Chronicles of the Silver Dragon, Episode 61
In an instant, Je-hwa smiled faintly and took Hong Yuhwa's hand.
"Huh?"
And then she was startled. Because she felt the surrounding cold, the powerful energy all around, swirling around Je-hwa.
Hong Yuhwa turned her head toward where the tree stood.
In that moment, the cluster of light beneath the tree flew toward Je-hwa.
"Oh?"
Je-hwa tilted his head in confusion. Then, silver light began to swirl around him.
"What is this?"
Je-hwa, who had been wearing an expression of wonder, suddenly opened his eyes wide as the silver light entered his body.
And before she knew it, the cold that had occupied the space vanished completely.
"Ahahahaha…"
Hong Yuhwa burst into a hollow laugh with a dumbfounded expression. Because all the energy in the surroundings had been absorbed by Je-hwa.
"Was this originally your energy?"
"Huh? I don't know. Come to think of it, this is the first place I came to, isn't it?"
"The first place you came to?"
"Yeah. Fourteen years ago, from the moment I first came to my senses, I was here. Then I went down to the village and lived there."
'As expected, this is the place where Je-hwa became the Silver Dragon Prince.'
The place where the fate of a human child who had nothing—no parents, no name, who didn't even know who he was—had been changed. This place where a human child became the Silver Dragon Prince.
Truly, this place was like a sanctuary.
Hong Yuhwa looked around her surroundings with renewed eyes.
"So this is… the place where you were born and began."
"That I was born?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
Hong Yuhwa smiled awkwardly at Je-hwa's question.
"By the way."
To her, Je-hwa tilted his head and opened his mouth.
"Yeah? What?"
"You said it before, right? That you know my hometown."
"Yeah."
"What kind of place is it?"
At Je-hwa's question, Hong Yuhwa fell into deep thought.
The Silver King's Palace of the Silver Nation in the Dragon Realm, the most beautiful silver-white castle in the world.
Je-hwa was born there and grew up there.
"It's a beautiful place."
"Wow!"
Je-hwa exclaimed at Hong Yuhwa's words.
"What kind of people are my parents? Why did they leave me alone?"
Hong Yuhwa smiled bitterly at the voice laced with a hint of resentment.
Silver Dragon King Eun Hwi-hwa had grieved the most and screamed the most when Eun Je-hwa went missing.
The Silver Dragon King's rage, which had devastated not only the Middle Realm but even the Heavenly Realm, and his terrifying martial power were still objects of fear throughout the world. Indeed, the two archangels of the Heavenly Realm who had been struck by the Silver Dragon King at that time still had not recovered their strength.
"They didn't abandon you."
"Huh?"
Je-hwa was puzzled when Hong Yuhwa spoke with a resolute face.
"You came here by accident. When she learned you had been in an accident, your mother was truly grieved and enraged. To the point where the whole world was shaken by that rage……"
"An accident? I don't have any memories of that?"
"Of course you don't. Because the you who experienced that is the one deep inside your heart. The one sitting over there just now."
"That one?"
Hong Yuhwa smiled faintly as she looked at Je-hwa tilting his head.
"I can't tell you now. But as time passes, you'll come to know bit by bit."
"What are you talking about!"
Je-hwa furrowed his brow at Hong Yuhwa's words.
"Anyway, your mother truly loves and cherishes you. Don't forget that, at least."
She said with a rare, gentle smile.
***
"Where did these brats go again?"
Sawollin grumbled with a displeased expression, and I Seolhye spoke.
"They must have gone somewhere."
"You're so calm because it's not your business!"
Sawollin narrowed her eyes at I Seolhye's words and spoke. Then she turned her head at the presence felt in the distance. Over a hundred warriors on horseback were coming toward them.
"Huh? It's the Blackhorse Spearmen!"
They were precisely the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's cavalry unit, the Blackhorse Spearmen.
They arrived before Sawollin and I Seolhye, dismounted in unison, and spoke with one voice.
"We greet the young lady!"
Though none of them spoke particularly loudly individually, with a hundred people speaking simultaneously, the sound became quite loud.
"You got here fast, Uncle Ha Youngpae."
Sawollin spoke to Ha Youngpae, the captain of the Blackhorse Spearmen.
"The Demonic Spirits delivered the news, but we are late in coming to greet you. We apologize."
"Not at all."
The distance from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to here was considerable. Since they hadn't been here long, their immediate appearance couldn't possibly be called late.
I Seolhye also made an exasperated expression watching the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's warriors call themselves late despite coming out to greet them at tremendous speed.
"But… are these all of your companions?"
"No."
Sawollin shook her head when Ha Youngpae asked in puzzlement.
"Wait a bit. The others will come soon."
Sawollin spoke, her face strangely scrunched up.
"Oh, who are those black-clad uncles next to you?"
Hong Yuhwa arrived at where Sawollin and I Seolhye were, smiled brightly, and asked with a curious face as she looked at the Blackhorse Spearmen.
"They're our Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's warriors, a cavalry unit called the Blackhorse Spearmen."
