Episode 5
Along with all the questions, only one thought came to mind.
‘I have to run. Now!’
Her frozen legs wouldn’t listen. She wanted to run away and hide somewhere, but her body only trembled pitifully, resenting her.
Each time she met the eyes of those still panting, staring at her, her heart pounded even louder.
“Please…”
“Listen to me. I have to run!”
The fear of dying again gripped Seong-un. What chance did I get? How could I return to the past…? …!
She couldn’t die again at the hands of that man. With just that thought, she hesitated, then finally turned around.
Suddenly.
But her running was fleeting, and soon she stopped. The dull thud of the body collapsing made her turn her head.
“He’s dead…?”
No. That man couldn’t die so easily. Also, if I had died on this mountain, the tragedy of my death at his hands would not have happened.
As I thought that, my eyes met his. Even in his dying state, he raised his head and looked at me.
My body trembled. Even though I had returned to the previous time, the man’s eyes were still chilling and cold. I felt a madness that was difficult to describe.
‘Does he really remember me?’
Despite dismissing it as absurd, the suspicion still bothered me. The image of his current appearance overlapping with the image of him handing me poison at the execution grounds flashed before my eyes.
Seong-un shook off the chill and turned to the man. Their eyes met. He seemed to recognize me. Therefore, if he left me like that, he didn’t know what kind of retaliation he would face.
Even if he hadn’t recognized her, the memory of today’s events would still bring regret. He didn’t want to be marked by the prince before he could truly live his new life.
“Excuse me. Get up. Are you badly hurt?”
Seeing no response, Seong-un placed her finger under the man’s nose. His faint breath tickled her finger.
Soon, the sun would set, and the wild beasts would smell the blood. She knew he wouldn’t die anyway, but she felt she had to at least provide some simple treatment. She was determined not to provoke him, so if she was going to do it, she had to do it right.
She didn’t hesitate for long. Still shaking with fear, she began to drag the man.
“The smell of blood is overwhelming. Who on earth did he fight?”
After groaning and descending the steep path, she found a cave near the valley. This would be enough to protect her from the wild beasts and the cold.
Seong-un laid the man down in the cave and brought a wet cloth from the stream.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
I never thought the day would come when she would be able to save her enemy. She still harbored resentment, but preparing for the Later Han was the priority. She paused as she wiped the blood from her face and neck and untied her clothes.
“Ha.”
She was shocked. At the same time, goosebumps ran through her body, causing her to back away.
Not a single drop of blood was on her bare skin.
“I wasn’t hurt… ….”
Who could that blood, soaking through her clothes, belong to? Since there were no wounds, it definitely couldn’t be his.
Then… ….
She trembled like an aspen tree. The sight of her nearly dying made her forget for a moment that she was the cruelest and ruthless of all men.
She was someone who would trample or kill anyone who dared to disobey her. This time, she must have taken someone’s life again, just like when she took her own.
“Mother…”
Seong-un came to his senses at the sound of a sobbing voice that felt as if the earth would ripple. Perhaps because of the unexpected words, the fear that had consumed him gradually disappeared.
Now that she’d taken care of it, she had to get out of here immediately. She had to get away from this man. She didn’t want to be entangled with him again, in any way.
But the sun had already set, and going down the dark mountain path alone could have put her in even greater danger.
She had no choice but to huddle away from the man. All she could do was pray for this night to pass quickly.
Sometimes, the jade tablet hanging from Seong-un’s waist fell to the ground as he slept.
***
She endured the night with her eyes wide open, and as soon as dawn broke, she hurried down the mountain. She didn’t even bother to check if the man was awake.
If he was, that would be a problem in itself. After all, she’d seen his true self, still wearing a mask.
“Fine. Let’s not dwell on that anymore. There’s nothing more to get involved with anyway.”
She shook her head, shaking off her distracting thoughts. A strong push on her shoulder sent Seong-un crashing to the ground.
