Chapter 598: North Sea.

As a day passed and it had just turned dawn.

Yuri stepped out of her quarters and began to walk. This was because she had received word from Red Feather. They said to come to his quarters immediately.

‘No way.’

Her steps gradually quickened. He said he’d think about it for a day, but did he finish already?

‘I was looking for a way to persuade him somehow.’

It was news that came while I was searching for another method, just in case I was rejected.

Yuri had to somehow calm her turbulent breathing. She couldn’t show a hasty attitude. They said everything was already discovered, but she had to protect this much.

How long had it been since then? Perhaps because of her hurried steps, she had already arrived at the quarters. The moment she entered the quarters, she saw people gathered in the yard. Yuri approached towards them.

“You’re here.”

The young man, Red Feather, who confirmed Yuri’s approach, sent his gaze towards her.

“I thought you’d be late, but you came quickly.”

“How could I possibly be late?”

“You don’t have to flatter me. It won’t get you anything.”

His tone was still incredibly rude. If it were up to me, I’d smack him on the head, but the situation didn’t allow it.

‘Hmm?’

I forced myself to manage my expression as I looked at him. I sensed something strange.

‘His face looks unusually tired.’

That was Red Feather’s condition. His eyes looked particularly weary. Did something happen in the middle of the night? Questions arose, but I didn’t bother asking. Because that wasn’t the important thing.

As Yuri looked at him with a strange gaze, Red Feather spoke up.

“What did I say yesterday?”

“Huh?”

“I asked what my task was upon going to the North Sea.”

“…Ah…!”

Hearing the question, Yuri’s eyes widened.

“Tell me precisely. Make it easy to understand.”

“…I wish for you to go to the North Sea and lift the curse placed upon the Palace Lord-nim.”

“Is there anything else?”

“…Yes.”

Hearing the answer, Red Feather stroked his chin as if contemplating for a moment. Then, not long after, he spoke to Yuri.

“If there is even the slightest problem with safety, I will cancel the request and return.”

Yuri’s lips pressed shut at the resolute words.

“Furthermore, I will attempt to meet and treat the Palace Lord, but if I judge it impossible, I will also return immediately.”

“…”

“My orders are absolute, and until the request is concluded, I will be responsible for the party. Will you accept this?”

If trouble arises, I’ll abandon you and leave. If I see the Palace Lord, I’ll try to treat them, but if not, I’ll just leave. Until the request ends, I am the superior, and you must unconditionally follow my orders. That’s what it boils down to. Just looking at it, these were words utterly unsuitable for a commission. Especially the phrase about absolute obedience to orders was a dangerous statement.

However.

“…I…accept.”

Yuri had no other choice. Right now, the only important thing was that he had agreed to the request.

“Including this, you must also fulfill the conditions posted at the merchant guild.”

“…I accept that as well.”

Refusal wasn’t an option from the start. Since Yuri chose to go to the Central Plains, this was only natural.

“Hmm.”

Hearing Yuri’s answer, Red Feather nodded briefly.

“Good. Then I accept the request.”

“…!”

Only then did Yuri hear the answer she had so desperately wanted. Hearing this, Yuri tried to put on a bright expression.

“I’ll finish the job within two months. I don’t have much time.”

“Thank you…Huh?”

She paused momentarily at the words.

“What…did you just say?”

“What?”

“Time. By when do you plan to finish the request and return?”

“Two months.”

Red Feather answered calmly to Yuri’s question. Hearing that, Yuri let out a short sigh.

“I thought I misheard… You mean it’ll take two months just to get there? Then it’ll be a bit tight….”

“What are you talking about?”

Red Feather’s brow furrowed at Yuri’s words.

“I said I’ll finish everything within two months. What do you mean, two months just to get there? Are you crazy?”

“No…!”

As Red Feather spoke with irritation, Yuri’s suppressed eyebrows contorted.

“What are you talking about? If you don’t want to go, just say you don’t want to go.”

It would take at least two more months just to get from here to the North Sea. Since it wasn’t a situation where one could freely travel between the Central Plains and the North Sea, a special route had to be used to go stealthily. This required even more time than simply traveling the usual way. Even without that, it would take months just to get there, so this would obviously take even longer. And in that situation, you say you’ll finish the job and return within two months? It’s absurd. To Yuri, it was no different than being mocked.

“Even so, treating someone like this….”

“Sorry, but…”

Red Feather cut off Yuri before she could speak angrily.

