Toxin Chapter 11

The story I heard from Naro was shocking and astounding in itself, and despite checking multiple times, there was no change. I patted my shoulder in deep consolation. And in the afternoon, heading towards the abode of Veronjubil, who seemed more desperate than me to die, I barely regained my rational judgment. The first thought that crossed my mind when I finally found some rationality was, ‘Now everything is over.’ That man, who abhors the slightest filth more than bugs, wouldn’t just stand idly by while a monster turned the world upside down naked.

It must have been since my mother’s incident. The strange symptoms that began to plague me since that day had no cause or cure. As Supia said, the only way to expel the nightmare is to unload all the burdens of my heart. And there’s only one way to do that.

As the agreed-upon time for the ritual with the Black Emperor drew near, I prepared the incense and set out for the Star Pavilion. Mother’s white jade pendant was left in the room in case of any searching. Whatever the outcome, I’ll face it head-on. Stepping outside, I noticed the sun had already set over the western hills. Passing concubines glanced at me as they strolled in the cool evening breeze.

“Look over there. That monster last night…”

“Goodness, how dreadful…”

“It must be desperate to die. I heard the Ime tribe suffered a gruesome fate this morning too…”

I hurried my steps, shutting out their voices. As I rounded a corner of the palace walls, the officials gathered there bowed respectfully.

“Indeed, His Highness’s reign is utterly unpredictable.”

“Isn’t this just another day or two? Why is it happening again?”

“No, it’s about the Ime tribe that came a while ago. They finally rebelled against His Highness.”

I pricked up my ears at the officials’ conversation.

“Rebellion… Does that mean His Highness has killed all the remaining Ime tribe members? Why?”

“This morning, the Ime chief came to bid farewell to His Highness. It seemed he was about to leave without incident, but then, unexpectedly, as he was about to depart, he touched His Highness’s jade altar. Apparently, his hand and head fell off right there, thanks to His Highness’s sword.”

“His… hand and head? What about the chief?”

“Oh, he was luckily let go. Well, the dead guy might feel unjust, but he shouldn’t have touched His Highness’s jade altar so recklessly.”

The mad ruler. There was no other way to describe it. Killing someone so casually just for touching his body. The death of the tribe member who sacrificed himself to save me didn’t particularly sadden me. After my mother’s death, I don’t think I’d feel anything even if someone died before me. Anyway, the chief left the palace… There was barely a fortnight left until our first contact. If I make it through that time without incident, we’ll meet again. The officials, noticing me standing on the roadside as they passed by, frowned.

When I arrived at Yongjeon Palace, guards were standing watch on both sides of the entrance. Upon entering the side gate, I saw the luxurious palace with its auxiliary buildings scattered throughout. The grandeur of the palace, supported by columns much larger than my stature and doors of platinum adorned with animal motifs, showcased the opulence of the imperial court. Passing through the well-maintained courtyard, I walked along endless corridors.

Suddenly, my reflection appeared on the mirror-like platinum door. After days without proper meals, my collarbone and arms protruded with bones, and my face was pale. Then, the deep purple eyes and the white jade horns on either side of my head caught my sight. I had vowed to conceal my identity as an Ime tribe member… It would be inconvenient to draw while covering those horns.

First, I gathered some of my long side hair and wrapped it around one horn. Its length and thickness adequately covered the horn, which was less than a foot long. Unable to find a suitable strap for fastening, I twisted a nearby string and pulled out some hair to weave through it. The strands of hair swayed whenever I moved my head. After securing it tighter to prevent loosening, I covered the remaining horn using the same method. Just doing that seemed to drain my energy, as sweat formed on my back, and I found myself panting.

The eyes of a beast in heat… Maybe that’s how they looked. There was only one thing on my mind. Women who were eager to catch the Black Emperor’s eye would surely be lurking around. If I were to recklessly indulge, they would notice in no time. I had no tricks up my sleeve. However, I would never be easily seen through.

I quickened my pace. As I entered the Star Pavilion and approached the room in the center, I saw a courtier arguing with palace maids. As I approached quietly, the courtier’s eyes, buried in fat, turned unpleasantly sharp.

“To think I’d live to see such…! It’s only because Our Highness is so lenient that we’re still alive! We should be grateful just for saving our lives!”

He was undoubtedly talking about last night’s incident. The scrutiny I faced on my way here felt like being pierced all over my body.

“I came to draw a picture for His Highness.”

The courtier puffed out his cheeks, showing blatant arrogance.

“Hmph! His Highness is very tired today, so leave.”

“But he summoned me today.”

“Really, no sense of propriety! Didn’t His Highness say he’s ‘especially’ tired today?!”

The courtier’s tone grated on my ears. Nevertheless, if I missed the chance today, I would only have tomorrow, and then I’d have to wait another full week.

“Please just inform him. It would be troublesome for both of us if I were to leave abruptly and lightning were to strike.”

As I spoke, the courtier flinched and glanced back at the door behind him. At that moment, a group approached from the end of the corridor. They were the guards of the Black Emperor. Upon noticing the courtier while chatting, they formally saluted.

