The first day of the main tournament had ended, and night had fallen.
Right after our schedule ended, we came to an inn, but inside, it was packed to the brim with an unusually large number of people.
“Wow… I wonder if there’ll even be a place to sit.”
It wasn’t usually this crowded; perhaps because of the Martial Arts Tournament, but there were far too many.
“Since Lady Moyong said she’d secured a spot, shouldn’t we be fine?”
Dang Soyeol said with a smile.
That’s right.
Since Moyong Huia had called us, she would have definitely claimed a spot.
Because she was a woman who hated doing anything in crowded places.
Watching Dang Soyeol speak amidst it all, I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“You seem to be in a good mood?”
“Huh? Hehe….”
Could winning really put her in such a good mood?
Dang Soyeol looked far more cheerful than usual.
Her swaying gestures were noticeably pronounced; she was clearly in a good mood.
‘…Though she was a bit scary up on the dueling stage.’
The expression she had while controlling her strength and battering Yutan-geom was a gaze so intimidating that even I felt a chill.
In her past life, it was the kind of face the Poison Princess (Dokbi) made when she killed members of the evil faction or demonic cult.
Even though the era had changed, that expression seemed to remain exactly the same.
Moreover.
‘She’s grown much stronger.’
Dang Soyeol was far stronger than I had anticipated.
I had vaguely expected she might have touched Hwagyeong, but it seemed she had reached an even more complete level.
‘She didn’t even use her own martial arts.’
Poison arts and concealed weapon techniques.
She didn’t even use the martial arts taught to the bloodline of the Dang Clan. The only martial arts she used were….
‘The power of the Dark King.’
Nothing more than the power of Amwang that I had seen before.
Creating a sense of otherness in the inner space by erecting a black veil. It was a power that felt eerie at a glance.
The problem was.
‘That it’s ambiguous to even call that martial arts.’
The power of Amwang stems from the authority he obtained because he is a banyong.
Then, could what Dang Soyeol used now be called Amwang’s authority?
Dang Soyeol is human, so she shouldn’t be able to use divine authority; how did she use it?
Of course, Amwang’s level of technique was overwhelmingly higher, but the important thing was that she had used it.
‘Hmm.’
From what I saw directly, it didn’t feel like she used divine authority. It wasn’t martial arts either.
Then what remained was.
‘Sorcery.’
Dang Soyeol had used Amwang’s authority in the form of sorcery.
That seemed to be the correct way to view it.
Since it wasn’t true divine authority, its performance wasn’t good.
Seen as martial arts, its method of use and the flow of energy were different. It was definitely sorcery.
‘Can she emulate divine authority through sorcery?’
If sorcery was originally a technique brought by dragons, then that also roughly added up.
“Young Master?”
Just as I was lost in thought, Dang Soyeol called out to me.
I came back to my senses at her voice.
“Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
“Are you very tired?”
“I’m not tired.”
What could be tiring? The duel ended in a single blow.
“If anyone should be tired, it would be you.”
Since she had beaten Yutan-geom thoroughly, Dang Soyeol must have a higher level of fatigue.
“I’m not very tired either. Rather, I feel a bit refreshed, if anything…?”
“…Uh…yeah….”
Had she relieved some pent-up frustration by beating Yutan-geom?
Dang Soyeol wore an extremely refreshed expression, exactly as she had said.
As I looked at her and was about to smile inwardly.
“Ugh….”
A groan came from behind.
It was Bong Suni.
Hearing it, I frowned and asked.
“What’s wrong with you now?”
“…It, it wasn’t fun….”
Bong Suni answered with a sigh mixed in.
I thought I knew what she meant.
‘It certainly was lackluster.’
While Dang Soyeol and I fought against Hwagyeong martial artists, Bong Suni had fought an opponent slightly above the pinnacle level.
She won so effortlessly that it couldn’t even be called a duel.
Ever since, Bong Suni had been dejected.
“You should be happy that you won. What are you moping about? Anyone would think you lost.”
“I, I want to fight a strong person too…!”
“You’ll meet one next time. Stop whining, it’s annoying.”
“…Hing….”
Bong Suni shrank back when I spoke with a scowl.
Tch! I clicked my tongue briefly and turned my head.
Then, the person beside me looked at me and shook his head.
“Sheesh, you practically devour children.”
The handsome man with black hair.
It was Paejon.
“Would it kill you to act a little kinder?”
“Yes. It would. Especially with her, it’s even more impossible.”
My personality wasn’t kind to begin with, but I couldn’t act that way toward Bong Suni.
“But, eld… Young Master Bi, what in the world happened?”
He had been about to say “old man” but changed his words.
Because there were people around.
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“I’m asking when you came and did it. If you had come, you should have said something.”
Paejon was also included in the first day of the main tournament’s first round.
I hadn’t seen him and he hadn’t said anything, so I thought he was in this round.
As I was preparing to leave after finishing the tournament, I heard murmuring from somewhere.
They were saying that Turyong had done something.
Just then, Paejon was coming down from the tournament.
“What was there to say? It was nothing much anyway.”
That was true too. So I looked at Paejon and asked.
