Side Story 2. The Forgotten (2/2)

“I’ve been having similar thoughts.”

She continued with a hesitant look.

“But, I’m worried that you’ll….”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

Seol Jihu dismissed her worry with a wave of his hand.

“I have a ton of Divine Wishes in stock.”

“But.”

“More importantly.”

Seol Jihu paused. He looked deep into Yun Seora’s eyes and spoke in a heartfelt voice.

“No price is too high to make you happy. I mean it.”

Yun Seora’s eyes widened. Her breathing quickened, and a strange groan escaped her lips.

*

As the woman opened her eyes, a familiar view came into focus.

‘This place is….’

She knew she had been here before.

“You’re awake.”

But before she could remember where exactly she was, a cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts. The woman’s blonde hair fluttered lightly in the air as she quickly turned around in the direction of the voice.

Her eyes widened instantly.

“You…!”

“Welcome back to Paradise, Roe Scheherazade.”

Seol Jihu grinned brightly.

Roe Scheherazade stared at him for a moment before turning her gaze to Gula’s statue. She finally understood what had happened to her.

“You… revived me.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?”

Roe Scheherazade asked sharply, the anger in her voice evident.

“For what purpose?”

“Well….”

Seol Jihu looked sideways as if in thought. Then he turned his eyes back to Roe Scheherazade before suddenly breaking into a playful grin.

“Because you’re pretty?”

“?”

“Because your beauty suits my taste. Let’s just say that I’ve fallen in love.”

Roe Scheherazade furrowed her brow.

“That’s your reason for bringing me back to life?”

“It may not be a big deal for you, but it is for me.”

Seol Jihu shrugged, and Roe Scheherazade heaved a sigh. This man was saying that he revived her just so that he could take her. A dumbfounded chuckle escaped her lips.

“In the end… you’re no different from those scumbags.”

“You know what they say—all men are the same at the core. Even the ones that are different change when they rise to positions of authority.”

Seol Jihu answered fluently. Roe Scheherazade closed her eyes, for she felt that he wasn't even worth talking to.

“Well then, shall we get going?”

Seol Jihu grabbed Roe Scheherazade’s arm. She tried to wriggle free but to no avail.

“Stop wasting your energy and save it. You’ll need it for plenty of other occasions.”

His hand pulled her forcefully against her will.

“For your information, it’s been a little over a year since you died.”

Seol Jihu explained as they descended the stairs.

“The Parasites have disappeared from Paradise. Everyone is living in harmony now. Take a look over there.”

Seol Jihu pointed at the streets of Scheherazade, but no answer came from Roe Scheherazade. He felt as if he was dragging a broken doll.

“I have a question.”

Seol Jihu turned back his head slightly.

“Why did you save me?”

“I never saved you.”

Roe Scheherazade replied coldly.

“Somebody must have found my necklace, and—”

“Even that requires a formal transfer of rights.”

Roe Scheherazade shut her mouth.

“I also read your will.”

“…Please kill me.”

She muttered with a heavy sigh.

“Why did you…. Why….”

“No.”

Seol Jihu declined without hesitation. Roe Scheherazade’s eyes narrowed.

“How naive! Did you really think that I’d let you have your way?”

“Resist if you want, but keep in mind that I can always revive you again.”

Seol Jihu chuckled.

“I’m the one who killed the Parasite Queen, actually. And it turns out that I can make hundreds of thousands of Divine Wishes.”

A look of disgust crossed Roe Scheherazade’s face.

Soon, the pair arrived at the palace.

Seol Jihu walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Roe Scheherazade’s room.

“Go on. Get dressed and come to the throne room. Make sure you look nice, alright?”

He pushed Roe Scheherazade toward the door, but her feet remained planted firm.

“I wouldn’t be so disgusted if you revived me for the sake of revenge.”

Her gaze pierced Seol Jihu.

“I’ll make you regret this.”

Her eyes flashed with hatred and vengeance.

“And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

Seol Jihu asked in a slightly mocking tone, resting the Spear of Purity against his shoulder.

“Even the mighty Parasite Queen knelt before me.”

He continued with a smirk.

“I hope you get your revenge. But until then, I look forward to spending time with you.”

Seol Jihu opened the door and pushed Roe Scheherazade inside.

“Oh, by the way.”

He asked just before he closed the door.

“How did you feel on your way here?”

“…”

“Did you feel sad? Hopeless?”

“You are….”

Roe Scheherazade’s eyelids trembled.

“…Truly the most despicable man I have ever seen.”

“That’s harsh.”

Seol Jihu smiled before suddenly clasping his hands in front of him and bowing his head.

“Please forgive me. It’s just that I felt the same way back then.”

“What….”

The door closed on her with a thud, and Roe Scheherazade blinked in confusion.

