Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 29

#29.

Night is the perfect time for vengeful spirits to infiltrate us.

Lee Jae, who had fallen asleep with Roderick, frowned and opened her eyes.

She heard a strange noise that only she could sense.

A shabby-looking drunk ghost was knocking on the window, asking to be let in.

Lee Jae had already seen this spirit three times.

How did I become so familiar with ghosts?

Lee Jae sighed deeply.

The woman, buried in the king’s arms, carefully removed the hand wrapped around her waist. But she was immediately met with an obstacle.

The man, who had only entangled his ankles with hers while sleeping, had somehow placed his leg on top of her body.

“I told you… not to put your legs on me… didn’t I?”

Lee Jae tried to carefully escape without waking Roderick.

However, the king’s instinct to prevent the human sleep aid from escaping was also frightening.

“Ugh!”

A large hand wrapped around her waist, and she fell back onto the bed.

The arm pulling her into his embrace was not gentle, and she felt suffocated.

Moreover, as if he was trying to wake up clumsily, he began to rub against Lee Jae while holding her in his arms.

“Let me go. Please… he’s going to come again.”

But Lee Jae couldn’t speak loudly, fearing that he would wake up completely.

She pleaded in a voice that seemed about to break, and soon her body began to tremble.

“Haa… don’t breathe… there.”

Lee Jae buried her face in the sheets and curled up as much as possible.

She could feel his lips and warm breath on her neck.

Her ears turned red, and she teared up.

And she rubbed her cheek against the sheet, enduring this embarrassing sensation.

“Okay, okay. Please calm down.”

Eventually, Lee Jae gently stroked his thick forearm wrapped around her waist.

It was a gentle touch to calm a dark beast trying not to lose its possession.

It took a considerable amount of time for Roderick, who had been tossing and turning, to fall back into a deep sleep.

Lee Jae, who had been curling up as much as possible, cautiously removed his hand. This was her only chance. She quickly rolled her body to the other side.

Lee Jae assessed herself.

“…That was a very swift and clever escape, I think.”

But she didn’t know why she felt so exhausted.

After catching her breath for a moment, she approached the window.

Drunk ghosts may seem the most humble and powerless at first glance.

But they are more persistent than anyone else, and they gain great power over time.

If left alone, they will later become powerful beings that cannot be removed no matter what.

If the king becomes an alcoholic in this situation, his reputation will be irreparably damaged.

Lee Jae opened the window and held out her prayer bead bracelet.

“Are you just going to leave? Or do you prefer the rough way?”

“Roderick… give me alcohol…”

“Stop talking nonsense and leave. Do you think I’m a joke because I’m staying still?”

“……”

“Who am I talking to again?”

Lee Jae turned away from the bed and brought a lit candle.

As she pretended to light the talisman, the drunk ghost moved away from the window.

“This is your last warning. If you cling to that person again, I will destroy you. I can do that much.”

As Lee Jae glared sharply, the drunk ghost slowly ran away.

However, a deep attachment still remained in its shabby, hunched back, and she sighed.

Lee Jae plopped down on the floor and sat cross-legged.

Numerous thoughts have been tormenting her for some time.

What she needed was a ritual of ascension and annihilation, but she was becoming increasingly overwhelmed just by fighting against the vengeful spirits.

Grandma, what should I do in times like this?

I’m only half a shaman because I couldn’t get a god [referring to not being fully initiated as a shaman].

I know I shouldn’t get involved in things beyond my ability, but… I sometimes feel sorry for people.

If the moment comes when I have to do something even though I know it’s impossible, what will I do then?

Grandma didn’t tell me about things like that either.

This is so scary. I’m lonely.

Lee Jae eventually unfolded her legs and covered her face with her hands.

How much time had passed?

After bowing her head for a long time, she lowered her hands and looked at Roderick, who was sound asleep. A peaceful night that everyone should have.

Lee Jae got up. She had to do something urgent first.

Now was the perfect time to completely destroy the snake ghost. Their resentment becomes more intense over time.

Lee Jae removed the talisman hidden behind the frame. It was to open the barrier.

“…Your Majesty?”

When the queen opened the door and looked outside in the middle of the night, the knights on guard widened their eyes.

“What… do you need anything? Shall I call the head maid?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. Don’t worry about it and do your work.”

As soon as the spirit crawled into the room, Lee Jae closed the barrier again.

A 17-on-1 fight is only possible in movies.

She didn’t have the confidence to face other vengeful spirits.

The gentle queen closed the door too loudly, startling the people outside. Lee Jae herself, who closed the door, was also startled.

The snake ghost was surprised to see Lee Jae holding the sacred bracelet and talisman.

Lee Jae, who saw the snake up close, was also startled.

“What is this… a king cobra? Why is it so big here?”

She had confidently summoned it, but she was overwhelmed by its size and just stood there blankly.

But in the meantime, the spirit seemed to have found its target.

As the large snake slithered towards the king, Lee Jae was startled and stood in front of the bed.

“No! Don’t touch him. I really won’t let you get away with it.”

Lee Jae glanced back, worried that Roderick would wake up, and then glared at the snake again.

