A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 22

22. The Succession of the Family (2)

Flicker.

Son Bin opened and closed his eyes.

‘Ah, I knew it.’

He couldn’t see it after all.

‘It felt like something flashed by…….’

Actually, that’s just a feeling. Just a vague feeling that something flowed by like a phantom. Son Bin glanced at Seolgeom.

She also had a dumbfounded expression, her eyes wide open. It was as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“H, how can this be? No, when…….”

Seolgeom muttered unconsciously. Hearing those words, Son Bin inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t just him who couldn’t see it.

‘I guess it’s normal not to see it.’

It’s normal. He didn’t know what level Seolgeom was at, but she was likely more skilled than Son Bin. With a somewhat relieved feeling, Son Bin raised his gaze.

Thud.

The middle-aged man fell forward powerlessly. Hoah [likely the name of the sword] was still in his hand, but he was only holding the handle.

The metal that made up Hoah’s blade was falling around them in numerous fragments, like sparkling snowflakes.

Shred.

Standing under the falling metal fragments, Saja Hyuk looked down at the man who had fallen in front of him.

No emotion or feeling could be found in his eyes, only a deep, blank stare.

How long had he been standing like that? Suddenly, Saja Hyuk spoke.

“Let’s go.”

Son Bin came to his senses at the voice. Looking down at the book in his hand, he realized that his brush had stopped a long time ago.

Clack.

Son Bin closed the book. The ink was already dry, so there was no need to wait. Glancing to the side, Seolgeom was still standing still.

Thinking it was probably because of the shock, Son Bin slowly started to move. No, he was about to move.

“Wait.”

The woman’s voice stopped them. Saja Hyuk and Son Bin stopped and looked at Seolgeom.

And Son Bin saw a sharp dagger flashing before his eyes. Seolgeom was aiming a dagger at Son Bin.

“What are you doing?”

It was Saja Hyuk who spoke. His eyes shone threateningly, but Seolgeom did not waver. She said to Saja Hyuk in a calm voice.

“This person is in a dangerous state right now.”

Seolgeom turned her head towards Son Bin.

“If you leave him like this, he’ll melt into a puddle of blood in less than an hour.”

Seolgeom’s eyes were serious as she spoke. Saja Hyuk chuckled.

“If it’s a prank he played on him…….”

‘A prank?’

Son Bin suddenly remembered the middle-aged man tapping him on the shoulder. Perhaps he had done something at that time.

“If he has a hwandan [a medicinal pill or antidote] in his possession, he might be able to save his life.”

Seolgeom said.

“But, it will only save his life. He may suffer from lifelong aftereffects. At worst, he may not be able to use one of his arms.”

It was a calm explanation, but Son Bin’s expression couldn’t help but harden. Her gaze turned to Son Bin again.

“If it were me, I could detoxify it now. Perfectly.”

Saja Hyuk said.

“What do you want?”

“Two things.”

Seolgeom said.

“First, I want to receive my grandfather’s body. Formally, from you.”

Saja Hyuk frowned. Son Bin couldn’t understand either. The man’s body was lying there, so what did she mean by formally receiving it again?

“What’s the second?”

“My name is Dang Hwa-ryun. Seolgeom, Dang Hwa-ryun.”

She said.

“Remember my name. I…….”

Gritting.

Dang Hwa-ryun’s eyes flashed sharply.

“I will avenge my grandfather.”

“I understand.”

Saja Hyuk said.

“But I won’t wait long. And finding me will be more difficult than you think.”

“It won’t take long.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said. She turned to Son Bin and flashed a sharp look.

“And it won’t be difficult either. I just have to find you.”

“Hey, I…….”

“Be quiet.”

Seolgeom, Dang Hwa-ryun, said with a dagger to Son Bin’s neck.

“This is a very delicate and dangerous task, so shut up and be quiet. And…”

A smile flashed across her red lips.

“It’s going to hurt quite a bit.”

Stab.

Without any warning, her dagger pierced Son Bin’s shoulder.

– Ack!

Son Bin shouted, but no sound came out.

Almost at the same time as stabbing his shoulder, Seolgeom’s white fingers brushed past Son Bin’s body, lightly tapping here and there, and from that moment on, he couldn’t move his body at all.

Thud.

Seolgeom lightly picked up Son Bin, who was falling like a wooden block, and laid him on the floor. And she started doing something.

– Wh, what are you doing…….

No words came out. Not only could he not speak, but he couldn’t even move a finger or turn his head. He couldn’t see his shoulder, so he didn’t know what Seolgeom was doing.

