Chapter 77: Between Snow and Summer (3)

It was likely past the Hour of the Rat.

I was about to lie down my tired body and try to sleep.

[To become a proper Taoist, one must forget not only the secular world but even wicked thoughts about the opposite sex.]

Shin Noyah’s voice, speaking in the dead of night, somehow carried a sense of gravity.

Perhaps it was the heaviest emotion I’d felt since meeting him?

[If you become entangled in trivial emotions, you can never reach the state you aspire to, whether as a warrior or as a Taoist.]

Even as he spoke rapidly, his voice remained unwavering.

[Do you know? Among those of Elder rank or higher at Hua San, very few are married. All of this was for the sake of higher enlightenment.]

The Sect Leader, who should be the symbol, face, and heart of the sect, does not marry, but there were occasional instances where Taoists did marry.

Whether someone was married or not wasn’t something I particularly cared about.

I casually listened to Shin Noyah’s words and asked with a bored expression.

‘…So, what’s your point?’

[…It means go die. You rotten bastard!]

Shin Noyah suddenly cried out.

[I just don’t understand what’s so great about this salamander-like fellow that flowers are getting tangled up, the world is going to ruin….]

‘So, if I were to interpret that, you’re saying, ‘I died without ever having a proper relationship despite my age, so what are you doing at such a young age?’ Is that it?’

[….]

‘You’re not really angry for such a petty reason, are you?’

[You… dog….]

Although I’d never seen his appearance, I could imagine him trembling violently.

In the end, it was a rather pitiful story.

In a way, it was understandable why Shin Noyah often rained curses down on me.

‘…But perhaps, have you never met….’

[…! …!! …!!! …!]

“Ah, why the noise…!”

“Mmm….”

“…Mm.”

“…!”

I flinched at the sounds of tossing and turning from both sides.

Sleepiness, enough to make me faint at any moment, was hitting my entire body….

With the situation like this, the sleepiness completely vanished.

In the dim room, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah were lying down, with me in the middle.

Namgung Bi-ah fell asleep immediately after lying down, just like yesterday, while Wi Seol-ah, lying beside me, chattered while looking at my stiff form for a while before falling asleep.

And.

I, who couldn’t sleep and was tossed around by work all day, was unable to sleep tonight either.

I was so surprised when I opened the door; they had even prepared bedding and beckoned me to come over.

For a moment, I wasn’t in my right mind and thought I was dreaming.

If you ask me how I ended up like this.

The first reason is that due to various unfolding events, I couldn’t ask for Namgung Bi-ah’s quarters.

The second reason is that I couldn’t bring myself to refuse Wi Seol-ah, who looked like she was about to cry upon hearing I might not be able to sleep.

‘…Why is it okay for big sister but not for me…?’

She said that, shedding tears drop by drop, and I had nothing to say.

I had the convenient excuse that she was a servant.

Once I uttered it, I couldn’t take it back.

I could imagine the expression Wi Seol-ah would make, and besides, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

In the end, without the Sword Saint present, and lacking the energy to argue about it, I just threw myself down.

They call it Seolha (Snow Summer).

It’s an incompatible phrase, ‘snow in summer’.

Does it make sense for it to be cold enough for snow to fall in summer?

Despite such an absurd phrase, I felt like I was finally beginning to understand its meaning, just a little.

-Sss.

-Ssssss

The breathing sounds of Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah reaching both my ears.

I couldn’t possibly sleep due to the subtle, unique scent of their skin.

There was no time to feel hot. I was so out of my mind, I wondered if it wasn’t actually cold.

Usually, I slept curled up like a shrimp, but I couldn’t do that because no matter which way I turned, there was a face I’d meet.

[The scent of skin, you say? That’s quite a perverted thing to mention.]

‘…Please get some sleep.’

[Have you ever seen a ghost sleep?]

‘…Groan.’

I sat up my tired body.

After staying in a strange, contorted position for a long time, both my shoulders ached.

“Mmm….”

I thought I had moved carefully, but Wi Seol-ah, who was clinging to my arm as if hanging on, made a sound with my movement.

