CHAPTER FORTY THREE
[before Jimin spoke to Jin or before the Jin flashback]
"I will accept this mission in return for releasing me." Jimin mumbled, looking down before looking up, meeting Taehyung’s eyes. "However, If I succeed this mission, what will you give me in return?"
Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows as he stared back at the Duke who was confident enough. Knowing Jimin, he knew that the man needed a payment in every command one will order to him.
Just as the King was about to say something, Jimin shook his head as he smiled. "Do not increase my salary."
Cocking an eyebrow, Taehyung tilted his head in confusion as Jimin added. "A wish. I want a wish."
The king thought about it for a few seconds before words left his mouth that would change a part of everyone's destiny. "Then I will give you one wish."
"Thank you." Jimin answered with tenderness as he smiled making Taehyung groaned and roll his eyes.
"Don't tell Seokjin hyung about it. If you fail your mission after letting your sins off, I won't hesitate to kill you even if you're my best friend." Taehyung threatened him but in all honesty, he couldn't bring his best friend to his deathbed.
If Taehyung would, he would've left Jimin die thousand years ago and not making him a monster. The king didn't even regret what he did, if that was the only way to save Jimin.
Jimin just lay his head low, breaking the eye contact as he slowly nodded his head.
"I've paid my sins for what I did way back then, right?" Taehyung's voice became tender. And that, Jimin looked at Taehyung with expression that seemed to be unreadable to the King.
Taehyung sighed and avoided Jimin's gaze before muttering 'get out'. Jimin didn't hesitate to get out and was silent the whole way out before he went to Seokjin afterwards.
There was another knock from the outside, announcing. "Your majesty, I've come to report something."
"Come in!" He yelled, rubbing the temple on his forehead. Taehyung has truly been in stressed for a while ever since he received the letter yesterday. Not to mention that Ha Na could be part of his stress too.
The 6th rank official came inside and announced the report that the guards have compiled. He sat frozen on the chair and looked at the official, blankly.
"What do you mean someone barged inside the palace?" Taehyung raised an eyebrow at his 6th rank official.
The official nodded his head to confirm what he just said and continue to read the report. "According to one of the guard's statement here, a werewolf was seen with Young Lady Elisse before she died."
Taehyung's eyes widened. "Before she died?"
The guard once again nodded making Taehyung let out a loud huff in annoyance. "That means Jimin didn't kill her?"
"We could say that he didn't. There might be a possibility that the werewolf did, your majesty."
Taehyung looked at him in confusion. "But Namjoon and the other guards said that they witnessed Jimin killing Elisse."
The official shook his head. "Perhaps you have misunderstood what the guard's intention, although I don't know why Mr. Kim said that he, himself witnessed Mr. Park killing the young lady."
"The guard's intention?" Taehyung seemed to be interest by what's going on now.
"As far as I know, the guards, who happened to passed by, told you that Mr. Park was seen with Miss Elisse right before she died, right?"
Taehyung nodded with the official continuing to ramble. "But the guards stationed at the dungeon, exactly 15 meters away from the scene, said that a werewolf barged in, and saw him talking to Miss Elisse."
"Why did you report this to me just now?" Taehyung hissed, frowning.
"I had the guards compile the whole story for me so I can put it together, your majesty." The official slightly bowed. "I deeply apologize for the late report."
Taehyung groaned before he restated his words to confirm everything. "So you're saying that there's a possibility that Jimin didn't kill Namjoon's soulmate?"
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The official answered with his thoughts. After that, Taehyung just dismissed him out of the room.
Taehyung shook his head as he pondered. What have he done? All of it falls into a great misunderstanding? He have hurt his own best friend and got tortured for 3 days and all of it was a misunderstandings?
But if Jimin didn't kill Elisse, who could've killed her? Was it really a wolf? But Taehyung was pretty sure that Elisse died because of a vampire. Her body had no signs of wolf scratches, wounds nor scent.
Taehyung ended up calling Namjoon in the court room. In which Namjoon answered in a speed of light. He locked his gaze with Namjoon as he spoke. "Jimin didn't kill Elisse."
Namjoon froze with wide eyes before breaking the eye contact in which Taehyung felt surprised at his sudden odd behaviour.
"What?" Namjoon muttered, clenching his fist making the younger even more suspicious. He was trying to suppress his thoughts—Taehyung knew because he can't read his hyung's mind as of the moment.
Hyung, why did you lie to me? Are you hiding something from me? Taehyung thought.
Even with Taehyung's suspicious activity towards the elder, he continue to talk for confirmations. At least he have to put the elder to the edge to say the truth right?
"He didn't kill her. Someone else did." Taehyung softly said, and as calm as he could.
And for the first time, the first Duke, considered the most powerful Duke and second to the King, happened to stutter in front of the ruler. "W-Who?"
And that's when Taehyung have finally blurted the words he wanted to ask. "Hyung, why did you lie to me?"
"What are you talking about?" Namjoon continue to deny, and even with that, Taehyung still continue to provoke the man.
There was a possibility that Namjoon was involved with the incident, and maybe, just maybe, trying to put the blame on Jimin so it could put a barrier between two of them. It couldn't be that, right? Maybe Taehyung was being a delusional person. There's no way that his hyung would do something like that. They've know each other the longest.
"You told me that you witnessed Jimin killing Elisse and eventually led me to misunderstood my guard's intention." Taehyung hissed, certainly disappointed at Namjoon but soon smirked when he saw Namjoon in a state like complete stuck up frozen meat.
"You seemed nervous." Taehyung scoffed. "If you were human right now, you could've been sweating hard."
"Stop pulling on jokes, Taehyung." Namjoon chuckled nervously, thinking that the younger was just teasing him when in reality, he was just trying to let Namjoon spill out the truth.
"Why are you laughing in this state when your soulmate just died?" Taehyung deadpanned, and even realized something that could confirm his doubts towards the elder.
"Namjoon hyung, enlighten me." Taehyung trailed as Namjoon looked at him anxiously. "Just why aren't you in a weak state?"
Namjoon didn't answer the ruler as he stood there, staring at him with his lips trembling and eyes blinking several times. He never expected this and never pictured out for this to happened. He planned a different way to reveal himself.
"Namjoon hyung, why aren't you in a weak state?" Taehyung repeated.
"Maybe it will appear later." Namjoon bit his lips, rubbing the nape of his neck awkwardly. "Besides it hasn't been days since Elisse died."
"It has been exactly 4 days." Taehyung put an emphasize on the days. "That's strange, isn't it?"
Taehyung added. "Usually, Dukes weakens or die when their soulmates die but why aren't you —"
The ruler looked Namjoon. "Unless you killed your soulmate? Normal vampires who has their soulmates got killed will die after 2-3 days, and Dukes weakens or die—especially when their soulmates are killed by others."
Usually when in situation like this where Jimin was the one who marked Elisse even though Namjoon is her soulmate, there would only be one possibility.
Just like what was mentioned, Jimin is the only one who can save her yet he and Taehyung are the only one capable of killing her—and soulmates can kill their own partner too.
Namjoon can kill her. Why didn't he think about it before? How could he think of something like this when it would be impossible for a Duke to kill his own soulmate because he might lose his powers or temporarily lose them.
"Taehyung!" Namjoon yelped, trying to deny everything but it was too late.
And that's when it finally hit Taehyung. "Namjoon hyung did you —"
But Namjoon guessed that he doesn't have a choice then. He was sure that the young king already guessed it. His lips curved into a small smirk, eyes turned darker.
"There's no point in denying everything now, right?"
RISEN
Written by Hannah (daddiehoseok)