The Execution of Villains (5)
Namgung Hye-yeon headed to the Cheonhajilgaekjan Inn, disregarding Jang So-myeong’s objections.
As she stepped through the door, Geom Woo-bin’s voice greeted her.
“Welcome!”
During the carriage ride, she had debated multiple times whether to turn back home.
Her father was the head of the Namgung Family, one of the Five Great Families, whose prestige rivaled even the Nine Great Sects. For someone of her status to visit a mere server like Geom Woo-bin was hardly appropriate.
Though Geom Woo-bin had left a strong first impression, that alone wasn’t a good enough reason.
Yet, Namgung Hye-yeon had come all the way to Cheonhajilgaekjan.
‘It’s just because my daily life is boring, and this felt special. That’s all.’
Upon meeting again, Geom Woo-bin might seem like nothing more than a young server—neither more nor less.
Accompanying Namgung Hye-yeon as her escort was Do Yang-sik, a taciturn man of thirty-five.
Do Yang-sik seated her in a corner and took the spot beside her. Soon, Geom Woo-bin came scurrying over.
“What would you like to order, miss?”
“What’s good here?”
Geom Woo-bin rattled off a list of dishes, and Namgung Hye-yeon randomly picked one.
Do Yang-sik ordered dumplings and thin noodles.
After relaying the order to the kitchen, Geom Woo-bin busied himself attending to other guests. He greeted them and welcomed newcomers with practiced ease. Though she had heard he had only been working for less than two months, he carried himself with the seasoned air of someone who had been at it for years.
And all the guests seemed to adore him.
Geom Woo-bin was a rare character—both spirited and naturally sociable.
Namgung Hye-yeon asked him when he returned with their food.
“When does your shift end?”
“Huh? In about an hour. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing. Go back to work.”
She picked at her food absentmindedly while watching Geom Woo-bin. He was a diligent worker, never staying still for a moment.
So much so that even the owner occasionally told him to take it easy.
“Working makes time pass faster. Hehe!”
An hour was a long time, but watching Geom Woo-bin made it fly by without a hint of boredom.
“He’s a hardworking kid,” Do Yang-sik remarked after a long silence.
“That’s all you noticed about him?”
“What else is there?”
“It’s not particularly hot, yet he’s sweating heavily and moving busily, but his movements seem sluggish. It doesn’t seem like an illness—he’s just exhausted. He probably isn’t doing heavy labor at night… Could he be training in martial arts?”
“Even if you’re right, isn’t that a bit of a stretch?”
“Fair. It’s just one possibility among many.”
Or maybe he was just fooling around.
She didn’t know why she hoped Geom Woo-bin was training in martial arts.
Finally, Geom Woo-bin bid his employer farewell with a cheerful, “See you tomorrow!”
“Let’s get going too,” Namgung Hye-yeon said.
She quickly stepped outside and called out to Geom Woo-bin as he left the inn.
“I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
Do Yang-sik frowned at Geom Woo-bin’s informal tone.
“Kid. Mind your manners.”
Despite Do Yang-sik’s icy words, Geom Woo-bin remained unfazed.
“I don’t think I’m being rude.”
“Do you know who the lady before you is—?!”
Namgung Hye-yeon raised a hand to stop him.
“You spoke formally to me earlier, but now you’re being casual. Why?”
“Back then, I was a server, and you were a guest. But the moment my shift ended, I left that role behind at the inn. Now, you and I are just two people around the same age.”
Namgung Hye-yeon had been told since she was eight that she was mature for her age. But Geom Woo-bin seemed even more mature than she had been then—or even now.
“I’m three years older than you.”
“So?”
“Keuk-keuk!”
Instead of anger, laughter escaped her.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Some noble’s kid, I guess.”
“Why do you think that?”
“You’ve got a bodyguard with you.”
“How did you know he’s my bodyguard?”
“Normally, people sit facing each other at inns, but that uncle made you sit against the wall and took the seat beside you to protect you easily.”
What kind of sharp-eyed kid was this?
“Actually, today wasn’t the first time I saw you. A few days ago—”
“You were in a carriage.”
Namgung Hye-yeon was startled.
“You saw me?”
“I also saw you trying to help that little beggar.”
“Then why did you step in? If I had helped, it would’ve ended without him getting hurt.”
“Maybe. You’d have left feeling proud of helping the weak, then soon forgotten about it. But because of that, the beggar kid would’ve suffered even worse bullying from those martial school brats for a long time.”
That was something Namgung Hye-yeon hadn’t considered.
“But you chased them off, so in the end, it’s the same, isn’t it?”
Geom Woo-bin scratched his head.
“Yeah. I don’t know why those martial school punks just left. I was ready to fight them.”
Geom Woo-bin had no idea just how much fighting spirit he had radiated.
“Are you learning martial arts?”
“Why do you ask?”
“If you’re interested, I can introduce you to a good place.”
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but someone like Geom Woo-bin could become an outstanding disciple of the Namgung Family.
“I already have a great master.”
“What about the Namgung Family?”
She thought the name alone would sway him, but his indifferent expression didn’t change.
“Thanks for the offer. Anything else? I live far, so I should hurry.”
Namgung Hye-yeon was flustered.
She even wondered if this was how it felt to be rejected after confessing love.
“You’re stupid enough to kick away fortune when it rolls to your feet!”
Angry for no reason, she shouted before turning away. But her anger soon turned to urgency.
If they parted now, she might never see him again.
“Geom Woo-bin!”
He turned his head, looking puzzled as he walked away.
