Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: A Plea for Training
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The night was in full swing.
In the back courtyard of the inn, the Lunar Eclipse unit was bustling about.
They repeatedly packed supplies, crossed the courtyard wall, and returned.
Of course, the rest were taking a break.
Even though they were helping the townspeople, there was no way their lord, Neung Un-bi, would move, nor was it a matter for Guard Captain Wang Cheon or Ju Seung to personally handle.
After all, wasn't this something the merchant guild master and Neung Un-bi had agreed upon and started together?
But even in a small village, with hundreds of households, it was natural that it would take time, even with the Lunar Eclipse warriors rushing about.
Moreover, they had to move stealthily to avoid being seen, which inevitably made the process take even longer.
And for Un Hak, it was utterly incomprehensible.
A disciple of the Demonic Cult, helping the common people with money stolen from bandits...
He was dying of curiosity, wondering what their true intentions were.
But he couldn't ask.
Because of the maid... ahem, Hyang-i, who was stuck right beside him.
What if he said the wrong thing and got beaten unconscious again?
Nibble, nibble.
"This is tasty. Why don't they have this on Mount Heaven?"
“...”
"Then again, it's so cold there."
Asking and answering herself—what a sight. All the while, she didn't stop munching on the boiled corn.
Amitabha... It wasn't as if she'd starved for days, so how many cobs of corn had she devoured already?
She had already finished half a basket.
For such a small frame, her belly wasn't even showing. Where in the world did all that corn go?
"My lord."
"Yes?"
"It seems this will take quite some time... We will wait, so please go inside and rest. The night air is chilly."
At Ju Seung's words, worried he might catch a cold from the chill, Neung Un-bi shook his head.
*Anyway, my loyal Seung, unlike someone else, you're worried your lord might catch a cold, huh?*
"I'm fine. If you guys are tired, go rest first."
“...”
Ju Seung sighed as Neung Un-bi waved his hand dismissively.
How could they rest just because he told them to?
Not when their lord was waiting outside for the work to be finished...
Seeing this, the merchant guild master, O Deung, carefully spoke up.
"Third Young Master."
"Yes?"
"Then, instead of just waiting, how about we have a drink?"
"A drink?"
At O Deung's words, Neung Un-bi gulped.
He was just thinking about having a drink anyway.
With winter seemingly on its way, isn't the weather getting quite chilly?
"Hmm, shall we?"
"Haha, I'll have it prepared."
Without asking further, O Deung called his subordinate and had a table of drinks brought out.
"Ah! Guild Master."
"Yes?"
"While you're at it, could you possibly prepare some for the Lunar Eclipse warriors as well? They've all been out in the night dew..."
"Haha, of course. I will do so."
As Neung Un-bi spoke apologetically, O Deung nodded readily.
The journey to Shaanxi.
It might not have been a long time to get to know someone, but how could O Deung, who had lived his entire life as a merchant, not see?
He and his guard captain bickered constantly, but one could feel the deep affection they had for each other.
Weren't most of their arguments meant to keep him from straying down the wrong path?
Furthermore, Neung Un-bi's actions so far had made him reflect on his prejudices against the Demonic Cult.
Was that all?
Without being asked, and with no particular gain for himself, he was incredibly respectful. Throughout the journey to Shaanxi, he had never seen him treat anyone disrespectfully, not just himself but also the other members of the merchant guild.
It wasn't just Neung Un-bi; his subordinates were the same.
They did not lord their power over the weak, and they punished those who used their strength unjustly without a second thought.
When they stopped in Yeonso, how anxious he had been that the dispute might lead to a disaster.
If it had been the Demonic Cult he had imagined, a bloodbath would have surely followed.
But he hadn't.
He had a feeling that even if the Taoist Un Hak from Mount Hua hadn't intervened, there would have been no fight.
He was a peculiar man.
A member of the Demonic Cult, yet not like one.
Watching him, it felt as if all his preconceived notions about the Demonic Cult were shattering.
Or perhaps, they had been wrong about the Demonic Cult all along.
"Hey! Everyone, come over here. Hyang-i, you too. Stop eating that corn."
"...But it's tasty?"
As Neung Un-bi gathered everyone, Hyang-i pouted.
"Why are you being so frugal? It's just corn. The drinking snacks will be much tastier."
"Huh? Tastier than this?"
"Of course."
"Ooh?"
At Neung Un-bi's words, Hyang-i approached with a bright smile.
