Follow Your Heart [EN]: Chapter 62

As His Heart Leads – #62

Roderick led Lee Jae to her room and gently laid her on the bed.

Lee Jae tried to sit up, but he lightly pressed her forehead down with his finger.

“Just lie down for a bit.”

“Why?”

“Get some more sleep.”

“I’ve slept enough,” Lee Jae said, tilting her head with a puzzled expression.

When she tried to rise again, he pressed her shoulders down this time.

But Lee Jae popped back up once more, like a tumbler doll [a weighted doll that rights itself when pushed over].

Roderick eventually climbed onto the bed and hugged Lee Jae tightly, coaxing her to lie down.

“Little bean, what are your plans for today?”

“Read some books and hold audiences.”

“Cancel the audiences.”

Lee Jae glanced at Roderick, trying to gauge his mood.

His behavior was strange, to say the least.

But Roderick nodded, as if urging her to do as he said.

Lee Jae’s complexion wasn’t good, and there were things he wanted to check.

“How can I do that? They were scheduled well in advance.”

“If you postpone them for a few days, will the sky fall?”

“…………”

“If something is truly urgent, tell them to write a letter. Or I could meet with them instead?”

“Do you think those people would appreciate that?”

“Exactly. That’s precisely the point. Anyway, you should get some more rest.”

Roderick, who couldn’t stop looking at Lee Jae’s face, hugged her close.

And Lee Jae’s expression gradually became uncomfortable. Roderick was patting her bottom.

*Why are you patting my butt like I’m a child?*

“Why are you patting my butt?”

“Don’t you like it? I heard cats enjoy it when you do this.”

Lee Jae was so dumbfounded that she burst into laughter.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yeah?”

“Cats are cats, and foxes are canids [members of the dog family]. Are you saying I’m a cat, or a fox?”

“Then you’re a squirrel.”

Roderick blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“But lately, it seems like you’ve strangely lost your tail.”

As he slyly stroked her hip, Lee Jae glared at him, groaning.

“I don’t like it when you touch me like that.”

“Why? Let me find where you hid it.”

“No, I’m a person.”

Roderick chuckled.

“Do you think I’m doing this because I don’t know that? I’m just trying to touch you. I’m putting in the effort here.”

He stroked Lee Jae’s back a couple of times and soon got up from the bed.

“Anyway, cancel all your appointments today and rest. You don’t look well.”

“Did you hear what I said?”

Lee Jae nodded silently.

“I’ll be back.”

Roderick kissed her cheek and left the room.

Lee Jae, tilting her head and watching Roderick’s retreating figure, soon smiled faintly. *The person who worries about me the most, the person who cares about me the most, is the King.*

Having spent the whole day engrossed in her diary and history books, Lee Jae found herself by the lake.

She was deep in thought, her brow furrowed with concern. It was because of the bewitched horse in the forest that the King rode.

*The western border is in chaos. I heard the military camp was almost breached for a moment.*

She had thought that if she just removed the vengeful spirit, the King’s good fortune would flourish. Then, the national fortune of Kayen would soon stabilize.

But conversely, if the national fortune of Kayen falters, what will happen to the King’s good fortune?

Lee Jae looked at the young king with a sad face.

“Do I have to worry about things like this now?”

-What is it?

“I heard the border is constantly under attack. Why do these things keep happening around him?”

The young king chuckled.

-Why are you asking? You know this is the point where the big currents are changing. Turbulent times are inherently chaotic.

The young king shrugged his shoulders and said.

-Then why don’t you become a hero of the turbulent times? It’s a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

“I’m not interested in that.”

-Is that so?

“People like me don’t do this job with such grand intentions in the first place.”

*I just don’t like seeing anyone in pain.*

Lee Jae, sighing as if the ground would cave in, looked ahead and made an even sadder face.

Lawrence was walking towards her.

*But that person’s countenance is also good. Not as good as the King or Jade, but still. His gait suggested a calm temperament rather than an aggressive one.*

And Lee Jae was disheartened when she realized that she was assessing a person’s face in this situation again.

“I really seem to have terribly bad luck. I don’t even know what will happen to me today, yet I’m thinking of helping others. Isn’t that right?”

The young king chuckled.

-Well, it’s not that pessimistic. Just think of it as love needing firewood too, to that extent.”

“What are you talking about again?”

He just smiled without answering.

And telling her to cheer up, he tapped her back once and disappeared.

The Queen’s maids watched the Queen’s reaction.

And began to prepare to run.

The Queen’s behavior was usually very calm.

But she wasn’t someone without agility.

You never knew when she might suddenly dash off again.

However, Lee Jae was just staring blankly as he approached.

She was very troubled right now.

There is a saying that the one who tied the knot must untie it.

But because Hailey didn’t properly untie that knot before leaving, that person is stuck in the past, and Lee Jae has taken on that burden.

*Is this a collaboration between Hailey’s unfortunate life and my ill-fated destiny?*

Lee Jae stared at the lake with a serious face, repeatedly looking back at Lawrence. She eventually sighed deeply and said.

“Could you give me some space? I have something to say to that person.”

Deborah looked into Lee Jae’s eyes and shook her head slightly.

That decision was too dangerous right now.

The King’s nerves were currently on edge, focused entirely on the Queen.

