Chapter 10: The favour of the unmanned is not easily erased.

My heart pounds.

It races like crazy.

When I was first sold to the cult.

When Noya gave me the martial arts manual.

When I formed my dantian.

Many moments made my heart race, but none like this.

Why?

Because Soso was mistreated?

Because that absurd nightmare consumed me?

I can’t say no, but those aren’t the main reasons.

‘Danger.’

My survival instincts scream.

Beware the ash-haired noble before me.

The uninvited guest asks.

“You. Who are you?”

Realizing he’s addressing her, Seo hesitates, unsure how to respond.

She doesn’t even know what he’s asking, and she doesn’t want to engage carelessly.

The guest mutters.

“Strange. Very strange.”

He steps closer.

The twins, watching, draw their swords, glaring murderously.

“You crazy punk, causing a scene in our front yard?”

“Come closer to our Boss, and I’ll cut your head off. Stay put.”

The guest scoffs, finding their threats laughable.

“Boss? So, that lowlife has something to her.”

He doesn’t stop.

The twins glance at each other, nod, and swing their swords, exuding cold yin energy.

The man, unimpressed, draws his sword, deflecting theirs.

The twins aren’t fazed; they didn’t expect the attack to land.

Baekran says.

“Last warning. You wouldn’t break Kyomakwan’s rules, would you?”

The guest grimaces, clicks his tongue, and sheathes his sword.

He turns toward his carriage, but—

Suddenly spins, throwing a small dagger at Seo.

– !

*

– Clang!

Thankfully, Baekak, beside her, deflects the dagger, and Seo is unharmed.

If he’d been farther or slower to react…

She wouldn’t have survived.

Despite nearly killing someone, the guest speaks calmly, cryptically.

“Not it… Guess I was too sensitive.”

Seo, realizing this, collapses weakly.

‘I… almost died…’

The twins rush to her, worried.

“Sis! You okay?!”

“Boss, you’re not hurt, right?! Really okay?!”

Seo nods weakly.

‘But what did he mean…?’

The twins, busy deflecting the dagger and worrying, didn’t hear, but Seo did.

After saying he was too sensitive, the noble muttered.

– As if she’d learned the main family’s heart method…

‘Main family? Heart method? Does he mean Foundation?’

The twins, checking her, confirm she’s unharmed.

Relieved, they charge at the guest.

As expected, he draws his sword, trading blows with them.

Seo watches intently, not missing a single move.

After a few exchanges, the guest sneers.

“What, don’t care about the rules now?”

“Shut up. I’ll rip your mouth off.”

“…”

Baekak hurls insults, while Baekran glares silently.

The guest laughs mockingly.

“Ha. Think you’re something?”

Then rages.

“Without Sim Soyul, you’re nothing but vermin!!”

‘Soyul?’

The other kid from the village, besides the twins.

She’s in closed-door training…

Seo pieces it together.

He has a grudge against Soyul, but she’s too strong, so he’s cowardly targeting her absence for revenge.

‘Despicable…’

As Seo curses him inwardly, the clash resumes.

She belatedly remembers the dagger in her robe.

The one she carried daily in the village, just in case.

She stopped after joining the cult, but a ‘bad feeling’ today made her tuck it back in.

‘If I see an opening…’

Even if he’s a master holding his own against the Silver Plaque twins, he can’t counter a surprise attack while fighting them.

As Seo grips the dagger, a thunderous shout echoes.

“Stop!!!”

The twins and the guest, locked in combat, sheathe their swords and turn toward the voice.

The shouter is the peak master who led the servants.

The imposing head instructor.

“Daring to swing swords at each other without a witness? Do the rules mean nothing?!”

Despite his fiery shout, the guest speaks calmly.

“I was insulted in person. See my servant there?”

The servant, who harassed Soso and was punched by Baekak.

Baekak shouts.

“That’s nonsense! Your servant slapped and yelled at my friend first!”

“Hmph. Lowly matters should stay among the lowly. You stepping in made it a matter of face, didn’t you know?”

As Baekak prepares to yell again, Baekran steps forward.

“True. But you crossed the line first, using a killing move on our person when it could’ve been settled.”

“You drew your swords first.”

“And you ignored our warning to back off.”

The twins and the guest glare, neither yielding.

The head instructor, watching, speaks.

“Both sides are at fault. Jinguk, even if insulted, is it right to use a killing move on a plain disciple?”

“My apologies. It was a mistake. I had no intent to kill.”

“Bullshit! That bastard aimed to kill from the start!”

“Baekak! Silence. The head instructor is speaking.”

At the sharp rebuke, Baekak steps back, face crumpled.

“Jinguk, two days confinement.”

“He tried to kill someone! Just two days?!”

“Silence! Dare to question me again? Baekak, you get two days confinement too.”

Baekak, about to argue, is stopped by Seo.

He steps back, face even more crumpled.

‘Two days confinement…’

For questioning the instructor and trying to kill a plain disciple’s life.

This isn’t the modern world.

Here, lives are weighed lightly by ability, a fact Seo knew well.

No need to feel hurt.

She’s weak now.

But she’s certain she’ll rise above this.

To avoid the strong’s disfavor, she nods quietly.

The head instructor, seeing her step in and the twins’ complaints stop, nods, satisfied.

“But this can’t end here. A martial artist’s grudges don’t vanish with my word.”

All eyes focus on him.

“In three days, under my supervision, settle your grudges in a sacred duel. Understood?”

No one dares object.

*

Jinguk, who attacked the twins’ quarters, returned to his lodging after confinement.

The twins’ strength surprised him, but what lingered most was the servant they called ‘Boss.’

‘Definitely the main family’s heart method.’

But a prodigy with that heart method couldn’t dodge a slow dagger?

Or didn’t need to?

‘Her expression seemed genuinely unaware.’

Recalling the moment, his conclusion remained the same.

It was subtle.

He kept thinking he’d misjudged, yet it nagged at him.

‘Am I too tired…?’

Perhaps secret meetings with the Sun God Palace, away from his family, made him overly sensitive.

If it keeps bothering him, he’ll check again.

Entering his chamber, Jinguk’s face hardened.

A wooden box and a note sat on his bed.

He checked the note, face stiff.

– Undefeated.

“They were watching…”

He tore the note in rage.

Grinding his teeth, the sound echoed.

He was displeased.

The declining Sun God Palace, unable to even name a cult leader, dared send a token, telling the young master of the Sword Clan, the Overlord Sword Sect, a pillar of the cult, not to lose to vermin like them?

Unacceptable.

Unacceptable.

Yet, Jinguk tucked the box into his robe.