The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

“Kya!”

“…This is the list of the top 7 who achieved excellent results in the Crimson Lotus Festival you mentioned.”

Yoo Doha, who glanced at Harang, who was clinging to my arms and sucking on my fingers today as well, smiled awkwardly.

After receiving the list he handed me, I put Harang, who was clinging to my arms, down on the floor. Harang smacked its lips, then quickly turned its body as if familiar and disappeared. Does it really only come to me for food?

I watched Harang’s back as it moved away, then shifted my gaze to the list. I scanned the names written on the list with my eyes and narrowed my brows.

“Shin Yubin isn’t on here.”

“Miss Shin Yubin’s martial arts skills are not particularly outstanding. She stands out in using her brain and acts as Shin Hohyeol’s advisor. Instead, Geumnak Ju, who is Miss Shin Yubin’s right hand, is participating.”

“Geumnak Ju?”

“Geumnak Ju is the eldest daughter of Geumnak Beom, the head of the Geumnak clan. They used to have many powerful martial artists, but that’s ancient history now. That’s why they rely on the Cliff Rivers Shin clan to continue their family lineage.”

Yoo Doha recited the detailed stories of the other seven in detail.

“Other than that, we can’t gauge the skills of the martial artists who don’t belong to any clan. Especially, Beon Yang, who uses two daggers, is quite dangerous.”

“Why is that?”

“Her hand techniques are cruel. Of the eight martial arts competitions she fought to get here, not a single woman had intact arms and legs. She cut muscles and in severe cases, severed limbs. The martial arts competitions in the Demon Cult are already so intense that no one says much, but still, Young Madam, you have a precious body, so you must be careful.”

I rubbed my cheek and nodded my head. A woman who cuts off limbs.

“Yoo Doha.”

“Yes.”

“If I have a martial arts match with them, can I endure it?”

“A martial arts match is possible. If it’s not a life-or-death battle, there is a certain line in a martial arts match, so you can fight. And Young Madam, you are by no means weak. If my eyes are not mistaken, you are much stronger than you think.”

He smiled.

“Believe in yourself. The fact that the Young Cult Leader allowed you to go out there, trusting in you, was by no means a light decision.”

* * *

Shin Yubin, the second daughter of the Cliff Rivers Shin clan.

Although her martial arts skills were not particularly outstanding, she was highly evaluated to the extent that she was said to succeed the Cult Leader’s advisor in terms of using her brain.

Because of that, when Shin Hohyeol went somewhere, he took his granddaughter, Shin Yubin, with him, not his son or disciple.

A noble personality and outstanding beauty. When she held out her jade-like hands, those who held her hands all fell for her.

Martial prowess can be gained through effort, but charm cannot be gained.

Shin Hohyeol highly evaluated her talent.

Tak, tak, tak.

In the room where the morning sunlight quietly entered, only the sound of knocking on wood echoed between Shin Hohyeol and Shin Yubin, who were sitting facing each other.

The sound of playing chess from the morning filled the emptiness between the two.

Eventually, when Shin Yubin’s hand placing the final piece fell, Shin Hohyeol sighed lowly. As Shin Yubin laughed softly, Shin Hohyeol smacked his lips and stepped back.

“Even if we play a hundred times and I lose every time, it loses its taste.”

“Shall I give you a five-move handicap next time?”

“Forget it. It’s better not to play at all than to do that. What do you take this old man for?”

Shin Hohyeol’s grumbling voice quietly filled the quiet room.

Shin Yubin classified and put away the chess pieces. When the clattering sound rang out, Shin Hohyeol glanced at her and quietly spoke.

“You did something foolish.”

“Did you hear?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t even hear such a thing?”

Shin Hohyeol’s eyebrows lifted. He was infuriated by the news that the plan to assassinate the Young Madam at the recent meeting with the Righteous Sect had failed and they were even captured.

Forget about not being able to kill her, but all of them were captured alive?

