IBPC | Chapter 7.4

A limp body was thrown in front of Heegon. As the men left, the scent of the Eumin filled the room. The guild leader watched Heegon’s reaction.

“He’s just entered his second bout of heat, having survived the first. What do you think? If you’re willing to pay the right price, I’ll hand him over to you.”

“…….”

Heegon silently observed the Eumin, his expression tense as he lifted his chin slightly.

“Don’t most Eumins die before reaching the third bout of heat? Can you really call him strong if he’s only at the second?”

“Just wait and see. Even outside of the heat, he’s incredibly strong. It’s rare for someone to endure the second bout this well.”

As the guild leader said, the Eumin before him seemed conscious and didn’t appear to be in bad shape, despite being in the throes of the second bout.

But something about it didn’t seem right. If Heegon hadn’t met Seoyul, he might not have noticed, but having experienced Seoyul’s heat, he knew better.

This Eumin’s condition didn’t seem like a proper heat. When Seoyul was in heat, he was much more lucid and didn’t struggle for breath like this.

“…….”

Heegon remained silent, simply watching the Eumin. Despite the Eumin he had been searching for being right in front of him, he couldn’t bring himself to make a decision, his face clouded with conflict.

⊹₊⟡⋆

“……?”

Pacheon, who had been talking to Seoyul, suddenly flinched and looked up. He stared in the direction of the room Heegon had entered, his expression slightly alarmed.

The scent of an Eumin—it was unmistakably wafting from that room.

What’s going on…?

Pacheon glanced at Seoyul. Seoyul was engrossed in watching the fish in the pond, completely unaware. Pacheon hesitated, unsure of the situation, before standing up. He adjusted his clothes and looked at Seoyul and Galjae behind him.

“Stay here for a bit. I’ll go check on His Highness.”

“……?”

As Pacheon headed toward the room Heegon had entered, Seoyul watched his retreating figure with a puzzled expression. But he quickly dismissed it and turned his attention back to the artificially created pond.

“…….”

And Galjae watched it all. His eyes gleamed as if he had seized an opportunity, staring at Pacheon as he entered the room. Then his gaze shifted to Seoyul, sitting by the pond.

“If you hand over that short-haired man to the brothel, I’ll give you enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”

An elderly woman had urgently sought him out before meeting Heegon’s party. She offered him twice the amount of the valuables Pacheon had given him, proposing a secret deal. If he could separate that short-haired man from Heegon and deliver him to the brothel, she would pay him even more.

He didn’t know why, or who they were, or what that man was… But with the valuables already in his pocket, Galjae’s greed had blinded him. Now that Heegon, who had barely left the man’s side, had stepped away as if the heavens had given him this chance, Galjae no longer needed to hesitate.

⊹₊⟡⋆

“Your Highness?”

Pacheon entered the room where Heegon was, opening the door. As he stepped inside, the overwhelming scent of the Eumin, which had been resonating even outside, grew even stronger, enveloping him. Pacheon covered his mouth with his sleeve and looked at Heegon, who was sitting inside.

In the room, only Heegon and a stranger—no, Heegon was holding the stranger in his arms. Pacheon was momentarily speechless as he stared at the two, then took another step inside.

“Your Highness, what is this…?”

Heegon turned his head and looked up at Pacheon. His expression was grim, but as Pacheon entered, he staggered to his feet, the Eumin still clinging to him, breathing heavily. Heegon pushed the Eumin toward Pacheon.

“Take this Eumin.”

As Heegon handed the Eumin over, Pacheon hesitated but took him. Heegon pressed his palm against his furrowed brow and let out a slow sigh. Then, looking at the Eumin now in Pacheon’s arms, he spoke.

“He’s an Eumin.”

“…What?”

“I received him from the guild leader.”

At Heegon’s brief explanation, Pacheon looked down at the Eumin in his arms.

So the guild leader had found an Eumin?

“Are you planning to take him in, Your Highness?”

“Find someone outside the palace to take care of him.”

“You’re not bringing him into the palace?”

“No.”

“If you’re planning to take him in, it would be better to bring him into the palace.”

At Pacheon’s words, Heegon paused. For a moment, amidst the overwhelming scent of the Eumin, Heegon thought of Seoyul’s face.

An imperfect Eumin, but one who might become perfect. In the past, Heegon might have taken him into the palace immediately, even in this state. But now, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Let’s keep this Eumin outside the palace for now.”

“You know he won’t be fully protected outside the palace, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“……?”

At Heegon’s curt reply, Pacheon was too stunned to say more.

Although the Eumin before them wasn’t perfect, it was still a significant discovery. That’s why Heegon had ordered him to be taken in.

But for some reason, Heegon didn’t seem pleased with this Eumin. He wanted to take him in, yet he refused to bring him into the palace. And the way Heegon was restraining himself in front of an Eumin in the throes of erotomania…

Could it be that he’s concerned about Seoyul?

