Chapter 77: Lesser Sword Immortal (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: Lesser Sword Immortal (2)
Some nobody dared to hit on my younger sister?
Now that it was a matter involving my own flesh and blood, I found myself getting worked up despite myself.
As the Orthodox So Woon-hwi, I usually tried to resolve things with words first, but in my anger, my hand moved before I could think.
-Good job. Seriously. You have to do at least this much so they don't mess with you.
I had controlled my strength quite a bit, but he still passed out.
I definitely seemed to have grown stronger.
I looked at the companions of this guy named Shin Gil-lip.
They stood there with their mouths agape in shock, but soon one of them snapped out of it and spoke to me.
"W-What do you think you're doing? For someone called one of the Twin Heroes to suddenly attack a fellow member of the Orthodox Faction, and the successor of a prestigious family at that..."
"There sure are a lot of dogs barking lately. Without even considering what they did first."
Someone appeared from behind, cutting them off.
It was Sama Yeong.
The moment Yeong-yeong saw Sama Yeong, her face flushed red as if she were a young girl in love.
"Young Master."
Ah, my head is starting to ache.
You didn't even show that kind of reaction when I showed up, sister.
"What? You brat!"
"How dare a pretty boy like you call us dogs!"
Enraged by Sama Yeong's words, more than half of them reached for the hilts of the weapons at their waists.
At that,
"I clearly warned you. And that warning wasn't just for that man."
I subtly released my aura.
Immediately, their faces all turned pale in unison.
Since they had been pestering my sister, I wanted to make them all pay the price, but doing so would lead to annoying entanglements with their families.
They seemed to have grasped my level to some extent, as I could see their eyes darting around.
-They aren't running away.
This is the exhausting part about the children of prestigious Orthodox families.
Evil Faction members or most other martial artists know when to back down if they feel their opponent is stronger, but these people don't retreat easily because of their pride and honor.
The way they were glancing at their surroundings even now was likely for that reason.
I suppose I should give them a reason to leave.
-I'll do it.
The Lesser Conversation Sword chuckled and slipped out of its scabbard.
'!!!'
Their eyes widened at the sight.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword circled around them threateningly, their fear became palpable.
The ability of Prison Torture was truly perfect for intimidation.
However, this caused a stir in the surrounding area.
"T-The dagger is flying."
"The rumors were true!"
"It's the Self-Moving Sword Art! It's the Sword Control Art!"
"Lesser Sword Immortal!"
At their shouts, the sound of commotion could be heard from outside as well.
More people were flocking toward us.
"Urgh."
"L-Let's go."
At that, those who had been forcing themselves to stay out of pride hurriedly picked up the unconscious Shin Gil-lip and fled the inn, covering their faces.
At least they knew how to feel embarrassed.
As they fled, I approached Yeong-yeong with a smile.
"Yeong-yeong, it's been a lon—"
Just then, one of the two women who had been with Yeong-yeong ran up to me.
She spoke with great excitement.
"Oh my goodness! You're the Great Hero Lesser Sword Immortal, aren't you? You're so cool! It's such an honor to meet you. If I had known my sister had such a wonderful older brother..."
-She talks so fast.
And a lot.
I remembered this woman's face.
Before my regression, wasn't she Eon Yeong-in of the Jinju Eon family, a member of the Phoenix Hall?
I didn't know she was such a chatterbox back then.
Well, back then, I wasn't even acknowledged by the young experts of the Martial Alliance, so there was no way I would have known much about her.
"Lesser Sword Immortal?"
But what on earth did "Lesser Sword Immortal" mean?
While I was wondering, Sama Yeong said to me, "Ah, right. You probably didn't know, Young Master. The rumors have been spreading like wildfire lately."
"Spreading like wildfire?"
"People are calling you the Lesser Sword Immortal because they say you perform Sword Flight Art just like the Sword Immortal. They're even calling you one of the new Eight Great Masters."
Sama Yeong spoke proudly, looking even happier than I was.
But this was news to me.
I had been at the Waterway Stronghold of the pirates for five days, so there was no way I could have heard the rumors.
Lesser Sword Immortal—that was a title even more conspicuous than "Twin Heroes."
