When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 5
Chapter 5
The Ju Clan, where Ju Sehwa was born, was the descendant of the dragon race that had ruled the Mystic Realm for generations.
The mystic beings were born with vast spiritual power, and through exuviation, they were reborn as spiritual beasts, reaching maturity.
They could become divine beasts through another exuviation, but no divine beast had been born for the past fifteen hundred years.
The Ju Clan’s most important ability, clairvoyance, had also disappeared along with the true form of the dragon that was no longer being born.
Nevertheless, the Ju Clan’s arrogance as the ruling race never diminished.
Accustomed to indulgence, corruption, and indolence, the members of the Ju Clan were more inclined to evade their duties and trample on others than to bear any responsibility.
As a result of such rulers, the livelihood of the other six clans gradually became more difficult.
In the midst of this, a large number of missing persons began to appear in the six clans, excluding the Ju Clan.
These disappearances became a major problem because all the missing people were children who had not yet completed their exuviation.
The six clans carefully traced the meticulously erased traces and meticulously chased down the culprit.
But each time, the traces stopped at the boundary of the Ju Clan.
The Ju Clan's territory had been an inviolable area for generations.
Therefore, they requested the Ju Clan to resolve the matter, but the Mystic Ruler remained silent.
The six clans, who had remained silent in the face of the Ju Clan’s tyranny, could no longer tolerate this neglect.
Eventually, a rebellion occurred, demanding a swift resolution to the case and defying the authority of the ruling Mystic Ruler.
The Clan Head of the Ju Clan, resentful of such actions, sent a massive force to suppress each clan.
But unbelievably, the loser of this battle was the Ju Clan.
No one knew that Baek Giha, the Clan Head of the Baek Clan, one of the six clans, had risen to the rank of divine beast at such a young age.
At the humiliating peace treaty meeting, the Baek Clan demanded a representative from the Ju Clan to be responsible for handling the missing persons case.
The peace treaty stipulated that the person had to be of the Mystic Ruler's bloodline and that they had to stay in the Baek Clan until the culprit was identified and the lost children were found.
The only one of the Mystic Ruler, that is, the Ju Clan’s Clan Head’s bloodline, was the Young Lord, Ju Kyunghyun, who had not yet come of age.
They had expected that taking him hostage would compel the Ju Clan to resolve the case quickly, but things did not go as they had hoped.
The Mystic Ruler, unable to comply with the humiliating demand to send his successor, found someone who could replace his son.
“So, what do you think of my proposal?”
This was that very proposal.
That she should marry Ju Kyunghyun, then represent the Ju Clan on a very important mission to find the missing people, going to the Baek Clan.
That she could resolve the case within a few months at most.
And after that, she would have the grandest wedding in all the three realms with the Young Lord.
But she already knew.
That neither of those promises would be kept.
Moreover.
“Betrothed? Who knows what you endured there. No, who knows what you did to survive so long in enemy territory? Why would we seat you, someone like that, in the position of the Clan Head’s wife?”
“If it were me, the day I was chased out of the Baek Clan and returned here, I would have taken my own life to protect my parents’ honor. Or I would have died in the Baek Clan to uphold my integrity. Don’t you have any shame?”
“Punish the traitors who colluded with the Baek Clan and tarnished the clan’s prestige!”
Her fists clenched her skirt with all her might.
But what should she do?
Even if she knew the future, there was no way she could refuse this proposal.
This was only in the form of a proposal, but it was in reality, an order.
Her two brothers were not her blood relatives.
So, among all the Ju Clan’s bloodline, she was the closest to the Mystic Ruler through her father Ju Myoungyoon's lineage; therefore, no one other than her could replace Ju Kyunghyun.
“Clan Head, please reconsider. This child hasn’t even completed her exuviation yet. How can such a young child resolve a case or act as a representative?”
“She is not too young to perform her duty.”
“She will only tarnish the dignity of the Ju Clan.”
“It is a problem your daughter must decide. Myoungyoon, you must stand back.”
“She is still a child, Clan Head!”
“I told you to stand back.”
Ju Myoungyoon, rushing in front of the old man, knelt and prostrated himself, his forehead touching the floor like a slave.
He had cast aside his pride for the sake of his daughter’s safety.
“Clan Head! Please, reconsider.”
“Ju Myoungyoon!”
‘To see that scene again.’
Sehwa’s eyes burned again.
‘……He tried to stop it like this before.’
What was all this? Was this perhaps the underworld, which she had only heard about? Or was this a panoramic view she was seeing as she died?
But it didn't matter what it was.
