Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 80

As soon as the ritual ceremony ended at the Gyeomgudan, Kyungrak immediately headed for the Forest of Vanishing Shadows. Once the ritual announcing the start of the Grand Oracle Ceremony was over, next, only the task of truly going to meet the Dragon God remained. To ask for the intent of and receive answers from the manifested Dragon God there was the true meaning of the Grand Oracle Ceremony.

Therefore, no matter how much Kyungrak was born with the makings of an Emperor, he could not help but feel a burden. Rather than seeing the manifested Dragon God, he could not be certain whether the intent he wished to ask about was truly for the sake of Won’guk. Making a wealthier and more powerful country from here was his intent, but the bleeding following it would be considerable as well. However, for the sake of the great cause, sacrifices were necessary too. The decision made by Kyungrak, who had agonized over it for a long time since his days as the Crown Prince, remained unchanged even up to this moment.

Kyungrak, standing before the Forest of Vanishing Shadows, gazed at the forest in front of his eyes. Though it looked small in scale on the outside, those who entered that forest and lost their way were countless. What became of their life or death could be known from the fact that not even their corpses could be found. Since it was a forest that did not permit even a single ray of sunlight, living things went without saying. It was a forest that never permitted entry unless one was a member of the imperial family born with the power of the dragon, or a shaman.

Kyungrak felt a strength that seemed to draw him in from the very entrance. That strength, which had felt faint during the Dragon Descent Ceremony, now seemed to draw him in uncontrollably. It was by no means gentle or kind, but it was the calling of an existence he must face.

“From here on, only His Majesty, myself, one minister who will be the witness, and one shadow will enter.”

If one said shadow, it meant the Ungeom, the Emperor’s guard. Everyone else had to wait outside the Forest of Vanishing Shadows. It was only up to the Gyeomgudan that the citizens could watch. The Hwayounggyeong Gamhwis, who had only now taken full charge of the Emperor’s protocol, prostrated themselves on the ground until the Emperor walking into the forest could no longer be seen. And finally, when the sound of the drums resonated loudly once more, they were able to stand up. However, that did not mean they were allowed to let their discipline slip.

Hongyo managed the Gamhwis belonging to the rear guard. Even so, whether their lives were more precious than a bet, thank goodness it was everything to monitor Choi Hyangbang, who was keeping his mouth shut quietly, or to occasionally watch Jang Daeho’s group, who was staring at her with indiscernible eyes, but even that brought a rush of fatigue.

In the meantime, Hongyo gazed at Gamyoung, who was exchanging greetings with high officials whom she could hardly even mingle words with. Gamyoung’s expression while sharing a conversation with the Grand General looked somewhat serious. Gamyoung, who finished talking for a moment, gazed at the Forest of Vanishing Shadows. By now, Kyungrak would be seeking an answer from the Dragon God. What kind of intent Kyungrak harbored as he went inside could not be known, but his gaze, mixed with anxiety uncharacteristically of him all the way here, could not be called light even as a hollow compliment.

Then again, if it was to the extent of requesting the Grand Oracle Ceremony, it wouldn’t be an ordinary intent. The Emperor could possess everything in this country, but he had to shoulder a weight equal to it. Even she, who occupied a single position in Hwayounggyeong at best, had this much to worry about, so she couldn’t even gauge how many thoughts he lived shouldering from the position of being responsible for a country.

“Whatever intent you have brought, I pray you must think of the citizens first.”

The aged Grand General gazed at the forest following Gamyoung. From the position of serving the current Emperor following the previous generation, the current Emperor possessed the qualities of a perfect Emperor in many respects. Except, what he worried about was merely his belligerent temperament and how it would act upon the Dragon God. Since he had already declared a larger and wealthier country in the morning assembly decree, he would act according to the decree, but in what manner the Dragon God would help the Emperor was an unknown.

If one wished for something from the Dragon God, one must pay the price for it without fail. The larger that great cause was, the larger what was taken away became. From the perspective of the Grand General, who knew what the late Emperor had paid as the price for ascending to the Emperor’s throne that originally did not belong to him, he hoped Kyungrak would not harbor a desire too large for his vessel. If he collapsed, it wouldn’t end with the downfall of a single person.

