Volume 5 part 1
“Just a cold? She looks like she’s on her deathbed.”
Ixor furrowed his brow in confusion. In response, the hunched old doctor wiped her hands on her apron and answered,
“My lord, you have exceptional physical endurance. Even after being struck by a poisoned arrow, you roamed around like it was nothing. But this child is frail, so it’s different for her.”
“Are you implying something with that remark?”
“This lowly one has earnestly advised you, my lord to refrain from running, drinking, and to move carefully. But…”
Ignoring her words, Ixor turned toward the bed.
Inside a grand four-poster bed draped in luxurious black damask curtains, Daon lay deeply asleep, buried in soft cushions, exhaling heated breaths.
Since the old woman had been the one to properly treat him when he was struck by the poisoned arrow, Ixor had specially summoned her.
It was probably nothing more than a severe cold, but he wanted to confirm it just in case.
“It’s nothing serious?”
“Weak bodies can succumb to even a simple cold.”
“So, are you saying it’s dangerous or not?”
“Well, that depends entirely on you, my lord.”
Ixor narrowed his eyes, placing his left hand on his hip. The old woman grumbled,
“That child has been in this land for seven years, going on eight now, but I’ve never once seen her sick. A person isn’t made of iron. After working so tirelessly, it’s only natural that she’d collapse like this.”
But still… collapsing so suddenly?
He hadn’t overworked her recently. Could it be because of the museum she was building in the annex?
His expression darkened as he pressed his lips together. Sensing his concern, the old woman slyly added,
“She’s sick because she’s finally relaxed.”
“Relaxed?”
“Yes. Her mind has found peace. It means you’ve done well, my lord.”
At that, the tension in Ixor’s shoulders eased, and a quiet chuckle escaped him.
“The medicine?”
“With body aches, the best cure is rest and good food. But for safety’s sake, I’ll leave a bottle of medicine. Give it to her now, and again at night, twice a day should suffice. But don’t let her sleep too much. If she becomes too lethargic, she might not wake up easily.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“I saw that child smile… for the first time.”
“…What?”
“She looked so kind and soft, truly beautiful.”
“Wait!”
Ixor raised his palm in a stop gesture and urgently questioned her.
“She smiled? When?”
“When you built a school for the children to learn during the agricultural off-season. Right beside my hut, to my annoyance.”
“And?”
“That child often visits the school to make stew for them. Yesterday, I left her alone to tie up bean stalks for firewood. But when I went back…”
“When you went back?”
“She was sitting on an oak barrel, smiling. She was looking at some thick piece of fabric…”
“Was it red?”
“Yes.”
The sachet.
So she liked the gift.
A sense of satisfaction bloomed in Ixor’s chest, but then irritation followed.
Why wouldn’t she smile in front of the one who gave her the gift?
Determined to see Daon smile, out of sheer stubbornness, he even considered tickling her.
The old woman, watching his expression, added another remark before shuffling away with her cane.
“Oh… come to think of it, she also smiled when talking about you, my lord.”
Unintentionally, Ixor let out a hearty laugh.
His mood soared and dipped over a mere passing comment, making him feel like a child who’d been given a toy only to have it snatched away.
He approached the bed, parting the layered curtains, and sat on the cushions beside Daon. Even in sleep, her face remained expressionless.
“Won’t you show me that smile?”
Muttering a mix of complaint and jest, he untied the bottle’s string and uncorked it. Pouring the medicine onto a spoon, he brought it to Daon’s lips, but they remained firmly shut.
Ixor gently tucked the damp strands of hair behind Daon’s ear and whispered,
“It’s medicine. You need to drink it to get better.”
No response.
He softly kissed the area just above Daon’s ear.
“It’s me. You recognize my voice, don’t you?”
Only then did Daon’s lips slowly part, even in her sleep.
Ixor fed her the medicine and carefully stroked her throat, helping her swallow.
If even small moments like these could make his heart flutter, maybe being childish wasn’t so bad.
“Mm…”
Suddenly, Daon’s lips trembled.
