Ep459 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

In Shinjeok's remaining memories, Baek Woojin was depicted as such: A talentless, overly kind and delicate, albeit annoyingly handsome, playboy-like character. Thus, when the name Baek Woojin began to resonate throughout the central realm, he couldn't believe it. Thought it might have been just a stroke of luck. With a face as dazzling as his, even a minor achievement could easily get exaggerated, after all. Or perhaps it was just someone with the same name, entirely different. But such thoughts dwindled away, one by one, as Woojin's reputation grew. His achievements were too substantial to be dismissed as mere luck. His swordsmanship, now more renowned than his looks. And as his daughter’s name, along with Baek Woojin's, began to rise in prominence. Finally, when he earned the title of Heavenly Light Sword God, even he couldn't deny it any longer. The Baek Woojin, once etched as a loach in his memory, had ascended as a dragon clutching a golden orb. However, none of that mattered to him now. Even if he were not the Heavenly Light Sword God, but the grandfather of such, all that mattered was finding out if he was the cause of his daughter’s distress. And if so, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him would suffice. Yet suddenly... "I'm sorreeeeey!" Wasn't it bad enough that this candidate for an enemy to his daughter came to his house uninvited, only to abruptly drop to his knees in a penitential gesture? * * * In the memories of 'Baek Woojin,' Shin Yehwa’s father, Shinjeok, was depicted as follows: An openhearted and burly manly character. A master among masters, ranked among the top in Central Martial Arts, and someone who, for reasons unknown, always regarded him with disapproval. Though it was unclear in his memory, Baek Woojin swiftly realized the reason upon recollecting. "It must be because of Miss Shin." Shin Yehwa was the only child born to Shinjeok and his wife. His beloved daughter, whom he cherished more than anything, having a boy as a childhood friend must have been unsettling. As Baek Woojin arrived at the Shin mansion, recalling his childhood memories, he realized upon encountering Shinjeok in the yard: This person is truly... “A daughter-fool!” His past experience of charming countless ladies and pleading tirelessly with their fathers whispered to him. Even his current opponent could be matched with such fathers, whom he termed as daughter-fools. If left unchecked, at best it would end with a collar grab, but worst-case scenario, a scimitar could be swung at him. Sensing the growing discontent on Shinjeok’s face, Baek Woojin hurriedly prostrated himself and yelled. "I'm sorreeeeey!" "...?" There's a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face. However, this saying is wrong. For even if an unsatisfactory person grins from ear to ear, if you feel like spitting, you can. Yet, never has he seen anyone actually spitting or getting angry at someone who is prostrating themselves before them. Why? Because the absurdity of the situation saps away the strength needed to spit or get angry! "What, what are you doing now?" As anticipated, a bewildered Shinjeok questioned the prostrated Baek Woojin. "Miss Shin…, No, Yehwa, has returned home, correct?" "Y-yes, she has." "She's likely not in a very good mood." "Hmm…, true." "I apologize, Master! I uttered careless words that upset Yehwa…!" "As expected, it was you." It was just as expected. And though he wished to pick the lad up by the nape and shake him immediately. "Ugh…!" He held back. No, he had no choice but to hold back. One by one, the household members of the Shin family were gathering in the yard, witnessing the present scene. Though renowned as the Heavenly Light Sword God, with power comparable to a martial god or the leader of the league, he was kneeling, disregarding his honor. Could he grab him by the collar then? If the rumor spread, Shinjeok would become a petty person and the Shin family would be branded as miserly and unforgiving. 'This cunning rascal…!' Surely he had taken this entire situation into consideration before prostrating himself. Suppressing the fury boiling inside him, Shinjeok forced a smile by engaging all the muscles of his face. "Ha, hahaha…! Enough, stand up. You and Yehwa are childhood friends, aren't you? Friends can fight while growing up. How can a man kneel so easily…!" At this, Baek Woojin cautiously raised his head and asked. "Does that mean... you forgive me?" "Heh, hehe, forgive?! Don't be absurd. After all, if friends fight, shouldn't they resolve it themselves?" Clenching his teeth, Baek Woojin stood up promptly in response to the begrudged response. "Upon hearing it, Master’s words make sense! As expected, your insight is extraordinary, ooh…!" "O-overpraise." In that moment, he briefly contemplated. Baek Woojin’s words, every single one of them, seemed to irritate Shinjeok. Was it because he inherently disliked the man, or was it the way Woojin intentionally spoke in a manner guaranteed to be bothersome? Shinjeok had no wish to converse any longer; he turned abruptly. “Ahem… You stay in the guest quarters. I’ll inform Yehwa to meet you there.” “Thank you, Master!” With a face full of exuberance, Baek Woojin headed to the guest house. Each step filled with controlled anger, Shinjeok made his way to his daughter’s