Chapter 15

TL: pineapples

***

“Where are you hurting? Or are you hurting somewhere?”

“… Please go back.”

“You can say that now? This might become a big problem if let be. Come outside with me.”

“… Just go please. Don’t worry… about me.”

“How can I not worry?! Your forehead is a mass of blood! Just grab onto me and stand up. Yeah?”

I grabbed his arm and wrapped it around me. Aku Ryun closed his eyes tightly. Then he slapped my hand away.

“Please leave! Don’t cling onto me and disappear!”

Pushed away, I quickly regained my balance.

Go away? If your expression clearly says to me to not leave, how can I believe your words?

I wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead. In that small period of time, I felt his temperature rise.

“Just stay here for a bit. I’ll bring someone over.”

“… Young Miss.”

Ignoring his words, I went outside. Seoyoung, who was loitering around at the front of the training center, approached me with a bright expression. Grabbing her hand, I began to drag her around.

“Nanny, sogyoju is very hurt! I wanted to drag him out of there but I don’t have the strength to do so. Nanny come help me, quick!”

Seoyoung’s smile quickly disappeared from her face. Seoyoung coldly shook her head.

“I can’t do that.”

At first, I thought I misheard her. Letting go of her sleeves, I asked again.

“… What did you say?”

“I can’t do that. Young Miss needs to come back as well.”

“Sogyoju… is very hurt. I’m not lying, his fever is really high!”

Seoyoung sighed softly.

“Since this servant thought that Young Miss would be like this, this servant warned you before. During closed-door training, nobody can help. The trainee can’t request help and needs to endure the pain by himself.”

“… what if he dies?”

“It’s unfortunate but nothing that can be done. He can’t lead the Magyo if dies from a little pain.”

No matter how benevolent Seoyoung looked, that benevolence was only reserved for me. She was part of the Magyo to the bone.

Though Aku Ryun thought he wouldn’t receive the same treatment as me, isn’t this a bit too much?

Since everyone was nice to me except for Bing Eun-seol, I forgot reality for a bit. The truth was the Magyo was a place where power was top priority.

It was too harsh of an environment for an eight year old to survive in. Devastated, I looked at Seoyoung’s face.

“It’s time to go. We were here too long.”

Seoyoung didn’t listen to me and hoisted me up. She didn’t care even though I struggled.

I rubbed my eyes as the entrance to the training center grew further and further away.

Thinking of the Aku Ryun suffering alone in there, my eyes watered.

* * * *

For the next few days, Seoyoung watched me closely.

She knew my mood was at rock bottom.

“… um, does Young Miss want to go outside to the flower garden?”

“Even though it’s raining?”

“Do you want to play with the orbs with this servant?”

“You hate doing that. Weren’t you afraid that they would explode?”

“Then should I bring over some snacks?”

Looking outside at the rain, I said,

“Is there any buchimgae? I want to eat that.” TL note: Korean style pancake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchimgae

It was the first time that I said that I wanted to have some snacks. Seoyoung smiled brightly.

“Huwooo, of course. This servant will be back right away.”

“Okay.”

At my weak reply, the hesitating Seoyoung left quietly. Once I couldn’t hear footsteps, I stood up suddenly. I opened the treasure box and put the contents into a large bag that I had prepared in advance.

Lastly, I took out a black pouch that I had hidden at the bottom of the box.

In the bag were ice flowers that filled up about half of the space. Although I had diligently made the flowers and set them aside, there was not much because I had limited powers.

Will this be fine…? Isn’t this a little lacking?

I channeled my energy into Baekha and made more ice flowers.

Though I felt dizzy and let out a sigh of fatigue, I squeezed out all my energy.

“Huk, huk, it’s finished.”

I added about twenty more ice flowers to the bag and stood up. At this time, the servants were changing shifts so nobody was on duty.

Without making a sound, I opened the door and went out. Calmly passing through the maze-like hallway, I came outside.

It was pouring.

It was the type of cold rain that made one shiver. The cold energy was already circulating through me but the added rain made my whole body shake.

Putting the bag into my arms, I ran quickly so the bag wouldn’t get wet.

