Surviving as the Villainess’s Servant in a Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 72

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

Episode 72

* * *

I had another strange dream.

At first, I thought it was a continuation of the previous dream, but it wasn’t.

This time the setting was different.

‘This place…’

Blood.

It was blood.

Corpses formed mountains and blood formed seas.

A man stood there.

I instinctively knew. It was that man. The man who sat in the cave, muttering self-deprecatingly about regretting everything.

Why was such a man here?

And holding a long sword dripping with blood. As if he was the mastermind behind all of this…

“Someone like you…”

Then I heard a voice from beside me.

It was a voice that was somehow familiar yet strange. Without realizing it, I turned my head, then gaped at the face I saw.

It was Pyeong Hyeon.

No, to be precise, I should say it was a ‘man who resembled Pyeong Hyeon.’

The man resembled Pyeong Hyeon so much that I thought this was what Pyeong Hyeon would look like if she grew up as a man.

While I was surprised, the man quietly continued speaking.

“I’ve never seen a murderer like you before.”

“…”

“You must have harmed many people until now. Where you passed, rivers of blood flowed, and countless corpses were piled beneath your feet. Just like now.”

“Shut up.”

Only then did the man open his mouth.

“They were all demons. They were evil people. Those who harmed others and were of no help to the world whatsoever…!”

“We are!”

The man who resembled Pyeong Hyeon shouted as if spitting blood.

“Are we also evil people? What crime did we commit to deserve this?”

“…”

“All we did was quietly hide and live! We didn’t interfere with the affairs of the Central Plains martial world and lived helping each other. But you slaughtered such people!”

“…”

“Who, who is the evil one? Those who were unjustly murdered while bearing the stigma of the Demon Cult? Or the murderer who killed innocent people blinded by prejudice?”

The man gradually stepped backward.

Somehow I could tell. The man was wavering.

“…No, no.”

“We didn’t even attack you. Even though we received news in advance that you were coming to harm us, we made no preparations and waited for you. Do you know why?”

“No…”

“Because I, foolish I, stopped them. Thinking you might understand if we talked openly. Thinking we could resolve it with words. I persuaded the others.”

“…”

“But you started killing people before we could even bring up the topic. Most of them probably died without knowing why. Because of me… Even Eom Father couldn’t do anything…”

I flinched and trembled.

It was partly because the story of Eom Father came from the mouth of the man who resembled Pyeong Hyeon, but more than anything, it was because he started shedding tears.

My heart was breaking. At the same time, it hurt as if it would tear apart.

What was this emotion? Was it pity, sadness? Or perhaps guilt…

‘Guilt?’

When I was feeling something strange. Suddenly the man who resembled Pyeong Hyeon moved his body.

He picked up a sword that had fallen on the ground. Then he turned the sword backward and aimed it at his own neck. He looked at the man again.

No, he… was looking at me.

For a moment, our eyes met.

Clear eyes that looked exactly like Pyeong Hyeon’s, those eyes were now gleaming with hatred.

When I unconsciously reached out my hand.

“I curse you.”

Slash—!

My vision turned bright red.

Along with my scream, the surrounding scenery was buried in darkness.

I sank into the nightmare once again.

As I felt my consciousness fading away, what I inadvertently realized was that this incident would make the ‘man’ regret terribly.

Truly, for a lifetime.

* * *

“Ah…!”

I quickly sat up.

My whole body was damp with sweat. I gasped for breath and thought.

‘…A dream?’

It was always like this when I had dreams.

I couldn’t remember the content at all. Wasn’t I frustrated about this last time too?

Moreover, this time the unpleasant feeling seemed to last longer. Why do I keep having strange dreams? And it seems like I only have them right before dying…

‘Right before dying?’

Suddenly I opened my eyes wide.

That’s right.

I died!

No, to be precise, I almost died.

I frantically searched for Young Miss and finally exhausted my strength and collapsed on the street. I felt life gradually draining from my body and thought this was truly the end.

“No!”

At that moment, I heard someone’s voice. The voice of a young girl.

‘A girl?’

Could it be.

‘…Young Miss?’

I quickly got up from where I was.

Could that voice have been Young Miss? Did I miraculously meet Young Miss? Did Young Miss… save me when I had collapsed?

‘Right now, I need to check right now.’

I need to find Young Miss. I need to confirm that Young Miss is safe…

Creak—.

Then someone opened the door and came in.

I quickly looked at that person. The small figure with a familiar face was…

‘…Ah.’

It was Pyeong Hyeon.

