I Became the Owner of the Heavenly Flower Palace-Chapter 9: It ends once I deliver it.

Jincheon and the woman rode on.

The midnight wilderness stretched out endlessly, dark and vast, but the gray steed galloped forward without a hint of fear.

“H-How long do we have to ride like this?”

Jincheon turned his head and shouted.

He had to raise his voice to be heard over the wind lashing against his face.

In contrast, the woman merely lowered her head slightly and whispered near his ear.

“We’re taking the fastest route. But you should expect at least one si-jin.”

A full day had twelve si-jin, and a half-day of sunlight made up six. One si-jin was a pretty long time to be riding—especially at night.

Ttakak ttakak ttakak.

From the back of the tireless galloping horse, Jincheon spoke again.

“Wouldn’t it be better if I sat behind—”

“That won’t do. It’s dangerous.”

The woman answered instantly.

Jincheon didn’t understand.

Wouldn’t it be more stable if he sat behind her and held onto her waist? It might look a little awkward, sure, but still.

“Dangerous? What do you—”

“If there are any assassins, the rear is exposed. It’s safer this way, where I can shield you with my body.”

She answered as if reading his thoughts.

The whisper in his ear tickled a bit, but more than that, her sudden comment threw him off.

“Assassins?”

“Hyungsu” referred to someone with malicious intent, usually one aiming to take another’s life.

Assassins out here, in the middle of this barren land?

Even if she’d said ‘if’, implying it was only a possibility—just the fact that it was a possibility was a problem.

It meant the road ahead wasn’t safe.

“Ugh.”

Jincheon gave up on switching seats.

It was a bit embarrassing—no, incredibly embarrassing—but at this point, he had no choice but to cling to her and ride like this.

Doing his best to ignore the softness of her body and scent pressing into his back.

‘...Still, at least she’s actually answering now.’

Earlier, all she said was “I can’t say.”

But now she was giving him clear answers. Definitely better than before.

‘But what was that reaction?’

He remembered the moment she dropped to her knees when he showed her the red orb.

It had definitely been a gesture of respect. An incredibly formal, almost sacred one.

‘Is this orb really that important?’

It had to be.

That guy—Gungju, or whatever he was—had asked a complete stranger like Jincheon to deliver it. That meant it was important enough to entrust it no matter the risk.

And considering the distance?

From somewhere near Hapbi to Mount Giryeon in Gansu—it was practically a journey from the far east to the far west.

And the orb was absurdly pretty. Even Jincheon was reluctant to give it up.

‘But still, that was too much.’

Her reaction went beyond “valuable” or “precious.”

What exactly was this orb? And who were these people?

The questions burned in Jincheon’s throat—but he held them back.

‘...It’s none of my business.’

It wasn’t his business, and it shouldn’t become his business.

In fact, the less he got involved, the better.

Given everything that had happened so far, this place—whether it was the “Palace” or some “Society”—was clearly dangerous.

Someone like Jincheon, just an average guy, had nothing to gain and everything to lose by getting caught up in it.

Ttakak ttakak.

The horse carrying them cut through the darkness of the wilderness without hesitation.

Through the shadowed Giryeon Mountain range, blanketed in white snow, the towering Mount Giryeon was slowly drawing closer.

The woman changed horses partway through.

The gray horse, which had run tirelessly for half a si-jin, let out a snort of protest as if it could keep going, but the woman dismounted without hesitation.

The reddish-brown horse that had followed behind proudly raised its head, as if to say, Finally, it’s my turn.

“I will switch horses.”

She said this, then lifted Jincheon and placed him onto the brown horse.

Jincheon was a full-grown man—not exactly light—but she hoisted him like he was no heavier than a stone marble.

Tap.

Before Jincheon could even protest, she mounted the brown horse and grabbed the reins.

“Hyah!”

As if it had been waiting, the brown horse burst into a gallop.

The gray horse they had ridden thus far was left behind.

“Wait, why are we just leaving that horse—”

“It will follow us.”

She answered immediately.

“It’s a clever one.”

Now that he thought about it, the gray horse was the one she’d called her own. Of course she’d know it best.

Ttakak ttakak.

The reddish-brown horse, tinged with a copper hue, pounded the earth with powerful strides.

As the snow-covered Mount Giryeon loomed closer, Jincheon suddenly asked,

“You’re answering me quite thoroughly now.”

His voice was swallowed by the wind.

Yet somehow, she understood perfectly.

“...Because I need to.”

“Need to?”

Between the sound of hooves, she replied,

“If you were to hesitate or ignore my instructions due to a misunderstanding...”

She trailed off, as if even saying it was unpleasant. But then she continued.

“...It could lead to irreversible consequences. So right now, I’ve determined that earning your trust takes priority.”

Jincheon accepted the explanation.

But he was also confused.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to just take the orb and go? Why bring me along?’

The important thing here was the orb. The rest could be explained later.

There was no need to drag Jincheon along like this, risking so much.

He glanced at her cautiously.

It was hard to question someone who was riding like she carried the fate of the world on her back.

Besides, if he just handed over the orb and they came back later with complaints... Jincheon would be screwed.

‘Still, I should at least make it clear where I stand.’

After some internal debate, Jincheon finally opened his mouth.

“Um...”

The galloping horse shook them violently, but her arms held Jincheon as firmly as iron.

“Speak.”

Her response gave Jincheon the courage to ask.

