episode_0004

morning.

As guests began to slowly enter the banquet hall, the host of the banquet hall, Geomseong Mo Yongcheon, was heading alone to the deepest part of Sega.

A detached building located quite far from the center.

It is a small house located within the manor of the Odaese family, but it looks like the residence of a happy family was brought in and placed separately.

If there is a singularity, it is that there is a ‘formation’ spread around it, so no one from Sega can enter.

There are probably more than a few forbidden areas within the family, but anyone who steps foot into this small annex will incur Murong Tian’s wrath.

This is where Mo Yong-cheon lived with his deceased wife, and where all traces of his deceased wife remain.

Another thing to note is that the annex was spotlessly clean, as if someone came here every day to clean it.

Thud, thud.

Breaking through the barrier, a man entered the annex.

“Here I am, ma’am.”

The owner of the annex, Mo Yong-cheon, stood in the yard holding a white bouquet of flowers.

“I keep telling myself in my dreams to stop coming here every day, but I really wanted to come today.”

Mo Yong-cheon placed a bouquet of flowers in front of a stone tombstone under a peach tree that stretched tall into the sky next to the yard, and sat cross-legged in front of the tombstone.

“Seol-i, I got better.”

There is no answer.

I want an answer, but the person I’m talking to has already left a long time ago.

“It was an incurable disease. You blamed yourself countless times for passing it on to your daughter, and even went so far as to harm yourself. The disease has been cured.”

Mo Yong-cheon took a flower out of the bouquet, broke off a petal, and placed it on the tombstone.

“When Seol-i first told me, “I’m better,” do you know what I thought? I thought you were really resentful.”

Mo Yong-cheon’s voice, which had never trembled in front of anyone, trembled like flower petals fluttering in the wind.

“7 years. You should have waited for 7 years. Instead of blaming yourself for giving your daughter a fatal disease, you should have just gritted your teeth and held on, waiting until today.”

Still no answer.

“At least if that were the case, I could have seen a healthy and beautiful Seol-i today. I could have seen her smile, like the bright spring flowers that bloomed like you once did.”

Just the shadow of the peach tree swaying in the wind gently covers the Moyongcheon River.

“And about today’s incident… As Seol-i’s parent, I would have asked for your wisdom and made a wise decision.”

Mo Yong-cheon lowered his head.

“I don’t know what to do. If I could swing my sword and get an answer, I’d swing it a thousand, ten thousand times. But… how can I swing my sword?”

With trembling hands, Geomseong held onto the tombstone.

“Seol-i was looking at him with the same look you had back then, with the same eyes you had used to look at me. The person who saved her life and took her first steps.”

The hand holding the tombstone is trembling.

A man who can crush rocks with just a little strength, drains all his energy and trembles while holding onto a tombstone with only one human hand.

“What do you think about your son-in-law? Would you want to kill him for stealing the heart of your precious daughter, or would you be so happy that he cured your daughter’s incurable disease that you would call him your son-in-law first?”

Whew.

The wind blows, and the flower petals that have climbed onto the tombstone scatter into the sky.

“…I know. Yes. The dead do not return. I know that you should not kill. How can a human kill his benefactor? So…I will only be honest with you in front of you.”

Mo Yong-cheon let out a deep sigh.

“…The moment I saw my daughter naked in that man’s room, I was even angrier than when I had a life-or-death fight with Cheonma. I thought it was a case of Juhwapma.”

Whew.

“I thought I had reached the state of no-thought, but I guess I was still human. It was the first time in my life that I felt so angry. As much as when that guy from Namgungga grabbed your wrist, no, even more so. …I think I finally understand why my father-in-law was so angry.”

The leaves swayed in the wind, and the sunlight sparkled toward the Moryongcheon River.

“Yes. You should cherish him. You should embrace him. Just as your father entrusted you to me, I will also think of him as my son. If it were you, you would have certainly done so.”

Mo Yong-cheon stretched out his hand and began to scan the ground.

