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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Stepping into the inn, I was met with the pungent aroma of food and alcohol.
The place was packed.
The boisterous atmosphere and the excited chatter of patrons filled the air.
“Welcome! Table for two?”
“Yes.”
“Right this way. You’re in luck; we have just a few tables left.”
The waiter led us to one of the remaining tables.
We sat down.
The waiter stood beside us, smiling expectantly.
Myeong-ryong-geom placed our order.
“Dumplings and noodles will be fine.”
“Dumplings and noodles! Coming right up!”
“Oh! And some Bamboo Leaf Green wine, if you have it.”
“Heheh. Of course we have Bamboo Leaf Green wine. I’ll bring it right away.”
The waiter chuckled and hurried off.
Myeong-ryong-geom smiled contentedly.
“…I haven’t had a drink in ages, thanks to teaching you. I’ll have to make up for lost time tonight.”
“…”
I gave him a slightly disapproving look.
He seemed oblivious, still caught up in the anticipation of his drink.
But he had been a dedicated teacher, so I didn’t protest.
‘He sounds like quite the drinker.’
I shrugged it off and glanced around the bustling inn.
“Here you go! Dumplings, noodles, and a bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green wine!”
“Ooh…!”
Myeong-ryong-geom’s eyes lit up at the sight of the alcohol.
The waiter placed the bottle in front of him.
“Thank you, waiter.”
“You’re welcome.”
Myeong-ryong-geom immediately started drinking, pouring the alcohol directly from the bottle and downing it in one gulp.
I watched, slightly dumbfounded, then turned my attention to the food and swallowed hard.
‘Speak of the devil…’
The steaming dumplings and noodles looked far more appealing than the bland meals I’d been eating at the sect.
Even with my focus on training, food was important.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“…I will.”
I picked up my chopsticks and grabbed a dumpling.
I took a bite and was impressed.
‘Delicious…!’
It was just a dumpling, but the flavorful juices burst in my mouth, spreading a sense of pure joy.
I quickly finished the dumpling and reached for the noodles. Just then—
“Welcome!”
“…Do you have any tables available?”
I heard a commotion near the entrance.
A man and a woman, who appeared to be father and daughter, were talking to the waiter, who looked flustered.
“…I apologize, but we’re completely full. I can’t accommodate any more guests.”
“Hmm… I’ve checked all the other inns, but they’re full as well. I came here as a last resort.”
The man, who seemed middle-aged, sighed.
It seemed the inn was unusually busy tonight.
He turned to the woman and whispered,
“…What should we do?”
“…”
The woman looked to be around my age.
She wore a black outfit and a veil that covered most of her face.
While the man had whispered, my enhanced senses picked up the respectful tone he used with her.
Myeong-ryong-geom, who had been steadily drinking, noticed their predicament and called out to a passing waiter.
“Say, waiter. It seems those two can’t find a table. Are you going to turn them away?”
“…Well, we’re full, so there’s nothing I can do.”
The waiter sounded apologetic.
Myeong-ryong-geom chuckled.
“Nonsense! We have plenty of space at our table. If they don’t mind, tell them they can join us.”
“Oh…! Understood.”
The waiter nodded and approached the two newcomers.
I gave Myeong-ryong-geom a questioning look.
He had offered without consulting me.
He laughed heartily.
“What’s the harm? Besides, I’d rather have them as drinking companions than a block of wood like you!”
“…How rude.”
“Don’t be like that. It’ll be a good experience for you. You’ll encounter all sorts of people while traveling the Jianghu.”
He spoke as if giving me life advice.
I sighed and nodded.
Just then, the waiter returned, beaming.
“They’ve agreed to join you.”
“Excellent!”
Myeong-ryong-geom seemed quite drunk already.
I chuckled and continued eating.
I glanced at the newcomers as they approached.
‘It’s unusual to see someone wearing a veil even inside an inn.’
I found it intriguing.
Despite the veil covering most of her face, she exuded an aura of beauty, a subtle elegance that made her seem unapproachable.
If she removed her veil, she’d undoubtedly capture the attention of everyone in the inn.
“Thank you, kind sir.”
“Don’t mention it. Please, have a seat. Our table was too big for just the two of us anyway.”
“Then, if you insist…”
The man sat down.
The veiled woman sat beside him.
She hadn’t spoken a word, which made me slightly uneasy.
Myeong-ryong-geom asked,
“Are you two father and daughter? You don’t seem to be dressed for casual travel.”
“Ah…”
The man scratched his head and glanced at the veiled woman.
Then, as if they’d come to a silent agreement, he replied,
“…Yes. This is my daughter. We’re traveling around Shaanxi due to… certain circumstances.”
“Hmm… I see.”
Another silence followed.
While everyone in the Jianghu had their stories, it was rare to see people so intent on concealing their identities.
I observed them with interest.
The man, seemingly uncomfortable with the silence, asked,
“…And what about you two? What is your relationship?”
Myeong-ryong-geom chuckled.
“…I’m an elder of the Mount Hua Sect, and this boy is my disciple. I’ve been teaching him for about three months now.”
“Ooh… Mount Hua! Impressive.”
The man seemed to be trying to make conversation.
Myeong-ryong-geom laughed heartily.
“Hahaha! Even so, my disciple is still just a novice. Don’t think too much of it.”
“Not at all. To be an elder of Mount Hua is a great accomplishment in itself.”
The conversation flowed more easily after that.
The man seemed to be playing along with Myeong-ryong-geom’s boisterous personality, which only encouraged him to drink more.
He offered the bottle to the man.
“How about a drink?”
“…Hmm.”
“Consider it a toast to our chance encounter.”
“Then, I won’t refuse.”
Their conversation continued, leaving me to sit quietly, like a sack of rice, and focus on my meal.
I clicked my tongue.
‘They’re having a grand time…’
Myeong-ryong-geom was drinking heavily, without even using his internal energy to mitigate the effects.
I figured we’d be staying at the inn tonight.
The veiled woman across from me quietly picked up her chopsticks.
I watched her, then noticed a commotion in the corner of the inn.
“…Hmm?”
I frowned slightly.
I’d noticed a group of thugs acting suspiciously since we arrived.
They were finally crossing the line.
“Heheh. Come over here and have a drink with us, ladies.”
“We can treat you much better than those… escorts…!”
They were harassing a group of women at another table.
The thugs were rough-looking, with thick beards and their faces flushed from drinking.
I turned to Myeong-ryong-geom.
“May I intervene?”
“…Go ahead.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
He clearly wasn’t happy with the situation, either.
I stood up.
The middle-aged man, who had been drinking with Myeong-ryong-geom, looked surprised.
“…Are you sure it’s alright to let him go alone?”
“It’s fine.”
“But…”
He trailed off, looking concerned.
“Those men look dangerous. There could be trouble.”
Myeong-ryong-geom chuckled.
“Don’t worry.”
“What do you mean…?”
“That boy is strong enough to handle a few third-rate thugs, no, not even third-rate… just some low-level bullies who rely on brute force.”
“…”
“Worrying is pointless.”
He took another swig of Bamboo Leaf Green wine.
I approached the thugs, who were now trying to grab one of the women’s arms.
I sighed.
‘Idiots.’
I grabbed the thug’s outstretched hand before he could reach the woman.
It happened so fast, they didn’t even see it coming.
“Huh…?”
“W-What the…?! What’s going on?!”
The thugs, realizing their companion’s arm was trapped, shouted in surprise.
I smirked and said coldly,
“I’ve seen enough. Get out of here.”
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Hero saving Beauties’