Chapter 21
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: That Puts My Mind at Ease
The beggar old man's gaze turned to the bundle in Dang Jin-san's hands.
"You've brought a lot of tasty food."
"Ah, hold on a moment. Let me share some with you, Grandpa Bang."
At those words, Dan Mok Un-roe's head snapped up. Just as he was about to turn toward Dang Jin-san, the beggar old man waved him off.
"No need. No need. A beggar like me is plenty satisfied scavenging leftovers. Since you've come home after so long, spend some good time here."
With that, the beggar old man turned and scurried away.
His hunched back and wrinkled face belied an unbelievably swift stride.
"Who is he?"
Dang Jin-san asked Dan Mok Un-roe.
He looked every bit the beggar. Yet having seen Dan Mok Un-roe call him grandfather, Dang Jin-san didn't dismiss him lightly.
"He's the local fixture around here, I suppose? The boss of the beggars? Anyway, in this neighborhood where there's nothing to eat, he begs around and often helps out my family in various ways."
Dang Jin-san nodded slightly at Dan Mok Un-roe's explanation.
"Let's hurry on."
Urged by Dang Jin-san, Dan Mok Un-roe finally arrived at what was little more than a shack.
None of the four showed much change in expression. They'd already steeled themselves the moment they entered the neighborhood.
The door opened, revealing the face of a small, cute girl.
"Big brother!"
Perhaps due to her illness, the pale-faced child beamed brightly.
"Un-hye. Have you been well? Is your body okay?"
Dan Mok Un-roe quickly approached and hugged Un-hye.
"Roe-ah, you've come."
His mother emerged from inside. After Dan Mok Un-roe entered the Dragon Training Pavilion, she rested at home on the pavilion's rest days, as per the rules.
It was also thanks to the monthly stipend he brought.
Her gaze shifted backward.
"Ah, you're my son's squad mates."
At Dan Mok Un-roe's words, his mother straightened her posture and bowed.
"I'm the mother of this worthless child. He's sorely lacking, but please take good care of him."
"No, no. If anything, we're the ones in your debt. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dang Jin-san."
Dang Jin-san bowed in greeting, and the other three followed suit.
"Our home is terribly humble, but since you've come all this way, please come inside. We have nothing to offer as hospitality, so I can only apologize."
Following the mother inside, Dang Jin-san's eyes gleamed as he watched her back.
Her every movement exuded a refined grace utterly out of place here.
It didn't match her worn and frayed clothes at all. She carried the poise of a lady from a noble house.
'Un-roe's got a complicated background.'
That was as far as his thoughts went.
He had no intention of prying into others' complicated affairs. If it was something to share, the time would come naturally.
Just like when he'd vented to his instructor.
There was nothing special inside the house.
It was exactly as small as it looked from outside. A single rickety table sat alone.
Tiny for the number of people.
Dang Jin-san first unpacked the food on the table.
"Wow!"
Dan Mok Un-hye's eyes sparkled at the sight of the food.
"We should be the ones treating you, yet here we are receiving such hospitality. It's truly embarrassing."
The mother spoke cautiously. Dang Jin-san shook his head with a smile.
"Not at all. I brought these because I wanted to treat you."
Dan Mok Un-hye nearly lunged for the table, but her mother stopped her with a stern look.
With the table overflowing with food and chairs too few, they improvised by fetching household items to sit on.
"Please, eat. We're embarrassed to say we've already eaten."
At Dang Jin-san's urging, the mother picked up her chopsticks, followed by Dan Mok Un-hye.
Un-hye ate with such relish.
Everyone watched her with proud expressions.
"To think you're all in the same squad as Un-roe. Once you complete your training, you'll all be fine warriors of the Righteous Heaven Alliance."
The mother spoke with a smile.
At her words, their faces nearly stiffened, but Dang Jin-san laughed and spoke up.
"Hahaha. Yes, indeed. Believe it or not, I'm from the Tang Clan. Un-roe shares a room with me."
Her eyes widened at that. A complex light filled them.
"The Tang Clan... You mean the Sichuan Tang Clan?"
"Yes, that's right."
"For a young master from such a prestigious house to be in this hovel... I don't know what to do."
Dang Jin-san waved his hands vigorously at her words.
"No, no. It's my friend's home—how could it be humble? It warms the heart and feels so cozy; no place in the world could compare."
"Un-roe's met some truly good friends. What a relief."
The mother bowed her head to Dang Jin-san and the others.
"We've met a good friend."
Dang Jin-san looked troubled at her excessive courtesy.
