Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 60: Seolyoung, Becomes Jealous

"Have you been well?"

Nam Seohyang greeted him politely. Her appearance was completely unexpected, and Lee Jaseung was inwardly caught off guard. But he didn’t show it and answered calmly.

"Thanks to you."

She sat down next to him. A fragrant scent wafted from her.

"The scenery here is really beautiful."

Just as she said, the view really was breathtaking. But that wasn’t the only reason Lee Jaseung had come here. Somehow, sitting here by the lake brought a sense of inner peace.

"Congratulations on your victory."

"Thanks."

"But I won’t congratulate you on your upcoming marriage."

Lee Jaseung looked at her as if asking why.

Nam Seohyang smiled faintly and replied.

"Such a charming man disappearing into marriage, I as a woman cannot congratulate that."

"Bold of you to say that.”

"Maybe I got brave because I know you won’t become mine."

There was something sincere in her tone that left Lee Jaseung momentarily speechless.

"Not all hope is lost though, right?”

At her subtly probing question, the corner of Lee Jaseung’s mouth twitched. He didn’t like it when someone tried to feel him out this way.

But he knew it came from goodwill, so his reply wasn’t too sharp.

"If that's the kind of hope you’re holding onto, give it up."

Realizing his firm stance, she adjusted her posture and spoke respectfully.

"I’m sorry. I got carried away, being excited from getting out for the first time in a while."

Lee Jaseung had always believed that women of the martial world should be treated with caution, especially someone like Nam Seohyang. A seasoned woman who could do anything to reach her goals. In short, someone just like him.

"Why did you come looking for me?"

"I came to report something."

"What is it?"

"There's been internal strife within the Asura Demon Sect."

He had a rough idea of what that meant. After all, he was the one who had stirred the pot. The fact that she brought this news meant she wasn’t aware that the Black Way Alliance had played a hand in it.

Of course, maybe she was pretending not to know. But he doubted she would take that kind of risk.

So Lee Jaseung kept up the act and listened to her report.

"The Vice Leader, Elder Demon Lord and the Grand Elder, Great Demon are now in open political conflict."

It was just as he had expected. The Great Demon had mishandled the recent martial arts tournament, and Lee Jaseung had framed Elder Demon Lord for it.

The two had a long-standing conflict, and the situation exploded before they could even sort out the truth. It was a fortunate thing for Lee Jaseung.

He suddenly recalled the man he had seen during the day.

Which side did he belong to?

Perhaps the man had come looking for Yim Sayeon because of this brewing war.

Hiding all these thoughts, Lee Jaseung asked,

"Who do you think will win?"

"The balance is so tight, it's impossible to tell."

"What about the Leader of the cult?"

"Traditionally, the leader never intervenes in internal power struggles. It looks like that won’t change this time either."

How typical of the Demonic Cult’s leader’s arrogance.

"So it's a war where only the victor survives, is that what you’re saying?"

"Yes, something like that."

In truth, the information she brought was quite valuable. It could be worth tens of thousands, or maybe hundreds of thousands of silver coins, depending on the situation.

"What’s the objective?"

"I couldn’t find that out."

"Understood. Thanks."

After that, Lee Jaseung didn’t speak further.  

The silence that followed acted like a dismissal, so Nam Seohyang stood up.

"You didn’t even offer me a drink to the end huh.”

She said it jokingly, but there was a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

Still, Lee Jaseung said nothing.

She smiled and said goodbye.

"I’ll see you next time."

As she turned to leave, her steps suddenly halted. Another woman was walking toward them from a distance. It was Baek Seolyoung.

A flicker of emotion passed through Nam Seohyang’s eyes as she looked at her. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared.

Baek Seolyoung also paused when she saw Nam Seohyang.

Nam Seohyang gave a polite nod, and Baek Seolyoung returned the gesture.

The two women passed each other.

After watching her retreating figure for a moment, Baek Seolyoung approached Lee Jaseung.

She was happy to see him here, but the fact that he had been with another woman honestly dampened her mood. Two thoughts flashed through her mind. This was the first.
‘My god, is he cheating before we even get married? And at the very spot where we first met?’

Then the second.

‘No, he doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would cheat- ’

But wait, who really knows what’s in a man’s heart?

Her eyes sharpened like a wildcat’s. Lee Jaseung, watching her rapidly changing expression, turned his head slightly toward the lake.

This is dangerous.

If only she’d just ask who it was, then he could explain. But Lee Jaseung wasn’t the kind of man to explain things first either.

The tension remained taut.

Lee Jaseung’s gaze moved to her hand. She was holding a bottle of liquor. She must have come here for a drink too.  

It seemed like she would only get angrier. And this lake was their special place. Now it looked like he had brought another woman here.

‘Should I just explain first?’

Lee Jaseung hesitated for a brief moment.

Then, Baek Seolyoung sat beside him and spoke.

"I’ll let it slide this once."

At that, Lee Jaseung suddenly shouted back.  

"Let it slide? I have nothing going on with that woman!"

The words burst out before he could stop them, and even he felt surprised at how abruptly he reacted.

"We just met for business."

He regretted adding that part. It sounded like an excuse.

Then Baek Seolyoung scratched the side of her head and replied.

"I was talking about how you were drinking here alone.”

"What?"

Lee Jaseung looked dumbfounded.

He had walked right into her trap.

Meanwhile, Baek Seolyoung’s mood lifted. Judging from his reaction earlier, it was clear the woman was nothing to worry about. And more than that, this was the first time she’d seen Lee Jaseung flustered.

He always seemed sharp and difficult, but now he looked a little cute, getting flustered and defensive like this.

She shook the bottle and grinned widely.

