Are You the Blue-Eyed Lion Sword Hero? (2)
Big cities really are different.
That was my first impression after dipping my toes into the merchant world. Hye-ryeong seemed to be visiting a city for the first time as well, her eyes sparkling as she glanced around.
She looks like someone fresh from the countryside.
Ah, right. She is.
Hainan Island is considered a remote border region by mainland martial artists. In the old days it was even treated like a barbarian island… If the Great War between the Orthodox and Demonic factions had never happened, it probably would still be viewed that way.
“Mister! Look over there! It’s so tall!”
“Probably a restaurant.”
In the martial world, tall buildings usually meant taverns. The kind of place where trouble always broke out whenever the protagonist showed up. Of course, wherever the protagonist went, incidents happened—even if it was just an outhouse—so the thought wasn’t particularly meaningful. Besides, I had no reason to visit a tavern anyway.
I didn’t enjoy drinking, and with Hye-ryeong around, there was even less chance of it.
“It’s the Wolhang Pavilion. Quite renowned even in Changsha.”
The fact that Elder Baek named it so casually suggested he had been there before. He gave us a brief explanation about the Wolhang Pavilion, then led us down the main street toward an inn he knew.
“Mister, don’t you feel all the stares? It feels like everyone’s looking at us.”
“If it bothers you, move to the inside.”
Hye-ryeong stood out so much that the occasional glances were inevitable. Her face was beautiful, but her chest was… particularly eye-catching. How many people had ever seen a size like that? At least I never had, aside from Hye-ryeong.
“I think they’re looking at you, not me.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Sir William, it does seem that way.”
I had deliberately worn a bamboo hat to hide the fact that I was a Westerner, yet Hye-ryeong’s words made me listen to the murmurs around us.
“They say the Westerner in the bamboo hat traveling with the Hainan Sword Sect is the Blue-Eyed Lion Sword Hero who made a name for himself in Wuchang recently…”
“A Westerner? What’s a Westerner doing inland?”
Voices mixed with curiosity and surprise. I had been too busy sightseeing to notice people whispering about me until now.
Maybe I should have paid more attention to my surroundings.
“I heard he grabbed a Demonic practitioner with hands the size of pot lids and slammed him into the ground.”
“People who saw it firsthand thought an earthquake had struck.”
“That’s not all. They say the roar that came from his throat sounded exactly like a lion’s, and anyone who heard it wet themselves on the spot.”
“Impressive.”
Damn, I can hear everything. Whether it was my sharp hearing or the fact that they were using me as tavern gossip, it gave me a headache. So this is the burden of having a nickname in the martial world.
I sighed at the utterly pointless trouble. I had no desire to draw attention. While Central Plains martial artists might see a nickname as something to boast about, I had never wanted to stand out that much. In wuxia novels, standing out usually meant getting dragged into incidents. Even if I wasn’t completely hiding my strength, staying just inconspicuous enough would probably keep me out of unnecessary trouble.
I didn’t know what the man who possessed me wanted, but I planned to stay in the background, eating popcorn.
“Mister, we’ve arrived at the inn!”
I must have been too lost in thought. At Hye-ryeong’s shout, I lifted my bamboo hat and looked up at the signboard.
“Hanseung Inn?”
Sounded like a name for someone skilled with a bow. I lowered my hat again and followed the group inside. The inn was far larger than the one we had stayed at in Wuchang Prefecture—almost the size of a training ground.
An inn built on such prime land must cost a fortune. Elder Baek was probably stretching his finances for this. I trailed after them and took a seat at an empty table. When I removed my bamboo hat and set it aside, I felt the gazes converge on me.
“That Westerner is the one they were talking about…”
“Just like the rumors…”
Before long, the inn’s conversations had shifted to me. I ignored it and chatted with my companions. There was no reason for me to care. As long as I was with the Hainan Sword Sect, almost no one would dare touch me. Even if the Hainan Sword Sect’s influence was small, it was still one of the Nine Great Sects. How many people could afford to ignore that?
“Mister, you’ve become quite famous.”
“You’re getting mentioned plenty yourself.”
At my words, Hye-ryeong made a disgusted face and complained.
