Winter Journey - 1

The grey sky that had been sifting down snow until only yesterday now wore a clear, bright face, as though its sullen scowl of the day before had been nothing but a lie. Perhaps that was why the sun had climbed unusually high for a winter's day, and as it turned back toward evening, a crimson dusk began settling quietly into the blue. It was the very moment when blue and red shared the sky as one when the disciples of Hongseong Sect, their patrol finished, came walking toward me across the snow that had piled up thick overnight.

"Aren't you cold?"

It was Sa Yun. I smiled and shook my head at her, draped in a leather coat that looked as if it had been made of rabbit fur.

"Not so cold as all that."

"Your nose and your ears are both red, though?"

"After all the tonics you had me take—and the medicine Moon Lotus Pavilion sent on top of that—what sorry excuse for a man would I be, catching a chill over this much?"

A few days after I'd finished the tonic Hongseong Sect had given me, a second, far more potent one had arrived. I asked what on earth was in it, but Chae Jin would only tell me it was "very good for men." Whatever it contained, my stamina had improved markedly, and I no longer felt the cold so keenly.

As I said this with a smile, Hong Ryeon, who had come out on patrol alongside Sa Yun, reached out to me. Was it because she was a master? Even without gloves, her hand kept its ordinary color despite the cold. She brought it up quite naturally and laid both palms against my cheeks. Perhaps it was her internal energy—the warmth held in her hands slowly melted the stiffness the winter wind had left on my face.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing."

With a soft smile, Hong Ryeon slowly withdrew her hands. Sa Yun, watching, broke into a wide grin—and just then, a shout rang out from inside the inn, one that would have delighted the servants sweeping the roadside in preparation for guests.

"Everyone get in here and have a bowl of hot soup!!"

It was Yohwan. She had evidently prepared soup for all those who had toiled clearing the snow. I offered the same to the two standing before me.

"If you don't mind, have a bowl before you go."

"Oh my. But we didn't do any of the shoveling."

"You've worked hard for Seomhwachon all the same. No refusing."

"Then... we'll gratefully accept."

Hong Ryeon smiled gently and went inside with Sa Yun. And a short while later, something dropped lightly from the inn's roof. It was Chae Jin, stubbornly wearing her Moon Lotus Pavilion uniform despite a cold severe enough for snow to pile up.

"Aren't you cold up there?"

"For a master of my caliber, this much is nothing at all. Hehe. But if you think it's truly cold, would you warm me up a little?"

I shrugged, then unwound the scarf from around my neck and wrapped it about hers. Chae Jin gazed at me blankly for a moment before her lips curved into a smile.

"...I like this too. Ah, and I cleared all the snow off the roof. There was quite a lot of it."

With so much snow weighing on the roof, part of it might well have given way, and sheets of falling snow could easily have injured someone passing beneath. I had asked Chae Jin to see to it, and she had evidently done a finer job than I'd expected. I nodded to her, and we went inside together. The servants and shop hands were already gathered within, eating soup and thawing themselves out.

"Hm? When did you all get here?"

"Just this moment! What about you, Chae Jin-unni?"

"I was up top, clearing snow."

"I see. Here, have some too, Unni. Chef Yohwan made it, after all."

Sa Yun, having taken a bowl of soup from Yohwan, passed it over with a smile, and Chae Jin smiled back as she accepted it. Then she stole a glance at Hong Ryeon and asked,

"Judging by this weather, it doesn't look like more snow for a while. Shouldn't we be thinking about setting out soon?"

"True enough. I was just about to raise that myself. I'm thinking of leaving tomorrow... would that be all right?"

Traveling through snowfall is never comfortable. Of course, for murim experts of formidable skill it would be another matter entirely—but I would be joining this journey, and they were moving with that in mind. They were being considerate of me; wanting more than that would be simple greed.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"Then that settles it nicely."

"By the way—what about the elixir?"

"It was finished yesterday. I plan to take it this evening."

"Good timing, then. Sa Yun, how about showing the Murim Alliance what you can do while we're at it?"

At Chae Jin's smiling suggestion, Sa Yun tilted her head. When murim practitioners called at the Murim Alliance, their abilities were formally assessed, and their future standing within the Alliance often rose or fell according to the result.

"Hong Ryeon and I were both rated Gap Grade, you know."

"Is Gap Grade a high one?"

"It is. The highest there is. But that isn't what truly matters. Some begin at Gap Grade and never advance another step, while others start at Jeong Grade and climb to the very top of the Murim Alliance."

In other words, it was merely a starting line—and I felt much the same. In Cheonsang Myeongwol, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sa Yun and Yura had both begun at Byeong Grade, unlike the other protagonists. There were events tied to that path as well, but they were nothing of great consequence, so let's leave them be.

"And young Miss Chae Ryeon...?"

"Her? Gap Grade. Near the very peak of it, if I remember right?"

As Chae Jin explained, Sa Yun nodded, something clearly turning over in her mind. Hong Ryeon grinned at her.

"So you'd like to reach at least a similar rank, hmm?"

"Yeees."

When Sa Yun answered in a small, embarrassed voice, Hong Ryeon gave her shoulder a pat.

"Honestly, at your current level you'd probably place at Eul Grade. But take the elixir this time, keep training as we travel, and Gap Grade won't be beyond you."

"So I must simply keep training, then."

