The Triumphant Return
Thanks to the torrential rain that had poured down the day before, the sky was clear without a single cloud. The weather that so many people of Sichuan had fretted over turned out bright and fair, and countless strings of colored lanterns and paper decorations filled the entirety of Sichuan City.
“The heroes of Sichuan make their triumphant return!”
Waaaaaah!!!!
The victory parade had begun.
Neither the matter of the Jambong Sect nor the affair of the Hwanggeumga was something every person in Sichuan would know. The Nangin’s assault on the Jambong Sect had become the subject of gossip, yet people merely cursed that the Sichuan Nangin had simply acted like Sichuan Nangin. Word that a public notice had been posted against the Hwanggeumga and that some incident had befallen them might have spread through the city, but the full details remained unknown.
Sama Yeom had said he would first give the people of Sichuan time to savor the joy of having dealt with the bandits, and only afterward reveal the wicked deeds committed by Hwanggeum-seon, Yu Ji-gyeong, and Gae Myeong-bu.
The Hwanggeumga, which had held the wealth of Sichuan in its grip, would collapse completely, and the fairly influential Jambong Sect would fall as well. The repercussions for Sichuan would be considerable.
“Commander of the subjugation army, Tang Do-gyeong! Vice-commander Dang Do-yeon make their triumphant return!”
Waaaaaaaah!!!
With Wang Maeng-ho and Hae Mul-pa at their sides, Tang Do-gyeong and Dang Do-yeon led the way, the independent martial artists who had joined the campaign following behind with flushed faces.
“Magnificent!”
“Heroes of Sichuan! The pride of Sichuan!”
Cheers poured in from every direction. The streets were packed beyond capacity; every floor and rooftop of the buildings lining the parade route overflowed with people. What must it feel like to have an uncountable throng roaring for you alone?
I would never know.
“Next, the procession of Sichuan’s sects! The sect that contributed most to the bandit subjugation is… the Mukju Sect! They achieved the feat of capturing the leader of the Eight Treasures Stronghold, Jung Sik-dang, along with twenty-eight other bandits!”
Mukju Sect! Mukju Sect!! Muk Gang-tan! Muk Gang-tan!!
When the Mukju Sect martial artists appeared leading their bound captives, the cheers reached a fever pitch. At the very front, Muk Gang-tan—a Super-Peak expert and sect master—tried to maintain the dignity of his station, yet the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward.
“Truly the pride of Sichuan, the Mukju Sect!”
After them came the procession of the Platinum-confirmed sects. First place: Mukju Sect. Second: Jajang Sect. Third: Gyeongsu Sect. Fourth: Gwangyang Sect. And fifth was the Jambong Sect.
Even amid the victory parade, the faces of the Jambong Sect master and his disciples were dark. For the Jambong Sect, the results could hardly have been satisfying. They might already have heard of the calamity that had befallen their own sect.
Before they could even hang a Platinum sect plaque, the entire sect might vanish.
Next came the Gold sects’ triumphant march. The Gold sects were, for the most part, in high spirits.
“I never imagined the Yacheol Sect possessed such depth…!”
“Hmm. I may have to send my son to the Dodong Sect after all!”
Having finally proven the strength of sects that had never before had a chance to show it, of course they were delighted. From the sect masters down to the lowest disciples, every face beamed as they waved to the people of Sichuan.
The Silver sects’ reactions were mixed—some regretful, some content, some overjoyed at results beyond their expectations.
Even the Bronze sects fared reasonably well. Those that had managed to capture bandits despite their small numbers had earned recognition for their grit.
But the Iron-tier sects… dozens of them marched with only one or two bandits in tow, or, more embarrassingly, with no captives at all.
“Hang in there! You did well!”
“The Yeongyeong Sect is the pride of Sichuan too!”
Even to those sects the people of Sichuan sent cheers and encouragement. Whatever their results, it was still true that they had helped clear the bandits who had choked the life from Sichuan.
The Iron-tier disciples, who had been hanging their heads in dejection, brightened under the cheers, squared their shoulders, and marched on with renewed spirit.
