Chapter 01
Prologue
A place where more people die without leaving a trace than are born into new life.
And yet, this land that glitters with gold is the Imperial Palace of Daehwan (大昍).
That all-too-common death had already crept silently to my side and settled there.
The thing I thought I had narrowly avoided had now grown into something so enormous that it was beyond my power to escape.
I survived poison. I survived being struck by a blade. And now I’m supposed to die because of a few written words? No matter how much they say the pen is mightier than the sword…
They’re all bastards I could knock down with my bare fists.
Just wait and see. I may be running away for now, but one day I’ll burn this place to the ground.
The Imperial Palace will burn as well. Wood, of course—and even gold melts in fire. As for bricks? If they don’t burn, I’ll just smash them apart.
Of course, innocent buildings are not my true target.
No matter how tightly woven the Emperor’s chainmail armor (鎖子甲) may be, it won’t be able to stop my single arrow (片箭).
…And then I’ll return. To Garin, and to Baeksan (白山).
In the end, I will always return to the place I long for most—the Baeksan Temple (白山寺) where I grew up.
You ask whether I can really go back?
Of course. On the day I first fell into this world, I thought it was impossible. But now I know.
I know the way back.
Because this is not a world inside a book, and this body does not belong to someone else.
Prologue. Returning to Heaven (귀천 / 歸天)
I dialed the number with trembling hands. The longer the dial tone rang, the higher my tension climbed.
“–Hello?”
“Monk!” I exclaimed.
“Is that Wani?”
At last, a familiar voice came through the phone.
“I passed the preliminary round!”
I had carefully thought about how to tell the monk after the competition ended, choosing my words over and over. But now, as soon as the call connected, I completely forgot everything I had planned to say.
“If I just perform well in the evaluation match, I could make it to the Olympics. At least I need to place in the top four, but if I keep going like this—”
“–I told you not to obsess over that position too much.”
Even though my voice was full of excitement, the monk remained blunt. It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me.
Even the day I said I would participate in the national archery team selection, the monk had been indifferent.
“…You know why I want to become a national athlete, don’t you?”
“I know. But….”
I cut the call off without listening further. I knew it was rude, but I felt like if I kept talking, I’d get angry.
“Does anyone think I’m aiming for the national team for some other reason?”
I’m an orphan.
My parents left me—not just anywhere, but at a temple hall.
It happened to be Buddha’s birthday, so even this small, secluded temple had more visitors than usual.
There were fewer than ten people in the temple, including the head monk. Since the temple didn’t take in child novices, the monks tried to send me to a child care facility.
But with just one word from the head monk, I grew up in the temple. I even inherited the monk’s surname and was allowed to grow freely. At the archery range the monk brought me to, my talent was discovered.
“I wanted to repay you somehow.”
I pouted. Even though he rejected any money that came my way, I wanted to contribute at least to the temple’s finances.
“Tch.”
I couldn’t spend my only free day feeling gloomy. I immediately texted my friend.
Shin Wan:
Yerin.
I passed the preliminary round.
A flood of noisy emojis popped up immediately.
Sa Yerin:
Of course, my friend.
I knew you could do it!
Where should we go?
Shin Wan:
You’re at the swimming pool, right?
Let’s have dinner together.
After a long delay in replies, the phone rang.
“–Finally! I brought Woojin along too.”
“What do you mean bringing a med student along?”
“Don’t worry—it’s just a casual thing. Don’t you want to go to Seungryongjeong?”
Seungryongjeong (乘龍亭) held meaning for me.
It was the place where I first picked up a bow and nurtured my dream of becoming a national archer.
Going there after becoming a national athlete would feel even more meaningful.
Of course, my Olympic goal wasn’t guaranteed yet since the evaluation match hadn’t happened, but I had at least secured the national team qualification.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Even the chilly spring wind in April felt warm to me.
Normally, I’d hesitate at the taxi fare, but I gladly paid.
Still, when I return, I’ll ask Dang Woojin to give me a ride.
I hummed happily while waiting for the taxi.
“After I get back, I’ll attach the feathers… and also…”
Maybe I should order a new bag? I had been fiddling with the worn part of my bow bag.
“Excuse me, are you an archer?”
I reflexively turned and slightly opened my mouth.
A celebrity? Here, in this small town, someone with that face?
I quickly composed myself. I couldn’t let a national athlete look foolish.
“…Yes, but—how… I mean, what’s the matter?”
