NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5
I thought it was just a day away from the underworld, but here you are.
The Azure Dragon Terrace Guard of the Murong Family arrived on horseback, unlike the typical martial artists.
Aren’t martial artists supposed to appear with a whoosh of light body movement? What’s with the horses? I thought I was looking at a band of robbers.
But then again, considering they come from a scholarly clan, it makes sense they look better on horses than flying around.
“Everyone, dismount!”
“Charge!”
The Azure Dragon Terrace Guard dismounted in unison. Without any armor, they still looked just like an army.
With their discipline in check, dismounting all at once looked like the day the division commander arrived. The leader, who appeared to be in charge, approached me.
“Master Kang, our Murong Family’s Azure Dragon Terrace will now escort you.”
“I get your affiliation, but I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of learning your name.”
Does this guy not know about introducing himself first?
“I’m Murong Jinsu, leader of the Azure Dragon Terrace.”
What an idiot. I’ll have to take back what I said about their discipline.
“Right. I’m Kang Yoon-ho of the Kang Family.”
“Master Kang, pleased to meet you. We will serve you.”
Just as the leader of the Azure Dragon Terrace took on a commanding stance, a commotion erupted behind us.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
One of the attendants exclaimed in shock.
“I was just curious, just curious!”
The Azure Dragon Terrace members, who had been sneakily peeking into the gift box, replied nonchalantly.
“You can’t just be looking at the gifts!”
Gifts sent from the groom’s house to the bride’s are a show of sincerity.
Of course, they ultimately belong to the Murong Family, but peeking like that is definitely a breach of etiquette.
“Don’t raise your voice. Where’s the ginseng? The members have been a bit drained lately.”
“Hey! Those are items sent to the head of the family and the bride. They’re not for people like you to touch!”
“…….”
Murong Jinsu glanced at the scene once but did not say anything.
Huh? Aren’t you going to stop him?
“I guess nowadays, showing excitement is expressed like this.”
Those guys need some discipline. I said it indirectly, with my typical Kang Yoon-ho finesse.
“Hah. My members get a bit too spirited with joyous occasions. I’m worried that if you react too vigorously, an accident might occur.”
Are you trying to pick a fight?
Kang Yoon-ho had a terrible relationship with Murong Sang-a, but he had no reason to be on bad terms with the Murong Family.
The Kang Family had wealth, while the Murong Family had strength. The two families were heading towards the best of deals through marriage.
It feels like a battle of wills, but I don’t know why. Should I observe the situation a little longer?
“Standing like this seems to cause problems. Let’s get the guard captain moving.”
“Yes, understood. Everyone, let’s depart!”
Thus, the Azure Dragon Terrace began its uneasy journey.
——-
At one end of Kang Yoon-ho’s wedding procession stood Murong Jinsu of the Azure Dragon Terrace.
“I can’t comprehend marrying that barbarian bastard to the young lady.”
One of the Azure Dragon Terrace members came up to Murong Jinsu and said.
“Marriage is decided by the families. It’s not up to us to understand or not.”
“How can you say that so calmly? You were once part of the Spear Peak Band, weren’t you?”
“…….”
The Spear Peak Band was a direct elite unit of Murong Sang-a. There was not a single member who didn’t admire her talent and beauty.
However, according to a recent order from the deputy head of the family, they were scheduled for disbandment. Already, half had been absorbed into the Azure Dragon Terrace.
Most of the members greeting Kang Yoon-ho today were former members of the Spear Peak Band.
“There were so many Spear Peak members who admired the young lady. With her talent and beauty, her future is so bright… How ridiculous.”
The Azure Dragon Terrace member beat his chest as if about to explode.
“Marrying into a wealthy family is also a kind of happiness.”
“Do you really think that?”
“……. I wished you’d become the head of the family, but now it seems impossible.”
Murong Jinsu made a pained expression.
“Why impossible? Can’t we just call off the marriage?”
“How would we do that?”
“Let’s just annoy the people around until they get riled up and provoke them to the point they go crazy. Then we swoop in!”
The Azure Dragon Terrace member mimicked slitting his throat with his palm.
“If you do that, you’ll die too.”
“Weren’t you a rogue? Just take out the sword you’ve got and threaten him! Just say you felt your life was in danger! I’m sure if we provoke him a little, he’ll lose it.”
“You know it’s not that easy.”
“I don’t care. What’s better, let the barbarian take the young lady, or die. Just stay out of it. We’ll handle this!”
What a ridiculous plan. However, like the young members, Murong Jinsu, infatuated with Murong Sang-a, couldn’t bring himself to shoot down the idea.
Perhaps thinking silence meant agreement, the young Azure Dragon Terrace member rushed off to relay the story to the others.
——-
You’d think riding a horse would be easier since they run for you, but it’s not.
The shock of the horse’s hooves hitting the ground keeps jarring my butt. Plus, since it’s a living creature, I have to be cautious of its movements at all times.
