Chapter 14: The Vermilion Princess Part 3

“The dawn will be our signal to move.”

After sealing the cave entrance, Seol Tae Pyeong assessed Hyeon Dang’s condition and said that.

The Vermilion Princess’s whole body ached so she was just sitting and leaning against the wall of the cave. To her, it seemed almost miraculous how Seol Tae Pyeong managed to move around the place despite his more serious injuries.

“The White Immortal Elder is not one to delay without reason, so by now he should be at the summit of the White Immortal Mountain, disturbing the energy there. However, even if the mist clears, it doesn’t mean the demonic spirits will vanish completely… And since visibility won’t improve until late at night…”

“So we break through to Taehwa Pavillion at dawn, when the yin energy dissipates, when it is difficult for the demonic spirits to exert their power, and when visibility is at its best.”

The sight of the Vermilion Princess’s court robes spread out on the dirt floor made it clear how much fabric she had been carrying around.

Although it was an incredibly luxurious item, it was just like the Vermilion Princess to tear it without hesitation to bandage Hyeon Dang’s wounds.

“Therefore, let’s rest tonight just like this to preserve our strength.”

“It seems we have no other choice.”

“You should try to get some sleep. I will stay awake and keep watch.”

“It hardly seems like a time to sleep with demonic spirits prowling outside.”

Though the Vermilion Princess was right, Seol Tae Pyeong shook his head.

“Still, to conserve your strength, it’s best to force yourself to rest. Don’t worry about the demonic spirits. I’ve inscribed a talisman at the entrance that masks our scent.”

“You know how to do that as well?”

“The White Immortal Elder taught me the basics of Taoist magic. However, my talent is somewhat lacking, so my skills are only so-so.”

Is that so?

After whispering these words to herself, the Vermilion Princess gently closed her eyes. Despite the hard dirt floor and the walls made of grass and mud, she inexplicably felt a sense of relief washing over her, as if her body was sinking into comfort.

But that didn’t mean she could easily fall asleep in such circumstances. The Vermilion Princess resigned herself to the fact that she would have to spend the night wide awake.

About an hour had passed when she spoke.

“Perhaps you could tell me about your life story.”

Spending a night in this cramped cave made time feel like an eternity.

Even in life-threatening situations, time passed slowly.

Unable to bear the boredom any longer, the Vermilion Princess made the suggestion, to which Seol Tae Pyeong, who was leaning against the opposite wall trying to recuperate, responded softly.

“It might not be a pleasant story for you, Vermilion Princess.”

Although it was just a question to kill time, the response was unexpectedly solemn.

Only then did the Vermilion Princess feel like she came to her senses. The man sitting across from her was a survivor of the Huayongseol clan whom the Vermilion Princess had long harbored resentment against. To hear his life story would inevitably involve the Huayongseol clan.

From a certain point, she had stopped paying any mind to the man’s origins. Despite the extreme circumstances, she found it hard to believe herself.

“Is it really a story that would make you so uncomfortable?”

“I am a bastard child of the Huayongseol clan.”

“It seems you’re aware enough to be ashamed of what your family has done.”

“Indeed, that’s true.”

He responded casually, but his voice carried weight. It seemed he was aware of the Vermilion Princess’s resentment towards the Huayongseol clan.

And he appeared to have no intention of making excuses for it. It was an inescapable reality. No amount of words could change the fact that he was born of the Huayongseol clan’s bloodline.

“It is entirely justified and natural for you, Vermilion Princess, to harbor resentment towards the lineage of the Huayongseol clan.”

But how he acknowledged it left the Vermilion Princess at a loss for how to respond.

“You survived the purge of the Huayongseol clan. How did you live afterward?”

“I wandered the imperial capital like a beggar. But I wasn’t alone because I had a sister who took my hand and wandered with me.”

The conversation then meandered into seemingly trivial details of his past.

Although she had thought it was just a way to kill time until morning arrived… the Vermilion Princess found herself leaning against the grass wall and listening intently. His story had an unexpectedly captivating pull.

“Later in the imperial capital, we sold heirlooms to some merchants…”

It was the story of two siblings who had been forced to fend for themselves from a young age.

“When I had been suffering from fever for about 80 days, my sister accidentally poured cold water on my face…”

Sometimes she burst out laughing.

