Chapter 229: Going To Battle (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 229: Going To Battle (5)
Time slipped away, and the day of my departure for the front lines arrived.
My stay with the clan had been so brief that I hardly felt rested at all.
In my room, I carefully gathered the letters scattered across the floor, picking them up one by one to avoid tearing them underfoot.
“…Still nothing useful, it seems.”
I scanned the letters once more, but nothing of significance stood out.
Either those guys are lying low…
Or they were blocking any information from getting out.
It was impossible to tell which.
With the situation like this…
Acting without solid intelligence was a risky proposition. If the information flow was currently compromised, it would be wiser to conserve my strength and focus on gathering intel about the key figures who had opposed the bloodbath in my past life.
As for energy… the White Demonic Stone is the fastest method.
But at this point in time, the white-ranked Gate of Demons hadn't even opened. The only White Demonic Stone I knew of, the one I'd possessed before, was unique precisely because it still contained energy.
…That’s what made it so special.
Typically, a Demonic Stone's energy dissipates a few days after the demon's death. They don't age like fine herbs, growing more potent, nor can their power be preserved through careful handling.
Yet, the White Demonic Stone the Heavenly Demon had given me in my past life was different. That stone was centuries old, yet it not only retained immense energy but also hadn't lost its lustrous color.
Though that might just be a property of White Demonic Stones.
It came from a white-ranking demon, an entity so fearsome I couldn't even fathom it, let alone claim to have seen one. Historical records treated their mere existence as a calamity; their true power remained a mystery to me.
Could I have beaten one alone, even at my previous life's peak?
I wasn't sure. This line of thought reminded me of Elder Shin, who had once single-handedly pulverized one. That memory alone earned him a greater measure of my respect.
Elder Shin was harsh, unlike any Taoist I'd known, and his personality was generally disagreeable. But ultimately, he was a peerless martial artist who had dominated his generation.
Whenever I think like this, I can almost see him, puffing out his chest with pride.
I found myself missing the now-quiet Elder Shin.
…How long did he say he had to sleep for?
I think he said a little over a year.
That was the 'Contract' with the tenant residing in my body, if I recall correctly.
That should be around the time I wrap up my business at the front.
[Grrr…]
A low growl echoed in my mind the moment I thought of him.
Quiet. I'd rather not hear noises from a beast.
The growling ceased instantly.
After briefly organizing the letters and shoving them into a drawer, I took a final look around my room to ensure I hadn't forgotten anything. The check reminded me of the numerous treasures currently on my person.
Do I really need to carry all of these?
They were all inconspicuous accessories, but knowing each was a priceless treasure added a certain weight to my steps.
…Hmm.
I considered leaving them in a secure vault, but ultimately decided against it. The Dishonored Venerable's ring, in particular, was far too useful to leave behind.
"Young Master." A servant's voice came from outside my door.
"Yeah."
"Our preparations are complete."
"I'll be out shortly."
Hearing that, I moved to leave. As I did, my gaze fell upon a poorly stitched section of my uniform where it had been torn and mended. The threads were uneven, with a few sticking out awkwardly.
The sight made me consider changing into a new one.
"…"
But then I paused, remembering who had done the mending. I pictured Wi Seol-Ah, smiling brightly as she clumsily worked the needle, pricking her own fingers in the process.
-Young Master! Look! I finished!
-…The workmanship is a bit rough, don't you think?
-Hngh… But I tried so hard…
With that memory fresh in my mind, I left the room, a faint smile on my face, the idea of changing clothes forgotten.
As I walked towards the carriages, Hongwa spotted me and hurried over. "Young Master… that uniform… wouldn't it be better to change into a new one?" She must have noticed it from a distance.
Feigning ignorance, I replied, "It's too much trouble. Let's just go."
"But your uniform is…"
"Are you going to make me dig my heels in? I said it's fine. It's just easier this way."
"…Understood."
I heard Hongwa sigh quietly to herself. I did feel a bit sorry for her, but my mind was made up.
"You're here." When I reached the Gu Clan's main gate, I found everyone assembled and ready, just as the servant had said. The Moyong Clan's carriage, in particular, was a sight to behold.
"It feels almost like we're going on a trip."
"Well, it won't be a short journey," Moyong Hi-ah said with a proud shrug. But even by that standard, the amount of supplies piled into her carriage seemed excessive.
Furthermore…
My eyes drifted to the men standing near the carriages. They were middle-aged, but the aura they emanated was formidable.
Are they escorts?
They appeared to be guards from the Moyong Clan, assigned to protect Moyong Hi-ah. Seeing this, I had to ask her.
"…Are you really going through with this?"
"Huh?"
"Going to the battlefield."
"Of course. Isn't that our agreement?"
She was actually serious about going.
