Chapter 70: If You Don’t Know Your Place. -03
“Eek!”
At the four pairs of eyes filled with contempt, Shangguan Jeok’s face twisted violently.
However, despite being extremely agitated, Shangguan Jeok endured it.
If he followed his heart, he wanted to tear them all apart and kill them, but reality made that impossible.
Because he knew that fact all too well, Shangguan Jeok suppressed the rage boiling inside him.
‘I will never forget this humiliation! Never!’
Shangguan Jeok squeezed his eyes shut.
If he did not, it felt as though his killing intent would spill straight out through his pupils.
Because he had to stop that at all costs, Shangguan Jeok barely managed to steady his mind.
Instead, he promised himself the future.
‘They say a gentleman’s revenge can be repaid even after ten years, and it would not be late.’
Shangguan Jeok chewed on the thought again and again.
Then he tried to become calm.
Not only Ban Hojin, but also the families of Seonwu Bang and Murong Cheok were in no way inferior when compared to the Shangguan Family.
That was why he had no choice but to endure everything for now.
“A grown man, yet so cowardly. That’s why you follow behind women and threaten them in such a despicable way.”
“You’re going too far!”
“And you don’t think your own actions went too far?”
Unlike Ban Hojin, who still maintained a certain degree of courtesy, Murong Cheok openly went berserk.
It was unbearably irritating to see someone rampaging about while relying only on their family name despite having no real ability.
It felt as though the entire Orthodox Martial World was being smeared, so Murong Cheok glared at Shangguan Jeok with savage eyes.
Although Shangguan Jeok was older, what truly mattered in Jianghu was individual martial strength.
“Young Master Murong!”
“If you’re really dissatisfied, then come at me. But you can’t, can you? You know it yourself. You’re no match for me.”
Brrrr!
Shangguan Jeok’s entire body trembled violently.
Being blatantly looked down upon made his rage explode.
“Murong Cheok.”
“Elder Brother.”
“This is not your place to step in. It is mine. He even asked me for help.”
“I apologize.”
Murong Cheok, who had utterly disregarded Shangguan Jeok moments earlier, bowed his head without another word.
Seeing how he turned into a meek lamb in front of Ban Hojin, Nan Hui-ju wore an expression that said, as expected.
“Since I am a third party, I will ask the person herself. Young Lady Nan. Do you have any intention of meeting Young Hero Shangguan?”
“No.”
Nan Hui-ju answered firmly.
If they had been alone, it would not have been easy to say these words, but now she could.
Because Ban Hojin was standing solidly behind her, she no longer needed to worry about Shangguan Jeok or the Shangguan Family.
“……Young Lady Nan.”
“I made myself perfectly clear. Just in case, I’ll say it again—my feelings won’t change in the future either. I have no intention of marrying anytime soon. I’m only eighteen years old.”
Nan Hui-ju let out all the words she had wanted to say but had suppressed for so long.
Afterward, she wore an expression of complete relief.
In contrast, Shangguan Jeok’s expression gradually stiffened.
When the sound of the group’s snickering reached his ears, his face flushed red again as if it were about to burst.
“They say even a tree won’t fall if you strike it ten times.”
“That saying should disappear now. Why strike it ten times so ignorantly? If you get rejected after trying two or three times, you should know to stop. That kind of behavior shows no consideration at all for the other person.”
“Kahahaha!”
At the exchange between Seonwu Bang and Seo Jo-woon, Murong Cheok burst into uproarious laughter.
The more he listened, the funnier it became.
Since the two unexpectedly had great comedic chemistry, Murong Cheok laughed as though he might roll across the floor.
“Ahem!”
Jeong Iryong at least tried to hide his laughter with a polite cough, but unfortunately, it was useless.
Trying to suppress it only made it more obvious, and Shangguan Jeok trembled all over once more in humiliation.
Bang!
“……Your advice. I won’t forget it.”
“We won’t be seeing you off.”
“…….”
