The sky was filled with cirrus clouds. The sun, seated at the center of the firmament, cast faint rays through the thin veil of clouds, and the wind was cool.
Rattle!
The carriage wheel caught on a stone and shook for a moment, but quickly resumed its swift rotation.
Pungun, his hair tied back in a horse-tail with a cord, gazed quietly at Cheon Ryu-yeong, who was sitting across from him.
Cheon Ryu-yeong, inside the carriage, was looking out the window.
The four-wheeled carriage was currently on its way to Sahan County, where Cheon Ryu-yeong's family lived.
Pungun had accepted Cheon Ryu-yeong's proposal to become his escort. In truth, it was… partly due to implicit pressure.
If he had refused Cheon Ryu-yeong's proposal at the time, it was obvious that everyone nearby would have bombarded him with jeers and shouts of, "How dare you refuse the request of the benefactor who saved all our lives?"
Of course, Pungun was not the sort to bow to threats. Nevertheless, there were two real reasons why he accepted the role of Cheon Ryu-yeong's escort.
The first was curiosity.
Cheon Ryu-yeong's actions and words when he appeared had astonished even Pungun. What kind of person is this? he had wondered. This piqued his interest to watch from close by. But what shocked Pungun even more was the question Cheon Ryu-yeong had thrown at him:
"If you had faced the Black Wolf Lord, what would have been the outcome?"
Cheon Ryu-yeong…
Had he truly discerned Pungun's real ability? Or, as Yacha Sword had said, had he merely been impressed by the clean, stylish way Pungun had fought using only basic sword techniques, and mistaken it for true skill? Pungun wanted to know.
The second reason was that he judged being the escort of a strategist would mean avoiding unnecessary fights. Even if they went to the battlefield, it was clear he would only have to stick close to Cheon Ryu-yeong, who would be commanding from the rear.
Pungun…
He hid formidable power within himself, and he hated using it to the extreme.
Cheon Ryu-yeong felt the piercing gaze on him and turned his head to meet Pungun's eyes.
"Why? Do you have something to say?"
Cheon Ryu-yeong spoke to him informally. Pungun had requested this, saying it would look awkward to others if he, the younger by five years, were addressed with honorifics.
"Not just me—countless people in the world probably have a whole bundle of questions for you, Brother Cheon Ryu-yeong."
"Is that so? I can't go around finding them all to clear their doubts, but since you're right in front of me, I should answer yours. If you're curious, ask."
"Oh! Anything at all?"
"As long as it's not extremely personal."
Cheon Ryu-yeong's permission had been granted. But Pungun couldn't bring himself to ask—because Dokgo Seol, who had been dozing beside Cheon Ryu-yeong, suddenly opened her eyes.
Disguised once again as a man, appearing as an incomparably handsome youth, she parted her lips to speak to Cheon Ryu-yeong.
"I also have something I want to ask…"
Cheon Ryu-yeong was surprised.
"Weren't you asleep?"
For a split second, Dokgo Seol's expression stiffened. Sitting next to him made her heart keep pounding strangely, so she had simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
She gave an awkward smile.
"I woke up just a moment ago."
Cheon Ryu-yeong recalled how the carriage had jolted earlier when it hit the stone, and nodded in understanding.
"Please, go ahead."
"…"
Dokgo Seol suddenly found herself tongue-tied. There was too much she wanted to know—everything about him, in fact.
But with so many questions in her mind, she couldn't think of which one to ask first.
A peculiar silence filled the air.
Cheon Ryu-yeong waited, staring at her, while Dokgo Seol sat there blankly, pondering over what to ask.
Finally, Cheon Ryu-yeong tilted his head and called to her.
"Lady Dokgo."
"…"
"Lady Dokgo!"
"Yes?"
"Didn't you say you had something you wanted to ask?"
"Oh! Yes, that's right. But now that I think about it, it doesn't seem like much."
Dokgo Seol quickly turned her head to look out the window. For some reason, her face felt hot.
She had almost made a big mistake—absurdly enough, she had been about to ask what food he liked.
Why now, of all times?
Even she thought it was ridiculous and embarrassing that such a trivial question had popped into her head.
Seeing her turn away, Cheon Ryu-yeong slightly furrowed his brows. It would not be wise to antagonize Dokgo Seol if he was to depend on the Dokgo Clan in the future.
