When was it.
It was probably around the time I was rolling around the frontlines for a while.
It was night.
It was the watch duty shift, the time that felt the most tedious.
!
-Flame.
I was staring blankly at the moon, then turned my head at the voice coming from beside me.
-I told you not to call me that. You crazy bastard.
-What's the big deal? I heard friends call each other by their nicknames.
-Fuck... Of all nicknames, why 'Flame'?
-Oh? So you don't refuse being called a friend now?
-Piss off.
At the young man's words, I clutched my throbbing head.
Conversations with this bastard never flowed normally anyway.
Wudang's Hidden Dragon.
This crazy bastard called the top rank of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.
Always looking lazy and relaxed.
But when the time came, he would show an absurd side that proved his talent was no joke.
Yet his true personality felt like he wasn't in his right mind.
-Anyway, Flame, isn't it that?
-What.
-The way to survive among beasts.
Huh... What?
I wondered what kind of bullshit he was suddenly spouting.
Beasts? What beasts all of a sudden?
-Beasts? You mean demonic beasts?
-Could be demonic beasts. Could be humans too.
-You said beasts, why are you suddenly talking about humans.
At my words, Jamryong smirked, raising the corners of his mouth.
His hair was a mess and his face was covered in dust, looking filthy.
But maybe because his base features were so handsome, his smiling face looked like it would quite easily seduce women.
Bastards who are even handsome need to just all die.
-Our Flame is still so innocent, huh?
-What the hell are you on about, you bastard?
-Humans sometimes become beasts. You've seen it a lot too, right?
At Jamryong's words, my face naturally scowled.
There were times when this crazy bastard's eyes would turn bone-chillingly cold.
And right now was especially like that.
Maybe because he already looks quite cold when he's just staying still.
When eyes that were always smiling opened like that, it was quite uncomfortable to face them.
-I told you to open your eyes properly. Want me to gouge them out?
-Flame, you're in no position to judge whether someone else's eyes are nice or not, are you?
-Shut up, you bastard.
-Your temper is still as filthy as ever.
If I talked with this bastard even a little.
I felt like I'd lose my mind.
Seolbong. Why did that crazy bitch pair me up with this bastard of all people?
Of course, even if I harbored such doubts.
'It's because you are absurdly weak that we attached even Jamryong to you.'
It was obvious I'd only hear an answer that would make me feel like shit, so I just had to bear it.
Jamryong chuckled as if he found something so amusing.
-What are you snickering about.
-As expected, talking with you is the most fun.
-I don't, so please just keep your mouth shut.
-Mumble muffle mumble?
- ...Please, you crazy bastard.
I told him to shut his mouth, so he closes his mouth and starts talking.
He was truly a lunatic beyond imagination.
- Isn't this it?
- Ah... My head hurts.
Will the time not pass quickly?
I might die of a stress-induced illness at this rate.
-Now, anyway, listen carefully.
-What do you keep wanting me to listen to.
-The way to survive.
-If it's the same bullshit you spouted last time, I'm not listening.
What was it again.
Did he tell me to suppress my temper and endure even if I get angry, three times?
It was a story I let go in one ear, wondering why I should endure when the opponent was acting like a fool.
- No, it's a bit different from that.
- What is it.
- The easiest way to survive, you see.
At Jamryong's clearly enunciated voice.
My ears naturally perked up.
I wondered what he was going to say that made him focus so hard.
A way to survive? Could it be Jamryong had some special secret technique?
As if scaring away my doubts, Jamryong smiled and gave the answer.
- Not getting into dangerous situations.
. . .
- ...What's with that expression?
-I'm an idiot for having expected something from you even for a moment.
-Hey, this is really important.
-Sure it is, you bastard.
How is it any different from saying if you just train hard, you'll someday become the number one under heaven.
Do you think I get into dangerous situations because I want to?
-Right. You don't get into them because you want to.
- ...Did I just say that out loud?
-Flame, it shows on your face.
