Mistaken for a Fairy
ch5

The moonlight was bright. The two siblings lay down in the cabin with subtle expressions. Seo-yeon had given up her bed, claiming she couldn't make guests sleep outside, and had gone out.

Tonight, Namgung Seolhwa would sleep in the bed. As siblings who were naturally prone to fighting, sleeping together in the narrow bed was out of the question.

"I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

Namgung Cheonghae was the first to speak. He lay on the floor, caressing the wooden sword he had received during the day with his fingertips.

He wanted to rush out and practice his martial arts right away.

He couldn't, knowing it would be impolite.

Namgung Cheonghae was one of the few direct descendants of the family. Although he had older sisters, he was the first son. Therefore, he had held countless treasured swords and handled swords crafted by master artisans.

The Azure Sky Sword hanging at his waist was one such example. It was a treasured sword forged from White Lotus Steel by a master craftsman second to none in Anhui Province.

However, it was no match for the wooden sword carved from ebony in his hand.

Though it was just wood, the edge was sharp. If it weren't for the handle, one wouldn't be able to tell whether it was a wooden sword or a real sword.

Did it take an hour to carve? He was so engrossed in watching that it might have been shorter.

Anyone who heard this would tell him not to talk nonsense. It was that unbelievable.

Namgung Cheonghae decided to borrow his sister's brilliance.

"Can you guess who she is?"

"Not at all."

Namgung Seolhwa shook her head immediately.

"At first, I thought she might be a hybrid of the Azure Wood Clan. Because her ears are rounded."

"An Ear Clan hiding in the Great Forest? I've heard that their hair colors vary, but don't they only use bows?"

"I was just saying. There's no race other than the Azure Wood Clan that can handle Nature Essence so naturally."

"So, what about now?"

"...I don't know."

Namgung Seolhwa was silent for a moment.

"Even in the Outer Lands or the Western Regions, such hair color is rare."

The only rumor she had heard about rare hair color was that the warriors of the Ice Palace had iris-colored hair.

But a light crimson color, so vivid like falling flower petals, was something she had never seen before.

The only possibility she could guess was that it was influenced by the Original Body Martial Arts she was practicing.

It might not be an appropriate example, but even the lackeys of the Blood Sect had their hair dyed blood-red due to the excessive manifestation of their Mind Skill.

Seo-yeon could be considered the same, with the energy of her divine skill manifesting in her body.

'Did she learn some kind of immortal's martial arts?'

Of course, it was just speculation.

Namgung Seolhwa raised her arm and slowly rotated her wooden sword.

The black blade shone coolly, absorbing the moonlight.

"Give me your sword. There's something I want to check."

"......"

"Hurry."

Namgung Cheonghae hesitated for a long time before handing his wooden sword to his sister. He had heard since childhood that a sword was just a tool, but still.

Namgung Cheonghae was now beginning to understand why martial artists risked their lives for priceless treasures.

"Look at this. The center of gravity is different between mine and yours."

Namgung Seolhwa held up the two wooden swords side by side.

They looked similar on the outside, but the difference was clear when held.

The flow of weight and the central axis were completely different.

Namgung Seolhwa scanned the two wooden swords with a look of renewed wonder.

Both siblings were right-handed swordsmen, but their methods of gripping the sword were slightly different. This was because the martial arts they had learned were different, and the directions they aimed for were different.

Namgung Cheonghae had mastered all the Iron Sword Ten Forms, and in addition, he had mastered the family's Azure Sky Boundless Sword to a higher level. Moreover, he had learned palm techniques, finger techniques, and even grappling techniques, without discriminating if he was interested.

Namgung Seolhwa was a little different. She had learned the Azure Sky Boundless Sword, but she later became absorbed in Intricate Gate Formation. Although they were inferior to the Zhuge Clan, the Namgung Clan was also a brain family that was well-versed in Intricate Gate Formation knowledge, which made it possible.

"How did she know?"

But all that history is contained in the wooden sword.

Namgung Cheonghae's sword, which walks the path of dominance, has a blade that is slightly tilted by half an inch, and the weight is concentrated inward so that the center is on the waist.

This naturally increases the speed when swung and reduces the turning radius, making it advantageous for continuous attacks or parries. It means that it is optimized for irregularly suppressing the opponent.

On the other hand, Namgung Seolhwa's sword, which walks through the formation, aims for balance and centripetal force, like a compass that pierces the flow of all directions.

