The Duel of the Sword
Confidence. It was a strange thing. Confiding in others is both difficult and easy at the same time. To be precise, depending on the weight of the worry, the person involved, and the subject matter, there are some things you can share and some you cannot. For instance, I couldn't share these particular worries with So-yul, the twins, or So-so, but I could easily share them with No-ya. After all, No-ya was the only person I felt I could truly rely on mentally. And so, I poured out the thoughts in my head to him with ease.
“Hmm….”
No-ya listened to my story with intense focus. He didn't look much different from usual, but I could easily tell that he was paying even closer attention because I had called him 'Master' instead of 'No-ya'. Once I had finished everything, he finally opened his mouth.
“You think too much.”
“Pardon?”
“The gist of it is this, isn't it? You feel like it wasn't you who showed such cruelty. You're worried, ‘What if I fall into an Inner Demon again? What if I go mad?’”
I nodded, and he continued.
“All useless worries. Everyone has moments when they get angry, lose their minds, and feel like they aren't themselves. I don't know exactly what you saw, but… just let it flow.”
“Just let it flow?”
“Yes. Think of it as happening because it was your first time experiencing such a thing. If you pick apart and dig deep into every little thing like that, it will be very difficult to live as a martial artist in the future.”
“Are you saying that thinking too much makes it easier to fall into an Inner Demon?”
“Exactly. A martial artist is someone who has set foot in a Jianghu of swords and blood. If it feels too hard to bear, let it wash over you. Even if you have to rationalize it to yourself.”
“...But it’s a risk of falling into an Inner Demon; is it really okay to just let it be?”
“Is an Inner Demon such a big deal?”
No-ya answered my question diligently.
“Actually, it is a big deal. It is one of the paths that can most easily lead a person to ruin. What is an Inner Demon? It is the distracting thoughts, the dark intentions, and the devil that takes root inside a person. However, you cannot erase that heart. It will continue to pop up in the future. Whenever that happens, don't think too deeply about it.”
“Since I can't erase the Inner Demon anyway… I should just let the spark die out on its own?”
“Among the orthodox martial arts, there seem to be ways to avoid falling into an Inner Demon easily… but we are practicing demonic arts. Still, our family’s internal cultivation method has few side effects and a low risk of falling into an Inner Demon, so don't worry too much.”
I nodded.
After that, I heard from No-ya what happened while I was unconscious. Immediately after the incident, the Swift Sword Sect Master confessed his crimes willingly, excluding the murder charge. The members of the Sword Family, including the Family Head, didn't easily believe the Sect Master's words, so he even took a truth serum with his own hands to prove his innocence. To sum it up… it was revealed that the Swift Sword Sect Master had only intended to cancel the duel and had absolutely nothing to do with So-so's kidnapping or my murder charges. Of course, that didn't mean his crimes disappeared. He took responsibility and announced he would step down from his position.
Following this, to avoid No-ya’s wrath, the Sword Family themselves took the initiative to punish those who had easily spoken ill of me. Of course, there weren't many who had looked down on me openly, so it wasn't a large number… but they could no longer call themselves warriors of the Sword Family. Thus, at least within the Sword Family, no one could speak of me carelessly anymore, and the whole incident came to an end. It had gone exactly as I intended.
No-ya said, “Of course, the Swift Sword Sect said they would compensate for the damage caused by this incident.”
“Oh… what are they giving?”
“First, they said they would compensate So-so, who almost came to harm, with a gold ingot.”
At the mention of a gold ingot, my eyes widened. I didn't have to worry about money anymore, but So-so was different. A single silver ingot was enough for an ordinary commoner to live on for several years without spending a cent… and a gold ingot was worth about 20 silver ingots… ‘Wait, just how much is that?’
Since it wasn't rare for non-martial arts practicing servants to get caught in the fights of the disciples and die, I had expected the Swift Sword Sect to just brush off So-so’s matter. Didn't the Gyomaguan do the same? Even though I almost died at the hands of Jin Geuk, the Gyomaguan didn't say a word. One might say I received the Ash Body Pill, but that wasn't for me in the first place; it was for the twins. If she didn't indulge in unnecessary extravagance, So-so could probably live comfortably for the rest of her life, even if not for her descendants. In other words, it meant the Swift Sword Sect was that concerned about me and the Sword Saint, enough to care about a lowly servant.
‘Well… an entire sect almost got wiped out, so I suppose it’s natural.’
I started to get a little excited. If So-so got that much, what would fall into my hands? I pondered what to ask for, and after thinking about it several times, I opened my mouth.
“Then what about me?”
“Spiritual medicine. Secret manuals. Divine weapons. Anything you want.”
The Swift Sword Sect had handed me a blank check.
‘What on earth should I take?’
