Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 96

096. Reality

Un-hyun wasn’t late.

No, he was actually too early.

Il Ah-young didn’t appear until quite some time later.

“Why are you so late? I was worried something might have happened to you, Ah-young.”

Un-hyun spoke out of concern, or so he thought.

However, Il Ah-young replied coldly.

“Late? Compared to the other young ladies, I’m incredibly early.”

‘Could it be?’

Un-hyun thought to himself.

He figured it probably took her a particularly long time because she was a young lady, but he didn’t say it out loud.

‘Still, seeing her like this…’

Il Ah-young was quite pretty.

As expected, a young lady in her prime was eye-catching after dressing up.

Besides, the fact that she took the time to get ready meant she considered going out with Un-hyun important, didn’t it?

Un-hyun felt quite pleased.

Il Ah-young spoke to the old butler.

“I’ll be back. Please tell Mother.”

“Please be careful, young lady.”

The old butler said respectfully.

In the past, there would have been servants to accompany her, but with the family’s fortunes declining, all he could do was see her off like this.

Step.

Il Ah-young took the first step, and Un-hyun quickly followed behind her.

Un-hyun was in a good mood.

Even though it was just an ordinary road, he felt happy just walking with Il Ah-young.

Although Il Ah-young always walked a little ahead as if she didn’t want to walk with him, Un-hyun, who felt like he had a younger brother, was simply happy.

“Ah-young, aren’t you tired?”

It had been quite a while since they left the old mansion and started walking.

The distance wasn’t short, so Un-hyun asked with a worried expression, but Il Ah-young replied calmly.

“I’m fine.”

That was the end of the answer. Il Ah-young didn’t even look at Un-hyun.

However, Il Ah-young was feeling a bit sorry for Un-hyun, who was just following along, happy as could be.

‘I feel a little bad, but…’

Il Ah-young bit her lip.

‘I still need to make it clear.’

When you think about it, it’s not really Un-hyun’s fault.

Bullying innocent people isn’t Il Ah-young’s style either.

So, she needed to show him clearly like this.

‘Before it’s too late.’

It might be a bit cruel to Un-hyun, but this was the best way.

“It seems like the road is quite far…”

Un-hyun, who had been trotting along behind her, said with a worried expression.

“I’m fine, but won’t your makeup get messed up, Ah-young?”

“So?”

Il Ah-young said in a deliberately cold voice.

Who would want to walk a long way in the heat?

Especially a young lady who had dressed up so prettily.

However, Un-hyun didn’t see Il Ah-young’s hardening expression.

And in the end, he said something that would hurt Il Ah-young.

“Wouldn’t it be better to take a carriage?”

Thud.

Il Ah-young stopped walking.

She turned to Un-hyun and said with a sharp look.

“Of course, you, a scholar who lived in the Imperial Palace, would think that way. But you know what?”

Il Ah-young said each word as if she were spitting them out.

“People like us have so many other things we need to do before we can afford that. Do you understand?”

Il Ah-young turned her head again and started walking.

Un-hyun could only stand there as if he were rooted to the spot.

‘Oh dear.’

Un-hyun realized his mistake.

He didn’t have any bad intentions when he suggested taking a carriage.

However, sometimes even the most obvious things can hurt someone.

‘I was so foolish not to even think about that…’

How could Un-hyun not know the hardships of not having money?

He had touched the young lady’s sore spot.

It was only natural that Il Ah-young was angry.

‘Oh…’

Un-hyun blamed himself for not considering Il Ah-young’s situation.

And it pained him to think that Il Chung-hyun’s remaining family was living like this.

‘Why does my brother’s family have to suffer like this?’

Il Chung-hyun, who was righteous and loyal, lost his life unjustly, and his family was living in such hardship.

It was as if the lament of the ancient sages, ‘Is the way of heaven truly right, or is it wrong?’ was about to burst forth.

“What are you doing?”

A sharp voice suddenly flew at Un-hyun, who was looking at the sky.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Y-yes, I’m coming. Ah-young.”

Un-hyun hurriedly quickened his pace.

