Chapter 48: Heavenly Maiden Part 5

This time, when I visited the Heavenly Dragon Hall, I didn’t inform Seol Ran.

She would never have imagined that the person she always interacted with and exchanged words with when she came to the White Immortal Palace was actually the Heavenly Maiden who supposedly never left her inner chambers.

Anyway, there was a chance that I might meet Seol Ran at the Heavenly Dragon Hall, but it seemed it wouldn’t be a big problem to inform her after grasping the situation first.

“What brings the warrior of the White Immortal Palace here?”

“…. Her Highness told me to show you this wooden tablet.”

When I showed the Heavenly Dragon tablet to Lee Ryeong who was the headmaid of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, her expression instantly hardened.

She seemed to be lost in thought for a moment… Then she dismissed all the other maids and court ladies around us.

When we were left alone at the main entrance of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, the head maid nodded her head and started to lead me with a gesture that I should follow her.

It seemed that the headmaid knew the situation to some extent.

“Her Highness is currently resting in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion at the back of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”

“Do I not need to purify myself?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

The last time I visited, I went through a lot of trouble for several hours just to see her face, but this time the procedure was noticeably simplified.

As we walked around the Heavenly Dragon Hall and crossed the backyard for quite some time, I couldn’t help but ask out of impatience.

“…. How is her highness’s condition…?”

“You seem to know everything, so I’ll speak frankly.”

Headmaid Lee Ryeong was someone even the headmaids of the Four Great Palaces would bow to. She held the highest level of authority among the palace maids.

In truth, I was never in a position to speak to her so confidently, but ever since I showed her the Heavenly Dragon tablet, her attitude had completely changed.

“To begin with, her highness has rarely stayed inside the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”

Publicly, it was said she was bedridden and unable to take care of herself due to illness, but that was just a cover for her to be secluded inside the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

Except for extremely important matters she couldn’t miss as the Heavenly Maiden, Ah Hyun spent most of her time at the White Immortal Palace.

“In that case…”

“It would be better to hear the details directly from her highness.”

As we crossed the garden in the backyard, I saw the Heavenly Jade Pavilion standing beside a small waterfall in the distance behind the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

A familiar figure was quietly drinking tea at the table prepared under the pavilion while listening to the sound of the waterfall.

Usually her hair was neatly tied up, but now it was let down and she was wearing a fancy court robe.

From the outer garment embroidered with a dragon to the silk skirt and robe, everything was luxurious.

Across from that table were several tea ware pieces and a beautifully decorated wooden seat. It was obvious that the seat was prepared for me.

“…….”

I went on and sat down in that seat…. before I broke out into a cold sweat.

Indeed. When people are pushed into extreme situations, they start to sweat.

While living at the White Immortal Palace, I behaved shamelessly in front of Yeon Ri. Looking back at things now, I realized I had acted that way in front of the Heavenly Maiden.

Only when confronted with a shameful past do people truly reflect on their disgraceful actions.

Warrior Seol Tae Pyeong.

How truly… shameful…

“Oh my, Tae Pyeong-ah.”

It was completely different from the voice I heard beyond the paper door not long ago. At that time, she was haggard and sickly… she literally felt like a solitary daffodil (flower), but now it was finally the familiar tone of Yeon Ri that I had always heard. This was her natural tone, without any pretense.

It was hard to imagine that the girl behind the paper door and the girl who had been in the White Immortal Palace for several years were the same person.

Realizing this fact and hearing her voice…… Only then did I recognize the strange similarity underlying it.

“I thought my neck would stretch waiting for you.”

From my perspective, however, I was simply confused about how to respond.

Swish—

The sound of the waterfall beside Heavenly Jade Pavilion filled the air.

As she sipped the incredibly expensive tea that cost a fortune per cup without a care, Heavenly Maiden Ah Yun finally revealed herself and spoke with delight.

“Haha. My prank was too much last time, wasn’t it? I almost burst out laughing seeing you so flustered.”

“…….”

“But do understand~. I didn’t want to reveal the exact circumstances yet. I had to nip any suspicion in the bud. You really had no idea, did you, Tae Pyeong-ah?”

Not showing herself behind the paper door, speaking in a deliberately weak voice, trembling while suppressing her laughter, and testing my reaction by talking about the crown princess consorts.

“I wanted you to focus on the White Immortal’s funeral. That’s all.”

“…….”

“I knew how much you cherished the White Immortal Elder. Revealing the true identity of the senior maid who was always with you… that would only bring you great confusion when you needed to focus on saying goodbye to the White Immortal.”

Was that why she didn’t hand over the Heavenly Dragon Tablet until the White Immortal’s funeral rites were completed?

I had to keep my eyes, which were about to bounce around aimlessly, fixed on the teacup and think about what to say.