Shin Hohyeol was restraining himself as much as possible, worried that they might reveal everything. He avoided unnecessarily stirring up the Hyuk family.

Meanwhile, he was feeling anxious after hearing that Shin Yubin had drawn Moyong Sowol in relation to the Crimson Lotus Festival.

Shin Hohyeol blankly stared at Shin Yubin, who was busily moving her hands.

If it were someone else, he would have scolded them and charged them with a crime, but if that person was Shin Yubin, it was a different story. Thinking that she must have some other intention as she was a deep-minded child, he asked back.

“What were you thinking?”

At his question, Shin Yubin kept silent. Although it wouldn’t be strange for him to scold her right away in this situation, both Shin Yubin and Shin Hohyeol had patience.

Eventually, Shin Yubin’s mouth opened.

“Are you worried? That my actions might bring trouble to the Cliff Rivers Shin clan.”

“…”

Shin Hohyeol didn’t deny it. He just quietly looked at his granddaughter without saying anything. Shin Yubin smiled, knowing Shin Hohyeol’s personality.

“Aren’t you keeping silent now, fearing that it will be revealed that you turned a blind eye to their actions during the meeting with the Righteous Sect and provided them with information related to the Young Cult Leader’s pavilion?”

“Knowing that, what was the reason you acted hastily without telling me?”

“Because it will be too late.”

“Too late?”

Shin Yubin nodded while closing the lid of the chess pieces.

“I don’t know what words are being exchanged among the leadership. All I know is the words that come out of the small gatherings created by those who love to chatter. But those who chatter there are the children of prestigious families, regardless of gender. Putting aside their skills, the words that come out of their mouths are worth using.”

“Your idle talk is long.”

Shin Hohyeol gave a short signal telling her to speak briefly. Shin Yubin lifted the corners of her mouth, wearing a deep smile on her calm face.

“It’s simple. The children of the families who will lead the next generation of the Demon Cult are currently applying their own standards. Considering which side it would be beneficial to stick to. Until now, the Hyuk family has been the undisputed leader of the Demon Cult in name and reality, but their prestige is falling due to the meeting with the Righteous Sect. There’s no reason not to take advantage of that.”

Shin Yubin got up from her seat and lightly bowed her waist.

“If we can bring those wavering ones to our side, we can suppress those talkative Holy Stream League and barbaric Southern Manchuria Do clan And perhaps it’s a good move that could even bring down the sky of the Hyuk family.”

“Your greed is excessive. There is still much you don’t know, and excessive greed will only harm your body.”

Shin Yubin smiled lightly at Shin Hohyeol’s words and finished her greeting, then turned her body.

Shin Hohyeol followed his granddaughter’s back with his eyes as she moved away, then let out a small sigh. Perhaps, the thought suddenly came to him that it was a mistake to join hands with the Holy Stream League.

Shin Yubin, who was returning to her room, noticed an unfamiliar maid approaching her and stopped. The maid quickly approached, took a position diagonally to the side, and bowed her waist.

“Whose child are you?”

“I belong to the inner palace.”

“Inner palace…”

The inner palace is where the Young Cult Leader resides. Why would a maid from there come all the way here? As Shin Yubin looked at her with a puzzled face, the maid quietly spoke.

“There is someone who wants to see Miss Shin Yubin.”

“Who is it?”

“I will guide you.”

She guides me without even saying who it is? It meant that the person looking for her was of higher status than herself. Shin Yubin tried hard to hide her uneasy feeling and followed the maid.

“This way.”

The maid pointed to the door and stepped aside. Shin Yubin glanced at the maid, then slowly opened the door. In the room prepared to greet guests, two people were sitting. One was Joo Hwarin, the youngest of the Joo family, whom she was well acquainted with.

And…

“You’re late.”

A pure white woman with white hair flowing naturally like a snow woman.

“Did you not receive the message I sent you?”

Moyong Sowol was sitting there.

