When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 41
Chapter 41
“What, Young Lord?”
Youngsun rushed out of the palanquin.
She too could see Ju Kyunghyun approaching with a dignified air, riding his crimson-maned horse.
Even the Young Lord hadn’t yet undergone exuviation.
But wasn't his innate spiritual power repeatedly lauded as being exceptionally higher than that of any past Clan Heads?
That would surely mean his power exceeded even her Young Lady's.
‘That’s it. If I tell the Young Lord, he’ll help. Even though he had a big argument with Young Lady yesterday, this is about exuviation - a matter of life and death.’
As the Young Lord's party drew closer, Youngsun ran out in her sock-clad feet to block their path.
“Young Lord!”
Heeheeheeiiigh―!!!
The massive horse abruptly halted, rearing up on its hind legs.
“What is it?”
“Young Lord, please help our young lady. She's undergoing exuviation right now, and there's no one to assist her.”
“Exuviation? What nonsense is that?! Have you forgotten that I saw her just yesterday? How could a person who will undergo exuviation today be standing there perfectly fine yesterday?!”
“But it's true! Please, just check on her once. I’m worried something terrible might happen to her. I beg you.”
Youngsun pleaded while bowing her head to the ground.
“I beg you, Young Lord. Don’t turn away from this situation - just help us this once.”
Ju Kyunghyun scoffed.
Having crossed the gate in the morning, he had been riding without rest. He had just heard from the outpost soldiers that Sehwa’s party hadn't left long ago.
‘So she dares to disrespect me like this? Me, the Young Lord?’
In his anger, he had decided that he too would brazenly ignore Ju Sehwa.
‘And now suddenly she claims exuviation? Does she dare use such an excuse to gloss over yesterday's events? To pretend nothing happened between us?’
“Never! Not until that child comes to me on her own feet, kneels before me, and apologizes!”
As he responded coldly, preparing to leave, Youngsun once again blocked Ju Kyunghyun’s path, bowing her head to the ground.
“Young Lord! Young Lord, exuviation is not something you can disregard. Since she's in such a state on the road without a guardian, she might have problems or even die! Please, just help her once. I'll do anything.”
“What can someone like you possibly do to make me change my mind! Exuviation? I should rather interfere with her exuviation - get out of my way!”
“Young Lord!”
“Move!!”
Heeheeheeiiigh―!!!
The massive horse once again reared its front legs and threatened her.
Even so, Youngsun remained prostrated and refused to move. This made one of Ju Kyunghyun's guards unleash his spiritual power.
Pung!
“……Cough!!”
It wasn't powerful enough to kill her, but it was enough to send her body flying away.
Blood flowed from Youngsun’s lips as she tumbled across the dirt.
“Ugh……, cough.”
She groaned in pain but was unable to rise, collapsing again.
“Ha!”
Ju Kyunghyun watched Youngsun as well as Sehwa, who still hadn't taken a single step out of the palanquin, with frigidly cold eyes, before kicking his horse.
“That nonsense about exuviation! Even if it were real exuviation, what's that to me! Let her die if she wants to! So she can apologize to me in the afterlife!”
“Young Lord! …Ugh, cough. Young Lord!”
Even as Ju Kyunghyun and his guards rapidly disappeared with hardened expressions, her desperate voice could still be heard in the distance.
But they didn’t look back even once.
Sehwa's group hurried over to help Youngsun up.
“Youngsun! Youngsun, are you okay?!”
“Youngsun!”
“I'm fine…… who went to inform Elder Myoungyoon?”
Youngsun, with trembling arms clutching her abdomen, staggered as she tried to rise to her feet.
“Hambseop and Chaesu went. We gave them horses and identity tokens, so they'll be able to change horses at each checkpoint and return quickly.”
“I see…… For now, we need to set up camp here. We absolutely can't move.”
Though barely able to walk and dragging her feet, Youngsun gave orders quickly.
It was fortunate they had brought plenty of supplies from the human realm.
They hurriedly set up tents. Everyone's hands were busy preparing the roadside camp.
They erected tents around the palanquin, leaving Sehwa inside.
'We can't even lay her down properly in the narrow palanquin... What should we do?'
Lost in thought about what could help, she suddenly remembered the spiritual orbs.
'That’s it! Why didn’t I think of that? The spirit orbs are full of spiritual power - they could help my young lady!'
