The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

I had thought I was a day’s journey from the underworld, but I never expected them to find me like this.

The Changryongdae of the Moyong Family appeared, all riding horses, unlike typical martial artists.

I mean, martial artists should be using their lightness skill to ‘swoosh’ in, not ride horses. At first, I mistook them for a band of robbers.

But considering they came from a scholarly family of martial artists, riding horses seemed more fitting than using lightness skill.

“Everyone, dismount!”

“Understood!”

The Changryongdae dismounted in unison. They weren’t clad in armor, but they might as well have been an army with such discipline.

Their discipline was so strict, it was as if they were lining up for a military commander’s inspection. The man who appeared to be the leader approached me.

“Master Kang. From this moment, we, the Changryongdae of the Moyong Family, will be your escort.”

“I understand your affiliation, but I don’t believe I’ve received your introduction.”

Doesn’t this guy know introductions are supposed to come first?

“I am Moyong Jinsu, the deputy leader of the Changryongdae.”

This guy was being evasive. I might have to reconsider my earlier comment about their discipline.

“Alright. My name is Kang Yun-ho, of the Kang family.”

“Nice to meet you, Master Kang. We will ensure your safety.”

As the deputy leader of the Changryongdae bowed, a commotion suddenly broke out behind us.

“What is this outrage!!”

One of the attendants shouted from behind, sounding astonished.

“It’s merely out of curiosity. Just curiosity,”

The members of the Changryongdae who had been sneakily peeking into the dowry sheaths responded.

“You must not peek into the dowry!”

A dowry, sent as a gift from the groom’s family to the bride’s, symbolizes respect.

It was destined to become property of the Moyong Family, but such peeking was a severe breach of etiquette.

“Don’t raise your voice. Where is the ginseng? Our soldiers have been feeling weak recently.”

“Yikes! This is intended for the family head and the bride. It is not for the likes of you to handle!”

“……”

The deputy leader of the Changryongdae looked on but didn’t say anything.

“Huh? Isn’t he supposed to intervene here?”

“It seems this is how joy is expressed these days.”

I indirectly rebuked them in Kang Yun-ho’s style.

“Haha. Our soldiers are perhaps too enthusiastic about the celebration. I’m concerned that if the party reacts too strongly, there might be an accident.”

Is he trying to pick a fight?

Kang Yun-ho had the worst relationship with Moyong Sang-ah, but he had no particular reason to be on bad terms with the Moyong Family.

The Kang family brings wealth, and the Moyong Family brings martial power. Isn’t this marriage supposed to be the ultimate deal between the two families?

It seems like a power play, but I can’t figure out why. Should I observe the situation more?

“It seems standing here is causing problems. Captain, let’s start moving.”

“Understood. Everyone, let’s move out!”

Thus, we began our uneasy journey with the Changryongdae.

At one end of Kang Yun-ho’s wedding procession stood Moyong Jinsu, the deputy leader of the Changryongdae.

“I can’t believe she is marrying that barbarian.”

A member of the Changryongdae approached Moyong Jinsu and commented.

“Marriage is decided by the family. It’s not a matter of our approval or disapproval.”

“How can you say that so coldly? You were in the Changbongdae until recently.”

“……”

The Changbongdae, Moyong Sang-ah’s personal guard, admired her talent and beauty; there was no member who didn’t.

However, as per the order of the lesser family head, its dissolution was recently planned. Already half had been disbanded and absorbed into the Changryongdae.

Most of the Changryongdae members who came to escort Kang Yun-ho today were former Changbongdae members.

“Many members of the Changbongdae admired the lady. Her talent, her appearance, her bright future… Ah, really.”

The Changryongdae member beat his chest as if it were about to burst.

“Getting married to a rich family is also a form of happiness.”

“Do you really think so?”

“…I hoped she would become the family head, but now there’s no way.”

Moyong Jinsu wore a pained expression.

“Why not? Just disrupt the marriage.”

“How would you do that?”

“Just annoy the people around her, make her angry, provoke her, and she’ll explode in rage. Just like that.”

The Changryongdae member made a throat-slitting gesture with his hand.

“If you do that, you’ll also die.”

“You said he’s a rogue, right? If he’s a rogue, then let him draw his sword. Make him draw the sword and claim it was a moment of life-threatening danger. Surely, just a little provocation will make him react.”

“You know it’s not going to be that easy.”

“I don’t care. I’d rather die than let the lady marry that barbarian. Just stay out of it, please. We’ll handle everything.”

It was an absurd plan, but like the young soldier, Moyong Jinsu, who also admired Moyong Sang-ah, couldn’t outright dismiss it.

Thinking his silence was agreement, the young Changryongdae member went off to share the plan with others.

Riding a horse seems convenient since it runs for you, but it’s not.

