TTQI 0

It was a quiet and profound night, not even a single insect chirping.

A figure glided down the silent corridor as if slipping through the stillness. He wore a white cloth draped over his head, and the trailing edge of the fabric, fastened at his chest, fluttered mysteriously like the waves of the Milky Way with every movement he made.

The figure, moving softly as if floating along the corridor, soon reached his destination. It was before a massive door. Enveloped in mysterious darkness, the door stood in a secluded part of the castle, solemnly closed without a trace of human presence, as if firmly rejecting any visitors. It seemed to shout, “Do not come, do not come,” but the midnight guest, with a faint smile, pushed the handle, feeling a slight thrill.

The door opened, and the guest cautiously peered through the gap. The room was silent. A strangely bluish moon poured its light into the room through a large window with its curtains drawn back. And there, standing in the middle of the room, blocking the moonlight, was someone. The midnight guest quietly called his name.

“Zizlon.”

The voice was clear, but the master of the room showed no reaction. Though veiled, the angular and sturdy silhouette suggested that the person standing in the center was a man. A man with a beautiful physique that could inspire envy in others. He stood draped in sleek black fabric, the light and flexible material revealing every curve of his body, failing to serve as a proper cover. It was as if a statue carved from black marble had been placed in the middle of the room.

The man, the master of the room, stood utterly still, as if he were indeed a statue. But the guest, accustomed to such behavior, reacted calmly. Without impatience, he called out again, “Zizlon,” in a composed tone, and finally, the man responded.

A silvery sword, scattering the moonlight, emerged from beneath the veil.

The man let the sword, hidden in his embrace, dangle at an angle for the other to see. Such a chilling and defensive threat might have seemed almost pitiable, but the hand gripping the sword’s hilt was so firm, rough, and seasoned that it sent a shiver down the spine of anyone watching. Anyone could tell. The hand holding the sword carried the solemn calmness of someone who knew the weight of life. In this quiet and solemn manner, the man displayed his resolute determination.

Then, he spoke.

“Do not come any closer.”

“…….”

But the guest smiled. Quietly lowering his eyes, he paused for a moment, as if wondering what to do with this man. Rather than fear, the visitor felt pity for his threat. Soon, he too stepped into the room flooded with moonlight. A reverently beautiful face gradually emerged into the light.

It was a face that could only be described as a gift from the gods. A cold and expressionless face, as if carved from ice. Large, intelligent green eyes, elegantly cast downward, sparkled with clarity. Luscious platinum curls, modeled after an ancient goddess’s statue, a slender and elongated neck like a deer’s, and white cloth draped around him like a halo. His beauty was so flawless that it not only evoked admiration from all, regardless of age or gender, but also stirred a strange sense of rejection, as if witnessing something unreal. An ethereal being, who seemed barely real, parted his rosy lips.

“Why are you suddenly sulking?”

“Your Majesty.”

The man’s voice that followed was slightly agitated.

“How long do you intend to humiliate me like this? Do not make me betray His Majesty any further. Every time I face His Majesty, I feel like stabbing myself.”

“What are you talking about now? The betrayal was your own doing. Both of us bear responsibility.”

The man’s voice grew louder.

“You tricked me that day. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“And the second time? And the time after that?”

“Those are even less my fault.”

The man’s hand, gripping the sword tightly, was slick with cold sweat. Despite his pretense, his anxiety was evident. But the uninvited guest, the queen, showed no trace of disturbance on his handsome face. He raised his head proudly, as if he had nothing to be ashamed of under the heavens.

“Why isn’t it your fault?”

“You blackmailed me.”

“No. Why did the blackmail work? Because you didn’t confess the truth to the king. The first mistake could have been undone. But what did you do? You hid the truth and complied with my demands. You repeated the second, the third mistake. You chose to hide the truth, and now you blame me. It’s too late to turn back. From the second time onward, no excuses will hold.”

The hand holding the sword trembled faintly, like an aspen leaf. But the queen didn’t stop there. With a steel-like expression on his striking face, he drove a dagger into his heart.

“From the second time, we became accomplices. There’s no room for excuses.”

Clang.

The sword slipped powerlessly from the man’s hand. The hand that had gripped it so solemnly let it fall to the floor. His broad, proud shoulders slumped pitifully, and the man lowered his head like a marionette with its strings cut.

As he did, the silk draping his body slid off, revealing his bare form. His magnificent body, elegantly gleaming in the silver moonlight, bore traces of a sinful night, scattered like red flowers blooming in a field.

The now-silent man stood as if resigned to everything, and the queen approached him with graceful movements, a commanding presence.

“Zizlon. Look at me.”

The queen embraced his back. With a deceptively gentle touch, he wrapped his arms around the tormented Zizlon, tilting his head to meet his gaze. Zizlon, with a shred of defiance, stubbornly turned his face away to avoid his eyes. But the queen forcibly pulled his chin, making him reveal his tear-streaked cheeks and reddened eyes. Seeing this, the queen spoke in a hypocritical tone of pity.

“Oh… poor thing. Have you been crying?”

Instead of answering, Zizlon squeezed his eyes shut and gasped. The queen had slowly brushed his cheek with the back of his hand.

“Making such futile resistance… I’m sorry for leaving you alone.”

In a tearful voice, Zizlon struggled to ask.

“Just… this time, if I give in to you… will you let me go?”

His voice was far different from the resolute tone earlier. It was an effort to maintain dignity, yet it carried a pleading tone, fragile and innocent like a child’s. But the queen, as if his earlier pity had never existed, let out a cold laugh.

“How absurd.”

His strong hands gradually slid down Zizlon’s body. From his cheeks to his neck, then his chest and waist, inching closer to forbidden places. Zizlon grew desperate. As if determined to get a clear answer before the night began in earnest, he asked urgently.

“Then? When? When will it end?”

“There’s still a long way to go. A very long way.”

“What more could you possibly take from me? I’ve already shown you my very depths.”

At his desperate words, the queen burst into laughter, as if he’d heard a mischievous joke.

“I never intended to end this relationship in the first place. And Zizlon, you have no idea how deep your depths go.”

“…….”

As the queen l**ked the tears from Zizlon’s face, his cheek twitched faintly, as if touched by something revolting and terrifying.

“Feeling guilt doesn’t absolve you of your sins. No matter how you feel, you’re just committing more sins.”

“Stop… please, stop.”

“Since sinning is the same, why not just enjoy it, Prince?”

The prince, Zizlon, finally let out the sobs he had been holding back. He wept helplessly, trembling in the queen’s hands. Holding his quivering shoulders, the queen smiled cruelly. He did not comfort the crying prince like a child. Instead, he resolved to entangle him further, dragging him deeper into the abyss. At his touch, the prince’s body collapsed beyond the bed’s curtains, and the queen slithered over him like a snake. Soon, intermittent m**ns mixed with sobs began to escape.

The night was only beginning. The prince knew that this night would be long and harsh. Wondering how he had fallen into such a state was pointless. The fate looming over him had been inevitably bound to him from the moment he met him, long ago.