IDEFYEM - Chapter 35

IDEFYEM - Chapter 35

Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!

"Do you love me too? Really?"

After hesitating from Kael's series of questions, I eventually nodded. The man's eyes, which seemed to soften at that action, turned even colder.

The hand that touched my lips was rough. It was as if their gaze was constantly calculating and judging me. At this point, I was curious about what had happened over the past four years.

'No matter how you look at it, it's somewhere between a less socialized beast and a human.'

After a few years, you become a womanizer who manipulates every word you say. It might have been perfect if Kael had found the middle.

While he was lost in his thoughts for a moment, Kael's hand moved a little lower. I held my breath, not wanting to show that I was stiff at the blatant gesture.

He seemed to have read my actions and laughed in a low voice.

"So much so that you don't mind if I kiss you now?"

This was a test. These are words spoken by a man who is temporarily out of his mind.

Obviously, all you have to do is nod your head and avoid the situation. For some reason, I thought about that question seriously and my face got hot.

The man who was staring at my heated face somehow obediently fell.

"..."

His face, reflected in the flickering flames, was a little reddish.

"I guess I really have a fiancé."

I don't know at what point it was recognized. I felt fortunate that once he decided to trust me, the rigid atmosphere relaxed. 

"Does your head still hurt?"

I suddenly placed my hand on Kael's forehead to check his temperature. His feverish skin was quite hot. There was a little bit of crushed antipyretic herb left over.

I washed my hands with water, shaped it into a ball like a pill, and held it out.

"Now that I think about it, it's time. It's a medicine that eliminates fever. Eat it."

Kael remained silent. The silence that followed made me wonder if he didn't fully trust me yet.

Soon he obediently opened his mouth and took the medicine from my hand. It was a bit cute to see his calm appearance after a long time. 

"... It's my first time."

"Yes?"

"You are the first person who took care of me when I was sick."

For the first time. Kael's face looked younger as he said those words. Our age difference wasn't that big, but I never saw him as young, even though he was skilled in many things.

I realized that Kael was a young man who ascended to the throne at a young age. Then I became a little curious about the 18-year-old.

In some ways, the man was a person from the past who had fallen into the future.

"So what are you doing these days?"

Is this such a cliché question?

Kael let out a long breath as if he was thinking and then lowered his head.

"My memories are blurry like I'm in a fog. It's hard to think of anything." 

"Oh, then don't overdo it."

"But... We fight most of the time."

"With whom?"

"Brothers, vassals who want to kill me."

I remembered the answer I got when I asked Kael about his family one day.

"Most of them are dead. Some in my hands."

Now, Kael's memories have returned to that time. I didn't know how to answer, so I pursed my lips and he muttered.

"Seeing as you're still alive, it looks like you managed to take over the family."

"Yes, that's right."

I spoke quickly, concerned about the self-destruction and loneliness on the man's face.

"You live in a really nice house now. It's safe and sturdy. I think you have accumulated a lot of wealth and fame."

If my past self had gone to the future and heard these words, I would have cheered.

Kael shook his head bitterly.

"I'm not interested in that."

The man who said that blinked slowly, intoxicated by the poison that still remained. 

As always, a sweet voice rang out.

"Am I someone who can protect you?"

Even just now, I was surprised by the violence and wildness that Kael possessed in the past. After hearing that sentence, I felt like I finally understood. Age and speaking style didn't matter. Kael was Kael.

"... You are my savior."

There is no word that could describe this man better than that. When I spoke with a slight excitement, the 18-year-old Kael responded awkwardly.

His ears were red in the moonlight.

"That's it then."

We talked a lot after that until the sun rose. Eighteen-year-old Kael was blunt, but he was also bad at hiding his emotions and had a naive side, making him good at digging up information.

I was satisfied because I was able to learn about a different side of Kael that I had not known before.

Things like personal preferences for weather or food, or small habits. But as the day got brighter, he became so dazed that he couldn't talk.

