'It's cold...'
But for some reason, it was a warm energy that calmed the heart.
Who on earth was the person who had been sending energy into her body since a while ago?
Seol Baekmyo had that thought as she received the energy flowing into her body.
"Umm..."
The yin energy in her body was gradually disappearing due to the energy coming from the outside.
Although she felt pain every time, Seol Baekmyo could instinctively feel that this process was for her own sake.
Therefore, Seol Baekmyo did not reject the energy flowing into her body and continued to accept it, and as time passed, Seol Baekmyo gradually regained her stability.
'Who on earth is it?'
She could tell that the owner of this warm hand that was holding her hand next to her was sending in the energy.
If it seemed that she could not endure the pain, the amount of energy flowing in would decrease significantly.
A feeling as if she were being considerate of her.
Therefore, Seol Baekmyo became even more curious about who the person next to her was.
'It's... not my mother.'
At first, she had thought of Seol Suham first, but as time passed, she could be sure that it was not her.
But this familiar and nostalgic feeling.
In the end, Seol Baekmyo could not find out who the owner of this energy was.
Swish-
At that moment, the energy that had been flowing into Seol Baekmyo's body stopped.
Accordingly, the warmth that disappeared.
Although Seol Baekmyo did not know who it was, she could tell that that person had let go of her hand.
'No... don't let go.'
Although Seol Baekmyo shouted that in her heart as if she were disappointed, in the end, that person did not hold Seol Baekmyo's hand again.
How much time had passed like that?
Seol Baekmyo's two eyes, which had been closed until now, slowly opened.
"Ah..."
An exclamation that came out as soon as she opened her eyes.
When on earth was the last time she had felt so refreshed?
From the time her illness had begun to worsen, even if she had barely regained consciousness, her chest had been stuffy and her head had been throbbing as if it were being pressed down.
Since she had lived like that for almost two years, this refreshing feeling felt unfamiliar to Seol Baekmyo.
"...!"
Seol Baekmyo sat up and looked around.
And her gaze that stopped immediately.
Seol Baekmyo looked at Cheon Myeong, who was sitting cross-legged next to her, with slightly surprised eyes without a word.
'This person...'
Was he the person who had been holding her hand until now?
And Seol Baekmyo could also tell that the reason she had been able to wake up with a refreshing feeling was also because of Cheon Myeong.
'Who on earth is he?'
Seol Baekmyo stared at Cheon Myeong.
Since it was a somewhat familiar and nostalgic feeling, she had thought that it was a person she knew.
But when she checked his face, wasn't it a person she didn't know at all?
As if she were drawn by something, Seol Baekmyo moved closer to where Cheon Myeong was.
Swish-
At the same time as she moved closer, Seol Baekmyo reached out her hand towards Cheon Myeong.
If she held that hand, she would be able to know for sure if Cheon Myeong was that person.
With that thought, Seol Baekmyo tried to hold Cheon Myeong's hand.
Halt-
However, Seol Baekmyo, who stopped her movement in the middle.
She had belatedly realized that Cheon Myeong was now in the middle of circulating his energy.
"..."
Touching a person's body while they are circulating their energy was an act that should not be done carelessly.
Since Seol Baekmyo of course knew that fact, no matter how curious she was about Cheon Myeong's identity, she could not reach out her hand any longer, and in the end, she withdrew her outstretched hand and looked at Cheon Myeong without a word from a little distance away.
'This man... who is he really?'
In the first place, men were a really rare existence in the Ice Palace.
Since the martial arts of the Ice Palace were mostly based on yin arts, it could be said that they were more suitable for women than men.
Perhaps because of that, from a long time ago, the members of the Ice Palace, including the Palace Lord, were almost all women, and although it wasn't that there were no men in the palace, since their number was significantly small, Seol Baekmyo knew almost all of their faces.
"..."
But it was rare to see a man this close.
Especially, wasn't it the first time she had seen a man of a similar age to her in this way?
The more she looked, the more curious Seol Baekmyo seemed to become about Cheon Myeong.
Woong-!
It was then.
Suddenly, as energy began to flow out of Cheon Myeong's body as if it were exploding, Seol Baekmyo was startled and moved back.
'W-what is it?'
