Thanks to the downpour yesterday, the sky was clear without a single cloud. The weather that many people of Sacheon were worried about was pleasant, and countless colorful lanterns and strings adorned Sacheon City.
“Heroes of Sacheon have returned!”
Waaaaaah!
The celebration ceremony had begun.
The situation regarding the Jambeong Gate and the Hwang Gold Clan was not known to every person in Sacheon. While the outcasts’ attack on the Jambeong Gate had stirred some gossip, it was merely the usual complaints about Sacheon outcasts acting like Sacheon outcasts.
The news of the Hwang Gold Clan’s proclamation and the ensuing trouble might have spread through Sacheon City, but no one knew the detailed backstory.
Samayeom stated that after letting the people of Sacheon enjoy the joy of defeating the bandits, he would reveal the heinous deeds committed by Hwang Geum-seon, Yu Ji-gyeong, and Gae Myung-bu.
The Hwang Gold Clan, which had controlled the wealth of Sacheon, would completely fall, and the Jambeong Gate, which held considerable influence, would also decline, having significant repercussions for Sacheon City.
“Commander of the expedition! Tang Do-gyeong! Vice Commander Tang Do-yeon has returned!”
Waaaaaaah!
Leading the personal participants of the heroes, Tang Do-gyeong and Tang Do-yeon followed with excited expressions alongside Wang Maeng-ho and the Seafood Faction.
“Awesome!”
“The pride of Sacheon! The heroes of Sacheon!”
Cheers erupted from all around. The streets were so packed that the buildings around the celebration route were filled with people on every floor and rooftop. How would it feel to have countless people cheering for you?
I had no idea.
“Next, the procession of the sects of Sacheon! The sect that contributed the most to the bandit suppression is… Mukju Sect! Capturing 28 bandits, excluding the Palbocha Sect!”
Mukju Sect! Mukju Sect!! Muk Gang-tan! Muk Gang-tan!!
When the martial artists of Mukju Sect appeared, leading the bound bandits, the cheers peaked. At the forefront, Muk Gang-tan struggled to maintain the dignity suitable for a peak expert and sect leader, but his lips kept twitching into a smile.
“Truly the pride of Sacheon, Mukju Sect!”
Following this was the procession of the confirmed Platinum sects. First place Mukju Sect. Second place Jamjang Sect. Third place Gyeongsu Sect. Fourth place Gwangyang Sect. And fifth place was the Jambeong Gate.
Despite it being a celebration, the faces of the Jambeong sect leader and disciples were dark. It was undoubtedly not a satisfying outcome for them. They might have heard about the troubles within the sect.
The sect could vanish before even hanging the Platinum sect signboard.
Then the Gold sects’ celebration started. The Gold sects were generally in a joyous mood.
“Wow. I can’t believe Yacheong Sect had such capability!”
“Hmm. I might have to send my son to the Daoist Sect!”
Having successfully demonstrated their sect’s capabilities, it was natural for them to be happy. From the sect leader to the lowest member, they smiled widely and waved to the people of Sacheon.
The reactions of the Silver sects varied. Some were disappointed, others satisfied, and some joyful at unexpected achievements.
The Bronzed sects weren’t too bad either. Even with a small number of members, the factions that succeeded in capturing bandits garnered recognition from the people.
However, the Iron sects… oh boy, some marched in with dozens leading a few bandits or embarrassingly without any bandits at all.
“Keep it up! Well done!”
“Yeong Yeong-mun is also the pride of our Sacheon!”
Even to those sects with little achievement, the people of Sacheon offered cheers and encouragement. It was true that they had helped eradicate the bandits that choked Sacheon City, even if their achievements were minimal.
The Iron sects became reinvigorated by the cheers of the people, straightening their shoulders and participating in the celebratory march.
They might as well enjoy the festivities.
The tier rewards for the sects would be given only after everyone from Sacheon and the participants in the suppression had enjoyed themselves. Worrying about tiers could wait until the festival was over.
I turned away from the main street toward the government office.
The return ceremony was taking a route that would pass through all the main streets of Sacheon City before heading to the government office. As luck would have it, Tang Do-gyeong and the individual participants arrived exactly at the government office.
Samayeom, fully dressed as the governor, stood on the platform.
Samayeom handed the Hero Badge to Tang Do-gyeong and Tang Do-yeon. It was a hero badge embroidered with a golden border. Though it wasn’t visible from this distance, the end of the badge likely bore the inscription [Bandit Suppression Hero of Sacheon] along with the governor’s seal.
Waaaaaah!
As Tang Do-gyeong and Tang Do-yeon donned the hero badge, the crowd erupted in cheers. Indeed, there had been various opinions about the design and material of the hero badge. There were concerns it might be too light and long, but I had insisted.
After all, the longer and more fluttery the ribbon, the cooler it looked when waving in the wind.
The estilo and charisma of the golden bordered hero badge fluttering in the breeze surpassed what I had imagined. But that was also because the models were Tang Do-yeon and Tang Do-gyeong.
Samayeom presented hero badges and consolation prizes one by one to the individual participants. They flaunted the hero badges and rushed toward their friends, families, and loved ones.