"Wow!"
Hong Yuhwa looked at them with an expression of wonder.
'Are they existences similar to Black Knights or Black Fighters?'
Black Knights and Black Fighters exist in Marzern.
They are those who fight using demonic energy. The Black Knights are literally knights who wield swords, spears, and shields, while the Black Fighters are those who use all kinds of weapons.
Those with mediocre strength were truly unremarkable, but those with great skill were renowned even in other worlds.
The Blackhorse Spearmen made puzzled expressions as they watched Hong Yuhwa looking at them in wonder. Rather, it was amazing that a girl who looked fragile on the outside didn't bat an eye at them despite the demonic energy they exuded. Because ordinary humans would usually be frightened by just the demonic energy they unconsciously emitted.
"Who are these black-clad guys?"
A sullen voice was heard.
'This boy is…'
The Blackhorse Spearmen's attention, which had been momentarily distracted by Hong Yuhwa, focused on Je-hwa.
Before their eyes was the youth in his prime who was rumored to have fought evenly with the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
He was a bit smaller and looked more fragile than children his age, with a pretty face like a girl's, but his martial power was unimaginably strong.
"Our cult's warriors."
Sawollin smiled faintly as she looked at Je-hwa making a sullen expression and said.
"Let's go to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult right now."
"I'd like to meet Baeka too."
Then Je-hwa furrowed his brow and said.
"Who's that?"
At that moment, Hong Yuhwa reacted to Je-hwa's words.
"A huge white tiger."
Sawollin answered Hong Yuhwa's question instead, then made an awkward expression.
"Do you absolutely have to go meet it?"
"Because I haven't seen it in a long time."
"Mmm, I wish we could go quickly though."
It had been a boring place, but since she had been away from where she was born and raised for a whole year, Sawollin was very much looking forward to returning to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult right now.
"If you're busy, go ahead first. I'll just find Baeka and come."
Je-hwa spoke thus and shot off without giving Sawollin a chance to stop him.
"Ugh, he vanished!"
Sawollin, who had been watching with a bewildered expression, let out a deep sigh.
"Well, it can't be helped. Let's go together for now. It's not like I don't know the way."
Sawollin looked around at the group and spoke.
"Huh?"
But something that should be there, something she absolutely needed to feel safe, seemed to be missing.
"I feel like something is missing……"
I Seolhye cautiously opened her mouth as she watched her beginning to worry with a serious expression.
"Um… Hong Yuhwa followed Je-hwa."
"What?"
Sawollin was shocked by I Seolhye's words, which informed her of an enormous fact.
"No, this damn girl chased after Je-hwa! Aack, I'm going after them too!"
As the excited Sawollin shouted at the top of her lungs saying she would chase after them, I Seolhye taught her the reality of the situation.
"How?"
"……"
Even if she thrashed about and used lightness skill, there was no way she could catch up to them.
Sawollin, forced to face reality, made a gloomy expression.
Je-hwa, who had arrived in some deep forest in an instant, turned his head with a puzzled expression.
"Why did you follow me?"
"Just because. There's no reason for me to stay with them, is there?"
Hong Yuhwa had been following the group solely because of Je-hwa. With Je-hwa gone, there was no reason for her to remain there.
Je-hwa, who had been tilting his head at Hong Yuhwa's words, looked into the forest.
"Is this it? The place where the tiger is?"
"Yeah."
Je-hwa nodded at Hong Yuhwa's question and called out for Baeka in a loud voice.
"Baeka! I'm here!"
Hong Yuhwa crossed her arms smugly as she listened to Je-hwa's voice echoing and spreading.
'Come to think of it…'
Animals are surprisingly sensitive; they get scared and don't approach just from the demonic power Hong Yuhwa unconsciously exudes.
Just as Hong Yuhwa, having thought of that, was about to completely retract her demonic power……
Rustle!
"……!"
Suddenly, a rustling sound was heard from the bushes, and a huge white tiger appeared from within.
"Wow~ It's Baeka!"
Je-hwa smiled brightly and clung to Baeka.
'What the, this tiger?'
Could something like wild instinct be absent? The animal she had thought wouldn't approach had come here as if it were only natural, responding to Je-hwa's call.
But to Hong Yuhwa, this was not natural at all.
"Is it because it's stupid?"
Hong Yuhwa muttered with a serious face as she looked at Baeka.
At those words, Baeka, who had been clinging to Je-hwa and acting cute, suddenly stopped and looked at Hong Yuhwa. Then it cautiously approached her.
"Oh my! Why is it like this? Could it be because I'm too pretty?"
He really was something else.
Just as Je-hwa made an expression saying 'what nonsense,' Baeka's huge front paw struck Hong Yuhwa's head.
Thwack!
"Guh?"
From the unexpected attack and shock, Hong Yuhwa blankly grabbed the spot she had been hit and looked at Baeka.
Smack!
"Ugh!"
And from Baeka's following attack, Hong Yuhwa snapped to her senses.
"You damned tiger cub! Did you just hit me?!"