Trouble at the Stables

“I-I lived……”

Baek Geon-ha looked at him with an expression that suggested he was hearing utter nonsense. Whether he did or not, Seol Ah-heon didn’t care and reflected on the past few days.

How much had happened!

Adapting to a new world was hard enough, and there was no one to help him. It had felt as hopeless as trying to swim on dry land.

Somehow, he had learned light-footwork, mastered the knack of energy circulation, and even learned how to ride a horse. He felt proud of himself, but the process had been excruciatingly painful. Not to mention the itinerary shared with two high-ranking members of the Demonic Cult.

Reading their moods, catering to their whims—that kind of social maneuvering was truly a death sentence.

But those days were over (for now). Today, they finally arrived at Mount Emei.

Seol Ah-heon looked up. The majestic mountain filled his vision. The summit was so high it was hard to take in all at once. People called it a Sacred Mountain, and indeed, he felt as if he could sense a divine energy emanating from it.

“What are you dawdling for?”

Baek Geon-ha nagged the moment he took his eyes off the path. Seol Ah-heon quickly pulled the reins.

“I’m sorry.”

“We’re going to the inn first.”

“Are we not climbing the mountain immediately?”

He asked reflexively and then winced. Fortunately, Baek Geon-ha didn’t scold him.

“We have to go deep into Mount Emei. We can’t exactly navigate the ravines on horseback, can we?”

“Ah, right.”

He wondered if the paths they had traveled so far weren’t considered ravines, but it was a logical reason. Seol Ah-heon nodded.

The group left their horses at a nearby inn. Before leaving, Seol Ah-heon made eye contact with his horse and whispered a farewell.

“I’ll be back.”

Perhaps he had grown attached to the animal, but leaving it behind felt strangely uncomfortable. Still, it would be better for the horse to rest in a stable filled with hay.

“Take a good rest while I’m gone. Okay?”

Prrrffft. The horse snorted as if in response. Seol Ah-heon stroked its mane one last time and turned around.

Baek Geon-ha and Mu Il-young were already far ahead. They weren’t even using light-footwork, yet their walking pace was mysteriously fast. Seol Ah-heon scurried to catch up with them.

**********************************

It seemed the first day was a wild goose chase.

They searched various parts of Mount Emei, but they found no sign of the Mad-Blood Demonic Sword, not even a clue. No matter how vast the mountain was, something felt off.

Seol Ah-heon speculated cautiously.

‘Wait…… Does even Baek Geon-ha not know exactly where the sword is sealed?’

He had figured out it was on Mount Emei, but it seemed he hadn’t pinpointed the coordinates. That’s why he had to search this massive mountain so thoroughly.

This was like looking for a needle in a haystack. At least a needle is a recognizable object; the Mad-Blood Demonic Sword was an inanimate object sealed deep away.

‘Maybe it’s impossible.’

Even for Baek Geon-ha, finding a sword that the 4th Heavenly Demon had intentionally hidden seemed difficult. It was unfortunate for him, but for the peace of the world, it was for the best. Seol Ah-heon secretly hoped Baek Geon-ha wouldn’t find the demonic sword.

The sun set without any harvest. In the night where the moon hung bright, the group returned to the inn.

He didn’t know about Baek Geon-ha or Mu Il-young, but Seol Ah-heon was relatively peaceful.

‘I wonder what’s for dinner. I hope it’s a soup dish.’

He arrived at the inn with idle thoughts. But as soon as they opened the door and entered, the waiter approached them with a troubled expression.

“Oh, guest.”

“Is something the matter?”

When Seol Ah-heon asked, the waiter spoke as if he had been waiting.

“There was…… a small problem with the brown horse.”

“Pardon? Is he in bad condition? Is he sick……?”

Since Baek Geon-ha and Mu Il-young rode black horses, it meant there was a problem with his horse. Seol Ah-heon’s heart sank. The animal had been perfectly fine until noon; what could have happened in the meantime?

However, the explanation that followed was completely different from his worries.

“The brown horse kicked another guest’s horse!”

“……Excuse me?”

Seol Ah-heon’s eyes widened. He didn’t have much experience with horses, and he had no idea how to handle such a situation.

‘Should I negotiate a settlement with the owner, like after a car accident?’

