Episode 116: Why are you whispering?
The woman pounding the hammer hard was Ian. She worked in a small iron workshop that made farm tools such as hoes and sickles.
She was good with her hands and quickly learned the ropes, making hoes of fairly good quality.
This was the An-ga of the Cheonmasin Church. There were many different types of An-ga. Some An-ga were hidden in places where people could not go, while others were disguised as ordinary places in places where many people came and went.
Then someone came in there.
“Eat and work.”
When I looked back, I saw that Cheonhwaruju had brought me food.
“thank you.”
Ian was mainly in charge of the iron room, and Cheonhwaruju was in charge of the meals. Cheongmyeon was wearing a mask, so he moved secretly without revealing himself.
Ian asked while looking at Cheonhwaruju’s attire.
“Where are you going?”
Cheonhwaruju usually wore the clothes of an ordinary woman, with a headscarf wrapped around her head. But today, she was wearing makeup and pretty clothes.
“No, I just wore it for a change of mood.”
As long as you are at home, going out is absolutely prohibited.
Ian could tell that today was something special for her.
“Is it your birthday today?”
“No. I just had a good dream. Now, hurry up and eat before it gets cold.”
“Yes, I will eat it with gratitude.”
Ian started using his chopsticks.
“Let’s eat together.”
“I ate a few while cooking and I’m full. Eat lots.”
“It seems like you’re a natural cook. It tastes much better than what you buy.”
“Actually, when I first started this job, I worked in the kitchen.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I had a really hard time back then.”
Ian could sense that her experience of working her way up from the bottom had made her successful.
The food was delicious, but Ian couldn’t eat much. She had no appetite since coming here, worried about the sword dance.
“Did you hear what I said to the engineer?”
“Yes. I heard you said that I would be a great person in the future. Why did you say that?”
“I’m good at reading people.”
“Thank you for your kind words, but I think that’s too much praise.”
Cheonhwaruju said, looking at Ian with calm eyes.
“This unmanned person is precious. So always treat yourself preciously.”
Ian was grateful that she said this.
Although he hid in his house and didn’t show it on the outside, he worried a lot about the Geommu Theater. He was so worried that he couldn’t sleep at night. Whenever that happened, Cheonhwaruju consoled himself by saying that nothing would happen.
Her comfort was strangely powerful. It might have been because of the mysterious aura that the woman named Cheonhwaruju possessed, which was difficult to explain in words.
At that moment, Cheongmyeon, who rarely showed himself, entered the place.
Ian asked in surprise.
“What’s going on?”
“An emergency has been declared at the headquarters of the Apostolic Alliance.”
“You don’t know the details?”
“Yes. I just heard that there was an emergency.”
Ian said, trying to calm his anxious mind.
“You will be fine, my lord. You will be protected by Soma-sama.”
It was then that a welcome voice was heard from behind.
“Why don’t you think about the opposite? I can protect you, Soma-sama.”
When I looked back, I saw Geommu-geuk and Geukak Soma walking in side by side. Blood was splattered on both of their clothes, and Geommu-geuk’s clothes were especially soaked in blood. Surprised, Ian ran over and examined Geommu-geuk’s body first.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
The swordsman fell to the ground, and Ian examined his body. He was wounded in several places, but none of the wounds were fatal.
“I was badly hurt. My arms and legs almost got cut off!”
“… … I don’t think it’s that bad?”
“No, look closely. Make sure all your fingers and toes are still attached.”
Ian turned his head and greeted the evil Soma politely.
“Thank you for saving our master’s life.”
“No! I disagree!”
The sword dance was making a fuss, while the evil soma was calm. So it seemed like the evil soma was saving the sword dance.
The evil soma stared at the sword dance in silence. Cheonhwaruju could sense the change in the evil soma. Just as the mask he was wearing had changed, the way he looked at the sword dance had changed.
She asked, linking arms with the evil Soma.
“Brother, are you hurt anywhere?”
“does not exist.”
“Then can we go back to Cheonhwaru now?”
The evil soma nodded and Cheonhwaruju was delighted.
Just as she sensed the change in the evil soma, Ian also sensed one thing. Perhaps that Cheonhwaruju knew that the two of them would return today.
“Would you all like to go right away?”
