Chapter 5: I was watching everything.

“Gulp.”

Cheon Hye-rin swallowed a groan, stealing glances at the spectacle she couldn’t tear her eyes away from.

He was removing his top to show his wound, checking how much it had healed.

His body was still recovering, but his muscular physique clearly showed signs of training in battle.

Cheon Hye-rin swept a hand over her neck, her other hand unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes.

Her cold eyes wavered.

She told herself that she only wanted to check on his condition, but her gaze was subtly drawn to him.

A fleeting glance, and then another.

His upper body was covered in scars from various battles, some deeply gouged and unsightly, but Cheon Hye-rin knew that all of them were traces of the life he had lived and the days he had fought for her.

…Those deeply cut wounds. They were from trying to shield her.

The wounds that had pierced through him when he took the blade for her were now healing with new flesh.

She tried to look away, but her gaze kept being drawn back to him.

‘It’s just… to see the wound,’

She repeated inwardly, averting her gaze only to steal another glance at his body.

Her heart beat rapidly, and an unknown tension welled up inside her chest.

She kept trying to look away, but she found herself listening to his soft breathing and the faint rustling of his clothes.

Each time he moved his upper body, the subtle lines of his muscles were revealed, and the scene was so vivid that she couldn’t bear to turn away.

Cheon Hye-rin covered her face with her hands and lowered her head for a moment.

‘What on earth am I doing…’ She sighed softly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Her heart was filled with a tremor different from the excitement she felt on the battlefield.

Her chest pounded as if she were on the front lines, and her breath grew short.

When he briefly turned his gaze, the female general hastily looked away, pretending to be nonchalant as she sat beside him.

“Is there… something strange?”

He asked quietly, seemingly noticing her unease.

Cheon Hye-rin forced herself to look away, but paused as she watched him slowly put his top back on.

She was embarrassed by her own disappointment at his body being covered, and she lowered her head.

‘Why am I like this…??’

She pulled herself together again, trying to suppress the emotions that surged from deep within her.

However, when Yu Jin casually put his top back on and gave the female general a suspicious look, she became even more anxious, fearing that he would hear her pounding heart.

She simply replied with a smile, but that smile contained an undeniable tremor.

‘…The stimulation is more dangerous than I thought. I feel like I’m developing a strange taste…’
“…Is there something weird on my body?”

“No, it was too s*xy.”

“?!”

“1”

“No. I misspoke. Um… it was a truly, magnificent… that, that… attractive body. Show it to me again if there’s another chance.
No, it would be good to meet up regularly to check.”

“???”

She blurted out whatever came to mind, then cleared her throat repeatedly.

With an unusually serious voice.

“…My dear. Never show it to anyone else. Never.”

Dinner.
I was invited to a dinner party where all the elders and powerhouses had gathered.

‘…But it’s already irreversible.’

I have to take responsibility.

Each of them had at least one scar on their face.

Among them, some familiar faces stood out.

The countless powerhouses who had stood in the way of the protagonist in the game.

Among them, the most notorious figures were all sending me glances.

Some with interested eyes.

Some with suspicious, somewhat doubtful eyes.

‘…If it were at least Cheol Mu-san, he would take my side.’

Elder Cheol Mu-san was, in the setting, like a former father figure to the Sword Empress.

Now that I had risked my life for her, I shouldn’t be hated by him. If I was lucky, I might even get a chance to directly train in martial arts.

…The thought that he might become like a father-in-law later and split my head in two sent shivers down my spine.

Eh, there’s no way she’d really fall for me.

I don’t intend to seduce her either. There’s absolutely no way that will happen.

Right now, Cheon Hye-rin was just stunned that her life had been saved, so her emotions were a little shaken.

After a little time passes, she will definitely return to her original self.

‘…Anyway.’

It’s good that they’ve gathered since earlier.

I stared blankly at Cheon Hye-rin’s large chest and thought.

It’s been like that since earlier, though slightly, her condition is not normal.

Not in that way.

Her breathing is getting slightly heavier.

Information that no one can notice. Information that only I, who is right next to her, can know.

What is it.

Am I the only one in danger…?

–”Sect Leader. By the way, what reward have you decided to bestow?”

–”It would be best to give him a mystical medicine.”

–”His body is certainly sturdy, so the key will be whether he can absorb the mystical medicine well.”

…
–”How about the Hwan-dan Pill of the Five Great Families that we obtained this time?”

–”We did acquire quite a bit of Gong Cheong Seok-yu during this war…”

They were just starting to talk about the reward they would bestow upon me.

But it seems like it would be best to get up now.

Frankly speaking, it’s good to leave a good impression on the elders.

But I didn’t want to stay for long. I wasn’t at a level where I could withstand their ‘pressure’ yet.

At least, my body is used to this kind of thing, so I can somehow withstand their atmosphere. But I had a vague feeling that if the pressure was applied in earnest, I would feel sick to my stomach right away.

I can’t show such an unsightly appearance.

…Besides, I seem to be somewhat overrated. And to obtain at least the minimum level of strength that matches that, time was important.

I also had a limited-time free pass right now.

‘The important thing isn’t just the elders.’

I carefully got up from my seat.

“…My body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so I can’t eat. May I be excused and leave for a bit?”

“Since you even used the innate pure energy, it’s understandable.”

Innate pure energy.

It’s like a free pass in the Murim world.

With just this, I can avoid suspicion for the next few months even if I collapse from pain or leave my seat.

But…

Sword Empress, Cheon Hye-rin is.

Why… is she looking at me?

Just as I was trying to avoid her gaze with that thought.

Ma Roe.

Cheon Ho-joong.

He appeared in front of me.

“May I have a word with you two for a moment.”

