It’s Sunny But I’m Depressed Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Rain, Tears, and the Desert (7)

 

“I don’t need such pathetic medicine, I would never…”

 

BOOM─! The rest of the Black King’s words were drowned out by a thunderous roar that seemed to tear the sky apart. Already half out of his mind with shame, Regolus screamed in surprise at the sound. In contrast, the Black King sprang up like lightning and wrapped Ilena in his arms.

 

His massive, lean body embraced her tightly, as if to shield her from any harm.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

“The, the thunder…”

 

Regolus stammered, trembling.

 

“Perhaps the gods are angry at this indecent conversation.”

 

What? The gods are angry? No, it’s me who’s angry. You pervert! And…

 

“Indecent conversation! That was just between the two of you!”

 

BOOM─!

 

***

 

“Are you… feeling a bit calmer now?”

 

The Black King cautiously observed her. Regolus, overwhelmed with embarrassment, had left almost in tears. The list of people who would kick their blankets in frustration tonight had grown longer. Though the thunder had finally subsided, Ilena’s mood was still stormy.

 

She pressed her hand to her forehead, grinding her teeth, muttering, “How could he…?” Ilena suddenly spoke up.

 

“You too, Your Highness.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Did you really want to say that in the middle of all this?”

 

Ilena glanced involuntarily between his legs.

 

“Well, it’s instinct, I can’t help it…”

 

Seeing her eyes flare up, the Black King awkwardly pushed a plate on the table towards her.

 

“Have something sweet…”

 

On the plate were star-shaped cookies.

 

‘What a mysterious person,’ Ilena thought as she gazed at the cookies.

 

One moment he seemed timid like a rabbit, and the next, aggressive like a leopard.

 

‘Which one is his true self?’

 

She suddenly wanted to know. The image of him trembling, his neck flushed red, kept coming to mind.

 

“Is your hand alright now?”

 

Ilena asked softly, almost without realizing it. Recalling that day, the Black King’s face turned bright red. He cleared his throat, trying to maintain his dignity.

 

“It’s just a scratch, it’s fine.”

 

“Hmm… Shall we take a look anyway?”

 

Ilena spoke casually, grabbing his large hand before he could react. The Black King shouted in surprise.

 

“Oof. Wh-what are you doing?”

 

“What do you think? Checking your injury.”

 

She calmly ran her thumb over his index finger. Even that light touch made him shiver.

 

“Did you check for poison?”

 

Ilena asked, gently stroking his finger.

 

“What? No, there was no poison!”

 

He squirmed as if wanting to escape, but made no real effort to pull his hand away.

 

‘Should I tease him a bit more?’

 

“Just in case, should I extract the poison again?”

 

“What?”

 

“By sucking it out… like last time.”

 

Ilena lowered her head as if about to press her lips to his finger.

 

“No, don’t…”

 

His voice trembled. Just before her lips touched his finger, she burst into laughter.

 

‘She laughed. In front of me.’

 

The Black King stared blankly at her smile.

 

“Haha. If you didn’t like it, you could have pulled your hand away. Your words and actions are so different.”

 

She released his hand with a cheerful laugh. As her soft, warm hand moved away, he felt an unexpected sense of loss.

 

‘What is this feeling?’

 

Unable to hide his bewilderment, she smiled gently at him.

 

“You have a surprisingly cute side.”

 

‘Cute? Me?’

 

He snapped back to reality. He was the Black King. The ruthless ruler of this desert. And she was the priestess from the enemy’s northern land. A woman who would return to her homeland in three months.

 

‘Could she have guessed? Because of that incident?’

 

He stood up abruptly.

 

“We’ll continue our meal another time.”

 

Iago spoke in a cold, detached tone. He seemed like a completely different person. He deliberately let his imposing presence fill the room. When he showed such a chilling expression, everyone would bow their heads and quickly avert their eyes, but the priestess met his gaze directly.

 

“Very well, until next time.”

 

Her eyes, reminiscent of tart lemons and sweet honey, lingered on his. As if trying to discover something within.

 

‘No, I can’t let her find out.’

 

He fled the room as if escaping.

 

***

 

For several days now, the Black King hadn’t visited. Ilena lay idly on her bed, with nothing to do. She had enjoyed being cooped up in her room, but now that the person who visited daily was absent, she felt strangely empty.

