Chapter 158: Even a Passing Servant

TL: FoodieMonster007

Jin Haryong ascended the duel stage.

Today was her first duel in the main tournament, and the heroes cheered tremendously. They respected and admired the Murim Alliance Chairman, so they also liked his granddaughter, Jin Haryong. Her reputation as the number one beauty of Hubei only fueled her popularity.

"You must win!"

"Jin Haryong is the best!"

"You're beautiful, Jin Haryong!"

"Buy me noodles!"

"The winner is Jin Haryong!"

Jin Haryong flinched on the duel stage. She heard something strange mixed in with the cheers.

She looked around. Since she had never viewed the heroes from the stage before, cheers erupted from all directions. Among the massive crowd, she found the person she sought. Geom Mugeuk sat among the heroes and shouted.

"You left without paying again!"

His words flew clearly through the crowd's roar and struck her ears. In that moment, she realized she had left that day without paying again. She had forgotten even after he had asked her not to.

Ah! How can I be so scatterbrained!

That day, the man had worked her up, and she had left in a fit of anger.

But so what? Did he really come all the way to the duel grounds just to shout at her about noodles? The situation was so absurd that a dry laugh escaped her.

Her opponent's expression hardened when he saw this. He misunderstood her laugh as a sign of mockery.

The misunderstanding strengthened his resolve, but it could not close the skill gap between them. He stood no chance against Jin Haryong, who thought about noodles throughout the entire fight.

Jin Haryong descended the duel stage to a round of applause. She glanced at the spot where Geom Mugeuk had been, but he was gone.

That bastard! Did he really just come for his noodle money?

Just then, her bodyguard, Chu Ho, approached and reported, "The Chairman requests your presence at his residence."

"Grandfather?"

An hour later, Jin Haryong passed through layers of strict security and entered the Murim Alliance Chairman's residence.

The place was located deep within the Murim Alliance. It was an elegant harmony of beautifully carved rocks and ancient trees, like a place where immortals would frolic. A man stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, lost in thought. He blended with the beautiful background like part of a painting.

"Grandfather, I'm here!"

"You've come?"

The man, who had a robust physique, turned toward her.

He looked twenty years younger than his age and possessed a perfectly muscular body that even young men lacked. His large, intense eyes dominated his features. They looked like they could make a tiger wet itself in fear, making him seem like a divine general descended from the heavens.

He was a man better suited for the duel stage she had just left, not a tranquil place like this.

He was the Murim Alliance Chairman, Jin Paecheon.

As the number one master of the orthodox path, he was the pillar of the orthodox sects murim and received their utmost respect. It was said that the Demonic Cult could not act recklessly because Jin Paecheon was still strong. He was the very symbol of the orthodox sects murim.

Even in Jin Haryong's eyes, her grandfather was a magnificent person. He had a good heart, a strong will, and a high sense of chivalry. He deserved everyone's respect.

That, however, was the evaluation of Jin Haryong the martial artist. The evaluation of Jin Haryong the granddaughter was different. To her, he was just a rigid and frustrating grandfather who oppressed her.

Honestly, that made her even angrier. He was so good and perfect to others, yet failed to be so to his own family. He failed the very people he should treat well while dedicating himself to complete strangers.

"I met the True Dragon Manor Master a while ago."

It was the day she had won her duel, yet her grandfather brought up something else first.

What's the rush? Let's talk about your granddaughter winning her duel first. Or at least talk about the weather.

Of course, she could not voice such complaints. He was a grandfather she was not scared of, but not comfortable with either.

"Is the Chairman doing well?"

"He whines about having no energy, but that old man is as stubborn as ever."

It was a story about someone she would never think of if not for her grandfather, but there was another reason her grandfather brought up the True Dragon Manor Master.

"He said his grandson who went away for training has returned. He subtly brought up pairing you with him. What do you think?"

Ah! Here we go again.

"Why is my grandfather so anxious to marry off this cute granddaughter of his? It's not like you need to become in-laws with a prestigious family, right?"

She tried to act cute, but Jin Paecheon did not indulge her.

"I'm asking for your thoughts."

"I don't want to. Grandfather, I refuse."

Jin Paecheon's expression crumpled slightly at her firm reply.

