Chapter 53

“What a foolish god.”

At my honest impression, the guide shrugged his shoulders with a pleasant smile on his face.

“And a god who likes people.”

…It was hard to deny that.

After all, in the play, Jeoseokcheon fought monsters several times, dragging his injured body to protect people.

The story itself was simple.

Long ago, a giant evil dragon, jealous of humans, occupied lakes and hot springs, spewing poison and turning them into swamps.

The people, unable to live due to the deadly poison mist that killed livestock and dried up water, prayed to Jeoseokcheon to save them.

Jeoseokcheon, responding to the prayers of a small village that no one cared about, descended from the heavens.

However, in his haste to defeat the evil dragon, save the people, and bathe naked with women in the hot springs, he stumbled and fell, temporarily becoming lame.

Anyway, Jeoseokcheon managed to defeat all the monsters threatening the village and ultimately succeeded in slaying the giant evil dragon.

Although the protagonist, Jeoseokcheon, had a peculiar personality, it was a decent hero myth with both lessons and entertainment.

“How was it? A good play worth the admission fee, right?”

Under the stage, amidst the thunderous applause of the audience, the guide asked for our impressions with a bright smile.

Sososo, who had been quietly tiptoeing and watching the play with sparkling eyes, nodded with a moved expression.

She seems to like stories of chivalrous heroes, as she once called me a hero with sparkling eyes.

“Yes! It was truly moving! Jeoseokcheon, who kept getting up for the people even after falling, was the epitome of perseverance. Especially when fighting the evil dragon… Ah.”

Perhaps because her childish side was revealed, Sososo blushed, coughed awkwardly, and returned to her usual calm demeanor.

“So… yes, it was a very good play.”

Usually a strong and cold martial artist wielding the Emperor’s Sword, but in reality, a beautiful cross-dressing woman who likes Kamen Rider special effects shows, an older sister figure.

It brings a warm smile to see such a cute creature.

Just being able to see this made participating in the festival worthwhile.

Thinking this, I sneakily glanced at Sososo’s profile, her face slightly red as she watched the play.

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the blue sky, and raindrops began to fall.

“Rain at the festival honoring Jeoseokcheon’s achievements… It seems the Water God is jealous.”

At the guide’s sudden remark, Sososo and I tilted our heads in confusion.

“…The Water God?”

“The god who governs water, sky, and justice. He was overshadowed by Jeoseokcheon and couldn’t become the leader of the Twelve Heavens.”

Looking up at the dark clouds and the falling rain.

“Even so, raining during the festival. What a tasteless god.”

“Well~ the gods of the Twelve Heavens aren’t perfect beings. They have emotions, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.”

The guide quietly muttered while watching the actor on stage mimicking a limp, specifically the actor playing Jeoseokcheon.

“…That’s why they sometimes fall from the heavens.”

***

The rain grew heavier, making it impossible to continue enjoying the festival, so we returned to the inn.

Suddenly, I remembered something I heard before.

Pretty people are pretty even in the rain or snow. It seems true.

Waiting for the bathwater to be prepared, I absentmindedly stared at Sososo sitting across from me on the first floor of the inn.

Her hair, damp with moisture, shimmered beautifully, and her wet clothes clung to her body, revealing her contours.

…It’s not that I was trying to look, but my eyes naturally drifted.

I had no choice but to get up, tip the innkeeper, and receive a fluffy blanket to drape over Sososo’s shoulders.

“Namgung, you’ll catch a cold. Use that to warm up.”

“Ah… thank you. But what about you, Sima Gongja?”

“I’m naturally healthy, so don’t worry.”

Martial artists rarely catch colds, and having learned the steadfast heart technique, I smiled, thinking I could handle it.

“…That won’t do.”

Suddenly, Sososo got up and approached me, gently wrapping the blanket around my head.

Pat pat~ stroke stroke~

Through the blanket, I could feel the touch of her slender, pretty fingers on my scalp.

“You shouldn’t neglect your health just because it’s troublesome.”

Her soft voice and the faint scent of her body from the damp blanket enveloped me in a pleasant sensation.

Unfortunately, this moment didn’t last long.

Perhaps thinking she had been too familiar, Sososo blushed and quickly withdrew her fingers.

“I… I’m sorry for being presumptuous.”

Though I felt sorry for her, seeing her usually expressionless face flushed with embarrassment made me want to tease her.