Unlike usual, Pyeong Hyeon had her hair tied up high and was coming in carrying a wooden basin.

I felt a strange disappointment. Right, there’s no way Young Miss would be here. I searched all of Hefei and she wasn’t anywhere. Such a miracle couldn’t happen…

‘Then where should I look for her now?’

When I raised my head feeling overwhelmed again.

Suddenly my eyes met with Pyeong Hyeon’s.

At the same time, I had another question.

‘…But why is she here?’

At that moment.

Thud!

The basin rolled on the ground.

I opened my eyes wide. Before I knew it, Pyeong Hyeon’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Uh, uh, uh…”

“Huh?”

“Older Sister-!”

Suddenly, Pyeong Hyeon rushed into my arms.

I instinctively spread my arms wide to catch Pyeong Hyeon. The impact made me fall back onto the bed chamber with a thud, but I was more concerned about the sobbing Pyeong Hyeon in my arms.

At the same time, Pyeong Hyeon’s resentful cry burst forth.

“Why did you only wake up now! Why…!”

“Pyeong Hyeon…”

“You said you’d definitely come back! You said if I waited just a little, you’d appear perfectly fine without any problems! Is that what you call perfectly fine? Being half-dead on the street is perfectly fine?”

“…”

“When I found Older Sister, I was, sob, I was so…”

As I comforted Pyeong Hyeon who finally burst into wailing tears, I belatedly realized.

‘That voice was Pyeong Hyeon’s.’

That made me feel even more sorry toward Pyeong Hyeon.

I had indeed said that before we parted. That I’d return perfectly fine. At the time, I thought I would, but in reality, hadn’t I nearly died?

And Pyeong Hyeon had even witnessed that state. I could imagine how shocked she must have been.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sob, really, you’re such a liar… I hate you, I really hate you…”

“I’m truly sorry. An accident happened in the middle… Well, pushing myself too hard was my fault. Considering the promise I made with you, I shouldn’t have done that. I really did wrong.”

“Huu, ugh…”

“Don’t be too sad. Okay? Do you really hate me that much?”

Pyeong Hyeon glared at me with sharp eyes. Then she buried her head back into my arms and mumbled.

“…I don’t hate you.”

I smiled faintly.

After that, I asked Pyeong Hyeon what had happened. I couldn’t understand how Pyeong Hyeon, who had parted from me in Nanling, had come all the way here to save me.

And listening to Pyeong Hyeon’s story, I was able to understand the situation. I was also quite surprised.

‘He arranged to keep receiving news about me…’

I never expected Eom Father to care about my safety to that extent.

I thought providing the carriage was already more than enough kindness, but to look after me even beyond that. My current healthy state must also be thanks to Eom Father’s treatment.

I must thank him properly when I see him again. As I was making this silent resolution.

Slam!

Just then, the person I’d been waiting for entered.

I turned my head and called out happily.

“Eom Father!”

But… Eom Father’s expression was strange.

I had expected him to immediately frown upon seeing me and shout ‘Hey, you brat!’ but instead of getting angry, he was staring at me intently with an odd expression.

He seemed flustered, happy, and shocked all at once. His eyes were strangely glistening…

‘What, what is it? Isn’t he angry?’

Just as I flinched and trembled.

“Hyeon-a!”

Suddenly Eom Father called out in a stern voice.

Unexpectedly, the target wasn’t me. Instead, he was looking at Pyeong Hyeon and speaking solemnly.

“How can you show such unseemly behavior while embracing that person? Get up immediately. That person is no longer someone you can act spoiled toward.”

“Eom Father, is Older Sister really…”

“Now, now, you must show proper respect!”

What? What respect?

I looked at the two of them in bewilderment. However, while I couldn’t understand even half of what was said, Pyeong Hyeon seemed to understand and reluctantly left my arms.

When Pyeong Hyeon stood demurely beside Eom Father, he turned to look at me again.

“I shall pay my respects.”

At the same time, Pyeong Hyeon and Eom Father knelt down.

My jaw dropped. What’s this, why are you doing this? They didn’t even stop there but proceeded to give me a deep bow!

‘No, why is this happening?’

As I was at a loss, a solemn voice reached me.

“I humbly pay my respects to the righteous and benevolent leader. This humble one’s name is Eom Ran. I am called the Thorn Flower Poison King, one of the Twelve Warrior Kings under Gwangjin-gyo, Eom Ran.”

“What?”

“And the person beside me is…”

What followed was an unbelievable statement.

“The only son of Lee Jin-won, the second son of the previous leader, Lee Sa-hyeon.”

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