Surviving the Romance Fantasy



prelude

The early autumn wind is cold.

Fallen leaves splattered with every step he took.

Autumn has come to the back wall of Baekseon Palace, which used to be dreary.

In the future, I walked along the quiet stone wall road.

As you walk while shaking off some of the fallen leaves that have come down near the shoulder of your official uniform, the cool autumn air seems to cool you down to your lungs.

When you walk like that, it feels new. The long, long heat wave is over, and it is autumn.

Mirae, the samurai commander of the Red Palace, who was in charge of guarding the imperial palace, was a person who was widely respected by military officers in the imperial palace.

‘Those who think straight and are loyal, set a model for all military officers’

Saying so, Emperor Unseong personally praised him. He was a flawless man, except for the fact that he had risen to prominence at a very young age.

Even if you are a model of sincerity, there are times when you want to put down your heavy burden and rest.

Taking a walk inside the Qingdao Palace alone, away from the gaze of important officials in the palace, was the way for this diligent military commander to rest.

The stone wall path behind Baekseon Palace outside the inner palace was one of such future’s favorite walking trails.

Normally, it was a dark and shady place, but when autumn comes and the leaves change color, it becomes a completely different place with a bright atmosphere.

It was a promenade known only to the future in this vast imperial palace.

However, there was a passenger today.

It is like a painting of a landscape. As I entered the road covered with autumn leaves, I had such thoughts about my future.

One of the nine people was sitting on a menhir near the stone wall path, breathing dryly.

The neatly tied down braided hair and the tightly rolled up sleeves give off a strong sense of vitality.

Judging by the wooden canteen placed at her feet, it seemed that she was taking a break from exhaustion after fetching water.

There is no trace of artificial adornment at all on Nine, who is resting on a menhir.

In addition to the traces of fatigue, you can feel refreshed on the innocent faces of nine people who have not even painted on. How old will you be? Is it four or five years younger than the future?

The figure resting in the cool autumn breeze among the colorful leaves…

In the future, I felt as if time was passing slowly.

For a while, I had no choice but to stare at Nine in dismay.

“Ah!”

And, the time that had stopped passed by itself.

It was because Nine, who had seen the future, jumped down from the stone in amazement and bowed her head.

“I am ashamed. I was taking a break from getting some clean water at the command of an elder in Yedanbu.”

“…”

“I see the future commander of the Red Palace.”

It was obvious that he thought he had been caught playing a prank, and he was clearly ashamed.

No matter how rigorous his future was in training, he was not one to criticize Nine for taking a break from physical labor.

Rather, the weight of the canteen seemed too heavy for the young Nine to carry alone. It’s good to be motivated, but if you take on something you can’t handle, you’ll only hurt yourself.

Mirae raised the water bottle that Nine was holding without changing her expression.

“Ah, ah! no future man! I will carry it myself.”

“From now on, divide the weight you can handle and carry it several times.”

“Ah, yes… I have no face…”

When I said that in a low voice, Nine lowered her head with a shy face.

“…”

Apparently, Nine thought he had been reprimanded. Even though I had no intention of doing so in the future.

As usual, whether or not, I would have left for my own business in the future… but somehow, my heart softened toward these nine.

I felt strangely apologetic for making them feel intimidated, so I chose something that would lighten the mood in the future.

“Still, being motivated is a good thing. Since you seem to have a sincere disposition, that sincerity will benefit you more in the future.”

“That… good words… thank you.”

Nine also seemed to have softened a little, as if she had been told that she was not in a bad mood in the future.

“What was your name?”

I dared to ask for the name of Nine, who had nothing to do with the future. Even thinking about it, it was a strange thing.

“Seolran. My name is Seolran, an apprentice belonging to Cheonryongchae.”

It meant an orchid that blooms in winter.

Indeed, despite the lowly status of Nine, it is the exterior that feels the unique uprightness. The name also follows the appearance, leaving an impression inwardly.

After that, there was an awkward silence. In a way, it was natural.

The warrior commander and apprentice Nine of the Red Palace.

Their identities are so far apart that even the metaphor of heaven and earth is not enough.

What common topic could there be between the two, and how openly could they talk about it?

