759 – 9. There is not a single day when this does not happen (8)
The legend behind ‘Cheongeomjiro (天劍之路)’ was simple.
A long time ago, the ‘hero’ who defeated Delphire buried the ‘Heavenly Sword’ and worried about the future. It was because I knew that Delphirem would return someday.
However, if you are born as a mortal, you cannot live for thousands of years.
Therefore, the hero entrusted maintenance to one of his disciples. He left a will to stay at ‘Cheongeomsan (天劍山)’ and wait for the time when he would need the Heavenly Sword.
The organization that was born from this was ‘Sword Circle’.
“It was once called ‘Geowon (劍園).’ However, before I knew it, the name ‘Sword Circle’ became more famous.”
The owner of the low voice was ‘Great Master’.
She was an old woman with an impressive cape with countless scratches, and unlike other instructors, she was a swordsman whose calm spirit gave the impression of being even sharper. So much so that the imagination of clashing swords comes naturally.
What are the odds of winning?
Half? It might have been a little higher than that. First of all, considering the fact that I was the ‘Master’, it was a very surprising guess.
Even if all three of the remaining instructors attack me, there is absolutely no chance of them defeating me.
This was not a realm of probability or possibility. The clear truth told by his intuition as a ‘master’ was that even if the hundreds of disciples gathered on the mountainside joined together, the result would not be different.
Still, I don’t feel confident that I can overpower this one old woman.
The fighting spirit of a swordsman tickled and scratched his chest. A couple of times my hand reached the handle of the sword without realizing it, but then I realized it was rude and took it back.
The tone of the old woman’s voice as she walked briskly was still calm.
“The passage of time is so indifferent. Thousands of years have taken our names away… Nevertheless, there is one fact that does not change.”
The road led to a remote place on the mountainside.
The procession was simple. My group, including myself, the instructors led by the great instructor, and several instructors from the sword circle who would assist us were just walking around.
Among them, there is one woman who monopolizes all eyes.
It was a girl with gray hair who introduced herself as ’empty’. I looked at her again several times, wondering if I was mistaken by her overly cold attitude, but no matter how I looked, it was the ‘Seria’ I knew.
The most decisive evidence was senior Delphine’s reaction.
As soon as he saw Seria, Delphine looked excited at her, curling up the corner of her mouth. Should I say that she looks like a wild beast that has found its prey?
It was an expression she only showed towards her younger sister.
Actually, the person involved will not be happy at all.
It was fortunate that Seria didn’t even pay attention to us.
“This is the tradition of ‘Cheongeomjiro (天劍之路)’.”
“Grandmaster Elder.”
Those were my first words as I followed in silence.
At first, I was worried about how to address him, but since he was an acquaintance of ‘Geomgong’, I decided to follow the courtesy accordingly. After meeting her face to face, I realized that she was a talented person who deserved to be treated with respect.
Still, there was something else I wanted to ask.
“By any chance, passing the instructors’ exam is part of the ‘Cheongeomjiji’?”
“It’s just as you said.”
“Is this a presumptuous thing to say…? ….”
I was speechless at this point. This was because the question could seem arrogant.
This is why I had to use the most cautious tone possible.
“If it’s a test involving force, I don’t think I need to take it.”
Stand tall.
The instructors who had been silently following the Great Master stopped. And one by one, the hollow gazes are directed at me.
This is why I didn’t want to talk about it.
I clicked my tongue inwardly, but since the water had already been spilled, I decided to wait for an answer. Before I knew it, the old woman’s kind eyes were looking at me.
It didn’t take long for the Great Master to smile softly.
“…… “Yes, it looks like it.”
It was a refreshing recognition.
Then, as the Great Master began to walk again, the three remaining Masters also turned their gazes away again. Although there seemed to be a bit of disapproval left behind.
“Did you say you were that man’s student?”
“If it is a story about an elderly swordsman, then that is correct. There is one more teacher……..”
“You look exactly like him when he was young.”
The young days of ‘Swordsmith’.
I heard many adventure stories, but I couldn’t remember what a swordsman at that time would have looked like. However, there was a rumor that I also picked up a few times.
“I heard that the old man, Geomgong, had a beautiful appearance in his old days.”
“hehehe, even to that point.”
When I spoke with an awkward smile, the old woman smiled kindly.
“I mean, I look like that guy…” “A confident look, and even a slightly impatient look.”
It was an intelligence that seemed to have a bone in it. So, silence for now.
It wasn’t long before it was proven that my prediction was not wrong.
“There is no need to think too hastily. “To be recognized by instructors means to pass the ‘Three Crowns’ test.”
“Three crowns… “What do you mean?”
“It refers to the three gateways located on the road leading to the top of Cheongeomsan Mountain. They are called the crowns of ‘Kwae,’ ‘Change,’ and ‘Jung,’ respectively.”
After passing the bridge on the cliff and passing through the small forest, the destination was peeking out.
Two exotic wooden buildings with tile roofs.
It was difficult to read the scrawled signboard. Like the architectural style, the letters may also be used from a long time ago.
“There, you will learn the swords of Heavenly Sword Mountain one by one. “A long time ago, the swordsmanship that a ‘hero’ gave to our progenitor, entrusting him with the Heavenly Sword.”
Indeed, it meant that force was not that important.
In that case, it made sense to me to get recognition from the instructors. Among the hundreds of members of the sword circle, if one were to receive the title of ‘instructor’, it would mean that one was at the stage of mastery in swordsmanship.
I still have one question left.
How was Seria, who had only been in the mountain for a few months, able to obtain the name of ‘instructor’?
