Chapter 108
The young man Yi-Gyeol had saved stood awkwardly in the doorway, a basket clenched between his teeth. When Yi-Gyeol’s gaze dropped, he noticed that both of the man’s hands were also full—each gripping another basket. Unable to speak properly, the man groaned and gestured with his head, smiling sheepishly around the handle in his mouth.
Blinking at the strange sight of a man smiling with a basket in his mouth, Yi-Gyeol belatedly realized what was wrong and quickly shut the door again. Telling him to wait a moment, he straightened his disheveled shirt and pants, hurriedly untied the rope, and opened the door wide.
After letting him inside and carefully locking the door behind them, Yi-Gyeol turned back. The man had already shuffled over to the table and set down the three baskets with a satisfied sigh.
“I bought everything you asked for,” he said, scratching his head bashfully. “You were probably watching anyway, but I promise I didn’t waste a single coin.”
He began uncovering the contents of the baskets one by one. The first held a rather long loaf of warm rye bread and a glass bottle of cooled tea. The second and third contained a bottle of brown dye the color of brick, a wooden comb, a few pieces of coarse cloth, some worn clothing, and a small cloth pouch.
“Eat this first before it gets cold.”
The young man handed the rye bread to Yi-Gyeol and even opened the glass bottle of tea for him. Yi-Gyeol looked at it, then brought over the small cup provided in the room and poured half the tea into it.
“You must be hungry too, Diven. Let’s eat together.”
Diven, the young man who had nearly been sold off as a slave, accepted the cup with a bright smile. Then he gratefully took the half of the rye bread Yi-Gyeol broke off for him and quickly stuffed it into his mouth. He must have been starving.
Yi-Gyeol motioned for him to sit and took the seat across from him.
“Did you ever think of running away?”
“Me?” Diven asked, mouth still full of bread. He swallowed, chased it down with tea, and laughed.
“Of course not. You saved me. How could I run? Besides, even if I tried, you’d catch me.”
He laughed again, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of both awe and apprehension.
To Diven, Yi-Gyeol was a savior. He had been just moments away from being dragged off by slave traders when this fragile-looking stranger appeared and rescued him. And yet, beneath that gentle exterior, Yi-Gyeol had powers Diven could barely comprehend.
He probably thinks I’m some great wizard.
He could put people to sleep just by touching them and had amazing eyes that could see far away. Though when he used that power, he had the weakness of falling asleep for a bit.
After binding the slave traders, Yi-Gyeol had asked Diven if he had anywhere to go. He had already known Diven’s parents had sold him for money, so as expected, there was no answer. Even if he returned to his parents, if the slave traders came to their senses and found him there as expected, he would end up a slave again, with even the money paid to his parents taken back. So for the time being, he had nowhere to go.
“I saved your life,” Yi-Gyeol had said then, “so maybe you could repay me a little.”
Diven had looked stunned. He hadn’t known how to answer. But if he refused, he suspected Yi-Gyeol might knock him out and chain him up too. So, he'd quickly agreed.
Yi-Gyeol glanced at Diven finishing off the rest of the rye bread and drank his tea.
*I’m sorry for pretending to be a mage and using you, but I couldn’t help it.*
The tea left a bitter taste on his tongue—maybe it was guilt.
They had taken the identification tags from the two slave traders and made their way to the nearest village—Centanu. Though they’d considered using the traders’ horses, neither of them knew how to ride, so that plan was quickly abandoned.
Using the slave traders’ tags, they entered the village without trouble. The first thing Yi-Gyeol did was sell his jacket. Though he'd never even been outside the capital, he had read quite a lot of books in Emerald Castle in a short time. Because of that, he knew that shops that bought and sold worn clothes were common in residential areas.
Diven handled the sale. Yi-Gyeol had waited in a secluded alley, watching through his spirit form so he wouldn’t stand out by going in and out of shops. As expected, because Diven believed Yi-Gyeol was a mage, he only did exactly as he was told. He didn’t slip off another way or try to steal the money. He certainly seemed like a good person, but to be sure, when he returned and told him where he had sold the jacket, for how much, and what he had said to the owner, his eyes again filled with the same mixture of reverence and fear.
The jacket fetched a surprisingly high price—its fabric was used by high-ranking nobles. With the money, Yi-Gyeol bought a gray cloth to wrap around his head and a map, then immediately rented a carriage.
“Aren’t you tired?” Diven asked, watching Yi-Gyeol work nonstop. “Why aren’t you resting?”
Yi-Gyeol drew the curtains over the glass windows without leaving a gap and offered a faint smile.
“I’m just being careful.”
It felt excessive even to him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone from Sethian’s side might be looking for him.
After two hours of travel, the sun was beginning to set. With carriages ceasing service at night and night rentals costing double, they had no choice but to stop at a small village inn.
Mindful of his appearance, Yi-Gyeol wrapped his head with the gray cloth like a hijab and covered his mouth and nose with another scrap of fabric. He had Diven buy food, clothes, and dye for his hair. He didn’t pay much attention while bathing, but when he emerged, everything was laid out neatly.
