Absolute Return Episode 377
Episode 377: Abuja to the peaceful ears.
“What are you looking at?”
Jo Chun-bae’s mother-in-law, Lady Yoon, approached a young man who was looking at something in the corner of the yard.
The young man was looking at a small insect crawling in the flower bed. It was a young man she had never seen in all the time she had stayed there.
The young man was still silently staring at the bug, so Yoon apologized.
“Did this old man bother you? I’m sorry, sir.”
Mr. Yoon treated everyone who worked in this house with respect. He treated not only the servants but also the maids and servants with respect. It was more out of gratitude than fear.
She had suffered all her life, but she had recently been enjoying a very comfortable life. She had prepared all kinds of expensive dishes for every meal, and had brought new clothes for her to change into. This was the first time she had ever worn silk clothes. She had slept late, and had taken naps that she had never taken in her life. How grateful must the people here be?
As Yoon was about to turn around, the young man spoke.
“It’s called a dragonfly. It’s a bug that can only be found in this area.”
“Oh, I see.”
Mr. Yoon went next to the young man and squatted down with him.
He looked young, but his demeanor and voice seemed mature.
As the bug crawled and disappeared into the grass, Yun said while looking at the young man’s waist.
“The coin pouch is really cute.”
The young man was wearing several pockets, each with a zodiac animal on it. People who sell on the street wear several pockets like this. Of course, since I met him here, he probably wasn’t a merchant.
Then the young man said something unexpected.
“I have tried my son-in-law’s cooking.”
Mr. Yoon was surprised.
“How?”
“I live nearby too.”
“Oh, I see. Please come visit us often in the future. Our Mr. Jo is really kind and honest.”
When Yoon heard that his son-in-law was a customer at his bar, he was very happy and delighted.
“Are you hungry? There’s food in the kitchen. Should I bring you some?”
They thought he was doing odd jobs here because he was so young. Even if he was an unmanned person, he would be a low-level unmanned person.
“it’s okay.”
“No, it’s time to eat. Wait a minute.”
Mr. Yoon ran into the building.
Looking at her, the young man spoke as if talking to himself.
“It’s past its prime.”
After a while, Yoon came out with a tray of food.
But the young man wasn’t there.
“Where have you been? Please wait a moment.”
She was so sorry.
At that moment, Jo Chun-bae walked out there.
“Hey, Joe, aren’t you hungry? Should I prepare some food for you?”
She was a mother-in-law who would pack food for me whenever she saw me.
“It’s okay. And I’ll pack your lunch.”
“No, I’ve been busy taking care of others my whole life, so I need to get some rest even at times like this.”
Aren’t you your mother-in-law? You’ve suffered a lot.
While staying at Anga, Jo Chun-bae went through several stages of psychological change.
At first, I was confused, but it was good. I felt regretful that I didn’t have children who lived far away and were married.
But as the days passed, I became more and more anxious. Could I really be this extravagant? Could I really leave the tavern empty for this long?
Then, now, I was resting with a feeling of, “I don’t know.” Above all, I decided to make my mother-in-law, wife, and sister-in-law comfortable. After all, I couldn’t go back even if I wanted to.
“But what is that food?”
“There’s a young man here that I’m interested in, and I was going to give him some, but he’s already gone.”
“Who is it?”
“There was a cute and handsome young man.”
Jo Chun-bae tilted his head. Wasn’t there a young man like that?
“Oh, I heard you went to the store too?”
“Huh? In my tavern? That can’t be.”
Then the young man returned there, his hands full of unknown herbs.
“Your knees don’t look very good, old man.”
“As you get older, there is no place that doesn’t hurt. But how did you know that your knees hurt?”
Her chronic pain was in her knees.
“If you drink this, it will make walking a little easier.”
“Why all this? Thank you, thank you so much.”
Mr. Yoon was so moved that he didn’t know what to do.
“Our Master Muin is not only handsome. Here, put that down and eat this.”
Yoon treated the young man as if he were his grandson.
Jo Chun-bae, who was watching the scene, was lost in thought, his eyes wide open and his mouth wide open. He was so shocked that he couldn’t speak.
The mother-in-law was patting the poisonous king on the back, telling him to eat a lot. She said that even these days, there are such wonderful young men.
“Ugh! No!”
Jo Chun-bae shouted.
The King and Lady Yun looked at Jo Chun-bae.
“But why are you like that?”
At Yoon’s question, Jo Chun-bae bowed his head to the King.
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“Oh my! Your Majesty!”
How could I not know him, when he was the poison king who even left his name on the tavern wall?
Yun was embarrassed when he later learned that the young man was of noble birth.
“Oh my! I don’t know you. Please kill me!”
The Poison King stopped Yun from lying down on the floor and gave her some herbs.
“I cannot accept such a precious thing.”
“I’m giving this to you out of gratitude to your son-in-law, so don’t worry too much about it.”
After saying that, the Poison King went straight into the building.
