Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 106

106. The World’s Greatest Secretary

After Yunhyun left, Guan Jibu finally let out a long sigh of relief.

“Hoo…”.

Guan Jibu shook his head and stroked his neck.

Fortunately, his neck was still intact.

Though it was a short time, he felt like he had aged at least ten years.

‘Damn it. To face a master like that…’

With just a flick of their hand—no, a finger—their heads would be sent flying.

That wasn’t just a metaphor; it was the truth.

To think he had dared to speak in a lecturing tone without knowing that, Guan Jibu was well aware that he had just crossed the boundary between life and death.

“Hmm, but this is still troubling.”

Byun Giryang muttered in a carefree voice from the side.

“No matter what, we can’t just leave him as a regular secretary, can we? Shouldn’t we create a position like Chief Secretary or Secretary-General for him?”

Guan Jibu’s stomach churned at those words.

“What was that, you little brat?”

Thud.

Guan Jibu jumped up from his seat and, with all his might, delivered a sharp flick to Byun Giryang’s forehead.

Whack.

“Ouch!”

Byun Giryang immediately clutched his head and slumped down.

“Why are you doing this!”

“If you want to die, die alone! Why are you trying to drag me down with you! You rascal!”

“Who’s dying?”

“You little…”

As Guan Jibu raised his hand again, Byun Giryang quickly dodged to the side.

“Can’t you tell just by looking? A big shot like that wouldn’t easily lay a hand on small fries like us. You should have realized it from the start when he was being so polite.”

“You idiot! You also have to consider that they can just cut off our heads if they don’t like something! He wants to be a secretary, so why are you sticking your nose in? Huh? Don’t you think you might die?”

Despite Guan Jibu’s sincere and heartfelt cry, Byun Giryang remained unfazed.

“Is that likely? He’s a person who would refuse even wealth and fame… Speaking of which, a great hero should have that kind of character. All they do is is bite and tear at each other, trying to devour each other, tsk.”

Guan Jibu let out a dumbfounded laugh at Byun Giryang, who was even clicking his tongue.

“Huh? He wouldn’t? When have you ever seen him, you little punk!”

Byun Giryang flinched as Guan Jibu raised his fist.

Guan Jibu sighed.

“You foolish guy. Do you think an organization is that easy? Everyone has a place that suits them.”

Guan Jibu continued, as if lamenting.

“As the successor of the Sword Saint, he should naturally be at the representative level. If he says he wants to be a secretary as he pleases, won’t other people feel uncomfortable? The reason we’re suffering is all because of that!”

However, Byun Giryang pouted, ignoring Guan Jibu’s words.

“Still, shouldn’t there be at least one person with that kind of easygoing and detached personality in the world? Anyway, I like him.”

“Ugh, you stupid fool!”

Guan Jibu raised his fist again.

But he had already lost his momentum, so Byun Giryang didn’t even flinch.

“Easygoing, my foot! Still don’t get it? The standard of comparison is the Sword Saint and the Divine Monk, so what’s easygoing about him! I’ve never seen such an arrogant person in my life!”

The phrase ‘arrogant person’ was a bit strange, but Guan Jibu’s thorough professionalism never allowed for rudeness.

But no matter how much Guan Jibu spoke, Byun Giryang remained unmoved.

Looking at Byun Giryang, who was pouting, Guan Jibu lamented.

“Aigo, I must be crazy. Why did I take in such a madman…”

Guan Jibu was frustrated not just because Byun Giryang couldn’t understand him.

“How am I going to report this now?”

The thought of reporting this to the representatives already made his future bleak.

‘I’ll be bombarded with all sorts of questions and accusations…’

Just as Guan Jibu couldn’t understand, the representatives wouldn’t either. They would doubt his sincerity.

But in reality, Guan Jibu had nothing to say. He wasn’t Yunhyun.

‘Damn it.’

Guan Jibu sighed.

In fact, the most accurate answer would be, ‘If you’re so curious, go ask him yourself.’

But Guan Jibu wasn’t in a position to do that, so he could only sigh.

***

“What?”

