Toxin

“So you were trying to assassinate Garon?”

“Yes.”

After having his flesh and soul stripped away by a nightmare, crying until his flesh was sore and fainting repeatedly… When he finally awoke from the searing grief and hatred, there was no trace of his past self left in the world. Only a vengeful spirit remained. Since then, he had thrown everything away in pursuit of revenge. He had endured each day with only one goal in mind, dreaming of the final day. But now, it had all ended in such emptiness. It was maddening that his flesh had been pulverized.

Raonhiljo exhaled deeply, as if frustrated.

“Hah… You were so reckless. Even the thoroughly trained assassins all met a miserable end. And yet you tried to assassinate Garon alone…!”

“That was never my plan. I had… another method.”

“What… do you mean?”

He looked at Raonhiljo, who was unusually agitated.

“It’s the poison of Imae.”

“The poison of Imae?”

Raonhiljo slightly furrowed his sweat-drenched forehead.

“It is said that if a person of any other race mixes their body with that of Imae, they will be poisoned by this toxin and lose their life. That was the only way I could personally exact revenge.”

“Poisoning through bodily mixing? Hah… You can’t expect me to believe that now.”

“You don’t have to believe it.”

Raonhiljo’s face froze in disbelief. It was only natural that he could not believe in a toxin known to only a few even among the Imae Tribe. If it weren’t for his father, he too might have dismissed it. Raonhiljo’s expression was filled with confusion as if the flood of revelations was too overwhelming. The room was enveloped in a cold silence. Seeing his frozen expression made his heart ache. Raonhiljo pondered for a long time before muttering.

“So, Garon is dying right now?”

“……!”

This time, it was he who was left speechless. Death. The ultimate goal of all these plans had been the death of the Black Martial Emperor. He had rushed toward that moment, believing it was the way out of his nightmare. But the word filtered through Raonhiljo’s mouth was far too unfamiliar. It was more vivid than he had vaguely imagined, and it was a shock. Most of all, the shock left him in a daze. However, the cold voice quickly erased the confusion.

“He was more toxic and cunning than expected. Not only did he try to steal the secrets of the Baedal Kingdom, but he also planned to kill people in such a manner… It feels like a proper blow to the back of the head.”

He did not hope for forced understanding. He merely wanted to tell him. He closed his eyes, ready to accept any scolding from this person.

“But it must have been very hard for you alone.”

He lifted his closed eyes at the quiet voice. Raonhiljo still seemed to be in shock, looking at him reproachfully, but there was a hint of sadness in his gaze. He did not need to look at him with such eyes; he was supposed to be in a situation where he should be scolded, not comforted… But for some reason, he felt like he might cry.

“It was bearable. I… am much more toxic and cunning than you think.”

He responded with a calm voice, adding a faint smile. Raonhiljo gave a small laugh and leaned his weary body against the wall. Then he muttered to the empty air.

“Ah… So that was why you approached Garon.”

His still unbelieving face seemed oddly pleased.

“So that was it…”

***

That night, Raonhiljo slept deeply without stirring even once. He used water-drenched clothes to wipe the bloodstains from Raonhiljo’s forehead. While keeping watch, he ground herbs for the wounds and continually checked his condition. His exhausted body felt as though it might melt away, but he could not sleep due to various thoughts. He wondered what would become of Raonhiljo. If discovered, he would not escape death this time. And Narsha…

Everything had been exposed. What he had thought was a perfect plan was nothing more than child’s play to the Black Martial Emperor. Changing the display of Jincheonroe… He could never have imagined that would be noticed. What would the Black Martial Emperor be doing now? Would he be desperately searching for the escaped spy? Or would he be foolishly enjoying a drink, leisurely relishing the foolish, exposed conspirators…

The image of the Black Martial Emperor, standing amidst the red bloodstained ground, flashed in his mind. The eyes of the demon covered in blood, as if they would chew through bones. Dozens of people were slaughtered so horrifically that it was unforgettable, but what remained in his mind was only the Black Martial Emperor’s final appearance. To shake off that gaze, he closed his eyes. The chilling sensation did not ease in the slightest.