As I had warned before going to sleep, he would spit out words in his sleep, or he would get so feverish that he would not be able to remember what he had just said.

I decided to put him back to sleep now and forced Kael to lie down.

His heavy upper body, as if wet with water, fell to the floor. Even then, the eyes staring at me were passionate.

"If you are really my fiancé... If you love me...."

"How many times do I say it's true?" 

"You are the only one to me."

He spoke in a pitifully cracking voice, emphasizing each word. 

"Stay by my side, until I die." 

After saying those last words, Kael soon fell into a deep sleep. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he breathed irregularly.

I quietly murmured while gently stroking his wet hair. It was something I couldn't tell myself whether it was wishful thinking or certainty. Maybe it was both.

"You won't die."

"..."

"You will break the curse and live longer than me."

***

After a stormy conversation with 18-year-old Kael. I was just as tired, so I curled up and fell asleep. I thought I would suffer from muscle pain since I slept in a hard cave.

When I woke up in the morning, I was covered in a pile of cozy clothes.

"Hmm?"

The air inside the cave was reasonably refreshing, and I didn't feel tired.

I tilted my head and checked the identity of the cloth I had covered.

"...It's Kael's clothes."

Now that I think about it, where has he gone?

The entrance to the cave, which was blocked by a large rock yesterday, is now open. Kael, who had slept next to me was gone. 

'Wow, aren't you still drunk on poisonous weed and walking around like a sleepwalker?'

If he gets into an accident, it's a big problem. I woke up in shock. As I left the cave and went outside, dazzling sunlight poured down.

The moment I covered my eyes, I heard Kael's voice nearby. 

"You woke up early, Enri."

"Huh, Kael?"

I turned my wide-open eyes towards the direction from which the voice came. 

"Are you okay now? What about poison?"

"I have fully recovered."

Where does the person who was in pain yesterday go? It was truly a monstrous recovery.

With curious eyes, I looked him up and down as he appeared to be fine.

"There were traces of medicinal herbs being used. Your care has been of great help."

After saying that, Kael observed me closely and smiled as if he was relieved. As expected, he was right as usual.

"Phew," 

e sighed loudly and calmly followed suit.

"What's wrong with you?" 

"Actually, I was worried that your expression would have changed when you opened your eyes." 

"How on earth?"

"You despise me so much...."

"Oh, that can't be possible." 

I laughed off Kael's words as if I had heard a joke. Then, Kael, who had a strangely puzzled expression on his face, suddenly said something like this.

"Now that I think about it, I woke up earlier and saw the flag with the emblem of the Archduchy...."

"Well, what? Where? Was it close to here? Was there an Archduke?"

I was so shocked that I jumped up and started asking questions all at once. A man with a somewhat glum expression answered after a short silence. 

"... I thought I saw it, but I wanted to tell you that it was a mistake."

"Ah, what else can I say?" 

As I spoke with a refreshing expression, Kael muttered gloomily.

"I guess it's not the right time yet."

"What?" 

"It's nothing, Enri."

We went back to the cave. 

I was planning to pack my bags and return to the tented gathering area. Kael, who took off his clothes and covered me, put on his jacket and said. 

"By the way, I don't remember anything about yesterday."

I felt fortunate in my heart. I planned to bury the memories of my conversation with him when he was 18 so deep in my heart that I would keep them a secret even from myself.

The gentle noise of a campfire crackling. An earnest confession that I will be the only one for him.

It was all so precious that it was a waste. As I laughed out loud while recalling that, Kael asked with a slightly uneasy look.

"Did I say something strange?"

"Not at all. I think I actually like you more."

Suspicious eyes pierced me, but I felt proud because I told the truth. In the end, Kael also shrugged his head and said.

"From now on, it wouldn't be a bad idea to eat a couple of couron fruits before talking to you."

"Hearing those words really makes me realize that you're back."

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