After finishing dinner with the local leader, I sat alone in the backyard, pondering while enjoying a cigarette.
The biggest risk in our first scenario is that Seomhwa Village gets caught up in the war among the factions.
Though the current Shakhryeon lord Wanghui isn’t weak in martial arts, he’s a moderate type who prefers peace over conflict. Helping him win the fight against the Shakhryeon would be the best move for us, but the chances of success seem too slim given our efforts.
As soon as the new Shakhryeon lord revealed himself, all the core forces of the faction probably switched sides.
Meanwhile, the factions have been eerily quiet. The moderate Wanghui desired growth rather than fighting and sought stability. Consequently, his pursuit of stability would likely be a thorn in the side of the vigorous factions and those who have harbored ambitions for a long time.
Ah, these guys. I should just shove them all into the army. If there’s nowhere for them to exert their strength, they can fight the evil monsters…
“Phew…”
The hazy smoke veiled the night sky. Staring at it, I continued my thoughts.
Of course, I’m not entirely out of options. If the local leader is correct and the military inspection office perceives this as a threat and is keeping an eye on it, that means they’re also watching the potential war from the factions.
So, what if I report any sects or forces that could escalate this risk and round them up to send them to the battlefield?
The scale of the war would shrink, and the forces aiming to attack Seomhwa Village might dwindle down to just the Iron Blood Clan, or they might abandon the idea and seek other opportunities.
This… hmmm. I should seek cooperation from Hao-mun. They wouldn’t want a war either.
Even after preparing a letter to send to Hano, the work wasn’t done. I needed to derive results that fit the scenario, determine responses to those, and calculate other possibilities.
If there are discrepancies in the current scenario and the situation, I need to analyze those and identify where things went wrong. Then, I’d see if I can apply it to the scenario.
The information obtained from Hao-mun, along with the data sent recently by the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild, plus anything else I can gather.
I pressed my tired eyes tight and returned to my room, reigniting the burnt-out cigarette.
The rich aroma of tobacco filled the dim room, illuminated only by a few candles, as I continued to read through the paperwork.
Though the moon had already climbed high, it was still too early for me.
The next morning arrived. Just like any day, after doing my morning chores, I practiced Tai Chi.
While I was working, I heard the sound of patrolling guards approaching. I immediately turned my gaze toward the window…
“Huh?”
“Sahyun?”
A cute girl, distinguished by her impressive gray hair that looked warm and soft when touched, was standing there. It was Sayoon.
She apparently came out for patrol with Yoohee, entering the back yard of the inn, and I hurried downstairs to greet her.
“Is Hongryeon not coming today?”
“Ah! Innkeeper! Hello!”
“Hello!”
I returned their greetings. As Yoohee went inside the makeshift building in the backyard to sort out the patrol records, I turned to the smiling Sayoon and asked, “What about Nakil’s blade?”
“Ahaha! Well, here, please take this first.”
Sayoon handed me a letter.
[Thank you.]
…What’s this about?
As I glanced at the succinct message, Sayoon smiled broadly.
As I looked at her, Sayoon smiled brightly.
“Master asked me to pass this on.”
“Haha, is it because of that gift from yesterday?”
“Hehe, yes. Actually, Senior Sister wasn’t able to come today for that reason. She’s making our uniforms with Ryuhyun and Hyunhwi, along with other sisters who can sew.”
Ah, that’s why she couldn’t come, huh?
No matter how skilled she is, there’s no way she could make uniforms for twenty disciples all by herself.
“Honestly, I like this uniform, though… it’s sturdy.”
Even though it shows signs of being patched up here and there. When I looked at the sleeves that I had patched up a couple of times, Sayoon gasped and quickly hid that part behind her.
And then she awkwardly chuckled, “Hehe.”
“Oh, anyway! It’s made from really nice fabric…”
“And since it’s sturdy, it should be good for a uniform.”
“Haha, is that so?”
A slight shadow crossed Sayoon’s face as she replied with a smile.
Come to think of it, she mentioned in the last letter that she had a lot on her mind, didn’t she?
Could it be because of that?
“Your expression looks dark. Is there something bothering you?”
