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Chapter 259: Before Heading to Anhui (2)

When was it?

It must have been around the time when I was rolling around the front line.

The time was night, and it was the boring hours of midnight.

“Flame.”

I was staring blankly at the moon when a voice from beside me made me turn my head.

“I told you not to call me that, you crazy nut.”

“What’s wrong with it? Friends can call each other by nicknames.”

“Seriously… what kind of nickname is ‘Flame’?”

“Oh? So now you’re not refusing to be called a friend?”

“Get lost.”

I clutched my throbbing head at the young man’s words.

Talking to this guy was never normal.

The Wudang’s sleeping dragon.

This crazy guy, known as the upper tier of the Five Dragons of Sanbong, always looked lazy and laid-back, yet when the time came, he revealed a reckless side that was far from mundane.

It felt as though his true personality was insane.

“Anyway, Flame, isn’t that it?”

“What?”

“How to survive among beasts.”

What the…?

I wondered what kind of nonsense he was spouting out of nowhere.

“Beasts? Are you talking about demons?”

“They could be demons, or they could be humans.”

“You just said beasts, now you’re going on about humans.”

The sleeping dragon smirked at my words.

With messy hair clumped with dirt, and a filthy face, perhaps it was his good looks that made his smile appealing to women.

Guys who are both good-looking and mentally unstable should just drop dead.

“Our Flame is still innocent!”

“What the hell are you saying?”

“Humans sometimes become beasts. You’ve seen it yourself, right?”

His words made my face frown naturally.

There were times when that crazy guy’s gaze could get chillingly cold.

Right now was particularly so.

When he looked absolutely cold like that while remaining quiet, it was quite uncomfortable to face him.

“I told you to open your eyes nicely, or I’ll gouge them out.”

“Flame, isn’t it a bit unconvincing when you’re assessing others?”

“Shut up, you punk.”

“Your temper is still as dirty as ever.”

Just a little conversation with this guy made me feel like I would lose my mind.

Seolbong. Why did she pair up with this guy of all people?

Of course, pondering such a question would only lead to the nasty answer:

‘You’re so weak that we had to attach you to the sleeping dragon.’

So I had to bear with it quietly.

The sleeping dragon laughed as if he found something amusing.

“What’s so funny?”

“Talking to you is the most fun!”

“Not for me, so please just shut up.”

“Ugh ugh ugh?”

“…Please, you crazy nut.”

When I told him to shut his mouth, he closed it but started talking again.

This was truly an unimaginable weirdo.

“Isn’t it like this?”

“Ah… I have a headache.”

When will time pass?

At this rate, I might die of pent-up frustration.

“Hey, anyway, listen well.”

“What the hell do you want me to listen to?”

“About how to survive.”

“If it’s the same nonsense you spouted last time, I’m not listening.”

What was it again?

I think he told me when I got angry, I should hold it in just three times.

It was something I let slip in one ear and out the other while he was ranting.

“No, it’s a bit different.”

“What is it?”

“The easiest way to survive is…”

As the sleeping dragon enunciated clearly, I felt an involuntary perk in my ears.

What was he preparing to say so seriously?

A method of survival? Did he have some specific secret technique?

Before I could contemplate further, the smiling sleeping dragon gave the answer.

“Don’t get into dangerous situations.”

“…What kind of expression is that?”

“Guess I’m the idiot for expecting anything from you.”

“Hey, that’s really important!”

“Of course, it’s important, you punk.”

What’s the difference between that and saying if you practice hard, you might become the best in the world someday?

Does he think I want to willingly get into dangerous situations?

“True. It’s not like I want to, right?”

“…Did I just say that out loud?”

“Flame, your expression is giving everything away.”

“That’s just absurd.”

“Which makes it even funnier.”

Was my face really that hilarious?

The sleeping dragon chuckled, nearly splitting himself in half.

Why are you laughing at my face?

Should I just punch him?

“But you tend to roll in despite knowing it’s dangerous.”

“What?”

“You tend to go in even when you know there’s danger.”

…

I couldn’t deny that.

As the sleeping dragon pointed out, there were many times I willingly walked into danger despite knowing I would be in deep trouble.

“What does that have to do with this?”

The sleeping dragon made a strange expression at my question—he looked contemplative.

“Right, Flame, you misunderstood me.”

“What did you say…”

“Don’t just dive in recklessly; think a bit before living your life. Or else you might die… ah, I said that on purpose since you tend to respond like that! Put out the flames in your hands! You’ll wake everyone up.”

“Who are you calling reckless?”

“Just saying.”

If it seems dangerous, think it over and only then go in. It’s better to avoid situations you can’t handle.

“I’ll manage on my own, so mind your own business.”

“…That’s the least reliable thing in the world.”

In the end, our conversation concluded with me igniting flames in frustration from the sleeping dragon’s parting words.

The sleeping dragon often blurted out things I couldn’t comprehend.