He had summoned a doctor because the Queen’s complexion hadn’t been good for the past few days, and he had even taken the initiative to cancel official schedules.

That was actually the result of Lee Jae’s decision not to overexert herself after visiting the river. It was becoming increasingly difficult to recover her energy.

And the King was someone who had a great deal of interest in the Queen to begin with.

The knights were reporting on Lee Jae’s condition every couple of hours.

Sure enough, one of the knights was quietly moving to report this situation.

Deborah kept sending signals that it wasn’t okay, but Lee Jae nodded as if to say it was fine.

“It’s nothing much. I just have something to ask. He can say no if he doesn’t want to.”

*That way, that person can shake off the burden and live in the future.*

Lawrence, who was standing a few steps away, smiled as Lee Jae stared at him. It was a gentle and warm smile. Lee Jae patted the seat next to her a few times.

“Would you like to sit down? Let’s talk for a moment.”

“May I?”

“Why wouldn’t you be able to?”

However, Lawrence gave a bitter smile because Lee Jae sighed deeply.

Even so, he sat down next to Lee Jae, leaving a little distance between them.

“Is your health alright? I heard you canceled another audience.”

“There’s nothing seriously wrong.”

“You weren’t this sick before. Is royal life very tiring?”

Lee Jae shook her head and pondered for a moment.

She actually had something she wanted to ask Lawrence after realizing that Hailey’s soul had completely departed.

Hailey’s three-year gap. Her strange diary.

The King’s words about being worried about someone seeing it.

Hailey seemed to have actually been a person of pure character.

But she didn’t seem like someone who would be ridiculed as an idiot by anyone.

*Hailey. Who are you really? What happened to you?*

“What kind of person was I, in your eyes?”

“The most wise and… warm person among all the people I know.”

Lee Jae smiled faintly.

“…Was I?”

*How wonderful it would have been if Hailey could have heard those words instead of me.*

Lawrence, who was staring at Lee Jae’s bitter face, said.

“Your Majesty, please allow me to keep the promise I made before.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I will leave the 3rd Knights and pledge my oath to Your Majesty. I will pray for your happiness by your side for the rest of my life and become your wings.”

Historically, there were many knights who admired the Queen and pledged their oaths.

Having many swords sometimes became the Queen’s power and honor.

But Lee Jae smiled bitterly and shook her head.

*Hailey shouldn’t have died if she was going to make such a promise.*

*Why did she make a promise she couldn’t keep?*

“Then what will happen to your life?”

“I only need Your Majesty to be healthy and happy.”

“No, don’t sacrifice your life for me.”

“……..”

“I have never wanted such a thing, and if you do that now, His Majesty, you, and I will all be unhappy.”

*And Hailey too.*

“Your Majesty.”

Lawrence said with pity, gently grabbing Lee Jae’s wrist.

Lee Jae’s heart ached because she felt sorry for him too.

But she shook her head repeatedly, even with tears welling up in her eyes, saying that it shouldn’t be done.

And that’s when it happened. A sharp sword tip was aimed at Lawrence’s neck.

When Lee Jae, startled, raised her head following the sword, the King had a coldly frozen face.

He didn’t seem to have an ounce of emotion, but in fact, his inner thoughts were seething darkly.

However, even in this situation, the anger wasn’t directed at the Queen because he couldn’t question her.

Roderick thought he lacked the qualifications.

He couldn’t ask why she liked this man now.

Because loving this person came first.

He couldn’t ask why she got married either. It was himself and the Duke who forced the state marriage.

All he could do was resent why she still couldn’t sort things out.

But the moment he uttered that resentment, he would become an insignificant man.

Roderick brought the sword closer to his neck with a cold face.

As the sharp sword tip pressed against his skin, blood began to seep out.

Lee Jae, too surprised, stopped the King.

“Y-Your Majesty. It’s not like that. You can’t do this. Don’t do it.”

Roderick didn’t even pretend to listen to her and only looked at Lawrence with a murderous gaze.

“Lawrence Irvine.”

The King chose his words carefully.

“The Queen is the most noble person in Kayen.”

“……..”

“So my wife can harbor anyone in her heart.”

“……..”

“But you’re not. You don’t have the right to do that. Take your hand off my wife.”

Lawrence, who was holding Lee Jae’s wrist, slowly let go.

Roderick glared at Lawrence with a face that said, *I’ll get you later,* and grabbed Lee Jae and stood up.

He dragged Lee Jae a few steps and then noticed faint tear tracks on her face. And at that moment, he felt his suppressed anger explode.

“Stop crying! What did you do so well that you’re crying?”

The King, unable to contain his fierce anger, stopped pulling Lee Jae and strode back to Lawrence.

“If you make the Queen cry one more time, I won’t be the King to you. Know that I’ll throw down the gauntlet then [challenge him to a duel].”

In Kayen, throwing down the gauntlet meant a duel.

The King was now saying that he would put aside his position and status and fight.

And the King was confident that he could break at least one part of him within a few minutes.

The only reason he was holding back was because he thought that doing it that way would make the Queen miss her old lover even more and feel sorry for her situation.

The King, roughly sweeping back his hair, turned around and grabbed Lee Jae’s wrist again, dragging her away.