When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 111

Chapter 111

However, Sa Yeonju didn't recognize her.

Even though their eyes met directly.

Sehwa blinked, momentarily frozen.

Just then, the maids standing next to Sa Yeonju turned pale and stepped forward.

“Step aside! How dare you block the path of this esteemed person so carelessly!”

“Apologize and beg for forgiveness right now! Do you want to be torn limb from limb and die here?!”

Sa Yeonju, letting out a soft chuckle, stopped her maids.

“It’s fine. There’s no need for such a fuss.”

“But Madam…”

Sehwa’s ears perked up at the title.

‘Madam?’

“It doesn’t seem like we collided that hard. If you’re hurt, shall I send for a healer from our residence?”

The maids’ faces turned paler with each word Sa Yeonju spoke.

They seemed to think they had committed a grave sin just by letting Sa Yeonju bump into someone.

Baek Giha stepped forward, shielding Sehwa.

“No, it’s alright. My wife isn’t feeling well today, and she seems to have felt a little dizzy.”

“Is that so? Are you alright?”

“Yes. You seem to be a person of high standing, so please forgive us for our ignorance.”

Sa Yeonju nodded and said to Sehwa with a smile, “If you’re feeling unwell, be sure to tell me. Don’t regret it later.”

“I’m… alright. You can just go.”

“Really?”

After briefly glancing at Sehwa, Sa Yeonju nodded.

“Let’s go.”

And with that, she walked away with her maids and guards, her face still cheerful.

Baek Giha and Sehwa, left behind, watched them go for a moment, then asked each other,

“She didn’t recognize you, right?”

“Our eyes met directly. And she still didn’t recognize me.”

“Maybe that disguise expert downplayed their abilities?”

“Even so, something… something feels strange. Where did she get those maids and guards?”

Sehwa’s gaze followed the path where Sa Yeonju and her group had disappeared.

‘And Madam…?’

“She was taken to the hidden chamber not long ago, and you’re saying she suddenly got married? And why is she here?”

“......”

“Everything seems strange. If it had been a year, or even half a year since we last saw her, I would have understood, but…”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Let's follow her. Regardless of anything else, we need to find out why she’s here.”

They couldn't rule out the possibility that the Mystic Ruler had released her.

So, concerned about the Mystic Ruler’s warriors who might be lurking near Sa Yeonju, they transformed into Divine Beasts and followed her from the sky.

Sa Yeonju went from shop to shop as if Dansa Province were her own backyard.

She bought clothes and accessories, and sometimes sat down somewhere and ordered drinks.

The more Sehwa watched, the more suspicious she became.

Sa Yeonju had always been somewhat frugal with her spending, as she had relied on Ju Myoungyoon for allowance.

Having to manage her expenses within a limited budget, she had developed a habit of thinking twice before making a purchase.

But Sa Yeonju now showed no such hesitation. She bought expensive items without a second thought.

It wasn’t until dawn that Sa Yeonju started heading back to the residence.

The lights on the streets, which had been brightly lit all night, began to go out one by one.

Sa Yeonju only got up when it was time for the shops to close. Then, supported by her maids, she walked somewhere.

They arrived at a large residence. Before the guards could open the door, she barged in as if it were her own home.

Someone, dressed in a nightgown with exposed shoulders, rushed out to greet Sa Yeonju.

“Sister! You’re back after drinking again.”

“Of course. I’m healthy enough to drink now. It’s only natural that I should drink.”

“Goodness. The smell of alcohol… Just how much did you drink today? Use your spiritual power to get rid of the alcohol.”

“Hmph. Why drink then? I’m in a great mood right now, so stop nagging me and go away.”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go to your room.”

The person supported Sa Yeonju, who clearly looked displeased, without showing any sign of offense.

“Sister, you came all the way here, but if you act so carelessly, you might get caught. Be careful.”

“Alright, alright.”

“And even though you’re healthy now, if you drink like this every day, you’ll get sick soon. Cut back on the alcohol.”

“Alright, alright.”

“I’m really worried about you, Sister.”

Despite the chiding tone, the person’s gaze couldn’t hide their concern for Sa Yeonju.

But that gaze turned icy cold the moment it shifted to the maids behind them.

“What are you all doing! Hurry up and prepare some honey water and a change of clothes!”

The maids following behind turned pale. They didn't even try to make excuses and hurriedly ran into the residence.

The gaze that followed them was filled with displeasure.

Not just displeasure, but a cruel, murderous intent.

“Forget the honey water, bring me more alcohol. The owner told me to leave because they were closing.”

“Honestly, if someone as drunk as you asked for more drinks, I would close up shop too.”

“So give me some alcohol. Who else can I rely on but you?”

“Alright, alright. Let’s just go. We need to get back to your room.”

The person firmly supported Sa Yeonju and entered the residence.

Their murmuring voices continued for a while.

Sehwa, watching from above, was dumbfounded.

“Ju Suyeon?”

The person who had just helped Sa Yeonju inside the residence was clearly Ju Suyeon, daughter of Elder Jayoon.

“But Ju Suyeon was definitely…”

The very first banquet she had attended after returning in time… Ju Suyeon had been the host.

“S-Sister, that seat is for Suyeon, the host of the banquet, so please come this way.”

