"Seolhwa."

Namgoong Mucheon extended his arm toward Seolhwa.

Climbing down from Cheongun’s arms, Seolhwa toddled forward with quick, eager steps and nestled herself snugly into her grandfather’s embrace.

With a soft chuckle, Namgoong Mucheon lifted her high into the air.

"Why are you so light? Did I not tell you to eat plenty? You are light as a chick. When are you ever going to grow?"

She was only four years old.

For someone who had reached the realm of Flowing, lifting a four-year-old child must naturally feel like lifting a feather.

Perhaps she had frowned at that thought, for Namgoong Mucheon chuckled again and pressed gently between her brows.

"Very well, very well. Grow at your own pace. Try everything as you go and grow slowly. That would not be such a bad thing either."

"Yeth."

Her childlike pronunciation was a mess.

That was one thing she could not control at will. Embarrassed the moment the words left her mouth, Seolhwa's face flushed red.

As she turned her head in embarrassment, she saw that the chief steward was holding a wooden sword made for a child.

"Huh?"

When Seolhwa pointed at the sword, Namgoong Mucheon turned his body toward the steward.

"A wooden sword, Father?"

"I heard last time that Seolhwa had thrown a tantrum asking to see the guards’ swords."

"So... you prepared a wooden sword...?"

Cheongun sounded dumbfounded.

"She is only four years old."

"I started holding a sword at that age as well. There is no harm in becoming familiar early. Besides, the child is interested, is she not?"

Indeed, Seolhwa was wriggling toward the wooden sword, her attention wholly captured.

Namgoong Mucheon set her down and spoke.

"Chief steward. Give that to Seolhwa."

"Father, she might get hur—"

"Children grow while getting hurt. Now then, Seolhwa. Swing it however you like."

Though he said as much, the wooden sword had been rounded on all sides to blunt the edges.

It looked more like a thick cudgel than a sword.

Seolhwa gripped the sword with both hands.

‘It is fairly heavy. No wonder—it feels strange, since I have never held a wooden sword in this body before.’

She could not afford to appear too skilled.

She would just swing it lightly...

“?!”

As she swung, she could not control her strength. Her body spun completely around.

“Ah...!”

Just as she was about to fall, Namgoong Mucheon caught her by the shoulder and held her steady.

The sudden spin left her dizzy and disoriented.

The adults around them burst into affectionate laughter at the sight.

At that moment, Seop Mugwang, who stood nearby with his arms crossed, let out a quiet scoff as he watched her.

“...”

A strange emotion surged within her.

It was not because she could not wield the sword.

It was because of this wretched little body!

Gripping the wooden sword tightly, Seolhwa marched over and swung it with all her might at Seop Mugwang’s shin.

“Oh my.”

...No. This was not it.

She could not muster any strength.

This pitiful body.

Seolhwa threw the sword aside and spun to glare at the chief steward.

She knew this one thing with certainty: the chief steward and Seop Mugwang hated losing to each other.

That much, she was sure of.

She marched straight up to the chief steward and abruptly stretched her arms toward him.

"Thteward Thir! Me! I do it!"

The steward's eyes went wide in surprise.

But then, with a smile more joyful than anyone else's, he lifted Seolhwa up into his arms.

"If our young lady wishes it, then anytime—hahaha!"

With an expression that clearly said, Did you see that?, the steward glanced over at Seop Mugwang. Seeing the way Seop Mugwang's expression twisted, Seolhwa felt a surge of satisfaction. And then, suddenly—

‘...What am I doing.’

Surrounded by adults chuckling fondly, throwing a childish tantrum, she found herself dumbfounded.

Was this part of the ‘trial’ too?

Was it really acceptable for a trial to feel this peaceful?

"You look uncomfortable. Come here."

Seolhwa was once more passed into Namgoong Mucheon’s arms.

He gently pressed her pouting cheek with one large hand and spoke in a warm tone.

"It is fine. You can learn the sword gradually. Even if it is not the sword, whatever you wish to do, this grandfather of yours will help you in every way he can."

His gaze was familiar.

It was filled with trust, directed solely at her.

No, now she understood what that gaze meant.

It was the gaze of someone looking at a beloved person.

"Just grow up healthy and well."

Namgoong Mucheon stroked her hair.

His touch was warm.

****

The days within the illusion were filled only with happiness.

No matter what expression she wore, no matter what she did, what returned to her was love and overflowing affection.

Was this a memory she had forgotten?

Or was it merely a wish?

She could not say for certain. But slowly, Seolhwa came to understand—

‘This illusion is my lingering attachment.’

It was not that the trial refused to end.

It was that she was refusing to end the trial.

Because the life here was too happy.

