HDCLSSRS Ch 18

Chapter 18 A Humble Man in a Noble Place (3)

 

‘What?!’

Baek Ryeoil shook his head in disbelief but didn’t try to interfere.

Fortunately, Seong Muyeon’s impassioned speech was enough to sway the hearts of the elders. Some shed tears out of pity for his situation, and most softened their gazes toward him a little.

Of course, not everyone looked at him favorably.

“But Elders. Even if what he says is true, we cannot make such a major decision on our own.”

The one who spoke was the Third Elder, whose appearance was as despicable as his tone. At that, the other elders flinched, then began to agree with him.

“It’s unfortunate, but we must withhold any decisions until the Sect Leader returns and thoroughly monitor him in the meantime.”

“The Third Elder is right. This could be a matter concerning the survival of the sect, so we must be cautious.”

“Of course. Absolutely.”

Seong Muyeon narrowed his eyes.

‘That old man looks just like a villain!’

It was one thing to spoil the moment—it was entirely another to do it so thoroughly.

As everyone nodded in agreement with the Third Elder, he rose to his feet and looked down at Seong Muyeon.

“Seong Muyeon, young master. Since you seem to understand the gravity of the situation, I assume you’ll agree to remain in the detention chamber until the Sect Leader returns.”

Seong Muyeon let out a shallow sigh. At least it seemed he wouldn’t be beaten and thrown out right away.

“Yes, I agree… Wait, what? The detention chamber? Isn’t that a prison?!”

The Third Elder narrowed his eyes.

“Exactly. We can’t just let the Demon Sect’s young master roam around Hwasan freely, can we?”

Seong Muyeon took a step back. At that moment, the waiting enforcer swordsmen swarmed in to block the entrance with their bodies.

“Apologies, but given your identity, young master… It may have been easy enough to enter, but leaving is another matter entirely.”

At the Third Elder’s nod, the enforcers reached out to seize Seong Muyeon. But their hands never touched him.

The enforcer was already pinned to the floor. As expected, it was Baek Ryeoil’s doing.

“Guh… S-Senior! What are you doing!”

He had twisted his junior’s arm behind his back and pinned him. Watching from afar, Ma Jincheon smacked his own chest as if he had expected this.

“Please wait a moment, Elder.”

Baek Ryeoil helped the junior up, then gave a light push to the remaining enforcers. The others hesitated, afraid they’d end up in the same state.

Baek Ryeoil looked up at the elders’ seats in the assembly hall.

“I brought this guy in, so I’ll take responsibility for him.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If he’s put in detention, someone would have to guard him, right? I don’t want my seniors and juniors wasting their time because of me. They may seem like fools, but they’re actually valuable manpower.”

“What’s gotten into you, coming up with such a decent idea?”

Baek Ryeoil glanced sidelong at Seong Muyeon.

“Besides, that brat is clever. If he sets his mind to it, he could break out even from the detention chamber.”

“…”

Seong Muyeon flinched. What he said wasn’t wrong. He knew three different ways to escape from the detention chamber—all taught to him by the original Baek Ryeoil in the source material.

The Third Elder stroked his beard.

“Hmm, I see. If it’s Baek Ryeoil, he should be able to keep that one in line. Does everyone agree? Good. Then Ryeoil, you’re responsible for thoroughly watching him until the Sect Leader returns.”

“Yes, sir.”

The elders began rising from their seats.

“W-Wait a minute. You’re not going to ask for my opinion? Hey!”

Seong Muyeon shouted after the elders, but they left in silence. He desperately called after their retreating backs.

“Just send me to the detention chamber instead! Elder Ma! You can’t do this to me!”

Even Ma Jincheon gave Baek Ryeoil a pat on the shoulder and left, leaving only the two of them in the hall. Seong Muyeon was in despair.

“Well then, shall we go?”

Baek Ryeoil grabbed the scruff of his neck and lifted him up like a sack.

…Ah, what an unfair world.

Outside the hall, curious young disciples were hanging onto the outer wall, trying to catch a glimpse of Seong Muyeon. Since the adults wouldn’t explain anything, they pressed their ears to the walls, trying to gather any information. But when Baek Ryeoil appeared with Seong Muyeon dangling from his hand, they scattered in panic.

Seong Muyeon was burning with frustration.

‘What are you staring at?! Must be nice not to have any worries…’

He was facing the crisis of a lifetime, yet those carefree kids looked so enviably happy.

