A Night as Magical as Juliet's
The moment I received the letter, I headed straight to Jang's place.
Jang, looking like his soul had already fled his body, greeted me nonetheless.
"…Ah, young master. You've come."
"What's with that face?"
"……Those people who delivered this letter…."
I knew exactly what he meant without him spelling it out.
"You got chewed out, huh."
"…No, not as bad as you, young master."
Of course, he was right.
I'm the one truly fucked.
"Do you know who they were?"
"…No idea. Just that these huge, burly guys showed up and told me not to open the letter, that's all…."
"……."
So they even sent bodyguards to deliver it.
Just how big a deal is the person who wrote this to me?
But first things first—something more urgent to check.
"The letters. Did they send these two at the same time?"
"…I'm not sure, I don't really remember."
"……What?"
"It's true. This morning, I went out and found the letters in the mailbox, with those men standing guard in front…."
I thought he'd know something. This guy knows nothing?
"…Anything else?"
"Ah, there was one letter for me too."
I almost thought, Who cares about that? but held back.
I remembered the letter said to pass on the address.
"It says, 'After reading this letter, inform the author of this address…' but I have no clue what it means."
"You don't get it?"
I took the letter Jang handed me and read it.
…If you wish to meet me, remember just one thing.
The place guarded by sword and magic.
The place where shadows turn their heads.
The place where the highest kneels toward the abyss.
Come there wearing the academy uniform.
"……."
"Do you know what it means?"
"Of course I do."
Too well, in fact. That's the problem.
This line… it's like a famous proverb, one of those quotes from big shots that everyone knows.
In Korean terms, it'd be like, 'We work in the shadows, aspiring to the light.'
So this address, simply put…
"…Means I'm fucked."
The Imperial Intelligence Bureau.
"The Intelligence Bureau?"
I floated the idea to my sister, holding back only the parts I needed to.
Someone knows who I am. They sent a letter—with illustrations too.
And the address pointed to the Imperial Intelligence Bureau…
I told her that much, but skipped the part about someone dipping their pussy in ink and stamping it on a postcard to me.
That'd just sound too weird.
They give me the Intelligence Bureau's address and send me a pussy print?
From what I've seen firsthand, the bureau chief, deputy chief, team leads—it's all men.
So that means someone under their protection sent me a pussy print?
There's only two such people in the world.
The Empress and the Princess.
Whether it was one or the other, it's a massive scandal. I've learned something I absolutely shouldn't have.
"So what do we do? Run away?"
"No running."
"…Why not?"
"The Imperial Intelligence Bureau came all the way here. Running would just put us in their palm. It's handing them an excuse on a platter."
"……Then?"
"So I have to go in person and settle it. Kneel, chop off a finger, or if worst comes to worst…."
"No!!"
My sister, face pale with fear like it was her finger on the line.
"No, absolutely not. I'm not letting you go."
"…I wasn't asking to go."
"You're not stepping one foot out of the territory!!!"
"……."
I could guess why she was overreacting like this.
Five years ago, I wasn't the only one who lost our parents.
Unlike me, who had time to grieve, she threw herself straight into managing the territory.
Losing family again in the midst of that…
"…Sis."
"Absolutely not."
"You think I'd let them kill me? If they wanted me dead, they could've done it already."
"No."
"And this is… my mess to begin with, isn't it?"
"……Sigh."
My sister slumped back in her chair, looking like she'd already given up, gazing at me.
"You'll go even if I try to stop you, right?"
I just smiled without a word.
"You did the same when you went to the academy. Do you know how on edge I was for four years?"
As she spoke, she rose from the chair and walked over to me.
"At least now you're talking it out like this. You've grown up a bit since then."
"……."
She wrapped her arms around me in a hug, silent.
Her face buried in my chest, not sobbing or angry—just quietly feeling me there.
"……."
About two minutes passed. She pulled back slowly, forcing a smile.
"…Give me some time to think."
"Got it."
I said that and left the lord's office.
And all through the day until sunset, she never called for me.
I stayed in my room all night, no intention of coming out.
Too much to prepare.
If it were like going to the academy or the adult ceremony—just packing light—it wouldn't be a big deal.
This time's different. If I get dragged to the Intelligence Bureau, who knows how many days it'll take.
At least Kiara's in the capital…
Leaning on my fiancée Kiara wouldn't last forever.
Hell, this trip to the capital might even get our engagement broken off.
Imagine if the pussy print sender is the Princess or Empress.
And now the Bureau wants to see me?
The Emperor's bound to find out. Even if I survive, I might wish I hadn't.
Still, preparing gifts just in case—for if I come back ragged and ruined.
Pack in a few changes of clothes and some swords for self-defense.
Knock knock—
The door opened before I could say come in.
Makes sense, seeing who it was.
"…Sis."
"……."
Her face was dark. Anxious about me getting hauled to the Bureau? I get it. I'm going crazy with anxiety too.
"…Not asleep?"
"About to. Just finished packing."
I closed the luggage. Nothing inside that'd shock her too much.
