Chapter 3 ….
Spherical (2)
Sensing that his plan had been disrupted by the presence of an unknown force, Seo-ryun quietly reached for the clothes she had left on the shore.
The bandit, perhaps sensing the unwelcome visitor, quickly withdrew his hand and gripped the iron club at his waist.
“I found this girl first. If you don’t want your head smashed, leave quietly.”
One of Seo-ryun’s eyebrows twitched briefly.
“What? ‘This girl’?”
Today, she would kill him with her own hands, no matter what.
By her nature, she might have already cut his throat without hesitation, but with witnesses present, she could not kill him outright.
“Selective killing.”
This was one of the core tenets of the Guisalmun, the sect she belonged to. Even if one killed, it must be done selectively—arbitrary killing was strictly forbidden. This principle traced back to the first Guisalmun master, Guisan.
Breaking this rule would result in the severing of one’s tongue and permanent loss of martial ability—a complete expulsion.
She couldn’t let all her years of hard work go to waste.
“Ha. It would be so simple if I could just kill them both.”
It had become troublesome. While killing was easy, killing selectively remained a difficult challenge for her.
As she pondered seriously, the bandit turned toward the mysterious opponent with a careless expression.
“Hoho, so it’s a woman. There’s an order, though—I’ll punish this woman first, then deal with you.”
He twirled the iron club in his hands, laughing boldly.
“A woman? That can’t be.”
The aura she sensed was unmistakably male.
Turning to confirm, she followed the source of the unusual energy with her eyes.
“……!”
Seeing his face, she immediately understood why the bandit had spoken as he did.
Under the moonlight, his face shone brilliantly, making it difficult to tell whether he was male or female. If he were a man, women in Goryeo would all long to be in his embrace; if he were a woman, he could topple kingdoms with her beauty.
His jet-black eyes, like black stones on a Go board, were deep and noble. His white skin and high, aquiline nose contrasted strikingly. Petal-shaped lips curled sensually. His smooth, imposing physique and the masculine scent he radiated proved that he was indeed a man.
Beauty was something to be admired over time.
How could she strike such a handsome man?
Lost in admiration, she barely reacted as the man, who had been at a distance, approached in a few steps and pressed a blade to the bandit’s neck.
“If you don’t want to die, step back quietly.”
His low voice carried authority—a deep resonance one might hear from a cave where one had been imprisoned for a hundred days, surviving only on mugwort and garlic.
“Hahaha. Not a woman, but a man… or perhaps some hermaphrodite? Whatever, it’s fine.”
The bandit licked his upper lip with his dark tongue like a snake, gripping his club with the intent to crush the man’s head.
The handsome man merely pressed the blade deeper, showing no sign of hesitation.
The aura he exuded was extraordinary. His eyes were calm, but the sword carried lethal intent.
That… he’s actually going to kill him!
No! He’s mine!
If she failed the final initiation of the killing sect again, she would have to wait endlessly until the next mission arrived.
She couldn’t let that happen. This was her chance.
Seo-ryun urgently stepped in front of the bandit.
“W-wait a moment!”
“Look at that.”
“Shut up.”
Thunk!
Her back leg lifted high and kicked the bandit standing behind her, striking precisely in the solar plexus.
“Ugh!”
Without time to retaliate, the bandit’s massive body flew backward with a death scream and splashed into the Dragon Spring.
Damn.
Seo-ryun quickly placed her foot back on the ground.
The man’s pupils widened at the sudden scene.
“……Who are you?”
Tying up her long hair, Seo-ryun answered calmly.
“Me? I haven’t even received a name yet. Because of you, I probably won’t get one now.”
She would only receive her name after completing the sect’s initiation; until then, she was still Seo-ryun, hidden from the world.
“Then… could you quietly leave now?”
Picking up the cloak she had left on the shore and draping it over herself, she made a near-threatening request.
At that moment, her hands were unprotected.
“You… you little—!”
The bandit, emerging from the water, charged like an angry boar.
Seo-ryun swiftly leaned backward, letting the club fly past her head. The motion was as graceful as a bamboo stalk bent by the wind.
As the bandit struggled to regain control of his swing…
Slash.
A heavy, thick sound of flesh being cut, and blood splattered in all directions.
The massive face that had glared at her fell to the ground.
Seo-ryun casually wiped the blood from her face and walked over to the man, questioning him.
“What did you do?”
“What do you mean… you?”
The man’s neatly set brows furrowed briefly.
“It was mine.”
“……What?”
“This. It was mine.”
Seo-ryun tapped the bandit at her feet.
The man let out a frustrated exhale.
“To think you can’t even thank the one who spared your life. Truly a brazen woman.”
“I could have handled this myself anyway.”
She had been waiting for this day. Every day, she even bathed—something she normally didn’t—just to be ready for the bandit’s appearance.
Now, she needed a different strategy.
Her eyes caught the hilt of his sword, decorated with a dragon’s head. Even she, usually indifferent to others’ weapons, recognized its value.
“If you at least put down that sword, I’ll let you go.”
If the sword matched the bandit’s wounds, she could claim she had killed him herself.
“Are you serious?”
“If you tell me where you live, I’ll return it—”
Before she could finish, he turned away. There was nothing more to discuss.
“H-hey! Wait! If you won’t lend the sword, at least come with me so I can explain—”
He had already vanished into the distant grass.
“Ha… maddening.”
Seo-ryun sighed, then bent over the bandit lying on the ground. Hoping he might still be alive and serve as a witness, she felt for his carotid artery.
It was cut. Cleanly.
Wrong…
Seo-ryun sank to the ground.
Her initial killing plan had been ruined. She would meet him again—and when she did…
And meet him she did.
By daylight, he looked different enough that she almost didn’t recognize him. Features that seemed sharp and masculine at night appeared delicate and elegant under the sun.
His blue silk robe, embroidered with clouds, contrasted with his white face, suggesting noble status.
“It’s you.”
He seemed to recognize her as well.
Seo-ryun stepped forward and aimed her sword at his jaw.
“This is all because of you.”
If not for him, she could have passed the initiation and left to find her father. She wouldn’t have had to marry that lecherous man.
“Seo-ryun!”
“Seol-yeon…?”
His expression changed subtly from before. He seemed to want to ask something, but it didn’t matter to Seo-ryun.
“I needed someone to vent my anger on anyway. Perfect timing. Draw that dragon-headed sword.”
Seo-ryun retrieved the sword from his neck and indicated his treasured weapon.
This confirmed that the owner of the sword that ruined her initial plan was none other than him.
Yu Won-seok’s eyes also fixed on the dragon-headed sword. He immediately sensed from the scabbard that there were likely others nearby.
“Seems you’re not alone.”
Yu Won-seok warned Seo-ryun, but she paid no attention, focusing entirely on her opponent.
“Is that sword just decorative? Draw it already.”
“The moment I draw this sword… you… will give up your life.”
“My life is no longer my own.”
Seo-ryun rushed at him immediately.
He leaned back smoothly, evading her attack. Whether he hadn’t drawn the sword on purpose or couldn’t yet, she seized the opportunity to strike relentlessly.
But wherever she aimed, he dodged slightly faster than her attacks. Even when she leaped to strike with both swords, he retreated just far enough to avoid them, as if teasing her.
Seo-ryun’s breath came faster.
Matching swords should tire both parties, but he only dodged, frustrating her and draining her energy.
She gathered all her strength to leap and cross her swords in midair.
He muttered leisurely:
“Cut like the spring breeze”
“……!”
