Chapter 46 – The Waiter’s Employment Contract

Chapter 46 – The Waiter's Employment Contract

A pleasure coursing through his entire body.

San-ho quickly reached out his hand at that unfamiliar sensation.

'Oh no…!'

However, there was no retrieving a hidden weapon that had already left his hand; the hidden weapon, carrying a fearsome internal energy, erupted like an explosion.

Swishhh!!

When the flying dagger, flying with the momentum to split even space, reached Do Yi-gyeom's face—

"……Owner!!"

Tilting his head back, he deflected the direction of the flying dagger with his fan with astonishing speed.

It was a moment in which anyone could not help but be shocked, but Do Yi-gyeom did not panic.

Boom!!

The flying dagger, which flew past his face, crashed into the wall behind him; although he succeeded in dodging, the power he failed to fully mitigate smashed the wall as it was, raising a cloud of gray dust.

San-ho, who had ended up breaking Drunken Lotus Pavilion for the second time today alone, opened his eyes wide and stared at Do Yi-gyeom.

"Are you okay……"

"…So you knew how to exert this kind of power, yet you were holding back?"

Do Yi-gyeom's eyes, gleaming with a strange light, stared straight at San-ho.

As the cotton veil covering his face was sharply cut and fell to the ground with a thud, the corners of his slightly curled lips were revealed; red blood trickled down the cheek grazed by the flying dagger.

"………"

"What a fascinating thing."

San-ho froze at his calm voice.

'What on earth did I just do……'

Clearly, it had started with the thought, 'Is this okay, when I'm not fighting a life-or-death battle with an unorthodox martial artist?' However, facing Do Yi-gyeom, who dodged and blocked every single one of his repeated attacks, San-ho felt an unfamiliar sensation gradually rising within himself.

What about this much? Is this okay too? Then how about this much?

Those curious thoughts steadily increased the internal energy loaded into the flying daggers.

Until now, San-ho had used his strength in many situations: to resolve matters, to help someone, to pass tests, to find something…

To him, martial arts were merely a tool to aid resolution and achievement.

Meanwhile, he encountered this sensation for the first time.

The ultimate meaning of martial arts.

A sense of fulfillment felt entirely for its own sake.

It removed hesitation and erased the boundaries; when the situation, the rules of the world, and even the past and future all vanished, only the two of them, himself and his opponent, remained.

Because he trusted him? Because he wanted to win? No, such words could not explain the things he felt.

He had never imagined that the power unleashed without hesitation would be so satisfying.

The reason San-ho caught his breath at that unfamiliar sensation was that he felt satisfaction from the power unleashed, even though he knew it could kill his opponent; that refreshing sense of liberation, the thrilling pleasure he tasted for the first time.

"………"

However, it was a single strike that would have certainly killed the opponent if they had failed to gauge the difference by a hair's breadth.

It was something that should never happen in a sparring match.

"It seems you have never properly used your strength before?"

San-ho snapped out of it at Do Yi-gyeom's voice; it was clearly a state of selflessness that came after both purpose and consciousness had vanished. It was impossible to exert any more strength than this right now.

Therefore, what this meant was clear.

'He is an opponent I cannot defeat.'

Neither Geom-hoe of Ghost Sword Valley, nor Ghost Hand Sword Soul of the Red Blood Gang, nor Murong Tak who was the Chief Steward of the Murong Clan… not even Tang Hae-soo and the hall leaders of the family. None of them had shown such an overwhelming difference.

Out of everyone he had encountered, he was the strongest person.

"……Who are you?"

He could not possibly be just a tavern owner.

Extending one hand as if offering a handshake, Do Yi-gyeom spoke.

"I am called the Flowing Cloud Sword."

"………!!!"

San-ho's wide-open eyes were colored with shock; even for him, who was not well-versed in Jianghu rumors, it was a name he could not fail to know.

The Flowing Cloud Sword.

