#86. This Is Supposed to Be Tteokbokki?
I glared at him provocatively.
Arkanso didn’t so much as flinch.
“Please use the Eyes of Morasincia.”
“I told you already — the only thing I can see is that red smoke symbolizing illness or pain.”
“No. The Saint can see much more than that. You simply haven’t realized it yet.”
His firm tone and the unwavering conviction on his face made me shrink back slightly.
“Remember this well. Before you use the relic, you must summon the beast. If you don’t, you won’t see anything at all.”
Summon the beast? What was that supposed to mean?
A few scenes flashed before my eyes —
Nikolai diving into the dark lake,
pushing me roughly against the shelves in the palace library,
his rough voice whispering by my ear,
and those sharply glinting fangs.
『Your Majesty? Are you really… the same person I know?』
It was only for an instant, but that wasn’t Nikolai.
Something else was inhabiting his body —
something far more savage, feral, and violent.
That incident had tormented him deeply afterward.
『I hunt it down and isolate it.』
『That thing… inside me…』
So there really is a beast living inside Nikolai? The “thing” he spoke of was…
My heart pounded violently against my ribs.
I couldn’t be sure of anything.
I brushed my crimson hair back behind my shoulders,
and as the fiery sunset blazed across the sky, I made up my mind.
Whatever that beast was — I would uncover its true face.
The temple’s dining hall was gloomy, thanks to its black brick walls and narrow windows.
The only decorations on the twelve-seat table were a pair of brass candlesticks.
The spotless white tablecloth somehow made the atmosphere even colder.
Arkanso wasn’t present — he claimed to be fasting for prayer.
That left only me and Nikolai, sitting in silence so heavy it almost pierced my lungs.
He took a small sip of the aperitif, and I moistened my dry lips with mine.
How am I supposed to summon the beast? It’s already awkward enough as it is…
Unable to bear the tension, I gulped down the rest of the wine.
Warmth spread down my throat and my face flushed red.
The spicy yet fragrant flavor filled my mouth — giving me a tiny bit of courage.
Two souls, huh? He just looks like the best-looking man in the world to me.
I discreetly studied Nikolai’s face from every angle, but there wasn’t a single clue to be found.
No flaws — not one.
I sighed softly, stealing glances at his almost inhumanly perfect beauty.
Maybe the beast appears when his emotions overflow…
Without thinking, I touched my lips.
I was remembering the moment his breath had brushed against them.
How could I ever forget the instant when his sculpted mask had crumbled —
when the emerald fire in his eyes burned uncontrollably?
Was that when the other soul surfaced?
Then… was the sincerity I felt from him actually not his at all?
My head was spinning with tangled thoughts.
“The temple’s head chef has prepared a dish especially for the Saint,”
an old attendant said, breaking the silence.
He carried a silver platter with a domed lid.
“As you requested — something spicy and chewy.”
I finally tore my gaze away from Nikolai.
My stomach growled thunderously, reminding me how hungry I was.
I gripped the knife and fork eagerly.
Maybe — just maybe — this would be something close to tteokbokki,
the food I’d been craving so desperately.
My heart thumped as I lifted the lid.
“?!”
I nearly screamed.
On the silver platter sat a lump of goat cheese, drenched in thick, black sauce,
emitting an acrid, smoky stench that stung my nose.
I instinctively covered my face.
“W-what… dish is this?”
“It’s goat cheese marinated in spicy peppers from the Pimianta region.”
Pimianta peppers… the same kind Douglas had gifted me.
Is that the only source of spiciness in this entire world?
My appetite plummeted.
I was about to set down my fork when the old attendant’s eyes sparkled.
“Everyone is waiting for the Saint’s opinion. Please, have a taste.”
“They’re waiting… for my opinion?”
“Of course! It’s the first dish ever dedicated to the Saint by the Church! Everyone worked so hard to please you.”
He scratched his head shyly like a boy.
Pimianta pepper was a luxury — worth its weight in gold.
Imperials didn’t naturally enjoy spicy food,
so the priests certainly wouldn’t have had such an expensive spice on hand.
They went out of their way to get this just for me? Then I can’t not eat it!
Groaning inwardly, I cut off a small piece of cheese.
My hand trembled as I lifted the fork.
The moment I took a bite, my entire body jolted like I’d been electrocuted.
Ugh! It’s spicy, sure, but it stings my tongue! And the cheese— it’s sticky, not chewy… like undercooked dough!
At this point, the best thing I could do was send the servant away and rinse my mouth with water.
“It’s… delicious. Please thank the chef for me,” I forced a smile, though I felt nauseous.
But the attendant insisted.
“I must serve you until you’ve finished your meal, Saint.”
“It’s fine, really.”
“Please, allow me, Saint.”
