Chapter 348: v14c23 - Affinity
Volume 14 Chapter 23 – Affinity
My father said.
“The name of that child was… surely.”
My father, the patriarch of our Murong Family, looked dignified and reliable, befitting the Northern Grand General.
And, even if only in a dream being able to see my father’s healthy appearance again made me happy.
“They said it was So-hyeon.”
“…So-hyeon.”
For some unknown reason it was a name with a soft roll to it.
I repeated the name to myself over and over again.
“There is nothing to worry about.”
As if he had misunderstood my reaction my father spoke soothingly.
“He is the son of my old friend, the Number One Sword Under Heaven, and the Medicine Fairy.”
Then, just like in the old days, he caressed my head with his large hand.
“I heard he is an extremely intelligent and kind-hearted child. However…”
My father’s hand, which was caressing my head, paused for a moment.
“I also do not know the circumstances in detail, but” i looked up at my father.
“they said that child was born with a tragic fate and has a deep story.”
Kneeling down and bending his body, he urged me, meeting my eyes.
“that is why I wish to bring him as your spouse.”
“So, Un-jeong, make sure you protect that child.”
* * *
“My name is Yeon So-hyeon.”
The child I saw for the first time had a snow-white face and deep eyes.
“I heard that clashes between the State of Eastern Kingdom and the northern tribes have become frequent in Jilin Province lately.”
Even with my father, the Northern Grand General, in front of him the child was not intimidated in the least and said everything he wanted to say.
“Before the northern tribes slip further out of control, the Grand General” the child’s small, fern-like hand tapped effortlessly on the map.
“must rule over them preemptively.”
“Oh-ho.”
At that bold appearance and accurate analysis, my father marveled, and forgetting that it was the place where the child and I were meeting for the first time, he conversed continuously with him, and then he asked the child.
“that thought is identical to mine.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Then, do you have a secret plan for that?”
“Yes, of course…”
The child, who was about to say something suddenly darkened in expression and spared his words.
“…I am sorry.”
For some reason was it related to that so-called deep story?
The child bowed his head and apologized.
“How could young me have any secret plan? Please just consider that you have watched a child’s brief display of cute antics until now.”
“Antics? No, indeed!”
My father laughed heartily and said to the child, my father spoke to me with a mischievous smile, as I blushed and secretly pinched my father’s waist, my father feigned pain.
“just analyzing up to that point is already far superior to my strategists!”
“If Un-jeong says she will not take you as her bridegroom, I will have to take you as my direct strategist!”
“Oops!”
“You resemble your mother, your hand grows spicier day by day!”
“Father…!”
Even in the midst of the commotion I could not take my eyes off that child.
“…….”
That child as if keeping his distance from connections with people turned his head to look outside the window, and that sight of him smiling faintly and bitterly for some reason, felt so transient.
It felt as if that child might suddenly spread wings and fly far away into the sky at any moment.
At that time, I thought.
I will protect this child.
* * *
“…Miss!”
While hearing the sound of young So-hyeon’s flute in her dream, there was a voice calling Un-jeong.
“Miss!”
Even before the handmaiden could shake her awake in Un-jeong’s hands as she opened her eyes wide, a sword was already held.
Ever since her father had collapsed during the Northern War she was someone who had never once slept without keeping a sword at her bedside.
“Is it another night raid by the Yelu Tribe?”
When Murong Un-jeong jumped up from her bed in the middle of the night, the leather armor she did not take off even while sleeping was revealed.
“Yes, it is!”
Her handmaiden, with extremely familiar movements, fitted the iron armor onto Murong Un-jeong while quickly explaining the situation.
“They say the cavalry of the Yelu Tribe has set fire to Umut Village and is currently looting it!”
The handmaiden was skilled both in fitting the armor and explaining the situation.
It was a sight that allowed one to feel what kind of years they had lived through.
“If it is Umut Village, it is the land of a tribe with pro-Zhongyuan tendencies…!”
Murong Un-jeong bit her harshly chapped lips.
The Yelu Tribe was now revealing its dark ambition entirely overtly.
“Please, may martial fortune be with you…!”
Sent off by the handmaiden the warhorse carrying Murong Un-jeong snorted and galloped.
* * *
“Any last words?”
“…….”
The prisoner made no reply and Murong Un-jeong’s long sword sliced the prisoner’s neck as it was.
*Slash—* the sound of boiling blood foam echoed from the neck that she had purposefully only half-severed, and the prisoner writhed in agony.
“Keu, cough…!”
“…….”
Murong Un-jeong, who watched that sight with a steel-like expression, sheathed her sword and, taking the long spear handed to her by someone calling her from the side with one hand, plunged it down, skewered the dead prisoner’s body, and drove it straight into the ground.
“Acting Grand General.”
When the enemy’s head, which had been half-severed, fell to the ground from the impact *Tui.* the soldiers guarding her surroundings spat on the head, diminishing the enemy’s honor.
The fallen heads alone numbered over a dozen and the corpses driven into the ground while skewered by long spears reached dozens, so the spilled blood gathered and formed a small stream along the plains.
