Chapter 165: Chapter 165

At the appearance of a stranger, Seo-ha covertly hid her body behind Jang Geon. However, Je Gyu-sang did not even glance at such a child, perhaps having had no particular interest in her from the start.

Jang Geon asked:

“You’re leaving?”

Je Gyu-sang nodded his head while standing at the stable entrance.

“Yeah. I’m leaving this shitty New Sichuan.”

“…Was Seom Ji-young’s promise not kept?”

“Promise? Ah, you mean that there would be no disadvantage whatsoever?”

He chuckled hollowly and shook his head.

“At least on the surface it was kept. But where does that happen just because a superior orders it? In any case, I became a fellow who lacks the ability of a shadow warrior and doesn’t even keep loyalty to superiors. As my original identity was exposed, the people of the Outer Hall I worked with also felt betrayed by me. So the clan and everything became shitty. I will leave for Heavenly Empress City or Plateau City, anywhere with no relation to the Je Clan.”

The voice of Je Gyu-sang saying so was cynical, yet burdened with no small amount of exhaustion. It seemed he had suffered a considerable ordeal from the day the incident was concluded until now.

Jang Geon stood quietly with his fingers hooked in his belt, looked at him, and spoke:

“Plateau City is noisy lately, and it will likely be so for a while. So Heavenly Empress City seems like it would be fine.”

“…Heavenly Empress City. Hm, yeah. I hear the weather there is that nice? That would be nice…”

Je Gyu-sang turned his head and looked into the distance as if imagining the weather of Heavenly Empress City. The sun, which had not yet reached noon, shone with bright, clear sunlight, and small unknown birds fluttered and chirped between the tile roofs. It was the sky of New Sichuan heading toward day through dawn and morning.

Je Gyu-sang, who trailed off his words and looked at it with slightly blank eyes, soon giggled as if remembering something and continued speaking:

“Ah, come to think of it, you fed the clan a very huge piece of shit. Je Un-seong and the Martial Alliance? I can picture Young Master Professor holding his head in agony and going wild. How did you think of such a thing?”

Jang Geon simply shrugged his shoulders slightly. Turning his head and seeing that appearance, Je Gyu-sang let out a low laugh.

“…I didn’t know Je Un-seong was such a fellow overflowing with ambition. Well, crawling under the Martial Alliance Leader after running away from the clan says it all. The Family Head who should have placated him died, and Young Master Professor lacked experience, so perhaps it was a natural outcome…”

Je Gyu-sang, who again let his words trail off like that, soon snapped out of it and wiped away his smile.

“…Be careful. Young Master Professor and the clan elders will ultimately overcome Je Un-seong and the Alliance Leader. It’s not as if the clan hasn’t had one or two such crises over a thousand years. And once they overcome the crisis like that, they will try to retaliate against you for making things turn out that way.”

“Then at that time, it’s a sword fight.”

Seriously warning him, Je Gyu-sang shut his mouth as if slightly surprised by Jang Geon’s calm answer, then ended up chuckling grumpily again.

“…Damn it, who is trying to advise whom. Forget it, I’m going.”

Je Gyu-sang said so and turned his body as if he was really going. Toward that back, Jang Geon spoke:

“Je Gyu-sang.”

Stopping abruptly at that single call, Je Gyu-sang slowly turned around. Jang Geon’s words continued:

“If you’re alive, let’s meet again. It would be nice to have a drink then.”

“…Are you telling me to die, or to live? The New Continent is so wide, how can we meet again?”

Je Gyu-sang answered so bluntly, turned completely around, and left the stable. While he disappeared between walls and buildings, Jang Geon kept watching that receding back, and Seo-ha looked up at him and asked:

“Friend?”

“We’re not close enough to call each other that.”

“Then right before friends?”

Jang Geon laughed and ruffled Seo-ha’s hair.

“If we meet again next time, we might become so.”

