Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Finding Traces (2)
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Was it because I had gone all out yesterday?
Even though the sun was high in the sky, no motivation stirred within me. I usually lacked that rascal called motivation anyway, but today it was especially bad.
It was so bad that I wanted to stay glued to my bed until evening.
"Should I just slack off big time?"
As I squirmed into a comfortable spot on the bed, there was a knock on the wall.
"Instructor Chu. Busy?"
"Very busy."
"Doesn't look like it at all."
"Illusion. I'm extremely busy."
I rolled around on the bed, giving half-hearted replies, when a voice said, Excuse me~
Whoosh.
A small head popped out from inside the wall.
"Oh my."
Our eyes met, and she flashed a crescent moon smile. It was Yeo Mae-hong.
"Not busy at all."
"Can't you see I'm busy right now?"
"Looks like you're just lying there with your arms as pillows, idling away."
"Illusion. Despite appearances, I was actually worrying about the peace of the jianghu and future events."
"Really?"
Really.
The only difference was that my worries about the jianghu were the size of a mung bean, while my thoughts about maidens were as vast as the ferocious snow bear of the North Sea.
"Sorry to interrupt your grand dreams, but I have a message to pass on."
"...What is it?"
"Instructor Moyong wants to meet you this evening."
"I'm very busy..."
"She said she won't let it slide if you break the promise. Know what that means?"
"......"
Right, Moyong Seon-ya.
I had promised to treat her for her hard work convincing the Moyong head.
Come to think of it, she had said,
- Run away this time, and you'll regret it for life.
I recalled her lips curving into a pout, her eyes not smiling at all.
It was clear she'd retaliate long and hard if I brushed it off casually.
'What a hassle.'
I didn't want to incur resentment, but it was a hassle. Nothing to be done about that.
My mind was already tilting toward staying in bed when...
"Instructor Moyong said she'll take you to her secret favorite spot."
"What's this 'Fatal Favorite Spot'?"
Was it some old hag who cursed people to death with her words?
Or maybe a famous place that turned complaining customers into dumplings for saying the food wasn't good? As I pondered, an unexpected reply came.
"It's rare for Instructor Moyong to take anyone to her secret favorite spot."
"Still just a restaurant..."
"She sometimes takes high-performing students, and they all rave about it. It's quite popular among the girls."
A forgotten word suddenly flashed in my mind.
'Restaurant. Divine Martial Academy. Delicious food.'
Words she had mumbled deliriously while starving for ten days and nights, fleeing the Wangcheon Society's encirclement.
'Wait. Could this be an opportunity?'
If female students frequented this favorite spot, I might run into her by chance.
She had been serious about restaurants before, especially spicy ones.
My eyes lit up.
"Fine, I'll go."
"Really? Hehe. You're so cool."
Yeo Mae-hong grinned broadly.
She was pretty cute, but with just her face floating on the wall, it was a bit off-putting.
"By the way, Instructor Yeo."
I lightly placed my hand on her relaxed cheek, and Yeo Mae-hong panicked.
"Eh? Yes?"
"I have something to say."
"Uh... uh?"
Her pupils darted around as our eyes met—it was quite amusing.
But I couldn't let her go.
Stretch.
"Ow ow ow. It hurts owww."
"Where'd you learn the habit of sticking your head through the wall? You scared me."
Poke poke.
I repeated pinching and poking her cheeks, and her head tried to retreat into the wall, only to bump the back of her skull and groan.
'This is kinda fun.'
The soft texture might become a habit.
I'd have to tug at it whenever the chance arose.
Waiting in front of the Divine Martial Academy, Moyong Seon-ya appeared.
Instead of the palace attire from before, she wore the familiar training uniform of the academy.
"Definitely better like this."
"That's quite hurtful. I thought feminine clothes suited me too."
"If it's about suiting or not, they certainly do. But familiarity is more comfortable, isn't it?"
"Hmm. You seem oblivious, but actually quite..."
Moyong Seon-ya gave a sharp look, and Yeo Mae-hong tilted her head.
"Sis, what story?"
"Nothing. I saw Instructor Chu at my family home. It's about then."
She brushed it off casually, then Moyong Seon-ya said unexpectedly,
"Hmm. Didn't expect you'd come so willingly. Prepared yourself thoroughly?"
Yeo Mae-hong flexed her arm toward the fresh-faced Moyong Seon-ya.
"Me too. Dressed comfortably!"
Her chest, more prominent than usual, showed her intent to eat heartily.
"Why are you all so serious about emptying my pockets?"
"Because days like this don't come often."
"Right. First time Instructor Chu's treating, isn't it?"
True. I'd mooched off them plenty so far. Handing over my wallet for one day was unavoidable.
"Pay's low, but I'll do my best."
Of course, I couldn't help a bit of worry.
The place Moyong Seon-ya led us to wasn't far from Infinite City's bustling streets.
Passing a few alleys off the main road, beyond a narrow lane where two people would brush shoulders lay a new world.
"Wow."
"Hehe. Feels totally different, right?"
Different indeed.
Just a few alleys away, the atmosphere was completely changed.
The main street through the bustling center was lined with tall, ornate buildings, but the alleys held rows of modest single-story shops.
Each shop teased the nose with its own delicious aroma—a cozy, nostalgic sight.
"Never knew a place like this existed."
