Chapter 63: Remembering His Touch

It was not a particularly pleasant sensation, so when Haeryeong lowered his eyes, the man drew closer, gave him a brief kiss, and pulled away.

While the same situation repeated several times, the Emperor slowly caressed Haeryeong’s back with his hot palm.

Even through the layers of fabric, the heat of his palm brushed against him, sending a chill down his spine.

Only when Haeryeong hunched his shoulders and shivered did the Emperor finally withdraw his hand.

“Finish your meal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Haeryeong cleansed his mouth with the clear soup.

The once-warm soup had nearly cooled, and as the saltiness lingered on his palate, his mouth felt even more cloyed.

As he forced himself to finish the remaining half-bowl of rice, the Emperor ordered wine to be brought.

“Are you finished with your meal, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor, who had been exuding a faint scent of peach blossoms, leaned his arm on the table with a languid smile.

“To be honest, I feel more like closing my eyes for a moment than eating.”

“I wish I could lie down with the Empress’s lap as my pillow.”

It was truly a relief.

Originally, the Buyeong Pavilion had no tables, but because they had brought in a table and chairs for the meal, there was no place for him to lie down.

It would have been quite distressing if he had lain his head on Haeryeong’s lap and looked up from below.

Their eyes would have met constantly.

Haeryeong was certain he would not have known where to look if the man had closed his eyes.

Just as Haeryeong nearly finished his bowl of rice, the wine the Emperor had ordered was finally served.

The Emperor quietly emptied his cup, using the reheated soup as a snack.

The cups were emptied so quickly that Haeryeong struggled to keep pace with the pouring.

“Please drink slowly, Your Majesty.”

“It is said that drinking wine in a hurry is worse than not drinking at all.”

The Emperor laughed softly as he picked up a piece of seasoned aster that had been tossed in perilla oil.

“Your concern for me makes my spirits soar.”

After emptying a whole ewer of wine in a short time, the Emperor let out a rare, deep sigh.

“It is a shame we must part after only a meal.”

The Emperor led Haeryeong along the pond where the Buyeong Pavilion stood.

Walking quietly beside him, wondering if the man intended to see him off, the Emperor eventually came to a halt.

He took Haeryeong’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing his fingertips.

“Return safely.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I pray you find comfort and rest this evening.”

“I shall endeavor to do so.”

Haeryeong waited for him to turn and leave, but the Emperor lingered for a long time, fondling Haeryeong’s hand.

Finally, when he released his grip, he took a step back.

“The path is quite dark.”

“Walk carefully with every step, and ensure you return without injury.”

“I shall do so.”

From where he stood, the Emperor slightly bowed his waist.

Haeryeong involuntarily closed his eyes when the man’s lips touched his forehead.

The spot where the lips had gently rubbed grew cool and chilly the moment they pulled away, but Haeryeong did not open his eyes.

He stood still and did not open them for a long while, until the sound of the man’s retreating footsteps could no longer be heard.

Listening to the footsteps fade away, a sigh somehow escaped his lips.

When he finally opened his eyes, Haeryeong watched the royal procession turning the corner of the dark garden and then turned around.

Mok and Jongseon stepped forward, lighting the way with lanterns.

Haeryeong stepped forward slowly, watching the ground with focused intensity.

Even though the smooth, well-tended dirt floor was obviously free of any danger, he could not take his eyes off his feet.

A damp humidity was carried on a breeze blowing from somewhere.

‘I suppose another rainy guest will visit tomorrow.’

The scent of water in the humid wind mixed with the fragrance of spring flowers, enveloping his body heavily.

His steps faltered the moment the Emperor’s peach blossom scent came to mind.

“Your Highness, what is the matter?”

Despite Iryeon’s question, Haeryeong gave no answer and simply stood still, staring at his feet.

‘Why are my feet so heavy?’

It felt as though roots had sprouted where he touched the earth, and he could not lift his feet.

“Your Highness? Are you alright?”

Iryeon approached with a worried tone.

Only then did Haeryeong lift his head to look at the path he had to return by.

When he took a deep breath, his feet finally moved.

“I am fine.”

His legs were trembling, so he walked slowly.

A sensation of throbbing somewhere in his body made his scalp feel tight, and a hot sigh flowed out of its own accord.

“It seems I have become intoxicated by the scent of the wine His Majesty consumed.”

Otherwise, there was no reason for his legs to be shaking like this.

Upon returning to his quarters, Haeryeong looked through the records left by the Vice-Director, only standing up much later while rubbing his dimming eyes.

After that, he sat by the window and played with Changcheon for a bit before retiring to bed.

As he slept soundly, something hot covered his body.