“In an attempt to save my sister from nearly being kidnapped by bandits, I ended up taking a life… That memory has stayed with me ever since…”

And sometimes she felt sad.

“After being brought to Cheongdo Palace by the White Immortal Elder, I managed to become an apprentice warrior…”

Her ears perked up with interest.

“With each training session, my skills with the sword improved noticeably…”

As she listened to his story and satisfied her curiosity, the night deepened.

A person’s life is a world unto itself.

“I developed a habit of shifting my center of gravity when I first held a sword…”

“The scribe named Wang Han in the White Immortal Palace, who is a friend of mine, likes drinking so much….”

“Once, while out buying materials to repair the White Immortal Palace, I encountered a pottery artisan…”

“I once chased after a money changer who had struck me from behind in an alleyway…”

Just hearing the story of someone else’s life that you have never lived before makes you feel like a new world is opening up.

Though the life of the Vermilion Princess, treated with the highest regard as a member of the Jeongseon clan, might be worlds apart from his.

A life lived to the best of one’s ability often feels as if it has some kind of profound meaning in itself.

Without any bestowed will or great achievements.

It just seemed that this man had lived his life with all his might.

And just like that, he managed to survive and live through his own world.

Ah.

Perhaps, I shouldn’t have listened to his story.

Leaning against the grass wall, the Vermilion Princess mused to herself.

Maybe it was the small sense of kinship she felt in Seol Tae Pyeong’s casual way of narrating his life as if it were nothing.

Before being the descendant of the Huayongseol clan who killed her uncle In Chang Seok, he was just Seol Tae Pyeong.

Just as every moment of the Vermilion Princess’s life was real, so was every moment of this illegitimate child of the Huayongseol clan.

That fact prickled at the Vermilion Princess’s heart like a thorn.

“Speaking of which, you seem quite skilled with the sword, yet you appear to have no ambition of climbing the ranks. Why is that?”

Seol Tae Pyeong was changing the bandages on Hyeon Dang’s wounds for fresh ones when he heard the question and simply nodded his head.

The reason the Vermilion Princess was saying more was because the wounds all over her body were starting to feel sore. Almost half a day has passed since she hid in the cave. Her physical strength was reaching its limit.

“…. Are you in much pain? Perhaps taking a rest might be a good idea.”

“Just answer the question.”

Still, the fact that her spirit had largely recovered and she was able to maintain a strong facade was a positive sign.

Seol Tae Pyeong responded as he wrapped the cloth around Hyeon Dang’s body,

“It’s because I’m from the Huayongseol clan… Well, that’s more of an excuse.”

“…….”

“I wouldn’t dare say this in front of Her Highness the Crown Princess, but my motto in life is to work less and earn more.”

“Kahaha, you are really an enigma.”

The Vermilion Princess chuckled.

Seol Tae Pyeong didn’t mind and continued to inspect Hyeondang’s wounds. His diligent care somehow felt reassuring that the Vermilion Princess thought to herself that she had finally gone crazy.

But this feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant and she ultimately came to regard him as a remarkably intriguing man.

“Still, I am certain there are positions even better than the White Immortal Palace with decent earnings to be found.”

“…I guess I’ll just have to search for them later….”

Seol Tae Pyeong paused to choose his words carefully before continuing.

“The White Immortal’s time is short.”

“……”

“My plan is to stay at the White Immortal Palace until then.”

A moment of silence followed his words.

At first, she hadn’t thought him the type to be swayed by notions of loyalty, but now, she found herself admiring that very quality in him.

The Vermilion Princess pondered what to say and she slowly began to speak.

“He must be like a father to you.”

Following the Vermilion Princess’s probing words, Seol Tae Pyeong opened his half-closed eyes and answered clearly.

“It’s not quite to that extent.”

“Anyway, you’re someone whose principles are clear in ways that are hard to understand.”

The Vermilion Princess let out a sigh.

Talking with this man often led to serious topics, only for that atmosphere to deflate like air escaping from a balloon.

The unpredictable flow of their talk was refreshingly new for the Vermilion Princess, who was used to exchanging only the most predictable of courtesies.

“Kahaha.”

Her laugh was both frivolous and elegant at the same time.

