A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel – Chapter 26

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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Seomun-hyeon.

Located at the southernmost tip of Guangdong Province, it was one of the two ports that could be used to collect trade taxes from the Yue Kingdom and sail to Haenam Island. While there were no special sights to see, it seemed to be a moderately prosperous trading port.

Hajin, who was walking ahead, casually added that it was also a place where a small amount of trade with the Western Regions took place.

It felt like he was probing to see if I had any thoughts of returning.

I shook my head at his question.

“I have no interest. I have nowhere to return to anyway.”

I didn’t know where the original owner of this body lived, and the knight order I belonged to was annihilated in battle.

And I was captured by the Middle Easterners and sold as a slave.

At that point, my ties with Europe could be considered severed.

“…Can’t you consider Haenam Island as your second hometown?”

Does that mean they’ll accept me if I really have nowhere to go? I made eye contact with him. Hajin’s eyes were filled with goodwill.

Settling down… on Haenam Island.

It might not be a bad idea.

I had nowhere to go anyway, and even if I tried to settle down in the Central Plains, it wouldn’t be easy to secure a decent position.

If there was no prospect of securing a position until the end of the Third Grand Competition between Good and Evil, it wouldn’t be a bad choice to return to Haenam Island.

The difference between having a place to return to and not having one was very significant.

“Thank you.”

“Just the fact that Sir William fought for us is a great favor, so this much is just a small token of gratitude.”

“That’s right!”

“If you can’t find a place to settle down in the Central Plains, you can always come back.”

Will I have a place to settle down in the Central Plains?

If I build up my reputation, I might be able to become a guest expert somewhere, but as a Westerner, there won’t be many places free from discrimination.

For now, the best option would be to hole out near the Wulin Alliance until the end of the Grand Competition…

But it didn’t seem like things would go as I wished.

Since I had revealed myself in front of the demon cult, they would contact me in some way.

If it was a suitable , I could just deal with them, but if they sent a martial artist above the supreme level, the ones around me would also be in danger, so I had to become stronger too.

If possible, it would be best to break through the Master realm…but would it be possible?

This body had somehow reached the Supreme realm through endless life-and-death battles with its innate talent, but as the commander had emphasized, the Master realm onwards was on a completely different level.

He even said something like among the many knights, there were barely over fifty at the Master level.

Considering that most of the knights who were my seniors by 10 years remained at the Supreme realm, it might take me a similar amount of time.

In reality, it wasn’t like I could improve my realm just by monopolizing opportunities.

There was also the issue of the subtle differences in enlightenment between the East and the West.

Even if I gained enlightenment here, it was still uncertain whether I could actually advance in realm with it.

…It didn’t seem like something to worry about right now.

“Elder Baek! where are we staying?”

Hye-ryeong spoke to Elder Baek, who had been quietly listening to our conversation.

Elder Baek stroked his beard in thought, then looked at Hajin.

Is he telling him to choose directly since he’s the senior disciple?

Hajin crossed his arms and pondered for a moment, then looked at the main street and answered.

“We’ll go to Cheongryoo Inn.”

“Isn’t that place expensive?”

“We received plenty of travel expenses, so it should be fine. And… cheap inns tend to have more incidents, don’t they?”

Incidents.

Is it like the cliché in martial arts novels where if you enter, there’s a high probability of things going haywire? Indeed, a cheap inn would have a higher chance of getting involved in such incidents than a high-end inn.

Moreover, although he didn’t say it, it would be difficult to choose a cheap inn when they had to take Hye-ryeong with them.

Hye-ryeong wasn’t the type to indulge in luxury, but a cheap inn was perfect for getting involved in unnecessary quarrels.

Even though she was wearing a uniform decorated with the wave pattern symbolizing the Haenam Sword Sect, the world was vast and there were many crazy people.

And if a woman was pretty, such crazy people were more likely to get involved.

“Ugh, I feel bad that you’re spending more money because of me.”

She’s being uncharacteristically gloomy.

“No, that’s not it. Thanks to you, we were able to receive a large travel budget, so isn’t it good? And originally, when traveling, it’s better to spend generously when needed rather than saving moderately.”

“Elder Baek is right. Just think of it as gaining a good experience.”

“Hehe, then I’ll do that!”

Hye-ryeong should be smiling after all. I smiled at her bright smile.

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Cheongryoo Inn, as befitting an inn located in a bustling area, had a cleaner and more luxurious appearance compared to other places.

