A Weakness for Tears
"Phew."
I let out a long sigh as I stepped outside. The air out here was incomparably cooler than inside the Iron River.
I had seriously felt like I was going to die in there.
'That heat was absolutely insane.'
The temperature was so ridiculously high that just walking around made it hard to breathe.
At least the deepest part of the forge had been somewhat cold, which was nice, but making the trip back was pure torture.
'Maybe it's because I went from freezing cold to boiling hot, but it felt even worse.'
I fanned my face with my hand. The breeze felt incredibly refreshing.
As I stood there enjoying the wind, two figures approached me.
It was Do-hyeong and Cheon Ui-jin.
"Is your conversation finished?" Do-hyeong asked.
"Ah, yes. Just now."
"Are you alright, senior brother?" Cheon Ui-jin asked, his face filled with concern.
"Ah, yes. Well... nothing major happened," I replied casually.
Perhaps because we were currently in the Dang Clan estate, they both looked highly skeptical.
"Seriously, nothing happened."
To be honest, things *had* happened, but it wasn't something I needed to go out of my way to mention.
More accurately, it was simply something I couldn't tell Cheon Ui-jin and Do-hyeong.
I swallowed a sigh as I recalled my conversation with Dang Gyeong-ak.
'...What a terrifying man.'
It had been a battle so exhausting that I never wanted to experience it again.
Yes, calling it a battle was the only fitting description.
To think I would engage in such a fierce clash of wills with the Poison King using only words.
We had traded blows without yielding an inch.
And in the end...
'I got what I wanted.'
I had secured a result that wasn't half bad. Actually, calling it "not half bad" was an understatement.
'It's fantastic.'
Even by my standards, it was an incredibly favorable outcome.
"[...You crazy bastard.]"
Floating in the air, Yoo Chun-gil chimed in at my reaction.
"[You lectured me about being reckless and wondered how we could possibly bleed the Dang Clan dry, yet you turned out to be far worse than me.]"
I pretended not to hear him. As I covered my ears to block him out, Yoo Chun-gil clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"[Did you see the look on that Dang fellow's face? It grew sourer by the second. I must admit, it was quite a satisfying sight.]"
I almost nodded in agreement without realizing it.
It certainly had been satisfying to watch the Poison King's composure crumble.
'I originally planned to take it easy on him.'
But that middle-aged man had tried to pull a fast one on me first.
Once I realized that, I couldn't just let it slide.
So, I charged right back at him.
'I really am out of my mind, though.'
To think I had engaged in a war of words with the Poison King right to his face. Even if I had the moral high ground, it was an absurd thing to do.
Now that it was over, it felt utterly ridiculous.
"[Be honest. You enjoyed that a little bit, didn't you?]" Yoo Chun-gil asked with a sly grin.
Naturally, I didn't answer. It wasn't a question that deserved a response anyway.
'Enjoyed it, my foot.'
I wasn't some pervert who got off on risking his life. At least, I certainly wasn't.
I only tolerated it because the outcome was good.
If possible, I never wanted to do it again.
'...I barely made it out alive.'
It was a conversation where I had put my neck on the line.
No matter how righteous the orthodox sects claimed to be, there was always a limit. I hadn't expected the Poison King to let me leave in one piece after I pushed him that far.
While returning unharmed was a relief, the fact that I could walk away so easily meant one thing.
'It means they desperately need me for something.'
It meant there was a task that required me to be alive, no matter how many lines I crossed.
"Hmm."
What on earth could it be? Why were they letting me get away with so much?
Questions swirled in my mind.
'Opening the Secret Vault is connected to me.'
To be precise, it was probably connected to the successor of the Sword Saint rather than me personally, but there was definitely a link.
'What could it possibly be?'
What could it be to warrant all this?
It was incredibly bothersome, but...
'I'll find out eventually.'
It was a truth that would naturally reveal itself in due time.
In the end, I had accepted the Poison King's terms, and he had promised to finish the preparations within a few days.
I had no idea what kind of preparations were needed to open the Secret Vault that would take several days.
I worried that they might make me do something bizarre, but...
"[Do not worry,]" Yoo Chun-gil said calmly, as if sensing my anxiety.
"[It won't be anything major. Just eat, sleep, and do your business while you wait.]"
He spoke as if he already knew exactly what would happen.
His choice of words was crude, but strangely enough, hearing them brought me a sense of relief.
It felt rather ridiculous that I was finding comfort in the words of this crazy old ghost.
"...Anyway, did you two enjoy the tour?" I asked.
"The tour?" Cheon Ui-jin echoed.
