Episode 62
“You don’t know how hard my wife is training.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“okay! “You’re still young, but isn’t that really amazing?”
“Yeah… … .”
Now the members of the investigation team were on the verge of having blood on their ears.
There was one person who saved them at that time.
“Palace, what are you doing there?”
The main character of the story was Yerin.
At her call, Doyul looked back with joy.
“Oh, I was chatting with the members for a moment.”
Doyul quickly returned to Yerin’s side.
“Are you experiencing any inconvenience?”
“Well, nothing in particular.”
“Still, you must be tired, so go to bed early today.”
“It’s okay, I’m not that tired.”
“It’s because I’m worried.”
The two men had a leisurely conversation and walked away toward where they had tied up their horses.
One of the investigation team members, who was looking at the back with a blank face, muttered in an absent-minded voice.
“… … “Is that the palace lord I knew?”
Who is Hyeon Do-yul?
Wasn’t he a boy who was forced to become an adult by losing his father at a young age and inheriting the position of palace lord?
Carrying a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, wrapping a heavy sense of responsibility around yourself like a yoke.
A boy who had no choice but to be overly strict with himself.
For everyone in the North Sea Ice Palace, sore fingers.
… … But the current rate is.
“My wife is stupid… … .”
One of the members of the investigation team who had been muttering like that without realizing it covered his mouth with a loud noise.
If it had been a regular investigation team member, they would have scolded the palace lord and said, ‘What kind of disrespect is this to the palace lord?’
“Hmm, hmm.”
“Hehehe!”
Their reaction was a little different this time.
He cleared his throat for no reason or shook his head and remained silent.
That was because Doyul’s reaction was unfamiliar.
but.
“Well, it’s good to see that the palace lord and the matriarch are on good terms.”
“It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the palace lord smile like that… … .”
“I think so too.”
The eyes of the members of the investigation team were suddenly filled with satisfaction.
* * *
And so finally.
The investigation team arrived at Seoga Village.
‘Wow… … I’m dying.’
Yerin shook her head inwardly.
I don’t know how the people of Seoga Village in the past came up with the idea to build a village on the slope of such a rugged snowy mountain.
While the rough mountain slopes continued to rise, gentle hills emerged.
Small houses made of cut logs were scattered throughout the hills.
“Wow, the investigation team has arrived!”
“Everyone, come out quickly and see us!”
All the people of Seoga Village came out in droves.
The village people seemed to have a mixture of joy and anticipation, as if they did not know that the palace princess would visit Seoga Village in person.
The village chief, standing in front of the people, bowed deeply.
“welcome.”
The village chief continued speaking in a voice filled with emotion.
“I never thought the palace lord and matriarch would personally come and find such a long way… … .”
Yerin swallowed dry saliva.
‘Ah, this is a bit much.’
It was a bit burdensome to see an old man with white eyebrows and beard looking at me with a dull gaze.
Just then, Doyul took a step forward.
“Nice to meet you. “Is there something wrong in the village?”
“That’s right. “It’s cold, so let’s go home and talk about the details.”
In response to that suggestion, the members of the investigation team headed to the village chief’s house.
Even after inviting them to come inside, the village chief didn’t know what to do.
“The inside of this house is shabby… … .”
“That’s okay. “I’d like to hear more details than that.”
Doyul smiled as if to reassure him.
The village chief opened his mouth in a quiet voice.
“… … That is it.”
The story I heard was as follows.
The first thing people noticed was strangeness in the barn where the animals were raised.
Animals that were normally quiet started whining and crying or scratching at the door to get out of the barn.
Moreover, strange things continued to happen.
There were many instances of birds fleeing across the sky in flocks, and even wild beasts curling their tails and retreating.
“Did something like that happen…?” … .”
Doyul nodded with a serious face.
“You’re so reluctant.”
“That’s my opinion too.”
“Isn’t it a little strange?”
The members of the investigation team spoke one by one with suspicious expressions.
Meanwhile, Yerin was engrossed in other thoughts.
‘This incident, it is clear that the perennial ice crystal is waking up.’
It was not a guess, it was a certainty.
According to the original story, the Mannyeon Ice Jeong will remain asleep for a long time if a suitable contractor does not appear.
And now.
‘The protagonist of this world is by my side.’
