86 – Aung (6)

Growl (6)

But there was no one to blame. Wasn’t this what they called reaping what you sow? Seomun Yuha reproached himself for relapsing into his bad habits and sniffled.

“…Still, could you at least tell me what kind of illness it is?”

Seong Mu-yeon let out a burst of laughter.

“I don’t think it’s something Young master should be concerned about. Now, please leave. And try not to come back. I don’t think I’ll be able to find it in myself to forgive you. I already gave you the Hwarin Chapter as a gift, so take it with you.”

Seong Mu-yeon turned away coldly. Then, Seomun Yuha grabbed onto his sleeve and clung to him.

“Young master, please don’t die… Actually… I don’t have any friends…”

“…”

“The friends you saw before, they’re all just charmed by me… There’s no one I truly share my heart with. Young master, you were the only one who genuinely cared about me and looked after me. But I went and made another mistake. What can I do? This is just how I am…”

“…”

Seong Mu-yeon was exhausted from the aftereffects of breaking free from the charm, his body drained of energy, and his head was spinning, making him irritable. He was about to kick away the person clinging to him, but when he saw the tears welling up in Seomun Yuha’s eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“I won’t do it again, so please, just forgive me this once. Okay?”

What is this nonsense in the middle of the night?

Two men were putting on a drama under the moonlight. The young man was sobbing pathetically, clutching at the man’s sleeve and begging not to be abandoned.

In the end, he sighed and nodded.

“I’ll let it go this time.”

“R-really?”

“But there won’t be a second time. If something like this happens again, then you’ll just have to pack your bags.”

Seomun Yuha nodded furiously. Wouldn’t this immature young master become a little more human if he was shown forgiveness and tolerance?

“And my illness is just a common severed meridian. Don’t tell anyone else. It’s a secret.”

“S-severed meridian…?”

Seomun Yuha’s eyes widened, and he suddenly straightened his back and wiped away his tears.

“Why didn’t you say you had a severed meridian earlier?”

“Huh?”

Seomun Yuha had returned to his usual self, his face clear as if he hadn’t been whining like a child just moments ago, and he even seemed subtly arrogant. He smiled brightly and said,

“I can cure you! I’m a Flowering Bone, you know!”

Three days later, Baek Ryeo-il was released after a long period of solitary training. As he stepped back into the dazzling sunlight after being confined in a dark cave, a satisfied smile naturally appeared on his face.

Baek Ryeo-il was greeted by his loyal disciple, his Master who pretended not to care but cherished his disciple dearly, and…

“Where’s Seong Mu-yeon?”

The head that couldn’t distinguish between where he should and shouldn’t be, the one that had to stick his nose into everything, was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey! Did being locked in a cave make you blind? Can’t you even see your Master?!”

“That’s strange. He’s a guy with nothing to do and nowhere to go.”

Baek Ryeo-il ignored his Master, who was jumping up and down, and looked around. His good mood from the warm sunlight was fleeting, and anger began to simmer in his heart.

‘Doesn’t he welcome my release(?)?’

That couldn’t be!

Even a dog wags its tail to greet its owner, but this guy, who was a member of his Sect, in his residence, and even under his protection, didn’t know his place and was wandering around somewhere?

‘…This is betrayal.’

Not just any betrayal. It was a complete betrayal.

“Ah, Master. Um, Young master Seong Mu-yeon is resting in his room because he’s not feeling well.”

“What?! Where? How! Why!”

Baek Ryeo-il jumped up and down on the spot. His heart sank, and he was about to rush off to check on Seong Mu-yeon’s condition when…

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Ma Jin-cheon had anticipated this and blocked his escape route. At the same time, he dragged his disciple away by the scruff of his neck.

“I knew it. Did you forget? You’re still a sinner. You have to finish serving your punishment.”

“Ah, Master! I wasn’t trying to escape. I just need to go to Emerald Pavilion for a moment to check on something. It’ll only take a moment!”

“Do you take your Master for a fool? Do you think I’ll fall for that again? No way! You rascal!”

“Ah, no, it’s true!”

Ma Jin-cheon took him to the main gate with a grand signboard.

“From now on, you will sweep the Sect gates morning and evening for seven days and nights.”

The young disciples who were originally in charge of that task handed over the brooms with practiced ease. It wasn’t the first time they had seen Baek Ryeo-il being dragged away like this. At first, they were uneasy seeing their renowned and impressive Senior Brother sweeping with his dignified shoulders, but after a few repetitions, they quickly realized, ‘We have to get used to it.’

