"Continue, or..."
The Poison King gave Dang-yu-hwa, who was packing her things in Seo-yun's small house and returning in the morning, a look devoid of any emotion. With an equally indifferent expression, the Poison King calmly said to her who was packing her own belongings.
"You have a lot to do when you go back."
"Yes." "It's a pity though. If we had found that monster alive, I think it would have been worth studying further."
"Yes."
"The monsters you brought, and the monster that Do-jon brought. There was also this in the hearts of those corpses."
Had he discovered it in just one day? The Poison King showed a red, sparkling stone. Dang-yu-hwa silently stared at it.
"It's more vibrant in color than the one you gave me."
"...That's right." The Poison King threw one of the two magic stones Dang-yu-hwa had given him. As she caught it, the Poison King calmly said.
"Keep it as a souvenir."
"The monster we caught wasn't that strong. If we find it again later...
" Dang-yu-hwa's voice trembled slightly. She cleared her throat and finally hesitated. "Thank you."
"Yes."
Dang-yu-hwa put all her packed belongings in a bag. When she got up with her bag and went outside, the warriors of the Dang clan were already waiting.
"Be careful."
"Yes. Then, goodbye."
---As the Poison King mounted his horse, the other warriors also got on their steeds.Dang Yu-hwa hesitated while holding the reins, and Dang Yu-jin smiled gently.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"...Don't worry about it."
"I'm just saying this out of concern. I'm leaving first since I have something I need to take care of. I'll catch up soon."
Dang Yu-jin shrugged lightly.Seeing her enter the Jeonghyeop Alliance, Dang Yu-hwa bit her lip.
"What are you doing? We need to go quickly."
At the Poison King's urging, Dang Yu-hwa bit her lip again.Noticing her hesitation, Dang Yu-jin stopped and turned her head back.
"It's never too late to have regrets."
"...Tch."
Dang Yu-hwa clicked her tongue briefly and placed her belongings on the saddle.
---After rising from his seat, Seo-yoon sighed.
The Dang Yu-hwa who had slept with her head on his arm last night was no longer there.
Her empty spot.
The warmth they had shared last night was gone.
What remained was a letter stating the termination of their contract and a small pouch containing four nyang.
"...Sigh."
'Let's focus on training.'
Living in Haktong meant that meetings and partings were commonplace.
As a result, he had grown accustomed to farewells.Yet, a strange feeling lingered in Seo-yoon's heart, as if he wished she had at least said goodbye before leaving.Stepping outside, Seo-yoon looked around the house, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.However, there was no trace of Dang Yu-hwa to be found.
"...Was it just a dream... of one night?"
Seo-yoon crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fireplace.As the burning paper turned black, so did his mood.
"She could have at least said goodbye."
With a bitter murmur, Seo-yoon headed toward the riverbank.He intended to wash up lightly and then train in the morning, but his heart was not in it.This was a first for him.Meeting someone and parting ways was something he was used to.Yet, even so, feeling this emptiness in his heart was new.
"...Sigh."
How could he train with thoughts like this?
Even focusing his mind felt insufficient.Somehow, he managed to gather his thoughts and began practicing the first form of Samyangsu that Dang Yu-hwa had taught him.It was a type of counterattack that utilized the principle of Ihwa Jeobmok to directly receive the opponent's attack.
However, despite his intentions, his arms wouldn't move.
Even if he concentrated, success was uncertain, and with his mind elsewhere, there was no way he could succeed.After attempting the form several times in the air and failing, Mu-young approached him, sporting various bruises.
"You look like you've come back from the dead..."
"What happened to you?"
"Ah, I was tormented all night by that damned teacher... But why are you here? The Poison King and his group left Jihyeon this morning."
"...Is that so?"
He couldn't say goodbye.
Dang Yu-hwa had left without saying a word; how could he follow her?As Seo-yoon replied curtly and continued practicing Samyangsu, Mu-young raised an eyebrow.
"What's up? Did you like that girl? You look completely forlorn."
"Well..."
"Hey, hey. I told you before: women are..."
Ignoring Mu-young's excited chatter, Seo-yoon kept training in Samyangsu.When he didn't even glance at him, Mu-young muttered in a sulky voice, "The dog is barking... Hey, isn't that a counterattack technique? I'll help you."Normally, Dang Yu-hwa would have been there to spar with him, but now she was gone.As Mu-young approached with a stick in hand, Seo-yoon reached out to him.
