A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 8

8. Serendipitous Encounter (2013.09.28.)

“Other people?”

Sunbin, holding a book, asked, tilting his head.

Who were the people Saja Hyuk was concerned about? But Saja Hyuk didn’t answer.

While Saja Hyuk slowly savored his tea, Sunbin turned his head and looked around the inn.

The inn was bustling and noisy. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to Sunbin or Saja Hyuk.

‘Hmm. Could it be…?’

Suspecting they might be martial artists, Sunbin cautiously surveyed the surroundings. Most were merchants or travelers, but in the opposite corner, he spotted a few people wearing martial attire.

‘Ah, come to think of it, over there too…’

Upon closer inspection, there were quite a few martial artists present. As Sunbin was looking around, he suddenly heard Saja Hyuk’s voice.

“They are not the ones.”

Saja Hyuk quietly put down his teacup and said.

“Do you see the four people sitting near the entrance? Two women and two men.”

Sunbin inadvertently turned his head. And at that moment, he made eye contact with one of the people Saja Hyuk had mentioned.

He was a young man with clean, bright eyes and a pleasant demeanor, dressed like the son of a wealthy family with considerable influence.

The young nobleman sitting next to him and the young ladies across from him were similarly dressed in luxurious attire.

“Well, they don’t seem like martial artists to me…”

Sunbin said, observing them. If he had to guess, they looked like they were out on a leisurely trip.

“Who said I care about martial artists?”

Sunbin looked at Saja Hyuk with a blank expression. Saja Hyuk elaborated.

“What I care about are strong people.”

The look in Saja Hyuk’s eyes was shining with interest.

“They are looking at us.”

A young man with handsome features said with a smile. Dressed stylishly in luxurious clothes and holding a teacup, he looked like a figure from a painting.

“I see.”

The young lady sitting across from him replied in a calm voice. She was a beauty who looked good in flashy clothes, but her cold expression gave off a chilling feeling.

“That jet-black greatsword is very impressive. I wonder who he is?”

Another young man said, glancing over. His eyes, which looked a bit younger than the others, sparkled with curiosity.

“D-don’t stare. We’ll get caught.”

The other young lady across from him said with a flustered expression. Her round eyes were wide and innocent.

“What does it matter? They probably already know. They’re staring right back at us.”

The young man who had been scolded pouted. The nobleman who had spoken first said quietly.

“There was a record of a man named Lee Ho-seon from Shanxi Province who used a large sword…”

“I don’t think so.”

It was the younger-looking young man who cut him off.

“There’s no special record of his greatsword. That person isn’t recorded in the Hundred Records [a comprehensive list of known martial artists and their skills], at least. There’s nothing about a jet-black sword with an unusual shape anywhere.”

“H-hey, could they be targeting us? Or maybe they’re assassins from somewhere…”

The young lady with the innocent eyes said with an anxious expression.

“No.”

The nobleman-like young man replied with a wry smile.

“That’s unlikely. I’m even starting to suspect that person might be a Shaolin or Wudang sect leader in disguise.”

“Huh?”

“No way.”

The two said simultaneously. The beauty with the cold expression also frowned slightly.

“I’m not joking. The aura I’m feeling right now…”

The nobleman-like young man’s face suddenly hardened.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

The young man said quickly and closed his eyes while still holding the teacup. He immediately focused his inner energy [qi or chi, vital energy in Chinese philosophy and medicine].

Whoo-oong.

A powerful aura began to emanate from the young man, and at the same time, steam began to rise from the teacup he was holding.

“Heh.”

The younger-looking young man next to him involuntarily groaned. Meanwhile, steam continued to rise from the teacup, as if it were placed over a fire.

Then, after a while, with a small sound, the small teacup he was holding shattered powerlessly.

Smash.

The fragments of the broken teacup fell onto the table. The tea that should have been inside the teacup was nowhere to be seen. At the same time, the young man opened his eyes.

“Hoo.”

The young man slowly exhaled and looked at the shattered teacup in his hand.

“Impressive.”

He said with a bitter expression and soon felt the gazes around him. Most people weren’t paying much attention, but some who appeared to be martial artists were sending wary glances with shining eyes.

“I apologize. I unnecessarily drew attention.”

The young man apologized. But no one thought he had done this unnecessarily. Among the group who were silently maintaining a tense atmosphere, the younger-looking young man asked.

“Just now, could it be…”

He had an incredulous expression, but the nobleman-like young man nodded.

“Yes.”

He said with a wry smile.

“Suddenly, an immense aura was directed at me. An incredibly overbearing aura. Just deflecting it…”

The young man looked at the fragments of the teacup remaining in his hand. The small porcelain teacup had been reduced to powder as if struck by a large stone.

