Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: A Midsummer Night's Drink
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"…What, you want me to head down right now?"
Lee Seon nodded as if it were no big deal.
"No need to rush off this instant. The sun's already set, so why not leave in the morning?"
Dang Ha-ryeong bit her lower lip ever so slightly.
At a time like this, shouldn't he at least politely suggest she stay a little longer, even if it was empty words?
No. Common sense didn't apply to him.
To begin with, normal people didn't feed others poison as a painkiller.
Sigh.
With a soft exhale, Dang Ha-ryeong brushed her hair back.
Her lips twitched for a moment before she turned her head slightly and murmured in a tiny voice.
"Thanks."
"Out of nowhere?"
Lee Seon let out a chuckle.
"Thanks for saving my life."
She wasn't easy to make out in the darkness, but her earlobes had turned a faint red.
"You had it rough too."
Those words made Dang Ha-ryeong startle in surprise.
"You can say stuff like that?"
"…What do you even take me for?"
Lee Seon grumbled awkwardly.
Dang Ha-ryeong averted her gaze without a word.
Weirdo, freak, righteous soul…
She immediately came up with all sorts of labels for Lee Seon.
Dang Ha-ryeong stole a glance at his profile as he gazed indifferently at the moon.
Whether he was a weirdo or a freak, she couldn't say.
He was clueless about the world, not even knowing of the Sichuan Tang Family.
Yet he was so skilled in medicine that he'd immediately figured out a way to cure the Tang Family's secret poison.
And he didn't hesitate to help someone in crisis.
If he ventured out into the world, he'd surely shine.
"Why do you live here?"
Lee Seon turned to her at the question, a faint hint of amusement flickering in his otherwise impassive eyes.
"You should ask the homeowner that, not me."
Dang Ha-ryeong recalled the layout of the house.
Come to think of it, there were several rooms inside.
Far too many for just one person.
But for two people? It lacked any real sense of daily life—too sterile for that.
It was hard to imagine anyone else living here besides this boy.
"Where is he now?"
Lee Seon fell silent.
Dang Ha-ryeong swallowed hard.
Ah, my mistake.
She should've realized there was no one else in the house besides herself and this boy.
And that darkened expression on his face.
From the way he kept referring to the man as an old guy, he was probably up in years—very likely no longer of this world.
"…Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
Lee Seon tilted his head quizzically.
"What's there to be sorry about?"
"It seemed like I made you think of bad memories."
Realizing what misunderstanding she'd fallen into, Lee Seon gave a wry smile.
"Nothing like that. The old man's still alive and kicking."
"Huh?"
"Guy's like the wind. Up and vanishes without a word, so I have no idea where he is. He might even show up out of the blue tomorrow. Cranky, foul-tempered bastard—wonder what he's up to right now."
"Did he take care of you?"
"The old man picked me up and raised me."
That meant he'd been living here since after the bloody upheaval at Blood Gate Mountain.
Blood Gate Mountain—a place even her father, the patriarch of the Tang Family, warned against approaching carelessly.
Regardless of the various rumors, it was infested with poisons; no ordinary person would even dream of setting foot there.
There couldn't be any reason for someone to live in a place like this.
Clearly, there was some circumstance.
But what did it matter?
He was still the benefactor who'd saved her life.
"By the way, how old are you?"
"…Why are you suddenly curious about that?"
Lee Seon had the look of a boy at first glance.
Dang Ha-ryeong narrowed her eyes and pressed him.
"You look younger than me?"
Lee Seon, unusually serious, straightened up.
"Judging people by their appearance alone is foolish. Didn't expect a patient I treated to hold such backward views."
Dang Ha-ryeong's brow twitched.
"You're younger than me, aren't you?"
Lee Seon shook his head firmly and moved to slip away naturally.
But a hand grabbed his sleeve, stopping him.
"…Age doesn't matter. What counts is how mature your inner self is."
Lee Seon deftly evaded the question.
Dang Ha-ryeong let out a hollow laugh, as if she'd never heard such nonsense before.
Unable to withstand her stare any longer, Lee Seon finally answered.
"About the same as you."
"How would you know my age?"
"…I'll go grab some liquor."
Lee Seon shot to his feet.
