When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Having returned home, Sehwa sat in her room, circulating the spiritual power within her.
Whether it was someone else’s spiritual power or not, her body was now filled with power, so she wondered if it might allow her to finally achieve exuviation.
The amount of power usable by a mystic being who had not yet undergone exuviation was completely different from one who had.
‘If I can achieve exuviation even a little sooner, it will surely be a great help….’
But even though she seemingly had enough spiritual power for exuviation, for some reason, it wasn't working as she'd expected.
“Is spiritual power not the issue? Then what else must be fulfilled for exuviation to occur?”
She longed to ask someone, but her parents and brothers were all far away.
She would have to wait to find answers to her questions.
‘Is it because two different kinds of spiritual power merged within me before I could undergo exuviation? Surely, it won't delay the process even further, will it?’
Lost in these serious thoughts late into the night, she was startled by Youngsun's voice calling from outside, having noticed the light in her room.
"Young Lady, are you still awake? Choi Jangmyung sent a messenger with something for you."
"What? Already?"
Sehwa rose to her feet with a surge of anticipation and hurried out of her room.
She had made a request when she encountered him at the banquet hall.
She had asked him to procure a sword and a bow for her, regardless of whether they came from the Mystic Realm or the Human Realm, as long as he could obtain them.
"The messenger said that he found suitable items here and sent them ahead. He promised to send more as he acquires them from elsewhere."
Quickly slipping on her shoes, she stepped outside.
Servants approached, carrying a long wooden chest, and set it down before her.
Inside, nestled in silken cloth, lay two objects.
As she unfolded the fabric, a large black horn bow and arrows were revealed, causing Youngsun's eyes to widen in surprise.
"A bow? That's what it was? What will you do with a bow, Young Lady? Are you going to learn archery?"
"Learn? I already know how to shoot... I think?"
"What?"
Youngsun gasped, then waved her hands dismissively.
"Surely you're not talking about way back when, when you were a little tyke with a runny nose?"
"...I don't think I had a runny nose."
Sehwa replied, glancing at Youngsun's hand pointing downwards.
"And I wasn't that small. I was already quite big then."
"Big? You were tiny!"
"I was not that small!"
"Regardless! Do you really think you'll remember something you learned so long ago? Please, don't injure yourself needlessly. If you truly wish to learn, wait for the Elder's return. You can learn from him then."
"It's alright. I know how to shoot. I'm actually quite good... I think?"
Sehwa's attempts at a confident declaration, each ending in a hesitant question, caused Youngsun to beat her chest in exasperation.
Ignoring Sehwa's uncertain replies, she continued to express her worries.
It was understandable. The three sisters had rarely been apart from Sehwa. They'd always been together, yet they had never seen her practice archery. How could they believe she was proficient?
And those wavering "I think?" statements...
What sort of confidence was this, when she herself seemed so unsure?
"What's the other item? Is it a sword, perhaps?"
Even beneath the silk wrapping, the shape was evident.
At Youngsun's question, Sehwa quickly unwrapped the remaining object.
"Choi Jangmyung is quite resourceful, isn't he?"
It was remarkable how quickly he'd managed to acquire such a fine weapon. The size and weight were perfect for her.
Sehwa drew the sword from its scabbard.
Shing-
The blade slid free with a soft whisper, gleaming with a subtle white luminescence under the moonlight.
It was thinner and lighter than swords typically used in either the Mystic Realm or the Human Realm.
"Youngsun, please have the training grounds prepared."
"What?! Now? What are you planning?"
"What do you mean? I intend to try both of them out, of course."
"Oh my, Young Lady! That's preposterous. Please, rest tonight and practice tomorrow. I'll have everything ready first thing in the morning."
"No. Now. Hurry."
"You only just recovered from your illness the other day! After the outing and the banquet, you now want to practice martial arts in the dead of night?"
"I'm perfectly fine."
"Even if it appears light, a sword is still a sword. You'll be exhausted after just ten swings. And have you forgotten how much strength it takes to draw a bowstring? You could injure yourself!"
Youngsun's concern was relentless. Even as Sehwa waved her hand dismissively, Youngsun continued.
"Are you this anxious about the visit to the Baek Clan? If that's the case, please be patient. The Elder will return soon, and you can learn from him then. I'll learn alongside you."
"Yes, we'll learn then. But I want to practice now as well."
