The next morning, when Ryuhyun arrived, Hongryeon observed Yu Wol’s expression. Despite what had happened yesterday, he showed no change in his demeanor.
That must mean he trusts Hongseong.
That must mean he relies on me.
My heart is racing.
The burden and fear of possibly losing him completely faded away when he held me.
His strong arms, twice as thick as mine, and broad chest, combined with a hint of tobacco scent and his intense body odor, were irresistibly captivating enough to keep Hongryeon awake at night.
“Ugh…”
“Senior Sister?”
“Huh? Ah. It’s nothing. I’m counting on you today.”
“Hehe. Yes. Understood.”
As Ryuhyun greeted Yu Wol, Hongryeon felt herself blush slightly as he approached. Even with so many eyes on them, she still wanted to feel him close like yesterday. Ah, what should I do? Should I pretend my legs are weak and lean on him? Or maybe…
“…Ryeon.”
Should I just close my eyes and go for the hug? Didn’t he say I could lean on him when times are tough? Not that I’m particularly struggling, but still…
“Hongryeon.”
“Y-Yes?!”
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
What am I thinking about?
Hongryeon recalled the content of the romance novel she had read. Being held by the one she liked in front of many people while receiving their congratulations and sharing a passionate, intense kiss…
Without realizing it, as she leaned in towards his lips, Hongryeon swallowed hard.
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
But that can’t happen. A novel is just a novel, isn’t it?
“Hmm. Are you okay? Do you have a fever…?”
As his hand brushed against her forehead, Hongryeon felt her heart race even more. Her lips began to dry up.
“Don’t overexert yourself. If the sleeping conditions weren’t good, I can move you to another room.”
“…W-Well, that wasn’t it.”
“Is that so? Good to hear. Anyway… let’s meet again next time. Train well.”
“Hehe. Yes.”
With his encouragement, Hongryeon smiled brightly.
Right. This isn’t the time for thoughts like that.
Even though she wasn’t particularly worried about the tournament with Cheonhwa Palace, she certainly couldn’t let her guard down.
The fact that they came to propose a tournament means they’re confident in their own strength, too.
She needed to become stronger.
Hongryeon glanced at Yu Wol.
“…I’ll win.”
The small voice echoing inside her was a declaration and a vow. It was her confidence that she wouldn’t let him go elsewhere, and it was also her hope.
Therefore, Hongryeon looked at Yu Wol with a blossoming smile, like cherry blossoms in spring.
She looked on.
“For you.”
Returning to Hongseong, Hongryeon immediately sought out the Sword Saint. The Sword Saint, who had been meditating alone in the garden, expressed disbelief upon hearing the events from the previous night.
“So, the lady of Cheonhwa Palace wants to take him away?”
“If we lose, that’s what they’ll do.”
The Sword Saint felt as if she had been doused with icy cold water. Of all people, they were taking Yu Wol?
How could she not feel uneasy about that?
“Master, you’re not pleased either, are you?”
“…That goes without saying.”
Of course, she knew Yu Wol wasn’t the type to be swayed by women, but the thought of him going somewhere out of her reach was quite unsettling.
“Wait, why is he…”
“For Hongseong, I suppose…”
“Sigh.”
Did she bring up her and her disciples’ skills for no good reason?
He was a man she couldn’t underestimate.
From now on, she’d have to be careful, the Sword Saint resolved inwardly.
‘It seems unlikely, though.’
His slightly low voice could stir the heart more than any martial arts could, making one lose focus.
This is why first love is terrifying.
There was a time when one of the disciples mentioned it, and she thought it was nonsense, but here she was, understanding it now.
Still, it was a relief that it didn’t feel entirely bad.
“Sigh. Anyway, we just have to win.”
“Exactly.”
“But if Cheonhwa Palace set such conditions, they are determined to train hard.”
“Yes… It seems that way.”
The Sword Saint nodded seriously. It was already a done deal, and since he had made a choice, there was no turning back.
Also, for the sake of Hongseong, defeat was not an option.
Thus, she stood up and told Hongryeon, “Gather all the disciples. We’re starting intense training now.”
“Yes!”
When the disciples gathered in the training hall, the Sword Saint calmly relayed the tale she had heard from Hongryeon.
That the lady of Cheonhwa Palace and Yu Wol had made a wager regarding the outcome of the duel.
And if Yu Wol wins, he would receive the Cheonhwa Divine Token and the Sealing Talismans from Cheonhwa Palace.
If he loses, he would have to go to Cheonhwa Palace to fulfill their requests.
“Wait… Why would the Innkeeper do that?”
From Yu Wol’s perspective, there wouldn’t be much benefit for Hongseong whether they won or lost.
Still, Yoohee couldn’t comprehend why he would take such risks and make a wager with the lady of Cheonhwa Palace.
“…Is it for us?”
Everyone fell silent at Sayoon’s words.
It’s always like this.
