Give Them an Inch and They Think It's Their Right

To understand why she had come all the way to Cheonghwaru, one had to rewind the clock roughly three days.

Three days ago, inside her private quarters, Jegal So-yeong had been chattering away excitedly to her personal maid, Yeon-hui.

"Do you know what he told me today? He said he likes that I've become nicer, or something like that~ Ah! And yesterday..."

Having endured the exact same stories on repeat for nearly an hour, Yeon-hui finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Milady, you have already repeated everything you just said multiple times."

"...Did I mention that to you already? I was so caught up in talking that I didn't even realize."

"Could it be... that you have fallen for him, Milady?"

Flustered by the sudden question, So-yeong offered a stiff, awkward laugh as she scrambled to defend herself.

"W-What nonsense are you spouting? It's nothing like that! I was merely, well..."

Yet for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Having served by her side for many years, Yeon-hui could see right through her with a single glance at her expression. She was in love with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jeong Ho-yeon. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt.

Until now, countless men had courted her. Every time suitors came calling, the young mistress had greeted them with the exact same reception:

'Someone like you dares to look at me? Piss off!'

'You're hideous!'

'You're the absolute worst. Get out of my sight this instant!'

As befitting the woman hailed across the realm as 'Hubei's Number One Beauty,' her pride soared to the heavens. If even the slightest detail failed to please her, rejection was swift and absolute—invariably accompanied by a barrage of colorful vitriol. That was the sole reason she remained unbetrothed to this day.

Yet here she was, beaming and boasting simply because a man had tossed her a passing compliment. How could Yeon-hui fail to notice? Even if the lady herself stubbornly refused to admit it.

"Milady, you can be honest with me. You truly do like him, don't you?"

"N-No, it's not like that! Ah, a favorable impression! Right, Master is merely someone I view favorably, that's all! So don't go m-misunderstanding things, Yeon-hui!"

Over her years of service, Yeon-hui had cataloged every single one of her mistress's peculiar habits. One of them was that whenever she told a lie, she couldn't look the other person in the eye.

"Then I suppose the advice I was going to share is of no use to you, Milady. It is only helpful when one harbors feelings for someone, after all."

So-yeong flinched.

"...W-Well, knowing more never hurts..."

Realizing how transparent she sounded, So-yeong's face flushed a vivid, burning crimson.

Watching her squirm, Yeon-hui let out an amused giggle before offering her guidance.

"Then listen closely. If you wish to grow closer to a man, you must first ensure you are constantly within his line of sight. Only then will his attention naturally turn toward you."

"Ah, I see... So you mean I should stick to his side?"

"Of course, since that is not the case for you, Milady, there is no need for you to bother."

"O-Of course not! Haha..."

Astonishingly, that innocent piece of advice was the entire reason she had spent the past few days constantly loitering around Ho-yeon.

Today was no exception. She had been stealthily tailing him as usual when she watched him emerge from Jaegyeong Pavilion and caught him muttering to himself under his breath.

'Still, there's no way in hell she'd follow me all the way here, right?'

"...Where on earth could he be talking about? I'd better follow him and see."

And the destination she had trailed him to was none other than Cheonghwaru.

"O-Oh? What an unexpected coincidence, Master! I just happened to have s-some business here as well..."

"......Is that so. Right, of course..."

Snapping back to the present, I found myself plunged into agonizing contemplation.

Damn it all, I never dreamed she'd actually stalk me all the way to a pleasure pavilion... What the hell am I supposed to do now?

What's that? It's not like I came here to bed courtesans anyway, so why can't we just grab a drink together?

W-Well, sure, that's true, but... it's just damn awkward, alright?

I have to turn her down somehow... Wait a second. Didn't we 'just happen' to run into each other by pure chance? And she said she came here on business, didn't she?

"Well, if you've got business to attend to, you'd better go handle it, wouldn't you say? In that case, I'll take my leave."

Wait for me, lovely ladies of Cheonghwaru! Your brother Ho-yeon is coming!

Just as I spun on my heel to make a break for it, she grabbed my wrist.

Snatch—

"...?"

When I stared down blankly at the captured wrist, she jumped in fright and let go as if scalded.

"N-No, my business just finished... right this second."

"...All of a sudden?"

"What I mean is... buy me a drink..."

"You're loaded. On a basic human level, shouldn't you be the one buying me a drink?"

"......"

I genuinely couldn't fathom what was bouncing around inside that skull of hers. Why go out of her way to follow me all the way here? Was this some elaborate new scheme for revenge?

Before I could ponder further, I felt stares prickling against my back. Or more precisely, directed at Jegal So-yeong.

Dragging this out in public would only invite needless complications, leaving me with no choice but to throw in the towel.

"Haaah... Fine, whatever. Let's just have a quick cup and get out of here. Satisfied?"

"Of course...!! Hehe."

What on earth was so thrilling about having a cup of cheap wine?

Wait, don't tell me the Clan Leader strictly forbade her from drinking?

If he had overprotected her to the point where she hadn't been allowed a single drop of liquor even after coming of age, her desperation suddenly made a twisted kind of sense. Looking at her again, she almost seemed a little pitiful.

...Sigh. Never even tasted alcohol before, huh? Fine, I suppose I can play the benevolent master and humor her today. Man, what a saint I am.

Just as we were about to step inside, a cadre of martial artists clad in immaculate white robes strode purposefully toward us.

One of them stepped out in front and offered a polished, theatrical bow to So-yeong.

