ICOF 14

Chapter 14

Why is this bell in my dress pocket?

I stared intently at the small metal bell in my hand.

In shamanism, a bell is used to invite spirits or drive away evil entities, helping one focus only on the divine presence within the body.

Maybe because I came to this world, I couldn’t directly hear spirits or sense evil entities—but whenever I heard the sound of a bell, divine power surged through me, and visions appeared.

Just like Lurbihi said, perhaps my karma had temporarily settled, making it easier to concentrate.

But I hadn’t yet learned how to control this power, and every time I heard metal sounds, the energy inside me ran wild.

So this object still frightened me.

I was sure I had thrown it away that day… but had I unknowingly taken it back from Prince Benjamin and hidden it in my clothes?

I gripped it tightly so it wouldn’t make a sound and placed it in the very bottom drawer of my wardrobe.

Then I asked Lin to remove anything that made metallic sounds, like bells, as much as possible.

But something strange started happening.

Little by little, I began hearing faint bell sounds near my ears every day.

It was too frequent to be coincidence.

I heard it especially clearly when the wind blew.

And maybe because I was paying attention, I started hearing metallic sounds everywhere, making me even more on edge.

For the past few days, I even felt nauseous whenever I heard them.

I tried meditating as Lurbihi had taught me, trying to suppress the divine power—but it wasn’t easy to do alone.

When I passed by the palace kitchen—

Clang! Clang!

“Bring those plates over here!”

Clatter—roll—

Even the sound of knives and trays from the kitchen made my power surge.

After thinking it over, I sent a letter to Lurbihi asking for advice.

I expected a simple reply, but instead, he came to see me in person.

When I heard he had arrived, I went to meet him, and since the indoors felt suffocating, I suggested we take a walk around the palace.

We passed through the gardens and forest and eventually reached the training grounds near the stables.

Clang! Clang!

“Again! Aim properly!”

The commander shouted at the trainees.

The sound of metal clashing was even louder here.

Clang—clang—clang!

As I watched Sir Tristan training the knights, I turned to Lurbihi.

“See? Even hearing those loud sword sounds makes my whole body break out in chills and feel dizzy. Something’s definitely wrong, right?”

Lurbihi glanced briefly at my arm beneath his sleeve and asked,

“What kind of sounds have you been hearing more often lately?”

“I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I keep hearing bell sounds… metal clashing… from all around. It’s like something is making noise even near my room.”

His expression subtly twisted.

Why?

Is it worse than I thought?

“Is there anyone who knows about your symptoms?”

“My maid Lin and my family. Though my family doesn’t know the details—they just know I dislike bell sounds because of my fall.”

His brow furrowed.

“Is your maid trustworthy?”

“Lin? Of course. I trust her. But she doesn’t know exactly what’s happening to me either. I only told her to remove things that make metal sounds.”

“…”

He stayed silent, frowning.

I felt anxious.

“Lurbihi… am I going crazy?”

“Why do you ask that?”

I spoke honestly.

“I’m worried I might be reacting to sounds that aren’t even there. If I really am going crazy… I don’t know what to do.”

There were no metal sounds near my room—so what if my body were just reacting strangely?

What if I were losing my mind?

My mother, who was a shaman, wasn’t here.

The only person I could rely on now was Lurbihi.

Perhaps sensing that, he explained gently,

“Your divine power is completely normal. However, since your body hasn’t fully accepted it yet, the power floats like a foreign substance and can harm you. It’s also possible that someone who knows this is intentionally making sounds to torment you. That part needs to be investigated.”

“Intentionally?”

I tilted my head.

Who would know that bell sounds trigger my power?

Only Lurbihi and I knew… unless someone overheard us.

No… that couldn’t be.

***

Clink—!

Jingle!

Jingle!

“Ah—my head feels like it’s going to split!”

I sat up in bed, clutching my hair as the sound rang inside my head.

Then suddenly, a vision appeared.

A dark area on the outskirts of Lewelln.

A man in a black cloak.

He was being dragged somewhere on horseback, covered in blood.

Why? Is he hurt?

I could even smell the blood.

“Ah… my head… make that sound stop…”

No matter how much I screamed, no one came.

Of course—they wouldn’t. It was the middle of the night.

I got out of bed and staggered toward the window.

The faint sound of a bell grew clearer.

It felt like it was coming from here… or was it?

Where is it coming from? If I’m not hallucinating, then show yourself!

I opened the window and took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill my lungs.

The sound kept pounding in my head.

When the wind stopped, the sound disappeared again.

“So it’s not here? Then where…?”

I went back inside and opened the door to the hallway.

Though it was empty in the early dawn, the sound was definitely echoing somewhere.

Jingle… jingle…

With every step I took, the sound grew louder.

The faster I moved, the louder it became.

Jingle! Jingle! Jingle!

“Stop it!!”

I screamed—

And suddenly, the sound stopped.

With trembling hands, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small bell.

Why… is this here?

Why is this in my clothes again?

The headache overwhelmed me, and I collapsed.

I’m scared. I can’t move.

…

…

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

How much time has passed?

With the sound gone, the divine power had calmed down.

Then a quiet, gentle voice spoke.

“Your Highness, why are you like this?”

Green eyes looked down at me.

Soft, wavy hair was disheveled, as if he had rushed here.

“Lurbihi…?”

He supported me with a firm hand so I wouldn’t collapse.

“How did you—”

“I was investigating the area around the palace with Prince Lucas.”

“No, I mean… why are you in the palace?”

“I asked Prince Lucas for permission to stay here today.”

“Why?”

“Because what’s happening to you is unusual.”

Hearing that, I quickly searched my pocket.

“There was a small bell in my clothes.”

But when I checked, it was gone.

What… was it just a hallucination?

Lurbihi turned and took the bell out of his clothes.

“Are you looking for this? You dropped it just now—I picked it up.”

I sighed in relief.

I thought I had really gone crazy.

“Yes, that’s it. I don’t know why it was in my clothes. I told them to remove anything that makes noise.”

“It seems someone deliberately placed it there, knowing it would trouble you.”

“Who would do that? No one knows about my power except you—”

Not Lurbihi.

The symptoms had started before he came, and he had just helped me.

Then who?

Lin…? No, why would she?

He helped me up and guided me back to my room.

After sitting me on the sofa, he stepped out for about ten minutes, then returned with something.

“The prince and the knights found this. It was attached to the terrace above your room.”

It looked like a dreamcatcher, with bells attached.

So that’s why I kept hearing the sound whenever the wind blew.

“They found it hidden on a terrace pillar. Someone has definitely been interfering around you.”

Seeing my troubled expression, Lurbihi sat beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

He seemed to think helping me was the priority.

“I purified your energy before, but now it would be best to proceed with intensive purification. Shall we begin?”

I nodded and closed my eyes.

His hand rested on my forehead, and I slowly steadied my breathing.

Lurbihi—the most skilled priest of the kingdom’s greatest temple.

From his hands, I felt the strongest and most stable energy I had ever experienced.

Since we couldn’t rely on the temple’s power here, he had to use only his own strength.

As his divine energy guided mine, I instinctively began to understand how to control it.

He led me into a meditative state.

And within that space, I heard his voice.

—Can you hear me?