Kwonma and I stood atop the cliff where a waterfall plunged down.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!

The massive spray from the waterfall refreshed anyone watching.

“Remember, no internal energy at all.”

“You too, don’t break the promise.”

What we were about to do was jump from the high place. Well, there was no actual wager. It was a pure contest of pride.

When we were kids, girls used to look up from below… and now here I was, playing that dangerous game with Kwonma in this remote mountain range.

“Your thin body might shatter hitting the rocks.”

“Kwonma, your big body will hit the rocks twice as hard.”

The determination not to lose showed in our gazes.

We jumped simultaneously.

Would I be scared or heart-throbbing to jump without using internal energy at my level? Still, I deliberately yelled out loud.

“Waaaaaaah!”

Splash!

Kwonma’s body hit the water first, splashing the huge volume.

He quickly surfaced.

At that moment, I floated above the water using the Waterwalking technique. I had used internal energy before hitting the water. Squatting before Kwonma, I taunted.

“I lost.”

Kwonma looked momentarily dumbfounded at my mischief but then laughed loudly, echoing through the valley.

Good, laughter was enough.

I dove into the water as well.

The ice-cold water sharpened my senses.

While I swam, Kwonma climbed up onto a broad rock on the opposite bank.

Jumping off a waterfall without internal energy.

Had Kwonma ever done that even once in his life? No, probably never even thought about it.

“The water’s really clear.”

After swimming a while, I climbed the rock where Kwonma was.

I could have used internal energy to generate heat and dry my clothes, but I took them off and laid them on the rock.

“I’m going to lie down.”

Then I flopped down and looked up at the sky.

“You should lie down too, Kwonma.”

“I’m fine.”

“How long has it been since you lay down in front of people?”

“I don’t even remember.”

“So at least lie down now.”

Despite my urging, Kwonma remained seated.

We silently looked up at the sky for a while.

To relieve the fatigue piled on him by loafing, even crossing all the Central Plains wouldn’t be enough. That’s why I intended to keep moving further from the sect.

“I guess I should be going.”

“Stay a little longer.”

Kwonma looked uneasy and restless. I understood him. Life in the sect kept him busy all day long. Teaching from White Fist to Black Fist! Thinking about it, that life was truly not easy.

After sitting like that for a while, Kwonma suddenly stood up.

I quickly stopped him from trying to perform any fist techniques in his frustration.

“You’ve thrown punches all your life. Just endure it this time.”

“Sitting still makes my body stiff and sore; I can’t stand it.”

“Come on, sit down first.”

I sat him back down. He wasn’t adapting well to this loafing.

“That’s right. Being still is harder for some. But apparently spacing out like this is good for mental health.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Picked it up somewhere.”

Beyond Kwonma looking down at me, the sky was blue.

“Kwonma, look at those clouds drifting behind.”

Kwonma turned his head and looked up at the sky. I could feel distractions entering his gaze as he watched the clouds.

“Don’t worry about the subordinates.”

Kwonma looked at me as if surprised I could read his thoughts.

“Right now they’re probably all cheering. Tell the subordinates to relax and loaf a bit too. Boss loafs, subordinates loaf—how great is that?”

“Then that organization will collapse.”

“So what if it collapses?”

For a moment, Kwonma flinched.

“You’ve never thought ‘So what if it collapses?’ before, have you?”

“Of course not.”

“If it collapses, there are other Majons. If it collapses, your father is there. So what if you get cursed? So what if your pride gets hurt?”

The corners of Kwonma’s mouth lifted slightly. It looked like a sneer saying ‘What do you know?’ but somehow also a refreshing laugh.

“Just forget it all. Forget all those color-coded fist fighters.”

How long had we been like that?

Kwonma relaxed his posture. He leaned back slightly with his arms behind him. Not fully lying down, but more comfortable than before.

We gazed blankly at the sky until our clothes dried.

We walked down the mountain along a path.

“Not going by speed technique?”

“The scenery is nice; let’s just walk to the end of this path.”

He seemed itchy to move.

“Wouldn’t it be better to rest when we reach the destination?”

When I hear things like that, I keep thinking about the old me before regression.

When I was gathering Great Law materials, I acted like that. I would run no matter what to the destination. Walking was unthinkable.

“Walking is supposed to be good for people.”

“Spacing out is good, walking is good. What could be bad about that?”

“Lots. Coming out to loaf worrying about work. Thinking about that person alone when they don’t even think of you. Thinking about breaking down cliffs even when you’re out relaxing. Lots.”

After a short pause, he asked,

“Did my life look that bad?”

“Yes.”

Without hesitation, I answered, and Kwonma stopped and looked at me.

“It’s not bad because it’s bad, but because it’s too perfect it looks bad.”

A faint relief flickered on his face.

“I get what you’re worried about, but I’m not someone who breaks easily.”

“Really?”

“What?”

“Are you really someone who doesn’t break easily? How do you know? You’ve never broken before.”

Kwonma didn’t answer.

“When I watch my father’s Taesa, I think of you standing and looking at your subordinates. I get the feeling you’re both trapped there.”

“Kwonma, you’ve come this far with your unchanging strength, isn’t it okay to rest now?”

He said nothing. We walked silently for a long time.

At the end of the path, I asked Kwonma,

“Is there something you want to try?”

Kwonma hesitated, then asked me,

“And you?”

“I’m already doing it.”

A faint smile touched Kwonma’s lips. Ian and Cheon Sohee always found his expression scary, but I didn’t. Actually, I never found it scary from the start.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Well then, let’s eat something delicious first. Isn’t food always essential on a trip?”

I dashed ahead, and Kwonma ran with me. He finally unleashed the speed he had held back and led the way.

