Surviving as the Villainess’s Servant in a Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 47

 

We couldn’t move from that spot for a while.

 

The first to come to his senses was the Master.

 

“Everyone, gather around.”

 

The Master called together the remaining people.

 

“Now we shall scatter from here.”

 

People looked at the Master with surprised eyes. I was the same. However, the Master calmly took out a money pouch from his chest and continued speaking.

 

“Moving together in a group like before will only make us more conspicuous. And there’s no need for you all to take unnecessary risks. What they want is only the Seo Family, so they won’t chase after you.”

 

“….”

 

“Thank you all for following us well until now. This Master will not forget your hard work. If you ever face difficulties, seek out the nearest branch of Soseong Trading Company. We will do our best to help you.”

 

“….”

 

“I’ve prepared travel money here. I would be pleased if you would accept this as a small token of gratitude. Now, come forward one by one and take it.”

 

People murmured among themselves and couldn’t easily move. But once one person stepped forward first to receive the silver coins, soon everyone came out to take their silver coins.

 

People left one by one, two by two. Before long, the surroundings became empty.

 

The remaining people were the Master, Young Miss, and me. Only three people in total….

 

The Master looked at me and asked.

 

“Are you sure it’s alright for you not to go?”

 

Suddenly, I recalled the conversation I had with Young Miss in the secret passage. And also what Young Miss had tried to say at the end.

 

Perhaps, what Young Miss had tried to say then was—

 

‘Will you….’

 

Come with us?

 

“I….”

 

I glanced sideways toward Young Miss. As expected, Young Miss had been focusing on me from the beginning.

 

I smiled brightly and said.

 

“I will follow you both.”

 

“Will you be alright? It might be dangerous.”

 

“I’ll be fine. I’ve already experienced countless dangers. More importantly, didn’t I tell you before? That I would devote my loyalty to the Seo Family Estate for what you did for my mother.”

 

“But your mother is….”

 

The Master spoke with a pitying tone, but I shook my head. In truth, my real intention was a bit different.

 

‘The real reason is because of my promise with Young Miss.’

 

Young Miss had clearly said it. That she would stay by my side. That she wouldn’t leave me alone.

 

At that time, I received great comfort from hearing those words. At the same time, I made a resolution. If Young Miss intended to keep her promise to the end, then I too would not abandon Young Miss.

 

Now the only person I have left is… Young Miss.

 

“Anyway, I have nowhere else to go. If you’ll take me in, I’ll gladly follow.”

 

“….”

 

Whether he knew my feelings or not, the Master looked at me with a complicated expression. However, he soon shook his head and smiled bitterly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

I also smiled silently.

 

The three of us began climbing the mountain again.

 

The mountain path was treacherous. It was especially so since we were only traveling through places where no people went.

 

Perhaps because we had been fleeing continuously since the middle of the night, my joints ached and my whole body throbbed. However, I couldn’t show it. Not only the Master, but even Young Miss was just walking silently.

 

I don’t know how far we walked.

 

It seemed like we had come quite far, but also felt like we hadn’t come very far at all. My sense of time was becoming increasingly hazy, but surprisingly my mind was becoming more at ease.

 

‘Did we really shake them off?’

 

Perhaps we did.

 

They wouldn’t have been able to get out of the secret passage. They wouldn’t know where the passage led, and if they tried to search not just inside the Seo Family Estate but outside as well, it would take even more time.

 

We could use that time to escape. If we could safely get out of the mountain, buy horses at the nearest village, and reach the Gangseo Branch of Soseong Trading Company.

 

‘We can survive.’

 

Just as hope was beginning to raise its head.

 

Swoosh!

 

Suddenly, the sound of wind came from behind.

 

Without knowing it, I threw myself forward. It was instinct. A primal intuition that if I didn’t lie down immediately, my life would be in danger.

 

And my intuition was right.

 

Something that grazed over my head embedded itself in a tree. I felt goosebumps rise all over my body.

 

“…!”

 

It wasn’t because what was embedded in the tree was a sharp hidden weapon, nor because the area around the tree was turning black as if the hidden weapon had been coated with poison.

 

It was because I could hear multiple footsteps from behind.

 

I slowly turned around. Before we knew it, a black masked person was standing behind us.

 

Not just one, but three of them.

 

‘This is… dangerous.’

 

The aura of the masked people was extraordinary.

 

Each held a different weapon – one held a sword, one an iron mace, and one a chain whip. Moreover, they all had sharp glints in their eyes, suggesting they weren’t ordinary masters.

 

I wasn’t the only one who sensed this, as the Master stepped forward. He was already holding a long sword in his hand.

 

“Since you’ve come this far, I apologize for not going out to greet you earlier. May I ask your honored names and where you come from?”

 

“….”

