#shadow monarch

“You think something was wrong with that Hunter Sung?” You laid on the couch upside down with your head nearly touching the floor, your legs swinging in the air back and forth while your arms hugged a pillow close to your chest. In fear of you stumbling onto the ground, Cerberus had laid itself on the ground, luckily for you―and Dongsuk’s apartment―he could shrink his size down.

“Everything is wrong with that man.” Baruka snarled, playing with his daggers near the windows. Though his eyes idly watched the outside, his sharp ears were trained on every movement and sound you made, including your idle thoughts spoken aloud. “He is suspicious.” His head turned away from the window, a scowl on his face as he turned to you. “Another Shadow Monarch? One that’s practically tasked to kill you to complete a job well done? We should strike him down when we have the chance and continue onwards!”

You shook your head; that was enough to silence Baruka. You didn’t want to admit it, but it was odd. His words rang true about the key and you’ve gained Cerberus easily without much effort. You were even trying out something new, something you weren’t used to, yet the fight was quick and effortless on your part. You thought hard. Jinwoo didn’t want you to continue after, saying that it would be a challenge inside. You only compiled because Jinwoo’s words seem to have some weight to it, yet…

“It wasn’t a challenge at all…” You pouted.

Igris placed dish upon dish on the dining table, Dongsuk following behind to set up the table. Cerberbus’ heads nudged you back to the upright position, your feet on the floor and your head over the top of the couch’s back. The armora of food brought your body over to the dining table, Igris stood behind your chair, pushing it in as you took your seat.

You habitually ate after thanking Igris for the meal, your mind still racing as you tried to decipher Jinwoo’s actions and reasoning behind. You wanted to invest in this relationship, in him. He was different, just as you were to your home world. The only one who could grow stronger, the only one who could communicate with dungeon monsters, the only one who could bring the worlds to ruin. The only difference between you two was your views. Jinwoo appears to care for humans and their prosperity, hence taking the quest to come to your world. Meanwhile, you couldn’t care less about humans and frankly, you saw them as tools to use, you don’t want to destroy the world but you don’t want to save it.

A hum escaped as you chewed on your food, eyebrows furrowing in deep thought―you weren’t even aware that it was Igris, Baruka, and Taeshik constantly refilling your bowl with food to eat, then there’s Dongsuk refilling your cup.

Jinwoo’s state while growing strong would be out of desperation. He has something to protect, righteous, and loving. He was aware of the Red Gate Incident but appears to be confused and horrified. Even more so when you had Baruka and Cerberus as your Shadows. “He didn’t ext- No… He couldn’t extract their Shadows…” You turned to air, “System, can you see what Shadows Hunter Sung has?”

[THE ENTITY HAS WEAK SHADOWS AT HIS COMMAND IN THIS WORLD.]

[IN HIS WORLD, HE HAS IGRIS, KNIGHTS, MAGES, ICE BEARS, A WYVERN, HIGH ORCS, AND MORE.]

“No ice elves or humans like Dongsuk or Taeshik?”

[NO.]

Then if he were like you, facing the same events. He should have faced the same, there were two possibilities. One, he didn’t want to extract humans, maybe due to morals. Two, he didn’t have the power to do so when he was facing them.

If your theory about Jinwoo being in a rush to grow much stronger for some goal was right, then the Demon Castle he faced then would be a challenge to him, truly S-Rank. Yet for you, who had grown strong enough to manage stronger foes and aim for an advantage, most quests were a breeze to complete. You could even choose your Shadows. For Jinwoo, his battles were actual battles with a challenge. For you, your battles were Shadow recruitment. His worries are unfounded and unnecessary, sweet as they may be.

One question could overturn it all, “When Hunter Sung fought in the Demon Castle, what Shadow could and did he extract?”

[THE WYVERN NAMED KAISEL.]

High orcs are most likely from another dungeon, since the only Shadow Jinwoo got from the Demon Castle was a wyvern. If his extraction ability was active and he was desperate to be stronger, why not the demons as well? He would have done so, so he wasn’t able to? Why?

“System?”

[YES?]

A thought, a curious thought rang in your head. If you were indifferent to humans and he was caring for humans. If you treasured the System as it did to you… “You said Hunter Sung’s relationship with his System was business-like. Does his System hide information from him? Sets restrictions for him?”

[YES.]

[CERTAIN INFORMATION ARE RESTRICTED.]

“Also, has Hunter Sung failed to extract the Shadows he wanted?”

[YES.]

That answers that. It could be that his System didn’t want him with certain Shadows, or his power levels weren’t on par. There could be other reasons as well, though you couldn’t figure that out at the moment. You know for a fact that Baruka and Cerberus were Shadows he couldn’t obtain, hence his disbelief. Perhaps it was a balance, fairness when he lived well and you didn’t, now favouritism from the System? You can’t be sure of that, this was all idle thoughts.

Cling. You blinked and looked down at the empty plates and bowls before you. “Oh.”

“Dessert, My Lady?” Taeshik offered.

You smiled, “Yes!”

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It made no sense. No sense at all.

At the moment, Jinwoo was back in his apartment, connecting through his animalistic Shadows while searching through the city for you and your Shadows.

Forget about the humans you extracted, since he did the same with Iron. What about the ice elves? Baruka? You had their whole tribe as your Shadows. How was that possible? From what he learned through his chat with you, you certainly were stronger than he was when he faced the same situations and you had your Shadow Monarch title later, yet everything was twisted and mixed together as a result.

Your timeline changed from his perspective, and it flowed just as smoothly from your perspective. Both of you had shadow extraction when the Red Gate Incident happened, yet both of you had different results. While you two joined, it was under different circumstances.

Jinwoo had searched online and researched the incident. There was no mention of a mysterious helper; there were no survivors from the team. Everyone died. While he couldn’t know exactly what happened in the Gate, he doubt you joined openedly like he did with someone vouching for you. Then again, wouldn’t that mean Song-Yi would be entering dangerous Gates since she never learned her lesson?

No… Jinwoo shook his head from the train to train heading to a wrong direction. He needed to look at the bigger picture. You. You who will be the worlds’ end should he fail to convince you. Yet… Was there anything to convince? Clearly you didn’t care for humans and you saw lives as a means to an end. You were in a way stronger than him with the System as your true ally without strings. Hold up…

Ashborn of this world wouldn’t have given up the possession willingly to you after seeing your actions, right? Though that Ruler mentioned that it was indeed you who brought the world to its knees. Did Ashborn allow you to do that? Or the Architect? Was that manipulator the cause? No, he might have given you power, but your mindset and ways stemmed from something deeper, something more tragic―a tale of pain and suffering unlike him.

But… If you saw no meaning, can’t he just give you meaning? Show you what his friends and family showed him in his darkest times. You need someone to help you out of that spot. So then… What’s a good start?

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You patiently waited as you adjusted yourself on the seat. An odd sense of nervousness over you as you waited for Taeshik to bring Jinwoo over to this secluded room within a cafe. Perhaps it was because you’ve been thinking of him more so than yourself and your own plans for the future more these days after meeting him. Or it could be cause of the little hope and anticipation towards this interaction with him.

Emotions and thoughts that you wouldn’t care for. That man you met before, when he tried recruiting you into a guild, you had forgotten all about him, you didn’t care if he was alive or not, so long as he didn’t spread information about you. Dongsuk and Taeshik, whom you killed and have been serving you since, you didn’t think much of their human selves or regret doing the deed. Yet it was different with this Jinwoo person.

Your cheek leaned into the space between your curled fingers and lower palm, and your elbow plopped on the table. Your finger lightly touched the rim of the cup, your eyes blinked from time to time. Applying a bit of pressure to the cup, cracks appeared.

“I’ll have it changed, My Lady.” Baruka took the cup away just before its contents could stain the tablecloth or worse, your hand.

“Thanks, Baruka.” You smiled, moving your idle hand to the plate. Yes, with Jinwoo, you were a bit different. More human? You silently laughed, your shoulders jolting up a bit and your eyes closed momentarily. Human… How interesting.

Knocks came at the door and you granted permission for entry. Taeshik’s face greeted you first before he stepped aside and there was Jinwoo with his hands behind his back. You nodded at him and gestured for him to sit down. Taeshik left the room while Baruka returned to your shadow, you wanted privacy.

An awkward silence stilled the room, but you happily enjoyed his presence. How long had it been since the last time you were this at ease with someone other than your Shadows or the System? You were, however, ignorant of the inner turmoil Jinwoo was having opposite you.

“Ah, yes.” Jinwoo’s hands removed themselves from behind his back and placed a box on the table, then slid it over to you. “A gift, for you.” You carefully unwrapped it layer by layer accordingly. As you got to the inner box, Jinwoo spoke just as you opened it to reveal what was inside. “It’s a hairpin, enchanted with fire-resistant charm. I thought it would help when you go back to the Demon Castle.”

“Really? A gift you won’t take back? A gift without strings?”

