Chapter 608: Curse of the Ice Crystal.

What did I just hear?

My mind went completely blank, so it wasn’t working properly.

‘Who said what about whom?’

Even, who did what?

The words I heard made it feel like the world had stopped.

“What did you just say?”

I asked the Palace Lord again.

I absolutely had to ask again.

And it had to be my mistake.

Surely I had misheard.

It absolutely had to be that way.

I wished and wished for it, but…

[I said that the one called the Sleeping Dragon, Woo-hyeok, led the rebellion.]

Annoyingly, it seemed I hadn’t misheard.

“….”

Countless words came to mind, but nothing came out of my mouth right away.

I tried to organize my thoughts somehow.

It was incredibly complicated, but it was time to organize them by any means necessary.

Yes, it was definitely time to organize them, but…

‘That bastard Woo-hyeok, what did he say?’

I just couldn’t do it properly.

It was that shocking of news.

‘What did that brat Woo-hyeok say?’

What did he say?

Did he say Biwegun?

I don’t know if it’s a name or a title, but…

Anyway, the gist was that this guy called Biwegun was the ringleader who started the rebellion, backed by the Ice Palace’s bloodline.

That.

‘It’s that bastard Woo-hyeok?’

What’s more, the part about him being born into a famous family from the Northern Sea meant he wasn’t of Central Plains lineage, but from the Northern Sea.

It meant someone born in the Northern Sea went to the Central Plains and ended up belonging to the Mu Dang.

How could that possibly happen?

No, setting that aside for now.

“Is what you said truly the truth?”

I had to determine whether the words the Palace Lord uttered were true or not.

[Why. Does it seem like a lie?]

“It’s not something one can easily believe.”

[I see. That’s understandable.]

It was completely out of the blue for me.

That Woo-hyeok guy was suddenly from the Northern Sea.

And that he was from a famous family here.

Moreover, the fact that he, who seemed devoid of greed or ambition, had started a rebellion.

None of it was believable to me.

With that sentiment in my eyes, I stared at the Palace Lord with a bewildered expression.

[I understand it’s unbelievable. It must be quite sudden.]

The Palace Lord continued speaking to me.

The problem was.

Jjeojeojeok.

Subtle sounds started coming from around me.

“…?”

The cold air surrounding me had begun to thicken slightly.

The cold air was hazy like fog, but I could see its form subtly changing.

What was round and soft gradually became sharp.

Furthermore, the pressure pressing down on my shoulders intensified.

Feeling all of this, I had to frown.

“What is this supposed to be?”

I asked, glaring at the Palace Lord. He looked at me and said.

[As you said. It might be sudden, but the situation isn’t exactly favorable.]

“Ha.”

Hearing that, I let out a hollow laugh.

Amidst the changing atmosphere, I finally realized what this situation was.

I met the Palace Lord’s eyes.

Those eyes were still bothersome. Looking at them, I said.

“So, you’re saying you suspect me too?”

[It’s merely a confirmation.]

“Does this look simple? You’ve clearly decided to devour me whole.”

I thought it was a pretty urgent situation when the Palace Lord sought me out personally right after I woke up.

‘Was interrogation the intention?’

My mood instantly turned shitty.

It was too rude to be considered a simple greeting.

And a bit too polite to be considered an interrogation.

Jjeojeok.

Perhaps due to the cold air, I felt a sensation of my toes slowly freezing.

Woo-oong-!

Inside my body, the rings of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique began spinning on their own.

Heat was instinctively generated to push back the cold air.

What kind of situation is this?

‘Even without this, fuck.’

It’s already hard enough just to stay sane, and now this.

All sorts of trivial matters kept popping up.

“Palace Lord.”

Ignoring the palpable cold air, I said to the Palace Lord.

“Don’t you know why I’m here right now?”

My voice was laden with emotion.

[I know.]

At that, I burst out laughing again.

“You know?”

I am a distinguished guest who came from the Central Plains to save the Palace Lord.

It’s ridiculous to call myself a distinguished guest, but…

In the Palace Lord’s eyes, I was indeed a distinguished guest.

But.

“Knowing that, you treat me like this?”

The pressure that constricted my breathing.

And the cold air, taking on sharp forms, swirling around my neck.

“Is this how you treat a guest? Is this how they do things in the Northern Sea?”

To treat someone who came to save your life like this.

This is no different than picking a fight.

[Young Master Gu.]

The Palace Lord called me.

I didn’t reply.

[Do you truly believe you can lift this curse?]

“I don’t know. I’ll only know once I try. How could I possibly know?”

Healing Moyong Hi-ah.

And the Palace Lord’s current condition are worlds apart.