Youngsun first placed the five spirit orbs she had received from her Young Lady and kept in her sleeve into her Young Lady's embrace.
'I don’t know exactly how much spiritual power Young Lady's original form has, but the residual power I saw at the banquet was no small amount. This definitely won't be enough.'
Rushing outside, Youngsun dragged a chest that had been locked by a padlock, from among the busy camp preparations, and brought it inside the tent.
After unlocking it and opening the lid, she grabbed spirit orbs by the handful and tossed them into the palanquin.
Just to be safe, she even poured in all the magic stones received from Choi Jangmyung, dumping all of them inside as well.
'Young Lady said these need to be taken orally to work - will just placing them like this help? ...Still, it's better than nothing.'
Now there was nothing left for her to do but pray to the divine.
'Please. Even though they are just spirit orbs placed there, may they somehow play a role……’
Ju Myoungyoon was a good master and a mystic of respectable character.
Unlike members of other Ju clan branches, he never scolded or beat servants over trivial matters.
While he didn't waste money on unnecessary luxuries, he rewarded his servants generously and helped resolve their problems like family when sad or difficult situations arose.
Hambseop and Chaesu, who had been chosen for their speed, were among those who had received such help from Ju Myoungyoon.
It was already heartbreaking that the young lady had to always be alone, separated from her parents - and now she had to undergo exuviation like this on the road.
'If something were to go wrong...'
Chaesu and Hambseop frantically spurred their horses on, wielding their whips like madmen.
Their foreheads were soon drenched in sweat. Their faces turned pale and their thighs trembled.
Yet they didn't rest at all, explaining the situation and showing their tokens at each checkpoint to exchange horses.
They covered what should have been a two-day journey by horse in less than a day and a half.
And then.
"What! You say she's undergoing exuviation?!"
"Yes! Please... pant pant Please hurry!"
"Human... realm... not far from the checkpoint. Please, please hurry!"
Having barely reached Ju Myoungyoon's mansion within Ju clan territory, they reported the situation while still trying to calm their pounding hearts.
Myoungyoon didn't ask twice.
"Bring me a horse!!!!!"
Without even time to explain the situation to his two sons and Baek Giha who appeared at his thunderous command, he leaped onto a horse.
"Hya!!"
The two brothers' eyes widened when they belatedly heard the story from a servant.
"Horse!!!"
"Bring a horse now!!"
The two brothers also mounted horses without delay and galloped off.
Several mansion guards swiftly followed behind them.
Among them was Baek Giha.
‘What is this. My body is so hot.’
Sehwa’s body twisted as if in convulsions as she groaned repeatedly.
Everything before her eyes was pitch black - she couldn't even tell where she was or what was happening.
Occasionally, extreme pain would course through her entire body, making it tingle.
At such times, all she could do was grit her teeth and endure until it passed.
‘What is it? Why is this happening?’
Something invisible had gathered around her body.
These things clustered together, surrounding her and radiating heat.
‘It’s already hot enough, what’s with these things.’
But even when she tried to push them away, her hands wouldn't move.
That's when it happened.
“Kuheong―!”
Just as she heard what seemed like the startlingly loud cry of a beast, something snow-white leaped into her field of vision.
‘White… tiger?’
It was a massive white tiger.
Majestic black stripes stood out clearly against its snow-white fur.
Piercingly cold yet enchanting blue eyes were gazing directly at her.
The moment she spotted the beast, understanding dawned even through her fever-induced haze.
'...Wait, wait a moment.'
The beast slowly took one step toward her.
'Oh my goodness. Just a moment. Is, is this exuviation? Really? Is this really exuviation?'
The beast’s body, with its elegant muscles fully displayed, created wind beneath its feet with each step.
'Good heavens! Oh no! Why are you here? Go away!'
She desperately shook her head, rejecting the white tiger's approach.
She wanted to wave her hands. She wanted to turn away and run, but her body wouldn't move properly.
'Dragon. Where's the dragon? Bring the dragon! The Ju family's blood is the dragon bloodline!'
The beast, now directly in front of her, looked down at her with fierce eyes.
'No. Oh, don't come closer. Dragon! Where's the dragon? Bring the dragon...!'
Then, it opened its mouth wide and roared.
“Kuheoeoeong―!!”
'No! No. No!'
That was the last moment.
Ignoring her fierce rejection, the massive white tiger leaped into her arms.
'Nooo―!!!!'
With that scream, her skin began to burn, starting from her fingertips.
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