Episode 408: Let’s have a drink next time we meet.
Hanseol and Ian were walking together through the inner courtyard of the Ice Palace.
Hanseol was tasked with finding out who Wonju had made Hyangseol Bingju for, but in reality, she was at a loss.
‘Who should I ask?’
It wasn’t a question of brilliance or stupidity. It was a question of experience. Investigating a case was something I had never done before.
Still, I had no intention of giving up. Asking my mother for help was not an option either.
“First, let’s go back to Baekjusseolwon.”
Her attitude toward Ian became a little more polite. Up until now, she had treated Ian as a subordinate of the cult leader, but now she began to treat her as the daughter of the Demon Lord. Even though she was an adopted daughter, she could not treat the daughter of the Demon Lord carelessly.
“Good idea.”
“Why?”
“When I saw the room of the deceased master, I thought to myself, ‘Oh, this person really enjoyed making alcohol. He probably spent more time in Baekjuseolwon than at home.’ So, I think the answer we need to find is there, right?”
Hanseol nodded slightly at Ian’s words.
‘You all are so smart.’
This time, Geommu-geuk, Chwima, and Ian completely shattered her preconceptions about Mine.
The Mines were considered cruel, violent, and unconcealed in their desires.
However, these three were neither the leader, the demon lord, nor the subordinates as previously thought.
‘But that doesn’t mean we can lose to the Minds.’
Since Chwima has investigated the temple and found a clue, he has something to show. He is not trying to show it to the young sect leader.
I wanted to show it to my mother.
The image of a daughter who overwhelms them. She is a woman who has no desire to show off to others in her life, but she still has such feelings for her mother. It’s not like she likes her mother either. No, she might be the person she hates the most.
“Welcome back, Your Highness.”
The temporary residence of Baekjuseolwon welcomed the two people, but Hanseol did not come to see him.
There, Hanseol met Jo Myeong, a person in charge of the ingredients used to make alcohol.
Joong-mi was very nervous about Han-seol’s visit.
“I have something to ask you.”
“Please speak.”
“I won’t beat around the bush because you must be busy. Has the dead Lord ever asked for ingredients to make Hyangseolbingju?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Perhaps because he was nervous, Jo Myung’s voice trembled.
“This is important, so you must not lie to me.”
When Hanseol looked at him coldly, Jo Myeong nodded.
That’s when Ian stepped in.
“I think you probably made a promise with the Lord. Not to tell anyone.”
The bowed light said nothing.
“We suspect that the alcohol caused the owner to pass away.”
The moment I said those words, I felt the light flinch.
“Isn’t it more important to find those who killed the Lord than to keep the promise?”
I could sense the hesitation of the light. It must have been because of his deep relationship with the dead Wonju that he couldn’t just say no. He wasn’t the type to deceive people without even blinking.
The light rose and asked cautiously.
“Did you really die because of that alcohol?”
“I think so.”
The princess accepted Ian’s words.
“Opportunities don’t always come. If I miss this one, I’ll never have to look back on Wonju’s death again.”
Although the tone of the words was somewhat cold, they had an effect.
The light no longer hides, it reveals the truth.
“You called me quietly and asked me to gather ingredients for making Hyangseolbingju. It was a drink that a noble person had secretly requested. You asked me to keep it a secret, so I did. I apologize.”
“Who did you say you were sending it to?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“Was there anyone who was close to Wonju?”
“There’s no one in particular I would like to talk to. I usually like to be alone.”
Hanseol stopped asking questions because she had nothing more to ask.
“You touched the alcohol ingredients and didn’t leave a record, so you’ll be disciplined.”
“I am prepared.”
I could feel that he had always respected Wonju. That must have been why he secretly gave him the materials.
Ian warmly comforted him for telling him the truth.
“I’m sure the Lord will be grateful as well.”
So the two of them came out.
Ian felt like telling him not to punish him, but he didn’t say anything. Even if he wanted to forgive him, he might end up punishing him if he brought it up.
“You are unusually kind to people.”
Then Ian asked.
“In this world of martial arts, who will survive longer, a ruthless person or a kind person?”
“Of course.”
Hanseol didn’t say anything. The answer was so clear that it seemed unnecessary to say anything.
