I'm The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain - Chapter 54

In any case, Young Master Ja Ryong fled Bukcheon Palace and returned to Jaryongjeon in Somyeong Palace. According to the gatekeeper, Young Master Ja Ryong had no sword or anything like that in his hands at that time.”

“Could he have hidden it somewhere?”

“That’s a possibility too.”

“I don’t think so.”

Gong Son Wu interjected, cutting off the momentum.

“I know Ja Ryong well. He’s a hard worker who even skips sleep because he hates even the tiniest flaw. Even if he coveted the Asura Sword, there’s no way he would have caused a scene like this.”

“Then there’s only one possibility left.”

Bi Cha grabbed Na Rin’s shoulders and gently pushed her in front of Gong Son Wu, as if presenting her.

“Unfortunately. At such a young age, it seems you’ll be seeing the Noe Prison.”

“You’re really pushing for it.”

When Gong Son Wu reached for the Cheongnyong Sword, Na Rin raised her hand.

“But, sir!”

“Yes, Ma Gongnyeo.”

“Why me?”

It was a natural question.

Even if Ja Ryong went all the way to Bukcheon Palace and caused trouble, it makes sense for him to be suspected, but there was no reason for Na Rin, who had been quietly minding her own business, to be named as a suspect.

Bi Cha answered with a beaming smile.

“At that time, everyone else was sleeping in Somyeong Palace.”

Na Rin made an ‘Ah!’ expression.

Come to think of it, it made sense. From 11 PM to 3 AM is when most people sleep.

Except for Na Rin, who is still actively serving as Dokgo Cheon’s bedwarmer, all the other Ma Gongja and Ma Gongnyeo sleep in Somyeong Palace, so if one of them had gone missing, it would have been immediately noticed.

‘So if it’s not Dokgo Ja Ryong, then I’m the culprit.’

Now she understood why Gong Son Wu tried to stop Bi Cha from speaking, even going as far as throwing him.

It’s not simply a matter of Na Rin being suspected, but a situation where the innocence of one proves the guilt of the other.

‘And Master believes that Dokgo Ja Ryong is not the culprit.’

Gong Son Wu, looking uncharacteristically flustered, said.

“Na Rin, don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but…”

“No. I agree with Master’s thoughts too.”

“What?”

“What?”

Gong Son Wu and Bi Cha asked back in surprise.

Na Rin, deep in thought, placed her hand on her chin and quietly moved her feet.

There are two suspects. One is Na Rin and the other is Ja Ryong.

Na Rin is not the culprit, so naturally it means Ja Ryong is the culprit, but what Gong Son Wu said with such conviction can’t be nonsense either.

‘Is there a possibility that neither of us is the culprit?’

But considering the special abilities of the Asura Sword, the culprit can only be someone with Cheonma bloodline. If it’s not me, and not Dokgo Ja Ryong, then…

At that moment, Bi Cha spoke.

“Ma Gongnyeo, I’m sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but the New Year’s Ceremony is about to begin.”

“What? Already?”

It was natural for Na Rin to ask back.

The New Year’s Ceremony begins at 11 AM, and the current time was still only 7 AM.

Then, as if expecting it, Bi Cha replied.

“The priestess of the New Year’s Ceremony must ride a flower palanquin.”

Flower palanquin.

It means a splendid palanquin decorated with flowers.

It is usually used to highlight the protagonist who has experienced a great celebration, such as a wedding, passing the state examination with the highest score, or winning a martial arts competition.

“Ride a flower palanquin?”

Bi Cha nodded with a smile as bright as cherry blossoms.

“You have no idea how many commoners have gathered on Yeongmyeongji-ro (the straight main road connecting Ilwolmun and Myeonggung).”

Na Rin asked back with an expression of utter incomprehension.

“In this situation where the Asura Sword has disappeared?”

“Yes.”

“Even though I’m a suspect?”

“Yes!”

Na Rin looked at Gong Son Wu with eyes pleading for him to do something, but the reaction she received was only lukewarm.

“What can we do when people have already gathered?”

“Still, I can’t leisurely ride a flower palanquin! I’m about to ride it to the Noe Prison!”

At the mention of Noe Prison, Gong Son Wu shouted, “Ahem!”

“Don’t say such absurd things! Why would you go to Noe Prison when I, your master, am here!”

“But Master is on Ja Ryong elder brother’s side!”

“That’s right. I, who share the same fate, am on Ma Gongnyeo’s side.”

“You guys! I can’t make an innocent person suffer just to save my disciple! Of course Na Rin is innocent, but Ja Ryong is also innocent!”

“Anyway, I’m not in the mood to ride a flower palanquin!”

The master and disciple, who had been yelling at each other for a while, finally calmed down, catching their breath as if their anger had subsided.

“The strategy you came up with, whether it’s nationalism or whatever, wasn’t it you, Na Rin? You know how many people have gathered to see a once-in-a-lifetime sight of Cheonma bloodline. If you betray their expectations, won’t the initial plan crumble?”

“That’s…”

That’s true.

In this large-scale promotion strategy that Na Rin personally named ‘rice cake and play’, Ma Gongnyeo Na Rin’s role was not limited to just being supportive.

Becoming the protagonist of the event and receiving the love and praise of Ma disciples. This is also an important role that Na Rin must fulfill.

‘It would be meaningless if someone else takes my place.’

If it were up to her, she would want to personally lead the search for the missing Asura Sword and catch the real culprit to clear her name from the list of suspects.

