At the same time, several waiters sitting a short distance away were also watching the bonfire where Raven and Seo-rin were.
"This is the first time I've seen Miss Seo-rin smile so genuinely at a stranger," whispered one of the waiters.
"Yeah… and they seem like a good match," replied another in a soft tone, barely holding back a laugh.
"Even though he's a traveler, he has a calm aura… and a certain presence. He's a perfect match for our young lady."
"Eh, but are you sure the young lady is really interested in him?" whispered another waiter, leaning in slightly.
"Her expression when she was talking just now… it was different, wasn't it?"
"Did you notice that too?" the other one immediately chimed in.
"I thought it was just my imagination."
Another servant spoke up, her tone more serious though still soft.
"Did you guys forget? Miss Seo-rin mentioned before… that the person she chooses must meet certain criteria. Even if he's a wanderer."
They glanced at Raven, their eyes narrowing meaningfully.
"Looking at him from the outside… that man meets all of them."
"Ah… you're right."
"True. I almost forgot," another replied, nodding slowly.
One of them held back a smile.
"Could it be… this is fate?"
They exchanged glances.
Wide, almost flirtatious smiles began to appear on each of their faces.
Tap.
Tap.
Light yet firm footsteps sounded from behind.
They turned to look briefly, their expressions turning panicked.
A cold voice cut off their whispers.
"Stop talking about the young lady. Don't you have anything else to do?"
The servants immediately stood up straight, their faces pale, and bowed in unison.
"U-uh… Miss Min-ji…"
"That… we were just—"
"S-sorry, Head Han!"
"W-we didn't mean to—"
Although some of them were older, Han Min-ji's status as head servant meant none dared to argue. That respectful demeanor emerged naturally, as if it had been ingrained for a long time.
Min-ji looked at them one by one, her gaze sharp yet composed.
"If you have time to gossip," she said calmly, her tone flat yet firm, "it means your work isn't finished… isn't that right?"
The maids bowed their heads even lower.
"Immediately check the items for tomorrow's journey," she continued. "And ensure the Young Lady's resting area on the train is properly prepared."
"Yes, Miss Min-ji!"
"We'll get right on it!"
Without daring to delay, they immediately scattered, their steps quick and orderly, as if eager to vanish from her sight.
Min-ji remained standing in place, watching until those figures had truly moved out of sight. Only after the atmosphere around her had calmed down did she let out a soft sigh.
Her gaze then shifted toward the campfire.
From behind the shadows of the tent, a deep voice spoke softly.
"You're still paying far too much attention to the young lady, aren't you, Han Min-ji?"
Min-ji turned her head slightly, her expression impassive. "That is my duty as the young lady's head maid, Master Gwi-heon."
A middle-aged man stepped out of the darkness. His physique was sturdy and well-proportioned; he stood straight and rigid, like a sword always ready to be drawn. A guard's cloak bearing the Eunha family crest draped over his shoulders, the thick fur on the collar swaying gently in the night breeze.
His face was stern, with a strong jawline, sharp cheekbones, and fine lines at the corners of his eyes. His gaze was dark and cold, sharp as a hidden blade. His hair was neatly tied back, while silver strands at his temples provided a striking contrast.
The aura he carried was calm, yet oppressive enough to make people hold their breath unconsciously.
"What do you think of that man?" Min-ji asked softly.
"That young man?" Gwi-heon gave a faint smile.
"If you mean his relationship with the young lady, I think—"
"That's not what I meant," Min-ji cut in quickly, her voice cold.
"I'm asking about what he did to the bear that almost attacked the young lady."
"Oh, so that's what you mean," Gwi-heon muttered, stroking his chin. His eyes narrowed as he looked toward the carcass of the large bear, now neatly butchered near the river.
A few seconds passed before he spoke again.
"Judging by the way he handled that bear…" he said softly, "that boy is clearly no ordinary wanderer. He's clearly a martial artist… just like me."
Min-ji let out a short sigh. "That was obvious from the way he killed that bear."
Gwi-heon shook his head slightly.
"It's not that simple."
"If it were just about killing, many could do it," he continued calmly.
"But the way he did it…"
He paused for a moment, as if choosing the right words.
"That… is truly unusual."
Min-ji turned her head slightly. "Unusual?"
Gwi-heon nodded slowly, then gestured vaguely toward the wound on the bear's body by the riverbank.
"You saw it yourself. The cut is clean… as if separated by a single perfect stroke. Even among our best guards, there might not be anyone who could make such a precise cut."
He took a slow breath.
"And when he moved…" he continued, his voice dropping, "I couldn't follow his movements with my eyes."
Min-ji immediately glared at him. "Are you serious?"
Gwi-heon shook his head. "Yes. I'm absolutely serious."
"Even at your current level?"
Gwi-heon fell silent for a moment, then let out a short breath.
"I can't say for sure," he answered honestly.
