493 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.493 Jega-hyang's Adventure - 2 "Mo- mo- modok (blasphemy), you say?" Why was the shop owner suddenly scowling? Jega-hyang, caught off guard by the owner's remark, asked again with a puzzled expression. "It's Blue Mountain (靑山). Harvested in the highlands close to the blue sky, soaking up the very essence of nature, only a small amount is produced each year! You say you'll take these exquisite beans and desecrate them? Have you no pity for the coffee?!" "I merely meant to make an iced Americano with it." "Iced Americano—ordinary?! Ordinary?! Has the realm's standards fallen to such depths? In my homeland, Italy (理太里), where coffee mastery abounds, such talk will earn you stones on endless roads!!!" The shop owner lamented deeply over the current ways of the world, akin to following unorthodox paths. "Stones, you say?!" "This batch was arduously acquired after just managing to connect with a merchant who supplies coffee to the wealthy. Though I was meant to serve it to another affluent family, I meticulously roasted each bean for you. When you took the Blue Mountain without hesitation, I felt immense gratification! But will you truly turn such Blue Mountain into that accursed ditch water?" Looking at Jega-hyang, the shop owner seemed profoundly betrayed, wondering how someone who recognized quality could speak such words. "I- I'm sorry. It's not for me, you see..." Jega-hyang's voice dwindled to an ant's whisper, yet within it lay an unmistakable resolution to refuse. Normally, Jega-hyang would apologize and agree to try it differently. However, the beans she bought were meant for Kang Yun-ho. For Kang Yun-ho, not herself, Jega-hyang could muster quite a bit of stubbornness. "Hurgh... You may as well grind gold to make a kitchen knife. Why are people so lenient with coffee when they'd be appalled by using Dragon Well tea for milk tea?!" By comparing it to a rare tea served at the royal court, he hoped she would grasp the implication. The shop owner desperately tried to persuade Jega-hyang. "Is using Dragon Well for milk tea not normal?" It wasn't the response he expected, to say the least. "Customer. Wh- wh- what kind of joke are you making?" The shop owner couldn't conceal his shock as he questioned Jega-hyang. "My sister often made it, claiming it was the greatest taste even the tea deity, Shennong, would envy." Is it not a common thing? Her poet-sister enjoyed it quite a bit. Jega-hyang was bewildered. "Tsk... So this is the gap with the wealthy!" The shop owner felt like he should just concede and kneel, unable to bridge the worlds they inhabited. "Um, can't you just give it to me now...?" "No, I cannot yield as a true connoisseur of Italy (理太里)." However, with 40 years of coffee expertise, the shop owner wasn't one to surrender easily. "Pardon?" "Allow me to educate you on true Italian-style coffee drinking!" "Whaaaat?!" He would teach her the true taste of coffee. The shop owner's eyes blazed with determination. ————— "Well done! Spread this taste far and wide! You must not yield to the blasphemous iced Americano! Let us cheer! Aja! Aja! Aja-aja!" "Aja... ah..." "Do come again!" In the end, it was only after she completed the intensive crash course from the 40-year coffee veteran that Jega-hyang was able to leave the shop. "Ugh. Who would've thought I’d go through the whole lesson?" Jega-hyang let out a small sigh. Though it was a valuable learning experience you wouldn't easily get elsewhere, and the shop owner wasn’t a bad person. Sometimes there are those among craftsmen like that—filled with such love for their craft that they can't see past it. Jega-hyang, being somewhat similar, could understand. Now, it was time to return. "Did you hear about Poke Kang Yun-ho?" As Jega-hyang passed by a roadside tea stall, a conversation caught her ear. "Don’t speak nonsense! That's all just hogwash!" 'Huh?' Jega-hyang heard something she couldn't just walk past. "How can a person, just by seeing a face, immediately grasp everything about someone? Not even the most legendary fortune-teller could do that. Speak of something plausible!" "That's why he's a renowned officer. They say he even predicted where the invisible thief would strike before." "That’s possible because he's an officer, but what you mentioned is a feat even a skilled fortune-teller would struggle with! There's no way a human can do such a thing. It must be some deception!" "How dare you accuse the esteemed officer of deceiving!" "Otherwise, it must be a mere rumor!" "Grrr!" Young Master Kang’s observational skills are real. His deductive abilities are extraordinary too, with just a small bit of help from our faction. Jega-hyang’s mood soured instantly. "I heard he even guessed what the culprit ate for breakfast that day?" Indeed. Jega-hyang nodded subtly as she edged closer to the source of the conversation. "Aren't you confusing heaven and earth? It sounds like complete nonsense just from hearing it!" "It's not nonsense." "Eh? Where did that female voice come from...?" "Oh!" Jega-hyang hadn’t realized she'd spoken aloud. Startled, she quickly turned her head. "I heard that he immediately identified the corpse wasn't a suicide but murder! When others didn’t even notice!" "You should make believable claims, really. Do you think those post-mortem inspections are simple? Seeing what others can't? If you keep spouting drivel, the tea's on you!" "The culprit confessed and