Toxin

“Not that… it’s just…”

The Chieftain reached towards my head and pulled something from both sides, holding them out in front of me. What he held were two brushes. They were thin, with coarse bristles—clearly painting brushes. A bit confused, I looked at him, and he spoke with a slight chuckle in his voice.

“They were stuck in your hair, one on each side. They look quite valuable, but I doubt they’re meant as hair accessories.”

Who…? I quickly ran through the people I had met today, recalling if anyone had done something strange to me. Both Raonhiljo and Naro knew how sensitive my horns were, so they wouldn’t have touched my head carelessly. It wasn’t the court ladies or soldiers either—no one had touched my head, except for one person. But when? When did they put these in my hair? How did they…? I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the brushes for a while. I had allowed him to enter my space freely. He had granted unexpected requests, and now he had given me a gift I never imagined. He was showing me more than I had ever asked for. My eyes grew dizzy, overwhelmed with confusion. If not for the Chieftain’s voice, I might have let my thoughts spiral further.

“Are you alright? Your face… you seem pale.”

Startled, I quickly hid the brushes behind me, as if caught in something I wasn’t supposed to reveal. I had concealed them so hastily, like I was hiding a secret. The Chieftain’s curious gaze helped pull me back from those unfamiliar emotions.

“I’m fine… I’ll be on my way now.”

Just as I turned to leave, the Chieftain’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

“I meant to tell you earlier, but the shock of that day kept me from it. I’m only mentioning it in case you didn’t know… about Imae’s poison.”

I paused and turned back to face him. His face flickered ominously in the torchlight.

“Did you know there’s an antidote?”

“…!!”

Everything that had been cluttering my mind moments ago suddenly vanished. An antidote… I had never even considered the possibility. But of course… if there’s a poison, there must be a way to counter it somewhere.

“I didn’t know.”

The Chieftain gave a short nod.

“Perhaps your mother didn’t know either. Just in case, remember this… the antidote is—”

“I don’t need it.”

My cold voice cut him off, and he swallowed the rest of his words. An antidote? Such an indulgence should not be allowed. He must feel the full weight of what he’s done—how deeply his sins run—until every inch of his body disintegrates. The suffering of the victims must be carved into his very soul. Until my mother’s spirit rests peacefully, I will not stop. I will watch this murderer’s end, and I don’t need an antidote for that. I clenched my chest, aching with grief, struggling to breathe. My hands, gripping the brushes, had gone cold. I immediately turned away.

“I don’t need it. I’ll never use something like that.”

There’s no need to know. No, I felt certain that I mustn’t know.

Through my hazy vision, I saw him. He stood in one corner of the room, smoking, staring at something. My mind was still foggy, and I repeatedly blinked my eyes open and shut, unable to focus. His cold, emotionless eyes were fixed on something for quite a while—Jincheonroe, hanging on the wall. Wisps of smoke curled around him, casting a veil over his expression.

It felt like a dream, or perhaps a hallucination.

***

When I lifted my heavy eyelids again, the Black Martial Emperor was gathering his scattered black robes. The long layers of clothing swirled through the air before settling snugly against his muscular body. His arms and back flexed with vitality as they moved. “Your Majesty, are you ready?” I vaguely heard the voice of the Grand Chamberlain. Heavy footsteps approached, stopping before my limp body. A shadow loomed over me, and our lips met. His soft tongue slipped between my lips, gently brushing inside but lingering as if reluctant to part. He traced the contours of my lips with his tongue, as if savoring the moment. His dry voice spread across my cheek.

“Have I really become addicted?”

Moments later, the sharp scent of smoke filled the air, and once it dissipated, the room fell into complete silence.

I slowly opened my eyes. After confirming that he was gone, I struggled to sit up. My body, damp with sweat and tangled in my hair, was still marked with the traces of his presence from the night before. The intense sensations from earlier still lingered below. I bit my lip hard enough to hurt, as if trying to erase the feeling. I had spent the past few days almost entirely confined to the Black Martial Emperor’s chambers, but during his absences, I managed to work on my detailed drawings of Jincheonroe. Today, it was nearly complete.

As I dressed, I moved quietly to avoid alerting the court ladies outside and crept over to Jincheonroe, still naked. I reached for the lowest part of the structure, retrieved my hidden tools from behind the frame, and began dismantling the wooden panel. My hand, now healed except for some lingering stiffness, quickly worked through the intricate components. I transferred every detail onto the paper—each delicate part, the elaborate mechanisms. It was impossible not to marvel at how such a device had been conceived, even though it was a weapon. I recorded every piece with precision, like transferring the Black Martial Emperor’s mind onto the paper itself.

