TLSSBTD CHAPTER 11

Episode 11

The halo of light slowly faded, and the dragon revealed itself. At the sight, Gahwa stumbled on the bare floor.

The dragon’s form looked no different than before.

“What has changed about you?”

“I aged myself by a year or so.”

Whether ten or eleven, what difference did it make?

When Gahwa let out a hollow laugh, Young-young looked at her with eyes brimming with pity. His gaze burned so warmly it almost stung. With a firm voice, he declared:

“I’ll make sure you have no trouble when leaving the capital.”

Gahwa nodded deeply. She could feel a strange kinship with him—and he with her.

“First, we should decide our destination.”

Just as the two were quietly sharing this sense of camaraderie, the dragon broke in.

He pulled a bundle of papers from a drawer and jerked his chin toward them. Young-young, as if reminded of something, quickly picked up another stack from the cluttered desk.

“I’ve uncovered something new. Until now, it was believed that only four of the remaining five families held fragments. But there’s another.”

“Is it the Gang-an branch you mentioned before?”

“Yes. The aura there felt unusual, so I sent people to confirm. We learned the Pyo clan of Gang-an holds a fragment.”

“Pyo clan, hmm. Unexpected. Still, if our first destination is the hills, that’s not a bad start. And…”

The dragon beckoned Gahwa closer. When she approached, his gaze briefly lingered on her head before dropping.

“The hairpin?”

“I’ve kept it safe.”

Gahwa pressed a hand against the inside of her jacket. The dragon gave a satisfied nod.

“Good. Now then… would you rather start with the nearest place or the farthest?”

“…What?”

The unexpected question left Gahwa thoughtful. He clearly meant the locations of the fragments. The nearest one would surely be inside the capital itself—within the palace of the Yi royal family.

But she couldn’t face Yi Hyul yet. Nothing had changed since she’d been powerless before him.

“To confirm… when you say the nearest place, do you mean here in the capital?”

“Yes. There are three fragments within the city.”

“Then… I’d like to make the capital our final stop.”

“My thoughts exactly. Then we’ll pass through the hills first, then move on to Gang-an in Moju.”

Once the destination was set, Young-young unfurled a large map.

It was a map of the Gah nation.

This land was built upon the coiled body of a dragon, and so its territory resembled that form: concentric circles like the rings of a target—land, river, land, sea.

The land was divided into nine provinces, each named after one of the Nine Dragons. At the center lay Yeongju, the royal province, surrounded by eight others arranged clockwise from the north: Sakju, Byeokju, Naju, Hyoju, Gyeju, Moju, Danju, and Hwajoo.

Of them, Danju was mountainous, known as Gurung—the Nine Ridges.

“We’re right here.”

Young-young pointed to the central province, surrounded by rivers—the royal capital of Jooan.

“You’ve never left the capital, have you, Lady?”

“No. Never.”

She had seen maps in books, but her life had been confined within palace walls.

“Do you know how one travels to the other provinces?”

“I do.”

Frequent visits to bookshops had taught her much from the chatter of peddlers. She raised three fingers.

“There are three ways: one, take a ferry across the river. Two, cross by bridge into another province. And three…”

Her finger traced northward on the map. At the overlapping coils of the dragon’s body, the land connected. One could cross on foot through the rugged Gye-myeong mountains.

She pointed to the gentler slopes, where travelers often passed.

“You’re quite knowledgeable. I’d heard you were mistreated in the palace…”

Young-young trailed off with a cough, then exaggerated his agreement.

“Yes. That’s the route we’ll take.”

Gahwa wondered why they’d choose the slow mountain path instead of a boat. Young-young explained before she could ask:

“The times aren’t safe. The city should be in turmoil after the throne changed hands, yet it’s eerily quiet. Do you know why?”

“…Because…”

“Yes. The new king is consolidating power quickly. Under the pretense of rooting out rebels, he’s tightened security at every gate and street.”

“To seize the chance to crush the remaining royals.”

Young-young nodded gravely.

“That’s why we must be careful. I’ve already arranged for a caravan crossing the mountains into Hwajoo. They’ll drop us off at Pojae.”

