< Episode 99: That Day (1) >
a long time ago
More than a hundred years ago from now.
Three unusual middle-aged people were sitting on the north east and west sides of the large training hall and each of them was guarded by people who appeared to be guards.
The three middle-aged people were members of the Sammaek (劍家) family which a long time ago derived from one sect and was divided into three branches.
To the north is the heavenly vein to the west is the earth vein and to the east is the moon vein.
They met regularly every year and exchanged martial arts including fighting and today was that day.
-Kwasik!
The sound of something breaking echoed throughout the gym.
It was the sound of a wooden sword breaking.
At this Liu Kang the head of the Wolmaek family on the eastern side frowned.
There was a beautiful woman holding a broken wooden sword and she was his only successor.
[Damn it!]
A harsh sound burst from her woman’s mouth.
Upon hearing this Liu Kang the head of the Wolmaek family sat down and raised his voice.
[Uh huh!]
[I was unlucky. If only the wooden sword hadn’t broken…]
A woman who looked to be about eighteen years old spoke as if she was complaining but then she stopped.
Her gaze rested on the tip of her wooden sword touching her own throat.
A young man with a tall face holding this wooden sword.
He was Biheon the successor to Cheonmaek.
Biheon said with a playful grin that did not match his handsome face.
[Luck is a skill right?]
[…You’re a bit annoying.]
[If you win you win so you will keep your promise right?]
[Hmph who is violating it?]
-Park!
The woman snorted and immediately threw her broken wooden sword on the floor.
Seeing her like that Liu Kang the head of the Wolmaek family touched her forehead and shook his head as if he had a headache.
[It’s because you look like such a good-natured man.]
Although she is said to have grown up without a mother she literally grew up as a maid.
Of course she also raised it herself.
After her eldest son and younger brother who were her only successors died of an unknown disease the only person who could succeed them was Ryu So-wol her only female wife.
So she raised her to be a man rather than a woman.
At that time Yusun the head of the guard on his right side smiled and said.
[Hehe. Still let’s go. The young lady’s swordsmanship skills are Ilchwiwoljang….]
[soju!]
[…I apologize. Anyway Suzhou has developed a lot. Who would have thought that someone who couldn’t even win Soju of the Ley Line just three years ago would improve his skills this much?]
[There is still a long way to go. At that level it still doesn’t reach the taste of soju.]
[Let’s go….]
[Are you saying this because you don’t know how much Cheonmaek’s Soju cared for you? That kid knows that too so he gets angry and acts like that.]
[….]
Hearing the words of the head of the family Liu Kang Yu Shun the head of the guard fell silent.
He also guessed that to some extent.
The swordsmanship of Biheon the master of Cheonmaek had reached a level so excellent that it was hard to believe that it was a standard.
It was already comparable to the level of top experts in each Mac.
[If Hoon had only survived that child….]
The head of the family Liu Kang muttered softly as if he felt sorry.
Ryu Hoon was his deceased son.
He was a promising talent in Wolmaek so much so that it was said that Mujae was better than Biheon.
He hoped that in the near future as promised for a long time on the day of the Sammaek merger ceremony the child would become the head of the Cheonjiwolhoe by breaking the soju of the two veins and combining the three veins.
But the child died and left him.
While I was feeling so sad I heard someone’s calm voice.
[It would have been different if only your brother had been there.]
‘!?’
It was Ryu So-wol’s voice.
The head of the family Liu Kang who was unaware of her approaching thought it was a mistake.
But already she ran out of her gym with her sulking face.
[Ahh.]
I hurt that child again.
He tried to avoid making mistakes as much as possible but the gap seemed to widen as time went by and he ended up revealing his true feelings without even realizing it.
[house owner….]
Yushun the head of the guard looked at him with disappointment and called him out.
[no. Why didn’t you tell me that that kid was coming?]
[It’s right in front of you so who was thinking of something else?]
[…okay. It’s the head of the family’s fault who saw it all.]