He felt that understanding the situation was the first priority. Seol Ah-heon asked the waiter:

“What exactly happened? Our horse kicked another horse? Did it happen suddenly for no reason? And is our horse okay?”

“Oh, I’ll answer them one by one, guest. You see……”

If guests staying at the inn get into a fight, the one who suffers most is the waiter caught in the middle. Moreover, this guest was a big spender who had handed over silver coins from the start.

The situation was just as awkward for the waiter, especially since the other guest involved was also someone of significance. He explained nervously.

“Your horse is a stallion, and the other guest’s horse is also a stallion, so it seems they got into a fight. As you know, aren’t males of any species quite sensitive?”

“So it kicked the other horse? Is that horse, and our horse, okay?”

“Yes, they seem fine to me, but……”

“Ahem!”

A loud cough suddenly interrupted.

Seol Ah-heon turned his gaze. Several young men in blue martial robes were sitting at a large round table. One of them stood up abruptly.

He looked to be in his mid-twenties. His presence was commanding, and the real sword at his waist made it clear to anyone that he was a man of the martial world.

“Fine? What do you know about horses!”

“T-that is true.”

At the man’s shout, the waiter immediately tucked his tail. Seol Ah-heon also grew a bit tense.

‘What should I do in a case like this?’

It was awkward. He wasn’t trying to shift responsibility, but technically, the owner of the horse was Baek Geon-ha. Thus, stepping forward was an overstep of his authority.

Seol Ah-heon glanced toward Baek Geon-ha, but he squeezed his eyes shut as soon as he saw him. Baek Geon-ha had a chillingly sharp expression. Whatever his change of heart was, he didn’t look like he intended to solve this matter smoothly.

Mu Il-young also seemed to have no intention of intervening. He stood still as if observing the situation from a distance.

“What are you going to do about this!”

The man shouted. Having no choice, Seol Ah-heon opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry. But could I ask for an explanation of the situation? That way we can discuss how to resolve it.”

“While I was eating, didn’t I suddenly hear the sound of a horse crying from the stable? When I went out, a brown horse was kicking my horse!”

“Ah, then…… you don’t know what happened between the horses? Perhaps they were fighting……”

“How should I, a human, know that?”

Seol Ah-heon’s eyebrows slumped into a worried shape. It was difficult. Who knew? Maybe the man’s horse had kicked first and his horse was just counterattacking.

‘It’s so inconvenient not having CCTV……’

There was no physical evidence and only one witness, who hadn’t even seen the incident from the start and might be exaggerating.

However, it seemed true that his horse had done something wrong. He felt he should apologize for that much.

“I’m sorry.”

Seol Ah-heon bowed his head slightly. That alone calmed the man’s excitement.

“……Ahem! Well, what’s done is done. I just hope you’ll be more careful.”

“Yes. I will be more careful in the future.”

He concluded the apology with a polite attitude. He had been worried it would escalate into a major issue, so he was relieved it was settled.

‘A sincere apology melts away resentment.’

In fact, it wasn’t that sincere, but in this kind of situation, form was important. If you even say you’re sorry, the other person’s anger usually subsides.

“The horses are safe, so don’t worry too much. I’ll keep a closer eye on them,” the waiter chimed in. Thinking it was enough, the man said graciously, “Ahem! Anyway, be careful from now on.”

“Yes, I understand. I am sorry once again, Young Hero.”

Just as he was breathing a sigh of relief that another hurdle had been passed…

“Indeed, be careful in the future. So that you don’t fall for the stubbornness of a mere groom.”

Baek Geon-ha, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. His voice was smooth and pleasant, but in reality, it was a blatant insult.

“……What did you just say?”

The man’s face hardened terrifyingly. His companions also looked as if their blood was boiling.

A sensible person would have backed off at this point. But Baek Geon-ha, who had neither sense nor manners, went a step further.

“Living life as smoothly as flowing water is good, but there’s no need to endure too much. If you do, you’re bound to lose out.”

Baek Geon-ha placed a hand on Seol Ah-heon’s shoulder. His touch and tone were so gentle that it felt like he was giving sincere advice.

‘……Did he eat something wrong?’

He had no idea since when the man had enough affection for him to act so friendly. It was surely intended to provoke the man, but Seol Ah-heon had no intention of playing along.