Toxin

The Black Martial Emperor left the house, perhaps to have a private conversation with the imperial physician. While he was gone, the guards lay down on the porch, chatting among themselves. I had come here determined to draw to my heart’s content, even if it killed me, but now I found myself oddly thankful for their interference. Pulling my gaze away from them, I grabbed some rice paper and went to the platform in the corner of the yard. The recent rain had left the paper damp, so I spread it out in the sunlight. My hands moved, but the physician’s warnings lingered in my mind.

Back when I painted Raonhiljo’s portrait, I spent every free moment on it, pushing through high fever and severe cramps to complete it. Painting isn’t something you can schedule or stop on command; setting a time limit would only lead to my head overheating and bursting from frustration. The more I was told not to do it, the stronger the urge grew. I was itching to pick up my brush again, the impatience almost unbearable. I figured as long as I didn’t overwork myself, I’d be fine. Just then, the Grand Chamberlain entered the yard, grumbling.

“I’ve never seen anyone cling like this leech!”

The Grand Chamberlain, as usual, had his arms full of official documents, and this time, Naro accompanied him.

“Surely, the journey was less lonely with me around, wasn’t it?” Naro said with a sly smile, following the Grand Chamberlain. It had only been four days since their last visit, and I hadn’t expected them back so soon. The Grand Chamberlain gave me a scrutinizing look, raising his thick chin stiffly.

“Where is His Majesty?”

“He’s stepped out with the imperial physician.”

The Grand Chamberlain walked over to the porch and scolded the guards who were lounging about.

“You insolent fools! How dare you lie there in the presence of your lord? Get up this instant!”

“Ah, you’re here?” The guards slowly dragged themselves up, their expressions filled with reluctance. The Grand Chamberlain glared at them with hawk-like eyes, clutching his bundle of documents as if it were a treasure chest. The small courtyard quickly filled with people. Naro bowed to the back of the Grand Chamberlain’s head before approaching me.

“Painter, what brings you here?”

“Don’t even ask! I’ve been dying to come, but it’s not exactly a short trip! I left the palace ready to camp out for days if necessary! But then, by chance, I met the Grand Chamberlain, and I begged him to let me ride the eungryong here!”

Even riding the eungryong at full speed, the journey would have taken over two hours. Naro’s cheeks were flushed red from the sunlight he had endured on the dragon’s back. Seeing his youthful appearance, it was hard to believe he was six years older than me. I quickly led him to the shaded porch, but Naro, noticing the guards lounging there, bowed deeply, almost to the point of breaking his back.

“P-pleased to meet you! I am Naro, a Painter of the Imperial Household! I’ve heard much about you, and it is an honor to meet you in person! Wow… You’re magnificent…”

Straightening up, Naro marveled at the glamorous guards, but the three brothers remained stone-faced, not even acknowledging his greeting. Even Pungbaek, who usually accepted such courtesies with politeness, was unresponsive today. Unsa, casting a disinterested glance toward the gate, muttered dryly.

“Where on earth did His Majesty go with the physician that he’s still not back?”

“Well, if you plan on cutting off limbs, flaying scalps, and gutting organs, even for His Majesty, it’s bound to take some time.”

“Why would the physician be involved?”

Unsa’s question prompted Usa to glance slyly at me.

“Didn’t the physician massage that one’s wrist earlier?”

The guards, exchanging dry banter, plopped back down onto the porch. But Pungbaek remained silent, his gaze fixed solely on Naro. Naro, meanwhile, kept sneaking glances at the guards with wide, starry eyes. At that moment, the Black Martial Emperor entered the courtyard, having finished his discussion with the physician. Contrary to Usa’s prediction, the physician followed behind him. The guards finally rose and greeted them with formal bows. As soon as the Grand Chamberlain saw the emperor, he hurried over.

“Oh, Your Majesty~! Where have you been wandering under this blazing sun without a parasol? Your fair skin could be harmed, and I’ve been so worried…!”

The Grand Chamberlain handed a rolled document to the emperor.

“You have an early morning audience with the ministers tomorrow, Your Majesty. And here is a petition regarding the cancellation of the construction in Imae Village. Numerous requests are pouring in, asking for reconsideration. This one is from the Sumil Kingdom, and this one from Oru Kingdom, and…”

Naro, spotting the Black Martial Emperor, looked utterly shocked.

