Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 46

#46.

The King opened his eyes as if greeting an ordinary morning. However, he soon realized that something was wrong.

The Queen was embracing him protectively. ‘Why is she sleeping like this?’ he wondered.

He felt something damp around his neck. Detecting a fishy smell, Roderick gently laid Ijae on her back.

Ijae’s nose was bleeding profusely.

“Chamberlain!”

The eyes of the people who rushed in widened in shock.

“Call the physician, quickly!”

Even as he shouted, he instinctively placed his hand on Ijae’s left chest. Her heart was pounding.

The physician who examined her wore a grave expression. The situation defied his medical understanding. The Queen was not someone with a weak constitution. There was no apparent reason for her sudden condition, nor was there any discernible ailment.

“Your Majesty.”

He called Ijae’s name tentatively. There was no response, so he gently shook her shoulder.

“Your Majesty?”

Roderick, with a fierce look, tried to stop him, but she opened her eyes as if on cue.

“Huh, uh? Did you call me?”

“Did I oversleep?”

Ijae looked around, noticing the serious faces surrounding her. She quickly pieced together the situation. ‘Ah, that’s right.’

“I want to sleep a little more.”

“……Hailey.”

Roderick called her name in a clinging, pleading voice.

When the Queen had started bleeding, he had suspected poisoning. It was a frequent occurrence in the royal family; so many had died that way. His betrotheds had perished without even setting foot in the royal palace.

But why did she seem so nonchalant?

He wiped the blood diligently, but traces remained, so he rubbed her face with his thumb.

“Hailey.”

But she didn’t answer, her gaze fixed elsewhere.

Ijae smiled faintly. The vengeful spirits were clinging to the wall, just as they should. (Vengeful spirits are souls filled with resentment and seeking retribution.)

The King of Hell was indeed a very powerful child.

But Ijae was acutely aware that her body was currently in tatters. She belatedly looked at Roderick.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yeah, what should I do?”

Roderick brought his ear close to her face, anticipating her words.

“Please take me to my room… I’m sorry.”

“…You want to go there?”

“Yes, I can’t go alone. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. We can go.”

Roderick glared at the physician, who had insisted there was nothing seriously wrong, then, distraught, carefully picked her up. Walking down the hallway, he asked,

“What should I do? There was so much blood.”

“Did I bleed?”

“When? Did I perhaps throw up blood?”

“…Really, why are you like this? Huh?”

Ijae looked at Roderick with a puzzled expression and realized there were bloodstains on his neck.

She barely managed to raise her hand and rubbed it.

“Did Your Majesty perhaps bleed too? That wouldn’t do.”

‘This person is strong? I even hugged him to sleep.’

Ijae bit her lower lip and continued to grope his neck, and Roderick didn’t know what to do.

“No, it’s because you bled from your nose. I was so worried.”

“Ah, it came from my nose, not my mouth.”

“…Hailey.”

Roderick arrived at Ijae’s room, at a loss. In the meantime, Ijae had fallen into a light sleep. Placing her on the bed, the King said,

“Everyone, get out. I have something to say to the Queen.”

This time, neither the chamberlain nor the head maid could intervene. Realizing that he was the only one who could, Jade took a step forward.

“Your Majesty.”

“What.”

“I know this is presumptuous, but… please let Her Majesty rest.”

Roderick looked around with a puzzled expression. But they all wore the same face, agreeing with the commander of the Knights.

“Just by looking at them, the two of you have different builds. Your Majesty’s stamina is definitely not the same as hers.”

‘Hey.’

Roderick frowned, realizing what he meant, but Jade shook his head.

“You can’t do this.”

“Her Majesty looks honestly too pitiful right now.”

Every time she slept with the King, the Queen’s face became gaunt. Every morning, the husband emerged refreshed, but it was obvious why the wife had a pale face.

There were many eyes watching, so he couldn’t speak freely like when they were young, and Jade communicated with his friend only through his expression.

‘Were you really a beast?’

‘Everyone has eyes, and I’m a man too, so I know how you feel, but please, do it moderately.’

‘Even if you’re newlyweds, how can you make your wife bleed from her nose?’

The King looked around again, and they were avoiding his gaze but agreeing with the commander’s advice. They were all looking at the King as if he were a huge beast.

Roderick tried to say something but looked at the air and let out a deep sigh.

He wore a very patient face.

“Okay. I’m the only son of a bitch.”

“…………”

“Let’s just make it seem like I’m the only one who deserves to die.”

“…………”

“Damn it. It’s not like that, so get out.”

Roderick waved them away and slammed the door shut.

Ijae, who had fallen into a light sleep, opened her eyes when he gently stroked her forehead.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Hailey. It’s just you and me.”

“Now there’s no one else.”

“…Yeah.”

Roderick hesitated, unsure how to begin the conversation.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to get a little closer.

“Hailey. You can be honest with me.”