"Greetings, Lady Jegal. I am Jin Hwi, Young Sect Master of Muyoung Gate. I have long yearned to make your acquaintance, and to cross paths like this is a tremendous honor. As expected of Hubei's Number One Beauty, your radiance is truly beyond compare."

The instant I laid eyes on him, an instinctive wave of revulsion churned in my gut.

I don't know what it was, but guys who looked like slick gigolos just rubbed me the wrong way.

...What? You're asking if I'm bitter because he's better looking than me?

To be completely objective, aren't I way handsomer? My face, my physique, everything—

What do you mean, 'not even close'?! Ha! The sheer audacity! What part of me looks worse than that—ahem.

More to the point, why was someone from Muyoung Gate here in Hubei instead of Mount Wudang?

Muyoung Gate was an affiliated secular branch of the Wudang Sect based down in Jiangxi Province, boasting considerable prestige. In particular, its Sect Master, Jin Mu-yeon—famed throughout the realm as the Heavenly Wind Swordsman—was ranked among the World's Top 100 Masters, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠granting their sect significant political clout within Wudang's secular sphere.

What struck me as bizarre was why their esteemed Young Sect Master, who ought to be hurrying up Mount Wudang for sect business, had gone out of his way to drop into Cheonghwaru just to flatter a noble lady.

An uneasy premonition prickled the back of my neck.

Yet contrary to my worries, So-yeong's reaction was arctic.

"And who might you be?"

"I am Jin Hwi, Young Sect Master of Muyoung—"

"No, I mean, why should I care who you are?"

"...Haha, it seems I have spoken out of turn. I merely happened to spot you on my way to the main mountain and was eager to pay my respects. Please do not take offense, Lady Jegal."

"Oh, right. Sure."

She had been relatively well-behaved lately, so I'd momentarily forgotten: right, this girl was originally an insufferable, sharp-tongued hellion.

"......"

Glance.

The punk shifted his gaze toward me. Unlike the oily reverence he had offered her, his eyes narrowed into an open glare.

He offered a stiff bow and addressed me.

"As stated, I am Jin Hwi of Muyoung Gate. Might I inquire as to the nature of your relationship with the lady?"

"I am—"

Before I could get a word out, So-yeong cut in sharply.

"He is my master. Got a problem with that?"

"Hoh, your master, is he?"

Scan—

His gaze swept down my frame from head to toe, and a condescending sneer spread across his lips.

...That son of a bitch just laughed at my internal energy, didn't he?

The cronies flanking him began snickering behind their hands as well.

Lacking martial cultivation herself, So-yeong clearly had no idea what they found so hilarious.

Every fiber of my being burned with the urge to beat them into a fine paste, but striking a secular disciple of Wudang—even with my status as her martial master—would inevitably snowball into an unbearable headache. My job and my paycheck were on the line.

Swallowing the irritation, I forced an easy smile and prepared to disengage.

"Haha. Well then, we shall take our leave first, Young Hero Jin Hwi."

Having written me off as an insignificant nobody, he disregarded me entirely and bowed back toward So-yeong.

"Lady Jegal, it was an honor. I look forward to meeting you again under more pleasant circumstances. Come, we shall take our leave as well."

Normally, I would have ground your face into the flagstones by now. Count your lucky stars that my monthly salary is on the line, brat...

Just as the group turned to depart, So-yeong suddenly shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"Hey! You greasy little gigolo bastard!!"

Her shout rang out like a thunderclap across the courtyard. The disciples froze in their tracks and whipped around.

"...Milady, what did you just—"

"Didn't hear me? Want me to spell it out for you? You sleazy, oily-faced gigolo bastard!"

"I believe your jest has crossed the line, Lady Jegal. Perhaps it would be wise to stop here. Any further insolence will be difficult for me to overlook."

At his cue, the disciples behind him shifted their stances, radiating an imposing aura of martial pressure.

Yet So-yeong, utterly devoid of fear, continued poking the hornet's nest.

"Who do you think you are to look down on my master? Just because you play at being a Taoist priest, you think you're hot shit?"

"......"

Step. Step. Step.

In the blink of an eye, Jin Hwi closed the distance until he loomed right before her. Looking down with an expression stripped of all warmth, he murmured:

"Cease this at once. This is my final warning."

"Or what? You gonna hit me?"

"......I am not entirely incapable of it."

Whoosh—

Suddenly, the words of Master Paeng flashed through my mind.

It wasn't a particularly fond memory, but it did teach me one undeniable truth in life:

Bastards ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who have a beating coming their way need to get thoroughly thrashed to fix their attitude, regardless of their family lineage.

Thwack—

Stepping smoothly in front of So-yeong, I snagged the hand Jin Hwi had raised toward her.

His eyes flared, erupting with raw killing intent.

"A pathetic insect like you has no place interfering here. If you value your life—"

"Give you bastards an inch of goodwill, and you think you're entitled to a damn mile, don't you? You really need your teeth kicked in before you come to your senses, don't you? You damn horse-nosed malko bastards."

"...Do you have any idea what those words just cost you?"

"Why? Nervous? Want me to fight you with one hand tied behind my back?"

I tucked one arm casually behind my waist. Watching my blatant disrespect, Jin Hwi's face flushed a furious, vein-popping scarlet.

"You insolent piece of shit, how dare you—!!"

At that explosive, knife-edge moment, a booming voice tore through the courtyard.

"Both of you, halt!"