Chapter 103

“These would be useful for the External Protection Troops, right? I’ll leave the pills’ distribution to Captain Yeon,” Bukgung Yoon said.

“Very well. Thank you.”

Seeing Yeon Mujin’s expression, Bukgung Yoon altered what she was going to say. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ll handle the distribution myself.”

“Why?”

“Judging by Captain Yeon’s face, he’ll just shut up and eat them all himself.”

“Of course he would. What’s the point of giving them to the others?”

“That’s precisely why you can’t.”

One large heavenly pill and three small ones.

One pill was awkwardly too few to split cleanly between the captain and the deputy captain.

So should they give it to the regular members? If so, who would get the large pill?

To the puzzled Bukgung Yoon, Yeon Mujin offered one suggestion.

“Manor lord, how about we try it like this?”

“What is it?”

Yeon Mujin wore a mischievous look. “We’ve taken on a new guest—let’s give them a spectacle they won’t forget.”

Because she lost a drinking bet with Yeon Mujin, the Reverse Demon—shapeshifter—was suddenly dragged all the way to the Bukgung Family’s Flying Swallow Manor.

She was full of complaints.

—You may stay in the guest room here. I’ll get the manor lord’s permission for you.

—…What are you doing right now?

—I’m showing you around, aren’t I?

—You want me to stay here now?

—Or would you prefer the stable?

—What nonsense! I’ll do the three favors as promised and be gone! I’m not staying in a place like this!

The shapeshifter sniffed. She hated settling in one place, especially places bustling with people.

—Just tell me what you want! I’ll do it and then leave.

—Now, old woman. Don’t rush me. I don’t intend to keep you long either.

Yeon Mujin said. “I’ll ask you the favor soon. In the meantime, don’t beg around—stay in the guest room here. If someone shows you kindness, be grateful. Where did you put your manners with age?”

For someone offering kindness, his words and manner were extremely rude.

The shapeshifter glanced at the guest room set aside for her and walked away.

It felt different from a room rented with money. The feeling made her uncomfortable.

“What an arrogant bastard. He pulled some trick even during the drinking bet.”

—What have you ever lost?

If not for that one remark, she wouldn’t have lost.

That single line from Yeon Mujin—his look, his attitude—unearthed an old memory she had buried: the memory of what had turned an ordinary woman into the shapeshifter.

Losing her composure, her intoxication rose quickly.

Damn it—if not for that remark, that bet would have been mine.

The shapeshifter left the stifling guest room and slowly looked around Flying Swallow Manor.

Of course, she was disguised under another identity.

The more servants a manor had, the easier it was to hide one’s face. From coachmen and stable hands to maids and laborers—among the hired folk, no one remembered every face and name.

‘That fellow was said to be the leader of the External Protection Troops? The manor lord’s guard?’

Most servants found warriors difficult, even if they belonged to the same group. Practitioners of the martial world tended to be arrogant and condescending.

The shapeshifter decided to use this chance to gather gossip about Yeon Mujin. She subtly slipped into a group of servants carrying hay.

“Have you heard that the captain has returned?”

“Heard it, of course!”

“I heard he even went all the way to Suzhou?”

She didn’t need to probe; the servants were already deep in conversation about Yeon Mujin.

“The stable boys are already thrilled.”

“Thinking of tearing into the captain?”

“Right.”

A soft chuckle spread among them. The shapeshifter tilted her head.

‘The stable boys tearing into the leader of the guards?’

It ran counter to her expectations.

“With the captain back, the manor will liven up a bit.”

“Yeah. What kind of Flying Swallow Manor is it when the captain isn’t here?”

Wherever she went, people spoke Yeon Mujin’s name. But it was the exact opposite of what she had expected.

From servants to maids, coachmen to stable boys—everyone welcomed Yeon Mujin. Not a single person spoke ill of him or cursed him.

‘That mangy dog of a man?’

From what the shapeshifter had seen, Yeon Mujin wasn’t someone who would win favor easily. He was willful, unpredictable, heedless of others, and often spoke harshly. Who would like a man like that?

“Shall we secretly slip the captain some restorative food?”

Yet the people of Flying Swallow Manor all liked him. It was truly strange.

In her not-short life, the shapeshifter had never seen anyone receive so much respect.

‘Are these people sick in the head as a group?’

She even entertained that thought.

Had her judgment of people grown dull with age?

Listening, her curiosity grew.

At that moment.

“Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“In honor of the captain’s return, the External Protection Troops are holding an event this time.”

The shapeshifter, hiding among the crowd, pricked up her ears.

“What are they going to do?”

“Well, they’re saying they’ll stake pills and hold a masked duel tournament.”

…Masks?

Disguised as a stable boy, the shapeshifter blended into the crowd.

‘I’ll just watch for a moment. Just a moment.’

Battles between warriors weren’t usually her interest, but a masked duel tournament had piqued her curiosity.

“Don’t block the way there—sit down!”

