'It's not stealing, just borrowing for a bit.'
After all, a disciple's possessions are their master's, and a master's possessions are their disciple's. What use would someone in secluded training have for money anyway? If they're not going to use it, I'll just borrow it for a while and refill it later—no harm done.
'…If I get caught, I'm screwed.'
So I need to hurry.
My goal is to enjoy the world as much as possible within three years and return before Master comes out. I did leave a note saying I'd be back soon, just in case she didn't know, but who knows when that woman might come chasing after me?
For now, heading to Shaanxi is the best move. It's got good security, business opportunities, and plenty to enjoy. I'll figure out the details once I get there.
For tonight, I decided to sleep. The moment I opened the inn's door—
"Wow."
I spotted a man radiating an absurd amount of misfortune.
Judging by the sword at his waist, he's probably a martial artist.
'Being near someone like that is a surefire way to get caught up in trouble.'
With that level of bad luck, he couldn't have lived a normal life up to now. Considering he's a martial artist, it's a miracle he's even alive.
'…Wait a sec.'
Maybe he's survived this long despite that misfortune because he comes from a good family. The gods of heaven and earth might decide your parents and your fate separately, so if he was lucky enough to be born into a really wealthy household, they could've pampered and protected him somehow.
That's some serious bad luck—born into an average family, he'd have lost at least one limb to an accident by now.
Now that I look closer, his clothes do seem made of finer material than the others'. Maybe he really is from a good family?
'Hmm…'
If I play this right, I might make some money before heading to Shaanxi.
"Greetings, young hero. Isn't the weather quite chilly today?"
"If it's drugs, I'm not interested."
"Haha, I may look like this due to some personal circumstances, but I'm not a suspicious person."
"People who dress suspiciously and claim they're not suspicious usually turn out to be weirdos. Seven out of ten tried to use me, and the other three were assassins."
The man openly showed his wariness toward the mysterious figure approaching him, cloaked head to toe in a bloodstained mantle. Given the life he'd lived so far, it was only natural.
"To ease your doubts, I suppose I should introduce myself first. I'm a fortune teller who just came down from training in the mountains today."
"Ha, do fortune tellers train in the mountains these days?"
"Of course they do. It's a skill that involves receiving the energy of the heavens and reading its records—where else would I train if not the place closest to the sky?"
"…Now that you mention it, that makes sense."
"I understand your position, young hero. Honestly, anyone would be wary if someone dressed like me approached them. I'd feel the same if I were you. So, would you grant me just a little time to pique your interest?"
"…"
He looked incredibly suspicious at first glance, yet there was something oddly captivating about him. Was it some strange enchantment, or just the perfect angle? No matter how the man tilted his head, his face remained hidden, and even his voice sounded unnatural. Frankly, it was hard to tell if he was a man or a woman.
"I'll give you a quarter-hour. If you keep bothering me after that, I won't sit still."
If this guy was an assassin, he'd have to be a top-tier one. To succeed in sparking interest without revealing any personal details—that was no small feat.
"Haha, that's more than enough."
The fortune teller let out an unsettling laugh as he reached into his robes. Thinking he might pull out a hidden weapon, the man tensed, ready to act, but what emerged was just eight small wooden tablets.
"Have you ever had your fortune read before?"
"…I have no intention of having you read mine."
"Didn't you just give me a quarter-hour? Invest that much, at least."
For someone who'd just come down from the mountains, his people skills were impressive.
Qian (乾), Dui (兌), Li (離), Zhen (震), Xun (巽), Kan (坎), Gen (艮), Kun (坤).
The eight symbols representing all of heaven and earth. The Eight Trigrams.
Qian is the sky, Kun is the earth, Dui is—
"No time for that, so I'll skip the principles. It's a hassle to explain anyway."
"Aren't you supposed to explain it?"
"A long-winded mouth marks a con artist, young hero. Haven't you heard that true experts prove themselves with results?"
"…"
Compared to the shamans and Taoists he'd met before, this guy lacked—what's the word—formality?
'Should I say it's refreshing that he skips the pointless pomp?'
"Here, the results are in."
"Already?"
"I may not look it, but I've spent ten years training in the mountains. Oh, do you think it ended too blandly? If you want, I can make some small sparks fly."
"…No thanks. Just tell me the results."
The more he dealt with this guy, the more exhausting he became. Whatever this was, getting away quickly was the best move.
"This might sound upsetting, but please hear me out calmly. Have you ever felt like you're unlucky?"
"…"
In all his years past his twenties, the man had never once thought himself fortunate. His mother passed away when he was young, and his only older brother—born of a different mother—despised and distrusted him. He had no talent for martial arts, and his father, who'd given him the family name "Namgung," offered only the bare minimum of protection to keep that name from being tarnished, never sparing him a glance.
Perhaps because of his environment, he started going astray after his teenage years. He practically lived in brothels, using the family name to seduce countless women and share their beds. When word of his debauchery finally reached the family elders, his father finally looked his way.
["Get out. If I'd known I'd sire a wretch like you, I'd never have gone to that brothel that night…"]
"Sorry to interrupt your reminiscing, but we're running out of that quarter-hour. I'll keep it brief."
"…Fine. They weren't good memories anyway."
"Then that's fortunate. First off, in my view, your misfortune is immense. Personally, I'd like to salute you for surviving this long."
The exaggerated words and gestures didn't feel all that bad, strangely enough.
"Be careful of water."
"…Water?"
"The more I elaborate, the more it risks leaking heavenly secrets. This is my limit for now. Please remember this, young hero—be careful of water."
"…Tch."
Water's everywhere in the world. Telling him to beware of it—wasn't that just saying to be cautious no matter where he went?
The man's fleeting curiosity, sparked by the fortune teller's smooth talk, quickly faded.
"What a waste of time."
No point in listening further.
He stood abruptly and headed up to his room on the second floor.
"Wait a moment, young hero!"
"…"
He heard the fortune teller call from below but ignored it, hurrying to his room.
"Ugh, he could've at least left a single coin."
My first attempt at business seemed to have flopped. I thought I might make some money off him.
"Sigh… He seemed interested, but what a shame."
With a sigh, I gathered the eight wooden tablets from the table and tucked them into my robes.
"Well… Time for me to get some sleep too."
My plan was simple. Find an inn as far away from this one as possible. I didn't want to get hurt on my first day out.
+
"Ahh, I slept well."
The martial artist emerged from an inn far from the one where he'd met the fortune teller, having spent the night there.
"There you are!"
"Ah."
As he stepped outside, the man from yesterday was waiting for him.
"So, was my fortune-telling helpful?"