This was the first time in Cheon Myeong's life that he had come to a place with so much snow.
Everywhere he looked, all he could see were white snowdrifts.
From the moment he had officially entered the territory of the North Sea, it seemed that Cheon Myeong was seeing a much larger amount of snow at this moment than he had ever seen in his entire life.
Whoosh-
At that moment, a wind blew from the front.
As much as the snow piled up on all sides, the wind of the North Sea was extremely cold, and thanks to that, Jong Seojun trembled and asked Cheon Myeong.
"Y-Young Master. Aren't you cold?"
"Huh?"
"If you are cold, please tell me. I will take off my outer garment so that you don't catch a cold, Young Master... Achoo-!"
"..."
From the looks of it, it seemed that the person who was feeling the coldest here was Jong Seojun.
Although he was somewhat immune to the cold by circulating his internal energy, Jong Seojun would not be able to do so.
Although he was grateful for his concern, it seemed that he would have to be the one to take off his clothes for him.
"Should I take off my clothes for you?"
In the end, Cheon Myeong asked Jong Seojun.
Since he was not a martial artist, it would be realistically difficult for him to endure the wind of the North Sea for a long time at that age.
In this situation, the only thing Cheon Myeong could do was to take off his clothes like this.
"N-no! How could I take your clothes, Young Master..."
"One is fine. I can endure the cold to some extent if I circulate my internal energy."
"B-but..."
It was then.
"Please wear this."
Daeyeoksan, who was riding a horse at the front, took off his outer garment and handed it to Jong Seojun.
Although Jong Seojun received it in a daze, he immediately asked with a concerned look.
"Are you alright, Head Guan?"
"Don't worry. I am a man who has grown up in the North Sea since I was born."
"Still..."
"And this is on the warm side by North Sea standards. I was about to take off my clothes because it was hot anyway, so this is perfect."
Daeyeoksan said that and laughed heartily.
Jong Seojun, who was staring at him blankly.
To think that this weather was on the warm side. Although Jong Seojun couldn't easily believe those words, if you just looked at Daeyeoksan's appearance until now, he really didn't seem to be cold at all.
"Then... I will wear it with gratitude."
Jong Seojun said that and put on the fur.
As soon as he put it on, a warmth rose up from his whole body.
As expected of the clothing of the North Sea, the warmth retention was much better than the clothing of the Central Plains.
'He seems to be okay now.'
Seeing that, it seemed that there was no need for him to take off his clothes as well.
Cheon Myeong thought so and looked at the front again.
'By the way... what on earth was that look in that person's eyes back then?'
For a moment, Cheon Myeong remembered what had happened before he had left for the North Sea.
Since it was a long journey, Cheon Myeong had gone to Cheon Jin and had gotten his permission first.
Although Cheon Jin had not particularly opposed this journey, the look in his eyes as he had looked at him at that time was still unforgettable in Cheon Myeong's mind.
"...Go and come back."
Cheon Jin had only said those words.
But since he had felt a different feeling from usual in the gaze that was looking at him, Cheon Myeong was still concerned about it.
'Was that... sadness?'
As he thought that, a hollow laugh came out of Cheon Myeong's mouth, as if he found it absurd.
That Cheon Jin was sad.
Since he was a person who seemed as if not a single drop of blood would come out even if he were stabbed with a sword, Cheon Myeong immediately erased that thought from his mind.
'Come to think of it... was it from when my mother died that Cheon Jin suddenly lost his emotions like that?'
Before that, although he wasn't very affectionate, he had spent quite a lot of time with him.
At least he hadn't just been drinking without doing anything like now.
Of course, this was also just a memory that the original owner of this body had, so it was not certain.
"..."
Could it be that what he had felt in Cheon Jin's gaze at that time was related to Seol Suhwa's death?
Since the North Sea was also Seol Suhwa's hometown, it couldn't be said that it was completely unrelated.
'...I don't know.'
At least, with the appearance of Cheon Jin he had seen so far, it was an unimaginable thing.