***

By now, the bleeding had stopped, and the wounds wrapped in spider webs looked much more peaceful than before. Although the bleeding had ceased, deep wounds would not heal quickly with these herbs alone. He needed to find other herbs. Using the moonlight streaming in from outside, he finally noticed the room’s surroundings. The well-maintained landscape in the deep mountains, where it seemed no one had stayed, was puzzling. Stepping outside, the pale dawn was settling over the dewy forest. With visibility significantly improved, he surveyed the area without hesitation. Given how he had ended up in this state trying to save him, should he cut off a horn and make an antidote…? He brought his hand to his head and touched his horn.

He had never imagined it. He had heard that many poisons were closely tied to antidotes, but this was beyond his expectations… A horn was a vital point of Imae, and cutting it off could be fatal. Even if he survived, he had heard it was common to live a crippled life for the rest of one’s days. The Chieftain had also aged significantly and become physically impaired after losing one of his horns. The identity of the antidote was shocking, but he had never imagined that the Chieftain had harbored feelings for his mother. If that were the case, it would mean the Chieftain had a hand in his father’s death. He could only hope that when he meets his mother and father in the afterlife, he will offer a hundred-fold apology.

Did the Black Martial Emperor possibly know about the Imae poison? Well, even if he knew, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to mix his body with it. Even if that’s the case now, once the symptoms become evident, he could discover the nature of the Imae poison and it would only be a matter of time before the antidote is found. Now that he’s fled, there’s no way to check how his symptoms are progressing. Is this how the once-in-a-lifetime goal ends up being lost in its path? It feels as if both my body and spirit have drifted into the void.

As he was lost in such thoughts, he was suddenly pulled behind a tree by a strong force. When he managed to fix his gaze, Raonhiljo was breathing heavily.

“My lord, if you move like this…”

“Shh…!”

Raonhiljo silenced him by covering his mouth and embracing him tightly. At that moment, a fierce gale shook the forest. Through the leaves obscuring the dawn sky, he briefly glimpsed four or five eungryong flying past. His heart seemed to stop as he held his breath. Raonhiljo lowered himself even further.

“It’s the eungryong unit. It seems they’ve already started tracking us. They must have immediately deployed infantry, but it will take time to tighten the encirclement.”

“……!”

It had only been a short time since their escape from Naragaon Fortress, and yet the pursuit had already begun… The shadow of tracking that tightened gradually choked him. After a while, the eungryong unit hovered in the sky before disappearing somewhere. Raonhiljo led him down the mountain.

The rugged terrain was too challenging for the injured Raonhiljo, and as a result, their pace was necessarily slow. Raonhiljo, with a meaningful smile, said he couldn’t carry him but wouldn’t allow him to carry him either.

Raonhiljo said they needed to leave Baedal Kingdom’s territory and that their destiKingdom was the continent. He mentioned that it was a country he had visited often during his travels and had a strong desire to visit again. It was a place about 600 miles away, where the people once roamed a territory as vast as the Baedal Kingdom but were driven to the frontier after the rise of the Black Martial Emperor. He also said that they spoke a completely different language and had different customs from the Baedal Kingdom. Although it was an unknown land he had never encountered, he thought it would be better than the hellish fortress.

As they descended the mountain, Raonhiljo and he had many conversations. He laughed heartily at the anecdotes Raonhiljo shared from his travels. Raonhiljo asked about his childhood, and he shared stories in a calm manner. However, since then, neither mentioned revenge, the Black Martial Emperor, or any details related to the incident. Both were deliberately avoiding those topics.

