Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Please Help Me
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And so, Namgung Urin and the beautiful woman found a nearby inn at the crack of dawn on that rainy morning.
Being so early, the inn was quiet inside.
Namgung Urin and the beautiful woman took a seat by a window with a view of the rain. The escort warriors stood guard outside the inn.
‘How strange.’
His eyes met hers directly, yet they showed not the slightest waver.
‘Is he really impotent?’
Or perhaps he preferred men.
Otherwise, how could he remain so calm while being this close to her face?
The beautiful woman had met countless men, but this was the first she had encountered who maintained his composure so perfectly.
‘Hmph.’
To be honest, the moment she saw Namgung Urin’s face, she had let out an inward gasp of “Wow!”
She felt like she was getting the short end of the stick.
The beautiful woman spoke first.
“A drink in the morning, is that all right with you?”
Frankly, this was a first for her as well, drinking so early in the day.
“Yes. New experiences always pique my curiosity.”
Contrary to his appearance, he seemed to be a truly innocent man.
“Is that so? I wouldn’t have thought it was something to be curious about…”
“To me, it is.”
“If you say so… I suppose it is.”
The beautiful woman called over the attendant and ordered drinks.
“Oh, my. Look at me. I haven’t even introduced myself. I am Seo I-ryeong, the second daughter of the Hoyun Merchant Guild’s Master.”
The Hoyun Merchant Guild was a massive enterprise, counted among the Five Great Merchant Guilds of the Central Plains. Naturally, there was no larger guild in Anhui, Jiangsu, or Jiangxi.
The Hoyun Merchant Guild was powerful enough to sway the martial world with its wealth.
Unfortunately, even with its immense riches, the Hoyun Merchant Guild’s power did not extend to the great martial sects.
In the martial world, after all, might was stronger than money.
In any case, Seo I-ryeong was a woman who wanted for nothing.
“I see. I am Seol U, as you know.”
Namgung Urin had, of course, heard of the Hoyun Merchant Guild.
“But why were you looking for me so desperately?”
“…I wasn’t looking for you that desperately.”
Yet anyone who had seen her crying out the name Seol U just a short while ago would have described her as nothing but desperate and frantic.
“That’s how it appeared to me, but I’ll take your word for it.”
“It really… was like that.”
“Yes, I understand. Then what was your reason for seeking me out?”
“Well…”
The words wouldn’t come easily.
It was true that she had mobilized all of the Hoyun Merchant Guild’s resources to track down the man named Seol U.
She had wanted to find him that badly.
But now that he was right in front of her, face to face, she suddenly felt that what she was about to do was truly awful.
After a brief pause, Seo I-ryeong’s lips parted again.
“It’s nothing. I needed you desperately, but now I don’t. So you don’t need to worry about it.”
Namgung Urin watched Seo I-ryeong carefully as she spoke. It was an old habit of his, born from a constant curiosity about whether a speaker was telling the truth, what their emotions were, and why they were saying what they were.
That habit had evolved after he encountered the Primordial Chaos Art, allowing him to reach a state where he could perceive a great many things.
“It’s obvious that you’re worried about me. That’s why you’re hiding the real reason you sought me out. It’s all right. I have no reason to force you if that’s what you’ve decided.”
“…!”
‘What… is this man?’
How did he know her inner thoughts as if he had pulled them out and picked them apart?
Seo I-ryeong was the daughter of the man who led a massive merchant guild. Naturally, she was heavily involved in its affairs. And a merchant must never reveal their true intentions to the other party.
Especially not when haggling.
It was a habit ingrained in her very being.
But Seo I-ryeong was a merchant’s daughter who knew that in times like these, one needed to be even more brazen.
Even if her emotions were written all over her face.
“Young Master, you seem to think quite highly of your own intelligence. I was simply telling it as it is.”
“I understand. You must first deceive yourself to deceive others, after all.”
