Back To The Front (1)

Seonu Yeonha stood before the mirror in her room, adorning herself.

She looked pretty and radiant enough to be satisfied, yet she couldn’t shake from her mind Zhuge Seoyul’s stunning beauty she’d just seen—and the vacant, bewitched faces of her brothers as they stared at her.

Crack!

She crushed the comb in her hand, grinding her teeth as she muttered.

“Hmph, just let me grow a little more….”

Yes—she hadn’t fully grown yet; that was the only reason she wasn’t as dazzling as Zhuge Seoyul. With a little more time, she would be every bit as beautiful.

Even now, people in Guizhou praised her as one of its noted beauties.

Just then, as Seonu Yeonha was soothing herself, voices of maids passing outside drifted in.

“Oh my, really?! The fourth young master was beaten by the third young master and got injured?”

“Right! That’s why the Third Madam is in an uproar!”

Seonu Yeonha froze in place.

“How is that possible? How could that pig of a young master do that?”

“I heard the fourth young master ran into the third’s hand by accident when he thrust it out?”

“Really?! Hee-hee! That must have been hilarious!”

“Want to know what’s funnier?”

“What, what?”

“The fourth was trying to impress Lady Zhuge, but he ended up fainting right in front of her!”

“What?! Ho-ho-ho-ho! That’s priceless!”

At that moment, Seonu Yeonha flung the door open.

Bang!

“Eek!”

“L-lady?!”

Fixing them with a frightening glare, Seonu Yeonha spoke.

“What did you just say? Brother Gi was struck and injured by Brother Jin? He fainted?”

The maids trembled and bowed their heads under the murderous look so unlike her usual demeanor.

“Y-yes, my lady. That’s correct.”

Seonu Yeonha ground her teeth.

Her furious eyes flashed dangerously.

“How dare they….”

Assigned a luxurious guest chamber in the Seonu estate, the Sword Phoenix Zhuge Seoyul handed a sealed letter to her roommate and friend, Hae Cheong-yeon, and said,

“Here—the file you asked for on the Seonu clan’s Third Young Master. I bought it from the nearby Hao Guild.”

“Got it, thanks. I’ll pay you back right away.”

At Hae Cheong-yeon’s level, toneless reply, Zhuge Seoyul snorted a laugh.

“Pay me back? Between us? Please. Anyway, why did you want data on that fat young master? I was honestly shocked. Who knew a martial family man could look like that? Did you see? His eyes looked like a straight line buried in flesh. Seriously.”

Hae Cheong-yeon answered in a detached voice,

“Yeah. I saw.”

Then she glanced at the doll she was fiddling with in her hands.

It was a round, plush bear—like a ball—with the eyes on its face drawn as a single straight line.

Catching sight of the doll, Zhuge Seoyul burst into a chuckle.

“Pff—come to think of it, he does look a bit like that doll you dote on. Don’t tell me that’s why you had me dig up information?”

Hae Cheong-yeon replied in the same indifferent tone,

“Hardly. It’s just that the move he showed when he knocked out the Fourth Young Master didn’t look ordinary. It made me curious about his past.”

“Hm? That one move? Wasn’t that just an accident?”

To her puzzled question, Hae Cheong-yeon kept reading the documents with an emotionless voice.

“Who knows.”

“Well… true. My cultivation’s higher, but your eye is keener. Still, is there any point paying attention to a pig who moves a little and then collapses from exhaustion?”

Receiving no answer—perhaps because her friend was focused on the papers—Zhuge Seoyul gave up.

“Fine. Even Great Hero Hae gave up on your eccentric curiosities. How could I hope to understand them?”

She watched her friend read intently, then suddenly asked again,

“I’ve always wondered—can you see the words even with your eyes covered like that?”

With bangs hanging almost to the middle of her nose, Hae Cheong-yeon’s eyes were completely hidden; she looked like she couldn’t possibly see.

But her answer came flat as ever.

“If I can see them, I can read them.”

Zhuge Seoyul knew that when Hae Cheong-yeon focused on one thing, she ignored everything else. Even so, unable to bear the silence, she spoke up again.

“When are you going to brush those bangs aside? I truly don’t get why you hide that face.”

Back came another level, counter-question.

“Would you like me to brush them aside?”

Zhuge Seoyul paused to think, then shook her head.

“No, I wouldn’t. I don’t want the attention on me split—and if you started getting more attention than I do, I might get jealous. That would be awful just to imagine.”