* * *

I got up from my seat and faced Shin Yubin. As if she never thought I would come looking for her, she stiffened rigidly, and when I tilted my head, she came to her senses and hurriedly bowed her waist.

“Greetings to the Young Madam.”

“Nice to see you. Is this the first time we’re meeting since the banquet?”

I smiled lightly at her nodding her head. Shin Yubin seemed to be in a daze at my appearance, not even sitting down and just standing by the door looking at me.

I signaled her with my eyes to sit, then took a seat on the chair. Shin Yubin slowly approached and sat across from me, glancing at Joo Hwarin, then faced me again.

“Did you not receive my message?”

“I was playing chess with my grandfather from the morning, so I didn’t have a chance to receive the message.”

“I see. It’s alright. I should have contacted you a bit earlier. Right?”

I turned my head and asked Joo Hwarin. Joo Hwarin smiled brightly and nodded her head. I looked at Shin Yubin again and spoke softly.

“After the banquet ended, I thought I should meet you when I have time, but I didn’t have time, so I kept delaying it and came like this. You gave me advice back then, telling me about this and that in the Demon Cult… Do you remember?”

“I remember.”

“It was very helpful. Thanks to that, I was able to understand the internal rules of the Demon Cult.”

When I smiled, a thin smile hung on Shin Yubin’s lips. Looking at her smiling face, she looked really innocent. I heard she was a little past the age of majority, but she looked even younger.

White skin and large eyes. Her smiling appearance was so gentle that if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be able to tell she was the daughter of a martial arts family.

I scanned her with my eyes and smiled lightly.

“Come to think of it, Shin Yubin seems to really cherish the Demon Cult. Both at the banquet and this Crimson Lotus Festival.”

While scanning her flinching hand with my eyes, I quickly spoke.

“I was really touched by the way you pointed out what I hadn’t thought of and at the same time worried about me. To the extent that if possible, I wanted to trust you and keep you by my side. But I heard Shin Yubin is serving as Elder Shin Hohyeol’s advisor, so I gave up regretfully.”

“You flatter me.”

“So, I have something I want to ask the wise Shin Yubin. Is that okay?”

“I don’t know if I can be of help, but if you tell me, I will do my best to assist the Young Madam with all my heart.”

Thank you. I smiled brightly and paused for a moment. I quietly met her eyes as she looked at me keeping silent.

Shin Yubin’s eyes sparkled as if trying to figure out what I was thinking. I met her gaze, smiled softly, and spoke.

“I heard that the Crimson Lotus Festival has become a custom to recognize the woman who married into the Hyuk family.”

“That’s right. Even if you don’t achieve good results, it’s a place to make your presence known by exchanging swords a few times with the martial artists who entered the Crimson Lotus Festival.”

“And it’s also a place to recognize that woman as their leader.”

Shin Yubin calmly nodded her head. I slowly opened my lips while observing her reaction.

“Then I want to ask.”

I leaned back and wore a smile on my lips. I smiled, directly taking Shin Yubin’s smile sitting right in front of me, and spoke softly.

“In the Demon Cult, there are many people who claim that they can never accept the Righteous Sect even if the world turns upside down. Right?”

“Yes… well.”

“But I am the daughter of the Righteous Sect and the person they can never accept is in a high position. Isn’t that so?”

Shin Yubin narrowed her brows as if asking what I wanted to say. At her reaction, I put my fingertips together.

“In short, is there a reason for me to participate in the Crimson Lotus Festival? It’s a place to make myself known and be recognized, but what recognition can I receive from those who can’t accept the Righteous Sect even if the world turns upside down?”

“That’s…”

“Will you submit, Shin Yubin?”

“Pardon?”

I didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath as she asked back with a blank face. I spoke quickly without giving her a chance to think.

“If I achieve good results in the Crimson Lotus Festival, will Shin Yubin, the second daughter of the Cliff Rivers Shin clan who doesn’t acknowledge the Righteous Sect.”

I slightly lifted my chin.

“Kneel before me?”