“W-what is this? What brings His Majesty here…?”

Then, suddenly realizing himself, he threw himself to the ground, bowing repeatedly. The emperor’s gaze landed on Naro, who was making a loud show of his greetings.

“What’s this?”

“Y-yes! Y-Your Majesty! I-I am Naro, a Painter of the Imperial Household! We met once before…”

The emperor seemed to have no memory of Naro whatsoever.

“I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s grace! Because of Your Majesty’s kindness, I have been reunited with Roha!”

It was at that moment that the Black Martial Emperor’s eyes turned as sharp as blades. It was a situation I hadn’t anticipated, and I couldn’t help but feel a wave of unease.

“Roha is my one and only friend! When we were together before, he treated me so well! The fact that I could see him again is all thanks to Your Majesty’s grace! I am so grateful, so very grateful!”

Completely unaware of the situation, Naro kept calling out my name, while the Black Martial Emperor looked down at him, indifferent. His eyes held the calm of a predator about to tear into its prey. I couldn’t let them stay together. I quickly pulled Naro up and covered his mouth.

“Painter, please go inside. I’ll bring out some tea.”

I pushed Naro into the room, and he mouthed something at me as if he wanted to say more.

“It seems His Majesty is inclined to forgive you. Why else would he come here in person?”

Excited, Naro kept babbling as I forced him into the room and shut the door, letting out a small sigh. When I turned around, I found myself locked in the gaze of the Black Martial Emperor. For a moment, his stare felt sharp enough to carve out my eyes. Whenever our eyes met like this, he never hesitated to unleash his killing intent. While I tried to be careful, moments like these left me completely exposed to his raw hostility. He had surely seen the name in my eyes, so he didn’t need Naro to say it aloud.

He never once spoke my name. Not that I wanted him to. The thought of him uttering the name Raonhiljo had given me was unimaginable. His piercing gaze made me feel as though my eyes were being drilled into. After staring at me for a long while, his gaze slowly moved up to the top of my head, as if trying to quell the anger he’d discovered in my eyes.

The Grand Chamberlain, the bodyguards, and the royal physician all paid their respects to the Black Martial Emperor and left through the gate. Suddenly, it was just the two of us left in the empty courtyard. From a short distance, the Black Martial Emperor was staring at the door where Naro had gone inside.

“Why don’t you send him away too?”

His tone, treating Naro like an object, grated on my ears, and a cold voice escaped me.

“He came a long way to visit. I intend to serve him dinner before sending him off.”

“Send him off now. He’s irritating.”

I glared at him, cold and firm.

“Painter Naro is the first friend I’ve ever made. No matter how often he visits, I’m always glad to see him.”

So whatever thoughts are running through your head, it would be best to keep them as mere thoughts. You really should.

“If you dislike it that much, why don’t you leave instead?”

I turned my back on him and gathered the paper. I didn’t bother to mention how Naro reminded me of my mother, and how that made me even more fond of him. The fact that he was my friend would already be enough for the Black Martial Emperor to understand. I carried the paper over to the sunniest spot and began laying it out on the bench.

“Do I have to spell it out for you? I want to be alone with you.”

The voice was so close it made me shiver. When I turned, the Black Martial Emperor was standing right behind me. It was terrifying how he could sneak up without a sound like that. His breath scattered across my shoulder as I quickly moved to put distance between us. Then, as I recalled his earlier words, a strange heat rushed to my neck. It was a confusing feeling. My chest pounded as I tried to suppress it and spoke.

“I told you… I’m just serving him dinner before sending him off. Can’t you endure that much…?”

I bit my lip as I spoke. When I tried to turn away again, a cold hand wrapped around my arm. When I looked up, I found the Black Martial Emperor staring down at me, his expression somewhat softened compared to before.

“Let it go for now. It’s going to rain soon.”

Today had been an unusually clear day, and the sunlight was strong.

“I don’t see any sign of rain at all.”

The Black Martial Emperor glanced up at the sun-drenched sky, scanning it with one eye.

“I can smell it.”

I sniffed the air, but all I could detect was the earthy scent of the ground. Was he just making it up? Or did he have an unusually sharp sense? Either way, the confidence in his voice was enough to make me waver. He continued to watch me as I laid out the paper, and then he started gathering it up himself.

