Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: How About a Drink?
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At first, he was just someone who piqued my interest a little.
The infamous wastrel of the Namgung family had sent a letter that was practically a plea with his head bowed, which surprised me.
Considering the personality I'd seen back when he was still attending the academy, it was hard to imagine him ever bowing his head to anyone.
But even more surprising was that the reason boiled down to asking for help so one person could successfully run a shop in Shaanxi.
A fortune-telling shop, no less.
[Among those with any connection to Shaanxi, most have such bad habits that only a handful come to mind.]
It was a connection so flimsy it was almost embarrassing to call it that, but at least he wasn't a total stranger.
I figured I owed him this much as an apology for knocking him out during that sparring match by misjudging my strength.
His reputation, already low, had sunk even further after that incident.
'Still, I need to see what kind of person he is.'
He might be harboring a grudge from back then and plotting some harm against me.
The man I ended up meeting looked incredibly suspicious on the surface.
"Hello. You can call me Dang Ayoung."
The Bloodstained Cloak wrapped around his entire body hid his build completely, and no matter the angle of the light, his face inside remained shrouded in darkness.
His voice sounded strangely off from a normal person's—eerie enough that I couldn't even tell if it was a man or a woman.
The only clue was his stride, which had that distinctly masculine gait, so I guessed male.
If he'd claimed to be a woman, I probably would've believed that too.
"Just to be sure, may I ask your gender...?"
"Ah. Male."
He didn't seem interested in hiding it.
But his appearance was too suspicious to take at face value.
My position isn't so light that I can lend a hand to a stranger whose name, age, looks, personality—nothing—is known to me.
Expecting major help based on an introduction letter with that kind of getup? That's suspicious from the start.
"Alright. I understand what you want."
For now, his words matched Namgung Jin's letter without contradiction.
Either he was telling the unvarnished truth, or they'd coordinated their stories in advance.
If he was deliberately trying to deceive me, this much was baseline, so I couldn't fully drop my guard.
"By the way, do you know what kind of relationship Namgung Jin and I have?"
"...I only got the introduction letter, so I'm not sure."
"He confessed to me once, got rejected, and I suggested we stay friends. We are friends, technically. Then he dropped out right after."
I decided to test him a bit.
How would he react?
Of course, he'd never actually confessed.
No matter how much of a wastrel he was, would he really confess to a woman who'd humiliated him in a sparring match?
'Let's see how he reacts.'
Flustered? Denial?
I licked my lips slightly in anticipation.
And his response was...
".....Pardon?"
It was surprisingly cute, compared to his ultra-suspicious appearance.
The big day of the exam.
It was important for my grades, of course, but also the day to verify if that fortune teller's words were true.
And the result was...
'What the hell is his deal?'
Out of 30 questions, 20 were spot-on.
The remaining 10 were so similar it was practically the same.
There was no chance of leaks.
Not even beggars' clans or the Hao Clan could get info on this academy's exam questions.
The Murim Alliance Leader personally crafts them, carries them on his person, and reveals them only on exam day. Who could possibly get their hands on that?
'Can he really see the future...?'
Divination.
I'd always thought it was pure quackery.
If prophecies this accurate were possible through fortune-telling, sects like the Shaman or Kunlun would've conquered the Central Plains long ago.
'Too spot-on to call coincidence...'
The hit rate was insanely high.
Even assuming he'd guessed randomly and beaten astronomical odds...
'Twice now.'
And he had the prior feat of saving Namgung Jin's life.
Once is coincidence. Twice, you can still chalk it up to luck.
But beyond that? No longer coincidence.
'I need to keep an eye on him.'
If his near-prophetic foresight is real, I have to acquire it somehow. Keep him in my sights at all times.
Right now it's just exam questions, but if it extends to Central Plains politics, imperial movements, hidden spies' reports, Demonic Cult maneuvers—vast scales like that? The possibilities are endless.
And if the Tang family could monopolize that power?
'...'
A dangerous thought, but...
It might just shatter the balance between the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families.
I haven't reported him to the family yet.
Suddenly saying I'd help open a fortune shop might raise eyebrows, but it's passable as aiding an acquaintance's contact.
"First day of business, huh? Nervous?"
"If it flops, he'd be a fraud, right...?"
Strangely enough, his face inside still remained completely hidden.
If he gets famous, "Faceless" will definitely be part of his moniker.
'A bit uneasy, though.'
If his abilities spread across the Central Plains, monopolizing him later would be tough.
But jumping the gun without knowing his skills or personality would be unwise.
For now, help as he wants, rack up the debt, and watch from the sidelines. Best approach.
"I'll stick around today, so relax. Even if riffraff shows up, I can handle that much."
"Uh... what about the academy?"
"Skipping one day? No big deal."
I can make it up later.
"But... isn't two taels of silver a bit pricey?"
"No, that's actually cheap. Don't worry."
If he maintains that hit rate in business, two taels is a bargain.
Of course, rumors haven't spread yet, and it's opening day, so few customers early on. But later...
-knock knock
"Um... excuse me..."
-whoosh!
The moment I sensed footsteps outside, I hid.
The customer was a woman who looked around thirty.
"Welcome! What can I divine for you? Birth charts, romance luck, fertility—anything goes!"
"W-well... my son has an entrance exam for Mount Hua Sect soon... Can you look into that?"
"Of course, ma'am! A mother's worry for her exam-taker kid. Sit comfortably. I'll pray to the heavens and earth too. Do you have a patron deity?"
...His patter sounded more shaman than fortune-teller, but not my concern.
"Mount Hua Sect's great. Taoist priests—refined, righteous folk. High mountain close to the heavens, pure natural qi. Get in, and he'll be a big shot."
-clack clack clack clack
He pulled out eight wooden plaques on the table.
"Normally, I don't do proxies—too draining. But I get a mom's heart, and you're my opening-day first customer, so I'll put in the effort."
It didn't take long for him to speak.
.
.
.
"Phew, business wrapped up well anyway."
"...That was 'well'?"
"Turning away the first customer like that and still getting three more? That's a win."
He proudly jingled the six silver taels in his hand.
The first customer screamed curses and stormed out after his reading, without paying, naturally.
"Should've taken payment upfront from the start. Would've netted two more taels."
At least after that, he got upfront payments, salvaging six.
"Why not just say 'pass'?"
"For the first customer?"
"Yeah."
Those types aren't there to know their real future anyway.
They come for reassurance, to drown fears with comforting words.
She probably shelled out two taels for that.
"If he fails, she'd come yelling at me. Might as well get cursed with accurate divination. Better hit rate that way, right?"
"...Ah."
Made sense when he put it like that.
"People are tricky. They seek fortunes but curse bad ones. I just tell what I see."
"Well... no one likes a grim future."
"I'm advising how to dodge it."
Good thing, I guess.
He brushed off the first flop like nothing.
"Ah, Miss Dang. Business done—want to grab a meal? My treat."
"...Sure. Why not."
Anyone else seeing this might be shocked.
Me, accepting a dinner invite from a stranger—a man—no less, on the spot.
Don't get the wrong idea.
'Still need to watch him.'
I don't even know his face or name.
Interested in his abilities, nothing romantic.
Not even days in Shaanxi yet—curious where he'd take me. I followed quietly.
"Hey, bro, back again? Fine by me, but don't blame me if your gut bursts."
"Haha. Dying drunk? I'd welcome it."
"Ugh, real drunkard. Brought company today? A woman, even?"
By the time I snapped to, we were in a tavern.
'...Huh?'