Chapter 100

Aini recently felt that her maid, Louise, was looking at her as if she were worshiping her. Of course, Louise had always been overly devoted to Aini, but after the zombie incident, it had become even more intense.

"Your Majesty, have you ever saved Louise's life?"

To the point where even the other maids found it strange.

"I don't know."

It was a strange thing. On the day the zombies appeared, Aini was no different from the nobles who were of no help. The ones who shone that day were the knights who quickly rushed to the zombies, the calm and composed Emperor Hyacinth who assessed the situation and gave orders, and the two envoys from Tarium. Aini couldn't understand at all which moment had moved Louise.

"Huh? Your Majesty, where are you going?"

"To the underground prison."

"Are you going to see Redler again?"

"I'm just curious if he's gotten any better."

"I'm worried it might be dangerous. Redler is not in his right mind right now..."

"It's fine. He's securely restrained."

Anyway, Aini was about to go see Redler, who was once a maid, so she put on a light cloak and left the room. As she descended the stairs and entered the underground prison, the air immediately turned cold. With each step down, the sound of her shoes clinking against the stone floor echoed clearly.

"Your Majesty, have you come?"

When Aini reached the deepest part of the underground prison, the guards and investigators bowed deeply. Aini raised her hand in acknowledgment and looked around. In the basement of the prison, the knights and doctors who had turned into zombies during the ball were confined. Among them, Redler, who was the first to turn into a zombie, was held in the center. Since no one had changed her clothes, Redler was still wearing the blood-stained white dress she had on when she died in the flower-filled coffin. Aini walked over with a sad expression.

"It's dangerous."

"It's fine if I don't get too close. And... I'd like you to step back a bit."

When Aini gave the order, the guards and investigators warned that the prison door must not be opened and then went upstairs. Aini approached the prison.

"Redler."

The inside of the prison had a long strip of silver attached to the bars. It was uncertain if it would be effective, but it was due to the legend that the dark races were weak against silver. Redler, with her hands tied to the ceiling, was looking around and growled and roared when Aini approached. It was as if a starving predator had finally found another living being in front of it. The friend who had intended to bring a talisman for Aini was now a different person.

"Redler... who did this to you?"

Although her friend could no longer hear her voice, Aini lowered her voice and asked. Instead of an answer, Redler howled like an animal and shook the chains wildly. Aini looked at her with a pained heart and asked in a very small voice.

"Haewum?"

"Aini."

At that moment, a voice came from right behind her, and Aini let out a scream and turned around. The impact made her back hit the bars, causing Redler to scream even louder. As Aini was about to fall forward, Haewum supported her. Aini quickly pulled away from him. Haewum looked at her fearfully with a pained expression.

'Did he hear it?'

Aini swallowed and looked at Haewum. He must have heard it, as he called her name right behind her. But how did he appear here? Aini looked at Haewum without hiding her suspicion. However, what Haewum said was unexpected.

"Who is Karain?"

Aini flinched.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone says you're chasing after him."

"!"

"Is it true?"

In response to Haewum's question, Aini's lips trembled as she answered.

"In my past life... we were lovers."

It was an unbelievable story, but because it was unbelievable, she had thrown it out to Haewum. While others might not believe it, Haewum, being an unreal being, might understand this strange situation.

"I don't remember everything, but after meeting that man, the moments we spent together keep coming back to me. It's as if the sealed memories are gradually being unlocked..."

Aini looked at Haewum's expression and asked.

"Am I strange?"

Haewum smiled sadly.

"It's not a story I particularly want to hear."

"!"

"But since there are beings like me, it's possible to remember your past life."

As Haewum approached the bars where Redler was confined, Redler, who had been screaming, suddenly became quiet. Haewum, with his hands behind his back, looked at her intently and asked.

"Does he also say you were his lover in your past life?"

Aini shook her head.

"My past self and my current self are completely different. Moreover, he... doesn't remember anything about his past life."

Haewum asked again.

"If you approached him as your past self, would he recognize you?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly, Haewum turned and grabbed Aini's wrist. Aini screamed at the sudden action. The sound made the guards waiting upstairs rush down.

"Your Majesty! Are you alright?"

"Your Majesty!"

Aini pressed her hand over her racing heart and shook her head.

"I'm, I'm fine."

