Was it a dream? Lee Hwan thought as he beheld the unbelievable scene before him. Despite that, anger and resentment surged within him.
Despite the intense emotions raging within his chest, Lee Hwan’s expression remained unchanged. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the incoming emotions and found it challenging to digest them. When Lee Hwan remained silent, Lucian entered the carriage.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?”
His small and delicate hand touched Lee Hwan’s forehead. No fever. Although his murmuring voice was higher than in his memories, his touch and body temperature were just as he remembered.
His heart pounded reflexively. His body, remembering the anger, tried to move. Lee Hwan bit down on it. Letting go might mean pushing Lucian away.
Lucian chuckled, contemplating the frozen Lee Hwan. Laughter, like tiny droplets, echoed within the carriage.
“If you’re awake, come out. It’s a rare picnic, after all.”
Lucian swung the carriage door wide open. Sunlight flooded into the previously dim space. Lee Hwan squinted, then opened his eyes again. Young nobles, holding the hands of governesses, peacefully strolled by.
Was this a daydream? Perhaps a curse from someone. It was time for Lee Hwan to slap his cheeks awake.
From a distance, the sound of something massive brushing against the ground reached him. As it drew nearer, Lee Hwan instinctively moved his body.
With the carriage accelerating, screams pierced the air. Above the tumult, the sharp laughter of a woman rang out. As Lee Hwan descended from the carriage, he surveyed the surroundings. Several knights were on alert, guarding something.
Lee Hwan looked towards the source of laughter and saw a Lamia, a monster with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a snake.
The Lamia, upon spotting Lee Hwan, grinned with anticipation. Lamias, who thrived on human blood, particularly favored that of men. This place, with its numerous robust knights, seemed like a feast table spread for them.
The Lamia raised her hand, revealing venomous fangs and long, threatening claws. Lee Hwan still felt like he was in a dream. No wonder, given the surrealness of the situation, vividly etched into his memory.
On a sunny autumn day, heading out for a rare picnic to enjoy the fall foliage, encountering a group of Lamias in the royal-owned forest.
At the forefront, a Lamia lunged forward. Lee Hwan reacted instinctively, unsheathing the gracefully curved Sunmoon Sword that sparkled in the sunlight.
Swoosh!
Red blood splattered onto the autumn leaves as agonized screams pierced the clear sky. Lee Hwan, with his body in a cross stance, stood over the fallen Lamia, crushing her spine beneath his foot. The sword, now reversed, effortlessly pierced through the monster’s ample chest.
Squelch!
The blade dug into the soft flesh, shattering the pearly white orb beneath it—a core that could be considered the monster’s heart. As long as this intact core remained, the monster would never truly die.
The once white core turned black, and a faint smoke rose from the broken remains. Though the scattered remnants weren’t a pleasant sight, they posed no harm to the human body. Lee Hwan, expelling the lingering smoke from his lungs, stepped away.
It was time to shatter the core of the third Lamia. Suddenly, another Lamia lunged forward, slashing Lee Hwan’s thigh. Wincing, Lee Hwan ruthlessly impaled the left chest of the Lamia, instantly destroying her core and silencing her with no chance to scream.
To prevent the spread of the poison, Lee Hwan tightly bound his thigh with a handkerchief. While wiping away the blood mixed with venom using a piece of his clothing, his hand suddenly froze.
Amidst the dream or illusion, a scar identical to the one he had in the fantastical realm was now etched onto his thigh.
Lee Hwan stood before a mirror. A face, both familiar and strangely unfamiliar, reflected on the smooth glass surface. As he scrutinized the mirror, he realized why his own face felt so awkward.
Unlike when he was tormented by the plague at the age of twenty-seven, his complexion was healthy, and his eyes were clear. The wrinkles that had deepened due to the habit of frowning in pain, and the unattractively sunken cheek that had been, were now tracing smooth lines.
