TTQI 22

“That’s right. I must be a little sensitive these days. Don’t worry, just sleep. If the noise is bothering you, I can lend you some earplugs.”

“…No, I’m sorry.”

The prince still looked doubtful, but he did not argue with Ade’s words and lay down in bed again. Ade was too sleepy to care about his reaction, so he roughly forgot about it and went to sleep. Now, he admits that he was too complacent at the time.

Still, the next morning, when he mentioned what had happened during the night at the breakfast table, the prince also laughed as if it were nothing, saying it was just his mistake, so Ade had no choice but to overlook it. And while eating, they joked about it, teased the prince for being a coward, and had a normally good time. Because of that, the day passed without incident. But the strange behavior of that day was only the beginning.

Just two days after the incident, the prince once again made a fuss and woke Ade up in the middle of the night. When he rubbed his eyes and got up, he was making a big deal again, talking about that ‘strange sound’. Ade was starting to get a bad feeling.

And things like that continued every day. He had no idea when the prince had become so sensitive to sounds. He had camped in the forest countless times before, where wild animals rustled and insects cried.

Once, the prince even screamed and rolled off the bed. For Ade, who had spent a long time with him, it was an unimaginable event. The person in question was a guy who had acted like an adult since childhood, always talking about dignity, dignity. It was absurd for him to have a nightmare and fall out of bed. But the guy’s face was pale and he was so terrified that Ade, startled, could not even think of teasing him as usual. He jumped out of bed with him and soothed and comforted him. After finally getting him to sit down and calm him, he smelled a little of alcohol, so he thought, ‘Ah, the guy was drunk,’ and went back to sleep without much thought.

Then one day, on that day the prince did not wake him, but Ade woke up on his own. He had not heard any noise, but he must have instinctively felt a strange presence. Wondering what was going on, he was just blinking his eyes when he belatedly felt a strange presence from the bed where Zizlon was lying. Thinking Zizlon was awake again, Ade casually turned his head and was startled. It was because Zizlon was sitting bolt upright like someone possessed, staring into the empty air.

“Zizlon…? What are you doing?”

Ade asked, frowning. For some reason, Zizlon was in a state of intense concentration. He narrowed his eyes and was staring into the dark side of the darkness where no light entered, as if trying to see through something. Zizlon answered without taking his eyes off the darkness.

“Ade, isn’t there someone standing over there?”

He raised his hand and pointed to the empty space. He was not smiling, nor did he seem to be joking. He asked so seriously that for a moment, Ade also thought that there might really be something there. He sat up properly, strained his eyes, and carefully looked in the direction of the darkness. It was a spot where the moonlight did not reach, so it was certainly dark enough that it would be hard to see anything even if it were there. But it was just a corner of the room. No matter how he looked, he could see nothing, and thinking logically, why would someone who had gone to the trouble of sneaking in under the cover of darkness stand idly in a corner of the room? Ade answered firmly.

“No, there’s nothing there. What are you doing?”

“I thought so too… but look again carefully, I think I can see something like a silhouette….”

“Stop it, you’re starting to creep me out.”

Ade, who was a little spooked, deliberately replied irritably and pulled the blanket over his head and lay down. In that state, he glanced to the side and saw that Zizlon was still staring at the darkness in the same posture as before. He was muttering something, so he listened closely and heard him murmur this.

“No, really… if you look closely, it seems like someone is there.”

For a long time after that, Zizlon stared into the empty darkness, unmoving. He remained unmoving even when Ade, who was watching him with the intention of seeing how long he would go on, dozed off. If he had not run into Zizlon the next day, who woke up perfectly fine and greeted him good morning, he would have definitely thought that his friend had gone mad from worrying too much.

But still, the body does not lie, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Ade, who was worried about his friend’s physical condition, was about to ask, ‘Are you sleeping well?’ but stopped. For some reason, he did not want to get deeply involved in the matters concerning him. He had always found his lineage from a famous family cumbersome and was extremely wary of getting involved in dirty political fights. Although he was trying to deny it, there was definitely a part of his mind that did not want to be involved in his worries.

Returning to the present, Ade realized his situation and clicked his tongue slightly. He felt pathetic for hesitating to face his friend during a difficult time, for fear that it would interfere with his free life. Yes, he could not be of great help, but it was right to at least provide him with a sanctuary where he could feel at ease.