"Since you were inside the Iron River, I figured you must have seen something."
"Ah!" Cheon Ui-jin's voice brightened at my words. "We did! I've never seen so many silver-grade swords in one place before."
Cheon Ui-jin spoke with sheer excitement. Do-hyeong remained expressionless, but I could sense a slight trace of exhilaration from him as well.
'Silver-grade, huh?'
In the martial world, those were considered famous swords. To think there was a whole pile of them inside the Iron River.
I had been too distracted to notice any of it.
Not that it mattered. I didn't care much for weapons anyway.
I stretched lightly to shake off my fatigue and said, "They said the repairs on the Full Moon have begun, but it will take at least a few days... What should we do in the meantime?"
I asked, but no answer came.
Thinking he might not have heard me, I added, "Senior brother?"
"...Hmm?"
Only when I called out to Do-hyeong did he finally look at me.
What was with that blank stare?
"I was... asking what we should do from now on."
"Ah."
Do-hyeong's expression shifted belatedly. Did he seriously not realize I was talking to him?
'Is this guy for real...?'
It seemed he kept forgetting that he was the one in charge of our group.
"Senior brother...?"
"Hmm."
Do-hyeong began to ponder what we should do.
But why was he only starting to think about it now?
Since he couldn't seem to come up with an answer, I sighed and offered a suggestion.
"If we don't have anything specific to do, should we just train?"
"That is a good idea," Do-hyeong immediately nodded.
At the mention of training, Cheon Ui-jin's eyes lit up as well.
In my opinion, neither of them was completely sane. How could anyone get that excited about training?
Anyway.
"Then let's head over to—"
"May I join you?"
Just as I was about to lead them away, someone interrupted. I turned my head toward the gentle voice.
My brow furrowed when I saw who it was.
"...Lady Dang?"
"Hello."
"..."
It was Dang Ye-ran, whom I had met last night and this morning.
I tilted my head, staring at her sudden appearance.
'What's going on?'
Her sudden arrival was surprising, but her appearance was even more unusual. Her hair and clothes were completely drenched, as if she had just finished a grueling workout.
The strands of hair clinging to her cheeks and her exhausted expression gave her a somewhat alluring look, but putting that aside...
"Have you been crying?" I asked, looking into her eyes.
"...Pardon?" Dang Ye-ran's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ah, no! Why would I be crying?" she stammered, offering a flustered laugh.
I stared at her for a moment before nodding.
"I see. I must have been mistaken."
It was obvious something had happened, but since she denied it, I decided to let it go. Whatever it was, if it was enough to make her cry, it was bound to be troublesome.
I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.
"By the way, what do you mean by joining us?"
"I heard you were going to train. I was just about to head to the training grounds myself, so I thought it would be nice if we went together."
She approached with a bright smile, her quick, short steps reflecting her timid yet eager personality.
But then...
"Ah."
Dang Ye-ran suddenly froze mid-step.
What now?
As I stared at her in confusion, she gave an awkward smile and said, "I'm sorry... I've sweated quite a bit, so I might smell a little."
With that, she took a subtle step back.
Her behavior was incredibly timid, yet strangely endearing. But that was beside the point.
"I appreciate the offer, but I think training together might pose a few problems."
She was a direct descendant of the Dang Clan, while we were members of Cheongwol Gate. Since our martial arts were entirely different, training together was highly inappropriate for several reasons.
Furthermore...
"The training room we were assigned isn't all that spacious, either."
We had been given a training room as a courtesy, but it wasn't particularly large. It was already a bit cramped for the three of us.
When I pointed out these issues, Dang Ye-ran suddenly clapped her hands together.
"Then I'll let you use the direct line's private training hall!"
"...Pardon?"
"It's very spacious there... and if training together is the issue, we could always have a friendly sparring match instead!"
"What kind of—"
"A sparring match?" Cheon Ui-jin asked.
"Sparring?" Do-hyeong echoed.
I was about to reject her ridiculous proposal immediately, but Cheon Ui-jin and Do-hyeong reacted quite differently to the word "sparring."
"..."
I swiped a hand down my face.
What was I supposed to do with these battle-hungry lunatics? I couldn't believe they were reacting like this the moment sparring was mentioned.
As I stood there contemplating my options...
"[Why not just go?]" Yoo Chun-gil said to me.
"[You have nothing else to do anyway, and it's not like going will cause any harm.]"
"..."
He wasn't wrong. Going wouldn't necessarily cause any trouble, but...
'The old man's reaction makes me uneasy.'
