“Hey, get in!”
Mumu and Jin-hyuk were almost swept away by the carriage’s speed.
At first, Jin-hyuk was puzzled because he didn’t know who Mo Il-hwa was, but after hearing about her from Mumu, he was surprised.
Because this was the woman they needed to look after.
Jin-hyuk thought that it was a troublesome task, but he noticed something interesting.
‘She’s trained in martial arts.’
Jin-hyuk was able to feel others’ levels after having his blood points released.
Therefore, he could sense the fact that she wasn’t someone who was learning martial arts for fun.
“Oh. Is this a carriage? This is my first time riding one.”
Mumu said as he looked around inside.
Jin-hyuk frowned at Mumu’s way of speaking, and clasped his hands as he politely spoke.
“I apologize. Lady Mo. This guy lived in the mountains so he ended up speaking without honorifics.”
“Enough. We’re the same age anyway.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t be intimidated by my father’s request and let’s be friends.”
Jin-hyuk didn’t like her arrogant attitude.
Because he thought that she was clubbing him and the idiot beside him together.
Unlike him, Mumu said something interesting.
“You’re different from what I thought. When we first met you were quite…”
“Oh my. You know nothing. Now do you know? That I’m not such a woman.”
“… uh, I can see that.
Jin-hyuk was embarrassed by the way Mumu was having a casual conversation with her.
“What kind of attitude is this towards the daughter of the Criminal Affairs’ head? You really...”
“Why? She told us it was fine.”
Mumu tilted his head asking what the problem was.
At that, Jin-hyuk scolded him.
“Are you really acting like this because you’re unaware of who she is? No matter how comfortable you as…”
“Yah, I said it was fine.”
“Huh? But…”
“Sigh, when I become your sister-in-law later, speak like that. How is that? Got it?”
Mo Il-hwa touched her red cheeks after saying that.
Jin-hyuk was confused.
When will she become his sister-in-law? What the hell did that mean?
“Lady. I don’t seem to understand what you’re trying to say.”
“Keep pretending like you don’t know. I am definitely going to marry Sir Yu Jin-sung. So, let’s get along well.”
“… my brother?”
“Yes. I’m envious of you. How does it feel living with your older brother? My brother is such an idiot, only half of his brain works.”
She talks so much.
Jin-hyuk was restless, but there was one thing he knew for sure.
She was the type of woman who would occasionally go to a friend’s house and keep going on and on and on like a broken record.
This was all because his brother’s popularity rose once he cleared his father’s name.
“Ah… is that so?”
Said Jin-hyuk.
When he found out that she was someone who was aiming for his brother, he decided to tone it down.
Actually, Jin-hyuk didn’t really like any woman he saw going after his brother.
Because he wanted his brother whom he respected and liked to meet a true warrior who was worthy of him, but he hasn’t seen anyone like that yet.
Seeing his appearance and expression change, Mo Il-hwa asked.
“What is with that reaction? So lifeless.”
She was quick-witted.
Jin-hyuk clasped his hands and responded.
“I don’t know much about my brother, and if you’re interested in him, I think it would be better for you to talk to him separately.”
Jin-hyuk cut the conversation off.
He wanted to draw a line in advance because a lot of women would talk to him wanting to get with his older brother.
Mo Il-hwa pouted.
‘He’s more troublesome than I thought.’
Having introduced herself, she thought that things would be easy from then on, but now it seemed like a tough task.
Thinking about Yu Jin-sung, she calmed her mind.
There was no need to worry, after all they were going to spend 2 to 3 years together.
And there would be plenty of opportunities.
“What. What is with you both! I know my father told you to watch over and protect me, but don’t listen to that.”
She suddenly yelled.
Jin-hyuk shook his head at her attitude.
“That is something we have to do. Since my father told us to.”
Although he hadn’t fully accepted it yet, Jin-hyuk didn’t want to cause trouble for his father.
Mo Il-hwa snorted at those words.
“I’m not soft or weak.”
“It was a request, so I can’t help it.”
“And the daughter of the man is telling you that they’re fine. Either be my friend, or you’ll be a bother by following me, and I don’t want you to bother me.”
Jin-hyuk didn’t have a chance to decide.
“Once I make a promise, I keep it. It’s my job to keep an eye on the lady and make sure nothing happens.”
“Do you think I’m weak?”
“I never said that.”
Visor!
At that moment, Mo Il-hwa pulled something out from her waist.
Jin-hyuk was shocked because he thought that she was trying to loosen her dress, but she pulled a soft sword.
Soft swords are much thinner than normal ones and they have elasticity so they are flexible.
Wheik!
With that she swung her sword.
Jin-hyuk was shocked by the way the sword vibrated and wiggled more than normal ones.
‘I thought that she learned martial arts, but I didn’t think she was this strong.’
At this level, she was no way inferior to him.
With a triumphant expression, she smiled and said.
“How was it?”
“… it was good.”
“Right? Because my teacher is Enemy's Secret Soft Sword.”
‘Enemy’s Secret Soft Sword?’
He was shocked again.
Enemy’s Secret Soft Sword, Ma Cho-hyeon.
Like the strong three teachers, it was a famous name in this time period.
A great person who never fell when compared to other warriors.
He heard that that person wasn't going to take disciples for forty years, but who would have thought that Mo Il-hwa would get a chance to learn under them?
‘If she is their disciple, there is no need to worry.’
Jin-hyuk admitted.
The woman wasn’t going to allow them to follow and protect her either.
At that time, Mumu looked at the soft sword.
“It’s different. It’s fluttering.”
