Master's Grace (4)
Chwiwol Tower was the most renowned tavern in Luoyang. It was the finest establishment in the lantern-lit streets of Cheongdeung-ga, where no courtesans plied their trade. Even murim warriors frequented it often, and rumors swirled that some murim faction lurked in the shadows behind it, given how many patrons it drew from across the city. Officially, it had been founded by some nameless wealthy merchant, but no one knew who truly pulled the strings.
The top floor of Chwiwol Tower catered exclusively to renowned figures. Baek Su-gyeong ascended to that uppermost level alongside Yi Jeon-hwi, who had hurried to catch up.
"M-Master... are we really going in there...?"
Baek Su-gyeong's face remained utterly composed despite Yi Jeon-hwi's anxious words. Word of his stay in Luoyang had already spread far and wide. Only the fact that his face wasn't widely known kept things from turning into a spectacle. He passed the guards stationed at the top floor without a hitch. When Yi Jeon-hwi tried to follow, however, the guards raised their weapons to bar his path.
Meeting Yi Jeon-hwi's helpless gaze, Baek Su-gyeong spoke calmly. "He's with me. Let him through."
"Our apologies."
Yi Jeon-hwi slipped past them cautiously as they lowered their weapons without a second thought. These weren't mere tavern guards—their presence radiated an intensity far beyond that. Sticking close behind Baek Su-gyeong, Yi Jeon-hwi watched his old master's unhurried back. Back when he'd been teaching him, Baek Su-gyeong had been nothing more than an appraiser at Yongmun Escort Bureau. It was hard to believe that same man now entered Chwiwol Tower's top floor without anyone batting an eye.
As Baek Su-gyeong reached a door, two women waiting there bowed gracefully.
"We've been awaiting your return, Master Su-gyeong."
"Is the room empty?"
"The room reserved for you is always ready, sir."
"I hope I'm not imposing."
"Not at all."
Baek Su-gyeong gave a wry smile. "Do you have any Baekhwa-ro?"
"We'll check right away."
"If not, bring some Jukyeop-cheong. The Ohyang-jang-yuk I had last time was excellent. That too, if you would."
"We'll prepare it at once."
The two women hurried away. Baek Su-gyeong opened the door to the room they had been guarding. A neatly arranged inner chamber welcomed him and Yi Jeon-hwi.
"Come in, Young Master A-hwi."
"C-Can I really...?"
"We've come this far—what's there to fear?"
Baek Su-gyeong settled naturally by the window at the far end of the room. Yi Jeon-hwi shuffled in hesitantly and took a seat across from him. After a short wait, the Jukyeop-cheong and Ohyang-jang-yuk arrived, accompanied by a few more side dishes.
With the food and drink placed between them, Baek Su-gyeong spoke. "Do you know why I called you out here?"
"...No, I don't. Nor do I understand why you've offered to teach me again."
Yi Jeon-hwi's answer was brutally honest. This was Baek Su-gyeong, the man he feared most—there was no reason to lie. Above all, Baek Su-gyeong despised falsehoods. The one and only time he'd wielded a switch against Yi Jeon-hwi was when the boy had tried to deceive him with a lie.
"Harried by the eldest young master from above and the third young lady from below. No talent for martial arts, enough business sense to draw harsh criticism. Isn't that right?"
"Th-That's..."
"But at the root of it all is Young Master A-hwi, who's already given up on everything."
Baek Su-gyeong's words pierced Yi Jeon-hwi's chest like a dagger.
"Because no matter how hard you try, you can't surpass them. Because no matter how hard you try, nothing changes. So you let it all go yourself."
"B-But..."
"Did you think I wouldn't notice you forcing yourself to endure?"
Baek Su-gyeong's eyes gleamed like glass beads, piercing straight through him. Yi Jeon-hwi averted his gaze.
Clink, clink.
Pouring Jukyeop-cheong into Yi Jeon-hwi's cup, Baek Su-gyeong refilled his own as he continued. "Why do you only follow others' orders instead of seeking your own path?"
Yi Jeon-hwi had no retort. Come to think of it, he'd grown up doing only what his parents told him—or what others demanded. He'd never sought out something for himself. Sure, he'd once been obsessed with martial arts, but that was ages ago. He'd lost all interest after realizing he had no talent for it.
