It’s hard to leave home (5)
Scrolls for communication need to be activated by the opponent, just like a cell phone, but Illesis’ reaction was quick enough to be called instant.
Apparently, the scroll was always worn next to it.
Chris spoke with a feeling of half burden and half pleasure.
“Hello, Elesis?”
“chris! where are you!”
A voice with a force that seemed to devour him in Manita Town hit his eardrums.
Chris hurriedly covered the communication scroll with his hand so that the sound wouldn’t leak out.
“Gee, calm down. You’ve returned to Vector, right?”
“huh. So I got my hands on an epic item. Are you okay now?”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
It had only been about 36 hours since I broke up with Illesis, but it seemed like we had been away for a week.
Quite a lot happened in those 36 hours, so that’s understandable.
Chris explained his situation as quickly and accurately as possible.
Every time the word Ye-ryun is mentioned, she sighs in relief.
“I was really unlucky. Is there anything I can do to help on this side?”
“are you okay. Rather than that, the gold king is still alive, right?”
Illesis was silent for a moment at Chris’ question, then answered in a voice that didn’t feel certain.
“uh… It seems that they are still hiding.”
“I told you not to act rashly!”
“You never did that? I just interrogated you a little to make sure I didn’t fall into a trap for you.”
On the other side of the communication scroll, a heavy sound of chains echoed.
Chris tries to ignore it and ends the communication.
“okay. Then I’ll take care of you until I get back.”
“huh. We’ll take care of this, so just think about coming back safely.”
After saying that, Illesis cut off the communication first.
It seemed like Elgar had asked to change himself from a little further away, but there was no hesitation about that.
Chris, who had relieved a little of the worries piled up like a mountain, put down the communication scroll and leaned against the pillar of the main building.
As he suffered from inexplicable drowsiness, the sliding door behind him opened quietly.
“Did you speak with a close friend back home?”
“Ah, Ye-ryun. sorry. Was it a bit noisy?”
Ye-ryun, who seemed to have woken up because of Chris, smiled faintly.
I felt a little relieved because it seemed like she was smiling pretty well for being treated coldly in the imperial palace.
As he looked at her, who seemed to have come out to get some fresh air, a small question popped up in Chris’ chest.
Let’s assume that the next emperor ascends the throne within two weeks, as Ye Lien said.
So can she be safe?
The stage name of the current most promising candidate is the one who sent an assassin at night and then greeted him in the morning. It was hard to think that such a person would leave Ye-ryun alone just because he ascended the throne.
I don’t know, but wouldn’t it be more likely that I would issue an imperial decree and dispose of her properly?
Other members of the imperial family were not much different.
Since the current emperor, who is sick with an illness, is Ye-ryun’s biological father, he must have tried to protect her… … .
His children regard Ye Lien as a disgrace to the imperial family.
When Chris leaves Ye-ryun two weeks later, she is defenselessly exposed to their malice.
Ye-ryun, who noticed Chris’ confused expression, looked at him with a puzzled expression.
As he was about to throw his doubts out of his mouth, Illesis’ voice that he had just heard echoed in his ears.
… She’s right.
He should only think about returning safely to Vector.
‘It’s not something I can do. He’s been enduring in the imperial palace since he was a baby until now, so he’ll be able to survive on his own.’
Chris shook his head as if to shake off his sympathy for Ye-ryun, got up from his seat, and began to look inside the fence.
Ye-ryun, who had been staring at him quietly, closed the door and went back to the bedroom.
* * *
Chris, who showed his skills in the stage name palace, was able to live a little more comfortably from the next day.
It seemed that they would try to recruit Ye-ryun, but sending an invitation as soon as they had a sparring was too revealing.
Thanks to this, Chris, who had been unscathed for several days, found people he hadn’t seen in the palace.
The imperial palace of the Qin Empire was filled with various characters, but a group of people had a strong personality among them.
The monks shaved their heads and wore red robes.
I thought they were Buddhist monks, but their clothes were too fancy for that.
Their robes contained a little bit of gold thread, which is only used for the clothes of the imperial family.
“Who are these people?”
Just in time, the shaman next to Chris spotted them and hardened his complexion.
“They are the priests of Suzaku. That’s not a very good sign. I will inform Ye-ryun right now.”
The two quickly went to Ye-ryun in the main building and informed them of the new fact.
Upon hearing the shaman’s report, Ye-ryun and the lady-in-waiting’s expressions hardened.
Chris gets frustrated and asks openly.
“Who else is Suzaku?”
“Our Jin Empire is protected by four gods including Suzaku. They are the Blue Dragon and Hyeonmu who defeat foreign enemies, the White Tiger who blocks demons, and the Suzaku who protects the royal family.”
Ye-ryun’s expression was quite dark as he continued his explanation.
Chris soon found out why.
“It means offering tribute to Yeongsoo and borrowing his strength. But why is the priest of the spiritual beasts going in and out of the imperial palace?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s probably to prepare for the Bongseon ceremony.”
As Ye-ryun announces her guess, the air in the room becomes heavier.
“Bongseon ceremony?”
“In order to borrow the power of the spirit beast, the contract must be renewed every time a new emperor ascends the throne. In other words, preparing for the Bongseon ceremony… … .”
The ascension of a new emperor meant the abdication of the previous emperor.
It was only then that Chris understood the situation and muttered to himself.
‘The current emperor is really doing it today and tomorrow.’
Since the sickly bedridden emperor is about to die, it must be hastily preparing for the Bongseon ceremony.
Ye-ryun, with a serious expression, spoke in an even more serious voice.
“In a little while, a grand conference may take place.”
“What is the Great Conference? It seems that there are too many useless proper names in the Qin Empire.”
