Gold and Silver Treasures
The sun had long since slipped behind the mountain ridges, and long, deep shadows stretched across the slopes as dusk thickened around them.
"Looks like we'll have no choice but to camp nearby tonight."
Cheongwol glanced about, searching for somewhere she might at least lie down, then let out a small sigh.
She had only just left the Kongdong Sect, and already she was sleeping rough.
"When you say camp… you mean spend the night out here on the mountain?"
Ak Seo-a's face, which had been chattering nonstop only moments before, went rigid in an instant.
"That's right. If you really can't stand the idea, we could head back down now. Though I have no idea how much farther we'd have to go before we hit a village…"
But contrary to Cheongwol's expectations, Ak Seo-a only beamed and shook her head.
"What a cold thing to say! This humble one has always longed to camp out just once, yet never found the chance — and has forever regretted it! Tonight, at last, that long-held wish shall be fulfilled!"
"…Well, that's a relief, then."
Why anyone would want to camp out among buzzing insects and prowling beasts, making do with dried, shriveled meat for supper, Cheongwol could not begin to understand.
And then there was the bone-deep cold that jolted you awake at dawn, and the dew that soaked everything through.
Even so, she found herself smiling without meaning to.
Something about Ak Seo-a's pure-hearted enthusiasm lightened her own spirits, if only a little.
"The Hero seems pleased as well! Wait here! Since this is a first camping trip worth commemorating, this humble one shall go catch us a mountain beast!"
But even purity was only charming within certain bounds.
Thud.
Just as Ak Seo-a was about to bolt into the forest, Cheongwol snagged her by the scruff of the neck.
"…Why do you stop me?"
When Ak Seo-a looked up to ask, Cheongwol simply pointed at the treeline ahead.
It was the very spot where the bandits had emerged earlier, demanding a toll.
"Thinking about it, those Green Forest bandits came pouring out of there. There's a good chance their stronghold is nearby. What do you say — want to raid a bandit den together?"
Just as Cheongwol had predicted, they had not walked far before they found the Green Forest stronghold.
It was not especially large, but it was more than spacious enough to house some twenty grown men.
"To raid a bandit stronghold alongside a true Hero…!"
The moment they stepped inside, Ak Seo-a began poking through every corner with a look of pure rapture on her face.
Rather than stop her, Cheongwol quietly surveyed the surroundings herself, a quiet hope stirring in her chest.
…Found it.
Before long, she had little trouble locating the quarters that clearly belonged to the master of the place.
A massive chest, sealed thrice over, sat against one wall of the room.
She was not particularly greedy by nature — but neither was there any reason to leave ownerless coin behind.
Crack.
Cheongwol drew up a touch of inner energy and tightened her grip; the chains binding the chest snapped like thread and slithered to the floor.
Whatever riches lay inside, they would more than cover the silver Unhak had given her — with a great deal left over.
Senior Brother Unhak, just wait a little longer. Your junior sister will treat you to the finest inn in all of Gansu. Master too, of course…
Just as she was about to push open the lid with a fluttering heart, a familiar voice rang out behind her.
"As expected of a true Hero!"
"…?"
Startled, Cheongwol spun around to find Ak Seo-a striding toward her in triumph, a tiger-skin pelt of unknown origin draped over her head.
"Wealth plundered from the common folk must, of course, be returned to them! This humble one had quite forgotten that truth in her excitement — yet the Hero never lost sight of what must be done!"
…Return it?
The treasure inside the chest… her treasure?
Cheongwol peered into the chest that had already begun to feel like her own, and found it packed so full of riches that calling them gold and silver treasures would not have been an exaggeration. The two of them were greeted by a glittering hoard.
"Good heavens. How much is all this…"
Even at a glance, it was clearly not a sum gathered overnight, and Ak Seo-a herself slipped into her natural speech without realizing it.
"…Ahem! For mere bandits, I never imagined they would amass such wealth. One can scarcely guess how thoroughly they must have wrung the lifeblood from the common people."
Apparently mortified by the slip, she cleared her throat and reasserted the chivalry and righteousness within her.
"Come daybreak, we ought to take it to the Sichuan branch of the Wulin Alliance and entrust it to them. Those who draw a government stipend can hardly be trusted, after all."
Cheongwol heard every word, yet could not focus on any of it.
A fierce temptation kept circling through her mind.
If I used the Sunflower Manual — just one form, no, half a form — couldn't I knock her out cold?
"Try some of this as well! I believe it may be rabbit!"
Cheongwol looked at the well-roasted meat Ak Seo-a held out and gave a light nod.
"Mm. Thanks."
It had a bit of a gamey smell, but someone had seasoned it, and it was not half bad for staving off hunger.
Not that she would have called it delicious.
