The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Among the items listed in the dowry, I discovered a metal that appeared in the game.

Jangbaeksun-eun (長白純銀)

Just hearing it seems like I should drink a bowl of national pride. The description of this baseless metal was roughly as follows.

Jangbaek Mountain. The name used in China for Mount Baekdu. Jangbaeksun-eun referred to silver from Jangbaek Mountain, which reacted to demonic energy.

A sword plated with this silver inflicted additional damage on members of the Demonic Sect. If made into an ornament, it became an item that could detect those tainted by evil.

In other words, it was like a fantasy metal from Mount Baekdu with special properties.

It was indeed Jangbaek Mountain. A symbol of nationalistic martial arts!

Where the legendary hermits and horseback warriors frolicked and where the mysterious figures of Jangbaek discussed who was the best in the world. What wouldn’t be there? Eventually, it might even be a place where the sky split and Chiyou appeared.

I couldn’t believe it was here.

Was it here because it’s a Korean metal?

Having this, I could secure ‘plausibility’ for my plan.

“Dolsoe,”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Bring me some Jangbaeksun-eun from the dowry.”

As soon as he heard that, Dolsoe, who was holding the reins below, had a look of ‘Is this guy even human?’

“Young Master, if we embezzle that, we’ll both die.”

“No, I’m not going to use it myself.”

“Of course. There’s no way the Young Master would use it. It must be for some top courtesan at a pleasure house.”

Was I the kind of person for him to think something like that even before I finished speaking?

Hmm…… I remembered embezzling many valuables from the warehouse.

Handing over silver and having them take off their tops, giving gold and having them take off more.

’The courtesan sells dreams, not her body,] said the proud courtesan. First, I would slip jade rings on all ten of her fingers, then say,

“Tonight, you will enter my chamber.”

‘…….’

The trembling eyes of the dignified courtesan. How could such a courtesan ever receive such precious jade rings?

‘Hmm. Hesitating?’

Then, I would remove one ring from her finger.

‘Hesitated, so now there are only nine. Tonight, you will enter my chamber.’

If she still hesitated, I’d remove another, leaving eight.

‘My Lord……’

Complete conquest.

Wow, the more I remembered, the more impressive I was. Truly a life of flexing.

Even just memories with women were like AV videos. A colored history of seduction.

‘Don’t joke, Oppa. Do you really like me? Ah…… Damn, really.’

Suddenly, a painful memory surfaced. But what was the use of dwelling on such painful wounds?

With so many sins committed, it felt awkward to make excuses to Dolsoe, so I stated my purpose directly.

“I’m not trying to embezzle it. I want to give it to my fiancée.”

“Jangbaeksun-eun? But isn’t all the dowry going to the bride’s family anyway?”

Dolsoe was questioning as if it was a weird excuse.

“No. I want to gift her a ring made of that silver. The dowry is from the family, not from me.”

“If you embezzle it to give it, isn’t it still from the family?”

“It’s different because my sincerity is involved. Stop nagging and just use my name to take out the Jangbaeksun-eun. Take it to the most famous artisan in Yeodongseong and ask him to craft a ring.”

“It’s not a problem to take it out, but I’m not familiar with this area.”

“There are many who came and went as attendants following my father. They’ll know. Just command them in my name.”

“Understood. Please take the reins again.”

With that, Dolsoe passed the reins back.

“It must be made before we enter the Moyong Family. I’m counting on you.”

If this went well, I could add significant plausibility to my plan. I asked with a heartfelt plea.

“Wow! You’re even entrusting me with this for your marriage. I’ll make sure it’s done right.”

Dolsoe said with a smile and headed towards the dowry carriage.

I hope it worked out.

In the depths of the Moyong Family estate.

There, a woman was gazing at the sky through a window bathed in moonlight.

The full moon was truly beautiful, but it paled in comparison to her beauty.

Even if one washed their hair daily with iris water, it would not be as soft as her dark hair.

When the breeze brushed her hair, her scent, like that of flowers, faintly spread around.

Despite her stunning beauty, illuminated by the moonlight, her face looked somewhat sorrowful.

Her name was…

Moyong Sang-ah

Kang Yun-ho’s fiancée.

“Miss.”

The leader of Changbongdae, Moyong Sang-ah’s personal guard, knelt and called out to her.

“Has he arrived?”

Moyong Sang-ah asked, still gazing at the sky.

“Yes. He has reached a two-day distance.”

“What about the letter sent to the high official in Joseon?”

“There has been some movement in the Joseon court. However…”

“It will be difficult before the wedding day.”

“……. Yes.”

A sorrowful voice came from the leader of Changbongdae.

“In the end……. We can’t stop it. Alright. The night is deep. Please go inside.”

“Miss. There’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Half of Changbongdae was disbanded today, and the remaining half will be disbanded a few days after your wedding.”

Changryong and Changbong. The names of the personal guard units established by Moyong Bi and Moyong Sang-ah’s father for his two children.

Units that were created to protect the two candidates for the family head. The disbandment of one, in a situation where the family head was comatose, meant the complete end of influence for one side.

“How can this happen without my permission?”

“The decision was made with the proposal of the acting family head, the lesser family head, and the approval of the council of direct blood relatives.”

“My brother has really made up his mind. Alright, I understand. I’ll remember this.”

Moyong Sang-ah said calmly, without even turning her head to the leader of Changbongdae.

