Health Festival Day 2 – Accident (2)

On this day, eighty selected commoners were allowed to enter, observe, and partake in the feast. Of course, they weren’t allowed to roam freely within the palace, so they were guided along a designated route. However, being chosen to tour the palace was considered an honor, and most people gladly accepted. The opportunity to see the inside of the palace, which they normally wouldn’t even dare to peek at, was too good to pass up.

These eighty individuals, jointly selected by the Changwei and the Ministry of Justice, donned their finest attire and entered with a dignified air. Beyond the garden inside the main gate, the Imperial Palace buildings, bathed in the autumn sunlight, which had lost some of its intensity, glowed like gold as the sandstone walls seemed to heat up, creating a magnificent sight. The red bricks, inlaid into the walls like scales, added to the weight of the structure, blending seamlessly with the yellowish, shimmering sandstone.

Dark bluish-green slate was meticulously cut into planks and used to cover the roofs, while thin sheets of gold were applied to the edges of the roofs and eaves as decoration, glittering dazzlingly. Above the dormer windows that peeked out between the roofs, reliefs adorned with vine-like decorations were added, and busts of legendary figures were enshrined in niches on the outer walls, decorated with bronze.

Beyond the extravagant spectacle of primary colors displayed by the front of the Imperial Palace, one entered a vast colonnade filled with the silence of cold stone. As if entering a temple deep in the mountains, the unadorned space, with only the faint grain and cold texture of the rock, cooled the eyes and allowed those who entered to catch their breath. The massive pillars stretched upwards, forming rainbow-like arches that created gentle curves high above.

The group dared not speak, following the guide through the colonnade and into the interior.

“Nari, isn’t this… isn’t this a work by the painter Vienches from two hundred years ago? So many were lost in the Great Fire of the Capital forty years ago, there aren’t many left…”

An elderly man with white hair pointed to a painting with a trembling hand. It depicted a farmer kneeling in a field, looking up at the sky, a scene truly unseen in this capital.

“I wouldn’t know. I’m not interested in paintings.”

Disappointed by the officer’s words, the old man heard another voice in his ear.

“That’s right. You have a good eye.”

“Minister of Rites-daegam!”

The guard officer placed his hand on his chest in a military salute, and the commoners who had come to observe also bowed.

“Many of Vienches’ works that weren’t burned in the Great Fire of the Capital are here in the Imperial Palace. He was a man from two hundred years ago and isn’t very famous now… In fact, I also think he’s been greatly underrated.”

The old man trembled as if deeply moved by those words. Those without an eye for art tilted their heads, but upon hearing this conversation, they thought, ‘The Imperial Palace is indeed different,’ and looked at the painting with renewed interest.

Even the mansions of wealthy aristocratic families couldn’t be this splendid and magnificent. Faced with a wealth and dignity that transcended their own, even those who thought they were accustomed to the luxuries born of wealth and power couldn’t help but be speechless.

The same was true of the gardens. A certain wealthy man, who thought he had a knack for landscaping, was so inspired by the Imperial Palace’s gardens that he tried his best to imitate the style he had seen there in his own garden. Eventually, he succeeded in creating a style that wasn’t exactly the same but quite similar, and even popularized it.

These commoners were treated to a meal in an area designated for them, and then, guided by officers and soldiers of the palace guard, they toured along a predetermined route.

Although they were commoners, each had their own social standing, so they were even more careful to maintain their decorum and dignity so as not to damage their reputation in the palace. When they returned and told their acquaintances about all the things they had seen inside the palace, spreading rumors, the Emperor’s majesty and benevolence were passed on from mouth to mouth in this way.

However, one person was completely different. With a somewhat vacant look in his eyes, he silently and quietly followed behind the group. From the first time he saw him, the officer had wondered, ‘Why was this person selected?’ but since he was definitely on the list, he couldn’t refuse him entry. The officer couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about him.

It was when the group was passing near the Rose Palace and Chrysanthemum Palace gardens. A bright blonde woman suddenly caught his eye. As if bewitched, he slowed his pace, falling to the rear of the group, and then, in an instant, suddenly dashed towards the garden.

“Stop!”

The soldiers standing at the front and rear of the group, along with the officer, couldn’t possibly miss this abnormal situation. But as if he had wings on his feet, he ran even faster than the soldiers, who were always training their bodies, and pulled something from his chest. It was a dagger.

Serina saw someone running madly from the garden. Something was wrong. He was running straight towards Mirabilis, and behind him, soldiers were shouting, “Stop!” and running after him. Something was amiss. Serina subtly placed Mirabilis behind her.

“It’s dangerous, get away!”

As the soldier chasing from behind shouted and gestured, all the other palace people turned to look, and suddenly, like pouring water on an ant nest, they scurried about in chaos. The palace people, who had been sitting around watching a bizarre play performed by two palace maids, all stood up, unsure of what to do, and fidgeted in their seats. When the music stopped and only meaningless sounds came out, Mullaba stood up from her seat and shouted.

“Escort the Princess-nim inside!”

At the familiar voice shouting and giving instructions like that, the maids and court ladies moved their bodies faster than they thought. The maids swarmed around Mirabilis, but he was a little faster.

Serina was scared. She wanted to run away. But a certain emotion, wriggling deep inside her heart, ensnared her feet like a noose, making it impossible to move.

‘I am Mirabilis’ Older Sister-nim.’

