What Remains After a Night at Manhwaru
Having exhausted all our strength, we held each other naked, catching our breath as a long, quiet silence settled over us.
Only our shared warmth and the steady thrum of our heartbeats filled the quiet room.
"Yes... I hate Baekryeon. I hate that bitch enough to tear her limb from limb for turning me into a monster and irresponsibly abandoning me."
Dan Biyeon broke the silence, her voice laced with bitterness.
"But... at the same time, I still love her to distraction. If she were to appear before me right now, hold me, and apologize... I would probably forget all my resentment and forgive her."
Dan Biyeon's hand traced up my jawline, gently caressing my damp cheek.
Her gaze was incredibly tender and affectionate, yet at the same time, desperately sorrowful.
"You... remind me of your master in so many ways."
"Me? No way. Surely not."
When I recoiled in shock, Dan Biyeon gave a faint smile and looked straight down at me.
"Tell me, would you have any interest in working here at Manhwaru?"
...Huh?
For a second, I doubted my own ears.
Wait, lady. What do you mean, work at Manhwaru? Are you seriously trying to scout me as a courtesan?!
Mistaking my frozen expression for deep, positive consideration, Dan Biyeon stroked my cheek and continued with absolute confidence.
"If you became a courtesan here, I guarantee every man in Kaifeng would line up at your feet. There would be plenty of fools willing to throw away their entire fortunes and beg on their knees just to spend a single night with you."
In Dan Biyeon's eyes, I could see the flashing ambition of a madame (?) determined to raise me into Manhwaru's star attraction, the ultimate ace.
But hearing those words made my stomach do a complete flip.
Me, a courtesan?! Are you insane?!
Just the thought of it gave me goosebumps all over.
Me, snuggling up to smelly Jianghu bastards, cooing and acting cute? Pouring them drinks and playing the coquette?!
I swear, before I could even try to act cute, my serious punch would shatter those bastards' jaws first!
It was as clear as day that on my very first night, I'd end up cracking open a line of men's skulls and turning the brothel into a bloodbath.
While I was desperately racking my brain for a way to refuse without offending the lady, she suddenly spoke up.
"Ahem, cough!"
Dan Biyeon cleared her throat, her eyes sliding away from mine as she touched her flushed cheeks.
"And... if you were to stay here..."
"...?"
"Wouldn't it be nice... to occasionally spend intimate moments like this, just the two of us, like today?"
Dan Biyeon trailed off shyly, stealing a glance at my reaction.
Aha. So this was her real motive all along.
The courtesan thing was just an excuse; she wanted to keep me by her side as her lover.
Still, it was a bit awkward to flatly reject an offer right to the face of someone with whom I had just shared wild, mind-blowing pleasure and forged a sort of comrades-in-arms (?) bond.
I could only offer an awkward smile, my lips twitching.
"Haha... Well, I'll certainly give it some positive thought."
Seemingly satisfied with my awkward smile, Dan Biyeon wrapped her arms tighter around my waist.
And so, that incredibly decadent and absurd night at Kaifeng's Manhwaru drew to a close.
Having concluded that absurd conversation with Dan Biyeon, I quickly tidied my disheveled clothes and cleaned up the sticky, wet mess.
Sigh, that was a truly amazing night.
Shaking my head inwardly, I quietly slipped out of the top floor and made my way back to the room where I had left Soso.
When I opened the door and stepped inside, Soso, who had just woken up, was sitting blankly on the bed. The moment she spotted me, she immediately pouted.
"Sister! Where on earth did you go all by yourself?"
Soso's face was filled with nothing but resentment; there wasn't a trace of embarrassment or awkwardness.
It seemed the erotic memory of her trembling and reaching a climax under my touch had been completely blacked out.
Whether that's a relief or a shame, I don't know. Well, at least it saves us from any awkwardness.
I let out a silent sigh of relief and replied nonchalantly.
"Ah, the Great Mother of Manhwaru called for me, so I went to have a little chat. There was a slight misunderstanding, but we got it all sorted out."
"What? The Great Mother? Aw, seriously! You should have taken me with you! I wanted to meet her too!"
As Soso whined and thrashed against the blankets in disappointment, I let out a chuckle, walked over, and gave her a light flick on the forehead.
*Flick!*
"Ouch!"
"Since when does a kid get to butt into adult business? We had to have a very serious and highly complex conversation, so I had no choice."
Well, it was a conversation of bodies rather than words, but still.
I swallowed the obscene truth that I could never utter aloud and kept a perfectly straight face.
At my excuse, Soso rubbed her forehead and grumbled.
"That's so unfair, seriously..."
Finding her adorable, I pinched both of Soso's chubby cheeks and pulled them wide.
"Auuu... let gooo..."
"Alright, stop talking nonsense and let's go get some food. I've exerted a lot of energy since yesterday, and your sister is absolutely starving."
I let go of her squirming cheeks and shouted cheerfully.
"No more complaints, let's go eat! Sister's buying you something incredibly delicious today!"
"Really?! Hehe, okay! I'll go wash up right now!"
Yeah, let's fill our bellies first before worrying about complicated things.
I watched Soso run off and stretched my stiff, pleasantly exhausted body.
We headed down to Manhwaru's luxurious dining hall and ordered a feast grand enough to make the table legs buckle.
"Whoaaa!"
Soso, her previous sulking completely forgotten, stuffed her cheeks until they were bursting, a look of pure bliss on her face.
I was also busily moving my chopsticks to satisfy my hunger when—
*Thud!*
A massive shadow loomed over our table, and a giant figure sat down right next to us without asking.
"Hieek...!"
Startled by the sudden appearance of this intimidating giant, Soso stopped chewing and froze, her eyes wide as saucers.
"What is it, rogue monk? Do you want something?"
