Chapter 30
“Hah!”
Once again, I had the same nightmare as yesterday.
Jeok I-geon, covered in blood, slaughtering martial artists in the middle of a blood-soaked forest.
His laughter grew louder with each body added to the pile.
Since witnessing Jeok I-geon’s first kill two days ago, falling asleep had been nearly impossible.
I didn’t even hope for restful sleep anymore.
I just wanted to escape from these blood-soaked nightmares.
I shouldn’t have watched it.
Even though I knew it was too late, I regretted every moment of keeping my eyes open.
What made these days even harder was the need to hide my true feelings and act like everything was fine.
In the original story, there were characters who reacted with nausea or seizures after witnessing Jeok I-geon’s cruelty.
Naturally, Jeok I-geon found such reactions displeasing, and most of them met unfortunate ends.
For the sake of my survival, and to ensure I could return home safely, I was pretending to be fine.
But no matter how hard I tried, it wasn’t easy to deceive Jeok I-geon and Cheon Gang.
“Have you lost your appetite?”
When I started eating less and only picking at my food, Jeok I-geon gave me a curious look.
It was because scenes of heads splitting open replayed over and over in my mind, robbing me of my appetite.
But, of course, I couldn’t tell him that, so I excused it by saying I felt a bit fatigued from the long journey.
At that, Cheon Gang raised his hand and called for a server.
“We’ll order something else.”
“A nourishing dish would be best.”
No, please.
Even if spicy rice cakes with fish cake broth were served, I wouldn’t be able to eat.
Even fried chicken with beer wouldn’t go down right now.
As much as I missed my favorite foods, they were useless to me in this state.
But, as a mere maid, I didn’t have the luxury of refusing.
Soon, some kind of soup was placed on the table.
Oh no.
Why did it have to have a red broth?
I barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit through sheer mental willpower. The moment the meal ended, I practically fled to my room.
I didn’t know how long it would take, but I needed time.
Isn’t it said that humans are creatures of forgetfulness?
Surely, the day would come when the memories would fade.
Until then, I had no choice but to endure.
“Maybe I’ll get some fresh air.”
Sweat drenched my body, leaving me feeling sticky.
It would have been great to take a shower, but unfortunately, it was the middle of the night.
I climbed out of bed and flung the window wide open.
“Ah, that feels nice.”
The night air was quite chilly.
Since sleep was out of the question, I decided to practice Qi Circulation.
To maintain my physical condition, I was compensating for poor sleep quality with internal energy cultivation techniques.
Most of my days were spent running with Demonic Phoenix Sky Art, eating and resting at inns by night.
Keeping up with Jeok I-geon and Cheon Gang required me to stay sharp.
Jeok I-geon was inherently cruel.
Just because he occasionally acted kind toward me didn’t mean I could forget that fact.
I repeated this reminder to myself like a mantra, trying to push the memories out of my mind.
As I was deep in meditation, concentrating on Qi Circulation, an unfamiliar presence pricked at my senses.
They’re really here!
I couldn’t believe it.
Someone had actually come looking for me.
Detecting a subtle presence approaching through the open window, I felt an odd mix of excitement and relief.
I wanted to shout in joy but held back.
If I made any noise, Cheon Gang, who was likely sleeping across the hall, would burst in and break down the door.
That was the last thing I wanted.
I wanted to save this person.
Thank goodness Jeok I-geon had left to tame Heaven-Splitting Divine Sword in the nearby mountains at night.
The visitor probably knew this and had chosen now to act.
Come on in, my adorable lovebird.
I dragged a chair to the center of the room, sitting directly across from the window.
Waving at someone sneaking in to steal Rainbow Bracelet? If it were any ordinary thief, they’d have bolted immediately.
But if my understanding of this character was correct, he’d find me intriguing instead.
After all, he was someone who prided himself on his exceptional Lightness Techniques.
“…!”
Finally, he appeared.
He lightly vaulted over the windowsill and landed gracefully inside the room. The moment he spotted me, he froze like a statue.
I raised a hand and waved at him.
“Hello?”
“…”
“I didn’t mean to startle you. If I did, I’m sorry.”
“…Were you expecting me?”
As I had predicted, he didn’t flee.
Though momentarily flustered, he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, acting as if he had everything under control.
The nonchalant demeanor was unmistakably that of Yeon Woo-seong.
“Did I give myself away?”
“You gave yourself away plenty. You’ve been following me since the Black Market.”
That was a lie.
