Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 282

282. This Much Is Just Right

Un-hyun knew what Ha Young-ryung was talking about.

She was holding a grudge about him pointing out her rudeness when they first met.

“Ah, that was…….”

“It’s okay. I’m not bringing it up now to argue.”

Ha Young-ryung turned her head to look at the passing scenery.

Her voice sounded somewhat lonely, and Un-hyun was silent for a moment.

Splash, splash.

“What did you do before?”

“Pardon?”

Ha Young-ryung said, turning to Un-hyun.

“What were you doing before you came to Gwangju? I heard you were a scholar in Beijing, but that’s not all, is it?”

Ha Young-ryung had seen everything that happened at Nanwha-juru.

She didn’t think Un-hyun was just an ordinary scholar.

“……I met many people.”

Un-hyun answered quietly.

“And I experienced many things.”

Un-hyun’s gaze was directed at his sword.

He didn’t necessarily have to bring it all the way here, but now he didn’t want to be separated from his sword even for a moment.

“So, you mean you don’t want to answer?”

Ha Young-ryung asked, frowning.

It seemed like she wouldn’t just let it go, so Un-hyun smiled and said.

“I worked as a clerk in the Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance].”

“Murim Alliance?”

Ha Young-ryung’s eyes widened.

Even she knew about the Murim Alliance. Besides, there had been a big incident in Hangzhou not long ago called the Bloodshed?

“And I lost someone precious because of me.”

Un-hyun’s face clouded over.

Ha Young-ryung hesitated a little but asked cautiously.

“……Was it a woman?”

“No. But…….”

Was it because of the scenery of the Pearl River dyed in the sunset? Or was it because of the lonely river breeze?

Un-hyun suddenly felt his throat tighten.

“He was my sworn brother. Very precious…….”

His eyes held emotions that he couldn’t put into words.

Ha Young-ryung said in a small voice.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Un-hyun raised his head and was startled.

Tears were welling up in Ha Young-ryung’s eyes as she looked at him.

Ha Young-ryung immediately turned her head, but the sight of her subtly wiping her eyes told Un-hyun that he wasn’t mistaken.

“Ah, it’s getting chilly because it’s night.”

Making an excuse about the wind, Ha Young-ryung draped a fancy coat over her shoulders.

Before they knew it, the sunset had faded, and lights were being lit one by one along the river.

As if illuminating the splendid night view of Gwangju, the streets began to sparkle with colorful lights.

Creak, creak.

The sound of the boatman rowing could be heard.

They couldn’t just drift out to sea like this, so they had to move the boat.

As the surroundings became darker, the old boatman lit a small lamp in front of the boat.

There were large lanterns all over the boat, but they were not lit.

“I like the dark.”

Ha Young-ryung said quietly.

“It feels like it’s embracing me. Like an old friend…….”

Even though it was dark, it wasn’t so dark that they couldn’t see each other.

The splendid lights illuminating the night in Gwangju cast their glow on the Pearl River, and the large and small cruise ships floating here and there were also lit up.

“……I.”

Ha Young-ryung, who had been silent, quietly opened her mouth.

“Do you hate me?”

Un-hyun replied.

“I don’t hate you.”

“I was the one who hurt you at Nanwha-juru. You must know that, right?”

“You were also the one who blocked his sword.”

That meant he had no intention of blaming her.

She had taken responsibility for what she had done.

“Don’t you think I’m rude and selfish?”

“Didn’t you say yourself that you’re not someone without thoughts?”

“That’s right.”

Ha Young-ryung said.

“You may not know it, but living as a woman is really annoying. Some people cleverly use being a woman to their advantage, but I don’t like that.”

Ha Young-ryung continued in a straightforward voice.

“Fortunately, I had the environment of the Hacheong Merchant Group [a powerful merchant guild], so I just did what I wanted without worrying about what others thought. But then, out of the blue, they tell me to get married. Seriously.”

