Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 93

“Were you here?”

“…….”

“Information has arrived. Currently, Myeong Heo-Rim is passing through Mongseong. He’s still moving slowly, so it will take at least two days even at the fastest.”

“Understood.”

“Just in case, you should be on standby at the entrance of Anga after noon tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

“Then.”

The informant of Hwangpungjeong disappeared.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, sighed.

“It can’t be helped.”

Myeong Heo-Rim must be captured. Not just because of the deal with Moyong Gun or his reputation, but because he was bound to cause trouble sooner or later.

With Myeong Heo-Rim’s talent, he would learn the fake Divine Envoy Technique as quickly as Myeong Cheon. If he learned it without even realizing his own transformation, many innocent people could be harmed in the future.

And as the master of the Divine Envoy Martial Arts, he couldn’t just let it go.

“Muk Bi… Ha, they say the world doesn’t go as you wish.”

Knowing that Muk Bi was in Palgong Mountain at the Anhwi Blood Palace, he had rushed here without looking back. But he didn’t expect that the organization Muk Bi belonged to would be causing such chaos.

He had saved her life for now, but…

‘I can’t just drag her away by force.’

If she had been planning to cause a bloodbath, he was going to listen to her story and then decide whether to leave her alone or help her. After that, he was also thinking of making her his person again.

If she was just staying in Palgong Mountain for no particular reason? Even then, he was going to persuade her and make her his person.

It wasn’t because of Muk Bi’s talent or their past friendship. To stop the Demonic Sound Sect, he needed a force that he knew well. In fact, he was the one who had strategically used Muk Bi the best in the past.

But in this situation, it was difficult to forcibly take her away right now.

Yeon Ho-Jeong went out to the street and headed to the second floor of the Cheongsaru’s back garden.

“Ah, you’ve arrived?”

“How is the child?”

The middle-aged doctor sighed.

“The dangerous moment has passed. She was born with a weak body and was poisoned with a terrible toxin.”

“How, is it possible to detoxify her?”

“It’s difficult, but not impossible. However, we also need to improve her overall condition, so it will take quite a long time. Depending on her recovery, it will take at least a year.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“That’s still a relief.”

“It’s more than a relief. If it had been just a day or two later, she would have crossed the river of no return [a metaphor for death]. The heavens have helped us.”

“The child’s father worked hard. It seems his sincerity reached the heavens.”

“Ah! Is that so? Oh? But where is the father?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled bitterly.

“I wonder.”

With those words, he headed to the room across the hall.

“Huk! Huk!”

Baek Gung-Cheon was lying on the bed.

His whole body was drenched in cold sweat. All his wounds had been treated, but his life force was depleted.

Was it because of the shock? Or was it because of his despair? He was rapidly losing his strength.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stared down at Baek Gung-Cheon for a moment before turning away.

Thud.

Muk Bi, no, Baek Hyang, was crouching in a corner. Her eyes were full of tears.

“…It’s because of me.”

“What is?”

“If I, if I didn’t have talent… !”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“I don’t care about your circumstances.”

It was a cold-hearted remark. Baek Hyang looked up at Yeon Ho-Jeong with tearful eyes.

Looking at those eyes, Yeon Ho-Jeong was overcome with an indescribable emotion.

‘She’s dead.’

Her eyes were dead.

While writhing in sorrow and regret, her eyes were gradually losing their emotional light.

When that light was completely extinguished, that was the look in Muk Bi’s eyes.

Muk Bi knew her responsibilities and duties, but it was more like a trained reflex action.

However, as she spent time with the martial artists of the Black Imperial Castle, including himself, she began to show her emotions more often. But usually, she still didn’t give her heart to others.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

What did Muk Bi think when she heard the news of his death, when he had died together with the Demonic Sound Sect Leader? How did she accept the death of her lord and perhaps her only friend?

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth opened on its own.

“You’re not that kind of person.”

“…Yes?”

“You never showed your emotions easily. But it wasn’t that you didn’t have any emotions at all. Rather, you were a martial artist with a heart hotter than anyone else.”

Even in her deep sorrow, Baek Hyang felt puzzled.

What was this young man talking about?

“I liked you. At least, back then, you knew how to choose your own life. Although that path was painful, you never complained.”

“Wh, what are you saying…”

“I didn’t know your past. I didn’t expect this. But trying to find out more would just be meddling.”

“…?”

“The past is just the past. But I wanted to fix the past that would become a terrible future. To do that, I need a different me from the past.”

“…?!”

“I’ll ask you. How do you want to live?”

Baek Hyang’s eyes trembled greatly.

How did she want to live? She had never been asked such a question before.

From her childhood, which she didn’t even remember, she had held a bow, and she had pulled the string as if it were natural. After that, her life was decided as a royal archer to become a Divine Envoy [a title for a highly skilled archer].

That was the only life she had lived. It was natural. She had never thought about it any other way.

“I’ll ask the question again.”

“…”

“Do you believe in that existence called the Divine Envoy?”

“… !”

“I thought so. Neither you nor the archer on that bed believe in the existence of the Divine Envoy. Yet, you try to become one. Without knowing what that existence is, and without believing in it.”

Shock was etched on Baek Hyang’s face.

Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed.

“If you ever want to find a new life, you can go to the branch of the Beggars’ Union and give my name. I can’t take responsibility for your life, but I can give you some help. Of course, I’ll get something in return.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his body.

“My name is Yeon Ho-Jeong.”

With those words, he left the room.

Thud.

As the door closed, only Baek Gung-Cheon’s rough breathing could be heard.