He consistently tries to help Hongseong.
That sentiment pierced the hearts of the disciples of Hongseong.
It pierced my heart.
“That being said, we absolutely cannot lose.”
The Sword Saint spoke calmly, yet her voice brimmed with determination.
No disciple dared to deny her words.
He had trusted them and made that wager.
So, would they betray that trust?
“I never planned on losing anyway, but now it’s different. We will definitely win. But for that to happen, you all will need to suffer a bit. Are you okay with that?”
There wasn’t a single disciple here who would refuse her proposal. Everyone felt gratitude towards Yu Wol.
Hongryeon was startled as she looked at her fellow disciples. Everyone’s spirit was ablaze.
‘Was he aiming for something like this?’
A powerful will becomes the driving force of action.
No matter how correct the path may be, achieving it isn’t easy.
That’s why many martial artists would train their minds in pursuit of that driving force.
In that sense, Yu Wol’s wager with the Lady of Cheonhwa Palace had ignited a fire in the spirits of her disciples.
Even if he won this bet, there was little to gain.
Everything was for the sake of Hongseong, and even if he lost, the burden would fall upon him, making his disciples’ resolve even stronger.
Hongryeon smirked at her fellow disciples, their determination shining brightly in their eyes.
Whether he intended this reaction or not, it didn’t matter.
As long as they win.
“Alright. Then let’s start training from now on. But no injuries during training.”
With the Sword Saint also participating in the training, the disciples quickly warmed up. Hongryeon, who was watching, also began to loosen up and said,
“Chaejin will come to spar with you all, so stay on your toes!!”
With yet another reason to win added to Hongseong’s determination, they welcomed the morning.
*
While the fact that the fate of Hongseong was at stake didn’t deter martial artists from coming, it did reduce the number of fights significantly. In fact, the fights had completely disappeared.
Thanks to this, the atmosphere in the inn was quite pleasant.
“Are you the Innkeeper?”
“Two nyang for the meal.”
“Ah, right.”
After finishing their meal, two martial artists paid their bill cleanly.
Then they straightened up and seriously asked me,
“Do you perhaps know how to capture a Nacheol bird?”
“Nacheol bird? Has one appeared?”
“Um, yes. Ah, let me introduce myself first. I’m Gwaecheon from Hyeongju. This is my partner and lover, Sumi-ryeon.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Gwaecheon and Sumi-ryeon. I hadn’t seen them in Heavenly Bright Moon, but they were names I heard while talking with Hano.
They were renowned monster hunters and currently the successors of the now-destroyed Taoist sect, Cheongjindang.
They say they are the successors to the 청진당, a sect of the 도가 lineage.
These folks have a strong orthodox tendency, and when they see poor people in danger, they catch evil monsters without asking for a bounty.
“There’s a village called 양구기촌 if you go south for about a league from here, and there are rumors about a 나찰조 appearing in that village.”
“I see. A 나찰조, huh…”
How do you catch a 나찰조? I pondered for a moment and then shared my knowledge.
“According to 귀진자’s ‘요재총람’, 나찰조 eats humans, but its favorite snack is 비두만. If you capture a 비두만 alive and feed it poison, then release it where the 나찰조 is, the 나찰조 will show up. Once it eats the 비두만 and gets poisoned, catching it becomes easier. However, since 나찰조 has a resistance to poison, just using poison alone might not be effective. So, when you feed the 비두만 poison, it’s better to mix in 천일취’s powder to make it feel a bit tipsy.”
You can get 천일취’s powder at 양위성, but you’ll have to find your own poison.
“And the 나찰조 can call down thunder, so be ready for that. Also, when its wings flap widely, it’ll launch a feather attack that hits like a strong barrage, so be careful. And…”
“Oh…”
They quickly wrote down everything I said. Then, with bright smiles, they clasped their hands.
“If we catch the 나찰조, we will definitely come back to reward you.”
“I hope you return safely. And if possible, could you bring me the 나찰조’s claws? I’ll pay a good price for them.”
“Haha! If we follow the innkeeper’s advice and catch it easily, how could we expect a reward? Still, thank you very much.”
The two monster hunters bowed to me as they left.
Watching them, 채진 approached and smiled.
“Is it okay to give away such information so casually?”
“If they can catch the monsters more easily, it’ll benefit the people, so isn’t that a good thing? Plus, I can get some materials too.”
“What do you plan to do with those materials?”
“I have a lot of things to make.”
Like gear, potions, and talismans.
I can’t make them myself, but there are people around who can, so I could supply the materials.
I thought as I watched them walk away. If I get the 나찰조’s claws…
Just then, several martial artists approached me, maintaining the most polite demeanor.
“Um… we have something we’d like to ask…”
Seeing them seeking guidance on monster strategies or weaknesses, I nodded.
“Line up.”
Their eyes sparkled, and I smiled.
Preparations for the script were progressingly moving along.
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