A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 180

180. The Issue of Trust (2)

Squeak.

Frost crackled beneath Sword Demon’s white feet.

“Gwihee!”

The first to react was Janggang Fishing Master. He widened his wrinkled eyes and jumped up from his seat.

“How did you get here…?”

“Not Gwihee, but Sword Demon.”

Old Man No casually tossed the words out.

“And it’s all over, so don’t get excited now and sit down.”

“Over?”

Fishing Master frowned and looked back at Old Man No.

“Sword Demon crashed the Twelve Stars Assembly. She turned it upside down quite spectacularly. Thanks to her, some guys showed an unsightly side.”

Old Man No chuckled.

“The Assembly?”

Janggang Fishing Master’s eyes gleamed.

He was well aware of the Ye Won Twelve Stars Assembly. Surely, the experts from the Outer Palace were also there.

“So, what happened?”

“What do you think happened?”

Old Man No grinned.

“Bin showed his skills properly. Didn’t you say it? ‘One who walks the path of No Boundaries’.”

“Then…”

Fishing Master’s face brightened.

“Yeah. Everyone will be quiet for a while. Heh heh.”

Old Man No also chuckled. Then, he suddenly frowned.

“Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, isn’t it because you spread strange rumors that Bin ended up like this?”

“Heh heh. It’s not exactly thanks to me, but it turned out that way.”

Fishing Master stroked his beard with a satisfied look. Old Man No frowned.

“I’m not praising you, okay? Why are you throwing around other people’s names so carelessly…? No, I’ll deal with that later.”

Old Man No turned his head and looked at Sword Demon, who was still standing at the door.

Her jet-black hair was still long, and she held a sword in her arms. She was still barefoot on the frost, but unlike before, the chill was not as strong.

“So, you’re not coming in?”

Old Man No asked.

“Because Bin told you not to come near?”

Sword Demon didn’t answer, keeping her head turned. Her appearance was like a childish kid, so Old Man No let out a burst of laughter.

“Then why were you loitering around here? If he told you not to come, you should go, right?”

“I never told her to leave… either.”

At Sword Demon’s nonchalant words, Old Man No said with a teasing expression.

“Oops, what if Bin really tells you to leave if you say that?”

Sword Demon’s shoulders twitched ever so slightly. She slowly turned her head to look at Sohn Bin, at him sitting on the bed, looking at her.

“Are you going to tell me to leave?”

Sohn Bin gave an awkward smile. Even though Old Man No just threw the words out like a joke, Sword Demon’s eyes were utterly serious.

“If Master Sohn tells you to leave.”

Suddenly, Dang Wora said quietly. Her voice was still small and calm.

“What will you do?”

“Then.”

Sword Demon’s answer was without the slightest hesitation. She lifted her eyes.

“I’ll have no choice but to risk my life and cross swords once more.”

Rustle, rustle.

Frost began to spread from beneath her feet. Sword Demon’s eyes were shining like they did at the banquet hall.

“He is the only one who can perfect my sword. Leaving him is the same as death to me.”

Her white hand rested on the hilt of her sword, Ice Sword.

“Then I’d rather bet everything on the last possibility.”

Crack.

The door frame around Sword Demon began to freeze in an instant. Cold frost was rushing into the room without hesitation.

“If you show hostility so carelessly,”

Sohn Bin’s voice echoed quietly. With it, the spreading frost immediately stopped.

“I will really tell you to leave.”

Sword Demon looked at Sohn Bin. His gaze towards her was utterly firm. It felt like the word ‘leave’ would fall from his mouth right now.

“If I don’t show hostility,”

Sword Demon asked in a small voice.

“You won’t tell me to leave?”

Sohn Bin gave a bitter smile. He had no choice. It was like dealing with a child who knew nothing.

“Yes.”

Sohn Bin said, nodding his head.

Rustle.

The frost that had been spreading into the room instantly lost its power.

“And I have never told you not to come near me.”

At Sohn Bin’s bitter voice, Sword Demon tilted her head.

“But, you said you didn’t like it?”

Sohn Bin sighed softly. That was rejecting her proposal, not literally telling her not to come near him.

But it seemed very difficult to make her understand that accurately. It didn’t really matter either.

“Why did you tell that child to come here?”

Suddenly, Shin-Ui asked. He was frowning as he looked at Sword Demon. The answer came not from Old Man No, but from Sa Su-yeon.