Ixor leaned in closer, thinking she was asking for water. But instead, Daon murmured in a barely audible voice, repeatedly saying the same thing.
“…Mom… Mom, it hurts…”
Her pale face twisted in pain, cold sweat dripping from her furrowed brow.
Watching her suffer in silence, Ixor thought it would be better if she just screamed instead.
Daon’s body stirred slightly. Was she running away in her nightmare? Or rejecting something?
Her sweat-soaked night clothes clung to her skin, and beads of sweat glistened between her collarbones.
Was she dreaming of her time in Zelgirk’s prison? Or when she was captured by pirates? Or the brutal war she endured as a child?
She was a woman who had never known happiness.
Creak.
Ixor climbed onto the bed and pulled Daon’s damp body into his arms.
Like comforting a child, he gently patted her back and whispered softly into her ear,
“It’s okay.”
The fact that these were the only words he could offer made frustration boil within him.
As he continued murmuring reassuring words, Daon’s rough breathing gradually steadied, and she clung tightly to Ixor’s collar as if letting go would mean death.
Her grip was so strong that her knuckles turned white, making Ixor’s chest ache.
Daon’s frail body, hot and limp in his arms, felt like it could melt away at any moment.
Whoosh!
The wind howled against the window, as the blizzard raging outside.
It was the dead of winter.
Listening to the fierce snowstorm, Ixor held the woman in his arms as if she were his very lifeline.
If he let go, she would instantly turn into an icy doll.
Now and always, there would be no other woman in his life but her.
The slave girl he had fallen for at first sight.
She was his only romance.
Pressing a kiss to her sweat-drenched forehead, Ixor tugged his lips into a smile and closed his eyes.
Reality is reality.
No matter how much one indulges in daydreams, the world does not dream along.
And yet, the woman he wanted to spend his life with as her husband was already decided.
***
Daon’s cold was a perfect opportunity.
Ixor strictly ordered her to rest and eat nutritious food, secretly harboring grand ambitions to fatten her up.
The problem? She had no appetite.
If only he could get his hands on rice, but it would take too long, and there was a risk of it spoiling in transit.
But there was a country nearby that ate rice which was not as far as the East.
Winter voyages were risky, but it was worth trying.
Tak.
Wrapping Daon snugly in a thick blanket, Ixor carried her downstairs and into the courtyard.
Today was warmer than usual.
The crisp winter air filled his lungs, and every breath released a white puff of mist.
He sat her down on a large sled he had prepared in advance.
Then, he signaled to the two enormous pink pigs harnessed to the sled.
“We’re going for a ride around the village.”
Short-legged they might be, but these pigs were surprisingly fast.
“Here, this fishing rod is the steering mechanism.”
When he tilted the rod to the right, the rye bread attached as bait wobbled, making the pigs immediately turn their heads toward it.
Their noses twitched rapidly.
“See? Simple.”
Ixor then tilted the rod left.
Instantly, the pigs’ heads swiveled in the other direction.
Seeing the scene, Daon lowered her head and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. Her small shoulders trembled cutely, as if she were barely holding back laughter.
Ixor knelt beside the sled on one knee and slipped a sweet treat into her pale, chapped lips.
It was a rather luxurious snack—roasted plums cut into appropriate pieces, generously coated with honey and nuts. Daon, who had instinctively taken it, rolled the treat inside her mouth.
He playfully pressed a finger against the cheek chewing the plum. She quickly pushed his hand away but exchanged a familiar gaze with him again.
She whispered, “It’s sweet.”
“In that case, have another.”
Ixor handed her the small jar of treats.
“Go out for some fresh air. You must feel suffocated staying inside all the time, and you probably need some time alone. You seem curious about the school, so I’m letting you go, but don’t stay out too long.”
“Yes.”
Daon obediently replied, then took a plum from the jar and held it out to Ixor.
He kissed her slender, pale fingertips before opening his mouth wide and taking both the plum and her warm fingers into his mouth at once.
He teasingly brushed his tongue along her fingers, meeting her eyes seductively. She blushed slightly, then gently wiped the honey from his lips with her thumb.
