Chapter 33 Guests (2)

Chapter 33: Guests (2)

I urgently contacted Misan Guesthouse to prepare boiled pork and alcohol.

Myohyang, insisting it was my inauguration banquet and the spread wasn’t proper, prepared a few dishes to add.

She might nag sometimes, but she’s the only one who truly cares about me.

“Sis, you know I’m always grateful, right?”

“……Stop with the nonsense and go serve the food.”

Even though she talks like that, her heart must be full of concern for me. Definitely.

After quickly finishing preparations, the team members arrived shortly after.

“You’re still young, yet you live in a place like this. It’s admirable.”

“I bought it cheap. The deputy chief will be here soon anyway, so what’s the big deal?”

“Property prices in the outer city have skyrocketed lately. I have no idea when I’ll be able to afford my own place.”

Even on this vast land, buying a home is difficult.

I thought the upper echelons of Guryongseong should come up with countermeasures as I seated the team members.

“Come on, come on, don’t just stand there. Sit down.”

One by one, they took their seats, and soon a lively drinking party began.

They poured drinks for each other, picked at food, and shared stories about amusing and challenging experiences.

Noisy and boisterous.

As the mood heated up, laughter erupted from all corners.

Such revelry couldn’t be without jokes.

I unleashed all the jokes I’d been saving.

“You know who makes a living by patting people on the back? A masseuse. Heh heh heh heh.”

“……Ha, ha. That’s really funny. Ha, ha, ha.”

“What’s the most risqué food in the world? Mushrooms! Heh heh.”

Sure enough, the team members loved my killer jokes.

Maybe I should just go out there as the martial arts world’s first comedian?

A few touring performances would probably rake in the cash.

Just as I was gaining confidence in my comedic skills, watching the team members crack up…

Squeak.

A disheveled janitor opened the door and entered.

“……”

Judging by her deep, dark circles, it seemed she’d barely managed to handle the flood of patients again today.

Everyone except the familiar faces from Team Seventeen stared at her, stunned.

She shuffled over with a weak gait, plopped down beside me, and whispered very quietly.

“If you take Myohyang-unni away during work hours one more time, I’ll mix a deadly poison into your rice.”

She whispered very quietly.

“Ah… I understand.”

When I bowed my head defiantly, the cleaning station handed me a cup.

“Thanks to you, I almost died today. Pour me a drink.”

“Yes.”

Gulp.

“Finally, I can breathe. Oh my? Master Yu, it’s been ages. Masters Yang and Ha are here too? Then this master must be… Oh, over there in the corner?”

Cleaningso, who had downed her drink in one gulp, greeted the familiar faces.

I introduced her to the team members who had been staring blankly at her.

“This is Cheong Sosso, the youngest daughter of Lord Cheongjagang. She’s currently staying at our house as a guest.”

Cheong Sosso’s eyes flashed with indignation as she snapped back.

“What? A guest? Really? How much do I bring in each month? Where did you sell your conscience?”

Regardless, the team members’ expressions clearly showed shock.

“Ho, are you referring to the Cheong family in Hubei?”

Because her status was different from the people they usually encountered.

“Huh, that’s right. I am Cheong Sosso, the third-generation descendant of the God of Life and Death.”

Cheong Sosso answered with her characteristic unlucky expression.

‘Here she goes again.’

Normally, this would be the moment to say something, but having committed a sin, he kept his mouth shut.

As he passed the time watching Qing Shaoxiao bask in the admiring gazes of the team members, this time Miao Xiang approached and plopped down beside him.

“Good work, sis.”

“Pour me some liquor. I want to kill him.”

“No, there are many subordinates here…”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, nothing.”

The moment Myohyang appeared, the team members’ eyes went blank again.

Then, a startled voice rang out from somewhere.

“Th-That’s Geumryeong of Geumhwaru!”

Simultaneously, a flood of random information poured out.

“Geumryeong?! I heard she retired?”

“Who on earth is she?”

“You don’t know Geumryeong? She’s the legendary musician who produces heavenly sounds with her seven-string zither. To think the prized jewel of Cheonggajang and Geumhwaru’s Geumryeong were staying at the team leader’s house. Truly astonishing in every way.”

‘Was she that famous? I thought Yook Chonggwan was prettier.’

Having never set foot in a brothel because it was too expensive, he had no idea.

‘Miaoxiang must feel uncomfortable?’

A sudden thought occurred to him.

Even if she worked as a musician, she was still a courtesan.

He realized Miaoxiang might feel awkward because of those who recognized her······.

“Oh ho ho, I deliberately didn’t put on makeup, yet someone still recognized me. Well, beauty that can’t be hidden isn’t beauty to begin with. Today, I’ve done my best, however inadequate, so please enjoy yourselves to your hearts’ content.“

······My ass.

Suddenly showered with attention, she sat up straighter, putting on an act of prettiness.

I stared, wondering if this was really the Myohyang I knew, and she flashed me a knowing smile.

It was as if she were saying, ”This is what I’m capable of, so do better from now on.”

The atmosphere quieted down once Myohyang and the cleaning crew joined us.

With such lovely ladies present, everyone started worrying about their image.

‘This won’t do.’

This was supposed to be my promotion celebration; I couldn’t just let the mood stay this subdued.

“Everyone, pay attention.”

I confirmed the team members’ eyes were on me and was about to unleash my prepared trump card, but…

“What if the cow wins?”

“Please don’t embarrass us. Sit down.”

Faced with Myohyang’s deadly glare, I had no choice but to sit back down.

