Chapter 6
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: I'll Live for Myself
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A long silence stretched on.
"... "
"... "
I'd tossed out the words, but the past I remembered had little real connection to her anyway.
I'd been pondering it for a while now.
Did I really need to keep up the act of the old Seo Mun-ha?
I didn't particularly want to live like a wastrel, but a sudden change would just confuse everyone involved.
A guy already on thin ice claiming he'd lost his memories? He'd be treated like a lunatic, nothing more.
But in the end, it turned out to be needless worry.
From what I'd heard around me, my public reputation had nowhere left to fall.
Plus, even if I claimed amnesia, proving it would be impossible anyway.
Can't exactly crack open my skull to check.
Another way to look at it: sticking to my own way wouldn't cause any issues at all.
Live as I please. For myself, no one else. Taking my past life's mistakes as lessons.
I'd never been one for scheming—it wasn't my style. I'd reconfirmed that even in this short time since reincarnating, but amusingly enough, here I was, racking my brains.
Whether it was an inevitable choice from mastering advanced martial arts, or remnants of the original Seo Mun-ha lingering on.
The motive didn't matter much, but it felt like a perfectly tailored outfit, with the laughter of my dead subordinates echoing in my ears.
"Are you... really him...?"
"Vaguely coming back to me now."
Baek Ri-seol finally spoke, so I put on a face full of conviction.
A hollow provocation tactic.
I'd hoped she'd spill the real story first, but the brief silence only brought a heavy quiet.
Baek Ri-seol clamped her gaping mouth shut. Then she slowly backed away.
She's not biting.
I missed my interrogator subordinate today more than ever. He wasn't a warrior by trade, but his brains were unmatched. He could hook people like fish...
"Baek Ri, little lady."
I called her again.
Words to compensate for my lacking inner energy.
"... "
She halted abruptly and muttered softly, without even glancing my way.
Still no intention of spilling easily.
A peerless genius, the top beauty of Gangnam—sure, but she was still just seventeen. I'd tried leveraging her naivety, but Baek Ri-seol proved tougher than expected.
Was this cute, or just annoying?
"What do you two think?"
I suddenly pointed to one side of the wall.
"Ahaha, we got caught."
Young-ryeong popped out sheepishly, dragging A-so along.
"I thought my stealth was pretty good. How'd you know, big brother?"
How'd I know? Baek Ri-seol had probably noticed them too.
"Hear anything specific?"
"Hmm, Sister Seol's shyer than she looks. Something about needing to confirm..."
I nodded.
Looking back at her reactions, I could easily guess the promise I'd made.
Less a promise, more a pact.
Tied by family dealings, it wouldn't be some bright, hopeful tale.
'Let's talk next time,' or something.
If my side was cultivating martial arts, what had hers put on the table?
"Time will tell."
Gal Woo-jung, my past life's interrogator and advisor. Even if that dead man came back to life, it wouldn't change much.
He'd abandoned his clan for the military, so women's thoughts and feelings—especially a young woman's—were even further from his grasp.
"Young master?! That's it, right?! You demanded to break off the engagement?!"
"Why the long face, big brother?"
"It's nothing."
Even Ryeong-a staring at me didn't seem to know much.
"I'll head out when it's time for dinner, so no need to wait, A-so. And Ryeong-a..."
"Huh? Me? Ryeong-a?"
"One more stunt like this..."
"And if I do...?"
I answered with a smile and stepped into the library.
Let her figure it out herself.
The best way to mess with someone is to trail off mid-sentence. I shoved thoughts of the remaining two and the departing Baek Ri-seol from my mind.
The mystery left by my unexpected fiancée only added more reason to focus on martial arts. Either way, I had just one thing to do.
A line of splendid carriages snaked along in procession.
Clatter.
The carriages cut through the main road.
The Baek Ri Clan's emblem and flags fluttered as they passed through Shandong.
"Are you alright, miss?"
"Hm?"
Baek Ri-seol looked curiously at her maid, whose face was flushed beet red.
"That guy! You met the world's biggest jerk!"
"Watch your mouth, Su-hyang. He's the miss's fiancé. Like it or not..."
The person in question sat quietly. As if this wasn't a one-off, Baek Ri-seol brushed aside her two maids and occasionally gazed out the carriage window.
"Hmph, who cares about that engagement? No one knows what'll happen before the wedding. Wedding? These days, they don't even bother with formalities anymore. That's why the Pang Clan keeps sending matchmakers. That wastrel ever worthy of our miss?"
"It's the clan head's decision. Better watch your tongue unless you want to end up like they say."
"I'm just frustrated, that's all. Miss, say something!"
Maids who'd grown up with her since childhood.
Closer than blood relatives with big age gaps, they were like real sisters to her.
The usual scenery.
Baek Ri-seol smiled awkwardly as she watched her bickering maids.
The rumors...
