Camellia 164

Even the mice darting through narrow holes had fallen fast asleep. The drowsiness spreading like a plague reached Seolyeong too. He had come to the rear garden in the middle of the night to see the flower Sahyeol Amje had made bloom, but his eyelids grew heavy without warning. Letting out a long yawn, he collapsed onto the grass.

His long lashes fluttered lightly, like a butterfly landing.

“Feels like I might finally have a good dream…”

That settled it. He would just sleep here tonight. His mind had already begun to fog, but the sudden drowsiness didn’t feel ominous. If anything, it was sweet, like candy, and gently cradled his body.

The feeling made him forget every real-world concern. He closed his eyes with a faint smile. Maybe it was the loosened muscles, but it seemed like he might really meet his beloved in a dream and dance with him.

“My husband…”

Just as he was sinking deeper into sleep, savoring the grassy scent tickling his nose, Seonwol-do, the only being immune to the spell’s effects, suddenly began trying to wake him.

But no matter how hard it tried, its master showed no sign of stirring. The blade raised itself and struck him hard in the chest.

“Aagh, what the, what’s going on!”

Seolyeong jolted up, breathless, like he had taken a blow from Sahyeol Amje himself. His chest burned. He gasped.

“…Dumb mutt?”

He groaned, bleeding from the mouth. The sword folded itself in two and bobbed slightly, as if nodding.

A sharp buzz vibrated through him, forcing his mind back into focus.

“Why won’t you let your master sleep for once…”

His brow creased.

“…Wait.”

A chill ran down his back. Before falling asleep, it had definitely been the middle of the night. So why, now, was the world bathed in blinding white?

“What… is that.”

Why was that white light covering everything?

The sky was filled with a massive full moon. So big it looked ready to crash down, it took over his vision completely.

Shivering with fear, Seolyeong opened his mouth. He knew at once. That was no moon. That was the eye of a god. Heaven itself was watching the earth.

Why?

The answer came fast.

“Damn it. The imugi’s heading for the heavens.”

The ascension ritual had begun. He grabbed the sword and slashed his own cheek, trying to shake off the lingering sleep. Then he seized the hilt and launched into gyeonggong.

“Thanks, dumb mutt. You always drag this dumb master back on track.”

He had pictured this a hundred times before. But the tension still choked him. His hands and feet turned cold. His lips dried out from fear.

By the time the moonlit peak began to glow like a cradle holding a child, the pressure in his chest turned crushing. He landed at the summit.

The highest peak of the Sipman Daesan, Suido Peak.

Just as he feared, the sight was unbelievable.

“Ah…”

Overwhelmed by the grandeur, he let out a breath. A staircase of flowing light stretched all the way to the heavens. And halfway up it stood his husband.

Fighting the divine pressure that made his limbs tremble, Seolyeong shouted.

“Tang Yujae..!”

Without his sword, he would have missed him completely. No wonder the sleep had hit so suddenly. This too had to be Sahyeol Amje’s doing. That man always pulled tricks. Just like his sister once said.

When Sahyeol Amje didn’t respond, Seolyeong gripped the sword in both hands. He layered persistence over longing, love over obsession, and forced his will forward.

A sharp gust slammed into him and crushed him into the ground. The pressure pinned his upper body like it meant to bury him alive.

“Ghh…”

The ground split. Soil and rock shook and parted. Wedged between the cracks, Seolyeong felt the imugi’s energy tightening around his throat.

He tried to struggle, but he could only tremble. A low, feral groan escaped his throat.

It was humiliating. He had trained so hard, and yet he couldn’t even put up a fight. He was being crushed beneath divine power like it was nothing.

‘I have to go save him…”

He kept shouting that he’d save him no matter what.

As the dust cleared, Seolyeong met a gaze looking down at him. A smooth forehead. A sharp nose. Eyes and lips that held sorrow.

His husband’s eyes had turned gold again. Seolyeong’s fingers twitched. He had to stand. Grab his sword. Run to him.

‘Move, please…!’

His eyes burned from the frustration. Watching him struggle, the man clicked his tongue and raised a hand. Threads appeared in the air, lifting Seolyeong like a doll. He was suspended like a butterfly caught in a web.

The imugi spoketo the blood fiend who was staring at him with red eyes.

“And what right does a reeking beast have to bare its fangs.”

He wanted to handle this gently, for the sake of his contract with Tang Yujae. But this wasn’t going to work. A beast needed to know its place.

“That sword in your hand must be to blame. Seems it had a trick up its sleeve.”

He was exhausted. The stairs were too high. Each step brought divine pain. He just wanted to knock the blood fiend out and finish this.

“That sword suffers under the wrong master.”

But even if he put Seolyeong to sleep, the sword would just act up again. Regretful, but unavoidable. He would have to destroy it. A sword like this wasn’t easily made, but he had no choice. If left alone, it would only keep interfering.

Divine power crushed down on Seonwol-do.

–You’ve lost someone you loved too, haven’t you.

The imugi’s eyes widened. The message had been forced in by the bride, who was burning himself out. Seolyeong didn’t stop.

–You’ve felt that regret. You failed to protect someone. You know what that’s like.

He had seen the past. He understood it. He pitied it. That included the imugi’s past. Watching Hwaryun die, unable to reach him, carrying unreturned love.

–Why make the same mistake again.

The imugi finally replied.

“I don’t love your husband.”

–Then what about Hwaryun.

Seolyeong smiled, blood dripping from his mouth. He looked the imugi straight in the eye.

–You haven’t forgotten him, have you.

The imugi said nothing.

–So that’s why you were so kind to my lover. Because he looked like him. You gave him your yeouiju. You helped him take revenge. He finally broke free. But the moment he catches his breath, you’re pushing him toward death again?

The beast scolded the divine.

Seolyeong knew his qi was breaking down. He didn’t stop. If he did, the imugi might flee.

–Don’t you want to see the man who looks like Hwaryun live the life Hwaryun never could? Don’t you want him to smile, to thank you?

The dead waryun won’t come back. But my husband can. Seolyeong looked toward the Imoogi, as if meeting his eyes directly.

–Give him back to me. Then I’ll show you the side of Hwa Ryun you never got to see, through him.

The demand was bold. The imugi burst into laughter. Still holding the sword, he laughed until his eyes teared up and wiped his eyes with his fingers.

“You foolish beast.”

His voice dropped low.

“Without my power, your husband’s going to die anyway. The moment the yeouiju disappears, his body will rot and collapse. Wouldn’t it be better if I took it now, while it’s still whole?”