“You’re known for being so kind. Ga Yeong’s father is well-respected too. There probably aren’t many in the village who dislike either of them.”
“...”
Cheongwol had brought her junior sister Myeonghui along to ask about Ga Yeong-i.
But no matter what she asked, it only made her heart sink heavier.
Because every answer was just about how gentle and good Ga Yeong-i was.
“...Junior Sister?”
Myeonghui called out, sensing something off, but Cheongwol said nothing.
Her hair fluttered messily in the wind, but she didn’t even care.
Her heart sank heavier with time.
She closed her eyes and thought it over.
Until now, she had always been by his side.
“I’m getting married!”
Suddenly, Ga Yeong-i had popped up out of nowhere and taken that spot.
The fact that she couldn’t argue back or fight it tormented her even more.
It had been snatched away so roughly and abruptly, yet she couldn’t speak up.
She realized their bond had only been this much.
Was being a nun always like this?
She couldn’t have anything.
The meaning of non-possession had twisted long ago.
It used to be “what comes from emptiness returns to emptiness”—don’t cling to what you’ll send away anyway.
But now, it felt like she truly couldn’t hold anything close.
Look at her even now.
All she had was a cheap sword permitted for taking lives,
...and the necklace she’d desperately protected. Even that might be taken.
Hadn’t even her close friend been snatched away like this?
The thing she wanted to protect most, more precious than anything.
The one presence that held her sanity together, the only one who resolved her heart demon.
...No, maybe Han Seojin hadn’t resolved her heart demon.
Maybe he’d just been the pillar suppressing it all.
Because after losing him, the suppressed heart demon seemed to swell up ferociously, like it had been waiting.
“Thank you. Go on, Myeonghui.”
Needing time alone, Cheongwol sent Myeonghui away.
Cheongwol spent time alone in the quiet silence once more.
Deep in the valleys of Mount Emei, Drunken Immortal Grove.
Even taking in the beautiful scenery there couldn’t suppress the rage in her chest.
She wanted to go find Han Seojin right away, but there was one reason she didn’t.
If she went now, she couldn’t predict what she’d do.
Vivid emotions were devouring her. She needed at least time to process them.
She knew this wasn’t the moment to act anyway.
There were too many eyes watching.
All eyes in the village were on Han Seojin and Ga Yeong-i, who had promised a century of marriage.
No matter how much rage made her lose reason, she’d always considered the situation.
Even when slaughtering unorthodox scum, she’d made sure there were no witnesses.
There were too many witnesses right now.
No matter what she wanted to do.
So she just needed to endure a little longer.
She bore it with that thought.
Enduring wasn’t unfamiliar to her.
She could handle it, thinking of all she’d endured in the Emei Sect.
“...”
...Still, she couldn’t deny that the emotion she had to endure this time felt overwhelming.
Cheongwol let out a short sigh and began meditating to circulate her energy.
The aura seeping from her body made the nearby animals scatter in fear.
****
...She’s not coming down.
After delivering the false engagement news to Cheongwol, she vanished.
She hadn’t come down from Mount Emei at all.
The one who’d always clung annoyingly to my side was gone, and it felt awkward to me too.
While she was away, as I made leather clothes, I pondered two possibilities for why she’d disappeared.
One.
She’d simply let me go.
Now that I’d become the head of the household, she’d decided to give me some space.
Her own kind of consideration.
Like saying, “Congrats, shopkeeper. Live happily.”
And two.
“...”
My hand froze at the second possibility.
...She was fucking pissed.
Just imagining it was terrifying.
I’d made the decision and gone through with it, but this reaction had me panicking.
Like becoming a mouse cornered in a spot, biting the cat’s paw defiantly out of desperation, only to see the cat roll its eyes thoughtfully.
I’d hoped she’d just back off, but instead, it felt like she was thinking, “How should I deal with you?”
“...Ha.”
What else could I have done?
You asked me to do it, and I did everything.
I said I never wanted to get tangled with murim folk, even if it killed me.
Since when could you control all my actions like that?
Don’t I get freedom? Am I your slave?
Or do you actually like me for real?
What about me made you? Even if you did, you’d have to hide it anyway.
You said you wouldn’t kill. You said you’d live as a good nun.
Don’t know about no illicit sex? No illicit sex?
Roughly... doesn’t it mean you can’t like men?
Anyway, isn’t that something you have to follow too?
Beyond all that, I don’t like you.
You scare me...
Love’s supposed to be mutual.
There are too many reasons it won’t work, so why get pissed?