At Zhuge Yeon’s dumbfounded voice, Guan Jibu wiped away his cold sweat and replied.

“Th-that is, Master Yun said that he is content with just being a secretary…”

Zhuge Yeon wondered if he had misheard something.

Just in case, he looked around at the other representatives, but they were all the same.

Most of the representatives, as well as the always aloof Dang Mun Seolhwa [Snow Flower of the Dang Clan] Dang Seol-ryeon, and even the indifferent Plum Blossom Sword Yeonghojun, all had expressions of disbelief.

However, that was only for a moment. Mukhyeolyeop, with his fiery temper, immediately burst out.

“How dare he!”

Thump.

Mukhyeolyeop, the representative of the Black Blood Society, slammed the table and shouted.

“What do you take us for, playing such a joke!”

Several representatives also couldn’t hide their displeasure.

Like Mukhyeolyeop said, this could be interpreted as an insult to the entire Murim Alliance [a martial arts alliance].

“This is something we can never overlook! We must go find him immediately…”

“Go find him, and then what will you do?”

Dang Seol-ryeon, the Snow Flower of the Dang Clan, said in a clear voice.

“Will you defeat him with your strength and kick him out of the Murim Alliance? Or will you forcibly drag him here and give him a position?”

Dang Seol-ryeon continued with a smile.

“As far as I know, I don’t think either is possible.”

The smile disappeared from the lips of Dangmun Seolhwa Dang Seol-ryeon.

She stared straight at Mukhyeolyeop and said.

“Letting emotions get ahead of you won’t help at all. Instead, think about how to handle this matter.”

Mukhyeolyeop’s face contorted at her cold words.

But Dang Seol-ryeon’s words were correct.

In this Murim Alliance, letting emotions get ahead of you is the same as self-destruction.

Mukhyeolyeop closed his mouth and began to weigh the pros and cons.

“Is there anything to think about?”

It was Yeonghojun, the Plum Blossom Sword of Mount Hua, who spoke.

He wore a bright smile as if he was enjoying something, and said in a soft voice.

“We are ready to give him anything, and he wants the position of secretary. Then we just need to give him the position of secretary.”

“But, Great Hero Yeonghojun.”

Cheongjin, the Taoist of the Wudang Sect, opened his mouth.

“How can we leave him as a secretary?”

Plum Blossom Sword Yeonghojun shrugged his shoulders and asked.

“Rather, I would like to ask. What’s the problem with giving the position of secretary to the person who passed the secretary recruitment exam with top marks?”

“This isn’t that kind of problem…”

“It is that kind of problem.”

Plum Blossom Sword Yeonghojun said with a charming smile.

“We have no choice but to give him whatever he asks for. Isn’t that the conclusion anyway?”

The representatives were silent.

Their thoughts were complicated, but they all agreed on one thing.

‘…He’s not as easy to deal with as I thought.’

There are usually two reasons why a person rejects wealth and fame.

One is that they have a truly noble character, and the other is that they want more.

However, they didn’t believe in noble character in the first place.

Especially not in this Murim Alliance.

“Ahem, anyway.”

Zhuge Yeon of the Zhuge Clan opened his mouth.

“Right now, it’s important to bring him into the Murim Alliance. So, for now, let’s do as he wants, but keep an eye on him over time. Eventually…”

Zhuge Yeon paused for a moment.

“…a conclusion will be reached. In some way or another.”

Those words contained a lot.

He may be the successor of the Sword Saint, but he is still just basking in the afterglow of the Sword Saint and the Divine Monk.

If he shows even the slightest gap in this Murim Alliance, that moment will be his last.

Even if he is truly a giant tree, it doesn’t matter.

The Murim Alliance will become even richer with the reputation and influence of the Sword Saint’s successor.

Either way, they have nothing to lose.

“Guan Jibu.”

“Yes, yes.”

At Zhuge Yeon’s call, Guan Jibu hurriedly lowered his head.

“You must strictly control the rumors and tell those around you to be especially careful. Understood?”

“I will engrave it in my bones and keep it in mind.”

