When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Ju Myoungyoon hadn't always been like this.
At first, he too had tried to be diplomatic.
"Please withdraw that form of address. I am not worthy of such honorifics from the leader of the Six Clans Alliance."
"What are you saying? You're one of the most remarkable military commanders in the Mystic Realm, lacking nothing in character or ability."
"While I appreciate your assessment, it makes me uncomfortable, so please stop. Just call me Ju Myoungyoon, as you did on the battlefield."
"How could I possibly do that? That's absurd. Back then, on the battlefield, this Baek fellow was just being loose-tongued to boost the soldiers' morale."
"..."
"Elder, since you're familiar with the battlefield, I'm sure you understand what I mean. That's not who I really am. I'm well-mannered, think things through carefully, considerate of the weak, respectful to elders, and when it comes to marr—"
"?"
"Being open-minded, I would, I would treat my wife well if we were to marry."
"..."
"It's true."
...Whether he did or didn't, why was he saying such things in front of him?
But Baek Giha's self-praise continued even after that.
Thus, Ju Myoungyoon was constantly amazed, thinking, 'There's a limit to singing one's own praises. How can he say such things about himself?'
From the outpost with the gate to the mansion within Ju Clan's territory, it would take only two days if riding hard on horseback.
Just two days.
Yet why did this short distance now feel like an eternity?
'Danyoon, when are you coming? Please, hurry. Please hurry.'
Ju Myoungyoon squeezed his eyes shut.
The painful journey still had a long way to go.
With a stern expression, Sehwa walked hurriedly once again.
Her destination was a writing house on a certain street.
By the time she arrived at her destination with Youngsun, having sent the palanquin ahead to the mansion, the sun was already setting.
Though the writing house was old and tilting, it was quite busy with people. They all hurried out of the place, clutching something to their chests as if they had obtained treasures.
Pushing through the crowd to enter, Sehwa strode without hesitation to the innermost secret workshop.
"What are you doing?! You can't go in there!"
Someone who appeared to be the owner shouted in panic and followed, but she paid no attention.
The man who had been working on something in the workshop was startled by the intruder before him.
Looking at her in bewilderment, he asked with astonishment.
"What brings you here so suddenly?"
It was Jung Heungsaeng, still dressed as a man.
"Oh? Do you know each other?"
"Yes. You may go, master. We need to talk for a moment."
"Well, if that's the case, you should have said so earlier."
"Sit down."
Heungsaeng quickly retrieved two cushions from the corner and offered them.
"What brings you here?"
Heungsaeng looked curiously at Sehwa, who was dressed as a woman.
At some point, Heungsaeng had realized that her friend who rarely showed emotion was a woman.
But after always seeing Sehwa dressed as a man, seeing her so perfectly dressed as a woman made her seem like a completely different person.
Ignoring such looks from Heungsaeng, Sehwa spoke.
"I came to answer what you've been curious about all this time."
"What?"
Sehwa briefly reflected on her past self.
How she had inherited the same traits she despised in the Ju clan—their stubborn pride and sense of privilege.
Even while trying to live among humans, she had never formed deep relationships with any of them, viewing them with disdain.
Jung Heungsaeng was the one person who had persistently tried to reach out to the rigid Sehwa.
Yet when signs of defeat became evident and she had to return to the Mystic Realm from the Human Realm, she had cut off contact and disappeared suddenly without a proper farewell.
Even now, she probably wouldn't have come if this person didn't have the ability to help with her request.
"What's this about? You disappear and then suddenly show up. And who's that person behind you?"
"She's my sister."
"Sister? Didn't you say you only had two older brothers?"
"This is Jung Heungsaeng. She's human. Say hello."
"Hello. I'm Sa Youngsun, who serves Young Lady Sehwa. Please take care of me."
"...What is this situation?"
Looking at Heungsaeng, who awkwardly received the greeting, Sehwa began speaking uncomfortably.
"...It might seem sudden, but I came because I have a favor to ask of you."
"That's fine, but what's with 'she's human'? Anyone who hears that would think you're not human."
"..."
"...What is it, why?"
Seeing Sehwa, who always spoke directly, hesitate in a way she had never seen before, Heungsaeng nodded, pushing aside the paper and brush in front of her.
"Alright, tell me about this favor first."
