Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 89

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 89. Pride and Justice (4)

The crowded market street was always lively and just as bustling.

But the voice coming from inside Hwawung Inn had a particularly intense resonance among all the noise.

It wasn’t a loud voice, but strangely it drew attention.

“But Innkeeper, did you know I was coming? How is it that the food never stops coming?”

“Hehe! I always prepare everything for my regular customers to enjoy.”

“But there’s no one else here besides me? And I’m not even a regular, am I?”

“This place is a bit out of the way…”

“With the sparring tournament, it seems like there are twice as many people in the marketplace, but why is this place the only one catching flies? That place where Beomgwang Innkeeper is was packed full.”

“Truly fine things are modest, so only those who know can recognize them, don’t you think?”

Yi Yeon Ju unconsciously glanced at her own clothes.

“But Beomgwang Innkeeper is modest too?”

“That gentleman is genuinely modest.”

“I don’t know about other things, but Suk Su’s skills are definitely extraordinary. For nourishing food, it tastes great too!”

“True nourishment comes from taste, doesn’t it?”

“Hehehe.”

“Hehe!”

It was a conversation that made one listen absentmindedly.

Unlike the conversation between Jegal Chung Ho and Namgung So So, it wasn’t fast or draining. Rather, both people were full of vitality, so listening to them made one want to smile naturally.

Yet the reason for feeling dazed was probably because of the ‘dishes’ placed on the young man’s table.

Munch munch.

Six large bowls were set out, and not only was the quantity impressive, but steam was rising from them as they were freshly made.

The thin young man ate that hot food without pause.

It wasn’t nibbling either. Wherever he learned to use chopsticks, he lightly picked up pieces of meat as thick as a person’s forearm without the slightest tremor.

“Oh, hot! Hot! This is definitely nourishing.”

“Please eat slowly, Young Master.”

Neither the innkeeper who procured such meat nor the young man who continuously emptied such dishes were ordinary people.

“By the way, Innkeeper, customers have arrived.”

“Oh!”

Yang Gu approached while rubbing his palms together.

“Customers have come. But who are these people?”

“…”

“Customers?”

“Yes? Ah, yes!”

Namgung Gwan politely bowed his head.

“We happened to meet an old friend and came to have a drink.”

“I see!”

Yang Gu warmly pointed to a spacious corner seat.

“Please go over there.”

“Thank you.”

The group followed Yang Gu’s guidance and moved.

Among them, Namgung So So stared at the young man with her mouth agape.

Even though people had arrived, he didn’t even speak to the innkeeper and kept eating. Rather, he seemed even happier to be able to focus on his food.

‘Is it that delicious?’

Watching him made her want to say “Just one bite…” almost involuntarily.

When Namgung Gwan saw his younger sister’s expression becoming strange and tried to grab her sleeve, he suddenly looked at Jegal Chung Ho’s face.

‘Oh no.’

Jegal Chung Ho’s face was more dangerous than Namgung So So’s.

His eyes sparkled like starlight and his face was full of curiosity. A strange desire surrounded the curiosity like a border, and he clearly looked like he wanted to strike up a conversation.

“Chung Ho.”

“Hm? Ah! Did you call me?”

“What are you doing?”

“Aha, just.”

Just looking at him scratching his head sheepishly, one couldn’t sense any mischief.

“That Young Master’s way of eating is so hearty. I found myself watching without realizing it.”

“My friend, that would be rude.”

Though not loud, it was close enough to be heard.

Namgung Gwan glanced at the young man.

Whether he heard, ignored it, or really didn’t hear, the young man was focused on his meal.

‘Thank goodness… huh?’

Suddenly Namgung Gwan’s eyes changed completely.

‘That person?!’

He hadn’t recognized him because his hair was neatly tied and he wore loose-fitting clothes.

‘It’s that person from back then!’

The person from the Moyong Family who had made eye contact with him.

“Come on, I understand. Let’s go. This Young Lady’s eyes are about to catch fire… are you alright with flames shooting from your eyes?”

“…”

“I say, Gwan!”

“Hm? Ah!”

“What are you looking at so intently? Ah, are you also curious about how that Young Master eats…”

“No, no! Let’s go!”

“Hey, don’t push.”

The commotion was beyond description.

Swish.

Seven men entered behind the four people. It was Jin Geom Dae.

