Dreams of a Fallen Kingdom

A few days after the string of Aether incidents in the Gobi Desert, I was watching television at home.

The screen switched to a hospital room. A Syrian man lay on the bed, half his body covered in severe burns, his face twisted with fury. Spittle flew from his mouth as he ranted, and subtitles scrolled beneath him.

I sat in silence, watching the broadcast, then let out a wicked laugh.

Leona’s definition of justice had always been to “protect people from monsters.” She was never the type of warrior who picked and chose whom to save. She hated watching anyone die in front of her—whether they were vicious criminals or terrorists. She would rescue them first, then let the law of whatever country they belonged to judge their crimes.

‘But that’s changing now.’ This incident was proof. The terrorist’s words contained a grain of truth. The part about pushing the monster toward him was a misunderstanding, but Leona had deliberately chosen not to save members of an extremist terrorist group. On the surface it might seem understandable not to rescue terrorists who are reviled worldwide, yet the original Leona would have extended a hand of salvation even to them.

That was no longer the case. Thanks to me, Aether was slowly eroding and rewriting her sense of justice. Over time, the imperative to protect people would dilute and shift. By the time it completely crumbled, a warrior who moved only for me would be born.

So keep praising Leona with all your hearts, humans. For now.

In any case, Sehwa was currently receiving a thorough scolding from Dr. Cash. Even if they belonged to a terrorist group, they were still people. She was probably getting an earful about the true meaning of justice.

Roughly thirty minutes later—

The elevator’s mechanical voice reached my sharpened ears. Sehwa was back.

I switched the channel to a variety show and put on a casual expression the moment I heard her keycard beep at the front door.

The door opened with a clack. Sehwa stormed in, visibly fuming, but the moment her eyes landed on me her face melted into a bright, silly smile. She scampered over and threw herself into my arms, then tapped her own lips with her index finger. A clear request for a kiss.

I let out a soft chuckle and pressed my mouth firmly against hers. When she tried to slip her tongue in, I gently pulled away and asked, “Did you get chewed out pretty badly?”

Sehwa frowned. “I don’t even know. She’s been sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong lately. I just told her I understood and that I was sorry.”

Her aggressive attitude looked incredibly appealing.

“You should have listened properly. Isn’t Dr. Cash the person you trust most? Well, aside from me.”

“That’s true… Maybe I’m being too sensitive? I haven’t been feeling as much stress lately…”

“One thing is certain—I’m on your side. You know that, right? If something’s bothering you, tell me anytime.”

Sehwa draped her calf over my thigh and beamed. Yes. Keep depending on me like that. Keep believing my words are law.

After flirting with me for a while, legs still tangled, she spoke again. “Jihyeok. When I transformed today, I felt something strange. It happened last time too, but I brushed it off thinking it was nothing. Today, though, I got the exact same feeling. I don’t think I can just ignore it anymore.”

She was talking about the hidden Aether. So she was finally mentioning it.

“What kind of feeling?”

“It’s like… something is calling me.”

“Calling you?”

“Yeah. It feels like it’s trying to lead me somewhere. West of Korea, and a little north. I’m certain it’s not that far.”

“Then it would be somewhere in China, Mongolia, or Russia… If you felt something that strong, you should have told Dr. Cash.”

Sehwa’s expression hardened and she shook her head. “No. You tell her. Or I could just transform and go check it myself…”

“Don’t transform recklessly. We never know when a Gate might open. I’ll speak to the doctor.”

“Thank you. By the way, the liberal arts professor is super strict about attendance… and I missed class because of that monster. What do I do?”

“That’s one thing I can’t help you with…”

Seeing my troubled face, Sehwa laughed like a child. “I was just whining a little.”

“Even your whining is cute. Finals aren’t far off, are they?”

“Nope. Once exams are over and the semester ends, let’s go on a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠trip. I want to travel.”

A trip, huh… She must be bored after going back and forth between school, home, and the lab every day. She had gone overseas recently, but that had been to deal with monsters, so it probably hadn’t felt like a vacation at all.

“Want to go to Jeju Island?”

“Anywhere, as long as it’s the two of us. Oh, right—I have to step out for a bit.”

“Where are you going?”

“I need to pick up something I ordered…”

Hmm… She was being evasive. She must have bought some risqué lingerie. Fine, I’ll pretend to fall for it. This was a good chance to contact Yuria. There were still two days until our appointment, but she would probably want to meet immediately, so it was fine.

“Go ahead. Should I stop by the company while you’re out?”

“Yeah.”

“Taegon, sir! Over here!”

Yuria was waving her hand with a bright smile. From now on, I would have to make those lovely eyes shed quite a few tears.

With a face full of benevolent smiles, I approached her and greeted her warmly. “Have you been well? I passed through the central district on my way here—they’re still restoring it. People really are remarkable. They bounce right back like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠roly-polies. I can see hope in their eyes.”

“That’s just how humans are. But you said you had something to tell me—that you had a dream, right? I was so curious I couldn’t sleep.”

“This isn’t really a story for the middle of the street.”

My expression suddenly grew serious. Yuria’s face changed along with it.

