Chapter 590: The Young Lady of the Ice Palace of the North (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 590: The Young Lady of the Ice Palace of the North (5)
My fingertips were inches from Woobeom’s throat.
In that fleeting moment, I considered a dozen different ways to end him.
Should I start by crushing his windpipe?
If I wanted to keep him from making any noise, I should probably tear that out first.
Or, since this guard named Woobeom was right-handed, maybe I should shatter his arm so he wouldn't dare reach for his sword again.
Then again, did any of it really matter?
He’s going to die anyway.
For a man about to be reduced to ash and dust, the method was irrelevant.
Just as I was about to seize Woobeom’s neck—
“Stop.”
I froze.
The voice piercing through the tension halted my hand mid-motion.
“That’s far enough.”
It was Lady Mi.
I turned my head to look at her, my expression flat.
“You want me to stop?”
Why?
Was there any reason to?
I had the perfect justification. The bastard had insulted us with his disgusting wordplay. And despite being a mere guard, he was the first to reach for his blade.
Even if we weren't direct members of the Murim Alliance, Lady Mi’s earlier words had made it clear that we were carrying out a task ‘entrusted’ to us by the Alliance.
In other words: Touching us is no different from rebelling against the entire Alliance.
Looking at the bigger picture, this could escalate into a diplomatic incident between nations. And for that…
I’ll let this slide in exchange for this guard’s head.
That was the logic behind my actions. Killing this piece of shit wouldn't cause any real problems, and Lady Mi should have known that better than anyone.
And yet.
“Why must I?” I asked, seeking a reason.
If Lady Mi was stopping me, I assumed she had a rational explanation. That was the kind of person she was. Perhaps killing a guard in front of the Young Lady would be too problematic, or harming someone from the lands beyond the Central Plains would complicate things.
I expected a logical breakdown.
But that wasn't what she gave me.
“The flower you gave me still retains its fragrance.”
The words that left Lady Mi’s mouth were entirely unexpected.
“Pardon?”
“In such a moment, I have no desire to witness an unpleasant sight.”
It was a strange reply. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. What did the scent of a flower have to do with the current situation?
I didn’t understand it at all, but…
“...”
I had no choice but to withdraw the hand I had extended toward Woobeom. Regardless of her reasoning, the moment Lady Mi spoke, I was bound to stop.
I dropped my hand to my side. Then, I glanced at Tang Soyeol.
Ssk.
At my look, Tang Soyeol immediately sheathed her dagger and stepped back. Watching her, I chuckled inwardly.
She’s fast.
It wasn't that Tang Soyeol’s reaction was faster than mine. I had intended to rip out Woobeom’s throat without hesitation, but I’d been forced to stop when I sensed her movement.
Could it be?
Did she move first because she was afraid I would actually kill him? For some reason, that thought crossed my mind. It seemed unlikely, but with her, you could never be sure.
“Huu… huh…”
I heard ragged, desperate breathing. It was the man named Woobeom. He knew it, too—he had just been a hair’s breadth away from death.
The strange thing was…
His eyes are still full of fight?
Woobeom still had a fire in his gaze.
“You… you barbarian…!”
And his mouth was still running.
“How dare you disrespect the North…!”
BAM—!
“Keuk!”
I buried my fist in his face. The man staggered from the impact and collapsed.
THUD—!
Given his massive frame, the sound of him hitting the floor was unusually loud.
Drip.
Blood trickled from Woobeom’s nose and mouth. He stared at the blood on his hand with an expression of pure disbelief.
“Shut up for a moment,” I said, looking down at him. “We’re in the middle of a conversation.”
“You… you… just now…”
“Should I just pull out your tongue to make it easier for you to stay quiet?”
Grit.
I heard the sound of him grinding his teeth, but that was it. The man didn't move again, instead averting his gaze. It was a sign he wouldn't push his luck any further.
A pity. If he had said one more word, I might not have killed him, but I certainly would have relieved him of his tongue. I had controlled my strength; it would have been easier to just knock out all his teeth, but I felt I shouldn't go quite that far.
“Wow…”
As I dusted off my hands, I heard a sound of genuine admiration. It was Yuri.
