Life-and-Death Duel
How much time has passed?
The place I entered through the blue gate was once again the familiar Dang family estate.
I couldn't gauge how much time had passed, but I had to leave again.
Because I couldn't imagine what that bastard Paeng Dae-hyeok was doing in my absence.
“Hah... hah... Great Hero... please show mercy...”
“Hah! Mercy? Hahaha... the soldiers of the Dang family, once called the greatest in the world, are reduced to this?”
“What are you doing right now?!”
I left the hidden residence where my father was and headed to the guest room where Paeng Dae-hyeok was staying. A soldier from the Dang family was groaning in pain with blood flowing in front of the guest room.
Looking down at that scene, Paeng Dae-hyeok was chuckling, and his hand was covered in what looked like the soldier's blood.
That bastard must have caused this mess again.
“Oh, Miss Bilyeong has come! While you were away, I was bored and enjoying some entertainment.”
“Entertainment? You call this entertainment? Clean up this mess!”
“Oh... Miss Bilyeong seems quite angry.”
I didn't care if I was angry or not; that scoundrel didn't give a damn about it.
A surge of desire to stab my sword into that treacherous face right then and there filled me.
“I apologize. It was my fault. As men, we sometimes let our alcohol get the better of us, right? Isn't that so, Administrator?”
“Yes... that's right, Great Hero.”
What am I seeing right now?
The administrator of the Dang family, yet he doesn't even try to stop the soldier from being beaten one-sidedly, instead fawning over Paeng Dae-hyeok like a dog.
It seems there was a snake in the Dang family.
“By the way, I heard something quite interesting... that... what was it called? The ability to make decent weapons using that power, I heard.”
“Dang Ji-hyeok! How far did you go in telling him, and when did you start siding with them?!”
“Hic... hic!”
Paeng Dae-hyeok let out a squeal like a rat under my killing intent and scurried behind him.
How despicable...
When he was around twenty-seven, my father had discerned his abilities and ordered him to put down the sword and pick up the abacus instead.
Dang Ji-hyeok used his abilities there to rise to the position of administrator.
During that process, when Dang Ji-hyeok made a mistake and was discouraged, my father always comforted him by saying it was fine.
My father personally helped Dang Ji-hyeok adapt well in the Dang family on both sides.
We also liked Dang Ji-hyeok... that guy.
Yet that bastard betrayed our Dang family and my father.
My hands trembled.
I never imagined that behind the familiar face that had been taking care of me while my father was ruined, he was plotting betrayal.
“Tell me, Dang Ji-hyeok! When did you become a dog of the Paeng family?!”
“T-that...”
Paeng Dae-hyeok clapped his hands to interrupt the flow between me and Dang Ji-hyeok.
“Hey, Bilyeong. Why are you so worked up? The strong survive. That's the law of the martial world, right? Following the tide isn't something to be criticized, is it?”
“Despicable... The world should know that the reality of the Paeng family, who shouted about righteousness and chivalry while acting arrogant, is this ugly.”
“Hahaha! Everyone? Miss Bilyeong, you are still young, so you don't know the world well. In the world, the words of the victor are righteousness and chivalry.”
Paeng Dae-hyeok lifted his chin high and looked down at me.
“What... anyway, the Sacheon Dang family will soon fall into the hands of our Haebuk Paeng family, so it's not important.”
“What are you saying?”
It wasn't threatening to cover up the situation.
Beyond the thick confidence in his attitude, I read a strange sense of otherness.
Then Paeng Dae-hyeok took out a letter from his bosom and waved it with a vile smile.
“My father, the head of the Haebuk Paeng family, Paeng Ho-seong, known as the 'Tyrant Blade Emperor,' is coming here himself. He'll arrive in a week. Originally, the reason I came this far was to deliver this.”
The head of the Haebuk Paeng family coming himself?
His attitude had been self-assured for some reason.
This was the reason. They were trying to swallow the Dang family while my father was ruined.
A week was three days short of the ten days Seo Hwan promised to make weapons.
“Miss, remember this well. Soon, the world will praise the Dang family as having been saved by the Paeng family just before it collapsed.”
Paeng Dae-hyeok said that and approached me, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“That's right... so why don't you come to me? Then there won't be any sacrifice...”
“Shut up. You despicable bastard. Does the Dang family intend to submit to you lot? Even if it means my head rolling on the floor, I'll face you lot.”
“Hah... that's why I shouldn't have used words. If words don't work, then force...”
Paeng Dae-hyeok's gaze turned fierce in an instant.
From the hand gripping my shoulder, rough qi erupted without restraint.
He intended to crush my shoulder in one blow and force me to kneel.
