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TDK 18

TDK

Chapter 18: The Beginning of Obsession

“Did I fall asleep?”

Haewon opened his eyes, looking dazed.

The room was dark, someone must’ve turned off the lights.

Only the lamp near the window was still lit, just enough to see around.

“Hm?”

Haewon looked around, then frowned and touched his forehead.

He seemed to feel something strange and kept touching his head—his forehead, temples, the top and back of his head.

His face changed.

“The pain…”

It was gone!

The terrible pain that had bothered him for hundreds of years had completely disappeared.

But that wasn’t the only surprise.

He had slept for two whole hours without waking up.

It was the first time this happened since he became king.

Everything looked different now that his mind was clear.

It was like a thin film had been removed from his eyes—his vision was bright.

Even the room he saw every day looked new.

Was the lamplight always this soft and beautiful?

Were the wave-like shadows on the window always this pretty?

Haewon turned his head slowly, taking in every part of the room like someone seeing it for the first time.

It reminded him of when he first left a small room after being trapped for a hundred years.

He had felt joy and excitement to finally see the world—but also fear that it might disappear again.

Thinking of that memory made Haewon’s red eyes grow calm and serious.

Then his eyes stopped at one place.

“She stayed like that the whole time I was asleep?”

Haewon was looking at Cheong.

She was asleep, resting her head on the table.

Her neck was bent in an uncomfortable position, but she looked peaceful.

“She didn’t go back to her room… Oh, I didn’t tell her to leave.”

Haewon tilted his head, confused at first, then let out a soft sound of realization.

Because he didn’t give the order, Cheong couldn’t leave and had to stay there.

“She actually listens well at times like this.”

Haewon chuckled while looking at her calm, sleeping face.

He had thought she might boldly call a eunuch or servant to help her leave.

But it seemed she never even thought of that.

He imagined her sitting awkwardly on the chair, unsure what to do—it made him laugh.

She always had something to say to him, even though he was the king. But when it came to ordering palace staff, she couldn’t even try.

Haewon smiled faintly at Cheong again.

Just by being here, she made his heavy heart feel lighter.

She was a truly strange person.

As he quietly stared at her, Haewon pushed off the covers and got off the bed.

“She’s bothering me.”

The way her head was tilted while sleeping kept catching his attention.

Without even thinking, he walked over to where she sat.

Then, he gently picked her up in his arms.

Even though a stranger was lifting her, Cheong stayed sound asleep.

“I thought she was clever, but she’s actually kind of silly.”

He frowned and muttered at her, feeling annoyed for no reason.

But Cheong just kept dreaming peacefully in his arms.

Her completely defenseless appearance in front of a man was irritating.

Why? He didn’t know.

It just… annoyed him.

The sweet scent from her body, her calm breathing, her warm skin—everything was irritating.

Step, step.

Haewon walked with heavy steps across the room and headed to the bed.

But his hands stayed gentle as he laid her down.

Cheong wriggled slightly at the soft feeling of the blanket and finally moved.

Some of her hair fell across her pale face.

Her lips twitched slightly, maybe because the hair tickled her when she breathed.

Rustle.

Haewon reached out and brushed the hair off her face.

After that, Cheong curled up like a shrimp.

“Is she cold?”

Since the Dragon Palace was deep underwater, it was colder than the human world.

Especially at night.

Seeing her small body all curled up, Haewon finally covered her with the blanket.

That seemed to help—Cheong’s lips curved into a gentle smile.

“Ha…”

Haewon let out a sigh.

He had said she bothered him, yet here he was taking care of her.

It was funny.

But that wasn’t all.

Looking at her small, pale face made him feel strange.

Like being trapped in hot water—uncomfortable, yet tingly like a healing scratch.

Haewon was confused by the feeling. It was the first time he’d felt anything like this.

Maybe… it was because of how Cheong treated him.

She wasn’t afraid to touch him.

She didn’t get scared, no matter what he said.

Most importantly, she looked at him as an equal.

Not as a king or a godlike being, but as a person with real feelings.

To Haewon, who had lived for thousands of years with no one to depend on, that meant everything.

So much that it shook his heart completely.

“I only meant to keep her alive for a little while… I was wrong.”

Haewon whispered.

“I’ll keep her by my side forever.”

 

His red eyes gleamed in the darkness as he looked at Cheong.

“Ahh, I slept so— Huh?!