 

‘Have I gotten used to it already?’

 

Ilena muttered absentmindedly while lying on her bed. And Iago was no different. He sat at his desk in the office, unable to focus on the documents before him.

 

“You haven’t been visiting the priestess lately.”

 

Utter, who had been observing him, spoke up. He had just recovered from being bedridden for days.

 

“Just… busy.”

 

Iago glanced at the pile of documents on his desk.

 

“And you, is the ‘Make the Priestess Cry’ operation over?”

 

“N-no, it’s not! I was just, just recovering my strength for a few days…”

 

“Not your heart?”

 

Iago teased, knowing that Utter had been bedridden with guilt after framing the priestess as a thief.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Utter bit his lip, at a loss for words.

 

“Hey, Utter.”

 

Iago spoke in a low voice.

 

“Should we… stop that?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The plan to make the priestess cry.”

 

Iago spoke cautiously but seriously.

 

‘He’s serious.’

 

The king had never gone back on his word with that expression.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

Utter cried out, his voice trembling.

 

“It might have been the wrong approach from the start. Expecting rain to fall suddenly after ten years of drought. Let’s return to addressing the root cause of the desertification.”

 

Iago spoke calmly. After signing a few documents, he stood up and left the office. He was heading to a meeting with the elders.

 

“No, it can’t be…”

 

Left alone in the office, Utter muttered to himself, staring at the floor. His heart was softening. Both the king’s and his own. But it couldn’t be allowed. Rain had to fall in the kingdom of Lihu. Due to the desertification that had been progressing for ten years, water was drying up, and the land for crops was shrinking.

 

“It can’t be delayed any longer.”

 

The more they delayed, the more they saw the priestess, the weaker their resolve would become. With a determined expression, Utter stood up and called for a knight.

 

“You called, sir!”

 

“If you go to the market outside the palace, there will be a bearded man at a leather shop.”

 

Utter spoke with an unusually cold expression. The knight listened silently to his orders.

 

“Tell him you’re looking for the Tiger Hunter, and he’ll gladly follow. Bring him here.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

The knight saluted sharply and quickly left the room. As soon as he was gone, Utter slumped back into his chair.

 

“It can’t be delayed any longer… Someone has to do it.”

 

The leather shop Utter mentioned appeared to be an ordinary store selling animal and monster hides. But the ‘Tiger Hunter’ sitting quietly at the back was actually a skilled mercenary who handled dangerous tasks. No one knew he occasionally took on jobs for the palace.

 

“You called for me.”

 

Hearing the voice, Utter, who had been staring at the storm clouds outside, spoke slowly.

 

“There is a task to be done.”

 

“Just say the word.”

 

The man replied in a rough tone.

 

“At the side palace, there is a woman with sky-blue hair. She’ll likely be sleeping alone, so it shouldn’t be difficult. Kidnap her and…”

 

Utter closed his eyes tightly, then opened them.

 

“Leave her in the western desert.”

 

Despite the unexpected order, the man showed no surprise. In fact, he seemed to think it was an easy task. He asked nonchalantly.

 

“As you know, the western desert is the largest in the south. Where exactly should I leave her?”

 

“Not too far from the capital. Just far enough for her to wander a bit and then find her way out.”

 

Utter replied hesitantly. The Tiger Hunter asked again, puzzled.

 

“You’re telling me to kidnap her, leave her in the desert, and then let her find her way back?”

 

“Yes, that’s all you need to do.”

 

Utter added hastily, his face pale.

 

“The goal is just to scare her. Don’t harm her! No matter who she is, if she’s left alone in the desert… she’ll cry.”

 

He seemed to choke up a bit as he said the last part.

 

***

 

‘Ugh. It’s so dry…’

 

Her throat felt like it was burning. The harsh sandstorm hitting her delicate cheeks brought Ilena back to her senses.

 

‘Sand…? Where am I?’

 

Ilena lifted her head and looked around. What she saw was a vast desert, with nothing but a giant sand dune that resembled a pyramid. It was a landscape she had never seen before. The horizon was covered entirely in yellow sand.

 

‘So this is what a desert is like.’

 

From napping in a soft bed to waking up in a desert—what an absurd situation. She had only seen deserts as desktop wallpapers, but facing one in reality was even more barren than she had imagined. A dry land covered in nothing but sand. It seemed impossible for anything to live there.