Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Black Moon Sword (10)
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Within the Red Axe Fortress, located in the western mountain range of Henan, the Chieftain, Deputy Chieftain, and other officers were engaged in a discussion.
"Chieftain, this is too dangerous."
"He's right. If we mess with a Namgung, we all know how they'll react."
They were currently deliberating what to do with the information that Namgung So-yeon had run away from home.
Many of the officers argued that provoking the Namgung Clan in Anhui was madness, but the Deputy Chieftain thought differently.
"Hey, are we bandits or some local gang? Can't we just pull off one big score and get out of here? If we sell the Namgung girl on the black market and flee, how are they going to find us? This is a gift from the heavens. I hear she's coming alone, without any guards."
"Deputy Chieftain! But this is the Namgung Clan we're talking about! If we touch them in Anhui, we'll face a terrible disaster!"
"So you're saying we should just let this chance slip away?!"
As the Deputy Chieftain and the officers argued their opposing views, the Chieftain of the Red Axe Fortress, Im Jeoksan, who was seated in his grand chair, slowly opened his mouth.
"Listening to you all, I find the Deputy Chieftain's words to be correct. This is indeed a great opportunity. There are certainly risks involved, but the price of the Namgung Clan's second daughter is immense enough to be worth it."
"Chief-Chieftain…"
An officer who thought it was impossible stared at the Chieftain with a bewildered expression.
He dared not object, knowing that he could be severely reprimanded or, in the worst case, lose his life at the hands of the notoriously violent Chieftain.
"An opportunity like this doesn't come twice! We must strike the tiger's jaw! With the spirit of staking it all!"
Wanting to appear learned despite his lack of education, the Red Axe Chieftain, Im Jeoksan, spouted idioms to declare his intentions.
He thought it made him sound cool, but to those around him, it just sounded strange.
‘…Does he even know what that means?’
‘Looks like he picked up another phrase from somewhere.’
‘Saying it with that brutish, ignorant face doesn't help…’
But no one pointed it out.
To do so would surely get their head split in two.
"The Namgung Clan's influence may be great! But I, too, am the master of the Red Axe Fortress, a man said to be a match for ten thousand! There is nothing to fear!"
“……”
The officers looked at their Chieftain with peculiar expressions before simply bowing their heads in compliance.
Only the Deputy Chieftain played along with him.
"You speak wisely, Chieftain. As they say, it is foolish to lament a missed opportunity."
The Chieftain was quite pleased with his deputy's attitude.
Not only was he the most skilled among his subordinates, but he also seemed the most educated.
"Hahaha! Deputy Chieftain! You are right! Lament a missed opportunity? What's the use in that! With this chance, our Red Axe Fortress will walk the night in silk!"
Hearing the Chieftain's words, the Deputy Chieftain and the officers were all internally baffled.
‘Hmm? Isn't it "return home in glory," not "walk the night in silk"?’
‘He should at least use it correctly. What is this…’
‘As I recall, "walking the night in silk" has a bad meaning. But if I say that, he'll throw a fit again, won't he?’
One officer almost burst out laughing but managed to stifle it with a cough, narrowly avoiding a crisis.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
No one corrected the Chieftain's misuse of the phrase.
They knew that if they did, their very existence would be called into question, and they would face his wrath.
This is why power built on fear is so inefficient.
Because when the one in charge is wrong, no one around him dares to set him straight.
But the Deputy Chieftain knew how to quietly cover for his Chieftain's gaffes.
"Haha! The Chieftain is right. We will most certainly 'return home in glory.'"
Despite the Deputy Chieftain's desperate attempt to salvage the situation, Im Jeoksan spoke shamelessly.
"Hahahaha! Deputy Chieftain, I thought you were a learned man, but you seem to be a bit lacking, eh? It's 'walk the night in silk,' not 'return home in glory.' You should study more often. Someone might hear you and make fun of you. Hahahaha!"
At those words, the Deputy Chieftain broke into a cold sweat and nodded.
"Ah, haha. You're right. I was mistaken."
Though he said this, he was cringing on the inside.
‘To think I'm the subordinate of such an ignoramus.’
His leader was so foolish it made him feel a sense of despair as his subordinate.
But while his head might be empty, his raw strength and his instinct for seizing opportunities were real.
That was how, despite his stupidity, he had become the leader of a fortress of bandits.
"Now then, prepare to receive the Namgung lady! Kehehe."
At the Chieftain's command, the officers immediately rose to their feet and responded.
"""Yes, sir!"""
***
When the sun rose, Namgung So-yeon emerged from the inn, dark circles under her eyes.
"Ughhh…"
She was accustomed to bathing and sleeping in the finest conditions.
Spending the night in such a shabby place had made it difficult to get a good night's sleep.
Moreover, the nervousness of officially setting out today had made it even harder to fall asleep.
[Hehehe, from the looks of it, you must have been raised like a complete princess. How about you just go back home?]
"Th-That's…"
She was tempted for a moment but shook her head and replied.
"I can't do that!"
[How can you go anywhere when you're this tired?]
"This is nothing, okay? Don't even think about interfering."
[Heh, we'll see about that.]
