A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 262

262. A Happy Day at the Academy (2)

Today, the academy buzzed with lively chatter once more. The children had gathered even before classes officially started.

“Wahahaha.”

“Hohoho.”

The children laughed, chasing after balls with flushed faces, or gently tossing colorful balls into the air.

The five children with uniquely colored hair were no different, completely absorbed in their games, as if the previous night’s martial arts display was a distant memory.

“Is that so fun?”

No Gun muttered, holding a teacup.

“What game isn’t fun for children?”

Dang Woon-yeong replied with a pleased smile. No Gun shrugged.

“No, I mean, it’s one thing for the kids, but even *they’re* like that.”

By ‘they,’ No Gun meant Sa Soo-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, Hyeonryeon Se-hwa, and Hwa-sa. Among them, Hwa-sa was utterly captivated by the colorful balls.

“Yah!”

Hwa-sa jumped up and struck a ball. The colorful sphere soared into the sky, whistling as it cut through the air.

“Wow, Unnie [older sister or respected female figure] is amazing!”

“Ahem.”

Yaeng-aeng admired and clapped her hands. Hwa-sa placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest proudly.

“Stop staring.”

No Gun frowned and addressed Talhondo.

“It’s fine for you, but you should think about how I feel looking at your face, shouldn’t you? You’ve been grinning like an idiot since earlier; it’s awful to look at.”

“Ahem.”

Talhondo cleared his throat and looked away. Son Bin also snapped out of his reverie and quickly turned his head.

“Kya!”

Yaeng-aeng sat down, covering her head. The ball that had ascended was now plummeting with considerable force.

Sa Soo-yeon stepped forward to protect the children, but before she could intervene, Hong-ah lightly jumped up and waved her hand.

*Whirlick.*

As Hong-ah waved her hand, the ball’s momentum instantly decreased. Hong-ah gently tapped the ball, sending it floating towards Dang Wol-ah.

“Me! Me!”

Hwa-sa shouted to Dang Wol-ah, raising her hand eagerly.

“Do you like it that much?”

No Gun said, frowning. Talhondo, already back to watching Hwa-sa, gave a wistful smile.

“It’s not bad, Grandpa No Gun. I mean, it’s nice that someone like me is liked.”

“Stop calling me Grandpa. It makes it sound like there’s a huge age difference.”

“Well, it’s not a small difference, is it?”

Talhondo shrugged.

“Still!”

Surprisingly, No Gun was firm. Talhondo, about to retort, noticed Dang Woon-yeong and subtly changed the subject.

“Well, when you’re an Outsider [someone outside the traditional martial arts world], age is just a number… Ahem.”

Talhondo avoided No Gun’s gaze and raised his teacup, only to find it empty. He had already drained it in one gulp earlier.

*Pour.*

Talhondo picked up the teapot and poured tea for himself. The teapot looked particularly small in his hand, prompting No Gun to frown and say,

“But why are you here?”

“Didn’t I say I came for the wedding?”

It was an obvious answer, but No Gun remained unconvinced.

“You’re not the type to come all the way here for *that* reason, are you?”

Talhondo smiled wryly.

“Well, there are other reasons, but it’s true that I came for the wedding. I wanted to do something Hwa-sa likes.”

Talhondo’s gaze, still holding the teacup, drifted towards Hwa-sa. Seeing her bright smile, a smile naturally bloomed on his own face.

This time, No Gun remained silent. Talhondo, having watched Hwa-sa for a moment, turned his head to look at No Gun.

“Have you heard of Baek In-rok?”

“Yeah.”

No Gun answered dismissively. Talhondo chuckled.

“Well, of course, you would know. After all, Hyeonryeon’s family and Dang’s clan are here.”

Talhondo drained his teacup in one gulp, as if it were alcohol.

*Clack.*

Talhondo put down the teacup and turned his head to look at Son Bin.

“I don’t like beating around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

Talhondo’s eyes, fixed on Son Bin, were intensely serious. Son Bin listened to his words with a firm expression.

“The Black Serpent Alliance [a faction within the Demonic Faction] will stand by your side.”

“Pardon?”

Son Bin asked, taken aback by the sudden declaration. But Talhondo continued with unwavering seriousness.

“That’s what I mean. Hwa-sa and I will stand by your side. Therefore, the Gangbuk Black Serpent Alliance will follow your will.”

Son Bin was completely surprised by these unexpected words.

