡± He was even more surprised by the man¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of white butterflies, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a golden butterfly.¡± ?Butterfly? Yi-Gyeol remembered the numerous white butterflies he had seen while leaving his body and the golden butterflies that led him to this place. Come to think of it, he had never thought of how his soul would look like in someone else¡¯s eyes. ?Are you saying that you¡¯re seeing me as a butterfly? And a golden butterfly at that? The man was looking at Yi-Gyeol with ecstatic eyes. His eyes, which used to look blunt, even look innocent like a child. ¡°Usually, all souls are white butterflies.¡± It was the same as what Yi-Gyeol had seen. As a result, he couldn¡¯t help but get excited. It was surprising to know that he also looked like a butterfly, and a golden butterfly at that. But what made him even more excited was to discover that there was another person who could hear his voice. ?Do you possess spiritual power or anything? The same goes for Seth, but you¡¯re also quite amazing. How can you even see and touch me? When I spoke a little excitedly, the man tilted his head slightly. ¡°Is there anyone else who can see and hear souls like me? All I know is I¡¯m the only one in this castle.¡± ?Seth can¡¯t see me. But he can hear my voice. ¡°Seth?¡± The man asked back, seeming to have failed to understand Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words on the first try. Only then did Yi-Gyeol realize that what he was calling was the nickname he had given Seth and immediately mentioned Sethian¡¯s original name. ?He¡¯s originally called Sethian. The man¡¯s eyes darkened for an instant. When Yi-Gyeol, who got scared of his eyes, flinched, perhaps the man saw his reaction or not, but the glint in his eyes subsided in an instant. For a moment, he wondered if he had seen it wrong. The man lowered his hand, which was carefully caressing Yi-Gyeol. ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you¡¯ve been calling the name Seth since earlier.¡± ?Right. I¡¯m looking for Seth, but I can¡¯t find him anywhere¡­! ¡°Why are you looking for Sethian?¡± Yi-Gyeol paused at the sudden question. Instinctively, he retreated little by little from him. ¡®Seth is a prince, but he¡¯s using informal language¡­. No way. Is this man one of Seth¡¯s brothers who wants to kill him¡­?¡¯ It was easy enough to figure just by looking at the fact that he did not put any special titles on Sethian¡¯s name. Now that he sees it, as if to support his hypothesis, even his hair color is purple, a unique characteristic of the royal family. Sethian had once said that all his other brothers were trying to kill him. It was clear that if the man in front of him was really Sethian¡¯s brother, he was one of those people who was trying to kill him. The man frowned and took a step closer. As Yi-Gyeol was slowly retreating, the man¡¯s face came right in front of him, and he immediately stopped breathing. ¡°Why is a soul like you looking for Sethian?¡± ?That¡­. The eyes of the man I saw at a close distance were so terrifying. Even if it was anything small, I thought I shouldn¡¯t say it in case I say something wrong. At that moment. ¡°Doesn¡¯t looking for me naturally mean he wants to see me?¡± Yi-Gyeol quickly turned to the much-appreciated voice he heard all of a sudden. Sethian¡¯s eyes, who had already come close at a short distance on who doesn¡¯t know when, shone sharply. ¡°Is Brother Zair even coveting my ghost friend now?¡± The man named Zair looked at Sethian for a moment and then looked at Yi-Gyeol with a squint. ¡°¡­Friend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was the dull low voice that he usually uses with other people, but for some reason, it seemed to have sunk even more. Zair¡¯s stiff face was strangely distorted. ¡°It¡¯s already strange that you can also hear the soul¡¯s voice like me, but for it to be your friend¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol felt a sudden chill and flew behind Sethian without realizing it. Even so, he still looked over Seth¡¯s shoulder and looked at Zair anxiously. Zair¡¯s gaze, which was focused on somewhere else, seemed to shift, and Sethian, who noticed that it was behind his back, strangely felt much better. He would be certain if he could also see his appearance like Zair, but just by looking at his(Z) reaction, he could tell that Yi-Gyeol was behind his back. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my busy Older Brother would even accompany my friend. I should be thanking you.¡± Although it was invisible to Yi-Gyeol, Sethian¡¯s gaze was never polite, contrary to his polite words. Rather, it contains a sense of pressure to the extent that a throbbing sensation could be felt. Zair rolled his eyes and approached Seth. ¡°If you¡¯re really grateful, I¡¯d like to borrow your ghost friend for a moment.¡± Saying that, he stretched out his left hand over Sethian¡¯s shoulder and Yi-Gyeol was startled to see the large hand reaching out to him. That hand looked like it was going to seize him at any moment. However, just before it touched him, it was taken down by Sethian¡¯s grasp. With so much strength, Zair¡¯s face contorted with pain in an instant. ¡°Hasn¡¯t Brother said something like this before? That you¡¯ll never lend nor pay for what you own.¡± Sethian, who held Zair¡¯s hand, grabbed his index and middle fingers tightly and gradually began to twist them slowly. Zair tried to pull it away with his other hand, but Sethian¡¯s grip was so powerful that he thought his fingers would crumble just by him clenching them tightly. ¡°So I¡¯m also thinking of never lending what¡¯s mine to anyone.¡± Seth whispered so low that only Zair could hear it. ¡°Shh¡­. The more you move, the more painful it will be.¡± Simultaneously as he said those words, the sound of something breaking was heard. Zair¡¯s sweaty face wrinkled more strongly. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Zair swallowed his groan and looked down at the two fingers that were completely bent to the back of his hand by Sethian. Then Seth bent Zair¡¯s left arm with his own hands and made it go inside his uniform jacket. Thanks to this, the broken hand was covered by the jacket and was completely hidden. Seth, who lightly tapped his bent arm, slightly raised the corners of his mouth as if to flounce off proudly. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re finished saying our greetings, we¡¯ll get going now, brother.¡± Having said that, Sethian walked ahead. Yi-Gyeol, who was floating in the air without knowing what had happened because he was covered by him, hesitated in the frightening atmosphere but then followed Sethian as if it was the most natural thing. Zair, who was still looking at the butterfly, clenched his teeth, feeling the extreme pain of his hand hidden in the jacket. Since it happened so close, on the outside, it would only seem that they were just talking quietly. No one would have thought that Seth would have broken his two fingers like this in the meantime. With his hands removed from inside his jacket, Zair took a deep breath and laid down his fingers which were neatly bent, then spread them out in the opposite direction at once. The sound of bones colliding with each other and Zair¡¯s swallowed groan was heard together. In the midst of this, he felt rather fortunate to realize that what Sethian had broken was his left hand, which he doesn¡¯t use to hold the sword. It was just so funny that he had been beaten helplessly without even receiving any warning. ¡®Monster bastard.¡¯ He thought that he had already trained enough, but he still couldn¡¯t compete with Sethian¡¯s strength. He took a deep breath and wrapped his two broken fingers tightly with the black cravat that was hanging around his neck. The pain in his fingers was so severe that it even made it difficult for him to breathe naturally. He tied his fingers as a temporary measure and headed to his castle connected to the garden. ¡®I don¡¯t know since when Sethian was able to communicate with the spirits, but that butterfly, there¡¯s something about it.¡¯ Unlike other souls, the soul that was attached to Sethian had a splendid golden color. On top of that, seeing Sethian¡¯s reaction, he seemed to like that butterfly a lot. CH 16 Upon arriving at his personally arranged research lab in his castle, Zair went inside, leaving only a message to his attendant to call for an imperial physician. He passed a desk full of various books and stood in front of a wall with a velvet curtain next to it. At first glance, it looked like a curtain hung for interior purposes, but as soon as it was removed, a cupboard filled with glass bottles was revealed. To others, they may look like empty glass bottles, but in Zair¡¯s eyes, the shapes of butterflies flapping their wings were clearly visible. ¡®Sethian will die soon anyway. So before long, I could definitely catch it and do some research.¡¯ Zair, who was born and grew up watching butterflies containing souls, was also interested in soul magic because of such an environment. Naturally, he also knew what the owner of the first Magic Tower had written about the ¡®golden butterfly.¡¯ ¡®If that butterfly is the kind of soul that the owner of the first tower saw¡­.¡¯ Maybe he could study not only soul magic but also dimensional shift magic. He was already imagining locking up Sethian¡¯s golden butterfly and conducting various magic experiments. ??????? ?Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time. Yi-Gyeol, who arrived at the drawing-room with Sethian, asked in a worried voice. It¡¯s a relief to finally meet him, but a belated complaint that his insides almost got burned while looking for him naturally came. However, he cannot criticize Sethian, who is a prince and most probably busy, for not being in the castle in time when he came. Sitting alone in the upper seat of the drawing-room, Sethian did not open his mouth even at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words. He seemed to be thinking deeply about something. ?Seth¡­? When he thought that Seth might have felt bad that he had been with the man named Zair earlier, Yi-Gyeol was more worried than dissatisfied. Don¡¯t tell him he thinks he told Zair everything about him. In order for Sethian not to misunderstand, Yi-Gyeol approached him and spoke urgently. ?I didn¡¯t know that person was your older brother. It¡¯s just that he can hear my voice and see me, so I talked to him for a while since it was really fascinating¡­. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± It was a voice that seemed as unconcerned as the words that were uttered. Sethian asked Yi-Gyeol, recalling Zair¡¯s annoying face. ¡°Zair seems to have seen you.¡± ?That¡¯s right. He said I look like a butterfly. Yi-Gyeol, whose mood has just improved, added what Zair said to Seth. ?He said I¡¯m also a golden butterfly like the one I¡¯ve been chasing to get here. At this time, even Sethian thought that Zair¡¯s ability was enviable. It was said that he had already seen numerous ghosts since childhood, and he also heard that he could sometimes touch some of those ghosts with his hands. In the garden, he remembered Zair trying to catch Yi-Gyeol, who was behind him. Perhaps he could also touch Yi-Gyeol. Thinking so, Sethian felt a sense of displeasure for no reason. He thought that he should have cut off those fingers altogether. Knock, knock- ¡°Your Highness, the tea has arrived.¡± Usually, tea was prepared by an attendant, but since an assassin had been caught dusting off poison from his nails in front of Sethian¡¯s eyes, for a while, Lenox and one other knight decided to serve his meals and tea instead. Even though it seemed too much for Lenox, the Commander of the Knights, to attend and serve Sethian directly by himself in other people¡¯s eyes, everyone kept their mouths shut because he was the one who volunteered and wanted to do the task on his own. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Sethian¡¯s permission was granted, Lenox approached with a tray and courteously bowed his head. He set the teacup down on the table in front of Sethian and poured it skillfully as if he hadn¡¯t only done it once or twice. ¡°I have received a report that you have met Prince Zair.¡± ¡°I only greet him for a second.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that it was a kind of greeting that needs to break the opponent¡¯s finger in the process. Lenox put the teapot down on the table and said with the tray on his side. ¡°It seems that the atmosphere is too quiet these days. The number of assassination attempts has decreased.¡± ¡°At this rate, we can expect that there¡¯ll be chaos soon.¡± It was obvious without even having to look into it. Pretending to be quiet but simultaneously attacking at the same time was something that his siblings often did. Moreover, since they never know when the emperor will die, there is no way that they can stay still. How much more fun will they make it to be next? They are the kind of siblings who don¡¯t get tired of pouncing at him, so it is quite fun to deal with them. ?Come to think of it, I heard an important conversation earlier. Sethian, who was bringing a cup containing fragrant black tea to his lips, stopped moving. ?They seemed like a prince and a princess, but those people said that they would get rid of you. If it was a prince and a princess, they would probably be the 3rd prince Raminez and the 1st princess Elina. Although the two are children of the same second concubine, they are so close that the people who don¡¯t know them see them as lovers. ¡°There¡¯s never a time that they don¡¯t want to get rid of me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lenox, who was standing next to Sethian, reacted to his words. ?There were a lot of words they mentioned that I wasn¡¯t actually familiar with, but they said they handed over the contract somewhere and would wait for you to disappear in five days. That it will be treated as disappearance. Sethian¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled when he heard Yi-Gyeol say ¡®five days later.¡¯ Because five days later, was when he will be leaving the castle to meet the Duke of Antoine in the north. ?But what the hell is Canael? At the name that came out of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth, Sethian put down the teacup without even drinking the tea. ¡°Canael? Have those two contacted Canael?¡± Lenox made a strange expression on Sethian¡¯s words and called to him anxiously. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Lenox, shut up for a second.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lenox immediately closed his mouth without even thinking of making a comment, but was somewhat bewildered by Sethian¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°Tell me everything you heard.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ?Umm, if I were to start from the beginning¡­. Instead of Lenox, who almost opened his mouth, Yi-Gyeol told him what he had heard one by one sequentially. Throughout the story, there seemed to be no change in Sethian¡¯s expression, but his eyebrows twitched from time to time as if something was bothering him. ¡®I don¡¯t know what kind of reward they decided to give Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guild Master Pair, but it looks like it¡¯s big enough for the four of them to hold hands.¡¯ Sethian recalled the two men belonging to Canael who had infiltrated his bedroom the other day. It was clear that they, too, had come under orders from someone, and as soon as they woke up, without him having to do anything, they killed themselves of their own will. Apparently, they commissioned the assassins belonging to Canael to cut his neck just as always, but how big of a compensation should there be for the second-ranked best of Canael to make them move? In any case, the information Yi-Gyeol brought was great. If he had to deal with such talented people without any preparation, no matter how it was Sethian, it is bound to be too much. ¡®Since I learned it beforehand, should I postpone my private meeting with the Duke, or¡­.¡¯ In fact, there was nothing to think about. Even if he knew the information, evading or moving recklessly was not something he would do. Above all, the opportunity to fight with such talented people is rare, so he was actually looking forward to it. It had been a long time since he had gotten sick of fighting Lenox and Kirsty every day. ¡®Still, I have no intention of kicking the bucket yet, so I¡¯ll also have to take some measures.¡¯ In the past, it didn¡¯t really matter whether he enjoyed the threat of assassination or died fighting for his life while competing with a powerful person as long as it was enjoyable. However, he can¡¯t do that anymore since he has something more interesting now. ¡°Lenox, contact the Bandit¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°As you command. What task would you like them to do?¡± Sethian took a sip of the tea that had cooled down while he was listening to Yi-Gyeol and calmly ordered. ¡°Get information on Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guild Master Pair. And make sure to find out where Canael¡¯s base is. I need to get in touch with them.¡± ¡°Yes? But Canael is¡­.¡± It was understandable that Lenox¡¯s expression was not good. Canael was notorious as an assassin¡¯s guild, but also called the ¡®Sewer Rats¡¯ which is called the dirtiest race in the world. In addition, he heard that it is not easy at all to hire an assassin from them since the better the skills, the more frivolous rewards are demanded. Sethian threw his gaze from the teacup at Lenox. Facing his indifferent and cold eyes, Lenox eventually bowed his head without much words and left after answering that he understood. Silence naturally fell as Lenox left the drawing-room. However, Sethian was still quietly listening to the voice penetrating into his head. ?I hope¡­ I¡¯ve been of some help. ¡°You¡¯ve helped. A whole lot.¡± ?Really? I¡¯m glad¡­. While Yi-Gyeol was relieved, Sethian was filling his evaluation of him again one by one as if overwriting the existing ones. ¡®It¡¯s great to be able to move around freely in the soul state for sure. There is no one to see, no sound, no sign. You can easily get any information if you put your mind to it.¡¯ Sethian, who is closely related to the bandit¡¯s guild that buys and sells information, was extremely envious of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ability. But because his body is in a different world, the time that he can stay here is only for about two hours, and once the connection is lost, it¡¯ll take him three days or several hours again to come here because of the time difference. Such a point was clearly a disadvantage, but it was an ability that could be more than offset, so he couldn¡¯t help but get interested. CH 17 As expected, the problem was the body. Even today, he stopped by the tower to dig up research materials, whether it be soul magic, alchemy, or dimensional magic, but there is still no significant result. ¡®If he only had a body, they could have eliminated the time difference between dimensions and he could wander around in the spiritual state for hours a day.¡¯ If that happens, Yi-Gyeol will be the best spy and source of information that could never go unnoticed. As he was thinking about it, he suddenly remembered the place where Yi-Gyeol heard the information. The imperial fortress is based on a large mountain with several castles encircling it, and while Zair¡¯s castle was just right next door, the castles bestowed to Raminez and Elina were quite far from here. ¡°Why did you even go to another castle?¡± ?Because you¡¯re not here. In response to the reply that came out as if there was nothing really to think about, Sethian kept his mouth shut for a moment. ?I¡¯ve been through all the castles worried because I can¡¯t find you anywhere. I wondered if something happened to you while I was away¡­. Yi-Gyeol blurred the end of his words and suddenly reproached with a sigh. ?I thought something happened. You said you¡¯d be right at the castle when I come. He did say that. For Sethian, Yi-Gyeol ¨C his current object of interest and a fascinating research subject ¨C stays here for only two hours, and if he misses that time, he will be able to meet him again only after a few days. That¡¯s why he tried to stay in his castle as much as possible so that he could meet him right away when he came. However, he got a little late this time to search for old books on soul magic. Sethian looked down at the teacup that still had plenty of tea left with his chin propped on his hand. Even though he is the only one reflected within it, he knows that he is not alone. It¡¯s such a strange feeling. A strange sensation quite different from those of the knights that were worrying about his safety. Even just by hearing his voice, he knew that Yi-Gyeol was just a fragile young man that had never even trained before. But even if such a person was worried for him, there¡¯s really no reason for him to be in a good mood. However, he knows that he is excessively indulgent to Yi-Gyeol himself. Partly because there was no way to tie him up to him without a body, so he was being careful not to make him run away, but also partly because he(YG) was genuinely worried about him(S). All those who had ever been around Sethian had a clear point of interest in him. It was natural for the knights and servants to worry because if something bad happened to their master, their source of food would be cut off. And the nobles, who had been attached to him from an early age, were only there because of his high probability of becoming the emperor since he was the first heir to the throne. They thought about the result that would arise from falling out with him. There is no one with whom without a conflict of interest. He¡¯s never seen a person approach him without expecting anything from him in return. It was only normal for him, the prince who was in that said position. ¡°Is there anything you want from me?¡± ?Hmn? No, not exactly¡­. See, only you have a different answer. Everyone was the same. When asked if there was anything they wanted, they would bow their heads and recite long lines of words as if they had been waiting for him to ask. Whether they sell their families, the environment they grew up in, or sell their own tears, what they all wanted was clear. Money. Honor. Power. There were only three things people wanted. However, only Joo Yi-Gyeol was different. They weren¡¯t connected anywhere, and nothing forced him to, but he chose to stay by his side without asking for anything. ¡°So, are you really coming because of our agreement that you¡¯ll come to see me every day?¡± It was a condition in which there was no means to enforce it, and there was no duty to protect it, but he thought it must have impacted him a little since he was so naive. In fact, it was amazing that he came straight to him every time he came to this world. If he was really a soul from another world, this world would¡¯ve been fascinating to him, so he would have to wander around even at least once. But he didn¡¯t even think about looking at anything else but only looked for him. ?¡­What are you talking about? I never cared about that agreement, I come to see you because I am your friend. He sounded a little annoyed. The word ¡®friend¡¯ in that sentence somehow has strength. That¡¯s the most unreliable word for Sethian, but it sounds completely different when Yi-Gyeol was the one who said it. To the extent that he doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s even the same word he used to scratch Zair. ?Perhaps is it too much for me to come see you? ¡­Am I being a bother? It was a question of anxiety and impatience. However, the words Yi-Gyeol had thrown have also somehow made Sethian uneasy. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± You¡¯re so interesting, how can that be? ¡°I wish you could come here more often.¡± They can only talk for two hours. It was too short a time to figure him out, who was becoming more and more interesting. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the longer you sleep, the longer you stay here? How about sleeping a little longer?¡± Even if there was a difference in the passage of time, if he slept longer than now in another world, the time he would stay here would be longer. However, those words made Yi-Gyeol, who had been quiet, emotional. ?¡­Without knowing anything. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice sank deeply. ?I¡¯m already¡­. His voice sounded different and uneasy than before. He swallowed his words for a while, and then he apologized in a slightly better voice. ?Sorry. I was a little sensitive. He didn¡¯t say anything and just listened, but Sethian wanted to know why he was so sensitive to the word ¡®sleep.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d like to hear your story.¡± ?I¡¯ve already told you enough things to know though. ¡°You didn¡¯t talk about yourself.¡± Yi-Gyeol swallowed his voice. As Sethian said, Yi-Gyeol has only revealed many stories about the world he lives in, but has not revealed anything about himself. For Sethian, the only information he knew about Joo Yi-Gyeol was ¡®a soul with a living body¡¯, ¡®a person living in another world¡¯, and ¡®a man named Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯. ?I¡­ I¡¯m not the kind of person who has had a colorful life. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ?It might not be interesting to talk about. ¡°That¡¯s up to me to judge.¡± ?¡­It would be more fun to listen to stories about other people in the world I live in than mine¡­. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± Sethian clasped his hands as he called out Yi-Gyeol¡¯s name. There was not a single gap between the intertwined fingers. ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡± He could feel Yi-Gyeol hesitating. There was no sound, but he knew he hadn¡¯t returned to his world yet. As he waited quietly in the silence, he heard Yi-Gyeol¡¯s small voice. Instead of the clear voice he used when he spoke about the world he was in, it was a strange voice with a forced smile. ??????? Leaning against the window frame, Sethian looked up at the two moons floating high in the dark night sky. The two moons, Enia and Enu, which were named after the two goddesses who were called the gods of the beginning, looked so close as if they were about to fall from the sky at any moment. The words that Yi-Gyeol had said still lingered in Sethian¡¯s head, who was quietly staring at the large bright moons. It was an unheard of disease in which a person had to sleep for not less than 22 hours a day in order to survive. ¡®It¡¯s only two hours in that world, too¡­.¡¯ Just as Yi-Gyeol could stay here for two hours, it was also the same there. For Yi-Gyeol, a day was not 24 hours, but 2 hours with a body and 2 hours as a soul, only 4 hours. Sethian would never understand what it felt like. He didn¡¯t have the same disease, so he couldn¡¯t relate to his suffering, diminished time, nor his forced smile. However, he was able to gather enough information about him. And he didn¡¯t particularly like the conclusion reached at the end of his story. If the day comes when he can¡¯t fall asleep even if he wants to, he may die because there¡¯ll be no way to detoxify the toxins. But Yi-Gyeol said he wanted to stop sleeping. He laughed bitterly, saying it was so painful to have to sleep for 22 hours a day. He said that he felt that his body was withering day by day and that his muscles were deteriorating to the point where he couldn¡¯t move properly. ?I want to live a normal and healthy life, too. ?I know it¡¯s impossible. Still, that¡¯s the only thing I want. It was such a simple wish, but it was impossible for him. The sickened Yi-Gyeol was living on the edge of his life, not knowing when he was going to die. It¡¯s been a long time since he¡¯s had an interest that gets on his nerves. He doesn¡¯t like the fact that he can¡¯t hold it in his hand, and then it can suddenly die and disappear without his knowledge. Not having the lead was more frustrating and annoying than he thought. It was Yi-Gyeol who was gripping the upper hand between the two of them. Unlike Yi-Gyeol, who could come to see him whenever he wanted, he couldn¡¯t. He could see himself as much as he wanted, but the opposite was impossible. For him, Yi-Gyeol was an important ¡®interest¡¯, but to him he was nothing. All the initiative belonged to Yi-Gyeol, and now that he looks at it, it is so precarious that he never knew when it would disappear. Along with the anxiety he felt for the first time, Sethian was filled with a desire he had never had before. That numb feeling of tingling somewhere, it is not easy to adapt to. Is this the kind of feeling you feel when someone else is in control? ¡®If only he has a body to lock up¡­.¡¯ If only he could do that, the upper hand would be entirely his. Sethian thought about meeting the current owner of the magic tower soon, then pondered more on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mournful voice. CH 18 Two days later, Sethian was able to meet the owner of the magic tower alone under his authority as a prince. Clack? The sound of the teacup being put down was particularly loud. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± Sethian spoke coldly as he crossed his legs arrogantly and looked at the elderly man sitting in front of him. The black-haired man with sparse gray hair, as the owner of the tower, was dressed in a white robe as splendid as the royal family. Despite Sethian¡¯s coldness, Roa, the tower master, only showed a gentle smile and did not feel intimidated. ¡°As the prince has already known, the tower is entirely under the authority of His Majesty the Emperor. Even if you are the 4th Prince who holds the prevailing right to inherit the throne, there is nothing we can do for you right now.¡± ¡°However, the extent of information that the heir to the throne can hear would probably be greater than that of ordinary royalty.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the information the prince wants is all about the golden arts.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows rose sharply. When he asked for magic books about body fusion magic and biological alchemy, he kept his mouth shut, saying that even that belonged to the emperor. Roa skillfully caught Sethian¡¯s gaze and uttered subtle words. ¡°Recently, I heard that the prince has become interested in the golden arts. Is that the reason?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly interested in the golden arts but the soul magic[1].¡± Roa¡¯s wrinkled eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°May I ask why?¡± Sethian looked at Roa¡¯s glistening eyes and gave him the answer he wanted. ¡°There is a soul that I want to settle in a body. It doesn¡¯t matter what the body is.¡± ¡°Soul settlement¡­.¡± Roa¡¯s eyes showed deep interest. ¡°It¡¯s even more fascinating because it¡¯s said by the Fourth Prince, not by anyone else.¡± He is a person who classifies people only as tools and entertainment, but since he is the one trying to establish a soul by making a body, the old magician couldn¡¯t help but be interested. ¡°The soul is bound to be free. Unless you know where the soul you want to settle is located¡­.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll come to me on his own when the time comes. Because he promised.¡± Roa blinked several times and made a surprised expression on his face. Knowing that Sethian believed in someone¡¯s promise is astonishing, but what is even more surprising is that he is speaking as if he had spoken to the soul. ¡°Have you spoken to a soul? But the prince cannot see souls ever since, right?¡± ¡°It is still the same now. But strangely, I could only hear the voice of a certain soul.¡± There were cases where a person was able to see souls or hear their voices due to having special abilities. However, it was quite difficult to believe since it was only applicable to very few people. That said, the prince¡¯s words could also not be regarded as false. On the premise that what he said was completely true, Roa continued, calming his slightly startled heart. ¡°Creating a body that can settle the soul is never easy. Even if it is made properly, if it does not match, the soul may be thrown out and the body may not be able to withstand it for a few days. There is also the risk that the soul may shatter.¡± Roa leaned toward the table and brought his face close to Sethian. ¡°Personally, I¡¯d like to recommend a method other than the imperfect body fusion magic.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that confidential?¡± Roa whispered in a low voice at Sethian¡¯s question. ¡°Please consider it as a reward for your deep interest in the magic of the tower.¡± It¡¯s not the same confidential information anyway, so he¡¯s willing to open his mouth about one thing the Sethian didn¡¯t ask for. Sethian clicked his tongue at Roah¡¯s wordplay and nodded. ¡°Speak.¡± Roa, who raised the corners of his lips, lowered his voice and said. ¡°You¡¯ve been reading a lot of soul magic books lately, so the prince probably knows this. There is a record about killing other people and putting their souls in a newly constructed body and making them into slaves.¡± He has already known of that anecdote for quite some time. It was quite interesting at the time, so he read several soul magic books based on that anecdote. But that¡¯s also why he knows that magic has an important drawback. At first glance, there was nothing strange about the newly constructed body as it was based on humans, but when examined in detail, you¡¯ll be able to see inharmonious parts that cannot be considered as part of an ordinary person. For that reason, it is said that in order for them to pretend as real human beings, they had to dress up so that their skin would be barely visible. ¡°In fact, it has a higher level of compatibility magic.¡± Roa¡¯s smile grew stronger. ¡°It is a magic that constructs and materializes the original body with the soul as the main axis. Since it is made based on the memories from its lifetime, there is no need to create and configure the body one by one, and there is no risk of the soul being bounced. Since the soul remembers the shape of its own body, which is its vessel, it is said that it¡¯ll regard the newly formed body which was based on the original one when it¡¯s still alive as its own and settle down completely.¡± Roa¡¯s words, which had been blurted out smoothly from the beginning, soon contained a disappointed tone. ¡°Unfortunately, this is only possible with a living soul. It is questionable whether there is such a case as a person being alive and at the same in the state of being a soul.¡± Sethian¡¯s interest-filled eyes stared at Roa as if stabbing him. ¡°Does that mean that if it is a living soul, there¡¯ll be no side effects if it¡¯s inserted into a constructed identical body?¡± Roa, who had been pondering over Sethian¡¯s words, answered in a slightly excited voice. ¡°Since the body is made exactly as the information contained in the soul, there will be no sense of incongruity or opposition and there will be no backlash. If you have to look for something that could be called a side effect, it is that there is only one body in which the soul can reside. Because it cannot reside in both the original body and the newly created one. In that case, it is inevitable that the spiritless body will remain in a state of coma and eventually die.¡± If it was a side effect that adversely affects only the already existing body, it doesn¡¯t matter. The only thing that matters is about Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s new body to be constructed in this world. Sethian decided to confirm one more thing. ¡°If the original body is afflicted with an incurable disease, will it be transferred when constructing the new body?¡± ¡°That will not be the case. The external physical characteristics are brought as they are, but the internal will be as clean as new.¡± ¡°What about the migration of the soul? For some reason, he was able to leave or return to his original body at will, does that ability continue in the same way?¡± ¡°Yes¡­? No, if so, then that means that it can freely release the restraints of its mortal body while it is still alive.¡­. Hah¡­, What the hell is that soul¡­.¡± As Roa¡¯s words intermittently cut off due to awe, Sethian raised an eyebrow. Only then did Roa calm his heart and go on calmly. ¡°If that is true, the soul the prince met is clearly a ¡®living soul¡¯. Much more, it is a free soul that is not bound by physical restraint. If so, even if a new body is created and is settled, it will be possible for the soul to freely escape the body as before. Of course, it¡¯s connected to the newly created body, so it¡¯ll be the only place it¡¯ll return to. Because the originally existing body will die sooner or later.¡± The magic that Roa had told seemed to reflect exactly what Sethian wanted. He can¡¯t believe that he can make a healthy body for Yi-Gyeol, and he can also use his current ability even after entering it. However, Sethian doesn¡¯t think that there is magic as efficient as that. If it¡¯s that kind of magic, there must be a corresponding price. ¡°Tell me the success rate and its cost.¡± Roa, who pulled himself away at the clear and concise question, buried his back in the depths of the sofa. He looked happy for some reason. ¡°If it¡¯s a soul with a living body and not a dead soul, it will unconditionally succeed. It is a warm soul that has been alive and breathing until just now, so it has all the necessary information for the physical composition. As long as the soul is settled in the location where the magic has been prepared, it¡¯s done.¡± All that was needed to construct the body was information. The more it is, the more perfect information it is, and the more it can compose a body that is almost identical to the real thing. ¡°In order for the magic to be invoked, a great deal of mana and the vitality of the person who will settle the soul is needed. In particular, the cost that comes in exchange for maintaining the body¡­.¡± Roa, who had responded about the success rate without hesitation, suddenly vaguely spoke when it came to talking about the vitality of the master. ¡°Before answering, I would like to ask you one thing.¡± He folded his eyes into a half-moon and asked. ¡°What do you think of the owner of that soul?¡± ¡°Do I need to answer that just to hear the price?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not absolutely necessary, but if you answer me, it¡¯ll be easier for me to tell.¡± Sethian¡¯s brow twitched and wrinkled. He doesn¡¯t like the feeling that the sly owner of the tower in front of him was constantly testing him. ¡°¡­He¡¯s a likable guy with a useful ability. Does that answer your question?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Roa¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°In order to maintain the body, it must continuously be provided the vitality, or ¡®lifespan¡¯, that was needed to settle the soul. And in return, the provider is handing over their own vitality to the person, so of course, the life expectancy of that supplier will shorten.¡± Even when it was said that he had to give his life expectancy, Sethian didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Can¡¯t I just share all the vitality at once? Whether it¡¯s a year or 10.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Even though it looks the same, it is not a natural body, so there is a limit to the amount of vitality that can be stored.¡± Roa spoke with regret but did not hide the hint of surprise in his heart. Because no matter how you look at it, Sethian really doesn¡¯t seem to care that much about his own lifespan. ¡°The vitality supply will be depleted as time goes by, and eventually, it will become infinitely weaker as if it caught a disease. Then, when the vitality is exhausted, the body will not be able to withstand it and will die.¡± As for the price for maintaining the body, it was a method that Sethian did not like very much. It¡¯s much better to just revitalize it all at once, rather than to constantly look out after it just to revitalize it. ¡®No, isn¡¯t that much better?¡¯ He can use the method of regularly supplying vitality as an excuse to make him his slave. He can also just keep it in moderation and if he gets tired of him, he can just throw him away or kill him without having to leave him next to his side. Thinking about it that way, Sethian thought it wasn¡¯t that bad. It is absolutely satisfying to know that he is giving Yi-Gyeol a body and at the same time he is holding his lifeline.[2] After organizing his thoughts, Sethian asked about the way to supply vitality this time. ¡°In what way should the vitality be supplied?¡± ¡°Really¡­ Are you really planning to share your vitality?¡± Roa¡¯s eyes twinkled. Sethian was not hesitant even though distributing ¡®vigor¡¯ was never an easy matter to think about. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I have to do that to maintain the body?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but I actually thought that the Prince would step back.¡± To provide vitality was to cut off one¡¯s own lifespan and save the other person¡¯s life. He should¡¯ve known that the more he keeps them by his side and gives them life, the shorter his lifespan will be, but it seemed like nothing at all to him. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind your life expectancy being reduced?¡± Sethian raised one corner of his mouth slightly when he saw Roa pretending to be worried, unlike usual. ¡°Since when did you become so interested in other people¡¯s lifespan?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural since I don¡¯t know if I would be serving that person in the future, right?¡± Roa rose from the sofa with a teasing smile on his face. ¡°It is contained in the body fluid of the provider. There are several ways to supply it.¡± He went behind Sethian¡¯s back on the opposite sofa and whispered softly in his ear. ¡°You can cut your skin and give it by blood, by a deep kiss, or mix your bodies. It doesn¡¯t matter which way it is, as long as it absorbs bodily fluids.¡± CH 19 Roa looked at Sethian¡¯s face, expecting a change in expression. However, Sethian asked back instead for confirmation without making any fuss as if what he had just said was nothing to him. ¡°Will just that be enough?¡± On the contrary, Roa was the one who had a slightly surprised expression on his face because of Sethian¡¯s determination. ¡°Yees, because in the end it¡¯s all about vitality transmission through bodily fluids.¡± He wanted to see the 4th Prince¡¯s cold face shatter even a little. Roa erased his regretful look and composedly smiled. ¡°The magic I talked about is the highest level ¡®golden magic¡¯ among all golden arts. As you know, it is a magic that the prince cannot use in the meantime since it belongs to the golden arts category. What a shame.¡± ¡°Details of all golden magic should not be disclosed to anyone other than the emperor¡­. However, the owner of the tower himself is taking the initiative to break that rule.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. If found out, the whole tower will be in chaos.¡± Roa responded with a carefree smile, and sat down again on the opposite side of Sethian. ¡°I was still on the neutral side when the Prince came to see me today, but now that we¡¯ve finished talking, I¡¯d like to get on board somehow.¡± He expressed his intention actively and looked at Sethian with a look of anticipation. Sethian, who was facing him directly, did not show any change in expression. ¡°And your reason?¡± In an instant, Roa¡¯s face dyed with excitement at the short and stiff question. ¡°The golden magic I mentioned a while ago was created by the first owner of the tower, but it is a magic that has never been tried even if the owner of the tower has already changed countless times because there was no proper soul. However, the prince seems to know the perfect test subject for that magic.¡± Only then did Sethian¡¯s expression change. He made a displeased reaction, recalling the fact that wizards are a race that is more obsessed with research results than their own lives. ¡°You must have heard that I¡¯m not very interested in the throne.¡± ¡°Of course. Who among those who enters and leaves the Imperial Castle doesn¡¯t know that?¡± It¡¯s been rumored everywhere, but there are more people who don¡¯t believe it. Roa confided what he was thinking without any hesitation. ¡°In order to cast the golden magic, you need His Majesty the Emperor to act as the caster, and a wizard to bring the magic to completion. I¡¯d like to join you as the first wizard to succeed in the magic created by the first owner of the tower.¡± Roa¡¯s excited voice was brimming with desire for something. They said he was the most unselfish owner of the tower ever, so was he hiding this side of him all this time? Sethian stood up from his seat after silently staring into Roa¡¯s passionate eyes. ¡°My decision still hasn¡¯t changed. But I¡¯ll remember what you said.¡± Roa quickly chased after Sethian toward the door, and added in urgency. ¡°You also know it. Only those who wear the emperor¡¯s crown can use the golden arts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I know.¡± Sethian¡¯s hand grabbed the doorknob. ¡°But it¡¯s still not enough reason for me to put myself on that emperor¡¯s throne.¡± ¡°If so, then why did you study about golden magic like that? And what is that interest you¡¯ve shown in my story?¡± It felt like he was soaring through the sky but was suddenly shoved onto the ground. At Roa¡¯s heated voice, Sethian turned his head while holding the doorknob. His eyes contained a deadly force that Roa held his breath. Sethian, who made Roa¡¯s mouth shut with only his eyes, opened the door with an indifferent expression as if he had never done so. ¡°Remember everything we¡¯ve talked about today. I¡¯ll look for you again if I need you.¡± In the end, Roa politely sent Sethian off while trying his best to hide his dislikable face. After leaving the tower, Sethian got on his horse and reflected on his conversation with Roa while on his way to his castle. ¡°If the original body is afflicted with an incurable disease, will it be transferred when constructing the new body?¡± ¡°That will not be the case. The external physical characteristics are brought as they are, but the internal will be as clean as new.¡± According to Roa¡¯s words, just preparing a new body will make the incurable disease disappear. When that happens, he would be able to settle in the body without needing to wander in the state of soul, and move healthily as he had wished. ¡°If it¡¯s a soul with a living body and not a dead soul, it will unconditionally succeed. It is a warm soul that has been alive and breathing until just now, so it has all the necessary information for the physical composition. As long as the soul is settled in the location where the magic has been prepared, it¡¯s done.¡± As long as he guides Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul and activates the magic, he will immediately gain the body. As the owner of the tower guaranteed, there seemed to be no possibility that the physical connection would fail. He has found a way to tie Yi-Gyeol up without a doubt. But the problem is that he has to become an ¡®emperor¡¯ to use that magic. ¡®It¡¯s bothersome.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t like politics or economic administration, but he hates having to live a monotonous, boring life even more. Above all, Sethian knew himself well. He can never become a benevolent monarch. He¡¯ll probably become a tyrant at most. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t think about the throne itself at all, but a ghost who suddenly intervened in his life made his thoughts complicated. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± Sethian, who recited the exotic name aloud, endlessly weighed his value in his head, recalling him who he would meet again tomorrow. However, the next day, Yi-Gyeol did not come to visit Sethian. ??????? A small and stuffy room with frequent flickering lights. Yi-Gyeol was arduously sitting hard on the mat spread in the corner, moving his hands. A pile of discarded notes piled up. The faded ones were used to practice writing with weak hands, and some were tested for folding butterflies. After practice, he carefully wrote the sentences and carefully folded them to form a shape. The white butterflies made in this way gradually filled the glass jar where the artificial flowers were placed. He also did not forget to wipe the dirty and dusty glass jar clean with wet tissues. Before he knew it, the glass jar was filled with butterflies holding letters for his sister. Looking at it, his sister¡¯s face naturally came to his mind. ¡®Will she like it?¡¯ Honestly, he doesn¡¯t know. She was so happy and excited, running all over the place even after receiving just one of these things when she was young. However, the present Yi-Jin considers himself a burden and bothersome, so maybe she wouldn¡¯t like it that much. ¡®But this is all I can do for her.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t do anything like a real older brother, and even if he tried to say warm words, the first thought that would come to his mind was ¡®his condition¡¯. Shortly after becoming depressed, the next thing that came to his mind was Sethian¡¯s face. A gentle smile that wouldn¡¯t go away settled on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. A grateful person who needed him in an unfamiliar world. The only person who didn¡¯t sympathize or turn a blind eye after hearing what his life was like. A friendly person who always faces his invisible self clearly and gives him full attention. No one knows just how grateful he is to have met such a person. Maybe even if he dies, he¡¯ll never forget Sethian. As if the excitement of spring had arrived, Yi-Gyeol felt like his heart was warm and ticklish. ¡®Ah, I¡¯m overreacting too much.¡¯ The dark melancholy from before had disappeared without a trace on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s grinning face. Yi-Gyeol, who had been thinking of Sethian for a long time, looked at the clock and checked the time. It¡¯s already over half-past nine. Thinking that he had been awake for nearly two hours already made Yi-Gyeol nervous. ¡®I just need to hurry and give this¡­.¡¯ Tomorrow is the CSAT, so he has to deliver it today. He ditheringly picked up his phone, but his mother was too busy lately and couldn¡¯t charge it for two days now, so the battery was already drained. Thinking that it was too much of him to ask Yi-Jin to take the gift herself and interfere with her studies, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to remove the blanket and put his arms on the floor. While crawling on the floor, he clutched the glass bottle with the letters. After staggering a few times, he opened the door with difficulty. It was the moment he was about to cross the threshold looking at the living room which seems to be colder today. ¡°Ugh-!¡± The sudden prickly headache distorted his vision. Starting with that, his whole body shivered and his head began to ring. A familiar fear pierced him like lightning from head to toe. ¡®Already¡­!¡¯ Yi-Jin was right in the next room, so he just had to go a little further, but he couldn¡¯t resist the headache that came. With his teeth clenched, he swallowed his groan and went a little further. Then, he felt a shock as if someone was hitting the back of his head hard. ¡°Aargh!!¡± Unable to bear the shock that seemed to break his head, he groaned a little loudly. He wondered if he could hear footsteps from the next room, but then, Yi-Jin¡¯s door suddenly opened. ¡°Oppa!¡± Yi-Jin, who found Yi-Gyeol lying on the floor shaking and trembling, approached in surprise. Swallowing a groan and raising his head, Yi-Gyeol held out the glass jar with a forced smile as usual. In such situations, it was best to keep himself from moving even further, but the only thought in his mind was to deliver the glass bottle even if he acts like a fool, perhaps because of the shock of his head. Originally, he was going to tell her to do well on the exam himself, but that was not possible anymore. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to sleep and came out of bed!¡± Yi-Jin shouted in irritation and threw out the glass bottle that he held out without even looking at it. It was the day before the entrance exam, so she was sensitive, but it was also because she was scared to think that she was the only one left at home in this situation. Several butterflies popped out from the opening of the thrown glass bottle. Yi-Jin, who stood up to get her cell phone, stomped on them and passed, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice. Yi-Gyeol, who was groaning while his hands were wrapped around his head, fixed his gaze on the butterflies that were lying on the floor while enduring the headache. CH 20 ¡°Dad, where are you?! Oppa is having headaches again right now¡­!¡± The sound of Yi-Jin¡¯s urgent phone call seemed to hit his headache-filled head several times. The high-pitched sound of irritation and anxiety combined with the headache, and made Yi-Gyeol even more distressed. In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, as he held his head with both hands, he could see the few butterflies that had been trampled on mercilessly. It was completely crushed and twisted, and at first glance, you wouldn¡¯t even know that they were butterflies. At that moment, a mechanical sound of the door lock being released from the front door was heard. ¡°Yi-Gyeol-ah[1]!¡± A heavy voice approached, and the body that had been lying on the floor was lifted up. He saw his father with a tired look on his face. ¡°Eeurgh¡­!¡± ¡°Are you all right?! Let me look at you!¡± His father, who looked at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s pale complexion, said ¡®This won¡¯t do,¡¯ and embraced him. ¡°Yi-Jin-ah, get some outerwear for Yi-Gyeol, hurry!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± While Yi-Jin entered the room and packed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s clothes, his father called his mother, who was at work. When his mother didn¡¯t answer the phone, probably because she was busy working, his father contorted his face and spit out a short curse. His father, who received the coat from Yi-Jin and wrapped it around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulder, held his light body. Then he told Yi-Jin to prepare and follow him. Yi-Gyeol, who was lying in the back seat of his father¡¯s car and groaning, felt his mind getting distant from the headache. ¡°Aish, what the hell¡¯s this on the day before the college entrance exam!¡± ¡°Shut up, and just call your mother. If she doesn¡¯t answer, at least leave a message.¡± Hearing the conversation between Yi-Jin and his father, Yi-Gyeol tightly closed his eyes. He became a burden again. This isn¡¯t what he wanted to happen. ??????? It had been a day and 10 hours after Yi-Gyeol woke up. He knew it as soon as he looked up at the ceiling. It¡¯s the hospital and not their home. As soon as he realized that, his head throbbed as if an aftermath of the headache was left, and the back of his hand with the IV was burning as if it was on fire. He was lying in a daze thinking about what happened the previous day, and the nurse who belatedly came to check the remaining amount of drip found that he had woken up and contacted his father. An hour later, in a suit, he came to pick up Yi-Gyeol himself. After finishing the payment process, his father, who put Yi-Gyeol on the passenger seat, drove the car without saying a single word. Yi-Gyeol asked with a smile on his lips, while only rotating his eyes in the heavy atmosphere. ¡°Are you¡­going to work?¡± ¡°I already did, but I came out for a bit because I had to take you home. The manager¡¯s gonna say something again for sure.¡± The last words pierced his heart. It came as such great guilt that his father would hear criticisms at work just because of him. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His father turned speechless again. Instead, he sighed deeply and looked straight ahead. It was no less than a thorn cushion. He lowered his eyes, and habitually flicked his fingers weakly on his knees. If he didn¡¯t do this, he¡¯d feel like his mouth was blocked due to total paralysis. His father, who turned his head to change lanes, saw the hands on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lap constantly moving. As soon as he saw it, he crumpled his face and said in a loud voice. ¡°Don¡¯t move and stay still! Do you want to collapse again and go to the hospital?!¡± Surprised by the sudden shout, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulders shrank and his eyes trembled as his complexion became even paler. Before he knew it, his trembling fingers were stiff. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry.¡± He apologized again and bowed his head. He heard his father clicking his tongue next to him. ¡®It¡¯s my fault.¡¯ The headaches had already disappeared due to sufficient sleep, and such flickering hardly uses muscles to move. But even that must have been a concern for his father, who must have been surprised by his collapse, and it must have been difficult to run out like this in the middle of work. He muttered to himself several times. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m the problem. He shut his mouth tightly and pulled some strength out of his body. After that, he didn¡¯t turn his head or move his fingertips until he got home. He didn¡¯t want to do anything that would make his father even a little bit concerned. As he sat down playing dead and was holding his breath, they finally arrived in front of the house. His father held Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body without any words and climbed the stairs with difficulty. It happened to be a villa without an elevator, so they had to walk up to the third floor. His father¡¯s breathing gradually became harsher. He already feels sorry to go to the hospital regularly once every two weeks, but now he feels like he was guilty of death. After all, he had to go to the hospital again because he collapsed this time. He wanted to wipe the sweat off his father¡¯s forehead, but he stayed still for fear that he would get yelled at again if he moved. That was the least he could do to help. Upon arriving at the house, his dissatisfied mother only glanced at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face and went back into the kitchen. As he lowered his gaze without raising his face, he saw a cylindrical trash can near the wall. It was filled with something white mixed with some small pieces of garbage. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes shook finely. The white things in the trash can were the butterflies he had painstakingly folded. It has never been unfolded and some of them were crumpled mercilessly. As soon as he saw it, his vision immediately blurred. He treated himself coldly, saying, ¡®Wake up, it¡¯s your fault, so don¡¯t dare cry like a child.¡¯ When he got back to his room, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep right away. His mother sighed deeply and set the table for him, but the food wouldn¡¯t go down his throat. He feels like if he forces everything in, it would all come out. As he barely ate any rice and left it behind, the nagging of his mother¡¯s pains ensued. She also said, ¡®Are you protesting because we¡¯re not taking good care of you?¡¯ and ¡®If you eat like this and something goes wrong, everyone will blame it on themselves again.¡¯ She even shed tears and choked up, and said she was sad that he kept making them a mean person when they were all doing their best. All Yi-Gyeol could do was apologize. He couldn¡¯t do anything but that. Every time he said he was sorry, he felt like a thin string somewhere deep down there was scratching painfully. He doesn¡¯t know what that string is, but it felt like something big would collapse if it ever broke. He was barely holding on to the string when he heard the door open. Beyond the wide-open door, Yi-Jin wearing a school uniform could be seen. As he lifted his head to greet her brightly while calming down his gloomy expression, Yi-Jin¡¯s face, who met his eyes, wrinkled as if in anger. Yi-Jin threw the bag she was carrying on her back and strode towards Yi-Gyeol, who was lying in the room. Her momentum was so fierce that it felt like she was going to step on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head. ¡°You¡­arrived?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Without answering, Yi-Jin stared at Yi-Gyeol with her face contorted. The atmosphere was so bad that he forced himself to smile while rolling his eyes, thinking about what to do. ¡°Did you do well on the exam yesterday? You¡¯ve worked hard. I should¡¯ve told you to do well on your exams¡­.¡± The night before yesterday, the day before the college entrance exam, he collapsed just before he could tell her to do well on the test. The fact that he couldn¡¯t say a word of encouragement properly brought Yi-Gyeol a great sense of shame. He couldn¡¯t even make eye contact properly because he felt really sorry, but then he heard Yi-Jin¡¯s sharp voice. ¡°Wow, Oppa. How can you act so easygoing? Did I do well on the college entrance exam?! Are you kidding me?!¡± When he opened his eyes wide in surprise at the venomous words, he saw Yi-Jin¡¯s fierce eyes watering. ¡°I ruined the college entrance exam because of you Oppa. You broke the rhythm of my review the day before the test, and it was already past midnight when I came back from the hospital. Even then, I tried to hurry to see even one more letter, but what can I do when I took the test in the worst condition.¡± Yi-Jin¡¯s behavior of blaming everything on Yi-Gyeol was a bit unfair, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. He knew how important the CSAT exam was to her, and it was he who broke her flow. ¡°I cried a lot when I got home. I messed up every subject to the point that I don¡¯t even think about checking the scores. Now I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to go to the university I wanted. How are you going to compensate for this? What would you do? I¡¯m about to retake the college entrance exam because of you, now what are you going to do?!¡± Yi-Jin¡¯s grating voice pierced his heart. ¡°You may as well be useless, but you shouldn¡¯t be a hindrance. Are you trying to keep me from going to college? Do you hate it that much? Huh? Are you trying to make me not go because Oppa was stuck here even though you got accepted into a good university?¡± ¡°No¡­, That¡¯s not it¡­.¡± That wasn¡¯t true. Instead of him, he actually wanted her to go to a good university and have a fun college life. Yi-Gyeol raised his voice as if he had not heard Yi-Jin¡¯s small allegations. ¡°Why are you trying to ruin my life just because your life is ruined?!¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not!¡± Unable to endure any longer, Yi-Gyeol yelled loudly and scrunched his eyes. Tears quickly filled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it to turn out that way¡­. I¡­ Yi-Jin-ah, I really just want to tell you to do well¡­ I just want to encourage you¡­.¡± ¡°Do well? Yeah, I would¡¯ve done well if it weren¡¯t because of you, Oppa.¡± Yi-Jin put Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face into her angry, watery eyes and murmured as if grinding her teeth. ¡°Can¡¯t you see yourself right now? Just who is encouraging who.¡± After saying those words, Yi-Jin ran out of the room. The door closed with a loud bang as if to show her anger. CH 21 It was only after the room was filled with silence that a groan-like cry came out through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s teeth. Tears streamed endlessly from his closed eyes. An uncontrollable sense of shame and guilt overtook him. In his head, all of Yi-Jin¡¯s words played back one after another without missing a single word. The string deep inside him ripped and ripped, again and again. Dad, Mom, Yi-Jin. The bright faces of the three people who were the only ones by his side were getting darker, more exhausted, and angrier as the days went by. The more he thought of their faces, the more dangerous the string inside him seemed as if it would break off at any moment. The butterflies that were trampled and abandoned in the trash came to his mind. One of them seemed to be himself. A tattered useless piece of paper. A faded butterfly abandoned without a word of encouragement. There was no way to stop the negative thoughts that came like crazy to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind. The low-lying depression, which had already grown beyond his control, endlessly lowered Yi-Gyeol into an infinite abyss. The string that had been barely holding on from deep down inside him ¡®snap¡¯, the sound of it being cut was heard. ??????? Yi-Gyeol closed his eyes hoping he¡¯ll never wake up. Usually, the OOBE phenomenon was possible when you fell asleep hoping for it, so he didn¡¯t wish it on purpose. He hoped that he would fall asleep deeply like this and did not think about anything else. He felt his body floating. He instinctively knew it was the sign of his soul withdrawing from his body, but he deliberately didn¡¯t open his eyes. Today, no, he doesn¡¯t want to move anymore. However, his soul left his body at will. He tried to go back in and sleep, but that didn¡¯t work for some reason. Therefore, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to sit still in his room and look at his body. He had a skinny skeleton-like face. The tightly closed eyes were still moist with tears and the pale complexion was comparable to a corpse. A faint sound of breath escaped through the bloodless lips, which were white all over. ¡®Really ugly.¡¯ He watched his body and weakly mocked himself. He wasn¡¯t really skinny from the beginning. In the past, he had a pretty good physique, and he often enjoyed exercising. When he had Rostov Syndrome and could only stay awake for two hours a day, he initially devoted all of that time to eating and exercising. The hospital also said that by doing that, it would be possible to minimize weight loss and cover nutrients. When he was still able to move, he tried to be as active as possible without overdoing it. However, he had to wake up three times in time for the meals, ate in a hurry, and had to fall asleep immediately after a short workout, so he often missed the time because he couldn¡¯t adapt to it. Thanks to this, in the early days, he had to visit the hospital frequently because of terrible headaches due to activities that lasted over two hours. Later, he skipped breakfast, eating only lunch and dinner, and stayed up twice for an hour each. Being drunk on sleep, he had no choice but to gradually decrease the amount of activity even during waking hours. Then one day, because of the huge amount of hospital bills, not only his father but also his mother started going to work in the evening. Yi-Jin, who is a junior high school student, and himself were the only ones at home, but because of her brother who slept for a long time, the time she spent alone quietly until late at night by herself increased. As a result, at some point, Yi-Jin started to distance herself from him. She acted indifferently when he called her, and seemed annoyed and bothered if he said something long. It was around that time that his body started getting sick. As his father and mother were at a level where they only slept for almost only a while at home, Yi-Gyeol often missed meals and slept for a long time, and as this continued, he lost weight and lost muscles. As for the activities, excluding meals, it was only a few dozen minutes, so it wasn¡¯t very helpful. Seeing Yi-Gyeol lose weight, his mother somehow took care of his dinner, but in reality, that meal became his only meal of the day because his body was not moving properly. The body, once it started coming apart, quickly dried up. Not only did his body stop moving properly, but it also dried up so rapidly that it would not be strange to die at any time. It was easy to see why people with Rostov Syndrome were all left with nothing but bones. ¡®You¡¯re holding on quite well.¡¯ It was as if he was seeing something that had nothing to do with him. ¡®If I don¡¯t wake up like this, will I die?¡¯ He smiled bitterly as he asked himself that. He wishes he could die easily and comfortably. ¡®A useless bastard like me should be gone¡­.