Absolute Regression

At the mention of “attendant,” Jo Sohyeop’s gaze changed.

If one didn’t know about him, it would be one thing, but Geom Mugeuk could clearly see it. The contempt in his eyes. The unbearable, frivolous anger that screamed, ‘Why is someone like you drinking with the woman who will be mine?’

‘So, he was like this even back then.’

No, rather, in his younger years, he couldn’t hide his true nature. When he was older, Jo Sohyeop was truly excellent at concealing himself.

“Drinking with an attendant at the same table—your reputation for being broad-minded seems to be true,” Jo Sohyeop said.

Jin Haryeong, thinking it was a compliment, replied with a question.

“Do you need to be broad-minded to sit with an attendant?”

Hadn’t the issue of sitting with attendants been her latest topic of concern? More than sharing the table, in recent days, the word occupying the most space in her mind wasn’t ‘Soaring Dragon Tournament’ but rather ‘attendant.’

“What I mean is that I don’t mind eating with an attendant at all.”

“Ah, I see. Your impartiality in treating subordinates is commendable. Well then, since the atmosphere of tomorrow’s banquet is predictable, let’s have a lively young gathering here instead.”

It was a casual proposal, even with a compliment, but Jin Haryeong promptly declined.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to pass.”

To be honest, Jo Sohyeop was handsome. So she did have a bit of a desire to sit and share a drink with him.

However, Geom Yeon took precedence over that desire.

If she drank with Jo Sohyeop, she would have to send Geom Yeon away. On the other hand, if they drank together, she would end up getting on Jo Sohyeop’s bad side.

Neither option appealed to her. Especially, she did not want to say, ‘We’re going to drink now, so can you leave?’

“This is a first. Being turned down for a drink by a woman.”

“We’ll be seeing each other tomorrow anyway, right?”

Jin Haryeong didn’t see it, but Geom Mugeuk did. The moment she rejected him, Jo Sohyeop’s gaze changed. How dare you reject me? The dark, cold emotion that arose was more than just annoyance.

As Jin Haryeong was about to turn away, Jo Sohyeop sat down directly across from Geom Mugeuk.

“I’ll have a drink with this attendant.”

Startled, Jin Haryeong looked at him as Jo Sohyeop spoke.

“I’m curious about what makes this attendant special enough to be allowed company when I cannot.”

Hearing those words, Jin Haryeong felt a surge of irritation. Jo Sohyeop’s current behavior was an obvious attempt to torment Geom Yeon. Because she wouldn’t drink with him, he decided to act this way? The slight favor she had felt for his handsome looks vanished instantly.

‘Is there no intention to make a good impression on me?’

She couldn’t understand. If his grandfather had mentioned marriage, then Jo Sohyeop would also be aware of it.

She sat down again.

She did so out of concern for Geom Yeon, but it only provoked Jo Sohyeop further.

“What an attractive attendant. To think he could make Miss Jin sit back down.”

Jo Sohyeop asked Geom Mugeuk, “What’s your name?”

“It’s Geom Yeon.”

“For an attendant, you have quite a grand name.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“You mentioned earlier that you are Jo Sohyeop from the True Dragon Manor.”

“Good memory. Where did you find such a fine servant?”

At the mention of the word ‘servant,’ her expression subtly frowned. Jo Sohyeop noticed her unmasked emotions, while Geom Mugeuk observed the shift in Jo Sohyeop’s feelings.

“Miss Jin is beautiful, isn’t she?”

“She is.”

“So beautiful that she crosses your mind at night? What do you think about….”

Jin Haryeong cut him off, anticipating what would come next.

“Watch your words! You keep crossing the line.”

“I thought you were broad-minded, seeing that you even drink with an attendant, but it seems your generosity depends on the person.”

The two locked eyes.

At that moment, a vivid image popped into Jin Haryeong’s mind—a black viper, flicking its tongue while raising its head. It was the first time she’d seen such an image while looking at a person, and she felt a bit unsettled. 1

Jo Sohyeop then smiled with a friendly face.

“Did I take the joke too far?”

He tried to brush it off as a joke, but Jin Haryeong was already completely put off.

‘Is he trying to flaunt his pride by mistreating the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter?’

Jo Sohyeop turned back to Geom Mugeuk with another question.

“I just don’t get it. What kind of person is our Miss Jin?”

“I don’t really know.”

“You don’t?”

“Although I’m an attendant, I’m not Miss Jin’s attendant.”

“You’re not?”

Jo Sohyeop was taken aback.

“Then whose attendant are you?”

“I serve Sir Seoryong, the young master of the Seo Do faction, who is participating in the Soaring Dragon Tournament.”

“Then why were you drinking with Miss Jin? Isn’t that even stranger?”

Geom Mugeuk sensed the oddity as well.

