Geom Woojin was in the rear courtyard, training in martial arts alone.
Hwi stood outside the wall, listening to the sounds of the Cult Leader’s training.
Because he had always been at the Cult Leader’s side, only he knew. He knew that lately, the Cult Leader had been more earnest in his martial training than ever before. He also knew that Geom Mugeuk had been the catalyst.
The Cult Leader’s breathing, his footsteps, the sound of him leaping, the sound of his sword cutting through the air, the sound of him releasing and withdrawing his aura.
They were sounds Hwi had heard for a very long time. Not once had he ever directly watched the Cult Leader while he trained. The Cult Leader had said it was fine for him to look, but Hwi, adhering to principle, had listened only to the sounds without watching him train.
Even from sound alone, Hwi could tell. No—perhaps it was because he had only ever listened that he could tell even better.
The Cult Leader’s realm had changed. He had believed the Cult Leader had nowhere higher to climb, but could there truly be another realm beyond that?
Without question, the Cult Leader’s sounds had changed.
Just as that bout of training came to an end, someone came to the manor.
When Hwi went out to see, it was Hwang In, who had visited once before.
“What brings you here?”
Hwang In spoke to Hwi with a frightened expression.
“May I speak directly to the Sect Leader?”
Hwi brought him to the rear courtyard.
“The leader of the Hwangdo Merchant Guild has come.”
From beyond the wall came Geom Woojin’s voice.
“Let him in.”
All the way here, Hwang In had been recalling what Geom Mugeuk had told him.
Do not meet his eyes, and be courteous.
“I greet the Sect Leader.”
After bowing politely, he spoke with his head lowered.
“Your son has been taken captive. By the person who came down to investigate this matter. He said the Sect Leader would cook for her, but she would not listen, so he said he would cook for her himself. No, that is not it.”
To Hwang In, who was rambling, Hwi said,
“Where is the place?”
“If you go about ten li west from the marketplace, there is an old manor.”
Originally, these were the words Geum Arin had told him to relay before he came here. Then Geom Mugeuk had interrupted.
—Wouldn’t it be confusing if you explained it only like that? From where in the marketplace is it ten li? Are there any forks in the road along the way? Are there any other manors in similar places? You must explain in detail.
—You said your father would not come.
At Geum Arin’s words, Geom Mugeuk had acted as though he were in anguish.
—He is a heartless man, you see.
Hwang In could tell. Geom Mugeuk was secretly hoping his father would come.
‘But your intuition was right.’
Just as Geom Mugeuk had said, Geom Woojin showed no sign of worry, nor even interest.
“I was told to tell you to come there. Alone.”
As if that was enough, Hwi said,
“Understood. You may leave now.”
Hwang In turned away, then stopped in his tracks. It was because he thought he had to bring Geom Woojin there somehow for Geom Mugeuk to survive. Only if Geom Mugeuk lived would he live too.
“Your son’s internal energy has been sealed.”
But that did not work.
“Your son told me again and again to explain the location of the manor properly so you would not be confused. He was truly desperate and earnest!”
Even earnest pleading, padded with exaggeration, did not work.
At the still blunt response, Hwang In bowed his head and turned away.
“Then I will take my leave.”
Hwi knew the Cult Leader better than anyone. He was not the sort to make a move over something the Young Cult Leader could escape from on his own.
But Geom Woojin once again showed Hwi, here and now, that the change in him was not merely in the sounds of his martial arts.
At that moment, Geom Woojin asked Hwang In, who had been walking away in the distance,
“Did he finish the shopping?”
At the unexpected question, Hwang In did not understand what he meant at first, but soon answered quickly.
“Yes! Even with his internal energy sealed, he shopped with both hands full. Vegetables, meat, and even fruit to eat for dessert—he bought everything.”
Was he imagining that sight? Geom Woojin smiled faintly.
“Lead the way.”
In truth, the one more surprised than Hwang In was Hwi.
As he silently followed behind Geom Woojin, Hwi had a premonition that protecting him would become more difficult from now on.
If the Cult Leader changed, then he too would have to change in order to protect him.
Even so, this change seemed to come as something welcome to Hwi. For on the lips of the man following behind him, there appeared a precious smile as rare to see as the Cult Leader’s own.
* * *
The appointed place was an old manor in a sparsely traveled area.
As soon as Geum Arin returned, she planted ambushes throughout the manor.
They were the people she had brought down with her this time. They were not many in number, but they were experts in surprise attacks.
They lay in ambush on all sides. Up in trees, on rooftops, behind buildings. Since they were all deeply experienced, they found their own positions.
Even if the opponent managed to defend against their surprise attacks, he would not be able to block her own attack in the opening that followed. The opponent would not leave this place alive.
Whether he knew the gravity of the situation or not, Geom Mugeuk came out of the kitchen carrying tableware.
‘He is really going to cook in this situation?’
Just as he had defied her expectations by going shopping, Geom Mugeuk began preparing to cook in the very place where the ambush was underway.