The tragic genius who suddenly appeared in the Jianghu one day, made his name as the youngest of the Ten Venerables of Martial World, and then vanished.

Although it was before San-ho was even born, the story was still passed down to this day because it was like a marvelous legend; the man who appeared as if dropped out of nowhere, displayed a sword art never seen before, and vanished without anyone knowing was now right before his eyes.

"Now. Here is the contract."

San-ho, who had been dazed by the unrealistic story, blinked his eyes.

"……A contract?"

"Yes. Since you lost."

"When did I…"

San-ho, who was about to protest, stopped speaking; this was because his foot, which had stepped off the green steel stone of the training ground, caught his eye. The condition of the sparring match: do not leave the training ground.

"………"

"Read it."

With a bewildered face, San-ho fumbled to unfold the contract placed in his hand.

'What is this? ……An employment contract?'

San-ho's eyes widened, having naturally expected it to be a contract guaranteeing the tavern's repair costs.

—————————————————

[Drunken Lotus Pavilion Employment Contract]

The Employee (hereafter Party B) enters into an employment contract with the owner of Drunken Lotus Pavilion, Do Yi-gyeom (hereafter Party A), as follows.

1. Party B shall work as an errand boy in Party A's tavern every day starting from the Hour of the Horse .

2. Party B shall study under Party A in the training ground every day at the Hour of the Rabbit .

3. Party B may request a sparring match from Party A, and upon winning, may demand the information they desire.

*The above terms shall remain in effect until Party B achieves a meaningful victory in a sparring match with Party A.

Party A. Do Yi-gyeom

Party B.

—————————————————

The contents of the contract were completely different from San-ho's expectations. First, the fact that what Do Yi-gyeom wanted was labor was one thing, and the fact that the work was that of an errand boy, namely a waiter, was another.

'Employed as an errand boy? Right now… they want me to work as a waiter here? And that too, until I defeat one of the Ten Venerables of Martial World…?'

No, Owner.

No matter how severe the labor shortage is, how can there be a slave contract like this?

Opening his mouth wide, San-ho abruptly raised his head.

"An employment contract? No matter how serious the labor shortage is, this isn't right!… I mean, sir!"

"Hmm……. Can you not accept the result?"

As Do Yi-gyeom slightly knitted his brows, San-ho hesitated; unfortunately, he did not yet have the courage to rebel against one of the Ten Venerables of Martial World.

Recalling a persuasive excuse, San-ho spoke.

"No. Owner. Taking a master on my own accord has implications with my relationships…"

"You do not need to worry about that. Let's see, you are Hwa-seon's son, right?"

"……?"

"Time flies so fast. I will send a letter to the Tang Clan later, so do not concern yourself with it."

"…………?"

"See you tomorrow then."

Do Yi-gyeom's smiling face was chilling.

It was the scene of the first employment fraud in his second life.

***

Entering his quarters, Do Yi-gyeom removed the blood-stained cotton veil. As his hand holding the wet towel trembled slightly, he let out a short breath.

How long had it been since he had felt this kind of tension?

'It was… a bit dangerous.'

Clenching and opening his fists a few times, he leaned back languidly.

The final strike he had dodged by a hair's breadth hovered before his eyes; if it had come just a bit deeper, if there had been a minor mistake—a situation where even he would have found it quite tight to dodge without a sword.

'I guess I have grown old too.'

However, a faint smile appeared at the satisfaction rising in contrast.

Before becoming the owner of Drunken Lotus Pavilion, he was a swordsman called by the moniker of the Flowing Cloud Sword instead of his name; one who was counted among the Ten Venerables of Martial World due to his outstanding talent and martial prowess. Because he was such a person, he could tell at once.

Who would know of that shining raw gemstone?

The skill he faced in the sparring match far exceeded even his expectations.

'To think he would enter a state of enlightenment during a sparring match…'

He had only intended to check, but upon witnessing the brilliant talent before his eyes, a sudden greed arose.

