Toxin

“No way! Can you believe it? This wretched monster dares to flap his mouth about His Majesty, the Black Martial Emperor, like it’s nothing!”

“What?! Who dares…?! Who would have the audacity to insult him?!”

As the jester’s voice rose with excitement, people began gathering one by one. Their stares brimmed with murderous intent. They looked like sick people, stricken with a fever called Black Martial Emperor. Without thinking, they blindly worshipped him like zealots. My tightly clenched fists trembled. A feeling of hopelessness gnawed at my entire body. Raonhiljo quickly calmed them down.

“Oh, I understand your feelings very well. I’ll be sure to inform His Majesty, the Black Martial Emperor, of this matter.”

He added, “He’ll be very pleased,” as he pulled me away from the scene. The curses, still filled with anger, flew like arrows at our backs.

“Ugh! What bad luck…!”

“Everyone, gather around~! We usually perform once, but today, we’ll give you a special encore to lift everyone’s spirits!”

The people were once again mesmerized by the heroic tales of the Black Martial Emperor.

Complete darkness settled all around. Torches lined the opposing fortress walls, lighting up the night path. I walked, staring intensely at the crimson flames. Raonhiljo, having noticed my silence since earlier, kept glancing at me but said nothing about what had just happened with Sodong. As we neared the entrance, his expression grew noticeably darker.

After what felt like a long time, we finally arrived at the fortress gate, which, unusually, was wide open. The soldiers, moving busily inside and outside the gate with torches in hand, turned pale when they saw us. Even the guards, who were moving hurriedly, stopped in their tracks upon seeing us. Their strange reactions bothered me. As we entered the courtyard, a familiar voice rang out.

“You, you rascal~~!! Where on earth have you been…! And why are you with him again…?”

The Grand Chamberlain, with his large frame, rushed over and began pointing fingers at me furiously.

“His Majesty, despite his busy schedule, has been…!!”

The tense atmosphere made my whole body stiffen. At that moment, Raonhiljo noticed something and his expression turned icy. His gaze landed on the peach tree garden. Sitting there, lazily draped in the shadow of the tree, was someone who looked like a drunken vagrant. It was the Black Martial Emperor.

My heart started racing. The Black Martial Emperor, without sparing us a glance, was peeling a peach with a small dagger. The freshly peeled skin fell in neat rows on his lap, and a pile of snake-like peach skins lay on the ground. A piece of the bright red fruit was cut by the dagger and entered his mouth. After slowly chewing, he finally looked at us.

“You’re late.”

Raonhiljo was there. And the Black Martial Emperor was there. The fact that both were in the same space made everyone watching gulp nervously. I forced myself to speak calmly.

“We were buying supplies. We ran out of some things…”

The Black Martial Emperor glanced at the supplies in my hands before his gaze locked onto mine again.

“It took longer than it should to buy supplies.”

“He’s right. We bought enough for several months in one go…”

Just as Raonhiljo started to speak, a dagger flew sharply toward his head. Raonhiljo instinctively dodged, but the dagger grazed a soldier behind him before embedding deeply into the thick fortress gate. The soldier froze in terror, his face pale.

“Hey, Raonhiljo. You know, I might actually like you if you didn’t interfere so much.”

Raonhiljo gave him a relaxed smile.

“I’ll pass on the excessive favor. Why don’t you share it with the concubines who are waiting so eagerly for you?”

The Black Martial Emperor stood up sluggishly from the garden and grabbed a sword from a nearby soldier’s waist. His movements seemed slow, but his speed was far quicker than expected.

His sword, like a bolt of lightning, lunged at Raonhiljo. Raonhiljo swiftly parried the attacks.

“My lord, please! Stop…!”

No…! If this reckless behavior continues…!

“Step back.”

Raonhiljo pushed me away while fending off the fierce attacks. In the pitch-black night, the deadly intent between them sparked blue flames. When the Black Martial Emperor’s sword sliced into Raonhiljo’s forearm, Raonhiljo retaliated, striking the same spot on him. No one dared to intervene in the fierce duel, too busy tracking their movements with their eyes. After a few powerful swings, the Black Martial Emperor pushed Raonhiljo back and grabbed my arm. His gaze swept over the guards.

“I’d love to deal with you personally, but I have something more pressing.”

Raonhiljo’s eyes flared with anger.

“Stop tormenting him. He’s a pitiful man.”

The Black Martial Emperor’s eyes slowly shifted back to me. His gaze burned a deep, dark red, darker than blood.

“I don’t know. To me, he just looks like a whore who spreads his legs for anyone.”