“Ugh, I hate that. It’s not even because my martial arts are impressive—they just keep repeating that I’m pretty, over and over. A martial artist should be known for their skill, not their face. Being known for looks is embarrassing.”
Didn’t most women take pride in their beauty?
“Haha, Hye-ryeong. If you show your skills at the martial competition, people will naturally give you a nickname based on your martial arts.”
“That’s right. With your talent, you’ll surely make a name for yourself with the sword.”
While we sat around the round table making idle conversation, a waiter approached, set down teacups and a teapot, and spoke to Elder Baek.
“Two rooms for two nights and meals, please.”
“Yes, sir.”
Elder Baek ordered food and rooms as usual, then sipped the tea on the table.
“Hmm, the tea is good.”
“A fine inn would use quality leaves.”
“I prefer alcohol over tea…”
“Ha-gyeong.”
“Ah, yes. Sorry.”
“…”
Honestly, I couldn’t tell good tea from bad even if I drank it. Before my possession, most tea I had was the cold bottled kind, and the only hot drink I knew was americano. Compared to coffee, tea tasted bland, so if someone asked whether it was delicious, I could only shake my head. Still, I had enough sense to take a sip and offer a comment.
“The tea is good.”
“The leaves must be high quality.”
Hye-ryeong smiled brightly and kept sipping her tea. She seemed to like it. After a brief moment of leisure, the waiter returned and began laying out a lavish spread before us. From familiar dishes like braised pork belly and Dongpo pork to others I couldn’t name, the table filled with food. Elder Baek picked up his chopsticks.
“Now, let’s eat.”
“Yes.”
Following Elder Baek’s lead, we began our meal. As expected from a renowned inn in Changsha, the meat was tender, its light juices perfectly balanced with the sweet-and-sour sauce. I couldn’t help but focus entirely on my chopsticks.
After some time, I set my chopsticks down—not because I was full, but because I sensed someone approaching.
“Elder Baek! It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”
“If it isn’t Young Hero Eon. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
“Haha! I never imagined our paths would cross like this either. Still, my luck is good! While touring Poyang Lake on my way to see Dongting Lake, I run into you! Hahaha!”
What a ridiculously loud voice. Shouting like that—whether he was greeting or yelling—I could tell he wasn’t an ordinary person. Since he knew Elder Baek, he had to be a martial artist, so it was only natural.
“…It’s been a while, Young Master Eon.”
“Haha, there’s no need for formality between us! Call me Young Hero Eon!”
When Ha-jin offered a cupped-fist salute in a reluctant tone, the man calling himself Young Hero Eon laughed heartily in response. Had someone like this appeared in the original novel? Wuxia novels all had similar names, making them easy to mix up. The Nine Great Sects, the Demonic Cult, and the unorthodox factions like the Yangtze River pirates or the Green Forest bandits appeared in most stories… Because of that, it was hard to tell whether a new character was from the original work or not. I had already seen more than ten versions of Namgung Soso alone.
“Young Hero Eon, is the clan head in good health?”
“He’s as vigorous as ever. Lately he entered secluded training to reach a new realm. He’s probably achieved a great breakthrough by now.”
“I pray for his success.”
“Thank you. By the way, this person is…”
The man’s gaze stabbed into the back of my head. Pretending otherwise while probing, it seemed he had approached with me as his target from the start. But why me? Why was some man I had never met staring at me with such intensity? While I was forming 108 different theories in my head about why he might be targeting me, Elder Baek answered.
“This is Sir William. He is both a guest and a benefactor of the Hainan Sword Sect.”
“Oho, so he’s an impressive figure! I am Eon Cheol-san, the second son of the Jinju Eon Clan. Among fellow martial artists, I’m known as the Iron Wind Fist.”
“William, or William Marshall.”
“These days he’s called the Blue-Eyed Lion Sword Hero!”
Hye-ryeong, that’s a bit much.
“Oh, the Blue-Eyed Lion Sword Hero. I’ve heard of you. A warrior who uses Western fist techniques and carries the presence of a lion.”
So I was known as a fist practitioner. Well, the events on Hainan Island were barely known, so that made sense. When I nodded, Eon Whatever-his-name-was spoke with shining eyes.
“Sir William. Since we’ve met like this, how about a spar?”
…Stepped in it again. Realizing there was no way to slip away quietly this time, I sighed.