TSBIRBV Ch 75

Chapter 75 An Esper Who Knows When to Act (5)

Leaning against his sword, Haryang had drifted into unconsciousness when a cheerful voice reached his ears.

[Ah seriously, can’t you hear me? You can’t stay here, I told you already!]

A boy in ragged, shabby clothes tugged at Haryang.

“You’ve come again.”

Haryang smiled. He simply couldn’t help it—it brought a smile to his lips.

[Unbelievable. What’s a finely dressed young master like you doing in a place like this?]

As the boy grumbled, a hand pulled at Haryang’s sleeve. He could not feel the sensation at all, yet the boy stomped his feet impatiently.

“Yes. I know. Today too, Jak-gwi* and the Viper will come, right?”

[*Jak-gwi: literally “twin ghosts,” presumably infamous thugs or feared figures within these alleys.]

[Quick, quick… the “Twin Ghosts” and the Viper will arrive any moment now. If those brothers catch sight of you, a pampered young master raised so delicately—hm?]

The boy clenched his fist and pretended to beat the air, chewing at his lips as he kept glancing nervously over his shoulder.

“I don’t want to go though…”

At the sight of the boy’s urgent restlessness, Haryang rose to his feet as if spellbound. He was always helplessly soft toward this child.

[This way, this way…!]

Forgetting even the cumbersome heaviness of his own body, he followed the phantom of the boy. With the nimbleness of a flying squirrel, the boy darted this way and that, weaving through the tangled back alleys.

Terrified of losing him, Haryang ran until his breath clawed at his throat, yet he could never close the distance. Haryang knew, however, that even if he slowed his pace, the boy would not grow farther away. Even crawling along the ground with his arms because he had no strength left in his legs, the boy was never truly out of reach.

This game of chase inevitably reached its end every time.

Always just out of reach—neither near nor far—when Haryang pursued the boy, before he knew it he would find himself at the threshold between life and death, brushing against the boundary of the afterlife.

At that border, filled with the bustling sounds of a busy marketplace, the boy hurled a parting shot that never quite sounded like a farewell.

[Don’t ever come here again. A delicate young master like you should never step into alleys like this.]

The phantom child disappeared along with the sound of fading footsteps.

After countless repetitions, Haryang realized he would never reach the boy. Not while alive.

Because all of this was nothing more than a repetition of old memories.

“You truly… won’t let me go, will you?”

He was a man broken beyond repair.

And so, Haryang continued to live. To the point where even exhaustion and weariness faded from awareness.

Later, he sought out his old sect and found his martial brother at the foot of Mount Kunlun.

This was someone he could touch if he reached out, who would turn to answer if called, and whom he could easily seize without frantically running or crawling along the ground.

“…And yet, it brings me joy that I recognized you at a single glance.”

Haryang smiled warmly.

“That I have not forgotten you, Gyeol—do you know what that means to me?” [*Yegyeol (예결, here referred to as Gyeol) is male. This clarifies character identity for English readers unfamiliar with gender ambiguity present in the original text.]

The man tenderly overlapped his hand with Haryang’s—his warmth cool and weighted.

“It was I… I was in the wrong.”

“Hm?”

Haryang looked at him, seemingly puzzled. Yegyeol closed his eyes as if to feign ignorance, lips moving in a murmur.

“Senior Brother cherishes me this deeply… I only momentarily forgot.”

“What fault could you possibly have?”

The Senior Brother burst into carefree laughter, as though such a notion was ridiculous. Though he already understood the reason for Yegyeol’s request for forgiveness, he still said it was all right.

After all, ‘Je Haryang’ knew nothing.

“I will do well.”

With measured care, Yegyeol took Haryang’s hand with both of his, bowing his head low. Eyes closed, he pressed his cheek not against Haryang’s hand but against the back of his own that was clasping it, whispering softly.

“I will never leave you again.”

