Chapter 162 - Time to Take Off the Rose-Colored Glasses

The second round of the main tournament began.

With the field narrowed from thirty-two to sixteen, excitement over the Young Dragon Tournament grew even more intense. Only promising young martial artists renowned not just in their hometowns but in the surrounding regions remained.

“All right, then. I'll win this for the Martial Alliance Leader!”

Seo Daeryong said it like a joke, but his words also carried his resolve.

His opponent this time was Yi Hyu of the Shandong Yi Clan.

It would be a contest of saber technique against saber technique. In fact, Seo Daeryong was more confident about this match than the previous one.

“Strangely enough, I feel more comfortable facing saber techniques than other martial arts. Why is that?”

Since he was learning the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's saber technique, his understanding of saber techniques was naturally quite advanced. That was why he found them comparatively easier to face.

“My young master is getting complacent.”

“I'm not. Absolutely not.”

Seo Daeryong waved his hands in denial. It was fair for him to feel wronged by that accusation. He was working as hard as if he had been born for this tournament.

“You've seen Yi Hyu fight, haven't you? He's no pushover. Don't let your guard down.”

“Understood.”

Despite saying that, I expected Seo Daeryong to win this match. His opponent's saber technique was at a disadvantage against the one Seo Daeryong had learned.

Sure enough, he won without much difficulty, just as I had expected.

He came down from the platform, waving to the cheering martial artists.

“I finally made the top eight!”

Now he would be selected for one of the Orthodox Martial Alliance's elite units.

“What a shame. I've finally got a chance to start a new life.”

“Want to stay? If you offered to remain as a spy, the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion would welcome you with open arms.”

“A spy?”

“You'd conceal your identity and operate in enemy territory. The genius who ranked first in the Yellow Springs Pavilion's entrance examinations! The ultimate spy, with martial prowess to match his brains! What do you say?”

“Didn't you say the Martial Alliance Leader already knows who we are, Pavilion Master?”

“You remembered that?”

“Don't even dream of abandoning me here! Being your right-hand man is better than winning. Even if I won the greatest martial tournament under heaven rather than the Young Dragon Tournament, I'd still prefer to be your right-hand man.”

“Would you really?”

“Of course.”

“Then imagine this! You're the greatest martial artist under heaven. Every martial artist respects you. You'd still rather be my right-hand man?”

“Yes.”

“Even the Demon Supremes you're so terrified of smile when they see you. You accidentally step on the Wicked Laughing Demon's foot, and he says, ‘These things happen. Would you like to step on this foot too?’ Even then?”

“Yes! I'd still rather be your right-hand man.”

“The beauties of the martial world line up, begging to meet you just once. Even then?”

“You'd look splendid even as a one-armed martial artist, Pavilion Master.”

I burst out laughing, and Seo Daeryong laughed along with me. He was far more enamored with martial arts than women these days, which made the joke all the funnier. How could I send this endearing fellow anywhere?

“Just try leaving! The moment you're gone, I'll give that right-hand position to Commander Jang.”

“Ah! Now that someone else might get it, I'm having second thoughts.”

With Seo Daeryong's splendid achievement of reaching the quarterfinals, we left the tournament grounds.

* * *

The next day, as Jin Haryeong was about to step onto the platform, her bodyguard Chu Ho asked her a question.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

She turned at his concerned words.

“No. Why?”

“You seem to be in low spirits.”

“Don't worry. It's nothing.”

In truth, she was feeling down.

She hadn't seen either Geom Yeon or Jo Sin since the banquet her grandfather had hosted.

For a man like Jo Sin, killing someone out of spite would be no trouble at all. If he killed without leaving evidence, she couldn't hold him accountable, however strongly she suspected him. And no one in this world would care about a servant's death.

What she really wanted was to beat Jo Sin to a pulp until he begged for his life. Her grandfather was the reason she couldn't. As long as he remained alliance leader, he would have to bear the entire burden of cleaning up any trouble she caused. Yes, she had to hold back. Hold back.

She could restrain herself where Jo Sin was concerned, but something else was harder to suppress. The human heart was a peculiar thing. When she could see him freely, she hadn't thought much of it, but now that she couldn't, she found herself wanting to see him for no good reason. What was so appealing about that insolent servant who kept flustering her?

Cheers rose from every direction as she stepped onto the platform.

“Hubei's Greatest Beauty! Jin Haryeong! Hubei's Greatest Beauty! Jin Haryeong!”

“You can do it, Miss Jin!”

