A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 44

44. And the Road Continues (2014.02.01)

In a calm and composed tone, Son Bin recounted to Sa Su-yeon what had happened.

How she was stabbed by Geomhui’s Ice Sword, and how Sajaheok was restrained.

And how he pierced Okryong’s weakness with the Okryong Yeokrin Cham [Okryong’s Reverse Scale Strike, a technique targeting a vital point], and Sajaheok, freed from his restraints, defeated Okryong with the Payeolsamsik [a powerful martial arts technique], after which Soryong appeared and the snowfield collapsed, sweeping them away.

“Father…”

Son Bin barely managed to speak, feeling a lump in his throat.

“He asked me to take care of you, Miss Sa.”

Sitting right next to the bed, Sa Su-yeon listened to Son Bin’s words in silence.

She didn’t cry out loud or shed tears, but her white hands, clenched so tightly that the hem of her clothes was tearing, spoke volumes about her feelings.

“After that, did I meet you, Young Master?”

Her voice trembled slightly. Son Bin nodded.

How long had they been immersed in silence? Suddenly, Sa Su-yeon rose from her seat.

Click.

“Miss!”

Was it because her complexion looked so unusual? Son Bin unconsciously reached out and grabbed her.

“I have to go,” Sa Su-yeon said without turning back.

“He might still be waiting somewhere. Even if I have to dig through all that snow… no, even if I have to turn the entire snow mountain upside down, I have to find him. Father must be alive. There’s no way he would just… he must be somewhere…”

Muttering to herself, Sa Su-yeon tried to leave recklessly.

Son Bin grabbed her arms with both hands to stop her, but he couldn’t hold her back.

“Miss! Please calm down… Ugh!”

Thud.

Son Bin, who had been holding Sa Su-yeon, rolled off the bed.

The subsided pain surged through his body again, and he groaned involuntarily.

“Ugh…”

“Young Master!”

Sa Su-yeon turned around with a startled look and knelt down to support the fallen Son Bin.

“You can’t go, Miss,” Son Bin said, lifting only his upper body from the floor, his face contorted with pain, as he grabbed Sa Su-yeon.

“Your body is not in a normal state right now. If you go up the snow mountain like this…”

“I don’t care what happens to me! Father…”

“Your father.”

Son Bin said, looking straight into Sa Su-yeon’s eyes.

“The last person he was worried about was you. And yet, you’re going to throw away your own life to find him?”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that it was no use looking. It was something Son Bin himself could never accept, no matter how rational and correct the conclusion might be.

“It’s you who is in danger right now. I can never let you go.”

Son Bin’s hand gripped Sa Su-yeon’s sleeve tightly, as if he would never let go.

“But…”

Sa Su-yeon’s large eyes filled with tears.

“I was determined to save him, I decided that I would save him no matter what after this life-or-death duel… but, but like this…”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, drop by drop.

“Like this…”

Son Bin reached out and embraced her head.

“I know,” Son Bin said. His voice was filled with a sorrow that seemed about to burst.

“I know.”

From the conversation between Sajaheok and Okryong, Son Bin finally understood what kind of situation he had been in.

And he could understand why Sa Su-yeon had acted that way towards Sajaheok.

Sa Su-yeon had known from the beginning that her father, Sajaheok, had chosen to die himself.

And she had decided that she would save Sajaheok no matter what happened after the life-or-death duel.

But the result was this.

Son Bin pulled her head closer and held her in his arms.

Sa Su-yeon leaned her head against his chest, following Son Bin’s lead. And she began to sob softly.

“Hic.”

Son Bin closed his eyes and raised his head. He still couldn’t believe it himself.

If he waited like this, Sajaheok would suddenly appear one day and say, ‘Let’s go,’ as if nothing had happened.

If Son Bin felt this way, how much more would Sa Su-yeon feel?

Swallowing his sorrow, Son Bin quietly stroked her hair. Sa Su-yeon’s crying didn’t stop for a long time after that.

*

*

*

“I’ll go first,” Sa Su-yeon said to Son Bin in a desolate voice as she boarded the carriage.

“Please be careful on your way,” Son Bin said to her, forcing a smile.

Son Bin, who had not yet recovered, was leaning on a thick wooden cane.

“I want to go with you, but that would only delay things further. You must go to that doctor as soon as possible and receive treatment. Do you understand?”

To save Sa Su-yeon’s life, a doctor with excellent skills was needed. Son Bin was at a loss, but fortunately, Sa Su-yeon knew a doctor.

He didn’t even know the doctor’s name, but since Sajaheok had acknowledged him, his skills must be certain.

