At my words, she bit her lip.
“Cold-hearted.”
“Yes, I suppose I am.”
Swaeek!
A poisoned needle suddenly flew toward me.
I deflected it with my sword and struck the back of her neck with my scabbard.
Smack-!
“Guh-!”
I watched her faint and collapse, then let out a small chuckle. I had expected this.
Then, it happened.
Huh?
A familiar orchid fragrance drifted in.
I was sure I’d smelled it before.
A group of riders on gray horses approached from behind. There looked to be about fifty of them.
“Who are they?”
At my question, a disciple of the North Sea Ice Palace answered.
“They’re our palace’s advance mobile unit, the Snow Hawk Unit.”
The name Snow Hawk suited their nature well.
The closer they came, the stronger the orchid scent became.
The disciple beside me caught sight of the person leading the group on a white horse. She immediately ran ahead and bowed deeply.
“Greetings to the Young Palace Lord.”
Young Palace Lord?
That would make her the successor to the North Sea Ice Palace.
She didn’t seem to have reached twenty. Her face was expressionless, but undeniably beautiful.
She dismounted and spoke.
“We came in response to the emergency signal.”
“Yes, Young Palace Lord. I’ll report.”
With practiced discipline, the disciple relayed the events.
“…thus, we’ve subdued the culprit.”
“I see.”
The Young Palace Lord gave a small nod, then turned and walked toward me.
I couldn’t even hear her footsteps. Her cultivation level must be very high.
The orchid scent grew stronger with each step she took.
No doubt about it… it was the same fragrance I had smelled years ago from that mysterious masked figure at the Lotus Pavilion.
She cupped her fists in greeting and spoke.
“I am the North Sea Ice Palace’s Young Palace Lord, Bing Hae-rin.”
Since she introduced herself, I should do the same.
“I’m Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Thank you for aiding our palace.”
“I only did what anyone would.”
“By the way, are you a man?”
At her question, I nodded.
“Yes.”
Everyone nearby reacted with shock.
“That’s impossible.”
“No men can enter here.”
“No, there are exceptions.”
The Young Palace Lord cut them off.
“The Palace Lord once told me. If a man possesses strong yin Qi, he can enter.”
But her gaze wasn’t on me. It was on the sword at my side.
Don’t tell me… she recognized it?
The Silver Mist Sword didn’t appear overly extravagant. It adjusted its appearance to match its wielder, and wouldn’t draw attention at first glance.
If she recognized it as the Silver Mist Sword, that would be troublesome.
I began to suspect she had ties to the Murim Alliance.
As a disciple of the Snow Wind Palace, she had a duty to protect the North Sea Ice Palace. But if someone connected to the Murim Alliance was here, it made me uneasy.
I didn’t want word of me reaching their ears.
She met my eyes again and lowered her head slightly.
“You saved disciples of our palace. We ought to give you a splendid reception, but due to the circumstances, I must ask for your understanding.”
She took out three small boxes from a pouch at her waist and held them out.
“These are Silver Snow Elixirs. They’re not quite supreme Elixirs, but they’re comparable. They will aid your martial cultivation.”
Even if I was wary, she wouldn’t hand out something dangerous in front of all these people.
Besides, refusing a gift from the Young Palace Lord here would only make things more complicated.
“I’ll accept them with thanks.”
“If there’s anything else you want, please say so. If it’s within my power, I will grant it.”
I hesitated.
It would be nice to enter the North Sea Ice Palace, but since she had said that would be difficult, I should request something else.
They likely had secrets they couldn’t reveal to outsiders, which was why entry was restricted.
“If you wish to visit the palace, I can grant it. It is forbidden to men, but I’ll make an exception for you.”
“Pardon?”
Her unexpected words made me blink.
“Didn’t you say it would be difficult to go together?”
“A splendid reception requires the presence of everyone in the palace. Since we need to pursue the fiend, I said it would be difficult. Not the visit itself.”
So visiting the North Sea Ice Palace was fine. Only the grand reception had been postponed.
How extravagant a reception were they planning…
“I see. Hrm.”
I cleared my throat, a bit embarrassed.
There was no need to go immediately. Since she said as much, she would likely extend the invitation again. Forcing it now would only be awkward.
“What I want… is for word of my involvement today to not spread. Can you promise that?”
She paused in thought, then nodded.
“Understood. We’ll keep it quiet.”
I still felt uneasy, but for now, this was the best outcome.
She wouldn’t break a promise she made personally, especially to a benefactor.
Then someone from the Snow Hawk Unit spoke.
“The fiend has regained consciousness.”
That was faster than expected.
The Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin approached her.
When the fiend had fought me, she wore the face of a thirteen-year-old girl.
Now she had returned to her original form, a middle-aged woman.
This wasn’t ordinary disguise—it had to be bone-shrinking technique. A terrifying skill.
“So, why did you do it?”
“…”
“Assassination? No. Chaos? Ah… to stir chaos.”
“!”
The fiend flinched.
“Then what was the true goal? Was it to use chaos to cover up something? Spies? Secrets? Spirit beasts? No… Elixirs.”
“Gasp!”
Her eyes widened in shock.
Even if she was suspicious, I had to admit it.
That was impressive.
