Chapter 26: The Demon Sword (3)
This is a tale that occurred in the past, at a certain mountain.
Amidst the cold, lifeless corpses piled up along the mountainside.
In the heart of purgatory, where even demons swarmed, Namgung Bi-ah, the Demon Sword, stood alone with her sword, gazing up at the sky.
[Demon Sword.]
At my call, Namgung Bi-ah slowly shifted her gaze toward me.
Perhaps it was a drop of blood splattered across her pale cheek that made her look extraordinarily enchanting.
Her dark eyes were devoid of any emotions.
Locking eyes with her, all I could see was an abyss of darkness.
[You’re the only survivor. Did you kill them all?]
The horrifying sword marks visible on the bodies of both martial artists and demons bore witness to the path of none other than Namgung Bi-ah.
In the battle that had just transpired, she had annihilated everyone here, regardless of their allegiance.
Witnessing this, I opened my mouth.
[I told you we don’t have time, so what nonsense are you doing?]
At the sound of my voice, Namgung Bi-ah approached me, her bloodied sword drooping as she walked.
She didn’t seem to harbor any intent to kill, but what made her truly dangerous was that she never displayed any killing intent, regardless of the circumstances.
A human unshaken by emotions.
That’s what made her a terrifying swordswoman.
Namgung Bi-ah reached my side, wiped the blood from her cheek, and spoke.
[There was nothing here.]
[Well, that’s because you wiped it all out.]
Swish. Namgung Bi-ah quickly swung her sword, flicking the blood off like it was nothing.
A fierce gust of wind erupted in the direction of her swing.
With her sword having cleared all traces of blood, Namgung Bi-ah asked me.
[What did the leader say?]
[They told me to bring you back, warning that you’d probably go berserk like a madwoman.]
[And that second part, was that what you really wanted to say?]
[Considering you could understand that, I suppose you still have some sanity left.]
Namgung Bi-ah was mad, but only with her sword—not with anything else.
She sheathed her sword after cleaning it and began to walk.
I sighed as I watched her.
[You’re going the wrong way, Demon Sword.]
[…Where again?]
[To the left.]
[Ah…]
[…No, that’s actually the right side.]
After a few corrections, Namgung Bi-ah finally found her path.
Though she was no doubt a master who had taken hundreds of lives here, there was definitely a dullness about her.
Contrary to her appearance, entering a swarm of martial artists and unleashing deadly sword techniques created an odd sense of dissonance.
The Demon Sword,
Perhaps it was the most fitting title for Namgung Bi-ah.
As she walked slowly, she suddenly stopped.
[Hey.]
[What?]
[The Sword Emperor must be strong, right?]
[…Hearing you ask such a foolish question, it seems I was too optimistic thinking you had some sanity left.]
I stopped walking in tandem with her, my tone firm as I cut in.
[Just a friendly reminder—don’t overstep your bounds; the Sword Emperor is for our leader-]
[What kind of sword would the Sword Emperor wield?]
[Ah… this crazy girl.]
I shook my head, turned around, and continued walking.
After a few steps, I realized nobody was following me. I turned back to find Namgung Bi-ah mumbling to herself, heading off in the wrong direction.
[…]
Do I really need to stop her? I pondered for a moment.
I picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Namgung Bi-ah, channeling my Qi to aim for her head.
The rock soared swiftly but cracked in half just before reaching her and fell to the ground.
[Are you looking to fight?]
Namgung Bi-ah was now staring me down, her sword drawn.
This was the only moment she displayed any emotion.
Her aura pressed down on the area, sending shockwaves through my body.
I rubbed my face to ease the sensation and spoke.
[That’s not the right way.]
[…Oh!]
Upon hearing me, she quickly sheathed her sword, and the oppressive aura vanished.
Just moments later, Namgung Bi-ah—who finally seemed to find the right path—halted once again.
She had a visage of deep thought.
[What are you thinking?]
[I was pondering something.]
[About what?]
[No matter how I look at it, this path doesn’t seem right.]
Namgung Bi-ah vocalized her doubts and then suddenly leaped forward in the opposite direction, disappearing from my sight.
I rubbed my forehead in frustration at her antics.
[…That’s still not the right way, you idiot…]
I made it to my destination in a day,
And it took Namgung Bi-ah, who ran off, three days to catch up.
All gazes converged on me when I shouted.
The intensity of Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes stood out, particularly intimidating.
I had no desire to be entangled with that lunatic even if it killed me.
