Chapter 51

Aini burst open the door and noticed someone sitting behind the piano. It was too dark outside and in the room to see their face, but she could make out a dark silhouette.

"…Who is it?"

The singing stopped, but the face remained hidden. Aini managed to ask, her voice hoarse from tension, as if she had just woken up.

"Who are you?"

Aini hoped there would be no answer. But she wished it would be Heum's voice, and at the same time, she didn't want it to be. She didn't even know what she wanted.

"Aini. It's me."

However, the voice that came back was Heum's. Her legs went weak, and Aini leaned against the wall, biting her lip tightly.

"Aini."

The familiar voice called her again, just as it used to. Aini shook her head quickly.

"You're dead."

No matter how much she longed for that voice, he was definitely dead. Many people had seen it. How could a dead person…?

"I came 'a bit earlier' because I missed you."

"Do you have any proof that you're you?"

"When I tried to take you from the temple when you were ten, I stopped it. On my thirteenth birthday, I gave you a glass sword blade, and your father scolded me."

It was a story known only to a very few people. Aini felt her eyes well up with tears, and her lips trembled.

"You're dead."

She was scared, so scared, yet her steps moved toward where Heum was. But when Heum slammed the piano keys, Aini was startled and stopped in her tracks. A pained voice came from the darkness.

"Don't come any closer. I don't want to scare you."

"I'm already scared."

"I can't see you up close yet. I came too early."

"What do you mean…?"

Her vision blurred with tears, and Aini quickly wiped her face with both hands. But when she raised her head, the dark silhouette was gone, and the room was lit. No one was sitting at the piano.

"Heum?"

Aini called out his name, but Heum was nowhere to be seen. Her legs couldn't support her, and she leaned against the wall. Soon, her body slid down to the floor.

"Heum…"

Sitting on the floor with her legs hugged, Aini sobbed uncontrollably. Indeed, he was alive. He had come back to life. But how? How could a dead person…? * * *

'The name Kalain called. Is it Domyis, the red-haired woman?'

The next morning, Latil returned to his room, leaving Kalain, who was still asleep. He kept thinking about the red-haired woman he had seen in his dream and Kalain. The image of the two crying deeply pierced his heart like a sharp stone, lodging itself inside where it couldn't be found. It kept coming back, rough and irritating.

'Somehow. She seemed too skilled at rushing in. They must have had a passionate thousand-year love.'

Thinking of Kalain crying, saying he would die with the woman, Latil made a sound of disgust and splashed the water in the basin. But the memory kept coming back even as he worked, so Latil finished all his official duties early, postponed his personal tasks for the next day, and went to see Lanan in the early evening. He wanted to forget about the passionate love for another woman and listen to Lanan's inner thoughts over drinks.

"The courtiers are constantly gossiping about you going around and making the concubines drink."

Lanan, upon seeing Latil, coldly shot at him. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Latil could forget about Kalain while defending himself.

"If I only take care of one, it's the same, right? I have to take care of all of them."

"You're a natural playboy."

"Then should I go back? A playboy who takes care of five is better than one who takes care of six, right?"

As Latil continued to speak without backing down, Lanan glared at him coldly and walked away, closing the door.

"Taking care of six is better, then? You like bad women, don't you?"

Seeing this, Latil chuckled and teased, making Lanan's expression even colder, so cold that it felt like a chill could be felt just by being near him.

"Let's drink. Don't be angry."

Latil grabbed Lanan's arm, which was clearly upset, and pulled him into a chair, pouring him a drink and bringing it to his nose. He did this because he thought Lanan wouldn't drink otherwise.

"…"

But Lanan, being a suspicious person, felt uneasy and didn't drink when Latil openly offered him the drink.

"Why do you make all the concubines drink?"

He even asked this while holding the glass.

'Is making five in a row drink a bit strange?'

If Lanan was this suspicious, how suspicious would Tashir, the next one, be? Latil inwardly sighed but smiled and made an excuse.

"Drinking makes it easier to get close. They open up more. Since I'm still new to the throne and can't come often, I want to get close this way."

It wasn't that he wanted to get close, but he did want them to open up, so it was partly true. Lanan, seeing Latil's plausible excuse, hesitated but finally took a small sip.

'What is this, chick pee?'

Latil found it absurd that he drank so little, but he couldn't force him to drink more, so he just gave him some snacks.

"Here, have some snacks."

Lanan hesitated when Latil's snack touched his lips but slowly opened his mouth.

Latil, who had offered the snack without thinking, felt awkward when Lanan opened his mouth and took the long snack, looking into Latil's eyes. He awkwardly lowered his arm. Lanan, noticing Latil's reaction, chewed the snack slowly and smiled when he saw Latil's ears turn a bit red.

'Anyway, his face…'

Latil, thinking Lanan's smile was like a dewy rose, quickly offered him more drinks.

"By the way, Lanan, didn't you live in the temple for a while when you were young?"

To avoid making Lanan suspicious by just offering drinks, Latil recalled the short, unusual detail in Lanan's application for the harem.

"Yes."

But Lanan, not interested in a long conversation, answered briefly, and the conversation didn't continue.

"You don't fit there. If you were a priest, people would come for peace and leave angry."

