Chapter 89

That was too much of a leap. This matter was carried out in secret. Of course, Bi Ryu-yeon thought that there was no such thing as a perfect secret in this world, but he had reduced the possibility to a minimum. Yet, the fact that something had happened meant that Chu Il-tae's side might have plotted some kind of conspiracy. To trap him... That possibility was also very high.

Or it meant that there was a traitor or a betrayer on this side. Bi Ryu-yeon turned his eyes and carefully looked at his companions, but there was no one with such a personality among them.

"Surely not. Are there people who aim for martial arts that are weaker than their own?"

Bi Ryu-yeon's words, depending on how one interpreted them, were extremely arrogant. Her brow was refreshingly raised. For her, it was the maximum expression of emotion for anger.

Bi Ryu-yeon's words, without even needing to be interpreted, were boasting that the Sword Empress's martial arts were weaker than his own. It was no different from an insult to the Sword Empress, Lee Ok-sang, who was also her master. But to see it as a bluff, Bi Ryu-yeon's expression was too calm. His gaze was also unwavering. It was something that was only possible when a person full of confidence shouted the truth.

"You are arrogant."

"What do you mean? It's normal."

Bi Ryu-yeon declined as if it were nothing. Her sword, which had been quietly aiming for his life from the center, was lowered towards the ground.

"Can you take responsibility for your words?"

"Of course. How should I prove it?"

Bi Ryu-yeon, who did not think he was arrogant in the slightest, asked back. What was so arrogant about telling the truth as it was? This was called being honest.

A look of puzzlement appeared on her face. The man in front of her was a type of incomprehensible race that was completely different from the numerous men she had known so far. No one had ever acted like Bi Ryu-yeon in front of her. Suddenly, a strange emotion that she had never felt since she was born arose in her heart. That emotion moved her lips.

"If so, try to win the Three Sages Martial Festival that is coming back this year. Then I will believe your words."

"Whaaaat?"

The one who had burst out in astonishment was not Bi Ryu-yeon. It was the astonishment of the entire Young Lady Lovers' Society, who had been staring at her blankly until now. Jin Seong-gon and Im Seong-jin quickly stepped forward.

"Miss Na, that punk is a first-year student who has just entered this year. But to win the Three Sages Martial Festival, which is a festival of martial arts where the best talents of the academy compete? That is too much of a demand."

In fact, Im Seong-jin, who had something to hide (all the members of the Young Lady Lovers' Society were no different from Bi Ryu-yeon's accomplices), quickly tried to mediate between the two. Although Bi Ryu-yeon had infiltrated the extremely dangerous Baekhyang-gwan last night and had miraculously returned alive and well, and so Im Seong-jin had also come to see Bi Ryu-yeon in a new light, that was that and this was this. It was a problem of a different dimension from winning the Three Sages Martial Festival. It was Im Seong-jin's honest feeling that it was too much of an order for Bi Ryu-yeon.

"I hear that the young hero Moyong, who is called the Seven Absolutes Divine Sword, is also participating. Isn't he also a first-year student?"

Of course, Moyong Hwi was undoubtedly a first-year student without even needing to ask. Moyong Hwi's participation in the Three Sages Festival had already become a fait accompli in the academy. It was one of the topics of keen interest. Im Seong-jin quickly received the words.

"But the situation is different on that side and this side. He has been receiving special training from the Sword Saint, Moyong Jeong-cheon, one of the Three Sages of Cheonmu, since he was young. With such a person..."

"That's enough."

The one who had cut off Im Seong-jin's excuse, which seemed to be endlessly dragging on, was none other than Bi Ryu-yeon. As expected, even the world's radical, Im Seong-jin, did not know what to do in front of her beauty. It seemed that he could not hide his embarrassment and agitation, no matter how much he tried to calm down.

"Alright. I promise."

Bi Ryu-yeon said proudly with a smile. No agitation or anxiety could be found in his words.

"If I win there, I hope Miss Na will look at me with different eyes."

At Bi Ryu-yeon's words, which were said with a smile, Na Ye-rin said with an expressionless face.

"If you really win the Three Sages Festival, I will do so."

Na Ye-rin seemed to think that Bi Ryu-yeon's words meant that if he won the Three Sages Festival, she should withdraw her suspicious gaze on him. It was not exactly a wrong statement, but it also contained a slightly different meaning.

"Alright. Then I will definitely win the Three Sages Festival and prove my words."

"I will look forward to it."

Still, no other expression could be seen on her beautiful face. Her expression was as indifferent as that day at the Unhyangjeong. The thought that he could do anything if he could see a smile on her face suddenly crossed his mind.

As she put away her beloved sword, Bongru, and turned to leave, sighs burst out from here and there. It was a sigh of regret that the ultimate beauty had disappeared from sight, and a sigh that came as the tension was released.

