Chapter 476: Meeting Again

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Looking up at the stars twinkling in the night sky, Cho-hui saw someone’s face appearing overlaid like a phantom in her vision.

Huan Hou.

A person she had once believed would pacify the turbulent land and bring a true era of peace as a wise ruler…

But a person who, in the end, discarded both his childhood friend Bai Chu and his loyal meritorious subjects due to strong lust for power and jealousy…

Why did he do that?

Not even knowing what was important.

Her black eyes brimmed with moisture.

Thinking again of the past made her heart ache.

Whether knowing that or not, Bai Chu transformed into Cheol Ryu-heun sat with his back turned, absorbed in refining Transcendent Revival Pills.

Cho-hui’s gaze turned toward his back.

‘I’m so happy to meet again even if it’s like this.’

She fell into reminiscence.

It was the memory of that day that she could never forget.

* * *

Late at night, Code of Law, the military advisor-turned-Grand Secretary, secretly visited Cho-hui’s quarters.

Originally, free entry was almost impossible, but it was thanks to the arrangement of Military Guard General Choi Oh-eop of the Royal Guard.

Having entered thus, Code of Law presented the peerless sword born from Bai Chu’s sacrifice.

Cho-hui opened the lid of the wooden case with trembling hands and stroked the sword, murmuring.

“So in the end, you became a sword. You longed for it so earnestly…”

She struggled hard to hold back her tears.

Her parched lips, continuously quivering, spoke of her sorrow.

Watching that sight with pity, Code of Law and Choi Oh-eop each spoke in low voices.

“It’s alright to cry aloud here.”

“Yes… As the elder says, please don’t worry too much tonight. I have already secured and repeatedly checked the area around your quarters.”

But Cho-hui, having wiped her tears, soon shook her head.

“No. We must be careful. Even a small sob…”

She recalled her last conversation with her lover Bai Chu.

-I’m sorry. I devoted my body and mind to protect the nation… But I couldn’t protect you. However, the sword I traded my life for… Will be able to protect you.

-Sob… Please…

-My dream was to leave for a quiet place with you and live there… Why did things turn out this way? Yes, cry. Just for today, cry to your heart’s content.

-Sob, sob… Sob…

-And when dawn breaks… Don’t show your tears anymore. So that he cannot notice…

-…

-Hui… As long as I don’t die, he won’t stop. So I choose to take my own death and remove him. The rest of the plan… Military Advisor Beop will explain in detail.

-Sob… I can’t send you off like this. Knowing that today is the last, how can I…

-Still, being able to see your face one more time before I go… Makes me happy.

-Dar… Ling… Sob…

-Hui…! Don’t forget. I will become a sword… And remain by your side. Though you won’t be able to know it… I… Will be able to see and hear everything about you.

-Sob…

Having recalled that, Cho-hui spoke with a solemn expression.

“I won’t let his death be in vain. So when all of this is over… I’ll cry my heart out then.”

An attitude that revealed the spirit of a woman warrior.

Before her appearance, Code of Law and Choi Oh-eop quietly nodded with inwardly impressed expressions.

Cho-hui stroked the sword in the wooden case again.

“He said that even as a sword, he would be able to see and hear everything about me… What exactly does that mean?”

Code of Law answered, calming his gaze intently.

“It is General Bai’s soul. It dwells within this sword.”

“Then… Can only I sense it?”

“Yes, that’s correct. And at the decisive moment, the conviction residing in the sword will be released as power. Through spiritual communion…”

“I see. The decisive moment meaning… The moment when I must kill Hou, isn’t it?”

At Cho-hui’s low question, Code of Law nodded.

“Yes. The uprising will be… In one month. Since time is pressing, I will explain the rest of the plan.”

* * *

The next day, the formal funeral for Bai Chu was completed.

Having performed a memorial dance for the deceased, Cho-hui’s attitude changed from then on.

She indulged in luxury every day and reacted to everything with indifference.

However.

Huan Hou permitted everything.

Because he understood well that it was the effect of Bai Chu’s death.

So he always catered to her whims.

Wealth or wealth, jewelry or jewelry, food or food… Thus, if there was anything she wanted, he unconditionally provided it.

Each time, Cho-hui never forgot to give bright smiles and words of gratitude.

“Thank you. Because of this, the pain in my heart seems to gradually fade. Truly… You’re the only one.”

At such changes in attitude, Huan Hou was genuinely pleased.

“I’m glad. I promise to get you anything you want from now on. So stay by my side forever and let that beauty of yours shine.”

“Yes. Now… Please wait just a little longer until I completely open my heart. You can do that… Right?”

“Of course. Forget all about the past… And let’s only think about our future. I have waited and waited to win your love. I desire nothing else.”

“Yes, me too. The living must at least live well.”

While sharpening her blade inside while appearing otherwise, Cho-hui recalled something he had once said in her mind.

-Please prepare… A grand memorial ceremony for Bai Chu. So that the deep friendship between the two of you may once again be engraved in the minds of all people… So that his great name may be spoken in this land for a long time…

-Of course. With the utmost courtesy from beginning to end… I shall comfort the spirit of my precious friend.

‘Even that was a false act. I was stupid! At that time… I should have realized sooner… You made him pass away twice… The friend who was your one and only! That ugly deed of betraying and deceiving friendship… I can never forgive!’

But Huan Hou, unaware of that, merely let the days slip by idly, caught up in the delusion and misconception that the day to win her heart was not far off.

Then one day.

To be precise, three days before the uprising was to be carried out, Cho-hui shyly confessed that the door that had been closed in her heart had finally seemed to open.

Greatly pleased, Huan Hou immediately began adjusting the schedule to crown Cho-hui as empress.

