# Chapter 26
I couldn’t even move my head, caught in his strong grip. I tried to twist my body free, but Devan’s body didn’t budge at all. My head grew dizzy from the rough, breathtaking kiss. Before I knew it, he had lifted me from the chair and walked to the bed.
He carefully set me down, as I gasped for breath, my strength drained. His gentle touch brushed past both my ankles. Though it was just his hand touching me, I couldn’t move my ankles. Surprised, I tried to struggle and sit up, but Devan pushed down on my shoulders, restricting my movement. He laughed lightly.
“Want your wrists bound too?”
“De-Devan…”
“You’re trembling from the cold.”
It wasn’t from the cold. He knew that perfectly well. Devan stared intently at me as I trembled, my eyes filled with fear.
“You’re all wet. If you keep wearing these clothes, you’ll get colder. Let me help?”
My clothes, soaked from the rain, were still damp as they hadn’t dried overnight. He undressed me with delicate movements, as if handling a fragile glass that might shatter at any moment. Even though the strong force pressing down on my shoulders had disappeared, I couldn’t move freely. As my wet clothes were removed, my ribcage became visible.
“What color do you like?”
As he extended his hand into the air, the paints that had been placed next to the chair flew to the bed. Devan, who had been waiting for my trembling lips to part, pulled out red paint when my answer was delayed.
“It’s fine if you don’t have a preference. I’ll take care of it.”
Along with his gentle voice came his hot hand. He was painting colors on my body. Each time his fingers touched me, my tense body flinched. Devan smiled and selected paint colors even more carefully. The scars created by Kadilen were covered with blue paint. Yellow paint filled the wounds caused by the soldiers’ kicks. His touch and gaze, scanning every corner of my body, grew increasingly persistent.
“S-stop it…”
Despite my plea, he just gently stroked my hair without stopping his hand movements. Unable to do anything, not even move my feet, I felt misery wash over me as I realized I had to endure his hands moving across my body. I gritted my teeth and twisted my body in a final act of defiance, but Devan merely raised the corners of his mouth further.
“You’ve changed a lot, Ludin. Before, you’d just stay still.”
“Please, Devan… stop.”
“What’s the problem with making you so pretty?”
His eyebrows rose as if he genuinely didn’t understand. I lost for words, just stared at him blankly. Seeing my devastated face, Devan’s eyes curved happily.
“That’s good. Just endure a little more.”
I closed my eyes. I just prayed for everything to pass quickly, biting the inside of my mouth. There was nothing wrong with what he said. He wasn’t trying to take me. Though it was miserable, Devan wasn’t touching me further, just staining my body with numerous colors.
Nevertheless, I felt like I was collapsing to the ground more than ever before.
Even when I was wounded by physical violence, even when I bore hatred from misunderstandings I willingly took on, I hadn’t fallen this deeply. As I instinctively curled up from Devan’s hot touch brushing past sensitive areas, my head became increasingly dizzy. Only emptiness remained in my snow-white mind.
When I said I would do anything for him, this wasn’t what I had in mind. It was natural since it was a selfish choice from the beginning. I thought I could just suffer for him, that my own hardship wouldn’t be a problem. In the end, even at the last moment, I prioritized my guilt over the wound I had inflicted on his heart. Everything came back to me.
I surrendered my body to him in a daze. Now, the numerous colors covering my upper body wrapped around me with dazzling brilliance. Looking at Devan, who was smiling with satisfaction, I let go of some remaining thread in my heart. At this moment, I couldn’t even think of Kadilen. I just kept sinking into Devan’s black eyes, giving up something, and giving up again.
Yes, I promised you, Devan.
“…Do as you please.”
He smiled brightly at me. With his languid gesture, even the faint light that had remained in the dark room disappeared.
Devan approached me hotly, as if to devour me.
* * *
Kadilen’s coronation ceremony was in full swing.
The atmosphere all around was festive. In the end, his army had succeeded in capturing Zendal. The head of the man who once commanded the five nations was hanging on a wooden post, miserably severed. I was reminded of when I first arrived at the palace and heard his speech. At that time, Zendal had instantly dominated everyone in the banquet hall with his dignified gaze. But no dignity could be found in his face, now devoid of life.
The head, marked clearly by death, reached the end of my gaze.
I lay weakly in a glass box. Numerous gazes poured over my body, which Devan had painstakingly colored. I lay there in a daze, just watching Zendal’s head occasionally swaying in the wind. Once the coronation ceremony ended, Devan planned to take me away somewhere.
Bored with my limp body, a few nobles knocked on the glass box. I heard laughter as they looked at me with interest, not moving even at the sudden noise. I felt nothing. Only Devan’s parting words before exhibiting me here kept echoing in my mind.
‘You’re beautiful, Ludin. Let’s run away like this.’
Kadilen received the crown and performed the ceremony. Wimu, standing straight next to him, looked in my direction several times. Jiman was nowhere to be seen. Since Jiman’s name wasn’t mentioned in the punishment document, I guessed that Kadilen had eventually released him. That was fortunate.
Something wedged into my stiff mind. Right, there was a note. Someone who knew about Ludin’s illness was targeting Kadilen. But if I rephrased why they approached me, it meant that they absolutely needed me to proceed with their intentions. I had no intention of cooperating with them or surviving anyway, so the possibility of this unknown person obstructing Kadilen’s path was rare. Above all, it was reassuring that they had succeeded in capturing Zendal.
What else was there? Kadilen intended to have me killed in exile. To use my curse for revenge against Zendal while purging his remaining forces. However, since I didn’t have the curse, that plan was useless. It was a big problem, but fortunately, this issue was also resolved. Because I would disappear with Devan. If I disappeared, Kadilen’s plans would be disrupted, and he would have to consider other methods to suppress Zendal’s forces. Even without my specific warning, he would devise an alternative for the disappeared curse.
