A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 77

77. Pavilion of Prince Teng Bloodshed (2)

The Pavilion of Prince Teng, illuminated by multicolored lanterns, sparkled brilliantly.

Laughter and music flowed ceaselessly, and the banquet hall was filled with elegantly dressed young ladies and stylish young prodigies.

Thud.

Stepping into the banquet hall, Son Bin was momentarily captivated by the vibrant atmosphere.

At least here, the death of Geum Sa-yul or the issues concerning the Demonic Path prodigies seemed nonexistent.

“Take your time looking around.”

Jeok Se-hwa, who had followed a little behind, said in a soft voice.

“The Segeol Clan won’t miss this opportunity. It’s the most certain chance to officially introduce the Divine Maiden of the Piercing Sword.”

“But is it really okay? Young Master Jeok Se-ho, who was actually invited, isn’t even attending…”

Jeok Se-hwa smiled gently.

“Brother is fine. He’s probably off somewhere, swinging his sword to steel himself. I was the only one who attended the official banquets last time too. I didn’t particularly need to steel myself or calm my mind.”

Young Master Jeok Se-ho turned away immediately after letting the two into the banquet hall.

Son Bin felt a little sorry that the main character was absent, but having heard Jeok Se-hwa’s words that Sa Su-yeon would be attending this banquet, he couldn’t just stay still.

Son Bin nodded and slowly looked around. As he passed by the radiant beauties and the young men who looked like noblemen, one figure suddenly caught his eye.

‘Ah.’

Sa Su-yeon was there. Amidst the smiles of the radiant ladies and the laughter of the handsome young men, she stood with a composed expression.

‘Miss Sa.’

Her expressionless face somehow looked sad to Son Bin. Moreover, his heart ached because her complexion seemed worse than before.

“There she is.”

Jeok Se-hwa also found Sa Su-yeon. And at that moment, Sa Su-yeon turned her head and looked at Son Bin. A spark of life flickered in her calm eyes.

Thud.

Shuffle.

Neither knew who moved first. Son Bin and Sa Su-yeon walked towards each other.

They didn’t care that the ladies and young men around her were surprised, or that Baek-ro [Son Bin’s sword] dangled from Son Bin’s waist. The two stood facing each other.

Swoosh.

Son Bin respectfully bowed with both hands clasped. Sa Su-yeon also returned the greeting. And smiled.

“We meet again.”

“Yes. We meet again.”

Son Bin smiled. The two stood facing each other like that.

There were no words, only smiles, but the eyes of the two were stronger, warmer, and softer than anything else.

“Is this the guy?”

Son Bin raised his head at the sudden, heavy voice. A man who seemed to be a head taller than Son Bin was looking down at him.

He looked to be middle-aged at first glance, but his hair, mixed with white and black, made it difficult to guess his age.

Thud.

A large hand, like a pot lid, rested on Son Bin’s shoulder. Then, suddenly, he applied pressure.

‘Uh…’

There was no time to be surprised. His large hand massaged his shoulder a few times, then quickly grabbed his wrist.

“Hmm.”

He frowned slightly. His large eyebrows were also mixed with white and black.

“You don’t seem to have any injuries.”

He released Son Bin’s wrist and spoke in a blunt tone. Then he turned his head towards Sa Su-yeon.

“But you’re very different from your father? Is this kind of guy okay with you?”

His voice, seemingly indifferent, contained concern for Sa Su-yeon. Sa Su-yeon smiled slightly.

“Yes, Divine Physician.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to call me that? Such things are just empty titles.”

He frowned again and looked at Son Bin.

“You.”

He glared at Son Bin with large eyes that would freeze most people just by looking at them.

“If you’re a man, you should be able to protect the woman you like. Why did you just leave Yeon-ah [Sa Su-yeon’s given name] in this state? Even if you had to die, you should have protected Yeon-ah to the end. Besides, you sent her back alone on that long journey in such a dangerous state? What were you thinking?”

His heavy words poured out like a storm. His large eyes towards Son Bin were clearly filled with anger.

“I’m sorry.”

Son Bin bowed his head and apologized to the Divine Physician with a sincere attitude.

“It was my fault. I will never leave Miss Sa alone again.”

“Oh my.”

“Gasp. How bold.”

Son Bin was surprised by the sudden voices of the ladies and looked around. And he realized that almost everyone in the banquet hall was looking at him.

With the sparkling eyes of women full of curiosity and the sharp gazes of young men who were by no means friendly.

Jeok Se-hwa was standing far away, pretending not to know anything, covering her mouth with her sleeve and laughing silently to her heart’s content.

“Ah, no, that’s…”

Son Bin stammered and looked ahead, and Sa Su-yeon’s face was also slightly red. Thinking that Sa Su-yeon was embarrassed because of his words, Son Bin quickly continued.

