A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel – Chapter 24

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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“What are you doing here, commander?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? I was gazing at the holy land.”

The holy land.

I looked at the barely visible tip of the tower on the horizon.

The holy land.

The reason we fight.

I crouched down next to the commander and bit into a piece of dried meat.

“Give me one too.”

“Didn’t you already receive your rations, Commander? Stop being so gluttonous.”

“You stingy bastard. Is this how I raised you?”

“Didn’t you say that one should make sure to secure their own rations? And when did you raise me?”

“Tsk… The young ones have no respect.”

Respect? As if.

I just stared ahead, chewing on the tasteless dried meat.

At this rate, my teeth will break.

“This dried meat is harder than a rock.”

“Put it between your molars and chew.”

“To think I have to use my molars just to eat a piece of dried meat…”

We chewed on the dried meat while gazing at the holy land. It was quite a common occurrence. The commander would sit and blankly stare at the holy land whenever it was visible, and I would quietly sit next to him and engage in small talk.

A moment of peace in a battlefield where I had swallowed more blood than water…

Peace…

It’s too soon to talk about peace when hell lies ahead.

I lowered my gaze.

Numerous traces of broken weapons and corpses. The corpses of both sides were entangled in a messy heap.

How many died this time?

Hundreds? Thousands?

Judging by the sight filling my vision… perhaps over ten thousand died in this battle.

It was an intense battle. Even the reinforcements that came to help were not spared, and we too…

We too?

“Kid, is it livable over there?”

“Anywhere is more livable than a battlefield.”

“Indeed, you’re right. Anywhere would be better than a battlefield… I’m glad.”

I heard chuckling sounds beside me.

A familiar and longed-for voice.

My armor feels heavy.

“But it seems I’m about to get involved in another war.”

“Try to make good use of what I taught you. At least this time, you won’t have to stand on the front lines, right?”

“Well…”

Since all I learned was charging.

I got up from my seat and turned around.

And I began to walk. Away from the battlefield.

“Kid, remember just one thing. No matter where we are, we must uphold the duties of a knight. Protecting the weak, honoring chivalry, and the enemy…”

“Ah, I know. I know…”

That’s more than one thing.

I walked forward, half-listening to the commander’s nagging.

Straight towards the endless horizon.

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“…Was it a dream?”

I don’t remember the details well, but it seemed to be a dream I longed for.

Rubbing my eyes, I sat up on the bed and stretched. Judging by the chirping of birds, it must be morning. Let’s loosen up my body first.

I got up from the bed, took a few steps forward, and started some simple stretches.

To be honest, doing this isn’t necessary since a single meditation session would loosen up my body, but it helps with my mood, so I usually stretch as soon as I wake up.

The people here seem to do their breathing exercises as soon as they wake up.

Well, since this place revolves around internal energy, unlike ours, it can’t be helped.

My way is closer to external techniques with internal energy sprinkled on top…

After finishing my stretches, I sat cross-legged on the bed. A martial artist can’t skip meditation, after all.

I closed my eyes and looked inward.

The mana core, which had grown in size thanks to the elixir, greeted me.

This is why everyone seeks elixirs.

If eating a hundred-year-old Polygonatum odoratum had this effect, what would happen if I ate something like thousand-year-old Polygonatum odoratum or Azure Essence Oil, the staples of martial arts novels…

The mana core might become as big as a watermelon.

At that point, even if I carelessly draw out aura, the aura wouldn’t run out.

…It’s time to focus.

How much time passed? I opened my eyes and got up, my body full of vitality.

Let’s wash up and pack my things.

It’s time to leave Haenam Island.

I left the room and headed towards the well. On the way to the well, I occasionally saw the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect moving busily. Some of them had bandages, so I guess there are still people who haven’t fully recovered from their injuries.

It would be better for them to rest with such bodies.

…No.

Why should I worry about that? I need to wash up quickly. I quickened my slowed pace and headed to the well. There weren’t many people at the well.

Is it because it’s a well on the outskirts?

Or did I wake up a bit late?

Tilting my head, I drew water from the well and poured it over my body. Then I added some vinegar I had prepared earlier to the water and poured it over my head.

Since there’s no soap or shampoo, I have to do this much at least.

After pouring water a few more times like that and wiping my body with a cloth I brought, I opened my mouth, sensing a gaze from somewhere.

“Hye-ryeong.”