"Because, strangely enough, I tried to gauge his split-self's level…"
He paused, his eyes narrowing again.
"But in fact, I didn't sense any trace of qi at all," Gwi-heon continued softly.
"It's as if… he has no Qi in his body."
Min-ji immediately turned to look at him sharply. "What? That's impossible."
"Indeed," Gwi-heon replied briefly.
"Judging by the way he killed that bear, he's clearly a martial artist."
He let out a small sigh, sounding slightly annoyed.
"Precisely because of that… this feels off."
A moment of silence fell between them, broken only by the soft crackling of a campfire in the distance.
"Somehow," Gwi-heon continued, his voice dropping in tone, "he's able to hide his qi flow perfectly."
"At that age, with that level of control…" he murmured softly.
"…he's clearly no ordinary martial artist."
Min-ji fell silent for a moment, then asked softly, "Does that mean he comes from a famous martial arts family?"
Gwi-heon shook his head slightly. "I don't think so."
He folded his arms across his chest, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
"You know yourself how children from those—those famous families are raised. They live carrying their family name wherever they go."
There was a hint of condescension in his tone.
"Full of pride… and too accustomed to standing on the strength of that name. Even in every action, they always use their family as a supporting shadow."
Min-ji remained silent, not interrupting.
"Even if he really does come from such a lineage," Gwi-heon continued, "he should have recognized us from the start and immediately introduced himself—mentioning which prominent family he comes from and what his purpose is."
He paused for a moment, then continued in a more confident tone.
"Besides, we're a group from the Eunha Family. One of the elite merchant families in Murim. It's impossible for those major families not to know who we are."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So… it doesn't make sense that he wouldn't recognize us at all."
The night breeze blew gently, ruffling the hem of his cloak.
"Moreover," he continued, his voice dropping, "he wouldn't act that calmly… let alone appear indifferent in front of a young lady who is one of the family's heirs."
There was a moment of silence.
"So… where is he from?" Min-ji murmured softly, her gaze drifting back toward Raven.
Gwi-heon didn't answer right away.
"I don't know," he finally said softly.
"But one thing is certain…"
He shifted his gaze elsewhere, toward the small group where Raven's friends were gathered.
They looked ordinary.
Their movements, the way they sat, even their breathing… showed no signs of being trained fighters.
"He's different from them," Gwi-heon continued softly.
His gaze returned to Raven.
"The kids over there… are clearly ordinary people."
He paused for a moment.
"But he…"
Her voice dropped, almost to a whisper.
"…Something dangerous."
Min-ji didn't answer right away. Her gaze remained fixed on Raven's figure by the fire, before she finally looked away.
"I see…" she murmured softly.
"If he really intended to do something," she continued calmly, "he should have made his move from the start… not gone to save the Young Lady instead."
Gwi-heon nodded slightly. "I think so too."
"Huh…" Min-ji exhaled softly, as if brushing away some of the unease that had briefly surfaced.
She turned toward the horse-drawn carriage, her steps remaining calm and steady.
"I'll leave the task of watching her to you, Guard Gwi. Keep a close eye on her. I don't want the Young Lady to get hurt… or get involved in something we don't even understand yet."
Gwi-heon raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you sure you want to just leave like this?"
Min-ji didn't stop. "Yes. I trust Deputy Chief Guard Gwi-heon… one of the strongest members of the Eunha family's forces."
Gwi-heon chuckled softly. "Eh, seriously?"
Min-ji shot him a sidelong glance. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're starting to doubt just because you couldn't see that guy's slash."
"Ah, it's not like that," Gwi-heon replied casually. "You know I'm already at the early Grandmaster stage. There's no way I'd lose to a kid."
"Oh, really?" Min-ji replied lightly.
"That's right, this kid…" Gwi-heon muttered, half-grumbling.
Min-ji paused for a moment, turning her head slightly. "So… you can handle it, right?"
"Yes," Gwi-heon replied without hesitation.
"I'll take care of it."
Though his tone was casual, his eyes never truly strayed from Raven.
"Alright then," Min-ji said briefly.
She resumed walking without hesitation. The sound of her footsteps slowly faded, lost among the rustling of the night breeze and the crackling of the firewood in the fireplace, leaving Gwi-heon still standing in place with a gaze that was now far more serious than before.
Gwi-heon watched her back for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"You're actually the same age as my niece," he murmured softly, half-jokingly,
"but your attitude is so cold… even a bit sly toward this old man."
There was no reply.
Min-ji didn't even turn around. She kept walking, as if those words had never reached her ears.
Gwi-heon let out a soft sigh, then lifted his face toward the night sky. A vast expanse of stars stretched out above in quiet stillness, yet felt so distant.
He remained silent for a moment.
Then, his gaze fell back toward the campfire in the distance, right on the figure of Raven sitting almost motionless.
"But still…" he muttered softly,
"who is that kid, really?"