Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 61

#61.

“January 8, 497. I keep having strange dreams. They’re scary.

But I won’t tell anyone.”

Lee Jae was looking through Hailey’s diary again today.

She had been harboring a suspicion for some time.

The King’s casually spoken words had stuck in her mind.

‘Was he worried someone might steal a peek?’

*Is that really it? Then why even write a diary?* Lee Jae tilted her head.

Duke Duncan seemed like the kind of person who could sneak a look at his daughter’s diary without guilt.

But he didn’t seem that free either.

This time, Lee Jae opened another diary. Hailey had barely written in her diary for about a month before her death. This was from around the last entries.

“March 14, 499

I want to be with Lawrence in any form.

Even as Queen and Knight would be fine.

The future that doesn’t change no matter how hard I try is agonizing.

I don’t want to die.”

Hailey’s last diary volume was filled with words like ‘agonizing’ and ‘I don’t want to die.’

Every time she saw it, Lee Jae felt uneasy and sighed.

Just then, Deborah informed Lee Jae.

“Your Majesty, the Queen, His Majesty has finished his official duties and has gone to the bedroom. He is waiting for you.”

“Oh, I understand.”

Lee Jae habitually checked the bracelet’s status and left the room.

The King was in her bedroom for the first time in days.

It was because the Queen had said this morning that she wanted to sleep in the King’s bedroom today.

Although Roderick couldn’t understand the Queen, he tended to grant her almost anything she wanted.

She wasn’t someone who asked for much.

Even though she grew up in a powerful family, she was extremely frugal.

But it didn’t look miserly; it looked very pure.

He had felt it when carving wood, and it was the same with herb cultivation.

Roderick realized for the first time that growing herbs was such a reverent hobby.

At that moment, the sound of attendants announcing her arrival was heard, and Lee Jae peeked her apricot-colored hair into the room. As she greeted him with a nod, Roderick smiled.

“Don’t overdo it and come in quickly. Are you being formal with me now?”

Lee Jae hid her smile and entered the room.

But then, Roderick noticed something strange.

The Queen quickly scanned one side of the wall as she entered the room.

*Why does she keep looking over there? There’s nothing there.*

He thought it was really strange, but the Queen did something strange again.

She went to the bookshelf and looked at the statues here and there.

She always repeated this behavior when she came to this room.

“Are you greeting your friends?”

“Yes, thankfully they’re doing well. They’re strong children after all.”

Roderick was so dumbfounded that he hid his laughter.

“Why are you laughing? They are the masterpieces of my life.”

“I sincerely hope that the day will come when your artistic world is recognized.”

Lee Jae chuckled and came to the bedside.

Roderick pulled her waist and sat her on the bed, but Lee Jae reached out her hand. This time, she picked up the two halves of the Underworld General [a type of statue], Lee Jae, and said to Roderick.

“Your Majesty, please throw this away.”

“…No.”

“This is an eyesore. If Your Majesty doesn’t throw it away, I will.”

Then, Roderick rarely exerted his strength.

He grabbed Lee Jae’s wrist tightly and opened her fingers one by one.

And he easily took the statue and put it back on the bedside.

“The moment you gave it to me, it was already mine. Why are you trying to do whatever you want with my things without my permission?”

“It’s useless now.”

“Why is it useless?”

“It’s broken. I’ll carve you a better one.”

His wife’s words weren’t exactly wrong, but Roderick felt a little strange. He stroked her abundant hair.

“It’s the first thing you gave me. …I won’t throw it away.”

Then, Roderick saw Lee Jae fidgeting and clutching her clothes.

*Ah, why does she make my heart flutter so much?*

Roderick kissed her cheek and said.

“Okay, let’s do what we need to do now.”

“What do we need to do?”

He laughed as if asking if she really didn’t know.

Then, Lee Jae, who understood the meaning, touched his shoulder and pecked his lips.

Roderick gave her a playful look even though he liked it.

“How old are you? Why do you keep trying to get away with these childish kisses?”

