A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 346

346. He Does Not Go

Lhasa lay nestled beneath the snow-covered white mountains. Though the city’s outline remained hazy, the prominent red and white Potala Palace clearly marked it as Lhasa, the central city of Tibet.

After many days crossing the Great Snow Mountains, Son Bin and his party had finally arrived.

The carriages halted, not only the princess’s but also Son Bin’s. As if time had stopped, all eyes were fixed on the distant Potala Palace.

Rustle.

Without a word, the princess’s bodyguards began prostrating themselves. With deep reverence, they closed their eyes, pressed their hands together, chanted scriptures, and bowed to the ground.

“That is the Potala Palace,” Son Bin murmured, stepping out of the carriage. The palace, built upon a hill, towered over every other building in Lhasa.

The red and white structure, resembling a fortress more than a palace at first glance, exuded both grandeur and awe with its restrained, simple style.

“That’s really something,” Old Gun commented from the driver’s seat, his gaze not on the palace, but on the bowing figures.

“They’re all making a fuss bowing while walking down the street.”

Son Bin’s party wasn’t alone in stopping. Other carriages, merchants, travelers, and pilgrims heading to Lhasa had also paused to bow towards the Potala Palace. The bodyguards’ prostrations continued unabated.

Feeling conspicuous for not bowing, Son Bin cleared his throat and quickly moved to re-enter the carriage.

“Okay, let’s quickly…”

Just as he was about to say “let’s go,” a deep voice echoed from another carriage.

“I am not going.”

It was Saja Hyuk’s voice. Son Bin turned, puzzled.

Not only Son Bin, but the other members of his party, and even the princess’s warriors, ceased their bowing and stared at Saja Hyuk’s carriage, though they likely didn’t understand his words.

Thud.

Saja Hyuk emerged from the carriage and strode towards Son Bin, who watched him approach with an awkward curiosity.

“The Heavenly Demon and the gate to hell he opened are not here. Where he is…”

Saja Hyuk paused, gazing at the western sky.

“…is farther away.”

“Uh, what does that mean…?” Son Bin muttered, bewildered. Saja Hyuk raised a large hand and placed it on Son Bin’s shoulder.

Thud.

His strong hand conveyed a surprising warmth. Saja Hyuk looked directly at Son Bin.

“I will go first,” he said calmly.

“Finish your work here and follow soon after.”

The words struck Son Bin like a bolt from the blue.

He understood the words themselves, simple and clear as they were.

But he couldn’t comprehend, or rather, couldn’t accept their meaning.

Rustle.

Gwigyoun Sura emerged from Saja Hyuk’s carriage, carefully cradling the Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus in her arms.

Gwigyoun Sura approached Son Bin cautiously. The Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus bowed its head in respect.

“We have also decided to go with Lord Sa. Actually, I wanted to stay here and help Young Master Son.”

The Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus blushed, as if embarrassed or apologetic.

“I don’t think what I have to do is here.”

Son Bin stared blankly at the Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus and Gwigyoun Sura. Almost unconsciously, he turned to the Former Jade Dragon.

“Hmph.”

The Former Jade Dragon covered her mouth with her jade fan, avoiding his gaze. Son Bin understood perfectly. This was no joke, no misunderstanding.

He looked back at Saja Hyuk, who met his gaze.

“I will wait,” Saja Hyuk said.

His voice was blunt, yet Son Bin clearly sensed the trust and heart hidden beneath the cold exterior.

That stopped Son Bin’s protests, preventing him from saying anything.

Saja Hyuk, a faint smile on his face, removed his hand from Son Bin’s shoulder. The spot where his hand had rested suddenly felt empty.

Thud, thud.

Saja Hyuk turned and walked back to the carriage. Gwigyoun Sura carefully placed the Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus inside and climbed onto the driver’s seat. The Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus had likely exited the carriage as a courtesy to Son Bin.

Tap tap.

A small sound came from the princess’s carriage, concealed by a red curtain. One of the bodyguards quickly approached, knelt, and listened.

“Unnecessary,” the Former Jade Dragon said sharply, interrupting the princess’s soft words from within the carriage.

“Don’t you remember? He clearly said it.”

The Former Jade Dragon looked at Son Bin with open displeasure, as if she didn’t even want to repeat the words.

“‘Since my friend has spoken, it will be as he says’.”

The bodyguard listening to the princess looked visibly flustered. But Princess Potala likely understood, as she knew the language of the Central Plains [Chinese].

No more words came from the red carriage. The kneeling bodyguard soon withdrew.

“Are you really going?” Old Gun asked, his brow furrowed. The Former Jade Dragon smiled, a beautiful, radiant smile like a painting.

