Do You Know the Blade? - (5)
When he returned to the room, Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwanyeong welcomed Wi Ilcheong with open arms.
Swords in hand.
"Brother Wi, you're back?"
"Oppa Wi…"
"…What are the two of you doing?"
Looking at the two young ladies who seemed ready to bolt outside at any moment, Wi Ilcheong burst into laughter.
"Heh… Preparing to run away, were you?"
"…Yeah."
"You never know, right…?"
"I'll gratefully accept the thought. Everything seems to have been resolved well enough."
"Really?"
"Is that true?!"
They set their packed bags down on the floor and threw themselves into Wi Ilcheong's arms.
"I'm so glad… After hearing what Gwanyeong said, I was worried the whole time…"
"Me too…"
"…Is that so?"
Suddenly a question rose in Wi Ilcheong's mind.
"Miss Baekri, Miss Eun. There is something I wish to ask."
"Hm?"
"Ask anything!"
"Do the two of you love me?"
At Wi Ilcheong's sudden question, the two reacted differently.
"…Yeah. I adore you. But asking out of nowhere is a little embarrassing…"
Baekri Sohyeon answered with a flushed face and a warm smile,
"O-of course I dooo. I love you, you know?"
while Eun Gwanyeong's response was a touch more ambiguous.
"Mm… You see, the truth is, someone I know told me that I do not understand love."
"Ah…"
"Mm…"
"Hm? Why are you both reacting like that?"
When the young ladies' responses proved less than reassuring, Wi Ilcheong was the one who grew flustered.
Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwanyeong exchanged glances, and in the end it was Baekri Sohyeon who spoke first.
"Um… Brother Wi."
"Yes, Miss Baekri."
"…I love you, Brother."
"I know. You have said so many times."
"But… I don't really know if you love me?"
"Pardon?"
Wi Ilcheong was struck by her words.
"Well… um… As you know, I spent my whole life locked away in the sect leader's quarters. I've never been loved, so I don't really understand love. But I thought wanting to do things for someone was love, so… I always cling to you, Brother Wi. Sometimes I hug you first, too."
"…"
"It's the same with Ryeong Mae and Gwanyeong. I always wished someone would hold me like that. When I was little, just once—my mother's arms, the memory is hazy, but they felt so good. So I hug you, Brother Wi, and I hug Ryeong Mae, and I hug Gwanyeong a lot too. That's what 'love' means to me."
"…I see. However…"
"But outside of when we couple, you've never been the one to hug me first."
"Pardon?"
Baekri Sohyeon answered him with a kind yet somehow bitter smile.
"I love you, Brother Wi. I don't really know what love is either, but this is how I show it. Hugging. Sharing warmth with someone. Doing those things all the time, even when it isn't anything lewd."
"…Is that so?"
"Yeah. But do you love me, Brother Wi?"
"I do. Truly."
"Thank you. But I think the love you and I imagine is a little different."
"…"
When Baekri Sohyeon seemed to have nothing more to say, Wi Ilcheong looked to Eun Gwanyeong.
"Miss Eun. Do you love me?"
"Yeees… ummm… nooo…"
"Pardon?"
"…Honestly, rather than loving Oppa Wi, I respect you…"
"Respect?"
"…You saved me, after all."
"…"
Ears flushed scarlet, Eun Gwanyeong hung her head and fidgeted with her hands as she spoke.
"I… I'm fine just being spoiled by Oppa. I don't even hope for love…"
"I love you, Miss Eun."
"Just hearing that makes me happyyy. But…"
Eun Gwanyeong stole a glance at his face.
"Whether Oppa Wi loves me… is a little…"
"For what reason do you think so?"
"…Before, when I said I was going back to the Hao Sect midway…"
"Yes."
"…Your expression didn't change."
"Pardon?"
"…I said I'd be gone for a while, and it was just… 'Oh, so you're going somewhere,' 'Have a safe trip'… that sort of thing…"
"…"
"When I'm apart from Oppa Wi I feel sad… but I don't think Oppa feels the same."
"No… ha…"
Wi Ilcheong felt as though the breath had been knocked from his lungs.
"…Miss Dokgo told me. That love is the feeling of 'I cannot live without this person.' Do the two of you think the same?"
"Yeah."
