“As you can see, I have honored guests.”
Cha Iran smiled and rose from her seat.
Indeed, if he was the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, then he was the most honored guest Sa Juyeong and Igaek had ever seen in their lives.
“Don’t mind us. Go on.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Cha Iran got up and went over to the table where Geom Mugeuk and Lee An were seated.
Sa Juyeong looked at Igaek. Igaek nodded once at him with an expression that said he had done well.
There were many times when Sa Juyeong acted without sense, but at times like this, he knew how to read the room.
Sa Juyeong sent Igaek a voice transmission.
—Do you think we’ll be able to get money out of them now?
Scratch that thought from a moment ago. He still had a long way to go before he could properly read the room.
—You mean take money from the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s friend under the pretext of protection fees? We should count ourselves lucky if they don’t take money from us instead.
Sa Juyeong stole a glance at Geom Mugeuk. Not only him, but every guest in the inn was secretly looking at the Young Cult Leader.
After all, the chance to see the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult in person, and at such close range, was something that might not come even once in a lifetime.
Since he had even handed over the Black Demon Sword according to the rules, surely the Young Cult Leader wouldn’t kill anyone in this inn, would he?
With that thought in mind, they pretended not to look while furtively stealing glances at him.
—Is he really the Young Cult Leader? He’s so different from what I imagined.
He had expected the Young Cult Leader of the Demon Cult to be truly terrifying and murderous. Someone cold and chilling, the sort of person whose eyes one would find difficult even to meet.
And yet, he was so bright.
And the person protecting him? Was that beautiful woman his escort? Somehow, she did not give off that impression. She seemed like a friend, and like a lover.
—The Young Cult Leader of the Demon Cult wanders around like this without guards?
Igaek agreed with Sa Juyeong. Earlier, it had been Yeom Hwain, and now this Young Cult Leader too—there were certainly aspects that made it hard to tell whether they were real or fake.
But they could not possibly be fake. If they had impersonated not just anyone, but the friend of the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, would the Demon Cult leave them alone?
What was more, Geom Mugeuk even bought wine for everyone.
“Brother Ak, give a bottle of wine to everyone here.”
At that, the real waiters came and handed out wine. Ak Gunhak and Cha Iran could understand why Geom Mugeuk was buying wine.
To make the rumor spread faster.
How could anyone hold back from bragging that they had been treated to wine by the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?
Only then did Geom Mugeuk begin speaking with Ak Gunhak in earnest.
“You’ve decorated the inside of the inn splendidly.”
Lee An, too, looked around the interior in great admiration.
“This is the first time I’ve seen such a splendid and beautiful inn.”
“Miss Lee, let’s live here as freeloaders too. Surely they’ll give us a job.”
At that very moment, Cha Iran flinched.
“Wait!”
Cha Iran narrowed her eyes and sent him an interrogating look.
“Miss Lee? Did you just say Miss Lee?”
Geom Mugeuk pretended to be startled.
“Did I say Miss Lee?”
“And you even spoke politely.”
“Ah, what a mistake.”
Lee An shook her head. What awkward acting! Even his feigned fluster was a calculated performance meant to be seen through. He was doing it on purpose because he wanted to boast about their relationship.
Cha Iran looked at Lee An. She said nothing, but she could tell from Lee An’s expression.
“Congratulations to you both.”
At her words, Ak Gunhak also realized what was going on.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Brother Ak.”
Geom Mugeuk conveyed his honest feelings to Ak Gunhak.
“I’ve been having a hard time holding it in since earlier because I wanted to boast. When I opened that door and came in, I wanted to shout it out.”
“It’s worth boasting about. Congratulations, Miss Lee.”
At his grateful words, Lee An bowed her head.
“Thank you.”
For her sake, Ak Gunhak told a story from the past. He was not originally the sort to say such things, but even so, he felt this was something he ought to tell her.
“When I was Mugeuk’s enemy, I once asked him about Miss Lee. I asked what sort of relationship he had with her. He answered that she was someone like his own heart.”
Lee An was inwardly moved. To think he had said such a thing to this remarkable Ak Gunhak when she was not present. It meant it had not simply been one of the jokes he usually made in front of her.
Cha Iran sincerely congratulated her. However, she knew better than anyone that this would not be an easy path.
“You’ve chosen a difficult road.”
Lee An returned those words to her.
“The same goes for you, Martial Artist Cha, doesn’t it?”
“Even so, my side is a bit easier.”
Geom Mugeuk denied the women’s conversation.
“I’m a much easier person than Brother Ak in every way!”
Not only Lee An and Cha Iran, but even Ak Gunhak shook their heads at the same time.
“Are you really saying I’m more difficult than that free spirit?”
Cha Iran nodded firmly.
“It’s more surprising that you didn’t know.”
After that round of congratulations, Ak Gunhak asked as if curious.
“Does the Cult Leader know?”
“Not yet. I’ll have to tell him when I return.”
