Translator: Nox

Ch#30

“Haah!”

Today was the same nightmare as yesterday.

Jeok I-geon, drenched in blood, slaughtering martial artists in the middle of a blood-soaked forest.

As the pile of corpses grew higher, his laughter only grew wilder and louder.

Ever since I witnessed Jeok I-geon’s first kill two days ago, falling asleep had been an ordeal.

I didn’t even dare hope for a good night’s sleep.

I only wanted to escape this blood-splattered nightmare.

I shouldn’t have looked.

Even though I knew it was far too late, I regretted keeping my eyes open with every passing second.

What made it even harder for me was having to hide my inner turmoil and pretend everything was fine.

In the original novel, there were those who reacted poorly to Jeok I-geon’s cruelty, retching or breaking into fits of terror.

Naturally, Jeok I-geon had despised them, and most of them met a gruesome end.

To survive and return home safely, I was putting on the performance of my life, pretending to be perfectly fine.

Of course, despite my best efforts, fooling the likes of Jeok I-geon and Cheon Gang was no easy feat.

“Do you have no appetite?”

When I merely picked at my food, unable to eat as I usually did, Jeok I-geon stared at me with a questioning look.

I had lost my appetite because the sight of exploding heads kept playing on an endless loop in my mind. Since I couldn’t exactly tell him that, I had no choice but to make the excuse that the long journey had exhausted me.

At that, as if he had been waiting for the cue, Cheon Gang raised his hand and summoned the server.

“I shall order something else.”

“Something nourishing would be best.”

No, thank you.

Right now, I wouldn’t even be able to swallow spicy tteokbokki and fish cake soup.

Even fried chicken and beer wouldn’t go down.

They were my absolute favorite, sorely missed foods, but in this state, even they would be useless.

Unfortunately, as a mere maid, I had no right to refuse.

A moment later, some kind of stew was placed on the table.

Ugh.

Of all things, why did the broth have to be blood-red?

I barely held back the urge to gag through sheer, superhuman willpower. The moment the meal was over, I practically fled to my room.

I didn’t know how long it would take, but what I needed most was time.

After all, they say humans are creatures of forgetfulness.

Surely, the day would come when the memory would finally fade.

Until then, no matter how difficult, I had no choice but to endure.

“Maybe I should get some fresh air.”

I had broken out in a cold sweat during my nightmare, and my whole body felt sticky.

I wished I could take a bath, but unfortunately, it was the middle of the night.

I slid off the bed and threw the window wide open.

“Ah, that’s refreshing.”

The night air was pleasantly brisk.

Since going back to sleep is out of the question, I might as well practice my cultivation meditation.

I had been maintaining my physical condition by using my inner energy cultivation technique to offset the poor sleep caused by my nightmares.

Our days followed a strict pattern: we spent most of our time running at high speeds using the Demon Emperor’s Soaring Sky Technique, and when night fell, we stopped at an inn to eat and sleep.

This meant I had to keep my wits about me if I wanted to keep up with Jeok I-geon and Cheon Gang.

Jeok I-geon was a cruel monster by nature.

Just because he occasionally showed me a sliver of kindness, I must never forget that fact.

I repeated it to myself like a mantra, desperately trying to erase what I had witnessed from my mind.

It was right when I was deeply immersed in my meditation.

My senses, which had been stretched to their absolute limit, caught a foreign presence.

He really came!

I had my doubts, but to think he would actually seek me out.

Sensing the presence stealthily approaching through the open window, I felt like crying out in sheer relief.

But if I did that, Cheon Gang, who was sleeping in the room opposite mine, would break down the door and barge in.

I had to prevent that at all costs.

Because I wanted to save him, no matter what.

What a blessing it was that Jeok I-geon slipped away to the nearby mountains every night to tame the Pacheonsingeom.

Though this guy had likely chosen this specific hour because he knew that, too.

Welcome, you adorable romantic.

I deliberately dragged a chair to the center of the room and sat down, facing the window directly.

Waving and greeting a thief who had sneaked in to steal the Honghwan in the dead of night?

Any ordinary thief would have fled in panic, but if my understanding of his character was correct, he would definitely find me intriguing.

Confident as he was in his movement arts, which he took pride in above all else.

“……!”

Finally, he revealed himself.

He leaped lightly over the windowsill, landing soundlessly inside, only to freeze like a stone statue the moment he spotted me.

I raised a hand to greet him.

“Hello there.”

“…”

“I didn’t mean to startle you, but if I did, I apologize. Sorry about that.”

“…It seems you were waiting for me.”

Just as expected, he didn’t run away.

Though caught off guard by the unexpected situation, he leaned back against the wall with crossed arms, looking as though he had everything under control.

Putting on a show of effortless composure—that was the exact Yeon U-seong I knew.

“Did I make it that obvious?”