“It was this much.”

He gritted his teeth.

“It seems that person is very displeased with being watched.”

The younger-looking young man widened his eyes and turned his head sharply. The man with the black greatsword on his back was silently lifting his teacup.

The one staring intently was the scholar-like young man, but there was no hostility or aura, just a pure, curious gaze.

“B-but I didn’t feel anything?”

“No, y-you’re right.”

The young woman with the innocent eyes stammered.

“It was a really strong and subtle aura. I, I barely noticed it just now.”

The younger-looking young man looked back and forth between the two with disbelief. But as long as these two were saying it, it was the truth.

“To send an aura to just one person, unnoticed by anyone else among all these people? And that too…”

He looked at the shattered teacup. It was the result of the nobleman-like young man deflecting the opponent’s aura.

The young man’s inner energy in deflecting the incoming aura was also admirable, but to be able to send such an overbearing aura unnoticed was unbelievable.

“An aura of this magnitude?”

The younger-looking young man turned his head and looked back at the man with the black greatsword. He still gave off a strong impression, but no special aura was felt at all.

‘Just how much of a monster is he?’

The young man struggled to swallow the words that were about to spill out.

“Can you win?”

The voice that quietly flowed out from among them in the silence was that of the beauty with the cold impression.

“I can’t guarantee it.”

The nobleman-like young man replied quietly.

“Then, what about that person?”

“My first impression was that he was just an ordinary scholar…”

The young man glanced at the person sitting next to the martial artist with the black greatsword. Dressed as a typical scholar, he felt the same as when he first saw him.

Ordinary, a normal person who felt like nothing. But could someone sitting so casually next to such a monstrous martial artist, and someone whom such a strong person allowed to accompany him, be just an ordinary person?

“I don’t know right now.”

“What about Hang-ah?”

The one called Hang-ah was the innocent young lady with the impressive round eyes. She stared at the scholar-like young man for a moment and then shook her head.

“I don’t know. That martial artist’s aura is too intense… But one thing is certain.”

She quietly shone her eyes and said.

“The two of them don’t suit each other as companions at all. It’s almost suspicious.”

The beauty slightly shifted her gaze towards the younger-looking young man.

“So-ha?”

The slightly younger young man immediately replied.

“That scholar is the same. He’s not recorded in the Hundred Records or any other data.”

The beauty was silent for a moment and then said quietly.

“Let’s stay here tonight.”

The nobleman-like young man frowned slightly.

“But miss…”

“I recommend moving on as planned.”

So-ha, the slightly younger young man, said.

“There are too many uncertain factors. Besides, the opponent has already expressed hostility towards us.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

The beauty with the cold impression replied quietly.

“The opponent provoked us. And letting provocation pass is not my way.”

She said with shining eyes. The nobleman-like young man sighed quietly and then nodded.

“I’ll tell them to prepare the rooms.”

∴

“Hmph.”

Saja Hyuk, lightly holding his teacup as if savoring the tea’s aroma, chuckled. The small teacup looked particularly dainty in his large hand.

Sunbin looked at him, wondering what was going on, and Saja Hyuk murmured in a quiet voice.

“Quite impressive.”

Sunbin didn’t understand what Saja Hyuk was saying.

“What do you mean?”

Saja Hyuk didn’t answer. He just quietly lifted his teacup. Meanwhile, the server appeared and began to place the ordered food.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Sunbin frowned at Saja Hyuk’s murmur. What could he be looking forward to in the food of this ordinary inn, which wasn’t even famous?

The server also had a visibly flustered expression but soon smiled and said.

“Of course. Our chef always does his best.”

The server, after placing the food, hurried back to the owner. It seemed he had to tell the chef to prepare a special dish for this guest to avoid any trouble later.

‘What is it?’

Sunbin frowned as he watched Saja Hyuk silently begin his meal.

Sunbin, knowing Saja Hyuk’s usual behavior, quickly realized that the remark wasn’t about the food. If so, there was only one thing that came to mind.

“Are there strong people among them?”

Saja Hyuk was silent. But it was clear that the silence meant affirmation.

Sunbin once again looked at the young men and ladies. To him, they just seemed like well-off young masters out on a trip with young ladies.

But Saja Hyuk never made false statements, at least when it came to things like this.

He waited, hoping Saja Hyuk would explain something, but Saja Hyuk just silently continued his meal.

Sunbin shrugged and put down the old book and fine brush he was holding. Then he started eating.

The inn’s food was just edible, but the special dish that came out later was quite grand and delicious.

***

In the quiet of midnight, Sunbin opened his eyes.

‘Ugh.’

Although he opened his eyes, the temptation of sleep and the soft warmth still pulled at Sunbin. But Sunbin shook his head and forced himself out of bed.

It was still dark outside the window, and occasionally, the sounds of night could be heard. Sunbin got out of bed, lightly washed his face with water prepared in a corner of the room, and put on his jacket.

‘It’s about time.’

Thud.

As expected, Sunbin’s door burst open.

Coming into someone else’s room in the middle of the night like this, without even asking for permission, was extremely rude. But now Sunbin didn’t have the strength to argue.

“You’ve come?”

Sunbin said.

“Were you awake?”

Saja Hyuk said. Sunbin shrugged with a wry smile.

“Well, it’s not like you suddenly visiting like this is a one- or two-time thing.”

It wasn’t just a one- or two-time thing. Since the Homun Mountain Inn, Saja Hyuk had been training every day. And always only in the middle of the night.

For the first few days, he couldn’t come to his senses because he was suddenly awakened from sleep and dragged out, but as it continued every day, Sunbin had become accustomed to it in his own way.

As a result, today was the first time Sunbin had woken up before Saja Hyuk came.

“But do you have to train like this in the middle of the night? And every day?”

At Sunbin’s words, which contained a light protest, Saja Hyuk chuckled.

“Let’s go.”

Saja Hyuk said. Sunbin sighed slightly and followed Saja Hyuk.

∴

The moonlight was bright, and the surroundings were silent. The occasional sounds of lonely mountain birds and the cries of insects made the silence of the night feel even deeper.

Perhaps it was because they had come out farther than usual today, but the moonlight he always saw felt particularly cool. Under that cool moonlight, Saja Hyuk stood alone.

‘Hmm.’

Taking out his fine brush and old book, Sunbin was looking at Saja Hyuk.

‘I always feel this, but he’s a truly amazing person.’

The blue moonlight poured down on Saja Hyuk’s shoulders. Just standing there, Saja Hyuk exuded an atmosphere that was not easily approachable.

‘What should I say, a very noble atmosphere.’

It was an atmosphere that was lonely and high, and the expression “isolated and noble” was truly fitting.

‘Isolated and noble… That’s a pretty good expression, isn’t it?’

Thinking about it, Sunbin thought it was quite a fitting expression, so he quickly moved his brush to write a short phrase.

And he quickly raised his head, wondering if Saja Hyuk had started his swordsmanship in the meantime. But Saja Hyuk hadn’t moved.

‘Why is he doing that?’

It was the first time Saja Hyuk had taken so long. Sunbin tilted his head, but suddenly, he heard Saja Hyuk’s voice in a low tone.

“Why don’t you come out now?”

‘Come out? Where…’

Sunbin was bewildered. But Saja Hyuk was speaking not to Sunbin, but to somewhere in the dark shadows of the trees.

“If you need time to strengthen your resolve, I can wait longer.”

The lips of Saja Hyuk, who was speaking, were wearing a faint smile. It was a provocative smile. As if answering it, a clear and pure voice was heard from the darkness Saja Hyuk was watching.

“There’s no need for that.”

Swish.

Someone emerged from the dark shadows and revealed himself under the moonlight. It was the nobleman with handsome features like a sculpture.

“I apologize for the rudeness.”

“You haven’t committed any rudeness, so there’s no need to apologize.”

Saja Hyuk said with a faint smile.

“But if you still think you can hide from me, you’re mistaken.”

“Of course, I don’t think so.”

Rustle.

With a calm woman’s voice, two more people appeared. It was the beauty with an ice-cold expression and the slightly younger young man, So-ha.

“I was just worried that we might be a hindrance.”

Saja Hyuk lightly shook his head. He didn’t even look at the beauty who had appeared.

“The warning is only once.”

The place where Saja Hyuk directed his gaze was towards Sunbin. Saja Hyuk, flashing a sharp look towards Sunbin, said.

“If you don’t come forward on your own, I’ll have no choice but to drag you out.”

Whoosh.

The moment Sunbin was bewildered, Saja Hyuk lightly raised one hand. At the same time, an aura like the wind rose from Saja Hyuk.

“Keuk.”

The nobleman-like young man reflexively threw himself forward to block the beauty as if protecting her.

The young man So-ha and the beauty with the cold expression also turned pale, but Sunbin, who was the target of Saja Hyuk’s aura, didn’t realize what had happened.

‘Huh?’

The next moment after feeling something like a soft wind lightly brushing past him, a short groan leaked out from right behind Sunbin.

“Ugh.”