Martial World Debut (3)
Master. Martial World Debut (3)
Looking back, I hadn't given it that title out of any malice. If anything, it was pure goodwill and affection that had twisted by chance into tragedy. By the time I wrote The Legend of Yu Baek, the previous three tales had already scraped together just enough to avoid running a deficit. I had a promise with Yang So-chang, so I wrote, but both material and confidence were long gone. Since it was the last one, I figured I'd try a martial arts story. I had the plot outline, but naming things was never my strong suit. I sat there until dawn, groaning over a single unwritten page, when the disciple's name suddenly came to mind.
It carried the meaning of wishing him a splendid journey through the martial world. Someday, when the grown disciple found his master's book bearing his own name in some dusty sect storeroom or a quiet corner of a distant library, how warm his heart would feel. Once I accepted that the book would be forgotten within a year and only my single copy would remain as memory, using the disciple's name for the protagonist no longer seemed like such a terrible idea.
...In hindsight, it was a terrible idea.
Still, in the actual text, the protagonist was almost never called by that name. I wrote it properly as "Great Hero Yu" or "Yu Ga." Anyone who assumed the name was Yu Baek from the title would probably forget by the time they finished the book. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking...
"Author Yu. That's Lanzhou up ahead. Take a look."
"..."
"Since you're making your martial world debut, everything should be interesting, right? Haha. I was planning to have dinner in the city, but thanks to our delayed schedule, I get to show you Lanzhou's night view. It's a blessing in disguise."
It was impressive how he could keep that up even when the disregard was obvious.
"I've been to Lanzhou a few times, but never had reason to go to Xining, so this is my first time seeing the night view from the west. And it's quite..."
"Jo Yeopgeum."
"Yes?"
When Jo Jae-ui turned toward Chief Eunuch Gong, I could finally breathe easier. Thanks to that fellow Jo, my favorability toward Chief Eunuch Gong kept hitting new highs even though we'd barely exchanged a few words.
"We're almost at the city. It's nearly the hour of the Rat. Shall we head straight to Manak-ru anyway?"
"Ah, it's a bit late for a social call. Still, the pavilion starts its day after sunset, doesn't it? They'll be busy with work, so there's no reason we can't go."
"Then I'll have the attendants secure lodgings nearby first."
"Please do. We'll have people from the Demon Sect escort us on the way back anyway."
The carriage stopped right after those words. We must have reached a checkpoint at the gate. More importantly, something I couldn't ignore had just been said.
"...Demon Sect?"
"Ah, do you have any questions about the Demon Sect? I happen to have a few friends there."
"The Demon Sect actually exists?"
Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong exchanged glances.
"I thought 'living only in the mountains' was a figurative expression."
"I'm more curious how you could not know."
My head spun. Obviously the Demon Sect was just a fictional sect from martial arts novels. I never imagined there were actually madmen holed up in that freezing mountain valley. That was why I'd invented every other sect in my tales but left the Demon Sect as it was. In The Legend of Yu Baek, the Demon Sect was even the main villain—charging into the Central Plains shouting "The Heavenly Demon descends, ten thousand demons submit" only to be crushed by the protagonist. What would the actual members think if they saw that?
"...No, 'Demon Sect' is a derogatory term to begin with. How can we call them that when we're going to meet them as guests?"
They probably had their own names—Divine Sect, Sun-Moon Divine Cult, Manichaean Cult, or something. From the outside, it was just the Demon Sect.
"Why would the Demon Sect be a derogatory term? It's just an abbreviation. Their banners literally say Asura Demon Sect. Look over there."
Jo Jae-ui pointed out the window at a flagpole rising before a grand pavilion at the city center, backed by mountains. Beneath the splendid banner reading "Western Liang's Finest Pavilion, Manak-ru," a black flag fluttered with the words "Sole Religion, Asura Demon Sect."
They actually called their own religion the "Demon's Teachings"? While I stood there dazed, the carriage passed through high walls and entered Manak-ru.
Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong alighted, and I followed. Up close, Manak-ru's exterior lived up to its lavish name. Buildings stacked along the slope of the rear mountain, with the central pavilion flying the flags standing a full eight stories tall from the ground.
Guided by a servant boy, we were led toward the central pavilion. Hundreds of lanterns hung from eaves and railings, turning the midnight hour into broad daylight. Below, countless people drank and chattered, attendants and guests so mingled it was hard to tell them apart.
"Hmm?"
Jo Jae-ui, who had been glancing around after entering, voiced his doubt.
"Why are there so few customers? What day is it today?"
Chief Eunuch Gong shook his head. Just as Jo Jae-ui approached a nearby servant boy to ask, the man who had gone up returned and called for us.
"They say to come up."
As we moved, Chief Eunuch Gong turned to me.
"You can wait here, Author."
"There's no need for that. It's better for everyone, and the night view of Lanzhou from atop Manak-ru is worth seeing. Let's go together."
Neither listening to Jo Jae-ui nor facing what was clearly a Demon Sect member appealed to me. I was about to say I'd stay when my eyes caught a pair at a nearby table locked in a deep kiss. Elsewhere, suggestive glances and wandering hands were exchanged. It was that kind of establishment, after all. I nodded.
If there was anything harder to endure than sitting among demonic people, it was sitting alone in an operating pleasure house.
The one waiting for us in the pavilion master's room was, surprisingly, a girl whose height was nearly the same as mine. Instead of sitting cross-legged in a massive office chair with an arrogant smile like some cliché, she sat neatly on one of the long chairs arranged across a table, hands resting on her knees. She looked less like a pavilion master awaiting guests and more like a child waiting for a teacher in a counseling room.
