Past Bonds Are Eternal - 4

I know next to nothing about the revival of the Four Auspicious Beasts and Four Evil Beasts. Just that they come back to life no matter how many times they die, that they're adorably tiny right after resurrecting, and that even the ones who could speak human language right after revival can only make beastly cries. That's about the extent of it.

If I had to add one more thing, it's that they don't necessarily respawn at the spot where they died. Given that Bonghwang and Do-ol's corpses vanished, their respawn locations must be random.

But that random spot overlapped. Out of the vast Central Plains, among countless famous sites, the imperial palace was somehow chosen as the revival point. And not just one, but two of them resurrected there at the same time.

'Because of the qilin and Do-cheol?'

I glared at the letter as if it had offended me, then let out a small sigh. If Bonghwang and Do-ol had popped up in an otherwise empty palace, it could be written off as an astonishing coincidence. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Bonghwang is an auspicious creature that appears when the realm is at peace, so one could comfort themselves that the emperor's virtue had reached the heavens. And just treat Do-ol as a bonus.

But the palace currently houses the auspicious qilin and the evil Do-cheol. With those two already settled in, another auspicious beast and evil beast show up? This has to be the vanguard's influence. No hard evidence, but my gut is certain.

'This is bad.'

Before I knew it, my hand holding the letter began to tremble faintly.

The presence of the qilin and Do-cheol drew Bonghwang and Do-ol's revival. Thanks to that, half of the Four Auspicious Beasts and Four Evil Beasts now reside in the palace. If Yeong-gwi and Ung-ryong, Hondon and Gung-gi suddenly dropped dead somewhere in the Central Plains? They'd obviously respawn in the palace too.

'Insane.'

For a moment, my vision went white.

An imperial palace teeming with both auspicious and evil beasts? Even generously calling the auspicious ones omens of good fortune, having the evil ones living alongside them is just too weird.

"His Majesty must have been quite startled. We didn't present those creatures ourselves—they just appeared out of nowhere in the rear garden."

"We are deeply sorry, and nothing more."

I nodded reflexively at Grandfather's words. If it were me, relaxing at home, and Bonghwang and Do-ol suddenly popped out, I'd freak out too. Especially since the symbol of peace and the symbol of war appeared together—it must have been confusing as hell. If we'd captured and offered them as Grandfather said, it might've been fine. The emperor already has precedent with the qilin and Do-cheol.

Two or four—same difference.

"When we return to Kaepyeong, let's visit the palace briefly. We need to explain in detail to His Majesty what happened."

"...Grandfather, could Kkieak come along too, by any chance?"

At my words, Grandfather's gaze shifted to Kkieak, sprawled on the floor in deep slumber. Whether exhausted from all the wailing or comforted by Hyun-seung, it had curled up at some point. Normally, it'd be scampering around, munching on snacks.

Seeing that made me desperately feel the need for Kkieak and Bonghwang to reunite. Wouldn't Kkieak be thrilled to learn its king had revived?

"It's a poison bird, but harmless without venom, so it should be fine around His Majesty. Let's do that."

"Thank you, Grandfather."

"What thanks? No need for that between family."

Grandfather chuckled lightly, retrieved the letter with a casual wave through the air, and turned toward the martial artists following the soldiers' directions.

"Grandfather?"

"They came all this way to see the Western Chu Overlord's tomb. They've behaved without causing a fuss, so we should give them some reward."

The words were cryptic, but I just went with it. Grandfather saying odd things wasn't new.

Today, too, Grandfather was being his eccentric self—

"Ah."

A sigh escaped me at the sight of Grandfather holding up the bamboo slip. Of course, he didn't unroll it to show the contents. Just displayed the rolled-up slip to the martial artists.

But a national top-secret martial arts manual of the Western Chu Overlord—showing it openly to a crowd of civilians? I hadn't expected that.

"Woooaaahhh!"

"The Western Chu Overlord's arts! The supreme martial arts of the unparalleled master through the ages!"

"Prince Giwang, ten thousand years! Ten thousand years, a thousand times ten thousand!"

"His Imperial Majesty, long live! Long live, forever and ever!"

Seeing their fervent cheers, cries of "long live," and triple "ten thousand years," Grandfather's performance seemed pretty effective. Yeah, think positive. Grandfather, who holds the manual, is among the top two of the Great Twelve Masters of Dasong, and there are six other Hwa-gyeong masters standing by. Even if some hothead lost it, they could suppress them quickly. If safety's guaranteed, this surprise event isn't bad. It shows that obeying officials brings little perks.

'Compared to my worries, it ended quietly.'

The excavation, meant to be discreet, turned rowdy; Do-ol was found in the tomb; and as it wrapped up, Bonghwang appeared—total madness. But the dig itself succeeded.