“I… I don’t quite understand what you’re saying…”

“That book, Baek In-rok. It doesn’t feel good.”

“Hmph, of course, it wouldn’t feel good. Which Outsider would feel good after reading that book?”

No Gun said, smirking with his teacup in hand. But Talhondo shook his head.

“That’s not it. How should I put it? I feel like there’s something more to it later. And something very troublesome.”

“What kind of troublesome thing are you talking about?”

Talhondo shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know either. But I’m sure it will be annoying.”

“But the Demonic Faction [a group often seen as antagonists in martial arts stories] is hardly mentioned in Baek In-rok, is it?”

Dang Woon-yeong said. Talhondo replied to her.

“That’s also a problem. I don’t know if it’s a guy or a girl who wrote it, but when you read that book, you feel very ignored. So, how should I put it? It’s not like ‘I won’t touch the Demonic Faction,’ but it’s like saying, ‘The Demonic Faction is *next.*’”

Talhondo’s expression was full of displeasure.

Dang Woon-yeong’s eyes sparkled. Talhondo’s words offered a unique interpretation, one that couldn’t be gleaned from the perspective of the Five Great Families [powerful martial arts clans].

“So, you’re saying there will be more troublesome things?”

“That’s right. Not just troublesome, but *very* annoying.”

“Hmm, this isn’t very good, is it?”

No Gun made a sullen expression.

“That Talhondo has always had a knack for noticing things. He’s not very smart, though.”

“That’s because I’ve never been properly taught. And if you live as a member of the Demonic Faction, you can’t help it. Important news is tightly held and not released by the great families or large sects, so how can you survive without being perceptive?”

Dang Woon-yeong smiled awkwardly as she listened to No Gun and Talhondo’s conversation. She thought that Talhondo, who didn’t even realize Hwa-sa liked him, shouldn’t be saying that.

“So, you wanted to have a martial arts contest with Bin?”

No Gun asked. Talhondo gave a rueful smile.

“Well, I couldn’t entrust the fate of Hwa-sa and me to just anyone, could I? And I was confident that my Mad Wind Soul Severance was a technique worth showing… It was unnecessary meddling, though.”

Talhondo, while speaking, looked at Son Bin again.

“Let me know whenever you make a decision. The Black Serpent Alliance is ready to turn Gangbuk [a region in Korea] upside down.”

“Oh, really? Turn Gangbuk upside down with the Black Serpent Alliance? Leaving aside whether you have the ability to do that, since when has the Demonic Faction been such an obedient group?”

“Well, it’s true that our kids aren’t very obedient.”

Talhondo smiled wryly.

“But if I tell them to, they’ll have to *pretend* to listen, right? If they don’t want to die.”

Talhondo’s twinkling eyes were full of confidence. Dealing with the Demonic Faction was nothing to Talhondo.

“Are you saying that the power of the Black Serpent Alliance may be needed?”

Dang Woon-yeong said quietly.

“Not just the individual power of the Outsider, but the force of a group.”

Talhondo stared intently at Dang Woon-yeong. Immediately, No Gun’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Why is this guy staring at someone else’s wife?”

“Ah, no, that wasn’t my intention… I’m sorry.”

Talhondo, who had been denying it, readily apologized to Dang Woon-yeong. Dang Woon-yeong smiled slightly and accepted his apology.

“I was just admiring it a little. That’s right, as Lady Dang said.”

Talhondo, holding his teacup, realized it was already empty. Putting down the cup, he continued.

“It’s just a hunch, but in the future, there will definitely be a clash between forces. In that case, even if it’s just a bluff, it’s important to put the name of the group on the line. It also has the effect of a kind of deterrent or dispersing the opponent’s power.”

Talhondo, while speaking, chuckled.

“Well, Young Master Son could also choose to overturn everything by himself. But from what I can see, he doesn’t seem like someone who likes such extreme things…”

“What if he refuses to get involved in the affairs of the Jianghu Murim [the martial arts world]?”

No Gun said.

“What if he doesn’t care if the world turns upside down? Like the Martial Emperor, for example.”

Talhondo shrugged.

“Then I’ll turn things upside down once according to my nature and then go far away with Hwa-sa. I may not be able to beat a smart opponent, but I can certainly make a mess.”

It was a joke, but No Gun’s expression changed. Talhondo’s words about making a mess were by no means light.

“Hey, you really…”

“But that won’t happen.”

Talhondo looked at Son Bin.