“After sweeping the Sect gates, you will then have to organize the books in the Library. Once that’s done, you will have to help Heo Sajuk and the rest of the Sajuks whom you have harmed. Do you understand!”

“…Yes.”

Baek Ryeo-il, with his lips sticking out a mile, reluctantly answered.

“Your punishment will only be over once you have received confirmation from the Sajuks. Now, get to work. Let’s go, Woong!”

“Yes, Grandmaster…”

Gang Woong couldn’t take his eyes off his wonderful and strong Master, feeling sorry for him, but it was his misfortune that he couldn’t help him. The Sect gates were connected to the main road where everyone passed by, and there were many eyes, so if he used tricks like before, he would be caught and punished even more severely. He had no choice but to turn away.

“…”

Baek Ryeo-il swept the ground half-heartedly, surveying his surroundings.

‘Seong Mu-yeon is sick?’

He wanted to rush to Emerald Pavilion right away to see with his own eyes if Seong Mu-yeon was alright.

‘Has Master left?’

He glanced sideways and was about to take a step towards Emerald Pavilion when a furious shout came from somewhere.

“You’re not doing it properly!”

“Eek!”

His Master, who knew him too well, was hiding somewhere and spying on him. Ma Jin-cheon pointed to his own eyes with two fingers, then pointed to Baek Ryeo-il, his face full of anger. Then, he made a gesture of slitting his throat with his thumb.

‘If you slack off, you’re dead.’

That was the meaning. Only after leaving that grim warning did Ma Jin-cheon turn his back and disappear.

Just as a Master knows his disciple, a disciple knows his Master well.

There was a high possibility that he had planted spies somewhere else as well. The moment he left his post even a little, a sneaky spy like a rat would immediately report to Ma Jin-cheon.

He was completely trapped.

Baek Ryeo-il’s prediction was not wrong.

“…”

In the dense bushes a little away from the main gate, a person was hiding and watching Baek Ryeo-il.

‘Why me.’

Wang Ho-jun, a second-generation disciple of the Finance Division, shed tears of resentment.

‘…I’m already swamped with my own work.’

The Finance Division to which he belonged was a subordinate department of the Sect leader, the highest authority who oversaw the overall operation of the Sect. Ma Jin-cheon, the next Sect leader, was naturally like his direct superior in the Finance Division. His Master, not wanting to be on bad terms with Ma Jin-cheon, who would be approving his administrative work in the future, willingly gave up his disciple. Thus, Wang Ho-jun became Baek Ryeo-il’s surveillance officer.

However, he had to be extremely careful not to let the person in question find out about this secret mission. What would happen if Baek Ryeo-il found out? He could use force to threaten Wang Ho-jun into making false reports if he wanted to. Knowing this well, he absolutely could not reveal his identity.

Meanwhile, Baek Ryeo-il’s eyes darted sharply. He had to show that he was diligently serving his punishment while also finding a way to check on Seong Mu-yeon.

He was standing in the middle of the main road where many people passed by. But no one tried to make eye contact with Baek Ryeo-il and quickly passed him by.

Then, he spotted a familiar face and was delighted.

“Junior Brother!”

It was the Junior Brother whose bathtub had been stolen by Baek Ryeo-il last time, and who had gotten into a fight between disciples. Baek Ryeo-il had no hard feelings and had already forgotten about it. But it seemed that Junior Brother didn’t feel the same way. When he saw Baek Ryeo-il waving his hand in greeting, he quickly turned a blind eye. Then, he used his excellent light body art to disappear in an instant.

Baek Ryeo-il was stunned.

“…Was he always that fast?”

He thought he had been slacking off on his training, but it turned out he had invested everything in light body art.

“…”

That couldn’t be! How dare that bastard ignore me?!

Baek Ryeo-il gritted his teeth, vowing to remember this and take revenge later.

But on the other hand, it was all too familiar. The loneliness in the crowd, where no one readily approached him among so many people. It was a picture that reflected Baek Ryeo-il’s entire life.

Baek Ryeo-il clicked his tongue.

‘Should I have been nicer to them?’

Only then did Baek Ryeo-il regret the past, which had been filled with violence and threats, a little, a very, very little, as small as an ant’s tear.

“Oh, isn’t that Senior Brother Baek Ryeo-il? What kind of trouble did you cause this time?”

Then, a sarcastic voice pierced his ears. There was only one Junior Brother who wasn’t afraid of him.

“Senior Brother, really. That temper of yours never changes.”

It was Jang Han-soo.