<Episode 28>
***
Once a suspicion arose, it grew uncontrollably.
After the Crown Prince left, in order to know more about his spirit, I collected all the history books that existed in the villa recording the reign of the current Crown Prince and searched for records related to the Crown Prince.
“……No thing”
As if to fuel my suspicions, there was not a single record of Crown Prince Valerian Haine Ruairi summoning a spirit.
This was in contrast to the records that showed that Hyun Hwang had used the power of fire several times since he awaken ed.
Was that because he was too young?
Even if that was the case, he should have at least summoned a spirit.
In addition, the boy, who was clearly a human and a member of the royal family, was able to do what the crown prince of the Roshan Empire, who had inherited the Phoenix’s blessing for generations, cannot.
“Oh, my head hurts.”
I touched my forehead and swallowed the moan that escaped me.
I accepted the marriage engagement with the crown prince for no reason.
If I had known that I would be caught up in such a complex and incomprehensible problem, I would have never accepted it.
“…he’ll call me today too, right?”
I thought that since he had done something like that, he would definitely call me to brag about something that wasn’t funny.
But as the night went on, the boy did not call me.
[TL: I think The Emperor is keeping him busy.]
***
“I have heard many compliments from His Majesty the Emperor about the Lady’s bravery.”
Suddenly, I woke up from my dazed state, holding a teacup.
Countess Frederick, the etiquette teacher, was staring at me with satisfied eyes.
“And I also agree with what he said. Your engagement ceremony will be soon, and I am sure you will do well on that day as well.”
“…Thank you, ma’am.”
Still, after some more time had passed, the Countess left the villa.
“…He is finally gone.”
More than a week had already passed since the ice-related incident occurred.
During that time, the boy never called me once
It was something I had hoped for the most, but although, after the Crown Prince’s incident, communication was cut off.
An unknown anxiety continued to tighten my heart.
‘Please ask if His Highness the Crown Prince was okay. I wonder how His Majesty the Emperor reacted when he saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s condition.’
I sent my regards to the Crown Prince to see how he reacted to his condition.
The maid returned shortly afterwards and gave me the news.
‘As soon as he saw His Highness’s hand, his face hardened. The Crown Prince’s chamberlain ran to His Majesty’s front and told him everything that had happened, and without saying a word, His Majesty the Emperor slowly melted the ice covering His Royal Highness’s hands. It is said that he comforted His Royal Highness, who could not stop crying even then, and left the room after leaving only a message for him to return to the palace.’
……He went away?’
‘Yes, and it is said that several hours later he returned to The Emperor’s palace.’
The Emperor’s complexion hardened upon seeing the crown prince’s appearance.
He did not show any signs of anger, but it is said that after resolving the matter, he immediately left somewhere and returned several hours later.
The image of the boy being confined alone in an old castle that was too desolate and worn out for a person, especially a child, came to mind.
It was clear that The Emperor was the one who imprisoned the boy, and the boy was presumed to have rebelled against The Emperor and continued to harm the crown prince and the second prince…
‘I am a member of the royal family.’
Ah, the moment I finally remembered what the boy said, the cause-and-effect relationship with the paddle was connected.
The outline of the truth that I had never wanted to depict slowly began to emerge.
The Emperor elevated his first son, who was not blessed by the spirit, to the position of crown prince, and imprisoned another boy, a relative of his own, with incomparably superior talent, in an abandoned castle.
The boy was angry at the emperor who imprisoned him and erased his existence from the world, and began to turn his arrows of hatred towards the Emperor’s children, The Crown Prince and the second prince, and inflict harm on them.
‘.…Until now, the crown prince, servants, and Mojiri were used to open the door. Not only did The Emperor make up his mind and cast a spell to prevent the summoning of spirits, but he also used a relic that had lost its owner and imprisoned me here very tightly. Meals were only provided once a day. That’s why I’ve been stuck here for almost a month.’
Whenever something like that happened, The Emperor would go to the child.
He would have been punished him.
I didn’t want to think about it, but if he was locked up and starved.
If he was punished…
“No, more than that….”
Of course he could do it, right?
Toward that little child.
It felt like my eyes were turning completely white.
Captivated by a crazy feeling, I ran out to rose garden, where the sunset was red.
Slurp-
At that moment, plants grew uncontrollably in front of me, as if hallucinating, and a strange and eerie path appeared.
“…You’re kiding, right?”
Why now?
I mumbled in confusion and looked silently at the strange passage.
***
“……I’m here.”
As I entered the still deserted castle with a nervous feeling, I tried to speak calmly.
“……”
But there was only silence without any answers returned.
No, tell me nothing will happen.
I quickly walked as if I was running and reached the front of the room where the child was locked up.
The huge door was tightly closed.
I inserted the pendant into the groove.
A strange resonance rang out, and without paying attention to the rush of heat, I hurried through the doorway and entered the room.
“…….! What’s wrong with you? Are you okay?”
The boy who barely faced her was lying helpless on the floor.
He looked the same as usual, but his complexion didn’t look good somehow. Feeling like my heart was sinking, I hurriedly sat down on the floor and asked.
The boy, who had raised his arm to cover his eyes, gently lowered his arm and looked at me.