…Ugh.
I never thought she'd actually follow through. I had promised her a share of my heat, but I was still taken aback that she intended to trail me all the way to a warzone to get it.
…Is she that desperate for my heat?
If it truly was crucial for managing her condition, a life-or-death matter for her, then her desperation was understandable. As these thoughts raced through my mind, Moyong Hi-ah continued with a smile.
"Young Master Gu, there's no need to worry."
"I wasn't worried."
"…I am not so weak that Young Master Gu needs to be concerned."
"You were very weak."
"…"
"If I recall correctly, you couldn't even handle a single blow last time?"
I saw her eyes waver at that. A decades-old, no, a centuries-old frustration seemed to lift from my shoulders seeing her react like that.
She'd teased me so often, calling me weak.
Getting petty revenge for taunts from a past life was a little embarrassing, but who cared? No one else would ever know.
"…Even so… I can defend myself."
"Hmm… If you say so."
I could see her struggling to maintain her composure. If it were me, I'd have made a foul expression and snapped back immediately. Her ability to keep up appearances was a talent in itself.
Just as I was enjoying this exchange—
Press.
Someone stepped between Moyong Hi-ah and me, forcing us apart. Moyong Hi-ah's eyebrows shot up at the interruption.
"…Sword Dancer…?"
It was Namgung Bi-ah.
"Stop… Now." Her voice carried a strange, icy chill. She hadn't fully unsheathed it, but I sensed a faint trace of Lightning Qi gathering around her shoulders.
…She looks like a cat showing its claws.
That was my impression, but Moyong Hi-ah seemed to find it genuinely threatening. She turned and walked towards her carriage without another word.
-I'll be seeing you next time, she tossed back over her shoulder.
Namgung Bi-ah, watching her leave, visibly relaxed. She took a small step closer to me and stood still.
"What's with that satisfied look?"
"…I… Won…" She sounded immensely proud, as if she'd just won a great victory. It was rather cute, though I didn't understand why she was so on guard against Moyong Hi-ah.
Is it because they're both cat-like…?
They did share some feline qualities, though if I had to choose, Moyong Hi-ah was the more cat-like of the two.
"Anyway, do you…"
"…Hmm…?"
"No… It's nothing."
I'd been about to ask if she could really afford to follow me, but I stopped myself. I remembered her asking me not to question her about such things.
Unlike the Moyong Clan's elaborate preparations, Namgung Bi-ah had brought almost nothing with her. It seemed she had informed her clan beforehand, as there were no other Namgung Clan members left at the Gu Clan estate. I'd heard she had a few servants, but they were never constantly by her side. Since she'd been staying with me, my own servants had grown accustomed to looking after her as well.
Namgung Bi-ah had always been… careless. She paid little attention to her surroundings, and even if a servant made a mistake, she'd simply let it go. This probably made caring for her relatively easy for them.
"But even so, you've prepared almost nothing at all?"
"…Hmm?"
A few changes of clothes, some spare swords, and the accessory I'd given her. That was the entirety of Namgung Bi-ah's luggage.
"Do they… not provide food there?"
"They will… but it's likely field rations."
"I'm… good at eating things from the ground."
"Please don't eat things like that…"
Was she truly a scion of a noble clan? It was ironic for me to question someone's noble lineage, but Namgung Bi-ah was an extreme case. She held no attachments or regrets for worldly comforts.
Though she has improved somewhat recently.
She seemed to take walks more often and ate regular meals. She was a far cry from the Demonic Human of my past life, who lived only for her sword and slaughter.
That much is enough.
Yes, that was sufficient. Expecting anything more would be strange to begin with.
"We'll have to send the carriages back partway and continue on foot, so you should get some rest now."
"…Okay." With a yawn, Namgung Bi-ah climbed into the carriage.
As I'd said, the terrain further on was impassable for vehicles, so we'd be walking. It was best for everyone to conserve their energy beforehand. That landscape was a nightmare.
"Young Master."
"Hmm? Oh, Muyeo…" I started to greet Muyeon but stopped short when I saw Gu Jeolyub standing behind him.
That guy…
Gu Jeolyub was wearing a uniform different from his usual attire. It wasn't the garb of a clan blood relative, but that of a Gu Clan Swordsman.
Seeing this, I asked him, "Are you really going… like that?"
"Yes." His reply was firm, resolute. His mind was clearly made up.
"…Alright." I wanted to ask more, but I simply nodded. If he had chosen this path to find his own way, I had no right to judge him.
Hearing my acceptance, Gu Jeolyub gave a slight bow. I didn't know what choices awaited him at the front, or what he would gain from following me, but I hoped he would find what he was looking for.
That way, I wouldn't have to kill him, after all.
"Muyeon."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Why are you going?"
"…Pardon?"