“I want you safe and… happy.” Jinwoo looked you in the eyes, a hint of sadness and maybe pity. A small gift like this was enough to move you? To bring you to tears. How cruelly has your world treated you.

You sniffed and wiped your eyes, chuckles and laughs came out broken and short. “You know, once a friend gifted me a pen but then told everyone I stole it, which happened when I was a child. Another time, a Hunter teammate gave me a bag of supplies, but it was coated with blood that attracted monsters towards me, they used me as bait. I hated being gifted with something… But…” Your hand shook lightly, cradling the gift close to your heart. “I can’t explain this, I feel so… light…”

Jinwoo felt his face flush. A little gift like this was enough to make you shed tears of happiness. He lamented that he couldn’t have met you earlier. Things would be much different, now. Yes? “So why have you called me here?”

“Ah, yes.” You composed yourself, placing down the hairpin back into the gift box. “I’m planning on returning back to the Demon Castle and continuing onwards with the quest. I believe it would prove to be less of a challenge for me, than it was for you.” You chuckled, speaking honestly. “You’re welcome to join, but I’d appreciate it if you would only spectate like last time with Cerberus. No hints or help this time as well.”

Jinwoo nodded in understanding. He had expected that you would want to continue with the Demon Castle question, but he had to ask. “Your parents. How are they? Would one of them be suffering from an illness by chance?”

There was a minor jolt. Jinwoo noticed how the light from your eyes faded a bit. Your entire figure slumped down as if something pushed you down by force―a trigger. Your voice dulled, words came out as if programmed, “My parents are well, they are perfectly healthy. Thank you for your concern.”

“...” Jinwoo observed with the senses of a seasoned Hunter. The practiced smile, the neutral tone, and the rigid posture. It was all wrong. He’d heard that your life was troubled, pained, and full of suffering like his. Yet, yours pushed you to the brink. For now, you were still holding onto what you have left, but… How long would that last? How long until it snaps and the world finally pays for how they treated the sleeping lion?

It wouldn’t do him good to just take from you. The gift he gave you now would seem like an exchange for information. By the knowing tone you had about the dungeon, your System must have told you things about him. You’d know he knows something about you too, so, it’s best if he gently dismantle the walls around you by lowering himself to your level. At this moment, he’s not the saviour sent from another world to neutralize you. He’s just Sung Jinwoo.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” He started, his voice soft as intended, like talking to a child or someone of the same level. A friend to a friend in school. He leaned forward just slightly, his eyes staring into your dull ones that refused to waver even with his words of truth you knew well. “You knew I’m from another world. So let me share my story.”

This wasn’t pity. Jinwoo was trying to build some form of connection with you. The you who was hurt, stabbed, and betrayed to the point of embracing the darkness for some semblance of warmth.

“My mother… She suffered from Eternal Slumber not long after my father disappeared in a Gate. I was awaken as an E-Rank, the weakest. Money was tight and I had to watch over my younger sister Jinah as well. So I became a Hunter, I risked my life in every raid, just to pay for my mother’s medical bills and my sister’s tuition, the remaining was for living and rent and other things.” 

Jinwoo paused, searching for some form of reaction. Understanding, connection, sympathy, anything. There was none.

“Every raid, I was looked down on. Sometimes I was left behind, sometimes I was betrayed. But there was always someone there to make things better. A light in the darkness before the System came and I grew stronger to carry the weight with ease.” Jinwoo couldn’t help but smile at the memory. It was because of those moments and people that he didn’t fall into despair. He wanted to pull you out of there as well. “I know… I know what it’s like to have the weight of family and life crushing you down. So tell me… Tell me your side. Your truth. We share the same powers, we share the same growth, but the pain, it’s not the same experience and I can’t say I understand you just because you are also a Shadow Monarch…”

Your eyes blinked, your lips pressed together. Jinwoo noticed your fingers twitching before you retrieved your hands and placed them under the table, away from view. An agonizing silence fell. Patiently, Jinwoo waited.

Then you spoke. Your face tilted down that your eyes were overshadowed. “How nice… to have light before the System. I… I wasn’t so lucky…” Your voice was like that of a broken doll’s, stating fact as if your life was written on a script. “I suppose, I wasn’t human enough to be like you? Holding out and triumphing…”

“That’s not what I was trying to say.”

“I know.” You cut him off the second he finished the sentence. You swallowed and told with a painfully indifferent tone. “My parents were monsters, worse than those in the dungeons. Somehow I find myself wishing they suffer Eternal Slumber… Cruel, I know, but… They never wanted me to begin with. I was an accident, a burden to them. My Awakening was just a way for them to make quick money. If I die, that’s too bad. If I live, remember to transfer what you earn. I would rather live in the forest than in the same place as them, and I did… It was peaceful and quiet, I thought this was a turning point and things would be better from here on out. It didn’t…”

Jinwoo watched as your shoulder slumped even more, as if the matters with your parents weren’t even the tip of the iceberg.

“School? I suppose I had been lying to myself the entire time. Friends were a luxury I never had. Try and befriend the lonely quiet kid and see how long she’ll realize it’s all a joke. It’s a game to them all.” Your eyes landed on the hairpin, another pause came and you switched to another topic as if those few words were enough to sum up every little pain you’ve gone through. “Hunters? Teammates? I’ll bet it’s not too different from your situation…” You looked up at him, “I was the weakest one too, but I never had anyone that’ll look after me. No light in the darkness as you’d claim.”

It was a noticeable shift, your Shadows moving and twisting around your table. Jinwoo knew which Shadows would be more sensitive to what you’re about to say.

“I noticed the look you gave me when I admitted I did let monsters loose after the Red Gate, just to protect myself. How cruel, how cold, and how inhuman I must have appeared to you when I don’t treasure human lives as you would.” You smiled with your head tilted innocently, your voice cracked but your smile remained as warm and genuine as ever. “Can you blame me? When all my life as a Hunter, everyone else saw me as the perfect disposable bait. I can’t fight back, I’m not valuable, I’m not really part of the team.”

The shadows reacted to your words, twisting more vigorously as if holding back from lashing out.

Your eyes glowed that familiar purple hue faintly, “The Double Dungeon’s where I acquired my companion, the System. Well, it wasn’t the first time I was left behind. But it was the first time I was left for certain death. My teammates looked me in the eye and promised they’d tell everyone about my noble sacrifice. My life for theirs, it was a good bargain.” An airy bitter laugh escaped your lips, “And you know what the Hunter Association asked me when I miraculously survived? Did you fake your rank? Did you lead the team into that suspicious second dungeon? Suddenly, I was suspected of being a false ranker, a traitor.”

The words that summarized your years of suffering and pain struck Jinwoo to the core. Everything he faced, you faced it as well, but in a worse position than him. You only had yourself. You were broken and beaten to the point of relying on the only thing that actually saved you, no matter how weird and impossible it was. You didn’t question your System, but rather bonded with it because it was the only pillar that stayed by your side and actually helped you.

“Why I extracted humans… It’s simple. In death, they are finally truthful and loyal. In death, they can’t betray me. They keep their memories, their skills, their usefulness… but the rot from within them, the greed and cruelty, that’s all gone. Washed away like a clean slate. I know it’s inhuman and a violation. What you may see as a monstrous act that defiles, Jinwoo, I see it as the only way I could ever build connection that last.”

Jinwoo’s eyes widened, your smile soft and serene. The shadows behind you formed, just faintly, as though comforting you.

“It’s the only way I know and can ever feel safe.”

“...”

You stood up from your seat, putting the hairpair back into its box with a soft click. “If for that, I’ll be sentenced to death by another version that grew in righteousness. I don’t mind it because I’d do it again.” You slid the gift back to Jinwoo. “Thank you for listening to my side of the story before you took any action.” You left your seat and hummed, “I know you have your mission and it doesn’t sound like you have much of a choice to abandon it if you want to return to your lovely world and perfect life. I won’t hold it against you, but I won’t take things lying down.”

Jinwoo wanted to say something, but the eerie peaceful declaration you were giving him stunned him to stillness.

“Come at me whenever, I’ll put up a fight for my life. No matter how dreadful it has been, with what I have now, I prefer it if I were the one on top.” You walked away from the table, leaving Jinwoo behind. “Even if I have to stand atop the corpses of humans in this world.”

At least, that was the intent. A cold dread of the end washed over Jinwoo and he swiped the gift you refused into his hand before he called forth his realm; The Realm of Eternal Rest. The world disappeared in a blink, darkness surrounded both him and you in an instant. You paused in your step. Jinwoo watched as you flicked your wrist and slowly turned around with a glow in your eyes. From within your shadow, Igris, Baruka, and Cerberus emerged, all taking up their stations on either side and behind you with unwavering loyalty.

