CHAPTER 083
The small gondola carrying the Emperor and Arabelle glided across Lake Glaches toward the coniferous forest on the opposite side of the imperial palace. Her clear eyes captured every detail of the Emperor, who was rowing while smiling warmly at her.
Hiding her trembling hands under the blanket on her lap, Arabelle's eyes turned into crescent moons as she returned the Emperor's smile. Just yesterday, the late autumn sky had been overcast, but now it was dazzlingly clear, and the afternoon sunlight sparkled on Lake Glaches like jewels.
It was a beautiful moment she would never forget.
As she blinked to hold back the rising tears, the lush coniferous forest came into view.
***
"We can see the boat."
Four men on horseback, who had arrived at the forest via land, fixed their gaze on the approaching gondola.
"Finally, tonight we can break His Majesty's curse."
"Lady Arabelle was confident, so it will definitely happen."
Sir Jacob and Sir Peter spoke, trying to contain their excitement. Emotions too complex to describe flashed across the face of Sir Derek, who had joined them. Mixed with his eager anticipation was a worry for Crown Prince Luca, whose whereabouts were unknown.
It was highly unusual for the Emperor, cursed as he was, to invite his knights to Inis Lake. Especially since they were of no help in breaking his curse. Sir Jacob, Sir Peter, and Sir Derek exchanged silent glances.
Last night, the Emperor had summoned the three knights to his chambers and extended his right hand toward them.
"Swear on your honor as knights. If Lady Arabelle is endangered because of my transformation at Inis Lake... swear you will protect her with your swords."
To protect Lady Arabelle with their swords meant to attack the Emperor for her safety. When the knights shook their heads in disbelief, the Emperor commanded them. They were to protect Arabelle under any circumstance, not him.
Knights are bound to obey their lord's commands. Solemnly, they kissed the red imperial ring on his index finger and swore the oath.
"Sir Timothy, are you cold? Your lips are blue," Sir Peter called out to Timothy, who sat a bit apart on his horse, staring intently at the gondola.
Timothy turned his head slightly and replied softly, "I have a bit of a cold. I'm fine."
Seeing Timothy looking particularly pale today, Sir Jacob spoke kindly, "Let's head into the forest. We can warm up with a fire at the lakeside."
"Shouldn't we wait for His Majesty and Lady Arabelle...?" Sir Derek hesitated behind Sir Jacob and Sir Peter, who had already started their horses into the forest. Sir Peter laughed.
"His Majesty would prefer us to be out of sight. He obviously wants to be alone with Lady Arabelle and avoid our prying eyes."
"True. For His Majesty, this is both breaking the curse and a date. His Majesty excels at multitasking," Sir Jacob agreed, and Sir Derek smiled in understanding as he followed them into the forest. Timothy also turned his horse and followed at a distance.
A faint 'squeak' sound came from Timothy's cloak pocket. As he glanced inside, placing a finger to his lips, the two brown mice inside quieted down. His lake-blue eyes momentarily turned opaque like frosted glass before regaining their clarity. His head pounded, and Timothy grimaced, shaking his head.
The spirit sealed deep within him was struggling to reclaim its body, causing turmoil in his mind.
"I thought he was weak," Caligo, who had temporarily taken over Timothy's body, ground his teeth against the intense headache. Entering Timothy's body after returning from the Emperor's audience was easier than expected. Taking over the pure-hearted and straightforward soul was challenging, but Caligo had exploited Timothy's brief moment of jealousy towards the Emperor being with Arabelle.
To approach the Emperor at Inis Lake without arousing suspicion, Caligo had taken Timothy's body and whispered to the man and woman he had transformed into mice.
"His soul is so pure I can only borrow his body for a day. But I'll have the Emperor's body by then."
Tonight, on the Emperor's twenty-sixth birthday, as prophesied, his fate of living eternally with the curse would begin.
Caligo had prepared thoroughly to enter the Emperor's body during the fleeting moment when the Emperor and the black panther coexisted. Until now, the Emperor's body transformed into a black panther, but tonight, the Emperor's human body and the black panther's body would separate. The Emperor's soul would move into the panther, leaving his human body an empty shell.
