32
“Did you break up?”
Yeon Ji-ho’s eyes widened in surprise. It was only natural; hearing that the protagonists from the novel he had read had broken up was shocking.
These were the ones who had whispered their love for each other after overcoming all kinds of hardships and adversities. How could it be that they had broken up less than a year after the novel’s conclusion?
“Apparently. Gliese and I had such a passionate love. After everything is over, love naturally cools down.”
“No, no… Is that really the only reason the two of you broke up? You sacrificed your life for Gliese, didn’t you?”
The memory was still vivid. When Gliese was in danger from Set’s attack, Hadad had risked his own life to save her. It was a scene that left all the readers, including Yeon Ji-ho, speechless.
And the lines he had spoken after saving her were so heartfelt.
“Hadad, why did you make such a choice? You could have died!”
“Because I promised. I wouldn’t let you die.”
Crimson droplets of blood spread across Hadad’s pale face. Gliese’s fingers, which were caressing him, began to tremble.
He had almost died for that woman, and yet he could break up so easily? Yeon Ji-ho furrowed his brows.
“Gliese was always a free woman. She was never someone who would be tied down to me, the Emperor.”
“Weren’t you in love?”
“Love? Of course, I loved her. It’s just that there were many things more important to me.”
Hadad spoke about Gliese with a relaxed smile, as if he wasn’t particularly pained by the breakup.
However, as Yeon Ji-ho continued to look at him with a strange expression, it seemed that Hadad’s mood shifted as well. He cleared his throat and scratched his chin.
“Alright, I’ll be honest. My heart no longer beats for her.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Hadad raised his white hand and placed it over his chest. He pressed down on his quietly beating heart and spoke.
“It’s strange. I thought I loved her so much, but on the day Set was executed, when I thought everything was over, my heart didn’t beat at all.”
In fact, this wasn’t just about Gliese. After Set’s execution, Hadad had worked hard to restore the empire, which had been devastated by a long war. He had become the only royal bloodline left in the empire.
But taking care of the empire and managing his subjects didn’t make Hadad’s heart race like it used to when he was in conflict with Set. The same went for his relationship with Gliese. It had become increasingly dull.
So when Hadad realized that Set had not been executed, he was even pleased to hear the sound of his heart starting to race again. That wasn’t all.
“This is really disappointing.”
“What?”
“What crime did Gliese commit? She devoted her entire youth to help you. And now you want to break up just because it’s no longer fun?”
Hadad’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Yeon Ji-ho, who was scolding him with a cold gaze. Yeon Ji-ho, who didn’t even realize how Hadad was looking at him, clicked his tongue and declared.
“Trash.”
At Yeon Ji-ho’s sharp choice of words, Hadad felt his heart drop and clenched it tightly.
“Loving someone isn’t that simple.”
“……”
“If that’s how you’re going to love, you might as well not meet anyone in the future.”
Ah…
Hadad raised his empty hand to cover his mouth. Otherwise, he felt that the corners of his mouth, which were slipping down, would be caught by Yeon Ji-ho.
With every word he spoke, his heart ached and throbbed. Hadad was clearly hurt by Yeon Ji-ho’s relentless criticism.
It hurt. It hurt a lot. But it was exhilarating.
At one point, Hadad had felt bored in a world where everything went his way. The event that had punctuated his serious case of ennui was Set’s execution. The moment he realized Set’s death, Hadad had despaired.
He thought nothing would make his heart race again. But that wasn’t the case.
“Enough… What good does it do to say this? I’m going to sleep now, so please leave.”
Yeon Ji-ho turned his head away with a face that showed no interest or curiosity towards Hadad. Having already woken up, he wouldn’t be able to sleep again, so he leaned his head against the carriage window and stared outside.
His eyes were longing to leave. To escape Hadad’s side by any means.
“I don’t want to.”
“……What?”
“Let’s talk a little more, okay?”
Hadad struggled to calm his racing heart, which was making him breathless, to avoid slurring his words.
It was the first time he felt that just having a conversation could be enjoyable and fun. Even when he first met Gliese, it hadn’t been like this. Even if she pretended not to care, Hadad could easily sense that she was interested in him.
“How did you meet Set? Where are you from? With a name and appearance so exotic, you don’t seem like a citizen of the empire. Oh, what do you like? What do you need? Just tell me, and I’ll give you anything you want.”
Here it comes again, the question mark murderer. Yeon Ji-ho sighed inwardly and said nothing.
The fact that Hadad had broken up with Gliese was shocking enough to have a brief conversation, but he didn’t particularly feel like talking to Hadad. However, Hadad continued to bombard him with questions, pretending not to notice Yeon Ji-ho’s attitude.
“Anyway, since you’re in the empire, you must have some information. Ji-ho, you seem like you just fell from the sky one day. Where did you come from?”
“I want something.”
Yeon Ji-ho cut off Hadad’s words and spoke. He didn’t hide the fact that he was annoyed with Hadad at all.
“Please be quiet.”
“……”
“It would be even better if you could leave.”
His words were so cold that they felt like thorns. At that, Hadad flinched and took a deep breath. From that moment on, he began to huddle quietly in the corner of the carriage.
Throughout the night, Hadad did not leave the carriage. No matter how much Yeon Ji-ho hinted at it.
