Chapter: 186

Chapter Title: A Walk on Song Mountain (5)

...—Thud.

Chaeha took one step forward.

What martial artists considered the most shameful act was rolling on the ground to avoid death in a duel—the Lazy Donkey Roll.

The sight of tumbling across the dirt was so ridiculous that it was seen as a loss of face, something no one dared to do.

Yet Chaeha, the woman with the brightest future among the later-generation disciples... was crawling on the ground of her own accord.

With the mindset of enduring just this once, Chaeha followed the leash toward Han Seojin.

She kept crawling, propping herself up not with her feet, but with her hands and knees.

Only now did she understand why he had dressed her in these clothes.

It was a kind of consideration to protect her knees, shins, and hands from scraping against the ground.

That small detail conveyed his thoughtfulness for her, providing yet another layer of warmth.

Thud.

Before she knew it, Han Seojin’s feet appeared right in front of Chaeha’s eyes.

She swallowed hard and looked up at him.

The Han Seojin she gazed up at was smiling as if she were adorable.

Even without a single word, it felt like a transmission straight to her mind.

“Chaeha.”

“...Y-Yeah.”

“Want to take a look at the path? Not me.”

Chaeha trembled as she turned her head.

“Eek...!”

A wide-open path. Houses and shops lined up on both sides.

Before all that scenery, she sat there in this perverse pose.

“Sniff...!”

In the end, Chaeha knelt and covered her body.

And yet, she felt something.

An overwhelming sense of liberation.

She still hadn’t fully snapped out of her fear, but she felt it nonetheless.

She was truly no longer Cheongwol now.

She was Han Seojin’s dog. Chaeha.

At that gap, at the thought of having escaped the Emei Sect, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

It was the lowliest appearance, but it felt the easiest to breathe in.

Deep air filled her lungs to the core.

The empty street amplified the sense of liberation even more.

“Haaah...”

She exhaled her trembling breath.

And in that moment, a hand came down onto her head.

Like caressing a treasure, that hand stroked her.

“You did well, Chaeha. It wasn’t that hard, was it?”

Chaeha felt as though she would never forget the look in Han Seojin’s eyes as he gazed at her, not even until her dying day.

Only now did she realize he could make eyes like this.

Those eyes were too beautiful.

If only she had known this gaze, she could have instantly realized he hadn’t truly loved Ga

Yeong with all his heart.

Chaeha had no intention of ever letting these eyes turn to anyone else, even if it killed her.

This gaze had to be directed only at her.

“Haa... Ha-eut...“

“Let’s keep going. This is just the start.”

Han Seojin strode forward confidently.

Chaeha’s leash grew taut.

Chaeha trembled as she followed at his side.

She kept propping herself along the ground.

The voices from earlier on this street echoed back.

“Senior Sister Cheongwol! I want to grow up to be a great adult like you!”

“Miss Cheongwol! We always believe in you! Please protect us from the clutches of the demonic horde!”

“Miss! Come by next time for some noodles! Of course, it’ll be on the house!”

“Cheongwol. For their sake, you must refine yourself even more.”

“Haa... Haa...”

Me.

Chaeha lifted her head and looked at the open street.

This was the first time seeing the road from this eye level.

...I’m not Cheongwol. I’m Chaeha.

At that single small thought, a thick wave of pleasure coursed through Chaeha’s body.

Every moment of trusting and advancing toward Han Seojin sent shivers down her spine.

“Haa... Sniff...“

In the end, Chaeha couldn’t go any further and stopped.

With her hands planted between her crouched knees like a cat, she spent a long while processing the pleasure.

Her body shuddered again and again.

It definitely wasn’t from the cold.

Han Seojin didn’t urge her on in this state.

Instead, he approached again, letting her lean her head against his abdomen while stroking her.

“Good girl. So pretty, our Chaeha.”

So this was it.

Chaeha finally realized.

This was the essence of this game.

Entering forbidden territory together, sharing pleasure and tension.

From that bloomed deep emotions. A faith that she could do anything for the other.

She was parading through the village on all fours like a dog—what wouldn’t she do for him?

And Han Seojin, who had prepared this game and this moment, looked different now.

He was keeping his promise.

The words about showing his true heart. Even Cheongwol could feel it.

He was so appealing as he confronted her fears head-on.

“...Then shouldn’t I do the same?

So he would never fear her again.

As Han Seojin stroked her, Chaeha inhaled his scent.

Short and quick, repeatedly sniffing his aroma.

“...What are you...“

Han Seojin didn’t understand but didn’t say anything more.

Cheongwol couldn’t speak.

She kept taking short sniffs of his scent.

When Han Seojin stepped back a bit as if trying to understand her intent. Chaeha’s head naturally dipped lower.

Ah.

Not his abdomen, but between his groin, slightly against his right thigh—her head settled there.

Yet Chaeha didn’t pull her face away. Instead, rolling only her eyes up at Han Seojin... she inhaled once more, short and final.

