Messenger from the South
A messenger falcon arrived from the south. I had a pretty good idea who had sent it, so the moment it entered my sight, I dashed straight toward it. Waiting here at Giwangjeo for that rascal to come would take too long—better for me to go to him.
"From Gyeirim?"
Pip, pi-iik! It shot up into the sky in greeting, and the falcon, which had been gliding leisurely, reacted with startling intensity. That guy. It must have flown all the way from Guangxi, so I'd given it my consideration, but to be so startled at the sight of a person. For all its hawkish pride, it was surprisingly timid.
"Come on, settle down."
Pip, piiik... Still, when I extended my arm, it obediently perched there. Seeing it like this brought back old memories. These days, with systematic training methods for messenger falcons and pigeons, there are no issues. But back during the founding wars, some would flee under the pressure of a master's aura. We'd missed urgent messages more than once because of it.
Thinking back, this falcon was proof that our Great Song's training had reached perfection. At least it didn't run away.
Let's see.
Thanks to that, I could receive letters from my eldest grandson promptly. What a joy. With a warm heart, I unfolded the letter it carried. It hadn't been long since I'd heard he was in Namyeong—if he'd moved quickly, he'd already reached Gyeirim by now. Finishing his duties there would wrap up his provincial tour. Truly commendable. To tour the vast Central Plains like that—what an achievement. And not a single petition criticizing his ability or character had arisen.
I must prepare a grand feast.
A welcome-back banquet for my exemplary grandson. This letter was probably announcing his return to Kaepyeong, so now to summon musicians and dancers in splendor...?
What?
The contents were utterly unexpected, leaving me doubting my eyes.
I've recently arrived in Gyeirim, and no sooner had I done so than I heard a peculiar rumor. It was about a Do-cheol appearing near the city.
The unimaginable name left me blinking in a daze. Do-cheol? My Un-i might be beloved by all manner of spirit beasts, but even in flattery, Do-cheol and spirit beasts weren't comparable. For that matter, whether such a creature even existed was questionable.
Of course, it's just sensational chatter from those who love such tales, but coming right after the recent unrest in Gyeirim, it's stirring up quite a panic.
A sigh escaped me at the next lines. Of all times, right before Un-i's arrival. I'd hoped his final leg would pass peacefully without incident.
This is just my personal hunch, but there definitely seems to be some ferocious beast involved. The local officials suspect a rampaging spirit beast. From the tracks it left, it's no ordinary creature.
A ferocious beast's rampage.
I read that far, then quietly tucked the letter into my bosom. I didn't truly believe a Do-cheol had appeared. Do-cheol roamed this Central Plains in the age of the gods—the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—not in this human era. Even if such a beast existed, there was no reason for it to reemerge now.
But something had definitely happened in Gyeirim. Not involving officials, parakho, or the common folk—a mysterious beast at the center.
This can't be ignored.
If it were just officials entangled, I'd trust Un-i. If parakho causing trouble, I wouldn't care. If it affected the people's lives, I'd back Un-i's judgment. But this was none of those. It wasn't a situation my Un-i could handle routinely, nor one guaranteeing his safety amid urgency. Like the unexpected variable of Koke Temur at Jiayu Pass.
"You've had a hard flight. Rest a bit."
I stroked the falcon still perched on my arm, then raced back to Giwangjeo with it.
Piiik! Pi-iik!
The falcon's cries rang out, but now wasn't the time to fuss over a mere hawk. The priority was preventing a Gyeirim crisis from erupting like the one at Jiayu Pass.
"Seong-a! Ship-roe!"
At my shout, Ship-roe and my son gathered from around Giwangjeo. I wanted to take them all, but with the Emperor and Kaepyeong to protect, that wouldn't do.
Should I call Ak Hyeon-i?
The thought flashed by. Maybe leave my son and all of Ship-roe here, and take Ak Hyeon-i instead? Honestly, with the Geum-ui-wi Commandant and Jwa Do-eosa holding the fort, even if Ak Hyeon-i and I left, two Hwa-gyeong masters would remain to guard the Emperor and capital.
"Seong-a."
"Yes, speak."
"I'll be heading to Ak Wang and Gyeirim briefly. Mind Giwangjeo with Ship-roe while I'm gone."