“This is the only day for me to dry the paper.”

I tugged at the paper he had grabbed, but he didn’t let go, turning it into a silent tug-of-war.

“I don’t smell rain, and there are no dark clouds. There’s no sign of rain at all, not to my eyes…”

“It will rain.”

“It’s been ages since we had such a clear day, so I need to dry this paper while I can…”

“It will rain.”

Ignoring my protests, the Black Martial Emperor gathered all the paper and stacked it on one side of the porch. He then leaned against one of the pillars and unrolled a document. His previously lethargic eyes sharpened with frightening intensity. It never failed to amaze me how quickly he could focus. From what I’ve seen, he was so meticulous with his work that it was almost overwhelming, and he hardly ever postponed anything. His laid-back appearance and behavior couldn’t be more misleading.

But today, what had gotten into him? I had eaten the meat he’d brought for breakfast, but he had only snatched a few pieces from my plate. He didn’t seem interested in eating properly. I decided I should at least offer something decent to Naro and headed for the kitchen. I glanced up at the sky for a moment before retrieving the paper and bringing it inside. Then I headed directly to the kitchen. Behind me, I heard the soft rustling of paper. I could also sense eyes following my every move.

Though I had entered the kitchen, I was at a loss. I couldn’t just serve cold water to a guest who had come all this way, and the Black Martial Emperor… Well, meat had been our staple food, so I’d never felt the need to cook. A bowl containing the leftover meat from earlier was on the counter. With few ingredients available, I figured I could at least try to make something. But as I moved to pick up the bowl, my trembling hand lost its grip, and it shattered with a loud crash.

“Haa…”

This was the most challenging time. Usually, it was fine, but whenever I had to do delicate work or lift something heavy, the symptoms would invariably appear. I massaged my hand, which was still trembling, and picked up a sharp piece of debris. Just then, a shadow loomed overhead, and the Black Martial Emperor landed in front of me. At the same time, his stern, hardened face filled my vision. He wiped away the bead of sweat that had formed on my forehead with his hand, then smoothly slid it downwards.

“Are you dizzy?”

I lowered my gaze. No, it wasn’t dizziness. The truth was, I couldn’t concentrate for another reason. Since our reunion, we hadn’t once touched each other. The whole time he had been here, he responded to every word, every action I made, like a bird of prey waiting for an opening. My muscles grew tense. The faint heat in my head never left.

“I’m fine. My hand just slipped.”

“Move aside.”

The Black Martial Emperor gently pushed me back and began picking up the scattered pieces from the floor. I also helped, saying,

“It’s fine. You must be backed up with work…”

“Go inside. It’s not like you can focus on anything anyway.”

The clattering noise filled the room. The Black Martial Emperor roughly shoved the pieces of the bowl and meat into a corner and came closer. A shadow fell over my slumped shoulders as he spoke coolly to me.

“I told you to go inside.”

“You haven’t eaten anything properly all day.”

He raised an eyebrow slightly.

“You’re quite thoughtful of your friend. If there’s something you need, just say the word. I’ll go get it.”

No, that’s not what I meant…

“I meant Your Majesty.”

A sudden silence hung in the air. When I looked up, his sharp, heated eyes were waiting for me. Those eyes… I couldn’t bear to meet them, those eyes that appeared so often. I spoke while staring at his chest.

“If there’s something you’d like to eat, please let me know. There’s a market nearby, and I can go.”

Come to think of it, I had no idea what kind of food the Black Martial Emperor liked. He knew all my habits and preferences, but I knew nothing of his. Back then, I hadn’t noticed anything but my goal of revenge. I asked him again, as he remained silent.

“If you don’t want anything…”

“It’s not that I don’t want anything. It’s just that I don’t really trust you. You don’t seem like someone who’d go near a kitchen.”

His words carried complex meanings, but in short, he didn’t think I had any skills in cooking. At first, he’d said I didn’t look like an artist. I had no idea what about my appearance prompted such comments, but I couldn’t help retorting impulsively.

“And Your Majesty too.”

His dark eyebrows twitched with interest.

“Your Majesty doesn’t seem like the type to go near a battlefield either. You look more suited to holding a bottle of wine than a weapon.”