Ade held onto his weakening heart and turned the doorknob. It was when he stepped inside the quarters with a click.

“Who is it!”

Suddenly, a large figure shot out of the dark room like lightning and knocked Ade down. It was so sudden that Ade could not even resist once and was pinned down by the unknown person. He hit his head on the floor and groaned, looking up at the person on top of him, and there was the prince in his pajamas with a crazed expression, holding a sword at him.

“Ugh, Zizlon?”

He seemed to have lost his senses and did not even recognize his friend, so Ade hurriedly called his name. Only then did the light of reason return to Zizlon’s eyes. “Ade?” he murmured like a fool, then put away the sword, more surprised than the person himself. And he moved off of him in an overly flustered manner.

He kept glancing around and awkwardly offered excuses.

“S-sorry. Someone was standing in front of the door for a long time without coming in… I thought it was an intruder with bad intentions.”

The prince was extremely embarrassed and kept fidgeting. Ade was starting to get tired of his friend’s strange behavior. But he suppressed his anger and calmly got up.

“Who would dare to invade the house of the Royal Guard’s deputy commander?”

“Well… it might not be you who is the target.”

Zizlon gave an unintelligible answer in a mumbling voice and then immediately shut his mouth. Ade, letting the strange answer go in one ear and out the other, dusted off his clothes and asked him.

“Are you okay? You’re sweating a lot.”

“Ah? Ahh… I’m fine.”

Zizlon did not even seem to know that he was sweating. Only after hearing Ade’s words did he awkwardly wipe away his sweat. His face was pale, and he was acting like a person who had lost his mind, which did not seem normal at all.

“First, calm down. You’re being a little strange.”

Ade said it casually in a passing tone, but Zizlon showed a noticeably startled reaction to those words. His eyes widened, and he trembled as if he had heard something he should not have.

“What did you say?”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that….”

Slightly surprised by the unexpectedly strong reaction, Ade unconsciously looked at the sword that had fallen on the ground. The white blade, drawn from its sheath, was emitting a blue light even in the middle of the night. Ade did not say anything, but Zizlon, seeing that, flinched. It seemed he felt guilty seeing Ade looking at the sword. At length, Zizlon’s expression crumbled helplessly. His expression was as if the world was ending, so frankly, Ade was flustered.

‘I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have, so why is he reacting so strongly?’

On the other hand, Zizlon’s feelings, who had realized what he had done, were quite different. The moment he saw the blade that looked like it could cut through even the toughest flesh in a single stroke, he realized. ‘Drawing a sword on a friend, I’m a complete madman.’

Even without this, Zizlon had been seized by a frightening thought lately. It was the suspicion that he might be going mad. Someone might say that it is absurd not to be able to distinguish between being crazy and not, but in fact, the prince had almost no awareness that what he had been doing so far was strange. He began to suspect it after seeing Ade’s wary gaze on him. But it was a frightening thing to even imagine, so Zizlon had tried hard to deny it. The fact that he pretended to be more composed was a reaction to that.

However, despite his desperate efforts, the word ‘strange’ had finally come out of Ade’s mouth. At last, he had been confirmed of the fact he had been turning a blind eye to, from his friend’s own mouth. There was no room for denial anymore. Zizlon fell into a state of utter shock.

‘The queen is finally trying to ruin my mind after the king!’

A chill ran down his spine and cold sweat broke out. A sense of despair washed over him, and his vision went dark. At a time when he had to confront the queen, he was losing his mind. The queen, not content with taking away his precious daily life, was wrecking him to the point where he could no longer function as a human being. It was hopeless. The pressure naturally made it hard to breathe.

“It’s not my, my fault.”

“What?”

“Some… someone, cast a spell on me….”

“…….”

“To make me do… strange things. Someone gave me drugs….”

When he opened his mouth, a precarious voice like that of a suffocating person came out. Zizlon, obsessed with the need to explain, babbled on without even realizing how strange he was being. However, the more he tried, the worse Ade’s expression became. Later, he was even contorting his face strangely, looking at Zizlon as if he were looking at a madman.

“You… what have you been talking about since a while ago?”