“Ah, th-th-that’s… I didn’t intend to look on purpose, it was just a coincidence? An accident? Something like that, so…”

Why are you so flustered?

I looked at Hye-ryeong, who was waving her hands in a flustered manner while speaking incoherently. Hye-ryeong seemed to have finished her preparations for departure, dressed neatly unlike usual.

Even if she dresses like that, a few uses of qinggong will mess it all up.

Come to think of it, female martial artists must have a hard time.

Even if they dress up and put on makeup, if they run a bit, they have to rearrange it all and run again…

“Why are you so flustered?”

“A man and a woman should not sit together after the age of seven!”

What are you talking about?

And that’s not the right situation to use that phrase… is it?

I looked at Hye-ryeong, who suddenly stretched out her hands and shouted, with a dumbfounded expression. What in the world is she doing? I asked Hye-ryeong.

“Since you came to find me, I guess you’re all prepared?”

“Yes, yes! Ah, we’re just waiting for Uncle…”

Does that mean they’re waiting for me? I should go back quickly.

“Then go ahead and wait first. I’ll be there soon.”

“Ah, Uncle! Your top! You didn’t put on your top!”

Ah, so that’s why she was flustered. I put on my top and headed to my room.

It was time to leave Haenam Island.

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“You’re all here.”

As soon as I arrived in front of the main training hall, the Sect Leader spoke those words.

It seemed I was the last one after all. I stood at the far left and looked at him.

The Sect Leader coughed once and immediately began to speak.

“From now on, you will be heading to the Wulin Alliance in Hubei. This is not only to deliver a letter in person but also for the Haenam Sword Sect to attend an annual event held by the Wulin Alliance.

Do you understand?”

An annual event.

Come to think of it, in the original work, the Wulin Alliance did all sorts of things, perhaps because the author couldn’t think of the next event and wanted to drag out the time.

The Yongbong Assembly, martial arts competitions, joint training, meetings to discuss the affairs of the martial arts world… and festivals.

When a scene appeared where the Wulin Alliance directly hosted a festival, my head hurt a little.

But will they proceed with it even after the demon cult has appeared?

The news has been delivered much earlier compared to in the original work.

…Considering the original work, it might be possible.

“Yes!”

“And… Hajin.”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

“This time, you will lead the children as the person in charge. Although Elder Baek will accompany you, remember that you are the one leading the children.”

“Yes! I will keep that in mind!”

“And Hagyeong, Hye-ryeong.”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

“Yes! Sect Leader!”

The voices of Hye-ryeong and an unfamiliar man echoed through the training hall. I listened to those voices blankly and suddenly recalled that they were all direct disciples of the Sect Leader.

“You have the important task of interacting with the young disciples of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families, so please carry it out well.”

“Leave it to us!”

“I’ll make sure to become close with them!”

“And Sir William…”

The Sect Leader trailed off and made eye contact with me. Eyes filled with goodwill and concern.

He stroked his beard fluttering in the wind and opened his mouth.

“The Central Plains is different from Haenam Island. Here, there is relatively frequent interaction with outsiders, so even Sir William, a Westerner, was accepted without issue, but… in the Central Plains, there will be many people who will not show favoritism.”

…That’s true.

Even if it’s inside a martial arts novel written in Korea, it’s still China.

It was obvious that there would be a strong sense of Sinocentrism.

Haenam Island was practically a frontier close to a foreign martial arts world, so there was no issue, but the mainland of the Central Plains would probably be different.

I might encounter many annoying bastards.

But still… if I crush them all, they will obediently submit. By the standards here, I’m also at the supreme level.

I’m not at a level where I’ll get beaten up wherever I go.

A supreme expert in the martial arts world is a level that everyone acknowledges.

“I understand.”

“But I believe you will overcome any difficulties that come your way. Aren’t you the valiant martial artist who charged alone towards those demon cult bastards? Although I don’t think there’s a need for you to go that far…”

“Even if they don’t favour me, it won’t be as bad as the demon cult attacking. And, as a martial artist, one must broaden their horizons.”

I need to go to the Wulin Alliance to reap benefits.

“Hoho. I see.”

The Sect Leader let out a pleasant laugh at my answer.

“However, don’t let your guard down too much. The mainland of the Central Plains is a place full of monsters.”

Monsters.

I nodded, pondering the Sect Leader’s words.

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Then, let us all depart.”

“Yes!”

The voices of the martial artists selected for the delegation echoed through the training hall.

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