One cool autumn day,
An interesting rumor began to spread through the Jeongmu Academy.
“Did you hear about that?”
“About what?”
“You know that Dragon Face, right? They say he encountered a demon while on a mission this time.”
“A demon, you say?”
Initially, it was just a brief piece of information about Baek Woo Jin encountering a demon.
When the students heard about this, they clicked their tongues and talked about how he was such an unlucky guy. And how he first went missing for a month and now he ran into a demon.
But after a day, the rumor spread with more detailed content.
“They say that Dragon Face actually killed the demon.”
“How could that pretty face kill a demon?”
Everyone was skeptical.
It was true that his reputation had started to change somewhat after his duel with Gu Wang Soo, but it hadn’t changed enough for them to believe he could actually kill a demon.
The rumor continued to grow.
“They say he got seriously injured.”
“Oh no! His face isn’t hurt, is it?”
“That unlucky face of his should’ve been smashed.”
As people kept chattering, the story reached Baek Moo Hyeok and Shin Ye Hwa’s ears.
“B-Brother (Orabeoni), have you heard the rumor?” (TN: Orabeoni is like an ancient way of saying oppa)
“Yes… I heard that Woo Jin encountered a demon.”
“Th-They say he was seriously injured. What should we do?”
“I’m at loss here too. We don’t have any information on how or where he was injured.”
Shin Ye Hwa blamed herself again, thinking she should have gone with him.
“Aah, I’m really…”
She was extremely frustrated with the situation.
People often say that distance makes the heart grow distant, but for Shin Ye Hwa, it was the opposite. The longer she was apart from Baek Woo Jin, the more her worries grew in return.
It felt like leaving a child by the water, only to constantly wonder and worry about what he was doing in her absence.
“He’ll be fine.”
Baek Moo Hyeok lightly patted her shoulder.
“Yes…”
She wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, but her mood still didn’t improve.
The journey back to Hanzhong was smooth.
The bandits who had attacked them were long dead, and the remaining bandits were ones who could be negotiated with and who collected toll fees at a reasonable rate.
Baek Woo Jin’s routine had become very monotonous.
He would wake up in the morning, replace the liquor in the flask filled with the demonic stone as if he was watering flowers, and then receive treatment for his wounds from Jegal Yeon Ji.
In the evenings, he set up camp and had a sparring session with the mercenaries until dinner was ready.
After five days of this, they arrived at Hanzhong.
Baek Woo Jin handed out pouches full of silver to the mercenaries who had completed their mission.
“Young hero, what is this…?”
Seok Dae stepped forward and asked.
“It’s the reward I received for killing that demon. I divided it equally, so don’t compare and just take it.”
The mercenaries’ eyes widened in surprise. Even Seok Dae who usually showed little emotion was so shocked that he asked again in a trembling voice.
“B-But, why are you giving this to us?”
The mercenaries’ attacks were ineffective. Even though they swung their axes vigorously and thrust their spears fiercely, the Unbreakable demon evaded all of them.
In fact, the mercenaries’ contribution to subjugating the demon was almost zero. In reality, they should be grateful just to have survived the demon encounter even though they didn’t have any peak masters among their ranks.
“If you guys hadn’t bought me time, I wouldn’t have had the chance to finish it off.”
It was as if they killed it themselves.
When he spoke gruffly like that, the mercenaries rushed toward him.
“Hyung-niiiim!”
“Cut it out, who are you calling Hyung-nim!”
He smacked each one who swore their loyalty, and only then did the situation calm down.
Most of the mercenaries left with words of gratitude, and it was time for the two to return to the academy.
“Thank you so much.”
An Se Ha clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.
“If it weren’t for young hero Baek and Miss Jegal, I might have died there too.”
Thank you so much for saving me.
Jegal Yeon Ji waved off the overwhelming gratitude, and Baek Woo Jin smiled before grabbing An Se Ha’s shoulder to help him up.
“Next time, just send me some good liquor or good herbs, and we’ll call it even.”
“Haha! I’ll search all over the central plains to send you the best!”
After forming a small relationship with the merchant guild master, Baek Woo Jin led Jegal Yeon Ji out of the merchant guild.
“You did well, Miss Jegal.”
“N-No…. Young master Baek did more….”
Jegal Yeon Ji’s fingers fidgeted nervously as she spoke.
Having spent quite a long time with her, he had come to understand her behavior to some extent.
“Are you embarrassed?”
“Th-that is…, being praised by someone….”
“Is this the first time…?”
“Y-yes…, hic.”
She was about to cry again.
Baek Woo Jin was already used to it and he gently patted her head.
“Don’t cry, let’s just go back.”
After saying that, he turned around and Jegal Yeon Ji reached out with both hands and held tightly to Baek Woo Jin’s hand that had been on her head.
“Uh, um….”
It seemed she had something to say, as she hesitated for a long time without letting go of his hand.
Baek Woo Jin waited for her. He knew that, given her personality, it took a lot of thinking for her to say even a single word to someone.
