31The second word overturns the game board (Episode 397)
More than two years have passed since the Yasha War ended. Meanwhile, Khan had changed a lot..
If someone asks whether a dusty old empire that has prospered as it should be can change, the answer will be no..
But if that empire is Khan, the answer will be yes..
Khan had countless talents and they were all stars..
Before we knew it, Khan was recovering from his wounds and growing new skin..
“Truth! What if I end up sleeping here again? You were the one who said you would join the escort.!”
“Oh right!”
“As if I realized something, oh that's right, oh that's right! What should I do if there is a hole in the escort?!”
Jinryeo woke up wiping her saliva..
“Since Chiu puts as much effort into my empty space, there is no way there will be a hole..”
“So why is there an empty seat??”
“well? Did a rat eat it??”
“Then I guess I'll have to kill the rat. Let's see, the club….”
“Rats are life too! this wicked….”
Two people exchanging half-joking, half-serious jokes.
They were the people closest to Seolhong..
Their appearance has changed a lot in two years..
First of all, Jinryeo had her braided hair hanging down next to her long straight hair. She says that it was her tribe's tradition when she lived as a member of a northern tribe..
Although there was controversy over whether she, who was not a descendant of Khan and came from a minority tribe in a foreign country, could stand by the side of the dragon, in the end she became a symbol showing that Seolhong could embrace so many different people..
In fact, the person concerned said, ‘It has nothing to do with my origins…’ I just muttered '.'.
Chiu has become a little more unconventional than her..
My kidneys have grown tremendously..
Beastmen are basically larger than humans, but it didn't make sense for Chiwoo, a beastman, to be similar in size to Kang Seol, as he received dragon blood..
As a result, he reached full physical maturity..
His height was about a head taller than that of other large adults, and his muscles were shredded..
On the other hand, his face gives off a vague boyish vibe, making him very popular with the women of Cannes..
“Why don't you always work hard? Jinryeo.”
“You know, I think... I think the total amount of effort is fixed..”
“What kind of nonsense is that about eating well??”
“I feel like I'm saving my efforts to do something important later. I'm sure it will! So you can sleep more?”
“…….”
Chiwoo pulled Jinryeo’s ear..
“Ah! it hurts!”
“Effort is a habit. If you were that lazy, you wouldn't know what to do when the time came to try later. So I'll show you how.”
“too bad!”
“ha… Jinryeo, you have so little awareness. Do you know what kind of presence Seolhong has become to Khan’s people??”
“…A great being?”
“Specifically.”
“…Mother, well. Mincho's mother!”
she was right.
Seolhong was sailing through the Yongjae battle with massive support from the people..
Since the Battle of Dragons is a test that focuses entirely on ability, such support could not change anything, but it was a great help to Seolhong..
The countless problems that she solved at Cannes. In the process, she sacrificed herself and showed unconventional actions, so she was bound to capture the hearts of those who doubted her true intentions..
She fascinated many people..
“So now, all we have to do is get rid of Shinyo and Taeyul??”
“Eliminate it! Sounds like a big problem!”
“Oh, we've been eliminating competitors all along... . Those two are the only candidates worthy of competition.!”
“Anyone who hears this will misunderstand. I never removed it. Even though I've passed by.”
“Either that, or that… Anyway, take care of this.?”
A large number of members of the Braves fell out..
The final 10 people have been decided ahead of the final exam..
Among them, Seolhong was one of them..
Among over 200 Yonghwas, she was the only one who started from the bottom and made it into the top 10..
She was a woman who was touched by miracles in many ways..
“Is this the guy who knows that? I realize that I am Seolhong’s escort.?”
“Well, I am aware of it. And it's not me who needs to realize this, it's Seolhong! You should be scolded for walking into such a dangerous slum on your own with only a few escorts! Yep!”
“that… hmm… There is a part of what you say is correct..”
“Yes? Seolhong should get scolded instead of me.?”
“That's not it. Now, go to the designated location..”
Jinryeo muttered to her Jin..
“No, Kunna. You can't say things like you're going to beat up Mr. Chiu for me.!”
