Chapter 1806 – 1806. The Ascent To Radiance
“Indeed. Did you recognize it from my swordsmanship? You have a good eye.”
“It wasn’t my first time seeing the Imperial swordsmanship. I didn’t figure it out from the swordsmanship.”
Baekran’s gaze turned to Hong Ganghu. Hong Jeyu, who was only at the level of a novice, had no right to interfere between them. Hong Jeyu, aware of this fact, wore a slightly resentful expression.
“You called it the Five Mountains Sword? My apologies. I’m new to the martial world, so it’s a title I’ve never heard before. Not many recognize the Imperial sword. Did you perhaps work for the Imperial family?”
“I’ve wandered the martial world and have only seen a few swordsmen from the Imperial family.”
“Wandered, you say. Are you a ronin?”
“That’s right.”
“Are you still just wandering now? Or are you looking for a place to settle down?”
Surprisingly, Baekran was talkative. Not just talkative, but she was trying to extract information. It was highly likely a professional habit. Hong Ganghu seemed uncomfortable with Baekran.
As Hong Ganghu hesitated for a moment, Hong Jeyu, who had been watching for an opening, stepped forward. He was clearly smitten with Baekran’s beauty.
“We’re heading to Baeyoung City! The Yuwoon Merchant Guild is opening a market there in a week! Even Master Yeom here has decided to join us!”
I twitched my eyebrows. I didn’t like being dragged into this.
“Yuwoon Merchant Guild? It seems like more than just a regular guild.”
Hong Jeyu spilled all the information about the Yuwoon Merchant Guild. If only he had stopped there. He even talked about information related to Hong Ganghu. Thanks to that, Hong Ganghu’s expression wasn’t good.
‘That bastard is going to get his ass kicked later.’
He didn’t mention any information about me. Was it because he was reading my mood? Absolutely not. He just didn’t know anything about me. If he knew about me, he would have blabbered it all out. All to win the favor of a beautiful woman.
Baekran nodded, responding to him. She knew how to use her beauty.
“The Yuwoon Merchant Guild is starting to pique my interest. Would it be alright if I joined you?”
“Of course! I know a bit about the Yuwoon Merchant Guild, so I’ll guide you when we arrive!”
“Suit yourself.”
I readily nodded. There was no reason to refuse when a beautiful woman wanted to accompany me. Hong Ganghu glanced at his son once and said with a sigh.
“So be it.”
Hong Jeyu talked about the Yuwoon Merchant Guild for a long time, and as the night deepened, he dozed off and fell asleep.
“Baekran, was it? Can you tell me which part of the Imperial family you’re from?”
Hong Ganghu asked quietly. Baekran slowly shook her head.
“I cannot speak carelessly about matters of the Imperial family. My apologies. And let me give you a piece of advice, it’s best to drop your interest in the Imperial family. Most things end badly when you get involved with them.”
It didn’t sound like something a swordsman from the Imperial family should say. Hong Ganghu seemed to have the same thought as me, his expression was strange.
“…I will take your advice.”
Hong Ganghu leaned against the wall with his son and fell asleep. Baekran and I stared blankly at the campfire.
‘It would be impossible to take Baekran.’
I was regretting the Elf Domination Trainer app for no reason. If it worked on humans, Baekran would be under me right now, whimpering.
Grumble.
It was the sound of Baekran’s stomach. Baekran’s cheeks flushed peach.
“…How embarrassing. I haven’t had a proper meal since I left, you see.”
“Didn’t you pack any food?”
“I used it all up this afternoon. I thought we would arrive in the city soon, but I was mistaken.”
I glanced at her bundle. It wasn’t big. There was no smell of food. I took out a space pouch from my pocket and handed her some jerky.
“I’m too hungry to refuse. Thank you.”
Baekran tore the jerky into pieces and put them into her small mouth. Her lips moved as she chewed. Soon, her eyes widened. Her black pupils, different from her white hair, sparkled.
“It’s delicious! It’s the best jerky I’ve ever had in my life! Where did you get this jerky? Did you perhaps make it yourself?”
“Someone I know made it for me.”
Yuria made it. She used the highest quality beef and plenty of spices.
“I see. I envy your connections. Is there any way I could get some? Having jerky like this would make traveling enjoyable.”
“You can’t get it. She’s in a very far place.”
“That’s a shame.”
I also put a piece of jerky in my mouth and chewed. Chew, chew. Munch, munch. She and I chewed on jerky for a while.
I gave her more jerky. She accepted it without hesitation and put it in her bundle. She had a shameless side.
“From what I heard earlier, it seems your original destination wasn’t the Yuwoon Merchant Guild.”
“…You seem to be very curious.”
“That’s just my personality. I have a lot of curiosity, which is a problem. I suffered quite a bit because of this personality even in the Imperial family.”
“If you tell me your purpose first, I’ll tell you mine.”
Baekran made a barrier. So that the Hong family wouldn’t hear.
“A trade, then. Not bad. I’m heading to the Demonic Cult. I received a certain mission. I can’t tell you what the mission is.”
Who would give a mission to a swordsman from the Imperial family? It must be a mission from the Imperial family.
‘Did she come because of the war between the Demonic Cult and the Martial Alliance?’
Come to think of it, Baekran said she was new to the martial world, but she never said she wasn’t part of the Imperial family.
“I also received a mission. I can’t tell you the details of the mission.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“But will it be alright? Baeyoung City, where the Yuwoon Merchant Guild is opening, is the opposite direction from where the Demonic Cult is.”
“It’s fine. It’s not an urgent mission. It won’t be too late to go after stopping by the Yuwoon Merchant Guild.”