But unfortunately, Na Rin’s body was not two.

‘Huh?’

‘A once-in-a-lifetime sight of Cheonma bloodline.’

‘Na Rin’s body is not two.’

These two sentences intersected and swirled around in Na Rin’s mind.

“…Master.”

“Why are you making me nervous again?”

“Can you contact someone for me?”

The corners of Na Rin’s mouth slowly rose like a mischievous cat who had thought of a prank.

“I’ve thought of a way to split my body in two.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Narina~!”

“Yuri unnie!”

Two little girls with a one-year age difference met happily and embraced each other tightly.

Yuri, a classmate at Daeseong Seodang, jumped up and down with joy as if she thought she would never see Na Rin again.

“I was so worried when I heard you were captured by the Thunder Tiger!”

“Thunder Tiger?”

What is that supposed to mean all of a sudden?

When Na Rin tilted her head, unable to understand, a fake cough was heard from behind.

“Don’t mind it. It was just an old man’s joke.”

It was the 7th Elder Oh Hyeon Hak.

Na Rin also gave a delighted smile to the 7th Elder, whom she had not met since moving her residence to Myeonggung.

On the other hand, Gong Son Wu looked at Oh Hyeon Hak with disapproving eyes and said.

“Old man. Am I the Thunder Tiger?”

“Sometimes, conscience provides the best answer. It’s been a while, sir.”

“Greetings to the Marquis of Wu.”

While the three adults exchanged greetings, Na Rin held Yuri’s shoulders, met her eyes, and asked.

“Yuri unnie. Did you hear the story?”

“Yes! The elder said he would help you. I want to help you too.”

She’s so kind.

Na Rin felt both apologetic and grateful for using the pure-hearted Yuri and said.

“I really appreciate that. But you can’t tell anyone about this.”

“Even Mom?”

“Even Mom!”

My goodness. Even keeping it a secret from Mom!

Yuri looked surprised and made a gloomy expression, but after pondering for a moment, she nodded as if she had made up her mind.

“Okay. I’ll keep it a secret.”

Then, fiddling with the hair ornament Na Rin had bought for her from the caravan, she continued solemnly.

“Mom told me to always repay favors!”

[This is the timeline separator]

Same time. Yeongmyeongji-ro.

Each person who came to watch the New Year’s Ceremony held a piece of stiff paper in their hands.

The identity of the paper, which was neither a ticket nor a letter, was an event guide distributed directly by the Cheonma Shinbo, the newspaper company that had published Na Rin’s feature article.

‘The New Year’s Ceremony is at Jewangjeon.’

After checking the event location, the girl neatly folded the guide and put it in her pocket, then turned around.

At that moment, her eyes met those of a child who had been staring intently at her, and the child, startled, said.

“Ah! The pattern on your arm is cool! I’m sorry.”

The girl then glanced at the embroidery of the lower character ‘Ha’ on her sleeve and asked.

“Do you want to become a warrior?”

“Yes!”

Seeing that the girl was not angry, the child approached her with relief and began asking questions he had been curious about.

“How did you become a lower-ranked warrior when you’re not even an adult yet?”

“I took a test.”

“Was it difficult?”

“It was difficult indeed.”

“But you still made it. That’s really cool… Oh, right! What should I do to become like you?”

At this, the girl was silent for a moment.

Should she say that he needs to enter Geomwangjeon, become a trainee, and practice diligently every day?

There are plenty of trainees who never escape the trainee status in their lifetime.

“…That means it’s impossible.”

The child, interpreting the girl’s silence as impossibility, became dejected.

Realistically, unless one has exceptional physical strength or a warrior in the family who can guide them, most commoners’ future is to become farmers.

“If you can give up, then give up. It’s not bad.”

“Why are you saying that?”

The child lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly.

“I will never give up! I will definitely become a warrior!”

“…”

The girl silently unwrapped the bandage she had been holding in her hand in front of the child’s eyes.

The burn scar that remained red as if it had been peeled off, not yet fully healed.

She knew it would be a terrible sight for the child, but the girl was unrelenting. If this child was truly going to become a warrior, he would have to get used to this level of injury.

“Even after receiving the highest level of treatment at Uiwangjeon, this is the result. If I wasn’t careful, I could have ended up unable to properly hold chopsticks, let alone a sword, for the rest of my life.”

“H-how…?”

“While trying to protect my lord.”

After finishing her words, the girl laughed self-deprecatingly.

‘Not even my lord, and I couldn’t protect him.’

But she could understand. That warriors are made through such experiences.

The crazy breed that abandons animal instincts and throws away their lives for a great cause is born that way.

“Can you do it?”

The child stared intently at the girl’s every movement as she rewrapped her hand with the bandage, as if engraving it in his memory.

She had gained scars that would never disappear for the rest of her life, and if she wasn’t careful, the rest of her life could have been uncomfortable, but there was no regret on the girl’s face.

The child’s eyes, which had been filled with fear as he faced the scar, were now colored with courage and deep determination.

“I’ll give it a try.”

“That’s a good answer.”

At that moment, a voice was heard from somewhere, “Ma Gongnyeo’s procession~!”

The girl made a light gesture as if greeting and hurriedly moved her steps.

“Wait, miss!”

The child hesitated as if he had unintentionally grabbed her, then gulped.

“What’s your name?”

“…”

“I want to find you when I become a warrior… Is that not allowed?”

The girl, discovering her past self in the child’s clenched fist filled with enthusiasm, smiled brightly and said softly.

“Hwa Ryeon.”