The man pointed to my bow bag. Ordinary people wouldn’t recognize it right away—so he must be in the industry.
“We’re looking for a player to model for us. Ah, I should give you my business card first.”
“A model?”
Before I could respond, I saw the business card and understood the situation.
[GARIN
Sporting Goods Company
Marketing Dept. / Manager Wang Yuhyun]
Garin is one of the major corporations in Korea. Garin Sports is also the largest domestic sporting goods manufacturer.
“Garin makes archery equipment too?”
“Have you heard that we acquired Samhan Sports?”
“Ah, yes.”
The domestic archery manufacturing market was dominated by two main companies.
One of them, Samhan, had been struggling for several years before Garin acquired it.
“If you model for us, Garin will act as a sponsor as well…”
I glanced at Wang Yuhyun, who was explaining.
He looked no older than thirty, yet he claimed to be a manager. Oh, Wang—maybe he’s part of the Garin chairman’s family?
Still… a corporate sponsor.
Is this a reward for the hardships of my 18 years of life?
“Hmm.”
I composed myself and spoke.
“Can I contact you after the evaluation match? I want to focus on the competition.”
“Of course.”
Wang Yuhyun smiled and replied politely. Looking at his face alone, he seemed like the one who should be the model.
“Congratulations on passing the preliminary round. I hope this is a good opportunity. May I have your name, please?”
“Shin Wan.”
Wang Yuhyun extended his right hand. The moment I shook it, a tingling ran through my palm as if an electric current passed.
He seemed to feel the same sensation; a slight twitch ran across his cheek.
“I tend to get static electricity easily.”
I awkwardly tried to withdraw my hand, but he held it again. Suddenly, before I could think, two cars appeared from my side. Behind the luxury foreign cars, I saw the taxi I had called.
“Uh, excuse me—”
“Ah, the taxi. I have an appointment now, I’ll contact you later!”
I ran toward the taxi and tried to look back to say goodbye, but Wang Yuhyun was already gone, probably in the car.
“Wow, a luxury car with a driver…”
I was genuinely envious.
Could I ever be like that someday?
“Huh?”
I stared at my phone with the call cut off. Had I wandered that far along the trail?
Since the two were running late, I had been reading a martial arts novel during my walk and must have walked too far.
Still…
Even at the mountain top where our temple was, the signal usually worked. Why was it gone now?
I scratched my head and turned back.
“Oh.”
The signal returned with one step back, and the phone rang.
Mixed in with the ringtone was an unusual sound.
That whistling noise—
“…An arrow?”
I could tell without seeing it. I heard it every day. But this wasn’t the direction of the target.
I still couldn’t see the arrow, only the sound of it cutting through the air. Just as I was about to move my frozen body, a burning pain tore across my back.
It felt as if my blood vessels were melting, and I lost consciousness.
Someone struck my soul with a giant hammer.
After that came infinite darkness.
It felt like I was sinking into an abyss where I couldn’t breathe. An unpleasant energy covered my entire body.
A white light approached.
The light that penetrated my body began to drive away the darkness.
When the light became dazzling, I felt air. As I inhaled, I opened my eyes.
“Ughhhh!”
I tried to sit up, but barely had time to realize what was happening before I violently vomited. Dark red chunks of blood spilled onto the ground.
The mix of metallic and fishy odors was overpowering. After vomiting a few more times, I finally managed to straighten up.
The shock of vomiting blood lasted only a moment before my head began to pound.
“Ah… my head…”
Not just my head—my entire body ached, especially the left side of my back.
Did I really get hit by an arrow?
Could an ambulance even reach here?
I reached for my phone in my pocket. Or rather, I tried to.
Instead of my familiar jeans, I felt unfamiliar clothing.
“What the…?”
I was wearing clothes that looked like they belonged in a historical drama.
When exactly did I put these on…? That wasn’t the point—the pain in my back and the flipped stomach was the problem.
Every time I lifted my arm, it felt like my back was being torn apart. I groped around and felt a long stick.
The familiar thickness confirmed it—it was definitely an arrow.
The arrow explained the pain in my back. I could blame the vomiting on that too.
But the clothes… I still didn’t understand them.
…Could it be that I really got hit by an arrow and died? Is this the afterlife?
But the afterlife wouldn’t look like a walking trail. Unless I were a ghost…
“Wait a minute.”
This isn’t the trail I was on, right?
[Notes]
- Chainmail armor
- A special short arrow compared to regular combat arrows