"Whoa!"
A strong force came crashing down.He tried to deflect it while turning sideways but couldn't control his strength.Seo-yoon grimaced as he took the full impact on his shoulder, prompting Mu-young to click his tongue.
"Ihwa Jeobmok is no different from Uiyu Gyeok."
"You seem to know quite a bit."
"You should try being tormented every day too. Even if you don't want to memorize it, you will."
Grumbling, he lifted the stick again.
"Alright, let's go again."
Thrusting, striking downwards, lifting up—swinging.Seo-yoon attempted to block the attacks several times but failed each time.Eventually, after taking hits that left his entire body aching, he groaned in frustration while Mu-young scratched the back of his head.
"Are you not concentrating?"
"Sigh..."
"You seem off today."
Seo-yoon's focus during martial arts training was usually impressive.
Most of what Dojon criticized him for daily was about learning from Seo-yoon's concentration and enthusiasm.But today, Seo-yoon had none of that.
"If you were that concerned, why didn't you just tell her not to go?"
"Maybe I should have..."
"Why not go after her now? If you run fast enough, you might catch up."
"...I don't even know what's right anymore. Is it right for me to go?"
"Life is too short to be so uptight. If you like someone, just go straight for it. Don't you know that?"
"...Hmm."
"First, go eat something. Don't go to a place like Yangmun Inn. Get something good to eat instead. I've been through heartbreak a few times, and it's really nothing."
Mu-young tossed his stick aside and pulled out a half-nyang coin from his pocket, tossing it to Seo-yoon.As he sprawled out on the porch, Seo-yoon put on his gray martial arts top.
By refusing the Poison King's orders and terminating his contract with Dang Yu-hwa, his ties with the Tang Clan had ended.
Thus, he could no longer wear the Tang Clan's insignia.Watching him leave in his worn martial arts uniform, Mu-young closed his eyes.
"What's so good about a woman like that?"
After finishing a meaningless training session without any focus, Seo-yoon walked slowly.Normally, he would have gone to Yangmun Inn.But he didn't feel like going there today.He wandered through the bustling streets of Jihyeon but found nothing appealing.The savory aroma of meat stew and the dumplings he usually enjoyed did nothing to lift his bitter mood.He felt a sense of solitude standing alone in the busy street.
'This feeling is new for me.'
Seo-yoon brushed his face with his hand and turned away.What was the point of eating good food when he had no appetite?
'This isn't like me at all.'
Dang Yu-hwa wasn't dead; she had merely returned to the Tang Clan.If he wanted to meet her, he could do so whenever he wished.
How can I live if I'm shaken by something so trivial?
Seo-yoon slapped his cheeks hard several times with both hands.His face flushed, and he regained his senses.
"Should I go?"
Sitting still, feeling fear and pain, and crying out was not Seo-yoon's style.Things were different now.He had strength.Though it was pitiful compared to the Tang Clan, he still possessed it.So shouldn't he use it?
'Somehow, I need to make a deal with the Poison King to re-establish ties with the Tang Clan and find a way to be with Yu-hwa.'
He racked his brain for ideas.He had a mission, but for now, he set it aside.First, he needed to find Dang Yu-hwa; being with her took precedence.This was certainly not a rational decision.But Seo-yoon firmly believed it had to be done.Lost in thought about how to negotiate with the Poison King, he turned into an alleyway when something tripped him.
"Whoa!"
In the past, he might have fallen, but now he had mastered the first-class martial art of Chulhaengrang.Quickly regaining his balance, he looked down at his feet.
"Whoa!"
"What's this? You."
Seeing the person who had tripped him, Seo-yoon froze in place.
The girl lying on a wooden pillow was grinning mischievously.
"Why are you here?"
He had heard that she was supposed to be locked up for years in the Tang Clan, conducting research and training in martial arts.Why was she here?As Seo-yoon stammered in confusion, the girl chuckled softly.Then she spoke in a blunt tone that contrasted sharply with her playful expression.
"What's up? You."