-You act like that, but you like it, don't you? Your lips are twitching.
Twitching, my foot.
It's just because the title sounds decent.
It's not like I've ever had such a grand title in my life before.
Seeing Eon Yeong-in clinging to me and chattering away, Yeong-yeong spoke with a pouty face.
"Just what have you been doing out there?"
"What do you mean?"
Why is she being so cranky?
I have no idea why she's acting like that.
Watching Yeong-yeong, another woman chuckled.
'Ah...'
She was none other than Namgung Ga-hee, often called the "Pearl of the Namgung Family."
It felt strange to see one of the "Three Peaks" who had captured the hearts of countless men before my regression—alongside Baek Dohwa—from this close.
-She's the first one I've seen who's as pretty as Sama Yeong.
Of course.
She is one of the three women rumored to be the most beautiful in the Orthodox Martial World.
She isn't just beautiful; she's famous for having the most outstanding swordsmanship among the female young experts.
In the past, she was a tree I couldn't even dream of looking up at, but now the memories are coming back vividly.
I remember her being quite kind to me back then, even when I was treated as a nobody in the Martial Alliance.
-Since you're actually complimenting her, she must be a decent person.
It's not just her face; her personality is good too.
Then, Namgung Ga-hee spoke to me.
"A woman's heart is always a difficult thing to understand. Even if she's your younger sister."
Do I have to fathom a woman's heart even for my sister?
-You don't know the first thing about a woman's heart anyway.
So what if I don't?
And if you put it that way, women don't understand a man's heart either.
At my internal remark, the voice of the Namcheon Iron Sword echoed in my head.
-My previous master always said it. He could understand everything else, but a woman's heart remained a mystery even after a lifetime.
Why are you sounding so bitter?
Namgung Ga-hee realized something and gave a fist-and-palm salute.
"I'm late with my introduction. I am Namgung Ga-hee, the eldest daughter of the Namgung Family. I am currently serving as the Hall Master of the newly established Phoenix Hall in the Martial Alliance."
As she finished, Eon Yeong-in, who had been chattering away, also gave a salute.
"I'll introduce myself too. I'm Eon Yeong-in of the Jinju Eon family. I'm also a member of the Phoenix Hall."
'Phoenix Hall?'
So it was formed after all?
To be honest, I didn't think the Phoenix Hall would be created.
Since the last Grand Martial Assembly ended abruptly due to the Blood Demon Sword incident, I thought history had changed.
But seeing that the Phoenix Hall was formed, does it mean things are flowing similarly one way or another?
It's truly strange.
Even the Hall Master was still Namgung Ga-hee.
I crossed my arms and spoke to Yeong-yeong, who was huffing at me.
"I suppose you became the Deputy Hall Master?"
At those words, So Yeong-yeong's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know that, Brother?"
Oh.
My guess was right.
Even though the Successor's Martial Discussion didn't finish properly, Yeong-yeong still became the Deputy Hall Master.
I guess talent that deserves recognition gets recognized one way or another.
"How did you know? The Martial Alliance hasn't announced the personnel of the Phoenix Hall yet."
Namgung Ga-hee and Eon Yeong-in were also quite surprised.
Did I slip up?
I should make up an excuse for now.
"Since Young Lady Namgung said she's the Hall Master and Young Lady Eon said she's a member, I just took a guess. I figured with your skills, you'd hold a position. Anyway, congratulations, sister."
At my words, Yeong-yeong's face turned red for no reason, and she turned her head away.
"It's not that big a deal... T-Thanks."
This girl.
Was she always this shy?
She's showing a side of herself I've never seen before.
"It's so cool. Sister, how could you complain about your brother not having any good points? I wish I had a brother like this."
Eon Yeong-in said, nudging Yeong-yeong's arm with her elbow.
Yeong-yeong cleared her throat and waved her hand dismissively.
"What are you talking about? When did I ever complain? I just said something because he never shows his face."
Hearing this made me feel a bit sorry.
She's my only flesh and blood who carries our mother's blood, yet I feel like I haven't paid enough attention to her.
As my heart grew heavy, Namgung Ga-hee linked arms with Yeong-yeong and winked.
"Yeong-mae. Since your brother is here, why don't we all have dinner together and catch up? There's a famous boat inn here in Honghu. Let's go there."
