Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 28

#28.

After returning from the hunt, Roderick avoided visiting the Queen’s chambers for a while.

He wasn’t sure if it was because he hated snakes or because he couldn’t believe she could do such a thing, but the hurt lingered subtly for a long time.

Moreover, seeing her cry so sorrowfully because of another man made him all the more cautious.

He didn’t know how he had ended up in a situation where he couldn’t even share a bed with his own wife.

But he didn’t want to force it. He had already acknowledged that the responsibility for this marriage lay with the Duke and himself.

As a result, Roderick’s insomnia worsened, and his temper became increasingly sensitive with each passing day. Having only managed a brief nap, he touched his forehead.

It was an early sign of the onset of madness.

Early in the morning, Jade arrived in front of the King’s room and asked the chief attendant,

“How is His Majesty?”

“He hasn’t been sleeping well. In fact, he doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

Seeing Jade’s serious face, the chief attendant cautiously suggested,

“Perhaps it’s time to bring in Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Let’s observe the situation a little longer.”

They were coordinating the timing of deploying the suppression team, and they were very serious about it.

Jade entered the King’s room and examined his friend’s complexion.

Even Jade, who had been somewhat hesitant, had no choice but to echo the chief attendant after seeing the King’s face.

“Your Majesty, why don’t you go see Her Majesty the Queen?”

It was a truly strange thing, but people had no choice but to acknowledge the phenomenon as it was.

The King slept well and seemed at ease when he was with the Queen.

However, Roderick frowned.

“She says she doesn’t like it.”

“That’s… I think she meant that the act of catching snakes was disgusting, rather than disliking Your Majesty. In fact, quite a few knights think that way too.”

“It’s a disgrace that knights who can’t even catch a snake are called Cayenne Knights. You, as the commander of the knights, are also responsible for that.”

Roderick clicked his tongue as if he were appalled.

It only took the King four days to cave.

There are often people in the world who overestimate their health and distrust hospitals.

But even those people, if they are in so much pain that they feel like they are dying, will seek out a doctor no matter who tries to stop them.

Without even realizing it, Roderick, the patient who had become accustomed to this pattern, went to the hospital on his own.

Lee Jae, who had heard that the King was coming, greeted him with some delight.

And Roderick, who entered Lee Jae’s room, didn’t frown this time. He simply rubbed his face and let out a hollow laugh.

‘The air is different again.’

The eerie voice that he occasionally heard was also gone.

It was because the vengeful spirits and specters couldn’t enter the room.

The King realized that he was truly going mad.

But if he had to go mad anyway, this direction was better than the other.

If he went mad this way, at least there would be no casualties.

He was just bothering the Queen a little.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah.”

Roderick sat on the sofa and said curtly.

“Why don’t you ever come to see me?”

“………”

“You know I can’t sleep without you.”

The King tilted his head slightly, even after saying it himself.

It was a casual remark, but after saying it, it seemed to be true.

Can’t I really sleep without the Queen?

“I wanted to see you too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I was a little worried.”

“About what?”

*That you might suffer from bad dreams again tonight. That you might be in pain alone.*

Lee Jae only smiled without answering, but Roderick felt quite pleased.

“Then you should come sometimes. You don’t have to bring a pillow. I have two in my room.”

Lee Jae recalled her bucket list.

And she realized that the realization of item ‘1. Visit His Majesty’s bedroom’ was imminent.

Roderick pulled Lee Jae to sit on the sofa and lay down, resting his head on her lap as he was used to doing.

Having been unable to sleep properly since the hunting competition, he brought her hand to his face.

“Do that thing.”

“………”

“Touch me a little.”

Lee Jae smiled.

She felt strangely that he was cute this time, even though he was so big.

As she began to press here and there on his head with her soft fingertips, Roderick felt the same sensation again.

His body felt unbelievably light, and his sharp temper eased.

Roderick gazed at Lee Jae with his deep blue eyes.