“Th, that’s not what I meant, Miss. I’m just…”

He added words urgently as if making excuses, but the reaction around him didn’t change much. Besides, Sa Su-yeon’s expression seemed a little colder.

Thud.

The Divine Physician’s large hand rested on Son Bin’s shoulder again.

“You’re a scoundrel, but I like your answer. Then shall we hear the details?”

He grinned. It was then.

Crash!

The entrance of the banquet hall shattered into pieces.

* * *

The wind on the roof of the Pavilion of Prince Teng at night was much gentler than during the day. The scenery that had seemed so distant now felt subtly closer amidst the multicolored lanterns.

“He’s gone in.”

Nam-ak No-gun said. Son Bin and Jeok Se-hwa’s figures had disappeared into the banquet hall, but Dang Wol-ah was silently staring at the place where Son Bin had disappeared.

“What are you going to do? Are you going in too?”

Nam-ak No-gun said, subtly watching Dang Wol-ah’s expression. Dang Wol-ah slowly raised her head. Countless stars were twinkling in the distant night sky.

“If I can be under the same sky…”

Her eyes were also twinkling with starlight.

“…that alone is enough for me.”

“Hmph. Then there was no need to come all the way here.”

Nam-ak No-gun said grumbling.

“Everything on earth is under the same sky, so what’s the difference between Cheongwon and Namchang?”

“Still, it’s better to be closer.”

Dang Wol-ah replied in a low voice.

“Tch, you never give in.”

Nam-ak No-gun grumbled. But that was it, he didn’t say anything more. Nam-ak No-gun could roughly guess what Dang Wol-ah’s heart was feeling right now.

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Nam-ak No-gun said, glancing at Dang Wol-ah.

“Since ancient times, it hasn’t been a flaw for heroes to have three wives and four concubines… Huh?”

Nam-ak No-gun, who was muttering words that didn’t sound like comfort at all, suddenly frowned. At that sight, Dang Wol-ah also turned her head and looked at Nam-ak No-gun.

“Looks like rat-like guys have come.”

Nam-ak No-gun’s gaze was sharply fixed on one place. All that could be seen was darkness, but it was impossible to escape Nam-ak No-gun’s eyes.

No-gun smirked.

“I’ll smash them to pieces.”

And it was the moment Nam-ak No-gun was about to get up.

“Wait.”

Dang Wol-ah said. Her eyes were also coldly sunken.

“Could it be just them?”

“What do you mean?”

“If it was just them, there would have been no need for Sister to contact me through Eun-geom Daeju [a messenger or communication method]. She wouldn’t have sent a warning to not get close to the Pavilion of Prince Teng without any explanation.”

At her words, Nam-ak No-gun re-examined the situation. As the group Nam-ak No-gun had initially been wary of approached, he could more accurately identify their identities.

“The young ones of the Demonic Path and the Blood Dragon Gate guys. There’s one fairly skilled guy, but…”

There was no one particularly noteworthy in Nam-ak No-gun’s eyes. And just then, another presence touched Nam-ak No-gun’s nerves.

“Tch.”

Nam-ak No-gun stood up. His gaze turned elsewhere.

“When did they get so…”

Dang Wol-ah could also see it. Quite a few groups were approaching the Pavilion of Prince Teng from the darkness.

“Those guys, they’re planning to sweep away the Pavilion of Prince Teng.”

Nam-ak No-gun immediately grasped their intentions. If they blocked the roads, the Pavilion of Prince Teng would be virtually isolated.

Even if they approached by boat, it would take time. During that time, the banquet hall of the Pavilion of Prince Teng would be completely defenseless.

“Is that enough to stop the Nam-goong Clan?”

Although the numbers were considerable, this was Namchang. If the Nam-goong Clan came forward in earnest, they couldn’t be stopped with just that.

“It’s enough to buy time. And at the same time, they also intend to catch those who are escaping from the Pavilion of Prince Teng.”

Nam-ak No-gun clicked his tongue.

“Let’s run away with Bin right now. This place will become a death trap.”

No-gun’s judgment was quick and accurate. But Dang Wol-ah didn’t move.

“There’s another way.”

“Another way?”

“The way of the Murim [martial arts world].”

Dang Wol-ah said, turning to No-gun.

“You said you would smash anyone who tries to harm him, right?”

Her eyes were coldly sunken.

“I will too.”

Nam-ak No-gun frowned and looked at Dang Wol-ah. But there was not a single piece of selfishness or emotion mixed in Dang Wol-ah’s eyes.

It was by no means a judgment clouded by being swept away by a moment’s emotion.

No-gun chuckled.

“You’re also a woman of the Dang Clan after all. Well, there’s no reason not to. But you’ll have to be prepared.”