“…As you command.”

Pacheon had many doubts, but he followed Heegon’s orders and began to leave the room with the Eumin. It seemed that Heegon’s intentions were far more complicated than he had thought.

⊹₊⟡⋆

“Quick, load him up.”

Galjae handed Seoyul’s body, which he had been carrying on his shoulder, to the men waiting at the side gate. Seoyul’s mouth was gagged, and his head was covered with a black cloth. He struggled violently.

“Ugh!!”

Seoyul let out a muffled scream, but no one paid him any attention. Galjae, however, glanced around nervously, worried that someone might see them, and urged the men to hurry.

The burliest of the men stepped forward and effortlessly lifted Seoyul from Galjae’s shoulder. He laid Seoyul down in the large cart they had prepared and covered him with thick, coarse blankets. Seoyul’s presence was completely hidden. The men looked at the cart and then turned to Galjae, holding out their hands.

“So, what do you want us to do with this whore?”

Galjae handed them a pouch of valuables. He looked anxious, knowing he had to finish the job before Heegon and Pacheon returned. He glanced back nervously but firmly instructed the men.

“Make sure he gets passed around as much as possible. After that, sell him off or do whatever you want.”

“Why go through all this trouble for a whore? Is he really one?”

“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Some local noble was keeping him around… disgusting, really.”

“But are we really free to do as we please? There won’t be any repercussions, right?”

“That’s why they’re paying us so well. Don’t worry.”

“Did he piss someone off?”

The men smirked as they looked at the cart carrying Seoyul. Galjae shook his head indifferently.

“Whores make enemies all the time. Who cares?”

The men laughed in agreement.

“Guess the wife of the guy keeping him must’ve been jealous. Women’s jealousy is scary.”

“So, do we get to keep the money from selling him too? Really, we can do whatever we want?”

As the men continued to ask questions, Galjae raised his hand, unable to delay any longer.

“Yes, handle it as you see fit.”

Then, with that hand, he lightly grabbed the arm of the man in front and pointed to his own face.

“Before you go, give me one punch.”

⊹₊⟡⋆

Pacheon had the Eumin taken to another location by the guild’s people so that Seoyul wouldn’t see him. While Heegon took a moment to compose himself in the room, Pacheon hurried back to where Seoyul had been.

But the pond where Seoyul had been sitting was now empty.

“……?”

Pacheon paused, stopping in his tracks.

Come to think of it, Galjae was nowhere to be seen either. Pacheon looked around more carefully and spotted Galjae running toward him from a distance. Pacheon paid no attention to him and focused on finding Seoyul.

“Where did that boy go?”

As he asked about Seoyul’s whereabouts, Galjae, who had run closer, caught his attention. Pacheon frowned.

“Sir…!”

Galjae, as if relieved, rushed toward Pacheon. His face was flushed red, and his lip was split, as if he had been struck.

Seeing Galjae’s disheveled state, Pacheon began to feel a sense of foreboding.

“Why is your face…?”

“That bastard ran away!”

Galjae cried out in frustration, clutching his face. He pointed toward the side gate, his expression one of utter indignation.

“As soon as you left, that brat turned on me, stole all the valuables you gave me, and ran off!”

“……?”

“I tried to chase him when he bolted for the side gate, but he hit me and got away! What should we do about that insolent brat?!”

Galjae beat his chest, tears streaming down his face. Pacheon, hearing such an absurd story, couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ran away? That boy, how could he—”

It wasn’t just anyone—it was Seoyul, who had no connections here, didn’t even fully understand the situation, and was aware that he was practically the only Eumin in this world. Unless he had a death wish—

Pacheon’s face hardened as a chilling thought crossed his mind.

Could it be?

He grabbed Galjae by the collar and lifted him up, his expression icy.

“What did you do, you scum?”

“W-what? What did I do? It was that brat who did it, sir!”

“You bastard!!”

Pacheon’s spine chilled as he realized Seoyul was gone, and he let out a roar that could have torn the heavens.

“Do you even know who you’ve dared to lay your hands on?!”

“S-sir?”

“Tell me what happened to that boy right now. If you don’t, I’ll tear you apart limb by limb and feed you to the dogs before I kill you.”

Galjae, seeing Pacheon’s terrifying rage, forgot his act and trembled in fear. Amid the chaos, Heegon stumbled out of the room.

“What’s all this noise?”

Heegon was pressing his hand against his temple. Pacheon, still holding Galjae, turned to look at Heegon, half out of his mind.

“…….”

Pacheon couldn’t bring himself to answer Heegon’s question, his eyes trembling. Heegon, frowning, looked between Pacheon and Galjae before finally glancing around.

Come to think of it, Seoyul, who was supposed to be waiting outside, was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Seoyul? That boy?”

Those were Heegon’s last coherent words.