"I need to dig several wells, so I need surveyors and workers. It needs to be done secretly, without drawing attention. I also want to obtain as many medicinal herbs and rice as possible. This too, I'd prefer if others didn't know about it. The money, I—"
"Forget about the money. By when?"
"...The sooner the better."
"Let me ask one thing. Is it dangerous?"
"Dangerous? Ah, if it's too burdensome—"
"No, not for me. For you."
"..."
"You stopped coming to the academy and suddenly disappeared one day. I couldn't meet you even when I went to your house. Are you caught up in something dangerous now?"
"..."
"Do you have money that can be used without others knowing?"
"I do."
"Take this at least."
Heungsaeng rummaged through a wooden box in the corner of the secret room and pulled out a heavy money pouch, placing it on the table.
"It's fine."
"Take it anyway. Whatever you're planning, the more money you have, the better."
At those words, Sehwa quietly took the money pouch and after a moment of silence, asked.
"Aren't you going to ask why I need it? I came today prepared to answer all the questions you've been wanting to ask."
"It's fine. You don't know me either."
"What?"
Looking at Sehwa, who was staring blankly, Heungsaeng smiled slightly.
"When everyone else was whispering about me and avoiding me, you never asked me anything either."
"That's—"
"Some openly called me filthy, others avoided me like I had the plague. You must have been curious at least once, but you never asked."
The academy they attended was a place where children from powerful families gathered.
They already roughly knew about each other's family relationships.
Among them, only Heungsaeng's background was unclear, and Heungsaeng never revealed anything about it, so it was perhaps natural that all sorts of speculation circulated among the others.
From accusations of being a lowborn who had entered with a fake family registry and should be reported to face legal punishment, to warnings not to associate with someone who might be the child of a slave woman, lest they be tainted by association.
"Even if it was just because you weren't interested in me, I liked your indifference. And I didn't want to talk about myself either, so I didn't tell you. So you should only tell your story when you want to."
"..."
"How should I contact you when I get things ready? Can I come to your house?"
"No. I'll come back here."
After hesitating, Ju Sehwa stood up with a brief "Then."
"I have a lot to prepare today, so I'll be going now."
"Alright."
"..."
"What? If you have something to say, say it all before you go. Do you need anything else?"
"No, that's not it... I wasn't completely uninterested in you."
"What?"
"That's why I knew about this place. I came straight here without asking anyone or wandering around. I remembered that you draw and sell erotic paintings here."
After a moment's hesitation, Ju Sehwa added.
"And I remember your real name too. Jung Chihwa."
"..."
"I'm going. Thank you."
As Ju Sehwa turned around with the money pouch, Youngsun, who had been standing behind her, also bowed to Heungsaeng before turning to leave.
"That's right. ...She remembered my name."
Watching them disappear down the narrow passage, Heungsaeng finally muttered dumbly.
"And she even knew I was here."
The conversation about this writing house had happened long ago, when they had just met.
Wanting to become friends more quickly with that reticent child, she had mentioned random things like favorite places, favorite colors, and favorite activities.
Even her real name, not just the alias she had carelessly chosen to disguise herself as a man.
'Back then, no matter what I said, she just stared blankly at the distant scenery.'
That image remained vivid in her memory.
'And yet. Though it seemed like she wasn't listening, she heard everything.'
Realizing this suddenly made her feel happy.
Putting on the hat she had taken off, Heungsaeng left the writing house to fulfill Sehwa's request.
Humming a tune, Heungsaeng's expression was much brighter than before.
Crack!
Snap!
The sound of whips cracked crisply across the vast plain.
Each time, the horses that had been running with intense vibrations increased their speed even more.
The shadows frantically urging on their horses without taking a single break were Sehwa's two older brothers.
A long trail of hazy dust clouds stretched behind them, marking their path.
The two young military commanders, having left the front lines, had managed to obtain exactly one week's leave to meet their family.
Due to the reduced territory of the Ju clan, disputes over the territorial boundaries were still frequent. Because of this, the one-week period had to be strictly observed.
Excluding travel time, they didn't have much time to spend with their family.
Therefore, to maximize that time even slightly, they rode without even eating or sleeping, changing horses at each outpost as they rushed forward.
Their schedule was so grueling and tight that they barely had time to catch their breath.
Yet in the midst of this, they heard some strange news.
"...Who did you say just now?"
"Tell us again. Who was our father with?"
The news that their father had just passed through this outpost with the Baek clan's head.
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