Son Bin couldn’t help but worry. She looked fine on the outside, but she was actually in a very dangerous state.

Perhaps she was still pushing herself too hard. He wanted to accompany her, but the doctor shook his head, saying it was impossible.

He told him to stay put for at least a few days. In the end, Son Bin had to wait in this village for his body to recover, and Sa Su-yeon had to leave alone.

“Are you going to write a book?”

Sa Su-yeon asked suddenly, looking intently at Son Bin. Son Bin gave a bitter smile.

“Well, I don’t know right now. I’ve lost all the books I’ve been recording in…”

He had no energy to pack his belongings, nor could he bring himself to look for them.

Thanks to that, he lost all the books he had been recording in, as well as the few belongings he originally had, leaving him with only the handle of the Howa Sword and the Seon Sword Baekro.

‘Only other people’s things are left.’

Son Bin gave a hollow laugh.

The Howa Sword handle belonged to Seolgeom Dang Hwa-ryeon, and the Seon Sword Baekro should be given to a young Taoist named Seo Rin.

So, in the end, it could be said that nothing of Son Bin’s remained.

“I’ll think about it slowly later.”

Sa Su-yeon nodded slightly. Son Bin hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and asked.

“Will we… be able to meet again?”

With a lonely look in her eyes, Sa Su-yeon looked down at Son Bin. And after a moment, she answered in a low voice.

“I don’t know.”

Son Bin was disappointed. Was she, after all, from a different world than a scholar like him?

“Right now, I don’t know either.”

Son Bin raised his head sharply.

“Then, later…”

“I’m sorry.”

Sa Su-yeon shook her head.

“I can’t think about anything right now. But someday, when the waves subside and the dawn is calm…”

Sa Su-yeon said, with a lonely smile.

“There may be times when a quiet mist rises over the river.”

Son Bin nodded silently.

“Please be careful on your way,” Son Bin said. It was a word he had already said, but it was the only thing he could say now.

“Yes,” Sa Su-yeon replied. And she got into the carriage and closed the door.

Click, as she boarded, the coachman immediately drove the carriage.

“Haa!”

Clatter, clatter.

The small carriage pulled by two large horses immediately began to run.

Watching the departing carriage, Son Bin prayed in his heart that she would arrive safely at the doctor’s.

The carriage grew smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared from sight. Son Bin, who had been standing and watching until then, slowly moved his body and went down to the side of the road.

Just walking was difficult, as if his whole body was creaking. Finding a long chair made of roughly hewn wood, Son Bin leaned his body against it with a thud.

“Hoo.”

As he sat still, calming his ragged breath, he heard the leisurely sound of birds from afar.

Chirp, chirp.

Son Bin closed his eyes and quietly savored the sunlight. A gentle breeze brushed past his cheeks.

It was a little dazzling, but sitting under the warm sunlight seemed to brighten his mood.

‘Haa.’

Son Bin slowly recalled the past times.

The tedious and difficult life in the Seowon [a type of private Confucian academy in Korea], the joy of passing the Hyangsi [the first stage of the civil service examination during the Joseon Dynasty], and the despair he felt when he failed the Hoesi [the second stage of the civil service examination] and the anger he felt when he realized he had been pushed out, all seemed like a very long time ago.

‘When I think about it, it wasn’t that long ago…’

Son Bin gave a hollow laugh.

‘It feels like a very old story now.’

Not just an old story, but as if it were someone else’s business, someone far away, completely unrelated to him. On the way back to his hometown, filled with anger and sorrow, Son Bin met Sajaheok.

He ran away from him, received help from Sa Su-yeon at Hwanghaknu [Yellow Crane Tower, a famous tower in China], and eventually ended up traveling with Sajaheok.

‘Mist over the river…’

The name Gangha Su-yeon really suited her.

During that journey, he happened to visit an inn where he saw the martial arts contest between Sajaheok and Wi Ga-jin, and he also saw the nameless beauty who proposed the title of the best in the world.

And he met the unpretentious yet somehow desolate old Taoist, Sajaheok’s first life-or-death duel opponent, and his young disciple, Seo Rin.

‘I entrusted Baekro to him…’

Son Bin picked up Baekro and placed it on his lap. It was so plain that he couldn’t even tell it was a sword just by looking at the scabbard.

‘It doesn’t seem easy to hand over this sword either.’

Thinking about it now, there seemed to be some circumstances. The young man named Seo Rin also seemed unusual.

‘Anyway, if it weren’t for this sword.’

He wouldn’t have been alive.

Son Bin shook his head and gently stroked Baekro in his hand. A soft, subtle warmth seemed to be felt under his hand.

