A Gentle Breeze in Wuyuan
It was a warm, sunny day at Wuyuan Pharmacy. San Ireong stared warily at the man before him. The red-eyed stranger who had arrived last night was currently sitting on a chair in the pharmacy's courtyard, basking in the warm sunlight.
Ireong frowned and spoke up. "Hey, mister."
"M-Mister?" Unwol replied, his voice laced with sheer bewilderment.
And for good reason—in his past life, he had been a college student in his early twenties. He had never been called "mister" by anyone in his entire life.
Standing beside him, Biwol's face darkened with anger as she prepared to snap. "How dare you be so insolent! Do you have any idea who this is?! He is—!"
"Now, now. I am quite alright, so please do not be so harsh." As Unwol raised a hand to stay her, Biwol quickly bowed her head. "My apologies."
Watching this display, Ireong assumed the two must have come from some noble, wealthy family. He asked, his tone betraying his discomfort, "So... why are you still staying here?"
"Oh? Have we overstayed our welcome? I only remained to see if there was anything I could do to help."
"We don't need any help."
"Is that so? But then, what about those thugs from yesterday?"
"Th-that's..." Ireong flinched, flustered, before muttering, "We'll take care of that ourselves."
Of course, the thugs from the Red Fang Gang were a massive problem, but to Ireong, this strange duo felt far more dangerous. An instinctive urge to reject them lingered in the back of his mind. It might have been a leap of logic, but they felt like something monstrous merely pretending to be human.
As Ireong narrowed his eyes and glared at Unwol, San Suhwa stepped out of the pharmacy. She placed a gentle hand on her younger brother's head, stroking his hair. "You shouldn't speak to our guests so rudely."
"But Sis, it's not that. They just keep hanging around..."
"Now, now."
Suhwa bowed slightly, offering an apology to Unwol and Biwol. "Please forgive him. My brother is still young and immature."
"Not at all. It seems I have inadvertently caused a disturbance. I only came by to see if there was any way I could be of assistance."
Unwol rose from his seat and made his way out of the pharmacy courtyard with Biwol. Before leaving, he turned back slightly and spoke in a soft, meaningful tone. "My offer to help is by no means empty words. Should you ever find yourselves in trouble, please do not hesitate to speak. I shall visit again tomorrow."
Ireong whipped his head away, clearly displeased. Suhwa, too, felt a lingering sense of unease around them, yet she found it difficult to doubt people who seemed so intent on doing good.
I let out a deep sigh as we walked away from Wuyuan Pharmacy. "Whew, that's not going to be easy."
I had clearly seen those thugs barging in and causing trouble yesterday. I wanted to seize the opportunity to help them and build a good reputation, but whether it was because I was an outsider or because my appearance was too striking, they were incredibly guarded.
Seeing my troubled expression, Biwol asked hesitantly, "Um, Lord Blood Demon..."
"You mustn't call me that in public."
"Ah, my apologies, Lord Unwol. But... is there a reason you take such an interest in them?"
"They are good people. I simply wish to help them. That is all."
Biwol nodded slowly at my response before speaking up again. "I see. However, there is no need for you to speak so formally to me. I am merely your loyal servant, so you may speak casually..."
"No, it is quite alright. I find this more comfortable."
"...Understood." She bowed her head, dropping the subject.
I had no intention of dropping the honorifics. We were going to part ways soon anyway, so there was no reason to close the emotional distance between us.
As we wandered aimlessly, my eyes drifted toward the terraced fields of Huangling stretching across the hills. Located deep within Mt. Seoki in Wuyuan, the area around Huangling was blanketed in yellow canola flowers blooming in early spring, swaying gently in the breeze. A light mountain mist drifted lazily like flowing water, weaving through the vibrant harmony of blooming flowers and lush green leaves. Beholding the sight, an involuntary exclamation escaped my lips. "Beautiful."
Biwol cast an unreadable look at me and asked, "Do you like it?"
"Is it not exquisite?"
She followed my gaze, looking out over the endless fields. The lifeless look that usually clouded her eyes seemed to soften, if only a fraction.
I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the rich scent of the forest. It was a fragrance of nature I had never experienced in my past life.
I stood there for a while, letting the cool breeze wash over me, when I suddenly sensed a presence behind us. Turning around, I saw the boy who had been so sullen earlier, trudging along the path. Smiling, I greeted him. "We meet again so soon."
"..." The boy ignored me, pouting.
"Hmm, I see our presence is not entirely welcome. Might I ask where you are heading?"
