Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 190

190. The Blue Wolf of the Northern Sea

“Disappeared?”

The Ice Emperor’s eyebrow furrowed.

“Do you mean it was stolen?”

Un-hyun shook his head.

“That is not the case.”

Un-hyun said, looking directly at the Ice Emperor.

“I do not know what happened, but it has disappeared.”

“……Hmm.”

The Ice Emperor let out a low groan, frowning as he stared at the hilt of Nakil, which was all that remained.

The Ice Empress’s eyes trembled slightly, and the Young Palace Lord bit her lip with a frozen expression.

Un-hyun braced himself for the worst.

‘There’s no helping it.’

The sword of Nakil, which was like the symbol of the Northern Sea, had lost its blade.

Un-hyun had no choice but to prepare for the rage of the Ice Emperor—no, the Northern Sea—which would soon erupt.

Swish.

The Ice Emperor reached out and picked up the hilt of Nakil.

After lightly examining the hilt, the Ice Emperor stared blankly at the part where the blade should have been.

And then he looked at Un-hyun.

“If this isn’t some kind of joke, would you mind telling me more details?”

The Ice Emperor’s voice was surprisingly calm.

The Ice Empress and the Young Palace Lord wore surprised expressions, and Un-hyun nodded.

“I was traveling here to the Northern Sea with the Young Palace Lord. Then one day, during training, suddenly…….”

Un-hyun paused for a moment.

Because what he was about to say sounded absurd even to himself.

But he had no choice but to speak.

“Light shone from Nakil… and then it disappeared.”

“Light?”

The Ice Emperor frowned.

He looked back at the Young Palace Lord as if to confirm Un-hyun’s words.

The Young Palace Lord bowed her head.

“Yes, I saw it too.”

How could she forget?

The event of that dawn had even made Ice Crystal, the first of the Twelve Ice Flowers of the Northern Sea, tremble with chills.

“It was a very bright light. But I never imagined that Nakil would end up like this at that time…”

The Young Palace Lord could not finish her words and bit her lip.

“Light, you say.”

The Ice Emperor closed his eyes tightly.

And after a while, the Ice Emperor opened his eyes.

“Was there any change in Nakil before that, perhaps?”

“Before that?”

“Before Nakil’s blade disappeared into the light.”

Un-hyun hesitated for a moment.

He knew that it was an absurd story himself, but what was there to hide now?

“I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it seemed like… the color of the blade was changing.”

The Ice Emperor’s eyes flashed with a different light.

“Changed?”

“Yes. At first, it was a deep blue like deep water, and then it turned completely transparent.”

The Ice Emperor’s eyes changed complexly as he listened to Un-hyun’s words.

“And then it disappeared completely into the light?”

“Yes.”

Un-hyun nodded obediently.

The Ice Emperor let out a low groan and closed his eyes.

The thick wrinkles between his eyebrows clearly showed his agony.

Meanwhile, Un-hyun glanced at the Young Palace Lord.

‘Ugh.’

As expected, the Young Palace Lord was staring at Un-hyun with fierce eyes.

Perhaps she was asking why he hadn’t told her first.

Because if it was her, who was intelligent, she might have thought of another way.

But Un-hyun didn’t want to do that.

Nakil symbolizes the oath between Sword Saint and Ice Emperor.

If so, he should have informed the Ice Emperor before anyone else.

Swish.

Un-hyun turned his head and looked at the Ice Empress.

The Ice Empress was looking down at the empty hilt of Nakil, unable to hide her complex emotions.

It was then.

“Hoo.”

The Ice Emperor’s long sigh flowed out.

The Ice Emperor, who opened his eyes, put the hilt of Nakil back on the table.

Tak.

The hilt of Nakil stood upside down on the table.

It was in a shape that would have been stuck in the table if there had been a blade.

“……If this is fate, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

The Ice Emperor muttered to himself as he looked at the hilt of Nakil.

And he slowly turned to Un-hyun.

His gaze was surprisingly gentle.

‘Huh?’

