Chapter 26
“It seems she was very exhausted.”
“She certainly overexerted herself.”
“Still, isn’t it impressive? She just learned Lightness Techniques and managed to keep up all the way here. It seems she’s naturally gifted in martial arts.”
“Talent, huh…”
If it were only that, it would be fortunate, but both Jeok I-geon and Cheon Gang knew it wasn’t just because of talent.
“Have you made any progress on what I asked you to investigate?”
“As I reported earlier, we haven’t discovered anything unusual yet. We also closely monitored the patrons at the noodle shop, but there wasn’t much to uncover.”
“They’ve been running that place for 17 years, haven’t they?”
“Yes, according to merchants in the area, it’s said that an old man started the business with a baby on his back. That baby was, of course, Shin Seol-ha.”
“What about their previous residence?”
“No one seems to know. It’s assumed they lived in some rural village before moving here.”
“So, in summary, her prior whereabouts are unknown?”
“As of now, yes.”
“There’s far too little to go on.”
“If you’re still concerned, why not seek help from Mandok Pyo?”
“My uncle?”
“Yes, with his deep knowledge of medicine, he might be able to identify something we missed.”
In the rush to head to Sichuan, Jeok I-geon hadn’t considered that. Now that he thought about it, it seemed like a good idea, and he nodded.
“Once we return, I’ll visit the Demonic Cult’s Medical Wing first.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go check tomorrow’s plans.”
“Make sure there are no issues.”
“You need not worry.”
Cheon Gang gave his usual reliable response and rose from his seat.
“What are you doing?”
Just as Cheon Gang was about to leave the inn, he unexpectedly approached Shin Seol-ha, causing Jeok I-geon to furrow his brow and rise.
“I was going to carry her to her room. We can’t leave her like this, can we?”
Jeok I-geon, now standing as well, caused Cheon Gang to look at him curiously. He couldn’t comprehend why his master’s mood had suddenly soured.
Having served Jeok I-geon since his youth, Cheon Gang was adept at reading his temperament. But now, he couldn’t make sense of it.
“There’s no need.”
“…?”
“I’ll take care of it. You may leave.”
“You mean you’ll carry her yourself?”
“This isn’t the first time, so why are you so surprised?”
Ah, that’s right. A similar situation had occurred when Jeok I-geon personally carried Shin Seol-ha, who had collapsed while standing guard, to his own bed.
Surely not…
Back then, it seemed like a special circumstance, but today, it felt unsettling.
Cheon Gang’s instincts screamed at him: ‘Don’t lay a hand on her.’
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
“I’ll expect your report in the morning.”
Jeok I-geon’s dismissal sent Cheon Gang scurrying out of the dining hall as if fleeing.
Jeok I-geon, on the other hand, calmed his expression as if nothing had happened, and carried Shin Seol-ha to her room on the fifth floor.
“I wonder if she’ll wake up begging for her life again, saying she’s committed a grave sin.”
Jeok I-geon’s touch was exceptionally gentle as he laid her down on the bed.
“Is she alright internally?”
He had assumed from her eager attitude toward the liquor that she could handle her drinks, but a few cups of Jukyeopcheong had been enough to knock her out completely.
She was a strange girl.
Most maids would clamor for the position of his dedicated attendant, yet Shin Seol-ha treated it as a curse, openly despising the role.
Initially, he found her defiance irritating and watched to see how she’d handle it. To his surprise, she worked harder than any other maid, attending to his needs with near perfection.
When she was captured by the Martial Alliance’s spy and put in danger, he had acted on instinct without thinking.
It was the first time he had ever saved someone.
It was also the first time he felt relief upon confirming someone’s safety.
From then on, he began paying close attention to her.
Her body was riddled with peculiar energy that he couldn’t pinpoint.
He’d been investigating ever since, but no clues had emerged.
There are no coincidences in the martial world.
She must be entangled in something complex, and if he didn’t prepare for it, it could become a major problem in the future.
Much like Jeok Wi-baek.
That useless fool had no talents beyond being born as the eldest son of the Heavenly Demon.
He vividly recalled the day Jeok Wi-baek had leered at Shin Seol-ha with a sly smile. Jeok I-geon had barely restrained himself from gouging out his eyes then and there.
And Yang So-baek?
When he first heard of their engagement, he felt as though his blood was boiling.
The only reason he hadn’t crushed Yang So-baek’s skull as he grinned foolishly in front of him was because Shin Seol-ha had been present.
It was an emotion he couldn’t quite comprehend.
Normally unshaken, he found himself unusually swayed by a girl he had known for only a short time.
It was an inexplicable sense of possessiveness, completely devoid of logic.
