Wandering Through – Vol. 2 Chapter 63 – Kidnapping 01

Author: Nikss

Suyeong burst out angrily, “You abandon her when it suits you, then take her back whenever you please—is that all there is to it? Do you feel no pity for her? Was she not once your wife?”

“…”

Leegwang remained silent.

This was a response he hadn’t expected at all. It was hard to dismiss as a lie—Suyeong’s words were filled with sincerity.

So now, Yiseo’s former husband is… me?

How?

Why can’t I remember?

Leegwang strained to recall the ex-wife who had supposedly returned to her family home due to poor health, but his mind remained dark and blank. He couldn’t even remember when they had married or how long they had lived together.

Yet, he had never considered it an important memory, so he hadn’t bothered digging into it.

From what he’d heard in passing, she had been frail, rarely venturing outside… and he had hardly ever visited her.

He assumed she was similar to his later wife, Eunbi, who had fled in the night.

When it was time to leave the palace, he had married the daughter of a suitable noble family and, like with Eunbi, likely left her forgotten in the inner quarters.

But that ex-wife was Yiseo?

How could I have forgotten that? It made no sense.

Though he had only known her for a few days and met her barely a day ago, Leegwang believed that even if he forgot who he was, he would never forget Yiseo.

Perhaps not even until death—no, maybe not even after…

Unconsciously, Leegwang clutched his head.

Could this obsession really have sprung up in just a few days?

Just days ago, he had felt no attachment to life, believing he wouldn’t care if he died right then.

Was I even the same person now?

Yet, in the briefest moment, he had become utterly enchanted by her. When he looked at Yiseo, no afterimage ever crossed his sight. His eyes were too busy holding only her.

“After being cast aside by Your Highness, she barely scraped by in the servants’ quarters of her family home, eating scraps, until she was finally driven into the mountains. And now, after all this time…”

Even after hearing such words, not even a slight headache arose in his head. No memories came to mind.

Truly, none at all.

As if they had been completely erased.

Leegwang asked in return, “Did I… hit her?”

Suyeong, who had been spitting out words in anger, stiffened her expression, as if his words sounded like mockery.

With heavy sarcasm, he shot back, “Are you seriously saying you’ve already forgotten what happened two years ago?”

If he had to explain, Leegwang had almost no memories from before last year.

The few scattered recollections he had were closer to learned knowledge rather than memories of people.

Leegwang sensed it intuitively.
It wasn’t that most of his lifetime memories had disappeared—it was his memories of Yiseo that were gone. She had been so significant that forgetting her meant forgetting most of his life before last year…

But why had he abandoned the woman who had occupied so much of his life? How had he forgotten her?

As Leegwang’s silence dragged on, Suyeong eventually stopped speaking. He silently watched Leegwang’s demeanor, which seemed utterly unserious about anything.

After a pause, he finally spoke to him in a calm, subdued voice.

“You should leave now. I don’t know what made you come looking for a wife you once cast aside, but don’t torment someone who’s already suffered enough.”

“How would you know whether she’s suffering because of me or not?”

“Anyone who knows the circumstances would see it plainly! After being struck by Your Highness and driven to these mountains in her weakened state, do you think she’d feel at ease seeing the very man who cast her out?”

“That’s just your assumption.”

Pushing aside his confused thoughts, Leegwang stood up.

Why he had forgotten Yiseo, why she hadn’t told him she was his former wife—those were things he could think about later. But this fool in front of him? No.

Lost memories were never a major concern for Leegwang.

After all, hadn’t he lived just fine this past year without her?

Sure, he’d been listless—but now that Yiseo was here, that wouldn’t be an issue anymore.

Leegwang approached Suyeong, muttering under his breath.

“Why are you making wild assumptions about my wife and causing such a fuss…?”

“How could she possibly be the Grand Prince’s wi— Ack!”

In an instant, Suyeong was grabbed by the collar and slammed onto the floor, a shadow looming over him.

Leegwang bent down, locking eyes with him.

Suyeong, who had been about to push him away and rise, froze.

For a brief moment, a blue light flickered in Leegwang’s pitch-black, gleaming eyes.

