In the North Sea (3)
Those words made me tense up without realizing it.
But showing too much agitation would only arouse suspicion, so I forced a calm expression and asked,
"May I ask why you think that?"
"The winds here in the North Sea are unusually calm, and it reminds me of the time I walked these paths with my close friend from the Snow Wind Palace."
"Perhaps the heavens favor me."
I neither confirmed nor denied his question outright, opting instead for a vague deflection.
My master had instructed me to keep my connection to the Snow Wind Palace hidden as much as possible. But since he'd taught me the Taiyin Ice Sea Divine Art and the True Snow Twelve Style Swordsmanship, it wasn't as if I had no ties to them.
Denying it outright would feel like a betrayal to my master.
I need to be more careful, I thought.
Having met a disciple of the Snow Wind Palace before, he might recognize the Golden Command Token.
And so, we pressed deeper into the heart of the North Sea.
There was something strangely exhilarating about racing across the snow-swept plains.
The father of the girl traveling with us spoke up.
"Truth be told, while the snowstorms are a major hazard in the North Sea, the spirit beasts that appear from time to time are just as troublesome."
"Come to think of it, I heard from some hunters. There are malevolent spirit beasts, aren't there?"
"Exactly. Their appearances have spiked over the last decade or so. Things were a bit better when the Snow Wind Palace was still active, though."
"What do you mean by that...?"
"Ah, I wasn't clear. The Snow Wind Palace, much like the North Sea Ice Palace, used to handle the extermination of malevolent spirit beasts in the North Sea. With a single sword, they commanded the north winds and blizzards at will, striking fear into those creatures."
His explanation continued.
"These days, the North Sea Ice Palace handles it all, but it seems one palace alone isn't enough."
"I see."
It was then.
People were racing toward us from the distance, screaming,
"Help! Spare us!"
They were covered in blood, pursued by a white leopard.
Seeing it, the girl's father drew his sword and shouted,
"Red eyes! It's a Red-Eyed Snow Leopard!"
The name fit perfectly—the beast was snow-white, but its eyes glowed crimson.
I dismounted and said,
"Looks like a malevolent spirit beast."
"Yes. Normal snow leopards feed on the essence of snow, but once they start craving blood, their eyes turn red like that. From then on, they're no longer sacred creatures—just demonic beasts."
The Seo-u Warrior spoke up.
"It's heading this way."
I drew my Silver Mist Sword as well.
Though it was the iconic sword of the Snow Wind Palace, since it could change form depending on the wielder, using it here shouldn't raise issues.
We closed in on the Red-Eyed Snow Leopard.
But then—
Kiiiiiek—!
Huh?
Did I just hear a screech like brakes slamming on?
Kiiiiiek?
Can an animal even make that sound?
It skidded to a halt as if slamming on invisible brakes, smoke rising from its paws.
Then it tucked its tail and fled in panic.
What the hell? Why's it running?
We snapped to attention and gave chase.
The Yi-pil Warrior hurled a hidden weapon at the Red-Eyed Snow Leopard.
It struck true, slowing the beast as the Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior unleashed sword qi.
Swish—!
Shaaa—!
Finally, the Red-Eyed Snow Leopard collapsed.
One might ask if it was necessary to chase down and kill a fleeing beast.
But that's a question born of ignorance about spirit beasts.
Having lived for ages, spirit beasts are incredibly tenacious.
Once they mark prey, they stalk relentlessly, striking when the moment is right.
In other words, leaving it alive meant we'd be hunted eventually.
We burned the Red-Eyed Snow Leopard's corpse.
I considered skinning it for sale, but tales warned that demonic beast hides bring calamity, so we let it be.
Meanwhile, I approached the pursued group.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yes."
"Thank you for saving us."
The girl and a young man bowed in gratitude. They resembled each other—likely siblings.
"We owe you our lives."
"You're heading to the North Sea Ice Palace, I take it."
"Yes."
The young man nodded, then asked cautiously,
"If I may ask, where are you headed?"
The girl's father answered.
"We're going to the North Sea Ice Palace."
"Ah!"
The young man quickly cupped his fists.
"I'm sorry to ask, but... our escort from the Pongju Escort Bureau fell to the Red-Eyed Snow Leopard."
"That's terrible..."
"So, could we travel with you?"
The father glanced at me, and I nodded.
"Of course."
We set off again, soon discovering the fallen escort's body.
Nearby lay two gruesomely mauled corpses. The Seo-u Warrior said regretfully,
"Pongju Escort Bureau warriors."
The young man replied,
"Yes. They died saving us..."
Their uniforms looked familiar. I knew of the Pongju Escort Bureau.
"Could we have a moment? We'd like to at least cremate their bodies."
"Go ahead."
As a former escort leader himself, the Seo-u Warrior seemed personally affected.
I felt the same, given my ties to escort agencies.
The earlier storm victims had been left intact since they'd frozen peacefully.
But these mangled, blood-soaked bodies would attract scavengers.
We gathered their personal effects and identity plaques, then cremated them.
We collected the ashes into a single urn and handed it to the young man.
"When you return, deliver these to the Pongju Escort Bureau."
He bit his lip and replied,
"Understood."
He must have been close to the fallen escorts.
