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Chapter: 04
I decided to put the plan I had just come up with into action immediately.
“Ruhwa, dawn is almost here.”
“I-I have to go now? C-Can’t I stay here just a little longer?”
The child looked like she was about to cry. I asked seriously,
“You still don’t want to return to the mortal world?”
“No, I don’t!”
“Then there’s something I’d like to propose to you.”
As I continued speaking, her eyes grew wider and wider.
“Y-Your remaining life… Y-Your Highness is giving it to me?”
“Yes. In exchange, I’ll register you in the Celestial Registry so you can continue living in my palace.”
I carefully explained to Ruhwa what it meant to be entered into the Celestial Registry.
“So… if I become a celestial child, I can keep living here, and if I study hard, I-I can grow up to become a fairy who serves Your Highness… and if I become a fairy, I-I’ll even be able to visit my mother?”
“That’s right.”
“I want to! P-Please let me do it.”
Ruhwa hurriedly grabbed the edge of my clothes.
I glanced up at the sky. I wanted to explain more, but there wasn’t much time left before the first rooster crowed.
“Then let’s do it right away.”
I brought Ruhwa into my room.
First, I wrote a letter to leave behind for Mother and Father. Then I wrote another letter giving Ansi a list of things to do. Finally, I wrote one more letter to Hyangdan, the fairy in charge of overseeing Sangra Palace.
That takes care of preparing for my runaway.
Ansi would handle the rest.
After all, only my soul was leaving while my body would remain behind, so no one would realize I’d run away for a while.
Everyone will probably just think I exhausted myself again and fell asleep.
Next, I took out the Celestial Registry that recorded all the immortals belonging to Sangra Palace.
“Oh, right. Ruhwa, what would you like to do about your name?”
“My name?”
“If you keep the name you had as a human, you’ll remain attached to your old life and it’ll take much longer to cultivate. Besides, since I’ll be living under your name from now on, the karma I accumulate could affect you.”
“I-I don’t really understand… but you’re saying it’d be better to choose a new name?”
“Yes. Since it’s a new life, a new name is the cleanest choice.”
“T-Then… I’d like to be called ‘Sohwa.'”
The child smiled brightly.
“My mother thought I would be a flower of tears when she gave birth to me… but after I was born, she said I turned out to be a flower of laughter instead, and she regretted giving me the wrong name.”
“…All right. It’s a meaningful and beautiful name.”
I wrote the name Sohwa (Flower of Laughter) into the Celestial Registry before reciting the consecration prayer.
“I, Princess Cheonmyeong Sang Rahuiyo, make this declaration before Heaven and Earth.”
The glowing characters written in the registry rose into the air like butterflies.
“The human Se Ruhwa has been entered into the Celestial Registry as a retainer of Princess Cheonmyeong.”
At the motion of my hand, the light drifted into Ruhwa’s forehead.
“From this moment onward, you shall be reborn as the celestial child Sohwa.”
The light wrapped around her entire body before gradually fading away.
The child, who was no longer Ruhwa but Sohwa, touched her forehead with fascination.
“Is it over?”
“Yes. The fairies of Sangra Palace will teach you everything you need to know from now on.”
“I feel like my head has become so much clearer.”
“You feel refreshed?”
“Yes. My body feels stronger too… and my words come out much more smoothly.”
“That’s because you’ve gained an Immortal Body now that you’ve become a celestial child.”
“What’s an Immortal Body?”
“It’s the body possessed by immortals. It may look similar, but it’s quite different from a human body.”
“Wow…”
As Sohwa curiously examined herself from head to toe, she suddenly looked at her life thread and gasped.
“Your Highness! My life thread is fading! Has the first rooster already crowed?”
“No. It’s because you’re no longer human, so your connection to the mortal world is being severed. We should leave before it’s too late.”
I quickly grasped Ruhwa’s life thread. The faintly glowing strand felt warm and soft in my hand.
“Are you leaving right now?”
“Yes.”
Sohwa looked as though she wanted to stop me. She was probably frightened of being left here alone.
I stood on my tiptoes and gently patted her head.
“Grow up healthy and become a wonderful fairy.”
“Your Highness…”
“Oh, one more thing. If you place a bowl of purified water out at dawn and pray while calling my name, I’ll hear every word.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Really. So if anyone ever bullies you, tell me everything. I’ll make sure to punish them.”
At my words, Sohwa let out a small laugh before whispering with a face that looked ready to burst into tears.
“Thank you so much, Your Highness.”
“Thank you too.”
“…My life was insignificant and full of hardship, but I hope it becomes a joyful life for you.”
Holding back her tears, Sohwa smiled and waved goodbye.
I smiled back and pulled on the life thread.
I felt myself being sucked inside as everything around me blurred. My eyes closed on their own, and my body tilted. In the darkness, Sohwa’s fading voice lingered in my ears.
“…Please… tell my mother… that I’m sorry…”
It was the only lingering attachment Sohwa had left.