As her beautiful figure disappeared from their sight, the hearts of the entire Young Lady Lovers' Society were extremely empty. It was as if all the strength had drained from their bodies. The impact of her beauty on her surroundings was that great. Some were desperately flaring their nostrils to try to inhale the faint lingering scent she had left in the air.

But as expected of the Young Lady Lovers' Society, which advocated for a women's information specialized club, they did not just sit down. The vice-president, Bi Yeon-tae, and the rest, who had immediately recovered their energy, immediately went to work. From the bookshelf, which was packed with information books containing the personal details and other suspicious information of all the women in the academy who were classified as beauties, the information file related to the Ice Soul Phoenix, Na Ye-rin, was taken out. And on the remaining blank paper of the information file, they began to write down the numerous pieces of information that they had engraved in their eyes and minds.

The type and color of the clothes Na Ye-rin had worn today, her clothing taste that could be inferred from that, her height, her estimated weight, her three-part measurements that boasted a perfect golden ratio, the words she had said when she had come here today, the jade-like voice they had heard, and even the stone on the floor that she had stepped on, some were cutting it out in the same size as her footprint. Some put up a barrier around the place where she had passed, and looked inside it with their eyeballs falling out, and launched a large-scale search operation to find the hair she might have dropped. It seemed that the target would be caught soon.

The length of her legs and arms, the posture of holding a sword, the type of sword, the type of accessories, her hairstyle, the type, color, and number of accessories in her hair, the fabric of her clothes, the color, the posture of her movements, the size of her steps, the feeling of her voice.

Today, they had heard the jade-like voice of the Ice Soul Phoenix, Na Ye-rin, which was hard to hear even if one were to give a thousand pieces of gold, at close range. The emotion was so great that it could not be described in words. Thus, they had recorded it passionately like madmen, and by evening, they were able to achieve a satisfactory goal. For them, today was an unforgettable, rewarding day.

"The Ice Soul Phoenix, Na Ye-rin, as the rumor that she can never be left out when discussing the most beautiful woman in the world, is extremely beautiful. Should I say she is divine... I have nothing to say but that it is amazing."

Im Seong-jin muttered to himself, looking at the setting sun. Bi Ryu-yeon was smiling like a child next to him, as if he were so happy to have met Na Ye-rin again today.

"Excuse me?"

"What?"

Bi Yeon-tae looked at Bi Ryu-yeon, wondering what was wrong. He had been like that ever since he had made the huge promise of winning the Three Sages Festival earlier. An expression as if he were thinking deeply about something.

'As expected, it was too much of a promise. For a first-year greenhorn to win the Three Sages Festival...'

It was such a ridiculous thing. No matter how much Bi Ryu-yeon had succeeded in infiltrating the extremely dangerous and perilous place, the Baekhyang-gwan, and had achieved such a great feat, it was absolutely impossible to win the Three Sages Festival with that much skill. Bi Yeon-tae, who had spent four years at the Cheonmu Academy, knew that fact better than anyone.

"It seems you're feeling burdened. Do you want to go and take back the promise now? It might not be too late."

It was a piece of advice he had given, thinking for him, but Bi Ryu-yeon shook his head. It seemed that it was not that kind of worry.

"That's not it. For a man to go back on a promise he has made once is a perfect way to be ridiculed by those around him. There's no way I would do that."

"Then what is it?"

Didn't he seem somehow confident? At the surging curiosity, Bi Yeon-tae urged for an answer.

"But how do I participate in the Three Sages Festival?"

"What?"

Everyone burst out in astonishment in unison. And they looked at Bi Ryu-yeon as if they were looking at a strange creature.

"You, then you made a promise without knowing anything?"

"Yes."

Bi Ryu-yeon's appearance, nodding his head nonchalantly without knowing the feelings of those watching, was even detestable.

"With what guts?"

"Do you need guts to win something like that?"

"You, really..."

The more he looked, the more he couldn't see the end of it. What was he trusting to be so full of confidence?

"What is the Three Sages Festival that you're making such a fuss about?"

"...!"

That was the decisive blow. Everyone was at a loss for words and just looked at Bi Ryu-yeon with a dumbfounded gaze.

The day after Na Ye-rin's visit, the Sun-Hiding Shadowless, Chu Il-tae, and Bi Ryu-yeon's party gathered in the Young Lady Lovers' Society's building with the Young Lady Lovers' Society's vice-president, Bi Yeon-tae, and the Beggar Pervert.

"Then let's first check the promised item."

Bi Yeon-tae seemed to have taken on the role of the host of this procedure. It was a role that suited him very well. The box was opened, and a piece of cloth embroidered with a peony appeared with a deep fragrance. At the sight of it, a flash of lightning sparked in Bi Yeon-tae's eyes. This reaction was the same for the Pervert who was standing next to him. Their eyes were similar to those of a hunter who had discovered a legendary treasure. The object that Bi Ryu-yeon was holding was enough to agitate the two if it was genuine.