Jinwoo stood still and unmoving, not even releasing his aura to counter your oppressive one. This was the act of a cornered animal with the sole focus and mind to do what the mind believes to be the best. He eyed you who glared at him with caution and subtle fury, wariness even. You knew he knew you weak, weaker than him who could easily put you down without effort. Yet even now, you had yet to act and attack, it could be excused as the act of self-defense, protection. Since you knew he was there to prevent a world-end scenario.

In his eyes… You were the villain and he the hero.

And what do heroes do?

They kill the villain for the world.

“My system used me and I used it.” Jinwoo spoke through the suffocating silence.

You flinched at attitude of his words. Clearly expecting something else.

“I knew it was using me, but I didn’t care. I got stronger and I got the power to protect others, my friends, my family…” A pause, Jinwoo thought carefully how to deliver it as clear as he could without the usual lies he’d tell himself. “I rushed through everything to get stronger, more powerful. I held onto my morals, but sometimes, it doesn’t align with what the system wants of me.” He looked into your eyes, its glow dimming. “I put humans above monsters, I… care… for humanity and its peace. But I was still selfish.”

He noticed the confusion in your posture; a slight jolt and a subtle tilting of your head.

“The Lizards, I was forced to kill them, a mission from the system. Tae-Shik, a mission was also triggered, but I was more… relieved since he had tortured my… friends… before their death; the mission was an excuse I used to justify my revenge. But I killed without one, I killed Hwang Dongsoo for hurting and torturing Jinho, and I extracted his Shadow to serve me as Greed.”

Jinwoo paused again. Taking in the curiosity that was visible in your gaze and slight confusion.

“I have also extracted a brilliant S-Rank Healer, but it was out of necessity of the situation, to save a life and I released him soon after.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, “...That is foolish… He’d be an asset to your army…”

Jinwoo chuckled bitterly and smiled, “It was, but it was done out of kindness and morality. See, we are opposites.” He lingered, testing to see if you had any other comments before continuing. “You and I are both Shadow Monarchs of our own world, commander of a loyal Shadow Army.” He gestured to your three Shadows around you, still on guard. “But still so different…”

It was an unspoken truth you both could see; Jinwoo, the light with a hint of vengeance, and you, the darkness with a dose of longing. You both wanted what you didn’t have: Jinwoo with a complacent system like yours and you with welcoming connections to others like him. The irony wasn’t lost on both of you now that everything was laid out in the open.

“Please.” Jinwoo raised the gift in his hand to you, an offering, a plea for you to not abandon the light and paint yourself as the irredeemable villainess. Don’t turn away from the light that is still there. “Let me stay by your side as well, not as a Shadow bound by forced loyalty―”

“How dare you claim our loyalty is forced! You―” Baruka’s shouting was halted by your raised hand.

Even Igris, who had taken a step with his sword drawn, froze in his advances.

Your Cerberus’ three heads bowed, snapping their jaws shut and their ears pinned.

“―but as a companion.” Jinwoo had spoken as if your Shadows never interrupted. “You aren’t as cold and heartless as you imagine yourself to be.” He smiled as he recited what he had found out. “You let Ahn Sangmin, the recruiter from White Tiger Guild, and his associate go with just a warning, right?”

You remember that, but you corrected him, “I threatened him. And… scammed him into giving me money…”

Jinwoo chuckled, truly in this grim and serious conversation where the balance of all the worlds was the prize for one wrong behaviour, action, and word. “Haha, don’t worry, I did too.” He calmed and smiled at your confused expression. It was cute―a better expression than the guardedness you were forced to always display. “What I wanted to focus on was why you didn’t just kill him and replace him with a Shadow. Wouldn’t that be better? Just as you did with the Lizards and Tae-Shik.”

“We were… in a public space… I can’t…”

“You could have led him somewhere quiet and done it. So? Why not?”

“...”

“See? You’re not all bad.”

Jinwoo’s words were a beam of light in the darkness that surrounded you, a spotlight on stage. The smile he was giving you, it was more genuine than any you have seen directed at you. A smile you wished your parents would give you or your ‘friends’ would when you all chatted together. Alas, you saw that as a dream never to come true.

Once more, Jinwoo gestured to the extended gift in his hand. “I can’t force my companionship on you; it’s two-way. Like you with your Shadows now. I’m not asking you to change. I’m not asking you to forgive them. I think you just needed someone to reach out a hand before the shadows were the only thing left to hold onto. And even if I’m late… I’d like to try.”

You looked at Jinwoo, the gift, then back at him again.

“Give me a chance.”

Simple words. So simple and so insignificant to others. But for you, it was everything. A choice to give your fragile trust to another. How many times have you been betrayed? How many times have your trust been trampled away in the mud? How many times have your life and sense of self been shattered because of your misplaced trust? You lost count to the point you cling to what you knew was pre-programmed loyalty and a higher power that seemed to favour you for unknown reasons.

“Give the word and I’ll kill him.” Baruka hissed with venom, his eyes glaring sharply at Jinwoo.

Cerberus growled lowly in response to your growing unease and anxiety.

Igris had his sword put away; instead, he knelt to your side. His helmet tilted up so that he was looking directly at you as if saying, “the choice is yours to make”, even when he couldn’t speak a word.

The System was uncharacteristically silent. No warning, no additional information, nothing. It was a subtle reassurance that there was no pressure for you to do anything nor place others before your own will. For it had always treasured your own choice before anything else, from start to now.

You took a step, walking towards Jinwoo. The distance was a few steps, but it felt like walking through a pool of tar. Every step was heavy, every second was suffocating. Memories of the past echoed in your mind, second-guessing the answer you wanted to give. It was so simple. To just do it and be normal. Yet you could never. Not with all that you have survived through.

Standing before Jinwoo, the patient man who watched and waited for your answer, you looked up at him, your eyes hardened and teary. You searched. For that hint of pity. For that deception. For that cruelty from your memories. A falter, maybe, or a nervousness that you saw through him.

Nothing. There was none of that.

You looked down at the gift. One he gave, then you rejected, and here he was, offering it back to you, but this time with the affirmation and reassurance that he will be by your side. As not a Shadow, but as a person, another being the same as you. Accepting it was a show of mutual trust, a mutual want for this relationship to flourish and grow between two humans. Humans… Can you two even be called that? No, inhumans would be the better description.

Wordlessly, your hand raised and you took the box in your hands. Again, you opened it and saw the same hairpin, now it carried another layer of meaning. You blinked and took it out; you held the hairpin to your lips and did your hair till you were satisfied; finally, you inserted the hairpin into your hair. You met Jinwoo’s gaze. This was your answer.

Jinwoo smiled warmly with a nod of understanding, his hand raised to hover over your cheek, just cupping the space around it without touch. His gaze, compassionate and warmhearted. “It looks lovely on you.”

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You stood before a luxurious apartment complex. This was a place you used to frequent and took pride in returning to, but not anymore. Now it was just a place of horrid memories of the past and present, you were striving to not have it chained to you even in the future, soon rather than later. But today, you were anxious for another reason.

Maybe I shouldn’t have told him about it… It’s my issue… But he said he wanted to help… He said he’d be by my side… Are you a dummy?! He’s obviously just saying that to make you let down your guard! But he was sincere… You paced around. If only you could twirl a dagger or slash a monster to help you with these rushing thoughts!

“Hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”

You flinched. Actually flinched from the voice and tone of it. You robotically turned your head and saw Jinwoo walking over casually with his hands in his coat pockets. He flashed you a smile and you blinked at him. He’s treating this too lightly, isn’t he? Like we’ve known each other for forever… You straightened up and met his eyes, “No, I didn’t wait too long…”

“That’s good.” He gave you that smile again, light and soft, small and genuine.

Meekly, you nodded and looked away.

Jinwoo’s hands curled into fists in his pockets. He had forced himself to push down the urge to pat your head or hug you. He had spent a while recalling how his sister would treat her friends—physical contact and gifts; it was simple enough. That is… If he were also a female, but… Man to a woman… That would push things too fast. In time… In time… One step at a time…

After awkwardly clearing his throat, Jinwoo eyed the apartment complex, “So, we going?”

“...Are you sure you want to come with?” You blinked at him, uncertain if you wanted him to see how they were like. Telling him was one thing, but meeting them, face to face? Now that was another. “You could just wait out here.”

Jinwoo turned back to you with a confident and reassuring smile, “Of course, I’m sure. No way would I leave my partner like this.”

“P- Partner!?”

Jinwoo blinked at you before realizing why your face was flushed, making his own face flushed as well as he corrected himself. “I- I mean, as in friends! Just friends! Like companion or partner-in-crime or partner, like couples! Wait- No. I mean, a pair. Not romantic but… I…” He sighed, seeing that it―he―was getting worse and worse. “Just… I won’t leave you alone in your time of need.”

You sighed in relief, “Right, yes. Of course.”

Once Jinwoo had returned to normal, he asked, “Your System, you have recovery potions, right?”

You eyed him with an eyebrow raised, “Yes, I brought plenty and have plenty from loots as well, why?”

Jinwoo smiled innocently that promised to be more sinister, “Just in case.”