 

“…I don’t know what you want, but surely shedding blood isn’t the only solution? If we talk openly, I’m sure we can find a point of agreement. Please tell me what you want.”

 

“….”

 

“Whether it’s wealth or power. Anything is fine. If it’s something I can grant, I’ll do everything in my power to grant it. Anything….”

 

The Master spoke earnestly while holding his sword in a defensive stance. However, the masked people didn’t answer. No, rather, they began approaching little by little, applying pressure.

 

A tense silence continued. The Master let out a sigh and spoke once more.

 

“I understand what you want. If you want this Master’s life, then take that as well.”

 

“….”

 

“However, I ask that you let the children go. Isn’t it the way of Jianghu not to oppress the weak? If you still have any human decency left, spare the children and end it with this one life.”

 

But still, the masked people gave no answer.

 

The Master closed his eyes tightly as if in despair.

 

“…If that is your answer.”

 

The Master’s eyes flashed open. Then he raised his horizontally held sword vertically, pointing it at the masked person. In an instant, the Master’s form disappeared.

 

“Let me learn a move from you!”

 

Clang-!

 

In an instant, sword met sword.

 

The Masked Man blocked the Master’s sword that had thrust toward his shoulder like lightning.

 

That was the beginning.

 

Using that single exchange as a starting point, the other Masked Man also rushed in.

 

Whoosh, clack!

 

As soon as the Master’s sword clashed with the Masked Man’s, he pulled his body back. At the same time, an iron mace flew toward the Master’s side.

 

The Master raised his sword diagonally and deflected the iron mace with the flat of his blade. Using the recoil, he spun his sword and immediately slashed toward his opponent’s wrist.

 

However, that attack came to nothing. A chain whip that shot out from the side wrapped around the Master’s wrist.

 

“…!”

 

The Master didn’t try to free the chain whip from his wrist. Instead, he threw his body in the direction the chain whip was pulling, disrupting his opponent’s stance.

 

As he rushed toward the vital point on his opponent’s chest, the chain whip naturally came loose.

 

In that moment, a sword and iron mace flew at him from both sides.

 

The Master first took a step forward and struck upward from below with his sword. Then he tilted his body in a semicircle to escape the iron mace’s trajectory, and immediately attacked his opponent’s abdomen.

 

All those movements flowed as naturally as water.

 

Suddenly, Namgung Jeong’s teachings came to mind.

 

“If we classify the sword techniques of each sect, they can be roughly divided into Strong Style, Heavy Style, Soft Style, Fast Style, and Illusion Style. Our Namgung Family pursues the Strong Style. The sword of Namgung subdues opponents in one strike with overwhelming power.”

 

“Then what about the Seo Family?”

 

“The Seo Family? Elder Brother’s sword is… Soft Style, I suppose.”

 

“Soft Style?”

 

“True to the name of the sword technique, it’s endlessly gentle.”

 

A single sword leisurely passes between three weapons.

 

Cutting, thrusting, swinging, and parrying. Techniques of different forms connect gracefully like a single organism, creating a great flow.

 

“Soyou Sword Technique. It’s the family martial arts passed down through generations of the Seo Family. In the past, when the Seo Family’s ancestor turned his back on Jianghu and went into the mountains, he created this sword technique after watching the flowing currents.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“He created it with the hope that this sword technique would not hurt or harm anyone. Thanks to that, when you first see the sword technique, it appears gentle but weak.”

 

“…”

 

“However, softness sometimes overcomes hardness, and weakness can defeat strength. Even without being particularly strong, the subtle principles that can defeat opponents are contained in each and every technique. If you underestimate it as weak, you’ll be defeated in an instant.”

 

Slash.

 

The Master’s blade cuts his opponent’s side. For a moment, I seemed to see Namgung Jeong’s smiling face.

 

“How is it? Quite a magnificent sword technique, isn’t it?”

 

The true value of the Soyou Sword Technique was now unfolding in the Master’s hands.

 

Indeed, softness overcomes hardness.

 

Even while facing three masters, the Master wasn’t pushed back at all.

 

No sharp technique could break the flexibly connecting techniques. Like cutting water with a blade, no matter how many killing moves they unleashed, he flowed them away majestically like a river.

 

‘But….’

 

What was causing this persistent uneasiness?

 

From what I could see, the difference in martial arts level between the Master and those men didn’t seem that great.

 

He was managing to hold on somehow using the mysteries of the Soyou Sword Technique, but even that would soon reach its limit. There were three of them, and the Master was alone.

 

I realized it too late.

 

‘Ah, if this continues, the Master will….’

 

At that moment.

 

Tak.

 

Someone grabbed my hand.

 

I raised my head. Just as I briefly met eyes with Young Miss, whose gaze was filled with determination.

 

“Go!”

 

An urgent shout rang out.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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