“Is there any more steamed corn here?”

The External Protection Troops’ duel stage was crowded and chaotic. It seemed like everyone from the manor had flocked there.

The stable worker who cleaned dung came, the errand-running kids came, even the well-dressed women from the household office showed up. It felt like a festival for the entire manor.

Seeing that, the shapeshifter was surprised.

‘Why is the atmosphere like this?’

People gathered in threes and fives, each group chatting away.

Is this really the Bukgung Family’s manor? Such an informal atmosphere?

The warriors she knew couldn’t stand people treating duels as mere entertainment. But this place was different.

Some spectators even started placing bets on the winner.

“Place your money! Bet on who you think will win the duel!”

A chubby man in a short jacket with a money pouch around his neck began weaving through the crowd.

The shapeshifter was dumbfounded.

‘What on earth is that fellow doing now?’

“Agent Jang! Ten coins on the dog mask!”

“Agent Jang, twenty coins on the mantis mask from me!”

“These folks don’t bet big—I’m putting two silver coins on the cat mask!”

“Aren’t you overdoing it?”

This was treating warriors like circus performers. Any serious fighter—or the manor lord—would have been furious.

Then a young woman’s voice cut through. “Ten gold coins on the pig mask!”

At the enormous sum, everyone’s gazes turned.

Jang, collecting bets, called out cheerfully, “The manor lord has put down ten gold coins!”

‘…That young thing is the manor lord?’

The shapeshifter was incredulous. Could a manor lord who couldn’t even bring order to the place be cavorting in a gambling ring?

‘These people are truly despicable,’ she thought, clicking her tongue inwardly.

At that moment, leader Jang approached her and asked, “Aren’t you placing a bet?”

“…Huh?”

Startled, she almost let her real voice slip.

Why did he pick her out?

“I don’t have any spare money…”

“Hmm… then there’s nothing to be done.”

Leader Jang smiled meaningfully and turned away. “Put down your pocket money! If you win the payout is good! We’ll take every penny!”

Watching how things were going, the shapeshifter thought, ‘It seems the warriors’ skills are poor. Seeing people treat the duel as a spectacle says as much.’

She had never seen Yeon Mujin fight properly. When she first met him, he had been already subduing those who were combat-incapable. And during the drinking bet there had been no chance to display martial arts, so it was natural she had underestimated him.

Once enough entrance money was collected, masked warriors finally climbed onto the duel stage.

The rules were unusual. Rather than pairing off one by one, masked warriors would take turns entering the stage at set intervals; the last person standing would be the winner.

The shapeshifter counted the warriors waiting beneath the stage. ‘One, two… what? Only ten?’

For the famed Bukgung Family manor, it was a meager turnout.

The pig mask and the mantis mask went up first.

The pig mask wielded a massive spear; the mantis mask held an equally large blade. The two glared at each other.

The mantis mask addressed the pig mask, “You ran off without paying the monthly stipend after the last bet? Cowardly bastard—I’ll have my revenge for that day.”

“What nonsense? My monthly stipend is mine, and your monthly stipend is mine as well,” the pig mask retorted.

The mantis mask laughed loudly. “Ha ha! Welcome back to Flying Swallow Manor! Today we’ll finally see who the greatest deputy captain is!”

When the mantis mask swung the blade, the air split with a sharp whistle. The pig mask thrust the spear in response.

Clang!

The clash rang out as if to burst eardrums. The shapeshifter tensed at the jarring roar.

‘Their level is quite—’

Not being trained in martial arts didn’t mean she lacked an eye for them. She had seen countless warriors; impersonation had honed her ability to gauge skill from a single exchange.

The pig and mantis masks’ martial skill was not to be underestimated.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

They met head-on without evasions. With each exchange, the crowd roared.

‘They treat such duels as mere entertainment?’

The match didn’t end quickly. Even amid fierce exchanges, neither’s breath faltered. It wasn’t just brute force—the technique was excellent.

When the exchanges passed twenty, the next contestant stepped onto the stage: the cat mask with a shaved head. Unarmed, the cat bowed with palm strikes and greeted them.

“I’ll learn a move or two from the deputy captains.”

“Alright, Se-gwang. Come on!”

Being unarmed wasn’t necessarily a disadvantage. The cat weaved through the storm of blades and matched them blow for blow.

Even with a third fighter, none lagged. Watching, the shapeshifter felt dizzy.

After another twenty exchanges, another person came up, and then another… With each entrant the fights tangled into a complex, well-rehearsed display. Yet no one was eliminated.

The shapeshifter’s palms grew sweaty. In all her life, she’d never seen such an entertaining spectacle.

Then, after a while, finally…

Thud!

The dog mask stepped onto the far edge of the duel stage.

The other masked figures all stopped and stared.

The shapeshifter recognized the dog’s identity at a glance.

‘That dog bastard!’

The dog bastard spoke. “So, who wants to be the first to drop?”