NOVEL NEXT Chapter 68
Chapter 68: Responsibility
The Sayeonghoe Manor was a complete mess.
It felt like moving day, with stuff scattered all over the place.
Ah, on moving day, you have to have Jajangmyeon. The problem is there’s no Jajangmyeon in this medieval martial world.
Anyway, I was guided to the most private room of the manor where I had previously met the leader.
There sat the Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon.
A charming girl with impressive black bobbed hair and black eyes.
A tomboyish girl with a boyish charm was staring at me from the table.
Schhhhh, thud.
The sliding door closed.
“Lee Cheol-soo, what brings you here? As promised, all the members of Sayeonghoe have been handed over to the authorities. They should be receiving appropriate punishment by now. If you’re worried about the fifteen nyang you borrowed, the debt has been automatically erased, so relax.”
Wi Soryeon, looking at me with an expressionless face, said.
Without saying a word, I slid the chair and sat in front of her.
“No tea for a guest? Is this how a guest is treated in the great Heukryongbang? Tsk tsk. When you visited, I brought out refreshments with great care, even though we had nothing!”
Upon hearing my words, Wi Soryeon’s expression stiffened.
Her face turned a mix of red and pale.
“Are you saying that terrible thing counts as hospitality?!”
“SO’s refreshments were like those my mother served me when I was young, a heavenly taste. You wouldn’t insult my mother, would you?”
Wi Soryon’s cheeks twitched at my words.
Well, I may not know my parents from either my past life or this one, but I recalled that triggering performance indicating filial duty that raised her trembling hands.
In this Confucian-dominated era, insulting someone else’s parents is a top-tier insult, more serious than in modern times.
That’s why Wi Soryeon couldn’t say anything now.
“Of course not. Hnng······. I won’t serve tea.”
Wi Soryeon briefly left and instructed her subordinates, soon after, a steaming pot of green tea and refreshments were placed on the table.
Thud.
The subordinate closed the door behind him.
I leisurely sipped my tea and nibbled on the pastries.
Cheap, but still decent enough tea.
“······ So, what’s the purpose of your visit?”
“I’ve got a new little brother now…”
Crunch.
I popped a pastry into my mouth and continued.
“We promised I’d call you ‘big brother’ but… I’ve been unable to do that…”
As I trailed off, Wi Soryeon’s face blushed bright red.
Her hands were trembling.
“Uh, why is that? We promised. Surely the world-famous Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon wouldn’t break your own promise…”
“······Big brother…”
At my words, Heuksaryong mulled over it.
“I can’t hear you.”
“OH······. I said big brother! Is that better?!”
The red-faced Heuksaryong yelled at me, her cheeks visibly shaking.
Yes.
This is the sight I wanted.
I’m just waiting for her to accept me as her husband now.
“Colorful Horse······. Obscene Behavior······. Twin-Bladed Colorful Sword! In front of everyone······! If I can’t get married, YOU, YOU have to take responsibility!!”
Wi Soryeon shouted while closing her eyes tightly.
Well.
It wasn’t intentional, but during the martial arts contest, I did rip her outfit, exposing her skin, which makes it true that, by today’s standards, she couldn’t get married.
Responsibility.
Responsibility, huh.
“Right. If you can’t get married, I’ll take responsibility and take you in.”
There’s nothing wrong with that.
Although Wi Soryeon acted like a tomboy, she is a beauty in her own right. When she becomes Hwakyung’s Mastery in the future, she’ll be a real knockout.
So, taking responsibility for someone like her wouldn’t be an issue.
“?!”
However, upon hearing that, Heuksaryong’s face turned even redder.
She stammered.
“W-what?!”
“According to your words, I’ve brought shame upon you, an outsider. I feel deeply responsible for that, which is why I’m saying I’ll take you in and make you my own, not just an outsider. And you should call me ‘big brother’.”
I stated firmly once more, looking at Heuksaryong.
No sneaky tricks to omit the ‘big brother’ part this time.
“OH······. Didn’t you propose to Geumhu-senpai already?! How can you say you’ll take responsibility for me!? That’s nonsense…”
Wi Soryeon babbled, face red, looking down.
“Of course I’ll accept Geumhu as my wife. But there’s no law that says a man can only marry one woman, right? It’s true that I brought you shame, so I would responsibly care for you alongside Geumhu-senpai. What’s the problem?”
In this era, polygamy is allowed.
A three-story tea house isn’t just a dream; it’s reality.
In that case, I’ll create my own three-story tea house.
I hadn’t been able to do that for 50 years or maybe even more before returning.
So, I might as well go for breathtaking beauties as many as I can.
The more the better!
Shouldn’t I build a harem and a Wine Pond and Meat Forest with women who only look at me?
“But big brother is Orthodox, while I’m a heterodox…”
“What does that matter?”
I interrupted Heuksaryong.
“I am destined to be a hero of the entire Martial World that transcends sects. A hero acknowledged by all Nine Provinces and Eight Monarchs. With that, the barriers between Orthodox and heterodox will mean nothing. Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon, don’t you think I should become worthy of taking you as my woman?”
I declared, looking at Wi Soryeon.
Well, becoming a hero is genuinely my goal too.
If I become a hero, then I can indulge in all the pleasures.
Upon hearing that, Wi Soryeon’s face turned so red it seemed she could bleed.
Her hands were trembling.
“······Where are you lying… Are you trying to toy with me?!”
“It’s not teasing; I’m serious. Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon, I’ll take responsibility for you. I’ll become a hero recognized by all.”
“······Stop talking nonsense; I’m leaving!!”
