Record of a Thousand Lives

The bell rang, and the royal guards busily moved around.

“You guys go to the back gate! Group 7, head to the west of the palace!”

However, contrary to what the royal guards thought, the trio had already managed to escape the royal palace.

Kang Yoon-Soo was severely injured, and he could not even run properly anymore. He called out, “Iris.”

“What is it?” Iris asked.

“Carry me on your back,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

Suddenly, Yu Si-Do quickly ran up to Kang Yoon-Soo and picked him up. Kang Yoon-Soo stared at Yu Si-Do, and Yu Si-Do remarked, “Is there anything I can’t do for my unwell lover?”

Iris tilted her head and asked, “Hmm… Yu Si-Do, do you love Kang Yoon-Soo?”

“Actually… I’m currently contemplating whether I should cross over to the gay side of the fence or not…” Yu Si-Do answered.

“Don’t,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

They reached a residential area after escaping the royal guards’ encirclement. Kang Yoon-Soo took off his bunny mask, then took out his last remaining healing potion and drank it. The healing potion was actually for exterior application, but it could also be ingested to treat internal and skeletal injuries.

‘It’s going to take a while for my bones to mend,’ he thought. He pushed Yu Si-Do’s hand away and stood up. His body complained by making all sorts of cracking sounds, but he ignored it and continued to walk.

“Are you leaving my embrace already?” Yu Si-Do asked as he took off his mask; he looked quite sad about Kang Yoon-Soo leaving his embrace. He had already reverted from a vampire to a homunculus, and his eyes were glowing brown.

Kang Yoon-Soo pointed at an alley and said, “Your comrades are here.”

The silhouettes of several people started to appear one by one from the dark alley, and a man with a massive halberd on his back came forward. The man’s cheek had a large tattoo of a black tiger on it.

“You made it out alive, boss! You sent us a message to kill everyone, right?” the man with the black tiger tattoo on his face said.

“No, Mason! I changed my mind. Don’t kill these guys. They turned out to be quite interesting,” Yu Si-Do said.

The man called Mason scratched his beard a few times and said, “You’re so indecisive. Let’s go! We’re all itching to start the revenge match against the White Lion Clan. We can’t start getting revenge without the boss, right?” He then walked away.

Contrary to the expectations of the White Lion Clan, most of the Black Tiger Clan members were still alive.

Yu Si-Do snickered and waved his hand before saying, “I hope I’ll get to enjoy another intense night with you again, just like last night. See you again, Kang Yoon-Soo.” He walked into the alley and disappeared into the darkness.

Iris squinted and blocked the sunlight from the now-rising sun and said, “A day has passed.”

“Yeah,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

It had been a long night. The two went to a nearby fountain and washed off the dust and muck on their faces.

Kang Yoon-Soo glanced at Iris’ long flowing golden hair and took out the Body Crafting Kit from his backpack, saying, “Let’s change your hair back to brown.”

“But I like this blonde color better,” Iris said.

“No,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied. Tears welled up in Iris’ eyes, showing her refusal to change her hair color.

Then, Kang Yoon-Soo whispered in a small voice, “I’ll make you some tasty food later.”

***

Shaneth pressed down on her temples while lying down on the bed, just as anyone suffering from a hangover would. She muttered, “I’m going to die…”

“Tsk tsk… See? I told you to casually drink up every chance you got. You’re suffering because you didn’t build up your tolerance,” Henrick said, clicking his tongue.

Shaneth was about to retort against the preposterous words the middle-aged man had said, but her insides were taken over by intense nausea and she could not retort at all. Henrick clicked his tongue again and passed a glass of cold water to her.

“Thank you, ahjussi,” Shaneth said.

“Don’t mind it. Anyway, did someone throw me onto the floor last night? Why does my back hurt so much?” Henrick asked as he rubbed his back.

“I don’t remember much about last night, but why is it so rowdy outside?” Shaneth asked as she opened the door and looked outside.

The members of the White Lion Clan were busily moving up and down the corridor while shouting at each other.

“The guy locked up in the basement prison. You know, the boss of the Black Tiger Clan? Yu Si-Do? He escaped,” Henrick said.

“Really?” Shaneth asked. She suddenly felt anxious for some reason. She looked around and whispered, “But where is Kang Yoon-Soo?”

“No idea; I couldn’t find him this morning,” Henrick said.

Shaneth gulped dryly and said, “…No way. It’s not what I think it is… right?”

“Hey, you punk! Be careful what you wish for! I know he does all sorts of crazy things from time to time, but do you think he would do something that crazy?” Henrick exclaimed, reprimanding Shaneth like an adult scolding a child.

Then, the room door suddenly opened. A man entered and screamed, “Kang Yoon-Soo, where is that bastard?!”

“Please calm down, Pashu!” Chris exclaimed.

Pashu entered the room in a fit of rage wielding his chakram[1], and Chris barely managed to calm him down.