The name of the Namgung family, a core member of one of the four great families? Her striking beauty? Those were all meaningless to me.
Her very existence overshadowed all.
“…Young Master?”
Muyeon appeared, his face twisted in confusion as he heard my outburst filled with curses.
I longed to shut my mouth and endure, but that was simply too much.
In the midst of it, Namgung Bi-ah looked at me and asked.
“Are you the leader of this group?”
I felt chills run down my spine at the sound of her voice. Should I even respond?
Ignoring my silence, Namgung Bi-ah introduced herself.
“I am Namgung Bi-ah from the Namgung Clan. If it isn’t too much trouble, would you allow me to join you to Sichuan…?”
“No, we’re not going to Sichuan, and yes, it will indeed be a bother.”
The crowd’s eyes widened in shock at my brusque refusal, particularly Namgung Bi-ah, who tilted her head in disbelief.
It seemed she hadn’t anticipated that response.
For who would dare to turn down a request from the Namgung family? Yet, I felt I had more to express.
“We can’t entirely verify that you’re from the Namgung Clan, and it’s too dangerous to take in a martial artist without knowing her true identity.”
Observing her sky-blue hair and blue robes embroidered with the Namgung name, it was evident she was indeed from the Namgung Clan, but my point remained valid.
There was no way I would accept her input.
In response to my outright refusal, Namgung Bi-ah simply muttered, “Ah…,” before nodding.
Then, she drew her sword.
Muyeon, witnessing this, quickly assumed a combat stance, but Namgung Bi-ah merely stood still with her eyes closed.
A sense of unease crept over me, recognizing this familiar sight.
This lunatic isn’t going to…
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
It felt as though I stood on blades rather than solid ground; the air around me was almost sharp enough to slice through flesh.
This sensation was all too familiar, reminiscent of my past life connected to this lunatic.
Eventually, Namgung Bi-ah opened her eyes.
Simultaneously, her Qi began to radiate throughout the area, sending shivers down my spine.
The escorting warriors sensed it and drew their swords in unison.
However, before any blade could reach her, Namgung Bi-ah’s Qi abruptly dissipated.
Despite being surrounded by threatening blades, her expression remained unnervingly calm.
A sight of the Sword King.
In that fragile-looking woman, the pride of the Namgung Clan shone through.
“I’m still not adept at this, so this is all I can show for now, but would you consider this proof of my heritage?”
What a reckless method Namgung Bi-ah chose to use to confirm her identity.
In a sense, it was the most assured way.
By now, all who stood by had likely concluded that she was, without a doubt, the genuine lady of the Namgung Clan.
After all, what better means of validation than showcasing the clan’s signature skill?
I nodded at her words and responded.
“That’s an astounding show of Qi. Nevertheless, it’s ‘absolutely’ impossible for us to travel with such a dangerous martial artist. I’m sorry.”
Of course, proving her identity wouldn’t change my stance.
Thank goodness I managed to turn down Namgung Bi-ah’s request and set off for Sichuan again.
Unexpectedly, she didn’t say anything in response to my refusal. She merely nodded.
Had I secured a small victory?
I felt fortunate.
How on earth did I end up encountering her here?
The image of her swinging her sword indiscriminately amidst a flurry of bodies—from allies to enemies—was still vivid in my memory.
Why was the Namgung lady wandering around here alone?
“Sigh… I’m genuinely exhausted.”
That short interaction with Namgung Bi-ah had left me feeling more drained than the past four days of travel.
“Young Master! Young Master!”
“What is it?”
Wi Seol-Ah, who had suddenly started calling my name, was peering out the window.
There seemed to be something catching her attention.
“She keeps following us.”
“…What?”
What does she mean by following…? No. An alarming thought surged through my mind as I processed Wi Seol-Ah’s words.
Please, no…
Hearing my thoughts echoed, Wi Seol-Ah confirmed my worst fears.
“That pretty lady from earlier, she keeps following us.”
Oh my god…
Peering out of the carriage, I indeed spotted the distant figure of Namgung Bi-ah following us.
For crying out loud, was that what her earlier nod meant?
If we didn’t take her with us, would she simply follow along?
Seriously, I’m losing my mind.
I wanted to lash out and tell her to go away, but I lacked a valid reason to do so.
I told her we weren’t going to Sichuan, so why the hell is she still tailing us?
Is she headed to the same destination? That can’t be.
I’d never seen that unruly woman take a proper route before.
Fine, I’ll just ignore her. Ignoring her is the solution.