As I got up, brushing off my seat with a faint smile, a rough force suddenly swept me up, and his fierce black eyes pierced through me.

“Every time I wake up and see you’re not beside me, it feels like I’m drinking muddy water. What do you think it’s like when I can’t concentrate on anything because I’m trying to figure out how to get you back into my room?”

I stopped breathing at the sudden attack. The cold-blooded warmth coiled around my wrist was chilling.

“What if I told you I’m on the verge of pinning you down right here, spreading your legs, and filling you up?”

The explicit words made my ears burn. His gaze, previously relaxed, now burned with the raw hunger of a beast. It was a dizzying sense of imminent assault without warning. His eyes shot through me like flaming arrows.

“And what if I told you the only reason I’m holding back is because I know if I go through with it, there won’t be any turning back?”

I clenched my empty hands tightly to conceal the pounding of my heart.

“I… feel comfortable here. This is the home I’ve lived in my entire life.”

“If you want, I can move this entire house inside the palace. Or should I move all of Hanaru Mountain for you?”

“I just want to stay here, quietly painting, with nature as my companion.”

“I won’t interrupt that time. Though I can’t guarantee I’ll keep that promise.”

My heart pounded violently. The palace—the suffocating place I never wanted to return to. Perhaps, the place I should have gone back to wasn’t there at all.

Suddenly, the sound of rain falling outside echoed, as if it were a lie.

“I…”

I parted my lips but then closed them again. The hot breath crashing against my forehead was pushing me to the edge. Right now, he seemed like someone who could accomplish any absurd request I made, no matter how outrageous. In his own way, he would inevitably achieve his goal.

What if I asked him for the entire Baedal Kingdom…? That ridiculous thought flitted through my mind for a moment.

Before I could even accept, the Black Martial Emperor swept me onto Heukryeong and whisked me away from Imae Village. It was as if I had been kidnapped, so I ended up arriving with nothing but my body. Naro barely had time to sit down before we were already riding Pungbaek’s dragon into the palace. As soon as we arrived at Naragaon Fortress, the Black Martial Emperor headed straight for his quarters. The guards and court ladies who guarded Yongjeon Hall looked at me as if they had seen a ghost when they saw me return alive. Some of them were still the same people from before I had left. How many lives had been lost in that time? I hoped that even as the days passed, their faces would remain unchanged.

The Black Martial Emperor’s room was the same as it had been two months ago. It was large enough to fit a few houses, with a porcelain vase precariously placed on the edge of a cabinet, irregularly stacked books, my sketchbook and art supplies propped up on the cabinet, a pipe stand lying at the edge of a bolster, and an old, worn-out cheap pipe that had seen many uses. Everything was still in its carefully maintained state of disordered order. I, too, who had been part of that order, had returned to my place.

I approached the landscape painting that covered an entire wall. It was Hanaru Mountain, which I had painted before. I had painted it in defiance when the Black Martial Emperor had threatened to tear down the mountain, so I thought he would have gotten rid of it, but surprisingly, it was still there. I looked around the room. This space, which had once suffocated me and sent chills down my spine, now felt strangely less oppressive. Just as I had returned here with a different mindset than when I left Naragaon Fortress, perhaps when I returned to that house one day, I would return with a different heart…

As I was tracing the familiar strokes of Hanaru Mountain, the door opened from both sides, and the Black Martial Emperor entered, carrying a bowl. He brought the medicine bowl to my lips, and without hesitation, I opened my mouth. He placed my head on his shoulder and looked down at me coolly as I swallowed the medicine. The bitter scent of the herbal decoction seeped into my nose, easing my nerves. During a time when I had lived with medicine constantly at my lips, he had always personally fed me like this.

To exaggerate a bit, back then, I didn’t even have the will to lift a bowl, let alone the strength. He had forced me to eat when I refused, and so, unwillingly, it had come to this. Somewhere along the line, feeding me and me accepting it became so natural that it now seemed expected from both of us. Sometimes, I wondered what exactly I was doing. After swallowing all the medicine, I withdrew from his embrace.

“I heard Your Majesty is also undergoing treatment. Are you receiving it well?”

“Roughly.”

