Ch.39Finding True Happiness

I’m happy.

So very happy.

It’s a happiness I’ve never felt before in my life, as if everything I’ve lived until now was a lie.

What is this feeling?

It’s like sitting comfortably on fluffy clouds, resting peacefully without doing anything.

When I was among people, it felt like being thrown into the middle of a hot furnace. When I was among monsters, it was slightly better—like being trapped alone in an empty space.

But this… what is this?

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank… you for the meal.”

The same Japanese-style breakfast as usual.

A simple meal consisting of well-seasoned miso soup, a heaping bowl of rice, and perfectly grilled fish.

Yet the feeling of sitting across from another “person” and having a meal together right after waking up was truly special.

It was completely different from just seeing someone briefly and sharing a meal before parting ways.

Of course, meals with Shinwoo back then were also pleasant and delicious.

Thump. Thump.

‘It feels like I’m dreaming right now…’

A pleasant dream.

A dream I don’t want to wake up from.

A dream I’d like to see even if it meant sleeping forever.

I was having such a dreamlike dream even with my eyes open.

Next, since we finished our meal, Shinwoo and I walked side by side through the garden in front of the mansion to get some light exercise.

Something I could never have done before.

Although we met every day, Shinwoo was merely a guest.

He was someone who couldn’t even share a table with me outside of the guest room.

And that was natural.

He was a commoner, and I was still “nobility” in this modern era where the class system had supposedly disappeared.

I thought our only connection was being able to look into each other’s eyes while talking.

But now.

“Um, Shinwoo…”

“Yes?”

“My hand feels a bit empty. Could we hold hands while walking?”

“Hold hands…?”

Walking side by side, holding hands together.

Something I could only do in my imagination, like Romeo and Juliet in a play—a situation I knew could never happen.

“Yes. Of course.”

The commoner prince who takes my hand without hesitation.

I knew that if this scene were captured by some sleazy paparazzi and spread worldwide, his safety could be at risk, but I couldn’t resist “commanding” it for my own desire.

‘I’m… the worst…’

I wish this were a dream.

How nice it would be if everything I’m seeing, feeling, and experiencing right now were just a dream of happiness where I wouldn’t have to think about the consequences.

Shinwoo probably doesn’t know.

He doesn’t realize how incredibly brazen it is for an ordinary person to share a meal with someone from one of the World’s 10 Great Families, to have physical contact, to converse as equals.

What he’s doing now at my command—these ordinary actions—are opportunities that even heirs to global corporations or presidential candidates of developed nations can’t easily access.

That’s why I didn’t want to tell him this fact if possible.

Because I want to stay in this relationship as it is.

I want to continue holding hands with him as equals, eating meals together, saying goodnight before bed, such ordinary things…

“We should have used proper contraception…”

“Still, the bastard child has exceptional talent.”

“Then let’s use them as the next ‘sacrifice’.”

…I finally obtained this “ordinariness” that I had never experienced before.

‘I’m so happy.’

Insanely so.

‘This is enough now.’

I never thought I could be this happy in my life, but today I couldn’t stop smiling all day.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

‘I’m satisfied.’

Time that usually seemed to stand still passed quickly today—I blinked a few times and it was already night.

“Princess, good night.”

“Yes. You too, Shinwoo. See you tomorrow.”

“Yes. See you tomorrow.”

A daily life where I can smile until I close my eyes right before entering dreamland.

Usually, I could only feel happiness in the deep darkness of dreams where I felt nothing.

Today was the first time I didn’t want to sleep.

‘I wish it could always be like this…’

But I need to sleep.

And then continue this perfect daily life tomorrow.

I’m already happy enough.

Just being with Shinwoo like this…

*Sits up abruptly!*

“……”

…The truth was, as terrible as it sounds, this wasn’t enough.

“…I want to be happier.”

I’m still not satisfied.

Like miso soup without tofu, even though this daily life would be perfect compared to how I’ve lived until now.

What Princess Kurumi truly wanted was something else.

It was Han Shinwoo himself.

“I want to… feel you more…”

You, sleeping beyond the sliding door.

You, showing me light in my dark world.

You, who takes my hand without prejudice despite me being an illegitimate daughter of one of the World’s 10 Great Families.

When I thought about how I almost lost you during the last attack, my already dark world seemed to transform into an even darker void where I couldn’t see anything ahead.

And when you appeared before me again in a world where I was about to lose my reason for living, the princess decided.