Her fiancé.
She'd heard plenty about Seo Mun-ha.
Unless her ears were plugged, rumors flooded in daily near Shandong.
Who he'd messed with this time.
Where he'd caused a scene.
All tarnishing the clan's honor and face.
"Is it... really true?"
She'd gone to confirm it herself—that much was true. Along with the five-year-old promise, she'd wanted to gauge the truth behind his worsening misdeeds.
Baek Ri-seol stroked her wrist again.
Not a coincidence.
She'd lost count of how many times.
Representing the Later Flower Four Dragons and Seven Peaks.
Though she always downplayed herself at the bottom, she wouldn't have reached that spot without objectively assessing her own skills.
Others called her a genius, but behind it lay blood, sweat, and tears. And that effort stemmed from the promise five years ago.
To escape the family's shadow. It was hard alone, so together. Even if chased away for life, they'd go together—that was the pact.
Martial arts were just the means.
But her fiancé, who shared her plight and empathy, now seemed to have forgotten that childish vow.
Has he changed his mind?
Well... even she thought it sounded absurd.
Dreams from immature days are romantic but unrealistic. He had no reason to be chased. He could pretend to forget and live out his days in the iron-barred prison of body and mind without complaint.
If he cared for her, they'd face it together anyway.
"Still, compared to two years ago..."
"Are you listening, miss?"
One of the maids snapped her out of it.
"Huh?"
Two years ago, Seo Mun-ha had been desperate to flee. Pale face hiding fear. Frail body screaming in terror. That image lingered differently now, then faded from her mind.
One day.
Damn it all!
Ma Hwi spat curses aloud for the first time in ages while carrying out Patriarch Seo Mun Jeong-cheon's orders.
Thirty years as the Seo Mun Clan's shadow, aiding the clan head. The unbroken streak of success from the previous patriarch was about to snap.
Never failed a mission before.
His task was simple.
Too simple, even disappointing.
A mid-level expert like him felt his pride stung throwing himself into such a trivial job nine days ago.
Unless they saw him as a dusty old relic past his prime...
But that didn't mean he'd half-ass it.
Not even once.
He'd personally defended two pavilions in the outer residences with his own hands—it wasn't an exaggeration. His merits and achievements were his pride, and the Seo Mun Clan was his home.
When the hell did it start...
Such a Ma Hwi couldn't hide his bewilderment as he traced back the years, to when he'd begun shadowing the Third Young Master on the patriarch's orders.
Seo Mun-ha, the clan's Third Young Master.
He didn't even practice martial arts—a real headache for the patriarch.
Of course he'd gripe about cleaning up after a wastrel, but surprisingly, there wasn't much to do.
Seo Mun-ha hardly stirred from his quarters for a stretch.
Occasional light training at best; whatever went on inside was anyone's guess.
What's he plotting this time? Another mess?
By rumor, fooling around with maids seemed natural, but none had entered his quarters lately.
Holed up in his room, Ma Hwi realized he was cultivating martial arts about a month into watching him.
Not even hiding it, boldly telling his own attendant.
Pushing aside disbelief, Ma Hwi watched longer before reporting.
Didn't want to worry the patriarch with false hope; it'd fizzle out soon anyway.
The delayed report went up nine days later.
The Third Young Master was cultivating martial arts.
Visited the clan library once, then holed up again without emerging.
Dying rumors reignited, tied to Seo Mun Young-ryeong. Servants gossiped in the back alleys for fun, but Ma Hwi stuck to his duty in silence.
With a strange feeling nagging him.
Normally, Ma Hwi kept within about five jang of Seo Mun-ha.
Not giving away his presence even that close—his concealment was beyond peak mastery. He extended the distance slightly around when Baek Ri-seol, the Baek Ri Clan's precious pearl, arrived in Shandong.
Sensing she might notice him. Just a bit. One cheok was enough.
Thought it sufficient, but over time, Seo Mun-ha's senses sharpened surprisingly.
One cheok. One cheok. One cheok...
Soon six cheok became one bo, ten cheok one jang.
Minor changes, still within arm's reach if he fell.
Repeating adaptation after adaptation, then doubt arose seeing the Third Young Master step out for a stroll.
What is this...?
He'd never been spotted. He'd withdrawn first, backed by years of experience and his own skills.
Was the distance always this far?
Yet an odd sense of déjà vu crept in.
Swish.
By the time he blinked, it was too late.
Despite extra caution, he'd lost the Third Young Master on his outing.
Never failed a mission before.
The impossible happened.
Right now.
"Damn it!"
The crowd wasn't an excuse.
Spitting curses again, he scoured the area with bloodshot eyes. Meanwhile, Seo Mun-ha, who'd slipped past his quarters out of the clan, strolled the market with his attendant.
"Young master, this way's back home."
"I know."
Leisurely.
"Reason for heading back?"
"Hate being watched."