"Would you help me out?"
"Oh my? With nothing but your bare words?"
Tang So-wol curved her eyes like crescent moons and licked her lips.
Of course, it was probably half in jest. Even when she spoke with such a meaningful air, most of the requests she actually made were trivial things.
Still, after three years, her beauty had ripened to a new level. And perhaps because she had reached the Peak Realm and her body had found its balance, there was no helping the way gazes kept drifting toward her.
Just moments ago, Chujusan had been looking at me with pity—but now he was staring at me like I was a traitor.
I shrugged once and returned to the table where Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang sat.
"Tang So-wol. Is this how you treat me?"
"What is there between us? I wouldn't know, so perhaps the young hero could explain?"
"Are we not betrothed? I would ask that you not be so stingy."
"Hmm. Anyone listening would think I was demanding something enormous from the young hero."
"Was I wrong?"
"As you said a moment ago, tracking a poison creature is hardly a difficult task. So I, too, intend to ask the young hero Cheon for something equally simple."
Tang So-wol smiled brightly, as if she were having the time of her life. The sight of it stirred a vague unease in me. Just what was she planning to make me do?
As I let out a long sigh, Tang So-wol waved her hand toward me.
She leaned in close, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered.
The warmth at my ear and Tang So-wol's signature scent made my tension melt away on its own. Knowing full well I was being played, yet falling for it anyway — this must be exactly what that meant.
Like a prisoner awaiting execution, I waited with a half-resigned heart, and before long, the whispers continued.
Murmur, murmur.
"…You're sure that's all it takes?"
"Oh my. Could it be that the young hero Cheon lacks trust in me? Anyone who saw this would think I make unreasonable requests on a regular basis."
"Isn't that the kind of vibe you give off? I thought I was going to be stripped to the bone today."
"What's mine is already yours, and what's yours is mine — so what would be the point of stripping you? Enough of that, let's get up. Miss Seol's gaze has been rather prickly for a while now."
I turned my head slightly and saw Seol Ri-hyang making a face like someone forced to eat a bitter fruit.
Tang So-wol giggled at the sight of her, then took her hand and stood up.
"Now then, lead the way. The sooner we resolve this matter, the sooner we can finish our meal in peace."
"Well…"
I didn't know about Tang So-wol, but Seol Ri-hyang looked like she was about to choke on her food.
***
"I am Tang So-wol of the Tang Clan. I heard you were seeking help in finding the Golden Toad. Is that correct?"
"That's right. This transaction is of great importance to our Gold Merchant Guild. If you can find the Golden Toad, you will be amply rewarded."
"I feel the same! I cannot promise anything grand, but… if you help clear our grievances, I will do whatever I can to assist you!"
Seeing the desperation in Chujeongsan and Seomun Hwa-rin's expressions, Tang So-wol nodded with a confident air.
"I need no grand reward. I merely wish to take a bit of the Golden Toad's poison with me. Would that be acceptable?"
"So long as it does not harm the Golden Toad, you may take as much as you like!"
"Thank you. And this young lady here…"
"I am called Seorin."
"…?"
Tang So-wol tilted her head for a moment at Seomun Hwa-rin's peculiar manner of speech, but soon looked at me and nodded as if she understood.
What is this? Why is she looking at me with such eyes?
I struggled to suppress the surge of questions welling up inside me when Tang So-wol gave Seorin a gentle smile, as if to put her at ease.
"Is the young lady Seo also participating in the Dragon Phoenix Gathering?"
"Indeed. It is a fine opportunity, so though it is a bit early, I have decided to make my Murim Debut."
"That makes sense. If you miss this year, you would have to wait five years, so I understand. Might I ask where you hail from?"
"I, I am from Gangseo Province. My sect is a small one-disciple transmission sect, but my master instructed me not to reveal its name until I reach a certain level, so I cannot tell you. I am sorry."
An awkwardness like reading aloud from a book. Though she was tense over such a trivial topic, her answers flowed without hesitation—clearly a persona she had prepared separately to fit her new identity as Seorin.
