A sword was stabbed through her chest. Blood had pooled all around her.
Taking a closer look, Koul recognized her to be the one called Remi. The short woman Armin had harassed along with the taller one the day he came.
Beside her, the taller woman cried. She shook the lifeless body, screaming at it to get up.
When Koul heard the scream and rushed out here, he had thought it would be the body of the guard he killed.
But this sight, this horrific sight left him numb. He couldn't even react. He simply stood there, gazing hollowly at the scene.
Only the vice captain took to action by sending knights and guards to check the premises.
Ah… this is what my weakness amounts to. It only brings me misfortune.
Koul sighed heavily. He wasn't even done coming to terms with the price he paid for his mistake earlier, yet another one had shown up.
If he wasn't so weak, who would dare come into his palace to kill his wife?
The weight of his inability and weakness crashed heavily on him. But just as he sank, Hera's voice came through.
"Your highness! Nienai! Call out Nienai to help!"
Koul couldn't comprehend her words. He didn't even know who Nienai was. And what help could this Nienai of a person possibly be to an already dead person?
But still, if there was hope. If there was any fragment of hope, he wanted to hold onto it.
"System," he whispered.
The system appeared.
"You heard. Who's Nienai?"
[Nienai is another of your wives. Or better still, she's the gatekeeper to the underworld. She maintains the veil between our living world and the underworld,] the system explained.
Only then did Koul understand Hera. If such a person existed, then bringing the dead back shouldn't be impossible, should it?
Though he knew there always was a price for it.
"I have a wife that powerful?" He muttered under his breath.
Those present who couldn't really make out what he was saying could only remain curious why he kept whispering to himself.
[Surprisingly, you do. Not just powerful, but kind. After all, she was the one who cursed you with impotency. So kind, isn't she?]
Koul's countenance changed instantly.
My impotency? I never even really asked about the cause.
"How so?"
[The usual,] the system replied casually. [You've held this weird infatuation toward her since you were young after reading about her in a book. You became king and wanted to covet her like you had the others. But she felt insulted that a mere mortal, also a useless one like you, would have eyes for her. So she set out her condition. She said if you were ready to pay the price, then she shall be your wife.]
Koul's face turned blank. He was exasperated.
"Lemme guess. That idiot accepted."
[Yes. Brave, isn't he?]
Definitely stupid.
[Anyways, the price for coveting her was your manhood. Since you were known as a man who went around using his power to covet women, she decided to render you impotent. It was a strong curse that couldn't be lifted by anyone.]
"And what.. what makes them think she'll come once I call out to her?"
[Because she will. She is your wife. You accepted the price and lost your manhood. You may not have realized, but a mark rests behind your ear, the seal of your bond. It is both authority and sacrament. As her husband, you hold a claim. She will obey.
My ear… his hand went up to rub it gently, eyes blank.
[The left one,] the system corrected.
Despite all this, Koul was still a bit scared and reluctant to call Nienai. A woman powerful enough to curse him.
He concluded her hatred would be fiery. But nevertheless, a life was at stake.
She must've thought she was free since I went impotent….
So wicked.
Koul took a deep breath, cleared his throat and called like he was requested to.
"Nienai," he called softly, like her name was something holy that couldn't be voiced recklessly.
But then he realized his voice was too low, almost like a whisper. He wasn't calling out to anyone near him, so he decided to call her again.
This time, louder.
But as he made to, a cool ice blue light appeared before their eyes. It was tiny at first, almost like a star.
Then gradually, it grew large into the size of a human.
A freezing cold instantly ceased the whole place. It had everyone clasping themselves.
Just as Koul's eyes opened wide to take in whatever would appear, a hand pulled him in, and the next thing he saw was his face slamming into two large breasts.
The sweet scent from the breasts filled his senses. And the softness made him melt into them.
"Don't look," Hera said. "Do not look her in the eyes, else you'll die."
This was yet another shocking revelation to Koul.
Do not look?
But really, peeking lightly, he saw everyone had their eyes squeezed shut. Some heads were turned away, some dipped but everyone's eyes were squeezed shut.
He dared not turn to look at the woman that had materialized before them. He could only sense and feel her.
His muscles hadn't yet relaxed when a cold hand pressed down gently on his shoulder. The hand was so cold it sent chills down his spine and caused him goosebumps.
The next thing that followed was a chilly voice grazing his ears.
"I can see it's been lifted."