Gahwa studied the map. Beyond the mountains, the road split north to Hwajoo and Sakju. Pojae lay in Hwajoo—a harsh, barren land where people dug homes into the earth, while forests flourished in the clear air.

Their true destination, however, lay to the southwest: Gang-an, a fertile coastal province. To reach it, they would either pass through Gurung or sail from Naju.

Normally she would have chosen Gurung, but she wanted to pass through Naju. Not only was it safer terrain, it was her mother Soyong’s birthplace. She longed to visit and pay respects.

“May we go from Pojae to Naju, then on to Gang-an?”

“No. We must pass through Gurung.”

The dragon’s answer was firm.

“The king’s eyes and hands extend beyond Jooan. You should know that.”

“Besides, there’s a fragment in Gurung.”

Young-young added gently. Confronted with their refusal, Gahwa fell silent. She couldn’t bring herself to reveal her personal reason.

She lowered her head, consoling herself with the thought she could go to Naju later.

“But there are also fragments in Hyoju and Byeokju. After Gurung, we’ll loop back through Naju on the way.”

Her head shot up.

Right—the fragments were split among the Nine Families, one per province. Which meant she would reach Naju eventually.

Her heart leapt, though she forced down the smile tugging at her lips.

Young-young, watching the dragon and Gahwa both, smiled with satisfaction.

“It gladdens me to see you two getting along so well before our journey.”

“…What?”

“Who?”

Both dragon and girl snapped their heads around, faces full of displeasure.

How on earth do we look like we’re getting along?

“I say… are your eyes failing you?”

Gahwa eyed his spectacles sympathetically. This time it was Young-young who felt pitied, lips twitching as though he wanted to retort. At last, he threw up his hands.

“Yes, yes. If you say so, then so it is. Ah—by the way, I’ve asked the caravan to prepare drinking water and provisions. No need to stop at the marketplace. We leave at dawn, so please rest well tonight. And lodgings have been prepared.”

“Hong-yeona!” he called, clapping loudly. A young servant entered.

“She’ll guide you to your room.”

But Gahwa shook her head. She had somewhere else to go first.

“I have a place I must visit.”

“Then perhaps settle your things first, and go after. Just don’t stay out too late.”

At his signal, the servant led her away. Once she was gone, Young-young glanced at his master.

“Don’t you plan to follow, my ever-distrustful lord?”

The dragon merely snorted, perched at the window, eyes fixed outside. No doubt watching where she went.

Young-young’s gaze softened. From the first time he met him until now, his master had never changed. Especially those cold, detached eyes.

“If you worry, I can send someone after her.”

“No need. I know where she’s going. And that she’ll return.”

True enough.

Young-young already knew of Gahwa’s past. Her mother murdered, herself offered as a sacrifice. Of course she longed for vengeance. She had no choice but to ally with his master.

“You’re as cold as ever. Then stop looking at her so fondly—it makes me jealous.”

He chuckled quietly. Having chosen to serve the dragon, earning his trust was a burden he willingly bore.

After leaving her things behind, Gahwa went to the road facing the palace.

She passed the grand gate and slipped instead toward a smaller side gate she often used. It led closest to the quarters she once shared with her mother.

The guards were heavier than usual. Gahwa halted at a distance, hiding behind a wall, and gazed over the courtyard wall.

The roof of the old palace building peeked into view—tilted, weathered, neglected. Her and her mother’s home.

Memories returned of her mother complaining of the building’s age, only to laugh and say she didn’t care where they lived so long as they were together.

Gahwa felt the same. Tears slid down her cheeks.

The palace, once a mirror of her own shabby life, was no longer hers. She could no longer cross that gate.

She had no strength to.

The helplessness burned like acid.

She only wanted to live quietly—so why, why had she suffered all this? All because of Yi Hyul’s greed. If he hadn’t coveted the throne, she would still be living a peaceful, ordinary day.

Grinding her teeth, Gahwa bowed her head. She clenched her fists so hard her fingertips went white. Tremors ran through her body.

…

By the time the trembling stopped, a long while had passed. Beneath the bright moon, she burned the sight of the palace into her eyes.

She bowed low, offering her farewell to her mother.

I will return, no matter what.

It was half vow, half prayer. Tonight, the moon shone unusually bright.