Speaking as if making excuses, Yi Jeon-hwi said, "I've tried whatever was at hand. But there was... nowhere I could be of use."
"And so?"
Baek Su-gyeong's single word froze Yi Jeon-hwi in place. The eyes fixed on him felt like chunks of ice.
"You want to cast everything aside, give up, and live like a corpse?"
"Of course not!"
Yi Jeon-hwi's outburst betrayed how deeply the words had struck home. Baek Su-gyeong chuckled, downing his Jukyeop-cheong in one go before turning back to him.
"Word's spreading through Luoyang that Yongmun's second young master is a wastrel. That's already tarnishing the family's name."
"That's because of me...!"
"Got an excuse for that?"
Under Baek Su-gyeong's icy stare, Yi Jeon-hwi hung his head.
"You said you were curious why I offered to teach you again?"
"...Yes."
"In my homeland, they say you don't fix people—you throw them out. No point wasting effort on trash."
Yi Jeon-hwi shuddered at the cutting words. Ignoring it, Baek Su-gyeong pressed on. "But I said I'd teach you anyway. Partly out of gratitude to your father, and partly because I want to see you become someone who pulls his weight."
"Someone who pulls his weight... you mean?"
"The world is full of ordinary folk with no martial talent or business acumen, just scraping by. I'm somewhere in between—at least I've got one or two things going for me."
Only the sound of sipping Jukyeop-cheong filled the room.
Thud.
Setting down his cup, Baek Su-gyeong continued. "You're wrapped up tight in inferiority right now. You can't see others as they are—you just envy and resent them. That's why you drag guards around and act out."
It wasn't wrong. As Baek Su-gyeong said, everything grated on Yi Jeon-hwi's nerves. Where had it all gone wrong? Probably because he was so utterly ordinary, sandwiched between a brilliantly talented brother and sister.
"I..."
Yi Jeon-hwi looked at Baek Su-gyeong. "What should I do, Master? No matter how hard I try, I can't surpass them. No matter how hard I try, I'm never better than others. Born into a martial family, I have to achieve something. What can I do when I lack talent in martial arts or business?"
It was a raw outpouring of long-suppressed rage, the kind he'd never voiced to anyone.
Baek Su-gyeong replied, "For every genius in the world, there's an ordinary soul. Plenty of warriors plunge into the jianghu chasing a single dream. You're just starting from a different line than most, Second Young Master."
"Is there a path for me too?"
"Luoyang's premier house walks the paths of literature, arms, and commerce. It's produced countless scholars, exceptional warriors, and shrewd merchants."
Baek Su-gyeong met Yi Jeon-hwi's eyes. "But you haven't chosen your own road yet."
"That's..."
"Without choosing for yourself, you'll just wander aimlessly."
Baek Su-gyeong gave a bittersweet smile. "I've wanted to be a writer since I was a boy. At first, it was to become a murim hero. But life was too harsh for dreams like that—especially with no martial talent."
"Even you, Master Baek...?"
"Isn't it natural for a man to dream of making his name in the murim?"
"Well, yes, but..."
"My passion for martial arts was real, but with no talent, all I gained was knowledge of martial theory."
Yi Jeon-hwi swallowed dryly as Baek Su-gyeong spoke in that even tone. This was the story of his life after falling into the Central Plains—embellished with a touch of exaggeration and fabrication, of course.
"Can you imagine the disappointment when I realized I could never be a warrior?"
Yi Jeon-hwi had no words.
"Everyone lives their own life. No need to tear yourself down comparing to others. Your targets for comparison are just exceptionally gifted siblings—that's your misfortune."
"What should I do, Master?"
"Choose the path you want to walk."
Baek Su-gyeong drained his Jukyeop-cheong in one gulp. The sweet-bitter taste spread through his mouth, rumbling down his throat.
"You and I are different, just as our starting lines are. No one can decide everything for you—you have to wrestle with it yourself. Do you truly want to be someone useful to others?"
"I..."
Baek Su-gyeong set down his cup. His gaze sharpened, piercing Yi Jeon-hwi's heart like a blade. "Can you stand tall and say you've given your all until now?"
Baek Su-gyeong's words struck Yi Jeon-hwi's chest with crushing weight.