However, the future was only staring at Nine’s face.

Nine, who introduced herself as Seolran, hesitated for a moment, perhaps feeling burdened by the future gaze.

And then… in the end, with the determination to break through the awkwardness, he smiled with his lips trembling with difficulty.

I don’t know if it was close to struggling to improve the uncomfortable atmosphere somehow from Nine’s point of view.

It was a sight so impressive that it would make my eyes wide open in the future.

Between the fallen leaves that gently fall like winter snow.

Looking at Seolran’s softly smiling face, he reflexively tried to say something about the future.

You are truly beautiful.

He is a military man who has been training all his life, and has built a wall around women’s play, considering it unnecessary.

It was miraculous that words like rhetoric would come out of his wooden-stone body. It was a feeling I had never felt before.

However, why can’t I tell you again?

I don’t know how those words will sound to Nine’s ears, but isn’t it just the truth as it is?

The moment the mouth of the future opens like that, and that kind of voice is about to come out—

– Quite a bit! Quite good! Buhehehe! Keee

– Kwaeee

“Quaaa!”

A sound resounded like a pig’s throat being pulled.

“…”

“…Huh!”

Looking across the forest, I saw a young military apprentice fighting a wild boar.

The fight is already at an end, and both are covered in blood.

The military officer was holding his breath with his bare fists, wondering where he was going to use the knife worn by his waist. The top is torn and torn with traces of battle, so it doesn’t even perform the role of clothing properly.

The heavy breath of the military officer sounds like a wild animal purring.

There was a lively spirit to live that bloomed in the red eyes.

“Whoa whoop…! It’s been a while since I met a proper match!”

– Queek! Keee Ayeek!

“Yes, you must be just struggling because you want to live! Live that spirit high! At the boundary between life and death, let’s compete properly until the end…! It’s only fair that I risk my own life to take yours!”

bang! bang! thud! thud!

I couldn’t believe it even when I saw the scene in front of my eyes. An apprentice military officer who looks younger than he is is exchanging hand-to-hand combat with a boar bigger than a human.

Even a strong man would be fatally wounded if he supported the horn just once, but the military officer smiled happily and raised his guard.

Sway to the left with the guard up, ducking and digging inside while watching the guy’s movements – followed by Body Blow.

The boar’s counterattack. A charge attack that jumps in while swaying maple leaves. The man who received it head-on without any intention of spilling it shouted, lifted him up, and hit him from behind. German- Suplex.

The wild boar falls off with a groan, but tries to stand up again by correcting its posture. A man does not give his opponent a chance. I rushed in, wrapped my legs around my neck, twisted my center of gravity, and hit him once more.

After that, the splendid hand-to-hand combat continues.

Piledriver-, Choke Slam-, Backdrop-. Cause value punch-. Elbow drop-.

After staring at the physical battle that took place for such a long time with both eyes wide open, I quickly regained my senses.

Whatever it is, isn’t the apprentice warrior of Qingdao Palace fighting a wild boar? As commander-in-chief, I cannot sit still. You must help before you get seriously hurt.

The moment I quickly made up my mind and put my hand on the handle of the knife- the match was over.

– Kuhik!

The wild boar’s neck bones were broken, and only the death cry remained.

When I saw the boy who slowly got up and turned his head, I felt a sense of death, probably because it was right after he fought a wild boar once. A rush of breath flowed out.

The soft glow in his eyes was almost like a wild animal. The red boar’s blood was dripping from his fingertips.

And, the moment we met eyes with the future…

“…Oh… already… the time has come…!”

Is the time like that? What does that mean?

Before even having such an obvious question, the boy jumped out of the grass and bowed to the future.

“Meet the future commander of the Red Palace. I’m sorry for being rude. I was catching a wild boar hiding near the palace on the orders of an elder with white lines. If I did something wrong, the weak nines could have been seriously injured.”

When it was revealed that the opponent was an apprentice warrior belonging to Baek Seon-gung, Mirae sighed deeply and relaxed his grip on the sword.

Certainly, the outfit belonged to a samurai.

“Is that so…”

“I have to take enough examples, but as you can see, I am not talking about myself. It’s a big deal if the two of you are full of blood, so let’s leave quickly before that. then…!”

