moon and sun

Chapter I: Part (1)

On the night when the rain was drizzling, two men were standing under a big tree to avoid the rain. However, since it was autumn and the tree is left  with half a fallen leaf, it had little effect on avoiding rain.

It was already quite far away from the village and it was difficult to return. One of the two men under the tree was wearing a large gat on light blue coating as if he were a nobleman from a noble family, and the other was a warrior guarding the nobleman.

(gat - a traditional korean hat)

He hung his long hair up to his waist without a topknot, and wore two long ringways on his back and waist.The nobleman looked up at the sky and said quietly.

"Un. I don't think it's going to stop raining. I thought it was a drizzle, so I guess my stubbornness made you troubled"

The samurai remained silent, with his eyes closed and his head bowed, he reads all movements around him. The nobleman, who was looking far away, found something and said happily.

"Oh! I can see a house at the foot of the mountain over there. Let's escape the rain for a moment."

After finishing what he said, the nobleman began to climb the foot of the mountain at a rapid pace as if possessed by something without looking back.

The warrior could not dissuade him and followed him, wary of his surrounding.

The house that stood close was a small and neat thatched house surrounded by a waist-high stone wall, but strangely, it was as high as the gate and even the gate eaves. The nobleman spoke in a small voice.

"Un. Ask for the owner."

However, instead of talking, the warrior only raised his eyes and looked up at the towering pole above the gate eaves.Following the warrior's eyes, the nobleman also looked at it.

"What is that?"

"A shaman. This is the house where the shaman lives. You can't enter it."

At the calm but strong voice of the warrior, the nobleman he  could no longer try to enter the house.

However, the warrior was unable to help the appearance of a tired and cold-looking nobleman, so he had no choice but to bow his head even more.

At this time, a human presence was felt inside, and the samurai's right hand quickly grabbed the hilt of his sword from his left waist.

From the inside of the gate, the sound of footsteps approaching and soon stopped in front of the gate.

The warrior's hand gained strength. It was because he felt the energy of the sword from the person who stopped inside . The voice of the warrior cut through the gate.

"Who is it?"

"I am aghast. Where do you ask who the guest is? Isn't that question should come  from this side?"

It was the voice of a blunt woman. The warrior opened his mouth again.

"How can a woman have a sword?"

"It's amazing. Do you know that I have a sword without looking at it? As expected-....... Oh! I did not mean to say this, but hmm! My lady told me to tell you to rest inside."

"How did you have a sword?"

The woman gave a rough answer to the warrior who asked again.

"Only two women live in such a remote place. So shouldn't we at least have a sword? You're asking some silly questions.  Aren't you going to come in anyway?"

The nobleman glanced at the warrior and said.

"With the way things are, I'm going to stay for a while, so don't think about it."

He wanted to enter, but his voice contained a feeling of being unable to say anything because of the samurai who persevered.
And, as if it were something that would naturally come out, he threw that prepared word inside.

"My lady asked me to say this to the guest, as this is just a lowly house and you may not  find it suitable for you to rest in. There is no difference between the warm floor of  a humble house and the eaves of the gate of a house.”

A curious smile arose on the nobleman's face. It was because they were already in a situation with the eaves of the gate hanging over their heads, and the words that the lady spoke. They had no choice but to enter the house. The nobleman opened the door and went inside.

"It is clear that the lower neck is more important than the one under the eaves, so I will excuse myself.”

As the nobleman opened the gate wide and strode inside, the samurai had no choice but to enter the house. The female servant who was talking inside was already ahead and passing through the narrow yard, looking back. The maidservant pointed to the open door and made a gesture to go inside and went somewhere.

The two strangers went into one room, where the maid told them to go in.  The room was filled with the subtle scent of incense, and simple alcohol and snacks were placed on a simple  table on the floor. And beside it, even though it wasn't winter yet, the fire pot was warmly welcoming the stranger.

The nobleman sat down on the floor, and the warrior kneeled down diagonally to his. The nobleman quietly spoke while looking at fire pot.

"It's as if you knew in advance that we would come. Is this what a shaman's room is like?"

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Note:

I will be sectioning each chapter into parts because its long.