But she seemed shocked by what wasn't in it—what I was wearing.
"…Why'd you suddenly put on the uniform?"
"…Oh, this?"
She eyed the academy uniform top I had on, surprised.
Not the white one from the adult ceremony, but proper dark blue, like military dress.
"Dunno. Got used to wearing it. Tried the pants earlier—fit fine."
"……."
No answer. She walked slowly to the bed and sat.
As natural as if she'd always done it.
Wearing a white negligee, just like last time.
"What, wet the bed again?"
"…It's not that."
Her stiff expression worried me, so I joked to loosen it up—and got an instant reaction.
I grinned, and her face softened.
"…You won't listen if I say don't go, will you?"
"Gotta go. They called."
"Sigh…."
I heard her sigh as I hung the uniform on the rack.
Through the desk mirror, I felt her eyes on me as I took off my shirt.
…What's so weird about looking at your brother's body?
"So, why're you here?"
She looked up at my gruff words, our eyes met as I turned—then she glanced away.
"……Thought we could sleep together."
"Why?"
"Just…."
I got the gist.
Shirtless, I strode to the bed; her body tensed more with each step.
I sat right beside her, glancing over.
"……Might be the last time."
"So what."
"It is important…! What do you think were my last words to Mom and Dad five years ago?"
…I don't remember.
Back then, I was obsessed with proving I was reborn in a romance fantasy—parents weren't even on my radar.
All I know is she's drowning in regret.
"So, sleeping together changes what?"
"…Better than nothing."
"……Fine, whatever you want."
Who could hold out against that?
Forcing things she hates already—gotta give her this much, or who knows her reaction later.
…If there's a later to see it.
Half-resigned, I agreed; she flopped straight onto the covers.
I climbed in after, no covers, just staring at each other.
She stared right at me, then suddenly beamed.
"…Feels awkward."
"No shit."
We've had separate rooms since we could walk.
Not that poor, even as rural nobles.
"We did this not long ago."
"Wanna do what we did last time?"
"……."
Silence again.
Normally she'd smack me and call bullshit.
Not now. No urge to hit.
"…How should I remember you?"
"Am I dead already?"
"You never know."
"Don't be so pessimistic."
"……Still, I wanna prepare my heart."
"……."
Her body, uncovered by the blanket, twitched faintly with her breaths.
She stared, picking words, eyes lingering—then dropped her gaze, unable to speak.
"Sis."
"…Yeah?"
"You really need something like this to remember me by?"
"……Pfft."
"Like, make a special memory or whatever?"
"…Yeah, but…."
She hesitated, then spoke.
"We don't have time for that."
True enough—no argument.
"That's why… I just wanted to be together like this."
"…."
For a long while, she just gazed at me.
No looking away, endlessly fixed on my face.
Something… off about it.
Because of what happened here last time?
Whatever the reason, her intense stare was pushing my limits.
"Sis."
"…Yeah?"
"How're you gonna remember me?"
"…Told you, I don't know."
"Still, something to recall."
"…Something to recall?"
"Like, my sword. Academy uniform… can't, since I'm wearing it to go. Books?"
"…Can't remember you by books. Not me."
"Why?"
"We didn't do anything with books together."
"……We did stuff related to books."
"What're you…."
She pondered my words, face flushing red—then started lightly smacking me.
"Seriously, because of you…!"
"Why me?"
"……Keeps feeling weird."
"What's so weird?"
"Every time… I come here, my lower belly tingles."
"……Huh?"
"Like last time or whatever… but it just keeps feeling like this. My belly twitching on its own…."
…Is the weird vibe just me?
Her gaze felt feverish.
Looking back, her eyes kept sweeping over my body.
"…Sis."
"I really don't know why it… keeps…."
"Sis?"
"…Yeah?"
"…Just in case—no."
"What no…?"
"Incest."
"……Right. Yeah…."
Her words seemed to agree.
But her face said otherwise.
Talking to someone not listening.
"But… Adrian?"
"……."
"I wanna remember you somehow."
"…No."
"Think about it, Adrian."
Her hand grabbed my arm.
"As long as there's no penetration, it's not incest, right?"
"…What kinda bullshit is that."
Stay longer, and something irreversible might happen.
I tried to bolt from the bed; she clung to my arm with her whole body.
Shake her off like this, and she'd stick like a cicada.
Bad move.
I ended up sprawling over her on the bed, pinning her.
Hands trapped by her head, she grabbed my arms fearlessly again.
"It's the last time, Adrian."
"…Really, no."
"……Still, Adrian."
Her voice thickened with heat.
"Can't we… as punishment?"
"……."
"Even if we never see each other again, if we do this… it'd feel like punishment. Yours or mine…."
Slowly, with her free hand, she lifted the hem of her negligee.
My eyes followed instinctively—nothing underneath.
She came prepared from the start, my sister.
Sudden clarity.
If I send her away empty-handed, trembling in anxiety.
And if the fear of never seeing me eats at her.
"…Sigh."
Crossing this line might be the only way to hold her together.