The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

In the office of the Changbongdae leader.

Various household items were scattered around carelessly. If the responsible servants had seen this, they would have cleaned up, but there were currently no dedicated servants in Changbongdae.

The scattered household items, the empty training ground visible from the office, and the dust piled up on the furniture gave the impression that the disbandment of Changbongdae was imminent.

In the office, Moyong Sang-ah, the owner of Changbongdae, brushed some dust from the furniture with her finger and spoke to the Changbongdae leader.

“Is there still no news?”

That man she didn’t want to see again had arrived.

Hoping he wouldn’t come, Moyong Sang-ah had come here looking for new information.

“There’s still no contact from the high official in Joseon, who was our only source of information.”

“Isn’t there another way to get information?”

“We’ve tried everything, but Joseon is wary of foreigners, making it difficult to obtain internal news.”

“Was the evidence too weak?”

The fake evidence of the Kang family’s treason sent to the Joseon high official was, in fact, scarce. There was certainly a possibility that even if the Joseon court saw the evidence, they might not act on it.

“The quantity was small, but we included decisive evidence. They will surely act.”

“If it’s too late, that evidence will be my undoing.”

Once the wedding night was over, everything would be finished. If the Kang family got entangled in treason after that, Moyong Sang-ah wouldn’t be safe either.

The blade thrown to harm others could turn towards oneself. A shadow crossed Moyong Sang-ah’s face momentarily.

“There must be some movement, I’ve heard. You’ll receive news soon. Don’t worry, even if it’s late.”

“Waiting for an opponent’s gap during a duel, I’m confident like no other, but waiting for news is unbearably hard.”

“This marriage is absurd from the start. Sending a bride to a foreign nation. Does the head of the family and the council of elders not know shame?”

Once, the Moyong Family was so powerful in the martial arts world that it could represent it. But now, in terms of force, wealth, and influence, it was not what it used to be.

Nowadays, compared to other martial arts families like the Namgung Clan, Jegal Clan, Sichuan Tang Family, and Hebei Peng Family, the Moyong Family is considered a step or two below in every aspect.

Gossipers openly said that this gap would only widen over time. However, in the midst of this, the Moyong Family unexpectedly found an opportunity for a turnaround.

‘I, Kang Mo, am indebted to the Moyong Family head for saving my life!’

Patriarch Moyong Cheon, by chance, saved Kang Yun-ho’s father from a band of horse thieves during a business trip.

Having owed a life debt, Kang Yun-ho’s father became a close friend of Moyong Cheon, who was the then-head of the Moyong Family.

Yeojin Tribe horse thieves, Green Forest outlaws, corrupt officials— ginseng smuggling faced numerous challenges.

The Kang family of Joseon, wealthy but powerless, and the Moyong Family, once glorious but now only left with martial strength, inevitably had to cooperate.

Moyong Cheon, through a protection contract with the Kang family, laid the groundwork for the revival of the declining Moyong Family. Yet, they were still far behind compared to other families.

Suddenly, Moyong Cheon fell into a coma.

The contract with the Kang family was solely based on the relationship between Moyong Cheon and Kang Yun-ho’s father. What if Moyong Cheon died?

Just when they had laid the foundation for revival, they could lose it all. There was a sense of unease among the Moyong Family members.

That’s when Moyong Bi, the junior head, proposed a solution.

‘If the bond formed by the life-saving grace is about to end, why not form a stronger bond, becoming a family?’

Thus, the marriage of Moyong Sang-ah and Kang Yun-ho was arranged.

Of course, it was an open secret that this allowed Moyong Bi to eliminate his sister and rival, Moyong Sang-ah, and strengthen his position as the junior head.

“The Demonic Sect is watching over you, brother. Eliminating me from power and seizing the wealth of the Kang family must be their plan.”

“Miss, it’s not too late. I’ll rush to the Murim Alliance and inform them that the Moyong Family has fallen for the Demonic Sect’s seduction.”

“That’s absolutely not possible.”

If the Demonic Sect rose, the Murim Alliance would confront it. This was a well-known fact, even to the children of the Central Plains.

But the reality was different.

The Murim Alliance was not a group united for some grand justice. It was merely a coalition of interest, united only for their own benefits. They opposed the Demonic Sect only because it harmed their interests.

What would happen if the news that Moyong Bi had become a pawn of the Demonic Sect were reported to the Martial Alliance?

Moyong Sang-ah, who wanted to cut out the corrupt part of the Moyong Family and gather evidence and power, would see a different outcome. The Moyong Family would be disbanded, and all benefits coming to Yodong Castle would be distributed to other factions under the Murim Alliance.

The clan’s problems should be solved by the clan itself. That was an absolute proposition in this case.