A couple of servants were already waiting for her in the room. They took her to the bath, washed her, combed her hair, and powdered her face. Then they dressed her in royal apparel, in which she looked absolutely stunning as a queen should. And not even once did Roe Scheherazade resist while all this happened. She had already lost all hope for herself.

Soon, she found herself walking down the corridor to the throne room. All of a sudden, without any warning, tears streamed down her face. She felt stupid and pathetic. She thought everything would be over, but it wasn’t. Now, she could no longer even take refuge in death. Instead, she was forced to repeat those days—those days of devastating pain and humiliation—possibly for eternity this time.

‘Perhaps this is also karma.’

It didn’t take her long to arrive at the throne room. Without any hesitation, Roe Scheherazade proceeded to enter the room but suddenly paused.

“Therefore… the royal family must take care of this issue….”

She heard voices from inside the throne room.

‘This voice…?’

Through a crack in the door, she saw a familiar face. Yun Seora was sitting in a chair, smiling, and talking to someone. Their eyes met briefly. Yun Seora greeted Roe Scheherazade with a small nod before getting up from her chair. Then she bowed her head politely to the person she had been talking to and walked out of the room.

“Go on.”

Yun Seora brushed past her. The door to the throne room swung open. Roe Scheherazade, who intuitively took a step inside….

“……”

…Stumbled before she could even take the next step. She couldn’t help it, because the man standing in front of her was not Seol Jihu.

Her gaze reached the bright blond hair reflecting the sunlight shining through the window, then crossed over to the broad forehead and the kind eyes beneath it. A handsome, middle-aged man with a well-groomed beard and a crown over his head stood waiting for her words.

“Ga, Ga….”

This man was Gairos Scheherazade, the King of Scheherazade.

“Gai….”

Roe Scheherazade stood frozen for a long moment. Her mind went blank, and she couldn’t tell whether this was a dream or not. Through tears, her vision kept blurring.

Gairos waited patiently. He opened his mouth as if to speak but soon threw his hands up and shrugged his shoulders. Then he spread his arms wide with a bright smile that showed his fine teeth.

“I've missed you, dear.”

Roe Scheherazade couldn’t wait any longer.

“Ah….”

She still wasn’t sure if he was real. But the unknown emotion boiling in her stomach had already spread throughout her body and taken hold of her.

“Ah….”

When she realized that, Roe Scheherazade was already running toward Gairos Scheherazade.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Crying and screaming like a child, she jumped into his arms. And then….

“…”

Seol Jihu, who had been watching them from afar, broke into a satisfied smile. He turned around quietly and left the palace.

*

A few days passed by. The revival of Nur and Scheherazade’s royal families became the talk of Paradise. Newspapers reported that the Triads and Sinyoung would cooperate with their respective royal families as partners in overseeing Paradise from now on.

“So this is why you wanted to close the restaurant for a few days.”

Seo Yuhui muttered as she skimmed through the newspaper. Seol Jihu, who was sitting at the table, coughed in mild embarrassment.

“What made you change your mind? I thought you said you didn’t want to interfere in other people’s business?”

“I didn’t interfere.”

Seol Jihu shook his head.

“I only did it as a favor to the two people who are my comrades, friends, and benefactors.”

“Yeah?”

Seo Yuhui stood up, giggling. She wrapped her arms around Seol Jihu’s neck from behind and asked.

“…Will you be alright?”

“What do you mean?”

Seol Jihu rubbed the back of his head against Seo Yuhui as he tilted his head back.

“Nur is fine, but Roe Scheherazade…. She’s a scary person.”

“Hmm. I think we’ll be fine.”

A chuckle escaped Seol Jihu’s mouth before he turned his attention back to honing his spear.

“I was just a bit curious.”

“About what?”

“About what could have… no, what will happen if I reach out first.”

Though I can’t deny that it took me way too long. Seol Jihu muttered as he pressed the spear’s blade with his fingers. Seo Yuhui tilted her head in question.

“But I understand why you’re worried, Yuhui. If what you’re afraid of really happens….”

He continued, inspecting his spear from different angles.

“That’s when I’ll really have to interfere.”

Seo Yuhui smiled at the remark.

“Okay, let’s leave it at that. But I have one more question for you.”

“?”

“Why do you think your ‘comrade, friend, and benefactor’ called me out to talk?”

“Huh? Which one?”

“Miss Yun Seora.”

Seol Jihu’s eyes widened. He shook his head as if to indicate that he had no idea what she was talking about. Hmph. Seo Yuhui said. She pinched Seol Jihu’s cheek and rolled her eyes before turning around and heading toward the kitchen.

“But I didn’t do anything wrong this time.”

Seol Jihu tilted his head and lifted the Spear of Purity above his head.

“You agree with me, right?”

Woong.

It was then that the Spear of Purity slipped out of his hand, and its shaft struck Seol Jihu on the head. Seol Jihu asked, puzzled.

“…What was that for?”