¡¯ As he was staring at his body with a burning feeling inside, something golden suddenly popped out. -¡­You¡¯re even coming inside the house now? A golden butterfly flapped its wings in front of him. Whenever that happened, beautiful golden powder fell into small pieces and scattered into the air. -Did you come to pick me up? It was the golden butterfly that was always waits in front of his house and never came in. Today, for some reason, it came into the room and stopped in front of him flying. As if it¡¯s covering his skeleton-like body with its own tiny body, and persuading him to go. -I don¡¯t want to go¡­. He muttered sadly. Sethian¡¯s face came to his mind, but what his family showed him that day was clearer. -I¡­ I¡¯d rather just stay like this¡­. Even in the soul state, he¡¯s just a useless person. He couldn¡¯t hug anyone in his family, and he couldn¡¯t even say a word. He was an incompetent baggage whose only wish was for them to remain loving him even just a little. Then, the normally quiet butterfly flapped its wings unusually wild. It spun around in place and flew in a large circle. Then it kept pacing, going to the door and coming back again and again. It was clear that it was persuading him to leave. Yi-Gyeol, who was quietly watching the scene, had no choice but to head to the door. Looking at the butterfly, Sethian¡¯s face came to his mind more clearly. Since he was the only person Yi-Gyeol has helped, it should be okay to at least say goodbye to him, right? Sethian is a strong and great person, so he probably really doesn¡¯t need any help from him, but he thought it might be okay to say that he was also useful sometimes. -I¡¯ll just¡­ Say goodbye and come back. After saying that he was glad to meet him, and that he had a great time when he was with him, he¡¯ll leave a short goodbye and come back. It would only bother him to be with a lump of baggage like himself, and he also doesn¡¯t know how to do anything to help him. ¡®What would Seth say?¡¯ He was sharp and scary at first, but when he thought about the time they spent together, he realized that he was a warm person. Whenever they meet, he makes time for him and listens to all his stories. He also answered anything he was curious about in his world and spoke freely as if he was actually next to him, whether there were people or not. Occasionally, even if the knights or servants by his side gave strange glances, he didn¡¯t seem to care at all. On the contrary, whenever Yi-Gyeol keeps his mouth shut while looking around, he will ask him why he¡¯s keeping quiet just because of people who he couldn¡¯t even have a conversation with and told him to speak comfortably at any time. He guessed that¡¯s why he keeps thinking about Sethian. He looks the coldest among the people he met, but he is the sweetest and kindest person to himself.[1] His father, mother, and younger sister. No matter how much he looks at their faces, they seem cold, and only Sethian seems to be the only one who feels warm. Yi-Gyeol followed the golden butterfly outside as he recalled Sethian slightly raising the corners of his mouth or bending the corners of his eyes. He¡¯s been waking up in the evening and falling asleep at night recently, so it¡¯s dark outside every time he goes out. But now, it was daytime, so there were more people coming and going than at night. Seeing a white butterfly flying through the crowd from time to time made Yi-Gyeol feel sad one more time. The pile of butterflies in the trash can, which had been fading thanks to Sethian, came to mind again. Even though he was in the soul state, he held back his tears and looked only at the golden butterfly. It was for the last time he¡¯s meeting him, so he doesn¡¯t want his feelings to be revealed to Sethian for nothing. Maybe he¡¯ll say goodbye in his usual dry way of speaking and that¡¯s the end of everything, but still, he wanted to smile in front of him. He doesn¡¯t want to force himself to smile but instead does it because he likes to. Just as he was thinking about what to say when he met Sethian, the golden butterfly reached the mysterious alley. He thought he could remember the way because it was broad daylight, but quit in the end. It was a road that he doesn¡¯t have to memorize since he¡¯ll never pass here again, and maybe this could be the last time that he¡¯ll go out of his body. He only purposely followed the butterfly today in order to not leave any regrets. The place where the butterfly stopped was still a dead end. He originally knew it as a wall covered in darkness, but now he could see that it is just an old stone wall with painted graffiti. There were long blooms of irises beneath it, which might have been planted by someone. It was a flower that only bloomed around spring, but strangely, it was blooming brightly until now in mid-November. Seeing the purple petals reminded him of Sethian again. If he had known earlier, he would have told him that he saw flowers with the same color as his hair when crossing the dimension. With such useless thoughts, he followed the butterfly through the wall. Soon, a familiar landscape appeared in front of his eyes, the same as it had ever been. CH 22 Clang-! The sound of weapons clashing resounded loudly in the spacious training hall of the Emerald Castle. ¡°Eugh!¡± Kirsty, who managed to fend off the heavy attack, was startled to see the tip of the sword that followed afterward. The attack was impossible to block, so he rolled on the floor in a momentary decision. Other knights were watching, but Kirsty didn¡¯t have enough time to think about that right now. Kirsty rolled on the floor with his sword in his hand and rolled to the side one more time when he saw his opponent¡¯s sword falling to his chest. The sword followed him as he rolled over the ground. It looked as if a bear was performing a rolling stunt. ¡°Ple-please wait, Your Highness! Uaagh!¡± Sethian still relentlessly slashed his sword at Kirsty, and attacked again and again, as if he hadn¡¯t heard him call. ¡°If you don¡¯t roll properly, you¡¯ll really get stabbed.¡± At the cold, merciless voice, Kirsty thought he was about to die. He tried to get up, rolling hard to get away somehow, but Sethian¡¯s quick attack did not allow it. These days, Sethian has been particularly edgy. His expression was not different from usual, so most people would not have known it, but Kirsty and Lenox, who had been assisting Sethian for a long time, quickly noticed just by looking at his eyes. And right now, Sethian¡¯s eyes were so deadly that even Kirsty, a war veteran, was terrified. ¡®So-Someone save me!¡¯ It was rare for Sethian to be so sensitive like this. It was definitely the first time in a long time since Zair crushed to death his beloved servant when he was young. ¡®What is it this time? Who touched the prince¡¯s nerves!¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know who it is, but once he finds out, he thought that he won¡¯t let that person go while grinding his teeth. Seeing that his Lord, who does not bat an eye for most things, is this edgy, the opponent must have caused him a great deal of irritation. ¡°Your Highness!¡± As Kirsty felt the limit in rolling, Lenox approached and called for Sethian. Thanks to this, the sword that was being fired at Kirsty stopped. ¡°You have to prepare for your departure now.¡± Even Lenox, who spoke to him, was somewhat cautious. Compared to Kirsty, who was drenched in sweat, Sethian was in a calm state with his breathing not even disturbed, like someone out for a morning walk. He threw the sparring weapon he was holding at Kirsty, who was just getting up, and headed for the castle without a word. The eyes of the knights who saw him off were all filled with awe. Lenox, who followed behind Sethian, looked at his broad back. Even though they were not facing each other, the feeling of pressure emanating from his back made Lenox nervous. ¡°Your Highness, is there perhaps something¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to be concerned about.¡± He cut off without hearing everything. Having said that, Lenox couldn¡¯t ask him any more questions. ¡®It would be much better if you could just tell me comfortably.¡¯ He knows that Sethian is hiding something from either himself or Kirsty. He doesn¡¯t know exactly what it is, but there has been a strange feeling since about a month ago. He was alone in the room but they would hear voices speaking, it¡¯s like he¡¯s calmly talking with himself on his own or he¡¯s talking with someone you can¡¯t see. Not only that, but he also suddenly gathered and started reading magic books, which he had been interested in for a while in the past and then quickly lost interest. Thinking about it that way, he wasn¡¯t usually weird. ¡®I don¡¯t know about anything else, but the conversation¡­. Are you really seeing ghosts?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t ask, but he thought it might be something like that. Even though he had never actually seen a ghost, the thought of something invisible talking to him made the hair all over his body stand up. Sethian, who entered the bath intending to wash off the dust, took off his coat and passed it to the waiting attendants. ¡°Make sure to catch one or two when they come this time if possible.¡± Lenox, who understood what Sethian meant, asked insinuatingly. ¡°They could commit suicide like last time.¡± ¡°Then find a guy who won¡¯t kill himself and put him in there.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± Lenox, who felt Sethian¡¯s sharpened tone for a moment, bowed his head and responded. He doesn¡¯t know who it would be, but he knew that the person who¡¯ll be captured in this situation wouldn¡¯t have a normal corpse afterward. Even the servants who couldn¡¯t understand their conversation were tensed by the heavy pressure that was emanating from Sethian. After taking off all his clothes, Sethian gestured for Lenox and all of the servants to go outside. As a member of the royal family, of course, it is only natural for the attendants to accompany and serve him with their best, but Sethian took it for granted from an early age to stay away from such things for his safety. The Empress, who was said to be unable to bear children, managed to get pregnant but died as soon as she gave birth to Sethian. It was a time when there were already three princes, and Sethian, who became the first heir to the throne immediately after birth, has been under constant threat of assassination since she was a baby. If it hadn¡¯t been for the protection of Antoine, the empress¡¯ younger brother and the authoritative Marquis at the time, he would have died before he was over the age of 10. Because of the thought that he should protect his body, he has been cultivating it regardless of whether it is martial arts, erudition, caution, or sense. He had to judge and solve most things on his own, and he couldn¡¯t trust others. Even if they are intertwined with interests, there is no law that prevents them from creating new connections with others, so even if he somehow did, he couldn¡¯t trust them fully. ¡®There¡¯s no human being who can be completely trusted.¡¯ Everyone is driven by interest. Such false words as trust are never reliable. As soon as he thought of that, he remembered what Yi-Gyeol had said. -I never cared about that agreement, I came to see you because I am your friend. Joo Yi-Gyeol was the only person Sethian had ever met whom he didn¡¯t have a point of interest with. That¡¯s why, even if he suddenly stopped appearing as he does now, there¡¯s really nothing strange about it. That should be so, however. ¡®Something¡¯s strange.¡¯ Why are his nerves so on edge, and he somehow feels upset. Does he feel lonely because he doesn¡¯t have a mysterious conversation partner? Or is it because the interest that had just started to heat up suddenly disappeared? Either way, it is true that he somehow feels unpleasant. Even the fact that he doesn¡¯t have the upper hand is enough to make him feel this way. He dipped himself in the bathtub and swept his face with his wet hands. As the warm hands touched his cool face, he seemed to feel a little better. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that bastard Zair.¡¯ When Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t show up at the set time, the first thing he went to was Zair. He grabbed him by the neck and tried to sense what he was thinking, but he didn¡¯t seem to have met Yi-Gyeol. In the first place, even though he was the only one who knew the time when Yi-Gyeol appeared, there was no way Yi-Gyeol would have gone directly to Zair¡¯s castle and not to the Emerald Castle. ¡®Joo Yi-Gyeol¡­.¡¯ It was only when he thought about what would happen if he didn¡¯t show up like this that he realized he was seriously acting weird. The golden magic that Roa was talking about even fluttered seductively in his mind. Then, all of a sudden, the center of the bathroom caught his attention. All there was was water vapor that filled the air, but strangely, he felt all his nerves heading edgily towards that place. There was definitely something that wasn¡¯t perceptible to humans there. Feeling strange, Sethian rose from his seat. The hot water reaching his pelvis obstructed the way, but Sethian continued walking without hesitation. The closer he got to that spot, the stronger he felt that something was there. It was a strange sensation, as if a pleasant coolness was caressing the back of his neck. The moment he almost reached that place, he promptly felt like that spot was shaking. Then, suddenly, something seemed to abruptly pass sideways. Obviously, nothing has changed, but the location of the point that attracted his nerves has changed. It seemed to stay still, but with each step he took closer, it also backed off little by little. Something invisible was looking at him. And it was responding to every move that he made. Convinced of it, Sethian stopped approaching the spot and stood still. Then, the wary point that retreated as it trembled also fixed. Sethian opened his mouth while looking at the place. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± The name that came out clearly echoed through the bathroom. Then the point that had stopped moved once again. Therefore, Sethian became sure. ¡°Answer me, Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± Not a sound was heard. Nevertheless, Sethian did not step down. ¡°I¡¯m calling you.¡± That point in the air reacted once more. However this time, it¡¯s not retreating but coming closer. It slowly, very slowly, came to Sethian. CH 23 -¡­How did you find out? Sethian heard a voice this time. He felt his stuffy chest and nerves that were lying on edge for the last few days finally soften. Still, for some reason, he didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me as soon as you got here?¡± The strange presence that stopped in front of him obviously had no intention of calling him. It just stared at him, and if he hadn¡¯t noticed, it would have disappeared without saying a word. -It just turned out that way¡­. It was a moderately bright and pleasant voice as usual. However, Sethian noticed the subtle tremors mixed in it. -You were taking a shower when I got here, uhm, and it¡¯s also embarrassing¡­. He doesn¡¯t think that¡¯s the case, but he can¡¯t properly figure it out because he doesn¡¯t have a body. If he was really in front of him, he would have caught it without missing a single thing. The angle of the eyebrows, the movement of the pupils, the trembling of the eyes, the heat on the cheeks, the shape of the lips, the voice that flows through them. Putting all together, he would have been able to figure out what state he was in. However, the only information he can get now is the voice he hears inside his head and his faint presence. ¡®How frustrating.¡¯ He has felt it occasionally before, but it¡¯s especially frustrating today. -Oh, right, quickly finish taking your bath. You¡¯re going to catch a cold if you stay like this for a long time. You are the sickly patient here, who are you worried about? ¡°Then you stay with me.¡± -Huh? He stretched out his hand towards the empty space. He wanted to touch the faintly lumped air, but his hands couldn¡¯t catch anything. He lowered his hand, which could only trace his presence, and approached the edge of the bath where he could lean on his back. He took a seat there first, sat down, and gestured towards the motionless presence. ¡°Come here.¡± He could feel the signs of Yi-Gyeol approaching. Then it really stopped as if it had settled next to him. ¡°Did something happen?¡± -Oh¡­, Uhm¡­. I came a little late, right? Again, there was trembling in his voice. If they had been face to face, he thought he would have had a bitter smile while avoiding his gaze. -Nothing special really happened¡­. ¡°Roughly calculating, you¡¯re approximately 38 hours late.¡± Sethian ran his wet hands across his hair. ¡°You can¡¯t have been awake in your world for that long, and even if you¡¯re asleep, it has a very big difference from your usual sleep time.¡± -¡­. Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t say anything. So it was even more frustrating. No matter how much he looks at it, it¡¯s clear that something happened. He is even trying to press down his usually chattering voice. He doesn¡¯t seem to know that it worries people even more. ¡®Worry?¡¯ Sethian¡¯s forehead slightly wrinkled by the word that unrealizingly came to mind. ¡®Him?¡¯ It was ridiculous. He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because other people have been worrying about him all his life, but he has never worried about anyone before. He was a person who always thought that having such useless sentiment was a waste of emotions and nerves. But such a person as himself is worried about Yi-Gyeol. As soon as he thought that, his mood turned sour again. It was extremely unpleasant that the other person could unilaterally block their connection. Sethian believes that all of these feelings were due to losing control over others for the first time in his life. ¡®I have to tie him up.¡¯ If he doesn¡¯t want to feel this way again. He had a sense of possessiveness that astonished even himself. Even the throne, which he was not so interested in even until just now, seemed that he could aim at it with extreme enthusiasm. ¡®But before that¡­.¡¯ He has to know what happened to Yi-Gyeol and what he¡¯s thinking. Sethian turned his gaze to look at the faint presence beside him. At first glance, it felt as if it had disappeared without a sound. ¡°Do you not want to tell me?¡± -¡­. It was certain there was something going on. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s seen Yi-Gyeol as quiet as he is now. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want to say, just say it.¡± Sethian waited patiently for him to speak. However, only the sound of water dripping from somewhere could be heard, and Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice was not heard at all. It was only after a long time that Yi-Gyeol, who had not said anything, finally made a sound. -I¡¯m so glad I met you when I first came here. Sethian felt something strange as he brooded over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words in his head. -You can hear my voice, you listen to my stories, and you even attentively treat me like a friend¡­. Thank you. Even though I can¡¯t do anything for you¡­! ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± Sethian cut off Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words in a low voice. ¡°What in the world are you doing right now?¡± A harsh voice came out. It¡¯s been a long time since he has been this emotional. -¡­I just want to say thank you¡­. ¡°If my guess for the reason of the greeting is correct, I don¡¯t intend to accept it.¡± -Seth¡­. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s trembling voice was heard. -I think it¡¯s going to be hard to come and go like this moving forward. ¡°Why?¡± You were fine coming up until now. You even came every day. -I just feel¡­so tired¡­. Sethian could feel Yi-Gyeol crying at his blurring words. -I tried to hold on, but it was so hard that I don¡¯t think I can do it anymore. Now, without even thinking of hiding it, Yi-Gyeol spoke in a weary voice. For some reason, the more he continued, the more Sethian felt his insides hurt and irritated. -I¡¯m useless and incompetent¡­. ¡°Why are you useless?¡± He felt something hot running down his throat. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me a lot of times.¡± -No, it¡¯s only you¡­, I was only helpful to you. Sethian felt that if things continue as it is, Yi-Gyeol would disappear just like this. Yi-Gyeol thinks that no one needs him, but it was different for Sethian. For Sethian, he was a special kind of interest and subject of study, and he was also the only person who helped him without asking anything in return. And like now, he was a person from another world who could unconsciously touch his various emotions. ¡®I won¡¯t let you disappear just like this.¡¯ After realizing that Yi-Gyeol had come to say goodbye, Sethian had no intention of letting him just go. ¡°Then can¡¯t you just keep on helping me? Was that being useless to you?¡± -¡­. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡± He saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence, who had stopped talking, shake slightly. Still, it seems to have caused quite as much confusion as he intended. Sethian rose from his seat. A strong muscular body with the heat of the bath was clearly exposed. ¡°If you really want to say goodbye, come back next time. I won¡¯t accept it right now.¡± Leaving those words behind, Sethian tried to leave the bathroom. -Seth¡­. Yi-Gyeol called to him in a trembling voice but Sethian didn¡¯t look back on purpose. -I¡¯m sorry. Are you¡­angry? He sounded much more frightened than usual. Still, Sethian did not let him off the hook. ¡°Come back, Joo Yi-Gyeol. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Leaving those words, Sethian left Yi-Gyeol alone in the bath. ??????? After changing into new clothes, Sethian went outside and ordered Lenox to follow him. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the owner of the tower before we depart. Get ready.¡± ¡°But if you do that, you won¡¯t have enough time to get to the Duke¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go on horseback too. It would be much faster than riding a carriage.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll pass it that way.¡± Hearing Lenox¡¯s answer, Sethian, who moved his feet, exuded a much more dangerous atmosphere than when he entered the bath. ¡®How dare you decide to die on your own?¡¯ He knew what kind of disease Yi-Gyeol was suffering from and how neglected he was in his home like a useless piece of garbage. He doesn¡¯t know if something happened in the meantime, but his self-esteem, which was already low, has hit rock bottom. Not only that, but seeing him come all the way here and say goodbye like that, it seems he was thinking of doing something extreme. ¡®There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let you.¡¯ Even though Sethian knew that he was not acting like his usual calm and cold self right now, he did not bother to adjust it. If he returns to his calm state, he thought he would lose Yi-Gyeol as he calculated this and that. ¡®I need to put him on a collar first.¡¯ After that, he¡¯ll extract the maximum interest and stimulation he can get from him. But for now, he had to get the initiative and hold the leash. Sethian looked out the window in the hallway and looked at the tall stone tower. He remembered Roa¡¯s face, the owner of the magic tower on top of it. ¡®It seems you¡¯ve won.¡¯ Sethian¡¯s eyes were disapproving, but he was stepping into the tower before long. ? CH 24 Trigger Warning! Yi-Gyeol, who woke up not long after Sethian was gone, felt tears welling up his eyes before he could even fully come to his senses. Unintentionally, he made Sethian angry. He seemed to be displeased that his self-esteem was markedly diminished. ¡®I would do the same if it was me. Me too, if Seth says that he¡¯s incompetent and useless¡­.¡¯ Thinking about it that way, Yi-Gyeol even thanked Seth for being angry. At least he didn¡¯t think of himself as incompetent. After lying still and regaining composure, Yi-Gyeol decided to think again calmly. He wondered if he was thinking too badly of himself. He thought it would be better to talk to his father or mother properly. As he was thinking about it, the door suddenly swung open and his mother came in. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± She usually brings something to eat, but today she came in empty-handed and took a seat next to him. His mother¡¯s face was particularly hard, and her eyes were fierce, so Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡°Have you heard what happened to Yi-Jin?¡± He heard about it, but he was very hurt by Yi-Jin, so just thinking about it made him heartbroken and frustrated. When his mother saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, she realized he had already heard the story and brought up what she had to say. ¡°We¡¯ll be sure once the report card comes out, but I think she¡¯ll have to retake the exam.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes fell, and the corners of his eyes trembled. Guilt rose in his somber eyes. ¡°He¡¯s sensitive right now, so stay still as if you¡¯re dead. Nothing good will happen if you get on her nerves.¡± The words ¡®as if you¡¯re dead¡¯ became another wound and stuck on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s heart. Even now, he already looks like he¡¯s dead, how can he be more? Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hands, which were covered with the blanket, weakly clenched. ¡°So why do you have to ruin the kid¡¯s exam by doing something you¡¯ve never done before? Do you know how angry your Dad was?¡± The sound of blame came out of his mother¡¯s mouth. ¡°Even though you can¡¯t encourage your sister to do well on her exams, you shouldn¡¯t have interrupted her. You didn¡¯t do that on purpose just because you couldn¡¯t go to college, did you? Or was it because you wanted attention since your mom and dad haven¡¯t been paying attention to you lately?¡± ¡°¡­No. How can I do that.¡± His mother¡¯s one-sided remarks brought sorrow to Yi-Gyeol. She¡¯s probably saying that because she¡¯s upset too, but he still thought it was too much. They didn¡¯t even ask how he could keep on smiling for five years. He just deliberately pretended to be okay so as not to cause concern. He still remembers the words of encouragement Yi-Jin gave when he took the CSAT. The contents of the letter she gave are still vivid to him, so he doesn¡¯t know how she could treat him like an older brother who intentionally ruined the future of his beloved younger sister. And knowing their family¡¯s situation, how can he crave the attention of his mother and father in such a way? ¡°Everyone is having a hard time because of you. If you can¡¯t be healthy, then please just quietly stay still, Yi-Gyeol-ah.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body twitched. His eyes shook aimlessly, but his mother sighed in disapproval as if she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Mom will go to the supermarket, so be patient even if you¡¯re hungry. I have to go before the mart closes.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, please be careful on your way.¡± Yi-Gyeol lowered his eyes and deliberately forced a smile on his face. His mother glanced at his smile once and left the room. Soon there was a faint sound of the door lock being opened. Yi-Gyeol removed the blanket that was covering his body. He crawled onto the floor with his weak arms, opened the door, and crossed the threshold. Before proceeding further, he checked the front door. There were no shoes that could be seen in front of it. At home, there was only the shoe-less Yi-Gyeol. He crawled on the floor and headed toward the kitchen. It was already beyond his power, but he somehow managed to crawl and grab the sink with both hands. With his trembling arms, he struggled to lift himself up. Then, his weak legs slipped and he fell painfully to the floor. Still, Yi-Gyeol desperately tried to get up somehow. Yi-Gyeol, who managed to get up awkwardly, reached out and opened the cupboard. There were several dietary supplements in it, including a sleeping pill container that felt pretty distinct. Whenever he had to go to sleep after only two hours of being awake, someone in the house always brought it with water. Recently, his mother couldn¡¯t sleep well due to stress, so now they¡¯re using it together. Yi-Gyeol sat down as soon as he closed the cupboard, holding the sleeping pillbox in one hand. He fell several times and it felt like he was going to bruise his hips or a part of his legs, but it didn¡¯t matter. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, looking inside the sleeping pillbox, had no focus as if his soul had escaped. He was originally still thinking about possibilities, but it was as expected. He was nothing but a burden to his family, just like a poison that makes everyone in his family suffer. As expected, his existence itself was the problem. ¡®I should disappear quickly for the sake of my family.¡¯ In fact, they really must¡¯ve wanted to quickly get rid of this kind of burden that only wastes money and rice. ¡°Come back, Joo Yi-Gyeol. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± A small ripple occurred in his out-of-focus eyes when he remembered what Sethian had said. ¡®But that¡¯s the last time¡­. That¡¯s really the last time¡­.¡¯ Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand, holding the sleeping pillbox, trembled. ¡®Going to you and saying goodbye¡­ I really wish I still could¡­. Right¡­?¡¯ Yi-Gyeol poured sleeping pills into his hands. ??????? It had been quite some time since Sethian and his five knights set out for Duke Antoine¡¯s estate. The day was beginning to dim, and it looked like it would soon be covered with darkness. Sethian, who was riding his horse quickly, recalled the conversation he had with Roa in the tower. ¡­. ¡°Three days?! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Roa jumped up from his seat and shook his head. ¡°Why? Does it take a long time to prepare the magic?¡± When Sethian asked the question with a frown, Roa replied with a troubled face. ¡°It only takes one day to prepare the magic. But the problem is that this is golden magic.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°What do you mean so? Since it is a golden art, of course, you have to be the emperor¡­!¡± ¡°I looked it up and found that Prince Theodore used golden magic in the past.¡± At those words, Roa¡¯s mouth shut tight. Sethian, who was sitting on the sofa, looked up coldly at Roa. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that the Crown Prince can also use the golden arts?¡± ¡°Your Highness, that¡­.¡± Roa, who tried to open his mouth, hesitated, and finally sat down with a sigh. ¡°At that time, Crown Prince Theodore was already appointed as the next emperor. He was the only direct descendant of the emperor, so there were no imperial princes or imperial princesses to compete with. That¡¯s the reason.¡± ¡°The important thing is that the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯ used golden arts. Depending on the situation, there are cases in which the Crown Prince was regarded as an Emperor and used golden magic. In other words, it means that even the crown prince meets the conditions for the invocation of the golden arts.¡± ¡°But¡­! Phew¡­.¡± Roa, who was trying to dissuade him further, repeatedly closed and opened his mouth several times and eventually sighed deeply. ¡°All right, I concede. You can use golden magic even with just the position of the Crown Prince.¡± Roa raised his hands, and admitted bitterly. ¡°The magic stone in the emperor¡¯s crown is what you need to activate the golden arts. The magic stone also has the role of remembering its owner. Only the remembered master can draw its power. That¡¯s why the use of golden arts is limited to the emperor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also why the Crown Prince has the feasibility for the role.¡± Roa nodded passively. ¡°There is a brooch that¡¯s only given to the crown prince.¡± That was also the same thing that entered Sethian¡¯s mind. Thinking about it, the golden jewel that was stuck at the center of the emperor¡¯s crown was the same jewel in the brooch of the crown prince. It was practically impossible to become an emperor in three days. It was not a petty and minor position to be crowned in such an instant, and the royalties, who had the right to succeed to the throne, also had their eyes wide open for it. No matter how much Sethian has the first legitimacy to inherit the throne, it was absolutely impossible within that short period of time. But there¡¯s a possibility if you¡¯re the crown prince. The current emperor did not say that he would not establish a crown prince. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t install one. Even now, the nobles who value legitimacy or those who support Sethian often suggested that he be placed in that position. As long as the emperor approves, it will only take a day. And Sethian was aiming for that. ¡°But you should know, Your Highness. You must continue to be the owner of the magic stone to continue the prohibition. It¡¯s the same as either the emperor¡¯s or the crown prince¡¯s.¡± Roa slowly insinuated. ¡°If it worked out well and you used the golden art as the crown prince, you have to become an emperor to maintain it. When the golden magic is lifted, the experiment subject will also disappear.¡± CH 25 Recalling the conversation with Roa, Sethian held the reins tighter. He was able to confirm that he could use the golden magic as a crown prince. If so, he should first become the crown prince and hold onto Yi-Gyeol. If he does not like him, or if he gets tired of him, he can cut him off without even becoming an emperor. He¡¯ll be heartless once he runs out of interest anyway. He won¡¯t care a hair¡¯s breadth whether he dies or not. If he suffers from lack of vitality and disappears into the ground, he can also give up the seat of the crown prince as if nothing had happened. He decided not to think too hard and complicatedly. What he desires is Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s leash. That¡¯s all he needs. With that, he¡¯ll be able to take care of him as much as he wants. ??????? It was not until the night was completely over that Sethian, who reached the Duke of Antoine¡¯s estate, felt something strange and stopped his horse. The five knights that followed him also stopped one after another. ¡°They finally came.¡± Sethian muttered in a low voice and instructed Lenox who was next to him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother the Duke, so I¡¯ll take care of it here and go.¡± ¡°Yes. ¡­Please be careful.¡± As soon as Lenox answered, black smoke began to spread around them. Even though they were already aware of the enemy and were vigilant, several knights let out a surprised sound at the sudden smoke. All sounds soon disappeared. Sethian was the only one left where the smoke had gathered. ¡®So it¡¯s true that they use mobility magic.¡¯ All the knights that seemed to have been completely covered by the smoke disappeared with the horses. Perhaps they were teleported to where the enemy had designated them and were already in a rough battle with those who were awaiting them. Sethian got off his horse and looked around. Although there was moonlight, there was a limit in visibility because of the thick darkness. Taking out the sword he wore around his waist, Sethian suddenly struck the horse next to him. Hiiing-! The horse fell to the ground with a loud cry at the sudden attack. Sethian pulled his sword from the stomach of the fallen horse, then suddenly brandished it into the air. As a result, the horse¡¯s blood on the surface of the sword flew through the air. In an instant, he heard the sound of blood hitting something near him. Sethian noticed that it was heard from a distance much closer than the trees in sight, and slashed his sword at it. Something invisible, hidden by the darkness, swung around his sword. Schwing-! The sharp sword collided against the other¡¯s blade. Upon closer inspection, a man was standing at the place, whose even eyes could not be seen as if he had completely assimilated with the darkness. The dagger that blocked Sethian¡¯s sword, was not only the handle pitch-black but also the blade, so if you don¡¯t look closely, you wouldn¡¯t even know he was holding it. In other words, if wielded in the dark, the weapon could not be seen properly, and there was a risk of fatal injury. The opponent who slashed Sethian¡¯s sword upwards immediately jumped straight into his arms and swung the dagger in his right hand. Sethian quickly turned around and managed to avoid it, but as if the man had expected it, he immediately drew a new dagger with his left hand and aimed for his chest. Clang! It was a quick attack, but Sethian was still able to raise his blade and blocked it with difficulty. Then, one after another, he swung his sword like crazy. They had only briefly exchanged swords, but Sethian was able to roughly guess the skill of the opponent. Of course, there was also the groundwork of completing their investigation on them in advance. The man in front of him was one of Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guild Master Pair. He uses teleportation and two black daggers and has excellent stealth skills as an assassin. As proof of that, even at this moment as their swords collide, he could not feel the presence of the man in front of him. So, as soon as Sethian retreated into the darkness, he sprayed the horse¡¯s blood on the surrounding to create a sound and locate him then rushed at him. If he missed it even for a moment, it would be much more advantageous to the other side who was used to fighting in the dark. The other is probably in the middle of a battle where Lenox and the other knights were teleported. The pair used to deal with the target separately in this way when it was with a large number of people. In any case, the target is the priority, so once he is dealt with, they will immediately retreat. Clang-! A short spark flared from the place where the swords met. Sethian acknowledges the man in front of him. He doesn¡¯t know when it¡¯s daytime, but it was definitely difficult to deal with him in the thick darkness like now. The two men¡¯s skills themselves were comparable, but because the other side was acquainted with darkness, the situation was bound to be unfavorable. If he relaxed for even a little, Sethian felt like his neck was going to be cut. At that moment, the man stooped down and rolled silently, then stood behind Sethian¡¯s back. Taking advantage of Sethian¡¯s delayed response due to poor visibility, the man¡¯s sword was about to slash at the nape of his neck. In a fleeting moment. ¡°¡­!¡± The man¡¯s body suddenly floated in the air. Then he hung up straight under the thick branch of a tree in the dark. The man grabbed his own neck with one hand, and the other swung over his head and between the branches. Something invisible seemed to hang on the dagger, but that was it. His neck, glimpsed in the moonlight, was wrapped in something like a thin black string, and as the man struggled, the deeper it dug. The man twisted violently to escape and spilled a lot of blood from the neck where the string had dug. Shortly thereafter, the man¡¯s neck was cut cleanly. The body, which was floating in the air, rolled on the floor, separated from its head. Sethian lowered his sword and fixed his gaze on the tree on which the man was hung. Behind it, a man dressed in black just like the man he had just fought walked out. Seeing the man up close, he thought it would be appropriate to call him a boy because of his size. He seems to have some fine muscle, but a skinny image will really suit him. ¡®Is this Canael¡¯s Guild Master?¡¯ Sethian¡¯s eyes shone conspicuously. After learning that his siblings had hired Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guild Master Pair, Sethian used the bandits guild to find out where Canael¡¯s stronghold is and there he was able to meet a man who has formed a pair with the Guild Master. He was a strong man with a body bigger than Kirsty, and he said that Canael¡¯s guild master was a person who would not appear except in front of his client or target. He thought that having certain skills would be enough, but he didn¡¯t know that such a dwarf-like tiny man would be the guild master. The sound of horseshoes was heard in the distance. He expected it to be Lenox¡¯s party. The guild master¡¯s partner is also where they are, so they must¡¯ve also easily gotten rid of the opponent on that side. As such, the difference in skills between the first and second-in-command pairs was huge. Sethian scanned the man¡¯s body with his eyes. He was full of gaps in the surface as if he could be easily struck at any time. Except for the lack of presence, he looked nothing but an ordinary village boy. However, Sethian had no choice but to admit that he suddenly wound a string around a powerful person¡¯s neck in the middle of battle without a trace and silently killed him. As Lenox¡¯s party got closer, the guild master turned and walked into the darkness. ¡°Report the rest as soon as it¡¯s handled.¡± The man who nodded slowly at Sethian¡¯s words soon melted into the darkness and disappeared. ¡°Your Highness! Are you all right?!¡± When Lenox came near, he saw the horse lying on the ground and shouted in surprise. As soon as he jumped off the horse, he lit the lamps one by one to check if Sethian was all right, and took a long breath after a while. ¡°Have you secured the contract?¡± ¡°Yes, the person who came to our side brought it.¡± Recalling the giant man with a terrifying giant axe, Lenox held out the four parchments of papers he had given him. Sethian accepted it and confirmed the content. As expected, all four sheets are stamped with the seals of his siblings. ¡®These will be a good excuse later.¡¯ By nature, Canael¡¯s assassins are bound to hide their contracts thoroughly. In particular, the pair that attacked him this time hid it so deeply that it took a long time for the Guild Master Pair to search for it. Even so, it did arrive on time. Canael¡¯s contract is a little unusual. It was only natural to delete the contract after completing the request and receiving the reward, but the problem was when it was being carried out. To protect the client, the contract must be kept secretly in a place only known to them and immersed in a certain reagent just in case. It depends on the amount of reagent, but if it is not taken out within a limited time, the contract will completely melt and disappear. In other words, it was a device to prevent the contract from remaining even if the request failed. These four sheets of parchment, obtained before being oxidized by the reagent, were to be used very well when Sethian truly seeks the throne later. It will turn the whole empire upside-down when they discover that the people with the right to inherit the throne worked together to submit a request in Canael, and the target of the assassination is ¡®Sethian Wren Kinelly,¡¯ the legitimate first heir to the throne. Even nobles cannot openly make a fuss about the constant assassination threats on him, but it will be a clear problem when the client and the target of the assassination are clear such as this. ¡®They¡¯re digging their own graves.¡¯ Thanks to Yi-Gyeol, who shared the conversation of his siblings with him, he received quite good evidence. With four sheets of parchment in his arms, Sethian jumped on the horse given by the other knight. He seized the reins at once. ¡°The rest of the work will be taken care of by those Canael guys, so head straight to the territory.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With Sethian in the lead, the knights tailed after him. CH 26 ¡°O-ho, you must¡¯ve had a hard time.¡± A man in his early 50s with long silver hair tied together responded with shining eyes. That¡¯s what he said, but it was clear that he was enjoying the story that happened on the way, as he smirked and smiled. Sethian looked at the Duke of Adelan Lou Antoine, who was sitting opposite him moistening his lips with a cup of fragrant tea. His delayed arrival made him enjoy a deep night tea-time, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. Rather, he is intently listening to the story with a relaxed expression. ¡®Are you still treating me like a child?¡¯ Sethian thought that Adelan was the only one who dared to think of him as a child up to this day. The influence of the time when he took care of him as if he were his own son since he was young seems to still have an effect. ¡°So what do you plan to do next?¡± To Adelan¡¯s question, Sethian drew out an outspoken answer. ¡°I intend to threaten His Majesty as soon as I get back.¡± At that, Adelan burst out laughing out loud. Rather than scolding for his profanity of threatening the emperor and being disrespectful as a prince, he was rather delighted. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be easy. Do you have any good threats?¡± ¡°There is a male servant who His Majesty had relations with before he became bedridden. I gathered quite a lot just so you know.¡± Three years ago, the first thing Sethian, who had teamed up with the Bandits Guild, did was to plant them as servants throughout the Imperial Palace. Thanks to this, most of the secrets in the imperial palace were flowing into Sethian¡¯s ears. In fact, he only collected them and did not hastily detonate or use them in order to use them at the right timing like now. ¡°O-ho.¡± Adelan nodded as he stroked his silver bearded chin. ¡°From the perspective of His Majesty the Emperor, who was pursuing uprightness, the scandal of mixing his body with a servant would be very offensive.¡± ¡°Do you think I would just threaten him with such a scandal?¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes shone coldly. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor tends to cling to the slender hands of that servant. I¡¯m thinking of presenting that person to him as a gift so that he can put it in his eyes and kiss it as much as he wants, even on his sickbed. I¡¯m also considering other areas in case he is not satisfied.¡± Adelan shuddered at Sethian¡¯s carefree words and shrugged. Then he smiled with satisfaction. ¡°He¡¯ll definitely like that present.¡± Adelan, who let out a pleasant laugh, supported his chin and asked. ¡°So what are you going to ask for in return for that threat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite itching for the Crown Prince¡¯s seat.¡± At Sethian¡¯s words, the smile on Adelan¡¯s lips disappeared at once. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen me joke?¡± Adelan looked straight into Sethian¡¯s eyes and seemed to be trying to read something. However, Sethian¡¯s pale green eyes remained tranquil without a single ripple. ¡°I thought that the 4th Prince was not interested in the throne.¡± ¡°That still hasn¡¯t changed now.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of wanting the Crown Prince position?¡± In a situation where the Emperor was not known if he was still alive and well, or where it was unknown when he was going to stop breathing like now, the position of Crown Prince was not very meaningful. If he had sat on the position early, he would¡¯ve been treated as the next emperor and the nobles would have appointed him on their own, but even if he becomes the crown prince now, the nobles who are already supporting their respective imperial members would not move. Both the imperial family and nobles knew that the emperor¡¯s days were already numbered, so they wouldn¡¯t care about the Crown Prince who was established just before his death. Even though Sethian probably wouldn¡¯t know that, the Duke was surprised to hear that he would covet a place with only a fa?ade. Sethian¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly as if thinking about something. Adelan didn¡¯t miss it. ¡°There was something with the owner of the tower.¡± ¡°Is it the golden magic?¡± Seeing Adelan who had guessed it at once, Sethian nodded his head lightly. ¡°Yes, I need the magic stone on the crown prince¡¯s brooch.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Adelan looked at Sethian carefully. When he was young, Adelan, who was a regular at the Magic Tower, was interested in various types of golden magic, just like Sethian, who was influenced by him. It was like reading anecdotal-oriented thesis books one after another, but there was some golden magic that passed through his head. ¡°If the owner of the tower intervened, it must be a pretty interesting magic. May I ask what kind of magic it is?¡± Sethian, who received Adelan¡¯s persistent gaze, replied in a casual way. ¡°I just want to tie up a person.¡± Adelan thought that the ¡®person¡¯ Sethian was referring to would never pertain to an ordinary person. Perhaps the person he wants to bind is a soul without a body. And the golden magic he wants is the kind of magic that traps the soul in a body that is connected to him.[1] There is a huge difference between trying to keep a normal person by your side and trying to restrain a person who has only a soul into a created body. And not to anyone else too, but to Sethian. Adelan looked into Sethian¡¯s eyes as if he was thinking of someone, and sensed that a change had begun to take place in him. ??????? Crash-! ¡°What the hell is this!¡± Mendel, unable to contain his anger, smashed the table. As a result, four cups of tea poured out, but no one dissuaded him. ¡°What the hell are those sewer bastards doing?! Why is Sethian still wandering around unscathed! On top of that, what?! Appointment as the Crown Prince?! At this time?!¡± His face was burning with rage and he was about to burst. Mendel pounded his chest with his fist in frustration and looked at his siblings. All of them keep their mouths shut with no smile on their faces. While only Mendel¡¯s suffocating breathing could be heard, Raminez opened his mouth first. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that they failed, given that we can¡¯t reach the assassins. I don¡¯t know what kind of moves they used, but they survived quite well.¡± ¡°What about the contract?! What happened to the contract?!¡± At Mendel¡¯s worked-up question, Zair answered. ¡°I heard that Canael¡¯s assassins soak their contracts in reagents to oxidize in case they fail after a certain period of time. They hide it in places that only they know, so they won¡¯t be found out.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s a relief¡­.¡± Mendel, who didn¡¯t finish his sentence, brushed his bangs back and made an anxious expression. ¡°What the hell was father thinking? What¡¯s with the sudden Crown Prince appointment?¡± Suddenly delegating an imperial edict for the installation of a Crown Prince on his sickbed. And it was Sethian who was sealed as the Crown Prince. Thanks to that, they had gathered like this after having been at the crowning ceremony a little while ago. ¡°What will be the difference if he¡¯s installed as the Crown Prince at this time? After all, the aristocracy¡¯s power had already been divided for a long time, so there won¡¯t be any significant influence.¡± Mendel complained that the emperor was already bedridden but still added unnecessary work. Raminez and Elina also agree with him, saying that they do not understand the Emperor¡¯s intentions. But Zair, who had been quietly listening, was rolling his thoughts on the other side. ¡®Is it perhaps because of golden magic?¡¯ Everyone here knew that Sethian had been very interested in the golden arts recently. However, the three of them were not very interested in magic, so they had shallow knowledge in that area. Therefore, they¡¯ve never thought of the correlation between the Crown Prince¡¯s position and the golden arts. When it comes to research and interest in magic, Zair definitely has done more than Sethian, it could only be more and never less. Thus, by weaving the sudden Crown Prince¡¯s appointment and Sethian to magic, and to golden magic at that, he quickly came up with an answer. ¡®There must¡¯ve been a transaction based on the anecdote of Crown Prince Theodore. Though I¡¯m not sure why His Majesty complied with that bastard¡¯s request.¡¯ When he remembered Sethian who he met in the garden last time, his left fingers that were broken by him twinged in pain. The two neatly broken fingers were still tied to a bandage with a small splint. Thinking of Sethian with an unpleasant face, Zair suddenly opened his eyes wide in start. The golden butterfly that followed behind him, and Sethian, who called that butterfly his ¡®friend,¡¯ come to mind. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the soul magic from the golden arts category?¡¯ Thinking so, the two fists above his knees clenched. In fact, it was not for honor and power that he wanted to become an emperor and rule the country. It is only because of the ¡®Golden Arts¡¯ that only the emperor can use. ¡®It is also the golden art¡¯s soul magic that I wanted so badly, but Sethian¡­.¡¯ He was even angrier to think that the subject of the gold art was the beautiful golden butterfly of that time. Either the butterfly, or the golden arts, they were everything he covets. Zair¡¯s eyes quickly shone with violence. In his head, there was still a clear image of the golden butterfly following Sethian that day. CH 27 Everything proceeded in great haste. The assassination from Canael was prevented, the magic stone brooch was received at the same time the crown prince¡¯s inauguration was secured, and the underground of the tower was already prepared to implement the magic at any time. All that¡¯s left is to meet Yi-Gyeol and take him to the Magic Tower. Sitting alone on the sofa in the drawing-room, Sethian was waiting for Yi-Gyeol to come, stroking the golden brooch in his hand. Once they meet this time, he won¡¯t have to wait this helplessly in the future. The unrestricted Yi-Gyeol, would not be able to escape because of the leash that he made, and he also did not have to tremble because of the incurable disease he was suffering from. But he wasn¡¯t released from his anxiety yet. He thought about what he would do if he didn¡¯t come. He asked him to come back, but considering Y-Gyeol¡¯s condition the last time he saw him, Sethian was still dubious. ¡®He will come.¡¯ There is no way that he won¡¯t come back to meet his friend when he turned around like that. A soft-hearted man like him will at least come to say goodbye properly. Sethian¡¯s thoughts were right. While looking down at the brooch, he suddenly felt a strange presence and raised his head. It¡¯s not visible, but Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul was in the place where his nerves were particularly concentrated. ?Hello. It was a light but nevertheless heavy greeting. Anxiety rushed through Sethian. He rose from his seat and approached the presence at the door. ?I¡¯m sorry about last time. I¡¯ve been so depressed, haven¡¯t I? It was definitely a voice that was trying to sound bright. In that short period of time from waking up to going back to sleep, Sethian sensed that something else had happened to Yi-Gyeol. ¡°What happened?¡± ?Nothing really happened though? The voice of nonchalant response was somehow precarious. At the same time, he was frustrated because he couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what the problem was. As expected, there is a limit to finding out by voice alone because they are not facing each other. Sethian stretched his hand towards the faint presence. As if to caress him as he looked into his eyes. Nothing was felt at the end of his fingertips and nothing can be seen. Looking at the hand in front of him, Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t help but tremble in frustration. He couldn¡¯t even softly grab the hand that was stretched out to him even in the soul state. Unlike the body that cannot even move properly, he thought the soul was more free, but it was not at all. Yi-Gyeol swallowed the bitterness in his heart and looked at the light green eyes that doesn¡¯t reflect anything. ¡°What if I said I wanted to see you in person?¡± Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t know what to answer at Sethian¡¯s question. He thought it was understandable, but no matter how he thought about it, he doesn¡¯t want to show him his ugly self. ?It¡¯s impossible. He actually thinks it was fortunate that he was only a soul here. Sethian will just be disappointed if he sees Yi-Gyeol¡¯s true self. ¡°What if it¡¯s possible?¡± ?Even if it¡¯s possible¡­ I don¡¯t want to. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice shook without any confidence. Sethian is very attractive and handsome whichever way you look at him, but he, on the other hand, looks terribly skinny like a person who you wouldn¡¯t know when will die. ?I¡­ I¡¯m extremely ugly. Skinny as a skeleton and pale as a corpse. I don¡¯t look like a person. Yi-Gyeol felt a sense of shame as he said it himself. He¡¯s worried that Sethian will be disappointed in him just by saying this. However, Sethian didn¡¯t show any signs of wavering. ¡°Is that a reason why I shouldn¡¯t see you?¡± Yi-Gyeol was rather speechless at the too dignified question. He was even grateful to him for thinking that what he said couldn¡¯t be accepted as a reason. ¡®I¡¯m really blessed.¡¯ I¡¯m so happy to meet such a person. To be able to spend my last moments with a person like this. Yi-Gyeol felt his vision blurred and felt his return gradually becoming more frequent. He wondered if he should have endured for one more day before taking the medicine. At this rate, he was worried that he might not be able to say goodbye properly. If his vision suddenly gets dark, he really must¡¯ve died by then. He¡¯ll never open his eyes again, he¡¯ll never walk around like this again, he¡¯ll never see Sethian again. The thought made Yi-Gyeol tear up. If he had been in his body, he would¡¯ve been crying a long time ago. He thought it was fortunate that he didn¡¯t have tears because he was in the soul state, but he also wanted to cry his eyes out. When was the last time he cried out loud in sorrow? Since he got sick, it had become a habit of his to cry secretly in fear of disturbing his family. His vision was now blurry as if he was crying. This time it blurs for about three seconds and then comes back. Then the blurring of vision will repeat but for a few more seconds. ?¡­Why do you want to see me? He now didn¡¯t have enough time to say his goodbye, but he still asked. Why does Sethian want to see him? Was he wondering what the body of the soul he¡¯s always talking with looks like? However, Sethian¡¯s answer was more specific than he thought. ¡°I want to directly see you, touch you, and make eye contact with you.¡± Without even a body, Yi-Gyeol felt that one side of his chest seemed to ache. ¡°That¡¯s why. It doesn¡¯t matter what you look like.¡± Thank you. For saying that it doesn¡¯t matter what I look like. For looking at the true Joo Yi-Gyeol. His vision darkened. His head also feels like it¡¯s slowing down. ?That¡¯s right¡­. If you could see me¡­. I also think that¡¯s good. Trying to keep his consciousness for even a little bit, Yi-Gyeol tried to say whatever he could. Still, he felt like a fool in an instant. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s vision returned for a brief moment. At that time, Sethian¡¯s face was expressionless, but he somehow seemed happy. It was a relief that his words made him feel good. Soon, his eyes were overcast again. The only thing that could be distinguished was his black uniform and his faint purple hair. Feeling that there was not much time left, Yi-Gyeol organized his mind as much as possible and made up the words. ?Thank you for all this time. ¡­I¡¯m really glad¡­. As he spoke slowly, he felt Sethian¡¯s mood changing once again. He couldn¡¯t tell what kind of face he was making because his face was blurred, but at least he didn¡¯t seem to be smiling. ?Thanks to you¡­ Everyday¡­. Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t speak the next moment. It felt like the words suddenly jumbled up. Words strangely dragged on in his head like buffering music. He doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, and he doesn¡¯t know if he¡¯s making a word or a sound. His vision, which had been completely blurred, gradually became dull. Then it quickly darkened. He still hasn¡¯t finished speaking, but the world has already collapsed. Sethian¡¯s figure, which was vaguely visible in front of him, was now blackened and indistinguishable. All that was left was the speck of regret that he couldn¡¯t completely say his final goodbye. And the fear that hit him. Still, it was nice. That he was able to see Sethian, even for the last time¡­. ??????? Sethian, who was looking into the air, realized that something was wrong. Then Yi-Gyeol¡¯s faint presence shook as if trembling and soon began to scatter like it was shattered. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words seemed to stretch out, but nothing was heard afterward. If it weren¡¯t for the faint signs in front of him, he would¡¯ve thought that Yi-Gyeol had returned to his body. Sethian, watching Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence breaking down, hurriedly took out the glass bottle he received from Roa. At its palm-sized entrance, a blue magic stone was inserted like a lid, and a circular magic circle was drawn on the bottom of the glass bottle. ¡®This is an artifact that attracts and traps nearby souls. If the spirit doesn¡¯t want to follow you to the tower, put it inside.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what was going on, but it was clear that there was something wrong with Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul. He couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. As soon as the magic stone was pulled out, the magic circle inside the glass bottle started to emit blue light on its own. Shortly, it felt as if a few faint things left in the air were being sucked into it. After a while, he felt all the signs of Yi-Gyeol in the glass bottle. But even after gathering all the pieces that were falling apart, he didn¡¯t speak again. Sethian twisted his brows and blocked the entrance with the magic stone. Without further consideration, he immediately left the castle and headed for the tower. There were already two old wizards waiting for him at the entrance. They bowed down and led him underground. As he went down the long stairs, he checked the glass bottle several times to make sure the vial still had Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence. Upon reaching the basement, he saw some purple flowers blooming all over the floor. A smiling Roa stands in the middle of the dark purple flower garden with a subtle blue light. ¡°Please come in. I will start right away.¡± CH 28 A timely reminder to those friends out there. Sethian approached Roa and passed him the glass bottle. At the same time, he also checked whether Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence was still inside. Roa¡¯s eyes, which received the glass bottle, were stained with surprise. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a soul like this. A golden butterfly¡­.¡± Roa, like Zair, was also a person who could see souls from a long time ago, and his ability doubled while studying soul magic. ¡°But it¡¯s kind of weird. If the form is intact, it¡¯s still alive, but it isn¡¯t moving like it¡¯s dead.¡± After listening to Roa, Sethian felt an unpleasant sense of restlessness when he heard that Yi-Gyeol wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°The soul can be damaged if we drag time like this, so I¡¯ll start right away.¡± Turning around, Roa looked down at the long stone altar behind him. He took the glass bottle in the middle of the long stone plate filled with geometrical patterns and removed the magic stone covering it. Then he carefully tilted the bottle¡¯s opening to bring out the clearly visible golden butterfly. The golden butterfly, which was lying down as if it fainted, rolled on the surface according to the tilt of the bottle. The golden butterfly that flowed out through the opening lay in the middle of the cold stone plate and was not known if it¡¯ll ever get up. ¡°Your Highness, please excuse me for a while.¡± Roa, who asked for permission, took out a finger-length dagger. Having heard about the magic in advance, Sethian gave his finger without any hesitation. Blood flowed from his right index finger with a sting. ¡°Now come this way and put your two hands on the altar.¡± At Roa¡¯s words, Sethian stood at the center of the stone plate and touched the surface with his hands. He had even worn the Crown Prince¡¯s brooch on his chest along the way. He couldn¡¯t see butterflies like Roa, but he could feel Yi-Gyeol¡¯s unique faint presence. And it felt like it was going to break right away if it was shaken dangerously for even a bit. Roa, facing Sethian on the opposite side of the altar, put his hands on the stone plate, too. Soon, with his eyes closed, unknown spells flowed ceaselessly from his mouth. Accordingly, the floor finely vibrated, and the purple flowers changed into a stronger color as if they were responding to each other. Before Sethian knew it, the golden brooch worn by him also shed a brilliant light. It was then that a change took place in the stone plate. Each of the patterns written on the stone plate had a blue light. As the light filled the stone plate, a golden sphere began to form in the center. It gradually elongated into a circle as if it had fitted to the stone plate, and before you knew it, it had taken the shape of a person. Sethian frowned as he looked at the dazzlingly gleaming golden human form. Although it wasn¡¯t fully realized yet to the point of showing the skin, the approximate physique was already recognizable. -I¡­ I¡¯m extremely ugly. Skinny as a skeleton and pale as a corpse. I don¡¯t look like a person. As Yi-Gyeol said, a seriously thin body was being made, to the point where you¡¯ll think it might be a skeleton. Sethian knew it was because he was only lying in bed because of illness, but he still thought it was too much. After the body¡¯s form was established, the golden light gradually faded as if it was permeated into the body. As Yi-Gyeol had said himself, a pale and pure white skin was quickly revealed. After completely devouring the golden light, Sethian looked down at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. He was a dark-haired young man with a haggard complexion. There was certainly an exotic feeling that was different from the people of this world. ¡®This is Joo Yi-Gyeol¡­.¡¯ Surely, even though he had a poor body, he didn¡¯t feel like frowning or hating to look at him as Yi-Gyeol said. More than that, what came to his mind was that he should make him gain weight by feeding him a lot. When the body was completely finished, the blue light gradually faded from the brightly shining purple flowers. After that, the blue light of the stone plate also disappeared, and the golden color that was wrapped around Sethian¡¯s brooch also died down. Roa took a deep breath and drew back his hand. Then he smiled with a flushed face. ¡°It¡¯s done. Now you just need to add some vitality.¡± Sethian glanced over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body with his eyes. Perhaps because of the lack of vitality, the chest is not moving. ¡°Is he connected to me?¡± ¡°Certainly. We built him with the blood of the prince after all.¡± Sethian raised his right hand and looked down at his index finger. Until just a while ago, there was a cut that was dripping blood in it, but now only faint traces remain, and there are no bloodstains. He pulled out half of the sword he was wearing on his waist and cut his index finger on the blade again. Blood quickly dripped from the finger that had been cut a little deeper than before. With one hand, he pressed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s tightly closed lips. His dry lips, which is as cold as a corpse, opened without any difficulty. Sethian opened Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth like that and put his blood-flowing finger in it. He rubbed the tips of his blood-stained fingers on the cold, hardened tongue, and pressed them firmly. The blood naturally ran through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s tongue and flowed down his throat. A few seconds later. ¡°Heuu¡­!¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, which was nothing more than a corpse, suddenly shook violently. His chest rose high and moved as if breathing heavily, and the sound of trying to breathe was heard in his mouth. Sethian removed his finger from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth and lifted Yi-Gyeol¡¯s upper body with one arm. As he closely watched his chest rise and fall, a strange sensation resembling ecstasy came upon him. ¡°Euu¡­, Aah¡­.¡± As if learning how to breathe for the first time, Yi-Gyeol moved his mouth continuously. Sethian swept his back while holding such Yi-Gyeol in his arms. ¡°Breathe slowly. Slowly¡­.¡± Perhaps it was because of Sethian¡¯s gentle comfort, but Yi-Gyeol¡¯s roughly shaking chest and back gradually calmed down. Soon, his breathing became no different from ordinary people. ¡°Haa¡­, Haa¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, which had begun to warm up, was actually more fragile than what Sethian had seen with his eyes when he actually hugged it. He thought it would break down if he even applied a little force. His heart was beating, his breathing was also restored, and he had developed warmth, but he did not open his eyes. ¡°The soul is still adjusting to the new body at the moment so it will only open its eyes over some time.