Lee-Jae watched from a distance as the King’s knights rushed towards somewhere. Roderick’s figure was not clearly visible, as he was surrounded by people and moving with them.
However, Lee-Jae could easily tell that Roderick was among them. Unlike when they departed, a considerable number of vengeful spirits were swirling around them.
“Where did he pick up so many of those again…?”
Is that also a matter of constitution?
Lee-Jae, who was watching the scene in a fluster, sighed as she saw the King and his entourage heading towards his chambers.
‘Not there. How can a person recover in such a place?’
Anxiously watching, she rushed to her own quarters. Although her resolve to stay away just this once crumbled, she even forgot to rationalize her actions.
As Lee-Jae suddenly burst into the room and began tearing off the talismans, the spirit of the box rolled its eyes. The barrier was quickly broken by the hands of its creator.
– Lee-Jae! What are you doing!
“…”
– Argh! Please don’t do that! This is the peace I’ve found after so many years!
“I’ll fix it for you in a minute. Go into your house and hide.”
– My house is broken… It’s not safe here anymore… I was keeping my eyes wide open, but they slashed my nose…
The spirit whimpered and trembled, but Lee-Jae pretended not to hear. She then hid the talismans she had torn off in various places on her body.
When a person’s mind and body weaken, evil spirits gain powerful strength.
Having heard that Roderick was injured enough to worry about his succession, Lee-Jae headed to the King’s chambers fully armed with talismans.
The atmosphere outside the king’s chambers was extremely tense.
Rumors had spread that the king’s madness had flared up again at the hunting grounds.
He had returned injured, but still held a blood-drenched blade in his hand.
Naturally, the guards prevented the Queen from entering.
“It’s best not to go in now.”
As Lee-Jae hesitated at the guard’s words, Deborah gently took her arm and tried to lead her away. But Lee-Jae shook her head.
“Deborah, you said I could enter the King’s chambers. Just ask once.”
The head maid looked apologetic. It was difficult to refuse when her mistress insisted so strongly.
And as a healer rushed in late, Lee-Jae simply followed him into the room.
“Ugh, ugh…”
As soon as she entered, she immediately felt nauseous.
Thinking it was the smell of blood, a guard offered her a handkerchief, but Lee-Jae waved it away and pushed past the knights to walk forward.
And when she saw Roderick sitting on the bed, she couldn’t help but grit her teeth.
Roderick was indeed injured.
The number of vengeful spirits in the room, combined with the new ones he had brought back, was considerable.
However, contrary to the reports of severe injuries, Roderick’s wounds appeared to be quite minor.
There was no need for her to tear down all the talismans in her room for this.
‘No, that damned foreign spirit is playing with me!’
But then again, spirits always play with people. They constantly provoke people’s weaknesses to bewitch them.
And Lee-Jae soon understood the foreign spirit’s words.
King Roderick suffered daily from mental wounds that were as severe as physical injuries.
There was no doctor to diagnose or treat the cause of his suffering.
Lee-Jae took a step closer to him.
And, of course, the air around the king gradually changed as she approached one step at a time.
The more the pressure he felt lessened, the paler Lee-Jae’s face became.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
When a small, cautious voice was heard, Roderick stared at it. His piercing blue eyes seemed cold, but they were the eyes of a madman on the verge of a rampage.
Moreover, his arm bore the marks of a beast’s claws, and blood was dripping across his palm. Yet, he refused to let go of his sword, leaving the healer helplessly bowing his head.
The King’s knights were on edge. They had been unable to stop the King from charging alone at a beast in the forest. They had watched as he hacked at the already lifeless carcass of the beast. He seemed to lack the rational judgment to aim from a distance with a bow.
Just as Jade thought he might have to risk his life to stop the King, the Queen approached the King’s bedside. Despite her small stature, her eyes were sharp and calm.
Lee-Jae carefully sat down about three feet away from Roderick.
‘Evil cannot overcome good. Never.’
‘Destroy evil and reveal the truth.’
‘That is the law here. Evil spirits, return to your own world.’
Lee-Jae placed her hand on Roderick’s back, touching the vengeful spirit attached there with her bracelet. She felt a burning sensation as if her wrist was being scorched.
She couldn’t help but frown, but she gently stroked Roderick’s back a few times.
– If you keep interfering, I won’t leave you alone.
‘Go ahead, I’m ready.’
Lee-Jae smiled defiantly at the vengeful spirit. As the spirits began to slowly leave through the window, she grabbed Roderick’s wrist.
Roderick stared at her, and the people around them held their breath, but Lee-Jae carefully unfolded his fingers one by one.
The sound of the sword clattering to the floor echoed through the room.
“If you keep holding it like that, your wound… might get worse.”
Lee-Jae’s smiling face was pale, for the heavy air around him still weighed on her.
But after a while, as the vengeful spirits had started to retreat, Roderick’s blue eyes began to regain their calm.
He continued to stare at Hailey.
“Are you feeling better now?”
There was no response, but Lee-Jae, confident that he was okay, signaled to the healer.
The haggard healer hesitated to approach, likely having experienced many such dire situations.
But when Jade sternly gestured, he cautiously approached and began the treatment.
Lee-Jae sighed in relief and sat a little longer by Roderick’s side. Confirming that his surroundings had been somewhat purified, she began to wander around the room, muttering something under her breath.
The people around were too focused on the King’s condition to pay much attention to Lee-Jae’s strange behavior.
Meanwhile, she continued to drive away the spirits, vaguely mouthing the words ‘exorcize, talisman, destroy, exorcize.’