Even the Iron-tier sects deserved to enjoy the festival.
The sect-tier plaques would only be awarded after the people of Sichuan and everyone who had taken part in the subjugation had finished celebrating. Worries about tiers could wait until the festival was over.
I left the main avenue and headed for the government office.
The parade route wound through every major street of Sichuan City before ending at the yamen. By chance I arrived just as Tang Do-gyeong and the independent participants reached the office. Sama Yeom, dressed in full prefect’s robes, already stood upon the raised platform.
Sama Yeom presented hero’s sashes to Tang Do-gyeong and Dang Do-yeon—crimson sashes embroidered with golden borders. From this distance the details were invisible, yet at the tip of each sash the words “Sichuan Hero of the Bandit Subjugation” would be written, stamped with the prefect’s official seal.
Waaaaaaaah!!!
When Tang Do-gyeong and Dang Do-yeon draped the hero’s sashes over their shoulders, the crowd erupted. There had been no small amount of debate over the design and material; both Tang Do-gyeong and Sama Yeom had fretted that the fabric was too light and the length too long, but I had insisted.
A sash only looks cool when it is long enough to flutter properly in the wind.
The golden-bordered hero’s sashes streaming and dancing in the breeze looked even more splendid than I had imagined. Of course, having Tang Do-gyeong and Dang Do-yeon as the hangers helped.
Sama Yeom then awarded a hero’s sash and a silk thread to each independent participant one by one. The recipients let their sashes flutter as they ran to friends, family, and lovers.
I too entered the yamen to congratulate Tang Do-gyeong and Dang Do-yeon.
“Brother Ho.”
“It seems you finished the work safely. Congratulations.”
“It was nothing special.”
“Have matters in Sichuan been settled well?”
“Mm…”
I scratched the back of my head. The two of them looked puzzled but did not press further.
“For the most part, yes.”
“I see.”
“There is still time before the victory banquet. Rest until then. You both worked hard on the subjugation.”
Neither Tang Do-gyeong nor Dang Do-yeon declined. Commanding five thousand men was no small task. The sects had been desperate for good tier placements and must have raised their voices constantly; mediating the interests of so many factions and keeping them in line would have been exhausting. Bringing five hundred captured bandits back had not been easy either.
As Super-Peak experts their physical stamina was fine, yet the mental fatigue must have been considerable, for they went straight to their lodgings.
Lodgings, huh.
Perhaps I should pay Yeo Il-ye a sick visit.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
Her voice was so soft that I found myself moving carefully. When I gently opened the door, Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin were both inside. Hyeok Gi-rin had apparently fallen asleep while keeping watch at Yeo Il-ye’s side.
We had all been shocked when we first saw the wound on Yeo Il-ye’s face.
And Hyeok Gi-rin had clung to her and wept—wept and wept until her voice broke. She had stayed glued to Yeo Il-ye all night and must have finally collapsed from exhaustion.
“Mm.”
The sight of the bandage covering Yeo Il-ye’s left eye drew an involuntary hum from my throat.
“Since Senior Sister is sleeping, shall we take a short walk?”
“Are you certain? Your wound…”
“I am fine.”
Yeo Il-ye and I walked the garden in front of the lodgings in silence.
“How is the wound?”
“The physician the Prefect summoned says that a few days of rest will leave no scar. Of course the eye itself cannot be restored.”
I held my tongue. Yeo Il-ye had already told me everything that had happened at the Hwanggeumga the day before. The appearance of Gu Hyeon-su had felt like a blow to the back of the head. I remembered the retired Nangin Gu Ga-gyeong. We had not been especially close, yet neither had we been complete strangers.
How often had Yeo Il-ye even had reason to visit Sichuan City? Such opportunities could not have been frequent. And to meet Sichuan Nangin by pure chance every single time? I should have found that suspicious from the start.
I had simply known that Yeo Il-ye hated Nangin, so I assumed she sought them out and beat them whenever she passed through Sichuan.
Even the day I first met her—when I ended up delivering a challenge letter to the Gwangyang Sect—had that, too, been arranged by Hwanggeum-seon?