This situation brought back an unforgettable memory that surged back to him instantly.It had been like this before.Dang Yu-hwa's long legs had tripped him then too, almost making him fall over.A slow smile spread across Seo-yoon's face, unlike before.And in a tone completely opposite to his gentle smile, he said, "I have something to say—what are you doing sprawled out here?"
The girl from the Tang Clan who had greatly shaken Seo-yoon's heart.Dang Yu-hwa lightly bounced up.
"No, I used to sleep like this every time in the Tang Clan. Oh... by the way, aren't you the person I met earlier over there at that inn?
It's surprising to meet you again like this!"Dang Yu-hwa approached him with a playful smile.She raised her hand and slowly intertwined her fingers with his.From her small, soft hand, warmth radiated.
"...This is also fate; should we introduce ourselves again? I'm Dang Yu-hwa from the Tang Clan."
"Ha. I'm Seo-yoon."
Seo-yoon didn't hesitate.
He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, and Dang Yu-hwa gently rested her head against him.
"My grandfather received orders to go to Habi and clarify the Tang Clan's position at the Jeonghyeop Alliance meeting. Because of that... I'm looking for a travel companion. Do you know anyone suitable?"
It was the same as before.She was looking for something, and Seo-yoon had provided the answer.
With a mischievous smile, she looked up at him, and Seo-yoon gently held her pretty face and kissed her.
The bitterness that had lingered in his mouth since morning vanished instantly.
"If that's the case, there's a quiet inn over there where the owner is said to be very free."
"Really? Haha, thank you."
"It's nothing much. Since we've met like this, how about having a meal together if you're okay with it?"
Dang Yu-hwa laughed joyfully as she slowly pulled away from his embrace.Though their bodies were apart, they didn't release their intertwined hands.Seo-yoon burst into a wide grin at her playful yet affectionate smile.
"It's a bit sudden, but..."
"If you don't like it, just say so."
"I actually do like it. Are you living here?"
Dang Yu-hwa gave him a sparkling look, and Seo-yoon nodded in response.After pulling out the half-nyang coin Mu-young had given him earlier, he said casually, "This time, I'll treat you."They entered Yangmun Inn happily and ordered their usual cold noodles and dumplings.Watching Dang Yu-hwa munch on the dumplings, Seo-yoon asked with a hint of hesitation, "Is it really okay to do this?"
"What? Speaking informally?"
"It's settled now."
At Seo-yoon's response, Dang Yu-hwa smiled softly.According to his words, she could no longer be considered a servant.In this regard, she admired his sharpness internally and replied,
"You're really thorough."
"Well... I might have to give up quite a bit to my sister, but it's not a problem."
"So there's no major issue?"
"Not for now."
"Then that's fine. Are you going to Habi instead of the Tang Clan?"
"Yes. I'll explain the mission."
After swallowing a dumpling, she took out a magic stone from her pocket.
"Strange things are happening all over the world. It's not just around here; monsters are appearing in many places. They say this issue, along with the relationship with the Black Lotus, will be addressed at this conference."
"And so?"
"Dojon and Mu-young are also going to Habi this time. We should go to Namgungsega with them. We need to participate in the Jeonghyeop Alliance meeting there... but the problem will arise there."
"What kind of problem?"
"When such issues arise, we need to decide who will lead the efforts. Naturally, the families in the Family Alliance will step forward, and the Jeonghyeop Alliance and Gu Pa Il Bang will insist that they take charge."
Dang Yu-hwa continued with a serious expression.
"There, we need to ensure that the Family Alliance handles this matter. The Namgung family, currently allied with the Tang Clan, must take action... not the Jeonghyeop Alliance."
It was astonishing that even in such situations, political struggles were prioritized, but it was nothing unusual.In any situation, people sought their own benefits.
"So... who will be attending from the Family Alliance?"
"For now, it will be the Tang Clan, Namgung family, Hebei Peng family, and Mo Yong family. The
Jeonggak family will also participate. Other families will likely attend as well. And my grandfather mentioned that there is one place we need to be cautious about."
"A place to be cautious?"
"Yes. It's a family located between justice and evil, just like our Tang Clan."
Dang Yu-hwa said with a serious expression.
"They said to be careful of Jinju's Jinju family."
"What does that mean?"
"That's right. They say that for the first time ever, the Jinju family, which has never participated in such matters before, has announced they will attend the meeting. There must be some reason for this, so we definitely need to be cautious."