“That’s not…”
Just then, the drinks and appetizers they had ordered arrived.
Seo I-ryeong picked up the bottle and offered Namgung Urin a drink.
“Really, it’s nothing now, so let’s just drink.”
“Very well.”
And so, they exchanged several cups of wine.
Outside the window, the rain continued to fall in a gentle drizzle. Perhaps because of it, the alcohol seemed to be taking effect after only a few glasses.
Seo I-ryeong’s lips parted.
“I heard you are a formidable martial artist. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“…Ah, yes.”
‘What’s with him?’
Shouldn’t he normally say something like, ‘That is not the case,’ or ‘The rumors are exaggerated’?
“Um, Young Master.”
“Yes.”
“Do you happen to get called shameless often?”
“Yes, from time to time.”
“My, you’re an interesting one. Then, is it also true that you withstood ten moves from the Lord of the Iron Blood Sect?”
“It is. However, the Lord of the Iron Blood Sect was not using his full strength.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seo I-ryeong nodded as if to say, *that makes more sense*.
Of course, how could it be?
If he had truly withstood ten moves from the Lord of the Iron Blood Sect, his martial prowess would be… no, it was impossible at his age.
“But I was not using my full strength either.”
He hadn’t even called upon his Shadow, after all.
“…Pardon?”
“You don’t believe me.”
“Ah… yes… a little.”
“That’s fine. You don’t have to.”
“No, no. I’ll believe you.”
What was the big deal?
It wasn’t hard to say she believed him, even if she didn’t mean it in her heart.
Isn’t making people feel good a merchant’s virtue?
Seo I-ryeong offered him another drink.
“Have some more.”
“I know you don’t believe me.”
“…”
Why was he being like this? He could just let it go.
Was he that petty?
“I’m not petty, either.”
“…Ah. Have you, by any chance, learned some kind of sorcery that lets you read people’s minds?”
“Well, you could say that.”
“Just have a drink.”
*And shut up.*
“Ah, yes.”
She couldn’t bring herself to actually say the last part.
‘He really shut up.’
Seo I-ryeong barely managed to suppress a burst of laughter.
The drinks continued to flow. A fair amount of time passed. They were both sufficiently tipsy.
They decided to stop drinking, and since the rain had stopped, they went outside to sober up a bit.
The attendant stood at the counter, ready to take their money. He stared intently at Namgung Urin.
As if asking if he wasn't going to pay.
So Namgung Urin said:
“This young lady here will be paying.”
Seo I-ryeong’s jaw dropped as she turned to face Namgung Urin.
“Since the young lady was the one who suggested we drink, isn’t it only natural that she pays?”
“…Ah, yes.”
“If you don’t have any money, I can pay.”
“No! I have money.”
Was she not the daughter of the Hoyun Merchant Guild, a family overflowing with wealth?
There was no way she would be short on money.
She was just dumbfounded by Namgung Urin’s behavior.
And so, the dumbfounded Seo I-ryeong and the unabashed Namgung Urin strolled along the shore of Hongze Lake.
Suddenly, Seo I-ryeong stopped in her tracks. So Namgung Urin stopped as well.
“Young Master.”
“Yes.”
“If what you said is true, you could get me away from my escort warriors, couldn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“But why?”
“I feel suffocated. I just want to get away and rest for a while in a quiet place. Can you do it?”
“Yes. In that case.”
Namgung Urin promptly swept Seo I-ryeong up into his arms.
“Oh my! I meant…”
*Fwoosh!*
Namgung Urin kicked off the ground with force, vanishing from the escort warriors’ sight in a flash.
“Aaaah!”
The speed was so immense that Seo I-ryeong screamed.
Meanwhile, the escort warriors were struck dumb by the sudden turn of events.
“Th-that…”
“…A-after them!”
But none of the three escort warriors moved.
“…It’s already too late.”
Namgung Urin had already disappeared from view.
The most experienced of the guards spoke up.