-What bullshit.
-That's why it's even more fun.
My expression must have been that funny.
Jamryong chuckled.
Why is he cracking up while looking at someone else's face.
Should I just smash his face in.
-But, you have a tendency to go even when you know.
-What?
-You have a tendency to go in even when you know it'll be dangerous if you do.
. . .
I couldn't dare deny this.
Just as Jamryong said, there were a few times I went in knowing I'd be fucked if I did.
-What does that have to do with this.
At my question, Jamryong made a peculiar expression.
He looked like he was pondering something.
-Right, Flame, you tend to misunderstand if I beat around the bush.
-What are you saying...
-I'm telling you to stop charging in ignorantly, and live with some thought. Or else you'll die... Ah, I purposely spoke indirectly because I knew you'd react like that! Put out the fire in your hand! You'll wake everyone up.
-Who are you calling ignorant?
-It's just a manner of speaking. If you think it's dangerous, think once more before going in. It's better not to do things you can't handle.
-I'll take care of it myself, so mind your own business.
-...The most unreliable words in the world.
In the end, the conversation finished with me.
Getting furious at Jamryong's last words and breathing out flames.
Jamryong would often spout incomprehensible things.
Like how he knew I was pissed off and told me to hold back before I even got angry.
Or how he appeared like a ghost to stop me every time I was about to throw my life away.
It was to the level where I wondered if he was reading my mind.
But the advice he occasionally spouted like dog shit didn't really enter my ears.
Of course.
I came to realize later on that they were words that were somewhat helpful in their own way.
But I didn't know it at the time.
Because humans are originally animals that only realize things after experiencing them themselves.
If I had known it would become a dangerous situation in advance.
It means I shouldn't have created that situation in the first place.
Such a simple and obvious principle.
Why couldn't I do that.
Right, if I had been good at that from the start.
"...Could you please step aside a bit? It gets a bit hot for me when people crowd together."
"...No."
This wouldn't have happened.
Thump- roll roll.
Because their clinging bodies were so annoying, I dropped a dumpling.
In the end, as I picked up the dumpling again, I yelled at the cats on both sides.
"Ah! Step back a bit! Let me eat!"
Only after yelling did they finally quiet down.
Only then.
Looking at the women on both sides, I thought about the mess of a situation.
When recalling my blunders.
The first was bringing these two out to the prefecture to escape the situation.
The important thing here wasn't coming out to the prefecture.
But bringing 'both' of them out.
If I was going to come out, I should have brought only one person.
The problem was that I dragged both of them out without thinking.
The second was.
That these two got along even worse than I thought.
The reason I came all the way to the prefecture was because I wanted to step outside for a bit to avoid my father's gaze.
And Moyong Huia said she cooked at a Moyong family building she built in the prefecture, so I suggested we go and see it.
Since it was a place directly managed by the Moyong Sect anyway.
I was also curious about what it was like.
It was good when we looked around.
The condition of the building was much better than expected.
And the accessories and clothing they sold were all of outstanding quality.
Thanks to that, the customers were either the matriarchs of famous merchant guilds.
Or the daughters of somewhat promising sects or families for the most part.
It would be more accurate to say they were at the level of bringing in money.
'It's a monopoly, so it makes sense.'
Didn't they say the accessories were made by embroidering directly by the artisans of the Tang Sect?
I didn't expect that the proud artisans of the Tang Sect would make accessories.
'I thought they only crafted weapons.'
Including the accessories that went into the clothing.
I noticed they mixed in jewels to make them appealing for women to decorate themselves with.
The quality was even high.
They were also arranged so people could easily view them.
'Won't they get stolen if they leave them out like that?'
Which just means they were placed so conveniently that it made me think that.
Of course, what crazy human would think of stealing from a Moyong family building.
Up to this point, it was good.
It was quite worth seeing.
For Moyong Huia, since it was a place she was responsible for and managed, even if she wasn't particularly amused.
Nangong Bia seemed somewhat interested in looking around.
