Chapter 240. Listening to the Frontlines (9)
It was around the time I returned to the barracks after playing a little prank on the Hwangbo bastards and looking around.
"Where are you coming back from so early in the morning?"
I bumped into Gu Huibi, who was drenched in sweat, perhaps having finished her training.
My luck must really be in the gutter today.
Of all people, I had to run into Gu Huibi.
"Just what I always do."
"Ah, that walk?"
"Calling it a walk makes it sound unnecessarily sentimental."
This sister of mine is being sentimental again;
I chuckled and replied to Gu Huibi's words.
"You're being extra bitchy today..."
'Well, that's true.'
"...Dongsaeng, it seems your inner thoughts are spilling out backwards."
"Ah, my mistake."
Lately, my mouth has been causing trouble.
Is it because I've absorbed too much demonic energy?
"Seeing our little brother's mouth get fouler and fouder makes this sister very sad."
"...You must not have known, Nuna, but my mouth has always been foul. Though it might not be as bad as yours."
"Wanna tussle?"
The moment Gu Huibi said that with a ferocious smile, a dense fighting spirit reeked from her.
Feeling that, I had to let out a hollow laugh.
'She's gotten stronger again in the meantime.'
The rumor that she's the most suitable for the new Sword Queen after the Plum Blossom Sword Queen didn't seem to be a lie.
Gu Huibi's talent was soaring without knowing how to stop.
Moreover, she possessed the effort to back it up.
It wasn't strange that she was growing stronger day by day.
However, if there was one wish.
It would be that a title like 'Mad Sword' from her past life suited Gu Huibi better than a moniker like 'Sword Queen'....
'No matter how I look at it, Sword Queen doesn't fit her personality.'
The vibe is just a bit off.
The vibe.
Just as the surroundings were gradually being encroached upon by the fighting spirit.
I could feel a shallow heat mixing in between.
Gu Huibi had begun to subtly emit heat.
Feeling this, I let out a deep sigh.
"Can you even do anything in that state?"
What kind of spar could she want after just finishing her training?
At my words, Gu Huibi smiled as if she was touched.
"Dongsaeng, are you worrying about your Nuna right now?"
She's crazy.
I shook my head as if to say I wouldn't listen to any more of her nonsense.
Lately, her trying to fight at the slightest provocation was quite annoying.
'She's going to throw a fit later anyway even without this.'
If she heard about the trouble I just caused, it was clear she'd be furious even if she wasn't already.
I needed to escape from this place before that.
Step.
I took a step past Gu Huibi's fighting spirit and heat.
Boom-!
Crrrreak!
"...!"
As I infused internal energy into my step and burst forth, the fighting spirit and heat surrounding the area were swept away by the wind.
Gu Huibi's face, observing that sight, was filled with utmost surprise, but.
My steps didn't stop.
Because I didn't know what kind of trouble I'd face if I stayed here.
"...Next time. I'm on duty today, so I'm busy."
"You always talk so slick."
Rather than blaming my attitude, Gu Huibi just laughed heartily.
If it were in the past, she would have severely harassed me, saying she needed to fix my lack of common sense.
"You're one to talk. Weren't you on duty yesterday, Nuna?"
"So what?"
"So why are you training right now on top of that?"
"What does that have to do with anything? Duty is work, and for a martial artist, training is daily life."
I nodded at Gu Huibi's words.
I wished that Gu Jeol-yeop, that piece of shit, had at least learned this much.
'Even though I didn't learn it either.'
I decided to feign ignorance about this part myself.
Because sometimes, being calculating is necessary in life.
"We agreed to go tonight, right?"
"I prefer the daytime, but someone gave the bullshit order to go at night."
"Night is better. The weather is cool too."
"...Since when did we ever care about the weather?"
Gu Huibi, who smiled at my grumbling, chuckled and walked in the opposite direction.
That direction was definitely where the Five Swords Unit usually trained.
Which meant Gu Huibi was going to train more.
"She's crazy."
She's going to train again like that?
At that level, she was definitely crazy about training.
As soon as I returned to the barracks, I looked for where Murong Hui-a was.
