“Alright. You were worthy of it.”
“Because it was what I, what we desired.”
I stared at Sayoon, who looked dazed, and took a sip of tea.
“So, is that all you wanted to ask?”
“Uh… um. No. It’s… wh-wh-wh…?”
I waited for Sayoon, who seemed confused, to calm down. She awkwardly shrank her shoulders and slightly bowed her head.
Sayoon’s pale face blushed red.
“Am I… someone worth it…?”
“Of course.”
Me, us, and even those who weren’t part of the Sayoon Corps had seen enough stuff to go, “Oh, that’s a bit much;;.”
That’s why I hoped.
That your future would change.
That you would be happy.
That your joy would hold value.
It’s only natural for such a will to be present.
“Ah, ahahaha…”
Sayoon let out a dry laugh, and gradually her laughter turned moist.
“Don’t cry.”
I pulled out a handkerchief and offered it. I did want to wipe her tears, but that felt a bit overboard.
As Sayoon took my handkerchief and wiped her tears, a knock came at the door.
“Late-night snack!”
I opened the door, and Yohwan was surprised when she held out a plate.
“What’s going on?!”
She gasped at the sight of Sayoon weeping inside. Startled by her outburst, Sayoon hurriedly replied,
“Oh, it’s nothing! I’m not sad or anything…”
“Is that so? Anyway… whatever it is, just don’t cry.”
With a gentle smile, Yohwan left, and I placed what she had given me on the table.
“This is…”
It was a traditional sweet.
Not the improved version like now, but the kind sold back in the day.
The one Sayoon had always wanted to eat.
I handed her the sweet.
“Let’s eat this first and talk more.”
“Yes…”
Sniffling, Sayoon munched on the sweet. When our eyes met, her smile was simply beautiful.
“…I’ve always loved this since way back… and I still do.”
“Doesn’t Yohwan make different things for you now; are you not tired of it?”
“No! Well, the Hongseong clan has grown, and I’ve started earning money, but… I can’t forget this.”
Is it the taste of nostalgia?
Even though she could eat something much tastier now, she seemed quite satisfied with this.
I couldn’t help but smile at that.
The situation had changed, but she remained the same.
Always thinking of righteousness and finding joy in even the little things, she still possessed that aspect of Sayoon that we loved.
We munched on the sweet in silence. After we finished one, Sayoon seemed a little calmer, taking sips of tea and letting out a small sigh.
“Phew…”
“Alright. Shall we move on to the next topic? Do you have any other questions?”
“…I have a lot of curiosities… Why didn’t you reveal it?”
“There’s no special reason?”
“Eh?!”
“No. At first, I was just wondering how to approach you… but as we progressed, it just turned out this way. Hahaha.”
Sayoon stared at me blankly while I laughed.
Honestly, I had thought about revealing it once we got a bit closer as Yu Wol…
But hiding my identity while giving advice and helping out had a strangely romantic vibe to it.
“I was going to reveal it soon.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
“Hehe. I’ll believe you.”
Sayoon, who had been staring at me intently, smiled and nodded.
Yeah. Thanks for believing me.
Besides that, Sayoon asked a lot of questions, and I answered everything to the best of my ability.
There were no problematic questions.
I had been prepared to answer if she asked how I knew about Hongseong or how much I actually knew.
But what she asked was whether she had liked what she had sent so far.
Or if she needed more fragrance pouches.
Or what kind of flavors I liked since I learned to enhance the Cheonilmaehwa tea from Yohwan. Just little questions like that.
“So, are you satisfied now?”
“Yes!”
Unlike before, Sayoon’s tension had completely melted away. She smiled brightly at me and got up from her seat.
“Well then, I’ll be going now.”
“Huh? Already?”
“Yes… I want to ask more, but… you’re going to be here from now on, right?”
“Well… I guess so?”
We could say Sayoon’s main story had come to an end.
After all, the Iron Blood Clan was wiped out.
Of course, the danger itself wasn’t gone, but I figured there wouldn’t be any enemies targeting Hongseong for a while.
In that case, I should reduce my workload and keep an eye on the overall situation.
I was also curious about how things would develop.
I needed to gather as much information as possible and prepare for it.
“Oh, right. By the way, Master and Senior Sister asked when you’re getting married…”
“Haha. Soon, I guess.”
“Wow. Who are you marrying…”
As Sayoon was speaking, she suddenly shut her mouth. Tilting her head, her eyes widened as she looked at me, and I laughed.
“Uh, wait! Really? Is it M-Master? Or Senior Sister?!”
I didn’t answer, and Sayoon fanned her flushed face while nodding.
“Wow, for sure, Mister is such a cool guy…”
“Haha, right.”
“Ugh… I-I’ll be quiet for now.”
“Thanks for that.”
But hey, I could say something, you know.
