As Prophet - Chapter 113



Only Krnovel

Episode 113. The Little Boy’s Sword Sound

For the first time ever, a new life form moved just like a human.

“I’ll run fast.”

“Don’t worry. No matter how far away you are, you can find your way and follow it.”

“This is the last time. Don’t make the world suffer for nothing. Go home now.”

“I will follow the true man.”

There’s a pesky creature attached to us. There’s nothing we can do. The army’s party left a day ago, so we have to hurry when they say we’ll arrive in two days if we run fast.

Dalcheon looked at the night sky, guessed the direction, and then pulled himself up above the forest. After pausing in the air for a moment, he shot out at a right angle. Faster than the wind, faster than an arrow. The silver fox was startled and ran in the direction where Jin-in disappeared. At this point, they were no longer together.

I jumped over mountains and streams. I crossed narrow fields in one breath, jumped over valleys, and headed west, and west again. It was different from when I left Yangju. My destination was clear, and my goal was clear. This time, I was determined to finish it. It was strange for a country to be rife with assassination, but it was even stranger for a political situation to leave it alone. There was clearly a problem somewhere.

He didn’t go back and forth about where to go, and he didn’t worry about what to do when he got there. Dalcheon arrived at Yangju Academy before the dawn sky became bright. Yes, it should have been like this. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out why it took so long back then. He crossed the wide land, mixing lightness and speed. The mountains, rivers, and valleys disappeared into a distant past that he couldn’t even remember.

* * *

The entrance to the school building was overgrown with grass. It is a well-established principle that if no one comes or goes, it should be returned to nature, but my heart was heavy as I looked at it, and I sighed. Perhaps there was a desire for someone to watch over it.

It seemed that Baek Yi-jeong had done a good job. All the students had been sent back, the slaves had been returned to the country, and the warehouse that had been filled with joy was now empty. Only the things that had been used before remained, and each item was carefully packed.

“What is this! Why?”

The cutting boards were oiled and wrapped in cloth, and grains and food ingredients were stored in covered jars. Last year’s dried radish was drying out on the shelf, and the books in the study were covered in white cloth.

Was I over-interpreting what I said to clean everything up? I didn’t mean to come back, but I wanted to preserve everything in a form of ‘storage’ so that I could use it again right away. That thought came to mind. It was a space where many people had gathered. It must not have been easy…

Dalcheon went to his room and was surprised again. It was ready for use as long as the rags were removed. Homeless people could come in and use it, or maybe thieves could break in, but everything was still intact. It had been less than a month, but no matter how well you did, an uninhabited house would not be preserved perfectly. He must have stopped by occasionally to take care of it.

Dalcheon went up to the main building and inspected it. He could operate the school whenever he opened the door. He went back to the main building and built a small platform. He built a stone wall and lit a fire, causing the smoke to rise into the sky.

I went to the warehouse and brought the liquor. It had a slightly sour smell, as if it had been used at some point. I sprinkled the liquor under the altar and burned incense. I laid a mat on the floor, bowed to the heavens, and sat down. I sincerely prayed that what I was doing would not disturb the heavenly energy, would not disturb the people’s livelihood, and would weed out only the bad guys like tongs, and that this land would become a beautiful country where people could live again.

It was a short ceremony, but I did my best. I lit the incense that was quickly blown away by the wind. As I continued to mutter and recite the sutra, the sun rose in the east. I heard the birds chirping and the clear sunlight filtered through the leaves, so I got up. I put out the incense, returned to the long main shrine, and went down to the yard to walk, when she came.

“ah!”

I knew it with my steps and felt it with my breathing, but I turned my body when I heard the sound like a person living an everyday life.

“No, Miss Baek, what brings you here this morning?”

“Your Majesty, when did you come?”

The person I met after a month of separation paused for a moment.

“I arrived a little while ago, at dawn.”

“Where far away did you go?”

“I was at the main temple. Seriously, why this morning?”

“I came and cleaned it up whenever I had time.”

“No, why? It’s just… … .”

“I felt like the effort I put into this place was too much. When I went home, the children’s screams sounded like hallucinations, and the sound of people reading the Buddhist scriptures sounded like a lullaby. I loved this place so much. So I organized it little by little. When I had time, I studied it. I buried things that many people had used and covered them so they wouldn’t get damaged.”

“So, are you here to do that work today too?”

“No. I continued studying.”

“ah.”

“He said that I couldn’t skip studying because the master wasn’t there. That’s why I studied even harder.”

“Oh my, you’re a good student. Hahaha!”

Baek Yi-jeong bowed her head in surprise at the bright smile that had no flaws. I was afraid that I might feel resentful without realizing it.

“Are you going to open the academy again?”

Dalcheon shook his head.

“I came because I had something to do.”

A spark flew deep in Baek Yi-jeong’s eyes. You don’t have to ask what the unmanned man is going to do. He doesn’t take sides with anyone, but if he sets his sights on a goal, that target won’t remain. He’s not a man of words, and he doesn’t just give in to things.

“I see. I guess there’s something I can help you with.”

Dalcheon nodded, unable to refuse. It is also important to make this place look like a school. It will be a place where the military officers of the great army gather to study.

“Shall we bring the children back?”

Dalcheon shook his head.

“I wish we didn’t involve children in this kind of thing.”

I don’t know what’s going on, but it can’t be good. Baek Yi-jeong shook her head.

“Some kids are coming. We’re getting together and training, and things are looking pretty good.”

“Did you teach it?”

