The King woke up as if greeting an ordinary morning. However, he quickly realized that something was wrong.
The Queen was holding onto him tightly, as if shielding him.
Why is she sleeping like this?
Around his neck, he felt something damp. The faint scent of blood reached his senses, and with growing unease, Roderick adjusted her position.
Lee-Jae was bleeding profusely from her nose.
“Chamberlain!”
The startled attendants rushed in, their eyes widening at the sight.
“Call the physician, now!”
Even as he shouted, Roderick instinctively placed his hand over the left side of her chest.
Her heart was still beating.
Thump, thump.
The physician examining her had a very serious expression. This situation contradicted his medical knowledge. The Queen was not someone with a weak constitution. There was no reason for this to happen so suddenly, no apparent problem.
“Your Majesty, the Queen.”
He called out to Lee-Jae with a puzzled look. There was no response, so he gently shook her shoulder.
“Your Majesty?”
Roderick, with a fierce expression, was about to stop him, but she suddenly opened her eyes as if nothing had happened.
“Huh? Did you call me?”
“…”
“Did I oversleep?”
Lee-Jae looked around. People were surrounding her with serious expressions. She quickly grasped the situation. Ah, right…
“I just want to sleep a little more.”
“…Hailey.”
Roderick called her name, his voice pleading and desperate.
When the Queen had been bleeding profusely, his first thought had been poison. It was a frequent occurrence in the Royal Family, and many had died that way. His fiancées had never even set foot in the palace before meeting their deaths.
But why do you look so unbothered?
Even after wiping her face thoroughly, traces of blood still remained. He used his thumb to rub at a spot on her face.
“Hailey.”
But she didn’t respond to his call. Instead, she was staring at something else again.
Lee-Jae smiled faintly. The vengeful spirits were still clinging to the walls.
Yeomra was indeed a powerful child.
But she also knew that her body was in ruins at the moment. She finally turned to look at Roderick.
“Your Majesty.”
“Yeah, what should I do?”
Roderick leaned in as if to say, Just tell me.
“Can I go to my room…? I’m sorry.”
“…You want to go there?”
“Yes, but I can’t go alone. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, don’t be sorry. We’ll go.”
Roderick glared at the physician, who insisted there was no serious problem, then, still looking troubled, lifted her into his arms.
As he walked down the corridor, he asked,
“What should I do? You lost too much blood.”
“I… did I bleed?”
“…”
“When? Did I cough up blood?”
“…Why are you acting like this, huh?”
Lee-Jae looked at Roderick with confusion, then noticed the traces of blood on his neck. She weakly raised her hand and rubbed at it.
“Your Majesty, are you bleeding too? You can’t be.”
He’s strong. And I was sleeping in his arms.
Lee-Jae bit her lower lip and continued to touch his neck, searching for any wounds. Roderick, unsure how to respond, simply let her.
“No, this is from your nosebleed. I was so worried.”
“Oh, so it wasn’t from my mouth, just my nose.”
“…Hailey.”
Roderick, still at a loss, finally arrived at Lee-Jae’s room. She had dozed off along the way.
He laid her down on the bed and spoke.
“Everyone, leave. I need to speak with the Queen.”
This time, not even the Chamberlain or the Head maid was allowed to stay. Realizing he was the only one who could speak up, Jade took a step forward.
“Your Majesty.”
“What?”
“I know it’s not my place to say this, but… please, let Her Majesty rest.”
Roderick glanced around in confusion. But everyone was looking at him with the same expression, silently agreeing with the Knight Commander’s words.
“Even just by looking, it’s clear that the two of you are built differently. Her Majesty does not have the same endurance as you do.”
“…Hey.”
Roderick furrowed his brows as he realized the implication, but Jade only shook his head.
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“…”
“Her Majesty the Queen looks absolutely miserable right now.”
Every time she spent the night with the King, the Queen’s face would grow paler. Every morning, her husband emerged looking refreshed, while she looked utterly exhausted. The reason was obvious.
Jade couldn’t say it outright in front of so many eyes, but he sent his old friend a look instead.
Were you seriously a beast?
Everyone had eyes. And as a man himself, he could understand Roderick’s feelings, but there had to be a limit.
Even if you’re newlyweds, how could you push your wife to the point of nosebleeds?
Roderick glanced around once more. Even though the others averted their gazes, their expressions all said that they silently agreed with the Knight Commander’s words. Everyone was looking at him as if he were some kind of beast.
He started to say something but instead let out a deep sigh, staring at the ceiling with an expression of immense patience.
“Fine. I’m the only bastard here.”
“…”
“I’m the only villain, let’s go with that.”
“…”
“Shit. It’s not even like that, so all of you, get out.”
With a sharp wave of his hand, Roderick dismissed them and slammed the door shut.
Lee-Jae, who had dozed off awkwardly, slowly opened her eyes as he gently stroked her forehead.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Hailey. It’s just you and me now.”
“…”
“There’s no one else here.”
“…Okay.”
Roderick hesitated, unsure how to begin. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to close the distance between them.
