ETHTKE chapter 40

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“But Yigang, how did you know where I was?”

Now that I think about it, it’s kind of amazing. The Crown Prince’s palace is huge, so how did you find that corner so quickly?

The Crown Prince’s palace is quite vast, befitting its grandeur.

It didn’t make sense that Asel had told him my location since there were many routes from the conference room to the office.

Moreover, the place where I ran into Piel earlier was at the end of the hallway, a hidden corner.

So it’s strange. Especially since there were no shadows following me today, he shouldn’t have known my location.

Anyway, I should avoid taking this path in the future…

“I thought like you.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Like when you found me in the garden.”

I just figured you might be there.

The quiet words that followed were pleasant to my ears. Whether those words were true or not didn’t matter much.

“Wow, you actually think about me sometimes. I’m a bit moved.”

“Stop saying useless things and lead the way.”

Lead the way? To where?

When I looked up, I realized we had somehow returned to Baek Yigang’s bedroom. Wait, we weren’t going to the office?

“Don’t you have a lot of work? Why are we here instead of your office?”

“To sleep.”

“What?”

I blinked in surprise at Baek Yigang’s blunt reply. Of course, it wasn’t unusual for him to sleep regardless of the time, but… he had never said he’d sleep during the day before.

He caught my look of surprise and, with a glance, opened the door to his bedroom. Then he gestured for me to come in.

Oh… this feels very… incredibly ominous. What’s gotten into him?

“Are you really going to sleep? Now?”

“Yes. I have a headache, thanks to someone. I can’t focus. Stop muttering and come here.”

“Oh, uh…”

Baek Yigang no longer seemed unfamiliar with the bed.

He lay down naturally and waved me over.

Snapping out of my daze, I hesitantly approached the bed.

On other busy days, he would refuse no matter how much I tried to put him to sleep… and now, with the founding festival tomorrow, he wants to sleep?

It didn’t seem like he was taking a break just because of me. It seemed he had planned this all along…

“Put me to sleep, like before.”

His tired violet eyes gazed languidly at me. Watching him, I took a deep breath and placed my hand on his cheek.

As my palm touched Baek Yigang’s cheek, his narrow eyes slowly closed. His face was, as always, cold.

“Cold.”

“I’m warm.”

Baek Yigang’s coldness immediately swallowed my warmth. His heat filled my hand completely.

“Stay until I fall asleep.”

A drowsy voice, sounding like sleep talk, faintly escaped from Baek Yigang’s lips as I cast the sleep spell.

“Okay.”

“Stay here.”

“Okay.”

I answered without realizing it, but… hmm… It sounded more desperate than something he would usually say to me.

“I won’t go anywhere.”

“Good.”

Only when I made my firm promise did Baek Yigang’s breathing finally settle into a satisfied rhythm.

Come to think of it, during the freezing incident, he said he couldn’t afford to lose me, right?

At that time, too, it felt strangely like he wasn’t only referring to me…

“Are you asleep?”

Baek Yigang, who had quickly fallen asleep, had his eyes closed tightly without uttering a word.

I had so much to ask when we met, but I lost the chance to speak while following Baek Yigang’s lead.

There were so many questions. About finding the rebel faction, about how the threat of an explosion had disappeared. Yet, he still hadn’t withdrawn the statue’s guard.

Under normal circumstances, Baek Yigang should have reported the rebel faction to the imperial family by now and been recognized for his contribution.

But Baek Yigang didn’t seem to have any such intention; instead, he acted contrary.

He hid the fact that the rebel faction was caught and continued to guard the statue.

Then, when public interest grew in guarding an intact statue, lightning struck, and the emperor’s head flew off.

Doesn’t it feel like a tragic story deliberately crafted by someone?

Well, all I know is the original plot, not what Baek Yigang is thinking, so I can’t just make assumptions.

“Baek Yigang, no matter what you say, I’m just your tool. So use me a little more thoroughly.”

I’ll make it so that in the end, you’ll have no choice but to thank me for being used so perfectly.

“Damn you, Baek Yigang.”

