I set aside my doubts and replied.
“Of course. But before that, there’s something you should understand.”
“What is it?”
“If you cast off the name Zhuge, from that moment on, you’re no longer part of the Zhuge Clan.”
“…Right.”
“And then, do you really think there’ll be anyone to indulge your whims? You’ll be tossed into the harsh world and struggle just to find your next meal.”
“R-Really?”
Honestly, that was a stretch.
Even if she renounced the Zhuge name, her family wouldn’t actually abandon her.
Ah—right. In my past life, the family who would’ve protected her… all died.
The fact that the pure, scatterbrained girl standing before me eventually became the Smilingless Jade Maiden meant she must’ve been thrown into a brutal world.
But that was that, and right now, if she didn’t move out of the way, I was going to lose it.
“And if you’re not a member of the Zhuge Clan, do you really think people here would still treat you so delicately? They’d probably want to tan your hide right away.”
At my words, those around us nodded instinctively.
It meant they agreed—strongly.
So they’ve suffered quite a bit thanks to this reckless, brainless, bright-eyed lunatic.
Then they flinched, realizing it too late.
Because Lady Zhuge Yu-ah had seen their reactions.
“You’re so mean!”
No, the one being unreasonable is you, my lady.
“In any case, if you’re no longer of the Zhuge Clan, I can spar with you without worry. Even if you lose an arm, I can take full responsibility.”
“T-Then the Zhuge Clan will—!”
“You’re contradicting yourself. You’ve renounced the Zhuge name, so why would you expect their protection? And if you’re not one of their own, why would the Zhuge Clan protect you? You’re just a stranger—they wouldn’t say a word.”
“Uh…”
“What I’ve just described is pretty much what you’ll face when the Clan falls.”
“…”
She stared at me in silence.
Her gaze was strange, but I felt like I understood her emotions.
Anger?
But at what?
It couldn’t be at me… it was too intense.
Again, it vanished so quickly I wondered if I imagined it.
At this point, something was definitely going on.
She wasn’t just some pure, brainless lunatic.
Should I push her a bit more?
“As someone bearing the Zhuge name, protecting the Clan should be your duty. And yet you’re tearing it down. So I ask again.”
I clasped my fists in a martial salute and asked,
“Are you truly a member of the Zhuge Clan?”
“…”
She hesitated, as if flustered, but I could tell it wasn’t genuine confusion.
That was enough.
I didn’t know the full story, but maybe I’d play along a little.
“I don’t know what you’re so upset about, but before you go on like this, isn’t there something you should be doing?”
“W-What is it? Are you asking for an apology? I’m not going to apologize to you!”
“What made you think I want an apology?”
“Huh?”
“An apology only means something if it’s sincere. An insincere apology just makes things worse. So you can simply step aside.”
I hadn’t meant to go this far with her, but if I let things slide now, it might get even weirder.
“…”
“Please, take three steps to your left.”
She moved three steps without realizing it.
“Thank you for stepping aside. Now then, please excuse me.”
I turned to the maid.
“Would you kindly continue leading the way?”
“Ah… yes!”
As she turned, the maid said,
“This way, please… Oh! Greetings, Grand Elder!”
She immediately knelt and bowed low.
An old man dressed in fine clothes stood before us.
Ah, no…
The Qi emanating from the elder, whose long beard reached his chest, was overwhelming.
This must be the man who invited us—the Grand Elder of the Zhuge Clan.
“Yu of the Eunhae Merchant Group’s Finance Pavilion greets the Grand Elder.”
“Eun of the Eunhae Merchant Group, third son of the Merchant Lord, greets the Grand Elder.”
“Rise.”
“Thank you.”
We straightened our posture.
“You didn’t come greet me as promised, so I came to see for myself—and I was treated to quite a rare sight. Hohoho.”
So he saw everything?
I don’t think I did anything disrespectful…
But I hadn’t sensed his presence at all…
Is this what it means to be a true master?
When the Grand Elder appeared, Zhuge Yu-ah ran up to him.
“Grandfather!”
She clung to his waist, sniffling.
“He said he wouldn’t spar with me. And he said mean things to me.”
“Oh dear, I see. Poor Yu-ah, that must’ve upset you.”
He handed her a sweet and gently comforted her.
Surely he’s not upset about the harsh things I said earlier…?
I saluted again and offered a polite apology.
“Forgive me for my disgraceful behavior. I beg your pardon.”
“Forgive you? You were exactly right.”
“…?”
The Grand Elder smiled gently as he continued.
“Don’t scold me for raising the child poorly. I let Yu-ah act out because I knew she’d have to bear the consequences herself. A few months from now, she’ll turn fifteen and set out on her Sleeping Dragon Journey.”