“Hailey. You can be honest with me.”
“About what?”
“Exactly where does it hurt?”
“…”
“I need to know so I can protect you.”
His hand continued to move soothingly over her hair, as if to reassure her.
“I understand that a Royal’s illness is considered a weakness. I get why you wouldn’t want to say anything. But I need to know something—anything—so I can defend you. So I can fight on your side.”
Lee-Jae, completely drained, suddenly felt the sting of tears threatening to spill. She covered her eyes and clenched her jaw. When she finally spoke, her tone was sharp, almost accusatory.
“Why would Your Majesty fight on my side?”
“…”
“Why you?”
Her voice was cold, but Roderick could see how much she was hurting. The tears pooling in her eyes made her look unbearably sad.
“I’m not normal. I’m different. You think so too, don’t you?”
“…”
“I know this must be hard for you. So don’t bother trying to understand me. I don’t need that.”
I don’t want to be hurt again. And I don’t have the strength to watch your world crumble because of my sight.
If you knew what I see, you might find me horrifying.
If you knew how I was born, you might instinctively think I’m unclean.
I never want to be pelted with stones without reason ever again.
It’s easy to help someone, but standing beside them and holding their hand is a different matter entirely.
Listening to someone is easy, but meeting their gaze is difficult.
So she simply learned how to manage things her own way.
Roderick stared at her for a long time. Then, with gentle fingers, he pulled her lower lip free from between her teeth.
“Don’t say things like that.”
“…”
“Hailey, you’re my wife. And I’m your husband. Who else are you supposed to rely on?”
“…”
“I can protect you.”
“…”
“You’re not strange. I was just curious—I just wanted to know more. If I hurt you, then I’m sorry.”
The strong facade she had been putting on crumbled in an instant.
Lee-Jae was slowly coming to a realization ever since meeting him. The love she had yearned for so desperately always came with pain.
And in the end, what truly moved people was not malice, but kindness.
She wiped her hands on the blanket several times before hesitantly reaching out. Roderick, without a moment’s hesitation, grasped her trembling hand.
“Why… Why are you so good to me?”
“…I don’t know. I just like you.”
Her voice trembled as she tried to hold back her tears. Roderick could see the hesitation in her eyes fade as she made up her mind about something.
“Your Majesty. Then please, listen carefully to what I have to say.”
“…Okay.”
Lee-Jae glanced at the barrier surrounding them. It was still intact, but she was expending her strength just to maintain it. Simply existing—living an ordinary life, enduring a mundane day—was already a tremendous effort for a human being.
She infused her voice with power.
“Your Majesty. You must stop listening to the Voices of the Dead.”
“…”
He didn’t fully understand her words, but in that moment, something deep within him resonated.
Lee-Jae continued.
“They envy you. They are jealous of you. The reason is simple—it is just because… you are alive.”
Because you wake up in the morning, and they do not.
Because your very existence is dazzling to them.
She strengthened her voice even more.
“The pain you are experiencing is not your fault.”
“…”
“Do not accept it.”
She let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. Was she being too bold, too careless, saying these things as if they were easy?
But then, it felt as if the burden of five hundred years came crashing down on her shoulders.
She gasped for breath under its weight, but she didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, she held on tighter—refusing to be defeated.
“You are not a mad man.”
“…Hailey.”
“Don’t forget that. Your life will not be ruined by something like this.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“So don’t give up. Don’t say it’s already over.”
“…”
“As long as you don’t give up… I’ll see this through to the end.”
I can see the pain that you don’t speak of.
And yet, the fact that you endure it in silence… that wounds me.
So let me help you.
I may be small and powerless. I may be fragile. But I will stand by your side. I will be your friend.
So that your battles won’t be lonely. So that, in the end, you can emerge victorious.
Her tears fell freely as she abruptly pulled away from him, reaching out toward the air.
The barrier surrounding them wavered, as if it, too, was trembling with emotion.
An unchanging truth, no matter the moment—faith in people, and the will to endure.
Suddenly, a violent nausea surged through her.
“Why is this happening?!”
Roderick panicked and moved toward the door, intending to summon the physicians. But before he could leave, Lee-Jae caught his wrist.
“Your Majesty, I have one request. Sometimes, like today, I might become ill.”
“…What is making you sick?”
“…”
“Hailey, please.”
She let out a bitter smile.
“I just get dizzy and nauseous sometimes. It’s nothing serious. And if I rest, I’ll get better quickly. That’s the truth.”
“…”
“Do you understand?”
“…Yes.”
“But if I ever become unwell… Your Majesty must go to Arthur’s Forest.”
She tightened her grip on his hand.
“Arthur’s Forest. No matter what, you must go there.”
If you go there, you will live.
Roderick was restless, but Lee-Jae only grew more insistent, waiting anxiously for his answer. In the end, he nodded several times.
Satisfied, she closed her eyes—falling into unconsciousness.
Instead of going arc by arc, I will be posting individual chapters as soon as they finish editing. Hopefully that means less wait for you guys. So look forward to tomorrow too!