“When did you ever treat me like a child?”

“I never did.”

Lee Jae eventually opened his lips and lowered her eyes.

Her eyelashes fluttered prettily.

The beginning of her kisses is always cautious.

It feels clumsy and honest.

But Roderick honestly liked her leading kisses much better.

When he received kisses like that, he was always the one who lost his mind first.

Roderick lifted her and sat her on his lap.

Lee Jae was startled as she sat with her legs spread apart, but she looked behind him. It was because she was wary of the vengeful spirit.

Roderick really thought it was strange.

The Queen is looking over there again. As if wary.

*Is there something wrong over there that’s making her do this?*

“Focus on me a little.”

He playfully grabbed Lee Jae’s butt. Then Lee Jae was startled and laughed.

“You’re so bold.”

“It’s hard to take the first step, but once you’ve made progress, there’s no turning back.”

“Wow, scary.”

“Don’t be scared. I won’t do it if you don’t like it.”

Lee Jae smiled and nodded.

And she put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him again.

The initiative of the kiss she started was passed back to Roderick.

He wasn’t satisfied with just licking his lips and the mucous membranes inside his mouth, so he showered kisses all over her face.

When he licked her cheek, her eyelashes fluttered because it tickled.

When he bit her chin slightly, she squinted one eye.

He breathed on Lee Jae’s neck and left a kiss mark.

Lee Jae, who had given her slender neck to someone else, hid a sound.

It was a voice that seemed painful and pleasant.

His senses were heightened by every single one of those subtle reactions.

As Roderick continued to push, her body was already half-tilted.

He was holding her firmly, but she seemed anxious and clung to his neck with both arms.

Even that small movement made Roderick go crazy, so he mixed his tongue in her mouth even more roughly. It was like devouring a young beast.

Because they were hugging each other tightly without any gaps, her chest was pressed against him. His aroused body could be felt through their touching lower bodies.

But Lee Jae wasn’t afraid of the beast she was hugging.

Without even realizing it, she was completely lying on the bed.

Roderick was looking down at her with her arms around her.

“Haa… Hailey…”

“Huh?”

Unrefined desire dripped from his blue eyes.

Nevertheless, he was waiting for her answer.

He kept looking at her, waiting for her to nod even slightly.

But after reading a slight hesitation in her eyes, he swept his forehead once and suddenly headed to the bathroom.

Lee Jae belatedly realized that she was breathing just as heavily. *If this wasn’t the King’s room, if it was just a little safer.*

Lee Jae also wanted to share love with someone.

She rubbed her cheek against the bed sheet and calmed her breathing.

But she seemed to know what he was going to do, so her heart, which was beating like it was broken, didn’t calm down easily.

Roderick opened his eyes, holding the apricot-colored fox [referring to Lee Jae] in his arms.

She was sleeping soundly, using his arm as a pillow.

He stared at her for a long time, but Lee Jae only breathed softly.

His wife, who had always woken up before him,

had started sleeping in lately.

She seemed to be taking naps during the day these days. She often appeared to be awake in the middle of the night, and her face was pale.

Roderick looked at her with a worried expression.

He kissed her temple several times and said in a quiet voice.

“Chamberlain, are you outside?”

Then, the chamberlain who entered the bedroom was surprised. He had come in thinking that both the King and Queen were awake, but the Queen was still asleep.

Moreover, the King was holding the sleeping Queen preciously.

Roderick put his finger to his lips, intending not to make a fuss.

Then the chamberlain bowed his head.

“Bring the doctor right now.”

The chamberlain left the room, muffling his footsteps.

The doctor, who was called in from the morning, also showed the same reaction as the chamberlain.

He had heard rumors that the couple had a good relationship, but he didn’t know they would be in such an affectionate pose.

Roderick gestured for him to come this way without saying a word.

“Examine her.”

“Which one…”

Roderick frowned, and the doctor was startled.

Roderick released the hand that had been holding her waist for the examination, but continued to pillow her arm in case she woke up.