She munched on the jerky and asked questions. The origin of my name, whether I had parents or siblings, my hometown, hobbies, martial arts, and so on. I made up some answers and then closed my eyes, saying I was sleepy.
• • •
I opened my eyes in the morning. I habitually attended the Cheongang Fortress System. Today was the seventh day.
‘It’s been a week since I left the Demonic Cult.’
『Attendance Event! Rewards are given for every week of attendance! Currently, 7 days of attendance completed.』
『You have achieved one week of attendance. Rewards will be given randomly.』
『You have been given a Spirit Mushroom.』
Spirit Mushroom. Unlike the word “mushroom,” it was a fungus. Of course, since it was an item given by the Cheongang Fortress System, it wasn’t an ordinary spirit mushroom.
‘The Spirit Mushroom is also called the Elixir of Immortality.’
I could feel an enormous amount of spiritual energy from the spirit mushroom in my hand.
“Oh ho. A spirit mushroom. Did you get it nearby? It seems luck is on your side.”
Baekran was standing in front of the inn door. Was it because it was morning? I hadn’t noticed her presence at all.
“When did you get here?”
“I just arrived. I caught a rabbit.”
“What about the Hong family?”
“They’re preparing breakfast. Keep that spirit mushroom safe. Spirit mushrooms with spiritual energy have the effect of extending the lifespan of the consumer, so they become objects of greed.”
“You don’t seem very greedy.”
“Hehe. Look at my supple skin. I’m so young, why would I be interested in something like a spirit mushroom?”
Baekran rubbed her cheek with one hand, acting silly. There were no calluses on her hands. It was highly likely she had undergone a complete transformation.
“So, how old are you?”
“That’s a secret. One thing is for sure, I’m younger than you.”
“How do you know my age?”
“I have my ways~.”
Baekran smiled. That faint smile made those who saw it feel comfortable. I put the spirit mushroom into the space pouch. Just then, Hong Jeyu shouted at us from where he had dropped off at the inn.
“Breakfast is ready! Come this way!”
What was prepared was rabbit stew. Hong Jeyu handed me and Baekran bowls made of carved wood. Baekran’s bowl had more rabbit meat in it.
‘That bastard is openly discriminating against people.’
I was about to punch him, but I stopped. If I did, I would have to deal with Hong Ganghu. I took a spoonful of rabbit stew with a wooden spoon and immediately put the bowl down.
“It’s too bad to eat because it’s not tasty.”
I took out some jerky and chewed it. Originally, the protagonists of martial arts novels chew jerky well.
“This, this is quite edible, isn’t it? What do you think, Baekran-nim?!”
“It’s just so-so.”
After finishing breakfast, we walked west. When no one was looking, I took out the Myriad Mile Compass from my pocket and checked the direction. The Myriad Mile Compass was pointing in the same direction as yesterday.
“Last time when we went to the inn, some evil sect masters were causing a ruckus, and then my father drew his sword and….”
Hong Jeyu chattered non-stop. Mostly towards Baekran. Baekran just nodded and responded vaguely. She, who seemed like she would be talkative, was surprisingly quiet.
Eventually, Hong Ganghu grabbed Hong Jeyu’s shoulder.
“Jeyu, be quiet. A man shouldn’t talk too much.”
“Father. That’s a prejudice. These days, women like men who are good at talking more than silent men.”
“I prefer a silent man as my ideal type.”
Hong Jeyu shut his mouth. He thought it was already too late to look good to Baekran. On the other hand, I was acting like a silent martial arts master, so I was silent. It meant I was perfectly suited to Baekran’s ideal type.
After walking in silence for a while, we decided to rest when the sun was high in the sky. The Hong family went to find food, and Baekran was grooming her sword under a suitable tree.
I stared intently at her sword. Having seen many swords, I knew. It wasn’t an ordinary sword.
“That’s an amazing sword. Is it a magical artifact?”
Baekran nodded proudly.
“It’s called the Virtuous Woman’s Sword. It’s said that if the owner’s beliefs and vows are not broken, it will never break.”
“Conversely, it means it will break if your beliefs and vows are broken.”
“That’s right. But there’s no way this sword will ever break. Never.”
Baekran said. She seemed to be speaking lightly, but I could feel her firm will.
“Can I ask what beliefs and vows you made to that Virtuous Woman’s Sword?”
“That’s a secret.”
She said it so confidently that I couldn’t even ask.
Lunch was venison. Again, it wasn’t tasty, so I took one bite and got up. I put some distance between myself and them, and then took out a plate with steak and a table from my inventory. The warm steak made my mouth water. With the wine I took out, it was perfect.
Just as I was about to have my own luxurious lunch, I felt a hot gaze. Baekran was staring at me.
‘How does this woman hide her presence?’
There was no way this was a coincidence again.
‘Is she from the Imperial Assassins?’
Gulp.
Her white Adam’s apple moved up and down.
“To throw away the Hong family’s venison and eat food separately here…. That’s not polite.”
“It’s because I can’t eat things that aren’t tasty. And this is too precious to share. Would you like to eat with me?”
“Didn’t you just say it was too precious to share?”
“Food tastes better when you eat it with a beautiful woman.”
“Is that so? Then I have no choice.”
Baekran came and sat across from the table. I gave her steak, wine, a fork, and a knife. She held the fork and knife in both hands, just like I did, and stared at me. When I cut the steak with the knife, she also cut the steak with the knife.
She took the cut steak with the fork and put it in her mouth. As soon as she chewed the meat, the juices burst out. The slightly sweet sauce added flavor to the steak.
Baekran’s eyes widened.
“This is a delicacy like no other…!”
She let out a short exclamation and then focused on cutting the steak.
