Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Golden Orchid Tavern
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Today, I opened my eyes safely once more, checked my body for any aches or pains, and felt a surge of gratitude for still being alive and well.
This was how a fortune teller like me—who could see others' futures but never my own—began each day.
After a long while, I'd dreamed of my master.
She was the peculiar woman I'd met in this world, back when I had no idea what was going on and was barely clinging to life day by day after possessing this body.
She was so beautiful that anyone would turn to look, yet not a single gaze from those around her seemed to land on her.
It was as if everyone had been enchanted by something—no one spared her so much as a glance.
That had played a big part in my decision to follow her.
She clearly wasn't an ordinary person, so at the very least, I wouldn't starve.
Back then, I was so busy writhing in agony and scrounging for food just to survive that I was desperate to grasp at any straw.
I even hoped she might heal my body.
Actually, from the moment she invited me along, survival was pretty much guaranteed.
If she was just going to let me die after taking me in, there'd be no point in taking me at all.
In fact, thanks to her, my body did recover, and she fed me properly, so I was deeply grateful to my master.
That lasted about three days.
"From now on, you're doing the housework."
Those were her words when my body had healed enough that I could move around a bit.
Still, she was my lifesaver, so I figured it was only natural.
"There's still a stain on that plate. Wash it again."
"Your clothes are all rumpled. Can't you fold them properly?"
"Today's too salty. Start over from scratch."
But after ten years of that endless barrage of nagging, even a lifesaver's goodwill wears thin eventually.
It wasn't just nagging, either. Personal attacks, sexual harassment—you name it, I heard every kind of abuse.
And on top of that, she wouldn't let me venture out into the jianghu, dooming us to spend our lives cooped up alone in the mountains. Naturally, I had no choice but to escape.
'Sigh... hope the place she retreated to for training isn't too cold.'
She'd said it'd be about three years, so it should be safe for that long.
Determined to milk every last drop out of the time away, I glanced at the person beside me.
"...Awake?"
I startled.
The Sword Empress was staring at me with wide-open eyes.
"Y-You woke up first, huh?"
"Martial artists don't need much sleep to begin with."
I recalled how she'd forced me—who'd insisted on sleeping on the floor since there was only one bed—up onto the bed.
Even with the energy she'd transferred to me, full absorption required plenty of rest in comfort, she'd said.
"...I didn't sleep-talk or anything embarrassing, did I?"
"Nothing like that. You slept soundly."
"Phew..."
Master had told me my sleeping habits were pretty bad, so I'd worried I might've shown an unseemly side.
"Shall we eat? We've got a full day of travel ahead if we want to arrive by nightfall, so best to eat while we can."
"I'll handle it, then. What about you, Sword Empress?"
"...Hm. Come to think of it, we should settle on a proper way to address me. It's my title, true, but you can't call me 'Sword Empress' out in public."
"...Ah."
Now that she mentioned it, yeah.
"So, what should I call you? Like before, 'Young Lady'—"
I started to say it, then thought better.
Come to think of it, 'young lady' wasn't quite right.
I didn't know her exact age, but she was definitely past that.
"...What should I call you, then?"
"I'm fine with 'young lady,' myself."
"No way... I couldn't possibly call the Sword Empress 'young lady.'"
"Kuhk."
It sounded like the noise from somewhere when a fatal blow lands, but I chalked it up to imagination.
"...Any good suggestions?"
"Suggestions... How about just my name?"
"Your name? Lady Yuwol?"
"..."
The Sword Empress froze again.
"Looks like that's no good either. Something else would work."
"Too uncomfortable, huh?"
"No... it's just... anyway, no. Feels dangerous in all sorts of ways."
"?"
I had no idea what was 'dangerous' about it, but she didn't like it, so we settled on something else.
In the end, after going around in circles, we landed on 'young lady.'
I'd worried it might bruise her pride, but since she'd suggested it herself, that sealed the deal.
"That has to be the place, right?"
"...Indeed."
Golden Orchid Tavern.
Even from afar, the tavern—with its flashy name evoking a golden egg—made its presence impossible to miss.
If there was a special reason, it was simply...
Its sheer size and extravagance.
A mere tavern, yet so grand and ornate you had to wonder if it was allowed.
Dazzling lanterns, lavish decorations. Even from here, the scent of revelry wafted over.
Definitely...
"What an incredible tavern..."
The title of Central Plains' finest seemed well-earned.
"Gonna be crazy expensive, though..."
"I've got plenty of money, so don't worry."
...But aren't daoists not supposed to covet wealth?
Yet she carried around quite a lot, which surprised me.
I voiced the question, and she answered matter-of-factly.
"If you don't accumulate any, you can't buy anything, right?"
...Fair point.
"Coveting more than you need is the problem. Receiving fair payment is no issue at all."
Daoists seemed pretty chill, seeing it this way.
Well, Mount Hua was among the Taoist sects the most entangled with the secular world, to begin with.
Other Taoist sects—like Kunlun—were proper daoists who rarely even set foot outside their mountains.
'That's why even a fortune teller like me can stick around safely.'
If the one beside me now was a Kunlun daoist?
I didn't even want to imagine it.
She probably wouldn't kill me, but it'd be a huge hassle for sure.
"Shall we head in, then?"
"Sure."
I walked side by side with her toward the tavern entrance.
Stunning women in revealing outfits stood at the door.
Their attire was provocative enough, but their figures amplified it into quite the spectacle.
Even by modern standards, it was eye-catching—what must Central Plains folk think?
"Welcome~ First time here?"
"Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What..."
Young Lady Shin was blushing furiously and stammering, just as I'd expected.
Their breasts jiggled with every movement.
I could tell ordinary men would've been glued to the sight.
"Yes. First time."
"Oh my?"
But not me.
I had no choice.
'Not even close to Master's level...'
After ten years acclimated to Master's beauty, anything below that level just blurred together in my eyes.
I shoved the memory of that first time in this world from my mind and returned to reality, eyes tightly shut.
The women—who seemed to be staff—gave me intrigued looks.
"Good sir...? If it's not too rude, might I see your face...?"
One pressed her body close, poking my chest with her fingertip.
The soft sensation of her breasts squishing against me transmitted through.
I wasn't about to refuse.
"Wh-What are you doing?!"
Thwack.
"Eek!"
But Young Lady Shin had already turned beet red and shoved them away from me.
"W-We just came for a drink! If I'd known this was that kind of tavern, we wouldn't have come at all!"
"Oh dear... Hehe. Our apologies—we didn't realize you two were together like that. Allow us to make it up to you."
"Hmph! If you try that nonsense again, no matter how good the tavern, we'll leave at once."
"Hehe... We're truly sorry. As amends, I'll speak to the manager for some fine liquor on the house. And we'll guide you to a quiet spot just for two. Will you accept our apology?"
Young Lady Shin still looked displeased, but in the end, we followed them inside.
Their hips swayed provocatively as they walked ahead of us.
"...Walk behind me."
It barely registered with me, but it clearly bothered Young Lady Shin.
Daoists really were daoists, it seemed.
Restricting even me—an unrelated party—from such sights.
Anyone watching might mistake us for lovers.
Though we were nothing of the sort.