Chapter 26
Su shook herself off lightly where she stood, then stared blankly at Beric, as if it were only natural for him to start.
“So, shall we time it?”
Click.
Su set the pocket watch clipped to her waist. At that moment, Beric lunged forward, throwing a punch at her.
“Don’t cry when you get hit!”
“Bring it on!”
Swish! Swish!
The sharp sound of fists slicing through the air echoed chillingly. Beric’s every move was laced with deadly intent. Despite his desperate flurry, Su remained remarkably composed, dodging every strike by simply stepping back one step at a time.
“Alright. One minute’s up.”
“Damn it! How long are you going to keep running?”
“What if I don’t run? Think you can take it?”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Damn it! Fight properly!”
Beric’s punches grew wild as his emotions took over, his form faltering. Ian, perched on a well-worn rock, watched quietly, seeming to understand the meaning behind Su’s words.
“You’re saying this is what happens when I attack, huh?”
Smack!
Su struck Beric’s jaw with a grin, as if she found it amusing.
The punch landed solidly, throwing Beric’s balance off. He barely stayed upright by bracing his thighs.
He hesitated, looking up at Su with a mix of shock—not so much from the blow itself, but from its unexpectedness.
“You…”
“Isn’t it a bit pathetic? Not being able to lift a finger against your opponent and just getting beaten up. Well, if you’re happy, so am I.”
“You crazy, arrogant lunatic…”
Smack!
Before he could finish cursing, Su’s fist swung again, snapping his head to the left. She pressed the attack relentlessly, giving Beric no chance to breathe.
Ian sighed, resting his chin on his hand.
‘He’s met his match.’
With that temper, it was anyone’s guess if the sparring would end cleanly. Beric could only stand there, taking the barrage of strikes like a swarm of angry bees. Su’s blows rained down from all directions.
Thud!
“Beric, you okay?”
“Don’t talk to me.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
Beric glared at Ian, eyes blazing. One slip in focus, and the other would strike a vital point. Defense was the best option for now.
Ian glanced at his pocket watch, then toward the annex. A man, presumably Nersarn, stood by the window.
“Two minutes left.”
Smack! Thwack!
Encouraged by Ian’s words, Su’s kicks grew fiercer. She looked almost disappointed that the time was running out—clearly enjoying herself. Though the sparring was short, three minutes had already revealed something important.
“Su, you’re really fast.”
“Of course. You think Nersarn brought me here for nothing? No one in the clan can keep up with me.”
“But do you know this?”
There was a hint of amusement in Ian’s voice, and Su instinctively turned her head. For a moment, she thought she saw his eyes gleam gold in the darkness.
“I’ve thrown dozens of attacks at Beric, but he’s still standing. Fast, yes, but not very effective.”
Despite the magic power behind her strikes and Beric’s strong stamina, it was a one-sided fight. Beric took hit after hit but never went down.
Su’s bronzed skin flushed deep red, as if she realized the problem herself.
“You…”
“Normally, you’d be a bloody mess by now.”
“Hah! I was holding back, and these guys are still—!”
Su’s voice cracked with frustration. At the same time, her kicking rhythm faltered, and Beric seized the opening, grabbing her ankle.
“Doesn’t bleed, but it hurts like hell.”
“Hey! Let go! Will you or not?”
“Would I?”
Caught awkwardly, Su pressed her body close to support herself, but Beric was faster. He struck her abdomen swiftly, pushing her to the ground.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Didn’t I say before we started? No crying when you get hit.”
“Who’s crying? Are you crazy?”
And then ptooey!—Beric spat with impressive aim. He climbed on top of her, pinning her face down.
“I’m going to show you what a bloody mess really looks like. Look forward to it.”
“Get lost! You red-headed bastard!”
“You’re talking trash. I’ll make you just like that.”
He rummaged through one pocket and pulled out a red pigment. Su froze, unsure of his intent.
Ian checked the window again, then slowly approached and crouched beside them. The shadows by the window stretched into three—Nersarn, Gansha, and Mujurun, all clearly curious.
“Su, don’t take it too hard.”
Ian soothed Su, who struggled against her bonds.
“Though this is an agreed sparring match, it’s not in anyone’s interest to draw blood. Nersarn sent you, the youngest, precisely to avoid causing serious harm to the opponent.”
“No, it’s not! Shut up!”
“Well, it’s your choice whether to accept that. But the important thing is that you’re lying on the ground because of Beric, and if this had been a real fight, you’d be dead.”
Su grumbled in frustration.
Beric, grinning with the thrill of victory, smeared the pigment all over her face. It looked like she’d been splattered with blood in an instant.
“Tell Hani when you get back. We didn’t knock you out for appearances’ sake, but if you admit our victory, I’ll give you a solution that cleans it right off. If you leave the estate like that, the Cheonryeo clan will be remembered as a joke by the Bratz locals.”
Beep! Beep! Beep!
As Ian finished speaking, the pocket watch alarm rang. Beric relaxed his body, and Su kicked him in the stomach to get up. She rubbed at her face desperately, but the stain wouldn’t budge.
“Ugh! What is this?!”
“It’s a special pigment my mother uses. It doesn’t wash off with water or sweat, so she swears by it.”
Su looked at Ian with despair. Except for the whites of her eyes, her entire face was red. She bit her lip hard, gave Beric one last smack on the head, then dashed off toward the annex.