"Why do you refuse?"

"Grandfather, would you want to marry someone whose face you've never even seen?"

"He is a trustworthy person."

"Who is? You haven't seen him either, have you?"

"I can tell by looking at the True Dragon Manor Master."

"How? Look at me, the granddaughter of a man respected by everyone. Am I the same as I appear on the outside? Elegant, aloof, and polite. I'm not, am I? I'm rebellious. So how can you know his grandson just by looking at the True Dragon Manor Master?"

Jin Paecheon's expression hardened, but Jin Haryong did not back down.

"As I've said before, I'll meet someone I like and marry them when the time is right."

"That's childish talk! Do you even know how harsh this murim is? It's a place where all sorts of bizarre and strange bastards roam."

The mention of a strange bastard suddenly reminded her of the insolent servant. That's true, but…

"The True Dragon Manor has produced excellent martial artists for generations. It is a place that can be trusted."

"That trust only works for you, Grandfather."

"What do you mean?"

"Because no one would dare betray your trust, Grandfather. That's why your judgment of people has always been accurate, but I'm different. People treat you differently than they treat me."

It was an irreverent thing to say. The air grew cold from the force of her grandfather's anger.

Still, Jin Haryong did not yield. If she broke under this pressure, she might really have to go through with a marriage she did not want.

"If you keep forcing me like this, I'll marry just anyone."

"Anyone? Who on earth would you marry?"

"Anyone off the street. I don't care if he's a servant."

She flinched inwardly after saying the words impulsively. A servant?

"Do it if you can."

"Grandfather!"

"You can never do that. Do I not know you? Your pride wouldn't let you. Go on, bring a servant or a street vendor. I will hold a grand wedding ceremony for you."

Jin Haryong could not deny it. That was who she was.

"I know better than anyone that you're a great person, Grandfather. I also know you're a noble person who would willingly sacrifice your life for this murim. I respect you the most, but I don't want to turn this wonderful grandfather into a classless Murim Alliance Chairman who forces his granddaughter into marriage."

She knew why her grandfather was so actively intervening in her marriage. It was because of her deceased father.

He believed his son had died because he married the wrong person. That his life was ruined because he met the wrong wife.

Her father had been swept up in the grudges of her mother's family and died in an enemy ambush. Her mother had died with him. Although all revenge was completed afterward, a deep regret remained in her grandfather's heart.

Grandfather, how could that be Mom's fault? It was the life Dad chose. Dad loved Mom until the moment he died.

Knowing her grandfather was trying to send her to a family of his choosing for this reason made her hate it even more.

"You still don't know the world. You don't know how harsh and dangerous this murim is."

"I'll learn for myself."

"You will regret it later."

"I will regret it."

But her stubbornness did not work on Jin Paecheon. Her grandfather was rumored to be magnanimous and open-minded, but that did not apply to his granddaughter's marriage.

"The True Dragon Manor Master's grandson will be at the banquet tomorrow evening. Make sure you attend."

Suddenly, she remembered what Geom Yeon had said. Was that consideration for her, or for the other person? Could her grandfather be making the same mistake?

"Do you want to marry me off for my sake? Or is it because you want to be at ease?"

Her grandfather was not flustered like she had been. Jin Paecheon answered without hesitation.

"Both."

Faced with Jin Paecheon's unyielding will, Jin Haryong backed down for now.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

I understand how you feel, Grandfather, but that is definitely not for my sake.

"Hoo, hoo."

Seo Daeryong caught his breath after training. He was clearly a different person now.

When he learned from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, he had trained with blind diligence. Now, his training was different. He had an enemy to fight, and his training focused on how to defeat that enemy. Through this practical combat training, Seo Daeryong was stepping onto the path of a true martial artist.

"Director, I want to become stronger!"

A moment like this comes. Not a vague desire to get stronger, but a moment when you have pushed yourself to the point of death and can barely breathe. That is when you feel a true desire to do more. This is real determination.

"Alright, get stronger. I'll be watching over you."

"You have to promise to watch."

"Yes, I promise I'll watch."

Right now, Seo Daeryong is a small giant. You may be grateful to me, but I am the one who is grateful. Because of you, in that moment you said our Cult would not change, my regression found its direction.