I also entered the government office to congratulate Tang Do-yeon and Tang Do-gyeong.
“Senior Ho.”
“It seems you’ve accomplished your tasks without issue. Congratulations.”
“It was nothing much.”
“Was everything handled well in Sacheon City?”
“Hmm…”
I scratched the back of my head. The two looked curious but didn’t press further.
“Generally, it went well.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“You have some time until the feast, so please rest until then. Good work on the suppression.”
Tang Do-yeon and Tang Do-gyeong did not refuse. Herding five thousand people was no small task. Considering that the sects would have been eager to secure good tiers, their voices would likely have been raised, and aligning the various interests of numerous sects and controlling them was certainly no trivial feat.
It wouldn’t have been easy to capture those five hundred bandits and bring them back either.
Though they were peak experts and physically fine, perhaps the mental fatigue was considerable as they headed straight to their lodging.
Lodging.
Should I pay a visit to Miss Yeo Il-ye?
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
Since it was a small voice, I became cautious in my movements. I quietly opened the door and entered; Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin were there. It seemed Hyeok Gi-rin had stayed by Yeo Il-ye’s side and fallen asleep.
We were all taken aback when we saw the wound on Yeo Il-ye’s face.
And Hyeok Gi-rin clung to Yeo Il-ye, crying. He cried and cried, wailing with all his heart, seemingly having exhausted himself after staying with her all night and then finally dozing off.
“Hmm.”
Seeing the bandage wrapped around Yeo Il-ye’s left eye, I let out a sound I didn’t mean to.
“How is your injury?”
“According to the physician called by the governor, it’ll heal without a trace in a few days. Although, I probably won’t be able to regain the sight of my eye.”
I held my tongue. Yeo Il-ye told me everything that had happened at the Hwang Gold Clan yesterday. When Guhyeon-su appeared, it felt like I had been hit on the back of the head. The retired outcast Guga-gyeong came to mind. We weren’t particularly close, but then again, we weren’t distant either.
How many chances had Yeo Il-ye had to come to Sacheon City? Naturally, those opportunities weren’t frequent. And each time, would it even make sense that she happened to meet the Sacheon outcasts?
I should have been suspicious of this long ago.
I mistakenly thought Yeo Il-ye sought revenge on the outcasts each time she visited Sacheon, armed only with the information that she disliked them.
The reason I ended up delivering the duel papers to the Gwangyang Sect was likely something orchestrated by Hwang Geum-seon.
There had long been many clues hinting that things would unfold this way.
Yeong Ji-hu-yeol had also indicated that he hadn’t forgotten his resentment toward Yeo Il-ye. The same could likely be said for the other outcasts. If even one outcast had the motive to kill her, she would’ve been dead. And I had completely overlooked that possibility.
Despite Yeo Il-ye having few opportunities to come to Sacheon City, she managed to meet so many outcasts.
I should have either sensed the unease when Yeong Ji-hu-yeol expressed his opinions about Yeo Il-ye or maintained constant vigilance against Hwang Geum-seon until the very end.
If I had…
“You’re overthinking things, Honorable Person.”
When I regained my senses, Yeo Il-ye was looking at me with a thoughtful expression, pausing her steps. I was shocked to see Yeo Il-ye’s gentle smile on her face.
This was the first time I had seen Yeo Il-ye smile. I had seen her cold sneer several times, but… I couldn’t rightly say that was laughing.
“Honorable Person, you’re neither a saint nor a god. It’s natural to overlook things. And… above all, the deeds I performed were due to my own actions.”
“…Miss.”
“There are things that must be faced head-on. You made me open my eyes, which were closed due to hatred. Despite failing to control myself and losing one eye, I can still see the world with one eye.”
Yeo Il-ye seemed satisfied. I couldn’t understand how she could make such a face despite losing her eye.
“Yesterday, Big Brother cried for me all night. An admirable person outright ignored his own injuries and cried for my sake. Crying and nursing me… then finally falling asleep. Seeing that made me smile without realizing it.”
“I was genuinely joyful to see someone who could cry for me wholeheartedly. And I felt ashamed. I had remained oblivious to someone like this by my side and had done nothing for him.”
“There have not only been misfortunes in Yeo Il-ye’s life. There was the Jeomchang Faction that embraced me even when I was blinded by rage, and there was Big Brother who prevented me from walking an irreversible path. And I met you, Honorable Person.”
Yeo Il-ye bowed her head.
“Thank you, Honorable Person. I received so much from you that I can’t even put it into words. You gave me realization, helped me with my revenge… you guided me through so many things.”
“…There’s no reason for such an excessive greeting.”
“Fufu. I knew you would say that. But you’re not someone who would offer such sentiments if I were to use the Gratitude Plaque I gave you.”
*Cough.*
“Thus, I can only offer you this much.”
Yeo Il-ye approached me closely. Reflexively, I took a step back, but she was quicker. Her hands slipped under my arms, gently embracing my back.
“Wha…”
What is she doing? What did she plan? I was about to ask those questions, but her lips met mine. Surprised, I opened my mouth and instinctively found her tongue sliding in. As I tried to pull away, her gentle hands firmly held me in place.