Even though his wrinkle-free, clear hands were covered in dirt, he continued to run his hands over the tombstone.

“That’s what you said as you were dying. If, if a miracle really happens.”

Sarak.

“…Give this to the kid.”

As we cleared away the dirt, a wooden box appeared that was comfortable to hold in one hand.

Mo Yong-cheon carefully took out the wooden box with both hands, opened the latch, and opened the box.

“…….”

A white jade hairpin that resembles a frozen tree branch.

After looking down at the jade hairpin for a while, Mo Yong-cheon closed the box, cleaned up his place, and slowly stood up from his seat while holding the box in both hands.

“I’ll come back tomorrow. And maybe I won’t be able to come often in the future.”

The face of the black dragon, looking up at the sky between the sunlight-glistening leaves, was stiff as usual.

“All the wildcats of the Central Plains will dare to target Seol-i…and target him.”

* * *

afternoon.

While Mo Yongseol was getting ready for the banquet, I also changed my clothes and came out to the banquet hall.

“That guy…”

“Shh. Be quiet. There’s no reason to get involved with a ‘loser’.”

Those who recognize me avoid me.

Since I also had neither the time nor the reason to talk to others, I quietly took a drink, slipped into a corner of the banquet hall, and leaned against the wall.

‘That’s a normal gaze.’

The look in the eyes of a loser.

When someone dies from an illness, the bereaved family and mourners inevitably look at the doctor with mixed feelings.

Even if it is an incurable disease.

‘No. Hold on.’

You must not reveal it.

Never.

Ding, ding, ding─

The sound of music resonates.

Even if they are the five greatest martial artists, they should not carelessly play music at a banquet of this scale, but those playing the instruments there are part of the ‘Palace Orchestra’.

“Oh my goodness. Are they court musicians? Did the palace send the orchestra?”

“He is a hero of the martial arts world, but at the same time, isn’t he a hero of the Central Plains? The emperor himself ordered him to be sent.”

Those holding glasses whisper to those playing the music.

I already knew that the band came from the palace, but those who just entered the Murong family today couldn’t help but be surprised.

Don’t they say ‘official duties are inviolable’?

It is said that even though the official and the official live on the same land, they do not cross each other’s territory, but the case of the Mo Yong Se family is different.

“It’s only natural, then, that thanks to the Sword Saint, we were able to suppress the rebellion within the Golden Guard and prevent the mass slaughter of the Demonic Cult.”

“That must be so. Even though he was from the Murong family, didn’t the emperor want to take him as his son-in-law? He even said he could choose any princess as his wife.”

“Is it because you came here this time that someone from the royal family might be coming?”

“To some extent. Why would an open beggar dress up and come in such a state of disrepair?”

“I thought you wanted to have some basic manners.”

“That too.”

Those who know who they are.

The leader of the non-partisan faction and the ark of openness.

As Taoist priests and beggars, they wore relatively free clothing and attended the banquet today in bright yet neat clothes, as if it were a banquet and a ‘funeral’.

‘Wow, there are quite a few celebrities.’

If there is anyone who is somewhat free in their clothing, or rather, wears it as they normally wear it.

“Amitabha.”

Isn’t that a monk from Shaolin Temple wearing yellow monk’s robes and praying to Buddha?

He looks more like a god than a monk, and is a living history of the martial arts world of that time.

“Hey, what’s a divine monk doing here?”

“Since Shaolin is in debt to Murong, how could he not come to see him?”

squeaker.

One of the five greatest martial artists in the world.

Even when the Demonic Cult crossed over to Shaanxi and Sichuan, an old monk who had not left the main hall of Shaolin Temple came to the banquet hall of the Murong Clan.

“The abbot boasted that he would definitely cure Murong, but instead he tormented Young Lady Murong. Even if this old monk cannot cure Young Lady Murong, can’t he pray for her rebirth in paradise?”

“The living Vishnu (毘沙門天) is praying for rebirth in paradise. I am sure that even Lady Murong will be able to live comfortably in the afterlife without suffering.”