Opening his sleep-heavy eyes at the sensation of something hard sliding beneath the nape of his neck, he felt as though his eyes met a pitch-black shadow in the darkness.

“Oh dear. Did I wake you? Sleep more. It is still long before dawn.”

A large hand patted his shoulder.

In his half-awake state, the sound of rain seemed to echo faintly in his muffled ears.

Perhaps because of that, the body heat touching him in the chilly dawn air felt warm.

Haeryeong unconsciously burrowed into the embrace that held him.

He thought he heard a small, low laugh near his ear, but he quickly sank back into the sleep that rushed over him.

When he opened his eyes again, the space beneath the quilt was cold.

Huddled as if crumpled inside the covers, Haeryeong blinked his sleep-filled eyes slowly.

‘It seemed the Emperor visited at dawn; was I dreaming?’

Listening closely, he could hear the sound of heavy rain falling outside the window.

Lying as he was, Haeryeong listened to the rain for a long time before quietly closing his eyes again.

Strangely, even though the quilt was pulled up to the top of his head, he felt a chill running through his body.

It felt as though he had been sleeping warmly and well just a moment ago, but the air this morning was exceptionally cold.

Hearing the sound of someone entering, it seemed it was time to get up.

It sounded like one of the court ladies approaching.

The rustle of a skirt hem reached his ears with every step, yet Haeryeong remained still beneath the covers.

“Your Highness, have you awakened?”

Mok asked cautiously from outside the canopy.

Normally, he would have been sitting up before anyone even entered, but today he was particularly reluctant to leave the warmth of the quilt.

Haeryeong, who had remained silent for a moment, poked his head out from the covers.

“I wish to sleep a bit more, so skip the early morning gruel.”

Worried by his unusual behavior, Mok asked in a low, anxious voice.

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“The rain makes me feel a bit sluggish. Do not worry and wait outside.”

“Yes, Your Highness… Please let me know at any time if you feel discomfort. I shall fetch the Imperial Physician then.”

“I shall.”

After Mok left, Haeryeong burrowed back under the quilt and closed his eyes.

A sigh arrived faster than sleep.

His body was curled as if he were holding someone, or being held.

The space beneath the quilt felt cold, as if he missed that person’s body heat.

His heart was complicated.

“Han Su-yong.”

Even though he called out in a tiny voice, Su-yong appeared by the bedside and replied quietly.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Did His Majesty perhaps visit at dawn?”

“He closed his eyes for about two hours before leaving in a hurry after receiving a message.”

‘So he did visit.’

Thinking of the body heat that had clung warmly to his back made his frame shiver.

‘Can one become accustomed to another’s warmth this easily?’

Haeryeong let out a silent sigh.

“Then I suppose His Majesty will be busy today as well. What news is there of the interrogation of the Minister of Public Works and the High General?”

“The interrogation concluded as of yesterday.”

“What was the result?”

Su-yong hesitated for a moment before answering.

“The embezzlement within the Ministry of Public Works was revealed on a massive scale; the Minister, the Vice-Director, the Vice-Minister, and even the Secretaries have all been arrested.”

“It seems the punishment will be decided during today’s assembly.”

“I am asking after the well-being of the Minister and the High General who were interrogated.”

“That is…”

As Haeryeong sat up, the quilt covering him slid down.

Brushing aside his hair, which had become disheveled from lying on his side, he waited for an answer until Su-yong finally spoke in a tone full of distress.

“The Minister of Public Works passed away two days ago, and I am told the High General still draws breath.”

‘Does he mean they continued the interrogation while holding onto a dying man?’

‘How cruel.’

Haeryeong hugged himself and fell into thought.

‘In such a situation, what was the Emperor thinking by having dinner with me and even seeking out my quarters?’

If the man had truly developed feelings for him, it was a reasonably fortunate thing.

Taking on the burden of the tedious and uncomfortable attention was his own responsibility, so it didn’t matter.

He was accustomed to enduring things to the point of exhaustion.

The problem was that the Emperor’s heart was like a dandelion seed in spring.

There was no way to know when it might be carried away by a passing breeze.

‘Would it be better to flatter him a bit more before his heart changes?’

‘If such a situation truly comes to pass, perhaps that will allow for a little more peace of mind.’

Even if his own death was inevitable, it would be a blessing if the pressure toward Yeonseo could be reduced, so he felt it best to proceed that way.

“Then His Majesty must be very busy today. I was going to ask if we could share lunch…”

“I shall run and ask immediately. His Majesty will likely make time for you.”

“It would be wrong to trouble His Majesty with something so trivial. Though it is a shame I could not see him in the night, I shall endure a little longer.”