Chapter 39
Crossing the stone wall on the side path, the clear energy unique to forests came rushing over.
However, Yuseol couldn’t stride boldly forward and hesitated. Haneul, whom she had met here before, suddenly came to mind. He had said there were no boys in this village. Then where had Haneul come from?
She examined between the trees. It was full of weeds and wildflowers. It seemed like an environment where there would be plenty of herbs and fruits somewhere. If he wasn’t a child from the village, he must be a child living in a nearby house around here.
Most importantly, when she met Haneul, she had felt warmth rather than fear. He probably wasn’t a bad being. Yuseol’s steps as she walked the forest path gradually became comfortable.
By the way, where had the sound come from?
She examined the area while drawing a map in her head. She had much experience with mountain hiking and had good memory. The return path shouldn’t be a problem.
She walked for quite a while, marking the village’s direction on trees. The sound of stepping on dry branches and leaves was pleasant.
Before she knew it, she was getting close to the waterfall area.
But from somewhere, an animal’s cry rang out noisily. At first she thought it was bird sounds, but it was more mournful and felt like screaming.
She couldn’t ignore it and looked around. When the crying sound got much closer, a rabbit caught in a trap appeared. Though it should have been thrashing at seeing a person, it began crying upon seeing Yuseol.
She approached closely. Soon she untied the snare bound to the rabbit’s leg and placed it on the ground.
“Never go near traps again.”
The rabbit ran like an arrow between the trees.
The waterfall sound had gotten closer than before. She quickened her steps thinking to look around the vicinity before the sun set.
But the moment she stepped forward, her foot sank deep into a pit.
It was another trap.
“Ah!”
Her off-balance ankle twisted awkwardly. Her defenseless ankle bone struck the ground with a thud. Her body, tilted to one side, tumbled downward.
Her last memory was reflexively trying to grab the boundary between the pit and ground, then hitting her head on a rock.
How long had she lost consciousness?
Yuseol forced open her heavy eyelids. She was lying face down with one foot in a pit that came up to her knees.
She struggled desperately to get out of the pit and collapsed next to it. Her body felt heavy as if giant hands had emerged from the ground to drag her down. She couldn’t resist, nor did she have the will to.
She just looked at the sky through the dense trees. The night had already deepened as bright stars twinkled. Watching the stars blankly, a hollow laugh emerged. She couldn’t find any particular reason—it just happened.
Her already cold body grew colder. Strangely, she didn’t feel like going back. It wouldn’t be bad to fall asleep like this. She closed her eyes arbitrarily. She suddenly missed her sister and wanted to see the head court lady from the palace.
Most of all, she missed her only friend with whom she could understand feelings through eye contact alone. She slightly opened her eyes and tried saying her friend’s name.
“…Geon.”
Today, the shape of her mouth calling Geon felt particularly unfamiliar. It seemed like a premonition that she would forget how to call his name before long.
It would be nice if he came back before then….
She closed and opened her vacant eyes.
Rustle rustle. The sound of wind tickling pine needles was heard.
And also… footsteps of unknown identity were heard. They grew louder as if approaching with a destination in mind.
Yuseol suddenly opened her eyes wide at the sound that awakened her fading consciousness. In the distance, she could see something approaching through the trees thick with fog. It was the shape of a giant four-legged beast.
A sparkling light appeared in Yuseol’s murky pupils. Her heart suddenly beat. It seemed like Geon, whom she had searched for so desperately, had finally come. Though she couldn’t be certain, she had a vague premonition.
The fog became thick again. As the beast’s form became blurry, Yuseol’s eyelids trembled.
She pressed against the ground trying to raise her struggling body. If it really was Geon who had returned, she should welcome him. She wanted to do so even if it used up all her remaining strength.
But her arms had no strength and she just sat down again. The handful of sand she had grasped slipped out of her dry hands.
Fortunately, wind came. The fog that had been thick in the forest was pushed aside somewhat.
Yuseol’s eyes filled with anticipation examined between the trees. This time a new form appeared in her pupils.
It was a man wearing a gat, walking smoothly.
Yuseol felt her vision spinning as she lost consciousness.
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