chambers. “Daughter, are you inside?” “…What is it, Father?” “Oh, it's... a visitor.” “…A visitor?” “Yes, I’ve set them up in the guest quarters. If you’re inclined to meet them, head over.” With a bit of finality, Shinjeok waved off and made his exit. Left alone in her room, Shin Yehwa’s face finally showed some emotion after a long time. “A visitor…?” It was a look of puzzlement. No one should know that she had returned home, so why a visitor all of a sudden? “Who could it be?” Curiosity about the visitor managed to shake off the lethargy weighing her down, driving her steps outside. As she cautiously opened the door to the guest quarters, she froze. There, unexpectedly, was Baek Woojin. With a trembling voice, she asked, “Why are you here…?” As Baek Woojin began to reply, she swiftly shook her head, as if unwilling to hear it, and continued. “If you came to take me back, just go. I’m of no use there anymore.” Upon returning home, she became even more languid. She had thought that by forgetting everything and finding solace in tranquility, she might improve. Instead, it turned out to be the opposite. The peace only drained her further of any vigor. In this state, she understood. Why he had said those words. “I understand now. I’m nothing more than a useless person.” Shin Yehwa smiled bitterly. Looking up at Baek Woojin through teary eyes, she continued. “So please... leave me here. I apologize for holding you and your companions back.” “……” Baek Woojin listened silently to her words. Then he asked. “Is that your decision, Miss Shin?” Grasping at her chest to steady her turbulent emotions just from hearing his voice, she answered. “That’s right.” “I see.” Nodding weakly, Baek Woojin continued. “If that is indeed your decision, then I must respect it.” If it's the path she has chosen, he has to honor it. As one who lives in the body of someone else precious to her, he holds no power to impose upon her. Yet, the reason Baek Woojin came remains. “In truth, the reason I came to find you, Miss Shin, was to apologize.” His candid words caught Shin Yehwa off guard. “Apologize…?” Nodding, he replied. “The words I said back then were undoubtedly my mistake. I briefly got angry at how easily you gave up your position. Had it been a real battle, you could have died, and it made me anxious.” Shin Yehwa was taken aback. She thought he was angry because she had been consistently useless, degrading into insignificance. But that wasn’t the case. He was angry because…. “You were worried about me…?” “Yeah.” It was because he was worried for her. Baek Woojin scratched his cheek, a sheepish expression evident. “I don’t know how you feel, Miss Shin, but I consider you a friend. We’ve shared quite some time together, and without realizing it, I’ve gotten attached.” From the day he began accompanying her, he tried hard not to form any premature attachments or give in to any expectations. Yet, the human heart doesn’t always follow one’s desires. Especially when they were comrades who had survived numerous perils together. Having fought to protect each other's lives, it was only natural for bonds to form, beyond one’s control. “Though I can’t speak acting as in your dear one’s body, I wish for you to find happiness again, Miss Shin. It might take a long time, of course.” He awkwardly laughed, continuing. “So I respect your decision, if it helps you find a bit more peace in the here and now. That's enough for me.” Suppressing his embarrassment, his voice steady, he finally smiled widely at the end. “Remember when we first formed the Shinryongjo?” Shin Yehwa nodded, surprised at the unexpected mention of the past. How could she forget? The Shinryongjo was formed with difficulty, as she clung to him to ensure its establishment. Although she had found it vexing at the time, she now understood. His reluctance to form premature attachments was his kindness, to spare both of them future sorrow. He continued speaking. "Well... as you probably recall, the state of our team back then wasn’t the best, right?" It was true. Guwangsu, who once claimed to be under Namgoong-su, the phony fortune-teller Jangsam, and the timid Jegal Yeonji. They were individuals you couldn’t immediately hold any high hopes for. "Honestly, having you with us back then was reassuring. You were the one aspect I could actually rely on." "Ah..." As she stood there, her mouth slightly open, not knowing how to react. "And that sentiment hasn’t changed." A small yet resolute woman. A powerful comrade who wielded a crescent blade taller than herself with ease, navigating the battlefield. Her ability to change the tide of battle with a sound that seemed to tear the air apart, instilling terror among enemies to the advantage of her allies. Although they could no longer fight side by side. Baek Woojin offered a final farewell. "Take care. I’ll visit again once all these journeys are over." With those words, Baek Woojin passed by Shin Yehwa and left the guest quarters. She watched as he walked past, unable to do anything. Author's Note: The calm before the storm episode will soon wrap up. Originally, I intended to include more episodes with various heroines, but the buildup took longer than expected. I’ll try to include more stories between the next arcs. I look forward to seeing you in the next installment. Thank you for reading, as always. Have a restful night. (_ _)