Chapter 147
I stared at Wi Jigok after hearing an offer that made me doubt my own ears.
He did not look like he was joking.
He spoke gently.
“There is no need to think of entrusting yourself to us as anything difficult. I am not telling you to join the Alliance. It may be easier to think of it as becoming a guest retainer. You may stay until the old man comes looking for you.”
“Ah... well...”
My lips moved wordlessly, and I curled my hands into fists inside my sleeves.
The name of the Martial Alliance would make an excellent shield. If I entrusted myself to them, my immediate safety would be guaranteed.
But what came after that?
Over the past two years, I had learned exactly what price came with relying on someone and growing complacent.
I had no intention of repeating the same mistake.
The fact that he set the limit as “until Grandpa comes looking for me” was suspicious too.
It felt as if he planned to take credit later, saying the Alliance had been looking after me when Grandpa finished his seclusion.
If Wi Jigok was trying to use me as bait to draw Grandpa in, just as Beopgong had said, I had no desire to dance to his tune.
I tried not to let my brows knit as I answered.
“It is a little startling to hear you say you will protect me when you were hooking me on a fishing line and shaking me around just moments ago.”
“Hoho. It is not a bad offer, yet you are being overly guarded.”
“I was taught that the martial world is a cold-hearted place, so I should trust no one.”
“Did the old man tell you that? Then you learned properly.”
Wi Jigok replied while twisting his beard around his fingers.
“Well... I am not trying to force you, so there is no need to be so sharp. Being hunted cannot have been a pleasant experience. You will need time.”
“...”
“This old man merely wishes to give you an option. That way, I will have face before the old man as well. Come whenever you wish, young lady.”
Wi Jigok closed his mouth as though it were nothing important and began gently scattering groundbait near the fishing rod.
He was probably trying to gather fish, but it felt like he was trying to hook me instead, leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth.
He grinds his teeth in rage the moment he sees my green robe, yet he still cares about losing face before Grandpa?
Strange.
It feels more like he is afraid of lightning striking if he does not help me.
I studied him with suspicious eyes.
“Martial Alliance Lord. Did Grandpa ask you in advance to look after me?”
“...Ahem, khm!”
I knew it!
This old man was trying to scam me!
Once I realized he had belatedly crawled out, pretended ignorance, and tried to {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} make me feel indebted to him, I was so dumbfounded I could not speak.
Thinking back, Grandpa had definitely left arrangements for me.
The letters Grandpa wrote right before entering seclusion numbered in the dozens, and those were only the ones I saw. Even if I did not know the exact contents, they must have been asking others to take care of me.
Yet aside from Tang Geunmyeong, not a single person had helped me.
Even taking into account people like the Ghost-Hand Divine Therapist, who burned the letter without reading it, or situations where the letter never reached the intended person, the number made no sense.
In other words, they had all ignored him.
Because they had nothing to gain by helping me.
Right. When a minister’s dog dies, people come to pay respects, but when the minister himself dies, no one comes. Who would bother playing nursemaid when they had no idea when Grandpa would finish his seclusion?
...Still, that pisses me off.
When my expression twisted, Wi Jigok chuckled and tried to soothe me.
“That is not the only reason. Recommending a talented promising young talent is also an important duty of the Alliance. Have you not already proven your ability?”
“I have?”
“You do not know what it means to slip free of the Alliance’s pursuit. They were not an official combat unit, but the Sword Immortal’s disciple is a skilled figure hard to believe as someone newly entering the martial world. The Black Moon Unit goes without saying. And you escaped the grasp of Captain Peng, the strongest among the Dragon-Phoenix Division’s three captains, did you not?”
He knows perfectly well Peng Jiyun let me go.
Wi Jigok continued pouring out smooth, honeyed words as though trying to put me in a better mood.
His slyness made me understand why Grandpa had recoiled from him so badly.
When nothing he said drew a good reaction from me, Wi Jigok made a great show of reeling in the fishing rod.
“Oh my, something useful has finally been caught. Will this size do?”
He waved the fish he had caught right in front of my face as though urging me to look.
A crucian carp the size of a small child thrashed on the hook. It was so large it would barely fit into the basket.
I glared at the fish with cold eyes, then barely managed to nod.
*****
After spending a long time trying to soothe me, Wi Jigok left after giving me a personal recommendation letter written by the Martial Alliance Lord himself and an entry token for the Martial Alliance.
“Come find me whenever you need help. This old man will do everything within his power.”
Seeing him repeatedly insist he would help with anything before leaving, it seemed he was worried that the little scheme he had pulled would reach Grandpa’s ears.
Surviving in the Central Plains really was not easy.
Every single person was trying to use me.
I let out a deep sigh and looked at Cane, who was distracted by its new toy.
“Cane. Do you like that?”
“Kii.”
“That is emergency money, so don’t lose it.”
“Kyuu.”
The creature seemed to like the night-luminous pearl Wi Jigok had given me and refused to let go of it, clutching it tightly in its front paws.
Considering how much it had liked the Peng Clan’s jade badge too, it seemed able to distinguish expensive stones with uncanny accuracy.
Should I have it appraise jewels later?
It feels like it would be good at it.
As I walked while thinking such useless thoughts, I soon arrived back at the inn.
