episode_0149

At what moment did it start?

Mi-jeong, who was tightly holding my hand, has disappeared from my side.

Instead, in the distance, Mi-jeong standing in the middle of the forest comes into my view.

Mi-jeong, frozen as if time had stopped.

Soon, the pause is lifted.

The wind resumes, rustling through the bushes and leaves.

Mi-jeong also walks silently into the depths of the forest.

“Mi-jeong! Mi-jeong! Hey!”

“Hmph, hehe…”

No response no matter how much I call from behind.

Mi-jeong just keeps walking forward, looking ahead.

In the pitch-black forest where nothing is visible, relying only on a single candle.

“It’s useless. This is just a visualization of memories, so only the output based on the data in the subject’s mind can be produced. Even if you try to interact, nothing will change, so just watch quietly.”

“Is Mi-jeong also watching this?”

“Yes. Since the rewind has stopped and the replay has started again, she is probably watching this scene through her old perspective.”

So Mi-jeong is inside there now.

Trapped in a body moving on its own.

Helpless, I have to watch what happens from now on without being able to move.

“Gasping, gasping! Gasping…”

Mi-jeong continues to dig through the forest without stopping.

With a familiar and skillful body movement, she crosses fallen trees and passes through thickets.

Following her, I realize belatedly.

These trees.

This terrain.

Undoubtedly, it is Sanchung Forest.

But the current Sanchung Forest doesn’t feel as eerie or magical as before.

Just a dense, ordinary forest.

Neither more nor less.

It comes as a shock that just 10 years ago, Sanchung Forest was so clear.

Suppressing the eerie pleasure city Cheongnan to suppress the energy is a natural thing, but it wasn’t there at this point.

Then how did all that energy come about?

“Found it! Moonflower!”

At that moment, Mi-jeong, with a flushed face, crawls up a large rock.

There is a small flower bud between the rocks.

Soon, the clouds clear.

The large full moon illuminates the rock, and the flower bud blooms.

A round, silver-white flower like the full moon.

Moonflower.

One of the finest medicinal herbs, an ingredient for elixirs.

“If I have this, Mom will get better… Huh?”

Then Mi-jeong freezes.

At the same time, my senses react as well.

I find myself blocking Mi-jeong’s path, on guard.

Even though I know it’s futile to block her…

“Huh?”

Ahead.

A cave inside the cliff.

A tremendous amount of magic is flowing out from inside.

“I’ll go check it out.”

Leaving Mi-jeong trembling and frozen behind me.

I slowly step into the cave.

A familiar place.

This is undoubtedly where Gwiho trained me, Mi-jeong, and Sogong.

But the owner of this magic is clearly not Gwiho.

Yet for some reason, the magic feels familiar.

The owner of this is…

“Child…”

A hoarse voice furrows the brow.

Unforgettable.

A voice that strangely resembles Mumyeong.

Kali’s voice echoes from the dark cave.

“Unlucky. How dare you touch the flower I raised…”

Kali clicks her tongue.

Flashing red eyes in the darkness.

Two glowing eyes rushing towards me.

I draw my sword immediately, but the black figure with red eyes passes through me without any effect.

“No…!”

A wild dog.

A wild dog turned into a bloodsucker.

The dog quickly escapes the cave and crawls up onto the rock…

“Scream?! Ouch! It hurts! Ah!”

Mi-jeong is attacked, her thigh torn apart.

Watching that sight.

I couldn’t do anything.

Just watching Mi-jeong suffer and scream in pain.

As the blood drained from her skin, gradually turning pale.

I could only watch as her eyes filled with a red light.

“Ah, ah…”

The wolf, upon hearing a whistle, turned its head and returned to its cave.

After a while.

Mi-jeong, seeing the bleeding stop, puzzled, then retraced her steps.

“No. Don’t go. Mi-jeong, stop, please…”

Not knowing if she was dead.

Not realizing her body had grown cold, Mi-jeong desperately headed towards home.

As a bloodsucker, Mi-jeong’s body easily leaped over trees and rocks, moving much faster than before.

“I’m here…”

In an instant, Mi-jeong arrived in the village.

Spotting the scattered lights, she sighed in relief.

While on her way to her home.

“Hmm…?”

Seeing a cow inside a fence, Mi-jeong paused.

With her pupils glowing red, Mi-jeong tilted her head in confusion.

Her pupils lost their color, and as if possessed, she crossed the fence, grabbed the cow, and tore into it.

“Oh! What’s happening! What are you doing right now!”

“Prey…”

“Hey, stop! Let go!”

Mi-jeong killed all the cows by biting them.

Startled by the cries, the farmer who rushed out also had his throat torn out.

