Refusal
Rattle—
Rattle—
The carriage was noisy beyond measure.
And not because of the jolting alone.
"What kind of weapons do you usually use, Sojin? A sword, right? I think I’m better suited to a saber. Maybe it’s because I’m from the Paeng family, but the moment I first picked one up, it just felt so natural…."
"I see."
"If you’re from the Guangdong Jin family, then I suppose it’d be True Blood Great Sword Art, right? I’ve watched my grandfather practice it a few times. The way the red light flashed at the end of each form was so beautiful…. I’m not that familiar with swordsmanship, but the subtle principles between each technique…."
"Is that so?"
"Come to think of it, you were releasing blue qi, not red, weren’t you? How did you do that? Is it some higher art of the Jin family or something…? I want to learn Ohodanmundo like my grandfather, too, but I still haven’t even mastered Geon-gun Baekdo…."
"……."
"Sigh, once we get to the academy, Raeji-sabnim will probably have something to say…. I really hate it. He made me deliver some weird letter again this time. I didn’t want to, but…. Ah! We’re here!"
She reached out of the carriage and pointed at Jeongdo Academy.
We finally got here.
During the entire ride, Paeng Gayeon had talked without even taking a single breath.
Two hours of that, maybe three, and that was the limit. This was a bit much.
"Let me thank you again. You saved my life."
Once she got down from the carriage, she bowed deeply, her cheeks flushing red like an apple.
"It was nothing. Let’s move."
My mind was already on nothing but handing Paeng Gayeon over and collecting my reward.
By the time I passed through the gate and reached the academy entrance, a group of people was blocking the road.
Because of the murderous atmosphere, a lot of the cadets were avoiding the front gate and heading in through the back.
What a pain in the ass.
Everything was fine, but could they please stop blocking the road?
"Dang Soyeong! Apologize to me at once."
"Why should I?"
"Didn’t you ambush me like a coward?"
"That’s rich coming from someone who was puffing himself up and threatening me a minute ago. Stop saying stupid things!"
A woman with purple hair and a petty-looking man.
They were both familiar, and neither of them was worth a second glance.
"Dang Soyeong, are you saying you need to taste the hot stuff before you’ll come to your senses? I won’t say it twice…."
"Hmm? I’ll go in first, then. Finish sorting yourself out and come after me."
"H-Hey, wait…!"
Dang Soyeong walked into the academy before Namgung Jin could even finish speaking.
"……"
Let me guess. He probably tried to act tough at Dang Soyeong and got crushed for it.
Even without seeing it, I could picture the whole thing in my head.
What a pathetic bastard.
He was probably trying to reclaim some dignity after the fact…
Too late.
"……U, uaaaaaah!!"
Whether from anger or humiliation, he stomped the ground like a lunatic.
His internal energy might have surpassed Dang Soyeong’s, but if Namgung Jin was the type to rely on brute force alone, then of course he’d lose.
Still, if the Namgung family handed him the Namokcheolgeom, the story would be different.
Does he have it yet?
The Namgung family’s famed sword, the one Namgung Jin would one day obtain.
It was infamous for having taken the lives of countless righteous martial artists.
Not because he himself had slain them, but because the Namokcheolgeom later fell into the hands of a Blood Sect elder—Bloodlin Hand Son.
The sword itself, though, was an impeccable divine weapon.
If two fighters were on roughly the same level, the one with the better weapon would naturally win.
You could never have too many cards that helped keep you alive.
"Hmm."
I reached for the sword at my waist.
It was an expensive-looking blade with ornate decorations, but it was nothing more than a pretty showpiece. Its value was in appearance alone; it wasn’t a good sword.
Isn’t there a sword I can use until I get Heavenly Sword?
No.
I could just make Namgung Jin bring me the Namokcheolgeom.
"Miss Paeng, go on in first. I have something to take care of, so I’ll be in a little later."
"Okay. I’ll go ahead then."
She was more obedient than I’d expected.
I walked toward the group and casually raised a hand in greeting, giving them a lazy wave.
"Hey, long time no see. You doing okay?"
I kept my tone as friendly as possible.
"Huh? Young Master Namgung, over there…."
The bastard stared at me with eyes full of caution.
"You son of a bitch… are you crazy? How dare you talk to me? You want to die? I’m already in a shit mood, and now you’ve come along at the perfect time. Let’s settle this right here and now!!"
Swish—
As he spoke, his temper kept climbing until he finally drew his sword.
He really had the emotional control of a rabid dog.
Who said I wanted to fight you?
The blade he drew, unsurprisingly, was not the Namokcheolgeom.
Well, if he lost to Dang Soyeong while holding the Namokcheolgeom, he should just bury his face in a plate and die.
"It’s nothing much. Just saying hello while passing by. We’re academy students, aren’t we?"
"Cut the bullshit and draw your sword already! I don’t want to hear that you were fighting some weaponless bastard like last time!"
He was the sort of idiot whose pride could pierce the heavens.
Normally, he’d just be a pain in the ass, but I had a goal today, so I let his words go in one ear and out the other.
"Calm down. I didn’t come here to fight."
"Hmph… then get lost. Being tied to some trash like you is an insult to me."
The moment he turned away and waved me off, I struck.
"You idiot."
"What? You bastard, what did you just say…!"
"What else would you be? From a distance, even some random nobody like Dang Soyeong was looking down on you… Did she beat you so badly you’re still sore about it?"
"T-This…!"