He fetched a bottle of liquor from somewhere.
"You like liquor?"
"If I had to pick, I'd say I dislike it."
Her days had been consumed with handling poisons and honing her martial arts.
Even when she drank, it was only at family events or gatherings with outsiders.
To begin with, was liquor something you savored for its taste?
To Dang Ha-ryeong, liquor wasn't all that different from poison.
Familiar as someone who dealt with toxins daily, sure—but nothing she liked.
"What about you?"
"I'm trying to like it."
In other words, he didn't like it either.
Dang Ha-ryeong shot him a sidelong glance.
Lee Seon turned his gaze to the night sky.
"You drink good liquor on good nights."
Dang Ha-ryeong showed some interest in the liquor.
"Did you brew it yourself?"
"Brewed it here with local poisons, but I neutralized the toxins through a special process and distilled it."
Lee Seon uncorked the bottle and inhaled the aroma inside.
The pungent scent made him wrinkle his nose as his brow furrowed.
From the smell, it seemed properly aged.
In his search for cups, he emptied out the teacup that had just held tea, shaking it out.
The old man would've had a fit if he saw.
How precious is that stuff!
She could picture him yelling and fuming.
Food and drink should never be handled carelessly.
It was the old man's constant refrain, worn thin from repetition.
He was always hypersensitive about liquor, after all.
But Lee Seon saw things differently.
Once it goes down your throat, it's all the same anyway.
As long as it wasn't utterly awful, he didn't fuss.
Besides, there weren't many edible things worth being picky about in these mountains.
After pouring until the cup was brimming, Lee Seon offered her the bottle.
"You drinking?"
The seal was broken anyway; no putting it off now.
Whatever tantrum the old man threw, what could he do once it was all gone?
If he hated that, he shouldn't have up and left the house empty.
"This is rare stuff. You couldn't buy it for a thousand gold pieces out in the world."
Lee Seon recited the old man's usual line verbatim.
Dang Ha-ryeong inhaled the aroma wafting through the air as well.
True to his word, the scent was fiercely potent.
"I'll drink."
Lee Seon tossed back the contents of his cup in one go.
A blaze roared down his throat, making his vision swim for an instant.
Dang Ha-ryeong's face broke into a smile as Lee Seon clutched his throat and hacked.
"Can't hold your liquor, huh?"
"…This stuff's seriously strong."
A gruff retort, as if to say what makes you think you're any different?
Dang Ha-ryeong simply smiled without a word.
Then she extended her hand and crooked a finger at him.
Well, well.
Lee Seon's eyebrow twitched.
He hadn't drunk much in his life.
But he knew this liquor wasn't to be trifled with.
Even the old man, who loved wandering the world, would turn beet red and collapse after knocking back just one bottle.
She seems pretty confident, stepping up like that—but it's not gonna be easy.
Lee Seon handed over a prepared cup and filled it to the brim.
"Isn't that a bit much?"
When Dang Ha-ryeong pointed it out, Lee Seon played dumb.
"Dunno. The guy who taught me about liquor never said anything like that."
"Oh?"
She laughed at his transparent intentions.
Normally, when pouring for someone, you'd fill the cup without letting it overflow—that was etiquette.
But pouring it like this meant…
"If it's too much, pour it out. No need to force it."
Even as he said it, his glare made it clear he wouldn't tolerate a drop wasted.
"Fine."
Dang Ha-ryeong boldly met his eyes.
Then she slowly tilted her wrist, filling her mouth to the brim with liquor.
Gulp, gulp.
Her throat bobbed as the liquor slid down smoothly.
Lee Seon's expression gradually stiffened as he watched.
Her lips let out a soft exhale after she'd downed it in one shot.
Smirk.
She crinkled the corners of her eyes at him, as if provoking him.
"Not bad."
Lee Seon's mouth twitched at the sight of her.
She casually shoved the empty cup toward him, bottom gleaming clean.
Compared to that, his own cup still had a little left at the bottom.
Lee Seon subtly hid his cup.
"…You can hold your liquor, huh?"
"I said I don't like drinking. Never said I can't."
Provoked by Dang Ha-ryeong, Lee Seon promptly refilled his cup.
Not to be outdone, she poured herself another.
It was a midsummer night.