Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Tearful Goodbyes
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"Huh?"
I wondered if I'd misheard and checked again.
Suryeon stated firmly.
"You."
"Me...? Why...?"
"After we parted, I wandered everywhere trying to find something I wanted to do."
Suryeon murmured.
"But I couldn't find any joy in anything. Gambling, drinking, music, and dance-it was all the same. I was just going through the motions, repeating the same old routine."
"......"
"Every time, you came to mind."
Suryeon drew closer. I backed away.
My back hit the wall. She reached out to me, right up in my face.
"So... just once would be enough..."
"Su, Suryeon, this is kinda... the process matters..."
"Pet my head."
"Huh?"
Suryeon puffed out her cheeks.
She grabbed my hand with her outstretched one and plunked it squarely atop her head.
"Rub rub. Pet me. Put your heart into it."
".......?"
"Take care of me like you did back then. I couldn't find anyone else like you anywhere. They all came at me with their own agendas. But... you're different. You waved goodbye to this girl without a word."
As if to compensate for my unmoving hand, Suryeon shifted her body.
She rubbed her own head against my palm.
"Treat this girl like you did then. And I'll help with your job."
"...Like family...?"
"...Family..."
Suryeon blinked. She nodded slyly.
"Maybe that's the kind of bond I was looking for."
Family, huh.
I pulled my hand away. She blinked.
"Wh...why?"
"If it's something like that, it's even harder to put you to work."
"...You'd just have to pet this girl's head now and then. Sounds like a good deal for you, doesn't it?"
"Not the kind of deal you pitch like that."
I smiled awkwardly.
"It's no different from exploiting your weakness. I don't want to do that. I've thought of you as a friend beyond just a business partner... so let's drop it."
"......"
"Of course, you're always welcome to drop by personally. So, let's talk about something else..."
"...Then just let me help with the job."
Suryeon shook her head.
"I'll figure out my price while I help. That work for you?"
"...I just overheard that whole pitch, so..."
"...So you're saying you won't loop me in on this job?"
"Yes."
"Fine. Suit yourself."
Suryeon dropped my hand and stepped back a few paces.
She glanced over her shoulder at me.
Her voice was barely audible.
"If it were me, I could have an outline in a month..."
".......?"
She took another step away.
The grumbling kept coming.
"I could do it without leaving a trace..."
"...Suryeon?"
Another step back. Her pace was sluggish, like a caterpillar.
"Hard to find a better information gatherer than this girl..."
"Suryeon. What're you muttering...?"
Her hand fidgeted behind her. Eyes still forward, but her hand poked out, waving like it wanted to be grabbed.
"This is your last chance..."
She clenched and unclenched it repeatedly.
I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Suryeon."
"Yes."
Suryeon scurried back and planted herself in front of me.
I rested my hand on her head and stroked it slowly.
"I'll have your fee sent to the Demonic Cult separately. How about we handle this as a formal commission?"
"......."
"Even if you don't get it, I don't want to tie you down with your weakness. Instead, let's make it official. I'll pay you whatever compensation suits you. And on top of that... as your partner and your friend, I want to grow closer to you. Even if you fail at this job or turn it down, it'll never change that we're good friends."
"Is that your compromise?"
"Something like that."
Suryeon nodded faintly. I let out a sigh of relief at the hard-won agreement.
The door rattled open.
"Ah...?"
Sua, stepping in, blinked. Her eyes met Suryeon's, and she bowed her head in a hurry.
"Ah, hello. Didn't realize you had a guest. Sorry..."
"You're Sua?"
"Y-yes? Uh, yeah."
Suryeon shot me a sly glance before extending her hand to Sua.
She declared imperiously.
"Feel free to speak casually. After all, this girl is your big sister."
"Big sister...?"
"Yep."
Suryeon seized Sua's cheeks. She ran her hands smoothly over Sua's body, then spun her around.
She hugged the similarly sized frame and looked straight up at me.
"Right?"
"Huh?"
"Daddy."
".......?"
I froze. But I wasn't the problem.
Sua trembled in Suryeon's arms.
"D-daugh..."
Sua glared at me.
Her eyes welled up like she was about to cry.
"...Hiiing."
...
Sua was sulking.
Even on the day of departure, she faced the wall and refused to look my way.
"Sua."
"......"
"It's a misunderstanding, isn't it? Right?"
"...Daddy's a daughter playboy."
What kind of nonsense word was that?
I forcibly hoisted up Sua, who stood there stubbornly with her back turned. She dangled like a cat, sniffling.
"D-Daddy just... makes daughters with anyone?"
"It's a misunderstanding."
"...Hwaaaang..."
I coaxed her as she really started bawling.
After a long bout of whimpering, she wiped her tears.
"...Daaaaaddy."
"Yeah?"
"Don't make any but me..."
"Got it. Got it, so cut it out."
"Promiiiise..."
"Promise."
I promised Sua. She blew her nose and scampered off to wash up before we left.
I shot a glare at Suryeon, lurking in the shadows.
"Why'd you tease the kid?"
"Not allowed? Daddy?"
"...Suryeon."
"Just kidding."
Suryeon popped out from the shadows.
"She's adorable."
"Would've been more adorable without the waterworks."
"You think? Maybe so. Hmm..."
"What're you scheming now?"
"Nothing. I just like the 'Daddy' thing. Can't I really be your daughter?"
"...Suryeon. Please."
Suryeon giggled and tugged at my sleeve.
"This one's not a joke."
"......."
