It’s Sunny But I’m Depressed Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Possessed and Depressed (4) 

 

After the chaos subsided, Ilena found herself back in bed, with one noticeable change: her meals had become quite meager. White bread had turned into barley bread, and the soup was served cold and without any solid ingredients.

 

‘Well, I didn’t have much of an appetite due to the depression anyway, so it doesn’t matter.’

 

The once-polite maids now acted insolently, and the visitors who frequently came to check on her had vanished. But to Inna, they were all foreign strangers she didn’t know. None of it mattered. In this somewhat satisfactory life, the only thing that bothered her was the weather outside the window.

 

Ilena lay in bed, gazing out the window with a sigh. The sky was still covered with gloomy clouds.

 

‘If the sun doesn’t come out soon… won’t there be problems?’

 

Like farming. Without enough sunlight, people here wouldn’t be able to synthesize vitamin D… It seemed silly to worry about foreigners’ vitamins, but her conscience was pricked.

 

‘But… I don’t know how to control the weather. They say the sun shines when you’re happy?’

 

“That’s impossible…”

 

Ilena muttered, lying in bed like a fried egg stuck to a pan. What is happiness anyway? What did it feel like? She hadn’t felt joy or happiness even once in the past two years. It was an emotion she could no longer remember.

 

***

 

The northern kingdom of Manoa’s annex. A temporary residence for the king, replacing the main palace destroyed by the priestess. In a small parlor next to the king’s bedroom, seven cloaked figures gathered around a round table.

 

It was a secretive time when the sun began to rise, cutting through the deep blue night.

 

“What are we to do?”

 

One man, impatiently pulling down his hood, spoke first. The northern king. Berian Manoa. With a third of the palace destroyed, the king no longer wore the indifferent expression he had at the last meeting. A young man beside him also pulled down his hood, grumbling.

 

“The priestess is broken. We never expected this.”

 

He was the crown prince, Friedhen Manoa, sitting next to the king.

 

“Why act without consulting us?”

 

As soon as he spoke, sharp criticism flew his way. Friedhen wrinkled his handsome face, muttering a servile excuse.

 

“I thought I could handle it without needing a meeting like this.”

 

He quickly changed the subject.

 

“So, what do we do now?”

 

No one answered his question. Silence hung heavily over the round table. Even the king dared not speak, watching the person quietly sitting by the window. Despite the thick cloak, the black mask covering the face was noticeable.

 

Unable to bear it, the crown prince spoke again in a hasty tone.

 

“If the priestess is gone, won’t those clouds clear?”

 

“Foolish. The sun will rise for now, but soon there will be abnormal weather. The temperature will drop sharply.”

 

A person who hadn’t removed their hood snorted. It was a young woman’s voice.

 

“Oh, so we should just sit back while the crops rot?”

 

“That’s why we’re discussing what to do now. Though, your presence might not make much difference.”

 

“You…”

 

“Enough.”

 

A cold, smooth voice came from the masked man. The voice was so high and beautiful that it felt awkwardly out of place. The two who had been arguing immediately fell silent.

 

“First, we need to find out why the priestess is broken. How long will it take, Frere?”

 

The woman, who had been quarreling with Friedhen, answered in a playful voice.

 

“It’ll take some time. As you know, there’s so little information about the priestess’s power…”

 

“As soon as possible.”

 

“As soon as possible… It might take at least six months.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

As the cold voice showed displeasure, the cloaked woman flinched and hurriedly replied.

 

“If I cut down on sleep, maybe three months?”

 

“But what about the priestess in the meantime? She seems broken, and if she strikes with lightning again…”

 

A cloak that had remained silent until now asked.

 

“Isn’t there the southern kingdom of Lihue?”

 

As the cold voice spoke, others beneath their cloaks grinned wickedly. Only the king and crown prince wore dumbfounded expressions.

 

‘We’re just talking potatoes, you know? Got it?’ their faces seemed to say.

 

Watching the foolish father and son, a woman sighed openly and explained further.

 

“The Lihue Kingdom has been turning into a desert due to abnormal weather for the past ten years, and much of their land is already desert.”

 

“…So?”

