Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Hey, Sword Fragrance Parrot
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After all the sparring matches had finally concluded,
Yu Su-min and Sima Seon-ui dragged their weary bodies back to their lodgings.
Having not fully recovered from their journey, and now having gone through bouts that were practically indistinguishable from real combat, they both felt like they were coming down with a cold.
"Hey, Sword Fragrance Parrot."
...?
Sima Seon-ui had been half-losing herself in the fluffy comfort of the blankets when she lifted her head groggily.
Yu Su-min sat there on the edge of the bed, half her butt on the mattress, looking down at her with a pathetic expression.
"You do know that's what I'm calling you, right?"
"Because it has Sword Fragrance in it."
"Exactly. Knew it."
"But what's a Sword Fragrance Parrot?"
"What else? Sword Fragrance plus parrot."
??
"Like a parrot, repeating the same words over and over. Sword Fragrance~ Sword Fragrance~"
...?
Sima Seon-ui tilted her head with a blank look on her face, then suddenly scrunched up her features.
"...You're teasing me right now, aren't you?"
"Took you long enough."
Yu Su-min let out a sigh as she continued.
"I specifically warned you not to spout stuff Young Master Unhwi wouldn't understand... and you couldn't hold it in for even a day. Sigh."
......
Sima Seon-ui had nothing to say.
Thinking back on it, she really had done that.
'Once you burn off all that fragrance, you can never produce it again. Even if you refill it, it'll have limits until it's burned off again, and it won't smell as good as before—'
...?
'But conversely, if you keep nurturing the fragrance, it'll deepen over time, and when you infuse it into the sword, it'll manifest with that much more potency. The principle behind this is—'
??
'And also—'
???
'I might've... gone a bit overboard?'
Sima Seon-ui scratched her cheek.
Truth be told, watching Unhwi work so hard on handling Sword Fragrance had made her mouth itch uncontrollably.
"You were so busy talking that you didn't even notice Young Master Unhwi's expression, did you?"
"...Yeah."
"He looked totally dazed."
......
"No proper explanation of what Sword Fragrance even is, just you dumping everything you wanted to say like a waterfall. You think he could follow any of that? Huh?"
Yu Su-min's barrage of nagging began.
"B-but he did ask some questions here and there—"
"That was just him playing along! That's normal courtesy in a conversation between people, you know!?"
Even her attempt to resist got shredded by the logical facts bombarding her.
"And you got even more excited, rambling on incoherently—blah blah blah—"
Sima Seon-ui broke out in a cold sweat, feeling herself shrinking smaller and smaller.
Sigh!
Yu Su-min let out a light sigh as she watched Sima Seon-ui like that.
Her slumped shoulders made her look just like a puppy soaked in the rain, to the point where Yu Su-min wondered if she'd been too harsh.
No wonder people called a kid like this cold or stony-hearted—it just didn't make sense.
"...Well, at least at the end he thanked you for the inspiration you gave him, so you probably didn't leave a bad impression. He seemed to have gathered his energy well, too."
Sima Seon-ui cautiously lifted her head.
Her eyes sparkled like a cat spotting food.
That's why it was impossible to just leave her alone like this.
Yu Su-min barely suppressed the urge to pull Sima Seon-ui into a tight hug and nuzzle her.
"R-really?"
"Of course."
"Phew! That's a relief then."
After the sparring matches ended, Yu Su-min and Sima Seon-ui had reached one firm conclusion about Unhwi.
His senses for the sword were extraordinary.
After learning how to handle Sword Fragrance, he'd managed to completely gather and control the previously overflowing murderous intent.
That was something impossible without exceptional senses.
For a Dang family member who'd never properly wielded a sword in his life to have such talent for it.
The more they saw, the more amazing it seemed.
'He said we should talk more tomorrow too, so maybe we can chat even longer?'
What was Unhwi doing right now, she wondered?
Sima Seon-ui buried her face in the pillow with that curious thought.
......
Yu Su-min watched her friend's back with a bittersweet gaze.
Dang Gyu-jin's words kept echoing in her ears.
* * *
"You started eating without me? Without waiting."
"The innkeeper's face—who knows when we'd see it—and my stomach was growling. What could I do?"
"I've been remiss in attending to my guest."
"No harm done. Thanks to that, I got to leisurely sip some liquor, shake off my travel fatigue, and sort out my thoughts. It was nice."
"I'm glad to hear that."
After seeing off the fatigued Dang Gyu-jin, Yu Su-min, and Sima Seon-ui, I headed straight to the hall where the Lion Sword King awaited.
As a distinguished guest who'd come to visit me personally, I couldn't afford any lapses in hospitality.
He'd already been pouring his own drinks quite a bit, his cheeks nicely flushed.
The food and liquor bottles in front of him were nearly gone.
I instructed the servants to bring more drinks and dishes, then sat across from him and refilled his empty cup.
Pour!
"The training grounds were pretty rowdy, huh."
"Prepping to exchange blows with some of the world's top swordsmen takes a lot."
The Lion Sword King chuckled at my jest.
"Did you gain anything?"
"Yes. Nothing that'll catch your eye, but a little."
"Doesn't look like just a little."