He took Lee Jae’s hand, which was moving busily.

“Hailey, did you perhaps learn medicine? Or did you go to the temple? Did you aspire to be a priest or something?”

Roderick was the king, and he knew more accurately about the history of the Cayenne Kingdom than others.

The common people only thought it was a myth, but such mysterious powers certainly existed on the continent. However, it had been almost four hundred years since they had completely disappeared.

Lee Jae answered vaguely.

“I’ve never done that. Well, I guess you could say it’s similar. Because the desire to wish for well-being is actually similar.”

“I’m not kidding, I feel like my head clears up when I’m with you. Why is that?”

He looked genuinely curious.

People thought that the King was flirting as usual, but Lee Jae knew that his question was valid.

Instead of making excuses or admitting it, she said something else.

“Your Majesty, then use me.”

“Use you?”

“Yes, use me as a pillow if you can’t sleep well. I’m still a bit distant from being a blanket, though.”

“Ah, so there’s still a possibility for the blanket. Still, it’s too cold to say ‘use me,’ even though we’re married. Is it just me who feels comfortable when we’re together?”

Lee Jae shook her head.

“I enjoy talking to Your Majesty too. It’s fun.”

Roderick, who had been staring at Lee Jae, suddenly asked.

“Then, do you want to kiss me one more time?”

She flinched and glared at him.

“You asked me to massage you, can’t you see I’m working hard, even sweating? How can you say such a thing when I’m doing my best like this?”

“It was a joke. Can’t couples even joke around like this?”

However, Roderick, who was not joking at all, said sullenly.

“Still, if you reject me so sharply, men get hurt too. Give your husband some leeway.”

“…Are you hurt?”

“…I’m just saying.”

Lee Jae looked very troubled.

And after hesitating, she bent down.

She kissed him lightly on both cheeks, and as she was about to pull away, Roderick raised himself up this time.

He laid Lee Jae down on the sofa and grabbed both of her wrists.

“You’re definitely a fox [a sly and attractive person]. Do you have a tail? I can’t see inside your clothes, so there’s no way to check. Ah, I think I saw it briefly on our first night.”

As his hand reached towards her buttocks, Lee Jae twisted her body and laughed.

“Ah, why are you doing this? Don’t joke around.”

“Why? Are you going to ‘Euaaah’ again? It was cute, though.”

He pinched the Queen’s beautiful cheek lightly and let go.

“Hailey. Let’s do it one more time.”

“………”

“I want to confirm.”

“…What?”

*What that feeling was back then.*

*Why I wanted to kiss you when you were crying.*

Lee Jae closed her eyes.

The royals were entangled on the sofa, putting on a passionate kissing scene, so people turned their heads.

However, unlike last time, no matter how long they waited, there was no sign of it ending, so they slowly slipped out of the room.

At that time, Roderick, who had briefly separated, said.

‘Hailey. Interlock your fingers with mine.’

“…………”

“My hands are trying to wander around here and there against my will.”

He glanced over Lee Jae’s body.

“My goodness. I can’t believe a person could be such a pervert.”

“See? I did well to get married, right?”

Lee Jae burst out laughing because of Roderick, who soon replicated his own statement.

She took Roderick’s hand.

“Your Majesty, you have a very unique way of asking to hold hands.”

“It’s all a trick. What can’t I say to hold hands?”

In fact, he chuckled because he was a little annoyed that the Queen kept taking his hand away.

And he kissed her lips again.

Their saliva mingled and dripped down. If the kiss they shared before going hunting was gentlemanly, this kiss was a bit more instinctive and ravenous.

Squelching sounds came and went, and as he sucked on her tongue, Lee Jae’s body trembled slightly. This kiss was no different from intercourse.

She didn’t have any experience, so she couldn’t be sure, but she guessed so.

Roderick caressed the Queen’s lips, which were swollen from being sucked and kissed too much.