Gamyoung gazed at those eyes containing the years, then turned his head back to the forest. He merely hoped that Kyungrak would find the answer he wanted within the forest that was somehow gloomy despite the supremely clear and bright weather.

It was one shijin (two hours) after that when Kyungrak emerged from the Forest of Vanishing Shadows. Kyungrak, who emerged from the forest, boarded the palanquin as if there was nothing more to say. His face, completely devoid of a smile, still looked deep in thought, but on the other hand, he also looked relieved. The only one who could approach his side right now was the Empress, his spouse.

Shortly after, Mohyun, who emerged from the forest, locked eyes with Hongyo, who was guarding the entrance of the Forest of Vanishing Shadows. Mohyun, who wore a rarely seen, highly exhausted look, left the place leading the shamans without saying anything in particular to Hongyo. Subsequently, the Prime Minister, who had followed as a witness, shouted.

“His Majesty has heard the answer of the Dragon God. With this, the Grand Oracle Ceremony is entirely finished.”

As the Prime Minister finally proclaimed the end of the Grand Oracle Ceremony, everyone was relieved. However, from the perspective of Hongyo, who was the rear guard, work still remained. As Gamyoung, who had to be close to the Emperor during the procession, and Jeonghwan, who was the advance guard, departed, Hongyo organized the place together with the rear guard Gamhwis. With that, the sun was sinking low before she knew it.

“My Lord Vice-Commander. A message has arrived from the advance guard stating that they have arrived safely at the imperial palace.”

Hongyo, who looked at the Gamhwi reading the letter attached to the carrier pigeon, nodded her head. If the advance guard had arrived at the imperial palace, it was no different from saying the Emperor had arrived at the imperial palace long ago. Hongyo looked at the Gamhwis who had followed her words well today. Unlike Jeonghwan’s concern, as even Jang Daeho passed without causing an accident, it felt like everything was truly finished now.

“Everyone did well. I have work to do, so I will finish up and go, so return first.”

At that, Choi Hyangbang shouted thank you first and quickly mounted his horse. Following him, everyone mounted their horses as if they had been waiting. Since they would arrive within one sikgyeong (30 minutes) at the fastest if they rode a horse from the Forest of Vanishing Shadows, it seemed fine to have them return first, and return herself after doing the final wrap-up.

Hongyo watched until Jang Daeho, among them, disappeared from sight, then did the final check. Once she looked after the personnel who might remain and sealed the entrance of the forest, the work was truly all finished.

“Haa…. It’s all finished.”

It was just as Hongyo was packing her sword last to mount the horse tied nearby. The ornament tied to the real sword she received for the procession was nowhere to be seen. Seeing that, it felt as though her heart crashed to the floor. Hongyo, who turned completely pale in an instant, checked the surroundings, but it was nowhere to be seen, wondering where on earth she had dropped it. It literally felt like the world was turning yellow before her eyes.

Flustered, Hongyo thoroughly searched her body as well as the area, but the ornament was nowhere. She wondered if she had dropped it at the Gyeomgudan, but since she had clearly confirmed it was well-tied up until she came to the Forest of Vanishing Shadows, there was no way it would be there. If so, where on earth….

Her cold fingertips trembled faintly. Even though she had tied it extremely tightly multiple times so it would never fall off, she couldn’t grasp where on earth she had dropped it. Hongyo, trembling, roamed the area like a mad person. It wasn’t anything else; it was a gift Gamyoung had given her. Moreover, a gift he gave while congratulating the path she chose for the first time. She had lost such a thing.

Her mind was dyed pitch black. In a situation where she had absolutely no way of knowing what on earth to do, Hongyo went around looking for the ornament like a crazy person. However, there was no way the ornament, which had already vanished somewhere, would suddenly appear before her eyes.

“Ah….”

It was when she was completely pale without finding even a single strand of the tassel attached to the ornament. Suddenly, the sound of the tied horse snorting and breaking wild was heard. As she reflexively stared toward the direction from which the horse’s cry came, Jang Daeho and his group, who should have returned long ago, were standing beside the horse. And in Jang Daeho’s hand….