The inn runner sweeping the yard bowed his head when he saw me.
“You’re back, young lady. Did you catch any fish—eek! You caught one that big?”
“I had some help. Would it be all right if I made a fire in the yard? I would also like to borrow a large pot.”
When I asked while holding out a few copper coins, the inn runner’s face brightened, and he quickly answered.
“I will light it for you. Please wait just a moment.”
He swiftly built a makeshift stove and set a large pot over it, big enough to hold the crucian carp.
Once I chopped the medicinal ingredients into large pieces and started boiling everything vigorously, the fishy smell spread.
Drawn outside by the awful stench, Yeon Ryang examined the pot and let out an exclamation.
“Wow. You brought back an enormous one. How did you catch something like this?”
“The Martial Alliance Lord caught it for me.”
“...Who?”
“The Martial Alliance Lord. He had followed us all the way here. He even cleaned it for me.”
“What in the—!”
“Sohae. What are you doing? It smells bad.”
Yang Gyojin appeared from somewhere as well, pinching her nose while peering into the pot.
Yeon Ryang looked serious and seemed to choose his words, but then he became aware of Yang Gyojin and closed his mouth.
“This is not something you eat for flavor. It is medicine.”
I shrugged and covered the pot.
At that moment, the small wooden box I had tucked into my sleeve fell to the ground with a clack.
Yang Gyojin picked up the wooden box and sniffed it.
“Ooh, it smells good. Is this spiritual medicine?”
“Hey, don’t covet it. It’s mine.”
“What is it? Can’t you give me half?”
“Do you think I can? It’s the Wi Family’s secret spirit pill. Shoo. Go away. Shoo.”
Yang Gyojin smacked her lips with regret and handed the wooden box back to me.
At the same time, one of Yeon Ryang’s brows twisted.
“The Wi Family’s spirit pill? Sohae, what did you go out and do?”
“I’ll tell you later, Brother.”
Yeon Ryang folded his arms with a displeased expression and nodded.
He looked like he wanted to question me immediately, but he seemed to hold back because we were not alone.
Oblivious to the subtle tension, Yang Gyojin asked cheerfully.
“Sohae. What is that stone your sable is playing with? It’s glowing.”
“A night-luminous pearl.”
Yeon Ryang looked at Cane rolling around while hugging the night-luminous pearl, and his face now looked as if he might faint.
“What is that now? Where did you get a night-luminous pearl?”
“That was from the Martial Alliance Lord too.”
“What?”
Yeon Ryang jumped in shock and stepped closer, lowering his voice.
“No, why? For what reason? Sohae, did you get some kind of weakness on that old man? Did you threaten him?”
“Threaten him? I didn’t do anything, Brother.”
“Then why did he leave rare treasures behind? You stripped him clean of a night-luminous pearl and a spirit pill. Sohae! You cannot keep acting like a demon lord! You are from an orthodox faction!”
“I’m telling the truth. I didn’t do anything.”
I swore to heaven, I had done nothing.
I had merely kept staring at Wi Jigok with the sullen expression Grandpa always made.
I had not even asked him for anything. He kept taking things out, so I took them all. That was all.
I stood proud.
Yeon Ryang opened and closed his mouth. Then, as if he were going mad, he clutched at his hair before dropping his head helplessly.
His hunched shoulders somehow looked sorrowful.
*****
Namgung Hwi stood at the bow of the ship, looking down at the water shimmering gold.
The face of a boy wearing a hero’s headscarf rippled over the sunset-lit river.
Unlike his youthful face, his long, well-grown limbs were beginning to carry the shape of a man.
The hands revealed beneath his long sleeves were covered in calluses and scars.
They were the hands of a swordsman.
When he slowly brushed his hair back, the red knot ornament tied around his wrist fluttered in the wind.
“Hwi. The wind is cold. What are you doing out here?”
“Eldest Sister.”
Namgung Hwi turned at Namgung Yo’s call and smiled, his eyes curving.
Standing beside him at the bow, Namgung Yo patted his shoulder and said,
“You should rest while you can. Once the river-bandit suppression begins, you won’t even have time to sleep.”
“I was feeling a little stifled. I’ll go in soon.”
“Are you nervous?”
Namgung Hwi slowly shook his head.
He was not nervous.
He had continued doing acts of chivalry, large and small, even in Anhui, so a river-bandit suppression should not be particularly different.
It was just...
He felt frustrated with himself for worrying that a reply might arrive while he was away, and for still waiting for a letter that would never be answered.
When his expression sank, Namgung Yo smiled brightly and asked,
“Should we stop by Wuhan on the way back? It is about time our Hwi visited the Martial Alliance main headquarters too.”
“Haha. If we stop by Wuhan, Yeona will make a huge fuss, saying we went without her.”
“Of course we’ll go without telling Yeona. You have already held your coming-of-age ceremony now, Hwi, so you should have a drink as well. Shouldn’t you climb Yellow Crane Tower and have a cup of Hanfen liquor?”
Namgung Yo’s face was full of mischief as she winked.
“So let’s go inside now. You’ll catch a cold. Keeping your body in peak condition is also one of a martial artist’s virtues.”
“Yes, Sister.”
Nodding at her affectionate pat, Namgung Hwi followed his sister back inside.