EP.27 Demon Sword Empress. (4)
It had been two more days since I started this uncomfortable, not-quite-traveling-companion arrangement with Nangong Biya.
Just a little further and we would arrive at the village we had planned to reach.
After resting and regrouping, we would head toward the Dang Clan.
It felt like we would arrive much more safely than the Sichuan journey I had anticipated.
Even excluding the day I first encountered Nangong Biya, I had crossed paths with demonic creatures a few times, but nothing that posed a real threat.
Come to think of it, it was a journey to Sichuan that lasted nearly ten days.
But aside from the journey being long and tedious, it meant there were no issues worth worrying about.
"Huu..."
However, in a way, one big problem had emerged.
At the sight that made me want to sigh, I kept dragging my hand down my face.
"Sister, look at that! It's a blue squirrel!"
"...Yeah."
"Sister, have you ever tried eating blue squirrel?"
"Yeah... Huh? Ah, no."
Wi Seol-ah, who had gotten off the carriage at some point, was stuck right next to Nangong Biya who was slowly following from behind, chattering away.
Most of it was Wi Seol-ah initiating conversation and Nangong Biya giving short replies, but Nangong Biya didn't seem to mind it either, walking at a pace that matched Wi Seol-ah's.
With a blank expression, Wi Seol-ah tugged on Nangong Biya's collar whenever she started veering off in strange directions.
"...Why are those two getting along?"
I kept telling her not to approach strangers, but Wi Seol-ah said she felt sorry for her and kept approaching Nangong Biya. Sorry about what, exactly?
Should I have yelled at her at least once?
"Tch."
Nothing seemed to be working out.
I truly never imagined I'd see those two sticking together so friendly-like.
"Muyeon."
"Yes, Young Master."
"How much further... Why do you look so tired? What's with your complexion?"
"Ah, no, I'm fine."
...Fine my foot, your face is dark as pitch like you're about to die of exhaustion.
The reason Muyeon looked ready to die of exhaustion was none other than Nangong Biya.
That first day when Nangong Biya was camping far away, she suddenly approached Muyeon and requested a spar.
Muyeon refused without a moment's hesitation.
'I am the Young Master's guard. To focus on my duties, I cannot afford to expend energy elsewhere. I apologize.'
At the polite refusal, Nangong Biya nodded, but continued watching Muyeon with eyes that seemed to have developed an obsession.
To be precise, she was watching Muyeon's sword, not Muyeon himself.
Eventually, harassed by that gaze near dawn, Muyeon must have slept poorly, as he ended up looking considerably exhausted.
There's no way Muyeon, a first-rate martial artist, would look like this just from missing some sleep. Was it the mental toll?
'That crazy girl already had that personality from back then.'
A sword maniac who would draw her blade without hesitation whenever she met a swordsperson interesting enough to her liking.
How extreme must she have been for her most frequent activity in her past life to be searching for the traces of the Sword Emperor and Sword Venerable?
She didn't seem to draw her sword recklessly anymore, but as the saying goes about the sprout revealing the tree, she was still crazy in my eyes.
Right now, Wi Seol-ah was clinging next to her chirping like a sparrow, so it seemed a bit less, but even just earlier I could see her looking toward Muyeon's sword.
...Actually, did Wi Seol-ah know that and stick to her?
'That can't be it.'
What could Wi Seol-ah possibly know?
That couldn't be it. Since the two being together didn't seem immediately harmful, I decided to stay quiet.
Once we reached the village, we'd part ways anyway. And then I just needed to not get involved.
With that thought, I closed my eyes for a moment. I planned to take a brief nap.
Perhaps from repeating camping and training for days, I fell asleep quickly.
How much time had passed?
I hear Muyeon's voice from outside.
"Young Master, the destination is in sight."
Finally, after seven days and nights since leaving Sanxi, we had arrived at the village.
*
I stretched my stiff body and got off the carriage.
Since we could reach the Dang Clan in about a day from here, we needed to rest to allow the group to recover from fatigue.
Part of me thought it would be better to just push through and rest after arriving.
But the Dang Clan members would come out to greet us upon arrival, so we needed to present ourselves properly.
The facade of prestigious clans was nothing but troublesome.
"I wonder if there are any rooms available."
"We should be able to find some quickly."
It was always inconvenient finding lodging in situations like this.