While diligently responding to Youngsun's protests, Sehwa continued on her way without pause.
Arriving at the training grounds her father used, she instructed the servants to set out straw dummies and targets.
Startled by her unexpected appearance, the servants scurried to fulfill her request.
"Lanterns! Bring lanterns! Oh, Young Lady, please wait! Don't handle those weapons in the dark. At least wait until we can bring light!"
"It's fine. I don't need lanterns."
"But it's so dark! And the moonlight is weak tonight."
A full moon would have been ideal, but only a slender crescent moon peeked through the clouds in the night sky.
Sehwa picked up the black horn bow and strung it.
The bow bent with a groan as the string was pulled taut and locked into place.
When she plucked the string, it resonated with a clear, musical hum.
Choi Jangmyung had clearly taken great pains to find such a fine bow.
"Oh dear, she's truly going to shoot! You'll injure your hands, Young Lady! At least wear a thumb ring. I'll fetch one immediately!"
"Alright! But be quick about it!"
"Of course! Just a moment!"
With a relieved expression, Youngsun dashed off towards Sehwa's quarters.
Finally free from interruptions, Sehwa nocked an arrow without waiting for Youngsun's return.
"Straighten your back," a low, calm voice seemed to whisper in her ear.
She felt the phantom sensation of large, warm hands adjusting her posture - pushing her waist forward, lifting her chin.
"Chin up. Just like that."
It was likely the day following the announcement of the Baek Clan's hunting competition.
The bow was the hereditary weapon of the Baek Clan nobles, who possessed an innate affinity for controlling the wind.
The hunting competition, a showcase of refined archery skills, held immense significance for them, a people naturally adept at archery from birth.
The entire territory buzzed with excitement, each member boasting of their prowess and promising to display even more sophisticated and awe-inspiring techniques.
Even the disciples from the Six Clans Alliance, studying within the Baek Clan, found themselves swept up in the fervor. They practiced archery despite having their own distinct hereditary weapons.
Sehwa was among them.
'I'll inevitably be dragged out there anyway.'
Although the sword was the Ju Clan's hereditary weapon, she had never truly wielded one.
After careful consideration, she set aside the sword in favor of the bow.
If her archery skills proved lacking, she could at least offer the excuse that it wasn't her clan's weapon. But incompetence with a sword, the Ju Clan's very symbol, would leave her without any defense.
Of course, even with the bow, she needed to at least be able to land arrows somewhere near the target.
Barred from using the formal training grounds, she'd acquired a battered, old bow and practiced tirelessly in the back garden, using the trees as targets. She drew and released, her fingertips raw and bloodied.
Despite the stinging pain and slick grip, she refused to stop.
While the blatant hostility towards her had diminished after Baek Giha's intervention, the vast Baek Clan still harbored those who sought to humiliate her at every turn.
It was to be expected, and she had braced herself for it.
Regardless of her words or actions, the disciples of the Six Clans Alliance, spearheaded by the Baek Clan, continued to heap scorn upon her as if she had personally devoured the missing children.
Before arriving, she had naively believed that with the Mystic Ruler's involvement, the disappearances would be swiftly resolved, and she would soon return home.
But four years had passed.
Her return remained an elusive promise, indefinitely postponed.
'At least I had some rudimentary archery training as a child. I might not have even known how to string a bow otherwise.'
The thought filled her with despair.
But her current situation offered little comfort.
She only possessed the most basic knowledge, lacking the proper technique to accurately hit her mark. Her arrows consistently fell far short of the target.
She experimented with various approaches, yet despite days of relentless effort, her progress remained negligible.
Was there any point to this haphazard practice?
'No. I must persevere. It's better than doing nothing.'
With renewed determination, she gritted her teeth and raised the bow once more.
'It doesn't matter that I have no teacher. I'll master this on my own. Just you wait. Before I leave this place, I will pierce those arrogant faces with my arrows.'
No matter where she was, she remained a Ju.
The betrothed of Young Lord Ju Kyunghyun, and the daughter of Ju Clan Elder Ju Myoungyoon.
'I will not be cowed. Not under any circumstances.'
It was during this solitary struggle that a voice interrupted her.
"That's not right."
Someone gently corrected her posture as they spoke.
It was Baek Giha, the head of the Baek Clan, the very person she had been cursing relentlessly in her thoughts.
so lovely... i really like how physical all of her memories are. it's like he's really there!
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