ETHTKE chapter 18

After I urged him a few more times, Baek Yigang finally lay down beside me.

As soon as he did, a coldness emanated from him that made me question if he was even alive.

I had made physical contact with him several times before, so I knew his body temperature, but this was the worst it had ever been. It was even worse today, but I hadn’t noticed because he didn’t show it.

I should just focus on getting him to sleep. Luckily, my body temperature is higher than average, so if I share some warmth, it should help.

“Good night, Yigang.”

“…That’s the first time I’ve heard you say that.”

Hearing my unfamiliar good night, Baek Yigang let out a faint chuckle and quietly added, “You too.”

“You too”? So, even someone as irritating as Baek Yigang can say something like that.

I gently cast a sleep spell on Baek Yigang’s forehead.

Honestly, this kind of magic is a bit dubious, so I wasn’t sure how well he would sleep or if he would wake up feeling refreshed like a normal person.

Still… it’s better than letting him spend the night sleepless. It would be sad if he had to pretend to sleep again like last time.

After a while, I began to hear his breathing even out. Thankfully, it seemed the spell worked as intended.

“Yigang, are you asleep?”

I asked softly, just to be sure, but only the sound of his steady breathing answered me.

In case the spell hadn’t worked, I was prepared to knock him out, but it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.

Once I was certain his breathing remained calm and steady, I finally relaxed and gently embraced Baek Yigang’s icy body.

Soon, the grand Foundation Day, where Baek Yigang would have to display his dignity and reputation as the Crown Prince before the entire empire, was approaching.

As if that wasn’t enough, the added pressure from the Second Prince was surely weighing on him.

Knowing Baek Yigang’s stubborn personality, he would never show it, but since I had been by his side all day, I knew he didn’t even have time to eat.

That’s why I asked Anna to bring food to his office this morning.

“…So, I guess he didn’t even think about it. If it were me, I’d be whining for a cure by now.”

I get it, but it’s still frustrating.

There’s no other way—I’ll just have to keep forcing him to bed like this.

Thanks to my holding him for a while, Baek Yigang’s body temperature had risen slightly.

“Ah, my back…”

I woke up with an aching back, feeling sore and stiff.

After spending the night hugging someone who was as cold as ice, my spine ached all over.

As I struggled to sit up and open my eyes, a tangled mess of white fluff filled my vision.

“…It really does look like cotton candy.”

I’ve thought this before, but it really is cotton candy. It has to be.

When I pressed down on the soft, white crown of his head, his fluffy hair felt like a mass of plush.

Whether the sleep spell I cast last night worked well or not, Baek Yigang was still deeply asleep, his breathing steady even as the sun reached its peak in the sky.

“If only you’d slept like this sooner.”

Come to think of it, is this the first time I’ve seen Baek Yigang’s sleeping face up close?

He really… looks so pretty.

With his white hair and fair skin, he truly looked angelic while he slept… If it weren’t for that terrible temper, he’d make the perfect ruler.

“How can a guy have such long eyelashes…?”

Underneath his snowy white hair, his soft, ivory-like eyelashes rested thickly on his upper eyelids.

As Baek Yigang exhaled, his eyelashes trembled slightly, giving me an odd feeling. Before I realized it, I was slowly reaching out to touch them.

Suddenly, something heavy wrapped tightly around my wrist.

“Ugh.”

“So, you have a thing for touching sleeping people?”

Baek Yigang, who had opened his eyes at some point, frowned at the sunlight streaming in through the window and made a suggestive remark.

As if I’d be into something like that.

“It’s not like that, so could you let go…?”

He doesn’t even look like he has much muscle, so where does this strength come from? I can’t shake off his grip.

Baek Yigang, who was looking at me pitifully as I begged him to let go, eventually shifted his gaze to the window. The red sun high in the blue sky was reflected in his violet eyes.

“…I’ve slept too long.”

“That’s what I call a good rest. Did you sleep well?”

I laughed awkwardly and tried to shake off his hand, hoping he’d let go as I greeted him with a late morning.