Sizzle.

He heard something burning, and a pungent medicinal smell stung his nose. But strangely, it didn’t hurt at all.

‘Huh? Come to think of it, it doesn’t hurt?’

There was no pain in the place where he was stabbed with the dagger. No, there was no feeling at all. He seemed to have screamed just because he was surprised.

‘Hoo. Well, anyway…….’

Saja Hyuk is watching. Son Bin decided that it was better to relax and wait for it to end, because there was nothing else he could do.

‘What is going on?’

Son Bin clicked his tongue, although his tongue didn’t move.

“It’s all over.”

While Son Bin was inadvertently seriously contemplating the structure and production year of the pavilion’s roof, he suddenly heard Dang Hwa-ryun’s voice. And suddenly, all his senses returned to normal.

“Ugh.”

Son Bin frowned as he reflexively raised his body. He felt a strong pain in his right shoulder.

“I told you it would hurt quite a bit, right?”

Son Bin’s shoulder was wrapped in clean silk cloth. He wanted to check the wound, but he wasn’t given the time. Besides, the pain seemed to be getting worse.

“There’s no way around it. Just endure it.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said. She tapped Son Bin’s shoulder with her slender fingers.

“Ouch!”

Son Bin quickly avoided his shoulder. Every time she touched it, his shoulder throbbed as if it had been hit with a hammer.

“Hey! It hurts…….”

“Hehe, your nerves are fine, right?”

A faint smile hung on Dang Hwa-ryun’s lips. Her smile seemed so natural and sincere that Son Bin felt a chill down his spine.

“Anyway, keep my words in mind. Don’t use any other medicine because it hurts. Just endure it. Got it? The pain will disappear in about three days, unfortunately.”

‘Are you saying it’s unfortunate that it hurts for three days? Or is it unfortunate that it’s only three days?’

Son Bin thought that it was probably the latter.

“Well, then.”

Rustle.

Dang Hwa-ryun stood up.

“I will take over my grandfather’s body.”

She said, looking straight at Saja Hyuk. Her eyes were serious and intense.

“Take it.”

Saja Hyuk said. His words were short and blunt.

“I am displeased with your ridiculous pranks, but regarding his detoxification…”

After glancing at Son Bin, Saja Hyuk said.

“Thank you.”

“I, Dang Hwa-ryun…”

Hwa-ryun, who straightened her back and raised her head, looked straight at Saja Hyuk.

“I have taken over all rights to my grandfather’s body from you, and I solemnly accept all responsibilities related to it.”

She said as if declaring.

“I won’t thank you. Never.”

Son Bin tilted his head. It felt like he was watching some kind of official ceremony.

“Tsk, don’t you know what it is?”

As if noticing Son Bin’s thoughts, Dang Hwa-ryun sneered at Son Bin.

“Write it down well, because I am now…”

Dang Hwa-ryun said.

“I am succeeding the family.”

‘What?’

Swish.

While Son Bin was bewildered, Dang Hwa-ryun turned and went down the pavilion.

Step, step.

Saja Hyuk approached Son Bin, who was tilting his head while watching Dang Hwa-ryun’s back.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It hurts a little, but…”

Son Bin gave a bitter smile.

“But, what does it mean to be succeeding the family?”

“The Fierce Tiger of Sichuan is suspicious and wary.”

Saja Hyuk said in a low voice, looking at the middle-aged man’s body.

“What he trusts is only himself, and he does not share power with anyone. Therefore, he always carried the items that could determine the fate of the family with just one person, or the family’s sacred objects that could have a great influence, directly in his arms. He boasted that he himself was the walking family.”

Son Bin looked at Dang Hwa-ryun again with a new perspective. She was kneeling in front of the middle-aged man’s body, carefully collecting his belongings.

“It is by no means an exaggeration that she said she was succeeding the family.”

Son Bin clicked his tongue inwardly. He just thought she was receiving her grandfather’s body, but he didn’t know she had such calculations.

“But, in that case, wouldn’t it have been better to collect it after we left?”

“That is the pride of a prestigious family.”

Saja Hyuk said.

“And it is also justification and legitimacy. She paid the price fairly and collected the body and belongings. And as a natural responsibility for that, she declared revenge. By doing this, those who know me among her family’s factions, although only a very small number, will recognize and support her legitimacy. And that is enough.”

Saja Hyuk’s eyes were deeply sunken.

“Now she holds the handle of the sword.”

