I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Martial Arts World’s Mastermind
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
The Youngest Disciple of the Murim’s Hidden Mastermind
Episode 38
He seemed to accept it well enough. It was just like Danhwi, the one who had arranged my meeting with Sa Mok-seon in the first place.
However, despite his seemingly lighthearted nature, Danhwi was a man of inner strength, and he did not forget to offer me a piece of advice.
“But Soso, there’s one more thing you need to consider.”
“What is it?”
“How did we move back in Hwangun County?”
“We hid our identities.”
“Exactly. We wore human skin masks, changed our way of speaking, and used sword techniques we don’t usually favor. The Zhuge Clan we encountered won’t be able to find me again, and even if we cross paths, I’ll look like someone else then.”
That really was impressive.
I nodded my head.
“If I had acted freely as myself, I could have finished the mission even faster. So why did I go through the trouble of disguising myself?”
I felt like I vaguely understood what Danhwi was getting at.
I looked him straight in the eye and answered.
“You’re saying I shouldn’t stand out, right?”
“Tha—at’s right. This time, since your Sahyeong accompanied you, he likely handled things in your stead. And since it was the Demonic Cult, whom no one cares if you kill, it turned out fine, but…”
“…It would have been troublesome if they were just innocent people.”
I nodded and puffed out my chest.
“I have taken your words to heart, Danhwi Sahyeong!”
“Kid.”
Danhwi grinned and ruffled my hair once more.
“I told you she was smart.”
I giggled, but then let out a slight pout.
“Gwang-eum Sahyeong calls me a dummy every single day, though….”
“He’s just… like that. Now, let’s see….”
After lightly taking my side, Danhwi Sahyeong suddenly began rummaging through his bulging robe. He pulled out a handful of sweets that gave off a wonderfully sugary aroma.
“Here, eat some of these.”
“W-what is all this?”
“The sweets you enjoyed so much last time.”
“Wow! Thank you so m—.”
I was about to grab the sweets with a wide grin when I suddenly froze.
It was because I noticed the shadow cast by my hand as I reached for the treats.
The shadow cast from my body was short, almost clinging to my feet. …It was noon!
“……!”
“Hm? Why aren’t you eating?”
Perhaps imagining me stuffing the sweets into my cheeks like a squirrel, Danhwi tilted his head with an expression that looked like he was holding back a laugh.
Regardless, my face was slowly beginning to turn pale.
“D-Danhwi Sahyeong. It’s noon right now, isn’t it?”
“Huh? Must be around then. Why?”
“I’m late!”
This is bad!
As I bolted upright, Danhwi’s eyes went wide, and he caught me.
“Late for what? Why?”
“Well, you see.”
Has he not heard yet? Oh man, if he finds out, he’s going to tease me….
I stamped my feet in frustration before finally shouting out of necessity.
“I was told… to come to Jinmyeonggak by noon for my punishment!”
“…Punishment?”
Danhwi repeated my words, then burst into laughter as if he’d just remembered something.
“Ah, right. You were supposed to be punished, weren’t you? Ahahaha!”
“…….”
It was fine that he was laughing, but he was laughing so hysterically that I wanted to give him a smack for being so annoying.
“Ahahahaha!! Even I, whom Master calls a troublemaker, didn’t get punished this quickly. Hahaha!”
“…….”
My lips naturally formed a pout.
“Hahahaha, phew….”
Danhwi finally managed to stop laughing just before my lips turned into a full duck beak. He mimicked wiping away tears as he asked.
“So, how long do you have to serve that punishment? You must have done quite a bit already.”
He was right. Quite a bit of time had passed since the day I brought Ryang back. Was it five days or six?
“…Today is the last day. If I’m late, I’ll get in trouble again.”
“Right, right. Hurry along then.”
Only then was I able to break free from Danhwi’s grasp and start moving.
“Come to my quarters once your punishment is over! I bought all sorts of things to give you.”
“…Okay.”
Normally, I would have been beaming at those words, but the thought of the punishment dampened my mood.
I took heavy, reluctant strides.
Now, if you’re wondering what that punishment was….
Six days ago, it was right after I had been kicked out of the Medical Hall and was waiting for Master and Hyeonhak Sahyeong to come out.
“…….”
‘I’m so sleepy.’
Between using lightness techniques for so long and the tension finally leaving my body, fatigue hit me like a wave.
Unable to overcome the drowsiness washing over my young body, I began to nod off.
