HDCLSSRS Ch 86

Chapter 86 Aung (6)

However, he couldn’t blame anyone. Wasn’t this what they called reaping what you sow? Seomun Yuha sniffled, blaming himself for letting his bad habits flare up again.

“…Still, could you at least tell me what illness it is?”

Seong Muyeon let out a short, bitter laugh.

“It’s not something you need to worry about. Please leave now. I’d prefer you not to come back. I don’t think I’ll be in the mood to forgive you again. I’ve already gifted you Hwarin’s side, so take it with you.”

Seong Muyeon turned away coldly. In response, Seomun Yuha clung to the hem of his robe.

“Sir, please don’t die… The truth is… I don’t have any real friends…”

“…”

“The friends you saw before? They were all people caught in my enchantment… I’ve never truly connected with anyone. You’re the only one who genuinely cared about me and looked after me. And yet, I’ve made another mistake. What can I do? This is just how I’m made…”

“…”

Seong Muyeon, weakened and dizzy from the aftereffects of breaking free from enchantment, felt his energy drained. Though he initially intended to kick off the person hanging onto him, he couldn’t bring himself to do it when he saw the tears brimming in Seomun Yuha’s eyes.

“I promise I won’t do it again, so please forgive me just this once. Please?”

What a ridiculous sight in the middle of the night.

Under the moonlight, two men were filming a full-on drama. One youth, looking pitiful as he whimpered, clung to the other man’s robe, pleading not to be abandoned.

Eventually, Seong Muyeon let out a sigh and nodded.

“Just this once, I’ll let it go.”

“R-Really?”

“But there won’t be a second time. If something like this happens again, you’ll have to pack your things and leave.”

Seomun Yuha nodded fiercely. Perhaps this immature nobleman might become a bit more humane with forgiveness and mercy?

“And my illness is just ordinary jeolmaek. Don’t tell anyone else. It’s a secret.”

“Wait, jeolmaek…?”

[Footnote: Jeolmaek (절맥, 絶脈) refers to a condition in traditional Eastern medicine where one’s pulse is undetectable or severely weakened, often linked to extreme internal damage or the blockage of vital energy flow.]

Seomun Yuha’s eyes widened, and then he suddenly straightened his back and wiped away his tears in a flash.

“Why didn’t you say earlier that it was jeolmaek?!”

“…Excuse me?”

Seomun Yuha, who had been whining like a child just moments ago, returned to his usual self in an instant—with a subtle hint of arrogance, no less. Beaming, he declared:

“I can treat you! I’m from Hwajeong Valley, remember?”

Three days later, Baek Ryeoil was released after a long session of meditative reflection. Having been locked in a dark cave, he instinctively smiled with satisfaction as he stepped once again into the bright sunlight.

Waiting to greet him were his loyal disciple, his gruff master who pretended to be indifferent but deeply cared for him, and…

“Where is Seong Muyeon?”

There was no sign of the meddling fool who couldn’t distinguish where he should and shouldn’t butt in.

“You blind brat. Can’t even see your own master after being locked up in a cave?!”

“Strange. He doesn’t have anything to do or anywhere to go.”

Baek Ryeoil ignored his furious master and scanned his surroundings. The good mood from the warm sun was short-lived; rage began to bubble up from within.

‘Does he not care that I got released?’

Impossible!

Even dogs wag their tails when their owners return. How dare that guy, who lived off my sect, stayed in my quarters, and enjoyed my protection, go wandering off without even knowing his place?

‘…This is betrayal.’

Not just any betrayal. This was a total betrayal.

“Ah, Master… actually, Sir Seong Muyeon isn’t feeling well and is resting in his room.”

“What?! Where? How?! Why?!”

Baek Ryeoil jumped in place, his heart plummeting. Just as he was about to rush off to check on Seong Muyeon’s condition—

“Not so fast!”

Ma Jincheon had predicted this and blocked his escape route. He grabbed his disciple by the collar and dragged him away.

“I knew it. Did you forget? You’re still being punished. You have to finish serving your sentence first.”

“Master! I wasn’t trying to escape. I just need to stop by Chwijeongjae to check on something. Just for a moment!”

“You think I’m a fool? Think I’d fall for that again? Never happening. You brat!”

“I swear it’s real!”