The Heavenly Maiden smiled mischievously with her chin resting on her hand.

Indeed.

From the beginning, Ah Hyun was never the weak person confined to her inner chamber due to illness.

It seemed that only her closest confidant, the headmaid, knew of this fact.

Unless it was an extremely important event, Ah Hyun wouldn’t even have entered Heavenly Dragon Hall, and even if such an event occurred, an apprentice court lady wouldn’t have been allowed to see her.

I could easily imagine Seol Ran being utterly shocked upon learning this truth.

“… Did the White Immortal know about this?”

“He seemed to have an inkling of it. From the moment he allowed me into the White Immortal Palace, he likely sensed the presence of Heavenly Dragon’s energy in my body. His ability to see through people was… something that could never be deceived.”

Even if he wasn’t completely certain, he must have had a strong suspicion.

However, as his end drew near, he made me gather the wooden tablets of the four great palaces and made me seek out the Heavenly Maiden.

That was probably…

“It must have been like a message from the White Immortal.”

Before I could ask, Ah Hyun answered.

I still remembered the look on her face from that time.

Seeing the wooden tablets of the four great palaces gathered in one place, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun remained silent for a while behind the paper door.

It was proof that her efforts over the years had not been in vain.

It must have been a message of comfort from the White Immortal to the Heavenly Maiden as he faced his end.

It’s okay now. Your efforts were not wasted.

Even if he left this world, there were many who would stay by her side.

Was that so?

The day I met Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun beyond the paper door and returned to the White Immortal Palace.

The reason the White Immortal looked so relieved, as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders, was not because he had confirmed the Heavenly Maiden’s health.

It was because I, Seol Tae Pyeong, had gathered all the wooden tablets of the four great palaces.

It was because I managed to go to that place, confirm that fact, and come back…. That’s why he passed away with peace of mind.

When I realized that truth…. strangely, I felt a lump in my throat.

“Tae Pyeong, you must have known too.”

It was then that I understood why the Heavenly Maiden, who must have seen the White Immortal’s death several times already, cried so much for days.

“That old man … never acts as expected…”

After saying that, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun smiled.

However, the slight sadness at the corners of her raised lips couldn’t be erased, even with her usual lively expression.

“…So, did he deliberately set the policies every time the crown princess consorts got involved?”

“Oh my, Tae Pyeong-ah, hearing you speak so formally to me feels so refreshing. I’m impressed at how I managed to hold back my laughter the last time.”

“………”

She put down the teacup with a smile on her face and then continued talking in the same lively tone she had shown in the White Immortal Palace.

“Why? Tae Pyeong-ah, you were born a man, so you should at least dream of indulging in pleasure once in your life! It’s something you always said with such confidence! Courage! The spirit of a true man!”

“………”

“Of course, if the targets were the crown princess consorts, your life would naturally be at risk several times… but still, I’m here.”

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun laughed heartily but mixed her words with a bit of sincerity.

“Don’t worry. I roughly know what will happen in the future.”

“If you say it like that, I can’t help but be reassured …”

“…However, this is the first time you have captured all the mistresses of the four great palaces and reached the Heavenly Dragon Hall…… so there are some uncertainties…”

“If you say such disturbing things… I…”

Even as we spoke, the awkwardness didn’t disappear.

No matter how neatly she was dressed in her court robe and adorned herself lavishly, the girl in front of me still appeared as the senior maid who had guarded the White Immortal Palace with me all this time.

Just as she was about to say something more, Ah Hyun noticed my expression and gave a wicked smile.

“Why, Tae Pyeong, won’t you call me Yeon-noonim~?”

“…….”

“Go on, call me Yeon-noonim~.”

“…Your Highness, this is difficult for me.”

“…….”

So, that’s how it is…

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun clicked her tongue at her own words, then soon burst into laughter.

“Ahaha, so how was it? As a maid, I wasn’t too bad, right? I was confident in my handcraft skills, but no matter how much I tried, my cooking never improved.”

“…….”

“Anyway, many things have changed with the death of the White Immortal. I’ve prepared almost everything that can be prepared before the plague demonic spirit emerges. Staying at the White Immortal Palace had its own importance.”

I couldn’t help but ask.

“What kind of preparations are you talking about?”

“What else? Personnel preparation. The old Eunuch Chu Yeong Seok said he was returning to his hometown to grow tea, but in reality, he’ll be my eyes outside the palace. Scribe Wang Han will enter the main palace and become a renowned high official. Those two will be of great help later in getting rid of high officials who get too caught up with politics. Especially, we have to get rid of that poisonous snake, Strategist Hwa An.”

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun seemed to have a well-structured plan.

“And Tae Pyeong, you are the sharpest sword I could find.”

