4. A Proposal in the Mountain
Rustling sounds. Clattering and bumping from outside the door. Footsteps pacing about, crunching on pebbles...
Hyeon came to her senses but lay still for a long while without opening her eyes. She was anxious—what if she opened them and was still deep in the mountains, with a corpse before her? But the soft touch of the blanket and the familiar air told her this was her home. Summoning her courage, she lifted her eyelids. At the same moment, the door opened.
"You slept long."
"..."
Yi-hwan was as he always was. Hyeon could not believe his composure. The hand that had draped the cloth over her eyes, the voice that had urged her to kill, and the madness of that moment—they passed through her mind in succession, sending chills down her spine.
"Is that man dead?"
She tried to sound calm, but her face was pale.
"Is that what concerns you?"
Yi-hwan did not seem to regard the creature from the night before as human at all. Hyeon's throat moved slightly.
"He is not dead. You did not stab him properly."
The tension drained from her.
"But surely..."
"An ordinary human body does not die from a small wound on the arm."
Hyeon, who had not seen the final moment with her eyes covered, felt relieved at his answer. She bowed her head deeply.
"That's a relief."
"Do you truly think so?"
"Yes."
"Those things will keep clinging to you, you know."
Hyeon clenched her teeth. Just remembering what she had seen yesterday made her shudder.
"In the first place, how can I believe such words?"
"You seem doubtful."
"Yes."
She spoke firmly. Taking a life was considered the gravest sin. The notion that she must commit the most heinous sin to shake off evil spirits was difficult to accept. Moreover, Wolryeon's law decreed execution for murder. Hyeon had only wanted to live an ordinary life—she had never wished to become a criminal.
"Have you never wondered why evil spirits cling to you, miss?"
"I thought it was just my constitution..."
Of course, Hyeon knew as well. There was something beyond constitution that had brought her to this state. Even those who had witnessed her symptoms agreed that constitution alone could not draw so many spirits.
But she lacked the ability to see spirits clearly or communicate with them. She was not a shaman, so everyone simply shook their heads—a cursed fate with no way to protect herself. Yi-hwan observed her inability to answer readily, then quietly poured tea into a cup he had prepared.
"You weren't born with the ability to exorcise, nor do you carry a vile energy. So why do they cling to you like beasts that have found a tasty morsel?"
"..."
"Because you look appetizing."
At his blunt expression, Hyeon's complexion grew even paler. He glanced at her and continued.
"Humans are appropriately murky, appropriately clean. That is what makes them human. If one possessed a pure white soul or an excessively murky one, they would be a god or a monster. But interestingly, it does happen sometimes."
He took a sip of the tea before him and set it down. Hyeon followed his movements with a dazed face.
"Humans are sometimes born with a pure white soul—or an utterly wicked one."
"..."
"They are beings who live in darkness as deep as night. How could they not be bewitched by a light so brilliant? So they have no choice but to smear that light with filth to conceal it. This is why I urged you to kill. Your soul is so clear, so transparent that..."
Yi-hwan's fingertips traced the air as if caressing Hyeon's face. Though they did not touch, it felt more profound than ever before. Cold sweat broke out.
"It bewitches anything."
"I... I am not that good of a person."
Hyeon knew herself well. She was a woman who had been raised with indulgence—moderately arrogant and irritable. Over the years of living alone, a cranky disposition had clung to her as well. A soul without even a speck of flaw was far from who she was. But Yi-hwan laughed lightly, as if her defense was amusing.
"Those living in this world say killing is wrong and good deeds are right. But is that truly so?"
"At least people believe that, don't they?"
"Yes. But heaven does not concern itself with such things."
"..."
"Human fortune and misfortune hold no meaning to them. The right and wrong established by humans have no value to them."
"Are you saying heaven does not follow good?"
"Of course."
Yi-hwan spoke firmly, as if he had not the slightest interest in the sanctity of gods and heaven that the world spoke of. If he had said such things before a shrine, he might have been stoned. But Hyeon...
