499 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.499 Third Test - 5 "You see, Gimun Hyangju." I wondered why she was upset, and it seems she discovered the incident with the courtesan, Maehyang. "Why on earth did you accept such a thing from Cheonggi's messenger?" Even as she spoke, Gimun Hyangju seemed incredulous, letting out a small laugh as she questioned me. Why did I accept it? Because I'm a man. "I think there's been a misunderstanding." "Are you saying I have my facts wrong?" No. Actually, a few months ago I only received the bottom part, and this time, since she gave me the top part too, I collected it. Men tend to have a thing for complete sets, regardless of gender limitations. I simply couldn't tell Gimun Hyangju, who appeared displeased. "While it's true I ended up taking them, I didn't actually receive them." "What nonsense is that?" "Once she forced it into my arms and ran away, and another time I found it in my bundle after regaining my senses. I never willingly accepted them." It was slipped into my sleeve. A rookie's forced gift from the pavilion post. It wasn't by my choice. I explained the entire situation. "Forcibly received, you say? Then where is it?" "Well... it's awkward to discard, so I put it deep in a drawer..." I had no ulterior motives; it's like keeping an achievement as an achievement. Even if you don't use them, isn't it standard to store them? "…Haa." "Haha." She hit the nail on the head. I could only smile awkwardly. "Do you know what Maehyang has been gossiping about these days? She's saying you're already in love with her, that you only look for her when you visit the pavilion—such outlandish claims!" Why is she so angry? "She must be under a great misunderstanding." "What do you expect if you leave room for interpretation?" "What room? I clearly rejected her." "If the other party doesn't think so, then you've left room. There are already three women who only think about you. What's your plan? A man must be resolute in relationships to avoid making women cry." It seems my silence after being forcibly given the items left room for interpretation. "Saying you shouldn't visit the pavilion is one thing. While it's unavoidable for a man to frequent the pavilion for work, always guard against youthful impulses while doing so." Luckily, though she’s angry, she’s speaking in a chiding tone. Seems she’s been waiting for an opportunity to lecture me. "Are you listening?" "Yes, yes, I am!" ‘It's nice to have Gimun Hyangju worried about me, but the mood of being scolded is troubling.’ Other hyangjus are staring, you know? I need to try a small trick. "Why are you smiling?" Gimun Hyangju asked, frowning at my upturned lips. "Oh, I apologize! It's been so long since I received a concerned scolding that I made a mistake out of habit." I hurriedly adjusted the corner of my raised mouth and looked at Gimun Hyangju. Though my smile had vanished, I made sure to look at her with a certain wistfulness, as if reminiscing fondly. "What do you mean by that?" "When I was young, my mother would sit me down after I made a mess and say, 'You mustn't make girls cry. A man should be able to handle a woman’s complaints.’" I was just thinking about my late mother. I deliberately turned my head, showing the figure of a grandson who misses his mother but does not sit and grieve. And gently insinuated, ‘My late mother told me not to make women cry, that's why I can't easily turn them down. I won’t do it again.’ Mentioning Hyanga, Gimun Hyangju's disciple, in this context feels sneaky, but it was Hyangju who brought it up. "……." Gimun Hyangju's eyes trembled for a moment. Confusion. Compassion. A touch of affection for a grandson. Having noticed, it was time to swiftly move on. "Standing in front of you, My Lady, makes me feel like I'm returning to my childhood, and I couldn't help but feel a strange pleasure and couldn't help it. My apologies." "I'm not trying to blame you… Huhhhhh." "I fully understand. I will return it by tomorrow." "That's settled, then. Have a drink." Like comforting a grandchild who lost their mother at a young age, Gimun Hyangju offered me a bottle of liquor. ——— "Thank you all for waiting so long. Let's head out." As the meeting ended and I boarded the carriage, I cheerfully greeted the waiting guards and coachman. "Oh! We have an unexpected passenger!" "Cooh-coo!" "I brought along a runaway pigeon." There wasn't much behind bringing Gugu along. ‘If you find it challenging to return it directly or send a person, return it through your carrier pigeon.’ Gimun Hyangju. So, she had prepared to return it in any way possible. "Haha! Let's depart!" Feeling the rattling of the carriage, I stroked Gugu. "Gugu, my friend. Show up more often. Do I have to receive you from Gimun Hyangju? Sleep is the only time your home is with me, eh?" Even though Kiom Soogoo is nurtured on the Gimun side, really. No matter how many mates it has there, isn't it too much? "Gugu, coo-coo!" "Why act busy? You've even gotten chubbier." "Goo? Coo-boo!" "Calling it growth? It seems more like you've gotten fat just living the easy life." Is evolution imminent? Gugu indeed seems to have grown a bit. "Haha. You seem to understand the conversation." The escort from Manggeumjeon Jang was curious as he spoke to me. "It's mutual understanding... huh?!!!" What is this? By the time clarity struck, it was already too late. Suddenly, gravity vanished. It felt like my lower body disappeared in an instant. No way. This familiar sensation. "Gugu?!" "Be careful!" "Kang Gong Ja-Nim!" "Ahh!" It felt as if the carriage flipped. —————— "Kang Gong Ja-Nim! Are you alright?" "Ugh. I'm fine. What happened?" How does the carriage suddenly overturn? Grabbing the hand of the guard, I stood up, rubbing my sore behind and asked the coachman. "T-the carriage axle suddenly broke." Turning my gaze in the direction pointed out by the flustered coachman, the wheel that had ejected from the carriage was rolling like a homing bomb wheel. "I checked it days ago, so how on earth…" "Can you repair it immediately?" "The axle connecting the carriage and the wheel is damaged. I’ll need to go back to the estate to fetch repair materials." This is troublesome. Though it's fortunate no one was seriously injured, the problem is that it’s late into the night. "How long will it take to walk there at this time of night? You didn’t properly maintain the carriage!" "I'm sorry!" One of the guards raised his voice, but the coachman could only bow deeply. "Let's not dwell too much on what's already happened. The horses seem exhausted... Do you know if there’s a nearby inn where we can get transportation?" Since it's a high-end carriage, it's quite heavy. The people were fine, but the horses lost their balance and were unfit to continue. "It should be visible a little past that intersection over there." At the end of the dark street, distant dazzling lights shone. "It's a bit of a distance. One of the guards should stay here, and three of us will head to the inn. We’ll likely find a solution there." "I'm really sorry, truly sorry!" "It's alright. Let's go." The third test, thought improbable at first, seemed on the verge of a smooth success. A little incident like this was easily laughed off, especially under the influence of liquor. ——— The moon had hidden its face somewhere, with the wind whispering eerily against our collars. Even in the capital of Hubei Province, the night blanketed everything in darkness. The lights from the distant bustling district shone, but they only served as a beacon as seeing our feet was challenging. "Gugu. Guguuuu." The chilling coo of the bird needlessly made the atmosphere unsettling. Wait a moment. "Gugu! Don’t make strange noises on a dark night. You're making the atmosphere weird." "Gugut!" Is this bird laughing? It was entirely intentional. "The night road is darker than I expected. Watch your step." A guard worriedly warned me. "My night vision is good, I'm fine. Mister coachman, don't be so tense." "I'm truly sorry, so very sorry." The coachman, seemingly intent on taking full responsibility for today’s mishap, strode ahead, lantern in hand. "Gugu. Gugugugugu!" As we walked, Gugu suddenly fluttered its wings aggressively. "Gugu, I said to keep quiet." "Gugut!" "You cheeky little... pecking people now, eh?" Gugu pecked at my head as if ignoring my warning. So they say taking in an animal only brings trouble. After all the food and shelter I provided, it pecks at me for saying a