When a passerby from afar was about to walk past them, her lips finally parted.
“C-Can I greet you… at the academy?!”
For such a simple request it took her so long. Baek Woo Jin couldn’t help but laugh and he unknowingly grasped her hand tightly.
“Let’s be friends from today, Miss Jegal.”
“Y-Yes, hehe…!”
Her bright smile was like a flower bud about to bloom beautifully.
…
When they returned to the academy, Baek Woo Jin couldn’t hide his surprise.
“Woo Jiiiiin!”
“Woo Jin-ah!”
Shin Ye Hwa and Baek Moo Hyeok came running toward him.
How did those two know he was returning now and come out to meet him?
“Are you okay? You’re hurt… you are hurt!”
“Y-Your arm….”
Seeing his arm and shoulder in a splint and bandages, the two began to make a fuss.
“Ah, it’s not a serious injury, so don’t worry.”
When Baek Woo Jin spoke, a strong smell of alcohol wafted from him.
“Hey, Baek Woo Jin! How can you drink when you’re injured?!”
When Shin Ye Hwa placed her hands on her waist and panted, her chest heaved noticeably.
Baek Woo Jin who was lost in a daze as he stared at her was jolted back to reality when Jegal Yeon Ji jabbed him in the side. He quickly regained his composure and looked into the distance as he spoke.
“It was just medicinal liquor, just medicinal liquor.”
“You, really…!”
As she was about to retort, Baek Woo Jin stretched out his hand and shouted loudly.
“Stop being overprotective!”
“S-Stop!”
Jegal Yeon Ji also unintentionally repeated his words.
“H-Huh?”
Baek Moo Hyeok and Shin Ye Hwa were confused at first but they finally noticed her presence.
“Woo Jin-ah, this young lady is…?”
“This is Jegal Yeon Ji, who accompanied me on the mission.”
Baek Woo Jin gently pushed her forward.
“H-Hello! I-I’m Jegal Yeon Ji….”
“Ah! So you’re Miss Jegal. You’ve been through a lot. Are you hurt anywhere…?”
“N-No….”
Feeling shy, Jegal Yeon Ji hid behind Baek Woo Jin after saying that.
“Haha, you two seem to have become quite close.”
Baek Woo Jin nodded his head with an awkward expression.
“Well, we did become friends.”
Though it was a problem that she was still a friend whose true feelings were unclear.
“Friends…?”
Shin Ye Hwa who had been watching everything looked at the two with a slightly dazed expression on her face.
It was a little… no, very strange.
Until now, she had been the only one who could be called Baek Woo Jin’s friend, so hearing him introduce someone else as his friend felt very unfamiliar and strange to her.
“Miss Jegal, please come out.”
“Yes….”
Baek Woo Jin’s voice which was usually bright was also low and unfamiliar.
Without realizing it, Shin Ye Hwa approached Jegal Yeon Ji and spoke to her.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Jegal.”
“N-Nice to meet you….”
“I’m Shin Ye Hwa, Woo Jin’s childhood friend.”
“Yes….”
And her quiet answer was followed by even quieter words.
“I know.”
Though it seemed inaudible to the Baek brothers, Shin Ye Hwa heard those words very clearly.
She met Jegal Yeon Ji’s eyes with a puzzled expression on her face.
And the latter’s eyes that were peeking through her long bangs were intently focused on Shin Ye Hwa. Her current gaze didn’t match her shy tone.
At that moment, when their intense gazes met, Shin Ye Hwa’s intuition as a woman sounded an alarm.
Something about this woman seemed off.
“You….”
Just as Shin Ye Hwa was about to say something, Jegal Yeon Ji quickly hid behind Baek Woo Jin with a shocked look on her face.
“What’s going on? Why are you acting like that?”
Baek Woo Jin turned around with a puzzled expression and asked her. Jegal Yeon Ji stood on hrt tiptoes and whispered something into his ear.
“It’s hard to talk to them for long because they’re strangers…?”
When Jegal Yeon Ji nodded her head shyly, Baek Woo Jin let out a wry smile.
“She’s very shy, so please try to understand.”
“Haha, I guess we should see each other often so she could get used to us.”
“…….”
While Baek Moo Hyeok answered as if he understood, Shin Ye Hwa silently observed Jegal Yeon Ji.
When their eyes met, Jegal Yeon Ji let out a soft giggle and hid behind Baek Woo Jin’s back even more. This only made Shin Ye Hwa feel dizzy.
What on earth is it with this woman?
Just a moment ago, she had been staring at her intently and now she was suddenly acting all shy?
And what was with her clinging so tightly to Baek Woo Jin’s clothes with the excuse of being shy?
At that moment, a thought crossed her mind.
Could it be this woman….she likes Woo Jin?
As she watched the two of them more, her suspicions turned into certainty.
It was clear.
That woman was aiming for Baek Woo Jin.
Shin Ye Hwa’s gaze toward Jegal Yeon Ji became slightly sharper.
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