The doctor was a little embarrassed.

He had never done an examination in this state either.

Moreover, there were traces of the night before scattered all over the Queen’s neck. He was very embarrassed, but unable to withstand the King’s gaze, he began to examine Lee Jae’s condition.

After a while, the doctor took a step back.

But Roderick frowned again.

“Look more closely.”

Inevitably, the doctor examined Lee Jae a little more. Even in the meantime, Lee Jae couldn’t open her eyes.

The Queen is originally a very perceptive person, but why is she like this these days? *My fox, why is she withering like this?*

Roderick felt so sorry for her that he kept stroking her forehead.

“Her heart rate is a little slow, but it’s not a big problem.”

But Roderick shook his head.

“Her body temperature is low.”

“…Yes?”

“Her body is cold.”

Then the doctor replied, embarrassed.

“This level of body temperature change in the morning is normal.”

“No. It’s much colder than usual.”

“…………”

“Do you think I, her husband, wouldn’t know that?”

The Queen’s body was always cool every morning when she came to this room.

That was actually the result of fighting the terrible Yin energy [a concept in Eastern philosophy] all night.

But the doctor, who had not found any special signs of abnormality, only repeated his words.

“I will often call you like this every morning.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You, keep your mouth shut.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

“Go.”

As the doctor left, Roderick hugged her waist again and kissed her face here and there.

The chamberlain, who was embarrassed to watch, bowed his head and tried to leave with him.

But Roderick spoke again.

“Call Jade in.”

The knight commander, who was called in a little later, also flinched and repeated the same reaction.

From the morning, people were blushing one after another, but only the King was calm.

The Queen, who was being held, was asleep with a peaceful expression, unaware of this situation.

“Jade. Can you bribe the Duke’s doctor?”

“…Is Her Majesty the Queen very ill?”

Roderick pondered.

“Well. I don’t know.”

“…………”

“So I have to check it out.”

“…I will try.”

“Make sure the Duke doesn’t hear about it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Get out.”

Only the two of them were left in the bedroom where people had left.

Roderick, who was still staring at the sleeping Queen, hugged her a little tighter.

But even so, Lee Jae didn’t wake up easily.

Just as Roderick’s worries deepened, Lee Jae blinked and opened her eyes.

Startled, she looked at something other than the person holding her. Roderick was watching the whole thing.

*She’s looking over there again.*

She sighed with relief and belatedly glanced at him.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“Liar.”

“Yes?”

“I said you’re lying.”

As her eyes widened, Roderick chuckled.

He kissed her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

“I was just kidding. Don’t worry about it.”

“I think I overslept again.”

“I know. Our fox, why is she like this?”

“It can happen. You’re making me feel so embarrassed.”

As Lee Jae hesitated, he asked kindly.

“Are you going to go to your room and rest?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take you.”

“No, I can go alone. Go and see your work.”

But he didn’t even pretend to listen and got up and held out his hand.

His intuition was becoming more and more concrete.

The Queen insists on coming to this room to sleep once in a while.

At first, she even said that she would sleep here alone, so I thought she especially liked this room.

But that wasn’t it.

When she comes to this room, she looks very nervous.

And in the morning, she went back to her room as if she had been waiting for it. She even asked me to take her to her room when she was not feeling well and had difficulty moving. That was not the attitude of someone who was happy to come here no matter how you looked at it.

And Roderick actually knew that feeling very well. Definitely a different atmosphere.

It seems like the puzzle can be completed with just one or two more pieces.

But I couldn’t find that key piece at all.

While he was deep in thought, Lee Jae spoke to him.

“Your Majesty.”

“Huh? Why?”

“If I happen to oversleep, you don’t have to worry about me and go to work. You don’t have to wait for me. Oh, you can wake me up, too.”

It was a very simple and calm statement. But he hid a sigh-like laugh.

“Hailey.”

“Yes?”

“It seems like I’m not very reliable to you. I’m getting very upset.”

“What do you mean?”