The destruction of the Helterd Empire would be complete with the Emperor's eternal curse as a black panther. Caligo planned to seize the Emperor's human body in the brief moment the soul transferred.
"Everything is going according to plan."
Caligo, following the three knights through the forest, smiled in satisfaction. Arabelle, unaware of this grand scheme, would use her light to save the unconscious Emperor... by then, Caligo would already possess the Emperor's healthy body and could easily teleport her to Beosu Volcano Island.
He had waited a thousand years for this moment. Timothy's stolen face grew paler with each passing moment, but his eyes shone with excitement. After giving Princess Arabelle's light, he planned to stay by her side as a man more beautiful and strong than the king she once loved, crossing the River Aether together.
As they emerged from the forest, the warm mist surrounded them like a thick fog. Soon, the vast expanse of Inis Lake, with bubbles of all sizes rising from its surface, unfolded before the knights.
***
"After the festival, let's return here tomorrow night..."
The Emperor's voice dropped onto Arabelle's head as they docked the boat and rode a black horse into the forest. Arabelle, cradled in the Emperor's arms on the saddle, looked up at him.
"I wish to hold a wedding ceremony just for the two of us. Do you permit?"
Her round eyes met his serious crimson ones.
"The imperial wedding is still a month away due to its complex procedures. To become a married couple... I beg you to take pity on your pathetic fiancé, who lacks the reason, patience, and will to wait any longer."
It was the truth.
The small gondola carrying the Emperor and Arabelle crossed Glaces Lake, heading toward the coniferous forest on the opposite side of the palace.
Her clear eyes captured every detail of the Emperor's figure, rowing with a smile that lifted the corners of his mouth.
Arabelle, hiding her trembling hands under the blanket on her lap, responded to the Emperor's smile with her eyes forming crescents.
The late autumn sky, which had been gloomy until yesterday, was dazzlingly clear, and the afternoon sunlight sparkled on the lake like jewels.
It was a beautiful moment she would never forget.
As her round eyes blinked to hold back the tears, the lush coniferous forest came into view.
***
“The boat is coming.”
The eyes of the four men on horseback, who had arrived at the forest by land, were fixed on the approaching gondola.
“Tonight, we can finally break the Emperor's curse.”
“Lady Arabelle is confident, so it will surely happen.”
Sir Jacob and Sir Peter spoke, trying to contain their excitement.
Various indescribable emotions passed over Sir Derrick’s face.
Amidst the overwhelming anticipation was a worry for Crown Prince Luca, whose whereabouts were unknown.
It was unusual for the Emperor, who did not want to show his cursed self, to invite the knights to Innis Lake.
Especially since they were of no help in breaking his curse.
Sir Jacob, Sir Peter, and Sir Derrick exchanged silent glances.
Last night, when the Emperor summoned the three knights to his quarters, he extended his right hand to them.
‘Swear on your honor as knights. If Lady Arabelle is put in danger by my transformation into a beast at Innis Lake... swear to protect her with your swords.’
To protect her with their swords meant to attack the Emperor for her safety.
The three knights, shaking their heads at such an impossible command, were ordered by the Emperor to protect Arabelle at all costs, even over himself.
A knight's fate is to obey the orders of their liege.
The three knights solemnly swore, kissing the red ring on his forefinger.
“Sir Timothy, are you cold? Your lips are blue.”
Sir Peter called out to Timothy, who was sitting a little apart on his horse.
Timothy, staring intently at the gondola, turned his head slightly and answered softly.
“I have a bit of a cold. I’m fine.”
Noticing how unusually pale Timothy looked, Sir Jacob spoke kindly.
“Let’s go into the forest. We can light a fire by the lake to warm up.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for His Majesty and the Lady...?”
As Sir Jacob and Sir Peter rode into the forest, Sir Derrick hesitated, to which Sir Peter responded with a smile.
“His Majesty would prefer we stay out of sight. He surely wants to be alone with Lady Arabelle, and we would only get in the way.”
“Exactly. This moment is both to break the curse and to have a date with her, ha, ha. His Majesty is excellent at multitasking.”
Sir Jacob’s agreement made Sir Derrick smile in understanding as he followed them into the forest.