“Like a butterfly right? My teacher gave me this, it's called the Butterfly Sword, pretty right?”
Butterfly Sword.
It was literally like a butterfly.
Mumu laughed.
“Since it’s the Butterfly Sword, the sword is made to look similar to a Butterfly, hehe, funny.”
Jin-hyuk, who paid attention to her words, tried hard to hide his shock.
The woman was proud of it, how could Mumu laugh?
“Have you gone insane?”
Jin-hyuk hit Mumu’s elbow.
But it was too late.
Mo Il-hwa licked her lips and spoke to Mumu in an irritated voice.
“What? Funny?... Do you want a go?”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Mumu immediately apologized.
Since he apologized quickly it was difficult to say anything more.
It was because everytime Mumu said something, she didn’t feel any malice.
In a cheerful voice, she said,
“If you weren’t so good looking, this pretty noona (sister) would have put a sword through your mouth. Watch your words, okay?”
“Huh. Okay.”
Mo Il-hwa folded her arms and turned away to calm her anger.
When she, who was the most talkative, went silent, the carriage moved in silence.
Jin-hyuk didn’t talk to Mumu either.
Around 4 o’clock.
The carriage with three people inside arrived at the academy.
Thanks to the carriage ride, Mumu was able to get some sleep.
On the other hand, Jin-hyuk was nervous the whole time and his stomach felt bloated.
The coachman who was driving the carriage said,
“Lady, there are too many people, you will have to walk from here.”
As they said, the entrance was flooded with people.
The three of them got out and then looked at the huge crowd that was in front of the academy which looked like a palace.
It was spectacular enough to live up to its reputation.
It was fitting of the royal family member who was the founder.
“There are a lot of people.”
Even though there is normally a lot, there are too many right now.
There seemed to be tens of thousands of people.
They took in talented people regardless of social status, so it was natural for people from all over the empire to come.
Mo Il-hwa clicked her tongue.
“Tch. It looks like it will take a long time to take the test.”
“I know.”
“If I knew this was the case, I would have brought something.”
It sure looked like it would take a very long time to take the test.
Jin-hyuk looked around as he felt that his courage had revived.
Several famous clans were present.
‘Moyong Clan, Hwang Bo Clan, Sword Clan… even the people of the oldest clans are here.’
The capable ones stood out.
They were here because after leaving the academy their clans and their names would be more recognized.
When his brother entered too, it must have been like this.
‘Amidst all this, my brother completed the course.’
He respected him.
The thought that he didn’t want to become someone who would degrade his brother’s reputation sparked a fire in his heart.
He wanted to at least get results comparable to his brother.
“Tch. Why doesn’t this show any signs of decreasing?”
Mo Il-hwa grunted.
Although kids of famous clans were present, there still seemed to be tens of thousands of people.
“Aren’t they going to let us in?”
It was the moment when they were puzzled.
Someone came up to the woman and said.
“You came to the entrance test without even knowing anything?”
“Huh?”
She looked and saw a thin-eyed boy in a navy uniform standing next to her.
He looked about 17 to 18 years old, the same age that one needed to be to take the test.
Jin-hyuk, who was wary of him, asked.
“And you must be?”
“Ahh. I was rude. I’m Hae-ryang from the Lower District Clan.”
“Lower District Clan?”
Jin-hyuk’s eyes shone at that.
The Lower District Cln was in the south, and had worked under the Forces of Evil.
And they were a clan made of swordsmen who sold information, thieves, pickpockets, scammers, and the prostitutes in red light districts.
However, that was a thing of the past and now the clan is recognized as an information network.
‘He can’t be ignored.’
Jin-hyuk tried to greet him, when,
“I know. The beautiful lady here is Mo Il-hwa, the daughter of the Criminal Affairs’ head, and you are Yu Jin-hyuk, the brother of Yu Jin-sung and a disciple of the strong three teachers, right? It’s an honor to meet you.”
The two were shocked by Hae-ryang.
Indeed this man was from the Lower District Clan.
“Woah. How can you know all that by just looking at our faces?”
At Mo Il-hwa’s question, Hae-ryang answered with an excited voice.
“It would be strange to not know about the daughter of the Criminal Affairs’ head and the younger brother of the famous Yu Jin-sung.”
“Amazing.”
Jin-hyuk said in admiration.
Mumu intervened and asked.
“Then do you know me?”
Hae-ryang frowned at that.
He knew about the daughter of the high-ranking noble and the great younger brother who was a disciple of three amazing warriors.
But who was the other one?
The man looked nice, but he didn’t know anything else.
“Hm, excuse me, but I don’t know you. I couldn’t recognize the young master here due to my lack of knowledge, so could you please tell me about yourself, young master?”
“Mumu.”
“Huh?”
Hae-ryang was puzzled by the name.
And Jin-hyuk ended up explaining.
“Sorry. Mumu is the adopted son of our family.”
“Adopted?”
If he was from Yu Jin-hyuk’s family, then his father was just recently pardoned from exile.
And it was his first time hearing about the adoption.
But since Jin-hyuk didn’t want to talk about Mumu, He changed the topic.
“But about us not knowing much about the test, what do you mean?”
He never did hear about the test from his brother.
Because he said that he had to go and experience it first hand.
Hae-ryang pointed to the entrance and said.
“See that gate over there?”
There was no way anyone couldn’t see it.
It was as tall as the wall and there were dozens of smaller gates ahead of it.
Pointing to the huge gate, Hae-ryang said.
“Opening that gate and entering is the first entrance test.”