Chapter 126
While transferring side dishes in the kitchen, Yi-Jin also prepared carrots and potatoes for tomorrow's curry. She stood up from her chair, rolling her stiff shoulders a couple of times. Her mother, sitting across from her and glancing up, continued slicing the peeled carrots.
"Aren't you overworking yourself these days?"
"What do you mean?"
As Yi-Jin casually twisted her waist, she glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Even though she had come home earlier than usual, it was already nearing midnight without her having done much. With assignments waiting, she figured she wouldn't get much sleep again tonight. Perhaps she should try reducing her sleep altogether. If she did, she could increase her working hours.
As if reading her mind, her mother sighed and scolded her.
"Just attending university must be tough enough, and if you keep working like this, you'll get sick. If you at least took a break on holidays, that’d be one thing, but you work all day on holidays too."
"They pay extra on holidays. It’s a great deal—why wouldn't I do it?"
"Even if it ruins your health?"
Yi-Jin straightened her chest and shoulders, smiling confidently.
"This is how I stay in shape. Since I work hard, I don’t gain weight."
"You were saying this morning that your belly was sticking out and you needed to diet."
"Except for my belly, I haven’t gained weight anywhere else."
Her mother, watching as Yi-Jin pouted, transferred the diced carrots into a clean container with a sympathetic look.
"If you're struggling, just say so. Don’t hold it in. I... I'm not good at noticing things unless you tell me. I’m not very perceptive."
"Geez, Mom, why do you talk like that?"
"No, really, I—"
With a darkened expression, her mother trailed off before quickly forcing a bright smile.
"Come to think of it, you haven’t complained about your classes being difficult lately. Now that you're in your second year, have you adjusted?"
"They're super hard. I don’t know if I’ve adjusted or just resigned myself to it. Either way, I feel like my brain is about to explode."
"See? You should've just gone to the university you originally planned instead of pushing yourself to change your major."
"Ahhh, why can't I hear anything all of a sudden? Ahhh—my ears must be worn out from hearing that over and over again, Mother. Ahhh—"
Playfully tapping her ears with both hands, Yi-Jin stepped away from the table.
"I need to do my assignments, so I’ll check in on my brother for a bit before heading to my room."
"Make sure you sleep before your father gets home."
"Of course, I don’t plan to stay up until sunrise."
Thinking about how her father would come home in the morning, sleep for a short while, and then head back to work after lunch, Yi-Jin resolved to work even harder.
‘Once vacation starts, I should find a job with better pay.’
For now, they were covering Joo Yi-Gyeol's medical expenses and IV treatments using the severance pay from her father’s job last year. But money was always in endless demand, and college tuition these days wasn’t cheap either.
That said, she had no intention of taking a leave of absence. After struggling through an extra year of studying, she had finally been accepted into the prestigious university Joo Yi-Gyeol had once passed into, as if stepping in for him. Now, all that remained was to proudly show him the ‘graduation photo of his younger sister’ that he had longed for so much.
On graduation day, she would pose as beautifully as possible. She would wear her cap properly, hold up her diploma and bouquet proudly. If possible, she would take the photo at the university gate, making sure the name of the school her brother had wanted was clearly visible.
Although she was only in her second year, Yi-Jin was already excitedly imagining her graduation.
"Huh?"
As she stepped into Joo Yi-Gyeol’s room, she widened her eyes at a strange sense of unease. The room’s atmosphere felt noticeably warmer.
Tilting her head in curiosity, she took another step inside but then froze, her face stiffening at the growing feeling of dissonance. The source of her unease soon became evident to her eyes.
The messy blanket, the IV line stretched long as if it had been dragged, the notepad placed next to Joo Yi-Gyeol’s pillow, and most of all—the long-unseen, sincere smile.
Feeling her heart, which had been calm just moments ago, suddenly go wild, Yi-Jin rushed to his side and sat down.
"O-Oppa...?"
Her trembling voice called out to him, but Joo Yi-Gyeol did not open his eyes.
With hands as shaky as her voice, Yi-Jin placed her palm on his chest and shook him.
"Oppa, are you awake? Huh? Oppa, o—!"
Calling his name, Yi-Jin suddenly stopped breathing and lowered her gaze to her own hand.