The tables and chairs looked high-class at a glance. Unlike the laborers wandering around the port, there were people wearing expensive-looking outfits that stood out.

“There are quite a few foreigners too.”

I could see people from Tianzhu and even the Middle East.

Is this what a trading port is like?

“This is one of the best inns in this city, so it’s common for foreign merchants who come to trade to stay here.”

Hajin kindly answered the question I had absentmindedly uttered.

“That’s why the people here are used to foreigners! After all, they see them often!”

Hye-ryeong added with an excited face and turned her gaze to the side.

Following Hye-ryeong’s gaze, someone who seemed to be a receptionist was approaching us.

Is that the rumored receptionist from the martial arts novels?

As expected of a high-end inn, even the receptionist’s attire was luxurious.

Clean clothes with gold embroidery.

If someone saw him, they might think he was the manager.

His walking posture was also polished, so he seemed to have received quite an education.

“It’s been a while, Elder Baek-hyun.”

While speaking, he glanced at Hye-ryeong, so it seemed to him Hye-ryeong was indeed pretty.

“It’s been a year since we’ve been here, and you still remember me.”

“How could I forget an elder of the great Haenam Sword Sect?”

“Hoho… Serve us your most famous dishes. And give us one large room and one small room… Ah, Sir William. If you need a separate room…”

“It’s alright.”

It would be nice to have a separate room, but it didn’t bother me that much.

In the first place, for the past two years, the concept of a separate room was almost nonexistent.

At the Haenam Sword Sect, I stayed alone in a separate building, but thanks to Hye-ryeong, who came to play whenever she had time, it didn’t feel much like a separate room.

“We will serve our best dishes.”

The receptionist disappeared towards the kitchen with quiet yet quick steps.

It’s a bit different from the image I had in mind.

Is this why they suggested coming to a high-end inn?

In a place like this, it would be too noticeable to cause a scene, so there would be fewer incidents, and since they had been here before, they would know how to prepare our meals and everything well.

“Hehe, I’m excited.”

“The food here is really delicious, so it’s worth looking forward to.”

“…”

“Wow, Senior Brother, to think we’re staying at such a nice inn, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”

“Hagyeong, don’t be so obvious. Doesn’t it look unsightly?”

“Ah, I apologize.”

“Junior Martial Brother Hagyeong, I’m excited too.”

“Right?”

It’s been a while since I heard Mu-guang’s voice.

He seemed to rarely open his mouth, probably because he had the lowest seniority here.

I don’t know why that taciturn martial artist doesn’t say anything at all.

Unable to contain my curiosity, I spoke to the taciturn martial artist.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself to you yet. I’m William, no, William Marshal. And you are…”

Instead of answering me, he took out a small wooden tag from his chest and handed it to me.

What is this? What kind of communication method is this?

“Sir William. Geonsam cannot speak.”

Hajin casually spoke to me.

Ah, is that so… So who is he?

“Geonsam is Elder Cheon’s disciple!”

Elder Cheon… I think I was introduced to him, but I don’t remember well.

We only met once.

Judging by the fact that he was brought along, he must be quite skillful.

“I see… Nice to meet you.”

He nodded his head.

Although his attitude might seem a bit arrogant, he couldn’t help it since he couldn’t speak.

As we were chatting about this and that, the servers began to serve the food. seafood dishes that were visibly oily began to fill the table.

That’s braised fish, that’s grilled fish with an unknown name, is that grilled shrimp?

“These are our signature dishes that we are proud of, so please enjoy them.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

When Elder Baek, who had the highest seniority among us, picked up his chopsticks, everyone else followed suit.

What should I eat first?

I aimed my chopsticks at the grilled fish that looked the most manageable.

I stuck my chopsticks into the slightly bluish skin of the fish and gently spread them, revealing the white flesh along with the steam.

Wow, as expected of high-end restaurants, They are on a different level.

It would have been even better if there was rice…

Bang!

“…Ah.”

A sigh mixed with lamentation was heard from Hye-ryeong, who was sitting next to me.

I took my eyes off the chopsticks that had grabbed nothing but air and looked at the human who had fallen on the table.

He seemed quite noble, but judging by his muscular state, he looked like a martial artist.

But that’s not what’s important.

“Fighting in front of sacred food…”

“Uncle?”

“Sir William, if you emit killing intent here…”

Are they crossing my buttom line?

I picked up the Chinese spoon placed next to me and stood up.

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