Above all, his right ear, half bitten off by a monster when he was twenty-five, was perfectly intact. Lee Hwan gently touched the rounded earlobe and then moved his hand to the buttons of his uniform.
The royal knight’s uniform, adorned with black, red, and gold, fell to the ground. Discarding even the shirt and pants, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. Although the scars were quite noticeable, they were much cleaner compared to the haunting scars etched into his memory.
In the late autumn of his twenty-fourth year, there was an incident where Lee Hwan fell from a cliff during a monster attack. The impact not only left him struggling to breathe but also caused rocks to rain down on him. While he narrowly escaped death, a gruesome scar on his back, enough to furrow one’s brows just by looking at it, remained.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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If neither of them is a dream. Lee Hwan unconsciously groaned. If he had somehow traversed through time, the pain he experienced could become a reality.
Lee Hwan’s thoughts were entangled between his lover and friend, oscillating between inexplicable hatred and enduring affection. The mirror offered no respite, so he fled to the bed. When things don’t seem to resolve, the best course is to shut out all thoughts and succumb to sleep.
Lee Hwan burrowed into the covers, feeling a chill despite the season not being particularly cold. Clutching his involuntarily shivering body, he closed his eyes. He harbored a silent wish that everything would be sorted out when he woke up.
However, as always, Lee Hwan’s wishes remained unfulfilled.
***
Three days later, in the evening, Lee Hwan found himself inside the barracks. Having ridden horses throughout the day, his entire body echoed with fatigue. He lay down on a makeshift bed and closed his eyes.
He wished it were a dream, either way. However, the vivid sensations surrounding Lee Hwan blocked any escape route. His heart palpitated with an uncertain mix of hope and resentment.
Getting up from the makeshift bed, Lee Hwan rummaged through his bag. Inside, neatly laid out, were the uniforms of the royal knights. What used to be no different from everyday clothes until just a few days ago now seemed horrifying to behold.
Beneath the uniform, Lee Hwan retrieved a set of mourning clothes and quickly changed into them. As he prepared to leave, he couldn’t help but feel bothered by the sword dangling loosely on his left hip.
Under the radiant sun, the dazzling gold and ruby sword, Deus Telum, was the divine weapon promoted by the royal family. It was a perfect combination to incite the crowd alongside the Savior Knight. Even those unfamiliar with Lee Hwan’s face knew who the owner of Deus Telum was. After wrapping the sword in old cloth, Lee Hwan finally stepped outside.
Outside the barracks, the early evening darkness had settled in. A large bonfire in the center of the camp glowed a fiery red. It was time to move in the direction where shadows flickered.
“Sir Alexander? Where are you going dressed like that?”
Ducre, who was conversing with comrades near the bonfire, spotted Lee Hwan and approached. As Lee Hwan’s subordinate, he was also the one who presented decisive evidence, a letter revealing Lee Hwan’s collaboration with a foreign country.
‘I can’t bear this any longer, and I confess. In truth, I assisted Sir Alexander under his threat.’
Lee Hwan recalled the letter he briefly glanced at during the public trial. The handwriting was so similar to his own that it could cause confusion, and Ducre, being busy, occasionally undertook the task of forgery on Lee Hwan’s behalf.
Due to the threat, Ducre was also imprisoned in an underground cell after the public trial because engaging in treasonous acts is equally punishable. At that time, he tearfully confessed, ‘I’m sorry, Alexander. But if I didn’t do this, My family in Lysil would be killed. I’m truly sorry. I’ll repay this debt even after I die.’
The tearful voice echoed somberly against the stone walls of the underground prison.
“Ducre, where was your hometown?”
“Lysil.”
“Do you have Family members there?”
“Yes. My parents, one younger brother, and three younger sisters.”
There was no sign of betrayal in his sheepish smile. Lee Hwan silently observed him. Then, Ducre looked puzzled.
“Lord Alexander?”
“…I’ll take a short break and be back.”
“You’ll be back before dawn, right?”
