Chapter: 127
Where did it go? (1)
Fortunately, mealtime was peaceful.
I did get beaten up by Gu Ryunghwa, but it was bearable enough, and Tang Soyeol quickly managed to justify the poison she had given to the Sword Master.
Of course, even after her explanation, the Sword Master couldn’t help but give a vague smile.
It seemed that Tang Soyeol truly reveres the Sword Master, as she went on to mention every achievement the Sword Master had accomplished.
She even succeeded in turning the Sword Master’s ears red by reciting a famous quote attributed to her.
‘“My plum blossoms will not lose to evil!” Really now… the Sword Master was quite the romantic character back in the day, wasn’t she?’
Thanks to that, I couldn’t help but feel a little tense, but it was alright as I was able to witness the rare sight of the Sword Master flustered.
The meal soon came to an end.
The Sword Master didn’t seem to mind Tang Soyeol being around, enjoying the conversation.
However, Gu Ryunghwa’s glaring look at Tang Soyeol was quite fierce.
“She has a naive puppy-like face, but when she’s angry, she turns into a wolf.”
‘Wait, so you’re calling me a mantis while calling that child a wolf? Isn’t this a bit discriminatory?’
“You must have eaten something that didn’t settle well in your stomach, to be spouting such nonsense…”
Was she glaring because she felt her teacher was being stolen away? It felt like a big rift had developed between the two of them.
Once the main course and tea were consumed, the meal concluded.
Tang Soyeol seemed like she wanted to linger a bit longer, but it didn’t seem possible as the Sword Master didn’t look too well.
How should I put it? The Sword Master appeared somewhat fatigued.
And it wasn’t just me who noticed; Gu Ryunghwa seemed concerned for her teacher too.
In the meantime, I glanced at Namgung Bi-ah, who was quietly munching away on her food all by herself.
Wi Seol-Ah was chirping away beside her, but Namgung Bi-ah still looked like she was in a daze.
“Are you feeling any better?” I asked the Sword Master as we finished up.
“As you can see, I feel much healthier than before, thanks to you.”
Even I thought the Sword Master looked a lot better…
“Is something bothering you?”
But her expression didn’t seem very pleasant.
She appeared surprised at my question, her face practically asking how I had figured it out, so I added kindly, “Your expression looks rather grim.”
“…Is it that apparent?”
“Yes.”
Was she trying to hide it? If so, then the Sword Master shouldn’t have been one to tell lies.
What was there to hide when it was so clear?
“My sister is quite worried about you too, you know?”
“Oh…”
Gu Ryunghwa was shifting nervously in the back, just staring at her master.
Noticing this, the Sword Master smiled awkwardly.
“I didn’t want to cause anyone worry, but it seems I’ve failed at that.”
“Is there a problem of some sort?”
It didn’t seem like a physical issue; perhaps something had happened recently.
“I’m fine. This too shall pass with time.”
The Sword Master responded evasively, but then she thanked me and approached Gu Ryunghwa.
As the Sword Master gently patted her head, Gu Ryunghwa gleefully beamed.
She looked like a squirrel that had just returned from being a wolf.
“Um… Young Master Gu.”
I turned at the voice that came from the side.
“It was so nice to have lunch with you all today…!”
“Are you saying it was nice because you ate with the Sword Master?”
“Uh… um… That’s not…! I mean, it partly is true, but…”
Seeing her fumble over her response made me chuckle a bit.
Tang Soyeol seemed to notice and stopped for a moment to ask, “Did you just laugh?”
“Huh?”
“Did you just laugh at me?”
“Uh… I didn’t mean to— but yeah, if it seemed that way…”
“No! Not at all!”
After declaring that, Tang Soyeol broke into a bright smile. Her smile was so innocent that it left me momentarily taken aback.
It resembled the smile of the Poison Queen from my past life.
That much was expected given they’re the same person, yet her smile just now felt lighter somehow.
It wasn’t the exhausted, heavy smile of the Poison Queen, but rather a bright, carefree one.
“Do you regret it?”
‘What the heck, where did that come from all of a sudden?’
Elder Shin’s casual tone carried a weight I understood, and it wore me out just thinking about it.
“That’s just how it seems.”
‘No, I do not regret it.’
