Toxin Chapter 9

The contemptuous grip is tangled stubbornly in my hair. I cast my eyes downward like a fiend. Through transparent eyelashes, a sturdy neck was revealed. In the embrace of a strong physique, a fierce dragon writhed and glared fiercely from within the large cloak. It pierced through, warning strongly. When I raised my gaze again, the dry face of the murderer awaited me.

“When should we start…?”

“Every earth day, sun day, and ale time.”

“Yes.”

The jaw jutted back, saliva pooling in the throat. The murderer’s gaze, touching my lips, rose to meet my eyes.

“If you understood, then leave, you mongrel.”

***

Drrrruk. 

After passing through a couple of overlapping doors… Thud, signaling the end of the long journey, nearly caused my legs to give out. With great effort, I regained strength in my legs and retrieved the baggage confiscated by the sentries. Exiting the palace, I went out through the side gate on the left. The midsummer sun beat down fiercely, causing my eyes to squint.

“Haah….”

Dizziness hit me, and I leaned against the wall. Each time I faced the Black Emperor like this, my patience and strength were depleted to the bottom. This couldn’t go on. My journey was not even halfway done yet. Blood stained my white shirt where it had leaked from the arm held by him. A lustful gaze… Ridiculous nonsense made me chuckle. I had heard of eyes that irritated the nerves, but this was the first case. Indeed, he was not to be judged within normal bounds.

As I was starting to regain some stability, a long shadow cast over me, shielding me from the hot sun. It seemed to take quite a while to lift my head. And it took some time to realize that the one providing the refreshing shade was Raonhilijo. Breathing out heavily, sweat dripping from my forehead, I realized who he was.

“What really surprises people?” He leaned against the wall behind me, staring at me as if sizing up the opponent who had made him jump like this.

“I heard you were taken to the Dragon Hall. Do you know how surprised I was, thinking it was just a hunting game?”

I had thought so too at first. Suddenly, his impressive attire caught my eye. The blue cloak barely hung on one shoulder and arm, the open part of the shirt soaked with sweat. I wondered if he had purposely run all the way here this morning. Why… I casually opened my mouth while looking at the disheveled folds of his clothes.

“Your Majesty, I’ve come to paint your portrait.”

Raonhilijo’s face was more surprised than expected.

“Surely it was supposed to be this morning…”

“This time it’s real. Actually, His Majesty, the Black Emperor, agreed to let me paint under the condition that he would entrust the task to the chief, but suddenly he canceled the promise. I couldn’t explain in detail because it wasn’t certain.”

“So, is it postponed again?”

He didn’t seem to hide his emotions well. His usually sharp features hardened noticeably. I felt sorry for him; perhaps I owed this opportunity to draw the portrait of the Black Emperor to him, but now it was postponed again.

“I’m sorry. Things got messed up in the middle, but originally I came here to paint your Majesty’s portrait, so…”

“…”

“I can’t guarantee when, but can you wait a little longer?”

Once again, there was no immediate response. Was I so remarkable that he would wait twice? There must be far more skilled painters in this palace. Moreover, hoping for a future with someone in such unpredictable circumstances seemed futile.

“I apologize.”

I bowed heavily and tried to move on, but suddenly a hand clasped around my arm. When I turned my head, Raonhilijo’s face, more puzzled than startled, was waiting for me.

“Leaving already?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the rush? Who am I running for?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me along. He belatedly straightened his disheveled clothes. The faint scent of grass subtly permeated the warm breeze from him. I wondered if he was wearing some kind of perfume, but it seemed to be his natural scent.

“I’m naturally grumpy. Don’t stare at me like that.”

I withdrew my gaze that had been fixed on his profile. I tried to pull my wrist out of his grip, but he didn’t budge.

“Please let go.”

“Just hold on until we reach the shade. You seem like you’re about to collapse.”

Come to think of it, I barely ate anything in the past two days… Just a sip of spring water. With the scorching sun adding to it, my vision kept blurring, and dizziness set in. Feeling burdened by my large strides, he slowed down a bit.

“But are you still living in the barracks?”

Fire momentarily flashed across my face. The distinct smell of the Ime, which the Black Emperor mentioned as if it were habitual, along with the stench accumulated from days of living in the barracks, was unmistakable. I distanced myself from Raonhilijo.

“Is the smell… too much?”

“It’s natural to have it, so why ask?”

“…”

Raonhilijo, who had been staring at me silently, narrowed his eyes slightly.

