Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 198

198. Bayantu, the Overlord

North Sea Ice Palace.

Zhuge Qihao, the chief envoy of the delegation, was enjoying a leisurely time in Yunhyun’s room.

Sip.

Zhuge Qihao, who had been enjoying the scenery of the North Sea, put down his teacup and subtly glanced at Dokgo Lang.

Dokgo Lang simply stood with his arms crossed, not sitting or drinking tea.

Naturally, there was no small talk with Zhuge Qihao.

It was an extremely uncomfortable situation, but Zhuge Qihao did not leave.

Because Dokgo Lang was there.

‘Seriously, Secretary Yun, how could you just leave without a word to some training room or whatever? What am I supposed to do?’

Zhuge Qihao grumbled inwardly.

This was the heart of enemy territory.

As Zhuge Qihao, who felt a chilling threat from the North Sea warriors just for being an envoy of the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts clans], he had no choice but to stay inside Yunhyun’s room.

There was no safer place than beside Dokgo Lang, a master of Sword Energy Manifestation [a technique where one’s inner energy is channeled into their sword].

Of course, that threat might have been because Zhuge Qihao was constantly trying to flirt with the maids.

It was then, as Zhuge Qihao was sipping his tea again.

Tap, tap, tap.

Zhuge Qihao raised his head at the sound from outside the door.

Dokgo Lang also glared at the entrance with sharp eyes.

And, as expected.

Bang.

The door burst open with a loud noise.

Zhuge Qihao frowned at the rudeness, followed by a clear female voice.

“Hey!”

Zhuge Qihao was startled.

The woman who burst through the door was none other than the Twelfth Palace Lord.

Still with her cute face, she stopped abruptly upon discovering Zhuge Qihao and Dokgo Lang.

“Everyone, hurry… What are you doing? Packing your bags?”

The Twelfth Palace Lord, who had been saying something, frowned.

In fact, that was what Zhuge Qihao wanted to say, but it was natural for her to say it.

Because Zhuge Qihao was clutching his luggage.

“Ah, this?”

With an awkward smile, Zhuge Qihao put down his luggage.

Actually, he had been trying to draw his sword, but he was so surprised that he ended up clutching his luggage.

“Ahem, but what brings the Twelfth Palace Lord here?”

Zhuge Qihao cleared his throat and asked.

The Twelfth Palace Lord widened her eyes and said.

“Ah! There’s no time for this. Secretary Oppa [term of endearment for older brother or male friend] is in danger.”

“Huh? No, what does that…”

“What’s going on?”

Dokgo Lang interrupted Zhuge Qihao.

The Twelfth Palace Lord said with an urgent expression.

“My sister told me. Secretary Oppa is in danger. We have to go quickly…”

Thud.

The Twelfth Palace Lord couldn’t finish her sentence.

Because Dokgo Lang had already started moving.

“Ah, let’s go together! You don’t even know where it is!”
The Twelfth Palace Lord shouted as she hurriedly followed Dokgo Lang.

In fact, she was the only one who knew the way, so her words were correct.

But Dokgo Lang didn’t stop walking.

And Zhuge Qihao was even more flustered.

“Huh? Wait a minute. I have to go too…”

Zhuge Qihao shouted, trying to take something out of his luggage, but soon gave up.

Because Dokgo Lang and the Twelfth Palace Lord had already left the room.

“Hey!”

Holding all his luggage, Zhuge Qihao quickly stood up.

And with hurried steps, he followed the two people who were moving away.

“Let’s go together!”

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of Dokgo Lang, the fastest, followed by the Twelfth Palace Lord, and Zhuge Qihao, clutching his luggage and following behind, echoed loudly in the quiet Ice Palace corridor.

***

The Twelfth Palace Lord, Dokgo Lang, and Zhuge Qihao soon left the Ice Palace and mounted horses.

Dokgo Lang was faster on foot, but the situation changed when they rode horses.

The Twelfth Palace Lord was more skilled at riding than she looked, easily overtaking Dokgo Lang.

