Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Chapter 9 - Competition
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After the catastrophe where so much had happened, we finally managed to sort out the situation.
And the first thing the Sword Empress did, having finally realized that this place wasn't a dream but reality, was...
"...I'm sorry."
- *prostration*
It was a full prostration, just like the one I'd seen from Yeo Sochen once before... well, not quite a dogeza, but close enough.
"W-Wait, you don't need to apologize that much!"
"What do age or status matter? If you've done wrong, offering a sincere apology is the proper thing to do as a person. I'm fine with it, so please accept it."
"A-Alright! I accept your apology, so please get up quickly!"
I was just a bit surprised, but Dang Ayoung looked like she couldn't possibly accept a prostration from the Sword Empress.
Come to think of it, that made sense.
Not only was there a huge age gap, but in terms of fame, reputation, and cultivation level in the Central Plains, the Sword Empress was an absolute senior figure that Dang Ayoung could barely even speak to casually.
No matter how much of a top late-generation prodigy Dang Ayoung was, the Sword Empress was one of the pinnacle experts of the orthodox sects. In this world's rather conservative view on such hierarchies, accepting a prostration from her must have been incredibly burdensome for Dang Ayoung.
Once I understood that, her reaction made perfect sense.
"P-Please, get up quickly. I-I'm flustered, but you don't need to go that far."
Dang Ayoung said that as she helped the Sword Empress to her feet.
...But watching them, a thought crossed my mind.
"Um... in the end, wasn't I the one who got hurt? Why are you asking me for forgiveness...?"
"W-Well, your body is basically mine anyway, right?"
"My body is mine!"
"Ahaha, just kidding, just kidding."
No matter how much free rein Dang Ayoung had over it in practice, the owner of this body was me.
'...I feel like I'm becoming more and more unqualified as a man.'
How did things end up like this?
If this kept going, would I really end up locked in a room every day, just eating, sleeping, and having sex?
Even with just Dang Ayoung and Yeo Sochen, it felt like that was already the trajectory. I sighed inwardly.
Maybe I should negotiate some free time in advance for later. With that thought, I snapped back to reality.
"...Well, I'm fine with it too. We've already done even more intense stuff anyway, so this much doesn't matter."
"Ah... Th-Thank you for forgiving me."
'...It didn't really bother me anyway.'
It had been so sudden, but honestly, what man would refuse a beautiful woman sucking his dick?
And it wasn't some stranger—there were barely any emotional barriers between us—so a little accident like that didn't really warrant such a huge apology.
The Sword Empress didn't seem to see it that way, though.
"B-But are you really okay with it? I'm worried I might have caused a huge rift between you two."
"...Huh?"
"D-Didn't you say earlier? That you're bound by a promise for the future."
- *blank stare*
Dang Ayoung and I both went blank at the Sword Empress's words, unable to respond.
Now that she mentioned it, yeah.
Earlier, when the Sword Empress had been completely out of it, Dang Ayoung had introduced herself and said exactly that...
"...Ah. So that's why..."
"I-It’s not a light matter, is it? I-I ended up doing that with your man..."
"No, well... it's not our first time, so it's not that heavy an issue..."
- *flinch!*
Yeo Sochen's and my body both flinched at the words laced with subtle thorns.
"And I've already heard. Apparently, you've already been intimate with him too, Sword Empress."
"...Ah."
"What's already happened is..."
"I-I'm sorry. N-No matter what I say, it won't be convincing, but I didn't do it on purpose. At the time, his condition was so dire that it was the only option. H-Honestly, if it was too hard for me, the doctor offered to do it instead, but I thought a woman he was familiar with would be better than a total stranger. I swear on my sword, there were no other intentions..."
The Sword Empress started spilling words like a machine gun, her body trembling.
Anyone could see she wasn't in a normal state.
It was almost like full-blown panic.
"W-Wait a second. I've heard the circumstances. I have, and it's fine, so please calm down first."
Dang Ayoung grabbed the Sword Empress's shaking arm in a fluster.
Her trembling gradually subsided.
"It's really fine, so you don't need to worry that much. You didn't do anything wrong, Sword Empress."
"R-Really?"
"Of course. How could I, as a fellow woman, say anything when you sacrificed your own body to save a stranger's life?"
...Had Dang Ayoung always been this nice?
I figured she wouldn't make a big deal out of it given the situation, but she was being surprisingly gentle with the Sword Empress.
She was basically good-natured, but I knew she could be firm on non-negotiable matters. So I couldn't help but think she had an angle.
And sure enough.
"Um... but there's something important we need to address."
"...What?"
