NOVEL NEXT Chapter 87
Chapter 87: Her Curse
“Ugh, hiccup.”
The tears of Jeoksawol, nestled in Lee Cheol-soo’s arms, began to subside.
Thump, thump.
Her heart started to race.
Jeoksawol’s face flushed red.
‘W-What am I doing right now…?’
Slowly regaining her senses, Jeoksawol stammered.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Her heart kept pounding.
She could feel Lee Cheol-soo’s body heat, the touch of his firm muscles through her clothes.
How embarrassing.
It was shameful to be crying like a girl in the arms of a boy 46 years younger than her.
Yet more than that, she didn’t want to let go.
She wanted to stay like this forever.
Tightly.
Jeoksawol wrapped her arms around Lee Cheol-soo.
“…J-Just a little longer like this…”
The time spent apart from him felt like hell.
In less than a month, she felt his absence so intensely.
She couldn’t do without him.
She had messed everything up, so even if it meant apologizing, she wanted to be by his side.
She wanted to monopolize his heart.
“Just let me stay a little longer like this…”
Jeoksawol swallowed her words.
When she was very young, before she even entered martial arts, her mother had held her like this.
But after growing up and her mother tried to sell her off…
Jeoksawol hadn’t felt another’s body heat since.
“…So this is what it feels like to be warm…”
Her body heated up like a fireball.
Her heart raced like crazy. Thump, thump. Like a baby bird that found its lost mother, Jeoksawol buried herself deeper into Lee Cheol-soo’s embrace.
Tears streamed down her face.
She never wanted to be away from him again. She didn’t want to be distant from him for so long ever again. Never again…
Yes, she never wanted to part from him again.
A strange emotion, felt for the first time in her 60 years of life, shook her heart.
Thump, thump.
Jeoksawol closed her eyes.
She wanted to hold onto his warmth, his heat, the feel of him, his scent.
She wanted to make them all hers.
She wanted to remember it all.
“Are you feeling a bit better now?”
Lee Cheol-soo gently pulled Jeoksawol away.
“Ah…”
As she separated from him, a soft sigh escaped Jeoksawol’s lips.
She wiped her swollen eyes with her sleeve.
“…I’m sorry. Gaga. I’ve made a fool of myself again…”
Once she had apologized, it didn’t feel that humiliating.
If she could be with him, if she could monopolize his heart, she was ready to apologize again and again.
“It’s okay.”
Lee Cheol-soo placed his hand on her head.
Swish, swish.
Once again, Jeoksawol’s face turned a bright red at the gentle caress of his hand.
Her whole body trembled.
Yes.
This was the touch. This was the feeling. It was an expression of affection from Gaga who cared for her.
The gentle stroking ended.
Jeoksawol lowered her gaze.
It was finally a moment of apology. It was just a moment for the two of them. The reception hall of the Gongdong Sect, which was worse than a dilapidated house. But at this moment, it was more precious than all the high-class villas she owned.
“…I promise I won’t do it again. So, Gaga…”
“Come by whenever something comes up.”
Lee Cheol-soo interrupted her.
No one dared to interrupt Jeoksawol, known as the best in the Nine Provinces, in front of others.
Even Cheonma, who shared the same status, respected her.
Among the Nine Provinces and Eight Monarchs, Jeoksawol was an absolute master that everyone revered.
In terms of Lee Cheol-soo’s age, she was basically his grandmother.
That was extremely rude. But it only made Jeoksawol’s heart race even more.
A smile crept onto her lips.
“I will keep the back door of Gonhwa Pavilion open so that you can come see me anytime without being seen by others.”
Jeoksawol now understood what Gaga wanted.
Gaga cared about how the world saw him.
So to keep meeting him and to earn his affection…
Moreover, to become his soulmate, she needed to keep their relationship a secret for a while.
‘It’s a shame but…’
It was disappointing.
Not being able to flaunt her relationship with him.
But still, Jeoksawol endured.
Because she realized that not being able to meet him was far more painful than not being able to show off.
“…Yeah. I’ll come by often when the time is right.”
Hearing Lee Cheol-soo’s response, a smile appeared on Jeoksawol’s face.
That was her first true smile, filled with sincerity.
“Thank you, Gaga.”
Lee Cheol-soo’s lips curled into a smile upon hearing Jeoksawol’s gratitude.
And thus, that day’s excursion in the Gongdong Sect concluded.
*
The laborers who had pulled the cart had already left.
As Jeoksawol descended Gongdong Mountain alone after finishing the incense burning, her steps felt light.
‘Hehe. Gaga promised to visit my event.’
The events of today replayed in Jeoksawol’s mind.
Gaga had accepted her apology.
