Chapter 50
So Yeongyeong ultimately died giving birth to the child.
There was nothing anyone could do. By the time the baby was delivered, So Yeongyeong had already stopped breathing.
So Cheongjae wept endlessly as he took the child into his arms.
Thankfully, the baby survived.
Just like when So Cheongjae’s wife had given birth, it was a premature delivery, so there was great concern. But the child endured. There were dangerous moments, yet it was as if So Yeongyeong herself was protecting the baby—its fragile breathing continued on.
Keeping So Yeongyeong’s final request in his heart, So Cheongjae devoted himself wholeheartedly to raising the child.
The baby changed day by day. The wrinkled little face smoothed out, flesh filling in. When the child opened its eyes and looked at So Cheongjae, he felt an overwhelming joy.
And yet, somehow, a corner of his heart always felt empty.
In the end, everyone left.
So Cheongjae’s parents, his wife, the child, even the younger sister he had finally reunited with—everyone was gone. All that remained was the newborn cradled in his arms.
At times, anxiety crept in.
Could he raise this child properly? Could he keep his promise? What if he made the same mistakes as before? What if he lost this child too…?
Just as his hands began trembling again—
“Ah—”
Warmth touched his finger.
So Cheongjae looked down. The baby had reached out and was holding onto his finger.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced—of the first time he met So Yeongyeong. Without realizing it, he had reached out his hand, and she had grasped his finger.
And then she had smiled brightly at him.
Just like then, the baby was smiling at So Cheongjae now.
Something surged up inside him, choking his chest.
“Lee-yeon (邐緣).”
That was the moment So Cheongjae named the child.
Lee (邐), meaning “to continue,” and Yeon (緣), meaning “fate” or “connection.”
A name given with the hope that bonds would continue.
“From today on, your name is So Lee-yeon. Yeon-ah.”
So Cheongjae hugged the baby tightly. The warmth filling his arms made tears well up.
“This uncle will protect you, no matter what.”
That day, So Cheongjae made a vow.
Even if it hadn’t been So Yeongyeong’s request, he would protect this child. Until the day his own life ended, he would shield the child from all the suffering in this world.
I clearly made that vow…
And yet, I failed to protect you to the very end.
So Cheongjae looked ahead with eyes full of regret.
The baby that had once been no bigger than his fist had grown so much—and was now holding onto him. Clutching him tightly, supporting his collapsing body.
“Father… Father…”
So Cheongjae wanted to wipe away the tears streaming down the child’s face. But he had no strength left.
At the same time, he knew.
His time was almost up.
Then… what should he say now? What words would help this child endure such a harsh world?
So Cheongjae suddenly vomited blood.
After expelling the congested blood that had clogged his chest, breathing became a little easier. Regaining his breath, he slowly spoke.
“Yeon… Yeon-ah…”
“Father, please don’t talk. Your wounds will open. Even now, if we use the wound medicine—”
“Do not seek revenge.”
At that moment, Lee-yeon froze.
“Do not dedicate your life… to avenging me.”
“……”
“Revenge is empty… If you devote everything to revenge… in the end, nothing remains. You will spend your entire life… suffering.”
“Father.”
Lee-yeon looked at him, clearly wanting to say so much. Seeing that expression, So Cheongjae smiled faintly.
“Your mother wanted you to be happy.”
“……”
“She wanted you to see this vast world for yourself, to feel it, to experience it. She wanted you to cry, to laugh, to love… and live happily.”
“……”
“I want the same.”
So Cheongjae felt his breathing grow more labored. If only—if only he had just a little more time.
“At some point, your happiness became my happiness… When you were sad, I was sad. When you were hurt, I hurt too.”
“……”
“I thought I was caring for you just to keep a promise… but somewhere along the way, it became real. I truly wished for you not to suffer, to live well, to be happy… I wanted to protect you for your entire life…”
“……”
“…My child.”