In my past life's wuxia novels, one tomb like this would draw every murim faction, sparking bloody clashes. But this world's murim is so broken down that nothing happened. They couldn't dare interfere with an official excavation.

'Kinda disappointing.'

A tiny, very tiny regret stirred. If murim were even a bit stronger, they'd have handled the excavation themselves, and we'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠confiscate the treasures upon success. Everything under heaven belongs to the emperor, after all. Illegally obtained by civilians? Rightly reclaimed by the throne. But current murim is too weak even for outsourcing. Truly lamentable.

'Did we really need seven Hwa-gyeong masters for this?'

An unshakeable doubt kept bubbling up. Positively, the seven masters kept murim quiet. But no matter how I spun it negatively, murim wouldn't have obstructed officials. No matter how I thought, it came back to Hwanamwang's surprise gift and the unheralded Western Chu Overlord tomb making the government freak out.

'Damn traitor bastard.'

In the end, this mess traces back to Hwanamwang. That accursed traitor's spawn.

Artifact transport and sorting weren't done, but Grandfather, Jo Wi-cheo, and I returned to Kaepyeong first. I had to show Kkieak to Bonghwang; Grandfather had the vital manual; Jo Wi-cheo needed to resume wedding prep. Plus, Dong-gu Wang was in charge, so Grandfather slipping away caused no issue.

Like the speedy excavation, our return was lightspeed, and

"We meet His Imperial Majesty."

"Deputy Censor-in-Chief Han Un meets His Imperial Majesty!"

Audience with the emperor went lightspeed too. So smooth it was disconcerting. Like a casual stroll to the neighborhood hill to see the emperor? Because Grandfather was with us?

"Come in, Old Master. Deputy Censor-in-Chief, you've worked hard traveling to Zhejiang."

"We are humbled!"

I bowed deeper at the emperor's kind words, hearing his soft chuckle.

"Seeing grandfather and grandson side by side is truly heartwarming. The crown prince takes after you much, but the crown prince's heir even more so."

"Heh heh, grandsons resemble grandfathers, after all. My great-grandson will take after his father."

Unfamiliar talk, but I stayed silent. Interrupting emperor and king? Scary.

"Grandson and grandfather's visit is welcome, but there's an unusual guest too."

— Kkieak.

At the emperor's words, Kkieak, standing blankly behind me, let out a short cry.

A free spirit beast, not the emperor's subject like us—no need to bow, standing aloof,

— Kki-eak?

Kkieak, nonchalant till then, started crying again.

— Kkieak, Kki-ee-eak!

"Ha ha, that one. Figures it out before I even speak."

Before I could stop it, Kkieak bolted behind the emperor. Grandfather didn't scold—instead, he chuckled.

"Quite the lively child."

"It has every reason to be. It serves Bonghwang like its master and was heartbroken at Bonghwang's death."

"I see. That's why you brought it."

The emperor laughed too at Grandfather's explanation, as if grasping the situation.

The Four Evil Beasts and Four Auspicious Beasts not getting along is as natural as the sun rising in the east or water flowing down. Even I clash with the qilin often. Hondon and Yeong-gwi, Gung-gi and Ung-ryong—opposition is daily life. But among them, Do-ol and Bonghwang especially hate each other.

Truth be told, if they fought seriously, Do-ol could crush Bonghwang easily, but Bonghwang knew it was weaker and used every trick. It leveraged being humanity's symbol of peace against Do-ol's symbol of war.

Bonghwang might be the most human-friendly of all eight.

To suppress Do-ol, it actively borrowed human power.

— Do-ro-ro-ro-rolong!

— Bo-ooo-oong!

'Fighting again.'

Maybe that's why. Despite reviving together, same place and time, they brawl every two hours. It's tiresome to watch.

Fights thrill if rare; constant ones bore. Even Hyun-mu, who mediates my qilin spats, ignores ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠these two.

— Kki-ee-ee-eak!

— Hm?

As I pondered a nap, a familiar cry turned my head.

— Bo-oong?

— Do-ro-rolong?

Do-ol and Bonghwang paused their fight, looking too.

— Kkieak, Kki-eak!

'Ah.'

It was the poison bird. Kin of the human who sent me here—the insolent one who squeezed me, and its companion.

— Kki-ee-ee-eak!

— Bo-ooo-oong!

An unexpected arrival, but Bonghwang and the bird cried joyfully upon seeing each other. Genuine reunion delight.

Soon, Bonghwang perched on the bird's head, whispering in its ear.

— Kkieak!

— Do, do-ro-rolong!

Under Bonghwang's orders, the bird clawed at Do-ol.

— Well.

Sad sight; a sigh slipped out. Freshly revived ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Do-ol was tiny. Against the bird's overwhelming size, it was defenseless.

— Bo-ooo-oo-oong!

Unable to win alone, Bonghwang called reinforcements. Sharp as ever, past and present.