The head shaman, the highest-ranking Shaolin master, and Gaebangbangju are putting aside their personal history to pray for the repose of a woman’s soul.

‘It’s Shaolin’s debt.’

I know what it is.

Just then, a topic came up from the other side.

“Is this the only way to resolve the death of someone suffering from arrhythmia? Your Majesty. Are we supposed to continue to helplessly watch the deaths of young people like this?”

“General. I understand your feelings, but there is no clear method.”

The leader of the martial arts world and the commander of the martial arts world, the head of the Kunlun faction and the head of the Namgung family, respectively, are talking.

“Even Shaolin’s Great Return Elixir and the treatment from the world’s best doctor were of no use in the end.”

“But…then the baby…”

“I’m sorry about your nephew. …But the budget for treating arrhythmias keeps increasing every year, so I just hope they find a way.”

“Haa. I wish that were true, but in the end, even the best pharmacist couldn’t find a way, right?”

I just sit there with my ears perked up, and a chill runs down my spine.

“The disciple of the best pharmacist.”

A momentary glance directed at me.

The first person in the pharmacy is my teacher, ‘Baekmyeon’, and is a title given to the winner of the medical contest prepared by the leader of the martial arts world for us to enter the Muryong family.

“He did his best too.”

The leader gave me a complicated look.

He knows my background, but he also knows how sincerely I tried to correct the theory of Murong.

“I just resent the sky.”

If you want to escape from the Demonic Cult and survive, this is the only way to survive.

I thought so.

Until yesterday.

‘It’s different now, though.’

The path to life has opened.

No, I did it myself.

I never imagined that that fate would lie with Murong Seol himself.

‘I guess I’ll have to sneak out once the banquet starts.’

So that no one will approach a failed member of parliament without reason-

“Excuse me.”

“…Who are you?”

A tall woman with long black hair approached me.

Should we say that she is the epitome of a cold beauty?

“The great disciple of Jeomchang, my name is Soyeonjeok (少燕赤).”

The great disciple of the fortune teller.

He is the direct disciple of the head of the Jeomchangpa sect.

At the same time, it is a familiar face.

-Hey, what do we do now…? Yeah?

-It’ll be okay. Don’t cry. Stop.

One of the children I met in the cave where I was kidnapped when I was seven years old.

-…Really, can we survive?

-You have to struggle until the end. If you really can’t stand it, come here even if you have to break your ankle. At least I can take care of you while you’re lying in bed.

-…I’ll try not to get sick.

I entered the Jeomchangpa to kill the later index, but it was one of the hidden poisons that was at the core of the Jeomchangpa’s future.

I heard that they are aiming for the pinnacle of excellence, beyond first-class.

“This is our first meeting. Nice to meet you. My name is Seok Mu-wol.”

“Let me get straight to the point. Where will you go after your treatment is over?”

“Well.”

Really, I don’t know.

Aside from the fact that the opponent is a spy of the Demonic Cult, I really don’t know what to do.

“Then.”

Soyeonjeok took a deep breath and took a step toward me.

“Would you like to come to the store?”

“…Huh?”

“So, that’s it. If it’s a dot window…then…”

Soyeon tried to refrain from saying anything by briefly biting her lower lip.

“Ugh-”

Amidst the murmurs behind me, I reached out to my waist at the sound of a low laugh.

“What are you talking about now?”

widely.

Soyeonjeok’s movements as he instinctively tried to draw his sword were extremely fast, but the speed at which the sword was ‘forcibly’ put back into its scabbard was even faster.

“Huh?”

Behind the scenes.

A woman was leaning to the side and smiling broadly, gently pressing the end of the sword hilt with one finger, which Soyeonjeok was gripping tightly.

“Where are you taking ‘my congressman’?”

The main character of the banquet, Mo Yong-seol, came out wearing a splendid white robe.

Wearing clothes similar to the shroud worn by a person entering a coffin.