By Zephyria 
Even as the highest authority of the Sandow Union, it was difficult to wander off for several days without prior notice. Therefore, Ak Mujin guessed that Jin Geum-ryeon’s actions suggested he was considering relinquishing some of his responsibilities as Lord, which bothered him slightly.
Moreover, at the Sandow Union’s banquet a few days ago, the four Ta-ju had visited Ak Mujin all at once, begging him to change the Lord’s mind.
Although Ak Mujin had roughly guessed this from Jin Geum-ryeon’s remarks some time ago, the Ta-ju seemed so desperate that Ak Mujin was also curious about his true intentions.
At his question, Jin Geum-ryeon blinked as he walked slowly.
“…It’s a union that can be sufficiently maintained even without me. I’m considering Hao Mun-ju as the next Lord, and Ok-ryeong will do very well.”
Ok-ryeong was quite a capable talent, so Ak Mujin agreed with that. But Ak Mujin wondered if it was the right time.
“But, they helped you to subjugate the heavenly mountain. Although it’s almost eradicated, there are still remnants of the Demon Cult, and other forces that have witnessed the power of the Sandow Union are in a very unstable state. Not to mention the martial alliance.”
It was somewhat reasonable. Jin Geum-ryeon listened silently to Ak Mujin’s words.
“So, these next few years are when you are most needed. If you don’t want to see the Sandow Union collapse, you need to be there.”
“But… I don’t want to be tied to the Sandow Union.”
Having said that, Jin Geum-ryeon seemed to hesitate, then stopped in his tracks and looked at Ak Mujin. Ak Mujin also stopped walking and looked up at his face, which looked so pitiful that his heart seemed to boil.
“If… you want to leave suddenly, I want to respect you, but I’ll want to hold you back even more. I’ll even want to chase after you. But if I’m still the Lord of the Sandow Union, I won’t be free to move, will I?”
Ak Mujin was stunned. He had no idea that Jin Geum-ryeon was thinking such childish thoughts, so he just stood there blankly, staring at him. Seeing Jin Geum-ryeon anxiously checking his expression, he burst out laughing.
“Hahahaha!”
“…Why are you laughing? I’m serious.”
“Hahahaha, really, you are…”
It was so funny that tears welled up in his eyes. When Jin Geum-ryeon looked at him with a sulky face, Ak Mujin, who had barely suppressed his laughter, took a step closer and stroked his cheek.
“Now that we’re like this, is there any chance I’d ever leave you?”
“…Ahn Do-hyun…”
Seeing him trying to reassure him, Jin Geum-ryeon stared at Ak Mujin and blinked.
Ak Mujin recited in a low voice with clear pronunciation. As he listened to his words, Jin Geum-ryeon’s tense face began to regain its peace as if relieved.
I won’t make you anxious anymore. I won’t do that.”
*
After Ak Mujin and Jin Geum-ryeon returned to the Sandow Union, about a month passed, and the Central Plains had stabilized to some extent. Chun-wol and Seo-mok were also free to move around as the threat to their lives had disappeared, so they had already attended a banquet once. However, they were disappointed that they couldn’t talk properly at the time because the surroundings were too chaotic, so they had asked to visit again.
Chun-wol was currently taking care of the houses of courtesans that no longer had a Demon Cult to manage, and eight out of ten of them had already been transformed into sound chambers. All the courtesans who had been unfairly held captive were released, and thanks to the employment of entertainers with a talent for music, the place was always crowded without attracting any dirty bastards. Seo-mok assisted her by her side and occasionally relayed news to Ak Mujin.
Chun-wol’s houses of courtesans were still fulfilling their duties as the two’s intelligence agency. Ak Mujin and Jin Geum-ryeon were able to hear through her that the martial alliance had been somewhat turbulent recently, but the news of the martial alliance lord’s replacement was already a public fact, so they didn’t even need to hear it through her.
“Congratulations, Lord.”
“Congratulations.They were in the reception room attached to the annex used by Ak Mujin and Jin Geum-ryeon, which was decorated in a very secluded manner. Chun-wol and Seo-mok had already appeared at a banquet once to celebrate the victory, but they emphasized once again that it was not an easy task. Jin Geum-ryeon smiled and emptied his glass, accepting their toast.
“Now you have nothing to worry about, Elder.”
This time, Chun-wol, who was turning to Ak Mujin and offering him a drink, had pleasantly flushed cheeks. Jin Geum-ryeon’s heart fluttered with jealousy as he watched. He knew her feelings for Ak Mujin. Perhaps that was why Jin Geum-ryeon pouted when he saw Ak Mujin accepting Chun-wol’s toast and smiling contentedly.
“It’s a cause for celebration for all of us. Of course… as someone who has spent half his life there, it’s not that I don’t feel a little sad.”
Ak Mujin took a sip of the sweet fruit wine, put down his glass, and said bitterly. Of course, he had wanted to escape the Demon Cult throughout his time there, and he found it difficult to get along with its members, but as someone who had belonged there, he was not entirely happy to celebrate the Demon Cult’s collapse.
“How could you not feel that way? People always have memories in their hearts, no matter where they go.”
