Episode 7

After nine days of travel from the Sunwoo estate, we finally reached the outskirts of Gokjeong in Yunnan Province.

By the time we arrived, evening had already fallen, so we decided to spend the night at a local inn and part ways with the ronin the next day.

After all, just two more mountain passes stood between us and the front lines.

The ronin, standing outside the inn and gazing at the entrance, murmured with expressions full of awe.

“Who would’ve thought it’d take us nine whole days to get here.”

“Yeah, it even took nine days just to find a decent inn to stay at.”

“I’m so moved right now, I feel like crying.”

As the one responsible for all this, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed and said to them,

“Come on, come on. Let’s get inside. Since it’s our last night together, let’s have a drink. It’s on me.”

“Oh! As expected of Lord Sunwoo! We knew we could count on you!”

“A noble’s son sure knows how to be generous!”

Seeing their cheerful faces, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been completely outplayed.

By this point in our journey, we’d grown quite close.

They were surprisingly trustworthy for ronin, and since I didn’t care much about social status, we’d all opened up to each other without reservation.

It was bittersweet to realize I felt more affection for these men I’d spent just nine days with than for the people of my own family, with whom I’d lived for twenty years.

We roughly unpacked our belongings and gathered around a table on the first floor, waiting for the food to arrive.

“So, Lord Gong, once this mission is over, are you going straight home?”

I asked, and the easygoing-looking Lord Gong smiled in response. He was the one who’d mentioned his wife was a poor cook and that he only went home at night.

“That’s right. With a wife and kids, I don’t think I can keep living off a swordsman’s meager meals.”

At that, the gruff and quick-tempered Lord Mu grumbled,

“Eh, I told you ronin aren’t supposed to be making families!”

Hearing that, the playful and talkative Lord Yang teased with a mischievous grin,

“But why do you look so envious then?”

“Me? Hah! No way! You’re the one who looks jealous!”

“See? There he goes again, getting all riled up. You always get like this when you’re hit where it hurts and can’t lie.”

“No, I’m not!”

As I watched them, the quiet and gentle Lord Jong chuckled softly. Then the leader among them, Lord Jang, raised his voice to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright, since it’s our last night with Lord Sunwoo, let’s drink until our noses run!”

“Sounds good! Innkeeper! Bring the drinks first!”

I heard that these five had stuck together for quite a while, and it seemed Lord Gong, who had a family, would be leaving the group after this mission.

Since the inn was in a remote area and we were the only guests on the first floor, the place was filled with our loud chatter.

Suddenly, the inn’s door swung open, and a woman stepped inside.

“Oh my! Welcome! What a lovely lady we have here!”

At Jeomsoi’s enthusiastic greeting, we naturally turned to look—and all of us were stunned.

“Huh?”

“Is that…?”

It was Ha Cheong-yeon, who had been at the Sunwoo estate until recently.

There was no mistaking her unique appearance, with bangs hanging just above her nose.

Her gaze swept across the inn and then fixed on us.

An awkward silence fell as we exchanged glances, and Lord Jang leaned over and whispered to me,

“She’s someone you know. Why not invite her to join us?”

“Ah? Yes, of course. Lady Cheong-yeon! It’s good to see you here!”

Running into a woman I knew at an inn like this was a first in my two lives, and it felt quite awkward.

But when I spoke, she walked over to me as if it were nothing.

“Haha! If you don’t mind, please come sit with us… Oh, you’re already seated? Haha.”

She was as bold and unreserved as ever.

With her eyes mostly covered, it seemed she paid no mind to the stares around her.

The ronin tried to ease the tension by speaking warmly.

“Welcome, Lady Cheong-yeon. What brings you here again?”

“We were just about to have a drink. Why don’t you order some food first?”

She answered in a calm, even tone, but what she said was anything but ordinary.

“I’m thinking of volunteering for the front lines. I’ll order food a little later.”

Huh? What?

Blinking in surprise, we asked again.

“…Did you say you’re volunteering for the front lines?”

“Lady Cheong-yeon is going to the front lines?”

“Why on earth?”

It was shocking.

Even martial artists didn’t fully understand the reality of the front lines, but everyone knew the death rate was staggering.

These days, even the most skilled fighters avoided going there, and the Martial Alliance had even sent forced conscription notices to the sects in Guizhou Province.

‘And yet she’s volunteering? Alone? A woman?’

Knowing the harsh truth of that place, I couldn’t comprehend it.

I worried she might be acting on some misguided sense of heroism and end up regretting it.

Concerned, I asked her,

“Lady Cheong-yeon, may I ask why you want to volunteer for such a place?”

But instead of answering, she stared intently at me and asked,

“You’ve… lost a lot of weight, haven’t you?”

“Huh? Ah! Haha! I guess living near the front lines has taken its toll! You noticed?”

“Yes, you look very thin.”

“Ahahaha! You flatter me! It’s not that bad.”

Hearing that I’d lost weight was oddly thrilling.

Feeling better, I let the unanswered question slide.

The ronin nearby joined in praising me.

“Lord Sunwoo has worked incredibly hard! It was a precious time that made us realize there’s nothing in this world we can’t achieve!”

“I never noticed before, but now that you’ve lost weight, Lord Sunwoo, you really look the part! You’ve become quite the gentleman!”

“Wahaha! I’ve heard that losing weight makes one look better!”

Just then, Lady Cheong-yeon quietly stood up, said a word, and walked outside.

“I’m going out for a bit.”

She seemed strangely drained, but not knowing women well, I couldn’t guess what was wrong.

Soon after, the drinks arrived, and thoughts of her faded into the background.