The affectionate touch sent a tingling current through his veins, making his heartbeat quicken.
Chuckle.
Ixor was the first to break into laughter.
Daon’s lips curved up as well, revealing neat, white teeth. It was an elegant yet adorable smile.
At that moment, the distance between them disappeared, and they could clearly feel the trust forming between them.
“I’d love to kiss these pretty lips,” Ixor said with a playful smile, “but it’d be better if you left while the sun is still warm.”
With a firm slap on the plump pig’s backside, he gave the order to depart. The pigs jingled the bells around their necks as they rushed toward the castle gate, while four mounted guards followed closely behind, keeping a vigilant watch.
Daon glanced back.
Her black hair fluttered in the wind, framing her pale cheeks and slender neck before settling onto her shoulders. Her eyes and expression, as she looked at him, were deep and warm.
Ixor stood with his weight shifted onto one leg, waving lazily.
After returning to his office, he plopped onto a long chair and picked up a bottle of liquor from beside the fireplace.
He poured himself a hot drink, the thick liquid quickly filling the glass. He swirled it slowly in his mouth, resting his left arm over the back of the chair.
As the warmth spread through his body, exuding satisfaction, Zephar, who had been buried in paperwork like a mole, glanced at him with half-lidded eyes.
Just as Zephar was about to make a remark about the blissful fool in front of him, he hesitated, as if recalling something, then approached with a pale-colored letter in hand. The royal family’s red seal was clearly stamped at the center.
A letter from the royal family.
Ixor’s good mood instantly cooled as an ominous feeling crept over him.
Using the small knife he had left beside the bottle, he tore open the envelope. As expected, it was a message from Princess Anna.
With his index and middle fingers supporting his temple, Ixor scanned through the letter with just his eyes.
Zephar, who had been waiting solemnly, lowered his voice to ask,
“Is it bad news?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s bad… but it’s close to the worst.”
Princess Anna wrote that she intended to visit Orlank. If she liked the place, she might stay until next summer, but for now, she planned to stay through the winter.
And so on.
Prince Dirk, you have a remarkably loose tongue.
“What will you do?” Zephar asked.
“I’ll write a reply. Paper, pen, ink.”
As soon as Zephar hurriedly gathered the supplies, Ixor hummed lightly as he penned his response.
To the esteemed Princess Anna,
A maiden who is not yet wed visiting a bachelor’s home is not a good deed. Please do not come. I fear rumors may spread that we are involved.
“…You’re not actually writing that, are you?”
Zephar asked, sweating nervously.
But Ixor had already set down his pen and folded the letter in half.
“I did. Send it.”
With a soft click, Zephar carefully shut the office door behind him. Ixor’s tone had been as light as ever, but his expression was far from pleasant.
Realizing Ixor needed time to process the situation, Zephar left him alone.
This is troublesome.
Princess Anna is coming… and not alone.
She would bring her maids, countless attendants, wagons full of luggage, and the royal guards. Housing and feeding all those people in this small castle for months would be a logistical nightmare.
But the biggest problem was something else entirely.
The trouble that would arise between Princess Anna and Daon.
Or rather, the inevitable clash between Princess Anna and Ixor.
Zephar tapped his lips with his clenched fist as he walked, deep in thought.
If Ixor and Daon’s relationship were firmly established, that would be one thing. But if something happened in this ambiguous situation…
Ixor would become tense, fearing Daon might get hurt.
Princess Anna would respond by escalating the situation.
And if Zelgirk made things worse?
“Oh, dear.”
The worst-case scenarios played out in his mind, each more realistic than the last.
Zephar stopped abruptly, squeezing his eyes shut.
The key to changing this situation was in Daon’s hands.
If she had no feelings for Ixor, that would be one thing. But these days, she clearly did.
Whenever she looked at him, her expression softened.
That emotionless doll of a woman had even begun to smile, just a little.
Should he just push things forward?
But if something went wrong, it could ruin the fragile bond forming between Ixor and Daon.
