ETHTKE chapter 7

To be honest, even though I knew Baek Yigang suffered from insomnia, I never imagined he couldn’t sleep at all like this.

They called it insomnia, but I just thought he slept less than others… Unfortunately, Baek Yigang couldn’t sleep at all.

As if he had completely forgotten how to dream.

There couldn’t be anything more childish than denying that I was worried about someone like that…

“…Well, think whatever you want. Also, Ken has fainted.”

“I see.”

Whether it was fortunate or not, that was the end of Baek Yigang’s reaction.

As his persistent gaze finally lifted, a feeling of overdue fatigue suddenly overwhelmed me.

I casually slumped onto the sofa near his desk and, as usual, began quietly observing Baek Yigang as he focused on his work.

Outside the window, the night had fallen quietly, and the dark sky was studded with white stars that sparkled blue.

Meanwhile, the soft lights from all corners of the palace gently illuminated the royal garden just below the window.

It was a peaceful moment, as if time had stopped.

A rare moment that could never be felt once the original plot full of noisy incidents began.

As I quietly watched Baek Yigang in the serene silence, I rested my chin on my arm and spoke again.

“Aren’t you going to ask why he fainted?”

“I don’t care about the well-being of a traitor.”

“Come on, he’s still your guard knight.”

“I’ve already replaced him with someone else.”

Baek Yigang’s indifferent response, coupled with his increasingly pale complexion, suggested that his long lack of sleep was indeed taking a toll.

The agony of wanting to sleep but being unable to is something no one can truly understand unless they’ve experienced it.

Reflecting on the days when I forced myself to stay up all night for work, I could somewhat grasp Baek Yigang’s suffering.

Feeling an unshakable pity, I stood up and quietly approached Baek Yigang from behind.

Knowing that he’d been working all day from morning till night, I intended to give him a brief moment of rest.

But more than that, looking down at him from above… Baek Yigang’s snow-white hair looked as soft as cotton.

“…Cheong Dowoon, what on earth are you doing…?”

“Wow, Yigang, your hair is really soft. Do they have conditioner in this world too?”

“You’re using strange words again. It’s distracting, so back off.”

Despite my persistent teasing, stroking and touching his hair, Baek Yigang steadfastly focused on his work.

I thought if I kept bothering him, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate, but contrary to my expectations, the sound of papers fluttering continued to fill the office.

“Oh, by the way, Ken told me not to let anyone know that I’m a wizard.”

Still not letting go of Baek Yigang’s hair, I began talking to myself, whether he was listening or not.

“Wizards are rare on the Initia Continent, right? If I let people know, wouldn’t they treat me with respect?”

“Your ambitions are grand. But you won’t be seen that way since you’re not a certified wizard.”

“…Certified wizard?”

“Here, unless you’re certified as a wizard, you won’t be recognized as one.”

“Hmm, certification…”

In the original story, it was mentioned that wizards were so rare that not only the empire but the entire continent made great efforts to nurture such talent.

But certification? I never imagined such a thing existed. If you can use magic, doesn’t that automatically make you a wizard?

“Then I’ll get certified too.”

“No.”

Before I could even hope, my request was flatly rejected.

At least take a moment to think about it before answering, you cold-hearted man.

“Why not? I can teleport, breathe fire like a dragon, and even though it’s tough, I can make it rain from a clear sky.”

Proud of my incredible abilities, I thought I had made a convincing case, but the more I spoke, the more Baek Yigang’s expression turned into one of disdain.

“That’s exactly why you can’t. Your intelligence is lacking.”

“That’s the second time you’ve called me unintelligent. But what do you mean, ‘that’s exactly why’?”

Despite my relentless barrage of questions, Baek Yigang’s hands, which had been busy with the documents, finally stopped.

Sweeping his white hair back from his forehead, Baek Yigang slowly lifted his head to look at me.

“If you register as an official wizard, you will be obliged to belong to the wizard Tower. You won’t be able to act on your own. Wizards are powerful, but that’s precisely why they are controlled.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, then… well…”

Fortunately, I knew all too well that belonging to something wasn’t always a light matter.

Taking orders and being controlled was something I had enough of from the company I worked for in reality.

