Chapter 84
Chapter 84
It was a soft voice, but it implied, 'What are you staring at?'
I was taken aback and blinked, not expecting a Taoist to scold me so openly.
While I was stammering, trying to choose my words, Yeon-ryang rubbed his hands together and interjected.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Taoists. Our youngest is crazy about handsome men, so she's causing trouble. The Taoist sitting there is so dazzling that she couldn't help but stare..."
What is this guy saying?
Horrified, I jabbed Yeon-ryang in the side with my elbow.
"Brother!"
Of course, Yeon-ryang didn't even flinch. His side muscles were so hard that only my elbow hurt.
Ugh, it hurts.
"Please forgive the mistake of a thoughtless child. It's my fault for not controlling my sister. Kyung-ah, apologize at once. It's impolite to stare at people's faces like that. The Taoist is uncomfortable. No matter how handsome he is, you shouldn't look at him like that. Is that how I taught you?"
Yeon-ryang pretended to be a stern older brother and pointed at me. The embarrassed Taoist smiled kindly and waved his hand.
"It's alright. There's no need to scold her like that. Don't worry about it."
"I'll make sure this doesn't happen again. Taoist. I sincerely apologize. Come here and apologize. Quickly."
In the blink of an eye, I had become a frivolous girl who ogled men, and I gaped.
Yeon-ryang, this is a scam.
But seeing the Taoist's softened attitude, it didn't seem like a bad choice after all.
Rolling my eyes, I belatedly joined in.
"I apologize for my rudeness, Taoist. I seem to have lost my mind for a moment. You're even more dazzling up close."
I lowered my eyelashes shyly and blinked. But Jin-sung's reaction was cold.
"..."
He just stared at me silently, as if a stone had started talking.
Hmm. Is this not working?
I forced an awkward smile and examined Jin-sung.
His handsome face, straddling the line between boy and man, had strong features.
His healthy-looking, tanned skin was flawless, and his gray eyes with a mysterious light seemed steadfast, as if they would not be shaken by any storm.
His neatly tied-up hair, without a single stray strand, seemed to speak of his meticulous personality.
The stubborn set of his mouth vaguely reminded me of Deokju.
He seemed like the taciturn, rigid, and inflexible type.
I wondered why Jin-sung's appearance wasn't described in the novel.
He was a handsome man who deserved to be nominated even if they were choosing the Greatest Under Heaven based on looks.
"The Taoist is uncomfortable. Come here."
Yeon-ryang lifted me up as if to say, 'Stop looking now.' Dangling in Yeon-ryang's arms, I asked,
"Um, Taoist. May I ask for your Taoist name?"
"...Jin-sung."
Jin-sung, looking back and forth between me and Yeon-ryang with a strange expression, replied. It was a pleasant baritone.
I smiled brightly and greeted him.
"Thank you for telling me, Taoist Jin-sung."
Now that he had told me his Taoist name directly, I wouldn't hear him ask how I knew him, right?
Jin-sung glanced at me, being carried away like a mischievous puppy, then shifted his gaze to the plate in front of him with a blunt expression.
The Taoists who had been watching our conversation stroked their beards and laughed heartily.
"Haha, there are many young ladies who admire our youngest disciple. It seems to be true."
"Our Jin-sung does have a good presence."
"It's because he's young, because he's young. When I was Jin-sung's age..."
"Senior Brother. Stop talking nonsense and eat your rice. You were ugly even when you were Jin-sung's age."
"What, you little rascal?"
I pretended to be using chopsticks and eavesdropped on the Taoists' conversation.
Judging from the atmosphere, they seemed to cherish their youngest disciple, who was much younger than them, like a young nephew.
"By the way, Jin-sung. Did you hear what Master told you? You'll be in charge of escorting the Three Great Disciples dispatched to the Murim Alliance."
"Is that so?"
"Is that so? That's not the attitude, you rascal. If you go to Wuhan, you'll have to take care of the Songjae brats for at least three months. Can you do it? This Senior Brother is worried that you won't be able to handle their mischief."
"He'll manage. Even if they're about the same age, Jin-sung is their Grand Uncle-Master. He can't handle his grand-disciples?"
"Still. I'm just saying in case. If those guys try to do something like Betraying the Teacher and Destroying the Ancestors, spank their bottoms. This Senior Brother will take responsibility for the aftermath."
"Tch, you're teaching him such good things. Don't go around calling yourself a Taoist."
The old Taoist scoffed and glared at his Senior Brother while crunching on peanuts.
Jin-sung seemed used to his older Senior Brothers' banter and silently ate his food.
I glanced at Jin-sung and fell into thought.
Jin-sung was about six years older than Namgung Hwi, wasn't he? So, he's four years older than me, which means he's twenty?
