Three People
The monster's eyes blazed with a bloody red glow, and a beast-like growl seeped from its mouth.
"Grrraaaah…"
Na Seoyu whispered in despair.
"No…"
At that very instant, the Iron Ghost lunged at her.
WHOOSH!
"Grrrrrrr!"
It was the savage pounce of a predator on prey.
Na Seoyu's heart sank.
Even top masters could not handle an Iron Ghost—how could she?
Still, if she were to resist, she would need to draw her sword.
But to do so, she would have to let go of the stretcher.
And if she did, the shock could kill her father.
Even the smallest jolt might be fatal for him.
WHOOSH!
The Iron Ghost's fist crashed toward her face.
"Father…"
She looked at her sleeping father for a fleeting moment, then closed her eyes.
She knew full well that doing nothing meant both of them would die. But she couldn't bring herself to risk jolting him.
In the darkness of her closed eyes, one face rose vividly.
The face she longed to see most.
In her heart, she whispered her final farewell.
"Goodbye…"
And then—
BOOOOOOM!
A deafening blast erupted right beside her, making her eyes fly open.
In front of her, where the Iron Ghost had just been charging, stood the broad back of a man.
And from that back alone, she knew who it was.
It was him.
The one whose face she had just pictured as her last thought.
Na Seoyu murmured his name in disbelief.
"…Seolpung?"
Seolpung, breathing hard from having rushed, turned his head with a smile.
"Sorry… I'm late."
Tears welled instantly in Na Seoyu's eyes.
"Ah…"
She could hardly believe it.
That at the brink of death, she could see his face again. That he had come all this way to save her.
It was just like the moment she had first given him her heart. As if by a miracle, he appeared before her once more.
"Captain…"
But then—
"Grrraaaah!"
The Iron Ghost, hurled back, charged again.
As if expecting it, Seolpung glanced at it, then gently said to her:
"Please wait just a moment, my lady."
His eyes burned crimson with rage as he stepped forward.
But the fierce glow was not anger alone.
It was his ultimate secret art, the Red Eyes, usually concealed behind closed lids—now blazing forth in full.
"You dare…"
BOOM!
Seolpung leapt like a tiger.
"To harm Lady Na—!"
CRASH!
His fist pierced the Iron Ghost's shoulder as it swung.
Its right shoulder exploded as if struck by a cannon.
The monster staggered like a storm-struck tree.
"I'll kill you!"
CRUNCH!
A savage kick shattered both its knees.
The Iron Ghost collapsed, unable to stand.
Seolpung's gaze was cold as he looked down at the fallen creature.
Then, pulling his fist low, he drove it upward into its head.
"How dare you!"
BOOOOM!
His fist soared like a dragon ascending, and the Iron Ghost's skull burst apart like fireworks.
The power of his Red Eyes technique had now surpassed even the realm of supreme masters.
***
The thought that the last Iron Ghost might have gone straight for Lady Na struck me while I was still locked in battle with the other two.
"No… it can't be…"
The mere thought chilled me.
I fought with everything I had.
And in that struggle, I realized—I had never before reached my true limit.
But now, I was there.
My mind was sharp as a blade's edge, focused to the point where even a needle's eye seemed like a wide passage.
With that impossible focus, I cut down both monsters.
Dozens of times on each, striking the same exact spot without error—until their necks finally yielded.
"I… I really did it."
It was an incredible feat.
To sever the necks of Iron Ghosts—not one, but two at once.
In my past life, only peak masters had accomplished such a thing.
But I had no time to bask in it.
"Please… please…"
I hurled myself toward the rear gate of Naga Manor, my heart consumed with fear for Lady Na.
If one of them had gone for her—if I had failed her again in this life—
I could never forgive myself.
Teeth clenched, I prayed desperately.
"Lady Na, please!"
Landing atop the rear wall, I saw it.
The shattered corpse of what had been an Iron Ghost.
And Lady Na—crying in the arms of Captain Seolpung.
I froze.
My mind went blank.
She was nothing like the strong woman I had always seen—like a mother, like a sister.
Now she was a fragile girl, a devoted woman who had at last found her beloved—
Clinging to him, sobbing her heart out.
Unburdened, utterly at peace.
In contrast, Seolpung looked awkward, stiff as a machine as he patted her back.
But I saw it clearly.
Though his movements were clumsy, the look in his eyes as he gazed at her was warmer, softer than anything I had ever seen.
I understood what that look meant.
The woman I loved most—
Was in the arms of the man I respected most.
Their eyes locked in tender affection.
And all I could do was stand there, blankly watching.
Endlessly… helplessly.
***
Later, as he gathered the two severed Iron Ghost heads, Captain Seolpung gave me a thumbs-up.
"You cut off their heads? Two of them, at once? Impressive, Jin."
I smirked and replied with mock arrogance.
"Hmph. It won't take me long to catch up to you, Captain. So stay sharp."
Then he smiled and replied.
"Yes, I suppose I must. I'll look forward to it."
But as he joked, his gaze shifted to the side—where the Iron Ghost's corpse lay in tatters.
Its head and shoulder completely obliterated.
I swallowed unconsciously.
"Catch up soon? Hah. If I can manage to catch up before I die, that alone would be success."