Finally, it was the final verdict. He could see Ade forcing a smile with a very stiff face. The atmosphere was chilly, and the line that could be returned from had been crossed. Zizlon groaned. He could not bear Ade’s awkward gaze. In the end, Zizlon, who could not hold on any longer, muttered.

“I’m, I’m leaving.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll… be going. I’m sorry for having imposed on you all this time.”

“What, what are you saying? Wait a minute, where are you going?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zizlon pushed past him and staggered out the door. The flustered Ade tried to grab him, but Zizlon, while staggering, pushed him away firmly.

“……”

Overwhelmed by the situation, Ade could not even follow him out and stood there stupidly. Perhaps he was scared by his friend’s strange behavior. Anyway, while Ade was frozen, Zizlon left in a hurry as if he were running away. By the time Ade came to his senses and tried to find him, Zizlon, who had already disappeared into the darkness, was nowhere to be seen. Looking at the quiet surroundings, it was as if a storm had swept through.

‘……What just happened?’

Ade, mulling over the uneasy feeling, went back into the house and closed the door. He did not lock the door, in case his friend might come back. However, despite leaving the door open, Zizlon did not come back. Ade, who had been sitting up and waiting for a while without sleeping, finally gave up.

‘Well… it’ll be fine.’

Although Zizlon’s behavior was strange, Ade used his characteristic positive nature to conclude that it would be no big deal. In the first place, Ade was not the type to cling to a problem he could not solve and groan. His friend was a trained adult male, and he had plenty of places to go. The next day, he would appear with his usual nonchalant face and apologize, saying something like he had been childishly sulking over his words last night and had done something unsightly.

After that, Ade told the servants who came out of their rooms, having sensed the commotion, that nothing was wrong and to go back to sleep. The servants went back into their rooms with unconvinced expressions. Ade himself felt uneasy, but after returning to his room and lying down in bed, he slept well enough.

And the next day around noon, Ade found Zizlon among the crowd of nobles entering the Great Hall. When Ade ran up to him with a happy heart and greeted him, sure enough, Zizlon showed his usual gentle smile. It was indeed the usual Zizlon. A sense of relief washed over him. But his smiling face was pale, and he looked extremely tired, like someone who had not slept for several days. Ade was very concerned about his appearance, but Zizlon left without a moment to talk, to go to the nobles who were rushing him. After that, Zizlon did not come to Ade’s house at night.

“Your Majesty. The queen is a witch!”

Marquis Yngsen, prostrated before the king, raised his voice resonantly. The king, sitting on the throne, gazed at him with a stern, hardened face.

“Do you know? That witch, from the moment he wakes up until he goes to sleep, spends all day gathering every single type of printed material he can get his hands on and stares at them until his eyes turn red. Family trees, contracts, ledgers, records of disasters and trials, the feudal lords of the country, and even personal letters sent by a humble minor noble in the countryside to his wife—he digs through every document there is, hell-bent on finding even the smallest flaw. Just to hang one more person. Is this normal? That person is a demon who is desperate to see human blood! Please open your eyes and make a wise decision.”

“Marquis! Watch your mouth!”

Finally, the king, unable to bear it any longer, shot up from his throne. His wrinkled face, like an old tree, was flushed as red as an old apple. The king was already not one to overlook those who slandered Aion.

Yngsen was not unaware of this fact. But when his repeated appeals failed to get through, he made a last-ditch effort out of frustration. Hoping that his sincerity would be understood. However, his loyalty must not have reached the king’s heart of steel. The king flew into a rage and frantically ordered Bessang to be summoned immediately to severely punish Marquis Yngsen.

Bessang, the king’s closest aide and the guardian of the royal family, rushed in. The king issued a summary punishment against him for the crime of framing the queen and fabricating falsehoods. Marquis Yngsen was exiled to the remote frontiers of Yonaras overnight.

“You will go there and reflect on what you have done wrong! I will not allow you any luggage to take, nor any servants to accompany you. You will not be able to return to the fine castle of your marquisate until I permit it! If you repent for your insolence towards the queen, then I will consider whether or not to forgive your crime! Lord Bessang!”

The marquis was dragged out of the audience chamber with a mournful expression. Zizlon, who had been waiting anxiously in front of the door, ran over with a brightened face as soon as the door opened. When the king refused to see his face for months, it was Zizlon who had sent Yngsen in his place to try to talk to him. But it was a mistake to send Yngsen, who had a fiery temper despite his appearance.

