When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 151
Chapter 151
The others had already regained consciousness earlier and had been exchanging similar questions, trying to understand the situation.
Just as someone was about to explain what had happened to Jae Munju, who was looking distressed…
Sehwa chuckled and said, “I’m glad you’re awake. I was about to slap you.”
“W-What?”
“Now that you’re awake, tell me. Why did you do this?”
“…What?” Jae Munju asked, bewildered. “Do… do this? Me?”
The puzzled gazes of those around them turned to Sehwa.
“My lady, I just woke up, and I don’t even know what’s going on. What are you talking about?”
“You don’t seem willing to talk. Youngsun, Youngmoo.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Youngsun and Youngmoo stepped forward and walked towards Jae Munju.
Jae Munju’s eyes widened in alarm. “W-What are you doing?! What do you want me to say?! What is this about?!”
‘What’s going on? Did she figure something out?’
Jae Munju’s panicked gaze darted around.
This was different from when she had brought the tea to Sehwa's room yesterday.
Back then, it had only been Sehwa and her maids, but now, she was outnumbered.
And more importantly…
“E-Elder Simjung! Elder Simjung!”
…Elder Simjung, who she had saved, was also here.
“Elder! Am I being accused of something? I just woke up!”
Jae Munju appealed to Elder Simjung. “I don't care if I am! I have nothing to hide! But if that’s the case, please question me yourself, Elder! I’ll tell you everything, honestly!”
Hearing Jae Munju’s words, Elder Simjung finally stood up.
This whole incident was his fault. He didn't want to shift the blame to his subordinates.
“If you have any questions for her, I’ll… ask them.”
It was difficult to change his tone in front of so many people.
But she had healed him when he was on the verge of death, whether intentionally or not.
He couldn't speak to her as harshly as he had in the forest.
“And what do you know about interrogation?”
“You suspect… that she orchestrated all of this… don’t you…?”
Sehwa simply looked at Elder Simjung without answering.
“But isn’t that a bit of a stretch? She’s just a maid…”
“What do I care about such trivial details? What I know for sure,” Sehwa said, her indifferent gaze sweeping over Jae Munju, “is that Jae Munju is the one who trapped us here.”
“!!”
“…!!”
“M-Munju?! Really?”
“…N-No, why would Munju…”
Her voice was so firm and filled with conviction that the others couldn’t help but stare at Jae Munju, their throats tightening.
“My lady, that’s a misunderstanding! Why would I do such a thing? Everyone here cares about me!” Jae Munju hurriedly denied it, her face filled with alarm. “I really didn’t do it! If you’re trying to control the situation by framing someone, you don’t have to. Elder Simjung is here. Why are you accusing me?”
Jae Munju’s voice grew louder.
She was confident that the other maids and the Baek Clan members here would speak up for her.
“What? Framing? Controlling the situation?”
Youngsun’s eyebrows shot up angrily.
Sehwa waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine.”
“But my lady—”
“The Elder said he’ll question her himself. Let’s leave it to him. Let’s see what happens.”
Her tone was gentle, but her eyes held a hint of mockery.
“In the end, Jae Munju will be revealed as the culprit.”
‘…How can she be so composed?’
Hearing her calm, emotionless voice, Elder Simjung sighed softly.
It was strange.
She was just a child who had recently transformed…
Yet she was so adept at controlling the situation.
He wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
The Captain, who seemed to have been swayed by the young mystic, was looking at him with a pleading gaze, as if wanting to stop him.
The others were similar.
They were trapped inside a barrier that could collapse at any moment, and if they needed to do something to escape, wouldn’t it be better to let the Ju Clan woman handle it?
Elder Simjung, watching them with disbelief, stood before Jae Munju.
But his face was grim.
He was the one who should be taking responsibility for this incident.
And now he was being told that this child was the culprit.
He had no idea what to ask her.
But her accusation… it was too confident and certain to be a mere guess…
‘She sounds and acts like she knows exactly what happened…’
“Are you…?”
As Elder Simjung began hesitantly, Jae Munju bowed her head low.
“Elder, I have lived an honest life ever since I rescued your daughter from the Ju Clan territory and brought her to the Baek Clan. You know how sincerely I’ve lived, always putting others before myself.”
“......”
“Perhaps you misunderstood when I turned and ran after you fell. But I wasn’t running away. I was going back to the residence to report what happened! But then…” Jae Munju pointed at Youngsun. “That maid grabbed me and threw me into the chasm!”
Jae Munju looked at each of the people around her, appealing to them. “There are many witnesses here who saw what happened.”
But the Baek Clan warriors, though they nodded, added hesitantly, “That’s true, but she must have had a reason.”
“…What?”
“Indeed. I agree. That young lady wouldn’t do such a thing without a reason, so why don’t you hear her out?”
Elder Simjung scoffed, dumbfounded.
He had fallen into a chasm, betrayed by someone he had known for years, and they were saying there must have been a reason?
But what was even stranger was his own thoughts.
He, too, felt a strange, inexplicable certainty that the Ju Clan girl wouldn’t accuse Jae Munju without a reason.
It was at that moment.
“…!!”
His leg, which had been cramping, suddenly gave way.
Elder Simjung stumbled and collapsed to the ground.
“Elder!”
“Elder Simjung!”
The Captain and the others rushed towards him.
The old man’s body trembled.
His leg, which had been throbbing, was now completely numb, as if seized by a cramp.
He ripped his trousers with his weakened hand, revealing his leg.
Gasps echoed around them.
Elder Simjung's leg looked as if it were rotting.
A small, dark mark on his thigh was spreading like a spiderweb, black veins branching out like the roots of a plant.
The affected skin was cracked and decaying, like parched earth during a long drought.
“W-What is…?”
Elder Simjung gritted his teeth.
His gaze instinctively turned to Sehwa.
She had healed him earlier.
If she had used her spiritual power, she would have noticed his condition, so why hadn't she said anything?
The only person here who had a reason to kill him was that Ju Clan woman.
It would be easier to eliminate him than to persuade him to accept her as the Lady of the House.
“You! You did this to me—!”
“You’ve been poisoned.”
“W-What?!”
Sehwa looked at the dark mark on Elder Simjung’s leg and continued, “I detected traces of poison in your body when I healed you earlier. But you were fine when we first met in the forest today.”
“......”
“The strange transformation of the shadows… those mindless creatures attacking the shrine… the barrier trapping us… and the poison affecting you, Elder… surely you don’t think all of this is a coincidence?”
“That’s…”
“And I just happened to bring everyone who was there at the time into this chasm.” Sehwa tilted her head slightly and smiled gently. “So the culprit must be someone here. If you suspect me, Elder, you can include me among your suspects. Though I’ve been telling you who the culprit is all along.”
“…!”
The old man’s hand trembled as he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, “If you’re trying to frame my subordinates…”
Sehwa chuckled.
Seeing the black mark spreading rapidly across Elder Simjung’s skin, she added, “Save your accusations for later and let’s save some time. You need the antidote, don’t you?”
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