Ok Hae-mi sighed at their collapsed figures.
'They are going to be in for a shock tomorrow morning.'
She looked at Kang-hyuk.
"You were quite something today! I wasn't expecting you to have such a high level of Qi cultivation wherein you could surpa.s.s the Moorim teachers. You won quite impressively!"
Kang-hyuk's martial cultivation was already beyond the Banbakgwijin(1) level. His hands also looked pristine, as he didn't usually wield a sword.
As such, people who met him for the first time usually a.s.sumed he had basic martial cultivation, but not much strength. Therefore, Ok Hae-mi's surprise at his victory in drinking against the Moorim teachers was quite natural as a peak level of martial cultivation was required to have the ability to easily release the drunken energy.
Kang-hyuk didn't really feel the need to correct Ok Hae-mi's impression, so he hastily cooked up an explanation.
"Hahaha! It's because I love to drink…. even my nickname is 'Heavy Drinker'."
"Ah, so that's the case. It's unfortunate for the teachers that were unaware of your drinking abilities!"
The waiter walked up to them, and turned to Ok Hae-mi.
"Sorry to interrupt, but do you have the payment?"
Ok Hae-mi simply pointed at the collapsed teachers on the ground. The owner nodded.
"So I will need to obtain the payment from them?"
"Yes."
"The price to hire this venue out is quite expensive. Will they be able to afford the payment?"
Ok Hae-mi smiled and spoke, "Even if they can't afford it, they have no other choice. The winner is the winner and the loser is the loser. In the end, this is a consequence of their own actions, no?"
"Ah!"
Kang-hyuk could now finally understand why she said she was a judge, and the forced awkward expressions of the martial arts teachers as they were greeting him.
'So they invited me here on purpose as the only Liberal Arts subject teacher for this …'
They planned this foolish event as they had a.s.sumed that Kang-hyuk would have a low alcohol tolerance and weak martial cultivation.
He could now also comprehend Ok Hae-mi's apologetic expression at the beginning of the banquet.
Kang-hyuk was suddenly reminded of a report that had come in when he was first appointed as the Clan Leader.
'So that's what the report was about!'
He wasn't regretful that he hadn't remembered the report earlier.
'It's something that occurred decades ago, the fact that I can remember it at all is good enough.'
He smiled slightly. It was because he had just thought of a good idea.
'Is it too late to execute this? Anyhow, seeing as I'm also a teacher, it's unlikely to blow up too much. Hahah!'
He waved over the waiter who was cleaning up the tables.
"Where can I make the payment?"
"Pardon? Weren't those fellows going to make the payment?"
"I'm going to pay instead. How much is it?"
"Okay, just wait a moment."
The waiter rushed down to the ground floor. Ok Hae-mi had tilted her head in confusion.
"Are you really going to pay instead of them?"
Kang-hyuk heartily laughed at her question.
"Do I really look that kind?"
"What?"
Ok Hae-mi still had a baffled expression on her face, unable to comprehend Kang-hyuk's intentions. Kang-hyuk smiled, and explained, "Do you really think the teachers will be able to afford the payment?"
She counted the stacks of plates and liquor jugs.
The stack of liquor jugs was taller than a person.
Kang-hyuk had drunk from the beginning of the banquet, so the stack was twice his usual amount.
From his experience, he calculated that the bill would be around forty-five pieces of silver.
The monthly salary of the teachers amounted to two pieces of silver.
Considering that the average living expenditure of most common people was one piece of silver a year, this was quite a generous salary. But even their salary couldn't pay for the notorious Wolsoru liquor.
Ok Hae-mi spoke up.
"Taking into account their salary, I would say that it's unlikely they could afford it. But if you're offering to pay, you must have the funds…. are you perhaps that wealthy?"
"What defines a man as either wealthy or poor?"
"Pardon?"
Ok Hae-mi looked befuddled at Kang-hyuk's philosophical inquiry.
A man dressed in fine silk could be seen walking up the stairs to the fifth floor. He was the owner of Wolsoru.
"So, would you like to settle the payment?"
"Let's do so."
The man immediately opened up his accounting book, then answered, "It's fifty-six pieces of silver."
As expected, the price was ridiculously expensive.
He reflected that it was fortunate that they hadn't called for any Gisaeng(2) to entertain. If they had done so, the price would have easily risen to around one hundred silver pieces.
Regardless of the high price, Kang-hyuk had to execute what he had decided upon doing. He immediately took out a slip from within his sleeve.
"Would this much be sufficient?"
"Ah! A payment slip worth a hundred pieces of silver from the Golden Money Field."
The Golden Money Field was a highly esteemed bank.
"Please wait a minute, I need to get your change…"
"Don't worry, I don't need any change. Instead, I'll come back here from time to time to drink."
"Ah!"
The owner immediately understood what Kang-hyuk meant.
"That's fine."
"Anyway, could I borrow some ink and a brush?"
The owner summoned the waiter to fetch the writing supplies.
Kang-hyuk rolled out a piece of paper, and with a few brush strokes, had written something down. Ok Hae-mi glanced over at the paper, becoming taken aback at its contents.
On the paper was written; 'On this particular month, day and time, being unable to pay the bill at Wolsoru, X teachers have loaned 56 silver pieces from Kang-hyuk. The repayment date of this debt is to be set by Kang-hyuk, the creditor.'
Kang-hyuk then wrote the names of all of the collapsed teachers at the end of the page. He then took thumbprints of the teachers with the help of the waiter.
"What on-!"
Ok Hae-mi couldn't believe her eyes.
She hadn't antic.i.p.ated Kang-hyuk paying for the martial arts teachers with the end aim of making them indebted to him.
