Chapter 37. Escape (3)
The Lord of the Bright Moon Pavilion was dead.
Perhaps it was because no one had died until now, even if many were seriously injured. The Hao Clan members were in an uproar.
From their perspective, not only had I abducted the Lord's courtesan, but I had also taken his life. It was a situation that warranted cries for revenge.
Just as I had once cried for vengeance before the burning Ironblood Hall.
Raising my sword again, I sharpened my senses. Now, this wouldn't end until one side—either me or them—was dead.
"Sh-shouldn't we leave it at this?"
A weasel-faced man at the forefront, with a sly expression, spoke up.
Thinking it might be a trick, I stared at him in silence. He even went so far as to cautiously put away his chain hammer.
"I only came because the branch leader promised a chest full of gold if we brought someone back alive. I figured at worst, I might lose an arm or two, but I wouldn't lose my head... But judging by what just happened, it seems you've decided to shed blood, haven't you?"
"That's correct."
I hadn't planned to before, but now, I wasn't going to hesitate.
The weasel-faced man took a step back and continued.
"Well, the branch leader who was supposed to pay me is dead, and the promise of safety is broken. What's the point of fighting any longer?"
"Aren't you going to take revenge or something?"
"We weren't close enough to stake our lives on it."
The man shook his head firmly.
Watching him with a curious expression, I saw others lowering their weapons in agreement.
"Uh, well… can we leave now?"
"Do as you wish."
As soon as I gave the word, he turned around and fled, relief clear on his face.
I squinted as I watched him run away, wondering if it was really necessary for him to sprint like that. But before I could dwell on it, Seol Lihyang, who had been nervously fidgeting behind me, pointed in his direction and shouted.
"Hey! He's heading to the Bright Moon Pavilion to hoard all the rewards stored there since the Lord is dead, isn't he?"
The Hao Clan members froze for a moment but soon lit up with fiery determination and began to run.
"Catch that bastard!"
"Don't let him hog it all!"
"What about the ones with severed arms?!"
Of course, not everyone headed for the Bright Moon Pavilion.
Some left in different directions as if they had no interest, while others remained to tend to the injured.
Finally, the courtesans, trained in seductive arts, bowed their heads toward me.
"Thank you, young hero."
"Are you seriously thanking the one who killed the Lord of the Bright Moon Pavilion?"
"Most of us courtesans didn't come to the pavilion of our own will."
"Hah."
So, there were more like Seol Lihyang, sold into their roles as courtesans.
One of the courtesans who had bowed to me gave a bitter smile and explained further.
"No matter how addictive gambling may be, it's not easy for someone to go mad enough to sell their daughter in an instant. Unless someone nearby whispers poisonous words into their ear, that is."
"That's…"
This was something I hadn't known even in my previous life.
Seol Lihyang hadn't been sold as a courtesan and then used as an elixir because of her unique constitution.
They had discovered her constitution first, and then they deliberately ruined her family to turn her into a courtesan.
Even knowing the Hao Clan's nature, I hadn't expected them to go this far.
While both Seol Lihyang and I stood frozen in disbelief, the courtesan turned to look at the towering Bright Moon Pavilion.
"Today, the Bright Moon Pavilion will accidentally catch fire, thanks to some reckless hooligans taking advantage of the owner's absence. And the registry might just get burned along with it."
"I see."
If that were to happen, there would be no need to record Seol Lihyang as a runaway courtesan.
She wouldn't be considered a courtesan at all anymore.
And the same would go for them.
With one last bow toward Seol Lihyang, the courtesans walked off toward their soon-to-be-destroyed workplace.
In mere moments, the once-crowded street was deserted.
Seeing this, Seol Lihyang, who had been clutching a rock she picked up at some point, slowly lowered it to the ground.
When had she picked that up again?
"Is… is it over?"
"It seems so. Honestly, I thought I'd have to cut down a few more people."
"Is this kind of thing common for martial artists? Like… scattering as soon as their leader dies?"
"No, not usually. It doesn't resolve itself this easily. There are surprisingly few people in the world who are truly wicked."
Family, friends, lovers, subordinates... Every person has someone they cherish and who cherishes them in return.
And it's those people who vow revenge, keeping the martial world in a state of constant turmoil.
The Hundred Kill Swordsman and the warriors who followed him to attack Tang Sowol before were such a case.
Even villains killed by the Tang Clan were not seen as deserving of death in their eyes.
"It seems the Lord of the Bright Moon Pavilion wasn't like that, though. He likely controlled people solely through money and fear."
"'We weren't close enough to stake our lives on it,' was it? And none of the courtesans joined of their own will, either."
Seol Lihyang muttered as if mulling over what she had heard earlier. After a moment of thought, she looked down at the corpse of the Lord of the Bright Moon Pavilion and prodded it with her foot, as if checking to see if he was really dead.
"Well, I don't care about a dead man's story. What matters is that this bastard is dead, and we're alive."
"Alive, sure. But I wouldn't call us unscathed."