I naturally headed for the opposite chair, but Jo Jae-ui didn't follow. Turning back, I saw him staring at the girl with a bewildered expression.
What now? Had we entered the wrong room? But the nameplate had clearly been on the door, and both Jo Jae-ui and Chief Eunuch Gong had checked it.
Jo Jae-ui looked around once, cleared his throat, and asked,
"Where is Pavilion Master Hong? I had an appointment with her."
The girl spoke. Her voice was quiet but clear.
"She is recuperating from severe injuries."
"I didn't hear anything about that. It's unsettling to meet someone I've never seen in a familiar place."
"It happened a week ago. Here are the materials requested from the main sect."
"Ah, yes."
Jo Jae-ui approached the table and picked something up. It was a bundle of papers tied with string. Apparently that was the business to be handled in Lanzhou.
"Hmm. Thank you for handling it so smoothly despite the incident. May I have your name? I'll send a gift next time."
"Yes. No."
Even Jo Jae-ui seemed to lose his words, blurting out nonsense. After a brief silence, he spoke.
"Er... then our business is done, so we'll be on our way."
"Mine isn't."
Watching Jo Jae-ui flounder was amusing, but when the girl pointed her finger at me, that feeling faded.
"Is that the author you said you brought from Xining?"
"Ah, yes, that is correct."
"A week ago, an intruder stormed Manak-ru."
The girl slowly lowered her raised arm.
"He claimed he came to challenge the pavilion master to a duel and demanded entry. When refused, he severely injured over a dozen people, including the gate guards and the security detail that responded to the alarm. He then attacked and wounded the pavilion master, subdued her, robbed one hundred and fifty-three taels of silver from the treasury, and fled."
Jo Jae-ui frowned and countered,
"It's unfortunate that Manak-ru and Pavilion Master Hong were harmed, but what does that have to do with us?"
"The intruder announced his name. Yu Baek."
"..."
"I was dispatched from the main altar to investigate and settle this incident. You must remain at Manak-ru until the investigation is complete."
"Just because someone impersonated a novel character..."
I cut Jo Jae-ui off and asked,
"Did this Yu Baek fellow happen to be about half a foot and an inch taller than me, with unusually pale skin, and not yet twenty years old?"
"...You know him?"
A sigh escaped me before I knew it. I felt like a parent summoned to the police station. Baek-ah, the first thing you do after debuting in the martial world is robbery? I didn't raise you like that. At least he hadn't committed murder. Well, a few light scuffles and some property damage were understandable at his age. We could just pay for the damages...
"Let the two of them go. This concerns me."
The girl didn't agree, but she didn't refuse either. While Jo Jae-ui hesitated, Chief Eunuch Gong grabbed his arm and pulled. Once their footsteps faded, the girl spoke.
"What is your relationship?"
"Fellow disciple. I apologize on his behalf."
"It's fine. Will you cooperate with the investigation?"
"Of course. But first, I have one question."
"What is it?"
"If he's caught, what will his sentence be?"
The girl raised her gaze from my chest to meet my eyes. Her pupils were the color of blood.
"...When our sect punishes someone, we don't decide the punishment. We decide the person."
"How do you usually punish people, young lady?"
"I cut with all my strength."
Looking down at the table, I saw a sword resting there. The hilt alone was longer than a person's forearm; with the blade, it would stand taller than me. A greatsword. I looked back at the girl.
"That won't do."
"Then there's no helping it."
The girl rose and picked up the greatsword as lightly as lifting a teacup.
"I haven't said a single word about fighting yet."
"When two people disagree on a matter, parting without reaching a conclusion only leads to mutual interference and annoyance."
"Is that the Demon Sect way?"
"It's my way."
Our eyes met again as she gripped the greatsword with both hands. The look urged me to stand already. This wasn't something I wanted. I hadn't even visited the pagoda, the sword tomb, or Yueyang Tower, nor had a single duel, and now we were jumping straight into a life-or-death match? Besides, she was from the Demon Sect. In every martial arts novel, the Demon Sect was always the final boss.
"Yama Hall Head Messenger of the Asura Demon Sect, Blood-Sucking Demon Sword, Cho Yak."
Even her name sounded terrifyingly grand. Disciple, even if your master dies here, don't seek revenge—just repay the silver you stole. I exhaled all my distrust in my own skills, doubts about the disciple, and every other stray thought in one long sigh, then drew my sword in one motion. It had been quite a while, but neither the sword nor my body had changed even by a speck of dust, so there was no awkwardness.
"Yuyu. No title. Ah, I should make this clear—if I win, you'll naturally change your mind, right?"
Before I even finished speaking, the sword was already flying toward me. Impatient, wasn't she?
Cho Yak's eyes snapped open. Naturally, they met mine as I checked her pulse.
"Did you sleep well? You're not much of a sleeper. Not even an hour has passed."
"...I lost."
"You did. Changed your mind?"
Cho Yak closed her eyes, then slowly sat up. When our eyes met again, I held a small expectation of the Demon Sect stereotype. Usually, Demon Sect members would say something like "By the law of the strong, since I was defeated, I am yours." There was also the variant "I have no value in living after defeat, so kill me," though forcing them to live usually led to the same result. It seemed unlikely anyone would actually behave that way, but these were people who called their own beliefs the Demon Sect.
While I focused entirely on stopping her if she tried to commit suicide, Cho Yak spoke.
"May I ask one favor?"
"Speak."
"Fight me one more time."
Cho Yak's red eyes burned like flames as she said it.