「To future generations,
The Imperial Family and the five noble families are the backbone of Daemon.
During the long period of the Three Years’ War, the lineage of the Daemon Imperial Family was severed, two houses disappeared without a trace, and three houses surrendered to the Allied Nations, contributing to the founding of Cayenne.
The names of the two houses which disappeared are Ilias and Schmidt.
The other three of them are named Melon, Russell, and…Duncan.
– From the ‘Letter to Future Kings’, page 24」
* * *
Duke Duncan raised the issue of Albert Duncan’s reinstatement again today, but he was silenced by the King who cut him off at once.
Then, one of the nobles from the anti-king faction spoke up.
“Your Majesty, will there be no hunting tournament this year?”
It sounded as if he hoped there wouldn’t be one. Roderick gave a vague response to gauge the nobles’ reactions.
“We’ll see.”
Duke Duncan quickly added as if he had been waiting.
“Are you perhaps feeling unwell?”
Roderick laughed heavily at the transparent ploy.
The King’s madness was already quietly spreading through the noble society, and Duke Duncan was the one who most wanted to make an issue of it and spread rumors.
“Why? Do you wish that I were ill?”
“What are you saying, Your Majesty? Of course not. I’m just concerned.”
“Is that so?” Roderick replied formally.
“That’s quite an unnecessary concern. I don’t know if it’s because I got a wife, but I’ve been very healthy since getting married.”
Roderick had intended to mock his venomous father-in-law, but as he spoke, he realized it was true. Though not always perfect, his mind was generally clear, and his physical condition was better than before.
Roderick rested his chin on his hand and stared intently at Duke Duncan.
How could such a man have a daughter like that?
If you looked closely, you could see a bit of Hailey’s features in his face. But lately, that similarity had become annoying. Why did he have to see his wife’s face in this man?
Roderick, who had been staring only at Duke Duncan’s face for a while, opened his mouth. And he called for someone other than Duke Duncan.
“First Knight Commander.”
“Yes.”
“Bring that from my drawer.”
“…”
“The one that came in the day before yesterday.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the Knight Commander left the conference room, a brief silence fell.
Roderick maintained a disinterested expression, while the nobles who had been trying to provoke the King felt somewhat bewildered.
The King was clearly different from before. Though always brilliant, he used to occasionally explode with anger and openly display his fury.
But lately, he watched the nobles with a sullen and somewhat bored expression. Yet, within those blue eyes, there was an even sharper keenness and rationality hidden.
Jade, who returned to the conference room, presented the king with an open document envelope. Roderick took it and tossed it towards Duke Duncan.
“Duke Duncan.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
“This is yours.”
“…”
“It’s an anonymous report stating that there is a discrepancy between your actual estate income and the taxes you’ve reported to the Royal Family.”
“…”
“Should the Royal Family initiate an investigation? If anything, I’d like to do it, of course. If the investigation proves otherwise, then I will apologize on behalf of this loyal subject.”
Duke Duncan remained silent, and the King laughed as if amused.
Answer me. If you’re confident, go ahead.
The nobles found that laugh more chilling than his occasional fierce demeanor and bowed their heads.
“You claim to care deeply about the honor of the Queen and Cayenne, don’t you? You mentioned Albert Duncan’s reinstatement. I want to respond to that statement again now.”
“…”
“I wish you would stop bringing dishonor to the Queen.”
“…”
“I’m being very patient, so you should know when to stop.”
The king’s attitude towards his father-in-law was, as always, harsh. However, he also showed a sliver of mercy.
“I’ll give you one chance to correct this. Resubmit your report.”
As the King turned back after adjourning the meeting and preparing to leave the room, the nobles hesitated.
“And the hunting tournament next month will be held as scheduled.”
After briefly adding this, Roderick left the room with his knights.
After the king left, Duke Duncan slammed his fist on the table. The pro-king nobles struggled to suppress their smirks.
Roderick, who had been fighting the elder Duncan throughout the meeting, was about to face the younger Duncan this time. As he entered the dining hall, he once again felt that strange sensation he had grown accustomed to.
The air was cool and refreshing.
He always felt this way when he entered the Queen’s chamber. That’s why he often furrowed his brow at the entrance.
Why did he feel so at ease?
Meanwhile, when Roderick came, Lee-Jae greeted him with a slight smile and a cheerful tone, offering their customary greeting to start the meal.
“Did my dad go crazy again today?”
“If that comment was very unpleasant, I will sincerely apologize, so you should stop it too.”
It felt like he was harassed by his father-in-law at work, and now his wife was giving him a hard time just as he was trying to eat.
But unlike when he dealt with his father-in-law, Roderick had a smiling face for the Queen.
“It wasn’t unpleasant at all. I’m just worried. A hunting tournament… What will happen to you?”
Lee-Jae asked carefully, unable to hide her anxious expression.
Roderick observed her face, which resembled Duke Duncan’s, with suspicion, then replied belatedly, as if he was just appreciating it.
“Be careful with knives and water when I’m not around.”
“…”
“Hailey, do you understand?”
His tone was rather affectionate, but it meant that the tournament would proceed as planned.
Then, Lee-Jae’s complexion rapidly darkened. She bit her lip anxiously.
He was not a fool. He couldn’t deny that the Queen was strangely concerned about him, even as he kept suspecting her.
The situation was really strange, but he didn’t hate it either, so Roderick smiled wryly.
“Nothing will happen, so cheer up and eat.”
“…”
“Come on, say something.”
