episode_0096

A cozy blanket that sinks into a swamp, a pillow that covers your head fluently, and even the warm sunlight that gently warms your body.

“Heo Eok… !”

Consciousness rose to the surface along with my senses, and I reflexively jumped up.

I turned my head and looked around.

Then, a landscape resembling a room in a luxury hotel gradually began to come into view.

The place where I was lying just a moment ago was a large bed, and there were antique furniture and decorations placed here and there around it.

But no matter how much I think about it, I don’t remember a place like this. In other words, it means that it is the first place you come to.

Where on earth is this place?

Then, suddenly, I felt the breeze tickling the fur on my face, so I reflexively raised my hand and touched my face.

The feel of the soft skin, and even the texture of the long, lumpy scar extending horizontally under the left eye.

The touch feels so vivid that it feels unpleasant, and I start to break into a cold sweat.

“If you go… My mask is… ”

I desperately whipped my head around, looking for my things.

Before long, I was able to find it on the nightstand next to the bed, but for some reason, the mask had been shattered around the right eye.

Next to it, a new mask was prepared, identical to the one used before.

There was no need to even think about the reason. I picked it up and hurriedly tightened the lock.

As I found some stability, memories of the past slowly began to appear in my mind.

Invitation from Yeon-hyeong under the pretense of mentoring experiential learning, Jeok-hwa’s main house where strange things happened one after another, the crazy head of Jeok-hwa who not only confided in demons but even tried to use his own daughter as a magic ingredient, the suddenly invading forces of Paecheon and Seongsan, the leader. After remembering the address given, Choi I-re of Seongsan blocked her path while looking for Yeon Myeong-ha. After defeating her… Next…

“… ”

No matter how much I groaned, I have no memory of what happened after that. It’s as dark as ink on paper.

Did I lose my mind for a moment because I used the prediction plan unreasonably?

I turned my gaze down and examined my body.

I could see bandages soaked in medicine wrapped around my arms and legs.

Although I’m still full of throbbing pain, I don’t think there’s a big problem right now. As if I had taken an antidote, I barely felt the heat that had been bothering my head the entire time.

So, is this the address the leader told us about? Where is the compassion? Was my mask broken in the mess? But how did they know about my situation and have a new mask prepared?

My thoughts are jumbled like tangled threads. At the moment when doubt after question came to my mind.

The door handle turns without warning, and someone appears with a loud bang.

There was a momentary look of wariness, but what appeared there was a woman dressed as a servant.

When she saw me, her eyes widened.

“Oh my… ”

“I… ”

“Madam… ! The master opened his eyes… !”

Without even having a chance to speak, she turned around in an instant and left into the hallway, screaming loudly at me.

Soon, signs of bustle began to be heard from afar.

After a while. The woman who had left opened the door again and appeared.

Two men and a woman came in right behind her, who had taken a casual stance.

There is one man with a sharp look who looks like someone who seems to be somewhere between middle age and old age.

And there was one woman with an elegant and dignified appearance who seemed to be the same age or slightly younger than the leader.

I could feel the natural dignity and courtesy oozing out of every small gesture.

Also, they had one thing in common.

There is absolutely no sign of hostility or disdain in the eyes that look at me.

Instead, I only sent warm and benevolent gazes, and my wary heart melted in an instant and disappeared without a trace.

“I… ”

As I reflexively tried to get up from my seat, a woman with an elegant appearance stepped forward and urgently stopped me.

“Baby. It’s okay. Stay where you are. Your body won’t be fully developed yet, so there’s no need for that… ”

“Yes? yes… ”

“That’s right… ”

It was strangely childish, but somehow I couldn’t reject it.

After hesitating and turning around again, the woman nodded slightly, as if satisfied.

Since they were behaving as if they were the owners of this mansion, I carefully asked them the question I was most curious about.

“Well, wasn’t there a female student who came with me? He’s about a head shorter than me and has a fresh look… ”

I felt nervous again as I thought about what might happen. However, the woman shook her head left and right and smiled as if to tell him not to worry.

