Unmasking Souls

Nothing But The Truth

Chapter 18

How do you stop mourning about someone you love and lost? Will you cease remembering when you order yourself to? Will the bittersweet memories stop living in you?

No. It's never like that.

You can't forget someone because the person's departure gave you pain. Because spending life together, no matter how brief, means exchanging parts of your souls to each other. You carry it with you no matter how long it takes.

Where is the consolation?

It's in life itself. Life never stops moving. It goes on whther you want it or not. And with that, time heals your heart.

The early period of losing someone is always the hardest. You keep blaming the world for not pausing, as if nothing happened.

However, as time goes, so will the healing begin.

After some time, the pain dulls, and finally, you will remember more of the sweeter memories than the pain of being left without someone's existence.

Such was how Kim mourned for her Sung Kyung. At first, she kept finding herself remembering the last days they spent. How Sung Kyung was so afraid for her safety, how she had promised again and again that she would keep her unharmed.

Guilt surfaced and asked, "Will she still be here if I listened to her and didn't attend the banquet?"

Min Ho grew worried and finally hired a new maid for her, named Eun Seung. From the same family as Sung Kyung, she also possessed excellent martial arts skills and the devotion to serve the lady.

But for the first few weeks, Go Eun kept on calling her "Sung Kyung" several times.

The new maid didn't mind. On the other hand, she admired her lady for the affection she held for her former maid.

Go Eun's tears dropped when Eun Seung helped her dressed and styled her hair. Remembering how Sung Kyung was the one who used to do it for her.

"I apologize. She was a sister for me, not a maid."

Eun Seung shook her head. "How lucky for her, to be held so dear by you."

Go Eun smiled.

"Help me from now on, will you?"

"Certainly, My Princess. With my life."

"ANDWAE!!!" she suddenly screamed, making the new maid quickly fell on her knees in dread.

"Don't -- don't you ever say about giving your life for me. I don't -- I can't hear it anymore."

"Never again, My Princess."

Go Eun sighed and helped Eun Seung to stand up.

"Good. Now let's head outside and take a walk with me."

***************

Min Ho left for the imperial palace after breakfast that day. When he arrived, he was notified that the emperor was waiting for him in the tower. It was five stories high and was the tallest building in the city.

From up there, Jung Jae liked to observe Hanyang, gathering his thoughts or just enjoyed being alone for a short time.

Jo Yeong was surprised and almost got angry when he was told to give up his sword at the door.

"The emperor has his own reason," the head guard said.

He got suspicious when he was asked to wait at the stairs of the fourth floor, and was not allowed to accompany his lord to the audience with the emperor.