“You and I will search the vicinity. And you, run back immediately, inform the Guild Master of what happened, and bring as many warriors as you can.”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
Namgung Urin didn’t go that far. He circled around and landed on a beautiful, solitary island in the center of Hongze Lake.
He had reached the island by kicking off the surface of the water while still holding Seo I-ryeong.
Namgung Urin set her down. Seo I-ryeong’s face was flushed as red as a ripe persimmon.
Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she would go mad. It was the first time she had ever been held by a man, after all.
“…I meant, carrying me like this…”
“This was the surest and fastest way.”
“…Right. You’re quite the rogue, aren’t you?”
“If I was, I apologize.”
“No, it’s fine. You have nothing to apologize for.”
Seo I-ryeong tried to calm her still-pounding heart by taking in the surrounding scenery.
“It’s truly beautiful.”
This was a place that was difficult to reach for anyone who wasn’t a master of the martial arts. Even a master would have to take a boat nearby and then use a movement technique to leap onto the island.
For Namgung Urin, it was possible thanks to his exceptional Primordial Chaos Art.
Seo I-ryeong looked at Namgung Urin’s face again.
“So you really are a great master?”
Otherwise, they couldn’t have come to this island.
“I am a master, but not a great one. Not yet.”
Not yet, indeed.
“Oh my. You know how to be humble, too?”
“It’s not humility, I’m just stating a fact.”
“Haha. I understand.”
‘He’s such a mysterious person.’
Seo I-ryeong turned her head again to look at the scenery. As she did, she slowly began to speak.
“The truth is, I was searching very hard for you, Young Master.”
Namgung Urin simply listened.
“I received a marriage proposal. Actually, it wasn’t just one. To be honest, I’m not—or perhaps I never will be—thinking of getting married, so I refused them all. But one of them refused my refusal. So I refused again, but they adamantly refused my refusal once more. I refused yet again. Then, they laid down a condition. An utterly ridiculous one at that.”
Seo I-ryeong paused. So Namgung Urin asked:
“What was the condition?”
“He said he would withdraw his proposal if I brought a man better than him. What was it? He had to be more handsome than him, and his family, while not necessarily superior, had to be at least comparable. It’s just absurd. And do you know what’s even more ridiculous?”
“What is it?”
“The man has to fight him in a life-and-death duel and win. He’s a complete madman, isn’t he?”
“He is. A madman indeed. Even more so than me.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve been called a madman quite a few times myself.”
“Haha. You’re really something else, Young Master. But you don’t seem that way at all.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“That’s why I was looking for you, Young Master Seol. One of our guild executives is very close with a warrior from the Iron Blood Sect. That’s how I heard about you. That you were handsome and incredibly powerful.”
“I see. I can help you with that.”
Forging a good relationship with the Hoyun Merchant Guild would undoubtedly be of great help to the Namgung Family in the future. They had had small dealings in the past, but all trade had ceased after the Namgung Family’s fall.
It was a natural course of action for a merchant.
“No. Thinking it over, I’ve realized that my father and I were wrong.”
“In what way?”
“It’s a life-and-death duel. A fight where you could die. He’ll probably kill his opponent just to make a point.”
“But what if I win?”
“He’d still kill you. For winning. Maybe not right then and there, but eventually… it would happen. That’s the kind of people they are. That’s why. I can’t have you killed just so I can live, can I?”
“They truly are villains. And you, Young Lady, are a kind person.”
“Thank you. I feel a bit better now that I’ve said it all.”
“It sounds like they come from a powerful family.”
“Yes. They do.”
“May I know who they are?”
“The Baekri Family. The Young Lord of the Baekri Family is the one who proposed to me.”
For a moment, the corners of Namgung Urin’s mouth turned up.
“I can help you.”
“Thank you, but I must refuse. I don’t want to become that kind of wicked woman.”
“If you truly feel that way, then please help me.”