It was an action meant to make them pay the price for looting and invasion, and to send a warning.
“…….”
“…….”
However although the battle had concluded in a brilliant victory, there were no cheers, and there was no heightened morale among the allies.
“Inside there…!”
Suddenly murong Un-jeong’s gaze shifted toward a scream.
“My child is in there! Please save him! Please…!”
“If you go in now, you will burn to death!”
“Step back!”
The place toward which the wailing of the mother, blocked by the soldiers, was directed was the remains of the nomadic village where gers (tents) had gathered and that place was burning while engulfed in terrible flames, only the sorrowful weeping of the nomadic tribe people who had lost their families and property
“The sheep…! All of our family’s sheep…!”
“Why did you come so late?!”
Echoed hollowly across the night plains.
“…It was a brilliant command today as well, Acting Grand General.”
Her direct adjutant sheathed his sword and approached, congratulating her on her military exploit in a low voice.
Murong Un-jeong, taking off her helmet, roughly wiped her face with the cloth offered by her adjutant. Watching the cloth turn bright red, the direct adjutant shook his head heavily.
“Enough.”
“will it be possible to rebuild the village?”
“…It will be difficult.”
“The young warriors who stood up to defend the village are all dead or dragged away. Moreover, most of the sheep and horses have been looted…”
He clicked his tongue in a low voice.
“Even their father tribe will not be able to support them due to the repeated looting.”
*Rumble.* even before the troops could completely put out the fire, tents with collapsed pillars were seen falling down.
The wailing of the people grew even louder.
“…Receive them into the subordinate villages of the Grand General’s Headquarters.”
“But Sister—!”
Her adjutant and biological younger brother raised his voice, but she turned around, leaving only those words.
“It is an order.”
“…I will obey the order.”
The night on the plains, which not even the moon illuminated was terribly cold and dark.
* * *
Grand General’s Headquarters.
Military Camp Council.
“…The capacity of the subordinate villages has reached its limit now.”
A general spoke up, avoiding Murong Un-jeong’s gaze.
“To afford the food distributed to them, we are now at the point of having to release even the emergency military rations.”
“Since all the people have now come to know that the Acting Grand General’s compassion is deep,” a strategist carefully followed the general’s words.
“perhaps it is time to assign roles to each tribe again…”
“The fatigue of the troops is also exceeding the limit. It is a point where a countermeasure is needed…”
“As tribes depart from the alliance, obtaining new troops is also difficult…”
As one voiced difficulty, the grievances that had been held back poured out.
Every single one of them was battle-hardened in this harsh northern land, so that their words were not mere exaggeration was what the Acting Northern Grand General, Murong Un-jeong, knew best of all.
“…….”
“Could there be additional support from the Murong Family…?”
“It is impossible.”
Murong Un-jeong shook her head beneath her helmet.
“They rejected the Grand General’s Headquarters’ request.”
Since the emergence of the Terror King in the Yelu Tribe, the Murong Family was in a state of internal fragmentation.
“…To ignore even the words of the Young Lady, who is the Acting Grand General and Acting Patriarch.”
“I heard that voices within the family suggesting we rather cooperate with the Terror King are rising.”
“The Murong Family is also going crazy now.”
“Their support is not needed.”
Murong Un-jeong cut off their words.
“Request the necessary supplies from the Great War Merchant, Dong Ga-hyu, as before.”
“However, Acting Grand General.”
The general who had first spoken voiced concern over her order.
“He is a merchant with neither blood nor tears in front of money. Although he is cooperatively complying for some reason right now…”
Others also carefully warned.
“In a situation where we do not know when or how he might turn his back—” she was the regent directly designated by the Northern Grand General, and since everyone gathered here acknowledged her capabilities.
“—increasing our dependency on his merchant group is very dangerous—” at her voice, everyone shut their mouths.
“Enough.”
“You may trust the Northern War Merchant, Dong Ga-hyu.”
There was no further disagreement with her words, but the atmosphere of the meeting grew even heavier.
“…….”
“…….”
* * *
After the meeting ended.
There was someone who remained alone where everyone had departed.
“…Sister.”
It was her biological younger brother and direct adjutant, Murong Ho.
“Dong Ga-hyu, that man is—” murong Ho mumbled his words for a moment before difficulty speaking.
“You also know that he is a person sent directly by the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, do you not?”
“Of course.”
“Since the Eldest Young Master said we may trust him, I trust him.”
“That is the same for me.”
“Then, what is it that you wish to say?”
“…Well.”
“Lately, the Eldest Young Master’s name has been heard even in this distant north.”
“No.”
Although Murong Un-jeong, who realized what words would come out, shook her head resolutely murong Ho continued speaking to the end.
“Perhaps, requesting additional support from the Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family—” she raised her voice.
*Thud.* the desk she slammed cracked wide open.
“Did I not tell you several times that it is impossible?!”
“Sister…”
“Since he made the decision to end his seclusion and live as the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, the engagement has become null!”
“But—” her voice rose unconsciously.
“In the first place, just sending the War Merchant Dong Ga-hyu is already doing more than duty requires!”
