Chapter 243
Chapter 243
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 243
Chapter Title: Taiji Yin-Yang Physique (46)
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I'd devised a perfect plan:
Subdue the incestuous urges in a dashing display.
-> The sword-obsessed Little Sword Ghost takes an interest in me.
-> I overwhelm her in our sparring match.
-> The sword-obsessed Little Sword Ghost takes even more interest in me.
-> She offers to teach me, making her move.
...But everything fell apart from the very first spar. What the hell? Was she not just a true heroine, but the actual protagonist? Back when she sparred with the master artisan, she definitely wasn't this strong. Yet in just a few days, she'd become a whole different person. Thanks to that, I'd been getting my ass handed to me for three straight days.
"Hold on, hold on! Break time! Let's rest a bit before we continue."
At this rate, my whole strategy was going to fail. Maybe it was time to change tactics. I couldn't keep showing such an embarrassing side of myself. Any goodwill I had built up would vanish at this point.
"Please, just a short break? Yeah?"
Instead of endless sparring like this, I needed to showcase my strengths some other way...
...That sounded good, but how? I had strengths, sure, but they were all sex-related, which made them tough to flaunt. I couldn't just drop my pants and whip it out, right?
Maybe targeting Namgung Bin's weaknesses would be easier. She seemed like a perfect true heroine on par with any protagonist, but everyone has flaws—no one's exempt.
If I looked hard enough, I could find a way in... Ah, right. Jeon Gal Yeon-hwa mentioned something like that. Namgung Bin had mumbled in her sleep about feeling lonely. I'd laughed it off as a cute quirk at the time, but this could actually be my in.
"It might be presumptuous of me, but for some reason, I sense loneliness in Lady Namgung's sword. Is something troubling you?"
I had no idea if a woman who only cared about swords actually felt lonely, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It had to be better than getting pummeled nonstop.
"I'm no stranger to loneliness myself, so I figured I could help Lady Namgung. Haha."
With that thought, I casually tossed the bait to the true heroine.
"...That's why I'm asking. Hero Baek, doesn't it bother you at all? Aren't you afraid of being misunderstood and left alone? You're just like me, aren't you?"
...Really? Are we alike?
The true heroine did bite, but the vibe was nothing like I'd expected. I'd anticipated some modern loneliness everyone feels. Instead, what she brought up was completely out of left field.
This was... the solitude of the absolute pinnacle or something. Loneliness from being a super-elite genius? As someone who couldn't even qualify as average, it was hard for me to relate.
"I see. Lady Namgung and I are indeed kindred spirits."
What? Lonely because you're the absolute best? Bullshit.
Is your brain made of sword steel? Raised under the Sword King, the world's top swordsman, no wonder her thinking was so one-dimensional. The world isn't just about swinging a sword.
"That's why I believe I can help."
But ironically, that made her seem easier to conquer. At this rate, I could have her in a week? It'd be a grind, but with the Wi sisters' help, Namgung Bin would soon be begging to be my concubine.
"...Is that so?"
"I've wrestled with the same worries, so I can empathize with Lady Namgung's feelings. Being misunderstood is quite painful."
"Yes... It's incredibly hurtful and sad."
"But you don't need to be understood."
"...Pardon?"
"Don't let the lack of understanding hurt you."
What did that even mean...? His words made my head spin. Was he telling me to just ignore the pain? He'd offered counseling, only to spout something so irresponsible... I was pretty disappointed.
"Love doesn't require understanding."
"Love...?"
But... as the saying goes, you should hear people out. It seemed like that wasn't what he meant. Still, love? That unexpected word only muddled my thoughts further.
"Yes, love. I escaped that loneliness when I met Hye-mae. She loved me for who I truly am."
"For who you truly..."
"Thanks to her, I had an epiphany. Swords aren't everything in life. Sparring strong foes like Great Hero Namgung or Lady Namgung is thrilling, of course. But there are far more joys in the world. So don't torment yourself seeking understanding from people who mean nothing to you."
"B-but."
"No buts. Don't get too obsessed with swordsmanship. No matter how heaven-defying your talent, it shouldn't condemn you to lifelong loneliness. Won't the one you love stand by you as the world's greatest?"
"It shouldn't... condemn me?"
Unexpected comfort came from the man who spoke so matter-of-factly. The curse that had crushed my heart my whole life felt lifted. Could I... not be lonely? No, did I not have to be?
Yet confusion lingered.
Could a life without rivals or kindred spirits truly be happy? Could love really change everything? I'd only heard of the emotion, never felt it... I had no answers.
"Exactly. If you don't believe me, why not test it?"
"Pardon?"
"In three days, join me for an outing—not a date, just an outing. You'll get a taste of what love is, what lovers are."
"...An outing?"
As if reading my mind, he made a proposal that was a bit awkward for me... yet exactly what I needed right now.
An outing... like what lovers do? Yes, even one experience could resolve this confusion. But that feeling from our spar nagged at me. This man... he definitely wanted me.
"Just in case, get permission from Hye-mae and Lady Eun-a first. If I mention it, it might cause misunderstandings."
"Ah... right. Yes, I will."
"Haha. Then that's our counseling for today. See you in three days."
"Wait? The outing's one thing, but we keep sparring, right? You said facing a strong opponent like me is fun."
"Th-that's true, but... I need to prepare for the outing, so..."
"Ah... I see. Alright, then. See you in three days."
No, don't overthink it. He's even giving up sparring he loves to help me. He wants me as a sparring partner, that's all. How could I suspect someone who counseled my weary soul?
What an idiot...
Scolding myself, I headed to my room, imagining the outing in three days. Could I understand love? What even was love? Was my grasp of it right? I didn't know. Could someone like me—who didn't even know the difference between 'like' and 'love'—learn from this outing?
Sigh, I'd have to ask the two sisters for help...
Sighing at my own pathetic state, I looked up. Soft moonlight enveloped me. Right, I couldn't just sit idle. To break free from that damn fate, I had to overcome a little embarrassment like this.