"This should do."
Kang-hyuk triumphantly presented the contract he had written up, complete with the teachers' thumbprints.
"Could you sign it as the witness?"
"I can sign it...but isn't the contract invalidated with you taking their thumbprints whilst they are unconscious?"
"Aren't debts gained from drinking alcohol and gambling also debt gained in an unconscious state? They are still valid, are they not?"
"...."
"If you have any issues arising from signing as my witness, you can come and find me then. For now, sign here."
"….Alright then."
She dipped her thumb in ink, and stamped it onto the contract as the witness of events. It was further validated by her already being a.s.signed the role of judging the event beforehand.
Ok Hae-mi then wiped her thumb with cloth and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking about something very amusing."
"It must be an amusing thought indeed."
Ok Hae-mi laughed dumbfoundedly.
"Right then, let's get going."
Kang-hyuk started to descend the stairs with Ok Hae-mi following behind him.
"But Kang Seonsaengnim!"
"What?"
"Keep good watch over that contract. You never know when it might go missing."
Kang-hyuk smiled at her concern.
"Thanks for the advice."
He felt a little sad at having to be involved in these sorts of games once again. He had retired from the position of Clan Leader as he wanted to be free of all the veiled enmity that came with it.
The wind blew softly. It was a slightly chilly wind as it was still spring.
Kang-hyuk looked at Ok Hae-mi walking in front of him with a curious gaze.
'With her level of cultivation, why is she only a teacher of first-year students?'
He had looked into her level of cultivation from their very first meeting.
She had a peak level of cultivation.
Kang-hyuk felt that her cultivation was at a level which would be more appropriate for a third or fourth year student teacher.
Ok Hae-mi was hiding her level of cultivation to the extent that most wouldn't be able to detect it. However, Kang-hyuk had found it out anyway.
'She'll be someone to keep an eye on.'
Then again, he felt from his encounters of her thus far that she wasn't a bad person. This was also why he decided on lessening her guilt.
"In the future."
"What?"
"If someone attempts to harm me in the future, I won't take any offence and point my sword at you if you remain neutral as you did today."
She replied with a smile spread across her face.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"…..why aren't you laughing at me?"
"What do you mean?"
Kang-hyuk replied, "As you can see, I'm only a weak Liberal Arts Subject Teacher, most people would laugh if I spoke of pointing my sword at them."
Ok Hae-mi smiled again.
"It's because I have a good feeling about you…"
"...?"
"So I may really be in danger of your sword."
Ok Hae-mi stayed silent after that, and Kang-hyuk too remained mute and simply followed her.
***
Baek-gap rushed towards Kang-hyuk as soon as he arrived, and presented him with a bowl of honey water.
Kang-hyuk gulped down the refreshing drink.
"Ahh… honey water is always the best cure for a hangover."
Kang-hyuk grinned at Baek-gap. He could feel Baek-gap's constant gaze, and sensed that something was up.
"Report to me of all your activities in my absence."
"That…well..."
Baek-gap was taken aback. He didn't know whether to tell him of his meeting with the Clan Leader.
However, he didn't have much time to mull over his concerns.
"Tell me everything."
Baek-gap recalled the Clan Leader's warning to him of not getting on Kang-hyuk's bad side.
"Er, regarding what I was doing…"
In the end, Baek-gap spilled everything out to Kang-hyuk.
Kang-hyuk however wasn't interested in Baek-gap's meeting with the Clan leader.
"So the man that came looking to meet me was a music teacher called Chu Gung-wol?"
"Yes."
He was a man who had come looking for him out of concern. Kang-hyuk was touched by the man's sincerity.
"Baek-gap."
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow morning, go to Wolsoru and fetch a bottle of the finest liquor available. I already have a settlement with Wolsoru, so give them my name.
"I understand. But Seonsaengnim…"
"What?"
"How did you know that something happened whilst you were away?"
"You silly lad, how could I not know? Your expression gave everything away!"
"...."
Baek-gap felt ashamed at not being able to control his body language.
'How can I, a warrior of Jimilgak be unable to control my facial expressions?'
What he was unaware of was that he was dealing with Kang-hyuk.
Even if Baek-gap became a master of controlling his facial expressions and body language,
to attempt to hide something from Kang-hyuk would be impossible.
***
It was the next day.
"Ugh…"t
The first of the collapsed teachers had awoken. It was the Spearsmanship teacher, Geum-hang.
"My head!"
He cradled his aching head with his hands, and slowly attempted to stand up. He then blinked at the sight in front of him.
'Why was I sleeping here?'
He realized what had happened, and let out a scream.
"Ahhhhhh-!"
The remaining unconscious teachers, aroused from their slumber by his cry, had annoyed expressions on their faces.
"Why would you do that?"
"It's still morning...don't you have any manners…"
"That guy…!"
Geum-hang tried to recollect the events of the night before as best as he could.
"Kang-hyuk Seonsaeng isn't here?"
"What?"
The teachers soon realized something was amiss after noticing their thumbs blackened with ink.
They all became perplexed. A woman then walked into the room.
"The winner was Kang-hyuk Seonsaeng."
The woman was Ok Hae-mi.
She looked upon them with pity.
"And the reason why your thumbs are black is because of the debt contract you signed."
"De-debt contract?"
Ok Hae-mi explained the events of last night to them, causing the teachers to look completely dejected.
Their dejection was due to their debt of fifty six silver coins.
However, many questions still remained.
(1) A level where one has already attained a high level of martial cultivation but is also able to hide this fact and have the general appearance of a normal person.
(2) Gisaeng - Korean female entertainers that dance, play traditional musical instruments and provide conversation. Somewhat similar to Geisha.
