Chaotic Nights — Chapter 234. Accidents

Translator: Atlas

Weekly Chapter 1/3

Seohwi gave a slow nod. As memories of the past resurfaced, his eyes, once dry, began to glisten with moisture.

The last time he had seen Jihak was at the royal palace. Jihak had been covered in blood, his expression sharp and alert. Seohwi hadn’t been able to get close to him.

He had never understood why Jihak had left in such a rush that day.

“Why did you come to Harye alone?”

Seohwi swallowed hard, his throat tight. Jihak’s presence was overwhelming, like a towering mountain. Seohwi’s voice trembled slightly under the weight of it.

“I wanted to see you, brother.”

“Me?”

“The Shadows started vanishing from the palace. Some fell ill, others died from accidents. I don’t know why. Was someone trying to harm me? I fled with Janghee, but he disappeared too.”

Seohwi winced, his face contorted with pain.

Jihak clenched his fist. The Shadows were his elite force, trained by his own hand. Their deaths couldn’t have been mere accidents. Someone powerful must have orchestrated it. He had hoped Janghee might have answers.

“Where is the Heavenly Sword?”

“I don’t know. Four days ago, he said he was going to patrol the area. He told me to stay put because it was dangerous. But he never returned.”

“The Heavenly Sword wouldn’t misjudge the time needed to cross the mountain. Did you stop somewhere?”

“Only for a day, at the mountain guardian’s hut.”

“Did anyone come looking for you there?”

Seohwi’s expression darkened. Beads of sweat formed on his temples as he met Jihak’s piercing blue gaze. He shook his head.

He admitted he had been so exhausted that he had fallen asleep.

“Rest some more. I think the doctor is here,” Yuljae interrupted.

There was a commotion outside the door.

“Come in,”

Robin, dressed in a white robe, entered and bowed.

Seohwi glanced at Jihak, confused.

Jihak spoke in a western tongue,

“I heard he was poisoned. Is that true?”

Seohwi’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t believe Jihak was speaking the Western language.

Robin ignored Seohwi’s surprise.

“Fortunately, the poison isn’t lethal. The patient seems to have some resistance to it, as he’s survived this long after the snakebite. With proper medication, he should recover. But we need to watch for any rise in fever.”

“So his life isn’t in danger?”

“Correct.”

To Seohwi, Robin’s blue eyes seemed almost animalistic. When Robin suddenly grabbed his leg without warning, Seohwi couldn’t hold back a scream.

“How dare you touch me!” he shouted.

Robin paid no mind to the prince’s outburst.

“Please hold his arms. We need to disinfect the wound.”

“Disinfect?”

“It will be very painful, but necessary to prevent the wound from worsening.”

Jihak, gripping Seohwi’s arm, whispered, “This will test your endurance. If you can withstand this, you’ll emerge stronger.”

“Brother!” Seohwi cried out.