"If heaven were good, you would not have suffered so much, miss."
Hyeon bit her lower lip at his words. He was not wrong. She had done nothing to deserve such a life. And not just her—the world was filled with the innocent and the wronged.
"So a pure soul has nothing to do with what humans consider goodness. It is closer to an innate disposition."
"A disposition."
"Think of it as a talent."
Yi-hwan regarded Hyeon with a gentle face. He had thought she might be so shocked that she would blindly deny her situation or break down in tears. But she only slowly lowered her gaze. It was Yi-hwan who grew impatient at her composure.
"What are you thinking?"
"I was just wondering how you know me so thoroughly, Yi-hwan."
"One of my kind can tell at a glance."
"What exactly is one of your kind?"
"A demon."
Demon? Hyeon's brow furrowed.
"One who knows demons very well."
He smiled slyly. Hyeon slowly closed her eyes. Thoughts floated, then seethed in her mind. She cursed her wretched fate, then pressed her lips shut, resenting Yi-hwan who sat before her with that irritating smile.
She had no idea how to live, what method to use. She was told her fate was to live in peace only by killing. Taking a life. Her hands and feet trembled finely.
Hyeon vaguely thought it would not be difficult to offer a human life to escape this messy fate. No—if she could escape, she would kill any number of those monsters.
She meant it. Her life had withered and crumbled under unjust misfortune.
What does it matter if I become someone else's unjust misfortune?
Yet, in the end, her conclusion was that she could not kill. She did not want to live in constant fear of being found out.
A daughter who refrains from killing only out of fear of discovery. Her father, who had worked as a physician his whole life, would beat the ground and wail if he knew. Sobs boiled within her.
"I need some time... to gather my thoughts."
Hyeon answered in a voice trembling wretchedly, and left only those words as she gazed at him. Yi-hwan did not avert his gaze. His eyes gleamed as if he wanted to search every corner of her mind.
"Rest well."
He left the room with those words. His leisurely yet composed rise seemed profoundly at ease. After the door closed, Hyeon's breath came short from the release of tension. Only when it subsided did she lie down again and seek sleep. She did not want to think of anything.
---
Since Hyeon had awoken, Yi-hwan had been in poor spirits for several days. It was because of Hyeon—who, despite knowing her situation, remained as composed as ever.
She trimmed herbs, swept and cleaned the house, managed everything. She was Song Hyeon as she had always been, not relying on him in the least. The woman, unchanged in any way, seemed inappropriately at ease.
"This spot is full—please stack them over here."
Hyeon gestured to Yi-hwan, who was carrying a large load of firewood on his back. Her face was as usual. Yi-hwan approached with long strides and set down his load where she indicated. Then he looked down at her with a sullen face.
"Is there anything else you need done?"
"No. You've worked hard."
Hyeon only nodded and began organizing the wood he had brought. She was a woman hard to read. Since that day, even when he drew in the energy of nightmare demons while she slept to bewitch her, she would not easily open her mouth. Hyeon's unconscious was rejecting him. A bad sign. He clicked his tongue and sorted out what needed to be done first. Dragging things out would not serve him.
Yi-hwan went inside and sat across from Hyeon to eat, as usual. The woman no longer shied away from sharing meals. She simply took the ingredients he brought and prepared them into light, wholesome dishes.
"Food that is too heavily seasoned is harmful to the stomach."
Today, the food was particularly bland, and she moved her spoon hesitantly. She added that her father had been especially particular about seasoning. Hyeon did not know it, but she was trying to resemble her father—proof of how great her attachment to him had been.
In any case, it was welcome news to Yi-hwan. After the meal, he drank the tea Hyeon had brewed. Lately, the taste had subtly changed, and when he asked, she replied that she had added herbs good for energy. The woman was so evasive. Yi-hwan lay down on his bed, gazing at the low, yellowed ceiling, and closed his eyes. As soon as he pretended to sleep, Hyeon soon relaxed and drifted off. The white cloth over her eyes remained. He quietly opened his eyes several hours later. Beside him, Hyeon breathed softly. After confirming her breath, Yi-hwan left the room.
