When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 94
Chapter 94
Something seemed to be pouring down over her.
It was a cold, sweet energy, like gentle rain cooling the scorching summer earth.
"Ugh..." Youngsun groaned.
As she received that energy, her consciousness gradually became clearer.
Though her head felt like it was about to split and every joint in her body twisted in agony, even that was slowly getting better.
'What happened? What's going on?'
All that remained in her hazy consciousness was the memory of something unbearably hot pouring down over her body, followed by terrible pain.
As she recalled that, she remembered the situation she had been in.
'Right. I, I was definitely hit by the burning beam and roof debris... But why? Why am I still alive?'
Could it be because of this wind?
Youngsun became aware of the cool breeze pouring down as if embracing her.
Opening her eyes was still difficult, but what made her instantly forget the heaviness of her eyelids was hearing Youngmu's trembling voice.
Youngmu's sobbing voice burst out like a scream.
"Ah, Young Lady...!"
Young Lady?!
Youngsun snapped her eyes open, clearing away her foggy consciousness.
But what in the world was this situation?
She had thought the fire would naturally extinguish as the mansion collapsed, but the flames were still burning fiercely.
However.
"Young Lady!!"
A white dragon was fighting against the flames while covering them from above, emitting crimson-purple spiritual energy.
Yet the spiritual energy mixed within the flames was stronger than the dragon's. The flames penetrated the white dragon's body, sizzling and melting its white scales.
Each time this happened, the dragon writhed in pain, but perhaps worried about the sisters collapsed between its body, it couldn't even thrash about too much.
Youngsun realized why her Young Lady was struggling so desperately.
While the spiritual energy blocking the flames was crimson-purple, the energy flowing beneath its belly was a deep blue.
She was both blocking the flames and healing those she had wrapped within her protection.
"No!! Young Lady, please stop!!"
Youngsun tried to put strength into her broken arm. But her body wouldn't rise.
"Please move away! Please! At this rate, all three of us will die!"
The white dragon, eyes tightly shut, remained motionless as if it couldn't even hear her voice.
Meanwhile, the flaming roof debris continued to rain down endlessly onto the dragon.
The dragon twisted its body, unable to bear the pain. Red blood dripped from where its scales had been torn away.
"Young Lady!"
That blood soaked Youngsun and Youngmu's bodies and faces.
"Please!! Please move away!!"
Unable to bear watching the white scales burning black and cracking, Youngsun tried to roll away from that spot.
She would rather crawl into those flames herself.
Only if they died would the Young Lady look after herself.
But as if knowing this thought, the white dragon lowered its body on its own.
As if determined not to give them a chance to get hurt, it completely wrapped and protected their bodies.
Like a final struggle, the white dragon released all its spiritual energy at once.
BOOM—!!!!
Along with the fierce whirlwind of flames, an intense gust burst out from where they were.
When Youngsun regained consciousness again, a familiar ceiling came into view.
'Ah, Young Lady?! Young Lady!'
Youngsun bolted upright but couldn't bear the pain throughout her body and fell from the bed with a thud.
Hearing that sound, the door to the next room opened and Youngchae entered.
"You're awake?"
"Youngchae!"
Youngsun hurriedly crawled over and grabbed Youngchae's skirt.
"The Young Lady... The Young Lady!"
"She's in the next room. Her condition isn't good..."
"!"
"So I couldn't use medicine on you. We had to give all the medicine to the Young Lady."
Youngsun shook her head frantically.
"That doesn't matter at all. How bad is her condition? What exactly is wrong with her!"
"..."
"Youngchae!"
Youngchae answered with trembling lips.
"...They say she might be in danger."
"!"
"But don't worry too much. Right now, the Baek Clan Head is discussing solutions with the Elders. There must be some way."
Youngchae spoke while helping Youngsun up.
"Rest a bit more. Then a little later—"
"No. Let me see the Young Lady. Please let me see her just once."
"..."
"Please, I'm begging you."
At Youngsun's earnest voice, Youngchae reluctantly nodded.
Almost hanging onto Youngchae with her full weight, Youngsun dragged her legs as she walked.
In the dim room, her Young Lady lay on the bed.
Though covered in cold sweat, not even a hint of color showed in her face.
Youngchae seated Youngsun in the chair beside the bed.
But Youngsun knelt down and sat on the floor next to the bed.
She looked closely at her Young Lady's face.
"How..."
Something hot seemed to be rising from deep in her stomach, and trying to suppress it, Youngsun asked with a trembling voice.
"How bad is it? How much?"
"She'll wake up. She still opens her eyes occasionally."
Not knowing what else to say, Youngchae barely managed to convey those words.
Youngsun couldn't even cry.
She only moistened the Young Lady's parched lips with a slightly damp towel, careful not to crack them further.
Even when Youngchae said she shouldn't stay and show the Young Lady her pained appearance, that she should focus on recovering her own body first, Youngsun remained unmoved.
"You said the Young Lady opens her eyes occasionally. I'll just watch that once and go. Just once when she opens her eyes."