"Why do you care?" The boy shot me a look brimming with suspicion.
"Haha, there is no need to be so guarded. We are merely heading to the nearby village ourselves. Since we are walking the same path, I thought we might share a conversation to pass the time."
"...I'm going to the village to buy herbs."
"Excellent. Let us walk together, then." I nodded, offering a gentle smile.
I just need to win this kid over.
The rest of the pharmacy family already thought well of me. If I could just raise my favorability with this boy, my work here would be complete. Since we now had time to talk one-on-one, this was a golden opportunity.
As we walked alongside San Ireong through the wind-blown petals, the boy suddenly spoke up, his voice cautious. "What's your real motive?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"It's weird. You clearly look like some rich young master, yet you've come all the way to this remote mountain village and are suddenly acting so nice to us."
My eyes gleamed with a hint of playfulness as I asked, "Was it that obvious?"
"I-I knew it! You do have an ulterior motive!"
"I am a villain. A villain destined to destroy the world."
"Huh?"
At such an absurd declaration, the boy stared at me in utter disbelief. Even Biwol, who was quietly trailing behind us, flinched.
"Well? Now that you know my true purpose, are you frightened?"
The boy stared at me as if I were a lunatic, then let out a deep sigh. "I can tell you're a bit slow and weird, but you're definitely not a bad person."
"Pardon? How is someone who wishes to destroy the world not a bad person?"
"Stop joking. Even if you actually could, have you ever seen a thief brag about what they're going to steal before they do it?"
I let out a soft chuckle. "It was merely a silly joke. Please do not take offense. I truly only wish to help."
"But why?"
Instead of answering, I simply offered a faint smile. Seeing this, the boy muttered, "Yep, definitely can't trust you."
"It wounds my heart to hear you speak so harshly. Why don't we introduce ourselves to get closer? I am Unwol."
The boy hesitated for a moment, his lips still pouted, before finally speaking. "...San Ireong."
"That is a lovely name."
"Whatever. The village kids always tease me, saying it sounds like a girl's name."
My eyes gleamed. This was a golden opportunity. Praising someone by turning what they perceived as a flaw into a strength was a surefire way to win their favor.
"What is wrong with the name San Ireong? On the contrary, I believe it is a name that beautifully suits this fairy-tale-like village."
"Fairy-tale-like? R-Really? Hmph!" The boy quickly turned his head away, blushing. "You're not lying, right?"
"I do not tell lies."
And indeed, I wasn't one to lie. I genuinely liked the name San Ireong.
"San Ireong. It is undoubtedly a wonderful name. There is no need to concern yourself with the opinions of others."
"...Thanks."
"And what is your sister's name?"
"My sister's name is San Suhwa."
"Your sister's name is lovely as well. For both siblings to possess such beautiful names, I can feel the deep love of your parents."
"Ahem! Hmph!"
Ireong's initial sullen expression had softened considerably. I suppressed a triumphant smirk, thinking to myself: Of course. How could a mere kid withstand a relentless barrage of compliments?
As we chatted, we eventually reached the village. Ireong offered a small smile and waved at me. "I'll head out now, Hyung."
"So you are no longer calling me 'mister'?"
"That's... I just... Ah, whatever, I'm going!"
"Until next time."
I smiled gently and bid him farewell, waving until the boy's figure vanished from sight.
Just then, Biwol quietly stepped up to my side. "Lord Unwol."
"Yes, speak."
"About what you said earlier... about destroying the world..."
"Ah, as I said, that was merely a silly joke. Do not read too much into it."
Knowing how prone she was to overinterpreting things, I cut her off firmly.
"As I have told you before, I have no intention of fulfilling your desires. It would be best for both of us if you did not cling to me so."
"I do not mind. I shall serve you until the very end." Biwol bowed her head, her expression completely blank.
Hmm...
She still supports me even after that? Talk about stubborn. Suddenly, a meme from my past life of a certain character holding a baseball bat flashed through my mind.
As I was about to scan the village, something fluttered down right in front of my path.
"Hmm?"
It was a handkerchief. Looking around, I noticed handkerchiefs, hair combs, and all sorts of women's accessories scattered here and there on the ground. Strangely, the local women were stealing glances at me, then looking down at the dropped items.
Ah.
Instantly grasping the situation, I turned to Biwol. "Shall we look around to see if there is a place nearby that sells masks? Or perhaps a face veil?"
Biwol, looking no less flustered, replied, "I believe that would be wise..."
We immediately directed our steps toward the village's market street.