"You have been carrying out my orders well."
Outside, his trusted retainer knelt on one knee in salute. Biwon, Yi-hwan's man, rose when he gestured. Yi-hwan had ordered him to control all who entered the mountain.
"Have you moved that vermin properly?"
Yi-hwan asked with a gentle face. It referred to the official who had pestered Hyeon when she lived in the village, then failed and had her driven out using evil spirits as an excuse. He had commanded that the greedy official be seized and locked away deep in the palace.
Biwon had done so, but...
He could not understand the schemes of Prince Yi-hwan. The orders Yi-hwan had received from the Emperor were different. The Emperor had only told him to stop at the shrine in Milgyeong and offer prayers. The subordinates who had accompanied him were growing impatient with the prince's eccentricities.
"His Majesty has commanded your swift return to Wolryeong."
He tried to hide his nervousness. Yi-hwan was generally generous, but he was always a master with unsettling depths.
"I see."
Yi-hwan said only that and fell silent. It was best not to say anything else out of turn. This was Yi-hwan's characteristic gentle way of silencing someone. Biwon left a small amount of rice and fish as instructed, then left through the small yard. He, too, was not to enter the mountain unless Yi-hwan summoned him.
After confirming his retainer had departed, Yi-hwan opened the door again and checked on the sleeping Hyeon. Then he left the house at a slow pace.
The mountain, shrouded in darkness, exuded only a musty air. Climbing slowly but steadily, Yi-hwan came to an abrupt halt. At his feet, something long and serpentine—clearly not a living creature—writhed over his instep.
"The lady?"
He muttered as if confirming, then pressed his lips shut. The sound of dry leaves crunching beneath his feet began to echo. The intervals were short. Yi-hwan deliberately did not turn around and walked slowly. The footsteps grew closer. And when a person drew near, Yi-hwan's arm was seized by a small hand.
"...What brings you here?"
Yi-hwan feigned surprise. The one who had grabbed him was Song Hyeon.
She was gasping, disheveled. He waited until she caught her breath, then asked again.
"You were sleeping..."
"Why are you here?"
She cut him off sharply. Yi-hwan only glanced at the sweat trickling from her round forehead down to her chin.
"I asked where you were going."
"..."
Hyeon's mouth went dry at his silence. She tried to ask calmly between ragged breaths, but it was not easy. At the same time, the anxiety that had festered over the past days crawled and gnawed at her reason. Moreover, she was a little dizzy. She had run a long distance without properly dressing after waking up.
Hyeon staggered, but Yi-hwan quickly supported her back, preventing her from falling. She looked up at the ever-gentle man. He brushed her forehead and wiped the sweat from her cheek. Her stomach churned. It could not be from overexertion alone.
"Why... Are you not going to ask where I was going?"
She fully realized her situation and had floundered for ten days. At first, self-deprecating thoughts of dying and becoming soil crossed her mind, but that was a pitiful self-contradiction. When death had crept up to her throat, it was she who had pleaded with heaven to live more than anyone.
She did not want to die, nor did she want to kill. Hyeon realized, very slowly and clearly, as time passed.
She needed Yi-hwan.
"You were trying to leave, weren't you."
But he was a man far above her reach. When she had rejected him, he had given up on her all too easily. Now that she had said she wanted to be together, she worried about a future where he would wield her as he pleased and then discard her. Before, she had feared his feelings cooling and being abandoned, or him getting hurt. Now she had to worry about becoming a monster's target after being cast aside.
"You were trying to leave me, weren't you. Why won't you answer?"
A quaver escaped. If he said he was leaving, she could not hold him back. So she had resorted to underhanded methods to keep him from escaping. She had swapped the sleeping herb she brewed every night for a stronger one, ensuring he could not slip away while she slept.
She wanted to stall and stall and then stop. Even knowing there was no solution. But when she woke with a start and lowered her blindfold, all she saw was an empty space.
