The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 245: Night Guest - 2

“Did you hear about the strange incident at the Cho Trading Company?”

Daseogak wasn’t just a place for diehard Storm of the Tang Clan fans—it also attracted guests who came to read and chat ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) about life and current events.

Sometimes, if you listened in on customer conversations, you’d hear how the world was turning—and occasionally stumble upon something amusing.

“The Cho Trading Company? Isn’t that one of the more powerful merchant groups in Yichang? What happened there?”

“Apparently, a thief broke into the head merchant’s home.”

“A thief? In that rich guy’s house? What about the guards?”

“That’s the strange part. No one realized a thief had broken in—all night long.”

Not even caught mid-break-in, but ransacked the place all night and no one noticed? If it’s a wealthy household, they’d surely have had guards from a martial sect or escort bureau. Somebody’s getting reprimanded for this.

“The thief must’ve been skilled. So? How much did they lose?”

“Well, the break-in itself isn’t that surprising, but what I’m about to tell you is. The thief didn’t steal anything.”

Nothing? Even broke college students living in single rooms get their used game consoles swiped when robbed.

I found myself leaning in a little at the odd story.

“They didn’t steal anything? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“They rummaged through jewelry boxes and banknotes—left plenty of traces. But in the end, nothing was actually taken.”

“Couldn’t it have been the head merchant getting drunk and opening the safes himself?”

“He was in bed with both his wives that night. No way he had the strength to get up. And if he had gotten up, the wives would’ve noticed.”

...Excuse me?

“The head of the Cho Trading Company doesn’t have black hair anymore, so I doubt he was getting up mid-sleep.”

“Also, the safe keys were exactly where only the head merchant knows to keep them. Yet somehow, all the safes were found open.”

“Crazy times make for strange stories, I guess.”

I was more curious about what had gone on in bed with those two wives than the bizarre incident, but the guests changed topics before I could hear more.

A thief, huh.

You don’t run into blade-wielding bandits as often now as you did when wandering across Jungwon, but theft and pickpocketing were still worth worrying about. It hadn’t been long since someone tried to sneak into Daseogak too.

I really needed to step up security.

Good thing Daseogak employed a promising talent who, if she embraced her dark evolution, could one day become the ultimate thief.

“Miss Ha-yeon.”

“......”

Did she not hear me?

I glanced over at Im Ha-yeon. She seemed lost in thought, not responding even when called.

No—was she thinking, or just staring at something?

Following her gaze, I saw she was looking at the same guests I’d been listening to.

Couldn’t be interested in steamy bed tales like I was, so maybe she was interested because it was a story about someone from her line of work.

“Miss Ha-yeon!”

This time, I made sure to raise my voice.

“Eek! Wh-What?!”

She flinched like a thief caught mid-heist and stared at me, wide-eyed.

“It’s about the thief.”

“Th-Th-The thief?! What about them?!”

I’m not talking about you. Why are you panicking?

I may have learned thievery, but I’m not so unreasonable as to accuse someone who’s working a decent job of being a criminal.

Sure, she was kind of a wage thief just now, but hey—just standing there brings in customers, so I’ll let it slide.

“Why are you so nervous? I was just about to ask you to check on Daseogak’s security—thieves seem to be on the rise.”

“Oh. Haah, I thought... Never mind. If that’s all, don’t worry—I already check regularly.”

She looked visibly relieved it wasn’t about catching a wage thief.

“Ah! By the way, I’ve got something to take care of during lunch. Can you come with me?”

A manager needs someone to share the load. I’ve let her off easy lately—today she’s coming with me.

“You could just go with So-so.”

What’s So-so got to do with this?

Im Ha-yeon said it coldly, turning her head away.

“I only took Miss Ha So-so last time because of the tea leaves. There won’t be any more errands like that with her.”

“No more errands? Why?”

Because So-so’s not a manager. What kind of question is that? I almost snapped, but Ha-yeon’s expression looked a little better than before, so I let it go.