“Damn it. Fine. I came to steal the North Sea Ice Palace’s Elixirs. With them, I could raise my cultivation and gain absolute power… Guhk!”
The Young Palace Lord punched her square in the face.
She was more direct than I expected.
“You harmed people of our palace for something so selfish? Ridiculous.”
“Urgh… I had my reasons. Revenge on this twisted world… Guhk!”
Another fist sank into her face.
“Why should I care about your sob story? Everyone knows the world is unjust. But the rest of us don’t go around hurting others. We try to live better.”
“…”
“It’s selfish thoughts like yours that make this world more twisted.”
She turned to the Snow Hawk Unit.
“Throw her in the dungeon. I’ll deal with her myself.”
“Yes.”
The fiend struggled, but her vital points had already been sealed. She had no choice but to be dragged away.
The Young Palace Lord turned back to me.
“Thank you for not killing her.”
“She needed to stay alive so we could confirm if other dangers remained.”
“That’s why I’m thanking you.”
Truthfully, I hadn’t spared her out of kindness.
If she was going to die anyway, she might as well spill everything she knew first.
She brought this on herself.
The Young Palace Lord cupped her fists.
“Then let’s go. I’ll escort you back to the inn.”
She left the mist gate with me.
As we walked, her words replayed in my head.
Putting aside my suspicions about her identity… there was something about them that lingered.
So I blurted it out without thinking.
“Have we perhaps met before?”
“…!”
She flinched slightly.
What was that reaction?
“I-It’s our first time.”
“I see.”
But I was certain.
The masked person I met at the Lotus Pavilion was her.
After she left, the inn was quickly repaired.
I could sense that the Young Palace Lord’s authority and influence were far greater than I had expected.
“Our Young Palace Lord is amazing, right?”
A disciple working at the inn beamed with pride as she spoke to me.
I smiled and nodded.
“Yes. She is.”
“The Young Palace Lord is the pride of the North Sea Ice Palace.”
Her words carried genuine pride.
Once everything was settled, Bing Hae-rin returned to the North Sea Ice Palace.
As I watched her go, I thought to myself.
Next time we meet, I’ll reveal what I know.
.
.
.
After seeing her off, I returned inside and asked my party, who were sitting on the first floor.
“Is everyone alright?”
“Yes. We’re fine.”
“These barely count as injuries.”
Though the battle with the spirit beasts had been fiercer than expected, everyone’s wounds were minor. They could still move without trouble.
Except Palgap.
He was completely unscathed.
I had told him to hide well, and he followed my instructions to the letter.
Even the spirit beasts hadn’t noticed him. When I glanced over, they just passed him by without reaction.
Strange…
Could his stealth skill, inherited from the King of Assassins, be sharp enough to fool even spirit beasts?
Whatever it was, it was impressive.
Four days later, most of the escort guards had fully recovered.
I was once again amazed by the effectiveness of the wound salve the palace had provided.
It turned out the Black Flute Physician had made it.
So there was a connection here after all.
It was time to leave.
We packed our things and gathered on the first floor.
“You’re leaving already?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
I nodded at the disciple working at the inn.
“Please visit again. We won’t charge room fees for benefactors of the North Sea Ice Palace.”
“Then we’ll definitely stop by. Farewell.”
“May the grace of the Snow Wind guide your journey.”
As we stepped outside, Palgap shivered and grumbled.
“Ugh. It’s cold.”
“You’re wearing the necklace. How can it still be cold?”
“It’s just a figure of speech.”
“From here, we’re heading south. It’ll only get warmer.”
There were a few things I needed to do on the way back to Hubei.
First, repay the hunters who helped us.
We left the North Sea and returned to the huts near the entrance.
Fortunately, the hunters were there, resting.
“We meet again.”
“You returned safely?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, all went well.”
“No need for thanks. You just got lucky.”
They were gruff, but warm-hearted.
“Still, you helped us. We want to repay you…”
“Repay what.”
“Forget it. We didn’t take you in expecting anything.”
“I understand.”
Then, someone chimed in from behind.
“Then buy some of the hides our tribe caught.”
“You brat, stay out of this.”
“Ah, you’re the boy we met before.”
At my words, the boy nodded. One of the hunters looked embarrassed.
The boy was his son.
“The merchant who used to buy from us turned us away. We’re in a tough spot.”
“…”
The hunters stayed silent. It seemed to be true.
I asked.
“Tell me everything.”
“Well… our tribe has hunted here for generations. We sell the byproducts to survive.”
But recently, their usual merchant had started reducing purchases, claiming the hides were defective. Eventually, he stopped buying altogether.
“That’s ridiculous. Your tribe clearly knows how to handle hides well.”
“I can tell just by your clothes. I know a thing or two about hides.”
The Eunhae Merchant Group specialized in silk, but we dealt in all kinds of cloth. I knew quality leather when I saw it.
“This is price gouging.”
“Pardon?”
“How many merchants come all the way out here to buy hides?”
“Not many…”
“Exactly. They’re taking advantage of that. You probably looked for another buyer, but no one would take your business, right?”
“Th-That’s right…”
“The ones who refused are probably in on it. When enough time passes and you’re desperate, your original merchant will come back. Say he pities you. Then buy your goods at a ridiculous discount.”
“Ah…”
“Those rotten bastards.”
“May lightning strike them down.”
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt