麻豆工作室

 On the highest floor, a woman sat with eyes closed in lotus position.

 She was a beautiful woman.

 Her cascading black hair shone like silk, her red lips parted slightly with each breath, and a red jade dress draped her body.

 Every aspect of her exuded such elegance that it provoked a tingling sensation in any onlooker.

  –My lady.

 A voice emanated from somewhere.

 At that, the woman’s eyelids fluttered open.

 Sharp, dignified eyes gazed straight ahead, fierce yet retaining their elegance.

 “What is it?”

  –There is someone investigating you, my lady.

 “…Who?”

  –A martial artist that has never been seen before in this area.

 “Is it the Sun Society?”

  –It doesn’t seem so. Compared to them, this one’s skills are far too crude, and his attire and weapons likewise are shabby.

 The woman’s eyebrows narrowed.

 “Have you discerned his objective?”

  –It is unclear.

 “His martial arts?”

  –…He has at minimum reached the First Rate Realm. His qi flow seems very well cultivated.

“At least first rate…”

 The woman muttered and let out a hollow laugh.

 “Which mutt caught a whiff of me this time and came running over?”

  –Shall I take care of him?

 “Hyang, I appreciate your loyalty, however, I would prefer you not to rush into an uncertain situation without due consideration. I have no wish to send you on a fool’s errand.”

 The woman arose from her seat, straightening her back and gazing out the window.

 It offered a sweeping view of Suyang County.

A bitter expression crossed the woman’s face.

 When exactly did it all start?

From the moment she abandoned her clan name and fled, she had been forever surrounded by enemies looking for her head.

 Just when she would find some semblance of peace, the wearisome shadows would emerge again if she tried to settle down or slip away.

 Alas, the woman uttered resentfully.

“They do not tire, baring their fangs yet again.”

  –…I cannot yet confirm it is them.

 “If not them, then where did such a master suddenly appear from?”

 The voice fell silent, likely perplexed by how to respond.

 The thought of her flustered on the ceiling brought a smirk to the woman’s lips as she asked.

 “Where is our guest?”

  –Ah, on the second floor of the pavilion.

 “I see. And how did he make an entrance this time? Did he cause chaos and call for me? Or yell the clan’s name and frighten the children?”

 A silence enveloped the two for a moment after she asked this.

The woman tilted her head, pressing for an answer.

 “Hyang?”

  –Er…

 The one called Hyang hesitated.

 As the woman’s puzzlement only deepened…

  –…He is being entertained, albeit… visibly frightened.

 Upon hearing those words, the woman made an odd expression.

* * *

 “Aww, you’re too cute baby, aren’t you? Come here, let me see a bit more…”

 “S-Stop that…!”

 “Kyaaa~! He said stop that! Such a cutieeeeeee!!!”

 The guest room on the second floor of the Jade Flower Pavilion was in a frenzy.

 Although it was only expected for a courtesan house to be lively, with all things considered, there was something slightly peculiar about this commotion.

 Was there not?

 Typically, wasn’t it the patron who giggled in delight while the courtesans offered honeyed words with a feigned smile?

 Yet here, the roles were strikingly reversed – with the courtesan laughing heartily while the patron’s face flushed red in embarrassment.

 As for who this patron might be…

 It was none other than Mok Riwon.

 “W-Why are you ladies walking around wearing almost nothing…?! I-It’s improper, I d-don’t think you should be doing this!”

 Mok Riwon’s voice shook as he spoke, his eyes squeezed shut. His hands were hastily trying to pull up the clothes of the courtesan next to him, whose bare shoulders were exposed.

 Needless to say, the courtesans all laughed again at that sight.

 “Oh my, and so considerate too!”

 Aewol, the courtesan seated right next to him had a big smile as she patted Mok Riwon’s shoulder.

 One might say, ‘How is treating a guest like this acceptable?’, but that too was merely an argument made in ignorance of the situation.

 ‘An easy mark.’

 Guests came in all types.

 Those who were wealthy and well-versed in these affairs.

 Those who, despite lacking wealth, turned tyrannical, going overboard during just one visit.

 And those who valued decorum, ready to lodge complaints with the establishment if their standards were not met.

 The top three worst customers.

