The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 249: Night Guest - 6

“Raise your hand if you didn’t come in to work! ...No one? Good!”

Several days had passed since she visited Kang Yun-ho in the middle of the night.

From a corner, Im Ha-yeon quietly observed Kang Yun-ho, who was nonchalantly checking on employee attendance as if nothing had happened.

“Hahaha!” 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

“Let’s all do our best today.”

A Joseon-born man speaking Central Plains dialect this fluently—it was hard to believe. Just how much effort had he put in to challenge a new life?

Now that she knew Kang Yun-ho’s background, Im Ha-yeon found herself impressed even by the way he spoke, something she hadn’t paid much attention to before.

“Manager! I can carry the luggage up to the second floor!”

“Just head upstairs and get to work.”

Maybe even learning martial arts had been part of his attempt to enter the world of the Heukdo. Now that she knew about his background, Im Ha-yeon started attaching meaning to even his smallest actions.

“Lady Ha-yeon?”

Had he noticed her gaze? When Kang Yun-ho met her eyes, Im Ha-yeon quickly turned her head.

What should she say? That she misunderstood him on her own? That now, with the night gone, she felt ashamed for going to see him in the middle of it?

Since that night, Im Ha-yeon hadn’t managed to say even a single word to Kang Yun-ho.

“Ha-yeon unni. Did you fight with the manager again?”

Unable to take it anymore, Ha So-so approached Im Ha-yeon.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then is the manager being cold to you again?”

“It’s not that either.”

“The manager is really... But unni, you’re the problem too. Just go up to him pretending you can’t win, act a little weak, act cute and clingy. If you do that, he’ll treat you more warmly.”

To Ha So-so, who was looking at her with concern, Im Ha-yeon couldn’t say anything in response.

Kang Yun-ho likes me.

That was something Im Ha-yeon had been certain of until just recently. But now, after learning the truth, she was more confused than ever.

‘Maybe he only looked after me because we’re in similar situations.’

Just as she compared herself to him, maybe he helped her by comparing her to his past self. Because her mother was a courtesan, maybe he looked at her with a little more sympathy.

Maybe his attempt to help someone with a similar background to his own was something she misunderstood as a man’s interest.

Just as she had misunderstood his past, maybe she had also misunderstood his feelings.

‘Maybe he didn’t like me. Maybe it was just pity.’

As that thought settled, Im Ha-yeon’s shoulders unconsciously drooped.

“It’s fine. I’ll head home.”

In the end, Im Ha-yeon left Daseogak as if she were fleeing.

The sky was already dark. When she looked up at the gloomy sky, raindrops began to fall on her head one by one. She hadn’t brought an umbrella.

Using lightfoot technique, Im Ha-yeon hurried toward the inn where she was staying.

“You bastard! Where’d you go!”

“I said it’s all over! Let’s just grab anything inside that’s worth money!”

“What’s going on?”

When she arrived at the rundown inn where she usually stayed, she found it surrounded by angry people.

“You a guest here? Then pack your stuff and get out!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“The owner of this inn ran away in the night without paying off his debts!”

**********

Just before dawn.

From the Tang Clan to Yichang. It didn’t matter that it had rained all night. I was struggling to wrap up a long and arduous mission.

“Congratulations on reaching the Small Achievement stage. You’ve built up five years’ worth of internal energy in your danjeon.”

Dang-Pae removed the needles stuck throughout my meridians and congratulated me in a pleased tone.

“It’s thanks to you. It feels like I’ve become a master.”

I waited for the porcupine-like needles in my back to finish shedding and then cautiously curled my fist.

From my danjeon to the curled fist—I could feel a solid flow of internal energy. Five years’ worth of energy. I had finally doubled the internal energy I could use.

Before, I would shout “Barbarian Punch!” and that would be the end of it—sometimes accelerating suddenly like a spiral booster, or launching an uncontrollable rocket punch.

Even though my internal energy had only doubled, it felt like I could now utilize it in far broader ways.

“Haha! This reminds me of the old days. I understand how you feel. Now that I’ve finished refining the medicinal energy within Young Master Kang’s body, your internal energy is at second-class level.”

“I’m second-class now...”

To accumulate five years of internal energy just two years after learning martial arts—if this were a story, the black-haired delinquent would have to be an SSS-rank martial genius. But reality is different.

‘I merely managed to finish refining the residual ginseng energy in Kang Yun-ho’s body.’

This is the same delinquent Kang Yun-ho who used to casually eat the rarest of elixirs—Joseon ginseng that Central Plains folks couldn’t even find—boiled in samgyetang or made into ginseng yakgwa.