Seo-ha looked up at Jang Geon with wide, clear eyes and tilted her head. Jang Geon gave no further explanation and simply picked up the child in an embrace.

“Now then, shall we try riding Jojo? This brat, how many days has it been since he played and ate, and he’s already fat as can be. He needs to sweat a bit.”

At the words of riding Jojo, Seo-ha looked at him with a face full of anticipation, and that fellow, who had been ignoring Jang Geon until now, seemed to conclude that he could not ignore him while putting on the saddle, pretending to sigh deeply. After that, he quietly lowered his head as if telling him to do as he pleased. However, even so, his tail was already swishing at the outing after a long time.

Jang Geon and Seo-ha ran along the outskirts of New Sichuan together with Jojo all throughout that midday. Seo-ha laughed clearly throughout that gallop.

* * *

When it became late afternoon and Jang Geon and Seo-ha returned to the merchant guild, other people had also returned home.

Not only Jang Un, but Dan Sang-woon and Jin Gyeon, who had gone to look around temples, returned early. Furthermore, it seemed the children’s writing tutor had already returned as well. People gathered like that were somewhat busy.

Entering the house with Seo-ha, Jang Geon saw those scenes and asked casually:

“Is something going on?”

Jang Un, who was bringing out a wine bottle from somewhere, tilted his head at that question.

“Did you not hear? Your sister-in-law said she would pass it on to you.”

“What?”

Just then, Madam Yeom, who was packing pretty clothes for the children, discovered Jang Geon and Seo-ha, approaching with delight:

“You’re not late, Young Master. Now quickly go wash up and change your clothes.”

“…Why?”

Madam Yeom blinked her eyes for a moment, looked at Jang Geon’s face, then burst into laughter and patted his shoulder.

“Look at my mind. I meant to tell you during the day, but you went out to ride horses so I couldn’t pass it on. We are going to see the night boats tonight. All together.”

“Ah…”

It was a story that came up at yesterday’s drinking session. The story that Seo-ha wanted to see the New Sichuan Night Illuminated Boats. Sure enough, as soon as she heard those words, Seo-ha’s face flushed with both eyes sparkling brightly.

“Prepare quickly, Young Master. You must dress neatly, alright?”

She requested so and took Seo-ha away to dress her as well. As Jang Geon stood watching the two recede, Seo-ha with a flushed face turned back and covertly waved her hand. Jang Geon raised his hand in return to accept the greeting.

“…She really isn’t your daughter, right?”

Watching that sight, Jang Un asked suspiciously, and Jang Geon turned to him with sullen eyes. In those eyes, the wine bottle Jang Un embraced was visible.

“Where does that wine keep coming from? When I tried it yesterday, it didn’t seem like an ordinary expensive wine.”

“Uh-huh? This is, well, what is it… a-a gift I received. Why do you bother pressing about that…”

Jang Un let his words trail off and quickly turned his body. It was clear he was trying to find a way to hide the wine bottle up to the boat.

Just then, as Jang Geon was smiling slightly watching that sight, someone spoke to him:

“Amitabha, did you ride horses with Seo-ha all day today?”

“…That is right, Monk Jin Gyeon. I don’t know if you remember Jojo.”

Dressed in a monastic robe, Jin Gyeon laughed softly.

“Jojo, of course I remember that smart friend. I remember him as a fellow no different from a spiritual creature. Seeing Seo-ha’s face bright, you must have enjoyed yourselves.”

“Recently there were few occasions to ride him. Perhaps because he ran after a long time, that fellow liked it too, and Seo-ha seemed to have fun as well.”

Jin Gyeon nodded his head.

“Mmm, it seems Seo-ha has truly brightened up a lot after meeting Warrior Jang. On top of that, it is even more so after coming here yesterday and today.”

“It must be because it’s comfortable. After all, the people of this house are all good people.”

“Yes. Though it was brief, this humble monk was also able to feel that. Starting with Warrior Jang, everyone is a good person. However, Warrior Jang.”