Ending the life of the Poison Queen with my own hands? I had to do it.
Not for myself, but for her.
At that time, it was something I definitely had to do.
“C-Could you invite me again next time?”
Tang Soyeol’s question drew my attention, and I nodded.
I hesitated slightly, but her cheerful expression made it clear that she didn’t mind my pause.
“It won’t be just the two of us… right?”
“Oh…”
“I’m so sorry! I got too carried away… you don’t have to answer that now…!”
As she yelled, she shoved something into my hand and dashed off in a panic.
What I ended up holding was a small vial. When I shook it, I could hear the faint sound of something inside.
“…What kind of poison could this possibly be?”
At this point, I was convinced it was poison. It reminded me of when I was given poison the last time something like this occurred.
The real issue was that I had no idea about her reasons for giving it to me.
‘For now, I’ll put it in my pocket. I can just ask about it next time.’
After sending everyone off, I called upon my servants to tidy up and took a short stroll outside.
The paths and gardens of the Gu Clan weren’t particularly beautiful. I remembered they used to take great care of it when my mother was around.
But now, no one seemed to tend to it anymore.
“What flower is this?” Wi Seol-Ah, walking beside me, asked.
It was a lovely white flower, but I didn’t know its name.
“White Flower of Youth.”
Namgung Bi-ah, following behind me, whispered.
“Wait, what? You know about flowers too?”
That was surprisingly unexpected.
For her to know the name of that flower was quite something. Namgung Bi-ah continued, her gaze fixed on the flower that Wi Seol-Ah was admiring.
“It was a flower my mother liked.”
As she said this, she approached the flower and sat down beside it.
“…It bloomed here too.”
Gently touching the flower, she then asked, “Can I take this…?”
“Why would you want to take it? Planning to grow it?”
“Yeah…”
“Sure, it’s just a flower, not a big deal,” I replied easily.
Namgung Bi-ah plucked the white flower and then tucked it into Wi Seol-Ah’s hair.
“Huh?”
Wi Seol-Ah looked surprised, and Namgung Bi-ah smiled while gently brushing her hair.
“Pretty… my mother used to do this for me a lot.”
As Wi Seol-Ah beamed, Namgung Bi-ah joined her in the smile.
“When beautiful things gather, they shine even brighter.”
‘You’re suddenly quite sentimental.’
“Hehehe…”
Namgung Bi-ah briefly patted Wi Seol-Ah’s head before carefully scooping another White Flower of Youth with its roots intact.
Her once-pristine hands got a bit dirty, but she didn’t care at all.
“So, seems like you’re doing better now?”
I recalled how her face had been flushed before and asked.
“…Yeah.”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded slightly. Her ears were still a bit reddened—was it because of the chilly autumn air or the lingering effects from earlier?
“I’m fine now… I think.”
Her voice, barely above a whisper, was so shy it was almost palpable.
“…Did you know…?” Namgung Bi-ah began.
“Know what?”
“Babies… don’t come just from holding hands.”
“Huh?”
“Just thought I’d mention it.”
What on earth was she suddenly going on about?
After saying that, she walked ahead. ‘Is it just me, or is her pace a tad quicker than usual?’
“Young Master, it’s cold. Let’s hurry back!”
Wi Seol-Ah grabbed my hand and pulled me along since I was standing there like a daze.
By the way, from that day on, Namgung Bi-ah stopped taking her afternoon naps in my room.
A day later, I headed to see Namgung Jin.
It was our agreed schedule, so I went to see him right after finishing my morning training.
As expected, Namgung Jin was swinging his sword in the same training yard as before.
The relatively empty atmosphere was likely due to the Namgung Clan’s martial artists still undergoing treatment.
“I’ve set up a meeting with the First Elder,” Namgung Jin said while slashing his sword fiercely. It was his response to the thing I had requested from him last time.
“I believe it will be this evening.”
“Understood.”
I didn’t have any huge requests to make.
I just asked him to maintain an ear for what the First Elder was asking of the lord.
“Do you need to return to your clan?”
“I have something more important to focus on right now.”
“…Alright.”
Originally, he was supposed to head back to the clan with Namgung Bi-ah after their engagement, but unforeseen circumstances prevented that from happening.