“I never thought Woobeom would end up like this. How fascinating…”
For her to react like that while her own guard was bleeding on the floor… My brow furrowed as I watched her.
Annoying.
Something about her was deeply annoying. It kept bothering me. At first, it was because she was from the unfamiliar North. Then, it was because she looked exactly like Moyong Hi-ah.
And now… Something about her existence is just grating.
She felt alien and irritating.
Yuri looked at me with those eyes—the exact same eyes as Moyong Hi-ah.
“You’re amazing. Are you also part of the merchant association?”
“Something like that.”
“Ohh!! Incredible!”
What exactly was so incredible? I let out a low sigh and asked, “What was that about earlier?”
“Hm?”
“The talk about marriage.”
I was curious why such a random topic had been broached. No matter how I looked at it, there was no reason for it to come up.
“Ah. That.” Yuri smiled. “Um… isn’t that how it’s supposed to go?”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Supposed to go? What, did the North have some culture where you propose to the person who hits you? Could such a deranged tradition actually exist?
Just as I was about to form a very negative opinion of the Ice Palace…
“It was definitely in a book,” Yuri explained.
A book…?
“‘You’re the first woman to ever hit me… Will you not marry me?’”
“…?”
“In the book, that’s what the man said to the person from the Central Plains who hit him.”
“What the…”
What kind of ridiculous nonsense was that? What kind of trashy novels was she reading to come up with such a shitty plot development?
As a look of pure disgust crossed my face, Yuri looked surprised.
“Huh? You really don’t know it? It’s a masterpiece.”
“So you were just trying out a line you read somewhere. Is that it?”
“But I didn’t expect the reaction to be so lukewarm.”
What kind of reaction was I supposed to have? I had no idea. Should I have hit her? Yes, that seemed right. I should have hit her. I was the idiot for holding back.
“Especially when someone as pretty as me says it. How could you?”
No. I should definitely hit her now.
Just as I was about to move…
“Cough… cough. Ahem…”
I heard a dry cough from behind me. It was Moyong Hi-ah. She had her head bowed low, her ears turning a bright, vivid red.
I wondered what was wrong with her for a second before it clicked. Seeing someone who looked exactly like her spouting such nonsense must have been mortifying.
Suppressing a sigh, I looked toward Lady Mi.
“…Lady Mi.”
“Speak.”
“So, what is it that I actually have to do?”
The whole situation had become a massive hassle. I wanted to flip the table and leave, but I hadn't even heard the main point yet.
What do I have to do? What connection could I possibly have with this ridiculous airhead?
“Huh? Are you going to do something more with me?” Yuri asked.
I was wondering the same thing. Why is she so cheerful? Her guard was a bloody mess behind her, yet she was acting like this. It was starting to get a little creepy.
“Oh, by the way, Leader.”
“Please, speak.”
“When will Red Feather be arriving?”
“…Ah.”
“We can only start talking once he gets here, right?”
Red Feather. That name had come up before. It obviously wasn't a real name, but a title.
Even for a title, it’s a bit… It felt incredibly cringeworthy.
Besides, someone else is coming? I thought everyone was already here.
“Is there someone else coming?” I asked Lady Mi. She was the one who knew the roster. “She said ‘Red Feather.’ Is that someone you know?”
“That… hmm.”
Lady Mi’s reaction was peculiar. I was wondering why she was making such a face when Yuri suddenly got worked up.
“Wait, a person from the Central Plains doesn’t know Red Feather?”
I wondered why this girl was throwing a fit now. “…Am I supposed to?”
“Of course! I was told you might not know anything else, but you’d definitely know Red Feather…!”
What the hell was a Red Feather? A chicken? A demon with red feathers? Was there a Red-Grade Demon like that?
As my mind raced through possibilities, Yuri continued.
“His mastery of flames reaches the heavens.”
Flames? Right. There are demons that breathe fire.
“He values righteousness and chivalry, and he cannot stand injustice.”
…So, not a demon. Apparently, it was a person. A person who used such an embarrassing title? He had to be insane. On top of that, valuing righteousness and using flames meant he was a practitioner of flame arts.
Was there a martial artist in Henan skilled in flame arts?
I don’t know any.