To think that that person was still unable to forget Seol Suhwa and was missing her even at this moment.
Since the sense of disparity was too great, Cheon Myeong was denying that fact without realizing it.
'She was a... gentle mother.'
Although her appearance was as white as snow due to the White Disease, her heart was warmer than anyone else's.
Because even in his memory, he could only feel warm emotions about Seol Suhwa.
Although she couldn't be said to be his real mother, she still remained in his memory as a person he would want to meet at least once even at this moment if she were alive.
'Perhaps because I've come to my mother's hometown. It seems like old memories keep coming up.'
Of course, although this memory could not be said to be entirely his own, Cheon Myeong was still feeling a sense of nostalgia.
There would be no need to deny it.
Since he thought that this memory was also a part of him, Cheon Myeong looked at the land of the North Sea with a gentle gaze.
Pop-
At that moment, Baekjo stuck its head out from Cheon Myeong's bosom.
At that moment, Cheon Myeong, who came out of his memories and looked down at Baekjo.
Why on earth was the guy who had gone into his bosom because it was cold suddenly sticking its head out?
To think that a guy with so much fur on its body would go into a person's bosom because it was cold, it was really absurd even thinking about it now.
"What is it, Baekjo."
"..."
"We haven't arrived yet, so stay inside."
"Peep-!"
"What?"
You feel something?
As Baekjo was suddenly making an incomprehensible sound, Cheon Myeong tilted his head and looked at Baekjo.
"...!"
Suddenly, Cheon Myeong's two eyes widened as if he had realized something.
And he hurriedly said to Baekjo.
"Hey! You're not going to poop, are you?"
"Peep?"
"If you're going to poop, come out quickly!"
Cheon Myeong said that and tried to let Baekjo out of his bosom.
However, Baekjo did not come out of his bosom easily, as if it had squeezed in so tightly, and the more that happened, the more urgent Cheon Myeong's hand gestures became.
"This pig-bird... how fat have you gotten that you can't come out like this!"
"Peep, peep-!"
"What? You're not fat, you've grown?"
Then the amount you poop must have also increased a lot.
Thinking that, Cheon Myeong hurriedly grabbed Baekjo with both hands and pulled it out as if pulling out a radish.
Pop-
Baekjo, who had finally come out of Cheon Myeong's bosom.
Compared to the past, Baekjo had grown to a truly surprising extent.
Isn't it almost the same as an average adult's forearm now?
Of course, although he thought it was still a long way off compared to Baekjo's parents, it was true that Baekjo had grown noticeably.
Whoosh-
As soon as it came out of Cheon Myeong's bosom, the wind of the North Sea greeted Baekjo.
At that moment, Baekjo, who began to shiver.
Although it hurriedly tried to go back into Cheon Myeong's bosom, since Cheon Myeong was holding its body, Baekjo could only struggle in his grasp.
"Peep-!"
"No. You can't come in until you do your business outside."
"Peep, peep-!"
"What, really?"
"Peep-!"
"..."
Only after appealing several times could Baekjo barely come back into Cheon Myeong's bosom.
"Peep..."
As expected, it's dangerous outside the clothes.
Baekjo was barely able to regain its sense of stability in the warmth felt from its whole body.
"Young Master, by the way, is that bird something you are raising?"
At that moment, Daeyeoksan asked Cheon Myeong.
"Yes, I'm raising it. This pig... no, bird."
"...I see."
"Why do you ask? Is there a problem?"
"No. I just asked because it's amazing."
"Right? For a bird, it's so sensitive to the cold. I've never seen a bird like this before."
"..."
That's not what he meant by amazing.
'Well... it's not that important.'
For now, it is a priority to arrive at the Ice Palace as soon as possible for the sake of the Young Palace Lord.
Daeyeoksan thought so and looked at the front again silently.
***
A dark corridor.
Jin Jaseong was walking alone in a corridor so desolate that not a single ray of light came in.
"..."
Although he was usually called the Heavenly Jade Dragon, as he was walking alone in this dark corridor, the atmosphere felt from his face seemed very different from usual.