Zizlon had sensed failure from the moment the shouting leaked out of the hall. But he also understood the agitated Yngsen’s feelings. The king had not listened to him even though he had thoroughly investigated and ambitiously reported the circumstances of the queen having had several suspicious contacts with the accuser of a recently indicted and executed prisoner. Yngsen, agitated that the king would not even look at such clear evidence, had ended up touching the king’s reverse scale.

Zizlon asked Bessang to give him a moment. Bessang, who would normally not have budged, gave him a brief moment, considering the prince’s dignity. Zizlon approached Yngsen and asked.

“What happened?”

Yngsen shook his head from side to side, and the prince wore a ‘just as I thought’ expression.

“In the end, the disaster we feared has occurred. The sound of shouting could be heard outside the room. That’s why I told you to refrain from speaking ill of him….”

“I am sorry, Your Highness.”

“No, Lord Yngsen. Weren’t all your actions out of concern for Yonaras? But what will you do from now on?”

“His Majesty has ordered me to be exiled to the frontier. He intends to imprison me alone, without money or servants.”

The prince sighed.

“How can this be? Can you, who have been raised in luxury your whole life, overcome such a harsh environment?”

“I am fine, Your Highness, but please, my family who will be left in my castle….”

“If something happens to you, it is only natural to take care of your family. But must you really do this? Apologize to the king even now for your slip of the tongue.”

“Then I will no longer be able to oppose the queen. I will not be able to side with you, Your Highness. Someday, His Majesty will also recognize my loyalty. I will trust and endure until then.”

“But, every day will be arduous. Isn’t your family first? I don’t matter, so please take care of your own safety first.”

“Your Highness….”

At that, Yngsen wore a greatly impressed expression. But, immediately after, his eyes sparkled with a determined light.

“No. I cannot betray the prince. I would rather live a hard life upholding my principles than live comfortably speaking falsehoods.”

“But….”

“Please take good care of my family.”

As if he would not listen anymore, Yngsen gave a solemn bow. The prince, trying his best to hide his complicated feelings, spoke in a kind voice that could instill trust.

“If that is your will, then I will respect it. Do not worry too much. I will help you in every way I can from the capital, both materially and spiritually. You too, have your wife prepare some money. Even if there are no servants, there will be guards, so if you slip them some money, they probably won’t turn a blind eye. Ask them to look after your convenience.”

“I do not wish for such things.”

“No, it will become a big problem once you start living there. There is no need to suffer needlessly.”

Just then, Bessang, who had been waiting near them, made a sound and hurried the two. As they could not delay any longer, Yngsen exchanged a determined gaze with the prince. The prince nodded with a sad expression. There was nothing he could do for now.

After a very short farewell, Yngsen was led away by Bessang and disappeared. The prince watched him go for a moment. In a situation where he was already short of talent, losing a great asset like him was a painful loss.

“Ugh….”

It was then. Perhaps due to the pressure, a sudden dizziness struck his head. Zizlon, having lost his sense of balance, staggered and barely managed to place a hand on the wall. And he stood there for a while, panting, until the dizziness subsided.

When the situation improved a little, Zizlon hurriedly hid in a place out of sight. He was still dizzy, but he could not show such a weak side to anyone in times like these.

Having hidden behind a pillar as best he could, Zizlon clutched his lower abdomen and swallowed a groan. To make matters worse, his stomach started to hurt as well. It might be due to the frequent overwork in a tired state recently. He had been feeling habitual abdominal pain like today for several days.

As he was just breaking out in a cold sweat, waiting for the wave of pain to pass, he suddenly heard a familiar voice from the side.

“Are you all right?”

Zizlon’s eyes shot open. He had been so preoccupied with the pain that he had not even noticed someone approaching. He was so surprised that the dizziness that had been tormenting him disappeared as if by magic.

Zizlon, who hurriedly turned to face the other person, was dumbfounded when he recognized the owner of the voice. For who knows how long he had been watching him, Queen Aion was looking at him calmly. Dressed in white, with an expression so serene it was sickening. Zizlon quickly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“What are you doing here?”

A sharp voice automatically came out.