Timothy, who had been by the water’s edge, turned his horse to follow at a distance.
A faint ‘squeak’ came from his cloak pocket.
As he glanced into the pocket and placed a finger to his lips, two brown mice quieted down.
His lake-blue eyes momentarily turned opaque like glass, then regained their clarity.
As a splitting headache struck, Timothy winced and shook his head.
Deep within him, the spirit of another struggled to reclaim his body, causing ripples in his mind.
‘I thought he was a weakling.’
Caligo, who had momentarily seized control of Timothy's body, gritted his teeth against the severe headache.
Entering Timothy’s body had been easier than expected after meeting the Emperor and returning home.
Though it was challenging to invade the soul of someone with such a pure and upright nature, Caligo had exploited Timothy’s brief moment of jealousy towards the Emperor with Arabelle.
To approach the Emperor without suspicion at Innis Lake, Caligo, who had taken over Timothy, whispered to the man and woman disguised as mice.
‘His soul is so pure that I can only borrow his body for a day. Before then, I’ll take over the Emperor’s body.’
As prophesied, tonight, when the Emperor turned twenty-six, his fate to carry the curse forever would begin.
Caligo had prepared to enter the Emperor’s body at the moment when both the Emperor and the black panther existed simultaneously.
Until now, the Emperor’s body had transformed into a black panther, but tonight, his human and beast forms would be separated.
The Emperor’s soul would move into the black panther, and his human body would become an empty shell.
The fall of the Helterd Empire would be completed by the curse that forced the Emperor to live forever as a black panther.
In the blink of an eye, Caligo prepared to take over the Emperor’s human body as his soul transferred.
‘Everything is going according to plan.’
Caligo smiled triumphantly as he followed the three knights out of the forest.
Unaware of this monumental truth, Arabelle would use her light to save the Emperor after he collapsed.
By then, Caligo would already have the Emperor’s healthy body and would easily whisk her away to the volcanic island of Beosu.
He had waited a thousand years for this moment.
Though Timothy’s face grew paler and colder, his eyes gleamed with exhilaration.
After giving Princess Arabelle’s light, he would stand by her side, more beautiful and strong than the king she loved, and cross the Aether River with her.
Emerging from the forest, they found Innis Lake enveloped in warm, misty steam.
Soon, the bubbling lake of varying-sized droplets appeared before the four knights.
***
“After the festival, we shall return here tomorrow night...”
The Emperor’s voice fell on Arabelle’s crown as he disembarked the gondola and mounted his black horse, entering the forest.
Nestled in the Emperor’s embrace on the saddle, Arabelle looked up at him.
“I want us to have our own wedding ceremony. Will you allow it?”
Her round eyes met his serious red ones.
“The imperial wedding is complicated, and we must wait another month to become husband and wife... Have pity on your pathetic betrothed, who lacks the reason, patience, and will to wait any longer.”
It was the truth.
He had been anxious about possibly hurting Arabelle due to his curse.
If he could break the dreadful curse tonight...
Knowing he wouldn’t put her in danger anymore...
He couldn’t wait a moment longer.
Unable to respond, Arabelle buried her head in his chest, wrapping her slender arms tightly around him.
‘I want to marry His Majesty alone.’
Her true feelings hovered on her lips, but she couldn’t speak them.
After tonight, she wouldn’t be by his side.
Thinking of the Emperor left alone, her heart felt like it was being shredded by sharp knives.
She feared he would mourn and blame himself for a long time because of her.
As he gently stroked her head, Arabelle closed her eyes and made a wish.
In a world without me...
Please hurt only a little.
Think of it as just a fleeting dream.
And forget.
She wished earnestly.
The prophecy written in ancient script on papyrus warned of the fate of a Lumen Savior using their light for humans.
Blessed by the goddess of nature, the Lumen Saviors could use their light for animals but were forbidden to use it for humans.
The last princess of the Lumen Savior tribe lost all her light and her soul when she used it to save the dying king.
After exhausting all her light and losing her soul to the underworld, she fell into an unending sleep.
Tonight was different from the previous nights when Arabelle used her light to ease the Emperor’s pain.
Tonight, she had to save him from an eternal curse.
The prophecy foretold the fall of the Helterd Empire by the red-eyed beast Emperor.
