Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Evil Faction Mooks
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Eventually, the twice-cooked pork arrived.
"Oishiku naré."
"…Thanks."
"Enjoy your meal!"
The waiter, who had even brought over a bottle and cup for water, shot me a wink before scurrying back toward the kitchen to fetch the next dish.
'…Damn, carbonara.'
I decided to ignore that and focus on the twice-cooked pork right in front of me.
I wasn't much for Chinese cuisine in general, but I did love twice-cooked pork.
Tender, salty, melting away in your mouth like the ideal dish should.
I gazed at it, imagining just that.
[Looks delicious. Little Mistress, why isn't there any for this seat… I'm starving.]
Snow Python let out a gurgling rumble, whining pitifully.
The more I looked, the less Snow Python seemed like some sly, wise serpent.
She just came off as a slightly knowledgeable little kid, and the thought wouldn't leave my head.
'…She says she wants to change the martial world, so maybe if I talk her down nicely… Whatever, just looking at her says it all.'
I'd let it slide because she was cute.
If she'd said it in some old man's voice, I'd have slammed her to the floor and stomped her into the dirt.
I couldn't bring myself to do it now because she was just too pitiful.
[I'll share a little.]
[Hehe, thank you.]
Cute.
I sliced off a piece with my chopsticks and fed it to Snow Python, who had poked her head out from between my sleeve and robe.
[Delicious! No wonder it's the finest inn in Anhui.]
[Really?]
Wondering if she was exaggerating, I cut off a piece for myself and popped it in my mouth.
"…!!"
The depth of flavor lived up to its reputation as Anhui's top inn.
And before my teeth could even touch it, the pork melted away with perfect tenderness.
"Wow…"
The other dishes weren't to my taste, but this one's flavor was the real deal.
After that, I lifted my veil and silently devoted myself to the twice-cooked pork.
The veil felt a bit stuffy.
But with my hair color, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings or fear among the people around, so I only lifted it slightly.
That was part of why I'd chosen the most secluded corner table in the inn.
[…Little Mistress, you're going to gather information, right? Or not?]
[Don't know. Asking Zhuge should turn up something.]
[In this seat's opinion, Little Mistress suits the Evil Factions or Demonic Cult better. Why not just wipe out the Righteous Factions?]
[Ugh, too violent, Snow Python.]
[…….]
Snow Python fell silent.
And then.
-Thud!!!!
-Crash!!!!
A sharp noise rang out through the entire inn, interrupting my meal.
"H-Hic… P-Please spare me…"
The waiter wriggled desperately in the grip of a burly man.
The big man grinned wickedly down at the struggling boy.
"Pay your seat tax if you want to live!!!"
"Sob…"
The burly man drew his sword as the young waiter tearfully begged for mercy again and again.
"Blame the innkeeper if you've got a grudge. That bitch'll pay with your life."
The man's identity: a lowly Evil Faction thug.
Snow Python and I both tilted our heads at the sight.
[…Little Mistress, are Evil Faction mooks really running wild like that in Anhui? Even with the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament underway.]
[It's definitely weird.]
It was weird.
The Nangong Family, led by the Sword Sovereign at the pinnacle of Righteous Faction might.
And today was the day of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament hosted by the Martial Alliance.
Experts from all over the martial world had gathered in Anhui for it—you could spot them everywhere.
It made no sense for Evil Faction trash to strut around like this.
So then.
'They've got backing?'
At that moment, I saw the man channeling his qi to use martial arts.
In that instant, his eyes flushed red.
'…Blood Ghost?'
Wasn't the Blood Cult supposed to have been wiped out ages ago?
I'd heard the Blood Demon fell to the Heavenly Demon and the Sword Sovereign of that era.
So what was this?
A real Blood Demon would be dangerous.
It didn't make sense to just sit back and watch.
[Little Mistress.]
Snow Python called to me, nodding.
A split second was enough.
Before that impure qi could drain the young girl's life, I could reach the Blood Ghost first.
I'd heard that true masters could split a split second into eons.
It wasn't just about speed.
It meant the world around them slowed.