When I arrived here yesterday, I heard from the man in charge of Anga that the Cho Chun-bae family was here. He deliberately did not reveal that he was there so that they could have a comfortable stay.
He would have given them the best room, because if Jo Chun-bae found out he was there, he would have tried to give up the room. It would be a room, but he would also feel a lot of pressure.
So, he spent two days quietly in the guest house with his men without letting anyone know that he was there.
And because the Poison King knew that Geommugeuk cared for Jo Chun-bae, he gave him a raise in front of his mother-in-law.
“Thank you, thank you very much, Your Majesty!”
When the scary poison king gave him the herb and left, Jo Chun-bae was very touched.
“Sir Joe, I wonder if I made a mistake.”
“No. If that were the case, would you have given me such a precious thing?”
“You are truly a wonderful person.”
She bowed to the building the Poison King entered.
“What a luxury I have thanks to you.”
“I will boil the herbs for you.”
Cho Chun-bae’s heart pounded as he received the herb. The herb was given to him by the Poison King himself? His hands trembled. He was careful not to drop even a single leaf.
I wanted to see one person. All this happiness and joy was a gift from him.
“Little Master, please come back safely. When you come back, I will come!”
It was just then.
“What can I do for you?”
When Jo Chun-bae turned around in surprise, he saw Geommu-geuk entering the area. Geommu-geuk, who had left the Apostolic Alliance, was running like the wind at high speed.
“Your Majesty!”
At his shout, the Poison King, who had entered the building, opened the window and appeared.
“You came sooner than I thought?”
“I came running like the wind because I wanted to see you, King.”
“I guess you want to see the owner over there.”
Geommugeuk laughed while looking at Jo Chun-bae.
“Of course, I also wanted to see our master.”
Jo Chun-bae was very happy to see that Geommu-geuk had returned safely.
And then a sense of relief came over me. I felt relieved to finally step into reality after drifting through a dreamlike fantasy.
“I don’t know how I can repay this favor.”
“There must be a way.”
“yes?”
“A distinguished guest will come to the tavern later, so show off your skills then.”
Jo Chun-bae blinked his eyes with an expression of incomprehension at the meaningful gaze of the swordsman. He didn’t say anything like that even when the Demon Lord came. Who on earth would come and say something like that?
Meanwhile, Jo Chun-bae’s family, including Yoon, came out and welcomed the sword dance performance.
“Thank you, my family and I have made unforgettable memories. Thank you, Master.”
Geommugeuk held Yoon’s hand and spoke with warm eyes.
“Please stay healthy, sir.”
When it was decided to leave Anga the next day, Jo Chun-bae prepared dinner that night. He wanted to personally treat the people who owed him a favor.
He treated not only the swordsman, the poison king, and the poison children, but also the servants, maids, and servants of Anga to drinks and food.
While Jo Chun-bae was demonstrating his skills, his wife expressed her gratitude to each and every person who had taken care of them.
The Poison King was absentmindedly lost in his own world while eating.
The merchant sitting next to him poured a drink for Geommugeuk instead.
“Thank you for everything.”
The poison king was changing after meeting the sword dance, and this change was something that Sangseon had long hoped for. Being here instead of in Cheondokrim, and digging up herbs and eating together with Mabul were things that would have been impossible in the past.
“I should be the one thanking you. You helped me overcome a great danger by coming with me this time.”
“When you get back, please come visit Cheondokrim.”
“Next time. I’ll just say hello to my father and then leave the school right away to go to the Murim Alliance.”
“This time, you will turn the Murim Alliance upside down.”
Geommugeuk laughed and responded to Sangseon’s joke.
“How could that be? It’s a simple matter; I just need to meet the lord of the martial arts world and ask for his understanding on one matter.”
Then the Poison King suddenly spoke. I thought you weren’t listening, but it seems you were.
“Is it really that simple?”
At the words of the Poison King, Geommu-geuk emptied the glass of wine in front of him. He himself did not know. How would Jinpaecheon take it? This was something that neither he nor the Martial Arts Leader had ever experienced before.
When the pleasant evening was over, Geommugeuk said to Jo Chun-bae.
“Let’s go back now.”
It was the end of the most splendid vacation of Jo Chun-bae’s life.
* * *
The sword dance that returned to Cheonmasingyo stopped by Cheonmaseon.
“Father, I am back.”
My father greeted me at the same place he always was.
“You said you came here to stir up the Apostolic Alliance?”
“You misunderstood. I didn’t step forward and just watched. I’m sure you received all the reports from Tongcheon-gak.”
Geommugeuk told his father about what had happened at the Apostolic Alliance.
As before, I tried to tell my father directly as much as possible. It didn’t matter if he already knew the information. Just by telling him this truthfully, it wasn’t a report, it was a conversation.
“I think there is still a mastermind behind it.”
If only my father would not let his guard down. Even if everyone else in the world lets their guard down, if only my father and I do not let our guard down. Then we can stop it.
“Father and I need to keep a close eye on them, because they might try something else.”