In her sleep, Wi Seol-ah was chewing on her messy bangs with her mouth.

She looked like she was eating something even in her dream.

‘What on earth is she eating?’

Is she eating noodles?

Thinking such trivial thoughts, I brushed Wi Seol-ah’s bangs aside to tidy them.

As I swept back the covering bangs, Wi Seol-ah’s fair skin and rosy lips caught my eye.

Even though her face hadn’t fully matured, it radiated a delicate glow.

‘In a little more time, I’ll probably have to put a veil on her too.’

I thought, ‘Why a veil for a servant?’, but it couldn’t be helped.

She wasn’t just pretty to some extent; considering my past life, it felt necessary.

Maybe in a year or two.

‘…If she’s still with me by then.’

It’s a bitter thought.

I was thinking that Wi Seol-ah wouldn’t be with me forever.

It wouldn’t be strange if she left at any time.

Right now, I feel the excessive affection and attention Wi Seol-ah gives me.

Is it really okay for me to accept this?

It was unavoidable that such thoughts would cross my mind.

“Mmm….”

Wi Seol-ah mumbled in her sleep and gently grasped my hand.

I felt her warm palm.

“Grandpa….”

Was she dreaming of the Sword Saint? I gently stroked Wi Seol-ah’s hair, and realizing I wouldn’t be able to sleep like this, I slowly and quietly sat up.

I grabbed a pillow and walked into a corner.

[You’re doing something regrettable.]

‘Not regrettable at all.’

If I don’t get a wink of sleep until tomorrow, I might die of exhaustion, never mind being a warrior.

I tossed a pillow down and roughly lay down.

With the two people’s breathing and the overwhelming scent gone, thankfully, I was able to fall asleep quickly.

******************

-Chirp… Chirp!

I slowly came to my senses with the oblivious chirping of birds.

Just hearing that, I could tell it was morning to some extent.

“…Grrr….”

I wanted to sleep until noon at least, why did I wake up so early?

Swallowing my irritation, I tried to sit up, but I couldn’t move properly, as if something was holding me.

‘…Am I sleep-paralyzed?’

As I struggled and groaned, checking side to side.

I saw pale, white-blue hair slightly above my upper body.

“…What the?”

Finally regaining my senses and checking, I was absurdly pinned, both my arms taken.

It was because Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah were holding me tightly from both sides as if restraining me.

‘…I deliberately came to the corner to sleep, so what’s with these two again.’

What on earth happened in the middle of the night?

“…Noyah.”

[Don’t call me.]

“What is… Did something happen last night?”

[I saw nothing….]

What is he talking about…?

Setting aside Shin Noyah’s strange reaction, I wanted to break free and get up somehow, but my arms wouldn’t come loose easily because of how tightly they were holding on.

“…No, seriously, why are they doing this? What if someone sees….”

Creak.

“…I was saying.”

No sooner had I spoken than the door opened, and someone made eye contact with me.

There was no way a servant could just open the door to my room without permission.

And certainly not a regular disciple of Hua San.

In reality, there weren’t many people left.

“…”

“…That.”

As soon as I saw who it was, cold sweat broke out on my back.

It was the person least likely among those I had imagined.

The one who appeared opening the door was none other than Gu Ryeong-hwa.

Gu Ryeong-hwa glanced wordlessly past me, then at the two of them in sequence, his expression gradually worsening.

The situation was quite awkward, how should I explain this?

That it’s not what you think, that we just held hands and slept?

‘…Wow, that sounds really convincing.’

From the point where I woke up entangled with two women, it wasn’t something I could say as an excuse.

As I was contemplating what to say, Gu Ryeong-hwa, whom I expected to say something, instead closed the door again with a frown.

“…I’ll wait outside.”

From the cold tone heard outside the door, I sensed it was already too late.

In a situation that felt like a bomb had exploded, I struggled to move somehow, eventually tickling Wi Seol-ah’s side with my fidgeting hand.

“Heeheehee-!”

Perhaps because the tickling was strong, Wi Seol-ah woke up immediately, let out a half-scream, and rolled over.

