Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 372

Un-hyun stared, surprised, at his late-night visitor.

A long, black veil concealed her form down to her waist, but the figure beyond it was unmistakably the Grand Palace Lord.

“May I come in?”

The Grand Palace Lord’s voice was cool and composed.

“Ah, yes.”

Un-hyun quickly stepped aside.

*Rustle.*

Bing-seol and the Grand Palace Lord entered Un-hyun’s room.

The thin veil fluttered past Un-hyun’s eyes.

*Click.*

Un-hyun closed the door.

Once inside, the Grand Palace Lord bowed respectfully to Guest Ong.

“It’s been a while.”

Guest Ong looked at the Grand Palace Lord with an indifferent expression.

Then he asked,

“Are there many children like that in the Northern Sea?”

The person Guest Ong referred to was Bing-seol.

“Bing-seol is one of the Twelve Blades of the Northern Sea.”

The Grand Palace Lord replied quietly.

“A power solely for the Northern Sea.”

“Hmm.”

Guest Ong stared at Bing-seol.

Bing-seol met his gaze unflinchingly.

Un-hyun, worried the atmosphere might turn hostile, quickly interjected.

“Please, have a seat first.”

However, neither Bing-seol nor the Grand Palace Lord sat down.

*Rustle.*

The Grand Palace Lord turned to face Un-hyun.

“I would like to talk for a moment.”

Her eyes sparkled from behind the thin veil.

“Just you and me.”

Un-hyun was slightly surprised but soon nodded.

“I understand. Then, let’s go outside…”

“There’s no need for that.”

*Click.*

Guest Ong rose from his seat.

“It’s late, so I’ll go to sleep.”

Before Un-hyun could say anything, Guest Ong walked to the door and opened it.

*Click.*

Un-hyun quickly bowed, but Guest Ong indifferently moved on.

*Step, step.*

Guest Ong’s figure quickly disappeared.

As Un-hyun watched his retreating back and was about to close the door, the Grand Palace Lord suddenly spoke.

“Bing-seol.”

Bing-seol lowered her head.

She bowed to Un-hyun as well and then stepped outside.

*Rustle.*

With a soft sound, Bing-seol’s figure vanished.

However, it was clear that she was not far away.

Un-hyun slowly closed the door.

*Thud.*

Now, only the Grand Palace Lord and Un-hyun remained.

*Rustle.*

Hearing the sound from behind, Un-hyun turned around.

The Grand Palace Lord was removing her black veil.

It was a long veil that reached her waist, but as she took off her black hat, one side opened, revealing the Grand Palace Lord’s face.

It was as if the surroundings brightened just from that.

“…I’ll sit down.”

Un-hyun snapped back to his senses at the Grand Palace Lord’s voice.

“Ah, yes.”

Un-hyun quickly cleared the teacups from the table.

There was warm water already on the stove, so brewing new tea was quick.

Meanwhile, the Grand Palace Lord, having taken a seat, looked around Un-hyun’s room.

In truth, he had only been staying here for a few days, so Un-hyun’s room didn’t have much of a unique character.

*Click.*

Un-hyun placed a new teacup in front of the Grand Palace Lord and poured tea.

*Pour, pour.*

With a cheerful sound, the soft fragrance of tea spread around.

There were etiquette rules for tea ceremonies to honor esteemed guests, but Un-hyun didn’t know any of that, so he was just careful not to stand out as he poured.

“The aroma is lovely.”

The Grand Palace Lord said, reaching for the teacup.

“Is it from the Mo-yong Clan?”

“No, it isn’t.”

Un-hyun replied, taking a seat.

“I carry it separately. Guest Ong enjoys tea…”

Un-hyun held the teacup and wore a bitter smile.

“I have a tea leaf pouch given to me by the Divine Monk.”

He carried tea because of the Divine Monk’s memory.

Although he had scattered the tea leaves given to him on Mount Song, the small hemp pouch was still in Un-hyun’s possession.

The scent of the tea leaves was somehow comforting.

“I see.”

The Grand Palace Lord said, lifting the teacup.

*Rustle.*

She quietly savored the tea.

Un-hyun watched her.

The Grand Palace Lord’s appearance as she drank tea was like a painting in itself, but more than anything, her demeanor was very different from before.

