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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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I considered taking her to a room, but decided the backyard was better.
Leaving her there, I went inside and returned with warm tea and some sweets Yohan had made, placing them before the waiting Sword Saint.
“Since our conversation might take a while, why don’t we enjoy some refreshments?”
“You’re always so thoughtful. Thank you. I’ll gladly accept.”
She delicately held the teacup with both hands and took a sip, then cut a piece of the soft confection and popped it into her mouth.
The way she chewed, small bites at a time, reminded me of a small animal, but the person before me was one of the top ten strongest individuals in the world.
One deeply wounded, at that.
I observed her for a moment, sipped my tea, and then spoke.
“You said you had something to ask me? What is it?”
“How did you do it?”
She asked abruptly. How did I do what?
As I looked at her questioningly, she continued, gazing at me with her deep eyes.
“Seomhwa Village is developing.”
“Ah, well, it wasn’t anything special.”
It truly wasn’t. I’d simply followed the standard base development strategies from Heavenly Bright Moon:
improve public order, enhance the quality of produced goods, collaborate with the government, and increase both the quantity and quality of soldiers.
It was straight out of the beginner’s guide to base reinforcement on the Heavenly Bright Moon forum.
“It couldn’t have been easy…”
“It wasn’t impossible.”
“How did you manage it? The cost couldn’t have been insignificant…”
“Money can be earned.”
Honestly, earning money wasn’t difficult. I had ample starting capital, along with knowledge and information to leverage. The advantage of knowing about undeveloped areas was particularly profitable.
My current operations were limited to this region, but by Part 3, with access to the northern part of the empire, acquiring more resources and funds wouldn’t be an issue.
“…Impressive.”
“I think you’re the impressive one, Sword Saint. If you used your power, what I’m doing would be nothing.”
“Haha. That’s not quite true. Even with strength, there’s a limit to what one person can do. Especially me…”
She raised her hand – small and white.
“All I know how to do is wield a sword.”
Silence fell. I watched her, taking another sip of my tea.
“That’s right. All I can do is that. I can’t do anything else, and I don’t know anything else,”
she said, her voice trembling. She was looking at me, but her gaze seemed focused on something beyond me.
“Do you know the essential qualities required to lead a sect?”
“Strong power, isn’t it?”
“That’s true. But it’s not the only thing. The ability to read the situation, the leadership to guide everyone, the ruthlessness to earn respect, the judgment to make sacrifices for the sect, the resourcefulness to provide for those who rely on you. And…”
The Sword Saint casually listed the qualities of an ideal leader, seemingly envisioning a celestial standard. By the time I finished my tea, she had clenched her fists on the table.
“I only possess one of those.”
“I know.”
The Sword Saint looked dejected. I wished she’d wait until I finished.
“But what does that matter? No one is perfect. The reason people form groups is because one person can’t save the world alone. Isn’t it the same with maintaining and developing Hong Seong-mun? Especially now, Hong Seong-mun has…exceptional disciples.”
“…That’s true.”
A faint smile, the first genuine one I’d seen, touched the Sword Saint’s face. Though tinged with bitterness, it also held pride.
Pride in the disciples she had gathered, who had chosen her.
“Bringing them together, leading them… that’s no small feat.”
“…I always feel sorry for my disciples…for everyone. That someone like me became the sect leader…”
“Sword Saint. That’s arrogance, and it’s your own perception.”
“…”
“The Hong Seong-mun disciples I know don’t think that way. To some, you were salvation, a light, a miracle.”
Yes. To Sayun, the Sword Saint was salvation, a light, and a miracle.
After Hong Seong-mun’s destruction in the original timeline, it was the light the Sword Saint had shown that allowed Sayun to overcome hardship and adversity.
Even though I’d altered the prologue to prevent the sect’s destruction, the Sword Saint remained an important figure to Sa-yun.
My firm words made the Sword Saint stare at me with wide eyes.
“…Haha. Is that so?”
Her voice regained a little strength. Perhaps she had been contemplating this herself. So, I affirmed it for her.
“Yes. It is.”
“Hmm. It seems you’ve become quite close with my disciples.”
“I’m trying to build a good relationship with them. We’re all in the same boat, after all.”
“Haha… I’ve heard you’ve been helping them out a lot.”
The Sword Saint chuckled softly, taking a sip of tea to moisten her lips.
Silence fell again. I felt it was time to change the subject.