Yet in the past few days, during the memorial rites, she had coldly avoided him every time they crossed paths.
Cheon Ryu-yeong kept racking his brain, wondering if he had done something to offend her, but he couldn't figure it out, which was frustrating.
Why had she invited him to the Dokgo Clan, only to grow cold once he agreed to come along?
And then yesterday, why had she suddenly volunteered to join him on the way to his hometown—insisting on it even though he told her there was no need?
A sudden thought crossed Cheon Ryu-yeong's mind, and his eyes glinted.
Is she here to watch me?
He nodded to himself. It was quite possible she suspected he might defect to the Heavenly Demon Sword. She had been right there when the Heavenly Demon Sword offered to give him everything.
Thinking that she didn't trust him, Cheon Ryu-yeong turned to Pungun with a faintly bitter look.
"All right, then, Pungun—you ask. What are you curious about?"
As if he had been waiting, Pungun immediately spoke.
"I'm not strong. So why did you choose me as your escort? If something dangerous were to happen to you, I can't promise I could protect you."
"That's already decided and done. So let's drop the subject."
Cheon Ryu-yeong's gentle voice made his words even sweeter, and Pungun almost nodded before catching himself in surprise. Truly, it was a voice with a magic of its own. Even Dokgo Seol, who had turned her head away, was now sneaking glances at him.
"Brother! This isn't something that should be brushed aside. Just look now—Clan Leader Dokgo has assigned plenty of escorts for this trip, including Lady Dokgo Seol herself. I just don't understand why you insist on having me, someone so unreliable, as your only escort."
Indeed, as Pungun said, behind the carriage rode twenty warriors on horseback. And the coachman driving the carriage was none other than Yacha Sword Jo Jeon-hu.
Jo Jeon-hu…
He had a peculiar hobby of taking joy in the monotonous task of driving a carriage.
Over the past few days together, Cheon Ryu-yeong had felt bewildered by him.
Sometimes he was endlessly serious, and at other times he would flit about like a mischievous child. His emotional swings were so large that one elder of the Dokgo Clan had whispered that it was simply because he was as pure as a child.
The claim that the Yacha Sword, whose appearance was like that of a vicious evil spirit, was "pure" had sounded absurd, but in the end, Cheon Ryu-yeong could only agree with the elder's words. If he didn't, then… the only other explanation for Jo Jeon-hu's behavior would be that he was insane.
At Pungun's serious words, Cheon Ryu-yeong smacked his lips and said,
"I didn't expect Clan Leader Dokgo to assign so many escorts. I only need you…"
"Brother, you don't actually think I'm strong enough to face the Black Wolf Lord, do you?"
There was weight in Pungun's question—this was what he most wanted to know.
Cheon Ryu-yeong bit his lower lip slightly. For some reason, Pungun did not want to reveal his strength.
The Law of Cause and Effect.
Every event or outcome must have a cause.
There had to be some reason or story behind Pungun's behavior. Without knowing it, Cheon Ryu-yeong felt he had no right to question or criticize him for not going all out in their previous battle. And if Pungun chose to feign ignorance, then Cheon Ryu-yeong would only end up looking like a fool.
"Pungun, do you really want to know the reason that badly?"
"Of course. I'm human too, and it's uncomfortable when everyone thinks of me as a useless escort."
A blatant lie. In truth, he didn't care much about others' opinions. But Pungun deliberately put on an expression of genuine distress.
At the very least, this much might prompt Cheon Ryu-yeong to reveal why he had chosen him. Had he really seen through Pungun's hidden ability?
Cheon Ryu-yeong asked with an awkward look.
"Why do you care so much about what others think? I simply believe you're the right person to be my escort."
"So why me? There are many people who are stronger and more skilled…"
"Didn't Clan Leader Dokgo say so? That your fundamentals are perfect."
"…?"
"I've now stepped into the martial world, so I should learn martial arts. And who better to give me occasional guidance than someone with flawless basics? Fundamentals are important! Besides, I'd feel… rather uncomfortable having someone older than me as my escort."
Pungun was speechless. The idea of starting martial arts training at twenty-five was already absurd, and the thought that this was the sole reason for choosing him was ridiculous.
"Is that really the whole reason?"
"Of course. What could be more important than that?"
Cheon Ryu-yeong shrugged as he spoke. Pungun narrowed his eyes, sensing something was off, but unable to pinpoint exactly what it was.
