Chapter 105. It's not a dream
***
After the long yet short dream had passed, Kayan was able to regain his senses, albeit faintly.
First, his fingers twitched slightly.
Then he tried to move his toes gently.
The pain spreading throughout his body made him acutely aware that this was not a dream but reality.
Slowly, Kayan blinked his eyelids.
The familiar ceiling came into view.
‘Have I safely returned to the imperial palace?’
He was simply grateful that he was still alive.
He had nearly died without being able to see his beloved wife and daughter again.
He turned his head slightly to look at Ihedia, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion after tending to him.
Her golden hair was scattered across the white blanket like ripples.
The fact that the person he saw whether his eyes were open or closed remained the same brought Kayan a certain satisfaction.
As his mind cleared, a taut tension spread through the muscles that had been limp with exhaustion.
Though his body still moved slowly, it seemed he had passed the dangerous phase.
Kayan gently brushed Ihedia's hair aside with a faint smile.
During the time he had lost consciousness, he had been unable to rest easy, unsure of what might have happened to Ihedia.
But seeing her safe and sound, it seemed that Doa had carried out his special mission flawlessly.
Kayan's hand, which had been stroking Ihedia's hair, paused.
His gaze darkened.
The relief he felt upon seeing Ihedia quickly turned into countless worries and questions.
How long had he been unconscious?
Had the battle with the foreign tribes been resolved successfully?
Had Hashad been captured?
Then what about Adeline...
As soon as he thought of Adeline, Kayan's heart began to race.
Meanwhile, Ihedia, who had dozed off, slowly opened her eyes.
When Kayan's eyes met hers directly, she was momentarily dazed and couldn't move.
Ihedia slowly raised her hand and touched Kayan's face.
She murmured in disbelief.
"This isn't a dream………………."
"It's not a dream."
Upon hearing Kayan's voice, Ihedia's eyes instantly turned red.
And she threw herself into his arms.
Ihedia struggled to suppress her overwhelming emotions, breathing heavily, before finally managing to speak.
"I thought I'd lose you forever like this."
She let the tears she had been holding back flow freely.
Kayan's clothes were quickly soaked through.
Watching her like that, a overwhelming sense of guilt washed over him.
He patted her back and said.
"I'm sorry, Ihedia."
"...
"It's all my fault."
“…”
"I wanted to tell you this when we met again."
Ihedia didn't even have time to think about why Kayan was saying such things.
The one who should be saying those words was her.
However, Ihedia could no longer continue speaking and began to sob loudly.
Her slender body shook violently.
For some reason, hearing Ihedia's sorrowful sobs made Kayan feel like he might cry too.
So he hugged her even tighter.
***
It had been half a year since Kayan had awakened.
Everyone had declared that Kayan would not live, but Ihedia refused to let go of the thread of hope.
Every day, she cared for him with devotion, talking to him while he slept or singing him lullabies.
She hoped that if he was lost in a dangerous dream, he might hear her voice and return.
The palace attendants could only watch her with pity.
Though it took a long time, when Kayan finally awoke, people believed that Ihedia's efforts had ultimately brought about a miracle.
“Adeline is safe.”
Only after hearing that answer from Ihedia's lips could Kayan finally relax completely.
How anxious he had been, fearing that something might have gone wrong with Hashad and caused trouble for Adeline.
Just thinking about it made cold sweat pour down like a flood.
Though he wanted to rush to Adeline immediately upon waking, Kayan couldn't do so.
It was because the black magic still lingering within his body had not been completely purified.
He couldn't possibly meet that fragile life form while still harboring such impure energy.
Even while unconscious, Kayan was instinctively performing the purification ability.
However, this was not because he had intentionally manifested the ability, but because the healing process simply took a long time.
Now that he had awakened, it would take about a few weeks to completely purify the corrupt black magic.
Of course, Kayan longed to see his daughter as soon as possible, but he had no choice but to wait.
He had no choice but to stay locked in his room for several days, focusing all his strength on healing.
A few days later, when Kayan met Adeline again, his heart couldn't help but race.