"Haha, when this trip is over, our Jin-sung will get a title too. Our youngest disciple, whom we raised while changing his diapers, is already of age. Time really flies, Senior Brother."
"Did you change them? I changed them."
"Don't make a big deal out of changing a few diapers. Senior Brothers. I was the one who broke the frozen valley water and washed the diapers that Master had piled up."
If he's of age, then he's twenty.
As I counted Jin-sung's age on my fingers, Yeon-ryang's expression became serious.
"Kyung-ah."
"Yes?"
"The Wudang Sect Taoists can't marry. I know you like that young Taoist, but you should think about it again..."
"What are you talking about since a while ago, really!"
I stepped hard on Yeon-ryang's foot to tell him to be quiet, and Yeon-ryang chuckled and rested his chin on his hand.
"It's not like you like him, and it doesn't seem like you know each other, so why are you so concerned?"
Because he's the protagonist's rival. He's Namgung Hwi's combat power measuring device.
Since that wasn't a reason I could honestly answer, I vaguely glossed over it.
"He looks like someone I know."
It wasn't a lie. The fact that he seemed to have no flexibility at all was exactly like Deokju.
"A friend? Or family?"
"A friend... not really, but something like family."
"He must have been a retainer. I see."
Yeon-ryang nodded and placed a piece of tender meat on my plate.
It meant that he wouldn't ask any further. I couldn't help but smile at his small consideration.
He's a thoughtful person in many ways.
I put the meat he had prepared into my mouth and chewed.
Ju-ryeong, who had already settled on Yeon-ryang's lap, was also eating the pieces of meat that Yeon-ryang was giving her.
A hollow laugh escaped me at the sight of her rubbing her bulging belly while endlessly chewing.
"Ju-ryeong. Stop eating. Are you a pig?"
"Kiee!"
Ju-ryeong cried sadly, as if telling me not to scold her for eating. Yeon-ryang chuckled and stroked Ju-ryeong's fur, then said,
"It would be good to rest here for one night and take the carriage tomorrow, Sister."
"Yes. Let's do that."
"I think we should buy some dried rations. Should we look around the shops today? Or all at once tomorrow?"
"You must be tired, let's go all at once tomorrow. You've been standing guard all the time, Brother. You need some time to catch your breath."
I hadn't seen Yeon-ryang sleep for several days. Even if he had taken naps, fatigue would have accumulated.
Both Yeon-ryang and I needed to rest properly before departing for Wuhan.
Yeon-ryang grinned at my answer.
"Haha, are you worried that your brother is tired? You're so kind, Sister."
That was not something that the person who picked up a person who had collapsed in the mountains and volunteered to be their Bodyguard / Escort should say.
I smiled and retorted.
"Can I compare to you, Brother? If you've finished eating, let's go up and rest."
Just as we were about to leave, the Wudang Sect Taoists, who had finished their meal in a similar fashion, also busily got up.
"Oh dear, the Sect Leader must be waiting. Let's go up before it gets any later."
"Senior Brother. Just one bottle of rice wine before we go up..."
"Shh, you rascal. Jin-sung will hear. Buy it secretly."
One of the old Taoists poked his junior in the side and handed him some coins.
He could obviously hear it even if it was whispered in his ear, wouldn't he?
I glanced at Jin-sung, and he was frowning unhappily. But he didn't seem to want to say anything unpleasant to his respected Senior Brothers...
"Great Senior Brother. You mustn't bring alcohol into the Zixiao Palace."
"Haha, Jin-sung. You must have misheard. Alcohol, you say?"
"You mustn't. How can the Great Senior Brother, who should be setting an example by upholding the precepts, talk about alcohol?"
He's good at saying unpleasant things. That guy is a stickler for rules.
"That's right, that's right. I won't drink in the Zixiao Palace, so don't worry."
The old Taoist laughed and soothed Jin-sung.
He wasn't at all displeased with his young disciple's impudent remarks. Rather, he smiled contentedly, as if he found him cute.
There was a big age gap, so he was at an age where anything he did would be cute.
As Jin-sung tried to argue, the old Taoist stopped him by pushing his back.
"Alright, alright, Jin-sung. Let's go before it gets any later. The Sect Leader is waiting."
Meanwhile, another Taoist, who had quickly put a bottle of alcohol in his arms, cleared his throat as if nothing had happened.
"Ahem, Great Senior Brother is right. Shouldn't we go up before the sun sets? Let's leave quickly."
The Taoists, who exaggeratedly changed the subject, coaxed their junior and left the inn, and Yeon-ryang shrugged in disbelief.
"I guess Taoists don't just eat dew and live."
"Didn't you see the food they ordered? It was all meat."
On the table where the Taoist group had been sitting, there was a pile of bones with all the meat picked off.
I looked at the back of Jin-sung as he walked away, then slowly turned around.