“It’s related to the printshop. Come with me.”

Though I’d acquired the printshop’s ownership easily, there was still a lot to do—moving the press, assigning people. I had to keep running back and forth between both places.

“Wouldn’t it be better to take one of the staff handling printshop duties?”

Technically, yes. But all of them are already over there.

I curled one side of my lip and looked at Im Ha-yeon, who had turned her shoulders slightly away—creating subtle distance.

Still upset about the whole dinner thing? Or is she just moody lately?

Keeping a distance from someone in a bad mood is one option, but today I need her.

What should I do?

“I want to go with you, Miss Ha-yeon.”

I decided to take the direct route.

“With me? Why?”

Because what I need is someone who can travel quickly between the printshop and Daseogak.

“Because I need you. And I’ll buy lunch on the way back.”

“......”

She widened her eyes at my answer and looked up at me in silence.

“Miss?”

“...Okay. I’ll go with you later.”

Was that a yes?

Her expression didn’t seem too different from before—but when she turned to walk ahead, her footsteps were strangely light.

“This is what you called me out for?! To move this?!”

While on the way to the printshop, Im Ha-yeon shouted at me as she pushed the cart I was pulling.

“We’re the only two at Daseogak who’ve learned martial arts, aren’t we?”

I thought we’d moved all the paper for the printing press already, but there was a pile left in the third-floor attic corner. Better to carry it together than alone.

“Ugh! You really are the worst!”

-----------

The strange thief stories in Yichang weren’t about to end in just a day or two.

“They say the thief struck the Unri Escort Bureau this time.”

“A thief at the Unri Escort Bureau? At a place that guards cargo? Sounds like a rumor spread by a rival bureau.”

“Nope. Apparently, the head of Unri blew up yesterday—screaming loud enough to shake the building. But it seems to be the same thief as before. Nothing was stolen again.”

“A thief sneaking into a heavily guarded place and taking nothing? What kind of thief even is that?”

“Because of that, all the wealthy households in town are ramping up nighttime security. Even the government office has patrolmen out all night.”

“So that’s why I got stopped by guards when I was staggering home drunk the other night. Hope they catch the guy soon. But what happens when they do? I mean, technically, nothing was stolen.”

“At the very least, they should break his legs with a club so he never steals again!”

Was it some twisted thief chasing achievements like side quests?

Yichang was all stirred up over this phantom burglar who didn’t steal a single thing.

“Uuugh...”

Turning my head, I saw Im Ha-yeon let out a small groan like she’d just heard fingernails scrape a chalkboard.

Was the dishwater that cold?

Lately, something had seemed off about her. She looked worn down, dark circles under her eyes—even without focusing on her face, it was obvious.

Work might be the kind of place where you drag yourself in like a zombie and only revive after you clock out, but this was a bit much.

She looked like Mr. Kang-mo on that one morning he came in like the undead after binge-watching that drama that tanked in season eight.

Maybe she wasn’t sleeping well lately.

No way...

A sudden thought flashed through my mind, and I carefully approached her from behind as she did the dishes.

“Are you... staying up late doing something I don’t know about?”

—Clatter!

At my words, she dropped the dish she was wiping.

“Unni, are you okay?”

“I’m fine! I’ll clean it up!”

Ha-yeon waved So-so off and quickly cleaned up the shattered pieces.

So I was right.

“W-What do you mean ‘you were right’?!”

Those eyes flickering like that confirm everything. You deny it with words, but your body’s honest.

“There’s no need to hide it.”

Everything pointed to one conclusion. I spoke as if I already knew.

“Hide what? I-I’m not hiding anything!”

“I already noticed the other night.”

“You noticed?”

“Who do you think I am?”

“Ugh...”

“Miss Ha-yeon.”

I lowered my voice dramatically and stepped closer to her.

“Wh-What is it?”

“I’m disappointed.”

I said it plainly, without hiding my disapproval.