Half of it was thanks to Soyoon Mental Resonance Technique. The other half came with the help of the Tang Clan’s medical skills. I had finally succeeded in refining the ginseng energy that had been soaked into every single meridian of Kang Yun-ho’s body.

With this level, I could probably pass into a small escort bureau as a pyo-sa without issue.

“Strictly speaking, though, you’re not quite second-class.”

“I’m not?”

“Martial rank isn’t determined by internal energy alone.”

Well, yeah. Aside from inner technique, I didn’t have anything else to boast about. It’s like having decent hardware and an operating system, but only being able to play Minesweeper or browse the web.

Looks like I have to shelve my dream of becoming a pyo-sa again.

“What does it matter if the writer is first-class or second-class? As long as I can take care of my body and live long without illness, this is more than enough.”

I no longer have to worry about getting mugged by gangsters or third-rate Heukdo. I can overpower them instead. And it’s not like I’m walking into battlefields. This is plenty for a healthy, long life.

Of course, if you ask whether I want to try using things like sword energy now that I’m in a martial arts world... I can’t deny that. But to do that, I’d have to live on sword rice in the realm of the Do-san Sword Forest.

I’ve always lived by the saying that the brush is mightier than the sword. I want to live on ink rice, not sword rice.

“Yes, exactly. That’s why I helped you.”

Dang-Pae nodded slightly, apparently satisfied with my answer.

“Vice Pavilion Head Dang-Pae! Preparations are complete!”

“It’s time to depart, then.”

Today, the Tang Clan’s martial artists were returning to Sichuan. When Dang-Pae opened the door, I could see that the carriages were already ready for departure.

Fortunately, it looked like the rain that had poured all night had stopped. The Tang Clan’s journey home would be smooth, and Daseogak could operate normally today.

“Must you really go?!”

“We would love to stay longer in Yichang and continue discussing Storm of the Tang Clan. But we must return.”

“There are still so many Daseohoe members eagerly awaiting conversations with the Tang Clan warriors. If they lined up, the line would circle Daseogak dozens of times! What a pity!”

Outside were not only the Tang Clan warriors preparing to depart, but also Daseohoe members who had become friendly with them, all gathered to send them off.

“There’s still so much I want to say. Sniff...! I’ll be back when Volume 4 is released!”

“Waaaah!”

“The one I truly consider the main wife is that person. Keep it between us.”

“Of course! Honestly, I already had a feeling!”

“I’ll establish a Daseohoe branch even in Sichuan.”

“Please stay healthy!”

“We’ve prepared what you requested in the backroom of the print shop.”

Dang-Pae watched the scene, then spoke quietly, so only I could hear.

“Thank you.”

“If you ever need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

“Thank you sincerely for all your help so far. But now, we should be like Sichuan and Hubei.”

I smiled like a grandson turning down an overly generous gift from his grandmother during a holiday visit, and spoke to Dang-Pae.

“Sichuan and Hubei?”

“Distant yet close, and close yet distant. That kind of relationship would be best, I think.”

I’d already gained everything I could. Asking for more would be greed.

“...I see.”

A flicker of pity crossed Dang-Pae’s face—the kind of sorrow felt for someone who gave up everything for love.

But I didn’t feel pitiful at all.

“Oh! Please deliver this letter to Hwa-rin.”

I handed over the letter I had proudly written, despite the dangerous visit from the mysterious night guest.

I’d already sent one to So-hee as soon as I arrived in Yichang, so I had to send one to Hwa-rin too.

“Of course. Everyone, mount up!”

“Sir!”

As my conversation with Dang-Pae ended, the Tang Clan warriors mounted their horses in an instant.

“Everyone, travel safely. Please send my regards to Hwa-rin. And tell the Tang Clan Head that he did a great job.”

“Hahahaha! Of course. And I’ve already warned everyone to keep their uniforms tight-lipped.”

“...Please do.”

It’s probably best to keep the tight-fitting story a secret from Hwa-rin. With a bitter smile, I sent off the Tang Clan warriors and returned to Daseogak.

--------

Unlike the rain-soaked ground from the downpour last night, the sky—still not yet lit by the sun—showed signs of today being clear.

“Hmm?”

A person in front of Daseogak? There was still plenty of time before opening.

The person, drenched completely by the rain, was curled up tightly. Were they just sheltering in front of Daseogak from the rain? Or perhaps a customer here to buy Storm of the Tang Clan?

As I cautiously approached, a very familiar woman came into view.

“Lady Ha-yeon?”

The woman completely soaked in the rain was none other than Im Ha-yeon.

***********

“You... why are you here...?”

Why was this man standing in front of her? Im Ha-yeon struggled to lift her rain-soaked head.

“Look behind you.”

