I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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64.

“How, did you….”

Instead of answering, Sa-baek took out a small bottle from his chest. Without hesitation, he opened the lid, supported Seon-o’s head, and brought the bottle to her lips. When Seon-o instinctively closed her mouth, Sa-baek whispered reassuringly.

“It won’t harm you. I promise.”

She could feel that his promise was sincere. Seon-o, whose heart was now truly about to burst, looked into Sa-baek’s eyes with wet eyes and slowly parted her lips.

As Sa-baek slowly poured the medicine in, she felt a refreshing yet bitter taste in her parched mouth. The mysterious liquid flowed down her throat and raced toward her heart at a terrifying speed. And finally, whatever had been squeezing Seon-o’s heart as if to burst it disappeared as if driven away, and Seon-o’s pulse, which had been about to stop, returned to normal.

“Haah…haah….”

As Seon-o, who had come back from the brink of death, exhaled the breath she had been holding, Sa-baek’s serious gaze also softened considerably.

“…Are you alright?”

Sa-baek lowered his head to examine Seon-o’s complexion and asked worriedly. Tired eyes, still lingering in the aftermath of pain, looked up at his face.

The price of eating the Yin Stone was cruel. Judging from the pain just now, in the worst case, it could even lead to death.

“….”

And just now, Sa-baek had saved Seon-o. Without any compensation.

Could she trust Sa-baek’s true intentions with this?

What this medicine was, how he knew she had eaten the Yin Stone, and why he had saved her.

She now knew that even if she asked such things, this strange man would surely not give her clear answers. Just as she couldn’t give Sa-baek answers.

“….”

Seon-o swallowed her groan and reached out with difficulty. Her hand grabbed the collar of Sa-baek, who was lowering his head. When she pulled him closer to her without him resisting, Sa-baek obediently allowed himself to be drawn in and met Seon-o’s eyes.

“Tomorrow, I need to save someone called Moon Poong…and steal the drug from Wang Ho-bang….”

Sa-baek listened calmly as Seon-o shared her plan with composed eyes.

“Will you…interfere?”

Even though she was still struggling to continue speaking, her gaze as she glared at Sa-baek with force was sharp. Sa-baek’s eyes showed a faint light of relief as he realized that Seon-o had recovered enough to live.

After looking into Seon-o’s eyes for a moment, he answered in a whisper.

“How could I dare interfere with you, Master.”

Seon-o released his collar and sat up. Cold sweat still beaded on her forehead, but the color had completely returned to her lips.

“Then, will you help?”

At that, Sa-baek smiled calmly.

“If you say you need me, gladly.”

“….”

Seon-o stared intently at his face, unable to distinguish whether he was telling the truth or lying. She could feel her medicated body rapidly normalizing. The pain and difficulty from just moments ago had now disappeared like a lie.

“Just don’t interfere. If my plan fails because of our slave….”

Seon-o stood up and looked down at Sa-baek. Whatever Sa-baek’s true intentions were, it no longer mattered.

“I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the world to find out what your real identity is and kill you.”

At those forceful words, Sa-baek smiled as if bursting into laughter. Having finished her threat, Seon-o turned around without lingering. Sa-baek, watching Seon-o move away from him, quietly added.

“The medicine you just took is merely a sedative.”

At those words, Seon-o’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

“You must remove the cause within a short time.”

It was serious advice without any trace of laughter. Seon-o, who had been standing still without answering, began walking again.

Sa-baek sat without moving and listened to the sound of Seon-o disappearing beyond the wall.

* * *

Returning to her room before midnight, Seon-o met with Hwan and shared what she had seen and heard.

Everything was shared – meeting Sa-baek and finding the wine storage with his help, finding what she wanted there, and even the servants’ conversation – but one thing was missing from that story.

The fact that Seon-o had fallen into danger due to the Rift Sound Stone and had taken a sedative with Sa-baek’s help.