“Let’s go first.”
When Cheonhwaruju turned around at the nod of the evil soma, Geommugeuk was asleep, leaning against Ian’s back.
Ian motioned for her to go first since he would be staying like this for a while.
Cheonhwaruju whispered to the evil Soma.
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“Have a drink with the dish I made after a long time.”
“It’s good.”
The evil Soma, Cheonhwaruju, and Cheongmyeon left first.
Ian sat still so as not to break the sword dance. Only then did Ian’s expression, which had been tense for a while, relax.
‘Welcome back, my lord.’
* * *
I had a dream.
In my dream, I was fighting Baek Mang-gi. It wasn’t a new fight, but a reenactment of a previous fight.
The Baekmanggi swordsmanship that was too fast to be seen during the fight unfolded like a slow-motion picture. My initial movement was also slow.
I felt like I was watching the fight objectively, as if I was a bystander.
The memories that I had thought I had forgotten in a flash came back to me exactly. Just like a Go player replaying a game, I replayed the fight. My subconscious remembered the fight with Baek Mang-gi exactly.
I could even control the speed of the fight. The moment I decided to stop here for a moment, Baek Mang-gi and I in the dream stopped moving.
Thanks to this, I could examine the position and angle of the sword in detail. The fight moved as I wanted. I could move slowly and watch, or I could stop.
In this way, I was able to compare the differences between the Sword Emperor’s martial arts and my own. This process gave me as much insight as the experience of fighting directly.
In fact, there were times when I had new experiences, like when I was fighting Baek Mang-gi. At the last moment, I saw only him and the world went dark.
I could tell. These mysterious events were the result of the transformation of the Bicheon Sword Technique, which had achieved the Twelve Great Stars, the internal energy surpassing certain limits, and the teachings of the Man Sa Jong Ju added to it.
Finally, the moment my sword pierced his heart, I woke up.
My body and mind felt refreshed.
I thought I would be more tired if I fought in my dreams, but that wasn’t the case. I had a dream before I woke up for the last time, so I think I slept well.
“Your Majesty, are you awake? Are you hungry?”
“How much did I sleep?”
“He slept until almost ten o’clock.”
That meant I slept for almost a full day. It was the first time in a long time that I slept so soundly. Come to think of it, this was the first time I slept this soundly since returning.
My physical condition was also good. Thanks to Gui Ho-ui and Geukpumcheon Jamsa, the wounds on my injured areas were not that deep.
‘Thank you, sir.’
If the Bloodthirsty Demon hadn’t given me the grace to heal, I would have been hurt more. I untied the Supreme Heavenly Sword and wrapped it around the handle of the Black Demon Sword again.
“I don’t think I slept that long.”
“I think you were very tired.”
“What about the evil Soma? Did he go to Cheonhwaru?”
“Yes, the two of you went first.”
Suddenly, I feel like I want to see the evil Soma. I guess it’s true that people become close through fighting.
“Oh, while you were sleeping, I got some news. Visain killed Seok Gwan-chu’s grandson.”
I nodded silently. It was a moment when the fate of the Apostolic Alliance changed along with the fate of the Visan. Originally, the successor to the Apostolic Alliance was the grandson of Seok Gwan-chu. It is unknown how this change will affect our future.
“Isn’t this a good thing?”
“maybe?”
I lay down again with a bang.
Ian grabbed the blanket.
“No, you can’t. Eat and go to sleep.”
“a little bit.”
“I’ll prepare a meal, so come out right away when I call.”
I called out to Ian as he left the room.
“Ian.”
“yes?”
“It’s nice to see you again.”
Ian laughed heartily.
“Me too.”
* * *
General Sima Ming was in the operations command center.
The place known to be safer than Cheonmachon is the Tongcheon-gak Operations Command Center.
Hundreds of letters arrive every day and are analyzed here.
“Not yet?”
“yes.”
Sima Ming was nervous because of the last messenger that had arrived.
I wasn’t this nervous until I heard that the stone coffin was the one behind it.
Because I believed that I would be able to overcome the Black Sword and the Evil Soma on my own.
However, as soon as the name of Baek Mang-gi was heard, an emergency was declared in Tongcheon-gak. If Baek Mang-gi had really moved, the lives of Geommu-geuk and Geuk-ak So-ma could not be guaranteed.