---

Ha Cheong-yeon stepped outside the noisy inn where Sunwoo Jin and the ronin were still chatting boisterously.

The sky had darkened, and the dense forest around looked like black shadows.

She suddenly recalled the moment she left the Sunwoo estate.

When she said she wanted to volunteer for the front lines, her friend Jegal Seoyul had been horrified, shouting,

“What?! That’s insane! No way! Even I can’t follow you there! What if Lord Hae finds out?!”

“My father will understand.”

“Understand? More like give up on you!”

Her tastes and actions were so unique, and once she fixated on something, she never hesitated, so until now, her father and family had just accepted it.

But she knew well that going to the front lines wasn’t a simple matter.

If she got caught this time, she might be locked up at home.

Still,

She had no choice.

“Phew.”

She sighed deeply, recalling the first time she met Sunwoo Jin.

She had been utterly shocked.

How could a living person look so much like her handmade doll, ‘Mandu’?

His doll-like appearance, the move he showed by chance, the past she uncovered—all of it piqued her curiosity like nothing else.

And when he said he’d run all the way to Yunnan, she nearly lost her mind watching him.

That clumsy, adorable gait.

His unreal stamina, collapsing before even reaching halfway.

She simply couldn’t accept it.

How could she let someone so cute be killed by the bloodthirsty minds of the martial world?

She absolutely refused to accept that terrible truth.

So she had to protect him.

It was her duty as the first to witness such hidden cuteness in the world.

That’s why she had followed him all this way…

But here, there was no ‘Mandu’ doll she once knew.

He was still somewhat cute, but just an ordinary martial artist.

It even seemed like he hadn’t taken down any bandits.

She hadn’t understood it before, but seeing him now, it made sense.

So, after reigniting her passion upon finding her target again, Ha Cheong-yeon had no choice but to feel defeated.

She sighed deeply and muttered,

“Should I go back?”

Coming all this way only to turn back felt embarrassing, even for someone who didn’t care about others’ opinions.

But without a reason, going to the front lines was even less sensible.

She had to think about the family who would worry.

“Alright, I’ll go back tomorrow.”

She finally made up her mind.

Just as she was about to re-enter the inn, a scream pierced the air.

“Ahhh!”

“Help! Someone save me! Aaaah!”

What was that?

It was close.

It sounded like it came from a house just beyond the thick bushes she’d seen when entering.

And the second scream had even cut off mid-sentence.

It seemed someone—or something—was under attack.

Without hesitation, Ha Cheong-yeon sprang toward the source.

“Who’s there?!”

She shouted to warn the attacker as she charged forward.

Breaking through the bushes, something suddenly burst out toward her.

Whoosh!

Though the ambush came without a sound, Ha Cheong-yeon did not panic.

“Haah!”

Her sword flashed through the darkness, slicing the air like a spider’s web.

Shu-shak!

Her opponent was not an animal.

He was a man—barehanded, without even a defensive stance.

She had thought she could finish him in a single move, reduce him to pieces. But what she heard and felt was nothing like she expected.

Kka-kka-kka-kang! Kkang! Kkang!

Though her blade had clearly struck him, it bounced off with a metallic clang.

Unbelievably, he was deflecting her sword with his bare hands—and charging forward.

“What?!”

Startled, Ha Cheong-yeon barely managed to block the blow with her sword as his arm swung toward her.

Kwahng!

“Ugh!”

Though it was a clash between flesh and steel, the impact felt like hitting a metal club.

Her body was sent flying backward.

Whoosh!

She corrected her posture midair and landed gracefully.

Her opponent, pushed back by the recoil of her sword, also touched down. Now, even in the darkness, she could make out his figure more clearly.

And for once, she was horrified.

“Pervert?!”

The man stood naked.

Grotesquely, he dangled an enormous, obscene appendage. Any ordinary woman would have screamed and shut her eyes at the sight.

But Ha Cheong-yeon was no ordinary woman—and this was no time for fear.

The man lunged at her again.

“Kyaaah!”

A beast-like roar, matched by savage movements.

“Haah!”

Ha Cheong-yeon focused all her senses and swung her sword. Streams of top-tier sword energy radiated from her blade.

Shu-haaaak!

But the result was no different.

Kka-kang! Kkang! Kka-ga-kang! Kkang!

His bare body repelled not only her sword energy but the blade itself.

“This can’t be!”

Horrified, she was forced to retreat hastily.

At that moment, a shout came from the side.

“Who the hell are you?! Haap!”

A ronin inside the inn, standing with Sun Woo-jin, charged at the monster, swinging his sword.

Startled, Ha Cheong-yeon shouted,

“No! Don’t!”

But it was too late.

Kkang! Pook!

“Ugh!”

The monster easily caught the sword with his head and drove his hand through the ronin’s chest.

Instant death.

It felt like her blood was boiling.

Her usually calm eyes fixated on the monster’s exposed neck.

Losing all reason, she struck down with all her might.

“Haap!”

Kkaang!

But the neck remained uncut.

Only a strong vibration numbed her hand.

“Ugh!”

Then—

The monster reached behind his neck and grabbed her sword by the hilt.

He turned his head toward her.

For some reason, his eyes were tightly shut, but his mouth seemed to be smiling.

“No, no! Eek!”

Panicked, Ha Cheong-yeon yanked her sword with all her strength, but it wouldn’t budge.

As the monster aimed the hand he’d pulled from the ronin’s chest at her, despair filled her eyes.

“Ahhh…”

The hand that had pierced the ronin’s chest now lunged toward her own.

Shu-shak!