Who Sent You? Grand Prince Suyang?
Who ordered it? Was it Grand Prince Suyang? Kim Hui-un, that crazy bastard. He finally went to the brothel. With the entrance exam just days away.
Fine. He's the spoiled rich kid, so he can live well without bothering to become an official. What a fucking ridiculous prick. If that's the case, he shouldn't have thrown tantrums every time he failed consecutively.
What was truly absurd wasn't him heading out to the brothel. It was seeing how the number of lodgers had noticeably dwindled compared to yesterday. Just yesterday, the rooms were packed, and they even had to pitch tents in the courtyard. But now, only their luggage remained in their spots.
Crazy idiots. How the hell do they expect to get into the academy and become officials like this?
“……”
Honestly, it hit me hard. Some of us had been training our bodies, practicing archery since childhood, enduring being treated like dirt, scraping by to somehow land an official post. While others got private tutors from a young age, had everything handed to them, and now, with the exam right around the corner, they head off to whorehouses for fun.
If I hadn't had my fame, or been a modern guy reincarnated, or had Eori, I might've followed them in a fit of despair as some ordinary loser.
“Haa, seriously……”
I'd finally laid down alone in my bedding, but sleep wouldn't come. I just tossed and turned under the covers.
While I lay there sleepless, a noise came from outside. Soon after, the house servant called for me from beyond the door.
“Captain, sir. Are you asleep, by any chance?”
Sleep evaded me anyway, so I sat up right away and answered.
“No. What's up? Something wrong?”
“Well, um, the young master says to come over.”
“Young Master Kim Hui-un?”
“Yes, Captain, sir. He says the booze doesn't taste right without him, so he sent someone from the brothel to fetch you.”
Ah, fuck. I said I'm not going.
“Tell him I'm not coming.”
“Yes, Captain, sir. I'll relay that.”
I heard footsteps fading beyond the door. But not even five minutes later, they approached again, and the servant spoke in a flustered tone.
“Um, Captain, sir. They say to bring you no matter what.”
“Who? Who's saying that?”
“Th-the errand boys from the brothel.”
“Got it. Hold on a sec.”
No point making the servant stuck in the middle suffer. I got out of bed, straightened my clothes simply, left the room, and headed to the main gate.
Through the half-open gate, I saw a man holding a lantern. Beyond him were three more guys who looked like his crew.
“Good evening, Captain, sir.”
The lantern-bearer met my eyes and bowed.
“I'm Gwang-chili, sent from Cheong-un-gak.”
“Yeah, hi. Hanryang Captain Kim Si-jin here. You came for our little young master, right?”
“That's right. He's throwing a fit, demanding we bring you over.”
Jeez, that useless prick.
“Can't you, like, make it work somehow?”
He made a pitiful face, like please come, forcing a smile.
“……”
I just frowned quietly at the sight. It wasn't that I was too lazy to go—though that was part of it. More than that, a chill ran down my spine.
Four guys to fetch one person? And they were all eyeing me tensely.
“But are you really from the brothel?”
“Pardon? Why do you ask……”
“Just checking. You never know.”
“Yes, we are. Right?”
Gwang-chili addressed the servant, not me. The servant met his gaze and nodded toward me.
“Y-yes, that's right. Our master goes there sometimes too.”
So that's why he asked for workout tips out of nowhere. Made sense inwardly as I asked Gwang-chili,
“Is the young master super drunk?”
“A bit……”
“Alright. I'll go.”
“Oh, thank you!”
Gwang-chili bowed deeply in gratitude. The guys behind exchanged sly smirks.
Ha, fuck. Kinda creepy. But I couldn't take back my word just because of a bad vibe. And if my gut was right, that Hui-un bastard was being held hostage right now……
“Just handle it yourselves.”
“Pardon, Captain?”
“If the young master drinks too much, bill his main family. I'm just a family hanger-on; I don't have much money. Go tell them at the main house. See ya.”
“No! S-sir! You just said you'd come! You can't!”
Gwang-chili desperately blocked me from closing the gate.
Of course. Who'd want to raise trash like that?
“Sir! Spare us just this once! If we go back without you, we're dead!”
He was so persistent I had no choice. Plus, if something happened to Hui-un, Kim Jin-sa would cut off support to our house for sure.
Fine. That's why I'm going. Not because I give a shit about Hui-un. That immature prick can drop dead for all I care. I'm just worried about Kim Jin-sa pulling support.
“Wait a bit. Gotta get ready.”
“Yes! Yes! We'll wait as long as it takes!”
“Be quick.”
I hurried back to my room. Changed into easy-moving iron-link armor, grabbed this and that, and returned to the gate.
“Sorry, took a while? Let's go.”
“Yes, understood! We'll serve you with all our hearts!”
As soon as I stepped out, the men surrounded me. From above, it'd look like a diamond suit from cards.