Not only were we a large group, but this wasn't even a region where the name of our clan carried weight.
Wi Seol-ah, who had been looking around, seemed to discover something and tugged repeatedly at the collar of Nangong Biya, who was standing blankly behind her.
"Sister! Over there, someone's wearing the same clothes as you!"
"...Ah."
Following Wi Seol-ah's words, both Nangong Biya and my gaze turned toward the direction Wi Seol-ah pointed.
Unlike Nangong Biya's dust-covered and worn martial uniform from traveling rough alone, there were neat blue martial uniforms, and at the lower hem, the characters Nangong were written.
They were the masters of Anhui and the foremost clan representing the righteous renowned clans.
They were undoubtedly martial artists of the Nangong Clan.
Just as we discovered them, the Nangong Clan members seemed to have spotted us as well, their faces showing surprise.
Immediately, someone from their midst rushed toward Nangong Biya.
"Sister...!?"
It was a boy who looked about my age.
Setting aside her blank personality, Nangong Biya had such a cold appearance that one couldn't approach her easily.
He was a boy who looked exactly like how she would have looked if she were male.
Nangong Biya waved her hand slightly at the boy.
"Hello... Cheonjun."
"Sister, where exactly did you disappear to! Do you have any idea how much the clan members searched for you?"
"Sorry... I got lost."
At Nangong Biya's words, Nangong Cheonjun covered his forehead with his hand.
"I told you we should tie you with a rope and go."
...A rope?
What is she, a dog? Tying a person with a rope and...?
'Given that level of getting lost, it actually seems understandable...'
Nangong Biya replied.
"...That's a bit embarrassing. No matter what."
"Yes, so you disappeared less than a day after we set out? You're the one who said not to worry and that you wouldn't get lost this time."
"...Sorry."
At Nangong Cheonjun's cold words, Nangong Biya's tail drooped.
Only then did Nangong Cheonjun notice us watching blankly and hastily composed himself with proper etiquette.
"I am Nangong Cheonjun of the Nangong Clan."
As expected, this boy was the Thunder Sword.
The boy who would later be called one of the Five Swords of Murim and become a swordsperson representing the righteous faction. Then at this point he would be about...
"Gu Yang of the Gu Clan... Gu Jeol-yeop. By any chance, Thunder Dragon..."
Come to think of it, I had told Nangong Biya something, so I quickly changed the name I was about to say.
At my question, Nangong Cheonjun's face flushed slightly. The handsome brat blushing was somehow annoying.
"...I'm embarrassed to say, but I am undeservedly called by that title."
Though he was acting embarrassed, his tone carried pride and confidence.
Five Dragons Three Phoenixes.
The eight most outstanding among the current younger generation were called thus in the Central Plains.
Among them was my eldest sister, Sword Phoenix Gu Hee-seon.
Thunder Dragon Nangong Cheonjun, he was two years older than me, was it?
I couldn't remember exactly, but it was probably something like that.
Feeling a strange gaze, I looked to the side.
Wi Seol-ah was staring at me with her eyes wide like a flounder.
It was probably because I said my name differently.
"...?"
It seemed like question marks were floating above her head, so I subtly signaled her to keep quiet.
She seemed to have some sense, as she appeared to keep her mouth shut for now.
Nangong Cheonjun asked me.
"Ah, so you're a martial artist of the Gu Clan. If it's not impolite, may I ask how you came to travel with our sister?"
This girl suddenly appeared driving demonic creatures before her, then claimed she was lost and forced herself to follow us.
"We merely traveled together briefly as she had lost her way by chance."
I couldn't say that, so I had to word it more carefully.
This time, Nangong Biya stared at me with wide flounder eyes.
She should at least keep her mouth shut after eating all those dumplings on the road today.
But apparently lacking such awareness, Nangong Biya eventually opened her mouth.
"That's not it... You said it wasn't traveli—"
"Now, Miss Nangong, it was enjoyable until now. Please be careful not to get lost next time."
Of course, I had no intention of letting her finish that sentence.
Watching that, Nangong Cheonjun smiled slightly and said.
"Thank you for looking after our sister... Are you perhaps attending the Dang Clan's Weapon Exhibition?"
"Ah, yes... I suppose."
When I affirmed, Nangong Biya flinched.
Was it because she said she wasn't going to Sichuan? Well, what are you going to do, I said I didn't want to.