“I adore you, Miss Jin!”

“Let's win this!”

“Let's have noodles!”

“Win the tournament, Miss Jin!”

She had heard it clearly—that strange yet welcome remark mixed in with the cheers.

Her gaze swept over the crowd. Wherever she looked, cheers erupted. Thrilled that Hubei's Greatest Beauty had glanced their way, people chanted her name at the tops of their lungs.

She found Geom Mugeuk among them. Looking at him, she nodded once. It was a signal to have noodles together.

That day, contrary to Chu Ho's worries, she displayed finer skill than ever. Her sword was swift and precise, her footwork exquisitely graceful.

With a spectacular victory that sent the spectators into a frenzy, she too advanced to the quarterfinals.

* * *

Geom Mugeuk had arrived at the inn ahead of her and was waiting.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

Rather than accept his congratulations, Jin Haryeong spoke firmly.

“We mustn't see each other.”

“Why not?”

“Do you really have to ask? Because it puts you in danger.”

“Then why did you come?”

“Well...”

After a moment's hesitation, she gave an unexpected answer.

“Because of a promise.”

“What promise?”

“You'll know when we get there.”

She took him out of the inn.

“Do you happen to know how to use lightness arts?”

Did he know how to use lightness arts? Geom Mugeuk answered with a smile.

“I do.”

“Never mind. Let's get horses.”

As if she had asked a pointless question, she went to find horses. He followed her lead.

“You can ride, can't you?”

“Ordinarily, a servant leads the horse, but the servant before you is special, isn't he? I'm a good rider.”

They rented two horses and rode off.

She took him to East Lake, east of the Orthodox Martial Alliance.

“You asked me to show you around here before, remember?”

“You remembered that?”

“It's not as if we've had so many conversations that I'd forget.”

Having said it herself, Jin Haryeong couldn't help thinking,

'Exactly. We haven't talked all that much, so why am I making such a fuss? A scene in front of Grandfather, another in front of Jo Sin. And now I've come all the way to East Lake.'

She looked at Geom Mugeuk. His face was still barely visible beneath his unkempt, hanging hair and thick beard, and his clothes were worn and dirty. What on earth did she like about him?

Just then, he spoke to her.

“Shall we go over there?”

“What? Why?”

“I think the view might be better from that hill.”

At the spot he led her to, Jin Haryeong exclaimed in genuine admiration.

“It's truly beautiful!”

It was a magnificent vantage point, with all of East Lake's beauty spread out below.

“How did you know about this spot?”

“Servants have a knack for finding good spots.”

Jin Haryeong thought he really was impossible to figure out.

For a while, they stood in silence, absorbed in East Lake's beauty.

She was the one to break the silence.

“Your young master will be joining the Orthodox Martial Alliance. Under normal circumstances, you would have stayed too, wouldn't you?”

“Why do you keep trying to send me away? I'm staying with my young master.”

She looked at him. He spoke as though his mind was already made up.

“When you told everyone that day that I was the man you were seeing, you did everything you could, Miss Jin. What happens next is my choice.”

“It will be dangerous.”

“How did you feel when your grandfather tried to force you into marriage?”

“I hated it.”

“It's the same for me. I don't like anyone interfering in my life.”

“I hate it, but it won't kill me.”

“An unwanted marriage may be more agonizing than death.”

“!”

After a pause, she said,

“You've never even been married.”

“I've seen someone close to me suffer terribly from it. Don't worry about me.”

“I don't understand why you're a servant.”

“Then what do I seem like?”

After a brief pause, she held out her hand.

“A friend of the alliance leader's granddaughter. Let's be friends.”

She didn't understand her own heart. Why was she forming such a close bond with a mere servant?

“Aren't you getting the short end of the stick, Miss Jin?”

“Why count gains and losses between friends? That's not friendship.”

Geom Mugeuk clasped her outstretched hand firmly.

“Friends with the alliance leader's granddaughter!”

“Friends with a servant!”

After a vigorous handshake, she said,

“If anyone picks on you, tell them your friend is the Martial Alliance Leader's granddaughter! All right?”

“I will.”

“I'll brag too. I'll tell people the most extraordinary servant in the world is my friend.”

“If you ever need that servant friend, call for him. That extraordinary friend might just do something you never expected.”

Jin Haryeong looked at him.

“You're strange.”

It felt as though this man would never die. As though he would never find himself in trouble. Who knew how bitterly she would regret indulging that feeling if Jo Sin killed him later? What would she do then...?