Even if it was a twisted relationship created by the power of hypnosis magic, she was Mirabilis’ ‘Older Sister-nim.’ If she disgracefully ran away here or just did as much as the other palace people did, could she confidently say that she was Mirabilis’ ‘Older Sister-nim’?

Even if Mirabilis acknowledged it because of the power of hypnosis magic, she could never accept it herself. She wanted to step forward confidently. She wanted to show in front of her, without borrowing the power of hypnosis magic, that she was worthy of being called Older Sister-nim. She wanted to tell her that your Older Sister-nim is this kind of person. Even if it was just a pretense, even if it was just false bravado, she desperately hoped that it would be true courage at this moment.

The moment the man’s knife flashed with a menacing light, aiming its edge at Mirabilis, Serina rushed forward, snatched his wrist, and desperately clung to the wrist of his right hand, which held the knife, engaging in a physical struggle. If a man and a woman of average strength were to engage in a power struggle, the outcome was obvious.

But Serina had no intention of winning from the start. The soldiers were running up from behind, so if she could just buy time until then, she would be as good as winning, a calculation that soothed her uneasy heart.

As the man forcibly shook off her arm, the tip of the knife grazed the upper part of Serina’s left chest. Her vision seemed to flash for a moment, and a burning pain surged through her chest. Hot liquid flowed down her chest, emitting a fishy odor. She wanted to scream and look down at the wound, but there was no time for that.

“I’m not hurt!”

Serina used the power of hypnosis magic on herself. The moment the words left her mouth, the pain that felt like it was scorching her skin clearly weakened. Serina also gritted her teeth in that gap and clung to the man’s arm with all her remaining strength. The small, sharp blade, stained with blood, no longer shone. The man turned his body, contorting his expression hideously, and roared like a beast, turning and slapping Serina’s face with his left palm.

With a thud, she was knocked away. Although he was an untrained ordinary person, the palm of an adult man who had lost his reason and was rampaging with all his might had enough power to blow Serina away.

The impact that rang through her skull struck her brain. A cruel action that didn’t consider the other person’s circumstances at all. It was fortunate that his hand had less strength because of his awkward posture, otherwise, the impact might have distorted the bones in her face.

Serina’s head was reeling, and she couldn’t stand up properly. Even when she tried to stand up by forcibly putting strength into her legs, her strength gave out and she collapsed again. She looked like a newborn foal floundering on the ground trying to stand up. Even though she had reduced the pain to some extent with hypnosis magic, the impact that rang through her brain, the pain of falling to the ground, and the pain that felt like it was burning her chest combined to make it impossible for her to steady her body or come to her senses.

Led by the maids and court ladies, Mirabilis went inside the palace. Then, the man cast his gaze on the culprit who had blocked him. A gaze filled with nothing but madness, not fearing anything, pierced Serina’s chest like a blade. Serina felt that the gaze that was looking at her was sharper and more frightening than the knife the man was holding.

“Go to hell!”

Serina hurled an insult with her meager eloquence. Suddenly, the sky and earth seemed to turn upside down, and her vision spun around and around. Serina, overwhelmed by the dizziness that filled her head and the pain in her chest, entrusted her body to gravity and collapsed sideways.

Thanks to the time bought by this brief struggle, the soldiers ran up and hooked the man’s neck with a spear, pulling him backward. With a choked gasp, he collapsed to the ground, and the soldiers stabbed his right arm with a spear, dropping the knife, and then beat him with the spear, showering him with all sorts of curses. If the officer who followed hadn’t stopped the soldiers, he might have been beaten to death.

Blood continued to flow from Serina’s chest, soaking the surrounding area. The blood that flowed from the man after being stabbed by the spear also soaked the dirt ground and pooled on the ground, filling the air with the stench of blood. As black blood splattered on the blue grass, leaving dark traces, black flies gathered one by one like hyenas, and the joyous festival was instantly ruined.

“Mirabilis-nim, you mustn’t come out!”

“But Mullaba, Serina is hurt.”

The court lady closed her mouth and made a dissatisfied expression, but couldn’t say anything, and Mirabilis went outside again and approached Serina.

“Quickly, go and call a doctor!”

The sound of someone running could be heard as Mullaba gave the order. But Serina didn’t care about any of that. Her head was dizzy and her chest hurt. Gasping for breath at the unexpected pain, she struggled to endure the pain. Every time she exhaled, her flesh moved, making the wound even more painful. It felt like someone was poking at the wound. Mirabilis’ figure seemed to flicker before her eyes, but she couldn’t open her mouth properly, and her vision gradually darkened.

Mirabilis knelt down next to Serina and slowly kissed Serina’s forehead. Clear tears flowed down her beautiful face and onto the maid’s forehead. Mirabilis held Serina’s right hand tightly in both of her hands and trembled in agony, unable to make a sound as if swallowing her sobs.

The blood flowing from the wound stained the maid’s uniform that Mirabilis was wearing, turning the white apron red, but she didn’t care about any of that. Amidst the chaotic uproar and the stench of blood, as if a stick had been poked into an ant nest, the two of them remained there as if time had stopped.

Mullaba quietly watched the two of them and let out a deep sigh. And from further behind, Padrentia, also dressed in a maid’s uniform, watched this scene and hardened her face. Her tightly clenched fist was filled with strength.

“What… what was that just now?”

A magician from Naemawon also felt a strange question at the scene.