Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: It's Our Little Secret
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The moment I woke up in the morning, I first checked to make sure my heart was still beating steadily.
It wasn't because I'd drunk so much the night before that I might've keeled over from some illness.
In this world where you couldn't see even an inch ahead, there was a simple joy in just being alive to live and savor each day.
Being able to peer into others' futures while utterly blind to my own—even just one step ahead—was far scarier than I'd imagined.
I had no idea if I'd even wake up safely the next morning after lying down to sleep.
That was the reality of living as a fortune teller.
'Did I pack everything properly?'
Today was the day I was heading out with Dang Ayoung to subjugate that monster known as the Bloodsucker.
From what I'd heard of the itinerary, we'd need to camp once on the way there and once on the way back, which meant a long haul in the carriage.
Chatting with people was fine and all, but I didn't expect topics to overflow that much.
They were handling the food, so I'd only packed some light snacks and books to kill time.
And just in case, I'd slipped some hidden weapons into my bosom.
'Wonder if these'll even work.'
They'd cost me every last point I'd scraped together in the shop window, but I seriously doubted they'd hold up against real martial artists.
All I could do was trust they were worth the points.
-Creak
As I descended to the inn's first floor with my bundled luggage, Dang Ayoung spotted me and waved.
There was still quite a bit of time before the rendezvous, so she must've planned to grab a meal together first.
"You're early. We've got plenty of time left."
"I wanted to talk before we go and share a meal. We're stuck eating preserved rations for the next little while, right?"
"...Ah."
Come to think of it, yeah.
After filling my belly with worldly delicacies for so long, preserved rations sounded disappointing.
They'd still beat the grass clumps I'd choked down in the mountains, but regrets were regrets.
"Sit down. Beef noodle soup for you, right? I saw you devouring it last time."
"...You're buying?"
"You blow all your earnings the same day and wake up broke every morning. Even if you had money, it'd only stretch to a bowl of thin noodles."
"You know me too well, Miss Dang."
Outside my master, she was probably the one who knew me best.
I sat in the chair across from Dang Ayoung and glanced at the errand boy dozing off in the corner.
"Booze this early feels a bit much..."
"Miss Dang. If alcohol isn't coursing through my veins, my hands shake."
"Al... what?"
"Ah, I mean liquor."
I'd gotten somewhat used to this world, but these slips still popped out now and then.
Anyway, booze was essential.
"...Fine, I'll buy a bottle. But getting sloshed before meeting the others might not be great."
"Have you ever seen me drunk? Call over a booze barrel if you want. I won't pass out."
It was the one thing about this body I truly loved.
My tolerance was insane.
Living soaked in liquor day after day without a single illness or blackout? Looked like I wouldn't cause any drunken mishaps.
"But on an empty stomach? Won't it hurt?"
"Miss Dang."
I spoke in a rare serious tone.
"That's the whole point."
.
.
.
"The party's just the two of us plus three warriors. All men."
As I poured her a drink, Dang Ayoung explained the plans.
But the headcount raised a question.
"Wasn't it originally two men and one woman?"
The letter had listed one woman.
Now suddenly three men.
Not a big deal, but it nagged at me.
"She had urgent business come up. Found a replacement and left. Why? Disappointed it's all guys?"
For some reason, her voice carried a hint of menace. Probably my imagination.
"Nah. Couldn't care less."
I really had zero interest in the party's gender balance.
After all, I'd grown so accustomed to my master's looks that most women just blended together.
Dang Ayoung would've turned heads in my past life—she was that stunning—but...
-Shake shake
'That woman's on another level.'
Her prickly personality was the issue; her beauty had no flaws if you tried.
A real nation-toppler. The term fit her perfectly.
Seeing her every single day for ten years had warped my standards beyond normal.
If Master was a 100, past-life celebrities hit maybe 70, and Dang Ayoung around 85?
Her figure was impressive even now, but not quite Master's league.
"...I feel an unpleasant stare from somewhere."
"Just your imagination."
If she caught wind of these rude thoughts, I'd be in trouble.
Good thing the cloak gave me a natural poker face.
My expression wasn't even visible anyway.
Wonder how I'd have survived without this cloak.
I didn't want to imagine it.
-Rumble! Rumble!
