Chapter 185

Chapter 185

The day after the duel with the Changgung Sword Corps.

“I would like to apologize.”

“…….”

I blinked my eyes while picking up a danggwa as Namgung Hyeon came to me, bowed his head, and showed his courtesy. Seohwa, who was tilting her head next to me, equally confused about what this meant.

“What apology? If it’s about Namgung Su’s rudeness, I thought I already received that yesterday.”

“That’s not what this is about.”

Namgung Hyeon, who had been demoted to a regular member, nodded in affirmation as I brought up the matter. Namgung Hyeon’s eyebrows wrinkled slightly, seemingly recalling Namgung Su’s disgrace.

‘It was rather severe.’

I smiled bitterly, recalling Namgung Su standing dumbfounded holding his broken sword in half, only muttering that he couldn’t believe it, that something must have gone wrong. Any warrior of the Namgung Family would not have looked favorably upon that sight.

“If it’s not about that, then what else is there to apologize for? If it’s about the rudeness the young family head committed two years ago, I’ve already forgiven that.”

“……Calling it rudeness is a bit much, isn’t it? I only spoke in haoche.”

“In terms of seniority, I’m equal to Family Head Namgung. Could the young family head speak in haoche to Family Head Namgung as well?”

“…….”

“You’re so stiff. It’s a joke. My younger brother calls me ‘hey’ or ‘that bastard,’ so it’s fine if my brother’s close friend uses haoche. Why don’t you try calling me older brother?”

“I refuse. I can call you ‘that bastard’ just like Baek Risan.”

“Let’s not do that.”

Chak!

I chuckled and flicked a danggwa with my finger. Namgung Hyeon, who used heupjagyeol to make the danggwa stick to his fingertip, wrapped it in the packaging next to him and sighed.

“That’s not why I came to apologize. Do you know what the current situation within Uicheonmun is?”

“I know it well. Aren’t I eating danggwa?”

“Not that. I mean the situation within the main family.”

“I suppose I know roughly.”

“…….”

What happened yesterday?

Uicheonmun won the duel against the Changgung Sword Corps. They defeated none other than the martial force that was like a symbol of the Namgung Family.

Though Namgung had lost its former prestige and the Changgung Sword Corps wasn’t the same as before, the Changgung members were still one of the martial forces representing Namgung, like the Plum Blossom Sword Masters of Huashan. For a sect located in a rural village to have defeated such a force—the ripples would be substantial.

“The main family is literally in mourning right now.”

Namgung Hyeon, with a stiff face, gripped the table.

“Those who believed our martial arts were the best are all sunken in gloom, and those who were arrogant are furious about the reality of the declining main family. It’s the price for facing the truth they’ve been avoiding and refusing to look at directly. And.”

“Most of that dissatisfaction will pour onto us, who broke their arrogance. So you’ll apologize on behalf of the family. Something like that, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Did you request the duel?”

“……No.”

“Then it wasn’t something you intended either. If it wasn’t intentional, why go so far.”

Human hearts cannot all be controlled.

If the Namgung Family harbors hostility toward Uicheonmun due to an unintended situation, Namgung Hyeon cannot prevent it. Even if Namgung Yeoncheon stepped forward, it would be impossible.

Moreover, Uicheonmun actually has quite a share in the fact that the Namgung Family’s hostility is directed toward them. If they had fought the duel with proper courtesy and won instead of suddenly cutting the sword clean through, even so, the hostility wouldn’t be this blatant.

“If that hostility takes form and harms the Uicheonmun disciples, that would be the young family head’s responsibility, but such a thing doesn’t seem likely to happen. So you don’t need to apologize to me.”

“Are you sure it’s alright?”

I told him it was fine.

I waved my hand at Namgung Hyeon, who was looking at me with brazen eyes. If I nitpicked over such matters one by one, it would only earn the Namgung Family’s hostility.

