Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: No Way She'd Betray, Right?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
When I came to, everything was already over.
The merchants, who had rushed out still groggy from sleep, were subduing the bandits—who had completely lost their will to fight—and tying them up with ropes.
"Oh dear, thank you so much, Daoist priest. If it weren't for you, we would've been totally wiped out."
"It was part of our agreement from the start, so don't worry about it."
The woman was politely refusing the money pouch offered by the caravan leader and handing it back.
"..."
Was the woman who had so leisurely taken down the bandits really the same person as this one?
The scene of her subduing the bandits flashed through my mind.
The bandits' weapons hadn't even grazed her clothes.
She hadn't even given them a chance to swing.
The moment I thought she had swung her sword, a bandit would scream and collapse on the spot.
I had naturally assumed the sword had sliced them, but...
While all ten bandits were subdued, not a single drop of blood had fallen anywhere around.
'Just how much of an expert is she?'
They were trembling and collapsing without her sword even touching them.
I thought I'd gotten used to this world's common sense, but clearly not.
Of course, true masters were said to cleave mountains with a single sword stroke, so it wasn't impossible—but there's a world of difference between hearing it and seeing it.
'She seems dozens of times stronger than Dang Ayoung.'
Even if it's the gap between pinnacle and first-rate, they look about the same age. How does that even make sense?
That bloodsucker from before? She'd probably dispatch it with a single stroke.
'Whew...'
I patted my still-racing heart to calm it down.
From the bloodsucker incident to this—battle scenes like these were seriously bad for my heart.
'Come to think of it, I didn't even get to see the effect of this thing.'
I glanced at the item clutched in my bosom, and its info popped up.
It was an item I'd bought from the shop window—one that could deploy a protective barrier once per day.
I had no idea how tough the barrier was, but I could only hope it was worth the 500 points.
I hadn't been able to use it during the bloodsucker incident because my body had frozen up.
'Better yet if I never have to use it.'
If I ever needed it, that would mean I was in mortal danger—so ideally, I'd never have the occasion.
This time, I'd panicked and used it the moment I heard about the attackers.
In any case, as I watched the woman repeatedly refuse the merchants' thanks...
'Wonder if there's a way to get friendly with her.'
With skills like that, she'd guarantee safety anywhere, not just in Anhui.
The only downside was her aversion to alcohol, but her personality was great and she was ridiculously strong—I wanted to build more of a connection.
'Even just becoming friends would be nice...'
It looked like I'd need to think on it during the rest of the journey.
'Oh, right—she had me read her fortune.'
I dug through my memories and recalled what the divination had said.
With all the customers I'd had lately, it took a moment, but luckily it stuck in my mind pretty well.
'Something precious would be taken from her.'
For a woman like that, what could possibly count as precious?
An object, a place, a person, a belief—tangible or intangible, it could be anything, making it hard to guess.
'Ah.'
A good idea hit me.
If I traveled with her and helped ensure nothing precious was taken, wouldn't that win her favor quick?
After all, it was my divination. If I gave the heavens a little nudge, maybe a hint...
-Rumble
...No, I wasn't expecting anything like that!
Hearing the ominous thunder, I hurriedly apologized.
Looking up, the sky was already thick with dark clouds.
'Ah, just regular storm clouds, huh.'
I'd half-thought it was heavenly punishment over something this minor.
I'm weirdly sensitive about this stuff—it flips out over the slightest transgression.
I'd love to vent a bit, but it's so fickle I never know where the line is.
'Sigh.'
Still, I couldn't complain; this power was how I made a living.
Without it, I'd be worse off than a regular person.
"Ah, Miss. You've really reached the pinnacle realm?"
Dang Ayoung silently drew a hidden weapon and unleashed sword energy toward the woman staring at her in disbelief.
There was no surer proof of her breakthrough.
"C-Congratulations. You've always been extraordinary since childhood, but pinnacle realm at your age... The family head will be overjoyed."
"Father, huh..."
"Speaking of which, this isn't the time. We should hurry and inform the family of such joyous news. Let's prepare the carriage—"
"No... it's fine. Round trip alone would take a week, and talking to the elders would steal even more time. No point going just to run into my siblings too..."
For someone who had just reached the pinnacle, Dang Ayoung looked utterly exhausted.
With bodily impurities purged, her refreshed beauty carried an oddly decadent air.
"Just write a letter. Ask them to send more poison research materials—I'm running low. And since I've broken through, some new manuals too..."
"But didn't you just receive a fresh batch? You've already gone through them?"
"There's a medicine I want to make, but the recipe's hard to find. Had to experiment myself, so they went quick."
The woman could guess just how intensely Dang Ayoung had trained from her weary expression, hand pressed to her brow.
'With that kind of passion, no wonder she reached pinnacle so young.'
"Understood. Anything else you'd like to request?"
"Oh, and this—keep it secret from the family. Things I want you to procure personally..."
A genius barely past her teens asking for personal items—what could they be?
With faint trepidation and curiosity, the woman opened the note Dang Ayoung handed her.
"............Miss?"
The note listed bedroom arts manuals and all sorts of aphrodisiacs and spring medicines.
She stared at Dang Ayoung with trembling eyes, but...
"You can get them, right?"
"Y-Yes! Absolutely, I can!"
Meeting Dang Ayoung's gaze, she quickly averted her eyes.
"..."
"Come on, it's not what you're imagining. Just future-proofing. For a fun life."
"Haha... right?"
"These things matter for marital harmony too..."
They were far beyond mere marital aids, but she kept that to herself.
To the woman, Dang Ayoung looked a bit shadowed, but unmistakably lovestruck.
At an age when she should be immersed in martial arts training, if love made her abandon it, she'd have to desperately intervene—but...
"Miss, just in case—just be careful with these drugs. Overuse could lead to disaster."
"I know. You think I wouldn't even realize that?"
She lacked the confidence to stop her.
Wondering which scoundrel had seduced the innocent(?) miss was a distant memory.
'May he stay safe.'
At this point, she pitied the man more.
All she could do was pray he had enough yang energy to keep Dang Ayoung from widowhood.
"He said he trusts me... so I have to trust him too. No way he'd say all that and then betray me..."
Dang Ayoung murmured sleepily, head dropping to the table.
"Ah... by the way, got anything to curb sexual desire?"
"If it's an antidote, we have ones for men..."
"No, I need it for myself."
"..."
The woman suddenly wondered if Dang Ayoung's sleepiness had nothing to do with training.
"Young master, how about this accessory? It suits you quite well."
"...No, the one from earlier is enough for me."
"Your natural charm makes everything look good. Here, try this one too."
After arriving in Hanam, I was wandering the markets with that woman.
-Click
"See? Doesn't it suit you? A little more adornment like this, and you'd be even prettier. Why resist so much?"
"D-Does it really? Even looking in the mirror, I don't think..."
"You're the prettiest woman I've seen so far—no need to worry."
"Urgh..."
To be honest, Master still held the top spot, but I wasn't dumb enough to say she was second here.
"Didn't I tell you? To avoid that future, you need to take care of yourself. Training martial arts isn't the only cultivation—grooming yourself matters too."
"It's not an unreasonable interpretation, but..."
"Heaven and earth don't care for obvious answers. If it offends you, no helping it—but to avert that ominous fate, we should do everything we can."
"Fine! I get it, so enough!"
The woman raised both hands in surrender, unable to argue with a smiling face.