The gazes of the three women silently condemned him for talking frivolously.
Chris’ attempts to lighten the mood failed miserably.
It means that this conference is not a good event.
Ye-ryun, who barely regained her expression, explained with difficulty.
“The Grand Conference is an event where the clairvoyant members of the imperial family gather to predict the future. Perhaps the next owner of the throne will be decided there.”
Upon hearing the belated explanation, Chris’ expression became strange.
‘The emperor is elected by fortune?’
If the imperial family of the Qin Empire had such abilities, why should they do it now?
It would have been much easier if they had just held a great meeting from the beginning and decided on the next emperor.
After reading Chris’ question, Ye-ryun shakes her head.
“In order to properly predict the future, we need the cooperation of almost all members of the imperial family. But Brother Jin’s faction has been avoiding it so far.”
“ah… You deliberately avoided them because you thought they would lose.”
If the stage name becomes the emperor at the grand meeting, if it is correct, his competitor, Ye-jin, will have no reason to fight back.
They would not have wanted to decide the outcome of the fight early as they were in a disadvantageous situation.
While Chris was delighted that his return was getting closer, he began to worry about Ye-ryun in earnest.
She must have felt as if her own lifespan was diminishing.
“Now I have no choice but to expect what Chris said.”
When Ye-ryun said that, the lady-in-waiting adjusted her dress again.
Using a powerful card called Chris to intervene in the clique of Ye-myeong or Ye-jin.
That’s the only way that leads to Ye Ryun’s survival.
The faction that was defeated in the Great Council could not resign gracefully, so they desperately needed a powerful person like Chris more than ever.
Whether it’s clairvoyance or lineage, in the end, power is to be won with swords and spears.
At least common sense in this world is like that.
In order not to overshadow the maid’s fuss, the stage name quickly invited Ye-ryun and Chris.
The two arrived at Yemyeong’s palace with a trembling heart and were able to receive a different level of hospitality than before.
A wide and splendid red carpet was spread in the path of the two, and maids to their left and right sprinkled petals.
The music that resonated upon entry is so grand and loud that it could only be used for a general’s march.
Instead of feeling better, Chris felt that the judges were being distorted by the exaggerated stage name.
The level of hospitality was different from previous visits, and I was irritated again.
Inside the pavilion where the banquet was prepared, the faction of the stage name had arrived first.
The guy who got up from his seat in the middle of the day starts to drop the price without hesitation.
“Ah, are you here now! We have all been waiting for you. Come on, have a seat.”
The stage name pointed to her seat, pretending to be very friendly.
It wasn’t the usual stone seat, but a position befitting the seniority of the training.
There was even a separate seat for Chris, who served as an escort, next to her drinking table.
A treatment that can be said to be unconventional beyond simply being generous.
This is the part where you can see how urgent the stage name has become before the big conference.
If you succeed in recruiting Chris, you will be able to easily quell the resentment of the opposing faction, so it’s understandable.
The skills he showed earlier were just as amazing.
“Thank you for inviting me to this event, Myeong-hyung.”
Ye-ryun properly behaved and sat down in a respectful manner.
When Chris followed her and sat next to her, the wind music, which had stopped for a while, resumed.
The cliques of stage names enjoyed the banquet with joyful expressions as if they were already convinced of their victory.
“As soon as the great conference is over, Brother Myung will rule the world.”
“Did you see the priests of Suzaku snooping out there? Go and prepare for the Bongseon ceremony, what kind of rice cakes and things are you hoping for?”
“Only when my brother in Ming ascends the throne will loyalty and filial piety be established.”
It seemed that the stage name faction had long since forgotten about his sick father.
No, when my father was on the verge of passing away, his momentum revived even more.
Chris, who had a glass of wine, was staring at the demons on the pavilion, and his stage name approached and started talking to him.
“I don’t know if you are enjoying the modest banquet. I heard that you came from the west, is that correct?”
“yes. Somehow, I came to see such a large country.”
“hahahaha, you don’t have to end it with a mere caliber. Please take a glass for now.”
Chris, who is feeling burdened, is talking about his stage name with difficulty.
Only then did the opponent reveal his true colors.
Glancing at Ye-ryun in the seat next to him, he pointed to the seat next to Chris and cast a very absurd spell.
“Ryan, don’t sit still. Come over here and offer Chris a drink. Wouldn’t it be better for you to do it than for a man like me to follow you?”
“Yes, yes? Brother Myung, what do you mean by that… … .”
Ye-ryun, as well as Chris, the musicians, and even other members of the royal family could not hide their astonishment.
No matter how excellent a warrior Chris is, he is just an escort and an outsider.
But isn’t the stage name used to treat one’s younger sister like a gisaeng?
It was natural to serve and drink alcohol at a banquet, but it had a different meaning for a woman belonging to the royal family to sit next to the liquor table.
Even if you pour it from the front, you have to politely accept it with both hands, but it gets stuck in your side.
It is only natural that Ye-ryun reacted bewildered.
However, the stage name was rather angry and commanded too confidently.
“Do it quickly. Aren’t your precious guests waiting for you? Or will you not obey me?”
“Yes, the stage name Prince. I am grateful for my heart, but I am too burdened… … .”
Chris, who was worse than him, tried to step forward, but his stage name laughed and ignored it.
It was only then that Chris realized that Ye-ryun had fallen into a trap.
The stage name was intended to make her give up escorting her in front of Chris.
‘The people you serve are only this much. Don’t stick around that girl and come to me.’
In order to convey those two words, this skit is staged.
However, his plays, though rustic, were very effective.
Ye-ryun, who had been shivering with shame, was forced to sit next to Chris.
The trembling stream of water filled the trembling glass little by little.