Sleeping Dragon Journey?
The Grand Elder must’ve seen the confusion in my eyes.
“It’s a tradition of the Zhuge Clan. She’s given only a weapon and writing tools. She has to take care of food, clothing, and shelter on her own while roaming the Jianghu for three years and building her name. The family does not interfere in any way.”
“So she gains worldly experience under the Clan’s protection.”
“You misunderstood.”
“Sorry?”
“When I say no interference, I mean no protection either.”
“…”
“Only those who return alive after three years in the Jianghu can officially claim the Zhuge name.”
Only then did I fully grasp the Grand Elder’s words.
The more arrogant she was, the harsher the world would treat her—and she’d have to face that herself.
“Is that why members of the Zhuge Clan are so clever?”
“That’s right.”
The Grand Elder nodded.
“Burying your nose in books isn’t true wisdom. True wisdom only comes from experience.”
“But she might lose her life.”
“If someone were to lose their life during just three years of the Sleeping Dragon Journey, then they’d be unworthy of carrying our family name.”
Now that I thought about it, I had heard that other sects and clans had similar traditions…
So that’s why the great sects and noble families of Murim survive—they have their reasons.
It was harsher than I’d expected.
Only then did I understand why no one had recognized that Zhuge Yu-ah was the Clan Lord’s daughter.
The Zhuge Clan must’ve fallen while she was still on her Sleeping Dragon Journey.
She lost her home before anyone ever knew who she truly was.
I don’t know what kind of connection she made in that situation, but it must’ve led her to the Merchant Lord of the Yougang Merchant Group.
Wait—she said she’s about to turn fifteen?
That means she’s fourteen now…
So we’re… just a year apart.
The Grand Elder turned to me and said,
“If Yu-ah ever asks you to spar again, don’t refuse her.”
“Please have mercy. I don’t think I could handle it.”
“And if you’re going to spar anyway, breaking an arm is fine, though anything more than that might be a bit much.”
“…Sorry?”
“It’s about time she started preparing for her journey. And honestly, she’s grown too arrogant from winning every duel.”
The Grand Elder looked at me and asked,
“When do you think is the moment one must be most cautious?”
“Well, that’s obviously… after victory.”
“Exactly. And to be frank, I’ve taken a liking to you.”
“…?”
He chuckled softly.
“You could’ve easily won in a spar, yet you beat her with words instead!”
“Ah…”
“Refraining from drawing your sword carelessly and maintaining courtesy to the end—those aren’t traits you often see in someone your age.”
“You honor me too much.”
I answered respectfully, though I couldn’t shake a lingering question.
That look the Grand Elder had given Zhuge Yu-ah earlier…
It wasn’t cynical.
But it wasn’t exactly warm either.
There was something strange about it.
A hint of sadness, maybe pity…
Before I could dwell on it, his voice brought me back.
He turned to Chief Administrator Yu with a cheerful tone.
“Forgive me for the interruption.”
“N-Not at all.”
“I was truly impressed by your poetry! Each line was so beautifully composed!”
“You flatter me. It’s nothing more than clumsy writing.”
“Modesty is just another form of propriety.”
He burst into hearty laughter.
“If we keep talking, we’ll all get tired. Let’s continue our conversation tomorrow—go rest for now.”
“My apologies.”
“No, no. I’m the one who should apologize. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
And so, we returned to our quarters once more.
I had dinner and finally planned to get some proper rest.
But then—
Why has the young lady come to see me?
.
.
.
Following the maid who told me Lady Zhuge Yu-ah was waiting, I headed to where she was.
When I arrived…
She was staring off into the distance, lost in thought, and I instinctively froze.
That expression—was the face of the Smilingless Jade Maiden I knew.
When I made my presence known, the expression I’d just seen vanished instantly from her face.
What was that just now?
As soon as she saw me, Zhuge Yu-ah said,
“Let’s have a match!”
“My lady, as I said earlier…”
“I don’t care! Let’s just fight already!”
I sighed.
Since the Grand Elder had already given tacit permission, there was no need to back down.
And I had my own curiosity, so I nodded without hesitation.
“Very well. But promise me that no matter the outcome, you won’t bother me about it again.”
“Fine. I promise.”
“Let’s go to the training grounds, then.”
“There’s a better place. Grab one of those wooden swords over there and follow me.”
At her words, I picked a wooden sword of decent weight from the rack nearby and followed her.
Palgap trailed behind me, and I whispered quietly to him.
“Try not to make a sound. Think of it as staying hidden. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
She led me to a secluded corner of the Zhuge estate.