“That, that’s it…”

“ah…!”

The boy, who was about to leave with an orderly movement, suddenly turned his head and clenched his fists as he spoke.

“Of course, I will carry the fact that the two of you had a tryst in a place like this to the grave! Don’t worry, I’m confident about the one thing with a heavy mouth!”

“Mi-meeting… it’s not like that…!”

“I am a man who grew up knowing everything. Don’t worry too much about me! That much caring!”

Said the boy as he dragged the boar carcass. Even at a glance, it seemed that the strength was not normal.

A wild boar of that size would have to be carried by four or five men. In the future, I couldn’t understand what I was looking at. What is the source of that monstrosity?

Besides, an apprentice samurai who looked like he was only in his mid-to-late teens at most could subdue a wild boar with a body like that by himself.

At the unfamiliarity of seeing something extraordinary, Hue couldn’t even refute it anymore.

“The atmosphere was good, but I’m sorry I woke up with colic without notice. Please, think nothing happened and keep doing what you are doing! Now, now… You can continue talking about what you were talking about!”

“I-I said that was a misunderstanding…”

“Ah yes! So let’s pretend it’s a misunderstanding! I misunderstood! misunderstanding!”

So the boy vigorously moved along with the boar’s corpse that was dripping with blood.

Only dark red bloodstains were left on the forest floor. The wild boar intermittently made a gasping sound as if it was still holding its breath. It was like weeping and cursing the world.

– Quack! Kiek! Pretty much! Hae Ae eok

“…”

“…”

…It was a scene where everything about romance and atmosphere was lost.

*

As I was dragging the mutilated boar corpse into the palace, the colorful autumn leaves caught my eye. After all, it was autumn.

It is the time when the first meeting between the heroine ‘Seolran’ and the commander of the red palace ‘Jangrae’ will occur.

It was a sight I happened to see… but as expected, they are good men and women.

I knew that the female lead, Seol-ran, had a beautiful appearance, but it was the first time I had seen the commander-in-chief of the Red Palace in person.

He is so handsome that the words “Wow, he’s f*cking handsome” even pops out even from the same guy.

He’s sincere, handsome, has a good body, and has a good personality… At that point, women would be lining up… It’s just too bad that he’s a ‘sub male lead’ with those specs.

Can not help it. It’s the way the world is.

The heroine Seol-ran, a confident, lively and thoughtful heroine, is a person who will advance to the center of power in the imperial palace by beating many handsome men.

And in the end, she will rise to the position of ‘Cheongdo Gongnyeo’ and command the palace.

From my point of view, that’s something I’m really happy about.

“…Still, you didn’t pretend to know in that urgent situation.”

It’s not something I’m going to say out loud, but…

“…ran sister.”

The female protagonist of the romance fantasy novel ‘Cheonryong Sonata’.

Seolran, Princess Cheondo, was my older sister.

Seoltaepyeong (1)

Qingdao, a great country that rules the world.

The imperial palace, Qingdao Palace, was a very huge palace filled with numerous buildings.

Perhaps this is not the background of a romance fantasy, but the scenery of Cheongdo Palace is truly full of romance.

If you look at the beautiful mountains and rivers and trees in harmony with the luxurious palace, it seems that the romance that did not exist will arise naturally.

They say the environment makes a person.

Looking at the occasional appearance of military officers crossing the wall of the concubine to meet the lady-in-waiting, it is clear that the beautiful scenery has some kind of energy that makes people romantic.

Even so, trespassing into a concubine is a serious crime that can usually be kicked out as soon as you get caught.

It must not have been an easy task to rise to the position of a military officer in the Qingdao Palace. Yeonjeong and romance are very easy to cloud people’s reason.

I might even say I’m a little smart in that respect.

If you say the reason… it’s because it’s romantic, it’s because it’s a human being who has built a wall at all.

I don’t know if I should say this in the middle of the imperial palace in the romance fantasy world, but it seems that my love cells have already died a long time ago.

– Bang!

“Oh, Tae-pyeong! I heard the news. Are there any injuries?”

