Chapter 49: If You Don't Consent, I'll Cling to Your Pant Leg
Chapter 49: If You Don't Consent, I'll Cling to Your Pant Leg
Demon Monarch Jang Ho was the first to arrive at the Pungryu Tavern.
His massive frame and the jagged scars etched across his face overwhelmed everyone in the establishment. The patrons held their breath, silence falling over the room as Jang Ho crossed the first floor and ascended to the second. It was only after he joined our table that the frozen flow of time seemed to resume.
"Have you been well, Second Young Master?"
"I’ve been fine. I hope I haven't pulled a busy man away for nothing."
"I would have been deeply disappointed if you hadn't invited me to this seat."
"Of course I had to. This is the first time I’m having a drink with all my people together. Here, have a cup from me first."
I filled Jang Ho’s cup to the brim.
"Thank you."
Seo Dae-ryong and Jang Ho exchanged brief greetings. They had met once before during the anonymous letter incident. Sitting next to the already small-statured Seo Dae-ryong, the Demon Monarch looked three times larger than usual.
After a drink, I turned back to Jang Ho. "You’ve been busy, haven't you?"
"I was swamped at the start of my appointment, but things have settled down now."
"If you ever have a problem or something weighing on your mind, come find me anytime."
"Of course. You’ll be the first person I seek out."
Jang Ho was as reliable as ever. Contrary to his fierce appearance, he was emotional, sensitive, and placed great importance on human relationships.
The pace of the drinking quickened once Jang Ho arrived. He drank exactly as his massive size suggested he would. As we poured, Seo Dae-ryong kept stealing glances at the Commander. It wasn't out of wariness, but rather a look filled with pure envy.
"Envious?" I asked.
Seo Dae-ryong flinched, caught off guard. "Of what?"
"Of Commander Jang."
Borrowing a bit of liquid courage, Seo Dae-ryong answered honestly. "Yes. Honestly, I am. I once wanted to be like the Commander. Though I failed."
"It’s not too late."
"You said that before. When I lamented that it was already too late, you said you were disappointed in me. But what can I do about the fact that it is late? I’m already thirty-two."
"Even so, it’s not too late."
Seo Dae-ryong, momentarily on the verge of snapping, downed the drink in front of him. If it had been anyone else, he would have shouted at them not to speak so lightly about another man's life. He swallowed his anger along with the alcohol, but his face remained flushed.
"Is it truly not too late?"
Knowing he was asking in earnest, I replied with equal sincerity. "Well, it is late."
"Sigh... I knew it." Seo Dae-ryong’s shoulders slumped. It seemed he had harbored a sliver of hope that I might actually disagree.
"But there’s a silver lining to that."
"And what would that be?"
"Because you're starting late, you'll be more sincere in your efforts. Even when you thrust a sword once, you’ll put more heart into it than others. Even when you take a single step, it will be filled with deeper contemplation."
"Even so, isn't the reality that I can never catch up?"
"You can catch up. Oh, a perfect example is coming right now. The living embodiment of defying reality!"
Following my gaze, Seo Dae-ryong and Jang Ho looked down at the first floor. The large-framed Lee An was drawing everyone's attention as she hurried toward our table on the second floor.
"The person who walked that path a step ahead of you, the person who practically lives at the training ground these days, and yet remains that bright—there she is."
Upon reaching the table, Lee An apologized immediately. "Ah, I’m so sorry! I had to wash up and change into my martial robes, so I’m late."
"It’s just a drinking session, what’s the rush?"
"I have to rush! This is a gathering with precious people."
Lee An greeted the two men. "Hello, Commander Jang. Investigator Seo."
The two men stared blankly at her. Thinking she was being scrutinized for her tardiness, Lee An apologized again. "I’m sorry, am I very late?"
Seo Dae-ryong was staring because of my "example" comment, while Jang Ho was staring for a different reason. Jang Ho spoke to her politely.