After the meal, Diven helped him apply the dye.
“I thought nobles hated things like this. That’s surprising.”
Diven spoke cautiously as he applied the dye to Yi-Gyeol’s hair with the comb.
To nobles, hair color was a symbol of lineage. Changing it was taboo. Diven couldn’t understand why someone would willingly dye their naturally black hair such an ordinary brown.
“Don’t ask too many questions.”
Diven flinched, immediately muttering an apology and focusing intently on the task.
Yi-Gyeol could’ve softened his tone. But he didn’t do it on purpose. If Diven grew too comfortable and learned something he didn’t need to know about Yi-Gyeol, it might bring him serious trouble.
*Though maybe that’s an old story now...*
Back then, Sethian never let anyone get close. But now?
He had already drunk all the tea, but his mouth still felt bitter.
The dyeing was soon finished. His once-deep black hair was now a common dark brown. Diven said it would wash out quickly every time he bathed, so the color would last only about a week, but that was enough.
Enough to get far away.
*I don’t have the confidence to stay alive longer than a week anyway.*
The words he had murmured so calmly brought the backlash only afterward. He remembered that time when he had tried to kill himself using sleeping pills, and his shoulders trembled. His body would only stop once his vitality ran out, but just like then, the same fear and anguish as suicide came rushing over him.
“Are you alright?” Diven asked, noticing how pale he’d become.
Yi-Gyeol forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
“You should rest. I’ll take the room next door.”
Once they had arranged separate rooms, Diven turned to leave. Yi-Gyeol stopped him.
“By the way… what’s going on outside? It sounds noisy.”
Diven paused with his hand on the doorknob and looked back.
“I heard some official notice came from the Imperial Palace. They say the new emperor is pressuring every village and city to put out a wanted notice and set up checkpoints.”
Yi-Gyeol froze mid-motion, blanket half-draped over his legs.
“The new emperor?”
The coronation hadn’t even happened yet, so who could possibly be called His Majesty the Emperor?
Diven nodded quickly, still a bit worked up.
“I was surprised too. It was supposed to be tomorrow, but apparently, he suddenly took the throne in a simple ceremony today. Right after that, a wanted notice and checkpoints... I don’t know whether to say he works hard or what.”
Yi-Gyeol stared at him, barely breathing.
“W-wait. Who... became emperor?”
He already knew. But he needed to hear it.
Diven tilted his head slightly at Yi-Gyeol’s pale face, then answered.
“Crown Prince Sethian Ren Kinelli.”
Blinking at the strange sight of a man smiling with a basket in his mouth, Yi-Gyeol belatedly realized what was wrong and quickly shut the door again. Telling him to wait a moment, he straightened his disheveled shirt and pants, hurriedly untied the rope, and opened the door wide.
After letting him inside and carefully locking the door behind them, Yi-Gyeol turned back. The man had already shuffled over to the table and set down the three baskets with a satisfied sigh.
“I bought everything you asked for,” he said, scratching his head bashfully. “You were probably watching anyway, but I promise I didn’t waste a single coin.”
He began uncovering the contents of the baskets one by one. The first held a rather long loaf of warm rye bread and a glass bottle of cooled tea. The second and third contained a bottle of brown dye the color of brick, a wooden comb, a few pieces of coarse cloth, some worn clothing, and a small cloth pouch.
“Eat this first before it gets cold.”
The young man handed the rye bread to Yi-Gyeol and even opened the glass bottle of tea for him. Yi-Gyeol looked at it, then brought over the small cup provided in the room and poured half the tea into it.
“You must be hungry too, Diven. Let’s eat together.”
Diven, the young man who had nearly been sold off as a slave, accepted the cup with a bright smile. Then he gratefully took the half of the rye bread Yi-Gyeol broke off for him and quickly stuffed it into his mouth. He must have been starving.
Yi-Gyeol motioned for him to sit and took the seat across from him.
“Did you ever think of running away?”
“Me?” Diven asked, mouth still full of bread. He swallowed, chased it down with tea, and laughed.
“Of course not. You saved me. How could I run? Besides, even if I tried, you’d catch me.”
He laughed again, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of both awe and apprehension.
To Diven, Yi-Gyeol was a savior. He had been just moments away from being dragged off by slave traders when this fragile-looking stranger appeared and rescued him. And yet, beneath that gentle exterior, Yi-Gyeol had powers Diven could barely comprehend.
He probably thinks I’m some great wizard.
He could put people to sleep just by touching them and had amazing eyes that could see far away. Though when he used that power, he had the weakness of falling asleep for a bit.
After binding the slave traders, Yi-Gyeol had asked Diven if he had anywhere to go. He had already known Diven’s parents had sold him for money, so as expected, there was no answer. Even if he returned to his parents, if the slave traders came to their senses and found him there as expected, he would end up a slave again, with even the money paid to his parents taken back. So for the time being, he had nowhere to go.