“I don’t have enough time to spend months traveling there.”

I understand why she’s angry. It’s natural given the situation, but…

“If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it. Stop mumbling noisily.”

Right now, I didn’t even have time to waste explaining this. It would take ages to explain. No, it was obvious she wouldn’t understand even if it took ages. Therefore, I just needed to show her.

After that, Red Feather quietly raised one hand and spoke.

“Come down.”

“What are you even–!”

Seeing that, Yuri tried to say more, but…

Swoooooosh—!!

Kuwwoooong—!!

Something fell right before Yuri’s eyes. The ground shook violently, and a blast of wind erupted.

“Princess-nim-!”

At the sudden turn of events, Woobeom and Wooseok stepped forward as if to protect Yuri, preparing to enter a defensive stance.

Whooosh-!

A gust of wind instantly began to blow away the smoke. Thick dust billowed up into the air. In an instant, the surroundings cleared, and the view became pristine.

Yuri, who was calming her startled heart,

“…Hup…!”

had to gasp at the sight before her. The ground was deeply cratered from the impact. Something was wriggling on the chaotic ground.

Grrrrr….

Something the size of a house, covered in blue scales. A monster with a fiercely distorted face and glowing blue eyes was there. Yes, it was a monster. A hideous monster unlike anything I had ever seen. It was a far more overwhelming presence than any demonic beast I had seen before.

“What is that….”

As Yuri watched it with wide eyes, clutching her trembling shoulders,

“Ah, fuck.”

A curse was heard from somewhere. It was Red Feather. He glanced around here and there.

Bbaak–!

Kkeureureung—!!

He suddenly swung his hand and violently struck the monster’s head. The monster’s head snapped back from the impact, and it let out a cry.

“Hey, I told you to come down quietly, didn’t I? You’ve made a mess again.”

Grrr… Grrr….

“What do you mean ‘I did my best’? Are you going to clean it up? Are you going to clean it up?”

Grrr….

“Your excuses are bullshit. Your hands are tiny, like mouse droppings, compared to your body. What are you going to clean?”

Kung-! Kuwung-!

He kept landing blows like he was displeased. Watching the monster whimper powerlessly after taking the hits,

“…”

Yuri found herself speechless for some reason.

---

I had to sigh watching that brat, Ddolddol-i, spew all sorts of excuses.

“You think I don’t know you did that because you wanted to look cool?”

I clearly told you to come down quietly. This bastard secretly enjoys the attention.

‘No wonder my energy felt drained more than usual earlier.’

Judging by its appearance, it seemed to have grown even bigger. Who does it take after, being so disobedient?

“Is that how I trained you? Huh?”

Grrr….

“You agree? This bastard, really….”

Whether it’s actually going through puberty, it’s incredibly disobedient. I raised my hand, thinking I needed to hit it a bit more.

“…Well…. Uhm…That…Uh…”

A stammering voice came from behind. Yuri was staring at me, her mouth and eyes wide open. Her shocked expression was quite a sight. She seemed genuinely surprised.

“What…what on earth is that?”

As if she had finally regained her senses, Yuri pointed at Ddolddol-i and spoke.

What is it?

Hearing the question, I replied.

“A mount.”

“What?”

“I said, a mount.”

Much faster than a carriage. A mount that could take me quickly to the North Sea without needing any obstacles. That’s this guy.

‘There’s no other way.’

To handle everything within two months, I first needed to secure a fast mode of transportation. Fortunately, I possessed the fastest means of transport. Thanks to that, I had to retrieve the guy who was in Hubei along with Cheoljiseon.

‘Didn’t that guy Jiseon get tied up in Hubei?’

It’s an unavoidable sacrifice. He’ll probably survive on his own. I was in more of a hurry right now.

‘If it’s this guy…’

I don’t know the distance to the North Sea, but riding this thing won’t take too long. It eats like hell and doesn’t listen worth a damn, but… Its value as a literal mount was immense.

The problem was…

“…You…you want me to ride this?”

The reactions from those around me were quite unusual upon hearing we’d ride this thing. Not just Yuri’s reaction, but everyone else watching also reacted similarly. Tang Soyeol and Moyong Hi-ah also looked surprised. It must be because I hadn’t shown this guy to those two before.

For reference, Madam Mi did not come. This was because I had asked her not to come the night before.

‘Besides that, I was exhausted from running around everywhere.’

My body was worn out from moving around and finishing tasks late into the night. The matter with Pildu-ma ended with him agreeing to my words, but the outcome felt somewhat unsettling.