And he promised to visit her event again.
To think she could earn his forgiveness with just a bit of wealth.
She was joyful.
She couldn’t help but feel elated.
Jeoksawol’s steps were lighter than ever.
Thump.
Her heart raced.
Jeoksawol’s face flushed. The sensation of him still lingered all over her.
“Ugh…”
She bit her lip.
Her thoughts were entirely consumed by Lee Cheol-soo.
She hated a world without him. She couldn’t bear to be without him by her side.
She wanted to be with him.
‘I…’
Tap.
Jeoksawol’s footsteps halted.
Was it just a coincidence? The place she had reached was the creek where she had cried endlessly last time she came down the mountain.
Not nighttime but daytime now, her reflection showed in the gently flowing stream.
With trembling hands, Jeoksawol slowly took off her mask.
Her true self revealed beneath the mask.
The Most Beautiful in the World.
Even her frowning face looked beautiful, displaying an overwhelming beauty that could rival that of anyone throughout history.
Her face, which had never turned red out of feelings for anyone, was now flushed bright red as if she were a girl longing for someone.
“I, I am…”
She, who often looked at the mirror, had never seen such an expression or felt such emotions before.
Her hands trembled.
“The daughter of heaven… is feeling like this…”
Jeoksawol bit her lip.
She didn’t like it.
She raised her hand. A crimson energy blossomed from her hand as she struck it down towards the stream.
KABOOM!
With a thunderous sound, a wave erupted, sweeping the surroundings.
Chirp, chirp, chirp.
Nearby birds flew into the air in a frenzy.
In the now messy creek, where the muddy floor was exposed, Jeoksawol’s reflection no longer appeared.
“This is… not me…”
Jeoksawol denied her own feelings.
Yes.
This isn’t me.
It was impossible to genuinely develop feelings for a boy 46 years younger than her.
Yes, so it was nothing more than…
A scheme to corrupt the Post-Stimulation Indicator of the Orthodox Faction using Neungwolhyang.
“…I… don’t hold feelings for anyone…”
Jeoksawol murmured in a powerless voice.
From that day.
When she struck down the beast that snuck in during the night and severed the head of her master…
Jeoksawol vowed never to trust anyone.
She wouldn’t give her heart to anyone, nor would she expect anything from anyone. She had been hurt countless times by men, by humans. She didn’t want to trust anyone anymore.
“…Ugh…”
Tears flowed from her crimson eyes.
She didn’t want to believe it. But it kept coming back to her mind.
Still…
His face continued to appear, the warmth of his body, the feel of his hand when he patted her head kept flooding her thoughts.
Like a curse.
Her heart raced uncontrollably. Her body rejoiced against her own reason. Her face turned red despite her intentions.
She shouldn’t believe in anyone…
“…If I am Neungwolhyang…”
But if she were Neungwolhyang…
It would be okay to have a soulmate or give some feelings to someone.
Yes.
After all, it was just an act as Neungwolhyang.
Rustle, rustle.
Jeoksawol flipped her mask back on.
Returning from the magnificent Jeoksawol to the third-ranked beauty, Neungwi Jeoksawol softly murmured.
“My true heart… I won’t give it… absolutely…”
Yes.
Absolutely.
She kept murmuring, suppressing her own feelings as if to rationalize herself.
She didn’t want to be hurt anymore. She didn’t want to give her heart to anyone.
So she could only meet as Neungwolhyang.
But still…
She ultimately failed to erase Lee Cheol-soo from her mind.
*
After sending Jeoksawol back.
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.
‘Phew, I made it.’
It felt like walking on a tightrope. If I had said anything wrong, I would have been immediately kidnapped by Jeoksawol.
Fortunately, I managed to calm her down and send her back.
“Master. You seem to be in a good mood.”
The first person I faced upon returning was Sahyung.
Unlike her usual smiling face, there was a hint of cold air in Sahyung’s expression.
“…Indeed, Yujinhwi.”
Suharin suddenly appeared beside me.
With her usual emotionless face, she somehow seemed a bit upset.
“…What’s going on?”
“Now that the guests have left, we need to continue our training. For next year’s competition, too.”
“Yujinhwi is right. This is a must.”
With a sudden grip, Yujinhwi caught my wrist.
The atmosphere felt unusual.
I looked at Seomun Cheong-ha, seeking help.
“Hey, my loyal companion. Help me out here.”
“Hmph! No way!”
Seomun Cheong-ha coldly turned her head away.
What was with everyone today?
Thus, I was dragged along by Yujinhwi and Suharin toward the Grand Martial Arts Venue, where I was forced to endure a harsher training than usual.
Why was this happening to me?