‘To clarify, he hasn’t actually gone home yet.’
All because of that stinking sword…
“How dare you call it a stinking sword! You, of all people, should understand a martial artist’s greed!”
It was quite strange to think about the sword legacy left behind by the Thunderous Sword, Namgung Myung.
Why hadn’t it been passed down? Why had the Namgung Clan ultimately forgotten his sword?
It was amazing to see Namgung still reigning as the top swordsmen’s clan, despite being a step down with their swordsmanship, but I couldn’t help but question it.
“Are we all set now?”
“Yes.”
After a few days of waiting, Namgung Jin had finally begun to urge me on.
After all, it was a matter that involved the clan’s engagement, so it couldn’t be brushed aside lightly.
“I just hope you keep your promises,” he added.
“…Don’t worry.”
We discussed various matters, but the one I was most concerned about still stood.
When he achieved enlightenment, he would also pass it on to Namgung Bi-ah.
Namgung Jin didn’t seemed pleased at my request.
What could possibly be so uncomfortable about teaching his own daughter?
Eventually, we settled that he would only instruct Namgung Bi-ah.
Isn’t it ridiculous?
I hadn’t cared about anyone else; I merely wanted to extend my teachings to Namgung Bi-ah.
Yet Namgung Jin had insisted on a condition to not teach others of his bloodline.
Why would he stipulate that?
I entertained various thoughts about Namgung Jin’s intentions, but the most plausible one seemed to be his desire to secure his position as the clan head.
Having either a skill he could excel at, that others couldn’t, or perhaps associating his lineage’s sword with a superior version would establish his worthiness to sit on the clan’s throne.
‘To impose such restrictions on his own kin…’
Though I had labeled it as instruction; it was closer to a transaction.
Most importantly, it didn’t concern me, as I could still relay everything I intended to share with Namgung Bi-ah.
The more I observed this dynamic, the more I felt curious about the choices Namgung Bi-ah was making.
Because she didn’t seem like the person who would make such decisions.
“I’ll be imparting two pieces of information to you.”
I didn’t hold a sword.
Elder Shin had mentioned earlier that he couldn’t intervene with my body for a while and winked, claiming it was dangerous.
It would have been unreasonable to display actions in front of Namgung Jin with my meager skills in swordsmanship.
However, Elder Shin reassured me that verbal explanations would suffice.
“Namgung’s sword contains a break in its flow.”
‘A break in its flow?’
“Yes, the connection that binds movement to movement has been slightly severed, making it hard to notice.”
‘You expect me to believe that just saying this will help?’
“That wasn’t my statement; I’m merely conveying what Myung mentioned.”
‘How can you be so irresponsible…?’
“Thunderous Sword Namgung Myung left this after all his experiences and awakenings, and if that Namgung child fails to understand, then so be it.”
‘But what if he’s left confused and turns on me?’
“Run to your daddy and hide behind him. What else could you do?”
‘For crying out loud.’
At my age, he really told me to run to my father for cover?
‘Though, yes, I’m still young in this timeline but come on, show a little decency.’
“Decency? Wasn’t it void to begin with? And now you talk about pride?”
‘…’
As I took a breath, Namgung Jin had already opened his ears, eyes shining brightly.
It was unnerving for a man my father’s age to look at me with such eager eyes.
What I was only required to do was relay Elder Shin’s words in my own speech.
“The sword of Namgung is akin to ocean waves. Although it may live life in lightning bursts, at its core, it emulates the unstoppable crashing of waves.”
Enlightenment is inherently abstract.
This is even more so for those striving for the ultimate state of unity between body and sword.
Previously, the impressive martial artists of the Demonic Sword—namely, those like Wi Seol-Ah—had reached such states of mastery.
Of course, there exist similar terminologies within the martial artist field, yet they provide a different sensation altogether.
As I had mentioned earlier, I was simply spilling out Elder Shin’s words while occasionally following his odd hand commands without any clue of reasoning.
“…While wielding thunder, it’s paramount to focus on quick blades and darting strikes, but…”
Nonetheless, it didn’t feel entirely abstract; relevant concerns regarding the wrist mechanics and footwork related to the swordplay were slipping through.
Since any such movements were personal flourishes of Elder Shin, they were but brief anecdotes added.