Time passed quickly again, and the day of the uprising arrived.

The day before, Cho-hui had accepted being crowned empress.

And on the day of the uprising, at Huan Hou’s command, a grand banquet was held to commemorate that decision.

While high and low officials gathered in the plaza inside the imperial palace enjoyed wine and food, Cho-hui requested to perform a sword dance.

“Before being crowned, I will present to you a magnificent sword dance as my last gift. From now on, there will be no opportunity to perform a public dance.”

Huan Hou, dressed in splendid finery, tilted his head back slightly and burst into pleased laughter.

“Hahaha! Very well. How could I refuse? I shall gladly and joyfully watch your pretty dance.”

“Yes. Then… Engrave it in those two eyes of yours. My dance imbued with all my devotion…”

As soon as Cho-hui finished speaking and ascended the stage, cheers poured out from everyone in unison.

Step.

When Cho-hui, having bowed in all directions, took her starting pose.

Tweet, tweet, tweet… Thud, thud, thud… !

Sounds of various instruments harmonized together and echoed throughout the venue.

Soon, as Cho-hui connected beautiful movements and performed the sword dance, the atmosphere of the hall grew even hotter.

Thus, everyone seemed to have lost their senses, bewitched by the dance.

Cho-hui mixed in seductive gestures as she further captivated their souls.

Likewise, Huan Hou, who had been watching, soon gulped down his wine and wore a pleased expression.

‘Indeed… The only woman worthy of becoming empress is Hui! Look at that figure…! It’s a beauty that no other woman under heaven can approach!’

Thus, he was gazing at Cho-hui, lost in ecstasy, when at some moment, he suddenly felt something was strange.

‘Hmm?’

This was because something like human heads seemed to flicker between the flags planted on the high walls around them.

Moreover, it didn’t feel like just one or two.

At that moment.

Fwish!

An arrow flew from somewhere and mercilessly pierced the forehead of a eunuch seated at the upper seats on the left side of the hall.

“Urgh!”

“N-no!”

While everyone was startled, the sound of the instrument music grew even louder.

In the instant when people’s startled voices were swallowed by that loud sound.

Swish… Swish swish… Swish swish, swish… Thunk… Thunk thunk… Thunk thunk, thunk… !

Countless arrows flew from the walls in all directions and lodged into the heads and bodies of the treacherous officials Huan Hou had newly appointed.

“E… Enemy!”

“Rebellion!”

“Someone is targeting His Majesty!”

The horrified people spat out cries of shock and fled, tangling with each other in confusion.

Thus, the banquet hall instantly became a scene of chaos, but the performance of instruments and Cho-hui’s dance continued.

Seeing that, Huan Hou’s heart sank.

‘How could I have been so blind!’

He finally realized that this was all orchestrated by those trying to kill him.

“Royal Guard! Royal Guard!”

Huan Hou urgently shouted and turned his head, but Choi Oh-eop, the head of the Royal Guard who should have been right beside him, was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a series of cries and noisy metallic sounds were heard from beyond the great door leading to the banquet hall.

“B-block them!”

“Gaaah!”

“The Royal Guard has betrayed us!”

Clang, clang clang, clang… Clang, clang clang, clang… !

It was clear that the Royal Guard and Huan Hou’s personal guard, the Leopard Tiger Army, were clashing.

Meanwhile, the armed personnel on top of the walls stopped their arrow attacks and came pouring down into the hall.

“You must escape quickly!”

Someone’s loud voice rapidly penetrated Huan Hou’s ears.

It was Gwan-deok, the commander of the Leopard Tiger Army and the second Grand Marshal of All Armies.

He too had been one of the banquet’s attendees, and had rushed to Huan Hou’s side as soon as the unexpected situation erupted.

But at that moment.

Hummmm… !

A resonant sound that seemed to shake heaven and earth was heard.

That was none other than the cry of the sword in Cho-hui’s hand.

At the same time.

Swoooosh…!

A radiant current burst from the blade and wrapped around Cho-hui’s entire body like armor made of light.

At that moment, Huan Hou saw a phantom of someone overlaid upon it.

“Bai… Chu…?”

The phantom that the light wrapping Cho-hui had created above her was a giant-like Bai Chu.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble…!

The atmosphere and ground shook.

-I cast away my life to take you.

Along with a telepathic voice resembling Bai Chu’s, Cho-hui, drawn by the sword’s power, charged forward at rapid speed.

The moment Gwan-deok blocked her path, his entire body burst apart.

Splurt, splurt… !

Fresh blood and countless pieces of flesh scattered.

Following that.

Squelch… Crunch… !

By the hand of Cho-hui advancing with the sword, Huan Hou’s chest was greatly pierced through the center.

* * *

Cho-hui, having cleared her thoughts, saw Cheol Ryu-heun approach before her.

“Interesting. So you have the ability to reveal your living appearance like this? Although it’s a false body made of energy currents… It’s good to see it again.”

At that, Cho-hui smiled gently and shook her head.

“No. Just now… It happened by itself. How should I put it, as if drawn by some mysterious power…”

Just then, a sound like Sound Transmission rang from the sky.

-I am the one who did that.

A mysterious sound heard only by the two of them.

Its true form was none other than the nameless divinity from the Heavenly Realm that had conversed with Cheol Ryu-heun before.

Suddenly.

Flash… !

A pillar-like beam of light fell from the night sky and instantly transformed into a human form.

Hiss hiss hiss hiss, hiss hiss hiss hiss…

That rapidly completed appearance was, astonishingly, Huan Hou… The old friend and emperor who had betrayed Bai Chu in ages past.