Although it was within the Gu Family's territory, it was a place managed separately by the people of the Murong Family.
As if to prove that, most of the people inside were wearing the Murong Family's clothes.
And I could feel an aura resembling a well-honed sword blade.
Stepping inside while mindful of their gazes.
"I greet Young Master Gu."
As if they had been waiting, a Murong Family guard came out to meet me.
"Nice to see you. You guys don't do that anymore lately?"
...Ah.
In the past, they used to cling to me under the pretext of inspecting this and that, checking all over the place.
Lately, they weren't even doing that.
'Is it because I flipped them over once?'
Maybe it was because they were being so annoying that I flipped them over, telling them to stay moderate.
Or perhaps Murong Hui-a had a hand in it.
I didn't care as long as it was convenient for me.
"Is she here right now?"
I immediately asked about Murong Hui-a.
At my question, the guard's expression shook slightly.
"...The young miss is not here right now."
"She's not?"
"Yes."
"If she's not in the barracks at this hour, where did she go?"
"..."
"Even you must think it's a strange excuse, right?"
Not only did Murong Hui-a not particularly go out to catch demonic beasts.
She usually spent her time other than training in the barracks.
If not, she would suddenly come to my barracks and chat away.
Occasionally, there were times like this when they said she wasn't in the barracks.
But the reason was always the same.
"She's sulking again."
It was when she didn't want to see my face.
So she holed up inside the barracks and refused to come out.
Once, I had stormed in and dragged her out.
What was the reason she gave me then?
'...Was it when we were supposed to meet, but I forgot and was training?'
It was roughly something like that.
It was my fault for forgetting our agreement and not going out, but.
If it were someone else, Murong Hui-a would have chattered away coldly and relentlessly.
I didn't quite understand why she would clam up and run away when it came to me.
'Should I go in again this time?'
I thought about going to her directly and asking why, but.
After a brief thought, I turned my steps around.
The first reason was that she must have her own reasons.
The second reason, and the biggest, was that it was annoying.
"Tsk."
I looked at the barracks where Murong Hui-a was supposed to be, then turned my back and walked away.
Even now, I could clearly feel a presence inside.
Anyway, Murong Hui-a was the best at being incomprehensible.
"Please go in."
"Tell her to eat well. She's always getting skinnier."
"Yes, I will surely pass that on when the young miss returns."
"You guys work hard too."
...They're definitely inside, but they're keeping up the act until the end.
I left Murong Hui-a alone for now and turned my steps back toward the Gu Family's territory.
It was about time for lunch, and Namgung Bi-a would be slowly waking up and waiting.
'Come to think of it, it's about time for the letters to arrive.'
Letters often came once every half month.
This time was around that period.
The news from the Gu Family containing events happening within the family.
The Central Plains information I managed and exchanged separately.
Plus the one Dang So-yeol gave me, making three in total.
'...Dang So-yeol is also amazing.'
At first, Dang So-yeol wrote nonsense in her letter about following me to the frontlines and then quickly coming to my side.
But in the next letter I received, she wrote that it seemed she wouldn't be able to come because she was caught by the Family Head, the Poison King.
In the midst of all that....
'There was also talk that the Poison King wanted to see me...'
I don't know how startled I was at that time.
It wasn't just anyone; catching the Poison King's eye.
Was as terrifying as having my name remembered by the Dark King.
'There hasn't been any particular problem so far, though.'
The probability was high that it was just a passing remark.
But I couldn't help but feel nervous whether I knew it or not.
Because the Poison King, along with the Dark King, was a figure who held quite a significant position when it came to the death of martial artists.
'I probably shouldn't... worry about it too much?'
Even though I'm being called a True Dragon or whatever.
At most, I'm just one of the late masters.
Someone like the Poison King wouldn't pay attention to me.
No, it had to be that way.
As I was walking toward the barracks with worry in mind.
"What the?"
Unfamiliar people caught my eye.
"These crazy bastards...!"
A guy who looked furious and was throwing a fit also came into view.
'That guy?'