A look as if he had been consumed by darkness.
Although his face was the same, it seemed as if another person was inside Jin Jaseong's body now.
Cheok-
Jin Jaseong stopped in front of a certain door.
A desolate demonic ki felt from inside the room.
The desolate energy that was currently filling the corridor was all flowing out from this room.
"..."
Jin Jaseong looked at the door without a word for a while.
And a faint smile that had appeared on his face.
Nevertheless, although the atmosphere felt from Jin Jaseong's face was somewhat different from usual, Jin Jaseong opened the door and went inside as if it didn't matter.
"...Who is it?"
As soon as Jin Jaseong opened the door and went inside, that voice came from inside.
As if it were mixed with iron, the voice was quite rough and hoarse, and at a glance, it even felt similar to the sound of a beast.
Swish-
The owner of the voice raised his head while sitting.
Then, the hidden face was clearly visible to Jin Jaseong's eyes.
"...It was you."
The person who was saying that, looking at Jin Jaseong, was none other than Su Yeongseong.
Although he didn't know what had happened in the meantime, Su Yeongseong's appearance had changed considerably from before.
His limp hair and hollow eyes looked as if he had just been tortured, and his emaciated bones looked as if they had been carved with a knife.
However, what had changed more than anything else was the energy felt from him now.
The desolate demonic ki that was flowing out to the corridor did not seem like a person whose dantian had been destroyed by Cheon Myeong.
"..."
It seemed that Jin Jaseong was not very surprised by Su Yeongseong's change.
Jin Jaseong opened his mouth with a light smile as usual.
"How are you feeling?"
"...Very good."
If you just looked at his appearance, it didn't seem like those words could be true, but Su Yeongseong was smiling as if he were really in a good mood.
Jin Jaseong, who was watching him silently. And with a face where the smile had slightly faded, he said to Su Yeongseong.
"Cheon Myeong."
Flinch-
As that name came out of Jin Jaseong's mouth, Su Yeongseong's face instantly hardened.
Although he was emitting a sharp momentum so much so that one's whole body would freeze just by looking at him, Jin Jaseong continued to speak as if it didn't matter.
"He's left for the North Sea."
"...The North Sea?"
"Yes. I don't know what he went there for, but when he returns to the Heavenly Mountains, Cheon Myeong will be alone."
"...Why are you telling me that?"
At Su Yeongseong's question, Jin Jaseong smiled again and said nonchalantly.
"I thought you would be waiting for that news."
"..."
"Was I wrong?"
"...You're right."
A sinister smile was already on the face of Su Yeongseong, who was answering.
But the smile that disappeared immediately.
At that moment, a sharp momentum covered Jin Jaseong's whole body.
Swaa-!
It was a feeling of life being cut away.
It seemed as if a weak being would die just by directly receiving this energy.
However, Jin Jaseong did not move an inch and was receiving the energy that Su Yeongseong was emitting with his whole body.
After a while, Su Yeongseong, who withdrew the energy he was emitting towards Jin Jaseong, opened his mouth.
"Fine. I will act as you intend."
"..."
"Since I also received help from you."
Hearing those words, Jin Jaseong turned around.
At the same time, a low voice came out of Jin Jaseong's mouth.
"That's not it."
"...?"
"Mutual aid. Wouldn't this expression be more fitting?"
"...You're a guy I really didn't like from the first time I saw you."
Hearing those words, a light laugh came out of Jin Jaseong's mouth.
And Jin Jaseong, who left the room as he was.
In the room, only Su Yeongseong was left alone again.
"..."
Although Jin Jaseong was a guy he didn't like, he was sincerely grateful for the fact that he had given him this opportunity.
And for this moment, Su Yeongseong had carved his own bones, and had carved them again.
"...Cheon Myeong."
Su Yeongseong, who was just muttering Cheon Myeong's name to himself.
At this moment, it was time to aim the carved bone at Cheon Myeong's neck.
(End of Chapter)