"Yeees…"
And then Baekri Sohyeon and Eun Gwanyeong delivered the final blow.
"But I think Brother Wi would get along just fine without me."
"But Oppa Wi would be okay even without me…"
Dokgo Ryeong stepped into the inner chamber unable to hide her laughter.
"Heh heh… Hey, Hao Sect Leader."
"…Yes, Guest."
"In all of Murim history, has anyone ever achieved Bone and Body Reconstitution twice?"
"Even once is rare enough."
"I'm about to pull it off right now."
"…If that happens, the entire jianghu will suffer a great loss."
"Huh? Why?"
"A young lady this lovely…"
"The second I get my man's body back, the first thing I'm doing is thrashing your ass."
Watching Dokgo Ryeong issue her threat, Eun Yakbyeok answered with a smile.
"My, you enjoy that sort of thing as well? Not bad."
"Ugh… You filthy slut!!"
"Heehee. Why don't you hurry and prepare to absorb the yang energy of the Solar Fire Pear? I am rather busy myself, you know?"
"…Fine."
Dokgo Ryeong settled into a cross-legged seat and placed the spiritual pill of the Solar Fire Pear upon her palm.
"I'll absorb the yang energy, so help me from the outside a bit."
"Very well. But do you truly need my help?"
"…The yin energy is too strong, that's why."
"Pardon?"
"I told you. When I absorbed the Ten Thousand Years Ice Jade, the yin energy was so fierce that nearly all the yang energy in my body was blown away."
"Guest, wait a moment."
When Eun Yakbyeok stopped her, Dokgo Ryeong looked up with an irritated face.
"…What?"
"Then wouldn't absorbing it be pointless?"
"Huh?"
"I mean… yin energy powerful enough to scatter even your own yang energy—do you truly believe a mere spiritual pill of the Solar Fire Pear could neutralize that?"
"It ought to help some, right?"
"Would you hand me the pill for a moment?"
"Here."
Dokgo Ryeong tossed it over. Eun Yakbyeok set it on her palm and closed her eyes.
The spiritual pill of the Solar Fire Pear flared briefly, then settled again.
Opening her eyes once more, Eun Yakbyeok looked at Dokgo Ryeong.
"…Guest."
"What?"
"Absorbing this will do you no good at all. Why not simply save it for when the yin desire next boils over?"
"What?! What kind of nonsense is that."
"…Because it was given by the Daoist, it is a superior grade and holds a great deal of inner power. Likely more than one jiazi—sixty years—of internal energy. But if the yin energy of the Ten Thousand Years Ice Jade is as you described, this is nowhere near enough."
"Fuck, just let me try once, will you?"
"It would be far too wasteful a pill to throw away like that, wouldn't it?"
"…"
"It is your possession, so I will respect your choice, but if you insist on absorbing it, I cannot assist you."
At those words Dokgo Ryeong shot to her feet.
"Ah, why! Just! Help me already!"
"…You said the yin energy ran wild on its own. Shall we die together? Besides, the yin energy I possess and the yin energy you possess are subtly different."
"How would you even… wait, you know?"
"It does not seem a treasure worth risking that much for."
"Fuck, seriously…"
When Eun Yakbyeok handed the spiritual pill of the Solar Fire Pear back, Dokgo Ryeong stared down at it for a long while, wrestling with the decision.
Ah, fuck. Should I just do it alone?
She had a fair amount of confidence in controlling her internal energy.
Honestly, even without Eun Yakbyeok's help—after all the years she had spent handling yang energy—how hard could it be to rein in the yang energy some beast had piled up?
Yet at the same time the memory of her first Bone and Body Reconstitution made her hesitate.
There was a certain logic to Eun Yakbyeok's words.
Even that first reconstitution had been an attempt simply to take the yin energy and raise her power; in the end the yin energy had dominated her entire body and left her with some unidentifiable illness akin to meridian blockage.
To test something she had never experienced before with her own body—and a weakened body at that—was naturally cause for hesitation.
"Guest, what about this approach?"
"…What?"
"Since you are headed to Botamun anyway, meet with Divine Doctor Unyeong and consult him. Jiangsu Province is right below Shandong, so it will not take long."