"Something about you has changed, Lee An."
"Me?"
"Yes. Your vibe is different somehow."
The eyes of a Commander who led the Demon Army were certainly not ordinary. At that, Lee An glanced at me briefly before smiling.
"Falling into training hell has even made me lose weight. I guess I do look a bit different?"
Of course, both Lee An and I knew that wasn't the real reason. Her aura had shifted after being initiated into the Flying Heaven Sword Technique. For now, the fact that she was learning that art was a secret that could never be revealed.
Jang Ho likely sensed there was more to it, but he didn't press her.
"The weather is so gloomy that I was dying for a drink myself. Give me some alcohol!" Lee An held out her cup, and I filled it to the brim.
"You’re working hard with your training, Lee An," I noted.
"Hard? It’s only natural. And I know the Young Master trains much more than I do. You even cut back on sleep to do it."
Seo Dae-ryong was shocked. "Really?"
"You didn't know?" Lee An asked.
Seo Dae-ryong looked at me skeptically. "He looks like the type who would slack off no matter who’s watching."
"Right? But inside that lazy-looking shell is a martial artist who puts in a terrifying amount of effort."
Seo Dae-ryong looked at me, then at Jang Ho, then back at Lee An. He downed a drink by himself. "I feel like I’m the only loser here."
"But you work hard at your job, don't you?" Lee An offered as consolation.
Seo Dae-ryong hung his head low. "I pushed today's work to tomorrow just to come here and drink."
"Ah, I see. Our Investigator Seo’s shell looks incredibly diligent, though." Lee An teased him with a bright, ringing laugh. "Now, let’s have a toast for today’s loser!"
Lee An raised her glass, and we all toasted. The 'loser' himself didn't take offense, joining the final clink while jokingly admitting he was indeed the protagonist of the toast.
"How about it?" I asked. "Everyone else is working this hard. Do you want to properly learn martial arts too?"
"What? From you, Pavilion Master?"
"No."
"Then from whom?" Seo Dae-ryong instinctively looked at Jang Ho.
"Why are you looking there? He’s the busiest person among us."
"Ah, I just wondered since you had him train the enforcement martial artists before."
"If there’s someone to teach you, will you learn? You might not be able to become a formal disciple, but they can teach you proper martial arts."
"Who is it?"
Instead of answering, I looked him in the eye. "Your resolve comes first. Tell me once you’ve made up your mind to be born again. Then I’ll tell you who it is."
I was considering him as the next Huangquan Pavilion Master. However, he was too young for the position and lacked a prestigious sect background or political connections. He needed something more to command that authority.
Then, a certain person came to mind. They didn't seem to match at all, but perhaps that was why they might actually be a perfect fit.
"I’ll give you one minute. Think about it."
"What? I have to decide right here, right now?"
"You can't make decisions on things like this if you ponder too long. Once this drinking session is over, we’ll both be back at square one. You know that."
Seo Dae-ryong fell into serious thought. We drank quietly for his sake, looking out at the sky where rain seemed ready to pour at any moment. I, Lee An, and Jang Ho all had a lot on our minds lately.
By the time we emptied the bottle, Seo Dae-ryong made his decision. "I’ll do it."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"This is something that will change your life."
"I’m prepared. What is there to life anyway? If an opportunity comes, you grab it! If something goes wrong and I die, just bury me in a sunny spot!"
"I’ll bury you at a crossroads where lots of pretty women pass by," I joked.
"Sounds good." Seo Dae-ryong coolly emptied his cup.
"Oh! Congratulations!" Lee An clapped vigorously, and Jang Ho offered a nod of approval.
"If anyone else had suggested it, there would have been no way," Seo Dae-ryong admitted. "But since the Pavilion Master suggested it, strangely, I was easily swayed... I thought, 'Let's grab this. It's an opportunity.'"
Lee An laughed. "Our Young Master’s powers of persuasion are unrivaled across all time."