Just as I was finishing, the easel beside me slipped. Reflexively, I reached out, but before I could catch it, it fell with a loud crash. I froze. As expected, the voice of the court ladies came from outside.

“Are you awake? We are preparing breakfast. Shall we bring it in now?”

“…No. I’ll wash up first and eat a little later.”

“Very well. I’ll bring fresh clothes shortly. Let us know if you need anything.”

“Yes.”

I let out a small sigh of relief and completed the final details. After reassembling the wooden panel and hanging it back in its place, I meticulously checked for any slight misalignments. Once satisfied, I cleaned up everything, folded the paper, and hid it behind the easel. Now, all that was left was to deliver it to the Chieftain. Once that’s done, the deal with them will be finished.

As I sat down, I recalled the words of the Imae Chieftain from earlier. Antidote. The fact that an antidote exists somewhere in this world was an unexpected obstacle and a peculiar source of anxiety. The inability to pinpoint the exact nature of this anxiety only added to my feeling of helplessness and impatience. What could it be? Imae’s poison affects the body differently compared to ordinary poisons. I had a premonition that the antidote might also be unconventional. Perhaps it was something as rare as a centuries-old ginseng, a mystical beast or herb, or even something from legends like the liver of a newborn baby or a part of a deceased person’s body. Whatever it was, it should never reach the ears of the Black Martial Emperor.

***

At lunchtime, Naro visited the Imperial Palace. Having never seen the Emperor’s quarters before, Naro was so nervous that he could barely sit down. I managed to get him seated and started on the portrait work. Thanks to Naro, the portrait work had progressed rapidly. Today, we were at the stage of coloring the face and clothes. The Black Martial Emperor, of course, wouldn’t stay still, and with the ongoing construction, I had to rely on my memory and imagination for the rest. If this entire revenge plot ended successfully, this portrait would be a fitting memorial.

While I was deeply engrossed in the work, Naro discovered the brush given by the Black Martial Emperor and jumped up in shock. It turned out to be the “brush worth a horse” that he had mentioned. As Naro fiddled with the brush, it made a clattering sound, unmistakably revealing its value. It was a gift from the Black Martial Emperor—my mother’s enemy, which made it anything but welcome. However, it was the first time I had seen such a high-quality brush. The temptation to see what kind of texture it had and what kind of painting it would produce was irresistible. Even I couldn’t escape the allure of material desire. I mixed the pigments as Naro had taught me and dipped the brush tip into the paint. Applying the paint to the skin felt different from anything I had used before. My heart fluttered with a strange excitement. I didn’t want to keep such a valuable item for myself, and since there were two brushes, I thought I might as well give one to Naro.

“Please, take it.”

“Ah…! You, you! Are you out of your mind?! Gifts bestowed by the Emperor should not be handed around carelessly! It’s something that should be passed down through generations…!!”

“It’s alright. I don’t have any family to pass it down to anyway.”

And I have no intention of making a family in the future. If I can’t protect them with my own strength… My indifferent words made Naro quickly fall into a gloomy mood.

“Ah, why do you say such things? You should find a pretty wife, have children, and live well. Anyway, put it away quickly! Honestly, I feel burdened carrying a brush worth a horse on my back too!”

Even though Naro waved his hands in denial, he couldn’t take his eyes off the brush. Seeing his strong reaction, it seemed he felt quite overwhelmed. If his mind changes later, I could always give it to him… For now, I set the brush aside and resumed the paused work. While focusing on the coloring, I suddenly became curious.

“By the way, why can’t the concubines get pregnant?”

I had heard that there were over a hundred concubines of the Black Martial Emperor. Despite their youth and health, how could they all be universally infertile? Naro, glancing around and pressing his body close, whispered.

“I told you before! The Emperor can’t perform his duties as a man because of a certain condition! The concubines are kept from revealing that fact.”

How disappointing it must be for someone to believe in something so contrary to the truth. Naro believed that the Black Martial Emperor treated me differently as a painter.

“Then why hasn’t His Majesty formally welcomed an Empress? Securing an heir should be a top priority.”

“Well, I’m curious about that too. Usually, an Empress is chosen from a young age. It’s understandable if the late Emperor was too busy with state affairs, but the Empress Mother should have taken care of it. However, she was reportedly not very proactive in this matter. Some even say she disliked it. And strangely, the Empress Mother seemed to…”

Naro glanced outside and lowered his voice.

“She seemed to have a rather unusual affection for His Majesty.”

“Isn’t it natural for a mother to have affection for her son? Especially since the late Emperor’s favor shifted to Lady Yehui…”

Lady Yehui, Raonhiljo’s mother, was said to have been absolutely favored by the late Emperor despite being a concubine. It was quite plausible that she relied on her son to fill the void left by her husband. Naro shook his head.