‘I see…….’

Son Bin felt bitter for some reason.

“Let’s go.”

Saja Hyuk said. Son Bin nodded and took his brush and inkstone. As Son Bin followed Saja Hyuk out of the pavilion, Dang Hwa-ryun slowly stood up.

Rustle.

“Wait.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said. It was a quiet, calm, and low voice.

“Are you… really okay?”

Her gaze was directed at Saja Hyuk. Son Bin looked at Saja Hyuk, and Saja Hyuk replied.

“I’m okay.”

Dang Hwa-ryun bit her lip.

“I can’t… believe it.”

“That’s your problem.”

With that answer, Saja Hyuk turned his body. Dang Hwa-ryun’s eyes were shaking as she looked at his back.

‘Grandfather used Cheonhyang-ru [a type of poison] again. Probably, at the last clash.’

She couldn’t see it, so she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t even know until she collected the body.

However, traces of using Cheonhyang-ru remained. She could also tell that it was successful. The opponent’s blood on Cheonhyang-ru told her that.

‘But still, he’s okay?’

He is even walking on his own two feet. In front of her eyes.

‘He detoxified Cheonhyang-ru and is immune to it? There is no way that can be.’

Then he is not human. But now, Saja Hyuk is walking perfectly fine in front of her eyes. That ordinary back looked so overwhelming and huge to Dang Hwa-ryun.

‘No… way.’

No way. Just confronting such a person. If even Cheonhyang-ru is useless, then what can she use to confront him?

She was losing confidence not only in standing in front of Saja Hyuk, but even in finding him.

Bowing.

Right then, Son Bin’s figure came into view. The moment she saw him awkwardly greeting her and leaving, Dang Hwa-ryun’s instinctive sense moved.

“You.”

Dang Hwa-ryun called Son Bin. Son Bin looked back with a puzzled expression. Dang Hwa-ryun’s thoughts were short, and her actions were quick.

“Take it.”

Swish.

Son Bin inadvertently caught something flying towards him.

Clack.

It was the handle part of the sword. The blade part was already gone, but it was a fairly luxurious handle decorated with colorful jewels.

Son Bin could tell what this was. It was the remaining wreckage of the middle-aged man’s sword, Hoah.

“Why this…….”

Son Bin frowned. Dang Hwa-ryun raised a light sneer.

“I’ll lend it to you. Having it will alleviate your pain a little.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said, looking at Son Bin’s bewildered expression.

“And, I’m going to go find him. So me…….”

It was also a pledge to Dang Hwa-ryun herself.

“Be sure to remember it.”

Finding him means finding Saja Hyuk, and it means not giving up on revenge.

‘Surely.’

Dang Hwa-ryun bit her lip and repeated inwardly.

“Hey, I think there’s a misunderstanding…….”

Swish.

Without paying attention to Son Bin’s words, Dang Hwa-ryun turned her body. Son Bin frowned.

‘This.’

He wanted to explain, but in this situation, nothing he said would work. Son Bin looked back at Saja Hyuk. If there was someone to take responsibility, it was actually Saja Hyuk, wasn’t it?

“It’s okay.”

Saja Hyuk said.

“If she comes looking for you, just tell her where I am. By then, you will probably know.”

‘Hmm.’

Son Bin made a displeased expression. He felt like he had taken on someone else’s debt, and he felt sick to his stomach, and he didn’t want to get involved if possible. In fact, wasn’t it none of his business?

“Young lady.”

Son Bin said in a serious voice.

“It’s no use.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said without turning her head.

“Are you going to say that you have nothing to do with it, that you are just someone who watches and records?”

She slowly turned her head, and she said to Son Bin with a sneer.

“But you are already a part of what happened here.”

Dang Hwa-ryun said, looking straight at Son Bin.

“Find an objective and neutral observer a hundred years from now.”

Hidden behind a faint smile was a sharp hostility. Facing that sharp gaze, Son Bin said.

“Indeed, young lady’s eyes are very intense and impressive.”

A different light flashed in Dang Hwa-ryun’s eyes.

“But please, don’t be mistaken about what you should see.”

“Don’t worry. I know the target of my revenge clearly. But as I said, you too…….”

“No.”

Son Bin shook his head.

“I mean, don’t be mistaken about what is really important in your life, and what the real target of revenge should be…….”

Son Bin glanced at the middle-aged man’s body. Clearly, he died at the hands of Saja Hyuk. But could that really justify revenge?

“Young lady will know.”

Sincerely, Son Bin said.