His answer was curt. Did “roughly” mean he was handling it on his own, or was he just neglecting it altogether? On the surface, the Black Martial Emperor’s complexion looked better than when we reunited, and he appeared so healthy that it was hard to believe he had been at death’s door. In fact, it was his apparent well-being that bothered me even more. The Black Martial Emperor, indifferent to my inner turmoil, carelessly tossed the bowl onto the cabinet and guided me toward the bed. I planted my feet firmly and looked at him, and the Black Martial Emperor stopped abruptly.

“You must be tired. Why not rest?”

Even though my aversion to this room had faded, being in the same space with him still felt overwhelming.

“I… I think it would be better if I stayed in Byeolwon.”

The Black Martial Emperor’s eyes darkened instantly.

“Why?”

“I was in such a hurry to come that I left all my art supplies at home. I’ll need to borrow some from the painter, and it’s more convenient to paint in Byeolwon.”

I hoped he wouldn’t notice the sketchbooks and supplies standing on the cabinet, but as expected, his eyes fell right on them. He glanced back at me after taking them in.

“Why are you acting strange all of a sudden? Isn’t it natural for you to stay in my room?”

“I only said I would come here, not that I would stay in Your Majesty’s room.”

“Isn’t that right?” I asked, and he furrowed his brow.

“I got distracted by those words and didn’t think it through.”

The Black Martial Emperor muttered to himself, then, without another word, led me somewhere else. We stopped in front of a door connected to an adjoining room. I looked at him in confusion as he grabbed the door handle and swung it open.

“Ah…”

A gasp escaped my lips unconsciously as I saw the space before me. The Black Martial Emperor led my frozen self inside. The room he showed me was furnished with fragrant wooden furniture and decorated with crafts. On top of the furniture, there were various sketchbooks, brushes, mineral pigments, and all sorts of paints, enough to last a lifetime. In addition, famous paintings from well-known artists were hung on the walls. Everything here was priceless, items any artist would covet. Surely he didn’t plan to take up painting as a hobby…

His voice fell onto my shoulder.

“Well, it seems like the environment is now suitable for painting.”

His words cleared away my doubts. My heart started pounding from that moment.

“I won’t disturb you while you paint. But remember, if you don’t come out within the time I set, I’ll drag you out immediately.”

I blinked in surprise, then turned to stare at the Black Martial Emperor.

“Did you… study art yourself?”

“To call it studying would be a bit much. I just looked into it lightly.”

“Lightly”… To prepare this thoroughly would be impossible with only superficial research. Moreover, for someone who had no interest in art whatsoever, it must have been an ordeal that required a significant amount of time. For example, the kind of time that only someone who spends all day on official duties and carves out the rest for building deadly weapons might have.

I lowered my gaze. This… this was something I hadn’t imagined, and I didn’t know how to respond. I had truly lost my words. The words that filled my mouth rolled around on my tongue without making their way out. His eyes grew languid as he watched my expression. At that moment, he quickly leaned in, his lips slightly parted. His hair cascaded against my cheek, and in an instant, my tongue was pulled into his.

I snapped back to reality.

“Uh… w-wait…! Wait a second…!”

His hand slipped into my pants and tightly grasped my hidden, erect member. As his already hard body pressed into my rear, I recoiled in shock and twisted my waist to pull away. He immediately grabbed my chin, firmly holding me in place as he thrust his tongue into my mouth. His tongue invaded the moist space, seeking satisfaction. Every time he shamelessly revealed his desire, I pretended not to notice. He surely must have realized that. Even so, when he pushed forward with that hungry gaze, I…!

I pushed his shoulders away with all my strength.

“No! I don’t want this! I don’t…!”

I didn’t want to be with him physically anymore. I couldn’t bear it. At my vehement rejection, his body froze. I grabbed the collar of my robe, which had slipped to my shoulders, and held it tightly, ensuring it wouldn’t open again. Our heavy breathing mixed in the air. His expression twisted darkly.

“Do you know? It feels disgusting, like I’m sharing you with that bastard.”

The unexpected words froze my face. My eyes visibly shook, enough for me to feel it myself. Observing it all, the Black Martial Emperor sneered with his signature cruel smile.

“By now, he’s probably bleeding out and close to death. His heart should stop soon.”

When his gaze swept over my head and returned to meet mine, his eyes were blazing.

“It was a surprise you didn’t cut off Raonhiljo’s head. After all, you two exchanged names, didn’t you?”