There had been plenty of clues hinting that events would unfold this way.
Yeongji Huyeol had made it clear he still harbored a grudge against Yeo Il-ye; the other Nangin would have been no different. If even one of them had come at her with true killing intent, Yeo Il-ye would have died. And I had completely missed that possibility.
I should have wondered how she could meet so many Nangin despite rarely visiting Sichuan.
I should have sensed something wrong when Yeongji Huyeol voiced his feelings about her.
Or I should have kept surveillance on Hwanggeum-seon until the very end.
If I had…
“Eungong is thinking unnecessary thoughts.”
When I came back to myself, Yeo Il-ye had stopped walking and was looking at me. I started in surprise.
A gentle smile had risen on her face.
It was the first time I had ever seen Yeo Il-ye smile. I had seen her cold sneers a few times, but those could hardly be called smiles.
“Eungong is neither a sage nor a god. It is only natural that some things slip past you. And… more than anything, this was the karma I myself created with my own hands.”
“…Young lady.”
“There are things one must face head-on and overcome. Eungong opened the eyes that hatred had closed. Though I failed to keep them properly and one eye has closed again… even with a single eye I can still look upon the world and walk forward.”
Yeo Il-ye looked content. I could not understand how she could wear such an expression after losing an eye.
“Last night Senior Sister wept for me until dawn. A person who, despite her own injuries, strides forward so bravely… she cried for me like that. She cried, she nursed me, she held on and held on until she finally fell asleep… and seeing her like that, a smile simply rose on my face.”
“To see with my own eyes that there is someone in this world who can weep for me with such sincerity… I was truly… happy. And ashamed. I had kept such a person at my side all this time yet never realized it, never done anything for her.”
“My life has not been filled only with misfortune. There was the Jeomchang Sect that took me in when rage had blinded me, and there was Senior Sister who stopped me from walking a path from which there could be no return. And I met Eungong as well.”
Yeo Il-ye bowed her head.
“Thank you, Eungong. I have received more from you than I can ever put into words. You gave me enlightenment, you helped me take my revenge… and you dragged me along and taught me so many things.”
“…There is no need for such excessive gratitude.”
“Heh heh. I knew you would say that. Yet the man who even used the favor token I gave him for my sake has no right to speak those words.”
“Ahem.”
“So the only thing I can offer is something like this.”
Yeo Il-ye stepped closer. I reflexively took a step back, but she was faster. Both of her hands slipped under my arms and gently clasped my back.
“Wha—”
What are you doing? What are you trying to— The words never left my lips, for Yeo Il-ye’s mouth met mine. Her tongue slipped naturally between my parted lips; startled, I tried to pull away, yet her soft hands held me firmly in place.
Tongue tangled with tongue.
When I gasped in surprise, a sweet fragrance filled my senses. The scent of her skin? The faint mingled smell of medicinal herbs only made her scent stand out more sharply.
Only after several breaths did Yeo Il-ye finally release me. As our lips parted, a thin strand of saliva stretched between us; she licked her lips as if wiping it away.
When our eyes met, she chuckled softly.
…I must have been wearing quite the vacant expression.
“Do not feel too burdened. You will have plenty of time to think.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I have not yet caught all of my enemies. The remaining ones must still be dealt with. If unexpected complications arise, it may take quite a long time.”
Yeo Il-ye’s eye curved gently, a playful smile on her lips.
“So I have left a mark of saliva so that you will not forget this Yeo Mo in the meantime.”
I stared blankly at her and thought:
So Yeo Il-ye could make faces like this too. I had always known her as someone who kept her brow rigidly furrowed, who carried an empty air, who sometimes seemed ready to scatter like a cloud.
…Looking back, of course she had been that way. With so much weight on her shoulders, with so much pain and hardship, how could a person smile? I had simply been foolish enough to look at that Yeo Il-ye and decide that was simply who she was.
What exactly had I thought of her? The image from the game had become a prejudice, and I had accepted that she was simply that sort of person.