“Young Master Son and the Martial Emperor are different. The Martial Emperor is undoubtedly great, but I like the current Young Master Son better. How should I put it, he has a *human* smell somewhere?”

Son Bin smiled awkwardly. He was grateful for the other person’s trust, but he couldn’t just be happy about being liked by a man like Talhondo.

“Do you know that the Blood Phoenix Alliance [a rising power in the martial arts world] is attracting attention in the Gangnam Murim [another region in Korea]?”

Talhondo suddenly asked. Son Bin’s interest was piqued by the news about the Blood Phoenix Alliance.

“Is that so?”

“Of course, they’ve brokered peace with the Namgung Family. It’s like another alternative has emerged in Gangnam besides the Namgung Family or the Hyeonryeon Family.”

Talhondo tapped the table and continued.

“If the Blood Phoenix Alliance keeps a clear distance from the mountain bandits or the aquatic bandits, it will probably grow quickly. There are many sects in Gangnam who don’t want to be under a large family, but they also don’t want to be driven out as members of the Demonic Faction.”

Son Bin nodded. He thought it was a good thing, but on the other hand, he felt sorry for the slender Blood Phoenix for the responsibilities it would bear.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

“Pardon?”

Son Bin asked back at the sudden question, but Talhondo, who had asked, smiled.

“The Outsider likes this kind of thing. I can roughly grasp what really happened besides what’s visible on the surface. People talk about the Blood Phoenix’s abilities or the martial prowess of the Demonic Asura [a powerful warrior within the Demonic Faction], but isn’t it actually *you* who did it?”

“I did some mediation, but…”

Son Bin mumbled. In fact, there was nothing to mediate. He just stopped the rampaging Demonic Asura.

Talhondo stared at Son Bin and then chuckled.

“Well, you could say that.”

In his view, it was not mediation but a *decision*. And the Namgung Family followed that decision.

Talhondo’s thoughts can be said to be an extreme point of view, but in some ways, it was also the truth.

The Jianghu Murim is a place where the logic of power is absolutely dominant. If there was no existence called Son Bin, would the Blood Phoenix Alliance and the Namgung Family have made peace?

“But the Martial Emperor wouldn’t have even done that. I don’t know how the other guys in the Outsider see it, but I like your way.”

“Like it, my ass.”

No Gun frowned and said.

“In the end, you’re just saying you’re grateful for helping you connect with Hwa-sa, so you’re going to repay the favor, right? You’re just beating around the bush because you’re embarrassed.”

“What are you talking about? The person who helped Hwa-sa and me is that ‘teacher’ over there. Young Master Son just treated Hwa-sa.”

“So, is that why you came all the way from Gangbuk to say that? Just to say that you’re going to side with Bin?”

“Well, I’m also here for the wedding, and for other reasons.”

“Other reasons, my ass. From what I can see, you’re already leashed to Hwa-sa.”

No Gun said mockingly, but Talhondo did not back down.

“Earlier, you said that I couldn’t have come just for the wedding, but now you’re saying I’m leashed? Pick one, just one.”

Dang Woon-yeong smiled wryly as she watched Talhondo and No Gun’s argument, which was as fierce as a martial arts contest.

‘The men’s chatter is quite noisy too.’

It probably wouldn’t be like this if there were women together. Besides, Shin-ui, who has been sitting silently since earlier, is also pitiful.

‘Hoo.’

Dang Woon-yeong looked at the young ladies and children playing ball and decided she should join them next time.

*

*

*

Once again, a red flag was raised at the academy. The large red flag fluttered in the wind, and the golden letters ‘A Hundred Years of Togetherness’ sparkled in the sunlight.

“It looks good, doesn’t it?”

Son Bin said to No Gun. No Gun snorted as if he didn’t like it, but he couldn’t deny that Talhondo looked cool.

“It’s because he’s tall. Talhondo surprisingly fits clothes well.”

The wedding attire suited Talhondo quite well. The flamboyant decorations gave him the feeling of a divine general from old stories, giving off a masculine charm.

It was very different from when No Gun looked ridiculous before.

“Hwa-sa is also pretty.”

Dang Woon-yeong, standing next to him, said with a pleased smile. Her gaze was directed at Hwa-sa, who was dressed beautifully in her wedding attire.

Sa Soo-yeon, Hyeonryeon Se-hwa, and Dang Wol-ah were standing next to Hwa-sa, and their appearance was like looking at fully bloomed flowers.