That’s too much.

‘Am I a cabbage?’

Pfff.

* * *

The welcoming of guests didn’t end there.

As day broke, an unexpected figure arrived at our house.

And not just any figure.

A huge one.

“…How did the Third Prince of Muwangseong end up here?”

“I came looking for someone.”

The Third Prince of Muwangseong, the Toad, had arrived.

Startled by the abrupt demand to find someone, I frantically scanned the room.

The only people visible were Myohyang, emerging from the kitchen wearing an apron, and Yongmasan, seated at the table eating breakfast.

Even counting the cleaning boy who’d been drinking all night and sleeping in his room…

‘So it was that bastard after all?’

No need to see it to know. Of the three, the only person worthy of a visit from someone like the Third Prince of Muheungseong was Yongmasan.

‘That little shit… I wondered why he crawled into Guryongseong, but he’d escaped from Muheungseong.’

He must have been caught stealing or something.

“If you’re looking for that bald guy over there, you’ve come to the right place. That bastard looked shady from the moment I first saw him. His head’s completely bald, you see.”

But my prediction, which I was certain was perfect, was completely off the mark.

“The person I’m looking for is a woman named Cheongso.”

And then.

Clunk.

“Ugh!”

Cheong Sosso emerged outside, rubbing her eyes at just the right moment.

Her eyelids were puffy and swollen from how much she’d run yesterday.

“Sis, I need some spicy soup… Ugh! Wh-wh-wh-how did you get here?!”

Cheongsoja, her eyes so swollen they were barely open, saw the toad and cried out in shock.

“Long time no see, Cheongsoja.”

“How did you find this place? I clearly sent word!”

“How could a betrothal between families be broken by the parties’ will alone?”

“I formally sent a letter requesting the annulment, didn’t I?!”

“That’s precisely why I’m telling you. When you sent that letter, Miss Cheong, didn’t you steal the seal of the Cheong Clan Head and affix it? Because of that, the Clan Head sent someone to convey his apology.”

Even if she was his own daughter, stealing the seal of the head of the clan…

I’d always suspected she was a little mad, but hearing this confirmed she was a complete lunatic.

“······.”

“So please return to the family with me.”

“No. I absolutely cannot go back.”

“If you fear punishment from the head of the family, you needn’t worry. I’ll speak well of you and help secure your forgiveness.”

“Still no.”

“What on earth is wrong with you?”

“If I go back, I’ll have to marry you, you know!”

Watching this unfold, only one thought crossed my mind.

‘This is entertaining.’

It felt like watching a trashy morning soap opera for the first time in nearly twenty years.

In my past life, I wondered why anyone would watch such things, but this is strangely intriguing.

Wait, but didn’t she say she couldn’t go because she couldn’t make the healing potion?

So she was just refusing to go because she didn’t want to marry that toad?

It was a shock like lightning striking my head.

Just as I finally grasped the whole situation, the Third Prince’s booming voice pounded my eardrums.

“If you keep refusing, we’ll have no choice but to take you by force!”

“I’d rather die!”

“Miss Cheong!”

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

I tried signaling the guards behind me to intervene, but they just shook their heads helplessly.

Serving a chaebol heir, whether in the modern era or now, seems to be equally grueling work.

But then, something unexpected happened.

In the midst of the heated argument, Miss Cheongso suddenly leaped toward me.

“I’ve decided to build a future with this gentleman right here!”

Wasn’t that a bombshell statement?

“······.”

As I stood flustered and speechless, Miss Cheongso desperately pinched my side and whispered urgently.

[If you agree, I’ll raise your profit share to three-tenths.]

An incredible offer.

But this wasn’t something I could decide lightly.

Joining in the lie meant betraying the identity of the Third Prince of the Muwang Dynasty.

Of course, since we belonged to different factions, they probably wouldn’t act rashly. Doing so would cause major diplomatic issues.

But if he were to commission an assassin out of rage over his fiancée being stolen, things would get complicated.

In this world without CCTV, I might have to stay awake 24 hours a day.

However, my worries turned out to be completely pointless.

Swoosh.

The enraged Third Prince suddenly drew his sword.

“I challenge you to a life-or-death duel.”

Because he’d proposed a sudden duel.

“Um… Master? Is it really necessary for a hero of the realm like you to get into a brawl with a lowly street thug like me over a mere woman?”

“Shut up, you bastard! To steal another’s lover while I was momentarily distracted? I shall mete out heavenly punishment upon you in the name of the heavens. “

But we were never lovers to begin with.

I glanced at his bodyguards again, but they just shook their heads once more.

It was a completely incomprehensible situation.

Desperately searching for someone to help, Yongmasan’s flashy head caught my eye.

Thinking it would be good if he could at least say something, I hurriedly sent him a telepathic message.

[Hey, come over here and say something!]

Receiving the telepathic message, Yongmasan nodded briefly, then deployed his lightness skill, instantly leaping over the wall.

The ungrateful bastard had simply fled.

‘Someday, I will definitely deal with that guy.’

That was when it happened.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you for quite some time, Third Young Master.”

“My apologies, Grand Hero Bukgung. I was delayed by personal matters.”

Bukgung Baek appeared, opening the door with ghostly timing.

I grabbed the hem of his robe—my only hope in this situation, like light and salt—and began pleading.

“M-Master! Please save me!”

He nodded as if understanding, having heard it all.

“That sounds interesting. Why not set up a proper place and have a proper showdown?”

He committed a team kill.