She should have felt a heartbeat under her palm, but there was nothing. Only stillness, as if even his heart had fallen asleep.
"Gasp...!"
Yi-Jin swallowed her breath and staggered back. Unable to produce any sound, she merely opened and closed her mouth, her fingers brushing against a bundle of crisp, white notepaper on the floor. With trembling hands, she turned her gaze to the paper, and the moment she saw the neat handwriting left behind, tears welled up in her eyes.
[Thank you. And I love you.]
After reading the short note, Yi-Jin, with tear-filled eyes, looked back at Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face. Though he took not a single breath, his face was calmer and more peaceful than ever before.
* * *
In a grand, spacious room, only the clinking sound of a teacup and saucer echoed. Though well-versed in court etiquette, Princess Elina’s hands trembled, causing the soft noise.
Beside her, Prince Remines gently covered her trembling hand with his own.
"It will be fine."
"No, brother."
Elina shook her head before he could even finish, fearfully setting down her cup. The tea inside had already gone cold, untouched.
"They used the excuse of a mission, but they’re clearly sending Mendel away to get rid of him. Once Mendel is gone, do you think we’ll be safe?"
"But Sethian had the last survivor of Canael form a contract with us back then."
To thwart Zair’s schemes and strike from behind, Sethian had sent a contract through a Canael-affiliated figure, demanding cooperation from Mendel, Remines, and Elina.
If they helped eliminate Zair, he would not only protect them but also cover up all previous assassination attempts and corruption while ensuring their royal titles remained intact.
However, if they refused, the deputy guild master of Canael would kill them without a trace, and their years of misdeeds would be exposed to the world. More terrifying than death was the utter disgrace that would drag their names to ruin.
Zair had intended to kill them along with Sethian anyway. In contrast, Sethian had no personal interest in them, making it more logical to side with him.
Or so they had thought.
"Brother, did you forget? Sethian promised to protect us from Zair, but he never swore not to kill us himself. Our royal titles will remain unless we’re officially declared traitors—but even if we die, those titles will persist."
Elina squeezed her eyes shut, long lashes quivering.
"At this rate, we’re in danger too. We need… we need a plan. If we don’t want to die, something…!"
She abruptly stopped, her eyes snapping toward the door. Her trembling intensified, and Remines, tense, pulled her into his arms.
The sound of multiple footsteps echoed closer from outside. The approaching individuals made no effort to conceal their presence.
Bang!
Despite knowing full well that the third prince and first princess were having a late-night tea time, there was no knock, no announcement of a visitor—only the loud sound of the door slamming open.
Through the wide-open double doors, knights clad in black armor adorned with gold trimmings entered one after another.
Between them, Sethian stepped forward, clad in an opulent black uniform.
Remines immediately rose, supporting Elina as he bowed slightly toward him.
“What brings Your Majesty here at such a late hour, without prior notice?”
Despite his composed tone, Remines' eyes were filled with tension. His throat went dry as he observed Sethian, who exuded an overwhelming pressure unlike ever before.
Rumors had spread that Sethian had been suffering from insomnia.
It was said that even when he did manage to close his eyes, it was for mere minutes, and he would awaken at the slightest noise. Some even argued that calling it sleep was an overstatement. It had already been more than ten days since this state had begun. It was almost miraculous that he was still standing.
Moreover, there were whispers that he conducted his affairs daily in the torture chamber, using the screams of prisoners as background music and the scent of burning flesh as incense.
To such an extent that even Baron Erzen, who had served as Sethian’s secretary since his days as the fourth prince, had pleaded for leave, unable to endure the endless wails and the unbearable stench.
‘A madman.’
Swallowing down curses he dared not utter aloud, Remines met Sethian’s gaze.
His razor-sharp eyes seemed poised to slice through anything with the slightest provocation, his dark pupils gleaming with an indifferent coldness, as if staring at something utterly insignificant.
“I only need one of you. Hurry up and decide.”
Still harboring a sliver of hope, Remines cautiously asked, “…Why are you doing this, Your Majesty? At the very least, tell us what you want…!”
“And if I did, what could someone like you possibly do?”
Sethian’s lips curled slightly, almost in mockery.
“I only want that one. So hurry up and choose who will offer their vitality.”
The once-chilly air turned suffocating, as if a blade had been placed against their throats.
