“Cough, uh- cough!”

Daniola fell to the floor and coughed continuously. As she breathed in the fresh, cool air, her hazy mind slowly cleared. After taking a deep breath, Daniola slowly raised her head.

“Ah…”

Perhaps… it would have been better to just lose her mind right there and then. In front of her, a group of majestic men and women surrounded her. Horses as big as tigers were screaming as if they were going to kick her at any moment. And at that moment, General Seo Gyeol, who was scarier than a tiger, was looking down at her with the same cool eyes as before. Looking at the dark marks on his armor, he must have been the one who saved her. 

“Who are you? Why are you here?”

His voice that was as cold as frost made Daniola’s heart freeze. She had to open her mouth. Her mind was too shocked and she couldn’t come up with an answer right away. Because this man was the Northern Ghost who was said to kill strangers.

‘If he knew I wasn’t Korean, I would have been dead by now…’

But if she pretended to be Korean, he’ll think that she was a runaway from the country and it would still be dangerous. She hesitated because she couldn’t decide on an answer, so it seemed more suspicious.

“... …”

Gyeol brought the sword to Daniola’s neck as if to prove that he didn’t have much patience. Both the scabbard and the hilt of the sword were red. It’s nickname was Blood Sword, and in fact, it was the only sword in the world that soaked in the blood of so many people, like the shield of the Northern Ghost.

“I will ask again.”

“... …”

“Who are you?”

When Gyeol didn’t get an answer right away, he thought she didn’t understand Korean, so this time he asked in a foreign language. If she doesn’t answer this time, she would be mercilessly decapitated. She didn’t have time to think long, if it was dangerous this way or dangerous that way. 

“The owner of Shim Tea shop… I’m called Dan.”

She had no choice but to choose the less riskier answer.

“Please save me…”

Even if it was a lie that could be found out soon, shouldn’t she just live with it? She closed her eyes tightly while she spoke in Korean. Even the Joseon people thought she was so proficient in the Korean language and they could be fooled. Even her name sounded like a Joseon person.

‘Please, please, be deceived…. Please!’

After a long ensuing silence, Daniola opened her eyes. Gyeol was still looking down at her with a bitter face. However, the sword that was about to strike at any moment was taken far away from her.

“Why are you here?”

“That is… I heard that families who could not endure military service because of poverty were forced to flee and set up here. I was so young back then, that’s all I could remember.”

While trembling, Daniola had told the story that she heard from a Joseon customer one day at the shop. After staring at Daniola for a long time as if trying to look inside her soul, Gyeol finally pulled out the sword completely. She let out a sigh as he accepted her words without question. It was a fortune after a series of misfortunes. 

“Ah, the shop!”

Daniola, who turned her head late, had no choice but to shut her mouth. The shop was completely eaten up by the fire.

“Oh my God…”

She couldn’t get any closer so she just rolled her feet. There was nothing she could do as she watched the shop burning like a giant firewood. In the end, the shop was burnt down in less than an hour after the fire was lit. All she had left was the shop. Now even the only home she had had disappeared.

“... …”

Gyeol looked at Dan without saying a word. Now that he had defeated all the bandits that he had come for, he had to go back. Strangely, the little girl kept attracting his attention. What was the reason? He shouldn’t mind, as a girl he meets on a foreign land is just like a grass that should be passed by.

“General, stop it-”

Gyeol raised his hand to stop Jin-wi’s words. Then, he caught a glimpse of the shop that was still burning in flames. 

He was about to have a new Dadong. It was because Dadong, who was born in Yeo-yeon, complained with tears that he could not go with him to Hanyang even if he died because he couldn’t leave his sick mother and younger brothers, so Gyeol had to send him back. After thinking for a while, Gyeol asked Dan, who was still as stiff as a board.

“When is your birthday?”

“...What?”

“I asked what year you were born.”

Why was he asking for her date of birth in this situation? At that moment, Dan’s expression was exactly that but as soon as she realized her situation, she glanced over and answered with a crawling voice.

“This coming… New Year’s eve.”

At the word New Year, her eyes full of determination harbored a strange light. She looked smaller than people her age but there was no reason to lie, so she didn’t have any doubts. 

“What are you going to do now?”

“I… that…”

“Do you have any other family members?”

“He passed away a long time ago, and now I’m alone.”

“Is there anywhere else you could go?”

“...There isn’t.”

It was perfect. There was no reason to shy away from such a coincidence. Under the premise that everything she said was not a lie, Dan was the perfect candidate for him. It would be much better for her to follow him than to leave her alone in this lawless area without a family, even as a girl. 

“I will take you.”

“Yes… Yes?!”

Dan’s eyes widened in surprise. 

‘You keep making me say it twice.’

Gyeol narrowed his brows a little and took a step closer. Then he bent down and put his mouth close to Dan’s ears.

“I will take you.”

So the words were engraved in her young heart.

“I, you.”