—Thwack, thwack, thwack.
The Hidden Weapon struck three trees as it passed, finally hitting the fleeing rabbit in the flank. The man who threw the Hidden Weapon grinned and smiled at the person next to him.
“I got three, you got two.”
“Hmph.”
“Enough of that, Hwanggyo, Unjo.”
The middle-aged man at the head of the group spoke sternly, turning towards the back.
“We were just having a little bet.”
“Just catching rabbits at best. Pick up your Hidden Weapon.”
The man called Hwanggyo grumbled as he approached the rabbit and pulled out the Hidden Weapon. The rabbit was already dead.
“I’m bored to death, Elder. What exactly did the Cult Leader send us to investigate?”
Hwanggyo asked the middle-aged man as he approached again.
“Don’t speak carelessly about the Cult Leader. There are many suspicious aspects to the Vice-Leader’s death.”
“Of course. But, isn’t it possible that the First Young Master killed the Vice-Leader and pinned it on someone else? All this might be for nothing.”
As Hwanggyo followed behind, exchanging words with the Elder, Unjo, who was walking ahead of them, scoffed.
“The First Young Master? How could he?”
“The guy who stole the <Manbi Snow Records> seemed to be connected to the First Young Master. Stealing that treasure is a guaranteed death sentence, so why would he steal it for no reason?”
“Are you saying the First Young Master ordered him to steal the <Manbi Snow Records>?”
“That guy also had Gu poison in his body, and the Vice-Leader was dispatched to retrieve the <Manbi Snow Records>. I was thinking it might have been a scheme to lure out the Vice-Leader.”
Hwanggyo made a plausible deduction. As Unjo listened, he couldn’t help but think that it was odd that Cheon Dan-ho had stolen the <Manbi Snow Records>.
“Even so, how could the First Young Master kill the Vice-Leader? The First Young Master’s skills are so insignificant that he’s practically non-existent in the Demonic Cult.”
“Anyone can do anything to kill someone. He must have tried something, taking advantage of a moment of carelessness.”
Hwanggyo finished his reasoning irresponsibly. Then, Unjo burst into laughter and said,
“The First Young Master said so himself. That there was another guy there.”
“The First Young Master was just lucky.”
“Are you assuming the First Young Master is the culprit from the start?”
“Did you see the First Young Master when he returned to the Demonic Cult? His eyes were strange. He’s gone mad.”
“You’re not any different,”
“Quiet.”
The Elder raised his hand, stopping Hwanggyo and Unjo from chattering away.
“Even if the First Young Master was pushed aside by the Vice-Leader and became insignificant, he is still a disciple taken in by the Cult Leader. If you act so rashly, it could reach the Cult Leader’s ears, so don’t speak carelessly.”
In fact, the conversation between Hwanggyo and Unjo was a suspicion that was also in the Elder’s mind. All the Elders were thinking the same thing. That’s why they were dispatched to find out the truth.
The Vice-Leader’s death is no small matter. The next candidate for Heavenly Demon was killed by someone’s hand.
“…Still, if the First Young Master’s words are true, I’m curious about that guy’s skills.”
“……”
“……”
The forest they were walking through became quiet again.
The three of them began to walk in silence.
*
Fortunately, Jin Geum-ryeon and Ak Mujin did not encounter the Demonic Cult as they descended the mountain.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was setting in the west, and a village came into view below. Jin Geum-ryeon patiently matched his pace to Ak Mujin’s, and they were able to reach the village.
“That one’s not so good.”
Jin Geum-ryeon said.
“No, I don’t think that one suits you either.”
Jin Geum-ryeon said again.
“How about this one instead of that?”
“Can’t you just pick one?”
Ak Mujin couldn’t help but say something.
They were choosing a mask for Ak Mujin to wear, and Jin Geum-ryeon had already tried fourteen masks on Ak Mujin, wondering why he was being so picky about covering his face. Ak Mujin’s favorite was a mask in the shape of a dragon from the twelve zodiac animals, but Jin Geum-ryeon kept recommending dogs and pigs, so it was rejected.
“If you need to cover your face anyway, how about a myeokri?”
The merchant, who had been watching their bickering with great interest, suddenly spoke up. In his hand, he held a bamboo-woven hat with a white cloth attached.
“A myeokri?”
Jin Geum-ryeon asked back as if he hadn’t thought of it.
“Yes. Although it is mostly used by young ladies or Yin Persons, there is nothing better for covering the face. A mask is more conspicuous.”
Ak Mujin frowned slightly as he held the mask.
“Besides, it’s much cheaper than the one the great hero chose first.”
“Then give me one myeokri.”
Without a word, Jin Geum-ryeon paid for it without even asking for Ak Mujin’s opinion. Ak Mujin felt empty, remembering that he had worn fourteen masks in the meantime.
“Are you telling me to act like a Yin Person?”
He was a Yin Person, but he didn’t want to go around showing it.
Jin Geum-ryeon was happy to have saved money, so he smiled brightly and put the myeokri on him. Indeed, covering his face with the fluttering cloth created a mysterious atmosphere, making him look like a hidden master.