"You moron. That’s just the sort of thing you are. You even carry a crappy sword that matches your personality."
"Are you done talking…!!"
Insulted by someone he already hated with a passion, Namgung Jin’s face went red with fury.
He drew his sword again.
Swish—
"Look at my blade. Though I was cast out by the Jin family, I still walked out with a famous sword like this."
Just a flashy sword on the outside.
I could say this with certainty.
Namgung Jin had absolutely no ability to tell a good sword from a bad one.
The bastard compared his own sword with my dazzling blade and, after a moment, let out a sigh.
"…You’re right."
Idiot.
Because Namgung Jin was stupid, my nonsense was landing with absurd ease.
"You’re not even a beggar, and yet you go around carrying cheap trash like that…. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic."
"Y-You bastard…!! If you came here to look down on me, then get out right now! Otherwise, we’ll settle this with a life-and-death duel!!"
A life-and-death duel sounded nice.
But what, had I lost my mind?
Even if I beat you right now, I’d gain nothing.
"Go replace your sword first, then come back."
"You bastard, I swear to…!!"
"I’m leaving. Idiot."
After saying my piece, I strode into the academy.
If a few words were enough to make him fetch the Namokcheolgeom for me, then that was a win. And if not, then after enough prodding, he’d bring it to me sooner or later anyway.
"Hey! You bastard!"
"Young Master Namgung, calm down."
"Please restrain yourself. There are people all around."
Watching him howl in pure rage…
Maybe I can get it all at once?
Before I knew it, the corners of my mouth had lifted.
*
"Gasp…! Guyang Jihee!"
"L-Let’s go!"
The moment I stepped into the first floor of the dormitory, the female cadets nearly scattered in panic.
"……Hmph."
"Lady Jihee, I was already planning to drive them all off for you."
"Exactly. They’re idiots, all of them. Don’t pay them any mind."
I gave a silent nod.
It didn’t matter.
In the end, the martial world belonged to the strong.
Power was everything.
Once I proved myself in the duel arena, they’d come wagging their tails again as if nothing had ever happened.
That was how it had always been.
And this time…
I might even be able to show that pathetic man what’s what. ...Though I suppose he might not even pass the preliminaries?
If that was the case, then he was only that kind of man to begin with.
He’d be no concern of mine.
"Lady Jihee, I’ll go get some tea."
"Do that."
As I slowly made my way toward the lounge, an unexpected grouping caught my eye.
Former members of the Jincheon squad.
Han Seola, Shin Juha, and…
Dang Soyeong looks wonderful.
She was furious enough to burst at the seams.
"Why is the atmosphere like this?"
As I entered the lounge, Seola, wearing a sullen expression, was the first to lift her head.
"Jihee. Welcome."
"……."
Shin Juha, looking exhausted, raised one hand in silence.
There were dark shadows beneath her eyes.
"Hmph…."
As for Dang Soyeong, she turned her head and said nothing at all.
"Soyeong, you’ve trained with us for years. Isn’t that a little cold?"
"Guyang Jihee, we’re competitors now. I’d appreciate it if you stopped acting like we’re close."
She glared at me fiercely and snapped back in a tone full of spite.
What an ill-mannered bitch.
I had never liked her in the first place.
"I’m not acting close. I’m just following my family’s teaching that you should look after those beneath you. Don’t worry about it. Though I suppose that might be a little hard to understand for someone who isn’t even a family heir, hm?"
"Wh-What did you say? Beneath me? Do you think you’ve said enough? You still think I’m part of Jincheon Squad? There isn’t anyone left who’ll side with you now, is there?"
Dang Soyeong shot to her feet in a thoroughly graceless manner and shouted.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"S-Stop it. Both of you…"
"Hmph! You’ve already ruined my mood. I’m going upstairs."
She shot me one last venomous glare and stormed out of the room.
I don’t like her.
She was a disgusting woman.
*
"Sabnim, as promised, I’ve safely brought Paeng Sojeo back."
"Hahahaha! Well done. Sojin, ...by any chance, have you ever considered working under me?"
As if I would.
I’d sooner throw myself into the Demon Cult.
"……."
I shook my head without a word.
"Jeongdo Academy nurtures the rising sprouts of the righteous path. Working here is like leading the age to come…."
"Sabnim, I appreciate the kind words, but I’d like to receive the promised goods now."
The sprouts here didn’t look especially promising, and the new age could be led by someone else besides me.
"Hmm…."
He clicked his tongue as though disappointed.
Raeji-sabnim took a small wooden box from the shelf and placed it on the table.
"Ten Gangjindan pills."
He handed over the elixirs more coolly than I’d expected.
Still, the fact that he’d added three extra pills meant…
There’s something here.
It wasn’t a cheap elixir, so this was too generous to be simple payment.
As expected, with his hands clasped behind his back, he casually brought up the real reason.
"Sojin, would you have a moment?"
"What is it?"
"A friend of mine would like to meet you."
Sabnim’s friend?
"Could you mean Paeng Seom-ak, the Paeng family saber master?"
"Yes. That friend."
Why would a saber master suddenly want to see me?
I had a bad feeling about this.
The only point of contact between us should have been Paeng Gayeon…
Creak—
"Ah! There he is! Sojin-niim!"
At that moment, Paeng Gayeon flung the door open and came in with a beaming smile.
The brightness of her grin gave me the creeps for some reason.
…….
The decision was made in an instant.
"I refuse."
##