Although they had always stayed together except for the first inn, today felt strangely tense.
The memory of spending a night in a ruin that couldn’t even be called a room kept flashing back, making Ak Mujin’s ears burn. Actually, it had been like that the entire time he was with Jin Geum-ryeon. It was like that when he wrapped his arm around Ak Mujin’s waist and climbed up the tree, and it was enough just walking beside him…
“I’ll be right back.”
It was Jin Geum-ryeon’s low voice that broke Ak Mujin’s thoughts. Was this tension only felt by Ak Mujin alone?
Jin Geum-ryeon, seemingly without feeling any particular emotion, nonchalantly unpacked his luggage, took out a small paper bundle from his pocket, and left the room.
It was his first time, wasn’t it?
But why is he so calm?
Losing his virginity was the same for both him and Jin Geum-ryeon, but Ak Mujin felt somehow wronged by Jin Geum-ryeon’s attitude as if it was nothing.
He quickly shook his head and sat on the windowsill to feel the cold air, opening the window. The night air, uninvited, walked into the room in an instant and cooled Ak Mujin’s face.
The outside scenery, which he was seeing for the first time since entering the inn, was completely shrouded in darkness. All the lights that had brightly lit the streets were turned off, and people no longer seemed to be walking around.
Seeing the place that had been so bustling and full of life suddenly turn dark as if dead, even the slight intoxication he had felt from drinking Chrysanthemum Wine felt like a dream.
That feeling overlapped with Jin Geum-ryeon’s attitude, and Ak Mujin tore at his sleeve for a reason he couldn’t understand, feeling down.
How much more time had passed?
Just as Ak Mujin was sitting blankly on the edge of the bed, counting the branches of the cheap painting hanging on the wall, the door to the room opened and Jin Geum-ryeon strode inside.
Ak Mujin had been thinking about Jin Geum-ryeon the whole time until just now, so he felt embarrassed when the person in question actually entered and cleared his throat.
“The inn is kind. They even packed Candied fruit in case I don’t know what the medicine is for.”
Jin Geum-ryeon placed a tray on the table and then threw something towards Ak Mujin. Instinctively catching it, Ak Mujin opened his palm and looked at what was inside. It had a refreshing and sweet scent, like apples stewed in sugar.
“The sooner you eat it, the better the effect will be. If you have a stomachache, take a painkiller.”
Jin Geum-ryeon said that and threw a small bottle containing Elixir from his sleeve to Ak Mujin once more. This small bottle was received from Jang Cheon-woo, and it was a medicine that he often gave when Ak Mujin used Inner Force excessively and vomited blood, or when he couldn’t rest properly and lost his strength.
Seeing him give it, Ak Mujin thought that the time to part ways must be near. He put the bottle in his sleeve and got up from his seat, approaching the table. Conversely, Jin Geum-ryeon casually walked to his bed and lay down.
The pitch-black medicine smelled strongly of herbal medicine. But it didn’t feel hot when he picked up the medicine, as if it had been cooled down a bit, so Ak Mujin swallowed it in one gulp.
The taste was no different from the medicine he had eaten so far, but it seemed to have a bit more bitterness. Since it was Contraceptive Medicine, it felt more special for no reason, and it also felt like it was worse for his body.
Ak Mujin put Candied fruit in his mouth to relieve the lingering bitterness on his tongue that remained strongly on his tongue as it went down his throat.
“Why are you so calm?”
Ak Mujin’s eyes widened at the question that came as he chewed on the soft apple with his molars.
Who? Me?
As he slowly turned his head, Jin Geum-ryeon was already sitting up and looking up at him.
“…Are you saying I’m calm?”
“Yes.”
Ak Mujin let out a scoff as if he was dumbfounded at the answer that came without hesitation. Jin Geum-ryeon found that appearance to be quite cynical.
“…It sounds strange. Aren’t you the one who’s calm?”
“What do you mean?”
Ak Mujin became frustrated as if he really didn’t know and was asking. One of his eyebrows twitched slightly.
“What happened the night we left Illusion Valley. Are you really okay with it?”
“……”
Jin Geum-ryeon was silent for a moment.
“Yes. It was an accident that we both made a mistake.”
“……”
“It was just an accident, that incident. It was something that neither you nor I could help. It’s not a situation where we can hold anyone responsible…”
“But regardless of whether there is responsibility, it’s too big of a deal to just let it pass…”
“Why would you mention something again that is only disgusting to dwell on?”