“If you’re sorry, just stand still for a moment.”

I got up and stepped back, approaching Sososo, who was tilting her head in confusion, and draped the blanket over her wet hair.

Sososo’s turn was over. Now it was my turn.

Gently, carefully, I patted her wet gray hair.

“I’ve been curious. Why do you keep your hair so pretty?”

“Well… my mother used to praise me for being pretty when I was young… But more importantly, people are staring. Please let go, Sima Gongja.”

I wanted to tease her more, but it was about time for the bathwater to be ready, so I let her go.

Sososo, with her naturally cold body, would catch a cold if she stayed wet.

“Let’s call it even for being sorry to each other.”

Whether from embarrassment or another reason, Sososo looked up at the mischievous yet kind man, feeling her heart race.

He was a truly unique man, possessing both the charm of a flirtatious playboy and the magnanimity of a gentleman willing to risk his life for others.

***

The situation of the Song Dynasty, which once ruled the Central Plains, was beyond serious—it was a complete mess.

The Emperor had been captured by the Jin barbarians.

“Woo-hoo~ We caught the Song Emperor!!”

Relations with Goryeo, ruled by the Wang family, descendants of the Dragon King of the West Sea, were also deteriorating.

“Song Dynasty, you didn’t help when the Khitans invaded, and you treated us poorly (giving minimal tribute and taking tenfold in return). Are we really allies?”

Moreover, the northern nomadic tribes were slowly gathering and encroaching on Song territory.

“Hey, newbies, watch closely. It’s pillaging time.”

In such a situation, the fact that the new Emperor and Empress had no children was a minor issue nationally, but not for the Empress.

The Empress, with a heart full of mourning, prayed daily to the heavens to grant her a worthy successor to overcome the crisis.

“I want a cute child and to end this troubled era~ What a greedy human.”

Moved by the Empress’s efforts, Brahma descended from the heavens to grant her wish.

And to the Empress’s wish for a child who could end the chaotic era, Brahma made an astonishing proposal.

It was to conceive a child with a god.

Unable to decide alone, the Empress informed the Emperor, who then met with Brahma to discuss.

What deal was struck between the Emperor and Brahma remains unknown.

Ultimately, the Emperor accepted Brahma’s proposal, and Brahma summoned the strongest martial gods from the heavens.

The Thunder God Jeoseokcheon, the Sun God Ilcheon, and the Fire God Hwacheon.

“Kids, I’ve decided to grant a wish. So, for my sake, make a baby with the Empress.”

Though summoned by the highest elder of the heavens, Jeoseokcheon frowned at the absurd request.

“No, I’m not some lowlife but a guardian god. Does it make sense to sleep with a woman who has a husband in her heart? And personally, I prefer virgins…”

Jeoseokcheon, who liked both harems and pure love, disliked touching another’s spouse and preferred pure women, so he returned to the heavens without considering it.

“Noble Brahma, I am the sun that illuminates all things. I cannot shine only on a specific country or individual. That would be unfair.”

Ilcheon also shook his head, politely declining the proposal and returning to the heavens.

Of the three summoned, only one remained. Brahma, with a trembling voice, asked Hwacheon.

“Hwacheon, you’ll make a baby, right?”

To Brahma’s anxious question, Hwacheon nodded enthusiastically.

“Sure, let’s make one.”

‧

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This is the founding myth of the Fire Dynasty, Deng Nation, which burned through the Jin, Mongols, and eventually the Song, ending the troubled era and establishing a new ruler of the Central Plains.

The important thing here is that the Fire royal family annually burns books filled with countless Chinese characters, combining the characters that pop out and those that remain unburned to create sentences for divination.

…And on the day a small, cute, pretty girl was born in the Namgung family.

The characters that popped out from the fire were South (南), Palace (宮), Woman (女), Child (兒), For (爲), King (王), combining to-

Namgungnyeoawiwang (南宮女兒爲王) – The daughter of Namgung will become king.

-A prophecy terrifying to both the Fire and Namgung families.

***

Sososo woke from a light sleep and rose from the bath.

The water droplets on her collarbone swelled slightly but surely, flowing down from her delicate chest to her slender waist.

That figure was nowhere near that of a young master.

It was merely a pitiful girl forced to live as a man due to an ominous prophecy, reflected in the bathwater.