The Sun's Muse

XIII- Masked Man

Chapter thirteen- Masked Man

"Something doesn't feel right."

Eun-jung looked up at Ji-woon after hearing what she just said. The older girl picked up the cup of tea that was placed in front of her and took a sip, but quickly spat the liquid out once the bitterness hit her taste buds.

They were currently staying at the Blossom House, a small village inn near the outskirts of town which only took in women as guests. The place was a bit crowded, but the owner of the inn was Madam Park's old friend, so this was their best bet.

"What do you mean? What doesn't feel right?" Eun-jung asked. She looked intently at the older girl, waiting for her reply.

"I dunno, it's so stuffy in here. Eomma¹ just had to choose the cruddiest corner of town, didn't she?" Ji-woon muttered sarcastically. Before she could utter another word, she felt a pinch on her ear, pulling her down towards the floor.

"Naughty girl. Look at what you're wearing, Woon-a. Can't you act like the gisaeng that you are? Or if that's too much too ask, can you at least act your age??" Ji-woon rubbed her ear and got up from the floor quickly, facing an angry Madam Park.

She gave her mother an apologetic smile, while Eun-jung tried her best to stop her laughter in the background.

"I'm sorry, eomma." She said, putting her palms together and pouting.

"Save it. Take the horse and gather firewood. There are no men here and since you act so much like one, better put all that time you spent sneaking out of the pleasure house to use." The older woman ordered.

It was already late into the night, and Eun-jung was worried that something bad might happen to Ji-woon if she wandered out alone in the forest. However, instead of complaining, the older girl gladly obliged. She would rather get mauled by a pack of wolves in the woods than stay in that cramped and cruddy corner for a second more.

"Be careful, eonni." Eun-jung reminded.

Ji-woon tied her mask behind her ear and grabbed her sword from the side table, ready to take her leave, when she saw a woman approaching her mother and Eun-jung from the corner of her eye.

A woman who looks about her mother's age, but with a face that looks all too specific and familiar.

When she realized that she had been staring for too long, she shifted her gaze and shrugged her shoulders, then went on her way.

•••

Ji-woon led her horse through a path into the forest, keeping her eye out for more firewood.

As she walked by a clump of trees, she noticed a small shack made of wood near her. It seemed like one of those cabins that wood loggers create to store firewood.

Her curiosity got the best of her so she walked slowly towards the cabin and was about to reach for the door when she was startled by the abrupt sound of hooves stopping, and the loud clashing of swords from a clearing a few meters away.

Any sane person would quickly get on their horse and go back the other way.

But Park Ji-woon is utterly and despicably insane.

So as expected, she got on her horse and pulled the reins, slowly riding towards the source of the sound. She felt her body grow more and more nervous as the clashing sounds of swords got louder, until she finally reached the clearing. She quickly halted her horse and hid behind the trees, as she saw a group of about ten men clad in black against two young nobles. The clashing of swords stopped temporarily when a masked man in black armour arrived at the scene.