Chapter 8 :

Chapter 8. The Third-Rate Warrior Who Protects His Sect’s Honor (2)

“I was too flustered earlier, so my greeting was late. I am Seong Moran of the Iron Sword Sect.”

When her crescent-like eyebrows curved softly and she smiled, Gye Cheolyeong’s face, which had been twisted the entire way here as if he had eaten dung instead of rice, brightened completely.

“I heard there was a single beautiful flower among the wolves of the Iron Sword Sect, but it seems the rumor falls far short of your actual beauty.”

“You praise me too much, Young Master Gye. Please come inside. The young sect leader has been anxiously waiting for the people of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild and Taeul Sect.”

Gye Cheolyeong straightened his shoulders twice as much as usual, making him look like a fool.

The inside of the Iron Sword Sect was literally packed with people.

All the windows and doors of the pavilions were open, and people were seated tightly inside, sharing alcohol and side dishes while talking noisily.

“Hahaha, welcome, Guildmaster! Oh my, Cheolyeong came too! How long has it been!”

Seong Jutak, a middle-aged man with eyes similar to Seong Moran’s, laughed as he welcomed Gye Yeonseok and Gye Cheolyeong.

“It has been a long time, young sect leader.”

“Haha! I told you to put aside such formalities. You and I are both growing old together, so why put up such walls?”

Although Seong Jutak said that, his face was full of satisfaction.

“Have you been well all this time?”

“Even now, whenever I think about missing out on a talent like you, Cheolyeong, I feel so frustrated I cannot sleep at night.”

“You flatter me.”

“Truly, if not for that unreasonable privilege of the One Hundred and Eight Peaks, I would have taken you as my disciple. Hahahaha.”

When I slightly turned my head and looked at Kang Chaeseok and Jin Taesan, both of their faces looked as if they were chewing something strange, just like Gye Cheolyeong’s had earlier.

“Father, these are the people of Taeul Sect. You should greet them.”

Only after Seong Moran barely drew his attention did Seong Jutak’s gaze turn toward us.

“I am Kang Chaeseok, hall master of Taegwang Hall.”

“……I am Jin Taesan.”

The two cupped their fists and showed courtesy, but Seong Jutak merely gave a small nod.

“Kang Chaeseok, I have seen you a few times at the Martial Alliance, and Jin Taesan, it has truly been a long time. Has it been about twenty years?”

“……It has. That much time has already passed.”

“Keke. You people are truly fortunate. Even after we worked so hard for the past twenty years, we could not receive a child like Cheolyeong, yet a lucky treasure like him comes to you even when you do nothing.”

“…….”

At the sarcasm that sounded like praise but was not praise, Jin Taesan and Kang Chaeseok’s faces gradually worsened.

“This one must be Sect Leader Hong’s daughter, and this friend is…… who?”

Gye Cheolyeong butted in tactlessly.

“He is the son of the hall master of the External Hall.”

“Ah, he was your son? Let me see. But his aptitude is not good at all. You people should stop wasting your strength on useless things and just support Cheolyeong properly. I know Taeul Sect’s martial arts well, do I not? Keke.”

This situation was very different from this same moment in my previous life.

The Iron Sword Sect, which had hidden its intentions, had pretended not to notice Taeul Sect before stabbing us in the back. It had not humiliated us in front of so many people like this.

If they showed such blatant intentions, their plan to humiliate us later would go awry.

What the Iron Sword Sect wanted was to make Taeul Sect kneel, not to have themselves called back-alley thugs.

Moreover, this was the first time I had heard that they had visited the Iron Sword Sect twenty years ago.

In the first place, Seong Jutak had been busy looking after the Gyeryong Merchant Guild, and we had not had anything that could be called a proper conversation.

Of course, the me from my previous life had been too distracted trying to take in the Twin Wolf Iron Swords and Namgung San.

“So. How far have you learned Taeul Sect’s martial arts?”

How should I handle this? I knew the ending would be a catastrophe anyway, but it would still be better to show that I was trying to endure it, right?

“Did you not even learn how to speak? Haha, I truly wonder what will become of Taeul Sect’s future.”

“He’s not some back-alley thug, so how does every word out of his mouth manage to sound so damn irritating?”

“……!”

The area, which had been filled with noise, sank into silence.

People looked as if they had seen a ghost appear in broad daylight, and more than a few dropped the cups they had been holding.

“W-What did you say?”

Even after saying it, I thought, oh no.

The me from my previous life had never been like this, but after mingling with the lowlife bastards of the Sojeong Unit, I had clearly been tainted by bad influences.

Those damn bastards truly never helped with anything.

“You brat! What did you just spout?”

Since things had already turned out this way, there was no need to stop. Was there any way to stop an arrow after it had been shot?

“Ah, I apologize. I meant to say that inwardly, but it slipped out of my mouth.”

“And you call that an excuse…….”

