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Chapter 07
Rizeana stood frozen, staring at Ian collapsed on the floor.
Just moments ago, he had looked like he would devour her alive—yet now he was rolling on the ground, clutching his chest.
He groaned in obvious pain, gripping his chest as if trying to tear it open.
Through his hair, something she had never noticed before became visible on the back of his neck.
A sun-shaped tattoo began glowing bright red.
At the same time, his eyes—twisted in pain—also shimmered red.
“What… is this…?”
Rizeana stepped back, watching him through the prison bars.
She couldn’t understand him suddenly crying out in pain like this.
In the Avid Empire, she had never heard that Ian suffered from any illness.
Not in her past life, and not after she regressed either.
“Ugh….”
Hearing his groans, Rizeana forced herself to calm down.
No matter what, he was the only one who could get her out of this prison.
“Duke? Hey—Duke?”
She called out, but Ian only groaned in response and did not regain consciousness.
She quickly looked around, but the underground prison held only the two of them.
Rizeana gritted her teeth.
“If you don’t get up right now, I’ll let you die! I still need you!”
She stepped closer to the bars.
“Damn it! Snap out of it, Ian Rendi Devencia!”
Her shout echoed through the underground prison.
Rizeana reached her hand through the bars.
She had to shake him awake if that was what it took.
But he was too far away.
So she instead reached for his hand, which lay just within her reach.
The moment she grabbed it, her eyes widened in shock.
His hand was so hot it felt like it might burn her skin.
Suddenly, his groaning stopped.
Rizeana quickly looked up at him.
He looked as if he were dead.
‘Did… did he wake up?’
“Huu… Is that you?”
His rough, broken voice mixed with shallow breaths.
His voice, which had always felt composed and confident, now sounded sticky and strained.
“My timing shouldn’t be off…”
The sun mark on his neck had already faded back to normal.
Ian’s gaze naturally fell to the hand holding his—Rizeana’s.
‘How did the curse break so quickly?’
Fragments of his memory surfaced.
He vaguely recalled her gripping his hand.
“Hey… you.”
Ian grabbed her hand like it was a lifeline.
His head was still spinning, but instinct told him this was necessary.
He stepped closer, still holding her hand tightly.
The sun mark had dimmed, but the heat was still there.
That meant the curse had not fully disappeared.
Feeling his grip tighten, Rizeana pulled her hand away.
“Let go! I only told you to wake up—”
“Just… let me borrow your hand one more time.”
His large hand gently grabbed her wrist instead.
And then something unbelievable happened.
The burning heat from the curse slowly began to fade.
The pain crushing his heart eased, replaced by a strange calm—like the peace he only felt near the Emperor.
“…This.”
Ian looked between her wrist and her face.
“…This is… not what I expected.”
He didn’t know why, but Rizeana seemed to possess something similar to the Emperor of the Tenzel Empire.
Rizeana, confused, could only think in chaos.
‘He suddenly turned like a beast… then grabbed my wrist… and now he’s fine?’
She couldn’t understand what was happening.
More importantly, he seemed oddly familiar with this situation.
Still holding her wrist, Ian looked at her and spoke.
“Good. Prisoner. I’ll make you a proposal.”
Rizeana, lost in thought, looked up.
“Proposal?”
“You’ll have a hard time surviving in the empire alone without help. I’ll protect you under my title as duke.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
He pulled her wrist slightly toward him.
“Just stay by my side when I need you… like now.”
It was a strange sentence—one that didn’t fit a kidnapper and a prisoner from enemy nations.
If the situation were different, it might have sounded almost romantic.
Rizeana, who already had no clear plan for life in this enemy empire, began thinking quickly.
From gaining asylum rights… to her ultimate goal of revenge against Laiphin and her family.
“Maybe… that pain of his is related to me.”
If so, she might be able to demand more from him later.
After finishing her calculations, she lifted her head.
“Fine. But I have conditions too. First, secure my identity.”
“My identity?”
“I can’t stay tied to you forever. I need a proper identity that lets me move freely in the Tenzel Empire.”