"Huh? Didn't you say you were busy... mmpf."
Namgung Ga-hee covered Yeong-yeong's mouth and spoke.
"Oh my, when did I ever say that? You've seen your brother for the first time in a while; how could I, as your Hall Master, pressure you to return to duty so quickly?"
"Mmpf! Mmpf!"
It seemed they were quite close, seeing how informal they were with each other.
I had heard that Namgung Ga-hee was popular for her easygoing personality, and she seemed like a better person than I expected.
Seeing how Yeong-yeong accepted this playful behavior too.
-Un-hwi. Look behind you.
Behind me?
At the Namcheon Iron Sword's words, I subtly turned my head.
I felt a stinging sensation, and I saw Sama Yeong smiling at me.
But her eyes weren't smiling.
She was piercing me with an incredibly intense gaze.
'...Did I do something wrong?'
-My previous master said this: the more a man is 'taken,' the more he should refrain from talking too much or lingering his gaze on other women.
-It's because you're standing there smiling at those women.
The two of them started nagging me as if they had rehearsed it.
No, I just felt like Yeong-yeong had good friends, so I was looking at them with a brotherly heart. Why are they acting like I'm being some kind of flirt?
-How is she supposed to know that? She's judging based on what she sees.
Ugh, my head is starting to throb again.
Just then, Sama Yeong spoke up.
"That's perfect, Young Master. Since my younger sister, your fiancée, also wants to see Honghu, why don't you take her along when you catch up later?"
'!?'
At the word "fiancée," Eon Yeong-in and Namgung Ga-hee's eyes widened.
I was just as bewildered.
To suddenly invent a non-existent younger sister and call her my fiancée...
She had dropped a total bombshell.
So Yeong-yeong looked at me with shocked eyes.
"What does that mean? Fiancée? Brother, when on earth did you get engaged?"
"Uh... Yeong-yeong. You see..."
How was I supposed to explain this?
It was also awkward to tell the truth in this setting.
However, even more people were gathering than before, focusing their attention on us.
"The Lesser Sword Immortal has a fiancée?"
"Who on earth is the fiancée?"
No, why is everyone so interested?
This is the first time in my life people have shown this much interest in my every move.
Has my fame really grown that much?
Then Namgung Ga-hee spoke.
"I think we should move elsewhere. Yeong-mae, it seems staying here is out of the question thanks to your famous brother."
If my ears weren't mistaken, her voice had turned quite cold.
If her voice earlier was playful and friendly, now it felt like her interest had completely cooled.
Eon Yeong-in of the Jinju Eon family was also smacking her lips with a look of disappointment.
Seriously, why is everyone acting like this?
I took Yeong-yeong to a secluded alleyway.
Namgung Ga-hee and Eon Yeong-in had gone to find lodging at another inn, and Sama Yeong had also gone back first, telling me to talk with Yeong-yeong.
To drop a bombshell about having a fiancée and then just leave like that...
It was a massive headache.
Yeong-yeong, looking around, demanded an explanation.
"Well? Hurry up and tell me. What's this about a fiancée?"
She seemed incredibly curious.
Checking the surroundings with my Qi Sense, there was definitely no one within range.
I took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Calm down before I speak."
"How can I be calm? Does it make sense that your only sister didn't even know her brother got engaged? Besides, Eon-mae was pestering me to introduce..."
"...Introduce?"
"Never mind. Just ignore that."
Ignore it?
So Young Lady Eon Yeong-in had asked Yeong-yeong to introduce me to her?
-It's a good thing you didn't bring Sama Yeong along.
...True.
That would have caused an even bigger mess.
Yeong-yeong spoke to me in a huffy voice.
"No matter how much you hate that man, our father, you should have at least introduced her to me, your sister, before deciding whether to get engaged or not!"
Is she angry because I didn't introduce her?
Or is she angry because I didn't consult my only family?
I'm not entirely sure, but it seems to be about the same thing.
But seeing her talk like this, she's actually quite cute.
I reached out and stroked Yeong-yeong's hair.
"I'm scolding you right now, so why are you messing with my hair!"
"Because my sister is being cute."
"C-Cute?!"
