Solo Swordmaster – Chapter 108

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Life was always a kaleidoscope. All sorts of things happened.

Limon, having lived a long life, knew this better than anyone, and so he had come to accept unexpected events with a shrug. But at this moment, he couldn’t contain his curiosity.

“How did things turn out like this…?”

[How else? Thanks to your esteemed self coming to say hello to your friend.]

“No, I mean, what did I do?”

[You don’t know?]

Na-kyung asked incredulously.

“If I knew, would I be asking?”

Limon furrowed his brow.

All he had done was open the cafe door and walk in. The problem was that the moment he entered, Manager Jung, Eugene, and a crowd of over a dozen people practically dragged him onto the stage.

They even thoughtfully handed him a guitar.

“Eugene, that music-obsessed brain of yours, I understand, but why is everyone else so desperate for me to play?”

[It’s because you came after a week, Team Leader.]

“So what?”

[So what? These people haven’t heard you play for a week, and they’re practically going crazy.]

“Is my playing some kind of drug? Enough to cause this commotion after just a week?”

[If it were a drug, they could at least buy it. The problem is, they can’t even pay to hear you play, Team Leader.]

Na-kyung grumbled.

It hadn’t been this bad at first. No matter how good Limon’s playing was, it was still a notch below top-tier musicians like Julia.

Moreover, in this era, with the increase in players using music skills and a surge in top-class musicians, it wasn’t anything particularly remarkable.

[Especially compared to your friend’s singing.]

“Hmm, I’ll admit that.”

The problem lay with Eugene.

Unlike Limon, whose technique was already polished, Eugene was still relatively inexperienced as a singer. Because of that, her innate sense and emotion weren’t fully realized due to a lack of technique.

However, Manager Jung had been giving Eugene basic vocal training during her free time and days off from the live cafe.

Of course, it was just basic training, the kind even ordinary people could easily do. But the result?

Eugene’s growth was explosive.

[Birds of a feather flock together… it’s ridiculous how much she’s improved after just a few days of training.]

“As they say, one should look at a person with new eyes after three days of separation.”

[Even so, this is too much!]

Na-kyung’s point was valid.

Eugene was similar to Limon.

Just as Limon, with his Sword Master physical abilities and the senses gained from the Black Abyssal Violin, had quickly absorbed Julia’s lessons, Eugene, with her natural talent and experience as a street musician, had awakened her potential with just simple training.

Her growth was so steep that it was hard to believe her current singing was from the same person as a month ago.

Thanks to that, there were now quite a few people who visited the live cafe just to hear Eugene sing.

Of course, the cafe customers still looked forward most to the joint live performance of Eugene’s singing and Limon’s playing.

[And why has your playing improved too, Team Leader?!]

“My playing hasn’t improved.”

[Then why has it changed so much?!]

“It’s not that my skill has improved, but that I’ve stopped holding back now that she can sing well.”

[It’s the same difference to the listeners.]

Limon said indifferently.

When Eugene’s singing was still rough, his playing focused on filling the gaps in her singing. But now that Eugene had a solid foundation and fewer gaps, he could focus on enhancing her singing.

Just that small difference significantly changed Limon’s playing. To use a three-legged race analogy, it was like going from pushing a wheelchair to riding a tandem bicycle together.

The technique had to change. And the result of Eugene’s evolved singing combined with Limon’s uninhibited playing was this, a live cafe so packed with people that there was a line outside, with people taking numbers.

[Did you know? The waiting tickets for the live cafe on the days you come are sold on the black market.]

“…What kind of crazy talk is that?”

[It’s not crazy talk, it’s the truth.]

Na-kyung retorted pointedly.

Indeed, even now, there were plenty of people busily coming and going outside the cafe, offering to sell waiting tickets.

It was understandable, since unlike Eugene, who performed every day, Limon only visited in his spare time, making opportunities to hear him play rare.

He was practically treated like a rare monster.

But Limon didn’t accept responsibility. Instead, he blamed the source of the problem.

“Damn it, who uploaded our video without permission…”

[Well, it was a student. They said they weren’t using it commercially, just sharing it with friends.]

“And that leak caused all this chaos.”

[That’s why they came to the cafe to apologize. They even deleted everything they shared.]

“What’s the point of them deleting it? It’s already spread everywhere, everyone’s seen it.”

It was a coincidence. And at the same time, inevitable. As their live performances became famous, someone in the cafe recorded and shared it, and the video leaked.

Of course, the video was a mess.

Filmed with a smartphone, it was shaky and the sound was distorted, the quality nowhere near the actual live performance.

But it was enough for the video, titled ‘Just another cafe live performance.avi,’ to spread like wildfire and eventually trend on real-time search rankings.

“These youngsters have nothing better to do? What’s so interesting about that video that they’d make it trend at number 10?”

[When are you talking about? That video hit number 1 a long time ago.]

“…It hit number 1?”

[It did, a while ago.]

“But why?”

