Chapter 19

TL: pineapples

****

“Recently, she started cultivating everyday. Like the elders said, her powers are growing at a surprising rate. Of course, she can’t really control her internal qi well yet.”

Cheonma, who sat on his throne, listened to Seoyoung’s report and asked quietly.

“How about her martial art skills?”

“She hasn’t started practicing her martial art skills. As long as she first cultivates her internal qi, she can start learning martial arts later without an issue. Now that she is five years old, once Leader returns, Leader can slowly decide for her.”

To Cheonma, he didn’t want the child to learn martial arts. He wanted her to grow up to be normal and to live a normal life. TL note: what irony compared to Aku Ryun’s life

He wanted the child to live such a life by meeting her loved one, giving birth to a child, and living happily.

However, the child’s genius made that impossible. Flowers that have already bloomed can be hidden but their scent reveals their existence.

The child who had exceeded the powers of experts was basically considered a fully fledged murim member.

At this point, it would be better to help her to get to a powerful position that nobody could ignore.

‘The ice magic path might be good’

Cheonma laughed while contemplating the martial arts that the child would learn. It was funny to him because he looked like the elders who had spent months choosing the right martial arts for the child.

‘I can slowly go back now.’

The North Sea Ice Palace, which was likely to retaliate immediately, had been quiet for years. Even after they searched the village where Cheonma stayed, they seemed to have given up when they couldn’t find the whereabouts of the child. When he goes back to the palace, he decided to choose the martial arts that the child will learn with the elders.

Cheonma inadvertently put his hand on his cheek.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” TL note: Flashback dialogue from when Cheonma saved her from Bing Eun-seol

What else could he think of when he saw that child smiling faintly at him despite the pain? He felt surprisingly comfortable thinking back on those times. When the child stroked his cheek with an icy hand, his wound that had not healed for decades seemed to have finally been cured.

The usual stern expression of Cheonma, who recalled that memory, had smoothened. At that time, the door opened without permission and someone barged in.

“Leader!”

She was a servant that was a guard of the child’s room.

The person that was supposed to be protecting the child from the shadows had come to the village. That must mean…

“What is going on?”

“The North Sea Ice Palace has raided the main palace! Please go up now!”

“… and the elders?”

“The elders and his disciples in the main palace had lured the initial invaders out themselves. But when the elders disappeared, reinforcements began to flood in. There were too many.”

Cheonma clenched his jaws.

“A diversion tactic.”

“Oh no…”

The listening Seoyoung staggered and groaned. Why had this happened when she had left…

It wasn’t the right time to be like this. She had to go and save the Young Miss. She wouldn’t be much help. But if she threw her life away, she might be able to buy time for the girl to escape.

Seoyoung quickly bowed to Cheonma.

“Please grant permission to this servant to return!”

However, Cheonma did not give any orders. Seoyoung looked up carefully.

“…Leader?”

Cheonma had already disappeared without a trace.

****

At the same time that the Aku Ryun closed the door of the secret passage, the man opened the door.

I went into the dark secret passageway and held my breath. I heard the man’s voice.

“You’re someone I haven’t seen before. Where’s the kid?”

I couldn’t hear Aku Ryun’s voice. The man’s voice continued again.

“If you lie, I will have to punish you. I’ll flay you alive slowly and eat your skin. But you still won’t answer?”

“Go away.”

“Go away? I need the kid before I can leave. If you tell me where the kid is, I’ll leave. I’ll even leave you alive. What do you say?”

“You’re bothering me so piss off.”

“Hmmm… acting like a badass. Don’t you know you’’ll get into trouble if you talk down to an adult? That little girl spoke with honorifics even though she was much younger than you.”

“Please leave…”

“Are you a little slow in the head? Or are you deaf? Tell me where the kid is and I’ll leave.”

I bit my lips tightly. Aku Ryun’s words weren’t directed at the man. He was talking to me.

He knew I was in front of the secret passageway.

“So you’re the one who knows how to use a sword. That’s why you’re so arrogant. Then can this Mister test your skills?”

The man’s voice, which had been light, suddenly became dreary. Immediately, the sound of iron colliding broke out.

Clang!

“Oh ho, we got a prodigy here, don’t we? This changes everything. I’m sorry, but I’ll need to kill you here. My client told me to get rid of anyone with a sword. Black Wolf” TL: He uses some sort of incantation here.

Along with the low voice of the man, I faintly sensed energy gathering in one place. The energy I felt in the room exploded. The man seemed to have called all his allies here.

I held my breath, holding back the goosebumps on my arm.

How many? I could feel the energy clearly, but I couldn’t figure out the number of enemies.

“You’re going to deal with these guys. Just play with them for a bit. In the meantime, I’ll find the kid.”

“Go!”

With the scream of Aku Ryun, a roar rang out and the door vibrated as if it were going to break. It was the last signal to tell me to run.

Surprised by the noise, I started running. The tunnel was too low that adults had to bend down to move, but it was tall enough for a child to run freely. I was running, but my dry eyes were wet again.