Anyway, can we call it a day for the talk we needed to have? Sayoon paused as she headed toward the door.
“…And, uh, there’s one last question.”
Is there something more to ask? Well, it shouldn’t matter.
Come at me with as many questions as you want!
“…Mister, what do you hope for me?”
Sayoon flustered a bit.
“Oh, no. I mean, I’ve received so much from you that I feel I haven’t properly returned it. Master said that, and Senior Sister too, that if you receive something, you should give back. And I feel it’s shameless just to keep receiving…”
“What I hope for you, huh…”
I closed my eyes.
What I, what we hoped for.
It existed.
We always hoped, believed, and asserted.
That the real protagonist of Heavenly Bright Moon is Sayoon.
That she is superior to others.
It’s just that her story and setup are a mess, and unlike other protagonists, her story is more like a human documentary, but if she just matches up to the others, she’d be greater than anyone.
That’s why we wanted it.
“I want you to become the protagonist.”
“……”
Sayoon stared at me blankly. I didn’t shy away from her gaze, and eventually, she nodded and smiled before turning away. As she left, I sat back down in my chair.
After leaving his room, Sayoon went to sit in the garden of the courtyard. Ryuhyun, who had been watching her exit, smiled bitterly.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah? Oh, yeah.”
She couldn’t believe how surprised she was when she heard Yu Wol call him ‘Mister.’
The same ‘Mister’ who informed them about the Iron Blood Clan’s attack and led them to the Hongseong Sect’s secret grounds was the one who helped Hongseong survive in the martial world and elevate its honor.
But what made her happiest was that Sayoon could finally meet the Mister she had wanted to see so much, more often.
Ryuhyun patted Sayoon’s head.
“Eh?”
“That’s good.”
“Yup…”
With her face flushed, Sayoon nodded slightly. Her adorable expression made Ryuhyun ruffle her hair, and soon Hyunhwi came over to do the same.
“Ouch…”
“Anyway, it’s a good thing. Of course, it’s surprising that Yu Wol Innkeeper is the Mister, but remember that it doesn’t change anything.”
Right. Whether it’s Yu Wol or Mister, he’s still the benefactor of the Hongseong Sect.
And it also doesn’t change the fact that he’s under the protection of Hongseong.
So, the tasks we have to do shouldn’t be forgotten.
Being too clingy with him isn’t something a disciple of Hongseong should be doing either.
“It’s not something a disciple of the sect should do.”
As Ryuhyun spoke, Sayoon nodded vigorously.
“Yes!”
“Alright then, shall we train? Senior Sister has reached the level of a superhuman, and Sister Chaejin has also become a superhuman, right?”
Having two superhumans arise from one sect is a miracle in the long history of the martial world.
And it happened not in one, but in two places.
Hongseong and Moonjeong.
Though the two sects are on good terms now, the fact that they are rivals hasn’t changed.
“We can’t lose to Moonjeong, right?”
“Well… I guess that’s true?”
While she was friends with Chaeran, they were still rivals in this case. Sayoon nodded.
“And there are still many who are targeting the Innkeeper.”
The moment Hyunhwi spoke bluntly, Sayoon felt her heart drop.
Of course, now that Hongryeon has reached the level of a superhuman, those who target Yu Wol protected by Hongseong will surely decrease.
But that means stronger individuals will be aiming for it.
No way.
That absolutely can’t happen.
Sayoon felt her determination surging.
“…I’ll do my best.”
Even though they had come for protection, they did not stop Yu Wol from training. In fact, they almost encouraged it.
This was similar even when the inn was completely wrecked.
There was even a training area arranged for the martial artists who might stay in the garden.
“Phew… should we take a break then?”
“Let’s have some tea.”
“Sayoon, you should also take a break and come back in.”
As Ryuhyun and Hyunhwi went inside, Sayoon, lying on the floor of the garden, stared up at the sky.
The dark night sky was filled with countless stars.
As she gazed at the brightest star among them, she slightly closed her eyes.
“I hope you can be the protagonist.”
Sayoon recalled his words. “Wherever I am is where I’m the master.”
The topic of the letter from the Mister, and what he wanted.
As Sayoon alternated her thoughts between the two, she smiled brightly and raised her hand.
Something that reveals its existence even in the dark night sky, just like that star, can truly be called the protagonist.
Right now, covered in dirt, weak, and unable to do anything.
Can I shine like that star?
Can I be as magnificent as that star?
Can I become the protagonist?
Sayoon slowly reached out her hand.
Naturally, that star in the sky would never come into her hand.
Yet she must accomplish it.
Yet she can do it.
Suddenly sitting up, she shook her head.
It’s not a “maybe.”
It will happen.
It will definitely happen.
No matter how difficult the path may be.
I will definitely achieve it.
Sayoon smiled as she looked at her hands.
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