"Truth be told, I was quite worried. This child who knew nothing of martial arts suddenly said he wanted to enter the Dragon Training Pavilion. It's not a place you can just enter because you want to, especially the Righteous Heaven Alliance's pavilion."
The four said nothing.
"But he passed with flying colors and entered. Then from last month, he started bringing home a monthly stipend—not a small sum. I even suspected and worried he might be up to no good. An instructor came by with him once before. Still, I couldn't fully relax. But seeing his friends like this... it really puts my mind at ease."
The mother's eyes reddened slightly as she smiled and bowed her head.
The four exchanged awkward glances.
They couldn't betray Dan Mok Un-roe, who hadn't shared the full truth.
So they pretended all was normal and chatted cheerfully.
"There's still a long training period ahead, but Un-roe will surely become a fine Righteous Heaven Alliance warrior. Then you can live with even greater peace of mind."
Dang Jin-san said with a gentle smile.
Baek Ri-pyeong simply sat with a composed face. Opening his mouth might ruin the act, so staying silent was his way of helping.
Nak Woo-jin was the same.
Yeon Ha-min was naturally quiet. Yet somehow, Dan Mok Un-hye had snuggled up beside her.
Drawn to her beautiful face, now unveiled without the veil.
In the end, only Dang Jin-san, who could naturally spin such tales effortlessly, kept the conversation going.
The mother shook her head at his words.
"I'm satisfied as long as Un-roe stays safe and well."
At that, Dang Jin-san glanced subtly at Un-roe.
Dan Mok Un-roe had said nothing throughout, just biting his lips faintly and forcing a calm facade.
Dang Jin-san looked at Dan Mok Un-hye, whose head Yeon Ha-min was stroking.
A cute, pretty child.
Yet her face bore clear signs of illness. Obvious to anyone.
What kind of sickness could it be?
A sickly little sister in worn, frayed clothes.
Dang Jin-san now understood why Dan Mok Un-roe had joined the Fierce Dragon Corps and refused Instructor Ha's order to go home.
He didn't know the full extent of Un-roe's complicated circumstances.
But the simple ones were plain to see.
Poverty and illness.
Those two had pushed Dan Mok Un-roe into the Fierce Dragon Corps and made him desperate.
Reasons utterly different from his own.
Dang Jin-san's face flushed hot for no reason.
'I've really been spoiled rotten.'
He recalled the night he'd vented to Ha Mu-baek. Shame burned his cheeks red.
"Is something wrong?"
His mother asked worriedly, reading the change.
Her face held concern that this hovel might not suit a noble young master.
"Ah, no. Seeing Un-roe made me think I've lived so poorly myself..."
"How could a refined and outstanding young master like you say that? It's just needless worry."
Dang Jin-san grew even more embarrassed at her praise.
He needed to change the subject.
Keep comparing himself to Un-roe, and the mask of composure might crack.
Two years from now.
The instructor had said they'd go to die.
'Don't make me laugh. Just don't die. Me. Un-roe. Everyone. How could Un-roe die with a family like this?'
Dang Jin-san vowed silently in his heart. He couldn't die, not even out of spite.
To do that, he'd have to wring every last drop from his instructor's secrets.
Instructor Ha might just make it possible.
"Aren't you curious how Un-roe's been faring at the Dragon Training Pavilion?"
He tossed out the topic shift.
He deliberately said Dragon Training Pavilion, avoiding Fierce Dragon Corps. He hoped she remained unaware of that part.
"Of course I am."
From then on, Dang Jin-san's gift of gab took over.
His tongue might as well have been oiled; stories poured out endlessly.
"Really? Our Un-roe did that?"
The mother listened intently, chiming in at the right moments with an interested face.
"Jin-san, that's enough."
Dan Mok Un-roe tried to stop him in panic, but he couldn't.
"Please continue."
Even Dan Mok Un-hye, still by Yeon Ha-min's side, urged him on with shining eyes.
The other four were surprised, actually.
They hadn't expected Yeon Ha-min to so readily let her sit close.
Yeon Ha-min had even extended her hand first to the hesitant, peeking Un-hye, and now wore a faint smile.
A side of her never seen at the pavilion.
"Of course. Since our pretty Un-hye asks, how can I stop? The other day, after training, it was time for bed."
"Uh, uh."
Dan Mok Un-roe's mouth gaped, sensing what was coming. His face was already beet red.
"By special instructor order, Un-roe must eat a set amount before bed. But he couldn't finish the heaps I'd brought."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
Baek Ri-pyeong asked, as if hearing it for the first time.
"Wasn't he eating well?"
Nak Woo-jin chimed in too.
The other squad mates hadn't known either.
Only Dang Jin-san, his roommate, did.