“To be honest, is it not true? Just now, you referred to the father of my junior sister and the sect leader of Taeul Sect as though he were your friend, belittled the martial arts of Taeul Sect, my own sect, and lastly, asked about another person’s attainment, which is something one should not carelessly ask of a martial artist.”

“……Hah, y-you brat…….”

“After hearing such words, how could someone who holds a sword not feel anger? Still, the sages said not to treat even an arrogant and rude person with discourtesy, so this is indeed my fault. I apologize once again.”

I roughly cupped my fist, and Seong Jutak’s face turned a pleasing shade of red.

But why was that Seong Moran unable to hold back her laughter while her own father was being humiliated?

In any case, as though agreeing with what I had said, the people who had been focusing their eyes and ears in this direction began nodding one by one.

“You, you…… I will…….”

Just as Seong Jutak, unable to do this or that, was about to spit out some curse with his face flushed red,

“The chief strategist of the Martial Alliance is entering!!”

A thunderous voice rang through the venue, and everyone who had been seated rose to their feet.

From the pavilion, Seong Cheonwol, the leader of the Iron Sword Sect, and his retainers rushed out barefoot.

“What are you doing here? Follow me at once!”

At Seong Cheonwol’s shout, Seong Jutak, who had been looking back and forth at me, ground his teeth and began following behind Seong Cheonwol, and Gye Yeonseok and Gye Cheolyeong followed after him as well.

“Sh-Should we go too?”

Hong Saryeon, who had been stunned, suddenly said that, and I answered,

“Hundreds of people will be rushing over just to form a connection with the chief strategist anyway, so it’s a hundred times better to just go inside and take good seats.”

“…….”

Saryeon looked at Jin Taesan and Kang Chaeseok as if asking for a decision, but the two of them were also stunned.

In the end, Seong Moran made the decision for us.

“This young master is right. I will guide you to good seats, so let’s go.”

When Seong Moran took the lead, everyone had no choice but to follow.

“Did I not tell you to restrain yourself!”

From behind, Kang Chaeseok approached while glaring.

“Please be honest. If I hadn’t cut him off, you would have drawn your sword, wouldn’t you?”

“…….”

There was no use denying it. I had clearly seen him place his hand on his sword.

If I had seen it, there was no way Seong Jutak had not noticed.

Perhaps instead of kneeling and apologizing on the last day of the feast, we would have ended up doing it on the first day.

“…….”

Kang Chaeseok shut his mouth tightly as if he had become mute.

“Please do not act rashly. You clearly know what the Iron Sword Sect is plotting, don’t you?”

“…….”

“I am telling you to behave as much like a gentleman as possible and not step on shit for no reason.”

“You brat! ……I know.”

“Then please loosen that expression. What happened twenty years ago for you to look at Seong Jutak with that face? Is he the enemy who killed your parents?”

Kang Chaeseok hesitated, then looked once at Jin Taesan.

When Jin Taesan shook his head, Kang Chaeseok quickened his steps as if he had nothing more to say.

When we arrived at the same place as in my previous life, a person from the Iron Sword Sect stepped forward and said,

“Taeul Sect’s seats are this way.”

When we moved, the place the Iron Sword Sect person guided us to was one corner of the training ground, where many drinkers were gathered.

Just as I was about to sit down first, Seong Moran opened her mouth.

“Fill those seats with other people. I will guide these guests myself.”

Seong Moran headed toward a wide table in the deepest part of the pavilion.

Every time we moved, people’s gazes continued following behind us.

“Please sit here.”

“Thank you for your consideration, young lady.”

Jin Taesan, who had been silent for a long while, spoke for the first time, and Seong Moran smiled as she took a seat across from me.

“……!”

“……!”

At such a large event, for one of the main figures to sit together at the same table meant that she considered the other party that important.

Her action surprised not only us, but also those around us who had been watching.

“Here! Bring the alcohol first!”

When Seong Moran spoke, alcohol and side dishes came out like an arrow, and although there were many people who had arrived before us and had been waiting, none of them voiced dissatisfaction.

Father and Hall Master Kang Chaeseok were so tense that they could not move an inch despite the food in front of them.

I first picked up a chicken leg and brought it to my mouth.

“What is your name, young master?”

“I am Jin Sowoon.”

“From what I saw earlier, your skills were outstanding…… Ah, is that a rude question?”

Seong Moran’s excessive interest and kindness.

If it had been the me from my previous life, I would have been so moved at meeting the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword that I would not have known whether the food was going into my nose or my mouth.

“Yes. With the Beautiful Wolf of the Iron Sword Sect sitting in front of me and watching me eat, it is quite burdensome.”

“Oh my? Hoho, I apologize.”

“By the way, the chief strategist has arrived. Shouldn’t you go?”

“Well. Since it is the rule of the Iron Sword Sect not to include women in important matters anyway, I doubt I will get beaten for not being present at such a place.”