“Incredibly so. You’ve been following me since the Black Market, after all.”

It was a bluff.

Until a moment ago, I had been half-doubting whether Yeon U-seong would actually come looking for me.

His stealth techniques were top-tier, even in the original novel.

“Wow, my pride is wounded. This is the first time I’ve ever been caught tailing someone.”

“It’s because of this, isn’t it?”

When I lifted my arm to show him the Honghwan, Yeon U-seong scratched his temple and asked.

“This makes absolutely no sense, but why do I get the feeling you already know who I am?”

“Yeon U-seong. Nineteen years old. Young Master of the Yueyang Yeon Family. The reason you need the Honghwan is because you fell in love with Dang Hye-un at first sight at the Rising Stars gathering. The money you brought was far from enough, wasn’t it? Shall I go on?”

The longer I spoke, the stiffer Yeon U-seong’s expression became.

“Who are you?”

He yanked down the black cloth masking the lower half of his face and glared at me.

“Well, how should I explain who I am? The story is far too long and complicated.”

“Which sect do you belong to? I don’t recall seeing you at the Rising Stars gathering.”

“Of course you don’t. I never went.”

“Then how do you know so much about me? My feelings for Miss Dang are a secret that absolutely no one knows. Could it be… you have a crush on me and are trying to use this to get to me…!”

“Stop right there with the delusions. You shouldn’t misunderstand someone who is trying to help you win over Dang Hye-un.”

“…Are you and Miss Dang acquainted?”

“Otherwise, how would I know who you are? I heard about you from Hye-un.”

“Miss Dang spoke about me? May I ask what she said?”

The moment I claimed to know Dang Hye-un, his manner of speech shifted instantly.

They said he was utterly blinded by love, and it was true—he looked ready to believe whatever I said without a shred of suspicion.

“I don’t know about anything else, but I can tell you this much: a bracelet like this won’t win Hye-un’s heart. She isn’t the type to blindly accept such a gift anyway, is she?”

And that was the truth.

In the original novel, Yeon U-seong succeeded in acquiring the Honghwan, but he was never able to give it to Dang Hye-un.

Instead, his attempts to win her over with such an expensive item only succeeded in alienating her.

Though he would one day be hailed as a great hero who saved countless lives, at this point, Yeon U-seong was nothing more than a clumsy, impetuous boy whose feelings outpaced his sense.

In the end, his love had gone unrequited.

But did Dang Hye-un truly dislike him?

Not at all.

While the Yeon Family’s reputation soared with each passing day, the Dang Family’s prestige was crumbling, leaving them on the verge of being cast out from the Five Great Families.

Simply put, as the daughter of a declining clan, she felt she had no right to covet the son of a prominent household.

Thus, the Honghwan had naturally fallen into Yeon U-seong’s hands, allowing him to become an extraordinary master at a young age.

But as fate would have it, the Honghwan was now mine.

He could still diligently train in the Yeon Family’s martial arts to eventually become a master of the Murim, but without this artifact, achieving that height within a few short years was now out of the question.

Since I felt a bit guilty about it, perhaps I could help him in another way?

“Take this.”

I handed Yeon U-seong a note I had prepared earlier that afternoon.

“What is this?”

“Reading it will help you understand Hye-un in more ways than one.”

“…Is something about Miss Dang written here?”

“It might be hard to believe, but I’m someone who genuinely wants you and Hye-un to be together. It’s an honor to help you, even if only in this small way. I assure you, that note will be infinitely more valuable to you than the Honghwan.”

Yeon U-seong hurriedly unfolded the paper.

As he scanned the contents, his eyes widened with shock.

And why wouldn’t they?

Written upon the paper were Dang Hye-un’s personality quirks, her core values, her favorite haunts, and her likes and dislikes—all detailed with meticulous precision.

Unless Yeon U-seong was a complete fool, he would easily be able to use this information to cross paths with her.

And with a bit of luck, love would naturally blossom.

“…May I ask your name, my lady?”

Took you long enough to ask.

“Seol-ha. My name is Seol-ha.”

Since we weren’t likely to meet again, sharing my name shouldn’t hurt.

“Please don’t mention me to Hye-un. I’d rather avoid any unnecessary gossip.”

“Do not worry about that.”

“Now, would our midnight guest please take his leave? A rather terrifying individual will be returning soon.”

I couldn’t afford to linger; there was no telling when Jeok I-geon might return.

Sensing my urgency, Yeon U-seong cast one last lingering look before swiftly throwing himself out of the window.

For the first time, I had altered the original plot of my own accord.

Whether this would turn out to be a blessing or a curse was yet to be seen, but I genuinely rooted for the two of them.

Watching two people who clearly loved each other constantly miss their chance was truly painful to watch.

Sometimes, even Cupid needs a little help.