When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 96
Chapter 96
"Excuse me! Excuse me!"
It was a child's voice.
'A message runner?'
The side gate guard's body reflexively moved toward the door latch.
These message runners came so often that it was tiresome, so he assumed this would be no different.
However, he stopped just before opening the door.
'No, what am I thinking? Not in this situation.'
Remembering how Baek Manyong, the Baek Clan Chancellor, had shouted not to let anyone through this door, he pulled his hand away from the latch as if burned.
'Come to think of it, today I'm not just a side gate servant but more like a fortress guard.'
The side gate guard, who had always been kind to children, asked in an uncharacteristically stern voice, "Who is it?"
"I'm here with a message. Earlier this morning, Elder Sa Jungsan requested an appointment with Elder Ju Myoungyoon, but there hasn't been a response yet. I was sent to ask when we might receive an answer."
"It's too late now. The Elder cannot provide an answer."
"Please don't say that. Even though it's late, please just relay the message. I'll be in big trouble if I return without an answer."
"Now, now, I told you to go back. He cannot provide an answer right now."
"..."
The child beyond the door began to sob.
"You don't understand my situation. I was told I must bring back an answer. If I return empty-handed, I'll die. If you keep refusing, I'll have to wait here all night until I get a response."
The pitiful voice made the side gate guard's heart soften slightly.
How could he not understand that life? He had lived it himself.
Recalling memories of being beaten and kicked around like an object, the hesitating side gate guard spoke toward the door, "Don't do that. Just tell them Elder Ju Myoungyoon said to come tomorrow and return then. The Elder is currently away and cannot help you."
"What? He's away?"
"Yes."
"Really, really away? You're not trying to deceive me, it's really true?"
"That's what I said."
"Then the one who left earlier with the warrior was truly Elder Ju Myoungyoon? So Ju Myoungyoon has truly left the residence?"
Ju Myoungyoon?
Just as he began to question that word—
BOOM!!!!
An intense spiritual power burst through the side door in one go.
"!!"
The side gate guard took the full force of the debris storm and was thrown through the air, crashing headfirst into the ground.
Light footsteps gracefully crossed through the opened door.
"Ah, I was worried that person might have been his subordinate disguised as Elder Ju Myoungyoon. But I guess not."
Seowol's clear smile turned slightly as her eyes glanced at the fallen figure.
Blood splattered across the dirt ground where the side gate guard twisted in agony.
His body was a mess from the wooden shrapnel that had scattered in the explosion.
Even in that state, the side gate guard managed to pull out a signal flare from his clothes.
Seowol lifted the corner of her mouth in a smirk and stepped on his wrist, applying spiritual power to press down.
CRACK!
"!!!!!"
The terrible pain, combined with the agony of the debris already embedded in his body, caused the side gate guard to lose consciousness.
When Seowol looked back, masked warriors rushed through the residence gates in unison.
Even if he hadn't fired the signal flare, the guards would soon come after hearing the door break.
'The guards can handle this themselves.'
Seowol, who had hurriedly brought the warriors as soon as she saw Baek Giha flying away, leaped lightly into the air.
'Now where would Sehwa be? In her room?'
With that, she bounded across the roofs of the buildings, heading toward Sehwa's room.
Ju Myoungyoon rode hard, following his guard.
What was there to hesitate about when his wife's life hung in the balance?
But a rough anxiety still swirled bleakly in his heart.
His gaze flickered briefly to the back of the warrior riding ahead of him.
'There was nothing suspicious about how this child came to me.'
How loyal this warrior had been to him these past ten years. He couldn't count the number of times his life had been saved.
Even on the battlefield, he had never doubted the information this warrior brought.
When such a warrior shed tears and said his wife's life was in danger, what reason was there not to believe?
The news about Sehwa going to the Baek clan had even brought his sons back, so it wasn't strange at all that his wife would be returning after hearing the news.
'Even the clash with the patrol warriors has been such a common occurrence that the Mystic Ruler issued an order completely prohibiting unnecessary engagements.'
Even if he tried to doubt a hundred things, all hundred made sense.
However, Ju Myoungyoon's narrowed eyes would not easily return to normal.
Yes. There was nothing to doubt. Only the timing was strange.
Among the many urgent events happening all at once today, the warrior receiving news of his wife arrives shortly after Baek Giha's departure?
Thus causing him to leave the residence empty?
"..."
It could simply be that the enemy was handling multiple matters at once, but...
Riding with a terrifyingly grave expression, Ju Myoungyoon finally made a decision.
'...If I'm wrong, I'll compensate you with everything I have.'
Gritting his teeth, he closed the gap with his guard.
