697 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Akyang. The city of lakes. As a city located at the northern tip of Hunan Province, Akyang is famed for being a hub of both transportation and tourism, given its proximity to Dongting Lake, which serves as a boundary between Hubei and Hunan Provinces. "When I was a child, I wondered if bandits could really roam a lake as vast as those in martial arts novels." To a child's imagination, the size of a lake is limited to something you could leisurely stroll around. However, the reality of Dongting Lake defies imagination. It's more than five times larger than Seoul. Even if bandits looted Gangnam Station and had dinner at the entrance of Hongdae, they wouldn't have traversed a tenth of Dongting Lake. A city that feels like an island floating on the sea. When the morning mist rises, the blurred sky and the silver-white lake merge into a breathtaking panorama. A city that even the poet Du Fu was enamored with. I was at a mansion owned by the Jinju Merchant House. “Ah! It's cold!” Undergoing a cold water friction bath. --- “You told me to pour it. Should I stop?” Gil San, holding a bucket, glanced at me with suspicion as I stood soaked to the skin. “It's fine. Keep going.” “I don’t know about that. The weather hasn’t entirely warmed up. Let’s do it on three. One, two, three!” The icy water cascaded from my head down. I clenched my teeth and shouted at Gil San once more. “Ugh… One more time.” “Another one? No, let's make it one go.” “Splash! Hey! Hold on, water’s going up my nose! Ugh!” This brat just poured it straight onto my face. “What on earth are you doing from the morning?” “Siwang Elder.” Just as I was about to smack Gil San with the bucket, Siwang Elder came out, coughing. “I wondered where you were. I couldn’t find you to give you your morning adherence.” He scrutinized my drenched state with a perplexed look. “I was performing a ritual cleansing.” “A ritual cleansing?” “It was merely a few days' journey from Jangsa to Akyang, but it took its toll. I thought that if fatigue and irritability were to mix with my adherence, it wouldn’t be good. To greet the adherence with clear mind, I asked my friend to assist in the cleansing.” “Certainly, not a bad thought.” Siwang Elder, upon seeing my unreserved bright reply, seemed to have much to say but nodded as if shaking off unnecessary comments. Elder, I know I didn’t have to go this far. “It’s somewhat for show.” To demonstrate my dedication ahead of the activation ritual. It’s an effort to ingratiate myself by aligning with Siwang Elder’s schedule. “I’ll get right to it.” Now that I've shown what I intended to, I headed to the room with the ice bath brought from the merchant house with a satisfied smile. “Isn’t it better to dry off first?” “Now is perfect.” Would a man shiver from just this cold? I stood tall in front of the sleeping frozen beauty, raising my hands with a manly voice. Focus. “Ugh.” My breath escaped without me realizing, rising up my cheeks. It is cold, after all. But I’m fine. With a clear mind and a healthy body. Focus. “Ugh, ugh!” My chin trembles. Frost gathers on my eyebrows. Focus. Focusing makes it even colder. Is this a freezer? Even if it’s the ice essence of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, this is too cold. "...Dress warmly." "I'll be back." --- 'The adherence of the maid.' Dressed warmly like someone working in a freezer, I raised my hands once more. ‘This is no ordinary task.’ It is the task of restoring a woman’s soul. Although it was partly for show, it’s why I went so far as to perform a cleansing ritual. It requires utmost cautiousness. ‘Any hint of ulterior motive cannot be involved.’ Feeding her the adherence I envision shouldn’t involve giving her faulty adherence. What is a maid? While just a headpiece may symbolize a maid in bed, I mustn’t serve an adherence full of lurking allurements. From combat-types to the less desirable maids; from aloof demon maids to those with the sunny loyalty of a golden retriever. Among the many maids I remember, I must extract only the finest adherence. ‘Picture a very wholesome and ordinary maid. Primly dressed in her maid attire from the morning, waking the master. Skillfully sending the whining master to the washroom, swiftly tidying up the bedding. Getting carried away with the master's scent left on the pillow… Oops, that’s another ulterior motive.’ The heroine who remains loyal solely to the master, never betrays, and forms a bond beyond subservience, seemingly in spiritual unison. Surprisingly difficult. ‘Only the supreme adherence of a maid.’ Kang Yoon Ho’s meticulously honed database through extended subculture activity is flawless. Of course, both the database and the search feature have been contaminated by ulterior motives. I sift through and choose the adherence. “Consume the adherence of your illustrious predecessors and grow robust.” Once again, I successfully injected a special concentrate of adherence collected with precision from the morning. --- “Is it done?” As the golden adherence vanished into the woman’s mouth, Siwang Elder approached slowly. “I'm learning what it's like to raise a child though I have none.” “Raising a child?” “It feels like wanting only the best for them. I infused the adherence with due diligence.” Indeed, the maid I conjured is nothing short of an exemplar. Absolutely untinged by ulterior motives. “A commendable stance.” Siwang Elder’s gaze fell upon the woman. “I’m unsure if there’s progress.” “It seems she’s improving by leaps and bounds from yesterday to today. Like a famished child devouring food.” “That’s promising news.” Her face did seem to be regaining some color. It seems to be effective after all. “To notice such significant improvement, it almost renders my lifelong work insignificant.” Siwang Elder ran his fingers gently through the woman’s hair with a sigh of relief. “It’s not so.” “Hmm?” When I firmly denied it, Siwang Elder's gaze met mine. Filled with a resolute look and a hopeful smile, I spoke to him. "It's because of what you've done throughout your life that I'm here now." "Now that I hear it, it's indeed true. Are you holding up well?" Siwang Elder's eyebrows lifted slightly. "The first time, I was utterly exhausted, but I've gotten used to it, so I'm fine now." I assured him of my well-being, raising my arm as if showcasing my muscles, prompting a slight chuckle from Siwang Elder. "If you start hearing voices, make sure to tell me." "Voices... Do you mean the voice of the activation ritual?" "As your connection strengthens, anything could happen. If you hear a voice while walking or any odd sounds in your sleep, even the slightest anomaly, report it to me." "I'll inform you right away." The plan for cultivating an enhanced humanoid maid—or rather, the treatment of the activation ritual—was progressing even here in Akyang. --- "They said the bookstores in Akyang can't give up on selling Ho Pil's novels." With the morning tasks concluded, it was time to address the main purpose of coming to Akyang. Walking through the market alongside the Akyang Branch Manager of the Mankeum Merchant Guild, I asked about the situation again. "They insisted, indignantly, that they can't stop selling books that are selling perfectly fine." "They said that even after knowing we're from Mankeum Bookstore's Daseo Pavilion?" "Ho Pil's novels are doing exceptionally well. I tried explaining, even threatening them, but nothing worked." The Akyang Branch Manager, evidently feeling guilty for the successor's personal visit due to their handling, couldn't lift their head. I could understand the Branch Manager's predicament. "In a world where copyright is scarcely recognized." In modern times, you could immediately punish pirated prints legally, but here, copyright exists only as a matter of commercial ethics. Imagine running a flourishing bookstore one day, only for a new competitor to suddenly appear. A new rival emerges, raising concerns. Then, the competitor claims their well-selling novels should no longer be sold. Though ethics dictate compliance, the opponent is a newcomer of unknown origin, while existing bookstores are abundant. Should the many uphold morals for the solitary sake of one? Or should they turn a blind eye and make money? "It seems they've agreed to collectively ignore it." Expecting resistance, I hurried to Akyang. "I understand the situation. Is the owner present?" I called out as I opened the door to a bookstore located in a secluded alley of Akyang. "What do you want?" Perhaps questioning the black-haired owner was a mistake, as a cranky proprietor approached with a scowl. "We're from the Mankeum Bookstore. We heard you're selling our Daseo Pavilion's books." Upon realizing the identity of the Akyang Branch Manager at my side, the owner's expression grew harsher. "So it's you again! What Daseo Pavilion's books? I’ve worked hard to bring these from the