word. "Gugu! Gugugugugu!" As I tried to grab Gugu on my back, the betrayer took off into the sky. "Do I need to start spraying water on you next time... wait, what?" What was it? "Is something wrong?" "Over by that wall. Didn't you see something?" In the direction we came from. It looked like there was something near the wall. "Along the direction the pigeon flew? I don’t see anything." "Kang Gong Ja-Nim. Shadows sometimes play tricks on us at night." Was it just my imagination because of the night? Even though the two were staring at the wall with me, there was nothing visible within the shadows. "I’ll go and shine a light on it." "No. That’s not necessary..." Perhaps trying to make up for his earlier mistake, the coachman eagerly approached the wall where I pointed before I could stop him. And that was... "You never know. Let me just ho...urgh?!!!" It was the end for the coachman. "Mister!!!" "Who are you?!" "..." I hadn't been mistaken. He was hidden within the shadows, which is why we didn't see him. A man clad in pitch-black clothing pushed the coachman, already deceased, aside and looked at us. "I am Ma Il-Do, warrior of Manggeumjeon. You must have heard of the nickname Ma Ilgeom!" "..." There was no response. Blood from someone who had just been alive dripped from the dagger in the man’s hand. "We’re escorting important figures from Manggeumjeon. If you retreat now, we'll consider this a minor misunderstanding!" One person has already died, and you call it a minor misunderstanding? How could a path end in a sword nickname? Isn’t that a poor career choice? Yet, despite ample reason for objection, we stood frozen. He clearly intended trouble. "It's dangerous. Stay behind me defen... tch!" The black-clad man seized the brief moment when the guard warned me. In that split second, he lunged. "Back!" Appreciative as I was of the guard's concern, I quickly retreated to build a reasonable distance where he could protect me. I've heard from one of the most famed assassins in Zhongyuan one crucial thing. No, it can't be. But, given the situation, it seems so. So-Hee once mentioned that when an assassin openly reveals themselves... "Ugh!" ...it means they’re confident of succeeding. ————— "Help meeeeeeeee!!!!" DASH! I ran with all my might. Activating the energy transcription at Yong-Cheon-Hyeol! The unmatched stealth movement technique spread from my toes. "Hurry, r-run aw... urgh!" Damn it. Damn it. Hearing the sound of a person’s life ending, someone I was joking with moments ago, was a truly dreadful experience. First, scream loud enough for people to hear. "I'm going to dieeeeeee!!!!" Behind, I heard the sound of something cutting through the wind. "Where’re you going!" I instinctively twisted my body with a leap. The projectile weapons narrowly missed my sides. Did you expect to harm me with mere throwing weapons? I was trained by Wuyeongshintu, the Celestial Assassin Guild, and the Tang clan. But the projectiles didn’t stop. I dodged surprisingly well, but the distant presence suddenly loomed near. 'Damn, I'm doomed.' No matter how advanced the technique, movement speed drops before crowd control skills. At this rate, I’d be cut from behind. So, I turned to face him, preparing for a brief tactical confrontation. "...." The blade stained with two people's blood glinted faintly under the sparse moonlight. 'Find a way to survive.' Should I kick off the wall and leap? No, my foot would get sliced the moment I push off. A direct confrontation isn't possible. Is there a way to catch him off guard? "Thief!!!" Someone, anyone, come out. It's late at night, but please, someone respond. The man in black charges forward. His speed is undeniable. Can I dodge? Can I block? I must choose. It's the dead of night. There's no one to answer my plea for help. Bang! Wait, there was one person. A heavy sword meets the assassin's blade. In an instant, the assassin steps back to create distance. "Who..." "Gugu seemed quite insistent that I follow." "What?" My eyes shift to the voice I've heard before. The man wielding the heavy sword has black hair. Hold on. The black-haired innkeeper at the intersection... "My brother seems to have quite a few enemies." "Cheoly Hyungnim!" It was Jo Cheol, the Swordsman with Three Eyes.