“Then why don’t you go to your concubines that suit your taste?”

Raonhiljo gripped his sword and prepared to spring, but the guards blocked his path like a barrier. Raonhiljo responded with a sharp glare.

“Move. I have no intention of fighting you.”

Usa gave a strained smile.

“I don’t want to do this to His Majesty, but first and foremost, we have to survive too.”

Though Usa’s expression clearly showed his reluctance, the tip of his sword, pointed at Raonhiljo, radiated a deadly aura.

“Well then, excuse me.”

With a formal bow as the signal, three guards launched a coordinated attack on Raonhiljo.

“My lord…!”

My heart clenched painfully. Just as I was about to run toward Raonhiljo, a vicious grip twisted my arm as if it would break. In an instant, I was dragged away from the scene. Behind me, the sound of clashing swords echoed through the air.

The maze-like twists of the fortress walls sped past. While the supplies scattered on the ground, I held onto the yellow paper-wrapped pipe. The Black Martial Emperor turned a corner in the wall, only walking a few more steps before throwing me against the wall. Instinctively sensing danger, my mind screamed at me to escape. As I struggled to free myself, my wrist was ruthlessly twisted. He ripped my clothes apart, searching every inch of me. His fingers found something as they grazed my neck and chest. His deep black eyes bore down vertically.

“Something new, I see.”

I shoved him away and hurriedly fixed my clothes. My hands trembled.

“Was it Raonhiljo?”

The sudden question caught in my throat.

“…What?”

“They say you used to sell your body, and I suppose you sold your art as a bonus. Or maybe the art was the bonus.”

He pressed his thigh deeply between my legs. Gritting my teeth, I glared at him sharply.

“My lord gave me a job when I had none, and that’s all there is to it.”

“Then you won’t be seeing him anymore. You won’t be drawing him again.”

“…!”

My eyes momentarily wavered.

“I cannot break my promise twice. I will never neglect His Majesty’s portrait. As for Raonhiljo, My lord…”

“No. You will not be drawing him.”

“Your Majesty…”

“You will not be drawing him.”

His voice, sharp as a blade, cut off any further discussion. This wasn’t the time to argue about such matters. Gasping for breath, I desperately pushed him away.

“I know you’re busy… I apologize for leaving without permission, but My lord really has nothing to do with this. We just happened to run into each other on the way, so please, leave Raonhiljo, My lord, out of this…!”

“Raonhiljo, Raonhiljo…”

The Black Martial Emperor shoved his fingers into my mouth, scraping my tongue hard. His dark, burning eyes locked onto mine.

“Stop saying his name with that tongue.”

His voice, barely audible through clenched teeth, was low and dangerous. The enclosed space was pitch black, with no light to be seen. The only thing glowing in the dark was his menacing gaze. Raonhiljo might be injured and in danger, possibly fighting alone right now. I couldn’t see anything else, consumed by worry for Raonhiljo. As I tried to break free and run to him, a sudden force knocked me to the ground, and my shoulder was pinned painfully. At that moment, he grabbed my tongue and bit down, grinding himself harshly against me, pressing his body into mine as if releasing all the restraint he had held back throughout the day. The frantic friction of his lower body crushed me as the sound of ragged breathing licked over my entire being in the darkness.

“Hah… Ugh…! Ahh…!”

“Hah… Hah…”

He, seemingly unsatisfied, pulled down my pants and tore apart my underwear. At the same time, he devoured the flesh of my neck entirely.

“N-no… let me go…!”

My scream was crushed by his savage teeth. I frantically pushed his tongue and shoulders away as they ravaged my mouth.

“He really has nothing to do with this! What you’re imagining never happened! Please, just let me go…!”

Before I could even stand, his thigh forced its way between my legs. His violent touch threw me to the ground several times, but I kept struggling, focused on one thing. I had no time to control the venom in my voice. Words I couldn’t suppress spilled out recklessly.

“All I ever did was paint! He has no interest in someone like me! Even if I stripped myself and threw myself at him, he wouldn’t blink an eye…!”

Suddenly, his rough hand halted everything. His jet-black eyes, now filled with a destructive killing intent, slowly lowered to meet mine.

“Ah…”

Something went wrong from that moment. A looming shadow pushed me against a chilling wall.

“So, what? You plan to keep drawing him? And spreading your legs while you’re at it?”

The sharpness in his eyes made me falter. No sound came from my throat. His lips, twisted into a crooked smile, showed no patience. His hand snaked around my fingers like a coiling serpent.