Her unique way of speaking and her gaze were the same, but she looked much better than she had a few days ago when she only smiled outwardly.

*Sip.*

The Grand Palace Lord took the teacup from her lips and suddenly met Un-hyun’s gaze.

“Why are you looking?”

It was rude to stare at someone like that.

Un-hyun quickly lowered his gaze.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Flustered, Un-hyun quickly brought the teacup to his lips.

At that moment, the Grand Palace Lord quickly said,

“Be careful.”

Un-hyun paused and looked up.

But rather, the Grand Palace Lord was slightly flustered.

“No, that’s… it looks like it’s hot…”

Un-hyun blankly stared at the Grand Palace Lord.

If it hadn’t been for her warning, he would have definitely scalded the roof of his mouth by recklessly gulping down the hot tea.

But had she ever been like this before?

“Ahem.”

The Grand Palace Lord lightly cleared her throat.

After a moment of silence, she raised her head and said,

“First, there’s one thing I want to make clear.”

Un-hyun tensed up.

As expected, she wouldn’t have come without a purpose.

“Have you decided about the Northern Sea One’s [Referring to their leader or organization] joining the Azure Dragon Alliance?”

“Yes, I have.”

Un-hyun said with a serious look.

“I am the Northern Sea One’s…”

“Just a moment.”

The Grand Palace Lord raised her hand to stop Un-hyun’s words.

“That’s enough.”

“Yes?”

As Un-hyun questioned, the Grand Palace Lord lowered her hand and quietly said,

“I just wanted to make it clear that what I’m about to say is not intended to influence that decision, nor is it because of that decision.”

Un-hyun could understand the meaning of those words.

What she was about to say was not to get permission to join the alliance, nor was it a story being told because the alliance was either permitted or rejected.

“So, what I’m saying is completely unrelated to the Azure Dragon Alliance…”

“I know.”

The Grand Palace Lord frowned at Un-hyun’s voice.

But Un-hyun carefully brought the teacup to his lips and said,

“Because whenever something else was involved, you, no, Grand Palace Lord, always got angry.”

“…Did I?”

Un-hyun lowered the teacup and said,

“Yes. At least, that’s how it seemed to me.”

The Grand Palace Lord quietly stared at Un-hyun.

After a moment, she let out a small, hollow laugh.

“…I see.”

From the beginning, it hadn’t worked on him anyway.

What she thought she had hidden was just her delusion, or perhaps her wish.

“Hoo.”

The Grand Palace Lord took a deep breath.

Then, she raised her head and straightened her upper body.

There was no more hesitation.

Because she herself had already made up her mind.

“I’ll only say it once, so listen carefully.”

The Grand Palace Lord looked at Un-hyun with a sharp gaze.

“After this, I will never say these words to anyone, no matter what happens.”

Her voice and gaze seemed as if she was angry.

But Un-hyun could clearly tell that she wasn’t really angry.

“I…”

The Grand Palace Lord said,

“From now on, I will follow your will.”

With a resolute look, she continued,

“If you tell me to take down the Northern Sea One’s signboard, I will do so. If you tell me to return to the Northern Sea, I will return. Whatever you want from me.”

The Grand Palace Lord said, moving her red lips.

“I will follow it.”

Silence flowed.

The Grand Palace Lord’s gaze was sharp, but Un-hyun did not avert his eyes.

After a moment, Un-hyun quietly said,

“Why?”

Looking at the Grand Palace Lord, Un-hyun asked,

“Is it because I am the Azure Wolf?”

“I don’t want to say.”

*Click.*

The Grand Palace Lord lowered her gaze and lifted the teacup.

“It’s just that this is the answer I have chosen.”

It should have been like this from the beginning.

If Un-hyun had continued to be missing, she wouldn’t have known, but from the moment she announced his well-being to the entire world, there was no room for choice.

Even the tribal chiefs and elders who strongly advocated for conquering the South revered the Azure Wolf of the Northern Sea.

Of course, there could be a huge backlash.

But that was entirely her own problem to bear and handle.

“So, please tell me now.”

The Grand Palace Lord said, looking at Un-hyun.

“What do you want?”

Her eyes, with a faint smile, were even bewitching.

However, Un-hyun rather smiled.

The Grand Palace Lord’s eyebrows immediately furrowed.