And Sa Yeonju had clearly called Ju Suyeon “Sister” back then.

But now, Ju Suyeon was calling Sa Yeonju “Sister.”

Back then, Ju Suyeon hadn't been fazed at all when Sehwa humiliated Sa Yeonju, even seeming to enjoy it.

But now, she was taking care of Sa Yeonju as if she were her own blood relative.

“What in the world is going on?”

She had come here to find out the truth, but the more she saw, the more confused she became.

---

As the time for their transformations to wear off approached, they retreated, found lodging, and entered their room.

Sehwa, feeling uneasy, immediately closed and locked all the windows in the room.

Sensing her anxiety, Baek Giha spoke in a low, soothing voice.

“I don’t think they followed us. They didn’t seem to be looking for us either.”

“But something’s strange.”

“What is it?”

“......”

There were too many strange things, she couldn’t even pinpoint what was the strangest.

First, how had Sa Yeonju escaped from that hidden chamber?

Who had helped her escape, and where did she get all the money she was spending?

What was with the title “Madam,” and what was her relationship with Ju Suyeon?

Why were they calling each other by different titles now?

Finally, how had she ended up in Dansa Province? Could it be…

‘Did the Mystic Ruler send her on purpose to find me?’

She had unintentionally been missing while transformed into a white tiger, and Ju Myoungyoon had also left for the Baek Clan, so…

‘Since Mother and my brothers seem to be detained, did he think I would appear to rescue Mother?’

With the shutters closed, the room was completely dark.

Baek Giha, lighting the lamps in the room, took Sehwa’s hand, which she hadn't moved, and led her to the bed.

He had her sit on the bed, then knelt before her, resting one knee on the floor.

“Are you anxious?”

“…Yes.”

“What are you most worried about?”

“......”

“Hmm? Tell me.”

“......”

“Come on.”

At his gentle urging, Sehwa opened her lips heavily.

“I’m worried that my assumption that Mother and my brothers are still safe might be wrong.”

“No, that’s…”

Baek Giha smiled gently and took her cold hand in his.

“The Madam sent a letter to the Central River. It means she still has some freedom, and since she specified the new moon, it means they’re not in immediate danger.”

“She wouldn’t have known Sa Yeonju would be here. What if that girl approached Mother pretending to be kind and concerned, and found out about the letter?”

Baek Giha nodded slowly, as if acknowledging the validity of her words.

“Then, since we’re still transformed, should we…”

Just then, as if half a day had passed unnoticed, his appearance began to revert.

The ordinary features vanished as his captivatingly handsome face, with its perfect proportions, reappeared.

The same happened to her.

Purple spiritual power spread like the Milky Way, and her facial features shifted before Baek Giha’s eyes.

Her long, upturned eyes, holding both sharpness and gentleness in perfect balance, her delicate nose, and her vibrant red lips, all stood out even in the dim room.

Meeting the man's gaze, fixed intently on her, Sehwa asked, “Should we what?”

“…Should we?”

“You were saying something.”

His Adam's apple bobbed violently as he gazed at her, as if he wanted to devour even her smallest movements.

It wasn’t simply lust that made him constantly thirst for her.

He had courted her before time rewound, but back then, it had been difficult to even stand near her without an excuse like teaching her archery.

But now? They had progressed in ways he couldn’t have imagined back then.

The joy he felt when her hand grasped his with equal force…

Yet, there were still many obstacles ahead of them, none of which seemed easy to overcome.

No matter how strong one’s will, life didn't always go as planned. There might even be a future where they were separated against their will.

He couldn't stop her from carrying out her revenge herself, but he hoped she wouldn’t have to suffer the burning agony of finding out too late that she had been taken to the hidden prison, like in her previous life.

So, he constantly felt anxious with just a verbal engagement, the fulfillment of which seemed distant.

He wanted to become close enough to hold her and fall with her, even if she descended into hell.

Now that they were away from the others—the obstacles, or rather, their companions—he wished for them to deepen their bond, to become inseparable, no matter the circumstances.

He wished for a relationship where he could openly protect her and dedicate himself to her without anyone questioning it.

Perhaps his feelings were too strong. As he gazed at Sehwa, so close to him, Baek Giha couldn’t hold back any longer. He rose and captured her red lips.

“!”

He hadn't forgotten what he was supposed to say, but his voice, low and husky, formed different words than he had intended.

“…We can’t…”

Even as he spoke, he continued to lick and kiss her lips, then nibbled on her lower lip and whispered against her mouth,

“…move for half a day.”

The disguise expert had clearly warned them that they couldn't change their appearances again for half a day once the transformation wore off.

Half a day… had unintentionally become available.

Half a day during which they couldn't leave this room, no matter their worries or concerns.

Just as Baek Giha was about to embrace her slender body and kiss her deeply…

“Ah, if we can’t go out, we can just call someone. Why didn’t I think of that? Let’s call an attendant here. To ask about the residence.”

“......”

“Why?”

“N-Nothing.”

Their lips, moving against each other, parted quietly.

“You’re right. We can call an attendant even with the lights off…”

The man reluctantly moved away from her and slowly walked towards the door.

He looked back as if hoping she would stop him, but meeting her gaze, which seemed to ask why he was hesitating, he continued towards the door.

“Right. …I’ll call them now. Now.”

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