And if that happened, Ixor, transformed into a monstrous beast of fury, would surely grab him by the neck and shake him like a rag doll.
Zephar furrowed his brows, imagining the scenario.
It was fine.
That was manageable compared to what would happen once Princess Anna arrived.
Jingle jingle.
The bells outside the window rang cheerfully.
That meant Daon had already returned.
Zephar hurriedly stepped out of the building and spotted Knight Rob. Without hesitation, he made a request.
“Catch me a deer. A good one.”
“A deer? For what?”
“For nourishment.”
“For the lord?”
“For the lord and Lady Daon.”
Rob, who usually had the awareness of a bear, burst into laughter.
“Then why not get a snake, too? I hear it’s the best for stamina.”
Zephar thought about telling him to stop but decided against it.
To balance out Ixor’s excessive stamina, Daon might actually need that snake.
Rob eagerly grabbed a spear and prepared to go hunting.
Watching his reliable back for a moment, Zephar then strode toward the front yard.
Daon had just stepped down from the pig-drawn sled.
Zephar approached her and, with utmost formality, made a request.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a brief conversation.”
***
Daon placed a teacup filled with elderflower tea on the round, purple table in the private room.
The delicate scent of the luxurious white flowers lingered around the table. She gently withdrew her hand from the teacup and sat down on the opposite chair.
Her movements were neither exaggerated nor hurried, and an inherent elegance radiated from her. One might even mistake her for a noble lady from a prestigious family.
Zephar silently pulled the teacup toward him, blowing on the tea as he pondered how to begin the conversation.
“Do you like venison?”
It was a somewhat unexpected question, but Daon calmly replied, “Yes.”
Zephar awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Ahem. That’s good. Sir Rob has caught one, so please enjoy a hearty stew.”
“A servant should not partake in an animal hunted by a knight.”
“You are more than just a servant—you are the lord’s beloved.”
“Would it not harm the lord if I openly played the role of his lover? And besides, one’s birth does not change according to circumstance.”
“A common girl who catches a king’s eye becomes a noblewoman.”
“That would be a matter of changing her birth through unconventional means.”
Zephar already knew she wouldn’t be easy to corner in a verbal spar. Her responses were always composed, articulate, and logical.
Furthermore, she understood Ixor’s precarious position all too well, making her a reliable ally.
He decided to attempt a subtle attack.
“Do you dislike our lord?”
An ordinary woman might have hesitated, but Daon was no ordinary woman. Her answer was plain and clever.
“He is a good lord.”
“I mean… personally. From a man-woman perspective, do you dislike him?”
“There’s no need to beat around the bush. You can get straight to the point.”
She met his gaze as she calmly responded.
Even though Zephar prided himself on being the sharpest mind in the country, he found himself losing to her in this battle of wits. He took a deep breath and quickly regained his composure.
“Then, I’ll speak plainly. I wish for your relationship with our lord to progress further.”
“Are you not uncomfortable with me?”
“I was in the past. But now, I want you to be fully one of us. So when Sir Rob brings the venison, accept it with satisfaction.”
Daon’s dark eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
What was she thinking?
Like Ixor, she was a difficult person to read.
If he calculated too much and got caught scheming, trust could be broken.
So, Zephar decided to lay everything bare.
“The five knights and I have placed you above ourselves but below our lord. As long as he is not in danger, we will risk our lives for you, no matter what happens.”
“What’s the condition?”
Of course… She was sharp, as expected.
She looked fragile and delicate, but inside, she was a lioness.
His throat felt dry with tension.
Zephar lifted his teacup, then nonchalantly confessed his true intention.
“Love our lord.”
“Of course, I know emotions don’t work that way just because they’re asked for. But I believe it’s possible.”
“I already love him.”
“Pfft! Cough! Cough!”
He had just taken a sip of tea and ended up spraying half of it onto the table.
The tea even went up his nose.
Zephar hurriedly wiped his mouth.
“Excuse me?”
“The way he looked at me when he fed me an apple…”
Daon rubbed her right thumb over her left middle finger as she shyly continued.