With their escorts dead, getting home will be tricky. They don't look well-off, either.
I handed him some silver taels.
"Use this for escort fees on your way back."
"No, we can't accept after you saved our lives."
"Only if you get home safely will these ashes and effects reach their families, right?"
Finally, he accepted the money.
Escort fees were paid in two installments: half upfront, half on arrival.
If the job failed midway, the initial payment was all they got.
And if an escort died, only a modest consolation was given.
Some shady agencies even demanded compensation from the families.
We resumed our journey.
Somehow, our group had grown by five. As I glanced at them, the Jin Yu Warrior sent a sound transmission.
—Are you worried they might interfere with your business, my lord?
—No.
I shook my head slightly.
—If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't have let them join in the first place.
It wasn't a long-term commitment anyway.
It was just a small act of kindness, nothing problematic.
—Don't worry. We're almost at the outskirts of the North Sea Ice Palace. Guides await there.
—Guides?
—Yes. Reaching the outskirts proves you're qualified to enter. And without a guide, you can't proceed to the palace itself.
As I listened to the transmission, I glanced sideways.
The girl we'd met last night and the one we'd just rescued were chatting amiably, already fast friends.
Watching them giggle filled me with an odd warmth.
We paused for lunch, then continued.
A few hours later, an inn came into view.
An enormous eight-story structure—I couldn't help tilting my head.
An inn out here?
Not just me; everyone looked baffled, except the Jin Yu Warrior and the girl's father, who remained composed.
"We've finally arrived."
"Pardon?"
"That's our destination."
The Yeo Eung-am Warrior asked,
"Is that the North Sea Ice Palace?"
"No, it's the gateway to the Ice Palace. We'll rest there, then follow the guides inside. And..."
He sighed softly.
"It's the only place men can stay at the North Sea Ice Palace."
The girl looked at him, her eyes brimming with parting sorrow, as if she knew their separation was near.
So this is where we truly part ways.
We soon reached the inn, its grand sign reading Ice Palace Inn.
"Welcome."
Two identical-looking men—twins, perhaps—rushed out to greet us the moment we arrived.
"Glad you made it here safely."
"Leave your horses with me and come inside."
"We're not actually going to the North Sea Ice Palace, but can we still stay?"
They replied readily,
"Of course."
"Our inn doesn't turn away guests."
"Unless you're not a guest."
I pressed,
"And who counts as not a guest?"
"Lust-crazed dogs or bloodthirsty fiends aren't guests."
Their faces hardened menacingly for a split second before softening into welcoming smiles.
"Please, come in."
"If you're a guest, welcome to the safest inn in the North Sea."
I glanced at the Jin Yu Warrior, who nodded.
It's safe to stay.
"Then let's rest here."
We entered the inn and were immediately impressed.
The interior was luxuriously appointed.
Beautiful women in pristine white robes bustled about, all radiating substantial inner energy—clearly disciples of the North Sea Ice Palace.
"Welcome."
A woman at the counter stood to greet us.
The rates were comparable to Central Plains inns.
"And we don't charge those entering the palace."
"I see."
"Conveniently, tomorrow's the day new entrants head in. You can join them."
As we handled check-in, a woman's voice called from behind.
"Yeon-rang?"
The girl's father turned, and our eyes followed.
A strikingly beautiful woman, seemingly in her twenties.
He replied in a trembling voice,
"It's been a long time."
"You kept your promise."
"Yes."
With a complex gaze at his daughter, he said,
"Say hello. This is your mother."
.
.
.
That night, I went down to the first floor.
Though it was late and everyone else was asleep, the girl's father sat alone, nursing a drink.
"Why aren't you with your daughter?"
"Ah."
Some might call it nosy, but as a merchant, this was par for the course.
Such small connections could yield great rewards later.
Besides, striking up casual conversation was a merchant's virtue.
He sighed lightly.
"She's with her mother now."
"The woman we saw earlier is her mother, right?"
I sat across from him, continuing naturally, and he nodded.
"Yes. I first met Hyeon-i's mother at the Snow Wind Palace."
He'd mentioned his close friend from there earlier, so it must have been back then.
"The Snow Wind Palace had close ties with the North Sea Ice Palace. Disciples from the Ice Palace were regularly dispatched to patrol these areas with us."
"I see."
"We fell for each other then, and Hyeon-i was born from that bond."
"......"
"But as you know, the North Sea Ice Palace doesn't allow children under five. It's their iron rule."
"So you've been raising her alone."
"Yes. And Hyeon-i must become a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace. It's... the rule. That's why I brought her here."
So daughters born to North Sea Ice Palace women must join the palace?
"Then this is the first time she's met her mother?"
"Essentially, yes. She can stay with her for a year, but that's before she can form memories. After that, they must part."
The harsh rule left a bitter taste.
The pain of sending away one's own child for an organization's laws must be gut-wrenching.
One thing puzzled me, though.
"Usually, a child that young would be shy or awkward meeting their mother for the first time, but Hyeon-i seemed perfectly at ease."
"Ah, that's because..."
He smiled.
"Her mother loves and misses her dearly, always yearning to meet despite the distance. I've told her that constantly."
What a wonderful father.
I couldn't help but smile faintly.
Then a sudden curiosity struck me.