Fates Parallel (A Xianxia/Wuxia Inspired Cultivation Story)

With Eunae’s ascension and its aftermath successfully handled—for certain definitions of success—the newly expanded Jiaguo empire quickly settled into its new status quo. The sudden annexation of Goryeo did have a few knock-on effects, however. For instance, Hyeong Daesung suddenly found himself cleared of all charges—after all, the states that he had committed treason against and in service to, respectively, were now one and the same. His rank as a Goryeon magus was reinstated, and his collaboration with Seong Misun officially sanctioned.

In addition, Jiaguo’s Grand Academy was officially recognized as a member of the Goryeon organization of magical colleges. That created something of a mess, since it meant that his position as Jiaguo’s minister of science and education clashed with his role as the headmaster of a college—technically placing him subordinate to Grand Magus Seong Min.

To resolve this, Princess Seong Min stepped down as Grand Magus of the colleges, and Hyeong Daesung was appointed to take her place. So it was, that before the age of thirty, and without even having reached the xiantian ranks, Hyeong Daesung found himself as the third Grand Magus of Goryeo, presiding over the entire organization of colleges.

Of course, it was not technically a requirement for a Grand Magus to be the most powerful mage—that was merely implied. Furthermore, while he was the third person to be granted the title, the role itself had existed long before Do Hye had given it such a grandiose name.

Before then, Dae’s predecessors had simply been called chairmen of the colleges, and there was plenty of precedent for the appointed chairs to be weaker mages. It was, after all, more of a political and administrative role.

Nevertheless, Dae felt more than a little underqualified.

Thankfully, the colleges were mostly self-governing, and had no official role in the politics of Goryeo. They worked closely with military and government, and there was a fairly distinct pipeline for mage graduates to enter into either legal, military, or administrative roles, but they technically remained an independent organization.

In practice, of course, almost all of the college headmasters were either from or closely affiliated with the high noble houses, and it was a highly political organization. No ruling class would ever tolerate such a highly concentrated source of military strength without exerting some measure of control.

Now, Dae was that measure of control, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

Lee Jia gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder when he expressed his concerns.

“It’ll be fine, Dae! Min says that the colleges only meet twice a year, and it’s mostly just to talk about budgets.”

He chuckled nervously.

“Something tells me that recent events are going to mean a slightly busier schedule than that.”

Jia shrugged as if it wasn’t her fault, pacing in a slow circle around his laboratory as she inspected the formation he’d been working on.

“Maybe, but I know you’re up to the task. Besides, your primary job hasn’t changed at all. The only difference is that as the head of the college association, you’ve got complete and unfettered access to their libraries to help you.”

“They’re your libraries, now. I still can’t believe you went and assimilated another head of state. Who’s next, the God-Emperor himself?”

She snorted and shook her head.

“It’s not like we planned it that way, you know.”

“Of course not. That would imply you’d planned at all.”

Jia slapped him playfully on the shoulder.

“Hey! I’ll have you know we did plenty of planning—we just had to improvise a bit when things went wrong.”

“And somehow your improvisation managed to end up accidentally conquering half the continent by fusing your souls with the leaders of the neighboring nations.”

“Yep! I guess life can be kinda funny that way.”

Dae sighed and shook his head. Jia had always been quick to rewrite her idea of normal, and he struggled to keep up with her sometimes.

“Have you spoken to Miss Takeda and Secretary Ja Yun about it yet?”

She grimaced and averted her eyes.

“Well...there were a lot of fires to put out back in Goryeo, and we thought it would be better for Eunae to talk to them face to face, so...”

“Yoshika! You can’t just leave them hanging like that. I know for a fact that it’s trivial for you to move your aspects between each other, and even if it weren’t, a simple avatar would do!”

“Augh, I know. We just don’t know what to say to them.”

Dae pinched the bridge of his nose.

“It doesn’t matter. They’re your family—you should talk to them, even if it’s difficult. Especially if it’s difficult.”

Jia sighed and nodded.

“You’re right. We will. Soon! But, speaking of difficult conversations about family...”

She pulled out a small, ornate ring that was covered in powerful enchantments.

“You were also right about Misun. She knew more than she was letting on, and this was how. It’s...Do Hye. Or what’s left of him. Not alive, not quite entirely dead.”

Dae furrowed his brows and examined the artifact carefully before holding out a hand.

“May I?”

Jia handed him the ring so that he could inspect it more closely. The enchantments were beyond his own abilities, but he recognized certain signatures. The ring had been originally made by none other than Do Hye, as a dimensional storage artifact, then modified by Seong Misun. Ironic.

“And? That certainly explains how she was able to replicate his designs.”

“That’s it? You don’t have more to say about it?”

He shrugged.

“Should I? I’m grateful to him for raising me and teaching me, but I cannot deny that he earned this fate.”

“I mean—he is your family, isn’t he?”

Dae sighed. It had taken him a long time to settle his own thoughts on the matter. A few years earlier, he would have considered that a difficult question to answer.

“He was. Now Aecha is my family, along with my close friends. You, of course, Naomi, Jun, even Iseul. I was never related to him by blood—ancestors, he bought me from slavers—and blood never really mattered. It was you who taught me that.”

Jia blushed and cleared her throat.

“Well thank you. And you’re welcome, I guess. What do you think we should do with him? Do Hye, I mean.”