"You could put it that way. What have I always told you? Those who are not properly prepared will never see tomorrow."

As Hong Ryeon said this evenly, Chae Jin reached over and stroked the head of the fidgeting Sa Yun. She herself must have longed to reach Cheongho first, yet she was the one yielding—and the apology showed plainly on her face.

"I'm sorry... it feels as though I'm the one holding up our plans..."

"Strictly speaking, the weather is to blame, so don't let it weigh on you."

It was only that the snow had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fallen without pause for days since the first snowfall, making travel difficult. When I moved to comfort her, Sa Yun started violently and shook her head hard.

"N-no, that's not it. It's because I fall short..."

"No, well—the schedule is no trouble at all. In that case, let's make the Murim Alliance our first stop."

"Yes. Thank you, Innkeeper. May we truly do that?"

Chae Jin nodded, and I smiled.

Of course you may. Do everything your heart desires.

I always kept everything in readiness so that we could depart at a moment's notice. Having sent word to Gi Noya through the Courier Gate, I next called at the government office—just to be safe, I asked the Magistrate to keep an eye on the inn should anything happen—and by the time I returned, Geomseong was standing in front of the inn.

"What brings you here at this late hour?"

"I heard it from Ryeon. You leave tomorrow."

"Ah. Yes."

"...Then I entrust the children to your care. And."

Geomseong hesitated, then reached out her hand. Small, pale fingers closed around mine. I was watching her navy hair, silvered by moonlight, drift apart on the wind when she spoke in a calm, even voice.

I was reflected in those deep, limpid eyes. Meeting her gaze, I nodded—and only then, as if satisfied, did Geomseong draw a small letter from her robes.

"Would you deliver this to the Blade Emperor?"

"Er... what is it?"

"Nothing of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠consequence. There are a few things I would ask of him."

"Ah. Yes. Of course."

Still—couldn't she simply have entrusted this to Hong Ryeon? There had to be some reason she pressed it into my hands specifically. While I was puzzling over it, Geomseong smiled and took a single step back.

"And now, let me show you something fine of mine. Ah—come to think of it."

Unlike her usual self, Geomseong looked a touch awkward.

"H-have you ever... witnessed the Blade Emperor's martial arts?"

I had seen them in Cheonsang Myeongwol, but never in this world. So I shook my head, and Geomseong's lips curved.

"I see. Then—"

Her calm voice seemed to swallow everything around us.

"Watch"

"...."

"me."

—Thud!!

"It is called the Sword of Will. The power of will is immensely potent—so I ask that you remember it."

I had never witnessed anything like it, even in Cheonsang Myeongwol... Though, come to think of it, the only time I had ever seen Geomseong move at all was in the prologue, so it stood to reason I had no way of gauging just how high her realm reached.

"Thank you for the lesson."

Truthfully, her realm stood so far above mine that I hadn't understood a word of it. But it seemed better to offer simple thanks than to admit as much, so I bowed my head—and Geomseong replied with more gravity than I had ever heard from her.

"Remember it. Without fail."

"Er... yes?"

"That I am stronger than the Blade Emperor."

I gave her an awkward smile as she stood there, visibly preening.

I mean, she's the one declaring herself the stronger—what am I supposed to say to that?

Morning came the next day. With the sky so clear, it looked as though the fine weather would hold for some time.

Perfect weather for a journey.

I was seated on the cart, stowing the luggage, when Chae Jin came out carrying her bag.

"Your luggage seems a touch light, doesn't it?"

"Well, I am coming back. Why? Am I not allowed to?"

"And what would there be to forbid?"

"Hehe. That's right, isn't it? Oh—but where is everyone... Ah, there they come."

Chae Jin, who had been patting the cart, pointed off to one side. Just as she said, women were approaching, laden with this and that—three disciples of Hongseong Sect in thick fur-lined clothes.

Hong Ryeon, Hyeon Hwi, and Sa Yun.

"Have you been waiting long?!"

I shook my head at Sa Yun, who came running up with a bright smile. In the meantime, Hyeon Hwi dipped her head in a quiet bow, and Hong Ryeon looked me up and down before smiling.

"Your clothes are looking a bit worn."

"Huh? No, they're not worn at all—"

"I think you should wear this instead."

With that, she drew a long robe from the bundle she had brought. This robe... it was the one I had seen before. A garment embroidered with Shining Sacred Silk. Hong Ryeon held it out to me with a beaming smile, and I put it on.

"Give me your arm. I'll help you into it."

"Thank you."

The long robe, worked in black and grey, carried a deeply tranquil air. Perhaps it was the embroidery of Shining Sacred Silk, but I felt the cold far less than I had in even thicker clothing.

"Mmmmmm..."

"Well? How is it?"

"...It suits you."

The moment Chae Jin, who had been studying me, said it, Hong Ryeon began to glow with pride—and Sa Yun and Hyeon Hwi chimed in that it suited me as well.

"I feel rather sheepish, always being the one to receive."

"What on earth for?! If anything, it's we who receive the more from you!"

"Haha. You think so? All the same—allow me to thank you once again. Thank you."

"It's nothing at all. Come, come—time to depart!"

With her cheeks faintly flushed, Hong Ryeon climbed up onto the cart. And Chae Jin, still fiddling with the fabric of my new robe, clenched her fist tight.

"When we reach Cheongho... look forward to it."