When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
As a new spiritual power enveloped her body, the spiritual power that was within her body gradually calmed down.
Her forehead, which had been covered in cold sweat, recovered to a normal temperature, and the convulsions in her muscles had disappeared as if they had never been there.
It was warm and cozy.
It felt as if there was nothing to worry about within this light.
At this moment, all of the painful hallucinations and visions of her previous life that had been haunting her seemed to fade away.
‘……Actually, I too.’
And, absurdly, too.
‘I also, you……’
She was also able to realize why the past version of him had kept appearing to her.
In truth, those visions hadn’t appeared just now.
While she had been trapped in the lightless secret room, she had often seen his visions.
It was probably because she had been comforted by him when she had been the most lonely. Because he had always approached her with sincerity, even though she was nothing.
And it wasn't easy to keep pushing someone like that away.
‘But the greatest reward I can give is to not involve you.’
Her path ahead was difficult, long, and arduous.
She could not ask someone, who had given up his qualification to be immortal because of her, to help her with that as well.
‘Don’t. I told you that I don’t like that. That I wouldn’t accept it, that I don’t need it.’
Sehwa’s fist curled inwards.
‘Saving my family comes first, before everything. I won’t be concerned with anything else.’
Even after thinking that, she couldn't help but feel a great sense of guilt and gratitude for the abundant spiritual power and for being given time once again.
Unable to bear to look at the spiritual power that was enveloping her body, she closed her eyes.
In the room filled with the glow of twilight. Ju Sehwa, who was wrapped in fragments of light like crimson waves with her eyes closed, was extremely aloof and beautiful, as if she was the ruler of light and fire.
Choi Deokmun, who had been exiled from the Mystic realm and was slowly forgetting his homeland, was looking at the woman while still in a seated position on the floor, when he involuntarily called out the name of the distant god.
Everyone forgot how to speak, as they were enchanted as they watched the setting sun at noon, the fragments of light that shattered like stars within it, and her who stood at the center of all that beauty, all while being surrounded by silence and wonder.
Choi Deokmun did not impose any further conditions and silently nodded in agreement to her requests.
They carefully coordinated the details and schedule of the contract.
After signing the completed contract and nodding, she left the room, looking as pale as when she had arrived.
His son went out to see her off, and after they had left, Choi Deokmun, alone, clenched and unclenched his hands a few times, trying to grasp his condition.
His body had not been good today.
After being unable to return to his homeland, the circulation of his energy, which he was forcefully trying to control, would become distorted, and he would suffer from pain, at least once a week.
But the young lady of the Ju Clan had somehow noticed that, and had lightly patted his shoulder a few times, as if she was brushing off some dust. Just by doing that, she had corrected the distorted circulation of his energy.
It was not a fundamental solution. That distortion could only be cured if he could stabilize the spiritual power in his homeland.
Therefore, although the young one’s actions had only temporarily relieved his pain, that alone was enough for Choi Deokmun to have to follow this young mystic being.
‘To think that a fledgling who hasn’t even completed her exuviation yet could possess that much spiritual power. My eyes must have been the ones that were wrong for not recognizing that.’
Furthermore, she had promised to even make his son her retainer.
Having seen her spiritual power, one promise was now enough for Choi Deokmun to not hesitate any longer.
An emotion of relief spread across the middle-aged man’s face as he closed his eyes.
He had been worried about his son dying before him so much until now.
‘It’s fine now. It’s fine now.’
Having found a way to save his son, there was no longer any reason for him to hesitate.
He called for his men and ordered them to sort through his spirit stones and gather only the highest quality ones.
His son’s benefactor was now his master.
He was now ready to do anything for that young mystic being.
Ju Myoungyoon, an elder of the Ju Clan, had only been able to leave the Mystic Ruler's residence late at night.
Frowning, he ended up covering his head because of a sharp, throbbing pain.
Sa Danyoon, who had been walking beside him, asked in a low voice.
“Are you really planning on taking on the responsibility of greeting the Baek Clan’s Clan Head?”
“Then what else should I do. The Mystic Ruler has already entrusted this to me.”
“Isn’t that supposed to be something that the Young Lord should be doing?”
“Since he’s still young, the Mystic Ruler said that he was not suitable to handle the leader of the Baek Clan, who has become equal to them in power.”
“Isn’t that strange? They had always been putting the Young Lord at the forefront for everything else, and now they are saying that he is too young?”
