〈 Episode 606 〉 The Curse of Bingjeong.
As I had first surmised, this place was a cave.
It seemed to be considerably long and deep.
I had followed Baekryeongeom for several minutes, yet the path still showed no sign of ending.
‘As expected, there’s no problem with walking.’
I walked calmly, continuing to internally observe my body.
There didn’t seem to be any major issues with my muscles or skeletal structure either.
From the tips of my toes to the top of my head. I carefully examined each part one by one while also lending an ear to Baekryeongeom’s words.
“Your group is resting above. Until a short while ago, a child from the Dang Clan was looking after you. You opened your eyes right when she switched shifts with me.”
As always, Baekryeongeom was talkative.
“That child must have been quite disappointed. She was extremely anxious, wondering what if you didn’t wake up. Right when she briefly stepped away, you woke up.”
It seemed Dang Soyeol had been very worried.
‘I’ll have to apologize when I see her later.’
One more thing was added to my to-do list.
Setting aside Baekryeongeom, who was prattling on with idle chatter.
I organized the information I had heard on the way here.
First, the path that had led me to this place.
‘Right after I lost consciousness, didn’t they say a scout party appeared while they were assessing the situation?’
I heard that a soldier from the Palace Lord’s side, who had been patrolling the area, had discovered us.
No, to be precise.
‘They said Paejon had captured one who was trying to scout the surroundings.’
Before the soldier who arrived in the vicinity could reach his destination, Paejon discovered him, captured him, and verified the facts.
Perhaps judging that we were not enemies, I ended up reaching this place together with the princess.
At first, I had wondered if it was alright to come barging in like that, but seeing that Baekryeongeom was here, it seemed this was indeed the right place.
Unless, of course, Baekryeongeom was a figure from the enemy forces.
‘Well, then.’
It would have become troublesome.
Though I didn’t think she would do such a thing.
Incidentally, they said the enemy soldier captured at that time had been thrown into the torture chamber.
“Ah, right. That child from the Biga clan. Quite impressive, wasn’t she?”
“…Excuse me?”
The child from Biga? I had to pause at Baekryeongeom’s sudden words.
‘Ah.’
After thinking for a moment, I realized immediately.
Come to think of it, Paejon’s family was Biga.
But to call her a child.
‘That’s an address I can’t get used to.’
Baekryeongeom probably didn’t know Paejon’s true identity, so that made sense.
From my position of knowing, there was nothing to say.
“Her energy and all. Did they call her Turyong (Fighting Dragon)? I didn’t know much about it, but seeing her in person, I understand. You truly have nothing but amazing children around you.”
Had something happened during the few days I was unconscious?
Baekryeongeom’s attitude toward Paejon was peculiar.
“Yes… well…”
She was indeed amazing.
A figure who had even regressed to childhood in order to complete her martial arts.
Leaving aside martial prowess, she was truly an amazing person in many ways.
“…So, you mean this place is the Palace Lord’s hideout.”
Before Baekryeongeom could continue, I cut her off and asked the main point.
“That’s right.”
I nodded slightly upon hearing the answer.
I reacted impassively, but inside, it was a different story.
‘What a fucked-up situation.’
Just from those words, I could tell it was a shitty situation.
The Ice Lord’s hideout.
What could those words mean?
‘It means the Ice Lord has already been driven out of the palace.’
The Ice Palace, which should have been his stronghold.
Being driven out from there and cooped up in a cave like this meant that the enemy forces had already seized the main palace.
‘If Baekryeongeom’s words are true, if I had headed straight for the Ice Palace like that, I really would have been fucked.’
It was as I had expected.
The premonition that the Ice Palace might not be safe.
It meant that had been correct.
The fact that the Ice Lord was here, and that I had met him earlier than scheduled, was fortunate.
But the fact that the situation was unequivocally bad was not a good sign.
‘This means the situation is much worse than I expected.’
I wanted to run.
No, it was a situation where I should have run from the start.
Even though I knew it full well, I couldn’t do so now.
If only because of Namgung Bia.
“Senior.”
“Hmm.”
“So, why are you here doing this, Senior?”
There was still much I hadn’t heard.
“…”
Baekryeongeom and Mudang Gwoseon.
Namgung Bia, and even Uhyeok.
I didn’t know how far they were entangled in this.
But none of them needed to be unnecessarily entangled in this matter.
If a Bloody Calamity had broken out, they could have simply avoided getting involved and fled.
So what the hell were they doing here?
“…”
This time as well.
As before, Baekryeongeom did not answer my question.
Irritation welled up inside me.
In the end, I was about to speak to Baekryeongeom with emotion mixed in my voice.
“Sen—”
“It’s because I owe a debt of gratitude.”
At that moment, Baekryeongeom spoke up.
A debt of gratitude?
“It’s a debt from long ago. I haven’t been able to repay it fully. That’s why.”
“…”
A debt of gratitude. If it was because she owed the Palace Lord, then I had nothing to say.
But.
‘What does that have to do with Namgung Bia?’
That wasn’t a reason for that child to be entangled in this matter.
I wanted to spit that out at Baekryeongeom, but I held back.
Not only because it might not be Baekryeongeom’s fault.
If Namgung Bia had become entangled, there would surely be a reason.
So I held back.
Now was the time to understand the situation.
I walked on, suppressing my weary body and emotions, and before I knew it, Baekryeongeom and I had arrived before a massive gate.