But the real issue lay—
‘It seems to actually help him in some manner.’
Whether it’s waves or lightning bolts, trees or forests, none of it mattered to someone like me who had no inkling of how to wield Namgung Clan’s sword.
I knew nothing about the experiences or philosophies Namgung Jin had with his sword.
Yet even amid vague discussions, Namgung Jin’s gaze had shifted.
His eyes gradually closed.
Did he grasp something?
It wouldn’t be too farfetched to call it enlightenment, would it?
“He’s surely not completely brain-dead.”
‘Is this truly alright?’
“I didn’t share everything as I considered your circumstances. The Namgung child wouldn’t take too much from this.”
Understanding Elder Shin’s feelings about passing his friend’s sword legacy to his descendants, I didn’t strongly oppose it.
The silence was short-lived.
Namgung Jin opened his eyes and immediately began brandishing his sword.
Swish! Swoosh!
His movements were noticeably different from earlier, though subtle.
“Seems like he successfully corrected his footwork.”
Elder Shin commented. However, I couldn’t detect any grand difference at that moment.
It was apparent that some sort of shift had occurred for him. It was important that these transformations took place.
After effortlessly swinging for a few seconds, Namgung Jin brought his sword to a halt and quietly uttered, “…Thank you.”
The martial artist capable of reaching the immortal realm was dripping with sweat in mere moments.
“Did you gain anything?”
“Just barely… only a smidgen.”
Namgung Jin added that it would require quite some time to fully translate what he learned into practice.
“I might have to discard all the moves I’ve ingrained over the years…”
He was suggesting he would need to alter decades’ worth of training.
But would he realmente commit to this? Given his position as the clan head, I doubted he would have sufficient time.
“Don’t you see? He’s already bewitched.”
When I fixed my gaze on Namgung Jin after Elder Shin’s remark, I could see his eyes ablaze with fervor.
“Small, yet undeniably distinct. Once he comprehends the depth of that difference, he’ll realize just how far he’ll go with it; at this point, it’s too late to step back.”
‘Why is it that sword users are always a bit peculiar?’
“You too are being the discriminatory one here, kid.”
‘Seems like you have a knack for arguing just like a swordsman.’
Though there was no progress in realms, and no fluctuations in Qi.
He merely swung the sword in a slightly different manner.
And merely discovering such a small difference couldn’t just happen in a single day.
Let alone the time it would take to truly master that alteration.
Couldn’t we consider this a literal poison to his development? That’s how it appeared to me.
As I ensured Namgung Jin’s physique was still infused with demonic energy, I found myself pondering the outcome.
“I hope you won’t forget our promise.”
Namgung Jin gave me a gentle nod, though his enthusiasm was still quite apparent.
He was likely itching to wield his sword again.
After double-checking the seal on him, I exited, closing the door behind me.
This single lesson wasn’t going to be the end; we were set to meet several more times to continue our discussions.
Could this possibly present an advantage in Namgung Bi-ah’s life?
It may not constitute a monumental change, but maybe I could foster a slight improvement.
That fleeting sense of anticipation washed over me.
“That aside… Elder Shin?”
“What is it?”
“About the things I just shared with Lord Namgung.”
These weren’t the strict movements but rather the abstract notions.
I was fairly certain I had heard something familiar somewhere before.
“…Did the Thunderous Sword indeed leave those words behind?”
“Yes, indeed. That arrogant fool went about, blathering about how incredible his skills were.”
Which lunatic would go around boasting about their awakening? I assumed Elder Shin had to be exaggerating.
Yet, if those were truly the words of the Thunderous Sword, it raised a significant issue.
“Well, why the inquiry?”
“It’s nothing. Just a curiosity.”
I had one main reason for asking.
The Demonic Sword from my previous life had also uttered words quite similar to these.
Word-for-word exact phrases, in fact.
When was that? I thought it had happened when I was inquiring about the concept of merging with one’s sword.
Back then, she had clearly stated that was how she had absorbed those lessons.
– Like that…
– …What in the world are you even saying?
It was all nonsensical babble to me at the time.
And yet, I was struck by the similar movements that Elder Shin had illustrated for Namgung Jin—those unmistakably resembled the techniques once wielded by the Demonic Sword.