An instinctive terror surged through Suyeong so intensely that he forgot to breathe. Those eyes didn’t belong to a person—they belonged to something that devoured humans.

Reflexively, Suyeong averted his gaze. He couldn’t bear to look any longer. But Leegwang gripped his collar again, forcing their eyes to meet.

“Since you’ve enlightened me about something I didn’t know, I’ll mercifully spare your life.”

It felt like plunging into an icy river. His entire body broke out in goosebumps—cold and numb.

As darkness seeped into his vision, Suyeong lost consciousness. The last thing he faintly heard was a low murmur:

“Though, if you die all on your own, that’s not my doing. Or is it?”

Leegwang stood up, dusting off his hands as he left Suyeong collapsed on the floor. He had merely attached a vicious, vengeful spirit to him.

If discovered and removed early, Suyeong would live. If not, he’d die.

Frankly, even if he noticed it in time, whether there was any shaman skilled enough to exorcise it was doubtful—but that wasn’t Leegwang’s concern.

If this brat were truly precious to his family, they’d scrape together a fortune to scour the kingdom for a capable shaman.

And if they failed, they’d eventually come crawling to Leegwang…

He’d think about what to do then, when the time came. No need to dwell on it now.

With this nuisance roughly dealt with, it was time to go catch that runaway bride. The one who clung shamelessly to her previous husband—yet so cunningly hid that he was that very man.

🦋

While Ban was away at the temple, Yiseo finished packing, made a pouch of scorched rice, and wrapped portions of rice in cloth.

Honestly, Yiseo didn’t eat much herself, but since Ban devoured enough for two, she always had to prepare ample food whenever they traveled.

“Why isn’t she back yet…?”

She wondered if Ban was sneaking temple food again. Yiseo started boiling water with the leftover scorched rice to make sungnyung, then smothered half the embers with dirt before stepping out from the hearth.

Thanks to the medicine she’d taken since morning, moving around was surprisingly easier than expected.

She looked up toward the mountain where the temple stood.

There was no sign of anyone descending.

The sun was already tilting—if they didn’t leave now, they’d have no choice but to spend the night here.

Ban often got distracted and returned later than expected, but even after Yiseo had repeatedly reminded her they were leaving today, this delay was unusual.

Finally, Yiseo grabbed her walking stick.

Flat paths were manageable, but mountain trails were another matter. She began making her way up to the temple, leaning on the stick.

Ban had smoothed the path for Yiseo’s convenience, so the climb wasn’t too difficult.

Yet the moment that thought crossed her mind, Yiseo misstepped and tumbled forward.

“Ah—!”

Her knees hit the rocky path, and she lost her grip on the stick.

Sitting helplessly in the middle of the trail, Yiseo watched as the stick rolled uselessly downhill. This had never happened before. She had checked her footing multiple times—why had the stick suddenly slipped?

“Ha…”

A gloomy sigh escaped her. She glanced up at the bright sky.

At least it was daytime, so sitting alone wasn’t frightening, but the real problem was her legs refusing to cooperate.

The thought of waiting on the trail until Ban came down felt daunting.

Though spring would soon arrive at the foot of the mountain, the lingering chill in the highlands seeped through Yiseo’s clothes, creeping up from where she sat.

At least it’s daytime, she thought with a sigh.

‘If it were night, I’d be frozen stiff by now.’

Just then, a long shadow fell over her.

“…Need help?”

At the low voice, she tilted her head back and met the eyes of the man looking down at her—the same man who had held her naked in his arms just that dawn.

Yiseo felt awkward facing Leegwang like this in broad daylight, fully dressed. And following that awkwardness came unease.

“Y-you came down already?”

“I left my things at the temple. Couldn’t exactly leave right away.”

Leegwang smiled faintly and reached out to her.

“I was heading up anyway. Let me help.”

“It’s fi—”

She hesitated but quickly realized there was no avoiding it. Leegwang effortlessly lifted her, brushing the dirt from her skirt.

Watching his expression, Yiseo muttered, “Th-thank you.”

Leegwang studied her for a moment before murmuring, almost to himself, “Even prettier in daylight…”

“…”

“Why did I ever let you go?”

Yiseo’s entire body stiffened.