"Infinite City's locals-only food street. Famous for skewers."
Indeed, each boasted signature dishes, but all had a window where they grilled and sold skewers.
"Never came here for group dinners..."
"Group dinners use academy funds. When eating on someone else's dime, people go for fancy, expensive places."
"Right. Plus, seniors prefer flashy spots over neat ones."
A surprisingly realistic answer. It seemed most avoided the main street inns frequented by seniors and came to this food alley instead.
"Surprising. Even seniors must crave cheap, clean eats sometimes."
At that, Moyong Seon-ya and Yeo Mae-hong exchanged glances and smiled like cats.
"Won't happen."
"Seniors avoid this place."
Why? Yeo Mae-hong answered firmly.
"Eight Flavors Road has an unwritten rule."
Eight Flavors Road.
The street's name.
"If a familiar senior shows up, they toss the bill and bolt."
"Yeah. 'Thanks for the meal!' and dash."
Totally forced, right?
What if a senior refused to pay? But refusals were rare, apparently.
"Too cheap to refuse."
"And with crowds in such a narrow space, acting stingy spreads rumors fast."
Indeed.
Righteous experts who valued face wouldn't want the cheapskate label.
Even little streets had their own laws of survival.
"So, am I the senior today?"
"Enjoy your meal, Instructor!"
"Woo! Instructor Chu's so cool!"
Amid cheers from the two beauties, Chu Un-hwi raised his fist.
"Follow me!"
But where to?
The place Moyong Seon-ya pointed to was a small tavern.
She added it had the best grilled offal.
"So good that the husband ran off with another woman at night, but came back because he couldn't forget the offal."
A place with a dramatic backstory.
'How do you even know that?'
For some reason, hearing the family history going back three generations, we entered to see a burly, hairy man silently grilling skewers.
Likely the husband who ran off but returned for the offal.
'Even with that face, he cheated?'
Half face, half hair—hard to believe a woman lured him into eloping.
Maybe a story cooked up for customers.
Seeing the packed interior, Moyong Seon-ya boasted proudly.
"See? Told you it's a great place."
"Unusually crowded today."
"Vacation period, probably. Let's grab seats first."
Passing the smoky entrance, a narrow passage led inward.
Barely wide enough for one, we had to hug the walls to squeeze through.
"Ah, sorry."
"Excuse us. Coming through."
"Sorry. Sorry."
The petite Yeo Mae-hong, whose sideways clearance was the most aggressive, was already exhausted after a short trek.
"Everything good here, but too cramped."
I averted my gaze from her disheveled bangs amid the crowd.
"Well, that's part of the charm."
Moyong Seon-ya nimbly navigated the passage, spotted an empty spot, and plopped down.
"Auntie, it's me."
"Oh, sis is here? You always come alone, what's with the company today?"
Moyong Seon-ya flushed and protested.
"Sometimes. Very occasionally, I want to drink alone."
She said nothing.
"The usual?"
How does she know the usual for someone who rarely comes alone?
"No. Got a sponsor today."
"Oh, such a reliable one."
"From here."
Her finger slid along.
"To there. All of it."
Moyong Seon-ya, ordering dozens of grilled items from the wall menu, huffed proudly.
"Always wanted to try this."
"Sis, you sounded rich. But can we finish it all?"
"No worries. We have Instructor Chu with deep pockets and a big stomach."
"Excuse me. Who're you calling a pig?"
My small protest met cold stares.
"Not the guy who scarfed my food claiming he was hungry."
No retort.
As the table filled with grilled offal and drinks arrived, chatter flowed.
"So I went through so much trouble, really, Father's nagging every day."
"Oh my. Oh my. Really?"
"Yeah. Already swamped with interviews and the Silver Moon Bandits mess, and he keeps nagging me to get married..."
"Right. Silver Hall must be chaos. We lost squad leaders too, but you lost multiple senior instructors."
I munched skewers as anju to their gossip.
Nom. Nom.
This is good.
Nom nom. Nom nom.
Feels greasy, but the soy glaze is perfect.
Nom nom. Nom nom.
Snapping to, all the skewers before me were gone.
"You eat well."
"Growth spurt."
"Still growing? You look taller too..."
Ordering more, Moyong Seon-ya asked.
"Instructor Chu, you okay? Everyone complains vacation's harder."
"Not at all."
"Wow, superhuman."
"I finish work ahead of time."
"Sis, don't fall for it."
Yeo Mae-hong interjected.
"Fall for what?"
"Nangong student comes for training help, and bam—flying kick."
That's others' business.
Vacation's for resting.
"Instructor Chu, don't you want to watch students who train harder during breaks?"
"Rest when others rest—why disturb my break?"
"Whoa. Brutal."
They feigned horror, but
'So what.'
No guilt here.
"Can't agree with your stance, but that backbone is enviable."
"Yeah. I lose sleep over evaluations. Insensitivity's a talent."
As smoky air and booze scents filled the talk, Moyong Seon-ya suddenly spoke.
"Hey, Mae-hong. Heard the news?"
"What news, sis?"
"Vacancies again from this incident. Twice this year."
"Right. Deaths last time, now Silver Moon Bandits."
"So they're temporarily pulling instructors from Bronze Hall to fill in."
"What? Really?"
Intrigued, Chu Un-hwi paused eating, eyes sparkling.
'Here it comes.'
"Can I hear more details?"