The Emperor and his knights knew this prophecy.
But there was another prophecy they did not know.
The Emperor, doomed to live forever cursed, could never return to his human form.
Written in ancient script, the second prophecy stated that if not saved by a Lumen Savior’s light, the red-eyed beast Emperor would live forever as a black panther.
If a Lumen Savior used all her light to break his curse, her soul, defying the goddess’s blessing, would fall into the underworld.
Arabelle intuitively knew she had to summon all her light tonight, just as the last princess did to save the king she loved.
As soft lips pressed on her crown, her eyelashes fluttered.
‘I will break Your Majesty’s curse.’
Arabelle bit her lower lip and resolved.
Emerging from the forest, the Emperor and Arabelle were greeted by Innis Lake, reflecting the darkening sky.
***
When the white full moon was perfectly eclipsed by the black moon, the Emperor's body began to contort in pain.
Overwhelming agony, worse than death, enveloped him, and for the first time, he saw the form of a black panther appear before him.
Overcome with incredulous horror, he dug his nails into his thigh.
Until now, his body had transformed into a black panther, but now a black panther appeared before his human body.
It felt as if his soul was splitting, experiencing the bizarre phenomenon of moving into the black panther.
The Emperor, now seeing himself in the black panther's eyes, watched his human self writhing in pain.
It was a grotesque moment where his separated soul watched himself as both human and beast.
He realized his soul was transferred entirely into the black panther as he stared at his increasingly blank-faced human form.
Then,
“Hiya!”
In the flickering red vision,
he saw Timothy leaping toward him.
Astonishingly, Timothy morphed into a skinny boy in mid-air and rushed at the Emperor.
Before the knights could intervene, the boy lunged at the Emperor, and at that moment,
Flash,
A blindingly bright light flared up like a fire, forming a semicircular barrier around the Emperor and Arabelle.
Roar!
The boy, repelled by the light barrier, fell to the ground, letting out a fierce growl.
The semicircular barrier encircling the Emperor and Arabelle flared up again like fireworks and shattered into fragments.
The light dispersed like golden dust and vanished into the air, and the slender arms that had held the Emperor went limp, and the small body collapsed onto the grass.
The Emperor, who had been curling in pain, slowly raised his head.
The searing pain that felt like his cells were being incinerated vanished completely.
Opening his red eyes, he saw his long, ten fingers.
He moved his calloused, large hands.
They were undoubtedly human hands.
At midnight, when he turned twenty-six, the curse was broken.
As the clouds parted, moonlight poured over Innis Lake, with the full moon floating on the water.
The Emperor, regaining his senses, urgently cradled the sleeping Arabelle in his arms.
For some reason, she remained silent and still.
“Arabelle...”
Even after kissing her forehead, caressing her cheek with his palm, tightening his arms around her, and calling her name, she did not open her eyes.
With a foreboding sense of dread, the Emperor's lips trembled uncontrollably, unable to voice his thoughts.
Then, the sound of hooves approached,
“Your Majesty!”
Count Coral’s urgent voice came from behind.
“She won’t open her eyes...”
The Emperor, barely managing to speak through his tightening throat, heard the count’s sorrowful voice as he knelt beside him.
“Lady Arabelle sacrificed herself to save Your Majesty.”
“Ah...”
As the black moon that had perfectly eclipsed the full moon began to recede past midnight, a low, indistinguishable cry echoed across Innis Lake.
The cry, clearly human, resembled the anguished moan of a gravely injured beast.
“Ah...”
The sound of blood boiling seemed to burst forth in fits and starts with hot breaths.
The Emperor’s large hand stroked Arabelle's pale face.
Though she had broken the curse, smiling with crescent eyes and nestling in his arms seemed like a distant dream.
No matter how long he waited, she did not open her eyes to show her beautiful gaze.
Her breathing grew fainter as if in a deep sleep.
Though the curse was broken...
The Emperor's bloodshot eyes revealed no tears, only blood.
Running his thumb over Arabelle's cold lips, he realized.
His curse had just begun.
“Ahhhhh!”
The harrowing cry of a human man, more pitiful than a beast, reverberated through the forest and across the lake.
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