“Well, where on earth have you been wandering around, only to show up now?!”

As the courtier raised his voice, a dignified guard responded, “Naturally, it’s time for dinner, so we came after eating.”

“Oh, no, is that how casual you can be?! Instead of sticking close to His Highness to protect his body, you’re going to have dinner with no worries?! Nobody here would dare to fill their stomachs before ensuring His Highness’s well-being!”

This time, a burly man with a southern accent shrugged his shoulders. “What’s the use of filling our stomachs unnecessarily when we’re all going to eat and live anyway? Why don’t you stop fussing, great lion? The beef soup tonight is delicious.”

“These are the guards?! What in the world… What in the world do I find acceptable about them?!”

The courtier, now called the lion, grabbed the back of the courtier’s neck, frothing at the mouth. The lion, with amused eyes, alternately glanced at the guards and entered the room. The guards, enjoying a leisurely sense of fullness, each took their seats beneath the pillars.

They were all dressed in white court attire and armed. Among them, the tallest and most rugged-looking man remained silent throughout the conversation, with a gruff demeanor that stood out. The man next to him was the second tallest, with a refreshing southern vibe and a gaze full of enthusiasm and vigor. Lastly, the well-groomed man had a fairly dignified appearance, but his refined body and appearance did not match the atmosphere of a guard. They all had faces devoid of emotion, yet each displayed a distinct color as if painted on a canvas.

As I paid my respects, they all received it dryly, with one exception—the rugged-looking man nodded his head. They must have all witnessed the scene last night… I avoided the smooth floor and met the gaze of the well-groomed guard in the center of the spacious hall.

“See? I told you they would summon you.”

The well-groomed guard said with a mysterious smile, making an ambiguous remark. Seeing that smile—though it seemed somewhat forced—I felt the muscles in my face stiffen involuntarily. A while later, the lion, who had revealed himself, shook his head and gave me a stern look.

“Come in.”

My heart raced. After a thorough search by the guards and receiving the signal, the first door opened. Then the next door, and the next, until finally, before opening the last door wide, the lion spoke with solemnity in his voice.

“Whatever you see, whatever you hear, you are a servant and a mute. When you enter here, nothing should leave except your body and the luggage you brought.”

“Yes.”

Swoosh… as the sliding doors parted on either side, the interior space unfolded before me. Taking a deep breath to brace myself against the imposing atmosphere, I walked inside.

As soon as I entered, I found the master of the room. Right across, within the starry room draped in red and translucent fabric, there lay a splendid canopy bed. On top of it, the Black Emperor lay stretched out. He seemed either asleep, with his eyes closed and no movement, or simply unmoving. Silently, I approached, placing the drawing materials down gently and bending my waist until my forehead touched the ground.

“I have come to paint a picture.”

The air was so silent that my voice echoed. Since the other party didn’t acknowledge my greeting, I bowed my head again.

“A picture…”

“The Ime tribe is different from what I had imagined. They are much more shameless and disgusting than I thought.”

Caught off guard by the sudden venomous tone, I stiffened awkwardly. The Black Emperor’s eyelids slowly lifted, and his black pupils pierced through me like arrows, filled with disgust, contempt, and a clear threat. Despite my will, sweat trickled down my spine through my back.

“I apologize. It’s an illness I’ve had since childhood. Usually, it’s fine, but occasionally, especially when under severe stress or fatigue, symptoms manifest. What I’m even more sorry about… is that I have no memory of it at all. I will ensure such a thing never happens again…”

“Disgusting Ime tribe, mongrels, and strange diseases.”

The sarcastic words poured out without filtering. Knowing that apologies would be useless, I prepared myself to endure whatever he might say. Suddenly, the Black Emperor’s gaze lingered near my head for a moment before slowly closing his eyes. That was it. His unexpected action, without a flinch or a response, left me perplexed, expecting either a swift execution or a bullet through my head.

What is he up to…? Nothing yesterday, nothing now, aligned with my expectations. Of course, it was nothing more than a harmless misjudgment on my part. But behind the mask of laziness, he must be devising another sinister amusement. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, unsure when he would reveal his hidden fangs.

Spreading the two-fold drawing paper on my lap and securing the corners to prevent it from curling, I retrieved a charcoal stick wrapped in white cloth. Today, I planned to sketch the outline. There was no time to delve deeply into the subject of the picture. All I had seen about portraits was from books I had read on the way here. The kings depicted there were all dressed in proper attire and seated on thrones. But what I saw was the Black Emperor lying sprawled out, far from proper attire. Even if not proper attire, he should at least be seated first.

“Well then, I will begin drawing His Highness’ portrait now.”

The Black Emperor still had his eyes closed, showing no sign of getting up.

“Please turn this way…”

Once again, there was no indication of movement from him.

“If you permit… please cooperate.”

“Make me cooperate if you can.”

 

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[1] Supia is referred  to as a fairy of the forest.