***

It had been dark dawn when they started, but by the time they came down, the sun had set on the mountain’s horizon. How many hours had they been on the mountain path?… In the distance, an unfamiliar cityscape came into view. Raonhiljo said it was the Seonbi Kingdom. Considering that Seonbi Kingdom was quite far from Sinsi, he was surprised that they had come this far. As soon as they reached the base of the mountain, Raonhiljo began searching in the dense underbrush. He found a pine tree on one side, dug underneath it, and retrieved a bundle of goods. To his puzzled look, Raonhiljo handed him clean clothes and explained.

“If we keep going like this, it will be obvious, so change into new clothes for now.”

He was amazed that Raonhiljo might have prepared this long ago. The reckless preparation weighed heavily on his chest. Without a word, he accepted the clothes and went behind the bushes. He removed his jeogori and pants, leaving only his innerwear. The clothes he was given were long jeogori and wide pants, typical of commoners. They were stained with indeterminate dirt, making them less fitting as new clothes.

“If commoners wear clean clothes, it looks suspicious.”

Raonhiljo said casually, but it was a moment that revealed his meticulous nature. After changing into the new clothes, he stepped out from behind the bushes, only to stop abruptly. Raonhiljo had been watching him from some point in time. His face involuntarily stiffened. Raonhiljo, not taking his eyes off him, casually tied the strings of his jeogori and walked over, tapping his collar.

“You look so good that I almost don’t want to show you to anyone.”

Although he was wearing such shabby clothes, it wasn’t exactly teasing. Raonhiljo put a hat on him, covering his head and face entirely.

Through the slender bamboo, the refined features of Raonhiljo’s face stared at him intently.

“By the way, do you have any antidote?”

“……What?”

“The antidote. If there’s poison, there should be a remedy.”

Throughout their descent from the mountain, Raonhiljo had persistently questioned about the Imae poison. He inquired about specific symptoms like paralysis and hemoptysis, the duration of symptoms, and the existence of an antidote for the Imae poison. He had spoken openly about everything else, but he avoided discussing the antidote. For some reason, he didn’t want to reveal it now.

“I… don’t know either.”

“That’s troublesome…”

Raonhiljo muttered with a deeply troubled expression. He picked up the clothes to help him.

“I’ll assist you.”

Raonhiljo stood with slightly widened eyes, then slowly lifted his arms. He draped a padded robe over his strong forearms and tied a wide belt around his waist. However, as he dressed him, his expression became increasingly stiff, and his movements slowed. The intention to disguise his identity was good, as it would make him more comfortable moving around.

Raonhiljo’s clothes were made of expensive silk, suitable for someone of higher status. The blue cap he wore was decorated with gold thread, and a quail feather fluttered at the back, swaying with the wind. His waist was adorned with intricate patterns and a long tassel, and the leather belt was dazzlingly decorated with gold and silver. Moreover, the item in his hand… was undoubtedly a whip. Raonhiljo chuckled and tapped the hat he had given him.

“To avoid being noticed, it can’t be helped.

By now, our faces might have been drawn as wanted posters and distributed Kingdomwide.”

I understand the meaning perfectly, but dressed like that, it was so conspicuous and flashy that it felt burdensome. I stared at the tall, imposing man before me. Although his attire was excessively extravagant, the elegance and spirit flowing from his entire being were not concealed. What was even stranger was that the bizarre outfit and whip strangely suited him. It was truly peculiar. Suddenly, a voice came over from the hat.

“Remember this.”

Raonhiljo pointed to his chest and then to me.

“A wealthy merchant from the continent and an expensive slave bought.”

No matter how I looked at it, Raonhiljo didn’t look like a slave. So… my eyebrows instinctively furrowed. Raonhiljo turned his body and snapped the whip arrogantly against his palm.

“Well then, shall we go?”

“My lord, where are we going now…”

“Master.”

“My lord. But first, we should see a nearby physician…”

“Master.”

“…….”