He lit a fire in the courtyard, brought out bowls and utensils, and washed them in clean water.
Then, with practiced skill, he began preparing the ingredients. Geum Arin watched him with the thought, Let us see how far you go.
As he peeled an onion, Geom Mugeuk said,
“Every time I cook, it feels as though I am learning martial arts. Lighting the fire, washing the bowls, studying what ingredients to use, trying this seasoning and that ingredient. Then, once the optimal method comes out, repeating it. What do you think? Isn’t it similar to our martial arts?”
“If you force the comparison like that, what wouldn’t be similar?”
At Geum Arin’s cold response, Geom Mugeuk smiled and admitted it.
“You are right. Playing an instrument, painting, even going out to work every day—all of them are alike.”
As he said that, perhaps because the onion was stinging, Geom Mugeuk closed his eyes. Seeing the tears well up, Geum Arin thought at least this one thing was certain.
‘A martial artist cries while peeling onions? This truly is the first time I have seen someone like this.’
Most martial artists were like those onions. People whose insides could not be known.
Some hid their outer selves, others their inner selves.
Some were weak but pretended to be strong, while others were strong but pretended to be weak.
But this man was a new type. He did not seem weak, yet he did not seem strong either.
That was why she could not make a decision. That was why she was watching this absurd scene that moved outside the bounds of her common sense.
“To be honest, I am better at cooking than my father. Know that thanks to this, you will be eating tastier food.”
It was right then.
Without realizing it, Geum Arin’s gaze turned behind her.
And it was not only her. The gazes of those lying in ambush there also naturally turned toward the main gate she was looking at.
How long had he been standing there? Outside the wide-open main gate stood a man with his hands clasped behind his back.
It was none other than Geom Woojin.
A silence flowed for an instant.
Geum Arin’s heart began pounding so violently that she could hear it in her ears.
The opponent had not revealed any particular aura, nor had he glared at her coldly, yet her entire body went rigid as though frozen.
Why was she like this? The opponent had done nothing.
She could tell that the gazes of those hiding themselves were also all fixed on that place. The presence of that man standing there at ease, hands behind his back, was setting everyone’s nerves on edge and drawing them in.
The one who broke the silence, in which not even the sound of breathing could be heard, was Geom Mugeuk.
“Father! You came to rescue your son! As expected! I knew you were not a heartless father who would abandon his child!”
The corner of Geom Woojin’s mouth curved into a sneer. This time, that sneer said this to his son: You? I came to rescue those people being toyed with by you.
Geom Woojin slowly walked inside. Behind him, Hwang In followed cautiously.
When Geom Woojin entered the courtyard, someone appeared between Geom Woojin and Geum Arin.
The white-haired masked man was Im Hyeok, the personal guard who had protected Geum Arin since childhood.
“Please leave at once, my lady.”
Having lived as a martial artist for a long time, Im Hyeok had experienced many martial artists. This was the first time he had faced an opponent who made him feel such primal danger. What was even more astonishing was the fact that the opponent had not revealed any aura at all.
Shwiiik!
Hidden weapons flew toward Geom Woojin. Under normal circumstances, this would have been the moment to shout, “Attack together harder!”
Clang!
Yet astonishingly, the one who threw himself forward and struck down the hidden weapon was Im Hyeok. He also hurled himself forward to knock away the second and third hidden weapons.
“Cease attacks! Stop!”
He halted the ambush. He had realized that their surprise attacks would not work on this opponent. It was an instinctive judgment that they must not provoke him.
‘If we touch him, we will all be slaughtered!’
His snow-white hair was a symbol of his years and experience, and he proved that with his excellent judgment.
“Everyone withdraw!”
At Im Hyeok’s command, everyone who had been lying in ambush withdrew.
Geum Arin launched herself forward. It was not because she had listened to him and fled.
She moved behind Geom Mugeuk and placed her sword against his neck. It was a declaration that if Im Hyeok was touched, she would kill Geom Mugeuk.
Geom Mugeuk said to her,
“There was a reason you have survived until now.”
It meant that Im Hyeok had protected her well.
At that moment, as taut tension filled the air.
“Put away the sword.”
Geom Woojin’s low words carried an absolute dignity that none could dare defy.
Im Hyeok’s judgment remained good until the very end.
He put away his sword without hesitation. Sometimes, one could protect someone by sheathing one’s sword.
Then he looked at Geum Arin. His eyes spoke. Hurry and do as he says.
Geum Arin withdrew her sword. But she did not move away from Geom Mugeuk.
As if nothing had happened, Geom Mugeuk said to his father,
“Today, I will cook for you.”
“Did you buy enough?”
“Yes. I bought plenty, just in case.”
The words just in case carried the meaning that he had anticipated his father might come. They also held his wish that his father would.
It was right then.
Geom Woojin rolled up his sleeves and approached Geom Mugeuk.
Then he quietly began trimming the vegetables. He was helping his son cook.
