Chapter 68
The two of them entered the front hall.
Seol-yeon’s footsteps naturally led to the master’s quarters.
The first thing Seol-yeon did when she entered the room was to ask, “Where’s Myeongyeong?”
She peered into Myeongyeong’s room.
She saw her own reflection inside Myeongyeong’s room.
She had her long hair tied back and was wearing simple clothes.
She looked like a young woman in her mid-twenties.
But now that the North Ice Palace has been built…
“I’m already over fifty years old.”
Seol-yeon smiled and looked around the front hall.
It was a familiar sight to her.
She often stretched out in the front hall and scolded Sejin for not getting up.
There were ink stains on the writing desk and even the swords hanging on the wall were familiar to her.
“I told Sejin to stop playing around and start working, but she wouldn’t listen.”
As Seol-yeon was thinking this to herself…
Sejin called out to her.
“Master.”
“Yeah?”
Seol-yeon turned around to see Sejin staring at her with worried eyes, and she cautiously asked, “Should I call the doctor?”
“The doctor? Why would you call the doctor?”
Earlier, you seemed a bit uncomfortable.
No, I’m fine.
Seol-yeon shook her head.
Sejin tried to persuade Seol-yeon in any way possible.
You’re not just my teacher, you’re the master of the North Ice Palace, right?
Sejin was insistent.
Seol-yeon pursed her lips slightly and then closed them again, feeling at a loss for what to say to Sejin.
She lived in a distant future 300 years ahead.
Unlike the original story, the North Ice Palace had completely collapsed.
She was forced to marry the male protagonist of this world, her descendant, which made her emotions unstable.
… she couldn’t say that.
So Seol-yeon decided to just brush it off with a smile.
But still, thanks for your concern.
Sejin looked at her seriously.
Are you really okay?
What do you mean?
Our teacher isn’t usually this gentle.
Seol-yeon narrowed her eyes.
This guy is really something!
Haha!
Sejin burst into laughter.
And Seol-yeon thought that laughter sounded really nice.
Time flowed like water.
Seol-yeon retraced the time she had spent with Sejin.
Who handled this matter?
Seol-yeon handled various tasks as the Ice Palace Lord,
“Oh, you should take a look at this document first…”
Sejin became her right-hand man, running around busily.
Of course, they didn’t always see eye to eye and had their fair share of arguments.
“Teacher, that’s not true!”
“Can’t you just let things go without nagging for a day?”
“What do you mean by saying that?”
“You don’t show any respect for your teacher at all!”
But sometimes, Seol-yeon’s heart would ache a bit.
These moments given to her were too precious.
Living Sejin was right in front of her, making her laugh and get angry.
“Teacher!”
Every time she heard that clear voice calling her.
She realized how deeply Sejin affected her.
And how about when they clashed swords in a duel?
“Can you even scratch my clothes today?”
“Aren’t you underestimating your student too much?”
Sejin, full of competitive spirit, wielding his sword, was like a miracle to Seol-yeon.
The student she had personally nurtured.
The only guidepost pointing her in the direction she should go.
The only thing that supported her when she was lost in this suddenly unfamiliar world…
“Teacher.”
At the voice calling her, Seol-yeon snapped out of her thoughts.
Sejin was looking at her intently.
“By the way, the time for subduing the beasts is approaching. What are your plans?”
Subduing the beasts.
The North Ice Palace regularly set out to subdue the beasts.
It was to prevent the chaos caused by the beasts throughout the North Ice Castle.
“Moreover, it’s been reported that a spirit beast has appeared this time.”
“A spirit beast?”
“Ah, I heard it’s a solitary bear.”
Curiosity sparkled in Seol-yeon’s eyes.
“Is that so? A spirit beast.”
“Unlike regular bears that act alone, these bears cause severe damage to the villages.”
Sejin, having made up his mind, asked a question.
“Should we send the students? Or is it okay to send the Ice Guards?”
“No, let’s not do that.”
Seol-yeon, who had been contemplating for a moment, impulsively replied.
“Should we go together?”
At that question, Sejin’s eyes widened.
“Just you and me?”
“Yes? Are you suggesting that you, the teacher, go to subdue it yourself?”