I couldn’t bear to see someone else stepping in.
That included even my father.
Though I was grateful for him teaching Demonic Phoenix Sky Art, I had nearly drawn my sword when he suggested taking Shin Seol-ha to Main Heavenly Demon Hall.
I was already ridden with guilt for putting her in danger.
It all started because I had been mesmerized watching her fly through the air, which led to the incident.
However, no matter how much of a mistake I had made, I couldn’t let anyone take her away.
That was the real reason I brought her to Sichuan.
The fear that someone might secretly take her away left me too uneasy to leave her behind.
I had told her it was an opportunity to train in Demonic Phoenix Sky Art, but in truth, that was just an excuse.
What exactly was this feeling?
It wasn’t something I could ask anyone about, nor was it easy to figure out myself.
For now, all I could do was keep her by my side and watch over her.
***
“Haa…”
I woke up with a splitting headache, the kind of pain that felt like my head was being split open.
It had been a long time since I’d experienced a hangover.
“Wa…water…”
I fumbled around blindly, not even able to open my eyes.
I assumed there’d be a glass of water somewhere near my bedside.
At that moment, someone lifted me up and brought a cup to my lips.
In my desperate thirst, I didn’t even care who it was—I just gulped the water down.
Ah, now I felt alive again.
After draining the glass, I slowly opened my eyes.
“…?”
The first thing I saw was someone’s annoyingly perfect features.
It took me a moment to process reality, probably because my brain was buffering from the hangover, but I soon recognized the person.
Jeok I-geon!
Sometimes, when you’re too shocked, you freeze like a statue.
That was me, right now.
Unbothered by my reaction, Jeok I-geon asked with surprising gentleness.
“Do you want another glass of water?”
“Gasp!”
Oh no, oh no, oh no!
That’s when I realized, all over again, that the person who had just given me water was Jeok I-geon himself.
As if that wasn’t enough to make my heart want to burst, what made it worse was that I was still in Jeok I-geon’s arms.
I remembered passing out after taking shots of Jukyeopcheong.
But how had it come to this?
Surely, he had his own room—so why was he in mine?
Part of me wanted to demand, “Isn’t this way too rude to a lady?” but I wasn’t exactly in a position to do so.
“I-I’ve committed a grave sin! Please, just spare my life!”
“Hm, as I thought.”
“…Excuse me?”
As I scrambled off the bed to kneel and apologize, Jeok I-geon made some cryptic remark.
Ugh, my stomach!
Even in this situation, I couldn’t ignore the burning sensation in my stomach.
I must’ve had way too much on an empty stomach.
I swore to myself I’d never touch Jukyeopcheong again.
Cursing all the martial arts novels I’d read that glorified alcohol, I clutched my aching stomach.
“I’ll teach you how to dispel alcohol poisoning.”
Jeok I-geon’s words immediately piqued my interest.
“Once you learn this, you won’t pass out like today again.”
“…Should I sit in the lotus position?”
I couldn’t let this chance slip by. I cautiously took a seat on the floor, stealing a glance at him for approval.
In the world of martial arts, masters could purge alcohol from their systems using their internal energy.
I had always been envious of their ability to avoid hangovers, but I never thought I’d get to experience it myself.
You really never know what life has in store for you.
“Start with One Cycle of Qi Circulation.”
At Jeok I-geon’s instruction, I began circulating my internal energy.
It didn’t take long for me to notice something odd.
“Do you feel anything different?”
“Yes, it seems there’s something impure mixed in.”
“That is the alcohol’s toxins. There are two ways to handle it.”
As expected of Jeok I-geon!
“First, you can gather the toxins and push them toward one spot—usually the pinky finger.”
And then?
Since I couldn’t speak while circulating my energy, I blinked to show I was listening.
“You can then cut the fingertip to let the toxins flow out of your body.”
Using a blade just to sober up seemed a bit… excessive.
“The second method is to burn it off.”
Burn it off?
I didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Couldn’t he be a bit clearer with his explanations?
Though I silently grumbled in my head, I tried my best to follow his instructions.
Using my pure internal energy, I encased the impurities.
The toxins seemed to struggle, trying to escape, but when I applied more force, they burst and turned into vapor, like steam.
Though I couldn’t see it with my eyes closed, I could feel the vapor escaping through my skin.
Ah, so that’s what he meant by “burn it off.”
Amazingly, in just a short time, my headache was gone, and my body felt significantly lighter.
But then… what was that smell?
A strong stench of stale alcohol began to waft through the air.
Don’t tell me… was that coming from me?
Had I just subjected Jeok I-geon to this terrible smell?
If I could, I’d have passed out all over again, just to escape the embarrassment.
—
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