Kofi thanks to: Flowersky
Hwang Ran clenched his fist and looked at Cheongyeon with resentment. He thought if Cheongyeon hadn’t saved that guy, he wouldn’t have had to bear the brunt of this situation. After all, saving Nachata was a coincidence.
“You really have all sorts of talents.”
Muwon’s amber gaze pierced Cheongyeon’s skin. The emotionless tone made it feel even more chilling. Maybe he was thinking, ‘This is why I suspect you of being a member of the Hwa clan.’ But Cheongyeon casually opened his mouth.
“I am an apothecary, after all.”
[Right. And I thought your job was being a Hwa.]
Cheongyeon felt a strange sense of déjà vu from the incomprehensible language that came out of Muwon’s mouth. The slightly stiff and rustic language seemed familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere. Basically, Cheonghwajin used the 1st Continent’s language as an official language. However, Cheonghwa Town, being a crossroads for various continental people, allowed him to be exposed to multiple languages from a young age. Cheongyeon thought it must be a language he had overheard at some point.
“Excuse me… Muwon. May I leave now to prepare for tomorrow’s departure?”
Hwang Ran, who had been looking for an opportunity to leave, cautiously broached the subject. Incredulously, Muwon only looked at Hwang Ran as if wondering why he was still there although it was him who had invited Hwang Ran in the first place.
Muwon was already aware of the business talk between him and Hwang Ran. Perhaps he arranged this three-way meeting, fearing what Hwang Ran might be plotting. Because of Nachata’s presence, it turned into a four way meeting.
After Hwang Ran bowed and left, three remained. Meanwhile, Cheongyeon had filled his belly to the point of no return. If there was indeed a beggar in his stomach, as Muwon suggested, he might now be a rich man.
Muwon and Nachata had already gone through three bottles of whiskey. There was nothing good to expect from being around drinkers, this was something Cheongyeon had learned long ago at the Dandelion Pub.
“May I… leave first too?”
He had intended to be the first to get up, but Hwang Ran had stolen that chance.
“Don’t do the deal.”
“…Yes?”
It made no sense, but Cheongyeon only asked again.
“What are you asking again for? Are you drunk on lobster?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I need to make a living too.”
Ktlr alwf, tlr nblmf mjgglfv j mfgajlc fwqtjrlr.
“Po tf vlfr, sbe mjc’a wjxf atf vfji jcskjs.”
Ktf lwqilmjalbc atja lo Jtfbcusfbc jugffv ab wjxf atf vfji, Lkjcu Ejc kbeiv yf xliifv rffwfv ilxf j atgfja.
“Qts rtbeivc’a P wjxf atf vfji?”
“Gbc’a sbe xcbk tbk sbe kfgf agfjafv ja atf gfrajegjca abvjs?”
“…”
“Only a dense bastard would sign a contract with whatever businessman.”
“How was I treated?”
Cheongyeon glared. He just looked coy in Muwon’s eyes.
“You were ignored, weren’t you.”
Cheongyeon’s eyelids trembled slightly at his blunt words.
Since when on earth had he been watching? Cheongyeon felt like his whole body was heating up from embarrassment.
“Hwang Ran looks like just a minnow when I’m around, right? But without me, he will be like a shark to you.”
It was ridiculous. As if he was advising Cheongyeon for his own good. Cheongyeon placed crumpled bills on the table.
“Since it seems I can’t find my bicycle today, I’ll just pay for the meal and leave.”
The amount was 700 hwan, a significant sum. He had eaten quite a bit of lobster and shrimp, but considering the cost of preparation, it wasn’t a small amount.
“Hey.”
Muwon languidly called out at Cheongyeon’s boldness. He wondered if maybe it was the alcohol talking.
“You should have shown your pride to that waiter earlier, not to me, you idiot.”
This time, Cheongyeon’s face heated up uncontrollably. He swiftly stood up, turning his head to look at Nachata, who seemed troubled by their bickering.
“Nachata, about the favor you said you wanted to repay me for, could you possibly repay it now?”
Given his comfortable rapport with the mighty Muwon, perhaps it might be possible.
“Eh? How?”
“Please convince this person. Tell him to not worry about who I sign with or not, and don’t spy on me.”
