Chapter 7
As he strode with long strides and the old man desperately trailed behind, the image of Onju’s snow-white hair and bright, youthful face twisted something deep inside Pilhwan.
Noticing Pilhwan’s irritation as he thought of Onju, Yeonggwi grinned slyly and poked him in the side.
“Don’t you want to marry the young lady?”
“What would I do with that tiny kid? You think I’m a pervert?”
“You’re not a pervert, but you were the cheeky brat who dared to harbor feelings for the Lady of the Jujak Clan since you were knee-high.”
“……”
When Pilhwan averted his gaze, Yeonggwi sensed a hit and quickly stuck his head in front of him.
“You came all the way here yourself, not hearing a word from the spies you sent—just to confirm if the young lady is really alive or not, didn’t you?”
“No. His Majesty bestowed a post upon me. I’m here for work.”
“Right, that. Even begged your father—a thing you’ve never done in your life—to get that post. And now look at you, making all kinds of excuses.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Oh, please. You even disguised yourself as a wandering noble to see whether the young lady recognizes you or not.”
“……”
“You should be jumping for joy seeing her so alive and well. Instead, you’re all twisted up inside—I can see it plain as day.”
Pilhwan bit his lip in silence. Everything Yeong-gwi said was true.
Fleeing the palace to survive, rescued by Onju, and living peaceful days in Dongnae—those were the happiest days of his life. But then, he’d been stabbed and lost consciousness… and when he awoke, he was back in the palace.
Returned to the cold prison that was the Crown Prince’s quarters, not knowing how or why, Pilhwan focused only on gaining power within the palace.
There were days filled with blood, days covered in filth—but he endured them all, longing only to return to Onju.
Once he’d firmly secured his position as Crown Prince, he began sending countless spies to Dongnae.
All to confirm Onju’s safety. Whether she was alive, whether she was hurt, whether she was looking for him.
But none returned. No letters, no word. Every spy he sent vanished without a trace.
‘I even begged the Emperor—how desperate must I have been?’
He ground his teeth, remembering the moment he knelt before the Emperor. The lies he spun to be posted to Dongnae, the shame he endured.
At the time, he thought: if Onju was alive, that would be enough.
‘If she just welcomes me back, I’ll stay here in Dongnae as her live-in son-in-law.’
Sighing, Pilhwan looked down at his attire.
He had grown so much since they’d last been together. He worried Onju wouldn’t recognize him—so he dressed carefully. And if she had forgotten him? He was even prepared to seduce her.
‘Onju has always liked pretty things.’
And if seduction didn’t work, he came ready—with shiny trinkets from the palace treasury—to dazzle her.
‘But still…’
He exhaled again, deeply, eyes cast lower.
‘Why did I have to grow up so much…?’
Following the long shadow cast ahead of him, Pilhwan resented himself. Onju had somehow become even smaller, while he had grown far too large. At this rate, he looked more like her father than a lover.
“Ha……”
To the starving, exhausted child that Pilhwan once was, Onju had been everything—his savior, his world, his god.
Small or not, she remained his one and only god, his salvation, his light. Which is why—this wouldn’t do.
‘I can’t become smaller. So Onju has to return to her original form. I need to find a way.’
As he tangled his already-messy hair further, thinking of his miserable past and the now-miniature Onju, Yeong-gwi simply looked at him and giggled.
The laughter grated on Pilhwan’s nerves, already stretched thin.
“Stop beating around the bush and say it! What the hell do you want from me?”
“I told you. I want you and the young lady to become each other’s true partner and share your energy.”
Pilhwan, who had just started listening earnestly, snapped and glared at him.
“Are you out of your damn mind, old man? There are lines you don’t cross!”
“Why?”
“What the hell am I supposed to do with a tiny little kid like her? She hasn’t even grown yet! You senile freak!”
Yeong-gwi flinched in shock, realizing what Pilhwan was imagining.
“Y-you rotten bastard! I said be her partner, not mate! What kind of filth is rolling around in that dirty head of yours?”
“Aren’t those the same thing?”
“Absolutely not! And who are you calling perverse with that gutter brain?”
They glared daggers at each other, Yeong-gwi practically clicking his tongue in disgust.
“I hesitate to even tell you this, seeing how twisted your mind is… but since I decided to help, I’ll say it.”
“It better be some groundbreaking secret. I’m resisting the urge to kill you right now.”
“You’re the desperate one, kid. You should watch that attitude. I’m about to tell you how to bring the young lady back to her true self and become her partner for life.”
At those words, Pilhwan’s eyes lost all irritation and darkened with focus. Yeonggwi stared back at the youth who had never really been a boy, taking in the flicker of golden light behind his otherwise black irises.
Though the gold vanished quickly, the glint of hostility remained.
“Quit stalling and get to the point.”
Yeong-gwi lowered his voice.
“You just need to hold her. Carry her. Keep her close to your body.”
Pilhwan flinched. His guarded expression cracked. Yeong-gwi leaned in, serious now.
“Her energy is all inside your body. So you need to stay close—like animals do in winter, exchanging warmth. Think of it as returning the energy she gave you.”
“Like animals sharing body heat…”
Pilhwan repeated the words slowly, as if trying to absorb each one. Yeonggwi nodded in approval.
“Yes. Just stick close, and the young lady will gradually return to her original form.”
“That’s it?”
“If her heartbeat rises, the transfer becomes more efficient.”
“Just physical contact and raising her heartbeat… that’s really all?”
His expression lit up with hope—the idea of becoming her partner no longer a lost cause. Yeong-gwi stroked his beard with satisfaction.
“That’s all. Though there is one problem.”
“What?”
“According to my foresight, the merfolk of Dongnae are overly protective of the young lady.”
“I’ve always found them irritating. This is a good chance to wipe them out.”
