Prologue

  Rumble! Kaboom!

  The dark clouds covered the sky, making it hard to tell if it was day or night. Lightning was the only source of light. No human or animal should have been out in the relentless rain, yet two figures appeared; they were running in the darkness.

  One appeared to be a lion, although not a normal lion with its unusual color and shape. The other figure was a slender girl riding atop the lion. Steady rain drops pelted her soft skin without mercy; the cold air made her weak.

  The lion talked to the shivering girl.

  “Rachel. Hang in there. When we cross the border and reach the land of the king from the other world, we will be able to rest.”


  Despite being exhausted, they were being chased and had to continue their journey.

  “I’m……okay, Kuga.”


  Holding the lion’s back with her arms, breathing heavily, Rachel tried to smile at the lion; it was a faint smile.

  “Compared to the pain, this is nothing.”


  “Good. Hang in there. The king from the other world will save you. This is the future that the goddess promised you.”


  “Yes, I can’t wait to meet him.”


  Rachel’s eyes started to shine as if she was dreaming. Her dark eyes were pure and beautiful, like those of a child.

  “Then I will be able to lay down in a warm bed?”


  “Of course.”


  “I can eat my fill of bread as well?”


  “Yes.”


  Her eyes shone even brighter when talking about her modest needs. On this dark and cold road, the only story that could soothe her was that of the king from the other world who would save her.

  “I wonder what kind of man he is.”


  “Hmm. People say he is a handsome, friendly man.”


  “The goddess led me to him, so he would be the one to save me, right?”


  “Of course. It was the goddess’ word.”


  Kuga reassured Rachel who anxiously asked the same questions over and over.

  “I can’t wait to meet him and see what kind of king he is. Will he be tall or short? Relaxed or strict? Will he be loud or quiet? There are so many things I want to know about him.”


  “You will meet him soon.”


  “How should I greet him? Smile and bow? Or should I put my hands together? Would it be okay to hug him? Or …… Ugh…… ugh!”


  Rachel, chattering with excitement, suddenly stopped and fell, holding her chest.

  “Ugh…… Ahhh……”


  Like a bird falling from its nest, Rachel shivered endlessly. She cried in pain and held her chest as if she wanted to tear her heart from it. She had no energy to scream and was forced to moan.

  “Ugh.”


  She couldn’t hold the lion anymore and fell to the ground. Kuga quickly stopped to hold her.

  “Rachel……”


  Kuga could only look at her with tears. Despite losing consciousness, the girl’s pain remained.

  “Ughhh!”


  The extreme pain covering her body eventually woke her up with a blood bubble on her mouth. She continued losing consciousness, waking up over and over until she finally calmed down. She looked at Kuga desperately and asked him with her feeble voice:

  “He could……surely……save me, right?”


  From this miserable curse.

  “Yes, of course.”


  “I want to……see……Sungjin……as soon as possible……”


  Tears dropped from Rachel’s eyes. Sungjin was the only one who could save her from this dark and cold journey.