“……”
Although he had said it like that, how could Ju Myoungyoon not know?
The inner thoughts of the Mystic Ruler that were concealed behind that order.
‘The Clan Head is being wary of me.’
That order was imbued with his desire to link and remove both the Baek Clan’s Clan Head and himself at the same time.
“Furthermore, it is said that the Mystic Ruler separately ordered that Lady Sehwa should attend the banquet for the Baek Clan’s Clan Head.”
“……”
“Has he not given up on the marital alliance that he had mentioned last time?”
Since Ju Myoungyoon also had a similar thought about that, he was at a loss for words.
Although they had declared a truce, weren't they still in the same position where they had brutally killed each other’s kin for the past ten years?
To already be planning a banquet for someone like that, and to even force his daughter, who had not yet even made her first public appearance, to attend.
“I am planning to form a marital alliance, and I wonder if you would be willing to do it.”
“No. No. My son-in-law has to be skilled in both literary and military arts, must be able to play instruments, must have a kind heart, and, above all, must be someone who lives near my house, or it's absolutely no! Even if dirt were to get into my eyes.”
“……”
“Absolutely not!”
“……What if the Mystic Ruler were to send the young lady to the Baek Clan?”
“No. That can’t happen. The Mystic Ruler wouldn’t be so cruel.”
But even as he replied like that, Ju Myoungyoon's face was deeply stained with rage and fatigue.
The pathetic members of the bloodline who didn't even know what was going on with the clan, or how their homeland, the Mystic Realm, was disappearing, and who were only interested in banquets.
Those who wanted to resolve the dispute, by begging and kneeling in front of the six clans, all while only worrying about their own lives being in danger.
It was painful just to look at the Clan Head’s face, which only kept up his pride even when they were in such a situation.
‘Furthermore, even the other elders are treating my daughter like a tribute. A tribute. Is that a word that a member of our ruling race should say?’
“……”
A few members of the bloodline who had some sense were working together with him, but the flow of the river could not be changed with just a few rocks.
He had lived his whole life, believing that he should serve his Clan Head with all his heart while working for the clan.
But even he could feel himself becoming increasingly cold toward the Mystic Ruler’s orders.
And soon, he would even have to send his daughter away alone to a place where he couldn't even guarantee her safety.
‘My beloved daughter who I’ve cared for so dearly.’
His wife, Cheon Sua, was working at the border as medical personnel, helping the soldiers, instead of her husband who was busy with the post-war processing.
But now, having heard of the shocking news about her daughter, she was on her way home at full speed.
And his two sons, who had remained at the border, were also going wild, as well.
Ju Myoungyoon sank into despair, as he thought of his wife’s reaction that would arrive soon.
‘Even so, the only thing that makes me relieved is the one about the Baek Clan’s Clan Head.’
A strange trust that whatever his intentions were for coming here, he would not have any malicious intentions.
It might be strange for an enemy to have such trust, but Ju Myoungyoon had already met Baek Giha several times during the war.
Although they were enemies, he was truly an amazing man.
Although he was a bit of a chatterbox, it was even harder to find those who weren’t like that during the war.
His strategy, his decisiveness, his endurance. His broad mind. His compassion that was shown even to the enemy, and his dignity when he transformed into a divine beast.
There was nothing lacking.
‘He was an exceptional man. If only he had been our Clan Head.’
As he thought about how great it would have been, he involuntarily sighed and was startled by his own thought.
‘What am I thinking?’
How could he even have those thoughts, when he had had his own friends and family members brutally killed by them for the past ten years?
They were no longer going to be members of the same race. From now on, no matter where they met, they would be water and fire, unable to mix.
‘Moreover, could the reason why the Clan Head is trying to have my daughter attend the banquet be really to mention the marital alliance again?’
Even if he thought about it again, it didn’t make sense.
Of course, Baek Giha was by no means lacking as a match for his daughter.
But if a marital alliance was to be formed when so many members of the Ju Clan were sharpening their teeth against the Baek Clan, his daughter would never be able to return home.
‘How can the Clan Head do this to me and my daughter?’
Who would have known that the end of the war would bring these results?
‘It would have been better roaming the battlefields.’
His heavy steps, even so, had no choice but to move forward.
Ju Myoungyoon was trying to find a solution as he moved forward, while trying to escape the incessant stream of worries that were haunting him.
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