In her twenties, a woman adorned with long, glossy black hair with ornaments, and a vibrant pink hanbok gracefully entered the room, where Jiho and Ki Moon were seated.
Yoona, the owner of this guesthouse, made her presence known with a distinctive blend of allure and authority.
Gently, she brushed her fingers over Jiho's hands as she settled into her seat, remarking, "What a handsome face, I might be tempted to surrender myself."
Jiho, glancing at her, promptly withdrew his hand, asserting, "Can't you see I'm here for work, not leisure?"
She turned her gaze to Ki Moon, who awkwardly smiled.
"Ah, yes. How can I assist you?" She replied with disappointment.
Jiho cut to the chase, "What is Black Night?"
She responded with a fearful expression, "According to the whispers surrounding Black Night, Grim Reapers appears on that night"
"Not the fabricated tales. What is the reality of Black Night?"
Her awkward reply followed, "I don't know."
Jiho studied her with a furrowed brow. "You don't know?" he sighed, "This will be quite a headache to investigate."
"Black Night is often heard in Gyeongju's east village. You might find more information by inquiring there."
Jiho rose abruptly and exited, Ki Moon tenderly placed a handful of coins on the table, compensating her for services before trailing after Jiho.
Ki Moon inquired, "Are we truly heading to Gyeongju village in search of Black Night?"
"Yes, we have no choice." Jiho affirmed, "Prepare two horses and gather essential things."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Casting a glance back at him, Jiho questioned, "Why do you never address me as General?"
In a hushed tone, Ki Moon replied, "I apologize, Your Highness."
Jiho and Ki Moon spurred their horses toward Gyeongju village. As they neared, Jiho observed eerie, old and broken huts exuding an unsettling aura.
"Your Highness, what if the rumours hold truth?" inquired Ki Moon, seated atop his horse, both casting wary glances at the foreboding structures.
Jiho chuckled, replying, "Are you frightened?"
Ki Moon remained silent amidst the stillness outside the huts, where only wisps of smoke was visible like no one was living there .
Perched on horseback, they surveyed their surroundings, the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves echoing through the narrow pathways between huts.
Jiho dismounted and gestured for Ki Moon to approach one of the closed doors.
Together, they sought entry, knocking on multiple doors, yet the village remained unresponsive, its residents hidden behind the shroud of silence.
Ki Moon, gripped by the unsettling emptiness and oppressive silence of the village, remarked, "No one's in sight, the village is too silent for human to live."
"They're frightened. I saw a child peeking through a small gap in the door earlier, fear was engraved in his eyes."
"Do you believe in the rumors of Grim Reapers?"
Jiho, with a thoughtful gaze, responded, "I don't."
"Why not?" Ki Moon pressed.
"I have my reasons," Jiho replied cryptically, striding back to his horse.
As he walked, his mind whispered, "If those rumors held any truth, In Hyuk wouldn't task me with resolving it."
They started their journey back and along the path, a little teahouse was placed near the road.
"Let's take rest for a moment, perhaps we can get some information here," Jiho proposed, bringing his horse to a halt and dismounting.
Ki Moon, in tandem with Jiho, ventured into the teahouse.
The owner, having served the tea, examined their royal attire and inquired, "Where are you headed?"
"We need to know about things in Gyeongju village, yet its residents remained silent. Now, we're returning to the Capital," Ki Moon replied while Jiho pondered on the matter.
"With this attire?" the owner questioned. Jiho inspected himself before turning his attention back to the owner.
"What's wrong with the clothes?" Jiho asked.
"The villagers endured royal oppression, are you unaware? They are scared of People who belong to royal class" the owner responded. "Whom are you looking for in Gyeongju village?"
"We need someone knowledgeable about all matters in Gyeongju village," Jiho stated, placing coins on the table.
The owner smiled, accepted the payment, and pointed to the east, saying, "In the forest, there's a small stone house. You can go there." With that, he left their table.
The sun descended, casting a fading light. Ki Moon proposed, "Shall we investigate tomorrow?"
"We're pressed for time," Jiho remarked, rising and surveying the forest before him.
"But the sun is setting; darkness will soon envelop us, and we're uncertain of its location," Ki Moon argued.
"We're army commanders, we'll manage," Jiho asserted, heading towards the forest.
Ki Moon loudly requested the teahouse owner, "Look after our horses."
"Yes," came the prompt reply.
Ki Moon trailed Jiho for a considerable distance, yet no house emerged. Concerned, he asked, "What if the teahouse owner lied to us?"
" It's possible but for now, let's focus on finding the house." He navigated through shrubs, tightly gripping his sword.
The darkness spread, and they hadn't found anything. After a long walk, they discovered a small stone house with a lamp hanging on the door.
Jiho instructed, "Knock on the door." Ki Moon complied by striking the wooden door with his hand.
After a brief interval, a man in his fifties swung the door open, his eyes registering a hint of surprise upon glimpsing them adorned in royal attire. Instinctively, he moved to shut the door promptly.
Without hesitation, Jiho intervened, steadying the wooden barrier, and addressed the elder, "Senior, we've come to investigate a matter, rest assured we intend no harm."
The old man loosened his grasp on the door retorting , "Make it swift I don't have time for individuals like you."
"We're investigating Black Night. We visited Gyeongju village but found nothing. We were told you're know a lot about the village. Senior, please help us."
" Why are you looking into Black Night?" asked the Old Man.
Jiho, making a guess from In Hyuk assigning the task replied, "We received reports of someone committing misdeeds in the name of Black Night."
The old man stepped aside and said, "Come in."
Jiho and Ki Moon, having removed their shoes, entered the house.
Jiho surveyed the drying herbs suspended from the ceiling, the flickering fire pit casting a warm glow.
The elderly man took a seat beside the fire, gesturing for them to join him. Jiho settled in, while Ki Moon, choosing to stand, remained at Jiho's side, hesitating to sit beside him.
The old man inquired, "Why not take a seat?" Ki Moon replied, "It's alright; I'll stand."
The old man said, "Well, it's up to you."