Toxin

“Haah…”

Crossing the cloud bridge over the pond, I looked around. Gripping my hair, I surveyed the open palace, spotting Unsa and Usa from a distance once more.

“Still haven’t met him? I thought I saw His Majesty around here earlier.”

“Where did you see him?”

“How many times do I have to tell you where you might find him?”

Unsa and Usa left with just those brief words. Realizing that this wasn’t going to solve anything, I eventually returned to Yongjeon, pursued and pursued. My body felt as though it had bathed in sweat, but I kept my eyes diligently searching for him. As I ascended to the room, I saw the Black Martial Emperor walking from afar.

It had been exactly a week. Contrary to my worries, he had returned safely. He stopped abruptly when our eyes met, his breathing heavy as he scanned the surroundings. He frowned, then quickly closed the distance with his long strides. My heartbeat raced to match his pace.

“Have you just arrived?”

His calm voice trembled at the end. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room. His handsome features seemed to convey anger.

“Leaving me in suspense and being annoyingly nonchalant.”

As the doors opened in turn and we entered the bedroom, his face lunged at mine without a moment’s hesitation. In a vulnerable state, I was completely pulled into his mouth. He grasped a handful of my hair and repeatedly bent it, exploring my lips. I rubbed his tongue with mine, soothing my thirst with his saliva. Our lips were thoroughly wet, sticking together with our tongues as if they would melt away without a trace.

“Ah… haah…”

After finally breaking the kiss and gasping for air, my vision blurred and my legs wobbled. He pulled me by the waist to steady me. Our chests collided with a heavy thud. The intense heat seemed to melt through the fabric of our clothes. Through my foggy vision, his eyes glowed with newly kindled passion. My head was damp and dizzy, feeling as if it was being overwhelmed by a storm. His warm tongue wrapped around my lips as he murmured languidly.

“Finally met.”

***

After sharing intimacy with the Black Martial Emperor twice in the room and bathing together twice more… When I finally returned to the room, I was completely exhausted. He quietly looked at my face before falling deeply asleep. I wasn’t sure what he had been doing or where, but it seemed he had worked quite hard. I wanted to ask him about the text from the book I had seen earlier, but decided to pretend not to know until he spoke first.

Watching him sleep, I put on my clothes. Although my waist felt like it might melt away, I picked up the album from the cabinet and went to the annex. Unwrapping the album, the Black Martial Emperor’s image was revealed. Trapped in the album, he lay stretched out on the bed. The image was cold as ice, languid, and intensely vivid, almost causing dizziness. I brushed my hand over the unfinished portrait. Despite being incomplete with some detailed touches missing, it somehow felt finished as it was.

I wrapped the album in the cloth and placed it neatly on one side of the cabinet. Taking out a clean sheet of paper, I spread it out on my lap. The paper, barely two characters long, seemed to cover a vast expanse. The initial stage of spreading out the empty space was the most daunting and difficult. However, once started, the drawing would be completed in the blink of an eye. My father used to emphasize that a drawing, like life, is a small reflection of oneself. If something goes wrong in the middle, you can always try to fix it with all your effort, or if it’s beyond repair, start over with a new sheet of paper.

Driven by impulse, I spread out the paper, but even drawing a simple line in the initial stage was a struggle. Whether starting over from scratch or revising the incomplete portrait, I planned to complete it eventually. For now, I pushed the paper aside and fetched honey and pigments. After researching a more viscous substance than the glue Naro and I had used during the day, we decided to experiment with pine resin for Naro and honey for myself. Pouring honey into a dish and mixing it with various powdered pigments, I tested it on the paper. As the pigments and brushes didn’t pick up well, I added more honey. At that moment, I heard a sound and looked up. The Black Martial Emperor entered the annex wearing only trousers.

“Have you already started coughing? Shouldn’t you be resting more…?”

He strode in and took a seat in front of me. He placed a stack of paper in front of him and cast a cool glance.

“Should I try some treatment too after a long time?”

“Aren’t you tired? If you have to attend to state affairs tomorrow, you should rest well today.”

“It’s a remedy that restores me to normal, so I’ll work hard. What should I do this time?”

I thought he would be satisfied with mere cooperation when I suggested starting again, but seeing him take the initiative was quite endearing. I placed the three dishes of pigment I had just made in front of him.

“Well then, let’s keep it simple today. You need to think about tomorrow too… Last time you painted nature, so this time, draw something you’re interested in. Something related to hunting or machinery…”

“Something I’m interested in…”

He muttered and looked around, moving his black eyes.