Though it was said out of consideration, Shangguan Jeok did not respond.
Instead, he released a ferocious aura from his entire body and left the room.
Without turning back even once.
“Does he think anyone would actually be scared by that?”
“There’s not a single person here weaker than him.”
“But he probably doesn’t realize that.”
“Agreed.”
Seo Jo-woon and Murong Cheok looked at each other and snickered.
They were thinking the exact same thing.
“Are you staying here?”
“Yes. I have official business.”
“It looks like he’s staying here as well.”
“That’s right.”
Nan Hui-ju answered while letting out a deep breath, as if she could finally breathe properly.
With Ban Hojin’s help, they had driven him away, but at best, that was only temporary.
Judging by his behavior so far, it was obvious he would come sneaking back again after a few days.
“For now, you should change lodgings. Come stay where we are. It’s only a temporary measure, but it’s better than doing nothing.”
“But how did you know I was here?”
Now that Shangguan Jeok was gone, Nan Hui-ju asked with a noticeably more relaxed expression.
Since she had never imagined meeting them here, her face showed a mix of surprise and delight.
“Ugwoengi told us. He happened to see us entering the village entrance. And since there were two people with outstanding looks, it must have drawn attention.”
“It’s probably because of Young Master Ban instead. All the disciples of the main sect recognize Young Master Ban’s face.”
Nan Hui-ju smiled gently and corrected him.
Seo Jo-woon and Murong Cheok were certainly handsome, but that alone would not have been enough for the Hao Sect members to recognize them.
“Have you become a wanted criminal?”
“That can’t be. Rather, they know him for a different reason. All the disciples know that Young Master Ban has bestowed a great deal upon the main sect.”
“You’re flattering me too much. It was just a fair transaction.”
“But you stepped forward without hesitation even in something like today.”
“As a man, and as a member of the Orthodox Path, he behaved far too disgracefully.”
At Ban Hojin’s words, all four nodded in agreement at the same time.
No matter how tempting the Hao Sect might be, there was still a line that had to be upheld.
Unless both sides were desperately, mutually obsessed with each other, unilateral obsession like this was behavior that should never be indulged.
If they were rising juniors of the Orthodox Martial World, that was to say—
“Thank you once again. And thank you to everyone else for coming as well.”
Nanhui-ju rose from her seat and politely bowed toward Ban Hojin and his group.
At her action, filled with genuine sincerity, smiles appeared on the lips of the group.
“We didn’t really do anything.”
“It wasn’t even a difficult matter. And people should live by helping each other.”
Seonwu Bang and Seo Joun, who were acquainted with Nanhui-ju, spoke as if it were nothing.
However, Nanhui-ju’s feelings were different.
Just by being together here, their relationship with the Shangguan Family was bound to grow distant, and knowing that they had come anyway, Nanhui-ju felt truly grateful.
“Even so, help is still help. You’ll probably become uncomfortable with the Shangguan Family.”
“That’s nothing to worry about. They won’t even have the leisure to care about the Seonwu Family or the Seo Family Estate.”
“Well, that’s true. Just dealing with Young Master Ban alone would already be rather overwhelming.”
Nanhui-ju nodded her head.
Though the Seonwu Family was a prestigious family, it could not be compared to Shaolin.
Still, Nanhui-ju believed that the biggest reason Shangguan Jeok had withdrawn was neither Shaolin nor the Seonwu Family, but Ban Hojin.
Ban Hojin was a rising junior, yet not a rising junior, and that was why Shangguan Jeok must have been afraid to face him.
“Considering Hojin’s personality, that’s not wrong either.”
“What’s wrong with my big brother?”
“That’s right.”
The former allies, Seonwu Bang and Seo Joun, split apart.
Seo Joun denied the statement he could not accept, and Murong Cheok sided with him.
Seeing them look as though they might split and start arguing at any moment, Nanhui-ju covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
She knew well that such a ???? only came out when people were truly close.