“It’s fine. Rather, let’s talk about something more constructive. What’s the situation with tomorrow’s duel?”

“The duel will be held at the first training ground. The scheduled time is as previously agreed. The format is also exactly as Uicheonmun proposed.”

“Mm, that’s settled then. I’m thinking of calling someone to observe, would that be alright? There doesn’t seem to be anyone in the Namgung Family who can properly judge a duel between Family Head Namgung and myself.”

Though I say observer, it’s practically a notary to prevent any nonsense during the duel. Someone who will travel with Uicheonmun going forward and notarize the results of Uicheonmun’s duels.

“Do you mean you don’t trust the main family?”

“Rather than not trusting, it means it’s better to have even one more mouth to spread the word. Of course, it would be even better if that mouth has high prestige.”

“……Huuu.”

Namgung Hyeon, who sighed at my words, thought for a moment before showing his consent.

“Understood. Since we’ve caused some trouble, I’ll accommodate that much.”

“Thank you.”

“However, to notarize a duel between the family head and the Uicheonmun Lord, you need someone with a similar level of martial arts skill for it to work. There would be no meaning in having someone who can’t even properly observe the duel act as a notary.”

Can you bring such a person?

I chuckled at Namgung Hyeon’s bold question. He was worrying unnecessarily.

“You don’t need to worry about that. To say this, but both Family Head Namgung and I would still have a hard time winning against the person I’ll invite.”

“Just who are you bringing?”

“How many people are there who can look down even on the sect leaders of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the family heads of the Five Great Families?”

The Baek Ri Family is excluded since I need to challenge them. The Jegal Family is… well, honestly, even if I don’t challenge them, they’re behind the other families in terms of martial arts, so excluded. The elder at the Murim Alliance is also busy with public and private matters, so excluded.

Then there’s only one remaining. Someone I can definitively say is “stronger” than me, and someone who can be put forth as a notary without anyone complaining. Yet at the same time, someone who is quite free and interested in me.

“I’ve decided to invite the Sword Sovereign.”

“……What?”

“I have rather wide connections.”

Shouldn’t she be arriving soon?

I chuckled and glanced at the time. The appointed time was almost here.

“She should arrive soon.”

Hostility?

They won’t have time to pour that onto the Uicheonmun disciples. Because.

Soon, one of the Ten Heavens will be visiting this place.

***

Entrance to Mount Cheonju .

“Ah, miss. This way is Mount Cheonju. If you go straight up, you’ll find the Namgung Family.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m the one who’s thankful. For such a small matter, you’ve paid me so generously.”

The Sword Sovereign, who gave the herb gatherer rubbing his hands a silver coin and sent him away, folded her arms while looking at Mount Cheonju, which rose steeply as if carved. Mount Cheonju’s appearance, jutting up sharply like a sword.

‘So those children are here.’

The Sword Sovereign, recalling the contents of the boldly sent letter, wore a faint smile. Even though she’d seen them two years ago, she felt newly moved.

—Don’t you want to come see something interesting?

A letter that arrived a few days ago.

The contents of the letter Baek Riyun sent were extremely simple. Since he planned to slightly crush the pride of the Nine Sects, One Gang, and Five Great Families, wouldn’t she like to come watch and also serve as a notary?

An audacious story. If it were anywhere else, perhaps, but the opponents are the pillars of the Orthodox Path martial world. Even if she brought the Sword Pavilion that the Sword Sovereign leads, victory couldn’t be guaranteed against them.

Yet he declared he would crush the pride of such people. How could she not go?

‘Back then, he was such a small child.’

How has time flown like this?

About twenty-five years ago. The Sword Sovereign, recalling the appearance of Baek Riyun she saw when he was around ten years old, wore a small smile and tapped the sword hilt while moving forward. Then, when she reached about halfway up Mount Cheonju, two figures in blue robes blocked her way.

“Stop. This is the territory of the Namgung Family. Identify yourself.”