Practitioners of flame arts weren't common. Among the Ten Masters, there was the Yama King, but that old man hadn't even shown up when the Blood Disaster broke out. He might already be dead for all I know.
Who on earth could Red Feather be?
“I also heard he is so handsome that he sets the hearts of many women ablaze.”
“Red Feather, you say.”
“Yes…! I came here specifically to see him!”
I was at a loss for words. I really just wanted to go home. I didn't want to get involved in this any further. I should just bolt.
Just as I was about to make my exit…
“The Red Feather of the Central Plains. Gu Yangcheon…!”
“Huh…?”
“I want to see him soon.”
“…?”
At Yuri’s words, I whipped my head around. Our eyes met. Yuri tilted her head curiously.
“Why? Have you fallen for me now? It’s too late for—”
“What did you just say?”
“Pardon?”
What did she just call him?
“…Who? Who did you say?”
“Aha~!” Yuri beamed. “See, you know him too, right? Red Feather, Gu Yangcheon.”
“...”
“What’s wrong?”
Silence fell over the room.
I thought I had misheard, but I hadn't. Wow… how was I supposed to react to this?
I thought for a moment. Could there be another Gu Yangcheon? It was possible. Not from the Gu Clan of Shanxi, but there could be other Gu clans. And among them, there might be another Gu Yangcheon.
But… could there be another Gu Yangcheon who used flame arts? The probability was astronomically low.
However… this.
No matter how I looked at it, she was talking about me. The heavy silence in the room was because everyone else had realized it, too.
“Huh? What’s wrong with everyone?” Yuri asked, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
Her gaze shifted as she looked around, eventually landing on me. Fortunately, it seemed Yuri wasn't entirely unobservant.
“Hey.” Yuri smiled, gesturing with her hand. “It’s not you, right?”
A note of desperation tinged her voice. She was practically pleading for me to say no.
But not a single person in the room denied it.
“…It’s not you, right? Why… why is no one answering?”
Her pupils trembled. She had slender, captivating eyes, but I never knew they could get that wide.
“N-No way…”
The desperation vanished, replaced by pure despair.
“Don’t tell me… it’s you?”
“What is?”
“You’re Red Feather!?”
“…What’s that?”
“It can’t be. It definitely shouldn't be!”
Was it really that shocking? Her fair skin turned deathly pale.
“There’s no way… he could look like this.”
The fuck? Why the sudden personal attack? I was just standing here; why was she suddenly insulting my face?
I stared at Yuri, dumbfounded.
“He doesn’t seem to have the righteousness and chivalry from the rumors at all…!” Unable to contain herself, Yuri began to wail. “He’s not even handsome…! He looks scary! White Fox definitely said he was a cool person…”
“Hey… first, calm down.”
“But how can you be Red Feather!? This is ridiculous—!!”
THWACK—!
“Eek!”
Yuri’s head snapped back as I punched her right on the crown of her head. She let out a short scream and clutched the top of her skull.
“You’re so damn loud.”
“Ugh…?”
“Will you shut up?”
“…I-It hurts…”
“Fucking hell. I’m already annoyed enough. Why do you keep whining?”
I had controlled my strength even more than I had with Woobeom. The guard was sturdy, but if I hit this girl’s small head without holding back, it would have exploded.
Still, was even that too much?
“Ugh… ughh.”
Tears started to well up in Yuri’s eyes. Soon after, she started crying like a child.
“I-It huuurts…”
She looked like the type who wouldn't shed a drop of blood even if stabbed, yet tears were streaming down her face. I wondered for a fleeting second if Moyong Hi-ah would look like that if she cried.
I pondered my next move. This was becoming a problem; she was crying so sorrowfully that it was getting on my nerves.
Seeing the tears about to burst into a full-blown tantrum, I moved my hand.
THWACK—!!
“Ugh!?”
Yuri slumped over and collapsed. I delivered a sharp chop to the back of her neck, knocking her out instantly—just like when we first met.
The guards behind her stared with wide eyes, but I just looked down at the unconscious girl.
“Why the hell are you crying and making a fuss? You’re annoying.”
I hate it when people cry for no reason. It might have been a bit rough, but this was the fastest way to get some peace.
And it definitely wasn't because she said I wasn't handsome. Or that I looked scary.
Really.