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Chapter 17
Clear tears fell from her eyes.
“Choyeon…”
Her tears spilled over the rotting, crumbling black corpse, and she soon disintegrated into dust. Even as she faded away, no face had ever been more beautiful. People stared, dumbstruck.
“…Were my ancestors’ sins that grave?”
“They were.”
“…I didn’t know.”
“Did you truly not know?”
“…”
The head of the Geum Clan, Geum Sang-ho, began to shed tears of repentance. It wasn’t his own sin, of course—but because of his clan’s crimes, villagers had died, countless women a hundred years ago had been slaughtered, and one among them had been captured by the Blood Palace and turned into a demon. He reflected on the sin of his father and himself—on how they had both turned a blind eye.
“…I will live the rest of my life repenting. I shall offer rites for her.”
“Do not offer rites for your grandfather.”
“…Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Lady Namgung Sayeol.”
“That’s enough. Let us return.”
Sayeol turned away from the unearthed grave and began walking. Wol followed behind. She didn’t mind him trailing her; he must have his own circumstances.
‘Besides, he reminds me of old memories.’
Black-haired, yet with blue eyes—he reminded her of a friend from long, long ago. Keeping him close didn’t seem so bad. With that thought, she returned to the Geum residence.
As she arrived, Sohwa rushed out to greet her, taking one look at her dirtied clothes and grimacing.
“You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“But it seems following you was worth it for him.”
Sohwa glanced at Wol. His clothes were soaked in blood—black blood from the demon’s corpse, and a little of Geum Sang-ho’s as well.
“Go wash up outside the estate.”
“I will.”
“I’ll go too. The water in the house is too dirty. Better to wash outside.”
“Miss, you’re going to wash with a man!?”
Sohwa jumped as if the idea were outrageous.
“If I don’t wash it off, it will bring corruption. I’ll be back.”
“Then I’m coming too!”
“Stay here.”
“Let’s go.”
“Let’s go.”
“Miss!”
Sohwa fell to her knees, crying out, but Sayeol didn’t look back. She stepped outside with Wol. Without another word, she leapt toward the moonlit direction. Wol followed close behind. Since regaining her memories, she had recovered some of her martial skill—but not all.
‘This body still can’t handle full strength.’
Wol followed effortlessly, while her own lightness skill felt lacking. She clicked her tongue inwardly. Fighting today’s demon had been manageable—it was a creature outside the usual realm of martial arts. But facing a master one level above her would be troublesome. Regaining her former prowess as soon as possible was crucial.
‘Even Wol… I still can’t fully measure him.’
Even this man who followed her—whatever his reasons—was currently stronger than she was. She didn’t know what fortune or elixir he had encountered, but she sensed he stood above even her father—or rather, her retired grandfather.
‘If we fought now, I wouldn’t win.’
Her current level was transcendent, the peak she once held. She didn’t know what miracle brought her internal energy back, but it allowed her to fight her grandfather evenly and even defeat him, weakened as he’d become from lack of real combat.
‘But it’s still not enough.’
Her mind turned to him—the man who had killed all her friends and shattered her. The cult leader. To defeat him, transcendent strength alone would never be enough. Had that not been why she was crushed so completely? Even if a hundred years had passed since he vanished, she did not believe he was dead.
‘That monster wouldn’t die. He’d claw his way to life no matter what.’
As she thought this, she arrived at a moonlit lake. Wol came to a natural stop behind her. Sayeol glanced at him. His strength was still unreadable. He looked only slightly past his early twenties—if he held this level of martial power at that age, he could very well be the successor of the Beggar Sect.
“Wash.”
With that, she stepped slowly into the water without removing her clothes—one step, then another, as if she were someone walking into death.
Splash!
A hand pulled her back. Wol. Standing in the lake up to his chest, he grabbed her forearm and silently looked down at her. She looked up at him. Why did this child follow her?
So Sayeol spoke, gazing at those blue eyes beneath black hair.
“You remind me of someone.”
“You also remind me of someone.”
“I see.”
She knew he had his own story, but she didn’t ask. She couldn’t speak of her own circumstances—so she wouldn’t ask his. But Wol didn’t stop speaking.
“My mistake… I realized it far too late.”
“That makes two of us.”
Sayeol thought of her past. Ice Palace had faced him in her place. She should have saved her friend, at the very least, but she had been foolish—thinking only of her own safety. She should not have believed he wouldn’t chase her.
“Regrets that come too late… remember them.”
“…I will.”
She brushed his hand off and stepped deeper into the lake, submerging herself completely. The cold water wrapped around her, but with Ice Palace blood in her veins, her body welcomed it. Still—no. If she froze the lake now, Wol would be caught in it. He would probably survive, but she didn’t want to freeze him by accident.
Swoosh—
After soaking herself thoroughly, she rose from the water. Wol too had washed; she saw him in the distance, shirtless. On his back, she noticed the scars.
Terrible scars. Countless lashes—perhaps hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands. She slowly waded toward him and placed her hand lightly on his back. His body flinched, trembling faintly.
“Who did this to you?”
“I did.”
“Out of remorse?”
“…Yes.”
“It won’t disappear then.”
Sayeol traced the countless marks gently, then withdrew her hand and stepped out of the lake. Drops of water fell from her body. Wol draped his robe over her shoulders. Sayeol glanced at his bare upper body, then turned and began walking back.
If they each saw someone familiar in the other, then staying by each other’s side for a while wouldn’t be so bad. They could be a comfort.
“Aggie!”
Sohwa rushed over when she saw Sayeol returning soaked. She shot Wol, still bare-chested, a sharp glare—then fell silent when she realized the robe around Sayeol was his. She took Sayeol inside without another word.
“You should rest as well.”
Hmph. Sohwa still found him suspicious. She stripped Sayeol of her wet clothes, dried her carefully, dressed her in fresh garments, and wrapped her snugly in a night quilt. Sayeol wondered if she was perhaps a child—Sohwa cared for her to an absurd degree, unaware of her own overprotectiveness.
“That man is suspicious!”
“He is not.”
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
Sohwa crawled closer on her knees and whispered into Sayeol’s ear.
“I’m sure he’s fallen for you.”
