Mistaken for a Fairy
ch12

[Shaolin (2)]

"...I, I can walk alone."

"Is that so?"

Wi Hwa-ryeon carefully let go of Seo-yeon's hand and scurried ahead. To avoid making mistakes, she had to embody the demeanor of a servant even in her daily life. She had to start practicing now.

Seo-yeon, of course, didn't know her inner thoughts. She simply thought it was the childishness of a young child who was embarrassed to hold hands.

"Tell me anytime if you want to eat something."

"Yes."

How long had they been walking down the street? A faint embarrassment soon crossed Seo-yeon's face.

Perhaps because it was late, few inns were open. At this rate, they would have to return empty-handed.

Then, a luxurious six-story pavilion came into Seo-yeon's view. The lanterns brightly illuminated the surroundings even in the middle of the night, making it clear at a glance that it was no ordinary place.

"......"

Seo-yeon was lost in thought for a moment.

Looking back, she herself had never eaten properly in such a place. It would be more accurate to say that she had never even thought about it.

But now, there was nowhere else to go, and she had plenty of money given to her by the Namgung Clan. She thought it would be nice to give the child a memory, so it seemed okay to go there once.

The courtyard was wide, and luxurious carriages were neatly lined up. Everywhere, martial artists wearing weapons were guarding the area with disciplined postures.

Soon, someone who appeared to be a gatekeeper approached and blocked their path. He tried to stop Wi Hwa-ryeon at first, but paused when he saw Seo-yeon behind her. Although her attire was ordinary, the dignity she exuded was extraordinary.

'She's a high-ranking person.'

Thinking that it would be a big problem if he caused trouble with a careless mistake, the guard carefully opened his mouth.

"Excuse me, but what is your relationship with this child?"

Seeing him blocking them, it seemed it was a tavern, not an inn.

'I can't just say she's a child I'm raising. Guardian? That's ambiguous too.'

While Seo-yeon was pondering, Wi Hwa-ryeon stepped forward first.

"She is the person I serve."

Seo-yeon was about to say something but stopped. This child thinks she has to repay what she receives. If she stopped even such actions, saying it was burdensome, she would be at a loss internally. It seemed better to leave her be.

The guard nodded. If she was a servant, she could enter without issue.

"Please come in. They will guide you to an empty seat."

The inside of the tavern was bustling. As befitting a high-end tavern, even the guests on the first floor were all dressed with dignity.

As soon as they passed through the entrance, attention was immediately focused on them. An adult woman wearing a veil and a girl who didn't seem to be even ten years old. It was a combination that didn't suit the tavern.

But Wi Hwa-ryeon didn't care. Her posture was upright, and her steps were steady.

Right now, she was a servant. People usually judged the dignity of the master through the servant.

"Oh ho?"

"She looks young, but she has such a good posture."

"She seems to be from a family of high status."

"But this is the first floor. It seems that a daughter of a prestigious family has come out hiding her identity after a while."

"Haha. It's rare to find someone her age who hasn't done that."

Seo-yeon didn't like the attention pouring in from all directions. If she ignored it and had a meal, there were more than one or two people who seemed like they would come to their table at any moment.

Leaving the tavern was the best solution, but she didn't want to disappoint the child who was so full of expectations.

"Would you like to order?"

Perhaps because it was a high-end tavern, even the waiter had a handsome face. Seo-yeon pondered for a moment and quietly asked.

"Do you happen to have any rooms available upstairs?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. There is a room available on the top floor, but only those with confirmed identities can enter there."

It meant that not only money but also reputation was required.

It wasn't something that applied to Seo-yeon, who had lived in seclusion in the forest for decades, but it wasn't like there was no way at all.

'After all, he gave it to me to use at a time like this.'

Seo-yeon silently took out the Emblem from her bosom. It was the dark Azure Jade Emblem she had received from the Namgung siblings before.

"......!"

The air inside the tavern froze for a moment. Surprised gasps erupted from all directions. Wi Hwa-ryeon was the least affected, but even she had her eyes wide open.

"Is it perhaps insufficient?"

"Ah, no! Please wait a moment!"

The waiter hurriedly ran somewhere. Soon, a man with a dignified appearance appeared. He politely clasped his hands towards Seo-yeon.

"I will escort you to the upper floor. Please, this way."

While climbing the stairs, all kinds of gazes flowed down her back. If the gazes from just now were simple curiosity, now they were gazes mixed with vigilance and exploration.

"Could it be Sword Phoenix?"

"If it were Sword Phoenix, the Light Dragon would be right next to her. The siblings are famous for their good relationship."

"Then... could it be Divine Doctor?"

"Divine Doctor, their age and even gender is unknown, so it's not impossible."

"According to what I've heard, the Divine Doctor always keeps an assistant by their side. If it's the Divine Doctor, it makes sense that Sword Saint passed on the Emblem."

"It sounds plausible, but..."

"Hmph, if she wasn't covering her face, we could deduce something."

Seo-yeon thought it was a good thing she used the Emblem.

It was clear that eating in such a noisy place would not be good for the child's emotional well-being. It seemed a hundred times better to eat in a quiet place, even if it attracted attention for a while.

Soon, as they reached the upper floor, a splendid room appeared with a panoramic view of the night scenery of Henan.

"Please wait a moment, and I will prepare the table."

"I don't need alcohol."

"......Understood."

As the man stepped back, Seo-yeon turned to Wi Hwa-ryeon with a smile.

"Don't worry about the price, eat as much as you want."

"T, thank you."

"Okay."

Seeing her bright smiling face, she thought it was a good thing she brought her.

The table was quickly set.

It was a tavern directly managed by the country. Perhaps because of that, everything from start to finish was a high-end dish made with expensive and precious ingredients.

Seo-yeon clicked her tongue at the side dishes placed all around. She thought she might have to spend all the money she received from the Namgung Clan.

But it was already decided.

With the mindset of eating deliciously since she was eating anyway, Seo-yeon began to pick up the dishes.

And she didn't regret that choice.

'......It's delicious.'

She had never thought her cooking skills were lacking, but this was on a completely different level. The meat was, of course, excellent, and the seasoning of the fish dishes was amazing.

"You have to eat a lot to grow tall."

"......Yes."

Seo-yeon picked up her chopsticks, neatly removed the bones from the fish, and placed only the fine flesh on Wi Hwa-ryeon's plate.

Wi Hwa-ryeon, who was watching the scene, carefully put down her spoon and opened her mouth with a neat posture.

"I... I'm not sure what to call you."

There was a strange hesitation in her words. She seemed to be recalling the time when she encountered the martial artist at the entrance. Certainly, the words "the person I serve" seemed somewhat lacking and awkward.

She was too embarrassed to be called older sister or young lady, and the nuance of master was like that. Seo-yeon was the most normal, but it felt somewhat distant.

'Should I just let her call me her teacher?'

She thought she could act as a teacher and teach her carving at the same time.

Just as Seo-yeon, who had made up her mind, was about to open her mouth, someone opened the door and came in.

It was a beautifully dressed woman. Judging from her clothes, she seemed to be a dancer from a gisaeng house, but since it was originally a place used for entertaining high-ranking people, it wasn't too strange.

"Excuse me. May I check the Emblem for a moment?"

Seo-yeon nodded and handed the Emblem to the woman. The woman looked over the Emblem and said with a slightly surprised face.

"...It's genuine. It is an honor to serve a noble guest. May I ask for your esteemed name-."

At that moment, the woman's mouth closed.

It wasn't that she forgot what to say. It was because a telepathic message rang in her head.

-Shut your mouth, you wench. You have no manners at all.

It was clearly the voice of a young girl who wasn't even ten years old, but the True Qi contained within was so clear that it was breathtaking.

"......!"

The woman reflexively stared at Wi Hwa-ryeon. She knew she wasn't an ordinary servant, but she never imagined she would be a shaman.

-You look like a bunch of incompetent bastards who don't even know the basics. My master didn't say anything, but I can't stand it, Immediately remove the things hanging from the ceiling.

She was wearing clothes that were twice as big as her body, but no one laughed.

The energy surrounding her was like that. The furious energy of the shaman was drawing terrifying waves in the air.

-I will count to three from now on. Three, two, one.

The next moment, a coldness settled in Wi Hwa-ryeon's eyes. The woman, feeling a chill, hurriedly stood up.

"Immediately step bac-."

-Too late. You foolish thing.

The timbers supporting the ceiling wriggled like living snakes, then split like tentacles and wrapped around those hiding above.

Crack!

A chilling sound echoed from the ceiling. At the same time, a drop of blood fell right in front of the woman's nose. Her lips dried up on their own.

It was a misjudgment. A brief hesitation had led to irreversible consequences.

It was then.

"Hwa-ryeon."

Seo-yeon's calm voice rang out. Wi Hwa-ryeon's body flinched at that moment. The spell weakened, and the martial artists who were twisting and dying barely regained their breath.

"It's not polite to stare at people like that."

"......"

Seo-yeon's gaze was soft but sharp. Wi Hwa-ryeon quietly lowered her head and murmured.

"......I'm sorry."

"Okay, try this too. The cold dish is very delicious."

Wi Hwa-ryeon looked down at the cold meat dish placed on her spoon.

Soon, she looked back and forth between Seo-yeon, who was giving a faint smile, and the trembling woman, then sighed inwardly and picked up her spoon.

"Chew it thoroughly."

"......"

In the midst of a strange silence, Wi Hwa-ryeon sent a telepathic message without even looking back at the woman next to her.

-I didn't kill you out of respect for my master. Go back.

The woman bowed with a terrified face and stepped back. Her fear was conveyed in her steps as she trembled and left the room.

On the day Seo-yeon and Wi Hwa-ryeon enjoyed a sumptuous meal.

Many martial artists followed Seo-yeon's trail and climbed Mount Taishi, but in the end, they could not find her, who had vanished like smoke, and only wandered in the air.

Some even realized that they had crossed the mountain ridge and were standing in the wrong place when they came to their senses.

Soon, a strange rumor spread in Henan.

"Sword Saint's Emblem appeared in Cheonhyangru. The owner of the Emblem is Divine Doctor, who vanished like smoke at the foot of Mount Taishi after finishing her meal."

Since Cheonhyangru was a pavilion directly managed by the imperial court, there was no room to question the authenticity of the Emblem.

The Martial World naturally seethed.

Messengers cracked their whips and rushed in all directions, and carrier pigeons flew through the night sky. Overnight, dozens of secret letters spread to the great sects and clans.

Shaolin was no exception.