Blake's curse had not undergone any change in three years.
Maybe I could lift the curse if I found out why.
“How can I make the layer thicker?”
“Why are you asking me that? You made it yourself.”
“I made it? What does that mean?”
Did he mean to say that I made a layer of light which prevented the curse from spreading?
“If you want to know more, persuade my brother.”
Baekhan turned away after saying coldly. I caught him in a hurry before he went out.
“Wait!”
“What is it?”
“Can you please let me know?”
I pleaded earnestly. There wasn’t much time left now.
I thought he had opened his heart to Blake. When I saw how much Baekhan liked Blake, I thought that he might give in and tell me about the curse, but Baekhan was still as cold as he was at the beginning.
“Did you forget the deal?”
“Eunhan would never do it. You know that.”
“It's your job to persuade him.”
“You know how nice Blake is. He’s had a very hard time because of the curse. He’s lived his entire life being pointed at by people, and not a day went by when he wasn’t in pain. He suffered so much from the pain of the curse digging into his flesh, but there’s nothing I could do about it. But it’s different for you. Please let me know. I'll do whatever I can.”
I got on my knees and begged him.
“You’ll do anything?”
“Yes.”
“Then, can you even die on his behalf?”
“Yes.”
I answered without a moment of hesitation. My answer was completely sincere.
The moment I heard Baekhan’s question, I realized that I could even give my life for Blake.
Since when did I love him this much? I was surprised by the sincerity I felt towards him.
“You can take my eyes or life or whatever, as long as you can lift the curse.”
But Baekhan shook my hands off.
“… all I want is my brother. I don't have much time left. I'll save Blake, so hurry.”
***
“Why on earth was someone like you born!”
Lady Meng, Baekhan's mother, was always drunk.
She gave birth to a child after receiving the Emperor's favor, but she didn't get the title of a concubine and had to stay at an old and shabby pavilion in a corner of the palace.
Lady Meng often hit Baekhan. Whether she was drunk or not, she’d commit acts of violence.
But no one cared about him. The Emperor had more than a hundred children, and he wasn’t the child of a formal concubine. He hadn’t even been chosen by a Dragon. Such a child was worthless there.
There was no one to stop Lady Meng, so she became even more violent.
At that time, Eunhan, who was living in a pavilion nearby, saved Baekhan. Since that day, Baekhan often fled and went to Eunhan’s place to avoid his mother.
Eunhan’s mother was a commoner, and she was weak and often ill. Even though they also had difficult circumstances, it didn't stop them from helping Baekhan.
Baekhan regarded Eunhan as family. He had more than a hundred half brothers, but Eunhan was the only one who felt like a real brother to him.
However, the happiness didn't last long.
Eunhan was chosen by the Black Dragon, which was prophesied to destroy the country. Upon hearing the news of his execution, Baekhan's heart felt like it had been ripped out. Fortunately, Eunhan ran away.
When Eunhan disappeared, Baekhan, who was close to him, was questioned. But Baekhan wasn't afraid of being locked up in prison. He only wished for Eunhan’s safety.
Then, the White Dragon chose him.
To sign a contract with the White Dragon, he had to pay with his body. He’d lose his sight, and his body would stop growing. Baekhan was willing to receive the White Dragon even though he had to live as a child for the rest of his life.
The White Dragon was a creature that could search for anything. If he became a White Dragon, he could find Eunhan. Even at the moment of signing a contract with the White Dragon, his thoughts were only about finding Eunhan.
His life changed overnight, but he couldn't see his brother's face anymore. Despite that, he wasn't sad.
“Brother Eunhan is alive.”
He learned that Eunhan was not the ominous Black Dragon, but a Heavenly Dragon.
The country was thrown into frenzy when Baekhan revealed that fact.
There were many who weren't happy about it. They threatened Baekhan to stop his search for Eunhan and to make them the Emperor instead.
Everyone approached Baekhan with hidden motives. Baekhan could see their true intentions. They were all full of lies and greed.
Threats, pretences, manipulation, harassment, and violence.
Baekhan endured the pain day by day.
And finally, he found Eunhan.
He had now become a wonderful young man.
‘Brother, please save me from this prison.'
Baekhan wanted to hold onto him and cry, but he couldn't.
“The White Dragon chose Eunhan as my master. Please become the Emperor of Chang.”
Eunhan brutally refused Baekhan’s request, and soon, Baekhan realized that he couldn't change his brother's mind.
After much consideration, Baekhan chose Ancia.
Baekhan offered Ancia a deal.
The Asteric's Crown Prince was cursed. Baekhan could use him to take his brother back to Chang with him.
That was the only thought in his head.
However, when he saw Ancia begging for help to lift the Crown Prince's curse, his heart became heavy.
“Baekhan, smell this flower.”
Blake plucked the flowers and held them in his hands. A smile bloomed on Baekhan’s face as he leaned in to smell the flowers.
“It smells good.”
“Right? The flowers are very pretty too.”
Blake brought Baekhan to the greenhouse because he was depressed about yesterday.
‘How would this child react when he finds out that I'm an evil man who threatened his wife?'
“The flowers look pretty, just like you.”
“No.”
“Yes, they do. You’re very beautiful.”
“You'll be disappointed if you really see me. I'm a monster.”
“You’re not!”
But Blake smiled.
“I'm going to make a flower crown. Can you help me?”
“…okay”
Blake picked the flowers from the greenhouse and gathered them in one place. He asked for help, but Baekhan had nothing to do.
“Why do you want to make this yourself?”
“I'm going to give it to my wife as a gift. It won’t have any meaning if someone else makes it.”
“…is it her birthday?”
“No.”
“Then what special day is it?”
Blake shook his head.
“It’s not like that. I'm just making it because I want to give it to her.”
“Do you often give her gifts?”
“No. I don't. His Majesty gives her everything she needs, and even if I gave her something, it would all be from his money anyway. Besides, I'm going to die soon.”
“…….”
The young boy's words shocked Baekhan, but Blake was calm.
“Did you hear that from Eunhan? That you’re gonna die before you become an adult?”
“….yes.”
“That's why I didn't want to leave any traces, but then she'll be sad. Last year, I suddenly fell sick. I had a lot of regrets when I thought I’d die, so I picked a rose from the greenhouse and gave it to Ancia. Flowers would eventually wither away, right? Just like me.”
“…….”
“But she loved it so much. She placed the rose in a vase and put a preservation spell on it. Now, she looks at it every day. I gave it to her in hopes it would wither away, but seeing that, I regretted it. So I decided to give her a lot of presents.”
Blake’s hands moved diligently.
Baekhan couldn’t see him completely, but he could see that Blake was weaving the flower crown diligently by looking at the flow of light.
Blake was happily making presents for Ancia.
“If only I wouldn’t die..”
“Why do you practice swordsmanship every day if you think you're going to die?”
“To get abs.”
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