As soon as one hand was free, I quickly flicked Namgung Bi-ah’s forehead.

“…Hm?”

Only when external pressure was applied did Namgung Bi-ah slightly open her eyes.

Taking advantage of the slight release of pressure, I pulled my arms free, sat up, and went out of the room.

Going outside, I saw Gu Ryeong-hwa sitting on the floor.

As I couldn’t think of what to say and just rolled my eyes, Gu Ryeong-hwa spoke first.

“My teacher wants to see you.”

“…What?”

I was flustered by the completely unexpected words.

“Apparently, she regretted not seeing you when you came last time.”

Last time? You mean when I delivered the letter to Shin Eui?

“The Sword Empress?”

Why would the Sword Empress specifically want to see me?

She said she was friends with my mother, perhaps it’s because I’m her son?

“…She asked you to visit one more time before you go home.”

“…Alright. Did you come all the way here just to tell me that? In the morning?”

“Are you crazy? Of course, I had other business, so I came by coincidence.”

He said it with a thoroughly annoyed expression.

“But if I’d known I’d see something like that this morning, I should have come later.”

“…Why did you come to Hua San, anyway?”

“Is it strange for a disciple to look for their sect?”

“It can be strange for you.”

I said that because I knew he was staying in a cabin to look after the Sword Empress.

Gu Ryeong-hwa, who had been scowling as if he’d eaten a bug for a while, let out a deep sigh.

“…I just stopped by briefly because of the Jehwajeon. Mind your own business.”

“I was minding my own business until you suddenly showed up?”

“…Tsk.”

“Are you participating in the Jehwajeon too?”

“Obviously.”

“Right.”

My plan was to head down to my family estate as soon as the Jehwajeon ended. But since I’d returned the artifact and Gu Ryeong-hwa wasn’t particularly keen on going home either…

‘Then maybe I don’t need to wait and can just go?’

If the matters concerning Zhuge Hyuk or the Black Night Palace were sorted out, it seemed like there would be no problem leaving immediately.

While I was lost in thought, Gu Ryeong-hwa stood up, perhaps having finished his business.

“I’ve said all I needed to say, so you go back inside and play with those ugly brats.”

“What…? Ugly…?”

“Yeah, anyway, the women who hang out with you are probably just….”

Gu Ryeong-hwa’s mouth, about to spew insults, suddenly closed.

From his wide eyes and trembling pupils, I could tell how startled Gu Ryeong-hwa was.

The direction was right, but his gaze wasn’t towards me.

Rather, if anything… behind me?

“Huh?”

Wondering what it was, I turned around and saw Namgung Bi-ah leaning against the door, looking at Gu Ryeong-hwa with half-closed, sleepy eyes.

And Wi Seol-ah, sleeping while hugging her waist.

Perhaps because he saw both of them at once, Gu Ryeong-hwa froze as if he had received a major shock.

One alone is shockingly beautiful, so maybe seeing two together is even more so?

Gu Ryeong-hwa looked back and forth between me and the figures behind me, his lips trembling, seeming like he wanted to say something, but…

As if unable to utter it, he abruptly stood up and disappeared out of the quarters with heavy, stomping footsteps.

“What the…?”

…Why is he acting like that?

******************

After taking the two people with bad sleeping habits to eat breakfast.

Wi Seol-ah was dragged away by Hong Wa as usual, and Namgung Bi-ah headed to the back mountain, presumably to train.

Around the time noon passed, I had been summoned to continue discussing the Black Night Palace thugs.

“Looks like none of them are intact.”

The bodies of the three.

There should have been more than five, but two were in such bad condition, possibly due to beasts, that they weren’t brought.

Those whose necks were twisted dead and those who burned to death.

Since all of it was my doing, I had nothing particular to say.

There was just one thing that was certain.

‘Fortunately, they don’t seem to have become Mind Devils.’

Those who become Mind Devils under Cheonma’s hand have their skin turn black the moment their breath ceases.

These guys just looked relatively black due to being burned, but it was different.

