The Black Raider

“If you’re lost, I can show you the way to the village.”

Chunhyang spoke to a being at a distance. Kang In-ho thought Chunhyang was talking to herself, perhaps because she was addressing someone so far away.

Chunhyang’s low voice traveled like a wolf across the earth covered in soil and grass.

A voice filled with the dignity of the mountain’s mistress shook the surroundings.

Despite receiving Chunhyang’s warning-filled voice head-on, the person on the other side didn’t do anything special.

They simply continued walking as before.

“Are you hard of hearing? Or do you not understand the meaning of my words?”

Chunhyang, wearing a displeased expression, extended her hand forward.

A vine extending from a tree curved into the shape of a bow.

“Young master, just a moment.”

Chunhyang gently placed Inho on the ground from her shoulder.

Then, grasping the shaped bow, she drew back the string. Before she knew it, a spirally woven vine was strung on the bowstring.

There was no time to regulate her breathing, no time to look at the target.

As she inhaled, she pulled the string, and as she exhaled, she released it, sending the arrow made of vines flying like a shooting star.

The fired arrow drew a gentle arc, flying towards the opponent’s heart.

Just before the arrow pierced the opponent’s heart, the black figure soared into the air.

It wasn’t wings or some mystical Sorcery. It was simply a leap using the power of both legs.

Like a tiger leaping, like an eagle soaring, something in the shape of a person stood against the moon.

The eyes of the being, as if covered in ink, were directed somewhere. Knowing what was contained at the end of that gaze, Chunhyang’s jade-like face momentarily contorted.

“How dare you set your eyes on another’s man?”

Several more arrows were fired, and the figure descending to the ground couldn’t dodge them all.

Arrows pierced the eye and the left arm, but Chunhyang didn’t seem satisfied.

A few arrows weren’t enough to relieve her displeasure, and it was because the opponent didn’t seem to be in pain.

Thud!

The opponent made a dull landing sound compared to their appearance. The smell of dirt dust tickled her nose.

The opponent stood up, less than ten steps away.

Chunhyang placed the bow on the ground, and the tree vine, which had maintained its firm shape, limply slithered back to its original form like a snake.

Chunhyang scanned the opponent.

Medium-length hair reaching the shoulders, slender legs, a shockingly short skirt, and a stuffy top that contrasted with it.

Chunhyang was familiar with this woman’s face.

Chunhyang defined that being as a Plunderer.

While she scanned the opponent, the Plunderer continued to stare at Kang In-ho.

The Plunderer’s eyes were filled with disbelief and suspicion. Chunhyang twisted her lips upward.

“Are you just realizing it now?”

Chunhyang’s blatant sarcasm succeeded in diverting the Plunderer’s attention.

“……..”

The opponent was tight-lipped. The short-haired woman simply glared at Chunhyang without saying much.

Laughter flowed from between Chunhyang’s twisted teeth.

Chunhyang turned her gaze to Kang In-ho, who was sitting heavily beside her.

She didn’t like his gaze directed at the Plunderer, but she hid her discomfort.

She was soon to be his wife; she couldn’t be called a wise wife if she didn’t understand her husband’s feelings.

“To be certain of who Young master is only after seeing Young master’s expression.”

Chunhyang’s reproach was filled with mockery.

“……..”

As if it hit the mark, the Plunderer’s face contorted for the first time.

Various emotions flashed in the Plunderer’s eyes.

“Why are you making that expression? Surely, you didn’t think Young master would be happy to see you? Did you think he would open his arms and embrace you?”

Did you really think that? Chunhyang sneered.

Chunhyang raised her finger towards her chest.

“Bearing dirty and hideous souls, how dare you desire Young master’s favor?”

The Plunderer reflexively covered her chest.

Chunhyang’s golden eyes shone sharply.

“I won’t ask about your name, your purpose, or how you came here… Just leave as you came.”

Chunhyang stepped forward, shielding Inho.

“…How I got all the way here.”

Breaking the long silence, the Plunderer opened her mouth.

It was a clear voice without any roughness, but the emotion contained within was viscous.

“It doesn’t matter what hardships you’ve endured.”

“What I did to get all the way here… Why Inho…”

Chunhyang’s forehead creased at the sound of her calling not herself, but Kang In-ho.

“Why is Mina here, and more importantly, how…?”

And at the voice heard from behind, Chunhyang’s eyes trembled.