Was this a pledge of devotion from an Esper to his Guide, or the promise of a disciple who had abandoned Je Haryang twenty years ago and now returned? Even Yegyeol himself could not discern.

But what did it matter? Ever since his rebirth, he had lived uneasily astride the threshold of life and death.

What was important now was that this promise would be kept.

“Master Mun.”

Namgung Un rose with a bright smile as Yegyeol cautiously looked around before taking a seat opposite him.

“Thank you for willingly accepting my invitation.”

“Oh, think nothing of it.”

Yegyeol waved his hand dismissively.

“I’d heard you were recuperating in Cheonghae, so I had planned to visit you there. Yet instead, you have personally come all the way to Sichuan for me.”

“How could I not? After all, Young Master Namgung is my lifesaving benefactor.”

In truth, Yegyeol had not come in answer to Namgung Un’s summons. That night he had already made a sort of ‘declaration’ to his Senior Brother; Sichuan was simply the next step for the task ahead. Namgung Un’s invitation was nothing more than a convenient pretext.

‘How could I subject him to accusations of ingratitude?’

Je Haryang, his Senior Brother, had clenched his fist with adorable force and shaken it in the air, but he had let Yegyeol go more readily than expected.

‘Be careful on your way, all right?’

“Benefactor—you say? I merely accompanied you on the journey home.”

Lost in thought, Yegyeol was startled into looking up at Namgung Un. His eyes were filled with unadulterated sincerity and goodwill.

Truly, this degree of humility could itself be a flaw.

‘Does Guide mean an angel without wings?’

Whether it was his Senior Brother or Namgung Un now before him, perhaps these were not really people at all, but a different kind of being.

“With the martial warriors of the Namgung clan by your side, no one would dare make trouble.”

Yegyeol pressed his hands together and lowered his gaze.

“I considered what repayment could be worthy once I recovered… but shamefully, I have prepared nothing befitting the heir of the Namgung clan.”

“Repayment? Whatever for?”

Namgung Un widened his eyes round and waved his hand lightly.

“Have we not become close friends?”

“…Friends?”

Yegyeol blinked blankly, stunned at the words.

In truth, he had expected he might someday repay with favors—ensuring debts could not be called in later, perhaps even when it came to returning the serpent. But for the heir of a great family to suddenly call him “friend”? That possibility had never occurred to him.

‘Friends? With me? A mere commoner, not even a martial artist—but the heir of the Namgung clan?’

For someone as calculative as Yegyeol, such a declaration of friendship struck with unexpected force.

“…Ah, perhaps I presumed too much.”

Namgung Un lowered his eyes.

“No, no. Not at all.”

Yegyeol quickly shook his head.

“It is simply that I never imagined a mere merchant such as I could truly be considered your friend…”

His words trailed off, but Namgung Un only laughed.

“Try calling me by name.”

“…Your name?”

The pace of their rapport left Yegyeol parched of words.

“Un… Gongja?” [*Gongja (공자): literally “young lord” or “noble master,” a polite title for the son of a noble family.]

“Drop the ‘Gongja.’ My family name is Namgung, not Un.”

There was a trace of warmth in Namgung Un’s voice as he corrected him.

“…Un.”

His voice had grown even smaller, but Namgung Un’s face shone with a radiant smile of satisfaction.

“Then, may I call you Yegyeol?”

“Call me whatever you like.”

“I’d also like to speak without honorifics, but…”

Namgung Un’s eyes met Yegyeol’s.

Yegyeol pressed his lips shut, widened his eyes, and gave a steadfast shake of his head. Namgung Un smacked his lips as if in disappointment.

“Very well, we can grow used to it gradually.”

‘What was that?’

Didn’t he just seem… like a predator about to strip its prey bare, only to pause?

Yegyeol could not believe that this man, who appeared as noble as a lofty crane, could hold within him such a feral air. Namgung Un masked a satisfied smile behind his teacup and smoothly changed the subject.

