The assassination from Canael was prevented, the magic stone brooch was received at the same time the crown princeâs inauguration was secured, and the underground of the tower was already prepared to implement the magic at any time.
All thatâs left is to meet Yi-Gyeol and take him to the Magic Tower.
Sitting alone on the sofa in the drawing-room, Sethian was waiting for Yi-Gyeol to come, stroking the golden brooch in his hand.
Once they meet this time, he wonât have to wait this helplessly in the future. The unrestricted Yi-Gyeol, would not be able to escape because of the leash that he made, and he also did not have to tremble because of the incurable disease he was suffering from.
But he wasnât released from his anxiety yet. He thought about what he would do if he didnât come. He asked him to come back, but considering Y-Gyeolâs condition the last time he saw him, Sethian was still dubious.
âHe will come.â
There is no way that he wonât come back to meet his friend when he turned around like that. A soft-hearted man like him will at least come to say goodbye properly.
Sethianâs thoughts were right.
While looking down at the brooch, he suddenly felt a strange presence and raised his head. Itâs not visible, but Yi-Gyeolâs soul was in the place where his nerves were particularly concentrated.
âHello.
It was a light but nevertheless heavy greeting.
Anxiety rushed through Sethian. He rose from his seat and approached the presence at the door.
âIâm sorry about last time. Iâve been so depressed, havenât I?
It was definitely a voice that was trying to sound bright. In that short period of time from waking up to going back to sleep, Sethian sensed that something else had happened to Yi-Gyeol.
âWhat happened?â
âNothing really happened though?
The voice of nonchalant response was somehow precarious. At the same time, he was frustrated because he couldnât figure out exactly what the problem was. As expected, there is a limit to finding out by voice alone because they are not facing each other.
Sethian stretched his hand towards the faint presence. As if to caress him as he looked into his eyes.
Nothing was felt at the end of his fingertips and nothing can be seen.
Looking at the hand in front of him, Yi-Gyeol couldnât help but tremble in frustration. He couldnât even softly grab the hand that was stretched out to him even in the soul state. Unlike the body that cannot even move properly, he thought the soul was more free, but it was not at all.
Yi-Gyeol swallowed the bitterness in his heart and looked at the light green eyes that doesnât reflect anything.
âWhat if I said I wanted to see you in person?â
Yi-Gyeol didnât know what to answer at Sethianâs question. He thought it was understandable, but no matter how he thought about it, he doesnât want to show him his ugly self.
âItâs impossible.
He actually thinks it was fortunate that he was only a soul here. Sethian will just be disappointed if he sees Yi-Gyeolâs true self.
âWhat if itâs possible?â
âEven if itâs possible⊠I donât want to.
Yi-Gyeolâs voice shook without any confidence. Sethian is very attractive and handsome whichever way you look at him, but he, on the other hand, looks terribly skinny like a person who you wouldnât know when will die.
âI⊠Iâm extremely ugly. Skinny as a skeleton and pale as a corpse. I donât look like a person.
Yi-Gyeol felt a sense of shame as he said it himself. Heâs worried that Sethian will be disappointed in him just by saying this.
However, Sethian didnât show any signs of wavering.
âIs that a reason why I shouldnât see you?â
Yi-Gyeol was rather speechless at the too dignified question. He was even grateful to him for thinking that what he said couldnât be accepted as a reason.
âIâm really blessed.â
Iâm so happy to meet such a person.
To be able to spend my last moments with a person like this.
Yi-Gyeol felt his vision blurred and felt his return gradually becoming more frequent. He wondered if he should have endured for one more day before taking the medicine. At this rate, he was worried that he might not be able to say goodbye properly.
If his vision suddenly gets dark, he really mustâve died by then.
Heâll never open his eyes again, heâll never walk around like this again, heâll never see Sethian again.
The thought made Yi-Gyeol tear up. If he had been in his body, he wouldâve been crying a long time ago. He thought it was fortunate that he didnât have tears because he was in the soul state, but he also wanted to cry his eyes out. When was the last time he cried out loud in sorrow? Since he got sick, it had become a habit of his to cry secretly in fear of disturbing his family.
