NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22
“Has anyone escaped?”
“No, Sect Leader!”
An unknown man’s voice responded to the Sect Leader’s question. I sat cross-legged on the floor, dazed, watching the scene unfold.
The martial artists of the Hainam Sword Sect were busily tidying up the hill.
More precisely, they were stacking bodies in the clearing. They would probably burn them; there was no need to make trouble with corpses, as they weren’t from the Blood Sect.
“Black Night Team…”
I repeated the name of the group they had called out, lost in thought.
What a ridiculous name.
It was clear that they had been bred purely to target the Hainam Sword Sect from birth. Thinking about the original story, these were probably people who were sold into slavery or kidnapped when they were young and raised as fighters.
The Demon Sect in the original story didn’t hesitate to take revenge by any means. Unless there’s some soul transmigration going on with the Demon Sect, it’d probably be similar to the original.
I stopped my reflection, stretched my back, and stood up.
Then I nudged a decapitated head with the tip of my foot into the pile of bodies.
I didn’t care about showing respect for the deceased; I just wanted to go inside and rest. The muscles in my body were screaming from the battle that had lasted for hours.
As my mind was blankly drifting, a familiar voice reached my ears.
[Even if someone is an enemy, a knight must respect the dead. Do you understand?]
The words of the leader who once smacked me on the head came back.
Hmph.
Why does this come to mind now?
I couldn’t completely disregard the words of my mentor and higher-up, who was like a god to me.
I turned my head, which had been raised for some reason, back down and approached the mountain of corpses.
I knelt on one knee and bowed my head.
This was a posture I had often assumed since becoming a knight.
“To rest peacefully in the afterlife.”
Though it felt odd saying it to someone I killed, what crime had the foot soldiers committed?
They had just been raised like hunting dogs after being kidnapped.
They only acted as they were trained to.
Having been in a similar position myself once, my moment of silence lasted longer than usual. No, it was much longer.
In the days when I wasted time in the knighthood, I would merely nod my head curtly like a senior sergeant.
I finished my elongated moment of silence and stood up. Behind me, I sensed someone’s presence.
It was Hye-ryeong, who had slain three of the Black Night Team warriors.
“Aren’t you done, Mister?”
“I’ve just shown my respect.”
“To members of the Demon Sect?”
Hye-ryeong looked at me as if she had misunderstood something.
Of course, here it’s common sense.
“They will all end up in front of King Yama when they die.”
“Still, I wouldn’t wish them peace.”
“I understand.”
I wouldn’t wish peace upon the enemies I faced either.
It’s natural not to view favorably those who come to kill you. I turned around and approached the Sect Leader who was commanding the Hainam Sword Sect disciples nearby.
The Sect Leader, upon seeing me coming, greeted me with a cheerful smile.
“Are you done with your business?”
“Yes. So, I’ll help out as well.”
“There’s no need, Great Hero Wi,” the Sect Leader waved his hands. “Even though you were not obligated, you fought on the front lines. It would be wrong to trouble a righteous hero who has already done enough. That’s settled.”
“You’re flattered too much.”
“Flattered? You deserve the title of a hero. Once this story reaches the Central Plains, the gossips will surely give you an impressive nickname.”
“Nicknames…,” said the Sect Leader, “though some dismiss them as mere names, they can make a real difference when you reach the Central Plains.”
Nicknames… I wonder what mine will be?
I hope it’s not something weird.
“I want a nickname too.”
“Hye-ryeong, you already have one: ‘The Beauty of Hainan.'”
“That’s a nickname? It’s just a joke.”
Hye-ryeong’s lips pouted.
It seemed she didn’t like the nickname of ‘The Beauty of Hainan.’ After all, it wasn’t really a compliment for her skills but rather her looks.
No matter how you look at it, martial artists ultimately seek to prove themselves through martial arts.
“I’ve never left Hainam, and now I have this weird nickname…”
“Hehe, Hye-ryeong,” The Sect Leader patted her head like consoling a daughter. “When you leave and experience the broader world, you will certainly earn a more fitting nickname.”
At this, Hye-ryeong silently accepted his gesture for a moment. Then, lifting her head, she asked loudly.
“Leave?!”
“Yes, there’s a gathering of young ones like you four months from now. You shouldn’t remain in Hainam forever. You need to broaden your horizons, don’t you?”
The Young Heroes’ Gathering, I believe.
They were inviting her to that.
As the Hainam Sword Sect was one of the Nine Great Clans, they needed to send someone. But surely not just Hye-ryeong alone.
It’s too big a deal to send her alone. Plus, there would be some safety concerns.