“About what?”

“Where exactly does it hurt?”

“…………”

“I need to know that so I can protect you.”

Roderick continued to stroke her as if to reassure her.

“A royal’s illness is a weakness. I understand why you can’t say it. But I need to know something to defend you. That’s how I can fight on your side.”

Ijae, who was exhausted, suddenly felt like she was going to cry.

Hiding her eyes, she gritted her teeth. Ijae’s tone was as sharp as if she were arguing.

“Why would Your Majesty fight on my side?”

“…………”

“Why would you fight on my side?”

It was a cold question.

But in Roderick’s eyes, he could see that she was being hurt countless times. Her tearful eyes looked so… sad.

“I’m a strange person. I’m different. Your Majesty actually thinks so too, right?”

“…………”

“Your Majesty must be having a hard time, so don’t bother trying to understand me. I don’t need that.”

I don’t want to get hurt again, and I don’t have the confidence to watch your world be ruined because of my vision. Please don’t shake me so I can stay at this distance.

If you find out what I see, you might be disgusted by me too.

If you find out how I was born, you might inadvertently think of me as dirty.

I don’t want to be hit by random stones again.

It’s easy for people to help each other, but it’s hard to hold hands with that person side by side.

It’s easy to listen, but it’s reluctant to look into each other’s eyes.

So I just learned my own way.”

Roderick just stared at her for a long time.

He soon gently took away the lip she was biting.

“Where did you hear such a thing?”

“…………”

“Hailey, you’re my wife. I’m your husband. Then who are you going to rely on?”

“I can protect you enough.”

“It’s not strange. I was just curious, I just wanted to know. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

Her face, which had been putting on a strong front, collapsed in an instant.

Ijae was actually realizing little by little after meeting him. That the affection she had been so eager for was accompanied by pain.

That what moves people is ultimately not bad intentions, but good intentions.

Ijae wiped her hands on the blanket several times.

When she hesitated and reached out her hand, Roderick quickly grabbed her trembling hand.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“…I don’t know either. I just like you.”

She tried to calm down as she sobbed and said.

Roderick could see a decision forming in her hesitant eyes.

“Your Majesty. Then please listen to me carefully.”

“Yeah.”

Ijae looked around at the barrier surrounding them.

The barrier was still intact, but she was putting her strength into maintaining it.

Being okay, living a normal life, having a decent day—that in itself was something that humans put their strength into.

Ijae put strength into her voice.

“Your Majesty. You must no longer listen to the voices of the dead.”

He couldn’t understand her words exactly.

But at that moment, Roderick felt a resonance from deep within his heart.

Ijae’s words continued.

“They are just envying and jealous of you. The reason is very simple. It’s just because you… are alive.”

Your life and your morning that they don’t have.

Because it’s so brilliant.

Ijae continued to put strength into her voice.

“The pain you are experiencing now is by no means your fault.”

“…………”

“Don’t accept it.”

Ijae spat out the words and smiled a little hollowly. She thought she was talking too easily because it was someone else’s story.

But at that moment, she felt the karma of five hundred years falling on her. (Karma is the principle of cause and effect, where actions influence future experiences.)

Ijae gasped for breath at the weight that had fallen on her, but she didn’t let go of his hand. She held it even tighter, trying not to give in.

“Your Majesty is not a broken person.”

“Hailey.”

“Don’t forget. Your life won’t be ruined by something like this.”

She shed tears.

“So don’t give up. Don’t say things will go wrong.”

“…………”

“If Your Majesty doesn’t give up… I’ll try to the end.”

The pain you don’t talk about is so clear to me.

The fact that you are enduring it despite that hurts me.

So I’ll help you.

I am very weak, a little shabby.

I will be your ally and friend. So that your fight is not lonely. So that you can win at the end of this fight.”

She wiped away her tears and hurriedly shook off his hand and reached out into the air.

The barrier was also shaking as if emotions were overflowing.

‘A person’s belief and will that will not change in any moment.’

At that moment, Ijae choked and held back the rising nausea.

“What’s wrong!”

Roderick didn’t know what to do and tried to go outside.

It was to call the doctor and the people, but Ijae grabbed his hand.

“Your Majesty, I have one favor to ask. I, haa. I might be sick like today sometimes.”

“…Where does it hurt?”

“……”

“Hailey, please.”

Ijae gave a bitter smile.

“I just feel dizzy and nauseous sometimes. It’s not a big problem. And I get better quickly if I rest. This is really true.”

“……”

“Do you understand me?”

“…Yeah.”

“But when I’m not feeling well, Your Majesty must go to Arthur’s Forest.”

She put strength into her hand holding Roderick.

“Arthur’s Forest. It’s a must.”

You can live just by going there.

Roderick was restless, but Ijae was waiting for an answer like an anxious person.

He eventually nodded several times, and Ijae, confirming that, closed her eyes as if losing consciousness.