I moved normally, but everything else crawled.
'…Hidden auras: about a dozen.'
As one channeled qi, the filthy trash around him resonated, revealing their repulsive, ugly presences.
They even wore matching black uniforms like assassins.
'If they were real assassins, they might be hired by someone in the Righteous Factions.'
My thoughts reached that point as my sword stretched toward the Blood Ghost thug's arm.
'The most intimidating way to make a statement in Anhui.'
If I acted alone, it could cause a mess.
The Zhuge Family would face more pressure again.
So here, better to.
'Imperial Sword Form.'
Borrow the Nangong name.
I might get mistaken for the family head.
But what could they do about it?
'It'd be hilarious if they thought the family head turned into a loli and was wandering around. It's based on the fact everyone in Nangong knows this sword.'
No more complicated thoughts.
Time to turn the inn into a sea of blood.
In an instant, blinding blue light enveloped my sword and struck the Blood Ghost.
Like slicing tofu, schwick! His arm came clean off.
The burly man suddenly felt the air around him grow heavy, as if sinking.
At the same time, a beautiful blue light filled his vision.
Flustered, he—
-Schwick!!!
-Thud!!
His left arm hit the floor without a hint of pain.
-Spurt!!!!
Blood gushed wildly from the stump.
"Gaaahhhh!!!!!"
He panicked, desperately trying to stem the flow.
But it was too late—the bleeding showed no sign of stopping.
His qi began draining rapidly.
'What the…!?'
He hadn't sensed any master's aura.
So how had this happened?
Sweat beading on his brow, he looked down to see.
"You okay?"
"…G-Great hero!!"
"No crying."
A young girl in a veiled hat and face cloth smiled gently.
No qi at all.
But the man knew exactly what that meant.
'Old freak…!?'
There was a saying in the martial world: beware children, elders, women, and the disabled.
So a woman who looked like a child but was an elder?
Top of the avoidance list.
'Damn it all, didn't that lord say all the experts were gathered at the Arena of Decisive Heroes!?'
He tried to raise his sword in haste.
-Schwick!!!
"…!!"
His sword arm was severed before the muscles could twitch.
Then.
"Pathetic, just like Evil Faction trash—no patience."
The old freak before him slowly stood, her voice chillingly cold.
"I never gave you permission to move."
No sooner had she spoken than his comrades' heads rolled, blood raining down in the inn.
"Son of a—"
He tried to swing a leg.
But suddenly, the world spun, ceiling and floor flipping dozens of times in a blink.
'…Did my body turn?'
Bracing for impact, he saw on the ground—his own body.
'Huh…?'
Kneeling, blood fountaining from a severed neck—his body.
Impossible, he thought—
"The ones this seat despises most in the world are scum like you."
With contempt on her face, the Little Mistress stomped his head, her features coming into view.
'…B-Blood… Lady?'
Blood Demon.
No doubt.
The Blood Demon's face.
'How… why…'
He couldn't grasp what was happening.
He tried to staunch the blood from his head.
But that was the end of his allotted time.
I worried my clothes might get soaked in blood.
But the qi shrouding them repelled the Blood Ghosts' blood easily.
'Good.'
At least no one here turned into a Blood Ghost.
I'd wanted to uncover their identities if possible.
But my enlightenment was still lacking—I couldn't wield the Nangong Tyrant Sword with enough finesse.
Not sure if I even used it right.
Civilians could have gotten caught up and turned.
That would've been a disaster, so I had no choice but to squash the mosquitoes outright.
Sighing a bit regretfully—
"G-Great hero."
"…?"
The waiter's voice came from behind.
I turned.
The boy flinched, probably scared of me.
I smiled gently and approached, stroking his head.
"Any injuries?"
"N-No, Great Hero."
Tears streamed from his eyes.
How terrified this kid must have been.
I pulled a candy from my bosom and handed it to him.
"Here."
"Th-Thank you… Um! If I may ask your benefactor's name? C-Could you tell me?"
The boy hiccupped, asking my name.
I nodded with a smile.
"Seo Ha-yeon. That's my name."
And so, my true name began to spread, little by little.