¡± Roa said as if he had read Sethian¡¯s thoughts. Only then did Sethian feel a little relieved and took off the cloak that was attached to his jacket and wrapped it around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. ¡°You have to be careful. He looks like even a little force can break his bones.¡± Roa, who said anxiously, looked at Yi-Gyeol in Sethian¡¯s arms. Perhaps because he is being hugged by Sethian who has solid muscles, although he is obviously not of short height, he looks even more scrawny and smaller. ¡°I think you will need to supply him with food and vitality at the same time for a while. If he says he¡¯s still hungry even after eating enough, it means he¡¯s lacking in vitality, so please fill it up.¡± It was like asking for a pet¡¯s meal, but from Roa¡¯s point of view, it was completely necessary, so he made a sincere request. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by the castle to check his condition periodically. It¡¯s a constructed body, so he will never get sick, but he still shouldn¡¯t overexert himself. This is my first time making a body based on a soul so there is a lack of data, that¡¯s why making him healthy is our priority.¡± Sethian nodded as if understanding Roa¡¯s words, then he fully embraced Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body that was surrounded by the cloak. It was a lot lighter than he thought, so he frowned. He can¡¯t believe Yi-Gyeol has been living in a different world with this kind of body. Yi-Gyeol, who was sleeping as if he were dead, rested his face on Sethian¡¯s shoulder and breathed weakly. His small breath and warmth brought an indescribable strange sensation to him. Several thoughts came to his mind as he was coming out with Yi-Gyeol in his arms. How will Yi-Gyeol react when he opens his eyes? Would he like the fact that his disease is gone? Or will he resent him for tying him to this world? Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s really important was to have him completely in his hands. He had finally become Yi-Gyeol¡¯s owner. ¡®Now the initiative in this relationship is mine.¡¯ ??????? It was nearly seven hours after Yi-Gyeol had occupied Sethian¡¯s bed when he woke up. When Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes, he blinked several times because his eyes were out of focus. As he looked up at the ceiling, which had gradually begun to fill his eyes, he felt something strange. He closed his eyes tightly and lowered his gaze. Some gold embroidery is placed on the thick duvet that covers up unto his neck. When he turned his head to the right, he saw a mysterious window with a luxurious window frame. And outside the window, he saw two large moons. It was hard to understand the situation at once. He wondered if he was dreaming, but all his senses were telling him that this was not a dream but reality. And the evidence of that is his body was not moving properly. ¡°This¡­ What the¡­. Eugh, cough, cough!¡± Yi-Gyeol, who opened his mouth to speak, felt his hoarse throat and coughed briefly. His throat was seriously sore as if he hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time. As he coughed briefly, someone suddenly approached him from the side. Surprised that someone was there, he turned his head and saw a familiar person approaching with a cup of water in one hand. Recognizing him, Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes wide in surprise. ¡°¡­Seth¡­?¡± CH 29 As he struggled to open his mouth and speak, Sethian, who was looking down, sat on the bed. He supported Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head with one hand and brought the glass of water he was holding to his lips. ¡°Drink up.¡± There was confusion as to why Sethian could touch him, but the water that came in front of him took priority. With the help of Sethian, Yi-Gyeol slowly drank water. It was only after the water got into his itchy throat that he realized he was thirsty. Having drank the entire glass of water, Yi-Gyeol blinked slowly as he felt Sethian¡¯s hand wiping the water around his lips. ¡°Right now, this¡­ Is this a dream¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Sethian placed the empty water cup on the side table, and properly covered the slightly disheveled blanket up to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol muttered as if he were still half asleep. ¡°We met in the bathhouse and I came back¡­, My dad brought me to the hospital¡­, No, I was talking to my mom¡­. What did we talk about again? Umm¡­.¡± Something was muddled up inside his mind. He tried to revive the memories by organizing them step by step as they come to mind. And one by one, the memories came back. ¡°Don¡¯t move and stay still! Do you want to collapse and go to the hospital again?!¡± It¡¯s been a long time since his father yelled so loudly. It always seemed like he was putting up with something, but that day it seems that he couldn¡¯t do it anymore. ¡°I ruined the college entrance exam because of you Oppa. You broke the rhythm of my review the day before the test, and it was already past midnight when I came back from the hospital. Even then, I tried to hurry to see even one more letter, but what can I do when I took the test in the worst condition?!¡± ¡°You may as well be useless, but you shouldn¡¯t be a hindrance. Are you trying to keep me from going to college? Do you hate it that much? Huh? Are you trying to make me not go because Oppa was stuck here even though you got accepted into a good university?¡± ¡°Why are you trying to ruin my life just because your life is ruined?!¡± ¡°Do well? Yeah, I would¡¯ve done well if it weren¡¯t for you, Oppa.¡± He was going to give her some encouragement, but that ended up ruining his sister. ¡°So why do you have to ruin the kid¡¯s exam by doing something you¡¯ve never done before? Do you know how angry your Dad was?¡± ¡°Even though you can¡¯t encourage your sister to do well on her exams, you shouldn¡¯t have interrupted her. You didn¡¯t do that on purpose just because you couldn¡¯t go to college, did you? Or was it because you wanted attention since your mom and dad haven¡¯t been paying attention to you lately?¡± ¡°Everyone is having a hard time because of you. If you can¡¯t be healthy, then please just quietly stay still, Yi-Gyeol-ah.¡± Everyone says they¡¯re having a hard time because of him. It¡¯s difficult because there¡¯s him. Because he¡¯s a baggage. Because he¡¯s a nuisance. Because he¡¯s just a useless person who only wastes money and rice. He was the problem. To his family, he was nothing more than a pest. His vision shook and tears welled up his eyes. When he remembered how he closed his eyes at the end of reality, he felt so unfair and sad that he could not bear it. His heart was pounding and his head was throbbing. His breathing became so heavy that he couldn¡¯t cope up with it. He felt blood rushing to his head. ¡°Wu, wuuh¡­.¡± ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± He could hear Sethian calling next to him, but the only thing in his head was the resentful voices of his family and their faces mixed with criticism. He wanted to die. He was so afraid of dying, but he still wanted to die. Why is he alive? If he had died as it was, he wouldn¡¯t have had to think about it again. He wished all the memories of being despised by his family would disappear. Tears completely covered his vision. Uncontrollable tears flowed down like crazy. Then, someone¡¯s face came into that blurry view. He couldn¡¯t tell because it was blurry, but he seemed to know who it was. ¡°Seth¡­. Hic¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sethian wiped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes with his thumb. Tears filled with warmth flowed continuously. Each time, Sethian also wiped away his tears tirelessly. ¡°I¡­, I tried to kill myself¡­.¡± At Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words, Sethian¡¯s hand stopped into a halt. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can endure any longer¡­. So I tried to kill myself¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I wanted to say goodbye to you right before I died¡­, I closed my eyes hoping for that¡­ I met you but¡­.¡± ¡°Who said you could die as you please?¡± Sethian¡¯s hands wrapped around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s cheeks, wrapped in two large hands, were excessively hot. ¡°Now you can¡¯t die even if you want to.¡± Sethian¡¯s face came close. His forehead touched lightly with Yi-Gyeol¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m the owner of your body. You can¡¯t die without my permission.¡± Yi-Gyeol was just shedding tears despite Sethian¡¯s mysterious words. ??????? Sethian looked down at Yi-Gyeol, who wept for a long time and fell asleep again. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can endure any longer¡­. So I tried to kill myself¡­.¡± Thinking about what Yi-Gyeol had said, Sethian¡¯s insides suddenly felt stuffy and his head heated up in fury. What the hell kind of treatment did he get for him to cry like that and even committed suicide? ¡®The guy who was so afraid of dying.¡¯ He was guessing that Yi-Gyeol was even contemplating suicide. But he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d really do it. If Yi-Gyeol hadn¡¯t come to see him at that moment, he might have really died. Even now, he gets a chilling sensation when he remembers the feeling of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s faint presence gradually shattering. It doesn¡¯t feel good to think that it was Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul dying. It wasn¡¯t really surprising that his family had driven Yi-Gyeol to death. He too had been threatened with assassination by his brothers from an early age until now, and his father, the emperor, neglected it even though he knew it from early on. He did not pay any attention to it, saying, ¡®He has to get through it himself.¡¯ Family was nothing short of strangers. On the contrary, they were even more vicious than others. It would be better to just forget about such people. Sethian looked down at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sleeping face for a long time. ??????? It was the next morning when Yi-Gyeol woke up again. ¡°This, did you use something like magic?¡± In the meantime, Sethian, who ordered Lenox to bring a bowl of warm porridge, was quietly admiring Yi-Gyeol, who was rolling his eyes carefully around. ¡°Seth?¡± He called his name with a slight frown. Sethian sat down on the bed and gave him the answer he was looking for. ¡°That¡¯s right. Based on your soul, we created a body identical to your original body. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t duplicate it upto the disease that you used to have.¡± Sethian pulled the duvet over the surprised Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulder. Perhaps because it was a body with only bones, Sethian keeps thinking that the part looked too dangerous if it sticks out of the blanket even a little. In the meantime, he saw Yi-Gyeol biting his lower lips with a gloomy face. ¡°Because of me¡­.¡± His face grew darker. ¡°Is it a habit?¡± Sethian¡¯s words penetrated Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ears. ¡°Thinking that everything is because of you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t a habit. Sethian expected that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s habit of talking was due to the experiences he had while he was ill and the environment around him. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you. I did it because I wanted to.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shaking eyes looked at Sethian. ¡°Why? You said that magic requires such a price. If it¡¯s magic that can even create a body, wouldn¡¯t that magic require tremendously?¡± The reason why he kept blaming himself was because of the ¡®cost¡¯ required for the magic. In fact, the cost of composing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body was actually one of the greatest among the ¡®costs of magic¡¯. Vitality, in other words, life expectancy. Magic that requires vitality as payment is by no means common. That¡¯s why such magic was designated as ¡®Golden Arts(½ûÐg)¡¯[1]. The fortunate thing is that humans in this world have a three to four times lifespan difference longer than the world where Yi-Gyeol came from and giving vitality once is actually only a few hours¡¯ worth of lifespan. However, if he told this to Yi-Gyeol, he would definitely be disappointed again. Sethian¡¯s sure he¡¯ll say something like he¡¯s a burden or a nuisance. That¡¯s why he decided to just say ¡®vitality¡¯ and not ¡®lifespan¡¯. ¡°All you need to maintain your body is my vitality. It¡¯s not a huge price.¡± ¡°However¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, why do you think I saved you by creating a body like this?¡± Yi-Gyeol kept his mouth shut and looked up at Sethian. Looking into his sharp eyes, it didn¡¯t seem like there was a comfortable reason such as ¡®because we¡¯re friends¡¯. As if to represent his thoughts, Sethian answered first. ¡°I saved you to use you.¡± CH 30 Yi-Gyeol slowly blinked his eyes at the unexpected words. ¡°Use? Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes sank low. ¡°There is a lot of useful information about the world you were in. Science or civilization, it will be quite helpful for us.¡± He must have understood, but Yi-Gyeol blinked as if he didn¡¯t know anything. No matter what Yi-Gyeol¡¯s state is, Sethian seemed to have no intention to stop talking. ¡°Also, I admire your ability to shift your soul. If we use it, we can easily get other people¡¯s information, and it¡¯s convenient for reconnaissance.¡± ¡°¡­It may not be possible with this body.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already confirmed with the owner of the tower that your ability will be retained.¡± Sethian thought that Yi-Gyeol might feel shocked or betrayed because he has a soft heart, but he dared to say it nonetheless. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I saved you just for a foolish reason such as affection?¡± Hearing Sethian¡¯s cold words, Yi-Gyeol felt something stinging in his heart. Maybe because he had opened up his heart too much, enough to think of Sethian as his friend. He clenched his fists that couldn¡¯t be clenched well under the blanket. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to be upset about.¡¯ Why else would he be needed? He should just be thankful instead for not being thrown away as a baggage. After repeating those words several times in his head, all that remained was a tranquility that seemed to have hypnotized himself. Yi-Gyeol decided to only focus on the fact that someone needed him. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± With a relaxed face, Yi-Gyeol smiled sincerely. ¡°Because I¡¯m a useful person to you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sethian looked down at his face, capturing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s reaction. It was an incomprehensible reaction. Normally, someone would have felt offended and repulsed by being used, but Yi-Gyeol seemed satisfied with the fact that he was worth being used by someone. ¡®Is this also the peculiarity of the human being called ¡®Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯?¡¯ He didn¡¯t tell Yi-Gyeol, that there was another reason for keeping him by his side. That his personal interest in the human being called ¡®Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem to cool down even for a little bit. Knock, knock- At the knock from outside, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s comfortable-looking shoulders quickly stiffened. ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve prepared the soup as you requested.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was on the bed, made a bewildered face for a moment and tried to dig deeper into the duvet. He couldn¡¯t get in properly when he tried to wriggle with his body that couldn¡¯t move well, but he was trying to hide a part of his face somehow.[1] After watching Yi-Gyeol as such, Sethian approached the entrance and opened the door directly himself instead of telling Lenox to come in. Lenox, who was holding a warm bowl of soup on a tray, was puzzled as Sethian opened the door and saw him coming out. Normally, he would have told him to come in and immediately leave. Coming out, Sethian took the tray directly from Lenox¡¯s hand. He was about to go in as it is, but Lenox quickly grabbed him with his words. ¡°Your Highness, who was that person you brought in with you earlier?¡± Sethian turned to look over his shoulder, holding the doorknob with one hand. Lenox was one of the few people who had witnessed Sethian bringing Yi-Gyeol to his bedroom. For Lenox, of course, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. So far, everyone around Sethian has been looked up, and Lenox was also the one in charge of investigating what kind of person they would be when a new person came along. In particular, there have been no new people around Sethian for a while, but it was really strange and suspicious that Sethian just let someone into his bedroom just like that. ¡®I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bed warmer¡­.¡¯ It is a guy who is too skinny and scrawny like a straw to think about in that way. Although the body could not be seen because he was surrounded by a cloak, he could tell just by looking at his bare ankles and exposed face. If he receives Sethian with such a body, he will break in one place or another. ¡°I told you recently that I¡¯m hearing a ghost¡¯s voice, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± It was still hard to believe for Lenox, but he had no choice but to believe it since it was said by Sethian, not anyone else. He occasionally saw him talking to something, and he said that he had heard the information about Canael¡¯s surprise attack this time especially from the ghost. Even before that, Sethian had noticed that there was an ambush, and it is said that even that was information from the ghost. ¡°That ghost is the guy inside.¡± ¡°¡­Yes? But isn¡¯t a ghost the soul of a dead person?¡± ¡°Not anymore. I gave him his body to live, so he¡¯s mine.¡± Lenox was confused by the sudden information. The boneless man in Sethian¡¯s bedroom was the ghost that had been helping them all this time, and Sethian created a body for him and settled his soul. It is simple to summarize, but in reality, when you look at the actual content, it is not simple or ordinary at all. Now he could see why Sethian got interested in the golden magic and visited the magic tower. ¡°For a while, I plan to keep him in my chamber and make it so that he can walk around.¡± ¡°Are you going to stay together in your chamber? Why don¡¯t you give him a new room instead?¡± Even so, it was not good to let him spend time with Sethian in one room. For Lenox, he had no choice but to be wary since he didn¡¯t know what kind of person the man in the bedroom was. However, from the beginning, Sethian was planning to put Yi-Gyeol in his room. He¡¯s so fragile that he doesn¡¯t know what will happen if he puts him in a place where his eyes couldn¡¯t reach at the right time. Furthermore, he also has to give him vitality several times a day. It was only natural to keep him by his side. ¡°From now on, guard together with Kirsty.¡± Instead of answering, Sethian, who left an order to set up Kirsty as an escort, entered the room. Lenox looked at the closed door and still had a puzzled expression on his face. Sethian came back to the bedroom and saw Yi-Gyeol covering half of his face with a blanket even while he was away. The eyes that were rolling around curved their corners toward him, relieved that Sethian was the only one who entered the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sethian pulled the stuffy-looking quilt down to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck and placed the tray with the soup on the side table. ¡°¡­Because I look really weird¡­.¡± His eyes are down and his voice is weak. Sethian, who was looking at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s darkened face, approached him and suddenly propped up his face. As the startled Yi-Gyeol blinked and stiffened, Sethian, who grabbed his head and chin respectively, persistently made eye contact with him in front of his nose. They were so close that they could feel each other¡¯s breath and Yi-Gyeol was embarrassed because it was such a blatant gaze. ¡°Seth¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find out which part does it look weird.¡± It was like saying, ¡®No matter how I look at it, there is nothing strange, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s strange¡¯. After looking into it for a while, Sethian pulled out his hand and raised Yi-Gyeol¡¯s upper body up to sit, then he placed his weak slender hand on the palm of his hand. Compared to his hand, it was about the size of a child¡¯s. ¡°How much can you move?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s fingers twitched a few times. But that was it. ¡°It¡¯s only this much right now. I feel like my body isn¡¯t moving any more than my old body.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you lack vitality. I¡¯ve only given your body vitality once, so if I fill it up frequently from now on, you¡¯ll be able to move soon.¡± Sethian gently put Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand on his leg and suddenly brought out his sword. Yi-Gyeol was just staring, wondering what Sethian was doing when suddenly, with that sword, he rolled up his arm and tried to cut it. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Yi-Gyeol screamed in surprise and shook. As a result, his body almost tilted over and collapsed, but Sethian managed to catch him. ¡°I¡¯m trying to give you vitality.¡± ¡°By hurting yourself?!¡± ¡°If I want to give you the vitality in my blood, it¡¯s only natural to do this.¡± ¡°Why should you get hurt because of me? Absolutely not.¡± Yi-Gyeol looked at Sethian with firm eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get hurt, and I don¡¯t want to drink your blood.¡± Sethian thought it was so like him, and so he pondered for a while what to do. Sethian put down the sword, supported Yi-Gyeol¡¯s back head with one hand, and pulled him closer. The two¡¯s faces quickly drew closer. ¡°Then I just need to supply vitality with something other than blood, right?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s possible, let¡¯s do it. Is there any other way?¡± Sethian recalled the various methods of supplying vitality that Roa had said. ¡°You can cut your skin and give it by blood, by a deep kiss, or mix your bodies. It doesn¡¯t matter which way it is, as long as it absorbs bodily fluids.¡± As Roa said, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a way to absorb body fluid. ¡®Perhaps the greater the fluid supply, the faster he will get better¡­.¡¯ Sethian spoke slowly as he looked at Yi-Gyeol, who was waiting for him to answer with a clueless face. ¡°It was said that it doesn¡¯t matter as long as you absorb body fluids.¡± ¡°Body fluid¡­.¡± Sethian¡¯s lips suddenly touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth who did not understand immediately what was said. Yi-Gyeol hardened with his eyes wide open at the sudden event and trembled at the feeling of a soft skin lightly rubbing his lips. ¡°There¡¯s something as light as this.¡± Sethian, who had only touched their lips slightly as if tickling, suddenly pried deeper. The hot flesh that protruded from between their intertwined lips filled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth in an instant. CH 31 ¡°Euup-!¡± Surprised, Yi-Gyeol exclaimed to dissuade him, but his tongue and lips were blocked by Sethian making him unable to do so. He wants to push him away, but there¡¯s nothing he can do since he can barely move his body. Sethian¡¯s tongue, which had delved into his mouth, scoured all over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth then wrapped around his small tongue and sucked it up at once. ¡°Heuup!¡± It was terrifying and itchy as it was licked up to the front of his throat at a powerful and fast pace. Yi-Gyeol felt like his mouth was going to be swallowed and chewed just like this. ¡®But why¡­.¡¯ Every part that Sethian¡¯s tongue touched was pleasantly tingling and ticklish. The saliva that spread in his mouth was also like sweet honey. It¡¯s his first time kissing, so he doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s usually like this or if he¡¯s just weird. Sethian¡¯s tongue, which was stirring inside his mouth, licked his upper and lower teeth evenly, then raised the tip of his tongue and slid it on the roof of his mouth as if drawing a picture. The sensation was so hair-raisingly good that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body trembled. If it wasn¡¯t for Sethian¡¯s arms that were wrapped around him, he would already have stumbled heavily. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes quickly became hazy, and a sweet muffled moan escaped his lips. Sethian was watching Yi-Gyeol¡¯s reactions one by one without even blinking his eyes. What he felt while kissing was that kissing Yi-Gyeol felt better than he thought. He didn¡¯t really want to do anything sexually, but there was something so stimulating that his thoughts changed as soon as their lips met. Perhaps Yi-Gyeol has little experience in this, so he only pushed his tongue out or ran away, but from some point on, he got drunk with the kiss and his eyes became undone, and the inside of his mouth felt strange. ¡®Is it the effect of vitality?¡¯ It is said that when you receive vitality, you will feel good or excited due to the activation of cells in your body, and Yi-Gyeol seemed to be in that state currently. Sethian thought that he would melt completely if they did a little more like this. Sethian removed his lips, then lightly licked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips with his tongue, who was panting violently as if he was out of breath. The slightly rough lips turned soft and lively by the glistening saliva. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Yi-Gyeol raised his eyebrows at Sethian¡¯s question and blinked, then breathed heavily. ¡°You¡­, With a¡­man¡­. Huu¡­.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°How, haa¡­, With¡­a man¡­ Kiss¡­.¡± ¡°Is kissing a guy a problem?¡± Looking at Sethian asking back casually, Yi-Gyeol made a look that he couldn¡¯t understand. To hell with vitality, but even though two men, the two of them to be exact, kissed each other, Sethian still looked so nonchalant that Yi-Gyeol was wondering how he could be so calm. To be honest, he liked the kiss so much that he almost lost his mind, but as Yi-Gyeol was born and raised in Korea, he couldn¡¯t easily accept the current situation. On the other hand, in Sethian¡¯s world, having a deep relationship between the same sex does not matter at all. The current emperor also had a man among his concubines, and Mendel, the first prince, also had a fianc¨¦ of the same sex. Sethian seated Yi-Gyeol properly, and wiped the saliva off from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips with his thumb. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, we can go back to drinking blood¡­.¡± ¡°No, uh, this¡­. I¡¯ll take it this way.¡± As Yi-Gyeol managed to grasp his still hazy mind and spoke, the corners of Sethian¡¯s lips rose slightly. ??????? Yi-Gyeol laid down on the bed again after finishing his meal, then he moved his hands under the blanket. Previously, he can only move with a slight twist of the fingers and his body, but he can now clench his fist albeit weakly. ¡®Is it really working?¡¯ The thought made Yi-Gyeol embarrassed. It¡¯s such a strange situation, like how he got stronger just because he was given a kiss.[1] He turned his head and looked towards the table a little further away. There, Sethian was sitting with his legs crossed and looking through the documents. Looking at the expressionless face and sharply drooping eyes, he remembered the kiss from before, and his face got red for no reason. Sethian¡¯s eyes, who had been paying attention to the documents, suddenly turned to this side and asked briefly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­No, nothing.¡± Perhaps he was bothered by his gaze, Sethian came over and sat down on the side of the bed. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep? You used to sleep for a long time before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to sleep like that anymore.¡± While Sethian¡¯s large, warm hands were tidying his messy hair pleasantly, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes touched the papers he was holding. It is filled with strange characters that make his head dizzy. ¡®Come to think of it, how can we communicate?¡¯ He realized it belatedly. In the soul state, he could understand foreign languages as well as Korean, but when he was inside his body, all he could hear was an unknown foreign language. ¡°Why are we able to communicate? I don¡¯t even know the letters here.¡± When he mumblingly asked, Sethian understood what he meant, and came up with his own assumptions. ¡°Your body is a body created with your soul as its main axis. Even if you couldn¡¯t write or master the characters, all the languages engraved on your soul must have been applied.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± He thought it¡¯s amazing, but then he realized it again. That he¡¯s in a new body, not the original one. He wiggled his hands under the blanket one more time. Although the range of movement of this body is smaller than that of the original one, because it was said that it would get better as it absorbed more vitality, he liked it much more than he did at the time when he was so desperate. Then, the hand that was moving gradually stopped slowly. Shadow overcast Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes as he recalled something. ¡°¡­My body over there must be dead, right?¡± Sethian looked at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face and was silent. Yi-Gyeol, wasn¡¯t actually expecting an answer, continued. ¡°Will everyone be sad, or¡­ Were they relieved?¡± He doesn¡¯t even know what he wants. If they¡¯re sad and crying while thinking of him, it will definitely break his heart. Wouldn¡¯t he crouch every day surrounded by guilt, saying he made them sad? If they¡¯re relieved¡­ He wonders if it¡¯s much better? Since he¡¯s the only one who has to go away. His family doesn¡¯t have to suffer anymore. The thought brought tears to his eyes again. Yi-Gyeol, who belatedly realized, turned his head and tried to raise his hand. He wanted to raise his hand to wipe away the tears in his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t move properly as if he was tied. ¡°Ah¡­, I don¡¯t usually cry this much, it¡¯s strange.¡± As he let out an awkward laugh, a warm hand touched the corner of his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in.¡± Instead of wiping away his tears, Sethian¡¯s one hand gently wrapped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s cheek. ¡°You¡¯ve already endured enough.¡± He was trying to hold back, but tears flowed endlessly as if those words were the trigger. Regardless of what his family thinks, his choice to commit suicide was because there¡¯s no more way left for him but to suffer. Even though he thinks that he shouldn¡¯t have done that, it was so heartbreaking to think that he would have made the same choice again anyway. There, he was stricken with an incurable disease that would make him sick for the rest of his life, both physically and mentally. He doesn¡¯t want to hurt anymore. ??????? Sethian, looking down at Yi-Gyeol, who was weeping quietly with his cheek in his hand, had every part of his face carved into his eyes. The forehead slightly crumpled with sadness, the eyelashes trembling with tears, the eyes blurred with water, the cheeks heated with heat, and the red lips with sobs and groans. When Joo Yi-Gyeol cries, his face becomes like this. It¡¯s a face he couldn¡¯t see when he was in the invisible soul state. A face that he can see because he¡¯s depending on him and is in his hands. It¡¯s a different feeling from when he first cried in this bedroom. When Yi-Gyeol talked about his body, he deliberately did not mention that his body could also be in the state of coma and may not have died. Because he¡¯s afraid he¡¯ll have some lingering feelings and go back to that world. ¡®You just barely got on my hands.¡¯ Out-of-body experience, knowledge of another world. That sort of thing didn¡¯t really matter to him. He just used the word ¡®use¡¯ to make him aware of the situation. The moment he was able to catch something that he couldn¡¯t catch, he tried to deal with it as he had been doing so far. When he was in the state of soul, they were in a condition where he couldn¡¯t do anything to him at his disposal, but now it was different. Now he can make eye contact with him, stroke his cheeks, and even kiss him. Tie him up if he wants to, cut him off anywhere if he displeases him, and gag his mouth if he¡¯s noisy. After all, it is the body he gave to him, and he cannot live without himself. He tried to deal with it like that, but the moment he actually met Joo Yi-Gyeol, he discovered he really couldn¡¯t do it. Whether physically or mentally, he felt like even the slightest mishandling will make him shatter into pieces. Look, wasn¡¯t he still desperately repressing himself right now? In this state, if he touched him even a little deeper, it was obvious that he would cry as if the world had collapsed. He might probably scream that it hurts so much. His current tiny and powerless appearance was the difference between heaven and earth from when he was flying bright and free in the state of soul. Thinking that he was concealing his appearance, he wanted to know every single detail of him. He wished there was nothing he didn¡¯t know about him. Strange. It¡¯s strange, Joo Yi-Gyeol. The more he knows, the more strange he is, and the more he knows, the more he wants to know about him. The expressions of the human Joo Yi-Gyeol, the words he speaks, his voice, his body temperature, everything about him makes him curious. Each one is new and interesting. Even this strange feeling that he gets through him. How long will the fascinating thing in front of him be able to give him this kind of interest? CH 32 After shedding tears, Yi-Gyeol fell into a deep sleep as if he¡¯s exhausted. But in fact, it was close to exhaustion because he couldn¡¯t stop shedding tears with his weak body, still Seth felt relieved that he cried enough to shake it all off. Sethian was lying in bed with Yi-Gyeol in his arms, and was still patting him on the back even though he was already asleep. It was the first time he tried to do it, but Adelan, who always rushed to put his young self to sleep in the past, did this often, and it certainly seemed to work. At that time, Adelan fell asleep before himself every time, so he wasn¡¯t really sure of the effect. To be honest, he didn¡¯t mean to lie in bed together with him on a bright afternoon and hug him so much to comfort him. It¡¯d be better if he could just fall asleep, but that¡¯s not the case, and he only shed tears, so Sethian worried that maybe he¡¯d cry until he ran out of breath. However, if he stops him from crying, he will feel sorry, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m causing trouble to him,¡¯ again. Then he will soon put up walls and put on a mask. Sethian stared at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sleeping face for a long time with him pillowing his arms. Even though it¡¯s been a while since tears stopped flowing down, the long eyelashes are still moist. Sethian didn¡¯t bother to wipe it off. The more he looks at him, the more strange he is. Except for his exotic and emaciated face, he doesn¡¯t look much different from a normal person, but strangely, he keeps catching Sethian¡¯s eyes. Even for Sethian, who has no standard of aesthetics for people, he is not attractive at all. Nevertheless, even the tears that dyed his eyelashes caught his attention. ¡®Fascinating.¡¯ It was also what he thought the most after meeting Joo Yi-Gyeol, and it was a word that came to mind only for him. This fascination could be said to be the source of his interest towards Joo Yi-Gyeol. Knock, knock- ¡°Prince, we have received a letter from Count Levant.¡± Hearing Lenox¡¯s voice from outside, Sethian told him to come in briefly. Perhaps because of his voice, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, who was in his arms, slightly twitched. When Sethian swept his back just in case he woke up, his eyes became calm once again. As soon as Lenox, who thought Sethian would be at his desk when he comes in, was about to look at him, he unexpectedly saw Sethian lying on the bed. It was the first time he had seen Sethian lying in bed at such an hour, so he was a little surprised and approached him quickly. ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s the¡­! Your Highness?¡± Belatedly, he realized that there was something in his arms. It was almost invisible because it was covered with Sethian¡¯s body and the blanket, but he could tell that it was a human being. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was in Sethian¡¯s arms, frowned and gave a small groan. At the same time, Sethian¡¯s forehead also frowned as if they were twins. ¡°Your¡­!¡± ¡°Lower your voice.¡± Even when he said that, his voice was very low. Sethian gently rubbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s frown on his forehead and stroked his hair as if to soothe him. The sound of breathing, which had almost been disturbed, spread evenly again. He barely managed to coax him to sleep, so he didn¡¯t want to wake him up without even recovering his physical strength. Lenox, who was speechless and stiff, felt a sense of incongruity at Sethian, who only turned his head and stared sharply at him. ¡°Letters to the table. Do you have more to say?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s none.¡± Even if he had something to say, he didn¡¯t think he should say it. Lenox placed the letter on the table with a hardened face and left the room under Sethian¡¯s glare. If there was even a slight delay, it seemed that he would come forward and kick him out by force. After Lenox came out of the room, he had a puzzled expression on his face for a while. His gaze was fixed on the tightly closed bedchamber door. ¡®It¡¯s not someone else but the prince¡­.¡¯ It was the first time Lenox had ever seen Sethian like that. He thought it would be strange that he¡¯d do something to a skinny young man, but who would¡¯ve expected that that young man would be lying in Sethian¡¯s arms in broad daylight like this. On top of that, the consideration of lowering his voice for fear that the young man would wake up seemed not to be the Prince Sethian he knew. Does he really like that young man so much? If that¡¯s the case, up to where? Lenox recalled Sethian¡¯s partners that he had seen. He has embraced beautiful women and has experience hugging men as well. They came here with the intention of assassination anyway, so after the relationship, they were all crushed and abandoned to the point of being unrecognizable, but their appearance and body were certainly attractive to Lenox. On the other hand, Yi-Gyeol was too shabby and poor compared to them. Just looking at his face, which had been held in Sethian¡¯s arms a while ago, it was so close to a corpse that at first glance you might think he was dead. ¡®Is it just a glimmer of entertainment, or¡­.¡¯ Lenox pondered on what he had seen again and questioned Sethian¡¯s actions. ??????? It was three days later that Yi-Gyeol was able to get out of bed on his own. It was hard to even lift a finger at first, but now he feels much more free than when he was last in Korea. He had to use a cane because his legs were wobbly, but he was able to approach the table in the room and have a cup of tea, and he could also stand by the window and look out for a short time. ¡®Amazing. I¡¯ve really improved.¡¯ With one hand holding a cane and the other on the wall, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, looking out the window, was as brilliant as the bright sunlight. If someone had brought him a mirror, he would have been surprised to see it himself. Yi-Gyeol looked out with a smile on his face and glanced at the training ground not far away. Although there was some distance, he was able to recognize the face to some extent with the naked eye. At the end of his gaze was Sethian, who was fighting some knights in comfortable clothes. Sethian and another knight, who were facing each other with a wooden sword, confront in the blink of an eye. Yi-Gyeol, who was watching, was so frightened that he tightly grabbed the cane without realizing it, but fortunately, the other knight quickly rolled the floor. On the other hand, Sethian stood with his wooden sword hanging down in a relaxed manner, as if nothing had happened. Then another knight bowed deeply and pointed his sword at him, but he too became the same as the person before him. ¡®So you¡¯re strong¡­.¡¯ That¡¯s what he originally thought when they first met but watching him fight like this, he realized that Sethian was really strong. Then, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face abruptly turned red. He remembered Sethian hugging and kissing him deeply before going there, saying he¡¯ll give him vitality. It was also due to his lack of strength, but Sethian¡¯s arms, which were hugging his waist, were definitely like solid stones. The tongue that was plundering his lips was so strong that it could not be pushed out, and the power of the big hand, which was holding the back of his head, made Yi-Gyeol unable to move at all. In addition to that, seeing him easily carry him around frequently, it was not an ordinary strength at all. Yi-Gyeol, who had been stroking his hot cheeks with one hand, opened his eyes wide, startled to see Sethian¡¯s opponent wielding a dreadful wooden sword. Sethian dodged it easily and knocked down his opponent with astonishing speed. It may be absurd to think that a weak person like him was worried about such a strong person, but every time he sees a scene like that, he always flinches and gets surprised. ¡®I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll get hurt.¡¯ Even if it was luckily just a wooden sword, the momentum of each of the opposing knights was great. He was worried Sethian might get bruises or break his bones if something goes wrong and he gets hit. The fallen knights also looked quite hurt, but he was more worried about Sethian whom he sees every day. As a result, he keeps thinking that he could¡¯ve been hurt somewhere, but he was the only one who didn¡¯t notice. ¡®If I could only watch up close¡­.¡¯ There was a bit of distance from here, so he couldn¡¯t even tell what state Sethian was in. Moreover, there was no means of contact in this world, and even if there was, he shouldn¡¯t ever get in his way. He remembered the large man outside the room asking Yi-Gyeol to always call him whenever he needed anything, but he couldn¡¯t ask him to support him all the way there. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes naturally turned to the bed. The gorgeous duvet engraved with gold embroidery on the pure white sheet is a little messy. Even though he just got out of it, he wanted to go back in. ¡®It would be fine if I didn¡¯t bother and just come to see him for a while, right?¡¯ He was getting a little languid because of the sunlight. With the peaceful atmosphere and the cool breeze blowing, he wonders if he can fall asleep quickly. Yi-Gyeol looked at Sethian out the window one more time, and finally approached the bed with the cane. He occasionally leaned against the wall and grabbed the back of the sofa, then approached the bed and sat down on it. As he lifted the blanket and lay down slowly, his eyes were already droopy, perhaps because of warmth and comfort. A small smile formed on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips from the fact that he was able to feel this way. ¡®I¡¯m not going to make a sound, and just going to watch him for a while. I¡¯ll just check if he¡¯s fine¡­.¡¯ He promised himself a few times and tightly closed his eyes. It must have been the influence of the bright sunlight, but the bed was pleasantly warm as if Sethian¡¯s warmth had remained on the bed. Soon Yi-Gyeol fell into a deep sleep. CH 33 In the middle of the training ground. ¡°Ahh-!¡± With a loud shout, the wooden sword struck oppressively. Sethian easily avoided the tip of the sword that slashed in front of him, turned around, and mercilessly hit the side of the opposing knight with the wooden sword in his hand. ¡°Argh!¡± The massive-built knight swallowed some air due to the pain in his side, straightened his staggering posture, and gripped his wooden sword. Even if he didn¡¯t fall down at once, he could hear his colleagues whistle, but that wasn¡¯t enough. He leaned down and swung as if to cut Sethian¡¯s abdomen with the wooden sword. Sethian swiftly leaped back and widened the distance a little just before the wooden sword¡¯s attack reached him. Then, as soon as his toes touched the floor, he sprang on the ground and jumped onto the knight. Puk-! A painful hitting sound that could make one¡¯s face cringe just by listening to it was heard. The tip of Sethian¡¯s blunt sword dug into the knight¡¯s chest as if it were stabbing him, and in the aftermath, his reliable body floated a little in the air and sprawled backward. The knight pressed his chest with both hands while missing the sword, and gasped as if he could not breathe properly. ¡°I, I concede. Cough, cough!¡± As soon as he spoke, the pressure on his chest made the knight heave a dry cough. ¡°Is everyone lacking in practice? No one¡¯s holding up properly.¡± Sethian placed the back of the wooden sword on his shoulder and raised the tip of his eyebrows in dissatisfaction. As he looked around the knights sitting in a row, everyone got nervous and avoided his gaze. Until just a while ago, they were so motivated that they decided to take turns requesting a match, but now that the storm has already swept away, everyone is only coldly sweating while holding onto their own respective parts that he struck. Sethian scanned the knights with his eyes then met Lenox¡¯s, who was standing at the end of them and was only watching. The tip of Sethian¡¯s wooden sword pointed at Lenox, the only knight who did not avoid his gaze, and had yet to face him. ¡°I haven¡¯t been up against you lately. Why don¡¯t we have a round this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Lenox answered without hesitation as if he was waiting for Sethian¡¯s invitation from the beginning, and received a wooden sword from the knight next to him and stepped forward. It was quite rare for Sethian to compete with a wooden sword rather than a real sword. That is also the reason why all the knights grabbed the chance to pounce him for a session. Usually, even if he fights with a real sword, he doesn¡¯t show compassion, charges relentlessly and strikes mercilessly compared to what he just did earlier, so it¡¯s nothing short of brutal. At most, the only ones who had the courage to face him with the real sword were the Vice Commander, Kirsty, and the Knight¡¯s Commander, Lenox, who¡¯s in front of him. Lenox stood face to face with Sethian, held the wooden sword in both hands, and took a deep breath. As if waiting for him to attack first, Sethian waited with his sword pointed at him in one hand. The pre-emptive strike was as expected, Lenox. He rushed forward with his sword in front, and immediately launched a fast streak. It was a gorgeous sword dance that seemed to have mastered the first-class swordsmanship style, but with just the sword held in one hand, Sethian was blocking or evading the countless successive attacks one by one. Then at some point, the sword that was thought of only blocking and evading gradually put pressure on Lenox, and it naturally became a series of attacks and pushed him back. Lenox already feels a chill down his spine. If he blocked one, Sethian would aim for his next vital point with a natural movement like flowing water, and if he evaded it, an unexpected attack would come catching him off guard. The succession was so fast that from a certain point, Lenox was busy blocking rather than aiming to attack. The dull sounds of wooden swords hitting each other were like the tone of a lute playing a fast melody. Lenox looked at Sethian¡¯s face as he blocked the attacks with a tense expression. He has such a calm face that it is impossible to think of him as the person who¡¯s currently performing the impressive streaks. He was also truly impressed with the thought that he was his Lord. Immediately after, the sword that¡¯s blocking the consecutive attacks slowed due to a momentary inattention. Just when he felt like he was going to be stabbed in the chest, Sethian¡¯s sword stopped right in front of Lenox¡¯s chest. Lenox, who thought he was going to get a good hit, only felt relieved when the tip of the wooden sword that was aiming at his chest went down. When he raised his eyes, Sethian was staring at a place close to them. It was in the middle of a road that there was nothing particularly noticeable to pay attention to in that direction. Looking at the empty stone wall, Sethian threw his sword at Lenox. ¡°We¡¯ll stop here for today.¡± Lenox, who received the sword while being dazed, made a puzzled expression as he watched Sethian leave the training ground quite quickly. He doesn¡¯t think he let him off the hook, so what¡¯s the reason for suddenly withdrawing his sword like this? Leaving the training ground behind him, Sethian headed for his room. To be exact, it was because what he was chasing was headed in that direction. Sethian quickly approached the certain point in the invisible air and slowed his steps as if catching up with something. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d stay awake during the day?¡± He asked as if there was someone in a place where no one was. There was no one seen, so it would only be natural that no answer would be heard, but the natural voice of someone was flowing into Sethian¡¯s head. -Oh¡­, Um¡­. I was going to do that but¡­. He hesitated and then mumbles with a sigh. -Really, how do you know¡­. A faint presence that was floating in the air floated around him as if testing if he could find it, and Sethian kept his eyes on the presence and never missed the mark. ¡°I can somehow perceive a sign of your presence.¡± Is it because his five senses have developed due to the long-term threat of assassination? Though of course, his interest in Joo Yi-Gyeol could also have played a role. -Do I have a presence? Instead of answering, Sethian silently looked at Yi-Gyeol who was in the soul state. The first time he noticed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence in the bath was through the airflow of the water vapor, as if something stood out slightly that made him pay attention. When he looked at that specific part and focused his attention on it, he felt a strange and faint presence that was different from the other spaces around him. Since then, he had fully remembered the sensations at that time, so he was able to recognize the difference even without water vapor. It was certainly a strange phenomenon for Yi-Gyeol, but Sethian could already hear his voice from a long time ago. There are cases such as his older brother, Zair, whom they had met before, so he thought it could also be the case that he now was able to feel the presence like Zair does. -At this rate, won¡¯t you be able to touch souls like that person did at that time? They were words uttered without much meaning, but Sethian¡¯s mood changed for a brief moment. It was an unsatisfied ripple as if a rough stone had been thrown into a calm lake. -Oh, you¡¯re going to your room, right? It was only for a brief moment, but Yi-Gyeol recognized Sethian¡¯s emotions, and quickly changed the subject and flew to the room. While on the way, he chatted about trivial things, but Sethian followed him and quietly accepted everything he had to say. The road to the bedroom was as complicated as a maze, but Yi-Gyeol proceeded without hesitation as he had already come to the bedroom several times as a soul. It¡¯s like he¡¯s guiding the way. Having reached the front of the bedroom, Yi-Gyeol passed through Kirsty and one of the attendants, who stood guarding the room and entered the door first. The two of them who were waiting paid respect to the approaching Sethian. ¡°You¡¯re back, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the bathhouse, so get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While the servant rushed to get ready for the bath, Sethian entered the bedroom. Around that time, a faint sign stayed in front of Yi-Gyeol, who was sleeping soundly on the bed. The presence gradually got sucked into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body and seeped in as if being absorbed completely. Immediately after, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, who had been asleep without even moving once, twitched a few times and soon lifted his eyelids. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes blinked slowly a couple of times, then pleasantly curved as they contained Sethian within them. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± They were only a few words, but Sethian didn¡¯t hate it. On the contrary, he felt good as if he was being tickled inside by a small feather-like thing. Sethian approached the bed and habitually patted Yi-Gyeol¡¯s disheveled hair. ¡°You can sleep some more.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re here, so I¡¯ll stay up.¡± Sethian gently pressed Yi-Gyeol to lay down again, who had already raised his upper body. ¡°I have to go to the bath anyway, so lie down for the time being. I¡¯ll prepare you a meal when I get back.¡± Saying that, Sethian was about to let go of his hand when he caught the disappointment reflected on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face at first glance. He wondered why and quickly found the answer. Yi-Gyeol was not able to take care of his body properly yet, and could only manage to wash his face or hair with the water that the servants brought to his bedroom. His body was only wiped with a towel soaked in warm water, so he must¡¯ve been wanting to soak in the bath. However, Sethian couldn¡¯t send him to the bathroom as he wanted. He couldn¡¯t trust any of his servants. Most of the time when taking care of Yi-Gyeol in the bedroom, it was done personally by Sethian himself or by the help of his close aides, Lenox and Kirsty, but in the bathroom, an attendant is needed to take care of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s inconvenienced body. Even when he was in the bedroom, he didn¡¯t want to show his body enough to hide under the blanket if someone came in, but it was clear that if Sethian told him that he had to be helped by a servant, Yi-Gyeol would force himself to endure it. Above all, Sethian didn¡¯t want others to see Yi-Gyeol¡¯s naked body. It may be because Yi-Gyeol hates exposing himself, but when he thinks that someone else saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, Sethian strangely feels displeased. Sethian¡¯s hand stroked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sunken cheek. ¡°Would you like to go to the bath with me?¡± ¡°Can I go?¡± As soon as Sethian asked, Yi-Gyeol asked back with a twinkle in his eyes. When Sethian looked down at those eyes, the brief unpleasantness from a while ago disappeared without a trace. CH 34 But soon a shadow overcast Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. As if about to get up, he pulled the blanket up to his lips and curled the corners of his eyes. ¡°No, just go by yourself.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sethian, looking down at Yi-Gyeol, pressed the tip of his curved eye with his fingertips lightly so that it wouldn¡¯t hurt. He didn¡¯t like the forced smile in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes either. ¡°Do you care about others that much?¡± There were only two things Joo Yi-Gyeol was concerned about. To cause trouble to someone, and to show someone his bare and skinny appearance. Even though it has been three days since Sethian first created his body and settled in this world, that part has not changed. Even now, whenever he receives help from Lenox and Kirsty, he doesn¡¯t know where to put his eyes and would crouch while habitually saying sorry. That was also the reason why he could not fully entrust Yi-Gyeol even to his close aides. He is infinitely comfortable with him, but to others, he is unnecessarily careful and conscious. Perhaps even now, he changed his thoughts because he¡¯s worried about other people¡¯s eyes. Looking down at Yi-Gyeol, Sethian suddenly hugged him while still covered with the blanket. Then, he wrapped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body in an even longer and bigger quilt. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yi-Gyeol let out a startled sound. Before he knew it, his body was completely wrapped in a blanket from his chin to his toes. With only his head sticking out like that, no one will be able to recognize his body. ¡°Put me down. I said I don¡¯t have to go.¡± As Sethian headed to the door without answering the embarrassed voice, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes wandered aimlessly. He hasn¡¯t even gone outside yet, but he already looks scared. By the time Sethian opened the door, Yi-Gyeol was completely frozen with his face buried in Sethian¡¯s shoulder. Kirsty, who was waiting outside the door, was startled. ¡°¡­Your Highness?¡± Wondering what was going on, Kirsty belatedly read Sethian¡¯s thoughts and tried to take Yi-Gyeol away from him. ¡°I¡¯ll move him for you.¡± However, Sethian just gave Kirsty a short glance and walked past him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so just wait and stay here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡­¡± Intimidated by the look in Sethian¡¯s eyes, Kirsty stopped and replied. His eyes didn¡¯t fall off from the ashamed Yi-Gyeol who had been rolled up in the quilt. Yi-Gyeol was hugged by Sethian and was not able to raise his head the whole time he moved. Occasionally, Sethian seemed to have encountered a servant or a knight, but Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t know exactly how many people have passed since he had buried his face in Sethian¡¯s arms. After being nervous for a long time until he had completely hardened, Sethian finally opened the bathhouse door. Only then did Yi-Gyeol mumble his complaints. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is right¡­.¡± Sethian blinked at the attendants who were waiting for their clothes and took off the blanket while holding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body with one arm. Subsequently, as soon as he took off the clothes that were covering Yi-Gyeol¡¯s skinny body, like a young tree branch, without any delay, Yi-Gyeol closed his mouth and looked away in embarrassment. Sethian laid Yi-Gyeol down for a while on the soft blanket, and also took off his clothes. Yi-Gyeol, who was looking up at Sethian¡¯s figure while crouching with his knees up, had envious eyes. Sethian¡¯s body was much better than those famous action stars he had seen on TV before. He¡¯s tall enough to be 190cm, with broad shoulders and back, and muscles all over the body that you can tell they¡¯re solid just by looking at it. In addition, he was not only physically fit, but also capable enough to knock down large knights with ease. Yi-Gyeol was looking at Sethian¡¯s exposed body and recalling as he fought the knights in the training ground, then suddenly averted his eyes with a start. Not only is Sethian¡¯s body fit, but the important parts are also quite large. Without realizing it, Yi-Gyeol closed his legs a little more to cover his. Yi-Gyeol, who was embarrassed and flustered by himself alone, stiffened unrealizingly when he felt his body being lifted. They usually hug each other often because of moving, but this was the first time they touched each other completely bare. ¡°Relax.¡± Sethian, who had already started to step into the bath, thought that it was because of the hot water that Yi-Gyeol was nervous and calmly soothe him down. Fortunately, by the time they were completely inside the bath, he was already comfortably lying in his embrace. Sethian placed Yi-Gyeol between his legs and wrapped an arm around his waist. Sitting with his back against Sethian¡¯s firm chest, Yi-Gyeol felt his body languishing in the warm water that reached around his shoulder. A satisfied breath flowed out unrealizingly. ¡°Feels good¡­.¡± His eyes are half-open and a pleasant smile is hanging on his lips. Sethian looked at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s side face and thought that he should bring him often, and stopped the hand that was pouring warm water all the way around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. Then, he wrapped his hand around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s small neck. ¡®If I just give strength like this¡­.¡¯ It was a neck so thin that it could be completely wrapped around with one hand. He thought that the neck of the slender male prostitute who came to seduce him in the past was similar to this, but unlike that time when he playfully broke it while wondering if he could break it with one hand, this time he took his hand off immediately in anxiety. He thought even a little bit of force would snap it without a pulse. When he released the hand that was wrapped around his thin neck, Yi-Gyeol grabbed it in the air. Then, he pressed down on the big palm as if giving it a massage. ¡°Your palm is very hard.¡± A man who could take his life in the blink of an eye was holding his neck until just a moment ago, but he didn¡¯t seem to be aware of that at all. However, rather than thinking that he should tell Yi-Gyeol to pay attention, the satisfaction of being relied on with such confidence came to Sethian first. ¡°Is this because you¡¯ve been practicing swordsmanship for a long time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sethian, who had learned to hold a sword in his hand from the age of five, had never let go of the sword for a single day in his life from then on until now. It has the heaven and earth difference compared to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s skinny but soft and tender hands. Yi-Gyeol, who was pressing on Sethian¡¯s callus-filled palm, spoke as if he was deeply impressed, and asked implicitly. ¡°Should I learn something like swordsmanship later too?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Yi-Gyeol immediately pouted a little and punched Sethian¡¯s palm at his answer. ¡°Why not? Is it because you don¡¯t want to teach me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt.¡± After giving a short answer, Sethian briefly paused. The words, ¡®Because you don¡¯t want to teach me?¡¯ that Yi-Gyeol just said comes to mind. He liked it quite a lot that Yi-Gyeol thought of himself first as the person to learn swordsmanship from the beginning. Yi-Gyeol lowered the corners of his eyes in regret, but still sighed in agreement. ¡°Indeed, even just sparring is terrifying. You guys fight like hell. I couldn¡¯t do that even if I learned.¡± It was the same with the other knights, but especially when he faced Lenox at the end. He was so scared that Sethian might get seriously injured. Yi-Gyeol turned around with a stern face. ¡°You be careful, too. Do you know how worried I was that you¡¯d get hurt or bruised?¡± The person who¡¯s not in a position to worry about others is worried about whom. Still, Sethian didn¡¯t particularly hate Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words. Rather, the corners of his lips rise slightly. ¡°Is that why you came to see me?¡± Yi-Gyeol flinched at Sethian¡¯s question, and quickly turned his head and lowered his gaze shyly. ¡°I can¡¯t clearly watch from afar. And even if you got hurt, you¡¯ll surely just pretend that it didn¡¯t hurt¡­.¡± Whether it was because of the heat or his emotions, the reddish nape of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck caught Sethian¡¯s eyes. It feels strange. It was quite different from when others said words wrapped up with the word worry. Sethian felt the tickling feeling from before coming back again. Sethian placed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand on his palm, and lightly stroked the back of the other¡¯s hand with his thumb. Feeling the touch of a thin, soft skin, he focused his attention on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s slender hand and fragile wrist. ¡°If you gain enough weight, I¡¯ll teach you the basics.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re going to teach me?¡± Yi-Gyeol looked back with twinkling eyes. Sethian belatedly realized in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes that he was faintly smiling. Nevertheless, he did not intend to lower the corners of his mouth. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s emotions, his moods, and his face are so clear. Compared to the time when everything was judged only by his voice, his emotions felt as close as they are now. As if he was holding them in the palm of his hand. The feeling of satisfaction and the tickling sensation that came every time he read Yi-Gyeol¡¯s emotions was more than what Sethian could have imagined. He let go of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand and turned his chin so that he wouldn¡¯t hurt his neck. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, which were obliquely showing over his shoulder, still reflected only himself. ¡°In order to do that, we need to get you filled up with vitality first.¡± Sethian thought it was amazing how the words ¡®get vitalized¡¯ were coming out of his mouth. The corners of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes shook, and his eyes fluttered as they contained themselves. ¡°Again¡­? You just did it earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better to take a lot when I¡¯m free like now.¡± ¡°Umm¡­.¡± His lips close as if agonizing, then open slightly as if breathing out, and then bite and nibble on the thin lips. It was an act(sharing vitality) that happens several times a day, but he still has the same reaction each time whether he was not used to it yet. Then soon, as usual, his eyes held a determined light as if he had made a decision. Sethian slowly lowered his lips as he saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s tense face calm down. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± As if following Sethian¡¯s command, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips naturally opened. CH 35 The moment their lips touched, it was just itchy. But when each other¡¯s lips lightly rubbed and the heat of each other harmonized, the tongue that protruded through Sethian¡¯s lips filled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hnn¡­, Mnn¡­.¡± As soon as Sethian began to stir inside, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes fluttered wildly and a strange moan came out. His face, which had been reddened by the influence of the bath, was covered with even more heat and quickly spread to his ears. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand, which held tightly to the hard arm around his waist, trembled as much as his long eyelashes. His tongue, which has become much softer than when they first kissed, reacted in time as soon as the hot flesh wrapped around it and reacted to every way the other wills it to, scratching and tickling. Sometimes, he¡¯ll relax and also try to move on his own after some hesitation. Sethian gently rolled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s tongue as if handling a small fruit, and when he felt that each other¡¯s breaths were hot enough, kissed a little rougher and deeper. He bitingly pulled the tip of his tongue out and kneaded it so fast that Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t get his mind around. Then, he went deep inside and stroked the surface of the throat entrance in a circular motion a couple of times. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body continuously trembled, and his hazy eyes filled with excessive heat. ¡°Hng, uung¡­!¡± Sethian tapped the roof of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth with the tip of his tongue as if knocking, then quickly and strongly stroked the curved skin just below the teeth. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s thin waist twisted as if trying to escape from within the arms that were holding him, but by the time Sethian thoroughly stirred to the bottom of his tongue, he was already completely drained and trembling to the point of pitifulness. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s legs numbly gathered together and twitched several times. He raised his knees and slightly twisted his lower body. With both hands, he pressed firmly between his crotch as if to cover something. Sethian lowered his gaze and glanced at it then grabbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s two wrists in his groin at once and pulled them off. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hazy eyes flashed in confusion for an instant. In the place where Yi-Gyeol covered his hands, there was a slightly erect member. Sethian, even though Yi-Gyeol¡¯s bewildered voice intermingled between his moans, was quietly looking down at his thing. The more he attacked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth and dug deep, the more his genitals flinched. It could also be the excitement and stimulation generated by absorbing vitality, but it felt as if Yi-Gyeol was seducing him. Perhaps it was something Sethian hadn¡¯t noticed since Yi-Gyeol was always wearing clothes until now, so he was attracted even more. Unlike when he was dealing with other people, he even had a strange thought of wanting to touch Yi-Gyeol¡¯s stuff. Around that time, Sethian suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his tongue and turned his eyes. Even in the midst of excitement, Yi-Gyeol was frowning and biting the tongue that was invading his mouth. The word was ¡®biting¡¯, but Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t bear to hurt him and couldn¡¯t look straight into his eyes so it turned into a cute munching instead. Slowly letting go of his lips, Sethian licked the saliva that had flowed down Yi-Gyeol¡¯s panting lips with the tip of his tongue. ¡°Haa¡­, You¡­, Euu¡­.¡± The slightly watery eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. Yi-Gyeol was desperately trying to cover his thing by pulling his legs together a little more and twisting while taking a breath. ¡°Can you¡­ Let go¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol glanced at his two caught wrists, and Sethian gently let go of them. And as expected, both hands went down to his groin and covered his genitals. ¡°It¡¯s only a natural condition because of vitality.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡­, What natural¡­ If you say it like that¡­.¡± With a perplexed expression on his face, Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t know where to put his eyes. Sethian, who was staring at it silently, covered the back of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hands with his own. ¡°Want me to give you a hand?¡±[1] ¡°Nevermind! Don¡¯t do it!¡± Yi-Gyeol blushed all the way to the top of his head with no blank spots left, and swiftly declined with a momentum Sethian had never seen before. ??????? ¡°Sethian successfully¡­used the Golden Arts?¡± Killing intent could be seen at first glance from Zair¡¯s fluttering eyes. The young man in gray robes sitting opposite him nodded lightly, sipping his tea. Having heard the report about Sethian through the wizard who secretly held hands with him, Zair briefly clicked his tongue and distorted the corners of his eyes. The wizard in front of him was the successor of the current owner of the tower, so he was also the person who saw and recorded everything at that time with his own two eyes, so he couldn¡¯t help but believe it. ¡®And it was also what was considered impossible among all soul golden magic¡­.¡¯ The gray robe wizard has taught him all the various types of golden magic there is. Among them, what Zair most coveted was to create such a body with a soul taken from a living human being. The original body is alive but in the state of slumber, and a new body would be realized based on the information from the newly withdrawn soul. The reason why Zair coveted the magic the most was because the more certain the soul¡¯s information was, the more identical body could be created based on it. In addition, the soul¡¯s information is more perfect when the existing body is alive. However, Zair didn¡¯t have the perfect soul to make it work. Usually, once the soul is taken out of the original body, it dies shortly thereafter. This was also a fact that was written and mentioned in countless magic and history books. That¡¯s why even Zair thought that the magic was just a nonsensical magic that the first owner of the tower had scribbled. In the past, with the help of the gray-robed wizard, he tried to forcefully extract souls from real humans. It is just a high-grade magic that extracts souls from humans unlike the golden arts that require vitality, so he has nothing to be afraid of. However, due to ethical issues, he had to get approval from the Magic Tower. Every time he used the soul extraction magic, the bodies died one after another. There have been many times when he was frustrated and angry because of that. ¡®How the hell did he succeed?¡¯ He has never been successful before. ¡®No. To be precise, how did he find a soul to make it successful?¡¯ Zair couldn¡¯t help but think about the golden butterfly that was next to Sethian that day. It was a butterfly that even Zair, who had seen countless souls, had seen for the first time. The magic that Sethian casted with the owner of the tower must have been to give that butterfly a body. ¡®Maybe the reason why that butterfly is golden unlike other souls is¡­.¡¯ Could it be that the butterfly that was with Sethian is actually a soul that escaped from its ¡®living body¡¯ for a while? It may only be a speculation, but considering the golden magic that Sethian casted while demanding the crown prince position, it was a sufficiently probable opinion. ?Are you looking at me right now? ?Do you possess spiritual power or anything? The same goes for Seth, but you¡¯re also quite amazing. How can you even see and touch me? ?Seth can¡¯t see me. But he can hear my voice. Zair clenched his fists as he thought of the clear voice of the golden butterfly. ¡°Is Brother Zair even coveting my ghost friend now?¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t Brother said something like this before? That a friend is something that can¡¯t be bought or borrowed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I also don¡¯t plan on lending my friend to anyone.¡±[2] The strong possessiveness and obsession that Sethian showed, who was never greedy with anything. It seemed like it would be his loss to think deeply about this and that, as it was Sethian who has not even a single humanity in him and not someone else, but this time he felt different. The emotions Sethian showed toward the golden butterfly were extremely human. ¡®It¡¯s also illogical.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know exactly what kind of feelings Sethian has for the golden butterfly, but it was clear that he cherished it a lot as he had used golden arts for it. With a sigh of dissatisfaction, Zair stretched out his stiff hand. The imagination of the golden butterfly staying in it made him sickeningly greedy. That the body is still alive even if the soul has escaped. That is because the ¡®soul¡¯, not the ¡®body¡¯, is special. Since it instinctively preserves the vitality of the original body, it¡¯s not possible to maintain being in the soul state for a long time, but it has that much perfect information. It was valuable information that was not depleted enough to create countless numbers of the same body as the original. With ordinary souls, even if they have just been removed from their living bodies, the information they carry is already fragmented. So it was impossible to recreate the body they originally used with magic, and the best way was to make a ¡®human-like body¡¯ in the end. If you look closely at it, anyone will be able to tell that it is not a ¡®human¡¯ but just a body that was sloppily copied as one. However, a living soul had certain information about the body it originally contained, and it was possible to create a body based on it. As a result, a perfect ¡®human body¡¯ that is no different from the original body is born. Zair imagined when he get his hands on the golden butterfly. Just based on the information of its soul, he can create, create, and recreate a perfect human body. The soul that would settle in it was another separate soul, but the control over it would belong to him. In addition, brainwashing wandering souls without bodies was never a difficult job for him. The souls under his command will become loyal soldiers as soon as they enter the new body. Even if the army created is thus killed on the spot, the soul does not die. When the body dies, it¡¯ll just enter a new one with the same appearance and repeats to rise. With the golden art that creates a body and the golden butterfly with its information, he can create an infinite army that can fight until all his opponents die. With that, he can never be afraid of anyone. Even Sethian, his biggest stumbling block. Zair raised his eyes and looked at the young wizard sitting in front of him. The magician to perform the golden arts is prepared, and the throne can be obtained smoothly as it is in its current state. After all, because of the fact that they tried to assassinate Sethian using Canael, his other siblings will soon fall apart. CH 36 Zair recalled the spirit that he temporarily let possess his body when he signed the contract with Canael. It was a contract that used the ¡®soul¡¯ as a medium. The soul that wrote the words in the contract at that time as he had ordered, was locked in a glass bottle as it had been in the past. Then, on the same day that Sethian was allocated as the crown prince, the reconnaissance spirit, who returned just in time, informed him that Sethian was alive and that he had obtained their contract in his hand. As soon as he heard those words, he immediately shattered the soul that signed the contract for him. As the soul shattered, the words he had engraved must have completely disappeared, so by now, his contract in Sethian¡¯s hand must have been blank. As much as he believed in Canael¡¯s Deputy-Guild Master Pair¡¯s skills, but as his opponent was Sethian, he had no choice but to be careful with the contract which could be a weakness. Even if he succeeded, by the time he ascended to the throne, he planned to erase the contract as scheduled. He wouldn¡¯t leave the pair unharmed either. ¡®Should I say that it¡¯s fortunate they took care of it on their own?¡¯ Of course, it was not a situation that could be called ¡®fortunate¡¯ because Sethian was safe, but it became a weakness to his other siblings, and the assassin pair, which would become an obstacle in the future, disappeared. He¡¯ll have to find another way to get rid of Sethian, but he thought it wasn¡¯t too bad for now. Thanks to the fact that he survived and used golden magic, he was able to roughly grasp the identity of the golden butterfly. Just as Zair¡¯s head was filled with Sethian and the golden butterfly, the wizard who was quietly drinking tea softly opened his mouth. ¡°The golden butterfly that Prince Zair saw.¡± Wondering if it¡¯s fate since he was thinking about the golden butterfly at the same time, Zair¡¯s eyes naturally showed interest. ¡°Since it is a ¡®living soul(Éúì`)¡¯[1], there must have been an original body, so why did it settle into a new body?¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°As the prince knows, this golden art is ¡®the magic of creating a perfect human body based on the information of the soul.¡¯ There is no need for this living soul to settle permanently, but there is also no coercion.¡± It wasn¡¯t too difficult to figure out what the wizard was trying to say. If it was a dead soul, there would be no body to return to, so it was natural to settle in a newly created place. However, if the body is still alive and well, there is no need to insist on entering a new body that needs to be persistently filled with vitality. ¡°Prince Sethian put the soul into a body that was created based on the information of the living soul and took it. I don¡¯t know what happened after that, but if he was thinking the same thing as Prince Zair, he would have stopped by the tower again. If it¡¯s an experiment just to produce a perfect human body, you can¡¯t be sure with just one experiment.¡± Zair nodded briefly at the wizard¡¯s words. Just succeeding once doesn¡¯t mean that it will be successful in the future. It is only when you succeed in several tests that you can be sure. ¡°So? What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I wonder if there was something wrong with that soul¡¯s actual body. I think that¡¯s the reason why Prince Sethian also used the golden art.¡± The wizard put down the completely empty teacup and leaned forward to lower his voice. ¡°The body is alive, but it must have been that it could not move properly. The body I saw at that time was an emaciated body that you would only see in slums. Whether hungry or ill, it is certain that he was not in good health.¡± ¡°Are you trying to accuse Sethian of taking an interest in a derelict and making him a body?¡± That¡¯s not even enough to make Sethian¡¯s eyebrows twitch. Though it might be fatal for his other siblings who value face and honor. Fortunately, the wizard shook his head. ¡°No, of course not. I also know that even that level would not blemish Prince Sethian.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°What I want to say is that the more a person is such, the weaker they are to people¡¯s attention. Regardless of whether the person is emotional or not, they are somehow desperately holding out so that they do not collapse, so even a little bit of encouragement will change their eyes. What¡¯s more, did he not settle in a new body rather than his original one? The existing body must be in a state of coma.¡± The wizard grinned and his eyes lit up. ¡°The soul¡¯s actual body must not be in an affluent environment. I¡¯ve never seen such an exotic appearance other than the occasional slaves. Slave or not, the body that¡¯s in coma will soon die, and the soul must have known that. Even so, it chose to be with Prince Sethian.¡± At his words, Zair began to think deeply about something. Clearly, the golden butterfly was following Sethian itself. It didn¡¯t feel like a master-slave relationship or a contract of any kind, and to be honest, it was close to a friendly feeling like a ¡®friend¡¯, as Sethian said. ¡°Are you saying that the butterfly with the living soul has abandoned its original body because of Sethian?¡± It sounded stupid the moment the words came out of his mouth. When Sethian is interested in something, he shows excessive interest and digs deeply, but no matter how much it is, that bastard is a man without any humanity in his bones*. Just because such a guy showed some interest, he couldn¡¯t understand why he had to abandon his original body and settle down. He doesn¡¯t know if Sethian brainwashed the soul like he does.[2] Looking at Zair¡¯s displeased expression, the wizard shrugged and pulled back. ¡°What I said could also be incorrect. It¡¯s just a conjecture. However, it is the brothels and magic tower where people who have no way to make ends meet and have no way to eat and can¡¯t do anything because they are sick are gathering. Thanks to this, our magic tower is always overflowing with test subjects.¡± The Magic Tower is crawling with emaciated people who have been actively volunteering to become the magicians¡¯ test subjects. Since the current owner of the tower presented a policy, human subjects are treated like human beings, and it is not enough that they have to speak respectfully to them, but they also give them plenty of food at every meal. Although they could die while undergoing the experiment, their faces were rather happy and brighter than before while living as test subjects. Among the numerous test subjects in the tower, there were only a handful of those who regretted becoming a subject. Being a wizard who has seen such things a lot, he can roughly guess the heart of that shabby body¡¯s owner. Whether he volunteered to do the golden art or was forced to do it, what was certain was that he was staying with Prince Sethian with a new body. ¡°I think you¡¯d better take the opportunity to meet that person. If it¡¯s with Prince Zair¡¯s eyes, we can quickly find out what the soul wants emotionally and what kind of person it is.¡± The wizard¡¯s eyes narrowed insidiously. Zair, who was listening to him, let out a long sigh and brought his brows together. ??????? An early morning. Sethian, who had been away from his bedroom for a while due to work, returned with a stranger. He bowed deeply and politely greeted Yi-Gyeol, who was only half his age. ¡°Good morning, Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim[3].¡± Looking at the courteous elderly man, Yi-Gyeol stood up from his chair in surprise. In embarrassment, he even dropped the picture book he was looking at under the table. ¡°Hello!¡± As soon as he tried to bend his back, Sethian approached and grabbed him so that he couldn¡¯t bend down. He sat Yi-Gyeol back on the chair and habitually patted his hair. Sethian looked at the picture book he had picked up from the floor for a moment, and then handed it to Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Do you understand the writing?¡± Most of the illustrations were pictures and there were only one or two sentences on one page, but even that was difficult for Yi-Gyeol. Still, there was a picture, so he was able to recognize it with some sense. ¡°A bit. But I can¡¯t read it yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll read it to you after I get back, so there¡¯s no need for you to overdo it.¡± Yi-Gyeol covered his mouth with the back of his hand and suppressed a laughter. It doesn¡¯t match Sethian at all because it feels like he¡¯s going to read a children¡¯s book to a child who can¡¯t speak well. But still, he couldn¡¯t refuse his cute help because he had to know the language since he had decided to settle here. Sethian, who was staring at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s curved eyes, stroked his hair again and gestured his chin at Roa, the owner of the tower. ¡°I have some business to deal with, so stay with him for a while. He will check your condition.¡± Yi-Gyeol thought that was the end, but he added a stricter request. ¡°If ever something strange happens, scream or call Kirsty outside.¡± ¡°Mhm, I will. Take care.¡± He answered lightly without much thought and smiled brightly but perhaps he liked that smile, he could see the corners of Sethian¡¯s lips raise slightly. Sethian¡¯s face, turning his head to look at Roa, was as cold as ever. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, just check his condition.¡± ¡°I know, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Even after hearing Roa¡¯s words, Sethian still feels anxious and even orders Kirsty, who was on guard outside, to jump in without delay if he hears a strange noise from inside or when Yi-Gyeol calls. When Yi-Gyeol was left alone with Roa in the bedroom, he was looking at him good naturedly and guessing who he might be. Considering that he will check his physical condition, he thought he might be a doctor. ¡°Now, Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim.¡± Roa rubbed his palms with a face full of interest and came closer to Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Would you mind taking off all your clothes?¡± Telling him to take off all his clothes all of a sudden¡­. For a moment, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face stiffened. He was wondering if this was the beginning of the ¡®something strange¡¯ that Sethian was talking about. CH 37 Roa, who realized that he spoke too freely due to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sudden vigilance, showed a good-natured smile. ¡°As you may have heard, since it is a constructed body, we need to make sure that your soul has settled well. We have to figure out the flow of mana that constitutes the body, and if other things are mixed in, errors can also occur.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± At that time, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s stiff face loosened and he looked down at his body. Through Sethian, he knew that his body was made of magic. There isn¡¯t any difference from his original body, but seeing that he was able to move with a cane as he does now just because of Sethian¡¯s ¡®vitality¡¯ is too unrealistic. Likewise, even being able to stay awake for more than two hours a day. Thinking about it that way, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s heart started to race. But apart from that, it was true that he was a sore in the eyes. It was only recently that he was able to chew and digest something, so he didn¡¯t gain much weight. Since he is still skinny, he was purposely wearing wide-sized clothes even now to hide it somehow. When Yi-Gyeol looked at him with a troubled face, Roa comforted him and spoke kindly with a smiling face as ever. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen everything there is to see when we made your body, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face immediately turned red as if it was on fire. The words he said to comfort him, on the contrary, made Yi-Gyeol even more embarrassed. Soon, words that made the hesitant Yi-Gyeol move were heard. ¡°I know it¡¯s inconvenient for you, but for Prince Sethian¡­, No, even just for the Crown Prince, please let me examine you. If something goes wrong later, the Crown Prince will be very concerned.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulders flinched. He doesn¡¯t know about anything else, but what he¡¯s sure of is that he had to avoid worrying Sethian and putting him in trouble. He¡¯s already taking care of him too much because of his physical condition even at the present, but if more things to worry about occur, it might make him more concerned than now. He thought that he would be the biggest nuisance by then. With his bright red face bowed, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to slowly take off the clothes he was wearing while he sat down. Roa¡¯s eyes glistened as he saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body gradually revealed. ¡®It¡¯s perfect. It¡¯s a different level from the previous bodies ever made.¡¯ Looking at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s reddened face that moderately colored his skinny body, Roa nodded his head involuntarily. The current emperor was not very interested in soul magic, so he hardly ever used the golden arts. In particular, he just shook his head superfluously when he learned that the cost of maintaining the body was ¡®vitality¡¯. Therefore, the only ¡®constructed body¡¯ that Roa remembers was during the time of the former Emperor Heize. Compared to the bloodless and chaotic fake body he saw at that time, the current Yi-Gyeol was truly beyond words. Yi-Gyeol, who had been receiving frantic admiration, turned his eyes and asked as he took off both his top and bottom. ¡°This¡­, Should I also take off all my¡­underclothes?¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± As soon as Yi-Gyeol asked him, he saw Roa nodding his head broadly, and in the end, even took off his underwear himself. Now, the heat rose around his neck and even his ears were red. Yi-Gyeol took off all his clothes and covered his bottom with both hands, then crouched his shoulders without raising his head. If only he could, he wanted to run away from this position because someone was watching his angular body scrutinizingly. But still, he was able to endure it somehow, thinking of not worrying Sethian. Roa approached him with a gleaming face, put his knees on the floor, and reached out toward Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chest. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Roa¡¯s hand touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s left chest. It wasn¡¯t a cold hand, but Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body was slightly heated due to embarrassment, so it was somewhat chilly. He felt his heart beating fast through his fingertips. As soon as Roa¡¯s face tinged with interest again, a blue light began to glow from his fingertips. That light soon permeated into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. The mana that came in through Roa¡¯s hand felt pretty good. Starting from the heart and slowly descending towards the dantian[1], it seemed to stroke like a warm feather, only enough so that it was not too itchy. It stayed for a while as if stroking his dantian and soon went down to his left and right legs. When the feeling of sweeping the inside of the skin reached the tip of his toes, he felt so good that he unknowingly bent his toes. ¡®Amazing.¡­.¡¯ He looked down at his chest blankly, feeling the sweeping sensation from his toes coming up again. Starting with the blue light on Roa¡¯s hand, then the strange feeling of his whole body being stroked, it was all amazing. This may have been nothing much as it is a world that can even create bodies like his own, but it felt different seeing it right in front of his eyes. ¡°Are you perhaps a wizard?¡± He asked, feeling the warm energy passing through his chest and reaching his neck. Roa gently bent his glistening eyes and met Yi-Gyeol¡¯s dazed eyes. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Is this your first time seeing a wizard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time. From where I was¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who had opened his mouth, stopped talking. Come to think of it, Sethian was the only one who knew that he was a soul from another world. He said it wouldn¡¯t happen, but if someone asked him where he came from, he remembered Sethian¡¯s words to say that he was from a minority ethnic group on the other side of the continent. As such, it seemed that the appearance of an Asian like himself was rare. ¡°It¡¯s worth seeing for the first time. All wizards from any country are bound to belong to the Magic Tower. There are many places where there are barriers to nullify magic, so most of them keep researching to death inside the magic tower that is free from it.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t this magic? I think I heard that there¡¯s that kind of barrier here as well¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say it¡¯s magic, but if I have to express it, you can think of it as mana management. It¡¯s not an embodiment of magic, so it¡¯s not subject to barriers.¡± Roa continued considerately as if teaching a child. ¡°You can think of mana as an inherent energy contained in the body, and depending on how you use it, you can implement magic or check the state of your body. What I¡¯m doing right now is checking whether the mana on Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim¡¯s body is flowing smoothly. your body is different from normal humans, so I¡¯m also looking at whether the mana that makes it up is too much or not enough.¡± ¡°Uum¡­, It¡¯s difficult.¡± He doesn¡¯t know what mana is, and he¡¯s unfamiliar with magic. In addition, Roa¡¯s explanation is completely incomprehensible. Roa smiled a little, saying that it is only natural for ordinary people to find it difficult, and added that there was nothing to think deeply about. As the strange sensation reached his head, the pleasant sensation doubled. It feels like someone is gently touching his head and is giving him a gentle massage. Without realizing it, Yi-Gyeol thought of Sethian¡¯s rough yet soft petting, putting a smile on his face. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim looks much better when he smiles.¡± When Roa smiled and spoke, Yi-Gyeol had a momentarily surprised expression on his face and lowered his eyes. He has smiled a lot until now. Since there was nothing else he could do in order not to worry anyone, and in order not to collapse, he forced himself to smile. But at some point, his family became less happy with his smiles, and even told him not to do it. If he even removed the forced smile as they wished, the air in the house would definitely sink deeper. People who used to be dazzlingly bright and cheery have hardened and become as sharp as thorns without a single smile because of themselves over the years. If he changed himself like that, he felt that something that had been barely maintained among his family would sever. The smile that he has been forced to put on like that came out so comfortably here. Not only in front of Sethian who saved his life, but also in front of strangers like this. ¡®It¡¯s probably a good¡­thing, right?¡¯ He was relieved to know that he no longer had to intentionally, calculate, and forcefully smile, but bitterness still came over him nonetheless. As he remembered the faces of his family members who he had deliberately tried to forget more and continue living, he quickly felt depressed. Knowing that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mood had become strange, Roa did not speak to him readily after that. As he knew little about Yi-Gyeol, he didn¡¯t know how his words had affected him, and he kept his mouth shut because he didn¡¯t know what kind of words might have an adverse effect on him. A few minutes later, Roa¡¯s hand on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s left chest fell off. ¡°It is done.¡± Roa stood up from the floor with a happy face and grinned. ¡°Your body is in very good condition. I can¡¯t even honestly believe it¡¯s a constructed body.¡± Yi-Gyeol covered his chest and bottom with the clothes he had taken off as if he had waited and asked carefully. ¡°Am I¡­ Healthy? Sometimes when I move, my whole body feels numb¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re still lacking in vitality. That wouldn¡¯t happen once you¡¯ve had enough vitality, but don¡¯t move for as long as possible unless you¡¯re able to run around. How are you taking it?¡± ¡°¡­Do I really have to say it?¡± When Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t find a place to put his eyes and just rolled them around, Roa blinked with interest. ¡°Of course¡­!¡± Knock, knock- A knock was heard as if to cut off Roa¡¯s words. Usually, other people outside would have told them what was going on, but since the person who came was the owner of the room, the door just suddenly slammed open without any of that. Sethian entered the room and looked at Roa who was bent towards him, and then his eyes twitched. He hurriedly approached with long strides and pushed Roa away as if throwing some kind of baggage, then looked down at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. A little startled, Yi-Gyeol could only blink his eyes without saying a word and was still only covering his chest and important parts with clothes. CH 38 Sethian took off his cloak and wrapped it around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulder, then stood with his back as if he was covering him with his own body. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, he glared coldly at Roa. Noticing that his hand was on the handle of the sword at his waist, Roa urgently explained the situation. ¡°I, I just checked if there are any issues with the flow of mana.¡± Sethian still didn¡¯t erase his frosty glare and looked back at Yi-Gyeol over his shoulder. Seeing the innocent, puzzled eyes and the naked body roughly covered by the cloak, the surrounding air immediately froze. The hand holding the handle of the sword tightened. Still, he couldn¡¯t shed blood in front of Yi-Gyeol, so he didn¡¯t draw his sword. ¡®That¡¯ll be brutal.¡¯ Roa swallowed his dry saliva and smiled awkwardly. Even so, Yi-Gyeol, who was obscured by Sethian, became even more interesting in his eyes. This was clearly Sethian¡¯s misunderstanding, but in fact, usually whatever it was, if he didn¡¯t like anything due to his character, Sethian would have ruthlessly unsheathed his sword by now. Unlike in the Magic Tower, he could not use magic in the Imperial Castle, so he would not be able to defend properly and would have been cut somewhere or gotten seriously injured, but Sethian did not pull his sword contrary to his momentum. That¡¯s because of the innocent man behind him. ¡®I thought it was strange that he exhorted the Crown Prince position, which he didn¡¯t even have in mind, just to create a body, but now¡­.¡¯ He thought deeply and quickly erased some of his thoughts. Even if no one else knows, it is a hypothesis that cannot be established with Crown Prince ¡®Cold-as-Ice¡¯ Sethian. Maybe it¡¯s simply because he¡¯s someone who can satisfy his momentary interest. He also clearly stated that the reason he used the golden magic was because of his ¡®interest in the soul¡¯. Roa, who had been thinking all kinds of things by himself in the ice-like thin air, heard a rustling sound that seemed to break the silence. Sethian also heard the sound and tried to turn around, but was abruptly grasped by something. ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ll just wear some clothes.¡± Before they knew it, Yi-Gyeol, who was only wearing his underwear, had already put the cloak that Sethian wrapped on him on the table and was now clasping his back. As Yi-Gyeol slightly lowered his eyes and chewed his lips in embarrassment, Sethian could no longer move and could only stand still. It was not only after getting shielded by Sethian and putting on clothes one by one that Yi-Gyeol, who now has a more at ease expression on his face, sticks his head out of Sethian¡¯s body. And just in time, his eyes met with Roa who was confronting Sethian in nervousness. ¡°Thanks for taking a look at me.¡± He said politely and bowed his head and Roa also quickly bowed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. As I said before, there is no need to worry too much about the numbness in your body as you can just take enough vitality.¡± At the kind words, Yi-Gyeol asked cautiously. ¡°By any chance¡­ Is it okay to go for a light walk?¡± He hadn¡¯t been stuck in the room for as long as he used to in the past, but looking outside on a fine sunny day, he thought he wanted to go out even for a while. Although he had to have a cane, he couldn¡¯t help but feel greedy because he was now able to walk on his own two feet. Seeing himself that way, his heart was pounding and he wanted to go out quickly, which made him feel even more impatient. Roa looked at Sethian¡¯s expression and smiled softly. ¡°If you can walk without a cane, a little bit will be fine. However, you must not overdo it, so you should never go alone.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yi-Gyeol smiled brightly and was delighted. Seeing this, Roa¡¯s face automatically put on a warm smile. Sethian, who was so dissatisfied with something, once again covered Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face with his body and sharply opened his eyes. ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing wrong with him?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll come back to check again in a week, but he¡¯s in good shape for now.¡± Upon hearing Roa¡¯s confirmation, Sethian gestured to the door with his chin as if he already had done his job and should be gone. After receiving the silent order, Roa politely bowed with an awkward smile and headed toward the door. ¡°Please get back safely.¡± Yi-Gyeol stuck his head out of Sethian¡¯s body again and greeted him in a friendly manner. Roa, who had put his hand on the doorknob, couldn¡¯t just leave and turned around and smiled pleasantly at him once more. Then, thinking that he was a very cute young man, he walked out the door regretfully. When the door opened and closed, and only the two of them remained, Sethian finally faced Yi-Gyeol. With Yi-Gyeol looking at him with a smile as if he was excited, the displeasure that had been filling Sethian up until just now seemed to have been completely washed away. ¡°When will I be able to walk without a cane?¡± His voice was a little giddy, and he was a tone higher than usual. Every time he catches each small change in Yi-Gyeol, he feels better for some reason. Sethian grabbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand, who was about to hang his cloak back on his shoulder, took it, and put it on the back of the empty chair. ¡°As soon as you have enough vitality and can eat more than you do now.¡± ¡°Umm¡­, But I¡¯m already eating a lot¡­.¡± It was far from enough compared to the amount Sethian eats, but Yi-Gyeol always said he was full without even eating much. However, he can¡¯t make him thoughtlessly overeat, so he made him eat five meals a day instead. Thanks to that, he seems to have gained a little weight recently, but he still looks thin to Sethian. ¡°Let¡¯s increase the amount of food a little bit more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s plenty enough already¡­. If you keep doing this, my belly will stick out like an old man.¡± Sethian imagined Yi-Gyeol with a protruding belly, grinned and carried him. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad either.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not bad. Of course, it is.¡± ¡°If it was you, I think it would be worth looking at even if your stomach was sticking out.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you saying that just because it¡¯s not your body?¡± Sethian, who walked with a pouting Yi-Gyeol, gently laid him down on the bed. ¡°In any case, if it is you, you are free to leave your body, so you don¡¯t really have to insist on going out for a walk, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between walking around with only your soul and walking on your own feet.¡± Yi-Gyeol looked excited once again. ¡°I thought I would never be able to walk on my own two feet again. I hope I get healthy soon so that I can walk and run.¡± Sethian looked down at his beaming smile and patted his head involuntarily. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s smile deepened with the mellow warmth and pleasant strokes. Every time he sees Yi-Gyeol, and every time he does something, he strokes his hair. Whenever he pets him like a small animal that is hungry for affection, he leans on him as soon as he strokes him and reveals on his face that he is in a good mood. Sethian liked each and every reaction of Yi-Gyeol, and he wanted to see it over and over again. He just belatedly realized why his habit was formed, and it is both fascinating and ticklish inside at the same time. Immediately after that, he felt like sharing his vitality with him for some reason. Thinking that far, Sethian¡¯s gentle face suddenly hardened a little. ¡°Come to think of it, numbness? Why didn¡¯t I know that?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol avoided his gaze with a troubled expression on his face. Sethian always moved and carried him and let him walk very little when they were together, so his body didn¡¯t really feel numb. It was something that he sometimes felt when he moved alone, and he couldn¡¯t say it easily because he thought it would annoy Sethian if he told him. Waiting for Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth to open, Sethian spoke firmly as if he had read his thoughts. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to bother me, don¡¯t hide anything that happens to your body. What would bother me more is if things get bigger.¡± Whether it was an immediate effect of what he said, Yi-Gyeol quickly lowered his eyes and apologized in a small voice. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± He speaks well without hesitation normally, but in this case, his face rapidly darkens and his voice crawls like a person who has taken on all the sins of the world. Sethian didn¡¯t like it, but he didn¡¯t intend to criticize or admonish him. Rather than changing the human being Joo Yi-Gyeol, he thought it would be more comfortable to just get rid of the things that would have made him react like this. Sethian looked at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s downcast eyes, grabbed his chin, and lifted it slightly. ¡°What about now?¡± ¡°The numbness? It¡¯s fine right now¡­.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be okay if you move more afterward. Open your mouth.¡± As soon as the words were said, Yi-Gyeol showed a bewildered look and grabbed Sethian¡¯s wrist ¨C which was holding his chin ¨C with both hands. ¡°Again? We¡¯ve just done it before you left.¡± Before going to do his business, he had already given him vitality through a very deep kiss as usual. It¡¯s only been a little over an hour if you look at the time, but it was dumbfounding to hear that he wanted to give him vitality again. Sethian also thought that he was giving him vitality too often, but the eccentric thing is, the more he looked at Yi-Gyeol, the more he paid attention, the more he wanted to kiss him. With the way things are, he thought that his lifespan was shortening too quickly, but Sethian was a person who wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about such things. Only the living present matters. ¡°That person said that the condition will only disappear when you get enough vitality, so I am just trying to do that.¡± ¡°What? Wai¡­!¡± Not even listening to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words, Sethian lowered his lips as if he was in a hurry. Soon, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s rigid body relaxed. Suddenly, the sound of a bird flapping its wings outside the window was heard. Nobody knows since when, but a crow sitting silently on a tree outside the window flapped its large wings and flew away somewhere. ? CH 39 A splendid and spacious bedroom that can be said to have been almost completely covered in dazzling gold. On the bed there was a white-haired old man who had been lying there for three months. The feeble sound of breathing, which seemed would be extinguished at any moment, flowed out with a colorful sound but did not fill the large space and quickly faded and spread repeatedly. A young male attendant standing next to such an old man was carefully wiping the back of his wrinkled hands with a warm wet towel. The left wrist that supported the old man¡¯s hand was wrapped in a thick bandage, with nothing under it. Occasionally, his eyebrows frowned as if in pain, but the gaze looking down at the old man was full of woeful affection. The older male attendant, who had been watching the scene from a distance, briefly clicked his tongue inwardly. Even though he told him to rest for a few days, the young attendant who adamantly chose to look after the emperor who failed to hold his position was both great and foolish. He was speechless at the thought that the inside section of his left wrist, which has not yet completely healed, was causing considerable pain. Two weeks ago, that young servant, who got on the wrong side of the 4th Prince Sethian, who is now the Crown Prince, was amputated mercilessly by his wrist. He can still vividly remember the blood fountain that spouted out from the neatly cut surface, but somehow the next day, he started taking care of the emperor like now without a single sound of pain while only wrapped in a bandage. Even though another servant offered to replace him, he refused, saying it was his job. Showing such a spirit and devotion, he thought he deserved to not only be cared for the most by the emperor among his servants but to also have been thought of more deeply. ¡®It would be nice if he didn¡¯t fall down like that.¡¯ The sick emperor only wakes up three or four hours a day. He was always the first to find that young servant when he came out of the deep sleep he would never wake up from. Then he would hold his hand like a man longing for warmth and wouldn¡¯t let go until he fell asleep again. As he is the emperor¡¯s extremely cherished servant to that extent, he thought it would be even worse if he collapsed. He thought he¡¯ll have to force him to take a break from time to time. At that moment, someone knocked on the bedroom door and made their voice heard. ¡°The 2nd Prince, Zair Rune Kinelly, asked for an audience.¡± Hearing the voice of the guard who was waiting outside, the chief attendant headed towards the door. Meanwhile, the young male servant quickly organized the things he had been using to care for the emperor and prepared to leave. The chief attendant knocked twice on the tightly closed door from the inside and stepped back, and only then did the door open. Zair, who strode into the room, glanced at the chief attendant who was bowing to him. ¡°How was his condition?¡± ¡°His complexion has quite improved.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± With an unimpressed answer, Zair walked towards the bed. In any case, the chief attendant only said that every time to ¡®throw everyone into confusion¡¯ regarding the remaining time of the emperor¡¯s life, but in reality, there was no significant improvement. Zair, who had already listened to the emperor¡¯s physical condition in considerable detail through the Imperial Physician, which he had already bought, intentionally did not show an expression on his face. Behind him followed an old man with a concave bowl on a tray. With his white hair tied together, he showed the dark brown water in the bowl to the chief attendant. ¡°We have brewed some evello tea leaves, which Prince Zair has prepared for His Majesty.¡± The chief attendant looked at Zair with a slightly startled look. Evello was a tea leaf that was classified as a precious medicinal product to the extent that it was called a panacea, but it was not easy to obtain as it was cultivated in very small quantities in other countries in the southern part of the continent, even in certain areas. A gentle smile flowed out when he imagined that Zair, who had been looking for medicines that were good for the body since the emperor lay down on his sickbed, must have looked all over just to procure evello. Nevertheless, the fact that the imperial physician was brought was one verification or another, but a test was still essential. The tea water was first tested by the imperial physician, followed by the chief attendant. After rolling the fragrant and bitter tea in his mouth and passing it through his throat, the chief servant immediately confirmed that there was nothing wrong and nodded his head. Soon after, the imperial physician immediately approached the bed, called the emperor five times, and tried to wake him up, but it did not happen as expected. Subsequently, the assistant physician and the chief attendant helped pour the tea into the emperor¡¯s mouth. Zair, who was silently watching the scene, turned his eyes and threw his gaze at the young male servant. Unable to take his eyes off the emperor¡¯s face, the servant covered his round wrist wrapped in bandages with his right hand. When the bowl of tea was all drunk up, the Imperial physician and the assistant physician left the room. The servant, whose left wrist was severed, also followed after them, saying that he would change the water. While the chief attendant was watching, Zair approached the bed and looked down at the poor-colored emperor without saying a word, then asked a short question. ¡°In your opinion, when will his Majesty get back to his position?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long since Prince Zair has shown his utmost sincerity as such.¡± The chief attendant said, even though he knew that the end of the emperor¡¯s life was just around the corner and that he would not be able to get out of his sickbed afterward. This was not only meant to hide the emperor¡¯s condition but also because he wanted Zair to look as relieved as he is now. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± He was always blunt and reticent, but as the chief attendant who remembered all the kindness he had shown to the emperor, he thought that he was like a true son. ¡°Umm¡­.¡± A small groan came from the lying emperor¡¯s mouth. The chief attendant, who was about to get close to the bed quickly, knew that the emperor, who had opened his eyes, would be looking for the young servant first, so he waited for his orders. No matter who is by his side, he will habitually call the young attendant¡¯s name first. However, no matter how much he waited, the emperor did not call the young attendant. He just blinked his wrinkled eyes a few times, opened them, and looked up at Zair. The emperor, who reached out his weak hand to Zair, closed his eyes again as his hands were caught in two solid hands. Then the sound of his breathing made the same sound as before, as if waking up for a while was just a lie. Zair seemed satisfied with that alone. He slowly laid the emperor¡¯s hand down on the bed and left the room, asking the chief attendant to take good care of him. The chief attendant looked bitterly at Zair¡¯s back, which was seen through the closing door. After leaving the emperor¡¯s bedroom, Zair asked the two knights guarding the entrance to protect him well then walked down the wide hallway. His eyes, which had been filled with regret, suddenly turned cold. As he passed the hallway and reached the stairs, he saw the young male attendant coming up from below with a clean wet towel and a basin of fresh water. Seeing him taking the courtesy greeting like before, Zair approached him and asked in a low voice. ¡°What happened to your left hand?¡± The young male attendant did not readily answer. Hesitating, he answered only after being urged by Zair once more, ¡®Because I offended Prince Sethian.¡¯ Since it was so common for a servant to die because of offending the royal family, there was no reason to not believe it. Zair kept his gaze fixed on the bandaged arm of the young attendant who was barely holding the basin, and asked so low that only he could hear it. ¡°Do you know the value of your left hand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± The round eyes of the young attendant opened suspiciously. Those eyes met Zair¡¯s cold gaze. ¡°Sethian took your hand because he knew its real worth.¡± ¡°Your Highness, what are you trying to¡­.¡± ¡°Think carefully and come to me once you realize its worth. Your ignorance is pitiful.¡± Zair passed by immediately as if he wasn¡¯t willing to hear an answer, and didn¡¯t turn his head afterward, even though he knew that the young servant¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. As he went out and headed towards his castle, he found a crow flying in a circle in the sky. The crow snuck through the window of Zair¡¯s room, which was open, and did not go out until the owner of the room arrived. Upon arriving in the room, Zair saw the white butterfly which was following him, passed by him, and entered a transparent bottle on the table. Despite the novelty, Zair locked the butterfly by closing the bottle¡¯s opening with a blue plug without changing his expression. Meanwhile, the crow, who had entered the cage that was open in the corner of the room, was silently watching Zair, who pulled back a curtain and placed the glass bottle inside. Zair, who had filled the glass bottle display stand with butterflies with the one from a while ago, came out with a bottle of white powder from its end. When he sprinkled some of the powder on the feed in the cage and closed the door, the crow dropped its head and collapsed as if it had been waiting. Something pure white came out of the black crow¡¯s body like smoke. It was the same butterfly that Zair had locked up in a bottle a while ago. As the butterfly escaped, the crow, who woke up as if nothing had happened, rolled its eyes and began to peck the feed in the cage. The colorless, odorless, and tasteless, ¡®Possession Potion¡¯ that was mixed in evello seems to be quite edible for that crow. Throwing his gaze at the butterfly floating in the air, Zair said. ¡°Start your report.¡± As if understanding the words, the butterfly floating in the air flew towards his forehead. It flew without stopping and was sucked into his forehead as if seeping into it, and Zair closed his eyes and frowned. It wasn¡¯t long before the butterfly came out. As was the case with the crow, who is now eating with his eyes open, the butterfly slipped out like smoke. Zair¡¯s eyes, which opened afterward, were filled with conspicuous brilliance. ¡°¡­Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± A small smile appeared on the corner of Zair¡¯s lips as he rolled the name for the first time in his mouth a few times. CH 40 It was around a week after Roa¡¯s first visit that Yi-Gyeol was able to walk around without a cane. He still couldn¡¯t stand or walk for a long time, but he was now able to move around freely in the bedroom. It wasn¡¯t the only thing that improved. His skeleton-like physique, which looks like a person who had suffered a famine, can now be described as simply skinny. Even his slender cheeks are now moderately plump and have a good complexion. ¡°You have enough vitality and your health has definitely improved.¡± Roa, who was examining Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body as before, lifted his hand from his left chest and smiled. ¡°Is there any place you feel uncomfortable? What about the numbness you mentioned before?¡± As soon as the mana test was over, Yi-Gyeol quickly wore his underwear and answered with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s completely gone now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Roa stood from kneeling on the floor while facing Yi-Gyeol, and took a couple of steps back, feeling the fierce gaze toward him. Sethian, who had been watching the situation throughout the inspection, picked up the shirt Yi-Gyeol had taken off and left on the table and inserted it into his arm. ¡°I can do it.¡± ¡°Just put on your pants.¡± Even though he could move on his own now, Sethian¡¯s behavior of dealing with him like a child has still not disappeared. Yi-Gyeol pretended to be dissatisfied and grunted, but still put his arm in the jacket he had spread out, just as Sethian told him to. He pulled his pants on while Sethian was buttoning them up. Roa was watching the scene while silently smiling, then quickly cleared his expression as Sethian turned around. Then Lenox¡¯s voice was heard outside with a knock. ¡°Wizard Eda-nim is here.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes automatically directed to Roa. It was said that the wizard named Eda is the successor of the tower master. Roa briefly added that he was the one who called for him. ¡°I told him to prepare a refined mana stone.¡± ¡°Do we need that?¡± ¡°We cannot see the mana from his body disappearing unlike other bodies, but just in case, we¡¯re going to periodically put some mana in once every two weeks, using refined mana.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows moved disapprovingly. ¡°There won¡¯t be anything wrong with his body, right?¡± ¡°Of course. On the contrary, he will feel a good sense of comfort when he accepts the mana. The refined mana stone has the most similar wavelength to the mana stone of the brooch that was used to compose his body.¡± Only after hearing those words did Sethian soften the corners of his eyes and turned his gaze to Yi-Gyeol this time. Not understanding what the two of them were saying, Yi-Gyeol tilted his head and blinked. Sethian automatically stroked his hair and told the wizard to enter the door. As if waiting, the door opened immediately, and a young man in a gray robe walked in. Eda, who courteously greeted Sethian, appeared to be of similar age in appearance to Yi-Gyeol. With a carefree face and eyebrows raised slightly, he gave a gentle smile to Yi-Gyeol, who was looking at him curiously. Roa sent a warm gaze to Eda and opened his mouth as he looked at Yi-Gyeol. ¡°It¡¯ll take about 10 minutes to receive all of the mana from the hearthstone. Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim should lie down comfortably.¡± Then he politely said to Sethian. ¡°I have something to say to the Crown Prince for a moment. I¡¯d like to ask you to spare some time while Eda supplies the mana.¡± Sethian gave him a look that said, ¡®Just do it right here if you have something to say,¡¯ but Roa only smiled at him without saying anything. Recognizing that it was something he didn¡¯t want Yi-Gyeol to hear, Sethian turned his gaze and looked at him. Yi-Gyeol stood up from his seat and nodded with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me and go.¡± Saying that, he was about to walk to the bed, but Sethian grabbed his arm and swiftly held him. Yi-Gyeol looked at Roa and Eda alternately and unrealizingly scrunched his face. ¡°I can walk on my own.¡± ¡°We still have to be careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even that far to the bed¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol sourly complained but Sethian didn¡¯t care. Perhaps he was already immune from the frequent hugs, but Yi-Gyeol remained calm and stopped making a fuss. Sethian gently laid Yi-Gyeol on the bed and patted his disheveled hair with his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll let Lenox inside, so signal him if you feel something weird. You can just scream.¡± ¡°I understand already, so go quickly. Roa-nim is waiting.¡± Yi-Gyeol smiled pleasantly at the words Sethian always says all the time, waved his hand and signaled him to go. Sethian pulled the blanket up over his chest and approached Eda with cold eyes. Sethian¡¯s pressure was felt right in front of him, and he swallowed his dry saliva nervously. ¡°Do only your job. Otherwise, even if you¡¯re the successor of the tower master or whatever you are, you¡¯ll not be safe.¡± It was small enough to be heard only by himself, but the weight contained in it was as heavy and bloody as Sethian¡¯s eyes. Sethian swung the door open after passing Eda and ordered Lenox, who was waiting outside the door. ¡°Keep an eye out from the inside. If he ever tries to touch anything other than his hands using the mana supply as an excuse, drag him out of the room and cut one off.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Lenox answered without hesitation, entered the room with a nonchalant face, and stood by the door. Upon hearing Sethian¡¯s orders, Roa told Eda to be careful in case he really got amputated, and left the room. There was a strange feeling of silence in the room where two people left and one other entered. Eda glanced at Lenox with a slightly tense expression on his carefree face. It was not as powerful as Crown Prince Sethian, but it was still an extraordinarily intimidating sense. He had already put his hand on the sword handle on his waist as if he were going to draw his sword at any time. In the midst of the strange tension between Lenox, who is watching, and Eda, who is being monitored, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes alone are twinkling. ¡°How do you supply the mana?¡± Eda¡¯s tense face softened a little as if seeing a child full of curiosity. He sat down on a chair by the bed and pulled a clean cloth bag from his robe. When he took out a blue stone the size of a fist from inside and showed it, awe could be seen in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is this what they call a magic stone?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Eda answered with a smile and held the magic stone in one hand and Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand in the other. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand trembled at the cold touch. ¡°It will take about 10 minutes.¡± As Eda spoke kindly with a smiling face, the magic stone he was holding started to glow subtly. Accordingly, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand that was connected to the other also glowed blue. Yi-Gyeol made a more comfortable expression compared to what he felt when Roa was examining his body. Eda, who began supplying mana from the mana stone, continued smiling as he scrutinizingly watch Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. ¡®As expected, he¡¯s not a slave used for labor either.¡¯ He didn¡¯t realize when Crown Prince Sethian was carrying him out of the tower with that emaciated body, but now that he looks at it, he thinks he wasn¡¯t a slave who usually did rough labor in the first place. If he worked harshly, even if there are no visible wounds, his hands are bound to be rough, but the palm he¡¯s holding is soft and the back of it is smooth and fine. ¡®Is it a sex slave?¡¯ It would be understandable if that was the case. Crown Prince Sethian has a tendency to be obsessed with interesting things from time immemorial, so he may have needed a unique sex slave with an exotic taste that is rarely seen. In addition, not only does he not care about other people at all, but he¡¯s also known to have done some weird things, so he might think nothing of giving life to him through sexual intercourse. It is said that the imperial family has a particularly long lifespan. He sneered inside at Yi-Gyeol, who was staring at his hand, with that thought in mind. He doesn¡¯t know what kind of witchcraft he used to catch the Crown Prince¡¯s eyes and took over this bedroom, but he was just a mere plaything. Just thinking that he¡¯s holding the hand of someone who¡¯s having sex every night just to receive vitality and no one knows when would be thrown away makes him feel dirty. ¡®In any case, what is important is that he is a soul with a living body.¡¯ If the man in front of him fell into the hands of Prince Zair, he would be the best tool for mass-producing human bodies. Repeated mass production will shock the soul¡¯s spirit, but Zair will definitely not care at all. Even if his soul becomes exhausted and crumbles to the point where he loses himself completely, he will continue to be used. And for his(Eda) own benefit too. The thought of a time when it turned out to be like that gave him chilling ecstasy. Contrary to his head that mocked and ridiculed Yi-Gyeol, Eda, who has a friendly smile on the outside just like his teacher, made eye contact with Yi-Gyeol as his(YG) voice came in as if to interrupt his thoughts. ¡°What is sir¡¯s name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Eda.¡± ¡°Eda-nim¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol rolled Eda¡¯s name in his mouth and smiled bitterly. ¡°By any chance, did I do something wrong to Eda-nim?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Eda, who was ridiculing Yi-Gyeol inside his mind, stopped at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s question at once. ¡°I feel like you don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°¡­How can that be? It¡¯s the first time that we¡¯re talking like this, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to hate.¡± ¡°You hated me even before you came into this room.¡± The corner of Eda¡¯s lips twitched momentarily. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes sank darkly. ¡°Why are you forcing yourself to smile?¡± After the onset of Rostov Syndrome, as time went on, Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to be sensitive to the negative emotions of others. Moreover, the forced smile that Eda was making resembled that of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s before, which was shown to hide his original emotion. Eda¡¯s smile, which seemed natural to anyone, slowly disappeared. TL Note: I¡¯m very sorry for this super late release~! TL got reported and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s related to DMCA so I decided to stop releasing for a few weeks to test the waters¡­ So far, I think it¡¯s good since we haven¡¯t heard anything, or else I¡¯ll have to go private.?? That¡¯s why you guys have to join the group to be updated! Let¡¯s see if we can go back to normal release~. CH 41 ? Although somewhat embarrassed, Eda only erased the smile on his face, conscious of Lenox in the doorway behind his back. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you. It was just a habit of mine to always smile, so please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Yi-Gyeol looked up at Eda and smiled broadly as if asking when had he ever misunderstood. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I want to be close to you, too.¡± Eda laughed inwardly at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words and spoke as softly as possible. ¡°So am I. I¡¯ll see you often from now on, so please take good care of me.¡± Even just for the prince who was on the same boat as himself, he had to befriend the scrawny man in front of him and dig up various information. He may have a bit of wits in him, but he seems so naive that he doesn¡¯t even know how to tell a lie properly. A person like this will tell you a lot of information just by pretending to be chatty, even if you treat him with just a little kindness. For that reason, he¡¯ll have to pretend to be selfless for a while. On the other hand, Yi-Gyeol, who said that he will surely treat him well in reply to Eda¡¯s gentle words, felt his heart beating a little faster. It was an unpleasant palpitation. Eda definitely has negative feelings toward him. He has a bad feeling like his whole body was being stabbed with a needle. He doesn¡¯t know why he ¡®despises¡¯ and ¡®scorns¡¯ him even though it¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve met. If it had been based on his external appearance, he would have let it pass without any problem, but obviously, he felt like he was trampling on the human being called Joo Yi-Gyeol beneath him, so he couldn¡¯t pretend not to know. It was such a familiar feeling that he felt since the first time coming here. It resembled that of a friend who came to him ¨C who had been living without any hope in life ¨C after a long time, and laughed at him silently, pretending not to be. If it was in the past, he would have denied or pretended to be ignorant of the emotions he was feeling. Since it was more comfortable and less painful that way. However, he has no intention of doing that here. Sethian doesn¡¯t want him to put up with his feelings and turn away from them any longer. He told him many times that there was no need to blame himself for doing anything wrong, and that he could always be confident of himself. He said it was the best way not to unnecessarily make him worry. It doesn¡¯t sound like much, but the words Sethian said every day had a greater effect on him than that of any other counselor. It¡¯s still hard to tell for sure, but it was clear that there was a reason for Eda¡¯s malicious feelings even before he met him. Until he was certain of the reason, he had to hide his thoughts and feelings as much as possible. ¡®Don¡¯t trust anyone here but me. If there¡¯s someone wearing a mask in front of you, you do the same. That is the basics in this place.¡¯ Recalling what Sethian had said, Yi-Gyeol naturally smiled at Eda, pretending to be unperturbed. When it comes to covering up his true feelings with something else, he was confident in his own way as he had been doing it for the past five years. ??????? Sethian, sitting at the seat of honor in the drawing room, pressed Roa ¨C who was sitting diagonally from him ¨C with his eyes, telling him to get to the main point straight away. Roa thought that he was being short-tempered as usual, but still opened his mouth as he wanted, taking some time. ¡°Have you made up your mind about the throne?¡± Even before he asked the question, he was already sure of the answer that would come back. The Sethian that Roa saw was more deeply engrossed in the man named Joo Yi-Gyeol than he thought, and it was worthy enough to say that he would aim for the throne just for him. However, the short answer that returned was not very clear. ¡°Maybe.¡± Roa¡¯s face was filled with doubts at the non-committal answer. ¡°You know that you have to ascend to the throne in order to maintain Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, right?¡± The Emperor and the Crown Prince¡¯s mana stones are automatically engraved with their names the moment a new owner is appointed. Since the owner obviously used the mana stone to cast golden magic, of course, the master of the mana stone must also remain the same in order to maintain that magic. What Sethian used to carry out the golden art is the mana stone of the ¡®Crown Prince.¡¯ The crown prince¡¯s position would be naturally stripped if a new emperor, not him, was established, and in that case, the name engraved on the mana stones would also be erased. It was obvious that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, which was made of that mana stone, would also disappear without a trace. Therefore, it was only natural for him to ascend the throne in order to retain the ownership of the magic stone used in the golden art, but it seems that Sethian did not intend to do so. Because of that, it was Roa who became impatient. ¡®My research subject!¡¯ For Roa, Yi-Gyeol was a rare subject that he wanted to devote his life to studying. It was the first time that he met a ¡®living soul¡¯ that escaped without the body being dead, and it was also the first time he had created a perfect body based on it. As a result, there are a lot of things to research while checking Yi-Gyeol¡¯s physical condition, and he couldn¡¯t let him disappear just like this. ¡°If someone else ascends the throne, the Crown Prince¡¯s position will be naturally stripped, and Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body will disappear completely.¡± Even though Sethian certainly is not ignorant of this fact either, he was still expressionless. He visibly cherished Yi-Gyeol, but it was so frustrating why he wouldn¡¯t give a clear answer. Sethian asked, placing his elbow on the armrest and clasping his chin. ¡°What happens to the soul when the settled body disappears?