Chương 95: S.05 Time to Fly 04(05)

Scene 03_01. I know, in the end, I will not become a butterfly. Looking at four butterflies, only able to long for them — yet I have not blamed myself. I have not blamed time. I only walk the road. I only step out, a stray child who has lost the way to the place I wished to walk. I only go where they bid me walk. There is no order, no coercion. A road I chose, so I have never regretted it. Only — as the former The Oldest used to say, doing my best in the 'now.'

As the former The Oldest did her best, as the current The Oldest does her best, so I, too, taking up the will I was given, only do my best. Do not be sorry. Do not be wistful. Do not be apologetic. I am content. I am certain. I will walk. I will walk. That is what I decided. That is what I will do. Hee-jin's gaze turned briefly to the dazed air. A 화로(Hwa-ro_Brazier) flickered, warming the space, yet what lingered was less warmth than stillness.

It had not all burned down, but many of the buildings were charred or sodden with Black Water. Even as the light bore down hard, things were not drying easy. That was, perhaps, how long the River of the Dead had set itself down on the world of the living. Gyeong-seo went around following some of the Stewards, looking over the buildings. Gyeong-seo was busy noting things on the scroll in her hand. The sound of weeping that had come from inside Jeong-seon's quarters did not last as long as expected.

Jeong-seon seemed to have fallen asleep, worn through. Carefully, quietly opening the door and stepping out, Ji-young, Lee Yeon, and Ju-rim came over to Hee-jin, who sat on the porch, staring out at the dazed air. Hee-jin, who had not been able to fix her gaze even when the others came, only realized their presences late and rose from where she had been sitting on the porch. Ji-young: Where are So-hui and Si-yeon? Hee-jin: They went out for a moment, saying they'd pick up some snacks.

Since none of us here would have been able to eat anything. Ji-young, as if to let the weight of a long day catch up to her, dropped down onto the porch without even closing her Cheollik. Ju-rim and Lee Yeon carefully seated themselves again. Through the rags of Ji-young's robe, the cleared, healed skin of Ji-young showed plainly, but she had no room to mind it, and no cold reached her. Ju-rim: Thank you. For helping us. The Oldest. Ji-young could not carry the words on.

She thought what they had lost was too great to call it helping, or winning. The empty seat she had felt the moment she had risen to The Oldest — Jeong-seon would feel that same empty seat. Of that she was certain. And she knew, too, that that empty seat could only be filled, in some part, by her appearing exactly the same as she always had. So Ji-young could not, in fact, accept the thanks. She did not even think to fix her loose hair.

After a small breath, Ji-young, as if catching the dazed look from Hee-jin, turned her eyes forward and asked Hee-jin quietly. Ji-young: Where is the Master of the Eastern Province. Hee-jin: Um... About that, The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Ji-young: Has she come to. Hee-jin: Yes. So — the moment she opened her eyes she lost it on Yeon-su and went to Headquarters. Ji-young: Wait, I told Twig to look after her properly.

Why is the Master of the Eastern Province suddenly losing it on Twig? At Hee-jin's out-of-nowhere answer, Ji-young looked at Hee-jin with a doubtful eye. Hee-jin: So — she barked at Yeon-su to lock her up in her own Sealed Sanctum, and went to imprison herself in the Sealed Sanctum... Ji-young pressed at her temple with one hand, folding the other arm under it, as if from a vague headache. Hee-jin: Even after the Director of the Inspectorate tried so hard to talk her out of it, in the end she went in.

And the Secret Agent — caught between The Oldest's order to look after her and that — has been loitering near the Sealed Sanctum, unable to decide what to do. Ji-young: Wait, what... Hee-jin: But — it is true that she did move against the Bishop. And that she did harm The Oldest — Lee Yeon: We're fine. Everyone watched her try to fight back from inside, to the very end. You don't have to be concerned about us. Ju-rim: What weighs heavier, I think, is that we failed once to draw out every trace from her.

