The Return Journey (1)
My words made her bite her lip.
"How heartless."
"Yes, I'm afraid I am."
Thwip!
A poison needle flew straight at me in that instant.
I swatted it away with my sword, then struck the back of her neck with the scabbard in one fluid motion.
Crack!
"Gah!"
I couldn't help but chuckle as she crumpled unconscious. I knew it.
That was when it happened.
Huh?
A sudden whiff of wildflower scent.
This was definitely a fragrance I'd smelled before.
And then, a group of riders on gray horses came galloping from behind. There looked to be about fifty of them.
"Who are they?"
A disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace answered my question.
"That's our Ice Palace's vanguard strike team, the Snow Eagle Squad."
The name "Snow Eagle" seemed to capture the unit's essence perfectly.
As the Snow Eagle Squad drew closer, the wildflower scent grew stronger.
The North Sea Ice Palace disciple beside me spotted someone riding a white horse at the front and rushed forward, dropping to her knees in prostration.
"We greet the Little Palace Lord!"
Little Palace Lord?
That would mean the next heir to lead the North Sea Ice Palace.
She looked not a day over twenty, her expression impassive yet strikingly beautiful.
She dismounted and spoke.
"We came running when we saw the emergency signal."
"Yes, Little Palace Lord. I'll report the situation."
The disciple gave a crisp salute and briefed her.
"...And so, we've subdued the culprit for now."
"I see."
The Little Palace Lord nodded and turned toward me.
Her cultivation was impressively high—her footsteps made no sound at all.
As she approached, the wildflower scent intensified.
This fragrance... it was unmistakably the same one from that mysterious masked figure I'd encountered years ago at Yeonhwa Pavilion.
She clasped her hands politely in greeting and introduced herself.
"I am Bing Hae-rin, Little Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace."
Now that she'd revealed her name, courtesy demanded I do the same.
"Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group."
"Thank you for aiding our palace."
"I only did what needed doing."
"But... you're a man?"
I nodded at her question. It was a fact, after all.
"Yes."
Everyone around us looked stunned by my answer.
"No way!"
"No men are allowed inside here!"
"No, there are exceptions."
The Little Palace Lord cut them off.
"I've heard from the Palace Lord herself. A man with strong yin energy can enter."
But her gaze wasn't on me—it was fixed on the sword at my side.
Could she have figured out what this sword really is?
The Silver Mist Sword looked decent enough, but nothing extraordinarily special...
Besides, it could change its form to suit its wielder.
If she knew it was the Silver Mist Sword, that would be a serious problem.
I suspected ties to the Murim Alliance.
It felt uncomfortable knowing someone connected to the Murim Alliance was in the North Sea Ice Palace—a place I, as a disciple of the Snow Wind Palace, was meant to protect.
The last thing I wanted was my information reaching their ears.
She met my eyes again and gave a slight bow.
"You've saved our disciples, so we should naturally treat you with the utmost hospitality. But given the circumstances, that will have to wait. I beg your understanding."
She then pulled three small boxes from a pouch at her waist and offered them.
"These are called Silver Snow Pills. Not quite spirit pills, but close enough. They should aid your martial progress, benefactor."
Suspicious character or not, she wouldn't hand over anything dubious in front of everyone.
And refusing a gift from the Little Palace Lord here wasn't an option.
"I gratefully accept."
"If there's anything else you desire, speak it. I'll grant it if I can."
I pondered for a moment.
Entering the North Sea Ice Palace would be ideal, but she'd said that was impossible, so something else it was.
They probably had secrets outsiders couldn't see, which was why they kept me out.
"If you'd like to visit the palace, you're welcome anytime. It's normally forbidden to men, but at your request, we can make an exception."
"Pardon?"
Her unexpected words made me blink in surprise.
"Didn't you just say it's impossible to go together right now?"
"To give you proper hospitality requires the whole palace's involvement. But dealing with this fiend makes that difficult, so that's what I meant."
So, going to the North Sea Ice Palace together was fine—it was just the lavish reception that would be delayed.
Just how lavish are we talking...?
"That's why I said we'd postpone the hospitality."
"R-right. Ahem."
I cleared my throat awkwardly to cover my embarrassment.
In that case, no need to rush there now.
She'd promised an invitation someday. No point forcing it today.
"What I want is for no one else to know I was involved in this today. Can you promise that?"
She thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Understood. It shall be done."
I was still uneasy, but for now, it was the best I could hope for.
She wouldn't break a promise made to her benefactor.
Just then, one of the Snow Eagle Squad members called from behind.
"The fiend's coming to."
Quicker than expected.
Little Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin approached the fiend.
The fiend had looked like a girl of thirteen or fourteen during our fight, but she'd shed that guise by then.
Now she appeared as a middle-aged woman.
What terrifying transformation technique. At this level, is it even disguise anymore? More like Bone Shrinking Art?
"So, why did you do all this?"
"......"
"Assassination? Chaos? Ah, chaos—that's it."
"!"
The fiend flinched in shock.
"So what's the real goal? Create chaos to... plant a spy? Steal secrets? Spirit beasts? Spirit pills? Right, spirit pills."
"Gasp!"
The fiend's eyes bulged in horror.
I had to admire her insight inwardly.
Suspicious or not, impressive was impressive.