.

.

.

“You- You little…”

“Have you no res- respect for your elders!?”

“Did I tell you to speak?”

Well, now you know why…

As you stared down at the beaten bodies of what used to be your parents, you swallowed, trying to maintain a neutral look with a small smile. Millions of questions echoing in your head while your Shadows were cheering on Jinwoo like proud parents? They were certainly enablers… I thought… I thought Jinwoo was the righteous one??

So there’s a very very good explanation as to why your parents were on the floor and beaten to black and blue, and purple. It started with you two visiting your parents, you were polite to inform them you had acquired all the money that would relieve you of them, aka you’d be free of them and them of you. But as usual, they were making a fuss and complaining all the hard work, time, and energy into raising you―practically and subtly demanding more even though the amount you gave them was enough for them to enjoy retirement with monthly vacations.

You were used to it, you had placed your foot down on this being the last time you’d give them money and end the parents and child bond then and there. That was the agreement. However, Jinwoo, who saw everything happen, couldn’t stand for how you were being treated even though you said nothing and just took it. Since it was easier that way, quick in and out, no fight, no prolonged event. You’d be back in your world and enjoy it then.

Jinwoo had intercepted a slap to your face by your mother, he got between you two and grabbed onto her wrist with a firm and threatening glare. With a bit of pressure, your mother’s wrist snapped like a twig and her screams pierced the silence of the apartment. Your father had rose from his armchair―previously checking the bank accounts and cash you gave―and shouted at Jinwoo and you for bringing something (yes, he did refer to Jinwoo as ‘thing’) like him into their home. Jinwoo’s {Ruler’s Authority} activated and crushed your father into the floor.

Your eyes blinked at the scene. Is this a dream? Am I dreaming??? Did I dream Jinwoo being violent towards my parents???

“Hey,” You snapped your attention to Jinwoo, who smiled at you, “You have those recovery potions? I might have broken something.”

Might have??? “Yes….” You took the potions out of your inventory and handed them to him.  

“Thanks.”

You watched as he poured the potions on your parents as if watering plants. An aura of light enveloped them and their injuries were healed in an instant. Yet before they could get up from their positions, the pressure slammed them back onto the floor once more.

“Sorry, I thought I saw a rat there.”

Potions were applied.

Bang!

“Ah, I think there was a cockroach over there. I’ll help you.”

Potions were applied again.

Crash! Bang! Bang!

“This place is filthy. Maybe you two should move into an elderly care home.”

Potions were applied again…

Once, you had thought, what if you killed your parents and made them into your Shadows? To have them serve you with loyalty and love? Something that could easily be forced upon by the System’s influence. It was tempting, it was wishful. But you didn’t want to in the end. Yet, seeing them as your Shadows, it would bring more pain and anguish than joy and happiness.

When you saw Jinwoo about to continue the third time, you stopped him, “That’s enough, stop wasting your time and energy on them.”

“...” Jinwoo’s eyes were on your parents and their pathetic shaking forms; his eyes glowed purple from rage. “It’s not enough until they reflect. All that they have done. All that they have taken from you…”

You were moved. Truly, you were, but you didn’t want him to hurt the people he was supposed to save for your sake. You placed a hand on his forearm, “Jinwoo.” That got him to turn to you, “They hold no power over me anymore, and I don’t let them as well.” You smiled at him, “I’m not chasing after your love and approval anymore.”

“S- Sorry… We’re sorry…” 

“Pl- Please… Please… Make it… Stop…”

Their weak voices muttered from pain and distress.

You held onto Jinwoo before he could do anything. You smiled up at him, “I’m a bit hungry, can we try that new cafe down the street?”

Jinwoo looked at you. He released his skill and let them breathe. “Okay, if you say so.”

You glanced at the corner to see your Shadows twisting and curling as if anxious to do something. You eyed Jinwoo, who was already putting on his shoes at the entrance, and you thought for a moment before you cheerfully told him, “Can you wait for me at the entrance of the building? I’ll be there in a bit!”

“...” Jinwoo turned to you and observed your smile, he nodded and turned to leave, “Don’t take too long.”

When the door shut, you listened until his footsteps faded and his presence wasn’t within your area of detection. You turned your back to your parents, slowly, and you set more healing potions on the dining table while your parents recovered, thinking everything was over.

“You know, if, if only I’d known you’d listen and bend to violence…” You hummed as you purchased more healing potions, higher-grade ones, and set them with the others on the table. When you were satisfied, you turned to them with a smile, “Perhaps I’d done this sooner.”

“What…?”

You met their eyes, yours with disinterest and clinical assessment. “I don’t want you in my family circle and I’m not one for torture, you see.” The shadows twisted and rose around you and within the apartment. “But there are others who are more keen on it.”

Igris didn’t have his sword drawn―since that would cut the entire building in half from the inside―but he was curling and uncurling his hand into fists. Baruka grinned and cackled, playing with his daggers ominously. Cerberus had adjusted his size to no bigger than a wolf’s, but it was still scary since he had three growling heads ready to snap at anything nearby.

“Hold on―!”

You turned to the front door, putting on your shoes, “There are plenty of healing potions on the table, you three divide them among yourselves.” You tapped the tips of your shoes to make sure they were securely on. “Wounds can be healed but death can’t. Ah,” You paused and tilted your head, “I suppose scars don’t heal, do they? Especially emotional ones?”

“Wait!”

You waved bye to your Shadows, “They’re all yours.”

“Wait! My daughter―!”

“We’re sorry, my child―!”

The door closed and their shouts were cut off. Only now do they…!! You turned and walked away from the apartment, taking a deep breath while you made your way to the lift. It’s fine. You’re fine now. The lift dinged and you entered. You sighed and let a stray tear fall, you quickly wiped it away. You composed yourself before you exited the lift when it reached the ground floor.

Your smile spread on your face when you saw Jinwoo standing where you were when you waited for him. This time, he waited for you. His face lit up and smiled when you neared, “That was quicker than I expected.”

You didn’t say anything and just stood in front of him, then you leaned your head down until your forehead was pressed against his chest.

“!?” Jinwoo blinked and looked down at your mob of hair, his arms raised and his hands hovered over your back. “A- Are you okay?”

You nodded. “Thank you…”

Jinwoo sighed with a smile, one arm looped over your shoulder and the other patted your back softly. “Anytime. You’re not alone anymore…” He whispered a promise louder than any curse directed at you in your whole lifetime. “I won’t ever let you get hurt. Over my dead body.”

Manhwa Chapter: N/A

Note: This got delayed from the usual upload cause I was stuck on revising the last scene. Was wondering if I should just end it at Jinwoo and Reader being friends or add the parents scene. But this was what happened cause this part was covering the private matters and the next one is focusing on the Demon Castle, so now or never.

Anyways, hope you guys like this one! See you in the next update! (thanks for everyone who stayed and waited, I know it's too long of a wait, but thanks to all the support!!)

𝕮𝖎𝖗𝖈𝖊 𝖄.

My Works: MASTERLIST *(regarding requests, check the Masterlist to see if it’s opened or not and other info related before sending one. Thanks.)

The Ice Elf King had been impressive, but compared to you, he seemed like nothing more than a footnote in the hierarchy of this dungeon.

You stopped several paces away from Jinwoo, your piercing gaze locking onto his. Frost coated your silver lashes, and your voice carried like the howl of a blizzard.

"You killed my children," you said, the words cutting deeper than the ice of your domain.

Jinwoo froze, just for a moment. Children?

And then he understood. The Ice Elf King was not merely your ruler. The elites he had fought. the ones who had fallen at his hand, had been your offspring.

"You'll regret that," you hissed, lifting a gauntleted hand. A bitter wind howled, and shards of ice erupted from the walls, the floor, and the ceiling, spires that sought to impale the intruder who dared stain your legacy.

Jinwoo barely managed to sidestep the first barrage, his speed saving him from certain death. His eyes gleamed with mana as his black armor manifested around him.

"So, you're the real boss of this place," he said, grinning. 

"Then let's get started."

The battlefield exploded. 

You were relentless. For every shadow Jinwoo summoned, your frost overwhelmed it. Spears of ice shot from the ground, forcing Jinwoo to stay on the move, his agility tested like never before. 

Jinwoo darted forward, closing the distance in an instant. He swung Kasaka's Venom Fang with lethal precision, aiming for the gap between your ice-plated joints. But the moment the blade connected, your armor regenerated, spreading frost across his weapon like a virus.

"What?"

You seized the opportunity. Raising both hands, you summoned a swirling blizzard around him. The gale shrieked as jagged shards of ice formed mid-air, each one honed to kill.

The storm closed in.

For a moment, there was nothing but cold.

But then, amidst the storm, Jinwoo's voice cut through, calm and deadly.

"Shadow Exchange."

A dark ripple pulsed across the battlefield, and Jinwoo vanished, only to reappear behind you.

Ruler's Authority!