The sharpness in his gaze made my nerves spike. So, that’s how he interpreted my rejection of his touch? Because he decided I was spreading my legs for anyone, it wasn’t surprising that he came to that conclusion. Sorry to disappoint him, but Raonhiljo and I… Suddenly, a heat surged from my chest to the back of my neck. But my voice was cold as ice.

“Think what you want.”

I pushed his hand away and tried to leave the room, but he grabbed my wrist and slammed me against the wall. The warmth from his hand felt like it would burn me, and the remnants of his feverish gaze muddled my mind. Pinning me against the wall, he looked at me with an expression I couldn’t read.

“Or is it because of what I did?”

I stopped, as if stabbed by a needle. I didn’t deny that his crimes were part of the reason I refused his desire. But he had completely missed the more crucial cause. I shook off his touch and fled, driven by the need to escape his sight.

***

“Hah… hah…”

I ran aimlessly until I slowed down, my breath catching in my throat. My mouth still tingled with the memory of the wet sensation of his flesh and saliva. I bit my lips, desperate to shake off the feeling. I had braced myself for this sort of situation when I decided to return, but every time it happened, it was overwhelming. Even though he had experienced firsthand how terrifying Imae’s poison could be, dealing with his relentless obsession was exhausting.

Even though I ran out of the palace, the Black Martial Emperor didn’t chase me. Perhaps due to physicians’s warning, he did his best to accommodate me. Whenever I showed even a hint of anger, he would immediately stop everything and wait for me to calm down. For someone like him, who usually never cared, the fact that he paid such close attention to my every move… and the unexpected gift today… It was all these things that made me act this way. It’s why I was so afraid.

One nightmare was more than enough.

***

I made my way to Byeolwon. As soon as Naro saw me, he tossed aside his broom and threw his arms around me. Despite my being swept into the palace, he was just happy that I had returned. Byeolwon had new faces to fill the gap from my absence. Naro and I sat side by side on the porch, chatting. He couldn’t stop pestering me, insisting on seeing the name engraved in my eyes again. Though he had seen it before, it still fascinated him.

“Come on, tilt your face like this so it catches the sunlight! There it is! Wow~ It’s incredible how a name can be etched into someone’s eyes! What does it feel like? Does it feel like you’re being stabbed by an awl? Didn’t it hurt?”

“It wasn’t really painful, more like I was temporarily blinded.”

“Really?! Wow~ The way the letters change color depending on how the light hits them… It turns deep blue, then light green… The colors are so beautiful! That must be a reflection of that person’s energy, right?”

“Yes.”

Naro marveled as he examined my eyes from every angle, his own eyes sparkling.

“Oh, right. Does that mean that if the person you’re connected to feels happy, you feel happy too, and if they’re sad, you feel sad as well?”

“I think so.”

“Oh… I see…”

Naro’s expression suddenly grew awkward, and he fell silent. I turned my gaze to the tranquil yard. Ever since I had left Raonhiljo, I had been plagued by a constant dull ache in my chest. As time passed, it became more intense, and sometimes, out of nowhere, I found myself on the verge of tears. I had so many questions—whether he was doing well, tending to his new home, and if the villagers still followed him faithfully. Naro, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly clapped his hands together.

“Oh, by the way, did you hear? Mama Veronjubille died in such a gruesome way. They say it was by the Black Martial Emperor’s hand!”

“Yes.”

It had happened right before my eyes.

“After Mama Veronjubille died, some of the palace maids said they heard a woman crying, and some even claimed they saw her vengeful spirit… Ugh. You have no idea how terrified I was! I kept thinking she’d come to me, demanding that I paint her portrait! You know how people with unfinished business can’t leave this world, right?”

Naro trembled as he continued to speak hurriedly.

“Besides, Mama Veronjubille tried so hard to conceive a prince during her life. She always talked about having a prince, day in and day out. I mean, if she had given birth to a prince, her future would’ve been secured, right? But when things didn’t go her way, she took it out on innocent people. Ugh… thinking about what I went through back then still makes me break out in a cold sweat even in my sleep. Yet, despite hearing about Mama Veronjubille’s fate, I didn’t feel completely happy. Sure, her nature was nasty, but in a way, it’s kind of sad.”

A bitter smile lingered on Naro’s lips.

