Chapter 1083
"It's done."
Once all the treatments were finished, the boy spoke as he tidied up the box.
"If you lie down in that iron coffin, no one will be able to find you. Rest there before you go."
"No. No."
Man-wol waved both hands.
"Thanks to you, I'm already healed."
Now that her injuries were better, she had no desire to climb into that terrifying-looking iron coffin.
"Thank you. This kindness of yours—"
"Then take care on your way."
The boy turned away coldly without even letting her finish—
Creak.
From far away, the sound of the gate opening echoed.
"Grandfath—!"
The boy, who had been about to run outside with a bright smile—
Halt.
—stopped short.
His eyes widened as he suddenly turned to look at Man-wol, who stood frozen in her bloodstained clothes.
Under normal circumstances, he would have explained the situation and asked his grandfather for help.
But here he was, in the coffin chamber—a place where outsiders should never be allowed—with a girl his own age.
For reasons he couldn't explain, his instincts told him he had to hide her.
"Quick, this way."
Clank.
The boy swiftly opened the iron coffin.
Man-wol hesitated, but at the boy's urgent gestures, she had no choice but to climb inside.
Thud, thud.
Low footsteps sounded as the door to the coffin chamber opened, revealing a figure silhouetted against the moonlight.
It was an old man whose crow's feet looked as though they had been carved by the relentless flow of time.
Though dressed in shabby, faded clothes—
—his eyes were deep and serene, as if they held all the constellations of the night sky, and his well-defined features, untouched even by time, carried the refined elegance of pure jade.
"Grandfather?"
The boy, who had been standing in front of the iron coffin, stretched lazily as if sleepy.
"You're finally here."
"Why are you in front of the coffin?"
"Ah."
The boy rolled his eyes before glancing at the coffin and making up an excuse.
"You were taking so long, I was practicing breathing techniques inside it."
"I see."
The old man looked at the coffin and smiled faintly.
"Then shall we play the Corpse Game again today?"
"Huh? We've already done it plenty today."
The old man, who had been grinning, suddenly blinked and turned his gaze to the sky outside the window.
After pricking his ears for a long moment, his expression darkened slightly.
"What's wrong?"
When the boy asked nervously, the old man shook his head.
"Come to think of it, we've run out of linen cloth in the shrine. I'll go fetch some."
"At this late hour?"
"Old Man Go will just be leaning against the door, drinking cheap liquor anyway."
He shook his head and looked at the coffin.
"Tidy up and get some rest. The night is deep."
"Understood."
The old man slowly stepped outside.
Once the door to the coffin chamber finally closed, the boy let out a sigh of relief.
'It's not like I've committed a crime, so why did I hide her?'
It was an instinct that any man would naturally possess.
But the boy, who had no way of knowing that yet, scratched his head in confusion.
"Let me out!"
Just then, the coffin shook, and thud-thud sounds came from inside.
The boy quickly opened the coffin door, and Man-wol sprang out, her face pale.
"What on earth did you do to this thing?"
"What do you mean?"
"I couldn't breathe!"
The boy let out an ah of realization.
"Normally, when people get into a cramped coffin, their minds get hazy and they struggle to breathe."
"That's not it."
Man-wol shook her head.
If she wanted, she could hold her breath for over an hour.
It made no sense that she couldn't breathe just from being inside a coffin.
"This isn't just any iron coffin."
She blinked rapidly as she pointed at the pitch-black coffin.
"The lid alone must weigh at least three thousand kwan."
"You're exaggerating."
The boy grabbed the lid and lifted it with one hand.
"It's a bit heavy, but not that heavy."
"Exaggerating...?"
For a moment, Man-wol's gaze dimmed.
The suffering she had endured since childhood was beyond words.
And never once had she ever exaggerated her pain.
But now, this boy who knew nothing had accused her of exaggerating, and all the bitterness she had suppressed came pouring out.
Drip, drip.
"I wasn't exaggerating."
Tears fell from Man-wol's large eyes.
The boy panicked when she suddenly started crying and waved his hands frantically.
"I'm sorry."
But day after day, he had remained holed up in the funeral parlor, doing nothing but preparing the dead.
The only times the boy had ever stepped outside were when he held his grandfather's hand to stroll through nature's scenery.