Haewum had already disappeared. As the guards and investigators approached Aini, she alternated her gaze between Redler and the darkness, then hurriedly climbed the stairs. In her palm, she felt the cold touch of a tightly clenched fist. As soon as she left the prison and found a secluded spot, Aini opened her palm. There was a ring that Haewum had given her. It looked very ordinary. As the guards descended the stairs, Aini recalled the voice Haewum had left in her ear as he disappeared.

- I will change you into the form you need.

What did that mean? Aini hesitated, then nodded to three courtiers who bowed to her and quickly returned to her room. Inside the bedroom, she locked the door and looked at the ring she had held in her palm. After staring at the ring for a while, she slowly put it on her finger. At that moment, her hand changed shape, becoming longer and larger. Aini moved her fingers one by one and walked to the mirror. Her heart pounded in her throat. The Aini standing in front of the mirror bit her lip. The reflection was not her own. It was a strong and beautiful woman. The woman she had seen in her dreams. Her past self. The moment she saw this, Aini realized who she was. It was as if someone was whispering directly into her mind.

[Your name is Domyis.]

"My name is Domyis."

[When you meet him again, you will be Domyis.]

"I... am Domyis."

* * *

"Where are the others?"

"There's no news yet."

"What about my brother?"

"There's no movement."

"What about Mother?"

"She's been praying all the time."

"What about Tlawa and Haewum?"

"There's no trace of them."

Most of the answers were "I don't know." Ratil, leaning on the desk, looked at the documents that kept piling up and suddenly stood up. The head butler, who almost dropped the documents, quickly caught them and asked.

"Where are you going, Your Majesty?"

"I'm going to see Karain."

"You've been visiting Karain a lot lately."

"He helped me in the most difficult moment."

Of course, many of the other concubines had helped, but Karain was the first concubine to hold Ratil's hand. They had gone camping and fled together several times. It was inevitable that his thoughts would keep returning to her. The head butler, a blatant supporter of Ranawen, had grown grateful to Karain due to this incident and smiled as he replied.

"Of course. Karain serves Your Majesty with all her heart, so you should treat her well."

Ratil nodded and went to Karain's room. Karain was polishing a sword inside when Ratil entered, and she immediately put it down and stood up.

"Master."

As soon as he approached, burying his face in her neck had become a familiar gesture. Ratil stroked her neck, calling her "our wolf, our wolf."

"Why have you come at this hour?"

"Everything... is just so stifling."

"Is it because of state affairs?"

"It's because of people."

As Ratil approached the sofa and sat down, Karain pulled him to lie on the bed and pressed on his shoulders.

"I heard the captain of the royal guard hasn't returned yet."

"Yeah. The knights who followed my brother's orders said they lost him during the chase and don't know his whereabouts. And... it's definitely true."

'I heard him beg inside after I pushed him around so much, so it's certain.'

Ratil, feeling a mix of pain and coolness from the pressure on his shoulders, half-closed his eyes and mumbled.

"But why hasn't he come back? He's not the type to be away for so long without news."

"..."

Karain massaged Ratil's shoulders, back, and scapula, making him feel more and more relaxed. Ratil tried to keep his eyes open to stay awake.

"You're good at massages."

"Seunet will be fine."

"..."

"It's not just empty words. He really was... born to protect the master."

"..."

"Master?"

"..."

"Master?"

Ratil dozed off and, in his half-sleep, replayed the conversation with Aini in Carisen. Then, as Karain called his name right behind his ear, he blurted out the name he had been thinking about during the conversation.

"Domyis."

As soon as he said it, he woke up and sat up abruptly. He saw Karain stiffen.

"Ah, that's..."

Ratil hesitated and quickly tried to explain.

"Sorry. You called that name in your sleep when you were sick before."

It wasn't entirely a lie. He had heard the name in his sleep. In a dream. Karain, who had stiffened, relaxed her shoulders when she heard Ratil's explanation. Fortunately, she didn't look angry or suspicious. Ratil, observing her, asked cautiously.

"Was she someone you dated before?"

Of course, she was someone he had dated. No, he shouldn't have asked that. Ratil, seeing no change in Karain's expression, became even more flustered and started rambling.

"You kept calling it. Like, Domyis! Domyis. Domyis? Domyis! I was curious. What kind of relationship could make you call out so pitifully? I'm not trying to pry into your past or anything. I just..."

"She is someone I love."