However, perhaps because she had no talent for deceiving others to begin with, Seomun Hwa-rin's self-introduction only seemed suspicious.
At that sense of dissonance, Tang So-wol tilted her head again, but once more she looked toward me before nodding with a relieved expression.
I couldn't understand what part of that messy explanation had convinced her.
I thought I had done a fairly natural job of covering up my origins in Zhejiang Province, my whereabouts, and the source of my martial art.
I shook my head briefly. Tang So-wol continued with a warm smile.
"Then, would you care to join me for a meal and tell me about Gangseo Province? I've always wanted to visit, but the opportunity never arose, so I was rather curious."
Tang So-wol was smiling, but her hand kept poking my back. Come to think of it, I had originally planned to make a wide detour through Gangseo Province, but I had been kidnapped midway in Hubei Province.
Her answer was half directed at me, but Seomun Hwa-rin, unaware of this, widened her eyes.
"Are you sure that's alright?!"
"Of course. I wasn't expecting any great reward in the first place. I'm merely trying to do what is right as a member of the Orthodox Sects."
"Hah!"
Perhaps it was because she had always returned home early whenever she set out for the martial world, due to some incident or another. Tang So-wol looked proud of herself for what was practically her first display of conduct befitting an Orthodox Sect martial artist.
And Seomun Hwa-rin, seemingly moved by such direct goodwill—something rarely encountered in the Unorthodox Sects—drew in a deep breath.
At a glance, they appeared to be righteous scions of the Tang Clan, stepping forward to resolve a grievance between two wronged parties—a truly admirable sight.
But to me, who knew what was really going on inside, it was nothing but a hollow laugh.
I barely managed to suppress the laughter that kept threatening to burst out. Then Tang So-wol cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"Ahem. Well then, shall we hear the details now? Could you tell us everything that happened up until the golden frog disappeared?"
"Of course. First, let me say that until I went to sleep last night, I confirmed the golden frog was properly inside our cage."
"And there was nothing unusual?"
"Nothing in particular, I believe. Ah! But now that you mention it…!"
Chu Jeong-san continued his explanation slowly, and Tang So-wol listened carefully, nodding as she reached a conclusion without difficulty.
"Let me state the conclusion first. Miss Seo did not steal the golden frog. I don't know why she happened to be wandering around the Third Floor, but that's beside the point."
"See! I told you! This one—no, I told you it wasn't my doing!"
"Th-then where in the world did the golden frog go?!"
Seomun Hwa-rin puffed up with pride while Chu Jeong-san grew frantic. Tang So-wol held up a hand to calm them both and continued.
"First, I'm well aware that the Gold Flower Merchant Guild received much advice and prepared meticulously in order to move the golden frog. However, it seems there was one aspect you overlooked."
"An aspect we overlooked?"
"Yes. As you well know, the golden frog grows in places where dense Yang energy gathers, and it is a Spirit Beast that comes to harbor Yang energy befitting such a place. However, because it is by nature a toad familiar with Yin energy, it cannot endure its own Yang energy, and so it protects its entire body with a poison imbued with the energy of extreme Yin."
"That's right. That's why we fed it food strong in Yang energy, and of course, kept it locked in a specially made cage so that no Yin energy could leak out."
"That is the correct method for transporting it safely. However, that safety is only the safety of people. First, could you guide me to where the golden frog's cage is?"
"Of course."
Chu Jeong-san took the lead and led them to his room on the Third Floor.
There, an empty cage sat forlornly. Tang So-wol crouched before it, reached her hand inside, and felt around the interior as she spoke.
"It's important to make sure the Gold Toad's poison and its Yin Energy aren't exposed during transport. But the fact that the Yin Energy can't escape also means it pools up inside the cage."
Tang So-wol withdrew her hand from the cage. A thin layer of white frost clung to her fingertips.
"As I said before, the Golden Toad is a Spirit Beast that lives in places full of Yang Energy. So what do you think would happen if it had to live somewhere its own poison couldn't escape and Yin Energy pooled up?"
"…Surely it didn't freeze to death?"