But Ian’s thoughts were different from hers.
“I believe that affectionate people live longer.”
Affection? It’s a feeling Hanseol has never experienced before. She has never received affection, nor treated anyone with affection.
Anyway, Hanseol did not agree with her words. In this unstable world, how can you talk about affection?
Then the light ran up to them and said.
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“I was too nervous to remember it before, but I saw Wonju drinking with Elder Seo a few times. He was a person who didn’t get along with others, so I remember it.”
The light bowed and went back.
Ian smiled and said to Hanseol.
“This is also a result of affection.”
Despite her joke, Hanseol’s expression became serious.
“Why are you like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
But Ian could sense that something was bothering him the moment he heard Elder Seo. Ian spoke to her calmly.
“Wasn’t it the Princess’s condition that she must never hide anything?”
You don’t think, “Don’t hide it, I’ll hide it,” do you?
When Ian asked her this with his eyes, Hanseol finally said what she had been hesitating to say.
“Elder Seo is the person my mother trusts the most.”
Elder Seo was a figure of great influence within the Ice Palace and could be said to be the Ice Palace Lord’s greatest supporter.
“Then, Wonju might have felt relieved and accepted his request.”
He was a person who met the conditions that he would be given to a trustworthy person. Elder Seo was also a person of great character.
But in a situation where Hyangseol Bingju is believed to be related to her death, that target is Elder Seo?
Even if it’s something that your mother knows, it’s a problem, and even if it’s something that your mother doesn’t know, it’s a problem.
The affectionate survive?
“Elder Seo is the only person my mother treats with affection.”
* * *
Wheeeeeeeeing.
The wind grew stronger, but I kept walking.
The reason why walking here was originally difficult was not only because of the strong wind, but also because of the terrible cold air carried by the wind.
Because it was a coldness that humans could not endure, it took a tremendous amount of internal energy to block it.
Internal energy used to avoid flying away, and internal energy used to block the cold air. Because the internal energy had to be doubled.
On the other hand, now I don’t have to worry about the cold air, I only have to worry about the strength of the wind.
When I took Mannyeonseol while already in a state of invincibility due to Cheongidan, the effect was truly amazing to the point of being mystical. This cold air that was so sharp it could freeze my blood was felt as if it was nothing.
So I thought it would be easy to reach.
With each step I took, the wind became more and more violent. The sound of the wind changed with each step I took.
I can guarantee you that no one will ever pass through here unless they are chosen.
I am also a chosen one.
After returning, I gained a lot of internal energy, and learned the Nine Fire Demonic Arts and the Heavenly Demon Guardian Arts. In addition, I have taken the Eternal Snow Fruit. I wonder if I can make it to the end. Who on earth can break through here?
‘Why did they look for the extreme delay?’
I briefly thought that maybe it was to break through here, so that was also the reason I decided to go.
When I actually tried it myself, it was definitely not true. It was clear that they were plotting something else.
As we went a little further, the wind blew so hard that it was impossible to think of anything else.
The internal energy I had, the distance to the end, the wind that was getting stronger and stronger. I calculated all of this. I couldn’t just raise my internal energy to the limit, but if I tried to save my internal energy, I would just be blown away. I also calculated the minimum amount of internal energy I needed to protect myself when I lost strength and was blown away.
As I walked using only the internal energy calculated like that, I started to feel pain. It hurt. It really hurt. I didn’t know it would hurt this much because of the wind.
But I couldn’t avoid the pain by raising my internal energy any further. There would be greater pain waiting for me later. I had to endure this pain to get there.
It took more internal energy than I expected. I had to raise my internal energy to protect my eardrums. The wind was so loud that it hurt my ears. The internal energy that was consumed in this way came back as pain.
Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
‘Why do you have to go there? What if you get hurt?’
The desire to avoid pain constantly tempted me.
If it weren’t for my life before regression, I probably would never have gotten this far.
I was tempted by so many things back then. Let’s give up. How can a human being regress? Let’s give up now and live our lives.
Because I overcame that endless temptation and walked that lonely path alone.
‘I can walk this road too.’
Walk and walk.
The great amount of internal energy in my danjeon was almost completely depleted.
‘Just a little more, just a little more.’