“Come to the Namgung Family later! I’m Namgung Hye-yeon, the daughter of the family head!”
“I can’t promise, but I’ll remember.”
Yeon Geum-hong sat before Geom Woo-bin, smiling inexplicably.
“Yeon Sama, what’s wrong?”
“Executioner, what a man.”
“Huh?”
“Hohoho! Never mind. Today, instead of martial arts, I’ll teach you something else. In a way, it’s even more important.”
“What is it?”
“It’s been about two months since we met, right? How many times in that period could you have killed me?”
“Eh, why would I kill you? That’d never happen.”
“In the martial world, no one knows. Today’s friend could be tomorrow’s enemy—that’s how it is here.”
“But still…”
“There are sons who stab their fathers in the back to become family heads, and women who kill their husbands to leap into their lovers’ arms. That’s the Central Plains for you.”
“Are you saying no one in this world can be trusted?”
“Exactly. So whenever you get the chance, think of ways to kill those close to you—especially those stronger than you. You never know when relationships might sour. For example…”
Yeon Geum-hong held up an ornament from her clothes.
“When you gave me this, I didn’t suspect a thing. If you’d poisoned it or rigged it with a hidden weapon, the success rate would’ve been high. Or, if you’d faked an injury when we were alone—getting me to carry you would’ve been the perfect opportunity. Or…”
“How would you kill me, Yeon Sama?”
“Huh?”
“Tell me how you’d kill me right now.”
There were over a hundred ways she could kill someone as weak as Geom Woo-bin. But voicing even one felt embarrassing.
As Yeon Geum-hong hesitated, Geom Woo-bin grinned brightly.
“See? Even the thought of killing me horrifies you.”
“No, it’s just that there are too many ways.”
“Really? But no matter what happens, I’d never harm my martial siblings.”
Yeon Geum-hong’s expression turned serious.
“Don’t make such vows. No one knows what the future holds.”
“No matter how brutal the martial world is, parents and children don’t have conversations like this, do they?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“I consider my martial siblings my family. The first I’ve ever had…”
Geom Woo-bin’s face trembled as if he might burst into tears any second.
“Ah, our executioner… You’re too soft-hearted…”
Moved by pity, Yeon Geum-hong hugged him. Resting his chin on her shoulder, Geom Woo-bin whispered:
“Now I’ve got a chance to kill you, right?”
“What?!”
As Yeon Geum-hong jerked back in shock, Geom Woo-bin smiled.
“Don’t worry. No matter how harsh the world is, I won’t be that easy to break.”
Staring at him, Yeon Geum-hong finally let out a soft laugh.
Geom Woo-bin left the room, saying, “I’ll go see Seo Saje now.”
“I can’t tell if he’s naive or cunning. Maybe we’re just worrying for nothing…”
Yeon Geum-hong had intended to teach him the ruthlessness of the martial world, but Seo Seok-san instead gifted Geom Woo-bin a five-stringed hyangbipa.
“Music has breath, and women have texture. For a man, music and women are like life itself.”
“Seo Saje, I’m only eight.”
“Which is why you must prepare. I knew women by ten. You’ve only got two years left, so you must work hard starting now.”
Seo Seok-san began playing his bipa.
The gentle melody strangely stirred Geom Woo-bin’s heart.
He had only lived eight years, two of which he couldn’t even remember. Yet, his past flashed before him like a panorama, and memories of his time with his master, Hwajeoksan, brought him to the verge of tears.
Seo Seok-san’s playing was so masterful it could move even a child’s heart. When the performance ended, Geom Woo-bin took a deep breath.
“That was beautiful.”
Seo Seok-san looked at him with satisfaction.
“If you can feel this, you already possess exceptional talent. Soon, you’ll be slipping under many skirts—no, winning many hearts.”
“One is enough.”
“Heheh! You say that now, but in a few years, you’ll understand the saying ‘the more, the better.’”
“With this music, you could win anyone’s heart—men or women.”
“Huh? Why would you want a man’s heart? Music is for winning women. Men, you just kill.”
“You can kill with music?”
Seo Seok-san plucked the edge of his bipa with force. The teapot behind Geom Woo-bin shattered into pieces.
“With music, you win women’s hearts. With sonic arts, you take men’s lives.”
Thud!
Do Pyeong-su returned and dropped twelve thick books on the table.
“That bastard’s study was full of books. I took all the ones labeled Manbakseonin and Ilmangyugye.”
Yeon Geum-hong sighed as she flipped through them.
“Eight of these are completely different books with similar titles.”
Seo Seok-san chimed in.
“But four are correct. Ilmangyugye turned out to be three volumes. What’s this, though? The author is Manbakseonin, but… Manbochongnam? This guy really loves the character ‘man.’”
Skimming through, Seo Seok-san’s eyes lit up.
“This doesn’t seem like an ordinary book.”
“What’s it about?”
Seo Seok-san opened a page and showed it to them. The illiterate Do Pyeong-su grew impatient.
“Well? What is it?”
“It’s about mannyeonhasuwoo—its properties, likely locations, and even who might possess it. There’s also cheongseokryu, cheonyeonjarancho… and mannyeonsamhwang, of course.”
As Seo Seok-san flipped further, a section on weapons appeared.
Swords, blades, spears, bows—every famous weapon in the martial world was listed.
“I didn’t know mangeodo was with the Byeoksanjinpa.”
Yeon Geum-hong’s hand stopped at the section on hidden weapons. Finding a particular name, she smiled faintly.
“Seongrinyuhyungchim. So you were here.”