“……”

“It’s obvious. You’ll soon leave the White Immortal Palace, and the vice general and other commanders will be drooling to take you. But I’m sorry, I can’t give you to anyone.”

“…huh?”

“I plan to put up an agenda at the council meeting and create an organization called “Inner Swords”. I’ll say that recently the maids of the harem have been behaving improperly and the inner palace is unstable, so we need someone to oversee and manage this.”

She said that and flashed a sly smile, which made me feel uneasy.

“A rank of about upper fifth rank for the commander of that organization should be appropriate. That’s right, if someone under the protection of the Heavenly Maiden can’t secure at least that position, it would be embarrassing for me. Not bad, right, Tae Pyeong-ah?”

“…upper fifth rank?”

“Given all your contributions, there shouldn’t be a problem recommending you. The issue might be your age, though. As soon as you come of age, you should be ready to join the inner swords.”

“What on earth are you talking about… Your highness…”

It seemed that Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun had already done most of the calculations.

Anyway, it meant that my advancement was essential to prevent the coming of the plague demonic spirit.

An idle post. My dream of working less and earning more. She was telling me to forget about all of that.

“You’ll have a few maids assigned to you…. and I will also attach two or three military officers under your command. Well, if you achieve some accomplishments, your rank can rise even higher…. In any case, as the commander of the inner swords, you’ll have free access to the inner palace. You’ll also carry the Heavenly Dragon Tablet, so you can visit the Heavenly Dragon Palace whenever you want, although you must keep your visits secret.”

After saying this, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun, or rather Yeon Ri, gave me a thumbs up with the brightest smile in the world.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Tae Pyeong-ah.”

“………”

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun, or rather Yeon Ri, knew me too well.

In short, she was telling me not to think about running away to an idle post.

“So, your health is really not bad?”

I felt my mind becoming dizzy as Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun poured out one story after another.

However, amidst it all, I could clearly sense a strange sense of discord.

She spoke endlessly about how life as a maid had been, the grace of the White Immortal, and what my future would be like…

But from my perspective, it seemed she was subtly avoiding the topic I was most curious about.

That’s right.

She had said herself that the rumors about her fighting illness in her inner chamber were all fabricated lies.

However, in reality, the energy of the Heavenly Dragon was weakening.

The fact that the White Immortal had been driving away demonic spirits at the White Immortal Mountain every night meant that the energy of the Heavenly Maiden was weakening.

“Aah, Tae Pyeong is really sharp in these matters.”

Ah Hyun said with a slight smile when I asked her that.

She swung the end of her sleeve and spread her arm proudly, just like the energetic Yeon Ri I had always known.

She walked over to the waterfall, sat down on the wooden railing of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion, and quietly gazed at the scenery of the garden.

Her confident stride as she walked the halls of the White Immortal Palace overlapped with this image, yet her expression seemed somewhat more subdued.

“You probably have a sense of it too, but I can no longer use the Heavenly Dragon’s energy. Seeing how demonic spirits have started to overflow near the imperial capital… I might have to focus solely on recovery from now on, at least until court lady Seol awakens as the Heavenly Maiden.”

“…….”

“Tae Pyeong-ah.”

Ah Hyun’s voice grew deeper.

“When the plague demonic spirit descended and the imperial capital was stained with blood, do you know what you said to me? Even though I have witnessed many deaths over the long years… I have never once forgotten those words.”

“What did I…. say?”

“What do you think you said?”

She closed her eyes gently. As if she was reminiscing about the past.

I wonder what the other me had said to the Heavenly Maiden.

What kind of conversation had we exchanged?

As the plague demonic spirit arrived and Ah Hyun departed on her journey to rewind the endless years…

What words had I spoken as I bid her farewell?

With my head lowered… I spoke quietly, almost in a whisper.

“Survive.”

No matter how many times the years were rewound, no matter how many times my soul has been refined …

In the end, the one belief etched into its core remained unchanged from then until now.

“Survive, no matter what.”

Was that the correct answer?

Ah Hyun didn’t bother to respond.

But from her expression, I could tell.

Hearing those words again after all these years brought her genuine joy.

The girl smiled softly. It was a faint yet nostalgic smile.

And with that, Warrior Seol Tae Pyeong. Sixteen years old this summer.

I left the White Immortal Palace.

TN: This novel would make a heavenly historical k-drama imo. Though that would never happen cuz it’s a harem.

TN: I finally learned about the military officer and officials ranks, and I think I won’t make any mistakes in translating them from now on. Here are the ranks from highest to lowest:

1. Upper First Rank–Lower First Rank
2. Upper Second Rank– Lower Second Rank
3. Upper Third Rank– Lower Third Rank
4. Upper Fourth Rank– Lower Fourth Rank

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And this continues on until ninth rank