Baek Ryeoil brought him directly to his own quarters. The small pavilion surrounded by a low wall was called Chwijungjae. It was too large for one person but completely unoccupied.

Most of the rooms seemed unused. Baek Ryeoil opened the door to one of them and went inside.

“…Does a person live here? Or is this a pigsty?”

Unlike the tidy exterior, the inside of the room was a disaster. There were barely any furnishings, and the floor was so cluttered with worn clothes and random junk that it was hard to step anywhere.

Despite Seong Muyeon’s complaints, Baek Ryeoil only shrugged. Then he picked up a blanket from the floor and tossed it into a corner.

“There. That’s where you’ll be staying.”

“…You expect me to sleep there?”

“What, you thought I’d give my bed to a Demon Sect brat?”

What was this? Even stray dogs picked up off the street were treated better than this.

“Then just send me to the detention chamber now. That would honestly be better.”

“I told you. I’m not wasting manpower over one guy. Even if my fellow disciples seem like fools, they’re actually top-tier assets.”

“Then you, Baek Dojang, should guard the detention chamber.”

“What? You want me to sleep on cold stone floors?”

“But you’re telling me to sleep on a wooden floor…”

Seong Muyeon grumbled.

“What did you just say?”

“N-Nothing. Nothing at all…”

His ears were sharp, too. Seong Muyeon pouted.

Thud!

Baek Ryeoil suddenly shoved him hard against the wall.

“Urgh.”

He hit so hard that Seong Muyeon’s back ached. Baek Ryeoil’s warning voice came from above his head.

“Keep this in mind, Seong Muyeon.”

“What? What do I need to keep in mind?”

Seong Muyeon rubbed his aching shoulder and grumbled.

“If you ever try to pull anything funny with me again, I’ll treat you like any other Demon Sect scum. Got it?”

“Y-Yeah… Got it, sir.”

Seong Muyeon let out a long sigh.

Still, he had safely entered Hwasan. He didn’t know what would happen once the Sect Leader returned, but until then, he was safe.

‘At least until war breaks out.’

He needed protection, and there weren’t many places that would look past his origins without prejudice.

“By the way…”

“Yes?”

Baek Ryeoil suddenly furrowed his brow and pressed his nose to Seong Muyeon’s nape.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“Hold still. What did you do to yourself?”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Why do you smell so good? Are you wearing some kind of scent pouch?”

He even started rummaging through Seong Muyeon’s chest. Seong Muyeon struggled with all his might to escape Baek Ryeoil’s grasp.

“You lunatic Taoist!”

“What? This brat keeps— You’re really testing me now.”

“Yeah, I’m pissed! What are you gonna do, kill me? Go ahead!”

Even Baek Ryeoil wouldn’t commit murder inside Hwasan, so Seong Muyeon had nothing to fear anymore.

“Oh… Looks like your guts are spilling out of your belly now…”

Baek Ryeoil slowly straightened up. His shadow loomed, appearing even taller than before.

“Did you know?”

“K-Know what?”

“If you hit someone just right, you can make it hurt like hell without leaving a single mark. Curious if it’s true?”

“…No. Not curious at all.”

Seong Muyeon had no choice but to lower his tail. A sad tear welled up at the corner of his eye. In the world of martial arts, weakness was a sin.

‘This filthy world… I will definitely get revenge!’

“Ugh, fine. No point wrestling with someone who’ll die from a flick. I’ll let you off. Just behave until the Sect Leader gets back.”

Baek Ryeoil lay down on the bed and stretched his long legs. He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

“…”

Seong Muyeon stood awkwardly like a grain sack and looked around. There wasn’t a single place to sit. The only table in the room had two chairs, but both were buried under who-knew-how-old clothes, and the table was piled high with all sorts of junk. There was even a faint rotting smell.

‘I can’t live like this!’

Seong Muyeon rolled up his sleeves.

Baek Ryeoil took a short break.

Since he had to keep watch to prevent Seong Muyeon from escaping, he didn’t fall into deep sleep, but closed his eyes in meditation to regain some energy. Still, the constant bustling beside him kept getting on his nerves. After an hour, he couldn’t take it anymore and shot up.

“Hey! Knock it off, I said—”

Baek Ryeoil rubbed his eyes.

“My room…?”

He had only closed his eyes for a moment, but it felt like he had woken up in a completely different place. The floor was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight, and it even had a strange shine to it. The clothes he had carelessly tossed were now neatly folded and stacked in one corner.