…
The real challenge emerged that night when we stopped to camp.
After finally locating an adequate spot for our fire, I noticed another campfire flickering in the distance.
Lo and behold, it was none other than Namgung Bi-ah.
I had no clue where she found it, but she was roasting a frog skewered on a stick over her fire.
Her exaggerated beauty made it look like she was just mindlessly existing, yet somehow tragically pitiable.
It was blatantly obvious—she was following us.
And where in heaven’s name did she even obtain that frog?
I turned my head to dismiss her presence. My attention shifted back to Wi Seol-Ah, who was now running around with dumplings in hand. It looked like the servants had prepared a fresh batch for the guards.
I’d caught wind of the extraordinary claim that the guards’ fatigue vanished whenever Wi Seol-Ah offered them dumplings, and frankly, it wasn’t far from the truth.
“Young Master! Dumpling!”
I seized the dumpling Wi Seol-Ah handed me and chowed down.
Yeah… this dumpling really hit the spot.
…I’m thankful you’re here.
Feeling a twinge of hunger, I polished off a dumpling in no time. My stomach still felt slightly empty, so I decided to hunt for a few more.
Searching for Wi Seol-Ah, I suddenly thought,
“…Oh no, this isn’t good.”
Wi Seol-Ah had approached Namgung Bi-ah, offering her a dumpling.
Namgung Bi-ah appeared genuinely taken aback as she glanced at the dumpling, her surprise evident at being offered something.
“Would you like to have one too, pretty lady?”
“…Ah.”
I sprang up immediately, making my way over to Wi Seol-Ah.
Reaching them, I grasped her shoulders and pulled her back.
“What are you doing with an outsider?”
Wi Seol-Ah seemed slightly intimidated by my somewhat irritated tone.
“I mean… it’s sad to watch her wanting to eat a frog…”
“She probably just craves it; don’t act rashly and just go back.”
“Okay….”
Feeling sullen from being reprimanded, Wi Seol-Ah trudged back reluctantly.
Meanwhile, Namgung Bi-ah held her dumpling and glanced at me.
I turned my now-annoyed attention to her and asked.
“Why are you following us?”
“Because I have the same destination…”
“And don’t throw me that ridiculous excuse that we share the same destination.”
She fell silent, momentarily shocked as I correctly anticipated her response.
“I know you’re from the Namgung Clan.”
“Then… why didn’t you allow me to join your caravan?”
“Simply because I don’t feel like it. Just because you’re from the Namgung Clan doesn’t mean I’m obligated to accept you.”
“Oh…”
“What I don’t understand is why the esteemed Young Lady of the Namgung Clan dares to travel to such a distant land all by herself?”
I shivered at the chill running down my spine, yet I pressed on as it felt necessary…
Namgung Bi-ah nervously scratched her cheek with her non-dumpling hand. She appeared slightly awkward.
“…We all set out together, but… I lost track of them along the way…”
I couldn’t think of a proper reply.
She must have had an entourage, not to mention traveled in a carriage. How could she possibly get lost!?
If I hadn’t experienced her lunacy in my past life, I might never have comprehended this situation.
Visions of her confusion over distinguishing left from right flooded my mind.
The Demon Sword was undeniably cursed with a divine flaw of being utterly directionally challenged.
“We’re not going to Sichuan.”
“Really…? I had thought you were.”
So, the misguided girl seemed to have an oddly good sense of direction amidst all this chaos.
I cleared my throat and continued.
“…In any case, I won’t say anything about you following us, but please limit your actions to just that and nothing beyond it.”
I believed this should suffice.
No, it had to be.
In a rush to leave, Namgung Bi-ah halted me with her voice.
“Um, Young Master.”
“…What is it?”
“I’m Namgung Bi-ah.”
“…Yes, I know.”
Silence loomed between us as Namgung Bi-ah merely stared at me without uttering a word.
What do you even want me to do with your name?
After an awkward pause, Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head again before speaking, as though she made a revelation.
“Now that I’ve introduced myself, would you kindly tell me your name?”
“No-”
I intended to decline, feeling that revealing my name would further entangle me with her.
But then, an alternative approached my mind.
“My name is Gu Jeolyub.”
“Huh?”
“The Gu Clan’s Gu Jeolyub, Gu Jeolyub.”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded after hearing my name, as if making an effort to remember it.
…I’m so sorry, Jeolyub, but it seems I’ll be borrowing your name for a while.
A wave of guilt washed over me towards Gu Jeolyub, an emotion I never thought I’d experience.
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