That Was Then, But Now...
But it wasn't as if I could burst into tears right after winning a duel.
That would have looked even more pathetic than refusing the duel in the first place.
"I was merely fortunate," I said.
I tried to project the relaxed composure of a victor, even as I secretly fretted that someone might notice the cold sweat trickling down my neck.
"To possess such profound martial arts at such a tender age, and to be so humble to boot! Truly, the Young Sect Leader's grand reputation does not shake the heavens for nothing!"
Setting aside my irritation at Do Un, who was blathering away without a single clue about how I actually felt...
But no matter how much I think about it, something is off.
Of course, it wasn't as if I had gone in completely empty-handed.
Not long ago, through my training in the sacred grounds of Mount Kunlun, I had successfully stepped into the late stage of the Second-class Realm.
This meant that while I couldn't wield sword qi freely, I could at least mimic it in a rudimentary fashion.
To be precise, I was capable of concentrating my internal energy—similar to sword qi—onto a single point of my blade.
While this technique was practically useless in real combat, it was true that I thought it might prove effective in this particular duel.
Even so, I didn't believe such a cheap trick could bridge the gap between our realms.
Did that bastard... could he have...?
"Wait, then what happens to the marriage alliance between Junior Sister Yeon-ryeong and Senior Brother Do Un?"
"Sect Leader! Is Junior Sister Yeon-ryeong truly going to be betrothed to the Young Sect Leader?"
At that moment, several first-generation disciples of the Kunlun Sect recalled the original purpose of the duel and questioned their Sect Leader.
"Indeed. The betrothal..."
Ha Seung-ji trailed off, turning his gaze toward Ha Yeon-ryeong.
Ha Yeon-ryeong, who had been blinking her wide, round eyes as if still unable to believe I had actually defeated Do Un, felt her father's gaze and parted her lips.
"Ah, well, that is..."
She then looked at me with an equally flustered expression.
Every eye that had been fixed on Ha Yeon-ryeong now snapped toward me.
My introverted instincts flared up instantly, making my head spin, but I still had to say what needed to be said.
I declared before them in a clear, firm voice.
"There will be no betrothal. From the very beginning, I had no intention of marrying Lady Ha."
Before the crowd could even begin to murmur at my words, I quickly added the next part.
"The reasons I stepped forward to duel nonetheless were, firstly, that as a martial artist, I did not wish to shrink from a challenge. And secondly..."
I paused for a moment to emphasize that this was the most crucial reason, then spoke with renewed weight.
"...Because I believed it was wrong for Lady Ha, at such a tender age, to be bound in marriage to someone she did not desire."
At those words, everyone gasped, their jaws dropping in sheer shock.
"Do you truly not see it? Lady Ha does not actually wish to marry me. She merely used me as an excuse because she dreaded being wed to a man chosen unilaterally by her family."
I was simply stating my honest thoughts without overthinking it.
But why on earth were they looking so utterly dumbfounded?
In this world, marriage was naturally understood to be a matter of political calculation between families.
This was especially true when it came to a daughter's hand.
To these people, my very notion that 'it is wrong for a young girl to marry someone she doesn't want' was shockingly novel.
Furthermore, the fact that a man would go so far as to duel an opponent far stronger than himself just to champion this belief must have been mind-blowing.
And to top it all off, that man was the Young Sect Leader of the Sun and Moon Sect—the very organization the entire world pointed fingers at as the Demonic Cult.
It was a revelation so stunning it left them speechless, forcing them to look upon me with nothing but awe.
"Therefore, Sect Leader, I earnestly request that you respect your daughter's wishes."
Ha Seung-ji nodded slowly, as if struck by a profound realization.
After remaining lost in thought for a long moment, he slowly opened his mouth and spoke to his daughter.
"Yeon-ryeong. Do you truly wish not to marry Do Un?"
Ha Yeon-ryeong, who had been staring at the ground, raised her head to look her father straight in the eye.
"Yes, Father. I am sorry."
"There is no need to be sorry. If anything, I should apologize. To think I tried to make the most important decision of your life solely on my own authority..."
