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A lot of thoughts passed through Yi-Gyeol’s head. From the thought of whether even animals can speak in this world, he’s hearing some auditory hallucination, or in fact, there is someone else nearby.
As he looked around once more, the crow flew from the branch and landed on the window frame. The crow, sitting within the gap between Yi-Gyeol’s arms and the window sill, looked up at Yi-Gyeol’s face above its head.
−Do you feel uncomfortable somewhere?
It was only after the worried voice was heard once more inside his head that he was convinced. The owner of this voice was indeed the crow in front of him. Furthermore….
“Are you perhaps a soul…butterfly?”
If it was an animal that could really talk, it would have used its vocal cords. However, the crow in front of him never opened its beak even while talking, and the sound came in through his head, not his ears. Since he had already experienced hearing a soul’s voice through his head once, his guess was soon confirmed.
As if smiling at the question, the crow’s eyes narrowed once more.
−That’s right.
A short answer echoed in his head, along with a reaction that a normal crow would not have shown. The crow’s head tilted left and right a couple of times as if it was dancing.
−I’m just possessing the body of a crow for a while right now. You’ve never seen it before?
“Mhm, it’s amazing….”
His eyes twinkled at the word ‘possession’. He had seen souls countless times, but it was the first time he saw the state of being possessed that he had only heard of in words. What’s more, even possession of an animal.
“How do you do this? Can all souls do it?”
−I got help from Zair-nim. Our Zair-nim is good at soul magic.
It looked pretty cute, talking triumphantly with its black-furred chest sticking out to the fullest.
The crow stared at Yi-Gyeol, who was completely distracted by its appearance, and tried to rub its face on the back of his hand which was holding the window sill, to attract his attention. Just before the head touched, Yi-Gyeol took his hand off in surprise, but thanks to this, his dazed eyes quickly returned clearly.
Yi-Gyeol couldn’t touch the crow because of Sethian’s words that he would kill and burn anyone who touches him. It was inevitable with Roa and Eda since they have to check his body condition and inject him with mana, but the crow may be completely roasted as soon as it is discovered by Sethian.
Yi-Gyeol, who imagined the crow being burned to become a hideous grilled bird, came to his senses again at the voice speaking to him.
−How are you doing? It seems like Crown Prince Sethian is bullying you.
His eyes widened at the crow’s question. Who’s bullying him? Seth?
When he shook his head at the ridiculous words, the crow patted the window frame with its paws and spoke as if scolding him.
−I’ve seen it all. He lays on top of you every day and won’t let go even if you groan and is having a hard time. He’d pressed you so that you couldn’t move and kept biting you. [1]
Yi-Gyeol’s face, who was thinking seriously about what it was talking about, suddenly heated up. His hand unwittingly covered his reddish neck, and his other hand covered the exposed collarbone area through the shirt. Even so, he couldn’t cover it all up, and the red marks could still be seen.
“That… He’s not bullying or hurting me. Rather, he’s trying to make me…healthy.”
Even now, the marks Sethian left in the morning still sting a little.
“In exchange for giving you vitality, I’m going to leave traces that show’s you belong to me.”
As if it was his right, these were Sethian’s proud words as he nibble the tender flesh on his neck after a deep kiss. Recalling those words full of possessiveness, his face turned even redder.
“Don’t hide it. Show it clearly to everyone who sees you. So that they’ll think twice before daring to touch you.”
If it had been in Korea, such actions and remarks could have been terrifyingly strange, but it was understandable because they were in this world and because the one who said them was Sethian. Kissing with the same gender is not uncommon in this world, how much more, perhaps Sethian was that kind of person originally, none of those who saw it frowned or looked at them strangely. Even with the red marks left on his body.
At times, he wondered if Sethian had something else for him more than his friendly affection and interest in his abilities. Whenever he was kissing or staring at him, his emerald-like eyes were unbearably hot, and even now that he was able to move enough, he’s still pushing for them to sleep closely in the same bed.
‘But that would be impossible.’
He is just a weak, useless, unattractive guy. There is only one reason why he puts himself by his side and takes care of him with sincerity.
‘Seth is only nice to me because of my ability. I shouldn’t forget that.’
The idea doesn’t hurt. Rather, it reminded him of what he must do to stay by his side and aroused his motivation.