Ha Young-ryung couldn’t hide her agitation.

“Does that even make sense? Marrying someone I don’t even know. Spending my whole life with someone I’ve never even met. Is marriage a joke? I can never do that.”

Ha Young-ryung, who had been speaking firmly, suddenly frowned.

“What? That expression.”

Un-hyun, who had been wearing a blank expression, suddenly came to his senses.

“Ah, no. But…….”

Un-hyun sighed softly.

“Surprisingly, that’s a perfectly reasonable statement.”

It was definitely a logical and convincing reason.

It was very different from what he had expected, that she was just vaguely annoyed or unconditionally disliked it.

“It’s a bit annoying for some reason, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Ha Young-ryung swept her hair back with one hand.

“Anyway, to you…….”

Ha Young-ryung paused for a moment.

She wanted to say sorry, but she didn’t want to say it again for some reason.

Ha Young-ryung bit her lip and turned her head.

After being silent for a while, watching the passing lights, she made up her mind and turned her head towards Un-hyun.

“You are…….”

However, her voice trailed off again.

The way Un-hyun was looking at her, and the throbbing in her chest since earlier, were weakening her resolve.

‘Haa, like this…….’

Her fading gaze regained its vitality the moment her eyes fell on Un-hyun’s sword.

Un-hyun, noticing her gaze, opened his mouth.

“Ah, this is…….”

However, before Un-hyun could say anything, Ha Young-ryung’s hand was already reaching for the sword.

Clang.

Ha Young-ryung drew the sword without hesitation.

The light illuminating the Pearl River was reflected on the blade, shimmering faintly.

“Hoo.”

Ha Young-ryung examined the sword in detail, as if appraising an object.

Un-hyun had no choice but to lower his hand, which had been reaching for the sword.

“It’s a good sword.”

Ha Young-ryung said, examining the sword.

“I can’t say exactly how much, but I think it could fetch a pretty good price.”

Un-hyun smiled at the evaluation worthy of a merchant’s daughter.

“That sword is…….”

However, Un-hyun’s words were cut short.

Because Ha Young-ryung’s hand holding the sword moved lightly.

Swish.

Un-hyun’s expression hardened.

The sword in Ha Young-ryung’s hand was resting on Un-hyun’s shoulder.

Its sharp blade gleaming.

“It’s dangerous.”

“No, this much is just right.”

Ha Young-ryung said with a smile.

It was a comfortable smile that he had never seen before.

“It’s much better than before.”

“What’s better…….”

“That I’m in control.”

Ha Young-ryung said, her eyes shining.

“My maid told me. Originally…….”

However, Ha Young-ryung’s next words trailed off.

How could she say to Un-hyun, ‘The person who loves more loses’?

“Ahem, anyway, it’s better to talk like this.”

“I think it would be the same even if you put the sword away…….”

“No.”

Ha Young-ryung said firmly.

“If I don’t do this, we’ll just keep talking in circles all night. I’m more of a coward than you think.”

It was absurd to say that she was a coward while holding a knife to someone’s neck.

But Un-hyun couldn’t tell her to put the knife away any longer because Ha Young-ryung’s smiling face looked so full of life.

Even in the unlikely event, he could stop the blade with a flick of his finger.

“Now, shall we talk one by one?”

Ha Young-ryung said with a smile.

Her eyes were shining brighter than ever.

“You were too much to me, weren’t you?”

Un-hyun thought for a moment.

He quickly understood what she was talking about.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Tell me in detail.”

Un-hyun continued calmly.

“If you think about it from the perspective of a young lady who was suddenly forced into marriage, rudeness at the first meeting is a small mistake. I was rather narrow-minded.”

That answer satisfied Ha Young-ryung.

“That’s right.”

Ha Young-ryung smiled and looked straight at Un-hyun.

“I’m sorry.”

She said in a lively voice. To others, it sounded like she wasn’t sorry at all.

But Un-hyun could tell.