The Lion Sword King eyed me up and down lightly, cup in hand.
But the glint in his gaze was anything but casual.
"'Claws' acquired, I see."
He seemed to be referring to the sword buried in my inner world.
"Yes. It ended up that way, humble as it is."
"Looks good. Even during the day, your presence felt solidified, but now it's like everything's been unleashed. Nine Dragons Branch Family style, Gale Wind? No. Fierce, but much sharper. This is... Sword Wind. Sword Wind, right?"
My eyes widened slightly.
The Lion Sword King laughed.
"Hahaha. Nailed it?"
"You can see that too?"
"How many battlefields do you think I've trod? Even among the Ten Great Masters, few have stood on as many as I have."
I inwardly clicked my tongue.
As expected of a legendary figure who'd risen from a wandering ronin to the supreme ruler of a region's martial world with nothing but his bare hands.
He seemed simple, but I absolutely couldn't underestimate him.
"I'm curious how you refined that Sword Wind."
I just smiled silently.
Instead, I changed the subject.
"How's the liquor? To your taste?"
"Of course. The food's top-notch too."
"Glad to hear it. I was worried it might not suit you."
"Hahaha! It's not just to my taste—it's making my tongue dance. I lived quite a while in the Western Regions in my youth, and it reminds me of that."
This guy's sharp, alright.
Built like a bandit chief who could tear into raw meat without a care, and yet a real foodie.
「Hmm! Hearing him rave like that makes me dying to know what it's like... Slurp!」
「They call me the gourmet of the Heavenly Mountains, and here I am missing out.」
「Ahem! Any way we can get a taste?」
「What are you doing, kid!」
「Yes, sir?! Fifteen here, reporting!!」
「Can't you see the seniors asking if there's a good way?」
「W-well, there is one—」
「What!? You had one and didn't say anything till now!?」
「You didn't ask—」
「You mad bastard?? You blurt that stuff out quick when it's relevant!!」
「You strictly ordered never to ask or answer pointless questions when not asked—」
「Talking back, are ya?」
「S-sorry, sir!!」
「No good. Looks like the kid still needs more training. Time to instill some proper discipline tonight.」
「S-senior! Anything but that!!」
「Then explain properly! What is this method!?」
「O-offerings!」
「Offerings?」
「Yes, sir! If the Young Leader makes a separate offering to us, we could t-taste it—」
In that instant, all the lingering spirits' gazes turned to me.
Eyes full of desperate longing.
But I was indifferent.
So what?
What do you want me to do about it?
Surely not asking me to do it for you lot?
「You wretch! How dare you burden the Young Leader—who's tirelessly preparing for great undertakings without a single day's rest—with such a hassle!!!」
「We can't even lend a hand to his grand mission, and here you are plotting to hinder him! Have you lost your mind to scheme such a thing!?」
「Brothers! This one's clearly been possessed by the tongues of those righteous faction scum from his past life! Let's join hands and exorcise the wicked spirit!」
「Right! Let's do it!!」
「B-but that's not it! Kweeeek!」
The sight of them switching tactics the moment I showed no sign of helping was truly something.
In the end, Fifteen wailed once more today.
You lot really can't stay quiet for a single day.
"So anyway—"
"No."
The Lion Sword King's eye twitched.
"I haven't even said anything yet."
"You're about to ask to take my chef, right?"
"Sharp as a ghost."
"Even if it's the sect leader asking, no."
"What if I void the sparring match?"
"That into him, huh?"
"Of course! At this level, I'd believe he was an imperial chef! So, maybe—"
"Yes. No."
One of the Lion Sword King's eyebrows twitched.
"...I'll pass on one of my ultimate techniques. Something amazing."
"Still no."
As expected, I just smiled lightly and shook my head.
"I'll give you anything else. If you want, we can skip sparring and go straight to a deathmatch. I can even hand over the White Fortress building. But not him."
What cult leader in the world hands over their own devotee to someone else?
Moreover, Ilno was the precious first follower to pledge himself to me since my reincarnation.
He was no different from blood kin I had to protect, even at the cost of my life.
The Lion Sword King must have sensed my sincerity, as he smacked his lips with a 'tch'.
"Shame."
"Everyone has at least one person they must keep by their side, right? I bet you have one too, Sect Leader."
"I do."
"This guy's that person for me."
"I see. Then he's off-limits. Still, while I'm staying here, I can keep enjoying his cooking, yeah?"
"Of course."
"Already worrying the days left will dwindle. Hahaha!"
The Lion Sword King burst into booming laughter.
The room reverberated.
「Hm?」
「Young Leader, it seems Ilno heard your words unintentionally while serving the food.」
「And—」
「He's so moved he's crying... right?」
「Not particularly keen on seeing a man cry—」
I sensed Ilno hovering outside the door, unable to come in, and chuckled lightly.
I hadn't said it for him to hear, specifically.
Pour!
This time, the Lion Sword King refilled my cup.
"Mind if I ask one thing?"
"Go ahead."
After a brief pause, as the cup filled to the brim, I asked.
"What's the exact reason for visiting my family?"
For the first time, all emotion vanished from the Lion Sword King's hitherto smiling face.