“Um, no. It’s nothing like that. Hmm… Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot lately.”
“If you’re okay with it, could you share with me? I might be able to help you find an answer.”
“Haha. The Innkeeper must have plenty to worry about too… You don’t need to concern yourself with my issues… Hmm. It’s just about the future. Like, what will I do tomorrow, what about next month? And next year. Will I be able to keep up with the Master’s lessons? If I’m to learn the new techniques of the Hongseong Divine Art’s latter part, how can I make it easier to learn…”
“That’s a lot.”
“…Yes?”
“You can think about multiple things at once. But as Sword Saint will also teach you later, prioritize your thoughts. If you try to think about everything at once, it’ll just become a tangled mess.”
“Um… I see. I guess I still have a lot to learn.”
With a bitter smile, Sayoon acknowledged her shortcomings, while I shook my head.
“You’re already doing wonderfully. So don’t belittle yourself too much. When I was your age…”
How was I back then?
Hmm…
I was just a kid who was too busy playing around.
Anyway, compared to me, Sayoon was certainly on the right track.
At the very least, she knew what she needed to do.
“I was much worse.”
“Really? I can’t imagine that.”
“Haha. I’m just a lot more inadequate than you think. Anyway, don’t think too heavily about it. It’s good to reflect deeply, but I’ve seen many people get trapped deeper in their thoughts.”
“That’s true… Hehe. Thank you for the guidance.”
“Not much of a teaching, really.”
“The Master said one can learn from everything in the world. So, your words are a great teaching for me.”
As Sayoon blinked her eyes and gave a cute smile, I smiled back at her.
Just then, Yoohee came out, having finished cleaning up.
“Sayoon! We’re done! Let’s go!”
And Yoohee also expressed her thanks to me once more.
Seems like she really appreciated receiving the fabric.
“But where are you going?”
“Um? Oh, we just stepped out to get some fresh air.”
“I see. Then we’ll head out for our patrol.”
“Alright. Good luck.”
I waved goodbye as the kids left. Watching them walk away, I brushed my face once.
I swept my face with my hand.
Alright. Now that I’ve rested, let’s get back to work.
A few days had passed since I returned from Cheongho.
Of course, that didn’t mean my daily life had changed much.
And the day when that daily life would change was approaching.
Tomorrow was the day I promised to go to Changun-gwon with Hongryeon and Sayoon.
It was only three or four days at most, but still, if I was going to be away, I had to get some work done.
As I was working hard in preparation for that, I heard someone knocking on the door.
“Come in.”
I thought it was a staff member or Jeomsoi, but there was no reporting. Still, it was awkward to take my eyes off the papers, so I continued reading, when suddenly I heard a clatter next to me.
When I looked up, it was Chaejin, and what she placed on the desk, which was in complete disarray with papers, was a large cup filled with green liquid.
“Oh, it’s you, Chaejin. But what is this?”
“Yohwan sent this for the Innkeeper. It’s something good for the body, so you should drink it regularly. And there’s something else we need to discuss.”
“Aha. I also had something I wanted to talk about.”
Thinking I should drink this first, I immediately raised the cup to my lips, and…
What on earth is this taste?!
“Ahaha! They say medicine that’s good for the body is bitter, right? Just drink it all. All of it.”
“Ugh.”
Well, if I have to drink it, then I guess I will. After finishing it, Chaejin smiled with satisfaction.
“By the way, aren’t you working too late these days? The lights were on until dawn.”
“Haha. Did you see that?”
“Yes. I was talking with Yohwan and was supposed to go to bed a bit late…”
“I see. But you mentioned there was something you wanted to talk about?”
“Oh. Changju asked me for a favor. There are some materials and medicinal herbs he needs. He wants to know if you could come with me to help find them. And while we’re at it, Yohwan also asked for some ingredients for herbal cooking…”
“Hmm. How long do you think it will take?”
“Near Yangweseong, so… at most three to four days?”
That’s great news.
“Then go ahead. Since it’s near Yangweseong, there’s something to send to the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild, so could you bring that along?”
“Oh. Yes.”