When I returned from training with Seo Daeryong, Jin Haryong was at the inn.

"That look isn't unfamiliar anymore. What brings you here today?"

Her expression was a little darker than usual.

"You look like you need some advice."

"The granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Chairman receiving counseling from the son of the Demonic Cult Leader. You'll end up finding everything out, won't you? Where is the Murim Alliance's forbidden area? To open the secret vault…"

"That's enough!"

"……"

Seo Daeryong went up to his room. I walked over to the table where she sat.

As soon as she saw me, Jin Haryong asked bluntly, "You shouted for me to buy you noodles during the cheering, didn't you?"

"You heard me?"

"Your voice just stuck out in my ears."

"I naturally have a loud voice."

"……"

I sat down across from her. She filled my cup to the brim with alcohol.

"Do you drink well?"

"It depends on the occasion."

"On what occasion do you drink well? When you're with good people?"

"No, when I'm with good people, I tend to get drunk quickly."

"Then when?"

"I drink well when I'm angry. I talk a lot out of excitement, so the alcohol wears off quickly. When my emotions are high, alcohol feels like water. Of course, I regret it the next day with a hangover."

"While saying, 'If I ever drink again, I'm a dog!'"

"Exactly. You know it well."

We drank together. Jin Haryong put down her empty cup and said, "The alcohol is going down well for me today, too."

"Are you angry today as well?"

"As well?"

"You usually come here angry, don't you?"

"I don't come here angry. I leave angry. Because of someone."

I laughed at her words.

"Do you also drink alcohol poured by a servant?"

"That depends on the servant."

I poured alcohol into her cup. She stared intently at me and suddenly asked, "Do you have any intention of shaving that beard?"

"No, I don't."

"Then do you have any intention of being used by me? Just for one day."

"I do."

She looked at me with a surprised expression.

"You won't shave your beard, but you'll let yourself be used?"

"It's just for one day, isn't it? A beard takes a long time to grow."

"You're not going to ask what it's about?"

"It must be a very troublesome matter for the Young Lady."

"You could get into trouble too. Someone might hold a grudge against you. You could be insulted."

"Holding grudges, being insulted. That's the life of a servant. What could be more troublesome than that?"

"Then please attend the Murim Alliance banquet with me tomorrow. You'll also meet my grandfather. Can you do it?"

I blinked for a moment before answering.

"That's a bit troublesome."

"You're a coward."

"That's what servants are."

Jin Haryong looked at me and smiled.

"I never intended to ask for your help in the first place. You won't see anything good getting swept up in my affairs. Thanks for the thought, though."

She stood up from her seat.

"Well, that's one of three used up."

At that very moment, a young man walked toward us.

"Miss Jin."

The moment I saw him, I was inwardly surprised. He was someone I knew. Moreover, he was someone with whom I had a direct connection before my regression.

"I am Cho Sin of the True Dragon Manor. We've met before. You've become even more beautiful."

Cho Sin.

The Cho Sin I knew was not Cho Sin of the True Dragon Manor. He was Patriarch Cho Sin of the Rising Dragon Family, a family that rose to prominence in the orthodox sects murim after Hwa Mugi went into seclusion.

The current True Dragon Manor would change its name to the Rising Dragon Family and enjoy a series of successes once this Cho Sin became the Patriarch. After the Murim Alliance closed off, it would grow to become one of the sects representing the orthodox sects. It was the very same family I had gone to in order to retrieve the Divine Incense Burner, the second ingredient for the Great Regression Technique.

So around this time, your younger self was approaching Jin Haryong.

I knew very well what kind of person Cho Sin was. He was a typical hypocrite. He lived the life of a Master while keeping his cruel and heartless nature deeply hidden. He stopped at nothing for his own success and felt no pangs of conscience about it.

What if the Cho Sin of that time and the Cho Sin of now had the same character?

My gaze turned to Jin Haryong.

This woman is in danger right now.

Could it be that her life turned out that way not because of the Heavenly Enlightenment Society, but because of this man?

Cho Sin looked at me and asked, "Who is this person here?"

Her eyes and mine met. She smiled faintly and said, "Don't mind him, he's just a servant."