Even Zhuge Qihao, a scion of the Zhuge family who had been riding horses since childhood, was amazed by her horsemanship.

Clatter, clatter.

How long had they been riding like that?

The Twelfth Palace Lord stopped her horse.

Swoosh.

The Twelfth Palace Lord fluttered her clothes as she dismounted, and Zhuge Qihao and Dokgo Lang also stopped their horses.

“Whoa, whoa.”

As the horse stopped, Zhuge Qihao looked around.

But all he saw were stone tombs.

A desolate landscape with no green trees or even grass spread out before his eyes.

Zhuge Qihao frowned.

“Twelfth Palace Lord, is this the right place? There’s nothing here…”

Swish.

Suddenly, Dokgo Lang placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Zhuge Qihao stopped speaking.

Because elders had already appeared in front of the Twelfth Palace Lord.

Not just one, but three.

“Stop.”

An old man with a white beard said to the Twelfth Palace Lord.

Zhuge Qihao tensed.

Because the elders’ aura was quite extraordinary.

Dokgo Lang also did not remove his hand from the hilt of his sword.

“Does the Twelfth Palace Lord not know that this place is forbidden?”

The Twelfth Palace Lord replied to the old man’s words.

“Of course, I know.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord smiled lightly and bowed to the three old men.

It was a courtesy to the former elders.

“I have only come to greet the Blue Wolf, and I have no intention of intruding here, so you don’t have to worry.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said in a clear voice.

“Or, is there something inconvenient about me being here?”

The eyebrows of the old man standing behind twitched.

“The Twelfth Palace Lord has no right to insult us.”

It was a nervous reaction, but the Twelfth Palace Lord smiled instead.

“Surely not, how could I dare to insult the former elders? I’m just asking a simple question, but you’re showing such a sharp reaction, so I’m the one who’s embarrassed.”

‘Ooh.’

Zhuge Qihao was inwardly impressed by her appearance.

He didn’t know the language of the North Sea, but he could clearly see that the Twelfth Palace Lord was not backing down an inch.

It was a completely different image from her usual slightly dim impression due to her strange way of speaking.

‘But where is this place? Wasn’t Secretary Yun in danger? Could this be the training room or whatever?’

It was just then, as Zhuge Qihao was looking around.

Doo-doo-doo-doo.

A heavy sound began to echo from afar.

‘Huh?’

At first, it sounded like a distant, faint thunder.

But Zhuge Qihao soon realized.

It was the sound of a cavalry approaching from afar.

‘Gasp.’

Zhuge Qihao’s complexion changed instantly.

Dokgo Lang, as well as the Twelfth Palace Lord, saw the sight.

Doo-doo-doo-doo.

The soaring spearheads glittered in the sunlight even from afar.

The fully armed cavalry was approaching with their spirits raised.

At first glance, there were dozens of them.

“Come here and stand next to me.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord’s clear voice echoed in Zhuge Qihao’s ear.

“Yes?”

When Zhuge Qihao asked back, the Twelfth Palace Lord tilted her head.

“Is it in front instead of next to me? Am I wrong?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Zhuge Qihao said as if he was dumbfounded.

“Can’t you see that cavalry? We have to get out of here quickly!”

“I’m not running away.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said in a firm voice.

“We came here to protect this place.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord’s eyes were shining with determination as she spoke.

Dokgo Lang also seemed to agree with her words, his sharp eyes gleaming.

Zhuge Qihao frowned, but the Twelfth Palace Lord didn’t care at all and turned her head towards the former elders.

“Are you going to say the same thing to them? That this place is forbidden and they can’t enter?”

There was a hint of mockery in her eyes.

The Twelfth Palace Lord already knew that they were in collusion with the cavalry.

The faces of the former elders were distorted with shame.

“The laws of the North Sea.”

An old man said with a stern expression.

“Do not make exceptions for anyone.”

“I’m very relieved to hear that.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said with a light bow.

The expressions of the former elders became even more distorted, but the Twelfth Palace Lord didn’t care and turned her body.