“Understood.”
“I understand!”
Hye-ryeong nodded energetically. Was she looking forward to leaving so much?
After all, it’s natural for a bird kept in a cage to yearn for the outside world.
Watching Hye-ryeong genuinely excited made me smile.
————————
It had been half a month since the bloody battle with the Demon Sect.
Hainan was quickly returning to its usual state. The main reasons were that the enemies had sneaked in secretly without causing chaos in the village and were swiftly annihilated.
…Of course, the active assistance from the Hainam Sword Sect made a big difference.
Martial artists are generally in good physical condition and undergo rigorous training, so handling such labor-intensive tasks came easy to them.
To be honest, I only observed a few times and didn’t get involved in the work.
When I offered to help, they were shocked.
“Great Hero Wi! Your help is not necessary!” they said.
Apparently, for those revered as the benefactors of a sect, getting directly involved is quite burdensome. As a result, I just killed time by training.
“Great Hero Wi. Thank you for your hard work today.”
“I appreciate it. You should quickly go clean up and rest.”
I waved my hand in farewell to Muguang, who was covered in dust. He bowed respectfully and left the training ground.
I laid down in a corner of the training ground and looked up at the sky.
“The sky is disgustingly clear over here… or over there…”
Maybe because industrialization hasn’t occurred yet?
Lost in such trivial thoughts, I recalled the original story.
According to the original version, this was the time when the Hainam Sword Sect had been completely massacred, leaving only ashes behind.
Two days after Hye-ryeong’s birthday, Hainam Sword Sect was eerily peaceful.
…With the original story so drastically altered, the plot points aren’t really useful anymore.
With the protagonist having no meaningful connection to the trophy heroines, the path Hye-ryeong would take is beyond my guess.
She might grow into a renowned warrior in a war against the Demon Sect, or she might become a somewhat ordinary late bloomer, living a peaceful life.
I’ve erased half of her preordained future, and now it’s her turn to start drawing her life on a blank canvas.
Honestly, this might be more than enough repayment of favors. After all, rescuing her in the first place was like the hand of fate.
Repelling pirates, thwarting the Demon Sect…
We successfully averted the tragic ending from the original plot.
It was easier than expected.
…Could it be because the current Western lands are pure hell?
Battling like this every day would be exhausting.
Reflecting now, surviving as their prisoner was a miracle. And I had cut countless heads on the front lines.
Eventually, they sold me into slavery.
“…Why dwell on the past?”
With the future to consider, there’s no time to dwell on the past.
Since I have involved myself with the Demon Sect, my chances of staying out of the main storyline of this cursed novel are close to none.
And with my distinctive appearance, it’s not like hiding will help much. Rather, it’s better to get actively involved, endure until the protagonist comes of age, and survive until then.
By securing a position within the Martial Alliance, I can remain safe and sound while the attacks from the Demon Sect persist. They wouldn’t waste their efforts trying to kill me if I’m right at the heart of the Martial Alliance.
Thus, my next destination was already clear.
The Young Heroes’ Gathering.
…Now that I think about it, there was a heroine in the Young Heroes’ Gathering too, wasn’t there?
She always came with the adjective “beautiful.” I’m quite looking forward to it.
“Hye-ryeong?”
“Did you finish your work well?”
“Of course! I diligently took care of the kids today!”
Hye-ryeong beamed with a crystal-clear smile. I couldn’t help but grin at the sight.
In the original story, her expression would have been one filled with despair over losing everything, not a bright smile like this.
“Still, I did the right thing in helping.”
“Huh?”
“Just talking to myself, don’t worry about it.”
“I won’t pry, since Mister seems to want to keep it a secret!”
“Thanks.”
At least she didn’t start pestering me with questions.
Did my thoughts show on my face? Hye-ryeong smirked and added:
“I have plenty of time to figure it out! And someday, Mister will tell me, right?”
What?
I looked at Hye-ryeong.
The penguin-like girl reached out her hand toward me and said,
“So, let’s go to the Central Plains together! I’ve become really curious about Mister! I want to keep observing you!”
“I don’t know how much of a burden this will turn out to be.”
I shrugged and took her hand.
Her hand was incredibly small and soft.
“Did you get permission?”
“Hehe, if Mister asks, they’ll surely grant permission, right?”
Is this more about forgiveness than permission?
Though there’s nothing to forgive really.
“Since the topic came up, let’s discuss it now.”
“Yes!”
I brushed off the dust from my clothes and, along with Hye-ryeong, headed towards where the Sect Leader resided.
It was a day when a gentle sea breeze was blowing.