“This is it. A two-hundred-year-old traditional restaurant!”

We arrived at Songmyeonggwan, a place selling both liquor and food. It was so popular that people lined up.

“How did you find this place?”

“Do you think I only know this? Their signature dish is the bamboo shoot dish Kwonma likes.”

“How do you know that?”

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I checked to poison Kwonma’s food. He’ll be my future master, so I should know that much.”

A man in line glanced back at Kwonma and was visibly shocked. He trembled and said,

“Sh-should I let you go ahead?”

“It’s fine.”

After Kwonma’s reply, the man didn’t look back again.

I laughed and asked Kwonma,

“You’ve never waited in line for food your «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» whole life, right?”

Kwonma’s expression said ‘Do you think so?’ so I asked again.

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Kwonma looked around—the people lining up, new people joining the line, passersby, street vendors shouting to attract customers.

“Not bad.”

Songmyeonggwan was such a big restaurant that the line moved quickly despite having more than ten servants.

When it was our turn, we sat down. We ordered several dishes and some alcohol.

“Why so much?”

“We haven’t come in a while; we have to eat it all.”

Alcohol came first, and I poured some for Kwonma, but his disapproving gaze went to the martial artists muttering curses outside the door.

I reached out and blocked his view.

“We’re loafing! Those are stones, those are chairs. Understand?”

“Got it.”

Kwonma poured me some too.

“At your age and with that martial art, it must be hard to hold back your blood energy.”

“That’s why I’m hanging out with the Majons, to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“Your reasons for hanging out with us may be different, but avoiding trouble is a good thing.”

“Oh! That’s the first compliment I’ve received from Kwonma.”

I raised my cup and toasted with him.

Shortly after, the dishes arrived. Kwonma, tasting his favorite bamboo shoot dish, was surprised.

“It’s really delicious.”

“There’s always a reason for places with lines.”

My gaze drifted to the kitchen.

“How about kidnapping the chef and bringing him to the main sect?”

“You say things you don’t mean.”

“Why so sure? If we kidnap him, he’ll come.”

Kwonma stared at me for a moment, then unexpectedly said,

“Your magic way doesn’t break tables in taverns, right?”

I was surprised that Kwonma knew that.

“How did you know?”

“I have ears too.”

That’s why what I told my brother is true. Even if they don’t look, Majons are watching closely.

“Yes, so if others line up, we line up too. If the chef is kidnapped, we’ll go rescue him. That’s my magic way.”

Kwonma stared at me intently. I wondered how he perceived my magic way.

He hesitated to speak but then focused on eating again.

While drinking, one of the two women sitting next to us spoke to me.

“Is this your first time here, little hero?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Then there are places you must visit.”

“Will you join us and tell me more?”

The women glanced at Kwonma but soon joined us willingly.

I ordered new dishes for them.

I could feel Kwonma’s surprise. This process of women naturally joining us was a fresh shock to him.

A woman he had never met before spoke first and invited us to join.

That’s why he was wary of women. Wasn’t he narrowing his eyes suspiciously, thinking they might be up to something? But the women were just young people who liked to have fun.

The reason I made them join was because of Kwonma.

Kwonma had lived single his whole life. There were no records of women in his history. Maybe he had given up on love because of his looks.

So I wanted to give Kwonma an experience he’d never had.

We drank and chatted with the women. I made them laugh with funny stories. Kwonma, who was wary at first, later enjoyed the gathering with interested eyes.

Sometimes I asked Kwonma to answer things he could better explain, like this.

“Please tell these young ladies about breaking through the Martial Alliance’s Heavenly Net when you were young.”

Of course, the women didn’t believe it and laughed. It was beyond the usual drunken boast men tell at parties. Then Kwonma looked at me, asking with his eyes if I should really tell them. I smiled and shook my head. No, no one believes it.

After about half a jin of drinking, the women left first.

That surprised Kwonma even more. They just left? No promises to meet again?

When they left, Kwonma asked,

“Did you secretly tell those women you’d pay them? Or threaten them not to join us? Or were they women targeting our soldiers?”

I couldn’t believe he thought like that.

“If not, why would the women ask to join us?”

“That’s because of me.”

“I know. One of the women kept looking at you the whole time.”

“That’s right. That’s why they asked to join.”

“Even with me beside you?”

“They didn’t join because they were scared of Kwonma?”

Kwonma nodded.

“There are two things you don’t know. Young people these days get along well and play comfortably even with strangers.”

“They’re asking for trouble?”

“They’re fearless these days.”

“Not you?”

“Including me. I’m fearless too, right?”

“Far too fearless. And what’s the second thing?”

“Kwonma, though scary, doesn’t have an ugly face. Actually, you’re handsome.”

Kwonma was shocked. It was the most surprised reaction he’d shown since meeting me. Probably the first time he’d ever been told he was handsome.

“If you’re going to flatter me, at least flatter me properly.”

“I’m good at flattery, but this isn’t flattery. Women might find Kwonma’s face attractive. They might feel you’ll protect them no matter what.”

To Kwonma, who didn’t know what to say, I added,

“The conclusion of today: Kwonma is scary but handsome!”

After emptying his cup, Kwonma concluded,

“You’re crazy.”

“In the end, I’m the one who hears that from you too!”

At that moment, a young servant girl walked over to us. She was barely ten years old. Her eyes were swollen from crying.

“I’ve been watching you for a while. Somehow, I felt I could ask you for help.”

Tears in the child’s eyes carried a weight of pain no adult could bear.

I gently patted her head and said to Kwonma,

“And not only handsome, but you look like someone who would help an innocent child who asks.”