Though her frame was small, the woman who spoke carried a stern, unyielding air.
"Blood Wolf. As you know, this Iron Blood Faction is a sort of place of exile."
"And yet you can speak of it so plainly, even as the Iron Blood Faction Leader? This is my first day assigned to the Iron Blood Faction."
"What of it? What can be done when it is the truth?"
The woman laughed, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve.
Her robes were far too roomy, as if she had been forced to wear clothes that did not fit, and even those were covered in patch upon patch of mended fabric.
It was a pitiful sight, one that laid bare a life of poverty for all to see…
Such things alone could not diminish the woman's worth.
Her refined speech. Her composed, immaculate bearing. And the noble aura unique to a martial artist who had reached a higher realm.
If clothes were meant to adorn a person, then one who needed no adornment would reveal their nobility no matter what they wore.
Tang So-wol, Seol Ri-hyang, and Seomun Hwa-rin. The three of them swallowed nervously, exchanging glances and whispering to one another.
"We can hear the conversation, but they can't sense us. It feels a bit strange."
"Even you, sister Tang? I feel the same—like we're eavesdropping on someone's story."
"Are we not, in fact, peering into Cheon Hwi's memories? We have his permission, so it isn't stealing."
They had grown accustomed to the scenery of memories becoming a world of its own. It was still astonishing, but each of them had experienced it at least once before.
However, this was the first time even Tang So-wol had heard a proper conversation.
The voices were so muffled that it was impossible to tell who they belonged to, yet the content of the dialogue came through clearly—which was remarkable in itself.
With the expectation that she would learn even more than last time, Tang So-wol brought her index finger to her lips.
"Shh. Once things quiet down a bit, we'll have a seat among ourselves—for now, let's focus on the story."
"Indeed. Shh, it is."
"…"
Seomun Hwa-rin raised her own index finger, following Tang So-wol's lead. However, Seol Ri-hyang alone wore a complicated expression as she looked around her surroundings.
The last thing she had seen in the previous memory was her own death and the blazing scenery of the burning hall.
But right now, it seemed to be a long time before the tragedy would occur.
Seol Ri-hyang knew that her past self had been someone extremely precious to Cheon Hwi.
Of course. Wasn't she the first woman that wooden, stone-hearted man had ever come to love?
His first love, and his first experience.
Even if she herself couldn't remember, Cheon Hwi surely still regarded her that way.
And so, around the time of her death, an event of similar magnitude was about to shake Cheon Hwi's heart.
Naturally, it couldn't be anything ordinary. Nor would it end well.
As Seol Ri-hyang, having roughly guessed how this memory would conclude, wore a bitter smile—
Silently gulping down the hot tea, Cheon Hwi faced the short woman as she spoke.
"By the way, I've heard that Blood Wolf here is a rather promising rising talent."
"Rising talent, you say. Isn't that the kind of label the Orthodox Sects care about? A sword doesn't spare someone just because they're young, so please treat me as an ordinary Martial Artist."
"Hmm. Seeing this crooked attitude of yours, I think I understand why you drifted all the way here—but I'll ask anyway. How did you end up exiled to the Iron Blood Faction?"
"…The place I was at before was the Paecheon Faction."
"Oh. So that's where the Black Alliance gathers its finest Martial Artists."
"There was nothing but fine cowards."
"Eung?"
"He knew he had caught the eye of the Lord of the Black Alliance and would rise someday, so he held himself back."
"Well, of course. Who wouldn't?"
"Even if one holds back, the tasks that must be done don't change, nor do the threats that loom disappear. Someone has to bear the burden, don't they?"
"Would you care to elaborate?"
"Odubang was raided by the Green Forest and lost every weapon they were sending to the Black Alliance. The mission was to wipe out their mountain stronghold and recover the weapons."
"The Lord of the Black Alliance and the Green Forest aren't on good terms, so this must happen often."
"But when we found the stronghold, instead of fighting them, he tried to negotiate. He said they'd pay a fair price if the Green Forest would just leave the weapons and go."
"Not bad. After all, unless you take down the White Peak Mountain King himself, whether one stronghold is erased or not changes nothing."
"The problem is that he decided to collect that price not from his own coffers, but by extorting it from the villages under the Black Alliance's protection."
"How unexpected. So Blood Wolf, you actually had a sense of compromise in you?"
"And then he tried to take silver from my money pouch too, since I'm the newcomer."
"…I see. So that was the real reason. Well then, what did you do, Blood Wolf? I imagine you refused the order and ended up on his bad side."
"Hm? Why would I let someone who covets my money pouch live? I cut down the squad leader and wiped out the stronghold as planned."
"…?"
"It was amusing to see a weaker man swagger around just because he'd joined before me. He probably meant to establish a pecking order, but it seems he didn't expect me to draw my sword right away."
"…"
"To call yourself a swordsman without knowing that anyone who can cut others down can be cut down in turn—what a comical death, wouldn't you say?"
Cheon Hwi curled his lips into a sneer. The Iron Blood Faction Leader stared at him blankly for a moment, then nodded as if she had sorted out her thoughts.
"I understand. But one question has come to mind. If I were to order you to hand over your money pouch, what would you do? For your reference, I am a Harmony Realm martial artist on par with the Lord of the Black Alliance."
"Naturally, I would obey the order."
"And if, in the future, you, Blood Wolf, were to become stronger than me?"
"It would depend on how much silver you took… but if you took my entire fortune, I imagine I would take the Iron Blood Faction Leader's head as well."