In the King’s room, besides the old vengeful spirits, there were also newly deceased animal spirits brought from the hunting grounds.
But Lee-Jae, who had lived in the countryside, knew well. These innocent animal spirits, unaware of their own deaths, were simply following the aura around the King and would soon disappear on their own.
It was fortunate that there were no powerful spirit animals present.
When Lee-Jae returned to Rodrick’s side, his eyes were completely clear. Although his bandaged palm was still soaked with blood, he paid no attention to it and only looked at Lee-Jae.
Roderick opened his mouth for the first time since entering the room.
“Why are you here?”
It was a question that left her speechless.
She shouldn’t be reacting with such rich human emotions, especially towards this man, but Lee-Jae felt a surge of anger.
I didn’t come here because I wanted to. Those who have been beaten know the pain, and those who see ghosts know the fear.
So, I am actually the one who is in the most pain and fear, Roderick.
“I came because you were hurt. Since you seem fine, I’ll leave now.”
Feeling a bit hurt, Lee-Jae straightened her clothes and stood up from the bed. Her tone was cold, but there was an undeniable sense of resentment. The maids hurriedly prepared to leave as well.
However, Roderick suddenly grabbed Lee-Jae’s wrist with his bandaged hand.
“Don’t go, stay a little longer.”
The people in the room gasped.
What was happening?
They wondered why the King was being so docile towards the Queen. Moreover, he was now holding onto her, asking her not to leave.
However, Lee-Jae, the person involved, was annoyed for another reason.
“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t use that hand yet. You’re injured, if you can recall.”
Lee-Jae tried to remove his hand. However, unlike when holding the sword, it was hard to remove a finger of his no matter how much strength she put into it.
“Please let go of me now. I understand. You’re… bleeding more.”
Lee-Jae, who was looking at Roderick’s palm with a complex expression, suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion and sadness. She lightly slapped his shoulder with a hint of irritation.
“I knew this would happen! Don’t go hunting anymore!”
The attendants glared at the Queen’s maids when she slapped the King’s shoulder. Under normal circumstances, the maids would never back down, but now they were too shocked to react.
Didn’t she say she was scared…?
But Roderick just chuckled. Despite his pale complexion from blood loss, he asked.
“Why?”
“Tell me, Hailey Duncan.”
“Why can’t I go?”
There were many answers she could give—it’s dangerous, you might get hurt again—but seeing him bring back even the spirits of animals in addition to the usual entourage of vengeful spirits, Lee-Jae felt a surge of anger and annoyance.
“Because I love animals too much!”
The people in the room thought that the Queen was starting to act a bit crazy, just like the King.
But Roderick chuckled again.
Looking at his blood-stained body, he waved his hand slowly, signaling the others to leave. The people in the room left hesitantly, feeling a mix of unease and relief.
He didn’t intend to have a proper conversation, but he couldn’t leave her without saying anything. She had already been through two terrifying scenes, and although she was a Duncan, she was also his wife. This was the least he could do.
“Hailey Duncan. Actually, this is something I can’t control.”
“It might sound irresponsible and incompetent, but I can’t help it.”
In truth, I am falling apart day by day.
The words were vague, and Roderick had no intention of explaining further.
But Lee-Jae bowed her head deeply. She understood exactly what he was saying and what he couldn’t say.
Roderick knew what he was doing to himself. He also knew that it was beyond his control.
Lee-Jae struggled to lift her head, but she bowed down again. He looked tired, but his expression was calm, and his eyes were incredibly clear.
Too clear.
Was that really the gaze of someone burdened by the repercussions of his evil deeds? What is happening here?
And in those clear eyes, her own reflection appeared murky.
But Lee-Jae still couldn’t hide her feelings of distress and anger.
What’s okay about this? You’re human too. Don’t pretend to be okay.
Normal people would be terrified and in pain if they were like you. They would want to die even before they actually do.
And making people feel that way is exactly what the vengeful spirits aim for.
Meanwhile, Roderick looked at Lee-Jae with a puzzled expression. She had a tearful expression and was bowing her head deeply, even though he hadn’t said anything particularly special or directly hurtful to her.
Lee-Jae still answered without raising her head.
“Okay.”
“Are you mad?”
Lee-Jae let out a hollow laugh.
“No, I’m not. Of course not.”
“It seems like you are.”
“I must have seemed pathetic.”
“No, you didn’t. You have every right to be angry. You’re the queen, and a Duncan.”
Lee-Jae let out another hollow laugh. It was Roderick who hated the Duncans. And she wasn’t actually Hailey Duncan. She was Kang Lee-Jae.
“If that’s intended as a compliment, thank you. But I’m not angry.”
“If you’re not angry, then talk to me a bit more.”
“…What do you mean?”
“It feels strangely refreshing to listen to you.”
It was a common figure of speech, but Lee-Jae knew he was being genuinely sincere here.
But that’s not because of our conversation.
It’s because the evil spirits around you are gradually retreating.
But Lee-Jae simply nodded in silence.
They exchanged a few more words. Before long, Roderick showed signs of fatigue, and Lee-Jae stayed by his side until he fell asleep.
Watching Roderick’s peaceful breathing, Lee-Jae hesitated before reaching out her hand. She stroked his shiny black hair and gently pressed a spot on his head.
Hearing his breathing become more peaceful, Lee-Jae rummaged through her pocket. She selected a few talismans from the stack and went to the candle stand.
Lee-Jae burned the talismans, simultaneously reciting a spell.
It was a prayer for peace and tranquility.
