Absolute Regression

Chapter 674: He Held It in Until the Candied Fruit

“My goodness! Bih Sa-in is buying candied fruit!”

Geom Mugeuk and Geom Muyang were peeking their heads out from an alley, spying on the two of them.

“The shopkeeper saw Sa-in’s face and is handing over the candied fruit with trembling hands.”

Geom Muyang chuckled soundlessly. Of course, it was an exaggerated comment meant to be funny, but one thing was certain—Bih Sa-in and candied fruit did not suit each other at all.

“Could it be those two…”

Geom Muyang didn’t finish his sentence, but Geom Mugeuk knew exactly what his brother was curious about.

“They’re not dating yet.”

“How do you know?”

“If they were, they’d have bought one and shared it.”

The candied fruit Bih Sa-in bought had more than ten pieces skewered on a stick. It was more than enough for the two of them to share, yet he had bought two skewers, handing one to her. Even the way he gave it to her was very courteous.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Han Seol accepted the skewer of candied fruit.

“This is the first time I’ve had it since coming to the Central Plains.”

In truth, it had also been a very long time since Bih Sa-in last had candied fruit. Probably not since he was a little kid. He couldn’t even remember the last time.

Han Seol took a bite.

“It’s delicious.”

The two began walking again, eating their candied fruit.

A smile appeared on Geom Mugeuk’s face as he watched them. Under the sunlight, they looked so fresh and pleasant walking side by side.

Of course, theirs was not an easy relationship.

The Northern Sea Ice Palace was a sect closer to the orthodox factions.

Perhaps not as complicated as between the successors of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance, but still, a successor of the Northern Sea Ice Palace and a successor of the Unorthodox Alliance were not easily connected.

‘Go for it, my friend.’

Of course, the words that came out of his mouth were the opposite.

“So, while I was risking my life and shedding blood, you were enjoying romance in the spring breeze?”

“You didn’t risk your life, did you? You didn’t shed a single drop of blood.”

Ignoring his brother’s retort, Geom Mugeuk moved quickly.

“Brother, this way.”

He moved as if infiltrating the Alliance Leader’s Hall of the Unorthodox Alliance.

“I’ve got to hear what they’re talking about!”

Geom Muyang quickly followed after him. There was never a dull moment with his younger brother.

The two of them found another piece of cover and hid themselves.

In the past, he had spied on Jin Hagun taking a walk with someone, but today, he was spying together with his brother.

“Look at that. He’s subtly blocking people with his body so they don’t bump into the young lady. Hey, friend! Don’t do that! You’ve got to act indifferent! Women like bad men!”

On the other hand, Geom Muyang reacted differently.

“What’s wrong with that? It just looks nice to me.”

Geom Mugeuk glanced sideways at his brother.

Geom Muyang was watching the pair with gentle eyes. From his expression alone, it looked as if he were recalling a past love.

Come to think of it, had his brother ever had a woman he liked?

Knowing his personality, he was not the type to talk about such things. To hear that story, they would have to become several times closer than they were now.

Then again, Bih Sa-in over there was no different. Getting caught like this today was the only reason he could be sure—he was not someone who easily revealed his feelings.

“It could be he’s just treating her well because she’s the Young Palace Master of the Ice Palace, not because of romance.”

“Look at their eyes and tell me that. That bear of a man is completely smitten.”

At his younger brother’s words, Geom Muyang studied the pair’s gazes. Unlike Han Seol, who was curiously looking all around, Bih Sa-in only had eyes for her. And whenever Han Seol happened to glance his way, he would quickly turn his head elsewhere.

“He turns his head as fast as lightning. Even my sword wouldn’t catch him.”

Unaware that the brothers were watching, Bih Sa-in was giving Han Seol his full attention. He considered her safety his own responsibility for as long as she was here.

He had been truly glad when Han Seol came to the Unorthodox Alliance’s Main Division to see him. She had said she would come, but he had thought there was a chance she might not.

Would she really go out of her way to find him in the Unorthodox Alliance?

But just as she promised, she had come.

Bih Sa-in had treated her as an honored guest.

He had shown her not only the Main Division of the Unorthodox Alliance, but also many places within its territory.

Then, a situation arose where Bih Sa-in had to return to the Unorthodox Alliance because of urgent business.

It had been a natural point to part ways.

—If you’re willing to wait, I’ll take care of my work and come back. There’s a place I really want to show you.

He had saved the most beautiful scenery for last, but it would have been a shame to let her leave without seeing it. Who knew when she would come to the Main Division again? No, this would likely be the last time.

Truthfully, he hadn’t expected much. She had already seen many sights, and besides, it would take him over twenty days to finish his work and return.

It was a lot to ask, but she readily agreed.

—Alright, let’s do that.

Han Seol had waited for Bih Sa-in to finish his work and return.

