Chapter 79
79
The winter forest after sunset exuded an eerie atmosphere.
Each time the wind blew, the frozen branches collided, creating a desolate sound.
I was warming my hands by the bonfire when I tilted my head, puzzled.
Yeon-ryang, with his back to the fire, was staring into the darkness.
“What are you doing?”
“I need to do this to see enemies approaching. If your eyes get used to the light, you won’t be able to see enemies in the dark.”
“Ah.”
I awkwardly chimed in and huddled up.
He seemed used to sleeping outdoors like this. Or perhaps he was used to being ambushed.
Realizing he was a seasoned Martial Artist, I was overcome with anxiety again. My chest felt heavy and my stomach was bloated.
Can I trust him?
The Wanderer group had become dirt for one grave, but that didn’t mean the pursuit against me was over.
Another Wanderer might come after the Yuju Merchant Guild’s bounty, or my kin who killed Gu Gyeong-cheon might send an Assassin.
I couldn’t rule out the possibility that Yeon-ryang might become a Wanderer seeking that bounty.
To him, I was like an uncashed lottery ticket. My safety depended on Yeon-ryang’s whim.
Just as Dang Jung’s Ten Thousand Poisons Pill had returned to me, there was no guarantee that Yeon-ryang, who had been playing the Good Role, wouldn’t become the Villain Role.
I glanced at Yeon-ryang and fidgeted with my fingers. His offer to help was nothing but suspicious.
Yeon-ryang, who had been silently staring at the empty air, plucked a handful of dried grass and drew his sword.
Wondering what he was doing, I rolled my eyes and let out a hollow laugh.
He was roughly rolling the grass and wiping the impurities off the blade.
…I’ve never seen anyone clean a sword with grass before.
There was nothing better than weapon maintenance to pass the time. I averted my gaze and began to maintain my Hidden Weapons.
I sharpened the blunted edges on a whetstone and wiped them with an oiled cloth. As I oiled the last Hidden Weapon and shook it off, Yeon-ryang muttered.
“You’re quite skilled?”
Yeon-ryang, who had turned around at some point, was looking at me with curious eyes.
“Shall I sharpen yours?”
“I’ll pass, Miss. No swordsman hands his sword to another.”
“Ah. Okay.”
The words, ‘Isn’t that just an unmaintained iron bar?’ almost reached my throat, but I didn’t bother to say them out loud.
Yeon-ryang’s sword, chipped and rusted in places, looked dangerous enough to cause metal poisoning just by touching it.
It was amazing that he had beheaded someone with that blunt blade.
Suddenly, the sound of something rolling across the ground came to mind, and my hairs stood on end. I hurriedly shook my head.
It was a scene that wouldn’t do me any good to dwell on. I needed to think about something else.
Biting my lip, I counted the number of Hidden Weapons and realized that one Flying Dagger was missing.
I wondered if I was mistaken and counted again, but it was the same. One was missing.
Ah… Dang Cho-hui gave it to me.
Regretfully, I didn’t have the time to go looking for the lost Flying Dagger. I smiled bitterly and put the Hidden Weapons away.
Yeon-ryang, who had been watching me with his chin propped up, asked.
“Is this your first time in Jianghu?”
“As you can see.”
When I readily nodded, Yeon-ryang chuckled as if he expected it.
“I asked because it seemed that way. Your Inner Energy is more than double that of your peers, but you seem to have no practical experience. I thought you were a Precious Child who had been raised with Elixir.”
I wasn’t a Precious Child, but my grandfather had taken good care of me.
“Still, it’s too much to have that much Inner Energy and not be able to use even half of it. Miss. The Elixir you swallowed must be upset.”
“…I know, so be quiet.”
“If you don’t want to be a pearl necklace on a pig, shouldn’t you train harder?”
I know, so stop insulting me. Yeon-ryang, you’re a fact-bombing machine.
When I glared at him, Yeon-ryang feigned fear and leaned back.
“Yikes. If I say one more word, I’ll get a Poison Needle in my forehead.”
“You speak so irritatingly.”
“How could I? You’re mistaken. Miss. You’ll hardly find an Unorthodox guy as cultured as me.”
If that culture was Inciting Tactics, then he was overflowing with culture.
I gave an awkward smile and stared at Yeon-ryang. I was suspicious of his overly friendly behavior, and my mouth felt dry.
Clearing my throat, I said bluntly as if drawing a line.
“Um, I’d like to talk about the payment again.”
“Sure. Where did we leave off?”
“Three silver coins a day…”
“Right. Two silver coins a day. That’s enough.”
Yeon-ryang interrupted me and gave a warm smile. It was less than the amount he had initially offered.
Confused, I licked my lips and met his gaze.
I couldn’t read any ulterior motives in his dark eyes. Only pure goodwill.
That’s what made it even more frustrating.
I opened and closed my mouth, then frowned as I touched my forehead.
“Why?”
“What?”
“You said three at first. You’ve seen my situation, so you should be raising the payment, not lowering it. Unless you’re trying to reassure me before selling me off, why are you trying to accompany me?”