He would somehow know when I was angry and would advise me to hold back before I could lose my temper.

He would suddenly appear and block my path every time I seemed to risk my life.

It was almost like he could read my innermost thoughts.

Yet, the random advice he sometimes gave never settled well with me.

Of course, later, I realized those were words of some benefit.

But I hadn’t known it back then.

Originally, humans are creatures that only realize things after experiencing them themselves.

If I had foreseen that situation would become dangerous…

The implication was to avoid creating situations like that in the first place.

Such a simple and obvious truth, yet why couldn’t I manage it?

Yeah, if I had known I could do it from the start…

“…Can you move a bit aside? It gets a little warm with so many people close together.”

“…No.”

I never thought it would come to this.

Thud—

The moment I got tangled up, I dropped a dumpling.

In the end, I picked up the dumpling again and shouted at the two cats beside me.

“Ah! Move aside! Let me eat!”

Only after shouting that did it finally calm down.

When I finally looked at the two women beside me, I reflected on the chaotic situation.

If I recalled my missteps,

The first was dragging both of them out here when I intended to escape the moment.

What mattered was not that I came out, but that I brought out ‘two’.

If I was coming out, I should have brought only one of them.

The fact that I dragged both of them with me was the problem.

The second was that these two had a worse relationship than I expected.

The reason I even came out here was to briefly escape my father’s gaze.

Moyong Hi-ah had said she was cooking at the building of Moyong Clan she made here, so I wanted to check it out.

Since it was a place directly managed by the Moyong Clan,

I was quite curious about what it would feel like.

It looked good.

The building was cleaner than I expected,

All the trinkets and clothing for sale were of excellent quality.

Thanks to that, the clientele—mostly either the famous upper house wives or the daughters of promising sects—were plentiful.

It would be safe to say they were bringing in money.

‘It’s probably because it’s exclusive.’

I had heard the trinkets were made by the artisans of the Tang Clan.

I never would have thought the prestigious artisans of the Tang Clan could create trinkets.

‘They only make weapons, right?’

Among the clothing were trinkets that included gems to appeal to women who loved to adorn themselves.

Even the quality was high.

They had arranged everything conveniently for people to sightsee.

‘What if they just steal the stuff?’

I wondered if anyone would dare to steal something from the Moyong Clan’s building.

Up to this point, everything was fine.

It was quite appealing.

Even though Moyong Hi-ah was the one responsible for the place, I wouldn’t feel emotionless about it.

Nangong Bi-ah seemed genuinely interested too.

Later, we moved on to the inn by Moyong Hi-ah’s introduction.

This was also one of the places managed by the Moyong Clan.

Had they built this inn in such a short span of time?

‘How could they manage all this when they were just at the front for a year?’

While it wouldn’t be reasonable to assume Moyong Hi-ah managed all this alone,

if her capabilities were to any extent present, it was certain she was an impressive individual.

That aside, the issue began around the time we were about to eat.

“Prince, please try this.”

“…I’m already eating.”

“This is the dish that the chef is confident about these days.”

“I said I’m eating.”

It was fine that they kept offering food, but

“This….”

“…I said I’m eating…”

With both of them offering up food, it became quite burdensome.

My stomach wasn’t infinite.

If I accepted from one side, it would be a problem for the other.

“Prince, this was delicious too.”

As I chewed on a dumpling, Moyong Hi-ah handed me yet another offering.

I didn’t know what it was, but it looked slightly reddish.

Sighing lightly, I was about to eat it when—

Snap!

Nangong Bi-ah swooped in and snatched the food meant for me.

In that instant, Moyong Hi-ah made a face as if she couldn’t believe what just happened.

But she collected herself quickly—raising her eyebrows, she shot a glare at Nangong Bi-ah.

“…Sword Dance Hero…”

As Moyong Hi-ah’s chilling voice rang out, Nangong Bi-ah was busy chewing the food in her mouth.

It seemed the portion was a bit large, and since she had a smaller mouth, it took a little time for her to swallow it.

Gulp.

Finally swallowing, Nangong Bi-ah gestured toward Moyong Hi-ah.

“…This person can’t handle spicy food.”

“Ah…!”

At Nangong Bi-ah’s words, Moyong Hi-ah appeared as if she had been hit in the head.

She had a look on her face that clearly said she hadn’t known that.

Amid the commotion, I couldn’t help but be surprised by Nangong Bi-ah’s statement.

‘How does she know that?’

I wondered how she could know that I couldn’t handle spicy-food.

‘Ah.’

I recalled the time during the Tangbing Tournament when I, along with other Late-Stage Talents, gathered for a meal, and I had messed up on spicy food, and Nangong Bi-ah had handed me water.

It seemed she remembered that moment.

‘What a memory for the smallest details.’

Thinking back on how she had taken the spicy dish in place of me,

The problem was,

“…Ugh.”

Nangong Bi-ah didn’t exactly handle spicy foods well either.

