Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 58

058. The Lake of Beauties (2)

Laughter erupted from several people at once.

Slightly frowning at the sudden disruption, Unhyun turned his head.

“Hahaha, Young Master Namgung is truly impressive. To let such a fellow go so easily.”

“How could I lower myself to deal with such riffraff? Isn’t that the difference between a gentleman and a petty man? Hahaha.”

“Oh my, is that how it is? Hohoho.”

A group of about a dozen young men and women, dressed in splendid attire, were chattering away a short distance from Unhyun.

‘Who are they?’

Just then, a server arrived with food and drinks.

Noticing Unhyun’s displeased expression, the server smiled and quietly said, “Those are the promising disciples from various factions attending this Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Unhyun’s eyes lit up with interest.

‘Promising disciples, you say?’

Indeed, the young men and women gathered there all possessed remarkable auras.

‘Hmm, but….’

Unfortunately, none of them particularly stood out.

Only their extravagant clothes shone brightly under the lights.

Unhyun’s sparkling eyes faded with disappointment.

“They often come here to enjoy the romantic atmosphere of West Lake at night. Thanks to them, many other guests come to see them as well.”

Come to think of it, there were indeed many customers gathered near them.

Because of that, many window seats were empty, so it could be said that Unhyun was able to sit in a good spot thanks to them.

“Please call me if you need anything else.”

After the server left, Unhyun filled a small cup with fragrant wine.

‘Well, if you’re receiving strict training in a prestigious family, you might want to unwind a bit in a place like this.’

Unhyun tried to understand them in his own way.

However, he couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed.

‘Still, they’re promising disciples from prestigious families. Surely, this isn’t their true selves, right? Like Mo Yongjin from the Mo Yong family….’

Even Mo Yongjin, who later showed a courteous and dignified demeanor, initially seemed like a drunken, third-rate thug.

Unhyun nodded and turned his attention away from the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group.

Swish.

With just a slight turn of his gaze, the beauty of West Lake came into full view.

Why bother paying attention to the noisy crowd?

Unhyun began to immerse himself in the beauty of West Lake once more.

The occasional loud laughter was annoying, but he didn’t particularly care.

The beauty of the scenery wasn’t diminished by the surrounding noise.

***

“Hahaha. Still, Young Master Jegal is indeed a gentleman, a true gentleman.”

“What are you saying? Young Master Namgung also severely punished the Yellow Mountain Three Fiends the other day, didn’t he?”

“Oh. Has that matter reached Young Master Jegal’s ears? Well, I must say, hahaha.”

“Oh my, who doesn’t know about Young Master Namgung’s chivalrous deeds?”

The young lady sitting next to him praised, and a smile spread across Young Master Namgung, Namgung Sanghyeok’s face.

“Is that so? Well, it was nothing much really… Hahaha.”

He spoke as if embarrassed, but his face was full of unconcealed pride.

Thus, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group’s conversation was pleasant and filled with constant laughter.

However, Mo Yongmi, who was sitting among them, sighed inwardly.

‘Are these people really the promising disciples of prestigious families….’

Yellow Mountain Three Fiends? She’d never even heard of them.

Across the vast continent, how many Yellow Mountains are there, and how many thugs reside in them?

To boast about such a thing and the exaggerated responses to it, Mo Yongmi found it all simply pathetic.

‘I had some hope, but… I can’t expect anything more from them.’

They must have led strict lives in prestigious martial families.

Perhaps it’s only natural that they want to enjoy a sense of liberation in a place like this.

However, people tend to reveal their true colors in times like these.

Having observed them for several days, Mo Yongmi couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

She hadn’t expected virtues like humility from the start.

But at the very least, a martial artist walking the path of martial arts should naturally exude something.

A martial spirit or pride that cannot be concealed, no matter how hard one tries, was completely absent from these individuals.

‘Hoo.’

Mo Yongmi let out a small sigh inwardly.

As the Outer Hall Leader, Mo Yongmi, who attended the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, was most interested in the promising disciples of prestigious families.

However, the results were not promising.

Before even considering sharing their intentions, these were not people she wanted to associate with.

How could she entrust the fate of the family’s important affairs to them?

“Hohoho, Young Master Jegal is so humble. Isn’t that right, sister?”

The young lady sitting next to her spoke to Mo Yongmi.

Mo Yongmi gave a slight smile.

“Yes, he is.”

“Oh, sister, say something too. Don’t just stay quiet, hohoho.”

The young lady sitting across from her also said with a smile.

However, Mo Yongmi replaced her answer with a silent smile.

‘These young ladies are something else….’

Mo Yongmi smiled wryly inwardly.

They called her ‘sister’ and acted friendly, but it was actually a form of subtle check.

They were constantly emphasizing that she was older than them.

As if worried that handsome young men would fall for Mo Yongmi’s mature charm, their polite words contained hidden barbs.

Even now, weren’t they subtly implying that she was a boring person?

‘Hoo-oo.’

She wanted to leave already.

However, as the Outer Hall Leader of the Mo Yong family, she couldn’t leave so easily.

Mo Yongmi let out a soft sigh and looked around, as if trying to change her mood.

‘Hmm?’

A scholar came into Mo Yongmi’s view.

A scholar who seemed to be in another world, leisurely gazing at West Lake and slowly sipping his wine.

Mo Yongmi tilted her head slightly.

‘Who is he?’

The attention of the other guests here was all focused on the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group.