“Since the decision’s been made, let’s move to the lodgings first. We can also keep an eye on Shangguan Jeok’s movements.”
“Yes.”
Nanhui-ju smiled brightly and gave instructions to her subordinates.
At that moment, the members of the Hao Sect also moved in perfect unison, as if they had been waiting for this very moment.
Seeing them finish packing all their belongings and head outside before even one shijin had passed, Ban Hojin’s group was genuinely astonished.
At the same time, they couldn’t help but think how much hardship they must have endured for it to be like this.
Trickle.
Looking out the window at the scenery outside, where darkness had fallen thickly, Nanhui-ju enjoyed a moment of peace by herself for the first time in a long while.
With her favorite Baiho Eun Chim ???? her, this place felt like paradise.
That was how comfortable her heart was right now.
Unlike yesterday’s inn, where she had somehow felt gazes upon her even while apart, today her heart felt at ease both emotionally and mentally.
“Friends, huh.”
Taking a sip of the Baiho Eun Chim, from which steam rose in soft billows, Nanhui-ju’s eyes sparkled.
Though quite some time had passed by now, the emotion from back then still remained vividly in her heart.
It was a feeling whose aftertaste refused to fade.
That sense of emotion and reassurance was something Nanhui-ju had never felt before in her life.
“I may not be at the level of the four of them yet, but I’ve definitely become closer than others, right?”
Nanhui-ju murmured softly.
She knew it herself.
She knew how Ban Hojin thought of Seonwu Bang and Seo Joun.
But she herself was not at that level yet.
“Still, if time passes, there’s a possibility.”
At the very least, it was not a simple transactional relationship.
Nanhui-ju could feel that.
Of course, it might have been that he intended to leave her with a debt of gratitude in her heart, but what mattered was that Ban Hojin had come to find her personally.
He could have pretended not to know, but Ban Hojin had not done so.
“Friends. Friends, huh.”
It was such a common word, yet strangely, her heart fluttered.
Not a violent pounding, but a calm yet deeply resonating beat—without realizing it, Nanhui-ju grasped the front of her robe with her left hand.
At the same time, she felt a tinge of regret.
Friends were good, but if possible, she wanted a relationship deeper than that.
“That was the original plan anyway.”
The biggest reason Nanhui-ju had approached him was to steal Ban Hojin’s heart.
Because it was certain he would become a master who would one day shake the world, the Hao Sect Lord had hoped that she and Ban Hojin would end up together.
He believed that Ban Hojin could fulfill the long-cherished wish of the Hao Sect.
However, Ban Hojin’s abilities were far greater than expected, so both Nanhui-ju and even the Hao Sect Lord had half given up.
Yet now, the situation was different.
No—at least, Nanhui-ju thought it had changed.
“At least, I’m definitely the one in the lead.”
It was difficult to go from lovers to friends, but going from friends to lovers was something one could see surprisingly often around them.
And wasn’t there that famous saying as well?
As long as there was alcohol and night, there were no friends between a man and a woman.
“Don’t rush. Slowly. Just move forward step by step like now.”
It was the same for men as it was for women.
If one approached too aggressively, even men would feel burdened.
Knowing that well, Nanhui-ju had no intention of rushing.
Instead, she recalled, one by one, those who could be considered rivals.
Whiiiiiing.
Feeling a now rather chilly wind blowing, Ban Hojin sat atop the roof of the detached annex.
Perhaps because it was a crescent moon and there were many clouds, the surroundings were submerged in darkness.
But that mattered little to Ban Hojin.
Darkness posed no great problem when it came to surveying his surroundings.
“Just as expected.”
Since it was the dead of night when everyone was asleep, there were no private homes with lights on.
Thus, in the even quieter deep night, Ban Hojin sat alone on the roof, staring intently at a single spot.
At movements that did not deviate even a hair’s breadth from his expectations, Ban Hojin let out a small laugh.
“Well, if you come out like this, I’m the one who’s grateful.”
Piiiiing.
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