Ak Seo-a, however, chewed away with the utmost satisfaction, as though the meat were some rare delicacy.
Cheongwol watched her savor it for a while, then carefully opened her mouth.
"You said you were from the Shandong Ak Clan."
"Indeed! This humble one is the eldest daughter of the Shandong Ak Clan!"
Apparently delighted that Cheongwol had asked her something, Ak Seo-a smiled and nodded.
If what Unhak had told her was correct, the Shandong Ak Clan was a vast power that rivaled even the Six Great Clans.
They simply preferred the imperial court and official posts over the jianghu, and so had always shied away from being called a martial clan.
"I'm not really doubting you, but why is the eldest daughter of the Shandong Ak Clan wandering a forest like this alone? And the Shandong Ak Clan is a long way from here."
"Th-that is…"
Ak Seo-a stammered for a moment, flustered, then offered an awkward smile.
"Truth be told, when this humble one first left the clan, she was accompanied by an entourage. Certain matters arose along the way, and so we parted company for the time being."
"…I see."
Certain matters arose along the way.
Cheongwol could vaguely guess how much was packed into that short phrase.
…She must have caused one hell of a mess.
By now, her retinue was probably turned upside down searching for their missing young mistress.
"Then, as for the Hero…"
Sensing there was something awkward even in her own account, Ak Seo-a hurried to change the subject.
"Cheongwol."
"…?"
"My name. It's Cheongwol. We seem about the same age, so if you don't mind, call me by my name. I'm not qualified to be called a Hero yet anyway — and hearing it over and over is getting a little embarrassing."
At the invitation to use her name, Ak Seo-a went blank for a moment.
"…May this humble one truly call you by name…?"
"Please do."
Ak Seo-a hesitated with her head slightly bowed, then finally spoke in a voice far shyer than before.
"Miss Cheongwol…"
"Mm."
When Cheongwol answered, Ak Seo-a at last lifted her head and asked to be called by name in return.
"As you may already know, this humble one's name is Ak Seo-a! Miss Cheongwol, this humble one would be most glad if you would call her by name as well!"
It was only a name. What was so difficult about that?
"Seo-a. Nice to meet you."
"If one merely stands by and watches, can one truly claim to follow the path of a Hero? It was this humble one's first real battle, and fear was real enough — yet she took up her spear and rose, and in a single stroke…!"
After a rough meal, Cheongwol had meant to pick out a decent bed and get some rest.
That plan might have worked, if not for the woman trailing after her — a woman without a shred of malice, which somehow made her all the more exhausting.
Ak Seo-a had already been talking without pause for half a shichen, most of it about her first steps into the jianghu.
Naturally, no proper account would be complete without the tales of various heroes woven in.
"And so, in a single instant, every gaze fell upon Young Master Seomun Hwi."
By now Ak Seo-a's exploits were enough to put anyone to sleep — but the familiar name brought a spark of life back into Cheongwol's eyes.
"Wait — Seomun Hwi? The Young Master of the Seomun Clan?"
"Indeed. So Miss Cheongwol takes an interest in Young Master Seomun Hwi as well. You seemed so indifferent whenever this humble one spoke of the other rising talents that she began to fear her stories were dull."
Cheongwol felt a twinge of guilt, but it was not important enough to dwell on, so she quickly steered the conversation.
"I was listening with interest. But sorry — could you tell me about Young Master Seomun Hwi again?"
"There is nothing to apologize for. This humble one had only just begun."
Ak Seo-a grinned and launched back into the tale of Seomun Hwi.
"These days Young Master Seomun Hwi is called the finest dragon among the rising talents — yet that renown is not so old. Perhaps some five years ago…"
It was a story of Seomun Hwi that even Unhak had never told her, and this time Cheongwol's eyes truly lit up.
"Young Master Seomun Hwi, who rarely ever appeared at gatherings of the rising talents, suddenly showed up that day and said this — can you believe it?"
As if trying to imitate Seomun Hwi himself, Ak Seo-a deliberately dropped her voice.
"'Who among you is the most skilled in martial arts? I wish to request a spar.'"
Hearing that, Cheongwol could almost picture Seomun Hwi's deadly serious face and manner of speaking, and the corner of her mouth curved up of its own accord.
"So what happened?"
"What do you suppose happened?"
"If it were me, I wouldn't have bothered answering. Someone who never shows his face suddenly waltzes in and demands a spar — who'd be happy about that?"
"This humble one thought the same. That is, until the Young Master of the Hwangbo Clan and the Young Master of the Hebei Peng Clan began quarreling over who would face him first."
Even now, the absurdity of it made Ak Seo-a shrug.
"In the end, both of them poured out their inner energy and collapsed on the spot — so Young Master Seomun Hwi never sparred with anyone at all."