3.

“First, calm down, Gong-ja. Your eyes are filled with murderous intent.”

Raviel lightly tapped the chair beside her.

The fan used to tap the armrest was a high-quality item I had gifted.

I bit my lip.

It wasn’t just an expensive gift. It was my teacher’s cherished item, a fan that Namgung Un, the former leader of the Martial Alliance who had retired as the Taesang Hobeop of the Chen Mu-mun, had put his heart and soul into making.

Raviel must have guessed that I would barge in. She was wise. She found a way to suppress my emotions far more effectively than merely telling me to ‘calm down.’

Indeed, Raviel’s intention hit the mark. Seeing an object even remotely connected to my master poured ice over my burning heart.

Though it was merely pouring an ice cube into lava.

“…If not now, when should I harbor murderous intent?”

“Whenever that time may be, even if it’s this very moment, it is clear that the place for you to harbor murderous intent should not be before my eyes. It’s not a question of timing, but rather of location.”

“I understand. But I do not wish for my anger to become dull. The more I talk with you, Raviel, the more my reason will rein in my emotions.”

I spoke softly.

No, from the moment I realized Raviel’s death, my voice only flowed quietly. Not to maintain composure, but quite the opposite.

I did not want the heat of my anger that stained my heart to leak out through my mere voice. Not even a single bit.

“I want to stain my hands with blood in pure rage, with raw emotion. Please tell me first, who dared to lay their hands on you Raviel.”

“To my ears, it just sounds like you want to go crazy.”

“You heard right.”

“…….”

Raviel lifted the corners of her lips.

She seemed pleased, as if she had found a new toy, and for a brief moment, she seemed to shudder at the waves of my emotions.

Seeing the curve of her lips etched on her pale face, I realized.

It was over.

Raviel was more interested in my reaction, enraged by her death, than her own death itself.

“Do you want to kill the one who killed me?”

“…Yes.”

A taste of blood was in my mouth. The teeth I had bitten into my lips had dug into the red flesh.

“How do you want to kill them?”

“I want to tear them apart and kill them.”

I knew where this conversation was going and into which sea it would flow. Knowing this, I turned my teeth into a wheel of fate, my tongue into a stream, and replied.

I couldn’t remain silent to the question of my beloved. Never.

“I want to finely slice the lips following the line of the teeth. I must see how their voice becomes distorted and hideous through the gaps between their torn teeth and shredded lips.”

“And the eyes?”

“I’ll gouge them out and connect the lost blood vessels and nerves with my aura. Then, I’ll place them back into the sockets. Every time they blink, I’ll make them feel pain that makes them wish they were blind.”

“…….”

Raviel’s smile deepened further.

Now, it was visible even to the eyes. A slight spasm under her left ear, the thin neckline twitched. Raviel was tasting the rare sight of her husband’s madness having completely lost his reason.

“.Raviel.”

“That’s it. My consideration was not deep enough. Close the door.”

Raviel gestured with her eyes towards the wide open bedroom door behind me.

“I can’t leave your voice and this face to be possibly admired by others. It’s a luxury that should be allowed only to me.”

“Close it, Gong-ja.”

I closed the door.

The air in the bedroom grew more toxic.

The poison was the scent of blue lilies.

“What about the hands? The wrists? The back of the hands. The fingers. The nails. What do you intend to do?”

The source of the poison was her red eyes.

“I want to hear.”

I opened my mouth.

“Listen. My love.”

I told her.

Every conceivable hell that even hell itself would scoff at as lukewarm, a white-hot purgatory, flowed from my mouth, holding the warmth of my heart and the poison of my blood.

Raviel indulged in my warmth and poison to her heart’s content. It would be fair to say she devoured it.

The more my rage demanded red blood, the glossier Raviel’s red eyes became. They gleamed brightly. My venom was sweet to her, like vitality.

“So, will you kill them like that?”

Raviel asked languidly, like a sated lion, as if she had finished all her feasting.

“Yes.”

“Among the shadows you’ve gathered, those who are not killers are the rarity. Some are murderers, and others even mass murderers.”

“Ah…”

“Whoever killed me rightly deserves to pay the price, Gong-ja. I have no intention of stopping you from ensuring they pay that price, my love. However, I am uncertain whether the weight of the price will be justly measured.”

I pressed my forehead.

Raviel was demanding fairness from me. I, who had accepted Estelle and even forgiven Yoo Soo-ha. Raviel was saying that the standards I set when I accepted them should be applied just the same this time.

“Raviel…, but.”

“Do you think I would not have felt the same rage if you had died?”

My heart slowed.

“After sharing rings with me, how many times do you think you have died?”

“How many times do you think I have restrained myself?”

“Gong-ja.”

Raviel smiled.

“You will need to endure as much as I have.”

I couldn’t say anything.

Raviel knew my rage and the way to suppress it. She also knew the exact words to ensure I would never unleash that rage.

Even if I had something more to say, it wouldn’t have been able to come out of my mouth.

Raviel pulled my wrist and covered my lips with hers. It was hot. Enough to scald my tongue. Clearly, she had taken all the heat spewed from my heart.

The closed door did not open.

4.

Eventually, when we calmed down and began to talk calmly, the sun had set, and the silver moon flickered through the window.

“It’s the Crown Prince.”

Raviel spoke in a voice that had considerably cooled down. The low tone of her voice always felt like it was submerged in an icy sea. It was the voice of Raviel I loved.

“Damn it.”

However, the information Raviel revealed included a character I could never like.

“That ramen noodle bastard. Isn’t it enough that he’s got noodle hair? Now has his brain also swelled up like udon noodles?”

