Subdued Soul Chronicle - Chapter 231: Epilogue (6)

Above the Sky.

After collecting even the last remaining bone from wandering, he calmed down his energy. Coincidentally, there was a written sutra lying on the desk, so he picked up a brush and began to copy it.

The boundaries of the world, which collapsed like sand, stopped. Then, what had collapsed slowly began to rebuild.

The study became silent again.

After he finished rewriting the four sutras, he put down the brush. On the opposite wall, the Avalokitesvara painting of the Buddha seated by the water’s edge under the full moon looked at him.

At one time, he thought he could be saved…

“…”

The animal bones on the desk were shattered. In the silence, he stared at it for a long time. As always, the Hwarangs’ Hall was crowded with Hwarangs.

“…So I tried it. What is the big deal when a Hwarang catches a ghost and accidentally tears out the Sun and Moon qi? If it really holds the power of the heavens, shouldn’t the Vermillion Bird Troops know how to avoid it before they run there?”

“Do you remember my teaching? And did you actually say this in front of the Pavilion Head?”

“I really wanted to, but…”

Hwa Un, who had a childish habit when speaking, folded and unfolded his fan but then left with the red hem of his dress fluttering like wings.

A thick shade of green was cast on the path, which stretched through the trees of the palace. A path that he walked many times in the past.

Memories of that time were vividly registered in his mind. It seemed that if he stepped into it, he could go back to the past.

Were the afterimages of the animal bones causing this? Zaha stood there and looked at the path covered in green.

Just then, he heard the sound of something rustling in the wind.

The sound of jade colliding. And finally, he showed up.

Zaha looked back and said,

“Seol Young-rang, where are you going like that? I had to deal with all sorts of troublesome matters alone.”

“Yes, yes. I’m terribly sorry. As a low-ranking Hwarang, I’m being called all over the place.”

“Your skills at being sarcastic have improved so much.”

“It is quite natural to change into what we see and hear every day. If you want to promote me, please do so.”

Seol Young jumped down the stairs swiftly.

“But is everything fine? I am starting to get worried.”

“As you can see, I am perfectly fine.”

“Not you, High Governor.”

Seol Young gestured with his eyes and spread out his five fingers.

“I should check up on everyone. If everything’s fine, can I go back now?”

“Do as you please.”

Upon arriving at Zaha’s home, Seol Young opened the door to the study. As soon as he entered, he said,

“Such a mess.”

“Where are you going?”

He responded incredulously. The study was clean and quiet. All the furniture was in place, and nothing was messed up.

Seol Young had a puzzled look.

“Did I see it wrong? It cannot be.”

Zaha watched with interest as his gaze was directed to where the demonic qi had spread out last night.

There was nothing left there. Nevertheless, he had such an innate sense that he seemed to be able to detect things that had already vanished.

‘You are the same too.’

Seol Yeong would likely detest and be disgusted by such thoughts, but occasionally, the image of himself overlapped with this low-ranking Hwarang.

Should he say his potential to grow was similar?

If Zaha hadn’t hidden and met the Governor and trainees, he might have asked Baek San to bring him into his own troops…

Ah, no.

Seol Young slammed the door, not wanting to think such things.

‘I wasn’t so rude, though.’

There was nothing in the closet, and Seol Young looked around like it was strange.

“Where is everyone?”

“Maybe in the yard? They are usually there.”

“Not there. They will show up when they know I am here.”

Seol Young naturally sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Come to think of it, it seemed that, at some point, it turned into his own place.

He looked around the dark place and found a box with symbol engraved on it.

“What is this? Isn’t this a skull decoration?”

“Ah, right, I got that as a gift.”

“A gift? Who would do such a crazy thing…? Just the sight of it is ominous.”

Seol Young clicked his tongue and touched it. He had seen this too many times, and yet this felt exciting.

His clear eyes became opaque, and he seemed to receive signals from a distance, occasionally uttering unrelated words.

“…Above heaven?”

“Hm?”

“N-Nothing.”

Seol Young’s eyes returned to normal.

“That is a sacrificed horse. Horses are clever animals, and their grudge of being killed remains in their bones.”

“Then it will be dangerous.”

“No. I thought it would be like that at first, too. But now I have gone past all of them, so it is alright.”

“In other words, it doesn’t matter if it’s thrown away, right?”

“If that’s the case, you can give it to me. I have a use for it.”

“Nice, then 10 pieces of silver.”

“You said you could throw it away, so why are you trying to sell it? I have no money.”

Just ordinary conversation.

Engaging in such mundane exchanges, it sometimes seemed like he could live a normal life from now on.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

But that was unlikely.

He knew.

That one day, when the time comes, he would have to make a choice without another thought, despite not knowing what the situation would be.

“But the tomb ghosts still haven’t appeared yet?”

After putting the horse’s head down, Seol Young looked around, and Zaha said,

“Right, didn’t they say they would all hide?”

“Hide? Why?”

“They are afraid that you will take them back. They said they were happier living on this side than the white-robed Hwarangs. They said I treat them better.”

“Nonsense.”

Seol Young just dismissed that, but his face was paying attention to what Zaha said.

Seol Young stayed silent and then mumbled.

“Well, right. It would be nice to live in such a rich place.”

It was so funny that Zaha smiled.

“Seol Young-rang, do you really believe that?”

“…?”

“Why would they hide? I don’t know where they’ve gone, but judging by their increased activity lately, they’re probably somewhere like a pond.”

“So, saying they want to live here…”

“That’s just my imagination. I imagine a lot when I look at them. We don’t really talk much.”

“…”

Seol Young’s face twisted.

“I thought that it cannot be true, but I believed it in the moment as you said it so confidently. Is it alright for a person called the High Governor to say such a childish lie?”

“Childish, you say! This is all for you, so I think you need to be a bit more aloof. You never know when a person will leave your life! You need to be trained like this.”

He yelled out without shame.

He would say anything at any chance he got. Why does he always make fun of Seol Young and make him angry? He could be nice, but no. He seemed to have no intention of leaving a good memory…

No, there is another reason for this.

“What? Train? Do not lie. You are just doing this for fun. Just because it is all fun.”

Seol Young bluntly said.

“Seol Young-rang, you are so sharp, huh?”

Zaha said,

Once called the incarnation of the Blessing of the Heavens, a star, this perfect self of his had been buried in the grave for so long, but there had to be something fun in life.

And he felt better.

Zaha said loudly to the couple passing outside.

“Bring tea here.”