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Chapter 431: The Lake of Regret

By the time the banquet came to an end, night had deepened.

A full moon hung in the sky as I strolled slowly along the Tang Clan’s path.

Woo Hyeok mentioned that the banquet’s food was delicious and wanted more.

Cheol Jiseon seemed to share the same sentiment, so I left them and moved on.

“Haah.”

Tonight was particularly bright.

Lanterns hung everywhere, illuminating the streets.

The full moon shone especially bright as well.

In stark contrast to my mood.

The world still appeared so vibrant.

With my darkened eyes scanning the surroundings, I quietly spoke.

“Where’s Baek Cheon-gyeom?”

At my question, Tang Deok, who had been following from a distance, lifted his head.

“I heard he’s drinking.”

“Just as I thought.”

That lady would definitely do that. I chuckled lightly and continued walking.

“Return to your room and wait quietly. I’ll be back after walking a bit.”

“…”

Tang Deok glared at me upon my command but soon began moving anyway.

Keeping that guy around for too long was problematic enough.

As soon as I confirmed Tang Deok had disappeared, I paused momentarily.

I ran my hand over my body.

And I recalled.

What Shin Yi had said about death.

“Death, huh.”

Was the vessel reaching its limit?

“That makes sense.”

The headaches and emotional fluctuations I’d been feeling lately must be related to this issue.

The balance of my body was gradually twisting, and its influence was spreading.

Tua Pacheonmu was correcting my physique and artificially advancing my Transformation of the Body.

Once the transformation occurred, the vessel would naturally grow larger.

But could it truly keep up with the breaking pace?

Moreover, as my energy increased, the vessel was said to break sooner. Training itself was a risky endeavor.

Pejon had stated that if I continued at this pace, I would reach that realm within twenty years.

Learning martial arts and achieving Transformation of the Body in just twenty years?

That was an unimaginable speed.

However, I had only ten years left, if I recalled correctly.

It was said that I could make it to forty, so there could be more time than twenty years.

Still, it made sense to consider it as ten years.

What would the probability be of achieving Transformation of the Body in that timeframe?

In addition, given that the Blood Calamity was just around the corner, could I afford to choose the option of building my realm?

I thought not.

“Ten years, huh.”

I repeatedly pondered with a cold head.

How much time was left until the war period?

The flow had been pulled forward, speeding up by a few years, so I needed to account for that.

I thought I could adjust my future plans a bit.

Was there a way to gather more strength?

I also had to search for the Inner Altar and treasures that might be hidden throughout the country.

After solidifying my power, I needed to turn the Martial Alliance upside down as well.

I aimed to achieve all that within five years.

Then, the remaining five years needed to be focused on the war.

“Haha.”

As I contemplated, I burst into laughter.

Plans are always precise, but accidents happen where least expected.

Not everything would go as smoothly as I thought.

My death would be similar.

“Not good.”

I wasn’t afraid of death.

I had thought it could come to this one day.

If I kept flipping the expected flow, I knew this kind of abnormality would arise.

Even knowing all this, when the moment actually arrived, many thoughts crossed my mind.

“Shin Yi said he wouldn’t give me medicine.”

The lack of Shin Yi’s medicine would mean that in ten years, I might very well die tomorrow.

Not necessarily tomorrow, but a year from now.

If it’s shorter than that, perhaps six months, or even a month.

Not bad.

That didn’t mean it was good that death was upon me.

“Meeting Shin Yi here.”

That was the reason it wasn’t bad.

Even Pejon wouldn’t know of the abnormalities in my body.

He was a martial artist, not a physician.

He surely wouldn’t have been aware of the vessel issue.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have pushed me to train so harshly…

“…No, perhaps he would have even if he did know.”

Given that crazy personality of his, he might have ignored it, yet I maintained otherwise.

This was an opportunity.

Meeting Shin Yi was a coincidence, and it was a stroke of fate that he recognized the abnormalities in my body.

Moreover, realizing that he could create medicine to sustain life from my death was also a twist of fate.

Had he not said he wouldn’t give me medicine?

From his gaze, that sentiment seemed genuine, and he wouldn’t easily explain his intentions.

It didn’t matter.

As my head cooled, my gaze also turned icy.

Contrary to his sharp tone and rough demeanor, Shin Yi was deeply caring.

Even after seeing me for the first time in years, I could tell from how he acted.

Not just that.

“You have too big of a weakness, Shin Yi.”

He had a distinct vulnerability.

Jiegal Hyeok.

From my time spent with him at Gu Clan, I had learned one thing.

The reason he roamed the Central Plains was because of Jiegal Hyeok.

While I didn’t know the precise reason, I was certain of this one fact.

So what could be his objective in doing so?