But Baek Yigang didn’t seem to care as he continued to hold my wrist, his eyes narrowing and his brow furrowing.

“I couldn’t sleep a wink because I felt eyes on me all night. Guess who was to blame.”

Then, as if nothing had happened, he rose from the bed and threw on his neatly folded uniform coat.

The dark blue coat was casually draped over his shoulders, and the black ceremonial dress beneath it peeked out.

“What? You were sleeping just fine. And why would I stare at you? You really have a prince complex.”

“You’re right.”

“What?”

At my question, Baek Yigang’s lips curled into a slight smirk.

“I am a prince.”

What the…? Did he just make a joke? At me? Baek Yigang?

Hey, do you even know how much I struggled to raise your corpse-like body temperature to a normal level all night?

Damn it, I shouldn’t be kind to someone who doesn’t appreciate it!

Leaving me stunned by his unexpected joke, Baek Yigang headed for the bathroom but paused mid-step.

He turned back to me and spoke again.

“Oh, by the way.”

What now? Ready to start another argument?

Even though I glared at him irritably, Baek Yigang accepted my gaze without hesitation, his expression calm.

“It was warm.”

Baek Yigang’s languid expression gradually shifted into a teasing one. Confused by his strange tone, I was about to ask what he meant when he continued.

“Your chest.”

“…What?”

“But it was a bit soft. You should work out.”

Soft? What’s soft? What is he talking about…?

Baek Yigang gave a slight smirk at my flustered reaction to his sudden, childish sexual harassment before stepping into the bathroom.

Bang. The bathroom door closed with no sign of reopening.

How on earth did he know that I was holding him all night long? He should’ve been sound asleep, oblivious to everything.

I was sure I’d confirmed he was deeply asleep!

“What the— So he was just pretending to be asleep, knowing everything all along…?”

Ah, seriously! Damn you, Baek Yigang!

“Cheong Dowoon, I have something to show you.”

Baek Yigang had arrived at his office, and as usual, I was assisting him with his work from a corner of the room.

Even though we were in the same space, the office was so vast that we couldn’t see each other while working.

We used to work side by side, but Baek Yigang insisted that he couldn’t get any work done with me around, which led to this new arrangement.

Just then, Anna approached me while I was engrossed in my tasks and handed me something.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“It’s the schedule for the regular meeting of the Imperial Magic Department, which any Imperial Wizard is supposed to attend. It’s held twice a year, and today’s the day.”

Looking at the paper Anna gave me, I saw a list of various agendas along with the designated dates.

And today’s agenda is…

“…None?”

Is it even possible to have a meeting with ‘none’ as the agenda?

Are they really going to have a meeting without a topic?

“Well, the Imperial Magic Department has some rather peculiar people… You’ll probably understand when you get there.”

I looked at Anna, questioning the absurdity with my eyes, but she averted her gaze as if she had nothing more to say.

“Wait, the meeting starts in less than 10 minutes? Is it okay for me to attend?”

“I actually just received the notice myself. Normally, new Wizards can only attend meetings after a year, but this time, the head of the Magic Department specifically called for you, Cheong Dowoon.”

The head of the Magic Department called for me?

Why?

Hold on, let me think.

Who was the head of the Imperial Magic Department in the original story again…?

…Ugh, this is driving me crazy. I can’t remember.

It’s hard enough to remember all these minor characters.

Maybe it’ll come back to me when I see them in person?

“I guess I’d better head out now, since it’s starting soon.”

“Yes, and today your escort will be Sir Asel, not me.”

“…What?”

Anna smiled brightly, saying that no one could be a better escort than Asel.

But why on earth does it have to be that stiff guy?

Asel is as rigid and unyielding as Baek Yigang, making any kind of communication impossible…!

“I should at least let Baek Yigang know before I go. Do you think I have enough time?”

“Of course. The Magic Department is quite close to the Crown Prince’s Palace, so there’s no need to rush.”

Even though Asel was going to accompany me, I was still curious about the Magic Department and wanted to go.

Of course, Baek Yigang isn’t one to easily allow me to act on my own.

But there’s always a way. I’ll get his permission somehow!