FYH Chapter 62

Roderick brought Lee-Jae to her room and gently laid her down on the bed. When she tried to sit up, he pressed his finger against her forehead.

“Just lie down.”

“Why?”

“Get some more sleep.”

“I already slept.”

Lee-Jae tilted her head, confused. When she tried to get up again, he pressed her shoulder down this time.

But like a little roly-poly toy, she sat up once more. Eventually, Roderick climbed onto the bed himself. He pulled her into a firm embrace and laid her down again.

“Little fox. What are you doing today?”

“Reading a bit, and I have some audiences.”

“Cancel the audiences.”

“What?”

Lee-Jae glanced at him, gauging his expression. His behavior was clearly unusual. But Roderick only nodded, as if insisting she do as he said. Her complexion wasn’t good, and there were things he wanted to check.

“But I already scheduled those appointments.”

“So what? You think someone’s gonna die in the meantime?”

“…”

“If it’s that urgent, tell them to send a letter. Or I’ll meet them in your place—how about that?”

“Do you really think they’d be happy about that?”

“Amateur move. That’s exactly what we’re aiming for. Anyway, get some more rest.”

Still watching her closely, Roderick pulled her into a gentle hug. Lee-Jae’s expression gradually turned uncomfortable—because he was patting her butt.

Seriously? What is he doing right now? I’m not a kid.

“Why are you patting my butt?”

“You don’t like it? I heard cats like this.”

Lee-Jae gave a baffled little laugh.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yeah?”

“Cats are just cats, and foxes are actually canines. Are you saying I’m a cat or a fox?”

“In that case, you’re a squirrel.”

Roderick spouted nonsense.

“But lately, I’ve noticed something weird—like you don’t even have a tail.”

As he lightly stroked the small of her back, Lee-Jae flinched and gave him a sharp look.

“Don’t touch me like that. I don’t like it.”

“Why not? Maybe you’re hiding it—I should look for it.”

“No. I’m a human being, remember?”

Roderick chuckled.

“You think I don’t know that? I’m just making excuses to touch you somehow. I’m putting in serious effort here, okay? Practically shedding tears of blood.”

After giving her back a couple more affectionate strokes, he got up from the bed.

“Anyway, cancel everything today and rest. You don’t look well.”

“…”

“Did you hear me?”

Lee-Jae simply nodded without saying a word.

“I’ll be back.”

Roderick kissed her cheek and left the room.

As she tilted her head, watching his retreating back, a small smile slowly spread across Lee-Jae’s face.

The one who worried about her the most, the one who cared for her more than anyone else—was the King.

Lee-Jae, having spent the entire day engrossed in her journal and history books, found herself by the lakeside. She was deep in thought, contemplating the words the King had spoken in the forest.

‘The western border is in chaos. For a moment, the military camp almost broke through.’

Until now, Lee-Jae had thought that if she could remove the vengeful spirit, the King’s fortune would turn. And with that, the fate of the Kingdom of Cayenne would stabilize. But now, she wondered—if the fate of Cayenne wavered, what would happen to the King’s fortune?

With a saddened expression, she looked at the Boy King.

“Do I really have to worry about these things now?”

— What’s wrong?

“The border keeps getting attacked. Why does all this trouble always seem to surround him?”

The Boy King let out a small chuckle.

— What are you asking? You know this is the moment when a great change is about to happen. Chaos is a given in troubled times.

“…”

The Boy King shrugged his shoulders.

— Then why don’t you become the hero of these troubled times? It’d be quite the thing, wouldn’t it?

“I’m not interested in such things.”

—Really?

“I’ve never done this for some grand purpose. I just don’t like seeing others suffer.”

With a deep sigh, Lee-Jae looked ahead, her face growing more sorrowful as she noticed Lawrence approaching.

He has a good build, too. Not quite as imposing as the King or Jade, but still strong. His steps are calm, though. His demeanor is not one of aggression but of quiet composure.

Realizing that she was once again judging a person by their outward appearance, Lee-Jae felt a pang of disappointment.

“I really feel like I have the worst luck. I don’t even know what’s going to happen to me today, let alone helping others. Isn’t that true?”

The Boy King chuckled lightly.

—Well, there’s no need to be so pessimistic. Love needs fuel too, I suppose. Think of it like that.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

He only smiled in response. With a pat on her back to cheer her up, he disappeared.

The Queen’s maids, observing the Queen’s reaction, began to prepare to act. The Queen, usually composed, wasn’t someone without quick reflexes. It was impossible to predict when she might suddenly spring into action.

However, Lee-Jae just gazed at him, lost in thought. She was deeply conflicted.

In this world, there’s a saying: “The one who ties the knot must untie it.” It means that the one who created the problem must be the one to solve it. But since Hailey had left without properly untangling the knot, that person was stuck in the past, and Lee-Jae had inherited that burden.

‘Is this the unfortunate collaboration between Hailey’s ill-fated life and my own unlucky fate?’

Lee-Jae stared intently at the lake, then turned her gaze back to Lawrence. After a while, she let out a deep sigh and spoke.

Lee-Jae stood by the lakeside, contemplating something, when she spoke to Deborah.

“I just need to talk to that person for a moment. Can you step aside?”