At my sharp question, Yeon-ryang blinked as if I was talking nonsense.
“You said you didn’t want to die.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you didn’t want to die, Miss.”
“…Yes?”
“I was like that at that age too. I didn’t want to die. I wished every day that someone would appear and help me not die.”
He murmured in a calm, subdued voice.
“I just remembered that time… That’s why. There’s no other reason. Well, not letting your guard down is a good attitude. Miss. You’re wise.”
Yeon-ryang chuckled and looked up at the sky.
He still had a smile on his face, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
I was momentarily speechless.
If I didn’t know Yeon-ryang’s past, I would have thought it was a trick to reassure me.
But I knew what he had gone through after being kidnapped by the Demonic Sect.
He saw his past self in me, who was dying. The time when he endured the Demonic Sect’s terrible training, hoping that someone would save him.
Yeon-ryang, who had closed his mouth, clenched and unclenched his fists as if trying to shake off the bitter memories.
His hand, which I glimpsed, was blue with bulging veins.
“Kyuu…”
Ju-ryeong, who had been waddling over, rubbed his face against Yeon-ryang’s hand as if to comfort him.
“Yes, you furball. You’re so kind.”
Yeon-ryang’s voice, as he stroked Ju-ryeong as if trying to be cheerful, was slightly hoarse.
I opened and closed my mouth, then averted my gaze to the bonfire, pretending not to notice. My face felt hot, perhaps because of the fiercely burning flames.
I felt like I could understand his heart a little, just a little.
Yeon-ryang, who had been watching my expression, said gently as if coaxing his youngest sibling.
“Anyway, you should get some sleep. Miss. You probably didn’t eat enough today, so you should at least get some sleep, right?”
“…Yes.”
I answered obediently and carefully lay down. I closed my eyes, but of course, I couldn’t fall asleep.
Only the sound of the crackling sparks became clearer.
When I opened my eyes, it was dawn with the starlight still lingering.
Surprised that I had dozed off, I jumped up, and Ju-ryeong cried softly as if asking if I was awake.
“Kyuu.”
The bonfire and belongings were still there, but Yeon-ryang was nowhere to be seen.
Where did he go? Don’t tell me he’s trying to hand me over to the Yuju Merchant Guild…
I breathed roughly and searched for traces of Yeon-ryang, then felt relieved at the presence I sensed in the distance.
It seemed he had left for a while.
Relieved, I straightened my clothes, and Ju-ryeong scurried up onto my shoulder.
I gently stroked the creature’s head and walked towards where I sensed Yeon-ryang’s presence.
Beyond the bare branches, I saw a fierce sword energy shining sharply.
Yeon-ryang’s sword, cutting through the darkness-filled forest, resembled the flapping wings of a soaring bird of prey.
He was training.
I hurriedly tried to retreat, but Yeon-ryang, sensing my presence, lowered his sword diagonally.
“You shouldn’t peek at another Martial Artist’s training, Miss.”
“Ah. I’m sorry.”
Despite my quick apology, Yeon-ryang seemed displeased. He frowned and put his sword back into its scabbard.
“You should be careful in other places. You could be Slaughter the Entire Family if you’re not careful.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Well, I’m a cultured Unorthodox guy, so I’ll let it slide.”
Yeon-ryang replied lightly and stretched. He had a playful look on his face, as if he had never been displeased.
“More importantly, you woke up early? I thought you’d sleep more.”
“I slept enough. Did my benefactor get some sleep?”
“Yeon-ryang.”
“Yes?”
“Call me Yeon-ryang. If you’re uncomfortable calling me by my name, you can call me Older Brother.”
At the flustered suggestion, I raised my eyebrows, and Yeon-ryang chuckled.
“Miss. I’ll be upset if you look at me like I’m a pervert. How old do you think I am? I’m not trash, I wouldn’t have ulterior motives towards you.”
“The honorifics are overflowing with ulterior motives, though.”
“I’m not interested in kids. And shouldn’t we look like siblings on the outside so we don’t get misunderstood?”
It was a valid argument. After a moment of consideration, I nodded.
“Okay. Older Brother.”
“Good. Much better.”
Yeon-ryang, with a satisfied expression, gestured towards the stream with his chin.
“Then, Sister, you must be hungry, so let’s catch some fish.”
“Fish?”
“We have to eat breakfast before we move, right? There are no houses nearby. We won’t be able to rest at an inn until tomorrow evening.”
Then, he began to break the frozen stream with his scabbard.
With a cracking sound, scabbard-shaped holes were punched into the ice. Below, I could see fish fleeing in a hurry.
“How many should we catch?”
“Well, they’re small fry, so we’ll need to catch about six to be full. It would be lucky if we caught even one, though. I’m not good at fishing.”
“Ah. Okay.”
I nodded and picked up a few appropriately sized stones from the ground.
Unfortunately or fortunately, I was confident in my fishing skills.
“Miss. No, Sister. What are you going to do with those stones?”
“Fishing.”
“…Huh?”
Yeon-ryang narrowed his eyes as if he had heard something strange. I silently reached out to the stream.