“Does it have to be on this paper?”

“It’s not necessary, but… there’s nothing suitable to replace it right now, so let’s use paper today…”

“No, I have something.”

“Eh…!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he began to spread my garment to the sides. With my chest and shoulders fully exposed, I hurriedly tried to pull my clothes up, but he was one step ahead, restraining my wrists and thighs. The sudden action left me quite flustered, and he looked at my chest as if licking it, saying.

“I prefer this paper.”

He grabbed my wrist with one hand and dipped his fingers into the pigment on the dish. Then, slowly, he brought the red-stained hand to the back of my neck.

“There are twenty-one points of vital pressure and thirty-one extreme points on the body. Knowing these points allows anyone to inflict intense pain without exception. Pressing here stimulates the thoracic nerves, temporarily immobilizing the arm.”

“Your Majesty…”

The Black Martial Emperor pressed his finger on the hollow below my collarbone, where my arm connects. Red pigment transferred onto my body. The awkward position and partially exposed torso made me try to pull away. This time, he immediately stripped my clothes from under my arms and pulled me tightly between his legs. His chest muscles writhed aggressively.

“Cooperate quietly. I’m trying to have some fun for once.”

His piercing gaze bound me. He pressed on my armpits with his index fingers, stimulating the area. I tried to pull my hands away from the ticklish sensation, but he remained unmoved. He lightly pressed his thumb on my shoulder blade while the remaining fingers applied slight pressure on the inside of my armpits, making my arms temporarily numb.

“Do you feel it? This is the spot that immobilizes the arm.”

His fingers slid sideways along my skin. He created a pinching motion with his thumb and index finger in the middle where my neck and shoulder meet, pressing the muscles there.

“Pressing here will make you writhe in agony and cry without tears.”

He drew a circular shape with his fingers around my nipples, like a knife carving. The sensation was so intense it felt as if my spine was being scratched. My hand entangled in his pants twitched. The spreading red pigment stained the area around my nipples.

“Attacking here will either cause immediate fainting or, if severe, death.”

The techniques, redolent with the smell of blood, were conveyed through his deep voice. My ears rang with pain, and my body twisted with other tortures. He firmly gripped my shoulder while rubbing his fingers on my skin, circling around my nipples. The engorged, cherry-like protrusions became erect, and his fingers licked the prominent tips. The heat gathered around my eyes, and my labored breathing scattered into the air. His chest muscles twitched, and the clearly aroused ridge under his pants scratched my vision. Fixing his gaze on me, he dropped his thumb to press into my side, pinching the tender flesh of my lower ribs from both sides.

“This will make it painful and hard to move. This method is twice as effective as a punch.”

Red pigment traced the contours where his hands had passed, sticky with the honey mixed into the pigment. The places his fingertips touched seemed to ignite like fire. This time, he embraced me and placed his hands on my back, softly rubbing along the spine about the lower back. A muffled voice resonated at the base of my neck.

“This is called the ‘Famous Point.’ It means the place where life flows in and out. And this is where energy gathers like an ocean.”

His hands slid forward again, pressing gently below my belly button, spreading a light ache and tingling sensation. His gaze, as he leaned back, overlapped with the corner of my mouth. He traced circles on my lower abdomen persistently while scrutinizing me. The hand stained with red pigment looked extremely lewd. His deep, penetrating eyes were a vicious swamp. My earlobes burned with heat, and I began to breathe heavily. The pigment, clinging to my body and hair, made my clothes a mess. Compared to me, the Black Martial Emperor was relatively clean except for some pigment on his hands.

I bit my lower lip, glaring at his well-defined upper body. This time, I also equipped my fingers. After dipping them in black pigment, I aimed at his left cheek. He raised his eyebrows. I first drew lines on his left cheek and added a wound-like mark near his eyes, then a few similar marks on his bare chest. I made them as grimy and lowly as possible. His cool eyes followed the movement of my hand.

Ignoring the neatly defined muscles on his abdomen, I drew the protruding ribs and thickened the winding hair in the center of his chest. His smooth brow furrowed, and his dark eyes deepened with pleasure, showing signs of intense ticklishness. I suppressed a smile at his ridiculous appearance and continued to work. He lowered his head and licked my exposed collarbone, then broadly licked my shoulder. Next, the moist flesh hovered over my nipple. The nipple, slick with pigment and saliva, gradually hardened. He savored the subtle tremor of the tip and overwhelmed my sensitive skin with a thrilling sensation. The flesh moving above my nipple and his jawline made my vision dizzy.

