Chapter 651: The Sword that Slashes Threats, Hogeom
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 651: The Sword that Slashes Threats, Hogeom
"How... how is this... even possible?"
Ok-ryeong spoke as she stared down at her body, which didn't have a single scratch on it.
She simply couldn't understand.
She had clearly been slashed.
By the sword Sun-woo had swung, no less.
And yet, there wasn't a single mark on her. How could such a miracle occur?
"Because I didn't want to cut you."
Sun-woo answered her question in a calm, steady voice.
"What the Protective Sword cuts is the threat. Not the person it's meant to protect."
"…Are you saying the sword chooses its target?"
"Exactly."
Sun-woo nodded and continued.
"The Protective Sword only cuts what I wish to cut. It won't harm anyone else."
"…I can't believe it."
Ok-ryeong spoke with a look of utter bewilderment.
It was truly hard to fathom.
There was a saying that 'the sword has no eyes.' It was a phrase used to describe the inherent danger of a lethal weapon.
A sword is sharp.
And using it is incredibly simple—you just have to swing it.
That was why one had to be careful. If handled improperly, it was a dangerous tool that could wound allies just as easily as enemies.
But Sun-woo's Protective Sword completely shattered that concept.
A sword that slashes but does not cut?
How could a sword based on such a concept even exist? It was a notion that completely overturned conventional common sense.
"It feels strange to me, too," Sun-woo admitted, looking down at the Protective Sword in his hand.
Though it was a sword of the mind he had forged himself, its utility was almost unbelievable.
A sword that slashes but does not cut.
Was this not a power bordering on the absurd, one that defied the natural order? It was a different kind of 'unreasonableness' than what he had felt from the Killing Sword.
"But it's not a bad feeling."
Though he felt a bit restless, he didn't dislike it.
In fact, he felt a sense of certainty.
With this Protective Sword—this blade that slashed through threats—he felt he could cut through any absurdity, no matter what it was.
"I'm happy too, Sun-woo."
Hearing his words, Ok-ryeong spoke with a bright smile.
She had been worried. She feared that the demonic power of the Killing Sword might consume Sun-woo entirely.
Having a history of annihilating the Geoak Sect, Ok-ryeong had encountered many from the Evil and Heretical Sects in the past.
Most of them were corrupted by demonic arts, but among them were also martial artists from chivalrous backgrounds who had been consumed by their own killing intent.
Thrill-killers who became addicted to the urge to kill and could only find pleasure through murder. Pitiful beings who had made an irreversible choice.
Because Ok-ryeong had seen such people, she had been afraid.
Afraid that Sun-woo would be swallowed by his killing intent. Afraid that his heart would break. Afraid that he would no longer recognize her. Afraid that he would degenerate into a monster who only found joy in slaughter.
But Sun-woo had brought his killing intent under complete control.
Not only that, he had obtained another sword besides the Killing Sword.
The sword that does not cut, the Protective Sword.
How could she not be overjoyed?
Clang.
Ok-ryeong tossed her broken sword onto the ground.
Thud.
"I... I knew... you could do it, Sun-woo."
She threw her arms wide and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Thank you... for believing in me and waiting."
Squeeze.
Sun-woo spoke as he gently wrapped his arms around her.
He felt a surge of compassion for her, knowing she must have spent sleepless nights worrying about him, and a deep love for the woman who had trusted him until the very end.
"No... I only did what was natural."
Rub, rub.
Ok-ryeong murmured as she nuzzled her head against Sun-woo's broad chest.
"It might be natural to you, but it gave me more strength than anything else."
Sun-woo held her even tighter as he spoke.
"I love you."
He looked into her eyes with deep affection.
"…Me too... Sun-woo."
Ok-ryeong met his gaze with equal heat.
Soon, the two lovers held each other even more dearly, as if they would never let go.
.
.
.
.
.
After some time had passed, Sun-woo slowly pulled back.
"Ok-ryeong."
He called her name in a soft voice.
"…Yes?"
"Shall we head inside?"
"…Right now?"
"Yeah. I think I need to wash up... and you look especially beautiful today."
"…Yes."