As Doyul gradually grows and reveals his presence strongly.
Permanent Ice Jeong also felt the presence of Doyul and woke up.
‘Also, the mysterious energy of the perennial ice crystal would have felt foreign to the animals.’
That’s why animals instinctively try to run away.
Because I sensed that there was a gigantic being lurking here that mere creatures could not handle.
“… … .”
Yerin tried to raise her spirits for a moment.
And after a while.
‘Unbelievable.’
A faint look of astonishment flashed across Yerin’s face.
There was nothing.
Yerin urgently turned her head towards the village chief of Seoga Village.
“Can I look around the village for a moment?”
The village chief looked a bit confused, but did not reject her words.
“Yes, do whatever you feel comfortable with.”
“Okay, then.”
Yerin quickly ran out of the house.
People followed Yerin with puzzled faces.
* * *
Since Seogachon itself was not a very large village, looking around the village itself did not take much time.
The places Yerin looked closely at were barns, grain warehouses, and cattle sheds.
Places where small creatures such as rats and bugs tend to live.
Or, it was a place where the villagers’ livestock were kept.
After that, Yerin’s decision was:
“There is nothing.”
“What do you mean, there is nothing?”
The village chief asked Yerin back with a mysterious expression.
But it didn’t take long for his face to turn pale.
“There’s not even a trace of the rats and bugs that would normally be there.”
It was because of the words that fell from Yerin’s mouth.
Then Doyul asked Yerin back with a surprised face.
“No way, those words…” … .”
“They all left.”
Yerin declared.
“Except for the residents of Seoga Village and the livestock they raise.”
The voice sounded somehow eerie.
“It’s safe to say that there are almost no animals alive in Seoga Village now.”
“… … .”
Doyul felt his mouth becoming dry.
Doyul and the members of the investigation team raised their spirits without anyone else being the first to do so.
and.
“… … Unbelievable.”
A sigh-like voice flowed from Doyul’s lips.
Because Yerin was right.
“really… … “I can’t feel anything.”
“This doesn’t seem like a town where people live.”
Suddenly, astonishment appeared on the faces of each member of the investigation team.
“I searched every corner of the village where small street animals could be found, just in case, but as you can see, there are none.”
Yerin shrugged her shoulders proudly.
“There is absolutely nothing.”
“Well, then what should we do?”
“That’s right, we need to evacuate immediately.”
Yerin answered calmly.
But the impact those words had was enormous.
Everyone expressed their disapproval.
“Evacuation?”
“that… … “It’s difficult right now.”
“I can’t leave my belongings intact, and I have to pack my luggage to move… … .”
Even the members of the investigation team were careful to talk to Yerin.
“Madam, there is some truth to what they say.”
“These are people who have lived here their whole lives. Would it be easy for them to leave their hometown?”
But Yerin was strong.
“It’s not that I don’t know that part, but isn’t human life the most important thing?”
“… … “Your life?”
“okay. “Animals have much more sensitive instincts than humans.”
Yerin continued speaking quietly.
“The animals have been living here for much longer than the people of Seoga Village.”
“Madam, do you… … .”
“Even those animals are leaving the place where they have lived their whole lives.”
I was caught off guard.
The people in the room fell silent for a moment.
Yerin asked back coldly.
“But do you really think it won’t be a big deal?”
“… … ma’am.”
At that question, Doyul’s eyes sank deeply.
Yerin was sincere.
It was a contract with a perennial ice well.
In the original work, Doyul accidentally heard the call of the Permanent Ice Well and visited the Permanent Ice Well located deep in the snowy mountains.
‘No one knows how things will turn out this time.’
As the founder and current matriarch of the North Sea Ice Palace.
Yerin had absolutely no intention of watching the people of Beihai Province be in danger.
“I’m not saying we won’t investigate this matter. but.”
Yerin looked around at the people in the room.
“I am saying that the safety of the people of Seoga Village is the most important.”
“Your wife is right.”
At that moment, Doyul stepped forward to help Yerin.
“It is true that human life is the most important thing.”
“If you do… … .”
“I think it would be better to conduct an investigation after the people of Seoga Village have evacuated safely.”
When the palace lord came out like that, the people who were protesting also calmed down somewhat.
And Yerin did not miss the opportunity.