When I asked bluntly while wiping the grease from my lips, the Blood Monk's lips beneath his Pagang Hyeollip twitched slightly.
He seemed traumatized, his mind flashing back to the shocking sight of his sister and me coupling last night, which he had been forced to watch. Avoiding my gaze, he spoke in a heavy voice.
"My Buddhist name is Mujin."
"Ah, yes. Monk Mujin. And?"
"...Next time, I hope we meet not in such an absurd situation, but properly as martial artists."
Leaving behind those loaded words, Mujin poured a cup of liquor to the brim and downed it in one gulp.
He then rose from his seat and strode out of the hall without looking back.
"What's with that rogue monk? Is he asking for a formal duel next time, or does he want to meet up privately?"
I snorted softly as I watched his retreating back.
Soso, who had been holding her breath, urgently tugged at my sleeve.
"S-Sister! Who on earth was that scary-looking man? Do you know him?"
"Ah, him? He's known in the Jianghu as the 'Blood Monk,' one of the Heavenly 16 Stars."
"What?! The Blood Monk?!"
The dumpling Soso had just bitten into fell from her mouth with a plop.
"O-One of the legendary Heavenly 16 Stars?! Why would such a terrifying master act like he knows you?!"
"Why else? Because I beat the absolute crap out of him last night."
I shrugged arrogantly.
Soso narrowed her eyes and scanned me up and down, completely unconvinced.
"No way~ You beat one of the Heavenly 16 Stars all by yourself? That's impossible."
"Hey, are you doubting your sister? I'm telling the truth. In fact, he and the Great Mother teamed up against me, so I slammed them both onto the floor side-by-side."
"Y-You... slammed the Great Mother?!"
Soso's pupils shook as if hit by a massive earthquake.
"Uh... well, we were fighting, so things just ended up that way."
As Soso's face turned pale with sheer terror, I scratched the back of my head awkwardly and gave her another light flick on the forehead.
*Flick!*
"Ouch!"
"Hey, don't worry. I slammed her, sure, but we had a very... uh, 'deep conversation' afterward and cleared up all the misunderstandings, so it's fine! Seriously!"
"Really...? We're really not going to get kicked out...?"
Just as Soso asked with a tearful face, a low, seductive voice drifted from behind us.
"Of course not. Why would I ever kick you out?"
Startled, Soso sprang up from her seat like a coiled spring.
"G-Great Mother!!"
The person strolling over to our table was none other than the Great Mother, Dan Biyeon.
Meeting my gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly as she naturally slid into the empty seat beside me.
Soso froze instantly upon seeing the absolute ruler of Manhwaru, but her eyes quickly sparkled with admiration as she cried out in awe.
"Great Mother! It is truly an honor to meet you!"
Seeing Soso clasp her hands together and gush as if she had met her idol made my stomach twist with a strange annoyance.
I'm way stronger, and she's closer to me! Why is she looking at that lady with more admiration than she ever shows me?!
A bizarre sense of jealousy began to creep up on me.
While I was inwardly pouting and grumbling, Dan Biyeon offered a warm smile and spoke to Soso.
"So you are Soso. You've grown up beautifully."
"Huh? You know me?"
"Of course. When you were very young, I took you in and personally looked after you for a time. You were too small to remember, though."
Soso's eyes went wide at Dan Biyeon's words, and she quickly pouted.
"Really?! Aw, I can't believe I don't remember any of it. That's such a shame..."
Soso stamped her feet in disappointment, bowing repeatedly.
Dan Biyeon patted Soso's head affectionately, then turned her gaze to look at me intently.
She then slipped her hand beneath the table and gently clasped mine.
H-Hey! Not in front of Soso...!
I tried to pull my hand away in panic, but she held on firmly, refusing to let go.
"Please... continue to take good care of our Soso."
"Ah... yes, of course. I'm her older sister, so naturally I'll look after her."
As I awkwardly averted my gaze, Dan Biyeon locked eyes with me, her gaze strangely intense and lingering.
"And... have you given any thought to the proposal I made in my room earlier?"
The proposal to become a courtesan and spend intimate moments (?) with her. I swallowed a cold sweat.
No matter how I look at it, being a courtesan is a hard pass. Besides, if I stay under this lady's roof, she's going to target me every single day!
I cleared my throat and carefully voiced my refusal.
"Ahem. I truly appreciate the offer... but I've only just stepped into the Jianghu. For now, I'd like to travel the world with Soso and broaden my horizons. I'm sorry."
A deep sense of regret and disappointment flickered in Dan Biyeon's eyes at my rejection. However, she soon smiled faintly, as if resigned.
"...Very well. I cannot force you to stay. I only pray that you will walk a proper path of your own, unlike your master."
Dan Biyeon gently caressed my hand before slowly letting go.
"I have already spoken to Wolryeong, so you will be able to dispose of those stolen goods for a handsome price. And... you may keep that Jade Plaque you received from the Chief Manager."
"Pardon? Isn't this incredibly valuable?"
"It is an invitation to visit Manhwaru whenever you wish. Whenever you return, you will receive the finest treatment."
Her words instantly tempted me.
Oh, so with this Jade Plaque, I can basically eat, drink, and live for free at Kaifeng's most luxurious brothel for the rest of my life?
But behind that sweet temptation lurked the sticky, predatory gaze of this voluptuous Great Mother, who would constantly be looking for a chance to devour my body.
No way. If I settle down here, I'll get squeezed dry by a horny lady every single night and die of sexual exhaustion.
"Thank you, Great Mother. If I ever find myself back in Kaifeng, I will be sure to drop by."
Dan Biyeon scanned me one last time with lingering regret before disappearing into the bustling, luxurious hall, flanked by her guards.
Only after she had completely vanished from sight did I finally let out the long breath I had been holding.