Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 124

As the Heart Leads – Episode 124

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The royal party headed to Glassdin, a duchy an hour’s ride from the capital.

The king chose this location for its robust security and relatively developed commerce, offering plenty of attractions.

Most importantly, a royal villa sat conveniently between the territory and the capital.

The king and his party, cloaked in robes, passed through the checkpoint and rode for a considerable time.

After traversing a wide plain, houses began to appear, gradually leading them into a bustling street.

It was inevitable that the king and Lee Jae would attract attention.

Lee Jae cautiously scanned their surroundings, but the king seemed utterly carefree, as if visiting a familiar haunt.

And that’s when it began.

The king started buying everything that caught Lee Jae’s eye—absolutely anything.

In truth, nothing was particularly special. The most precious treasures in Cayenne, at least, were safely stored in the royal vault.

So, this was purely for amusement.

“Fox.”

“Yes?”

“Take this.”

“……Thank you.”

The king bought flowers from a girl on the street and presented them to Lee Jae in a large bouquet.

When Lee Jae glanced at a jewelry store, he promptly strode inside.

“Fox, would you like this too?”

“……Yes, but could you please refrain from calling me Fox in public places?”

“Alright, Bean.”

“Are you kidding me right now?”

“You caught me.”

Lee Jae wondered why her husband was behaving this way.

The knights, tasked with sweeping all the jewelry in the store into sacks, were equally perplexed by the king’s actions.

But the king showed no signs of stopping.

It was as if he intended to buy out every item in the territory.

Amidst this extravagance, one place genuinely captured Lee Jae’s attention.

“Your Majesty.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“If it pleases you, would you like to visit that place?”

When Lee Jae showed interest, the king turned his head.

Both the king and the following knights burst into laughter simultaneously.

She was pointing at a woodworking workshop.

The king was now fairly certain.

“So, it truly is a hobby of yours.”

The king felt relieved. He still felt guilty thinking about her carving statues day and night because of him.

At least she didn’t dislike it that much, he thought, nodding briefly.

“Alright, let’s go. If my lady desires to go, we must go.”

The king and Lee Jae entered the workshop with only the commander of the knights and a couple of guards.

The workshop, quite spacious, was filled with small wood shavings.

The woodworkers stirred with curiosity upon seeing the king and the knights.

Their imposing presence and aura were undeniable.

Lee Jae peeked out from behind them, and the commander of the knights stepped forward on behalf of the group.

It was impossible to discern exactly what he said. The woodworkers continued to glance at the group, but the atmosphere gradually relaxed.

Lee Jae began to explore the interior with a lighter heart.

The king, with his arms folded, followed suit.

The workshop offered more than he had anticipated.

It was filled with various items, from furniture like desks and chairs to finger-sized ornaments.

The king felt a bit strange.

He was accustomed to seeing only the finest crafts.

The only unusual piece among his possessions was the statue his wife had given him.

Even to the king’s discerning eye, the woodwork here was quite good.

The quality and artistry were both commendable.

‘Was Glassdin originally known for its woodcraft?’

As the king turned to Lee Jae to share his thoughts, he noticed something amiss.

His wife wasn’t looking at the crafts.

She was staring intently at something entirely different.

Her gaze was fixed on the fingertips of the person wielding the carving knife.

The other knights couldn’t understand why the queen was staring so intently at the woodworker with such sharp eyes.

But the king understood her gaze.

A strange energy emanated from the fingertips of the person carving the wood.

“Something’s a bit different.”

“You see it?”

“Yeah, I see it.”

“Originally, aura doesn’t only manifest when attacking others.”

Some people are born with it, but anyone who has achieved mastery in a certain field should possess it.

The king nodded and hugged her from behind.

They observed the woodworkers’ skills for a long time.

After pondering something, the king asked her.

“Lee Jae.”

“Yes?”

“Should I buy you a few of those?”

He asked the question tentatively.

The woodworkers were using carving knives unsuitable for carving small crafts as a hobby. The size was different, and they were too rough to be held in his wife’s small, delicate hands.

But it didn’t seem like his wife wanted the finished products.

“Do they even sell those?”

“They must have some in reserve. Does any knight own only one sword?”

“I suppose not?”

“You seem interested.”

As soon as Lee Jae nodded, the king instructed the knight behind him. Soon, a few carving knives were placed in her hands.

Lee Jae examined them carefully. Her eyes were serious.

Then suddenly, she smiled mysteriously, hmm.

The commander of the knights, watching her meaningful expression, quietly whispered to the king.

“It seems like she likes those the most.”

He shrugged, but the king inwardly agreed.

She really seemed to like them.

But at that moment, Lee Jae was having a strange thought.

‘If I put life-size totem poles in the castle, people… would be very surprised, right? But it would be helpful for future generations, right? Of course, just because it’s big doesn’t mean it’s strong. But the risk of it being lost would be low, right? Ah, but after living, there are big and strong things in the world…’

The king had no idea what he had just enabled.

He was simply pleased that his wife was smiling.

If he had known the consequences that smile would bring to the castle, he might have hesitated before buying them.