“Then I’ll make sure you can’t draw him again.”

He grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, forcing his tongue into my mouth like a gag. In an instant, he bent my fingers back without mercy.

“Aaagh…!”

The unbearable pain of nerves twisting and bones breaking made me bite down on his tongue as hard as I could. His smooth brow furrowed as blood, thick and metallic, filled my mouth.

“Ugh… haa…”

The searing pain in my fingers made it impossible to stay conscious. I collapsed, but even that wasn’t allowed. His brutal strength pulled me back up mercilessly. His dark eyes, now completely consumed by madness, glistened with a wild intensity. The Black Martial Emperor, with his blood-soaked tongue, dragged it across my wrist.

“Don’t drive me insane.”

His voice, filled with strain, carved each word into me. The eyes of the murderous demon plunged into an abyss so deep there was no bottom. I had been the one brutally beaten, yet why was he the one wearing that expression? The nightmare of pain burned through my fingers. My hand, now unnaturally bent, dangled awkwardly. Despite everything, I clung fiercely to the pipe in my grip, refusing to let go.

A crimson veil, the glowing embers of tobacco. The entire room was bathed in a red glow, frozen in the twilight of the setting sun. I couldn’t remember when or how I had been brought to his chambers. My limp body lay sprawled on a blood-soaked mat, and thick, wet semen clung to my thighs and the openings of my body, slowly dripping down my skin. The pillow that had swallowed half my face was soaked with some unknown liquid. I blinked sluggishly, my eyes heavy. I scanned the smoke-filled room as far as my vision allowed.

Through the hazy view, I saw the murderer. He was leaning against a thick pillow, writing something in a book propped on his thigh. His hand, moving with eerie precision, was unsettling. His gaze, locked in perfect concentration, sent chills down my spine. Sensing my gaze, he slowly shifted his eyes toward me, taking a deep drag from his pipe. My parched lips trembled as I licked them and spoke in a weak, dull voice.

“…Let me go.”

His dangerous eyes fixed on my lower half, still covered in his semen. His gaze trailed slowly up from my hips, licking over my body as it passed. Outside, I heard the faint sound of the Grand Chamberlain approaching. The Black Martial Emperor tossed his pipe aside and walked toward a cabinet. Moments later, I felt the cold touch of metal wrapping around my ankle.

When I opened my eyes again, the Black Martial Emperor had vanished. In the sealed room, it was impossible to tell if it was day or night. My head felt heavy and throbbed, a result of not sleeping properly for days. The broken fingers still ached with a sharp, stinging pain, but they had been splinted and wrapped in bandages. Had a physician treated me? I hadn’t noticed anyone coming in. My lower half, now barely clothed in underwear, was clean, unlike before. Surely, it couldn’t have been him who cleaned me up… could it? I awkwardly stared at the shadows of palace maids outside the door. Even though they were old enough to be my mother, the thought that they had seen me in such a state made my face flush with heat.

Suddenly, I felt something cold around my ankle. Looking down, I saw the shackle that had been fastened to my leg. That lunatic… So that’s what he put on earlier. He was treating me like livestock. But what about Raonhiljo? I didn’t want to imagine the worst, but my thoughts kept drifting in that direction. First, I had to escape this place. There was no way the Black Martial Emperor would leave the key lying around, and no matter how hard I tried, the shackle wouldn’t come off.

“Damn it…”

Exhausted, I let my forehead fall to the floor. Was it better to just stay here? At least it was better than only meeting twice a week. But no, that wouldn’t work either. I had promised Raonhiljo, and I also needed to meet the Chieftain and hand over Jincheonroe. If I was trapped under the Black Martial Emperor’s watch, everything would be impossible. I didn’t know anymore. Thinking at all was overwhelming. I hadn’t slept properly since I arrived, and even keeping my eyes open felt torturous. But if I closed them, a worse hell awaited me—the hell of insomnia.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Was he done with his work already? I stared intently at the only possible escape route. The door swung open, but to my surprise, it was the three Hyung brothers, his bodyguards, who entered.

“I thought he was just a bookish scholar, but he’s no ordinary man.”

“We almost took an unexpected trip to the afterlife.”

“But where is His Majesty? Should we wait inside?”

“Is it alright if His Majesty isn’t here?”

“Well, we can’t just stand outside in this heat.”

“True enough.”

As they stepped into the room, they froze at the sight of me sprawled in the middle of the bed. I hurriedly adjusted my disheveled top and clumsily covered my naked lower half.

“Am I seeing things right now?”

“Why are you beating me to the question I wanted to ask?”