Kunna is the truth of truth.
Jin's voice was heard..
- I never said that..
Jinryeo and Chiwoo’s gaze crossed..
“Hehe… Ehehehe… Why is this quiet kid suddenly….”
ha…
Chiu sighed and looked out the window. A small building located in a slum. He had also visited there in the past..
“…snow red.”
* * *
The child was held in the woman's arms, spitting up and talking loudly..
“Seolhong, seolhong! You know, when you become a dragon, you can eat whatever you want.?”
“hmm… maybe?”
“So, can I do what I want to do without worrying about others??”
“Notice... You see, right? Still, there won't be many people who will stop the dragon from doing what it wants to do. If you block it, there must be a reason to stop it..”
“I see… It's so good to be a dragon….”
“do you want to be a dragon?”
“huh. I think it would be nice to be a dragon.”
the child grinned.
“There's something I want to do.”
“What I want to do?”
“huh! I will protect Seolhong.!”
These were not words that a child much younger than Seolhong would have uttered..
“therefore… not now but later.”
“…you me?”
“huh! Because Seolhong is weak! I will protect you. I will show that even people from the slums can protect Seolhong. If you become a dragon, you can be together even if you are from here.?”
“…….”
At first glance, someone's shadow appeared in Seolhong's mind..
I shook my head for a moment to shake it off. It is a memory that should never be missed. If you're not careful, you'll lose your breath and sink..
It was an experience I had already had dozens of times. Once it rained in my heart, the day was completely over..
bean-!
“Wow!”
Someone fed honey chestnuts to the child's head.
“Boy, I told you to call me Seolhong.?”
“Ahh! Yushin is a monster!”
“This guy….”
“I don't know! I don't know!”
“ha ha ha….”
Yushin came and sat down..
The man who connected Mia and Seolhong and helped them change the past..
It was the light of the slums.
“Seolhong. Don't come here now, it's dangerous.”
“It's dangerous... Everyone is kind.”
“You lack self-awareness. You can brush away the wrinkles, but you can't make them look like they never existed. Not everyone feels the same way.”
“I know, Chiwoo came too..”
“Then I'm glad.”
The two were silent for a while..
“Seolhong. I'm thinking of becoming a dragon?”
“Yushin also thinks I will become a dragon?”
“That's because it's the closest thing to a dragon. How are you??”
“…I don't know. Is it okay if I become a dragon?.”
“what?”
“Everything I've achieved... Maybe it wasn't my full strength.”
Seolhong wasn’t convinced yet. To rule over the people.
“You see, maybe dragons don't exist anymore... . It may be an illusion of the times. Still, we follow that reverberation so as not to forget it. Why??”
widely.
Yushin said as he put down the car..
“Because the birth of Khan originated from that..”
“Is that right? One dragon rules this wide space... That thought.”
“…what do you mean? Seolhong, it means that the world you want is different.?”
Seolhong’s expression was dark..
“I don't know. just… I wish there was no such thing as a dragon... No, I often fantasize about wishing everyone was a dragon..”
“It's a dangerous idea. Not everyone can fly and breathe fire.”
“Even so… hmm… I don't know. Maybe I’m anxious because I’m on a path I’ve never taken before..”
It was true that I was anxious.
My hands were shaking at the thought of having to become a dragon and rule this wide space. Taeyul was probably the only one who could not tremble..
eat…
“Seolhong, do you know why the dragons of the East are treated completely differently from other dragons??”
“well…?”
“Because it controls the weather.”
“the weather?”
“All dragons are dangerous beings, but the dragon of the East is said to have the power to control the weather. To make it rain or make the day clear….”
words from legend.
If Hwageumu is resurrected, there will probably be a strong storm..
“For us in the past, weather was an important value that was directly related to life, so we all fear dragons. There will be a person next to the dragon. Yes, it creates hope. Because I think a dragon will change the world.”
“……”
“Seolhong, become a dragon. Become a dragon and make it rain in Khan too. Let the rain pour like there's a hole in the sky and wash it all away. All the corrupt powerful families, the poverty of the slums, and even the darkness that Khan embraces..”
