Chapter 10: 10. The Rumored Waiter

In life, fortune and misfortune are as unpredictable as the old man at the border. I had overlooked the fact that today’s good fortune could become tomorrow’s misfortune.

After all, great rewards are preceded by great trials, and power comes with responsibility.

If there was a mountain I had to cross eventually, I had meant to prepare thoroughly and seize my good fortune...

"What are we going to do?"

Thrown into the bitter winter cold without any preparation, Sima Yeon could only shiver at the biting chill sweeping over her.

How could a human possibly defy nature itself...? When it collapsed, you were swept away; when it flooded, you were washed away...

Right now, what was flooding was Arin’s icy-blue fury, and what would collapse was not merely Chwihyangru, but Sima Yeon’s entire life.

And yet, beyond this massive tidal wave lay a paradise overflowing with gold, silver, and treasures.

Sima Yeon calmed her heart, which had nearly leaped out of her chest, and started running her mouth—no, flapping her gums.

"Arin, it has been a long time... I see you have taken in such a dignified and intelligent disciple..."

Flinch.

Her survival instincts sharpened her eye to its limit, keenly catching the change in Arin’s expression.

"He is the sort of child who makes one want to care for him and protect him... isn’t he?"

Sima Yeon put on the warmest, most harmless smile she could manage.

"I thought perhaps the gods had sent him as a fine young man to reward you for your good deeds, Arin. Hehe."

Arin closed her eyes slightly and smiled.

"That is true... He is a beautiful child."

The sight of Arin smiling terrified Sima Yeon.

‘So this crazy bitch can smile, too...’

Was that really the same Arin who had calmly lopped off heads without changing her expression?

Driving away the terror gnawing at her mind, Sima Yeon turned serious.

"Then all the more reason to let him go out."

Flinch.

She nearly jumped at the sight of Arin’s brow drawing together in an instant, but this was the time to be firm and throw her weight around.

Judging by the fact that she could still think, it seemed her head was still attached to her neck.

As though making the final gamble of her life, Sima Yeon began talking again.

"Just because a bird is beautiful, would you tie its wings and keep it by your side? A bird is only truly beautiful when it soars freely through the blue sky."

"...What are you trying to say?"

"Your disciple seems to want to work at Chwihyangru, so please let him."

At this point, Sima Yeon had expected to be seized by the throat and lifted into the air, but Arin merely closed her eyes and fell into thought.

‘Push harder!’

The moment to press her advantage had come.

"Naturally, he will only go between the first and second floors and work as a waiter. You know how famous Chwihyangru is, don’t you?"

"What does being famous have to do with anything?"

"Security, of course. We have paid the guards handsomely. Who would dare cause trouble at Chwihyangru?"

"Hmm..."

"And what about all the information flowing in? Just the things he hears in passing would number in the dozens, even hundreds. When he eventually goes out into the world, he should not go armed with only a sword. He must also take brilliant wisdom with him."

"That is true..."

"Arin, to be honest, your disciple is pure and beautiful. Could a child like a blank white canvas survive in that dark labyrinth? But that does not mean he should refuse to write for fear of staining himself with ink."

"..."

"I told your disciple about the liquor you like. The way he spoke so yearningly about giving it to you... Oh, he looked so pitiful, groaning as he thought of his master, but he had no money... Goodness, it was so frustrating to watch that I told him to work! I told him again and again to work, but do you know what he said? He said he would ask his master first... What, then? Are you going to put spending money in his hand and tell him to buy it? In the end, it would still be your money, Arin. Right?"

"He said that...?"

"Your martial arts are wonderfully straightforward, Arin, but you can be a little dense in other matters. Think about it. One day, the disciple who has worked hard comes home smiling brightly, with a bottle of liquor he bought by saving up his little earnings bit by bit. When you stare at it in surprise because it cost quite a lot, your disciple gives you a shy smile! Then the two of you share a drink. Wouldn’t that be happiness? Why do people raise disciples? That is why they do it!"

"Ah..."

Why was it more frightening to hear a woman make such a pathetic sound than to see her angry...?

Still, standing boldly before a gold mine, Sima Yeon smiled brightly.

"Do not worry, Arin. Your disciple will safely learn about the world at Chwihyangru."

**

When I saw the front gate I had arrived at before I knew it, a sense of security washed over me.

I had not lived here for very long, yet it already felt as comfortable as home, and a smile naturally formed on my lips.

With a broad smile, I opened the gate and called for my master.

"Master, I’m back!"

Crash, bang!

"...Master?"

My master greeted me with a smile, her top barely hanging on her body.

"Haa... haa... Yes, did you have a good trip?"

‘Wow...’

I barely managed to keep my gaze fixed on her face.

It worried me to see my master, who rarely did so, breathing so heavily.

"Master? Are you all right?"