At the last moment, I felt the sound of the wind disappear and the surroundings became quiet.
Could this be a hallucination? If this continues, I’ll be in big trouble if I fall into a state of possession.
If this is such a sign, you should give up and turn back immediately.
That was the final temptation.
I walked steadily. Because it was that one silent step that always helped me overcome temptation.
Gooooooooooooo!
The moment I overcame the temptation, I heard the sound of the wind again, something I had never heard before.
So I finally reached the source of the wind. The wind was at its peak. I used all my saved internal energy to unleash the ultimate power of the Hosin Ganggi and Cheonma Hosin Gong.
‘They’re all here! Just here! Please!’
I took my last step, enduring the pain that tore through my entire body.
The moment I passed through the wind valley and turned to the side to avoid it, the pain disappeared as if it were a lie. I was free from that tremendous wind.
“I did it!”
I couldn’t help but exclaim, “I survived.”
The wind was blowing through the valley we had just come out of. It was blowing so hard that the waves of wind were visible to the eye.
The source of the wind was the sky. The wind came down from the sky in the distance, blowing fiercely toward the valley. It looked like the devil sucking all the air in the world into his mouth. It was truly a mysterious, strange, and terrifying sight.
And then I realized.
Just getting here was a greater coincidence than any other coincidence.
I used all my strength to get through here.
I had unleashed all of the potential that I had as a human. After using every last drop of my potential, I felt like I was seeing myself as a human with a clear perspective.
I felt like my level of learning had improved. I also felt like I had become stronger. It was a strange experience and feeling.
I was certain that this experience, which I felt for the first time in my life, would definitely have an impact on the art of magic.
I walked slowly, leaving behind the devil’s mouth that was sucking in the wind.
Far behind, a huge cliff blocked the way. It was so high that you couldn’t see above. The snow-capped mountains blocked all the other directions. It was as if you couldn’t get in unless you went through that windy valley.
A spring landscape unfolded before them. Flowers were blooming and birds were flying. Rabbits and deer saw me but did not run away. Their eyes looked as if they were seeing a human for the first time.
It was overflowing with a mysterious energy. It was a primordial mystery that had never before been experienced by humans.
And then I saw.
One person standing in the middle of it all.
He was an old man, standing with his back to the ground. An old man in a place like this? Of course, he wasn’t an ordinary person.
Suddenly, one person came to mind. Could it be him?
“Elder?”
I cautiously called out to the old man. Then he slowly turned toward me.
To my surprise, he was the very old man who had helped me regress.
“Elder!”
The old man smiled brightly and shook the bottle of alcohol he was holding.
“Didn’t you say we should have a drink next time we meet?”
That’s what the old man said just before he sent me back.
So I had a premonition that the old man might appear before me again someday. I never thought it would be today.
“I’m abstinent. Did you come here on purpose to tease me?”
The old man laughed loudly.
“It’s gotten a lot brighter than before.”
“Thank you.”
The old man, who had been looking at me with deep eyes, slowly approached me and patted me on the shoulder.
“Are you having a hard time? You’re doing well.”
The moment I heard the old man’s words, my heart ached.
I try and try hard to express myself in every way possible to others.
I guess that’s what I wanted to hear too.
I guess I wanted to be comforted by someone who knew my efforts from the beginning to the end. I’ve been living this hard since before I returned. So please just tell me that I’m doing well. Just hear those words.
“I’m abstinent from alcohol, so let’s have a drink next time.”
“Are you going to leave already?”
“As you know, I’m very busy because many people are looking for me.”
Still, it felt good to hear that it meant we might meet again.
Wheeeeeeing.
A gust of wind blew.
The old man disappeared from sight with the wind. The paradise-like scenery around him also disappeared. The trees, grass, and animals disappeared with him.
Now all around was snow and ice.
It was like a dream because it came and went in an instant. Did I hallucinate? I had used up all my psychic power and internal energy to the point where I was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
But it wasn’t. The hand that had patted my shoulder was so vivid. It was so nice and good to see him again.
I forgot to look up at the sky these past few days, so why did you come to see me in person? I will look up often, too, so please watch over me until the end. Stop pretending to be busy. And… … Thank you so much.