Throughout our entry into the city, Raonhiljo remained unperturbed and was engrossed in this bizarre act. He referred to what we were doing as ‘slave play.’ As he had anticipated, no one paid us any mind. Except for a few people who glanced at his overly extravagant appearance. I couldn’t hold back and shot a sharp look at him.

“Please stop.”

“What do you mean?”

“Please… stop saying that.”

“It seems you’ve forgotten what I said earlier. You’re a slave, and I’m the master…”

“I haven’t forgotten. But there’s no need to…”

“Did it upset you? About being called a slave. But we had no choice if we wanted to conceal our identities.”

He seemed to be enjoying the situation so much that I wanted to ask if he really couldn’t help it. But regardless of who was the master and who was the slave, I was very concerned about his injuries.

“I think we should visit a physician. You need to receive urgent treatment first…”

“Finding a place to stay is the priority. We need to find a horse and buy some things as well.”

As he slightly lifted the hat I was wearing, his refined features came into view.

“Besides, if you called me ‘master,’ I’d feel like I could recover from my illness. Don’t you like it?”

There was not a hint of jest in his softly spoken words.

“Yes, I don’t like it.”

His face showed a brief sigh at my blunt response. Despite not having fully recovered from his injuries, Raonhiljo continued to walk with a pleasant expression. When I tried to support him, Raonhiljo waved my help away, saying it would attract too much attention. I wondered how he could be so stubborn when his own body wasn’t in perfect shape. I had thought he only knew how to hide in remote places, but now he was so openly striding about… I was once again astonished by his audacity and could only marvel at his tenacity. What was going on in his head?… Raonhiljo was one of those people whose true intentions were often inscrutable. When I looked at him with a blank expression, Raonhiljo asked, “What?”

“I really don’t understand your intentions, My lord. In times like this, I miss the Black Martial Emperor’s old brother…”

Ah, I almost bit my tongue. Through the rounded hat, I could see his frozen expression. I was embarrassed. I got swept up in the atmosphere and ended up speaking out of turn.

“I didn’t realize you thought of me that way.”

His softly smiling lips were dripping with coldness. I didn’t want him to misunderstand, but I wasn’t sure what to say. At a loss for words, his low voice lingered near my ear.

“Yes, do say it from time to time. How you think of me.”

Unable to meet his gaze, I just kept gnashing my lips. At that moment, I saw Baedal Kingdom soldiers pushing through the crowd, stopping people to compare them with wanted posters and faces. Those caught in the street were all young men in their late 20s and around my age. The bustling market quickly filled with tension. Raonhiljo grabbed my shoulder and hurriedly led me somewhere.

***

The place Raonhiljo brought me to was a high-class inn called Hyangjangwon. The interior looked cozy and luxurious, and the staff moved quietly. I sighed involuntarily. Enjoying such luxury as a fugitive… I worried whether Raonhiljo was going to squander all his money. He approached the bearded innkeeper and handed him a few gold coins.

Raonhiljo spoke words I had never heard before, leaving me bewildered. The innkeeper’s eyes widened in a different sense upon seeing the gold coins, and he bowed deeply.

The innkeeper also spoke in strange terms, giving detailed directions, and Raonhiljo nodded casually. At that moment, the innkeeper noticed me and opened his mouth.

Both Raonhiljo and the innkeeper looked at me simultaneously. I hid my face further under the hat.

The innkeeper’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave a peculiar smile. Though the hat obscured the man’s expression, the conversation felt unsettling. After finishing the payment, Raonhiljo whispered into my ear.

“It’s in the continental language. He was trying to overcharge us, so I gave him a piece of my mind.”

“……Ah.”

I had assumed that just because he was a trader from the continent, he’d try to swindle us. I hadn’t expected him to speak continental so fluently. It suggested a high level of travel experience. The innkeeper led us to our room. At that moment, a freckled boy came in and handed the innkeeper a rolled-up scroll.

“It’s a wanted poster with the suspect’s face on it. They asked us to put it up. The fugitive is a spy, and the reward is a hundred gold pieces!”