“Sword Pavilion Lord Cheon Seoryeong .”

“……Are you joking right now?”

The Sword Sovereign sighed as she looked at the Namgung Family warriors who didn’t believe her even when she revealed her identity openly. Though it was good that her martial prowess kept her looking young, it became troublesome at times like this.

“The Uicheonmun Lord should have sent word about my visit, but perhaps you didn’t hear?”

“We haven’t heard such a thing…….”

“Very well. If that child forgot to send word, we can do it now. Go tell the family head. Tell him Sword Pavilion Lord Cheon Seoryeong has arrived.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and leave. If you continue boasting in a place like this, you might really get hurt.”

“…….”

Should I make a show of force?

The Sword Sovereign frowned and tapped the sword hilt again, looking at the Namgung Family warrior who didn’t seem to have any intention of sending word. And.

‘I’ll need to discipline them a bit.’

The moment the Sword Sovereign, who had made her decision after a brief moment, quietly gripped the sword hilt.

“Stop—!!!”

“M-Manager Jang?”

A warrior came running down hastily from above the mountain.

“You fools. Do you know who this person is to spout such nonsense!”

“What?”

“We apologize profusely. Sword Sovereign. Due to the delayed delivery of news, we were rude……!”

The Sword Sovereign, who had been gripping the sword hilt, awkwardly released it as she watched Manager Jang rush forward and press his head down. The following response.

“It’s alright. I wasn’t subjected to conduct severe enough to be called rude.”

When a young woman travels the gangho alone, she experiences all sorts of things. Contempt and disregard are basic, and there are plenty of bastards who attempt everything from lewd talk to even molestation.

“I’d just appreciate proper guidance. Where should I go?”

“Ah, I’ll guide you.”

Recalling the record of neatly cutting off the wrists of such bastards, the Sword Sovereign shook her head, and Manager Jang let out a sigh of relief and stood up abruptly. And the Namgung Family warriors watching the scene blankly.

As she passed by, the Sword Sovereign glanced at the stiff expressions of the Namgung Family warriors and asked Manager Jang casually.

“The atmosphere doesn’t seem very good. Did something happen?”

“……Actually, there was a duel yesterday.”

“There was a duel yesterday……? From what I heard, the duel between the Namgung family head and Yuni was supposed to be tomorrow.”

“Ah, the duel with the Uicheonmun Lord is indeed tomorrow, but yesterday there was a small quarrel between the Changgung Sword Corps and Uicheonmun…….”

“Mm?”

As the Sword Sovereign, now interested, pressed for the story, Manager Jang, after pausing briefly, explained what had happened. And the Sword Sovereign fell into thought while hearing the story.

‘They’ve already had one round.’

They got into a quarrel with the Changgung Sword Corps at the Namgung Family and requested a duel?

Though they say the disciples and corps members got into a quarrel, it’s fundamentally something that wouldn’t happen without the sect lord’s approval. And no sect lord would want a quarrel to escalate into a major incident at someone else’s manor. Even if the Sword Sovereign were in such a situation, she would have told them to yield a step.

However.

‘So he charged right in……?’

Baek Riyun doesn’t hesitate. Whatever aftermath comes afterward, if he believes it’s the path to take, he just pushes forward stubbornly.

‘I wonder if he took after his older sister in that aspect, or that taciturn nature.’

Perhaps he took after both.

“We’ve arrived.”

The Sword Sovereign, who had been thinking about Baek Riyun’s parents, stopped her thoughts at Manager Jang’s words and raised her gaze upward. Baek Riyun’s figure visible in the distance.

“Ah, he’s already out to meet……”

Wait.

The Sword Sovereign, who was about to greet Baek Riyun happily as soon as she saw him, narrowed her eyes after confirming his appearance.

‘……I can’t see it?’

The realm of Baek Riyun, which had seemed clearly within grasp until two years ago.

Now it couldn’t be seen.

As if she were looking at a master of similar rank to herself.