Gazing around the house with a faint smile, Jang Geon turned his eyes and met Jin Gyeon’s gaze.

Jin Gyeon was slowly rolling his prayer beads with his right hand. And that expression was benevolent like a Buddha’s, yet simultaneously solemn; the two eyes facing Jang Geon were narrowed like brass Buddha statues, revealing no emotion.

He continued speaking:

“This humble monk knows well Warrior Jang’s heart that cherishes Seo-ha, as well as the hearts of the other family members. However, Warrior Jang. Seo-ha is a secular disciple embraced by Shaolin, and a child who must soon take a ship and return. She is not someone who will continue living here.”

The smile vanished from the corners of Jang Geon’s lips. Jin Gyeon kept speaking:

“The reason we bald monks shave our heads twice a month is to thoroughly shake off worldly ties and anguish to reach enlightenment, Warrior Jang. Naturally, shaving hair does not accomplish all of that, but at least it firms that resolve. Of course, Seo-ha did not formally renounce the world, but as a secular disciple merely receives the sponsorship of our main temple, yet Warrior Jang already knows, do you not? Seo-ha’s wounds. On the day when the child grows a bit more and can look back on her past, on the day when she can think deeply about her parents, do you have any idea how Seo-ha will accept those truths on that day?”

Jin Gyeon’s right hand kept rolling the prayer beads.

“At times, people become wounds to people. Among those wounds, there are those that can be recovered with another person’s warmth, but for others, even that warmth can become a pain like searing fire. In that case, even the people who tried to embrace the wound often get hurt. And their wounds will once more become Seo-ha’s wound.”

Erasing his smile and listening to Jin Gyeon’s words with a stiffened face, Jang Geon tried to open his mouth. However, Jin Gyeon’s words continuing was faster than that.

“Shall we talk about a slightly more realistic story? Seo-ha escaped the curse of the Nine Yin Death Acupoint with the help of the Great Return Pill and Warrior Jang. She will likely live a long, healthy life even if she does not practice martial arts. However, that does not mean it completely erased the characteristics of the Nine Yin Death Acupoint. Still, Seo-ha is the elixir among elixirs to demonic practitioners. That is why, as long as those rogues of The Palace exist, the New Continent is bound to be a dangerous place for Seo-ha.”

Jang Geon was instantly rendered speechless. The story that Jang Geon only learned after hearing it from Princess Yu Seol, Jin Gyeon already knew. Come to think of it, Yu Seol mentioned that she had already visited Shaolin Temple before coming to the New Continent.

“I trust you know well what I am saying, Warrior Jang. The initial plan was to stay here for a few days while this humble monk visited temples in New Sichuan, and Seo-ha enjoyed a small amusement, but since it turned out like this, Seo-ha and I will simply depart tomorrow morning. Please enjoy tonight’s boating excursion.”

Having finished his words, Jin Gyeon turned his body as if he would not listen to Jang Geon’s following words. He receded into the house just like that.

Jang Geon merely stared at Jin Gyeon’s back with a stiffened face.

* * *

In the evening when the sun had completely set, on New Sichuan Bay, where large and small boats had busily come and gone during the day, boats carrying lanterns quietly began to appear. Small boats moved close to the pier, while large boats moved to the middle of New Sichuan Bay, boasting their bright bodies.

Jang Geon and Jang Un’s family, Dan Sang-woon’s family, and Seo-ha—a group of them—rented a slightly smaller boat and gazed at those bright Night Illuminated Boats. Small lanterns were hung on their boat as well. Perhaps worried that the children might fall outside the boat, Jang Un rented a boat with exceptionally high railings.

The children could not take their eyes off the other magnificent boats, and the adults tilted wine glasses while watching those children.

Jang Geon also sat leaning his back against the railing, tilting his wine glass. His eyes looked at Seo-ha. Inside the girl’s blue eyes, bright boats, sparkling seawater, and the starry night sky were fully contained, as if a small world itself was contained.