How could he possibly know how to delicately console a girl entangled in complicated emotions?
Fidgeting in his flustered state, the boy's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Did you know? If a living person gets inside a coffin..."
As Man-wol, who had been shedding tears, lifted her head—
The boy continued with the gravest expression imaginable:
"They say it gets so stiflingly suffocating that you want to 'coffin' everything."
It was the kind of dark humor only morticians would crack.
At the absurd joke, Man-wol momentarily forgot her tears and simply stared at him, dumbfounded.
"Let me tell you something even more astonishing."
Thinking his joke had landed, the boy pressed on.
"They say cats can recognize burial sites—"
"Stop it."
The moment the boy clamped his mouth shut, Man-wol let out a soft chuckle.
"I don't think you were like this before."
The moment Man-wol, who had maintained nothing but solemn expressions until now, finally smiled—it was as if the entire dim mortuary had brightened.
"You've become quite the unusual mortician."
The boy furrowed his brow.
"Do you know me?"
"No."
Man-wol quickly deflected.
"It's just... child morticians are rare. So I meant you were... unique."
"There's nothing unique about it."
The boy spoke proudly.
"I'm my grandfather's grandson, so of course I became a mortician too."
"I see."
Man-wol smiled.
The beggar boy she had met in the dead of winter had carried nothing but a sliver of warmth in his heart—
His eyes had been endlessly cold, looking down upon the world from above.
But now, having found a safe haven, he had grown into a mortician who could understand and care for others' emotions.
"Ah—"
Then, Man-wol abruptly shot up from her seat.
She had been pursued by the assassins of the Three Realms, wounded, and lost consciousness.
Though she had shaken them off using the Star God's Power, they were masters with extraordinary abilities.
Given how much time had passed, there was a chance they might track her down and storm this place.
"I have to go."
Flustered, she hurried toward the exit. But something was wrong.
Her ears suddenly rang, and her head spun unnaturally.
'The herb's effect.'
She had only applied it to her wound, yet—
The power of the Spiritual Herb was so potent that dozens of fiery currents spread from her dantian, flooding her body with scorching energy.
Stagger.
As she wobbled, grabbing onto a nearby coffin for support while trying to leave, the boy swiftly rushed to her side.
"Did your wound reopen?"
"No, it's not that."
Beads of sweat rolled down Man-wol's face as she spoke.
"If I stay here, I'll only be a burden."
"Haven't you already become one?"
The boy replied matter-of-factly.
"Even ruthless martial artists avoid funeral parlors for fear of bad luck. Plus, there are plenty of hiding spots here."
"Hiding spots?"
"Look."
The boy pointed at the stacked coffins and the table supporting the very bottom one.
"Outwardly, it just looks like an empty base, but there's actually an ebony plank laid inside."
He crouched into the narrow gap between the table's underside and the ebony plank.
"Even if someone curls up in here, from the outside, it just looks like a plain base. No one would ever notice."
"Wow."
For a moment, Man-wol's eyes widened in amazement.
The space was dark and shadowed—
At a glance, it appeared completely empty, but in truth, an ebony plank was concealed within.
The black wood blended seamlessly into the darkness, tricking the eye into believing the space was vacant.
"Fascinating."
Man-wol approached and crouched beside the boy.
"Did you intentionally design this space?"
"Of course not. It just happened by accident."
The boy kept his voice low.
"You'd think a funeral parlor would only be filled with bleak things, but there are actually many curious objects here. If you go to the paper effigy workshop over there..."
Shoulder to shoulder, Man-wol and the boy remained crouched, chatting idly for a long while.
Neither of them had ever sat among peers to share trivial conversations like this before.
The boy had been silently sending off the deceased in a place as lightless as the Underworld itself—
And Man-wol had endured agony akin to death, pushing forward through perilous trials and grueling asceticism.
Yet here, in this place where no one else existed—
Sitting quietly in this secluded place, sharing stories together—
It felt just like meeting a childhood friend from the village.
Like sitting in a pavilion on a cool summer night, gazing at the stars while talking.
'Like a sweet dream.'
A dream.
In that instant, Man-wol snapped back to her senses.