Chun-wol was right. Not all demonic cultists were bad, and like Seo-mok, Chun-wol, and Jin Geum-ryeon’s mother, Jin Sang-aeng, there were quite a few who had given him good memories. When Ak Mujin was just rolling his glass around, Jin Geum-ryeon noticed and pushed a plate of snacks towards him.
“But you must draw a clear line. It is certainly true that the place left a cruelly large scar on many people.”
“Chun-wol, you’re right.”
Ak Mujin fully agreed with that and filled Seo-mok’s empty glass. Then Seo-mok smiled. Seo-mok had a few more scars since she had been captured and severely tortured by Joo Mu-jeong. Seeing that, Ak Mujin’s heart ached again.
“Are there any other painful spots?”
“Thanks to the Lord’s care, I’m much better. The broken bones have also mostly healed. They say I just need a little more treatment.”
Seo-mok said in a lively voice and bowed to Jin Geum-ryeon. Watching this scene, Ak Mujin felt a little better and filled his empty glass and toasted again. Then Chun-wol’s face flushed a little more red. Jin Geum-ryeon, who had keenly noticed that, narrowed his eyes and quickly changed the subject.
“When will the martial alliance lord step down?”
“Although the martial alliance lord’s resistance was severe, it seems that it will not last beyond this year. The next martial alliance lord will likely come from the Jegal clan, the Moryong clan, or the Jeonjin sect.”
All four people in the room nodded. Considering the size and influence of the mentioned forces, it was not difficult for them to produce a martial alliance lord.
The story was in full swing, and when everyone was somewhat drunk and dizzy, Chun-wol began to hesitate as if she wanted to say something, watching Jin Geum-ryeon’s reaction. Then Jin Geum-ryeon stopped drinking and faced her.
“Um, Lord…”
Chun-wol hesitated and continued.
“Elder Mae-yeong, he damaged some instruments again… I think you’ll have to pay for them…”
She trailed off. This was not the first time this had happened, so she was embarrassed to make such a request every time.
That’s right. Mae-yeong was currently staying at Chun-wol’s sound chamber and selling music! Within the Sandow Union, many people visited Jin Geum-ryeon and begged him, saying that it was unacceptable for the Supreme Lord to be doing such lowly work, but even Jin Geum-ryeon could not break his teacher’s stubbornness, so he could only watch the situation as it was.
When Jin Geum-ryeon grabbed his head as if he had a headache, Ak Mujin burst out laughing with a flushed face.
“Haven’t you persuaded him yet?”
“…Master is too stubborn.”
Ak Mujin and Seo-mok tried to hold back their laughter because they couldn’t laugh openly when the Lord of the Sandow Union was having such a hard time. Chun-wol was also fidgeting by his side. Jin Geum-ryeon muttered with a dejected face and rang the bell to call a subordinate and ordered them to thoroughly investigate and compensate for the damages to the sound chamber before Chun-wol left.
Chun-wol thanked him and, as she was talking about his teacher, she suddenly remembered something else and looked at Jin Geum-ryeon and said.
“Come to think of it, Elder Mae-yeong has been saying something every time I run into him these days… He says he’s been having some very mystical dreams lately, and he has a good feeling.”
“What…?”
Seo-mok, Jin Geum-ryeon, and Ak Mujin’s gazes turned to her.
“A dream of walking by a lake and a dragon rising, a dream of obtaining a secret manual hidden by San-gun a thousand years ago, a dream of eating a large peach…”
“Isn’t that a pregnancy dream?”
The drunk Seo-mok asked as she thought of it with slurred pronunciation. Hearing that, Chun-wol and Jin Geum-ryeon were startled.
“Master, by any chance, with some Yang person…?”
‘That can’t be. Master hates Yang people!’
Thinking that it would be a disaster if it was really a pregnancy dream, Jin Geum-ryeon quickly started thinking about settling his teacher in the Sandow Union. But, a wet sound of sniffing started to be heard nearby.
Ak Mujin wiped his eyes haphazardly with his sleeve, his eyes glistening with tears.
“Why are you crying all of a sudden? What’s wrong?”
Jin Geum-ryeon hurriedly asked, and Chun-wol also paid attention to him and started checking his condition. Seo-mok had already passed out, burying her head in the table.
“…Strawberry…”
Ak Mujin muttered sullenly with his lips pouting. He somehow felt sad when he looked down at his table. The Dasik and candied fruit were delicious, but above all, it was because there was something he wanted to eat the most right now. No sooner had he felt sad and sorrowful than a tear rolled down his left cheek.
He glared at Jin Geum-ryeon and muttered again as if possessed.
“…I want to eat strawberries.”
Jin Geum-ryeon and Chun-wol’s faces were filled with shock, and Ak Mujin, who was shedding tears like beads, also gradually began to turn pale. Suddenly, the identity of this world hit Ak Mujin in the back of the head.
What… what did I just say…?
It’s a dream, right?
Tell me it’s a dream!!
<How to Survive as an Original Author in a Doujinshi Main Story END>
Hi, this is the end of this series, there’s no info about the side stories yet, but I’ll work on it if there’s one. Thank you so much for reading this measly mtl+edit. See you in another story~