“And in the meantime, I have somewhere I need to go, so don’t worry about me.”
“Huh? Where are you going?”
“I need to visit Changun-gwon for a few days to get some magical tools. If you’re worried about protection, you don’t have to be. I’ll be with Hongseong’s Nakil Sword…”
“…Who?”
“Nakil Sword Hongryeon.”
Chaejin’s expression subtly changed.
It wasn’t an unexpected reaction, considering what happened between them before. After all, they were rivals, and Hongseong and Moonjeong had been adversaries for a long time.
“And Hongseong’s youngest, Sayoon, will also be going with us. Fortunately, since I wanted to ask for a favor regarding this matter, it’s quite convenient.”
“Wait, what favor?”
“Well. Once I get the magical tools from Changun-gwon, I need to set them up. It’s hard to do it alone… but if the two of us work together, it’ll be just right. Breathing in sync is crucial when setting it up and activating it, just like we did at Chamo’s inn. Do you remember? I think we matched our breaths quite well.”
Honestly, I had intended to leave this setup to Hongseong. In Heavenly Bright Moon, the setup of magical tools required people with the same martial arts skills to sync their breaths during the installation.
“I did it.
But when Chaejin and Chamo showcased Tai Chi at the inn last time, I thought they might actually be able to handle it.
They’re busy enough with their own stuff at Hongseong; let’s not make them exert themselves unnecessarily.
“Heh. Ah. Uh. Hehe. Hehehe. R-right? Our breathing does match, right?! Ah! That was great back then, wasn’t it?”
I can’t say for sure since I was too busy fighting.
If they prefer someone stronger than me, that’s good for them, I guess.
“…But you’re not going to the Changwong Temple alone, right?”
“I told you. The youngest from Hongseong will be going too. You know her? Sayoon.”
“Yeah. I’ve seen her a few times and talked while patrolling. She seems really nice.”
“Hmm. I heard she’s never been to Changwong Temple. I’m going to take her this time.”
“Oh my… Is that so? Well… she takes good care of her sect members…”
After thinking for a moment, Chaejin nodded slightly.
“Alright then. Let’s do it.”
She readily agreed to my request with a nod, but I felt a bit bad about burdening her every time.
“Thanks as always.”
Just as Chaejin was about to leave, she paused and looked at me, then burst out with her trademark confident smile.
“Oh ho ho ho!! Ah, come on! Is this really all you’re asking for? I can handle more! Don’t feel burdened and just ask away!”
With that, Chaejin seemed really happy, humming a tune as she left.
Either way, now that Chaejin is helping, I shouldn’t have any issues with the setup.
The rest is just about going there smoothly.
The next morning.
We needed to set off early to reach Changwong Temple by tonight, so I told Hongryeon and Sayoon to come to the inn on time.
As I was finishing my preparations and heading down, I spotted Chaejin already awake in comfortable clothes.
“What are you doing up? You could’ve slept more.”
“I have to see you off.”
When she sweetly said that, I heard noise from the inn entrance.
A woman and a girl carrying luggage—Hongryeon and Sayoon.
“Well, welcome. Let’s have breakfast on the way. I’ve prepared some Seomhwa Porridge. Please load your luggage onto the cart.”
Hongryeon and Sayoon loaded their bags, and after seating Sayoon on the cart, I turned back to see Hongryeon and Chaejin.
To my surprise, they were silently smiling at each other.
“Hello.”
They greeted each other while maintaining their gaze without looking away.
Is it a rivalry that’s causing this tension? The atmosphere is intense.
At least they didn’t bring their weapons, thank goodness.
But considering they both fight well even without weapons, if it escalates, it could get serious.
“…Let’s save the sparring for later.”
Finally, they broke eye contact and took a step back.
Chaejin, still with a smile, calmly said, “Should we decide on a date when we get back? We should coordinate with the innkeeper’s schedule too.”
“Sounds good.”
Hongryeon replied casually.
With that, Chaejin headed inside, and Hongryeon hopped onto the cart.
Now, what to do about this atmosphere?
I shook my head.
What can you do? It’s something we have to go through anyway, so let’s just make sure neither of them gets seriously hurt.”
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