“You’re right. I know a quiet café. Shall we walk there?”

“There will be people at a café… Let’s take my car. We’ll be able to speak privately there.”

“Ah… yes.”

I silently led Yuria to the car I had left in Daejeon. It was an enormous luxury sedan—an extremely expensive foreign model. We climbed into the back seat rather than the front.

Turning my body toward her, I began. “I had a dream.”

“Yes, you mentioned that.”

“Usually when people say they had a dream, it feels ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like walking on clouds—hazy, and the memory fades quickly after waking. But the dream I had this time is different. Even after time has passed, it remains vivid.”

Yuria shifted her posture, lifting her hips slightly. She looked like she was dying of curiosity. After making her swallow once in anticipation, I continued.

“Everything around me was green… I was on a hill covered in grass I had never seen before. In the middle stood a massive, beautiful tree. I was there with someone.”

“That…!”

Yuria opened her mouth to speak, but when I slowly closed my eyes and shook my head, she gave a small cough and shut it again. Her expression was on the verge of total shock. Her already large eyes had grown even wider; she must have been properly startled.

“It was a beautiful woman. She looked about ten years younger than me, and she resembled you, Miss Yuria. She had an elegant, old-fashioned air… and she wore a pure white dress with a very long silhouette that suited her perfectly.”

“…..”

“In the dream, I was gazing at her with deep affection, and she was looking back at me with eyes full of love. My guess is…”

“…Please don’t drag it out.”

“I believe she was your mother, Miss Yuria.”

“Huk…!”

Yuria burst into tears instantly. Thick droplets fell and soaked her black skirt. Suddenly she threw herself into my arms. It seemed the old memories had resurfaced.

I gently stroked her back while my eyes gleamed. Thanks to Marcela’s help, I had absorbed every piece of information about Yuria’s kingdom. The green grass on that hill, the great tree standing at its center—that was the place where her father, Glen Elenar, and her mother, Margaret Elenar, had pledged their love. It was also where Margaret had told him she was pregnant.

I had planned to use this story.

Incidentally, the sensation of Yuria’s breasts was quite soft. I had assumed they would be disappointing compared to Sehwa’s, but they were definitely worth fondling. The feel of her straight spine beneath my fingers was pleasant too. It suited her tall, elegant frame perfectly.

After holding her for a long while, I slowly drew her away. The area around her eyes was bright red from crying in silence, and it was beginning to swell. Her face without any makeup was truly beautiful—though still not as beautiful as Sehwa’s.

I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and offered it to her. “And today, I had another dream.”

“…..”

Yuria took the handkerchief as if it were a precious gift and dabbed at her eyes before looking at me.

“I was beneath a sky covered in dark, heavy shadows. When I looked down, I saw a huge… a castle straight out of the Middle Ages, engulfed in flames. The screams of people were crystal clear.”

“Ah…”

“The woman who resembled you from the previous dream was shedding tears of blood as she watched a colossal man shrouded in darkness swing flames that consumed her entire body. My chest felt like it was being torn apart. I wanted to scream, but my throat was so tight that no voice would come out.”

Tears were also flowing from my own eyes—crocodile tears I had produced naturally while speaking in a calm tone. Yuria, completely taken in, shook her head repeatedly.

“Don’t cry… Please don’t cry…”

She seemed utterly convinced that I was a reincarnation. Of course she did; that was exactly why I had demanded every last detail from Marcela.

Wiping my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes with the back of my hand, I said, “Miss Yuria, after meeting you, I don’t believe these dreams are mere coincidence. The story you told me last time… it may very well be true.”

“…..”

“That’s why I asked to see you. I simply had to tell you this.”

At those words, Yuria once again buried herself in my arms. In a tearful voice she said, “Sir… No, my father’s name is Glen. His wife and my mother is Margaret.”

“Even if you tell me that, I am still only Kim Taegon. That is what I believe for now.”

“In time… you will remember. Until then, it’s enough for you to remain Uncle Taegon… And please don’t speak so coldly. At least not right now…”

This time I placed my hand on her flowing golden hair. “I will do as you ask.”

That was enough for today. Once I located the Aether meant for Yuria and created a new Device, we could begin in earnest. Until then, I would continue to watch and wait. I would let her anxiety build until she was desperate to see me.

Then I would cast one more piece of bait. I would tell her that the knight commander who had been promised to her in marriage—the one I had killed on the day her kingdom fell—had reincarnated as Yu Seunghyeon.

Coax that clueless fool with everything you have so he tears down the walls around his heart. Given Yu Seunghyeon’s personality, it would require persistent, sincere effort to make him turn his gaze toward her.

In the meantime, I would burrow even deeper into her heart.

I had originally planned to carry out the entire process as Kim Taegon… but doing it as Song Jihyeok might not be so bad either. I would think about that a little longer.

“I should be going. It looks like I need to calm this turbulent heart. I’ll drive you home, so please rest well.”

At my gentle tone, Yuria nodded. Her hair brushed softly against my cheek. Even its scent was sweet.

I could hardly wait for the day I would seize that soft golden hair in my fist and steal her virginity.