Only then did Han Seojin seem to understand her action. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Chaeha had been sniffing his scent like a dog.

Showing she would never forget his smell.

At that small gesture, a dangerous flicker of desire rippled across Han Seojin’s face.

Gritting his teeth, Han Seojin smiled and said,

“...You’re doing something cute.”

“...Sniff... Eek...“

“Yeah, keep doing that. That was really adorable just now.”

Han Seojin turned and resumed walking.

Chaeha followed behind him.

This dangerous excitement showed no sign of dying down.

Somewhere in her lower abdomen burned hot enough to melt, and between her thighs itched.

The tips of her breasts chafed uncomfortably against the hem of her clothes.

Her neck felt hypersensitive, and the sensation of the leather clothes wrapping her skin was gradually becoming endearing.

She couldn’t calm the bursting emotions at all, and with no way to express them, the festering feelings all turned to happiness assaulting her.

As they continued the walk like this, Chaeha’s five senses were intensely stimulated.

From some houses, signs of life rustled inside as they passed.

From some inns came hushed, earnest conversations and the clink of tilting cups.

Sometimes their eyes met those of horses or donkeys tied outside.

Occasionally, presences felt so close she wondered if they shouldn’t hurry.

But every time, Han Seojin guided her well.

He knew the paths here like the back of his hand.

He had planned a walking route solely for Chaeha.

After strolling for a good while, they paused between a large inn and a small shop.

“Haa... Haa...“

Very slightly, Chaeha finally felt a subtle relief.

She didn’t even notice that her training robes had hiked up a bit in that relief.

“Smack. Smack.

“Sniffle!”

Only after Han Seojin smacked her pale-exposed buttocks a couple times did she realize her own dishevelment.

Still on her knees, Chaeha yanked her robes down tight from behind and glared at Han Seojin reproachfully.

She couldn’t make a loud noise, so this was the best she could do.

And yet, she couldn’t understand why being handled so roughly excited her so much.

On the contrary, knowing he feared her made her happy when he acted so boldly. It proved he was letting go of his fear toward her.

Even if he handled her more roughly.... Chaeha was sure she would feel joy.

Han Seojin stifled a laugh at how cute she was, then sighed and tugged the leash.

“Come on. Can’t stroll Song Mountain without paying respects to Buddha. There’s a small statue up this path—let’s go see it.”

Turning her head, she saw a small trail.

It led toward the back mountain, like from Han Seojin’s house.

“...Haa.”

Chaeha actually thought it fortunate.

Surely that trail was safer than the village paths. No chance of running into people.

“Come on, house...!”

But it didn’t take long for that illusion to shatter.

“I-I sense a presence. Th-there’s someone ahead...!”

Sticking close to Han Seojin like a dog as they climbed the trail, Chaeha whispered urgently to warn him.

But Han Seojin ignored her, picking at his ear.

“Eek!”

Unable to hold back, Chaeha stopped in place.

Han Seojin didn’t back down either, just looking at her.

“...The owner chooses the path, not the dog, right?”

“Hnng... Hn-eut...“

Why did those words so easily break her resolve?

Was it the thrill from being called his?

Owner. Han Seojin is my owner.

For me, who aspired to be a noble heroine... to have an owner. Like a lowly commoner.

And that owner being Han Seojin, of all people.

Anyone else, and she might have hated it to madness. But Han Seojin was the ruler Chaeha herself had chosen.

Chaeha trembled as she pressed on.

This too was an act for Han Seojin, not for herself.

What had been immoral pleasure moments ago was now tearful tension.

Sure enough, a bit further up, a monk sat before the Buddha statue.

“Eep!”

Unable to endure, Chaeha clung to the back of Han Seojin’s leg.

“Latch!

She hugged his left leg tight, wedging his foot between her thighs.

With trembling eyes, Chaeha stared at the monk sitting still, then looked up at Han Seojin.

“...This is as far as we go, right?

We’re not going closer, right?

She pleaded with her eyes.

Han Seojin stroked Chaeha’s hair.

He tidied her bangs, felt the silky strands with his fingers, then spoke to her.

“You’re a dog. Don’t forget.”

Then he turned to the monk and said,

“Monk. It’s getting late.”

“Grip!

Chaeha clutched Han Seojin’s robes as if resenting him.

She hid her face behind his firm thigh.

Even so, she tried to believe he wasn’t betraying her.

Surely he had some plan.

She didn’t dare make a human sound.

Despite having so many questions, the once-noble nun Chaeha held her breath like a dog.

“Monk. It’s getting late.”

“Grip!”

Chaeha clutched Han Seojin’s robes as if resenting him.

She hid her face behind his firm thigh.

Even so, she tried to believe he wasn’t betraying her.

Surely he had some plan.

She didn’t dare make a human sound.

Despite having so many questions, the once-noble nun Chaeha held her breath like a dog.