IYAMD: Episode 12

Marsilia poured his divine power into Jaha until his body went limp. He had only intended to use light healing, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

Was this a rejection response? Was Jaha’s will resisting sleep and pushing away the divine power? He endured for quite a long time.

In the end, only after Marsilia poured more divine power into him than the previous day was he able to put Jaha to sleep. As he lifted his hand from his eyes after catching Jaha’s slackened body, he felt damp moisture left behind.

A sigh escaped his lips. Only after laying Jaha down did Marsilia finally release the breath caught in his chest and rise to his feet.

Serez, who had been quietly observing the situation for some time, asked with wide eyes.

“Why did you suddenly put him to sleep?”

“His hands were trembling. It would be troublesome if he caused an uproar like yesterday.”

Serez glanced towards the bed, then muttered in a slightly lowered voice,

“That may be true… but I don’t think Your Majesty should get used to treating him like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like someone you can’t communicate with. I know there’s a language barrier, but… just putting him to sleep without question is a bit…”

Marsilia snorted at him. Unbelievable. This guy wanted to kill him just yesterday, and now he’s saying this?

“You’re saying that while knowing we can’t communicate? Weren’t you the one telling me to kill him and wait for a new soulmate?”

“No, it’s because I don’t think Your Majesty can kill him. If the two of you can get along, it would be easier for me.”

“Which is why I told you to hurry up and find an interpreter.”

As Ashton brought in breakfast and laid it out, Marsilia glared at Serez and ground his teeth.

“Who was the one telling me to wait patiently?”

Serez flinched for a moment, then, gathering some unknown courage, lifted his chin defiantly.

“But it doesn’t seem like complete miscommunication, Your Majesty.”

I have enough sense to notice that he understands a little. But so what?

“Do you think this is something that can be explained in vague terms?”

If he were from the Western Continent, he would have reacted instinctively to the “name” even without an explanation. Just in case, Marsilia had even undressed to show him his own name.

But Jaha’s eyes had been filled with nothing but confusion. As if he had no idea why Marsilia’s chest bore his name.

How was he supposed to explain anything to someone like that?

Marsilia had already spent all his patience on Jaha and had none left for his aide.

“Send someone to the viscount’s house immediately and demand a response. As soon as possible—no, tell them to come to the palace at once.”

“Yes… Your Majesty.”

Marsilia repeated himself firmly to the dejected Serez.

“I want an answer before nightfall today.”

There was still half a day left, so this was a perfectly reasonable order. Knowing that, Serez didn’t argue and instead wrote a letter, instructing the servant to deliver it urgently.

The reply arrived three or four hours later. Viscount Sonnet stated that his eldest son was the most fluent in the Eastern Continent’s language.

However, he also mentioned that it would take some time for him to travel from their territory.

Marsilia ordered a response to be sent, urging them to send the son to the palace as quickly as possible. Then, he dismissed the matter from his mind. No matter how impatient I am, distance won’t shrink just because I want it to.

Rather, knowing that at least one problem would be solved in a few days put his mind at ease.

Now, the remaining issues were time and Jaha’s fits.

But those were things Marsilia could do nothing about. So I might as well relax while I can.

…

Marsilia spent the morning handling most of the work Serez had brought, then had a light lunch with him. While munching on sandwiches brought by the attendants, Serez sighed and grumbled.

“Do you plan to stay here like this indefinitely? Sir Brims is standing guard, so why not have a proper meal in the dining hall, Your Majesty?”

“What I’m worried about is someone getting hurt while I step away.”

There had already been casualties. If Jaha was skilled enough to form a sword aura, then he could easily slaughter all the attendants before Darren Brims could react.

The fact that only one person had died last time was sheer luck.

“Then why not dismiss the attendants and have the knights serve him instead?”

It was a reasonable suggestion, but most knights were minor nobles or noble-born. Meaning, they were used to being served rather than serving.

There were some common-born knights, but few who could defend themselves if Jaha attacked.

And ordering Darren Brims, a Sword Master and vice-captain of the emperor’s personal guard, to serve as an attendant was out of the question.

Even so, Marsilia admitted that Serez had a point. He couldn’t leave his office empty or keep postponing audiences forever.

“What if I dress Jaha up as an attendant and take him with me?”

It was a plan born purely out of the need to keep Jaha within sight.

