Chapter 141: Sparring Tournament-3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 141: Sparring Tournament-3
"Um... Master."
Unable to withstand the oppressive silence, I finally spoke up, only for Master to let out a sharp tsk.
"You, keep your mouth shut."
It wasn't her usual prickly tone; there was a different kind of coldness in her voice.
I felt a chill run down my spine, as if I were standing naked on a sheet of ice.
Since arriving here, Master hadn't spared me a single glance. She simply stared at Cheong-yeon, who stood before her.
All I could see was Master’s back. Even so, it was painfully obvious that she was absolutely livid.
"Cheong-yeon. What do you think you're doing?"
Her words, sharp as thorns, were directed at Cheong-yeon.
However, Cheong-yeon merely let the words drift past her with a serene, unbothered expression.
"...An invitation?"
"I'm not in the mood for wordplay."
At that nonchalant response, Master tapped her foot lightly. Despite the subtle movement, the ground cracked under the weight of the internal energy laced within the gesture.
"I'm not joking. That man, Kang In-ho. I was going to take him with me."
Cheong-yeon’s finger pointed at me again.
Only then did Master cast a fleeting glance in my direction.
"Do you even realize what that means?"
"......"
"You're going to take someone who belongs to the Flame Wheel Master?"
"Flame Wheel Master? ...That man is just a servant."
Cheong-yeon seized upon Master’s slip of the tongue.
Caught off guard by the unexpected rebuttal, Master stumbled over her words for a moment.
"E-even if he is a servant, he is strictly someone traveling with us. And yet, you say you'll take him?"
"So-yu. I didn't know you were so interested in other people."
Cheong-yeon’s slow, deliberate way of speaking grated on Master’s nerves.
"Anyway, don't ever do this again. It's incredibly unpleasant."
Master’s warning came through gritted teeth, dripping with irritation.
But her words didn't seem to reach Cheong-yeon at all. The girl simply tilted her head with an innocent look and spoke.
"Why should I?"
"What?"
As Master stood there dazed, Cheong-yeon continued.
"I am the one who will inherit the Ice Wheel Art."
A flicker of intelligence seemed to grace Cheong-yeon’s habitually vacant face.
"The successor of the Ice Wheel Art helps people. They prevent accidents. That is the justice of the Ice Wheel Art."
"...What is it you're trying to say?"
Master spoke with a fiery intensity, making no effort to hide her displeasure. Small sparks began to flicker in and out of existence in her palms.
Yet, even against that surging pressure, Cheong-yeon did not back down.
"Flame Wheel Master."
The finger that had been pointing at me now turned toward Master.
"A martial art inherited only by those who crave power and are consumed by arrogance."
"What...?"
"It's the same even now. You ignore a person's choice and try to have your way."
Cheong-yeon turned her gaze toward me.
"D-don't be ridiculous! This guy said he wanted to follow me."
"Was that choice truly a free one?"
"......"
Master fell silent at Cheong-yeon’s question.
She was likely thinking that I probably had no other choice but to follow them.
She wasn't entirely wrong. If I had been left alone in those ruins, I would have died shortly after. That was part of the reason I ended up following her.
However, that wasn't the only reason.
I followed her because it was her.
I stepped forward, moving between Cheong-yeon and Master. Just as Master had done moments ago.
"Young Lady Cheong-yeon. Please step back for today."
"Huh? Why?"
"I followed Master... no, I followed Young Lady Namgung here by my own choice."
"...Really?"
"Yes. Really. I appreciate your concern, Young Lady Cheong-yeon, but I haven't been kidnapped or threatened."
As I spoke to her politely, Cheong-yeon slowly nodded her head.
"I see. But... it's strange. Why the Flame Wheel Master...?"
I wondered what kind of image she had of the Flame Wheel Art. Even though they were both part of the Three Great Inherited Martial Arts of the Orthodox Sect, I didn't understand why she distrusted it so much.
Was it because of the relationship between Grandmaster Yeom-jin and the Ice Sword?
"Alright. If you ever change your mind, let me know."
Even as she retreated, Cheong-yeon encouraged my escape until the very last moment. I gave a small smirk and told her that wouldn't happen.
Cheong-yeon turned around and headed toward her quarters, vanishing as silently as she had arrived.
"...She's quite a peculiar person, isn't she?"
I tried to strike up a conversation with Master as I watched Cheong-yeon walk away, but there was no response.
"......"
"Are you angry?"
I tried to lighten the mood, but Master’s feelings seemed to be in a serious knot.
"I am not angry."
She definitely was.
Master stomped over to me and glared at me with all her might.
"What is it?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked what you were doing crawling out here in the middle of the night."
"I was having some indigestion. I just came out to get some fresh air."
"And Cheong-yeon?"
"Young Lady Cheong-yeon... she just suddenly showed up and started talking to me. I couldn't just ignore her. Not when someone is speaking to me."
"Yooooung Laaaady Cheooong-yeoooon??"
Like a hawk snatching its prey, Master latched onto my choice of words.
"I mean... what else was I supposed to call her?"
"You only met today, yet you call her 'Young Lady Cheong-yeon' so affectionately. Now that I think about it, you two were holding hands, weren't you? Have you already fallen for her? For a dazed woman like that?"
"No, why would you say it like—"
Master didn't give me an inch, cornering me with her words.
"First, just listen to me."
I wasn't sure exactly what point had set her off, but I opened my mouth to try and soothe her anger.
"Hmph! Fine. Go back to your damn walk. I'm leaving."
But Master spun around and began walking briskly toward the guest rooms.
"Ah, Master!"
I hurried after her, feeling like I was chasing a pouting lover.
"Don't call me Master! I've never had a disciple like you."
"No, you have to tell me why you're angry so I can understand, Master."
"Ahem, I told you I'm not your Master! I've never had a disciple so fickle. Of all the people to get cozy with, it had to be someone from the Ice Wheel Art!"
Wow, she was really sulking.
"Then... Young Lady Namgung."
"......"
Master came to a dead halt.
"Since you said you're not my Master. Should I call you Young Lady Namgung?"
"......."
"Well?"
"S-shut up. How... how dare you... use your Master’s name so flippantly."
Master’s voice trembled as she spoke. Looking at her back bathed in the moonlight, I could see her ears had turned bright red.
Heh, she's embarrassed.
"Young Lady Namgung."
I called out again as I approached.
She flinched.
Man, she's actually quite cute when she's flustered. I never saw this side of her back in the Black Sky Cult, so it felt fresh.
"I-I told you not to call me that."
"Then... So-yu?"
To tease her a bit more, I changed the form of address. Master immediately spun around.
Wait, why?
With her face flushed deep red and huffing with rage, Master pulled her fist back.
"I told you to shut up!!"
Master’s straight punch landed squarely in my stomach. I don't remember anything after that.
When I opened my eyes, it was the next day. Rubbing my strangely churning stomach, I headed to the Murim Alliance.
From the moment I submitted the application for the sparring tournament until the day of the competition, Master didn't say a single word to me.
To think she'd give me the silent treatment just because I teased her a little....
How cold.