Chapter 114
Chapter 114: Opening Eyes (1)
"Ahhh~"
Hwa Seon-hyang was sitting crouched on the roof of Jibin Pavilion today as well, watching the people passing by. However, even that wasn't particularly interesting anymore. To be precise, it was boring. Enough to make her yawn.
The many people who had filled Central Great Road had almost completely disappeared once the last day of tournament registration arrived. Only a few spectators who had come in to tour the Murim Alliance lingered around the now-quiet registration area.
Nevertheless, she didn't leave her spot and sat watching Central Great Road while tickling her knee with her finger.
'Is that person Dong Guang-chuan not coming today either?'
He was someone she'd run into whoosh on this very roof nine days ago.
The meeting with him had been mysterious and fun, so wondering if such a chance encounter might happen again, she'd come out here every day, but such a thing didn't happen anymore.
She couldn't even meet that person again.
Her senior brothers and sisters were busy mingling with people from other Nine Sects, but Hwa Seon-hyang had little interest in people from the Nine Sects or Four Great Families.
They invariably spouted the same stories and boring talk. Who participated in this tournament, who's a championship candidate, or if not that...
Those greasy gazes that subtly looked her over.
She hated it.
'That man wasn't like that though...'
She couldn't really tell whether he was or wasn't since she hadn't seen his eyes much in the first place, but he gave off the feeling that he probably wasn't like that.
So from a certain day onward, she began sitting crouched here every day watching toward Central Great Road.
The Martial World Protection Corps members seemed extremely concerned about her climbing onto the roof at first, but now they seemed resigned to it. No one paid attention to her anymore.
She too didn't care much whether they looked or not. Hwa Seon-hyang's interest was solely in Dong Guang-chuan.
'I definitely thought he would apply for the tournament.'
He had even asked her about the registration period and tournament date...
She wondered if perhaps she'd missed the time when he came to apply. Maybe he'd come and gone while she was eating or taking care of physiological needs.
It was regrettable.
She should have camped out here from the start instead of following her sisters around...
"Will I be able to see him again on the tournament day?"
Piercing through the chilly late cold snap of spring, her voice froze white and mixed into the red sunset.
Soon the day would completely end and registration for the Heavenly Youth Martial Arts Tournament would close.
Hwa Seon-hyang stood up from her spot, stretched greatly once more, and tap tap brushed off her bottom. She was preparing to return to her lodging.
Even so, her gaze still remained toward Central Great Road.
Perhaps...
Might he come?
"As expected, today too... Hm!?"
It was the moment she said "as expected."
Her small hand stopped. Then it pointed to the side road off Central Great Road where Dong Guang-chuan and Bukgung Gi had disappeared on the first day.
"Huh? He came out? But why has he changed so much, that person?"
From the spot her dust-covered finger pointed at, one person was slowly walking out.
As she said, Dong Guang-chuan's appearance had changed quite a bit. Probably enough that she wouldn't have recognized him if she hadn't been constantly thinking about that person.
'Only nine days have passed though...?'
He was emaciated with skin clinging to bones, and his long-grown hair had turned completely white. Nevertheless, his characteristic empty appearance remained the same, and there wasn't the slightest waver in his steps.
Whoosh.
She immediately kicked off the roof and flew down. It wasn't that she'd thought about doing something. The moment she felt like she simply had to, she was already doing it. Though she herself didn't realize it.
"Huff huff— Hello... hello. Hehe—"
Hwa Seon-hyang had run to his front in one breath.
Seeing him up close made it more certain. It was him. Though various things had changed, he was precisely Dong Guang-chuan—that man who exuded an indescribably divine atmosphere.
"Pleased to meet you."
Right. This voice. That sound so ordinary it was also mysterious.
"Whew— Seon-hyang. It's Hwa Seon-hyang."
Thinking about it, she remembered she'd heard his name but hadn't told him her own name, so she said while catching her breath.
"But why have you changed so much?"
"I don't know either."
Dong Guang-chuan answered as if it were nothing to her following words.
"Ah, is that so?"
She didn't really care. She liked that he was different from others... she was happy to meet him again, and she just felt good. The reason...
Wasn't important.
Hwa Seon-hyang continued speaking, lowering her eyes that curved and fell like a crescent moon even more.
"Did you apply for the Heavenly Youth Martial Arts Tournament?"
She didn't mention that for nine days—ten days by date count—she'd waited on that roof where they'd met. It was rather embarrassing, after all.
"No. I haven't yet. Has registration already ended, by chance?"
He spoke.
"What? You still haven't? Then you need to hurry! Today is the last application day!"
Hwa Seon-hyang said that and unknowingly grabbed Dong Guang-chuan's hand. Then she dashed straight toward the Evil Conquering Hall, the closest of the buildings being used as temporary registration halls.
