When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 122
Chapter 122
The officials waved their hands dismissively.
There was no need for that, they must have made a mistake.
But the woman remained unmoved.
As if the roles of criminal and official had been reversed, she gestured towards the entrance of the residence with her chin, her gaze reprimanding them for their hesitation.
The officials, who had barged into the residence like thugs, now filed out quietly, like well-behaved students.
After confirming their silent departure, Sehwa chuckled, looking at Jung Chihwa, who was still staring at her blankly.
“It seems your father isn’t home either. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to your father or this residence. Just lock the doors securely and stay inside.”
“S-Sehwa… w-what… what are you going to do?” Jung Chihwa finally seemed to snap out of her daze, her lips trembling as she spoke. “Why did you say you’d go? What if something happens to you there?”
“I told you not to worry.”
Sehwa gently wiped Jung Chihwa’s tear-stained cheek.
“You tried to help me without asking for anything in return. You tried to help me without even asking why.”
Recalling how Jung Chihwa had handed her the pouch of money without hesitation and stopped her from explaining, Sehwa added, “So I’ll help you too. I’ll take care of everything so you don’t have to worry.”
Meeting Chihwa’s wavering gaze, Sehwa’s expression softened, the coldness she had shown towards Yi Hong-cheon replaced with a bright, gentle smile. “So trust me. Okay?”
“Then it’s possible that the drought was caused by the Ju Clan’s Divine Beast.”
This happened after Sehwa, her mother Cheon Sua, and Baek Giha arrived at the Baek Clan.
Upon hearing that Sehwa's two older brothers hadn't joined them and had run off somewhere, Baek Manyong immediately organized several search parties with Baek Clan warriors.
He wanted to ensure that if they were found near the border between the Ju Clan and the Six Clans, they would be safely escorted back to the Baek Clan.
Ju Myoungyoon and Cheon Sua, reunited after a long time, were relieved to see each other safe and sound, sharing a brief moment of joy.
But their greetings ended there.
They had to discuss the matter of the Mystic Ruler urgently.
Sehwa, Baek Giha, and Cheon Sua recounted what they had witnessed to the assembled leaders of the Six Clans and Ju Myoungyoon.
The Cheon Clan Head, after recalling old records, supported their speculation, saying it was entirely possible.
As Sehwa listened to the discussion, something occurred to her.
“It… hasn’t rained for a long time.”
Baek Giha’s attention immediately turned to her, and following his lead, the leaders of the Six Clans also looked at Sehwa.
“A long drought. You know about it, right?”
Baek Giha’s gaze turned cold.
Sehwa’s crimson eyes recalled the situation she had experienced in her past life.
Many lives had been lost due to the prolonged drought in the Mystic Realm. The situation in the Human Realm had been even more dire.
She had previously believed that the drought was caused by her dying world.
She had thought that the unusual weather was a result of the withering Mystic Realm, connected to the Human Realm. So she hadn’t considered that there might be a solution to the disaster.
But what if… it wasn’t?
Hadn't dragons always controlled the rain since the beginning of time?
What if the drought was caused by the Ju Clan’s dragon, the Corrupt Dragon who didn’t hesitate to use forbidden methods?
“If that’s the case, we need to go to the Human Realm and meet the King,” Baek Giha said, his eyes narrowing.
Due to the location of the passage between the Human Realm and the Mystic Realm, the Ju Clan had always been in contact with the King of this country.
But the Mystic Ruler, who didn’t even consider clanless mystics to be living beings, wouldn't have cared about the humans’ plight.
He would have seen them as mere servants to be used at will.
He might have spoken carelessly, not caring about their existence, revealing his true intentions. He might have made his demands shamelessly, as if taking what was rightfully his, even while causing such a disaster.
So Sehwa had come here to investigate.
Yi Hong-cheon watched the woman walking ahead of them, unsure whether they were escorting her or being escorted by her.
His subordinate, Kim Ja-song, quietly approached and asked, “Are we really… taking her to the government office?”
“......”
“On what charges? For being friends with the Minister of Rites’ daughter?”
“......”
“We’re attracting too much attention.”
With the Hyeryu River dried up, the situation in the capital had become as dire as outside.
Starving people were desperate enough to eat the straw from thatched roofs.
Even in the capital, where the King resided, kidnappings were rampant.
The atmosphere was so hostile that even the officials were wary of walking the streets, let alone investigating crimes.
That was why it was necessary to divert the people’s attention by publicly humiliating the Minister of Rites.
To have him endure the people’s resentment and anger without killing him immediately.
But now, even those people were staring at them blankly.
The woman walking gracefully ahead of the officials was so breathtakingly beautiful that she made them forget even their hunger.
Even though it was past the beginning of autumn, the earth was still scorching hot.
Even those who had no tears left to cry were sweating profusely, yet…
The season and the heat seemed to have no effect on this woman.
Her skin, clear and translucent like precious jade, showed no signs of sunburn, and her face, with its delicate flush, was brimming with vitality, as if she alone was experiencing the vibrant spring, full of new life.
So their mesmerized gazes followed Sehwa’s every step, all the way to the government office.
It was the same inside the office.
Yi Hong-cheon, unable to confine her to a holding cell, led her to the interview room and offered her the seat of honor.