Unsa asked in disbelief, and Usa replied just as dumbfounded. Their faces and skin were covered in scars, leaving no spot untouched. If it weren’t for their attire, they would have looked like they had just escaped a battlefield, utterly battered. If they were in such a state, then perhaps… Without thinking, I blurted out.

“How is my lord? Is he safe…?”

“You. How did you sneak in here? Don’t give me that absurd story about the emperor bringing you in himself. We won’t believe it anyway.”

“It’s truly unbelievable. You managed to sneak in here past all that tight security. You must have some impressive skills. But where has His Majesty gone?”

They were too busy talking amongst themselves to even think about answering my question.

“Please, tell me.”

“I’m asking where His Majesty is.”

Unsa cut off my question, and I stubbornly replied, now fueled by defiance.

“If you tell me first, I’ll answer your question.”

As the tension between us rose, Usa and Pungbaek looked on with interest. Unsa glanced over my legs, bound by shackles, my broken finger, and my disheveled appearance, smirking mischievously.

“Quite the intense look you have.”

He gazed deeper into my eyes.

“They say purple shows a darkness deeper than the void. I’ve seen all kinds of purples, but yours is different. Darker and more intense than blood. It’s a color that captivates.”

His sweet compliments fell on indifferent ears. I frowned in discomfort. I’d always been unsettled by his strange gaze, as if he knew everything, probing me with his eyes. It was disturbing and unpleasant. Suddenly, Usa’s expression darkened.

“That’s getting a bit annoying. Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself and shut up. I’m sleep-deprived and on an empty stomach, so I’m irritable.”

Unsa snapped, then turned back to me.

“I’ll tell you this one thing: Raonhiljo was extremely lucky last night.”

“What do you mean?”

How could it be lucky to have gone through such danger with an injured body?

“It’s true that he’s skilled in martial arts. But his sparring partners have only been the delicate swordsmen showing off under the shield of Naragaon Fortress. His Majesty, however, has honed his skills over years of blood and flesh on the battlefield, becoming a living weapon. People say he can shatter the earth with his lightning, but rumors don’t come from nowhere.”

Usa interjected with a dry remark.

“Sword, Jincheonroe, or even a wooden stick—give him anything, and he’ll turn it into a deadly weapon.”

They looked worn out, but there was an underlying respect for the overwhelming power. Birds of a feather, indeed. I remembered them being there that night when Imae Village was reduced to ashes. They were killers, just like the Black Martial Emperor, clinging to him and indulging in slaughter. Unsa suddenly placed a finger to his ear, twisting it lightly.

“Ah, right. You haven’t seen His Majesty go completely mad yet, have you? There have been a few times where he almost lost it completely, and last night was one of those close calls.”

“…!”

I held my breath for a moment. It was a clear warning. To say he would lose his mind completely… His madness already felt overwhelming; how much worse could it get? But this was valuable information.

“And what exactly does that look like?”

“I thought you had no name, but apparently no manners either? Ask one question at a time. Now, where is His Majesty?”

It was clear they wouldn’t give me the answers I wanted. From what I could gather, Raonhiljo wasn’t in the worst situation I had imagined, but his condition was still uncertain. My curiosity was driving me insane, but the bodyguards didn’t seem inclined to share. More importantly, that man Unsa… He pretended not to care about anything, but occasionally he would throw out useful information on a whim. It would be wise not to get on his bad side. I suppressed the anger rising in my throat and hardened my expression.

“I don’t know.”

My cold response seemed to please Unsa. Usa and Pungbaek, who had been watching with interest, shook their heads in disappointment. These people were impossible to read. They seemed self-serving and indifferent to their master’s well-being, but rumors about them were just as fearsome as those about the Black Martial Emperor. And as they said, rumors don’t come from nowhere. Though they seemed to disdain each other, the Black Martial Emperor and his guards had undoubtedly forged their bond over countless life-and-death battles. Perhaps what was visible wasn’t the whole story, and I should be wary of them after the emperor.

That pointless clash had drained what little energy I had left. I just wanted to sleep somewhere comfortable now. Whether the guards were here or not, whether my lower body was exposed or not, I started to lie down on the mat. But just then, I heard footsteps from outside. As the door opened, the heavy figure of the Black Martial Emperor appeared, with the Grand Chamberlain dutifully trailing behind.

“Ah, Your Majesty! You canceled dinner with Oga, is everything alright? If Your Majesty skips a meal, I won’t be able to eat or drink anything either~!”

The bodyguards snickered without fail. “He’ll just stuff his face with something else,” Usa muttered dismissively.

