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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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I stepped outside.
The inn was much quieter than the previous night.
“Whew.”
I took a deep breath of the cool morning air, trying to clear the lingering effects of the alcohol.
A waiter was clearing away leftover food and drinks.
“Ugh…”
“Good morning.”
Myeong-ryong-geom descended the stairs, with his face pale.
He rubbed his stomach, clearly suffering from a hangover.
I chuckled.
“What would you like for breakfast?”
“…Just some noodles.”
He sat down heavily beside me, with a grim expression.
He needed something to settle his stomach.
I called out to the waiter.
“Waiter!”
“…Ah! Yes, young hero.”
“Two bowls of noodles, please.”
“Certainly! Coming right up!”
The waiter grinned and headed towards the kitchen.
I leaned against the table and waited.
“…Disciple.”
“Yes, Master?”
Myeong-ryong-geom spoke.
I looked at him expectantly.
“That man and woman we ate with last night…”
“…Yes.”
“Let’s invite them to join us for breakfast.”
“Pardon?”
I asked, my voice tinged with surprise
He continued,
“That middle-aged fellow is probably still passed out. He drank even more than I did, trying to keep up with me.”
“And…?”
“I should repay him for being my drinking companion.”
“…”
I sighed inwardly.
That was Myeong-ryong-geom for you.
He felt obligated to repay any kindness, no matter how small.
While I didn’t always understand his ways, I respected his adherence to the righteous path.
I nodded.
“…Should I just wake up the man?”
“The veiled woman will likely be with him, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Alright.”
I turned and headed towards the stairs, with my arms crossed behind my back.
Just then, a waiter, who had been busy in the kitchen, hurried over to me.
‘Hmm?’
“Y-Young hero. Are you by any chance going to see the man and woman you were with yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Then could you please give them this?”
“…”
He handed me a small, circular token engraved with the character “Heaven” (天).
It was palm-sized, made of metal, and surprisingly heavy.
I looked at it, with my brow furrowed in confusion.
“…Couldn’t you just wait until they come down and give it to them yourself? Why ask me?”
“W-Well, you see…”
The waiter scratched his head.
He explained that while the man seemed approachable, the veiled woman had an intimidating aura that made him nervous.
I still didn’t understand.
“I still don’t see why that’s necessary.”
“…Also, this token seems to be quite important to them. The man accidentally left it behind.”
“Hmm…”
“Probably because he was so drunk…”
The waiter trailed off.
I nodded, understanding his reluctance.
‘I suppose it can be intimidating for ordinary people to approach those who seem like eccentric martial artists.’
They could easily get hurt, or worse.
I agreed to deliver the token.
The waiter beamed.
“Thank you, young hero!”
“…You’re welcome.”
“As a token of our gratitude, I won’t charge you for the two bowls of noodles. Enjoy your meal!”
I chuckled.
Two free meals in a row.
I climbed the stairs, the wooden steps creaking under my weight.
‘This inn needs some serious renovations.’
The building showed signs of age and neglect.
Some of the dishes were chipped, and the furniture was worn.
Lost in thought, I searched for the room where the man and woman had stayed.
‘Is this it?’
I checked the room number the waiter had given me, glanced at the token in my hand, and knocked.
Knock, knock!
“…No response.”
Had they already left?
But the waiter’s request and a few other details made me doubt it.
And they didn’t seem like the type to skip out on their bill.
I sighed.
“Whew.”
‘Waiting around here isn’t very productive…’
I stood there, wondering what to do.
Then—Creak!
The door creaked open slightly.
I stared at it, then clicked my tongue.
‘Definitely needs repairs.’
There was still no response from inside.
I hesitated, then made up my mind.
‘It can’t be that bad.’
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Thud!
A strange fragrance filled the air.
‘…Not perfume.’
I tilted my head in confusion.
It was a natural, floral scent.
I walked towards the center of the room, where the bed was located, and finally understood.
“…!”
I gasped in surprise.
A figure stood by the window.
‘…Beautiful.’
I swallowed hard.
It was the woman from last night, with her veil removed.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
The veil lay discarded beside her.
While I’d been trying to avoid women, her beauty was like a masterpiece and momentarily captivated me.
Her face, previously hidden, was truly stunning, surpassing any other beauty I’d seen.
“…Who is it?”
“…”
“Yi-ho?”
I remained silent.
Yi-ho was likely the middle-aged man’s name.
She was still looking out the window, mistaking me for him.
But then, she seemed to sense something was amiss.
She turned around and looked at me sharply.
“You are…?”
“Hmm.”
I hesitated, unsure what to say.
Suddenly, the air grew cold, a chilling aura washing over me, followed by a wave of killing intent.
“…!”
“…Did you see?”
I frowned, realizing something was wrong.
Her aura was powerful, almost overwhelming, like that of a peak-level expert.
I was frozen in place.
[I asked, did you see?]
A voice suddenly echoed in my mind.
I gasped.
“Sound Transmission…!”
[Answer me.]
Her voice was calm, but the underlying tone was sharp, demanding.
I hesitated, considering my response.
‘…If I say yes, she might kill me.’
I thought for a moment, then replied cautiously,
“…I did.”
[…!]
A surge of energy erupted from her, locking onto me, as if probing my very being.
I gritted my teeth.
She continued, her voice icy,
[Then you will not leave this room alive.]
“…”
I chuckled at her threat.
“That’s a bit extreme.”
[What…?!]
“Killing someone just for seeing your face? Isn’t that a bit much?”
She spoke, her voice muffled by the veil she’d quickly put back on.
[Every man who has seen my face has been consumed by lust and greed. Are you any different?]
“…I see. I understand your confidence. With such beauty, I imagine you’ve encountered many… unpleasant situations.”
I paused, took a deep breath, and continued,
“But what does that have to do with me?”
[…!]
The oppressive aura around her faltered.
I continued, my voice calm and steady,
“…While you are indeed beautiful, that doesn’t automatically equate to lust. If I had felt lust upon seeing your face, you would have sensed it. The fact that you’re even talking to me proves you haven’t detected any such feelings.”
[…]
“Trying to take someone’s life based on assumptions… how foolish.”
She fell silent.
I sighed, tossed the token towards her, and said,
“…Come downstairs. We have much to discuss.”
[…Why did you come up here?]
“Isn’t it obvious?”
[…?]
I chuckled.
“Simply to extend the same courtesy as yesterday.”
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Is it just me or is the chapters getting smaller?
She is over estimate herself