"Father..."
Seeing the genuine warmth and sincerity in their exchange, I couldn't help but feel a sense of quiet satisfaction.
Baek So-cheong was practically tearing up beside me.
But then.
"Then, was your claim of wanting to marry the Young Sect Leader also untrue?"
"Yes, Father. It was merely an excuse."
Why is this old man asking such an obvious question? I thought, though I figured making it crystal clear wasn't a bad idea either.
With this, I would finally be free of this headache-inducing marriage talk—
"That was how it was... back then."
Huh?
"But now, I truly want it. Father, I wish to marry the Young Sect Leader."
Ha Yeon-ryeong's face flushed as red as a beet, and she buried her face in her chest.
Ha Yeon-ryeong's words struck me like a physical blow to the head, but...
Unfortunately, everyone else present—excluding myself—burst into cheers upon hearing this.
Applause erupted, and some even began to whistle.
Even Namgung Eon was clapping enthusiastically, looking my way.
Though, of course, the moment he caught my murderous glare, he flinched violently and snapped right back to attention.
"Young Sect Leader. What say you?"
Amidst the chaos, Ha Seung-ji had slipped over to ask me.
"What... do you mean?"
"I am asking if you have any intention of marrying Yeon-ryeong."
At his question, my mind went completely blank.
It wasn't that I disliked her; it was just that the concept was entirely foreign to me.
Baek Yeon was barely twelve years old. Marriage?
Well, they weren't demanding an immediate wedding, just a betrothal.
Even so, as someone who had never once contemplated marriage even in my past life, I was utterly at a loss for words.
If I think about it calmly, it's not necessarily a bad thing...
She was, after all, the only daughter of the Sect Leader of the Kunlun Sect, one of the prestigious Ten Great Sects of the Murim.
Even from a purely political standpoint, she was an impeccable match. Besides, while Ha Yeon-ryeong was a bit of a tomboy, she didn't seem like a bad person.
It was also obvious that in a few years, when she reached marriageable age, she would grow into a stunning beauty.
I entertained the thought for a fleeting second, but quickly shook it off.
...Like hell it is! What kind of nonsense is marriage?!
Had I not just said it with my own mouth?
A marriage of convenience based on cold calculations was something I absolutely refused.
Besides, there was absolutely no guarantee that Ha Yeon-ryeong wanted to marry the real me, rather than the terrifying persona I projected.
"I have not yet given the matter any thought, so it is difficult for me to give you an answer. Above all, Lady Yeon-ryeong and I only met yesterday. We know nothing of each other, do we not?"
As I offered this excuse, disappointed sighs rippled through the crowd.
I even spotted Namgung Eon looking thoroughly dejected on my behalf.
Ha Seung-ji nodded, falling into deep thought once more.
Then, he slowly addressed his daughter.
"Yeon-ryeong. When the Young Sect Leader returns to the Sun and Moon Sect, you shall go with him."
"Pardon?"
Wait, what on earth is he talking about now?
"I am giving you time to get to know the Young Sect Leader. You can also pay your respects to the Great Sect Leader, whose name resounds throughout the land."
"May I truly do so?"
Watching Ha Yeon-ryeong practically bounce with joy, Ha Seung-ji turned his warm gaze back to me.
"I trust this is acceptable, Young Sect Leader?"
No, of course it's not acceptable!
That was what I desperately wanted to say.
But...
"...As you wish."
Unable to bring myself to crush the hopeful expectations of the father and daughter right to their faces, those were the only words that managed to escape my lips.
"Forgive my boldness, but that was the very first time I have ever seen the Young Sect Leader look flustered."
"Young Master Namgung! What insolence is this before our Lord?"
"I am absolutely certain of it. No master in the Murim could ever make the Young Sect Leader tremble, even with a blade at his throat. Yet, it seems a beautiful lady's proposal is a different story entirely."
"Watch your tongue!"
"Namgung Eon."
"Yes, Young Sect Leader."
"Do you truly wish to die?"
"My deepest apologies..."
Even after we returned to our quarters, the Sun and Moon Sect entourage continued to chatter indiscreetly about what had just transpired.
