Chapter 11: 11. Handsome Man’s Debut(?)

"So, what brings you here, Sister Seoin?"

Seo Seoin did not appreciate a woman she had never met speaking casually to her, but the one with something to gain had to be the one to endure it.

"There were so many rumors about the waiter that I came to see for myself."

At those words, Namgung Hyeong and her companions grinned.

"Hehe, that’s right. Sister Seoin is a woman after all!"

"See? I told you! Hehehe!"

"We’re all the same~"

As Seo Seoin’s brow furrowed, Namgung Hyeong smiled mischievously.

"Relax, little sister. We laughed because we’re all exactly the same. How could we not?"

"...Is this your first time here too, Miss Namgung?"

"No, we just went in, then came back for another round."

At Namgung Hyeong’s firm answer, Seo Seoin’s mouth fell open.

"You... came back for another round?"

Just then, a female waiter’s voice rang out.

"Next customers, come in!"

"Oh my, it’s finally our turn. Once you go in, you’ll understand what I mean."

Seo Seoin’s curiosity and anticipation steadily grew.

‘No matter how handsome he is...’

She had made quite a few men cry in her day.

Having met so many handsome men, Seoin’s standards had soared into the heavens.

And that sky came crashing down before Ryu-o, brightly smiling with a platter in his hands.

"Welcome!"

Namgung Hyeong caught Seoin from behind as the strength left her legs.

"Hehehe, it really is her first time!"

"Hehehe! I fell forward the first time!"

"Pwahahaha!"

Right then, Seoin could not hear a single sound.

The pounding of her heart devoured every sound around her, creating the illusion that only she and Ryu-o remained in the world.

Against his pure white, clear face, his jet-black eyes and hair stood in stark contrast. His firm, broad body rippled beneath clothes woven of the thinnest silk threads.

Under Chwihyangru’s lights, the shadows revealed every contour of his body, and it was simply...

"I’ll show the four of you to your table!"

"Slurp! Huh? Y-yes..."

"Hehehehe!"

Namgung Hyeong patted Seoin’s back a few times after she came to her senses.

"Get a hold of yourself. We do not have much time."

"Ah, yes."

Come to think of it, they only had one shichen left.

Seoin grabbed hold of her mind, which was ready to fly off to a wedding hall, and blankly stared at Ryu-o’s broad back.

The four women could not close their mouths, letting out quiet exclamations.

"Wow..."

"Whoa..."

"Damn..."

"Ah..."

"You can sit over here!"

Ryu-o blankly watched the four women, who took their seats as though bewitched.

"..."

"..."

"What would you like to have?"

"Ah, right... Ahem! Do you have anything you recommend?"

Though she had said they had come back for another round, Namgung Hyeong was asking for recommendations.

Seo Seoin found it strange, but kept her mouth shut.

"The Golden Thread Black Dragon is especially delicious today."

Golden Thread Black Dragon? That expensive dish made with tiny, dick-sized sea cucumbers and shrimp?

The one that charged an arm and a leg for just two or three slices of sea cucumber?

Those words promptly slipped back into Seoin’s throat at the sight of Ryu-o’s face.

Namgung Hyeong smiled and nodded.

"Bring us four plates of that."

"Yes. Would you like any alcohol?"

"Do you have a recommendation?"

"Bamboo Leaf Green is Chwihyangru’s pride!"

Bamboo Leaf Green? Sorghum liquor infused with all sorts of medicinal herbs in bamboo tubes... anyway, some fucking expensive alcohol?

"Four bottles of that..."

Horrified, Seoin hurriedly stopped Namgung Hyeong.

"No, Miss Namgung... That’s... I mean..."

For some reason, Seoin could not make herself finish her sentence.

A woman naturally wanted to seem as though she had more than she did before a man, and wanted to seem strong even if she was weak.

"Make mine two bottles..."

"Five bottles of Bamboo Leaf Green! Please wait just a moment. I’ll bring the liquor first."

As Seoin blankly watched Ryu-o head for the kitchen, Namgung Hyeong quietly admonished her.

