69novels Chapter 96: Dethronement (2)
Chapter 96: Dethronement (2)
It was now a distant story. One so old she could barely remember it.
In the endless cycle of time while she was repeating the same years over and over to kill the Plague Demonic Spirit.
Even this journey, which had stretched on so long that it was hard to remember how much time had passed, had a beginning.
Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun of the first cycle.
Though it was surely herself, she felt like a stranger, perhaps because so much time had passed.
When she recalled those memories, an awkward feeling crept over her.
When she first heard the news of her dethronement, it felt like the sky was collapsing.
– ……
The sight of Headmaid Lee Ryeong bowing her head and answering with difficulty was quite pitiful.
The Heavenly Maiden staggered and sat down on the tea table with a blank expression on her face.
There had been rumors that the power of the Heavenly Dragon was weakening, but she had brushed them off as something plausible. She also knew well that demonic spirits often appeared in the outermost regions of the Cheongdo Empire, but that was beyond the reach of the Heavenly Dragon’s power.
In the end, they blamed all the disasters, even those like the Higher Demonic Spirit, on her and sought to bring her down. She couldn’t believe this reality that was happening.
Had she really lived her entire life sacrificing everything for these ignorant people?
That truth pierced her to the core, and tears flowed endlessly.
Outside the Heavenly Dragon Palace, the voices of the people were filled with doubt toward Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun.
The Heavenly Maiden sitting in that position was failing her role.
She was nothing more than an incompetent human sitting in the Heavenly Dragon Palace. A woman who was obsessed with asserting her authority and interpreting the will of Heaven.
The evidence was the demonic spirits that swarmed the world in chaos.
The Heavenly Maiden must be replaced. The wrath of the Heavenly Dragon must be appeased.
Each time those voices reached the Heavenly Dragon Palace, the owner of the room wiped away tears and gnashed her teeth.
She resented the world and hated the people.
And so, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun stepped out of the Heavenly Dragon Palace carrying the weight of all the world’s malice with her.
Once she had walked through the palace halls with grace and dignity, but now she trudged through the central courtyard.
There wasn’t a single guard by her side, not even a maid to serve her.
Aside from the few coins hidden in her robes, she had nothing else to take with her.
As she passed through the outer gate, insults and jeers rained down on her.
Filth was thrown from above as she exited the outer palace gate, and some even hurled stones at her.
The elegant robes of the Heavenly Dragon Palace were smeared with mud and food scraps. She kept her head down as she walked and walked through the crowd, and by the time she realized it, the sun had already set.
She had nowhere to go, and the sun had disappeared.
As she wandered aimlessly through the dark forest, she stumbled over a stone and fell towards the base of a large tree.
She leaned against the tree trunk in the pitch-black forest and lay there for a while. She couldn’t find a reason to get up.
Perhaps it would be better to be devoured by the mountain beasts here. After all, her body reeked of rotten food, so it wouldn’t be long before a lucky boar or tiger came
The Azure Dragon Palace… is okay as it is, right?
In fact, if she was going to raise such questions… she should have done it a few years ago…
“Azure Princess.”
It was around the time the Azure Princess was lost in such thoughts.
Her Headmaid Hui Yin entered through the middle gate of the Azure Dragon Palace. She was carrying a large box with her.
The box was made of luxurious antique wood and it was covered in engravings from the Heavenly Dragon Hall.
***
For a while, the only topic in the council was the matter of dethroning the Heavenly Maiden.
The very fact that such a proposal had been raised in the council was enough to stir up gossip throughout the palace.
Doubt began to spread within the palace about whether Heavenly Maide Ah Hyun, who currently resided in the Heavenly Dragon Hall, was truly fit for her position.
The major incident of the two special demonic spirits invading the imperial palace had gradually been exaggerated, and soon the conversation began to lean more and more towards dethroning her.
Each time such rumors reached them, the Headmaid and maids of the Heavenly Dragon Hall were filled with anxiety.
At this time, when the political standing of the young girl they had followed and believed in for so long was being shaken, no one would have a heavier heart than the Heavenly Maiden herself.
Everyone, with eyes full of concern, did their best to support their mistress and lighten her burdens as much as possible.
However, the hours Ah Hyun spent in deep thought grew longer by the day.
It was only natural. The situation was dire.
How difficult it must be to endure the overwhelming malice of the masses with that frail body.
How much she must despise the world, how empty the passing years must feel, and how unbearable the pain in her heart must be.
Yet, even with such suffocating emotions, she never complained, never showed it, and maintained her dignity as the noble Heavenly Maiden. This evoked a sense of reverence in the others.
Still, at heart, she was likely just a fragile young girl.
It wasn’t that she didn’t feel the pain, but rather, she remained strong so her maids wouldn’t become unsettled.
Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun sat on the porch and looked up at the bright moon; she seemed to be lost in thought. Headmaid Lee Ryeong secretly wiped away her tears from afar.
Just looking at her silhouette from a distance, as she silently gathered her thoughts, made Lee Ryeong’s chest ache.
She spent an unusually long time gazing at the flowers in the garden that day; it was likely because she knew that soon she would no longer be able to take in their beauty.
The lamp in her bedroom remained lit because her mind was filled with so many thoughts and she couldn’t fall asleep.
…There was never a day when the tears in Headmaid Lee Ryeong’s eyes dried.
“…….”
And then, the next morning.
A letter arrived from the palace, summoning her to the morning assembly.
Summoning the Heavenly Maiden, who must always serve the will of the Heavenly Dragon, was a grave act of disrespect.
The people of the main palace must have known that, but the reason for sending such a letter was obvious.
“Haa…”
Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun let out a soft laugh as she rose from her seat.
“Well then, shall I go to be dethroned?”
***
Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong sat in his study and read the letter that had flown in from the Heavenly Dragon Hall.
It was a final piece of advice from Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun who sensed the end of her own fate.
The letter was filled with various thoughts, but most of it was simply a repeat of things she had already said before.
No matter what happens to her, he must never defend her.
He must not help her, nor make any rash moves.
He must simply stay still.
“…….”
He heard that in the first timeline, Seol Tae Pyeong had suffered greatly after defending Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun. And it seemed that this had deeply wounded her.
Though he couldn’t know exactly what happened at the time, one thing was clear: if he followed the instructions of Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun who had some knowledge of the future there would be no loss for him.
Logically speaking, the best course of action was to simply stay still and do as she instructed.
Seol Tae Pyeong threw the letter that ended like that on the wooden table and thought for a moment with his chin resting on his hand.
“A command I should follow, huh…”
Indeed, in this country, aside from the emperor, no one could challenge the authority of the Heavenly Maiden.
If it was her command, it was only right to carry it out without question.
The problem was, she was about to be dethroned.
Seol Tae Pyeong was a rising star, who earned numerous military achievements, and it was almost certain he would soon be given the position of a general-level official.
Meanwhile, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun was a setting sun, who nearly completed her role and was beginning her descent from her position.
“…Why should I?”
Even after all this, could she still not understand…
Seol Tae Pyeong… was not a man who moved purely by reason or logic.