Doo-doo-doo-doo.

The strong North Sea horses kicking the ground, and the dozens of cavalrymen wearing armor and holding spears and swords, were approaching them.

But the eyes of the Twelfth Palace Lord and Dokgo Lang did not waver in the slightest.

Only Zhuge Qihao sighed and clutched the luggage he had brought.

Neigh.

The strong North Sea horse exhaled hot breath.

The dozens of cavalrymen stopped a little distance away.

Bayantu, the Overlord, who was at the very front, looked down at the Twelfth Palace Lord and the people from the south while holding the reins on his horse.

The Overlord did not show much interest in Zhuge Qihao, but he could not take his eyes off Dokgo Lang.

Dokgo Lang’s sharp, sword-like aura was stimulating the Overlord’s interest.

“Those are the Murim Alliance warriors who came with the Sword Saint’s successor.”

Yongsa Essen, who was behind the Overlord, said quietly.

Next to him were Kutula, who was very excited, and Kabul, who had a cold expression.

“Especially that guy…”

It was when Essen was about to say something about Dokgo Lang.

“Have you forgotten the courtesy to the Little Palace Lord?”

The Overlord turned his head at the clear female voice.

The Twelfth Palace Lord was looking straight at the Overlord.

“General Bayantu, the Overlord.”

The Overlord said, pretending to look down at the Twelfth Palace Lord.

“Do you think the Twelfth Palace Lord is qualified to demand courtesy from me?”

The Twelfth Palace Lord was still young and had the lowest status among the Little Palace Lords.

On the other hand, Bayantu, the Overlord, was a warrior who had been through many battlefields and an elder of the tribe.

It was inevitable that the Twelfth Palace Lord looked particularly small in front of the Overlord.

But the Twelfth Palace Lord did not back down.

“The fact that I am the Little Palace Lord of the Ice Palace is determined by the laws of the North Sea.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said, looking straight at the Overlord.

The Overlord’s aura was difficult for the Twelfth Palace Lord to handle, but she never showed a weak appearance.

“So, General, please follow the laws of the North Sea and show me courtesy.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said with a somewhat haughty expression.

A strange light flashed in the Overlord’s eyes.

And after a while, the Overlord got off his horse.

Thud.

The expressions of Kutula, Essen, and Kabul were distorted.

But the Overlord slowly lowered his head.

“To the Little Palace Lord.”

The Overlord said in a heavy voice.

“Bayantu, the Overlord, pays his respects.”

“Thank you.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord also bowed politely.

“The Twelfth Palace Lord greets General Bayantu, the Overlord.”

The two people, standing at a considerable distance, exchanged greetings.

But the tense tension did not decrease in the slightest.

Swish.

The Overlord raised his head.

And he stared intently at the Twelfth Palace Lord.

“…Wouldn’t it be better for the Twelfth Palace Lord to avoid this place for a while?”

The Overlord said.

It was his favor.

But the Twelfth Palace Lord shook her head.

“I can’t do that.”

She continued with a bitter smile.

“Rather, I’m curious. Why would the Overlord of the world try to avoid the eyes of a mere Twelfth Palace Lord?”

“I’m not trying to avoid it.”
The Overlord said, looking straight at the Twelfth Palace Lord.

“I’m just making a suggestion for the sake of the Twelfth Palace Lord’s safety.”

“Thank you.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said with a slight bow.

“But I will stay here. No matter what happens.”

Her eyes, smiling, were shining sharply.

Bayantu, the Overlord, could clearly see that the Twelfth Palace Lord would never back down.

And that Dokgo Lang, standing behind her, was the same.

‘Hmm.’

There was no problem.

The fact that he had to antagonize spirited young people was a little unfortunate, but that was all.

The Overlord did not doubt the outcome of this matter.

“…No matter what happens.”

The Twelfth Palace Lord said quietly to Zhuge Qihao.

“Don’t back down. If we stay here, they can’t move. This place is forbidden, and I’m the Little Palace Lord.”

Her eyes were shining resolutely.