“Haah…”

A barely audible moan escaped from his shoulder, and the Black Martial Emperor closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. He sucked the pigment and hair off my nipples and lightly bit them. When he lifted his head, his mouth was smeared with red pigment. I ended up laughing. His dark eyes shook violently.

The Black Martial Emperor sucked my crooked lips with his tongue, and the sweet taste mingled with saliva and tender flesh. Leaving behind the strange sensation, I now exaggeratedly drew muscles on his forearm in brown. I squinted slightly, focusing again on ruining his solid physique. His lips touched the slightly tilted nape of my neck. It tickled, making me laugh again, and then he pressed his lips against mine. Closing my eyes to the bitter taste of the pigment, we both became covered in colorful pigments. This was how we lived our everyday lives.

***

Today, the Black Martial Emperor and I decided to go on an unplanned outing. I had received word in the morning that the Suryeong had been completed by the technician. Although the chances of success were slim in this preliminary test, I was half excited and half anxious about what the Suryeong I had drawn would look like. I had heard that the Suryeong would be tested in a river near Sinsi. After quickly preparing, we left Yongjeon. Outside, the sun was setting over the mountains. As we hurried towards the place where the Black Martial Emperor was waiting, I saw Unsa and Usa bickering near the garden pavilion. I greeted them.

“Aren’t you coming with us?”

Usa said leisurely with his arms crossed.

“We’ve been through life-threatening situations for several days; we need a break. His Majesty has granted us special leave. Are you on your way to check the Suryeong?”

“Yes.”

Usa glanced at Unsa with a peculiar smile.

“I didn’t know you had such skills. Could you see me briefly after you return? I have an urgent request.”

Unsa narrowed his slippery eyebrows at the strange look. As I was about to pass them, I hesitated and looked at Unsa.

“By the way… do you know what ‘Damha’ means?”

“Damha? Why do you ask?”

“I heard it somewhere and was curious, so I asked.”

Unsa shrugged and answered.

“It’s a small spear. A spear used for catching fish.”

So it’s a spear for catching fish… Was I overthinking things? Even though the Black Martial Emperor had said he would give me a name, he had been busy all the time, and I only had the name Roha for now… I felt embarrassed by how much I had built up expectations.

“I see.”

My voice sounded deflated, and I wasn’t pleased with it. As I turned away from Unsa, I was about to leave when he added:

“But there’s another meaning.”

“What is it?”

I asked casually, turning my head, and Unsa gave a slight smile.

“It also means ‘a faint purplish sunset.’”

Ah… My mind went blank. My heart began to pound so hard it was almost deafening. The guards, with tired faces, passed by, slapping their necks, when Unsa suddenly scoffed.

“A faint purplish sunset? It sounds like some drunkard wrote a poem after getting wasted.”

“A poem written in a drunken state is just drunken rambling,” Usa said. By now, the two of them had disappeared from sight. They had left, but I couldn’t. I looked up at the sky bathed in the sunset. I stood there, lost in thought, repeating the words to myself.

Damha… a faint purplish sunset…

The resonance in my mouth spread to my chest. As a mild fever spread in my throat, I clenched my hands and swallowed the rising emotion.

***

Arriving at the garden gate, I found the Black Martial Emperor already waiting. He was smoking a cigarette, and as I approached, he lowered the cigarette holder from his finger and slowly walked towards me. The smoke trailing from his mouth followed him lazily. He never seemed to rush, except for a few things. Even in simple actions, there was an inherent sense of order and grace. The Black Martial Emperor led me to Heukryeong and reached out his hand to me. The long train of his dragon robe fluttered in the wind, looking magnificent like black wings. His strong shoulders seemed to support the twilight and the world itself.

Two intense emotions were still fighting inside me. The exhausting struggle had driven me to the brink and left my limbs weak. The conclusion I reached after this struggle was waiting. I didn’t know where I was headed or what would come after the wait. I just wanted to observe. To see what would become of me and him. If it was painful, I would endure it; if it was joyful, I would rejoice… If the day ever comes when I am forgiven, if such a day ever comes, I would spend each day drawing with my bones scraped and flesh melting away. Even if it were a foolish wait…

I extended my hand and placed it in his. As soon as our hands entwined, my body was lifted upwards. From the distant ground, Grand Chamberlain stomped his feet anxiously. The Black Martial Emperor embraced me from behind and tightened the reins connected to the saddle. His muscular chest pressed firmly against my back, and his unbending index finger was separate from the rest of his family. I held the firmly spread reins with my hand. He pressed his lips to the nape of my neck and spoke softly.