“Whatever best serves the empire. I’m sure his knowledge is quite invaluable, but we should be wary of manipulations.”

“Do you think we should revive him, if we can?”

Dae frowned in thought. Yoshika wouldn’t be asking him if she didn’t think she could really do it. Certainly his former master would make for a powerful ally, but that was always his strategy. To make himself indispensable enough that his schemes were tolerated. He made more enemies than friends, but somehow he always had ways to make his enemies work for him.

“I believe it would be rather challenging to do so in a way that is both safe and humane. With Eunae’s power, I’m sure you could shape his soul to ensure perfect loyalty, but that’s a dangerous path to walk. Yet to revive him without any safeguards would be just as bad. On balance, I think I’m against it.”

Jia nodded slowly.

“Thank you, Dae. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He bowed.

“My recommendation is only that. Whether or not you heed my advice, I’ll support whatever decision you make as your loyal servant—and friend.”

Jia surprised Dae by patting his head. From anyone else, he would have considered it the height of rudeness, but he didn’t mind if it was Jia.

“I’m glad I met you, Dae. I’ve worked hard to earn the support of my friends, family, and people, but you’ve been there for me from the beginning. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t been willing to throw your full support behind some homeless girl you’d never met before, and I want you to know how much I appreciate that.”

Dae felt his face heating up and he tried to consciously stop his tail from wagging as long-forgotten feelings tried to bubble back up to the surface.

“You honor me, Your Majesty. I’m happy that I could be there for you in your time of need.”

Jia took a step back and averted her eyes awkwardly, no doubt able to sense his feelings. It was more than a little embarrassing, but he knew that Yoshika wouldn’t judge.

“Well, thanks again for the advice, Dae. I’ve got some other business to attend to.”

“Talk to Rika!”

She grimaced, calling back as she made a hasty retreat.

“I will! Talk to you later, Dae!”

“Of course.”

He waved as she left him in his lab, his smile slowly fading once she’d left. When she was far enough away that he could no longer sense her presence, he buried his face in his palms and sighed heavily.

“I’m such an idiot.”

 

---

 

Hyeong Aecha was busy tidying up the elaborate guest room as she listened to her mistress. The castle staff had tried to prepare the space when they learned that the empress would be staying, but they’d missed more than a few places. She raised an eyebrow at Lady Kaede once she was finished speaking.

“My brother still harbors feelings for you?”

The empress’ face turned nearly as red as her hair as she shook her head.

“That’s not the part I’m looking for comment on, Aecha!”

Then why mention it at all? Aecha sighed—she was cursed to suffer fickle mistresses, it seemed.

“I don’t see how Do Hye’s revival should matter to me. I never knew him at all. I was too young to remember when he took Dae away, so it’s not like I resent him for that separation. If he changed my life in any way, it was likely for the better—if only to ensure that he wouldn’t be forced to reincarnate as a sex slave, if it came to that.”

Lady Kaede grimaced.

“We are going to dismantle those organizations down to their very roots, I promise.”

“I’m glad to hear it. While my upbringing could have been much worse if not for the Snake’s intervention, it still wasn’t what I would call pleasant. Nevertheless, if I hated everyone who simply didn’t save me from slavery, then I would have no room in my heart for anything else.”

“But he could have. He saw what was happening first hand, and he had the power—nay, the duty to put a stop to it, but he didn’t. Do Hye allowed the illegal slave trade to continue, because to him it was just another tool he could turn to his advantage.”

Aecha shrugged, whisking away a spot of dust behind a decorative sword display.

“And now he is a tool which you can turn to yours, should you see fit to. A fitting end, perhaps. I don’t know—as I said, I didn’t know him. So, do you share my brother’s feelings or not?”

“Aecha! Dae and I resolved things between us a long time ago.”

“Mm, so I’ve heard. But that was Lee Jia, not you. Of course, I know that you’re both Yoshika, and thus you are also her, but do your aspects not each have their own feelings as well?”

Her mistress huffed and averted her eyes.

“We’re not talking about this right now.”

Aecha bowed.

“Of course, mistress.”

She would simply talk about it later, instead.

 

---

 

Ruiling blinked.

“You’re asking me?! Why?”

Jia shrugged, floating through the air as she kept pace with Ruiling on her daily exercises. The dragon-woman’s wings weren’t actually powerful enough to fly unassisted, and she practiced every day to ensure that the magic she used to aid her flight came as naturally as breathing.

Jia just liked flying.

“You’re here living in exile because Do Hye tricked you into betraying the Dragon Lord you were trying to prove yourself to. ”

Ruiling twisted around and set her wings into a stiff gliding position, crossing her arms.

“Hmm, yeah, I guess. The Snake’s always been like that, though. And it’s not like he’s the one who exiled me—or even my ancestor. It’s self-imposed. I’m just too embarrassed to go back, and honestly I kind of like it here. Melati’s never been happier, and honestly? Neither have I.”

“So if we were to revive him?”

She shrugged.

“Why not? He’s a wild card, and I suppose not exactly what you’d call a good person, but he’s never really been malicious. People deal with the Snake despite his reputation because he usually makes it worthwhile.”

“I see. I appreciate the insight, Ruiling, thank you.”

“Any time. And you should join me on my flights more often! It’s nice having someone to chat with!”

Jia laughed, following Ruling as she broke off to practice some more complicated maneuvers. Maybe she’d take her up on that.