Confirming that the Hao Clan members had fully disappeared, I sheathed my sword.
As I did, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. My body swayed, feeling as though I'd collapse if I relaxed even slightly.
"Whoa?!"
Seol Lihyang instinctively caught me as I stumbled. Awkwardly positioning herself to support my arm over her shoulder, she frantically asked,
"Hey! Stay with me! Are you okay? If you're hurt, say so now!"
"Don't yell. You're hurting my ears. Other than the shoulder you're holding, I'm fine."
She quickly shifted to the opposite side to better support me, her concern easing the pain somewhat.
Reassured by her effort, I tried to put her at ease.
"I'm just tired, that's all. Don't worry."
"Well, that's a relief... So, what now? Should we just head back to the inn where you're staying?"
"That's right. But..."
"It's fine. I'll take you there."
"Do you think you can manage? You must be exhausted too."
She hadn't fought or used martial techniques, but she had been running nonstop since descending from the roof.
Given her malnourished and frail state, it must have been an extreme ordeal.
Even so, she adjusted her stance and supported me without complaint.
"Not as much as you. Besides, you've been carrying me on your back while running around until now, haven't you? It's my turn this time. We're almost there, anyway."
With a shrug that seemed almost playful, she started walking, carrying me along.
The tight-packed streets, the pervasive stench of sweat, and the faintly familiar scent of her body surrounded me.
Looking at her now, her pale skin was flushed red from exertion, as though blood was finally circulating again.
Watching her like this, I felt an odd sense of nostalgia, as if I'd been transported back in time.
But I knew better. I'd already learned this through Tang Sowol.
No matter how much I longed for the past or felt a sense of déjà vu, the present and the people of my previous life could never truly be the same.
The Seol Lihyang I had known was gone. She had died smiling, clutching the first gift I had ever given her.
This moment now? It was nothing more than a lingering regret granted to a dead man like me.
It wasn't for some grand cause—it was purely for my own satisfaction.
But I had no regrets.
Even if I were to return to that moment again, I would undoubtedly make the same choice.
We walked in silence for who knows how long, through a quiet night street with barely a soul in sight. Amid the whispers of those still awake, Seol Lihyang's voice broke through.
"Thank you."
Still holding me up with one arm, she took another step forward, her voice resolute.
"I thought I'd never escape this street for the rest of my life."
"You would've escaped eventually, on your own."
"Maybe my body would've left, but my heart would've stayed trapped in the red-light district of Yeonju, quietly closing its eyes with a sigh at the end. That's what my entire life would've been."
Her voice faltered, then grew firm again.
"But not anymore, Cheon Hwi-da. You've painted over my memories."
She kept walking, staring straight ahead.
"I saw the towering walls of the Bright Moon Pavilion shatter. I saw the terrifying Hao Clan warriors crawl in the dirt. I remember the night view of Yeonju from high above and the feel of the wind brushing against my cheeks."
After taking a deep breath, she spoke with even more resolve.
"And for whatever reason, I saw someone throw themselves into danger for my sake."
Her lips softened into a serene smile, one so similar to the Seol Lihyang of my previous life that it left me speechless.
As if to fill the silence, she continued in a gentle tone.
"So, thank you. Thanks to you, Cheon Hwi-da, I was able to escape this wretched pit."
"I see."
After much thought, that was all I could say.
Even so, Seol Lihyang simply smiled warmly, as though my response was enough.
"Cheon Hwi-da. You said you helped me because you owed my father a favor... but I think you've more than repaid that debt, with plenty of change left over."
"Don't tell me you're planning to return the favor that much."
"I am. Just like you helped me, I'll repay my debt to you, no matter what."
Turning to look directly at me, she stared into my eyes and emphasized her words.
"No matter what."
Her tone was almost suggestive, stirring improper thoughts.
I had assumed the allure in her voice was a side effect of the seductive arts she had been forced to learn.
But perhaps I was wrong.
Even without mastering those arts, she didn't seem all that different. Maybe it was simply innate.
Gulp.
Before I realized it, I swallowed hard.
Distracted, I failed to notice a protruding stone in my path and tripped.
In my weakened state, I couldn't resist the momentum and began to fall.
"W-wait, hold on!"
Seol Lihyang tried to steady me, but she was exhausted herself. Unable to keep her balance, she fell as well.
Thud!
"Ugh... ow..."
"Mn..."
She landed on her back, and I ended up sprawled on top of her, my face buried in her chest.
Though smaller than in my previous life, the soft sensation enveloped my face entirely.
Realizing this, Seol Lihyang froze, stiff as a board, while I struggled futilely to lift myself from her arms.
And just then, the voice I least wanted to hear sounded from behind me.
"My betrothed was out so late that I grew worried. I traced you using the Poison of the Twin-Headed Viper and finally found you..."
Tang Sowol's calm, icy tone continued.
"Brother Cheon. What exactly is this situation? And who is that woman?"
Indeed...
How was I supposed to explain this?
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[TL]
Happy Christmas! <*~*>