Cheong stretched her arms and opened her eyes, feeling refreshed—but then gasped.

Where she was lying felt completely unfamiliar.

Not just unfamiliar—it was too fancy, almost blinding.

The blanket and pillow were made of the finest silk.

The bed was way bigger than the one in her room, with beautiful silk curtains hanging from each corner.

And off to one side, she could even see a huge golden pillar.

“This is crazy! Totally crazy!”

Cheong jumped up in shock.

If her memory was correct, this was Haewon’s bedroom.

Last night, after Haewon fell asleep, she had relaxed and sat at the desk—but now she was in this giant, luxurious bed!

“How… how could this happen?”

Surely she didn’t, in her sleep, push Haewon out and crawl into his bed?!

Cheong grabbed her head, panicking at the ridiculous thought.

“You make a lot of noise even just waking up.”

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

She turned her head toward the calm voice—and saw Haewon.

He was sitting at the same desk she had been at last night, resting his chin on his hand, watching her.

“D-Don’t tell me… you were sitting there all night?!”

“Well, I sat there for quite a while.”

Haewon answered casually, like it was nothing.

Cheong’s face slowly lost all color.

Her terrible imagination had come true.

“I fought so hard to stay alive yesterday, and now I’m going to die today anyway…”

Cold sweat trickled down her back.

She, of all people, had taken over the bed of the scary king everyone feared—and even slept soundly until morning!

If she was going to die like this, why did she even bother trying so hard to live?

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but get up now.”

Haewon’s voice was cold and firm.

Even if it wasn’t, to Cheong, it sounded icy.

“Ugh, if I was going to sleep, I should’ve at least done it properly!”

Cheong jumped off the bed in a hurry and tightly shut her eyes when she saw the messy blanket.

It looked super expensive—smooth and shiny—but now it was a total disaster, creased in the exact shape of where she had slept.

With shaking hands, she tried to fix it.

Or at least she wanted to.

“Leave it and come sit here. Breakfast will arrive soon.”

Haewon called her over like he knew exactly what she was thinking.

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

Cheong had no choice but to leave the ruined blanket and go sit across from him.

Now that she looked, Haewon was wearing the same white sleeping robe from the night before.

It made her feel even worse, like he had been kicked out of his bed because of her.

“You talked so much yesterday—why are you suddenly so quiet?”

Haewon spoke first, noticing her silence.

Even the question made Cheong feel terrified.

“I-I’ve always been quiet and well-mannered!”

Scared her head might soon roll, she just blurted out anything.

“…Ah, I see. I’ve learned something new.”

Haewon replied, holding back a laugh. But to Cheong, it sounded like he was mocking her.

“Your Majesty, breakfast is here.”

While Cheong was sweating nervously, a eunuch’s voice came through the sliding door.

“Let it in.”

As Haewon turned his gaze away, Cheong let out a quiet sigh of relief.

But not for long—when the dazzling breakfast table came in, Cheong’s eyes went wide in shock.

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I Became the Obsession of the Tyrant Dragon King

I Became the Obsession of the Tyrant Dragon King

폭군 용왕의 집착 대상이 되었다
Score 10.0
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Artist: Released: 2025 Native Language: korean

Summary
Why did it have to be a classic novel?!

Cheong, who lost her mother at a young age and grew up under the abuse of her stepfather, managed to become a traditional Korean medicine doctor through sheer determination. Just when she thought her life was finally turning around, her car's brakes failed, sending her plunging off the Han River Bridge.

“I can’t die like this!”
Cheong’s short 33-year life ends as part of her stepfather’s plot to claim her life insurance.
Or so she thought.

“Wait… I’m Shim Cheong from the classic novel The Tale of Shim Cheong?!”
Upon dying, Cheong is reincarnated as Shim Cheong from the old Korean tale and meets the Dragon King Haewon.
“I-I’ll try treating Your Majesty’s chronic illness!”
To save her own life, Cheong becomes the royal physician to the Dragon King.

***

“Who is in charge of the Blessed Consort?”
A court lady is dragged away simply for stoking the fire when Cheong says she’s cold.
“I told you to bring food that suits a human’s palate…”
Just for picking at her food, the royal head chef is on the verge of execution.
“What shall you eat next? Just say the word—I shall feed you myself.”
The Dragon King Haewon’s red eyes burn with a madness-fueled obsession as he gazes at Cheong.
‘How did I end up as the obsession of a tyrant Dragon King?!’

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