‘Why did the topic of Paejon suddenly come up there?’

I couldn’t understand the situation, but upon my affirmation, Pildu-ma agreed to carry out the task without further comment. I didn’t place any restrictions on him. It was because I judged that placing restrictions wouldn’t quite fit the situation. However, I couldn’t just leave him be, so I asked Nari to issue instructions regarding Pildu-ma.

If anything were to happen to him.

‘Kill him.’

That’s the order I gave. If he can’t be used, he must be dealt with. For now, this much preparation was necessary.

Now, all that’s left is…

‘To go to the North Sea and check on Namgung Bi-ah’s condition.’

Frankly, whether she’s the Ice Palace Lord or whatever is irrelevant. My sole objective is that. Going to the North Sea was merely a pretext. Who cares about the Ice Palace Lord or the future of the Ice Palace? Whether they live or die, I couldn’t care less.

As I calmed my mind and organized my plans,

“Princess-nim…. What on earth is this….”

Moyong Hi-ah approached me with an expression similar to Yuri’s and asked. So, I gave her a rough explanation.

“I picked him up and raised him.”

“Picked him up…?”

Hearing the answer, Moyong Hi-ah’s expression turned subtle.

“No matter how I look at it, it’s a demonic beast…?”

“That’s right.”

“You picked up and raised a demonic beast?”

Her expression suggested she couldn’t comprehend it no matter how she thought about it. For many years, taming demonic beasts was something no one in the Alliance had ever succeeded at. So, it’s natural for her to be taken aback when I suddenly show her this.

“Anything will listen if you hit it hard enough.”

I said that with a smile. Since this wasn’t the time for lengthy explanations, I decided to gloss over it. If there was a reason I called Moyong Hi-ah without explaining properly,

‘It was probably because I intended to show her eventually anyway, so I wanted her to see it beforehand.’

Prepare yourself mentally. That was the intention. Fortunately, Moyong Hi-ah seemed to understand.

“Haa….”

Her sigh and the way she rubbed her forehead were proof of that.

Just then.

“Wait a moment…. Ride?”

Yuri spoke to me in a trembling voice.

“Ride? You don’t mean… ride this monster, do you?”

“Don’t call it a monster. Be careful, Ddolddol-i might get hurt.”

“Ddolddol…?”

Yuri paused upon hearing the name. Meanwhile, her ears turned slightly red…. Why are her ears turning red again?

“No, anyway… You mean… you’re saying we’re going to the North Sea riding that?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s impossible. How could we possibly….”

“I told you earlier.”

Yuri’s words were getting long, so I cut her off. It’s annoying. Having this kind of conversation back and forth.

“If you don’t like it, get lost.”

“…!”

“If you won’t listen to me, then get lost.”

I said that from the beginning. If you’re going to argue with my words, the request is off. I didn’t have time to waste on conversations like this. As I spoke with force in my voice, Yuri bit her lip.

“…I apologize. I…lost track of the topic for a moment.”

Yuri’s decision was swift. She must have known there was no other option.

Step.

Yuri slowly walked over.

“Can we ride it right now?”

Her decision and acceptance were both swift. Just like how she slapped my cheek yesterday. I could highly appreciate this aspect. As she spoke, Yuri moved closer to Ddolddol-i,

“Princess-nim-! Dangerous…!”

As Yuri’s escorts tried to come over, I immediately unleashed my aura.

Whooosh-!!

“Gack…!”

“Ack…!!”

The escorts, crushed by the aura, staggered. I looked at them and said,

“This is as far as you go.”

“Wh-what are you saying….”

“It’s over capacity.”

Weight was an issue, but I had no intention of bringing more baggage.

“That’s absurd! Are you saying you’ll send the Princess-nim alone then?!”

“Yes. That’s what I’m saying.”

“There’s no way we can accept that…!”

“Haa….”

Right. It would be difficult to accept. But…

“So what if you can’t accept it?”

“…!”

“Don’t annoy me. Should I just kill you so you can’t ride at all?”

This wasn’t a warning. If they grabbed me one more time here, I would genuinely kill them and leave. As I spoke, relaxing my fingers, Yuri relayed a message to her escorts from behind.

“…Woobeom, Wooseok. I’m alright.”

“B-but, Princess-nim…!”

“I heard the conditions of the request. And I have accepted them. His words now are no different from my own intentions.”