“One time, Mama was so drunk she said, ‘I’m constantly begging for a prince, but His Majesty doesn’t even blink an eye. I’ve even thought about biting my tongue and ending it right in front of him.'”

His dark eyes, now slightly subdued, met mine.

“But then she said, what she really wanted… wasn’t a prince to inherit the throne… she just wanted to have His Majesty’s child.”

Perhaps, what she truly desired was a simple, ordinary life. Is that why she’s still lingering here, unable to move on? Veronjubille’s desperate cries echoed in my mind.

Her life, spent yearning for one man, ended in a tragic death. The selfish ambition that crushed others to protect her power might have been the heart of a mother trying to shield her family. The schemes she devised were likely fueled by the desire to bring joy to her beloved. Her yearning to reclaim her former glory might have been the nostalgia for memories shared with her lover. Not as a manipulative femme fatale, but as someone’s wife, as a mother. If only it weren’t for this place, if only she hadn’t fallen for Black Martial Emperor…

Even though she gave everything, she was cast aside, meeting a pitiful, brutal end. Veronjubille’s reckless boldness seemed both foolish and pitiable. And I felt jealous.

***

We had chatted for quite a while; before I knew it, the sun had set. Naro suddenly jumped up and practically forced me into the room.

“Come on! The night is long, and we’ve got plenty more to talk about, so let’s finish inside! It’s been a while since you’ve been here, hasn’t it?”

“Uh, well…”

I looked at him, unsure how to respond.

“What? Oh, are you worried someone else might be here? Don’t worry. No one wants to share a room with me, so I’ve got the place all to myself.”

“…I actually have a place to stay.”

“Wh-where?”

Naro’s black eyes darted around, then he jumped up in alarm.

“Don’t tell me! You’re staying in the stables again?! I get it, you’re a traitor who tried to poison the emperor, but sending someone sick back to the stables is too much! When they brought you back, I thought the emperor had forgiven you, but now I see…! Why even bring you back if this was going to happen?!”

“…”

Watching Naro’s fury practically shake the entire Byeolwon, I decided it was best not to mention that I’d been staying in Black Martial Emperor’s residence. He was always amusing to tease. In a serious tone, I said,

“I’m suffering terribly from the awful smell, but… it’s the only way I can properly atone for my crimes, isn’t it? After all, I’m a high traitor who spied and even attempted poisoning.”

Naro patted my shoulder with a look of deep sympathy.

“Yeah, yeah… I guess you’re lucky to be walking around at all. But honestly, Roha, I envy you! How much must the emperor have liked your painting skills to bring you back, even though you’re a traitor who tried to kill him? Sure, he’s angry now, but if you keep working hard, maybe one day his anger will fully subside. Just hang in there a little longer! Oh, if staying alone is tough, how about I move to the stables with you? How come I didn’t think of this sooner? Starting today, I’ll pack my things and—”

I hurriedly stopped Naro from rolling up his sleeves, then stood up to leave. Naro quickly composed himself and insisted on seeing me off. As I stepped out of Byeolwon, I felt an odd reluctance to return to Yongjeon. Naro, sensing my hesitation, cautiously spoke up.

“By the way… earlier, you mentioned that when someone from the Imae Tribe names you, it means their soul is bound to yours, right?”

“Yes.”

Naro looked clearly uncomfortable.

“Um… don’t get me wrong, but… does that naming require a special process? I mean, does it have to be done by someone qualified? When you say the souls are bound… it kind of sounds like… marriage or something.”

“Usually, parents name their child when they’re born, but it doesn’t have to be a blood relative. Sometimes, they’ll entrust it to someone they trust, and there were even cases where people asked the Imae Chieftain.”

“So, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily married to whoever gives you the name? That makes sense… I mean, no one’s going to marry off a newborn to an old Chieftain, right? So it’s more like becoming a part of their family, like an adopted child or grandchild.”

“Yes.”

“Thank goodness! I was worried for a second that you and Raonhiljo might have…”

Naro gasped, then looked around nervously and lowered his voice.

“When you said my lord gave you your name, I thought it was strange. I mean, it’s weird for two guys to have their souls bound, right? Ah, now I’m relieved! So, you’re like his son? An adopted son? How strange it is to have such a grown-up son when he’s not even married yet!”