[Why else? Because your live performance is that addictive, Team Leader.]

Na-kyung pointed out bluntly.

In a sense, she was the biggest victim of their live performances. The initial pure admiration didn’t last.

Always following Limon and listening to their performances, she had reached the point where their music played in her head even when she closed her eyes.

It wasn’t as if they used skills. It was just inherently unforgettable. Their music had a strange magic that made you want to hear more the more you listened.

[That’s why people are so crazy about seeing you and your friend.]

Na-kyung spread one wing.

It pointed outside the window, towards the crowd gathered in front of the cafe.

“I’ll give you money! How much do you want? 500? 1000? I’ll pay whatever you ask, just give it to me!”

“How vulgar! Does it make sense to hire an artist with money? Let’s have a civilized conversation!”

“Manager Jung! Let’s do a joint coupon discount event with our store!”

“Hey, that’s cheating!”

“Hey, you guys, scouting or whatever, just get in line! We’ve been waiting in line for an hour, don’t cut in line!”

“Ahem, I’m not trying to cut in line, I’m from an entertainment guild…”

“Just get in line!”

Local business owners from various industries. Customers who came purely for the live performance. And even representatives from entertainment guilds.

Countless people were tangled together, shouting at each other, creating a scene reminiscent of a chaotic market. But the loudest voice belonged to someone else.

“Today’s live performance is over, so please go home! No encore requests! Hey, Manager Hwang and Manager Kim, stop it and go home! Hello?!”

The owner of this live cafe.

Manager Jung, who had been overjoyed by the skyrocketing sales until recently, now looked haggard from dealing with all sorts of people.

In short, the problem was that Eugene and Limon had become too famous. The increase in customers was good.

Numerous entertainment representatives? That was a given since they caught the eye of Manager Moon from WIM Guild.

The problem was the local business owners who flocked to the cafe after hearing rumors of its sales increasing tenfold.

He couldn’t just turn them away, as that would make him a pariah in the neighborhood, but if he left them alone, they might start protesting, demanding to share Limon and Eugene with the entire shopping district.

It hadn’t been long since they whispered about the cafe going bankrupt when it was empty.

Now they were clamoring about sharing the profits since they were in the same shopping district.

It was infuriating for Manager Jung.

“Just go!!!”

Finally losing his patience, Manager Jung yelled.

Watching him being harassed by the local business owners arguing about age and morals, and the onlookers gleefully filming the scene, Limon clicked his tongue.

“Today’s performance is ruined.”

[I have a feeling it’s not just today’s performance.]

“Don’t jinx it.”

[The truth is always unpleasant to hear.]

Limon clicked his tongue again, looking at Na-kyung, who stuck out her plump belly smugly.

It was then that Eugene, who had gone to raid the sandwiches after their performance, returned.

“Partner, what are you doing? Aren’t you getting ready for the encore?”

“I don’t think that performance will be happening.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Can’t you see?”

Limon glanced to the side.

Following his gaze, Eugene tilted her head, watching Manager Jung practically wrestling with people outside the window.

“Does that have anything to do with our performance?”

“What’s the point of performing in this chaos? The cafe might even close down at this rate.”

“So, why does that matter?”

“Huh?”

“Whether the manager gets arrested for fighting or the cafe closes down, a performance is a performance, right? Why should we care?”

Whether there was an audience or not, as long as she could sing, it was the same.

What else was there to care about?

Staring at Eugene, Limon eventually chuckled and nodded.

“You’ve hit the nail on the head.”

“What nail?”

“I think I finally understand why I can’t enjoy music like you do.”

“Huh? You don’t enjoy music, Partner?”

“It’s not like I play because I particularly like it.”

“……???”

Limon chuckled at Eugene, who blinked blankly, as if she couldn’t understand.

He added,

“And I didn’t come here to play today. I came to make an announcement.”

“An announcement?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ll be able to come here for at least a month.”

“Then what about our live performances?!”

“They won’t be happening.”

“OH MY GOD!”

Limon chuckled at Eugene’s instantly disappointed expression, like a child whose Christmas present was postponed until next year.

“Don’t be so disappointed. We can always perform next time.”

“Partner, that’s the next performance. Today’s live is only possible today.”

“What kind of carpe diem nonsense is that?”

“It’s from my experience. If you postpone music, you always end up not doing it.”

“That’s because you were about to starve to death if you didn’t sing.”

Limon teased Eugene, who spoke seriously.

“If you really want, I can promise you. Next time I come, I’ll jam with you all night.”

“Really?”

“I’m not one to go back on my word.”

“Okay, then I’ll let you off the hook for today!”

Eugene smiled brightly and agreed.

Then she asked as if something had occurred to her,

“But Partner, why can’t you come for a month?”

“Hmm, it’s nothing much. I’ll be busy doing some righteous bad deeds for a while.”

“……???”

Eugene could only place a question mark above her head as she looked at Limon, who grinned mischievously, saying he would be busy doing bad deeds.

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