Ok-ryeong replied, her face turning as red as a ripe apple. She had realized his intention.
Slide.
Sun-woo gently took her slender, jade-like hand in his.
Then, he began to lead her toward their quarters.
Ok-ryeong followed his lead with careful steps.
Soon, the figures of the two lovers completely vanished from the training ground.
Slam!
"It's overrrr!!!"
Yorang let out a triumphant shout after stamping the final document.
She had finally finished all the month-end settlements for this month.
"Ugh... finally..."
"…It's... it's over..."
"…I'm going to sleep... then I'll wake up... eat Dongpo pork... and then... go back to sleep..."
Following Yorang's shout, groans began to rise from all corners of the room.
These were the members of the Jaegyeong Pavilion, whose souls had been drained by the month-end settlement. It seemed the toll of working through the night for several days was finally hitting them.
"Everyone... you all... worked hard..."
From a corner, Geum Jeok-hwa, who had been sitting with hollow eyes, congratulated them in a weak voice. It was a celebration of finishing the accounting.
"Vice Head... you worked hard too..."
"Good job, Vice Head..."
The other members began to offer their greetings to Geum Jeok-hwa as well.
"I'm the one who worked the hardest!!!"
Yorang, sitting at the central desk, raised her voice and shouted.
She felt slighted because they were offering their thanks to the Vice Head, Geum Jeok-hwa, instead of her, who had suffered like crazy.
"P-Pavilion Head... you worked hard."
"Good job, Pavilion Head."
"Thank you for your hard work."
Hearing Yorang's outburst, the members quickly shifted their greetings to her. They didn't want to get on her bad side.
"Forget it! Hearing those empty words now doesn't make me happy at all!"
Yorang shouted, still looking dissatisfied. Getting a bow only after demanding it brought her no joy.
"It's all... karma, Lady Yorang," Geum Jeok-hwa said, looking at her.
"Karma?!" Yorang snapped, her voice rising.
"You spent the entire settlement period trying to run away!"
Geum Jeok-hwa raised her voice, her eyes filled with resentment. The memories of chasing after the fleeing Yorang were still fresh in her mind.
Throughout the settlement, Yorang had constantly opted for a quick escape. It was her sheer will to go play with Sun-woo.
And to catch her, the members of the Jaegyeong Pavilion were forced into a game of tag they never asked for.
They always had to keep a close eye on her, never knowing when she might bolt, and when she did, they had to scatter and take the most optimal routes to intercept her.
Yorang was the primary culprit who had stretched a settlement that should have taken three days into ten. There was no way Geum Jeok-hwa could offer her kind words.
"But I still worked hard!"
"Do you think I didn't notice you measuring the distance to the exit even three hours ago?"
Geum Jeok-hwa spoke with narrowed eyes.
"When did I! Do you have proof?! Do you have proof?!"
Yorang shouted back, looking indignant.
"Then why were you heading outside the Jaegyeong Pavilion when you said you were going to the latrine?!"
"The latrine in the Jaegyeong Pavilion is dirty!"
"You're not the type of person to care about that!"
"Do you know me? Do you really know me?!"
"I've worked with you for over a year now! Do you think I wouldn't know what's on your mind?"
Geum Jeok-hwa raised her voice, refusing to back down.
"Haven't you heard the saying that you can know the depth of ten fathoms of water, but not one fathom of a person's heart?"
"That doesn't apply to you, Lady Yorang!"
"Eeeeeeek!"
Yorang and Geum Jeok-hwa began to scream at each other. It was as if they were venting all the frustration that had built up during the month-end settlement.
Pack, pack, pack.
Ignoring their fight, the other members packed their bags and prepared to head home. The two of them fought like this after every settlement; it was an annual event. It wasn't anything special.
Soon, they all left quickly without even saying goodbye. They had no desire to stay and get caught in the crossfire.
Eventually, only the two women remained in the Jaegyeong Pavilion.
"I'm quitting! I'm quitting as the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion! I'm going to become a wealthy slacker!" Yorang screamed.
"It would be quite troublesome for you if you quit, wouldn't it?"
"What would be troublesome about it?"