“Let me know if it’s difficult. We can take a break.”

I nodded. Then he swung the whip with a large motion.

Crack—!

With a fierce crack of the whip, the enormous Heukryeong leapt into the sky, kicking up dust. With the cutting wind, it sliced through the space between heaven and earth… The vast land was bathed in the red wings of the setting sun. Under the wings of the sunset, the beautiful kingdom and the red sun completed the scene. Countless colors melted into my sight. The purplish sunset, soaking the sky and earth, was piercingly captivating. With the wind blowing through his hair, he buried his nose in it.

“We’ll visit the grave on the way.”

He said softly from behind.

“The complete severance of the Baekgak is akin to cutting off a crucial artery. All bodily functions are closely linked to the head. Sometimes there might be memory loss, but as long as the fever is well managed, it should not be a major concern.”

The physician continued, bowing his head to the dirt floor.

“However, that child has an unusually intense internal fire for his age. The heat in his chest is comparable to that of an elderly person who has experienced all the trials of the world.”

Garon, leaning against a tree and listening silently to the physician, finally spoke up.

“He’s good at enduring. Does that also affect his aftereffects?”

“Too much endurance can also become a problem. The sickness of the mind is said to be the root of all diseases, and it is the most frightening. While the child is one concern, the Emperor’s health is even more…”

“I don’t care.”

He was partly to blame for the current situation.

“So what should I do moving forward?”

The physician deeply bowed his head and reiterated.

“Your Majesty only needs to ensure the child’s mind is at ease. If you focus on that, the child’s life will not be in danger.”

Garon turned his gaze to a thatched house visible from afar. On the narrow porch, guards and the Grand Chamberlain were stationed, and the child was drying paper in one corner of the yard. Looking at the body exposed to the sunlight, he brought the cigarette holder to his mouth.

“How about the color of the disease?”

The physician who had his head down on the floor flinched his shoulders. Garon tapped the cigarette to shake off the ashes, placed it by his lips, and said,

“I feel like he’s going to go mad if he doesn’t eat for even a day.”

***

“Ah… ha… mmm…”

The muffled groans and the sound of flesh hitting flesh shattered the silence of the evening. He spread the soft buttocks with both hands and pressed his genitals against them. While enduring the thrusts from behind, the soft flesh guided him to the depths of pleasure. He wrapped his arms around the upper body and lifted it, tilting the head back. When he inserted his fingers into the squirming mouth, they were sucked eagerly.

Garon bit his widely opened red lips and stirred the space of seduction with his tongue. The area the creature liked the most was the roof of the mouth. When scratched vigorously, it melted the eardrums with moans of lust. This time, the rose-colored nipples, wet with saliva, caught his attention. When Garon deeply sucked the nipple and licked it with his tongue, a clear cry of pleasure erupted.

“Ha… ah… mmm…!”

“Ha… ah…”

The well-rounded buttocks moved rapidly. Sweat formed on the round forehead, creating a blend of innocence and lewdness, an extreme atmosphere. The moist purple eyes gradually changed to a reddish hue as they approached climax. He was intoxicated by the fiery colors and tempered his desire. As the creature’s upper body tilted forward, the biting of the inner walls became more intense. Ha…! When the sparks erupted in his head, he finally let go of his composure. As the intense pleasure pushed them to the peak, their movements became urgent. The hair tangled and the alluring naked body arched backward, and the creature spilled semen on the floor. The sticky inner walls wrapped around the genitals and made a rapturous gesture. Garon pushed his waist to the limit and released pleasure into the lewd hole.

Before the afterglow of pleasure faded, he lifted the limp body onto his chest. This weight truly brought him to the peak. Placing his hand on the creature’s sweaty forehead, he felt a slight fever. He frowned and clicked his tongue. Gently stroking the creature’s back and following the soft spine below, the creature fell asleep, seemingly fainting. He wiped the creature’s body with a wet towel and removed the semen from the hole. As the creature’s finger moistly embraced the inner flesh of the back hole, desire ignited again.

The creature’s body temperature always seemed to be tepid, on the border between the living and the dead. The eyes held nothing but guilt towards the mother. He wanted to warm that precarious body and fill the empty eyes. Since the creature had suffered particularly hard over the past few days, he decided not to overdo it today.

He caressed the long hair and tried to calm the still boiling lust. The pure black color and smooth texture of the ebony delighted his eyes and hands. Suddenly, a scar on the creature’s chest caught his eye. It was from when he shot Jincheonroe. The feeling of the heart being torn apart.