Her eyes sharpened.
Ian thought for a moment, then nodded easily.
To survive her new life, she didn’t mind staying temporarily with the mad dog of Tenzel.
“Good. Then it’s a contract.”
Ian smiled, his lips curving.
Inside the Prison Corridor
Ian walked out of the prison, whistling softly.
He hadn’t expected to find a way to suppress the Sun Curse like this.
He touched the mark on his neck while walking.
“Your Grace.”
Harhin’s voice came through the communication artifact in his pocket.
“What.”
“Um…”
“I said, what is it.”
“W-well…”
Harhin struggled to speak.
Ian was already irritated from Rizeana.
“Speak before I count to three.”
“….”
“Three.”
“….”
“Two?”
“….”
“One…”
“It’s the Imperial Palace! A message has arrived from His Majesty!”
This counting habit appeared when Ian’s patience reached its limit.
The last time Harhin exceeded “three,” he had been turned into a toad for a month.
Since then, Harhin never dared to provoke him again.
“Imperial Palace?”
“Yes… His Majesty always expects a report immediately after you complete a mission…”
“I see… damn it.”
Ian growled in an ancient language curse, then extended his hand and summoned imperial parchment.
Without moving a finger, elegant letters formed:
“Ian Devencia. Mission completed. I will visit soon. That is all.”
He handed it to Harhin carelessly.
“You’re not even going to read it?”
“Do it if you want.”
Harhin opened it cautiously.
It was full of thinly veiled threats about the Sun Mark activating if he skipped the council meeting.
“Throw it away.”
Harhin obediently tossed it into the fire.
Ian watched the burning letter.
Flames rose higher as he lifted his hand.
Burn.
Burn more.
He stared coldly at the fire.
One day, the Emperor would burn like that too.
He didn’t believe in gods.
But he always prayed fervently.
Rizeana – The Prison Again
“Is it morning… or still night?”
Every time she opened her eyes, all she saw was the ceiling.
She could only guess time from the faint light outside.
There was no time for this.
Yet she could do nothing.
She had returned through regression, only to end up trapped by the very man she had hoped would be her salvation.
Ian ignored every proposal she made as if she didn’t exist.
It felt like he wouldn’t listen to anyone.
She stared at the dull gray floor when she heard a click.
The dungeon door opened.
“Prisoner.”
Ian’s voice was as smooth and polite as always.
He approached her casually, as if nothing had happened the day before.
“I brought it again.”
He placed the plate in front of her.
Bread, milk—and this time, a bowl of steaming soup.
Without a word, Rizeana pulled it closer.
She needed strength if she was going to survive in this empire.
She took a spoonful.
Warmth spread through her body.
Ian, watching her while resting his chin on his hand, suddenly spoke.
“You might be going to the Imperial Palace soon. What do you think?”
“What are you talking about?”
She frowned and held out the coat he had given her on the first night.
“Don’t you remember your proposal? The Emperor of Tenzel wants to see you.”
Ian stored the coat in a spatial pocket, throwing it away like trash.
“This is about Gwanggak grass.”
He continued explaining.
“That’s why I originally planned to kidnap Delisa.”
“I understand. You needed proof it was being spread from Avid.”
Rizeana nodded easily.
She seemed likely to work with this man for a long time.
She glanced at him.
“Then what should I call you? We’re partners now.”
“Ian.”
“Ian.”
She repeated his name softly.
“I also intended to ask to meet the Emperor.”
“Right after arriving in Tenzel? Brave.”
“I already decided to come here.”
Ian narrowed his eyes.
“That means you came here for something else.”
As expected—he noticed immediately.
Rizeana sighed.
She had no reason to hide her revenge.
“I swore I would bring despair to them… even if it costs my life.”
“Despair… so you did say something like that. But you have a reason for revenge? The Crown Princess of Avid?”
“Yes. I will crush them completely. No matter the cost.”
“….”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
She asked as Ian stared silently at her.
“I wonder what made the Crown Princess of Avid decide on such cruel revenge…”
Ian’s eyes darkened.
“Will you tell me if I ask?”
