𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆-𝘀𝗶𝘅

The following two days of training were rigorous and painfully exhausting. But Gaeun could manage to cast a series of spells without feeling her lungs collapse and that meant a good amount of progress. She suspected that Jooyong had given her a slight push by manipulating her energy circulation but as long as it had a positive effect on her she wasn't one to complain.

In these three days, Gaeun realized that she abhorred being weak. She had hated being thrown to the ground and seeing her fire whips get deflected as if they were made of smoke. She was never proud of her proficiency in killcraft but she did take pride in her strength, durability, and competence.

"No wonder Mu Deok's so desperate," Gaeun mumbled to herself, making her way to the embassy on the fourth day, "It isn't easy coping with the sudden loss of power."

That didn't mean she suddenly developed some sort of a soft corner in her heart for the assassin. Long ago, Gaeun had an iota of respect for Naksu. Her colleagues had complained and whined about how strong she had been. Gaeun herself had to stop holding back a little during their first encounter. Naksu's taunts, however, infuriated her.

Gaeun had a rule of killing someone only as a last resort. Had it not been for Yifan interrupting Naksu's diversion by summoning a snowstorm, Gaeun would've incinerated everything within a kilometre radius. She had believed herself to be a calm person until she had crossed paths with the damned assassin.

And now her entire team was dead and Naksu slept within the same walls as she did.

Gaeun stopped under the roofed gates of the embassy, staring at Yifan. He had his arms crossed as he spoke to Haneul and Seok. She swallowed dryly, observing him from afar.

How would Yifan react if...when he found out that Gaeun was sheltering the person responsible for the death of their loved ones? Was abandoning and betraying him once not enough?

Seok, dressed for travel with his blanket wrapped and tied on the small of his back, turned as if he could read her mind and waved her over. She tried to curb her surprise at his ability to smile and pretend that everything was normal between them. "Yifan was filling us in about your training," Seok said to her when she was close enough, "You're doing well, he says."

"Not well enough." Gaeun tried to not sound stiff.

"If you weren't up to the mark," Yifan scoffed, "I wouldn't have called for a proper spar today."

Seok exchanged looks with Haneul who grinned and said, "Why don't we sit back for their spar and then leave? I love seeing Gaeun lose."

Gaeun frowned at her, "I've never lost against Yifan."

"Eh, never say never."

When she unsheathed her sword, the dull blade shimmered a sharp white. It thrummed with life in her palm. The dragon's ruby eye on its hilt gleamed under the sun as if welcoming Gaeun back. There was no way she was going to lose this fight, even if it was practice.

As she faced Yifan, Gaeun mumbled to herself knowing that Jooyong was listening, "Don't show yourself. Seok and Haneul can see you." She felt his agitation. All these years and even Jooyong hadn't known who her friends had really been. It sure was tough being a half-fledged god.

Shut the fuck up, wench.

Gaeun and Yifan nod to each other as they adjust into fighting positions—both holding their swords with one hand but while Gaeun had raised hers to waist-level, Yifan's was still pointed at the ground. He liked to fool his opponents by faking an air of casualness around him.