Your head snapped around just as the force of Jinwoo's telekinetic grip slammed into your back, sending you skidding across the ice. You caught yourself, frost blooming from your fingertips as you snarled in rage.

Jinwoo landed lightly, black smoke coiling around his feet like serpents.

"You're strong," he admitted, his voice laced with excitement. 

"But I've fought worse."

Your eyes glowed brighter, your voice now a roar of grief and fury. 

"Then you've never fought a mother."

The world trembled. Ice surged from the ground, forming massive constructs, golems of frozen wrath that towered above Jinwoo's shadows. The air grew thick with frost, suffocating and relentless.

Jinwoo grinned, though he felt the chill in his bones.

"Good," he said, raising his hand. "I was just starting to get bored."

"ARISE."

From the shadows of the fallen elves, soldiers of death began to rise.

The Ice Queen, you stood amidst the blizzard you had summoned, your piercing gaze burning with icy wrath. Each of your attacks carried not just strength, but emotion. 

Grief. Fury. Vengeance.

Jinwoo had fought countless enemies, monsters, bosses, and even beings beyond comprehension. But none had ever felt quite like this. You weren’t just a beast.

You were a mother.

"Why…?" Jinwoo muttered, dodging another spear of ice that shattered against the wall behind him. He leapt toward you, his shadowed blade swinging to strike, but your hand rose faster.

With a chilling whisper, frost erupted around your palm, and you caught his sword mid-swing. The force of it cracked the ground beneath your feet, yet you held firm, your armor regenerating instantly where the black blade had scraped through.

"Why?" you echoed, your voice trembling between grief and rage. "Because you stole them from me!"

A pulse of mana erupted from you, blasting Jinwoo back. He skidded across the ice, his boots digging into the frozen ground to stop himself. A headache throbbed in his temple, and he realized, his mana was draining.

Quickly.

What?

He glanced at his status bar, disbelief flickering across his face. His mana pool, vast as it was, had dropped significantly. When did this start?

Then he looked at you. The frost spreading beneath your feet was no longer just physical ice, it shimmered with a dark, consuming energy.

"You’re absorbing it," he murmured, realization dawning.

You advanced slowly, frost blooming with every step. The air grew impossibly heavy, laced with sorrow that hung like a weight on his shoulders.

"You are no different than the others who came before. Slaughtering for sport, for power. My children were not monsters. They were mine. My blood. My heart."

Jinwoo’s heart skipped a beat. He had heard curses and cries from his enemies before, pleas for mercy, hatred, or blind rage. But this was different.

Your grief wasn’t just a programmed reaction. It felt real.

For the first time, as he looked into the burning blue of your eyes, Jinwoo hesitated.

"Your children attacked me," he said carefully, his voice lower, steadier than before. "They were strong. Dangerous."

“And did they ask to be born here, to fight in this cold, forgotten prison?” you shot back, ice crackling at the edges of your words.

“Did they choose to face someone like you?”

Your anger was consuming the air, turning it into frost itself, and now it was consuming him. His mana continued to bleed away into the frost-covered ground beneath his feet. The realization struck him hard, this wasn’t a simple boss battle anymore. 

You weren’t just regenerating. You were feeding on his mana, absorbing his strength to sustain your fury.

His mind raced. She’s not just strong. She’s unstoppable at this rate.

You lunged, faster than before, your form a blur. Jinwoo barely managed to deflect the strike, but the force of it sent shockwaves rippling up his arms.

Think. Think.

His shadows flickered around him, faltering under your draining aura. His mana bar continued to drop, and for the first time in a long while, Jinwoo felt something unfamiliar.

Pressure.

This was no mindless monster. You were a mother with nothing left to lose.

Jinwoo grit his teeth, his mind racing as he struggled to regain control. The cold was unrelenting, his mana still bleeding away into the frost-laden ground. You stood tall before him, your ice-forged armor glimmering with an unnatural, otherworldly beauty, your fury as eternal as the chill in the air.

He readied himself to charge, but before he could, a shadow moved, an unmistakable figure leapt forward.

"Igris?" Jinwoo muttered in disbelief.

The red knight stood between you and his master, his massive sword lowered but steady. The flames of his crimson armor flared against the oppressive cold, his presence a stark contrast to the glacial frost you commanded.

What happened next shocked Jinwoo.

Igris, who had always been silent, spoke.

"Ice Queen," the knight said, his voice deep and reverberating like the echoes of an ancient cathedral. For a moment, the frost stilled, and the blizzard paused as you regarded him.

“I am Igris, a knight.”

Igris took a step forward, his burning crimson gaze locking with yours. 

“You know me,” he said, his voice steady, firm. “Or at least… you knew me, once. Another time. Another world.”

Your expression faltered, just for a second, as though an old memory had scraped against your consciousness. The ice around your fingers trembled.

“Lies,” you hissed, but there was a faint tremor in your voice, one you could not suppress.

“No,” Igris said, his tone calm but unyielding. “You know it as truth.” He raised his blade and pointed it toward Jinwoo, though the gesture was not hostile. 

“He is my liege, the king I currently serve. Your children’s suffering has ended, and under his dominion, they will not suffer again. They will rise, reborn under a new master. Under his shadow, they will be safe.”

Safe.

The word pierced through the storm raging within you. Your frost cracked, spreading hairline fractures through the ice coating your domain.

“Lies!” you roared, your voice breaking with fury and grief. “They are dead! Their souls are gone, and you dare speak of safety?”

Igris lowered his sword slightly, the flames along his armor flickering. “Your grief is not unfounded,” he said, quieter this time. “But you know this truth already, buried beneath your rage. You feel it even now.”

Your breathing hitched as his words struck deeper, clawing at the wall you had built around yourself. There was something haunting about the way Igris spoke, something familiar.

“Who are you?” you demanded, your voice wavering.

Igris straightened, his form tall and unwavering against the storm. “A knight,” he replied. “A loyal servant. And in another time, another life… we knew each other’s names.”

The ice around you splintered further, your vision blurring with conflicting emotions. Memories you couldn’t place flitted at the edges of your mind, too faint to grasp, too powerful to ignore.

“I will not allow you to manipulate me!” you shouted, your frost lashing out again, cracking the earth beneath you.

Jinwoo, who had been watching in silence, stepped forward then, his voice cutting through the tension. 

“I don’t know what you two were,” he said firmly, his black armor darkening against the pale frost. 

“But Igris isn’t wrong. I don’t kill for sport, and I don’t take it without purpose. Your children are mine now, yes, but under my command, they will rise stronger, safer than before.”

Your eyes snapped to Jinwoo, blazing with mistrust and fury. 

“And why should I believe you? The man who stole everything from me?”

“Because I know what it’s like to lose everything.” His voice was calm but heavy, filled with a weight that gave you pause.

“And I won’t let that happen again. Not to my shadows. Not to them.”

Igris turned his gaze back to you, his voice softening.

“Do you truly believe your vengeance will bring them back? Or will you let their souls find purpose under a king who knows the weight of life and death?”

You staggered, your ice-cold heart trembling for the first time in centuries. The frost beneath you crackled and broke as you faltered.

“No,” you whispered, shaking your head. “No… I won’t… I can’t…”

The blizzard around you howled, raging with the last vestiges of your denial.

Jinwoo raised his sword once more, but this time, there was no mockery or cruelty in his stance. Only resolve.

“Then I’ll prove it to you,” he said, his voice echoing across the frozen cavern. “Come at me with everything you have.”

And you did.

Jinwoo stood before you now, a dark silhouette against the shattered blizzard. His breathing was heavy, his armor battered, but his resolve remained unbroken. Your knees hit the fractured ice, cracks spidering out beneath your weight as the last of your strength bled away.

“It’s over,” he said softly, lowering his sword. Shadows stirred behind him, coiling and whispering like sentient beings.

“Kill me,” you hissed, your voice ragged and weak. 

“Take my soul as you took my children’s.”

But Jinwoo didn’t move to strike. Instead, he reached out, his mana surging as shadows spilled forth and wrapped around the battlefield. Before you could protest or summon your magic, a dark aura pulsed through the field, gentle but commanding.

“What…are you doing?” you choked, trembling as you felt it, the unmistakable presence of life returning.

The shadows moved, forming shapes that you knew too well. Small figures emerged from the darkness, their translucent forms taking on flesh and light. Your breath caught as you saw them, your children.

One by one, they stood before you, no longer bound by cold and suffering. Their faces were radiant, their frostbitten forms replaced by vitality and warmth, though their bodies bore a faint shadowy sheen, a mark of this man’s power. 

They were alive. Reborn.

You dropped your sword, the clang echoing like the toll of a bell.

Jinwoo stood silent as your other children, now shadows, gathered around, their roars echoing through the forest. Shadows danced in their footsteps, but there was no malice.

“They… they are happy,” you whispered, staring at Jinwoo with wide, disbelieving eyes. “How is this possible?”

Jinwoo’s gaze was steady, his voice low and certain.