Just as my body started to tilt forward.
“……!”
Thud. A firm arm lightly caught me and lifted me up.
“Have you been waiting here all this time? The dawn breeze is cold.”
“…Master…….”
It was Master.
Reflexively, I burrowed into Master’s warm embrace and asked.
“I was curious about how the treatment went…. Did it go well…?”
“Hyeonhak said it would likely take seven days.”
“Seven days?!”
At his calm voice, my sleepiness vanished instantly.
Was the Gu poison that severe?
Master spoke as if to soothe me.
“The demonic art has taken deep root in his weak body, and the physical wounds he already sustained are severe, so it will take some time.”
“Ugh….”
So he won’t be able to wake up right away.
Just as I couldn’t hide my worried expression.
“By the way. He was quite handsome.”
“…Pardon? What was?”
“That child. Was he not handsome?”
Master suddenly brought up something completely unexpected in a subtle tone.
I stared at Master blankly, then tilted my head.
“Uuuuhm…?”
What’s this about?
“Did he not look like much to you, Soso?”
He asked three times….
My social radar instinctively pinged.
I wasn’t a stranger to handsome people.
Of course, I never saw even a glimpse of a handsome person while living as a beggar. But as soon as I arrived at Cheongsanbong, I met Hyeonhak, Danhwi, and Gwang-eum—three men who sparkled with their own distinct brands of beauty.
Not to mention Master himself.
But why Ryang, whom I had just brought back, instead of the Sahyeongs I saw every day until I was sick of them…?
With my experience as a former member of the workforce, I quickly grasped the intent behind the question.
“No.”
And I promptly threw my arms around Master’s neck.
“Since Master is a peerless beauty, I didn’t really think much of that boy’s face.”
“Now, now.”
I heard a voice telling me to behave, but I had already seen it.
The way the corners of Master’s mouth quirked up ever so slightly….
I decided to drive the point home while I was at it.
“Out of everyone I’ve seen, I like Master the best!”
“Is that so? You like me even more than your Sahyeongs?”
“Yes!”
“Hmm.”
Master’s lips twitched, no longer even trying to hide it.
He had always maintained such a refined and elegant air. This was the first time I’d seen such an expression.
Because of my impulsive behavior, I was seeing many new sides of Master.
It was a good thing. It felt like I still knew nothing about him.
But where were we going?
“Master. I don’t think this path leads to my room…….”
A stone path I’d never seen before suddenly appeared.
Judging by the fact that it wasn’t a path Danhwi had shown me, it wasn’t one used often.
“The crows will want to be your friends at this rate. You cannot go to sleep looking like that.”
Soon, a small detached house appeared through the thick branches.
Setting me down at the entrance, Master spoke lightly.
“Since your hands are like that, it will be difficult for you to clean yourself up, so I shall help you. This is a large bathhouse with a hot spring.”
“Wow!”
When Master pulled back the cloth hanging over the inner door of the house, a hot spring with rising steam was revealed.
I soaked my body in the hot water, washing away the dried blood clinging to me and thoroughly rinsing the dust from my hair until I felt refreshed.
“Phew.”
As my fatigue evaporated, both my body and mind felt utterly relaxed. I never knew I loved hot springs so much.
When I stepped out in my inner robes with steam still rising from my skin, Master beckoned to me.
“Come here. I will dry your hair.”
“Yes!”
As I plopped down in front of him, Master began to undo the cloth he had wrapped tightly around my hands to keep the water away.
“Did any water get in?”
“No. It doesn’t sting at all.”
“You’ll have to be careful when washing for a while.”
As he said that, his touch as he stroked over the bandages was incredibly gentle.
“…….”
There it was again. My heart felt strangely ticklish.
“You know, I think I’m really lucky to have met you, Master.”
“Hmm?”
The honest words slipped out before I could stop them.
“I feel like if I hadn’t met you, I would have died a terrible death someday…….”
I wouldn’t have been able to save Ryang either. I would have met the kind of death I knew all too well in the Murim I was familiar with.
The martial world is harsh, and there is no place for a young beggar of the Beggars’ Sect to lean on.
It’s not like I went through all that trouble to find a ‘Master Spoon’ for nothing.
Master frowned and spoke.
“Did Sa Mok-seon say that?”
“Oh, no. Just…….”
I scratched my wet head and said.
“…Ryang, too. I mean, the name of the boy I brought is Ryang. I feel like he would have died like that too if I hadn’t brought him here.”