Snap!
“Ugh! What the hell was that?!”
Beric rubbed the back of his head, cursing at Su’s retreating figure. Ian comforted him, infusing a bit of magic.
“Good job.”
“But are you sure it’s okay to let her go like that? Shouldn’t we have beaten her properly to avoid rumors?”
“Watch your language.”
“Shouldn’t we have smashed her, Master?”
“…Enough. If Su’s in bad shape, Derga will notice. Even if they agree, the Count might interfere. Besides, the Cheonryeo clan values family bonds.”
If they beat her senseless, who knew what kind of retaliation might cross the border. They needed a way to get permission without bloodshed.
“But it really was as obvious as you said.”
Ian had mentioned two things before the sparring.
First, if the opponent only dodges and never attacks, provoke them to strike. Instead of chasing an unreachable foe, redirect the flow of power so they come to you.
Second, endure. The Cheonryeo are a fierce people. If you hold out long enough, they’ll get cocky and leave an opening.
Ian created the opening, but Beric was the one who seized it.
“It’s not just the Cheonryeo. Usually, those who move fast aren’t very strong.”
Su had already slipped back through the window into the room. Red marks stained the vines on the wall, but no one would likely care.
Ian nodded, signaling it was time to leave.
“Ian? Where are you headed?”
“Just to the main house for a moment.”
“The guards are tight tonight. Don’t go outside, and no outsiders are allowed.”
A guard blocked Beric’s path, reporting the orders. Ian nodded, and Beric said he’d return tomorrow before leaving the estate. Ian passed his room and went up another floor.
Knock knock.
“Ian here.”
“…Come in.”
“No! Tell them not to come in!”
“Su, quiet.”
The door opened to chaos. Gansha and Mujurun were wiping Su’s face with cloths, but the stains only smudged, never fading.
“If you want, I can give you a solution to remove it.”
“Giving medicine after causing the wound? What a joke!”
Nersarn raised a finger to hush them, then turned to Ian.
“You allowed the sparring, yet this prank? It feels like an insult.”
“Is that so? If you feel that way, I apologize. But wouldn’t it be better than Su leaving Bratz with a battered, swollen face?”
“There’s no ‘if’ in victory.”
“But Su’s face makes ‘if’ possible. If the pigment is this thick, there’s no need to say more.”
Nersarn narrowed his eyes. Su ground her teeth, ready to explode, while Gansha and Mujurun exchanged uncertain looks.
“Ha ha ha! Ha ha!”
Nersarn’s laughter broke the silence. Gansha and Mujurun joined in, leaving only Su looking miserable.
“Alright, you lost. Nothing uglier than refusing to accept defeat. Beric, was it? Su was grinding her teeth. We should take her to the Great Desert and treat her like a slave.”
Though he said it, the Cheonryeo had no slaves—they were all family. Ian added his words politely.
“Please forgive my rudeness, but I hope you’ll believe that I fully understand Lord Nersarn’s intentions.”
The count, Dergah, had noticed someone’s injury. In a community like theirs, that could change everything. If luck wasn’t on their side, both Ian and the Cheollyeo tribe would find themselves in a difficult spot.
Nersarn smiled, a long pipe between his lips.
“Very well. Bring another Kusile to the peace ceremony.”
He meant to provide transportation for Beric. Ian expressed his thanks and pulled a small vial from his pocket.
“You can mix this with water while washing—it should help.”
Clack!
Su snatched the vial without a word and dashed toward the washroom. Gansha and Mujurun clicked their tongues, chuckling, while Nersarn handed Ian a glass of wine.
“Care for a drink?”
The Cheollyeo didn’t impose restrictions just because someone was a child. Everything was free under responsibility. Ian savored the wine, feeling a rare sense of bliss.
“Nersarn.”
“Yes, Count.”
At dawn’s first light, the city still slept, but the Bratz estate buzzed like midday. Guests were preparing to leave as swiftly as they had arrived.
They gathered in the main dining hall, filling their bellies for the long journey ahead.
“I accept your request. The peace ceremony will be one week from today. It’s tight, so we’ll keep preparations minimal.”
“On behalf of the Cheollyeo, I thank you for your understanding, Count.”
“Please convey my best wishes to the tribe leader.”
Dergah had returned a few hours earlier, under the cover of darkness. It seemed he had much to discuss with Molin. Likely, Molin would depart for the capital within a day or two.
Though it was for Ian’s formal admission, they would probably present the emperor with the whistleblower’s seal instead of the application.
“Until we meet again, Demosha—may the gods bless you.”
With their farewell said, the Cheollyeo mounted Kusile. Su, now refreshed after the night, pulled her hood over her head and glared at Ian. When he smiled faintly, she bared her teeth in a silent, playful scowl.
“Let’s go!”
“Open the gates!”
Hiiing!
The cry of Kusile and the pounding of hooves echoed loudly. In an instant, they vanished from the estate as quickly as they had come.
Dergah, the count’s wife, Chel, and most of the servants watched their retreating figures. They still seemed caught in the haze of early morning.
“The peace ceremony is in a week. Keep it simple, but make sure everything goes smoothly.”
“Yes, understood.”
The butler urged them on. The servants snapped to attention and glanced at Ian. The child’s expression was unreadable.