He had been even more moved by her waiting for him than by her coming to see him in the first place. Someday, if the chance came, he wanted to ask her—

Why? What feeling had made her wait?

Thanks to that, the two of them had been able to stand side by side before that beautiful waterfall.

Just when they were truly about to part after seeing that final view, Geom Mugeuk had contacted him. And so, their connection had continued all the way here in Wuhan.

“If it’s uncomfortable with so many people, we can go into a tea house or a tavern.”

If there were too many people there as well, he planned to rent out the entire place.

Han Seol shook her head at Bih Sa-in’s suggestion.

“No, it’s more fun to look around.”

The marketplace in Wuhan was crowded with merchants from all over the Central Plains, gathered for Jin Hagun’s celebration banquet. Because of that, there were plenty of things rarely seen in ordinary times.

“I’m really getting my fill of sightseeing in the Central Plains this time.”

She had not expected her trip to the Central Plains to turn into a journey like this.

She had already visited the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and even the Unorthodox Alliance. That alone had been an impressive itinerary, but now she had come right up to the front of the Martial Alliance’s Main Division.

If the opportunity arose to see inside the Martial Alliance’s Main Division as well, she would become the only warrior of the Ice Palace in history to have visited the main strongholds of both the orthodox and unorthodox factions.

“If you come to the Northern Sea next time, I’ll be your guide.”

Bih Sa-in was surprised by the unexpected offer.

“May I really go?”

“Of course.”

Bih Sa-in wanted to climb a snow-covered mountain with her.

At first, it had been her appearance—his ideal type—that drew him in.

But during this time together, he found her personality to his liking as well.

She was neither overly familiar nor distant. He liked this moderate sense of distance she kept when dealing with others.

‘Come to think of it, my meeting with the young lady was thanks to that friend of mine.’

If not for Geom Mugeuk, she never would have come to the Central Plains in the first place. In a way, Geom Mugeuk had set the whole encounter into motion.

At first, he thought she was only interacting with him because Geom Mugeuk was around.

But Han Seol acted independently of Geom Mugeuk.

She had come to the Unorthodox Alliance to see him, waited for him there, and now had come here to Wuhan with him.

That made him even more grateful and drew his heart toward her all the more.

Still, he didn’t reveal his feelings. He didn’t want to burden her.

Bih Sa-in said to Han Seol,

“If you’re feeling hungry, there’s a place called the Wuhan Number One Restaurant at the end of this street. Their cooking is a specialty—let’s have our meal there.”

“You must have been to Wuhan often.”

In truth, Bih Sa-in had only been to Wuhan once before, when he was very young.

What reason would the successor of the Unorthodox Alliance have to visit Wuhan, home of the Martial Alliance’s Main Division? Even the Thirteen Wolves were currently stationed outside the outskirts of the city.

He had come only because he was invited to a gathering of friends; Wuhan was not a place one could enter casually.

“No. But I’ve studied up.”

At the mention of “studying,” a faint smile appeared on Han Seol’s lips.

“One of my subordinates is actually from here.”

Among the Thirteen Wolves, one had been born in Wuhan. But he had been gone so long that he was of no real help.

In the end, Bih Sa-in had requested information from the Unorthodox Alliance’s intelligence organization, the Dark Shadow Pavilion.

He had asked for a list of the best restaurants and sightseeing spots in Wuhan.

It was probably the first time in the history of the Dark Shadow Pavilion that they’d ever received a request like that.

In any case, he couldn’t bring himself to admit he’d gone that far to find out, so he simply said he’d heard it from his subordinate.

Han Seol glanced behind them and spoke.

“I’m fine, but I think the two of you might be hungry.”

She walked over to the Cold Ice Twin Swords, who had been following behind. The two of them were enjoying the sights of Wuhan’s streets after so long—remarking on how this place had changed, how that place had changed, reminiscing about the past.

“Why don’t you two head down to the Wuhan Number One Restaurant and start eating first? We’ll look around a bit more and meet you there.”

Among the Cold Ice Twin Swords, the husband, Sahan, tried to refuse, but his wife, Sobing, dragged him off toward the inn, scolding him to be more tactful.

Just then, Bih Sa-in suddenly turned his head.

He had felt someone watching him. But when he looked toward where the feeling came from, no one was there.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

From behind the cart where Bih Sa-in’s gaze had lingered, Geom Mugeuk and Geom Muyang’s heads popped out.

“Sly guy! He’s even gotten rid of the obstacles so they can be alone.”

“Looked to me like the young lady sent them away, though.”

Of course, Geom Mugeuk understood—Han Seol must have some feelings for him, otherwise she wouldn’t be walking around with him like this. If she disliked him, she wouldn’t have spent even a day—no, not even two hours—with him.

“Look at that, Sa-in’s pulling out his coin pouch again. Never bought me a single meal, but he’s throwing money around.”

