Night Market

Seeing In-woo again after a long time, she was still adorable.
Perhaps because summer was approaching, In-woo, dressed in clothes made from cool, semi-transparent fabric, looked like a fairy.
Ro-un gently stroked In-woo’s reddish hair, as if sunset had settled into it.
In-woo was enjoying Ro-un’s touch when she suddenly snapped to her senses with a ‘Hah!’

“This is no time for that! Saint, you arrived at just the right moment! There is somewhere I wish to go with you!”
“Somewhere you want to go?”
“Indeed! Hurry and get ready.”
“Right now?”
“Hurry!”

At In-woo’s urging, Ro-un looked up at the sky.
The sun was setting in the west, and the moon was just peeking out in the east.
It would be dark soon, so where were they going?

“Princess In-woo. Do we really have to go right now?”
“It can only be reached while the full moon is up. Woon Ho! Hurry and move!”
“Understood, Princess.”

At In-woo’s shout, the secretary bowed his head.

‘So his name was Woon Ho. I finally know now.’

That realization lasted only a moment before Ro-un stopped In-woo, who was tugging at his hand, and met her eyes.

“Princess. Before that, you need to get your parents’ permission first.”
“Hm? I’m right here. I give permission.”

Was it really fine to give permission that easily?
What happened to the Tiger Clan that used to be so closed off?
What happened to the Tiger Clan king who had secluded himself for decades?
Ro-un decided that at least he needed to keep his head on straight.
But these tigers didn’t wait for Ro-un to gather himself.

“Woon Ho! Let‘s go!”
“Understood, Princess.”
“Wait!”
“Hahahahahaha. It seems our princess is very excited to have met her benefactor. Hm. If she’s my daughter, of course she should be. She mustn’t lose to that young dragon.”
“As you command, Father.”

And so, caught in the maws of a tiger, Ro-un arrived with the tigers at some place near Seoul before he even had a chance to stop them.
The moment they got out of the car, In-woo grabbed Ro-un’s hand and pulled him along.

“Saint. Hurry!”
“Wait a moment. You’ll trip like that.”
“Hurry!”
“Hahaha. It seems our princess really wanted to go.”

In-woo led the way, tugging Ro-un by the hand, while behind them Baek Ho-yeon followed leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back.
Worried about In-woo, who had not long ago been struck by 【Defilement】 and treated, Ro-un let himself be dragged along without resisting.
When they reached their destination, In-woo turned to Ro-un with a bright smile.

“We need only cross this gate. Hold on tightly to my hand.”
“This is a hongsalmun^[TL/N: A hongsalmun is a gate for entering a sacred place in Korean architecture. They look akin to the Japanese shrine gates.”

Looking up at the red-painted pillars, Ro-un recognized what the gate was.

‘There’s something beyond this gate.’

Sensing something suspicious, Ro-un reflexively scooped In-woo up into his arms.
In-woo looped one arm around Ro-un’s neck and pointed at the gate with the other as she spoke.

“Indeed! As expected, Saint, you understand. We need only cross here.”

In-woo looked up at Ro-un with sparkling eyes.
Just where was this place?
As Ro-un watched the gate warily with a suspicious expression, Baek Ho-yeon came up beside him and patted his shoulder.

“Come on, let’s get across quickly. If not today, we’ll have to wait a whole month.”

Baek Ho-yeon shoved Ro-un forward with brute force.
Against the strength of a battle species, more than a fragile healer could withstand, Ro-un helplessly crossed the hongsalmun.
At the strange sensation, like passing through rippling water, Ro-un squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

When he opened his eyes, that place was,
the middle of a market.

Someone in a hanbok.
Someone in a tracksuit.
Someone wearing an eyepatch.
Someone carrying an umbrella.

All kinds of people with different clothes, appearances, and fur colors were gathered together, walking through the streets.
No, could those really be called people?
Seeing those walking freely while openly showing fur and scales, Ro-un’s eyes widened.