The King was able to confirm what that feeling was back then.

That feelings beyond affection had begun in his heart.

And that it had grown quite a bit without him even realizing it.

He picked up Lee Jae and carried her.

Lee Jae flinched a little as the King placed her on the bed and followed her up.

She felt like she knew what the next step would be if they came to the bed after kissing.

But Roderick asked Lee Jae.

“Hailey. Did you like Lawrence a lot?”

“………”

“So much that you would cry just by looking at him from afar?”

“I guess so.”

Lee Jae felt her heart ache again.

She readily acknowledged Hailey’s feelings. And at the same time, she denied them.

“But Your Majesty, that’s all in the past. It’s only natural that feelings will eventually fade away.”

“………”

“So this will also flow away soon.”

Roderick stared intently at the Queen.

His wife sometimes speaks in Zen-like riddles. But her words sometimes had a strange power.

Don’t people feel this?

“Then I won’t rush you either. Instead, I have to be sure.”

“About what?”

“Stop forgetting Lawrence and sort it out for sure.”

“………”

“Let’s have a relationship when your heart feels a little more comfortable.”

“…You are a really good husband.”

It seemed like a fairly successful marriage, considering it was accidental.

Lee Jae thought that maybe this life wasn’t completely unfortunate.

But Roderick was secretly disappointed when she lay down on the bed again, keeping the distance between this world and the next.

“Hailey.”

“Why?”

“Should I give you a pillow again?”

Lee Jae shook her head.

“It’s heavy. I’m okay.”

“If your bean-sized head is heavy, how can I hold a sword?”

“Still, it’s not good to sleep like that because it puts pressure on your muscles.”

Roderick frowned.

“Are you saying that because you don’t know, or are you indirectly saying you don’t like it?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m trying to make an excuse to ask you to come over here.”

Lee Jae smiled and moved her position.

She took a spot under Roderick’s arm, but he pulled Lee Jae up and put his arm under her head.

“I think I’ll be like this often in the future, so take this opportunity to find a comfortable position.”

Lee Jae was lost in thought for a moment. After hesitating, she chose to lie on her side, facing away from Roderick.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, securing a slightly more stable position by sticking to Lee Jae’s back.

Lee Jae frowned slightly.

The waist was a strategic point where hands could go up or down.

Nevertheless, she endured, but when one of her legs came up, she couldn’t bear it any longer. She felt like a *dakimakura* [Japanese hugging pillow].

“Still, I wish you would put your leg down.”

“Do I have to when you’re going to put it up anyway when you sleep?”

“Don’t justify it with such words. It’s heavy. And I need an adjustment period too.”

She said it jokingly, but there seemed to be some loneliness in addition to the awkwardness on her face.

She also knew that the King was constantly trying to narrow the distance between them.

“Are you still that uncomfortable and awkward with me?”

“No, it’s not exactly that, but…”

*What if you suddenly start to hate me one day? What should I do then?*

*So you don’t have to try so hard to be nice to me. I’m really okay, and that’s much more familiar to me.*

As she seemed about to say something but hesitated, Roderick couldn’t help but ask.

“Rather than that?”

But Lee Jae eventually closed her mouth.

It was because she didn’t want to pass on the feelings stemming from her unfortunate past to him.

Such things are sometimes just a burden to the other person.

“It’s nothing.”

“Hey. Why do you keep stopping in the middle of your words? Don’t you know that drives people crazy?”

Roderick poked Lee Jae with a face that said he was going crazy with curiosity and annoyance.

Today, he was admiring the family’s secret techniques, suspected of being passed down in the Duncan family, various techniques for scratching people.

He couldn’t give up easily and kept touching Lee Jae.

Eventually, Lee Jae, who was in so much pain that she was laughing, said.

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I really forgot what I was going to say.”

“Really? Then you’re being punished too, so let’s take it sweetly?”

Roderick said mischievously and slyly intertwined his legs with hers.