Chapter 115
While Sethian was heading toward the cave where Joo Yi-Gyeol would be, Roa, who had been holed up in the Tower Lord’s research room, suddenly burst out through the door. He hurriedly made his way to the Magic Tower's stables and immediately rode off toward the Imperial Palace.
The person who greeted Roa, who had arrived in the early morning, was Teren, the captain of the Imperial Knights, who was still awake at that time. Despite the unexpected absence of Sethian, he continued working diligently, focused on his task as if he were a model student. It seemed he was willing to stay up all night if necessary to establish a new security system and maintain an orderly management tailored to the current Emperor’s preferences, all in order to effectively assist him.
"We need to find His Majesty right away!"
Roa's urgent voice echoed as he opened the door to the captain's office. Teren, who had been reviewing documents detailing the current security system of the Imperial Palace, raised his eyes to meet Roa's gaze with the same indifferent expression Sethian often had.
"His Majesty has already left with all the members of the ‘Obsidian Knights.’ He’s simply gone to fetch someone he values, so I don't believe there's any immediate danger."
The Emperor had left the Imperial Palace some time ago. It was already the cold dawn, and a couple of hours later, the sun would rise. Yet, the man before Roa didn’t seem to be particularly concerned about the Emperor’s whereabouts.
‘I knew he was like this, but...’
The Imperial Knights had been protecting the royal family and the Imperial Palace for generations, and only the Emperor could command them. They believed that absolute obedience to their lord was the highest honor, and as long as there was no significant threat to his life, they would follow any order without question. This had led them to faithfully follow the command this time as well.
Even though it had only been an abbreviated ceremony, Sethian had clearly worn the Emperor’s crown, and he had left a command for the Knights who had sworn loyalty to him to protect the Imperial Palace. Accordingly, the Imperial Knights, under Teren’s command, were focused on protecting the Imperial Palace. Without showing even the slightest sign of worrying about the Emperor. They were merely following orders like puppets.
It was enough to make Roa sick of how unchanged they were from when they had served the former Emperor, but he still had to tell him that Emperor Sethian was in danger.
Roa placed the scroll he brought on Teren’s desk. Teren glanced at Roa before putting down the document in his hand and unrolling the scroll. As he read the complex magic circle inscribed on it, his thick eyebrows twitched and rose.
"Are you saying that a dangerous criminal, who was once a disciple of the Tower Lord, is planning to create such a magic circle?"
"Not planning. It's already prepared."
The soul of the young boy who had come to him said that Eda had been waiting for Sethian’s coronation. On the day when the official transition of the throne was to take place, she had planned to abduct Joo Yi-Gyeol. Several of the guards inside Emerald Castle had already been possessed by brainwashed souls.
“They were idiots. They told me to return to my place before my master got furious.”
The young boy’s spirit laughed loudly, mocking those who had mistaken him for an ally.
Given the situation, it was understandable that the guards might have thought the young boy’s soul was on Eda’s side. After Zair died and Eda left, no soul butterflies remained in the Imperial Palace. Naturally, the soul butterflies sent by Eda would have mistaken the young boy's white butterfly for an ally.
It was only other dead souls like them, and living spirits with bodies, who could distinguish those possessed by the dead. Zair had been like that too, but Joo Yi-Gyeol, who fell into the latter category, had said he could tell whether someone was possessed just by hearing their voice or looking directly into their eyes. Had Joo Yi-Gyeol not decided to use sleeping herbs nearby to escape quietly, he might have sensed something was wrong with the possessed guard and stopped. He might even have been abducted on the spot.
Roa had failed to notice the possessed individuals while moving through Emerald Castle. If he had recognized them in time, he might have been able to discern Eda's intentions much sooner.
With a bitter expression, Roa's voice grew more urgent.
"For the magic circle to properly activate and be maintained, several things are needed, including 'the vitality of a gemstone holder connected to a living spirit.'... That means the vitality of Emperor Sethian."
Eda had tried to use the former Emperor and Zair to activate the magic circle, but she found a more suitable target: the future Emperor, who had abundant vitality, and the dazzling source of desire confined in his bedroom.
Roa was determined to prevent Joo Yi-Gyeol and Sethian from becoming victims of Eda’s plan.
"You've already located His Majesty, right? We must inform Him of this immediately."
While Roa had stayed behind at the palace under the Emperor’s orders, he had still kept an eye on the Emperor’s safety. The Imperial Knights, following their orders, had remained in the palace, but they had been receiving reports of Sethian’s whereabouts through several trained owls. Knowing how the Imperial Knights operated, Roa was confident that Teran would know Sethian’s location, which is why he had come to him this early morning.