“She’s really pretty. I guess you can’t beat age.”

Dang Woon-yeong said, gently stroking her wrinkled hands. Then No Gun made a disgruntled noise.

“Hmph, what are you talking about! You were much prettier at that age.”

No Gun said with a frown.

“And you’re still pretty now, so don’t smile at other men. I get jealous.”

No Gun’s gaze was pointed elsewhere. Dang Woon-yeong smiled brightly.

“I guess I’m still a woman. I know it’s nonsense, but I can’t help but feel good.”

“Nonsense! I…”

*Swish.*

Dang Woon-yeong took No Gun’s hand. No Gun looked at Dang Woon-yeong with surprised eyes.

“Thank you, Soon-rang.”

No Gun’s face turned red at Dang Woon-yeong’s smiling words.

“Ahem.”

No Gun cleared his throat and looked away but did not let go of Dang Woon-yeong’s hand, which he was holding tightly.

“Unnie is pretty! Really pretty!”

“I want to have a wedding too…”

So-so jumped up and down next to Hwa-sa, and Yaeng-aeng looked at her with envious eyes.

Hong-ah, Cheong-ah, and Nok-ah were also girls, so their eyes sparkled as they gently touched Hwa-sa’s wedding attire and hair.

“Am I pretty?”

Hwa-sa asked. The children nodded their heads so strongly that they made a buzzing sound.

“Thank you.”

Hwa-sa said with a bright smile. Her smile was so radiant that the children stared at Hwa-sa with their mouths open.

Talhondo was also staring blankly at Hwa-sa. Son Bin casually asked Shin-ui, who was standing next to him.

“It looks good, doesn’t it?”

“It’s not bad.”

Shin-ui said in a calm voice.

“After the wedding, I’m going to go to Hangzhou [a city in China] for a while.”

At those words, Shin-ui turned his head and looked at Son Bin.

“To Hangzhou? Why?”

“Lady Namgung-hyang’s letter mentioned the Murim Alliance [a governing body for martial arts sects]. She said that there is a high possibility that the person behind Baek In-rok is trying to secure influence in the Murim Alliance.”

Shin-ui frowned.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but are you trying to get involved in the affairs of the Murim sects?”

“I don’t particularly *want* to get involved, but if there’s anything I can do, I should do it.”

“Tsk. The Blood Phoenix seems to have had a considerable influence on you.”

Son Bin smiled.

“I can’t do what Lady Geumsa does, but just in case, I’m going to visit the Murim Alliance once.”

“Is that so? Everyone will be away from the academy for a while.”

Shin-ui said indifferently, but Son Bin shook his head.

“I’m only going to take Elder No Gun with me this time.”

“Only No Gun?”

“After listening to Elder Talhondo’s words last time, I thought that moving together like this could cause unnecessary misunderstandings. And when it comes to the Jianghu Murim, No Gun knows the most.”

Shin-ui chuckled.

“Misunderstandings… Isn’t the Outsider supposed to do what they want without worrying about what others think?”

“Actually, it’s also because it’s more comfortable for me.”

Shin-ui agreed with Son Bin’s words, even while smiling wryly.

Of course, there is no need to worry about Sa Soo-yeon or Dang Wol-ah. Rather, they would protect Son Bin, and there was no reason for Son Bin to suffer because of them.

However, it is certainly more troublesome than just No Gun and Son Bin going, especially considering the meaning that Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah have in the Jianghu Murim.

“What about Seo-rin?”

“I think it would be better for her to stay here with the children.”

Shin-ui nodded. It is much better for Seo-rin to be with the children than to be in the Jianghu Murim.

“Well, do as you please.”

“Would you like to go with us?”

“Why would I?”

Shin-ui asked back, sounding indifferent. But Son Bin smiled.

“I thought it might be nice to have something like this sometimes.”

He didn’t say that it was because Shin-ui seemed particularly lonely these days. After thinking for a moment, Shin-ui answered as if throwing the words away.

“Sometimes, something like that might not be bad.”

“Waaah.”

Shin-ui’s answer was drowned out by the children’s cheers, but Son Bin definitely heard it.

“Cool!”

“Unnie is pretty!”

Hwa-sa, wearing a red wedding dress, and Talhondo, with his dignified physique, stood facing each other. The two looked happier than anyone else in the world.

Son Bin smiled. And so, another happy day at the academy was passing by.