“Because she has the same cold energy as me.”

Sa Su-yeon said in a quiet voice. Shin-Ui asked back with a puzzled expression.

“She has the same cold energy as you?”

“To be exact, I should say that I have her cold energy.”

Sa Su-yeon’s eyes looking at Sword Demon were complicated.

She was no longer bound by Sword Demon. Because a more precious meaning had arisen for Sa Su-yeon as well.

But even the remnants of emotion had not completely disappeared, just like the scar on her chest was still there.

“Then that child…”

Shin-Ui’s eyebrows twitched. Sa Su-yeon nodded her head quietly.

“Hmm.”

Shin-Ui frowned and stared intently at Sword Demon. And with a light gesture, he made her come closer.

After hesitating for a moment, Sword Demon quietly entered the room.

Rustle, rustle.

Frost formed and disappeared wherever her white bare feet touched.

“Let’s check your pulse.”

Sword Demon tilted her head. She probably didn’t understand Shin-Ui’s words.

“Put your hand here.”

At Shin-Ui’s words, Sword Demon held out her hand. Her white wrist was no different from any other young lady’s.

“Hmm.”

Shin-Ui frowned as he tried to check her pulse. Cold frost quickly spread to his hand that touched Sword Demon.

But that was only for a moment. The cold energy that was piercing Shin-Ui’s hand quickly disappeared.

“Can you control the cold energy as you wish?”

“To some extent.”

“Hmm.”

Shin-Ui checked Sword Demon’s pulse for a while. And after a while, he let go of Sword Demon’s hand and shook his head.

“Really… this is really unbelievable. How could this…”

“Why?”

Old Man No asked, throwing the word out. But Shin-Ui couldn’t answer.

He was lost in thought for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

“Anyway… this child and Yeon-a’s cold energy are fundamentally the same. These two people can carry out the Great Method [a complex medical procedure] without any problems.”

Shin-Ui looked straight at Sword Demon.

“I don’t know what happened between you and Yeon-a. I don’t care about the affairs or grudges of the martial world in the first place. But I am a doctor, and this is a matter of life and death.”

Shin-Ui’s eyes, as he spoke, were not at all suppressed by Sword Demon’s cold gaze.

“Tell me. Will you help me save Bin?”

“Yes.”

Sword Demon answered without the slightest hesitation.

“How can we believe you?”

A quiet woman’s voice echoed. It was Dang Wora’s voice.

“This is a matter of Master Sohn’s life. How can we believe that your words are true?”

Her point was valid. It was a Great Method involving Sohn Bin’s life. Could they readily trust Sword Demon’s words?

“If I show you,”

Sword Demon said in a calm voice.

“That I can kill all of you in this place, will you believe me?”

For a moment, the group flinched. She may look like a slightly unique young lady, but in fact, Sword Demon was the one who defeated Buddhist Monk Bulkwang and Buddhist Nun Beobheo in an instant.

Considering her martial prowess that she showed against Sohn Bin, it was difficult to guarantee superiority even with the group here. So her words were by no means a bluff.

“This is not hostility.”

Sword Demon turned her head and said to Sohn Bin.

“I’m just stating the facts.”

“That’s right. Sword Demon is right.”

Jeok Se-hwa’s small voice echoed.

“You could have killed us and taken Master Sohn away. So I understand that you want us to accept your offer to help as it is. But as Dang Wora said, this is a matter of Master Sohn’s life.”

Jeok Se-hwa said, looking straight at Sword Demon.

“How can we believe that you truly want to save Master Sohn?”

A moment of silence flowed.

“Then.”

Clang.

With a quiet voice, Sword Demon’s Ice Sword slowly revealed its form. Janggang Fishing Master’s complexion changed in an instant, and Old Man No’s face also hardened.

Whoosh.

The revealed Ice Sword spun in place. Sword Demon grabbed the cut-off blade of the Ice Sword and held out its hilt towards Sa Su-yeon.

“Stab my chest.”

Sword Demon’s eyes, as she spoke to Sa Su-yeon, did not waver in the slightest.

“I can endure for half an hour, no, an hour or so. After you heal Bin, heal me. Will that be enough?”

It was truly a proof that risked her own life. If the Great Method could not be completed safely, Sword Demon would also die.

Hwa-wol’s complexion, who was listening, changed. Jeok Se-hwa’s face also changed color, and even Janggang Fishing Master frowned.

However, Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wora’s expressions did not change at all.

“I won’t do it.”

Sa Su-yeon said.

“Why? You need something you can trust, right?”

“Master Sohn is not the kind of person who wants that.”

“Su-yeon is right.”

Sohn Bin said in a quiet voice.

“I don’t need that.”

All eyes turned to Sohn Bin, but Sohn Bin turned his head towards Shin-Ui.

“Shin-Ui. Is Sword Demon absolutely necessary for the Great Method?”

Shin-Ui frowned.

“I can’t say absolutely. But if this child and Yeon-a are together, it will be more certain.”

“I see.”

Sohn Bin bowed his head towards Sa Su-yeon and Sword Demon.

“I’m sorry, but I’d like to ask for your help.”

Sa Su-yeon sighed. But since Sohn Bin had decided, she couldn’t say anything more. Considering his personality, she already knew this would happen.

“You’ll trust me?”

Sword Demon, on the contrary, looked at Sohn Bin with sparkling eyes. It was like the eyes of a child looking at something amazing.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because you said you would.”

“Just with that?”

Sohn Bin smiled.

“There may be differences in degree, but in the end, trust is like that.”

Sword Demon said nothing. But somehow her eyes seemed to be shaking a little.

Clang.

Sword Demon’s Ice Sword disappeared into its sheath.

“You’re a strange person.”

Sword Demon’s voice was calm. Sohn Bin gave a bitter smile.

“You, you called Master Sohn ‘Bin’ just now, right?”

At Dang Wora’s voice, Sword Demon turned her head. As she said, Sword Demon had said ‘After you heal Bin’ a little while ago.

“Who gave you permission to call him that?”

At Dang Wora’s voice, which sounded like she was pressing her, Sword Demon tilted her head.

“Everyone calls him that, right? This person too, and this person too.”

The people Sword Demon pointed to were Old Man No and Shin-Ui.

“We call him Master Sohn. You too…”

“It’s too long, I don’t like it.”

At the firm refusal, Dang Wora looked back at Sohn Bin.

“Then I’ll call him ‘Bin’ too.”

“I already call Bin hyung [older brother],”

Seo-rin, who didn’t know the atmosphere, boasted from the side. Sohn Bin said to Sword Demon.

“Sword Demon, I’m sorry, but would you please call me Master Sohn?”

The title of Master was still embarrassing to him. But not only Dang Wora, but also Sa Su-yeon and Jeok Se-hwa’s eyes were no joke.

At this rate, the whole group would end up calling him Bin.

“Okay.”

She didn’t seem to like it very much, but Sword Demon nodded.

“So, what should I do?”

Sword Demon said.

“This way.”

Shin-Ui first laid Sohn Bin down and made Sword Demon and Sa Su-yeon stand side by side next to Sohn Bin. Shin-Ui said from across the two.

“There are three pressure points to apply shock to.”

The places Shin-Ui pointed to were between the eyebrows, the center of the chest, and below the navel. Any place that could instantly kill a person.

“You take here. And Yeon-a, take this place and this place.”

Sword Demon lightly placed her index and middle fingers between Sohn Bin’s eyebrows.

Sa Su-yeon also placed her fingertips in the center of Sohn Bin’s open chest.

But she couldn’t easily touch her lower abdomen, even though it was over her clothes.

It was a young lady’s natural shyness, but Shin-Ui seemed to have misunderstood the sight.

“I know you’re worried because it’s a pressure point, but it’s still necessary.”

In general, martial artists protected their dantian [energy center] like their lives. Touching the opponent’s pressure points was also naturally a taboo among taboos.

“Or to this child…”

As Shin-Ui tried to turn his gaze to Sword Demon, Sa Su-yeon said urgently.

“No, it’s okay.”

Sa Su-yeon placed her finger on Sohn Bin’s lower abdomen.

But because she was in a hurry, she doubted whether she had properly pointed out the pressure point. Sa Su-yeon moved her finger slightly.

“Hmm.”

She felt Sohn Bin flinch through his clothes. Sa Su-yeon’s face turned red, but she quickly calmed her mind.

“The pressure points must not be misaligned, and it must not be too strong or too weak, and the shock must be applied simultaneously.”

Shin-Ui gave the two a cautious warning and said to Sword Demon.

“Use your other hand to help Yeon-a’s inner strength.”