“I saw you by chance as I was passing by. I was going to just pass, but you didn’t seem to be in good condition….”

“What does it matter to you how I am? Mind your own business.”

Even at Zizlon’s thorny words, Aion was composed. On the contrary, he even let out a chuckle at his words. And then, he said in a cloying tone.

“How can I not be concerned? About the person who is carrying my child in his belly.”

“Kuh……!”

In an instant, a hot fire surged from his stomach. Zizlon, unable to overcome his anger, impulsively grabbed Aion by the collar, and Aion’s light body was pulled up with a whoosh. Even in a tired and pained state, the prince’s strength was fierce. But still, Aion did not even bat an eye.

“Are you going to harm me? In broad daylight, next to a corridor where people walk?”

The intense movement made the abdominal pain momentarily worse. His forehead, which had broken out in a cold sweat, felt cool. Still, Zizlon gritted his teeth and swallowed a groan.

“…You, if you keep acting so arrogantly, you’ll get what’s coming to you someday.”

“I’m sorry, but I will manage my own affairs.”

Aion sneered for all to see. It was so humiliating and infuriating, but he had no choice but to let go of his hand. He could not hit the queen in the royal castle in broad daylight. Zizlon let go of his hand as if to shake him off, and Aion calmly straightened his clothes.

Zizlon turned his head and seethed, suppressing his anger. Aion suppressed a laugh. It was regrettable that he was trying so hard not to be intimidated, but to Aion’s eyes, even that 모습 looked so cute. No matter how rash the action, he could not even lay a finger on the other person despite being so angry.

Moreover, his angry expression had the awkwardness peculiar to someone who does not know how to be angry. It was as if he was struggling to hate the other person. How lovely and gentle is this person, who cannot even hate someone at will? Aion licked his lips anew.

‘Ah, if only I could place just one kiss on that cute cheek.’

Just then, Zizlon, who had barely managed to calm his abdominal pain, shot back.

“Then what are you doing not disappearing quickly? You’ve laughed at me, so haven’t you achieved your purpose?”

“As I said before, I came because I was worried about you. How about you stop being stubborn and come back? You can’t even consult a doctor as you please. There is no one as suitable as me to take care of you.”

Aion sent his gaze towards Zizlon’s lower abdomen, and Zizlon flinched in surprise and covered his belly.

“…What an absurd thing to say.”

“If you keep being stubborn for no reason, your body will suffer. Are you sleeping properly? Really, I don’t know where you are staying, leaving a perfectly good room….”

“That’s none of your business! You’re so detestable I can’t bear to listen to you anymore!”

“I recently asked a skilled midwife, and she said morning sickness is severe around this time. Are you eating well?”

At that moment, even Zizlon, who had been lashing out fiercely, flinched. As he said, he had been strangely lacking in appetite lately, and nausea would suddenly well up when he looked at food. He had just thought it was because his mind and body were uneasy, and had not even considered the possibility of morning sickness.

‘Did I really get pregnant?’

A chill ran down his spine. Zizlon’s complexion turned slightly pale as he tried to hide his agitation. He had been trying to soothe himself by telling himself it was not true, but the possibility of really being pregnant had suddenly come before him.

If the queen’s words were true, what should he do with the child in his belly? That poor and hateful life? Suddenly frightened, Zizlon immediately thought of an extreme idea, and as soon as he did, he felt a terrible self-loathing.

And Aion, who was looking at him with an unpleasant gaze right now, was also a problem. He was certain that something bad would happen if he gave birth to the child as he wanted. The child might become a new shackle for him. Even if not, Zizlon would never do as he intended.

Even setting aside the difficulties of reality, it was physiologically impossible. Just the thought of having a child between him and himself was enough to make him want to vomit. And what about his own appearance, giving birth to a child like a woman?

Putting aside the mountain of worries that followed one after another, Zizlon came to the conclusion that dissuading him was the first priority. So he deliberately chose words that would provoke the queen and spat them out.

“…No need to worry. I’m going to get rid of this child anyway.”

“What did you say?”

Zizlon did not miss the slight hardening of Aion’s face at that moment. And he was secretly surprised. Although he was bluffing on purpose, for that iron-blooded queen to show such a reaction! And seeing that face, for some reason, a thrill surged through him. For the ever-so-lofty queen to be swayed by my words. His competitive spirit aroused even more, Zizlon provoked the other person even more boldly.