Jang Ho nodded in agreement.
Seo Dae-ryong, seemingly in a good mood, emptied another cup. Usually not a heavy drinker, he was overindulging today. "But as you know, I’ve been an investigator for ten years. I stayed up many nights to reach the rank of Special Investigator. Giving all that up makes my heart..."
"Why would you quit being an investigator?"
"Pardon?"
"I’m saying there’s no need to quit. You’re the person the Huangquan Pavilion needs most; why would you quit? I mean for you to learn martial arts after work hours."
Seo Dae-ryong took my words as a joke. "You want me to die of exhaustion?"
"In exchange, you’ll achieve the dream you couldn't fulfill."
Seeing my serious expression, Seo Dae-ryong was startled. "Wait. Are you serious?"
"Of course I’m serious. Since you’re starting late, what’s the rush? Just learn slowly after work."
"I’m in a rush because I’m late! Can I really become a master learning like that? Shouldn't I be challenging this with my entire life on the line?" Seo Dae-ryong looked at Jang Ho, seeking support. However, Jang Ho remained silent, looking at me as if telling Seo Dae-ryong to just listen.
Failing to find reinforcements, Seo Dae-ryong returned to the fray.
I spoke to him calmly. "That’s usually why everyone fails. You think you can put your whole life on the line, but in reality, it doesn't work out that way. In fact, having too much time from morning to night makes it harder. You start feeling self-pity and a sense of defeat, wondering why you aren't improving despite having so much time. You achieve much greater results when you put in effort by carving out precious scraps of time while doing your job. Because then, it becomes a pleasure rather than a chore."
Lee An and Jang Ho nodded. Seo Dae-ryong looked conflicted.
"And what matters is who you learn from," I continued. "If you learn from a true master who is a good match for you, the amount of training time doesn't matter as much. Learning from such a person for the duration of a cup of tea is better than listening to a hack babble for a lifetime."
"A true master... who?"
Even Lee An and Jang Ho were curious now.
"He’ll be here soon."
"He’s coming here?"
"Then did you know Investigator Seo would make this decision?" Lee An asked.
"What am I, a fortune teller? I just thought of it on impulse."
"Then that person doesn't know about this situation?"
"Of course not."
"Good heavens!" Seo Dae-ryong took another drink. Having already far exceeded his usual limit, he was entering the stage where the alcohol was drinking the man.
"Whether we get his permission or not is the ultimate gamble," I said. "If he refuses, I’ll have to cling to his pant legs."
We all drank together, vowing to get that permission no matter what. Lee An told Seo Dae-ryong to just sip his drink, but he insisted he couldn't do that before such an important event and emptied his cup.
"I don't know who it is, but I will definitely get his permission," Seo Dae-ryong slurred, highly excited. "If he doesn't consent, the right pant leg is mine. Pavilion Master, you take the left."
"If it’s a master the Young Master found for you, he must be a truly wonderful and good person," Lee An said.
Right as the words left her mouth—
Flash! Rumble! Boom!
Lightning flashed and thunder roared.
"I guess the downpour is starting for real!"
It was at that moment.
"Ah, there he comes."
At my words, everyone’s gaze turned toward the first floor. A man was stepping inside.
Upon identifying the newcomer, Lee An covered her mouth, stifling a scream. Jang Ho also flinched, his eyes widening in shock.
Seo Dae-ryong, who had his back turned, was the last to look around. I watched his shock unfold in real-time. His eyes went wide, he let out a short yelp, and as he tried to jump up, he ended up spilling his drink all over himself.
Thud.
The man who arrived at our table set a massive blade down on the floor. A murderous demonic energy radiated from his small, slit-like eyes.
"The nerve of you, ordering me to come and go as you please."
The person who had arrived was none other than the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Shuaaaaaaa!
As if it had been waiting for this exact moment, the rain began to pour in earnest.