Seeing her white skin turn red struck me as too funny.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Seriously, why would you do that?”

“…Ugh…

It must have been spicier than she expected, as she awkwardly flailed her arms.

She was usually quiet, but this was a rather comical display.

The stark contrast kept me laughing.

Drip.

Not wanting her to suffer any longer, I poured water into a cup and handed it to Nangong Bi-ah.

Nangong Bi-ah, flustered, drank the water.

That sight somehow contrasted with what I had seen back in Sichuan.

“…Huh, I didn’t think I’d lose to this.”

Moyong Hi-ah beside her had a subtly disappointed expression, as if she had realized she had lost something.

What did she lose?

“Indeed, it’s hard to see… the Sword Dance Hero.”

“Hi-ah.”

At the sound of Moyong Hi-ah’s voice, Nangong Bi-ah, having just recovered from the spiciness, called out her name.

Perhaps it was the first time she had addressed her by name.

“Right now… what did you say?”

“…Me.”

Moyong Hi-ah seemed as if she had misheard.

But Nangong Bi-ah pointed at herself and cut her off.

“My fiancé…”

With those lightly spoken words from Nangong Bi-ah, Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes widened.

It was as if she was implying I was the fiancé, while you are not.

It seemed that the smile on Nangong Bi-ah’s face made her look rather smug.

Perhaps that was why Moyong Hi-ah’s fists visibly clenched.

I wondered what sort of pointless behavior they were engaged in instead of eating.

I ended up watching that play unfold and thought,

“…I might actually choke.”

At this point, I wasn’t sure where my food went.

Having finally squeezed down some food, I stepped outside.

Outside, night had fallen, with the moon rising.

But,

‘So much has changed.’

Just last year, the quiet night in Mount Shan had become busier than I remembered.

The glow from the street vendors was vivid, and there seemed to be more people than before.

It wouldn’t change just because time had passed, so it must be because the Moyong Clan’s commercial establishment was officially set up.

It was striking how just one shop could alter the atmosphere so much, making me truly realize the value held by the name of the Moyong Clan in commerce.

Having aired out those feelings, I decided to stroll around and return to the clan.

‘…I can’t stand to watch this cold war any longer.’

Behind me, I could still feel the women walking, quietly stalking me.

Honestly, fighting might be better than this atmosphere.

It seemed that they were so fundamentally at odds with one another.

Yet I couldn’t just force them together…

‘Ah, right.’

In all this, a thought suddenly struck me, something I had overlooked.

I hadn’t asked Moyong Hi-ah what she planned to do when we head to Anhui.

According to my father, the conversation had concluded.

‘…I ended up forgetting to ask because I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere.’

It was an oversight.

I should have asked her during the meal.

‘Should I ask now?’

I turned around and looked at Moyong Hi-ah.

“Hmm?”

When I turned back, I saw her staring at something.

As I shifted my gaze,

It was just a regular street vendor.

‘What’s going on there?’

I approached Moyong Hi-ah and asked.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

Surprised that I came close first, Moyong Hi-ah displayed a startled expression for a moment.

“When we go to Anhui this time, what will you do?”

“What?”

“My father said the conversation is already over.”

“Did you not hear?”

“He said you should hear it directly.”

Just spill it out, why do I have to hear it directly?

I couldn’t comprehend her logic.

At my words, Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes lit up in a peculiar way.

She seemed to smile slightly,

It looked as if she was pondering something in her mind.

“…What are you thinking?”

“Are you curious?”

“What?”

“Are you possibly curious?”

“Maybe a little?”

As I replied, she pointed with her finger to somewhere, seemingly waiting for me.

Curious, I followed her finger, and it led me to the same vendor she was previously watching.

“Please buy me that.”

“Huh?”

“If you buy it… I’ll tell you.”

Her finger pointed to a small necklace at the street vendor, and it looked like a cheap counterfeit.

“What’s that?”

“Just… wanted it.”

Moyong Hi-ah shyly glanced down as she spoke.

It seemed like a meaningless action to me.

Besides, considering the price, it was no big deal.

I didn’t hesitate and quickly paid for it, handing it over to her.

“…Ah.”

As she received the necklace, a small gasp left her lips.

The necklace probably wasn’t pretty at all.

With her probably having more extravagant ornaments than this, there was no way she would find it special.

“Thank you. I’ll cherish it.”

Still, the warmth in her voice as she said it was evident.

What’s so special about this cheap necklace?

“If you wanted it so badly, you should have just bought it.”

“…It wouldn’t mean anything if I bought it.”

Saying that, she smiled brightly.

‘Ugh, that’s the sort of smile I’ve rarely seen…’

Crack.

“…!”

In an instant, I felt a thunderous energy from behind.

I didn’t want to turn around, but I knew who was emanating that energy without looking.

“…Sigh.”

Only then did I realize my huge mistake from just now.

 

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