“I heard rumors that the Beautiful Wolf’s teeth are sharper than the Blood Wolf’s. From Taeul Sect’s perspective, should we consider this a fortunate thing instead?”

Seong Mohyeon, the Blood Wolf Iron Sword, was the next successor of the Iron Sword Sect and had grown up monopolizing various elixirs from childhood, including marrow cleansing.

By contrast, the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword first entered internal energy training at the age of nine. Even so, she entered the Martial Academy alongside the Blood Wolf Iron Sword.

Even later, after the Blood Wolf Iron Sword had ruined half of the Iron Sword Sect, Seong Moran, the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword, stubbornly led the Iron Sword Sect, chased the Martial Alliance all the way to the Northern Sea, and placed the sect within it to preserve its lineage.

“Hohoho. You are an amusing person. I will apologize on behalf of my father for what happened earlier. Since our families have been in contact with the Gyeryong Merchant Guild since childhood, he must have felt great regret over Brother Cheolyeong.”

“You could take him even now, you know.”

“Hohoho.”

Seong Moran was laughing while clutching her stomach as if she found it painful.

At the sudden change in atmosphere, Kang Chaeseok and Jin Taesan could not even touch the food and only kept downing alcohol instead.

“There is one thing I am curious about.”

“What is it?”

“Why did the Iron Sword Sect invite Taeul Sect?”

Jin Taesan and Kang Chaeseok’s heads turned like lightning.

Seong Moran smiled ambiguously and said,

“Doesn’t the meaning of a feast shine brighter when many people gather to celebrate it?”

“Many assassinations throughout history happened during banquets.”

At my words, Seong Moran opened her eyes wide, then quickly returned to a smiling expression.

“Hehe, Young Hero Jin, you truly are an amusing person.”

Seong Moran rose from her seat.

“Young Lady Seong, will you not eat with us?”

“I would like to join you to ease your suspicions, but I think it is about time I got going.”

After saying that, Seong Moran gave her greetings to Father and Hall Master Kang Chaeseok, then left.

“……Young lady?”

Hong Saryeon, who had been silent beside me for a long while, grumbled as though dissatisfied.

“Hm? Then should I have called her young hero?”

“Hmph!”

As for me, I had been trying to probe how much the Iron Sword Sect had prepared, but Saryeon, not knowing the circumstances, was looking at me as though I were her enemy for having spoken with the Beautiful Wolf.

Was she still too young to read the mood?

#

“Young laaaady? Hmph!”

Hong Saryeon was unpacking in the lodging she had received separately thanks to Seong Moran’s consideration.

However, her attitude was quite rough.

“‘You are an amusing person, hohoho?’ What kind of sly fox…….”

Hong Saryeon strangely imitated Seong Moran from earlier, then let out a small sigh.

Beautifully colored clothes made of high-quality silk, ornaments that instantly drew the eye, an elegant and upright posture, eyes full of confidence, and on top of that, a beautiful appearance that naturally drew people’s gazes.

There was not a single thing she felt confident she could beat her in.

“Phew…….”

Because the atmosphere of Taeul Sect stood opposite to that of the Iron Sword Sect, she could not openly express it, but she had also heard the rumors of the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword.

After all, the rumors of a woman of similar age with excellent skill were resounding throughout Anhui Province.

She knew that people were born with different things, and that everyone’s growth was different.

But the sight of the woman she had actually met made her feel an unreachable envy rather than jealousy.

“…….”

She had come wearing the cleanest martial uniform in Taeul Sect, but for some reason, the texture against her hand felt rough today.

Knock, knock.

Saryeon snapped out of her thoughts.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

“Senior Brother Cheolyeong?”

When she opened the door, Cheolyeong was standing in front of it, having taken off his martial uniform and changed into silk clothes.

“Change into this.”

Gye Cheolyeong held out colorful silk clothes.

“What is this?”

“They say that the juniors of prominent families in Anhui Province, including Young Master Namgung San, are holding a separate banquet. If you want to attend, it will be difficult in that martial uniform.”

“……I’m tired. Go by yourself, Senior Brother.”

“Strictly speaking, I am going as the representative of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild. If you do not go, Jin Sowoon will attend. Are you fine with that?”

It would be a gathering of those with connections to the Iron Sword Sect, and it would be an uncomfortable place for Taeul Sect. Their gazes and words would not be pleasant at all. In that case…….

He had even talked back fiercely to the young sword master of the Iron Sword Sect, so would he behave meekly just because they were juniors of prominent families?

“…….”

“At least if you go with me, the atmosphere will be much better.”

Hong Saryeon bit her lip tightly.

“Fine. I’ll go.”

“Hurry and change.”

Saryeon looked at the clothes Cheolyeong held out, then pushed them back.

“No thanks. If you want to wear them so badly, wear them yourself, Senior Brother.”