“Right? Then it’s settled.”

Satisfied with the conclusion, Zhuge Seoyul beamed and nodded.

“Good. I’m glad you don’t like attention. I’m really happy we’re friends, Cheong-yeon.”

For the first time, Hae Cheong-yeon turned her face toward her and answered,

“I like you too, Seoyul—especially because you’re not like a typical Zhuge clanswoman.”

Despite the plain tone, Zhuge Seoyul smiled brightly.

She knew such words rarely came from her singular friend.

At last came the day I was to depart the clan.

Outside the main gate, wandering swordsmen who would travel with me had been waiting since early morning.

Father explained they would escort me to the Yunnan Front, but anyone could tell they were also there to keep me from slipping away en route.

Those who came to see me off were few.

Aside from attendants, only Father and Yeonha.

“For the honor of the clan, I expect you to keep yourself well and render service.”

Father spoke with the same stern, authoritative face as before.

But now, it was easy for me to find concern and affection in his eyes.

So easy I wondered why I had never noticed.

“I shall surely bring honor to the clan and return to pay my respects.”

When I knelt and bowed deeply, Father only nodded.

The rims of his eyes were faintly red.

Next, I greeted Yeonha.

“Thank you, Yeonha—coming out so early in the morning to see me off.”

With a worried face, she said to me,

“No need to thank me, Brother. You’re heading far; of course I should. And this.”

She held out a small, neatly wrapped bundle.

“What’s this?”

“Rice balls. I made them for you to eat on the way.”

Startled, I asked,

“Rice balls? You made them yourself?”

“Yes—though I can’t promise how they taste.”

I smiled at her words and thanked her.

“Thank you, Yeonha. There’s no one like you. I’ll eat well.”

With that, I mounted the prepared horse, and we set out from the Seonu estate.

A short while later, once the clan was completely out of sight, I halted and dismounted.

One of the wanderers asked me,

“What is it, young master? It’s not time to rest yet.”

He was called Jang Gangseong, the leader of the hired men.

From his pinched expression, he seemed worried I would throw a tantrum and refuse to go on.

I told him firmly,

“From here to Yunnan, I will go on foot—running.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said I’ll run. And shed some fat while I’m at it.”

The wanderers gaped, speechless.

“N-now, hold on. H-how far do you think that is? With that body, you mean to run…?”

Their disbelief was understandable.

Very much so.

But the most urgent matter for me now was to lose weight.

No matter how many secret arts were in my head, if my body couldn’t execute them, it was just knowledge.

So I decided to run all the way to Yunnan.

On horseback, it would take a solid three days even without rest—if I ran….

Hm, not sure.

In any case, when I reached the front in my past life, all thirteen captains of the Flying Dragon Unit had stared at my body in horror.

Naturally, none of them wanted me in their squad.

Captain Seol Pung had laughed and taken me in—but I had no intention of repeating that shame in this life.

No. I absolutely could not.

Not only Captain Seol Pung—she would still be alive there as well.

“This time, I’ll make a good first impression on her. And then, this time—I will…!”

As I clenched my fist and burned with resolve, the leader of the wanderers—Warrior Jang—spoke to me with a strained face.

“Well… I respect your determination, young master. But we have a contract too. If your arrival is delayed, we lose money for the extra days, so we’d rather not….”

While he hemmed and hawed about his difficulties, I asked bluntly,

“How about my horse?”

Pointing at the animal I had been riding, I asked, and he blinked, uncomprehending.

“That horse? It’s a very fine horse. But why?”

“I’ll give it to you all. Even at a fair price, a horse of that quality would fetch quite a sum, wouldn’t it?”

The wanderers all turned to the horse at once.

Their eyes shone as they examined it.

It was one of the best horses in the estate, specially chosen by Father for me.

To anyone who knew horses, it would be worth whatever they asked.

So it was obvious what they were thinking—likely cheering inwardly at their windfall.

After staring at the horse a moment, Warrior Jang cleared his throat and spoke.

“At that level… yes, it would be worth the price.”

Only “worth the price”?

Well, I’d expected him to say that.

We’d part ways after this; it would profit them to gobble it up.

But after a brief hesitation, he sighed deeply and added,

“To speak plainly, young master—you seem not versed in horses. A horse like that could name its price. It’s far too much for our fee.”

“Oh?”