Cold blue eyes took in my surprised face.
“I am okay.”
A quiet reply came back.
On the outside, there seemed to be no significant scars.
……..Thank god.
No matter how uncomfortable it was and how much I didn’t want anything to do with him, he was clearly just a child.
……I was so scared and worried that I felt like I was going crazy at the thought that he might be being abused.
“…Why didn’t you call me all this time?”
I relaxed my tense body, sat more comfortably, and asked.
“I thought you’d like it if I didn’t call you.”
“……That”
I wish you didn’t, but not in this situation!
I bit my lip and looked down at the child again.
“…You froze His Highness the Crown Prince’s hand, right?”
“Ahuh.”
“You are so confident too…”
I stared at the child with tired eyes and asked quietly.
“Why are you doing this?”
“what?”
A soft voice answered.
I said, firmly squeezing the hand I placed on the hem of my clothes.
“Why are you threatening the crown prince and the second prince? Is it because His Majesty the Emperor is imprisoning you?”
I didn’t even want to know.
I didn’t even want to get involved.
But… I’ve been caught up in this, and I’ve drawn an outline that might be closer to the truth.
I couldn’t turn around and pretend I didn’t see it.
“……”
Unlike before, the answer did not come back right away.
The boy just stared at me endlessly with his blue, serene gaze.
I looked down at him without avoiding his gaze.
I think I must find out, even if it takes time.
“…You, get out now!”
At that moment, the boy suddenly raised his upper body, opened his eyes, and shouted.
“……What?”
I asked back in a daze at the urgent and sudden order to kick out his guest, which was completely different from the helpless attitude he had just moments before.
Then the boy chewed his lip, forcibly lifted me up, and sent me out of the room.
“Wait a moment……!”
My cries were muffled by the boy’s hand.
“I can’t give you a way right now.”
He said while covering my mouth with his hand.
“So… hide here quietly. You must never be caught.”
I was left alone behind an old dresser in the hallway.
After sitting there dumbfounded by the incomprehensible situation for a moment, the boy quickly closed the door to the room I was trapped in.
Tip-tap–
The sound of footsteps, clearly those of an adult male, echoed quietly.
I stuck my head out and covered my mouth with my hand.
The owner of the sudden footsteps sound… was The Emperor
“!”
The Emperor opened the closed door with a pendant identical to the one I had.
Kiiiiing-
A strange resonance rang out, and a huge sound filled the desolate castle.
Siii–
Next, a whip filled with beautiful flames appeared in the emperor’s grasp.
He walked into the room without saying a word.
It was immediately after that that a loud noise sounded as if the floor was breaking apart.
“……”
I couldn’t believe my ears and looked at the wide open doorway.
…I couldn’t see anything here.
I raised my trembling body and walked towards the room, one step at a time, holding my breath.
So I ended up watching it.
“….…!”
The eyes of the child who was lying helplessly flashed with hatred as the flames flickered.
I didn’t even dare to breathe as I witnessed that terrible scene.
I knew that the person who had imprisoned that child, the young boy, was The Emperor.
I also knew that the child, who was obviously his own blood, was locked up and often starved.
And yet… to be subjected to such terrible violence…
I didn’t want to think about it.
I didn’t even want to know.
I looked at the child sitting on the floor and thought in shock.
At that moment-
“………!”
Even in the merciless hands, my eyes met the beautiful blue pupils that showed not a single trace of fear.
Ah.
I couldn’t see it any longer.
I took a step back unconsciously.
Then I turned around and ran away from the scene.
***
There was no way to escape the abandoned castle without the boy’s permission.
However, a familiar passage immediately appeared before my eyes, and I was able to return to my shelter safely.
Perhaps he opened the way for me to escape.
I looked up blankly at the ceiling of the dark room and covered my head that felt it was on fire.
Perhaps because I was so shocked, I felt a slight headache and my whole body felt hot.
He was just a person like me, a human child.
For what reason?
The boy was neither a ghost nor a monster.
But why?
What did the child do wrong?
The doubts and fears that had been building up towards the boy all this time were no longer visible.
Only the guilt of running away from that scene and the overwhelming shock.
Only questions and conflicts remain to torment me.
“What should I do….”
My voice, which was still shaking, sounded like I was crying.
I shivered for a long time in a room without a single light.
***
Ashamed sat alone in a dark room.
Whenever he was seeking revenge, The Emperor would visit for several days and use violence at will.
‘…….!’
And the moment that memory came to mind, Ashamed stopped the hand that was massaging the wound as the memories of the little girl came up.
…..It was a scared face.
In the end, he showed his real self, and the girl ran away, leaving Ashamed behind.
I guess she’ll never come here again.
Ashamed closed his eyes and thought.
Kiiiiing–
“……?”
At that moment, a sound was heard that shook his quiet heart.
Kugung–
The huge door that was closed and was designed not to be opened unless someone from outside opened it.
Ashamed looked blankly at the door that was wide open, letting in light beyond.
The Emperor may have come again.
He thought about that over and over again and tried not to get his hopes up.
“……you”
The person standing between the open doors was not the emperor.
It was a small girl whom Ashamed knew well.
