Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 172

172. White Treasure Carriage

The carriage carrying the North Sea delegation sped along the main road.

After several days of travel, the carriage was approaching the border, a region that could be considered the edge of the country.

“Whoa, whoa.”

The coachman pulled the reins, and the horses stopped, panting heavily.

It was a welcome rest for the horses, which had been running without pause, and the same was true for the people in the carriage.

Looking at the rather large inn outside the carriage, Unhyun asked,

“Are we resting here?”

“Yes. The horses are quite tired, so we’ll take a break around here,” Jegeul Giho replied.

He, too, looked exhausted from the long carriage ride, but his good-natured smile remained unchanged.

Thud.

Unhyun and Jegeul Giho got out of the carriage.

Dogo Lang, who had been sitting with the coachman, had also gotten down.

“Giddy up.”

The coachman led the carriage to the back of the inn.

He was going to let the horses loose to rest.

“Ughhhhh.”

Jegeul Giho made a strange noise and stretched.

He turned his head from side to side, even cracking his bones.

“Carriage rides are really tough. I thought I was going to die of boredom.”

Unhyun agreed with him.

He thought it would be much easier if Jegeul Giho lost some weight, but he didn’t bother to say it out loud.

Even though they had become close after a long journey, he didn’t want to say anything that would demean the other person’s appearance.

“Is it far to the place where we’re supposed to meet the North Sea group?”

“Oh, we’ll probably arrive tomorrow,” Jegeul Giho said, moving his upper body from side to side.

“We didn’t set a specific date anyway, so they’ll either be waiting for us when we get there, or there will be a message left. Now, let’s go inside.”

Jegeul Giho, having loosened up his body, strode into the inn.

Unhyun nodded and followed.

Dogo Lang glanced around and then followed Unhyun.

“I wonder what’s good here?”

Jegeul Giho muttered to himself as he pushed aside the inn’s curtain.

Clatter.

The inn was cleaner than he expected.

It was quite a famous place, as it was already crowded even though it was still early evening, and the sounds of lively chatter and food smells filled the inn.

As the three of them took their seats, a server rushed over and placed teacups on the table.

“What will you have?”

The server’s words were perfunctory, indifferent, and brief.

“What’s good here?”

At Jegeul Giho’s words, the server’s eyes sparkled.

“If I may say so about our inn…”

Jegeul Giho cut off the server’s voice, which had suddenly become lively.

“No, instead of that, just bring out the six or so best dishes here. And some alcohol too.”

There were only three of them, but Jegeul Giho ordered six dishes.

But Unhyun was already used to it.

After all, Jegeul Giho would eat more than half of the food anyway, and the coachman had been given separate travel expenses, so he would take care of himself.

“Understood!”

The server bowed his head as if it would touch the table.

“Ah, and.”

Jegeul Giho called out to the server, who was about to turn away.

“It seems a bit noisy around here. Is there something going on nearby?”

“Well, that’s…”

The server hesitated.

But not for long.

Because a few coins had already been placed on the table in front of Jegeul Giho.

Sliding two of the coins towards the server with his fingertips, Jegeul Giho said,

“If there’s anything dangerous, we need to know so we can be careful. Don’t you think?”

The server glanced at the owner sitting by the entrance.

It was clear that he had been told to be careful about what he said.

And that was exactly what Jegeul Giho wanted to hear.

“Don’t worry about bad rumors. We’re just passing through and won’t be back anyway.”

With a grin, Jegeul Giho slid the remaining coins towards the server.

“Besides, even if you don’t tell us, someone else will.”

The server made up his mind.

He picked up the coins quickly, pretending to fill the teacups with tea.

“There’s a rumor that a large group of bandits has been roaming around for the past few days,” the server whispered.

“A bandit gang?”

Jegeul Giho frowned.

A bandit gang would be important to merchants, but not to them.

First of all, Godokgeom, Dogo Lang, was with them, and Jegeul Giho himself was there, as well as the ‘successor of the Sword Saint’.

“But the strange thing is, they don’t plunder villages or attack merchant groups. They’re only chasing after one carriage like crazy.”

Jegeul Giho’s eyes twinkled.

“A carriage?”

“Yes. It’s said to be a snow-white carriage, full of peerless beauties and treasures. So many bandits have died chasing that carriage that it’s countless.”

“A snow-white carriage?”

“Peerless beauties?”

Unhyun and Jegeul Giho said at the same time.

Jegeul Giho, in particular, looked very excited, his eyes wide at the mention of beauties.

“But the authorities aren’t doing anything about it. No, bandits are roaming around in broad daylight, and the guys who are paid by the country aren’t doing anything…”

“Duchil!”

The server’s words were cut off by the sudden shout of the inn owner.

The server flinched and ran to the kitchen as if fleeing.

“Peerless beauties, huh?”

Jegeul Giho clicked his tongue and gave a wry smile.

“The border is always like this. The control of the authorities is lax, and wanderers gather, so all sorts of nonsense circulates. If it’s really a carriage with peerless beauties, I’d like to see their faces. Hahaha.”

Jegeul Giho laughed heartily, but Unhyun’s expression was not so bright.

“Jegeul Gongja [a respectful title for a young master],” Unhyun said quietly.

“Doesn’t it seem like there are a lot of martial artists in this inn?”

“There are certainly a lot,” Jegeul Giho replied with a smile, without even looking around.

He had already confirmed that when he entered the inn.