The impact of the horse’s hooves continuously affects the rider’s hips. Plus, since it’s a living creature, you always need to be alert to its movements.

Why else would a famous general of Silla, trusting the horse’s autopilot, cut off its head when it malfunctioned? Over-reliance on semi-autonomy is dangerous.

Additionally, you have to keep your thighs tensed to avoid falling off.

Even Liu Bei in the Three Kingdoms lamented gaining weight in his thighs from a life on horseback and not staying active.

Anyway, riding is physically demanding.

A carriage is a hundred times better. Even the Kang family prepared a carriage, but Kang Yun-ho, the damn fool, refused it.

Rich as he was, to travel all the way from Joseon to Yeodongseong on horseback. What was he thinking?

It’s all about appearances.

Kang Yun-ho, that damn rogue, thought riding a horse was stylish. He equated it to choosing a convertible over a carriage for the cool factor in modern times.

Idiot. Ah, damn.

The high-quality saddle and seat pad made it less painful, but for someone not trained in martial arts, such a long journey still proved draining.

Anyway, why am I saying all this?

“If we take a shortcut known by the Changryongdae, we can shave half a day off our journey. If we hurry, we can arrive by midnight.”

“Master Kang is very tired from the long journey. It would be sufficient to stay at the inn and continue the next day.”

This exchange occurred during a meal at the inn, where the Changryongdae and our party debated the schedule.

The power struggle persisted.

The Changryongdae, though they had come to meet us, were attempting to seize command of the entire party.

‘Why do these guys keep overstepping their bounds?’

Ever since the Changryongdae joined us, they had been acting insolently.

Sneaking peeks into the dowry sheaths or

Threatening the slower members of our party to pick up the pace.

I didn’t hear it myself, but some even had the audacity to label the groom’s party barbarians.

Everyone yearned to speak up, but it wasn’t proper to quarrel with the family we were about to join, so our party held back.

Nevertheless, discontent and apprehension about the Changryongdae were spreading among our members.

“Young Master.”

During the meal, Dolsoe approached and whispered in my ear.

“Whoa. What’s up?”

A guy blowing in my ear—what the hell.

“I’ve been eavesdropping and think I’ve figured out why they’re behaving like this.”

“And why is that?”

Ah, Dolsoe, the Joseon era’s CCTV. He always had everything figured out!

“Well, it seems those Changryongdae are under the lesser family head, but many of them are admirers of Miss Moyong Sang-ah.”

And so?

“They’re grumbling because she’s marrying such a ‘barbarian.’”

Ah, is that all?

Ah, so it’s the tantrums of the uncle brigade, unhappy that the Moyong Family’s idol, Sang-ah, is marrying an alpha like me?

You should have mentioned that earlier.

If anyone had wanted to marry Moyong Sang-ah, I would have arranged it immediately.

No need for a matchmaker.

Here comes Kang Yun-ho, the wizard of love.

The magic of making nonexistent appointments appear when asking a woman if she’s free.

The magic of making a woman lose her appetite when I offer to buy her something tasty.

The magic of making a woman suddenly remember she has a boyfriend when I start setting the mood.

But here I am, a wizard like that, and no one steps forward to marry Moyong Sang-ah.

So, it’s like playing hot potato, and I end up with her.

A Matdongsan of a woman.

“Despicable fools.”

“Exactly. Why should we enter at night like thieves? We should enter in broad daylight.”

He’s right. There was no emergency, so why enter at night?

“I feel like I should say something.”

“Aigoo! But they are martial artists of the Wulin. It could lead to big trouble, Young Master. The captain of the guards will handle it well.”

“Hmm.”

I still needed more time to prepare another plan.

I had to stay out another day. If they insisted on dragging us there, it would be troublesome.

We needed to dampen the spirits of the Changryongdae.

“If we take their so-called shortcut, we have to travel at night. What if we encounter bandits?”

The captain of the guards, coordinating the schedule, yelled at the Changryongdae members.

“Are you insulting the warriors of the great Moyong Family?”

The faces of the Moyong Family warriors turned cold upon hearing this.

“That’s not what I meant…”

A bad move. You shouldn’t provoke their pride in their strength.

“You barbarians might fear bandits. How dare you bring up the threat of bandits in front of our great Moyong Family!”

Amid the icy stares of the Moyong Family warriors, a young warrior, infuriated, shouted out.

“Hey, where did this barbarian…”

“What barbarian?”

The captain of the guards was about to protest, but I interrupted him. “What barbarian? You crossed the line, kid.”

I immediately stood and rushed toward the young warrior who had called me a barbarian.

“Hey. What did you just say?”

“You’re in for it now, kid.”

This chilling sensation—it was time for the rogue Kang Yun-ho to return.