Chapter 94 – Masked Man (5)
“Alright, I get it.”
I could hear White Peach’s gritting teeth from here. She must be really angry. But so what? What’s she going to do about it? Today, I was practically her master.
“Get on with it.”
“…You really should know your limits. Third-class disciple.”
My title had been downgraded from disciple to third-class disciple, but I didn’t care since I was in a good mood.
“You and I share a master-disciple relationship. No matter how much we may wager, there’s always a certain line between masters and disciples. Do you understand that?”
“Horse tail. What did I tell you to say?”
“……A master worse than a wildcat.”
There was a caveat in the beginning, but what does it matter? There are so many things to enjoy in the future, but it would be troublesome if our attire begins to burst already.
“But you were the one who made the bet first.”
“……Speaking informally to a superior.”
“Who’s the superior now?”
“It’s the master.”
“It’s good to know one’s place… Someone once said that. Who do you think it was?”
Baekdo’s brow twitched. It was because those words were said to me during our training days in Jirisan.
“…It was me. I said that because it was so unimpressive to see a third-class disciple like an enemy throwing punches.”
“I also won the bet, but I said that because my actions were so lackluster.”
“You really don’t hold back your words.”
“So what?”
“……No.”
Did Baekdo realize that if we keep going like this, this bet would never end for the rest of our lives? Baekdo got up from her seat and went to the kitchen.
Soon, as I enjoyed the refreshments and tea she brought, I skimmed through the midterm exam notice that had just arrived.
Written and practical exams. And tournaments.
The types of tests were determined in three ways. The subject matter was up to the professors. If the professor of the course you chose opted for a written exam, you’d take a written exam; if they chose a practical exam, you’d take a practical exam. Instructors typically favored practical exams.
On the other hand, the tournament was a fixed annual test with unchanging subject matter. It was a crude yet efficient examination method that ranked students purely by their strength. It didn’t significantly impact grades, but it did affect rankings—it was a system designed to honor the truly skilled individuals.
I glanced at White Peach out of the corner of my eye.
“Sit down here.”
With a tilt of her eyebrows, White Peach took a seat on the makeshift chair beside the desk.
“Honestly, I’m pissed off right now.”
Nod, nod.
“The exam is coming up soon… I need to win… Shall we make another bet? Whether or not I’ll secure first place.”
She chuckled.
“I can still clearly remember making a pointless bet and embarrassing myself… Did you think I would accept this bet?”
Honestly, I think she would. I know I would.
“Fine.”
Look at this.
“I’ll bet on the losing side. After all, it allows for cheating.”
“Alright. What should the penalty be for the person who loses the bet?”
“Anything goes. Of course, the winner of the bet tells the loser.”
She’s still not thinking straight after losing once. It felt like I was looking at an individual investor who had almost lost everything in the stock market.
“What if you lose again? This time, it won’t end with just being a servant.”
“Shut up.”
She said she would do it, and there’s no stopping her. I waved my hand dismissively.
“Fine, let’s go eat in an hour. How about pork bone soup?”
“…I like it.”
As their training regimen intensified, the amount they ate also grew proportionately.
Naturally, hunger followed exertion. Baekdo seemed to agree, as she licked her lips, imagining the nourishing rice soup she would soon consume.
“Ah, please give me a foot massage.”
Of course, Baekdo was akin to a slave until she had eaten.
“Eek, e-eek…”
Baekdo, holding back as much as she could, finally swallowed her bitter words and silently acquiesced to my request. The sound of grinding teeth, seething with anger, filled the hushed room.
* * * * * *
[Chingu-Chingu 010 – xxxx – xxxx]
Lady Sansuyu had made a friend.
She even saved the contact using words that exuded a sense of closeness.
‘…Of all people, it had to be him.’
Seong Ji-ho, Sansuyu’s personal secretary, let out a sigh of discontent as he went through her mobile phone.
Ching-gu Ching-gu… It was unmistakably the work of the true pine tree he had recently taken as his mentor. They must have teased each other, claiming that this was the kind of nickname friends use.
‘Lee Si-heon… Why ever a man like this…’
The Cornus family was renowned, a prestigious house among prestigious houses. Those who sought to approach the eldest daughter of the deep-rooted tree were obliged to investigate, even if their lineage traced back to the World Tree itself.
Silently, Seong Ji-ho examined the sparse report.
Lee Si-heon, from the day he approached Sansuyu, had been under relentless investigation. However, Ji-ho couldn’t find any traces of his past.
‘It’s far too risky. He might have ulterior motives.’
Lee Si-heon had concealed his information all too well. No expert should be capable of hiding themselves so flawlessly.
‘Why would a lady like her meet with someone like this…’
Although it wasn’t his place as a secretary to say, Miss Sansuyu was simply too pure and naive.
Sometimes, it was difficult to discern whether one’s actions were appropriate or not. Silently observing, one might be unsure if they were serving a lady from an esteemed household or a gentle golden retriever.
*Sigh.*
A breath tinged with resignation drifted out the window.