“Your Majesty! Please, just take one bite. If you do, I’ll have no regrets…!”

“Get out.”

With a single, curt word from the Black Martial Emperor, the Grand Chamberlain flinched and retreated. As the Black Martial Emperor walked further in, our eyes met. He looked noticeably exhausted, and my heart faintly fluttered with a small hope. Maybe the effects were starting to show… But aside from a hint of fatigue, his skin still had that healthy glow.

I was probably being greedy. I lowered my gaze, hiding the disappointment that flickered across my face. He soon walked over to the bed, sat down beside me, and let his body sink into the thick pillows. Grabbing a pipe that was lying carelessly on the floor, he lit it. As soon as he sat down, Unsa spoke up.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble we were in yesterday? Please, Your Majesty, it would be a great relief if you could handle such matters personally.”

“Please, consider our position as well. Having to deal with His Highness in such a way… it’s a bit much…”

“It was quite the hassle.”

Usa chimed in, and Pungbaek followed suit, grumbling in agreement. The Black Martial Emperor remained silent, smoking his pipe, until he suddenly pulled the blanket over my legs, which had been exposed the whole time. Then, in an indifferent tone, he spoke.

“Your job is to follow orders. So?”

He crushed their complaints in an instant. Unsa sighed softly.

“We kept up the sparring until dawn, but things were getting so dangerous that we mutually agreed to a truce. Of course, we knew you wouldn’t appreciate us handling it on our own. His Highness sustained some serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment.”

“……!”

Unintentionally, I looked up at Unsa. So he was hurt badly. Just how serious… I bit my lip and gripped the blanket tightly. As I unconsciously shifted my gaze, I suddenly froze. The Black Martial Emperor had been watching me the entire time. His gaze, smoldering like fire, held me captive, making every muscle in my body tense up. Still locked on me, he exhaled a long stream of smoke.

“Send him some medicine for wound recovery.”

“Of course, you must mean His Highness. It’s the perfect case of giving the disease and then the cure.”

Unsa grinned wickedly, while the Black Martial Emperor lazily raised an eyebrow.

“He’s my dear brother. Isn’t it only natural?”

Unsa, bowing his head neatly, replied.

“His Highness will surely be overjoyed to hear of Your Majesty’s concern. Truly, the bond between you two brothers is more beautiful than any scenic wonder. Well then, as per Your Majesty’s command, we’ll take our leave…”

The bodyguards all bowed in unison and began to exit. As Unsa backed away, he pulled something from his waist.

“Oh, I picked this up near the rear courtyard. It’s not yours, is it? I think I saw you carrying it yesterday…”

What Unsa handed me was the pipe I had bought. The paper wrapping, once neatly tied, was now torn. I had assumed it was lost for good, but Unsa, with his sharp eyes, had remembered even amidst the chaos. His perceptiveness was unsettling.

“Thank you.”

With a casual nod, Unsa exited. The sudden quiet after everyone left was deafening. As I fiddled with the pipe, I found myself unconsciously glancing at the Black Martial Emperor. His gaze dropped to my broken fingers and the pipe in my hand. I raised it slightly, showing it off.

“If you like it, you can have it. I was planning to throw it away anyway…”

No response. I looked up, searching his face. This time, the Black Martial Emperor wasn’t looking at the pipe; he was staring at me with an unreadable expression. Feeling the weight of his gaze, I set the pipe down in a corner of the bed. It looked forlorn, abandoned. His gaze bore into my skull, suffocating me with his overwhelming presence. It felt like no matter where I went, even if it was a filthy barn, anywhere would be better than here.

“I’d like to leave. Please release me.”

Drowsiness overwhelmed me. My eyes, heavy with fatigue, burned as I rubbed them with the back of my hand.

“I want to go back to my quarters. I can’t sleep here.”

My head, my eyes—everything that needed rest was sluggish. Even if I laid down now, I knew I would toss and turn for hours. It had been that way ever since I arrived. I hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since what happened to my mother.

I grabbed the shackle around my ankle and tried to pull it off. It didn’t budge, so I forced my broken fingers to help. The sharp pain flared up, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get out of this space, to breathe again. Even if it meant cutting off my own ankle to escape these chains…!

Suddenly, a hand shot out like a hawk and grabbed my arm. In an instant, his cold, impassive face filled my vision. His lips, as sharp as they were pristine, spat out cruel words.

“You always make me wonder. Should I shove Jincheonroe into your mouth, or shove my own thing instead? It’d be best if you didn’t provoke me.”