“The purpose of inviting you today was to introduce you to the Hougijisu.” [*Hougijisu (후기지수, Later Generation’s Leading Talents): a prestigious designation for rising young heroes of the martial world.]

“The Hougijisu—you mean martial artists?”

“Exactly.”

Namgung Un answered brightly.

“Such a gathering—why include me?”

Before Yegyeol could press further, several people streamed into the room and took their seats.

“It has been too long, Young Master Namgung.”

“Ah, Thunder-Sworded Dragon! How have you been, my friend?”

Namgung Un received them with natural ease, smiling warmly as he began to introduce each one to Yegyeol.

“This man here is Cheong Yun of Cheongseong. And beside him, this lady is Soyul of the Emei Sect.”

The stern-faced man inclined his head with a martial salute, while the cheerful woman waved lightly.

‘That one resembles Hongyeo; and this one, a less indolent Samrang.’

“And here is Baek Hwan, young master of the Jade Pavilion Sect. Finally, this friend—”

“I am Dang Segi, young heir of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

The man who stood was reminiscent of Dang Seoak, though his slanted eyes and the faint timidity with which he gauged Yegyeol made him seem softer, almost fragile.

‘Like the difference between an owl and a night-sparrowhawk…’

Though Dang Seoak had always been genial and smiling, to see someone with such similar features appear so honestly meek—it left a strangely uncanny impression.

Yegyeol rose and greeted them.

“An honor. I am Mun Yegyeol of Cheonghae Merchant Guild. It is my great fortune to meet the rising heroes of the martial world.”

A faint awkwardness flickered at the mention of “merchant.”

“So this is who the Namgung heir thought worthy of introduction. To think it would be the master of Cheonghae Guild!”

Baek Hwan of the Jade Pavilion laughed easily, revealing himself to be socially adept.

Mentioning Yegyeol’s overlooked position while steering the atmosphere smoothly—no doubt Namgung Un had spoken with him separately beforehand.

‘Ah, that’s right—Namgung Un once joined that merchant escort party under the guise of being from the Jade Pavilion Sect.’

It seemed Baek Hwan and Namgung Un shared a bond indeed.

“Such accomplishments at so young an age—you are admirable.”

“Oh, not at all.”

This was no false humility; Yegyeol truly had no grounds to claim credit. The Cheonghae Merchant Guild had flourished only thanks to his Senior Brother.

“Pardon me, let me pour the wine.”

As casual conversation flowed, the tavern’s server entered with steaming dishes and bottles. In an instant, the table was transformed into a feast.

“Come, enough introductions. Let us sate our hunger first.”

Confronted with glistening delicacies, Yegyeol eagerly raised his chopsticks. He picked a piece of five spice pork and brought it to his lips.

The meat melted tenderly, the fragrance of spices lingering to the very end. Yegyeol’s eyes went wide with delight.

It truly lived up to being a famed establishment, approved by heirs of the Five Great Clans and disciples of the Nine Great Sects.

‘Next time, I must bring Senior Brother.’

Fixing the location firmly in memory, Yegyeol thought of Je Haryang, who rarely strayed far from Cheonghae.

‘Well, if not him, then I’ll drag Black Ghost along.’

The sound of a cork popping sharply drew his attention. Namgung Un smiled a little sheepishly.

“Let me pour you a cup.”

Footnotes for Explanation:

1. Jak-gwi (짝귀) – Literally “twin ghosts,” a fearsome nickname, likely of infamous thugs or figures haunting the alleys. 
2. Gyeol (결 within Yegyeol/예결) – Clarification: Despite the use of delicate phrasing, Yegyeol is male. 
3. Gongja (공자) – A respectful term meaning “young master” or “lord,” especially for sons of noble families. 
4. Hougijisu (후기지수) – A prestigious classification given to promising young martial heroes, essentially the next generation of leaders in the martial world.