“His tone is commanding and self-centered, but his gaze and touch are gentle and warm… when I met his eyes, he smiled. I had been starving all day, but when he fed me that sweet apple slice, I suddenly felt an unfamiliar sorrow. I was confused, and angry.”
“And afraid. Am I right?”
“Yes. I was afraid… Afraid of what would happen if I liked him.”
Zephar chuckled at her honest confession.
Love was such a strange emotion.
Even Ixor, who feared nothing in the world, was disarmed by it.
And now, Daon, who had always guarded herself like a fortress, felt vulnerable in front of just one man.
Zephar offered her a warm piece of advice.
“In relationships, there’s always a defining moment—the point of no return.”
“A defining moment?”
“If you don’t cross that line, you’ll end up in an ambiguous relationship forever. Then one day, you’ll watch the person you care about start a new love with someone else. And that’s… a miserable feeling. Imagine never confessing, only to see them move on while you’re still stuck in place. Wouldn’t you regret it for the rest of your life?”
“…”
“Push forward. I’ll support you.”
“I need to live a long life.”
Hearing her quiet statement, Zephar’s expression turned solemn.
She seemed indifferent to life and death, yet she clung to life with fierce determination.
As if she were living to atone for something.
Zephar softened his gaze and smiled.
“Yes. Live a long, happy life with our lord.”
Surprised by his sincerity, Daon widened her eyes before breaking into a small smile.
It was a beautiful, yet bittersweet smile.
Zephar quickly pulled out a pouch of emergency money and placed it on the purple table.
“When you go to town, buy whatever the women need…powder for your face, fancy lace, anything.”
Giving her money felt a bit awkward, but he figured women always had things they needed.
“Well then, I formally entrust this to you.”
Zephar clasped his hands together and bowed.
When he straightened up, Daon remained seated, receiving his gesture with quiet dignity.
It was an unspoken acknowledgment—she was now positioned above him, as the lord’s woman.
Her graceful confidence was truly satisfying.
Internally pleased, Zephar smirked.
“Alright!”
As he crossed the backyard, he clenched his fist with determination.
***
“What brings you here at this late hour? Can’t sleep?”
Ixor leaned back against the headboard of the bed inlaid with rose patterns, gazing at the door with a faint smile.
Seated among the black roses, his appearance was both cruel and dazzlingly alluring.
Since he had been resting in bed, he was already half-naked. With each breath he took, the taut muscles of his upper body rose and fell slowly, while the crimson candlelight flickered over his broad chest and the masculine contours of his collarbone, casting deep shadows that swayed seductively.
He gestured with his fingers, signaling her to come in, but she stood still in front of the thick door, unmoving.
Ixor casually tossed aside the book he had been reading and shifted his posture leisurely.
As a result, the blanket draped over his abdomen slid down, revealing the sensual lines of his hip bones. Daon clenched her fist slightly and murmured,
“It’s cold.”
“It’s always cold in winter.”
“···”
“I was joking. Come in. Looks like the fireplace has gone out.”
Still, she hesitated, not budging an inch.
.
.
Ixor extended his index and middle fingers.
“You won. Was it three steps?”
Daon glanced at her clenched fist, then took three steps forward. Playing another round of rock-paper-scissors, Ixor swiftly changed his hand sign after she revealed hers, winning this time.
“Now, five steps,” he whispered in a low, enticing voice.
The atmosphere shifted instantly, thick with tension. Their last physical contact had been on the night Prince Dirk had visited, the night they shared a formal kiss.
Crackle.
The embers in the fireplace popped, heightening her senses.
Rustle.
She began moving toward him, her thin nightgown brushing against her knees.
Her eyes glistened as if wet, her small face flushed with a delicate warmth beneath her flowing hair.
He stared at her intently, without even blinking, his gaze both arrogant and filled with hunger.
A shiver ran down her spine.
Whenever he looked at her like that, a primal, unfamiliar desire stirred deep within her.
As the distance between them closed, their breaths became increasingly warm, mingling in the air.
Finally, the five steps were completed.