"Hehe, of course. I was just doing a little private training until now."

"Ah..."

"So, did you bring the item back safely?"

When I smiled and handed her the item, my master stroked my head.

"Here it is."

"Hehe, very well done. You must be hungry, right? Let us go eat."

"Yes!"

**

Clatter, clatter.

It was mealtime as usual, but even as I ate, I could not stop thinking about Chwihyangru.

Should I tell her about this or not...?

If I chose not to tell her, what excuse could I make for going out every day?

As I agonized over it, my master smiled softly and spoke.

"You are so distracted you can barely swallow your food. Is something worrying you?"

She was strict during training, but she always asked after me so kindly like this.

Right. How could I dare lie to her?

"Actually, the proprietor of Chwihyangru asked whether I would like to work there."

"I see. What would you like to do, little one?"

"I want to work there."

"Then go ahead."

"Living off you is a sin—what? Ah, thank you."

I blanked at the answer that had come far more readily than I expected. My master lowered her brows as she spoke.

"Do not say you are living off me. It is only natural for a master to look after her disciple."

Hearing such words from someone so pale and beautiful, she truly looked like an angel.

My master rested her chin on her hand and grinned.

"And from now on, carry yourself proudly. Always remember that I am standing behind you."

She was so cool...

Right, what was there to be scared of? I had gone out and returned safely even today.

And my master was behind me.

As if possessed, I rose from my seat and bowed.

Scrape!

"Thank you, Master!"

"No, I told you not to do that... Hurry and get up, come on, all right?"

"Thank you!"

Who am I? Arin’s disciple.

**

A certain young lady of the Seo Family strode confidently through the heart of the eastern district of Labyrinth City Velanis.

As though she wanted to announce to the world that the Seo Family dealt in silk, every inch of her was draped in it—from her ornaments and belt to the pouch jingling at her waist.

Enjoying the furtive glances of men admiring her silk, she walked proudly toward Chwihyangru.

Rumors of a newly hired waiter had recently spread beyond the entire eastern district and into the southeastern and northeastern districts as well.

When people first heard the rumor, they merely tilted their heads, wondering what was so special about a waiter.

The follow-up—that the waiter was a man—stirred a little curiosity, but still, so what if he was a male waiter?

Then came, "His face practically shines..." and their ears perked up. When they heard, "And his figure is..." they turned to listen more closely.

In the end, the women who could not endure their curiosity looked like this...

"Madam Yang! Get a hold of yourself! What is wrong with you these days?!"

"Chwihyangru... I have to go to Chwihyangru..."

Every last one of them had become drooling idiots as though bewitched by black magic, muttering nothing but Chwihyangru.

The guards who had stormed in, accusing Chwihyangru of forcibly feeding aphrodisiacs to people, were no better.

Just look at those guards loitering around Chwihyangru. That said it all.

Curious just how extraordinary he could be for people to make such fools of themselves, Miss Seo eventually crossed Chwihyangru’s threshold...

"You fucking bitch, get the hell to the back of the line!"

"Guards, what are you doing?! That bitch cut in line!"

"I’ll kill you!"

At the savage shouts, she turned around and saw a seemingly endless line of people crazed with madness.

They looked ready to put blades to her throat at once, but they were too afraid to leave the line themselves and only twitched helplessly in place.

"W-What is this...? They were all in line?"

As Miss Seo stood there dumbfounded, someone pointed far into the distance.

"If you go that way, there is a sign that points you to the end of the line. Go there."

"A... sign?"

"Yes! Now get the hell to the back!"

Intimidated by the woman, who was chattering her teeth in anxiety even as she shouted, Miss Seo set out to find the sign.

‘Just what the hell does he look like...?’

By this point, Miss Seo’s curiosity had turned into sheer stubbornness, and she finally reached the end of the line, which had seemed as though it would never end.

Every so often, she considered simply leaving, but seeing more and more women steadily gathering behind her comforted her.

"I came here without even eating breakfast, and what am I doing...?"

"Miss, did you come alone?"

Turning toward the voice, she found a neatly dressed, imposing-looking woman speaking to her.

After confirming that the woman seemed to be of roughly her own social standing, Miss Seo nodded.

"Yes."

"There are three of us. Would you like to go in together? One of us got an upset stomach along the way..."

Miss Seo frowned at those words.

"I have no interest in women..."

"Hm? You did not know? At Chwihyangru, you need at least four people to order four or more dishes. Your table gets two hours."

What kind of bullshit was that? What inn in the world operated like that?

Her expression did the cursing for her, and the woman shook her head.

"Tsk, tsk. You must have come here knowing nothing... But once you get inside, you will understand. So, what will you do?"

She had come this far. It was a little too late to turn back now...

"My name is Seo Seoin."

"I am Namgung Hyeong. Pleased to meet you!"

Comments (0)

Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register