"Sigh... What do you think you’re doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"If we had taken turns ordering one more bottle at a time, we could have seen him one more time!"

The fog clouding Seoin’s foolish mind cleared at once.

This woman... was no ordinary person.

Seoin marveled at Namgung Hyeong’s wisdom.

"May I call you big sister?"

"Ah, by all means."

**

Seoin poured the liquor before her for everyone and bowed her head.

"This lacking little sister seeks to learn wisdom from you, big sisters."

"Don’t say such things, little sister. Everyone is like that their first time."

After a light toast, the four women drained the liquor in their cups.

At the bitter, sharp taste that stung her mouth, Seoin tilted her head.

"Big sister... I do not think this is Bamboo Leaf Green."

"It is Bamboo Leaf Green."

"I have drunk quite a bit of Bamboo Leaf Green myself..."

As Namgung Hyeong drank, she pointed at Ryu-o with a finger.

"Try drinking it while looking at him."

"Yes..."

Following her instruction, Seoin’s eyes opened wide as she drank while looking at Ryu-o.

"It is Bamboo Leaf Green..."

"It is indeed..."

Watching the handsome man cheerfully smile as he moved his long, bamboo-straight limbs with vigor, they felt the liquor itself was brimming with the scent of bamboo.

The four women seemed to find even the time spent pouring drinks for one another a waste, so they each poured their own and gulped it down.

In the end...

"Waiter! Bring us one more bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green!"

**

Namgung Hyeong grabbed Seoin’s hand as she knocked back the liquor in great gulps.

"Little sister, control yourself a little."

Seeing the sharp gleam in Namgung Hyeong’s eyes, Seoin sensed there was a reason for it.

"This little sister seeks your wisdom."

"If you drink any more, you will feel the Ecstasy Tide and show the waiter a sight he should never see."

The Ecstasy Tide was when a woman felt incomparable pleasure and...

‘Gulp!’

Just in case, Seoin asked Namgung Hyeong.

"How do you know that, Namgung Hyeong?"

Despite the sudden casual speech, Namgung Hyeong did not seem flustered. Instead, she pointed to the table across from them.

"Your Bamboo Leaf Green has arrived."

"Ah... hic!"

"Are you all right, ma’am? Shall I bring you some more water?"

Ryu-o’s hand touched the customer’s back...

Tremble.

"Ma’am?"

"Ah, fuck! This woman!"

"Get her out of here already... Damn it... shit!"

"Sorry, waiter! Let it slide just this once! Here, take the money!"

"What? Ah... G-goodbye!"

"Ah..."

Seoin quietly lowered the hand that had been about to boldly tip back her cup.

**

Seoin’s silk coin purse fluttered in the wind as she emerged from Chwihyangru.

"Ah..."

Where in the world had I just been? Had I briefly visited the realm of immortals because I saw such a divine man?

Namgung Hyeong patted the shoulder of the still-dazed Seoin.

"Come on. We have to get back in line."

Seoin nodded and walked toward the signboard.

**

It had already been nearly ten days since I started this job.

"Waiter! One more bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green over here!"

"Coming right up!"

"Another plate of what we ordered earlier over here!"

Most of the customers here ordered Golden Thread Black Dragon, so taking orders was easy.

‘Is something made of dried jelly really that tasty?’

When I looked around, the customers who had hurriedly averted their eyes were eating their dishes with great relish.

"...? I guess it is tasty."

I considered buying some to try out of curiosity, but its terrifying price always made me look away.

Today, I would finally have enough money to buy the liquor Master liked.

I trained in the mornings and worked at noon. It was a truly fulfilling life.

And compared to all the miscellaneous part-time jobs from my previous life, this work was incredibly easy.

Memories from my past life drifted through my mind...

"Hey! You there! Come grill the meat! It doesn’t taste good!"

The asshole customer who nearly started a fire by kicking over a barbecue restaurant table...

"My name is Jang. Ryu-o... Heh! You want to know where I live? Huh? Ah~ No! I won’t pay until you tell me!"