“I want to feel safe. If it’s Jeokhwa’s child, he’s resting in another room of this separate room. It may take some time to come to your senses, but it doesn’t affect your life at all.”

“Is it true… ”

“Not really. So you don’t need to worry too much.”

After hearing the woman’s words, I finally feel at ease. Anyway, we succeeded in getting out together.

I don’t know what will happen next… Just saving one’s life from that mess is a great achievement.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come. Even so, I never thought we would meet in this way… ”

Then, a sharp-looking man standing behind him opened his mouth.

Contrary to his impression, his friendly tone was not much different from that of the woman.

“Me… You were waiting… ?”

“Okay then. Well, he couldn’t wait for you so he said he would come to the cradle himself. How long did I try to stop it… ”

The woman suddenly sighed, as if she was lamenting. The man who saw him made an embarrassed expression that did not match his expression.

“Hmm, hmm. ma’am. Dignity in front of a child… ”

“Hmph. What kind of dignity is majesty? Is there anything more useless in the world than that? ”

“… ”

As they casually talk about me, I feel like they will somehow naturally blend into the scenery.

Who are these people that they treat me in such a friendly manner?

Moreover, the attitude that naturally oozes elegance, and the tone of voice that casually refers to Yeon Myeong-ha as Jeokhwa’s child.

No matter how you look at it, they definitely don’t seem like ordinary people.

Even the man’s appearance, no matter how much I looked at it, looked exactly like someone I knew.

Should I say that he feels like he has aged about 30 years?

Moreover, aren’t the woman’s eye colors exactly the same as his?

Although they appear to be similar in age to the leader, some highly accomplished wizards are said to suppress aging and maintain their youthful appearance.

Right now, Haewolhwa, who has been around since the leader was in the cradle, doesn’t look that old anymore.

Putting these facts together, my conclusions were already converging towards one thing.

no way…

“Well, are you two… ?”

“Ah… Hmm, hmm.”

The two of them exchanged something similar to a light argument, but then they turned their attention to me.

The man who cleared his throat slightly with an embarrassed expression opened his mouth first.

“The introduction is late. They say I am the Four Great Dragons.”

And the moment I heard the man’s name. My guess became confirmed and stuck in my head.

“And this is someone inside of us.”

The woman smiles warmly at the man’s gesture.

I feel like I can feel something itch that I have tried so hard to forget through that smile.

“Hehe, her name is Ye Ji-eun.”

“I… Then, with the leader… ”

But the moment you hear my question.

What comes to mind on those faces is a faint sadness and regret.

Although she was still smiling, there was now a strange sadness on her face.

“… He’s our son.”

***

I was able to hear various things that had happened through their mouths.

It was early morning two days ago when I arrived at the Black Lotus Mansion. The people who discovered me were Black Lotus private soldiers.

Due to the incident that occurred in Jeokhwa, a warning order was declared in the entire capital under the name of the Supreme Council, and they were also patrolling the area while maintaining a state of alert.

I said that I had come down the mountain range and was standing on shaky feet in front of the Black Lotus Mansion.

I had a child in my arms, and the moment they found me, they fell to the floor.

“You almost shot me because I thought it was a demon beast? What a relief… ”

“It was a little difficult to deal with this child because he was hovering around you and guarding you the whole time. Fortunately, it seems to be okay now… ”

-Bap!

A crow with a now familiar appearance was sitting on the hostess’s palm.

A crow with a blunt beak that looks just like a sparrow.

I wonder if that bird might have saved us.

A contact crow would know the geography of the capital much better than I do.

I think it was a pretty good choice to recite the address to that guy in advance.

It looked at me, chirped a couple of times, and fluttered away through the open window.

Maybe he went to check on his owner.

The leader’s father then asked me about what happened at the mansion.

Although the hostess tried to dissuade me a little, there was no reason not to tell her.

Aside from being the leader’s parents, these people are the only people who can help us right now.

I told them honestly everything I had seen and heard.

However, except for the story about Yeon Myeong-ha’s birth.

You won’t be able to tell anyone about it.

“Huh, then the resolution wasn’t a plot by Paecheon, it was true… ”

The man who heard the story hardened his expression and muttered.