I wondered who it was for a moment, but fortunately, I could recall quickly.
Who was it? It was the Murim Alliance martial artist that Gu Jeol-yeop had brought.
Right, the guy who fainted after seeing my face.
I think his name was Bi Yeon-seom or something.
"Why is he acting like that?"
As I got a little closer, I could tell who the visitors were.
Because the clothes the unfamiliar guys were wearing were the exact same Murim Alliance uniforms that Bi Yeon-seom was wearing.
The man at the very front of the visitors was speaking to Bi Yeon-seom.
"Squad Leader Bi... at that time, we..."
"What Squad Leader? Don't spout such bullshit."
Bi Yeon-seom was just contorting his face as if he had no intention of listening to what they had to say.
At this, the man continued speaking with a troubled expression.
"Heo, it was an unavoidable situation back then. Why is a young fellow so unforgiving?"
At the man's words, Bi Yeon-seom flared up, veins popping on his neck.
"Unavoidable situation? How is that an unavoidable situation in any way?"
Furthermore, what bloomed on Bi Yeon-seom's face was a sneer.
"Is throwing me as bait just so you could survive an unavoidable situation?"
"...Squad Leader Bi. Then we couldn't have all died there, could we?"
"Have some shame... You threw your comrade as bait and ran away, and now you come looking for us like this. Do you have no conscience?"
Bi Yeon-seom's words made me understand the situation a bit.
'It's a common occurrence.'
It was a common thing on the frontlines.
Throwing a comrade as bait right before dying and surviving, well, it's a common thing.
'Humans are more deceitful than you think.'
Even when they're on the verge of death, talking about camaraderie and loyalty.
How many people can uphold firm will, spouting about the righteous faction's beliefs?
To me, who had seen so many dirty sights that I was even indifferent to it.
That looked normal.
'Humans are more like demonic beasts than the demonic beasts themselves.'
You can't live if you get hurt by every little thing like that.
That was the reality of the Central Plains.
'So that guy should also just accept it moderately and go back.'
"I will not go back."
"Huh?"
I was momentarily dumbfounded by Bi Yeon-seom's words.
What is that guy saying right now?
"I will not go to a place where trash like you are. I'd rather stay here...!"
At Bi Yeon-seom's shout, the Murim Alliance members in front flinched.
I couldn't see their expressions clearly, but they were probably quite troubled.
I was the same.
Watching this, I opened my mouth while holding back the rising annoyance.
"Since when is it up to you?"
"...Ah!"
Along with Bi Yeon-seom, who discovered me.
The Murim Alliance members who came to find him also flinched.
They probably knew me.
"T-True Dragon Young Hero..."
"Hey, old men. Didn't you hear that when you leave the Alliance, you should call me by my name? I think I kindly informed the guys who came last time as well."
I made sure they didn't leave any aftereffects or scars. That was treating them quite well.
"I, I apologize. Young Master Gu! I made a brief mistake."
"That's enough. If you came, you should just take him and go, so why are you making such a fuss? Can't you do your jobs properly?"
"T-That is..."
He couldn't easily answer my words and just hemmed and hawed.
They were guys who were absolutely terrible at handling things anyway.
If he doesn't listen, they could just beat him up moderately and drag him away, but they only act like proper righteous faction members at times like this.
"You too."
"Y-Yes?"
"You came to pick him up, right. Then just go quietly."
At my words, Bi Yeon-seom slightly averted his gaze.
Look at this guy?
"Hey, I said go."
"I... I won't go."
"What?"
"Those inhuman bastards... me."
Bi Yeon-seom bit his lip as if he was still angry.
But seeing that, I only let out a deep sigh.
"So what."
"Excuse me...?"
"No matter what you went through, or what those guys did. Why should I care?"
"That's not it..."
"Then what is it. If you have some bullshit gripe, then fight it out and solve it yourself. What's hanging on your waist, a walking stick? What do you mean you won't go. Hurry up and fuck off."
"..."
He's even got a sword hanging there, so why is he spouting nonsense with his mouth.
"...I am a martial artist. Martial arts... are not meant to be used for this..."