Towards the training area.

* * * *

When I arrived at the training area, my whole body was soaked. Though my hands were frozen and immobile, I opened the door.

“Haa….”

Somehow it was colder in the cave. My white breath dissipated through the cave. I took a step, wiping off the rain on my cheeks.

Perhaps hearing my footsteps, Aku Ryun came out first and stared at me silently. Feeling a bit guilty, I hesitated and stopped walking. Wouldn’t he blame me for not coming back last time after offering to help?

As I stood there silently, he approached me.

“Why are you doing this?”

It was a calm voice. Fortunately, there was no sign of reproach for me. I hesitated and asked carefully.

“… when you were hurt… are you okay now?”

“I am fine now.”

He didn’t look good, but he looked much better than a few days ago when he couldn’t even open his eyes. I held his finger gently to check if he had a fever.

“Did your fever break?”

“Yes.”

He grabbed my hand in a hurry.

“Young Miss… why is your body so cold?”

I pushed Aku Ryun’s hand away before he could grab my wrist and check my internal energy.

“It’s raining outside. It’s because I was in the rain.”

He looked carefully at my face. I’m sure my face turned white and my lips turned blue. Like a statue. Forcing my body to stay still even though I was shivering from the cold, I laughed as if nothing was wrong.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Aku Ryun tilted his head and took a step back.

“Return now. Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“I’ll go. With you.”

“… Huh?”

I grabbed the hand of Aku Ryun, who had widened his eyes in surprise.

“Let’s go out.”

“Young Miss, did you forget I’m in the middle of closed-door training? I cannot go outside the training area.”

“I’m not talking about the training area. I’m talking about the magyo. Let’s leave the magyo.”

Aku Ryun’s expression hardened suddenly.

“Why would I… leave the magyo? I’m the sogyoju.”

“You don’t want to be here. You want to leave like crazy but you are enduring it. You don’t even want to be sogyoju. You want to live a simple life. Am I wrong?”

“…!”

“I’ll help you. I’ll help you live freely.”

His arms lost strength. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking just by his expression. While he was caught off guard, I dragged him to my side. Though he had resisted before, he couldn’t shake off my hand anymore. That’s how we left the training area.

Sswaaaa!

It was raining cats and dogs. I wasn’t feeling well anyway so the rain chilled me to the bone. My breath couldn’t be seen. This meant that the inside of my body had become colder than the outside.

I ran toward the exit of the magyo, holding his hand tightly. Towards the 100000 Step Stairway that connected to the village. It was foggy everywhere, so I couldn’t see the terrain under me very well. Good. It was better for running away. It was worth waiting for the rain.

I took off the backpack that I had brought from the magyo.

“I put stuff in here that would help. Huk, huk.”

Why am I so out of breath?

My heart beat fast strangely. I lowered my head to suppress my dizziness.

“I put things that are worth money in the bag. If you sell what’s inside, you’ll have enough to live for plenty of years to come.”

“.. you did so?”

I couldn’t hear Aku Ryun’s muttering.

The sound of my heart ringing in my ears even drowned out the sound of rain.

“Sell what’s in the black bag when you run out of money. Sell it when you are as far as you can be from here.”

Someone might recognize my work.

I had a lot to say, but I couldn’t think of anything because my head was blank. I roughly picked up the bag and shoved it to Aku Ryun. My legs were shaking so much that I couldn’t stand any longer.

“Go now. Hurry!”

Aku Ryun grabbed the bag with two hands. Ambling towards the direction that I pushed him, Aku Ryun started to go down the staircase one step at a time. I turned around while looking at the fading back of Aku Ryun.

That’s enough. He’ll leave the magyo as he wishes and live a normal life. He wouldn’t come save me with the little help I gave him. By the time he comes here for vengeance, I won’t be here anymore.

So live a life free of worries.

“Haa….”

I only walked a few steps but I fell to my knees. Without giving me a chance to correct my balance, I fell sideways. Did I hit the ground? I felt a shock to my head, but I couldn’t feel any pain.

“Young Miss!”

I felt like I could hear someone’s voice at the edge of my consciousness.