After that.
Following Moyong Huia's recommendation, we ended up going to an inn.
This place was also said to be one of the locations managed by the Moyong family.
Not that much time had passed.
Did they already build an inn?
'Even though she was on the frontlines for a year, how on earth?'
I didn't think Moyong Huia managed all of this alone.
But if her abilities were involved to some extent.
She was definitely an outstanding figure when it came to things like this.
That aside.
The problem started around the time we ate.
"Young Master, please try this."
"...I'm eating?"
"They say this is a dish the head chef is confident in these days."
"I said I'm eating."
It was fine that they kept pushing food my way, but.
"This..."
"...I said I'm eating..."
Since they were pushing it from both sides, it was quite overwhelming.
My stomach isn't infinite.
But if I ate from one side and didn't eat from the other, that would also be a problem.
"Young Master, you said this was delicious too."
As soon as I barely chewed and swallowed one, Moyong Huia pushed something else forward.
I didn't know what it was, but it was a slightly reddish-looking food.
I let out a slight sigh and was about to eat it when.
Snatch!
Nangong Bia snatched the food Moyong Huia had pushed forward and ate it herself.
Moyong Huia, seemingly dumbfounded by the situation that unfolded in an instant, made a blank expression.
But she soon came to her senses.
And looked at Nangong Bia with slightly raised eyes.
"...Geommuhi..."
At Moyong Huia's cold voice.
Nangong Bia chewed the food in her mouth diligently.
Perhaps because the portion was a bit large, Nangong Bia, who had a relatively small mouth, seemed to take a little while to swallow.
Gulp.
Nangong Bia, having barely swallowed it, looked at Moyong Huia and gestured.
"...This person can't eat spicy food."
"Ah...!"
At Nangong Bia's words, Moyong Huia made an expression as if she had been struck.
It was a face that said she genuinely hadn't known.
In the meantime, I couldn't help but be quite surprised by Nangong Bia's words as well.
'How did she know that?'
Just as I was wondering how she knew I was weak to spicy food.
'Ah.'
Around the time I attended the Tang Bingjeonhoe in the past.
When I had a meal with the other rising stars including Nangong Bia.
I recalled the time I accidentally ate something spicy and Nangong Bia handed me water.
It seemed she remembered that.
'She remembers the most random things.'
Having recalled that I was weak to spicy food.
It seemed she ate the obviously spicy-looking food in my place.
The problem was.
"...Ugh."
Nangong Bia also wasn't particularly good at eating spicy food either.
Seeing her pure white skin flush red from eating something spicy.
I couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter.
"See, why did you do such a thing."
"...Ugh...
Perhaps it was spicier than she thought, she couldn't control her two arms and flailed slightly.
It was a somewhat flustered appearance for the usually quiet Nangong Bia.
The gap was so extraordinary that my laughter wouldn't stop.
Glug glug.
Unable to watch anymore, I filled a cup with water and handed it to Nangong Bia.
And Nangong Bia hastily drank the water.
That appearance, somehow.
Was the exact opposite of how I looked in Sichuan back then.
So it felt particularly special.
"...Hoo, I didn't expect to lose at this either."
Beside her, Moyong Huia was making a regretful expression as if she had unknowingly lost.
What did she even lose at.
"As expected, I can't look down on you... Geommuhi."
"Huia."
At Moyong Huia's voice, Nangong Bia, having barely recovered from the spiciness, called out to Moyong Huia.
It was probably the first time.
That Nangong Bia called Moyong Huia by her name.
"Just now... What did you say."
"...Me."
Moyong Huia tried to ask again as if she had misheard.
But Nangong Bia pointed at herself and cut her off.
"Fiancée..."
At Nangong Bia's lightly spat out words, Moyong Huia's eyes grew wide.
It seemed to mean, 'I am his fiancée, and you are not.'
Perhaps because Nangong Bia, who was speaking, was smiling faintly.
She looked so smug that I could see Moyong Huia clenching her two fists.