"You're shitting out of your mouth. It's always the ones with nothing who chant about heavy convictions that don't fit their status."
Gu Jeol-yeop was like that too.
I don't know why they're all like that.
Bi Yeon-seom's eyebrows furrowed a bit at my words.
"Your words are a bit too harsh."
"Of course they're harsh, I'm saying this to make you feel like shit."
At my pouring words, Bi Yeon-seom's face also contorted.
Looking at Bi Yeon-seom's face like that, I added more.
"Besides, what do you mean you won't go. Do you know how many guys like you there have been?"
"What do you mean..."
The guys Gu Jeol-yeop brought weren't just one or two.
It wasn't just him; there were many other martial artists that the other guys had brought.
Among them, there were also Murim Alliance members.
And there were guys who had gone through dogshit experiences like Bi Yeon-seom.
Which meant this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
"What are you going to do if you don't go, stay here?"
"...If you permit it... I'd also like to stay here and help..."
"I said I won't permit it? Why are you arbitrarily indulging in romantic thoughts."
"What can we do for you if you stay here? It's already hard enough to pay the kids' salaries, and it's just adding another mouth to feed."
This was a lie.
I didn't even manage the salaries,
and the Gu Family was quite generous when it came to giving money to martial artists for things like this.
It was to the point where rumors spread that my father's only luxury was giving money to the Sword Unit members.
However, even at my words, Bi Yeon-seom didn't seem to have any intention of bending his will.
"I don't need things like money."
I reacted slightly to his words full of determination.
"...You don't need money?"
"Yes... At the very least, while I'm on the frontlines, I just don't want to be in the Alliance."
Bi Yeon-seom made a firm expression as if he had made up his mind.
"If you just permit it... I will stay here."
"So."
"Yes?"
"You don't want to go back there. You want to stay here. You won't even take money, so let you stay and work?"
"Y-Yes? Work...? Ah, yes, that's right."
Perhaps because a strange word was mixed in, Bi Yeon-seom paused for a moment,
but then hastily nodded.
Probably because he thought I was changing my mind.
I pretended to think for a moment, then said to Bi Yeon-seom.
"Then we'll need to write a contract, is that okay? It's good to be clear about these things."
"...Ah! A-Are you permitting it?"
"Why ask for permission between us. So I'm saying I'll write a contract, right?"
"T-That's right. If you just allow me to stay here...!"
The address had already changed from 'that guy' and 'this bastard' to 'us',
but Bi Yeon-seom still didn't seem to notice.
...
....
Looking at Bi Yeon-seom's will like that, I smiled slightly and nodded.
"Right, right. The important thing is to hear it from the Vice-Captain later... Wait, what were we talking about?"
After the short and good conversation with Bi Yeon-seom ended.
I turned my gaze and looked at the Murim Alliance members who had come here.
"What was it again?"
"Squad Captain Gu sent a letter saying he was protecting a Murim Alliance martial artist here, so we came to pick him up..."
"Ah, that's right."
Thanks to the man's words, I could recall the story again.
I nodded repeatedly and looked at the people in front of me as I spoke.
"So, who bullied our guy?"
"Excuse me...?"
"I said, who bullied 'our' guy."
"Young Master Gu... why are you suddenly asking that?"
"You said you threw our guy as bait and ran away."
"No, what are you suddenly talking about!"
"Who did it... Ah, was it all of you? That's actually easier for me too, since picking and choosing is a bit annoying."
"W-Wait. Young Master Gu...! No, Great Hero! W-Why are you doing this!"
As I lightly stretched my hands and approached,
Bi Yeon-seom, who was watching this from behind, had a dumbfounded expression on his face.
'What is this all of a sudden...?'
He had a panicked face at my changed attitude.
Perhaps because of that, Bi Yeon-seom didn't seem to notice.
The sight of Gu Jeol-yeop struggling in the Vice-Captain's grasp from behind.
Gu Jeol-yeop's two eyes were speaking to Bi Yeon-seom.
-Run away!
It was a very desperate cry,
but it was a voice that wouldn't reach Bi Yeon-seom's ears.