I had already taken the Ash Body Pill, a 2nd-grade spiritual elixir, a while ago. A divine weapon… I was a little tempted, but I didn't know if I could handle it properly, and I already had the sword No-ya gave me. Then a secret manual… but as the disciple of the Sword Saint, would I need the secret manuals of another sect? For the first time, I had a blank check in my hands, but I had no idea how to use it. Then, a decent reward suddenly crossed my mind.
“Does the Swift Sword Sect have any decent hidden weapon techniques?”
It was hidden weapon techniques.
“Hmm? Hidden weapon techniques? Well… I suppose they have a few they looted from the Central Plains. But why? You could just swing your sword once more in that time.”
No-ya didn't seem pleased that I was interested in hidden weapons instead of the sword. Since he had reached the position of the absolute best with the sword, his pride was immense, so it was natural. However, unlike No-ya, I highly valued hidden weapon techniques. I had already saved my life several times just by hiding a dagger in my clothes. If I had a decent technique, how much more at ease would I be? No-ya might scold me for being pathetic, but that was only because he had never been in my position as the weak one. Therefore, despite his sharp gaze, I continued without hesitation.
“So you’re saying it’s possible? Then, I’ll take the hidden weapon technique.”
“……Fine. However, I am a layman when it comes to hidden weapons. Even if you ask for my help, I won't have any advice to give you. Do you understand? So, in my opinion, I’d rather you take a spiritual medicine or a sword…”
“It’s fine! Then I’ll ask for the hidden weapon technique.”
“You can’t change it even if you regret it. Are you really okay with this?”
“Yes.”
“Tsk.”
No-ya clicked his tongue and glared at me once. Of course, I didn't even blink.
“Fine… well, I understand. Ah. I forgot to mention this.”
“What else is left?”
“Yes. The Swift Sword Sect said they would give up on the duel. What will you do?”
A day passed. I took the medicinal pills handed over by the Swift Sword Sect and successfully treated my internal injuries. When So-so heard the news that she would be receiving a gold ingot, she couldn't believe it, pinched her cheeks a few times, and let out a shout of victory. I asked if she would quit her job, but she said she had no particular intention of doing so.
“If I quit… it’s not like I have anywhere to go.”
True, having been abandoned by her family and coming to this place with no connections, she didn't have anywhere to go with that money. If she had been one of the many maids in the inner hall, she might have quit and opened a tavern somewhere, but she had become the exclusive maid of the Sword Saint’s disciple. She seemed to think there was no need to quit.
While I was swinging my sword endlessly in the empty training ground, No-ya said, “Let’s stop here for today.”
“It’s already tomorrow.”
“Why. Are you nervous?”
“Of course I am. It’s a duel with a First-Class expert. It would be a lie to say I’m not nervous.”
“Hmm… are you confident?”
I just smiled without a word. Was I confident? Of course, I was. If I hadn't been confident, I wouldn't have insisted on the duel that the other side had already given up on. That’s right. I decided to go through with the duel. The reason I insisted on continuing the duel that the other side had already offered to forfeit was simple.
‘I can’t miss this opportunity.’
It was a duel with a First-Class expert. An opportunity that couldn't be easily obtained. I thought there would be no better duel than this to check my skills and gain an advantage in the Divine Maiden competition by making a name for myself. My skills also rose sharply when I crossed swords with a superior expert. With my current level, I was still far from my goal of winning the Divine Maiden competition. I needed to push myself a little more. Above all else…
‘Because I’m confident.’
I didn't think I would win easily, but I didn't think I would lose, either. I was the one who had experienced the desperate reality of killing superior experts during the Gyomaguan raid. No matter how much she was the Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect, her practical experience couldn't be better than mine. Was that all? For the past week, I had learned the sword from No-ya and perfectly dismantled the sword techniques of the Swift Sword Sect that Jin Mu-ung had displayed. I judged that this was enough to have a fighting chance. That was why I decided to proceed with the scheduled duel.
No-ya said, “Just do as you learned… just do as the strategy dictates. You know what I mean, right?”
“You mean don't be greedy?”
“Yes. Go back now.”
“What about you, No-ya?”
“I’ll swing my sword a little more like usual before I go.”
I greeted No-ya and left the training ground. Once I stepped out, unlike before, there were no people blocking my path… well, that wasn't entirely true.
‘What is this?’
A girl of my age, with a face I had seen somewhere, was blocking my path. My expression stiffened slightly. Was there someone who still hadn't come to their senses after seeing what I did in the Sword Family? Just as I was on high alert, the girl in front of me bowed her head.
“I greet the disciple of the Sword Saint. I am Jin A-rin, the Young Sect Master of the Swift Sword Sect. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Only then did I belatedly recall who the girl with the familiar face in front of me was.