By Zephyria It’s Not Intentional (1)
“Aigo, did I catch a cold?”
Seong Mu-yeon barely managed to steady himself and acted as if nothing had happened.
It was time to worry about how to survive in good health. At this rate, he would be escaping this world before the Demonic-Orthodox war ended and he could be free.
“It doesn’t seem like just a cold. Have you been to the Hall of Medicine?”
Baek Ryeo-il asked.
“What does an Instructor who’s never even had a cold know? Colds usually just go away on their own.”
“……”
Baek Ryeo-il, who had truly never had a cold, couldn’t find a rebuttal.
He still didn’t know anything. Only a very few people within Hwasan knew about Seong Mu-yeon’s health condition. A few people in the Finance Division and the Head of the Hall of Medicine kept the secret well.
“Ryeo-il, are you there?”
Creak, Ma Jin-cheon entered the room. He clicked his tongue at the sight of Baek Ryeo-il lying sideways on the bed.
“Of course, he’s here. He has nothing else to do.”
“What is it now?”
Ma Jin-cheon bowed his head to Seong Mu-yeon.
“Good morning, Young master.”
“Good morning.”
After exchanging greetings with Seong Mu-yeon with a friendly smile, Ma Jin-cheon quickly shot a venomous glare at Baek Ryeo-il.
“Get up! I have something to assign you.”
“Eing.”
Ma Jin-cheon gave Baek Ryeo-il several instructions. From the sound of it, he seemed to be handing over the work he usually did.
“Ma Instructor, where are you going?”
When Seong Mu-yeon spoke, Ma Jin-cheon changed his face completely and put on a kind smile.
“Yes, I have an external mission.”
Seong Mu-yeon suddenly had an idea.
“Where is your destination?”
“Henan.”
“……”
“Why do you ask?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Nothing at all……”
Seong Mu-yeon’s complexion darkened. He waited until Ma Jin-cheon left. When he was alone with Baek Ryeo-il, he said.
“We can’t send Ma Jin-cheon Headmaster alone.”
“Huh? What are you talking about.”
“……He’ll be attacked.”
Seong Mu-yeon rummaged through his memories.
There was a trigger in the original story for the outbreak of war.
The Demonic Cult had secret organizations planted in every city, and they basically hid their identities, but that would change from now on.
“Soon, there will be a succession battle within the Demonic Cult.”
“What does that have to do with our Master?”
“Father…… The Cult Leader has six sons, excluding me. When the Cult Leader is bedridden, they will start to check each other. They will each try to prove their worth.”
Among them, a high-ranking official of the orthodox sect was a good prey to show off their achievements.
In particular, Ma Jin-cheon was a senior disciple, but his martial prowess was not particularly strong.
The time and place were not exactly remembered, but around this time.
Ma Jin-cheon was killed by the Demonic Cult.
Enraged, Baek Ryeo-il went alone to the Demonic Cult branch to avenge his Master. Baek Ryeo-il, who had almost annihilated the branch, was also seriously injured and barely managed to return alive.
That incident led Baek Ryeo-il to enter Seclusion Training for several years.
“The Headmaster must accompany him. Then they won’t be able to touch him recklessly.”
“……Is that accurate information?”
Seong Mu-yeon nodded.
“My father’s health hasn’t been good lately. I ran away to the Central Plains to avoid that succession battle. It’s going to happen anytime. There’s no harm in being careful, is there?”
Baek Ryeo-il scanned Seong Mu-yeon as if trying to see through his thoughts.
“Suspicious. What are you up to?”
“I just want to save someone.”
“Hmm.”
Seong Mu-yeon remembered Baek Ryeo-il in the original story. He had an unapproachable martial prowess, but he was somehow cynical. He didn’t talk to people and always moved alone. It was a very different look from now.
Perhaps he had closed his heart due to the shock of losing Ma Jin-cheon.
If it was something that could be prevented, it was better to prevent it.
Wouldn’t there be no harm to Seong Mu-yeon? Just like saving Namgung Cheon-chu.
“Don’t you still trust me?”
Baek Ryeo-il flinched as if his inner thoughts had been exposed.
“It doesn’t matter whether you believe me or not. I won’t stop you if you want to test me with Ma Jin-cheon Headmaster’s life.”
“……Let’s say I do as you say.”
Baek Ryeo-il got up and walked towards the window where Seong Mu-yeon was sitting. He looked down at Seong Mu-yeon.
“……If you’re not here when I get back?”
Seong Mu-yeon sighed softly.
“Then do as you please. Kill me or let me live.”
Seong Mu-yeon thought Baek Ryeo-il’s sarcasm would come back, but the low murmur he heard from above was different from what he expected.