Clutching a cob of corn in each hand.
"Taoist Un Hak."
"Yes?"
"You drink grain tea, don't you?"
"Ah, well..."
At Neung Un-bi's words, Un Hak awkwardly scratched his head.
Grain tea, not alcohol.
It was a considerate expression for him, a Taoist. In truth, it wouldn't have mattered if he'd called it alcohol. Even for a Taoist who had renounced the secular world, a glass or two was fine.
He sometimes drank with his fellow disciples...
Soon, the table of drinks prepared by O Deung was set, and the drinking party began with various conversations.
"Ooh! This is damn good!"
"...?"
*Huh? What good?*
*What kind of strange expression is that?*
Seemingly not one for alcohol, Hyang-i, who was only devouring the side dishes, exclaimed in admiration.
*At first, it was one careful bite, and now you're practically inhaling the whole plate?*
*Stop stuffing your face. You already finished half a basket of corn, and now you're attacking the snacks...*
As Neung Un-bi glared at Hyang-i, who was engrossed in the snacks, Wang Cheon, who was also at the table, carefully spoke to her.
"Um, Miss Maid?"
"Hmm? What is it, Guard Captain?"
"Um... it's nothing much, but..."
“...”
When he kept hesitating as if he had something to say, Hyang-i got annoyed.
"Aish! If you have nothing to say, get lost. I'm busy eating..."
"Ah, it's not that... Is it true that you are helping the lord with his training?"
"Huh?"
"Back then, after the subjugation of the Blue Flower Mountain gang, I'm sure I heard..."
Wang Cheon glanced at Neung Un-bi, and Ju Seung, sitting beside him, pretended to be nonchalant while pulling his chair a little closer.
*If you're going to do that, just sit over there.*
Neung Un-bi shook his head at the sight of Ju Seung craning his neck and perking up his ears beside him.
"Yes, that's right. The Third Young Master is so inherently weak that I decided to help him. Honestly, he's at a truly pathetic level."
“...”
At Hyang-i's words, spoken with a bright smile, a sudden silence fell over the drinking party.
Inherently weak... pathetic...
How could a mere maid use such expressions toward the Cult Leader's disciple?
Even O Deung and Un Hak stared at Neung Un-bi with startled faces.
*Honestly, this kid has no sense of discretion...*
*It's not just people from the Demonic Cult here, but she doesn't seem to care at all about what others think.*
*But what? So what?*
*It's the truth, what can you do?*
*Do you guys still see her as just a maid?*
*You just don't know.*
*She's a maid in name only; she's practically a monster. A monster.*
At their reactions, Neung Un-bi frowned but continued to sip his drink as if uninterested.
Meanwhile, Wang Cheon spoke to Hyang-i with a look of reverence.
"As expected! I knew it when I got my ass kicked. Miss Maid, you are truly no ordinary person."
"Mmm..."
Wang Cheon immediately showered Hyang-i with praise, while Ju Seung, sitting quite a distance away, flinched and let out a pained sound.
*If you're going to act like that, go over there, you bastard! Don't sit next to me!*
"Miss Maid! Please bestow your grace upon us as well! With my current strength, I am far from adequate to serve the lord. I beg of you."
"Mmm! Mmm!"
“...”
Wang Cheon cried out at the top of his lungs, and Ju Seung flinched with his entire body.
"Hmm... You seem strong enough as you are."
"No, ma'am. You only think that because you don't know the full story."
"I don't?"
"Yes! Guarding the lord is no ordinary task."
"...?"
As Hyang-i tilted her head, Neung Un-bi let out a smirk.
*Honestly, they're incorrigible.*
*Such loyal fools...*
*It truly brings tears to my eyes.*
*They rebel against me every day, but deep down, aren't they overflowing with such loyalty?*
*Trying to improve their skills in any way they can to protect me...*
"I'm telling you, he's a walking disaster. He's completely self-willed."
"...Huh?"
At the unexpected words, Neung Un-bi's face crumpled.
*What did he just say?*
Meanwhile, Wang Cheon unleashed a torrent of words, as if pouring out all his pent-up frustrations.
"Just think about it. He openly fights with the Orthodox Faction to save complete strangers, and knowing full well that the guy was the brother of the King of the Green Forest, the leader of the Unorthodox Faction, he not only half-crippled the kid but also raided his mountain fortress."
*...That bastard.*
With every one of Wang Cheon's grievances, the corner of Neung Un-bi's eye twitched.