Her face turned bright red.
It occurred to me once again that we were no different from any other pair of siblings.
Yeong-yeong looked up at me with sharp eyes.
"Who is it?"
"Who is what?"
"Who is the person you're engaged to?"
Whew.
I suppose I should reveal the whole truth now.
This child also has the right to know the secrets hidden in our bloodline.
I knew this moment would come, but now that it was right in front of me, my throat felt dry.
I had been deeply shocked myself, after all.
"Why are you making that face?"
"Yeong-yeong. Can you promise not to be shocked by what I'm about to say?"
"Not be shocked? What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just worried you'll be very surprised."
"What's there to be surprised about when you're just telling me who you're engaged to? Is that something to be shocked about?"
Yeong-yeong spoke as if it were no big deal.
Then, her eyes grew wide as she asked, "Did you perhaps meet a princess of the Imperial Family?"
I frowned and shook my head.
"What are you talking about? A princess?"
At that, Yeong-yeong sighed as if the excitement had died down.
"If it's not something like that, there's nothing to be shocked about, so just tell me."
Nothing to be shocked about if it's not royalty?
I'm not sure if she really won't be shocked.
I took a deep breath and said to Yeong-yeong, "Actually, you've met her before."
"What?"
"I said you've met her. Quite often, in fact."
"Who? Is it one of the girls from the Hunan Province Branch? Those girls ignored you so much; are you seeing one of those fox-like girls?"
"...What are you talking about?"
I wouldn't see them either.
"Then who on earth are you talking about?"
I should probably use the alias she knows, right?
Yeong-yeong knows Sama Yeong by the alias Ma Yeong.
It's just her real name with the 'Sa' from her surname removed.
"You saw her with me earlier. Ma Yeong, who went back to the inn first..."
"Are you crazy?!"
Before I could even finish, Yeong-yeong shouted, covering her mouth with her hands.
She looked completely shell-shocked.
I'm the one who's going crazy here.
Since she doesn't know Sama Yeong is a woman, the look she's giving me is something else.
"Is that why you didn't tell me? Because you like men—"
"What are you talking about! It's not because of that, it's actually..."
"Does Young Master Ma Yeong like you too? Is that really it?"
Yeong-yeong's eyes were even welling up with tears.
She must have really had a crush on the cross-dressing Sama Yeong.
Yeong-yeong's lips trembled, and her face flushed as if she were about to burst into tears.
I had to tell her quickly before she started crying.
"...Yeong-yeong. She's a girl."
'!?'
Yeong-yeong's eyes went wide.
"...A girl? What do you mean?"
"What she's wearing on her face is a Human Skin Mask."
"W-What does that mean? A Human Skin Mask? So she was disguised as a man?"
Yeong-yeong's expression hardened, and she questioned me with a rapid-fire voice.
Since the man she liked turned out to be a woman, it was understandable that she'd be confused.
"...You're lying, right? You're just saying that to tease me, aren't you?"
As if I would.
She was in denial.
"She's really a woman."
"A-A woman? But why?"
"There were circumstances. Her identity, and her appearance draws too much attention."
"Identity?"
Yeong-yeong tilted her head, then caught her breath and said, "What kind of identity requires her to wear a Human Skin Mask? Tell me straight. Don't even think about deceiving me!"
She seemed hurt, thinking I had deceived her.
Or maybe she was angry because she felt Sama Yeong had deceived her.
But since I'd started, I had to be clear.
"Ma Yeong's real name is Sama Yeong. She is the daughter of the Moon Evil Sword, Sama Chak."
"Moon... Evil Sword? Moon Evil Sword... Moon Evil Swooord!"
Yeong-yeong's expression twisted in a way that was hard to describe.
Since her voice was getting loud, I used my Qi to seal off the surrounding area.
Yeong-yeong, who had been staring at me with a look of pure horror, whispered to me.
"It's the Moon Evil Sword I'm thinking of, right?"
"Yes."
"One of the Four Great Villains?"
"Yes."
Yeong-yeong looked at me in disbelief and said, "...You've really gone insane."
It was a very intense reaction.
-This is just the beginning. What are you going to do? She's going to lose it when she hears the rest of the story.
Tell me about it.