Up until just moments ago, I wasn’t sure whether Yeon Woo-seong would actually come after me or not.
His stealth skills were among the top tier in the original story.
“Wow, this is humiliating. It’s the first time I’ve been caught tailing someone.”
“This is about this, isn’t it?”
I raised the arm wearing the Rainbow Bracelet, and Yeon Woo-seong scratched his forehead awkwardly before asking.
“This doesn’t make sense, but I get the feeling you even know who I am?”
“Yeon Woo-seong. Nineteen years old this year. Young Master of the Yeon Family of Akyang. You need the bracelet because you fell for Tang Hye-woon at first sight during the Future Generation Gathering. You didn’t bring nearly enough money, did you? Shall I go on?”
As I continued speaking, Yeon Woo-seong’s expression grew increasingly stiff.
“Who are you?”
He roughly tore off the black cloth covering his lower face and glared at me.
“Well, how should I explain myself? If I tried, it’d be too long and complicated.”
“Which sect are you from? I don’t recall seeing you at the Future Generation Gathering.”
“Of course not. I’ve never been there.”
“Then how do you know so much about me? The fact that I like Miss Tang is an absolute secret. Don’t tell me… you’ve been stalking me because you’re in love with me…!”
“Let’s not get carried away. You’re misunderstanding the intentions of someone trying to help you get closer to Tang Hye-woon.”
“…Are you saying you know Miss Tang?”
“How else would I know about you? I learned it from Hye-woon.”
“Miss Tang talked about me? Could you tell me what she said?”
The moment I mentioned knowing Tang Hye-woon, his tone changed entirely.
So blinded by love. It was like he’d believe anything I said without question.
“I don’t know about anything else, but there’s one thing I can tell you. A bracelet like this won’t win her heart. She’s not the type to accept something so easily, is she?”
And that was true.
In the original story, Yeon Woo-seong succeeded in obtaining the Rainbow Bracelet, but he never gave it to Tang Hye-woon.
In fact, his attempts to win her over with expensive gifts only made her dislike him more.
Though he later became a hero known for saving countless lives, at this point, Yeon Woo-seong was an inexperienced boy with more heart than skill.
In the end, his love went unfulfilled.
But did that mean Tang Hye-woon disliked him?
Not at all.
As Yeon Woo-seong’s fame rose, the Tang Family’s status plummeted, to the point where they were on the verge of being expelled from the Five Great Families.
In short, as the daughter of a failing family, she couldn’t afford to desire the son of a thriving one.
Thus, the Rainbow Bracelet naturally became Yeon Woo-seong’s possession, allowing him to grow into a formidable martial artist at a young age.
However, as you know, the bracelet now belonged to me.
While Yeon Woo-seong could still train in his family’s martial arts to become a great martial artist, it wouldn’t happen as quickly as in the original timeline.
So, feeling a little guilty, I decided to help in another way.
“Take this.”
I handed Yeon Woo-seong a note I had prepared earlier in the day.
“What is this?”
“Read it. It’ll help you understand Hye-woon better.”
“…You’re saying this is about Miss Tang?”
“Believe it or not, I want you and Hye-woon to work out. It’s an honor to help in this way. I can assure you this note will be more useful than the bracelet.”
Yeon Woo-seong hastily unfolded the note.
As he read, his eyes grew wider and wider in astonishment.
And why wouldn’t they?
The note detailed Tang Hye-woon’s personality, values, favorite places, and interests in remarkable detail.
If Yeon Woo-seong wasn’t a fool, he could use this information to create opportunities to connect with her.
If he was lucky, love might even blossom.
“What is your name?”
So quick to ask.
“Seol-ha. My name is Seol-ha.”
We weren’t likely to meet again, so I figured it was fine to give him my name.
“Please don’t mention me to Hye-woon. I’d rather avoid any unnecessary trouble.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Then, could you leave now, Night Visitor? Someone very scary will be back soon.”
I couldn’t afford to drag this out any longer, as Jeok I-geon could return at any moment.
Sensing my urgency, Yeon Woo-seong reluctantly threw himself out the window, still looking back with regret.
For the first time, I had altered the original storyline to suit myself.
Whether this was the right choice or not, I couldn’t say.
But I genuinely hoped Yeon Woo-seong and Tang Hye-woon would find happiness together.
Watching two people harbor feelings for each other but constantly miss the mark was incredibly frustrating.
Sometimes, love just needs a little nudge in the right direction.
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