Even if they tried to hide it, it was obvious from the way they were gathered around the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group.

However, that scholar seemed to have completely lost interest and was engrossed in the scenery of West Lake alone.

That leisurely appearance caught Mo Yongmi’s attention.

And there was another reason why Mo Yongmi became interested in him.

‘Where have I met him before?’

She definitely felt like she had seen him somewhere.

However, she clearly didn’t recognize his face.

If she had met him, the intelligent Mo Yongmi wouldn’t have failed to remember.

Moreover, with that kind of aura, she wouldn’t have easily forgotten him.

As she tilted her head, Mo Yongmi suddenly noticed that the surrounding atmosphere had changed strangely.

‘Hmm?’

It was quiet around her.

Not only the other people around her, but even the group that had been chattering away just now were silent.

Mo Yongmi turned her head. And she immediately understood the reason.

“Wow.”

A sigh escaped from someone’s lips.

The woman who was just entering the hall was so beautiful that the sigh didn’t seem out of place at all.

A woman who captivated the eyes like a snow flower blooming in the snow, radiating a sharp yet dazzling beauty, was entering the hall.

Not only her subtly shining white dress, but even the colorful lanterns seemed to exist for her, a beauty that could truly topple kingdoms and cities.

The bustling hall had instantly fallen silent because of her.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed.

The hall was so quiet that even that sound could be heard clearly.

Unhyun also saw the beauty.

He was just as surprised, but the only difference was that the beauty was someone Unhyun knew.

‘Oh… Young Palace Lord?’

The one who had just entered the hall was none other than the group from the North Sea Ice Palace, led by the Young Palace Lord.

Bingseol, quietly following behind, and Binghon, with his cold expression, were also visible.

‘What’s going on?’

Unhyun tilted his head.

‘I thought they were going to rest today. Did they come out drawn by the lights of West Lake?’

In any case, he was a little glad to see someone he knew here.

Unhyun watched the North Sea Ice Palace group, wondering if he should give them a nod if their eyes met.

“How do you like this place?”

The server who had guided the North Sea Ice Palace group bowed respectfully.

The seat he guided them to was a bit away from Unhyun and the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group, with a beautiful view of West Lake.

The Young Palace Lord silently sat down, seemingly pleased with the seat, and Bingseol took a seat next to the Young Palace Lord.

Binghon stood tall behind the Young Palace Lord with his cold expression unchanged.

“Please call me if you need anything.”

Binghon quietly ordered something to the server who was about to leave.

“Understood.”

The server left, and Binghon silently stood guard again.

Until then, the Young Palace Lord only looked at West Lake and said nothing.

She didn’t even make eye contact with Unhyun, let alone the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group.

‘I still can’t get used to those people.’

Unhyun muttered inwardly, unable to even make eye contact.

Whether they were not paying attention to their surroundings or deliberately ignoring them, the North Sea Ice Palace group seemed to have no intention of looking around.

Unhyun shrugged.

Since he couldn’t even exchange a simple nod, he had no intention of breaking his current mood to greet them.

‘West Lake is indeed a lake of beauties….’

Unhyun turned his head again and looked at a young lady sitting with the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group.

She seemed a bit mature, and he felt like he had seen her somewhere, or that she resembled someone.

She was currently looking at the Young Palace Lord like the other members, but until a little while ago, she had clearly been looking at Unhyun himself.

Unlike the other promising disciples sitting with her, her gaze, which seemed composed and upright, was enough to stimulate Unhyun’s senses.

Moreover, she was also quite a beauty in Unhyun’s eyes.

‘There are so many beautiful people in the world.’

Rustle.

A gentle breeze caressed his cheek and passed by.

Unhyun smiled wryly and turned his head towards West Lake.

‘Of course, none of them are my women.’

Not only among them, but nowhere else either.

Unhyun let out a small sigh and raised his wine glass.

A soft fragrance brushed past his nose, and a smile reappeared on Unhyun’s lips.

As the North Sea Ice Palace group took their seats, a low murmur filled the hall once again.

However, their conversation was clearly different from before.

It couldn’t be helped.

The appearance of a beauty who had instantly captivated everyone’s attention had the power to change the atmosphere of this place.

“What do you think? Would she suit even the picky Young Master Jegal’s taste?”

“Hahaha, why are you asking me? Perhaps Young Master Namgung has some thoughts?”

The topic had changed for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering group as well.

Unable to speak openly, they exchanged words in whispers, either among the men or among the women.

“Honestly, men are all the same, aren’t they?”

The young lady sitting next to her said to Mo Yongmi with a sulky expression.

“As soon as they see someone who’s even a little pretty, they immediately show interest… It’s so childish, don’t you think?”

‘But she really is a charming woman.’

It wasn’t just her beauty.

She possessed a truly special charm, with a cold, aloof, and somehow unapproachable aura.

However, Mo Yongmi’s answer remained only in her thoughts.

She couldn’t help but find the sight of the young men unable to take their eyes off the beauty a bit pathetic.

‘Hoo.’

Mo Yongmi unconsciously cast her gaze towards the scholar she had seen earlier.

His leisurely appearance, enjoying the scenery of West Lake with a glass of fragrant wine, caught her eye.

‘Hehe.’

A smile appeared on Mo Yongmi’s lips, and she quietly raised her wine glass as well.

The fragrant mead, shining with an amber hue, shimmered in her glass.

“Oh.”

Unhyun turned his head at the sudden murmuring sound.