If she could repeat the past, she would save her family this time, no matter what.
“Clan Head.”
She took a step forward, deliberately trembling her voice.
Her shoulders tensed. Her mouth felt parched, and the fist that gripped her skirt tightened.
“I will do it.”
“Ju Sehwa! This is not something for you to interfere with. Stay back!”
“It’s okay, Father. I’ll go.”
“That is a wise answer. Myoungyoon, your daughter speaks more reasonably than you.”
The old man, seemingly relieved by her answer, let out a long breath and leaned back in his seat.
“But please, rescind the order for me to be betrothed to the Young Lord.”
“……What?”
“I may not be well-versed in reason, but it seems that they are requesting a direct bloodline or someone equivalent to it at Baek Clan, therefore, you must be trying to send me after getting engaged to the Young Lord.”
“……”
“But Clan Head, am I not also the only daughter of a core elder of the Ju Clan, who is a descendant of the previous Mystic Ruler? Even if I am not engaged to the Young Lord, my going will be acceptable for Baek Clan's request.”
“……”
“The Young Lord is a future leader of our clan, how can you make me his betrothed when no one knows what will happen to me at Baek Clan?”
The blue veins on Sehwa's hand clutching her skirt throbbed.
She added, her voice trembling,
“Although I have not yet come of age, I am aware of my noble duty as a member of the ruling race. I will willingly go to the Baek Clan, without any reward or promises, to obey the Mystic Ruler’s words.”
The old man was quite pleased with those words.
A low, gruff laugh escaped from his seat.
It was then.
“However-.”
She quietly continued, feigning hesitation.
“……Before that, with the Mystic Ruler’s clear judgment and compassionate heart, I would like to humbly request one thing.”
“What is it? Speak.”
She trembled her lips even more, with a more frail and fearful expression than before. She swallowed nervously so the Clan Head could see it.
She had to get what she was about to ask for.
For that, she could play any role. Just like her father had cast aside all pride and dignity for her sake.
“Forgive me, but if you would allow it, I would like to leave with the operational rights of the border region warriors.”
“What, operational rights? Are you mentioning operational rights of the troops?”
“Yes, Clan Head.”
The old man, who had been silent, chuckled mockingly, as if the request was absurd.
What did a child who hadn't even completed her exuviation know about asking for something like that?
‘Perhaps her father put her up to it?’
But Ju Myoungyoon was just looking at his daughter, his face pale.
Seeing that, it didn't seem like he thought the conversation was going in the direction he wanted.
The old man frowned and replied without much interest,
“That is not something to be given into the hands of a child like you.”
Ju Sehwa clenched her skirt even more tightly and lowered her head as if she was afraid.
She knew what would come out of that border region in the future.
‘Eight hundred spirit orbs from the ancient era. With that, even in this situation where spiritual energy is fading from the atmosphere, I can skip past becoming a spiritual beast and become a divine beast right away.’
That was why she absolutely had to get the operational rights.
Their home, the Mystic Realm, was dying.
The life force and power that had filled the atmosphere were gradually dimming, becoming no different from the human realm.
The children who were being born were also getting weaker and weaker.
This was a great problem for the mystic beings, who considered spiritual power to be their most valuable treasure. Because the length of time they could maintain their youth and lifespan was determined by their spiritual power.
Furthermore, battles among the mystic beings were not determined by numbers.
Just like Baek Giha, who had been the only divine beast to fight against the Ju Clan army in the recent war.
One mystic being with vast power could trample hundreds or thousands of people who had less spiritual power.
‘It’s said to be a representative to resolve the missing person’s case, but isn’t it really that the six clans, full of anger, want a hostage, someone whose throat they can seize to get those missing kids back?’
Hadn't she experienced it herself? Those days at the Baek Clan, which had inevitably flowed in a very humiliating direction.
In order not to repeat that situation again, she had to obtain those eight hundred spirit orbs first.
She couldn't do anything without gaining power first.
She needed the operational rights of the troops to be able to enter the border region and to block the approach of any warriors while she obtained the spirit orbs.
‘Then what excuse should I make?’
With only one or two reasons, that suspicious old man would never do something good for someone else.
‘I should say at least three.’
“Yes. Although it is my limited insight, I would like to state three reasons.”
“Speak.”
“First, it is because the dry season is coming soon.”
“The dry season?”
The old man’s eyebrows furrowed slightly when he heard Sehwa’s words.
“What does the dry season have to do with this?”
“It’s about the water level of the Central River.”
She announced in a respectful voice.
Her eyes lowered so that her murderous intent would not be seen.
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