But the standoff continued for a long time after that.

It was while Lee Jae was still hesitating.

The spirit of the box, who had been peeking at the situation from inside the cracked box, walked out.

The spirit, looking at the snake with a curious child’s expression, suddenly grabbed the snake’s head. And… rode it like a toy.

-Lee Jae!

-It’s slippery!

“Is that… all you have to say right now?”

Lee Jae, who was dumbfounded by the sight, soon realized something.

The spirit’s arm holding the snake was fading.

Lee Jae didn’t know exactly what this situation was.

But if someone was putting in effort for her sake, she couldn’t just stand there like this.

Lee Jae took a step closer and said to the spirit.

“It’s not that I’m scared of you at all. It’s just… well, it’s just… like that? People can have trauma, you know.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them, then held out her arm.

And she put the talisman on the spirit’s head.

The smell of burning resentment filled the room. Lee Jae’s arm was also trembling.

But what made her more difficult than using her power was the image of the snake writhing roughly in burning pain.

The sight seemed scary even to the spirit of the box. As soon as Lee Jae put the talisman on it, it ran away to its home.

“Traitor, that sneaky thing…”

But Lee Jae sniffled and glared fiercely at the spirit again.

She put her energy into her fingertips.

“Yeongi Jeonhyeom [a phrase used in exorcism rituals]. Abandon the grudges of the past, spirit. Now, stop clinging to the human king.”

As Lee Jae released her energy, the spirit’s body began to disappear from the tail.

And when even the venomous fangs and eyes, where resentment was concentrated, had finally disappeared, Lee Jae plopped down on the bed.

She didn’t want to think anymore, and she didn’t have the energy to do so.

She just closed her eyes and tried hard to sleep.

The king, who had not been able to sleep for several days, overslept.

He had a comfortable feeling, having slept soundly without even dreaming.

Moreover, he was even more satisfied to have an apricot-colored fox quietly nestled in his arms.

But soon he realized one strange fact.

It seems like she slept near the window yesterday, so why is she on the opposite side? Did I turn her over yesterday?

The answer was simple.

Lee Jae, who didn’t have the energy to worry about such things, just lay down and fell asleep anywhere, and Roderick, who had been searching for the human sleep aid, turned around and finally put her in his arms.

“Are you awake?”

“Yeah. Did you sleep well?”

Lee Jae didn’t respond to that.

“Yeah. Why?”

“If you’re awake, would you please move your leg?”

Roderick, feeling a little embarrassed, quietly put his leg down.

It was more like being trapped than being held.

But when Lee Jae even removed her hand and wriggled away, he raised one eyebrow. It felt like she had been enduring until he woke up.

He wrapped his arm around Lee Jae’s waist and pulled her back in.

She turned her head and looked at Roderick. Her eyes were asking why he was doing this again.

Roderick, slightly irritated by the distance and coldness the queen was showing, said bluntly.

“I’m going back to sleep.”

Then Lee Jae chuckled.

Roderick stared at her and gave her a pillow like last night, but he had to let go of her himself before long.

A man in his prime makes plans other than today’s schedule when he wakes up in the morning.

He restrained himself because the queen seemed to be in a bad mood. She would definitely look at him like he was a bug again.

Stroking her apricot-colored hair from a slight distance, Roderick asked.

“Hailey. You don’t look good. Did you have a bad dream?”

“…Haa. I wish it was just a dream.”

“What?”

As Lee Jae said something he couldn’t understand at all, Roderick pondered for a moment.

“Maybe… did I force a kiss on you yesterday when you didn’t want to?”

“It’s not that.”

But unlike her answer, her face was sullen. She seemed sulky, and her complexion seemed pale.

Just as he was about to fall into more serious thought, Lee Jae suddenly jumped up. And she said to Roderick, who was startled.

“Your Majesty. I’m really sorry to say this. But can I still say it?”

“…Go ahead. Have I ever stopped you?”

“Could you please not kill snakes if possible? It can’t be helped if it’s really urgent, though.”

“Was it… that bad?”

“Everyone has one bad memory in their heart, right?”

Roderick really didn’t understand, but he asked because the queen seemed very serious.

“Then what should I do?”

Lee Jae frowned.

Ininseongsa [recruiting talent]. Don’t you know?

“Your Majesty, don’t you know the saying, ‘achieving one’s goals by borrowing the strength of others’?”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Your Majesty, we have… Jade, don’t we?!”

That person is the benefactor of your life!

Jade is someone who will never betray you. His physiognomy is saying it accurately!

As Lee Jae passionately spoke from the morning, Roderick let out a hollow laugh.

He had a lot to say, but he nodded for now.

It was because the young beast seemed to be swept up in uncontrollable anger right now.

“Okay, I understand enough, so stop yelling.”

“Yes, I’m really grateful that you listened to me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Your Majesty, you’re a more reasonable person than I thought.”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the compliment.”

After speaking, Lee Jae bowed politely and became dejected again, closing her eyes.

Roderick, who was staring blankly, covered his eyes and shook his body after a while.

He found it so funny that she was meditating again after acting like that.