Suppressing the surging vitality, Lee Hwan responded as Ducre inquired. Lee Hwan nodded vaguely and left the place.
The destination Lee Hwan had in mind was a nearby village. Despite his memory not being entirely bad, as he walked, the events of this time became faintly remembered. Even then, he had left the mansion and sought out a small tavern.
He walked the same path and entered the village. It was a small village, just large enough for thirty-two knights to find it difficult to dine together, requiring them to set up a camp outside. Lee Hwan had never entered this village until yesterday, but today he found a seat in the smallest and dirtiest tavern.
Inside the tavern, it was bustling. The owner, who was clearing tables left by departing customers, noticed Lee Hwan and approached after putting down the rag.
“What can I get you?”
“A beer and a basic appetizer… No, a plate of spicy seasoned roasted pork.”
It had been a long time since he tasted anything stimulating due to illness. The thought of enjoying a feast uplifted his spirits a bit.
It took some time for the food to arrive. Eagerly, he approached the dish filled with a hearty meal. Though the meat had a slight odor and the seasoning was a bit strong, for Lee Hwan, it felt like a royal feast. He swiftly emptied the plate.
When the plate was halfway empty, the beer glass already revealed the bottom. Eehwan had satisfied his appetite. He wanted another drink, but he had someone to meet now. Well, maybe being a bit intoxicated would be better. The scales subtly tilted towards the more rational choice.
“Owner, another glass of beer here.”
As Lee Hwan placed an additional order, he was about to refocus on the meat dish. The tavern’s door swung open, and a man entered. With a striking presence, the few people inside the tavern directed their gazes toward the man. It was a familiar reaction for Lee Hwan.
He slowly chewed and swallowed the meat in his mouth before turning his attention. Absalom was still by the door, looking at Lee Hwan with a face that seemed lost, as if witnessing a fantasy.
Without even realizing it, Lee Hwan turned his head. It was because anger and resentment surged within him in an instant.
If he stayed like this, he felt he might just cut Absalom’s throat.
That couldn’t happen. Lee Hwan had business with Absalom.
Lee Hwan, belatedly pretending to look around, turned back to face Absalom. Absalom looked bewildered. Lee Hwan opened his mouth and called him, using his full name instead of the nickname he had been calling him for some time.
“Absalom.”
“Oh… Lee Hwan?”
Joy spread across Absalom’s face. In that moment, disgust overwhelmed Lee Hwan, and he barely restrained his hand reaching for the sword at his waist. Loosening the tension in his jaw, he moved the muscles that had stiffened. Despite the difficulty in creating a smiling face, he managed to lift the corner of his mouth, keeping the beer glass he had just received pressed against his lips.
Even to himself, the expression seemed forced. However, Absalom approached as if it were enough. Blooming like a flower, his dreamlike beauty was captivating.
“Oh my goodness, Lee Hwan! Meeting you in a place like this!”
A voice filled with joy echoed within the tavern.
The tavern where they had met before was not this place. The time was a bit later than then. Although it was anticipated when entering a different tavern this time, the impact was still quite significant.
The meeting on that day was indeed not a mere coincidence. Perhaps, the first day they met was not a coincidence either.
Four years ago, Lee Hwan first encountered Absalom in a tavern he had visited during his excursion. Calculating by the current timeline, it would be about last year. Lee Hwan reminisced while sipping on his beer.
Around that time, Lee Hwan was feeling suffocated by the people in the palace who saw him only as the messenger of the gods. To be more precise, he was cornered in a dead end.
Wherever he went, people’s gazes followed him. They observed Lee Hwan from a certain distance. If Lee Hwan made a mistake or deviated even slightly from their expectations, criticism and reproach would be unleashed.
He needed a breathing space. However, he couldn’t demand that from Lucian. It was because he wanted to show an impressive and sturdy image to his lover. Therefore, he often wandered through the palace, seeking places where there were no people.