‘Why is this guy so agitated?’

Even though he was still quite young, Jo Sohyeop was known to be a cautious person. His behavior today seemed excessive, even if it was fueled by jealousy.

‘What has got you so worked up?’

He appeared overwhelmed by an uncontrollable heat, like a child receiving praise from a schoolmaster, a merchant who struck it rich, or a martial artist who achieved greatness. 2

Thud.

At that moment, Jin Haryeong set her glass down with a sharp clink. It was a silent warning to stop.

In response, Jo Sohyeop changed his demeanor, adopting a tone as if speaking to an old friend. He asked her softly, “Miss Jin, don’t you find this strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“The granddaughter of the Murim Alliance Leader is sitting and drinking with the attendant of a martial artist participating in this martial arts competition. A situation that would astonish everyone, yet the person in question, the granddaughter herself, doesn’t find it odd at all. What do you think?”

“So? What are you trying to say?”

“They say if you put a frog in lukewarm water and slowly boil it, it dies without realizing it’s dying.”

The corners of Jin Haryeong’s mouth lifted. Before she could retort, Jo Sohyeop continued.

“What if this man approached you with some ulterior motive? What if he’s trying to slip Energy Dispersing Poison into your drink right before the finals? Are you going to realize only then that you were deceived?”

Jo Sohyeop brought his face right up close to Geom Mugeuk’s.

“What’s your purpose?”

Geom Mugeuk said nothing. As Jo Sohyeop’s menacing energy flared, making it seem as though he might strike at any moment, Jin Haryeong stepped in.

“Jo Sohyeop.”

Her voice was cold and steady, revealing her mood.

“I’ll see you at tomorrow’s banquet. There’s still a long way to go before the water boils.”

Their gazes locked. Jin Haryeong stared boldly at the snake with its head raised. In that moment, she was not afraid of the snake.

Jo Sohyeop smiled.

“It seems I made a mistake at our first meeting. I apologize, Miss Jin. I’ll see you at the banquet tomorrow.”

He stood up and flashed a grin at me. Both Geom Mugeuk and Jin Haryeong sensed it—the thick killing intent behind that smile.

After Jo Sohyeop left the inn, Jin Haryeong silently drank her wine. She seemed to be mulling over what Jo Sohyeop had said earlier.

Geom Mugeuk quietly waited for her to speak.

After a moment, she sighed and spoke. The coldness she had shown towards Jo Sohyeop was gone; she had returned to her usual self.

“It’s difficult, so difficult. Why is everything so difficult?”

“Life is inherently difficult. If you asked someone a hundred years ago, they’d say it was difficult. If you asked someone five hundred years ago, they’d say it was difficult too. The Alliance Leader would say it’s difficult, that innkeeper over there would say it’s difficult, and even a child born tomorrow, once they mature, would say it’s difficult.”

“That’s exactly why. How can anyone not be suspicious when an attendant says things like that?” 3

“Do you find me suspicious as well, Miss Jin?”

She answered honestly.

“To be honest, the moment I heard the frog story, I was startled.”

“If you fall for that kind of talk, you’ll be moved from a warm hot spring to a real boiling cauldron.”

Jin Haryeong shook her head.

“You’re too good with words. You win.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t want to trust that person even if it kills me, so I have no choice but to trust you.”

“In situations like this, it’s best not to trust either. Why choose between the two?”

Jin Haryeong looked at Geom Mugeuk. If this man were truly evil, it would be a big problem, she thought. She had a feeling that stopping him would be more difficult than dealing with the snake-like Jo Sohyeop. But she decided to trust her instincts.

“It’s not time to worry about me. You’re in trouble. The frog on this side might still be swimming in warm water, but the frog on that side has just been plopped onto a rock in the middle of molten lava.”

She had an innate sense for discerning people. She realized that Jo Sohyeop was not someone who would let an attendant who had shared a drink with the woman he wished to possess walk away unscathed—especially if that attendant had the woman’s favor.

“The young master will protect me.”

“No, even if your young master is skilled enough to make it to the finals, he won’t be able to protect you. That man’s family is not ordinary. You should go back home now.”

“I can’t leave without my young master. And if what you say is true, and he really intends to harm me, would going back home allow me to avoid it? Worse, it could bring trouble to the young master’s faction.”

“You’re right.”

She suddenly stood up.

“Wait here. I’ll find a pole to get you out of that lava.”

She left the inn.

Shortly after she left, Seo Daeryong took her place.

“This is more interesting than the competition.” 4

“Weren’t you tired?”

“No matter how tired I am, I can’t help but be curious. Who was that guy earlier? Is it like the cliché where every fated love has an obstacle?”

“To him, I must be the obstacle.”

“He looked perfectly fine, though.”

“It’s the ones who look fine that are more dangerous.”