Looking at Roa's determined expression, Teren rolled up the scroll and left his desk.
"The owl sent for the report had a leaf from a Zikelro tree in its beak, located in the forest beyond the hill outside the northern gate of the imperial capital. It's not far, so we can reach it quickly on horseback."
Teren handed the scroll back to Roa and opened the door to leave. Roa followed behind him, his face still showing the same worry and anxiety he had displayed when he first entered the captain's office.
* * *
Sethian, who had left the horses at the edge of the forest, moved forward with only Renoc and Kirsty by his side, not wanting to scare Joo Yi-Gyeol. There was little moonlight, so they could only rely on Kirsty’s torch for light, but Sethian walked confidently as if it were broad daylight.
While walking along the path, Sethian suddenly veered off into a dense forest of trees. The narrow space and thickly planted trees made it clear that this was no longer a proper road, yet he continued on without hesitation, moving faster along the rough forest path.
As he walked, the path to the cave, where he had been with Joo Yi-Gyeol, replayed in his mind over and over. Whether it was the cold, dark dawn or the flickering torchlight shaking his vision, his pace quickened in impatience.
Perhaps it was because the sound of Joo Yi-Gyeol's voice from that day had left a strong impression, or perhaps because of the urgency he felt.
Soon, Sethian arrived at the entrance of the cave he had replayed so many times in his mind.
He didn’t rush in but paused at the entrance, listening carefully in case he could hear anything from inside. But all was silent.
Despite being certain that Joo Yi-Gyeol had come here, the silence from the shallow cave drove him to a desperate anxiety.
Had he already lost consciousness?
Had he taken the wrong path?
Though both options were dreadful, he would have preferred the latter. If Joo Yi-Gyeol were merely hiding somewhere, as long as he was still alive...
After a brief hesitation, Sethian clenched his hands and stepped into the cave. The sound of three distinct footsteps echoed loudly in the cavern.
The deeper he went, the more his unease grew. With no escape in the small cave, the sounds of their footsteps had to be heard by anyone inside. Yet, there was nothing except the sound of footsteps.
Just as the anxiety and fear were reaching their peak...
The torchlight held by Kirsty illuminated part of the cave, revealing a leg.
Without needing to confirm who it was, Sethian dashed forward. Before Kirsty’s torch could fully reveal the figure, Sethian’s voice rang out.
"Joo Yi-Gyeol..."
Sethian rushed forward, his hand touching Joo Yi-Gyeol’s cold back as he slumped against the stone wall. He kneeled, grabbing Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face, his brow furrowing in concern.
Joo Yi-Gyeol’s condition was clearly far from normal.
Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face and clothes, his conspicuous black hair dyed a common brown, were dirty with mud, as if he had fled into the forest. His skin was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His palms were scraped and raw, likely from falling, and his wrists bore clear marks from the shackles of the slave traders.
Sethian felt as though his heart had dropped to his feet. The faint breath from Joo Yi-Gyeol sounded fragile, as though it could stop at any moment. He had planned to confront and fiercely interrogate Joo Yi-Gyeol, but now all those thoughts faded away.
All he wanted was for Joo Yi-Gyeol to look at him with those eyes again.
Biting down on the unhealed wound on his lower lip, Sethian retrieved a small vial of awakening potion. He opened the vial and pressed it under Joo Yi-Gyeol’s nose as he breathed faintly. Even if he was asleep and astrally projecting, or had simply fainted, he should have opened his eyes because of the awakening potion’s strong effect, but for some reason Joo Yi-Gyeol did not respond no matter how long he waited.
With a harsh slam, Sethian struck his fist against the cave wall in frustration. The force of the blow was loud enough to echo through the cave, and Renoc and Kirsty, who had been standing silently behind him, hardened their expressions. The bottle of awakening potion in Sethian’s hand shattered from the against the wall, and the clear liquid and the thin blood diluted into it began to drip onto the floor.
The blood that had stopped flowing from the lower lip he had been biting hard began to seep out again and spread through his mouth. As if all his senses had gone numb to the point that he could not even taste the metallic tang of blood, he could feel nothing and could not think.
As he held Joo Yi-Gyeol’s upper body against himself, Sethian gently placed his fingertips, stained with potion and blood, against Joo Yi-Gyeol’s cheek. Then he slowly brought his lips to his.
"Open your eyes, Joo Yi-Gyeol."
If you open your eyes now, I will forgive everything.
I will forgive everything you did to try to escape my grasp.
"Open your eyes."