Sword Demon placed her hand on Sa Su-yeon’s back. The place where her hand touched was coincidentally the very place where Sa Su-yeon had been stabbed.

Sa Su-yeon flinched for a moment, but immediately Sword Demon’s inner strength began to pour in without hesitation.

Whoosh.

There was no backlash that usually followed when accepting the energy of others. Sword Demon’s energy was perfectly assimilated with Sa Su-yeon’s true energy, to the point where it felt somehow unfair.

“Keep in mind. It must not be too strong, and it must not be too weak.”

“How do I know that?”

Sword Demon asked. It was a natural question, but Shin-Ui closed his eyes.

“I’m ashamed to say this as a doctor, but that judgment is up to you.”

Sword Demon’s eyebrows moved slightly.

“So, you’re saying do it yourself?”

“I know.”

Sa Su-yeon said.

“No, I can know. Definitely.”

If it was the energy of Hyeoncheon’s Art, if it was Sohn Bin’s, she would definitely know. There was not a single doubt in Sa Su-yeon’s eyes.

“Really?”

Sword Demon’s eyes flashed for a moment.

“Then, I’ll match you.”

With that, the story was over. Shin-Ui looked at Sword Demon and Sa Su-yeon once each and bowed his head.

“Are you okay?”

Shin-Ui asked Sohn Bin. Sohn Bin turned his head.

Sohn Bin faced the gazes of Nam Gung-no, Seo-rin, Dang Wora, and Jeok Se-hwa, who were looking at him in turn.

He also faced the gazes of Wonju Hwa-wol, who was uneasy, Janggang Fishing Master, who was frowning, Shin-Ui, who was looking down at him, and Sword Demon, who was calm.

Finally, Sohn Bin looked at Sa Su-yeon.

At her beautiful eyes, shining like when they first met.

“Yes.”

Sohn Bin said.

“I’m okay.”

Now everything depended on Shin-Ui, and Sword Demon and Sa Su-yeon.

“Good.”

Shin-Ui raised his head and looked at Sa Su-yeon and Sword Demon.

“I’ll go on three. One, two.”

His voice had no hesitation or fear.

“Three.”

The moment Shin-Ui’s lips uttered three, a tremendous shock covered Sohn Bin.

Pow.

Along with Sohn Bin’s body convulsing, Sa Su-yeon and Sword Demon’s hands bounced upwards. It was so perfectly simultaneous that even Nam Gung-no could not distinguish it.

“What happened!”

Nam Gung-no’s cry echoed. But instead of answering, Shin-Ui placed his finger on Sohn Bin’s wrist.

Silence flowed. It was only for a moment, but it was a heavy thing that seemed to last forever for those who were waiting.

“It’s done.”

With Shin-Ui’s words, a sigh of relief came out of the group’s mouths at the same time.

“Now I can feel his pulse.”

Sa Su-yeon’s expression was almost tearful.

Overcoming the terrible pressure that Sohn Bin’s life was at stake, she succeeded in recognizing the exact point.

“Woong, but why doesn’t he open his eyes?”

Seo-rin said, whining.

“He will wake up soon.”

Shin-Ui straightened Sohn Bin’s collar and covered him with a light blanket.

Sohn Bin’s face, with his eyes closed, was pale, but his complexion was definitely returning. The group silently stared at Sohn Bin’s face.

“Is Bin hyung all better now?”

“That’s not it.”

Shin-Ui replied.

“However, I bought some time. If I had to say, it would be about the time you guys come back from Bukhae [North Sea].”

Seo-rin pouted her lips as if she didn’t like it. But she already knew that it was no use complaining, so she didn’t say anything more.

“Oh, but the cold noona [older sister] is gone.”

Suddenly, Seo-rin said. And people realized that Sword Demon was not visible. Only traces of frost remained in the place where she had been standing.

“She left a little while ago.”

Old Man No said.

“She’s probably nearby anyway. I told her not to come, but I didn’t tell her to leave.”

To be exact, he never told her not to come.

“Well, anyway. Now we don’t have to worry about Bin sleeping.”

In fact, everyone was anxious about Sohn Bin’s condition, even though they couldn’t show it. Sohn Bin’s appearance, always asleep, was not normal no matter how you looked at it.

But now the Great Method was successful and Sohn Bin would return to their side.

Always with a soft smile.

That alone was enough to make the group happy.