ROTMHS Special Spin-off - Chapter 13

Chapter 13. I Can’t Do This Anymore. Seriously. (3)

“W-well, he’s such an audacious brat to begin with.”

The constable scratched his head, watching Baek Cheon’s reaction.

Baek Cheon let out a long, heavy sigh, as if the ground itself might collapse.

Seeing Seok Hanbin sprawled inside the jail, his face so swollen it was hard to even recognize him, there was no way he could not sigh.

“Even so, beating a child like this is....”

“We barely hit him a few times. He makes such a fuss like he’s dying.”

“Tsk.”

At the click of Baek Cheon’s tongue, the constables shrank their necks.

When a young taoist had shown up and demanded they release the jailed Seok Hanbin, they had naturally scoffed.

Judging by the rather expensive-looking sword at his side, he seemed like some drifter who had rolled around in the jianghu, but this wasn’t some deep mountain. It was inside a Yamen—why would they fear a wandering martial artist here?

[야문(衙門). Yamen. Government office/administrative compound.]

But their confidence shattered into pieces at the single sheet of paper the taoist casually produced.

That paper was none other than a written order personally signed by Lord Song.

Of course, since Lord Song was not an official, calling it an ‘order’ wasn’t exactly accurate—but when had the world ever run on such principles?

If Lord Song so wished, even the county magistrate could be replaced. What courage would mere constables have to stand against something bearing his authority? The only thing they could do was shut their mouths and comply.

‘But just how, exactly....?’

‘How would I know?’

“Release him for now.”

“....Yes.”

The constables hurriedly opened the cell door. Baek Cheon shook his head slowly.

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“Wait, so you just let it go like that?”

“Well, what else?”

“You should’ve taught them a proper lesson. How can they beat a kid until he passes out?”

“Then what, you want me to fight the constables? People who receive the state’s pay?”

“....That’s not what I meant.”

“And besides, they didn’t beat him until he passed out.”

Tang Soso corrected Jo Geol.

“It’s more like he collapsed from exhaustion than from being beaten. Looks like he hadn’t eaten for days and was just running around. He probably took a few hits and then dropped.”

“Hmm.”

Jo Geol glanced back at the boy slung over his shoulder.

“Still, even so. Once they caught him, that should’ve been enough. Why beat someone who’s already locked up in a cell?”

“Exactly. That made me angry too.”

“Constables aren’t there to beat people up on a whim. It’s not like he committed another crime inside.”

“Right.”

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue, then suddenly tilted his head.

‘Something feels off....’

A moment later, realizing the source of that unease, Baek Cheon snapped his head around.

Flinch.

Cheong Myeong froze for a split second under his gaze, then resumed moving. Anyone could see it was unnatural, stiff and awkward.

“What is it?”

“W-what?”

“Why are you so quiet?”

“....I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Baek Cheon’s brow furrowed sharply.

“The kid you were looking for shows up beaten like this. Whether you scold the kid for getting himself beaten or curse the constables for hitting him, there’s no way you’d just stay quiet like this.”

“W-what! Why are you suddenly picking on an innocent person? Am I always some noisy guy or something? Then what, do I have to be talking nonstop all the time?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah.”

“Usually, yes.”

“I even prepared earplugs.”

“....These guys.”

Baek Cheon realized Cheong Myeong’s reaction was far too unnatural. No, calling it a ‘realization’ was almost too generous. Unless his eyes were like knot holes, there was no way he wouldn’t notice.

Even Baek Ah, who was beside him, was suddenly looking away and whistling as if nothing was wrong.

“The fact that even Baek Ah is acting like that makes it even more suspicious.”

“Wait a second. That weasel just whistled?”

“It’s definitely strange. Just a moment ago it was throwing a fit demanding jerky.”

“No, I’m saying the weasel whistled.”

“What did you do? Tell us honestly.”

“....Why is no one finding this strange?”

As Yoon Jong lamented sorrowfully while staring into the air, Hye Yeon silently patted his shoulder.