The middle-aged man, the leader of Jin Geom Dae, glanced at the young man.

The sight of him frantically devouring food. A small disgust appeared in the Jin Geom Dae leader’s cold eyes.

“Welcome! Are you here for a meal…”

“Move aside.”

“Pardon?”

The Jin Geom Dae leader waved his hand as if annoyed.

Yang Gu stepped aside with a good-natured smile.

“You’re with the group? Please come in…”

Before he could finish speaking, they walked past.

In the process, one sect disciple pushed Yang Gu’s shoulder as he passed. Though it might have been unavoidable due to the narrow space, neither the leader nor the disciples apologized.

Yang Gu staggered in confusion, and Jegal Chung Ho was also startled.

But the expressions of the Jin Geom Dae leader and disciples remained unchanged.

The atmosphere became strangely tense.

Namgung Gwan frowned.

Jegal Chung Ho spoke carefully.

“Young Lady.”

“Yes.”

“The sect disciples must be hungry too, how about letting them sit at the side table?”

All seven men were lined up behind Yi Yeon Ju.

Yi Yeon Ju turned to look at the Jin Geom Dae leader and asked.

“Song Dae Ju, are you hungry?”

“I’m fine.”

Yi Yeon Ju turned her head back and said with a smile.

“That’s what he says.”

“…Hmm.”

“These people are the elite of the main sect. Even though I’m their superior, I can only ask favors of them, not give orders. They’re carrying out their duties, so please understand.”

Jegal Chung Ho cleared his throat repeatedly with awkward coughs.

Yet she had been quite good at ordering them around with various menial tasks on the way to Wuhan. Even during meals, didn’t she keep only one person by her side while the rest ate separately?

‘Well, this is something.’

Jegal Chung Ho could understand why she had deliberately made them stand there.

‘I hope there won’t be any unnecessary trouble.’

That’s when it happened.

Before Yang Gu could even approach, Namgung Gwan stood up.

“I apologize.”

“Pardon? To me?”

His face was filled with seriousness as he bowed his head respectfully.

“If our party has committed any discourtesy, please forgive us.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Rather, Yang Gu became even more flustered by those words.

Namgung So So gently tugged at her elder brother’s sleeve.

“Elder Brother, why are you suddenly acting like this?”

Namgung Gwan raised his head and looked at Namgung So So with stern eyes.

Namgung So So flinched in surprise and averted her gaze.

“….”

The atmosphere at the table became chilly.

Yang Gu spoke with a voice tinged with laughter.

“I don’t understand what you mean. Shall we start with your order first?”

Namgung Gwan, who was about to say something, closed his mouth and fell silent. He thought that speaking at length would only make things difficult for the innkeeper. The innkeeper also seemed to want to brush it off, didn’t he?

Jegal Chung Ho stood up and said.

“Innkeeper! What’s the most popular dish at this inn?”

“Ah! At our inn….”

“Oh, I was being rude. There’s no need to ask. What dish wouldn’t be popular at such an extraordinary inn?”

Yang Gu grinned broadly.

“I’m grateful that you say such things.”

“Oh my, but Innkeeper, your build is impressive. Have you perhaps practiced martial arts?”

“Hehe, I spent a few years roaming the mountains looking for ingredients.”

“No wonder your thighs aren’t of this world. Any ordinary ruffian wouldn’t even be worth a single punch to you.”

“Uhaha, how did you know I’m weak to compliments? This won’t do. Today I’ll pay for one bottle of alcohol as thanks for the praise from such a wise person!”

“Uhahaha! You’re truly generous! Please bring out several dishes you’re confident in!”

“Thank you!”

Yang Gu, beaming with joy, quickly went into the kitchen.

Jegal Chung Ho nudged Namgung Gwan with his elbow.

“Did you see that? They say a single word can repay a debt of a thousand nyang, but in these harsh times, who would actually repay a thousand nyang? At least someone like me can get a free bottle of alcohol.”

Usually he was a friend who completely drained one’s energy, but sometimes this kind of smooth talk was enviable.

“Your tongue seems to have gotten more slick than last year.”

“Hmhaha! You know that’s a compliment to me, right?”

Namgung Gwan chuckled as if he couldn’t help it.

Then, Yi Yeon Ju spoke up.