His vision was now blurry as if he was crying. This time it blurs for about three seconds and then comes back. Then the blurring of vision will repeat but for a few more seconds.
ââŠWhy do you want to see me?
He now didnât have enough time to say his goodbye, but he still asked. Why does Sethian want to see him? Was he wondering what the body of the soul heâs always talking with looks like?
However, Sethianâs answer was more specific than he thought.
âI want to directly see you, touch you, and make eye contact with you.â
Without even a body, Yi-Gyeol felt that one side of his chest seemed to ache.
âThatâs why. It doesnât matter what you look like.â
Thank you. For saying that it doesnât matter what I look like. For looking at the true Joo Yi-Gyeol.
His vision darkened. His head also feels like itâs slowing down.
âThatâs rightâŠ. If you could see meâŠ. I also think thatâs good.
Trying to keep his consciousness for even a little bit, Yi-Gyeol tried to say whatever he could. Still, he felt like a fool in an instant.
âThatâs rightâŠ?â
Yi-Gyeolâs vision returned for a brief moment. At that time, Sethianâs face was expressionless, but he somehow seemed happy. It was a relief that his words made him feel good.
Soon, his eyes were overcast again. The only thing that could be distinguished was his black uniform and his faint purple hair.
Feeling that there was not much time left, Yi-Gyeol organized his mind as much as possible and made up the words.
âThank you for all this time. âŠIâm really gladâŠ.
As he spoke slowly, he felt Sethianâs mood changing once again. He couldnât tell what kind of face he was making because his face was blurred, but at least he didnât seem to be smiling.
âThanks to you⊠EverydayâŠ.
Yi-Gyeol couldnât speak the next moment. It felt like the words suddenly jumbled up. Words strangely dragged on in his head like buffering music. He doesnât know what heâs thinking, and he doesnât know if heâs making a word or a sound.
His vision, which had been completely blurred, gradually became dull. Then it quickly darkened.
He still hasnât finished speaking, but the world has already collapsed. Sethianâs figure, which was vaguely visible in front of him, was now blackened and indistinguishable.
All that was left was the speck of regret that he couldnât completely say his final goodbye.
And the fear that hit him.
Still, it was nice. That he was able to see Sethian, even for the last timeâŠ.
âââââââ
Sethian, who was looking into the air, realized that something was wrong. Then Yi-Gyeolâs faint presence shook as if trembling and soon began to scatter like it was shattered.
âJoo Yi-Gyeol?â
Yi-Gyeolâs words seemed to stretch out, but nothing was heard afterward. If it werenât for the faint signs in front of him, he wouldâve thought that Yi-Gyeol had returned to his body.
Sethian, watching Yi-Gyeolâs presence breaking down, hurriedly took out the glass bottle he received from Roa. At its palm-sized entrance, a blue magic stone was inserted like a lid, and a circular magic circle was drawn on the bottom of the glass bottle.
âThis is an artifact that attracts and traps nearby souls. If the spirit doesnât want to follow you to the tower, put it inside.â
He didnât know what was going on, but it was clear that there was something wrong with Yi-Gyeolâs soul. He couldnât stay still any longer.
As soon as the magic stone was pulled out, the magic circle inside the glass bottle started to emit blue light on its own. Shortly, it felt as if a few faint things left in the air were being sucked into it.
After a while, he felt all the signs of Yi-Gyeol in the glass bottle. But even after gathering all the pieces that were falling apart, he didnât speak again.
Sethian twisted his brows and blocked the entrance with the magic stone. Without further consideration, he immediately left the castle and headed for the tower.
There were already two old wizards waiting for him at the entrance. They bowed down and led him underground. As he went down the long stairs, he checked the glass bottle several times to make sure the vial still had Yi-Gyeolâs presence.
Upon reaching the basement, he saw some purple flowers blooming all over the floor. A smiling Roa stands in the middle of the dark purple flower garden with a subtle blue light.