“I finished being prepared a long time ago.”

After chuckling once more, No-gun pointed to one side with his chin.

“Then you take that side. I’ll take this side.”

Thud.

Before No-gun could finish speaking, Dang Wol-ah lightly kicked off and was falling down.

Swoosh.

Nam-ak No-gun clicked his tongue, looking down at Dang Wol-ah, who was falling down like a swallow, cutting through the wind.

“When did she learn such a technique? Tch, those geniuses.”

At first, she just possessed a massive amount of internal energy called Dok-gi Gong [a powerful internal energy technique]. But before he knew it, countless techniques and martial arts were being embodied as Dang Wol-ah’s own.

Even No-gun was amazed at the speed of her acquisition and her versatility. Her words that she was only confident in martial arts were by no means an exaggeration.

“How can she at that age… Does she just eat, no, does she not even eat and just live digging into martial arts?”

Tung.

Muttering like that, No-gun also lightly kicked off.

Pararak.

Nam-ak No-gun fell down without any concern for the dizzying height. Along with the sharp sound of the wind brushing past his ears, Nam-ak No-gun’s eyes began to shine coldly.

“It’s been a while since I’ve danced, So-ryeong [Nam-ak No-gun’s sword].”

Woong.

No-gun’s sword, So-ryeong, replied with a low cry.

* * *

A group of intruders entered through the broken door of the banquet hall.

“Who are you!”

One of the young prodigies reflexively shouted.

But it was an unnecessary question. The moment the intruders entered, everyone in the banquet hall could tell who they were.

“Hmph, Blood Dragon Gate.”

“Of the Demonic Path…”

“Who are we, you ask?”

One of the Demonic Path prodigies stepped forward. The splendid appearance of the banquet hall was enough to ignite a fire of anger in his eyes.

While they were being detained like criminals, these people were enjoying such a splendid banquet. As if they didn’t even exist.

His eyes were blazing with anger.

“We are those who have come to reclaim what is ours. Our rights and honor that you have taken away, and the truth.”

He said, facing the hostile gazes filling the splendid banquet hall.

“Nonsense! You are criminals!”

A middle-aged warrior of the Nam-goong Clan, who was in charge of security at the banquet hall, shouted.

“No need for words! Nam-goong Clan warriors, capture them!”

Clang!

Following his command, a dozen or so warriors of the Nam-goong Clan, who were guarding the banquet hall, drew their swords at once. The fact that they were numerically superior and that this was Namchang supported their confidence.

But the middle-aged warrior should have thought more carefully about what it meant that the Demonic Path prodigies had appeared in this place.

This soon meant that they had defeated all the Nam-goong Clan warriors who had been detaining them.

Swoosh.

About six Blood Dragon Gate warriors moved. Wherever their swords were wielded, the Nam-goong Clan warriors fell helplessly.

“Agh!”

“Keuk.”

The difference between the two groups was clear. It was hard to understand how the Nam-goong Clan warriors were being defeated so futilely.

Clang.

“Keuek.”

“Ho, not bad?”

Shin-wol, a Blood Dragon Gate warrior, muttered. The middle-aged warrior who had blocked his sword gritted his teeth and said.

“You, you dare to antagonize the Nam-goong Clan and think you’ll be safe? Soon the experts of the main family will…”

Swoosh.

“Keuk.”

As Shin-wol’s sword flashed once more, the middle-aged warrior collapsed, vomiting blood with a scream.

“Enough with the nonsense.”

Shin-wol said mockingly, sheathing his sword. With gleaming eyes, he slowly looked around the banquet hall.

“Did you hear that? The experts of the Nam-goong Clan will soon come to save you. So just buy time until then and you’ll win. What will you do?”

Those who are huddled at the back of the banquet hall in a state of panic are those who do not know martial arts.

The faces of the beautifully dressed young ladies and noblemen, who had simply accompanied the banquet, were pale.

Meanwhile, those who are standing here looking at this place with sharp eyes are the young prodigies of the Righteous Sect who will participate in the official martial arts competition.

Their eyes were not at all intimidated, and their hands were already on their sword hilts.

The martial prowess of the Blood Dragon Gate warriors was surprising, but they were also confident in their own martial arts. And as Shin-wol said, the more time passed, the more disadvantageous it would be for the Blood Dragon Gate.

“Hmph. You’re all very eager.”

Shin-wol smiled.

“Then shall we start the martial arts competition now? A real martial arts competition where life and death are at stake on a single blade.”

Son Bin was certain that he had sharply looked at Sa Su-yeon last as he finished speaking.

Swoosh.

Son Bin stood guarding Sa Su-yeon.

‘This time, absolutely not.’

He could never hurt her again. Son Bin gritted his teeth.

Woong.

Baek-ro cried softly.