“Are you looking for this?”

The ornament she was looking for so desperately was hanging precariously from his fingertips. The moment she saw that, Hongyo rushed forward without weighing anything. Who do you think you are to touch that…! Her eyes turned completely red at the feeling of her blood rushing backward. At that, the group around Jang Daeho rushed at Hongyo.

Hongyo instinctively reached for her waist. Instead of the wooden sword she gripped every day, the real sword tailored for today caught her fingertips. Simultaneously, the Hwayounggyeong rule that Gamhwis must never cross real swords against each other under any circumstances came to mind. However, what stopped Hongyo more than the rule was the thought that if she truly drew her sword, it didn’t seem like it would end without someone seeing blood.

In the end, Hongyo, who did not draw her sword, handled them one by one instead by using the scabbard as a wooden sword. However, no matter how outstanding a person’s martial arts were, there was no helping it before men pressing in from all sides. Hongyo, who beat down as many as eight men in an instant, however, fell to both knees on the floor as the fellow who was knocked down grabbed her ankle and pulled while she was blocking the real sword drawn by Kim Insik, who was ahead of her in sword skills.

As Kim Insik, who did not miss that moment, stepped on her other knee and pressed down as it was, Hongyo had both knees forced down. Simultaneously, two or three of the fellows beaten by Hongyo rose and grabbed both her arms in an instant. As Hongyo struggled while having her knees forced down like a captive caught before an enemy general all of a sudden, Jang Daeho, who was watching that sight with enjoyment, walked forward slowly.

“My word, the Vice-Commander’s state is quite a sight.”

A smile was hanging on the corners of Jang Daeho’s mouth as he looked down at Hongyo, who was practically sprawled on the floor. As Hongyo growled at the look that anyone could see was full of enjoyment, he knelt on one knee and locked eyes with Hongyo. It was a fierce momentum as if she would strangle his neck at any moment if only her two hands were free. Watching that, an unprecedented gleam turned in Jang Daeho’s eyes, as if he found it amusing to death.

“I hear this is something incredibly precious to you, brat?”

Jang Daeho, who was spinning the ornament hanging from his fingertips round and round, suddenly clutched the ornament tightly. Hongyo turned deathly pale at the ornament that looked as though it would be crushed inside that hand at any moment.

“Give it back! You bastard!”

As harsh words that she would normally never utter slipped out after that, Jang Daeho, on the contrary, wore a highly amused expression as if it was his first time seeing this side of her.

“Seeing the reaction, it’s certain. Hey, you did a job this time too. Gu Yeoryeong.”

At that moment, Hongyo’s eyes grew so wide that they couldn’t possibly get any wider. Why was Yeoryeong’s name coming out from here…? However, the one standing at a distance far away was clearly Yeoryeong.

Hongyo stared at Yeoryeong, completely dumbfounded. Whether it was hard to cross eyes with such a Hongyo, Yeoryeong averted his gaze. Jang Daeho, who looked back and forth between such a Yeoryeong and Hongyo, reached out his hand and clutched her chin as it was, as if he didn’t like the fact that Hongyo’s gaze was still fixed on Yeoryeong.

With an immense grip strength as if her jawbone would be crushed, Hongyo had her head lifted following that gesture without being able to do anything about it. Only then, pulling up the corners of his mouth into a smirk as if he liked it, Jang Daeho spoke.

“It’s good right now too, but as expected, it feels like it would be a pity if I don’t see you crying your eyes out.”

Jang Daeho, who removed his hand from Hongyo’s face, picked up an arrow. He then tied the ornament to the tip of the arrowhead and slowly drew back the bowstring. The bowstring, drawn tautly to its limit, trembled precariously. At that moment, Hongyo’s face turned completely pale.

“No!”

Simultaneously with a sharp scream, the arrow that left Jang Daeho’s hand flew straight toward the forest. Jang Daeho whispered as he looked at Hongyo, who looked entirely out of her mind.

“What are you doing. You should go fetch it.”