I scooped up the self-proclaimed daughter who wouldn't listen. She clung to me like a dangling cat.
She sniffed at my scent.
"This smell... this coziness... mmm... love it."
"Suryeon. Ease up a bit..."
"Daddy. I washed up..."
Sua, freshly bathed, burst into tears again.
"Daaaaaaaddy!!"
"......"
It had been a chaotic morning.
Sua growled at her. It was the first time I'd seen her like this since we met.
She even swung her arms to fend Suryeon off. Her voice grew louder too.
"Go away!"
"We're sisters."
"Never happened! Daddy! Let's go already!"
"Daddy. What about me?"
"Don't call him Daddy! He's my daddy!"
Suryeon covered her mouth, laughing. It was a playful smile I'd never seen from her before.
She beckoned to me.
"I'll go handle the task for now. Got that list?"
I pulled out the copied list and handed it over. She waved gracefully.
"See you later. Daddy."
"I said don't call me Daddy!"
"Gotcha. Little sis."
"I'm not your little sis!"
Even after Suryeon vanished, Sua scanned the area thoroughly. She lifted every leaf shadow before finally turning to scold me.
"If someone calls you Daddy, you gotta tell 'em not to!"
"Well..."
"You should or you shouldn't?!"
"Shouldn't..."
"Answer properly!"
Narin and Gwangyang, who'd come to see me off, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Master's getting chewed out!"
"Pfft... wh-what's going on here?!"
Don't laugh...
After laying into me for a good while, Sua reached out her hand.
"...I'm the only one with a daddy. You can't go adding more daughters..."
"She was just joking..."
"Not even as a joke."
"...Got it."
"Hug."
I lifted Sua into my arms. She rubbed her eyes after sniffling.
Narin and Gwangyang poked at my waist.
"Master. What happened? Huh?"
"Master. Spill the details for us too..."
"Let's go."
"Eeeh?! Master! Running away!"
"M-Master has this side too...?!"
Carrying Sua, I set off. To leave the Heavenly Martial Academy.
But the road ahead was far less quiet than I'd imagined.
"Teacher!"
"Heard you're leaving!"
Just two months.
Days that felt awfully short.
Yet all the children I'd taught during those two months came swarming.
"Teacher! I won't forget what you taught me!"
The voices rose in a clamor.
"Thank you. Truly..."
One child gathered flowers picked from hills and fields, handing them over to me.
"Th-thanks to you, Teacher, I can dream so much bigger now!"
Others shyly showed off the sword dances they'd practiced just to perform for me.
"You said it, Teacher... that anyone who wants to can pick up a sword."
Outcasts without backgrounds.
Children who'd had no idea how to move forward without possessions grabbed at my robes, then let go.
"I won't forget. Teacher."
The voices brushed past.
"Thank you. Truly."
"Thanks to you, Teacher... I didn't give up."
"Thank you for teaching me the sword, Teacher."
"If we meet again somewhere..."
"I'll show you. Teacher."
"What my sword is."
I turned back to the trailing voices. I reflected on what I'd done in our brief time together.
...Still.
Every action carries its own results, doesn't it.
I liked that. Truly.
"I'll be rooting for you all."
I left the Heavenly Martial Academy behind.
The Pavilion Master and his grandson, waiting for me, greeted me warmly.
"So you're off."
"Yes."
"Make sure to stop by the Moyong Clan. And... San here has something to say."
Moyong San.
Moyong Hwi's grandson bowed deeply.
"Teacher. This favor... I won't forget it."
"Take good care of yourself, San."
"And..."
Moyong San glanced at Sua in my arms.
"Su, Sua."
"Yeah?"
"L-later, when we meet again... I'll be a cooler guy by then..."
Moyong San suddenly raised his voice.
"M-me and you... we'll date then..."
"Sorry."
"Huh...?!"
"I like Daddy best."
Sua nuzzled her cheek against my chest.
"Sorry."
"......."
Moyong San wilted and flopped to the ground.
Moyong Hwi cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Girls that age are all like that. Ahem..."
"...My apologies, Pavilion Master."
"What fault is it of yours? Anyway, San. Live diligently-who knows, Sua might come around. So..."
"Pavilion Master. I like Daddy best. Even if San gets cool, I won't date him."
"Khm khm!"
Moyong Hwi coughed and snatched Narin and Gwangyang.
"Leave these two with me while you're gone."
"P-Pavilion Master? Can't we at least see you off to the base?"
"M-Master's path-we gotta watch..."
"This is far enough. It's not some grand farewell. Red Cloud."
"Yes, Pavilion Master."
"Thanks to you, I got to reflect deeply on my own shame once more..."
Moyong Hwi laughed heartily.
"The Moyong Clan will always have your back."
"...Thank you, Pavilion Master."
"Go on. Handle what you need to."
The wind picked up, making my battered bamboo hat sway faintly.
I gazed down at the Heavenly Martial Academy's grounds. The vast expanse of Anhui Province stretched out, with the Murim Alliance's halls rising above it all.
...If this were before.
I never could have beheld such a sight.
I thought of those who'd made this view possible. With a faint smile, I bowed deeply.
"Until next time, Pavilion Master."
Among all I'd done at the Murim Alliance...
This had to be the most rewarding.
I set foot on the stairs. Off to handle my next task.
...
"Heard of this, Red Cloud?"
The Murim Alliance Leader, summoning me to assign the mission himself, whispered.
Words I'd never heard before.
"That one of the Four Venerables-the Divine Venerable known as Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Divine Lord... has fallen into madness."