I wondered what the hell they were doing instead of eating since earlier.
Thanks to that, I, stuck in the middle watching this.
"...I feel like I'm going to get sick."
Reached a point where I didn't know where the food was going.
I somehow forced the food down and went outside.
Outside, the sun had already set and it was a night with the moon rising.
However.
'It's changed a lot.'
The nights in Shanxi, which were somewhat quiet just last year.
Perhaps because a year had passed, looked a bit different.
The lights of the street stalls were distinct.
And there were more people than before.
It couldn't have changed just because some time had passed.
So the reason was probably because the Moyong family's merchant district had properly settled in.
While I thought it was absurd that it could change this much just from a single merchant district settling in.
It was also a part that made me realize the value of the Moyong Sect's name in commerce.
It must have also cleared my head to some extent.
I would just walk around outside and then return to the sect.
'...And it's hard to keep watching that Cold War.'
The women keeping their distance and following behind were still the same.
It was an atmosphere that made me think it would be better if they just fought it out physically.
Maybe because they were polar opposites, they really didn't get along at all.
But I couldn't force them to get along either...
'Ah, right.'
While thinking about it, a fact I had forgotten came to mind.
I hadn't yet asked what Moyong Huia would do when I went to Anhui.
According to my father, the conversation was already over.
'...I was so overwhelmed by the atmosphere that I forgot to ask.'
It was a mistake.
I should have asked when we were eating earlier.
'Should I ask even now?'
I immediately turned around and looked at Moyong Huia.
"Hmm?"
Looking back, Moyong Huia, who was following, was staring at somewhere.
So I moved my gaze as well.
It was just an ordinary street stall.
'Is there something there?'
I approached Moyong Huia slightly and asked.
"You know.
"Yes?"
Not expecting me to approach her first, Moyong Huia made a surprised expression for a moment.
"When I go to Anhui this time. What did you decide to do?"
"Pardon?",
"According to the Patriarch, the conversation is already over."
"Did you not hear it?"
"He told me to hear it directly from you."
She could have just told me.
I didn't know why she was telling me to hear it directly.
At my words, Moyong Huia instantly put a gleam in her eyes.
And smiled slightly.
It was the expression she made when she recalled some scheme she was plotting inside.
"...What are you thinking."
"Are you curious?"
"What?
"
"I'm just asking in case you were curious."
"A little?"
At my answer, as if she had been waiting, Moyong Huia pointed somewhere with her fingertip.
Wondering what it was, I moved my gaze along with hers.
It was the street stall Moyong Huia was looking at earlier.
"Please buy me that one."
"Hmm?
"If you buy it for me... I'll tell you."
Her fingertip was pointing at a small necklace at the street stall.
And looking at it, it was just a cheap trinket no different from a fake.
"What's that."
"Just... I want it."
Moyong Huia said to me while slightly avoiding my gaze.
It was a meaningless action to me.
But since the price was nothing to begin with.
I didn't particularly hesitate.
I paid right away and handed it to Moyong Huia.
"...Ah."
Moyong Huia, taking the necklace, let out a small exclamation.
It probably wasn't because the necklace she received was pretty.
Adorned with even more luxurious items.
Moyong Huia, who probably possessed more than enough of such things, had no reason to marvel at a mere trinket like this.
"Thank you. I'll cherish it."
Nevertheless.
The voice Moyong Huia let out contained a certain degree of warmth.
Over just this cheap necklace.
"If you wanted it that much, you should have just bought it yourself."
"...If I buy it, it doesn't really have any meaning."
Saying that, Moyong Huia beamed with a smile.
'Ugh, she—
I think it was the first time seeing her smile so brightly...
Zzt.
"...!"
In an instant.
I felt a killing intent from behind.
And though I couldn't turn around to look.
It was obvious whose aura this was being emitted from without even looking.
"...Haa."
The sound of a small sigh.
Only then did I belatedly realize that I had just made a huge mistake.