I would gradually find out about this as well. It was around this time that I organized my thoughts.
“You will be tired today, so rest here. If you have time, you can look around Cheongeomsan Mountain… hehehe, how many guests have you had?”
The old woman waved her hand and turned away, as if she had just introduced the accommodation.
The Sword Circle instructors also followed suit. It seemed that the only people left here were our group and a few practitioners who would help us with our lives.
Still, there are people I can’t let go like this.
I turned around and shouted the name of one of those leaving.
“Seria!”
They don’t even pretend. As if he had truly forgotten his name.
Even though it may not be possible.
I had to naturally chase Seria and follow her steps.
“Seria, Seria… wait for a sec!”
Just before my hand grabbed Seria’s arm.
Tap.
A pure white hand harshly slapped my hand away. It’s a somewhat stinging, resolute refusal.
The girl’s blue eyes finally turned to me and were as quiet as a lake in the middle of winter.
“I’ll say it again, I am the ’empty’ instructor.”
I burst out laughing at that stubborn lie. The tone is so outrageous.
“What kind of name is that? You are ‘Seria Yurdina’… ….”
“Master Gong.”
But how could I withstand my junior’s persistence?
From the beginning, Seria had a tendency to be impossible to control once activated. We had been apart for too long to argue now.
So, with a slight sigh, I surrender.
“Okay, okay. Master Gong… “Let’s talk for a moment.”
“I don’t really have anything I want to talk about.”
“I have it. And you are an instructor… If you are an instructor, you should faithfully respond to questions from trainees, right?”
Is it because there weren’t many counterarguments to my argument?
In the end, Seria turned her gaze away without saying a word, but she did not take her steps again. Even though he still seemed indifferent to me.
For me, it was an extremely unfair treatment.
“Seri… ….”
“Master Gong.”
“Yes, Master Gong. “Why on earth are you doing this?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Even though I asked her outright questions, she continued to ignore me, and I felt so frustrated that I wanted to hit her in the chest. In the end, I had to take a moment to moisten my lips with saliva and calm down.
The question and answer continues again.
“Why are you pretending not to know? Is it perhaps because of Heavenly Sword Mountain’s rules?”
“You can’t say you know someone you don’t know.”
“But at least you can show it off! How much have I worried about you all these years…… !”
“…… Worry?”
Tap.
It was then that the woman’s indifferent eyes turned towards me. Her eyes resemble jewels that settle into my heart like blue spear blades.
It was a color that did not even feel an inch of warmth. Has Ceria lost her feelings in the meantime?
Even her lips gave an unrealistic impression.
“I don’t know why you are worried about strangers, but… Still, let me say something.”
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At the same time, the woman’s body gently leans towards me.
This has happened before. Every time, I hesitated and then carefully hugged Seria, who buried her face in my arms.
Not anymore. Because Ceria just whispered in my ear.
“Forget it.”
“…… Forget it?”
“Yes.”
Without any hesitation, the woman gave advice again in a low tone.
“Just like I did… That is the only way to reach the Heavenly Sword.”
That’s the end.
When she came to her senses, Seria had already turned her back. Because there is no hesitation in those shaky steps.
I could only stare blankly at her back, at a loss for words. Until soft warmth touches my side.
The name of the woman who had already wrapped her arms around my neck was ‘Delphine Jurdina.’
“How was it, Sir?”
“…… What did it look like?”
“He looked like a man who got dumped by his ex-lover.”
It was an assessment that could not be refuted.
hehehe, I let out a deep sigh and washed my face dry a couple of times. It was because I had no idea that I would receive such a resolute rejection from Seria.
The emotional impact is bound to be great.
The proof was that even the complaints that came out of my mouth were grumbling.
“Has Ceria really forgotten me…? ….”
“Hmm, okay?”
At the same time, our eyes focused on Seria’s back. It was difficult to find any trace of regret in his gait as he was just leaving the yard and entering the beginning of the forest path.
It looks like he has literally completely forgotten me.
In the end, my shoulders were about to slump in dejection.
“I have to find out about that now.”
“What do you mean… ….”
Before I could even ask, Delphine narrowed her eyes once.
“…… Whoop!”
I started feeling nauseous out of nowhere.
It was a performance I had already seen once. When was the last time it was revealed that it wasn’t true, and why is it happening again?
I couldn’t understand it, so I had no choice but to make a stupid expression. Until Delphine took a deep breath and smiled sadly.
“I’m sorry, it’s been a while since I was born, so it’s a little…” ….”
And then he wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead.
The acting was so realistic that it wouldn’t be strange if it were taken to a theater company right away. However, I couldn’t figure out the intention, so I was about to ask what kind of prank it was.
“Evil!”
My gaze immediately shifted to a small scream coming from somewhere. The place of origin was the beginning of the forest road, or to be more precise, Seria.
Did I not see a tree branch while walking down the road?
Ceria, who hit her head, was crying and rubbing her forehead. Then, she came out and tried to steal a glance at senior Delphine, but when her eyes met, she was startled and looked straight ahead.
“…… ?”
She didn’t even ask what was happening, but Ceria was picking up her gibberish excuses with her face red.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Nothing… ….”
And then, Seria takes a stumbling step.
In the end, after going through the humiliation of hitting her head on a tree branch one more time and collapsing, she was able to disappear from us.
It was around that time that my eyes turned blankly towards Delphine. Delphine senior at that time, yes.
“I knew it would be like this.”
He was smiling.
It’s as if he can’t stand it because he’s so happy.
It was the first day at Cheongeomsan Mountain.