Solo Swordmaster

Chapter 20: I'll Think About It

"That's unfortunate."

"What is?"

"I can't call my dear husband a dear husband."

"…I told you not to call me that."

"What about alternatives like darling or oppa?"

"Will you please keep it to yourself?"

Li Chingwei looked at Limon cheekily.

'She's a tough nut to crack, huh. And in more ways than one…'

Of course, he already knew she wasn't any ordinary princess. Proposing to him… Giving up a large portion of Leviathan's shares…

But still, how could she act like their marriage was already established and call him her dear husband?

It was impressive, really.

'She acts like the most cunning fox, but somehow appears strangely innocent.'

Above all, there was one peculiar thing.

He couldn't guess what her real intentions were.

With his long life, came experience — experience of how people think. He was confident in his ability to read people.

But Limon still found it hard to make assumptions about Li Chingwei.

Seeing her proficiency in making offers or deals with hidden intent, she appeared to be a profound schemer.

But the gleeful smile on that face and her uncomfortably friendly attitude didn't come across as fake at all.

'Just what reason does she have to be friends with me?'

This was only the second time Li Chingwei and Limon had met.

Their first meeting came only a few days prior, with a marriage proposal. Really, they were closer to strangers.

He couldn't understand why she was being so warm.

There wasn't a single reason for Limon to appear likable to her. Considering the deep rooted resentment between Limon and the Seven Dragons Association, it made more sense to despise him.

'The only reasonable conclusion to all of this is that it's all an act…'

Limon stared at Li Chingwei.

"What is it, Master of Swords?"

"…None of my business." He accidentally muttered out loud.

"What?"

"Nothing, I'm just not going to think about it."

"……???"

Li Chingwei blinked absently.

Limon stopped pondering whether that was an act or not.

It didn't matter in the end.

He had already sworn on his sword.

As long as she didn't turn her back on him, neither would he.

That was enough for Limon.

Whatever intent she was hiding, he didn't need to care so long she didn't backstab him. And if she did, all he had to do was make her pay the price.

Instead, he raised his glass of whiskey Yo Ouin had brought.

"By the way, what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"The bugs outside."

Li Chingwei opened her eyes wide.

"You knew?"

"With their overwhelming vigor, how could I not?"

If the 'bugs' heard what he said, they'd complain that it was complete slander.

Specialized in tracking and infiltration, their camouflage wasn't something any high-level player could simply see through.

"Well, you could say that."

"After all, even we knew about it."

As the Black Dragon Clan, they knew better than anyone else in the world just how futile hiding one's presence from Limon was.

"But they're pretty well hidden to be those half-asses from the government…… Is it the Infinite Monarch?"

"Yes. But to be exact, there are also Tracers from other guilds that were hired by 『Infinity Guild』."

This too, was something the 'bugs' would freak out over.

Not only did Li Chingwei know of their presence, but also who sent them.

Although, Limon casually accepted this fact.

Of all places, they were lying in ambush and surveilling Hotel Leviathan.

It was a miracle no more intel was discovered.

In the past, they would have all disappeared without a trace the moment their presence was found.

'Wait. But that shouldn't have changed?'

Limon tilted his head.

Even if they had stepped into the public eye, this was still the Seven Dragons Association.

Especially when considering the nature of Hotel Leviathan, just leaving outsiders alone wasn't something they would do.

"Is it because of the Infinite Monarch that you've let them be, despite all that they have already done?"

"That is only half the reason."

Li Chingwei affirmed without hesitation.

The Seven Dragons Association may rule over the world's economy, but the Monarchs were the Absolute Rulers.

Crossing the Infinite Monarch's henchmen simply because they were in the vicinity wasn't something they'd be able to get away with.

"So what's the other half?"

"The stench of blood wouldn't be pleasant when my dear husband is here, don't you think?"

"……Ah, so that's how it is."

Limon considered if he should thank her for her consideration, or pretend he didn't hear anything. In the end, he decided to change the subject instead.

"I just thought you were letting them be because of the guys in the back."

"What?"

"What?"

***

***

A question mark appeared above Li Chingwei's head, as Limon tilted his.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You really don't know? There's a whole gang of them waiting just a little far off."

Li Chingwei couldn't answer Limon's begrudging question.

She only gave Yo Ouin a troubled look.

But Yo Ouin only returned her troubled look at the unexpected news.

"We didn't find any traces of them at least 10 li(about 4 kilometers) around us…"

"Huh? Only ten?"

"Times have changed. Maybe if it was with surveillance technology, but we are only using manpower to guard the vicinity."

"Damn… The world really has improved."

Limon clicked his tongue.

It was understandable.

Now that the Seven Dragons Association was on the legal side of the law, there was less need to stay on guard.

But who knew even Hotel Leviathan had become this soft.

Limon got to the bottom of the problem, even with the generation gap ringing in his mind.

" That explains it. They're about 12km away."

"About… 30li?"