Baek So-cheong was no exception.
"Young Sect Leader. I must say, allowing Lady Ha to accompany us back to the Sect was a genuine surprise. Whatever made you make such a decision?"
Sigh...
Even now, I couldn't for the life of me understand why I hadn't just rejected her visit.
Extroverts would probably never understand my decision, no matter how much I tried to explain it.
But for a hardcore introvert, saying "no" to someone's face is one of the hardest things in the world.
Even when you know that agreeing will lead to a thoroughly exhausting situation, the sheer amount of energy required to reject them right then and there feels far more draining.
But of course, I couldn't exactly explain the concept of introversion to Baek So-cheong.
"Is hosting a single guest such a monumental task for our Sect that I should turn her away?"
"I suppose so. Lady Ha looked so incredibly hopeful, it would have been difficult to reject her to her face."
"Precisely."
"Besides, she is exceptionally lovely. Those large, dark eyes, those cute lips... If I were a man, I probably would have..."
"Sister...!"
It was at that moment.
A tentative knock sounded at the door, followed by a cautious voice.
"Young Sect Leader. May I come in for a moment?"
Instantly recognizing the voice, Baek So-cheong suppressed a giggle and spoke.
"Young Master Namgung, Yeongho, I believe we should give them some privacy."
"Indeed, Lady Baek. It seems the two of them require some time to get to know each other..."
Namgung Eon mumbled, unable to even finish his sentence before catching my eye. He flinched and quickly scurried out of the room along with the others.
The door opened, and Ha Yeon-ryeong stepped inside with hesitant steps, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"I have caused you so much trouble in so many ways, Young Sect Leader. I do not even know how to begin thanking you..."
"There is no need for that."
I was merely practicing basic courtesy, but to Ha Yeon-ryeong, even those simple words seemed to carry a deeply moving weight.
Feeling a bit awkward and wishing to avoid an uncomfortable silence, I quickly moved the conversation along.
"I imagine you must be worried about how Priest Do Un will take this."
"Senior Brother Do Un?"
"Indeed. He must have been looking forward to marrying you, Lady Ha..."
I knew that Do Un had been harboring dark, hidden motives.
I debated whether I should reveal this to Ha Yeon-ryeong, but ultimately decided it was for the best.
It was far better for her to know than to be stabbed in the back later without warning.
"To tell you the truth, that man Do Un..."
However, when I recounted the conversation I had overheard that day, Ha Yeon-ryeong's reaction was entirely unexpected.
"Hahaha! So Senior Brother Do Un said that, did he?"
"Hmm... You do not seem particularly surprised, Lady Yeon-ryeong."
"No, it sounds exactly like something he would do. Young Sect Leader, I hope you can find it in your heart to understand him."
As I tilted my head in confusion, Ha Yeon-ryeong explained with a soft smile.
"Actually, Senior Brother Do Un didn't want to marry me either."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Back during the martial arts tournament to win my hand, there was an outsider who was heavily favored to win. He possessed decent skills, but his character was absolutely wretched. The only reason Senior Brother Do Un entered and won the tournament was because he couldn't bear to see me forced to marry a man like that."
The explanation that followed was one revelation after another.
"Though we share the same generation rank because I am the Sect Leader's daughter, Senior Brother Do Un has been like an uncle to me since I was a child. The very thought of marrying him was unthinkable to both of us. Besides, he already has another woman in his heart."
"Then, does that mean...?"
"Senior Brother Do Un must have known you were passing by and staged that conversation specifically for your ears. He knew very well how deep your sense of righteousness runs..."
So Do Un pretended to be a villain just to bait me into stepping forward?
Wait. Does that mean he not only requested the duel but also threw the match on purpose?
Just to play matchmaker for me and Ha Yeon-ryeong?!
"So... in a way, it is all thanks to Senior Brother Do Un. That I was able to... meet you like this."
Having finished her explanation, Ha Yeon-ryeong murmured with a dreamy, faraway look on her face.
She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that several uninvited guests were undoubtedly pressing their ears against the door, hanging on her every word.