admitted his wrongdoing!" "Indeed! I heard it too!" "So? It’s true then?" "That’s right, indeed!" "Though skeptical because of the black hair, but... truly..." "Correct. Young Master Kang is the esteemed officer." Misunderstood because of his hair color, Young Master Kang is truly remarkable. Jega-hyang nodded in satisfaction. "But who might you be...?" Oops. Startled by the curious eyes upon her, Jega-hyang only then realized she had seated herself right next to the people having the conversation. "Eek?! Th-that’s! I’m sorryyyyyy!" ——— How embarrassing. The silver-haired, blue-eyed woman ran with all her might. The people she had been conversing with must not discover her now. Only after she had distanced herself from the roadside tea stall did Jega-hyang realize something crucial. “Where am I...?" It wasn't that Jega-hyang was unfamiliar with the geography of the city. She hadn't run an especially great distance. She simply lost track of her surroundings because she hadn’t considered her direction while fleeing. She was in a location where she could easily ask a passerby for directions to the Un-gi Tavern and find her way. However— ‘Not so simple.’ If it were easy for Jega-hyang to strike up a conversation with strangers, she wouldn’t be Jega-hyang at all. What should she do? The sun was beginning to set. After some contemplation, Jega-hyang came up with a decent plan. "Excuse me." The person Jega-hyang decided to approach was a nearby street vendor. "A customer just as I'm about to close up! I have many aromatic goods from overseas. Please, have a look around." "By any chance, is the Un-gi Tavern nearby...?" "Customer?" "Oh! No, nothing! Uh, what is this?" Purchasing a small item before asking might be better. This way, she would have a reason; it would appear natural. Jega-hyang quietly congratulated herself for coming up with the idea. "My dear customer, you must have quite an eye. To recognize such a fine item instantly—this is frankincense, brought here across distant seas. When burned slowly in an incense burner, it offers a fragrance that soothes and calms the mind. Due to its delightful aroma, it sells out despite the price!" "..." Yet it was piled high at the stall. Jega-hyang refrained from voicing her thoughts and observed silently with an icy gaze. "That... it’s just in high supply now! It’s quite popular among couples who wish to create a pleasant ambiance!" "A-an ambiance? I'll take one, then." "Thank you very much!" Yes, she chose well with this stall. I'll try it when I'm with Young Master Kang. Receiving the wrapped frankincense, Jega-hyang carefully moved on to her main objective. "The Un-gi Tavern is..." "Customer?! Now that I look closely, you're an exceptional beauty! Wow! Never have I seen such a beauty in my life!" Unfortunately, the street vendor was quicker to speak. "Ah, well, I wouldn't say that..." Enjoying the sudden compliment, Jega-hyang attempted to be modest for her true purpose. "Such a beauty buying frankincense means there's someone special you’re trying to impress! A lover? A husband? Or perhaps a fiancé?" The vendor had already seen the substantial amount of money she carried. He had no intention of missing out on such an opportunity just when he was about to close up for the day. "A-a fiancé." Though not yet formally acknowledged by my father, I prefer to say fiancé rather than lover. With a rosy blush, Jega-hyang shyly admitted. The vendor’s question was a door to his sales pitch, but how could a refined young lady, who seldom wandered alone, know that? "A truly fortunate man, indeed. A fiancée who radiates even while standing still. But you say you wish to create an ambiance for such a remarkable person... hmm... what about this?!" "I just want to know where the Un-gi Tavern is..." "It is said that a truly beautiful face achieves perfection only when it carries a fragrance. This sachet will captivate your fiancé! He won’t be able to resist!" "I just want to ask for the location of the Un-gi Tavern." Jega-hyang mustered all her courage to finally inquire. "The Un-gi Tavern, you say? If you purchase this sachet, the directions are on me! It's quite affordable!" "It's very expensive..." Though Jega-hyang wasn’t familiar with the prices, she knew the figure quoted was excessive. "To win over someone you love! Isn’t such an investment worth it?" "Um, I..." The tension in the air grew. The vendor's face turned stern. "Buy it. Then I'll tell you." Only now did Jega-hyang realize the predicament she was in. ‘This is coercion.’ Jega-hyang's eyes trembled with confusion. What was she supposed to do? Even if she refused, the vendor would relentlessly insist. Should she just buy it? No, but this is coercion. I don’t want this. But how do I refuse? It was a situation she had never encountered before. Her heart tightened, overwhelmed by the merchant's greed-fueled insistence. Should she flee? But then how would she find her way? While she was unable to find a solution— "What is it that you’re telling her to buy?" A reassuring voice came from behind her. "And who might you be?!" A large shadow was cast over her, enough to easily cover Jega-hyang’s head to her chest. Could it be... Jega-hyang turned in surprise, following the vendor’s astonished gaze. "Young Master Kang!" His appearance always made her heart race—the fiancé who constantly occupied her thoughts. "Miss Jega, here you are." Kang Yun-ho, catching his breath, greeted Jega-hyang with a warm smile.