¡± Roa, who hesitated at the composed question, answered cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure since there¡¯s no successful precedent, but I think it will return to its original body.¡± Sethian¡¯s brow furrowed at those words. ¡°You mean going back to the body that is in the comatose state?¡± ¡°In fact, when Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim met the Crown Prince in the soul state before, didn¡¯t you say that he would return to his original body and open his eyes after about two hours? It¡¯s just one of the hypotheses, but if the current body disappears, it is believed that there is a high probability of returning to the original body connected to the soul.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes fell into deep thought. Roa doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking, but he was hoping for it to be actively and positively aiming for the throne. If he did that, he too would roll up his arms and try to persuade the elders of the tower. But Sethian did not speak his thoughts. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± Sethian took out a pocket watch with a thin gold chain from his arms and checked the time, acting as if he¡¯s going to stand from his chair at any moment. Roa quickly seized him with his words. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. It¡¯s about Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim¡¯s physical condition.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes shone sharply for a moment. It made him wonder why he reacts so promptly to the state of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s physical condition, but doesn¡¯t give a definitive answer to his physical preservation. ¡°Did Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim perhaps go out of his body several times yesterday or today?¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyes wriggled and his voice sank even lower. ¡°Does that put a strain on his body?¡± The returned question seemed to answer the word ¡®yes¡¯, so Roa put on a very serious expression. ¡°Upon inspection today, there is a path where the soul frequently left and entered the body, and there are traces of a slight disturbance of mana as a result.¡± Roa carefully chose his words from the line that would not offend Sethian. ¡°As you know, the created body has a set flow of mana and vitality that circulates through the body. The fact that the mana was disturbed means that the vitality was the same at that time. Such a disorganized vitality would have slipped out of the body and scattered in the air.¡± ¡°Just tell me the conclusion.¡± Even though Roa had already said it carefully, Sethian still doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood. For him, Roa answered briefly and boldly. ¡°If he leaves his body frequently even in just a short period of time or stays away for a long time, he will need to be careful because the vitality is also rapidly depleting. Actually, I couldn¡¯t say it because I was afraid Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim would be worried, but most of the vitality was lost even today.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sethian didn¡¯t answer. But his cold eyes were clearly thinking of someone. Roa, who followed Sethian after leaving the drawing room and was now going back to the bedroom, looked at his back with a bitter expression. He was the same as usual, but he seemed to feel uncomfortable somewhere. ¡®It¡¯s only understandable.¡¯ It would be dissatisfying to think that you split your life span and gave life to others, but it¡¯ll just be lost due to frequent soul withdrawal. He thought that it would not be unlikely for Sethian to prevent Yi-Gyeol from going out of his body due to waste of the scattered vitality. Roa, who remembered the golden butterfly that was Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul, stood in front of the bedroom thinking that it was a pity since it¡¯s an extremely coveted ability. Sethian opened the door and accepted Kirsty¡¯s bow, and quickly approached Yi-Gyeol, who was raising his upper body in bed just in time. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Yi-Gyeol smiled as soon as he saw Sethian, but his eyes suddenly opened wide at the touch of the hand that quickly supported the back of his head. Then, without even prior notice, Sethian overlapped both of their lips. ¡°¡­?!¡± Sethian¡¯s tongue protruded between Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips, whose breath hitched in astonishment. Eda, who was seeing it from a close distance, and Lenox and Roa, who were standing inside the door, each had a surprised expression on their faces. Not long after a moan began to flow out of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth, Sethian¡¯s lips fell off. He leaned Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head ¨C which was reeling with a burning face ¨C against him, and turned his head to look back at Roa. ¡°Examine him again. Check if this much is enough.¡± Rather than preventing Yi-Gyeol from going out of his body, it seems that he intends to fill the loss with his vitality. Seeing that he had chosen to share more of his own lifespan rather than restricting Yi-Gyeol¡¯s actions, Roa could only wonder why he hadn¡¯t decided to succeed the throne with certainty yet. Since he likes Yi-Gyeol that much. CH 42 ? Roa checked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s condition one more time due to Sethian¡¯s threat, left the words that he had enough vitality, and quickly went back to the tower with Eda. Lenox also went out the door and stood with Kirsty guarding the bedroom with a puzzled expression on his face, and, as always, only Sethian and Yi-Gyeol were the only people who remained inside. Yi-Gyeol had a slightly angry expression on his face, which is rare. ¡°Sit down.¡± Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Yi-Gyeol tapped the sheet in front of him with his hand. As soon as Sethian sat down, Yi-Gyeol warned in a stern voice. ¡°Don¡¯t do that in front of other people.¡± ¡°Which one are you talking about?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s brows furrowed a little more. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­kiss me.¡± This time, Sethian¡¯s forehead wrinkled as if copying him. ¡°The reason is?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s because it¡¯s embarrassing. No matter how you look at it, that¡­, Even if it¡¯s to give vitality, kissing in front of others is kind of weird.¡± Sethian carefully watched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s blushing face ¨C who didn¡¯t know where to put his eyes ¨C reached out, and put his hand on his cheek. A pleasant warmth is felt, and Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face relaxed as if it was never scrunched up just a moment earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just think about it¡­!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s just the two of us like now, right?¡± Surprised to see Sethian¡¯s fast-approaching face, Yi-Gyeol abruptly put his palm between his and Sethian¡¯s mouths. ¡°Roa-nim said earlier that I have enough vitality already. You don¡¯t have to do more.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes sharpened in an instant. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s act of drawing a line, saying they don¡¯t need to kiss anymore made him feel quite dissatisfied. But soon, as if nothing had happened, he calmly pulled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s arm down. ¡°Now get some sleep.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not sleepy.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the wizard say just now that you¡¯ll need to rest even after moving a little?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to sleep anymore though¡­.¡± He could tell that he wasn¡¯t sleepy just by looking at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s twinkling eyes, but Sethian thought that there was nothing much better than sleep to replenish his physical strength. Especially, if you have a weak body like the current Yi-Gyeol, you need more sleep. Seeing that Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t want to go to sleep easily, Sethian took off the cloak from his shoulders and threw it under the bed. He laid down together with Yi-Gyeol, then pulled and held him in his arms. He flinched because of the close contact at first but quickly relaxed his body with a comfortable expression on his face. Even so, his eyes roll around to the point where Sethian thinks he can hear a rolling sound. ¡°I think it¡¯s kind of weird¡­to sleep while hugging like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so that you can sleep quickly.¡± ¡°I can fall asleep quickly even if you don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°This¡¯ll make you sleep even more quickly. Stop fussing and just sleep.¡± Sethian naturally patted Yi-Gyeol¡¯s back and stroked his hair. Even with such trivial actions, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s whole body and expression quickly came loose, but still complained that he is like putting a child to sleep. Looking at Yi-Gyeol who closed his eyes to sleep, Sethian was full of complicated thoughts that the other person was not aware of. ¡°If someone else ascends the throne, the Crown Prince¡¯s position will be naturally stripped, and Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body will disappear completely.¡± Recalling what Roa had said, the hand that was patting Yi-Gyeol¡¯s back froze and stopped. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyebrows, who wasn¡¯t fully asleep yet, shook slightly as if he would open his eyes just by the distraction, so Sethian continued patting his back. Unlike the Crown Prince¡¯s title, which is only a position in name, the official position of the emperor differs greatly. It is a position that Sethian could not make up his mind to climb hastily, but it was worthwhile to do because he had the necessary cause and enough power to take the throne, and he was also prepared to bring down his other siblings. If there is anyone who would try to threaten him like his siblings after becoming emperor, he plans to set an example by brutally executing them in front of everyone, and he will not hesitate to make various cruel preparations to prevent them from climbing in the first place. He¡¯s going to make sure that no one dares to threaten his position, and he¡¯s even considering waging a war just to create something to enjoy. There are a number of paths that he can take if he wants to become a tyrant. But Yi-Gyeol can never be a part of that. Due to the psychological wounds he has received, he¡¯s fragile enough to tremble at even the smallest things, and he¡¯s also naive enough to believe and follow whatever he says. He is even sensitive to others being hurt or killed, so he is the least compatible with ¡®The Tyrant¡¯s Government of Terror¡¯ that he designed. He was not very interested in the throne, so he thought he¡¯d just let anyone become the emperor, but if that happened, it was obvious what would happen to Yi-Gyeol. Once the Crown Prince¡¯s position is withdrawn and the brooch is recovered, Sethian¡¯s record will be deleted for the next owner of the mana stone to be written in it. As a result, the power of the mana stone will vanish, and Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body will disappear as if it never existed. His soul might return to its original place as well. Strength entered the arm that was holding Yi-Gyeol in his arms. Yi-Gyeol, who had just fallen asleep, groaned a little and dug deeper. A dying body from another world. If he goes back to that body that was in a state of coma, then he may not be able to see Yi-Gyeol again. Sometimes, Yi-Gyeol would have this nightmare. He seemed to see his family every time that happened. Tears would hang from the corners of his tightly closed eyes, and he would repeatedly say sorry to his family with his small lips. Occasionally, when Yi-Gyeol mentions that he misses them and that he wanted to meet them again, he wanted to make him unable to speak even if he was sleeping by pouring kisses on him. ¡®I get increasingly ridiculous as time goes on.¡¯ Has he ever been this obsessed with someone? To his parents, siblings, or subjects; no one has ever made him so obsessed. It feels like something is pressing down on his chest. Even though he has Joo Yi-Gyeol by his side as he wanted, it doesn¡¯t seem like he has the initiative. It still seemed that Joo Yi-Gyeol had all the upper hand, and he was terribly savoring the end of an incongruous emotion of anxiety. It¡¯s been a long time since he had to think about which option was the right one. On the surface, the object of his concern would seem like the imperial throne, but when you look further into it, it is entirely dotted with Joo Yi-Gyeol. Was it wrong to have him by his side in the first place? Did it become an issue that he let him sink too deeply inside of him? When he heard that the vitality he gave was lost in the aftermath of his soul withdrawal, the first thought that came to him was ¡®So?¡¯. If there¡¯s a loss, it¡¯s enough to just make up for it. Roa¡¯s intention was to refrain Yi-Gyeol from leaving his body to preserve the vitality, but Sethian had a different idea. After so many years, he was able to finally walk properly and no longer has to suffer under the pressure of having to sleep for 22 hours. It was as if a bird, which had been unable to fly due to an injury to its wings, was finally in place to fly one more time. Just like the bird who has a desire to fly again because of the memory of once flying freely in the sky, the same will be true for Yi-Gyeol. Nevertheless, Yi-Gyeol never urged Sethian even once. While estimating the time when it will be possible for him to go for a walk, he didn¡¯t say a word that he wants to go out, even for a moment. Instead, he is satisfied with feeling the outside air through soul withdrawal, visiting the place where Sethian works, and watching the interesting sight of the knights moving roughly from time to time. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ability to escape from his body serves as his eyes to satisfy his yearnings and desires, so he never thought that he should block it. Thinking about it, Roa deserved to look at himself strangely. It was because he, who was never interested in other people¡¯s emotions and had lived a life centered on his eccentric interests, paid attention to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s every action and did not care about how much vitality he lost for his sake. ¡®Vitality¡­.¡¯ How much of his lifespan has already been shaved off? How much vitality is needed in the future to maintain Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body? Honestly, that never mattered to him. What¡¯s important was the fact that Joo Yi-Gyeol was moving with his own vitality, not anyone else. A maddening desire for possessiveness soared inside Sethian. As soon as he thought that it was not his own vitality that was moving inside Joo Yi-Gyeol, the front of his eyes seemed to be dyed with vivid blood. It was as if a strange sound that he had never heard before was ringing inside his head. That sound was an instinctive warning related to the person in front of him. He slowly lifted his arm from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s back, who had already fallen deeply asleep. He was lying on his side and resting, not budging an inch, as he held his neck in his hand. It¡¯s much better than before, but it hasn¡¯t changed the fact that it¡¯s a neck thin enough to be twisted without a pulse if he just puts a little force. The strange sound that he heard for the first time gradually grew louder and uproariously reverberated inside his head. His instinct was saying that Joo Yi-Gyeol was a poison to himself. He knows it even without a warning. It is an object that takes away his vitality, so how can it not be considered a poison? He thought it was a weed that could be trampled on mercilessly once he lost interest any time, but it was actually more like a bewitching poisonous herb that confuses his mind. It was such a quiet poison that he didn¡¯t even realize when or how he got poisoned. Sethian wanted to take complete control of such a poisonous herb. That way, the unpleasant feeling of anxiety seemed to disappear. Having anxiety never suits him, so he wanted to put it all in his clutch and hold it tightly somehow. CH 43 ? He turned the hand that was holding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck to the side and laid his body upright. He got on top of him and looked down, watching him quietly. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, with his own shadow, looked so serene. Even though he was caught in his grasp and in a situation where he did not know when he would die, he abandoned everything and slept like a person without a care in the world. Sethian¡¯s face gradually descended and touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. He grabbed his chin with his hand, forced his lips apart, and pushed his tongue in. A sticky sound of two tongues mingling and the mixing of saliva inside the mouth could be heard. A faint moan escaped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth as if he was short of breath, and his throat slowly moved up and down. The slender neck that was caught in Sethian¡¯s grasp trembled and swallowed the mixed saliva. He could clearly feel his life flowing into him. The warning sound in his head grew louder. It¡¯s like a soundbox that¡¯s screeching and reverberating all over his whole body. Ignoring the warning, he released the hand that was wrapped around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. The heat of his grip transmitted to his neck, he could see it blooming into a crimson color. The burning color that remained on his pure white body felt like shackles he personally engraved on him. ¡®My shackle. My trace.¡¯ Thinking so, the strange sound that resonated throughout his body disappeared in an instant. Sethian¡¯s lips moved towards Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. He buried his lips and sucked the delicate flesh hard. Feeling that it wasn¡¯t enough, he nibbled with his teeth as well. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyebrows frowned slightly and a groan flowed through his lips. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, but his breath got a little hot, perhaps because of the aftermath of the kiss. When he took off the lips that had been buried on his neck, the red mark he had engraved remained quite clear. It was only a red mark, but it seemed like a sign that he was the one who holds the power between them and a brand of his domination. The corners of Sethian¡¯s lips raised as he wiped the red traces left on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck with his fingertips. There was no need to think too hard. In order to maintain his body and rule over everything, he definitely needed the throne. Once he ascended the throne, he would build a castle for him and put him in shackles and lock him up. Secretly, without recognizing that he is trapped, just like how he is unaware of the existence of the red traces like now. ??????? Sethian had suddenly become busy since a few days ago. Every time Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes in the morning, he was often in bed alone, and they could eat together only once or twice out of five times. Even so, he still came to him from time to time out of nowhere and kissed him into confusion followed by gnawing his neck with a tingling sound, leaving a trace. Now, if you count the number of new marks on his neck without having to count the times he received vitality, that is the number of times they have kissed. He asked him why he kept leaving marks on his neck, but he just raised the corners of his mouth slightly and didn¡¯t answer. Yesterday, when Sethian returned before he could even go to bed after a long time, he asked why he was so busy. Sethian, who was about to kiss him out of the blue without prior notice, said that it was time to start preparing, and swallowed his lips. He doesn¡¯t know what it is, but as a result of looking around in his soul state, it was clear that Sethian was busy. He doesn¡¯t know exactly what he was busy with, but if you think about it, it was only natural. Sethian is the Crown Prince. It is said that he would not necessarily become the emperor, but he must be the closest person to the position. He felt sorry and grateful to think that he kept taking time for himself even though it was natural for him to be busy like now from the beginning, so he couldn¡¯t say anything to him. He didn¡¯t grumble or complain about why he was busy. He always greets him with a bright face every time Sethian comes back. In the meantime, it was already a few days later after Roa checked his condition once more in the agreed after a week. ¡°Crown Prince Sethian recommended taking a stroll.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was standing by the window and looking out, turned around in surprise at the words Lenox had said. ¡°Can I really do that?¡± When Lenox nodded, a bright smile surfaced on his face and he looked excited. Lenox put on the overcoat he had brought in advance and scanned Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body with his eyes. Although he was still skinny, he had already gained quite a bit of weight, so it is now a body that couldn¡¯t be connected to any negative modifiers thereafter. If you insist on attaching something, the expression being ¡®slender¡¯ would be appropriate. But what surprised Lenox the most was Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. His body still needs more flesh and muscles, but his face already had a moderate amount of fat on it. Previously, his cheeks were hollow and there was no flesh around his eyes, so he looked lacking. Whereas, it was quite nice to look at him now, and his distinct features shone more clearly. It was now an undeniable fact that he quite stood out because of his exotic appearance. Lenox, who was briefly distracted by Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, remembered what Sethian had told him to do as he straightened his clothes. ¡®If there are any bastards who dares to hang around, kill them.¡¯ It was a command that was uttered with killing intent, so he gets chills every time he thinks of it. He was very curious about the man in front of him, whom Sethian cherished, but neither Lenox nor Kirsty nor anyone else dared to ask about him. ¡®Curiosity shortens a person¡¯s lifespan.¡¯ No one is ignorant of what those words mean. Due to Sethian¡¯s cold orders, everyone in the Emerald Castle knows not to be curious about the ¡®man with an exotic appearance¡¯. And it was the same with his close aides, Lenox and Kirsty. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Yi-Gyeol, fully dressed in a jacket, asked in an excited voice. He is obviously a grown-up young man, but he¡¯s so cute and bright that it makes Lenox smile without even realizing it. ¡°We will go to the garden outside the castle. It¡¯s your first stroll, so let¡¯s not walk too long.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing Yi-Gyeol leading without even knowing the way, Lenox couldn¡¯t help but smile. But he somehow finds his way so well. ¡®This should be the first time he¡¯s been out of the bedroom though¡­.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Not only the Emerald Castle but all the castles were composed of complicated roads resembling a maze. So he heard that servants and maids who enter the castle for the first time spend nearly a week just memorizing the road thoroughly using the internal map before they start working. Nevertheless, its structure is so confusing that even he takes the wrong way himself sometimes, so it¡¯s surprising that Yi-Gyeol could find the way on his own like now. He thought that walking inside the castle was also a stroll so he let him take the lead, thinking that they would wander for a long time, but they came out of the castle without a single blockage and headed straight to the garden. When Yi-Gyeol reached the garden, he looked around at the flowers in full bloom and exclaimed. He had already seen them in his OOBE state. There was actually no distinction whether he was looking at all kinds of colorful flowers, simple flowers, or weeds in his soul state, so there was really nothing new about it. Nevertheless, the reason why he exclaimed was because of the scent that filled the tip of his nose in the fully bloomed garden. Unlike seeing the flowers with only his eyes in the state of soul, now that he can even smell their scent, his heart is simply overwhelmed. It was a scent he hadn¡¯t smelled in over 5 years. There were obviously purple irises in his musty and dark room, but they were just faded artificial flowers that had no scent at all. Until he had gotten sick, he didn¡¯t feel even a single hint of inspiration from the scent of flowers, but now, even though he¡¯s just passing by like this, his lungs feel refreshed and feel better as if he had inhaled oxygen. Like a person possessed by something, Yi-Gyeol, who couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the flowers and sluggishly moved, suddenly opened his eyes wide when he saw a white butterfly passing in front of him. He thought it was just a butterfly staying on a fragrant flower at first. However, as far as Yi-Gyeol knows, there was only one white butterfly that gives off a soft light like the one just now. ¡®Why do I see a soul?¡¯ He was rather taken aback. Originally, he could only see butterflies when he was in the soul state due to the OOBE phenomenon. He thought it was only natural since he was in the same soul state as them, but he is inside his body at the moment. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s ever seen a butterfly even though he¡¯s not in that condition, so he blinked several times wondering if he had seen it wrong. A butterfly flapping its wings is slowly flying somewhere. Yi-Gyeol wanted to check again whether the butterfly really was a soul. It would be a bit disappointing if he was wrong and it¡¯s just a simple white butterfly, but if it was a real soul, it would be very strange. Perhaps he could hear the voices of the souls himself like Sethian does, or see the souls directly like one of his brothers. Before he knew it, all the attention that was on the flowers just a moment ago was now focused on the white butterfly flying in the distance. Yi-Gyeol walked a little faster and chased the butterfly. Fortunately, its movement was slow, so he was able to get close to it in no time. The white butterfly landed on a large red rose. It looks like a real butterfly that repeatedly spread its wings slowly and folded them. However, Yi-Gyeol, who came close enough to clearly distinguish the difference, was convinced that the butterfly was actually a real ¡®soul¡¯. The moment he slowly lifted the tip of his finger towards the white butterfly with a curious heart. ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim, over there is¡­!¡± With Lenox¡¯s urgent voice, someone else¡¯s hand suddenly reached out from the side and grabbed his wrist. ¡°Who are you?¡± He turned his head, startled by the familiar voice. It was none other than the second prince, Zair, who tightly grabbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s wrist. CH 44 Just as he stiffened in surprise, another person grabbed Zair¡¯s wrist. An eerie sound of a sharp metal passed by Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ears as if scraping on something. ¡°Please let go, Second Prince.¡± The surrounding air froze in an instant. Zair glared at the man who was holding his wrist with great force. His eyes were as fierce and cold as Lenox¡¯s half-drawn long sword. ¡°Do you dare point your sword at me, a prince?¡± ¡°I apologize, but if you don¡¯t release your hand, it could be more than that.¡± ¡°Sethian¡¯s knights are all the same, arrogant.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± Lenox was not at all swayed by Zair¡¯s harsh voice. Rather, he threatened further, revealing more of the blade. It was Zair who retreated first in the cold atmosphere. When the hand that was holding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s wrist fell off, Lenox hid him behind his back as if he had been waiting. Zair glared at Lenox and stroked his numb wrist. If he had held on a little longer without letting go of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand, Lenox¡¯s sword might have actually struck to cut off his wrist. And who knows, perhaps it might¡¯ve directly aimed at his neck, not his wrist. Originally, threatening the imperial family or pointing a sword alone would have been enough to be dragged to the dungeon, but Zair knew that Sethian¡¯s knights were all insane enough that they did not care about such things. Zair, who was glaring at Lenox, met a pair of clear eyes sticking out from behind his back. He opened his mouth as he looked at the eyes that he thought wonderfully complemented curiosity. ¡°What are you doing in my garden without permission?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes widened at the words. He looked around quickly, and from the place where he reached out his hand, he could definitely feel a different atmosphere from the garden of the Emerald Castle. The flowers of the Emerald Castle were indistinctly diverse in harmony with each other even though they had a strong scent, but from where Yi-Gyeol reached out to catch the butterfly, there were only three or four colors that were much more distinct and dark and there was not much fragrance. And just like the castles of Sethian and Zair, their gardens were both bordered by flowers and were closely attached to each other. Although Yi-Gyeol, who had been pushed behind Lenox, did not know, he was embarrassed that he had run to a place he was not allowed. The boundary was divided by flowers instead of fences, and it was only the tip of the finger that went over at best, but given the harsh atmosphere, it seemed unlikely that those words would work. The other person must be one of Sethian¡¯s brothers who he has a bad relationship with, and Yi-Gyeol thought that it would be a big deal if he made a fuss by making an issue with his unauthorized intrusion. ¡®Just because of that¡­.¡¯ A forgotten feeling brushed like a scratch on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s back. He must not cause inconvenience to others. If he becomes a burden, even those warm gazes will quickly turn cold. He will end up ¡®alone¡¯ once again. Yi-Gyeol immediately hardened with a pale face, and quickly stepped out of Lenox¡¯s back and bent down. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize I was already in a different garden¡­!¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, who got up after bowing down, looked at the white butterfly in front of him and stiffened. The reason why is because the butterfly, which is clearly a soul, suddenly spoke to him. ?Can you also see me? A woman¡¯s voice resounded softly inside his head, not his ears. He was surprised because it was the first time he had personally experienced it, and when he thought that the owner of the voice was the soul in front of him, his heart raced without realizing it. The white butterflies that he has seen in the soul state so far didn¡¯t pay attention or talk to him as if they couldn¡¯t perceive him. ¡®Does Seth also feel the same way?¡¯ Yi-Gyeol, who had forgotten that he was apologizing and was completely amazed with twinkling eyes, turned his head, startled by the sudden gaze. Before he knew it, Zair was also looking at Yi-Gyeol with the same gaze. ¡°By the looks of it, it seems that not only can you see, but you can also hear it.¡± Zair was also aware of the butterfly floating in front of Yi-Gyeol. The high-handedness or coldness in his voice just moments ago couldn¡¯t be sensed at all. Yi-Gyeol knew that Zair could see souls and hear their voices. He got quite interested in Zair because of that when he first met him, but he couldn¡¯t think of him as a good thing any longer because he was a person who hates Seth and was a threat to him. As he hesitated, Lenox once again hid Yi-Gyeol behind his back. As a result, the butterfly that was roaming in the air, flew around Zair¡¯s shoulder as if it was looking after its owner. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but we will shortly prepare a compensation for crossing the garden¡¯s boundary without permission. I apologize.¡± ¡°When did you guys ever prepare a proper compensation? You just throw away things you didn¡¯t care about.¡± Zair took a step closer and spoke to Yi-Gyeol behind Lenox. ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to me for a while instead of giving me compensation?¡± Zair¡¯s heavy atmosphere softened to the fullest, and even a faint kindness appeared in his voice. It was to the extent that Yi-Gyeol, who was hiding behind Lenox, was curious about his expression. ¡°Denied.¡± Despite Lenox¡¯s cold remarks, Zair showed no sign of backing down. ¡°Is there any reason to muddle up things that could just end in a light conversation? Not only was my break interrupted but I was threatened as well. I¡¯m definitely going to ask Sethian for an explanation on this matter.¡± It was ridiculous to nitpick so much since only a part of his body had crossed the border, but Lenox straightened his expression to prevent his emotions from being revealed as much as possible. ¡°You may, but as you know, the Crown Prince is so busy that we don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll even have time to give you an explanation.¡± ¡°It seems that you also like making things that could be ended in a quiet way bigger like your master.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where to put myself with the second prince¡¯s repeated compliments today.¡± Once again, the atmosphere became heavy and cold. It would be good if Lenox would just bow his head and step down, but even though he was only a knight, he was facing an imperial family head-on. It was only possible because Lenox was a close confidant of Sethian. Zair knew well that if he just made a single wrong move, Sethian would go out of his way and retaliate in various ways. Normally, no matter how much it is, Lenox would bow down with courtesy as the opponent is an imperial family. However, it is impossible to expect such a thing because the fact that he is fiercely protesting as he is now only shows that it is based on ¡®Sethian¡¯s Order.¡¯ In such a case, no matter how persistently he digs, he wouldn¡¯t get the answer he wants, so he will be forced to step down after a little while. ¡°We just¡­have to talk, right?¡± A cautious voice pierced into the cold atmosphere between the two. Zair¡¯s mood, which had cooled down again after dealing with Lenox, quickly turned soft. ¡°Would you like to talk to me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. Please step back.¡± Lenox intervened and dissuaded him, but Yi-Gyeol, who stepped out from behind him, looked at Zair straightforwardly. ¡°Are you going to let go of this matter if I talk to you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± A rare small smile appeared on Zair¡¯s lips. On the other hand, Lenox frowned and whispered to Yi-Gyeol. ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. The Crown Prince will take care of it, so let¡¯s just go back.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s my mistake, so if I can just solve it by talking for a while, I¡¯d like to.¡± He doesn¡¯t like that Sethian had to bow his head to Zair or reward him with something because of him. Such an act itself seemed to convince him that he was just a burden, and just the thought gives him heartburn. ¡®If I couldn¡¯t help, at least I shouldn¡¯t be a burden.¡¯ Even if it wasn¡¯t intentional, as long as he did something wrong, he wanted to be able to somehow solve it on his own terms. He thought it would be fine as the only thing Zair requested was a ¡®conversation.¡¯ ??????? Sethian¡¯s office was filled with nothing but the sound of pen screeching and the frictional sound of papers turning. His atmosphere as he looked through the piled-up documents sequentially and quickly was quite extraordinary. It was best known by Baron Ergen Luman, who was serving as an assistant in Crown Prince Sethian¡¯s office. ¡®It¡¯s so strange since he is not the kind of person who puts a lot of effort into working like this.¡¯ Ergen, who was primarily responsible for reviewing and filtering their contents before the documents were put on the Crown Prince¡¯s desk, was quite nervous as he glanced at the documents that were being approved endlessly. There was a terrifying sense that his head was going to fly right away if he even made a small mistake. Ergen swallowed dry saliva as he stroked his neck which had just begun to wrinkle. Knock, knock- ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, it¡¯s Kirsty.¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± The words of permission came straight out of Sethian¡¯s mouth, who didn¡¯t even take his eyes off the documents. The door opened and Kirsty, an oversized man, bowed politely. But even then, the eyes that were stuck on the papers didn¡¯t seem to fall. ¡°Keep it short and leave. If it¡¯s not important, just get out.¡± ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim met Prince Zair while he was taking a walk.¡± The screeching sound abruptly stopped. Ergen, who was only pretending to be busy while listening, swallowed heavily without a sound due to the sudden switch of atmosphere. The hair on his entire body felt like they were all standing up, and his body automatically stiffened on its own. The quill in Sethian¡¯s hand lay crookedly on the paper. ¡°Where are they now?¡± ¡°They¡¯re in Prince Zair¡¯s garden.¡± After hearing Kirsty¡¯s answer, Sethian got up from his seat and quickly headed out the door. Ergen stood up from his seat to see him off, but could only shake his shoulders as he looked at Sethian¡¯s expressionless face. Even though it looks the same expressionless face, anyone who has served Sethian at a close distance will notice. On what a terrifying bloodthirst lies beneath that expression. CH 45 Clack- The sound of the teacup being put down was surprisingly loud, making Yi-Gyeol¡¯s fingertips flinch. In fact, it wasn¡¯t really that loud, but it sounded especially so, probably because of the eerie silence. Yi-Gyeol cautiously looked up at the eyes that had been lowered towards the teacup. Just as he thought, they were eyes full of interest directed at him. ¡®I think his eyes look a bit like Seth¡¯s¡­.¡¯ Piercing eyes full of unknown interest. It feels a little different now, but it was the look he always felt whenever he met Sethian in the soul state before. He heard that their mothers are different, so do they both resemble their father? After looking into each other¡¯s eyes for a moment, Zair, who had been sitting still pretending not to notice that the tea on the other side of the table cooled down without even being touched, opened his mouth. ¡°You can relax. I really just wanted to talk.¡± Zair slightly curved the corners of his eyes and held out his index finger towards Yi-Gyeol. With that single movement alone, a sense of intimidation filled with vigilance emanated from Lenox, who was on stand-by behind Yi-Gyeol. It was only Yi-Gyeol who knew what Zair¡¯s actions were for. Zair smiled lightly as he saw Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes not falling from the tip of his index finger. At the tip of his index finger, a white butterfly that was wandering around gently settled down and waved its wings, but Lenox, who was standing behind Yi-Gyeol, was not aware at all. ¡°What exactly does this look like to your eyes?¡± ¡°A butterfly¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was distracted by the white butterfly and answered unknowingly, closed his mouth in surprise. He thoughtlessly answered Zair¡¯s question, who was on the lookout. ¡°As expected, you can see it too.¡± Zair faintly muttered and lowered his index finger. The white butterfly, which seemed to soar into the sky, circled in the air and landed on Zair¡¯s shoulder, fluttering its wings peacefully as if it had settled on a flower. Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of the two¡¯s countenance. ¡°It¡¯s rare to meet someone who can also see soul butterflies.¡± ?That¡¯s right. Not anyone can hear my voice. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulders shuddered. The words of the woman who agreed with Zair reverberated gently inside his head. Instinctively knowing that the owner of that voice was the white butterfly, he felt even more amazed. ¡°You seem to be able to hear its voice as well, since when did you have that ability?¡± ¡°I found out for the first time today.¡± Yi-Gyeol gently answered, looked away from the white butterfly, and met Zair¡¯s gaze. He smiled a little, alleviating his vigilance that was vaguely exposed on the outside as much as possible. They had met once before, but he was in the soul state then, so he thought that Zair wouldn¡¯t find out. He saw himself as a golden butterfly at that time, so it might seem strange for him to be overly nervous and wary since it would be the first time they met in his perspective. ¡®Let¡¯s talk a little and go back.¡¯ Even if Zair doesn¡¯t seem like such a bad person at the moment, he is someone who definitely hates Sethian and threatens him. There¡¯s a big chance that he¡¯s scheming something, so nothing good will come out of talking with him for a long time. ¡®Though I¡¯m curious¡­about the butterfly.¡¯ Time and time again, his gaze falls to the white butterfly. He¡¯s extremely curious as to why the butterfly follows Zair. The white butterfly he knew did not pay any attention to other souls or people at all, nor did it willingly talk to him. He wondered if that butterfly was just strange or if Zair just had an affinity. However, Yi-Gyeol did not want the conversation with Zair to be prolonged even with his escalating curiosity. Even though they are only sitting opposite each other at a tea table in the garden as they are now for no reason, talking for a long time can make Sethian unintentionally uncomfortable. Thinking that way, all the interest and fancy he was supposed to have towards the white butterfly disappeared, and his heart, which had been surrounded by tension and palpitations, calmed down in an instant. The white butterfly¡¯s voice, which was still speaking to him, seemed to have drifted away making him not hear it, and the clearly visible white butterfly that fluttered in front of him turned into a non-existent being. For Yi-Gyeol, the more curiosity and interest he had, the more at a loss he was feeling. He has felt it so deeply to the point of repulsion for the last five years. Every time he recognized the feeling of wanting to have something and wanting to know, it would only get harder because it was something he couldn¡¯t get as a sick person. Whether the subject was a person or an object, the resulting answer was always the same. Perhaps because of that, once he thought that he would be interested in something, he would hit the wall in advance and divert his attention early on. He had forgotten about it ever since he had been with Sethian, but he had to be alert from the moment he left his bedroom. ¡®If you find something that catches your interest, don¡¯t reveal it to anyone other than me. There¡¯ll be people who will take advantage of it.¡¯ Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t help but agree after recounting Sethian¡¯s words. The other person is one of Sethian¡¯s siblings who sees him as a thorn in his eyes and is trying to kill him. Who knows what he¡¯ll do after sweet-talking him who¡¯s staying within Sethian¡¯s castle. Thinking that such a person was in front of him, his heart, which had been pounding because of the white butterfly, calmed down and his head turned cold as if freezing water had been poured on it. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s expression that seemed of an innocent child gradually focused unswervingly. His eyes fixed on Zair, not on the butterfly. His appearance of creating a wall from the elements that stimulates his curiosity and interest by himself made Zair even more intrigued. Zair was a person who had a lot in common with Sethian whom he hated so much. Just as Sethian gets madly obsessed with what catches his interest and tenaciously digs in until the feeling disappears, so is Zair. Until the interest in the thing he¡¯s interested in disappears, he doesn¡¯t build a wall or turn away to block it from himself. He would struggle until he got it in his hands somehow. To such a Zair, Yi-Gyeol was a pretty novel human being. Fascination, which soon turned into an excessive desire for possession. However, Yi-Gyeol, who showed pure interest in the beginning, suppressed his heart in an instant and changed his air as if he never had such a mind in the first place. It was also quite surprising that such a young man did so, not an old and seasoned aristocrat who had years dabbling in politics. Moreover, according to wizard Eda, he is presumed to be Sethian¡¯s ¡®sex slave¡¯ and as if to prove it, there were red marks everywhere on that thin, pure white neck. Eda said that Sethian, who doesn¡¯t give much care about his own lifespan, seemed to be keeping him around for a while out of simple interest, but Zair thought it was unlikely for Sethian to have that much sentiment for some reason. ¡®Does he really like him so much?¡¯ It was especially noticeable because of his pale-white skin. Although he had a clear memory of the day Eda met Yi-Gyeol through the soul-possessed crow, he was still suspicious. Not only was it not enough that Sethian, and not anyone else, extorted the Crown Prince position just to create him a body, but he is also showing considerable affection for him. Even if they say that he is a sex slave who is good in bed unlike his innocent appearance, he doesn¡¯t think that would make Sethian so obsessed. In particular, he has never seen such an act of engraving one¡¯s own marks on something from him. What part of this man stimulates and makes Sethian obsessed with him? Heat was added to the interest that repeatedly circulated inside Zair. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol¡­.¡± Zair recited the already known name with his mouth and gave off a gentle smile that no one had ever seen before. ¡°That¡¯s such a unique name. It¡¯s quite memorable.¡± Then suddenly, he put a bitter expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen a person who can see souls like me, so I¡¯m glad to have a conversation with you. I hope you don¡¯t feel uncomfortable. They are the only ones I¡¯ve been able to open up my heart to so far.¡± There was a small tremor in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s calm eyes. Not missing it, Zair lowered his eyes and pretended to have an even more lonely voice. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m a little persistent. Coming over the garden was really nothing and I had no intention of asking for anything, I just got a little excited to meet someone who sees the same thing as me. I¡¯m sorry.¡± As he predicted, Yi-Gyeol showed a slightly bewildered look when he offered an apology. He doesn¡¯t know what he might have thought of himself, but he probably wouldn¡¯t have imagined that he would sincerely apologize to others as a prince. His words must have been quite surprising to the extent that Lenox standing behind him was barely keeping his contorted face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m the one who did something wrong.¡± Seeing Yi-Gyeol lower his head with an apologetic expression, the corners of Zair¡¯s lips rose softly. Lenox¡¯s face was about to be distorted even more strangely, but his whole nerves were only directed at Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Thank you for saying that. However¡­.¡± Zair slowly rose from his chair and drew his face closer to Yi-Gyeol. The exotic appearance and clear black eyes seen from a short distance caught Zair¡¯s attention. ¡°Isn¡¯t that bastard Sethian treating you too harshly?¡± Zair¡¯s hand headed to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. If you look closely, you will see that there are more than ten red marks that were explicitly placed. ¡°If it were me, I would treat you more gently than him.¡± Despite the gentle whisper, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s pure eyes only contained curiosity and did not show any particular reaction. However, instead of Lenox, who immediately took a step closer in response to those words, someone else abruptly appeared. ¡°¡­!¡± Someone grabbed Zair¡¯s hand, which was stretched out towards Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck, and painfully smashed it down on the tea table. That person suddenly blocked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s view with his hand and buried his face in his arms, and as soon as he released Zair¡¯s hand, he picked up the golden teaspoon lying on the side of the teacup and slammed it at the back of his hand before he could even pull it out. Tuck- A dull sound and Zair¡¯s swallowed groan resonated at the same time. CH 46 ¡°Brother.¡± A low, dreary voice overtook the surroundings. With his eyes covered, Yi-Gyeol, whose face was buried within Sethian¡¯s arms, was unable to move because of the voice despite his frustration. Just by hearing his voice, he seemed to know how angry Sethian was. As soon as he realized it, he felt a chilling sense as if all the blood in his body was being drained. ¡°Euugh¡­.¡± Zair¡¯s painful groans could be heard in his ears. Yi-Gyeol came to his senses only after hearing it and tried to get away from Sethian, but the hand holding his head did not budge at all. ¡°I certainly warned you.¡± A blunt sound was heard once more between Sethian¡¯s oppressive words. What followed was Zair¡¯s groan, which grew a little louder than before. ¡°I told you I¡¯ll never lend what¡¯s mine to anyone.¡± ¡°Sethian, you piece of shit¡­! Euugh!¡± Another thump was heard. Shortly afterward, Sethian gently held Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. Yi-Gyeol, whose stuffy vision suddenly opened and was lifted up, stopped breathing upon seeing Sethian¡¯s cold side face in front of him. ¡°I think it¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve ever left such a mark on someone, am I mistaken?¡± Zair frowned and raised his hand that had been pressed down on the tea table and stroked the back of it. In the place where his hand was, an angled teaspoon, bent twice as if it were about to break, was lying around. If the teaspoon had been a little harder, it would not have been possible for the bones on Zair¡¯s hand to have remained. The corners of Sethian¡¯s lips, who was coldly facing Zair, slyly curled up. ¡°You saw it right.¡± Sethian agreed with Zair¡¯s words and looked down at Yi-Gyeol in his arms. He had a pale complexion and his eyes were glued to Zair¡¯s blood-stained hands that had just been exposed. The skin was completely crushed and he could see blood flowing down to his wrists. Sethian got irritated with Zair even more, who took Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gaze with ¡®just that much¡¯ injury. ¡°¡­!¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body trembled greatly at the sudden hot and tingling sensation he felt at the back of his neck. When he took his eyes off Zair and turned his head, he saw purple hair touching the nape of his neck. ¡°Se¡­th, Wai¡­, Aah!¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time he felt the soft flesh on the back of his neck being strongly sucked, but it was particularly strong this time. It felt as if his skin had been torn off and was being chewed well within Sethian¡¯s lips. The chilling pain and the indescribable strange stimulation caused his shoulders to shrink and his body to shiver. The heat that started from his neck quickly spread across Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. Taking off his lips, Sethian leaned his head on his shoulder and looked down at the already out of breath Yi-Gyeol, and threw a cold glare at Zair, who still had a disapproving gaze. ¡°You should¡¯ve guessed it clearly by now. What will happen if you touch this person.¡± After leaving those words, Sethian left the rose-filled garden while holding Yi-Gyeol in his arms. Zair stared fiercely at Sethian¡¯s back for some time. ?Zair-nim, are you all right? The white butterfly that was flying around brought up the words that he had been holding back. Crown Prince Sethian and the young man named Joo Yi-Gyeol could hear a soul¡¯s voice, so when things started happening, it couldn¡¯t do it even if it wanted to open its mouths. Zair¡¯s eyes, which were filled with terrifying anger just moments ago, slowly softened. He looked down at the back of his hand that was beaten by Sethian. The blood was clotting, the skin was badly disfigured, and from the pain, it seems like his bones had been cracked. But for some reason, a small smile surfaced on Zair¡¯s face as he assessed his own hands. As the result was what he intended, he couldn¡¯t help but be satisfied. ??????? As soon as Yi-Gyeol returned to their bedroom, he clung to Sethian with a pale complexion on his face. ¡°Is it going to be okay? He¡¯s bleeding too, what should we do if he¡¯s seriously injured?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°How can I not worry?! His hand¡­, The back of his hand¡­.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyes frowned slightly as he watched Yi-Gyeol sit on the bed, rolling his eyes anxiously and shaking. ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern.¡± ¡°But it happened because of me. I¡­.¡± ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± Sethian called Yi-Gyeol¡¯s name in a cold voice. Whether that worked or not, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s trembling shoulders abruptly stopped, and his eyes, which had never looked properly at him before, finally captured Sethian. ¡°You only have to care about me in front of you.¡± Sethian¡¯s fingertips touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck. The traces he left just a while ago are already turning bright red. ¡°Did that bastard touch you?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s trembling lips tightly shut. Sethian, who had been looking at his eyes obsessively, suddenly headed out the door. Lenox and Kirsty, who were waiting outside, reflexively bowed down when they saw him. ¡°Lenox, explain.¡± At Sethian¡¯s bleak voice, Lenox calmly expressed the situation at the time. From when Yi-Gyeol walked over the garden as if chasing something, to the strange conversation between the two. Even the smallest detail of the conversation was reported to him. After quietly listening to the report, Sethian pulled off the sharp cross-shaped ornament on the chest of Lenox¡¯s uniform by force. Then, he abruptly thrust the pointed end of the decoration into Lenox¡¯s side with all his might. ¡°¡­!¡± It was a sudden attack, but Lenox only frowned slightly and did not groan. ¡°I attached you to Joo Yi-Gyeol so that no one could touch him. Bear that in mind.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize. I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡­moving forward.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Lenox answered so that Sethian pulled out the brooch and put it directly on his hand. The hot blood on the brooch soaked Lenox¡¯s palm as if to warn him. ¡°Go get treated and change clothes.¡± It sounded like he was caring for him but Sethian just hoped that Yi-Gyeol wouldn¡¯t notice his wounds. Even though he fully knows that Zair is one of his siblings who¡¯s after his life, to worry about him that way, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. Taking his eyes off the bloodstains that began to dye Lenox¡¯s uniform, Sethian went back into the room. An indescribable strange feeling surged inside him as he watched Yi-Gyeol being restless and anxious as he sat still on the bed. He left him alone for now since he was a prince, but if Sethian would follow his feelings, he wanted to drag Zair to his torture chamber and chop him into pieces. Coming closer to him, Sethian grabbed Yi-Gyeol by the chin and forced him to look at him. As he stared at him without saying a word, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes fluttered even more anxiously, and his two hands grabbed Sethian¡¯s wrist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He thought he was still worried and concerned about Zair, but he apologized instead, contrary to what he expected. ¡°Sorry¡­.¡± ¡°For what?¡± He couldn¡¯t help getting frustrated hearing Yi-Gyeol apologizing continuously. There are so many things hidden behind those short words that he doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s really trying to say. The white part of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes remorsefully grew even redder. ¡°I caused you some trouble, didn¡¯t I? As expected, I shouldn¡¯t have desired to go out¡­. I should¡¯ve just stayed still¡­.¡± The trembling on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand, which was gripping Sethian¡¯s wrist, visibly grew. ¡°I made you mad. Please don¡¯t be angry¡­. It¡¯s all my fault¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face piteously crumbled. A forced smile hung on the corner of his lips, and his wide-open eyes were trembling as pitifully as his hands. ¡°Sorry. I won¡¯t go out anymore. I¡¯ll just¡­stay inside the room.¡± ¡°Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you and behave well¡­. Don¡¯t hate me, please¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes gradually filled with water. The reflection in his eyes was definitely Sethian¡¯s, but it was as if he was looking at something else. Without even recognizing what he was saying, Yi-Gyeol repeatedly said sorry and told him not to hate him over and over again. The trauma he thought he had already forgotten rose to the surface and surrounded him once more. He shouldn¡¯t cause problems. He shouldn¡¯t be a burden. He shouldn¡¯t be hated. If that happens, he will be alone again. Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t want to go back to his insanely lonely past. It was too hard to bear to see the warm faces of those people close to him become as cold as ice, and the affectionate words that flowed from their mouths turned into bone-piercing painful awls. All that remained in his mind were not regrets or worries about Zair. The only thing important to Yi-Gyeol right now, rather than the fact that Zair was injured, was that he caused trouble for Sethian, and that he was clearly angry. It was the first time that Sethian, who always seemed indifferent, was angry with such a frightening atmosphere, so he was so scared beyond control. He was a haven that he had barely found and had barely obtained. Sethian¡¯s side was the only place where he found himself standing on his own two feet, and he was the only one who cared for him without any prejudice. He could still feel the warmth as he embraced him, but the mere thought that he was suddenly hated and abandoned made him not be able to endure it. The depression and negative thoughts that he thought he had already forgotten came rushing in like a big wave. His heart pounded so fast that it ached and his head was throbbing. Sethian held his hand tightly as if he would never let go and looked into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes who was eroded by insecurity. The first thing that Sethian felt, who confirmed the uncontrollable anxiety in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, was a supreme joy he had never experienced before. CH 47 Sethian¡¯s hand wrapped around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. His eyes were still fluttering with anxiety, but Sethian¡¯s figure within it didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll get mad?¡± ¡°Mhm[1].¡± Perhaps because he was pleased with Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gentle reply, the sharp air around Sethian quickly disappeared in an instant. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to abandon you?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­.¡± It was a short but steady and satisfying answer. The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows curved nicely. ¡°Then I want you to do whatever you want.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Sethian blocked the words that were about to flow through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mumbling lips with a short kiss, then lowered his lips to his neck afterward. As soon as his hot lips touched the cold skin, its complexion quickly changed. ¡°Stay by my side and don¡¯t go into another bastard¡¯s hand.¡± He searched for a white spot with no marks around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck, where red marks were scattered, and obstinately kissed him. As if to fill all the places where there is no trace of him. ¡°I won¡¯t be angry and throw you away no matter what you do.¡± As Yi-Gyeol¡¯s whole body twitched at the heat left on his neck, Sethian¡¯s lips slipped through the slightly open shirt and sucked on his collarbone. A small moan escaped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips in the unexpected tingle, but he didn¡¯t push or avoid it. Sethian, licking the teeth marks with the tip of his tongue, touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s left chest. The intense beat, which one would not think to come from a made-up body, was clearly felt through the thin shirt. ¡°Only¡­.¡± The hand that was touching Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chest slipped slowly, crossing his waist, brushing his pelvis, and sweeping his thighs. Yi-Gyeol breathed a bit roughly from the heat that settled in his neck and collarbone, and fixed his gaze on Sethian¡¯s fingertips, which passed by as if carving a path on his body. ¡°If you ever try to break away from me, I¡¯ll lock you in here forever. Never to meet anyone, never to see anyone.¡± He imagined Yi-Gyeol leaving him and going to Zair, to his other siblings, or to his family. The fingertips that were touching Yi-Gyeol¡¯s thighs readily gained strength. If that happens, without any hesitation. No matter where he is, he will kill all those who are with him, forcefully drag him away, and crush the legs he was touching with his fingertips at the moment. Or perhaps it would be better to just break his ankles or remove its tendons rather than the entire leg. He doesn¡¯t want to see him in pain unlike the others, so let¡¯s give him anesthesia and just let him see it once his legs were already ruined. After that, it would be good to control his vitality so that he won¡¯t be able to move as well as before. Sweeping the thin legs, which are only the width of the palm of his hand, makes him think even more viciously. ¡°Without my permission, neither the servants, aristocrats, my siblings, let alone the emperor; do not let them touch you. Whoever it is, I will kill them all and set them on fire.¡± Yi-Gyeol felt a chilling sensation at Sethian¡¯s heartfelt words. Yet, strangely, he did not feel the desire to escape. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s trembling hand wrapped around Sethian¡¯s back. No matter how cold and terrifying his words may be, for Yi-Gyeol, he was the only resting place and warm domain he did not want to escape. He will even stay as docilely still as a bird trapped in a cage if Sethian says he wants him to. Sethian embraced Yi-Gyeol tightly, who hugged and clung to him, then whispered in his ear with a satisfied expression on his face. ¡°Do not forget. You¡¯re mine.¡± The pure white ears that Sethian¡¯s breath touched gradually dyed red. Seemingly brainwashing him, he engraved his voice in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can touch you, and I¡¯m the only one you can touch.¡± ??????? After that day, at first glance, nothing seemed to have changed with Yi-Gyeol at all. He still has a pure and bright appearance as usual, and he smiles without hesitation over the smallest things. In addition, he gained some weight and built up stamina, making it possible for him to run even a little. Roa¡¯s periodic inspection and Eda¡¯s mana supply were still there, but he was apparently healthy enough now that they aren¡¯t really necessary. However, Roa was still not satisfied. ¡®It¡¯s good that he¡¯s filled with vitality but¡­.¡¯ He furtively glanced down and scanned through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s left chest where his hand was placed. The red traces that had previously only remained around the neck and collarbones had now tread downwards to his chest and colored it darkly in a lot of places. ¡®No matter how much I think about it, this¡­.¡¯ He tried to think more deeply, but then stopped immediately. That¡¯s because the chilling gaze of the man behind him is so sharp that it feels like he was dissecting and looking into his head. After the inspection, Roa pulled out his hand and smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°It¡¯s remarkably good. You have plenty of vitality and your body is also healthy. Just don¡¯t be impatient and build up your stamina slowly.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Yi-Gyeol returned Roa¡¯s smile and got up from the chair where he was sitting and started getting dressed. Thanks to high-quality meals and vitality, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body gained weight quickly and healthily, and although it was still thin, it now just seemed slender, and it wasn¡¯t bad to look at. Still, the impression of being delicate remained. Sethian personally took care of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s clothes and glanced at Roa with cold eyes. ¡°Until when do we have to do this test?¡± Although he seemed indifferent, there was clearly annoyance and displeasure within his voice. ¡°The next inspection and mana supply will probably be the last. He is getting better much faster than I expected.¡± ¡°Just as well.¡± Sethian meticulously adjusted Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shirt buttons and stroked his hair. ¡°Since you¡¯re healthy, let¡¯s go for a walk together tonight. Be good and stay here until I get back.¡± ¡°Mhm, I will.¡± As if he liked the way he answered compliantly like an obedient child, a slight smile surfaced on Sethian¡¯s lips. Roa looked at them and thought that his prediction was right. After Sethian and Roa left the room, Yi-Gyeol, who was left alone, sat down on a chair and opened the book he had been reading a few hours ago. Now, instead of reading a picture book with only one or two lines on the illustration, he was reading a thick book full of unknown languages. He wasn¡¯t able to completely read yet, but even though it takes him a while, to some extent, he can grasp the context and understand its content. It took him quite some time, but as he only stayed in the bedroom and kept reading all day, his learning ability improved pretty quickly. After reading the contents by reciting them several times in his head, Yi-Gyeol wrote down the parts he did not understand or was difficult to read on a piece of paper. Sethian will read and explain it to him when he comes back, so he was organizing it in advance so that he could show it to him right away. ¡®I need to grasp them quickly.¡¯ He even copied the handwriting on the paper with a quill pen that Sethian got him. Yi-Gyeol wants to be able to fully write, read and understand the language of this world perfectly as soon as possible. ¡®This is the only thing I can help Seth with.¡¯ Sethian said that he would make use of his ability, but didn¡¯t really want anything from him. Whether it being used as a spy or being sent somewhere for espionage, if Sethian really wants to use his out-of-body ability, Yi-Gyeol would be willing to do it. However, Sethian seemed to have no intention of doing so at some point. ¡®It¡¯s because I¡¯m not good enough.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing he can do. Yeah, there¡¯s really nothing he can do, and he couldn¡¯t also help anywhere. That¡¯s why. In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s opinion, there were two things that he¡¯s lacking at the moment. Physical strength, and language. He ate whatever food Sethian prepared to improve his stamina. Even if he didn¡¯t want to eat because he was full, he¡¯d just rest and didn¡¯t skip eating. Whenever he was left alone in the bedroom and recalled vague memories, he would stretch repeatedly, and recently, even if it was difficult, he did some exercises that would make him sweat enough. He thought that the stretching and exercise he did in his PE class during his middle and high school was not something he learned in vain. The problem was language. Conversation can be done as seamlessly as possible, but writing or reading is greatly limited. Even if Sethian offered to help, he was obviously busy with work, so he couldn¡¯t keep him by his side and ask him to serve as a teacher. He also couldn¡¯t ask to get someone to teach him, thinking that he was bothering Sethian for no reason, so he can only keep his mouth shut. He was quite apprehensive of having someone else enter the room as well, so he had no choice but to learn on his own. ¡®Seth will be able to use me once I can read and write perfectly.