“Princess. What exactly is this place?”
“It’s the night market. A place that opens only under the full moon.”

Ro-un looked around.
To think a place like this existed beneath the surface of Seoul.

“…It’s inside a barrier. One you can only enter by crossing the hongsalmun.”

Ro-un was impressed.
To lay a barrier over a place this large.
Whoever owned this barrier was clearly no ordinary being.

‘Just from the beings walking around here, it’s obvious the owner of this barrier isn’t ordinary.’

Who could it be?
If someone like this had existed, he should have heard of them before the regression.
Ro-un searched through the barrier-type Awakeners he knew from memory, but there was no Awakener capable of spreading a barrier of this scale.

‘Among humans, at least….’

Sensing that the owner of the barrier was some great being like Ho-yeon and In-woo, Ro-un closed his mouth.
There were things in this world one had to see and still pretend not to notice.
If even when the Big Wave came three years later no one this powerful had become known, it meant they either didn’t wish to reveal themselves to the world, or had already met a different fate before then.
Ro-un respected that being’s wishes.

Tug!

Feeling his clothes being tugged, he lowered his gaze and saw In-woo looking up at him with a bright smile.

“What do you think? Does it please my benefactor’s heart?”
“Yes. It’s a wonderful place.”

That was no empty compliment. The night market was filled with every kind of light and decoration.
There was so much to see on every side that one’s gaze was naturally drawn away.
At the sight of Ro-un marveling at the lights blooming like camellias, In-woo stuck out her belly and smiled proudly.

“It has long weighed on my heart that I have been unable to repay the Saint in any way. If it pleases my benefactor, then I am pleased as well.”
“I was grateful for your feelings alone.”
“How could feelings alone be enough! I have heard that humans value material things more than feelings. I am my father’s youngest daughter, and the one who will one day become the Tiger Clan’s Great Shamaness. I will never forget a debt of gratitude.”

Ro-un was grateful for In-woo’s feelings alone.
Rotten as it was, the Association’s functions were indispensable to Awakeners.
If it suddenly disappeared or became paralyzed, Korea’s Awakener society would suffer enormous disruption.

‘There are too many incidents ahead. The Association can’t be allowed to disappear.’

His greatest concern was that the manpower needed to handle the aftermath of disasters would vanish.
He could not afford to be hindered by that.
That was the logic behind his actions.
Yet In-woo was anxious because she felt she couldn’t give Ro-un enough.

“Thank you. But Princess, it seems you’ve been studying humans.”
“Ahem. Did Father not go as the head of an educational institution? If Father has already taken the first step into human society, how could I possibly remain still? I’ve been studying with the shamanesses.”

For some reason, he could almost picture the shamanesses chasing after the princess as she ran around everywhere in wild excitement.
He wanted to hide as much of humanity’s ugliness as possible from the still-young princess, but it seemed the clever little shamaness had already learned how filthy human affairs could be.

‘Then I should let her cleanse herself by looking at pretty things.’

Ro-un adjusted In-woo more securely in his arms.
Meeting the eyes of In-woo, who settled quietly into his embrace, Ro-un asked,

“Princess. What would you like to see first?”
“I am already happy enough just to have shown this place to the Saint.”
“It looks like a troupe is performing over there. Would you like to go watch it?”
“Where?!”

In-woo’s head snapped around.
She really was still a child after all.

“Saint! I can see the troupe over there!”
“Yes. Let’s go. Your Majesty should come with us too.”
“It’s good to see the little ones getting along so well. Very well, let us go!”

Ro-un even included the scheming tiger.
It was annoying that he had secretly followed them all the way onto the train, but one way or another, he was still a tiger who cared for his daughter, his kin, and his benefactor.
His scheming side would just have to be treated as the mischief of an old tiger. What else could he do?

‘Considering what happened to the Tiger Clan, I should understand why he hides what’s inside and prowls around like that.’