"Yep. They're a decoy. Their plan is to move everyone else once you start pursuing them."

"I see…'

Li Chingwei finally got a grasp of the situation.

On the other hand, Yo Ouin brought up something he still couldn't understand.

"How did the Master of Swords know they were there?"

"I looked out the window and they were just there."

"……You saw them from here?"

"Yeah, over there."

Yo Ouin followed Limon's pointer finger and looked out the window.

Hotel Leviathan's top floor matched the hotel's reputation.

From their top floor, one could easily look down at least dozens of kilometers away.

Especially for a Psionics master like Yo Ouin, seeing people even ten kilometers away wasn't difficult to do.

But having a good eye and identifying suspicious people weren't the same thing.

"I don't see anything particularly suspicious…"

"That's probably because of the barrier."

"The barrier?"

"Looks like they've set up some shit in an attempt to conceal themselves. Try focusing on finding disharmony in the presences."

"……"

For a moment, Yo Ouin was speechless.

Limon had found the ambushers just from feeling disharmony at such a distance.

On top of that, 90% of the tracers were high-level players from 『Infinity Guild』, and they were hiding behind barriers 12 kilometers away.

It was beyond human.

'……The Master of Swords…"

He didn't doubt his words.

He could only let out a sigh as he recollected how desperately the Seven Dragons Association tried to go after this monster in the past.

He was a martial artist of the past.

Unlike this era's youth who looked down on the Swordmaster to an unreasonable amount, he was someone who knew what kind of being the Swordmaster was.

"According to the Master of Swords, it seems we shouldn't just leave them be."

"I think you should. It'll all be fixed once I leave."

"We can't let you do that."

"Why? Is your pride hurt?"

Limon sneered.

The Seven Dragons Association always had pride that reached the heavens.

They weren't the kind of people who would allow this blatant provocation.

That was why Limon was taken aback by Li Chingwei's response.

"No, they could be targeting me."

"What?"

"They have been tailing me ever since I arrived in this country."

"……They've been tailing you? Why?"

"I'm not sure, what do you think?"

Did she really not know, or did she not want to answer?

Limon didn't bother to interrogate the cheerfully grinning Li Chingwei.

He simply understood.

'No wonder she didn't care if I was in trouble with the Infinite Monarch.'

Marrying him meant making the Monarch her enemy.

No matter how much she needed Limon's strength, that should have been enough for her to reconsider the marriage.

He was thinking it was odd how casually she brushed it off, but it was understandable if she had trouble with Lee Chun-gi from the beginning.

Whether Lee Chun-gi was the main culprit or the mastermind behind it, as long as they stalked her, fighting the Infinite Monarch would be inevitable.

"What are you going to do if you really are the reason they're inspecting this place?"

"Take the necessary measures?"

"And what are those necessary measures?"

Li Chingwei avoided a direct answer to the question Limon posed with an odd expression.

She only spoke in a quiet voice.

"Yo Ouin."

"The Secret Shadow and Dark Treachery Squads can get moving right away."

"Would it be possible to bring out the Black Dragon squad as well?"

"Would that be alright?"

"Our opponent is the 『Infinity Guild』 guild. Don't you think it would be better to be thorough and hear a mouthful from the elders later rather than taking a half measure?"

"Indeed, you are right."

Yo Ouin agreed with sincerity to what the grinning Li Chingwei said.

"……Are you guys planning an all-out war with the Infinite Monarch?"

"They crossed the line first."

"I'm not exactly trying to advocate for them, but I don't think they even knew there was a line."

"Just because they didn't know doesn't make what they did go away."

"Well, that's true…"

Limon scratched his face.

He wasn't going to stop them.

He understood Li Chingwei's sharp reaction.

Whether it was intentional or not, Lee Chun-gi had provoked the royal ire, and that wasn't something the Seven Dragons Association could let slide.

And yet, there was one reason for Limon to interfere.

"Still, don't you think a direct confrontation is too much in this age? There'll be a lot of damage done to the business, to start with."

He didn't want Hotel Leviathan to have trouble.

What'll happen to its worth once the Infinite Monarch and the Black Dragon Clan clash? Limon didn't want such a risk, especially when he had just agreed to taking the shares.

"Do you have any other valuable ideas?"

"Well, it's not really valuable."

Limon quickly downed the whiskey he'd only been sipping in a flash.

Putting the glass down, Limon looked composed.

"How about I show you the reason people feared facing the Master of Swords as their enemy?"

"Oh, uhm…"

"Uhhh……"

At that very moment, there was a small change in both Li Chingwei and Yo Ouin's expressions.

Looking at Limon like a dog standing on a landmine, their eyes were filled with sympathy, apprehension and pity.

"……Uhm, Master of Swords?"

Li Chingwei carefully spoke up.

"What?"

"You will show them some mercy, right……?"

Limon was lost in consideration for a moment after hearing her genuinely concerned voice, and replied with a cold smile.

"I'll think about it."

Unfortunately, his reply wasn't comforting at all.

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