There had been a living person right in front of me. We had spoken many times, matched blades many times… yet I might never have escaped the frame of the game.
“Eungong. There is something I never realized until now.”
Yeo Il-ye stepped closer and rested a hand on my chest. What was she going to say this time?
“What is it?”
“Eungong’s vacant expression is rather charming.”
“What nonse— mmph!”
My lips were stolen again without resistance. Once more the sensation of her tongue coiling around mine swept over me.
When our mouths finally parted I lacked even the strength to protest; I could only stare at her.
“Your head is so full of thoughts… I could not be certain whether this Yeo Mo had properly carved herself into that mind of yours, so I left another mark of saliva.”
Yeo Il-ye lightly touched a fingertip to her tongue as she spoke.
“Is it still not enough?”
“…It is more than enough.”
Every idle thought flew clean away. Yes. Until now I had never truly faced the person called Yeo Il-ye. I had only cared about how she would act. I had played Murim Cheonha thousands of times and believed that the knowledge of the character Yeo Il-ye I had met during those playthroughs meant I knew her.
And then I had decided I could not understand her. I had thought the actions of Yeo Il-ye after her enlightenment made no sense. Of course one cannot predict the actions of someone one does not know—yet I had behaved as though my experience with Murim Cheonha alone made me an expert on everything about her.
It had been stupid. A vivid living person stood right before my eyes, someone I could converse with and look in the eye, and I had taken a handful of game knowledge and decided “I understand this person.”
I cleanly erased the character Yeo Il-ye that existed inside the Murim Cheonha in my head.
I erased the Yeo Il-ye who, even after enlightenment, could not obtain evidence against her enemies and simply swallowed her rage alone within the embrace of the Jeomchang Sect. I erased the Red Bamboo Hero who had wandered cutting down Nangin, consumed by nothing but fury and hatred.
And I looked at Yeo Il-ye. This Yeo Il-ye was someone who, even if the other party was a Nangin, acknowledged the enlightenment she had received and treated her benefactor with meticulous respect. She was someone who could throw everything away for revenge. And at the same time she was someone who, when faced with the sins she herself had committed, could abandon even the revenge she held so dear and her own life in order to beg forgiveness.
She was a woman who adored her senior sister to an almost ridiculous degree and who found charm in a person’s vacant expression—an unusual taste, to be sure.
“Only now does it feel as though you are truly looking at me.”
Watching Yeo Il-ye smile softly, I could not refute her words.
“Il-ye! Il-ye! Where has the patient gone! If the wound worsens it will be disastrous! Il-ye!”
“Ah, Senior Sister has woken. If we do not hurry back I may have to listen to scolding all day.”
Yeo Il-ye turned her steps toward the lodgings. Then she suddenly stopped and looked back at me.
“Ah, and… keep today’s events a secret from that cat-like young lady. I have arranged to receive information about my remaining enemies, and if she learns of this there will be chaos.”
With a mischievous smile, Yeo Il-ye raised her voice to answer Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Il-ye! Do you not know that a patient requires absolute rest!”
“Heh heh, I merely stepped out for a moment because I felt stifled.”
“What if the wound reopens while you wander outside! Even a Super-Peak expert must never let down her guard!”
“Yes, yes, of course. I have enjoyed the outside air enough… shall we go in?”
Yeo Il-ye looked my way and smiled meaningfully. Hyeok Gi-rin, who could not possibly understand the meaning of that smile, first looked bewildered, then flared up with twin flames in her eyes.
“You have always changed the subject with nonsense ever since you were little! I will not be fooled today—come inside at once!”
“Yes, Senior Sister.”
“In the first place you…!”
Yeo Il-ye listened to her furious senior sister’s scolding with a smile, as though even that were welcome. The two of them gradually grew smaller until they disappeared from sight.
“Mm.”
Waaaaaaaaaah!!!
Another sect must have arrived before the yamen; cheers rang out once more. Listening to those cheers, I recalled the last expression I had seen on Yeo Il-ye’s face.
“Well… she looked happy, so that’s enough.”
As though everyone in Sichuan City were happy.
It was a summer day.