The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Chapter 397

More than two years had passed since the war against Yaksha had ended. During that time, Khan changed significantly.

If someone were to ask whether a dusty, old empire—one that had already reached its peak—could change? The answer would most likely be no.

However, they would add that if that Empire were Khan, it might be possible.

Khan was filled with countless talented people, and they all shone like stars.

Before anyone could realize it, Khan's wounds were healing, and new life was sprouting.

"Jin Ryeo! Why are you lazing around?! You're the one who said you'd join the escort!"

"Ah, that's right!"

"What do you mean by 'Ah, that's right'?! What if there's a gap in the escort!"

Jin Ryeo woke up while wiping her mouth.

"Then why are gaps appearing?"

"Who knows? Maybe a rat has come through it."

"Then I'll have to catch the rat. Let's see… Where was the club…?"

"Rats are living creatures, too! You cruel…"

The two exchanged a half-joking, half-serious banter.

They were the people closest to Seol Hong.

Both of them had changed a lot over the past two years.

First, Jin Ryeo had let down her braided hair alongside her long, straight hair. It was a tradition from her days living as part of a minority tribe in the north.

There had been some controversy about whether someone like her—a foreigner from a minority tribe, with no ties to Khan—could stand by the Dragon's side. But in the end, she became a symbol of how Seol Hong embraced diverse people.

Although the person in question would just mutter, 'My background doesn't matter.'

Chi Woo had changed even more dramatically than her.

He had grown a lot in height.

Beastmen were naturally larger than humans. So it didn't make sense that Chi Woo, a beastman blessed with the Dragon's blood, was similar in size to Seol.

He had now fully reached physical maturity, standing a head taller than other large adults, and his muscles were well-defined.

On the other hand, his face still carried a somewhat boyish charm, making him incredibly popular among the women of Khan.

"Jin Ryeo, why is it that you don't ever work hard?"

"I think the total amount of effort one can give is defined."

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting after eating so well?"

"I think I'm saving my effort for something important later on. Yeah, that must be it! So, it's okay if I sleep more, right?"

"…"

Chi Woo pulled Jin Ryeo's ear.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

"Effort is a habit. If you're lazy, you won't know what to do when the time of having to work hard comes. So I'll teach you how."

"How mean!"

"Oof… Jin Ryeo, you're too unaware. Do you even realize what kind of being Seol Hong has become to the people of Khan?"

"Someone great…?"

"More specific."

"A mother… The mother of the people!"

She was right.

Seol Hong was receiving the support of the masses and was sailing smoothly through the Dragon War.

Although the Dragon War was strictly merit-based, so such support wouldn't change the outcome, it was still a great source of strength for Seol Hong.

The countless things she had resolved in Khan and her relentless, unconventional actions in the process had even won over the hearts of those who had once doubted her intentions.

She charmed many people.

"So, now, all we need to do is to eliminate Lady Shin Yo and Lord Tae Yul, right?"

"Eliminate?! What kind of dangerous phrasing is that!"

"We've been eliminating competitors all along… So the only candidates left who can compete are those two!"

"If anyone hears you, they're going to misunderstand. We've never eliminated anyone. We've just surpassed them."

"Isn't that the same…? Anyway, we just have to protect her, right?"

The number of participants in the Dragon War had drastically decreased.

With the final test approaching, the final ten candidates had been decided on.

Among them was Seol Hong.

Out of the 200 Dragon's Flowers, she started at the bottom and made it to the top ten.

In many ways, she was a woman touched by miracles.

"Despite knowing that, you're acting like this? Are you even aware you're Seol Hong's escort?"

"Yes~ I'm aware. But the one who needs to be aware isn't me; it's Lady Seol Hong! She's the one who should be scolded for coming to such a dangerous slum with just a few escorts!"

"That's… Hmm… You do have a point."

"Right? So Lady Seol Hong should take the scolding for me."

"Stop. Now, go to your assigned position."

Jin Ryeo muttered to her djinn.

"No, Kunna. You shouldn't say you're going to beat up Lord Chi Woo for me!"

Kunna was Jin Ryeo's djinn.

