Toxin Chapter 12

As I attempted to proceed, his vigilance sharpened once more. Yes, there would be no easy way out… For someone who treated the Ime tribe as filthy vermin, this much compliance would be a miracle. Whether he was entirely asleep or not, the Black Emperor’s breathing gradually became more regular. It was evident that he treated me like furniture or decoration. Compared to his leisurely demeanor, I felt suffocated. My hands trembled as if I wanted to thrust a knife into his tough neck muscles and tear apart his flesh. When I applied pressure to the charcoal in my hands, it bent precariously as if it would break.

No, I couldn’t just kill him so easily. I had promised myself to repay my mother’s suffering, but I always seemed to forget that resolution. I relaxed my grip on the charcoal and set it down. Completely blocked from communication, I gave up and scanned the room. Despite entering a couple of houses, the remaining interior was filled with ostentatious furniture and decorations. It seemed perfectly arranged, yet disorder seemed to coexist like a wild place. Among the cluttered books, one stood out. It was carelessly placed on the edge of the canopy where the Black Emperor lay, and inside were hastily scrawled characters. Out of curiosity, I read the writing.

“Six-character, several steel bodies.”

“Seven-character, thick steel pillars, stone buttress, flame thrower…”

Were they representing lengths and shapes…? The writings, only a line or two each, seemed to be written down whenever they came to mind, in a disorderly manner. I couldn’t grasp what they meant or what they were supposed to represent. One thing was for sure, whatever was described there was undoubtedly something that didn’t exist in the world. Perhaps he devised them as they came to mind, intending to turn them into actual weapons. And then he would seek out targets to test these deadly weapons on. Quite enjoyable, it seemed.

Suddenly, my stomach twisted, and nausea overwhelmed me. Once again, there was nothing in my mouth. I had suggested eating together at lunchtime, but white rice and miso soup were not foods that appealed to someone whose staple was meat. It was no different from hesitating when offering meat to a starving person for a few days. My innards twisted, delivering excruciating pain. I clenched my lower lip until it almost burst, stifling a groan. I fixed my gaze on the Black Emperor, asleep beside me, holding onto my stomach. The rampant chaos was enough to cloud my vision. I picked up the charcoal and slowly began to move my hand. The faint scratching noise filled the silent room.

Paper and charcoal dancing on it, time standing still, and me inside it all, completely immersed in drawing a picture. How long has it been since I fully immersed myself in drawing? When I drew the lazy cows napping, I became one of those cows in the field. When I drew the quaint stone walls, I became the rocks embracing each other, the moss nestled in between, and when I drew the Hanaru Mountain, I became the mountain changing colors with each season.

And now, I have become a steel pillar of more than seven characters, a buttress, and a weapon of imagination that does not exist anywhere in this world, spewing flames. For someone like me who had only dealt with visible objects, shaping a form based on just one line of text was an extremely difficult and demanding task. But it also captivated me in equal measure.

At that moment, the book in front of me suddenly slipped away. The sensation of pouring everything into the drawing had not yet returned, so my thoughts did not circulate properly. I looked up to see something tall and slender placed in front of me. The Black Emperor, in disarray, held the book he had just taken away. His eyes, which seemed capable of freezing blood between his tousled hair, pierced me.

“Who told you to touch it with dirty hands?”

I blinked, unable to respond immediately. I seemed to have completely forgotten where I was. As I rose, dizziness overwhelmed me. I wiped my sweaty face with the back of my hand and used the charcoal-stained hand to wipe my pants. Dirty hands? I felt discomfort at his words, which he had uttered belatedly. Suppressing the surging anger, I spoke.

“I didn’t intend to examine it. It was just fascinating, and I…”

The Black Emperor’s gaze fell onto the paper under my knees, then sharpened slightly. On the paper was a fairly concrete depiction of the weapon mentioned in the text I had read earlier.

The Black Emperor carefully observed the drawing by lifting the edge of the paper. Though his expression was hidden by the paper, he lingered on the drawing for quite some time. After a moment, the paper blocking the view between us slowly descended. His emotionless face was directed at me.

“Did you draw this yourself?”

“Yes.”

He stared at me piercingly before tossing the book he held in his hand in front of me. Then, he nudged it with his foot. I looked at where he had nudged it. Was he asking me to draw? Before I could ask, the Black Emperor stretched out on the soft bed. Then, he began to examine my drawing, holding it between his fingers. His previously lethargic eyes sparkled as if in falsehood. It was an unexpected reward for just filling time. Since he was up, it was time for me to fulfill my duty.

The Black Emperor kept his gaze fixed on the drawing and replied dryly. When the Black Emperor didn’t look up, Baronjubil casually grabbed the paper from his hand and lowered it. Instead, she pushed her face into his.

“Your Majesty. How can you let your gaze be taken away when a servant is here? Isn’t this side rather a painting than such a strange drawing?”

The Black Emperor slowly moved his black pupils to stare at her. That was all. Baronjubil’s face turned pale in an instant. It seemed as if she was terrified. As the Black Emperor’s gaze returned to the drawing, Baronjubil relaxed her stiff expression and took a small breath. Then, she discreetly protruded her lips and finally looked at me.

“So, you’re the artist who just arrived? Well, let me see what you drew today. Let me see some skill.”

I answered with my head bowed.

“I didn’t draw today.”

“Why?”

“Your Majesty seemed tired so I didn’t have the chance…”

“If you knew I was tired, shouldn’t you have withdrawn on your own instead of sitting there idly? Even if you’re a lowlife, if you’re capable, you should work… Alright, go.”

