“What? I brought clothes to change into.”

“Come here.”

Danmokbi grabbed my hand and started walking briskly, as if familiar with the place we had already visited.

Eventually, on my first day at Habuk Castle, I was gifted a pale crimson dress. I made a sad face.

“Ah, I can’t accept something like this.”

There was a reason I made such a sad face. The fabric in this world had vibrant colors, but the dyeing technology was incomparable to modern times.

So after washing it once, the vivid color would wash out, and it could never be worn again. So, the ladies’ dresses were never washed.

They were worn as cleanly as possible to avoid dust, and when they could no longer be hidden, they were discarded.

‘A dress you have to throw away after wearing it once! I can’t buy it; it’s too wasteful!’

But I couldn’t persist anymore because Danmokbi said this:

“If Yeona wears this and cheers for me, I feel like I can win in one go.”

How can I refuse when he says that much? It’s just that the money is a waste.

‘And I want to wear a dress like this, too.’

I was the one who ultimately lost. Baekho frowned as he looked at me, holding the dress.

See? I told you I came with a purpose.

Baekho laughed.

Danmokbi and Yeona quickly mingled among the people. But there was a gaze watching them from a distance. It was Hyuljung Hyuk, who they had met in the forest earlier.

He sat on a roof, stroking his chin.

“The more I look, the more interesting it is.”

His eyes were fixed on Yeona’s small back. Her short stature meant she was completely hidden among people, then her roundly tied hair appeared and disappeared, hopping like a bouncing rabbit.

“She looks utterly ordinary when you look at her that way.”

But he could never be deceived by her appearance. There was something about that girl. Wasn’t she the girl who had broken his brainwashing with a single word?

Hyuljung Hyuk’s gaze, which had been scanning Yeona, turned to the large back that was pulling her hand. He had been observing them closely even when Danmokbi revealed part of his inner strength earlier.

‘He had more significant power than what I faced myself.’

It was clear that what had momentarily cornered him was a lack of real combat experience. Today, judging by his momentum, he wasn’t someone to be easily subdued.

“I was lucky in the forest. Next time we meet, the brainwashing may not work.”

He should have caught him earlier. Regret came belatedly, but at the same time, excitement wafted. It was the fighting spirit that flared when facing a strong opponent.

Grinning like a wolf, Hyuljung Hyuk saw some others. Though far away, pretending to be unrelated, they were clearly following Danmokbi.

“What are those guys? They seem to be from the same family.”

There was no hostility, so they must be Danmokbi’s family. But to say that, they were trying too hard not to be caught by Danmokbi. Anyone could see they were following secretly.

“What, it’s none of my business.”

Anyone would have family matters. He had no interest in such trivialities. Having seen enough, he jumped down and headed to the alley in the opposite direction.

There, the men who had ridiculed Danmokbi earlier were walking in a throng.

“Who is that guy?”

“His name was surely from the Danmok family. But that enormous background…”

“Isn’t it a mistake? How could such a young kid have that kind of inner strength?”

“Was everyone there feeling pressured at the same time a mistake?”
“It doesn’t make sense, so it’s a delusion.”

Hearing the nonsense, a smile automatically emerged. Hyul Jung Hyuk blocked their way in the alley with a snap, and then smiled and raised his hand.

“Hello?”

“What are you again?”

Hyul Jung Hyuk smiled brightly and taunted.

“Oh, even a wild boar running around the mountain has better manners than you. You’ve kept your life only out of luck.”

“What?!”

Whether it was because of Danmokbi’s irritability, or they sensed a dangerous scent from Hyul Jung Hyuk, the men immediately drew their weapons.

Hyul Jung Hyuk laughed slyly. Fighting with an equal opponent was enjoyable, but he also took great pleasure in crushing a weak opponent like an ant.

“So, you were humiliated by that guy earlier.”

At the same time, a crimson energy exploded from Hyul Jung Hyuk’s body.

As Hyul Jung Hyuk had expected, those following Danmokbi and Yeona were the subordinates sent by the Danmok Lord. Watching the two people always holding hands since arriving in Ha Buk, the leader among the subordinates looked serious.

“The Lord has reason to be concerned. We should deal with it quickly.”

They had received only one command: to harm Yeona quietly.

One subordinate raised an objection in a soft voice.

“But she hasn’t committed any crime… Wouldn’t it be enough to just scare her away?”

“What if she gets ambitious and comes to our Lord? It’s all for the family.”

“…Yes.”

Even if it’s for the family, killing a little girl with no parents secretly didn’t seem right. Doubts remained, but the subordinate bowed his head.

Then, another subordinate raised a practical problem.

“But when will we harm her, since they’re so close?”

Given Danmokbi’s skills and deep affection, it didn’t seem easy to find a gap. However, there’s always a way in everything. The captain shrugged.

“There must be a time when they have to be apart.”

“When they have to be apart, you mean…”

“During the martial arts tournament.”

“Ah!”

The subordinates exclaimed.

“We can’t disturb our Lord’s mood by doing it too early, so let’s wait for the right opportunity. The opportunity will surely come.”

The captain instructed in a stern tone.

“Don’t forget that all of this is for the Danmok family.”