So-yeon spoke boldly to the Ego Weapon and then headed straight for the blacksmith's forge where Jeong-a was.
She had unintentionally hurt her feelings when they last parted, and since she wouldn't be able to see her for quite some time, she went to say her goodbyes.
A short while later, So-yeon arrived at a forge in the center of the village.
Coincidentally, Jeong-a was outside sharpening a weapon's blade, so she was able to meet her right away.
"Jeong-a!"
"Oh, So-yeon."
Jeong-a, her anger seemingly gone, greeted So-yeon with a welcoming face.
"I'm sorry about last time. I brought some sweets for you. Want some?"
When So-yeon offered the sweets, Jeong-a unconsciously opened her mouth and nodded.
With her extreme love for sweets, Jeong-a always lost her composure at the sight of them.
After accepting the sweets and popping one into her mouth, Jeong-a asked with a blissful look in her eyes.
"So, what brings you here?"
So-yeon smiled gently and replied.
"I'm leaving Anhui for a while, so I came to say goodbye."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Jeong-a suddenly noticed that Namgung So-yeon's attire was not its usual splendor but rather plain, and she immediately asked.
"Did you get kicked out of your house? Or did you run away?"
"Yeah. How did you know? I ran away."
"Wow… you actually did it?"
Jeong-a knew that Namgung So-yeon disliked her family's strict rules, but she had never imagined she would cast aside all her privileges and material wealth to run away.
"Have you thought about reconsidering?"
"I've already thought it through."
“…”
Jeong-a looked into So-yeon's eyes for a long moment, then gave a small nod.
‘She's already made up her mind.’
There were times when So-yeon's gaze became unusually resolute.
That was when she was asserting her will with an intense determination.
At times like these, nothing anyone said would get through to her, so all she could do as a friend was to say farewell.
"Alright, if that's what you've decided, then so be it. Do you have a place to go?"
"I'm going to the Martial Alliance in Henan. They're holding a tournament called the Heavenly Martial Assembly there."
"Ah, I've heard about that."
It was a large-scale tournament, so rumors had been circulating.
"You'll come back later, right?"
"I'm not sure. But I think I probably will?"
So-yeon didn't know how long her 'running away' would last, but she imagined it would be for quite a while.
Just then, she glanced at the sky and, noticing it was nearing noon, said her goodbyes.
"I have to go now. Take care."
"So-yeon, before you go, is your weapon okay?"
Jeong-a looked at the sword at So-yeon's waist.
Since So-yeon didn't know how to maintain a sword on her own, she wanted to check its condition one last time before she left.
"Oh, right. Please take a look."
So-yeon immediately drew the Black Moon Sword and carefully handed it over.
The moment she saw it, Jeong-a couldn't help but be astonished.
"You… where did you get this?"
"Huh? Why?"
"…I've never seen such a clean and perfect sword in my entire life. Not even the most skilled master craftsman could make something like this… Who in the world could forge such a thing…"
As a blacksmith, Jeong-a was purely in awe.
From the precision of the blade to the flawless finish of the guard and hilt.
Only swords worthy of being called legendary possessed this level of perfection.
However, this sword also emanated an inexplicable, otherworldly aura, leaving Jeong-a utterly amazed.
After meticulously examining the sword, Jeong-a nodded and said.
"You need to take good care of this. It's an incredible weapon."
"Is it that good?"
"I told you. I've never seen such a perfect sword in my life."
At her words, So-yeon looked at the Black Moon Sword with a slightly flustered expression.
‘…My sword was this amazing?’
She felt the joy of a martial artist slowly welling up inside her.
[Hmph, she has a decent eye.]
The Ego Weapon spoke proudly, but Jeong-a couldn't hear it.
"It doesn't look like there's anything I need to do."
She returned the Black Moon Sword to So-yeon and spoke with a wistful look.
"So-yeon, let's definitely meet again."
"Yeah. Let's."
And so, the two young women exchanged a simple farewell.
As it was almost noon, So-yeon hurried toward the western gate of the village.
When she arrived, she found a merchant in a red robe waiting with a carriage.
He was accompanied by two men in red martial arts uniforms, who seemed to be his existing guards.
"Hello."
"Young lady, you've arrived."
The merchant greeted So-yeon with a bright smile.
"You've come at the perfect time. Shall we depart right away? Ah, by the way, I didn't catch your name. I am called Jin Ong."
"My name is Nam... I mean, So-yeon."
She almost let her family name slip, but fortunately, Jin Ong didn't seem to have heard it properly.
"Miss So-yeon, even your name is beautiful. My men will lead the horses, so please make yourself comfortable in the carriage at the back."
Besides the space for goods, there was enough room for a person to enter and rest.
"Thank you."
With that, she entered the carriage with Jin Ong.
However, since the other guards didn't come in, she asked.
"Aren't the others coming?"
Jin Ong replied in a cheerful voice.
"Of course, young lady. Please, just relax and ride in comfort."
For some reason, So-yeon felt a strange sensation, as if she were being served, but she didn't ask about it.
[Hehe, for a merchant, he's quite perceptive.]
And so, So-yeon's journey to Henan began with the Red Heaven Merchant Guild.