When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 48
Chapter 48
“Here’s the cleansing water. I brought it secretly.”
Sehwa stared, momentarily dumbfounded, at the person offering her the steaming washbasin.
‘Where did he even find this? Even I don’t know where these are kept.’
“Hurry and wash up. I’ll hold it for you.”
Though she had many questions, Sehwa remained silent, knowing her voice would only come out nasally.
After washing her face with the water he brought, a white silk towel was held out to her as if it were the most natural thing.
“I brought a towel too.”
“……”
“What?”
“Ah… it’s nothing.”
After drying her face with the towel, he presented a small medicine bottle this time.
“It’s scale oil. Apply it quickly.”
“……”
Scale oil was a medicine that mystic beings of her bloodline used after exuviation to enhance the shine of their scales.
Being so precious, it was kept in the medicine storage deep within the residence.
The washbasin and towel were one thing, but he even managed to find the medicine storage and return?
Unable to contain herself any longer, she finally asked, "How do you know all these places so well when you've only been here a few days? The cleansing water, the towel, and even where the scale oil is kept?"
“……”
“What else do you know? Have you been secretly wandering around the residence?”
“……”
Forgetting her fear of sounding nasally, Sehwa firmly struck the side of the bed.
“Sit down.”
“……”
“Now!”
After confirming that he sat down before her with a hesitant look, she demanded answers.
“Why are you so utterly lacking in a sense of danger? Are you in your right mind?”
“……”
“You’re not immortal anymore. You should have at least brought guards, but instead, you come here alone and rummage around the residence. What if you’re mistaken for an intruder and attacked?”
“……”
“What are you smiling about? Do I look like I'm joking?”
“No.”
He quickly shook his head and hurriedly wiped the smile from his face.
“Your wrist. Let me see it.”
“It’s healed.”
“Let me see.”
Surrendering to Sehwa’s intensity, Baek Giha quietly extended his wrist.
The wound from when he had let his blood flow into her mouth had healed, leaving only a thin red line.
“See? I told you it was healed.”
“……Your regeneration is too slow. It wasn’t like this before.”
Sehwa’s gaze grew heavy.
“It’s much slower than before. It’ll only get worse from now on, won’t it?”
Having given up immortality, his regenerative abilities would continue to weaken over time.
“It’s fine. I’m strong. You don’t need to worry about it.”
‘This man…’
“How can I not worry? Are you going to keep saying frustrating things? If that's all you’re going to say, just keep your mouth shut.”
“……”
While Baek Giha kept silent, Sehwa organized her thoughts.
What had happened during this time in the past?
Many things had already changed and become variables.
But she felt the basic flow wouldn't be too different.
Sehwa traced her old memories.
Before, before I went to the Baek Clan, surely...
“By the way, my lady.”
“Be quiet for a moment. I need to think.”
“Okay. But seeing your serious expression, are you perhaps recalling what happened around this time?”
“Yes. So don’t interrupt me. I need to remember so I can think of how to respond.”
“Ah, that's true. But there’s one thing you should know.”
“What is it?”
“You woke up after a week.”
“……What?”
“You woke up a week after your exuviation ended.”
“……”
“……”
“What…”
Sehwa chuckled, thinking he must be joking.
“What are you saying? Who wakes up seven days after their exuviation ends? Even my two brothers woke up in less than an hour after their exuviation ended and started yelling that they were hungry.”
“It’s true.”
“Haha. Stop it.”
“……But it's true.”
“Haha… ha.”
“……”
“……Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“……”
“Want to hear something else interesting?”
“W-what is it?”
“My welcoming banquet will be held in three days. I think they’re planning to announce your departure to the Baek Clan there.”
“……”
“……”
“……Three days from now? Really?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Announcing it at the banquet meant they intended to send her a month earlier than initially planned.
It wasn’t incomprehensible.
Now that Baek Giha had come to the Ju Clan, they probably wanted to send her as soon as possible so that the six clans who were expecting the young lord to come wouldn't have time to discuss or prepare separately.
‘Events are changing too quickly. Have I changed too many things?’
Sehwa tightly clasped her cold hands on her knees.
‘Can I… can I do it? Can I change the future and protect my family?’
“……Hwa.”
“……”
“Ju Sehwa.”
Looking up at his call, she saw Baek Giha gazing at her softly.
As she met his gaze, her anxiously beating heart seemed to slowly calm.
It felt like she could do it. It felt like she would be able to manage.
“By the way, why did I wake up after a week? Come to think of it, I didn't have any precursory symptoms before the exuviation either.”
“That was probably due to an unusual reaction from mixing such different types of spiritual powers. You took the spirit orbs from the outpost watchtowers, right?”
“……I’m sorry. They were yours before, but this time I stole them.”
“It’s fine. I was going to dig them up and give them to you anyway.”
“……Why?”
“Hm?”
Sehwa bit her lip again and pressed him.
“Don't you know how to look after your own interests? You give up your immortality, you come here risking your life without realizing the danger, and now you're saying you were going to give me the spirit orbs too?”
“But that is in my interest…”
“What?”
“Well, think about it. Even without immortality, I’ll live much longer than other mystic beings.”
‘What does that have to do with anything?’
As she looked at him with questioning eyes, Baek Giha turned his head slightly, his eyes taking on a faint reddish tinge.
“So you need to become a divine beast so you can… stay with me for a long time.”
“……”
“Hurry and eat all those spirit orbs and become a divine beast.”
“W-what are you saying? Those aren’t for me to use.”
“What? Why not?!”
“Besides, what would happen if I became a divine beast? Even if that somehow happened, if I alone became immortal… what would I do after you died?”
“I’ll reincarnate quickly. Just wait for me a little while.”
“……”
“I’ll come back soon. To meet you.”
“……”
He seemed to be speaking sincerely, but that only made Sehwa truly angry.
“Stop saying useless things and don't ever mention dying again. Understood?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t die! If you die, I’ll never forgive you. I won't even look at your face for the rest of my life. Understood?!”
“……Yes.”
“Answer properly!”
“I understand.”
“Why would you even die? Just wait. There must be some way to return your immortality. I’ll find it somehow, so just wait a little.”
Sehwa muttered with determination, but to Baek Giha's eyes, she looked quite different.
How long had she been crying out loud?
Her eyes and face were still swollen. Her nose was still bright red, but she didn’t even realize it.
With such a face, she kept making nasally sounds and striking the bed.
Making grand declarations about returning his immortality.
‘Besides, maybe because of the mixed massive spiritual powers. The atmosphere is somehow more… than in the previous life.’
He had already seen her face after exuviation before.
But was it because he was seeing it again after five years? Or was it because of some effect from the newly introduced spiritual power?
After her exuviation, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her white skin was so transparent that her blood vessels seemed visible, and her long black hair, disheveled from crying, looked incredibly alluring.
Even the way she unconsciously emanated spiritual power at times was very new and sensual.
But with such an enchanting face, she was acting like this.
While it made him want to laugh, there was no way his heart wouldn't flutter.
‘I shouldn't laugh. Based on twelve years of experience, she’ll definitely get angry if I laugh here.’
“Yes.”
He desperately clenched his teeth and nodded.
As Sehwa’s gaze flew to him, he added once more.
“I’ll definitely wait.”
At those words, Sehwa, who had been staring blankly at him, had her eyes curve prettily.
They are so cute! 🥰
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