"Since the woman you met only for business is gone and you’re alone, let’s drink together."

Lee Jaseung turned away.

"Cut it out."

She smiled and poured him a drink.

The two clinked their cups. She gave meaning to the toast.

"To this coincidental encounter tonight."

That made Lee Jaseung smile faintly. Their relationship had started from a coincidental encounter too. In fact, Baek Seolyoung made the toast because she was thinking the same thing.

They emptied their cups.

Lee Jaseung didn’t explain who the woman was. And oddly enough, that made her feel even more reassured.

They had a few more drinks together. Then she asked him,

"What’s your dream?"

It was a question he hadn’t heard in a long time.

He answered quietly.

"To unite the world."

She turned her head to look at him, then burst out laughing. She clearly thought he was joking.

"That’s a big dream. I like it."

"Will you help me?"

"Sure, I will.”

"Don’t forget that promise."

She laughed even louder. When the day came that she realized he wasn’t joking, Lee Jaseung wondered what kind of face she would make. The thought filled him with a mischievous thrill.

Then he asked a question this time.

"What’s your dream?"

She replied with a grin.

"To be the wife of the great hero who unites the world?"

Now it was Lee Jaseung who let out a chuckle.

"I like that."

They emptied their cups again.

She looked up at the night sky and repeated herself.

"Tonight is really nice."

* * *

The next morning, Yim Sayeon was at the market streets.

She always enjoyed doing the shopping herself. She liked coming out and walking through the streets, being among people.

Not that she went out of her way to talk to anyone. To the nearby merchants, she was just a curt, unsociable old woman.

She had just stepped out of the market and onto a quiet path when someone blocked her way.

"It’s been a while."

The man who greeted her politely was the very one who had met Lee Jaseung at the One Fleeting Dream tavern the day before.

"I knew it was you."

Yim Sayeon had apparently suspected that the man that came yesterday was now standing before her. Before he could say anything else, she said firmly.

"Go back. I won’t go."

The man calmly replied,

"He wishes to see you."

For a moment, a flicker of surprise crossed Yim Sayeon’s face.

"He’s here?"

"Yes, he is."

Even someone like Yim Sayeon, who seemed unshakable no matter what, showed a subtle reaction.

But she quickly regained her composure.

"Then go tell him. I don’t want to see him."

She turned and walked away, leaving the man behind.

He watched her retreating figure for a while, then turned in the opposite direction and muttered,

"You’ll end up meeting him in the end. I’ll make sure that happens."

* * *

At the same time, Dan Woobin visited Lee Jaseung’s room.

Lee Jaseung had just gotten up and was stretching with a yawn.

"Did you drink last night?"

"Why ask when you already know?"

Dan Woobin pouted and replied.  

"I think Captain Mook has a loose tongue. Should someone as important as the Captain of the Guard Hall have such a loose mouth?"

He had heard from one of Mook Young’s men that Lee Jaseung and Baek Seolyoung drank together. But now Dan Woobin was snitching that fact right back to Lee Jaseung. Or at least that’s what he thought.

"Captain Mook didn’t say anything."

"What? Then how did you…?"

That was when Dan Woobin realized Lee Jaseung had simply guessed. Lee Jaseung tried the same trick Baek Seolyoung did to him last night, just on Dan Woobin.

Looking off into the distance, Dan Woobin muttered softly,

"Sorry, Captain Mook."

Still, he was all smiles. Just thinking that Lee Jaseung had spent a pleasant evening with Baek Seolyoung put him in a good mood.

"Only two days left now."

"You didn’t come all this way just to tell me the date, I’m sure."

"Of course not. There’s an urgent report."

Dan Woobin reported that a rebellion had broken out within the Demonic Cult. It was a day later than the report brought by the Golden Ants.

Still, Lee Jaseung thought it wasn’t bad. The Murim Alliance and the Demonic Cult were watching Black Way Alliance much more closely, so it was only natural that their intelligence network wasn’t as agile as the underground ones in the martial world.

"Oh, and about the man you met at the tavern yesterday, his identity still hasn’t been confirmed. With the Murim Alliance as the center point, we are investigating the Nine Sect Alliance and all the major clans, so we’ll be able to find something soon."

"Understood."

"I’ll take my leave now."

With that, Dan Woobin bowed and left the room.

Something about his hurried steps felt off, so Lee Jaseung asked,

"Where are you off to?"

"Ah, I’ve got some personal matters."

Dan Woobin rushed off.

He still hadn’t bought a wedding gift. He was overwhelmed with the pressure to find something meaningful and practical.

He considered everything from weapons and martial tools to training gear, manuals, elixirs, books, rare herbs, exotic jewelry from the west, and even a parasol for a carriage. Every idea crossed his mind, but nothing seemed quite right.

If it was something he liked, it was way too expensive. If it was cheap, the quality was awful. He felt like he was trapped in a maze.

It felt like devising a plan to unify Jianghu might actually be easier.

Mujin had bailed, telling him to just buy whatever. Ma Young-gi still insisted on a congratulatory performance and sword dance.

Imagining the scene of dancing and singing, Dan Woobin clutched his head in despair.

"Not a chance!"

He had kept it a secret all this time, but the truth was, Dan Woobin had no rhythm and couldn’t carry a tune. It was very serious. Even his beloved Songhwa had once told him earnestly never to dance or sing in public.

If Mujin found out, he couldn’t imagine the teasing he’d suffer. That guy would probably start mimicking him, wiggling his hips awkwardly.

But that didn’t mean he could just pick up a random gift for Lee Jaseung’s wedding.

Now, with only two days left until the wedding, a growing sense of crisis closed in.