‘And…’

In Seoan, he heard the seven-stringed zither of Nanhyang, an entertainer who could be called a true beauty.

He met the Fierce Tiger of Sichuan, the opponent of the second life-or-death duel, and he met the bold and sharp Seolgeom Dang Hwa-ryeon. And he was forced to take on the handle of the Howa Sword.

‘It wasn’t her intention, but…’

Son Bin smiled without realizing it. He remembered Dang Hwa-ryeon’s appearance, as if she was raising sharp thorns.

Even though it was different from her intention, the Howa Sword saved Son Bin’s life anyway. So perhaps he should thank her too.

‘In Akryangnu, I met Young Master Moryong.’

The Gentleman Sword, with the spirit of a nobleman, and his son, Cheolgeom Moryong Jin, who told him to visit him someday, were comfortable people, unlike the people he had met so far.

And as the Gentleman Sword had worried, Okryong was different from anyone else.

‘Okryong.’

Son Bin shook his head without realizing it. He still couldn’t grasp or understand Okryong at all.

He seemed persistent and meticulous, but he also showed an incomprehensible composure and leisure.

But one thing was clear. He was stronger than anyone else, and more lonely than anyone else. Just like Sajaheok.

‘In the end, he disappeared like that…’

After being defeated by Sajaheok’s Payeolsamsik, Okryong disappeared into the collapsing snowfield.

He didn’t see the end, but he couldn’t have survived. Payeolsamsik, Mumyeong had declared his end.

‘Doeun Mumyeong…’

Son Bin shuddered slightly without realizing it. What should he call what he had seen? Even now, when he thought of that third stance, he felt a chill.

He couldn’t explain it in words, nor could he understand it. He could only revere and be amazed by it.

“You are amazing after all.”

Son Bin muttered like that and raised his head. The sunlight was dazzling in the endless blue sky.

Even while raising his hand to block the sunlight, Son Bin continued to look at the sky.

“Haa.”

A sigh came out for no reason. Sajaheok was gone, and Sa Su-yeon was gone. There was no more watching and recording.

Son Bin could be sure.

“It’s over now.”

It was over now. The short but long journey he had with Sajaheok.

*

*

*

Three days later, when Son Bin was no longer uncomfortable moving around, the doctor handed Son Bin two small pouches.

“What is this?”

To Son Bin’s question, the doctor said as if it were nothing.

“It’s your travel expenses. That girl left it for you. And this too…”

Clang.

There were several gold and silver coins in the pouch, which was by no means a small amount for Son Bin.

“It’s the money left over after deducting the cost of the medicinal herbs. She gave too much in the first place.”

The old doctor said grumbling.

“It’s not like I gave it to you, so I can’t receive it like this. Besides, you saved our lives…”

“Then you can keep it and give it to that girl.”

Son Bin was speechless at the old doctor’s words.

“The cost of the medicinal herbs is enough. Life is priceless in the first place. Or, since I’m the savior of your life, will you be my servant for life?”

Son Bin was speechless at the old doctor’s words.

“I understand. Then, if there’s anything I can do to help…”

“Really? Then sell me the horse outside. I’m getting old these days and it’s hard to walk.”

The doctor was referring to the horse that had brought Son Bin here. Since he was planning to leave this place anyway, Son Bin gladly handed the horse over to the doctor.

The doctor said he would pay, but Son Bin insisted on refusing.

Son Bin packed his belongings and left the doctor’s house. In fact, he had hardly any belongings.

It was not difficult to find a luggage cart going from the village to a large town. Receiving the send-off from the doctor, who came out on a small horse, Son Bin boarded the luggage cart.

Thud.

‘It’s been a while. This kind of cart too.’

When he was with Sajaheok, there were hardly any cases where he rode a cart with several people.

It was a daily routine with Sajaheok to ride a fairly luxurious, fast carriage that ran unhindered on the straight main road.

But originally, Son Bin rode in this kind of slow and shabby cart. Sometimes he didn’t mind walking a long distance to save money and have a meal.

Thump, thump.

As Son Bin got on, the cart began to move slowly.

Son Bin waved to the doctor. He saw Son Bin off with a smiling face until the end.

‘Haa.’

Feeling the cart’s rattling movement with his whole body, Son Bin curled up in a corner of the luggage cart and closed his eyes.

He used to be able to fall asleep easily even in this situation, but now, strangely, he couldn’t fall asleep at all. He just felt like something was empty in a corner of his heart.

Thump, thump.

In the end, Son Bin gave up trying to doze off and opened his eyes. The white snow mountain peaks looking down at him were slowly moving away.