“Actually, it was beyond just affection. The Empress Mother stayed by His Majesty’s side day and night until her death, and she didn’t let the concubines come near. The Veronjubille Mama only began to gain influence after the Empress Mother passed away.”

If Naro’s account was true, the affection for a grown son seemed excessive. Even though my own mother cared deeply for me, it wasn’t to that extent.

“It’s truly infuriating! Just when I thought I had escaped the Empress Mother’s shadow and could finally breathe…”

I recalled the voice of a concubine venting her frustration not long ago.

“How did the Empress Mother pass away?”

“Well, it was around the time His Majesty came of age, wasn’t it? I heard it was due to illness, but there are rumors saying otherwise… I don’t know the details. Should I look into it?”

“Could you do that?”

“Of course! How many times do I have to say I’m loyal to you before you understand?! I’ll find out right away!”

Without waiting for a reply, Naro ran off to investigate. I was left alone in the room, lost in thought. I had heard rumors that concubines used talismans to prevent pregnancy, but that seemed implausible. The Empress Mother had passed away seven years ago, so unless her spirit was causing interference, it should be impossible. If someone had deliberately interfered to prevent the concubines from becoming pregnant… Could it be that the Black Martial Emperor was unable to produce heirs, or was he intentionally… Why would he do that…?

***

A couple of hours later, Naro returned, and contrary to his enthusiasm, he had not made much progress. He reported that there was a strict gag order on any details about the Empress Mother’s death. Naro also mentioned that he had encountered Raonhiljo on his way back. Raonhiljo, who was responsible for the ongoing construction, was so busy that he barely had a moment to rest. Raonhiljo had also shared unexpected news: the construction rights for this project had been granted to the Imae Tribe, a decision made by the Black Martial Emperor himself.

It was surely a vile mentality. A cruel mindset that demands uprooting the land where one has long been rooted and rebuilding the kingdom of the one who killed your kin. The Imae Tribe, despite fiercely competing with the vain vassal states, had to tear down their own foundation. No one was happy about this visit. It was, indeed, a decision befitting the Black Martial Emperor.

Word had spread that they would all be returning tomorrow. Tomorrow… without a second thought, I thought of Jincheonroe. If I were caught leaving the castle again, I didn’t even want to imagine the storm that would follow. There was no other way but to deliver it before leaving the castle. After much consideration, I decided the tribesmen would swallow the papers to carry them. No matter how thorough the body searches, they wouldn’t cut open our stomachs. There were four sheets, so we could divide them evenly.

Naro had returned to Byeolwon, and I, drenched in sweat from painting portraits all morning, washed up to refresh my body. I briefly stopped by the stables as I needed some materials. Not knowing when the Black Martial Emperor would return, my steps quickened. Just as I was about to leave the stable building to head back to the parade grounds, a huge figure blocked my path. It was Orumun, standing there with a menacing face.

The warnings from the Black Martial Emperor aside, part of the reason I hadn’t come to the stables was to avoid a confrontation with Orumun. I had crossed paths with Oga a few times before, but I had thoroughly ignored him. Because of the eyes around us, his attempts had always failed. Once again, I walked past him as if I hadn’t noticed him. Orumun grabbed my arm tightly. When I turned to look, there were blazing red eyes waiting for me.

“They say you’ve been staying at the stable, but where the hell have you been hiding?!”

Without a word, I shook off his hand and attempted to walk away.

“Let’s run away.”

The sudden words stopped me in my tracks.

“You’ve heard about leaving the castle tomorrow, right? Now that I’ve secured the rights for construction, it’ll be no trouble to treat you well. I’ll be waiting at the stone grave tomorrow, so come out right away.”

What a mad thing to say. I harshly shook off his hand and turned away, but he roughly grabbed me and threw me into a corner.

“This is the last time. If you keep resisting, we’ll both die. If you want to see the sunrise tomorrow, you’d better come quietly.”

Orumun choked me as if he was ready to take my life at any moment. He didn’t realize that threatening someone about their life only works on those who still care about it. When I didn’t resist and simply stared at him indifferently, his rage-twisted face settled slightly. He lowered his hand but shook my shoulder roughly.

“Damn it…! What do you want me to do?! How…! I said I was sorry! For hitting you, for treating you like that, I’m sorry! What do I have to do to get your forgiveness? If you want me to kneel, I will…! Please…!!”

Though his voice sounded almost like a plea, Orumun still reeked of a powerful man. Considering his status, and how he was someone the tribal women secretly blushed over, I was well aware of his appeal. As the next Chieftain and now in control of the construction rights, he had regained the fallen glory of his past. All that was left was to enjoy it.