Until now, she had single-handedly dealt with dangers so perilous that even the Martial World's superlative martial experts dared not touch them.
Never once had she allowed herself to relax—whenever danger loomed, the Star God's Power would activate instinctively.
But from the moment she stepped into this place...
She had forgotten even the fact that someone was pursuing her, and her heart had grown endlessly at ease.
Not only that, but the Star God's Power itself remained dormant, as if sunk in deep slumber.
'I'm beyond saving.'
Man-wol felt a deep disappointment in herself.
Though this path had not been her choice, she had taken on the immense responsibility of protecting the world—a duty akin to a sacred mission.
For that mission, she had endured grueling, bone-grinding training since childhood.
And yet, here she was—severely injured while fleeing her pursuers—
Losing herself in trivial sentimentality... forgetting reality and indulging in idle chatter?
"I have to go."
She stood up abruptly and looked at the boy.
"Thank you. I won't forget this kindness."
The end was already decided.
Though her life would be one of unrelenting pain, she had no regrets—not when her purpose was to save the world.
'I'll remember today for the rest of my life.'
Today was nothing more...
Than a sweet dream, a fleeting kindness granted by the gods.
"Take care."
She turned to dash toward the mortuary door—
"Wait."
The boy hastily called out to her.
"You dropped this."
In his hand was a white jade bead.
During her struggle inside the Iron Coffin...
The Clear Heart Jade Bead, which she had worn like prayer beads around her wrist, must have slipped off.
"Thank you."
She spun around in a hurry.
The Clear Heart Jade Bead was something her master had carried all his life, bequeathing it to her before his passing.
"I tied it tightly so I wouldn't lose it... I don't know how it came undone."
Flustered, she reached for the bead the boy held out, standing beside the pitch-black Iron Coffin.
The moment her fingertips touched it—
Whoooosh!
A radiant light burst forth in all directions, coalescing into a luminous sphere before her.
'The Star God's Power?'
The instant her hand made contact with the bead in the boy's grasp...
The Star God's Power, which had lain dormant all this time—was surging forth with unprecedented intensity!
Flicker. Flicker-flicker-flicker—
Before her eyes, countless scenes flashed past like a kaleidoscope.
The Star God's Power, now at its peak, was showing her the distant future with crystal clarity.
'That person...'
The Baekri Clan had always said that her fate was intertwined with the successor who would save the world—
That she must stake her life to deliver the prophecy for his sake.
'...It was him.'
The one bound to her fate was not the Baekri Clan's successor.
It was this undertaker boy standing before her.
Drip. Drip-drip.
Unbidden, tears streamed down her face.
Because she had seen the suffering, sorrow, and endless journey this boy would endure.
"What's wrong?"
The boy's eyes widened—
Thud.
Before she knew it, she had pulled him into an embrace.
'From now on... I must protect him.'
"Wh-what are you—"
He stumbled back in shock.
"Just a moment."
Tears still falling, she held him tighter.
"My wounds hurt. Just... stay like this for a little while."
Though bewildered, the boy stood still, unable to refuse her tears.
"Come to think of it, Grandfather left some medicinal herbs for pain relief..."
When she remained motionless even after a long while, he scratched his cheek awkwardly and continued.
"I don't know how effective they'll be, but they should help somewhat."
"No, I'm fine now."
Wiping her tears, she pulled away and smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry."
Then she bowed deeply.
"For imposing on you in many ways."
"If you really think that way..."
The boy cleared his throat.
"This might sound harsh, but... don't come back here. My grandfather wants nothing to do with the grudges of the Martial World."
"I understand."
Man-wol reached out toward him.
"But in return, I'll—"
Then, the blood that had dripped from her transformed into a translucent energy, swiftly filling the space between them.
Thousand-Mile Blood Soul Engraving Art. One Drop Connects Heaven.
Through the medium of a single drop of blood.
A mystical Art of Spells that imprints one's presence upon the other's mind, no matter how far apart they may be.
She had unleashed the Blood Link Heart Curse.
From this moment on, the two of them—
Even if separated by dozens of ri—would be able to sense each other's presence as if resonating across the distance.
"Wherever you are, I'll protect you."
She smiled brightly.
That smile was radiant enough to illuminate the dim room, dazzling in its beauty.