The not-so-gorgeous but elegant peony pattern on the thin silk, the sweet and subtle, strange fragrance that was imbued in it, and the character 'Rin' embroidered at the end.

It was an object whose purpose of gathering and wrapping the firm and soft things of a woman was known to all who knew. It was also called a 'boob cover' by some...

"Oh, this faint fragrance! It's really genuine!"

Bi Yeon-tae, who had a sense of smell like a lie that could distinguish the different body odors of thousands of women from their belongings if they were beautiful and if he had met or passed by them, made a judgment of authenticity.

"To think I could get my hands on this!"

Bi Yeon-tae's eyes rolled for a moment with agitated excitement. The peerless strange object that he had wanted to get his hands on so much but could not have, that he could not obtain even if he were to give a thousand pieces of gold, was now showing off its subtle and alluring figure in front of his eyes.

Unconsciously, Bi Yeon-tae's hand was stretched out towards it.

Slap!

"Don't touch it! This is mine."

The culprit who had slapped the back of Bi Yeon-tae's hand was none other than Bi Ryu-yeon.

"Hey, don't be like that, shouldn't we share the joy among fellow members? Don't you know the words of the ancient sage that joy doubles when shared and sorrow halves when shared?"

Bi Yeon-tae's two eyes were glistening with the desire to bury his face in the undergarment of the most beautiful woman in the world and inhale the fragrance to his heart's content. His bloodshot eyes were even terrifying. But Bi Ryu-yeon did not even bat an eye. He did not want to hand over the undergarment of the woman he liked to the hands of others. To make matters worse, if the opponent was a certified pervert recognized in the academy, he would decline even more.

"I don't know. And I don't want to know."

"You, you're really cheap. Are you going to be like this among the same family?"

"That's right. Still, you can't be like that among the same family."

The owner of the shabby appearance, the Beggar Pervert, helped from the side.

"If I say no, it's no. I can't give you this."

Bi Ryu-yeon's decision was unshakable.

"Tsk, really cheap, cheap. I want one too... If I could have it, I would make it a family treasure, and then, since it's a waste, I wouldn't pass it down to the next generation..."

Oh! An undergarment imbued with the body odor of the Ice Soul Phoenix, Na Ye-rin... Isn't it a family treasure! Bi Yeon-tae was completely sulking and grumbled, scratching Bi Ryu-yeon's nerves, but Bi Ryu-yeon, who had quite thick nerves, completely ignored it.

"Where is yours?"

Just as Bi Ryu-yeon had brought Na Ye-rin's underwear as a bet item, he also had to bring Dokgo-ryeong's underwear. A bitter smile formed on his lips.

"I'm empty-handed."

"Then, do you admit your defeat?"

"I admit it. I lost."

Surprisingly, Chu Il-tae obediently admitted his defeat. Since he could no longer expect any more results, it was foolish to have any lingering feelings. Since he had failed to lure the opponent into the trap he had designed and push them in, it was his defeat. But his heart was just cheerful. The situation of the people above was none of his business.

The two hundred nyang of silver that had been bet was handed over to Bi Ryu-yeon. His mouth was stretched from ear to ear. Since it was an income after a long time, Bi Ryu-yeon was even more happy.

Thus, the absurd bet that had been made between the Sun-Hiding Shadowless, Chu Il-tae, and Bi Ryu-yeon came to an end in a vague way. Anyway, for Chu Il-tae, who had returned without any results and was clenching his fists and shouting, "I could have gotten it if it weren't for the alarm at that time," he obediently admitted his defeat to Bi Ryu-yeon, who had safely brought out the object that was the most wanted but could not be had in the Cheonmu Academy. Thus, the bet ended in Bi Ryu-yeon's victory, and he was able to add a number to the income column of his cash book. It was something that could be known without asking that his mood was so happy that it was tearing.

And the next day, a report on the desk of Hyeongsan Ilgi, Baek Mu-yeong!

'It turns out he's a pretty good punk.'

It was written so short and concisely. The useless report, which had not conveyed a single character of the information that Baek Mu-yeong had wanted, had almost destroyed Baek Mu-yeong's long-standing mental training. Besides, to make matters worse, the report also had an invoice attached as a postscript.

P.S.: Invoice
Amount: Two hundred nyang of silver
I have consumed two hundred nyang of silver as an execution expense in carrying out this matter, so I am hereby requesting it as above.

It was a wonder that Baek Mu-yeong had not had a seizure. Although he suddenly had a suspicion that the Baekhyang-gwan infiltration incident that had happened two days ago, Chu Il-tae, and Bi Ryu-yeon might have some kind of connection, it was a useless story in a state where there was only a suspicion and no physical evidence. So, Baek Mu-yeon had to come up with another plan to deal with Bi Ryu-yeon again. If Chu Il-tae was really involved in that matter, the Nine Orthodoxies Association might have to take the blame.

Baek Mu-yeong firmly resolved never to entrust a task to Chu Il-tae again.