It truly seemed like a small doll resembling Ihedia was moving and breathing.
Filled with wonder, he gazed intently at the child.
Adeline had grown taller since he last saw her.
Do children really grow this quickly?
Kayan could only feel regret for not having been able to witness that process alongside her.
"Ababa."
Adeline cooed at Kayan.
Such an angelic child was his daughter...
The thing he had only dared to imagine in secret had actually become reality.
The child he had envied so much that he felt endless inferiority toward Hashad was truly his own flesh and blood.
For a moment, Kayyan was overcome with fear, wondering if he was still dreaming.
He quietly watched the mother and daughter, who looked so much alike, smiling at him.
If it was a dream, he never wanted it to end.
He wanted to erase all the terrible things he had done to Adeline in the past.
Thinking about Adeline, who had nearly lost her life because of her worthless father who couldn't even recognize his own child, sent a chill down his spine.
As soon as Adeline saw Kayyan again, she tried to embrace him.
Kayan, looking dazed, picked up the child.
Adeline burrowed into his embrace, seemingly unaffected by his warmth.
Unable to properly hold the child, he stood stiff as a statue, blinking awkwardly.
Then, Iheedia whispered softly from beside him.
“Adeline is usually very shy, but it’s amazing how she tries to hug you as soon as she sees you. She’s still a little afraid of Doa, whom she’s known for a long time.”
Hearing that, Kayan found Adeline even more endearing.
He, who had been frozen in place, smiled at Adeline as their eyes met.
“Good job, Adeline. You have to keep an eye out so that no one else comes near you. Got it?”
“Kakaku.”
“Wow, did you see that? She answered! A smart kid already understand what’s being said, doesn’t she?”
Of course, Adeline couldn't possibly have understood Kayan's words, but he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, his eyes wide with wonder.
Kayan kept stroking Adeline’s cheek with a pleased expression.
At that unfamiliar sight, Ihedia couldn't help but burst into laughter.
***
As soon as Kayan recovered, Anut once again welcomed peaceful times.
While he lay in bed, the political situation remained unstable due to an invisible power struggle among the wolf clans.
However, Kayan was not an ordinary wolf warrior but Anut's hero and the descendant of the great Hirpus.
Though Kayan was in a coma, no one dared to overthrow him and seize the throne.
Thanks to this, no major disturbances occurred for half a year.
With the rightful heir to the throne returned, any signs of internal strife were completely erased.
Meanwhile, Hashad, imprisoned in the tower, attempted suicide multiple times.
He was protesting by risking Adeline's life, demanding to be released.
Enraged, Kayan subjected him to such brutal torture that he begged for death, and when his condition worsened, they would take him to the spring of Apeso to revive him, repeating this cycle.
Hashad had to endure such agonizing pain, nearly to the point of death, until the blood oath was broken.
One day, his fingers were cut off, or his flesh was burned by fire; another day, all his teeth were pulled out, or his knee bones were shattered.
All of this was torture inflicted on innocent people during the time when Hashad had committed murder as his entertainment.
Eventually, Hashad lost his mind.
He became like a child who no longer knew who he was or why he was trapped inside.
Since his mind was no longer sound, he stopped attempting suicide and threatening Kayan.
As Hashad's crimes were exposed and Kayan regained his health, Ihedia's position became incomparable to what it had been before.
Among the ministers, there were frequent requests to make Ihedia the empress.
The ministers who had once sought to kill Ihedia and Adeline trembled in fear, worried that they might be held accountable for their past crimes and banished by the emperor.
How dare they attempt to publicly execute the bloodline of Hirpus?
Whether they knew the truth or not, it was an unforgivable crime that could never be undone.
Moreover, since Ihedia had given birth to Kayan's child and enjoyed his special favor, no one dared to oppose her becoming empress.
“Since the ministers’ intentions align with mine, we must hasten to bring in the empress.”
Kayan, who had previously shown no interest in selecting an empress, immediately accepted the ministers' request as soon as he rose from his sickbed.
***
Write a comment