“I gave them a new purpose. Under me, they are free from pain and death. Immortal in my shadow. I promised they wouldn’t suffer again…and I keep my promises.”

You turned back to your children, watching them roar with expressions you hadn’t seen in centuries. The rage that had burned so fiercely within you began to fade, replaced by an ache so deep it left you breathless.

But when you looked again, you noticed someone missing. 

“Where…where is my king?” Jinwoo’s expression hardened. 

“Your king has passed before I could turn him into my shadow.” 

The words struck like a shard of ice, and for a moment, you felt the grief resurface. But as you looked back at your children, free, you realized the truth, your king’s ambition had led you here.

To war. To loss.

The sword you had carried for so long, the weight of vengeance and pain, slipped from your hand entirely, sinking into the ice.

Your voice trembled as you looked at Jinwoo, no longer with hate, but with reluctant acceptance. 

You rose to your feet slowly, your frost-forged armor shimmering as it began to melt away, replaced by a lighter form. The magic still swirled around you, but it was no longer violent. 

You had been a queen. A mother. A warrior. But now, you could be something else.

“I am a swordsman,” you said softly, staring at Jinwoo with renewed purpose. “And a mage. My strength has been forged in both ice and war. You have taken everything from me…but you have also given back what I thought was lost forever.”

Jinwoo regarded you carefully as you knelt before him, frost blooming beneath you like flowers in the snow.

“I will serve,” you said quietly, “not because I must, but because I choose to. For them. For my children.”

The shadows around Jinwoo swirled with approval, and Igris, who had watched the scene unfold, nodded once, his crimson armor glowing faintly.

Jinwoo extended his hand toward you, and for the first time in centuries, you felt something other than cold.

Hope.

With one final look at your children, who danced in the shadows, you took Jinwoo’s hand. A new bond was forged, one of loyalty, of purpose, and of peace.

The Ice Queen was no more.

But you, a magic swordsman, would rise again under Jinwoo’s command.

Serving your liege had been an adjustment, to say the least. 

The battlefield, once your home of ice and grief, had transformed into something else entirely, shadows and death. Yet, to your surprise, this place felt more alive than your frozen kingdom ever had.

Your children thrived here. They trained, played, and walked among the shadows without fear. You watched them grow stronger, their once-frozen faces now glowing with laughter as they hung out with other species. 

It brought peace to your heart, something you hadn’t thought possible for centuries.

Of course, your presence brought a new dynamic to Jinwoo’s overwhelmingly male army.

The soldiers, stoic and loyal as they were, had never been quite sure what to do with you. 

They knew strength and they respected power. 

And you, the former Ice Elf Queen, exuded both. But you also had a softer side, one you didn’t show on the battlefield. When Jinwoo began adding more female shadows to the ranks, they naturally gravitated toward you.

It wasn’t long before you became their unspoken leader, a mother, a guide, and an aunt, as some of the more playful ones had teased. You listened to their concerns, encouraged their strength, and ensured they were seen. 

You were fierce, yes, but you were also nurturing. It was a role you had forgotten you could play.

Even Jinwoo noticed the change. 

“You’ve turned my army into a family.” You had simply stared ahead. 

“An army is stronger when it has a heart.”

Jinwoo didn’t argue.

But there was one member of the Shadow Army who had become an unexpected complication.

Igris.

You first noticed it on the battlefield. Igris was always nearby, close enough to intercept any attack that came your way, his crimson armor a stark contrast to your icy form. It wasn’t unusual for soldiers to protect one another, but Igris seemed overly diligent.

Then it started happening outside of battle.

You would train with your frost magic and swordplay, and Igris would be there, watching silently. You’d turn around, and he’d be standing at the edge of the clearing, his massive sword resting at his side. At first, you assumed it was a coincidence.

It wasn’t.

Whenever you walked the shadow realm, Igris wasn’t far behind. He hovered like a lost puppy, a very tall, very intimidating puppy, his crimson flames flickering softly, as if unsure whether to step forward or hold back.

It reached a point where even Jinwoo noticed.

“Igris,” Jinwoo said one day, arms crossed as he observed the red knight following you into yet another training session. 

“Why are you always following her?”

Igris paused, the glowing slits of his helmet turning toward Jinwoo. 

For a moment, it seemed like he might deny it, but instead, he simply said, “I am ensuring her safety.”

Jinwoo arched a brow. 

“Her safety? She nearly killed me, and she’s stronger than half the army.”

Igris didn’t flinch. 

“It is… a habit. I do not understand why, perhaps it is due to memories from another life.”

Another life? Jinwoo remembered that you and Igris did seem to share some connection. Even then, they must have been a long time ago. 

You, listening to this conversation with your sword planted firmly in the ground, narrowed your eyes. 

“Igris.”

The knight turned to you instantly, as if awaiting an order. Jinwoo took a step back to exclude himself from the conversation.

“Are you following me?” you asked flatly.

There was a pause, brief but telling. Then, with that same unwavering voice, he replied, “Yes.”

“Why?”

Igris hesitated for the first time since you had met him. His sword shifted in his grip as if the flames themselves were unsure. 

“Because… I remember.”

The words froze you in place.

You stared at him, memories flickering at the edges of your mind, ones you couldn’t quite place but felt deep in your soul. Another time. Another life.

“You remember what?” you demanded softly.

“I remember you,” he said, his voice quieter than before. “From before. From a life long gone.”

Your heart skipped a beat, though you didn’t know why. 

“And what was I to you?”

Igris straightened, the flames of his armor burning brighter. 

“I am…uncertain. However, you were…important.”

Jinwoo, watching this exchange with no small amount of amusement, muttered under his breath, “This is getting interesting.”

Igris's words lingered in the air, heavy and unspoken, and you couldn’t help but feel a strange warmth beneath the ice that had once been your heart.

“Fine,” you said finally, turning your back on him as you picked up your sword. “While I do not remember as well as you may, you can follow me if you wish, but don’t get in my way.”

Igris bowed his head slightly, as if you’d just granted him a gift. 

“As you command.”

And so, the red knight continued to shadow your steps, silent but steadfast, his presence both a mystery and a comfort you didn’t dare admit.

Your liege, for his part, had to fight back a smirk every time he saw the two of you together. “Interesting indeed,” he’d mutter, much to your exasperation.

Managing the shadow army turned out to be far more chaotic than you ever anticipated.

At first, you assumed your liege, having reached such incredible strength and commanding an entire shadow legion, had a handle on things. 

You were wrong.

His form of “management” seemed to consist of standing silently with his arms crossed while the shadows interpreted his silence however they pleased. It was fine on the battlefield, his sheer presence was enough to unite and terrify, but outside of combat?

It was a mess.

Resting areas were haphazardly chosen, shadows sprawled out like abandoned weapons until it was time to fight again. Training consisted of brutal sparring with no structure or goals. And let’s not even discuss living quarters, shadows didn’t need sleep or comfort, so he’d never thought of such things.

But you had.

So, in the absence of leadership outside of war, you stepped in.

You oversaw the construction of a proper base, a castle, as the shadows began calling it. Walls rose high, forged of dark stone and reinforced with your frost magic. 

Resting areas were organized, equipped with blackened banners, training grounds, and even kitchens (even if Jinwoo’s shadows didn’t eat, you insisted on adding them for dignity’s sake).

Jinwoo watched all of this unfold with mild amusement. 

“I didn’t think they needed this.”

“An army isn’t just swords and numbers,” you replied matter-of-factly, arms crossed as you oversaw the placement of a fountain. 

“They need purpose. Structure. Pride.”

To your surprise, Jinwoo didn’t argue. Instead, he simply muttered, “You’re better at this than me.”

You didn’t deny it.

But it wasn’t long before you encountered an entirely different issue, the shadow army was obsessed with him.

It started small.

The first time you noticed it, a group of shadows had gathered in a circle, whispering with surprising energy. Curiosity piqued, you approached, only to stop dead in your tracks when you saw it:

A statue of your liege.

It was crude, clearly carved with brute force rather than finesse, but it was unmistakably him.

“What…is this?” you asked slowly, arching an eyebrow.

The shadows flinched, clearly caught red-handed. 

“A tribute to our liege.” You sighed. 

“Fine. One statue is acceptable.”

But it didn’t stop there.

Days later, as you surveyed the newly completed courtyard, you found another one. This one was bigger. Shinier. Better.

“Another tribute,” one shadow explained proudly.

The following week, statues started cropping up everywhere, lining the training grounds, looming over the entrances, even decorating the castle halls.

Some depicted your liege in dramatic combat poses; others made him look regal, arms crossed and cape billowing as if he stood atop the world. You found one shadow carefully polishing a statue of your liege's face, its glowing eyes full of reverence.

It was absurd.

You cornered your liege about it one evening, after stumbling upon yet another statue, this one holding a disproportionately large sword.

“Do you know what the shadows are doing?” you demanded, arms crossed.

Jinwoo blinked at you. 

