I have returned after completing the 177th mission.
When he woke up, Seo Dae-ryong was lighting a bonfire next to the parked carriage.
“Are you awake?”
“How much did I sleep?”
“You slept well. No, how can someone sleep so well that they don’t even notice if someone carries them?”
“I was on guard even while sleeping.”
“With your snoring like that?”
I slept really soundly without waking up even once.
Of course, Seodaeryong wouldn’t know. If he senses real danger, Cheonmahosingong will wake me up.
“Are you hungry? Eat some of this.”
Seo Dae-ryong brought out food he had bought from the inn before we left. It was a meticulous selection of dishes that I enjoy eating.
“After this meal, you’ll have to hunt and eat.”
After a big fight, I felt really good eating my favorite foods. It’s not like it’s anything special, but people tend to be touched by little things like this. Thanks, Daeryong.
After eating my fill and even drinking some cold water, I found myself saying these words.
“Ah, now I feel like I can live.”
While sitting around a campfire, Seodaeryong handed me some golden elixir.
“Then you need to get treatment now.”
I took off my blood-soaked clothes and robe. Then I untied the quilt and wrapped it around the handle of the Black Magic Sword. The quilt was gradually soaked in blood and turning red. I was thinking about washing it, but I just left it. The handle of the Black Magic Sword wrapped in blood-soaked cloth had its own charm.
I applied ointment to the wounds. I avoided fatal injuries, but my body was a mess, with cuts and scratches here and there and black bruises all over.
“You’re still in the prime of your life, so what if you have so many scars on your body? If women see you, they’ll all run away.”
“I’ll completely change it later and turn it all upside down.”
“I was going to ask if such a coincidence would come easily. But I guess it would be different for you, sir.”
After applying the medicine, I put on the new uniform that Seodaeryong had bought for me.
“It fits perfectly. I like it.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Our first mission was a success.”
“Our last mission was a success.”
There are certain moments when I feel good when I see someone. For example, when my father sits on the throne and looks down at me with a displeased expression, or when Hyeolcheon Doma sticks his big Heavenly Sword into the ground and leans against it.
This is the time to make silly jokes like this with Seo Dae-ryong.
“I seriously considered going in ten times while waiting in the carriage.”
“If you had come in, I would have had a hard time rescuing the hostage again.”
“Then you must have grown more. Should I have gone in?”
Then Seo Dae-ryong laughed. I laughed too.
After a brief whining session, Seo Dae-ryong spoke about what he felt during this mission.
“I keep having dreams about the rain. Sometimes I hear the cheers I heard on the rain stage. I miss that moment. When I see that, I think I want to be a person who gets noticed by people rather than a hidden master.”
“You have to go that way anyway.”
“yes?”
“Because I’m going to become Amazon.”
Now that Bloodthirsty Demon has passed on his martial arts skills, the path of his successor has been decided.
Then, Seo Dae-ryong’s expression became serious.
“Your Majesty, can I become the Amazon? Can I really handle the position of the Amazon?”
“Does your master look like the kind of person who would give up his position easily?”
“No.”
“But what are you worried about? If you don’t trust yourself, trust your master’s judgment.”
“Still… … I can’t believe it. I’m the Amazon.”
Well, it’s strange that it’s so easy to feel it, since it was a case of a mere Hwangcheon-gak investigator becoming a demon.
“I will really try to die.”
I spoke calmly to the burning dragon.
“Of course you have to put in effort, but keep this in mind. They say that when you climb uphill, you can only see the peak, but when you go downhill, you can see the whole world. Sometimes, look back as you climb.”
Seo Dae-ryong looked at me and smiled strangely.
“You’re ten years younger than me, but you say things like that so well.”
As I lay down next to the campfire, Seodaeryong also lay down on the other side.
It felt so good to lie down next to the campfire and look at the stars in the night sky.
“I should go on a trip like this later.”
“Please take me with you too.”
“You have to go out and get applause and attention.”
“Just come and get all the attention.”
“No. Ian will take you.”
Seo Dae-ryong stuck out his mouth. You punk, if it were that easy, would our father be locked up in Cheonmajeon?