As I said earlier, I couldn’t be certain.

[Yes, it’s not certainty.]

“Is that the problem?”

I don’t know if I can heal him properly or not.

I thought that might be the issue, but…

[No, that’s not much of a problem.]

Along with his words, the chilling cold air intensified slightly.

[In the first place, whether you can truly heal it or not. That wasn’t important either.]

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

[I’m not foolish enough to entrust my body to someone suspicious based on the circumstances, nor…]

The Palace Lord’s vertically slit, pale blue pupils gathered light.

[I never intended to receive treatment in the first place.]

“What?”

Hearing the Palace Lord’s words, I couldn’t help but ask again.

What did that guy just say?

‘He has no intention of getting treated?’

What kind of bizarre bullshit is this?

I couldn’t quite understand.

If the Palace Lord truly has no intention of receiving treatment.

“Then why did you seek me out?”

What is the reason I am here?

“Did you really seek me out just to interrogate me?”

Did he want to see me just because I’m associated with that bastard Woo-hyeok?

As various questions surfaced.

[The initial reason was curiosity.]

The Palace Lord’s words reached me.

[I was curious about you, the one Miss Lee Gong mentioned. And I was curious about the familiar energy I felt long ago.]

The familiar energy…

‘Is he talking about the Nine Flames Wheel Technique?’

He said he met my father once.

That must have been the reason.

[The second reason is because you were called a friend of Biwegun.]

“Does that mean it was indeed an interrogation?”

[I had to confirm, wouldn’t you agree?]

The Palace Lord didn’t deny my words.

This means the current situation is indeed an interrogation.

[Therefore, please answer carefully.]

Now, the cold air had intensified to the point where it was affecting my skin directly.

Jjeojeojeok.

Frost formed.

It was an uncomfortable and unpleasant sensation.

Like insects crawling on my skin.

Even though it was just cold air, why did it feel so repulsive?

[I don’t wish to harm the child of a friend, you see.]

“…”

It was nothing short of a chilling threat.

As if to show that his words weren’t mere threats, the Palace Lord directed all his sharpened energy towards me.

Assessing the situation, I asked.

“You called yourself my father’s friend, yet you act like this?”

[Even if he is my friend, Young Master Gu is not my friend, is he?]

“That’s a truly frigid response.”

A friend is a friend, and a son is a son. Is that what he means?

No wonder they call him the Ice Lord; his way of drawing lines is frigid.

[I shall ask.]

[Are you truly a friend of Biwegun?]

Hearing that, I nodded.

The question was rather peculiar.

If Woo-hyeok is indeed Biwegun, he must know that I am his friend.

So, the question here should be… whether I ‘participated’ or ‘didn’t participate’ in Biwegun’s rebellion.

But instead, he asks if I’m his friend?

‘Well, well?’

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the Palace Lord.

Why would the Palace Lord deliberately ask in such a way?

The conclusion came quickly.

That question probably means…

‘Are you still friends? Is that the question?’

Even after knowing he committed treason.

Are you still his friend?

That must be what the Palace Lord is asking.

To put it more precisely.

Will you cut ties with that bastard Woo-hyeok and stand on this side?

Or will you maintain your friendship?

That seems the most likely interpretation.

Hearing this, I immediately asked the Palace Lord.

“If I say yes, that I am still friends with him, what will you do?”

[Hmm….]

Jjeojeojeok-!

The ice creeping up from my toes became slightly harder.

[Well. I hope you won’t be curious.]

“Haha.”

I felt like I knew without him saying it.

If I say yes here, it means he has no intention of letting me go peacefully.

I nodded.

I could accept that much.

Then.

“Palace Lord.”

[Speak.]

“By any chance, did you summon my companions to your room and interrogate them like this too?”

As I asked the question, the Palace Lord’s gaze shifted slightly.

His expression seemed to suggest he hadn’t expected such a question.

A brief silence passed.

Meanwhile, I kept staring intently into the Palace Lord’s eyes.

After waiting a few more seconds.

He wore a thoughtful expression for a moment, then finally spoke.

[If that were the case, what would…]

Before the Palace Lord could finish his sentence.

“Then you, die by my hand right here.”

Heat erupted from my body.

Hwa-reureureuk—!!

Inside my heart, the rings of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique spun rapidly and expanded.

Azure flames burst forth from my shoulders.

Hwa-reuk-!

The azure flames expanded their range, engulfing the cold air that had been aimed at me.

Jjeojeok-!

The ice binding my feet couldn’t stop my steps and shattered.

Taking rough strides, I said to the Palace Lord.

“Answer me properly. I’ll really kill you.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore.