Daniola couldn’t move at all. It was as if she was trapped in those ice-cold eyes. Is this the fear that was brought upon by the Northern Ghost as the rumors say? Or is it the awe of the beauty that she had seen for the first time in her life? Or is it just the fear of dying? The moment felt like eternity that she even stopped breathing.

“Hey, hey!”

Gyeol noticed the thief rushing from behind and quickly turned to block the flying sword. Then, with a single knife swing, he cut the thief’s body. Daniola’s breath suffocated in a different way than before at the devastation that was unfolding before her eyes. Looking around, Shim Tea Shop had become a battleground.

‘If I stay like this, I will die too’.

But outside the shop, knives and arrows were swarming wildly. It was close to impossible to get out of the chaos so Daniola was forced to hide behind a large wooden box in the corner. Then she covered her ears and closed her eyes from the gruesome clamor and screams. I felt like she was going to lose her mind at any moment as her fear had reached its peak. 

‘May this terrible time pass quickly. If I hide out quietly without making noises, everything will be over as if nothing happened. But is everything in vain? Hwa-’

Suddenly, fire began to rise from somewhere. The fire began to engulf the shop in an instant. 

‘Oh no!’

Daniola tried to put out the fire quickly but the water bottle nearby was not enough. The fire grew even more rapidly as it transferred to a dry tea leaf box.

“Damn!”

Daniola had no choice but to take a step backwards as the flames exploded. She needed to get out of there right now.

‘...No. I can’t leave it behind.’

She hurriedly went up the stairs to the attic. Then she picked up a bamboo barrel that had been left in the corner of the room. A seemingly ordinary bamboo barrel but to her, it was the most precious thing in the world. Because it was the only thing left behind by her mother, who’s face she couldn’t even remember.

‘Please, please save me, Mom.’

Even in that situation, the only thing she could rely on was the bamboo barrel. Daniola, who had kept the barrel deep in her arms, came down again. However, the fire that spread in the meantime had already covered half of the shop.

“Cough! Cough!”

It was difficult to breathe because of the strong smoke. Her eyes had turned hazy and she couldn’t find her way out.

“Help me, there’s a person here! Cough!”

No matter how much she shouted, no one came to help her. Beyond that fire, there were only people who wanted to harm her. As soon as Daniola realized that, she eventually sat down as far away from the flames as possible. In the midst of all that, she grabbed the barrel tightly in her arms, which had bulged out of her clothes.

“Mom… Grandpa…”

No matter how hard she had tried, she couldn’t help but cry. Will she end up dying like this? She thought her life would be quiet, even in death. She didn’t want it to be scary. 

The strength slowly drained from her hand that was wrapped around the bamboo barrel. At that time, she felt like she was going to lose her mind because she couldn’t stand it any longer. 

Whoo-wook

Someone was walking through the flames towards her. Her vision was blurry and he shook like a flame, but he could tell that he was a very tall man.

“Help me… please…”

Daniola gathered all her strength and grabbed his trousers. It didn’t matter if it was a thief or a Korean soldier, if only he could get her out of that hellish place. Fortunately, her earnestness paid off. The man gently hugged Daniola’s body.

In the midst of her hazy mind, she could feel the firmness that wrapped around her body comfortably. It was sturdy enough to block any fire. The man holding Daniola took her out safely from the raging fire.