I slept well that night too. The tension and fatigue that had built up over a long time were relieving.
* * *
The carriage journey continued until my body recovered.
As soon as he recovered, he sold the carriage and returned by speedboat carrying Seodaeryong.
At first, Seo Dae-ryong said he was going to die, but later he adapted perfectly and even joked around while being carried. It was a moment that made me realize the adaptability of humans.
I ran and ran like that and arrived at the main school.
The first place I headed to was Cheonmajeon.
Beyond the red carpet, far away, my father was sitting in the throne room. Today, I felt especially grateful to my father for always keeping his place.
The moment my eyes met with my father’s blunt look, my heart ached. I quickly bowed, fearing that I might appear too emotional.
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“I have returned after defeating Cheonmyeonghoeju and completing my mission.”
“You’ve worked hard. Get up now.”
As I got up from my seat, General Sima Ming, who was standing next to me, greeted me.
“Congratulations.”
“thank you.”
“I heard that dealing with Cheonmyeonghoe this time won’t be easy.”
Since he sent messengers from time to time to inform them of the news, his father and Sima Ming knew about the past process and results.
Of course, the entire book could not contain such a joke as this.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t tell you how many times I almost died. This was too difficult a test. No, it was an impossible mission!”
“I admit it. It was my fault. I didn’t realize that the organization called Cheonmyeonghoe had grown to such a large size.”
Sima Ming readily admitted his mistake. The one who assigned the mission was Tongcheon Pavilion, led by Sima Ming.
Then my father, who was watching, suddenly said.
“You tried to kill our son.”
Sima Ming and I looked at my father in surprise. Of course, we were both surprised that my father would make such a joke in this situation, but I was surprised for something else.
Our son.
It was the first time I heard it from my father. I may have heard it when I was very young and couldn’t remember, but this was the first time I remembered it.
I should have taken that as a joke, but I couldn’t think of anything.
Sima Ming said to me with a smile.
“How about this? Will you forgive me for this?”
He knows, too. That it’s the first time he’s heard me say ‘my son’. That’s why he’s so touched.
“Please send again. Where is it this time? Is it Cheonhahoe (天下會)? Cheonjihoe (天地會)?”
Sima Ming laughed at my words.
I felt good. It was just one word, but it was a word that would become an unforgettable moment for me.
I calmed my trembling heart and asked Sima Ming.
“What happened to your brother?”
“The Archduke has already returned after successfully completing his assigned duties.”
Just like before the return, my brother returned safely. The change in fate is on my side. The secret organization called Cheonmyeonghoe disappeared from the martial arts world, and I passed the test.
“Then you both passed the test.”
“That’s right.”
“My test was much more difficult, so shouldn’t I be considered the winner? Make me your successor!”
I demanded confidently.
“That is a reasonable request, but wouldn’t it be unfair for the Archduke? We also have to consider the case where the Archduke chose the difficult option.”
As you both can imagine, my brother would never have been able to solve it. If he had gotten too involved, he would have lost his life. In that sense, I am glad I chose this side.
I couldn’t bring myself to say something like that.
“Then I feel so wronged?”
“So, I think we should give an award separately from the results of this test.”
It seems like he has already discussed this with his father.
“Is there anything you would like?”
I looked at my father in the pavilion without hesitation and said.
“As a reward, let’s go hunting together again.”
My father looked surprised.
“Every time you receive an award, you ask me to go hunting.”
After returning for the first time and winning the duel, the wish he requested was hunting.
“We have to catch the tiger we couldn’t catch then.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
My father readily accepted my offer.
“Departure is tomorrow morning.”
* * *
The first place I went to after leaving Cheonmajeon was Ian’s training ground.
I thought he would be sweating while practicing martial arts, but unexpectedly, Ian was reading a book.
She was so beautiful that it was surprising every time I saw her, but the sight of her reading a book had a different charm. It was a sight that every bachelor in the world would fall in love with.
That thought came to me again. I really had to show Ian to Jin Ha-ryeong at least once.