Geom Mugeuk looked at his father with a surprised expression, then quietly focused on the cooking.
He was so shocked and moved that he could not even think to crack a joke.
Cooking together with his father.
It was something he was doing for the first time since returning to the past. There were many things he wanted to do with his father, but he had never imagined there would come a moment when they would cook together.
He was all the more moved because this was not a moment he had created, but one his father had created.
‘Father, thank you.’
Geum Arin watched the scene with a frozen expression.
The fact that Im Hyeok had stepped forward like this meant that he had sensed a strength in the opponent that she herself had failed to perceive.
‘Just what are these people?’
She had never heard of a father and son like this existing in the martial world.
—You must absolutely not act rashly.
It was Im Hyeok’s sound transmission. This was the first time she had seen Im Hyeok so afraid and tense. She herself did not feel danger to that extent.
A short while later, Geom Mugeuk and Geom Woojin finished the food.
Finally, Geom Mugeuk called for Hwi.
“Uncle.”
At that, Hwi released his concealment and revealed himself between Im Hyeok and Geom Woojin.
“Gah!”
Im Hyeok let out a short cry. It was the first time Geum Arin had seen Im Hyeok so startled by someone’s appearance.
He was not startled because he recognized Hwi, but because of the level of his concealment technique.
Im Hyeok had not known that the other party had been hiding only a few steps away from him.
Others might vaguely think, How impressive, but he alone knew. He knew just how remarkable the concealment technique behind that single move of revealing himself had been.
It was a move that would shock the more one was an expert. Hwi’s concealment technique was that perfect.
That was not the only surprise. There was the air of a master he felt from Hwi’s appearance. The other man was clearly a guard warrior. A guard recognized another guard.
‘I have never in my life seen a guard warrior this strong.’
Just who was he protecting?
His ability befitted the presence of the man who had appeared before him.
His gaze naturally turned toward Geom Woojin.
This much was certain. Though he did not know who that man was, he was someone whose name anyone would recognize the moment they heard it.
Then Hwi looked at Im Hyeok. There were things that passed between guards who had devoted themselves to loyalty and service for a long time. What kind of guard the other was, what sort of life he must have lived.
That must have been why Hwi sent this sound transmission.
—Do you wish to protect your master? Then stop. Your thoughts, your actions. And keep your mouth shut.
Im Hyeok understood that it was advice to leave everything to them. It was not advice given to just anyone.
And so they all sat around the table. Hwi, Im Hyeok, and even Hwang In took their seats.
“Now then, let’s eat.”
Geom Ujin ate the food.
“How does it taste?”
Geom Mugeuk asked nervously. He had been the head cook today, while his father had merely assisted. The Young Cult Leader cooking, and the Heavenly Demon assisting. It was truly a day that would never be forgotten in the history of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, nor in the personal histories of the two men.
“Not bad.”
Coming from his father, an assessment like that was practically praise on the level of, “What a delicacy!”
This time, he asked Geum Arin.
“Why are you not eating, young lady? Go on, eat. A dish made by my father and me is something you’ll have a hard time tasting again in your lifetime.”
Geum Arin had not yet picked up her chopsticks.
She was in turmoil. The situation had ended before she could even try anything. Now, it had slipped beyond her control. She had always believed herself to be someone who knew how to restrain herself at times like this, but this situation was…
“What on earth is this?”
The sigh escaped her before she knew it.
Im Hyeok told her with his eyes that she had to endure it. Of course, she trusted Im Hyeok’s judgment.
Even so, while she could endure a sword being drawn, she could not endure this question.
“What are you?”
A question she had asked and pondered several times, yet still had not found the answer to.
Geom Mugeuk looked at her with clear, deep eyes.
“By chance, I saw someone being forced into an unreasonable contract and helped them. When things went wrong, the ones doing the forcing tried to kill us. So I killed them. Were they such great men that you came all this way to avenge them?”
Because he spoke in such a calm, composed tone, and because until now he had mostly been saying frivolous things, Geom Mugeuk’s words struck her heavily.
“Why ask who we are? Is this not the time to ask yourself who you are? Are you the kind of person who deserves to die, like those dead men? Or are you someone worth saving?”
“!”
Geum Arin could not answer.
Rage surged up within her. But she could not show that emotion. Because another feeling, tangled together with that rage and holding it back from bursting out, was fear.
Geom Mugeuk was asking her now.
Are you a human being worth saving?
Amid the heavy silence, only the sound of chewing could be heard there.
Water being poured, chopsticks moving.
Geom Mugeuk and Geom Ujin ate naturally, as they usually did. Hwi and Hwang In ate cautiously, while Geum Arin and Im Hyeok could hardly eat at all.
It was then that a sound came from far away.
The sound grew louder and louder.
Dududududu.
It was the sound of a carriage racing toward them.
The manor stood in a secluded place, somewhere no one should have had any reason to come.
And so, like fate itself, the carriage came rushing in and arrived outside the gate.
Absolute Regression Chapter 461