¡¯ He can¡¯t stay by his side like a barley sack forever. Sethian is rather nice and caring unlike his appearance, but after he becomes emperor, he may have more work to do, so he may not even get a chance to see his face. Then, if he gets in the way of Sethian and becomes a stumbling block, he will gradually neglect him, and eventually¡­. ¡®No, I¡¯m never going to let that happen.¡¯ Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes gleamed with determination and focused on the book densely filled with elaborate letters. His hand, holding the quill, moved quickly and accurately, perfectly copying some of the sentences in the book. Then, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand abruptly stopped. He turned his head stiffly and looked outside the window. Through the half-opened window, he could see a large branch of a tree. And even the black crow sitting calmly on it. It was a crow that he kept seeing daily since a few days ago. Occasionally, whenever he turned his eyes to the window, he would get this feeling that it was looking at him and even stare straight into his eyes. And as it is now, he could feel the way its gaze was focused straight only at him it somehow stings. Yi-Gyeol put down the quill he was holding and went to the window. In the meantime, the crow¡¯s gaze that was hooked on him remained. He opened the window wide and placed his hand on the frame to support his upper body. He slanted his head slightly and smiled gently. ¡°Why are you watching me every day?¡± He knew it wouldn¡¯t be able to answer, but he was curious and no one was looking so he let the words come out of his mouth. Correspondingly, the crow tilted its head as if struggling to understand what he was saying. The end of his eyebrows curled thinking that it looked so cute, when suddenly, he heard an unexpected voice. ?Because Zair-nim is worried about you. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand trembled as he grabbed the window sill. The voice of a young man that he had heard for the first time was clearly transmitted to his head. There was nothing to look around. He¡¯s the only one in the bedroom, and this is the third floor. There is no one in the close distance where a voice can be transferred as clearly as it is now. Except for the crow in front of him. The crow¡¯s blinking eyes narrowed like it was smiling. ?He¡¯s been worrying about how you¡¯re doing every day. CH 48 A lot of thoughts passed through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head. From the thought of whether even animals can speak in this world, he¡¯s hearing some auditory hallucination, or in fact, there is someone else nearby. As he looked around once more, the crow flew from the branch and landed on the window frame. The crow, sitting within the gap between Yi-Gyeol¡¯s arms and the window sill, looked up at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face above its head. ?Do you feel uncomfortable somewhere? It was only after the worried voice was heard once more inside his head that he was convinced. The owner of this voice was indeed the crow in front of him. Furthermore¡­. ¡°Are you perhaps a soul¡­butterfly?¡± If it was an animal that could really talk, it would have used its vocal cords. However, the crow in front of him never opened its beak even while talking, and the sound came in through his head, not his ears. Since he had already experienced hearing a soul¡¯s voice through his head once, his guess was soon confirmed. As if smiling at the question, the crow¡¯s eyes narrowed once more. ?That¡¯s right. A short answer echoed in his head, along with a reaction that a normal crow would not have shown. The crow¡¯s head tilted left and right a couple of times as if it was dancing. ?I¡¯m just possessing the body of a crow for a while right now. You¡¯ve never seen it before? ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s amazing¡­.¡± His eyes twinkled at the word ¡®possession¡¯. He had seen souls countless times, but it was the first time he saw the state of being possessed that he had only heard of in words. What¡¯s more, even possession of an animal. ¡°How do you do this? Can all souls do it?¡± ?I got help from Zair-nim. Our Zair-nim is good at soul magic. It looked pretty cute, talking triumphantly with its black-furred chest sticking out to the fullest. The crow stared at Yi-Gyeol, who was completely distracted by its appearance, and tried to rub its face on the back of his hand which was holding the window sill, to attract his attention. Just before the head touched, Yi-Gyeol took his hand off in surprise, but thanks to this, his dazed eyes quickly returned clearly. Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t touch the crow because of Sethian¡¯s words that he would kill and burn anyone who touches him. It was inevitable with Roa and Eda since they have to check his body condition and inject him with mana, but the crow may be completely roasted as soon as it is discovered by Sethian. Yi-Gyeol, who imagined the crow being burned to become a hideous grilled bird, came to his senses again at the voice speaking to him. ?How are you doing? It seems like Crown Prince Sethian is bullying you. His eyes widened at the crow¡¯s question. Who¡¯s bullying him? Seth? When he shook his head at the ridiculous words, the crow patted the window frame with its paws and spoke as if scolding him. ?I¡¯ve seen it all. He lays on top of you every day and won¡¯t let go even if you groan and is having a hard time. He¡¯d pressed you so that you couldn¡¯t move and kept biting you.[1] Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, who was thinking seriously about what it was talking about, suddenly heated up. His hand unwittingly covered his reddish neck, and his other hand covered the exposed collarbone area through the shirt. Even so, he couldn¡¯t cover it all up, and the red marks could still be seen. ¡°That¡­ He¡¯s not bullying or hurting me. Rather, he¡¯s trying to make me¡­healthy.¡± Even now, the marks Sethian left in the morning still sting a little. ¡°In exchange for giving you vitality, I¡¯m going to leave traces that show¡¯s you belong to me.¡± As if it was his right, these were Sethian¡¯s proud words as he nibble the tender flesh on his neck after a deep kiss. Recalling those words full of possessiveness, his face turned even redder. ¡°Don¡¯t hide it. Show it clearly to everyone who sees you. So that they¡¯ll think twice before daring to touch you.¡± If it had been in Korea, such actions and remarks could have been terrifyingly strange, but it was understandable because they were in this world and because the one who said them was Sethian. Kissing with the same gender is not uncommon in this world, how much more, perhaps Sethian was that kind of person originally, none of those who saw it frowned or looked at them strangely. Even with the red marks left on his body. At times, he wondered if Sethian had something else for him more than his friendly affection and interest in his abilities. Whenever he was kissing or staring at him, his emerald-like eyes were unbearably hot, and even now that he was able to move enough, he¡¯s still pushing for them to sleep closely in the same bed. ¡®But that would be impossible.¡¯ He is just a weak, useless, unattractive guy. There is only one reason why he puts himself by his side and takes care of him with sincerity. ¡®Seth is only nice to me because of my ability. I shouldn¡¯t forget that.¡¯ The idea doesn¡¯t hurt. Rather, it reminded him of what he must do to stay by his side and aroused his motivation. If he could not be alone, if he could receive legitimate affection, he felt like he could do anything. The crow, who was looking up at Yi-Gyeol that¡¯s in deep thought with his eyes lowered down, tapped the window sill with its foot again as if to attract his attention. ?Crown Prince Sethian is dangerous. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± The words of denial came out instinctively at the crow¡¯s words. ¡°Seth is very nice to me. He¡¯s not a dangerous person.¡± ?You¡¯re wrong. The crow spread its wings threateningly wide, expressing intense emotions. ?If he¡¯s not a dangerous person, why did he make the back of Zair-nim¡¯s hand like that? And even before. He broke his two fingers like nothing happened. The young man¡¯s enraged voice passed through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head. Thanks to that, Zair¡¯s wounded and bloody hand clearly came to his mind. Knowing it was Sethian who made those wounds, he couldn¡¯t blindly deny it. ?Even so, Zair-nim was worried that Crown Prince Sethian¡¯s anger that day caused you to get hurt. ¡°Worried¡­.¡± ?That¡¯s right! Zair-nim is such a nice and warm person¡­. Crown Prince Sethian just can¡¯t wait to prey on such Zair-nim every time! Pretending to be affected, he looked down at the crow defending Zair and remembered the face he saw in the garden. He looks brusque, but he still remembers his friendly eyes and the way he spoke to him. Even though it was him who was injured, it sounded quite sweet to hear that he was actually worried about him. Rather than worrying about his own wounds, he felt distinctly comparable to himself, who feared that he would bring some drawback to Sethian. ¡®However¡­.¡¯ It felt as if cold water had been poured on his head. His brain worked surprisingly fast. Unlike his frosty inner feelings, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face was filled with warm worries. ¡°How¡¯s his hand? Is it okay now?¡± He asked with concern, pretending to be sincere in his voice. ?It¡¯s much better now. But then his bones were damaged and he still can¡¯t use his hands well. He¡¯s even having a hard time just to hold a quill. ¡°Ah¡­, I feel really sorry, what should I do¡­. Because of me¡­.¡± He contorted the corners of his eyes and even showed some restlessness. The crow, with its wings folded back, jumped on the window sill a couple of times. ?I¡¯ll tell him that you¡¯re very sorry and worried. ¡°Would you do that for me? Seth seems to have some animosity towards him, so I want to apologize too. I was the one who crossed the garden in the first place¡­. I wish there was something I could do for him¡­.¡± ?Zair-nim is kind so he won¡¯t ask for anything difficult. I¡¯ll pass it to him well and come back tomorrow. The crow jumped over the window sill once and turned around. Yi-Gyeol said thank you to the crow¡¯s back. A light flapping sound was heard, and the crow flew out of the window frame. It quickly flew towards Zair¡¯s castle, which can be seen from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s window. Yi-Gyeol, who had a smile full of worry and regret, turned around with a cold expression on his face. He took his eyes off the crow as it was moving away and closed the window firmly. ¡®He¡¯s definitely scheming something.¡¯ Suspicious. Really suspicious. ¡®Don¡¯t trust anyone here but me. If there¡¯s someone wearing a mask in front of you, you do the same. That is the basics in this place.¡¯ Sethian¡¯s words, engraved in his head close to being brainwashed, dictated all of Yi-Gyeol. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone but Seth.¡¯ Especially if the opponent is a threat to him. ¡®If you¡¯re going to use me, I¡¯ll use you instead.¡¯ He had been thinking since long ago that Zair could try to use him under the pretext of what happened in the garden that day. In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind, no matter how friendly Zair looked at him and how kind his words were, he was decisively classified as an ¡®enemy¡¯. Sethian¡¯s enemy is his own enemy. He will never just stand still if anyone tries to threaten his position. Yi-Gyeol glared at the window with cold eyes resembling that of Sethian¡¯s and turned and approached the bedroom door. Tok-tok, after knocking twice, the door gently opens from the outside. ¡°Yes, is there something you need?¡± Kirsty, who was guarding outside, stuck out his head and asked with a puzzled expression. He tilted his head, curiosity on his face, as Yi-Gyeol had never knocked first from the inside before. Yi-Gyeol raised the corners of his lips and smiled. It was a smile that he used to see often, but it felt strangely cold. His beautiful red lips flashed sweetly. ¡°Please call His Highness, Crown Prince Sethian.¡± CH 49 Upon hearing that he is looking for him, Sethian came running to his bedchamber immediately. Aside from it being the first time that Yi-Gyeol asked to call for him, Kirsty¡¯s words saying, ¡®Something¡¯s wrong with him,¡¯ bothered him as well. Thinking that there might be a problem somewhere in his body, he promptly summoned Roa again from the Magic Tower. But contrary to his thoughts, Yi-Gyeol was the same as usual. Sethian had no choice but to doubt Kirsty¡¯s sense of judgment as he was smiling the same way as before he left the room. ¡°I heard you¡¯re looking for me.¡± Feeling a strange tickle that Yi-Gyeol asked for him, he reached out to his neck. It wasn¡¯t until his fingertips touched Yi-Gyeol¡¯s nape and stroked it half-graspingly that he finally realized that something was quite not right with him. His body temperature is undoubtedly lower than usual. ¡°I think Prince Zair is trying to use me.¡± Sethian, who was about to ask if something was wrong, furrowed his eyebrows at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words. Zair¡¯s name, which suddenly popped out, is already an established source of annoyance, but the content of those words made him extra unpleasant. ¡°Tell me in detail.¡± ¡°I met a crow possessed by a soul earlier.¡± In a calm tone, Yi-Gyeol rehashed what happened with the crow earlier. Sethian quietly listened to his story and never took his eyes off him. ¡°¡­it said, so it¡¯ll probably come back tomorrow.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s upright eyes were infinitely placid even until the end of his narration. Only then did Sethian understand Kirsty¡¯s reaction. Nothing had changed on the surface, but his aura was obviously different. He seems like a hunter who laid a secret trap and at this stage was shrewdly and patiently watching his prey get cornered from afar. It only took Sethian an instant to get attracted to this newfound side of Yi-Gyeol. The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows slightly rose. ¡°And what are you planning that you hastily asked for me? You know I would probably have a cold-blooded way to bury him.¡± He wanted to know exactly what he was thinking. Personally, rather than deliberately falling for Zair¡¯s tricks, he palpably prefers to guard Yi-Gyeol and hide him in a bedroom with tightly closed windows and curtains. He has the confidence to be his shield, so he can just continue pretending to be ignorant of everything like he usually did, and obediently stay inside the bedroom with his innocent appearance. A charming smile hung on the corner of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m going to find out what he¡¯s trying to do.¡± ¡°Even if you find out, will you ¨C who¡¯s as weak as a chicken ¨C be able to make the corresponding actions? If anything, you might carelessly end up playing in his hands by contrast.¡± It was a cold statement but it was true. In Sethian¡¯s eyes, Yi-Gyeol is something so fragile that he can be compared to a small animal the size of his palm. It was unexpected that he discerned Zair¡¯s tricks, but even so, for Sethian, his psychological aspect was just like a naive child comparable to his appearance. ¡°Who knows, you could also fall for that bastard¡¯s honeyed words and betray me.¡± Sethian¡¯s hand passed through the side of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck, wrapped around his nape, and drew him closer to him. Yi-Gyeol willingly let Sethian pull him without withdrawing his unyielding gaze. ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen, Seth.¡± ¡°I wonder. All the traitors I knew said the same words as you.¡± For a brief moment, he remembered the situation when Yi-Gyeol was standing next to Zair in the garden. The bright smile that was always directed at him turned towards the person he hated so much, and Zair was also smiling back at him with a friendly face he had never seen before. Even just thinking about it, an uncontrollable rage that¡¯s monstrously disparate to his cold self, seethed over him. In the event that the emperor¡¯s crown was placed on Zair¡¯s head, and he uses his vitality as a pretext after reconstructing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body with golden magic¡­. ¡°I could never betray you.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice was ringingly heard as if to block Sethian¡¯s rampaging imagination. His hand gripped the front of Sethian¡¯s jacket. ¡°You said I couldn¡¯t live without you. How can I betray you when you¡¯re the one who owns me?¡± Desperation and some other emotion were mixed within Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gaze. Something common not only in the eyes of Lenox and Kirsty, who were close to him, but also in all the knights he had reared. Blind trust and loyalty. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s unexpected emotions were transparently conveyed to Sethian. ¡°I might not know what kind of person he is, but what I know is that he is your enemy. Such a person must have something on his mind when he approached me on purpose who was obviously by your side. Whether he¡¯s trying to coax me over to use me, or to get some information about you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of figuring that out? With or without such information, nothing will happen as long as I deter him off in advance.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no point in just impeding him.¡± The corners of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes softly curved as his eyes glinted a cold light. ¡°If he wants to use me, I will use him the other way around. That way, your road ahead would be a little more smoother.¡± If he¡¯s trying to dupe and use him, he will pretend to buy it, but in return, he will register everything the other person has in his ears and eyes. Depending on the circumstances, the matters he¡¯s been preparing could also be disrupted or go awry. Cunningly approaching him pretending to be close with an innocent face and playing in the middle of both sides, he might also be able to use this sense of kinship to hear his deeply buried stories and pass them on to Sethian. ¡°What if he wasn¡¯t trying to take advantage of you but was genuinely worried?¡± Sethian insinuated with the intention of prying out Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind. Although Yi-Gyeol¡¯s unprecedented temperament was both new and interesting, Sethian still couldn¡¯t be sure of his true intentions. Of course, Yi-Gyeol looking at himself with such blind faith and loyalty was the greatest feeling. To the point where he wants to push him on the bed this instant and kiss him senselessly. But it¡¯s still not enough. If it¡¯s something that changes depending on the opponent, he¡¯d rather he doesn¡¯t show this side of him. Fortunately, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gaze did not waver. ¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t matter. The fact that he¡¯s your enemy remains the same.¡± Sethian felt that something was pleasantly thumping somewhere deep down inside him. His uncontrollable interest in Yi-Gyeol step by step, rises with the thunderously booming sound. ¡°In the first place, the crow wandered outside the window even before I met him in person. He should¡¯ve been receiving reports since then, so he must be aware that I¡¯m staying in your room and that I have a close connection to you. Knowing that, he must¡¯ve deliberately come out of the garden to talk to me and tried to build a bridge¡­. No matter how much you think about it, I think he¡¯s trying to use me.¡± He is quick to judge the situation and is cool-headed. On top of that, he has a good eye as well. ¡°As long as the other person is your enemy, I¡¯m not just going to let myself be stupidly taken advantaged of.¡± He thought he was only kind and naive, but now he knew that he can also speak apathetically and resolutely. Sethian¡¯s arms surrounded Yi-Gyeol¡¯s waist. His chest which was pulled closer is beating slowly. Normally, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s heartbeat would pound faster than his, but this time, Sethian can definitely say that his ran twice as fast. And as if Yi-Gyeol, who was now almost practically without any distance to him, is further whetting his appetite, he added. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can use me.¡± It sounded like an earnest pledge of loyalty, like a knight¡¯s oath. The chest that was pressed against him fluctuated, and more stimulation than usual came, making his whole body tingle. It was such a strange sensation, but it wasn¡¯t the first time he had experienced it. It was like the joy of that day when Yi-Gyeol clung to him and begged him not to throw him away. For a brief moment, he felt like he had gone out of his mind and then went back. He only blinked once, but before he knew it, he was already covering Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. ¡°Euup¡­?!¡± It still hasn¡¯t been a long time since he gave him vitality and now he was being kissed again, so Yi-Gyeol quickly became embarrassed. However, it wasn¡¯t just a day or two that they had kissed like this, so there was no sign of pushing back or resistance. Moreover, the vitality¡¯s stimulation contained within the saliva spreading throughout his body was a pleasant experience for Yi-Gyeol himself. While they were kissing, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s clear and sharp eyes turned hazy, and his body was already lying on the bed before he knew it. A desire Sethian had never experienced before came and led him. Positioned on top of Yi-Gyeol, Sethian was unbuttoning his shirt one by one while pulling his responsive tongue. The sugary white upper body, which seems to be conspicuous even without lowering his gaze, was glaringly visible. Sethian removed his mouth from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips and lowered it to the nape of his neck which was full of red traces. He likes the sound of his pitiful gasping and panting, and the convulsing of his body that comes with it. ¡°It sounds like you want me to use you.¡± Remunerating what Yi-Gyeol had said, he passionately sucked the subtle skin of his collarbone with his lips. He distinctly felt Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body twitching. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right¡­. I want you¡­to use me.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sincere voice was heard between gasps. A person of value. Sethian was certainly aware of what Yi-Gyeol wanted as well. His lips slipped down a little further, leaving Yi-Gyeol¡¯s collarbone bursting with scarlet red marks. A small, pale-pinkish bump that stood out over the ghastly white skin caught his eyes. ¡°Does it matter how I use you?¡± For example, dealing with his sexual desire that has recently begun to crazily rise. When he raised his eyes, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s misty eyes met his gaze. His innocent eyes blink slowly as if giving his assent. ¡°Anything is fine¡­. I¡¯ll do anything I can to help.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s mouth faintly lifted, and soon his lips turned towards the little bump he had seen a moment ago. CH 50 ¡°Gasp!¡± Heat and itchiness comparable to pain was the first thing that Yi-Gyeol felt. He hasn¡¯t been this sensitive than any other place that Sethian¡¯s lips have ever been before. His nipple ¨C which was sucked into Sethian¡¯s mouth ¨C was incessantly flicked back and forth by the tip of his unbearably hot tongue, wrapped around, and repeatedly bit and nibbled inside. Whenever that happens, his waist unintentionally buckles, his chest arches up, and his breathing hitches. The excessive stimulation he¡¯s experiencing for the first time brought a strange need that seemed to touch every cell in his whole body beyond the itchiness. ¡°We¡­wait, this¡­. Ngh¡­!¡± Defenselessly exposed to the pleasure that swept over him, Yi-Gyeol twisted his body and crumpled the bed sheet with both hands. His slightly floating chest was held captive by Sethian¡¯s hand, holding his back with no chance of escape. Even as he rolled his sensitive peak within his mouth, Sethian¡¯s heated gaze tenaciously didn¡¯t fall from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face. It was as if to capture each and every single one of his reactions. When he realized that Sethian was watching without taking his eyes off him, he felt like the stimulation from his chest doubled. The creased corners of his eyes, which seemed to be in tears for being unable to resist the building pleasure, and the lips that let out a strangled moan, were all captured within his intense eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± Suddenly, Yi-Gyeol felt another stimulation from his other chest. His eyes fluttered open and his body trembled. Before he knew it, Sethian¡¯s fingertips had already arrived at his opposite peak, pressing it firmly, and was twirling it around. He felt like his entire being was boiling with fever. He bit his lower lip tightly and somehow managed to keep himself from making a sound, but when Sethian impetuously pinched and pulled it with his fingertips, Yi-Gyeol couldn¡¯t help but leak out a muffled cry. Only then did he realize that something was strange. It was definitely different from the way Sethian usually buries his lips and sucks on his skin to leave his traces. ¡°Seth, what¡­are you¡­, Aah!¡± He sent a bewildered gaze, but Sethian¡¯s eyes remained unperturbed. Rather, he began to aggressively fondle his nipple, which had become erect due to overstimulation, more audaciously. Every time it was tenderly pinched, bitten, and mercilessly suckled; the turbulence from the stimulation lingering around his chest strongly spread throughout his whole body and then came back repeatedly. One side alone already maketh him lose his mind, but with both sides, his arms and legs lost strength and his head became fuzzy. Removing his mouth off his chest, Sethian slid down, making a long path of saliva with the tip of his tongue. Passing through the slightly protruding ribs, through the hollow stomach, and with both fingertips, scoured down his sides at the same speed. He shivered at the stimulation of his body being caressed devotedly. The hand that descended down to his waist soon reached the center of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lower body. It occasionally happened when they kissed for a long time, but as Sethian expected, it was slightly swollen this time as well. A large hand went into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s trousers and grabbed what was inside without any hesitation. ¡°Ah-!¡± A different high-pitched sound departed from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. Yi-Gyeol, who was overpowered to the point of limplessly drooping, abruptly raised his upper body and pushed Sethian¡¯s shoulder with a heavily flushed face. ¡°You can¡¯t! This¡­, This¡­!¡± He was so flustered that he couldn¡¯t finish his words and could only end up opening and closing his lips. He knew himself that his thing had already been erected in his pants due to the accumulated stimulation all this while. And the fact that at the end of it, liquid was forming and his underwear was already slightly wet as well. That is why he had to discourage Sethian even more. ¡°Yo-you can¡¯t, it¡¯s dirty. So can you¡­ Please take off your hands.¡± Not knowing where to put his gaze, Yi-Gyeol rolled his eyes around and made an embarrassed expression. Even though his voice gradually grew smaller, he knew it was enough to be heard by Sethian who is just within spitting distance. Thinking of the liquid that must¡¯ve been smeared on his hand, his head automatically lowered. Hearing those words, Sethian was indifferent. Rather, his hands moved slowly as he encircled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s member within it at the same time. ¡°Nngh, Se¡­th!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get it wrong, Joo Yi-Gyeol. It¡¯s up to me to decide whether it¡¯s dirty or not.¡± Unlike its frigid content, Sethian¡¯s voice was warm and gentle. Yi-Gyeol shuddered upon hearing his contradictory words and glanced at him. He doesn¡¯t know since when, but the sound of Sethian¡¯s breathing had already turned rough and needy to a certain extent somehow. ¡°I¡¯m using each and every single reaction of yours as nourishment to quench my thirst just as you want. So just stay still, and feel it.¡± Yi-Gyeol felt a hair-raising sensation as if something vicious was going to sink its teeth into the nape of his neck at any given moment. He was infinitely dense, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent that Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t know what Sethian meant. His already glowing red face blushed even more as if it was about to explode. A hesitant voice flowed from between Yi-Gyeol¡¯s quivering lips. ¡°I¡­ Can help you¡­?¡± Sethian¡¯s languidly moving hand stopped and the corners of his eyes slightly lifted. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a guy with nothing to offer¡­, Can I really be of¡­help?¡± By the time his words were finished, deep darkness was already spreading towards his anxiously trembling gaze. He was rather worried about what to do if Sethian got tired of how he was feeling, or if he distanced himself from him for being dirty and disgusting. He already knew that in this world, same-sex relationships and same-sex intercourse were as vibrant and legally accepted as the opposite sex. At first, he wondered why he often leaves marks on his body, but then he thought that he was deliberately engraving it to cover the ambiguity of his identity. It doesn¡¯t matter what he looked like to others, as long as Sethian wasn¡¯t in trouble. But this was different. This is solely based on what Sethian sees and feels, and he has to be enough to make his body heat up, just as he said. It¡¯d rather be fortunate if it¡¯s neither one nor the other, but if he made him sick of him¡­. Gloom fell over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s scarlet face. ¡°If you¡­ Hated me because of this¡­, I won¡¯t be able to bear it.¡± ¡°Stop deciding things by yourself.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows rose even higher. As a result, his eyes became as ferocious as his pupils. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll hate you nor dislike you.¡± ¡°But¡­! Aaagh-!¡± Sethian¡¯s hand, which had stopped, began moving up and down vigorously. Caught in his callous hands, his powerfully stirred member heavily flinched. Because of that, his thighs naturally folded on their own. It felt like the couple times stronger pleasure he felt in his chest rushed downwards in an instant and swirled around. Sethian snuggled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s stiff body and supported it with his other arm, then obstinately faced Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face that¡¯s mixed with confusion and want. Two frightened hands repeatedly tried to push Sethian down. ¡°Se¡­th, uhn¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can make me react like this.¡± With just a single word, expression, and emotion; Joo Yi-Gyeol is the only person who can bring extreme joy and pleasure to himself. It is so addictive that he can do anything just to get more responses from him. If only he could, he would like to dissect everything that makes up Joo Yi-Gyeol, whether it be his body or soul, see through his every detail, and put him in his mouth and devour him. ¡°I¡¯ll exclusively use you for myself, so don¡¯t hide anything.¡± The desire to see every response he makes due to his hand grew stronger. He doesn¡¯t want to miss any single little thing he could see. Sethian¡¯s words enveloped Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chest. It was sweet and earnest, but it was also intimidating and oppressive at the same time, as if he could seize him as it is and brutally destroy him if he wanted to. Even knowing that, Yi-Gyeol still felt something overwhelming rushing inside him. I must¡¯ve gone crazy. Yi-Gyeol was clear about what was happening to him inside his mind. Otherwise, Sethian¡¯s words could not have been such a charming and endearing stimulation to him. ¡°Ah, mhm¡­ Ungh-!¡± Perhaps because of Sethian¡¯s words, the pleasure gushing in his lower body felt like it was going to explode anytime soon, making his member bulge even more. He bit his lower lip, desperately shutting his mouth, thinking that he would make a sound he had never made before if he let his mind go even a little bit. Sethian¡¯s tongue lightly skimmed the top of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s bitten lips and licked it as if to entice him. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in. I want to hear you.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips immediately opened as if Sethian¡¯s voice, which was now even more burning with fervor, was a command. A voice mixed with delirious panting and moaning endlessly poured out of his mouth, and Sethian persistently licked his lips and cheeks as if to coax and soothe him. ¡°Ah¡­, Haa¡­.¡± A squelching sound was heard between the moans. The liquid from his shaft wet Sethian¡¯s hand, which soon turned into lubricant, creating a more obscene sound. ¡°Mmm, ahh¡­AH-!¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body turned rigid and his gathered legs gave strength. His member, which had been fully erect inside his pants and underwear, twitched greatly and released seminal fluid. With Yi-Gyeol¡¯s warm body in his embrace, a thick liquid with a far higher temperature soiled Sethian¡¯s hands. Perhaps because of the situation depriving him of all his strength, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body undulated as if it was about to collapse. Holding him in one arm and leaning himself against him, Sethian pulled his hand out of his trousers and motionlessly stared at it. His thick and creamy essence is dripping all over his hands. A musky smell emanated from it, but Sethian unhesitatingly brought it to his mouth and stuck his tongue to it. Seeing this, Yi-Gyeol mortifiedly raised his head and made an astonished expression. He licked his cum-soaked fingers with the tip of his tongue and kept it within his mouth, and an incomparable sensuality to before, was bursting within Sethian¡¯s eyes. CH 51 An uncanny saltiness he had never tasted before spread within Sethian¡¯s mouth, but strangely, he didn¡¯t feel any sense of repulsion or thought it was filthy. Rather, having this raging urge to consume everything about Joo Yi-Gyeol here and now, he would like to swallow them all, if there¡¯s just any. Yi-Gyeol, who was leaning against Sethian¡¯s arms, frantically grabbed his wrist with both hands. ¡°You c-can¡¯t eat that!¡± Yi-Gyeol looked around with a flustered expression then took off his shirt that was completely open in the front and wiped Sethian¡¯s hand. His slightly wet eyes contorted as if to accumulate tears. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡­.¡± Unstoppable words of apology flowed endlessly out of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips as he carefully wiped even to the crevices of his fingers. Sethian said he has nothing to dislike, but it was still someone else¡¯s body fluid and had a fishy smell nonetheless. Even without tasting it, he knew how bad and pungent it would be. ¡®He might find it disgusting and dislike it. No, he would definitely hate it.¡¯ He personally got it in his hands, smelled, and tasted it. But there¡¯s no way he¡¯d like it when it¡¯s nothing close to being sweet. Thinking that way, Yi-Gyeol felt a chill down his spine as if ice water had been poured on it, and it was so freezing to the point where his neck turned stiff. The overwhelming anxiety that he had been suppressing for 5 years on his own, and the depression that feels like falling into a bottomless abyss came and embraced Yi-Gyeol at the same time. His flushed face turned white layer by layer every time he wiped away his body fluid on Sethian¡¯s hand. His eyes and lips trembled uncontrollably, and his bony shoulders shrank as if exposed to a horrifying fear. After repeatedly wiping multiple times, Sethian¡¯s palms became as red as the traces carved all over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. Even until then, Sethian just quietly held out his hand to him without saying anything, so he was extremely afraid that he might be angry with him. Such Yi-Gyeol was suddenly embraced around his shoulder by Sethian. A pleasant body temperature quickly shrouded over his shoulder which had been chilled by tension. Then, Sethian¡¯s lips flutteringly touched his cheek. It was a kiss strikingly different from those times he leaves vivid traces on his body. It seems to be done unconsciously with the aim to coax and soothe him. Additionally, the instinctive butterfly kisses passed through his cheeks, ears, and down to his neck as well. Sethian hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but the tension in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body from being terrified slowly loosened. With just a few short kisses from him, his mind which had been eroded by thick dark clouds cleared, and the fear that had engulfed his whole body disappeared. ¡°Do you still think that I dislike it?¡± It was a bewitchingly deep voice instead of the one full of threatening passion just moments earlier. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s non-stop wiping motion of Sethian¡¯s hand as if something was gnawing at him inside, slowly stopped. ¡°I told you, there¡¯s nothing about you I dislike.¡± It¡¯s really strange. As soon as Sethian assured him, his heart rate, complexion, body tremors, and even his breathing changed. The warmth that wrapped around his body brought him peace beyond measure. ¡°Whatever you do, I will never dislike you. You can do whatever you want. You don¡¯t have to cower and be wary of anything.¡± Sethian¡¯s words are always like spells. His words seem to control not only Yi-Gyeol¡¯s actions but also his emotions. It may be strange, but the sense of stability it brings to him was just way too good. ??????? Sethian went into the bathhouse with Yi-Gyeol to wash away the essence drenched in his trousers, locked him between his legs, and sat behind him. When Yi-Gyeol¡¯s skinny back touched his chest, he felt his slightly faster heartbeat. As Sethian lowered his gaze, the dense love bites he left all over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck were visible. They were scarlet and vivid as if his overflowing desire were engraved on him as they were. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off those satisfying marks, but he suddenly remembered what had happened in the bedroom earlier. The shoulders, which had shrunk due to his self-esteem hitting rock bottom, looked so small and feeble. He thought Yi-Gyeol had already improved a lot, but as soon as he saw that trembling figure, he felt distressingly fragile. Like accidentally touching any wrong place will cause him to shatter and scatter into the air in an instant. Because of that, he ended up doing something totally way out of character. He never thought he would ever give such light, tickling kisses. At that moment, Yi-Gyeol turned his head and looked up at Sethian. ¡°Seth¡­ Is it alright for you not to¡­?¡± Embarrassment followed the end of his sentence. When Sethian looked at him asking what he meant, Yi-Gyeol hesitated and added. ¡°You said earlier that you¡¯re using my reaction¡­ as nourishment¡­. Umm, what I mean is¡­.¡± The cheeks, which had been ruddy due to the heat of the bath, ripened more lusciously. His eyes glanced down his shoulder. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just holding myself back.¡± Sethian¡¯s arm grabbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s waist and pulled him closer to him. Unbeknownst to Yi-Gyeol, even just being in contact with him like this already causes his blood to rush down his lower body making Sethian struggle to suppress himself. Even until the moment Yi-Gyeol released and he got to taste his fluid, he wanted to push him down on the bed and blindly hammer his hardness inside him. He wanted to forcefully squeeze open that obviously small hole and incessantly fill his warm insides to the brim until it vomits his own seed. If he could only do that, the numbing and titillating feeling inside him would be relieved even a little bit. However, the moment he saw Yi-Gyeol shivering with fear, that feeling rapidly faded away. Although he had gained a decent amount of flesh, used his head quite a bit, and learned how to be spunky and act boldly; as expected, he was still delicate and weak. With just a single action and a single reaction from him, Sethian becomes an infinitely weak person. Even though he usually does what he wants without caring for others, and even if he really likes this person a little too much, he was very reluctant to press and ravish him to his heart¡¯s content, who is like a glass ornament. ¡®How hilarious.¡¯ Since when did he care so much about others? Besides, the other person is someone who will accept everything as long as he doesn¡¯t throw him away. Whether his body gets broken, or couldn¡¯t rise from the bed due to excessive copulation. ¡°Is it okay¡­ To just do that?¡± Yi-Gyeol naively asked despite his shyness. What Sethian thinks and what he wants is obviously different, but Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t know that either. Sethian stroked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hair and made him lean against him. Then he smoothly wound up his other arm over his chest. He put some pressure on the arm that could feel the bone and the heartbeat of the person within his embrace. He thought that if he even applied a little more force just like this, his bones would break with a familiar squeaking sound. ¡°Agh, it¡¯s so stuffy!¡± With just a single complaint from Yi-Gyeol, who couldn¡¯t overcome the pressure, Sethian¡¯s strength naturally loosened. Even though he knew that he was acting astonishingly strange, he likes the sound of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s comfortable breathing, so he mindfully and gently held him against his body. The resonance of their heartbeat clamorously pounded together, as if intoxicated with the heat of the bath. ??????? Upon returning to the bedroom from the bath, Kirsty, who was on guard, and Roa, with a rather anxious expression, were standing in front of the door. Only then did Sethian recall that he had summoned him to check Yi-Gyeol¡¯s condition. ¡°Your Highness the Crown Prince, did something happen?!¡± He must have been surprised by the sudden summon. As Sethian told him to urgently come and check Yi-Gyeol¡¯s condition, he seemed to have rushed thinking that there must¡¯ve been something wrong with his body. Roa couldn¡¯t relax his nervous expression even as he stared at Yi-Gyeol, who was standing perfectly still than he had expected. Because contrary to what it looks like on the outside, if there is a problem inside, no one would be able to detect it with just the naked eye unless his flow of mana is checked right away. Roa immediately followed Sethian and Yi-Gyeol into the bedroom and uproariously asked to promptly check his condition. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with his body, so calm down.¡± ¡°But the fact that His Highness hastily summoned me¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s because of me.¡± Yi-Gyeol apologized to Roa and made a bashful expression. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for making Seth worry¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who apologized to Roa for something he didn¡¯t deliberately do, felt dissatisfied and scrunched his face at Sethian. The aftermath turned into Sethian sending a sharp glare towards the bewildered Roa. Roa¡¯s nervous face contained a little relief. If Yi-Gyeol¡¯s condition had really become peculiar, he would be subjected to indescribable cruelty from Sethian, but more than that, he would be terribly frustrated if the first precious specimen created by the Golden Art¡¯s golden magic was damaged. As soon as he breathed out a sigh of relief with a heart that seemed to have suffered for ten years, he heard Yi-Gyeol¡¯s cautious voice. ¡°Um, sir. You said before that you used to make drugs with alchemy, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± In this world, magic and alchemy were two inseparable entities even if they wanted to. In the beginning, most magic evolved focusing on the mixing of objects or the recreation of objects using alchemy. The body in which Yi-Gyeol is moving also originated from the creation of organisms, which were initially created by combining various substances through alchemy. ¡°Then is there any kind of medicine that can make you fall asleep right after taking it?¡± ¡°Are you talking about sleeping pills?¡± At Roa¡¯s question, Yi-Gyeol shook his head straight away. Sleeping pills in this world were no different from those used in Korea. You¡¯ll naturally fall asleep after a few minutes of taking it, but that wasn¡¯t what Yi-Gyeol wanted. ¡°I need a drug that will instantly make you fall asleep when you take it, just like passing out.¡± ¡°Why do you need it?¡± This time, Sethian was the one who asked and grabbed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s arms. He seemed to sleep soundly every night without any interruption, but now he¡¯s anxious that it¡¯s not actually the case and Yi-Gyeol was just not informing him. ¡°You never know what¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to know the reason.¡± A small smile crept on the corner of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. ¡°I just wanted to use my ability properly.¡± CH 52 That night. Zair was sitting in the middle of an unlit room, deep in thought. A few hours ago, in the afternoon when the sun was strong. The spirit possessing the crow reported about Joo Yi-Gyeol, who it was monitoring, as it did every day. Normally, instead of saying this or that, it would dig straight into his head and show what had been through its eyes, but this time, it made quite a fuss even before that. ?Zair-nim! That kid was very apologetic to Zair-nim as expected! Judging by his voice, the young man¡¯s soul did not hesitate to call Yi-Gyeol that way, even though he was not worthy enough to call anyone a child. ?I think it will be easy to meet him separately since he wants to apologize! The spirit that spoke with excitement immediately escaped the crow¡¯s body and burrowed into Zair¡¯s head. If he had taken the possession potion that Eda had secretly developed, he would have lost his body like the emperor or the crow, but because he had a strong mental ability and soul control, he only absorbs the other¡¯s memories. Zair accepted the soul¡¯s memories that were naturally flowing into his head while maintaining complete control over his body. After reading all of the memories, Zair was in fact pretty satisfied. Not only did he(JYG) foolishly believe that he was worried about him, but he also felt guilty about the hand injury he received this time, and hoped he could make it up to him somehow. As expected, that person called Joo Yi-Gyeol was as weak and soft-hearted in nature as his appearance. Even though it¡¯s not his fault, Joo Yi-Gyeol has a habit of being apologetic and is cautious of harming others. Perhaps because he was extremely afraid of being hated by others. For Zair, those with personalities such as Joo Yi-Gyeol could be said to be the most suitable human being to exploit and easiest to manipulate. Eda, who met Joo Yi-Gyeol in person, said the same thing as well. However, something still bothers him. ¡°He has a sharper side than I thought.¡± Eda said that Joo Yi-Gyeol sharply discerned the emotions hidden behind his smiling face. Then after deliberating about it for a few moments, he added it was more of a doubt than figuring it out. However, Zair thought contrarily. He must¡¯ve acted like he was simply suspicious of Eda, but in reality, he might¡¯ve fully caught on to his innermost thoughts and was convinced of his hidden feelings. ¡®Those who fear being hated by others are sensitive to negative emotions.¡¯ Joo Yi-Gyeol saw right through that Eda was looking down on him and prodded to find out why. But Eda repeatedly denied it, saying it was not the case when Joo Yi-Gyeol questioned. Then, Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s following response was inconsistently different from when he had been questioning, he smiled as he said he wanted to be close to Eda. ¡®Must be concealing himself while nonetheless being wary.¡¯ So this time too. Even though he had personally laid the sophistry, he couldn¡¯t just smile and say that everything went as he wanted. Although the situation was clearly different from that time, it was certain that he would not just let go of his suspicion and vigilance. The corners of Zair¡¯s mouth malevolently went up. ¡®It¡¯s not fun if it¡¯s too easy.¡¯ Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sensitivity must have come from his exhausted mind. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s bound to be an emotional loophole. A loophole that is soft enough to break easily when tapped. ¡®That could also be the reason he¡¯s clinging to Sethian.¡¯ Joo Yi-Gyeol would habitually stare at the door from Sethian¡¯s bedroom all day, waiting for its owner to return every day. Sethian isn¡¯t particularly confining him, so he¡¯s likely to go out on his own at least once, but like a trained puppy that doesn¡¯t move without its owner¡¯s permission, he¡¯s always dutifully staying inside the room. In Zair¡¯s perspective, Joo Yi-Gyeol was a completely passive person. A weak individual who couldn¡¯t do anything on his own without Sethian¡¯s orders and gestures, and has totally surrendered everything to him. ¡®But only that wouldn¡¯t explain everything.¡¯ There has to be a reason why Sethian is obsessed with him. The Sethian that Zair knew wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would pay attention to such a passive human being. He must¡¯ve been fascinated due to some other factor and that caused Sethian to touch golden magic. In addition, he is constantly in a hurry to share his vitality and kiss him every day and leave him his mark. Even in the garden, once he noticed that Sethian was approaching, he deliberately reached out his hand, and as expected, Sethian exhibited an uncharacteristically rough reaction. It was the first time Sethian had ever been so obsessed and responsive due to a particular person. If it were someone else, of course, he would¡¯ve thought of unsettling words such as love. However, Sethian, who clearly lacks most human emotions, could not have done so. Only ¡®interest¡¯ can move Sethian. But there were significantly fewer substantial interesting elements in the person called Joo Yi-Gyeol. He is passive, weak, and one-sidedly solely sees his owner. It ludicrously doesn¡¯t make sense that Sethian let an ¡®all-I-have-is-you¡¯ guy by his side and cherished him. What¡¯s absolutely special about Joo Yi-Gyeol is that his body wouldn¡¯t die even if he stays in the soul state, and he was able to wander around as a ¡®living soul.¡¯ In addition, Joo Yi-Gyeol is the first soul that Sethian was able to communicate with. That was definitely something Sethian would be interested in, however, it didn¡¯t seem like he was thinking of ¡®mass-producing an army by using a living soul¡¯ as he did. In the first place, it would have been impossible to imagine unless a provision was put in place for the vitality that would be tremendously consumed. ¡®It¡¯s still vague, but I¡¯ll make sure to find out when I met him.¡¯ If he could peek into the heart of Joo Yi-Gyeol that no one but Sethian could open, he will inevitably find out those interesting elements of him. Knock, knock- ¡°Prince, a servant who was granted permission to visit has come to see you.¡± Zair, who was once again reminiscing the face of Joo Yi-Gyeol who he met in the garden, turned his eyes and looked towards the door. He permitted to let the person in and the door soon opened. The young man who walked into the room certainly looked familiar. In the first place, there was only one servant he allowed to visit and that was solely the emperor¡¯s attendant. Zair¡¯s gaze reached his bandaged wrist. The hand that should have been there, is unsurprisingly missing. Zair¡¯s smile grew even stronger. And as if in response to that, a sharp light settled within the servant¡¯s sorrowful eyes. ??????? ¡°This should be the item that you wanted.¡± Roa visited Sethian¡¯s castle early in the morning and handed Yi-Gyeol a purse that he had brought from the tower. Once opened, it revealed a finger-length vial containing a murky gray liquid. ¡°It¡¯s a sleeping fragrance containing the drug developed by the magic tower. It¡¯s very potent that even just a slight scent can make anyone instantly fall asleep.¡± Roa briefly introduced the Sleeping Fragrance and asked with a thoroughly worried face. ¡°You also lose vitality each time you leave your body, so frequent use of it is absolutely prohibited.¡± ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Yi-Gyeol made a promise not only to Roa but also to Sethian with his eyes, and carefully asked while examining the sleeping fragrance. ¡°Do I have to open the cork to smell it? If I collapse as soon as it wafts, wouldn¡¯t the bottle break or spill all the liquid inside if I dropped it? If so, everyone around will fall asleep¡­.¡± At the mouth of the vial containing the sleeping fragrance, a cork was serving as its lid. It¡¯s all good until you open and smell it, but the problem is what comes after that. Roa grinned and said there was no need to open the stopper. ¡°Its scent is so strong that it seeps into the cork. If it¡¯s as far away as it is now, it wouldn¡¯t have any effect on anyone, but if you put it right under your nose and sniffed the plug, you will fall asleep straight away because of the sleeping fragrance fused in it. You don¡¯t have to open the lid to use it.¡± Yi-Gyeol conspicuously nodded at Roa¡¯s explanation, bringing the glass vial to his nose with a somewhat nervous expression. However, Sethian abruptly grabbed his wrist and blocked it. ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, is it?¡± Roa quickly answered Sethian¡¯s piercing question. ¡°We at the magic tower are working hard to create things that will be helpful to the people of our empire in all aspects, so of course, there are no major side effects¡­!¡± ¡°Judging from what you¡¯re saying, the fact that there are no major side effects means that there are minor side effects.¡± A ferocious glare mixed within Sethian¡¯s eyes. Roa smiled nervously and carefully chose the words he would release from his mouth. ¡°That is true with all types of drugs as long as one doesn¡¯t overuse it.¡± ¡°Be precise, what kind of side effects?¡± ¡°¡­Aside from going out of the body, using too much sleeping fragrance may keep him from waking up for a while. Since it is a drug for sleep, even if it¡¯s just an incense, its effect cannot be ignored if it accumulates in the body for a short period of time.¡± At Roa¡¯s careful words, the corners of Sethian¡¯s eyes slightly distorted. Just as the words to take it back were about to come out of his mouth, Yi-Gyeol smiled at Sethian as if saying it was fine. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to use it often in just a span of time anyway. And you don¡¯t have to worry too much, because if I¡¯m just in my OOBE state, I can get back to my body and wake up in no time.¡± As if to appease Sethian who was still dissatisfied, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand that was holding the vial fell off his nose. Yi-Gyeol looked down at the fragrance within his hand. Actually, there was no difference here than when he was in his original world, he could fall asleep easily just by thinking about it, and he also just had to imagine his soul escaping from his body before he fell asleep if he wanted it and he would escape his body without fail. Imagining the familiar sensation that had made him sick and tired of it up until now, he slowly brought the sleeping fragrance to his nose. Just as he smelled the unique scent that characteristically comes from a cork, something sour and a potent aroma set in. As soon as he thought that it was a very unusual scent, his eyes instantly went dark. Soon after, Yi-Gyeol was able to look down at Roa, who was looking up at him in the air, and Sethian, who had received his sleeping body. CH 53 ¡°Truly fascinating.¡± Roa couldn¡¯t control his astonishment from personally seeing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul withdrawal for the first time. As Yi-Gyeol smelled the sleeping fragrance and collapsed like a powerless straw, a golden light simultaneously jumped out of his body and flew into the air in the form of a butterfly. For Roa, there¡¯s nothing that¡¯d be more amazing than that scene. Whether voluntarily or by force, the process by which a soul emerges from a person¡¯s body is irrefutably slow. It begins by getting surrounded by a faint stream of air from head to toe, then gathering them together to gradually form the shape of a butterfly. When the body¡¯s haze-like air is once exhausted to realize the pure white butterfly, the heart would stop and the breathing also disappears. On the other hand, the process of Yi-Gyeol leaving his body was quite different. When the soul escapes, it usually gathers the vague air scattered throughout the body, or in short, it gathers vitality, forms it, and breaks the connection. However, Yi-Gyeol flew straight from the chest part of his body in the form of a butterfly. He didn¡¯t collect the entire body¡¯s vitality first before going out, and the shape of the butterfly doesn¡¯t look faint or weak either. ¡®Marvelous.¡¯ If it were a person who couldn¡¯t see butterflies, Yi-Gyeol would¡¯ve only seemed to have fallen asleep in an instant. Then they must have thought it was strange without truly understanding why Roa was in awe. Meanwhile, Sethian, who was holding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s sleeping body, turned and looked for him with slight difficulty. He still couldn¡¯t see even the vaguest shape of a butterfly, but he could locate him even without perceiving him since Yi-Gyeol was a presence Sethian was already unequivocally familiar with. ¡°How was your condition?¡± Since Yi-Gyeol didn¡¯t fall asleep the way he normally does, Sethian was worried that there would be some sense of disharmony or that there would be something out of place. ?It¡¯s the same as when I usually go out of my body. I¡¯m going to wake up again now, so please take note how long it¡¯ll take me until I open my eyes. Yi-Gyeol, who was floating in the air and looking down at Roa and Sethian, flew as if trying to pass through his body. The fast-sliding golden butterfly flew toward the middle of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chest, and not long after it completely permeated, his body shuddered once. Subsequently, the corners of his eyes trembled, and his eyelids raised with some difficulty. At this point, Roa was stunned once more. It was the first time he had ever seen a soul escape without exacting its own vitality, but even more so the first time seeing it enter without any obscurity and even open its eyes immediately. Usually, if you put a soul into a body, the vitality needs to spread to a certain extent first before the person can open its eyes, but Yi-Gyeol is already in a condition that¡¯s brimming with vitality, so even if his soul goes in and out of his body, he was able to rise immediately. ¡°How long did it take?¡± ¡°7 seconds.¡± When Yi-Gyeol, who¡¯s rubbing his eyes upon being placed down on the floor asked, Sethian immediately answered. Even though it was just for a really short span of time, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes slightly frowned, disliking the fact. ¡°It took longer than I thought.¡± Although it was at a speed that was surprisingly fast for Roa, Yi-Gyeol still seemed dissatisfied. ¡°I think I could be a bit faster with some practice¡­.¡± Not long after experiencing the out-of-body phenomenon, there was a time when he went inside his body and opened his eyes without his mother or younger sister waking him up. On that occasion, there was a difference of tens of minutes between the time he saw on the wall clock just before entering his body with the time he opened his eyes. Since then, the duration it took him to wake up every time he returned in advance to his body has gradually decreased due to his repeated soul withdrawal. Moreover, Yi-Gyeol felt like it had dwindled further during his soul withdrawal in this world. As if to obstruct Yi-Gyeol from falling into deep thought, Sethian grabbed his arm and turned him around to look at him. ¡°What are you contemplating so hard for? It doesn¡¯t matter even if you briskly or sluggishly wake up.¡± ¡°Of course, it matters.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes flashed with determination. ¡°Being able to fall asleep and wake up as soon as you want means that you can expertly utilize your soul state, and your body would be less in danger.¡± He couldn¡¯t go far and could only slack within the castle because of his fragile body at the moment, but later on, he¡¯ll properly have to fulfill his part. In order to do so, he should proficiently be able to control his main specialty, and by doing so, he would be able to go outside the castle as well. The range that a soul can detach from its body is not really limited, but if someone intentionally awakens the body that is in a defenseless state, the soul will be forced to return and open its eyes.[1] Therefore, even though he wants to do something like being an incorporeal spy, he couldn¡¯t stay out of his body for a long time, and getting too far away also causes an unspecified risk. Among them, the most defenseless time is after falling asleep, right before the soul escapes, as well as when going back and waking up. The shorter the term limit is, the less the risk would be. It was something he had never done before, and Sethian didn¡¯t even say a word about making him do something later, but Yi-Gyeol knew exactly what he needed to do and what he could do to fully utilize his ability. ¡®I need to master my ability so that Seth can use me appropriately.¡¯ For Sethian, he had to be a significant and indispensable human being. In order to be recognized by him and remain proudly by his side, he must especially focus on his ability to help him. ¡®And I also can¡¯t stay under his protection forever.¡¯ Now that he has gained back a bit of flesh, he had to slowly build up his stamina. He wanted to unshackle himself from being unable to do anything due to being sickly as soon as possible. After completing the task of bringing the sleeping fragrance, Roa was quickly kicked out of the room to the point where his title of being the tower owner was disregarded. However, he doesn¡¯t feel offended since he also wanted to quickly go back and conduct a new study while endlessly reminiscing the scene of Yi-Gyeol leaving his body.[2] Already within his head, a new magic research centered on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ability was in full swing. After Roa left, Yi-Gyeol, who was left alone in the bedroom with Sethian, faced him directly all of a sudden and demanded bossily. ¡°You promised to teach me swordsmanship before, please keep it.¡± Thinking about what he means, Sethian recalled a conversation he had with him in the bathroom before. At that time, Yi-Gyeol said that he wanted to learn swordsmanship. ¡®I¡¯ll teach you the basics if you gain enough weight.¡¯ Recollecting the answer he had given in the bath, Sethian glanced over Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body. He hasn¡¯t gained his ideal weight yet, but he thought he should be capable enough to start developing his foundation for his physical strength.[3] ¡°Fine. As long as you don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Thank you! Let¡¯s start right now!¡± Perhaps because he¡¯s teeming with motivation, Yi-Gyeol was pleasantly delighted at Sethian¡¯s reply with a radiant smile on his face. He has never thought of the words adorable and cute even after seeing a small animal that was causing a raucous before, but now he thinks those expressions fit perfectly with the current Yi-Gyeol somehow. Before he knew it, his hand was already stroking Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head dotingly. ??????? ¡°Ah!¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s shoulders recoiled and the wooden sword that flew out of his hand rolled around with a loud noise in a place a little farther away from them.[4] Probably because the wooden sword was heavier than he actually thought, it flew off and fell to the floor after just swinging it a few times even though he was holding it with a tight grasp. This is already the fifth time, so he felt sorry to look at Sethian¡¯s face who was standing beside him. Fortunately, Sethian¡¯s expression is the same as usual. Rather, every time he swings the wooden sword and blows it away, he would check his palms as he does now and meticulously inspect them with his eyes to see if there are any injuries. Sethian slightly frowned as he personally unfolded Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hands and looked at them. His fingertips pressed down on the somewhat thicker palm under the index finger. It was the blistered section naturally getting chaffed as he wielded the wooden sword, making Yi-Gyeol¡¯s entire hand twitch as it scraped at the same time. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day here.¡± ¡°No, I can do more. I won¡¯t let it fly this time.¡± Yi-Gyeol said while sneakily giving him a fawning glance, but Sethian was adamant. ¡°Stamina doesn¡¯t increase just by overdoing it. You¡¯ve already moved enough.¡± The knights who were glancing at the two nearby were gobsmacked as they gulped air at Sethian¡¯s words. Crown Prince Sethian was the one who incessantly pushed the knights into the depths of hell once in a while, saying that stamina can only increase by rolling endlessly, so it¡¯s ridiculous to hear such a person spout such a thing. In fact, that wasn¡¯t the only thing that was strange with Sethian who came out to the training hall today. Seeing him bring a man with an exotic and slender appearance that they had never seen before makes them wonder who he was, but from catching sight of the exposed flesh near his neck and clavicle, they thought he was a servant who warms the prince¡¯s bed at night. However, all kinds of questions arose as everyone heard the man speak informally to their master and call him with a pet name, ¡®Seth¡¯. And Crown Prince Sethian, who also heard the words said nothing and seemed to be happy with it. What¡¯s more, Sethian was personally teaching the man basic swordsmanship. Sethian teaching someone something, it was the kind of scene that the knights wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream of seeing, making their surprise gradually grow. The black-haired young man, as if he had never held a sword before, took a somewhat sloppy posture and slowly began to swing the sword up and down. After doing so a few times, all the knights¡¯ shoulders flinched together when he suddenly lost strength and sent the wooden sword away. Sethian always said as well that once holding a sword, they should never let it slip out of their hands even if they get cut off, and he would also occasionally hit the wrist of the knights who were training with a wooden sword to see if they¡¯d let the sword go. Therefore, it was only natural for them to grasp it tightly even while their wrists were broken since if they missed it, the prince would break another part of their body. However, as if he had become a completely different person from before, the Sethian in front of them carefully inspected the other person¡¯s palm and checked whether he was hurt, then picked up and handed him the wooden sword himself. Rather confused by Sethian¡¯s unprecedented countenance, the knights looked at Lenox and Kirsty as if hoping for an answer. But then, the two did not show much reaction even as they watched Sethian¡¯s behavior. They look composed as if they¡¯re already expecting it to happen.[5] CH 54 ¡°Umm, excuse me, Sir Lenox. I¡¯m curious about something¡­.