“Ouch…”
He didn’t even have time to consider the pain in his knee. A chilling, murderous aura hung over his neck.
“If you want to live, it’s best to stay still.”
As his life was threatened, government troops surrounded him. Dozens of blades pointed at the assailant.
What bad luck. He had chosen a less crowded path, disliking the crowds, and that was the beginning of his trouble.
But the iron around his neck trembled faintly. His words were harsh, but he seemed to have no intention of harming anyone.
Seong-un, having finished assessing the situation, stood up.
“What are you doing?”
“If you’re going to do it, do it right.”
He gently pulled the assailant’s arm, pressing the blade against his neck. He had to be careful not to injure himself.
He felt that if he kept pace with this man, he could escape this situation as quickly as possible and protect his own safety.
“If you come any closer, I’ll kill this woman!”
The government soldiers, who had been slowly closing the distance, hesitated. In the midst of a fierce standoff, someone broke through the guard and appeared.
“A so-called royal guard, taking a vulnerable woman hostage and making such low-level threats? He’s a thug.”
His hair was neatly tied up, his uniform was crisp and wrinkle-free, and he had an intelligent yet reserved demeanor.
“Myeongseohan?”
To see him here? He was Sogyeong, a close friend of his brother Junwon and a deputy minister. Within a few years, he had become a capable figure, rising to the position of Minister of Justice, the head of the Ministry of Justice.
“Don’t forget that I’m always watching you, Majesty.”
“Are you confessing to keeping me under surveillance?”
“It’s not that I’m not revealing your crimes because there’s no evidence. I just don’t feel the need.”
My last conversation with the Minister of Justice came to mind. Strangely, this man, known for his principled approach and fairness, was lenient towards me.
“You’re the thug, aren’t you? Framing someone without a shred of evidence. How can you be considered an official after all?”
“Funny. How can you say that in such a state?”
His unkempt hair, bloodshot eyes, and rags covered in dirt and dust showed how long he had been on the run.
Yet, Seong-woon guessed that the man didn’t stink at all, indicating a man who always valued dignity and respect.
“If you let that woman go now, I won’t press charges on this matter.”
“How many crimes have you framed me for? Why should you be afraid of this?”
To risk someone else’s life like this? I thought you cared about respect. I wish I had just run away.
“Wouldn’t your treatment be different? They could even file a lawsuit against you.”
“Ha! Doesn’t the very fact that you’re going to sue me mean you don’t trust me?”
The stranger gnashed his teeth.
“But how can I escape this situation?”
Seong-un glanced around. With government troops surrounding him, the stranger couldn’t escape immediately.
I need to somehow create a gap in the encirclement… …
She pondered this deeply, then spotted a stall and whispered to the stranger. It was filled with grain flour.
“Use that.”
“Are you serious?”
The panic in his cracked voice was evident.
“If you’re not serious?”
“Why are you helping me?”
“I want to escape this situation, too. Who would enjoy having a knife held to their throat?”
Seong-un answered indifferently, then grimaced and shuddered. Seohan’s sharp gaze was fixed on her.
She belatedly worried that she might have aroused suspicion, but her priority was to get away. She had plenty of excuses.
“When they close the gap, that’s our chance.”
With the hostage, the government troops would be distracted. She’d been on the run for so long, she assumed her improvisation would be even more effective than hers, so she kept quiet.
To continue the conversation could easily lead to her being accused of being an accomplice.
“We’ll hear the rest of the argument in Dari City. Arrest the criminal!”
At Seohan’s shout, the government troops quickly closed the gap. With each step, their hearts raced with tension.
Just as they were about to reach the edge, Seongwoon’s body was shoved. The assailant had scattered grain powder, instantly turning the surroundings into chaos.
“Are you alright, my lady?”
Something hard touched her palm. I thought I’d just fallen flat on my face, but the rough texture of the floor wasn’t it. Seong-un opened his eyes slightly, overcome with confusion.