He also emphasized that we must not let down our guard.
“Defense isn’t the only skill.”
It means that he will find and eliminate them first, which is the father’s way. He must have already given the order to the military and is in the process of doing so.
“If that’s possible, that would be the best way.”
But given their meticulousness so far, it won’t be easy to find them.
“Oh, and I invited the leader of the Apostles to the Pungryu Tavern.”
I said it casually on purpose. My father didn’t respond at all. I couldn’t bear to look at my father’s face, so I lowered my head and muttered.
“I know that Father hates the Apostolic Lord, but if you actually meet him, he might be a surprisingly good person. That’s also… … .”
Since there was still no response, I carefully raised my head and looked at my father.
My father’s eyes were exactly like this.
Do you know what you’re doing right now?
If it were up to me, I could have stopped by the Murim Alliance on my way here and taken care of that as well.
But I think it’s important to tell my father now. I have to get permission, be aware of his mood, and if he says no, I have to persuade him and negotiate.
There is a big difference between saying this now and it turning out like this.
The corners of my father’s mouth slowly rose as he made an expression that seemed to know everything about me. It was the first time in a long time that I saw my father’s smirk. I finally felt relieved when I saw that.
Ah, you’re back home.
Father must have already seen through why he called the Apostle Lord.
Indeed, my father never asked why.
“You wouldn’t just stay in the Murim Alliance, would you?”
“That’s why I’m going to go and tell the Murim Leader in person.”
“Would Jinpaecheon accept that?”
Just like the King, my father did not take this matter lightly.
Of course, I had one corner of my beliefs.
“I have people on the Murim Alliance side too. There are two of them there.”
* * *
“Master!”
Kwonma was looking up at the cliff he was trying to destroy.
“Are you here?”
I want to bring a visage and tease him. Look, your face is cute compared to our master.
“I just got back from work at the Apostolic Alliance. I’m on my way to see my father and then to Master.”
After making such a fuss, I stood next to him and looked up at the cliff.
“Is this cliff growing?”
He looked back at the cliff and answered the question in Kwonma’s eyes, “What does that mean?”
“It seems like it has gotten bigger and taller.”
Then, a flash of light flashed through Kwonma’s eyes.
“You haven’t grown up, have you?”
I could guess what he meant, but I pretended not to know and asked.
“As you grow up, shouldn’t you find others more ridiculous?”
“That’s something only the lower class people do. As the upper class grows, they will be able to see their opponents more accurately.”
That’s probably why true experts are humble.
Did my level of martial arts improve as I achieved great success in the Cheonmahoshin Gong? The cliff really felt more magnificent.
“Then this cliff must look even more formidable to you, Master.”
“I can hear the sound of flattery in my peaceful ears. Someone has come back.”
“Where did Abu come from? There is a gift here too.”
Kwon-ma recognized the armor I had given him.
“It’s a suicide!”
“You know what I mean.”
“This is something that anyone who has studied martial arts cannot help but know. Where did this come from?”
“I received it as a gift from the Apostle Leader.”
Kwon-ma made a bewildered expression, but soon nodded with an expression that said, “You could do that.”
“Why are you giving me what you gave me?”
“Would you like to have the sword in your hand? Would you like your hand, Master?”
I thought he might say it wasn’t necessary since he had always lived with his bare hands, but he accepted it obediently.
“Yeah, that would be necessary to knock down the cliff.”
Yes, I am not the only one growing. I could tell from the way he accepted it willingly without showing off his pride. Kwon-ma was also growing.
And I could see why the toshin was the best among the swords. It was elastic and fit well with Kwonma’s large hands.
“I think I now understand the saying that every treasure has its own owner. It really suits you well.”
Kwonma expressed his gratitude by clenching his large fist in front of me.
Yes, we all have to be strong like this. If they plot in the dark, we will be strong like this under the sunlight. Let’s see who wins.
* * *
After saying goodbye to Kwonma, I left the Ilwol Sword in the care of my guards and left the school straight away. Since I had to leave the school right away anyway, I decided to greet the other demons after I returned from the Murim Alliance.
“Are you going to leave us behind again?”
The person in charge of the escort, Jeokyeon, had now reached a state of liberation.
“Should I do that this time too?”
He tried to persuade me with a self-deprecating look, saying, “We are such useless guys,” but it didn’t work on me.
Finally, Jeokyeon shouted.
“But please know this. If you make a mistake, our Lord, we will all die.”
Yeah, if I’m wrong, we’ll all die anyway.
“If you want to keep up, get stronger! More! More!”
As I passed Magachon, I saw a Pungryu tavern. It had opened after a long time, and people from the lower classes were gathered there, chatting with Jo Chun-bae. How much did he want to say?
‘Master, don’t do it yet. There is still something to brag about.’
He used his speed and ran towards the Murim Alliance.
As I flowed through the world like light, I could see that the flowers on the roadside were beginning to reveal their buds.
Spring was coming.