 Those three types, as called by the courtesans, were the exact opposite of guests like Mok Riwon.

 An innocent fool when it came to women.

 His shabby attire gave off the impression that one could mess around without facing any consequences.

 He was the kind who was more often than not labeled as an easy mark, the sort they could get away with giving a half-hearted service to. But today, Aewol did not treat him as such.

 “Baby, did you say you were eighteen years old?”

 “T-That’s right…”

 A young, delicious-looking pretty boy who had wandered in of his own accord – why, entertaining him like this was no trouble at all.

 “My, if you’re already this tasty, won’t I be in trouble later on?”

 Mok Riwon’s face flushed a deep red at Aewol’s playfully suggestive words, his shoulders shrinking down.

 ‘N-no, this wasn’t my intent!’

 The sweet aroma of the wine glass before him and the woman’s scent as she leaned against him were far too provocative.

 Her giggling voice held a unique cadence he had never heard before, oddly heating up his cheeks.

Mok Riwon felt like he was going to die of embarrassment.

 ‘I-I have to ask about the seductress…!’

 What he actually had to do was gather information from them, about the seductress said to be on the highest floor of this courtesan house!

 “Um… about that seductress…”

 “Goodness me, are you saying you want to go fool around with another woman when I’m right in front of you?”

 …No matter what he said, he was met with these teasing responses.

 “That’s not what I meant…!”

 Mok Riwon hurriedly denied it with eyes squeezed shut.

This made the courtesans surrounding him giggle even harder.

 Just as the dizzying situation persisted, fortunately, someone extended a helping hand to Mok Riwon.

  Creak–

 The door opened, and along with it entered a small masked figure wrapped from head to toe.

 “Stop.”

 The courtesans scattered away from Mok Riwon with a startle at the soft voice.

Finally able to breathe a little, Mok Riwon blinked rapidly and stared at the masked stranger.

 Though their face was concealed, the sharp, hostile gaze from their visible eyes was unmistakeable, and Mok Riwon could distinctly sense inner qi from within.

 ‘A martial artist?’

 Mok Riwon’s gaze dimmed slightly.

 ‘An early first rate master. Their martial arts style… must be some kind of quickdraw technique. No, maybe it’s assassination arts?’

 Profiling them had become like second nature to him, it was among the skills he had been trained to do by the Beggar King during his time in the mountain valley.

 As the atmosphere tensed, the courtesans shrunk back.

 Noticing Mok Riwon’s sudden shift in demeanor, the masked figure swallowed and said.

 “…The Pavilion Lord wishes to meet you.”

 Pavilion Lord.

 Mok Riwon’s eyes lit up at that name.

 ‘The seductress…!’

 At least that was the case according to the information he had heard.

 On the day she arrived, with a single musical performance, she had greatly impressed the original Lord of Jade Flower Pavilion, who happily gave it to her.

The was the beginning of the seductress’ first step.

 “How lucky. I came all the way here to find that Pavilion Lord.”

 While lowering his voice, straightening his back and pushing back his shoulders, Mok Riwon stood up from his seat and uttered those words.

 Yet the masked figure merely scoffed in response.

 The masked figure, the Pavilion Lord’s closest confidant, alternated between Mok Riwon and the surrounding courtesans, clearly aware of all the frivolous fun he was having just moments ago and felt disgusted that he had the nerve to say that now.

 There was little that Mok Riwon could even say to defend himself in this situation.

 “A-Ahem…!”

 Mok Riwon awkwardly cleared his throat and averted his gaze from the masked figure.

* * *

 The Jade Flower Pavilion was a massive establishment that spanned five floors in total.

Mok Riwon followed behind the masked figure, expanding his qi detection.

 ‘Seven hidden assassins. All of them are genuine martial artists who are at least second rate.”

 In addition, the guards stationed on each floor were diverse in caliber, ranging from early second rate to those just attaining first rate.

 ‘All martial artists?’

 A suspicious scent lingered in the air.

Mok Riwon, setting aside his previously easygoing nature, readied himself to draw his sword at a moment’s notice.

 “Enter here.”

 And so, he arrived before the door on the highest floor.

 Mok Riwon momentarily glanced at the masked figure who had stepped aside, and then walked towards the door.

