Chapter 159.2

Chapter 159.2

‘Just how long am I supposed to keep indulging you?’ Wooshin shook his head slightly as he looked at her.

But despite his scolding tone, warmth lingered in his slightly softened gaze, carefully restrained.

“Did it really have to be here? The other side mobilized everything, even female soldiers and child soldiers.”

For a moment, she was certain that if the Sakhalin monastery and the Winter Fortress still stood, they too would have been dragged into this war. Pushing aside the darkening thoughts, she spoke.

“They say this is the Land of Fire, a gift from the gods.”

“Gods, what?”

“They say an eternal flame rises from beyond the hills, never extinguishing. It’s also one of humanity’s earliest inhabited lands, dating back 400,000 years. Doesn’t it amaze you? That it never goes out, no matter the rain or snow? I wanted to see it with you.”

“That’s just gas. Methane, sulfur, and oxygen combining to create a natural—”

“….”

When she silently glared at him, Wooshin burst out laughing. Seoryeong pinched her tingling earlobe and rolled down the window.

The wind rushed in, tossing her long hair, and surprisingly, the sky was flawlessly clear.

The house on the outskirts was deep in the reflective barrier zone, far from the capital.

As soon as they arrived at the renovated old building turned guesthouse, the aroma of local cuisine filled the air.

In the courtyard, lamb skewers sizzled over a fire, and rows of mouthwatering kebabs roasted inside a pit oven.

The two unloaded their luggage from the trunk, taking in the arched terraces. The place was round and white, resembling the Shirvanshah Palace.

Seoryeong planned to hold a modest ceremony in the front yard, where purple wisteria bloomed in abundance. They would watch the blood-red sunset, whisper vows of eternity, and seal them with a kiss.

Even Wooshin, who had initially been reluctant about the destination, twitched his brows in approval at the quiet, exotic scenery surrounded by nature.

“Welcome!”

A warm-faced woman with graying hair rushed over, greeting them in broken English. When they gave their reserved names, she exclaimed, “Ah, you’re the couple getting married!” and embraced them eagerly. She was the lively owner who had happily offered her beautiful yard over the phone.

“But ma’am, what’s that smell?”

“Oh, is the kebab unfamiliar?”

“No, not that.”

Seoryeong’s expression hardened as she scanned the area. A shadow passed overhead, and when she looked up, she locked eyes with massive birds of prey, their beaks gaping. Their wings were so large and silent that their flight made almost no sound.

“Oh dear.”

The owner was startled, watching her.

“Can you smell the corpses?”

“Corpses?”

Seoryeong’s brows shot up.

“Since we’re on the outskirts, Zoroastrian communities live nearby.”

At first, the owner stumbled through English, but soon mixed in Russian. Seoryeong’s ears perked, but she pretended not to understand and turned away. Wooshin stepped in to translate.

“But what does that have to do with the corpse?” She made a face, utterly baffled. Lee Wooshin smoothed her tangled hair and continued, “It’s an ancient religion that flourished in Central Asia. Its followers considered fire sacred, so they neither cremated nor buried their dead. They believed corpses would defile the fire or the earth. So they preferred celestial burials.”

“Celestial burials?”

“Leaving the bodies for birds to devour.”

“…!”

“If you place a corpse on a hill, vultures gather.”

Ugh, she grimaced.

“They believe the birds carry the dead away.”

As far as she knew, the practice was banned now, but it seemed some still did it secretly. Lee Wooshin gazed over the low hill and murmured.

“I feel bad for the newlyweds. Our guesthouse often hosts visitors attending funerals.

Does it bother you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Seoryeong stared at the carnivorous birds perched on the branches with an unreadable expression. They stretched their necks sharply, opening their beaks to let out piercing shrieks, ear-numbing cries. Then the owner whispered behind his hand.

“They say if the right eye is eaten first, the dead reach paradise as a virtuous soul. If it’s the left, they fall into hell as a sinner.”

Hearing that, she didn’t know why, but Chief Joo Seolheon and Rigay suddenly came to mind.

The owner handed her the key, showed her the room, and told her to rest well.

Later, Seoryeong unzipped her suitcase on the bed and stared for a long time at the white dress she’d brought from home. The moment she entered the room, she had thoroughly checked every corner; the ceiling edges, under the bed, even inside the kettle, before finally speaking as if she’d made up her mind.

“I think I’ll change into a black dress.”

Her rosary bracelet clinked softly.