ETHTKE chapter 55

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“Is that what you want?”

I wanted to argue, asking why he was asking me that, but, unfortunately, the words wouldn’t come out.

“…Even if I say yes, you’ll do whatever you want anyway.”

What finally came out of my mouth was a childish complaint, something you’d hear from a sulking child.

At that, Baek Yigang chuckled softly.

It was a very brief, quiet sound, but I heard it clearly. It was undoubtedly a laugh of amusement.

“Haha, you’re right.”

Before his smile completely faded, Baek Yigang looked at me again and spoke.

“So, marry me, Cheong Dowoon.”

As he finished his sentence, he pulled something out of his coat.

At a glance, it looked like a small box, slightly bigger than his palm.

Gasp… Could it be a ring?

The cliché diamond ring for a proposal?!

However, when he opened the box, what appeared was an earring. Not a pair—just one.

It was a green jade earring, shaped like a teardrop.

Although it seemed clean and new on the outside, there was a subtle, strange aura that hinted at the passage of time.

It wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but oddly enough, it caught my eye.

As if I were being bewitched by it.

Baek Yigang carefully took out the earring and approached me, as if he intended to put it on me himself.

I couldn’t even manage to say “Wait.”

Frozen, unsure of what to do, I could only stand there as Baek Yigang came closer and put the earring on me without hesitation.

I could faintly hear his calm breathing as he leaned in close.

“Never take it off.”

His voice was not commanding but sounded like a desperate plea.

The strange mix of firmness and vulnerability made it hard for me to respond.

He was so close that I felt like if I opened my mouth, the sound of my wildly beating heart might give me away.

In the end, I just nodded in response.

“Are you nervous?”

It seemed Baek Yigang noticed how stiff I was.

Even after putting on the earring, he didn’t step back but instead whispered in my ear.

Then, with his fingers, he slowly brushed down the back of my neck.

The moment his cold hand touched the hot skin there, I flinched and trembled without even realizing it.

But he didn’t stop, continuing to deliberately stroke my neck.

Feeling like I couldn’t let this continue, I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“W-what is this?”

“My sincerity.”

The answer came quickly, as if he had been waiting for me to ask.

When I raised my head to meet his eyes, our gazes locked instantly.

His violet eyes looked down at me, and for some reason, his face seemed melancholy.

“And this is the best I can give you right now.”

What could this be for him to make such a face? I could just ask, but I didn’t want to.

“So, no matter what, never take it off.”

I was so captivated by his unfamiliar expression that I couldn’t respond.

Sensing my hesitation, Baek Yigang gently held my cheek.

“You need to answer.”

“…Okay.”

Reluctantly, I gave my reply, and only then did his stiff expression relax into a smile.

I couldn’t feel any special power coming from the earring.

There didn’t seem to be any magic cast on it.

Which meant it was just an ordinary earring…

If it had been anyone else, I would have thought it was just a simple gift.

But because it was from Baek Yigang, it didn’t feel that way at all.

He wasn’t someone who ever did anything without meaning, which only made me more curious.

Boom!

Meanwhile, Blue and Reggie’s teary-eyed labor… no, the fireworks show continued.

Being magic, the sparks lingered longer than normal fireworks, glowing brightly before vanishing without a trace of smoke.

Watching the mystical scene, I suddenly felt like asking something that had been on my mind.

Everything has its time, and now seemed like that time.

While I organized my thoughts, Baek Yigang, who seemed to have finished whatever task he had with me, sat next to me again.

He sat silently, gazing forward, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

He had just proposed out of the blue, yet now he acted as if nothing had happened, sitting calmly like someone who had never even asked.

“Baek Yigang.”

There was no verbal response, but I knew by now that his silence meant it was okay to speak.

“…”

But when I tried to talk, the words got stuck in my throat.

I wanted to ask something, but my lips wouldn’t move.

Didn’t you say you found the enemy faction already?

So why did you continue to guard the statue?

Why did you keep that from me?

I wanted to ask him everything, but if he knew I’d heard it from Piel, how would he react?