Those eyes of the child suddenly turned to Jang Geon. With a heavily flushed face, Seo-ha giggled and waved her hand, and Jang Geon quietly nodded his head to accept the child’s greeting. Perhaps that reaction was a bit strange, so the child tilted her head for a moment, but soon due to the other children raising a fuss beside her, her gaze was stolen again by New Sichuan Bay full of Night Illuminated Boats.

Jang Geon merely emptied his wine glass.

The boating excursion on New Sichuan Bay did not last long. No matter how much it was a bend of water coming inside the continent, that current could not be compared with lakes or rivers elsewhere. That was why, unlike the name Night Illuminated Boat, those lantern-hung boats came out briefly only in the early evening to enchant people. Then the people enchanted by that would move straight into inns or courtesan houses inside New Sichuan.

However, Jang Geon’s party, who had come out as family units, returned home immediately once the boating excursion concluded. It was also gradually time for the children to sleep.

While returning home, the children hopped around talking about the boat they rode today, the Night Illuminated Boats seen there, and the story of New Sichuan viewed from the bay. Seo-ha also held onto Jang Geon with excitement at first, chattering about those stories.

However, Jang Geon did not react properly to Seo-ha’s stories. Realizing that he was somewhat strange, Seo-ha also quietly shut her mouth from a certain moment.

Returning home, the families caused a fuss for quite a while preparing to sleep. In the late evening, the children’s playful laughter and the adults’ voices trying to tuck those children into bed continued.

However, just as it had always been until now, before long the house grew quiet. If one were to seek noise, there would at most be the children snoring softly or kicking blankets.

Now a time when saying waiting for dawn was more appropriate. Unable to sleep, Jang Geon quietly came out to the yard. And slowly rolling the tobacco he brought out, he bit it in his mouth while looking at the moon hanging slanting in the sky and the scattered starlight.

This afternoon, the reason Jang Geon said nothing to Jin Gyeon’s story was in fact due to one single reason. It wasn’t the question of whether he could bear Seo-ha’s wounds, nor was it the question of whether he did not fear The Palace and those demonic practitioners in the far east.

It was merely whether Jang Geon, who was nothing more than a wanderer, could settle down in one place and look after Seo-ha.

If one summarized the stories Jin Gyeon told, it ultimately meant: if you’re not going to raise the child, don’t approach her further. Jang Geon could have argued against those words, asking if one must raise a child to become close, and what problem there was in simply being friendly with a child.

However, as Jin Gyeon had already mentioned, Seo-ha lost both her parents. Among them, her father was trash, and her mother killed that father herself. Approaching recklessly could conversely become a greater wound to the child.

Jang Geon liked this house, Jang Un’s family, and Dan Sang-woon’s family. However, even so, could he fold the journey he had continued over the past few years and stay here? Even so, he could not simply dump her onto Jang Un’s family. That would give Seo-ha a pain worse than not doing it. Right now she got along well with the children, but as time passed, Seo-ha would eventually end up alienated from Jang Un’s family. Seo-ha was not Jang Un’s daughter. And that was the same for Jang Geon. Jang Geon was not Seo-ha’s father.

Smoke extending long from Jang Geon’s mouth slowly scattered into the sky.

“Uncle.”

Just then, behind Jang Geon gazing at the night sky, Seo-ha’s voice was heard. Jang Geon quickly dropped the cigarette onto the ground, stepped on it to extinguish it, and turned around while fanning the smoke with his hand. At that light hand gesture, the powdery smoke swirled and soared into the sky.

“Why didn’t you sleep and came out?”

Fanning away the smoke, Jang Geon took a step toward Seo-ha and asked so. However, at that instant, Seo-ha also took a step backward in the exact same way. Jang Geon froze in surprise.

Standing under the dim moonlight, Seo-ha was shedding big, fat tears in streams.