What Baek Ho-yeon had suffered at the hands of humans like him had surely been longer and more malicious than anything Ro-un himself had gone through.
Turning to the black-hearted tiger, Ro-un said,

“Thank you for coming along as her guardian.”
“Indeed! I am the guardian of you both!”

For whatever reason, Baek Ho-yeon walked beside Ro-un with a blooming smile on his face.
The sound of a small gong rang out.
There was the sound of a gong, a drum, and a janggu as well.

“Eolssu!”

People dressed in colorful cloth garments played instruments while spinning in circles.
Those gathered around the performing troupe let out gasps and applause.

“Waaaah!”
“Ooh!”

Merchants moved among the guests.

“Cold sikhye for sale.”
“We have omija tea too.”

He could see In-woo turn her head, drawn by the sweet smell.
After all, watching things was best done while eating.
Ro-un called over a passing vendor.

“One sikhye with shaved ice floating in it, and a bag of hotteok buns, please.”
“One nice cooool sikhye with shaved ice floating in it, and a bag of hotteok buns~!”
“Can I pay with D-pay, by any chance?”
“Of course.”

The fox-like clerk smiled with his eyes and pulled a payment device from his clothes.

“Just tap here, please.”

It looked like a traditional market from before modernization, yet it accepted D-pay too.
That was surprisingly modern.

Beep!

He tapped his D-watch, and the payment went through.
So payments worked even inside the barrier.
How had they connected it to the network?

“Thank you. Enjoy.”
“Yes. Thank you.”

After sending the vendor off, Ro-un stuck a straw into the sikhye and placed it to In-woo’s lips.
As soon as the straw touched her mouth, In-woo gave a long sip.

Shiver.

“Kya! It’s wonderfully cold!”
“It’s cold, so drink it slowly.”

That was such an old-man reaction.
Ro-un glared at the person most likely responsible for teaching In-woo such a response.

“Hm? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I think you ought to be more careful about your behavior in front of the princess.”
“Hm? Ah. Hahaha!”

Understanding what Ro-un meant, Ho-yeon burst out laughing.

‘I’m like a teacher scolding the guardian.’

Even though he himself was also someone in need of protection.

“The Saint seems quite used to taking care of children.”
“…Because I used to volunteer at orphanages often.”
“I know that too. But lately, it seems your visits have stopped entirely. Did you stop sending donations like before?”

Was he openly showing that he had investigated him, or what?
In any case, ever since his life had fallen into the hands of those pigs and dogs, privacy had ceased to exist for him…

“It’s not as though that’s the only place that needs help.”
“Mm! That’s true. Humans always seem to skim things off whenever money is involved. Thanks to that, there are quite a few very large holes all over the academy.”

It seemed that after taking over as chairman and running the academy, he had grown used to embezzlement and corruption.
Baek Ho-yeon smiled, narrowing his eyes.

“I’m thinking of tearing off all those vermin’s heads soon. What does the Saint think?”

Tearing off their heads?
That really was savage wording, just as one would expect from a tiger.
Even so.

“I think that sounds like a good idea.”

As far as he was concerned, vermin who stole even the supplies meant to protect students’ lives deserved to be burned to death.
Even the students’ uniforms, which should have been made to be storable in inventory, were being embezzled by the principal’s relatives.

‘Thanks to that, uniforms never lasted whenever we entered passages. I think I drafted something before about reopening the uniform supplier bid. Should I tip the tiger off?’

No.
He was a tiger bold enough to investigate even his background. If necessary, he would surely look into it himself.
If he was going to tear those vermin apart anyway, it would be nice if he recovered the money too.
If that money were added into research support, he could make some use of it too.
Thinking of the business item he had Joo Hee-jun doing engraving work for, Ro-un clicked his tongue in regret.

Grrrrowl.

“?”