Serez’s mouth fell open as if he had just heard the most absurd thing in the world.

“No—what? That’s… absolutely ridiculous, Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

It didn’t seem that impossible.

“Even if we ignore other people’s eyes and gossip, do you think he’ll obediently follow you around? That’s something to consider. And the main palace is far more crowded than the bedchamber. If he has another fit there… how do you plan to handle it?”

Marsilia pressed a hand to his forehead.

“You’re right. That was a foolish idea.”

He chuckled, but his expression soon hardened.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve waited for him for so long. When it comes to Jaha, I can’t seem to think rationally.”

His emotions kept getting stirred up too easily when it came to that man.

One moment, he wanted to kill him. The next, he felt like he couldn’t. At times, he felt fondness, and at others, he felt frustrated and irritated.

It felt like his heart was suffocating, but when he met those pale yellow eyes, his brain stopped working.

Like he was sick.

His thoughts kept getting interrupted. He found himself constantly delaying what he needed to do.

Even though it was time to decide what to do with that insane man.

…

Two more days passed.

During that time, Jaha would wake up briefly to eat the food Marsilia fed him, only to be forced back to sleep.

Perhaps someone was washing him while he slept, because every time he woke, he smelled clean. Almost as if they were dousing him in fragrance to compensate.

Though he was getting ample rest, he woke up from tangled, chaotic dreams every time. And every time he opened his eyes in a daze, Marsilia was always there.

Today, too, as soon as Jaha awoke, the man approached the bed, sweeping back his loosely falling hair with a gentle smile.

After feeding him, he would probably use that strange power again.

Jaha stared at him in silence, pressing his lips together.

As if sensing his wariness, Marsilia placed a bowl of soup on Jaha’s thigh.

“I won’t harm you. I’d prefer if you didn’t stay so on edge.”

He moved to sit at the edge of the bed, gesturing for Jaha to eat.

“Eat that. Your body is still weak. It’ll take another two or three days before you can have a proper meal.”

Jaha’s condition wasn’t actually that bad—aside from the fact that Marsilia kept putting him to sleep.

But he had no idea why he was here, and that was unsettling. He wasn’t tied up, but he was still effectively a prisoner.

He wasn’t about to reveal his physical state to them.

Even in the heart of the imperial palace, escaping wouldn’t be too difficult.

The problem was that Marsilia was quite strong. And some of the warriors standing guard outside were also formidable.

Still, as long as Marsilia didn’t use that strange power, Jaha was confident he could escape on his own.

But if he ate this, Marsilia would surely use that power again.

Jaha frowned slightly as he stared at the bowl of soup.

Then, in broken Eastern speech, Marsilia spoke.

“Jaha, no like? Eat, food.”

Every time Marsilia clumsily spoke in the Eastern Continent’s language, Jaha found himself growing even more irritated.

Judging by how his vocabulary had improved in just two days, he was clearly making an effort to learn. But instead of wasting time on such pointless attempts, wouldn’t it make more sense to at least try explaining the situation to him first? His casual attempts to manipulate Jaha as he pleased only fueled his growing hostility.

So, whenever he was awake, Jaha kept observing, searching for an opening to knock the man down and escape. But despite not even carrying a sword, the man showed no vulnerabilities.

Jaha needed to take him down in one strike—before he had the chance to use that strange power. But could he do it in his current condition? His inner energy was gathering without much difficulty, yet his body was undeniably weakened. Could he subdue the man in a single blow? He wasn’t confident. More than that, he couldn’t shake the fear that Marsilia might be even stronger than he appeared.

A reckless attempt might not just fail—it could leave him unable to wake up at all.

And somehow, Jaha had a feeling that this man wouldn’t hesitate to ensure that outcome. No matter what Jaha thought or felt, Marsilia would do whatever was necessary to get what he wanted.

Over the past two days, Jaha had recovered quite a few memories, and the more he remembered, the more he wished he could just die. He had no reason to live. No desire to keep going.

But that man wouldn’t allow it.

For whatever reason, Marsilia seemed to need Yu Jaha desperately.

And he would stop at nothing to keep him alive.

So Jaha made up his mind.

No matter what it took, he would escape this place—just so he could die.

Somewhere beyond that man’s reach, he would let himself fade away, little by little.