Dawn was still far off, and the fact that she had to spend the night talking with this seemingly dull man remained unchanged.

But she found a peculiar charm in their trivial conversation. Though this was something she attributed to being tired.

She leaned her head against the grass wall again and spoke.

“After being born an illegitimate child to the Huanyongseol call in this harsh world… your life must have been full of trials. Wandering the imperial capital disguised as a beggar, suffering persecution as the bastard child of a treacherous clan, you might have often thought it better to die than live such a worthless life.”

What would be the point of asking such a thing of a mere apprentice warrior?

But even though she thought it was meaningless, the Vermilion Princess still seriously asked him.

“What was it that kept you alive?”

Seol Taepyeong’s movement as he wrapped the cloth around Hyeon Dang’s arm stopped for a moment.

For some reason, he felt a profound weight in her question. Was she expecting a particular kind of answer? The tone made him think for a moment.

But really, was it really a question that needed much thought? A straightforward and honest response would suffice.

Seol Tae Pyeong, who was wrapping a cloth around Hyeon-dang’s arm in silence for a moment… answered quietly.

“Delicious soup rice.”

“…….”

Haaah. She couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation.

What was she expecting when she attempted a serious conversation with this dull man? The Vermilion Princess closed her eyes while feeling somewhat defeated when he continued.

“And the sky I used to gaze up at from that dilapidated house.”

“…….”

“The coolness of the cold water that Ran-noonim occasionally shared, the sense of achievement after a day spent swinging my sword, the charming daffodils I stumbled upon while walking down the road, the buzz from a drink with my old friend Wang Han, and the silver coin I once found by the roadside.”

“That…”

Given that he often proclaimed the virtues of a man’s spirit and determination, she had expected his motivations to be grand.

But they turned out to be trivial.

“Such simple things together gave me reasons to live.”

However, the Vermilion Princess could not bring herself to scoff at his words.

For reasons she couldn’t fathom, there was a strange gravity in the man wrapping the cloth around Hyeon Dang’s arm. It seemed his answer was serious after all.

“What about you, Vermilion Princess?”

Caught off guard by his sudden question, the Vermilion Princess found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

“What was it that kept you alive?”

She had never imagined she would reflect on her life in a dusty cave.

Looking back, the vicinity of the Jeongseon clan was always filled with extraordinary men harboring grand dreams.

Each one of them spoke loudly of the significant reasons they had to live and their ambitions echoed through the world.

Such were these exceptional individuals that they could ascend to such lofty positions.

The reason to live is crucial. Those lacking it end up with empty hollow eyes.

The Vermilion Princess intuitively understood this, and perhaps Seol Tae Pyeong did as well.

──The eyes of Crown Prince Hyeon Won who was sitting before the Emperor were just like that.

In a life where he has been led and pushed around, there is no reason for him to live.

That must be why, despite being born a Crown Prince destined to rule under the heavens, his eyes seemed devoid of any attachment to life.

It was only then that the Vermilion Princess realized it. She was afraid of those eyes.

Being pushed into the role of a noblewoman in the Jeongseon clan, constantly striving for higher status, she feared she might one day find herself with that same empty gaze.

That’s why she desperately sought a reason to live. She believed that wandering and searching would eventually lead her to find it.

From the time she was a child, carrying the spirit tablet of Vice General In Chang Seok through the rain at his funeral procession…. she kept walking and walking and walking.

Just as the noble men around her proclaimed their grand ambitions with vigor.

She too wanted to seize and proclaim her own reasons for living.

She thought it had to be some grand, lofty goal, something she couldn’t grasp unless she kept reaching out as she moved forward.

“It seems we share a common understanding after all.”

The Vermilion Princess relaxed her body with her eyes gently closed.

“I simply lived.”

She navigated through life alone as if climbing a cliff with bare hands.

As she thought about it and continued to climb, she realized that many things had started to cling to her along the way.

The loyalty of the Headmaid Hyeon Dang, the admiration of the maids from the Vermilion Bird Palace, the touch of her aged mother’s wrinkled hands, the scent of plum blossoms from the vase in her chamber, the gold thread embroidery she did by hand, the flitting of butterflies she saw while wandering the garden, the chatter of the maids beyond the paper doors, the softness of her bedding, the beauty of her teacups, the morning air, the bright moon, the clouds, poetry.