That she was speaking with genuine sincerity.

“What happened at Nanwha-juru was entirely my fault. So, I really wanted to say it.”

Tears were already welling up in Ha Young-ryung’s large eyes.

“I’m really, really sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Un-hyun said softly.

But Ha Young-ryung’s words were not over yet.

“And.”

Ha Young-ryung looked straight at Un-hyun. Her eyes, still filled with tears, sparkled in the light of the Pearl River.

“I, I like you.”

Lights flowed over the Pearl River at night.

Lights flowed over Ha Young-ryung’s beautiful face, her eyes, and the sharp blade she was holding.

Un-hyun quietly watched the lights.

“……I’m sorry.”

Un-hyun’s answer was quiet but firm.

“Is there someone you like?”

Ha Young-ryung’s voice was trembling slightly.

“Yes, there is.”

“……Who is it? No, I guess I don’t need to ask.”

Ha Young-ryung bit her lip and raised her head again.

“Why do you like that person?”

“I don’t know why.”

Un-hyun replied.

“But when I think of that person…….”

Un-hyun turned his gaze.

The night view of Gwangju, illuminated by lights, came into view.

Like the night sky he had seen that day.

“My heart aches.”

Splash.

The waves crashed against the side of the boat.

“……I see.”

Ha Young-ryung said quietly, as if repeating to herself.

“I see. That’s how it is.”

She also turned her gaze.

Taking in the night scenery of the flowing Pearl River, Ha Young-ryung sat quietly.

Carrying their respective emotions, the boat flowed along the Pearl River.

“Haa.”

How long had the silence lasted?

Ha Young-ryung let out a soft sigh.

“Now, I have to take care of the remaining business.”

Ha Young-ryung said to Un-hyun.

“The reason you haven’t sent a rejection to our merchant group is because of the situation the Un Family Merchant Group is in, right?”

As if the emotions from just now were a lie, Ha Young-ryung continued calmly.

“That’s right.”

“But if we stay like this, you’ll have to marry me, you know?”

“I thought you wouldn’t let that happen.”

“Too bad. I don’t have the slightest intention of going to the trouble for someone I don’t even like.”

Ha Young-ryung stuck out her tongue.

Un-hyun smiled lightly.

“Then what should we do?”

“Hmm, what should we do?”

Ha Young-ryung pressed her finger lightly on her lips, pretending to ponder.

It was at that moment.

“Be careful.”

Creak.

The boat shook violently along with the old man’s voice.

Un-hyun grabbed the side of the boat with one hand and raised the other hand to his shoulder, lightly gripping the blade with his fingers.

Because of that, he couldn’t catch Ha Young-ryung as she swayed.

“Eek.”

She didn’t drop the sword, but her posture was greatly disturbed.

Thanks to that, her skirt was lifted, and her slender ankles and shapely calves were exposed to Un-hyun’s eyes.

Under the dim light, the sight was incomparably alluring.

“Ahem.”

Un-hyun quickly averted his gaze.

But that was in vain.

“Did you see it?”

“Wh, what…….”

“My legs.”

Un-hyun was surprised and looked back at Ha Young-ryung.

Ha Young-ryung was smiling faintly and staring intently at Un-hyun.

“Pretty, right?”

He thought they were pretty, but he didn’t dare to affirm it.

Un-hyun cleared his throat and turned his head.

Ha Young-ryung laughed once more and then turned around and shouted.

“Seon-no [Old Boatman]! You don’t have to do it today!”

The old man, called Seon-no (船老), did not answer.

Only the sound of regular rowing could be heard in reply.

“It seems Seon-no misunderstood. I guess it’s been so long since I brought a man here.”

Un-hyun wondered what this meant.

So, the shaking just now was intentional?

She was trying to induce physical contact under the guise of coincidence.

“What’s with that expression?”

Ha Young-ryung said, frowning.

“There’s nothing like what you’re thinking, so don’t misunderstand.”