Feeling quite content, Lee Jae continued to enjoy the street scenery with the king for a long time. However, they didn’t always encounter pleasant sights.

The king and Lee Jae simultaneously looked at something in the air.

The king muttered to himself.

“There are definitely more outside.”

They were staring at a minor ghost that seemed to have died long ago.

The castle had become a relatively clean zone recently.

This was due to Lee Jae’s barrier and the royal family’s combined energy.

But outside, insignificant minor ghosts often caught their attention.

Lee Jae, finding no harmful resentment from the spirits, looked at the king.

She had a question in mind.

She had asked her husband a couple of times, but the answers were always unsatisfactory.

She repeated the question.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“When are you going to close that vision? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Roderrick looked down at Lee Jae silently.

“What about you? Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“I’ve lived like this since I was a child. And there’s no way to do anything about it.”

That’s what she wanted to say, but you’re not.

The ability to open and close the spiritual eye was almost the only achievement Lee Jae had gained by clinging to the boy king.

Roderrick shrugged and replied casually.

“I have to keep watching to protect you by your side.”

It was a plausible and sincere answer.

But Lee Jae tilted her head and said.

“If there’s an energy that’s dangerous to me, you can sense it even if you close your spiritual eye, right?”

It was a valid point. Roderrick, caught off guard, stared at Lee Jae and chuckled.

He decided to be completely honest.

“I’m worried someone might hit on you.”

Lee Jae paused.

After a moment of silence, she spoke softly.

“……Wow.”

“Why?”

“I think you have a stronger stomach than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can still say that even after seeing that miserable state… is that possible?”

Lee Jae shook her head, looking at the minor ghost again.

She could fully imagine how it had died.

But Roderrick also had something to say.

He pointed out something that had been bothering him.

“Not all of them are like that, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“King Arthur is handsome, isn’t he?”

“Bean. You kept looking at the portrait of the first king in the spire before, didn’t you? Honestly, didn’t you look at it much longer than mine?”

The king was also a handsome man who would never be outdone.

He knew that very well.

But King Arthur had a fresh and boyish charm.

He had a pretty and cute appeal.

He even seemed to be close to Lee Jae’s ideal type.

Roderrick, convinced that his wife’s taste leaned in that direction, looked slightly sullen.

Of course, Lee Jae was dumbfounded.

She thought a person could be extraordinary in this way.

“That’s not why I was looking at it… How did you come up with such an absurd idea?”

Lee Jae shook her head in disbelief.

It was a firm tone, but it was something that should never have been said.

“Your Majesty, I hate things like ghost sex.”

Roderrick’s face, as he silently looked at Lee Jae, was expressionless.

He was processing what she had said.

It was like the silence before a storm.

What does that mean? Is that really what I think it is? Did I hear something wrong?

As she saw her husband’s eyebrow gradually rising, Lee Jae flinched and avoided his gaze.

“Madam. What did you just say?”

“I didn’t say anything?”

“Do you mean intercourse, sexual relations, or something like that?”

“………”

“Is that really possible?”

“………”

“Huh?”

Roderrick, realizing that the continued silence was a confirmation, was momentarily overwhelmed.

“Why are you telling your husband that now!”

“………”

“Was there anyone spouting crazy nonsense? Huh?”

He felt a surge of anger. If anyone had been hitting on her, he wanted to break their center.

Lee Jae, unable to confess that it was your ancestor, said defensively.

“No, why do you only listen to the part before that?”

“………”

“I said I hate it, right?”

“I don’t know. I think something’s coming up from inside. I couldn’t hear it well up to that point just now.”

Roderrick looked at the sky and sighed, Hoo.

Lee Jae, watching him, asked carefully.

“Are you sulking?”

“Yeah.”

“I started this conversation because I thought you’d be tired if you kept your vision open.”

“I didn’t have any intention of closing it in the first place, and I don’t want to close it until I die. It was a very great persuasion.”

Lee Jae looked uncomprehending. She thought he was wasting that useful ability on something trivial. Lee Jae asked.

“Then, Your Majesty, if a pretty female spirit seduces you, will you fall for it?”

At that moment, the king became terribly serious.

“Lee Jae. I hate those kinds of jokes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why would I meet another woman besides you?”

Then Lee Jae’s face also became somewhat dissatisfied.

She felt there was no reciprocity.

She frowned and said.

“Then does that mean my words are lies? I only have Roderick too?”

The king was silent.

Once again, he looked at the sky and sighed.

He sighed several times. He realized he had been unnecessarily excited because of the shocking fact he had learned.

He felt like he had done another unnecessary thing.

But he also wanted to correct one misunderstanding.

The part he was jealous of and the part he was worried about were completely different.

“Do you think I’m worried because I don’t know that? There are many ignorant and strong guys in the world who can’t understand what rejection is, so I’m doing this.”

“………”

“And Madam. Let’s agree to say that you only have me before I get jealous.”

Lee Jae was silent. She didn’t know whose words were strange.

She was so dumbfounded that she laughed.

Anyway, she didn’t have to worry about the king’s spiritual eye.

He was adapting much better than someone who had a spiritual eye from the beginning.