How could such a massive gate exist deep inside a cave like this?
As I looked at the gate with questions in my mind.
Srrk.
The figure standing before the gate moved upon seeing us.
“Aeryeong.”
“Hello.”
Baekryeongeom greeted the man at his words.
‘Aeryeong?’
Was that what he called Baekryeongeom?
‘Why are all the nicknames here so strange?’
White Fox, Red Wolf.
The titles were all bizarre.
It seemed to be something unique to the North Sea.
While I was harboring this question, Baekryeongeom spoke to the man.
“Is the Palace Lord awake?”
“Yes.”
The man nodded at Baekryeongeom’s question.
Looking at the man, I had to swallow a small surge of surprise inwardly.
‘Strong.’
If not a higher realm, definitely Hwagyeong.
From how difficult he was to read, I could tell his realm was no ordinary one.
As I was looking at the man.
The man’s gaze also turned this way.
He was a man of strong features, with a neat beard catching the eye.
“I see.”
“Hmm?”
“So you are the famous Red Feather?”
It was that ridiculous title I hadn’t heard in a long time.
“…”
“You are somewhat different from the rumors.”
He even seemed slightly disappointed to see me.
What on earth?
What rumors could have possibly spread for everyone to know that shameful name?
I wanted to grab him and demand what rumors had spread and how, but—
“I am the Palace’s Grand General, Heuksaja Mukcheong.”
The man grabbed the gate handle and spoke to me. Because of that, I couldn’t ask anything.
“By the Palace Lord’s command, I permit your entry.”
Krrrrrk-!
The heavy iron gate slowly began to open.
Huaaak-!
“…!”
An immense cold energy burst forth from the narrow crack in the gate.
It was incomparable to the cold I had felt when arriving in the North Sea.
‘What?’
It was bone-chilling.
It was so cold that I felt I would freeze solid merely by sensing its energy.
Uuuung-!
My energy reacted on its own.
Heat coiled around my body as if rebelling against the fierce cold.
I peered inside and thought.
‘The Palace Lord is in here?’
Is he planning to freeze someone to death?
How could anyone actually be inside a place like this?
As I stood there, unable to enter, doubts swirling in my mind.
[Enter.]
“…!”
The voice drove directly into my head.
It was a sound coming from before the gate.
Someone was there.
Confirming it, I immediately stepped forward as if entranced.
“Hey, wait…!”
Baekryeongeom reacted as if she had something left to say, but I had already stepped inside.
I didn’t know the reason.
It felt as though my feet had commanded me to do so.
Hwaak-!
The cold energy brushed my cheeks.
Even with heat defending me, it was still cold.
The very moment I had fully stepped inside.
Kung-!
The open gate shut, completely sealing it off.
“Where is this?”
I looked around, widening my eyes.
The inside of the spacious cave was frozen solid with cold.
The raging cold was as sharp as if it had swallowed blades.
One could tell it was sharp enough to cut with just a touch.
So intense that a hollow laugh escaped me.
‘Why is it so violent?’
Hwagyeong.
Even for a realm that had ascended by mastering Hwagong, this level of cold was hard to endure for long.
What kind of messed-up space was this?
While surveying with these doubts.
[Welcome.]
I heard the same voice as before.
Instinctively, I turned my head toward the direction the voice came from.
And.
“…!”
At the scene before me, I had to widen my eyes like lit lanterns.
[First, I offer my apologies.]
It was inevitable.
[Not only could I not seek you out, my precious guest, but I meet you in such a wretched state.]
At the center of the interior.
Someone was sitting there.
Now, why hadn’t I noticed…?
‘…What is that?’
Because the seated figure’s condition was akin to the surrounding cave.
With snow-white hair, half of the body was no different from ice.
Only then did I realize.
The cold energy filling the interior of this cave.
Now that I looked, it wasn’t the cold energy of the cave.
‘All of this…’
Was not from the cave, but cold energy emanating from that person.
Immense cold energy was surging out from the figure, filling the entire space.
Moreover.
‘Something.’
The cold filling the room,
for some reason, the strange presence emanating from that figure grated on me.
I realized this as well before long.
This discomfort.
It resembled the subtle discomfort I had felt since first arriving in the North Sea.
Something that had made me feel irritated and stifled even when I stayed still.
I was feeling that from that figure as well.
Just as I furrowed my brow at the strange sensation.
[Moreover, I had originally intended to converse outside the gate.]
The figure continued to speak to me.
[But upon seeing you, an irresistible curiosity arose, leading me to be so rude.]
Uuuung-!
It grew stronger by the moment.
The more I looked at the figure, the more a clear emotion boiled up within.
Hostility.
I was feeling hostility toward that person.
Why was this happening all of a sudden?
Thump, thump-!
As I placed my hand on my chest, pounding as if it would burst, trying to compose myself.
[Therefore, before we speak, allow me to ask something first.]
The figure slowly raised its head and looked at me.
“Huh.”
The moment our eyes met, I felt my body freeze up.
[You.]
The figure had scales protruding from its cheeks,
and beneath the skin, shards of ice were slowly falling away.
Furthermore.
The pupils were vertically slit, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the eyes of a reptile.
Yes…
It was exactly like
[What is your relationship with the Supreme One of the Central Plains?]
an appearance strikingly similar to when the Demon King had revealed the curse before me.