“Simply by living, I found that reasons to live began to follow me.”

Drunk on the comfort that seemed to finally allow her to rest…. the Vermilion Princess spoke in a whisper almost as if confiding a secret.

“In a foolish way… I got the order mixed up…”

***

“Vermilion Princess.”

At those words, her eyes snapped open.

When she came to her senses, she found Seol Tae Pyeong had already packed up their belongings. It was unclear how many hours she had slept.

“The condition of Headmaid Hyeon Dang is not good. It seems we really must depart now.”

“Hyeon Dang…!”

The Vermilion Princess was startled and she sprang up to check on Hyeon Dang.

Huff, huff, huff. The headmaid was gasping for air and seemed to be feverish this time. It appeared as if the bleeding had resumed and the poison was surging back.

“Dawn is breaking. The visibility is good now, and the mist has lifted considerably. It seems the White Immortal Elder has lent us his strength.”

“That’s good news.”

The Vermilion Princess managed to get up with some effort. The rest she had taken the night before made it somewhat easier for her to move.

“However, some of the demonic spirits still linger. Their numbers have decreased due to the weakened yin energy, but…”

“But things are much better. Can you figure out the way to Taehwa Pavillion?”

“Yes. It seems possible to climb up the landslide that occurred overnight.”

“I see.”

The Vermilion Princess drew her sword to check its blade. Seeing that it was still sharp, she sheathed it again.

“My body has recovered enough to wield the sword.”

“Vermilion Princess, even so, if you get covered in the blood of those demonic spirits, it could be dangerous for you. My sword does not scatter their blood, but yours does.”

“Is that so? Even so, it won’t be easy for you to look after Hyeon Dang and protect me by yourself.”

The Vermilion Princess put her finger on her chin and pondered for a moment. Then she suddenly grasped Seol Tae Pyeong’s collar firmly.

“In that case, take off your clothes.”

“…Huh?”

Whooosh!

The early morning breeze rushed into the cave.

Though it was only the break of dawn with the sky just beginning to turn a pale blue, the brightness felt overwhelming after spending the night inside the cave.

Two figures emerged from the cave.

Seol Tae Pyeong who was completely shirtless was carrying Hyeon Dang over one shoulder, and he wielded the cold iron heavy sword in his other hand.

And there was the Vermilion Princess with her skin exposed in several places and wrapped in torn pieces of cloth. These were Seol Tae Pyeong’s clothes cut and wrapped around her.

Having used the fabric of her court robe to bandage Hyeon Dang’s wounds, she had no choice but to resort to this appearance.

“Even with fabric wrapped around, it’s impossible to be completely free from the blood of those demonic spirits.”

“I know. If such makeshift bandages worked, demonic spirit hunters wouldn’t have to go through so much trouble.”

Dawn broke. The morning sun dissipated the yin energy from the White Immortal Mountain.

The sunlight dispelled the shadows cast within the forest and revealed the face of the Vermilion Princess standing resolutely above the cave.

“Let me ask you. How many demonic spirits can one person defeat?”

“A strong man can take down about ten before reaching his limit.”

“Then, I shall aim for twenty.”

That should be enough to reach Taehwa Pavillon.

The sight of her speaking like that in the light of dawn was truly dignified, and she was indeed her usual self.

“You once told me that not distinguishing between courage and recklessness could lead to great danger.”

“I was swept up by the moment and may have spoken out of turn.”

“Well, I don’t think it was presumptuous. For some reason, I feel that now I can cut through the hordes of demonic spirits and reach Taehwa Pavilion.”

“……..”

“Perhaps it’s because you are here.”

Calmly admitting something while gently closing her eyes was also usual of her.

“Is this courage, or is it recklessness? At this point, distinguishing between the two is still too difficult for me. Even though I look like this, my life has been too short.”

“……..”

“Still, I choose to believe this is courage.”

When she opened her eyes again, one could see the fighting spirit trying to reignite in those red eyes of hers. The night was drawing to a close.

“Yes, it is a truly amazing feeling.”

She savored the rising dawn’s sunlight and the winter air that invigorated her spirit. Then, the Vermilion Princess let out a laugh. It was that “Kahaha.” carefree laugh she reserved for when she felt at ease.