This time, he was buying something else for her—a decorative tassel for her sword sheath.

“If you’re going to buy it, get two, a matching pair! Ah, he really has no sense for these things.”

Then Geom Mugeuk let out another sigh.

“Ah! I can’t take it.”

“What now?”

“He just brushed her hand while tying the tassel to her sheath.”

“That could happen.”

“Yeah, but his face went red from that ‘could happen’ moment.”

Geom Mugeuk was using the New Eye Technique to read every detail of their expressions.

“These days, acting all innocent doesn’t work!”

“Make up your mind—either treat him like a blockhead or a playboy, not both.”

Meanwhile, Bih Sa-in and Han Seol had reached a place where a crowd was gathered.

“Step right up! Hit the center with your throwing dagger and win a prize!”

The prizes piled beside the booth were dolls—some were martial artist dolls holding swords, others were animals like dragons and tigers. There were ones sewn from cloth and ones carved from wood.

When he saw her gaze lingering on the dolls, Bih Sa-in didn’t hesitate to step forward.

“How much is the entry fee?”

After paying, he moved to the front. Running a business like this in front of the Martial Alliance? And right outside the Martial Alliance’s Main Division, with martial artists everywhere?

Bih Sa-in, as if there were nothing else to do but throw, took the throwing dagger and casually tossed it.

Pak.

The moment he threw the first dagger, Bih Sa-in tasted the bitterness of the world.

It didn’t hit the center.

‘Impossible!’

He paid the entry fee again and took another dagger.

This time, after examining it calmly, he realized it was a defective piece, unbalanced in weight.

But so what if it was defective? Could Bih Sa-in really miss with something like this?

Whoosh.

He missed again.

“What the…?”

Flustered, Bih Sa-in paid again.

Whatever the trick was, these daggers seemed designed never to hit the target if thrown correctly. In fact, the higher one’s martial skill, the harder it was to land a hit.

Watching him try again, Geom Mugeuk sighed.

“Ah… there go all the points he’s saved up until now.”

Keep going? Problem. Beat up the shopkeeper for cheating? Problem. Just give up and walk away? Problem.

Geom Muyang agreed with the sigh.

Still, they could understand Bih Sa-in’s mindset. In front of the woman he liked, could he really stop out of pride?

It was when he failed for the fifth time that Han Seol pointed at one of the prizes—a small bear doll tucked away in a corner.

“I want that one.”

Flames lit in Bih Sa-in’s eyes.

He threw again, and again…

And on the tenth try—finally!

Pak!

The dagger hit the bullseye.

Mixed in with the defective daggers had been one that flew true. The stall owner wasn’t a complete fraud, after all.

The man brought over the bear doll with a sly grin.

“Congratulations, sir!”

Bih Sa-in didn’t get angry. Half-joking, half-serious, he told the man,

“Don’t run this business in front of the Unorthodox Alliance. You’d be dead before ten tries.”

The shopkeeper beamed.

“That’s why I only do it in front of the Martial Alliance!”

By now, Geom Mugeuk and Geom Muyang had crept close enough to hear them, hiding nearby.

Geom Mugeuk whispered to his brother,

“Seeing him talk like that with a straight face… that shopkeeper’s guts are bigger than the guys we fought before.”

Geom Muyang nodded in agreement.

Bih Sa-in carefully brushed the dust from the bear doll before handing it to Han Seol.

“It’s so cute. Thank you.”

Han Seol smiled as she took it.

So, with a doll in one hand and candied fruit in the other, Han Seol and Bih Sa-in walked right past the spot where the Geom brothers were hiding.

As they crouched behind the cart and let them pass, Geom Muyang asked with a curious expression,

“Why just let them go? I thought you were going to give them a real scare.”

He had thought Geom Mugeuk was waiting for the perfect moment to approach.

“I was going to,” Geom Mugeuk replied.

His gaze shifted to Han Seol.

She could have reacted in many ways a moment ago. She might have told him to stop and leave, waited quietly, or gotten angry at the shopkeeper for cheating.

But instead, she had simply said she wanted the doll.

To Geom Mugeuk, that choice had been the best one for both Bih Sa-in and her—rather than dousing the moment with cold water, she had lifted the mood instead.

It was a wise decision that ended things without souring anyone’s spirits.

“For the young lady’s sake, I’ll let it slide today.”

Of course, there was a condition.

“Just for today!”

“And tomorrow?”

This time, his burning gaze fixed on Bih Sa-in.

“Sneak off again? I held back when it was just candied fruit, but a bear doll? This I can’t let go.”

That look in his eyes left no doubt—he was planning something.

Geom Muyang silently offered his condolences to Bih Sa-in.

‘I don’t think I’ll be able to protect you… so I’ll apologize in advance.’