“Are you really going to win the championship?”
“Who knows?”
Paejon grinned at my question.
For some reason, his smile was extremely unnerving.
“I’ll think about it depending on the situation.”
“…”
That meant he had no intention of quietly backing down.
Hearing his words, I sighed inwardly.
‘This is going to be troublesome.’
This old man never does things half-heartedly. If we were to face each other on the dueling stage by bad luck, he would try to defeat me seriously.
Then there was only one thing I needed to think about.
‘How am I going to win?’
Defeating Paejon.
Since I have to win, I find a way to win.
That was the only thing that mattered.
While I was repeating such arrogant worries.
“…Over there… It’s Soyeomra and Dokbong.”
“That’s right. It really is Soyeomra.”
At the sound reaching my ears, I instinctively raised my senses slightly.
“She looks even younger up close.”
“Could that young man truly be at Hwagyeong…?”
“They say he’s acquainted with Dokbong, and seeing them together, it seems that rumor is true.”
“Then who are the other two…?”
Voices full of interest, different from just a few days ago.
I tensed my nerves at the words talking about Dang Soyeol and me.
More precisely, I focused on the talk about Dang Soyeol rather than me.
“I knew it from afar, but she truly has outstanding beauty.”
“Such a slender woman beating Yutan-geom like that….”
“Regardless of the Dang Clan’s business, an incredible figure has been born.”
There was plenty of talk about me defeating that Pung… whatever-his-name-was too, but.
If I had to pick who was talked about the most, it was Dang Soyeol.
That must mean it was a powerful debut.
“A woman not even thirty is at Hwagyeong… and they say she’s at the level of one of the Hundred Great Experts.”
“Isn’t she the greatest prodigy since the Divine Dragon?”
“…If only she weren’t a bloodline descendant of the Dang Clan. That would certainly be the case.”
“However, there are clear suspicions that she used illicit arts….”
Having heard all I needed to hear, I withdrew my senses.
At this point, she had certainly established her position.
‘Her nickname will probably change soon.’
Since she had crushed the Hwagyeong martial artist Yutan-geom in front of so many people, Dang Soyeol couldn’t be called a mere late bloomer.
Therefore, before the tournament ended, Dang Soyeol’s nickname would change as well.
Feeling the pouring gazes, we ascended the stairs.
It was quite different from the plan, but Dang Soyeol’s growth made me happier than the results of the laid-out plan.
I didn’t know the reason; I just felt that way.
******************
When we climbed the inn’s stairs to the fourth floor, unlike the first and second floors, there were noticeably fewer guests.
I had heard that the third and fourth floors were places you couldn’t ascend to without certain conditions.
As soon as we reached the fourth floor, we moved under the attendant’s guidance.
“Ah, here.”
Before long, I saw Moyong Huia waving her delicate hand.
Wi Seol-ah was sitting beside her.
From the moment we came up, Wi Seol-ah had been smiling brightly at me.
“You should have started eating without us.”
“We haven’t been here long.”
“Don’t lie. There’s no way you arrived exactly on time. You must have come much earlier.”
“…”
Having hit the nail on the head, Moyong Huia closed her mouth for a moment.
Namgung Bia was nowhere to be seen.
I had heard she was in a condition where she could move, but she was resting a bit more.
‘Woo-hyeok and the Little Princess haven’t come either.’
Those two can handle themselves.
I had no interest in that matter.
Not long after we sat down, food came out.
Since it came out without us ordering, Moyong Huia must have already placed the order.
“You seemed busy running around today. Are you all right?”
I let out a hollow laugh at Moyong Huia’s words.
“You already know everything, don’t you?”
“It was quite the commotion. Congratulations to you too, Lady Dang.”
“Ah… Thank you.”
Dang Soyeol reacted shyly to Moyong Huia’s congratulations.
Unlike the preliminaries, the tournament had a massive audience.
Therefore, Moyong Huia must have already grasped everything.
“Do you think things got a bit too excessive? Are you okay with that?”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“Young Master… Weren’t you someone who didn’t want to reveal yourself too much?”
The duel with the Pungnimwitangwon practitioner.
The power he had shown there, even just a glimpse, was enough to make today noisy.
Dang Soyeol’s feat had somewhat overshadowed things, but Moyong Huia seemed slightly worried about that.
“It’s fine. It wasn’t that I particularly wanted to hide.”
I had merely been waiting for the right time to reveal it.
Besides.
“I had to show it sooner or later anyway.”
Even if the time hadn’t come, it was difficult to keep it hidden indefinitely.
And the situation happened to be just right.
“I see….”
Moyong Huia nodded as if she understood.
Even as she nodded, her expression suggested she was thinking deeply about something.
If I left her like that, she would reach her own conclusion.
Leaving Moyong Huia lost in thought, I picked up a dumpling and ate it.
Slurp. As I was chewing, water filled an empty cup.
Wi Seol-ah was carefully pouring water.
The funny thing was that Dang Soyeol had also tried to do so but missed her chance.
“…Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
After pouring for me, she poured for Dang Soyeol, and then filled her own cup.
She skipped over Moyong Huia, Paejon, and Bong Suni.