Baek Hyang stared blankly at the door.

It was as if the raging storm had disappeared in an instant. The words left behind by that storm confused her mind.

It was then.

“Cough! …Follow him.”

Startled, Baek Hyang looked at Baek Gung-Cheon.

“Go, follow him.”

“Brother!”

She quickly got up and stood in front of Baek Gung-Cheon.

“Are you okay? Are you coming to your senses?”

“I’ve been… conscious for a while now.”

Baek Hyang placed her hand on Baek Gung-Cheon’s chest.

“If you’re conscious, then quickly straighten your posture! I’ll circulate my inner energy… !”

“Don’t do that.”

“Yes?!”

“I know my body well. I’m going to die soon.”

Baek Hyang burst into tears.

Baek Gung-Cheon took her hand.

“Hyang-ah.”

“…Yes, brother.”

“Hyang-ah, Hyang-ah, Hyang-ah.”

He called Baek Hyang’s name several times.

At his affectionate voice and the warm feeling she had felt for the first time in so long, Baek Hyang lowered her head.

Baek Gung-Cheon smiled faintly. Such a smile didn’t suit his stern face.

“Do you remember? You were loved by our brothers since you were young.”

“…”

“But at some point, our brothers’ eyes towards you turned cold. I was the same. It was because I realized that your talent had far surpassed ours.”

“…”

“The elders postponed the competition after seeing your skills. It was because they thought your talent was too precious. That’s why the competition five years ago ended up being inconclusive.”

“Brother.”

“But… doesn’t that mean that we all had to die by your arrows? I hated that decision. So I hated you even more.”

Tears dripped onto Baek Gung-Cheon’s hand from Baek Hyang.

“But I shouldn’t have hated you.”

“No. No, brother.”

“Instead of hating you, I should have left Gwanil Valley.”

“… !”

“To become a Divine Envoy, you had to be prepared to die. That is the life of a royal archer. But I wasn’t prepared to die.”

Baek Gung-Cheon’s smile faded.

“It’s because I lived habitually. If I didn’t like that, I should have left the valley, and if I wanted to stay there, I should have accepted death.”

“…”

“The most shining moment in my life was when I met my wife. And…”

Baek Gung-Cheon’s eyes filled with moisture.

“And, when I found out that I had a daughter.”

She wasn’t his daughter. But he treated her as his daughter.

The shock was great, but Baek Gung-Cheon did not regret his life, in which he had risked his life for an unknown girl.

“It doesn’t matter whether that child is my daughter or not. What matters is that I lived as I wanted, even if it was just for a short time. So I’m grateful to that child.”

“Brother…”

“Live the life you want. If you don’t know what you want, go out into the world like I did. I hope you experience the same exhilarating feeling I felt.”

“Hic.”

Baek Hyang, holding Baek Gung-Cheon’s hand, sobbed silently.

He stroked Baek Hyang’s head. He didn’t know how long it had been since he had stroked his younger sister’s head.

At the same time, he thought.

If he had more time, he would have stroked Ga-ryeong’s head like this too.

“Help me sit up.”

Baek Hyang lifted Baek Gung-Cheon’s upper body. Baek Gung-Cheon leaned against the wall next to the bed.

“Hyang-ah.”

“…Yes, brother.”

“I want to see your archery one last time.”

“Yes?”

Baek Gung-Cheon pointed to his heart with a trembling hand.

Baek Hyang’s face turned pale.

“The rest all died by my hand. Baek So-Gyeong was the last one.”

“Brother!!”

“There have been quite a few cases where survivors of the Divine Envoy Battle did not return to the valley. They will probably try to track you down from the valley. But…”

Baek Gung-Cheon’s eyes filled with strength.

“Yeon Ho-Jeong, that young man, will be able to protect you for a while. I saw that much strength and potential in him.”

“No! I can’t do that! How can I kill my brother with my own hands… !”

“Didn’t you have that much resolve?”

“…!!”

“Did you participate in the competition without that much resolve? Did you hope to become the winner without killing or being killed? If so, you should be ashamed.”

“Br, brother.”

“I made a promise to the young man named Yeon Ho-Jeong. To apologize to the Beggars’ Union. I said that if I died, he would apologize on my behalf, but that wouldn’t do.”

Baek Gung-Cheon closed his eyes.

“I owe him a great debt. I haven’t been able to repay even a little of that debt. If so, I want to keep my promise at least.”

“Hic! Hic!”

Baek Hyang, who had been crying for a long time, suddenly created some distance.

Tsutsutsutsu.

It was as if an invisible arrow was emerging from the empty bowstring.

Baek Gung-Cheon exclaimed in admiration.

“Formless Shot! As expected, amazing!”

Baek Hyang bit her lip.

“…I’m sorry, brother.”

“Shoot.”

“…”

“Hurry!!”

Baek Hyang closed her eyes tightly.

She released the string.

Tiiiiiiing! Thud!

* * *

“Huk! Huk!”

There was a man climbing a dark mountain path, panting for breath.

His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were torn in several places. He was a complete mess.

But his movements were very agile. Even though his breathing was so ragged, he was climbing the mountain relentlessly like a tiger.

‘I’m almost there!’

Joy surged in the man’s eyes.

‘Anga! I’m finally alive!’

It was then.

“Myeong Heo-Rim.”

In an instant, the man felt a chill run down his spine.

He turned his head to the right, where the voice had come from.

There, a young man with a huge axe in his hand, with his hands behind his back, was standing.

“I’ve been waiting.”