Lee An’s heart pounded. Just imagining the moment they told the Cult Leader that the two of them were dating made her feel as though her heart would burst already.
And how would her father react?
Ak Gunhak said to the waiter,
“Go bring out the best wine.”
The waiter brought the most expensive wine in the Hero Inn.
“We ought to have a celebratory drink.”
Just as the four of them were about to raise their cups in a toast.
A man stepped into the inn.
He was a well-dressed middle-aged man with smooth skin.
Looking at him, Geom Mugeuk smiled an inscrutable smile and said,
“All sorts of things really do come here.”
It was a remark that saw through the other party at a glance. In that respect, Lee An had also learned everything, and she likewise grasped the man’s nature immediately.
“It must be very hard to run a business.”
Ak Gunhak sighed and said,
“Still, he is a guest, so we must receive him for now.”
Ak Gunhak rose from his seat, walked over to the man, and asked,
“Is this your first time at our inn?”
“It is.”
“Please read the rules over there first.”
The man read the rules. Seeing that he did not appear particularly surprised, it seemed he had likely come here already knowing about the rules of this place.
“I don’t use weapons, so that doesn’t apply. I have no intention of fighting or killing anyone, so that’s fine. I won’t be staying more than seven days, so that doesn’t matter either.”
“How many days do you intend to stay?”
“I plan to stay about two days. Before you give me a room, I’ll have a cup of wine first.”
“Please take any seat you like.”
The man walked into the inn.
Igaek, who had abundant experience, recognized who he was.
—Do not meet that man’s eyes.
—Who is he?
—He is the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost!
The Jade-Faced Yin Ghost was a notorious lecher in the martial world. He had raped and murdered countless women, and after being named a public enemy of the martial world, his whereabouts had become uncertain. Today, however, he had appeared here.
—If he’s a lecher, then he’s come after the owner of this place, hasn’t he?
—Most likely.
—We should tell them.
—You must be cautious. That man is famous for being petty and insidious, and for always taking revenge. He looks to be in his thirties, but in reality he is an old man well past seventy.
—He’s over seventy?
—His internal power is that profound.
What Igaek feared was that if they stepped forward needlessly, they might incur the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s grudge and put Sa Juyeong in danger. Such was the extent of the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s infamy.
—They have the Young Cult Leader with them, so let us watch for now.
Would they really be able to tell that the man was a lecher?
Indeed, the man was the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost Igaek had spoken of. Having heard the rumor that the owner of Hero Inn was exceedingly beautiful, he had come here.
After becoming a public enemy of the martial world, he had not appeared in such crowded places, but today he had taken the risk.
“It was worth it.”
The moment he saw Cha Iran’s face, he was so delighted he felt as if he might fly. For a woman as beautiful as that, he thought he would break his rule of not keeping a woman for more than a day and live with her for a while.
Just then, Lee An, who had had her back turned, looked to the side and revealed her face.
The Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s expression brightened radiantly.
“Today will be the greatest day of my life.”
If possible, he resolved to abduct both women.
“Peerless beauties like these are bound to have guards.”
The Jade-Faced Yin Ghost glanced at Geom Mugeuk seated beside them. With his innocent and kind-looking face, he seemed like the scion of some prestigious family.
The ponytailed man who had made him read the rules did not look like an especially impressive master either.
“An inn that puts up rules like these must surely have prepared some expert.”
But no matter how he looked around, he could not see any expert protecting the women.
In any case, it did not matter. Once the flames of lust had been lit, whether someone protected them or not, he intended to abduct those women no matter what.
Having already been named a public enemy of the martial world, he had no way back anyway.
Cha Iran rose from her seat.
“I’ll go to the rear garden for a moment. There’s something I was handling earlier.”
She got up and walked toward the rear garden.
After looking around, the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost rose as if going to the privy and followed her out.
The Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s heart pounded. It had truly been a long time since he had trembled like this while hunting a woman.
Passing through the corridor, he emerged into the rear garden.
She walked across the beautifully decorated garden, and the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost secretly followed behind her.
When he turned the corner, Cha Iran was standing there.
“Were you following me?”
Since he sensed no presence nearby, the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost revealed his true colors.
“It is your fault for being born beautiful.”
“And not your fault for being born ugly?”
Since her reaction was not one of fear, the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s gaze sharpened.
“Before that, I should finish what I was doing.”
When she stepped aside, the scene behind her was revealed. It was a sight he truly had not expected.
There was a deep pit there, and beside it lay a corpse.
Cha Iran walked over to the corpse.
Standing there, the Jade-Faced Yin Ghost asked coldly,
“Who is the dead man?”
“Someone who failed to keep the third rule of this inn.”
He was someone who had broken the rules in the inn and killed another person.
“Even if the inn out front is splendid and beautiful, there is bound to be a side like this as well. You would know that well, wouldn’t you? Like the ugliness beneath that smooth face of yours.”
The Jade-Faced Yin Ghost’s face twitched.
“I was called away earlier while I was working. This actually worked out.”