A very unexpected response.

I thought he’d be delighted to fleece me.

The other wanderers glared at him, as if to devour him for ruining a good thing.

I gave a wry smile.

It seemed I had misjudged him.

I had assumed, being a mercenary, he’d care only for money.

I cupped my fist to him solemnly and said,

“My apologies, Warrior Jang. It seems you’re far more honest than I thought. It’s an honor to travel with a man of such integrity.”

He looked even more startled at my praise.

“M-me? I only…”

“I know the horse’s value, too. Honestly, I’m giving it away because I won’t get full price for it at the front anyway. And if it remains mine, I fear my resolve to run might weaken. So—let’s call it mutual benefit. In return for the horse, may I ask your help smoothing our way on the journey?”

When I offered my hand, he looked at it for a moment, then dismounted to grip it firmly.

“Third Young Master, you’re nothing like the rumors. Understood. Since you’re paying dearly, we will do our utmost.”

And so my run began.

From Guiyang in Guizhou to Yunnan.

Even on horseback without rest, it was a three-day journey.

In my current state, it would surely be brutal.

But I was certain this run would be the nourishment that rebirthed me.

Yes—this life, I would be different.

Without fail!

Half a quarter-hour later…

I was face-down on the ground, vomiting.

“Bleeeergh!”

Warrior Jang patted my back with a pitying look and said,

“Young master… you’re not doing this because you don’t want to go, right?”

“How could you say—bleeergh!”

A little later, I got up again—only to collapse flat after not even half of half a quarter-hour.

The sky looked yellow.

“Hah… hah… hah….”

Seeing the horse I’d given them, the wanderers kept shooting it sidelong glances with pitying eyes—perhaps reconsidering if it was really worth that much.

I was mortified—but the pain outweighed the shame many times over; there was nothing I could do.

Just then, under the yellowing sky, a handkerchief appeared.

“Huh?”

Startled, I turned my head to see a young lady holding out a handkerchief to me.

It was the one who’d been with Lady Zhuge—the girl whose eyes were completely hidden by long bangs.

She said to me,

“Wipe your sweat.”

Her tone was flat, without rise or fall, but it somehow looked like her cheeks were flushed beneath her bangs.

…An illusion?

Either way, in that moment, shame overcame hardship. I forced myself up and said to her,

“Urgh! Lady Cheong-yeon. I’ve shown you a sorry sight.”

She asked in surprise,

“You… know me?”

I smiled awkwardly and answered,

“I heard Lady Zhuge call your name yesterday.”

“Ah. The memory, of course.”

Murmuring so, she offered the handkerchief again.

“Use it. I have several—just keep it.”

She held it out so matter-of-factly that refusing felt wrong.

On instinct, I took it and wiped my sweat.

Then she said again,

“Be strong. I’ll be cheering for you.”

With that, she spun and walked away.

It felt like something had swept past.

More a natural phenomenon than a person?

In any case, it was the first time in two lives a lady had handed me a handkerchief.

I felt… odd.

When she left, even the wanderers watching let out cheers.

“Ooh! Young Master Seonu! Impressive!”

“To receive a handkerchief from a lady who must be so beautiful—how enviable!”

Strange words.

If she’s beautiful, she’s beautiful—what’s “must be beautiful”?

Well, with half her face hidden, I couldn’t blame them.

Of course, it wasn’t what they thought.

I knew my place far too well to mistake that girl’s kindness.

How pitiful must I have looked.

She must be very kind.

“Still… I can’t deny my shoulders squared a little.”

Getting to puff my chest thanks to a lady—come to think of it, that feeling, too, was a first in two lives.

Suddenly energized, I sprang up and shouted boldly,

“Right! Let’s go again!”

The wanderers answered my fervor with shouts of their own.

“Ooooh!”

Of course, I didn’t last even half a quarter-hour this time either.

“Bleeeergh!”

Their faces now looked enlightened as they gazed up at the sky.

After many cycles of moving a little and resting a lot, we barely made it out of Guiyang by midday.

Seeing the wanderers’ barely suppressed irritation, I felt once again that giving them the horse had been a wise decision.

Warrior Jang shouted,

“Alright, let’s eat before we go! We’ll be dining outdoors quite often, I suspect!”

Mm. That sounded aimed at me.

Embarrassed, I turned away from them and opened the bundle Yeonha had given me.

Inside were small, neatly packed rice balls.