“…Is it possible? Even if I were to become a dragon, it wouldn't be enough to do all that even if it rained every day..”
Yushin laughed..
“If you become a dragon, then you won't be afraid of rain.”
Seolhong woke up smiling..
Come on…
“I'll go. for now… I can't come.”
“I guess so. Because the final ordeal is just around the corner. … I can do it?”
“…I don't know. still….”
Seolhong’s face hardened..
“I don't plan on stopping.”
That was enough..
Because someday, it will bloom.
“…Goodbye, little dragon.”
* * *
Since then, time has passed again..
Zech…
Zech…
A woman is drawing a picture.
Her paintings did not contain a single phenomenon..
I drew all kinds of colorful things that cannot be expressed in simple words..
her name is mia.
She is a girl from the Youngan tribe who lost her eyes and was protected by Hyemyeong in the past..
Her deep darkness has cleared. Because Kang-seol, Seol-hong, and Chi-woo changed her and her Hye-myeong's past..
They returned the painting to her..
This was the reason why she was still able to paint and teach children in her small studio in the mountain valley..
What's drawn on paper is not the world she sees, but the world she feels.
Zech…
Zech…
rattle…
she stopped brushing.
Now that all the trainees have left, the number of people who will visit here has been decided..
Mia tried to remember where the noise just came from..
‘…If it's there.’
There was no need to be scared..
It felt like someone I knew was visiting..
Jeopuk…
Jeopuk…
Mia slowly walked deep into the studio..
Since I was making such a show of popularity, the visitors inside couldn't help but pretend to know me..
“sorry… missing child. I just wanted to take a quick look at it one last time. I didn't mean to startle you. If I fall alone….”
“are you okay. i don't care.”
Mia smiled..
“snow red.”
Seolhong visited her studio for the first time in a long time. She used to come and go countless times, but recently her visits have been infrequent..
In the first place, the location of the studio was not very good, and Seolhong, who was fighting the war, mainly stayed in the capital, Hongyeon, so it was normal for him to visit infrequently..
“Are you coming to see me today too??”
“…huh. Because now is the final ordeal. Because I need to be strong.”
Mia turned her head to the picture that Seolhong was looking at..
I felt it.
what picture is hanging.
Hyemyeong and Mia, and Chiwoo and Seolhong who look a little younger than they are now..
finally… It was a picture with snowfall..
“…It's a picture with a lot of missing places..”
“…….”
There are five people in the picture, but two of them are people we can no longer see..
“You know, Mia..”
“yes.”
“I was afraid. I felt like I couldn't bear it without looking at the picture..”
“What were you afraid of??”
“I'm afraid I'll forget... I'm afraid I won't remember….”
“…….”
Snowfall shown in the picture.
The only trace of Seolhong left now was that painting..
“…Are you still looking for him??”
“…huh.”
“You are a woman who will become a dragon, Seolhong. I feel a strong sense of destiny.”
“…….”
“They say the snow won't come back... Don't collapse. A lot of time has already passed….”
Seolhong muttered..
“Yushin said. It is said that the dragon of the East wields the weather. So, be a dragon too.”
“It's an old legend..”
No matter what, tears flowed from Seolhong’s eyes..
“…Wrong. What kind of dragon is it that can't even stop the rain falling in my heart, let alone the weather?.”
The snowfall in the picture seemed to be looking at her..
And like the time when he came to the living quarters to save her, he seemed to whisper.
- If you get caught in the rain, you're in trouble..
“eww… eww….”
Mia hugged her tightly..
We brought her back to her feet with the warmth we exchanged..
“I told you that you promised me.”
“huh… I promised.”
I definitely promised.
To come back.
“Well then, just trust and wait. You definitely kept your promise..”
“…….”
Seolhong finally stopped crying after hearing Mia’s words..
“Mia, you stopped my rain and you are the dragon..”
“…I'm not interested in dragons..”
The Last Trial of Bravery.
It was the night before Injung-ro, a road surrounded by people..
Now she only had one last step left to become a dragon..
Still, the snow hasn't returned.
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