“There’s nothing to worry about. It has nothing to do with us.”

Unhyun sighed softly.

“…The carriage that the server mentioned, I think it’s the carriage we’re supposed to meet.”

“What?”

Jegeul Giho asked back with a strange expression.

Unhyun nodded with a serious expression.

“The North Sea Ice Palace group’s carriage is white. A snow-white carriage.”

Jegeul Giho’s expression twisted.

He realized the meaning of what Unhyun was saying.

“Damn it, meeting the North Sea group isn’t going to be easy,” he muttered.

A gang of bandits had attached themselves to it.

And that wasn’t all.

The exaggerated rumor that it was full of beauties and treasures was attracting the rough martial artists of the border region.

Things were getting bigger.

“Then we should move tonight. I thought I’d get some rest today…”

Even as he grumbled, Jegeul Giho immediately came up with a plan.

“First, we need to go to the meeting place, no, first cancel the alcohol…”

Crash.

Jegeul Giho’s voice was cut off by the sound of someone barging in roughly.

Not only Jegeul Giho, but everyone in the inn turned their heads.

“Wh, white, white…”

The man who had rushed in, stumbling as if he would fall, shouted without catching his breath.

“It’s the White Treasure Carriage! The White Treasure Carriage has appeared!”

It was hard to understand what he was saying, but Unhyun immediately realized the meaning.

White Treasure Carriage, meaning a white treasure carriage.

‘It even had a name?’

Unhyun was dumbfounded.

But the inn was instantly heated up.

“The White Treasure Carriage has appeared?”

“Where is it? Where did it appear?”

The inn quickly became noisy, with martial artists flashing their eyes and even merchants unable to hide their curiosity.

But the commotion didn’t last long.

Clatter.

A man appeared, pushing aside the curtain at the entrance of the inn.

The man, wearing white martial attire and covering his face below the nose with a white hood, exuded a sharp aura like a blade.

“Ugh.”

“Ugh.”

Not only the merchants but even the martial artists were immediately intimidated.

But Unhyun smiled wryly.

The man who had covered his face was none other than Binghon.

Step.

A woman followed Binghon into the inn.

And this time, people held their breath for a different reason.

The woman, who had instantly silenced the inn, was as beautiful as an incarnation of a snowflake, and was none other than the young palace lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.

“Hoo-ah.”

Jegeul Giho let out a soft exclamation.

“What an amazing beauty.”

Unhyun had no choice but to agree.

Was it because he hadn’t seen her in a long time?

She seemed more beautiful than before.

If she had been as beautiful as a snowflake before, she now felt like a fully bloomed flower with an alluring fragrance.

‘Heh.’

Unhyun, who had been lost in admiration for a moment, quickly came to his senses.

Because the young palace lord was now walking towards Unhyun.

Step, step.

People couldn’t take their eyes off the young palace lord, as if they were possessed.

Everyone in the inn watched the young palace lord, forgetting even to breathe.

“You were here.”

The clear voice of the young palace lord echoed in the inn.

She looked down at Unhyun with her alluring eyes and said,

“We don’t have time, so let’s leave right away.”

Unhyun smiled wryly.

She was telling him to leave without even saying hello.

Ssk.

Unhyun got up from his seat.

And he politely bowed to her.

“It’s been a while, Young Palace Lord.”

The young palace lord’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Looking at Unhyun with a displeased expression, the young palace lord said quietly,

“…Yes. It’s been a long time.”

Her voice was tinged with displeasure.

‘Huh, why is she like this?’

Unhyun was puzzled.

But the young palace lord didn’t say anything.

“Ahem. Jegeul Gongja, let’s go.”

Unhyun cleared his throat and said to Jegeul Giho.

“Ah, ye, yes.”

Jegeul Giho, who had been staring at the young palace lord as if possessed, also quickly stood up.

But soon he gave a wry smile.

“But it seems like there’s a bit of a problem?”

Jegeul Giho’s words were correct.

The atmosphere in the inn had already changed noticeably.

The eyes of the people had changed from curiosity to greed, and those who appeared to be martial artists were ready to draw their swords at any moment.

But the young palace lord was not surprised at all.

“If there’s a problem,” she said with a cold expression, moving her red lips, “just get rid of it.”

Whoosh.

In an instant, Binghon emitted a tremendous killing intent.

“Heok.”

“Keuk.”

The people in the inn groaned in unison.

The martial artists’ faces changed and they stepped back, and the merchants’ faces turned completely blue.

But Binghon’s momentum did not last long.

Ssk.

Dogo Lang stepped forward in front of Unhyun.

Although Binghon’s momentum was directed at the martial artists in the inn, Dogo Lang did not tolerate the killing intent emanating from right in front of Unhyun.

Woong.

Dogo Lang’s sword rang softly.

Binghon immediately reacted to the clear hostility.

Binghon and Dogo Lang’s eyes met.

Crackle.

‘Heok.’

Jegeul Giho, who was watching, swallowed hard.

Even though it shouldn’t have been possible, it felt like sparks were flying between Binghon and Dogo Lang.

And that wasn’t all.

The tense atmosphere flowing between the two was pressing down on Jegeul Giho.

It was like a confrontation between two ferocious beasts.

If Dogo Lang was a great tiger in the mountains that would not tolerate any challenge, Binghon was a wolf of the snowy fields that would bite into the opponent’s neck even if it died.

It was then.

“Didn’t you say we didn’t have time?”

Unhyun said quietly.