The inscription engraved between the black clothes. A large build.

His hair is already snow-white.

But the gleam in his eyes is as sharp as a newly forged blade, and each of the engraved scars is as intense as if they were showing his seasoned experience.

“…You seem to be interested in the Sword Empress.”

Interested?

What interest.

At least, I’m not harboring romantic feelings… Ah, did I say that with my own mouth back then?

“I don’t know how you saw through it, but I was also aware that Cheon Hye-rin’s condition wasn’t good. The reason you got up quickly from your seat earlier must have been for that reason.”

“But in a place where subordinates and elders gather, for the sake of the Sword Empress… I didn’t know that you would refuse a mystical medicine that ordinary Murim people would only see once in their lives.”

…That’s because.

My body looked like it was in danger…?

Falling into the Murim. This game is always a game where you never know what will happen.

Moreover, a boss who was supposed to be captured, a boss who was impossible to capture, saw my bare body this morning and said she loved me or something.

She showed the ‘shortness of breath’ pattern that she showed every time.

Would I stay still?

I ran away so that the sparks wouldn’t fly again.

“And after investigating, I found out that you’ve been hiding your skills and jumping into the Demonic Cult so well. It was hard to find you.”

“1”
“1”

Hiding my skills? Me?

“At first, I was suspicious. I wondered if you were using a lure, or if you were plotting some scheme to achieve a grand ambition.”

“1”
“1”

“But at some point, I became certain. No, I should say that it would be strange if you weren’t.”
“1” “

His cold gaze made my legs tremble for no reason.

But I didn’t stop.

Now that I’ve already caught his eye.

I have no choice but to try to maintain my composure while holding my head high.

Ma Roe’s eyes, narrowed as they were, were directed at me.

“You hid it and kept it a secret. You gathered strength in preparation for any possible situation. There are even eyewitness accounts that you trained together every night. What is the reason why you desperately trained in martial arts like you were being chased?”
“1”
“1”

“The fruits of your labor that you obtained through such efforts. There are no Murim people who easily give them away, at least not in this place where the strong are respected.”
“1”
“1”

“At first, I was surprised by your meticulousness. But… it’s different now.”
“1”
“1”

“For Cheon Hye-rin. To unleash the martial arts that you had hidden and honed so much. To even use your last resort, innate pure energy.”
“1”
“1”

“You must be in love with the Sword Empress, is that not so?”

What the fck is this bullsit again.

“You don’t intend to answer. Even so, it’s useless. I’m already certain.”
“1”

“…Are you going to stop me?”

My head hurts.

But I have to say what I need to say.

I didn’t know what would happen if he misunderstood any more.

It would be a problem if ‘Ma Roe’ of all people blocked my path.

Ma Roe was that great of a figure.

It goes without saying that he’s incredibly strong.

I don’t know what kind of state I’ll be in if I get on his bad side.

Ma Roe wasn’t a normal crazy person in the story either.

However.

“…!!”

At that moment.

Ma Roe stopped talking.

Whether my words struck him deeply in his ears.

Ma Roe, who couldn’t help but admire, said with a chuckle.

“Ha… Hahaha!”

Ma Roe started laughing in the silence.

Beyond slowly shrugging his shoulders, he even started pounding his knees and burst into laughter.

“Did I dare to think that you had such feelings for the Sword Empress?”

“…What?”

“I am not your love rival. I certainly do not harbor such feelings for her, but…”

“Goodness, I’ve been had. I admit your ambition.”
“1”
“1”

“There has never been anyone who has shown such ambition against me, Ma Roe, until now.”
“1”
“1”

“The existence of Cheon Hye-rin must be that precious to you.”

“…That’s.”

Um, so.

I’m now… in front of someone who’s dozens of times stronger than me,

‘This woman is mine, so don’t even think about touching her.’ That’s what it’s become.

And, Ma Roe was impressed by that.

‘….I can’t take back the misunderstanding.’

Ma Roe, I realized after continuing to watch this person, is someone who only listens to the words he wants to hear once he hears them.

It can cause a fairly big misunderstanding, but…

I’ve already said something to Cheon Hye-rin, who is the person involved.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I reluctantly opened my mouth.

At least, even if I said that I didn’t love her here… he wouldn’t believe me.

“…That’s right. I am in love with the Sword Empress. She’s more precious than my life…- Please keep that in mind.”

“As I thought.”

I continued, putting my hand on my forehead with a very troubled look.

“…Haa, please keep it a secret. It’s clear that the Sword Empress would be troubled if she found out.”

“You’re still worried about the Sword Empress even now. Hehe, I wonder how captivated you are to the point that you value her much more than your own life just by looking at her.”

“I trained to do that… It’s natural. Does it look pathetic?”

“As a Murim person, it’s a foolish mindset, but… it’s a mindset befitting a great hero.”

With those words, Ma Roe, who seemed satisfied, laughed loudly and left his seat.

Hoo,

Did I get through it somehow.

I don’t know why, but he kept sticking to me persistently.

Certainly, um.

That was it.

But.

About 3 minutes ago, I said this monologue.

-Sword Empress, Cheon Hye-rin is.

-Why… is she looking at me?

As soon as the words ended, light came in through the crack in the door.

And there was a faint shadow there.

A familiar figure.

Cold sweat flowed automatically at the sight of it.

Uh.

No way, right?

Could it be that the misunderstanding has gotten even bigger….

“1”

As I rushed out the door.

Far away, her eyes wide as lanterns,

Thump!

The figure of Cheon Hye-rin, who slammed the door shut and disappeared, was seen.

It was clear that she had heard everything that had been said just beyond the door.

Is this……

Am I f*cked?