Why did even the famous general of Silla behead his own horse for malfunctioning auto-navigation? You can’t trust half-autonomous driving too much.
On top of that, to stay on the horse, I have to keep my thighs tense.
Didn’t Liu Bei from the Three Kingdoms lament how he gained weight in his thighs after loitering around without riding for a while?
In any case, horseback riding is a physically taxing endeavor.
Honestly, I’d take a carriage any day. Even the Kang Family had provided one, but this brat, Kang Yoon-ho, turned it down.
With all that money, why would he want to travel by horse all the way from Joseon to Yodong Province? What on earth was he thinking?
For the looks.
This moron Kang Yoon-ho thought riding a horse was “stylish.” He thought it looked cooler, like cruising in a convertible rather than being in a carriage.
What an idiot. Ugh.
Sure, the saddle and stirrups are high quality, so it’s not unbearably uncomfortable. But he’s not someone skilled in martial arts, so this long journey is bound to wear him out.
But anyway, why am I ranting about this?
“If the Azure Dragon Terrace takes the shortcut they know, we can cut the time in half. If we hurry, we should arrive by midnight.”
“Master Kang seems to be exhausting himself on this long journey. We could just stay at an inn and leave tomorrow morning.”
We’re fighting over itinerary issues while having a meal at the inn alongside the Azure Dragon Terrace.
The fight for dominance continues.
Even though the Azure Dragon Terrace of the Murong Family has come to greet us, they’re trying to take over command of our party.
‘Why are they constantly crossing the line?’
Ever since those Azure Dragon Terrace guys joined us, they’ve been rude.
They were sneakily trying to peek into the gifts and even threatened our party members walking behind to hurry up.
I didn’t hear it, but apparently, someone had the gall to call our wedding party “barbarians.”
Everyone wants to say something, but arguing with a family we’re about to marry into wouldn’t look good, so everyone seems to be holding it in.
However, the discontent and unease towards the Azure Dragon Terrace from our party slowly started to mount.
“Master.”
During the meal, Dolsoi whispered close to my ear.
“Whoa! What’s up with you?”
This guy is blowing in my ear like a weirdo.
“I’ve been listening around silently, and I’ve figured out why they’re acting like that.”
“Why?”
Truly a CCTV from Joseon times, isn’t he? Did he see everything?
“Well, the Azure Dragon Terrace is technically the direct guard of the deputy head of the family, but there are many who admire Murong Sang-a.”
So what?
“I overheard them mumbling that they can’t believe the young lady is marrying such a barbarian.”
Ah, I see?
So, that means Murong Family’s little idol, Sang-a-chan, is marrying an alpha male like me, and her uncle’s guards are throwing a fit?
Should’ve said so earlier.
Anyone who wants to marry Murong Sang-a can just ask me to set it up right away.
No need for a go-between!
The love magician Kang Yoon-ho is in the house.
When I ask a girl if she has plans, I create plans that weren’t there before.
When I say I’ll buy her something delicious, it conjures a loss of appetite.
And when I start chatting her up, suddenly a heartthrob appears out of nowhere.
Such a magician is here.
But no one wants to step up and say they want to marry Murong Sang-a.
So, in the end, I’ll have to handle this hot potato myself.
Such a troublesome chick.
“Such ugly folks.”
“Right? They want to go in at night like we’re thieves? We should go in during the day.”
That’s true. It’s not like we’re in an emergency; why would we go in at night?
“I feel like I have to say something.”
“Geez! But they’re still martial artists from the Martial Arts World. If something goes wrong, it’ll be a problem, Master. The guard captain will handle it.”
“Hmmm.”
I need a bit more time to prepare another plan.
I should stay out a day longer. If they try to forcibly take me, that’s going to be a problem.
I need to dampen the spirit of the Azure Dragon Terrace a bit.
“If we’re going to take that shortcut you’re talking about, we need to head out at night. What if we encounter bandits or something?”
The guard captain shouted at the members of the Azure Dragon Terrace.
“You’re browbeating the Murong Family’s warriors, aren’t you?”
The faces of the Murong Family warriors turned icy as they listened.
“That’s not what I meant….”
Damn it. I misstepped! You can’t touch a pride that’s about strength.
“You barbarians are afraid of bandits? How dare you mention the risk of bandits in front of the mighty Murong Family!”
One of the young warriors from the Murong Family shouted in indignation, his face cold as ice.
“Who do you think you’re calling barbarian—”
“What barbarian?”
The guard captain was about to protest, but I cut in first. What barbarians? You crossed the line, punk.
I immediately stood up and dashed into the crowd of Azure Dragon Terrace members.
“Master Kang.”
The leader was startled and reached out to stop me, but I lightly dodged him and positioned myself in front of the young warrior who had called me a barbarian.
“Hey, what did you just say?”
You messed with the wrong guy!
This chilling sensation. It’s time to return as the rogue Kang Yoon-ho!