“You don’t need to apologize. Thanks to you, I could keep food in my mouth. I had plenty of chances to escape, but I too relied on you. I don’t hate you. I just have no desire to follow you.”

His red eyes stared at me, burning with desperation.

“I’m serious. All that I did…! I just didn’t know how to handle it because I liked you too much. I wanted to keep you close, but I knew that if you found out about these feelings, you’d end it without looking back. I thought I’d be able to stay with you longer this way. I even hated myself for losing my mind over someone like you. Damn it… If I knew it’d come to this, I should’ve told you sooner. Damn it… damn it…”

Orumun, looking like a man on the verge of death, clung to me. For a brief moment, his face overlapped with that of the Black Martial Emperor. On that day, what kind of expression would the Black Martial Emperor wear? What words would he use to beg for forgiveness? Would he repent with such desperation, kneeling and showing tears…?

“I’m not seeking an apology from you.”

Just as I brushed off his hand and tried to walk away, Orumun, cursing under his breath, grabbed my hair.

“You…!”

He dragged me to the back of the stable. As I fell to the ground, he ripped apart my pants. Seeing my pale skin exposed, his eyes gleamed with lust.

“Haah… Haah…! I can’t hold back anymore. It’s because you’re too beautiful! Because I can’t have you my way!”

“Let… let go…! Ugh…!”

Orumun hurriedly sucked on my lips. As his slimy tongue probed my mouth, nausea surged within me. I bit down on his tongue without hesitation. With a groan, Orumun smashed my head as if he wanted to shatter it. My vision blurred. Then, his slick manhood was shoved inside my hole. Despite the resistance of my dry entrance, he began to move his hips. The excruciating pain bored into me as if my insides were being pulled out. His eyes, bloodshot from lust, narrowed as he swung his hips.

“I knew it! I knew you’d been playing around! You little whore! You couldn’t go a day without something in your ass, could you?! Haah… Haah…! Who was it this time?! Who did you get with, you filthy whore! Does it feel good now that I’m inside?! Damn it…!”

“Ugh…! No… let go…! Hah…!”

His earlier promises were worthless as his fists rained down on me. I was disgusted to the core by the way he chose to resolve things. With what little consciousness I had left, I struggled. Orumun slammed his fist into my abdomen. It felt like being hit with stones, and I couldn’t breathe. As my hole instinctively contracted, he cursed and thrust even harder. My insides twisted, and blood flowed from my nose and mouth. As I was about to lose consciousness under the onslaught of violence from both ends…

A metallic object pierced Orumun’s neck. At the same time, a hand grabbed his hair. His throbbing manhood was yanked out in one swift motion. I vaguely heard his dying scream. As my dazed mind cleared, the first thing I saw was someone’s back. In their hand was a sword. Before I could fully process it, the sword swiftly changed direction in midair and came down toward Orumun’s legs. With a thud, his large member hit the ground, spraying blood everywhere.

“Gaaah…! Ugh…!”

Orumun clutched at the remaining root and testicles of his body, staggering backward as he coughed up blood. His eyes locked onto the man closing in from the opposite side. The man’s shoulders, cloaked in the shadow of the trees, seemed disturbingly calm.

“I actually liked you quite a bit for your straightforward nature.”

I held my breath. The voice was too familiar to require confirmation. Orumun, staring at the man in front of him, was initially shocked but quickly sensed something and began to tremble violently.

“So that’s it… You’ve been bewitched by that wretch too? Heh… even the Emperor is no exception. Too bad, but I’m taking that mongrel with me!”

With terrifying momentum, Orumun charged, intending to crush the Black Martial Emperor against the wall. At that moment, a sharp blade pierced Orumun’s throat. As it sliced through his tough flesh, a wide gash opened, and blood sprayed like a fountain. His massive body swayed on the brink of death. His bloodshot eyes glinted wildly as he let out a beastly roar.

“Heh… Even while you were doing that with him, I bet he was thinking of me! No one forgets their first, after all! It was me! I was the first to take his backside! I trained him that way! It was me! I—!”

Suddenly, murderous intent flared in the Black Martial Emperor’s eyes. In the blink of an eye, he drew a dagger from his waist. The blade buried itself deep into Orumun’s red eye, gouging it out entirely. The bloodied eyeball barely hit the floor before the other was ripped out as well. Next, the long sword gleamed as it slashed downward, severing the remaining root of Orumun’s manhood and his testicles. His arms were lopped off. His two horns fell to the ground. It was as if the Black Martial Emperor was severing my past, piece by piece. His movements were swift, precise, and brutal.

