There’s a Monster Inside Me Chapter 19

There’s a Monster Inside Me

Chapter 19

I watched Geum Tae-min until he disappeared from view.

“…There’s nothing worth looking at in someone like him.”

Princess Eun-deok’s tone was cold and frosty. She clearly didn’t feel any affection toward Geum Tae-min.

“But Senior Geum Tae-min is going to be the head of the Geum Family, isn’t he?”

I asked back with a foolish expression.

The Geum Family, or the Golden family, had been with the royal family since the founding of the country. This alone was enough for all citizens to hold respect for the Golden family.

Over a thousand years ago.

On the Day of Heaven’s Opening, when the kingdom’s history began, the heavens bestowed a blessing.

It was a blessing that granted the most noble and brilliant silver light and auspicious green light to the royal family for generations to come. Subsequently, the royal bloodline came to possess silver hair and green eyes.

The gods also bestowed a thousand-year blessing upon the Golden family, who protected the king at the risk of their lives.

The Golden family received a prophecy that a child with Golden hair would appear generation after generation, and as long as the thousand-year blessing continued, no one could destroy this family.

Because of this, the Geum Family has enjoyed power second only to the royal family.

Princess Eun-deok spoke with cold eyes.

“The Geum Family… I wonder if that divine blessing still continues today?”

“Well…”

Everyone naturally thought it continued.

After all, God promised the blessing as long as there was someone born with golden hair in the Golden family.

In the previous generation, it was Geum Tae-myung, Geum Tae-min’s father, and now it is Geum Tae-min who received the Geum blessing.

All other family members had black hair.

“I’m not so sure. The kingdom’s history has already passed a thousand years.”

Princess Eun-deok’s words were very significant. The thousand-year blessing promised by God… She was saying it was an agreement whose term had already expired.

“Is his hair truly golden?”

With her words, I realized with certainty.

Whether it was the entire royal family or just Princess Eun-deok’s opinion, she had no blind trust in the Golden family.

And so I felt relieved. There was someone who doubted Geum Tae-min, the Golden family, and their true nature.

Princess Eun-deok, who had been chattering thoughtlessly, suddenly covered her mouth.

“OH! Benefactor Maru, forget what I just said!”

“…Ah, yes. But why?”

“Just because. If this gets out, it won’t be good for either the royal family or the Golden family.”

Outwardly, the royal family and the Golden family needed to maintain an inseparable relationship of trust.

I immediately nodded.

“I see. I won’t say a word.”

“As expected of you, Benefactor! Anyway, what I meant was… you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance!”

I looked at Princess Eun-deok again.

I thought she was just a sheltered princess with no thoughts and strong stubbornness, but she truly is a member of the royal family. She didn’t judge Geum Tae-min solely by his handsome appearance.

Lost in thought, I crossed the library’s main entrance. Just then, an academy clerk who spotted us came running with hurried steps.

“Princess, the Grandmaster wishes to see you for a moment.”

“Aww, right now?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I waved my hand vigorously toward the hesitant Princess Eun-deok.

“You should go quickly, Princess.”

“But I was supposed to read books with Benefactor Maru…”

“We can read books another time. It might be important, so hurry along.”

“Fine, I have no choice. Benefactor Maru, I’ll be back soon!”

Take your time. Go quickly and come back slowly.

I bid her farewell in my heart.

Watching Princess Eun-deok’s retreating figure, I quickly borrowed some books and slipped out.

I was finally alone after days.

The long-missed solitude felt incredibly welcome.

Should I climb a tree to read? Or go far into the forest?

“Bada Maru.”

As I was walking through a yellow field where evening primroses were in full bloom, an unexpected figure approached. It was Senior Pureum Usol.

“Thank you for this.”

The senior handed me a handkerchief embroidered with evening primroses. It was Gurumi’s handkerchief that I had given during the competition with Geum Tae-min.

“…Is Princess Eun-deok giving you a hard time?”

“No, not at all.”

I waved my hands in denial.

“Princess Eun-deok… she just doesn’t know how to hide her feelings, but she’s a kind person. Will you try to understand her?”

“Understand? Someone like me…”

I scratched the back of my head.

“By the way, are you alright, Senior?”

“…Huh?”

“I was worried that perhaps… your status might be revealed because of Princess Eun-deok.”

Senior Usol’s expression hardened.

Most students didn’t know about the senior’s noble status. She must have been surprised that I mentioned it so casually.

“So you knew after all?”

“Silver hair and green eyes are rare, aren’t they?”

I smiled as if it were nothing special.

“I’m sorry. For putting you in danger without properly explaining.”

“What are you saying? You’re my life’s benefactor!”

“Hmm?”

“Benefactor… that’s what Princess Eun-deok calls me.”

“…”

“Senior, you saved me from the Three-Headed Snake, remember? Without you, I would have died before the white snake could intervene. You are definitely my life’s benefactor.”

Senior Usol shook her head.

“You were in danger because of me. Benefactor? Hardly.”

“No, Senior, you are my benefactor.”

In my past life, and in this life too.

I smiled sweetly, and my senior shook her head.

“…Listen. I’d prefer it if you didn’t treat me differently because I’m royalty.”

