Chapter 47 No Happy Ever After

Uri finished telling the story of the past, and he shivered again as they approached the mountain. "That winter, when people were going to admire the white snow, they found that when the snow melted, the snow that fell was red, and the streets looked like blood was everywhere," Uri said.

Hajime asked, "What did the Tenth King do to the corpse of that Great Grand General?"

U-ri said, "His Majesty built the largest mausoleum for his beloved general. He ordered the people to worship the great general as God and awarded him the title of the great general of the earth."

Hajime murmured, "To place him equal to the Emperor of Heaven..."

U-ri said, "You can say that... a lot of people think the same as you."

Hajime asked, "What about the Choi family or other ministers who don't like the Great Grand General and Chief Keme?"

U-ri asked, "What about them?"

Hajime asked, " Did they receive some sort of punishment for deceiving the Tenth King? I bet it was they who conspired against the Great Grand General and Chief Keme."

U-ri said, "Deceiving? They're just following His Majesty's order."

Abrafo said, "According to what you just said, since His Majesty punished Minister Choi and Minister Lee, they must have a grudge against the Great Grand General, and His Majesty also respects Chief Keme, which adds to their hatred." He chuckled. "Killing two birds with one stone."

"How?" Michio asked foolishly, scratching his bald head.

U-ri said, "The power of greed has always been the main reason why people betray their allegiance."

Michio frowned confusedly, "I still don't get it."

Abrafo said with a smile, "If the Great Grand General and Chief no longer serve under His Majesty, then the court will be taken over by the Choi family and the Lee family, and His Majesty will become a lone dragon in the snake's lair."

Michio said, "Oh, so you mean Minister Choi wants to get rid of the Great Grand General and Chief Keme?"

Abrafo and U-ri said at once, "Yes, dummy..."

Hajime asked, "So, they were not executed or punished?"

U-ri said, "We don't know...but according to the records in the book, His Majesty was deeply saddened by the death of the Great Grand General, so he did not seek further investigation on this matter. In order to prevent the ministers from fighting for power and profit in the court, His Majesty decreed that he would choose a family to be in charge of the highest power, and at any time, if there were ministers, generals, or even His Majesty abuses his power, the chosen head of the family can demote or punish any minister at any time without His Majesty's presence."

Hajime jokingly asked, "I wish the family wasn't Choi or Lee."

"No," U-ri said, mocking Hajime.

Hajime looked at Abrafo and Michio, wondering which family in the imperial court had the highest power. He thought it must be U-ri. Abrafo said U-ri served three kings and held no titles within the court, but his advice was always taken to heart. "It must be you," Hajime said, pointing at U-ri.

U-ri smiled and said, "It's wrong again."

Hajime said, "How could I be wrong twice? You are the only person in the court without a title, but your king respects you very much."

U-ri said, "His Royal Highness respects me because I have served three kings. The absolute title was given to the family hundreds of years ago when the tenth king was still king."

Hajime said, "If it wasn't you, then who would it be?"

"It's the Bayarmaa family..." Yul muttered and sat up slowly. "The only great general in Tangzang is my ancestor, Sukh Bayarmaa." He looked around and found that they were in the air. "Where are we?"

Hajime said, "We are heading for the mountains ahead."

Yul asked, "Aren't we in the forest?"

Michio teased, "Nope… you fell asleep for the whole near-death escape."

Hajime said, "U-ri? I still don't understand. I was told that the ten kings were evil, but why does the current king say he wants to go back to when the tenth king was still ruling?"

U-ri said, "The summer after the red winter, His Majesty dedicated his life serving the Kingdom until his last breath. The throne was later passed to his younger brother."

Hajime asked, "Oh, where are the Tenth King's children?"

U-ri said, "His Majesty is the only king of Tangzang who has no heirs. After his death, he was buried in the prepared tomb in Mount Tai."

Hearing the story of the Tenth King, Hajime couldn't help thinking of himself. The sweet memories of himself and Kenji slowly returned to his mind. Although his love story with Kenji, and the love story between the Tenth King and his beloved general did not have a happy ending, in the end, both the Tenth King and himself got very precious lessons from their love stories. The lessons taught make them understand that it is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.

Hajime sighed and said, "We loved with a love that was more than love, Edgar Allen Poe."

Michio grabbed onto Hajime's left shoulder and pulled Hajime towards him, "What? Who?"

Hajime said, "A poem."

Michio asked, "Poetry. You speak poetry's language?"

Hajime said, "No, I just recited a line from Edgar Allan Poe's poem."

Michio said, "I've never heard of that person. Uri? What about you?"

U-ri said, "I've never heard of that poet before."

The eagles descended down the mountain, circling in search of flat ground to land on.