I muttered to myself and poked Baek Yigang’s cheek, but he just kept sleeping soundly with even breaths.

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“……”

Bright purple eyes opened suddenly, blinking with a tired yet vibrant gaze.

Instinctively, he lowered his head, and there he saw Cheong Dowoon, who had fallen asleep while slumped over at the foot of the bed, loosely perched on a chair by the bedside.

Igang slowly lifted himself from the bed, still feeling the lingering fatigue. Looking outside, he noticed that the crimson dusk had already set in.

It was a short but long sleep. Yet, his weary body still felt the accumulated fatigue of many days.

There was no intention of revealing this. Just the fact that he had been able to close his eyes for a while was enough.

Cheong Dowoon’s brown hair swayed gently in the evening breeze blowing through the slightly open window.

Watching him silently, Yigang turned his head towards the window. Before long, Asel appeared.

“Did you cough, sir?”

“Have you forgotten what I told you last time?”

The abrupt rebuke was sharp. Unable to meet Yigang’s gaze, Asel lowered his head even further.

‘The rebel faction has been caught. But Cheong Dowoon doesn’t know this. With his troublesome nature, if he finds out I went out alone, he will never let it be. So keep him from leaving.’

With such a clear order still vividly in his mind, how could he forget?

“…No, sir.”

After a brief pause, Asel closed his eyes halfway.

At first, Cheong Dowoon, who seemed intent on openly defying his lord’s orders, was irritating.

But that feeling didn’t last long.

The more he spoke with Cheong Dowoon, the more he found himself caught up in his childish yet verbose banter.

Cheong Dowoon, with his words as transparent as his clear expressions and his innocent indigo eyes devoid of any malice, had an unusual charm that captivated people.

Being such a straightforward person, controlling him was easy. If one acted firmly or ignored his words, he would give up easily.

However, the mysterious and strong emotions Cheong Dowoon occasionally showed towards Baek Yigang were something Asel couldn’t handle.

Knowing that the rebel faction had been caught, and that there would be no further attacks or dangers, Asel did not stop Cheong Dowoon from going to the plaza to see Baek Yigang.

But who would have guessed that a lightning bolt would strike and blow off the statue’s head…

“Nefron.”

Baek Yigang, glaring at Asel, soon uttered a name.

A figure in black clothing appeared suddenly. It was a swift and stealthy entrance.

As soon as he appeared, Nefron knelt on one knee and bowed his head before Baek Yigang.

“You’ve done well. From now on, Cheong Dowoon must never know of your existence.”

Nefron nodded without a word and disappeared at Baek Yigang’s gesture.

He was another shadow that Yigang had attached to Dowoon without his knowledge. The previous shadow had been dismissed because Dowoon became overly conscious of him.

Dowoon seemed to think that Yigang had withdrawn the shadow because he trusted him… but that was just the comfortable thought of someone who knew nothing of the situation.

Today, when Asel took his eyes off Dowoon, if not for Nefron, Dowoon might have fallen victim to Piel’s plot.

“Asel. There won’t be a second chance. Don’t make me doubt your usefulness.”

“I will remember, sir.”

Asel’s blue eyes held a calmness. They were the same eyes that once made Yigang feel trust in Asel.

This was also his final warning.

Knowing Dowoon’s obstinate nature better than anyone, Yigang had given Asel many chances, even when he bent under Dowoon’s stubbornness.

But he couldn’t keep allowing it.

Asel letting Dowoon go on his own was not part of Yigang’s plan. It wouldn’t be in the future, either.

Dowoon’s sudden abilities still held many secrets, and even Yigang had not yet fully grasped the extent of Dowoon’s power.

Dowoon was only a card for Baek Yigang. No matter what, Dowoon must remain within his sight.

As Asel withdrew at Yigang’s gesture, only he and Dowoon were left in the bedroom again.

Dowoon, asleep to the world, remained in a deep slumber, unaware of the events unfolding before him.

“You don’t even know how thoroughly you’re being used…”

How much more do you expect me to use you?

A slow, sly smile crept to Yigang’s lips.

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