With great effort, So Cheongjae reached out his hand. Lee-yeon tightly grasped it. So Cheongjae remembered that day—the day Lee-yeon first held his hand.
“Do not… grieve too deeply.”
“……”
“And do not… be consumed by anger.”
“Father…”
“Choose what will make you happy. Just… choose for yourself.”
So Cheongjae smiled gently.
“Please… be happy.”
At the same time, he saw a strange vision.
Far away, he saw So Yeongyeong. She appeared as she had at seventeen. With an innocent smile filling her face, she called out, ‘Brother, you’re finally here!’
A single tear slid down So Cheongjae’s cheek.
He murmured absentmindedly,
“Yeong-ah, I’m sorry. Your brother is a useless man until the very end. I couldn’t protect your treasure… Still, please understand. I truly did my best. And now… I miss you.”
Before he realized it, So Yeongyeong was standing at his feet. She was no longer a girl, but a mature woman.
She embraced So Cheongjae.
Slowly, he closed his eyes.
In his fading consciousness, he thought he heard a voice saying, “Thank you.”
He simply smiled.
* * *
The clan leader had died.
Truly—he was gone.
The clan leader had spoken a few final words to the young lady. Then, as if seeing a vision, he murmured incomprehensible words before lowering his head.
In the end, he wore a peaceful smile. At least his final moments were not painful.
The young lady cried for a long time.
I had never seen her cry like that before, and I was utterly flustered. Even when suffering from illness, she never cried—but now she sobbed as if she had lost everything.
My heart ached at the sight, but I couldn’t offer any comfort. I, too, knew the pain of losing parents.
So I simply stayed by her side.
After a while, the young lady stood up.
She gently laid the clan leader down from her arms. She straightened his disheveled clothes and folded his slack hands over his abdomen.
Then she bowed her head for a moment, as if in silent prayer.
When she raised her head again, her eyes were filled with resolve.
“Let’s go.”
I nodded silently.
We began moving through the mountains once more.
At first, we headed northeast toward Gangseo Province, our original destination. But it didn’t take long before we were blocked. Masked men were stationed along the route.
So we decided to take a longer way around, even if it meant detouring. But that plan failed as well—there were masked men there too.
Here. There. Everywhere.
No matter which direction we tried, masked men were waiting. And there were far more of them than we had expected.
…We’re completely surrounded.
Only then did I realize it.
We were already trapped within the enemy’s encirclement.
Martial artists often called this being caught in a Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare—blocking every mountain pass and slowly tightening the noose, making us feel like hunted prey.
Worse still, dawn was approaching.
That was bad news for us. The darkness had been our only ally, allowing us to hide and escape—but once daylight came, even that would be impossible.
It’s only a matter of time before we’re discovered.
“Did you find any traces?”
“We only found one corpse.”
“He couldn’t have gone far from there. Chase them!”
Crack—rustle!
The young lady and I lay flat in the underbrush, hiding our bodies.
We had nearly run into the masked men several times already. Each time, luck had been on our side—we hid just in time, or their attention was drawn elsewhere.
This time too, the corpse diverted their gaze.
That corpse must have been the clan leader’s.
The thought filled me with a strange mix of worry and relief—worry over what would become of his body, and relief that it might buy us more time.
If someone could draw their attention… if we could gain even a little time… if even one person could escape—
Who would it be?
For some reason, the people who had gone ahead came to mind.
Uncle Hwang. Brother Im. Aso. The steward. The clan leader.
They always stepped forward first in moments of danger. They never hesitated to risk their lives to save others.
And in the end, I was the one left behind.
That fact had always troubled me. Why me? Why was I the one who remained? What strength did I have? What could I possibly do?
But I…
There was something I could do.
Only then did I understand their hearts.
Why none of them hesitated. Why their expressions had been so free of regret.
“Miss.”
Perhaps I was wearing the same expression now.
“Would you… like to switch clothes with me?”