The djinn's voice echoed.

- I never said that.

Jin Ryeo and Chi Woo's eyes met.

"Hehe… Hehehe… He's usually quiet. Why did he suddenly…'

Oof…

Chi Woo sighed and looked out the window to see a small building in the slums. He had visited that place in the past, too.

"Seol Hong…"

* * *

A child, nestled in a woman's arms, chatted excitedly.

"Seol Hong, Seol Hong! If you become the Dragon, can you eat whatever you want?"

"Hmm… Probably?"

"Then, can you do whatever you want and not care about what anyone thinks?"

"You still have to be mindful of others… But still, there probably aren't many willing to stop a Dragon from doing what they want. And if they do, they probably have a good reason."

"I see… So becoming the Dragon is something so good…"

"Do you want to become the Dragon?"

"Yes. I think it would be great to be the Dragon."

The child grinned.

"There's something I want to do."

"Something you want to do?"

"Yes! I'm going to protect Seol Hong!"

That wasn't something a child much younger than Seol Hong should say.

"Not now… but later."

"You will protect me?"

"Yes! Because Seol Hong is frail! I will protect you. I will show that even someone from the slums can protect Seol Hong. If I become a Dragon, I can accompany you despite being from here, right?"

"…"

For a moment, Seol Hong thought of someone.

She shook her head and dispelled the thought. It was a memory she shouldn't miss—because if she did, she might sink into despair.

She had experienced this dozens of times before. Once the rain started in her heart, that day was over.

Thud—!

"Ouch!"

Someone flicked the child's forehead.

"Brat, I told you to call her Lady Seol Hong."

"Yikes! It's the Yu Shin monster!"

"You little…"

"Aaah!"

"Hahaha…"

Yu Shin had approached and sat down.

He was the one who connected Mi Ah and Seol Hong, helping her change the past.

He was the light of the slums.

"Seol Hong, you shouldn't come here anymore. It's dangerous."

"Dangerous? Everyone's kind here."

"You're too naive. You can shake off the wrinkles, but you can't pretend they never existed. Not everyone feels the same way."

"I know. Chi Woo has come with me."

"That's good to hear."

The two were silent for a while.

"Seol Hong. Are you thinking of becoming the Dragon?"

"Yu Shin, do you also think I'll become the Dragon?"

"Well, you're the closest to becoming the Dragon now. What about you?"

"I'm not sure… I don't know if it's okay for me to become the Dragon."

"What?"

"Because everything I've achieved… It might not have been entirely thanks to my own strength."

Seol Hong still lacked confidence. She wasn't sure about ruling over the people.

"You know. The Dragon might be a being that doesn't exist anymore… It might be just an illusion of the times. Yet we still chase after its remnants to make sure we don't forget about it. Why do you think we do that?"

Tap.

Yu Shin put down the tea and said.

"Because Khan was born from that."

"Is that right? The idea of one Dragon ruling over such a vast territory…"

"What do you mean…? Seol Hong, is the world you wish for a different one?"

Seol Hong's expression darkened.

"I don't know… I often think about how great it would be if there were no Dragons… No, I fantasize about everyone being a Dragon."

"That's a dangerous thought. Not everyone can fly and breathe fire."

"Even so… Hmm… I don't know. Maybe I'm just anxious because it's a path I've never walked before."

It was true that she was anxious.

If one became the Dragon, they had to rule over the vast territories of Khan. That made her hands tremble. The only one who could probably remain calm was probably Tae Yul.

Grin…

"Seol Hong, do you know why the East's Dragon is treated differently from other Dragons?"

"I'm not sure…"

"It's because of weather control."

"Weather?"

"All Dragons are dangerous beings, but the Dragon of the East is said to wield authority over the weather. For example, the ability to make the skies rain or clear up…"

Something that was said in legends…

If Hwagmu were to revive, a fierce storm would most likely rage.

"In the past, weather was as important as life to us, so everyone revered the Dragon. People gather around the Dragon because it brings them hope—they believe the Dragon can change the world."