T/N: All i got to say is that I SUPPORT THE ML'S RIGHTS AND WRONGS,, WHATEVER THEY ARE
"Aren't you overworking yourself these days?"
"What do you mean?"
As Yi-Jin casually twisted her waist, she glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Even though she had come home earlier than usual, it was already nearing midnight without her having done much. With assignments waiting, she figured she wouldn't get much sleep again tonight. Perhaps she should try reducing her sleep altogether. If she did, she could increase her working hours.
As if reading her mind, her mother sighed and scolded her.
"Just attending university must be tough enough, and if you keep working like this, you'll get sick. If you at least took a break on holidays, that’d be one thing, but you work all day on holidays too."
"They pay extra on holidays. It’s a great deal—why wouldn't I do it?"
"Even if it ruins your health?"
Yi-Jin straightened her chest and shoulders, smiling confidently.
"This is how I stay in shape. Since I work hard, I don’t gain weight."
"You were saying this morning that your belly was sticking out and you needed to diet."
"Except for my belly, I haven’t gained weight anywhere else."
Her mother, watching as Yi-Jin pouted, transferred the diced carrots into a clean container with a sympathetic look.
"If you're struggling, just say so. Don’t hold it in. I... I'm not good at noticing things unless you tell me. I’m not very perceptive."
"Geez, Mom, why do you talk like that?"
"No, really, I—"
With a darkened expression, her mother trailed off before quickly forcing a bright smile.
"Come to think of it, you haven’t complained about your classes being difficult lately. Now that you're in your second year, have you adjusted?"
"They're super hard. I don’t know if I’ve adjusted or just resigned myself to it. Either way, I feel like my brain is about to explode."
"See? You should've just gone to the university you originally planned instead of pushing yourself to change your major."
"Ahhh, why can't I hear anything all of a sudden? Ahhh—my ears must be worn out from hearing that over and over again, Mother. Ahhh—"
Playfully tapping her ears with both hands, Yi-Jin stepped away from the table.
"I need to do my assignments, so I’ll check in on my brother for a bit before heading to my room."
"Make sure you sleep before your father gets home."
"Of course, I don’t plan to stay up until sunrise."
Thinking about how her father would come home in the morning, sleep for a short while, and then head back to work after lunch, Yi-Jin resolved to work even harder.
‘Once vacation starts, I should find a job with better pay.’
For now, they were covering Joo Yi-Gyeol's medical expenses and IV treatments using the severance pay from her father’s job last year. But money was always in endless demand, and college tuition these days wasn’t cheap either.
That said, she had no intention of taking a leave of absence. After struggling through an extra year of studying, she had finally been accepted into the prestigious university Joo Yi-Gyeol had once passed into, as if stepping in for him. Now, all that remained was to proudly show him the ‘graduation photo of his younger sister’ that he had longed for so much.
On graduation day, she would pose as beautifully as possible. She would wear her cap properly, hold up her diploma and bouquet proudly. If possible, she would take the photo at the university gate, making sure the name of the school her brother had wanted was clearly visible.
Although she was only in her second year, Yi-Jin was already excitedly imagining her graduation.
"Huh?"
As she stepped into Joo Yi-Gyeol’s room, she widened her eyes at a strange sense of unease. The room’s atmosphere felt noticeably warmer.
Tilting her head in curiosity, she took another step inside but then froze, her face stiffening at the growing feeling of dissonance. The source of her unease soon became evident to her eyes.
The messy blanket, the IV line stretched long as if it had been dragged, the notepad placed next to Joo Yi-Gyeol’s pillow, and most of all—the long-unseen, sincere smile.
Feeling her heart, which had been calm just moments ago, suddenly go wild, Yi-Jin rushed to his side and sat down.
"O-Oppa...?"
Her trembling voice called out to him, but Joo Yi-Gyeol did not open his eyes.
With hands as shaky as her voice, Yi-Jin placed her palm on his chest and shook him.
"Oppa, are you awake? Huh? Oppa, o—!"
Calling his name, Yi-Jin suddenly stopped breathing and lowered her gaze to her own hand.
She should have felt a heartbeat under her palm, but there was nothing. Only stillness, as if even his heart had fallen asleep.
"Gasp...!"