“But do you eat properly?”

“Yes.”

“And… the spring water?”

“Yes…”

His expression twisted oddly.

“Eating spring water like that prevents weight gain. Your complexion doesn’t look good right now.”

Suddenly, Raonhilijo raised his hand and touched my cheek. As soon as his cool palm touched my skin, I instinctively recoiled as if burned by fire.

“It’s just because I haven’t had a proper rest for a few days.”

Raonhilijo glanced at me briefly, seemingly unimpressed. However, my hand was still firmly grasping onto his. Raonhilijo glanced around and called a steward who was walking by. The steward rushed over and respectfully supported my waist.

“Take this lad to another accommodation. Somewhere decent enough to call a room.”

“Ye…?” The steward blinked perplexedly and glanced at me. As an Ime, it felt awkward to be escorted by a Baedal clerk through the palace and to have accommodation arranged for me.

“But since His Majesty, the Black Emperor, came…”

“Just take him to the guest quarters for the painters. I’ll take care of him. Move all his belongings there.”

“Yes, understood.”

With a nod to me, the steward briskly led the way. I hesitated to follow. His kindness felt burdensome, and I wondered if it was okay to handle it arbitrarily like this.

“Is it alright for you to handle it like this? I don’t mind staying anywhere.”

“I do mind. I want to take you there myself, but I drank too much until dawn and almost collapsed. Go quickly.”

Raonhilijo gently released my wrist and dragged his feet as he walked. Perhaps it’s better to say it once… I hesitated, then opened my mouth.

“If it’s alright with you, I can draw whenever I have free time.”

“Weren’t you planning to do that anyway?”

He waved his hand casually as he walked. As he moved out of sight, I turned around and looked at my hand, which felt strange with the warmth of others.

The place the steward led me to was a guest house located in a remote part of the palace, with several annex buildings resembling it. There were small gardens, large verandas, and the clear sound of bells heard from under the eaves. I quite liked the scenic beauty. The steward stopped in front of one of the annexes and pointed to the door.

“You’ll stay in this room from now on. There’s one other occupant, a bit peculiar, but not a bad person, so just manage on your own.”

“Yes.”

As the steward disappeared, I entered the room quietly. As I unpacked my belongings, I noticed someone crouched in a dark corner of the room. The boy, who seemed to be around my age, didn’t even glance at me and muttered while rocking his upper body back and forth.

“It’s coming… It’s coming closer… It’s coming…”

Twisting my brow slightly, I quietly unpacked my belongings. The boy, noticing me belatedly, startled and shook his shoulders.

“I-Ime…?! G-Ghost! It’s a ghost…!”

I was equally shocked. With large, round eyes, a slender face, and densely packed features… The boy, with his slender frame and sunken cheeks, resembled his mother so much. I couldn’t utter a word either, and the boy, looking at me with frightened eyes, staggered backward. Then, he suddenly let out a resigned chuckle.

“Seeing even ghosts now… I must have seen it all until I go. Urgh…!”

Abruptly, the boy stood up and threw a folding screen that had been standing against one side. In its place, a piece of fabric, tied into a knot from the ceiling, hung down. The boy climbed onto the low table beneath it, pushed his head into the circular space formed by the fabric, and kicked away the table he had been sitting on. Then, with white eyes exposed, he gasped for air, chuckling. It was clearly an action to end his own life.

“What are you doing?!”

I rushed forward and embraced the boy, who was thrashing in the air. I lifted him with superhuman strength to somehow clear his airway, but the boy started to convulse from that moment.

“Ugh…! It’s, it’s real! It’s a real ghost! H-help! Help me! Someone help!!”

***

“I’m sorry. I’ve been rude on our first meeting.”

“No, it’s fine.”

The boy gulped down a bowl of cold water and then looked at me with uneasy eyes.

“But no one said someone was coming, let alone an Ime like you…”

“If it’s uncomfortable, I can ask for a change of accommodations.”

As I stood up, the boy hastily pulled at my clothes and sat me down again.

“No! No! You’re the savior of my life, I can’t just drive you away!”

Instead of grabbing my throat for interrupting his death, the boy looked extremely grateful. I knew that choking oneself was the final act of desperation for someone who wanted to live.

“Thanks to you, I’ve seen an Ime that I’ve only heard of. By the way, my name is ‘Naro.’ I’m twenty-four this year and have been a member of the painters’ guild for this many years!”