IYAMD: Episode 4

Marsilia supported Jaha’s body as he suddenly collapsed, as if a string had snapped.

Did he just feel lighter than before, or had those tattered rags he’d been wearing actually added some weight?

The man with his eyes shut was completely limp, looking as if he had lost consciousness. The faint sound of his breathing was the only proof that he was still alive.

“Your Majesty, allow us to assist you.”

The attendants rushed over, reaching out their hands. Marsilia slapped them away and adjusted the limp man in his arms before lifting him.

“Just prepare a place to lay him down.”

Once Jaha was placed on the bed with the blankets pulled aside, Marsilia’s gaze naturally landed on his tunic, which had ridden up. The old scars he had seen earlier were already gone.

Marsilia pulled up Jaha’s tunic. He turned the man’s body this way and that, running his hands over bare skin, confirming that every wound he remembered seeing had vanished.

Once he felt only smooth skin beneath his palm, he withdrew his hand—only to find himself making eye contact with Malek, the waiting attendant who had been holding the blanket.

Malek hastily lowered his head, lifting the blanket even higher. A vague sense of discomfort stirred in Marsilia, prompting him to speak before he even realized it.

“I was checking for scars.”

“I… I didn’t say anything, Your Majesty.”

As Marsilia rose from the bed, Malek quickly and meticulously covered Jaha with the blanket—so meticulously, in fact, that it felt excessive. That only made Marsilia feel even more uneasy.

Noticing his gaze, Malek quietly stepped back, moving behind another attendant who had just returned with a tray of food.

The warm scent of soup reached Marsilia, making him pause in thought. He probably should get Jaha to eat something, but was it necessary to wake him just for that?

The palace physician would have to wake him anyway, but maybe letting him rest a little longer wouldn’t hurt.

“Is Cerez still washing up?”

“A short while ago, he was escorted to the sitting room, Your Majesty.”

“Then tell him to come here. The rest of you, leave. Send the physician in when he arrives.”

Marsilia settled into a single-seat sofa positioned within view of the bed, sinking into it with a deep sigh. The stench of rot still clung to his senses.

He wanted to bathe, but there were still things that needed to be done.

Since he had only wiped himself down, the smell might not have completely faded. Or perhaps it was still lingering in the room itself.

As he leaned his head back, Marsilia’s gaze landed on the balcony doors the attendants had left open.

A warm breeze drifted in from the large windows, carrying the gentle scent of midday. Marsilia let his eyes wander back to the man lying in bed—the same man he had seen confined in that dark underground prison.

His hair, spilling across the sheets, looked as black as the shadows he had seen him in. Even now, basking in the sunlight, Jaha still seemed lost in that darkness.

A soft knock interrupted the silence, and the door opened.

Recognizing the familiar presence of his aide, Marsilia laced his fingers together over his chest and allowed himself to relax, stretching his legs out in comfort.

As the door swung open, Cerez stepped inside.

“Let’s wrap up the meeting from earlier. You said the number of monsters in the Deto Mountains has increased?”

Marsilia had been assessing whether the situation was serious enough to require a military expedition when word arrived from Aricto. The immediate crisis had been handled—now it was time to work.

“The numbers have surged noticeably over the past fortnight. A village settled by slash-and-burn farmers^[1] suffered heavy losses.”

“What’s the size of Ferento’s local forces?”

“It’s a mountainous territory with a sparse population, Your Majesty. Naturally, their military is small as well… At most, including the guards, they can muster about 150 men.”

“And how many of those are knights?”

“According to last year’s report, around thirty. But even they shouldn’t be compared to the knights in the capital.”

“Can they hold out until reinforcements arrive?”

The request had been made, so support had to be sent. The problem was that the report was too vague.

No one had specified what type of monsters were appearing or how many, making it difficult to determine the necessary scale of reinforcements.

Of course, they had likely sent their messenger in a desperate rush, but if they had gone through the trouble, couldn’t they have at least been thorough?

Marsilia sighed and made his decision.

“We’ll order General Des to lead the expedition. The Crimson Knights should be more than capable of handling this.”

The Crimson Knights were the second-strongest knight order directly under the royal family. Traditionally, they served as the bodyguards of the heir to the throne. With no heir at present, they might as well earn their keep this way.

“Yes, Your Majesty. And what about the banquet?”

“There’s no time—make it a formal dinner instead. How about the evening after tomorrow?”

A send-off banquet to boost the morale of departing knights was an essential tradition. Normally, Marsilia would have hosted a grand affair, but given the time constraints, a scaled-down version would have to do.

Everyone would understand.

With that settled, the meeting stretched on as they reviewed the supplies to be sent to the territory.

As the afternoon sun faded, darkening the room, the man in bed remained still, completely unresponsive. The soup an attendant had brought earlier had long since gone cold, forgotten by all.

…..

Upon returning from his journey, Jaha stopped in front of his family home, staring at the shattered gate.

The entrance no longer served its purpose, leaving the inside fully exposed.

The garden was overgrown with weeds, and the once carefully arranged stepping stones lay broken, buried beneath wild grass.

What had happened here?

Jaha had been gone for five years, unaware of any misfortune.

After finally receiving his master’s permission to descend the mountain, he had rushed straight home—only to find it in ruins.

He couldn’t sense a single trace of life inside. There was no one to ask what had happened.

Where was his family? His parents? His little sister?

Jaha’s lips trembled as he tried to form words, but he could only let out a hot, shaking breath.

“You there—are you looking for the Yu family?”

An elderly passerby addressed him. Jaha numbly nodded.

The old man clicked his tongue at his ragged appearance, likely mistaking him for a beggar.

Jaha’s father had been known for never turning away those in need, and beggars often sought shelter here.

The old man studied Jaha’s young face before speaking again.

“That household was ruined two years ago. What business do you have here?”

Jaha’s voice shook.

“What do you mean, ‘ruined’?”

“It was Mid-Autumn Festival that year. Everyone was busy celebrating when suddenly, flames erupted from the Yu estate.”

The fire was quickly extinguished, but by then, everyone inside was already dead.

The old man clicked his tongue again, oblivious to Jaha’s clenched fists.

“The head of the Yu household wasn’t the type to make enemies… but the bodies were horribly mutilated. People whispered that someone must have been settling a grudge.”

Jaha barely managed to ask,

“Were there… any survivors?”

The old man shook his head.

“With so many corpses, who could say? If you want answers, ask the magistrate.”

And with that, he walked away, leaving Jaha alone.

Jaha stared at the empty space where the family crest should have been.

How could this be real?

At seventeen, he had never even imagined such a thing.

He clenched the sword at his waist, willing himself not to cry.

Not yet.

Not until he knew everything.

Not until there was truly nothing left to find.

….

A flicker.

His eyelids fluttered open, but all he saw was darkness.

Jaha shot upright, rubbing his eyes.

It was just night.

As he took in his surroundings, he noticed thick curtains enclosing the bed.

Where was he?

His memories returned in fragments—his journey to the western capital, searching for his sister, the noble’s estate…

Then, a flash of golden light and a shimmering green…

Something moved outside the bed.

The curtains shifted, parting slightly—revealing that same gleaming green.

“You’re awake.”

A towering western man peered inside, golden hair shining even in the dim light.

Their gazes locked, and for a moment, Jaha felt the green eyes deepen.

The man frowned slightly and studied him in silence.