“Of course! I hope that you also won’t treat me differently now that I know you’re royalty.”

“HAHA….”

Senior Usol let out a deflated laugh. She probably had never met someone so brazen to address a princess like this.

“I respect Senior Usol as my senior at Thousand-Year School, not as a princess. To me, you’ll always be Senior Pureum Usol.”

“…Thank you.”

I clearly conveyed that I was seeing her for who she was as a person, not for her family name or her princess status.

A gentle smile appeared on my senior’s lips.

***

In one corner of a large, spacious area, a strange barrier was spread out.

Within a pattern filled with ancient characters, Geum Tae-min faced a giant bird.

They had been confronting each other for days. The bird’s body was covered in wounds.

“KIEEEK!”

The giant bird took flight. However, the barrier did not provide enough space.

The bird hit the ceiling and staggered.

SWISH!

A silver blade cut off one of the bird’s wings.

“KRAAK!”

As the giant bird fell, losing its balance, it made a final struggle. Sharp talons scratched Geum Tae-min.

SLASH!

When the Dragon Scale Sword emitted a silver light, the white wall was stained red. The smell of blood was overwhelming.

“KIEEEEEK!”

The giant bird, witnessing its death, cried out in resentment.

Red blood splattered everywhere.

Even the sky-blue silk clothes Geum Tae-min wore were covered in dark red.

He dropped the Dragon Scale Sword.

His eyes were redder and fiercer than ever before.

What was smashed against the wall, covered in blood, was a bird full of tiger patterns.

It was a huge Tiger-Patterned Bird that could swallow a person in one bite.

From the heart of the dead Tiger-Patterned Bird, a red energy rose in wisps. The energy soon seeped into Geum Tae-min.

For a moment, Geum Tae-min’s hair turned a deep Geum color before fading again.

“Mirror.”

At Geum Tae-min’s command, Seogyeong, who was nearby, quickly handed him a mirror.

His hair, reflected in the mirror, looked duller than usual. Even the wound on his face had not healed.

Cheong Eun-deok was right.

The golden color had darkened, and the noble hue had faded. As if the blessing of the gods had been cut off.

Even the scent of the intimate wounds left on his body was exposed.

CRASH!

The mirror Geum Tae-min threw shattered against the wall.

‘HIEK!’

Geombau, who happened to be visiting and waiting for him, shrank his large body.

How unlucky, To visit Geum Tae-min when his nerves were on edge.

Geombau couldn’t even think of saying what he came to say, and just froze against the corner of the room.

Geum Tae-min threw off his blood-stained clothes.

The image of Princess Eun-deok’s disrespect flashed in his mind.

A vein stood out on one side of his forehead.

As if trying to forget the humiliation, he looked out the window. Geum Tae-min’s gaze, fixed on the distant blue sky, wavered.

Down below in the canola garden, a thin-built boy and a slender woman were walking together, talking.

Pureum Usol’s lips were relaxed as she faced the young boy.

At some point, a smile crossed her lips.

It was a natural smile he had never seen before.

Deep wrinkles formed on Geum Tae-min’s handsome, beautiful brow.

“…?”

Geombau was watching Geum Tae-min. Therefore, he could see his expression change dramatically.

Geombau quickly looked out the window. He could see two people walking among the canola flowers in the distance.

‘That’s it!’

Geombau imprinted the scene in his mind. The guy who had been bothering him was there.

What was his name… Bada Maru? The newcomer who turned Thousand-Year School upside down by saving Cheong Eun-deok.

These days, he’s supposedly busy flattering the princess by sticking to her?

Geombau had been thinking of teaching a lesson to this irritating sight.

Seeing Geum Tae-min’s expression, he was certain that he would be pleased with this.

With Cheong Eun-deok’s appearance, Geombau had long forgotten about Jin-dallae, who had babbled about divination.

Now he had a new target to deal with.

“I will go back to my family home.”

Geum Tae-min rose from his seat.

Although he tried to compose his expression, displeasure still remained on his face.

“I will inform the professors and the school officials.”

Geombau answered, stepping forward, but Geum Tae-min ignored him.

“You take care of it, Seogyeong.”

“Yes, I will do as the Cheongun wishes.”

Geum Tae-min designated Seogyeong instead of Geombau.

He was a person with quick judgment and exceptional intelligence. He was in stark contrast to Geombau, who only excelled in strength and force.

Geombau bit his lip.

It was always like this.

While Geum Tae-min entrusted all dark and dirty work to Geombau, he subtly kept his distance from him.

On the other hand, he assigned detailed, intimate plans and external affairs to that skinny brothel-boy-like Seogyeong.

This was an area of utmost regret for Geombau.

For the sake of the Geom family, he had to gain Geum Tae-min’s recognition.

Geombau’s eyes fixed on Bada Maru outside the window.

The small, young boy seemed not even worth sneering at.

He thought of using that boy as a sacrifice to gain Geum Tae-min’s trust while enjoying the small pleasure of bullying a newcomer himself.

This is what people call ‘killing two birds with one stone.’

And also pushing aside that eyesore Seogyeong.

‘Hehehe…’

Geombau inwardly chuckled at his quick wit and cleverness.