However, the leader did not give any orders. Since they were opponents, it would be difficult to send a high-ranking official to support them nearby right away, but he could send an urgent message to Geommu-geuk and Geukak Soma to stop everything and come back. However, Geom Woo-jin did not do that.
Sima Ming thought that it was a decision worthy of a cult leader, but at the same time, he thought that it was a decision that he would never make.
‘Do you really believe in it that much?’
Since it was rare for a general to come down here and wait for a letter in person like this, the soldiers working here were also very tense.
The soldiers who managed this place were those who had the authority to handle the top secrets of Tongcheon Pavilion. They were also the people Sima Ming trusted the most.
Then, the long-awaited letter arrived. The soldier who checked the contents reported in a joyful tone.
“Both Seok Gwan-chu and Baek Mang-gi are dead.”
Sima Ming was relieved by the report from his subordinate soldiers, but was also inwardly very surprised.
“What about the two of us?”
“Both the Duke of Yi and the Evil Soma are safe.”
Sima Ming sighed in relief and sat down in his seat. Relaxed, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment.
‘Two people killed Baek Mang-gi and Seok Gwan-chu? That can’t be possible.’
Since the Apostles Thirteen and the Bisain moved together, there must have been other variables. A new expert may have appeared on the Apostolic Alliance side. As time goes by, we will be able to find out more details about what happened.
In the meantime, the soldier who had reported had organized the report and brought it to Cheonma. It was a report to be sent to Cheonma.
Upon receiving the report, Sima Ming asked him:
“What do you think about this?”
“I don’t know how Baek Mang-gi died, but one thing is certain. The recent news about Lee Gong-ja always surprises me.”
Sima Ming nodded in agreement and stood up from his seat.
But Sima Ming left the war room, thinking that it was more surprising that the leader had at least predicted this outcome for today.
* * *
A few days after arriving at Anga, I went around the market and bought various items. Since I had a lot of things to buy, I bought a cart and loaded them up.
First, I stopped by the doctor’s office and bought several new acupuncture needles, and then I stopped by a pharmacy and bought a large quantity of various herbs. Some of them were rare and expensive, while others were commonly used.
After buying the herbs, I bought a barrel. It was a wooden barrel big enough to fit three or four people.
I bought new bedding and clothes, and food and drinks to last me for a while. Then I bought a large mirror that could illuminate my entire body.
Ian was amazed when he saw the things I bought from the author.
“What is all this?”
“Guess what it is.”
“Aren’t these things completely unrelated?”
She asked me with a curious look on her face as she looked at the piled up herbs.
“Are you by any chance injured?”
“I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d worry. I think we should go to the doctor right away.”
Ian looked at the cart again.
“You’re not hurt. But why did you buy so many herbs?”
Then I picked something up from the cart.
“What is this? Huh!”
She whispered as she lowered herself down next to the cart and put the things she had picked up back where they came from.
“Isn’t this women’s underwear?”
“that’s right.”
I also lowered my posture like her.
“Why did you buy underwear?”
“Because I needed it. But why are you whispering all of a sudden? Did an enemy appear?”
“Well… … something more amazing than the Treasure Map came out of the cart.”
“My back hurts. Can we just stand up?”
“There are other clothes too! They’re so pretty!”
There was also a beautiful palace made of high-quality silk.
“Who is it? She’s a really slim woman.”
“I have someone to give a gift to.”
“If you’re giving me underwear as a gift, it must be someone very close to you.”
“Not close.”
“How could I not know someone so close to me? But it wouldn’t be Lord Cheonhwaru. Oh! Was there anyone among the Cheonhwaru kisaengs that you liked?”
“Shall I show you who it is?”
“really?”
“Of course. Let’s go.”
Ian and I pulled a cart together to a small estate far from the village.
“Do you live here?”
“You could say that.”
But when I entered the manor, it was empty.
“There’s no one here. It seems like no one lives there.”
“It’ll happen now. I borrowed it for a few days.”
“why?”
I told her, in a puzzled tone. It was the words that would change her life, and the words she most wanted to hear came out of me.
“I plan to perform the Shinto purification technique on you here.”