Leaving behind the fallen cows and farmer, Mi-jeong, in a daze, headed back towards home.

The farmer’s eyes turned red as he woke up.

Similarly losing his color, the farmer went back home, where screams echoed.

The screams that were once one spread into twos and threes as the red-eyed madness spread throughout the village.

But Mi-jeong paid no attention to that.

She just continued towards her home.

With a white flower tightly gripped in her hand.

Finally arriving at her home, Mi-jeong pushed open the door.

Inside the open door.

As Mi-jeong’s family woke up from their sleep, Mi-jeong smiled.

“Mom… Dad…”

Mi-jeong’s voice was hoarse.

For a moment, it seemed like she regained her senses, but it was short-lived.

Quickly driven by the instincts of a bloodsucker, Mi-jeong rushed forward.

“Why are you doing this! Why! Why! Ahh!”

“Sister, snap out of it! Sister! Ahhh!”

The white flower fell to the ground.

The bud of the flower, now devoid of moonlight, closed shut.

In the dark room, Mi-jeong struggled for a while, blood splattering from the bud.

But there was no blood inside the closed flower.

As the intense resistance subsided.

Mi-jeong’s family lay lifeless as she regained her senses.

Belatedly, reason returned to Mi-jeong as she staggered.

“Ah, ahh…”

It was panic.

Confirming the scene in front of her.

Realizing who was responsible, Mi-jeong’s mind collapsed.

She wanted to embrace them right away, but my arms couldn’t reach Mi-jeong and passed through her.

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

Mi-jeong screamed as she ran out.

Meanwhile, fires were raging throughout the village.

Horrendous scenes of people killing each other were unfolding everywhere.

Having satisfied her bloodlust, Mi-jeong, now calm, could only weep in despair amidst the chaos she had caused.

As a monstrous spider-like figure emerged from the darkness.

Extending its arm into Mi-jeong’s house, it took the white flower bud and disappeared smoothly.

The hair is split.

This tragedy was all because of that child, Kali.

“It’s because of me······! Because of me······. Aaahhh!!!”

Even with Mi-jeong’s desperate cries, the vampires ignored her and casually roamed around in search of their next prey.

No one paid any attention.

No one comforted the distraught Mi-jeong.

The chilling sounds emanating from all directions, as if cursing Mi-jeong.

Mi-jeong gradually descended into despair, consumed by pain, suffering, and guilt.

Her once expressive face now filled with despair.

Her cries ceased, her expression hardened.

It was truly a painful scene to witness.

Mi-jeong closed her mouth and buried her emotions.

She could no longer laugh out loud.

And so, Mi-jeong became Mi-jeong.

“Should I just leave her like this······.”

Knowing the future so clearly, I couldn’t just stand by.

My body moved on its own.

Despite knowing that it was impossible to reach, I reached out my hand.

On this particular day, I reached out my hand to the Mi-jeong who seemed unusually small.

I know that what has happened cannot be changed.

I also know that no matter what I do, the past will not change.

Yet, I did not stop.

In that moment.

Something in my bag buzzed and then stopped.

My hand touched Mi-jeong’s shoulder.

“Mi-jeong.”

“Yes······?”

Was her wish granted?

Instead of passing through, my hand gently rested on Mi-jeong’s shoulder.

A trembling vibration passed through.

The cold touch peculiar to vampires was felt.

Having recently become a vampire, there was still a hint of warmth.

[How is this possible! How did you reach me? This world is merely a manifestation of memories······!]

Ignoring the old man who was flabbergasted, I embraced Mi-jeong, who looked at me with empty eyes.

I shared the warmth of my embrace.

I filled Mi-jeong’s still living heart with the warmth she had lost long ago.

“It’s not your fault.”

I wanted to say this.

I just wanted to convey this one word.

Knowing that any other words would only cause more pain.

“It’s not because of you. It’s not your fault······.”

I couldn’t ask her not to suffer.

I couldn’t ask her to be happy.

Because it was I who brought back this traumatic memory for Mi-jeong.

I, who made Mi-jeong face this painful memory again.

I couldn’t say such hypocritical words.

All I could do was one thing.

Quietly hold Mi-jeong.

Let her know that I am by her side now and will be in the future.

No matter how painful it is, I will stand by Mi-jeong.

No matter what happens, I will help Mi-jeong.

With me, Mi-jeong can face any past and overcome any future.

“Sniff, sniff······ Ugh······.”

Her emotionless face began to contort.

Her stiff muscles relaxed.

Furrowing her brows, she began to cry.

“Aaahhh!”

And then Mi-jeong buried her face in my chest and cried.

She cried bitterly.

Shedding the last tears from her tear ducts.