"By any chance... are you interested in the position of principal wife?"
"Pfft!"
My suspicions were confirmed.
So that was her scheme(?).
'I half-expected it, but...'
I didn't think she'd say it straight to her face.
Women are scary.
"Wh-What do you mean? Principal wife?"
The Sword Empress wiped the spittle she'd accidentally sprayed and took a sip from the teacup nearby to compose herself...
"We haven't been able to properly marry due to circumstances, but... the truth is, he has other women he's been intimate with besides you, Sword Empress."
"Pfft! Cough! Hack!"
"..."
...Her image seemed to be taking a real hit today.
She wasn't usually like this.
"Cough... S-Sorry. I was too shocked. A-Anyway, so you're asking who the concubines are?"
"Yes. Legally in the Central Plains, there's only one principal wife. If you're interested in that position..."
"I-I'm fine as a concubine."
"Competition...? Huh?"
- *blank stare*
What did I just hear?
Dang Ayoung and I were both speechless for a moment.
"Wh-What? D-Did I hear wrong? Wh-What did you just...?"
"I said I'm fine as a concubine."
"Uh...?"
As Dang Ayoung froze, the Sword Empress spoke again.
"I understand why you're so flustered, but I'm truly fine with it. As a Daoist, even getting married in the first place goes against Mount Hua's rules, so normally, even being a concubine would be impossible. It's still a marriage, after all."
"Uh... uh..."
"But regardless of the reason, it's a fact that I became intimate with him. At the time, we agreed to pretend it never happened at his request, but now that things have turned out like this, covering it up would be impossible. So, I'll leave Mount Hua."
"What?!"
"Pardon?!"
The Sword Empress's bombshell declaration came out of nowhere.
Even I, who had been quietly listening, was shocked enough to speak up. This was serious.
"S-Suddenly?! N-No, why? Y-You're leaving Mount Hua, Sword Empress?"
"Rules are important. Not as much as human life, but I've still broken them. I, who should be a role model for the disciples training on Mount Hua..."
"Th-That's true, but you're the Sword Empress..."
"Rules shouldn't be applied differently based on position. Why should I be an exception?"
...She was going to leave Mount Hua because of me?
My mind went blank from the shock.
I'd wondered if Daoists could even have sex, but I never imagined she'd go this far.
"Y-You don't need to go that far. It was to save a life, after all..."
"I can't do that. Even if others overlook it, I couldn't forgive myself."
She was adamant, not budging an inch.
"Well... even if I leave Mount Hua, there's no need to worry. I'm not planning to abandon my dantian or martial arts. In truth, my arts are already based on Mount Hua's foundations but have transcended them, so even the elders won't be able to complain about that."
"Uh... th-that's a relief...?"
"...Of course, if Mount Hua faces a crisis, I won't just sit by."
A chilling glint flashed in the Sword Empress's eyes for a moment.
'...Good.'
Seeing her attitude, I felt a bit relieved.
I'd worried she'd lost her attachment to Mount Hua because of me, but she was saying this precisely because she cared about it.
In other words, she couldn't abandon either me or Mount Hua. Though it could also mean she valued us equally...
...Nah, that's overinterpreting.
In that awkward atmosphere, the Sword Empress tried to lighten the mood with a smile.
"So, who is the other woman? Now that things are like this, I should at least greet her..."
"It's me, Sword Empress."
- *snap*
The Sword Empress turned toward Yeo Sochen's voice, their eyes meeting.
"...You've been intimate with him too?"
"Yes."
"...Did you leave Kunlun as well?"
"Why would I?"
"...From what I know, Kunlun's rules are as strict as Mount Hua's, if not more."
"I can just change them. What are they gonna do? There's no one in Kunlun with higher authority than me anyway."
"..."
It was the complete opposite reaction to the Sword Empress in every way.
"Honestly, it's weird to leave the sect you've been in for decades over one night of intimacy. If I want to give up ascension and enjoy some womanly pleasures, why should I care about what others think?"
"..."
"You shouldn't do anything weird either. If you're unhappy, just come at me. Honestly, if either of us leaves, the elders will throw the biggest fit. They've leeched off our reputations for so long—they're not gonna want to let us go now."
It was a pretty selfish yet realistic critique.
And I thought to myself.
'Wow, that's a saintess.'
And simultaneously, another saintess popped into my head.
[Okay, from that angle! A bit more! Tilt sideways about 3 degrees, then lift the collar just a little! No, a bit less! It's too revealing now! The point is to emphasize that absolute territory tease...]
...Yeah.
It was the day the last shred of my illusion about "saintess" from my Earth days shattered completely.