“Exactly. You wouldn’t be saying that if you had shaved your beard.”

“I’m more dangerous?”

“Is that even a comparison? In terms of looks or danger.”

Seo Daeryong chuckled to himself, as if even he found his joke amusing.

“I’ll just keep watching this fateful love unfold and win the competition.”

“Do that. I’ll handle this business while watching this fateful martial arts competition.”

I was genuinely curious about what Jin Haryeong would do next.

And the solution she brought the next day was one I hadn’t anticipated.

“Come with me to the banquet.”

She wanted me to attend the banquet being held today, the one with the Murim Alliance Leader and Jo Sohyeop present.

“I’m pretty sure I told you I wouldn’t go, even if it meant being called a coward.”

“The situation has changed since then. I’ll be responsible for your life.”

“How?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Meet the Murim Alliance Leader?

Could I really hide my identity from him? I had already reached the realm of Return to Simplicity, making me appear as if I had no martial arts at all.

But would that work on Jin Paecheon? Could I really conceal the overall presence that emanated from me as a person?

Probably not. While I might be able to disguise my martial arts level as that of an Eight-Star, there’s no way I could pass myself off as just an attendant.

Meeting the Murim Alliance Leader meant I had to be ready to reveal my true identity.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“I’m just considering how your grandfather will react once he learns about me.”

Of course, she was worried about something entirely different.

“My grandfather won’t harm you because of your status. Even if he gets angry, it’ll be directed at me.”

“He’s a great man, so he treats even his subordinates with respect, right?”

“Of course.”

‘Then how would he treat the bloodline of the Heavenly Demon?’

It was a question I couldn’t bring myself to ask her.

Even if it’s revealed that I am of the Heavenly Demon’s bloodline, the Murim Alliance wouldn’t dare kill me. Doing so could trigger a war. In that sense, the Murim Alliance is a safer place than even the Divine Cult.

Instead, I would be exiled, and in accepting responsibility for causing trouble with the Murim Alliance, this successor trial would end in failure.

I hesitated for quite a while. Jin Haryeong understood and waited for me.

Eventually, I finished contemplating the various scenarios.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Oh, you’ve made a good decision.”

“Let’s meet at the entrance of the Murim Alliance in half an hour. I need some time to prepare for the banquet.”

“Alright.”

After sending her off, I went up to the guest room and informed Seo Daeryong that I would be attending the banquet hosted by Jin Paecheon.

Seo Daeryong asked with concern, “Will you be okay?”

“Do you think I will be?”

“So far, you’ve been saying you’re off to meet all kinds of dangerous people. From the Demonic Army Commander to even the Demon Supremes. But now, you’re going to meet the Murim Alliance Leader.”

“How about it? This kind of leader?”

“If it were before, I would have hated it.”

Whenever I mentioned meeting the Demon Supremes, Seo Daeryong would recoil in fear.

“And now?”

“Now, running away in fear would only lead to martial arts competitions.”

We both laughed together. The fact that we were alone in enemy territory brought us closer.

“Have a safe trip. I’ll continue my training.”

I looked at my reflection in the bronze mirror. Messy, disheveled hair and cheap clothes. I intentionally made my hair messier and didn’t change my clothes. 4

When Jin Haryeong saw me at the entrance of the Murim Alliance, she exclaimed, “You said you were going to get ready for the banquet! What kind of preparation did you do?”

“Didn’t I improve?”

“Not at all!”

“Should I go change then?”

“No, then we’ll be late. Let’s go!”

As Jin Haryeong and I entered the banquet hall, the eyes of everyone around us focused on us.

In the midst of the heroes, her late father’s presence was like a splash of red in a black-and-white painting.

The presence of the Murim Alliance Leader was no different. Despite the crowd in the banquet hall, I immediately recognized who the Murim Alliance Leader was.

While everyone else appeared in black and white, Jin Paecheon alone stood out in blue.

Truly, the presence exuded by the strongest masters in Murim is astonishing.

From a distance, the Murim Alliance Leader, Jin Paecheon, who had been conversing with guests, slowly turned his head in our direction.

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1 : Perceptive…. She detected his true nature in less than 5 mns. Not that it was really hard, mind you.

2 : Was she promised to him ? By the Heavenly Society Leader ? The mysterious cult behind Hwa Moogi rise ? (speculation)

3 : Yeah, sometimes you talk like an ascetic revered sage. Which… is kinda the case considering your past life. No hobbies, alcohol or women, just the pursuit of martial arts and long journeys around the world, observing the people’s sufferings.

4 : Aahh, you too ? I’m sure you’re regretting the non-existence of popcorn in Murim ^^

5 : Lol, most guys do the same thinking they’re improving their appearances, only for girls to tell them they’re completely wrong and scolding them XDXDXD

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