A wave of nausea surged from deep within me. I clamped a hand over my mouth and closed my eyes. Orumun’s guttural screams seemed to echo in my mind. Then, only a deathly silence remained.

Footsteps approached. As soon as they did, he mercilessly spread my legs, which I hadn’t had the chance to cover. I tried to clamp them shut with all my strength. His voice rumbled low, barely contained.

“It would be wise to spread them willingly. Otherwise, I might just start believing everything that bastard said.”

His savage voice seeped through his gritted teeth. In an instant, something hard pressed against my entrance, driving in ruthlessly. The heat that invaded me churned through my insides as if it would melt them.

“Hah…! Ugh…! Ahh…!”

“Hrngh…!”

The Black Martial Emperor bit down on the nape of my neck as he drove himself violently into me. Soon, something hot stuck to my insides, searing as it churned within. His rigid member, dripping with fluids, invaded my mouth, assaulting every corner of my tongue and the soft tissue. He shoved himself in so deeply that his testicles squashed against my chin, spurting his seed. The acrid stench turned my stomach. His cock then retreated, smearing my nipples and neck with his fluids as it slid past.

As if trying to erase every trace of Orumun’s scent, the conqueror left his own pungent mark. All I could do was tremble beneath him, my face and body now completely covered in his essence. Breathing heavily, the Black Martial Emperor tucked himself back into his trousers. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me back, his obsidian eyes seething with a mix of lust and fury. His fingers dug into my mouth, harshly scraping at my tongue.

“I’ve been thinking about what to do with you for a long time. In the end, the best option seems to be turning your body into a permanent fixture in my room—my personal trophy.”

Despite the casual tone, his face was on the verge of exploding with danger.

“But that wouldn’t work for me. I can’t even focus on anything unless I’ve tasted your tongue and those holes every single day. So, I’ve decided it’s better to let you do as you please. You can eat, sleep, paint, and smile as usual. You could even walk around the palace naked if you wanted.”

His dark, ominous eyes bore into me.

“I’ll take care of the rest.”

His gaze, cold as death, squeezed at my throat like a serpent. In that moment, the places Orumun had beaten me flared up in pain, tightening in agony. My spine felt like it was breaking as I coughed violently. Blood dripped from my mouth and nose onto the floor. The Black Martial Emperor yanked my hair again, bending me backward. Something flashed in his dark eyes, different from his usual murderous intent. He licked the blood that smeared my lips, and a sharp pain caused my shoulders to tense. For a while, he softly kissed the torn flesh, before wrapping me up tightly in his robe and pulling me close. As I was lifted into the air, I caught a glimpse of the crowd gathering in front of the stable. The sight of scattered body parts shocked and horrified them. The Chieftain, who had rushed over too late, wailed over his son’s corpse. Two bloodied eyes lay on the ground, staring directly at me. I averted my gaze in terror, hiding my face in the killer’s chest. I had narrowly escaped one danger, only to be thrown into a far greater one.

“How does it feel?”

The Black Martial Emperor’s eyes fell on me, and my voice scattered weakly.

“…When you plucked out the eyes and cut off the horns of the Imae Tribe… how did that feel?”

The Black Martial Emperor twisted his cold lips.

“Are you sad because your first partner is gone? But now is not the time to show it.”

To me, he looked like a bloodthirsty monster, hungry for flesh. My cold lips trembled, and my teeth chattered from the intense chill. The killer frowned, tightening his grip around my shoulders, but all I felt was that icy body heat. I could do nothing but shiver helplessly in his arms. He hugged me tighter, his steps quickening. With each stride, something hard beneath his robes scratched against my hips. People stared wide-eyed as we passed. Naro’s jaw dropped. The guards shook their heads. The Grand Chamberlain, stunned, followed behind like a loyal dog. Among them was Raonhiljo, his face set in stone.

***

That night, I was tormented by nightmares of Orumun being torn apart, all while sleeping in the arms of the man responsible. Today was the day the Chieftain was set to leave the castle. I pulled out the hidden paintings I had prepared. There were four in total. I had been serious when I suggested swallowing them. Fearing the digestive juices might damage them, I wrapped them once more in oil paper.

While the Black Martial Emperor was busy with his duties, I visited the Chieftain. When I arrived at the stable, they were already preparing to leave. The atmosphere was so somber it felt like a funeral. In one corner lay something covered with a rag, and flies buzzed around, drawn by the stench of a corpse. It was a pitiful and miserable end, compared to his once-glorious life. The tribesmen, with grim faces, swatted at the flies. When they saw me, their eyes turned wild as they grabbed me by the collar.