Henrick was surprised by the scene caused by the two White Lion Clan members, and he asked in confusion, “What happened?”

“What happened? The guard watching over Yu Si-Do last night gave his statement. That bastard Kang Yoon-Soo knocked him out and entered the basement prison!” Pashu shouted angrily.

Henrick closed his eyes upon hearing Pashu’s words, then suddenly stood up while closing his fists. He shouted, “That damn punk!”

“Ahjussi, calm down!” Shaneth exclaimed, trying to stop him.

Pashu and Henrick entered into an argument while shouting.

“I asked you where that bastard Kang Yoon-Soo is! Don’t try to hide him!” Pashu screamed.

“I don’t know! You know what? I want to know where that punk is as well! I’ll cut him up with my sculpting knife if I find him!” Henrick screamed as well.

It seemed as if the situation would devolve into utter chaos. Chris dragged Pashu out of the room, however. Amanda entered and apologized afterward. “I’m sorry. Things happened so suddenly that everyone’s too tense. I’ll call you to the hall on the first floor later, so let’s talk when things quiet down a bit.”

All of the White Lion Clan members left the room. Henrick let out a big sigh, looking completely exhausted as he remarked, “There’s never a quiet day with that guy.”

“Shouldn’t you be used to it by now? By the way, where’s Iris unni?” Shaneth said.

“No idea. That kid was missing all morning too,” Henrick said.

Suddenly, noises came from outside the window.

Knock knock…!

Someone was knocking on the window—it was Kang Yoon-Soo.

“…isn’t this the 4th floor?” Henrick asked, dumbfounded.

Kang Yoon-Soo was holding onto the window, and his lips quietly moved as he mouthed, ‘Come out.’

“How? Do you want us to jump down from the 4th floor?” Henrick asked.

Kang Yoon-Soo pointed at the curtain. Henrick grumbled as he ripped the curtain up and tied it into a makeshift rope.

“Just when you think you’ve experienced everything with this guy, now we’re doing a ‘mansion break’. Why does it feel as if we’ve only done criminal activities in the capital?” Henrick grumbled.

“I thought you would get mad and refuse to do it, but you seem to be doing it quite well despite your grumblings,” Shaneth remarked.

“Do you think those White Lion guys will leave us alone? Don’t you remember how they looked down on us Continentals? It’s better to make a run for it while they’re preoccupied with things,” Henrick replied.

Shaneth and Henrick quietly lowered the makeshift rope down the window and climbed down, quietly landing behind the mansion. Kang Yoon-Soo jumped across multiple window frames and came down as well. He stumbled for a bit, but he was able to maintain his balance once he landed.

“Let me ask. Why did you free Yu Si-Do?” Henrick asked.

“I have my reasons,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“Then at least you shouldn’t have gotten caught!” Henrick retorted.

“They would have found out sooner or later anyway,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Henrick quietly took out his sculpting knife and stared at Kang Yoon-Soo. It was only after Shaneth calmed him down that he put his sculpting knife away again.

“I was about to turn you into a sculpture, you punk,” Henrick grumbled.

“I don’t want to be a sculpture,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied. It sounded as if he had experienced becoming a sculpture once before, or something.

“Good morning to everyone,” Iris said with a bright smile.

“Iris unni?” Shaneth looked at her with a perplexed expression.

‘Did Iris go with Kang Yoon-Soo as well…?’ Shaneth thought. She asked, “Where did you go overnight?”

Kang Yoon-Soo summarized everything that had happened the previous night. He said, “A walk.”

Shaneth squinted and asked, “Just the two of you?”

“Yu Si-Do was with us as well,” Iris replied with a smile. Shaneth did not express it outwardly, but she let out a sigh of relief.

“Yu Si-Do said he loves Kang Yoon-Soo,” Iris said, suddenly dropping a bomb.

“…what?!” Shaneth exclaimed, flustered.

“What are you thinking about?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked, staring at Shaneth.

***

Kang Yoon-Soo left through the back gate of the mansion and went up a hill. Shaneth, who was right behind him, drew close to him and asked, “What’s our next destination?”

Kang Yoon-Soo was about to respond to Shaneth when a familiar voice called out from a distance.

“Where are you rushing off to?” Han Se-Hyun called out. He was biting a reed and rubbing a leaf with his bare hands, and cuts appeared on the leaf as his fingers lightly grazed it. He said, “Give me an answer if you want to get past me.”

“What do you want?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“Yu Si-Do. Why did you let him escape?” Han Se-Hyeon asked.

“I said I’d make you the emperor. I didn’t say I would help you destroy the Black Tiger Clan,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

Han Se-Hyun stared at Kang Yoon-Soo skeptically and said, “You should’ve been aware what kind of relationship I have with Yu Si-Do. To be honest, it’s not that easy for me to forgive you for helping him escape. Do you really plan to make me the emperor? I’m starting to suspect that you’re just feeding me excuses to use me.”