That was hard to say, but I had a few guesses, and most of them would be Shin Yi’s weaknesses.

Not to mention, Jiegal Hyeok himself was Shin Yi’s vulnerability.

Using that would not be particularly difficult for me.

“…”

I felt astonishingly calm as I recalled one piece at a time.

Was it because Jiegal Hyeok would play a significant role in the Blood Calamity to come?

“No.”

No, this was simply because neither Shin Yi nor Jiegal Hyeok mattered much to me.

The mindset that I could easily discard either of them.

That filthy and burdensome feeling threatened to whitewash me.

Suppressing self-loathing, I moved my legs.

Thud.

I moved forward.

As I did so, I thought.

What then is important?

Is my death significant?

That too, was not the case.

I didn’t have much attachment to this life.

It had been that way since the point of my return.

A second chance? A chance for what?

To atone for the sins I committed in my past life?

“Haha…”

No point.

Even if I attempted to atone for what I had done in my past life now, could that truly be considered atonement?

It would merely be self-satisfaction.

A mere delusion that I had paid off my debts.

If that’s the case.

What’s the reason for wishing to cling to life while despising it?

I didn’t need to ponder long on that.

The reason was already known.

“Prince?”

“…”

Someone exclaimed in surprise, looking at me.

It was Wi Seol-Ah.

What was Wi Seol-Ah doing here?

As I thought and scanned the area, I realized I had arrived at the lodging where she was staying.

The fact that Wi Seol-Ah was here meant…

I tilted my head slightly to the side.

Beside her sat Nangong Bi-ah, also looking at me.

They were said to be in the same residence.

Nangong Bi-ah, surprised by my sudden appearance, widened her eyes and approached me.

Wi Seol-Ah did the same.

“…Prince? Is something wrong…?”

Both approached and gazed at me with concerned expressions.

Seeing that, I gave a bittersweet smile.

I guess I wasn’t very good at hiding my feelings.

They noticed everything.

I wished for them not to see this.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“…That’s a lie.”

Nangong Bi-ah looked at me with disbelief.

But it was unavoidable.

“I just walked here without realizing.”

Without thinking, I ended up instinctively coming here.

What a ridiculous explanation, like I’m a dog.

Nangong Bi-ah and Wi Seol-Ah seemed to sense something strange about me.

Certainly, it would be reasonable for them to be wary.

What should I say?

I pondered briefly.

Nothing came to mind.

So I decided to simply express my feelings as they were.

“I just wanted to see you.”

“…!”

“So I just came by for a bit.”

Out of nowhere, I felt like seeing them.

That seemed to be all I could express right now.

As I drew closer to the two, their eyes widened in surprise.

The sight of them frozen like stones was quite peculiar.

Amused by their stance, I reached out my hand.

Swoosh.

“…!”

“Ah…!”

Cautiously, I pulled them into a hug, a bit stronger than intended.

In that moment, they initially resisted but quickly relaxed and embraced me.

Their hair brushed against my face, tickling my nose.

The faint warmth radiating from their bodies eased my heavy heart just a little.

If I had suddenly hugged them, they might have been surprised enough to say something.

But they were silent.

Perhaps they were taken aback.

When I began feeling apologetic, I sensed a gentle hand brushing down my back.

Rather than blaming me, they seemed to prioritize this moment.

Feeling that, I closed my eyes.

‘So small.’

I could feel the two bodies enclosed in my embrace.

Thin and petite.

Though the energy within them was remarkably potent, they felt small and frail.

Receiving unearned comfort from them, my mind remained tangled.

Why was I trying to cling to this dull life?

That thought lingered.

‘Ah….’

I recalled the peace and serenity that Cheonghae Ilgeom had spoken of.

I remembered the wrinkled eyes of the elder, asking me where my peace lies.

I also remembered the answer I hadn’t given back then.

‘My peace is probably this.’

May the souls who died for my sake find peace.

And may the lives of those in my arms be filled with tranquility moving forward.

Even for those who lived for me, even if not held in my embrace.

If it were a life for that purpose, then this life had been enough.

They had said ten years.

Within that time, I would end the Blood Calamity.

Even if it’s impossible, I’d still try.

Somehow, I had to do it.

I had long discarded the option of giving up.

For that, I would give up anything.

I could become anything.

Squeezing tightly, I buried my face in their shoulders.

And I thought.

‘I can do this.’

I will not fall apart.

I kept reiterating that in my mind.

The next morning, as dawn broke, I confronted the Poison King.

“I apologize for coming at such an early hour, Tang Clan Leader.”

Others had only just begun their morning training.

They probably hadn’t even had a proper meal yet.

Upon seeing me suddenly arrive, the Poison King narrowed his eyes.

I smiled slightly at him and said, “Can we see the lake I mentioned before?”

 

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