Chapter 54
Just then, Yeon-jeong appeared, carrying a bowl of medicinal decoction.
“Patriarch, I’ve prepared the medicine you requested.”
“Perfect timing.”
Sa-eon grinned as he took the bowl of decoction and handed it to Soya.
“Eek! The smell!”
Gayul pinched his nose and took a step back.
But Soya, unable to hide her curiosity, peered into the bowl and asked,
“What is this?”
“It’s medicine that’s very good for the body. Even better for the Spirit Core.”
“……!”
At the words that it was good for her Spirit Core, Soya’s face lit up as she reached out her hand.
“I-I’ll drink it! I’ll drink the medicine Lord Sa-eon gave me and get even healthier!”
Soya gripped the bowl with both hands and gulped it down.
“Poor little cotton ball. That looks really gross.”
Gayul looked at Soya with pity in his eyes.
“How is it, little cotton ball? Do you feel healthier?”
“Yes……! I really feel like both my body and my Spirit Core are healthier!”
Sa-eon let out a soft chuckle at her spirited reply and took the empty bowl from her hands.
“You drank your medicine so well. What a plucky little baby cotton ball.”
“Hehe.”
It wasn’t just empty words—she really seemed to feel more energetic.
The thought of being able to freely wield her Unique Ability with a healthier Spirit Core made her smile without realizing it.
* * *
Late at night.
A boy with platinum hair cascading elegantly in the moonlight stood still beneath the dark sky.
His turquoise eyes stared fixedly at a single point in the darkness.
Then, his pupils suddenly narrowed vertically like those of a reptile, and a golden glow shot toward the shadows like a serpent stretching long.
Slash—!
In the wake of the glow’s path, an assassin in black robes collapsed, bleeding.
Sshwick—
The golden light sliced through the assassin’s body once more.
The assassin died without so much as a whimper.
The boy gave the corpse a cold glance before slowly moving on.
The body that had been there moments ago crumbled into black ash.
Slash—slash—!
Everywhere he passed, the thick scent of blood reverberated.
One might have grimaced at the vibrating metallic tang of blood, but the boy’s face remained utterly expressionless throughout.
Taehwa Kingdom’s sixteenth emperor, Tae Irim.
As if he had foreseen it all, he sought out and dispatched the assassins lurking in the darkness one by one.
In the first place, the reason he had come to the Western Land was not to deliver the Dragon Blood Grass to Baek Sa-eon, nor to meet Soya.
It was solely for this.
To eliminate Hyeonraback’s puppets who had infiltrated the Western Land.
After tracking down and snuffing out the last puppet, he wiped the blood splattered on his cheek with the back of his hand and indifferently turned away.
These puppets were fragments of soul strands extracted from his own Spirit Core by the lord of the Northern Land, who had accepted ‘evil.’
Normally, even if killed, they would not vanish but return to their master. However, since the Imperial Dragon’s Unique Ability had claimed their breath, it must have dealt a blow to his Spirit Core as well.
‘With this, Hyeonraback will have to hole up for a while.’
At the very least, he had bought time until Soya underwent her Primary Growth, so it was fine to return to the Imperial Palace now.
He could not leave the Imperial Palace empty for too long.
Even though he had seized the throne, he had yet to eliminate all the remnants of the escaped First Prince.
‘A bit… tired, maybe.’
Irim thought as he pressed hard against the corners of his eyes.
Ever since sending Sa-eon to the southern lands, he hadn’t had a single moment of rest.
The words he’d passed to Soya—that he was too busy to sleep well—had been partly to soothe her feelings, but also partly true.
His body was in a state where collapsing wouldn’t be surprising at all.
Had he not awakened as the Imperial Dragon, he would have long since become a wandering soul in the underworld.
But he was not someone who could afford to collapse.
Not if he wanted to avoid losing that child again….
Not if he was to protect her this time, no matter what….
“Huh? Brother Irim?”
Startled.
At the voice coming from the opposite direction, Irim lifted his head.
Soya was walking toward him, arms full of books.
A soft smile instantly bloomed across his previously icy face.
“Soya.”
He called her in a gentle voice as he stepped out from the shadows.
Thanks to that, Soya didn’t catch sight of the cold expression he’d worn moments before and instead faced his warm smile.
“What are all those books at this late hour?”
“Oh, well…”
Soya explained a bit shyly.
She thought she had manifested her Unique Ability not long ago, but she still didn’t know how to control it.
So she was on her way back from the library with a bunch of books to study about Unique Abilities.
“Your Unique Ability is ‘Purification’?”
“Yes! They said it’s the power to make contaminated things clean!”
“Hmm.”
Irim nodded quietly as he listened to Soya’s story.
“I see. You could think of it that way.”
He murmured softly before looking at Soya and saying,
“Your Unique Ability isn’t ‘Purification.’ You’re just borrowing that power temporarily. Borrowing power from beings with great strength—that’s your true Unique Ability.”
“Borrowing it? From whom?”
Soya asked, her face puzzled.
“I can’t tell you that. You have to discover it yourself.”
“……?”
“Try closing your eyes and listening to your Spirit Core, Soya.”
“Listening to it?”
“Yes. Focus on the sounds coming from within you.”
Soya closed her eyes as Irim instructed, but she still had no idea what he meant.
’No sounds at all…’
It was just as Soya was wondering about it.
―……baby bird……
Huh?
―……baby bird……
This voice…!
It was the exact same voice she’d heard in her dream a few days ago!
The moment she recognized it, whoosh—a massive flame blazed to life before Soya’s eyes.
Even though her eyes were closed, she could clearly feel the enormous flame blooming in front of her.
But just as Soya tried to approach the flame.
Fwoosh—
The flame scattered in an instant, a chill wind brushed her skin, and she returned to reality.
“Ah……”
Soya blinked dazedly before suddenly turning to Irim.
“Brother Irim, what just happened……”
Then, as she absentmindedly lowered her head, she jumped in surprise.
“Wha……?”
Because a tiny flame was flickering to life in her palm.
“‘Flame that Purifies All.’ That’s its name.”
“……It’s so pretty.”
Soya murmured, gazing at the flame crackling in her palm.
Even though it burned brightly, it didn’t feel hot. Instead, it felt warm and cozy.
Just like that mysterious voice she’d heard moments ago……
“Ah!”
Soya suddenly let out a quiet gasp.
“I’ve seen this flame before! A ghost came to Lord Sa-eon’s office, and back then, flames burst out like this…!”
So that was me using the power of purification back then too.
Soya stared at the flame with an excited face.
Unlike before, when it had flickered briefly and gone out, this time the flame lingered steadily in her hand without fading.
“Hey, Brother Irim. Does ‘making things clean’ mean it can heal wounds and pain too?”
“If you truly wish it, anything at all. You can purify anything—contamination, curses, wounds.”
“……!”
Anything could be healed. It was truly amazing.
‘If I can borrow a power like this, I can help the clan too!’
Her eyes sparkled at the thought of rushing to Sa-eon right away to tell him about her Unique Ability.
“However, great power comes with great sacrifice. The heavens are sometimes cruel in their fairness and impartiality.”
As he said that, Irim’s eyes suddenly darkened deeply.
It was a deep, profound gaze, as if recalling something very sad.