How could I shamelessly run away by myself and leave behind a ten-year old child?

‘No, it’s helping him to call in the adults.’

But what if Aku Ryun dies in the meantime?

It can’t be. Because he is the main character of this world.

The main character can’t die. He’ll come out alive somehow. Yeah, I’m sure he will.

I stopped after running for a while. Then I held my knees and closed my eyes while huffing and puffing.

“……what should I do?”

Though others didn’t know, I knew what was going on. The fact that this novel was not happening as written. I was living proof.

If I wasn’t reincarnated as Chun Lihua, Bing Eun-seol wouldn’t have been killed and the North Sea Ice Palace wouldn’t have taken revenge.

Is it even safe to be the main character in this already twisted world?

“Huh…? Wait.”

I hurriedly felt for something in my arms. I grabbed something that I had completely forgotten about.

It was the little bag with the gifts from the weird but kindly old men. There was a red bead inside the bag.

“It will explode, bang! It’ll be hard to even find a tracer. There’s nothing like this in destroying evidence.

“With this…”

Turning around, I ran like hell.

****

More than twenty bodies were lying on the floor. Nevertheless, the number of enemies had not decreased at all.

If he killed one, three or four, like a swarm of grasshoppers, popped out to take his place. It was fortunate that he was fighting in a narrow room. If it were outside, he would have been already surrounded and killed.

Controlling his harsh breathing, Aku Ryun tightly gripped his sword.

In the process of killing dozens of assassins, he had suffered minor wounds. The pain was fine, but his hand was soaked in blood and his sword kept slipping.

He wanted to rip off some cloth from his collar and wrap his hands. But if he was a little careless, he would have become a hedgehog, courtesy to the daggers of his enemies.

How far did the child go? She must have left the secret tunnel by now?

But he couldn’t be relieved. He couldn’t see that bizarre guy that was looking for her.

Since Cheonma was aware of the situation, he had to just hang in there until help arrived.

It was then.

He sensed a shadow approaching his back.

But he couldn’t look back. If he showed any opening, another dagger would have pierced his body. He needed to at least avoid any damage to his vitals.

About to move his body in response to that train of thought, he heard,

“What are you doing standing still!?”

He heard a voice that he should have never heard. Someone pushed him hard on the back.

Aku Ryun thrust out his dripping sword and then turned around.

“Ah…”

Was this an illusion?

Otherwise, why was there a child behind him who should be in the secret passageway?

A red dagger had pierced her shoulder.

“Young Miss?”

The child smiled weakly while staggering. In order to stay conscious, she had bitten her lips so hard to the point of bleeding.

While staring blankly at the child’s lips, Aku Ryun noticed another dagger flying towards them. He hugged her closely.

“….!”

The dagger grazed his side. It was because his posture was distorted while protecting the child.

Aku Ryun swung his sword around, while ignoring the pain. In the time that the assassins retreated from his swing, he quickly pushed the child into the corner and stood in front of her. With fierce eyes, he glared at the assassins.

“Why are you here again?”

“I have a red orb.”

“……red orb?”

“Yes! With this, we can both escape safely.”

Aku Ryun recalled the valuables that the child had given him, urging him to run away.

She was talking about the red orb he had seen before. With that, they could buy some time.

When should they use it though?

Aku Ryun quietly calculated the timing.

Then the child whispered to him with a weak voice. She seemed to think that he wasn’t answering because he was angry.

“Sorry…”

I’m sorry that I acted so spoiled. I’m sorry that I put you in danger. I’m sorry for being a burden. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I left you alone.

When he heard that last whisper, Aku Ryun chewed the tip of his tongue and erased any expression off his face.

Strangely, his chest tightened. Like the child had grabbed his heart with her little hand.

Aku Ryun silently watched the front.

He cleared his disorganized heart and was preparing his next attack, but the actions of the assassins were strange.

They had surrounded them in a circle and did not attack anymore.

Seeing the eyes gathered on the child, he could see why. They were probably waiting until the guy from before returned. The child was his target.

The child, who was trapped between the wall and Aku Ryun’s back, trembled.

Even though she could stifle her groans, she could not resist the tremors of her body.  It was natural since she had been stabbed. It was the child who was hurt badly but why was his shoulder hurting so much?

Aku Ryun took a long breath and said in a low voice.

“Young Miss.”

“Uh… yes.”

“If we get out of here, can you give me another one?”

“Wha- what?”

“The dried persimmon you gave me last time. It was the most delicious thing I’ve ever had.”

“Uh.. but during closing training…”

“I’ll eat what you give me.”

“… really? Alright!”

The child’s voice became a little brighter. She seemed to have forgotten about the pain for a bit.

Aku Ryun breathed a sigh of relief and gritted his teeth.

He could see a man walking leisurely through the group of assassins. He could feel the child breathing in sharply behind his back.

The man grinned.

“I found you.”