Kang Yoon-Soo nonchalantly replied, “I killed Emperor Ranford just now.”

“…What did you just say?” Han Se-Hyeon asked. He could not hide his shock toward Kang Yoon-Soo’s words.

“Look into it,” Kang Yoon-Soo said as he passed by Han Se-Hyun.

Han Se-Hyun turned around and looked at Kang Yoon-Soo before breaking out into a loud laugh and exclaiming, “You’re really a scary guy! That’s why I’m even more curious now.”

“What?” Kang Yoon-Soo asked.

“Why don’t you just become the emperor yourself?” Han Se-Hyun asked in return.

“I don’t want to,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“…That does sound like something you would say,” Han Se-Hyun remarked. He looked down at the three people behind Kang Yoon-Soo, and he waved his hand and said, “I’ll explain to my clan members, so the three of you can just go too. I hope to see you guys again, especially the little miss who looks as beautiful as our vice captain!”

Han Se-Hyun had a big smile on his face as he walked back toward the mansion.

Henrick had a dumbfounded look on his face as he walked up to Kang Yoon-Soo and asked, “You, what the hell did you just say? Did you really kill his majesty?”

“He committed suicide in front of me,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“His majesty did struggle with depression, but to think that he committed suicide? Ha… How in the world did this happen…? Eh? Wait a minute! Then does that mean you were at the royal palace last night?!” Henrick shouted, jumping in surprise.

Kang Yoon-Soo did not respond, as usual. Even though this was his last life, it would only waste his precious time to explain everything step by step to people.

‘I didn’t get to meet the alchemist who created Iris in the end…’

The security of the royal palace would be reinforced from now on, and there would no longer be any invasions by another hostile race like the Centaurs, so it was no longer possible to sneak into the royal palace by jumping over the fence or even by using shapeshifting magic.

‘Is that why Helkin and Lenox crossed paths with me?’

It should not have been possible for Helkin and Lenox to track Kang Yoon-Soo, since he had used the secret passage in the royal palace, and it was the same in all of his previous lives. Why was it different in this life?

‘It seems someone wanted me out of the royal palace.’

Kang Yoon-Soo suddenly felt nervous and on guard when the thought crossed his mind. He could not get anywhere near the royal palace for the time being, and he had made an enemy out of Helkin.

‘There’s something I don’t know about in the royal palace.’

Kang Yoon-Soo closed his fists at the thought of the unfamiliar—change. He had lived the same life and everything had progressed in the same pattern, but things had only changed now in his 1,000th life. Why was that?

‘I have to grow stronger to solve this mystery, strong enough that no one would dare stand in my way.’

Kang Yoon-Soo decided that he needed to leave for now, but he would be returning to the capital once again in the future when he had grown strong enough to bulldoze through the security of the royal palace.

‘I guess I can only find out the identity of the White Shadow then.’

Shaneth walked up to Kang Yoon-Soo and asked, “I asked but was interrupted a while ago. Where are we heading to now?”

“The Desert of Death,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied. Shaneth’s face suddenly turned pale, and Henrick began to carve something on a nearby tree.

“What are you doing?” Shaneth asked.

“Leaving my will. Do you want to leave something behind as well?” Henrick replied.

“…Please don’t make jokes like that. Dark humor isn’t funny, you know?” Shaneth remarked with a frown.

Iris tilted her head as she looked at the two oddballs. Henrick suddenly stretched as if nothing had happened when he noticed that Iris was staring at them.

“Well, I guess it won’t be a boring trip, at least,” Henrick said.

***

Rumier Kazan walked through the royal greenhouse. He hated all flowers in the world, which was why the greenhouse was the last place he wanted to be in.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” he said as he looked at the tied-up princess. Princess Kisifran struggled and groaned, glaring at Rumier as if she were telling the alchemist to untie her at once. However, the alchemist just stood there watching her and said something strange. “Your Highness, why do you think people refuse to accept their fate?”

The alchemist suddenly took off the shirt the princess was wearing, and Princess Kisifran was flustered by the sudden shame she was being subjected to.

“That’s not called being open-minded. It’s called selfishness. The fact that a mere mortal can dare to break the cycle of life and the laws of this world is nothing more than stubborn pride. A mortal that tries to reject their fate and break the cycle of life will definitely bring forth destruction,” Rumier said.

The alchemist traced a finger down the princess’ back, and several letters suddenly appeared in its wake.

[Sixth]

“That’s why it’s only right for a world that should be destroyed to be destroyed,” Rumier said. The Royal Alchemist erased the letters on the princess’ back.

Princess Kisifran suddenly started gasping for air, coughing vigorously. “Hack! Kaahp! Hap! Ha… ak…”

The princess’ body started to turn cold.

Rumier respectfully bowed to the princess and said, “I wish you a pleasant fate, Your Highness.”

1. A chakram is a ring-shaped blade used by the Sikhs, known for being used in both defense and offense. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakram ☜