"Such a beast of a man."
"?"
The Iron Blood Faction Leader let out a deep sigh at Cheon Hwi's confused tilt of his head.
"From what I can see, Blood Wolf, you truly are a beast of a man."
"Such teasing is hardly appropriate for a first meeting."
"If you don't want to be beaten like a beast on our first meeting, hold your tongue for a moment."
"…"
Cheon Hwi clamped his mouth shut at the sight of the Iron Blood Faction Leader flexing his fists.
The Iron Blood Faction Leader let out an even deeper sigh and shook his head.
"You set no limits when settling karmic debts, you have no qualms about preying on the weak, and you feel no shame in submitting before the strong. If that isn't a beast, then what is?"
"…"
"But do not misunderstand. This does not mean your nature is evil. You are merely living by instinct. That makes you a beast, not a villain."
"…"
"And beasts, once taught, can become human."
"…"
"From today, you will learn to read from me. You may know the Thousand Character Classic, but that is clearly not enough. You will need to master at least the Four Books and Three Classics."
"…"
"…You may open your mouth now."
"Why are you suddenly bringing up studying letters to give me a headache? Just let me live as a beast. In the short time I've looked at this world, I've seen plenty of people worse than beasts."
"Do you know that beasts are tamed by beating? My fist will hurt more than any ordinary whip, so steel your heart and resist if you dare."
"Truth be told, not having learned has been a lifelong regret since childhood. I humbly place myself in your care, Teacher."
"Either prostrate yourself properly or mock me — pick one."
"Did you not say that groveling before the strong is the way of beasts? I am merely putting your teaching into practice, so please, Lord of the Iron Blood Faction, look upon me with kindness."
"Very well. Receive this heart of mine that regards you with kindness."
Bang!
The Iron Blood Faction Leader flicked her fingertip, sending a gust of wind flying.
It was a simple gust of wind, but a wind filled with internal energy carried more destructive force than a simple flick to the head.
"Kkeuk!"
Cheon Hwi tilted his head all the way back, rubbing his reddened forehead.
The Iron Blood Faction Leader let out a small chuckle at the sight of him and continued.
"Don't look so dissatisfied. If you do well in your studies, I'll personally guide you in martial arts."
"…Really?"
"Really, indeed. As you can see, this Iron Blood Faction is a rather quiet place. It's perfect for a pastime."
"I'll work hard from today. Please take care of me, Master."
"Master, you say? Your greed knows no bounds. I said I would look over your martial art, but that does not mean I would hand you my true martial art."
The Iron Blood Faction Leader said this with a wry smile, clenching and unclenching her small hand repeatedly.
"Yes. My martial art is fated to vanish along with me."
Her voice carried deep regret, and beneath it, an even deeper resignation.
At this, even Cheon Hwi could not bring himself to speak carelessly, and as he fell silent, the Iron Blood Faction Leader forced a bright smile and patted his shoulder.
"Blood Wolf, you shall call me Iron Blood Faction Leader."
"Yes, Iron Blood Faction Leader."
It was a conversation that seemed to have returned to the beginning for the first time. But no one failed to understand that this was not a request to start the story over, but a signal to end it here.
Cheon Hwi gave a light fist-and-palm salute and left the Iron Blood Faction Leader's room.
Tang So-wol, Seol Ri-hyang, and Seomun Hwa-rin followed behind him, letting out the breath they had been holding and pouring out the words they had been holding back.
"Whew. I knew young hero Cheon wasn't someone to be trifled with, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent."
"He doesn't listen to those weaker than him… So that's been the way all along."
"B-But in the end, he did agree to study! This one believes that no matter what Hwi's past was like, the present is what matters!"
Tang So-wol spoke as if half-exasperated, while Seol Ri-hyang nodded as if genuinely impressed. Only Seomun Hwa-rin defended Cheon Hwi, yet even she did not deny that the Cheon Hwi of the past was beyond anything they had imagined.
The three fell silent for a moment, but before long, Tang So-wol spoke up in a serious voice.
"He told us not to call him Master… but if my memory from last time is correct, that person will eventually become something like young hero Cheon's Master, won't he?"
"That's right, isn't it? They don't say it out loud, but they clearly regard each other that way."
"If my memory from last time is correct, the next scene doesn't continue from where we left off but begins by showing someone else… which means that person also met their end within the burning hall."
"…So even you think so, sister Tang?"
Seol Ri-hyang's expression darkened as she realized Tang So-wol had reached the same conclusion as she had.
To lose someone close, one after another, in a single moment. It was hard to even imagine how difficult that must have been for Cheon Hwi back then.
As the mood sagged, Seomun Hwa-rin patted both their waists and spoke.
"I've heard that Hwi lost his parents when he was young. Though he met this person only after growing up, he found someone who taught him the way of being human, so he must have regarded him as both teacher and parent. …If so, we must see this story through to the end."
The three had each lived different lives, but the futures they envisioned all converged on a single point.
Becoming part of Cheon Hwi's family.
If that was the goal, wouldn't it be better to know at least something rather than being completely ignorant about her mother-in-law (not)?
Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang, who had quietly nodded at Seomun Hwa-rin's words, followed Cheon Hwi's familiar yet unfamiliar back as they sifted through their memories.
And so time passed.
***
"You said he was like a master! You said he was like a parent!!"
Tang So-wol jumped up with a face steeped in betrayal.
And before her, the Iron Blood Faction Leader was sneaking away to his room, having stolen Cheon Hwi's undergarments in a hurry.