"But even when she wakes, she's not lucid. She keeps asking the same thing over and over. So just..."
At that moment, someone entered the room.
It was Merchant Ji.
"Here is the new medicine I obtained."
While Youngchae was receiving the medicine, Youngsun was shocked that they had let an outsider into this room when the Young Lady was in such a state.
Not caring that Merchant Ji was beside them, she snapped sharply at Youngchae.
"What are you thinking? We still don't know who attacked us, so why are you letting outsiders in here!"
Youngchae was greatly taken aback by this unprecedented behavior from her sister.
"Don't say that. Merchant Ji is the one who saved the Young Lady and you all and brought you here."
"Even that could have been for some other purpose, who knows?"
Youngsun's eyes flashed fiercely, as if she couldn't trust anyone.
Merchant Ji intervened, stopping Youngchae who was about to say more.
"I apologize. But I thought the medicine I have might help with recovery."
"..."
"All the medicines I bring are tested three times with dragon scale needles to confirm there are no impure ingredients. Even then, I remain here to take responsibility for the medicine in case anything happens. Please don't worry, I will leave as soon as her condition improves even slightly."
"Why go to such lengths? What connection do you have with us?"
"...That's."
Merchant Ji understood why Youngsun was being so sharp with him.
Even he thought there was no reason to go this far.
Yet there was some inexplicable feeling holding him back, keeping him from leaving.
That's when it happened.
"Ugh..."
A faint moan escaped from between the lips that quickly dried no matter how much they were moistened.
Seeing the heavy eyelashes flutter, Youngsun quickly approached and asked in a hushed voice.
"Young Lady. Are you conscious?"
"She wakes up briefly, but she's not really lucid."
Youngchae added, seeming more worried about Youngsun's behavior.
But Youngsun didn't seem to hear as she covered her Young Lady's hand with her own.
As she leaned in close to carefully observe the Young Lady's reactions, a question like a moan flowed from between the weak lips.
"...Young...chae."
"Yes, Young Lady."
Youngchae moved closer.
"...Young...mu and Young...sun?"
"!"
"Don't worry. They're both fine."
"Youngchae... Youngmu and Youngsun?"
"Don't worry. They're both—"
"What are you doing?"
Youngsun cut into their conversation.
Her lips trembled. Her throat choked up. Though breathing was difficult, this one thing had to be said.
She didn't want to. She should be grateful.
She should say thank you for saving her life, say she was safe thanks to the Young Lady.
"Why are you doing this? Who asked you to do this? Who asked you to save us? Did I ask you to?!"
Youngchae's eyes widened in shock at the rude tone she had never heard before.
"Youngsun! How can you speak to the Young Lady like—"
"You should only look after your own life, Young Lady. Don't you know your life and our lives have different values!!!"
Youngsun's eyes burned hot as she said this.
Though she knew she shouldn't speak this way, she couldn't help herself.
"Why! Right, and take this back too. This was your Reverse Scale, wasn't it! I don't want something like this. I should never have accepted it in the first place."
Youngsun hastily removed her necklace and put it down.
This was a precious item that transformed beings obtained one of after completing their exuviation. Because the Ju clan descendants were dragon kin, it usually appeared in the form of scales and was called the Reverse Scale.
When someone gave their Reverse Scale to another, it had the effect of forcibly summoning the owner when the recipient was in danger.
Because of this, long ago companions would exchange them as a token of pledging their lives to each other.
But as divine beasts disappeared and many were born with barely enough spiritual power to sustain life, transformed beings would hide their Reverse Scales in secret places only they knew after exuviation.
The thought arose that they didn't know whose hands they might fall into or what might happen.
But to think this necklace was made from a carved Reverse Scale.
At those words, Youngchae was also shocked and removed the necklace from her neck.
How could she give us something so precious?
If she had known earlier. If it had just looked like a scale, she would have recognized it. But because it was cut and carved, she thought it was just mother-of-pearl.
Youngsun wanted to slap herself for that stupid, foolish assumption.
That's when the Young Lady's hazy gaze fell on Youngsun.
"Young...sun?"
"Yes! It's me! Why... Why would you..."
What good was crying here now?
Youngsun looked at her Young Lady while pushing down what was welling up inside.
"You must never, ever do something like this again. Do you understand? Your life is more important than anything. So please promise quickly. Promise you won't do this again."
Sehwa's dim eyes looked over Youngsun's face carefully as they closed heavily then opened again with effort.
"Hurry. Please answer quickly. Answer me quickly!"
"Youngsun, what's wrong with you? Are you crazy? Let the Young Lady rest and go!"
"No! I'll go after I hear her promise."
Youngchae was taken aback by words so unlike the usually mature Youngsun.
That's when it happened.
The Young Lady's hand moved as she gave a faint smile.
The trembling hand that moved with great effort grabbed the Reverse Scale necklace on her chest.
Then she took it and placed it back on Youngsun's hand.
The Young Lady's eyes were also slightly red.
"Why... I also... saved my life."
Though even breathing was difficult after moving just a little, she managed to get out one sentence.
"You all... are my life."
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