¡± A knight stepped up and spoke cautiously to Lenox. However, his words were interrupted just before he could even finish them by Kirsty, who was next to them. ¡°It¡¯s best not to ask anything about that young man. Else you wouldn¡¯t even realize when your neck disconnected from your torso.¡± The knight quickly shut his mouth at Kirsty¡¯s words. ¡°Tell everyone to treat him politely if ever he talks to others by chance. And remember not to touch him directly. That¡¯ll get you taken to the torture chamber.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± For the sake of his neck¡¯s well-being, the knight quickly shirked his brimming curiosity, and covertly conveyed it to others in a lowered voice, following Kirsty¡¯s words. It was clear from Kirsty¡¯s reaction that this was an extremely important issue. Kirsty watched the knight go and pass his message, and asked Lenox, who never took his eyes off Sethian and Yi-Gyeol. ¡°How about you, what do you think?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince, isn¡¯t he acting strange?¡± ¡°No doubt, he is.¡± Lenox calmly agreed with Kirsty¡¯s question. Sethian doesn¡¯t only seem strange to his two close aides but certainly to the other knights as well. Not only was it strange that he forcibly occupied the crown prince position just to make a body for a young man who was said to be a ghost with the golden arts, but the caring and pampering image he is showing right now is to the point that one will wonder if he was still the same person. To Lenox and Kirsty, Yi-Gyeol was the next most important person they needed to look after, second only to Sethian. Completely incomparable to when they first saw him, he had already gained some flesh and his face had brightened up as well to the point where he was pleasant to look at. Sometimes, like a small sneaky hamster[1], he would hushedly poke his head out the room¡¯s closed door and ask if it is difficult to keep standing as they guard or worry about them, and every time that happens, his heart inevitably warms up. Just a brief look into his eyes was enough to tell how kind his character is. Perhaps that¡¯s why even though he has countless kiss marks on his neck or collarbone, he doesn¡¯t look lewd or vulgar. If the person who left such marks was anyone other than Sethian, he might have cursed inside, thinking that person was a beast. But as such, without any exception, all the traces engraved on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body contain a clear message. A seal that shows he belongs to someone. It was the first delirious possessiveness that Sethian, who had never been obsessed and coveted anything in his life, had shown. The red traces look as if he had been desperately trying to suppress himself from chewing and swallowing the person whole. ¡°¡­Is it perhaps love?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Kirsty choked on Lenox¡¯s murmur. He contorted his face and the end of his eyes lifted up. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± ¡°But I think that¡¯s the most reliable picture with the current situation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just anyone else but the Crown Prince, that¡¯s never going to happen. He¡¯s probably keeping him by his side because of interest.¡± Kirsty¡¯s words were the most plausible for ¡®People who have a bit of knowledge about Crown Prince Sethian¡¯ could say. Lenox had no intention of denying it either. ¡°Interest, you say¡­.¡± Is the discordance that Sethian only shows to Yi-Gyeol really just because of simple interest? He imagined the prince quickly losing interest and throwing Yi-Gyeol away as if he doesn¡¯t matter what happens to him. It was a nowhere near possible picture for Lenox, who had been closely watching Sethian and Yi-Gyeol for over a month. ??????? Yi-Gyeol was semi-forced to have bandages on both hands once he returned to the room. And within the bandages, the palms, which were only slightly chapped, were carefully coated with an ointment made from high-quality crushed herbs. ¡®It¡¯s not even to the point that he should make a fuss¡­.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even swing the wooden sword a few times because he was busy panting, but seeing the bandage wrapped around his hand made him look like a person who had wielded the sword for days. ¡®Let¡¯s keep your sword practice to a minimum. It¡¯s much better to do other exercises to build up your stamina instead.¡¯ Sethian must have said that because he keeps failing to properly grasp the sword and his movements were also awkward. He had a pretty good stamina and exercised regularly just before he got bedridden, but now he has no energy and his stamina is at the bottom as if those times were nonexistent. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth tasted bitter with the helplessness he yet again realized. After having those thoughts, he immediately gathered himself and clenched his fists. ¡®No big deal! I¡¯ll surely get better after doing it a few more times. Let¡¯s not dig the ground[2] for nothing.¡¯ He should also correct this habit of his soon. His exhausted self-esteem and the depression he had suppressed for a long time would involuntarily stick their heads out if given the slightest gap. This was by no means good. To himself, and to Sethian, who is always beside him. He patted his cheeks with both hands and woke himself up. Then his gaze turned to the books piled up on the table. Before Sethian could come back from work, he had to organize the parts he wanted to ask him to read. That way, there¡¯ll be no embarrassing mishap in which he reads the entire book like the last time. Thinking about that moment automatically put a smile on his face. Sethian is overly thoughtful, to the point that sometimes Yi-Gyeol thinks it¡¯s too much. He devotedly takes care of him without saying a word, and he wanted to know everything about his every move. His tone of speaking was far from being sweet, but what was contained in it was apparent affection and interest, and it was enough for Yi-Gyeol to feel happy most times. It was the same reaction his family had when he unexpectedly got an incurable disease 5 years ago. Despite the sudden misfortune, they were infinitely warm and kind, and their love for him did not waver. Everything just started to fall apart when his illness persisted and the house started accumulating debts. It all began to collapse very naturally. Dark clouds overshadowed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face once again. ¡®Is my family¡­ Is everyone¡­ Living well?¡¯ Since completely setting foot in this world, there hasn¡¯t been a day where he hasn¡¯t thought of the faces of his family. His family was the only ones who remained next to him while he was lying on the hospital¡¯s sickbed, so it was only a matter-of-course. At first, he thought it would be nice to somehow find a way and go back to them. Thinking that maybe there¡¯s a way to bring this body back with him. Although vitality is a problem, there must be a solution somehow. But once he thought of Sethian¡¯s disappointed expression, feeling betrayed if he knew, he was afflicted and distressed over it inside his heart for a while. Conversely, when he recalled their cold eyes and piercing words, those thoughts expeditiously disappeared in no time. The fact that he was a burden to his family would never change, and even if he goes back and meets them, will he be able to smile at them again like before he had gotten sick? The only place where he can laugh to his heart¡¯s content is the spot next to Sethian. Arriving with that conjecture, he abruptly wanted to see Sethian again, who had just split up with him only a while ago. If he was with him, just looking at his current expression, from his thoughts to his emotions, he would see through everything and would probably gently stroke his head. ¡®Since when have I began acting so child-like?¡¯ A jeer heedlessly flowed out of his visage. He seems to have become too accustomed to Sethian¡¯s touch. Tok, tok. Thinking of Sethian with his eyes down, Yi-Gyeol flinched at the sudden sound. As he rolled his eyes around and concentrated, he heard another tapping sound. Turning his head towards it, he saw a crow knocking with its beak attached to the closed window. Not only because it¡¯s been watching over this place every day recently, but also because he knew that the crow was possessed by a soul that followed Zair, so his listless heart, which had finally settled down, tensed all over again. On the other hand, he was carrying a natural and friendly smile on his face. As soon as he opened the window, the crow flew back for a bit, then shyly landed on the window sill. ?Did you sleep well? Yi-Gyeol radiantly smiled at the crow who greeted him with a bright voice. ?What¡¯s wrong with your hands? Did you get hurt? The crow alternately pointed at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hands with its beak. ¡°No, my palm got a little chafed so I bandaged it. I¡¯m more worried about Prince Zair than myself. Is he still unable to use his hands?¡± To divert the crow¡¯s pouring attention towards him, he smoothly inserted Zair into the conversation. He doesn¡¯t want to reveal information about him as much as he could. Because the more the opponent knows, the more it becomes a weakness. Fortunately, the crow responded correspondingly. ?That¡¯s right. He was even frowning like this several times while eating today. As if mimicking Zair, it tried to curve the small bird¡¯s forehead as hard as it could. He burst out laughing saying that it was cute, but in actuality, Yi-Gyeol was still as apathetic as ever deep down inside him. ¡°Did you tell him that I¡¯m sorry?¡± ?Of course. He said it wasn¡¯t your fault, so you don¡¯t have to worry. ¡°How can I not worry when it¡¯s true that it¡¯s my fault¡­.¡± Even as his words continued, his head spun rapidly. Zair didn¡¯t ask anything from him just as he expected, and for some reason, only words that it was okay came out of the crow¡¯s mouth. ¡®I don¡¯t know if he really doesn¡¯t have any designs or he just noticed something¡­.¡¯ He opened his mouth as he rolled the hunch and Zair¡¯s disposition that he had briefly grasped around his head. ¡°I would have done anything if I could just apologize.¡± ?Hmm, anything you say¡­. The crow¡¯s head tilted habitually and his voice rang a little low. ?Zair-nim didn¡¯t say much, but since you said that, would you like me to give you some advice? I frequently watch Zair-nim even on regular days, so I know everything, even the littlest personal thing. A bright smile appeared on the corner of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips. ¡°Please. What do you think should I do?¡± Compared to the arc around his lips, Yi-Gyeol had a smile of satisfaction carrying a different propensity within him. Look at our gorgeous babies! CH 55 ?Do you happen to know a flower called ¡®Idello¡¯? ¡°Idello?¡± When Yi-Gyeol tilted his head to the name he heard for the first time, the crow lifted his pair of wings and swirled as if drawing a picture in the air. ?It¡¯s a very beautiful flower, but like the precious medicine evello, it¡¯s close to a panacea for traumas, so it was named similarly. Evello¡¯s tea leaves are effective for treating internal wounds, and Idello¡¯s petals are especially effective for treating external trauma. However, it is quite difficult to obtain as it is as precious as evello. The crow, which had been waving its wings in the air, drew its neck long and met Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes. ?Even in this Imperial Palace, which was said to have everything, there is only one place where you can find it. ¡°Where is that?¡± The crow¡¯s head turned and pointed out the window. What reached the end of its gaze is the garden of Emerald Castle. ?Last year, a foreign merchant gave Crown Prince Sethian Idello as a tribute before returning to his country. It was then shortly ornamented in the gardens of the Emerald Castle, which was inaccessible to anyone other than the Crown Prince and probably a dedicated gardener. Listening to the crow¡¯s words, Yi-Gyeol could surmise what he was trying to say. ¡°Are you asking me to get it?¡± ?Don¡¯t you think Zair-nim will be touched if it¡¯s that? ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s not accessible except for Seth and the gardener?¡± As he lowered his eyes with a sullen expression, the crow pulled its bird head out and swung its head around, drawing attention. ?It¡¯s been like that so far. But didn¡¯t you say that Prince Sethian is nice to you? ¡°Well, that¡¯s true but¡­.¡± ?Just secretly steal a petal while taking a walk in the garden like the other day. I¡¯ll take it and deliver it to Zair-nim for you! Yi-Gyeol shook his head with a bewildered expression on his face. ¡°Stealing, how can I do that? Going near would work somehow, but stealing¡­ As expected, it¡¯s impossible.¡± ?Then what can you do? The crow¡¯s voice turned sharp. ?Why did you say that you would do anything when you couldn¡¯t even get out of this room properly? There¡¯s nothing you can do. ¡°That¡­.¡± ?Zair-nim is in pain every day because of his wounds. It¡¯s not even difficult to do. It¡¯s just picking one petal and won¡¯t do you any harm. Are you going to do it or not?[1] ¡°A petal¡­.¡± ?Yeah, I¡¯m not asking for the whole flower. You just need to pick one petal, so why are you being so hesitant? So wishy-washy.[2] Yi-Gyeol¡¯s complexion deteriorated sharply as the crow¡¯s berate continued. When his eyes trembled, it slightly wiggled its beak as if the crow was directly speaking to him. ?It¡¯s your opportunity to help someone. It¡¯s not even causing inconvenience but a chance to genuinely help someone and be appreciated. Yi-Gyeol looked up at the crow. His eyes, which had been shaken with worries, gradually became clear and he soon nodded his head. ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ?Good decision. The crow flapped its wings and curved its eyes. ?Just in time, the weather is nice today so say you¡¯re going for a walk. I¡¯ll pick up the petal when you come into the room after taking a walk. ¡°All right. Thanks.¡± After answering lightly, Yi-Gyeol headed to the door in front of the crow that was still settled by the window. He told Kirsty who was standing outside the door to ask permission to go for a walk, and when he turned back around once more, he closed the window, saying he had to change his clothes pretending to be shy. The crow soared into the sky and perched on a branch just outside the window as if monitoring Yi-Gyeol¡¯s actions. Recalling the crow outside, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gentle expression changed into icy-cold. He pretended to go further inside to change his clothes and immediately approached the wall in a blind spot that was not visible from outside the window and sat down. The excuse to change clothes should be only ten minutes at most. If he spends more time and keeps the window closed, the soul in the crow may notice that something is strange. Yi-Gyeol took out a small glass bottle that was hanging from inside of his shirt and put the stopper close to his nose. As soon as he inhaled deeply, his eyes quickly turned dark, and fell asleep. Yi-Gyeol opened his eyes as soon as he felt his body shaking. He took his eyes off his body, which was deeply asleep in front of him, and passed through the wall where his body was resting and went outside. The spirit in the crow might be able to recognize him as he is now, but its gaze was fixed on the window. Yi-Gyeol turned and headed somewhere so as not to be exposed to the crow¡¯s gaze. As Yi-Gyeol flew along the wall of the building as if following it, he saw the servant who received Kirsty¡¯s orders walking. He didn¡¯t know exactly where Sethian was, so following the servant¡¯s footsteps was the quickest shortcut. The servant strode forward without noticing that Yi-Gyeol¡¯s soul was closely following behind him. The place where the servant arrived was in front of a door similar to that of the bedroom but filled with a slightly different pattern. Among them, Crown Prince Sethian¡¯s crest, which Yi-Gyeol had already become accustomed to, was distinctly engraved in the middle. On the left and right stood two familiar knights in dark red armor and two soldiers in simple silver armor. ¡°I brought a message from Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was flying over the shoulder of the servant, felt embarrassed by the title ¡®Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim¡¯ for nothing. It¡¯s only to ask whether he can go out for a walk, but it feels even more strange to describe it as a message. While the servant was reporting to the knights, Yi-Gyeol passed through the door and slipped inside. Then, he suddenly felt a completely different atmosphere from the air outside, so he flinched without even realizing it. It was certainly not where a sword sparring was being held, nor was it in the midst of a meeting that was engaged in a suffocating war of nerves. Nevertheless, the atmosphere inside Sethian¡¯s office could be said to be quite ugly. Sitting at the desk in front of him, Sethian was taciturnly writing something, piling up so many documents that it was hard to count. And to his left was Lenox, waiting as he stood in an upright position with his hands on his back. At the desk on the right, a man he had never seen before was struggling with a serious face, stacking as many documents as Sethian. There isn¡¯t any breathing sound within the four corners of the room but only the sounds of quills squeaking. Yi-Gyeol felt suffocated by the air more than the silence. Although he suddenly entered the office, the atmosphere inside was full of tension and desolate as if walking on thin ice, so even Yi-Gyeol, who was in his spiritual state, couldn¡¯t make a sound. Thinking that his timing was wrong, he got anxious and tangled inside, worrying about how he could talk to Sethian when he was so focused like that. Then, in the midst of all that, the constant squeaking sound suddenly stopped. Sethian¡¯s elegant quill halted, and his drooping eyes lifted and directed straight ahead. He hasn¡¯t said a word yet but their eyes met. Sethian can¡¯t see his form and can only feel his presence so the premise that they made eye contact was wrong, but it was certain that he recognized this side. Sethian¡¯s eyes frowned slightly. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Baron Ergen Ruman, who raised his head in surprise at Sethian¡¯s words, opened his eyes wide. However, Sethian¡¯s gaze did not faze as it reached the doorway. Knock, knockÒ» ¡°Your highness, the servant who was guarding your bedroom brought a message from Joo Yi-Gyeol-nim.¡± As if the inspection of the servant had already been completed, a knight standing guard outside spoke. Sethian ordered to let the servant come inside without taking his eyes off Yi-Gyeol. The servant, who entered the room, bowed deeply in courtesy, and delivered the simple words, ¡®Joo Yi-Gyeol wants to take a walk.¡¯ Even while listening to those words, Sethian¡¯s gaze did not fall from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s presence, who was awkwardly standing next to the servant. ¡°Go out and stand by.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± The servant promptly went outside at Sethian¡¯s order as Yi-Gyeol stood still by the door, waiting. Ergen was somewhat chased out by Sethian¡¯s glare as well and only he, Lenox, and Yi-Gyeol remained within the office. Sethian put down the quill and stretched out his hand to Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Come here.¡± Yi-Gyeol was paying attention to Sethian¡¯s action all along and approached at his words. Lenox didn¡¯t say anything as if he roughly knew what was going on. As Yi-Gyeol approached the chair, Sethian turned his body and stared at his presence. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going for a walk simply to get some fresh air.¡± He wrestled around with the wooden sword in the training hall and even went to the bathhouse so granted that he really wanted to go for a walk, there was no way he would at a time like this, so as soon as Sethian heard the servant¡¯s words, he noticed straightaway that¡¯s something¡¯s strange. ¡°Did Zair contact you?¡± ?Hmn. The crow pretended that Zair didn¡¯t order it, but he probably prepared everything. It said that there would be a flower called ¡®Idello¡¯ in the garden and asked me to secretly pick a petal since it¡¯s special for treating external injuries. ¡°Idello¡­.¡± The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly as if in ridicule. ¡°You mean that poison herb¡®s petals?¡± It is indeed a special medicine for treating wounds, but Idello was more famous for being called a ¡®poison herb¡¯ in this world. Its toxicity was so severe that if an unsuspecting person touched it by mistake and that person brought the tip of their finger straight to his or her mouth, he would immediately lose consciousness and fall into a coma. CH 56 ?Poisonous? Yi-Gyeol asked in surprise. Sethian leaned his back deeply on the chair and surmised Zair¡¯s intention as he recalled his face. Idello¡¯s petals were famously known as a special remedy and panacea for trauma comparable to evello¡¯s tea leaves. Regardless, that story is only possible when all the flower¡¯s ¡®stamen¡¯ that contains its toxins were removed. However, the idello in the center of Crown Prince Sethian¡¯s Emerald Castle¡¯s garden was still a poisonous herb that has never had its stamens removed. The merchant who visited from a foreign country offered authentic expensive products not only to the emperor but also to the Imperial family members who had the right to succeed the throne. Someone was gifted with one of the only five gems in the world, someone received a splendid ornament, and a cape made from the skin of a rare animal was given to another one.[1] Finally, he dedicated the seeds of idello to Sethian. To wish him a long life. Each of Sethian¡¯s siblings that were present at that time laughed at him. As the merchant¡¯s outspoken words, its petals are famous for being the finest medicine there is, but before that, it was still the most poisonous weed among poisonous weeds. Combined with Sethian¡¯s cruel nature, there was a rumor that was implicitly spreading within the populace that he is an evil spirit who tore the Empress¡¯ belly when he was born. And upon hearing such rumors, the merchant mocked Sethian despite the fact of being the only prince born of the Empress but did not become the crown prince, and deliberately prepared such an authentic gift in order to stand in the eyes of the Imperial family who were closer to the throne and were hostile to him.[2] The merchant¡¯s intentions were immediately perceived by Sethian as well. ¡®I also heard a rumor that idello grows well when fed with humans.¡¯ These were Sethian¡¯s words in the presence of those Imperial family members who were all grinning with mockery as he grasped the seeds of idello within his hand with an unusually small smile that was very unlike him. The next day. The merchant¡¯s group met a band of bandits on their way back to their country while leaving the Imperial city and everyone was brutally exterminated. Among them, the merchant¡¯s body was nowhere to be found, and it is said that there was a long trail of blood going in the direction of the Imperial Palace. That same night, it was also said that a strong scent of blood prevailed on the flower bed in the center of the Emerald Castle where the idello was planted. Whether the truth could be found within Sethian¡¯s words, the idello grew healthy and speedily blossomed in the blood-filled soil. This plant is considered rare because of its seeds, only a few sprouts and once it blooms, it doesn¡¯t die until it breaks its neck for only a couple of years. Despite this, the idello in the center of the Emerald Castle¡¯s garden was surprisingly still brazenly blooming. The idello¡¯s venomous stamen was deliberately not removed. It was like the symbol of the deadly Sethian, and so the other Imperial family members regarded it as such. Sethian recalled Zair¡¯s face and twisted the corners of his eyes crooked with ridicule. Perhaps Zair intended to secretly receive the petals that would have been stained with the poisonous pollen of the stamen from the ignorant Yi-Gyeol, and poison someone to make trouble for himself or use it personally to falsely accuse him. But since he wasn¡¯t someone who could be easily swayed by such things, perhaps the person to be falsely accused is Yi-Gyeol. Sethian¡¯s eyes touched the faint presence in front of him. He could instinctively feel that he was looking straight into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ?What do you mean¡­what do I want to do? With his arms folded and his head slightly tilted, Sethian said. ¡°If we hand over idello¡¯s petals to Zair, he¡¯ll surely use it to plot a scheme against me.¡± ?Scheme¡­. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice instantly dropped. ¡°Nonetheless, there¡¯s no need for you to worry. It¡¯s easy to understand what Zair is going to do and we can just prepare a counterplan ahead of time. So just do as you please, and do what you want.¡± As long as they know in advance that Zair is targeting the idello¡¯s petals, there are plenty of ways for them to counterattack. Or perhaps they can also make a way to trouble him the other way around. ?¡­. Yi-Gyeol remained silent without a single word. Sethian thought he was worried about him so he opened his mouth to ask if he should give Yi-Gyeol more detailed countermeasures but, ?Then the crow¡­, Did Zair lie to it? That it¡¯s not really effective in treating traumas, but it¡¯s toxic? Yi-Gyeol¡¯s voice was rather calm and cold. ¡°The poison is the stamen of the flower and the pollen from it. It is indeed true that its petals are great medicine for treating wounds but since they¡¯ve been exposed to the pollen for a long time, if you use them as they are, you would be poisoned and die.¡± ?Can¡¯t we just remove its stamen or pollen? ¡°It¡¯ll survive if we remove it, but I don¡¯t intend to remove the toxicity of the idello which is my symbolic representation.¡± ?I¡¯m sorry to keep asking, but why is it your symbol? It was a pure question that Yi-Gyeol really doesn¡¯t have any knowledge of. And soon after, an infuriated voice containing Yi-Gyeol¡¯s uncontrollable emotion followed. ?Why do you use idello¡¯s poison as a symbol? Who stuck those words¡­! Yi-Gyeol swallowed his raised voice. He seems to be calming down his enraged emotions. Sethian thought that such a response from Yi-Gyeol is pretty interesting. Yi-Gyeol looked into Sethian¡¯s eyes and desperately tried to suppress the anger that kept rising to his throat. It was obvious that Sethian¡¯s siblings demeaningly and defamatoryly stuck those words on him. That¡¯s why Sethian also describes toxicity as his symbol in order not to lose to them.[3] ¡®Without even knowing much about Seth¡­.¡¯ The same goes with Zair, and as well as his other siblings. Why do they hate Sethian so much when they don¡¯t even know him that well. On the contrary, Sethian is a person who is much more suited to idello¡¯s other name which is, ¡®the finest medicine.¡¯ While Yi-Gyeol was busy resenting Sethian¡¯s siblings who he had never even met properly except for Zair, Sethian was motionlessly watching him with his chin placed on the top of his hands. In his head, he was imagining Yi-Gyeol¡¯s possible expression. At the same time, he was having this desire to leave the office and immediately head to his bedroom. What expression is he making? What emotions were contained within those eyes? Or is he biting his lips and has a frown between his brows. It¡¯ll surely be worth watching since he easily turns red whenever he gets emotional. Sethian felt a tingling sensation as if something was tickling his entire body. A faint smile appeared on his lips, who had been imagining Yi-Gyeol¡¯s appearance. ??????? ?Zair-nim! The crow that came through the open window flew in front of Zair who was reading a worn-out book. Then it displayed the light purple petal that it was clasping with its two small claws. ?I got it! It flapped its wings and pulled its small head towards Zair as if wanting to receive a compliment. Zair inserted a flat rod-shaped bookmark made of thin metal between the books and closed it. Meanwhile, his sharp eyes arrived at the rolled petal that was being clasped by the crow¡¯s feet. Zair stood up and stroked the crow¡¯s head a couple of times with his fingertips, brought some white gloves, and a glass bottle with half transparent water. Zair received the flower petal from the crow with his gloved hand and looked at it carefully as he turned it around. ¡°Are you sure he took it secretly from the flower bed?¡± ?Yes, I saw it myself. The big knight who was with him didn¡¯t even notice. The crow verbally reported what it had seen. After Yi-Gyeol changed his clothes, he straightaway headed to the garden with Kirsty, who was guarding outside. The soldiers who were rigidly watching the garden in the name of protecting the flower, to the point that even birds couldn¡¯t get any closer, as a result, didn¡¯t make a single movement as they recognized Kirsty escorting Yi-Gyeol. As it flew in the sky and followed them from afar, Yi-Gyeol, who was pretending to look at the flowers secretly picked a petal of the fully blooming idello once he reached the center of the flower bed and hid it within his arms. After that, it was only until they returned to the room that he took the petal out of his arms, and all he had to do was hand it to the crow that was standing proudly by the window. ?He really doesn¡¯t have any idea about the toxicity. He just grabbed and picked it up with his bare hands. As it stands, if he unconsciously sucks even just one finger, the road to hell will be the only way left for him. He¡¯s really stupid! The crow twitched and laughed. It¡¯s also holding the petal in its claws bare, but it didn¡¯t seem to care much since it was just a temporary body for him anyway. Zair, who was looking at the petal, put it in a glass bottle after hearing the crow badmouth Yi-Gyeol. Then he covered its entrance with the cap and shook it around in a circle. The rustling water soon engulfed the petals. ?By now, that idiot probably¡­. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s really an idiot or not.¡± Zair¡¯s voice interrupted the crow. His keen eyes touched the idello¡¯s petal that was completely mixed within the transparent liquid. ¡°Is it simply because of natural variables that Sethian¡¯s symbol-the idello¡¯s poison-was removed, or whether Joo Yi-Gyeol, who we thought was naive and ignorant, made a move in a short period of time?¡± Zair looked into the unchanging liquid and clean petals, called a servant that was waiting outside, and threw the bottle over. ¡°That¡¯s the petals of idello that have been detoxified. I don¡¯t need it so bring it to the one who used to be His Majesty¡¯s servant. Those wrists covered in pus will probably get a little better with that.¡± The servant who received the glass bottle opened his eyes wide and swallowed his dry saliva. He was aware that a single poisonous petal from idello costs millions of gold on the market. He really wanted to click his tongue, thinking that it was ridiculous to give such a thing to a servant. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Go and tell him. He should get better soon for His Majesty¡¯s sake.¡± He doesn¡¯t have any affection for his father emperor, but it would have been a ray of sun for the servant whose wrist was cut off by Sethian. Sending idello¡¯s petals, which is an expensive cure, and adding words pretending it¡¯s for both him and the emperor, could spark his resolution a little more. Toxic petals or not, it doesn¡¯t matter in the first place. Either way, they will be poison for Sethian. TRANSLATORS MESSAGE: CH 57 It was already close to midnight by the time that Sethian had finished all his work and headed back to his chamber. Even Lenox, who had been beside him and assisted him from morning till now looks a bit tired, but Sethian, who had actually processed all the onerous and heavy tasks, doesn¡¯t have the slightest change in his complexion as if nothing had happened at all. ¡°I¡¯m worried that the sudden increase in your workload might put a strain on your body.¡± Lenox cautiously deplored in the hallway leading to the bedroom. Sethian usually wouldn¡¯t even glance at anything other than basic tasks or would just hand them over to his adjutant, Ergen, but recently, he has been frighteningly obsessed with work. Not only would he not let a single document just pass by his hand and didn¡¯t attend every meeting half-heartedly, but he also corresponded with the surrounding nobility frequently. Lenox naturally thought of Yi-Gyeol. The ghost that Crown Prince Sethian settled in a magically constructed body by using the Golden Arts. And the young man who upholds the greatest interest that his Lord has shown so far, most especially, the only one who receives his Lord¡¯s phenomenal[1] affection. He wanted to assume that this matter too was related to that, but he couldn¡¯t even find any significant connection between the two sentences that he had concluded. He knew that only the emperor or the crown prince could use the Golden Arts, but he doesn¡¯t know the exact details of how the golden magic works and what is needed to maintain the body created by using it, as only a few members of the Imperial family and the upper ranks of the tower knew. However, it was true that Sethian gradually began to change after meeting Yi-Gyeol. So he can only guess that it is also his influence this time. ¡°Is it perhaps related to Joo Yigyeol-nim¡­.¡± ¡°Lenox.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as the name Joo Yi-Gyeol came out of his mouth, he immediately came to a halt and responded to his Lord¡¯s call.[2] Sethian, who was walking ahead, glanced at him over his shoulder, without stopping his fast pace. ¡°You also know that His Majesty¡¯s condition is getting worse, right?¡± Lenox slightly lowered his head and replied that he naturally knew. The current emperor¡¯s condition is worsening day by day, and he also heard that he mostly just opens his eyes once a day for a brief moment. From the outsider¡¯s point of view, it seems like he was just unduly resting within the Imperial Castle, but the matter of fact was already fully known by the Imperial Family and their close aides. ¡°If we¡¯re going to base it on those people¡¯s machinations, perhaps it will be a month or two at best.¡± ¡°Machinations¡­? Then is the Emperor¡¯s illness¡­.¡± Lenox raised his head and met Sethian¡¯s gaze in surprise. Sethian, who was looking back at him, spoke in a cold and calm manner as if he were talking about someone else rather than his father. ¡°It must¡¯ve been for quite some time now, given how it looks like he¡¯d just naturally gotten sick.¡± ¡°Then¡­.¡± Lenox¡¯s face dramatically intensified. Sethian mentioned ¡®people.¡¯ If so, according to his words, the emperor who often went hunting and had never let his sword out of his hands just until several years ago, had gradually gotten sick due to several people. ¡°Do you have any idea of those involved?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too obvious?¡± Neither a single agitation nor tremble could be found in Sethian¡¯s eyes and voice. As soon as Lenox noticed it, he felt chills creeping up his spine. Sethian had already guessed whose trick it was and seemed to have known it as well for quite some time. Nevertheless, the reason why he was just sitting on the sidelines until now whether or not his father ¨C the emperor ¨C dies, or whether who becomes the emperor, is because he thought it isn¡¯t interesting enough and he had nothing to do with it. Thinking about the inhumane characteristics of his Lord suddenly made Lenox terrified of him once again. ¡°His Majesty hasn¡¯t thought of placing anyone on the throne yet. He can only open his eyes for a while, so he probably didn¡¯t even have time to think about that.¡± ¡°Then, if his Majesty passes away just like this, isn¡¯t your Highness, who is the Crown Prince, would most probably sit on the throne?¡± As the title of the Crown Prince itself is only given to the emperor¡¯s successor, one could suppose that it should naturally be that way. But Sethian¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡°The title of Crown Prince that I have is just a fa?ade. Perhaps not only the Imperial family, but all the nobles know it as well. Even I know that fact, since I got it without any hiccup.¡± Sethian looked straight ahead. At the end of his gaze, he saw Kirsty standing in front of his bedroom door. ¡°If his Majesty died without directly designating a successor to the throne, it¡¯s going to be pretty messy. They regard me as the only enemy and are banding together at the moment, but once the throne gets emptied, the alliance between them will definitely soon be broken.¡± ¡°What do you intend to do, Your Highness? Are you going to step aside in advance?¡± Originally, Sethian should be the first to be crowned emperor based on his legitimate right to succeed the throne, but all the other successors, led by Mendel, the first prince, had established their own respective powers. With their alliance, they could use the united power of their respective nobles to drive out Sethian, then immediately have their own power struggle after ousting him. Sethian won¡¯t be able to step down easily, but Lenox thought that it wouldn¡¯t be that bloody since Sethian has never been interested in the throne. However, Sethian gave a completely unexpected answer to Lenox¡¯s question, whom he thought might be preparing to step down in advance. ¡°Before that could even happen, I¡¯m planning to pave my way to become the emperor.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Lenox opened his eyes wide and asked back. ¡°I intend to become the emperor.¡± The words that were said with a calm voice that seemed to be enjoying tea time on a bright afternoon confused Lenox. Until just a few months ago, Sethian had no interest in the throne, and could never understand why his siblings were risking their lives just for the said tedious position. But now, that man is speaking quite naturally about ¡®the way to being the emperor.¡¯ When Lenox dumbfoundedly stopped in his tracks in amazement, Sethian arrived in front of the bedroom, accepted Kirsty¡¯s salute, and asked him. ¡°What about Joo Yi-Gyeol?¡± ¡°The lights are on in the room, but I think he¡¯s sleeping since it¡¯s so quiet.¡± That would only be natural considering the time. Sethian went inside without knocking only after receiving a detailed report on how Yi-Gyeol spent his day. It is definitely bright within the room as if it¡¯s the middle of the day confirming what Kirsty had said. As soon as he entered, he quietly closed the door and glanced at the top of the bed, but upon looking, there was no one above it. As soon as his eyes became sharp, he heard a faint crunching sound. When he turned his head, he saw Yi-Gyeol sitting at the table in the middle of the bedroom and writing something. There were five thick books piled up on the table, and a pile of paper as thick as a book filled with something. In the meantime, Yi-Gyeol opened a book and wrote down something. He was so focused that he couldn¡¯t easily find a way to talk to him. He approached closer and stood behind his back, but as expected, he didn¡¯t realize that someone was already near him. The swerve of the quill pen, which moves as enchantingly as the writer¡¯s sparkling eyes, particularly catches the eye. Sethian watched without making a sound for a few minutes as Yi-Gyeol wrote down the contents of the book, and did not speak until he raised his head to pick up a new paper. ¡°Can you now read this much?¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Yi-Gyeol turned his head in surprise while making a loud noise. Seeing his eyes full of panic, Sethian came closer and hugged him by the shoulder then picked up the paper. ¡°Would you like me to read the whole book to you like last time?¡± ¡°No, that was just¡­ That was just a transcription. I wrote down the parts I would like to ask you.¡±[3] ¡°Transcription?¡± Yi-Gyeol scratched his cheek and took the paper from Sethian¡¯s hand. ¡°I thought I¡¯d fall asleep if I just stayed still while waiting for you¡­ That¡¯s why¡­.¡± They were words that Sethian couldn¡¯t understand. If he¡¯s sleepy, then he can just go to sleep. Especially since it¡¯s actually the time that Yi-Gyeol should be deeply sleeping. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just go to sleep?¡± ¡°How can I sleep first?¡± Yi-Gyeol, who closed the book and sorted the papers, pursed his lips. ¡°You must have been tired from working until this hour, so I at least should comfort and tell you that you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Yi-Gyeol soon finished cleaning the table and looked back at Sethian with a bright face and a pleasant smile. ¡°You did well today.¡± Even though it was just a trivial remark, it seems to have given a peculiar strength to Sethian. Just by Yi-Gyeol waiting to greet him, Sethian had felt a tingling sensation somewhere in his body, and when he even praised that he worked hard, his brows naturally wrinkled at the uncontrollable emotion. It¡¯s such a strange and intense feeling that if he doesn¡¯t control himself, he¡¯ll definitely throw him onto the bed and get on top of him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Yi-Gyeol, who saw the frown on Sethian¡¯s forehead, quickly reached out with a worried expression on his face. The tip of his fingertips touched the tight wrinkles on his forehead. His soft, thin fingertips seemed to possess fire. As soon as those fingers reached Sethian; his forehead automatically loosened, he took hold of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chin and raised it. The moment he tried to consume those lips unannounced. Sethian¡¯s brows furrowed again. Yi-Gyeol, who noticed that his aura had suddenly changed completely, blinked profusely as he looked up at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sethian¡¯s gaze is now directed towards the window. To be exact, it is in a dark corner lined with curtains next to the window, which is a blind spot where there isn¡¯t a single speck of light. No one knows since when, but for some reason, a small dwarfish man entirely surrounded by black, was standing there without making a sign.[4] CH 58 After swiftly confirming the existence of an unwanted presence in the room, Sethian naturally covered Yi-Gyeol with his body. ¡°Since when have you been there?¡± As soon as the question was asked, it was Yi-Gyeol ¨C not the man shrouded in the dark ¨C who briskly responded. He flinched in surprise for a brief moment, then one of his hands soon grabbed the armrest of the chair he was seated so that he could get up from it any time needed and send it flying to that side, while his other hand fixed the pointed part of the quill he was holding outward as if to swing it flat-out. His eyes, instead of the bright and innocent ones just minutes ago, had also changed into a cold glare resembling Sethian¡¯s.[1] He couldn¡¯t see who the opponent was, but he thought that anyone who would silently break into Sethian¡¯s bedroom could only be an assassin that¡¯s after his life. In fact, the uninvited guest in the bedroom was, as he expected, a person who mainly engaged in assassination. However, he came not for Sethian¡¯s life, but because of a certain transaction. The man, wearing an all-black outfit, walked out of the blind spot and turned outstandingly noticeable because of the bright surroundings. Sethian recognized who he was at a glance. ¡°Is it completed?¡± At Sethian¡¯s question, the man in black held out a piece of paper without saying a single word. Sethian had to walk a little forward since the man stopped at a certain distance, so Yi-Gyeol, who was hidden behind him, was given a chance to catch a glimpse of the man. A dwarfish man, heavily covered in black, has his eyes fixed on Sethian through his black bangs. Sethian took the paper and read the words written on it. Then, the corners of his eyes rose even more as he was reading the note. At that moment, someone¡¯s hurried footsteps were heard outside the door, and the man in black clothes slowly stepped back and went hiding in the darkness again. The voice that came with a short knock was from Lenox, who was known to have retired for the day to recharge his spent energy. ¡°Your Highness, are you sleeping? I¡¯m sorry, but the one dispatched to Lake Rollen¡­!¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± Sethian, who already knew it was Lenox the moment he heard his footsteps, cut his words. Lenox, who entered the room after receiving the permission, did not notice the man in black as expected, but after following the end of Sethian¡¯s tenacious gaze, he immediately recognized him and pulled out his sword at once. ¡°First, lower your sword since he¡¯s an ally.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Despite his dwarfish stature, his lack of presence and attire makes it clear that he is an assassin, but his lord is saying he¡¯s an ally¡­. Rather than provide further explanation to Lenox, Sethian took the letter in his hand and headed for Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Set out with Lenox for a while.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth was still wide open when Sethian raised him up. He seems to want to ask who the hell that man in black is and what¡¯s going on, but still decided to close his mouth and just nod in the end. Sethian was proud of him who purportedly kept himself from asking and kept calm although he must have been surprised. When Yi-Gyeol went outside with Lenox, the air, which had been softened for a very brief moment, immediately froze. Sethian opened the letter that Lenox had brought and scanned its content. Meanwhile, the man in black walked out to a bright place. ¡°I have to recognize your skills.¡± Sethian looked up at the man after reading the letter. He¡¯s quiet without a single trace as ever. The letter was sent by one of the knights who were hiding within the depths of Lake Rollen, near Canael¡¯s stronghold, and monitoring it. According to the correspondence, the tunnels entering Canael¡¯s stronghold were open, and as they entered, the heads of thousands of people were placed on wooden skewers and displayed along the way. With a total of 148 skulls. It exactly matched the number of ¡®Canael¡¯s Assassins¡¯ in the list provided by the man in front of them. It also contains the Sub-Guild Master Pair, who also succumbed at the hands of the said man. Upon examining the heads on display, they all had their tongues removed, and behind their necks was a small snake tattooed with a special dye that could never be erased. This was obvious evidence that the owners of each head were assassins belonging to Canael. Sethian commissioned the Guild Master of Canael to kill all of its assassins and he faithfully carried out the commission. Starting from dealing with the Sub-Guild masters who were also commissioned by the other imperial family members, they swiftly beheaded them one by one and prepared all of them as instructed by Sethian. Still, it was necessary to make sure that no one escaped and that the man didn¡¯t just create a fake list. The knights, who were directed about this in advance, found a jar containing the tongues of the assassins as suggested by the man that was said to be its own Guild Master. The jar, which was buried so deep underground in the basement, had no trace of excavation at all as if it wasn¡¯t even there. As a result of comparing the tongues that had been preserved in their original state after being treated with medicine and opening the mouths of the skulls one by one, it was clearly the same quantity as the number of people written on the list. Having read the contents of the report in detail, Sethian had to admit that the man in front of him carried out his orders properly. The black-clad man, Canael¡¯s Guild Master, handed over another piece of paper. Lifting his head after checking the brief contents of the paper, Sethian saw a pair of eyes filled with longing for something that he had never seen with the man before. There¡¯s only one thing that the Guild Master of Canael wanted. Regaining his own ¡®voice¡¯[2] that disappeared in front of his eyes after taking over the position of being Canael¡¯s head. He doesn¡¯t want gold and silver, nor does he desire impressive honor or status. It¡¯s small if it¡¯s small. But it is something that the man thought he could never get back even until the day he died. The other Canael assassins offered their tongues to the Guild Master as a sign of committing to the contract then he collected and buried them deep on their base to preserve them. On the other hand, he had to burn his own in front of his eyes as evidence of succeeding the position. He tried to regain his ¡®voice¡¯ ¨C the tongue he had lost of his own ¨C and learned that the only thing that could make a human body was the magic from the Magic Tower, and that only the emperor or the crown prince could use that magic, so he immediately accepted Sethian¡¯s offer. Solely to recover his ¡®voice¡¯, the man slaughtered all the assassins of the group he was a part of without making even a single clatter. The corners of Sethian¡¯s eyebrows rose upwards then slightly curled. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll head to the tower together as soon as tomorrow. I¡¯ll get your voice back as you wish.¡± Nothing was outwardly discernible, and the only visible eye area also remained unchanged, but Sethian quickly recognized the subtle tremors of his eyes that were filled with longing. ¡°What do you plan to do after you get your ¡®voice¡¯ back?¡± The man who heard Sethian¡¯s words didn¡¯t react as expected. ¡°After providing the compensation tomorrow, I want to make one more request.¡± The man shook his head slowly. Then he pulled out a small stick, a palm-sized wooden board, and a piece of paper. He put the piece of paper on the wooden board and wrote something with the blunt part of the stick, and handed it to Sethian. Sethian crumpled the piece of paper within his hand after fleetingly giving it a glance. ¡°Tomorrow, just hearing the contents of the commission would be enough. You probably won¡¯t just let it pass.¡± The man¡¯s eyes crumpled as if in doubt. [3] After the uninvited guest who came unannounced went out through the window without making a sound, Sethian promptly opened the door to call in Yi-Gyeol, who was waiting outside. Unable to go into details about where the man was, Sethian told Lenox to read the knight¡¯s correspondence instead and said he would head to the tower as soon as dawn broke tomorrow. Upon entering the room, Yi-Gyeol quickly searched for the man in black with his eyes, then grabbed Sethian¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± Relieved after hearing Sethian¡¯s words, Yi-Gyeol let out the breath he was holding, and his obviously tired eyes curved like a crescent moon and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. You must be tired, hurry to bed.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who had eyes that looked even more tired than Sethian¡¯s just now, said gently. And the dark, sharp air that filled the room moments ago somehow also disappeared. It is truly fascinating how an atmosphere in a certain space could change at once just because of a single person. And its main axis has always been Joo Yi-Gyeol. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask what¡¯s going on?¡± Tsk, I spat it out without realizing. He was curious to know why Yi-Gyeol, who constantly worries and only sees himself in his eyes, did not ask deeply. He thought that he already knew enough about him, but it seems that there are still some things that he doesn¡¯t know. Yi-Gyeol lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly. ¡°Since it¡¯s something I¡¯m not supposed to hear.¡± As he said, Sethian doesn¡¯t want Yi-Gyeol to know what Canael does or what he ordered their Guild Master. He doesn¡¯t know how he¡¯ll change his mind later, but at least for now, he doesn¡¯t want him to have foreign feelings within his eyes when he looks at him. ¡°It¡¯s all right, you don¡¯t have to tell me. It¡¯s enough for me to learn what you want me.¡± As if he could read Sethian¡¯s thoughts, Yi-Gyeol kept the line for himself. His ¡®Seth¡¯ appearance that can be pried with anything. And his ¡®Crown Prince Sethian¡¯ appearance that some things shouldn¡¯t be dug into. That¡¯s also the reason why even if he frequently escapes from his body, he never came to visit him when he was at work. Because it was the realm of ¡®Crown Prince Sethian¡¯. A loyal, devoted, lovable man who only knows himself. A deep smile drew around Sethian¡¯s mouth. His hand raised Yi-Gyeol¡¯s chin, as if to do what he couldn¡¯t do because of Canael¡¯s Guild Master. Clear and pure eyes that are inversely different from his, captured his face without hesitation. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± As if something invisible connected the two of them, Sethian swallowed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s lips in one breath. CH 59 ¡°Eupp¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol calmly accepted the raving lips as if he was already familiar with it, and opened his mouth without any reservation to accept Sethian¡¯s tongue. Soon, a muffled sound was heard, and the saliva that flowed down naturally passed through his throat. At the same time, the usual tingling, pleasant sensation spread throughout his body. It seems like each and every single cell in his body is being filled with Sethian¡¯s vitality and it feels like he¡¯s being caressed from the inside. Because of that, his body fluttered on its own and fever rose. Sethian embraced Yi-Gyeol as he swallowed his lips. And without any defiance, Yi-Gyeol preferably grabbed the other¡¯s clothes and grasped them as if he would never let go. It was a habit of Yi-Gyeol that takes place every time they kiss. But rather than liking it, it was an instinctive act that scares Sethian he¡¯d fall from his body. It seems that he was unaware of it, but Sethian, the one who exchanges vitality and heat with him, knew all too well. Yi-Gyeol, who was extremely carefully laid down that he didn¡¯t even realize he was already lying on the bed, wrapped his arms around Sethian¡¯s neck. The shyness or awkwardness that he had when they first kissed was nowhere to be found, and he¡¯s now quite active as if he wanted to deepen the kiss. A soft but aggressive tongue indulged within Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mouth, sweeping and touching everywhere. And every time it was stimulated, not only the inside of his mouth but also his whole body trembled pleasantly and the fever rose even more. Sethian stared at Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hazy eyes as if to swallow them all. His trembling eyebrows, the eyelids that slowly open and close, and the fire contained within them; they all look as if they¡¯re trying to seduce him. Feeling Yi-Gyeol¡¯s entire body beating like his heart, Sethian stuck their bodies even closer making it seem like there¡¯s only one person on the bed at first glance. Careful that he wouldn¡¯t break, Sethian cautiously enveloped Yi-Gyeol in his arms. He wrapped his arms around him so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, and put his thighs between his slender legs to prevent them from moving. Thinking it was such a waste, he earnestly gobbled every gasps and pants, even his rigorous breathing. Sethian felt like he could chew and swallow the skinny body trembling within his arms as it is. ¡°Hngh¡­, Haa¡­.¡± Yi-Gyeol let out a feverish groan between their overlapping lips. What a waste. If it¡¯s from you, everything¡¯s so precious that it¡¯s such a waste. Every moan, every breath, every saliva; Sethian begrudgingly wanted to consume and devour everything from him. Still, his raging thirst and desire seemed to be not even subtly satisfied. To him, Yi-Gyeol was like a magical poison that maketh one more addicted and crave more. It wasn¡¯t enough for him to covet his lips and stir inside, so he sled down from his chin to the slender neck where his precious saliva flowed. He was about to put his lips on the empty spot between the brimming red petal-like traces when just before Sethian¡¯s lips touched the white skin, he suddenly stopped as if he had stopped breathing. The words that Yi-Gyeol said before faintly rang amidst his hard-pressed breathing. ¡°I want you to¡­use me.¡± He raised his head that had fallen near his neck. His eyes met with his half-drawn eyes that were drunk with the pleasant sensation. ¡°Anything is fine¡­ I¡¯ll do anything I can to help.¡± Perhaps Yi-Gyeol wouldn¡¯t even care how he treats him. Even to the smallest thing, if it could help Sethian, he would surely open his body and accept him to the fullest even if the result is his body breaking. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s skin was still full of the marks he left behind that day. The traces of vivid colors like ripe fruits were sultry red as if they would never disappear, drawing attention repeatedly. Just looking at it makes him want to leave a darker mark by lowering his lips around it. Sethian¡¯s fingertips touched one of the red marks. It¡¯s particularly pale since it¡¯s already a few days after he engraved it, but upon thinking that it¡¯ll disappear if left as it is, Sethian wants to bury his lips immediately. However, Sethian suppressed his burning desire and swallowed the roaring heat inside him. After the day he realized his overwhelming sexual desire for Yi-Gyeol, the countless traces he carve every day on his body no longer increase. Even if he wanted to leave a new trace, he couldn¡¯t put his lips on him without any constraints as before. Because just the thought of sucking that soft skin within his mouth and leaving a trace, seems like his desire would burst out of control from that point on. For Sethian, it¡¯s too far from enough to only hold his flesh, and he might try to swallow him whole. He¡¯d roughly penetrate, thrust everything he could and vigorously stir his warm inside as much as he pleased without giving him a break, so he might really kill him if he does. ¡°Is it okay for you to¡­hold back?¡± The words that Yi-Gyeol uttered that day bit by bit emerged and touched Sethian¡¯s reason. He can use him as he pleases instead of holding himself back¡­ Like he¡¯s always done his entire life, it would be comfortable if he could just push the other person down without caring about what he feels or reacts. When he looked up at the heavily breathing Yi-Gyeol once again, he noticed the fatigue in the corners of his hazy eyes. It wasn¡¯t even for a long time, but he knew that it was the aftermath of Yi-Gyeol worrying about him from being left alone with an unknown assassin. Yi-Gyeol blinked comfortably when Sethian¡¯s fingertips swept the rim of his eyes. As soon as he saw it, a ticklish and unexpected sense of satisfaction rushed within him. On the other hand, with just the thought of these eyes contorting as he tried to endure the pain, Sethian felt like something was maddeningly tangled inside him. He¡¯s still too weak to fully accept my needs. Yi-Gyeol doesn¡¯t know, but if he handles him the way he truly wants to right now, he¡¯ll break down without lasting a minute. At that time, he¡¯ll probably see horror within Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes as he looks at himself for the first time. Just imagining it wasn¡¯t pleasant at all. Sethian, who paused and had only been staring down at Yi-Gyeol for some time now, laid down next to him and hugged him. Then, he buried his face in the nape of his neck. He couldn¡¯t even bear to plant his lips on those tantalizing skin, and just took a deep breath. The mild fragrance that came from Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body permeated deep into Sethian¡¯s lungs at once and soon spread as if permeating through his whole body. Whatever it is, If it¡¯s from Yi-Gyeol, it would unquestionably touch his instincts and tickle his senses. It¡¯s been a long time since his head was entirely filled with things that solely revolve around him. He formerly believed that the biggest elements that fulfill him were interests and desires, but now, he thinks that it would be good to also add Joo Yi-Gyeol in between. Maybe that¡¯s why. It felt like he now knew a little about the so-called feeling of ¡®fear¡¯ that he had never felt before no matter how his life was threatened. Maybe that¡¯s why people who don¡¯t have ¡®weak points¡¯ are considered strong.[1] ??????? Dawn past midnight. Although Yi-Gyeol clearly felt tired, he could not fall asleep easily. It has been a long time since he breathed evenly, pretending to sleep. He opened his eyes slowly while maintaining a uniform breathing. Even within the indistinct darkness, Yi-Gyeol could clearly recognize the face in front of him. Nothing has changed. The sleeping appearance that he sometimes sees every time he soundlessly wakes up in the middle of the night was as exemplary as ever without a single disturbance; and his deadpan expression, where you wouldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of what¡¯s going on inside that beautiful mind, is also the same as always. ¡®Why¡­.¡¯ The even breathing he¡¯s releasing as he pretends to be asleep stopped for a moment because of him biting his lips. Fear suddenly appeared on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face, which was covered with the darkness of dawn. Until just a few days ago, Sethian unceasingly left traces on his body as he pleases. At first, he was pretty embarrassed and ashamed due to those blooming colors, but when he said that it¡¯s a sign that he belongs to him, it doesn¡¯t matter to him anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t hide it. Show it clearly to everyone who sees you. Show it to them, so that they¡¯ll think twice before daring to touch you.¡± Those possessive and obsessive words made Yi-Gyeol feel somehow ecstatic. But Sethian, who actually said those words, has now stopped leaving traces on his body. Whenever he saw some of the scarlet marks Sethian had engraved on him fade and disappear one by one, his heart felt like it was dropping. It would have been better if it was something like an indelible tattoo. If not¡­. ¡®He could also engrave a new one stronger before it even gets erased.¡¯ It¡¯s okay even if it stings, if it can last longer in return. So that everyone will know he belongs to Sethian, and that he means something to him. The hand that was gently placed on the sheet gradually curled up. The faint sound of the sheet rubbing at his fingertips felt like something was scratching him inside. ¡°Whatever you do, I will never dislike you.¡± Sethian¡¯s words rang through Yi-Gyeol¡¯s ears as if he was the one talking with his own mouth while he was asleep. ¡®Then why have you stopped doing it?¡¯ Since the day he said he¡¯d use his reaction as nourishment, Sethian had stopped carving marks on his body. At this rate, all the red marks will soon disappear and he wouldn¡¯t know who he belongs to.[2] Before he knew it, his clenched fist had nothing more to close, so the uncontrolled strength made his nails pierce through his palm. If Sethian had seen it, he would have frowned and forced him to open his palms then hold him tightly so that he won¡¯t be able to do it again, however, he doesn¡¯t want him to know at the moment. He hoped for him not to know about this childish greed of his. He tried to somehow get rid of the bad habits that began to fill his head again. Thanks to the pain in his hands, his head, which was eroded by anxiety, seemed to regain itself a little, but this still doesn¡¯t feel enough. Within the darkness, he saw Sethian¡¯s hand between him and himself, who were lying close together. A desire to grab it came to Yi-Gyeol. He thought that if he could feel even a little bit of his body temperature, he would feel a little relieved. He opened his clenched hand, stretched it out, and carefully wrapped it around Sethian¡¯s little finger. Even though it¡¯s just a small amount of warmth, Yi-Gyeol felt relieved in an instant. Was he really asleep, or has he been awake all this time? Sethian¡¯s other hand, which was free from his grasp, reached out and wrapped around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s waist. The gap between the two of them who were a little far apart quickly narrowed. Yi-Gyeol, who was completely embraced and hard-set within Sethian¡¯s arms with no room for movement, rolled his eyes around and concentrated on the other¡¯s reaction in panic. However, his body, which had cooled down due to anxiety, soon warmed up because of the other¡¯s warmth. As it was in close contact, he could also naturally breathe and inhale Sethian¡¯s body musk. When he thought it was proof that he was just adjacent to him, peace spontaneously cradled Yi-Gyeol. Thanks to the cold yet pleasant smell of his body, the anxiety a while ago finally receded. Surrounded by Sethian¡¯s arms, Yi-Gyeol fell into a deep sleep, as if trying to ignore the anxiety that had not yet completely disappeared within him. CH 60 Early the next day, Sethian immediately left his bedroom as soon as the sun rose. He certainly looked no different than usual, but the atmosphere around him was even more edgy. Lenox, following his lord to assist him from early in the morning, could only guess what had happened as a result of last night. And as Lenox had expected, Sethian¡¯s head was currently filled with Yi-Gyeol. Sethian, who woke up early in the morning, couldn¡¯t bear to wake up Yi-Gyeol, who was sleeping like a log as if someone completely passed out. There¡¯s never a chance when he woke him up on purpose, but every time he(S) opens his eyes and rises from bed, he(YG) would also spring up together with him since the hem of his robe was firmly held in his hand. This morning as well, the hem of his clothes was habitually held by him, and he could only lift himself after he uncoiled his fingers one by one. And as usual, he was sleeping so soundly that there was no response from him even as he kissed him. Worried that something was wrong with his body again, he put his hand on his forehead and checked his temperature. Given that he¡¯s groaning and tossing in the process, he also doesn¡¯t seem to be in the OOBE state. In the end, ¡®he¡¯s only deeply asleep.¡¯ Sethian concluded. Still, he was particularly concerned that Yi-Gyeol, who never fails to see him off with a kiss every morning as he fought his sleepyhead, couldn¡¯t get up today because of exhaustion. Sethian, who was heading to the Magic Tower while reticently thinking of Yi-Gyeol, abruptly halted as soon as he reached near its entrance. He felt another being¡¯s presence, not of the guards guarding the entrance to the tower not far away. Perceiving the same, Lenox also looked vigilantly in the direction where Sethian¡¯s gaze reached. It was Canael¡¯s guildmaster ¨C who visited Sethian¡¯s bedroom the day before ¨C that reappeared without a single noise. In addition, a large bulky-built man was standing behind his comparatively small physique. He¡¯s the other half of the Canael Guildmaster Pair that were told to come today to get their wish granted. They were wearing masks, so the only part of their faces that could be seen was their eyes, but even at first glance, a sense of anticipation would be discerned within them. These two assassins ¨C who have killed countless people yet refused to do various dirty things ¨C were no different from any other human being, Sethian thought. No, rather, it only proves that they were human. Those who can do anything just to get what they want. There are no humans as faithful to their instincts as they are. Making them easier to control. Sethian, who pointed at the two to follow, steered his horse again. The two men¡¯s presence blurred in an instant, but it could be felt that they were secretly following without having to look back. When he stopped at the entrance of the tall tower, Lenox handed the reins to the nervous guards. Since he had sent someone early in the morning to inform them of the visit, the door opened shortly. ¡°You¡¯re here, your Highness.¡± As soon as Sethian went inside, it was the tower owner¡¯s successor, Eda, who greeted him. He was carrying a smiling face without the slightest sign of nervousness. At the same time, he glanced at the two men standing behind Sethian with rather keen eyes. Surrounded by black, the two men¡¯s stature was so extreme that even just their eyes naturally drew attention. ¡°Master is waiting in the dungeon. But the people in the back¡­.¡± Eda immediately shut his mouth when a suffocating chill hit him and quietly guided the way without asking for any more signals to shut up. Sethian followed Eda down to the basement and studied its interior full of purple flowers. Since it was the place where Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body was made, he naturally comes to mind and the feelings he felt at that time. ¡®Everything is about Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡¯ The thought of Joo Yi-Gyeol not leaving him created a smirk on Sethian¡¯s face. Thinking of him who was still deeply sleeping on his bed, he felt a burning desire to go back to his bedroom. In the past, just frowning and thinking of himself acting strangely wouldn¡¯t be enough, but now he feels that it¡¯s the only way things should go about. Waiting in the basement with three other wizards, Roa, who for some reason has bags under his eyes, met Sethian¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, your Highness.