Near Cheonju Mountain.
An assassin lay in wait.
A carriage, racing through the mist, gradually slowed and finally stopped in a secluded part of the forest.
All was quiet, not a soul in sight. No surprise, since they'd taken a long detour, circling far below the cliff to avoid any trouble.
"Miss, I reckon we should take a breather here before moving on."
Shortly after, a servant opened the carriage door.
The woman, carefully stepping down with the servant's help, looked to be someone important – it was hard to believe she was traveling these mountains with just a single carriage and servant.
Hidden behind a tree, the assassin steadied his breath.
'Is it time?'
Finally, time to cash in on all that tailing. The assassin's eyes narrowed, studying her every slow step.
"Have a seat and rest a bit. I'll fetch some refreshments."
"You're a lifesaver, Seolyeong."
"Don't mention it."
The woman took a deep breath as the servant walked off. The assassin, moving silently with the wind, repeated her name under his breath.
Namgung Soyo.
The Namgung family's illegitimate daughter, who'd appeared out of nowhere about half a month ago.
She was ten years older than Namgung Jeokmyeong, the Namgung family's young lord, and had supposedly spent her life in the mountains, recovering from some serious illness since birth.
But that was just a cover story; everyone knew she'd been banished beyond Cheonju Mountain.
Now that she was old enough to marry, they'd called her back just to send her off to even more distant lands. A real kick in the teeth.
'Had she angered the head of the family?'
Even for an illegitimate child, she didn't act half bad.
The Namgung family head was old and sick, rumored to have gone crazy with grief after his wife's sudden death a few years back.
It was a joke that this so-called 'Lightning Dragon' was on death's door.
Everyone wants to make amends before they kick the bucket. And if she was his own flesh and blood, you'd think he'd take her in, even at this late stage...
'None of my damn business, I guess.'
The assassin clicked his tongue, shook off his stray thoughts.
"Emperor Wu of Liang once asked Bodhidharma,"
At that moment, a graceful voice was heard on the quiet mountain breeze.
" 'I've built temples, copied scriptures, and helped monks since I took the throne. What kind of merit have I earned?' "
Namgung Soyo's voice, as beautiful as a fairy's, was clear yet somehow dry and hollow.
"Bodhidharma answered,"
The assassin crept closer, holding his breath, and for a split second, their eyes met.
" 'None whatsoever.' "
The assassin let out an involuntary gasp.
Her face was round and pale as snow, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Her forehead was broad, her nose small and delicate, all in perfect balance. Her slightly curved lips hinted at the scent of a fresh iris.
She wasn't as frail as he'd heard.
But his gasp hadn't gone unnoticed.
She turned towards him, or rather, near him – a little off the mark.
"Seolyeong?"
Right, this poor flower was blind.
The assassin did not answer and gripped his dagger. As an assassin, he had a mission to assassinate this ill-fated woman.
Namgung Soyo, stepping back, perhaps sensing something in the silence, asked again.
"Who is there?"
Silence.
Maybe it was because she was blind, but the young woman was sharp. Or maybe she'd been through this kind of thing before.
'What the hell is so special about this woman?'
She'd been safe under the wing of the best sword family in the Central Plains, but not today.
The assassin had been waiting three days for Namgung Soyo to be alone. This was it.
But there, in front of his gleaming dagger, Namgung Soyo just looked…pitiful. Almost sweet.
A blind woman, frozen stiff, unable to run.
"Miss Namgung. Give me your neck, and I'll make it quick."
Namgung Soyo quietly shook her head.
"I asked by whose order you came."
"I cannot tell you."
"Is it Brother Namgung Jeokmyeong?"
"I said I cannot tell you."
Namgung Soyo was unnervingly calm.
Even out here, a scream could cause trouble. Shaking off the weird feeling, he aimed his dagger at her.
However, the situation did not unfold as the assassin had expected.
"...Seen yet unseen, met yet unmet."
Her turquoise sleeves rippled like waves.
"Full of regret and resentment, then and now."
Her voice, a soft whisper, tickled his ear.
Suddenly, a doll-like, pale face was right in front of him, impossibly close.
'What…!'
And then he realized – Namgung Soyo's eyes were locked right on him.
'Damn it.'
He drew his sword on instinct, but it was way too late. A grip like iron clamped down.
He felt like he was in some kind of waking dream. How else could a woman with hands this soft overpower him so easily?
Then, just like that, he was free.
'Now!'
He instantly drew his sword, aiming for her neck.
Or he tried to.
Clang!
He stared at his sword, blocked by the very dagger he'd thrown. A hollow laugh escaped him. He'd put all his power behind that blow!
'Again.'
'Again!'
'This time!'
But gritting his teeth did nothing.
She parried every blow.
'How… How the hell…?'
A cold sweat trickled down his spine.
Something was way off.
Was this really Namgung Soyo, the Namgung family's outcast?
But by the time he realized how outmatched he was, it was too late. His sword clattered to the ground. She just watched him, her face calm.
'No point in fighting…'
Only one thing left to do.
He pulled out his last resort.
Whoosh!
"Keuk."
Her dagger, flying like a dart, shattered his last resort. He was helpless, a child. He gave up, even stopped clenching his jaw.
"Kill me."
He closed his eyes, waiting for death, but it didn't come. He opened them slowly, and there she was, standing right in front of him.
Namgung Soyo, her face still calm, said to him.