Il Ah-young frowned when she noticed that Un-hyun’s eyes were slightly wet as he hurried closer.

‘What is it? Is he crying just because he heard that? Seriously…’

It was a prejudice against men, but Il Ah-young didn’t care.

Thinking that there were all sorts of pathetic men in the world, Il Ah-young started walking again.

Step, step.

Un-hyun, who could barely say a word and just followed behind Il Ah-young, arrived at Yueyang Tower.

Yueyang Tower, with its magnificent roof that seemed to soar into the sky, was truly beautiful, just as Lee Seo-yeon had said on the boat.

And as she had promised, the vast Dongting Lake immediately captivated Un-hyun’s attention.

“Ohh.”

Un-hyun was genuinely impressed.

The lake, spread out as vast as the sea, and the various islands scattered here and there were as beautiful as a painting.

‘Indeed, it can be said that the sky and the earth are floating on the lake.’

Un-hyun couldn’t take his eyes off it.

The magnificent scenery of Dongting Lake seemed to clear even his stuffy heart.

While Un-hyun was captivated by Dongting Lake, Il Ah-young looked around, waiting for someone.

And after a while, a smile appeared on Il Ah-young’s face.

“Ah, young master.”

The person who appeared was a young man dressed quite handsomely.

Il Ah-young bowed her head in greeting, and a bright smile spread across the young man’s face as well.

“Ah-young, my sister.”

Un-hyun, who had been distracted by Dongting Lake, also heard Il Ah-young’s voice.

And he clearly heard the young man affectionately calling Ah-young ‘sister’.

‘Who is that person?’

“This person is…”

Il Ah-young said to Un-hyun with a resolute expression.

“This is Young Master Lee, the man I will marry.”

Il Ah-young’s eyes were shining with determination.

And, as expected,

Un-hyun’s mouth dropped open.

“Ah, Ah-young…”

He couldn’t help but be taken aback.

She had asked him to come out with her, and then suddenly introduced him to her fiancé.

Il Ah-young calmly met Un-hyun’s wavering gaze.

And the next moment.

“Young Master Lee!”

Un-hyun said to Young Master Lee with a moved expression.

“So you’re the one who will marry Ah-young! I’m so glad to meet you like this.”

Un-hyun’s face was overflowing with emotion and joy as he paid his respects.

His eyes were even affectionate, as if he had met an old friend.

Then, the person who was flustered was Young Master Lee.

“No, well… who are you?”

Un-hyun said with a moved expression.

“I am Un-hyun, who became sworn brothers with Ah-young’s father.”

Young Master Lee’s eyes widened.

He had already heard about Il Ah-young’s father.

If he was his sworn brother, then he was senior to Young Master Lee himself.

“Ah, I see. I’m very glad to meet you, Senior Un.”

Young Master Lee respectfully paid his respects to Un-hyun.

Un-hyun gladly returned the greeting.

He was even ready to hold his hand.

Young Master Lee looked at Il Ah-young and said as if he were blaming her.

“Ah-young, my sister, you should have told me in advance if you were going to bring such a distinguished guest!”

“No, I didn’t even know myself.”

Un-hyun said, waving his hand.

“But I’m really surprised. To think that Ah-young would introduce me to the person who will be her spouse… Hahaha.”

“Haha, please speak casually. I’m the one who feels uncomfortable.”

Un-hyun was truly happy.

That’s because Il Ah-young introducing her spouse meant that she was acknowledging Un-hyun as family.

However, Il Ah-young was only embarrassed by Un-hyun’s reaction.

‘What’s going on?’

She had clearly expected Un-hyun’s face to be terribly distorted.

If not that, she thought he would at least stiffen his face and leave this place.

But instead, he was so happily exchanging greetings with Young Master Lee?

Il Ah-young felt bad that Un-hyun, who already seemed shameless, was chatting amiably with her lover.

“Young Master Lee, let’s go now.”

However, Young Master Lee retorted as if he didn’t understand.

“Ah-young, my sister, what are you saying? We’ve met such a distinguished guest, how can we just let him go without offering him a drink?”

“Haha, Young Master Lee. It seems Ah-young is embarrassed.”