“How could I, the most incompetent of teachers, teach them? I didn’t try hard to stop them. They are children who can’t afford to go to a private school. They have nowhere to go, and they’d rather come out here and play than help out at home. I made fun of them, but they studied on their own with some formality. It was really painful to close the school. I told them not to touch what was deeply stored away, and the children also thought that the master would come back someday… … Sigh.”

Baek Yi-jeong, who had been speaking hesitantly, turned her head as if overcome with emotion. What else could she say?

“Thank you for your effort.”

Did he want to hear those words? Tears flowed down from Baek Yi-jeong’s eyes. There were so many that he didn’t even think about wiping them away.

“Are you ready for the market? I’ll prepare breakfast.”

“No. Miss Baek is not a slave, so don’t do that. You can just eat some dried food later.”

“Then what’s next… … this.”

The words Dalcheon didn’t say meant that someone else was coming. The smart Baek I-jeong understood right away.

“What about your father?”

“He resigned and came down to his hometown in Yangju.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. Rather than carrying out the order to bring Confucius, he resigned. How could an official order a mountain man to come and go?”

“I guess you are not of the same mind.”

“No, he says he feels relaxed and is having a good time.”

“Are you happy?”

“Since he took office, he has hardly had any rest. He reads books he had not been able to read, goes around the fields he had left to his wife, and drinks makgeolli. He is having a meaningful time.”

“I lost my job. I wonder if I’m going to feel angry inside. I guess I should go.”

“Maybe… … you’ll stop by here too. You said you should have come here earlier.”

I can’t hear the whole story. Dalcheon nodded and turned around. Just like that time, a kid came running while I was doing the swordsmanship. He ran like a squirrel while shouting, “Your Majesty!”

“Yeah, you’re a kid.”

He came first and hugged me. He’s really small. I don’t know why he’s not growing.

“Your Majesty.”

The hands that are held tightly are small like maple leaves.

“Your Majesty.”

The guy who met Dalcheon’s gaze looking back felt stung and stepped back.

“I have something to show you.”

“moore?”

The guy brought a small wooden sword and showed me the technique. But every time he stopped, the sword would make a loud noise and shake.

‘Hmm, what is this? Sword sound?’

It wasn’t intentional. After completing the formula correctly, the little boy put the sword into his left hand like a swordsman.

“Did you see it?”

“Yeah, good job! Now I have the luck.”

“The sword trembles. And it cries.”

“It’s called a sword. It means you’ve entered the beginning stages of great success.”

“Me? Daesung?”

“Don’t be distracted by the phenomena you see. There is nothing strange or unusual about it. Don’t get caught up in it, but keep studying. Move forward.”

You’ve grown quite a bit in the time you haven’t seen each other. They say that a scholar can see each other for three days, but a child grows up in a flash if you don’t see him for a few days. Especially since he’s a student…

“Yes, Your Majesty. But you are back?”

It is a difficult question. We cannot explain all the things that adults do to children. Shouldn’t they at least be protected from our dirty desires? How can we explain the work of a heir to the throne who is suffering from the assassination of his political enemies?

“Okay.”

No, I didn’t come back. I stopped by for a moment to do something else. But I couldn’t say that. The best word that children can easily understand is ‘work’. If you say that you’re late because of work and that you can’t do it because of work, wouldn’t even a child with a weak intellect and no knowledge of the matter accept it?

“I have some work to do.”

I wonder if the child can understand this, but the little boy grins. Another one runs from afar. He is a squirrel. He runs toward me shouting the same thing, “Your Majesty!” This time, he kneels on the ground and bows deeply. He speaks with a firm voice.

“Have you returned, Your Majesty?”

He was a year older. He was starting to take shape. Dalcheon quickly helped him up and shook off the dirt on his knees.

“Try it! You too.”

“I am not making any progress.”

“Don’t expect progress. It’s more important to keep going.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After watching the flatfish do it and letting the two of them practice, about five more came up. It was just dawn, and the guys weren’t sleeping. Dalcheon headed to the kitchen and helped Baek Ijeong prepare breakfast.

In this way, the daily life of Yangju Academy began again. There is a teacher, a tutor, and a student. There is no need for anything else.

He put rice and side dishes in a bowl made like a bowl in a temple and called the children. A dozen or so children ran over and ate like crazy.

After eating, Baek I-jeong was guiding the children’s studies, and he was moving around frantically. He was untying everything that he had covered and tied up, as if he was saying, “I’m doing this, so do it yourself.” Dal-cheon, feeling a deep sense of responsibility, looked up at the sky with a heavy heart.

* * *

After the children left, Baek Sa-ban stopped by during a leisurely hour. A small donkey passed through the main gate, waddling. He had been here several times, but he immediately noticed the changes in the school building and came up to the main building.

“Hey, aren’t you Dalcheon?”

“I see you, sir.”

“No, I can’t do this. I have to call you Lord Guan.”

“I am always humble in front of my elders.”

Baek Sa-ban smiled kindly and hugged Dal-cheon. It was the same warm welcome he had received when he first went to Gyeongsan-hyeon.

“You’re back again.”

“I heard you resigned.”

“I don’t feel any attachment to it. I feel more at ease.”

“Why did you do that? If you had dragged me out after harassing me, wouldn’t you have followed me?”

“I didn’t want to do that. Aren’t you a mountain person? You are the ones who protect the country. Those who live in their own way don’t know this, but I know that it is thanks to you mountain people that this land can be so peaceful. I know that an invisible force prevents evil spirits from invading this land.”