Seol Baekmyo, who was looking at Cheon Myeong with a flustered gaze.
She had never seen such an energy in her life.
A crimson energy... it was flowing out of Cheon Myeong's whole body.
'Is something... going wrong?'
Looking at Cheon Myeong, Seol Baekmyo had that thought.
The crimson energy was one thing, but the sight of a large amount of energy flowing out of his whole body like that did not seem ordinary at all.
The anxiety that Cheon Myeong might die if he were left like this instantly dominated Seol Baekmyo's mind.
'No...!'
Although Seol Baekmyo did not yet know where Cheon Myeong had come from or even what his name was, she could be sure of one thing.
Cheon Myeong was a person who had endured tremendous pain for her and had cured her illness.
She hadn't even been able to say a word of thanks, let alone repay his kindness... she couldn't let him die like this.
Swish-
Seol Baekmyo did not know how she could calm Cheon Myeong's energy.
However, since her desire to save Cheon Myeong somehow was stronger than that, Seol Baekmyo's body reacted before she could think.
"...!"
At that moment, Seol Baekmyo's body, which was running towards Cheon Myeong, stopped.
'That's...'
Seol Baekmyo's gaze was on Cheon Myeong with a face of disbelief.
The crimson energy that had been flowing out of Cheon Myeong's body had changed into the shape of a giant flower.
The place where that shape had appeared was under Cheon Myeong's feet.
Although it was unbelievable, Cheon Myeong's body was now floating a good distance above the floor.
'What on earth is this...'
How could a person's body float so high?
No, at a glance, it seemed as if Cheon Myeong were now sitting on a crimson flower.
However, since Seol Baekmyo knew that that flower was made of the energy that had flowed out of Cheon Myeong's body, this sight was even more unbelievable.
"..."
Seol Baekmyo looked at the mysterious sight unfolding in front of her eyes, entranced.
To the point where the word 'marvelous' came out, beyond surprise.
But as if to tease Seol Baekmyo, an even more surprising sight unfolded.
Hwaaak-
The crimson petals scattered in a dizzying manner and began to fly around the room.
The petals that were gorgeously decorating the room. If you looked at that sight, you couldn't help but forget for a moment that this was indoors.
'It's beautiful...'
Seol Baekmyo was now watching that sight with her mouth open.
If she didn't watch it clearly with her own two eyes now, when would she be able to see such a sight again?
Although people had often said that it was beautiful when she had performed the Ice White Divine Palm, she even felt ashamed to dare to compare it to the sight she was seeing now.
Sss-
At that moment, the petals that had been filling the room began to move to one place.
The petals that were being sucked into Cheon Myeong all at once, as if they were finding their original place.
Since even that sight was marvelous, Seol Baekmyo was still entranced until all the petals in the room had disappeared.
"..."
What on earth had happened?
Although she had watched the whole scene with her own two eyes until now, only that thought was in Seol Baekmyo's mind.
The change that had occurred in Cheon Myeong seemed so far from the common sense of the world, and therefore, although Seol Baekmyo had seen it herself, she could not understand anything.
Thud-
Cheon Myeong's figure, which had completely landed on the floor.
No longer was the crimson energy flowing out of Cheon Myeong's body as before.
'Is it... over?'
Although it seemed so on the outside, Seol Baekmyo could not carelessly approach Cheon Myeong.
Wouldn't something suddenly pop out again if she did that?
'I hope it comes out again.'
If she had her way, she wanted to see it again.
Since it had been a mysterious and beautiful experience for Seol Baekmyo, that regret remained in her heart.
"How is your body?"
"...Huh?"
For a moment, Seol Baekmyo was startled by the voice she heard in her ear.
When she came to her senses, Cheon Myeong, who had already opened his eyes, was staring at Seol Baekmyo.
'H-he's awake!'
As Cheon Myeong was looking at her, Seol Baekmyo was flustered for a moment and fumbled, unlike her usual self.
Although she had the desire to have a conversation with Cheon Myeong, to think that he would suddenly come in like this.
Since she was not yet mentally prepared, Seol Baekmyo could not hide the flustered look on her face.
"...?"
What on earth was she doing over there by herself?
He had just asked how her body was, but was that so difficult to answer?