Looking down into the pit, Cha Iran added,
“It seems I won’t have to do the work twice.”
***
—That woman must have been done in.
Sa Juyeong, who had watched the two of them leave, sent Igaek a voice transmission.
—We should have warned her beforehand.
Then Igaek said something he had not expected.
—The woman will be fine.
—Why are you so sure?
—The three people over there all saw him follow her. Yet none of them even cared.
—That must be because they don’t know who he is.
Perhaps that was so.
But Igaek felt that was not the case. This inn was not the sort of inn where they could thoughtlessly interfere.
—Should we leave now? No, if we do that, we might end up being blamed.
All sorts of thoughts flashed through Sa Juyeong’s mind.
—If something happens to her, that Young Cult Leader of the Demon Cult might kill us all. It’s right to leave, isn’t it? Right?
Just as he was worrying about every possible thing, Cha Iran opened the back door and came inside again.
As she walked, her eyes met Sa Juyeong’s.
“Great Hero Sa, are the wine and dishes to your taste?”
“They are excellent.”
At that moment, Sa Juyeong saw it. The blood on her sleeve had increased by quite a bit.
“...There’s more blood on you.”
At that, Cha Iran replied casually, as if it were an everyday occurrence.
“Don’t worry. It isn’t my blood.”
As he swallowed hard, Cha Iran added with a smile,
“I’m joking, joking. Then please enjoy your meal.”
Watching her return to her original seat, Sa Juyeong said to Igaek,
—Let’s hurry and get out of this unpleasant place.
—Let’s do that.
The two rose from their seats.
After settling the bill, they were about to leave when the inn door opened, and two men exuding a ferocious killing intent entered with their swords aimed forward.
“Back off! From now on, anyone who moves dies!”
Sa Juyeong and Igaek stepped back again.
—This damned inn!
One of the two martial artists who had entered leaped over to the place where Ak Gunhak always stood and said,
“Look at this.”
The man pulled the Spirit-Subduing Flame Saber out of the stand in the corner where the swords were stuck.
“Didn’t I say I saw it here?”
“Is that really the Jeryeong Flame Saber?”
the man said, drawing the Jeryeong Flame Saber.
“Look, it’s the genuine article!”
Then something new caught his eye.
“Look here! Here!”
He grew excited as he looked at the two swords on the rack.
“These are the Sun-Moon Swords!”
Watching him, Ak Gunhak let out a sigh and said,
“They’re making even more of a fuss than usual today.”
Since the inn had only recently opened, all manner of people had been coming by nonstop. But this was the first time incidents had broken out one after another like this in a single day.
Returning to her seat, Cha Iran looked at Geom Mugeuk and said,
“We do have someone here who brings storms wherever he goes, don’t we?”
At her words, Ak Gunhak rounded on Geom Mugeuk.
“You told me to run an inn like this just so you could watch me suffer like this, didn’t you?”
“This is how it’ll last. How could you people possibly run an ordinary inn?”
Cha Iran nodded.
“Thanks to that, we’re making plenty of money. Ah, he touched the Sun-Moon Swords. Hurry and go.”
Ak Gunhak walked over and said,
“Sir, please put down that sword first and read the rules written on the wall...”
Geom Mugeuk watched Ak Gunhak, annoyingly draining his cup.
“This place doesn’t need drinking snacks.”
***
That night, Geom Mugeuk closed the doors of the Hero Inn together with Ak Gunhak.
Looking up at the signboard, Geom Mugeuk said,
“My father must be fond of our Brother Ak.”
The characters on the signboard were none other than the handwriting of Cult Leader Geom Ujin.
“I went to pay my respects before opening the inn.”
He had thought it was merely a farewell before leaving the cult, but it had not been.
“I went to apologize because I could no longer keep my promise.”
“Promise? What promise?”
Ak Gunhak told Geom Mugeuk about the promise he had made with Geom Ujin.
“I promised the Cult Leader that I would stand on your side.”
“With my father? Why?”
“The Cult Leader wanted it.”
“!”
Geom Mugeuk had not known his father had made such a promise with Ak Gunhak.
“I told him I was sorry I couldn’t keep the promise because I was opening an inn.”
“What did Father say when you told him you were leaving?”
“He told me to do good business and wrote those words himself.”
Geom Mugeuk smiled. It felt just like his father.
“Brother Ak.”
Ak Gunhak looked at Geom Mugeuk.
“On the day I promised to settle things with Father, come and take my side.”
Ak Gunhak looked up at the signboard, hesitating to answer.
“Why aren’t you answering? Don’t tell me that signboard won you over?”
Ak Gunhak smiled and replied,
“It’s too impressive, isn’t it?”
The calligraphy, and the Cult Leader who had written it.
“So find someone who will carry more weight than me.”
“Where would I find anyone stronger than Brother Ak!”
Ak Gunhak smiled meaningfully and said,
“There isn’t anyone yet, but I feel like there may be in the future.”