"Then have you secured lodging? We have nothing to offer as compensation immediately, but the lodging we've secured has many rooms. We happen to be heading to the Dang Clan for the exhibition as well, so would you care to join us?"
Had they rented an entire building? Nangong Cheonjun offered with a good-natured smile.
'...No, I just don't want to be involved with that crazy girl.'
I had no intention of accepting. Having come this far, I didn't want to get entangled any further.
I could roughly guess that Nangong Biya was heading to Sichuan to attend the Dang Clan's Weapon Exhibition.
But why two blood relatives?
Whether Thunder Dragon or Nangong Biya, both would be direct descendants of the Clan Head, so why come all the way here?
'That doesn't matter anyway. Regardless, this is where it ends.'
I had my purpose to begin with, and I needed to cut ties with Nangong Biya here. We would surely find lodging if we looked.
Just then, Muyeon approached me, apparently having found lodging. I immediately conveyed my intention to decline to Nangong Cheonjun.
"While I appreciate the offer, we'll find other lodging..."
"Young Master... he says there are no vacant rooms nearby. Shall we take the carriage and search back at the valley...?"
"...I was going to say that, but given your kind offer, I suppose I have no choice. I'll take you up on it, Young Hero Nangong."
.....Fuck my life.
*
I briefly considered that if we couldn't find lodging, it would have been better to just sleep in the carriage.
But camping even once more would be a problem for the servants who came with us.
Honestly, this was half an excuse, and the remaining truth was that I too was somewhat exhausted from camping.
Nangong Cheonjun dragged Nangong Biya away and disappeared somewhere right after guiding us to the lodging.
Nangong Cheonjun's thoroughly angry face and Nangong Biya's terrified face at the incoming nagging made her look even more pitiful in comparison, but.
That was Nangong Biya's own karma, so I immediately stopped paying attention.
If there was something slightly odd, it was the relationship between the two.
At a glance, their sibling relationship didn't seem particularly bad.
Recalling the Demon Sword Empress from my past life, I couldn't help but have doubts.
The first thing the Demon Sword Empress did as a demonic practitioner was to lead hundreds of demonic practitioners and wipe the Nangong Clan off the map.
She killed not only the Clan Head and the Elders, but even the servants, beginning to build her infamy as a demonic practitioner.
What was this current appearance?
I had never had a proper conversation with the Nangong Biya of my past life.
The same went for the other demonic practitioners.
They each became demonic practitioners and crawled under the Heavenly Demon for their own purposes and desires, without any sense of camaraderie.
Because of that, I knew nothing of whatever background Nangong Biya had. Nor was I particularly curious.
I was a bit tired, so I got up to rest in my room.
I had to go upstairs, so I was taking the stairs when Nangong Biya, who had gone up earlier, was coming down.
"...Ah."
Nangong Biya, whose eyes met mine, carefully offered a bow. At that sight, I was greatly startled.
Suddenly what...? Setting aside my bewilderment, Nangong Biya spoke.
"Thank you for guiding us this far, Young Hero Gu."
"...The young lady did follow us unilaterally, though."
"Thank you. I will see you next time."
No, I won't be seeing you.
Nangong Biya, looking more gloomy than usual after having received an earful of nagging, brushed past me.
When I tried to go back up, Nangong Cheonjun was looking at me.
I was grateful for them lending us the lodging, so I tried to offer my thanks once more.
"Ah, Young Hero Nangong..."
But Nangong Cheonjun didn't even listen to my words, brushing past me and lightly bumping my shoulder.
Tap!
Then, from one step below on the stairs, a voice was heard.
"...You should know your place."
Nangong Cheonjun's voice was different from the warm tone he had used earlier. It was a much colder voice.
"I tried to let it slide once, but you really don't know your place. Don't you dare speak to my sister, you worthless piece of trash."
From the eyes that met mine, I could even sense a faint killing intent.
"I'll let it go this once, but if I see something like this again, I'll slice your neck right off."
Nangong Cheonjun said so and chased after Nangong Biya down the stairs.
At that sight, rather than getting angry, I nodded.
It was actually a relief.
'...As expected, they're all crazy bastards.'
He seemed somewhat normal for a moment, but throughout my past life, I had never seen a normal person among those with the Nangong surname.
So that guy was the same after all.
It was the moment my resolve to absolutely never get involved with those crazy bastards solidified.