“What should I do then…”

“Miss, you were here!”

One of Moyong Sang-ah’s dedicated servants from Changbongdae hurriedly came looking for her.

“What’s the matter?”

Moyong Sang-ah responded.

“The junior head has sent for you to meet your fiancé.”

“I said I wouldn’t go.”

“But… if you don’t come to the office now, he said to prepare for all remaining members of Changbongdae to be thrown onto the streets.”

“How could the junior head say such a thing!”

The leader of Changbongdae was shocked, his eyes wide. Was he now openly resorting to threats? Swallowing her anger, Moyong Sang-ah spoke to the servant.

“I need to get ready. Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”

“I can help you get ready quickly if you go with me!”

“I’m sorry.”

The leader of Changbongdae said with a sorrowful expression. Instead of being of help, they had become hostages. Guilt-ridden, the leader couldn’t continue.

“… Inform me if there’s any new news.”

With that, Moyong Sang-ah went back to get ready.

---

It was an even more unpleasant meeting than before.

After a long time, having met her fiancé and returned to her room, Moyong Sang-ah thought so.

A man drowning in inferiority, making wrong choices, and another man who looked down on others with wealth he hadn’t earned. How they were already calling each other brother-in-law and brother, a perfectly matching pair of in-laws.

Surely there would come a day when she, too, would get married. Moyong Sang-ah, known as the martial arts enthusiast in the Moyong Family, wasn’t without girlish dreams.

What kind of man would she marry?

A romance with a young swordsman encountered on a journey through the martial world would be wonderful. A noble from another clan would surely be nice. Marrying a scholar-official with a pure reputation wouldn’t be bad either. She’d have to support him diligently.

What about a heroic swordsman who rescued her from a great crisis?

She would surely fall in love.

She didn’t often think about it due to her focus on martial arts training, but she could assert that marriage with such a despicable man never featured in those imaginations.

‘Are you saying he kept that joke in mind and is now pettily seeking revenge?’

He treated a woman of the Moyong Family as a mere courtesan, then shifted the responsibility onto her. Recalling the recent incident, Moyong Sang-ah bit her lip in anger.

“Why? If it wasn’t a joke, would you draw the sword at your side?”

She wanted to cut him down—that despicable smile, those eyes full of arrogance over nothing, and a tongue that injured people so calmly. She wanted to sever his head and everything in it.

But she couldn’t.

The moment she struck, Moyong Bi would take everything from her. Her father would die according to the Demonic Sect’s wishes, and her people would either perish or be cast onto the streets.

Yet, Kang Yun-ho’s provocation was too intense to maintain her composure. That’s why Moyong Sang-ah decided to slightly threaten her fiancé as a compromise for her emotions.

The bright red mark on her cheek was the result. Moyong Bi’s evil energy swiftly neutralized Moyong Sang-ah’s internal strength and left a mark on her cheek.

Moyong Sang-ah touched the reddened area in the mirror.

“Ouch!”

The pain radiated from the spot her finger grazed. It was a shallow cut but inflicted by evil energy. Normally, a martial artist like Moyong Sang-ah would recover quickly from such a wound, but not when evil energy was involved. It would likely linger until right before the wedding.

She longed for vengeance against both men.

Staring at her cheek in the mirror, Moyong Sang-ah harbored these thoughts. But at the moment, there was nothing she could do.

All she could do was await good news from Joseon and study the books given by that man.

There were two books about Joseon customs.

On the covers were written:

[Joseon Women’s Conduct]

[Collection of Joseon Tales]

[Collection of Joseon Tales] appeared to be a book of folktales, but how did it relate to studying Joseon customs? It seemed more sensible to start with the seemingly more pertinent [Joseon Women’s Conduct.]

Moyong Sang-ah opened [Joseon Women’s Conduct] first.

[In Joseon, when a woman wants to seduce a man, she says, “Won’t you eat noodles and not leave?” This phrase is based on the rarity of flour in Joseon, implying an invitation to enjoy both the precious flour and intimate pleasure.]

[Another way is to say, ‘Won’t you come to my house to eat the most precious thing?’ Then invite the man by saying, ‘Actually, that’s me,’ or ‘Won’t you come to see the cutest cat in my house?’ and make a ‘meow’ sound once you’re at home.]

[Subtly. While walking arm-in-arm with a husband, intentionally press your chest close. It pleases the husband and simultaneously seduces him. However, this technique is not suitable for every woman, as it requires a certain amount of volume. Therefore, it’s recommended only for those who possess it.]

[How do you comfort a heartbroken husband? Act cute and hug him. But the words that provide the most comfort to a gloomy husband are ‘Do you want to touch my chest?’]

“This is just……”

Moyong Sang-ah felt dizzy just from reading the beginning.