The center of gravity is exactly in the middle, making the balance of movement excellent, and the direction change and fine manipulation are easy, making it suitable for fluid combat in formation. Moreover, the sword acts like a compass, making it possible to sense and adjust the flow of the formation.

This is a weapon that penetrates the user's training direction and is adjusted accordingly.

Looking around the entire world, the only people who can fully use this wooden sword are Namgung Cheonghae and Namgung Seolhwa.

"It's a fortunate encounter."

"It is a fortunate encounter."

The two people's eyes suddenly turned to the outside of the window.

They didn't know they would feel so sad that the time they could stay was short.

* * * * *

In her previous life, Seo-yeon was a person who always slept in on holidays. It was safe to say that she lived a life far from the so-called righteous life.

However, after being reincarnated, she strangely felt refreshed, and when the sun rose, she woke up naturally without any fatigue, so she had no choice but to live a diligent life.

But today was a little different.

As soon as she opened her eyes, a subtle fragrance tickled her nose.

When she turned her gaze, dozens of side dishes were neatly arranged on a small table—

And in front of it, the Namgung siblings were sitting neatly on their knees.

Namgung Seolhwa, who lowered her head, said in a calm voice.

"We carefully prepared these with ingredients procured early this morning from the main family. We have not yet grasped the deceased's eating habits, so we have included both vegetarian and meat dishes. If there is anything you do not want, please feel free to tell us."

Seo-yeon blinked her eyes in place.

'What is this?'

It was excessive and burdensome. That was Seo-yeon's natural disposition.

However, perhaps her silence caused a misunderstanding, Namgung Seolhwa asked cautiously.

"...Perhaps, does the deceased only eat raw food?"

Seo-yeon swallowed a deep sigh inside.

Even though Anhui Province was nearby, the distance from here to the Namgung Clan was at least 20 li. They must have rushed that far to carry the ingredients without even taking a bite of rice.

If she refused, she would become the worst trash in the world.

"Shall we eat together?"

"It's alright. We've already eaten."

That's a lie. Seo-yeon had that much sense.

"Let's eat together."

"......Yes."

At the short and firm words, Namgung Seolhwa lowered her head slightly and sat down.

If it was food touched by the hands of a prestigious family, it should definitely taste excellent. However, due to the strangely awkward and heavy atmosphere, she couldn't taste anything, and didn't know if it was going into her mouth or her nose.

Only the sound of the spoon touching the bowl was heard intermittently, and Seo-yeon, unable to bear it, opened her mouth.

"Is Namgung Gongja originally so taciturn?"

It was a word she blurted out as she thought of it because it was awkward.

But at those words, Namgung Cheonghae flinched and coughed slightly.

'Is she scolding me?'

Whether they were traveling separately or not, it was usually Namgung Seolhwa's role to open her mouth when the siblings were together.

There were three main reasons for this.

The first was that his sister was more intelligent, the second was that he thought it would be beneficial to act taciturn when he became the head of the family in the future, and the third was that he stepped back because he wanted his sister to stand out in this way.

Those reasons flashed through Namgung Cheonghae's head in an instant.

Of course, his behavior over the past few days had been a little different from usual.

It was closer to keeping his mouth shut for fear of making a mistake, as he had never met such a high-level expert before.

As he was wondering what to answer, Seo-yeon said in a soft voice.

"You don't have to answer, so please eat comfortably."

Seo-yeon swallowed the food forcefully and muttered in her heart.

She was doing something unlike herself. It only made it more awkward.

It was when Seo-yeon was thinking that.

"I am usually talkative."

Namgung Cheonghae suddenly opened his mouth.

"I also have a lot of playfulness, so I used to fight with my sisters for childish reasons and was often scolded by my mother. I was afraid that such an appearance would be seen as foolish, so I restrained my words and actions myself, but it seems that I have made you worry unnecessarily."

"......"

"Please, forgive my rudeness."

Rustle.

"Keuk!"

The water glass tilted. Namgung Cheonghae gulped down the cold water filled in the glass and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Namgung Seolhwa, who was next to him, looked at him with eyes as if he was crazy, but he didn't care.

'She is from another world.'

He feels a little better after drinking cold water.

She is a wise person who sees through the inside even if he acts out a false appearance, and at the same time, she is a warm person who worries that the martial arts student will be worried during the meal.

Namgung Cheonghae, who had made a decision, spoke with sincerity.

"I will now eat comfortably as usual. I will also talk a lot. I am sorry for causing you concern."