 

Even after all this, they didn’t understand. The woman spoke in a voice dripping with irritation.

 

“So they’d be willing to pay a hefty price to take the priestess if it means they can block the southern sun.”

 

“Oh… is that what you mean.”

 

A hefty price? The king’s eyes gleamed with greed. Friedhen, afraid of losing his support as the ‘priestess’s fiancé,’ quickly spoke up.

 

“No matter how broken she is, handing the priestess to the south? They still maintain a strong military despite their land turning to desert. If they regain strength…”

 

“The land already turning to desert won’t regenerate with just a drizzle.”

 

The woman interrupted the crown prince with a mocking tone.

 

“The priestess is broken and can’t even cry.”

 

“Ugh… but, but…”

 

Friedhen’s face turned as red as his eyes, glaring at the woman. But she didn’t budge.

 

“We’re not giving the priestess away permanently.”

 

The cold voice interjected.

 

“Lend her for three months until we find the cause. Of course, we’ll keep her illness a secret.”

 

Those gathered chuckled wickedly.

 

“In return, wouldn’t it be profitable to demand an orichalcum mine from the south?”

 

“Oh, an orichalcum mine.”

 

The king was already convinced. His eyes gleamed with greed as he stroked his sagging belly.

 

“But how do we hand over the broken priestess? She won’t go willingly.”

 

It was a statement made after deciding to hand over the priestess.

 

“Because of that lightning…”

 

“Lately, the priestess does nothing but lie in bed, right?”

 

At that moment, one of them spoke in a very delicate voice.

 

“So what’s the harm if she sleeps a little longer?”

 

The king grinned, understanding the suggestion. He was quick-witted when it came to devising vile methods.

 

***

 

‘Hmm… did I sleep a bit long this time?’

 

Ilena felt her back ache as she woke up, though she remembered going to bed as soon as the sun set after lying in bed all day. She tried to get up but stumbled, her arm giving way as she fell back onto the bed.

 

‘Huh? I have no strength in my arms. Come to think of it, not just my arms…’

 

“Finally awake?”

 

A low, cool voice came from somewhere as she puzzled over her confusion. A voice that seemed to bring a fresh breeze into the slightly stuffy room.

 

‘Ah, what a nice voice.’

 

Even amidst her confusion, she found the voice unnecessarily pleasant to hear. Ilena managed to turn her head towards the direction of the melodious voice.

 

“Wow. That voice is worth it.”

 

She managed to croak out a single sentence, her voice mixed with a raspy tone. Her throat felt dry and rough, as if she hadn’t spoken for a long time. The man’s beautiful violet eyes widened slightly at her words. Smooth black hair fell calmly over his forehead.

 

His skin was a suitable olive hue, and his tall frame was filled with solid muscles. Even as she coughed, she could take in the details of his muscles, thanks to his attire. An outfit that left one arm completely exposed, somewhat unfamiliar.

 

‘His clothing is a bit different from what I saw in the north.’

 

As if reading her thoughts, the man spoke in a cold voice.

 

“…You’ve been asleep for four days. They must have thought they were putting an elephant to sleep with that sleeping incense.”

 

‘Sleeping incense? On me? Why?’

 

The man, who had been standing by the window, looking outside, slowly approached Ilena.

 

“Wow. Even better looking up close. Amazing skin.”

 

Still in a daze between dream and reality, Ilena thought idly.

 

“…”

 

The man’s violet eyes wavered once more. His cold expression, as if nothing could pierce it, seemed to have a hint of redness in his earlobes.

 

“Sorry. I meant to think that. Did I say it out loud?”

 

“…The sleeping incense must still be affecting you.”

 

The man barely regained his composure as he spoke.

 

‘No, it’s not.’

 

Ilena was fully awake now. She had already assessed the situation, noting his black hair, violet eyes, attire reminiscent of a Middle Eastern sultan, and above all, his impossibly striking appearance that couldn’t belong to a mere extra.

 

True to her nature, accustomed to suppressing emotions, Ilena calmly judged her situation, even as she found herself in yet another unfamiliar place.

 

‘I’m doomed.’

 

He was undoubtedly the original’s mastermind, Iago Lihue.