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

Feeling uneasy, I decided to ask in a roundabout way.

Come on, Baek Yigang! Just say something. It’s better than me directly pointing it out.

But all Baek Yigang did was give a faint, noncommittal reply of “I guess.”

I couldn’t tell if that meant he had nothing to say, or if he just didn’t want to tell me.

“Or maybe there’s something you want to say to me…?”

My nerves started to get the best of me as his silence stretched on, so I tacked on another question.

At that, Baek Yigang finally turned his gaze from the fireworks and looked at me.

“Looks like you have something to say.”

His voice was lazy, but his words hit the mark.

He was right.

The one who wanted to say something was me, not Baek Yigang.

Should I just… wait until he tells me himself?

I’m just Baek Yigang’s companion, so whatever he does, I’ll follow.

There’s no reason for me to argue over every little thing he does.

I’m his ally, not his enemy.

So even if I offer advice, I have no reason to challenge or block what he’s doing.

It’s not like it would change anything that’s already happened anyway.

“Never mind, I was just asking.”

Swallowing the sigh that had been rising up, I turned my eyes away from his gaze and looked forward.

Come to think of it, why was I so eager to hear his answer?

What would I even do with it?

This attitude of mine wasn’t about giving up on Baek Yigang—it was more that I trusted him more than I had before.

I now knew he wasn’t someone who would go out of his way to do something that would harm himself.

“Then let me ask you something.”

“Huh?”

This time, it was Baek Yigang who tossed a question my way.

With the sparkling fireworks reflected in my eyes, I slowly turned my head to meet his gaze.

“Will you marry me?”

“You! Haven’t you given up on that yet?”

“Huh?”

Baek Yigang mirrored my earlier words and laughed, and before I knew it, I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief too.

“Ugh, stop getting so close to my face…!”

As he leaned in again, I panicked and moved away, pushing him back.

If I stayed here any longer, I’d end up hearing his endless marriage proposals.

I couldn’t let that happen. I had to escape!

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Just as I stood up to leave, Baek Yigang caught my wrist, pulling me back effortlessly.

Sigh… I should have known when he reeled in that fat goldfish in one swift move with that lousy fishing rod.

This guy’s a pro.

“You crazy guy, let go of me!”

“How rude, cursing at me.”

Despite his words, Baek Yigang’s lips were still curled into a smile.

His eyes, sharp yet playful, sparkled with amusement.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“What else? You’ll have to be punished.”

“Argh! Where do you think you’re touching, you lunatic…?!”

Boom!

It was truly a night full of colorful chaos that I never wanted to experience again.

✽ ✽ ✽

The next day, as soon as the festival ended, the calm of everyday life returned.

The palace, as well as the streets, were still filled with the lingering excitement of the festival, but after three days of celebration, people were quickly getting back to their routines.

Anyway, now that the founding festival was over, it was time for me to get back to my work too.

The most urgent task at hand was…

“I need to start healing.”

Before the princess of Arthe arrives, I need to cure Baek Yigang’s incurable disease.

But to do that, I would need to meet with the Third Prince more frequently and regularly.

However, doing this behind Baek Yigang’s back is absolutely impossible.

I’ve been lucky so far, but I can’t keep leaving my fate to that small bit of luck.

“Hmm… it’s better to just say it.”

It seemed better to inform Baek Yigang that I’d be meeting the Third Prince and confidently go about it.

In fact, it would’ve been fine to mention it last time too, but I was too preoccupied.

Plus, Baek Yigang wasn’t even present then.

But now, Baek Yigang was right here. So there was no more room for excuses.

I could just say I need the Third Prince’s power for my work.

Even if I don’t go into detail, as long as he understands the gist, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

The real issue is whether Baek Yigang will accept my notice… or not.

Dwelling on this by myself won’t change anything. I’ll just face it head-on!

“Baek Yigang.”

I cautiously called out to him as I approached his desk.

As soon as his eyes turned toward me, I blurted out the words I had prepared.

“I’m going to meet the Third Prince for a while. So don’t interfere.”

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