“Training?”

“No.” You jabbed a finger toward the nearest statue. 

“They’re turning this entire castle into a shrine dedicated to you.” Jinwoo glanced at the statue and tilted his head. 

“Huh. That’s new.”

“This isn’t new, my liege! It’s everywhere.” He stared for a long moment, then shrugged. 

“Let them do what they want. It’s harmless.” You gave him an incredulous look. 

“You’ll regret this when you can’t see the sky because of all the statues.” Jinwoo’s lips twitched into something resembling a smirk. 

“I think you’re exaggerating.”

You weren’t.

The next day, you found a group of shadows trying to carve Jinwoo’s face into a mountain.

You glared up at the giant, incomplete mural, pinching the bridge of your nose. 

“Of course,” you muttered under your breath, “they take after him.”

“Isn’t it grand, my lady?” one of the shadows asked eagerly.

You sighed, looking at their hopeful, flickering forms. In truth, you couldn’t find it in yourself to scold them. They were loyal. Fiercely so. And if building statues of their liege brought them joy, then who were you to stop them?

Still, there had to be limits.

“Fine,” you said, hands on your hips. “You can have three statues in the courtyard. No more. And stay away from the mountain.”

The shadows grumbled but reluctantly agreed. You knew they’d push the boundary again eventually, but for now, you’d won this battle.

Later that night, you found Igris standing silently near one of the more polished Jinwoo statues.

“Don’t tell me you approve of this,” Igris turned his helmet toward you. 

“I find it… excessive.” You nod. 

“Good. At least someone has sense around here.”

“…But it is well-crafted.”

Silence, then a sigh. You did admit at least the craftsmanship improved over time. You dragged a hand down your face as Igris tilted his head ever so slightly, his version of amusement.

Jinwoo, watching the entire exchange from the castle steps, simply chuckled. 

“You really have your hands full, don’t you?”

“My liege, you could help.”

“I could,” he replied, turning back toward his ever-growing army. “But you’re doing such a good job.”

You swore you heard Igris laugh softly under his breath as you stalked off, vowing to tear down at least one statue before the day ended.

Boys would be boys, indeed.

It started with small, almost negligible details, at least to everyone except Jinwoo.

At first, he didn’t think much of it. 

Igris was Igris: noble, stoic, and unwaveringly loyal. But recently, something had changed, and Jinwoo couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

It began when you sparred with Igris one afternoon. Your icy blade clashed with his crimson greatsword, magic flaring, and shadows gathering to watch the spectacle. The spar had been long and hard-fought, ending in a draw that left you both panting but satisfied.

“That was impressive,” Jinwoo said afterward as he approached.

Igris remained quiet, his gaze lingering just a moment too long on you as you restored your blade to your sheath with a graceful flourish.

“…Igris?” Jinwoo prompted.

The knight stiffened and turned sharply.

“Yes, my liege?”

Jinwoo frowned. Weird.

Then there were the moments when Jinwoo would notice Igris standing near you, closer than necessary, his crimson armor seemingly shining brighter whenever you were around. 

And there was that one time he caught Igris subtly handing you an ice-forged rose that one of your children had made, claiming it was “on behalf of the Shadow Army.”

You accepted it with mild amusement. 

“Tell them their craftsmanship is improving.”

Igris’ helm dipped slightly, as though he was pleased with himself.

Jinwoo, watching this from the corner of the room, blinked slowly. 

Wait a second…

The final confirmation came when Beru, as excitable and nosy as ever, suddenly burst into Jinwoo’s quarters with the energy of a gossiping whirlwind.

“My liege!” Beru hissed dramatically, clawed hands wringing together. 

“You won’t believe what I’ve discovered!” Jinwoo raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. 

“Is this another complaint about shadow formations?”

“No, no!” Beru waved him off frantically. 

“It’s about Sir Igris!”

That got Jinwoo’s attention. 

“What about him?” Beru leaned in, voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. 

“He has a crush.”

Jinwoo blinked, then stared blankly. 

“A what?”

“A crush! On the Ice Queen!” Beru practically cackled. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes! He follows her like a lost puppy! He watches her sparring matches with an intensity I’ve never seen before! And when she talks, my liege, he listens.”

Jinwoo leaned back in his chair, processing this information. At first, the thought seemed ridiculous, this was Igris, his most loyal knight, the epitome of calm and collected authority. But the more Jinwoo thought about it…the more the pieces started to fit.

“Oh no,” Jinwoo muttered to himself, realizing the truth.

“Igris does have a crush.”

And just as Jinwoo said it, the doors opened, and in walked Igris, calm, composed, and completely oblivious to the whispers and stares from Beru and Jinwoo.

“My liege,” Igris said with his usual gravitas. “You called for me?”

Jinwoo stared at his knight for a long moment, a smirk creeping onto his face. This is going to be interesting.

“Igris,” Jinwoo began innocently, “how do you feel about the Ice Queen?”

For the first time Jinwoo could remember, Igris paused. It wasn’t a noticeable pause, just a momentary stiffness in his stance, a subtle hesitation. But Jinwoo caught it, and so did Beru, who was practically vibrating with glee beside him.

“She is an exceptional warrior,” Igris replied after a beat, his tone measured but somehow…off.

“Her leadership skills have greatly benefited the Shadow Army.”

“And?” Jinwoo pressed, feigning innocence. Igris’ helm tilted slightly. 

“…And she is a valuable ally.”

“And?”

“My liege,” Igris said firmly, clearly aware he was being cornered, “is there a point to this line of questioning?”

Before Jinwoo could answer, Beru burst out, “Just admit it, Sir Igris! You like her! You admire her ice powers! You think she’s graceful and strong!”

Igris’ head turned slowly toward Beru, the kind of slow turn that suggested death was imminent. 

“I suggest you choose your next words carefully.” But Beru wasn’t done.

“Don’t worry, Sir Igris! Everyone thinks you two would make a perfect match!”

Jinwoo covered his face with a hand, trying to stifle his laughter as Igris stood there, every ounce of his dignity being stripped away. 

The knight’s silence spoke volumes.

“Run.”

Beru flew out the door. 

Later that day, you found Jinwoo observing the training grounds with an odd little smirk. You didn’t question it until you spotted Igris in the corner, supervising recruits with an intensity that could only be described as aggressively focused.

You frowned, sensing something was off. 

“My liege, what’s wrong with Igris today?” Jinwoo shrugged, his smirk widening. 

“Oh, nothing. He’s just… dealing with some feelings.”

“Feelings?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

You narrowed your eyes, suspicion brewing, but you didn’t press further. 

And in the shadows, Beru lurked with giddy delight, ready to share his next piece of gossip with anyone willing to listen.

It didn’t take long for the rest of the Shadow Army to catch wind of Igris’ crush. Beru, being the ultimate gossip enthusiast, made sure of that.

It started with whispers, hushed conversations in the halls of the shadow castle, smirks exchanged between troops, and subtle glances whenever Igris and you crossed paths.

Tank was the first to approach Igris alone.

The massive shadow bear lumbered up to the knight during a sparring session, his size making him impossible to ignore. Igris turned, his crimson greatsword in hand, only to find Tank staring down at him with an unreadable expression.

“…What is it, Tank?” Igris asked coolly, though he already sensed trouble.

Tank tilted his enormous head. 

“Sir Igris.”

“Yes?”

“Have you…mated with the Ice Queen yet?” Igris froze, his blade still mid-swing. 

“WHAT.”

“Tank, you absolute imbecile!” came Beru’s screech from a nearby shadow. “You’re not supposed to ask him that directly!”

Tank shrugged with a rumbling growl. 

“But Beru said-”

“I said implied!”

Igris turned his helm toward the two of them, a palpable aura of murderous intent swirling around him. 

“What. Are. You. Talking. About?”

Beru cackled and immediately scampered away, leaving Tank to deal with the consequences.

“Tank, run!” Beru’s voice echoed from the distance.

Iron, who lacked any and all social tact, decided to take a much more direct approach.

One afternoon, you were overseeing recruits sparring when Iron stomped up to you, his hulking form casting a shadow over everyone present.

“Ice Queen!” Iron’s booming voice startled even you, though you quickly straightened.

“Yes, Iron?” you replied with a raised brow.

“Igris likes you!”

The training grounds fell deathly silent. The recruits froze mid-swing, staring wide-eyed as the words echoed through the air. You blinked once, your stoic mask cracking slightly.

“…Excuse me?”

“Igris! He likes you! He looks at you like Tank looks at honey!” Iron repeated proudly, as if he’d uncovered the world’s greatest secret.

From across the field, Igris appeared out of nowhere, slamming his sword into the ground with such force the ground shook. 

“IRON!” Iron flinched. 

“Oh. Was that supposed to be a secret?”

You slowly turned to Igris, curiosity lighting up your expression as he stomped toward Iron with an air of absolute murder.

“Iron, you fool,” Igris growled through gritted teeth.