I want to leave your trace inside my body.

“Amaterasu. Come out.”

In the quiet dawn.

Princess Kurumi, sitting on her blanket, quietly called to it in the empty tatami room.

And then she asked softly toward the still silent room.

“How much longer… can I live?”

Then came the answer from behind her.

“One year.”

It sent chills down her spine.

Although she had expected it, the fact that she had only one year left to live…

“…That’s good.”

Princess Kurumi gently caressed her lower abdomen, thinking about the surprisingly long period of life she had left.

“That should be enough time to create one…”

It was the bittersweet smile of a woman who had finally found happiness at the end of her life.

***

In the underground detention cell of the Hunter Association’s Korean branch.

…Though called a detention cell, it was more like a medieval fantasy dungeon where rats scurried around in the sewers.

“Damn… I can’t believe I lost…”

Lorensky, currently the only prisoner there, was sighing deeply while restrained with hunter-specific handcuffs.

“I underestimated Korea’s level. I thought they’d be only slightly stronger than North Korea, but to think such monsters roam around here…”

Anyway, now that he was captured, there was nothing more he could do.

He was already walking a fine line, and if he tried to escape by blowing up the entire Hunter branch in Korea?

That would be crossing a point of no return.

“So is this my retirement?”

Before escaping prison.

He suddenly remembered his last conversation with the prison warden who had given him his mission.

“Listen carefully, Lorensky. From now until you return to Russia, you’ll be a criminal even here.”

“…? I was already a criminal since I’m in prison, wasn’t I?”

“W-well, yes! Anyway! What you’re going to do now is, as a criminal from our country, cross over to another country and commit equally vicious crimes! And Russia will become an innocent ‘victim’ country because of you.”

“…I see. In simple terms, everything I do will be portrayed as my own independent action.”

“Exactly! Otherwise, Russian-Korean relations might not just deteriorate but could be severed completely. I’m counting on you again this time.”

“Haha. Leave it to me! From now on, I’ll act independently to steal that Japanese princess from one of the World’s 10 Great Families who crossed over to Korea!”

“Thank you, Lorensky.”

As always, he had volunteered to be the scapegoat for his country, but this time he had failed spectacularly.

‘I’m going to get an earful when I return.’

This would be the first time since the Soviet era that he’d be repatriated as a criminal after failing a mission.

Until then, he might as well get some sleep.

Just as Lorensky was trying to get some rest since there was nothing else he could do…

“You can’t come in here, miss!”

“Hey, are you all not moving?! Do you know who I am?!”

“W-well…”

“Should I call my father?! You know your heads will roll immediately, right? If you understand, get out of my way!”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

There seemed to be some commotion beyond the iron bars.

“What’s going on?”

With nothing better to do, Lorensky naturally walked toward the front of the cell.

“Hehe. Found you. So you’re the amazing hunter who came from Russia.”

Cute pink pigtails.

But the eyes that met his seemed to contain more wickedness than loveliness.

“…Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know who I am. Just do as I say from now on.”

As soon as Lorensky made eye contact with her, Yoo Sihyeon began casting charm on him.

“Now, from this moment on, you’ll be my faithful slave.”

“…What?”

Lorensky tilted his head in confusion.

At that moment, he had a direct vision of the whole world turning pink in a very happy fantasy.

And soon he realized it was one of the status effects called charm.

‘?! Is she trying to charm me? With just this level…?’

If it had been at least an A-rank hunter level charm, there might have been a very low chance of success since he was currently weakened.

But with just this level of charm, well…?

It was like trying to set fire to a skyscraper by rubbing a lighter flame against the wall.

Naturally, he only felt a slight floating sensation without any real charm taking effect.

However.

“Now, you’re going to come with me to that mansion where the princess from one of the World’s 10 Great Families is staying.”

“…Oh?”

“Then you’ll put the princess in danger and act like a third-rate villain who gets defeated by me! Understood? Answer me now!”

There was no reason to refuse an opportunity to redeem his failure.

Therefore.

“Yes. I understand. I’ll do as you say.”

“…! Great! I’ll give you the key now, so escape from here secretly!”

Yoo Sihyeon threw the key she had stolen from the guard hunters into the cell.

Click.

“Well then, when shall we depart, lady?”

“I’ll decide that. Just shut up and follow my orders.”

Lorensky, now a free man, found himself joining hands—figuratively speaking—with the daughter of a Korean conglomerate for a second chance.