Jo Geol, who had been scanning Cheong Myeong with suspicious eyes, shifted the mood and looked at Baek Cheon.

“Anyway, if sasuk hadn’t stepped in, this could’ve turned into a real problem.”

“Hm? Uh, yeah.”

“Isn’t that right? They were beating a kid who isn’t even fully grown like that—if he’d been stuck in there a few more days, who knows how badly his body would’ve been ruined?”

At that, the other disciples nodded.

“He did commit a crime, sure, but that doesn’t mean you beat him like that.”

“If sasuk hadn’t gone and negotiated, things could’ve gotten serious.”

“That’s possible.”

It was rare for Yoon Jong to agree with him, and Jo Geol brightened.

“But sasuk, how did you even get an order to have him released?”

“Hm? Well.... things just worked out. Ha ha.”

“Such modesty.”

Jo Geol curled his lips into a grin.

“Honestly, I had no idea sasuk was this capable.”

“That was impressive.”

“When he got taken to the authorities, I thought we were done for. My vision went dark. But to think that, in the middle of all that, you’d actually negotiate with that Lord Song. At times like this, you really see how bold sasuk is.”

“Right.”

The disciples nodded vigorously in agreement. But Baek Cheon only smiled awkwardly.

“Then, I guess the major problem is more or less resolved.”

Jo Geol shook his head.

“Whew. We didn’t really do anything, but I’m ridiculously tired. Maybe it’s because we suddenly had to use our brains too much.”

“Same here.”

“Me too.”

“And it’s already gotten dark. How about we find an inn around here and rest?”

“That sounds good. Let’s go, sasuk.”

“Ah, about that....”

“Hm?”

Baek Cheon turned to them with an extremely awkward smile.

“Well.... you asked earlier, didn’t you? How I negotiated with Lord Song.”

“....We did?”

A faint unease crept into the disciples’ voices.

“Well.... I didn’t actually meet Lord Song directly. But, how should I put it? He was.... decisive? No, that’s not quite it. More like.... straightforward. Yes, a very straightforward person.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well.... since the issue was about money, he said there was no need to argue over anything. As long as the money was repaid, that would settle it.”

The disciples’ eyes narrowed to slits.

“And then?”

“So I repaid it.”

Baek Cheon pulled out his money pouch and turned it upside down. A few remaining specks of dust drifted into the air.

“....It came out exactly right.”

“.....”

“So now.... we’re completely broke.”

Against the pitch-black sky, a single crow flew past, crying ominously.

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His body felt heavy.

Not just sluggish—heavy as if it were nailed to the ground.

Of course it did. Being locked in a damp, cold jail alone would wear a body down, and on top of that, he had been thoroughly beaten by the constables. It would be stranger if he were fine.

Even now—this crisp sensation at his fingertips....

‘Huh?’

Crisp? Not damp?

The chill was similar, but it wasn’t a clammy cold. It felt like dry ground that might crunch underfoot, and the air was cool but dry.

‘Did something go wrong with my senses?’

Apparently not. Before long, unfamiliar voices began reaching his ears.

“You used up all the travel money we had?”

“W-what was I supposed to do? Didn’t we all agree we had to save the kid first?”

“Of course, if we can save him, we should. But if we spend all our travel money, how are we supposed to get back to Shaanxi?”

“....To be honest, it’s not like we’ve ever really traveled using travel money anyway.”

“This man, seriously!”

“I told you, I panicked for a moment. They said if we weren’t going to pay, we should get lost. What was I supposed to do, just leave?”

“There he goes again, acting on impulse. I bet he waved the money pouch around.”

“I didn’t wave it.”

“You did hold it up, didn’t you?”

“.....”

“See? I knew it. Ugh, this is maddening.”

Seok Hanbin slowly opened his eyes.

He saw a group of black-clad figures(?) pointing fingers at each other and arguing.

“So what are we going to do now? We don’t even have a place to stay—we’re going to end up just sitting around here like this!”