The real issue wasn't the sparring; it was Yoo Chun-gil's attitude. He looked subtly excited, trying to act nonchalant while nudging me to go.
It was incredibly suspicious.
Was the damn old ghost plotting something again? Whenever he wore that expression, things always blew up in my face.
Just as I was debating whether I should refuse...
"...Young Master Bang..." Dang Ye-ran called out from a few steps away.
"Yes?"
"Could you please come with me?"
Sensing my hesitation, she pleaded once more.
So, I asked, "...What is your reason?"
Why was she so insistent on having me tag along?
At my question, Dang Ye-ran smiled softly and said, "Because I want to get closer to you. I'm bored, and besides, isn't this fate?"
"..."
That was a terribly flimsy excuse.
She wanted to get closer, she was bored, so she wanted to spar in the training hall? That sounded like the kind of logic Cheon Ui-jin would use.
Normally, since all this talk of marriage since yesterday had been nothing but a nuisance, I would have flatly refused. But...
'Her eyes are a weapon.'
Looking into Dang Ye-ran's eyes, the rejection died in my throat.
Despite claiming she hadn't been crying, her slightly swollen eyelids and watery eyes painted a different picture. The faint trace of sorrow on her face, combined with her natural charm, made for a devastatingly powerful weapon.
I stared at her, my mouth twitching.
I had to refuse. I had to say no.
I repeated the mantra over and over in my head, but...
"Young Master Bang?"
"...Just this once, alright?"
"Yes!"
The permission slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it.
Was it because I was exhausted from the intense battle of nerves with Dang Gyeong-ak? I was acting completely out of character.
'Well, it's not like I have anything else to do.'
I tried to rationalize it to myself, but...
'I still haven't kicked this habit.'
I already knew the real reason I had caved so easily.
It had been the same since the old days.
'Please... please don't go. I'm begging you...'
I had a massive weakness for crying people.
Especially when they cried like that.
Somewhere in Sichuan.
It was a location that could barely be considered the entrance to Sichuan Province.
Leaving the desolate wilderness behind, it was a point where bustling crowds and civilization finally began to appear.
There, a massive carriage made its appearance.
Neighhh!
Three or four magnificent steeds, clearly superior to ordinary horses, pulled the carriage in a neat line.
Whenever the carriage passed by, wild animals held their breath in fear.
Herb gatherers climbing the mountains stared down at it in awe.
Where else could one lay eyes on such a luxurious carriage? They watched with fascination, wondering who could possibly be riding inside.
Drawing countless eyes, the carriage pressed forward without a single moment of rest.
It was not a leisurely journey. Although their destination was drawing near, the carriage owner's mood only grew sharper by the minute.
Inside the carriage, a man spoke up cautiously.
"...My lady."
At his call, the woman who had been staring out the window turned her head.
The eyes that glanced at the man were strikingly beautiful.
"Yes?"
The man flinched instinctively at her brief response.
Her voice was freezing cold.
At times like this, it was best to keep one's mouth shut. The statistical data gathered from his years of experience told him so, but...
"...I believe it might be wise to send word ahead."
The man could not remain silent. Especially not for this matter.
"And why is that?"
The woman prompted him to explain, and the man quickly voiced his thoughts as if he had been waiting for the cue.
"Sichuan is the territory of the Dang Clan, after all... Entering their domain without any prior notice might not sit well with them."
"And?"
"So, even a brief message to inform them would be..."
The man spoke with extreme caution, his throat dry. He knew his words were futile.
The woman was already well aware of everything he was saying.
Having to state the obvious to her was the most painful part of his job.
"Therefore... my lady..."
"I will not be sending a letter."
At her firm reply, the man squeezed his eyes shut.
As expected, her stance remained unchanged.
"...But..."
"He is a clever man. If we send word, he will flee immediately. I feel bad for the Dang Clan, but we can explain ourselves once we arrive. If worst comes to worst, we can just use my father's name."
Her voice carried a stubborn finality that brooked no argument.
And...
"Who would have thought that after I went all the way to Anhui to find him, he would immediately scurry off to Sichuan? Don't you agree, Mu-jeong?"
Underneath her calm demeanor, the dominant emotion in her voice was unmistakable anger.
"...Well..."
"...Seriously, he is exceptionally good at running away."
Snap.
The sound of something breaking echoed in the carriage.
The man peeked through half-closed eyes to find the source of the noise.
The ornamental hairpin in the woman's hand had been snapped clean in half.
"...Just try running away again," she whispered, her pale hands trembling with rage.
"I will catch you, no matter what."
She repeated the vow she had already made hundreds of times before.