If she told that story, she would have to confess how Seon-o had come to eat the Rift Sound Stone, and she would also have to reveal the fact that Sa-baek carried sedatives to subdue him.

‘Then Hwan would suspect Baek-ryu.’

Of course, Sa-baek was still a suspicious figure, but Seon-o had a certain conviction about him.

However, she couldn’t share that conviction with Hwan. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust Hwan. She simply couldn’t rashly speak it aloud until she could confirm with her own eyes whether her conviction about Sa-baek was real.

“So after watching tomorrow’s match, we need to save that Moon Poong person and seize Wang Ho-bang’s drug.”

When Seon-o conveyed the plan she had devised, Hwan slowly nodded in agreement and opened his mouth.

“So was he really an illegitimate son of the Baek Family?”

At Hwan’s question, who had noticed from the beginning that Seon-o was intentionally excluding Sa-baek’s story, Seon-o felt a sharp pang in his stomach.

“Actually, I couldn’t find out. But he won’t interfere with us.”

Hwan didn’t ask further about what basis there was for that confidence. He knew that Seon-o had something he wanted to hide from him. But someday Seon-o would tell him everything on his own. Because he would make it so.

“Then it would be best to go to bed for tomorrow.”

As Hwan smoothly rose from his seat and turned to leave, Seon-o startled and followed him up.

“Where are you going?”

Then Hwan turned back to look at Seon-o.

“Mother doesn’t look well, so I thought I’d get some medicine.”

At those serious words, confusion crossed Seon-o’s face.

“I’m fine. Where would you get medicine in the middle of the night?”

Then Hwan smiled quietly. From that smile, Seon-o realized that Hwan had been joking.

“I can’t sleep, so I’ll look around the mansion. But Mother should get some rest.”

At those words, Seon-o, who remembered something, glanced at the bed inside the room. Thanks to Wang Ho-bang’s consideration for the couple, there was only one bed. Seon-o, who noticed Hwan’s consideration, couldn’t hold him back and nodded.

Finally, just as Hwan was about to leave the room, Seon-o, who suddenly remembered something, stopped him.

“Um, Hwan.”

At that call, Hwan immediately stopped and turned to look at her.

“Thank you.”

Conveying her gratitude, Seon-o smiled awkwardly. Hwan stood there blankly, looking at Seon-o.

“If it weren’t for Hwan, I couldn’t have come this far or moved forward to the next step. And…”

Seon-o, who had paused for a moment, finally let out what was inside.

“For believing in me. I’m in a state where I really need someone’s trust right now.”

Having finished speaking, Seon-o smiled brightly while hiding her awkwardness. The confession just now was sincere.

Of course, Seon-o still didn’t know the source of the unconditional favor that Hwan showed her.

It could have been that he glimpsed Phoenix Qualities in her through the Maehwagak incident, or perhaps he instinctively felt her desperation. Or rather than helping Seon-o, it might have been his intention to find and seal the Power to Brainwash Superhumans, but whatever it was, she was grateful.

The cause wasn’t important enough that Seon-o was relying on Hwan in a corner of her heart. If the situation turned for the worst and she couldn’t complete the mission Ji-woon had entrusted to her, she planned to deliver that prophecy to Hwan. He had such ability and qualification.

Hwan, who had been quietly looking at Seon-o for a moment, answered.

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

The end of his calm voice was warmly affectionate.

“But what made me believe in you was yourself. So you don’t need to thank me.”

At his affectionate response, emotion soon welled up in Seon-o’s eyes. Hwan showed a faint smile, turned around, and left the room, and silence settled in the room.

“…”

Seon-o sat on the bed for a moment and repeated Hwan’s words.

Those affectionate words that what made Hwan believe in her was herself.

Could that really be true?

Then, could she make others believe in her too?

Seon-o sighed, laid down her tired body, and looked at the ceiling. So many things had happened during the day that her head was becoming dazed.

Meeting Sa-baek here and finding the superhuman slave by chance were all completely unexpected events.

Moreover…

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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