“So? Did you think I would give birth to your child?”

“Hmph… you’re just bluffing right now. There’s no way a soft-hearted person like you could erase an innocent life.”

Aion murmured, staring at him. He was right, but Zizlon immediately shook his head.

“Then just you wait and see. See what I do.”

It was at that moment. An intimidating presence like a frost storm shot out from Aion’s eyes. The force was so fierce that the startled Zizlon unconsciously stepped back. But he was blocked by the pillar behind him. The moment Zizlon, who had hit his back, tried to turn around, Aion’s arm flew in. And he placed his hand right next to Zizlon’s ear with a thud. When he looked up, Aion’s cold eyes were right in front of him.

“Go ahead and do as you please.”

Aion was smiling, but there was no hint of laughter in his voice. The frozen Zizlon swallowed hard.

“Then I’ll just have to make you pregnant again.”

“…Do you think I will do as you say? I was quiet until now because I didn’t know, but if I put my mind to it, you can’t lay a single finger on me.”

“Really? I don’t think so.”

Aion let out a captivating eye smile and, for all to see, brought his hand to Zizlon’s cheek. Zizlon’s eyes widened and he immediately slapped his hand away. Aion withdrew his hand, the back of it now red, and let out a ‘keke’ laugh.

“Anyway, do as you please. If that’s what it takes to get it out of your system. But you’ll have to bear the consequences.”

“…Consequences?”

“I might take away a precious life from you too.”

Zizlon scoffed.

“Are you saying you’ll assassinate the king? Once he, who protects you, is gone, that’s when you’ll be as good as dead.”

“Hoho, well…”

Aion just smiled mysteriously until the end. Zizlon, while trying his best to bluff, felt uneasy in a corner of his heart. For some reason, he could not shake the ominous premonition. As Zizlon stared at him, trying to see through his intentions, Aion obediently took his hand off the wall and stepped back.

“Well then, let’s see each other again soon. Your Highness.”

“……”

Aion bowed with an elegant gesture, as if to mock him. Unlike his cheerful expression, his eyes were not smiling at all. Zizlon was so wary of him that he did not even return the greeting. Aion did not dwell on that fact and, until the very end, leisurely turned and walked away. Zizlon, hidden in the shadows, watched him walk away with light steps for a while.

Finally, when Aion disappeared, the composure on Zizlon’s face vanished as if by magic. Zizlon stopped bluffing and wore a precarious expression. His hand slowly moved to his lower abdomen. As he caressed it over his clothes, his lower abdomen felt much more swollen than before.

It was a leisurely evening. The king was sitting in his room with a single candle lit, spending a relaxed time fiddling with his cherished bow.

It was then. Suddenly, he heard someone knocking loudly on the door, and as soon as the king asked who it was, the door flew open with a bang. The king, who identified the person who rushed in like water pouring from the open door, stood up in surprise.

“Queen?”

“Your Majesty!”

The queen, holding a thick book in one arm and his face pale, rushed into his arms. But in his haste, he tripped and fell pitifully. As he sat down on the floor, the book he was holding fell with a thud, and the king’s complexion changed upon seeing it.

“Wait! Stand back!”

The king quickly stopped the soldiers who were rushing to help the queen up and chased them out of the room. The soldiers, in their hurry to leave, did not see the book cover. And the king, only after confirming that every last soldier was outside, picked up the book from the floor with a sense of relief.

The book the queen had dropped was none other than the holy scripture. This was why he had prevented the soldiers from approaching the queen. If it became known that the sacred scripture had been thrown on the floor, the slander against the queen would burn fiercely. The king, who had anticipated everything, had acted with quick thinking. The king, who approached with the book, handed it to the queen and carefully supported him by the arm.

“Queen! Why did you rush in like that, even dropping the book! It almost became a problem.”

“I’m sorry….”

“No. Are you hurt by any chance?”

“No.”

The king helped the queen, who was sitting blankly, to his feet. The queen obediently got up while holding her husband’s hand, and in the process, the queen’s wrist that was revealed was so slender! The thought of him having fallen made the king’s heart sink. The king scolded him in a gentle but stern voice.