Seeing the Queen unusually downcast and the King trying to comfort her, the people around them watched with a sense of satisfaction.
Of course, the King’s close aides shared the same worries, but they had faith. The King’s condition had stabilized remarkably recently.
But Lee-Jae knew this was not such a simple matter. Unable to hide her concern, she asked.
“If you break an arm, wouldn’t you be able to cancel it?”
“What?”
“…Or would breaking an arm not be enough?”
Roderick rubbed his eyes and laughed before asking,
“Can you break one of my fingers with that wrist of yours?”
“Why? Jade is here.”
Borrowing a knife to kill someone. To use someone else’s strength to achieve your goal.
Your Majesty, there’s no need for me to do such things myself.
Lee-Jae looked at Roderick with wide eyes.
“…You were serious.”
Highly amused, he laughed and silently pushed a few dishes towards Lee-Jae. It was a sign for her to stop talking and eat.
All of the King’s people were smiling, but Lee-Jae could only pick up her fork with a dark expression.
* * *
Kang Lee-Jae had been spending days by the lakeside.
As the Queen went to the water’s edge every day and sat there absentmindedly, the King showed a much more sensitive reaction than expected. He kept asking people about the Queen’s whereabouts at every moment.
The King, now free from his madness, seemed to have grown fierce in a different way.
He even summoned the head maid, Deborah.
“If the Queen does that again, you should know that you are all dead.”
However, Lee-Jae was simply waiting for someone by the lakeside. It was the foreign spirit.
When she was out by the lake, she was extremely reluctant to bring people around. And the different temperaments of the King and Queen often made the servants uncomfortable.
After days of making people anxious, the foreign spirit finally appeared. Lee-Jae, looking very annoyed, scolded him.
“Why did you show up so late? You knew I was waiting for you.”
– I’m not an easy man.
Lee-Jae couldn’t stand it and picked up a branch, snapping it. She muttered to herself.
He’s really messing around. Ugh, that was so annoying just now.
But the one in need was still Lee-Jae. She whispered desperately to the foreign spirit.
“Can you follow me?”
– Where?
“You know what I mean. Please follow the King during the hunting tournament and help him. He’s in danger if he leaves here.”
Specifically, it was dangerous without Lee-Jae, and she couldn’t go that far.
The foreign spirit looked at her with great amusement and asked.
– Then what will you do for me?
“…I’ll do anything except risk my life or get hurt.”
– Ah, so you don’t love him as much as your life?
Then, Lee-Jae, who was a little annoyed by the words, frowned.
“This isn’t about love.”
– Then what is it?
“A compassionate… a benevolent feeling for a patient?”
You selfish and arrogant spirits don’t understand the hearts of us selfless shamans! We’re not doing this for money!
People who heal others always have to endure something.
But the foreign spirit looked unimpressed. He repeated what Lee-Jae had muttered earlier.
– You’re messing around. Anyway, it’s a good time.
Though irritated, the opponent was a five-hundred-year-old spirit. Lee-Jae held back and asked again.
“So, what do you really want?”
– Well, I don’t particularly want anything from you right now.
“…”
– Hmm. So, do you want to do it with me? I’m really not that interested. I’m five hundred years older than you, you know.
“…Wow.”
Lee-Jae was speechless and flustered, looking around in confusion. Her face was flushed.
People! Come here and look at this disgusting foreign spirit!
People should age gracefully and die gracefully!
Lee-Jae looked utterly disgusted.
There was a physiological revulsion, but also, when a shaman performs an exorcism, they lose their vitality. The phrase “looking haggard” wasn’t just a metaphor. Ultimately, it meant stepping into the realm of the afterlife.
But despite her look of extreme reluctance, Lee-Jae whispered,
“Is that… really your condition?”
– What? Is that all you’re worth? And you say it’s not love?
“No, I’m just confirming the conditions before making a deal! I never said I would do it! Don’t jump to conclusions!”
As Lee-Jae snapped, the foreign spirit let out a soft laugh.
Strangely, his youthful face showed a sense of maturity.
– Kang Lee-Jae.
“…What?”
– Relationships are more wonderful than you think. Doing it with someone you love is even more wonderful. The act itself might be the same, but finding meaning and happiness in it is a human privilege.
“…”
– Don’t reduce it to just a stepping stone for your luxurious afterlife. You’re too young to be so fixated on the wrong things. Enjoy being human.
What was he even talking about?
Lee-Jae wasn’t just short on education; she was completely lacking in it. She looked at him with a displeased expression, and the foreign spirit shrugged.
And then he added.
– Anyway, I can’t grant your request.
“…What?”
– You, trying to make a deal with a spirit? Are you out of your mind? Don’t you know you’ll ruin your life?
“…”
It was a reasonable point, and surprisingly constructive advice from a spirit. A malicious spirit would have taken the bait immediately.
However, Lee-Jae, who bowed her head, began to tremble. Clenching her fists, she gritted her teeth and said.
“Then why did you even bring it up if you weren’t going to help? I’m being very serious here! You’re so annoying! I hated you from the very start anyway!”
– What? Kang Lee-Jae. Annoying? Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?
The foreign spirit laughed, his aura surging intensely.
Startled by the immense energy she felt for the first time, Lee-Jae became respectful again.
Indeed, if one had anger management issues, meeting someone stronger than them would quickly fix them.
“No. Why would I get ahead of myself? I’m just desperate right now… I was just acting out a bit.”
Was that so upsetting? Sorry.
The foreign spirit laughed happily, “Ha ha,” and then disappeared gracefully with his white horse.