His breath, warm against Yi-Gyeol’s cold lips, couldn’t coax Yi-Gyeol’s eyes open. They remained closed, offering no response.
The person who greeted Roa, who had arrived in the early morning, was Teren, the captain of the Imperial Knights, who was still awake at that time. Despite the unexpected absence of Sethian, he continued working diligently, focused on his task as if he were a model student. It seemed he was willing to stay up all night if necessary to establish a new security system and maintain an orderly management tailored to the current Emperor’s preferences, all in order to effectively assist him.
"We need to find His Majesty right away!"
Roa's urgent voice echoed as he opened the door to the captain's office. Teren, who had been reviewing documents detailing the current security system of the Imperial Palace, raised his eyes to meet Roa's gaze with the same indifferent expression Sethian often had.
"His Majesty has already left with all the members of the ‘Obsidian Knights.’ He’s simply gone to fetch someone he values, so I don't believe there's any immediate danger."
The Emperor had left the Imperial Palace some time ago. It was already the cold dawn, and a couple of hours later, the sun would rise. Yet, the man before Roa didn’t seem to be particularly concerned about the Emperor’s whereabouts.
‘I knew he was like this, but...’
The Imperial Knights had been protecting the royal family and the Imperial Palace for generations, and only the Emperor could command them. They believed that absolute obedience to their lord was the highest honor, and as long as there was no significant threat to his life, they would follow any order without question. This had led them to faithfully follow the command this time as well.
Even though it had only been an abbreviated ceremony, Sethian had clearly worn the Emperor’s crown, and he had left a command for the Knights who had sworn loyalty to him to protect the Imperial Palace. Accordingly, the Imperial Knights, under Teren’s command, were focused on protecting the Imperial Palace. Without showing even the slightest sign of worrying about the Emperor. They were merely following orders like puppets.
It was enough to make Roa sick of how unchanged they were from when they had served the former Emperor, but he still had to tell him that Emperor Sethian was in danger.
Roa placed the scroll he brought on Teren’s desk. Teren glanced at Roa before putting down the document in his hand and unrolling the scroll. As he read the complex magic circle inscribed on it, his thick eyebrows twitched and rose.
"Are you saying that a dangerous criminal, who was once a disciple of the Tower Lord, is planning to create such a magic circle?"
"Not planning. It's already prepared."
The soul of the young boy who had come to him said that Eda had been waiting for Sethian’s coronation. On the day when the official transition of the throne was to take place, she had planned to abduct Joo Yi-Gyeol. Several of the guards inside Emerald Castle had already been possessed by brainwashed souls.
“They were idiots. They told me to return to my place before my master got furious.”
The young boy’s spirit laughed loudly, mocking those who had mistaken him for an ally.
Given the situation, it was understandable that the guards might have thought the young boy’s soul was on Eda’s side. After Zair died and Eda left, no soul butterflies remained in the Imperial Palace. Naturally, the soul butterflies sent by Eda would have mistaken the young boy's white butterfly for an ally.
It was only other dead souls like them, and living spirits with bodies, who could distinguish those possessed by the dead. Zair had been like that too, but Joo Yi-Gyeol, who fell into the latter category, had said he could tell whether someone was possessed just by hearing their voice or looking directly into their eyes. Had Joo Yi-Gyeol not decided to use sleeping herbs nearby to escape quietly, he might have sensed something was wrong with the possessed guard and stopped. He might even have been abducted on the spot.
Roa had failed to notice the possessed individuals while moving through Emerald Castle. If he had recognized them in time, he might have been able to discern Eda's intentions much sooner.
With a bitter expression, Roa's voice grew more urgent.
"For the magic circle to properly activate and be maintained, several things are needed, including 'the vitality of a gemstone holder connected to a living spirit.'... That means the vitality of Emperor Sethian."
Eda had tried to use the former Emperor and Zair to activate the magic circle, but she found a more suitable target: the future Emperor, who had abundant vitality, and the dazzling source of desire confined in his bedroom.
Roa was determined to prevent Joo Yi-Gyeol and Sethian from becoming victims of Eda’s plan.
"You've already located His Majesty, right? We must inform Him of this immediately."
While Roa had stayed behind at the palace under the Emperor’s orders, he had still kept an eye on the Emperor’s safety. The Imperial Knights, following their orders, had remained in the palace, but they had been receiving reports of Sethian’s whereabouts through several trained owls. Knowing how the Imperial Knights operated, Roa was confident that Teran would know Sethian’s location, which is why he had come to him this early morning.
Looking at Roa's determined expression, Teren rolled up the scroll and left his desk.