The old man’s wrinkled eyes pleaded desperately.
You expect me to eat all this horror? In a world with no antacids or emergency rooms?
Sorry, but collapsing here wasn’t an option.
I straightened my back and put on my holiest expression and voice.
“I must decline such royal treatment. I appreciate your effort, but I’m used to simple, humble meals.”
“As expected of the Saint…! Forgive my shortsightedness.”
The attendant bowed deeply in repentance.
I raised one hand like a devout religious leader.
“Go and tell them — the Saint was most satisfied with the dish.”
“Thank you, Saint!”
He retreated with reverent steps.
Only then did I hurriedly rinse my mouth with water.
“You’re quite convincing at playing the Saint,” Nikolai remarked dryly, chewing his cheese like a machine.
My cheeks burned.
“I’m doing my best.”
“You’ll make a fine Saint. Do bless me too, while you’re at it.”
“Don’t mock me. I had no choice.”
I pouted, and he shrugged.
To my surprise, more than half his cheese was already gone.
“How on earth can you eat that stuff?”
“I’m merely taking in nutrients.”
“Spiciness is supposed to be a form of pain, you know.”
“I already told you — the only flavor and scent I can truly sense is yours.”
Nikolai lowered his head slightly, eyes flicking toward me.
That piercing gaze swept through me like a blade.
Startled, I changed the subject.
“Do you think Franz is doing alright?”
I’d been worrying about him ever since we left the palace.
He’d grown stronger, but he was still just a child who needed care.
“You can see for yourself,” Nikolai replied, clearly not intending to give up on me.
“It’d be faster if Your Majesty just told me.”
“Finch is safe. Shade is protecting him.”
“Shade… the secret royal guard, right.”
Shade’s neat, boyish face came to mind —
along with the blood droplets that always followed in his wake.
“He’s incredibly skilled — stealthy too. But he kills too easily.”
“That’s his talent.”
“Franz was traumatized after witnessing that.”
“He’ll see far worse things once he becomes Emperor.”
“So you’re giving him early training?”
“If you can’t avoid it, you might as well get used to it.”
His cold response made my brows knit together.
I might be neglecting my duties as an instructor,
but I couldn’t let that pass.
“Franz really admires you. If you told him to study murder, he probably would. But please don’t push him like that.”
“Push him…?”
“He’s at an age where eating, playing, and growing are what matter most!”
“Unfortunately, I’ve already pushed him too far.”
He didn’t look the least bit sorry.
A chill crept up my spine.
“…What exactly did you do?”
“I gave him the imperial seal.”
“Y-you what?!”
My mind went blank for a moment.
Meanwhile, Nikolai remained perfectly calm.
“It’s used mainly for national decrees — a symbol of the Emperor’s authority.”
“Your Majesty!”
“If not for you, Finch wouldn’t have accepted it. I owe you for that, Elizabet.”
“Why would you give that to Franz?!”
My voice rose involuntarily.
He tilted his head, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“He’s acting in the Emperor’s stead. Naturally, he should hold the imperial seal.”
Douglas arrived at Owen’s atelier with Franz.
Owen, now painting replicas of his own works in the studio Elizabet had arranged for him,
looked conflicted as they approached.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince… To think you would visit such a humble place yourself.”
Douglas had warned him, but Owen — who had long resented the Evre royal family — couldn’t hide his mixed emotions.
Franz, on his secret errand, wasn’t dressed like a prince.
He wore simple clothes and hid his radiant golden hair beneath a worn hunting cap.
He might have looked like an ordinary boy,
but the noble air about him was unmistakable.
“Thank you for meeting me, Owen.”
“I’ve heard that Lady Elizabet is Your Highness’s tutor.”
“She is the only one I truly consider my teacher,” Franz said firmly.
His words brought a quiet smile to Douglas’s face.
I thought they were just playful companions, but… he truly respects her.
Elizabet was the only person who didn’t care about Franz’s exalted birth.
She treated him like a cheeky neighborhood brat,
and in front of her, he could shed his burdens and simply be a boy.
It must have been the first time he’d ever felt such freedom.
She’s also the only one who genuinely believes he’ll be the next Emperor.
Elizabet wanted nothing from him —
she never plotted to dethrone him or crown another.
Aside from Nikolai, the commoner Elizabet was Franz’s strongest ally.
If she hadn’t been falsely accused, Franz never would’ve accepted the imperial seal.
In other words, it was essentially Elizabet who had made a ten-year-old boy the acting Emperor.
“Why would Your Highness seek out a lowly traitor like me?” Owen asked.
“I heard you owe your life to Elizabet.”
“If not for her, I’d have been killed by kidnappers.”
“And if you had the chance to repay that debt… would you?”
“Are you trying to use my gratitude toward her to recruit me, Your Highness?”