If he could not be alone, if he could receive legitimate affection, he felt like he could do anything.
The crow, who was looking up at Yi-Gyeol that’s in deep thought with his eyes lowered down, tapped the window sill with its foot again as if to attract his attention.
−Crown Prince Sethian is dangerous.
“That’s not true.”
The words of denial came out instinctively at the crow’s words.
“Seth is very nice to me. He’s not a dangerous person.”
−You’re wrong.
The crow spread its wings threateningly wide, expressing intense emotions.
−If he’s not a dangerous person, why did he make the back of Zair-nim’s hand like that? And even before. He broke his two fingers like nothing happened.
The young man’s enraged voice passed through Yi-Gyeol’s head. Thanks to that, Zair’s wounded and bloody hand clearly came to his mind. Knowing it was Sethian who made those wounds, he couldn’t blindly deny it.
−Even so, Zair-nim was worried that Crown Prince Sethian’s anger that day caused you to get hurt.
“Worried….”
−That’s right! Zair-nim is such a nice and warm person…. Crown Prince Sethian just can’t wait to prey on such Zair-nim every time!
Pretending to be affected, he looked down at the crow defending Zair and remembered the face he saw in the garden. He looks brusque, but he still remembers his friendly eyes and the way he spoke to him.
Even though it was him who was injured, it sounded quite sweet to hear that he was actually worried about him. Rather than worrying about his own wounds, he felt distinctly comparable to himself, who feared that he would bring some drawback to Sethian.
‘However….’
It felt as if cold water had been poured on his head. His brain worked surprisingly fast.
Unlike his frosty inner feelings, Yi-Gyeol’s face was filled with warm worries.
“How’s his hand? Is it okay now?”
He asked with concern, pretending to be sincere in his voice.
−It’s much better now. But then his bones were damaged and he still can’t use his hands well. He’s even having a hard time just to hold a quill.
“Ah…, I feel really sorry, what should I do…. Because of me….”
He contorted the corners of his eyes and even showed some restlessness.
The crow, with its wings folded back, jumped on the window sill a couple of times.
−I’ll tell him that you’re very sorry and worried.
“Would you do that for me? Seth seems to have some animosity towards him, so I want to apologize too. I was the one who crossed the garden in the first place…. I wish there was something I could do for him….”
−Zair-nim is kind so he won’t ask for anything difficult. I’ll pass it to him well and come back tomorrow.
The crow jumped over the window sill once and turned around. Yi-Gyeol said thank you to the crow’s back.
A light flapping sound was heard, and the crow flew out of the window frame. It quickly flew towards Zair’s castle, which can be seen from Yi-Gyeol’s window.
Yi-Gyeol, who had a smile full of worry and regret, turned around with a cold expression on his face. He took his eyes off the crow as it was moving away and closed the window firmly.
‘He’s definitely scheming something.’
Suspicious. Really suspicious.
‘Don’t trust anyone here but me. If there’s someone wearing a mask in front of you, you do the same. That is the basics in this place.’
Sethian’s words, engraved in his head close to being brainwashed, dictated all of Yi-Gyeol.
‘I wouldn’t trust anyone but Seth.’
Especially if the opponent is a threat to him.
‘If you’re going to use me, I’ll use you instead.’
He had been thinking since long ago that Zair could try to use him under the pretext of what happened in the garden that day. In Yi-Gyeol’s mind, no matter how friendly Zair looked at him and how kind his words were, he was decisively classified as an ‘enemy’.
Sethian’s enemy is his own enemy.
He will never just stand still if anyone tries to threaten his position.
Yi-Gyeol glared at the window with cold eyes resembling that of Sethian’s and turned and approached the bedroom door. Tok-tok, after knocking twice, the door gently opens from the outside.
“Yes, is there something you need?”
Kirsty, who was guarding outside, stuck out his head and asked with a puzzled expression. He tilted his head, curiosity on his face, as Yi-Gyeol had never knocked first from the inside before.
Yi-Gyeol raised the corners of his lips and smiled. It was a smile that he used to see often, but it felt strangely cold. His beautiful red lips flashed sweetly.
“Please call His Highness, Crown Prince Sethian.”
TL Notes:
Shocks! This crow’s giving me secondhand embarrassment!! ( /)u(\ )