Deborah subtly shook her head, a clear sign that she disagreed. It was too dangerous to make that decision now.

The King had been deeply focused on the Queen, especially since her health had been declining these past few days. He had summoned physicians, canceled official engagements, and kept a close eye on her condition. This concern had intensified after Lee-Jae had decided to stop holding back her energy, realizing that recovering her strength was proving to be a challenge.

And the King had always been someone who paid a great deal of attention to the Queen. The knights had been reporting on Lee-Jae’s condition every couple of hours. As expected, one of the knights was quietly approaching, preparing to give his report.

Deborah continued to signal that it was not a good idea, but Lee-Jae nodded reassuringly, signaling that she was fine.

“It’s nothing serious. I just need to ask a question. Please, tell me if it’s not the right time.”

It was something Lee-Jae believed needed to be addressed for both their futures.

A few steps away, Lawrence stood and smiled warmly when Lee-Jae looked at him. He had a gentle, compassionate smile. Lee-Jae lightly tapped the seat beside her.

“Would you like to sit? I just need to talk for a moment.”

“Is it alright?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Despite her words, Lee-Jae let out a deep sigh, and Lawrence gave a bitter smile. He sat down beside her, though a little farther away.

“How is your health? I heard you canceled your appointments again.”

“It’s not anything too serious.”

“You didn’t get sick like this before. Has royal life been so taxing?”

Lee-Jae shook her head, her thoughts drifting. She had come to understand that Hailey’s soul had completely departed, but there was something she needed to ask Lawrence.

The three years of Hailey’s absence. Her strange journal. The King’s words, asking if she was worried about someone seeing it.

Hailey had seemed like a kind-hearted person, but no one who was mocked as a fool could have been so.

Hailey… who are you really? What happened to you?

“What kind of person do you think I am?”

“To me, you are the wisest… and the kindest person I know.”

Lee-Jae faintly smiled.

“Is that so?”

How she wished Hailey could have heard those words. It would have meant so much.

Lawrence, still gazing at her with concern, then spoke.

“Your Majesty, please allow me to keep a promise I made earlier.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll leave the 3rd Knights and swear my allegiance to you, Your Majesty. I’ll stay by your side, wish for your happiness, and be your wings.”

Throughout history, many knights had sworn their loyalty to Queens, often wielding swords that symbolized their power and honor. However, Lee-Jae smiled bitterly and shook her head.

If only Hailey hadn’t made such promises…

Why make promises that couldn’t be kept?

“And what will happen to your life then?”

“As long as you, Your Majesty, are healthy and happy, that is enough for me.”

“No, please don’t sacrifice your life for mine.”

“I never wished for that, Your Majesty. If you and I both continue down this path, we will both be unhappy.”

‘So will Hailey.’

“Your Majesty…”

Lawrence, full of sympathy, gently grasped Lee-Jae’s wrist. She felt a pang in her heart, seeing his kindness. But despite the tears welling in her eyes, she shook her head again, determined not to let him sacrifice himself.

And then it happened. A sharp sword tip pointed directly at Lawrence’s neck.

Startled, Lee-Jae raised her head to follow the blade and saw the King’s cold, expressionless face. There was not a single trace of emotion on his features, but inside, his heart boiled with rage.

Yet, despite the intensity of his anger, it was not directed at the Queen. He could not voice his fury, for he thought that he lacked the right to do so. He could not ask why she loved this man, because he had loved her first. He could not question why they had gotten married, because the royal marriage was forced upon her by himself and the Duke.

All he could feel was a bitter resentment that he could not express. But even that resentment, if spoken aloud, would turn him into a powerless man.

With a chilling expression, Roderick pressed the sword closer to Lawrence’s neck. As the sharp tip of the blade grazed his skin, blood began to seep out. Lee-Jae, terrified, urgently stopped the king.

“Your, Your Majesty! This isn’t what you think. Please, stop. Don’t do this.”

Roderick ignored her pleas, continuing to fix his deadly gaze on Lawrence.

“Lawrence Irvine.”

The king spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words.

“The Queen is the most noble person in Cayenne.”

“…?”

“Which means she can love anyone she chooses.”

“…?”

“But not you. You have no right to touch her. Take your hands off my wife.”

Lawrence, who had been holding Lee-Jae’s wrist, slowly released his grip.

Roderick glared at him with a face full of unspoken threats. He stood up, pulling Lee-Jae with him. As he walked a few steps, his gaze caught the faint traces of tears on her cheeks. In that moment, the anger that he had been suppressing exploded.

“Stop it! What are you crying for? What’s so good about him?”

Unable to contain his rage, the King shoved Lee-Jae to the side and marched back toward Lawrence with determined steps.

“If you make the Queen cry again, I’ll no longer be your King. And when that happens, you better be ready to throw your gloves down.”

In Cayenne, throwing down one’s gloves was a challenge to duel. The King was making it clear that he was willing to strip away all his titles and challenge Lawrence on equal footing.

In just a few minutes, Roderick was confident he could break something, but he was holding back, knowing that if he acted that way, the Queen might end up resenting him further. He didn’t want her to regret her past relationships or feel sorrowful for her situation.

Roderick roughly ran his hand through his hair, turned back, and grabbed Lee-Jae’s wrist again, pulling her away as he stormed off.