 ‘There’s eight of them.’

 In the center of the room would be the Pavilion Lord herself, and those hanging from the ceiling were her bodyguards.

 All of them seemed to be early first rate martial artists.

Indeed, the security seemed excessive for merely a Pavilion Lord.

 With those thoughts, Mok Riwon opened the door.

  Creak–

 And, tremblingly came to a halt.

 “Welcome.”

 The room was spacious.

It was vast enough to easily accommodate dozens, yet appeared desolate with its sparse furnishing.

 However, the moment Mok Riwon opened the door, he was struck by the thought that the room was far, far too small.

 ‘Beautiful…’

 A beauty so breathtaking that she eclipsed his vision, making all else fade away.

 Because of her, everything was far, far too small.

 Thump–

 Mok Riwon felt his heart skip a beat.

* * *

 The very first emotion the woman, Hwa-seo, felt upon seeing Mok Riwon was none other than–

 ‘Isn’t he young?’

 Shock.

 That was it.

 ‘I heard he was at least first rate.’

 Yet the youth before her looked to be in his early twenties at best.

 Not once did a Body Rebirth or the like cross her mind.

After all, supposing he was a martial arts master who had reached such a realm, he would have completely hidden his internal cultivation that not even Soyang would have noticed.

 ‘Is he from a Noble Clan?’

 The possibility stood out vividly.

 If he had been nurtured in a Noble Clan, consuming all manners of spiritual medicines, it would explain how he reached this realm. Moreover, didn’t his appearance bear a distinct refinement that retained an air of nobility?

 ‘If he is from a Noble Clan, then he must be killed here no matter the cost.’

 As soon as that thought surfaced, Hwa-seo collected herself.

 ‘…No, no. It’s too soon to tell.’

 Forcefully suppressing the urge to gulp amidst the tension, Hwa-seo composed herself and respectfully bowed her head.

 “I am Yeonhwa, the Lord of Jade Flower Pavilion. May I have the honor of your name, Esteemed Master?”

 Information took first priority.

 She had to identify the origin of this individual and determine whether they posed a threat, or if not, whether they could be recruited as an ally.

 Hwa-seo swiftly sorted her thoughts and awaited his answer.

 Several seconds passed by in silence.

Hwa-seo, confused by the lack of response, raised her head.

 The scene that caught her eyes was.

 “Oh, uhh…”

 With a foolish-looking bright red face, he stuttered incoherently, his eyes wandering all over the place.

 Hwa-seo sneered cynically inside.

 ‘Is he trying to catch me off guard?’

 His foolish appearance must be an act to lower her guard.

 That had to be the case. Wasn’t it natural for any martial artist of first rate or higher to have developed a certain degree of control, exerting sheer willpower over their mind, thus achieving an unshakable will?

 “Great Master?”

 The words were delivered as a warning to stop any foolish behavior.

 At that, Mok Riwon trembled in shock.

 ‘G-Great Master…?’

 Great Master.

 That single title made his heart pound harder than when he first laid eyes on her.

 For Mok Riwon, to be addressed in such a way was something he had only dreamed of, leaving him unable to maintain his composure.

 Mok Riwon, feeling his heart pounding and the heat rising rapidly, became startled by the heat rushing to his head and quickly grabbed hold of himself.

 Schwiing–!

 Then, drew his sword.

 “W-What kind of evil sorcery is this?!”

 A loud shout echoed across the entire room.

 As Hwa-seo’s body bolted upright and her guards on the ceiling unsheathed their blades, Mok Riwon continued shouting.

“You’re trying to bewitch me with your seduction arts! However, I, Mok Riwon, will not fall so easily! Wicked seductress, reveal your true nature at once!”

 Mok Riwon thought.

 ‘This is surely malevolent seduction arts.’

 ‘It has to be, there’s no other way to possibly explain why my heart keeps beating so fast.’

 ‘There’s no other reason my mind stops whenever I look at her.’

 In the room echoing loudly with his voice, Hwa-seo, upon finally grasping his absurd rambling, wore a blank expression as she thought…

 ‘What the fuck is this crazy bastard doing?’

 …where the hell did this lunatic come from?

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