“I must defend this north on behalf of my father! And he must defend his family!”
A scream-like voice burst from her mouth.
“It means he and I no longer have any relationship!”
The intense reaction of his sister, who rarely showed her emotions.
“…….”
Sensing her heart, Murong Ho bowed his head deeply and apologized.
“…I am sorry, Sister.”
After Murong Ho left murong Un-jeong, left alone, buried her face deeply with a sigh.
“…….”
A moment later.
As her hand opened the drawer a letter came out from inside.
It was the letter the Eldest Young Master had sent to her through Dong Ga-hyu.
When she unfolded the letter covered in fingerprints, its brief content filled her eyes.
‘I will surely help you.’
Her rough hand stroked that letter again and again fondling it over and over.
“…I want to hear the flute playing.”
Through the helmet, her tightly tied hair flowed down hiding her face.
* * *
“What did you say…?”
Murong Ho, who was standing by Murong Un-jeong’s side, stepped forward.
“What did you just babble?”
“Oh my.”
The chief of a certain tribe subjugated to the Yelu Tribe shrugged his shoulders.
“It seems your hearing has gone bad from living on the battlefield for so long.”
He said, spreading his hands.
“I am presenting a proposal overflowing with the mercy of His Highness the Terror King, as his envoy.”
“You bastard…!”
The envoy’s gaze ignored Murong Ho and directed toward Murong Un-jeong sitting in the seat of honor.
“Even now, offer the position of Grand General to the Terror King and kneel down.”
His voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd and echoed.
“If, as proof of that loyalty, you marry the Third Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family, our new ally,” he smiled, revealing his yellow teeth, his gaze directed toward the crowd.
“the name of the Murong Clan will never disappear from this north.”
“Of course, the troops of the Grand General’s Headquarters will naturally all be rightfully taken in by the Terror King.”
“You bastard…!”
Murong Ho’s shout rang out loudly, but whoever they were, not just him, dared not draw a sword against the Terror King’s envoy.
“…I heard the Third Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family visited the Yelu Tribe.”
“Has an alliance already been established?”
In the heavy air, only the whispers of the people in the crowd gradually boiled within the wide space.
“It is an absurd proposal.”
“…But even if we fight like this, is there no chance of winning?”
“This is the north. If the Terror King suppresses the north and merely pretends to show loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor, even the Imperial Court will have no choice but to accept him.”
“That is true, but…”
Murong Ho, filled with indignation, turned to Murong Un-jeong and shouted, it was the word of a brother who knew his sister’s heart.
“Sister! It is a proposal not even worth considering!”
“Refuse it immediately! Everyone in our military camp will fight to the end and die!”
“…….”
Murong Un-jeong’s mouth remained tightly shut and did not open.
She closed her eyes, thinking of the letter in her bosom.
“…Sister.”
Murong Ho’s face distorted in grief, and the smile on the envoy’s face deepened.
“…I.”
At last when her mouth opened after long deliberation, what was harbored in her eyes was only the pain of bitter regret.
“Of course, you accept, right?”
The Terror King’s envoy cut off her words, which did not easily follow.
“However, it is fine to make the decision after taking more time.”
He laughed boisterously.
“Because in the meantime, more tribes will kneel beneath our Yelu banner, and we will become richer and more powerful.”
Her lips twitched.
“I…”
Her hand, which touched the letter in her bosom one last time, moved slowly.
“……?”
Curiosity hung in the envoy’s eyes.
Because where her hand was reaching was where her sword lay.
“Surely—” before his words could finish, her voice flowed out.
“I am the Acting Patriarch of the Murong Family and the Regent of the Northern Grand General, commanded by His Majesty the Emperor to defend the north.”
Rising with her sword held, she looked down proudly at the envoy from beneath her helmet and said, along with the sighs flowing from the crowd, instantly, the envoy’s face turned red.
“the only place where I will meet the scoundrels who falsely claim kingship is the battlefield.”
“Foolish!”
“How foolish! How foolish!”
He shouted toward the crowd, he raised his hand and pointed a finger at Murong Un-jeong.
“before you even set foot on the battlefield, you will be isolated and wiped out by your allied tribes who knelt to the Terror King!”
“And you, wench, will eventually be dragged down from that position and attend to the Terror King’s bedchambers—” at that moment without any warning the ceiling shattered, and a black bolt of lightning fell.
*Crack!* the Terror King’s envoy could not even leave a scream; his bloated body was crushed, and he died instantly.
“I sent word ahead, but” a clear voice echoed.
At that voice deeply engraved in her memory, Murong Un-jeong’s eyes widened.
“for some reason, running with an urgent heart, I arrived before the letter.”
Receiving the sunlight streaming through the gaping hole in the ceiling the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, fluttering his black silk coat, smiled toward her.
“It has been a long time, Un-jeong.”
Chapter 04.
Heavenly Killing Star, End.
Chapter 05.
Northern Expedition.
Dulce bellum inexpertis.
War is only sweet to those who have not experienced it.
—Desiderius Erasmus
[Desiderius Erasmus, 1466.10.27.~1536.7.12.]