“Is it perhaps because of the Gold Sword Unit?”

Namgung Gwan turned his gaze to Yi Yeon Ju.

Yi Yeon Ju continued calmly.

“I’m not someone completely lacking in perception. It’s because of the Gold Sword Unit, isn’t it?”

“You seem to lack it.”

“Pardon?”

“Perception, I mean.”

Yi Yeon Ju’s eyes narrowed.

Namgung So So rolled her eyes here and there, while Jegal Chung Ho unexpectedly maintained a calm expression.

Namgung Gwan spoke with his characteristic serious face.

“If this Young Lady truly had perception, you would have scolded your subordinate the moment they committed discourtesy. And you would have apologized together.”

“….”

“Since I saw no such sign at all, I apologized on your behalf.”

“I see.”

Yi Yeon Ju smiled again.

“I don’t think the Gold Sword Unit was discourteous.”

“Yet you knew my apology was because of the Gold Sword Unit.”

“That’s why people say I have good perception.”

“So pretending not to know even when you do know out of wounded pride and embarrassment, and nitpicking at people’s words—that’s good perception rather than pettiness?”

At this point, it would be hard for anyone to laugh.

Not only Yi Yeon Ju but also Gold Sword Unit Leader Song Pil, and even the six sect disciples’ faces hardened like frost.

“Each region has different customs and each family has different rules. Is there perhaps a custom in Hubei that teaches people to be actively rude to strangers upon first meeting?”

If not, did the Gold Flower Trading Company teach you that way?

Yi Yeon Ju’s eyes narrowed.

Jegal Chung Ho hurriedly filled water cups and distributed them to everyone.

After taking a sip of water, Namgung Gwan calmly concluded his words.

“Sometimes minor mistakes can leap into major wrongs. Don’t you know that apology is the safest and most sensible way to prevent that?”

“…An apology.”

“Moreover, that sect disciple who pushed the innkeeper didn’t even make a mistake. If he had respected the innkeeper, wouldn’t he have thought to wait a moment? I’m curious whether he would have pushed through even if Chung Ho or I had been standing there blocking the way.”

The sect disciple who had pushed Yang Gu flinched.

Song Pil opened his mouth.

“Look here, Namgung….”

“I’m sorry.”

Yi Yeon Ju stood up and bowed her head.

“As Young Master Namgung said, I acted impulsively and showed an ugly side. I ask that you all be generous and understanding.”

She showed signs of having learned the etiquette of famous families. From her posture to her voice, it was a perfect apology with nothing to add or subtract.

When Jegal Chung Ho tried to change the atmosphere with a smile.

“Why are you apologizing to us?”

“Pardon?”

“This Young Lady has done nothing wrong to us.”

“…?”

“The wrong was done to the innkeeper. By this Young Lady’s subordinates.”

Namgung Gwan drank water again.

It seemed as if he was trying to calm his mind while drinking water.

“Apologize to the innkeeper when he comes. We’re fine.”

A cold wind mixed with the chilly atmosphere.

Namgung Gwan said to Namgung So So.

“So So, go tell Kang Suk that we’ve arrived. Tell him we’ll finish here quickly and come up.”

“Huh?”

“Chung Ho here should pay his respects, shouldn’t he?”

“Ah, should I?”

Namgung So So quickly got up and ran up to the second floor of the inn.

Once Namgung So So was gone, the atmosphere became even more subdued. With one seat empty, it felt as if cold wind was blowing fiercely through that space.

Yi Yeon Ju, who had been glaring at Namgung Gwan with cold eyes, suddenly smiled sweetly.

“Young Master Namgung is quite affectionate.”

“I don’t know from which of my words or actions you sensed affection.”

“Anyway, I just need to apologize directly to the innkeeper in front of everyone here, right?”

The same words can have different meanings depending on how they’re said and the atmosphere.

Yi Yeon Ju’s tone, which seemed to say “That’s all there is to it?”, was clearly signaling the start of a new battle of pride for anyone to see.

Namgung Gwan’s face hardened frighteningly.

Yi Yeon Ju sat down with a bright smile.

“Let’s do that then. What could be so difficult about it?”

“Listen here.”

“At this deserted inn, with nothing but one pathetic person eating like a beggar—what’s the big deal about apologizing to the innkeeper of such a place?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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