Jin Geum-ryeon couldn’t stand it and spat out irritably.
Ak Mujin froze for a moment from the unexpected shock. The person who said those words was the same.
Even though his head was dizzy, he nodded slowly as if he understood. Jin Geum-ryeon’s words were like a lamp that brightly illuminated Ak Mujin’s head, which had been full of lingering questions.
It would be unpleasant to have been intimate with an enemy, let alone anyone else. It would be disgusting.
No matter how friendly Jin Geum-ryeon treated him, it was only a superficial action, and Ahn Do-hyun knew exactly what emotions he was hiding inside. Jin Geum-ryeon is a person who can be kind to his enemies for the sake of revenge. He blamed himself for foolishly settling for that kindness, even though he himself had created the protagonist Jin Geum-ryeon that way. Even though he himself called Jin Geum-ryeon an enemy, why couldn’t he have thought that he would be upset?
“…I’m sorry.”
“……!”
Ak Mujin said in a tired voice after a silence.
“We have to leave early tomorrow, so it would be right to rest early…”
He slowly walked to the bed as fatigue rushed in all at once. He didn’t know why his body was creaking so much when he was trying to act like nothing was wrong.
Ak Mujin, who had safely arrived at the bed, lay down with his back to Jin Geum-ryeon. He felt Jin Geum-ryeon’s gaze following him the whole time, but he never looked at him once.
He felt strangely sad. But as someone who had harmed Jin Geum-ryeon, it was not an emotion that he could dare to harbor. He tried to suppress it and closed his eyes.
He only thought that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, but before he knew it, his vision turned blurry and his eyes closed.
\*
In the dim light, the purple lamp illuminated the Cult Leader’s face, casting a dark shadow. His fierce face was highlighted by the shadows, making him look even rougher.
A middle-aged man with a sturdy build entered the main hall, and soon he prostrated himself before the Cult Leader and bowed his head.
“Cult Leader. I think we’ve found the Second Young Master.”
“What?”
Not only the Cult Leader, but also Joo Mu-jeong, who was standing beside the Cult Leader, twitched his eyebrows.
“Second Young Master, are you saying Ak Mujin is alive?”
“Yes. It is definitely him.”
At the word “definitely,” the Cult Leader’s eyes lit up and he leaned forward as much as possible. The more he did, the more cracks began to appear on Joo Mu-jeong’s calm face.
“Where, how did you find him?”
“The last time we saw him was in a village near the Martial Alliance. Hwanggyo, who was tracking him with Elder Yeo, said he saw the Second Young Master at the night market.”
The man spoke clearly.
“Why…”
The Cult Leader muttered.
“Do you know why that bastard didn’t return to the cult?”
“He was with some brat. It seems he’s been held back because of that bastard.”
“Huh, held back by a brat? That’s ridiculous!”
As the Cult Leader became angry, the man bowed his head even further. Then Joo Mu-jeong stepped forward, bowed to him, and opened his mouth.
“It seems that Senior Brother Ak has been caught by the righteous sects. I wonder if First Young Master might know who that brat is who’s with him? Shouldn’t we get information from First Young Master as soon as possible?”
“……”
At Joo Mu-jeong’s words, the Cult Leader rubbed his temples with a troubled look on his face.
“But that bastard has already endured a lot of torture. It’s obvious that he’ll die if we do any more.”
“He might have harmed Senior Brother Ak.”
“……”
The Cult Leader only raised his eyes and stared straight at Joo Mu-jeong. Joo Mu-jeong stiffened at the force and closed his mouth, which had been running presumptuously.
“I’m sorry, Cult Leader. I misspoke.”
“……No.”
After thinking about it, the Cult Leader got up from his seat.
“It’s also true that First Young Master Kang Mu-hwi was the last person with Second Young Master at that time… Fortunately, you told me about it, otherwise I wouldn’t have known that he had ordered Cheon Dan-ho to steal the secret manual, and that he had left the cult without permission and followed Ak Mujin.”
Joo Mu-jeong bowed his head and listened carefully to the Cult Leader’s words.
“Isn’t this the kind of thing I gave you the position of Vice-Leader to do? Go and talk to First Young Master Kang Mu-hwi and report back.”
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
Joo Mu-jeong bowed respectfully, took three steps back, and strode out of the main hall.
Watching him walk out from outside the main hall was Seo-mok, the former deputy commander of the Crimson Kill Squad.