But Namgung’s current blade didn’t resemble that at all.
I had no clue if the current highest-ranking figure of the Namgung Clan knew about this, but Namgung Jin clearly did not.
Furthermore, it seemed he was oblivious to the flaws within his own clan’s sword arts.
If this were the case, where on earth had the Demonic Sword learned all of this?
If it wasn’t from Namgung Jin, then from whom?
Initially, I had thought that the Demonic Sword’s exceptional talent allowed her to surpass a generational flaw and reinvent the school of swordsmanship.
Now, however, I was starting to question if that was the whole truth.
Could this truly have been nothing but a coincidence?
For some reason, I was left with the feeling that it certainly wasn’t.
I headed straight for Namgung Bi-ah’s guesthouse.
Due to the heavy injuries plaguing the majority of the Namgung Clan’s martial artists, they were partially being protected by the Gu Clan.
How ironic.
As I approached the entrance of the guesthouse, I intended to relay my message to the servant stationed outside when Namgung Bi-ah swung the door open and appeared in front of me.
“…You’re here…”
“How did you know I was coming?”
Had she been peering out the window?
It looked like she had just woken up, and her face seemed rather sluggish.
“Were you sleeping?”
“No…”
I hadn’t come for any particular reason except for my concern regarding her bad state from the previous day.
“Have you eaten?”
“…Not yet.”
“Then let’s eat together later, alright?”
“Okay…”
The adornment I had given her still adorned her hair, tying it neatly.
I wondered if she wore it every day, and despite it exceeding my station, I couldn’t help but feel just a tad proud.
“How’s your health?”
“…I’m fine…”
“Can I touch your forehead?”
I questioned since last time she had dodged my attempts.
“Wow, how pathetic you are, asking that…”
‘Elder Shin…’
“What? Is there a problem?”
‘Nothing.’
“You’ve really got some nerve!”
Even without me saying anything, Elder Shin flared up at my thoughts.
I hadn’t said anything!
Namgung Bi-ah seemed to hesitate momentarily before taking a half step back at my request.
Was she not comfortable?
“If you don’t want me to—”
“…It’s okay…”
Her voice trembled slightly. Was it truly that hard for her?
Regardless, since she granted permission, I stepped closer to her and placed my hand on her forehead.
“…You really aren’t feeling well, are you?”
Her forehead felt warm.
What had initially seemed warm when I first touched it now felt distinctly hot.
With this level of heat, there was definitely something wrong. It was unusual for a high-ranking martial artist like her to suddenly feel hot.
Just when I was about to take her directly to the Immortal Doctor—
Something touched my hand resting on her forehead.
It was none other than Namgung Bi-ah’s hand.
“I’m fine… really, I am…”
As she spoke, she took my hand down.
At that moment, it drew us closer to a situation where we could walk hand-in-hand.
I refrained from asking what was happening as Namgung Bi-ah’s pale face had turned crimson.
‘Until just a while ago, she didn’t seem to mind stuff like this…’
Had something genuinely been mixed into her food? With a blush flooding her cheeks, Namgung Bi-ah calmed her face with the breeze and said, “I want to eat.”
“Where? Your room?”
“N-No! Not my room…”
She sounded quite the flustered, her voice ringing louder than usual.
What’s this? She barges into my room any time, yet pulls away like this when it’s time for mine?
Was there something hidden away in her room? I momentarily considered the curiosity, but for some reason, I felt like doing so would truly make Namgung Bi-ah angry.
The very thought of her getting mad was interesting enough to consider.
‘When was the last time I saw her annoyed? I could use the diversion.’
Whether sensing my intrigue or not, Namgung Bi-ah hastily tugged my hand and guided me onward.
Still gripping her hand, I begrudgingly allowed myself to be led.
Oh sure, Elder Shin muttered curses about me, but I paid him no heed.
I simply followed her happily, hand in hand.
It later turned out from my servant that some pillows which should’ve been in my room had gone missing.
The servant nearly shed tears at their high value, but sooner rather than later, she returned to her duties as if nothing happened.
In fact, she even appeared to be in an excellent mood, as if something bright had occurred.
I hadn’t received ample use from them, so losing them wasn’t a big deal.
But honestly, where could they possibly have vanished to?
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