When I went into the kitchen of Baek Seon-gung and put down the dismembered wild boar carcass, an old man ran out in a month and expressed his concern.

He called me Taiping.

Yes, Seol Tae-pyeong was my name.

I didn’t like it at all, so I read until the middle, but the oriental romance fantasy novel ‘Cheonryong Sonata’.

The heroine of the novel, ‘Seolran’.

It’s been 10 years since I came to this world as the sister of that girl who didn’t even exist in the original work…

“Oh, don’t worry too much. Have you ever seen an old man with ringworm make unreasonable demands? It’s something I can handle, so I must have instructed it. Isn’t it?”

It’s only natural to be concerned because he appeared covered in blood. I sat down on the floor next to the kitchen and brushed my collar.

The wrinkled old man was stunned when he saw the wild boar carcass.

“This… did you catch it alone, Taiping?”

“Why are you wandering in the forest behind the stone wall road? If I had even run into Nine or the ladies-in-waiting, I might have been in big trouble. Damn it for catching it in time, really…”

“Oh my God… this… go to the clinic first. For the elderly with white lines, I will post it after I see it.”

“Ah… this is…”

It was misunderstood because he was covered in dark red blood all over his body.

“This is all pig blood. There are occasional scratches, but not to the extent that major measures are needed.”

As if he couldn’t believe that he had caught a wild boar the size of a man alone, the old man looked at me and the wild boar carcass alternately with a puzzled look on his face.

A wild boar the size of a sturdy man. Mind, anyway, my body age is still very young… It was much bigger than my body.

There is a certain degree to having strong bones and strong muscles.

Even the commander of the Red Palace would stick out his tongue when he heard that an apprentice warrior who had just entered the Baekseon Palace single-handedly caught a man-sized wild boar.

In fact, the person involved in the future also looked at it as if it were dumbfounded, but…

“By the way, are you ready for what I said?”

“Yes… I ordered someone to prepare it. I’ll have to put out the fire myself, but…”

“Thank you, my dear old man! You are always indebted.”

I greeted them politely and checked the pots and simple ingredients in the corner of the kitchen.

“Then, I can’t go see the old man with ringworm like this, so please report that the wild boar issue has been resolved and upload it. In the meantime, I need to do some laundry.”

“okay. You should rest for a while, Taepyung.”

“It’s not something to be too concerned about. Enough then.”

*

Baekseon Palace (白仙宮), to which I belonged, was the place where the Taoist who solved the problems related to Zen art lived in the imperial palace.

Taoists who were proficient in Taoism or Taoism to a certain extent and were promoted to the imperial palace were called Baekseon.

Occasionally, he took orders from the emperor to solve various problems, but basically, all he had to do was to keep the palace well maintained.

As a military officer in charge of assisting such an elderly man with white lines… To put it bluntly, it’s an odd job.

Most of them were only running errands or standing guard, so they were ignorantly free for a military officer in the imperial palace.

Personally, it is a very satisfying position. They even take care of the green stipends, saying that they are irrelevant, but how wonderful it is that there are not many things to do.

It’s better to do as little work as possible and get as much money as possible. It was my motto.

– shoot it

– Take a break!

As I was washing away the bloodstains with cold water after taking off my bloodstained jacket at the well, I felt a strange presence in the nearby bush.

When I looked at it startled, someone quickly got out of the bush and ran away.

The hem of the dress was slightly visible, but it seemed to belong to a maid from the concubine side.

“…”

I brushed off the water for a while and sniffed at the tip of my nose.

*

Wiping myself with a cotton cloth, I returned to the kitchen of Baekseongung, where an uninvited guest had arrived.

It was Nine with both arms raised on her waist with a blank expression.

The name… I’ve already introduced it once.

“…ran sister.”

“Taipyeong! Where have you been! You were worried!”

After finishing his duties, he seemed to have run to Baekseon Palace in one month.

Seeing his one and only brother covered in blood, it was understandable that his face was bluish.

“I always told you to be careful not to hurt yourself! Now, I asked the maid here and got some salve. It’s something that Rain uses too, so it’s a high-end item.”

Seolran quickly pulled my arm and put it back on the floor, then pulled up the sleeve of my forearm and applied the plaster.