Martial Arts Tournament – 3

“Um… Master.”

Unable to withstand the pressure of the silence, I opened my mouth, and my Master made a ‘tsk’ sound.

“You, keep your mouth shut.”

It wasn’t the usual prickly feeling, but a different kind of coldness.

Naked, it felt like stepping into an ice bath, sending shivers down my spine.

Since arriving here, my Master hadn’t given me a single glance.

She was only looking at Cheong-yeon in front of her.

All I could see was her back.

Even just her back, I could clearly feel that she was very angry.

“Cheong-yeon. What are you doing?”

Words full of thorns were directed at Cheong-yeon.

However, she brushed them off with a leisurely face and a gentle tone.

“…An invitation?”

“I’m not in the mood for wordplay.”

At her nonchalant response, my Master tapped her foot slightly.

The ground cracked slightly from the force of that tap, which contained a warning.

“I’m not joking. That person, Kang In-ho. You were trying to take him away.”

Cheong-yeon’s finger pointed at me again.

Only then did my Master glance in my direction.

“Do you know what that means?”

“……”

“Taking away someone from the Yomryun Skill?”

“Yomryun Skill? …That person is just a disciple.”

Cheong-yeon exploited my Master’s slip of the tongue.

My Master, caught off guard by the unexpected point, paused for a moment.

“E-Even if he’s a disciple, he’s still someone who’s traveling with us. And you’re saying you’re going to take him?”

“Soyou. I didn’t know you were so interested in other people.”

Cheong-yeon’s slow tone slightly irritated my Master.

“Anyway, don’t do this again. It’s very unpleasant.”

My Master’s warning, filled with annoyance, came out through gritted teeth.

But my Master’s words didn’t seem to reach Cheong-yeon properly.

She tilted her head with an innocent face and opened her mouth.

“Why would I?”

“What?”

At my Master’s dumbfounded words, Cheong-yeon continued.

“I am the one who will inherit the Bingryungong.”

A hint of intelligence seemed to flicker in Cheong-yeon’s face, which had been consistently blank.

“The successor of the Bingryungong helps people. Prevents accidents. That is the Bingryungong’s justice.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

Not hiding her unpleasant feelings, my Master spoke fiercely.

Before I knew it, a small flame was flickering on and off in my Master’s hand.

But even with that surging force, Cheong-yeon didn’t back down.

“Yomryun Skill.”

The finger that had been pointing at me now pointed at my Master.

“A martial arts inherited only by those who crave power and are arrogant.”

“What…?”

“Even now. Ignoring a person’s choice, trying to do as you please.”

Cheong-yeon turned her gaze to me.

“D-Don’t be ridiculous! This guy said he would follow me.”

“Was that choice really a free choice?”

“……”

At Cheong-yeon’s question, my Master closed her mouth.

Perhaps she was thinking that I had no other choice but to follow them.

That was half true. If I had been left alone in those ruins, I would have died soon. So, I ended up following my Master.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

I followed her because it was my Master.

I moved my feet and separated Cheong-yeon and my Master.

Just like my Master had done.

“Cheong-yeon Sojeo. Please withdraw today.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I followed Master… no, Nangong Sojeo here, by my own choice.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Really. I appreciate Cheong-yeon Sojeo’s concern for me, but I wasn’t kidnapped or threatened.”

As I spoke politely to Cheong-yeon, her head nodded slowly up and down.

“I see. But… it’s strange. Why the Yomryun Skill…?”

What kind of image did she have of the Yomryun Skill?

Even though it was one of the Three Great Inherited Martial Arts, I didn’t know why she distrusted the Yomryun Skill so much.

Was it because of the relationship between the Grand Master and the Ice Sword after all?

“Okay. If you change your mind, let me know.”

Until the moment she retreated, Cheong-yeon urged me to escape, and I chuckled and said that would never happen.

Cheong-yeon turned around and headed to her quarters, disappearing silently as she had come.

“…She’s a very unique person. Right?”

I spoke to my Master, watching Cheong-yeon disappear, but there was no answer.

“……”

“Are you angry?”

I tried to ease the atmosphere, but my Master seemed to be very upset.

“I’m not angry.”

She was definitely angry.

My Master strode up to me and glared at me intensely.

“What is it?”

“Yes?”

“I asked why you crawled out here in the middle of the night.”

“I couldn’t digest my food well. I just came out for some fresh air.”

“Cheong-yeon?”

“Cheong-yeon Sojeo… just suddenly came and talked to me? I couldn’t ignore her. She was talking to me.”

“Cheooonng-yeooon Sooojeo??”

Like a kite snatching its prey, my Master latched onto the end of my words and dragged them out.

“No… then what should I call her?”

“You just met her today, but you called her Cheong-yeon Sojeo so affectionately. Come to think of it, you even held hands? Why, did you already fall in love? With that spacey woman?”

“No, why are you talking like that….”

My Master didn’t give me a chance and cornered me.

“First, let me say something.”

I didn’t know exactly what point she was angry about, but I opened my mouth to appease my Master’s anger.

“Hmph! Enough. Go take that damn walk some more and come back in. I’m going.”

But my Master turned around abruptly and headed to her room at a fast pace.

“Ah, Master.”

Like chasing after a sulking lover, I also followed my Master at a fast pace.

“Don’t call me Master! I’ve never had a disciple like you.”

“No, I need you to tell me what you’re angry about so I can understand, Master.”

“Ugh, I’m telling you, I’m not your Master? I’ve never had a disciple like you, who’s so loose. You couldn’t find anyone else to hook up with, so you went with the Bingryungong!”

Oh dear, she’s really sulking.

“Then… Nangong Sojeo.”

“……”

Suddenly, my Master’s feet stopped.

“You said you weren’t my Master. Is it okay if I call you Nangong Sojeo?”

“…….”

“Yes?”

“S-Shut up. H-How dare you… call the name of your Master, who is like the sky.”

My Master spoke while trembling.

Looking at her back bathed in the moonlight, I could see that her ears were red.

Hehe, she’s embarrassed.

“Nangong Sojeo.”

I approached and called her again.

Twitch.

Wow, her flustered look is so cute.

I had never seen this side of her during the Black Heaven Cult days, so it was refreshing.

“D-Don’t call me that.”

“Then… Soyou?”

I changed my title to tease her a little more, and my Master immediately turned around.

Huh? Why is she doing this?

With her face flushed red, my Master took a step back and pulled her fist back.

“S-Shut up!!”

My Master’s straight punch hit my stomach directly, and I don’t remember what happened after that.

When I opened my eyes, it was the next day, and I stroked my strangely queasy stomach and went to the Martial Arts Alliance.

I submitted my application for the martial arts competition, and until I participated in the competition the next day, my Master didn’t say a word to me.

I only teased her a little, but she won’t even acknowledge me….

How heartless.