Un-hyun was slightly embarrassed, but the Ice Emperor opened his mouth.

“I heard that you saved my life… No, never mind.”

The Ice Emperor, who was about to ask something, spoke again.

“I heard that you saved my life. Is that so?”

Un-hyun bowed his head.

“I didn’t do it alone. I just helped the Twelve Ice Flowers of the Northern Sea and the Young Palace Lord.”

Even as he answered, Un-hyun felt that the Ice Emperor’s atmosphere had changed.

Why was the Ice Emperor suddenly being so friendly?

Un-hyun, who had been bracing himself for extreme anger, was relieved but couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

“There’s no need to be humble.”

The Ice Emperor said with a smile.

“If it weren’t for you, it would have been difficult for me, the Twelve Ice Flowers of the Northern Sea, and the Third Palace Lord to survive. The Ice Empress’s situation would have become very difficult as well.”

His voice was very gentle and soft.

As if he had completely forgotten about Nakil, the Ice Emperor’s face was filled with a constant gentle smile.

It was a completely unexpected situation for Un-hyun, who was still concerned about the hilt of Nakil standing on the table.

“Although it was just following the oath, that is also a virtue of a true warrior, so I cannot just pass by without giving anything to you, who saved the Ice Emperor’s life. So, what about this?”

The Ice Emperor said, looking at Un-hyun with a pleased smile.

“Would you like to become a friend of the Northern Sea?”

“Yes?”

Un-hyun asked back.

A friend of the Northern Sea—it was the first time he had heard of it.

The Ice Emperor stroked his beard and continued.

“In your words, it would probably be an honorary Elder or an honorary Protector. Ah, of course, it’s just a title with no real power…”

Un-hyun couldn’t follow the Ice Emperor’s words at all.

But the Ice Emperor said with a smile.

“But the name ‘Blue Wolf of the Northern Sea’ is by no means small.”

‘Blue Wolf?’

Un-hyun didn’t know what that meant.

But he could quickly tell that the weight of that title would be unusual.

Not only were the Ice Empress’s eyes shaking violently, but the Young Palace Lord’s expression was completely filled with astonishment.

“I’ll say it again, there are no practical powers at all. There are a few privileges to avoid cumbersome procedures, but they are not that great.”

Un-hyun could roughly understand the Ice Emperor’s words.

There are positions everywhere that are respected by people even though they have no real power.

What the Ice Emperor was proposing now was probably such a title.

‘But…….’

Even if it’s just a title, if it’s an Elder or a Protector, it’s the highest position.

It was an honor that Un-hyun didn’t deserve.

“Thank you for your words. But…….”

Un-hyun was about to decline.

He had helped the Ice Emperor’s treatment, but he shouldn’t accept such an excessive title.

But at that moment, Un-hyun realized the Young Palace Lord’s blazing gaze.

‘Ugh!’

There was no voice.

But the Young Palace Lord’s sharp voice, ‘Are you crazy?’ seemed to ring in his ears.

“Ah, come to think of it, I should say this too.”

The Ice Emperor continued with a relaxed expression.

“If you become a wise Blue Wolf from the boundary between heaven and earth, the relationship between the Northern Sea and the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance] will also change greatly.”

Un-hyun’s eyes widened.

That was another task that Un-hyun had.

The task that Shinseung Bulyeong had entrusted to him: ‘Let the people of the Northern Sea live well in the Northern Sea.’

As if reading Un-hyun’s inner thoughts, the Ice Emperor said with a smile.

“No one in the Northern Sea would agree to take advantage of a friend’s difficulties to benefit themselves.”

Even a title with only a name can have a big impact.

That is justification.

Because there is no real power, the justification becomes even clearer.

Even if that justification is often buried in realistic interests.

Un-hyun wanted to nod his head right away.

But the reason why he couldn’t do that was because conscience was still alive in Un-hyun’s heart.

“About Nakil, are you okay with it?”

The Ice Emperor’s expression changed slightly.

But it was only for a moment, and the Ice Emperor said in a calm voice.

“If it’s something the Blue Wolf did, no one will be able to object.”