"...Pardon?"
I handed the falcon to my son—his "yes" was confirmation—and bolted for Akwangjeo.
"Wait! What is this suddenness! Have you even coordinated with Ak Wang?"
From behind came vows to defend Giwangjeo steadfastly. My son and grandson—both so reliable. Truly, children of my wife and me, worthy of pride.
Ever since seeing the Do-cheol tracks, Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i's tempers had grown sharper by the day. Thankfully, unlike at Hengshan, they hadn't harmed anyone, but their displeasure was obvious as they kki-ing-kki-onged irritably. Even innocent, sunny Buong was watching them warily.
Are they sensitive to the ferocious aura?
I sighed at the sight of Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i ignoring their Dongpo pork today. They'd been fine until arriving in Gyeirim. In Yujubu, they'd fattened up under Yangminmun's lavish hospitality. For them to suddenly turn feral pointed to the Do-cheol's influence.
Of course, I couldn't pinpoint why. As spirit beasts, they might instinctively loathe the aura of a Sa-hung. Or tense at a superior's presence. Or, having been born from human sacrifice, more attuned to malign energies.
Probably the last.
Other spirit beasts were calm, but these two alone raged. A difference between natural and artificial spirit beasts?
This is maddening.
That hypothesis only complicated things further. Spirit beasts from human sacrifice reacting violently to a certain beast? It meant that beast's aura reeked of brutality and blood. Raising the odds it was Do-cheol. Already high odds—infuriating.
What if not one Do-cheol, but a family?
Kyeak.
Amid it, Kkieak eyed the Dongpo pork again. This one was plenty odd too. I wasn't starving it—why covet leftovers?
"Go ahead, eat."
Kye-aak!
It had forsaken its staple poison for regular food. If it liked something, I'd feed it as owner and friend.
"Jwa-cheom Do-eosa, my lord!"
"Jeong Cheon-ho?"
As I watched Kkieak peck away, Jeong Cheon-ho's voice came from behind. Our fateful cave encounter had made him my personal herald. A Jeong 5-pum for that? But he seemed eager, so I'd allowed it.
"More tracks discovered!"
The news he brought was dazzling enough to make rank irrelevant.
"In a forest ten li from the original cave! This time, traces of not one, but two beasts estimated!"
"What."
Shock choked my words. Surely not a Do-cheol family? Please, no. A unique entity shouldn't have multiples—that defied logic.
"...Let's see for ourselves. Lead on."
"Yes, my lord!"
I steadied my trembling hands and followed—
Kki-ing!
Kki-ong!
Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i, having understood, clung swiftly to my side.
The forest Jeong Cheon-ho led us to was untouched by man. Only ten li from the first cave—which itself was remote. Without Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i's pursuit, I wouldn't have found it.
"Heavens."
The sight upon arrival drew an involuntary sigh.
"Looks like a fight."
"Yes. So we estimate."
Unlike the dense woods elsewhere, trees here were snapped, forcing a clearing. Barely ten meters across—not a fierce battle. But these weren't solo rampage marks. Another beast had clashed with the Do-cheol.
A beast Do-cheol's equal...
For a fight to form meant matching power and stature. No light matter. What could it be? Fellow Sa-hung? The Sa-shin or Sa-ryeong, nemeses of Sa-hung? Or a local spirit beast lording Gyeirim?
Confusing. No info to deduce.
"No bloodstains, so not intense. But such marks from mere clash... ominous."
Jeong Cheon-ho mirrored my gravity. He didn't know the tracks were Do-cheol's. Yet as he said, even a minor skirmish without blood had wrecked a ten-meter space.
This'll baffle him more.
Tigers or bears couldn't cause this. For Jeong Cheon-ho, thinking ordinary beasts, it was maddening.
"Seal this site too."
"Yes, my lord. At once."
As he bowed sharply, I scanned the clearing again. Horn and claw marks presumed. Blunt impacts on trees. And Kki-ing-i, Kki-ong-i sniffing the new beast's traces.
Kkii-ing~
Kki-ong~
Hm?
Suddenly, Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i let out clear cries. Sounds unheard since the Do-cheol tracks.