printing house and sell them myself. On what grounds do you tell me not to sell them anymore?" "When did we say not to sell them? We asked that you refrain from selling new editions once Daseo Pavilion is established. We even said you could keep selling existing ones!" Branch Manager of Akyang, there's no need to raise your voice while standing beside me. "It's outrageous to think that an outsider can just come in and remove a mainstay! What did you say?" "What? You have some nerve selling another's books shamelessly! Have you finished talking?" "Yeah. I said it all! What are you going to do about it?" This is escalating towards a physical altercation. I let them bicker while I slithered away, finding myself in front of a bookshelf filled with familiar titles. "Seems Ho Pil's novels are quite the sellers. You've dedicated an entire shelf to them." "What gives you the right to come inside?" "I'm a customer, am I not allowed? Besides, isn’t there a stash of books in the storage as well?" "What?" "I heard that you bulk-bought Ho Pil's novels from a print house because they're selling well. But since your store is in such a remote area, payment issues tend to accumulate." "So what of it?" The owner stepped closer, raising their voice as if I had prodded a sore spot. Certainly, Ho Pil's novels are irreplaceable to the shop owner. It's a title sought after from word-of-mouth, and visitors buying those novels sometimes grab a few others. Impossible to relinquish for a store located in a secluded alley. Thus, I had an idea. "I'll buy them all." "What?! Wait, what did you say...?" The shop owner questioned me, disbelief written all over his face. "I'll purchase everything from the shelves and storage." "Do you really mean... you’ll buy everything? Are you serious?" "I'll buy them at a price covering your purchasing costs from the printing house, as well as add a margin. Wouldn't that solve your immediate financial concerns?" "I did buy quite a lot..." "It doesn’t matter. In return, you agree not to sell novels that Mankeum Bookstore holds rights to, and just stamp here." "Um…" A deal that may only come once in a lifetime, or ongoing stress from debts. Presenting the necessary paperwork, I whispered again. "What will it be?" Naturally, he didn't refuse. --- "You bought all of Ho Pil's novels?" "Considering Daseo Pavilion suddenly appearing in Akyang felt like a bolt from the blue. But if a lifeline descends from the heavens, you should grab it." I nodded at Gil San's question. "Are you sure it'll be okay?" "Anyway, reprinting and transporting new books to Hunan is a costly task. It's better to purchase what's here and refill the shelves." Reprinting books at Mankeum Bookstore, shipping them secondhand, distributing them to the newly opened Daseo Pavilion in Hunan—all of that requires time and money. Offering to pay a markup for the books at the bookstore had considered the costs and logistics as well. "True enough." "Both the local bookstores and I are avoiding losses, even managing to garner a profit. It wasn't a bad proposal. Thanks to your coordination, Akyang Branch Manager." "No matter what I tried on my end, it seemed impossible." The Akyang Branch Manager repeatedly bowed, seemingly feeling guilty for putting the heir of Mankeum Merchant Guild through unnecessary trouble. "If we're going to spend such a large amount, the person in charge has to be present. It's not a long journey, and this is a new opening. By the way, how did it go with the other bookstores?" Ultimately, I'm the one responsible for overseeing the expansion into Hunan Province. "As you suggested, Young Master Kang, we started talking to the financially unstable bookstores first..." The Branch Manager's expression suddenly darkened. "Is there a problem?" "You might want to see for yourself." Upon following the Branch Manager, we were greeted by several carts covered with tarps. "What is this...?" "The owners promised to send the goods first and even agreed to seal the contract." Something seemed off. A strange odor emanated from the carts. At my gesture, the Branch Manager reluctantly removed the tarp, apologizing profusely. "Wugh!" It was no wonder Gil San was gagging. Beneath the tarp lay stacks of books smeared with filth. "Ha." A cold exclamation leaked from the depths of my chest. "Hey... Kang Yoon Ho." My books. My novels. Returned, coated in filth. "We extended a hand for peace, yet they desire war." Very well. I'll accept your challenge.