"You came running because you thought I had left."
Yi-hwan slowly sat her down beneath an old tree. Then he examined the wounds on her bare feet.
"Are you not a man without regrets? Wherever, wherever you go..."
Hyeon gasped. Tears fell in droplets. It was a face shaken in a way she had never once shown. Yi-hwan gently wiped the tears away.
"Why would I have no regrets?"
He smiled, sighed, and tried to lean back. Hyeon, sensing him pulling away, quickly grabbed his garment with both hands and pulled him close. Her flushed, damp face was thrust toward him. Her desperation transmitted through the trembling of her fingertips.
"Then don't go."
"Miss..."
"I need you. I don't want to die. Don't go. Stay by my side. Keep, keep living with me."
Hyeon knew well that her demands would not be appealing. But she could no longer hide it.
She had never clung to anyone before. She realized how easy it was to abandon pride and become pathetic. Everything was already at its limit for her.
"Are you holding on to me because I am useful?"
Yi-hwan patted her back as he spoke. It sounded like coaxing, but it was ultimately a test. Hyeon fidgeted urgently.
"No, that's not it. I hold you dear. It is because I hold you dear."
She had run up the mountain like mad after Yi-hwan. And she had been terrified of encountering another brute along the way. She had constantly been on guard, afraid someone was hunting her as she chased him. Unable to crush that fear, tears streamed down her face.
Only now did Hyeon realize she could never step out from under the blanket without Yi-hwan. She had to say anything to hold on to him. Her head spun. Reason blurred.
"I am relieved."
But he said nothing more. Hyeon rolled her anxious eyes to observe him. Only when that tension grew thicker did he speak.
"Then marry me, please."
It was a proposal in the mountain, thick with demonic energy.
---
Yi-hwan carried Hyeon down the mountain on his back. The woman, clinging tightly with her arms wrapped around his neck, was docile. She seemed in no mood to hide her trembling. He entered the room, sat facing her, and wiped her feet with a wet cloth.
After cleaning the wounds, he wiped her mud-splattered ankles and calves with another cloth, stroking them as he went. Hyeon watched blankly as the white cloth slowly changed color—then flinched when his hand reached her knee. She met his gaze as he slowly raised his head.
Ah.
She remembered when she had rejected this man before. Her throat went dry. Was he still holding it against her? She wanted to take back what she had said, but could not think of how.
"You look as if you fear I might act like a beast."
Yi-hwan said lightly, as if joking, and withdrew his hand. Hyeon stared at him. With a calm face, he gathered the soiled cloths and rose to leave. It was Hyeon who caught his hand.
"Ah... No, I..."
She was afraid of him stepping out of her space. She wanted him in front of her eyes. She did not fully trust him. All she could give him was her affection. She remembered how foolishly she had held on to him by saying she needed him. She had not even confessed her affection first.
I need to make amends. I need to say something, anything.
"I am fine with it."
Hyeon rolled her eyes anxiously. In truth, everything she was thinking and doing was the accumulation of loneliness built up over a long time. Yi-hwan also knew she was desperate. And there was no better opening than this.
"With what?"
He was still holding her ankle lightly. It was slender enough to break with pressure.
"You asked me to become your wife. And I said I would. So I am not afraid."
Hyeon spoke quite clearly. She did not say what she was not afraid of, but Yi-hwan understood perfectly. With a cryptic expression, he slowly rubbed her ankle. A chill crept up her calf.
"I am glad you consent. But I worry."
"..."
"Once you cross this line, there is no turning back."
A declaration that he would not let her go. What would he say if she felt relieved and relaxed at those words? Hyeon felt her breath ease at the thought that she could bind him. It was a trivial, verbal promise—but still. Perhaps she could plant it in a corner of this man's heart.
"You are no different, Yi-hwan."
And so Hyeon gave him the answer he wanted. Without knowing where she was walking into, she simply buried herself in Yi-hwan's arms.
She did not know that there were things more terrifying than evil spirits.
***
Support us with ☞Donations!!
.jpeg)