"If that were the case, there would at least be a corpse left behind. Besides, Spirit Beasts have strong vitality—they don't die that easily."
"Then where in the world did it go?"
"It probably left the cold cage and headed somewhere it could find warmth. No matter how you look at it, a toad is still a toad, so it couldn't have gone very far…"
Tang So-wol muttered quietly, then lightly licked the Golden Toad's poison off her hand. Without hesitation, she walked toward the window.
Scrape.
As she carefully opened the half-open window, there sat a golden toad basking in the sunlight with a languid expression.
"It's a hot summer day, so fortunately this much was enough."
"Hup!"
Chu Jeong-san was startled, but soon his face bloomed with embarrassment and bewilderment.
"First, let me apologize to you, Miss Seo. I'm sorry for rashly accusing you of being a thief."
"Huh? …Ah! It's, it's fine. No matter how you look at it, it's not a height a toad could climb up to. No one could have imagined it would be in a place like this."
Seomun Hwa-rin, who had been staring blankly at the golden toad as if fascinated by the living spirit beast, shook her head back and forth.
Chu Choo-san also shook his head with a stern expression, just the same.
"It's true that I suspected an innocent person and even drew my sword. I will make sure to compensate you for that. Since you said you would participate in the Dragon Phoenix Gathering, I will head to Wuhan. Do you have a place in mind for lodging?"
"I do not. However, once one becomes a Martial Artist, how can one be picky about where to sleep? As long as there is a roof to block the rain, that is enough."
"Then how about staying at the inn run by the Gold Flower Merchant Association? I will give you a Letter—just show it, and you will be able to stay as long as you like."
"Is that really alright!?"
"Of course. I would also like to invite the three members of the Tang Clan who helped me. What do you say?"
I exchanged glances with Tang So-wol and Seol Ri-hyang, then nodded.
"There's no reason to refuse. I'll accept it gratefully."
"It's a bit embarrassing that I only offered the Gold Frog's poison, but… if it solves the lodging problem, that's a good thing."
"With so many people crowding in, I figured it would be hard to find a good inn if we were late, so honestly, I'm relieved."
Seeing our positive reaction, Chu Jeong-san finally let his tension drop from his chin and let out a deep sigh.
In the end, he must consider it fortunate to have forged a good connection with the Tang Clan and the promising Seomun Hwa-rin.
It appears to be goodwill and trust, but the merchant must have his own calculations. Since it benefits both sides, it doesn't matter.
"Hoo. Honestly, there was a time I wondered how things would turn out, but I'm glad it was resolved well. However, while I understand the problem, I have no idea how to solve it. If there's any more advice you could offer, I'll listen carefully."
"There's no need to think of it as so difficult."
Tang So-wol brought the cage to the windowsill. Then, as if she had been waiting, Seol Ri-hyang placed her hand on the cage.
At that, the frost that had blanketed the inside of the cage in white began to melt and vanish in an instant.
She must have used Glacier True Energy to absorb only the Yin Energy that had settled on the cage. The poison energy, Tang So-wol would have absorbed beforehand.
Before long, the cage was completely drained of Yin Energy. The golden frog, glancing at it, waddled around and then hopped straight into the cage.
"Spirit Beasts are far smarter than you'd think. Rather than struggling to survive outside, they'd prefer to stay put and be fed comfortably, even if it means being caged. As long as you meet a few conditions, you needn't worry about it running away on its own."
Tang So-wol, who had collected the poison while gently stroking the golden frog's back, smiled in satisfaction and gave a few simple precautions.
***
That evening, after receiving the letter from Chu Jeong-san and parting ways.
Drunk, Tang So-wol wrapped one arm around my shoulder while swinging the other wildly through the air as she spoke.
"Listen to this! Our young hero Cheon, of all people…"
Her slurred pronunciation tired not only Seol Ri-hyang's expression, but Seomun Hwa-rin's as well.
I, for my part, couldn't help but marvel for a different reason.
So that's how it is. Even if one's height stops growing, a poison pouch can still grow further…