“Ah...”

When Im Ha-yeon turned around with a lifeless expression, she saw the very door she entered through every morning for work.

Why had she come here? After wandering aimlessly all night, had her steps unconsciously brought her to Daseogak?

“Come inside.”

Without asking why she was here or why she was drenched in rain, Kang Yun-ho simply opened the door to Daseogak for her.

Without a word, Im Ha-yeon followed behind him, climbed up to the attic where he slept, and sat down in a chair.

Kang Yun-ho, with practiced hands, boiled water and placed a brazier in front of her to warm up, then handed her a cup of hot tea.

After taking one sip, Im Ha-yeon felt the warmth seep into her body, frozen from the rain she’d endured all night.

Feigning disinterest, Kang Yun-ho kept some distance and looked out the window, sipping his own tea quietly beside her.

“You’re not going to ask why I was standing out in the rain?”

Maybe he sensed that she had regained the strength to speak. Kang Yun-ho looked at her with an expression that suggested he was ready to listen to anything she wanted to say.

“I was waiting for you to tell me.”

Why could this man smile so naturally? Why did he act like it was fine to share any burden with him?

After a moment of hesitation, Im Ha-yeon opened her mouth, just like she had a few days ago.

“...The heir to the Shadowless Phantom Thief just got robbed.”

Lowering her head as if she was dying of shame, Im Ha-yeon mumbled softly.

“Robbed?”

“The innkeeper ran off in the night. He said if I paid for a full year’s stay up front, he’d also serve breakfast and dinner, so I gave him a whole month’s wages...”

It had sounded like a good deal. It would be cheaper than paying separately for meals, and even if they were simple, getting fed at the inn would help her save money.

But in truth, it was just a ploy by the innkeeper to gather money before fleeing.

With not a single coin left, she had wandered aimlessly through the night, unable to process the string of misfortunes that had befallen her.

Recalling what had happened through the night, Im Ha-yeon absentmindedly opened the rain-soaked bundle she had brought out of the inn with her.

“All the paper’s wet.”

“It was my manuscript for the Yichang Literary Society...”

Brush and ink all ruined from the rain. Especially the first novel she had ever written—now so water-damaged that the words were unrecognizable.

The only thing she had managed to accomplish since fleeing to Yichang, gone in an instant like a bubble bursting.

“Nothing goes right for me.”

Her voice, tinged with sorrow, broke out without warning.

Why was her life always like this?

Even the one thing she’d cherished was lost just like that.

At this rate, she’d be arrested and returned as a runaway courtesan. The only thing she’d learned was thievery, and she couldn’t even do that. All her money had been taken in a scam.

Her only accomplishment since coming to Yichang—her novel—had become a useless bundle of wet paper.

“I’m a half-wit who can’t even do what one person’s supposed to.”

Was she being punished for running away from the gyobang? Was this punishment for trying to escape her fate? Im Ha-yeon couldn’t even lift her head from the despair.

“Who says you aren’t doing your part? Lady Ha-yeon, you are the best staff member on the second floor of Daseogak—no, the best in all of Daseogak. I’ve entrusted you with management responsibilities, and you’re someone we absolutely need here.”

“It’s something anyone could do.”

“No. I entrusted it to you because you’re Lady Ha-yeon.”

Why did this man always speak with such certainty?

That one sentence from Kang Yun-ho barely held together Im Ha-yeon’s heart, soaked and crumpled like her ruined manuscript.

“...Nothing goes right for me.”

“When that happens, sometimes reaching out to someone is a good idea.”

To whom? Who could she possibly reach out to?

There was no one left to help her. The people from Hao Clan at the gyobang were dead, and the clan was every person for themselves now. Her mother had passed away. And that man—she didn’t even want to be associated with him.

Who was there to reach out a hand to her?

Frustrated, Im Ha-yeon looked at Kang Yun-ho with eyes brimming with tears.

There was someone. One person.

Someone in a similar situation to hers.

Someone who could understand her better than anyone.

Someone who had been silently waiting for her to reach out her hand.

“...Please help me.”

Im Ha-yeon, with great effort, reached out her hand to him.

“I was waiting to hear you say that.”

Why would this man help her even if she rejected him? Why did he always offer his hand as if he had been waiting for this very moment?

‘Why do you help me?’

Because she was a courtesan like his mother? Because she was in a similar situation to him? Because she was that man’s daughter? Were his feelings really just sympathy?

Or perhaps...

“For now...”

Im Ha-yeon waited to hear the next words from Kang Yun-ho’s mouth. What would he say?

“Let’s live together from today.”

That one sentence from Kang Yun-ho was enough to shake the entire world of a woman who had been full of resentment and despair.