Ma Jincheon dragged him to the grand main gate with its imposing signboard.

“For the next seven days, you’ll sweep the mountain gate every morning and evening.”

The young disciples who were originally assigned the task casually handed over the brooms. They’d seen Baek Ryeoil dragged over enough times to be used to the sight. At first, it had been strange watching a famous senior doing chores with those proud shoulders, but after a few times, they got the message: just get used to it.

“Once you’re done sweeping, organize the scrolls in the library pavilion. After that, help Instructor Heo and the others whom you harmed. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

Baek Ryeoil, lips jutting out a mile, answered reluctantly.

“You’ll only be forgiven when you receive confirmation from all the instructors. Now get to work. Let’s go, Ung.”

“Yes, Grandmaster…”

Kang Ung couldn’t take his eyes off his strong and cool master, his heart aching. But he couldn’t help him. The gate was in a place where many people passed by at all hours. If he tried any shortcuts, he’d get caught and punished even worse, so he had no choice but to walk away.

“….”

Baek Ryeoil lazily swept the ground while keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings.

‘Seong Muyeon is sick?’

He desperately wanted to dash over to Chwijeongjae to confirm with his own eyes that Muyeon was okay.

‘Is Master gone yet?’

As he cautiously took a step toward Chwijeongjae, a loud scolding voice rang out from somewhere:

“Do it properly!”

“Eek!”

His master knew him too well—Ma Jincheon had been hiding somewhere, spying on him. Emitting an aura of fury, he pointed two fingers at his own eyes, then at Baek Ryeoil, then drew his thumb across his neck.

It meant: If you slack off, you die.

Only after leaving that intense warning did Ma Jincheon finally turn his back and leave.

As much as the master knew his disciple, the disciple knew the master. He was probably hiding observers elsewhere, too. The moment he stepped away, some rat-like snitch would report straight to Ma Jincheon.

He was completely trapped.

And Baek Ryeoil’s suspicion was dead-on.

“….”

Not far from the main gate, hidden in a thick bush, a man was spying on Baek Ryeoil.

‘Why me?’

Wang Hojun, a second-tier disciple in the Finance Department, shed tears of agony.

‘I’m already drowning in work…’

The Finance Department served under the head of the sect—the Jangmunin, the supreme authority. Since Ma Jincheon was the heir to that position, he was practically their direct boss. To avoid falling out of favor, Wang Hojun’s master willingly offered up his disciple, making Hojun the one in charge of monitoring Baek Ryeoil.

He had to be extra careful not to let Baek Ryeoil realize what was going on. Everyone knew what would happen if Baek Ryeoil found out: he’d probably use force to intimidate Hojun into filing false reports. So it was vital that he never discovered the truth.

Meanwhile, Baek Ryeoil was sharpening his senses. He needed a way to check on Seong Muyeon without breaking character as someone diligently completing his punishment.

He stood right in the middle of the bustling road. But no one dared meet his eyes; they all brushed past quickly.

Then he saw a familiar face and brightened.

“Disciple!”

It was the junior whom Baek Ryeoil had once stolen a bath bucket from, which had led to a brawl among the disciples. Baek Ryeoil, being one to hold no grudges, had already forgotten about it. But the junior hadn’t. The moment Baek Ryeoil waved at him, the disciple quickly averted his eyes and vanished using expert footwork.

Baek Ryeoil stood dumbfounded.

“…Was he always that fast?”

He’d assumed the guy had been slacking in training, but apparently, he had invested everything into his agility skills.

“….”

No way! That bastard just totally disrespected me!

Baek Ryeoil gritted his teeth, silently vowing revenge.

But deep down, it was a painfully familiar feeling. Amid this sea of people, no one reached out to him. A loneliness among the crowd—it was a picture that reflected Baek Ryeoil’s entire life.

He clicked his tongue.

‘Maybe I should’ve been nicer all along?’

Only now did he begin to feel a tiny—very tiny—bit of regret for all his past actions, full of violence and threats.

“Oh my, isn’t that Senior Baek Ryeoil? What did you do this time?”

Just then, a mocking voice pierced the air. Only one disciple wasn’t afraid of Baek Ryeoil.

“Senior, your temper really is something else.”

It was Jang Hansu.