"Damn it! Yes! I came to steal the spirit pills hoarded in the North Sea Ice Palace! With them, I can raise my cultivation! Then I'll gain absolute power and... urk!"
Bing Hae-rin swung her fist at the fiend.
Wow, she's got fire.
"To harm our palace for such filthy greed? Unbelievable."
"Urgh, I have my reasons for seeking absolute power. Revenge on this frustrating, rotten world... guh!"
Bing Hae-rin's fist slammed into her face again.
"Why should I care about your sob story? And who doesn't know the world's frustrating and rotten? But others don't go hurting innocents like you. They just live for a better future."
"......"
"You know what? Selfish scum like you are why the world stays frustrating and rotten."
She turned coldly to her squad.
"Lock her in the ice prison. I'll deal with her myself."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The fiend struggled and protested, but with her acupoints sealed, she was dragged away helplessly.
Little Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin turned to me.
"Thank you for not killing the fiend."
"We need her alive to uncover any remaining threats."
"That's why I'm grateful."
Truth be told, I hadn't slain her in one stroke out of mercy.
Better she spill everything first before dying.
Her just desserts, really.
Bing Hae-rin clasped her hands to me.
"Well then, shall we go? I'll escort you back to the inn."
She left the misty gate alongside me.
Before stepping out, her words echoed in my mind.
Suspicious origins aside, they really resonated.
Without thinking, I blurted it out.
"Have we met before, by any chance?"
"...!"
She tensed up for a split second.
What was that?
"F-first time meeting."
"I see."
But I was certain.
That masked figure from Yeonhwa Pavilion was her.
As she departed, the inn began restoring order swiftly.
It showed just how much authority and influence the Little Palace Lord wielded.
"Our Little Palace Lord is amazing, isn't she?"
A disciple working at the inn approached with a proud smile, and I nodded with a grin.
"Yes. She certainly is."
"She's the pride of the North Sea Ice Palace."
I could feel the genuine pride in the disciple's words.
With the matter settled, she returned to the palace.
Watching her go, I thought to myself.
Next time we meet, I'll uncover her true identity.
.
.
.
After seeing her off, I returned to the inn and asked my group, seated on the first floor.
"Is everyone all right? Any injuries?"
"Yes, we're fine."
"This is barely a scratch."
They brushed it off casually.
The battle with the spirit beasts had been fiercer than expected, leaving minor wounds, but nothing debilitating.
Except for Palgap.
He was perfectly fine.
I'd told him to hide well, and he'd followed orders to the letter.
The spirit beasts hadn't detected him—even when I peeked, they just passed him by.
Huh...
Was the King of Assassins' stealth talent fooling even spirit beast senses?
Incredible, as always.
Four days later, the guards' wounds had mostly healed.
I was impressed by the golden sore medicine from the Ice Palace—turns out it was made by Heukjeok's Immortal Hand.
Some kind of fateful connection?
Now it was time to head back.
We packed our things and gathered downstairs.
"So you're leaving now."
"Yes."
I nodded to the disciple at the inn.
"Come visit again. As benefactors of the North Sea Ice Palace, your stay is on the house."
"Then we definitely will. Farewell."
"May the Snow Wind's grace guide your journey."
As we stepped outside, Palgap shivered and grumbled.
"Brr! It's cold!"
"You've got the scarf on. Still cold?"
"Just saying."
"We're heading south now—just warmer days ahead."
On the way back to Hubei, I had a few things to take care of.
First, repay the hunters who'd helped us.
We left the North Sea and visited their huts at the outskirts.
Fortunately, they were resting there when we arrived.
"We meet again."
"You finished your business safe and sound."
"Yes. Thanks to you."
"Thanks? We just lived to see another day."
Gruff on the outside, but hearts of gold.
"Still, your help is fact. So, as repayment..."
"No need."
"Forget it. We didn't shelter you for rewards."
"I understand."
Then someone spoke from behind.
"Then buy some of our tribe's beast hides."
"You brat, butt in why don't you?"
"Ah! You're that boy from before."
The boy bowed his head at my words, while one hunter looked sheepish.
He was that hunter's son.
"The merchant who was supposed to take our beast hides this time backed out, leaving us in a bind."
"......"
The two hunters fell silent, confirming it was true.
I asked them.
"Tell me more."
"Ahem, well..."
Their tribe had long made a living hunting beasts here and selling the byproducts.
But their usual hide buyer started ordering less, and recently claimed all the hides were defective and left without buying any.
"Ridiculous excuse! Our tribe's hide processing is top-notch!"
"I can tell just from the clothes you're wearing. I know a thing or two about hides myself."
Silk was a mainstay of the Eunhae Merchant Group, but our drapery shops handled all fabrics.
I could judge hide quality and craftsmanship.
"Classic price gouging."
"Huh?"
"How many merchants come all the way out here for hides?"
"True..."
"They're exploiting that. You probably tried other merchants but found none."
"Y-yes."
"Few deal in hides this far out. Tight-knit circle. Think they'll take new business when they're colluding?"
"Ah! That's why... other merchants all said no more trades..."
"When you can't hold out any longer, the old buyer shows up, 'pities' you, and buys at rock-bottom prices."
"Ah..."
"Those rotten bastards!"
"May lightning strike 'em dead!"
Yeah, they deserve the curses.