As Un-roe's body had gradually gained flesh and muscle, others assumed he was eating properly.
"This guy who wants to get strong refuses to eat, so I tried forcing him."
"And? Why did big brother say he couldn't?"
No, how could he not eat with all that food?
Un-hye couldn't comprehend. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she prodded Dang Jin-san.
Her mother gazed at him with questioning eyes too.
"He said he couldn't chew or swallow. I thought he was sick. But he was fine. Bizarre. To get strong, you have to eat. The instructor stressed eating is training too. I wanted him to hurry up so we could turn off the light and sleep. But the room just reeked of food. So frustrating."
"Really, my brother is so exasperating. With all that delicious food, why wouldn't he eat?"
Dan Mok Un-hye thumped her chest in reaction, and Dang Jin-san smiled faintly at how cute she was.
Yeon Ha-min quietly stroked Un-hye's head.
"So I told him, 'If you won't eat, I'll devour it all.' He freaked out."
"Geez. You should've just eaten it, Uncle Jin-san. My brother doesn't know the value of food."
Dang Jin-san paused at Un-hye's words.
"Un-hye."
He called to her.
"Yes?"
"Not uncle. Brother. If brother's too casual, then oppa."
Dang Jin-san said with utmost seriousness.
Un-hye glanced between Dang Jin-san and Dan Mok Un-roe, then muttered softly.
"He looks like an uncle though..."
"Puhahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
"Kuhaha!"
Everyone heard the whisper. Dang Jin-san's face soured like he'd bitten a bitter melon, while the other three burst into laughter. Even Yeon Ha-min smiled.
"Ahem. Ahem. Anyway."
Dang Jin-san cleared his throat awkwardly to reset the mood and continued.
"When I pretended to eat, Un-roe blocked the food in panic and shoved it into his mouth frantically. Well, less eating, more force-feeding."
Her mother's expression changed. Pure pity for her child.
She seemed to have guessed the reason already.
"Un-roe..."
She gripped his hand tightly.
"He wolfed it down in seconds. Said he couldn't chew or swallow. I kept asking why. Then Un-roe said..."
"What did he say?"
Un-hye asked curiously.
"He'd eaten his three meals full, but trying to eat more made him worry if Mom and little sister were eating properly at home. Couldn't swallow thinking only he was eating well."
"Ah..."
Un-hye's mouth fell open in surprise. Dan Mok Un-roe ducked his head, face crimson.
Her mother held his hand even warmer.
It was a shabby table in a shabby space.
Yet it brimmed with delicacies.
Enough to burst bellies and still have leftovers.
Baek Ri-pyeong, Nak Woo-jin, and Yeon Ha-min glanced between the food and Dang Jin-san's face.
Realization dawned anew on theirs.
"Yeah. So I brought tons of delicious stuff. No more home worries—eat up and get strong."
Dang Jin-san grinned there.
"Uh... Th-thank you, Brother Dang."
Uncle had become brother.
Dang Jin-san's smile stretched ear to ear at Un-hye's words.
"Yes, yes. Eat your fill."
"Young Master Dang, thank you so much. For caring not just for my lacking son, but even for us..."
"Ahaha, no. It was just for fun, but I said too much. Just teasing Un-roe, really."
Dang Jin-san scratched his head.
Her mother gazed at him warmly.
"Well, this is..."
Near Dan Mok Un-roe's house, Ha Mu-baek sat on a crumbling wall, muttering awkwardly.
A familiar presence had drawn him here, but its owner was already gone.
Instead, he'd overheard the squad's conversation inside.
At his level, he could hear inside if he focused.
"Curiosity just leaves a bad taste."
Knowing Un-roe's family situation somewhat, the mother's hopes and the squad's white lies stung his heart.
And Un-roe's sister with blocked meridians too.
Ha Mu-baek scratched his head.
Staying longer would just sour his mood more. As he rose to leave, Dan Mok Un-roe and the others emerged.
They bid lively farewells and departed. Mother held Un-hye's hand, watching their backs.
Her expression was profoundly sad, halting Ha Mu-baek in his tracks.
Utterly different from before. Pride and hope for her pavilion-entered son had vanished clean away.
In their place: guilt, worry, remorse, and helplessness toward her son.
"Roe-ah, this worthless mother is making you suffer... How can I spend this money?"
A faint mutter even Un-hye beside her couldn't hear.
But to Ha Mu-baek, it boomed like thunder.
Her eyes red, she watched her son's receding back.
In her other hand, the pouch of monthly stipend Un-roe had given her moments ago.
Ha Mu-baek watched from afar.
Complex emotions coiled in his eyes.