¡± Then Roa¡¯s eyes met Lenox and the other two men standing behind Sethian. It wasn¡¯t difficult to recognize who the two subjects in the letter were as Lenox is known to be Sethian¡¯s knight vice-commander and personal guard. ¡°It must be the people behind you.¡± Roa¡¯s eyes lit up and looked carefully at the two men in black. Even though he was already past the years to bury himself in research, passion and energy could still be seen within his gaze. Roa looked at the two men and told the three wizards that they can now take their leave. Even Eda, who was on standby expecting that he could assist, was also sent out. ¡°You go up and wait.¡± ¡°Yes? But¡­.¡± Since he is the next heir to the tower, Roa ordered him to always stay by his side whenever he uses magic. However this time, he ¨C who hadn¡¯t said anything even when Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body was created by the golden magic ¨C was being told to go for some reason. Eda furtively looked at Sethian¡¯s eyes and had no choice but to move and head above ground when Roa had no intention of giving up. At the same time, he glanced at the men in black, questioning what Sethian was trying to do. Once Eda left the basement, only after Lenox went and closed the heavy iron door protecting the entrance did Roa open his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this because he¡¯s my successor, but you can really trust him.¡± Roa said with a wry smile on his face, but Sethian did not believe him. He heard countless rumors of him being a disciple with a limitless ability, but aside from that, everything else is a sore thumb. ¡°That person, something¡¯s strange about him. I always feel like he dislikes me and is laughing at me.¡± Sethian believes in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words. He is someone keen and sensitive to the negative emotions of others. In addition, he will never speak ill of them because of his strong sense of damage. ¡®There really should be something.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t look like he would cause a problem in the meantime, but he didn¡¯t like the fact that he made Yi-Gyeol feel that way. In fact, it was not only because of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s words that he and the other wizards were sent out leaving Roa alone. Currently, except for these two, all assassins from their group are dead and the base is also being cleared by the knights just to make sure, but those who do not know that they¡¯ve already been destroyed are still suffering from Canael¡¯s notoriety. As long as there was a position above his head, he had to be extra careful. It wouldn¡¯t be good if rumors spread that the crown prince made collusion with Canael. ¡°As you¡¯ve read from the letter, I want you to create a part of their bodies.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯d be a lot easier than building a body entirely from scratch. The basic preparations are already in place, so we can do it immediately right now.¡± Roa seemed to be delighted with the new physical research subjects, even with his obvious signs of fatigue. ??????? The magic was completed in an instant. Since there is no need to craft bones, all that¡¯s needed is a space full of mana and the prince¡¯s mana stone, making it just a few minutes to process. However, Sethian had to fill two finger-length glass bottles with his blood. ¡°Now, you both need to drink this blood.¡± The blood with Sethian¡¯s vitality was passed to the two men. The two masked men accepted the bottle, feeling the stiff tongue inside their mouths. ¡°This is the vitality that will help move your tongues. It¡¯s just a part of your body, so this will be enough.¡± They only made a small chunk of flesh, and more importantly, it¡¯s a physical part of a living human, so it would be more than enough for their owner to give as much for a single occasion. Considering the mass of the tongue, the amount he provided was already quite large, so he can assume that their tongues will not disappear in the future. After hearing that, the two drank the blood without any hesitation. Even though a fishy taste passed through their stiff tongues to their throats, they didn¡¯t show any repulsion. A light of anticipation rose over their expressionless faces. The two people who returned the clean empty glass bottle rolled their tongues in their mouths. Then, the large man opened his mouth and made a sound while making various expressions. ¡°Ahh.¡­ Euuh¡­.¡± It was just a simple groan, but it was clearly different for the man. The heavy foreign material within his mouth, which had been frozen hard until now, began to move gradually. It¡¯s been a long time since they stopped having the ability to talk, so they can only flick their tongues in the meantime. Nevertheless, the man repeatedly opened his mouth, trying to make some words. The small-built guildmaster didn¡¯t make a sound but was instead rolling his tongue around his mouth. A conspicuous light could be somehow seen within his indifferent eyes. ¡°You seem to like the reward.¡± Sethian looked at the two men and lifted the end of his eyes. The small man was still expressionless, but at the same time nodded with strangely lively eyes. He took out a note that seemed to have been written in advance and held it up. The guildmaster, who turned after seeing Sethian check the note, halted his steps at the sound he heard. ¡°The deal is over, but you will surely meet me.¡± As the guildmaster turned around, a small smile, that was as charming as the curved corners of his eyes, could be seen on Sethian¡¯s face. ¡°Your tongue doesn¡¯t just need vitality to keep it.¡± As if asking what on earth he was talking about, the heavy-built man made a sound resembling a groan and distorted his face. Sethian looked at them arrogantly with his arms crossed. ¡°If I don¡¯t become emperor, both of your tongues will be gone.¡± Only then did the guildmaster¡¯s face begin to subtly change. CH 61 ¡°Euh, aah!¡± The stimulated heavy-built man stepped forward threateningly and let out a roaring sound. Although what he was trying to say did not come out as a word, it¡¯s quite certain to be repulsion against what he just said. Faced with the man¡¯s murderous expression, Sethian still looks unperturbed and calm, oblivious to even the slightest threat. ¡°My deal with you was that I would give you the missing part of your bodies to get your voices back. I kept my promise.¡± When he commissioned the two people in front of him to eliminate all of Canael¡¯s assassins, including the deputy guildmaster pair, he planned to look for an alternative if they ask for something beyond possible. However, they surprisingly demanded something very simple, yet something that no one else could ever help them realize. Initially, he was quite surprised that someone from the common people requested physiological alchemy from the golden arts category. On top of that, even Sethian only became aware of the fact that ¡®even the crown prince can use golden magic¡¯ after looking through the history books of the tower. He wasn¡¯t sure if they used the Thieves Guild or if it was information obtained through a more sinister route, but they failed to catch on to the most important bit, its ¡®counterpart¡¯. The caster¡¯s vitality. And the magic stone imprinted with the caster. As a result of Lenox pestering Roa with a lot of questions, it was said that since only a small part of the body would be reconstructed and with the addition that the subject was still alive, it would only take a generous supply of the vital fluid once and that would be the end of it. In Yi-Gyeol¡¯s case, since it is a body completely created from nothing, even every movement and every breath requires vitality so a continuous supply was essential. Constructing flesh and bones was as simple as that. He even nonchalantly shared his life force. Despite this, in reality, the biggest problem was the magic stone. Sethian tapped the crown prince¡¯s brooch on his chest. ¡°However, your tongue would only last as long as I am imprinted on the crown prince¡¯s magic stone. The owner of the mana stone will not change if I become the emperor, but if someone else ascended the throne, of course, it will no longer be mine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As the massive-built man¡¯s face crumpled even more viciously, the guild master was still unresponsive. At that instant, he unprecedentedly approached in a blink of an eye. Not only that but three lines of transparent thread were already wrapped around Sethian¡¯s neck in no time. Knowing that unique strings with high brittleness is the man¡¯s main weapon, Sethian could have managed to avoid or prevent it by a narrow margin as soon as it wound around his neck but he didn¡¯t. No matter how tempered his body is, his neck was a vital point of his body. If the tensely wounded strings tightened as it is, no matter if it¡¯s Sethian, he wouldn¡¯t be safe. But Sethian wasn¡¯t the least bit bothered or agitated. As if convinced that the small guildmaster in front of him wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him. ¡°Choose. Will you aid me become the emperor, or helplessly wait praying for me to ascend the throne?¡± Within the guildmaster¡¯s emotionless stare, bloodthirst and conflict converged together. ??????? Yi-Gyeol unceremoniously jumped up from the bed and sat down as soon as he woke up and opened his eyes. On a peaceful morning, he was left alone in a bedroom full of uneasy silence as per usual. When he came to his senses, he was already fumbling around the side of the bed next to him. The cold sheet without a single warmth made his rapidly beating heart turn cold. ¡®Seth¡­, Where is Seth¡­.¡¯ His heart was pounding and his head was spinning. There were a lot of negative imaginations in his head. He fully understood that the assassin who appeared the day before was an ally. But the anxious imagination that swiftly came to him out of nowhere gradually went dark, leading to Sethian¡¯s demise. It was such an unreasonable delusion. If it¡¯s really as such, the people outside wouldn¡¯t be guarding this bedroom as leisurely as they are now. Then it occurred to him suddenly. Are the people who have always stood outside the door protecting him actually still there? What if in fact they really have all disappeared, leaving only him alone. If something really happened to Sethian¡­. ¡°No, no, no¡­.¡± He closed his eyes and shook his head, muttering. The depression that presented itself once again and the resulting delusion made his chest stuffy. He tried to change the course of his thoughts. Sethian would most definitely be composedly doing his job at this moment. He must be very busy working. But even that has been eroded by his negative emotions. Unlike usual, he didn¡¯t wake himself up and didn¡¯t kiss him to give him vitality. Overlapping with the thought that the traces left on his body were completely gone, the fervent warmth of the previous day has also faded. Then the ugly thought that it would have been much better to imagine Sethian dead came to him. He¡¯s not wishing for something bad to happen to him, but at least he could think that he did it ¡®unintentionally¡¯. Upon thinking that Sethian might have been distancing himself ¡®voluntarily,¡¯ the tremors in his body persist. He lifted his head and slowly looked into the empty bedroom. There were more times when Sethian was not with him, but then he somehow still felt warm. Not a single sound could be heard. Without any presence of life. It feels like he¡¯s blankly sitting inside the room where he lived in his original world. He can only stay awake there for two hours. During those times, he was always like a machine. He would eat when he was given something to eat. When he washed or went to the toilet, he would receive a little help and sit on a chair in the bathroom. Then after finishing all of his business, he would be laid back down in the room, left alone either counting sheep or staring dazedly at the ceiling, until the remaining seconds to go back to sleep. Whenever he called them on his cell phone because he missed talking to his family or wanted to see their faces at least, they would always be annoyed asking why he called or say to just quickly tell them what he needed with frowns on their faces. So in the end, he couldn¡¯t ask for anyone. He couldn¡¯t say he missed everyone¡¯s face, since no one else would listen. It was so cold as if he had been thrown out in the middle of winter. And the numbing cold that he felt at that time seemed to stay with him even now. He tried to suppress his frustrating delusions and depressing feelings, but he couldn¡¯t get his head straight. Telling himself to stop overthinking, he set his feet below the bed, deciding to just ask the person who was definitely standing by outside the room. ¡°¡­!¡± His vision suddenly turned dizzy and he fell down to the floor. He doesn¡¯t have any strength in his body. His slumped leg was unable to move as if it was not a part of his body, and even his arm that barely touched the floor was precarious as if it would soon break. It was as if the disease-stricken him in the past. ¡®No¡­ It doesn¡¯t make sense. Why¡­.¡¯ His head seemed to have turned blank due to the abnormalities in his body. Even though his eyes were clearly open, his vision became dark and he couldn¡¯t even hear his harsh breathing. It felt as if time had completely stopped. Muddled by the terrifying sensations and the overwhelming anxiety, at that moment, Tok, tok. Faint sounds from somewhere grew louder and louder. As a result, his sight cleared and his auditory senses opened. Even his strengthless limbs started moving, as if they had never stopped functioning. Only later did he realize that he was damped in cold sweats, like someone who had forgotten how to breathe. ¡®What the hell was that just now?¡¯ He patted his ashen face with his hands and washed his face dry. His head was still filled with confusion, but as if to interrupt his thoughts, the small noise that came quickly brought him to his senses. Tok, tok. Turning his head to the sound, he saw a crow clinging to the window and knocking on its door with its beak. Perhaps noticing that his gaze was now on it, it knocked even louder on the window. The negative thoughts that dominated his mind instantly had been pushed out to the other side. His head that went into overdrive gradually cooled down, and at the same time rotated quickly. The crow would have come to convey something related to Zair and to draw himself into the trap they had dug. Showing this weak side of himself, in other words, only makes a good excuse. ¡®Let¡¯s just think about what we have to do for now.¡¯ ¡®Seth¡­ He wasn¡¯t like that.¡¯ Yi-Gyeol got up from his seat, imprisoning his delusions within the depths of his mind. He was worried that he would be out of strength again like earlier, but he got to stand as if the incident never happened. Relieved inwardly, he approached the window with a smile on his lips. The crow shook its head cutely as if greeting him. Maybe it¡¯s because it has been a human soul or that it¡¯s acting like a person, so the crow didn¡¯t open its beaks until the window was opened. It was conveying its voice through its mind anyways, so it would have been able to ignore anything blocking the window and call him loudly. Once the door opened, the crow landed lightly on the window sill and tilted its head to the side while narrowing its eyes as if smiling at him. Ò» Hi there. Do you not feel good somewhere? ¡°No, I tripped while getting out of bed. I got a little careless I guess.¡± Ò» My gosh, you¡¯re so clumsy! The playfully harsh crow flapped its wings and let out a laugh. Ò» I brought you Zair-nim¡¯s message! ¡°Message?¡± The crow shook its head twice and lifted one of its front feet. A small piece of paper was curled up and held, gripped by its front foot. CH 62 Yi-Gyeol secretly wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and received the paper from the crow. Perhaps because what was being handed over was only an undisclosed letter and not an official or formal one, but the paper used felt a little coarse, not like the luxurious paper privately used by the royal family. Within the unfolded paper, lines written in a rough but neat manner could be seen. Since studying this world¡¯s language all day has become his daily routine, he was able to read its content albeit a bit slow. A warm smile appeared on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s face as he read the content of the concern-filled letter. But contrary to the appearance he came across to the crow, his head was still distant. ¡®Helpful information?¡¯ Yi-Gyeol unknowingly flinched after reading the sentence following the mysterious words. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand squeezed tight without him realizing it and the shape of the paper slightly crumpled. Zair was already aware that his body was just a ¡®made-up imitation¡¯. He doesn¡¯t know if it includes the fact that he was the golden butterfly he met in the garden before, but the glaring certainty contained in this written sentence was not something to ignore. But what bothered Yi-Gyeol even more was the word ¡®lifespan¡¯ mentioned in it, rather than the fact that he knew he was a soul settled in a constructed body. Technically speaking, what he learned is that a synthesized body has no life expectancy. He doesn¡¯t know most of it since he didn¡¯t hear much from Sethian, but he said that a constructed body could live without dying and doesn¡¯t have a significant lifespan. A vessel ¨C in the form resembling a human ¨C was created to contain a dead soul. It was like creating a lump of flesh that was close to an inanimate object. Therefore, that forged body can live without the need for any particular maintenance for the rest of its life, and with the same appearance as the moment it was created. It would be enough for the conjuror to give their vitality once a year, including when the body was conjured, for it to stay alive. However, he was substantially different from such cases. As his body was made and maintained based on all the information from his soul, including his memories, what was created was no different from a human being, from its interior to its exterior. When the time comes, he can get hungry, sleepy, and gain or lose weight. Even if he doesn¡¯t catch a major disease that will make him bedridden, he can also feel tired like yesterday. It was a body practically as good as a human, but it was also a high-maintenance one. This body could only survive if it was supplied with vitality at regular intervals. It was said that it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to receive vitality every day as it is now after some time, but in that case, he should receive sufficient vitality that would last a month. In addition, if the vitality provided is insufficient, the weaker the body becomes, and eventually, moving would be implausible at all like the first day the body was created. Soon, the body will die shortly. Yi-Gyeol also knew that delicate truth, so he was compelled to be sensitive regarding the ¡®lifespan¡¯ that Zair mentioned. Because he wasn¡¯t a normal human being from the start, but a life based on the body that was created. His normally beating heart suddenly seemed to have made a rattling sound. A feeling of uneasiness came as if his heart was caught on something, creaking and couldn¡¯t roll properly. Even though he knew it was just his delusion, it kept making a flop, flop, dropping sound. Creating a chance for them to meet in three days¡­ He wondered if that would be possible. Since everything is within Sethian¡¯s hands. Unlike the kindness felt at the beginning of the letter, the following content was nothing but extreme detachment. This means that he can¡¯t give Sethian information until the moment they meet. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ If he refuses, he won¡¯t be able to figure out what Zair is up to. Not to mention the words ¡®your lifespan won¡¯t last long¡¯ mean. If he says yes, a soul that only he can see will straightly settle within this room. It seems that it would be following him around, observing everything he does, and watching what comes out of his lips. As if a way to keep his mouth shut in case he leaks even a little of the letter¡¯s content. ¡®Still, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s aware that I¡¯m capable of leaving my body¡­.¡¯ The only people who knew his ability to shift his soul were Sethian and Roa, including his confidants, the Knight Commander Lenox and Kirsty, who is now outside guarding this room. It isn¡¯t surprising to be so, but it seems that Zair didn¡¯t know that he could use his out-of-body ability or move into a soul state as he pleased. ¡®If he knew, he would¡¯ve asked to meet me anytime in the soul state. Because he is a person capable of seeing my soul and hearing my voice in my soul form.¡¯ He somehow felt relieved, thinking it was the only important ability he was capable of. Yi-Gyeol had no choice but to agonize. Should he keep this secret from Sethian for three days while being watched by the soul, or refuse the offer and tell Sethian the contents of the letter? He wasn¡¯t sure about anything else but one thing was certain. If he chooses the latter, Zair will not contact him directly like this in the future. Perhaps he would even give up the thought of using him. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s pounding heart gradually moved at a faster speed. He could feel the heat spreading little by little within his indifferent mind. He really wants to know what Zair has to say regarding his lifespan. Unlike the time when he chose to end his life, he badly wanted to live now. After finally feeling some warmth from being deprived of affection, he doesn¡¯t want to feel the sensation of closing his eyes again while dying coldly. It could also be just a lie to bait him, but finding out whether what he wrote in the letter was real or not was already enough. In addition, it was an opportunity to exactly find out how much he knew about himself and the reason he was trying to lure him. Yi-Gyeol grabbed the small glass bottle in the form of a necklace on his chest under his shirt. In case his body falls into danger, he can quickly fall asleep and escape through the soul state. His abilities would be exposed that way, but he thought it would be good, as long as he can tell Sethian ¨C who can hear him ¨C about everything he did with Zair. The moment he took his eyes off the last line of the letter, his chest gradually calmed down and his head, which heated up, regained stability. ¡®He¡¯s definitely not just going to give me information one-sidedly. There¡¯s got to be some proposition in return. A proposition that¡¯ll put Sethian in danger.¡¯ It is Zair that Sethian said is the most dangerous among his siblings. So it is even more necessary that he does it. ¡®I need to know what he¡¯s trying to do. The lifespan would be second.¡¯ Anything that would put Sethian in danger, he will destroy thoroughly. Yi-Gyeol made eye contact with the crow that was staring at him. ¡°Tell Prince Zair that I¡¯m accepting his offer.¡± Ò» Good. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about, but you¡¯ve definitely made the right choice. The crow shook its head as if in delight, then raised its front foot and took the letter in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand. Ò» Wait here for a second. A soul will be here soon. The crow held the letter tightly and flapped its wings without waiting for Yi-Gyeol¡¯s reply. Yi-Gyeol watched the crow moving away in an instant from the window, feeling regretful that if Sethian was only here at this time, he would have been able to tell him the contents of the letter immediately. As soon as he turned his head, erasing the expression containing a warm smile, Yi-Gyeol had the illusion that the front of his eyes had turned white for a moment. Ò» Hello. He doesn¡¯t know since when it¡¯s been there, but the white butterfly that suddenly appeared in front of him fluttered its wings gracefully. Ò» We¡¯ve met in the garden before, do you still remember? At the delicate voice of a woman, Yi-Gyeol finally realized that the butterfly in front of him was the soul butterfly he met during his walk. The joy he felt was short-lived. If the butterfly in front of him was connected to Zair, it was clear that he had been after him for a long time now. The reason he crossed the garden was because of the soul butterfly in front of him. Yi-Gyeol welcomed the butterfly with the same warm smile that he showed the crow. ¡°I remember. It¡¯s amazing, how¡­!¡± Clack- The sound of the door opening was heard. And only a single person could open the door to this bedroom without saying a word. For a moment, he forgot that a butterfly was floating in front of him and ran to the door immediately. As soon as Sethian ¨C who was clearly back from outside just by looking at his clothes ¨C was in sight, he had almost reached out his arms and instinctively hugged him. Then the anxiety that started to raise its head again prevented him from doing so, making him pause in his place. but as usual, Sethian amenably reached out to him first. ¡°Come here, Joo Yi-Gyeol.¡± He rushed into his arms as soon as he got permission. The bedroom, which felt freezing cold in the middle of winter just until a while ago, was filled with warmth in an instant. CH 63 Sethian embraced Yi-Gyeol within his arms and felt that something was strange with him. He stroked his cheeks, which were even paler than when he was sleeping in the morning, and glanced around the bedroom sharply. Not a single notable change was there. There isn¡¯t any trace of disturbance, and there is no sign that someone has entered. However, the window was wide open. These days, Yi-Gyeol has developed the habit of keeping bedroom windows closed. To be exact, it was shortly after the crow ¨C which was often seen outside the bedroom ¨C was learned that it was possessed by the spirit attached to Zair. Yi-Gyeol is more intelligent than one would expect. Just from the day that he first talked with the crow, he had already analyzed some bits of information according to his own experience and his conversation with the spirit. If a soul wants to speak to another, it doesn¡¯t matter whether there¡¯s a solid wall between them or not, whether he was in a spirit state or a possessed state. He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s through the mouth, but if it¡¯s a method of sending sound through the head, it could surely affect everyone within a certain distance. Of course, the other person should be someone capable of hearing a soul¡¯s voice. Nonetheless, listening and looking at the soul state were not different from ordinary human conditions. If there is a wall, the view would be blocked and one won¡¯t be able to see inside, and what was going on behind the wall won¡¯t be heard as well. Yi-Gyeol stipulated from the crow¡¯s speculative remarks that he seemed to be ¡®bullying him¡¯ and the part that he ¡®presses and bites him so that he can¡¯t move.¡¯ If the crow has actually observed properly from where it usually is beyond the window, it should have said something clearer and certain it heard according to their daily conversation. But the window that has always been intentionally closed to prevent anyone from outside, including the soul, from hearing any sound inside was left open. It was very suspicious. Sethian stared at the window for a moment then slightly pulled the person within his arms and looked into his eyes. The eyes that seemed to be relieved with a slight smile bothered him particularly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes faintly trembled. It was such a tiny reaction that Sethian only noticed because he was right in front of him. ¡°Nothing.¡± His voice is clear and unruffled, enough to just let it go if he only wasn¡¯t concerned with every little thing about this person. That¡¯s why Sethian doesn¡¯t intend to ignore the sense of incompatibility that overcame him. It could be that the crow purposely came to Yi-Gyeol when he was alone and they had a private conversation. The content must also be something to hide and shouldn¡¯t be told by him. ¡®It¡¯s not that he wouldn¡¯t say it, it¡¯s just that he can¡¯t.¡¯ There must be a good reason why Yi-Gyeol was suddenly hiding something from him. It is obvious that the main culprit couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡®That¡¯s pretty annoying.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know what method Zair used but he effectively made Yi-Gyeol shut his mouth. An ominous feeling keeps on mugging him as if something was stuck in his throat. Yi-Gyeol timidly smiled and asked. ¡°Are you going back to work now?¡± There really wasn¡¯t anything strange with the question, but Sethian noticed something else there once more. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must be tired. By any chance can you still have breakfast together with me today?¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes were filled with concern. Sethian¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at him. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it if you¡¯re really busy. We can just eat together some other day. You don¡¯t have to overwork yourself.¡± Seeing him smiling bitterly with a regretful expression on his face, Sethian was able to know that he was still in the ¡®unable to speak situation.¡¯ There have often been cases when he couldn¡¯t have lunch or dinner with him due to work recently. However, he always makes sure to have breakfast with him. Whether it was sharing vitality or eating food together, it seemed to give Yi-Gyeol strength to endure during the day. Yi-Gyeol even personally admitted that himself. Even though they had breakfast together every morning, Yi-Gyeol suddenly used the words ¡®by any chance¡¯ and ¡®today.¡¯ As if they¡¯ve never had breakfast together before. In addition, he mentioned the next appointment with a regretful expression like someone who thinks it wouldn¡¯t be possible. ¡®Are you being watched?¡¯ Due to long hours of training, Sethian had become someone who wouldn¡¯t fail to notice up to the littlest presence even when he was fast asleep. But other than the signs of himself and Yi-Gyeol, there is nothing else in the room. It would be also impossible if they were trying to monitor him using magic in a place where it is blocked. Something that can watch someone without a trace. Most of all, something that he wouldn¡¯t discern but is completely opposite in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s case. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a soul.¡¯ Sethian, who had reached that point, was sure of the answer that came to his mind. A soul-based surveillance. ¡®A piece of work that only that bastard could make.¡¯ Seeing that he knew he was being monitored and speaking in a roundabout way that only himself would understand, Yi-Gyeol seems to be deliberately accepting the current situation. He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but Yi-Gyeol¡¯s head has always been solely revolving around himself. There should be a reason why he¡¯s just quietly accepting Zair¡¯s funny tricks. Sethian stroked Yi-Gyeol¡¯s cheek and carefully kissed him. He¡¯s particularly concerned about his face and body that¡¯s chilled by tension. He kissed Yi-Gyeol as usual under the guise of supplying vitality, and his tongue is mixed with tension and hesitation as well. As if caring about someone¡¯s eyes watching them. After the kiss that was shorter than usual, he softly brushed Yi-Gyeol¡¯s saliva-stained lips with his fingertips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± It wasn¡¯t a response related to his earlier words telling him not to overdo it. It was a response to his secret signal that he was hiding something from himself and that he was already aware of it. ¡°You have nothing to worry about.¡± Yi-Gyeol, who was looking up at Sethian with clear eyes, made a smile that seemed to show that what he said had given him some safety and was deeply assured. His tensed lips draw a soft arc and retain a satisfying warmth. He didn¡¯t talk with Yi-Gyeol for a long time. There were a lot of tasks to be resolved as usual, and today, in particular, he was going to have an audience with a few nobles, so his schedule was even tighter. However, rather than that, it was mostly because he had read Yi-Gyeol¡¯s insinuations to be careful when talking with him because eyes are watching. Sethian came out of the bedroom and gave Kirsty a short break, who was guarding the door until that moment, and set up Lenox instead. He also ordered that if he ever hears Yi-Gyeol talking with someone inside, do not enter but just listen to the contents of the conversation and report it to him. Though with a questioning face, Lenox followed his orders without any inquiries. Left alone once more, Sethian walked down the hallway towards his office. Not long after the sentry guarding the hallway passed by, he opened his mouth as if talking to himself. ¡°One of you stay with Joo Yi-Gyeol and follow him secretly. A soul is keeping a close watch on him so keep your distance, and if something happens, don¡¯t immediately rush in and observe first. As for the soul, there¡¯s no need to worry about it since its only purpose is for monitoring.¡± There was no one around. However, Sethian was clearly aware of the two presence hovering near him. ¡°However, if Joo Yi-Gyeol ever falls in danger, kill them no matter who it is. Even if they¡¯re only possessed by a soul.¡± Sethian¡¯s eyes gleamed fiercely. ¡°From the tips of the fingers to the top of the head, tear them to pieces. Kill them in a way that not even a single speck of them would be left.¡± ??????? Rolling. It felt that the sound of his eyes rolling is even louder than the sound of papers rustling within the room. Erzen, Sethian¡¯s deputy, felt that he would suffocate from the heavy atmosphere.[1] The number of documents they process are increasing day by day as much as the work they resolve quickly, but more than that, it was the air that comes from Sethian as he continuously completes things like crazy. You wouldn¡¯t notice anything different from usual at first glance, but Erzen, who had been working beside the cold and scary prince for a long time now, couldn¡¯t help but know. ¡®Who the hell dared to annoy His Highness!¡¯ The already stuffy atmosphere has now turned so suffocating as if he was walking on thin ice. It was as if foreseeing a bomb that could explode at any time. This air, which is already on its third day, only seems to be getting worse without any signs of improvement. He doesn¡¯t know why the atmosphere has become even more desolate when there is no Lenox guarding the prince who sometimes says scary things with a mischievous smile. ¡®I¡¯ll end up having a hole in my stomach at this rate.¡¯ He thought he was already immune after assisting Sethian working for a long time, but he can¡¯t adapt to this bloody atmosphere, which seems that his eyes would be pulled out if he even rolled his eyes wrong. Erzen was in the midst of taking deep breaths and exhaling repeatedly at the stuffy atmosphere when suddenly, a lot of noise was heard outside. ¡°What is it! How dare you suddenly barge¡­! Ugh-!¡± The words of the guard who had been shouting outside were cut off with a fairly loud crash. After hearing a few more loud noises and harsh words, the door burst open without giving a single notice. Erzen reflexively got up and stared at the entrance. ¡°What in the world are you doing?! How dare you cause a racket knowing that this is the office of Crown Prince Sethian?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of where I am.¡± Among the knights donned in golden armor that entered the door, the biggest knight in the gaudiest uniform, looked straight at Sethian without even paying attention to Erzen. Sethian, the owner of the office, still has his attention focused on the papers in front of him and signing them, not giving a damn whether they came in or not. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that you came here for good reasons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Terran Royter, the leader of the Imperial Knights, who was said to only move on the emperor¡¯s orders, unfolded a finely rolled scroll and held it out towards Sethian. Only then did Sethian raise his head and his brows gathered when he saw the emperor¡¯s seal engraved on the scroll.[2] ¡°Before dawn this morning, His Highness Prince Mendel Raaz Kinelly passed away.¡± Terran¡¯s blue eyes, after reporting the death of the first prince Mendel, were as cold as their own color. ¡°And His Highness, Crown Prince Sethian Wren Kinelly, is the prime suspect in the assassination of the First Prince, so please come with me.¡± CH 64 Sethian brought down the quill he was holding in his hand and frowned. He didn¡¯t ask what those words mean, and he neither expressed that he was being wrongly accused. Rather, he calmly got up from his seat and stared crudely at the people who broke into his office. ¡°As much as your bearing an imperial edict with the emperor¡¯s seal, I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for you to be hasty with your words.¡± ¡°Your Highness doesn¡¯t have to worry. Witness and evidence were already secured and further delaying is deemed unnecessary.¡± The end of Sethian¡¯s eyes raised sharply at the words mentioned. ¡°Witness and evidence?¡± Terran ¨C who was tasked to execute the edict ¨C responded coldly, regardless of Sethian¡¯s overbearing momentum. ¡°The first prince¡¯s cause of death is ¡®poisoning¡¯. It¡¯s also an acute poisoning caused by idello.¡± The only place in the country where idello blooms were Sethian¡¯s, Emerald Castle. Therefore, if idello¡¯s poison was used, it¡¯s only natural for its owner, Sethian, to be suspected. Although they were brothers, merely the competition between the successors seeking the throne could be considered a pretty good motivation. However, that alone isn¡¯t sufficient enough to abruptly issue an arrest warrant. The possibility of someone bringing idello from another country to assassinate Mendel and then falsely accusing Sethian, who has absolutely nothing to do with it, cannot be ruled out. ¡°Upon investigation of the garden¡¯s idello, it was found out that you recently removed all the toxicity of the flower. It is known that you¡¯re raising it brimming with poison on purpose, may I ask the prince¡¯s reason for removing it?¡± ¡°I just felt so at the time.¡± ¡°Then why did you trim off its poisonous petals just before that capricious whim? Was that also a sudden inclination?¡± Sethian¡¯s brows wrinkled without saying a word. The order was wrong. Terran said that they removed the poison after tearing off the petals, but in reality, Yi-Gyeol only tore off the petals after the poisonous pollen and stamens had been treated. If anything else, the reliable gardener who has been managing the garden of the Emerald Castle for decades would know best when the petals were plucked. ¡°We have our dedicated gardener, Ethus, to stand witness for the time of idello¡¯s detoxification.¡± ¡°That would be impossible.¡± Terran rolled up the arrest letter and took a step closer to the reading desk in which Sethian was adjacently standing. ¡°As a result of arresting and questioning the gardener and guards of the Emerald Castle, they all confessed their involvement in the poisoning of the first prince by using the idello petals at Your Highness¡¯ order. They confessed as well that the toxicity treatment made afterward is a post-treatment done to ¡®destroy evidence¡¯.¡± The more he listened, the more Sethian felt the ludicrousness of the current situation. The gardener in charge of the Emerald Castle¡¯s garden, Ethus, is someone reliable enough to be entrusted with the entire management of the flower. He, who was particularly loyal to him from the beginning, felt deeply moved when given custody to manage the idello which is something that represents Sethian, and became even more devoted to the extent of losing sleep just to take care of the flower. That kind of person, who is one of the few people Sethian was certain of, to suddenly have testified against him saying some jibber-jabber like he used idello on his behest or that destruction of evidence whatever, was nothing but ludicrousness to his ears. In addition, the royal guards stationed at the garden were made up of men as loyal as his knights. Only a mentally deficient person would believe such a claptrap that those people corroborated their master as the culprit. Terran, who was examining Sethian¡¯s face, then signaled the knights standing behind him. ¡°Though it might not be to Your Highness¡¯ esthetics, the place that you will stay was already arranged for your convenience so may the prince quietly follow us and talk there instead.¡± The place where convicted criminals from the nobility or royal family abide as they wait for the imperial court¡¯s ruling is at the top of the stone tower connected to the dungeon. Although it wasn¡¯t in the dungeon, a prison is still a prison. It is a gloomy, solitary room with just a small window half the size of a person¡¯s face and a single bed. The word comfortable would never fit that place at all. Sethian took the lead by leaving behind the desk first before the knights could even approach him to take him away. ¡°I want to hear every single nonsense that you could spout.¡± ¡°I will naturally tell as much as the prince wants.¡± As Sethian, who was walking ahead, and Terran, who was behind him, headed out the door, the other knights dragged even the frozen Erzen out of the office.[1] ??????? As he does daily every time left alone, Yi-Gyeol piled up the table in the middle of the bedroom full of books and is now able to read most sentences without stalling. Compared to the Korean language, Yi-Gyeol found out that the fundamental language of this world combined with the words is comparatively easy. So now Sethian hardly needs to help him read something every time he goes back. He had just finished reading a thick book and immediately picked up the next one. Ò» Are you still going to read more after already reading so much? The voice of the woman, who he is now accustomed to, said inside his head. Perhaps because he was already acclimatized from the crow, the surprise he felt at first at the unhindered voice directly penetrating through his head now seems natural to him as if it came from his ears. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do anyway.¡± Although he was actually reading to study the language, he doesn¡¯t want to give her, a soul sent by Zair, any information about himself as much as possible. In addition, because of being conscious of the soul, he unintentionally had hidden quite a few things from Sethian as well. ¡®I should¡¯ve told him that too¡­.¡¯ He¡¯s fine at the moment, but he has been going through something strange these three days even before the crow came. The depression, which had quietened down as if it never existed at all combined with his extremely negative thoughts, and like a bomb, suddenly exploded and brought abnormalities to his body. As if had returned to his original world, his body would stop functioning properly, and the eerie energy would swallow him up consecutively. Even now, his body trembles naturally when he thinks of that feeling. It was only a brief phenomenon similar to a momentary illusion, but as Sethian wanted to be filled in with all the happenings about himself, even to the tiniest detail, Yi-Gyeol thought that he should¡¯ve informed him. However, with the eyes attached to him, they didn¡¯t know how that information would be used against them when learned by Zair, so he had to inevitably hide them. He turned his eyes to the side and looked at the white butterfly flying around him. Perhaps because its voice wouldn¡¯t be heard even if Sethian was there, the spirit asked Yi-Gyeol questions and talked to him without any hesitation. He deliberately didn¡¯t respond to each of its questions and pretended not to know, but thanks to this, he realized that his voice was the only one Sethian could hear among souls. Realizing that, he felt amazed and happy inside. It feels like he was given special treatment. In the meantime, even though he couldn¡¯t perceive the white butterfly lingering in the bedroom for three days and could not hear its voice, Sethian seemed to have realized that someone was monitoring them as well. Probably that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t mention any information about himself. The kisses to give him vitality were still there, but even those ended up shorter than before. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s hand unconsciously caressed the nape of his neck. The marks that used to be engraved ever so incessantly in it have now substantially faded without a speck. If he would count all the marks that have disappeared, even folding all of his ten fingers wouldn¡¯t be sufficient. Every time that happens, Yi-Gyeol would hear a nightmarish rattling sound somewhere inside him, followed by a piercing cold slowly wrapping his bones unpleasantly making him cower. Even just recalling the things he didn¡¯t want to remember, a tingling sensation as if his fingertips were being chewed by something could be felt. Ò» Is there something wrong? The white butterfly, which he doesn¡¯t know when, was already in front of him, pretending to be concerned. Even as its voice had the sound of concern, Yi-Gyeol instinctively knew that it was pure hypocrisy. Wanting to seem friendly and compassionate, but secretly overlooking him with cold stares. Whenever he surmises something like this due to his sensitivity to other people¡¯s emotions, it felt as if his insides were being twisted, but in return, his trust in Sethian grew even stronger. As expected, he is the only one that looks at the real Joo Yi-Gyeol and accepts him. That¡¯s why more and more, he longs for his traces. He is aware that his timid obsession has reached beyond the normal level. But so what of it? Now that he finally has found a place to be, it¡¯s only natural for him to be anxious and obsessed about it, afraid of losing everything like how it was for him originally. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s subdued eyes melted into something almost similar to the way Seth stares at him but with a slightly different tinge of emotion.[2] Ò» Hey, are you really okay? He smiled at the butterfly that asked one more time and pretended to be fine. As soon as he tried to insincerely thank the butterfly for its faux concern, footsteps and loud noises that seemed made by several people were heard outside. Within them included Kirsty¡¯s voice, who was originally guarding the door, raised and full of hostility. His body stiffened from sudden tension. On the other hand, his brain actively analyzed. Today is the third day that Zair suggested. Since he couldn¡¯t just stubbornly leave Sethian¡¯s chamber as he wanted, and Lenox and Kirsty always take turns guarding the door, he thought it would be difficult to meet him even on the third day. But apparently, that thought was wrong. CH 65 Utter chaos could still be heard outside when the bedroom door suddenly swung open without the usual prior knock. Who entered the bedroom were two knights dressed in golden armor, which appeared a bit hurtful to the eyes at first glance. They strode over to Yi-Gyeol, who was sitting alone in the bedroom, and glared at him while saying, ¡°So the rumor that the Crown Prince is raising a slave in his bedroom is true.¡± The knight¡¯s voice that spoke contained a smirk of derision. Rather than getting offended for being treated as a slave, the mere thought of Sethian being ridiculed made him misty-eyed for an instant. But more than that, he was startled by the sense of incongruity that came over him. It was accompanied by a strange eerie feeling that Yi-Gyeol had never felt before. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Clearly, the man¡¯s voice flowed through his ears, but at the same time, he seemed to hear it inside his head. Even what was strange was they weren¡¯t of the same modulation, only from the same gender, but certainly of two distinctly different voices. As his eyes looked around to scan, wondering if there was an unnoticed soul butterfly around, the other knight who hadn¡¯t spoken since entering the room came up to Yi-Gyeol and grabbed his arm then forced him to rise. Remembering Sethian¡¯s words not to let anyone touch himself, he quickly shook the knight away. As soon as he did so, the knight let out a harsh sound as grim as his face. ¡°Stop resisting and just follow before I beat and drag you away!¡± This guy is also strange! A voice befitting a middle-aged man, matching his face, came through his ears, but a voice of a weak old man that didn¡¯t match him at all entered his head. Even though the voices were completely different, the sense of incompatibility is considerable since they have the same breathing, as if they were reading the same lines at the same time together. ¡°Does the Crown Prince know about this? Even if it¡¯s the order of His Majesty¡­-!¡± At that moment, Kirsty¡¯s voice undividedly came through his ears from the other side of the door. No sound resonated inside his head and could be even deemed clear enough to be distinctly pronounced. On the other hand, the knight¡¯s vocal resonance, who was holding himself back and tying his wrists with a coarse rope, was still heard in two. ¡°Stay still if you want your body to continue functioning properly.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯t stop turning even as his two wrists that were pressed behind his back were tied so tightly that it was painful. He turned his gaze and looked at the white butterfly floating in the air. The voice that had been full of concern about him earlier had now inconspicuously ceased. Since normal people can¡¯t hear the voices of souls anyway, they can ask again if he¡¯s okay, like what it¡¯s been asking repeatedly, but at the moment, it¡¯s strangely quiet. ¡°Follow me!¡± As the knight viciously grabbed Yi-Gyeol by the arm and dragged him away, his mind finally came up with a hypothesis. ¡®Are they possessed like it was with the crow?¡¯ As soon as the thought came to him, he was immediately convinced. Even though they entered another person¡¯s body and borrowed their mouths to speak, they are originally souls that speak through someone¡¯s head, making them unintentionally produce both voices. Most people were unable to hear the voices made by souls[1] so they wouldn¡¯t feel anything out of place, but to Yi-Gyeol who was able to hear both, it felt nothing but anomalous. While recalling that the crow used to open its beak as well as if going to make a sound when it was talking with him, Yi-Gyeol felt the pain in his arm and knitted his forehead. Considering the knight¡¯s intensity, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll listen to him even if he says it hurts and most likely just hit him for being bothersome then drag him away, so Yi-Gyeol clenched his teeth and quietly bear with the pain. Stepping out of the bedroom, he saw Kirsty and the servants from the Emerald Castle tied up and being dragged in the distance. Only then did Yi-Gyeol realize the severity of the current situation. The fact that the Crown Prince¡¯s deputy knight commander and dedicated servants were being manhandled one after the other only shows that they were already at a critical junction. ¡°¡­Is his Highness Crown Prince Sethian all right?¡± He impatiently asked. Rather than asking for his sore arm to be loosened or questioning the reason for being dragged away, what came to Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind first was to know if Sethian is okay. As long as they can tell him that, Yi-Gyeol thought he¡¯d be willing to be taken away. The knight who was tugging on Yi-Gyeol¡¯s arm just snorted and didn¡¯t answer. The other knight also kept his mouth shut with a serious face. Anxiety struck him. All those related to Sethian being arrested solely mean that something big has happened to the point that it can threaten his position as the Crown Prince. Biting his lower lip, he tried to sustain his emotion that was on the verge of collapse. Encouraging himself inside by thinking about Sethian, his faltering mentality hardened in no time. ¡°Do whatever you deem should be done.¡± It was something that Sethian spat out even though he knew that they were being watched. It might have sounded nothing to the soul tailing him ¨C like being told to do something trivial like simply staying in bed, reading a book, or watching people outside the window ¨C but to him, those words were by no means light. ¡®What I want to do. What I should do.¡¯ The current situation downright proves that Zair had been laying the groundwork for his schemes for a long time now. Previously, while specifically hiding the details of meeting a soul-possessed crow from Roa, Yi-Gyeol asked if an animal could be possessed by a human soul, and his answer was as follows: ¡°There have been cases of souls possessing animals by using ¡®Possession Powder¡¯ that existed hundreds of years ago, but it was impossible to maintain them for a long time. Maybe a couple of hours. For humans¡­, It¡¯s sad to say, but I haven¡¯t the faintest idea. The recipe for the possession powder completely disappeared a long time ago now. It¡¯s because crushing a living human¡¯s soul to allow another soul to enter their bodies and pretend to be its owner can cause various problems.¡± It was said that the recipe had disappeared, but seeing that the soul connected to Zair had successfully possessed the crow, he¡¯s leaning toward the possibility that the drug called possession powder was used. And judging from the amount of time he was monitored this time, which was twice as long instead of only a couple of hours, they must¡¯ve used the drug which was already been further studied. Despite that, the negative effect of possession powder on humans still showed as it is now. A creepy chill came to Yi-Gyeol the next moment. He doesn¡¯t know what Sethian¡¯s state is exactly, but what if these two knights aren¡¯t the only ones possessed by souls? That thought made him even more queasy about Sethian¡¯s condition. There¡¯s a big chance that he¡¯s been caught in a strange scheme made by the possessed people on Zair¡¯s side. His face turned into a serious expression, not noticing that the knights who were walking briskly in front of him gradually slowed down. Yi-Gyeol, who was ruminating in his head without caring to know where he was being taken, only raised his gaze when their footsteps stopped. The place where Yi-Gyeol arrived is in a completely different direction than the one where Kirsty and the attendants were led. However, as soon as Yi-Gyeol asserted that all of this was Zair¡¯s doing, he had already guessed where their destination was. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t ask where they were going and didn¡¯t panic about what this place was. Two knights in black armor were standing on the left and right sides of a large door engraved with neat patterns. They glanced at the knights in golden armor and Yi-Gyeol, then uniformly knocked on the door as if expecting the situation beforehand. ¡°Second Prince. Two knights from the imperial guards have arrived.¡± A single voice was heard from the knight, indicating that he wasn¡¯t possessed. Shortly, a familiar voice gave permission from within the room, and the two knights in black armor opened the door wide. As soon as the door opened, he saw Zair approaching with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Come in. Why don¡¯t you seem too surprised?¡± What Yi-Gyeol felt as soon as he saw the calm smile on Zair¡¯s face was not relief and comfort but displeasure. Thinking that Zair is the one who set Sethian into a trap, his face almost crumpled up, wanting to lunge at him right away.[2] ¡°What happened? I¡¯m honestly quite shocked¡­.¡± But contrary to the radical thoughts in his head, Yi-Gyeol showed a fragile appearance with his eyes tinged with tears on the outside. Using his pale complexion from worrying about Seth, he pretended to be anxious and scared of suffering in the days to come. Ensuingly upon seeing Zair¡¯s smile, he duly pretended to be relieved, lowering the corners of his hard-set eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll explain everything you want to know.¡± Zair naturally approached Yi-Gyeol and pulled him into his arms. It sucks. I feel so bad, It¡¯s the worst. I really, really hate him. I feel so crappy and mad. Near-vicious emotions filled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s mind instantly that he was surprised even by himself. He has never hated anyone like this before, but when Zair staged such an abomination and put Sethian in danger, insuppressible displeasure started to overwhelm him. He wanted to get rid of Zair and get out of there this very instant. Sethian¡¯s enemy is his own enemy. Knowing that, he had to hide himself even more now, especially on how things stood and put up with it. Zair softly swept his back who was seemingly trembling in fear, then blinked his eyes at the two golden armored knights who had brought Yi-Gyeol out. As members of the Imperial Knights solely serving the emperor, they politely left the room as if Zair was their lord. He took pleasure in Yi-Gyeol¡¯s anticipated reaction then pulled him out of his arms with superficial concern and pity on the outside. Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes became so red as if he were about to weep at the slightest touch and his complexion is exceptionally pale that anyone who would see him would want to comfort him. Zair inwardly smiled in satisfaction from his appearance then bitterly distorted the corners of his eyes. ¡°To tell you the truth, Sethian murdered our brother; the first prince, Mendel. As the evidence is clear, he will probably be relieved of his position as the Crown Prince soon.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes sharply widened. Expecting the astonishment on his face, Zair added another word. ¡°In that case, what do you think will happen to you with Sethian as your owner?¡± CH 66 Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes shook violently, deep confusion settling within his innocent, clear eyes. ¡°I also know that your body is fake and was made by Sethian.¡± ¡°Ho¡­ How¡­.¡± Congruent with Yi-Gyeol¡¯s confusion, Zair actually should¡¯ve been impervious to his body¡¯s secret. As the use of golden art itself is a sensitive matter, only the small number of magicians who assisted with the casting at the time knew about Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body, including Roa, the tower master, and Eda, his successor. The fact that someone else other than them learned about it indicates that one of them has been secretly dealing with Zair, but he thought that Yi-Gyeol ¨C who had neither knowledge of the golden art nor the magic tower ¨C was merely confused about the current situation, and would be impossible to figure out such a thing. Zair¡¯s hand touched the edge of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s exposed neck. He faintly smiled upon seeing the marks that were noticeably fewer and lighter than when he had last seen him. ¡°Once Sethian¡¯s position as the Crown Prince is lifted, the imprint on the mana stone will also disappear. At that time, your body which was created with the help of the mana stone will be gone without a trace as well.¡± He thought that Yi-Gyeol was already aware of this fact, but he didn¡¯t seem to know, either Sethian was being cautious or thought that there wasn¡¯t any need to tell him. A precarious voice leaked between his lips, which were trembling as much as his confused eyes. ¡°What will happen to me when my body disappears¡­?¡± The corners of Zair¡¯s mouth intensely rose even more. ¡°Like any other soul, you¡¯ll be wandering without a body forever.¡± Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body staggered greatly, as if unable to hold out.[1] Holding him as if to support him, Zair lightly patted him on the back, then untied the coarse rope from his wrist. ¡°His Majesty knew that Sethian was plotting something to deal with us one by one. I didn¡¯t want my brothers to die in his hands, so I was helping His Majesty in investigating the matter. But I didn¡¯t expect him to have already killed Mendel on the scheduled day of his arrest.¡± Saying with a regretful tone of voice, he pulled Yi-Gyeol¡¯s wrist which had been marred by the rope in front of him, and rubbed it. A red line, much clearer than the traces Sethian left around Yi-Gyeol¡¯s neck, is engraved on his wrists like a handcuff. Childishly, a never been felt sense of joy came to him, thinking that he had left a deeper trace on him than Sethian. ¡°If I¡¯d let things be, you would have been accused of being Sethian¡¯s accomplice and got subjected to all kinds of torture and harsh interrogation. To the point where you¡¯ll beg them to just kill you.¡± Taking advantage of his mental weakness, he said in a grave tone, and Yi-Gyeol¡¯s subdued eyes trembled with fear. Tears started to form and slid down the corners of Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes, passed along his cheeks, and fell on the back of Zair¡¯s hand, which was holding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s wrist. The feeling of warm liquid spreading on his skin felt much better than he expected. He gently wiped away Yi-Gyeol¡¯s tears and changed his voice to a caring one. ¡°I¡¯m glad I was able to get you out at the right time. Once Sethian got stripped of his title, I will do every means to create a new body for you.¡± Only then did Yi-Gyeol raise his eyes and look at him. Confusion remains, but his eyes were mixed with vague expectations and conflicts. ¡°Then my owner¡­ Is it going to be Zair-nim now? I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t want to die and I don¡¯t want to wander in the soul state as well.¡± Hearing the straightforward and naive question made a laugh automatically come out of Zair inwardly. And before he knew it, the hand he was holding was now grabbing his own tightly and shaking pitifully. Even a highly strung person who hides and cautiously guards against others will have no choice but to show their true self in the sudden face of trouble. Moreover, if that person¡¯s life is threatened, he will have no choice but to rely entirely and cling to the person who¡¯ll try to save him. Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s reaction, as a typical human being, is just as he predicted. A weak and vulnerable human being who can only rely on Sethian to live. Acquiescing no matter how Sethian treated him just because he was the owner of his body. And because his side is the only place he can be. Otherwise, if he even had a certain degree of feelings for Sethian, he would have held on to him(Z) by now and asserted Sethian¡¯s innocence or asked what his state was. However, he was more anguished about his own safety than that. It could be said to be rather selfish, but it is also very humane. That¡¯s why he was someone much easier to control. Because the place he will be, is Yi-Gyeol¡¯s biggest weakness and center of gravity. He doesn¡¯t know what his original body was like, but according to Eda, it could only be in an indisposed state. And as if to support their supposition, Yi-Gyeol never stepped out of Sethian¡¯s bedroom and always greeted him like an anxious puppy eagerly waiting for his owner¡¯s return. He thought that he might have to change the way he dealt with him if he had any feelings for Sethian, but fortunately, he responded as expected. That being the case, all he needs to do is change the place where he is. There are two ways to brainwash humans. Violence. Fear. And Trust built on affection. He thinks that both of the first two would work well for Yi-Gyeol, but if he had to choose, then the choice where his mentality can be preserved for a long time is the much better choice. Unlike other dead souls, ¡®living spirits¡¯, or a living soul¡¯s mentality, instead of having an enormous amount of information, tends to be delicate enough to affect the physical body. Thus, he can only be useful for a long time if he¡¯s mentally stable. Zair inwardly laughed at Sethian to his heart¡¯s content. He had even given the spirit he had taken a liking to its own body and possessively kept him in his bedroom, but in the end, the only thing that mattered to the soul is the place where he was. For Joo Yi-Gyeol, it doesn¡¯t matter who his owner is. Sethian¡¯s appearance, which was conveyed in his head through the crow, was something that Zair could never have imagined. Not only was he obsessed with Yi-Gyeol to the point of leaving marks on him, but his eyes were also strangely affectionate. It¡¯s quite thrilling to think that those eyes that have never let anyone enter before will be distorted with anger. Joo Yi-Gyeol¡¯s place will now be by his side. He doesn¡¯t think Sethian will be completely eliminated because of this. After all, he is the Crown Prince and the only child born to the Empress, the only extent would be exile at best. ¡®The Crown Prince title most likely won¡¯t be retained as well.¡¯ Once that happens, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s body would disappear, but before that, he would have to ascend to the throne first. All preparations needed have already been completed by him. ??????? Zair took Yi-Gyeol to his private chamber. It was a place that he¡¯d never let anyone else enter, but he thought that he could give it up if it was Yi-Gyeol. It was somewhat of his competitive mentality toward Sethian but more so to make Yi-Gyeol adapt to him quickly. The place where Yi-Gyeol stayed is the deepest room within Sethian¡¯s private spaces and only personally permitted personnel can access it. As he was previously staying in such a place, he thought that Yi-Gyeol would be relieved if he were provided the same space here. He¡¯s pretty sure that he still has some anxiety that he would be thrown away. Yi-Gyeol looked around the room which has more furniture than Sethian¡¯s bedroom and had a visibly relieved expression on his face. Zair gently stroked his shoulder and patted him lightly. ¡°You will stay here with me from now on. It may be inconvenient, but you might get caught and taken away if you stay somewhere else, so I hope you understand.¡± With a hint of certainty in his words, he looked at him with a small smile. ¡°Thank you for looking after me like this¡­.¡± Rather than a bright smile, Yi-Gyeol¡¯s innocent red eyes still caught his eye. Affectionately wiping the corners of his eyes with his fingertips, Zair turned his gaze to the white butterfly floating in the air. ¡°Just in case, I will leave the guards outside instead of the servants. If you need anything, tell her.¡± She¡¯s been watching him for three days, so if he does anything suspicious, she¡¯ll notice it right away. Perhaps recognizing Zair¡¯s innermost thoughts, the white butterfly flapped its wings vigorously as if to show it off. As soon as Yi-Gyeol said, ¡®Please take care of me,¡¯ the butterfly responded the same way. Yi-Gyeol fixed his gaze on the white butterfly and then said with a calm expression as if he had now completely relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. It used to be impossible for me to talk to them even in my soul state, but now I can see them even with my eyes open.¡± ¡°A living soul is different from normal souls. As dead souls, they cannot see or hear living souls. On the other hand, you, who is a living being, can do anything.¡± Pondering over the details left by the first owner of the magic tower, Zair stared into Yi-Gyeol¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not only that, but your eyes, which were made with a body based on the information from your soul, have the same vision as they had when you¡¯re wandering around in the form of a butterfly. You can also hear their voices. Unlike dead souls, you are very¡­ Perfect.¡± He¡¯s a soul that he covets to the point that his mouth waters. Other spirits occupied created bodies or possessed persons suitable for them but did not sustain these advantages at all. Even if a soul passes right in front of their eyes, they can¡¯t even recognize it. In comparison, Yi-Gyeol was the perfect specimen without a single flaw. As long as he slowly but surely brainwashes him without being impatient¡­. Recalling the end of his ambition, Zair covered the bizarrely twisted smile with a hand, avoiding Yi-Gyeol¡¯s gaze, which seemed to be burning on his own. The moment his gaze deviated, he didn¡¯t realize that a different light settled within the gentle eyes that were boring at him.