[And it’s all up to me to take care of the family head. Hwayeon Daeju.]
[Yes sobriety.]
At his call a stocky-faced woman who appeared to be in her early thirties stepped forward.
Her guard Danju Yusun gave her orders.
[Please appease Soju and bring him back.]
[insect!]
-Pot!
As the great master called Hwa-yeon followed behind her the head of the family Liu Kang stood up holding her throbbing head.
[Let’s go back.]
[Matriarch…over there?]
[hmm?]
Then I saw someone approaching.
He was Bihyeongmyeong the head of Cheonmaek’s family at the time.
Although I see him every year recently he has changed a lot since his father died three years ago.
I must say that he talks less and his mood has completely changed.
When he approached as if he had something to say for the first time in a long time the head of the family Liu Kang could not help but feel puzzled.
In fact he was someone who didn’t really want to talk to Ryu Sowol because he lost.
* * *
Liu Shaoyue was running outside of Tianmai’s manor.
Someone caught up with her and blocked her path.
[Sowol.]
He was none other than Biheon the soju of Cheonmaek.
She raised one of her eyebrows and said with annoyance in her voice.
[Why are you following me?]
[Are you going to just leave without keeping your promise?]
[…You’re really annoying too.]
[no. What’s so annoying about getting what you promised?]
At his words Ryu So-wol clicked her tongue then tore off her jade bead jewelry with a colorful pattern on her waist and threw it away.
-Park!
Bi-heon accepted it with a grin.
She spoke to him as if she disapproved of Ryu Sowol.
[No matter how much of a bet it is will you be relieved if you take something that someone else cherished?]
[It’s special because it’s something you cherished.]
[what?]
[Oh no. Anyway I will use it sparingly. Or do you want to bet again? I’ll give it back to you if you win next time.]
[That’s it. Do you think I’ll covet someone else’s hand once?]
[Don’t do that…]
[it’s okay. When I’m done with my business I’ll go.]
[no. Wait a minute I have something to say other than this.]
[What to say?]
I wasn’t very happy about losing my favorite jewelry but when I told her in a very serious tone that I had something to say she stopped and decided to listen.
When she turned her head like that Bihan Heon twisted his body slightly differently than usual and said.
[Well…you know. Sowol.]
[what? Speak quickly. men and horses.]
[no. Why are you urging me so hard? It’s been a while since I saw you.]
[It’s been a while since I last saw you. Why are you twisting your body like that just because you have something to say?]
Actually Ryu So-wol knew.
At some point she started showing signs that he liked her.
Every time we met she blushed and avoided eye contact but I was a fool for not knowing.
But she wasn’t.
He the head of her heavenly vein was to her the object of her comparison and the mountain she had to break.
That’s why Ryu So-yol couldn’t get better.
[No this isn’t intentional….]
[Hey it’s late. I have to run away.]
[uh?]
[If you have something to say say it next time.]
-Pot!
With those words Ryu Sowol immediately launched a light attack and climbed over the wall of her manor.
Seeing her like this Biheon who was biting her lip thought about following her but then she stopped.
Because she heard someone shouting behind her.
[soju!]
She seemed to be the owner of Wolmaek’s bodyguard.
He knew that if he followed he would only be hindered so he couldn’t help but regret it.
* * *
-Pot! Pot!
Ryu Sowol crossed through her bushes and unleashed her light attack with a lively new form.
‘Everyone is coming.’
In a place full of numerous mountain peaks there is a particularly special place.
This mountain peak where she had a place she regarded as her treasure was the highest and had the most beautiful scenery.
I discovered it by chance three years ago and I go there every year when I come here.
The circumstances of how she came to find this place were also funny.
Like today after she lost in a competition she couldn’t get over the disappointed look in her father’s eyes and left the scene.
In order to escape the guard Daeju and the guard warriors sent by her father Gaju Liu Kang she ran non-stop for several ri until she reached that point.
There she was mesmerized by the red sky and sunset.