Since Seol Baekmyo did not answer for a long time, taking a deep breath, Cheon Myeong watched her with a puzzled face.
'What a strange woman.'
While Cheon Myeong was having that thought in his mind, as if she had finally calmed down, Seol Baekmyo looked at Cheon Myeong and carefully opened her mouth.
"...Are you the person who was holding my hand next to me?"
Seol Baekmyo asked with a rather chilly voice.
This was her original appearance, which was called the 'Snow Skin, Ice Flower'.
Although that nickname had been given because of her natural beauty and her martial arts, since her expression was usually very cold and her tone was also as chilly as now, Seol Baekmyo had the nickname 'Snow Skin, Ice Flower'.
Of course, in a case like now, it was an expression and tone that had come out because she was very nervous.
Since one could not know that fact unless one had been with Seol Baekmyo for a long time, of course, Cheon Myeong also had no choice but to think that Seol Baekmyo's mood was now very bad.
'She seems to be in a very bad mood.'
Well, if a man she didn't know at all had been holding her hand without permission, it's understandable that she would be in a bad mood.
I thought she was completely unconscious, but it seems she was conscious to some extent.
"I apologize. Were you perhaps in a bad mood because I was holding your hand?"
"...Pardon?"
"I was holding it unavoidably to cure the White Disease, so I would appreciate it if you, Young Palace Lord, would understand with a broad mind."
Hearing Cheon Myeong's words, Seol Baekmyo could see that something was wrong with the situation.
She had not asked with that intention.
Rather, when she should have been expressing her gratitude, Cheon Myeong was apologizing, so Seol Baekmyo was now very flustered.
'My tone again...'
Seol Baekmyo's cold tone had nothing to do with her will.
Although she had no intention of speaking like that, there were really many cases where it came out habitually, and especially when she was nervous, it was almost like this.
So the nickname 'Snow Skin, Ice Flower' could be said to be quite unfair from Seol Baekmyo's point of view.
Seol Baekmyo blamed herself in her mind and hurriedly tried to clear up the misunderstanding with Cheon Myeong.
"No, rather, I..."
Creak-
It was then.
Because the door suddenly opened, Seol Baekmyo had to stop her words in the middle.
"...!"
The person who had opened the door and appeared was Seol Suham.
Although she was supposed to wait outside until the treatment was over, because the powerful energy that had been felt in the room had suddenly disappeared, she had ended up opening the door and coming inside.
And Seol Suham was very surprised to discover Seol Baekmyo, who had immediately stood up from her spot.
"...Mother?"
Seol Baekmyo said, looking at Seol Suham.
And at that moment, Seol Suham approached Seol Baekmyo and hugged her tightly.
"Thank goodness... thank goodness..."
Seol Suham just muttered those words, hugging Seol Baekmyo.
Since she knew well with what emotion Seol Suham was saying that, Seol Baekmyo also just hugged Seol Suham without a word.
Swish-
At that moment, Cheon Myeong, who quietly turned around and left the room.
Since the mother and daughter were having a touching reunion, he was trying to give them some space.
'N-no!'
Discovering Cheon Myeong, who was about to leave the room, Seol Baekmyo shouted that in her mind.
She hadn't cleared up the misunderstanding with Cheon Myeong yet.
Since she hadn't even been able to ask his name, let alone say a word of thanks, she couldn't let Cheon Myeong leave like this.
"Y-Young Master...!"
Seol Baekmyo, who hurriedly called Cheon Myeong and was about to run to that side.
However, Seol Baekmyo could not approach Cheon Myeong.
Because Seol Suham was now hugging Seol Baekmyo's body tightly.
Since she couldn't bring herself to push her mother away, Seol Baekmyo could only watch Cheon Myeong's departing figure, unable to do either this or that.
"Ah..."
In the end, Cheon Myeong left the room.
As Cheon Myeong's figure completely disappeared from her sight, that exclamation came out of Seol Baekmyo's mouth, as if she had lost everything in the world.
And at that moment, Seol Suham's voice was heard in her ear.
"Thank goodness... thank goodness..."
"..."
Of course, it wasn't that Seol Baekmyo didn't know Seol Suham's heart.
However.
Apart from that, this was the first time Seol Baekmyo had been so resentful of her mother.
(End of Chapter)