Our tongues tangled together.
Catching my breath, I realized a sweet scent filled my senses. Was that Yeo Il-ye’s body fragrance? The faintly mixed medicinal aroma further highlighted her scent.
After several breaths, Yeo Il-ye finally released me. As I pulled away, she licked her lips as if wiping away the excess saliva that had lingered.
We locked eyes as Yeo Il-ye chuckled.
…Was I making a rather foolish expression?
“Don’t feel too burdened. You’ll have ample time to think about it.”
“…What do you mean?”
“They haven’t all been caught yet. We need to deal with the remaining ones. Unexpected events may prolong the situation.”
Yeo Il-ye’s eyes curved playfully as she smiled mischievously.
“So, in the meantime, I’ve applied my saliva as a reminder to not forget this face of mine.”
I stared blankly at Yeo Il-ye, mulling over her playful expression.
So, she could make this kind of face too. She always seemed so stiff, frowning and exuding an air of emptiness, occasionally vanishing like a cloud.
…Looking back, that was only natural. With so much weighing on her shoulders, how could she find the heart to smile?
Maybe I had foolishly assumed that was how she was.
What on earth did I think of Yeo Il-ye? I merely accepted her as a character from a game as my preconception rather than seeing her as a person.
There was a real person before me, and despite having talked countless times and met her gaze several times, I might not have been able to step out of the frame of the game.
“Honorable Person, there’s something I didn’t realize until now.”
Yeo Il-ye came closer and placed her hand on my chest. What was she trying to say now?
“What is it?”
“The captivating, foolish expression of Honorable Person is quite charming.”
“What are you… uhp!”
Once again, my lips were stolen from me effortlessly. The sensation of our tongues entwining surged once more.
By the time our lips parted, I lacked the spirit to protest and merely gazed at Yeo Il-ye.
“With all those thoughts swirling in your mind… I wasn’t sure if this visage had properly penetrated your thoughts, so I applied it once more.”
Yeo Il-ye said, lightly wetting the tip of her finger.
“Is it still insufficient?”
“…It’s more than enough.”
All my distractions faded away. Yes. I had never truly faced Yeo Il-ye as a person.
Only concerned about how to act, engrossed in the knowledge that came from having played the Martial World game countless times. With only that, I had assumed I knew everything about Yeo Il-ye.
And I had thought it was incomprehensible.
I had mistakenly believed I could predict her actions despite only having the knowledge of a character from a game. It was absolutely natural that I couldn’t predict the actions of someone I didn’t know.
What a foolish thing to do. Here was a vibrant person in front of me, someone I could converse with and meet their gaze, yet I thought I knew her simply because of my knowledge of the game.
I wiped away the character of Yeo Il-ye from the game “Martial World” that existed in my mind.
Even after gaining realization, I failed to capture evidence against the enemies, leaving her to seethe with rage in the embrace of the Jeomchang Faction. I had erased the woman who had been entrapped in her anger as she cut down outcasts.
And I looked at Yeo Il-ye. This Yeo Il-ye was an outcast but had also given realization. She was someone I treated with utmost respect as my Honorable Person. Someone who could throw away everything for revenge. Yet she was also capable of abandoning even her precious revenge and life in the face of her wrongs to seek forgiveness.
A girl who found solace in her adorable senior and was drawn to the silly expressions of others.
“It finally feels like you’re truly seeing me.”
Seeing Yeo Il-ye smile with that gentle smile, I couldn’t refute her statement.
“Il-ye! Il-ye! Where’s the patient? If the wounds worsen, it’ll be a disaster! Il-ye!”
“Looks like Big Brother has woken up. If I don’t hurry, I might be scolded all day.”
Yeo Il-ye turned her steps back toward the lodging. Then, suddenly stopping, she looked back at me.
“Oh, and… it’s a secret about today’s events to the cat-like Miss. I’ve received information regarding our enemies, and if she were to find out about today, there would be chaos.”
With a playful smile, Yeo Il-ye raised her voice in response to Hyeok Gi-rin.
“Il-ye! Don’t you know the patient needs absolute rest?”
“Fufu, I merely stepped out to catch a breath of fresh air; it’s nothing.”
“What if your wounds get worse while wandering around outside? Even a peak expert needs to stay vigilant!”
“Yes, yes, of course. Now that I’ve enjoyed my time outside… let’s head back.”
Yeo Il-ye shot me a meaningful smile, and as if Hyeok Gi-rin couldn’t grasp the meaning behind that smile, he wore a bewildered expression, raising his eyebrows in annoyance.
“You’ve always changed the subject with your silly talk since childhood! I won’t be fooled today, so back inside immediately!”
“Understood, Big Brother.”
“From the beginning, you…!”
Angry Big Brother Hyeok Gi-rin, along with Yeo Il-ye, who seemed entirely pleased as she listened to his scolding, walked away from sight.
“Hmm.”
Waaaaaaaah!
Once again, cheers erupted as another sect arrived in front of the government office. While hearing the cheers, I recalled the last image of Yeo Il-ye.
“Well… since you seemed happy, that’s enough.”
It felt as if everyone in Sacheon was rejoicing.
It was a summer day.
