Book 13 Chapter 10

A dungeon!

A damp underground place where sunlight does not reach.

A thick, cold-looking iron gate covered in moss.

A key was inserted between the lock, rusted yellow by the humidity.

The smell of mold and rot drifted like fog, and the damp, moist air naturally made people frown.

It was a prison where no one was allowed to intrude, and one had to go through all sorts of complicated procedures even for a single visit, but it was no obstacle to the old man.

A dark, bronze key entered the hole. Soon, the key and lock engaged.

"Click!"

As the key holder applied force, the lock opened with a rough sound.

Screeeeeech!

Finally, the hinges screamed with an earsplitting noise. The iron gate slowly opened with a heavy friction sound.

"Enter."

The warden, holding the key, assumed the most respectful posture he could. Although the old man's identity was not precisely known, the document he brought clearly bore the seal of a person of such high standing that the warden dared not look at it.

The Geum-mal-rae, where it is easy to enter but difficult to exit! Now, a solitary cell in that Geum-mal-rae opened with rough music.

"Who is it?"

Gucheonhak, the former leader of the Iron Hoof Demon Horse Brigade and the owner of this dark and gloomy solitary cell, asked without even lifting his head. But the visitor just stared intently, offering no reply.

The warden quickly lit the torch in the cell. Gucheonhak, who had been buried in darkness for a long time, squinted his eyes, unable to adjust to the excessively bright light.

"Thank you for your trouble. I want to be alone, so please step aside for a moment!"

"Yes!"

At the old man's gesture, the warden bowed respectfully and retreated.

"……"

A brief silence, like a gust of wind brushing past his ears. Gucheonhak, who was sitting cross-legged on the hard, cold steel bed that seemed far from comfortable sleep, finally lifted his head and looked at the visitor after a long time.

The voice that had spoken and retreated moments ago was brief, but he had recognized it as the warden's. Hearing the warden's voice resonating so politely in this Geum-mal-rae was harder than finding a star in the sky.

His gray beard, reaching down to his chest, caught his eye. His gaze moved a little higher. Only then could he ascertain the visitor's appearance.

"Who are you…"

It was a face he had never seen before.

The old man chuckled.

"Will you remember me like this?"

The old man wiped his face with his right hand.

Gucheonhak almost broke the chopsticks he had been using as his favorite eating utensil in half. His eyes widened.

CRASH!

He quickly untied his legs, rolled off the bed as if thrown, and bowed his forehead to the floor in a deep kowtow (Godu-rye).

The old man, paying no mind to his actions, looked around the dungeon. His gaze pierced through the darkness.

The walls of the dungeon had become even denser than when Chisarok had visited. The old man nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Your skills have improved a lot."

"It… it is an honor! Taejon (太尊)!"

Gucheonhak replied with a trembling voice full of emotion and agitation. It was a truly absurd and unbelievable situation, but a film seemed to cover his eyes as if he were about to cry.

Tears from Gucheonhak, the former leader of the Iron Hoof Demon Horse Brigade, one of the Black Heaven Alliance's strongest forces and a symbol of terror… It was truly unbelievable. And it should not have happened. But it was irresistible.

"Ho ho, it seems to be raining!"

Rain in an underground cell like this? But only Gucheonhak understood. It was a consideration for him, as if the old man hadn't seen his tears.

"It's been a long time."

The old man's voice was solemn yet affectionate. His age was impossible to guess, but there were no twisted wrinkles on his face, as if weighed down by the passage of time.

"It has been about ten years since I last saw your venerable face."

"Has it been that long already…"

The old man was Gucheonhak's idol and sun. Without him, the current Gucheonhak, who commanded, or rather once commanded, the Iron Hoof Demon Horse Brigade, would not exist. It was because of the old man's teachings that he was selected as the leader of the Iron Hoof Demon Horse Brigade.

"The reason I've come is that I have something to ask of you."

"A request, you say…"

It was astonishing that this old man, who possessed absolute power and was like a god, had something he needed to ask of another. Even though he could have everything done with just a command. But Gucheonhak had no right to question. He only had the duty to answer.

"Just give me your command. I will fulfill it with all my might!"

Gucheonhak replied, bowing so deeply that his forehead almost touched the cold stone floor.

"There is a place you need to go!"

The old man stated his business briefly and simply. The old man's demeanor was calm and serene, but Gucheonhak was anything but. His face, which had been listening intently, began to change with an increasingly strange light.

Gucheonhak knew. He knew what emotion he had been feeling lately. And he also knew how to resolve that emotion. He had realized it. This feeling would not end until he settled things with that person!

And… the opportunity had come.

"…Can you do it?"

The old man, having finished explaining his request, asked. Gucheonhak lowered his head again and performed a prostration with the utmost respect and admiration.

"I accept your command!"

It was a short but all-encompassing statement of his will.

The old man nodded with a satisfied, benevolent smile.

"You are now released!"

The old man said as if declaring. It was then.

"I am truly sorry, but I have one request."

Gucheonhak, speaking cautiously, had a very serious expression.

"What is it? Do you need something special? I will grant you as much convenience as possible."

After hesitating for a moment, Gucheonhak seemed to make up his mind and opened his mouth.

"Um… can I take these chopsticks with me?"

The old man's face, after looking back and forth between the chopsticks and Gucheonhak's face for a moment, creased into a smile. He burst into laughter.

Gucheonhak's face turned red, as if embarrassed.

Visitor: None

Inmate: None

Released: None

On that day, no official record was kept in the Geum-mal-rae dungeon log.

This is what happened at the Black Heaven Alliance's Geum-mal-rae a week before the Chunmu Academy delegation departed.