“Yes.”

Since an unloved concubine had arrived, it was time for me to disappear. As I gathered the scattered materials on the floor and tried to get up, my legs gave way in a dizzy spell. Not only had I not taken care of my meals, but I also seemed completely exhausted from several hours of drawing. I straightened my wavering body and managed to straighten my waist.

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

The glamorous couple at the bedside didn’t spare me a glance. The Black Emperor and Baronjubil in disarray seemed like wriggling worms on the bed. I hesitated as I took a step.

“So rigid…”

Baronjubil’s voice stuck to my back. Am I… rigid? If so, it’s troublesome. As it was said in Orumun, I had to become a dirty mongrel who eats men. I had to mix with the murderer as soon as possible. Then the blood would dry, the flesh would melt, and that would be the day I would be liberated from the dream demon… I swallowed the bitter saliva stuck in my mouth.

As I dragged my feet and tried to open the first door, for some reason, the doorknob appeared to multiply. I focused my eyes on it again, but the number of doorknobs only increased. And then it happened. Everything in front of my eyes suddenly swayed, as if my body was shaking violently. At that moment, I thought so. The Black Emperor had capriciously stabbed a knife behind me and gouged out my eyes. All the things seen through my eyeballs were swaying. Or because the world couldn’t shake like this…

Thud!!

With a tremendous sound, my body slumped. The charcoal I was holding spilled all over. The disheveled hair on the floor looked like pooled blood.

“Oh my! What, what’s wrong with him…?! Is there nobody there?!”

As Baronjubil screamed, the door opened and the Grand Chamberlain appeared.

“W-What’s going on?! Assassins! Have you heard of assassins?! Look here! Where are the guards?!”

“No, it’s not that! This kid suddenly collapsed. Quickly, get him out!”

The Grand Chamberlain spotted me lying on the ground and pulled at my clothes.

“You! What are you doing lying down here?! Get up at once! How startled do you think our Majesty must be?!”

“…Sorry… I feel a bit… dizzy…”

I wanted to get up, but my exhausted body wouldn’t move as I wished. My sticky hair felt heavy as lead. I managed to muster the remaining strength to raise my upper body. Just as I staggered, my body flopped down like wet laundry. Suddenly, hands intruded, pressing and pulling me up roughly. There was no trace of kindness in the touch. My bewildered head hit something as hard as a wall due to the sudden movement. And then, a panicked voice vibrated in my ears.

“Y-Your Majesty! We will take care of such matters, so please withdraw! Th-This ghost has come! Won’t you get off your noble body right away?!”

Get off…? From where…? I didn’t understand the Grand Chamberlain’s words right away. I raised my heavy eyelids. Within the silk tapestry, a crimson dragon stared at me. I began to regain my senses from the menacing beast’s fangs. Suddenly, I felt his gaze on my forehead.

“A disgusting mongrel, a strange disease, even weak.”

The low voice without a hint of emotion, the firm jaw, and the cold lips were adult-like. My eyes were completely unfocused, and my lifeless pupils swayed dizzyingly. My hand lay atop his chest like a limp doll. I slid my head down, burying it deeply into his solid neck.

“Haa, haa… Sorry…”

My lips brushed against his neck lightly. As I hesitated, he tore me from his neck mercilessly and threw me onto the floor. In my dim vision, I saw the Black Emperor, displaying disgust as if I were dirtied, loathsome. I couldn’t remember what he intended to do when I intruded into the dream demon or what the tribesman said when he touched his body.

“Who sent such a wretch to die like this?! Quickly! Quickly, get this fellow out!”

“Really…! He looks like he’s ready for burial! Why aren’t you getting him out of here?!”

The Grand Chamberlain and Baronjubil shouted loudly. I managed to touch the ground and lift my upper body.

“I can go… by myself…”

Thanks to the Grand Chamberlain who had pulled me a while ago, my clothes were now fully spread. Within them, pale shoulders and protruding nipples were clearly visible. Long strands of hair clung to my shoulders, arms, sticking to the sweaty skin. I struggled to pull up my clothes with all my might. But he needed time to see. Clutching the materials that had fallen to the floor, I rose stubbornly. My stomach, twisted horribly as if poisoned, and everything visible spun round and round. No… No… Not yet… My legs gave out before I could take a few steps. The spot my head collapsed onto was between his firm thighs.

“No, no! Th-This…! Look here! What are you doing without getting him out of here?!”

“Haah… Haah… I’m… I’m sorry… I apologize…”

Pretending to try to get up, I buried my damp cheek against his long thigh. As my lips exhaled moist breath continuously, they delved deeper into his core. At first, his thigh stiffened. Simultaneously, a sinister hand grabbed my hair and roughly tore it away. Transparent beads of sweat seeped into my eyes, blurring my vision. I couldn’t tell what expression he was making. It was a moment when I desperately tried to get up, clutching at trembling hands.

“Hnggh…!”

My empty stomach, thoroughly vicious, turned upside down, crossing between the world of the living and the dead. Now it was truly my limit. I couldn’t endure anymore and collapsed without any restraint. However, there was no sensation of hitting the ground. Baronjubil shouted in a nervous voice. The Grand Chamberlain ran around yelling. The sound of someone rushing in echoed like an earthquake. Suddenly, clammy hands covered my cheeks. All senses circulated slowly, and my ears hummed. As my eyelids gradually drooped, my vision faded into darkness. Just before my consciousness sank into the abyss, I felt something under my cheek. His had become perfectly firm…