"…"
"Moreover, Unyeong is knowledgeable in the manufacture of inner cores; he will help you absorb the yang energy of the Solar Fire Pear without strain. He may even find an answer to that mysterious illness of yours. You know how outstanding a physician he is, do you not?"
"Tsk…"
As Dokgo Ryeong seemed to deliberate, Eun Yakbyeok spoke with a touch of exasperation.
"I know your fiery temperament, but there is still far too much you do not know to risk danger right now."
"I know. I know, but…"
Dokgo Ryeong mumbled, squirming.
"…Fuck, then that means I have to keep traveling with that Lust Demon for a while longer. And tomorrow I have to… do that thing too."
"Aha…"
Eun Yakbyeok's smile deepened.
"Are you embarrassed?"
"Ah… no! It's not that… haah… You're right. It's a shameless act."
"My, why would a loving young man and young woman living sweetly together be…"
"Kyaaak! I don't like that bastard!"
"Heehee. Then I shall take it as such. Watching you grow flustered is rather pleasant as well."
"It's not!!"
Even as Dokgo Ryeong flew into another rage, Eun Yakbyeok simply smiled and watched her.
How fortunate. This is the sight I wanted to see more of.
In truth, Eun Yakbyeok had lied to Dokgo Ryeong.
For someone whose main techniques—like Object Control from Afar—demanded precise mastery of internal energy, and who had spent a lifetime handling yin energy, there was no way the task would have been difficult.
Had Dokgo Ryeong insisted right then and there on taking the yang energy of the Solar Fire Pear no matter what, Eun Yakbyeok had already decided she would grant the wish.
But.
Watching her bicker so cutely with Wi Ilcheong in this lovely young woman's form had lifted Eun Yakbyeok's spirits—and made her envious as well.
I have always wondered. Once Guest finishes her revenge, once she achieves every goal… what sort of life will she lead?
And that curiosity applied to herself as well.
When she stepped down as Hao Sect Leader and accomplished everything she intended—
She could not be certain she would be able to live a peaceful life like other people.
So please, hold on to that form for a long time, Guest.
Dokgo Ryeong would become her guide.
Thinking so, Eun Yakbyeok looked at her once more.
"So what will you do, Guest?"
"W-what."
"Do you plan to return to your room and sleep? From the look of things, you have been working quite hard to avoid Young Master Wi, have you not?"
"…"
Dokgo Ryeong could not answer; she flushed and looked elsewhere.
Watching the roots of her hair slowly tint a soft pink, Eun Yakbyeok felt a pang in her chest.
Y-you're far too cute!!
Fighting down the urge to scoop Dokgo Ryeong up and smother her with affection that very instant, Eun Yakbyeok waited for an answer.
After a long silence, Dokgo Ryeong muttered without meeting her eyes.
"…Put me to sleep."
"Pardon? I could not quite hear."
"Damn it! If your upper dantian is open, your Thousand-Li Hearing should be open too! Just put me to bed already!!"
"Heehee. Very well. But there is a condition."
"What now…"
"I cannot sleep unless someone is beside me."
"Don't bullshit me!"
"My, it is true. Shall I call Gwanyeong instead?"
"Ah, fuck, seriously…"
As Dokgo Ryeong whined, Eun Yakbyeok laughed.
"Heehee. So if you are going to sleep in my room, you will have to stay in my arms the whole night. Will that be all right?"
"…"
"I will not do anything. We will simply hold hands and sleep."
Watching Dokgo Ryeong's hair turn fully pink, Eun Yakbyeok already knew what answer she would give.
"…R-really just holding hands while we sleep?"
"Of course. I am quite good at keeping promises, you know?"
"Fuck…"
When Dokgo Ryeong muttered in defeat, Eun Yakbyeok could hold back no longer and pulled her into an embrace.
"W-what are you doing! You crazy bitch!"
"Aww~, why are you so adorable, our Guest. I should have hugged you at least once when you were still a man."
"Ugh… You filthy slut!!"
"Heehee. Come here. Let us go straight to bed like this. Or no—shall we wash first? I will bathe you."
"Kyaaaaak!"
"Heeheehee. How precious."
And so, all through the night, Dokgo Ryeong was thoroughly spoiled by Eun Yakbyeok—in a thoroughly wholesome direction, not a lewd one.