I wondered what kind of martial arts book it was, so I used my divine power to take a closer look, and unexpectedly, it was a collection of poems.
He said as he entered the training ground.
“Are you thinking of quitting your job and becoming a poet?”
At my words, Ian glanced up and then looked back at his book.
“Are you here?”
She acted as if she had seen me yesterday. No, even if she had seen me yesterday, she would have been more welcoming. I could tell right away that she was joking.
I sat down next to her, pretending not to know her.
“congratulations.”
“What congratulations?”
“I heard you wanted to eat noodles?”
Only then did I realize. Our mouthy Seo Dae-ryong must have come and told me everything about Jin Ha-ryeong.
“The person you’re destined to love is the daughter of the leader of the martial arts world?”
“Not love, but meeting, not daughter, but granddaughter.”
“Hobuk Ilmirani will be so pretty.”
“Not as pretty as you.”
“What about your personality? Is it nice?”
“That’s okay. He didn’t grow up spoiled.”
“You are the perfect match. Congratulations.”
“Are you done being jealous?”
“I’m not jealous, I’m congratulating you.”
“Then you should do it while looking at me.”
“no, I do not want.”
It was so cute how jealous Ian looked.
“I told her. When you go back, there’s someone much prettier than you waiting for you.”
Ian’s lips were seen curling into a smile as he lowered his head.
“So what are you saying?”
“You didn’t believe me. So I’m going to show you next time. I’m going.”
As I stood up and started walking away, Ian jumped up.
“Where are you going! You made people wait like this.”
Ian jumped up and ran to me. She hugged him tightly.
I could feel her tears falling down her shoulders. I could tell how worried she had been while waiting.
“wait a minute.”
I stood there holding her for a while. Feeling her warm body temperature, I felt at ease. I felt like all my complicated thoughts were disappearing. How lucky am I to have at least one person like this in my life?
After a moment, she pulled away from me. Ian’s cheeks were red, perhaps thinking that he had been too bold in running and hugging me. She quickly changed the subject.
“This poetry collection was lent to me by Hyeolcheon Doma.”
“Elder? Why?”
“I went to see you. There was a rumor that the Demon Lords had come forward for your mission. I asked Doma-nim if you were okay.”
I could imagine how much hesitation there must have been before he went to see the Bloodthirsty Horse in person.
“What if I say it’s not okay?”
“Then I would have gone to see you. I would have gone no matter what. If I didn’t go, I would have been worried that you might die, so I wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep. I should go, at least for my own sake.”
“You seem like a worrywart. If you had come, I would have left you at the Murim Alliance.”
“Then you could have lived without any worries by running a noodle shop near the Murim Alliance.”
“If you open a noodle restaurant, you won’t be able to go through a single day without success.”
She laughed heartily. Her bright personality has not changed since she gained weight. Her greatest charm and strength is that she is not shaken by any external factors or changes.
“At that time, Elder Hyeolcheon Doma lent me a book and told me not to worry about useless things and to go and read it. The book I borrowed at that time was a book about human life and death. No, he lent me a book about life and death and told me not to worry! Anyway, I’ve been borrowing and reading books one by one since then. But there’s something strange? When I read books, my martial arts training seems to go better.”
“Your martial arts are finally connected to your life.”
“My life and martial arts are connected?”
“At first, martial arts skills are acquired through talent and effort. Then, when a certain level is reached, martial arts skills reflect the person’s life. Usually, there are cases where martial arts skills are blocked by a wall and cannot be overcome, right?”
“Most of them are like that.”
“The reason is that you can’t change your life. If people change, their views on martial arts will change as well, but if people stay the same, they can’t overcome the wall that blocks them.”
“ah!”
Ian seemed to have found an answer. It was a moment when he realized why reading poetry and books about life and death felt helpful in martial arts.
“Let’s talk again later. Right now, I have to go meet the Master of Life and Death.”
As I was about to turn around, Ian spoke bravely.
“Your Majesty, I am so glad that you returned safely.”
“It’s nice to see you.”
So, after leaving Ian’s residence, I headed to Namdojong where Hyeolcheon Doma’s residence was.