She sat down as if it were only natural and began, “So…”
“I’d like to see His Majesty. How can I arrange that?”
“…Pardon?”
Yi Hong-cheon wasn’t usually one to ask such foolish questions.
His reputation for calm and decisive judgment was evident in his appointment to the task of investigating and monitoring Jung Seung-taek, the Minister of Rites.
In fact, almost everyone knew how unfair it was to blame Jung Seung-taek for the drought.
But the world needed someone to blame for its misfortunes, and the King needed a scapegoat.
So, even though it was regrettable, Jung Seung-taek had to be sacrificed.
Therefore, they needed a ruthless official to arrest him and present him to the public, and that was why Yi Hong-cheon had been chosen.
Sehwa looked at Yi Hong-cheon impassively and repeated, with an exasperated sigh, “I. Want. To. See. His. Majesty. How. Can. I. Arrange. That?”
Yi Hong-cheon’s face flushed, as if insulted by her slow, deliberate way of speaking, as if she were talking to a child.
But he couldn’t bring himself to reprimand her, so he asked another foolish question, “Why do you wish to see His Majesty?”
A look of contempt flashed in Sehwa's eyes as she scanned him.
“That’s something I’ll tell His Majesty, not you.”
“......”
So Yi Hong-cheon cautiously approached his superior and reported about this strange prisoner. His superior was furious.
“What nonsense is this?! How can you say such a ridiculous thing?!”
Did he not know the atmosphere in the palace?! Was he out of his mind?!
The superior barged into the interview room, but upon seeing Sehwa, he quietly closed the door and left.
His superior, and his superior's superior, did the same.
After they reported about Sehwa, the King heard about her before the afternoon arrived.
He decided to meet this strange prisoner, who was clearly not from this world.
So Sehwa entered the audience chamber before sunset.
Wary of this unknown person, whose true identity was still a mystery, guards were stationed throughout the chamber.
But even those guards, the moment Sehwa stepped inside, momentarily forgot their vigilance and blinked in surprise.
As the guards, stunned by her beauty, stared at Sehwa, unable to look away…
“Did you wish to see me?”
Even though they hadn't heard the announcement, someone quietly entered through the sliding doors, which had opened at some point.
It was King Ik-gwon.
Sehwa’s gaze scrutinized the King as he sat on his throne.
His strong build and the firm muscles visible even beneath his royal robes suggested a valiant character.
But what stood out the most was his pale complexion.
She had heard that the King had been reducing his meals to pray for the heavens’ forgiveness, and as if to prove it, his cheeks were hollow.
Dark shadows lay beneath his eyes, and his lips were pale.
Seeing this, Sehwa knew her guess hadn't been wrong.
A look of surprise flickered across the King’s face as he met Sehwa’s gaze.
He blinked and asked, “Are you human? Or are you truly a celestial being?”
Sehwa ignored his question and spoke coldly, “Don’t you know it’s too dangerous now?”
“…What?”
“If you’re the King, if you call yourself the father of your people, then stop committing sins.”
“......”
King Ik-gwon hesitated, speechless.
“......”
“......”
After a moment, he quietly raised his hand.
The guards and eunuchs who had been guarding the audience chamber silently filed out of the room.
“Everyone, leave the premises.”
As King Ik-gwon gave another order, the eunuch standing guard outside relayed the command, “Everyone, leave the premises.”
All presence disappeared from the audience chamber and the hallway beyond.
In the silent space, Sehwa could hear the King’s heart pounding, as if he were nervous or anxious.
He clenched his fists beneath his royal robes, a hint of fear in his eyes as he asked Sehwa again, “Who… who are you? Do you know what’s happening to this country?”
“Yes.”
Sehwa answered simply and looked at him coldly.
“How can you not know that someone demanded the lives of your people to achieve something, and that you agreed and sacrificed your own people’s lives?”
“…!”
The King's lips trembled slightly.
A fearful gasp escaped his pale lips.
“How… do you know? Are you… with them?”
“Them?”
Sehwa raised an eyebrow and slammed her hand on the floor.
Thump!
“Come to your senses! It’s pathetic enough that you’ve caused this situation by submitting to those beasts who demanded your children’s lives! And you, the King, are speaking respectfully to such beings?!”
A five-colored aura swirled around her in her fury.
King Ik-gwon jumped down from his throne, sensing the unmistakable divine aura, completely different from the beasts that had been tormenting him.
The King, who already knew the cause of this drought, had been walking on a bed of coals every day.
He hadn't wanted to make Jung Seung-taek a scapegoat either.
But he had no choice. If he didn’t, he would be dragged away by his enraged people. And if he disappeared, who would stop the beasts that were threatening him?
“Then what should I do?! Tell me how to escape this hell!”
His face contorted.
Tormented by immense guilt, he broke down before Sehwa.
Sehwa, looking at him coldly, asked, “If I tell you, will you follow it? Do you have the will to stop sacrificing your people’s lives right now?”
“Of course.”
“Even if it means risking your own life?”
King Ik-gwon answered in a voice filled with anguish, “As you said, I’m a father who couldn’t even protect his own children. How can I value my own life above theirs?”
Comments
Post a Comment