***
"Haaam— Next."
Li Mi-jeon yawned greatly and called out "Next."
Having sat here for ten days receiving martial arts tournament registration applications, he couldn't help but be bored. Getting used to it made it more tiresome, perhaps?
At least knowing today was the last day made it seem bearable.
"Next! No next?"
He shouted again to the warrior at the entrance.
The warrior looked outside for a moment, checking here and there, then turned toward Li Mi-jeon and spoke.
"There's no one."
"Whoaa— Is it finally over?"
Thinking it was the end, Li Mi-jeon was stretching greatly and about to stand up when—
"Wait a moment! There's still one more person!"
Someone shouted urgently while running into the hall.
It was a young miss with her hair cutely twisted up on both sides like ram's horns. Seeing her breathing roughly, she'd clearly run here in a hurry.
'Hm? That miss is?'
Li Mi-jeon remembered her. Not only because she was pretty, but because of her sect affiliation.
Mount Hua Sect.
Even among the Nine Great Sects, it was a sect with very great influence. It was good to remember well the faces of disciples belonging to such sects. One never knew when it might develop into a good connection.
However, that was that, and there was no reason for her to appear here right now.
"Didn’t you already apply several days ago—ah!"
The question didn't last long.
Following Hwa Seon-hyang, the real last applicant entered the hall.
It was Dong Guang-chuan—no, Dong Bong-soo.
"The person applying is this person. Not me."
Hwa Seon-hyang said that and walked quickly toward the table where Li Mi-jeon sat, leading Dong Bong-soo. She stretched out her feet thump thump thinking she was striding boldly, but it was only about half of Dong Bong-soo's stride, making it a bit comical. Nevertheless, that appearance was also very cute.
Li Mi-jeon looked up at Dong Bong-soo with envious eyes, then held out one of the application forms stacked beside the table—now only a few remaining—and spoke.
"Please write your name and affiliated sect here."
Dong Bong-soo took the application form with his left hand and stared intently at Hwa Seon-hyang.
"Would you let go?"
"Ah—!"
Only then did Hwa Seon-hyang realize she'd been firmly gripping his hand and hurriedly released it.
Her soaking wet hand was pounding. She learned for the first time how embarrassing it was to have sweat drops flow down her palm.
"...S-sorry..."
"It's fine."
Dong Bong-soo made an expression that might or might not be a smile fleetingly, then picked up the brush placed on the inkstone and began filling out the application.
Then he soon stopped the brush and looked at Li Mi-jeon to speak.
"Must I be from a sect affiliated with the Murim Alliance to apply for the tournament?"
Li Mi-jeon shook his head and answered.
"Not necessarily. If you have a recommendation from the Murim Alliance or a renowned master from a sect affiliated with the Murim Alliance, you can apply for the tournament as much as you like. Do you have something that can prove this?"
Dong Bong-soo thought for a moment, then pulled out the Murim registry plaque stuck in his chest and held it out.
"Will this do?"
Li Mi-jeon took the Murim registry plaque and immediately flipped it over. Usually, the issuing office or the title and name of the issuer were written on the back of Murim registry plaques.
"Ah!"
Li Mi-jeon widened his eyes in surprise at the Murim registry plaque bearing the name of someone more impressive than he'd thought.
"So you're a guest of the Martial World Protection Corps Chief? This is more than sufficient. I'll confirm directly with the Martial World Protection Corps Chief myself, so you may leave now. Here is your application confirmation certificate."
Li Mi-jeon hurriedly wrote the characters "Dong Guang-chuan" on an application confirmation certificate stamped with the Murim Alliance Leader's seal and held it out to Dong Bong-soo.
Hwa Seon-hyang had been about to say he was a disciple of Bukgung Gi in case there was a problem, but was surprised to hear he was a guest of Eul Ji-tae. Unlike Bukgung Gi, Eul Ji-tae was a master whose influence in the Murim Alliance was truly tremendous.
Whether Dong Bong-soo cared how Hwa Seon-hyang was looking at him or not, he took the application confirmation certificate, glanced at it briefly, then folded it in half.
It was then.
"Is this place finished now too?"
Someone's delicate voice was heard from behind. It was a gentle and clear voice like flower petals scattering in the spring breeze.
Li Mi-jeon hurriedly stood from his seat and respectfully cupped his fists toward that direction, making it clear she was a superior.
"Ah, Military Strategist Namgung. This place is wrapped up as well."
"I see. Then may I take all the application forms with me?"
"Of course."
With rustle rustle footsteps, a woman matching that voice—so slender and frail-looking that she evoked protective instincts—came and stood beside Dong Bong-soo and Hwa Seon-hyang. A subtle plum blossom fragrance spread through the air following her movement, and her pale pink jacket made her white skin stand out even more.
The newly appeared woman was Namgung Hye—it was her.