“The man standing in front of you my friend is the greatest sorcerer of the land of the pharaohs, I am the high sorcerer and high guardian of Osiris,” Addaya said with a proud smile on his face.

Meritamun smirked, she eyed Donggun who looked impressed, and said, “It's just his new title, don’t be impressed; he’s not that good.”

“I am that good Meritamun!” Addaya quibbled, Donggun smiled and looked at Meritamun who smiled back at both.

“Whatever you say, love, we need to go back and start working,” Meritamun said and laid a quick kiss on Addaya’s lips while Donggun eyed them and clenched his jaw, looking away. They walked back to the room they were in before.

Meritamun placed the apples in a wooden bowl and handed one to Donggun; he waved his hand in refusal, but she took his left hand and placed it on his hand, pressing on his right shoulder.

“You need your energy, and don’t say no to me again,” Meritamun said and smiled with the deep dimples on her cheeks. Donggun couldn’t help but smile back; her touch and smile gave him a warm feeling inside his heart.

“I can’t say no to you,” Donggun said quietly to himself before taking a big bite. His energy had been depleted by the time jump he had made earlier. His gaze was drawn to Addaya, who was looking for something in the room while Meritamun sat on the table waiting for him.

“Where is it?” Addaya asked from across the room in a high tone, searching through papyrus.

“What are you looking for exactly?” Meritamun asked loudly.

“The book, where is it?”

“I told you he’s not that good,” Meritamun said sarcastically which made Donggun smile widely. “love, your memory is hysterical,” Meritamun said and walked to him. She reached his shoulder, stood on her toes, and gave him a quick kiss on his left cheek. “the necklace love,” she tapped with her right pointing finger on a green gemstone placed on the collar he was wearing.

“Right!” Addaya took the green stone out of the collar and walked to the other side of the room while Donggun’s eyes kept following him. Addaya reached the right end of the room with the stone between his right thumb and index finger; he tapped on several inscriptions; on each tap he made the inscription beneath it lightened in green.

Stolen story; please report.

With the final tap, all the inscriptions lit up at the same time, and the green light began expanding, forming a large figure. Meritamun was looking at Donggun, who had stopped eating and focused on the light, as the large figure gradually transformed into a dark hall. Addaya smiled as he returned Donggun’s gaze. “Let’s go,” he said, motioning for them to follow.

Meritamun didn’t wait for Donggun to respond before putting her hand on his arm and forcing him to stand. They were at the other end of the room when Addaya walked into the dark hall and vanished. Donggun turned to face Meritamun. “Where did he go? Where are you taking me?”

“It’s our private workplace; you’ll love it,” she said, still clutching his arm.

“Private?” he questioned; his gaze drawn to the dark hall.

“Let’s go,” she said, starting to walk while dragging Donggun behind her. He looked at her hand and moved his arm away from it. “What’s wrong?” she inquired softly.

“Nothing,” Donggun replied. He looked deeply into her lips and moved his hand slightly toward her, feeling her soft warm palm with his cold fingertips. He focused his attention on her eyes; she was frowning slightly, so he quickly moved his hand and looked at the ground.

“Your hand is so cold,” Meritamun said, giggling as she edged her hand toward his, unfurling his fingers and interlocking them with hers, her palm pressing slightly against his. “That’ll warm up, let’s go,” she said, pressing her hand harder pulling him to walk. He didn’t say anything; he just stared at her until she finished, then looked forward, and they began to move.

Her touch warmed his hand, and a wide smile spread across his face as he felt the warmth inside his heart. Meritamun looked at Donggun as they stood directly across from the dark hall. “It will be dark for a few steps and then bright, so make sure to cover your eyes, okay?” she said. He nodded and tightened his grip on her warm, soft hand; she smiled back and led the way into the dark hall.

They entered the dark hall, and Donggun came to a halt, looking back at the room, which was the only source of light. “Don’t stop,” Meritamun said as they walked deeper into the dark hall and the view of the room began to fade. The entire area became a block of interminable darkness. Meritamun whispered, “Thirty-three, thirty-four.”

“Are you counting?” Donggun asked.

“Yes, thirty-five.” They kept taking small steps until Meritamun counted to number forty. “The light is rising now, cover your eyes,” she warned. They covered their faces to avoid the mighty light that felt unbearable to their eyes as the dark place they were standing in gradually changed and became brighter as if there were flash beams right in front of them.

Donggun didn’t completely close his eyes because he wanted to see what would happen, but the mighty light forced him to move his head slightly to the back to avoid the great light. His hand was slipping away from hers, and he began to lose his balance; Meritamun quickly hugged his arm, stopping him from moving.