The One day, in a corner of the palace, Lee Hwan discovered a pile of old clothes discarded by the servants. As if possessed, he picked up the worn-out garments and returned to his dwelling. That night, he attempted his first escapade.
At first, it felt like committing a sin. Lee Hwan ventured to the bustling tavern in the city center, ordering cheap beer and experiencing a thrill reminiscent of his underage days.
Surprisingly, the people who fervently worshipped “Lord Alexander” in the palace didn’t recognize Lee Hwan. Whenever he appeared in public, he always wore a helmet to conceal his hair and facial features. Known to the people of the palace as a blond, blue-eyed beauty fitting the name Alexander, he went unnoticed with his black hair and brown eyes.
Thanks to this, or perhaps because of it, nobody showed interest in him. Although his exotic and frankly speaking, somewhat bland features briefly caught attention, the curiosity faded when he replied, ‘I came from a different continent to make money.’
Lee Hwan became a regular at that tavern, and his visits increased over time. What used to be once every two months turned into once a month, and then again, every two weeks.
Lee Hwan first encountered Absalom ten days after embarking on his escapade. After exchanging nods with the tavern owner and ordering beer from the waiter, he recalled the crowded day when he had chosen to sit at the bar instead of a table.
At some point, the lively tavern fell silent. Lee Hwan, unable to resist a strange attraction, involuntarily turned his head. That was the moment when he first laid eyes on Absalom.
Absalom, with a face more captivating than any work of art and silver hair that seemed to exude nobility, had the power to change the colors of the surroundings just by his presence. Lee Hwan thought even the air surrounding him was elegant.
As Absalom wandered through the tavern and Lee Hwan gazed at him, their eyes met, perhaps inevitably. When Lee Hwan remained silent, Absalom, with sparkling eyes, approached.
‘Is the seat next to you vacant?’
It was a formal and conventional start to their first meeting in the tavern.
When Lee Hwan introduced himself as a soldier, Absalom presented himself as a merchant. Claiming to know a lot due to his travels, he became a good conversation partner for Lee Hwan.
Their encounters continued thereafter. Though they couldn’t meet frequently, their relationship evolved into a friendship with its own share of twists and turns.
For Lee Hwan, it was a miraculous encounter. Even though there was the premise that Absalom didn’t know Lee Hwan’s true identity, he became Lee Hwan’s first friend in this world.
‘Remember, I’m a soldier.’
‘Indeed.’
‘Even though it may not seem like it, I do have some connections with higher-ups.’
Being the lover of the 5th Prince and a member of the personal knights of the Crown Prince did give Lee Hwan some influence. Absalom responded lightly.
‘It’s impressive.’
‘That’s why… if you ever face any difficulties, feel free to let me know.’
As someone like Lee Hwan, who finds it quite challenging to exercise power, it was a tremendous favor. In response, Absalom replied:
‘Lee Hwan, you too. If anything comes to your mind or if you have questions, feel free to ask. I’m a merchant, so I come across various information.’
With his conscience clouded, Lee Hwan set down the empty beer mug.
“Would you like another drink?” Absalom asked as they were ordering food. Lee Hwan nodded. Absalom’s red lips curved softly.
“We meet after a long time, and you’re silent… Are you already drunk? It’s still early evening.”
Lee Hwan thought those words sounded familiar. Playing with the glass, and recalled his memory .
‘You look tired.’
A low voice, a gentle tone.
‘It’s been a while since we met, but you didn’t even talk. Did you know that you’re talking less these days?’
A concerned face, drawing near as if to comfort. The silver hair framing the pale face gently shook.
‘Is everything really okay, Lee Hwan?’
Lamia, a creature from Greek mythology, is described as a female or hermaphroditic demon. Known for devouring children and seducing men, she has the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a serpent.
MC has low EQ and didn’t even get to bottom of things before jumping, dude you have to let the ‘villain’ make his final speech and tell his motives, spill some tears and ask for more information… Tsk tsk tsk amateur