The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 4.5

As soon as Getsuran’s scream echoed, part of the house collapsed. Shugetsu couldn’t stand by any longer. Ignoring the others’ attempts to stop him, he drenched himself in water and rushed into the burning house.

Because the house was small, it didn’t take long to find Getsuran, who was engulfed in smoke.

“Getsuran!”

He spotted her collapsed in what used to be the bedroom. Running to her, he lifted the wooden beam that had fallen on her fragile body. The burnt wood was scorching hot, and he could feel his skin burning, but he had no time to worry about that.

“Getsuran!”

As he called out and lifted her into his arms, her eyelids trembled slightly. She exhaled weakly and whispered, “Swol…”

Why is Shugetsu here? Getsuran wondered. He was supposed to be staying in a charcoal-burning hut outside the village tonight.

She tilted her head slightly, and as if understanding her unspoken question, he briefly explained, “I saw the village on fire.”

He had stepped outside to take a break and watch the fireworks when he noticed an unnatural glow over the village. Realizing something was wrong, he rushed back—only to find his own home in flames.

A sigh of relief escaped him, but there was no time to waste. They had to escape quickly.

As he turned around with Getsuran in his arms, the ceiling collapsed in the very spot he had just entered from. Villagers outside screamed.

He clicked his tongue in frustration. There was no time to think—every second was precious.

He removed his upper garment and wrapped Getsuran in it, shielding her from the falling embers. She let out a small groan, but she had no choice but to endure.

Just as he braced himself to escape before the house completely collapsed, a familiar scream reached his ears from outside. It was Keigetsu.

“Mother! Where’s my mother?!”

“No, Keigetsu! Stay back, you’ll be trapped in the fire!”

“But my mother—!”

At her daughter’s desperate cry, Getsuran twitched slightly. Shugetsu gave a firm nod and tightened his grip around her.

He took a deep breath and charged forward, sprinting through the flames.

Breaking through the wall of fire and heat, he stumbled out of the house. The gathered villagers, who had been desperately trying to put out the fire, gasped in shock.

“Shugetsu! What were you thinking?!”

“Get water, now!”

As cool water splashed onto his burned skin, pain shot through him, but he only let out a brief groan, enduring it. Carefully, he laid Getsuran down on the ground.

“Mother!”

Keigetsu, who had been held back by the villagers, broke free and ran to her mother, falling to her knees beside her limp body.

“Why… why did this happen…?”

Tears streamed down Keigetsu’s face as she looked at her mother, whose skin was reddened from the heat and blackened by soot.

Her mother was not the type to be careless with fire. She always finished cooking before sundown. It made no sense for this to be happening now.

The remaining parts of the ceiling collapsed, but the flames showed no signs of dying down.

The village men fought desperately to keep the fire from spreading to the neighboring houses, but it was clear that nothing could stop the house from burning to the ground. All they could do was pray it wouldn’t spread further.

“…Kei… getsu…”

Getsuran weakly reached out toward her daughter. Keigetsu quickly grasped her hand.

“Do you… still have… the comb…?”

Keigetsu was startled. Why would she ask that at a time like this?

But she nodded.

“I see…” Getsuran smiled faintly and gently squeezed her daughter’s hand.

“Keep it… safe…”

“Don’t talk, Mother,” Keigetsu pleaded.

Her mother’s voice was weak and painful. There was no need to force herself to speak now.
“Where’s the doctor?”

The village chief, wiping sweat from his forehead, asked anxiously. Their village had no doctor, so when someone was seriously ill or injured, they had to call for one from the town of Parin.

“Seishin and Issei already went to get him… but it’ll take time.”

The man who responded glanced at Getsuran’s body, noticing the bl00d seeping from her lower chest. His expression darkened. He feared the doctor might not arrive in time.

Women from the village had brought medicine and bandages, but when they saw Getsuran’s condition, they clenched their fists and held back tears.

As Keigetsu sobbed, Getsuran searched for Shugetsu.

She found him sitting right beside her, his head bowed.

Reaching out with her free hand, she touched his knee.

“Swol…”

At her faint call, his soot-covered face jerked up.

He leaned closer, listening carefully to her hoarse whisper.

“Wo… Hyang… is… in Rokuge…”

Shugetsu’s eyes widened. Getsuran gave him a small nod.

“I understand. I’ll find him,” he answered.

Keigetsu had no idea what they were talking about. Why were they exchanging such cryptic words at a time like this? But seeing the silent understanding between them, she couldn’t bring herself to interrupt.

Having said what she needed to, Getsuran took a painful breath. Then, in a barely audible voice, she murmured, “I’m sorry.”

Shugetsu’s eyes widened. He shook his head. Again and again, he denied it, holding her hand tightly as pain twisted his expression.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

“I… trapped you… in this life…”

“That’s not true!”

Her regretful words hit him like a knife. He shook his head desperately, refusing to accept them.

But she weakly moved her head, rejecting his denial.

“I’m sorry… and thank you…”

With those last words, a faint smile appeared on her lips. Then, through their joined hands, both Keigetsu and Shugetsu felt the strength leave her body.

“Mother?”

Keigetsu stared at her mother’s face in shock. Her expression was peaceful, but her breathing had grown faint.

“Where’s the doctor?!”

Holding back her sobs, she turned and shouted at the villagers, hoping for an answer.

But no one could give her one.

Gripping her mother’s hand tightly, she tried to hold back the rising despair.

(Why did this happen…?)

Over and over, the unanswered question echoed in her heart.

Slowly, Getsuran opened her eyes and gazed at the white half-moon shining above her.

(This man is Swol. The one who protects the moon.)

Somewhere, she heard her father’s voice from the past.

That night, under a similar half-moon, her father had introduced her to a boy with golden eyes—Shugetsu Swol. A boy who had lost his family and wandered alone until her father took him in.

She turned her gaze from the moon to look at Shugetsu.

His burnt hair covered his forehead and cheeks, hiding his expression. But she felt like he was about to cry.

Though he always looked stern and spoke little, he was kind. He was emotional, and quick to tears—something only she knew.

(Don’t cry…)

Did her whispered words reach him?

(Thank you, Swol…)

She thought about how his now-short hair looked just like it had when they first met.

Twenty-six years had passed since that day.

For eighteen years, they had pretended to be husband and wife.

They were blessed with a lovely daughter.

Though never wealthy, they had lived peacefully, the four of them—
“I was happy…”