“Yes. So take a good rest here, playing the hero. It would be even better if you become the emperor here and settle down. This place is quite interesting, you know.”

The Former Jade Dragon’s clear voice rang out like jade beads rolling.

“So come as slowly as possible. Or if possible…”

Whoosh.

“Don’t come.”

Son Bin caught a glimpse of terrifying energy flickering behind the Former Jade Dragon’s beautiful eyes for a moment. She was speaking sincerely now.

The eerie energy vanished instantly, and the Former Jade Dragon’s light voice echoed in the air, as if it were a joke.

“Let’s go,” she said. Gwigyoun Sura looked displeased at the order, but drove the carriage nonetheless.

“Giddy up!”

Clatter.

At that moment, Sa Su-yeon rose from her seat in Son Bin’s carriage and shouted, clenching her fists and biting her lip as she looked at Saja Hyuk.

He had always been a selfish father, but he had returned alive. They had traveled together on a long, difficult journey to this distant place. She had been content with just that.

But now he was trying to leave without a word to his own daughter, just like before.

Swish.

Saja Hyuk lightly raised his hand towards Sa Su-yeon, a clear gesture of refusal. Sa Su-yeon was momentarily speechless.

Clatter, clatter.

Saja Hyuk didn’t even look at Sa Su-yeon. The carriage picked up speed and rushed west, away from Lhasa.

“Are you really going? Really?” Seo-rin asked, looking back and forth between Saja Hyuk’s carriage and Son Bin, as if in disbelief. But before he knew it, the carriages carrying Saja Hyuk and the Former Jade Dragon were disappearing down the road.

Thud.

Son Bin climbed back into his carriage and sat down. He couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

Rustle.

Sa Su-yeon also sat down, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears.

After a moment’s thought, Son Bin bit his lip, raised his head, and forced a bright expression.

“I can’t help it. That’s just the kind of person he is.”

Son Bin smiled, but Old Gun and Seo-rin, watching him, looked even more sympathetic.

“Let’s go. We can’t just stay here.”

“Hyeong [Older brother/term of endearment],” Seo-rin said, leaning close to Son Bin and looking up at him with concern. Son Bin raised his hand and stroked her head.

“It’s okay,” he said, smiling at Seo-rin, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness in his shoulder.

“It’s okay.”

Son Bin repeated to Seo-rin, his voice sounding like he was talking to himself.

“Tsk.”

Old Gun clicked his tongue, but said nothing more.

“Let’s go. Giddy up!”

The carriage began to move, followed by the princess’s party.

Clatter clatter.

Thus, Son Bin’s party entered Lhasa, the city of the Potala Palace, without Saja Hyuk, the Supreme Martial Artist of the Hyuncheon and Son Bin’s friend.

* * *

Lhasa was a truly unique city.

As the center of an ancient kingdom and the capital of a vast country that once threatened the Tang Dynasty [a major Chinese dynasty, 618-907 AD], Lhasa was in no way inferior to the major cities of the Central Plains in terms of scale or size.

In particular, the Potala Palace, with its magnificent and awe-inspiring appearance, proudly displayed its majesty as the center of Tibetan Buddhism and the owner of this land.

But even that appearance failed to capture Son Bin’s attention.

“Haaa.”

Son Bin let out a long sigh. The vibrant metropolis and the magnificent Potala Palace evoked no emotion in him.

Because Saja Hyuk had left.

‘This is a bit dangerous.’

After dwelling on the emptiness and loss of his departure, Son Bin calmly organized his thoughts and recognized that the situation had become significantly more unfavorable.

‘In other words, the last resort is gone.’

Saja Hyuk was like absolute security for Son Bin. Of course, the martial prowess of Old Gun, Seo-rin, Sa Su-yeon, and Dang Wol-ah was considerable, especially with Geomhee’s hidden presence.

But Saja Hyuk’s presence was so overwhelming that it overshadowed them all.

Having him was like starting with a guaranteed win, allowing you to watch events unfold with excitement, and even intervene when necessary.

‘But…’

“Hooo.”

But he left. No wonder Son Bin sighed.

‘Besides, even Lady Blood Phoenix and Gwigyoun Sura went.’

The Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus’s new ability, though unconfirmed, could have been invaluable against demons or the Demonic Sect [a common antagonist in martial arts stories].

Gwigyoun Sura was also a great asset. But they both left with Saja Hyuk.

‘I didn’t expect anything from the Former Jade Dragon in the first place.’

It would be fortunate if she didn’t cause trouble. In fact, she had been the most 불안했던 [unstable/anxious] element all along.