Latil, irritated, started an argument, but Lanan snorted and only drank the drink. Just as he was about to say something.

"!"

He suddenly closed his mouth, got up, and walked to the bed.

"Lanan? Where are you going?"

Latil called out, surprised that he suddenly stopped drinking and walked away, but Lanan didn't look back and lay down on the bed.

"Lanan?"

Latil still didn't understand what he was doing, but Lanan, instead of answering, covered himself with the blanket and closed his eyes. And...

'He fell asleep?'

He fell asleep in less than a second.

"Lanan? Lanan?"

Latil called out, bewildered, but Lanan didn't even twitch. Lanan, though cold, was the most polite among all the concubines and would never ignore Latil on purpose.

'Really asleep?'

Latil, approaching and looking at Lanan's peacefully sleeping face, let out a hollow laugh.

'Wow. Why is he so weak against alcohol? He doesn't even have time to weaken mentally?'

* * *

"The sky is bright, the sunlight is warm, and I feel strength in my body! It's all thanks to the grace of the gods!"

The high priest, after exercising, looked up at the sky and shouted brightly. The courtiers passing by looked at him and whispered. The acolyte, disguised as a servant, covered his face in embarrassment.

"Please say that more quietly, Zayshin."

But the high priest, with a broad smile, stubbornly showed off his arm muscles.

"The gods like to be shown, Gubel! Muscles! Muscles!"

'No, they don't…'

"Shout loudly to be heard by the gods!"

"The gods don't have hearing problems… Besides, why show your muscles?"

"When many people pray to the gods, the sounds mix! So you have to shout loudly to be heard the most! Like this!"

The high priest, spreading his arms, shouted "Gods! Yaho!" to the sky, turning the acolyte's face as red as a ripe strawberry.

'Where did that logic come from…'

The courtiers, seeing this, whispered and giggled, making the acolyte's shoulders droop. Our high priest might look a bit awkward, but the gods love such awkwardness, so he should be fine, right? The boiling words he wanted to say were stifled, making him feel very frustrated.

"Gubel!"

"Yes, Zayshin."

"Go get some ice cream. I want to eat it in the sun."

"Yes…"

"Gubel!"

"Yes?"

"Two! Get two!"

Gubel mumbled and ran to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the high priest, calming down a bit, smiled like the sun and looked up at the sky. Surprisingly, as soon as he closed his mouth, he looked so beautiful, like sparkling seawater, that the courtiers, who had been teasing him, opened their mouths in surprise. But soon, their pride was hurt by being impressed by the youngest concubine, so they quickly left. As a result, the only person left in the area was the high priest. Still, he enjoyed the clear air alone. Then,

'Hmm?'

Suddenly, he felt a creepy sensation from behind. It was a very dangerous and chilling feeling. Just as the high priest was about to turn his head quickly, someone pushed his back with incredible force.

"!"

* * *

The day after making Lanan drink, Latil tested Tashir, but it seemed Tashir had a liver that could break down alcohol on its own, as he never got drunk no matter how much he drank. Latil's mind was busy all day trying to find another strategy to weaken the concubines' mental strength. But in the afternoon, Latil's mind became even busier. The Fifth Guard Captain, panting, ran up to Latil and knelt down, shouting.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Zayshin, Zayshin!"

He was so out of breath that he couldn't speak properly and finally shouted.

"Zayshin fell down the stairs and was seriously injured!"

The Fifth Guard was responsible for the harem's security. Latil was truly shocked by the report.

"Zayshin?"

The Zayshin Latil knew was strong enough to break an enemy's neck with his bare hands, pin them to the ground, and knock them out with a single blow. He was the type who would break the stairs if he rolled down them by mistake, and he would regain his balance if he tripped.

'Was it the work of someone who knew Zayshin was a high priest?'

Latil, rushing to the harem, asked.

"Was it an accident or did someone push him?"

"I don't know. Zayshin's servant was getting ice cream in the kitchen on Zayshin's orders, and no one was around."

"Any guards nearby?"

"There were guards not far away, but they said no suspicious people came or went."

"What did Zayshin say? What did he say?"

"He hasn't regained consciousness yet…"

The Fifth Guard Captain reported in a low voice, and Latil stopped, glaring at him with a terrifying look.

"What?"

The Fifth Guard Captain, looking like he was about to cry, knelt down again. Latil, pointing at him with his finger, hesitated to yell, thinking Zayshin was more important, and increased his running speed. He quickly opened the door and went inside. The court physician was already there, bandaging Zayshin. The other concubines, gathered in the room, surrounded Zayshin's bed.

"Zayshin!"

Latil rushed over and grabbed Zayshin's hand, and surprisingly, Zayshin, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Zayshin! Are you okay?"

Latil, shocked, held Zayshin's face and asked. Zayshin winced in pain when Latil touched him. Realizing this, Latil let go, and Zayshin groaned and writhed.

"Zayshin must really miss Your Majesty. He didn't regain consciousness even when his servant cried and begged."

The court physician, seeing this, said in amazement, but Latil couldn't laugh. Latil waited silently for Zayshin to calm down, and when Zayshin complained that all his ribs and leg bones felt broken, Latil asked.

"What happened? How did you fall down the stairs?"

Zayshin, holding Latil's hand and sniffling, said.