Mistaken for a Fairy
ch11

[Shaolin (1)]

It was a time of great peace.

The reign of an emperor renowned as a wise ruler covered the land, and with nearly a decade of bountiful harvests, even the common people were forgetting the meaning of the word "famine."

It was only natural that the authority of the court grew stronger. Third-rate thugs dared not set foot in the towns, and even famous sects hesitated to draw their swords in lands under the court's watchful eye.

Naturally, the military force was overflowing. Even the proud martial artists were praising the emperor's virtue, which was a testament to how peaceful the world had become.

However, historically, the eyes of rulers who stabilized empires always turned outward.

"Grand Scholar, your complexion is exceptionally radiant. Have you perhaps acquired some rare Spiritual Herbs?"

"Heh heh, does my complexion really look that good?"

The one who spoke was the Minister of War, responsible for military affairs, a crucial position overseeing the empire's military.

Standing before him was the Grand Scholar of the Hanlin Academy, the emperor's advisor and, as his childhood teacher, practically treated as a prime minister.

However, what was peculiar was that his appearance seemed to be that of someone barely twenty years old. Yet, no one found it strange. His pointed ears openly revealed that he was of the Azure Wood Clan.

It was said that their essence was different from humans, and they did not age even after hundreds of years.

The Grand Scholar quietly gazed at the night sky, tilting the cup in his hand. The smile on his lips was serene, but the meaning behind it was unfathomable.

"It is not that. His Majesty the Emperor values his wise officials and governs with virtue, so my loyalty naturally surges forth. However..."

"However?"

"You may or may not know, but I was once briefly involved in the Taoist sect. Although it has been decades since I left the mountain, I can still perform simple divinations."

"I am aware. Are you not a successor to the Nine Heavens Grand Scripture? At least, no one around me is unaware of your divine abilities."

At those words, the Grand Scholar nodded and pointed somewhere with his finger.

"The auspicious star that has been stuck in the east for decades has recently been strangely moving westward, little by little."

The Minister of War stared in the direction the Grand Scholar pointed. Indeed, a particularly bright star was floating as if sitting upright.

The Minister of War asked with a slightly nervous expression.

"...What does that mean?"

"Now that the Emperor has set his will, is it not natural that the heavens also move in accordance with that will? Soon, good news will come from the western border."

"Haha, hahahahaha!"

The Minister of War laughed loudly.

"Truly a joyous occasion!"

"So how could I not be happy? Now, let us toast."

The two cups clinked under the night sky, emitting a clear sound and releasing gentle laughter.

However—

Even the Grand Scholar did not know that the auspicious star would remain stuck above Henan, never moving even an inch.

* * * * *

Wi Hwa-ryeon quietly stared at the birds gathered before her. Because they were made from the souls of insignificant creatures, there was not much useful information, but she could still grasp the general terrain.

'The nearest village is six li away. Closer than I thought.'

'The valley is right next door. The water comes from there, and the mountain vegetables can be gathered from the forest below.'

'Perhaps because it's near the Shaolin Temple, the Spiritual Herbs are completely gone. Maybe I should be grateful that the herbalists don't come here.'

As Wi Hwa-ryeon organized the information in her head, she released the strength in her fingers, and the souls were all scattered at once.

Naturally, a breeze stirred, raising whitish dust. Wi Hwa-ryeon's sleeves also fluttered wildly.

'…These clothes are too big.'

It was because she had received Seo-yeon's old clothes instead of the rags she had been wearing. She had folded the sleeves and legs several times, but the hem still dragged on the ground. It was annoying to step on them every time she walked.

And that was not all. Ever since she had blurted out her true feelings while hungry, she had been forced to use childish language, which was driving her crazy.

If she had to do this for another ten years, she felt like she would actually regress into a child.

'This isn't some kind of doll play, what am I even doing?'

She couldn't help but sigh.

It was said that all peerless experts had some kind of eccentric side, and Seo-yeon seemed to be no exception.

Still, she should be grateful that this wasn't the worst possible situation. Well, maybe.

-A pleasant sight to behold.

Soon, Yuheon flew in, cutting through the sky. Wi Hwa-ryeon glared at him with sharp eyes.

When she thought about it, Yuheon was the culprit behind all of this. She didn't know if the term "annoying benefactor" could exist, but that was the best way to describe Yuheon.

"Yuheon, don't you have work to do?"

-Are you not a child? By staying by your side, I am alleviating my master's worries, which is my duty.

Wi Hwa-ryeon felt a throbbing in her temples.

"...If that's the case, then while you're here, please accompany me to the marketplace."

-What for?

"I'm going to buy a tent. It will take quite a long time to build a house, and we can't sleep on the ground forever."

-There's no need for that.

"Huh?"

-You will understand when you see it later. More importantly, there is something else I need to tell you.

Wi Hwa-ryeon followed Yuheon with a displeased expression. After flying in the air for a moment, Yuheon pointed beyond the mountain ridge. A certain point where a hazy energy lingered.

Even Wi Hwa-ryeon, who had a great talent for magic, could not detect it unless she concentrated. There was a faint boundary.

-That is the Myriad Illusion Disjunction Formation. It subtly distorts the terrain and obscures the principles, leading outsiders to the wrong places. Because I have permitted you, you can see the boundary, but most martial artists and diviners will not even notice that they are wandering around it.