The asshole customer who made a scene while clutching a hangover drink...

"Fuck, the fried rice came all mixed together! You come in here and fucking eat it yourself!"

Then there was the person who got roaring drunk before a delivery and raised hell over why the fried rice was mixed together.

And that was only the beginning. It had really been spectacular...

Compared to that, Chwihyangru?

"Ahem! Waiter~ Could you clear these bottles away?"

"Could you clear the bottles here too?"

"I have a favor to ask, waiter! Please clear these bottles away..."

Orders were easy, and there were hardly any asshole customers.

The occasional asshole customer who did show up...

"Ah, fuck! That thing swinging around! That! I can’t take it anymore, aaah!"

"Where do you think you’re reaching, you crazy bastard!"

"Get in line, you son of a bitch!"

Rumble... crack! Crack!

...was swiftly subdued by people who could not tolerate injustice.

"Customers! Please, don’t be so rough!"

"Do not worry! I’ll throw him out myself. Ah! My name is..."

"Ahem! Young hero, are you all right?"

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

They had not even touched me, so what did they mean, hurt...? Was this what chivalry was?

They were cool people... Even when I went outside, I had to preserve the spirit of the Eastern Continent.

"Thanks to you great heroes, I am completely fine! Thank you!"

"Huuuh..."

Tremble.

"Ah, fuck... Again!"

"Someone drag this bastard out."

As I watched the interior take care of itself so efficiently, the door shattered with a tremendous crash.

Kraaaash!

The room stirred uneasily.

"What the hell? Which cra... eek!"

"Where are the guards..."

"Th-that..."

"Hic!"

The building fell silent as though someone had released a cat into a rat’s nest.

Even the people on the second floor who had been looking down to see what was happening quickly pulled their heads back and held their breath.

Flustered by the ominous atmosphere, a line that had become habit slipped out of my mouth.

"...Welcome?"

"..."

She had a neat, jet-black bob, and the skin beneath the lids framing her blood-red eyes was dark.

Even so, she was a beauty striking enough to draw a gasp. She stared directly at me and tipped an entire bottle of liquor into her mouth.

Gulp, gulp!

"Hoo... Come upstairs."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

Without even waiting for my answer, the beauty went upstairs.

"...? What was that?"

"Eek!"

"Ah... young hero... Why..."

Every customer began avoiding my eyes.

It felt like I had caught the attention of someone extremely dangerous.

But who was I? Arin’s disciple.

There was no need to be scared at all.

As I smiled contentedly while thinking of Master, the proprietor came rushing down the stairs.

"Huff! Huff! Ryu-o! Ryu... Ryuryu..."

"Would you like a glass of water?"

At my words, the proprietor scrunched up her brow.

"How could such a lovely child... Yuanshi Tianzun, please..."

The proprietor, who was always relaxed and smiled at the sight of me as though she were bursting with satisfaction...

"What is wrong?"

"Ryu-o, listen carefully. Go up to the third floor and attend well to the person who just arrived. You must never offend her."

"Could she be... a dangerous person?"

The corners of the proprietor’s eyes trembled fiercely.

"She is not... Yes! She is merely the daughter of a renowned family from the Eastern Continent! She is just so..."

The proprietor lowered her voice until it was almost a whisper.

"She is just a difficult young lady, that is all. Her family is powerful, so... But her family is extremely... kind, so no harm will come to you."

No wonder people could not meet my eyes.

She seemed to be some noble young lady of the Eastern Continent.

Drinking and smashing down a door—she was exactly like some spoiled delinquent lady... Tsk, tsk.

I had seen so many asshole customers in my life. This was nothing.

"Don’t worry, Proprietor. I am Arin’s disciple, after all."

The proprietor’s expression brightened at once.

"That’s right! You are Arin’s disciple! Others will bring up the food, so hurry along! Quickly!"

"Yes!"

As I climbed the stairs, I thought to myself,

‘I should become successful enough that I do not have to rely on Master’s reputation.’

I had to become a disciple she could be proud of.

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