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CHAPTER 02
Ji-woo let out a short, startled cry—“Hik!”
But strangely, the pain was not severe. Compared to the deep cut that should have been left by a blade, it felt more like a needle prick. A few drops of blood fell, but they quickly stopped. There wasn’t even a scar left behind.
“This is the clearest proof that Akarna has received the blessing of the gods,” the priest said. “And…”
This time, the priest cut his own hand with the dagger.
Before Ji-woo could react, the priest grabbed her hand and let the blood from her palm drip onto his wound.
The droplets seeped into his cut, and in moments, just like Ji-woo’s injury, his wound also healed completely.
“This is proof that Akarna has descended to the mortal world to deliver the will of the gods.”
Seeing Ji-woo standing there with her mouth slightly open in shock, the old priest smiled kindly.
“Would you like me to show you more?”
“….”
“You only need to say yes or no.”
“…No.”
It sounded gentle, but it was not a real choice. Refusing was never an option in the first place.
From that day on, Seo Ji-woo began living in this unfamiliar world’s temple. Before she could even adapt, she had to accept her position in it.
Akarna was a title that referred to a fairly high-ranking position within the temple. Without even having time to explain her real name, she was addressed and treated as Akarna. So much so that, while trying to adapt, she began to forget her own name.
Language was the biggest problem. Being able to understand the unfamiliar language did not mean she could communicate properly. She could only pick up fragments of speech, and whenever she tried to speak, her words came out awkwardly. Because she could not speak properly, servants and priests often grew frustrated, and at times she could not shake the feeling that she was being looked down on.
Even so, she had to fulfill Akarna’s duties.
The duty to heal the sick and purify lands corrupted by miasma.
This was what the “Akarna” of this place was supposed to do. She had to let her blood be given to the injured or ill, and help them purify lands being consumed by miasma.
It was not a duty she had been suddenly assigned that she could possibly like. She was not an Akarna. She was certainly not some divine watcher. If a real god existed and had given her such a duty, would they not have explained it first?
But the temple did not care at all about her opinion.
Her freedom as a modern person was taken away. She was told to go when told to go, and come when told to come.
Worse, even though they relied on Akarna, they did not care about Seo Ji-woo’s well-being. They believed that if she died, the Akarna within her would simply find another body.
And if Ji-woo failed to fulfill her duties, they would not hesitate to kill her, believing she was an incorrect vessel for Akarna. The temple elders said it in refined, polite language—but that was the meaning beneath it.
Escaping the temple was impossible. Everything in this world was unfamiliar. It was a society with a strict hierarchy, and without understanding the language or culture, a foreigner like her would only end up as a slave if she ran away.
The only way Ji-woo could survive with any dignity was to remain in the temple.
So, as days passed, she grew more and more depressed.
Whenever she managed to find time alone, she would crouch in the shadow of the temple building, sitting blankly and letting time pass.
Everything here was unfamiliar—but the sky was the same as on Earth.
So when she looked up at it, she could forget reality just a little.
“Why are you crying in a place like this?”
That was the first time she met him.
Ji-woo didn’t even stand up. She simply turned her gaze from the sky toward the voice.
A man stood there, accompanied by two knights. A face she had never seen in over a year of living in the temple.
Standing with the sun behind him, he looked almost as if he was glowing. At first, she couldn’t even look at him properly.
He was a beautiful man.
His jet-black hair, bright even under the sunlight, stood out. His clear forehead, strong brow line, and crimson eyes shining beneath them gave off a calm yet trustworthy impression, like the sun itself. His high nose bridge and firm jawline added an air of dignity.
Ji-woo wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She had thought he was saying something strange—but there really were tears on her hand.
The man, who had been staring at her, offered her a handkerchief.
Since she had been shown kindness, she couldn’t remain silent, so Ji-woo spoke briefly.
“…Thanks.”
“Hm?”
He didn’t seem offended. Rather, he looked merely curious.
Ji-woo, still unable to use polite speech, broke into a cold sweat. The man did not press her further, but the knights behind him looked even more surprised. An awkward silence settled between them.
The one who broke the tension was a temple servant searching for Akarna.
“Oh! Akarna! There you are!”
She quickly ran over and positioned herself between Ji-woo and the man, trembling as she realized the situation.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince of the Empire, I—I apologize. Akarna is still not familiar with the language of the lower world…”
“Akarna? This person?”
The Crown Prince, who had been looking down at Ji-woo, soon smiled like a painting.
“So she doesn’t know how to speak yet… that means she is still learning, yes?”
“Y-Yes, that’s correct, Your Highness.”
“Then, Akarna… would you like to learn language and writing from me?”
Both Ji-woo and the servant were shocked. Ji-woo remained cautious, but the Crown Prince only extended his hand, still smiling.
“I actually came to meet the current Akarna, so it seems I’ve found the right place. The Empire relies greatly on Akarna. I would also like to be of help to you.”
“I will be staying in the capital for a while, so spend that time with me.”
Ji-woo desperately needed a language she could properly use. In the temple, she was only given the choices of “yes” or “no.” Even when she tried to express other opinions, she was usually refused under the excuse that Akarna must be an example for the temple.
Whether inside the temple or during external missions, people always treated her with either fear or excessive reverence. Because of that, she had never been able to properly learn anything.
And now, for the first time, someone was approaching her like this.
Starved for human connection, Ji-woo took the Crown Prince’s hand.
His name was Aleph.
Aleph Kavard, Crown Prince of the Empire.
The heir of the largest and most powerful nation in the world. A hero who had led the empire to victory in war against other nations.
He looked about her age, yet he had already been to battlefields—and won.
That fact alone sparked both curiosity and admiration in her.
He became an excellent teacher for Akarna. Since she could already understand speech, learning language and writing came surprisingly smoothly once she committed to it.
“You learn quickly, Akarna. Have you had structured education before?”
Even the Crown Prince, who had offered to teach her, seemed surprised by how fast she learned.
“I went to school when I was young.”
“From a young age? Even in the Empire, that is not common… You must have studied for a long time?”
Suddenly, he reached for her hand.
Ji-woo’s heart dropped for a moment, but he was only checking the faint pen marks left on her fingers.
She quickly steadied herself.
“Yes… about sixteen years?”
“You don’t look that old.”
The Empire was more advanced in many ways than other regions, but its public education system was not as developed as modern Korea. Ji-woo wondered how to even compare this place to Earth.
Eventually, she gave a simple answer.
“Where I’m from, it’s normal.”
“Either way, I enjoy teaching you.”
The Crown Prince had lived among many kinds of people—inside the palace and on battlefields. Because of that, Ji-woo was able to learn not just one language style, but many dialects and ways of speaking through him.
But that wasn’t the important part.
When Ji-woo had been dragged from place to place, the Crown Prince appeared, canceled her exhausting schedules, and even gave her proper rest time as Akarna.
In truth, Ji-woo had been so used to Korean work culture that she didn’t even realize how exhausting it was. And even if she had, it wouldn’t have mattered.
The temple had no intention of properly addressing her communication issues.
So even if it meant little to the Crown Prince, Ji-woo was deeply grateful to him.
Then, one day during a lesson, he said:
“We can’t keep studying like this forever. Would you like to go out with me?”