Yi-Jin swallowed her breath and staggered back. Unable to produce any sound, she merely opened and closed her mouth, her fingers brushing against a bundle of crisp, white notepaper on the floor. With trembling hands, she turned her gaze to the paper, and the moment she saw the neat handwriting left behind, tears welled up in her eyes.
[Thank you. And I love you.]
After reading the short note, Yi-Jin, with tear-filled eyes, looked back at Joo Yi-Gyeol’s face. Though he took not a single breath, his face was calmer and more peaceful than ever before.
* * *
In a grand, spacious room, only the clinking sound of a teacup and saucer echoed. Though well-versed in court etiquette, Princess Elina’s hands trembled, causing the soft noise.
Beside her, Prince Remines gently covered her trembling hand with his own.
"It will be fine."
"No, brother."
Elina shook her head before he could even finish, fearfully setting down her cup. The tea inside had already gone cold, untouched.
"They used the excuse of a mission, but they’re clearly sending Mendel away to get rid of him. Once Mendel is gone, do you think we’ll be safe?"
"But Sethian had the last survivor of Canael form a contract with us back then."
To thwart Zair’s schemes and strike from behind, Sethian had sent a contract through a Canael-affiliated figure, demanding cooperation from Mendel, Remines, and Elina.
If they helped eliminate Zair, he would not only protect them but also cover up all previous assassination attempts and corruption while ensuring their royal titles remained intact.
However, if they refused, the deputy guild master of Canael would kill them without a trace, and their years of misdeeds would be exposed to the world. More terrifying than death was the utter disgrace that would drag their names to ruin.
Zair had intended to kill them along with Sethian anyway. In contrast, Sethian had no personal interest in them, making it more logical to side with him.
Or so they had thought.
"Brother, did you forget? Sethian promised to protect us from Zair, but he never swore not to kill us himself. Our royal titles will remain unless we’re officially declared traitors—but even if we die, those titles will persist."
Elina squeezed her eyes shut, long lashes quivering.
"At this rate, we’re in danger too. We need… we need a plan. If we don’t want to die, something…!"
She abruptly stopped, her eyes snapping toward the door. Her trembling intensified, and Remines, tense, pulled her into his arms.
The sound of multiple footsteps echoed closer from outside. The approaching individuals made no effort to conceal their presence.
Bang!
Despite knowing full well that the third prince and first princess were having a late-night tea time, there was no knock, no announcement of a visitor—only the loud sound of the door slamming open.
Through the wide-open double doors, knights clad in black armor adorned with gold trimmings entered one after another.
Between them, Sethian stepped forward, clad in an opulent black uniform.
Remines immediately rose, supporting Elina as he bowed slightly toward him.
“What brings Your Majesty here at such a late hour, without prior notice?”
Despite his composed tone, Remines' eyes were filled with tension. His throat went dry as he observed Sethian, who exuded an overwhelming pressure unlike ever before.
Rumors had spread that Sethian had been suffering from insomnia.
It was said that even when he did manage to close his eyes, it was for mere minutes, and he would awaken at the slightest noise. Some even argued that calling it sleep was an overstatement. It had already been more than ten days since this state had begun. It was almost miraculous that he was still standing.
Moreover, there were whispers that he conducted his affairs daily in the torture chamber, using the screams of prisoners as background music and the scent of burning flesh as incense.
To such an extent that even Baron Erzen, who had served as Sethian’s secretary since his days as the fourth prince, had pleaded for leave, unable to endure the endless wails and the unbearable stench.
‘A madman.’
Swallowing down curses he dared not utter aloud, Remines met Sethian’s gaze.
His razor-sharp eyes seemed poised to slice through anything with the slightest provocation, his dark pupils gleaming with an indifferent coldness, as if staring at something utterly insignificant.
“I only need one of you. Hurry up and decide.”
Still harboring a sliver of hope, Remines cautiously asked, “…Why are you doing this, Your Majesty? At the very least, tell us what you want…!”
“And if I did, what could someone like you possibly do?”
Sethian’s lips curled slightly, almost in mockery.
“I only want that one. So hurry up and choose who will offer their vitality.”
The once-chilly air turned suffocating, as if a blade had been placed against their throats.
T/N: All i got to say is that I SUPPORT THE ML'S RIGHTS AND WRONGS,, WHATEVER THEY ARE
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