Returning from East Lake, they parted at the entrance to Wuhan to avoid attracting attention.

Geom Mugeuk was making his way back alone when someone blocked his path.

It was Jo Sin, a snake brimming with venom.

“Enjoy your outing?”

Geom Mugeuk faced him with a terrified expression. Until he learned whether Jo Sin had come solely for the marriage arrangement or had some connection to the Heavenly Mandate Society, he intended to watch how the man behaved.

“You were so bold when she was with you. Why are you trembling now that you're alone?”

“If you touch me, Miss Jin won't stand for it.”

As Geom Mugeuk played the frightened man, Jo Sin's face filled with scorn.

“All you can do is hide behind a woman.”

Jo Sin strode forward and seized Geom Mugeuk by the collar as he backed away.

“Miss Jin has been sullied because of a worthless wretch like you.”

He raised his hand sharply to deliver a palm strike. Geom Mugeuk squeezed his eyes shut, deliberately showing fear.

“If you thought I couldn't kill you because of what she did in front of the alliance leader, you've badly misjudged me.”

“Please spare me!”

Jo Sin lowered his raised hand.

“I won't kill you. Simply killing you would be no fun. I want to see Miss Jin regret it. I want to strip away her rose-colored glasses and see her disappointed in you. I'll make her come begging to me when it's too late.”

Geom Mugeuk knew that wasn't his only reason. If he died or disappeared, Jin Haryeong would never marry Jo Sin.

The man called her sullied yet still intended to marry her. There was no need to see that marriage to know what it would be like.

“From now on, if you don't do as I say, I'll flay every inch of your skin and throw you into a barrel of salt. Understand?”

“Yes!”

“I'm hosting a banquet for the promising young martial artists this evening. I've invited Miss Jin, so you come too. Tidy your hair and shave your beard before you come. Use this money to buy the most expensive clothes you can.”

Jo Sin believed that the servant's unkempt appearance had played a part in Jin Haryeong's attraction to him. It was the sort of fantasy young women had: an unadorned man seemed more confident, though there was nothing underneath once you looked. Today, he intended to shatter that illusion first.

If the servant came dressed in expensive clothes that didn't suit him, all dolled up in his pathetic attempt to look good, it would have the opposite effect. She would realize he was no different from anyone else trying to impress her. Today, Jo Sin would destroy the girl's fantasy completely.

“Cooperate and do as I say, and I'll let you live. I'll give you a fortune afterward too.”

“How much will you give me?”

“One hundred thousand taels.”

At the unexpected sum, Geom Mugeuk's eyes widened greedily.

“You must keep that promise.”

“I always keep my promises. So make sure you do as you're told.”

Jo Sin was inwardly pleased.

'What a piece of trash!'

That would make him all the easier to use.

Once Jo Sin walked away with a spring in his step, Geom Mugeuk dropped his cowardly act and returned to his usual self.

“Offering a hundred thousand taels? He means to kill me once it's over.”

Though he spoke as if to himself, the words were meant for the concealed martial artist to hear.

“Report every word of this conversation to the alliance leader, without leaving anything out. This is extremely important to both him and Miss Jin.”

That report alone would tell the Martial Alliance Leader what Jo Sin was really thinking.

“And pass this along as well. When I wrap up this affair, I'm willing to deal with Jo Sin too. He'll keep harming Miss Jin for years to come. But the Orthodox Martial Alliance can't simply dispose of the successor to a prestigious orthodox sect. In the end, all the tangled interests involved will make you let him off. Rather than do that, just leave him to me.”

The concealed martial artist still gave no answer.

* * *

That night, Jin Haryeong entered the manor.

All the invited young martial artists had already gathered. She had no desire whatsoever to come, but when Jo Sin invited her, he had said,

“I've invited that servant too, so you must come, Miss Jin.”

If Geom Yeon was coming, she had to come too. He was no longer merely a servant; he was her friend. She couldn't send him into a vipers' den alone.

Jo Sin greeted her with a pleasant expression.

“I invited you both today so I could apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes. My foolish pride got the better of me that day, and I unintentionally wronged you both. I'm sorry.”

Jin Haryeong regarded him suspiciously, but his expression remained gentle. Today, he didn't remind her of a snake.

'Yes. It would be better to settle this amicably if possible.'

For Geom Yeon's sake as well, there was no need to provoke him unnecessarily.

It was just then that a murmur began near the entrance, drawing Jin Haryeong's and Jo Sin's gazes in that direction.