‘Lady Cornus wasn’t always like this.’
Excessive expectations and attention, coupled with a project being planned by the Cornus family, had contributed to various reasons for Sansuyu’s emotional detachment and transformation.
Of course, her beauty was still captivating enough to gladly sacrifice one’s life for… but sometimes, memories of her younger days would resurface.
“Jiho, I learned swordsmanship today. Take note of it.”
Back then, she was a woman who trusted herself and took the lead in her own affairs. These days, however…
“Miho.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“I lost my phone…”
This was her current state.
Of course, there was more to her than just her foolish side.
Despite appearing naive and foolish, her academic performance at the academy was among the top. Her swordsmanship was also improving rapidly, and lately, she had been training diligently for some reason.
‘Is it because of him…?’
Recalling Lee Si-heon’s name, Ji-ho bitterly smiled as he watched Cornus tilting her head in confusion. If that was truly the reason, he should be grateful. However, if that scoundrel harbored impure intentions towards her, Ji-ho would have to intervene personally.
Ji-ho took out his phone from his pocket and handed it to Cornus.
“I found it in the hallway earlier, Miss.”
“Oh, thank you, Ji-hoo.”
“It’s Ji-ho.”
“Mi-ho.”
“…Yes.”
Cornus grinned while looking at the screen of the phone, which didn’t even have a common pattern lock.
‘She’s not really going to end up with such a strange guy, is she…?’
Seeing her like this, Ji-ho’s heart couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
She’s truly endured much, and I hope she finds genuine happiness.
The bitterness was all the more pronounced, knowing firsthand the internal affairs of the Cornus family.
“Miss.”
“Yes?”
“The friend I mentioned before… May I know what became of them?”
Sansuyu clutched a cellphone in her hand. The device, with its rather large screen, was dwarfed by her ample chest, so much so that even a small palm could easily cover the phone.
“I’ve made a friend.”
“Really? That’s wonderful news.”
Jiho had suspected as much and maintained a poker face as he continued.
“Miss, you have an exam coming up soon, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“How about inviting your friend over to study together? It could help build your friendship and might even be a unique experience.”
Sansuyu’s eyes sparkled as if the suggestion was a brilliant idea.
“I think that’s a great idea. Shiho! I’ll give it a try.”
After responding, Sansuyu walked briskly into her room.
Jiho, who tracked her with his eyes, couldn’t help but admit at least one thing while observing Sansuyu.
The fact that her emotional descriptions had increased recently.
It was an undeniable, visible change in her.
‘I’ll have to investigate a bit more.’
Jiho read several lines about Lee Si-heon recorded in the report.
—
Lee Si-heon, 20 years old. Childhood and past activities have not been investigated.
However, considering his approach to White Peach, an S-class hunter, and his ongoing contact with Lee Se-Young, a female executive of the Orc family, he is believed to be no ordinary individual.
Currently, several guilds and families have contacted him. However, no illegal transactions have been made.
—
At first glance, he’s a promising young man. He would have left him alone, but he couldn’t because of his involvement with Sansuyu.
‘But of all the connections, it had to be with that woman from White Peach…’
Ji-ho reminisced about the day he saw Baek-do sitting poised at a guild meeting in the past. Her gaze alone seemed to consume everyone present. As he recalled it, goosebumps involuntarily covered his arm.
Truthfully, he felt slightly hesitant about investigating Lee Si-heon like this.
‘If I mess this up, I might end up dead.’
Still, he had to do it—for Miss Cornus. That was the mindset a secretary tasked with protecting the eldest daughter of the Cornus family should have.
‘Please, let him not be a bad person.’
Ji-ho slipped his hand into his pocket, entertaining a rather unsavory thought, but quickly withdrew it when he realized there were no cigarettes. He was slightly disappointed that he had quit smoking for the lady’s sake today.
With a sigh, he dusted off his hands and knocked on Sansuyu’s door to deliver the evening news.
“Miss? May I come in?”
“Uh-huh, come in.”
With permission granted, he opened the door.
In the opulent room, Sansuyu sat in front of the computer, a bright yellow headset perched on her head, as she turned to gaze at Jiho.
“My lady, it’s time to eat.”
“It’s fine.”
Jiho began to walk around Sansuyu’s room, inspecting the surroundings.
“Miho…?”
Sansuyu’s voice questioned his actions. Sensing something artificial in her tone, Jiho took a moment to scan the spacious room.
As expected.
Underneath the bed, a white plastic bag lay.
“My lady…”
“Uh, yes?”
“Please, stop eating tteokbokki. You need to have dinner, and yet, what is this?”
“I just wanted to eat it.”
Faced with her insistence, what could a secretary say to their master? Jiho swallowed his irritation and thought to himself. He didn’t know who had introduced her to the taste, but now she seemed determined to indulge.
There was a time when I requested fried chicken. To Jiho’s eyes, that fiery, rich-flavored rose tteokbokki was nothing short of a creation of the devil himself.