I clenched my teeth and drew qi from deep in my dantian. Just as I was about to draw my sword to counter his rough qi—
Clang—
Between the clash of rough qi, a sword pushed in and pointed at Paeng Dae-hyeok's neck.
“...!”
Paeng Dae-hyeok's eyes widened as his gaze turned to the owner of the sword.
The numerous sword scars on his face and arms, along with his short-cropped white hair, clearly showed the storms he had endured in the martial world.
“...When did the so-called young master of the Paeng family start barking like a wild dog in the inner chambers of the Dang family?”
Dang So, the leader of the Sacheon Dang family's elite Poison Dragon Unit, the strongest elite force.
“Aish. Are you alright?”
Dang So turned to me and asked if I was alright, but...
He had probably just finished his mission and returned.
“Yes, thanks to you, I'm fine.”
“I'm glad.”
Dang So's eyes, after confirming my well-being, turned back to Paeng Dae-hyeok, and a streak of sweat ran down his forehead.
No matter how arrogant, he couldn't ignore the gap between himself and the current strongest warrior of the Dang family.
Knowing this himself, Paeng Dae-hyeok secretly withdrew his hand and tried to back away.
“Oh dear... it seems you've misunderstood, Leader of the Poison Dragon Unit. I was merely trying to build some rapport with Miss Bilyeong...”
With a vile smile, Paeng Dae-hyeok tried to flee, and a scorching rage rose in my chest along with a bitter disgust.
Clang—
I drew the silver sword at my waist and pointed it at him.
Despite insulting me in front of me, insulting my father, and insulting the family, I had endured it by gritting my teeth.
It was painful as if my organs were being pulled out and rolling on a bed of thorns.
His words were insulting my father's entire life and trying to stain the honor of a thousand-year family with dirty blood.
Even in the pain as if my blood was spurting backwards and my dantian was tearing, I endured it because the blade was pointed only at me.
As the young master acting in place of the head, I wanted to endure that much humiliation for the family no matter what.
But it was my foolishness and my misconception.
The greed of that ungrateful bastard didn't end with trampling on me.
The soldier who was willing to pick up arms for the family and not hesitate to give his life was rolling on the floor with his body covered in blood.
The administrator, who should be the guardian of the family, was smiling obsequiously and becoming a dog for that bastard, wagging his tail.
As the young master of the family, I could no longer retreat.
No, I couldn't retreat.
If I endured this situation, I couldn't lift my head proudly in front of my father.
My actions might cause the family to collapse, but if I retreated here, the family would collapse from within.
If the young master turns a blind eye to the injustice they suffered, who would devote loyalty under the Dang family flag?
Even if they point fingers at us for being despicable and bitter, we haven't abandoned the righteousness and chivalry in our hearts even a little.
This is the chivalry I can offer to the soldiers who have been loyal to the family.
This is the righteousness of eagerly holding a sword to resist injustice.
With Paeng Dae-hyeok's trembling eyes behind me, I sharpened the tip of my sword.
With my own hand, I will slay this evil bastard today and establish chivalry in the world.
“Paeng Dae-hyeok!”
Paeng Dae-hyeok's shoulder trembled slightly as I shouted while pointing my sword.
“If you are also a warrior, answer with the sword! I, Dang Bilyeong, the young master of the Sacheon Dang family, challenge you to a duel!”
Paeng Dae-hyeok's eyes sparkled as if he hadn't expected me to come out like this.
Dang So standing beside also showed a surprised expression as if my reaction was unexpected.
“Must you really do this, Miss? It will be hard to handle the aftermath.”
Paeng Dae-hyeok seemed panicked and tried to threaten me, but I paid no attention.
“Before discussing my aftermath, you should first consider your own safety.”
“...How amusing. What do I gain from a duel? I don't have to do this troublesome thing; the Dang family will fall into our hands anyway.”
“I won't let you off the hook.”
The wager I set for the duel was not the family's precious plaque or a valuable elixir or weapon.
My life.
“W-what? Are you saying we should have a life-and-death duel right here?”
Life-and-Death Duel, a contest where warriors bet their lives against each other.
Declining a life-and-death duel is the greatest disgrace a warrior can suffer.
That's why he couldn't refuse this match.
Shock filled Paeng Dae-hyeok's vile face.
Dang So, standing behind, tried to grab my shoulder to stop me, but seeing my resolute gaze, he couldn't bring himself to touch me.
The tip of the silver sword forged by Seo Hwan trembled with a chilling poison.
It was as if the warmth of the hero who didn't pity me for protecting my honor but hid his true purpose because of money was accompanying this sword.
With this sword, I won't be defeated here.
“Paeng Dae-hyeok! Draw your sword!”
Defeating him here will be the cornerstone to rise the Dang family.