"Over there," Abrafo said, pointing to the left. "There seems to be a house over there."

The two eagles dived to land not far from the cabin. Michio and Hajime put all their bags on the ground before Hajime called his eagle back to his hand. The black hawk is still circling around the five people.

Hajime said, "Michio and I will go check if anyone was in the cabin. The rest of you stay here with U-ri."

U-ri looked around and asked suspiciously, "Are you sure it's safe here? This time it won't be like last time, right?"

Hajime said, "I don't know, but I hope this place is safer than the last one. It won't take long. Michio..."

Hajime and Michio started walking towards the cabin, U-ri soon caught up with Hajime and Michio.

Hajime asked, "What is it?"

U-ri asked, "Aren't you going to give me any magical protection?"

Hajime said, "We can see you from the cabin, stay with Yul and Abrafo and you'll be fine."

Standing in front of the cabin, Michio knocked lightly on the door. Hajime stepped into the side of the open window and found that the cabin was empty.

"Michio, no more knocking," Hajime called from the side of the cabin, walking toward Michio. "This place has been abandoned for a long time because the spiders have made their webs."

Michio pushed the door hard, and the old wooden door turned stiffly to the left, making a loud "snap". Michio looked inside the cabin first and knocked off some spider webs in front of him. He turned to Hajime and asked, "You want to go in first?"

Hajime looked at Michio strangely, and said, "You go in first, most evil spirits are afraid of monks."

Michio said, "Well..." He scratched his head. "But you are an incredible mage. After you…" He smiled at Hajime.

Hajime pushed Michio away and walked into the cabin. Standing in front of Hajime was a wooden ladder extending to a small loft. Hajime looked to the left side of the cabin and found another door. He looked to the right and found a fireplace, some old chopped wood, and an old rusty ax beside the fireplace. Hajime walked to the door on the left and opened it. It turned out that this room was a bedroom. The built bed should fit two or three people, but not five.

Hajime sighed and turned to look at Michio. "It seems that this must be a bedroom. There is an assembled bed in it, which can sleep two or three people." He walked towards Michio. "Two people must volunteer to sleep in that little loft." He pointed up to the loft.

Michio said, "I'll start to clean up, you go and call the others."

Hajime said, "Sound good."

Hajime, Michio and U-ri start cleaning the cabin while Yul and Abrafo rest outside the cabin.

Yul looked around and said, "Who would build a house in the middle of nowhere?"

Abrafo chuckled, "A lonely person, or a person who doesn't want to mess around with the townspeople."

Yul asked bluntly, "Then where is that person?"

Abrafo stood up slowly and looked over the tree to the woods. "Who knows... maybe the person is dead." He started limping toward the tree.

Yul asked, "Where are you going?"

Abrafo said, "I need to release."

Abrafo limped toward the woods, undid his belt, and began to urinate, when he noticed a grave not far from him. He urinates quickly and walks back to Yul.

Abrafo said, "I found the owner of the house."

Yul looked up at Abrafo surprisingly, "What?"

"I found the owner of the grave in this house," Abrafo said, pointing to the tree. "It's right there."

Hajime walked out of the cabin and said, "The inside is clean now."

Michio went out and helped Abrafo up. "You and you." He pointed at Abrafo and Yul. "Stay in the bedroom with U-ri. Hajime and I will sleep in the loft."

Yul said, "You stay with U-ri and Abrafo. I'll sleep in the loft with Hajime."

Hajime asked, "Why? Don't make it hard for you. There's a ladder to get to the loft."

Yul said, "It's okay. If U-ri or Abrafo need something at night, Michio can help them. If we are attacked, Michio can help them too."

"That makes sense ... I haven't thought about that part," said, and he entered the cabin with Abrafo.

Hajime came out and asked, "Why do you want to sleep with me in the loft?"

Yul looked back at the woods and Hajime. "Like I said, just precautions."

Hajime asked, "What precautions do you speak of? We're in the middle of a mountain somewhere; I don't see any danger that worries me."

"It's because we're in the middle of nowhere in someone's cabin, and that's why I'm worried," Yul said.

Hajime looks at Yul, realizing he's been staring at the trees a few hundred yards from the cabin. "Why do you keep looking back at those trees?"

Yul said, "Abrafo found a grave over there and he believed it was the owner's grave."

Hajime's lips trembled, "A grave?"

Yul said, "Don't tell U-ri." He saw the sudden change of expression on Hajime's face. he joked. "Are you afraid of ghost?"

Hajime shook his head, "No, I'm not afraid of ghosts." He stared at Yul's face. "Your complex is not good, should I be worried?"

Yul sighs, "Let's go in first." He turns and looks around. "Why do I feel like someone is watching us?"