“...Ha.”
I don’t know.
Water under the bridge.
No point turning back.
From the start, I didn’t want to for Uncle’s sake either.
It wouldn’t look good.
“Yeah, um... Sorry, Ga Yeong. I was gonna repay you for helping me as a kid, but I’m too scared.”
...I can’t say that.
You haven’t talked to Cheongwol, right?
Maybe she’s not pissed, maybe she’s cheering me on.
...Let’s just think that. It’s easier on the mind.
Right then, a shadow fell over my head.
Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed, but it was her.
My heart suddenly pounded wildly.
It was the moment of truth.
Pissed or not.
I casually looked up and said,
“Oh, you’re here?”
“...”
“Three days, huh. Busy?”
Cheongwol’s expression didn’t twitch.
Like a still water surface without a ripple, impossible to guess her thoughts.
That made me step forward instead.
With a puzzled look, openly confused, I asked,
“What’s up? You mad or something?”
“...”
Cheongwol stayed rigid for a while, then gave a faint smile.
“...No.”
“Good. So, what’s up today?”
Unlike usual, I took in every one of Cheongwol’s movements.
When she gently stroked the sword hilt with her scarred hand, I had to lower my eyes.
Without looking at me, she tossed out a suggestion casually.
“Shopkeeper. Come with me to Henan Province.”
“...Henan Province?”
“Yeah. The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly’s happening. I’m participating too. I want to show you my performance. Thanks to you, my heart demon’s eased a bit, so I want to show the results. It’s all thanks to you. We could stay at an inn like in Chengdu, have fun—wouldn’t that be great?”
...Yeah, that’s right.
In the original story, after the Demonic Cult emerged, the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly happened.
At least this was on track with the original.
But right now, original or not, I had to deal with Cheongwol.
“Uh... I don’t think I can.”
Cheongwol turned icy in an instant.
“...Why?”
“H-Ha! Newlywed and all...”
“...”
“...I mean, fath—...”
“...”
“...Ga Yeong’s dad’s not well, so I can’t go anywhere. I’m staying here. Henan’s too far.”
Cheongwol placed her hand seductively on my shoulder from behind.
Why did that soft touch feel like a beast’s?
“Shopkeeper. The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly means a lot to murim folk... And it’s my first time, so I’m a bit nervous. I’d love if you cheered me on by my side... Really can’t?”
Her low posture, whispering like she was dissatisfied.
That creeped me out more.
Why Henan? You can go alone.
It felt like a spider in its web luring me sweetly into its home.
No temptation, but the suggestion to follow her plan alone tensed me up.
What has she schemed now?
“N-No, I really can’t.”
I answered out of fear.
This felt seriously bad.
Cheongwol straightened from behind me.
“...Huuu.”
Cheongwol exhaled a trembling breath.
“Really can’t?”
“Y-Yeah. Ga Yeong’s dad’s really not well.”
I gripped the leather knife tight in my hand.
Not planning to do anything with it, just scared.
“...Five.”
She whispered in my ear.
When I turned, Cheongwol was gone.
...Five? What did that mean?
.
.
.
The next day, I ran into Cheongwol.
I was dying of embarrassment, but I had something to say.
The problem was my talk with Ga Yeong.
“S-Seojin! F-Father has hope now!”
Ga Yeong, tears in her eyes, shouting joyfully.
“The Hao Gate said they’ll help! They’ll do anything to keep him from dying!!”
“Wow, that’s great!”
“Yeah! But we have to go to Henan Province.”
“...Henan? Why?”
“With the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, the Divine Physician’s heading there. Seojin, Father’s gonna get treated by the Divine Physician! What the hell are you?”
“What? D-Divine Physician?? ...W-Well, lucky for Uncle, but...”
“They’ll send a carriage for Father soon. Ride with him to Henan. Okay?”
And that’s how it ended up.
When I found Cheongwol, she looked brighter than usual.
“Shopkeeper. Changed your mind? Just the two of us to Henan—”
“—I-I think I’m going too.”
Cheongwol’s eyes lit up.
“R-Really...? What wind blew this way?”
“H-Henan’s gathering lots of doctors, I heard. Through Magistrate Bang. So, taking Ga Yeong’s dad there. He’s not well, filial duty and all... Cheongwol?”
Cheongwol’s face had hardened coldly already.
“...Ignoring my suggestion.”
When I couldn’t say anything, she let out a light scoff and approached.
Then, once more, whispered in my ear.
“...Four.”
And vanished.
“...”
...No way, is that a countdown?