Whether it was the past or just a dream, she wanted to remain a bit longer in this time, where she could smile so freely with her loved ones.

She could not let go. Not yet.

She wanted, selfishly, to stay a little longer.

To indulge in this comfort, in this warmth.

But now, the time had come to return to reality.

"My daughter, how was your day? Did you have fun?"

Lying in bed, Seolhwa looked up at her mother.

She filled her eyes with the sight of her mother’s beautiful face, finally beginning to etch itself into her memory.

Since she had decided to end the illusion, once she fell asleep tonight, she would never see her mother again.

Once she awakened, her mother’s face would fade once more, and she would no longer remember this smile.

With that thought, she could not bring herself to sleep.

She wanted to stay here just a little longer.

She held her mother’s hand tightly.

Startled, her mother looked down at their clasped hands.

"Hm? Are you asking me not to go?"

It might be a feeble strength, but she squeezed tighter.

And then, with a gentle smile, her mother pressed her lips softly against Seolhwa’s forehead.

"Do not worry, my Seolhwa. Mother will not go anywhere until you fall asleep. Even when you are asleep and dreaming sweet dreams, I will be right here beside you."

Her voice continued, low and tender.

And soon, those words flowed into a soft melody, transforming into a gentle lullaby.

"Sleep well, my little one. Lie beside Mother and drift off peacefully. While you sleep, no bad things or frightening things will come—forget it all and dream only happy dreams."

In that moment, a memory she had long forgotten surfaced faintly.

Her mother’s humming, her whispers, the image of her softly patting Seolhwa’s chest came back to her.

"Sleep well, my little one, leave only lovely memories and forget all the bad ones."

This song—this was the lullaby her mother used to sing to her often when she was little.

Every time she cried in fear, on days when something sad had happened, at the end of joyful days...

Every night when she fell asleep, her mother would be by her side, singing this lullaby.

Once the gates of memory were opened, forgotten memories began to flood in like a rising tide.

‘My little one, Seolhwa. I love you.’

Her mother’s voice, which had whispered this to her every day, came rushing back.

The gentle touch of her caress.

The warm breath that brushed against hers.

The smile that curved so softly.

The voice that whispered, tickling her ears.

It was not the wind. It was memory.

‘Mommy loves you so very much.’

Her eyes grew hot.

Her mother’s humming slowly faded.

Warm breath touched her forehead once again, light and gentle.

“Mommy loves you very much. My daughter.”

A tear slid down the corner of her eye.

And then another, and another—hot tears flowed freely, unstoppably.

“Hh... huuuh...”

The world around her disappeared. The things, the scenery—

Her mother disappeared too.

Before she knew it, Seolhwa was kneeling alone in the darkness, sobbing.

The unbearable pain in her chest, like someone was gripping and twisting her heart, left her clutching her robe and weeping silently.

“Ugh... hhh...”

Sleep well, my little one.

Forget it all, and dream only ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) happy dreams.

I do not want to forget.

I do not want to lose this.

I have lived for too long forgetting.

I do not want to forget anymore.

Leave only lovely memories...

Forget all the bad ones.

But my memories of Mother are not bad.

They are not memories that hurt me.

Mother...

I love you, Seolhwa.

Mother...

Mommy loves you so much.

“...I miss you...”

I miss you, Mom. I miss you.

This is a memory too precious.

A love I could never forget.

A love I should never have forgotten.

A mother I miss so dearly.

“...Mommy... hhh...”

Even after the illusion ended, her mother’s face did not fade.

No—instead, it surfaced more vividly than ever before.

‘It is all right. It is all right, Seolhwa.’

The voice that had whispered to her it was okay, cradling her the moment she fell.

Her mother had protected her until the very end. Had comforted her.

To think she had forgotten that. Had lost that.

[I have seen the mental landscapes of countless warriors, yet this is the first time I have encountered a wish so humble.]

With a gentle rush, a colossal presence enveloped Seolhwa.

[The mind reveals what you truly desire. Some saw themselves as kings ruling the world, others as invincible swordsmen, still others with the wealth to bend all things to their will.]

The presence came to a halt before her.

Seolhwa raised her head and looked up at it.

[You harbor death, and yet you are pure. Indeed. Perhaps death itself is the purest thing of all.]

It was a dragon—no, not a dragon.

An imugi.

A creature said to possess the greatest spiritual power among mystical beasts, one that had lived for countless ages.

Even in her past life, she had only heard that such things might exist. She had never known for sure whether they truly did.

[Take this.]

As the imugi opened its mouth, a marble the size of a thumb emerged, shimmering with a black, iridescent glow.

The orb floated slowly toward Seolhwa.

[It will help you achieve what you desire.]