I had no desire to be under orders here as well, so I might as well just live as I am.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little regretful. I mean, I can use magic, but I won’t be recognized as a wizard? It’s like I’m the Hong Gildong of this continent… (TL: Hong Gildong is like the Robin hood of Korea.)

“But… you might be able to register as a royal wizard.”

“Huh? I can’t be an official wizard, but I can be a royal wizard?”

At Baek Yigang’s words, which hinted at a sliver of hope, I felt a surge of anticipation and asked. For a brief moment, a fierce gleam flashed across Baek Yigang’s violet eyes.

…What’s with that reckless look?

And that slightly raised corner of his mouth… It feels ominous, like he’s about to do something drastic…

“W-Wait a minute. Baek Yigang, where are you going at this hour?”

Without a word, Baek Yigang grabbed me and began walking somewhere with determination.

I tried to pull my hand free, but he gripped it so tightly that I couldn’t break free.

He’s smaller than me, yet he’s so strong…!

“I’ve told you repeatedly, don’t just call me ‘Yigang’. The only person in the world who dares to call me by my name is you, Cheong Dowoon.”

“Wow, so that means I’m really special to you? I’m the only one who calls you by your name.”

At my cheerful response, Baek Yigang’s brow furrowed irritably. Hmm, it seems that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

But still, there’s no need to glare at me so fiercely, is there? As expected, his bad-tempered and hot-headed personality hasn’t changed one bit.

In the original story, he was portrayed as a bumbling character who easily fell for the schemes of the second prince, but in reality…

“We’re here.”

“Where is ‘here’?”

Arriving at a massive, ornate golden door, Baek Yigang unceremoniously pushed me toward it. Judging by the dazzling, glittering door, it didn’t seem like a dangerous place…

As the door opened, a vast and opulent interior unfolded before my eyes, leaving me speechless.

It was a grand, round table surrounded by floating blue orbs, with an enormous chandelier hanging above, lighting up the space in a way that words could hardly describe.

Everywhere, people were lined up, looking like a bustling bank during lunchtime.

“This is…?”

“The registry.”

Only after looking around in confusion did I finally learn the identity of this place.

“The registry?”

“It’s where everyone affiliated with the royal family is managed. This is where you will receive your royal wizard certification.”

After delivering a brief explanation, Baek Yigang continued walking, still holding my wrist.

Despite the late hour, this place was bustling with activity.

In short… everyone’s working overtime, huh? No matter which world you go to, the misery of office workers is the same…

Barely managing to suppress the empathetic nod of my head, I quietly followed behind Baek Yigang.

Then, I suddenly began to notice a scene I hadn’t paid attention to when we first arrived.

“We greet the Empire’s noble little sun. May the Goddess’s blessing be with you.”

Every time Baek Yigang passed by, people would stop what they were doing and greet him with utmost respect.

Some even bowed so low that they couldn’t raise their heads, hastily bending at the waist.

As I came to my senses, I realized that the atmosphere inside had turned as cold as a frozen lake in the dead of winter. It was all because of Baek Yigang’s presence.

Feeling the tension that gripped the room, I finally grasped the reality that Baek Yigang was the Crown Prince of the Empire.

“…Yigang.”

Unintentionally sensing the distance between us, I called out to Baek Yigang without thinking.

When he turned to look back at me, his expression was calm.

I had wondered what kind of expression he wore that made everyone so fearful, but ironically, Baek Yigang’s face was more serene than anyone else’s here.

He’s the Crown Prince who instills fear just by his presence… yet strangely, I didn’t find Baek Yigang frightening.

Of course, I knew that with just a word from him, a person’s life could easily be snuffed out.

In the original story, Baek Yigang treated human life as less than insects.

But the Baek Yigang I’ve been with since my transmigration was a little different from the one in the original. No, very different.

Even though it was before his descent into darkness, the Baek Yigang standing before me was more gentle than I expected.

A thought suddenly crossed my mind. Maybe… just maybe, I could prevent Baek Yigang from descending into darkness.

Then, Baek Yigang wouldn’t become a feared tyrant, but a beloved wise Emperor .

He wouldn’t become the lonely villain who dabbled in dark magic and disregarded life.

Even if it meant defying the original story…