With Guan Jibu’s respectful answer, the meeting ended.

The representatives left the Grand Assembly Hall with their own thoughts.

Yeonghojun, the Plum Blossom Sword, who couldn’t hide his grinning expression, and Dang Seol-ryeon, who exuded a particularly cold aura, also left the Grand Assembly Hall.

In the empty conference room where the Murim Alliance representatives had left, Guan Jibu finally let out a long sigh.

“Hoo…”

It was finally over.

Thinking that, he felt a sense of relief as if he had taken off a heavy burden.

‘No. I can’t let my guard down.’

Zhuge Yeon’s words to be especially careful about controlling the rumors rang vividly in Guan Jibu’s ears.

And the first person he had to be especially careful about controlling was Byun Giryang.

‘Before that guy causes any more trouble.’

Guan Jibu quickly turned around.

He had to control the rumors before Byun Giryang caused an accident.

Tap, tap, tap.

‘…But the more I think about it, the more amazing it is.’

As Guan Jibu walked through the Murim Alliance hallway, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

‘Those expressions on their faces are really rare.’

Guan Jibu couldn’t forget the scene he had just witnessed.

When had he ever seen the representatives with such blank expressions, as if they had been hit on the back of the head out of nowhere?

And that was with just a few words, all at once, from the representatives of each sect who were said to be the best.

“To make those scary people falter with just a few words…”

As expected of the successor of the Sword Saint.

Guan Jibu inwardly shook his head, wagging his tongue.

“The birth of the World’s Greatest Secretary.”

Even the representatives, who could be said to be the real owners of the Murim Alliance, had decided not to touch him.

Now, who in the Murim Alliance would dare to touch Yunhyun?

Realizing the birth of the World’s Greatest Secretary, Guan Jibu hurried on his way.

***

The joint training for the new Murim Alliance secretaries was still ongoing.

Yunhyun, who had finished his meal with his now-familiar colleagues, was surprised as he came out of the Murim Alliance cafeteria.

“Oh!”

“What’s wrong, Brother Yun?”

An Sujae and Jo Dushik, who were walking ahead, turned to look at Yunhyun.

“No, over there…”

Yunhyun, who was about to say something, suddenly coughed.

“Cough. Uh, it seems like something’s stuck in my throat… Cough, ahem.”

“Oh dear. What should we do if something gets stuck in your throat after eating so well?”

Jo Dushik asked with a worried expression. Yunhyun coughed a few more times and said.

“I’ll go get some water for a moment, so go ahead.”

“Alright. Come quickly so you won’t be late. Don’t get demerits.”

At An Sujae’s words, Jo Dushik and Pyeoneodu also nodded and soon walked away.

Yunhyun, watching their retreating figures, let out a soft sigh and turned around.

A wrinkled old man was approaching Yunhyun.

His shabby appearance and wrinkled face made him look like nothing more than an old servant working in the Murim Alliance.

“Have you been well?”

Yunhyun bowed politely.

“I haven’t been well.”

Divine Monk Bulyeong Daesa said in a blunt voice.

“You try getting old. Every day, my whole body aches, and there’s no place that doesn’t hurt. How can I be well?”

Yunhyun gave a wry smile.

The Divine Monk, wearing a tattered monk’s robe, looked Yunhyun up and down.

“Um… Great Monk?”

“Tsk.”

The Divine Monk clicked his tongue.

“So you finally became a secretary. Well, are you happy now that you’re a secretary? Has your livelihood improved at all?”

“My livelihood hasn’t improved much…”

Yunhyun said with a smile.

“I’ve met good people. And I’ve come to realize that a position that suits my station is truly satisfying.”

That wasn’t a lie.

He liked the new job of Murim Alliance secretary and the colleagues he could treat comfortably.

When he thought about it, wasn’t this what Yunhyun himself had originally wanted?

To be diligent in his work and share laughter with like-minded people, completely unrelated to factions and schemes.

Now that the training was over and he was officially taking on the duties of a secretary, he was planning to send news to Ilchunghyun’s sister-in-law and Ilahyeong.