“Huh?”

“If no one else, you could’ve at least told me, no?”

“How was I supposed to say that? I mean... even if I were to say it, there’s really only one person I could say it to...”

She fumbled with her words, clearly flustered.

It’s genuinely a little disappointing.

I mean, who else would she even talk to besides me? If something was going on, she should’ve told me first.

I’ve bought her dinner so many times. We go out together. Is the psychological distance between us still that wide?

Well, if she can’t confess on her own—I’ll just make her.

Like a detective pointing out the culprit after tormenting them for an entire volume, I revealed the truth.

“If you were writing at night, you should’ve told me.”

“What? ...Oh! Yes! That’s right. I’ve been writing at night.”

So my guess was correct. Ha-yeon nodded furiously at my deduction.

Writing while holding down a job is exhausting. And even if she admitted she’s a novelist, there’s no real benefit in a workplace setting.

If you don’t sleep enough and can’t focus at work, people just think you’re lazy—but if they know you’re a writer, they assume you’re hiding ambitions and planning to ditch the company.

But Daseogak’s staff were all work-study students.

Even if she’d said she was writing, no one would’ve scolded her. The fact that she didn’t say anything... that’s what was disappointing.

“The urge to create can’t be helped. But unlike before, there’s no looming submission deadline. So don’t let it interfere with work.”

Write on your days off. You’re not a novelkissist doing daily uploads.

“Got it.”

She nodded reluctantly.

“And if anything’s bothering you—I’ll listen.”

“Why would you?”

“Who’s Ho-pil’s soulmate again?”

“Ah...”

She seemed to finally understand, and her mouth dropped slightly.

“I give advice not just on plot direction for Volume 4—but on life struggles too. If you’re going to stay up all night tossing and turning, you might as well come to me.”

Writers are solitary creatures. People say those with lovers suffer less emotionally, but I’ve never written while dating someone, so I wouldn’t know.

You may not be the top student, Ha-yeon, but as Kang Yun-ho’s slave employee No. 1, you’ll get special privileges. Count yourself lucky.

“Volume 4? We’re already at Volume 4?”

That’s what you’re curious about?

“That’s a secret. Anyway, if you have any troubles—just talk to me. I’ll always listen.”

I gave her the kindest expression I could muster—like a therapist who could solve anything.

She looked at me silently for a moment, then lowered her head and quietly replied,

“...Okay.”

------------

I told Im Ha-yeon to take it easy, but that advice only works for aspiring writers—not serialized ones.

No matter how busy work gets, how many subordinates cause problems, or how chaotic a new business becomes—if you’re a writer, you write.

If I hadn’t mastered Soyoon Mental Resonance Technique, my body would’ve collapsed by now.

It’s tough, but I’ve got to keep going.

Because I’ll change my women’s fates.

Just as they’re trying their best, I have to try my best too. If I want to say it proudly, I have to keep moving forward.

Tomorrow, I’ll write that letter with pride.

That was my resolution before I went to sleep.

“...Who’s there?”

I awoke in the middle of the night, sensing someone nearby.

A mysterious figure was kneeling on my bed, staring at me.

Who—? A thief? A bandit?

I quickly sat up.

She didn’t attack. Didn’t run. Just stared.

She was wearing some kind of tights and cloth scraps—her face masked around the eyes.

“Miss Ha-yeon?”

No ordinary person would be able to tell who it was under that disguise. But the full-body covering, the full chest, and the color of her hair gave her away instantly.

“...”

Yup. She looked away when I called her name.

“What’s going on... showing up like this in the middle of the night?”

Scared the crap out of me. Why now?

I’m not feeding you dinner anymore—this isn’t about that, right?

What on earth is going on?

I raised my upper body calmly and asked her.

She stared in silence for a moment—then finally spoke.

And what she said was even more shocking than her appearance.

“I’ve come to steal something precious from you.”

...I’m sorry.

I don’t think I can write that letter with pride anymore.