Three hours into the carriage ride now.
I grimaced at the growing ache in my lower back and turned the page of my book.
The three warrior companions and Dang Ayoung were chatting away, bonded as fellow martial artists.
'This is goddamn boring.'
They'd hyped it as popular, but the content was trash—couldn't help muttering it.
Might've been racy for this era, but to an Earth native, it was bland as unsalted gruel.
Tons of parts lost on me due to clashing values too.
'Should've stuck to travel guides.'
Grabbing this novel to try something different was dooming me to four dull days.
"Whatcha reading?"
Dang Ayoung sidled over while I regretted my choice.
"Why leave the deep martial talk? Go bond with them."
"Eh, strategy sessions and formations took up the time. You sulking?"
"...I'm not a kid. Not over something like that."
I was just short and slight; the contents were fully adult.
Being treated like a child grated.
Where else would a kid down booze like this anyway?
"So what is it? Any good?"
"...Not really. It's the cliché tale of a guy stumbling on a fortuitous encounter, trains up, hits the central plains, and bags treasures and beauties. The tropes are tired."
"Oh, I've heard of it. Pretty popular with guys, right?"
"...This is popular?"
"Yeah. Author built a house off it or something."
I'd figured it was hype, but it actually sold?
This?
"Guess that's not my taste."
"Why not? Isn't it cool? The dream of every man—snag a lucky break, become the world's best, claim a harem of beauties."
"..."
Let's think. If I became the best under heaven...
"Raiding every sect for their hidden rare liquors by force..."
"Is booze the only thing in your head?!"
"I've never even fantasized otherwise."
The dream of getting strong? I'd ditched that ages ago.
If I ever powered up, it'd be just enough to protect myself—no interest in absurd goals like supreme ruler.
This body couldn't handle it anyway.
"No interest in women then? Heroes keep three wives and four concubines as standard. No draw to monopolizing the central plains' beauties?"
Harem, huh.
"Women don't interest me right now."
I had to head back before my master returned anyway.
Even if romance happened, we'd part ways inevitably.
Still, if.
"But if I ever fell for a woman..."
Then.
"I'd give everything to that one woman."
No three wives, four concubines nonsense.
Splitting devotion already too thin for one across several? I'd curse out any guy who tried.
"...Just one?"
"Yes. A heart's barely enough for one person. Love even more so."
"..."
Dang Ayoung looked lost in deep thought.
.
.
.
Dusk fell; time to camp.
Pathetic as I looked, I was doing my job right.
Our route blended the Bloodsucker's last sighting with my divined spot perfectly.
"It's still right there for now. We'll check again come morning, just in case."
I was nailing the periodic position checks too.
The one downside?
'Should've packed booze.'
No liquor.
Needed at least a bottle before bed for solid sleep.
-Crackle
On first watch, I tossed a branch into the campfire absently.
I was first shift; Dang Ayoung last.
Made sense for her as the strongest to save energy, but putting me first was unexpected.
'Being considerate since I'm a civilian.'
Not all martial folk were brutes, apparently.
-Crackle
Tossing another branch, I felt an odd sensation on my shoulder.
Turning, there was a familiar face.
"Holding up okay?"
Dang Ayoung plopped down beside me.
"Aren't you last shift, Miss Dang?"
"Got worried. Wanted to check if you were managing."
"...No booze is rough, but gotta tough it out."
A sigh escaped.
Better to have hauled liquor than those printed rags.
Four days ahead—maybe ask if we passed a village for resupply...
-Slosh
"Looking for this?"
The familiar sound made me whip around to a familiar bottle shape.
"Wha—how..."
"Figured you'd react like that, so I brought it. Only I would, right?"
"No one's like you, Miss Dang. I can't function without you."
"Heh, flatter me more?"
"I love you, Miss Dang."
"..."
Dang Ayoung froze solid.
Cold sweat prickled as I feared I'd slipped too far, but she snapped out of it.
"Hmph. Don't toss words like that around lightly."
"...Sorry."
"No need to apologize... Here."
She placed the bottle in my hand and stood.
"Don't let the others catch you."
"Our little secret?"
"Our little secret."
In the campfire's glow, Dang Ayoung's faintly flushed smile looked especially beautiful that night.