“Having you by my side gives me some confidence that I will definitely survive.”

There was only one person that came to Seol Tae Pyeong’s mind when she said that.

That person must be sweating bullets to save the prince even at this moment.

It was the protagonist with a superhuman tenacity who never lost her will to live, no matter how dire the circumstances were.

Perhaps that’s why he said with a smirk.

“It must be in the genes.”

With that, the two of them dashed through the forest overrun with demonic spirits.

Cutting, and cutting again.

They scaled trees and climbed over mounds of earth.

Breaking through the dawn air and the onslaught of demonic spirits rushing at them, they climbed the White Immortal Mountain again and again.

The hordes of demonic spirits were much larger than expected. Their energy was significantly drained by the rising yang energy of the sunlight, but even considering that, it was overwhelming.

But they did not stop cutting through them.

They run side by side, screaming, covering their wounds, and grasping the handle of their swords.

A demonic spirit lunged at Seol Tae Pyeong from behind, only to be cleaved in two by the sword of the Vermilion Princess.

Then when the Vermilion Princess started to lose her balance and fall backwards, Seol Tae Pyeong caught her by the wrist.

Thinking they could still manage, they ignored the screams of their own bodies and continued to leap forward, step by step.

However, what blocked their path was a huge intermediate demonic spirit.

It had the head of a newborn, and it let out a bizarre wail as its numerous limbs twisted around. A multitude of lower demonic spirits shrieked around it.

Yet, the two people’s steps did not slow down.

Behind the peak of the White Immortal Mountain, the sun began to rise.

They used that as their guidepost and kept running while swinging their swords.

***

Dawn broke.

Jang Rae led hundreds of soldiers and stood upright in front of Taehwa Pavilion. The place was almost swept away by a landslide, leaving barely a trace.

Thanks to the Taoist mage of the White Immortal, most of the mist had cleared away, and demonic spirit hunters from near the imperial capital were summoned as quickly as possible.

Just one night after the incident, conditions were finally right to rescue those caught in the landslide. This too would have been delayed without the aid of the White Immortal.

The priority was to somehow find the Crown Prince first.

Surviving such a massive landslide was very difficult, yet as long as there was hope, they had to move as quickly as possible.

“We start near Taehwa Pavillion, then move down while dealing with the demonic…!”

Jang Rae was about to command his troops when it happened.

Thud

A man’s arm emerged along the traces of debris that had pushed down Taehwa Pavilion. His hand was covered in blood.

He seemed to have clawed his way up through the remnants of the landslide.

The man who gritted his teeth and climbed up the cliff near Taehwa Pavilion and stood upright was Seol Tae Pyeong, his entire body covered in blood.

“That’s…!”

Jang Rae gasped in shock and leaped off his horse.

Seol Tae Pyeong who was staggering in front of the cliff of Taehwa Pavilion had headmaid Hyeon Dang in a critical condition over his shoulder, the Vermilion Princess covered in demonic blood on his back, and his heavy iron sword strapped to his waist.

Just by standing, the blood was trickling down his body and soaking his feet. Yet he stood firmly with his head bowed and legs firmly planted.

His figure was such that one could mistake him for a dead man standing.

“Bring the physician! Bring a physician here, now! Hurry!”

Jang Rae shouted to his soldiers as he ran out.

Clatter

Once he heard Jang Rae’s voice, Seol Tae Pyeong slowly collapsed onto the stone ground.

This man… from the White Immortal Palace…!

It was at that moment that Jang Rae who dashed out and inspected the fallen Seol Tae Pyeong alongside the two young girls.

Beyond the cliff, the trail of blood left by his ascent was visible. Following the sight down, Jang Rae couldn’t help but gulp down dry saliva and his eyes opened wide with shock.

The soldiers following Jang Rae also froze in place after beholding the scene below.

This is… madness…

Bathed in the dawn light of the White Immortal Mountain, the corpses of demonic spirits lay piled up like mountains.

And in the midst of it all, a huge intermediate demonic spirit that even veteran demonic spirit hunters struggled with was cut vertically in half.

The cut section was covered in cold ice and was frozen solid.

It was a sight that made it easy for anyone to guess what had happened.

It was a sign of the struggle to survive.