"…"

"Seol Hong, become the Dragon and make it so it rains in Khan, too. Let the rain pour down as if a hole in the sky had opened, washing everything away—the corrupt noble families, the poverty of the slums, even the darkness that Khan holds."

"Is that possible…? Even if I become the Dragon, it would take more than daily rain to achieve that."

Yu Shin smiled.

"If you become the Dragon, I think rain won't be scary anymore."

Seol Hong smiled faintly and stood up.

Drr…

"I'll be going. I won't be able to come for a while."

"I figured so. After all, the final test is right around the corner… So, can you do it?

"I'm not sure. But…"

Seol Hong's face hardened.

"I'm not planning to stop."

That was enough.

Because someday, she would spread her wings.

"Take care… Little Dragon."

* * *

Time had passed since that day.

Swish…

Swish…

A woman was painting.

However, her paintings didn't capture a single phenomenon.

It was depicting everything that couldn't be expressed in simple words.

Her name was Mi Ah.

She was a blind girl from the Soul Eyes Tribe and the child who had been protected by Hye Myeong in the past.

The thick darkness that had surrounded her had lifted.

Seol, Seol Hong, and Chi Woo had changed her and Hye Myeong's past.

They had returned her power to her—that's why she could still teach children and paint in her small studio in the mountain valley.

What she painted wasn't the world she saw but the world she felt.

Swish…

Swish…

Clank…

She stopped her brush.

Now that all of the trainees had left, there weren't many people who would visit this place.

Mi Ah tried to recall where the noise had come from.

'If it's that place…'

There was no need to be scared.

It seemed that someone she knew had visited.

Step…

Step…

Mi Ah slowly walked deeper into the studio.

Since she had made this much noise, the visitor inside couldn't pretend not to have noticed.

"Sorry… Mi Ah. I wanted to see you one last time before I go. I didn't mean to startle you. I just tripped and…"

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

Mi Ah smiled.

"Seol Hong."

It was the first time in a while that Seol Hong had visited her studio. She had visited her countless times before, but recently, they had become less frequent.

Not only was the studio's location far from ideal, but Seol Hong was currently caught up in the Dragon War, so she mostly stayed in the capital, Hong Yeon. So, it was normal for her visits to be rare.

"Did you come to see it again?"

"Yes… Since this is the last test, I need to gather strength."

Mi Ah turned her head toward the drawing Seol Hong was looking at.

She could feel it.

What drawing it was.

It was the drawing with Hye Myeong, Mi Ah, a slightly younger Chi Woo, Seol Hong…

And finally… Seol.

"It's a drawing with many empty spaces…"

"…"

Although five people were depicted in the drawing, two of them were people they could no longer see.

"Mi Ah."

"Yes?"

"I was scared. I thought I wouldn't be able to endure it without looking at this drawing."

"What were you afraid of?"

"Forgetting… Not being able to remember…"

"…"

The Seol in the drawing—now, the only trace of him left to Seol Hong.

"Are you still looking for him…?"

"Yes…"

"You're a woman destined to become the Dragon, Seol Hong. I can feel a strong destiny energy from you."

"…"

"Even if Seol doesn't return… don't fall apart. It's been a while already…"

Seol Hong muttered.

"Yu Shin told me that the East's Dragon controls the weather. So he said I should become the Dragon."

"An old legend."

Tears dripped from Seol Hong's eyes.

"He's wrong… I can't even stop the rain in my heart. How could I become the Dragon?"

She felt as if the Seol in the painting was looking at her, whispering to her—like when he had come to the mountain to save her.

- It will be troublesome… if you’re in the rain for too long.

"Ugh…"

Mi Ah hugged her.

She lifted her up with the warmth they were sharing.

"Didn't you tell me he promised you?"

"Yes… he promised."

He had promised that he would return.

"Then trust and wait. He's always kept his promises."

"…"

Seol Hong stopped crying upon hearing Mi Ah's words.

"Mi Ah, you stopped my rain, so you are the Dragon."

"I'm not interested in becoming the Dragon…"

The final test of the Dragon War—the Crowd Road—was right around the corner.

Now, she was only one step away from becoming the Dragon.

Yet, Seol still hadn't returned.