"You don't have to follow me."
Muyeon was my bodyguard, but his duties didn't extend to the battlefield. He had reached the peak realm at a young age and had served the Gu Clan long enough to earn a release from his position. If he wished, he could probably join the prestigious First Army.
Though I'm not sure how the Third and Fourth Armies would take that.
Regardless, he didn't need to remain as my escort, babysitting me.
Did my question amuse him? A rare smile touched Muyeon's lips, which he tried to hide behind his hand.
"Why are you smiling?" It was irritating.
"…I-It's nothing. I just didn't expect the Young Master to say something like that…"
"What's wrong with what I said?" I was showing concern for him. What was so funny about that?
"…I have no intention of leaving your side, Young Master."
"Are you crazy…?"
"Pardon?"
"If you've gained this much, you should move on to better opportunities. What more do you think you can achieve in this position?"
He'd be better off resigning as a bodyguard and embarking on his own journey as a martial artist. This was especially true for someone with Muyeon's talent.
However, Muyeon seemed to think otherwise. "I still have much to learn from you, Young Master."
"…"
This guy was definitely not normal. He had nothing left to learn from me. Had he lost his mind?
I seriously considered ordering him to take a long vacation. Disgusted, I was about to step away from him when—
"You might not have much else, but you certainly have a way with people."
"…When did you get here?" A heavy voice accompanied a giant hand landing on my shoulder.
"Haha…! I was just passing by." It was the Second Elder, who had almost fully recovered.
"Why do you always say you're 'just passing by'?"
"It's not like this old man can pass by lying down in bed."
"I suppose that's true…"
"If your grandfather goes through the trouble of moving his old bones to see you off, you should be grateful! But instead, you start by arguing with him… Tsk tsk…"
"Just seeing you gives me a headache, Second Elder."
"Shall I cure it for you? This old man is quite skilled at that."
"That's violence, not a cure. Please lower your fist."
He always defaulted to violence. And what part of him was 'old'? He was still terrifyingly robust.
"I heard you'll be gone for a year. Do you want me to come with you if you're feeling nervous?"
"No, I don't need you or anyone else. I'd prefer to go alone."
"Hehe, you dream big."
Why was wanting to go alone considered 'dreaming big'?
"…Whatever. I'm leaving now."
"Are you sulking?"
"I'm not."
Talking to him only made my head hurt more. Ugh, my head…
As I raised a hand to my temple, the Second Elder changed the subject.
"Yangcheon."
"Yeah…"
"Did you get a chance to speak with Yeonseo?"
"Huh?" Why was he bringing up Gu Yeonseo so suddenly? I didn't understand the question.
However… "…Well, I tried to see her." I had made separate efforts to visit Gu Yeonseo. But I hadn't succeeded in the end. "It seemed she had no intention of seeing me."
"…Hmm."
According to Gu Ryunghwa, she had visited her. But Gu Yeonseo seemed to be actively avoiding me.
I'll see her eventually, so it doesn't matter.
I wasn't in a particular hurry, so I decided to put it off for the future.
Speaking of which, Gu Ryunghwa had been in low spirits ever since the Immortal Healer and Zhuge Hyuk left the clan. They had been good friends, after all.
I should have talked to Hyuk before he left.
Unfortunately, we never managed a proper conversation. I was quite disappointed.
"…Hmm? I feel a killing intent from somewhere." The Second Elder rubbed his shoulders with his massive hands as if feeling a sudden chill. "Now that I think about it, Ryunghwa didn't come to see you off."
"She's probably asleep." Early this morning, I'd found her crying, upset that I was leaving again. Feeling sorry for her, I'd used acupuncture to put her to sleep. I thought it was for the best.
Though it is a bit unfair to her.
I'd have to make it up to her with a gift when I returned. But by the time I got back, Gu Ryunghwa would likely be gone. The Sword Queen had sent letters saying she would return soon, and they would depart for Mount Hua immediately after.
"I'll be going now."
"Right. Don't get hurt, and have a safe journey."
"You're the one who needs to be careful. I'm telling you not to get injured aga… Ah, jeez! Must you always resort to violence first?"
"…Huibi will be waiting for your return. She's been looking forward to training with her little brother for a long time, after all."
"What an unwelcome piece of information."
"And this." The Second Elder started to pull out a letter.
I immediately growled in protest. "…What now? Why are you acting like that?"
"What are you giving me this time? Don't." Considering how every time the Second Elder gave me something, it exploded like a bomb in my hands, I had vowed not to accept anything from him this time.
"You're not going to take it?"
"You've hidden things in these before. How can I trust you and accept it?"
I wouldn't take it this time, even if I died—
"Even if it's about Seol-Ah?"
"…"
Well, perhaps I could make an exception, just this once.