“No matter what, it’s still a spirit beast. It might be a bit much for the inexperienced students to handle, and the Ice Guards have plenty to do besides subduing spirit beasts…”
Seol-yeon, who had been getting worked up, paused.
“Well, maybe it’s not such a good idea after all?”
Even though Seol-yeon held the position of the Lord of the North Ice Palace.
It didn’t seem quite fitting for her to go out personally.
As Seol-yeon scratched her chin, feeling somewhat awkward.
“Well, if the teacher wants to go, then you should.”
Sejin naturally nodded his head.
At his response, Seol-yeon couldn’t help but feel touched.
That gaze, looking at her without a hint of doubt.
The only person who wholeheartedly believed in her.
That’s why it couldn’t be helped.
Sejin was special.
That specialness means something, you know.
Didn’t I tell you to take out the iron horn for a moment?
While they were at it, Seol-yeon and Sejin ran out of the North Ice Palace with just one sword in hand.
“Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”
Seol-yeon looked back at Sejin with a big smile.
In response, Sejin gave his mentor a mischievous grin.
“Yeah, I remember. I had a hard time taking care of you, my mentor.”
“Why are you saying that?”
Seol-yeon snapped.
“I suffered much more taking care of a young you!”
“Well, if that’s what you want to believe, mentor.”
Sejin retorted nonchalantly.
Seol-yeon, who had been glaring at Sejin with determination, eventually burst out laughing.
Before Seol-yeon established the North Ice Palace, there was a time when the teacher and the student patrolled the border together.
Back then, she had thought that living like this for the rest of her life wouldn’t be so bad…
“It can’t be helped.”
Seol-yeon felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
“I have to establish the North Ice Palace so that the protagonist, Doyul, can be born, and so that the original story can progress.”
Doyul.
As soon as that name came to mind, it pricked her heart like a needle.
To clear her complicated feelings, Seol-yeon focused even more on subduing the spirit beast.
And finally, it was good that she had managed to sever the spirit beast’s neck…
– Rumble!
In the spirit beast’s final struggle, blood spilled all over her body.
“Ugh.”
Seol-yeon grimaced.
But she didn’t forget to reach out and take the spirit beast’s heart.
Sejin, who had been watching, couldn’t help but nag.
“Mentor, what’s with that appearance? You’re covered in blood.”
Sejin grimaced.
“You could have avoided getting covered in blood, why did you do that?”
Seol-yeon looked at Sejin with a puzzled expression.
“I may have gone a little overboard, but stop nagging.”
“How can I not nag in this situation?”
“Think about it. Isn’t being covered in blood much more unpleasant than being clean like you?”
Seol-yeon shrugged as if to prove her point.
“Actually, Seol-yeon was a little pleased. It had been a while since she had been in the body of the young and fragile Yerin, and as the powerful Seol-yeon in her prime, she had let loose a bit too much…”
“This is a mess.”
Sighing and swallowing her frustration, Seol-yeon glanced at Sejin out of the corner of her eye.
“It’ll be difficult to return to the palace today, right?”
“Yeah, we’ve come too far.”
“Ugh, another night outdoors.”
Seol-yeon grumbled, pursing her lips.
Sejin spoke to soothe his mentor.
“I’ll look for a place nearby where we can rest.”
“Okay.”
Seol-yeon waved her hand gently towards her disciple.
Sejin, who burst into laughter, left with light steps.
Seol-yeon stood there as if glued, silently watching Sejin’s retreating figure.
“How long can I keep this up?”
Suddenly, she had that question.
Her ego was strong.
She knew that she was the past incarnation called Pyeonlin, brought forth by the perennial ice, and that both Baek Seol-yeon and Hyeon Sejin were figures from the past.
Her current name was “Dang Yerin.”
She knew it all.
Yet…
“Just a little longer.”
She wanted to stay in this moment.
Sejin giving her an impeccable smile.
This time when she could exchange frivolous jokes with Sejin.
A faint smile appeared on Seol-yeon’s lips.
It was a bitter mockery of herself.
“…Why are humans so weak?”
Even she, the great swordsman and the one who raised the North Ice Palace, couldn’t resist the sweet illusion in front of her.
“…”
Seol-yeon finally closed her eyes, hoping to momentarily ignore her own weakness.
😭😭noo. This is so sad! Imagine meeting your favourite person and knowing it’s just an illusion of past