“Really? You’re not going anywhere and you’ll be here?”
Baek Ryeo-il frowned slightly, but there was no animosity. Rather…… It seemed like he was urging him.
“You’ll wait, right? Really?”
“……Yes, I’ll wait. Really.”
Seong Mu-yeon replied as if he was comforting a child who was begging not to go to kindergarten.
“I’ll trust you one last time.”
Everyone was surprised when it was decided that Baek Ryeo-il of the Heartless Sword would accompany Ma Jin-cheon of the Flowing Cloud Sword, a disciple of the Hwasan Sect, on his outing.
Baek Ryeo-il originally liked to act alone, so it was rare for him to appear at official events. Before they could be surprised by this unusual move, they headed to Henan as scheduled.
Seong Mu-yeon didn’t even see Baek Ryeo-il off. He would be back soon, so why make a fuss?
Baek Ryeo-il was already a highly renowned expert in the Jianghu, so even the most daring would not be able to touch him recklessly.
Seong Mu-yeon felt relieved after leaving Baek Ryeo-il behind.
“It’s so quiet in Hwasan without Senior Brother, isn’t it?”
Wang Ho-jun said with a smile.
Several days had already passed. Seong Mu-yeon was on his way out after having a meal with the people from the Finance Division.
“Yes, it really is.”
It turned out that Hwasan was a quiet and peaceful place. The sounds of water lily fragrance training and Taoist Scripture chanting could be heard faintly in the distance.
“Enjoy it now. I heard there was a message yesterday. He said he was on his way back after finishing his business in Henan. It will be noisy again in a day or two.”
“I see.”
“Young master Seong? Aren’t you going to the Emerald Pavilion?”
Wang Ho-jun asked when Seong Mu-yeon turned his feet in a different direction than usual.
“Ah, I’m just going for a walk.”
“I see. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Seong Mu-yeon wandered around Hwasan alone. There was no one to return to even if he went back to the Emerald Pavilion.
He walked aimlessly until he reached the Jade Lady Pond. It was quiet now because no one was washing.
He sat down carelessly near the pond. And he rested his chin on his arm.
‘……Am I feeling empty?’
It was absurd.
He was reborn into this dangerous world, but he had always pursued a quiet and safe life. But now that he had done so, it was so boring.
Hwasan without Baek Ryeo-il was so quiet that he had to check several times to see if his ears were working. Time also passed too slowly.
Seong Mu-yeon recalled the time when he lived like a dead man in the Demonic Cult. Didn’t time pass like this then too? As if he was isolated from the world……
While he was lost in thought, he heard a rustling sound from the bushes.
“……”
Seong Mu-yeon quietly got up.
Rustle.
He could feel a presence beyond the bushes, but it didn’t seem like an animal.
He looked around nervously. There was no one nearby right now. It would be fortunate if it was just Disciples playing hide-and-seek, but if it was an outsider or an enemy, Seong Mu-yeon was not in a position to deal with it properly.
While Seong Mu-yeon was hesitating, an unexpected face walked out of the bushes.
“Have you been well, Seventh Young master?”
“Il-gwang!”
Seong Mu-yeon was startled and approached Il-gwang.
“How did you get here? Weren’t you caught?”
“Yes, the security wasn’t that strict. I don’t think they thought an outsider would easily enter because of the terrain.”
Il-gwang looked a little haggard than the last time he saw him, as if he had suffered a bit.
“How did you know I was here?”
“After we parted like that, everyone gathered at the place where we were supposed to meet the Black Shadow Unit, but we confirmed that no one had seen Baek Ryeo-il. So I knew that bastard had followed Young master.”
Il-gwang spoke quickly and carefully examined Seong Mu-yeon’s condition.
“When I hurriedly returned, there were rumors among the beggars of the Beggars’ Sect. I also learned that Baek Ryeo-il of the Hwasan Sect had taken a young man. So I rushed to Shanxi…… But Seventh Young master had already entered Hwasan, so I couldn’t contact you.”
Seong Mu-yeon nodded. Of course, no demonic cultist would set foot in Hwasan, where hundreds of swordsmen were stationed. It was like putting your head in a tiger’s den.
But how is Il-gwang standing right in front of him now?
“For now, I was just spending time in Huayin……”
“……Just?”
Seong Mu-yeon felt uneasy at his last words.
Il-gwang gave a troubled smile. Sure enough, another person appeared from the bushes over his shoulder.
“Yeon-ah.”
Seong Mu-yeon’s heart sank.
“Brother…… Brother, how……”
It was someone he never dreamed he would meet in this place. The sight of Seong Mu-ryong, the Second Young master of the Demonic Cult, stepping on Hwasan land was truly a strange sight.