“Did I… make you feel that way?”

Garon muttered, gazing at the void. He still couldn’t perfectly understand the suffering of those who had been harmed. But if he had to say that the creature should feel guilt, then so be it. He wrapped his arms tightly around the tired body to prevent it from slipping. After enjoying the sleeping face, he covered the severed antlers with his lips and sucked. With his damp tongue staining with saliva, he pondered how to make the creature smile again today. He awaited the sweet reward the creature would give him.

***

After reviewing all the national affairs and official documents throughout the morning and finishing the official schedule, he immediately left the office. He took a moment to visit the creature before meeting with the vassal state leaders. He had tried to visit unexpectedly several times before but often found nothing. Knowing this, the creature would wait for him at Yongjeon at this time if nothing special was happening. This fact was an excellent motivation for quickly finishing his duties.

He quickly ascended the dizzyingly high stone steps. The sound of footsteps like a cloud followed, but he extended his legs, looking straight ahead. As he reached the final stone step, he slowed down at the rare sight before him. The bodyguards and the Grand Chamberlain stopped as well. In the center of the plaza, statues stood in a row with a dozen officials kneeling in unison. They were the highest officials of the Baedal Kingdom. Garon stared at them with indifferent eyes. Among them, the oldest senior official, who presided over penalties, opened the discussion.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but I must say a word.”

The senior official took something out with his wrinkled hand and presented it. It was a small book. The senior official bowed his head and said,

“This is a book currently circulating in the capital called ‘Yongsinji Jeon.’ After reading its contents, I was unable to hide my astonishment.”

The senior official opened the book and spoke again.

“It is a story about Heukryeong and Cheongryeong living in the shrine. It says that Cheongryeong, coveting the dragon ball originally belonging to Heukryeong, was abandoned by Heukryeong and led the monsters to establish a country, create an army, and rebel. Although Heukryeong’s army, led by the gods of wind, rain, and clouds, ultimately wins, the barely surviving Cheongryeong still covets Heukryeong’s dragon ball.”

The senior official emphasized further.

“This is clearly a story about Your Majesty and the sinner Raonhiljo. I believe Your Majesty must review this book carefully.”

“I have already read it. It was quite interesting.”

“…….”

The officials’ eyes widened in surprise and murmured. Unsa slightly lifted his lips. After reading the book brought by Unsa, he instinctively knew it was about him and Raonhiljo. Soon after, he obtained information that Raonhiljo was gathering weapons. He decided to raid the supply lines with Gwuya. Pursuing Heukryeong day and night, he arrived at Noru Mountain, where Raonhiljo was. They encountered him in a calm, windless zone, the closest place to the sky.

The creature said that, but his eyes still showed unrelenting reluctance. He had probably been constantly handled and had his hole filled without rest. Now that it had suddenly stopped, it must have been painfully unbearable, like wanting to tear something apart. He understood the creature’s feelings better than anyone. There was no more to see—extermination was the only option. He immediately deployed Gwuya, and under Raonhiljo’s command, they counterattacked with Jincheonroe. Although the ragtag group of trash held out fairly well, only three out of forty survived and retreated.

***

Garon quickly walked across the bridge connecting the pond to the ground, heading toward the palace’s lakeshore.

“Even if Raonhiljo has sold off all their assets, that alone isn’t enough to buy weapons. Find the one supplying blood to the leech. I need to have a word with them.”

“Understood.”

Unsa responded before disappearing somewhere. When Raonhiljo returned with their mark on their eyes, Garon truly thought about gouging out those eyes. If it weren’t for the hundred horns that caught his attention, he might have. Suddenly, his heart tightened. It was a brand carved by betting his life. From the moment the creature fed him the hundred horns, he belonged to them. After receiving forgiveness, he would rid himself of all his burdens and then, by any means necessary, carve out that mark from the eyes and make it his own.

As the gates of Yongjeon came into view, Garon dismissed his attendants. After passing through the opened gate by the sentry, he saw someone lying on the grass on one side of the courtyard. It was the creature. Always busy day and night, it slept whenever it had the chance. Silently approaching, Garon observed the creature as it slept peacefully in the sun. He stared at the smooth nape and collarbone peeking through the opened collar and traced his gaze from its shoulders down to its legs, admiring the graceful curve. Even its bones would be enchanting if stripped of its skin.