Everything was resolved.
There were no threats to Kadilen’s future. Even if there were, there were no more problems that I needed to solve. Both Jiman and Wimu were safe. Devan would soon be able to take me as he wished. This was the ending I had wanted. At last, I could finally rest with peace of mind.
“There’s a hole in this glass; shall we poke it with a skewer?”
“That would be fun.”
“That’s enough.”
A low voice fell over the playful soldiers’ words.
“Ludin.”
Someone called my name. The snickering soldiers had disappeared from in front of the glass. When I didn’t particularly react to his call, I noticed someone lowering his body to meet my eyes as I lay there.
“Tomorrow, I will go to scout your final place.”
It was Wimu. He was talking calmly about my punishment. He probably meant he was going to look for the place of exile. It seemed his emotions had been pretty much sorted out now. There was no anguish or sadness in Wimu’s gaze as he looked at me. This too was the ending I had wanted.
“It’s regrettable that our paths have diverged. However, I cannot be caught up in past emotions forever. Your choice was wrong.”
He paused briefly, checking if I would open my mouth. But I just remained motionless, as if dead.
“As a final respect for you, I requested His Majesty to allow me to personally find your place.”
Wimu would determine where I would die. That was both a final consideration for Ludin, who had been Wimu’s friend, and probably Wimu’s last choice for resolving his own feelings. Even if I were to leave with Devan, that meaning wouldn’t disappear.
“…Thank you.”
A hoarse voice leaked through my lips. Wimu stared at me, lost in thought, then rose with a hardened face. I had a feeling I would never face him again. Wimu slowly turned away from me.
The space he left was filled once again with people looking at me. I closed my eyes after watching Wimu’s retreating figure, which had disappeared in an instant. Then voices of people flattering Kadilen could be heard from various places. It seemed Kadilen was circulating the venue, receiving their greetings.
“This is Devan, Your Majesty. He was a magician training in Maran country, but now he is affiliated with the royal family.”
“I’ve heard. A magician affiliated with the royal family, can I trust him?”
Devan was also among those greeting him. Even with my eyes closed, I could naturally imagine the expression he would make. The brief time waiting for Devan’s answer, the commotion around quieted momentarily.
“Of course, Your Majesty. You have accomplished something remarkable.”
A relaxed tone, delivered with a comfortable smile. I closed my eyes tighter, trying not to see him. Kadilen seemed to have missed the barbed comment, and soon the sounds of greetings faded away. The mischief of the nobles and soldiers continued, but I didn’t even have the strength to move. I just lay there helplessly with my eyes closed until the end of the coronation ceremony.
Continuously reassuring myself that I had succeeded in everything.
As soon as the festival ended, I was confined again. The time waiting for Devan to appear stretched endlessly. Continuous coughing made my chest burn. I curled up into a ball, gasping for breath and coughing repeatedly.
The pain I had forgotten started again. Without anything to endure it for, the pain felt even more severe. Only suffering remained where purpose had vanished. I barely swallowed the involuntarily scattered moans while suppressing my burning lungs.
“You look terrible.”
I was so busy gasping for breath that I didn’t notice someone entering. The person who grabbed me as I panted raised my upper body and poured some unknown liquid into my mouth. The sensation of the liquid flowing down my throat and spreading throughout my body felt unfamiliar. As it spread, my body regained warmth and suppressed the pain that seemed endless. It was the first peace I had experienced since becoming Ludin.
I sat up, my body suddenly feeling light. Pushing away the hands that had been supporting me, I checked who had fed me the liquid. It was an unfamiliar face.
“…What is this?”
“I am someone sent by Lord Luan.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. Having seen Zendal’s head hanging, I naturally thought that he too had been killed. Noticing my surprised expression, the man spoke with biting sarcasm, as if amused.
“You thought he was dead.”
“…”
“His Majesty’s plan worked. While Kadilen’s incompetent subordinates clung to His Majesty, the prince escaped safely.”
What Zendal had been preparing was an escape route for Luan. Despite this shocking fact, my mind remained hazy, as if covered in a mist.
“The prince knows of your betrayal. But he said he would forgive you. He said he feels responsible for your illness.”
“What?”
“In fact, succession battles are natural, but due to his kind nature, he said he would give you a chance.”
Luan felt responsible for Ludin’s illness? Goosebumps rose despite my foggy consciousness. According to his words, Luan had deliberately planted a disease in Ludin’s body to secure the succession for himself. Although Luan would benefit most from Ludin being ill, this was something I had never expected. The man continued his shameless explanation.
“We will give you a chance to live. You need to take the medicine you just had four more times. The medicine is only in our hands. If you want to obtain it, approach Kadilen. Only if you persuade him and extract information, by any means, will we give you the medicine.”
“You want me to help Luan?”
Are they crazy? Ludin thought of him as a better successor than himself. That was his great mistake. What was Luan thinking while Ludin was endlessly crumbling, knowing he wouldn’t live long? It was Ludin’s mistake to believe his brother was worth it.
“How can I trust him?”
“Having betrayed even your family, do you want to end your life here?”
“It was Luan who betrayed his family first!”
“Think carefully. Despite betraying your brother and helping Kadilen, he’s still trying to kill you just because you’re of royal blood. Why show loyalty to such a person?”
He spoke calmly despite my outcry. I was dumbfounded by the frustration of not being able to communicate. Soon, hearing a presence outside, the man quickly got up. I heard his final whisper.
“I will visit you again.”