“....For now, maybe we sleep and think about it tomorrow?”

“Yuanshi Tianzun.”

“That man is our sasuk....”

“Heaven has abandoned Mount Hua.”

“Isn’t he a spy from Mount Hua Sect’s rival sect? Otherwise how—Aaaagh! Why are you hitting me!”

“That one deserved it.”

“Honestly, he should be hit more.”

Seok Hanbin blinked. But surprisingly, not a single one of them paid him any attention.

“....Huh?”

After the scuffle dragged on for a while, one of the women finally turned her head, still fuming, and spotted Seok Hanbin. Her face brightened.

“You’re awake?”

“.....”

“Here.”

As Seok Hanbin struggled to gather his thoughts, a large bowl was suddenly held out in front of him.

“....Porridge?”

“Eat. Your body’s worn out. If you can, eat slowly. Your strength will recover.”

“.....”

“Let’s talk after you eat.”

“No, but this porridge right now—”

“Hey.”

Seok Hanbin flinched, his shoulders twitching.

The woman, still wearing a faint smile, pointed at the bowl of porridge again.

“Eat.”

“....Yes.”

He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t refuse. It felt like refusing would be bad for his health.

As Seok Hanbin gulped down the bowl of porridge, the black-clad figures in front of him kept growling at each other as if they had endless complaints.

“I-I’ve finished eating—”

Clatter.

The moment he lifted his head again, the bowl slipped from his hands. Not because he lacked strength.

“T-that!”

“Hm?”

“That weasel from before!”

Baek Ah, who was perched on Cheong Myeong’s shoulder, glanced toward Seok Hanbin and then casually scratched its ear with its hind leg.

Scratch, scratch, scratch.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know! You’re that one from before, aren’t you!”

Scratch scratch scratch scratch.

After scratching its ear a few more times, the weasel lifted its head and looked at him with bright, innocent eyes. And then—

Kkyuu?

“Don’t try any funny business!”

“Whoa, whoa!”

“What's wrong with this kid all of a sudden?”

Seok Hanbin, bursting with indignation, lunged at the weasel, but Jo Geol and Yoon Jong quickly grabbed hold of him.

“Alright, alright. Seems like he’s not fully in his right mind yet.”

“That’s not it! That weasel—!”

“Yeah. First time seeing a weasel wearing clothes, right? I get why you’re shocked. We were pretty surprised at first too.”

Seok Hanbin thumped his own chest in frustration.

But there was no way to explain this injustice. How could he possibly tell them that he had followed the weasel’s instructions, gotten betrayed, and ended up beaten by constables? It sounded absurd even to himself.

Even if he couldn’t say that, there was something else he could say—something obvious.

“No, who the hell are you people, gathering in my house and just sitting around here like this?”

From his perspective, it was an entirely reasonable question and protest.

But upon hearing it, they looked at him with expressions of disbelief instead.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Can’t you tell by looking? We’re taoists.”

“Idiot.”

“He does seem a bit slow.”

Seok Hanbin reflexively grabbed the back of his neck.

“Taoists? What kind of taoists go around carrying swords! Where in the world do you see taoists like you!”

“Ah, well....”

Baek Cheon stepped forward with a smile and explained.

“We’re a bit of a special kind of taoist, so we carry swords.”

“That doesn’t make any sense....”

“Whether it makes sense or not, you should at least hear it before deciding.”

Baek Cheon looked at Seok Hanbin with a confident expression.

Truthfully, he had been waiting for this. No, if he were being honest, he had always wanted to say this at least once, properly.

“Have you ever heard of the Mount Hua Sect?”

“Mo-Mount Hua?”

Seok Hanbin’s eyes widened. Seeing that reaction, Baek Cheon unconsciously clenched his fist slightly.

“Th-that....”

“Heh heh. Yes. That very—”

“What’s that?”

“....Huh?”

“I’ve never heard of it in my life?”

“....What?”

Baek Cheon’s eyes trembled violently.

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