A man diligently examining the bodies said to Maehwa-seon.

“One is unrecognizable, so it’s uncertain, but the remaining two seem to be the ones who were active in Gyeryong Village.”

The scale-like scars carved on their shoulders with a knife seemed to be the symbol of those from there.

They looked old, so they weren’t made hastily.

“…Gyeryong Village? Wasn’t that disbanded by the Murim Alliance a few years ago?”

In this era, bandits are rarely seen, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

“I suspect the ones who weren’t caught back then were absorbed somewhere else.”

It was common for lost souls to join other groups.

There was no way those guys would suddenly become good after reforming.

And generally, the places where such guys joined were predetermined.

‘The Black Night Palace.’

The reason Maehwa-seon and the other elders were frowning was likely because they thought of that place.

Or perhaps they were connecting it to the reason why Hua San disciples were disappearing.

“…Sect Leader, wouldn’t it be better to broaden the search area?”

One of the elders, who had been silent for a while, spoke up.

The suggestion was to expand the scope now that we had some leads.

Of course, not everyone agreed.

“Senior Brother. We might lose more disciples that way.”

“Then are you saying we should tremble in fear and stand by? We’ve already lost so many disciples…!”

“Even so…!”

“Enough.”

Hwaak-!

With just a word from the Sect Leader, plum blossom fragrance spread rapidly in all directions.

Maehwa-seon, having subdued the atmosphere for a moment, quickly smiled again and said.

“There are outsiders present. I understand your urgency, but please calm down a little.”

“…I apologize.”

“I apologize…. Sect Leader.”

I just watched passively with a blank expression.

Fortunately, unlike during my previous conversation with Maehwa-seon, the spotlight didn’t turn towards me.

“Regarding the search, I have something in mind.”

“Are you saying, Sect Leader?”

“…That look of disbelief is quite disappointing.”

“…I apologize.”

He apologizes but doesn’t deny it.

Such trust from his disciple… Just how much trouble must he have caused…

“…Ahem, anyway. Gong-ja Gu was undeniably caught up in Hua San’s affairs, so I apologize once more.”

“It’s alright.”

“I’ve heard the circumstances. After discussing with the elders, I will prepare compensation.”

“…Thank you.”

Honestly, at this point, I wanted to put on a show of humility, saying it was only natural or that they didn’t need to give me anything, but I felt Maehwa-seon would eagerly accept if I did.

As expected, Maehwa-seon glanced at me with a peculiar look.

However, since other disciples were present, he seemed unable to play his usual tricks.

The others seemed to have remaining matters to discuss regarding this, so I bowed politely and excused myself.

[It seems things worked out well.]

“Right? I had prepared various things to say, but… they weren’t needed.”

[There are things one can only feel because they follow the Way.]

“That sounds like a phrase for everything.”

Sometimes, it seemed like Shin Noyah didn’t place much importance on the future of Hua San.

Even when told disciples were going missing. Or in situations like this.

It felt like he was content just that Hua San still existed.

The current events were solely things the future generations had to experience and overcome.

That’s what he seemed to say.

Should I call this a form of enlightenment…?

Lost in various thoughts, I climbed the mountain where I had trained last time.

If I went straight to my quarters, I figured I’d just sleep, so I decided to train instead.

But.

“What is that one doing over there again…?”

From the path I was climbing, I already knew Namgung Bi-ah was there due to a tingling energy.

It was fainter than yesterday, but it was definitely Namgung Bi-ah’s energy.

But I sensed another presence as well.

-Eek…! Why aren’t you getting hit even once…!

Panting, I swung the wooden sword, only to trip over Namgung Bi-ah’s playful foot and fall down with a thud.

Unlike yesterday, there were no onlookers around.

Perhaps they were all engaged in group training elsewhere?

The one who tripped rolled around on the dirt ground.

It wasn’t the first time; his martial arts uniform was already covered in dirt.

“…What is he doing over there?”

Namgung Bi-ah watched her opponent expressionlessly, as usual.

And the one panting while lying face down on the ground was, surprisingly, Gu Ryeong-hwa.