“Why?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Un-hyun shook his head.

However, the Grand Palace Lord asked again as if she wouldn’t let it go.

“Why did you smile?”

Un-hyun became serious and replied,

“I won’t say that.”

There was no way he could say it.

That for a moment, the Grand Palace Lord’s expression looked cute.

“Ahem.”

Un-hyun cleared his throat.

“First, there’s one thing I want to make clear as well.”

The Grand Palace Lord’s eyes sparkled.

“What is it?”

“My decision has not changed because of what you said just now. Before you came here, my decision had already been made.”

That was the same meaning as what the Grand Palace Lord had said earlier.

Un-hyun’s decision was unrelated to the Grand Palace Lord’s words.

“If you want, you can confirm with Guest Ong…”

“I believe you. No…”

The Grand Palace Lord interrupted Un-hyun’s words.

“I know.”

She said, looking straight into Un-hyun’s eyes.

The Grand Palace Lord also knew his sincerity.

From the first time they met until now, Un-hyun had always been sincere with her.

Un-hyun said quietly,

“As the leader of the Azure Dragon Alliance, I permit the Northern Sea One to join.”

Un-hyun’s gaze as he looked at the Grand Palace Lord did not waver in the slightest.

“And the Northern Sea One, like the other sects of the Azure Dragon Alliance, should decide its own path.”

At those words, the Grand Palace Lord’s eyes trembled.

What Un-hyun was saying now had tremendous meaning for her, and for the Northern Sea One and the Northern Sea.

“That means…”

“Yes. It’s as you think.”

Un-hyun nodded.

“The Northern Sea One is just one sect in the Jianghu [Martial arts world] martial world. If they uphold the imperial law and do not commit evil deeds, there is no reason to stop them.”

The Grand Palace Lord bit her lip.

“…I know that the people here dislike us, calling us foreigners?”

“Not me.”

Un-hyun said, lifting the teacup.

“Just because someone was born in a different place, just because their language and culture are unfamiliar, no one has the right to discriminate against them. If we were to do that, everyone would be subject to discrimination for all sorts of reasons.”

Un-hyun smiled at the Grand Palace Lord.

“In fact, if you think about it, I’m not from the orthodox Central Plains either. No, rather, am I closer to being a foreigner?”

His main family’s Guangzhou in Guangdong Province is at the southern end of the continent.

From the perspective of the people of Henan Province, which was historically the Central Plains, it would not be an exaggeration to call them foreigners.

“If we fight and divide for foolish reasons, the result will only be destruction. The target we should be fighting is rather those who incite division and hatred for their own benefit.”

“…Idealistic.”

The Grand Palace Lord said quietly after a moment of silence.

“But I like it.”

Her eyes were shining faintly.

Un-hyun’s cheeks flushed slightly.

He knew that she didn’t say it with any special meaning, but he couldn’t help but hear it that way.

*Rustle.*

The Grand Palace Lord rose from her seat.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

“No, well…”

Un-hyun tried to say something, but the Grand Palace Lord refused.

“It’s already late. The fact that I came to visit is a great discourtesy in itself.”

It was such an obvious statement that Un-hyun couldn’t say anything.

The Grand Palace Lord turned her head.

“Bing-seol.”

It was a quiet voice, but the response was immediate.

*Click.*

The door opened and Bing-seol appeared.

The Grand Palace Lord put on her black hat and wrapped herself in her veil.

*Rustle.*

Her beautiful figure disappeared behind the black veil.

“Come visit anytime.”

The Grand Palace Lord said in a soft voice.

“I will welcome you gladly.”

“Thank you.”

Un-hyun could tell that she was smiling from behind the veil.

The Grand Palace Lord lightly bowed her head and stepped outside.

*Rustle.*

Bing-seol seemed to wrap her arm around the Grand Palace Lord’s shoulder, and immediately kicked off the ground.

*Thud.*

‘Oh!’

The two figures soon disappeared into the darkness.

Un-hyun came out of the door and looked at the place where the two had disappeared.

But there was already nothing to be seen.

Only the rapidly receding sounds indicated their presence.

“Hoo.”

Un-hyun sighed and raised his head.

The night sky was full of stars, as if they would pour down.

Feeling the cold night breeze, Un-hyun stood there for a long time.