“From now on, no matter how urgent the matter, walk carefully. How much my heart would ache if you were to get hurt.”

“I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m sorry.”

“There is no need to apologize. So, what on earth happened that you, who are rarely flustered, came to me in such a state of panic?”

“I…”

The king sat the queen down in the seat he had been sitting in and brought another chair close to sit facing the queen. The queen was holding the book he had just dropped tightly in his arms, and he looked very anxious as he hesitated to speak and nervously fiddled with the cover. The king, inadvertently reaching for the book, asked.

“Is there something wrong with this book by any chance?”

Just then, the queen was noticeably startled and avoided his hand. It was a very impudent act. The king’s expression hardened reflexively, and as soon as it did, the queen shot up and knelt on the floor.

“Queen?”

The king, who had forgotten to be angry in his surprise, got up awkwardly. He tried to help the queen up, but the queen stayed seated on the floor as if stuck to it.

“Queen! What is the matter? It’s all right, so please get up and speak first.”

“Your Majesty! Oh, what on earth should I do!”

“What is it that is making you act like this? It’s all right, whatever it is, so feel at ease and speak. Haven’t I always been on your side? Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course not! That is not the case at all. I trust Your Majesty, but… ah… I’m so, so scared….”

Eventually, tears began to well up in the queen’s large, beautiful green eyes. His snow-white face turned pale, and to the king’s eyes, the queen looked so precarious as if he were about to die. The king, who had become very anxious, forgot his dignity in his frustration and knelt down to hold the queen’s hands. When he faced him, he could see his tear-stained cheeks and reddened eyes. Seeing the tears of his beloved, his heart ached as if it would tear apart. He repeatedly caressed the queen’s hands and coaxed him.

“Now, now, don’t be afraid and tell me. Am I not here….”

“Your Majesty, sob sob… is it all right for me to speak?”

“Of course, what reason is there not to speak. I am on your side, and all of Yonaras loves you.”

“It is not my problem. If it were my problem, I would have reported it without hesitation for Your Majesty’s sake. But, what I am afraid of is that a poor life will be lost because of me….”

“What do you mean by that? For what reason would an innocent person lose their life?”

“Your Majesty… I will show you the book now. But, please promise me. That you will not get angry and will think rationally.”

“All right. I promise.”

“You have promised.”

“I swear on my soul. Is this sufficient?”

“Yes… then….”

Only after the king had confirmed it two or three times did the queen take out the book he had been clutching like a lifeline. While the king looked at it with eyes wondering what he could have seen, the queen placed the book on his lap with trembling hands and carefully turned the pages. Two pages, three pages, the queen, who was slowly turning the pages, finally stopped at a certain page. And as if he could not bear to confirm it with his own eyes, he turned his face away and pushed the book in front of the king. The king picked up the book and looked at its contents.

“This is…”

The king’s eyes began to waver, and the queen shed tears drop by drop.

[God is a phantom and the king is a fraud…. That hideous devil copulates with pigs every night and covets the blood of young virgins. A truly awakened person should drive out the henchmen of the hideous church and serve the rightful god.]

Just two lines. In the middle of an ordinary holy scripture, an unspeakably blasphemous message was hidden. Of course, it was a content that was not in any holy scripture the king had read. Veins bulged on the king’s hand holding the book, and it began to tremble with anger. The queen, wiping away his tears with both palms, pleaded in a thin, trembling voice.

“I was offering prayers and reading the holy scripture as usual when I discovered such a terrible content. The content before it was ordinary, so I never imagined that there would be such content in the middle. Ah, I was so scared I couldn’t believe it. To think that I had such a book among my collection… just reading it would be a sin, right? But Your Majesty, there must have been some kind of mistake. Please do not rashly reprimand anyone because of this.”

The king calmly closed the book, but it was clear that he was trying hard to maintain his composure to keep his promise to the queen. It was evident from his bloodshot eyes and trembling beard. The king, who calmed his heart with a deep breath, first decided to calmly praise the queen.

“It is fortunate that it was discovered like this. And it was possible because it was you, the queen, who discovered it. Because you are devout in your faith and do not neglect your prayers, you were able to find this short text. If it had been those who only boast of being believers and let their books gather dust, they would not have been able to find it.”

“Your Majesty, no one will die because of this, right?”