Il Ah-young’s blood pressure rose again at Un-hyun’s words.

But Young Master Lee said without knowing her feelings.

“You’re mistaken, Senior Un. Ah-young may seem demure, but she’s very headstrong! I fell head over heels for that side of her! Hahaha!”

Il Ah-young turned her head away from the sight of the two people who seemed to have hit it off right away.

“Then do as you please.”

Thump, thump.

Il Ah-young, who was angry, strode away without hesitation.

‘What’s going on?’

Il Ah-young pondered to herself.

‘Could it be that he really doesn’t know, like Mother said?’

But if that were the case, there would be no reason not to hand over the ring.

‘Maybe…’

Un-hyun may seem naive on the surface, but he might be more sophisticated than she thought.

Il Ah-young had played her strongest card by introducing Young Master Lee, but when you think about it, Young Master Lee was just Il Ah-young’s lover, while Un-hyun himself was someone who had been promised marriage by her father.

‘What is it?’

Il Ah-young left the place with complicated feelings.

However, Un-hyun and Young Master Lee only watched her back with a smile.

***

Un-hyun had a drink with Young Master Lee right near Yueyang Tower.

From Young Master Lee’s perspective, Il Ah-young had introduced Un-hyun herself, so there was nothing to hide, and he was even able to confide in him about things he couldn’t normally say.

After a fairly long and candid drinking session, Un-hyun was coming down from Yueyang Tower with a long sigh.

“Oh.”

Un-hyun’s steps, holding a wooden sword in one hand and trudging along, were listless compared to before.

“To think that Ah-young, no, my brother’s family, had such circumstances…”

Un-hyun recalled what he had heard from Young Master Lee earlier.

—Ah-young has a strong sense of pride. In fact, my family is a bit well-off, so I tried to help, but Ah-young adamantly refused. If I were to force her to accept help, she might not see me for the rest of her life.

Young Master Lee confided in him about his frustrating feelings after having a few drinks.

—Of course, I understand Ah-young’s feelings. Ah-young said that she has to take care of her mother even after marriage, so she feels sorry for me just for that, so how can she receive help? I told her that it’s okay because she’s also my mother, but it seems that marriage between families isn’t like that.

Un-hyun nodded at Young Master Lee’s gloomy expression.

It was only natural if he considered Il Ah-young’s character.

Her father, Il Chung-hyun, had also sacrificed his life for his beliefs, so it was not strange that she, who had inherited that character, had a particularly strong sense of pride.

—Ah-young is a really amazing person. It’s no exaggeration to say that Ah-young’s family is being supported by her right now.

Il Ah-young was struggling to manage her difficult family somehow.

However, there was not much farmland left that had been passed down for generations, and even the yield was not very high.

Even in the midst of all this, she did not forget to be considerate of the tenant farmers, so she was praised by the surrounding farmers.

—Ah-young is too good for me. I was really happy when she accepted my proposal. But the problem was that her family didn’t have the means to hold a wedding.

The bride needed a dowry.

Sometimes the bride was evaluated based on the dowry, so it was essential to consider the prestige of both families.

However, the situation of the fallen family was miserable.

Il Ah-young’s family did not have the means to prepare a dowry.

—Ah-young told me to wait. She said that there were more urgent matters than her marriage right now, and that she would definitely finish preparing for the marriage with her own strength, so please wait until then.

Was it because he was drunk from drinking one drink after another? Young Master Lee’s eyes began to get wet.

—I’m a really useless guy who can’t do anything for her.

Un-hyun, who was listening, let out a deep sigh.

He comforted the drunk Young Master Lee and got up, but Un-hyun himself was the same, unable to do anything.

“If you don’t have wealth and status, can’t you even protect your loved ones? Do I have to make them so sad?”

Un-hyun spat out as if sighing.

However, his heart was still stuffy and heavy.

“Oh.”

Once again, Un-hyun lamented.

Un-hyun, who was coming down from Yueyang Tower, impulsively strayed from the road at some point.

Step.

Although it was already dark in the forest, Un-hyun entered without hesitation.