Despite handling official matters all day, Garon’s desire to touch the creature’s bare skin and roll around lewdly had only intensified. The creature was both the source of his focus and his greatest distraction. At some point, all his physiological urges and judgments revolved around it. He had no intention of fixing this strange rule, as it provided him a sense of stability.

Just then, a gust of wind rustled the paper beside the creature’s head, so Garon carefully selected only the cleanest stones around and placed them on the paper. The creature valued its drawing materials more than jewels, so he made sure not to let any dirt touch it or crease the edges. He then slipped his arm under the creature’s limp neck and lay beside it. Slowly, the creature’s eyes opened, and the amethyst orbs, still drowsy, came into view. The only signs of life on its pale face were its eyes and lips. Those eyes, when reaching their peak, darkened to a shade of purple deeper than blood. It was an intoxicating color. The creature spoke, its voice still heavy with sleep.

“I thought you weren’t coming. I was going to go inside if you didn’t arrive soon…”

Its red tongue, claiming to have waited, was unbearably lewd. Garon debated whether to suck on it or just admire it longer. He chose the latter. He let his head drop to the ground, aligning his gaze with the creature’s.

“There was a minor issue on the way. Did you spend all morning drawing?”

“I helped Naro Painter with some drawings and learned a bit. Then I returned to my room and was reading when one of the maids said it might rain tomorrow, so I was drying the paper in advance. And what about you, Your Majesty?”

“I finished all the paperwork and listened to the old men’s complaints.”

A shadow passed over the creature’s gentle forehead.

“Was there nothing out of the ordinary today?”

Garon paused for a moment. Sometimes, the creature would ask sneakily to confirm if the rules were being followed. A minor burn shouldn’t be a big deal.

“Nothing.”

With a hushed voice, the creature asked again, “Should I check?”

Leaving behind witnesses had, after all, been a mistake.

“You can check.”

At Garon’s low-voiced response, the creature finally broke into a faint smile, its eyes narrowing. That was the signal. Garon lifted himself, still offering his arm as a pillow, and brought his face to the creature’s lips. After hesitating for a moment, the creature rubbed its lips against Garon’s cheek. The wet sensation spread through his body, and soon his core was burning with warmth. Garon exhaled a deep breath. Adjusting his position, he pressed the creature’s soft lips more deeply into his skin. The creature twisted its head in discomfort and then sank back into a slumber. As the creature’s violet eyes and lustful lips disappeared, Garon’s throat burned. He slipped his hand into its jacket, feeling the smooth skin, savoring the sensation as he kissed the hundred horns.

Hey, are you upset that I’ve lost nothing?

You don’t need to be. I’ve only just begun to possess something.

***

Haewool was always slower than others. He spoke slowly, ate slowly, walked slowly, ran slowly, and even blinked slower than others. By the time he realized who that person was, someone else was already by their side.

The master left. The other children cried, but Haewool didn’t look back as the master departed. Instead, he buried his forehead in the blanket until sunset, engraving the master’s face in his mind. The master’s first impression wasn’t great. Haewool had seen members of the Imae Tribe before, but never one that looked like that. Plus, the master was so quiet and cold that everyone was wary of them. But when the master gathered the children and willingly taught them how to paint, Haewool was surprised, and when he learned the master had no name, he was even more shocked.

The master was someone with both the boldness of pressing red paint and the subtlety of letting it slowly seep into paper. Haewool sometimes found himself mesmerized by the master’s mysterious movements, whether it was while brushing or mixing paint. For some reason, the master seemed special no matter what he did. The neighbor woman once said people with such a face had a “peach blossom face,” but Haewool didn’t understand what that meant until much later.

Now fifteen years old, Haewool belonged to a tribe that primarily ate fish. Unlike the master, though, Haewool didn’t have the savage habit of eating it raw. When the Baedal Kingdom invaded and wiped out his village, Haewool lost his only remaining family—his grandmother. After barely surviving and wandering from place to place, he eventually heard a rumor that someone was taking in abandoned tribes, and that’s how he ended up crossing the continent.

“Hey! Stop right there.”

When Haewool turned around, he saw Muhyeon swaggering toward him.

“Going back there again, like a little rat?”

“Mind your own business.”

Muhyeon, two years younger, always addressed him informally. Haewool had tried to correct his impudent speech by glaring at him and getting angry, but Muhyeon’s stubbornness had worn him down, and at some point, Haewool gave up. Ignoring him, Haewool started to walk away when a group of horses, kicking up dust, passed by. At the front, a white Maga stopped, and a person leapt down effortlessly.