At the loud sound, Ro-un lowered his gaze toward where it had come from.
Whether because of the camellia-like red lights all around them, or not, both of In-woo’s cheeks were blooming red like flowers.
He had a pretty good idea where that sound had come from.
Ro-un’s gaze and Baek Ho-yeon’s met in midair.

“Mm. It has gone past dinner time. Saint. Princess. Shall we go eat?”
“Shall we? I didn’t eat anything on the way up either, so I’m hungry too.”
“The Saint didn’t eat anything on the train, did he? At an age when you ought to be growing, to skip meals like that. I’m starting to worry about the Saint’s development.”

My height is above the average for Korean men.
It might be a little borderline compared to the Awakener average, but for a support-type it was perfectly respectable.
Looking at Baek Ho-yeon’s massive build, Ro-un swallowed back the surge rising inside him.
Then, all of a sudden, Baek Ho-yeon burst out laughing.

“Hahahahahahahaha. Children ought to eat well and grow well. Since this is the first time the Saint and the princess have come here, I should guide you. Let’s see now, is that place still around?”

Just as Baek Ho-yeon turned to lead the two of them toward the food district,

Jingle.

A bell rang out.
Amid all the noise, that bell sound stood out strangely clearly.
Then several alluring figures with captivating eyes appeared before them.

“Our proprietor says he would like to treat our guests to a meal.”
“Might such honored guests spare a little of their time?”
“Please do not refuse our proprietor’s invitation.”

The beauties pleaded so earnestly, with such graceful and sorrowful bearing, that it was hard to bring oneself to refuse.
But the guests they were inviting were hardly ordinary beings.

“I don’t like the way they’re smiling. Saint. What do you think?”
“Hmm. If they were simply asking, I might at least have heard them out. But seeing them try another trick, I’ve lost all desire to follow.”

In-woo and Ro-un looked at the beauties.
Realizing the two had seen through the charm spell they had used, the beauties lowered themselves.

“Our apologies. We have made our guests uncomfortable. We will repay this sin with our lives, so please do not refuse our proprietor’s invitation.”

As if determined to keep her word, one beauty extended her claws and moved to slash her own throat.
But someone moved faster than they did.
The beauties, claws extended and pressed to their throats, froze as though paralyzed.

“It’s not every day we receive an invitation. Refusing it would be bad manners, wouldn’t it? What do you two think?”

Using his power to stop their suicide, Ho-yeon turned and asked the other two.
Since Baek Ho-yeon, who could be called the guardian of the two, said it that way, they quietly followed his judgment.

‘Their master is acquainted with Father, so it should be fine.’
‘With the White Tiger right beside us, it should be fine, right?’

He wasn’t sure the White Tiger would quietly save him if something happened, but with the White Tiger here, no one foolish enough to casually touch his companions should exist.
And if there was someone bold enough to target them even knowing the White Tiger’s identity, that was an opponent Ro-un could not do anything about anyway.

“Then lead the way.”
“! Y-yes.”

At Baek Ho-yeon’s permission, the ones released from paralysis floundered for a moment, then straightened themselves and led the way.
They were led to a splendid traditional manor.
Its straight eaves, brightly painted rafters, and delicate lotus-shaped lanterns hanging here and there lit the darkness.
It was clearly no ordinary building.
To be guided here of all places.

“He is waiting inside.”
“Please enjoy your time.”

The beauties bowed and withdrew.
With a playful expression, Baek Ho-yeon called out,

“Come out now!”

Srrrk!

The hanji-covered door slid open smoothly.
Baek Ho-yeon strode in through the opened doorway.
Not wanting to lose sight of him, Ro-un hurried in after him.

The interior was dark.
But with every step Baek Ho-yeon took, lights flared on along the path.

“That’s enough fooling around, isn’t it?”
“Hohohohohoho.”

Someone’s laughter rang out, and the lights came fully on.
At the far end, someone was seated beneath a folding screen painted with blooming peonies.

“Welcome.”

A beauty in red clothes, beautiful enough to bring down nations, rose to greet them.