Upon my words, Wi Soryeon’s eyes shook.
She invoked the summoning spell.
How could she not recognize my sincere feelings? So sad.
Well, at this point, I was relieved it turned out this way.
Now that I was done with Wi Soryeon, it was time to head to Gonhwa Pavilion and collect my earnings from the martial arts bets.
*
Schhhhh, thud.
After Lee Cheol-soo left.
Wi Soryeon, left alone, felt her heart racing.
“Ugh······ that damn big brother!!”
Big brother.
She was aware they made such a promise.
She knew he would come to her with such a request.
Once she promised as Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon, she had no choice but to call him big brother.
It was humiliating.
That’s why she had mentioned taking responsibility. It was her tiny bit of revenge for being forced to call him big brother.
Even if it was during the martial arts contest, she exposed her skin in broad daylight, which was shameful.
No matter the intent, it was embarrassing. The gentry would certainly gossip behind her back, pointing fingers, saying she lacked decorum.
She might even lose her chance to marry. Of course, her father might consider a son-in-law because of her status as master of Heukryongbang.
‘······Even if I have a son-in-law, they’d be useless men.’
It didn’t sit well.
Having grown up amid rough men to inherit the Heukryongbang, she was Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon, acting as tough as a man.
Yet, in a corner of her heart, there lay a desire to be more feminine.
Thus, she secretly tried weaving or even putting on makeup.
Though she thought it all looked strange, so she stopped.
As someone from the rough heterodox side and the master of Heukryongbang, she had to behave in a way that wouldn’t let men look down on her. Her upbringing suppressed her desires.
So conversely, her ideal type would be a truly masculine man, someone who could bring her to her femininity.
At least, in front of such a man, it would be okay for her to act like a woman.
Stop pretending to be someone she wasn’t.
And today.
‘······What sort of hero transcends sects is he talking about… what’s this…’
The phrase “you’re responsible,” uttered just to put him in a difficult position.
After all, he’s Orthodox. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t take responsibility. But since he had brought shame upon her, he couldn’t ignore it.
She wanted to present him with that contradictory, irreconcilable dilemma to poke fun at him.
That was all.
But from the moment Lee Cheol-soo replied sincerely,
No, especially when he revealed his ambition to become a hero who would take responsibility for her, breaking the bounds of sects.
Wi Soryeon felt her heart racing uncontrollably.
What kind of man would declare he’d become a hero of the martial world for the sake of one woman?
But Lee Cheol-soo did.
That was like the true masculine figure she subconsciously desired.
In front of him, she felt like she was no longer just the head of Heukryongbang but simply a woman.
A thrilling, unfamiliar sensation. An overwhelming wave of embarrassment surged through her.
“Ugh······. Damn!! I can’t get caught by such nonsense… I’m Heuksaryong. The top of the heterodox Post-Stimulation Indicator! I, and those Orthodox hypocrites, especially the Twin-Bladed Colorful Sword, can never coexist under the same sky!”
Wi Soryeon gripped her hair and groaned.
Why?
Why am I feeling like this…
Wi Soryeon bit her lip.
“······Damn that big brother.”
She thought the humiliation from that day ruined her chances of marriage.
Wi Soryeon, unable to do anything, shivered in place.
*
Exiting the old Sayeonghoe Manor, Lee Cheol-soo was humming a tune as he headed toward the Hwajeong County Entertainment District.
It was daytime, so he passed the darkened event venues and soon arrived at the now-familiar Gonhwa Pavilion.
Lee Cheol-soo smiled, stroking the wooden token in his possession.
He was thrilled by the prospect of collecting his winnings.
At that moment, the 2nd-floor special room of Gonhwa Pavilion.
In a hidden room beyond the special room, Jeoksawol sat as Neungwolhyang, the most beautiful in Sichuan.
She had received word that he was on his way to Gonhwa Pavilion a while ago.
‘Hmph. Today, I’ll definitely capture that brat’s heart!’
Jeoksawol neatly adjusted her clothing, fixing her hair and face.
To tempt him, she needed to look her best.
Though she might not match her true form as the Most Beautiful in the World, Neungwolhyang was still among the most beautiful in the land.
Unlike last time, Jeoksawol meticulously prepared, leaving no detail unchecked.
She had faced the intense Capturing the Heart and Bewitching the Soul Technique before.
She couldn’t take her appearance lightly.
‘Alright. With this, that arrogant brat will surely be enchanted by my allure, just like other men.’
This time, Jeoksawol intended to capture Lee Cheol-soo’s heart.
She wanted to show him only her beautiful side.
Jeoksawol hastily pushed away such thoughts.
She sensed Lee Cheol-soo’s presence as he entered Gonhwa Pavilion.
Thump.
Her heart raced.
Thump, thump.
Her face flushed, and her breathing grew quick.
He’s here. The one who dared to reject the Most Beautiful in the World.
Hastily, Jeoksawol donned a veil.
She wanted to hide her flushed face from no one but him.
‘That brat······ leaving me hanging…’
Jeoksawol bit her lip and activated the mechanism, causing the wall to open, revealing the special room.
Swish.
She stepped quietly to her chair and sat down.
Schhhh.
The mechanism closed the wall again, and soon the sliding door opened, revealing him.
Lee Cheol-soo.
The moment she saw the face of the fourteen-year-old boy…
Thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump.
The heart of Jeoksawol, the 60-year-old Most Beautiful in the World, raced like crazy, causing every resolution she had to charm Lee Cheol-soo to crumble like a sandcastle in a wave.