Unable to stand it any longer, Dokgo Seol cut in.
"Do you really intend to learn martial arts? At your age?"
She was so taken aback that she felt a flash of irritation. To her, this was nothing short of mocking all warriors who lived and died by the sword.
Cheon Ryu-yeong clenched his fist, eyes resolute.
"Yes. Why shouldn't I? Does age matter in learning? What matters is willpower—willpower!"
Dokgo Seol put a hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh.
"Haah… I'm not someone who usually discourages those who want to learn. But Young Master Cheon hasn't even learned the most basic breathing exercises, let alone any internal energy cultivation method. Your meridians are clogged with impure energy—it's impossible to clear them at your age. For you to learn martial arts now is no different from a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle."
Pungun chimed in.
"Lady Dokgo is right. You asked if there's such a thing as the right time to learn. I'm sorry, but there is—especially in martial arts."
Dokgo Seol continued.
"If you honestly believe that with sheer effort you can become a master, then Young Master Cheon, you're the most arrogant and foolish man alive."
The two of them pressed in on Cheon Ryu-yeong with firm expressions.
They hadn't been close before; in fact, just a few days ago, they had been complete strangers. They hadn't even spoken much during the journey. But now, united against a common "opponent," they had instantly formed a perfect alliance. Cheon Ryu-yeong couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
Dokgo Seol, misreading his expression, flared up.
"Are you dismissing our advice? Do you think martial arts are that easy? Even if you aimed to be an external arts master instead of an internal one, you'd still be mistaken. It's nearly impossible to become a master with external arts alone, and the training is twice as hard."
Pungun shook his head.
"Your talents lie in the literary arts, not the martial. Why waste the gifts Heaven gave you and wander down the wrong path? I truly don't understand."
Finally, Cheon Ryu-yeong spoke.
"Gifts from Heaven… I'm not so sure. It's not like I can measure exactly how talented I am as a strategist."
He turned his gaze to the window, speaking now to both Pungun and Dokgo Seol.
"And you're mistaken. I'm not aiming to become a master. I just want to do the best I can in my current position."
His clear voice swept through the carriage. Dokgo Seol tilted her head and asked,
"Everyone who learns martial arts dreams of becoming a master. If that's not your goal, then why put yourself through the hardship—especially when the result is bound to be disappointing?"
Studying anything meant aspiring to reach the top—no one studied with the goal of staying at the bottom.
Cheon Ryu-yeong answered seriously,
"Not everyone who dreams of being the best becomes number one. There's second place, tenth place, hundredth place. And isn't it true that even first place exists only because of those below them?"
"…?"
"I just want enough strength to protect myself, even for a moment. Do you remember when the Black Wolf Lord, exhausted and gravely wounded, still tried to kill me?"
How could they forget?
They remembered clearly—Cheon Ryu-yeong, facing the Black Wolf Lord's cold, gleaming Blue Dragon Halberd, had gazed up at the sky with a detached expression, as if he had already given up everything.
It was… the saddest sight she had ever seen.
Dokgo Seol had felt, in that moment, as if she herself were dying. The pain was like a dagger stabbing her heart. She had been so overwhelmed, she couldn't even tell him to run.
Cheon Ryu-yeong let out a few sighs before continuing.
"I couldn't do anything then. I accepted death. But… there were people who stood in front of me, people who didn't even have the strength to hold a sword. They protected me."
His voice trembled slightly.
"If I'd been able to block even a few strikes from the Black Wolf Lord's halberd… then those precious lives wouldn't have been lost so meaninglessly because of me…"
Cheon Ryu-yeong's words trailed off. His eyes, fixed on the scenery outside, had grown red.
Dokgo Seol and Pungun could only watch him in silence. They recalled the moment during the memorial rites when Cheon Ryu-yeong had wept uncontrollably. At the time, they had been puzzled—after all, they had lost people dear to them, but for him, those people had been strangers.
But now they understood.
Though their time together had been short, Cheon Ryu-yeong had truly grieved their deaths from the bottom of his heart. And the reason was now plain to see.
The atmosphere inside the carriage grew solemn. Outside, Jo Jeon-hu, riding at the very front, let tears stream down his face as he murmured,
"Our Young Master Cheon… so pitiful…"
Fortunately, since the carriage was in the lead, no one else saw him crying.