Buried in his notes and papers, he sat in his office, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. A few knights stood nearby, discussing matters of importance when a knock interrupted the silence.
The maids who had been attending to the mysterious woman stood at the doorway. They hesitated upon seeing the knights, instinctively stepping back, but his firm voice stopped them.
“Come in.”
Then, turning to the knights, he dismissed them. “You may go.”
The men, clearly of high rank, exchanged glances before bowing and exiting the room. Once the door shut behind them, he turned his sharp gaze to the maids.
“Did you bring The keys?”
They nodded, stepping forward and carefully presenting him with 3 transparent keys. He took them, inspecting them with interest before speaking again.
“Did she try to talk to you?”
Again, they nodded.
“Did she ask for anything?”
One of the girls hesitated before responding. “She asked for books.”
His eyes widened slightly in surprise. Books?
“So… does she think she can read our language?” he murmured to himself.
Then, another realization struck him. “She spoke, and you understood her?”
The maids nodded once more.
His fingers tightened around the keys. So, she can speak our language.
Dismissing them with a wave of his hand, he turned his attention to the keys, stepping toward a large, intricate map—a detailed model of the Spiral Castle. He placed the keys into three specific slots embedded in the map.
The moment the last key clicked into place, a soft hum filled the room.
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Then—boom.
A burst of light emanated from the center of the map, flickering and shifting until it became a recording.
He watched, eyes narrowing as the day’s events unfolded before him—her day.
First, she attempted to reach the window. He tensed when she bent forward, an inexplicable anxiety creeping over him. But when she steadied herself against the frame, he exhaled, relieved.
Then, he observed her as she ate. His fingers absentmindedly scratched at his head, his expression unreadable.
But then—she started dancing.
Without realizing it, he smiled. A quiet chuckle escaped him.
She’s a strange one.
He had expected her to be terrified, miserable, perhaps even crying. Instead, she was… enjoying herself? Why?
Then, the recording continued.
His breath hitched as she changed into the nightgown.
A deep red bloomed across his face and ears, and a wave of discomfort washed over him. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look away, but the image of her soft, delicate form lingered in his mind.
Something in his chest tightened.
Without thinking, he stood up.
Before he could second-guess himself, he left his office, striding down the dim corridors toward her room.
He opened the door silently.
There she was—asleep.
The faint glow of the remaining light bathed her face in a soft warmth. Her long curls spilled across the bed, so thick and full that they almost covered her completely, like a protective veil.
She looks so peaceful.
He stepped closer, unable to stop himself. Slowly, he reached out, his fingers brushing against the silken strands of her hair. He twisted a curl gently between his fingers, watching how it coiled and bounced back.
Then, barely above a whisper, he asked, “Who are you… and what are you after?”
His fingers twitched, resisting the urge to touch her further.
No. He had to control himself.
Not yet.
In the OJAN Kingdom, intimacy was more than just desire—it was energy. A single touch, a single act, could alter a person’s fate. If one bonded with the wrong person, they could disrupt their destiny.
And right now, he didn’t know if she was a blessing or a curse.
So, he held back.
Instead, he carefully pulled the blankets over her, tucking her in with surprising tenderness. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead, lingering just long enough to breathe her in.
Then, unable to resist, he took her hand in his, studying its delicate shape. He ran his thumb over her skin, then brought it to his lips, kissing it slowly.
He released her hand gently, as if afraid to wake her.
With one last lingering glance, he turned and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
As he stepped out of the room, a storm brewed within him—anger, frustration… regret.
Beyond the borders of the OJAN Kingdom, he wouldn’t have thought twice. Outside, there were no rules, no sacred customs binding intimacy to fate. He could have taken her without hesitation, without consequence.
But—he could have had her that hot spring night. The war was over, and they were still outside OJAN. Why did he change his mind? Was it the fear that her rejection might affect him?
He punched the wall, trying to distract himself from his thoughts, and continued to walk away.
But here? Here, everything was different.
In OJAN, energy was everything. A single night with the wrong person could unravel years of careful planning.
His jaw clenched.
She must be very lucky.
A slow smirk curled his lips, though his eyes still burned with restless desire.
Then, with a quiet exhale, he forced himself to move forward, disappearing into the dimly lit corridors of the castle.
His assistant hurried through the winding passageways, searching for him.
When he finally caught up, the man barely had time to catch his breath before a single wave of his master’s hand dismissed any need for words.
“Bring me the usual.”
The assistant understood immediately.
He was referring to the women from his harem chamber—the ones who had already been drained of energy.
Unlike ordinary women, these were carefully chosen—cleansed of their life force and stripped of any spiritual essence that could alter his fate. Empty vessels. Safe.
They existed solely for nights like these, when desire clawed at him, but he couldn’t risk the consequences of true intimacy.
The assistant bowed in silent acknowledgment before turning on his heel and leaving swiftly to prepare what was needed.