“Oh, don’t be mad!” Iron said, cheerfully unbothered. “The Ice Queen is strong! You’d make good mates!”

“Silence!”

You crossed your arms, watching with mild amusement as Igris all but dragged Iron away, his dignity shredded once again.

That night, as you stood at the edge of the shadow castle overlooking the vast plains, Igris approached you silently.

“You asked for me?” you asked without turning, sensing his presence.

Igris hesitated, just for a second, before he spoke. 

“I…wished to apologize.”

“For what?”

“For the… behavior of the others,” he replied stiffly. 

“Their gossip is uncalled for.”

You smirked faintly, turning fully to face him. 

“Let them talk. I don’t concern myself with rumors.”

Igris stood taller at your words, though something about his posture softened. You stepped closer, your gaze steady. 

“But perhaps you should tell me, do they speak the truth?”

For the first time, Igris faltered. His helm tilted downward, his silence louder than words.

You studied him for a moment longer before turning back to the plains, an unreadable smile on your lips. 

“Goodnight, Igris.”

As you walked away, Igris remained rooted to the spot, the chill of the night air doing little to mask the warmth lingering in his chest.

From the shadows, Jinwoo and Beru watched the exchange, the latter barely containing his squeals of delight.

“Did you see that, my liege?!” Beru whispered excitedly.

“Oh, I saw it. Poor Igris doesn’t stand a chance.”

Who knew watching his subordinate's love story could be so fun?

Igris had faced dragons, commanders, kings, and hordes of enemies without faltering. His blade had clashed against unbeatable odds, his will unwavering against death itself. 

But now, the once-mighty knight stood in a shadowy corridor, frozen in place, gripped by the strangest and most insurmountable enemy of all, his feelings.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“I know! I know! Sir Igris must confess his undying love!”

The voice of Beru shattered whatever composure Igris had left. The insectoid shadow stepped out of a dark corner, his glowing eyes alight with glee.

“…Beru.” Igris groaned, instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword. “This is none of your concern.”

“Oh, but it is!” Beru exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement. “As the Shadow Army’s most socially attuned being-”

“Hardly.”

“-I am here to assist you! I have gathered extensive knowledge from hours of observing human courtship rituals.”

“…Human courtship rituals?” Igris echoed skeptically.

“Yes! Lady Jinah has been watching these K-Dramas! And I, being a shadow of excellent taste, have memorized their methods for confession!”

Igris turned slowly toward him, dread pooling in his core. 

“I don’t want to know.”

“Step one!” Beru ignored him entirely. 

“The Grand Gesture.”

And so, an hour later, you stood in the training grounds watching with a mix of amusement and confusion as Igris, in full armor, dramatically knelt before you.

“What…are you doing?” you asked, raising an eyebrow as the crimson knight extended a single glowing flower made of mana.

Igris said nothing for several moments, clearly at war with himself. Finally, his deep voice rumbled, “This is… for you.”

Before you could respond, Beru leaped out from behind a pillar. 

“SPEAK YOUR HEART!”

“Beru—!” Igris snapped, his mana flaring in irritation.

“SPEAK IT!”

Igris, utterly flustered now, turned back to you stiffly. “I… appreciate your strength and…” He paused, clearly struggling. “…you’re very… capable.”

You stared at him, blinking. 

“Capable?”

“Like a soaring falcon!” Beru added unhelpfully.

“…Right.”

Before you could respond, Igris stood abruptly, tossing the flower onto the ground like it offended him.

“Forget this ever happened.”

And with that, he stormed away, leaving Beru screeching, “Wait, you didn’t finish the confession scene!”

You watched the chaos unfold, shaking your head with a quiet laugh.

At least it was cute.

Two failed grand gestures later (including an unfortunate rain-soaked poetry recital Beru insisted on), Igris had all but given up. He found himself back in the training grounds, gripping his sword far tighter than necessary.

You approached him, clearly done with whatever weird behavior he had been exhibiting for days now. 

“Sir Igris.”

He stilled.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on, or are we going to keep pretending you haven’t been acting strange?”

“I am not-”

“Pick up your sword,” you interrupted.

“What?” Igris blinked behind his helm.

“You’re clearly distracted. Spar me. If you win, I’ll stop asking.”

The knight hesitated, then nodded. Sparring was straightforward, something he understood.

Or so he thought.

Ten minutes later, Igris found himself flat on his back, his blade knocked clean from his grip as you stood over him, your own weapon pointed at his chest.

“You’re distracted,” you said simply, though there was a glint of satisfaction in your eyes. “And you’re terrible at hiding it.”

Igris groaned inwardly, his pride in tatters.

“This… is difficult for me.”

“What is?”

He hesitated, then finally, finally, spoke.

“You.”

“…Me?”

“I…” He sighed, clearly abandoning every complicated plan Beru had forced on him. “I admire you. Your strength, your leadership…You have earned my trust.”

“That’s what’s been bothering you?” you asked, a brow raised.

Igris slowly sat up, his crimson helm turned toward you. 

“…It is not just trust. I…adore you”

A long pause stretched between you before you smirked faintly.

“You could’ve just been direct about it, you know.”

Igris stared at your offered hand for a moment, then took it, allowing you to pull him up. 

“Being direct was… not part of Beru’s advice.” You snorted. 

“Beru? You took advice from Beru?”

“Unfortunately.”

“…No wonder you were acting weird.” You turned, sheathing your weapon. “Next time, just say what’s on your mind.”

As you walked away, Igris stood rooted in place, feeling something unfamiliar settle in his chest, relief.

From the shadows, Beru and Jinwoo watched once again.

“Well, that could’ve gone smoother,” Beru chirped, pouting.

Jinwoo laughed under his breath. “You’re banned from giving advice.”

“No! Give me another chance, my liege!”

“Not happening.”

“Humans are confusing creatures.”

“No, you’re just terrible at romance. And shadows are not humans.”

As for Igris, he silently vowed to never listen to Beru again, unless he wanted another existential crisis.

After weeks of awkward interactions, failed grand gestures, and silent brooding, Igris had finally decided to end his suffering.

And so there he stood, outside the castle training grounds, holding a bouquet of rare, frost-kissed flowers he had painstakingly gathered from dungeons. His usually stoic demeanor was betrayed by the faint tension in his posture, his grip on the bouquet just a little too tight.

When you walked out and caught sight of him, you paused, raising an eyebrow. 

“Sir Igris?”

He stepped forward, the crimson armor reflecting the soft glow of the fading sun. Slowly, he extended the bouquet toward you, the flowers shimmering in an ethereal light. 

“These are… for you.” You blinked at the sight. 

“Flowers? You brought me flowers?”

“I…” Igris faltered for the briefest of moments, his voice lower now. “I wished to offer you something…as a sign of what I feel.”

“What you feel?” you echoed, amusement tugging at your lips.

“Yes.” He stood straighter, his deep voice unwavering despite the hint of nervousness beneath it. 

“I have admired you since the day we crossed swords. Your strength, your resolve… you. I care for you. I love you.”

The confession hung in the air, thick with weight. Igris, who had faced countless foes without flinching, now stood in front of you, awaiting your response like a man facing judgment.

You stared at him for a beat, then smiled softly, shaking your head. 

“About time.” Igris blinked. 

“…What?”

“I knew, Igris,” you said, taking the bouquet from his armored hands with a smile. “You’re not exactly subtle. The weird grand gestures? The brooding? Beru’s antics? I figured it out weeks ago.”

He stiffened. 

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I wanted you to say it yourself,” you replied, smirking. “A knight should be direct, don’t you think?”

Igris remained silent for a moment, processing your words, before the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease.

“You… are maddening.”

“And you’re dramatic, but I love you too,” you shot back playfully, while Igris froze on the spot, speechless. 

“Thanks for the flowers, they’re beautiful.”

Not as beautiful as you.

A faint glow emanated from Igris’s crimson armor, almost as if he were embarrassed. 

“I…am glad you like them.”

From a nearby shadow, Beru’s voice suddenly chirped, “FINALLY!”

Both of you turned sharply to see Beru, Jinwoo, and the rest of the shadow army peeking out from behind pillars and walls, clearly eavesdropping.

Jinwoo crossed his arms, grinning. 

“Took you long enough, Igris.” Beru buzzed with excitement. 

“Now kiss her! That’s what happens in the dramas!”

“Beru,” Igris growled warningly, mana flaring around him.

You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head as you turned to Igris. “I guess we’ll never live this down, will we?”

“…Perhaps not,” he muttered, though the hint of fondness in his voice was unmistakable.

“Well,” you said, tucking one of the frost-kissed flowers into your hair. “Let’s give them something to talk about, shall we?”

And for the first time, the unshakable knight seemed utterly stunned as you leaned up to press a kiss against the side of his crimson helm.

The resulting cheers from the shadows echoed across the entire territory.

Jinwoo let out a relieved sigh.

Who would've thought his shadows would get a relationship quicker than him?