Paejon and Bong Suni didn’t particularly mind, but I could see Moyong Huia’s eyebrows twitch slightly.
Did something happen between those two?
A subtle tension could be felt.
“…So, you said tomorrow, right?”
I asked Wi Seol-ah, changing the subject.
“Yes! That’s right. I’m going out tomorrow.”
Wi Seol-ah was participating in the second round of the main tournament along with Seongyul.
‘Hmm.’
The Alliance’s Martial Arts Tournament probably had the second round as the real deal.
Most of the renowned figures were scheduled for that day.
There had been some on the first day as well, but going by frequency, the second round was overwhelmingly more packed.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
It was probably something the Alliance side had prepared in advance.
“All right, do your best.”
“Yes! I’ll definitely win. Definitely.”
Wi Seol-ah said with a smile at my encouragement.
I found it cute, so I handed her a dish from the plate.
‘…But why is she so determined to win?’
I wasn’t quite sure about that, but since her smile was pretty, I decided to let it go for now.
It was a meal with everyone together after a long time.
Recently, it had been hard to find time, busy with handling affairs and repeating training.
‘I wish Namgung Bia were here too.’
It was merely a shame.
I should wrap up some food to take to her when we leave.
Thinking so, I lightly finished the meal.
******************
A day had passed.
I had finished my morning training and was on my way.
Today was the second round of the Martial Arts Tournament, and I also happened to have business outside.
Through the gaps of the bustling crowds.
As I walked through there, I looked back.
“Are you all right?”
“…Yeah….”
Behind me, Namgung Bia was walking along, wearing a veil.
It felt like it had been a long time since the two of us walked together like this.
“Tell me if it’s uncomfortable.”
“…If… I tell you?”
“I’ll carry you or hold you.”
“It’s uncomfortable….”
“I’m joking.”
“…”
At my jest, Namgung Bia rarely pursed her lips into a pout.
Finding it amusing, I carefully grabbed her wrist and pulled her along.
She hadn’t been able to come out yesterday, but she said she could move today, so I had brought her along.
I had tried to bring Moyong Huia and Dang Soyeol if possible, but both said they had schedules, so I only brought Namgung Bia.
The place we were headed was none other than where the Martial Arts Tournament was being held.
We went straight to the spectator seats.
I saw far more people than yesterday. I had thought there were many on the first day alone.
This second round was completely packed without a single gap.
“…There are so many people….”
Namgung Bia said, moving a little closer to me.
I took Namgung Bia and weaved our way to our seats.
The designated seats were already reserved.
I had heard that spectator seats were reserved in advance; when I asked Moyong Huia yesterday, she had casually secured them.
When I asked how she had managed to get seats that had been fully booked a month ago.
‘Must you really know?’
She said something chilling like that, so I told her it was fine if I didn’t know.
Anyway… she got them, so that was all that mattered.
We barely made it through the crowd and found our two seats.
They were the worst seats among those available.
At the very front were seats where renowned merchants or faction executives sat.
Moyong Huia said she could get us those seats if we wanted, but I refused.
‘That would be a bit burdensome.’
A moderate seat was enough.
I sat down and quietly stared at the empty dueling stage.
Sounds of commotion came from all directions, but I paid them no mind.
My eyes were fixed solely on the dueling stage.
Perhaps seeing that gaze, Namgung Bia asked me.
“…Seol-ah… Are you very worried about her?”
“What?”
At those words, I opened my eyes slightly. When I turned my head, Namgung Bia’s impassive eyes were directed at me.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“…That’s why… you came today….”
“…”
I couldn’t deny Namgung Bia’s words.
Honestly, what other reason would there be for coming?
I just smiled awkwardly.
“You’re right. But I didn’t come because I was worried.”
“…Then?”
“I came because I expected more than I worried.”
Yes, expectation.
I am concerned about Wi Seol-ah stepping onto the dueling stage alone.
But that wasn’t the fundamental reason.
The same was true for Dang Soyeol and Wi Seol-ah.
The anticipation of seeing how different those children looked from their past lives.
The sight of them growing wings and flying on their own.
I suddenly wanted to see that.
“…”
Namgung Bia, who had been quietly watching me like that, raised her hand and stroked my head.
“What?”
“…Just because.”
It was strange, but I didn’t bother refusing.
As we waited like that for a moment, someone appeared and handed something over.
It was a few sheets of paper; they seemed to be miniature tournament brackets.
I unfolded it right away and looked for names.
‘Seongyul… Well, he probably got matched wherever… Yeongpung is here too?’
I saw the name of Mount Hua’s foremost prodigy, the Sword Dragon Yeongpung.
There were also several other Mount Hua faction martial artists.
I saw Paeng Ujin and Dowang as well. And lastly.
“…Huh?”
I paused for a moment at the name written on the bracket.
Wi Seol-ah vs. Yuyeon Daesanseo of Shaolin.
“…Haha.”
I burst out laughing seeing it blatantly written on the bracket.
Then my expression hardened as I spoke.
“You… bastards.”
I could feel the Alliance’s underhanded tricks from the very start.