Truly, there was no one else around.
Zhuge Yu-ah pointed her wooden sword at me and said,
“Then let’s begin!”
I raised my sword and took a ready stance—and in the next instant, she shot toward me like lightning.
Clack!
I blocked her blade and thrust at her shoulder in the same motion.
She twisted her body to avoid my strike and slashed at my upper line.
I evaded her blade using the Iron Plate Bridge technique.
The basic training my master made me do every day was finally paying off.
Right after, I swept my sword low toward her legs.
But my strike was a bit shallow—it didn’t look like it would land.
Then suddenly, her leg slid right into the path of my sword.
What?
Someone else might chalk it up to bad luck, but not me.
Something felt off.
So I decided to test her again.
I withdrew my sword that had aimed at her leg and aimed for her shoulder.
My strike was slow enough to dodge.
But she didn’t dodge.
She leaned into the blow.
It was clear now.
She was deliberately giving me openings, trying to get injured.
And then, I noticed something else in her gaze—it was different from earlier, when she was acting like a wild, cheerful lunatic.
Now her eyes held sharpness, like someone probing for a weakness.
And after clashing blades a few more times, I understood.
She was hiding her true skill.
If I were less experienced or had weaker instincts, I wouldn’t have noticed it.
But I wasn’t some novice.
So I stepped back, exhaled deeply, and lowered my sword.
I’d humored her enough, but I wasn’t about to keep playing along with a game I didn’t understand.
“What’s this? Why are you stopping all of a sudden?”
“My lady, maybe you should be the one to stop.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Do you truly want to spar with me? No—what I want to know is, where does the act end and the real you begin?”
“W-What act? How could you say I’m acting?”
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure before. But now I am. You’re acting.”
“N-No, I’m not!”
She yelled as she lunged at me.
But her eyes were wavering.
She was clearly shaken.
What in the world is she trying to achieve with all this?
Now I really wanted to know.
I twisted my body lightly and deflected her blow.
“I’m just an outsider. And I’ve no intention of telling anyone else, so… can’t we stop here?”
“…”
Even at my suggestion, she only bit her lip and continued her relentless attacks.
I blocked and dodged her strikes while sifting through my memories.
Now that I think about it…
It was two years from now.
When I turned seventeen, the Grand Elder of the Zhuge Clan passed away.
The official cause, as announced by the Zhuge Clan, was old age.
But a few people questioned it.
The Grand Elder was a transcendent master.
That meant his physical body aged differently from ordinary people, and his lifespan was far longer.
So dying of old age at around seventy?
It made no sense.
And that marked the beginning of the Zhuge Clan’s downfall.
Not long after, the Clan Lord, who had been in secluded training, reportedly went mad from Qi deviation and slaughtered a third of the family.
Half of the remaining clan members died after being caught in a forbidden formation that was being secretly tested.
The flames of decline engulfed the Zhuge Clan.
And that was the end of it.
At the time, there were no known survivors within the clan, and given how closed-off they were, the truth was buried.
Later on, a few people claimed to be descendants of the Zhuge Clan, but none of them lasted long.
Every last one was murdered.
All of it happened within three years of the Grand Elder’s death.
Even if the Grand Elder’s passing was a great blow, the Zhuge Clan was still one of the Eight Great Martial Families, with generations of prestige.
And yet, it collapsed in just three years?
That’s absurd.
Which means someone had a detailed plan to destroy the Zhuge Clan.
In the future I experienced, Smilingless Jade Maiden Yu-ah became renowned as one of the Hundred Masters of the Martial World because she excelled at strategy.
Could that ability have come from what she studied and learned before?
No.
If one must return alive from the Sleeping Dragon Journey before gaining access to the Zhuge Clan’s secrets, then she wouldn’t have learned those secrets yet.
There’s an old saying about the Zhuge Clan:
Divine Strategists of Zhuge (神機諸葛).
It means they’re born as dragons before ever being sent out into the world.
The same applied to the Zhuge Yu-ah standing before me.
In other words, she was born a genius.
And once she sensed something strange stirring within the family, she began playing the role of a foolish, troublemaking girl.
Thinking that far, I stopped dodging her attacks.
Then raised my sword and knocked the weapon from her hands.
Clack—!
“Ugh!”
She grabbed her stinging hand and glared at me.
I asked her seriously,
“My lady… why are you doing this?”
“…”
Zhuge Yu-ah bit her lip.
“There’s something happening within your family right now, isn’t there? That’s why you’re pretending like this.”
It seemed she realized there was no point in staying silent any longer. She let out a deep sigh and asked,
“…How did you know?”
In an instant, her tone changed.
–TL Notes–
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