Then, he picked up the food with a much more comfortable face than before. Even in the process, he kept the etiquette flowing neatly.

-Are you really crazy?

Namgung Seolhwa hurriedly sent a telepathic message, but no answer came back.

Namgung Cheonghae was just eating rice with a calm expression.

Namgung Seolhwa felt a sense of frustration that made her feel a pain in the back of her head.

She didn't know that this crazy guy would really do it.

Suddenly gulping down cold water in front of a peerless master? Not drinking it elegantly, but gulping it down? And why is he suddenly listing his family affairs? Did he suddenly want to brag about how bad he is?

If he was going to do this, he should have done it at the beginning, why is he doing this on the last day?

Namgung Seolhwa put on a forced smile and slowly looked at Seo-yeon's face.

'What if she gets angry? What if she asks for the wooden sword back?'

Cold sweat ran down her spine.

Of course, it was right to return it, but it was too unfair to return the peerless weapon without even using it properly.

It was then that Seo-yeon's lips opened.

"Namgung Gongja."

Namgung Seolhwa's breath stopped.

Without realizing it, the hand holding the chopsticks also froze in the air.

And—

"You would do well even if you were in the military."

A moment of silence.

'Huh?'

Namgung Seolhwa looked at Seo-yeon with a dumbfounded face.

Suddenly the military? Is she being generous to the immaturity of a young student and telling her old origins? Or is she scolding me in a roundabout way?

It was such a sudden and unexpected remark that it was difficult for Namgung Seolhwa to grasp the inside.

Of course, Seo-yeon spoke as always without much thought.

'He's so neat, he'll do well even if he lives in the military.'

Seo-yeon thought that Namgung Cheonghae had relieved the awkward atmosphere by revealing his flaws. It was the same now. She is taking the lead in picking up the side dishes and eating them so that she doesn't have to look at her.

'The child is very smart.'

Only then was Seo-yeon able to concentrate on her meal.

Indeed, the rice she got from others was delicious.

*****

The day to leave came quickly. Seo-yeon sold everything she had to the Namgung Clan, leaving only a bundle to carry on her shoulder.

She had lived there for over ten years, but she didn't have much luggage. If she had been an ordinary commoner, she would have somehow received help from those around her and taken all of her possessions, but Seo-yeon didn't need to do that. If she needed a bed or a desk, she could just make them again.

Her money pouch was also full. She never thought she would see so much gold in her life, but it was all thanks to the Namgung Clan's generous valuation.

'With this much, I can buy most of the ingredients.'

She heard that the Paper Mulberry Wood from Tianzhu was so good, and with this much money, she could get it without difficulty.

Only the Namgung siblings were there to see her off. Namgung Se-In did not come. Instead, he left a message through his son.

"My father asked me to give you this."

"This is?"

What Namgung Cheonghae carefully handed over was a plaque neatly carved from Azure Jade. In the center, the word Namgung was engraved with unwavering angles.

"This is a plaque given to the family's benefactor. He said that he could not dare to put a price on the grace and precious items he received, so he conveyed his apology, saying that he wanted to repay it even in a small way."

Azure Jade is not an ordinary item. It is a precious jade used as a jewel in the treasures of prestigious families.

Even if you add up all the gold you have received so far, it was clear that it would not be worth just one of these.

While Seo-yeon was looking at the plaque without answering, Namgung Cheonghae bowed deeply.

"If you refuse, my sister and I will be in trouble. Please, accept it."

Seo-yeon's eyebrows twitched slightly.

It's the truth.

Judging from the Namgung Clan's appearance so far, they are people who will sincerely be in trouble. And that 'trouble' would far exceed the level that modern people can imagine.

She didn't want to get involved with such precious items, but Seo-yeon couldn't be a person who would put children who weren't even adults in trouble to protect herself.

Seo-yeon quietly nodded and put the Azure Jade plaque in her arms.

"If we ever meet again, I will return it to you then."

At that one word, Namgung Cheonghae's face brightened noticeably.

"Th, thank you!"

The master said she would see them again. It means that she will not regard them as just passing relationships. Just that alone made his heart feel heavy.

Namgung Cheonghae bowed deeply and respectfully. Namgung Seolhwa, who was next to him, also quietly lowered her head.

Seo-yeon watched the siblings for a while before moving her steps. The bundle on her shoulder felt particularly light.

Her destination is Henan.

It is where the Shaolin Temple is located.