Yuheon's wings then turned towards the opposite side of the mountain range. Beyond the majestic mountains that seemed to pierce the sky, in the direction where Shaolin, known as the beacon of the martial arts world, was located.

-However, Shaolin will be able to detect it. The abbot of Shaolin possesses the divine ability to see through the essence. In addition to them, those who are famous throughout the world will surely break through this formation.

Then, Yuheon's gaze turned to Wi Hwa-ryeon.

-At that time, what must you do?

It was an unexpected question.

However, Wi Hwa-ryeon grasped Yuheon's intention from that short question.

She instinctively understood that this was the real reason he had given her the Grand Yin Yang Pill. The perceptiveness she had honed in the Mount Mao Sect's succession dispute shone at this moment.

It did not mean to go out and fight.

Generally, the leaders of major sects do not personally greet guests. It would diminish their status.

Therefore, they usually had servants to handle the guidance and reception.

However, it was a position that served the head of a group. How could they be mere servants? They were the ones who first met the guests and conveyed the leader's intentions, and at the same time, they were the face of the sect.

Therefore, regardless of the sect, they prioritized individuals who possessed appearance, eloquence, and dignity for this role.

Seo-yeon was also a peerless expert. It was unimaginable that such a person would personally greet visitors.

Wi Hwa-ryeon took a light breath and opened her mouth.

"You mean that when the time comes, I should play that role."

-You understand me somewhat.

Yuheon slowly nodded.

-Good, that's all. Let's go back.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuheon once again cut through the air. Wi Hwa-ryeon silently followed behind him.

***

Without experience, building even a small hut could take several years. Someone who knew how to use tools could do it in a few months, but that was only if all the materials were nearby.

But what was the situation now?

She had to find all the building materials herself, and there were only two people.

That was why Wi Hwa-ryeon had concluded that it would take at least three months.

But she soon had to change her mind.

Swoosh—

As Seo-yeon waved her hand, a pine tree thicker than an adult male's torso fell in two pieces.

Wi Hwa-ryeon blinked and stared blankly at the scene.

It was a thickness that even a skilled lumberjack would have to strike dozens of times with all his might to make a dent. She had thought that she was simply going to estimate where to chop, but she had approached without any tools.

'…'

Wi Hwa-ryeon was also a descendant of a great clan, one of the best in the world when it came to magic. She could easily cut down a tree by infusing it with internal energy. But what Seo-yeon had done was on a completely different level.

There was no sign of strength in her hand. Not even a trace of internal energy was contained within.

Nevertheless, the tree was cut down like paper, so she couldn't help but be shocked.

Swoosh—

Once again, as her hand brushed past, another tree was cut smoothly as if it were paper. Baek-ho, who was next to her, quickly picked up the accumulating lumber and carried it away.

'…'

If she closed her eyes and opened them again, a pillar would be erected, and if she rubbed her eyes once and opened them, the framework would already be in place.

She had only cut and erected the trees, but there was not a single place where the angle was off. The vertical and horizontal lines were perfectly aligned, and the joints were tightly fitted together.

At that speed, she really wouldn't even need a day.

By turning the halved logs over so that the flat side faced up, the floor was completed. Every time Seo-yeon placed a wooden plank, she visually estimated even the slightest difference in height and then adjusted it with her fingertips. There was not a single creak on the logs that were stacked in this way.

Only then did Seo-yeon stop and approach Wi Hwa-ryeon.

"I'm thinking of making this your room."

"Do we...live together?"

"Of course."

With those words, she carefully placed her arm around Wi Hwa-ryeon's shoulder. At the same time, Wi Hwa-ryeon's body twitched slightly.

She seemed overjoyed to have her own room.

"..."

It was a reaction that was not appropriate for her age, but Seo-yeon understood. She must have lived her life watching other people's reactions since she was born. She probably wasn't even allowed to laugh freely.

Seo-yeon quietly continued.

"If there is anything you want, tell me. I won't interfere with anything you do in your room."

"I want to live separately, no...I'll tell you if I think of anything."

"Alright."

Seo-yeon did not miss the fact that Wi Hwa-ryeon's hands were tightly gripping her sleeves.

She had been feeding her well, but her arms, which were revealed beyond her sleeves, were still thin.

'I should take her out to eat today.'

Seo-yeon went back to work. This time it was the walls. After cutting the wood to a uniform thickness, she stacked the wall frames one by one from the bottom up. The planks, which were cut along the grain, were perfectly interlocked, leaving no room for even a breeze to seep through.

By the time the sun was at its zenith, the door frames were in place, and by the time the sun was setting, there was even an eave with a span of about one hand. It seemed that she had even considered the direction of the rainwater flowing along the eaves.

"Hoo."

Seo-yeon exhaled a long breath and wore a satisfied smile. Then, she quietly stroked the head of Baek-ho, who had been silently standing next to her. Baek-ho wagged his tail, as if he felt good.

Soon, Seo-yeon opened her mouth.

"Let's go down to the village."

Wi Hwa-ryeon, who had raised her head, asked back with a puzzled face.

"The village?"

"I don't want to have a simple meal on our first day. Now, let's go."

After saying that, Seo-yeon dusted off her clothes and stood up.