Aion said, wiping his tears, and the king let out a groan as he hugged his shoulder.

“Surely… did you hear what that fellow Yngsen said today?”

The king asked with a wretched heart. The queen nodded his head without a word.

“But… it might be true that I made someone die….”

“There is no need to listen to the words of such a person! The reason I listened to the queen’s words was because I thought your opinion was reasonable. If that is said to be wrong, it is an act that dishonors even me, who listened to your advice, so please do not say such things again.”

“But… I hope no one dies this time.”

“Queen, but there is no denying the motive of this.”

“Motive?”

“Think carefully. If it were simply a book tampered with by wicked heretics that had flowed into your hands, it would not be a big problem, but if everything was planned, that is a different story. You were almost in danger. What would have happened if someone with bad intentions had accused you of possessing such a book! You would have been framed without a way out. It is fortunate that you discovered it first. My blood runs cold.”

“So…”

The queen clasped his hands together and shivered as if the mere thought was terrifying. Seeing him, the king lamented.

“How can you be so naive! So delicate, how can I close my eyes before you?”

“Your Majesty…”

“In any case, I am sorry to you, but this matter is a grave issue that cannot be overlooked. It is an attack on you and a challenge to me! If this matter were to reach the Pope’s ears, it would greatly tarnish the honor of Yonaras. To find out how this came to be, the first priority is to find out who did this. Do you happen to remember the circumstances of how you came to possess this book?”

The queen was not certain and hesitated.

“I am not sure. I think I may have received it as a gift from someone… or I may have just picked up any book from the royal library.”

“It seems your memory is not clear. In that case, it would be faster to find the person who wrote the book.”

The king placed the book on the floor and observed it carefully. He read the page where the message was hidden carefully, and even compared it with other pages by flipping back and forth. He felt the part where the paper was glued with his hand, and even tried pulling it to see if the adhesion was weak.

After a brief inspection, there was no trace of a new paper being glued in, nor was the text added to the margins of an existing page. The handwriting did not change in the middle either. That meant that the book was made this way from the beginning. The king, who was looking at it with a mournful face, shook his head from side to side.

“Since when has the prestige of the church become like this! For such a wicked book to be circulating openly, disguised as a holy scripture.”

“Your Majesty… I, too, will repent for the sin of reading the wicked text through prayer.”

“You need not worry, Queen.”

The king and queen held hands and stood up. The king hugged the queen’s waist with a fond gaze, and the queen, in his arms, seemed to regain his composure for a moment. And then, as if a thought had occurred to him, he hesitated before carefully reporting.

“If this incident becomes known to the people, the prestige of the church will be greatly damaged, won’t it?”

“I suppose so. But this matter can be handled quietly at my level.”

“Your Majesty, I have felt something through this incident. That the prestige of the church should not be left as it is… The fact that there is someone who dares to challenge the church so boldly must be because the authority of the Yonaras church is lacking.”

“Hmm?”

The queen’s tone was unusual, and the king let go of the queen’s embrace and held his arm.

“By any chance, do you have something in mind?”

“That is…”

When the king asked for his thoughts, the queen pulled back at the crucial moment. When he covered his mouth with a frightened expression and turned his head away, the king, impatient, turned him back around.

“But… Your Majesty… is it all right for me to dare to speak….”

“Haha, haven’t we agreed not to bring up this topic anymore! Queen, the reason I listen to your opinions is because I acknowledge your insight! Do not keep me in suspense any longer and speak quickly.”

“Your Majesty….”

The queen, his eyes still red from crying once, shyly shrank his body. That appearance looked so lovely that a pleased smile naturally formed on the king’s face.

“Then, Your Majesty, could you bend your knee?”

“To whisper in my ear? Heh, it’s all right, I said.”

“But I am afraid that my opinion might not be very good. Just in case, I would like only Your Majesty to know and forget about it.”

“All right, all right.”

The king was always one to easily give in to his young spouse’s pouting. He cast aside even his dignity and willingly bent his knee before the queen. To the king in love, neither the majesty of a sovereign nor the authority of the royal family was visible. The queen praised him lovingly for that. The queen, who clung to his shoulder with a charming gesture, put one hand to his mouth and whispered in his ear with a sweet voice.

“……”

At length, a strange light appeared in the king’s eyes.