Is there anything more mysterious and beautiful in the world?
For the first time she comforted her weary and broken heart.
After her mother brother and uncle died of illness her father raised her strictly and sometimes did not hesitate to say hurtful things.
-The person who will become the next head of the family is no longer a woman.
-Do you think you would have been in that position if your brother had been alive?
-If you drink soju behave like soju.
Thanks to that she grew up differently from other girls.
She was as tall as a maid but the wounds inside her were festering.
However when she was having a hard time after seeing that scene she found comfort in her heart and made excuse after excuse to visit that mountain peak whenever she felt frustrated.
[soju!]
From afar the voice of Hwa-yeon the head guard echoed.
Every time she ran away she was chased so her light attack skills definitely improved compared to before.
She had to hurry up and climb to the mountain peak or she might be caught up.
-Pot! Pot!
She climbed the steep cliff of the mountain peak.
It was quite difficult for her at first but she came so often that she was so used to it that she felt like she could go with her eyes closed.
She was excited that it wouldn’t be long until the sun set.
So overwhelmed with anticipation she climbed to the top of the mountain and tried to let out a small exclamation.
‘!?’
She couldn’t do it.
That was because standing behind her a long-haired man with his black robe fluttering was standing on top of the mountain peak that she thought was her own private paradise that no one knew about.
Her face which had been trying to see the sight of her insides soon turned into a look of disappointment.
Who on earth is the author?
Who came first and took the paradise to themselves?
It was a moment of puzzlement.
-Park!
At that moment someone pressed down on her shoulders and threw her down on the floor.
-bang!
[evil!]
Liu Soyue who fell to the floor could not hide her embarrassment.
The force pressing down on her shoulders was so strong that she could not move even though she instinctively increased her strength.
[profit!]
[Stay still.]
[Let go… Let go!]
Liu Soyue tried her best to fight against her but she was eventually forced to give in to her strong strength as if she was being crushed by a huge stone.
But then her man who was looking back at the scenery she thought of as her own paradise soon turned his head and approached her.
[ah….]
The moment she saw her man’s face she let out an involuntary gasp.
Even though she had black hair and skin like his own she had a strangely exotic and beautiful face.
Could a man be this beautiful?
No matter how uninterested she was in appearance she couldn’t help but be surprised.
Her man who was staring at her like that opened her mouth.
[Is it female?]
[Yes I think so. la…]
-Sigh!
At that time a man covered in black raised his hand and stopped what she was saying.
Then he waved his hand as if he was not interested and said.
[Kill him and throw it away.]
[I accept orders.]
-closely!
With those words the person who pressed Liu Xiaoyue’s shoulder tried to apply even more force.
She was understandably scared but strangely this situation made her feel strong and she screamed.
[female? You talk so shit. Fuck you male bastard.]
[….]
The man who was about to turn away from her stopped as if her interest had disappeared.
Then the person who was pressing her shoulders became embarrassed and applied more force raising her voice.
[How dare you be insignificant….]
[Quiet.]
[Ha haona….]
[Just leave it alone.]
[yes?]
[I told them to leave me alone.]
[….]
As a result the person who tried to crush Liu Sowol’s shoulder soon relaxed her strength and let go of her hand.
Then she hurriedly stood up and pulled out the sword from her waist.
Either way her man raised the corner of his mouth and said.
[She is an interesting female.]
‘also!’
When he called her a female again she got angry and without hesitation she opened her sword towards the man.
It was the fastest sword ceremony of the month.
-Pot!
At that moment something unbelievable happened.
-widely!
‘!?’
Her man had casually grabbed the sharp sword she was showing off with his two fingers.
[You know how to use quite a bit of force. female.]
[All…what are you?]
To her surprised question the man answered in an arrogant voice.
[I am the one who will be your master.]
The words surprised her for a moment and she said dumbfounded.
[You are truly crazy.]
< Episode 99: That Day (1) > end
ⓒ Hanzhongwolya