The Ice Emperor paused for a moment.

“But there are still many people in the Northern Sea who want to compete with Sword Saint [a legendary swordsman] in martial arts. You will have to solve that problem yourself.”

That was something he had already prepared for.

Besides, if it’s a martial arts competition, as long as it’s not a life-or-death battle, it’s what Un-hyun wants.

“I understand.”

Un-hyun said.

The Ice Emperor nodded as if he knew it, and the Young Palace Lord was about to let out a sigh of relief when Un-hyun suddenly asked.

“Ah, by the way.”

Un-hyun asked with a serious expression.

“I would like to know if there are any special obligations attached to accepting that name.”

The Ice Emperor, who was looking at Un-hyun, chuckled.

“There’s nothing.”

The Ice Emperor replied with a comfortable expression.

“Just one thing: the Blue Wolf is the eternal friend of the Northern Sea.”

He couldn’t believe those words as they were.

Because the word ‘friend’ contains so many meanings.

But it was also clear that there was no reason to refuse.

Un-hyun, who had made up his mind, gathered his hands.

Swish.

Un-hyun said, politely paying his respects to the Ice Emperor.

“Although it is presumptuous, I will gratefully accept that name.”

Sarak.

The Ice Emperor, who had been sitting on the bed, stood up.

The Ice Empress and the Young Palace Lord tried to support him, but the Ice Emperor refused by reaching out his hand.

The Ice Emperor, who stood up on his own feet, slowly bowed his head to Un-hyun.

“Thank you. Blue Wolf of the Northern Sea.”

For some reason, that voice resonated greatly in Un-hyun’s heart.

How could it not?

The Ice Emperor, who rules the Northern Sea, was paying his respects.

The meaning could not be small.

Un-hyun bowed his head even deeper.

And when Un-hyun raised his head, the Ice Emperor was looking at Un-hyun with a gentle smile.

“I would like to talk to you more, but I think we should stop here today.”

Even his tone had changed to a friendly one.

The Ice Emperor turned to the Young Palace Lord and said.

“Have the Third Palace Lord escort you to your lodgings.”

The Young Palace Lord bowed her head and obeyed the Ice Emperor’s order.

Sabak.

She approached Un-hyun and said.

“Blue Wolf, please follow me.”

It was a very unfamiliar tone.

Her gaze, which was always sharp, was docile, and her voice, which felt distant, was also like that.

More than anything, what was she guiding him to?

He already knew where the lodgings were.

Un-hyun looked at the Ice Emperor.

“That, this Nakil is…….”

The Ice Emperor said, reaching out one hand.

“Of course, it’s yours. Blue Wolf.”

“Thank you.”

Un-hyun, who paid his respects, matched the hilt of Nakil with the scabbard again and wrapped it in cloth.

And he followed the Young Palace Lord and left the Ice Emperor’s room.

Sarak.

The curtain was lowered, and the figures of Un-hyun and the Young Palace Lord disappeared.

The Ice Empress, who was looking at the backs of the two, turned to the Ice Emperor.

“Blue Wolf.”

The Ice Empress asked, unable to hide her tension.

“Isn’t that a title that only one person has had so far? The one in the legend…….”

“I know.”

The Ice Emperor said.

And that was all.

The Ice Empress, realizing that the Ice Emperor would not say anything more, asked again.

“What does it mean that Nakil’s blade disappeared into the light?”

The Ice Emperor let out a long sigh.

After a moment of silence, the Ice Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“Do you know that there is a Ten Thousand Year Ice Crystal deep in this place—no, this land?”

“I know.”

The Ice Empress replied.

“It is the power that supports the Ice Palace and a sacred object that has been protecting this land since ancient times. But in reality, it only helps the successive Ice Emperors with their training, and isn’t its symbolic meaning stronger?”

The Ice Emperor chuckled.

“You are still young. When you get old like me, you become more obsessed with that symbolic meaning.”

“Oh my, thank you for the compliment.”

The Ice Empress said without even a hint of a smile.

“So?”