"Hasn't your spending increased lately? It'll be hard to maintain that lifestyle if you quit."
Yorang spent every penny she earned on snacks. Previously, she could eat until her stomach burst using only a fraction of her monthly salary, but lately, her spending had grown incomparably larger. If she quit, she wouldn't be able to afford it.
"…No, it hasn't," Yorang lied through her teeth.
"Don't lie. I heard you've been buying up every foreign snack that comes across the border. Even your salary as the Pavilion Head wouldn't be enough to cover all that."
Geum Jeok-hwa's eyes glinted sharply.
It was as if Yorang had resolved to eat every snack in the world; she was spending most of her salary on the snack trade. She had started buying snacks from every country that traded with the Central Plains.
"…………"
Yorang fell silent. It was the truth.
At first, she was satisfied just using her salary to gorge herself on crackers and traditional sweets. But as her salary piled up, she wanted to do something different—as a reward for her hard work.
The reward she chose was foreign confectionery. Though they were expensive, she felt they were well worth the price.
And when she first tasted a foreign snack, she was blown away by the innovative flavor. It had a unique charm completely different from the sweets of the Central Plains.
Since then, with the singular goal of eating every snack on Earth, Yorang had been spending most of her salary importing them.
She ate snacks that came across rivers.
She ate snacks that came across deserts.
She ate snacks that came across the sea.
And she felt happy. She felt that the world was vast and there were many things to eat.
That was why Yorang had no choice but to shut her mouth at Geum Jeok-hwa's words. To maintain her new hobby of snack trading, she needed money, and her only source of income was her salary as the Pavilion Head.
"Come to think of it, didn't you take an advance on last month's salary as well?"
"…………"
"Taking the money but not doing the work... I wonder what Lord Sun-woo would think if he knew."
Geum Jeok-hwa spoke in a calm, level tone.
"D-Don't tell Sun-woo!"
Yorang blurted out in a panic. She felt that Sun-woo must never find out. She didn't want her flaws exposed to him.
What woman in the world would want to show her shortcomings to the man she loved? Besides, given Sun-woo's upright personality, he would surely scold her severely.
He must not find out. Never.
"Then please stop running away during the settlements! Why are you so uncooperative when you play all month and only have to work hard during the settlement period?"
"But Sun-woo came back!" Yorang argued indignantly.
"That's irrelevant! Whether Lord Sun-woo is here or not, finish your work!"
"You're mean!"
"You're meaner, Lady Yorang!"
Soon, the Jaegyeong Pavilion was filled once again with the shouting of the two women.
"Geum Jeok-hwa is mean."
Yorang muttered, her face scrunched in a deep frown.
In the end, she had lost the argument. She simply couldn't win against someone who only spoke the truth.
"If it weren't for the money, I would have quit ages ago."
Yorang grumbled irritably.
Money was the problem. Ever since she had fallen under the spell of currency, Yorang had become someone who couldn't live without it.
She had fully realized how convenient money was, how useful it was, and how wonderful it was.
Because money was holding her hostage, she couldn't quit even when the work was unpleasant.
"Isn't there some easy money lying around somewhere?"
Yorang fell into deep thought, her expression quite serious. She was dreaming of unearned income—the dream of all humanity.
But no matter how much she thought about it, no solution presented itself.
'Should I embezzle like Tang Jin-seol did?'
She even considered such a nefarious method.
But she quickly shook her head, clearing the bad thought away. If she did something like that, Sun-woo would surely be disappointed in her.
Besides, she didn't want the other members of the Tang Clan to suffer because of her embezzlement. Everyone in the Tang Clan had become precious to her.
"Sigh... isn't there some way to get money..."
Yorang's sighs grew deeper.
To become a wealthy slacker living off unearned income, she needed a windfall. A massive amount of wealth that wouldn't run out no matter how much she spent.
But there was no way for her to obtain such wealth. Was she not just a novice who had just stepped into society?
'I should ask Sun-woo.'
She decided to go find him. She figured it would be better to ask Sun-woo than to worry about it alone.
Trot, trot, trot.
Yorang trotted off toward Sun-woo's quarters.