A True Man Benefits the World
The conversation's mood had ripened considerably compared to the start. The tension between the two had eased enough for their tongues to loosen. Of course, unearthing an unexpected, secret tidbit no one else knew had lifted their spirits too.
"Aren't you disappointed there's no liquor?"
"Haha, no, sir. How could I dare expect alcohol in a temple?"
Liquor and meat were taboos in temples. It was the natural response from a storyteller like Yangdae, but Bang So-un's reaction was entirely different.
"No. The abbot here has such a broad mind that he's permitted bringing in liquor and drinking it."
"What? Really?"
Yangdae's eyes widened in shock. It was astonishing leniency, even for guests. He'd heard of temples like that occasionally, but experiencing one firsthand was new. How open-minded must the abbot be to allow it? Whoever he was, this temple's head must have attained profound enlightenment.
"What do you say? You look like a man who enjoys his drink."
"Well, I do partake a little..."
"Then don't stand on ceremony."
"Pardon?"
"Muyeong Bido."
"Yes, Battlefield Leader."
"Fetch a liquor tray."
"Yes, Battlefield Leader."
Without further questions, Bang So-un set things in motion. Yangdae again sensed the Golden Dragon Battlefield Leader's manliness in such decisiveness.
...Come to think of it, he was unflinching in the sparring hall and the inn too.
Yangdae was convinced. At the very least, the Golden Dragon Leader far surpassed the world's judgments. His own eyes hadn't failed him. This man reeked of profitable stories. Aligning with him was tremendous luck. So, in this drinking gathering he'd sought out, he needed to roll his tongue skillfully—neither frivolous nor reserved—to leave a strong impression.
As Yangdae sorted his thoughts, Muyeong Bido returned with the liquor tray. The side dishes were simple: a few vegetables. Fitting for a temple. What mattered was the liquor. No storyteller hated drink amid his fellows. Where there was liquor, there were stories; where there were stories, there was liquor.
"Have a drink first."
Bang So-un chuckled lightly and lifted the bottle.
"An honor, Golden Dragon Leader."
And so the drinking began in that mountain hermitage.
"I said I had something to tell you, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did."
"To be precise, something to ask. As a storyteller, you must know the pulse of the world well."
"I wouldn't dare claim mastery, but my trade gives me a better grasp than most."
Yangdae answered humbly. Yet no one matched storytellers—roaming from the central plains to remote corners, buying and selling tales—for insight into the world's buzz and mood.
"Haha, modest as ever. Mind if I ask anyway?"
"Ask away, sir. As much as you like."
"Good, no need for pretenses. What I want to know is about me."
Bang So-un's eyes gleamed.
"Pardon?"
"About me, Bang So-un, Golden Dragon Leader. How the world sees me. Isn't that what anyone would wonder?"
"W-well, sure..."
"But no one knows their own reputation truly. That's why I called on you, a storyteller. Got it?"
"Ah... I see. Understood..."
Yangdae finally grasped why Bang So-un had summoned him: curiosity about his public image. Not uncommon—everyone wondered how others perceived them. But tricky to navigate. The easy path was flattering tales only, yet some bristled at that, sensing fabrication. So, one mixed in middling or harsh truths. The art was in the balance, hence the headache. And some exploded at negativity alone. Maddening for the teller.
Damn, the mood was good, but here we go...
As Yangdae inwardly tsked, Bang So-un spoke again.
"Tell it all straight, good or bad. I want the real world's verdict."
...They all say that.
Yangdae muttered internally at the cliché. Then Bang So-un pulled a money pouch from his bosom and tossed it over.
"Five nyang of gold pieces. Your fee—for total honesty."
G-gold, five nyang?!
Yangdae's eyes bulged. He thought: This man is different!
Yangdae spilled it all honestly. The criticisms, the envy. Lightning-fast rise through marriage, undeserved luxury for an unworthy upstart. Puppet to his wife despite pretensions. The Golden Dragon Battlefield doomed under an incompetent head. Nauseating womanizing. He held nothing back.
A bold gamble for Yangdae. But luckily, the Golden Dragon Leader diverged from the norm. No anger, no frown—instead, he laughed. Unthinkable for most. Yangdae reaffirmed: this man's vessel suited the leader's seat perfectly.
"Haha, keep going."
Bang So-un drained his cup and urged him on.
"Yes, Golden Dragon Leader."
Yangdae plunged into the final sensitive topic—not criticism, but rumor.
The Golden Dragon Leader's manhood was monstrous. His stamina rivaled a stud horse. His tongue work on women outdid a serpent's. His fingers were demonic artifacts, reducing women to ecstasy with mere kneading. Various lewd legends adorning the notorious playboy. Yangdae braved embarrassment to voice them plainly.
"Hahahaha!"
The Golden Dragon Leader burst into belly laughs. Unmistakably pleased. Yangdae sighed inwardly with relief. He'd hesitated on the sexual bits.
"So my masculinity enjoys such acclaim?"
Acclaim? Yangdae scratched his head awkwardly.
"Excellent, truly excellent. But bittersweet too."
"Pardon...?"
Yangdae blinked in confusion. Excellent, then bittersweet? What?
"If my masculinity is praised so highly, it means the world overflows with mediocre men."
Bang So-un tsked and emptied his cup.
"W-what do you...?"
"Men who can't act like men before women."
"Hm..."
Yangdae couldn't deny it entirely. Such men existed.
"See?"
"Pardon?"
"Plenty of pitiful husbands henpecked at home, right?"
Bang So-un spoke with contempt. Pitiful indeed, thought Yangdae. A man scorned at home earned no respect elsewhere. Yet they existed.
"...Yes, you're right."
Yangdae conceded. But he wondered: ...Can I ever dominate my future home and wife? He believed not, yet doubt bred melancholy. He sipped cautiously.
"No helping it. For the world's sake, I'll have to strive harder."
Bang So-un smirked and reached for the bottle—empty.
"What do you mean by...?"
"I must flaunt my upright manhood boldly. Only then will mediocre men learn something, and women recall their place. The world will right itself."
Women's place? What? Yangdae lost the thread.
Thud! Bang So-un slammed the empty bottle down.
"Liquor's gone."
"Yes, Leader."
Muyeong Bido moved to fetch more.
"Wait. Call in all the ones with shells attached."
"Yes, Leader."
"Pffft!"
Yangdae spat out his last sip. He'd reflexively turned, sparing the Golden Dragon Leader—thank heavens.
"Cough, hack!"
Choking, Yangdae coughed. His mind reeled in shock.
Shell-attached things...? In a temple, such vulgarity aloud? To his guards? Hallucination? Hearing things?
But no.
"Tsk, your reaction shows you're shaky too. Tolerating such bawdy talk is women's proper role. Mediocre men have warped the world."
The Golden Dragon Leader tsked pityingly.
...No hallucination!
Absurd, yet his words rang sweetly. The unbridled force of a true man, rare in the world. Recalling the inn, where he'd sternly commanded without regard for gender.
Is that the fearlessness of a man with immense masculinity...?
Suddenly, the Golden Dragon Leader loomed gigantic.