“That’s true. Anyway… is that why you came? To commend me for developing Seomhwa Village?”
“That’s part of it… but I was also curious how you managed to achieve so much. I tried to do the same once…”
Most of her attempts to contribute to Hong Seong-mun had failed. She wanted to help through force, upholding Hong Seong’s will, but thanks to Mount Hongseong, monsters rarely appeared.
The village was too insignificant to attract bandits, and even when they did, the government guards handled them.
Martial artists also avoided the area due to Hong Seong-mun’s presence, leaving the Sword Saint with little to do.
The plans her master had made, the plans her Senior Disciple had deemed feasible… she couldn’t realize any of them.
Everything had crumbled. Because of her Senior Disciple, who had killed everyone in the sect.
Because of herself, who had killed her Senior Disciple. Everything her master had envisioned for Hong Seong-mun had turned to dust.
“How about being active outside like Hong-ryeon?”
The Sword Saint shook her head.
“The greater my reputation becomes, the greater the burden on Hong-ryeon.”
There was a reason for the saying,
“Better the devil you know.”
The Sword Saint was arguably the strongest among past Hong Seong-mun sect leaders, at least in terms of martial arts.
If she actively built her reputation, it would inevitably lead to comparisons when Hong-ryeon became the sect leader, placing an undue burden on her.
So, she had chosen seclusion with that in mind?
“Of course, I’ll go out if absolutely necessary. I’d like to do whatever I can. But… that would be as Na Ye-rin, disciple of Hong Seong-mun, not as its sect leader.”
The Sword Saint hung her head dejectedly, her shoulders slumped, her figure shrinking. Who would look at this small, despondent woman and recognize the Sword Saint?
“A-and I intend to do my best until Hong-ryeon comprehends ‘Gang’ and reaches the Transcendent realm. Once she does and becomes strong enough to lead the sect, I’ll fight for Hong Seong-mun as its disciple.”
This was encouraging. Having a powerful figure like the Sword Saint on my side would make achieving my goals easier. However, one thing bothered me.
“I heard that for Transcendents who have comprehended ‘Gang,’ their ultimate goal is to ascend to ‘Seon,’ a higher level. Don’t you aspire to that, Sword Saint?”
There was a similar event in Yura’s main story, around Part 3. She spoke with the Old Man of the South Sea.
He had comprehended ‘Gang,’ infused his fishing rod with Gang-Qi, and caught sea monsters.
When invited to join an adventure, he refused, explaining that a Transcendent’s greatest desire was to sever worldly ties, ascend to the heavens, and become a celestial.
That was why they avoided worldly involvement. So, the Old Man of the South Sea only offered some teachings, equipment, and elixirs, but didn’t join the adventure.
The Sword Saint shook her head at my question based on this knowledge.
“Not everyone is like that. And I have too many ties to this world. How could I abandon them and ascend alone? Also…no, there’s no need to talk about that.”
She offered a curt reply and slowly lifted her head.
“Anyway, I’m not worthy.”
Her smile, illuminated by the setting sun, was filled with sorrow.
So, I said,
“Well, if you’re giving up ‘Seon’ because you cherish your worldly ties, then I understand… but if you’re talking about worthiness, I disagree.”
“…?”
“You’ve done everything you could as the sect leader of Hong Seong-mun, and you continue to do so. As I said, one person can’t do everything alone. Thanks to your efforts, Hong Seong-mun has grown this much, and you’ve laid the foundation for future growth.”
“…”
“I think you’re more than worthy. You’ve worked hard all this time.”
The Sword Saint simply stared at me, wide-eyed, without a word.
Until her disciples, finished with their patrol, came looking for her.
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Walking slowly, the Sword Saint was lost in thought. The words he’d spoken kept echoing in her mind.
Since she’d earned the title of Sword Saint, no one had offered such comfort or validation.
And the fact that it came from someone who had achieved what she couldn’t, someone who acknowledged her hard work…
“Master?”
“…Ah.”
Meeting Sayun’s eyes, the Sword Saint smiled gently. Sayun tilted her head, looking at her curiously.
“Did something good happen?”
“Hmm… yes. Something good. Yes. It wasn’t bad at all.”
Being comforted by someone she thought would be indifferent. Being comforted by someone who was realizing the things her master had envisioned.
“…Yes. It was better than I thought.”
The Sword Saint’s face, as she descended into the village, held a little more life than before.
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mc keeps rizzling girls left and right