“This way, sir.”
Gwang-chili walked on my right, guiding.
“By the way, sir. Are you really the Tiger-slaying Boy?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“The Hanryang Captain who took down dozens of bandits with one fist, shot a great tiger dead with arrows alone without a bow, and subdued hundreds of barbarians with a single matchlock?”
“N-no, not exactly.”
“Oh, really?”
At my denial, Gwang-chili flashed his teeth in the dark with a grin.
“All rumors, then?”
“Obviously. Bandits were five, not dozens. I had a bow for the tiger. Used the matchlock, sure, but barbarians were just under a hundred.”
“……”
His grin faded at the truth.
“Hey.”
“Uh, y-yes, sir. Speak.”
“So, where's this brothel?”
He went quiet, then slyly grinned again.
“Pardon? You've never been to one, sir?”
“Nah, been too busy surviving.”
“Even busy men hit a brothel once a day to be real men.”
We chatted idly as we walked dim alleys. I kept side-eyeing the others too.
“This way, sir.”
We headed into sparser alleys. The path Gwang-chili led to was a dead end.
Hmm. As expected. My bad feeling never fails. Pride-level accurate now.
“Sir, pardon the offense!”
Thwack!
“?!”
Then an arm choked my neck from behind. Breath cut off. Hands flew up instinctively. Felt a solid man's forearm.
“……!”
Even panicking, I scanned around quick. All of them, Gwang-chili included, grinned wickedly at me.
You dog-eating sons of bitches……!
I'd braced for this, but choking made my head fuzzy. Still, no giving up. Felt along the choking arm: forearm, wrist, hand, fingers, and—pinky finger……!
Crack!
Grabbed the pinky and twisted it back over the hand.
“Aaaagh! Fuck! My hand!”
The choker released and backed off.
“Hah! Hah! Hah! You fucking bitch!”
Just a few seconds to breathe, then charged Gwang-chili. Lowered like a wild boar, hugged one leg, shoved hip with shoulder.
“Uwaak?!”
He dropped the lantern, crashed back-first.
Thud!
Ground shook that hard. I rushed the next.
“What the—”
He looked shocked I'd fight back. No stance at all. Grabbed his sleeve, yanked to my eye level, slipped arm under open armpit, spun body counterclockwise.
“Hup!”
“Wha-wha! Urk!”
Thud!
Shoulder throw victim landed lighter. But not getting up meant solid hit.
“You, fuck! What the hell!”
The other was better. Kicking in. I tilted aside, dodged, trapped thigh in side, shoved chest with shoulder.
“Ah, w-wait, urk!”
Crack!
Skull smacked wall beside us. Obviously his, not mine.
“Aaaagh……!”
“Kuh……!”
“Ughhh……”
The quiet alley now echoed faint male groans.
“Heuk! Heuk! Heuk! Heuk!”
My panting matched. Lungs burned taking down three without a breather.
“Heuk! Heuk! F-fuck! Come on! Heuk! Come at me! You dog bastard! Heuk! Heuk!”
Panting, I glared at the last one.
“……!”
Clutching his hand, he eyed his rolling buddies. Hesitated, backed away toward the alley exit.
“I said come here……”
Breath steady now. Strode toward him.
“D-don't come! Stay back! Fuck! Stay back!”
No guts to turn and run, just faster backward steps.
I didn't just watch.
“Come here!”
“Hiiiak!”
Charged the screaming mess. Tripped ankle between legs, shoved chest hard with both hands.
“Eek!”
Thud!
Exhaled groan, back-first flop. Face scrunched rolling—hurt bad.
“Hah! Hah! Fuck. Who sent you?”
Now I blocked the exit. Asked again as they stirred.
“Who ordered it? Was it Grand Prince Suyang?”
“Su-Suyang……?”
“That bastard, right? Knew it. That fucker. He's in Jeonju now too, yeah? Where is he? Spill quick. Unless you wanna die.”
Not many would attack me, the famously nice guy. Only one I'd peg hiring actual brothel workers: Grand Prince Suyang.
Hand to pounding chest. Drew my sword from bosom. Gleamed blade in the wildly flickering lantern on ground.
“Every time you don't answer, I cut off a finger. Where's Suyang, that fucker.”
“N-no, it's not!”
“Yeah? Not him? For real? Let's see if your finger says the same after I chop it.”
“Th-the one we serve isn't Suyang!”
“Right. Figured. Who wants to say bye to their finger first?”
Men grimaced standing, but eyed me fearfully.
“W-we came on Young Master Baek's orders!”
“Young Master Baek?”
“Y-yes! B-Baek Do-yun, sir!”
Rang a bell. The guy who fled dropping natural fertilizer when I waved my sword.
Thinking of him sparked a sudden doubt. Why's he a young master? I'm still a boy?
Anyway, seemed I'd have to go sort it out myself.