“I saved your life,” Yi-Gyeol had said then, “so maybe you could repay me a little.”
Diven had looked stunned. He hadn’t known how to answer. But if he refused, he suspected Yi-Gyeol might knock him out and chain him up too. So, he'd quickly agreed.
Yi-Gyeol glanced at Diven finishing off the rest of the rye bread and drank his tea.
*I’m sorry for pretending to be a mage and using you, but I couldn’t help it.*
The tea left a bitter taste on his tongue—maybe it was guilt.
They had taken the identification tags from the two slave traders and made their way to the nearest village—Centanu. Though they’d considered using the traders’ horses, neither of them knew how to ride, so that plan was quickly abandoned.
Using the slave traders’ tags, they entered the village without trouble. The first thing Yi-Gyeol did was sell his jacket. Though he'd never even been outside the capital, he had read quite a lot of books in Emerald Castle in a short time. Because of that, he knew that shops that bought and sold worn clothes were common in residential areas.
Diven handled the sale. Yi-Gyeol had waited in a secluded alley, watching through his spirit form so he wouldn’t stand out by going in and out of shops. As expected, because Diven believed Yi-Gyeol was a mage, he only did exactly as he was told. He didn’t slip off another way or try to steal the money. He certainly seemed like a good person, but to be sure, when he returned and told him where he had sold the jacket, for how much, and what he had said to the owner, his eyes again filled with the same mixture of reverence and fear.
The jacket fetched a surprisingly high price—its fabric was used by high-ranking nobles. With the money, Yi-Gyeol bought a gray cloth to wrap around his head and a map, then immediately rented a carriage.
“Aren’t you tired?” Diven asked, watching Yi-Gyeol work nonstop. “Why aren’t you resting?”
Yi-Gyeol drew the curtains over the glass windows without leaving a gap and offered a faint smile.
“I’m just being careful.”
It felt excessive even to him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone from Sethian’s side might be looking for him.
After two hours of travel, the sun was beginning to set. With carriages ceasing service at night and night rentals costing double, they had no choice but to stop at a small village inn.
Mindful of his appearance, Yi-Gyeol wrapped his head with the gray cloth like a hijab and covered his mouth and nose with another scrap of fabric. He had Diven buy food, clothes, and dye for his hair. He didn’t pay much attention while bathing, but when he emerged, everything was laid out neatly.
After the meal, Diven helped him apply the dye.
“I thought nobles hated things like this. That’s surprising.”
Diven spoke cautiously as he applied the dye to Yi-Gyeol’s hair with the comb.
To nobles, hair color was a symbol of lineage. Changing it was taboo. Diven couldn’t understand why someone would willingly dye their naturally black hair such an ordinary brown.
“Don’t ask too many questions.”
Diven flinched, immediately muttering an apology and focusing intently on the task.
Yi-Gyeol could’ve softened his tone. But he didn’t do it on purpose. If Diven grew too comfortable and learned something he didn’t need to know about Yi-Gyeol, it might bring him serious trouble.
*Though maybe that’s an old story now...*
Back then, Sethian never let anyone get close. But now?
He had already drunk all the tea, but his mouth still felt bitter.
The dyeing was soon finished. His once-deep black hair was now a common dark brown. Diven said it would wash out quickly every time he bathed, so the color would last only about a week, but that was enough.
Enough to get far away.
*I don’t have the confidence to stay alive longer than a week anyway.*
The words he had murmured so calmly brought the backlash only afterward. He remembered that time when he had tried to kill himself using sleeping pills, and his shoulders trembled. His body would only stop once his vitality ran out, but just like then, the same fear and anguish as suicide came rushing over him.
“Are you alright?” Diven asked, noticing how pale he’d become.
Yi-Gyeol forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
“You should rest. I’ll take the room next door.”
Once they had arranged separate rooms, Diven turned to leave. Yi-Gyeol stopped him.
“By the way… what’s going on outside? It sounds noisy.”
Diven paused with his hand on the doorknob and looked back.
“I heard some official notice came from the Imperial Palace. They say the new emperor is pressuring every village and city to put out a wanted notice and set up checkpoints.”
Yi-Gyeol froze mid-motion, blanket half-draped over his legs.
“The new emperor?”
The coronation hadn’t even happened yet, so who could possibly be called His Majesty the Emperor?
Diven nodded quickly, still a bit worked up.
“I was surprised too. It was supposed to be tomorrow, but apparently, he suddenly took the throne in a simple ceremony today. Right after that, a wanted notice and checkpoints... I don’t know whether to say he works hard or what.”
Yi-Gyeol stared at him, barely breathing.
“W-wait. Who... became emperor?”
He already knew. But he needed to hear it.
Diven tilted his head slightly at Yi-Gyeol’s pale face, then answered.
“Crown Prince Sethian Ren Kinelli.”
Comments
Post a Comment