The Nature of Possession

422 – EP.15 Swing

***

When I opened my eyes, I felt a strange sense of sadness. I quietly got up and looked to the side.

Chunhyang was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly.

Her calm face was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but stroke her hair with my hand.

The hair that smoothly wrapped around my hand felt like strings made of sugar.

The scent of flowers wafted from the hand holding Chunhyang.

After drinking the tea at the bedside, I opened the door and went out.

I sit on the floor and review yesterday’s events.

Bangja fell down and said something about the Zhang family. However, Bangja got up again and said he did not remember saying such things.

There are two possibilities.

Either Bangja was talking nonsense while losing consciousness, or someone manipulated Bangja’s memories.

Common sense would suggest that the former would be more advantageous, but I keep getting caught up in the latter.

I remember Bangja saying that the Jang people seemed to use some kind of special sorcery.

If the Japanese who entered the mountain created a situation where they were killing each other, there must be some way.

In a world ruled by magic, mystery, faith, and sorcery, I’ve seen many instances of memory manipulation.

It cannot be said for certain that there is no such ability here.

Let’s focus on the hypothesis that the Zhang family manipulated Fang Zi’s memories and think about how to deal with the Zhang family.

First of all, I don’t really know what the purpose of the Jang family is.

There’s a high chance it’s related to me, but the only Zhang people I’ve met on my way back and forth are the one who was almost killed by a tiger and the group of Zhang people I met while going down the mountain.

The group of Zhang people we met while descending the mountain do not seem to be the cause of the current situation.

It’s hard to say for sure, but that’s the feeling.

They were ordinary people, except that they were Zhangyi people.

Although he was a trained warrior, he was not of a caliber that could offend my sense of crisis.

So, what’s left is….

The Jang tribe I met as soon as I arrived in this world.

Long ears extending horizontally, golden eyes shining brightly.

A being that gives off a strange feeling, different from other Jang tribes.

She is the one who created this situation.

My intuition screamed.

“Have you coughed?”

While I was pressing my pounding head, a soft voice touched my back.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Chunhyang sat next to me.

“Yes. It’s time to get up now.”

Even though he had just woken up, his hair was neat and his face was glowing.

“Why are you doing that?”

When I stared at her intently, Chunhyang tilted her face.

“No. Just because it’s pretty.”

My true feelings suddenly burst out, and I turned my gaze to the yard to control my expression.

“Huh, is that so?”

With a satisfied moan, Chunhyang leaned her head on my shoulder. Her left hand wrapped around my right hand.

It smelled like flowers.

Chunhyang looked at the same place as me.

The morning sun, now showing its face, began to warm the air that had been stagnant all night.

In the kitchen, there was the smell of Hyangdan cooking, and the sound of Bangja, who woke up late, tidying up her clothes and brushing her hair.

“master.”

“huh?”

“There were a lot of things going on, but now everything is calm.”

Chunhyang turned her face towards me. It was a cool smile.

“right.”

I nodded to Chunhyang’s words and put strength into the hand I was holding.

It seemed like the connection between me and Chunhyang was becoming stronger.

“Your Majesty, do you have any plans for today?”

“Not really….”

I was thinking about reporting to the authorities that the Jang people were nearby.

“Then how about going on a swing ride this afternoon?”

“swing?”

“After the master came back, I didn’t go to ride the swing, so I missed it for some reason…”

Chunhyang blushed.

I guess he was suggesting we go on a date.

I nodded.

***

She was on the hill.

As I was going up, I saw a swing decorated with wood, and I could tell that it was a construction project that had involved quite a lot of manpower.

They say that Chunhyang used to watch me while riding on the swing here.

As Chunhyang said, the street scene was clearly visible.

“Is that a market?

“Yes. That’s the house over there. It looks like the squire is using the yard.”

We tried to fit together the horizontal view of the village like a puzzle.

Following Chunhyang’s fingers, I take in the geography of the village.

Chunhyang, who had been looking around the village for a while, put her feet on the swing.

“Should I push it?”

“I think I would be happy if you did that.”

When I asked, Chunhyang smiled broadly.

I pushed Chunhyang’s back.

“oh!”

The swing swayed unsteadily.

“I… Your Majesty. Have you forgotten?”

“huh?”

“You… need to push your waist. Or below that….”

Chunhyang spoke hesitantly.

“sighe….”

I slowly lowered my hand and grabbed Chunhyang’s waist.

When he touched her hand, Chunhyang’s body stiffened.

“Are you embarrassed now?”

I threw out a joke to lighten the awkward atmosphere.

“I’ve never seen anything like this outside… I’m surprised.”

Chunhyang also made her own protest.

I cleared my throat and gently pushed Chunhyang’s waist.

The swing moved smoothly like a sailboat riding the wind.

I took a few steps back and pushed her back as she came back.

Push that net

To the distant sea

As if pushing the boat out,

I remembered the words that Chunhyang recited while imprisoned in prison.

I send her out to sea, like the wind pushing the boat,

Pushed gently and freely.

Chunhyang went far, far away.

Chunhyang’s hands holding the swing rope looked strong.

“master.”

Chunhyang called me from afar.

“I am happy.”

I felt good because there was sincerity and emotion in those words.

“I wish this moment could last forever.”

The wind blew. And the flowers smelled.

I looked back as if I was possessed by something.

Not at the bottom of the hill overlooking the village, but behind it.

The hill was filled with golden flowers.

Bright and pretty yellow flowers, emitting a heady fragrance, took over the hill.

The sight of those flowers, which did not allow a single other flower or tree, made my back ache.