"The owl sent for the report had a leaf from a Zikelro tree in its beak, located in the forest beyond the hill outside the northern gate of the imperial capital. It's not far, so we can reach it quickly on horseback."
Teren handed the scroll back to Roa and opened the door to leave. Roa followed behind him, his face still showing the same worry and anxiety he had displayed when he first entered the captain's office.
* * *
Sethian, who had left the horses at the edge of the forest, moved forward with only Renoc and Kirsty by his side, not wanting to scare Joo Yi-Gyeol. There was little moonlight, so they could only rely on Kirsty’s torch for light, but Sethian walked confidently as if it were broad daylight.
While walking along the path, Sethian suddenly veered off into a dense forest of trees. The narrow space and thickly planted trees made it clear that this was no longer a proper road, yet he continued on without hesitation, moving faster along the rough forest path.
As he walked, the path to the cave, where he had been with Joo Yi-Gyeol, replayed in his mind over and over. Whether it was the cold, dark dawn or the flickering torchlight shaking his vision, his pace quickened in impatience.
Perhaps it was because the sound of Joo Yi-Gyeol's voice from that day had left a strong impression, or perhaps because of the urgency he felt.
Soon, Sethian arrived at the entrance of the cave he had replayed so many times in his mind.
He didn’t rush in but paused at the entrance, listening carefully in case he could hear anything from inside. But all was silent.
Despite being certain that Joo Yi-Gyeol had come here, the silence from the shallow cave drove him to a desperate anxiety.
Had he already lost consciousness?
Had he taken the wrong path?
Though both options were dreadful, he would have preferred the latter. If Joo Yi-Gyeol were merely hiding somewhere, as long as he was still alive...
After a brief hesitation, Sethian clenched his hands and stepped into the cave. The sound of three distinct footsteps echoed loudly in the cavern.
The deeper he went, the more his unease grew. With no escape in the small cave, the sounds of their footsteps had to be heard by anyone inside. Yet, there was nothing except the sound of footsteps.
Just as the anxiety and fear were reaching their peak...
The torchlight held by Kirsty illuminated part of the cave, revealing a leg.
Without needing to confirm who it was, Sethian dashed forward. Before Kirsty’s torch could fully reveal the figure, Sethian’s voice rang out.
"Joo Yi-Gyeol..."
Sethian rushed forward, his hand touching Joo Yi-Gyeol’s cold back as he slumped against the stone wall. He kneeled, grabbing Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face, his brow furrowing in concern.
Joo Yi-Gyeol’s condition was clearly far from normal.
Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face and clothes, his conspicuous black hair dyed a common brown, were dirty with mud, as if he had fled into the forest. His skin was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His palms were scraped and raw, likely from falling, and his wrists bore clear marks from the shackles of the slave traders.
Sethian felt as though his heart had dropped to his feet. The faint breath from Joo Yi-Gyeol sounded fragile, as though it could stop at any moment. He had planned to confront and fiercely interrogate Joo Yi-Gyeol, but now all those thoughts faded away.
All he wanted was for Joo Yi-Gyeol to look at him with those eyes again.
Biting down on the unhealed wound on his lower lip, Sethian retrieved a small vial of awakening potion. He opened the vial and pressed it under Joo Yi-Gyeol’s nose as he breathed faintly. Even if he was asleep and astrally projecting, or had simply fainted, he should have opened his eyes because of the awakening potion’s strong effect, but for some reason Joo Yi-Gyeol did not respond no matter how long he waited.
With a harsh slam, Sethian struck his fist against the cave wall in frustration. The force of the blow was loud enough to echo through the cave, and Renoc and Kirsty, who had been standing silently behind him, hardened their expressions. The bottle of awakening potion in Sethian’s hand shattered from the against the wall, and the clear liquid and the thin blood diluted into it began to drip onto the floor.
The blood that had stopped flowing from the lower lip he had been biting hard began to seep out again and spread through his mouth. As if all his senses had gone numb to the point that he could not even taste the metallic tang of blood, he could feel nothing and could not think.
As he held Joo Yi-Gyeol’s upper body against himself, Sethian gently placed his fingertips, stained with potion and blood, against Joo Yi-Gyeol’s cheek. Then he slowly brought his lips to his.
"Open your eyes, Joo Yi-Gyeol."
If you open your eyes now, I will forgive everything.
I will forgive everything you did to try to escape my grasp.
"Open your eyes."
His breath, warm against Yi-Gyeol’s cold lips, couldn’t coax Yi-Gyeol’s eyes open. They remained closed, offering no response.
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