“What’s wrong with acting like a Yin Person? Do you want to catch the eyes of the Demonic Cult and return to the Demonic Cult?”
“Umm….”
Now, Jin Geum-ryeon seemed to have figured out Ak Mujin to some extent. Ak Mujin couldn’t argue and had no choice but to wear it as he was told.
As they walked around the market in that appearance, people with a lot of unasked for concern said a word or two as they passed by, as if they were a good-looking couple. Ak Mujin was slowly becoming uncomfortable. The white cloth obscured his vision, making it even more difficult to walk.
In the end, he didn’t even notice a child running towards him and almost collided with the child.
“Ah…!”
But Jin Geum-ryeon, who was next to him, didn’t let the child hit Ak Mujin. He grabbed Ak Mujin’s arm and pulled him into his arms, and with his remaining arm, he gently stopped the child, preventing him from falling.
Ak Mujin was startled and widened his eyes in surprise because his face was so close to Jin Geum-ryeon’s for a moment. So, he hurriedly moved away and fidgeted with his clothes.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
At that moment, two men came running from afar. They seemed to be the child’s parents.
“Didn’t your father tell you not to run around in the market! Greet the gentleman quickly.”
One of the two men said to the child, and the child hesitated and looked back and forth between Jin Geum-ryeon and Ak Mujin.
“I, I’m sorry….”
“Haha, it’s alright. The child is very energetic and cute.”
When Jin Geum-ryeon spoke in a friendly manner, the man immediately burst into laughter, picked up the child, and said,
“You two will have a child soon too!”
“Haha, I hope so.”
Jin Geum-ryeon acted like a shy husband and scratched his head, smiling.
‘Are you crazy?’
Ak Mujin asked in a telepathic message at Jin Geum-ryeon’s brazen attitude.
‘I don’t like being a couple with you either? The Demonic Cult might be here, you know? I’m just taking precautions.’
Ak Mujin frowned deeply. If there was a good thing about wearing the myeokri, it was that he didn’t have to hide his expressions.
He was starting to get confused now.
Had this kind of situation happened before? Was it simply that he had stayed in Heavenly Mountain for too long and didn’t know that this kind of situation was common in the world? Or was it that now that he realized this world was a BL novel, the real BL situations were starting to happen in earnest?
Mujin couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard he thought.
But that wasn’t the important issue. The problem was that if this kind of thing kept happening while he was wearing this myeokri, he might go crazy. There were no psychiatrists in this era. He felt like he knew why people went crazy.
They passed through the market and headed to the inn. He liked the fact that he didn’t have to sleep outside tonight, but Jin Geum-ryeon might try to put Ak Mujin in the stable again.
But for some reason, Jin Geum-ryeon rented a room with two beds and was guided by the Server along with Ak Mujin.
“This is the room.”
Jin Geum-ryeon went inside first, and Ak Mujin followed behind him. As soon as the Server closed the door and left, Ak Mujin was finally able to take off the stuffy myeokri.
“…You’re not making me sleep in the stable today?”
Jin Geum-ryeon sat down on the bed and loosened his stiff shoulders.
“Well, I don’t want to be a husband who mistreats his Yin Person by making him sleep in the stable.”
Ak Mujin was confused as to whether Jin Geum-ryeon was role-playing. He let out a hollow laugh.
“Let’s see how well you act as a husband.”
Ak Mujin said with a smile, put the myeokri on the table, and sat on the bed opposite Jin Geum-ryeon. It hadn’t been many days since he left the apothecary, but the bed felt like it had been a long time.
He sighed and flopped down on the bed. Then, his ceiling was covered in a black shadow.
“Shall we try it? Acting like a husband.”
Jin Geum-ryeon sat on the edge of the bed next to Ak Mujin, who was lying down, and leaned his waist over his upper body. Ak Mujin was startled and froze.
“…What are you doing?”
“I wonder. What am I doing?”
Jin Geum-ryeon spoke slowly and began to release his Body fragrance. Even though the window wasn’t open, the room was instantly filled with the fragrant scent of lotus flowers. Ak Mujin felt his heart sink and swallowed hard. His scent also began to leak out little by little, resonating with Jin Geum-ryeon’s scent and blending together.
“Hic, wait a minute….”
The memory of almost being assaulted in the apothecary began to resurface. He was suppressed by the scent back then and had no choice but to succumb without doing anything, and now that the same thing was about to happen again today, he even felt wronged.
His breath gradually became rough, and he hurriedly groped his chest, searching for the medicine bottle that Jang Cheon-woo had given him. Finally, when he took it out of his arms, Jin Geum-ryeon immediately grabbed his wrist and stopped him.
Jin Geum-ryeon’s eyes sank.
“You were a Yin Person, after all.”
Ak Mujin stared at him with his mouth open.
“You smell like Green Snail Spring.”
Note:
- Gu poison: A type of poison using insects.
- Green Snail Spring: A type of green tea.