“…”

Her escorts fell silent at Yuri’s firm words.

“I’m sorry. I have to leave the two of you behind in this unfamiliar place.”

“Don’t worry about us….”

“Stop with the melodrama and just get on already.”

As they started to drag it out, I grabbed Yuri and tossed her.

“Kyaaak-!”

Yuri screamed as she flew up into the air. Fortunately, she didn’t fall and landed safely on Ddolddol-i’s back.

“The party will be: that guy, you, you, and me.”

I pointed to Yuri, Tang Soyeol, and Seong Yul in order. That was the minimized party size possible. Seong Yul had things to check, so I had to bring him along. His cultivation wasn’t bad either. Tang Soyeol, while maybe not before, was now at a level where he could come along. The escorts from the North Sea clearly showed their dissatisfaction with this decision, but…

‘Those guys are just baggage.’

One had reached the Hwajing realm but was injured internally. The other guy doesn’t need to be brought along. So, it’s just four people. No more unnecessary personnel.

I thought we were all set to go like this, but then…

“Then, what am I supposed to do?”

Moyong Hi-ah asked me.

“Hm?”

“You called me all the way here just to show me this giant snake?”

She seemed quite displeased about being called out so early in the morning only to be left behind.

“…Um.”

Yeah, why did I? I called her because I intended to show her beforehand, but… Maybe I shouldn’t have called her if I wasn’t taking her.

‘I was too tired to think that far ahead.’

It seems I made a slight mistake.

“Yeah, why did I do that?”

“…Are you kidding…!”

“Maybe I just wanted to see you?”

“…”

Moyong Hi-ah, about to get angry, shut her mouth upon hearing my words.

“We haven’t seen each other in a while, maybe I called because I felt like we didn’t get to see each other enough. Sorry.”

I chuckled sheepishly. This was indeed my mistake. Calling her just because I wanted to see her. At my words, Moyong Hi-ah sighed and brushed her forehead.

“…This is really annoying….”

Seeing her expression, I asked cautiously.

“Want to hit me once?”

At my question, asking if she wanted to take out her frustration, Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes sharpened.

“Do you think I’m some Young Master-nim who goes around hitting everyone whenever I feel like it?”

“…When did I ever go around hitting everyone….”

“Seriously, I must be crazy. How did I end up entangled with someone like that….”

“No….”

Just as I was about to protest indignantly, Moyong Hi-ah threw something towards me. I caught it, and it turned out to be a small bead. It was a small, red bead.

“The Guild Master-nim sent this.”

“Madam Mi?”

“Yes.”

Madam Mi sent this, huh. As I examined it, wondering what it was, Moyong Hi-ah added an explanation.

“She said to use it if you encounter any danger.”

“…Hmm.”

Does that mean it’s a precious item? Hearing that made me feel uneasy for some reason.

‘I already have plenty of precious items attached to me.’

Adding more to that. I felt discontent, but I didn’t voice it. I had already received it, and the person who gave it was, well, her. I roughly tucked the bead into my inner pocket.

“And, did she have anything else to say?”

“Hmm.”

When I asked if Madam Mi had any message, Moyong Hi-ah pondered for a moment and then…

“Travel safely. You’ll be really scolded if you get hurt.”

“…?”

Hearing that, I tilted my head. Because it didn’t sound like Madam Mi’s tone at all. However…

“Why? Do you think I’m lying?”

“No…. Uhm…No.”

Moyong Hi-ah glared fiercely, leaving me with nothing more to ask. I decided to just accept it as it is.

Afterward, scratching the back of my head, I climbed onto Ddolddol-i’s back. As I got settled, something tightly gripped my waist. It was Yuri.

“What are you….”

Wondering why she was doing that, I checked, and Yuri was holding onto me with trembling hands. Judging by her condition, she didn’t look well. I decided to ignore it. I turned my head forward again and said,

“Hold on tight. You’ll die if you fall.”

“Y-yes? Die…?”

“Yep.”

“Understood.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

“We’re leaving no-Huh?”

Just as I was about to tell Ddolddol-i to move, a strange response intervened. Feeling a slight chill, I turned my head back. Only then could I realize. There were supposed to be three people behind me, but I could vaguely see one more person squeezed in at the end. Someone was sitting behind the expressionless Seong Yul.

‘What is it?’

As I stared intently there, a head popped out and faced me.

“Why aren’t we departing?”

“…”

“I’m tired of waiting. Let’s go quickly.”

It was Paejon.