Do Yi-gyeom guided San-ho so that he could pour out his strength to his heart's content; he was pleased with the pupils that directed themselves more and more clearly only at him as the exchanges accumulated. Thus, erasing the things that held him back one by one, San-ho gradually entered a state of selflessness.

Those eyes.

A gaze so sharp, and at the same time so calm, that even the great Do Yi-gyeom felt his spine go cold for an instant.

'Was that concentration innate?'

Knock, knock.

Just then, someone knocked on Do Yi-gyeom's door.

"Owner, I'm coming in."

Un-jo entered the room, where the candlelight flickered, carrying tea leaves and teaware.

"I brought some tea for you to have a cup."

Un-jo offered the teacup with a gentle smile.

Then, seeing the wound on Do Yi-gyeom's face, he gasped in surprise.

"Oh, what is this? Is this… by any chance a wound inflicted by that young master?"

"Yes."

"I thought he was just a genteel young master, but his skill must be quite something? To leave a wound on the owner's face."

"………"

"It seems you took a liking to him."

At Un-jo's remark, which recognized the faint smile, Do Yi-gyeom nodded.

"…It seems I have finally found him."

At the low voice, Un-jo's eyes grew as wide as lanterns; this was because he realized the hidden meaning behind his words.

Who would know that the owner of Drunken Lotus Pavilion occupied a seat among the Ten Venerables of Martial World?

Or that he had spent a long time searching for a successor?

Un-jo, who knew the strict conditions for a successor, stammered and asked.

"R-Really? All of those conditions? How did you know?"

"The energy he exuded was not that of a sect disciple. He was a child of a family."

"But even so, he cannot be the offspring of a sword family, can he?"

"Since he has no sword yet has many wounds, his hands would be what primarily holds weapons. Then isn't the answer quite obvious? Above all… he exuded an energy I know all too well. Thus, I checked."

"Don't tell me……"

Expecting the words that would follow, Un-jo's mouth gradually fell open.

"Yes. He is a child of the Tang Clan."

"……Is this what they call fate?"

"It seems I had many sins in my past life, to be entangled with the Tang Clan fellows like this."

"For saying that, your expression looks quite excited."

An undisguisable joy was evident on Do Yi-gyeom's face, having found a shining raw gemstone.

Un-jo let out a small smile.

To think that someone satisfying the conditions of the successor he sought actually existed in the world; was that not amazing in itself?

'You refused to compromise to the very end.'

A young body possessing vast internal power and suitable for learning high-level martial arts; furthermore, their representative family martial arts must not be swordsmanship. And the most important condition: they must know what goodwill and righteousness are.

It was easier said than done, but virtually impossible in reality.

Internal power depends on one's innate constitution and effort, and the foundation built since childhood with marrow cleansing, spiritual medicines, and high-level cultivation methods mostly belongs to the disciples of great sects or families. And those groups usually use swords.

Since he did not want swordsmanship to be mixed in, Do Yi-gyeom's conditions were extremely demanding; on top of that, those who knew goodwill and righteousness were even fewer.

Yet, the raw gemstone he had finally found.

Just then, tapping the tea table with his fingertips, Do Yi-gyeom spoke.

"I will have him stay at Drunken Lotus Pavilion for the time being, so you all must cooperate as well."

"Of course. By the way, for the great Flowing Cloud Sword to take a disciple……. Even if you hide him by employing him as a waiter, once the swordsmen of the Jianghu find out, their stomachs will ache and they'll roll around in envy; I must see that in person."

As Un-jo shrugged his shoulders, Do Yi-gyeom knit his brows slightly.

"Nonsense again. More importantly, we will be busy starting tomorrow, so let it be known that we will only operate the tavern starting from the Hour of the Horse, and you are to take charge of his training. And……"

Taking something out of the cabinet, he placed it in Un-jo's hand.

"Bring this to him."