I was there, in what happened in the Eastern Province. It is, in fact, no more than karma returning, for our having not done our utmost for the Master of the Eastern Province. Ji-young, with a small breath, shook her head. After a brief gathering of her thoughts, watching Gyeong-seo bustle about, Ji-young asked Hee-jin carefully. Ji-young: Strategist. Hee-jin: Yes. Ji-young: When can the construction crew sign their contract. Ji-young followed her own line of sight.

Watching Gyeong-seo move with a quickness that wasn't her usual, Hee-jin answered. Hee-jin: Sometime this week, I believe the first round of construction can begin. The people around Gyeong-seo are quite skilled. It should be wrapped up fast. Ju-rim: You really don't have to do all this. Ji-young: It was practically me throwing the tantrum. Ji-young pushed her stiff body up and, paying no mind to the rip in her clothes that exposed skin from beneath her ribs, stretched hard.

Late to notice the state of her own clothes, Ji-young threw a glance at Hee-jin and asked Lee Yeon. Ji-young: Uh, Seventh Steward. Would you happen to have... any clothes I could borrow from The Black Doctrine... Scene 03_02. Ji-young, putting on the black Cheollik of The Black Doctrine and adjusting it, gazed dimly into the mirror set in the guest room. In a room warmed bright by the daylight, Ji-young let out a small breath. So-hui: Sis. You done?

At So-hui's voice from outside, Ji-young, who had been looking dazedly past the mirror, brought her sight back to itself and answered for the So-hui beyond the door. Ji-young: Come in. It's cold out. At Ji-young's voice, So-hui slid open the 창호지(Changhoji_Traditional paper-paneled door) and stepped inside. Over the floor warmed by 구들장(Gu-deul-jang_Underfloor Heating Stone), So-hui's white 버선(Beoseon_Korean Traditional socks) came up.

The Han-bok was still awkward on her, but as if it were time now to get used to it, So-hui set her lapel and stepped in, then took a brief look at Ji-young in her changed clothes. Ji-young: What are you staring at. So-hui: Nothing. Just. Ji-young: Jeong-seon? So-hui: In the dining hall. Si-yeon's in the kitchen cooking with the Strategist. Ji-young: How is she. So-hui: Surprisingly steady. That'll be the problem, though. Ji-young nodded. Ji-young: Her insides will be rotting through, dark and gone.

So-hui: How was it for sis. Ji-young did not carry the words on for a moment. Looked at one way, even now her own self was still in progress. Only, while she stood at the front as eldest, carrying the weight of that shoulder, Jeong-seon was a touch younger, and Ji-young could only hope she would overcome it with the help of the Stewards around her. At Ji-young's silence, So-hui sat herself down on the warm flooring, finding a spot, as if to say she had asked too pointless a question. Ji-young: Many thoughts came.

Could not be put in order at all. So-hui: When you came over to our place and cried looking at Mom's photo — that wasn't all that long ago either. Ji-young nodded with a light laugh. As if she wanted to shift the talk elsewhere, Ji-young pulled So-hui's own words to her and asked her. Ji-young: Jeong-seon and the Seventh Steward — you said you wanted them to stay with you guys? So-hui: I haven't actually said it to them yet. But yeah. You have to be running yourself ragged not to have stray thoughts.

Jeong-seon especially still can't fight properly, so it wouldn't work otherwise. Anyway, once reconstruction starts here they can't stay here anyway. Better they stay with us and get the shit kicked out of them — clear it out faster. Ji-young: Then what about Gyeong-seo and Yeon-su. So-hui: We're going in soon anyway. To match the second cataclysm. So this is a fine time to send them in. Ji-young, who had taken in the slightly heavy proposition flat, nodded.

So-hui rose from where she sat and carried her flat voice on. So-hui: Someone of ours has to go in, or no one's keeping an eye on the inside. Ji-young: What, we going in to drop dead? We're going in so it all works out. So-hui: Anyway. Hurry. By now everything's done.