In an instant, both Raonhiljo and I froze and looked at each other.

“A… a hundred gold pieces?!”

The innkeeper’s eyes widened at the large reward. The boy lowered his voice as if afraid someone might overhear.

“I heard he’s from the Imae Tribe and Baedal Kingdom. They say anyone who hides or overlooks him will have their limbs torn off and their entire family exterminated. Did you hear? A few days ago, the Black Martial Emperor completely destroyed Gumo Fortress, and just yesterday, he turned Oru Kingdom upside down, causing complete devastation. Truly, the only thing left behind is darkness and ruins. That’s why he’s called the Black Martial Emperor.”

Just hearing that name sent a shiver through my body. Oru Kingdom was quite far from here, but the fear of being pursued so closely was overwhelming. I focused all my hearing. The boy, excited, continued speaking to the terrified innkeeper.

“And did you hear this rumor too? The Black Martial Emperor has been ordering his men to gather all handsome young men wherever he stays…”

The innkeeper turned pale and took a deep breath as the boy whispered in his ear.

“I-Is it really true? What kind of horrific thing is that? I heard he recently massacred the Naragaon Fortress Painters and threw them to Eungryong…! We need to catch that bastard quickly!”

“So true. Anyway, we need to catch the culprit quickly, so if you see anything, make sure to report it to the authorities! Absolutely!”

After firmly instructing him, the boy ran out. I was so stunned by the shock that I couldn’t move a single finger. The Painters… were they referring to the Naragaon Fortress Painters? If they were massacred… what about Naro? The blood drained from my clenched fists. The impact of the concrete realization was more than I had imagined. I unconsciously looked at Raonhiljo. Noticing my anxious gaze, he smiled gently. Though I tried to calm myself, my tense nerves remained on edge. The innkeeper, thinking Raonhiljo didn’t understand, explained something in the continental language.

Raonhiljo pretended to be surprised and whistled. At that moment, he snatched the scroll from the innkeeper’s hand.

With a swish, Raonhiljo unfurled the scroll. I nearly screamed. His audacity was so extreme it made me question his sanity. I struggled to calm my wildly beating heart and glanced at the illustration. The long paper depicted a member of the Imae Tribe and a healthy-looking man side by side. Raonhiljo stared at the drawing, then sniffed with a sound of disdain.

The innkeeper, now visibly nervous, looked back and forth between Raonhiljo and the drawing. I was frustrated not knowing what they were talking about. Hiding my face under the hat, I held my breath as the innkeeper waved his hands and laughed.

Raonhiljo, smiling contentedly, gave the innkeeper a few gold coins.

The innkeeper’s eyes widened in shock. He hastily threw the wanted poster into a corner and hurriedly walked away.

[Ah, you flatter me! Please, follow me. I’ll show you to the most prestigious room reserved for our most esteemed guests!]

***

We arrived at the room the innkeeper had shown us. The innkeeper, perhaps because of Raonhiljo’s arrogant behavior or spending, seemed to have no suspicions at all. Even if he had doubts, Raonhiljo’s demeanor was so calm and brazen that any suspicion would vanish. After inspecting the room, Raonhiljo went out before even resting from the journey. I was left alone in the room, surveying the lavish space with a heavy heart.

The room we were shown to was on the top floor and was a luxurious space with a large area and a private bath. It was decorated with high-end furniture, exquisite pottery, and folding screens that seemed crafted by artisans. It was such an opulent hideaway that anyone would think we were wealthy travelers. Of course, that was the intention, but I wondered if we could really stay here so leisurely… If the Black Martial Emperor had already passed through Oru Kingdom, it wouldn’t take long for him to reach here. What had happened to Naro? I had just barely escaped Veronjubille’s clutches and was now barely safe, but… the feared events were unfolding one by one. The sweltering summer air felt chilling as it sank into my bones.