“I was told that once I deliver this orb... that’s it for me.”

Ttakak ttakak.

There was no answer.

Worried she hadn’t heard, Jincheon tried again.

“Um, I mean, I was told—”

“I understand.”

A quiet voice echoed in his ear.

“It ends once I deliver it,” Jincheon had said.

Though her expression was hidden, her voice was low and somber, as if she were gritting her teeth.

“It’s only natural you don’t trust me. But I swear on my life—nothing will ever harm the vessel. Never... /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ even if I must give my life...”

She couldn’t continue.

Jincheon felt a flicker of unease.

‘Did she even understand what I meant?’

He couldn’t fathom how she’d interpreted his words to warrant such a grave response.

But pressing her further didn’t feel right.

Jincheon let out a sigh.

“What’s your name?”

A pause.

Just as he was about to give up, a soft voice answered.

“Gi Seoran.”

She continued.

“Written as ‘book’ and ‘orchid.’ Pronounced Seoran.”

Jincheon nodded.

‘Gi Seoran.’

It wasn’t quite what he’d have expected from her first impression, but it suited her—graceful yet strong.

And so, the two of them continued drawing closer to Mount Giryeon.

Jincheon dismounted.

But it wasn’t because they’d reached their destination.

Before he could even admire the majestic sight of Mount Giryeon rising before them, the woman who had named herself Gi Seoran turned to him and spoke.

“From here on, I will carry you.”

Her respectful tone made Jincheon frown in confusion.

‘From here on’? Hasn’t she been guiding me all along?

“What do you mean...?”

There was no further explanation.

Perhaps she thought it unnecessary, or pointless, or maybe she already believed she’d earned his trust.

Whip.

“Urk!”

Jincheon flinched.

Without warning, she scooped him up in both arms.

Like a child, he was pulled into her embrace, and the moment she had him, she kicked off the ground.

Tap.

“Whoaaah!”

Jincheon was stunned again.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

He already knew she could run while carrying him.

But in the rush of everything, he’d forgotten.

And he certainly hadn’t expected her to dash like a madwoman up a steep mountain path.

“Wh-what the...”

Jincheon flailed, unsure of where to hold on.

Then, her voice whispered by his ear.

“Hold on to me.”

Jincheon squeezed his eyes shut and threw his arms around her neck.

It made him feel like a child clinging to his mother—but now wasn’t the time for pride.

The scenery whipped past at a speed that made riding horseback feel like a crawl in comparison.

‘Where the hell are we going?!’

Jincheon screamed inwardly.

They’d ridden for a whole si-jin through the dark wilderness on horseback.

And now he was in a woman’s arms, flying up this rugged mountain path like a man possessed.

Even if Mount Giryeon wasn’t among the most infamous peaks, a mountain trail was still a mountain trail.

Add to that the pitch of night and nothing to rely on but moonlight—it was impossible not to feel the danger.

Tap, tak.

But Gi Seoran tore up the mountain path, undaunted.

All Jincheon could do was shut his eyes and pray they arrived soon.

Even so, he couldn’t help but notice her soft scent and the gentle warmth pressing against him.

How far had they gone like that?

Tap.

She came to a stop.

Jincheon looked around.

They were at the entrance to a valley.

Jagged peaks loomed all around, and trees thick with foliage surrounded them on all sides. Dense, heavy mist blanketed the area, making it nearly impossible to see ahead.

‘What kind of night fog is this...’

Mountain weather could be unpredictable.

It wasn’t strange for a valley to fill with mist—but this fog had an eerie chill to it that sent a shiver down his spine.

‘Surely this isn’t the destination?’

Unless they meant to silence him here, there was no reason to stop in a place like this.

‘...Right?’

As Jincheon cast a wary glance at Gi Seoran—

Rustle.

A faint sound turned his head.

Someone was emerging from the mist.

Gasp!

Jincheon felt goosebumps race down his neck.

Long silver hair, pale skin, and piercing blue eyes.

Through the swirling fog walked a young woman with a frigid expression.

For a split second, Jincheon genuinely mistook her for a ghost. Not because he was a coward—but because she looked that unnatural.

“I received the message.”

The woman spoke in a cold, biting tone.

Looking more closely, Jincheon realized she wore martial garb.

She turned to Gi Seoran—the one who had carried Jincheon all this way—and spoke sharply.

“To bring an outsider here without even a minimal explanation... Even for you, this is reckless. You know that, don’t you?”

The silver-haired woman in martial attire looked displeased. One hand rested on the hilt of her sword.

“Of all times, why now...”

But she didn’t finish her sentence.

Because Gi Seoran slowly loosened her arms.

Tap.

Jincheon found himself standing again before he knew it.

But that wasn’t all.

Srak.

Gi Seoran knelt before him, placing one knee on the ground and bowing her head.

The silver-haired swordswoman’s expression twisted into a deep scowl.

“...What are you doing?”

But Jincheon already understood.

He knew exactly what this gesture meant.

After all, it had just happened not long ago.

Slide.

Jincheon reached into his robe.

He pulled out the small pouch he’d kept close to his chest this entire time.

Tumble.

A red orb rolled out onto his palm.

Small, glowing with a soft crimson light under the moon—beautiful and unassuming.

But the moment the orb came into view, the blue eyes of the woman before him widened in shock.

Staggered. Speechless. Completely overtaken by awe.