“Yes. I will take my leave now.”

Even in such a situation, the miss remained calm. The leader of Changbongdae thought so as he retreated.

However, he wouldn’t have thought the same if he had seen Moyong Sang-ah’s face. Like a calm pond touched by the moonlight, her face was trembling with anger.

The problem began with the succession struggle of the Moyong Family.

Moyong Cheon was the family head who led the renaissance of the Moyong Family, receiving solid support from the elders and family members. His refusal to remarry after his wife’s death also garnered admiration within the family.

When such a family head offered both his son and daughter a chance at succession, few opposed it.

Thus, the succession struggle began.

As the saying goes, “No minister can compare to a filial son.” Indeed, both children quickly absorbed the martial arts of the Moyong Family and began to develop in both civil and military aspects.

But

If Moyong Bi was like a minister in his service, Moyong Sang-ah was a dragon. Despite the five-year age difference, at 15, she matched her older brother, who was already an adult.

At 16, after a half-day battle, Moyong Sang-ah beat Moyong Bi for the first time.

At 17, she won after a half-day battle.

At 18, it only took a single hour, and it was apparent that Moyong Sang-ah was holding back.

At 19, Moyong Bi no longer competed with Moyong Sang-ah.

And Moyong Bi chose a different path to become the successor, not just through training.

“Father collapsed.”

No renowned doctor could bring back her father’s consciousness. And because she was still young, it was decided that her brother would act as the lesser family head until her father regained consciousness.

The first thing her brother did was dismiss a person who had been a close friend and general to her father for decades. Then, he invited people from outside.

There was resistance, but when her brother started inviting strong warriors as guests, the opposition began to fade.

Moreover, relatives who supported her started to die mysteriously or turn against her. But even then, she didn’t think it was related to her brother.

As more misfortunes occurred around her, she devoted herself to martial arts training to forget the sorrows.

Eventually, she realized that her brother must be involved in this, but only when she couldn’t just focus on martial arts training anymore.

She demanded an open sparring match with her brother.

To beat him severely and make him spill the truth.

In front of the Elders, blood relatives, family members, and guests. All the people of the Moyong Family watched as her brother and she stood against each other.

Her brother never seemed invincible. But…

She was overwhelmingly defeated.

“Hahahahaha! Truly a pathetic sight!! Just admit your defeat!!”

A triumphant laugh seemed to burst from deep within. Despite all her efforts, she couldn’t beat her brother. She was defeated that day.

That defeat caused the factions relying on her talent to suffer a devastating blow.

But, on the contrary, she found a clue.

The energy her brother used that day.

It was the demonic energy of the Demonic Sect.

She focused on finding evidence through Changbongdae’s leader and a few trustworthy people. But it was too late. Her brother had sold her to a barbarian clan.

“How much did you hate me, brother?”

The man her brother chose for her was human trash. A garbage who treated even his fiancée like a courtesan.

Gathering rumors after, even being called human trash, seemed too generous for him.

He enjoyed alcohol, women, and gambling, even hitting his teacher, who urged him to study. He caused various incidents and always tried to settle them with money, never apologizing.

She couldn’t marry such a man.

So, she sent fake evidence to Joseon to frame his family for treason.

It was flimsy evidence, but the family had amassed wealth through smuggling. There must be something dubious if investigated.

That way, she could break off the engagement and buy some time. That’s what she thought.

“There’s not enough time.”

If the wedding proceeded, she’d become an outsider, forced to leave her family.

The family will belong to her brother, her father will pass away, and it will fall under the control of the Demonic Sect.

She had to find a way to delay it.

“Young Master, we will soon be a day’s journey away.”

“A day’s journey from the underworld.”

The closer we got to the Moyong Family, the more despair I felt. Could I really succeed?

“Huh?”

“There was a sage who said marriage is the tomb of life, you bastard. By that logic, I’m heading to the underworld now.”

I quickly covered it up.

“What tomb? The lady you’re marrying is so beautiful that her fame reaches from Yeodongseong to Joseon. It’s not a tomb but a flower garden.”

“I don’t need such a flower garden. I’d rather eat Matdongsan.”

The Matdongsan in an envelope held by my father returning from work. Dad, please buy some other snacks than Matdongsan next time. ‘Hehe. Okay, I’ll buy something else next time.’ He laughed awkwardly, but the envelope still contained Matdongsan.

I’d rather have that unappetizing Matdongsan.

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Isn’t that procession approaching us? Shouldn’t we block them?”

A procession of horse riders was approaching us, raising a cloud of dust in the distance.

“Stop! Stop!”

The captain of the guards hurriedly went forward to stop the approaching group. When the dust settled, what appeared were sword-bearing warriors.

What was this? A band of robbers? I didn’t know how to use a sword.

“We are from the Kang family of Joseon. We are traveling for a wedding with the Moyong Family. Identify yourselves!”

The captain loudly declared our identity to the other party with a few guards.

This seemed too meticulous for such a purpose.

Were they here to harm us?

We were from the well-known Kang family of Joseon, weren’t we? Didn’t they know? Then, do you know the Moyong Family? If you can’t handle the consequences, step aside. If not, we’ll make you face the underworld. Something like that.

Then, a representative-looking figure from the other side spoke up.

“Welcome. We are Changryongdae, the direct personal guard of the Moyong Family head. We have come to escort Master Kang Yun-ho and his party.”

Ah.

My underworld gate had approached.