Chunhyang turned around, wearing a bright smile.

“Young master, you shouldn’t mix with people like that. They look dangerous at first glance, why would you want to be involved?”

Just as Chunhyang’s warning, disguised as concern, ended, a sound of tearing through the air was heard, and something brushed past Chunhyang’s side.

Taking advantage of the small gap when Chunhyang turned her body, a black spear was shot towards Kang In-ho’s head.

If the tree branches and vines hadn’t grown to block them, Kang In-ho would have died on the spot.

“Do you know what you’ve just done?”

Chunhyang’s golden eyes shone again.

The trees danced, obscuring the moonlight, and the surroundings began to be consumed by an even deeper darkness.

Even with Chunhyang, who was revealing her Killing intent, in front of her, Lee Mina’s attention was solely directed at Kang In-ho.

“I didn’t even expect you to say you missed me… But why, why… are you looking at me like that? Inho. Tell me.”

Lee Mina knew that the emotion contained in Kang In-ho’s eyes as he looked at her was the same as the one directed at the woman in front of him.

That’s why she despaired, and she resented Inho.

[Dad… Dad….]

[My contractor!]

[Persona! You traitor!]

[Inho, I’m here. Is the place where you were cut with a knife okay?]

[Young master Kang, Young master Kang, Young master Kang.]

[Captain, I’m here.]

[The Emperor has arrived. Captain.]

Several voices filled her head in an instant.

Someone shouted in her head, and someone else shouted into her ear from beside her.

‘Shut up. Shut up. I… I….’

Familiar dizziness came. Her mind fading away, tears welled up in Lee Mina’s eyes.

I just met you… I just found you…

I wanted to say something, there was something I wanted to do….

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes!!!!!”

[Another woman? Kill her!]

[Contractor, why are you with another woman.]

[Only death to the traitor!]

[Young master, kind Soyeon is here.]

[It’s me, Shin Onyu!!]

[Blonnie is here. I’ll save you this time too!]

Voices flew noisily. Her vision gradually faded.

“Because you are a monster.”

Amidst the chaos, an alien voice struck her ear.

Lee Mina struggled to open her eyes.

A woman with braided hair, hanbok, golden eyes, and long ears, with a sense of incongruity, smiled gently at her.

“I’m… I’m not a monster!!”

“Then, what are you?”

“I’m… I’m….!”

My name is!

.

.

.

What am I?

The black Plunderer rushed in.

It didn’t matter whether she was aiming for herself or Kang In-ho behind her.

What mattered was that the uninvited guest dared to harbor hostility and kicked off the ground with a scream.

“To think you would lack such grace.”

Chunhyang clicked her tongue at the sight of her not showing the demeanor of a virtuous woman, even though she was a woman related to Young master, for whom she had a shred of expectation.

‘Young master is truly unlucky to be involved with such a woman.’

Chunhyang sincerely felt sorry for Kang In-ho.

A huge lump of iron was brought down as if to split her head.

Chunhyang smiled and clapped her hands.

Clap.

At the same time as the clap, Lee Mina’s attack went wildly astray.

The lump of iron, having lost its target, dug into the innocent ground.

“Where are you attacking? I am here.”

Chunhyang smiled.

Lee Mina screamed and threw a punch.

A dull impact was transmitted to Lee Mina.

Finely broken stones poured down on her.

Lee Mina’s fist was embedded in a huge rock.

Chunhyang, whom she had been aiming for, was somewhere behind her.

No, Chunhyang hadn’t moved from that spot. It was just that Lee Mina had turned around and punched the rock.

“I am here.”

Chunhyang’s voice echoed from all directions.

Lee Mina looked around, then hurled a black spear at the nearest place.

The spear was stuck in Chunhyang’s head. However, she didn’t feel the sensation of piercing anything.

“Haha, I think something’s wrong with your head.”

Chunhyang’s mocking voice was heard from behind, and the various beings inside Lee Mina, realizing that she was being mocked, each raised their voices.

Lee Mina staggered, covering her head.

“Have you finally felt the difference in class? It’s impossible with your skills.”

“I’ll… I’ll kill you!”

As Lee Mina swung her arm in the direction of the voice, Chunhyang easily caught it.

“Don’t use such strong words.”

Chunhyang smiled.

A pure white hand struck Lee Mina’s stomach.

“You look weak.”