“Hmm. I always look forward to what you’ll compare the Crown Prince to. Satisfactory as always…”

My anger, which had barely subsided over four hours, reignited.

But where the fire had already swept through, only ashes remained. Raviel had intended it, and a similar level of anger did not arise again.

Moisture seeped into places the ember had not burned. It was reason. It was cold judgment. Reason clung to my skull like old dampness, and I let my judgment flow, almost out of habit.

“…Indeed. If not for the royal family, who else would dare to harm the Duke of Ivansia?”

Once the wheels started turning, the rest was simple.

My thoughts spun quickly.

“However, the current Emperor is a wise ruler. He knows that the power within the empire is leaning towards the Ivansia family. This must be the arbitrary act of the Crown Prince alone, not the machination of the entire imperial family.”

“Hmm.”

Raviel rested her chin in her hand.

She was enjoying this, gesturing with her eyes for me to continue speaking.

“But if Raviel dies, everyone will immediately suspect the royal family. The Emperor will claim his innocence, but it will be hard to quell people’s suspicions. That’s when the Crown Prince will incite a rebellion against the Emperor.”

Crack.

Even as I clenched my molars, I articulated my reasoning.

“[The Emperor, blinded by power, assassinated a loyal subject of the empire, the Duke of Ivansia. As the Crown Prince, I cannot simply watch the empire crumble. Thus, with tears of blood, I will rise in revolt. Though it may be disloyal to my father, if I alone can bear the disgrace to save the empire, I will gladly take up the sword.]”

Raviel did not contradict my words.

Her reaction instilled confidence in me. Crazy bastard. A noodle-brained bastard blinded by power. After sparing his life because he’s the heir to the empire, after turning a blind eye out of consideration for the Emperor and the royal family’s dignity. The audacity.

“Although he is no longer engaged to you, the Crown Prince was once Raviel’s fiancé. ‘[Even though it ended unhappily, I cannot overlook the death of a noble who I was once engaged to.]’ He plans to gain the support of the ducal family with this plausible justification.”

“How unfortunate…….”

Raviel sighed sweetly.

“People always marvel at your inaction. None of them know that there’s also a well-concealed sword in your head. But what would they know, right?”

“…….”

I coughed awkwardly.

“…If the Crown Prince gains the support of the ducal family, it effectively means he has the nobility on his side. He must have calculated that a coup would have a high chance of success. Yes, in his own head.”

I looked at Raviel.

“For this plan to succeed, he need to plant the conviction in people that [the Emperor is the assassin who killed the Duke of Ivansia]. Raviel. Where will you close your eyes tomorrow?”

“The moon of Ivansia is so wise; the people of the empire should rejoice.”

Raviel wholly affirmed my reasoning.

“I was waiting in the Imperial Palace to meet His Majesty.”

Of course.

“…It was not an direct assassination but poisoning. The idiot who abandoned Raviel and had an affair with the Lady of the Golden Silk, with his fair face, must have seduced even an Imperial chamberlain or two.”

“Correct. Even if I were to give 120 points on a paper out of 100, no one would criticize.”

“It’s a given that the Crown Prince himself wasn’t in the palace at that time. He would need to avoid suspicion. Perhaps he went hunting?”

“150 points.”

“Ha. Using hunting as an excuse, he must have taken a few of the Imperial Guards with him. The moment he heard of Raviel’s death, he would storm the palace with his soldiers!”

“200 points… This is troubling, Gong-ja. Even if I am the duke, giving more than double the perfect score might make people doubt my fairness as an examiner. Are you trying to subject me to biased judgment?”

“Fine. I’ll go kill the Crown Prince and those who joined him on his hunt, then come back.”

“- 100 points. And now you are back to a score of 100 again. Your consideration is truly deep.”

“…….”

I looked at Raviel.

Raviel looked back at me.

“Now that I think about it, five hours is too little to suppress my rage.”

“Oho.”

“The more I think about it, it’s been a while since Raviel and I have had time alone like this, and it’s incredibly annoying that we can’t fully enjoy this time because of that damn Crown Prince. Bastard!”

“So?”

“Just play with me all day.”

“Are you planning give over a day to the Crown Prince’s bunch?”

“No. After a day of play, we’ll turn the day over again.”

“A brilliant plan. I see no reason to refuse your proposal.”

We played all day long.

[You have died.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

And we played another day.

[You have died.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

As we played, it became difficult to find a reason not to play for another day.

[You have died.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

The world? Assassinations? Power struggles and political battles? All can go away.

For now, I’m going to play with the person I love.

[You have died.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

It took us a whole week to come to our senses. The silver moon was still twinkling in the same spot through the window. Raviel and I, side by side, rested our chins on our hands, contemplated together, and muttered together.

“Was it a bit too much?”

“It seems it was a bit too much…”

“Indeed, a week was too long……”

“Indeed, a week might have been too long……”

“Then we should play just one more day.”

“Yes. Let’s play just one more day and restrain ourselves.”

[You have died.]

[You will return to 24 hours ago.]

So, two weeks passed.

I’ll keep my mouth shut about the mess we made during those two weeks. But, if you could turn back time, and people wouldn’t remember what you did during that reversed time, just imagine what you would do. We did about three times that of your imagination.

We were perfectly satisfied.

“What’s the plan now, Gong-ja?”

In Raviel’s voice, satisfied to perfection, I shrugged.

“First, I’ll go find the Crown Prince.”

“Don’t kill him. If you’re going to kill, it shouldn’t be now but when no one cares, quietly make him disappear.”

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

Right. I won’t kill him.

I’ll just show him pain worse than death.

*****