“Haaa.”

Son Bin sighed again and slowly counted the remaining members. There was really no need.

‘…Is it six including me?’

Excluding Hwang Bang-ju, there were Old Gun, Seo-rin, Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geomhee. And now Son Bin himself had to be included, as the Princess of Potala had formally requested him. Son Bin had to be included in the incarnation of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Divisions [a group of powerful protectors].

‘It’s not enough!’

Two seats were empty: the Heavenly Being, chief of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Divisions, and the Dragon, the vice-chief. While he had been content to simply reserve those seats, their complete absence was a different matter.

“But how do I follow later?” Seo-rin asked suddenly. Saja Hyuk had told him to finish his work and follow. But how would they know where he went? Even Saja Hyuk himself didn’t know the exact destination.

“Gwigyoun Sura decided to leave a mark,” Old Gun said, driving the carriage. He had exchanged telepathy with her in that short time.

“He’ll leave a letter or something. And even if there isn’t one…”

Old Gun smiled.

“How difficult would it be to find him? It’s not just anyone, it’s the Supreme Martial Artist and the Former Jade Dragon.”

Son Bin nodded. The Supreme Martial Artist Saja Hyuk was someone who would leave a strong impression on anyone who saw him. The Former Jade Dragon was a beautiful man like a painting, and the Blood Phoenix Gold Thread Lotus and Gwigyoun Sura, with their 불편한 [uncomfortable/impaired] legs, were also people who couldn’t help but stand out.

Following their traces wouldn’t be difficult, even without marks or letters.

“Haaa.”

Son Bin sighed again, then quickly covered his mouth and looked back at Sa Su-yeon.

She was resting her chin on her hand, looking out the window. The exotic scenery of Lhasa was passing by, but she probably wasn’t seeing it.

Her expression was so sharp that she looked ready to commit murder.

In this case, it was wise to wait for her anger to subside. But Son Bin wasn’t a very wise person.

“Lady Su-yeon.”

Sa Su-yeon was silent for a moment, then replied softly.

“Yes.”

“It’s okay.”

At Son Bin’s words, she turned her head, her sharp gaze fixed on him.

“What is?”

There was no way she didn’t know she was angry, and that this was an unnecessary provocation.

But Son Bin wanted to say this.

“He once told me that there is only one person in the world that he cannot beat.”

Sa Su-yeon had no way of knowing who “he” referred to: her father, Saja Hyuk.

“That one person is Lady Su-yeon. That’s why he didn’t say anything to Lady Su-yeon. No, he couldn’t even look at her.”

Son Bin said, watching her eyes begin to tremble.

“If he looked into Lady Su-yeon’s eyes, he would never have been able to leave.”

It wasn’t just a favorable interpretation, nor just Son Bin’s hope. When Son Bin first accompanied Saja Hyuk, he had avoided Sa Su-yeon until it was too late to turn back.

“So it’s okay. Isn’t it that person, not anyone else?”

Sa Su-yeon bit her lip and turned her head to avoid Son Bin’s gaze. But just before she did, he saw her eyes beginning to water.

“And this is a bit of an apologetic thing to say.”

Son Bin smiled.

“I’m also grateful, in a way.”

“What is?” she asked, still turned away, but the sharp edge was gone.

“Because he didn’t take you, miss. If he had, I would have been really disappointed.”

Sa Su-yeon didn’t reply. Though Son Bin couldn’t see it, Dang Wol-ah and Seo-rin saw her cheeks turning red.

“…I’m not going.”

Sa Su-yeon said in a very small voice.

Son Bin smiled. With her by his side, there was nothing more reassuring. Besides, Son Bin needed more help than Saja Hyuk, no matter how you looked at it.

“That’s very kind of you. It’s really helpful.”

Sa Su-yeon didn’t answer. Though Son Bin couldn’t see it, Dang Wol-ah and Seo-rin saw her cheeks turning red.

“Really.”

Old Gun suddenly sighed, a mixture of admiration in his voice.

“Sometimes I think you’re really amazing.”

“Yes?” Son Bin asked, surprised, but Old Gun just shook his head in admiration.

“If Youngmae [Old Gun’s deceased wife] had been like that, I would have…”

Old Gun shook his head. He could never do it himself. Just imagining facing Dang Woon-yeong’s gaze made him stiffen.

“…That’s just the kind of thing a hero in a story would do.”

Son Bin was puzzled by Old Gun’s muttering, unable to understand what he was talking about.

Clatter, clatter.

The carriage entered the center of Lhasa. The magnificent Potala Palace was now looming before them.