The opportunity came in an instant.
"!"
The unwavering sword tip he drew like lightning flew toward the warrior riding ahead.
Within Ju Myoungyoon's firmly set gaze, the sword slicing through the wind was about to strike the warrior's shoulder.
It was an impossible distance to defend against.
But the warrior tilted to the side to avoid the attack and, flowing like water, drew their own sword to deflect the sharp blade.
CLANG!
"...!!!"
Such a perfect block could not have been possible without anticipating the attack.
'This, this bastard.'
Ju Myoungyoon halted at the sharp sound of sword meeting sword.
His mind was already in chaos from the shock and realization.
'...This bastard has, has betrayed me?'
The result was clear.
But even though he had already been suspicious, this situation was completely unbelievable.
"What is this treachery! I trusted you! For the past ten years, I trusted you so!"
So to confirm one more time, he shouted as if he knew everything.
This person was a warrior of exceptional skill.
Perhaps they only noticed his attack because of their great skill, and it might not make sense to doubt them this much.
"How strange. I thought I did well."
But to those words he tested with, instead of asking what he meant, the warrior rather asked with an incomprehensible expression:
"How exactly did you notice?"
'!'
Ju Myoungyoon bit his lip until it bled.
He gripped the reins until his knuckles turned white.
The warrior's composed demeanor was definitely not that of someone who had turned recently.
If even this one was a traitor, if they had been a traitor from the beginning...
Then from where had his life started going wrong?
But now there wasn't even time for regret.
With a contorted face, he kicked his horse's belly hard.
To hurry back to his daughter, he first had to kill this one.
After moving the exhausted Youngsun back to the side room, Youngchae wiped her own tear-stained face.
Youngsun had insisted on staying by the young lady's side when she lost consciousness.
But when Youngchae persuaded her that she needed to rest quickly to recover and take care of the young lady again, she obediently lay down in bed.
Though the young lady had healed her with spiritual power, it was during the midst of blocking the Mystic Ruler's flames, and her own body was completely broken at the time.
They should be thankful that this much healing was possible.
"Then Youngchae, please look after the young lady. Be sure to wake me if she wakes up or her condition changes."
"Of course. Even if you beg to sleep more, I'll beat you awake, so don't worry and get some rest. That's how you'll recover quickly."
"Yes."
"Don't worry. She'll definitely be alright."
"...Yes."
But tears began streaming down her crumpling face again.
Youngsun curled up, covering her face.
Understanding how she felt, Youngchae covered her with a blanket and left the side room.
The room where Sehwa lay was too quiet.
Her breathing was so faint that Youngchae checked Sehwa's breathing several times.
Though she should believe it impossible, her heart kept growing anxious and she couldn't bear to do nothing.
'Is there nothing more I can do?'
Everything needed was already in this room. The Divine Dragon's spirit orb for healing the body. Medicine. Towels to wipe away sweat and basins to wash the towels.
It was difficult having nothing to do but wait, unable to help in any way.
'But Merchant Ji definitely said the young lady transformed into a dragon's form?'
A dragon's form? How could that be possible?
Only Divine Beasts can transform into beast forms, and for mystics to become Divine Beasts, they absolutely need a Spirit Stone.
But the young lady hasn't used any of the Spirit Stones she obtained yet, so how?
'Or perhaps she has enough spiritual power but couldn't fully transform into a Divine Beast without a Spirit Stone?'
Since Divine Beasts are immortal and have strong recovery powers...
'If only she could become a Divine Beast, she could shake off injuries like this without issue.'
Deep in thought, Youngchae had a servant bring two wooden boxes from her room.
They contained the remaining spirit orbs that Sehwa had entrusted to her, and the Spirit Stones she had received separately from Choi Jangmyung rather than keeping them in the residence.
Wondering if these might help, she poured the Spirit Stones and spirit orbs under Sehwa's blanket.
But there was no reaction from the spirit orbs and Spirit Stones even as time passed.
'Strange. Last time she said they were absorbed just by touching them, so why isn't it working? Is it different before and after exuviation?'
"Why... did you... save my life too."
"You all are... my life."
She wanted to do something, anything to help, but there was nothing she could do.
Those words kept coming to mind, making Youngchae's eyes well up with tears again.
"Young lady..."
Youngchae whispered as she wiped Sehwa's forehead with a wet towel.
"You are our life too. So please, you must wake up."
She spoke with a voice full of fear, saying it was frightening for them too if she continued lying here like this.
That's when it happened.
"Found you!"
A young, joy-filled voice flowed through the door crack into the room.
"Here you are. Young Lady of the Elder's residence."
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