We were preparing the Iron Ghost's body to deliver it to the Flying Dragon Corps.
The message had already been sent; once we secured it, the Fifteenth Flying Dragon Squad would come and take it away.
When I glanced to the side, I saw Naga Manor's warriors repairing the shattered walls and the broken front gate.
I watched them a moment, then said:
"At least the casualties aren't too many. That's fortunate."
The captain nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. And that's thanks to you, Jin."
Naga Manor had lost about twenty warriors. Not a small number, but compared to nearby Joga Manor and Gwok Manor—where every last person had been massacred—it was nothing short of a blessing.
I suddenly asked the captain:
"So Sa-yeong is bringing Ma Maengun?"
"Yes. We departed together, but Maengun's martial skill is still lacking, so it's taking them longer."
I smirked.
"That's not just because the captain flew ahead at an impossible speed?"
He scratched his head with an awkward smile.
"W-Was it? I'm not sure."
After hearing that Lady Na's father was ill, the captain had arranged for Physician Gweui's son, Ma Maengun—who'd been waiting to join our unit—to come here with Bi Sa-yeong.
It wasn't the great physician himself, but even so, Maengun's inherited skill in medicine would surely be far more helpful than someone like Physician Yang.
I couldn't help but admire the captain's thoughtfulness.
With a teasing grin, I said:
"As expected of our captain! Truly a man worthy of entrusting Lady Na to."
He jumped in shock, stammering.
"E-En… entrusting Lady Na?! W-What are you saying?!"
"Hm? What, aren't you officially courting her now?"
"C-Courting?! N-No such—!"
He shook his head furiously, trying to deny it as if nothing had happened.
But with his face blazing like a roasted sweet potato, the denial was hopeless.
Click, click.
I clicked my tongue.
The captain was perfect in all things, but at least when it came to women, it seemed I would have to help him.
Hmm. What to do?
Something came to mind, and I leaned closer, speaking gravely.
"Captain, did you know? Before you came, Lady Na's mother was planning to marry her off."
His face froze instantly, like ice struck by lightning.
"…Marry her…?"
"Yes. She had already sent a marriage proposal to a nearby sect."
His eyes wavered like a ship in a storm.
"Th-Then… that means…?"
Never before in either of my lives had I seen him—so composed against any foe—so flustered and restless.
Stifling my laughter, I pressed on with a solemn voice.
"Think carefully, Captain. Of course Lady Na wouldn't want such a marriage. But even if she doesn't, with her kind heart… could she truly defy her elders' command?"
His gaze sank slowly to the ground. With a face like the world had collapsed, he whispered:
"…No. She couldn't."
I was very satisfied.
The stage was set. Now, I just needed to push him further.
Gripping his shoulders firmly, I spoke with burning conviction.
"Exactly. Lady Na could never refuse. Which means you must be the one. Captain—you must step forward!"
His head shot up, his eyes desperate, clinging to my words like a drowning man to driftwood.
"Me? But what could I possibly do?"
I met his gaze fiercely.
"Go to her boldly and declare it! That Lady Na is already your woman! That you two are promised in marriage!"
His eyes shook violently, like caught in a tempest.
"M-Me? How could I…?"
It was exasperating, but also expected.
So I sighed heavily and shook my head.
"As I thought, it's too difficult for you. In that case, Lady Na will just marry another man. But if that doesn't bother you, well… what can I say?"
I glanced at him.
His expression flickered, shifting back and forth half a dozen times in moments—resolving, faltering, resolving again.
At last, he clenched his teeth.
"You're right, Jin. You're right. I must act."
Then he strode toward Lady Na's room.
Watching his back, I smiled faintly in satisfaction.
The truth was, even without him, there would be no more marriage talks.
Because the one who made them… no longer existed.
When Lady Na was in his arms, I had followed Madam Min and her son Na Seohwang.
And I made sure they would never return.
That was the only thing I could do for Lady Na.
"Fuuuuh…"
A deep sigh slipped out.
The smile had already vanished from my face.
In my past life, Captain Seolpung never once smiled happily again after a certain point.
He lived as though bound to the past, his eyes always clouded in gray—like Hwa Yeongbin, the Crimson God Sword, who longed for death.
Looking back, I realized—it all began after Lady Na died.
I hadn't noticed then, buried in the deaths of countless comrades. But in truth, it was her death that changed him entirely.
Only now did I understand.
And Lady Na was the same.
Come to think of it, her brightest smiles were always when she was beside the captain.
To the rest of us, she was like a mother—her smiles gentle, maternal.
But at his side, she smiled like a girl in love.
It was something I only recognized now.
The two of them had carried each other in their hearts long before I ever met them.
It wasn't that I couldn't imagine it—perhaps I refused to.
Because if those two were each other's, there was nothing I could do.
All I could do was bless them.
My chest twisted painfully.
It had been that way without pause since that moment.
Yet I forced a smile, whispering to myself:
"It's fine. If it's the captain, I can yield her gladly. He's my hero, my savior. He'll make Lady Na far happier than I ever could. Yes… surely he will."
I kept whispering like that, as if to convince someone—perhaps myself.
Even as tears streamed down my face. Even as my chest clenched and ached endlessly.
But no matter how much I tried to persuade myself—
The pain in my heart refused to fade.
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