Whether it was because of that smile or the lingering effects of the Great Art, the boy wore a dazed expression.
"Bu Eun-seol."
Man-wol uttered the boy's name—the one she had seen in her Future Sight—and beamed.
And then, in an instant, she vanished.
"My name..."
The boy, Bu Eun-seol, who had just regained his senses, gaped at the spot where Man-wol had disappeared.
"How?"
They had never exchanged formal introductions.
And yet, before leaving, she had looked straight at him and called him by his name without hesitation.
"Don't tell me... she was a fox spirit?"
Recalling Man-wol's beautiful face—her eyes brimming with tears yet still smiling so brightly—Bu Eun-seol roughly scratched his flushed cheeks.
"...Seeing something that pretty..."
Muttering under his breath, he picked up the herb box left on the table.
"I ended up wasting herbs, bewitched by a fox."
He began reorganizing the scattered herbs, straightening the disordered embalming table and bandages.
Meanwhile, Man-wol—who had not yet used her Movement Technique to leave—
Sat atop the roof, listening to his grumbling, her own cheeks faintly reddening.
Bu Eun-seol carried Man-wol in his arms and dashed to the Martial Soul Society.
Then, activating his stealth technique, he headed straight for the Absolute Domain.
If Do Cheon-rin or the others were to witness this scene—
"—What, he brought another woman?"
They would undoubtedly point fingers and tease him relentlessly for ages.
Krrrrm.
At last, they arrived at the Absolute Domain, forged deep within the heart of the Martial Soul Society.
"This is the place."
Bu Eun-seol spoke awkwardly.
"I did my best, but I can't guarantee how safe it is."
"It's more than enough. Thank you."
Man-wol smiled brightly—
But her skin was riddled with deep cracks, faint light seeping through the fissures.
If left like this, it seemed she would dissolve into light and vanish at any moment.
"There's no other way?"
Bu Eun-seol asked with a pained expression.
"Even if it's a suspended state, staying here for three years is..."
"There is no other way."
Man-wol's voice was firm.
"Unless it's a power that transcends death, there's no way to absorb this energy."
Though he had brought her this far,
Bu Eun-seol wanted to somehow prevent her from falling into suspended animation.
Three years.
For someone so young, that time—
Was an irreplaceable, precious span of life.
But seeing the resolve in Man-wol's eyes,
In the end, he could only nod.
"You're really sure you can recover?"
At his worried question, Man-wol smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
Lying inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Coffin, she slowly reached out and gently brushed her fingers against the underside of Bu Eun-seol's jaw.
"Did it hurt?"
"What are you talking about?"
"This scar."
Beneath Bu Eun-seol's jaw was a tiny, faded scar.
It was so faint and positioned just under his chin that—
Unless someone looked closely, it was practically invisible.
"Huh?"
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol looked startled.
Until now, he hadn't even known such a scar existed.
"I... didn't know."
He wore a slightly embarrassed expression.
"I didn't even realize it was there."
"I see."
"Wait... did you know me before?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned strange.
Only now did he realize that Man-wol's gaze and expression felt somehow familiar.
'Do I have another lost memory... one I'm not even aware of?'
The only memories he had lost were from his early childhood, before Saha Manor.
So why did this feeling—this vague, aching nostalgia—seem to pour from her eyes?
"No, that's impossible."
Man-wol shook her head.
"I must have mistaken it for something else."
Then, she looked tired.
"Now, please close the coffin."
"Understood."
"Then... I'll see you in three years."
Nod.
Bu Eun-seol shut the lid of the Ice Jade Coffin and pressed the protruding bead on its side.
A rush of pale mist spread out, and slowly, her body began to freeze.
Until Man-wol awoke on her own and opened the coffin, this place would remain sealed forever.
"Bu Eun-seol."
From within the coffin, Man-wol stared intently at him through the ice.
A faint smile lingered on her lips.
Three years later.
Her awakening would be but an instant.
Soon, to save Bu Eun-seol, she would have to sacrifice everything she had.
And even that sacrifice... to her, was nothing short of joy.
"Goodbye..."
Watching Bu Eun-seol's blurred figure through the ice, she whispered softly.
"My love."