He was a man of persistence, after all.
***
In the end, under Hadad’s watchful eye, Yeon Ji-ho, who had only been in the carriage, felt stiff by morning. Even though the carriage was spacious, he had been sitting there for too long.
Pausing for a moment, Yeon Ji-ho spoke to Hadad, who had not said a word all night.
“I want to go outside.”
“Should we? You must be feeling stiff from being in the carriage all night. Ji-ho, let’s go together. I’ll guide you outside. Come on.”
Hadad approached him as if it were a lie that he had been quiet all night, pretending to be friendly, and naturally reached out his hand. It was amusing how he suddenly flung open the carriage door.
The door, which hadn’t budged when he opened it, swung open easily this time. Yeon Ji-ho smiled in relief and stepped outside, passing by Hadad without taking his hand.
“Ji-ho.”
Tap.
However, as soon as he stepped outside, Hadad lightly grabbed Yeon Ji-ho’s wrist. Startled by the strength of his grip, Yeon Ji-ho stopped and turned around, and Hadad spoke with a smile that hadn’t faded.
“I’m sorry, but while we’re outside, you have to hold my hand.”
“……”
“If you don’t, you can’t go out.”
He was clearly smiling, but the content was coercive. Moreover, the strength with which he held his wrist was formidable. It was then that Yeon Ji-ho remembered that Hadad was a formidable swordsman, just like Set.
“It hurts.”
“Yeah?”
“It hurts.”
Yeon Ji-ho pointed to his wrist, which Hadad was holding, with a hint of annoyance. Hadad looked down and widened his eyes in surprise.
“Oh no! Does it hurt a lot? Ji-ho, your wrist is swelling! How could this be? A man’s wrist is so weak?”
“It’s not that my wrist is weak; it’s that my skin is sensitive. If you understood that, you should hold it more gently.”
Since Hadad was being forceful, Yeon Ji-ho didn’t want to treat him too gently. Moreover, even after seeing Yeon Ji-ho’s wrist starting to turn red, Hadad only grabbed another part of his arm without letting go completely.
This behavior was hypocritical. And that hypocritical aspect was causing Yeon Ji-ho’s opinion of Hadad to plummet. His score was already plummeting towards the negative.
“Then, this would be better than the wrist.”
As Yeon Ji-ho tried to ignore Hadad and step outside, he slyly lowered his hand to grasp Yeon Ji-ho’s hand. The thick fingers slipping between his own startled Yeon Ji-ho.
“Let go.”
“Huh? Why? Isn’t it less painful this way?”
“Even if it hurts, just hold my wrist.”
The moment he held Yeon Ji-ho’s hand, he was reminded of Set and felt unpleasant. When he had complained about his wrist hurting, Set had stepped back in surprise. Even after saying it was okay, he couldn’t hold on carelessly.
But Hadad was different. Even when Yeon Ji-ho told him to let go, he only tightened his grip and smiled brightly, refusing to release him. Ultimately, Yeon Ji-ho had to step outside with a sullen face.
As he stepped outside, the chilly air, laden with the morning dew, brushed against his cheek. When Yeon Ji-ho glanced around, Hadad, unable to contain himself, leaned his head forward.
“What are you curious about? I’ll guide you through everything, just tell me, Ji-ho.”
“Then I want to go meet Mr. Isquis.”
“Hmm.”
Hadad smiled broadly as if he would listen to anything, but when Yeon Ji-ho expressed his desire, he only smiled mysteriously. That smile strangely irritated Yeon Ji-ho, causing him to squint one eye.
“That might be difficult. Instead, how about we go to a restaurant? You didn’t eat the grilled Galus yesterday, so you must be hungry…”
It was at that moment.
Hadad’s shoulders suddenly tensed, and the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a look of tension.
Realizing that the atmosphere had changed, Yeon Ji-ho’s heart tightened as well. At the same time, the sky darkened.
Looking up, he saw dark clouds gathering above. The moment he noticed that, Yeon Ji-ho’s face brightened instead.
“Ji-ho.”
A low voice pierced through the clouds. At the same time, the surroundings filled with thick smoke. A massive divine figure appeared, soon revealing its form.
Set Gorgon.
He, who had been called a legendary demon, emerged with the smoke. It was a sight that was ominous and eerie.
Before Yeon Ji-ho and Hadad, he gazed at the hands the two were holding. Set’s expression darkened further.
“Come here.”
The moment he heard that voice, Ji-ho’s face lit up. At the same time, Yeon Ji-ho tried to pull away from Hadad’s hand. It was only because Hadad’s grip was so strong that he couldn’t.
“Are you really going, Ji-ho? To that demon?”
“Let go of this.”
“Think about it one more time. He’s not a good man. I’m doing this all for you…”
“Let go!”
At least while looking at Yeon Ji-ho, Hadad’s perfect smile began to crack. He couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.
Before, it had been possible. His first meeting with Yeon Ji-ho hadn’t been pleasant, and he could have felt sufficiently displeased. But now…
“Ji-ho, why don’t you love me? Don’t you feel any affection for me?”
Hadad’s eyes widened. Instead of letting go of Yeon Ji-ho’s hand, he tightened his grip even more and murmured.
“But I’m the protagonist.”