Cheongyeon’s words were rude, yet Muwon just laughed and took a gulp from his bottle, as Cheongyeon made to leave. At that moment, Muwon caught Cheongyeon’s wrist tightly. Cheongyeon tried to pull away, but his arm was awkwardly lifted by the grip.
“Hey, don’t go.”
Muwon’s irritatingly slow speech was exasperating.
“I might be a bit harsh with my words.”
From what Cheongyeon heard here and there, people were so captivated by that face that they often forget the things he did.The way he lowered his fierce eyes and spoke was truly uncharacteristic of Tae Muwon. Perhaps it seemed like a wildflower blooming through the cracks of a rugged, harsh castle wall.
No, it was like a flower in full bloom so splendid that it was captivating. However, Cheongyeon knew that all of this was determined solely by Tae Muwon’s whims. Seeing no reaction from Cheongyeon, Muwon immediately changed his expression.
“Drink if you want to leave.”
Holding Cheongyeon’s wrist, he inverted the bottle, filling the glass with amber liquid until it almost overflowed. Cheongyeon watched the glass.
“Or ask Nachata for help.”
At that moment, Cheongyeon lifted the glass with his free hand and drank down the strong alcohol, burning his throat but not stopping despite the pain.
After finishing, he sharply pulled his wrist back. Muwon, perhaps keeping his promise or surprised, let go.
“I’m leaving.”
Cheongyeon felt sorry for the rich man in his stomach, who now turned into a drunkard because of him.
***
“Are you interested in Cheongyeon?”
Nachata only started speaking after Cheongyeon pompously left.
“I know right. I’m fucking obvious.”
Muwon’s disinterested reply was full of implicit warnings not to pry further.
Nachata was convinced that Muwon had an excessive interest in Cheongyeon. Though Cheongyeon was his life-saver, making everything Cheongyeon did seem lovely, the way Cheongyeon behaved around Muwon was truly surprising. Even when Cheongyeon was quite assertive, Muwon seemed amused or dismissed it lightly.
Nachata was genuinely worried Muwon might harm Cheongyeon. Though Cheongyeon was his savior, Nachata wasn’t confident about confronting Muwon directly.
Nachata, once a pirate threatening Cheonghwa Town, had clashed countless times with the Peira. He underestimated the Peira, often escaping their clutches through hit-and-run tactics with his ship, Tuka.
There were countless pirates who were destroyed by Peira’s hands. Therefore, the surviving Nachata gang was very energetic. The morale of his subordinates skyrocketed as they defeated the great Peira again and again.
However, his arrogance was short-lived. One day, Nachata, who plundered Cheonghwa Town as usual, missed the timing to strike and run away. At the moment of near miss, the huge Peira had already blocked the path ahead. Thinking of his short and difficult life, he was ready to give up, ‘thinking this is it’. He was even ready to sacrifice his life to save his men.
He went on deck with the intention of somehow negotiating with Peira, but Peira took no action, even as the Tuka passed by the Peira, turning its steering wheel in a desperate manner.
Nachata was able to breathe only after barely missing Peira. Nachata gasped and turned around to see a man with golden eyes. It was Tae Muwon, crouching at the edge of the sharp stern of the Peira.
White smoke, probably from burning cigarettes, billowed in the sea breeze. Tae Muwon waved his hand towards Nachata. It was only then that Nachata realized that he was acting arrogantly, as if he was saying goodbye. The fact that Peira had been looking after them all this time.
Without even knowing that, he had run away every time, feeling proud that he escaped safely. Nachata naturally thought of other pirate ships that had been destroyed by Peira.
Although Peira was merciless towards the cruel guys, they did not stop the pirates who cared about their conscience. Was it because Peira were righteous people? Of course not. They just wanted to keep the pirates under control. And the head pirate was Nachata.
“I told you there aren’t many rumors about the Hwa clan in the 1st Continent.”
Nachata, who had been drinking for a while, changed the subject. It was what they were talking about earlier while drinking with their meal. That was also the reason why Muwon and Nachata visited the second floor of Canal Inn restaurant in the first place.
Nachata mentioned the 1st Continent again as information that came to mind belatedly.
Pr: Sasa
Muwon is def gonna kill what’s his face I bet, boner tea man!