"Of course, I tried to stop him. But what can I do when I'm powerless? He pulls rank on me, calling it an order, and lately, I don't know what kind of elixir he's taken, but he's gotten so strong that if words don't work, he just resorts to his fists."
"Mmm..."
At Wang Cheon's words, Ju Seung now flinched while sneaking glances at Neung Un-bi.
*These guys, seriously...*
*Just curse me out already, you bastards!*
"Miss Maid, please. The truth is, when I took on this mission, I left behind my elderly mother and five younger siblings back home. At this rate, trying to protect the lord, even an extra life wouldn't be enough."
“...”
"Please, I beg you. Please bestow your grace upon me..."
That was so typically Wang Cheon.
His habit of turning So Seol-ok-su into his elderly mother and bringing up his non-existent siblings seemed like it would never be fixed, not even in a lifetime.
*And... Loyal Seung, you can just go over there too.*
*Your constant flinching is so distracting it's ruining the taste of my drink.*
*But you know what? Do you guys know?*
*Hyang-i isn't as nice as you think.*
*She's the type who barely talks to anyone unless she's planning to kill them.*
*And on top of that, her goal is to kill the Cult Leader. As if she'd willingly teach you anything.*
Just as Neung Un-bi was inwardly scoffing at Wang Cheon and Ju Seung.
"Well, alright."
"...?"
Hyang-i smiled sweetly and put down the chopsticks she was using to eat snacks.
*...Alright?*
"I'll teach you. It's not like we'll only be together for a day or two... and it's more convenient for me if you guys, the ones protecting the Third Young Master, get stronger."
"Thank you! Miss Maid!"
Wang Cheon finally prostrated himself, bowing his head to the ground.
*Nice going. Right in front of your lord...*
*Don't you have any pride, you who call yourself a Guard Captain?*
*And you, Hyang-i, you punk! Were you always this kind of person?*
*You told me you couldn't teach me anything, no matter how trivial, until I comprehended qi-infused energy, didn't you?*
*Why the change of heart? Are you discriminating!?*
An utterly annoyed Neung Un-bi glared at Hyang-i, only to see even Loyal Seung stealthily moving to sit beside her.
*And to think I trusted these guys as my Guard Captain and the leader of the Lunar Eclipse unit...*
But he couldn't just let this happen.
No matter how strong Hyang-i was, she didn't restrict his actions, but those two were different.
Weren't they the ones who opposed him at every turn?
What if they received training from Hyang-i, who could be considered a master of a past generation, and became stronger than him?
"...Guys, that's going to be a problem."
"...?!"
As Neung Un-bi shook his head with a sly grin, Wang Cheon and Ju Seung whipped their gazes toward him.
"Why!"
"What do you mean, 'why'? I'm your lord, and I don't permit it. What 'why' is there?"
"...You're despicable!"
*What? Despicable?*
*Now you're just running your mouth because you have one?*
*I ought to just...!*
"If I say no, it's no."
"That's cheap! I absolutely cannot accept this."
"Cheap or not, there's nothing you can do about it."
As Neung Un-bi turned his head away, Wang Cheon began to plead.
"My lord, why do you say no? Your Guard Captain only wishes to become stronger for your safety. Please do not turn your back on our loyalty."
“...”
*What a load of crap.*
He really had to laugh.
*Was the Guard Captain who was just badmouthing me and the guy who was practically writhing in agreement someone else?*
"If I say no, you'd better understand. There's a proper order to things, even when drinking cold water. Who said you could go first? If anyone's getting taught, it's me first!"
“...”
At Neung Un-bi's firm refusal, Wang Cheon looked sullen, but Ju Seung, after a moment of thought, carefully asked.
"Um, my lord?"
"What! Why! No!"
"It's not that... but would it be alright after you have received your training?"
"Huh?"
"Well, you just said... there's a proper order to things... and that you would be first... so after you've had your turn..."
“...”
As Neung Un-bi was left speechless with disbelief, Ju Seung straightened his clothes, stood up, and said.
"Ju Seung, leader of the Lunar Eclipse, in accordance with the lord's command, I shall wait until you have received at least one lesson, and then I will follow to learn immediately after."
“...”
*Son of a...*
*Loyal Seung... That's not what I meant, you punk.*
Just as Neung Un-bi was trembling, unable to speak.
Hyang-i casually turned her head, looked at the wall, and smiled.
"By the way... what kind of little rat might that be?"