The Return of the Crazy Demon-Chapter 271: Disciple of the Four Great Villains

“Great Master, did you sleep well?”

“I did.”

I stood outside the guest house, watching as Yoran went around offering her morning greetings one by one.

“Second Master, you didn’t have any bad dreams, did you?”

“I slept well.”

The Sword Demon and the Drunk were still awkward, offering no real responses, while Yoran stepped in front of me and bowed her head.

“Third Master.”

“Mm.”

Yoran looked up at me and asked,

“Did you get some sleep? Or did you stay up all night?”

I shook my head.

“No, I slept well too.”

“Yes.”

She then moved to the side and bowed to the Lecher.

“...Senior Brother, did you sleep well?”

The Lecher let out a sigh and nodded.

“Yoran, you should call me Youngest Master. Why did that change to Senior Brother overnight? Yesterday you called me Youngest Master.”

Yoran glanced at me, then turned to him and said,

“If I call you Youngest Master, then I have to call the Great Master ‘Grandmaster.’ But Senior Brother said Senior Brother is correct.”

“Who said that?”

“Third Master did.”

I backed her up from the side.

“Smart girl.”

Maybe she had too many morning greetings to make—Yoran moved on quickly and bowed to Cha Seong-tae.

“Commander, did you sleep well?”

Cha Seong-tae shook his head.

“No, I had a nightmare last night.”

“What kind of nightmare?”

“I dreamed your Third Master beat me up in the guest house. Had me running errands for side dishes all night.”

Yoran clutched her belly and burst out laughing.

Cha Seong-tae looked baffled.

“You’re laughing?”

“Sorry.”

I turned to him.

“Who dares scold our disciple for laughing?”

He snorted and looked back at Yoran.

“Yoran, it’s not polite to laugh when someone tells you about their nightmare.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Go inside and help prepare breakfast.”

“Understood.”

Only after Yoran went back inside did we settle into an ordinary morning.

“Phew.”

“Haa... really.”

“Smack.”

Whatever thoughts had occupied them, sighs from all directions mixed together.

Of course, Yoran’s adoptive parents were now Jang Deuk-soo and Hong-shin.

But Yoran, having seen much of Jianghu for someone her age, one day suddenly began calling us “Master.”

It didn’t seem like anyone told her to.

Each morning, she’d show up slightly later than us and bow with greetings, and none of us really had a reason to stop her.

Naturally, the Sword Demon, the Drunk, and I had no intention of teaching her martial arts. But she followed us around calling us Master, so we responded as if making conversation. Since everyone knew her story, and she was still a child, it was hard to say anything harsh.

While watching the morning sunlight stretch across the courtyard with a serious expression, the Sword Demon muttered,

“Being called Great Master feels burdensome every time I hear it.”

The Drunk sighed.

“Indeed. She probably wants to learn martial arts. Maybe we should send her to the Moyong family?”

I shook my head.

“She said she doesn’t want that. Fortunately, Yalu Yeon is adapting well.”

Thanks to Moyong Baek, Yalu Yeon, who had arrived as a medical assistant, was now studying medicine.

The Lecher looked like he was about to speak when suddenly there was another loud clatter—Yoran had appeared again, and we all immediately fell silent.

Yoran looked up at me.

“Third Master.”

“Mm?”

“I heard you four are the Four Great Villains, including Senior Brother?”

I answered with a startled expression.

“Where’d you hear that? That’s an old thing. From long ago.”

“So it’s not true now?”

“No, not anymore. ‘Four Great Villains’? Nonsense. Why ask all of a sudden?”

I stared at Yoran.

She was bright, but the way she casually brought up things she overheard always surprised me. This was one of those moments.

It felt like...

Talking to the youngest person in Jianghu.

Yoran glanced around, then answered seriously.

“I had a dream last night that I became the Fifth Great Villain.”

“The Fifth...? That’s a bit controversial, huh? We’re not even the Four Great Villains anymore, so how’d you end up dreaming of being the fifth? Strange dream.”

“Did you retire?”

“Not yet. I mean, I haven’t retired from Jianghu. But we’re not villains anymore. Being a villain isn’t a cool thing—you shouldn’t be confused about that.”

Just then, Hong-shin came out of the guest house, lifted Yoran into her arms, and said,

“Yoran, let’s stop bothering the Masters and go inside.”

“I wasn’t bothering them.”

“They looked troubled.”

“Okay.”

As soon as Yoran disappeared for the second time, I let out a sigh.

“This is bad. A minor dreaming of becoming the Fifth Great Villain.”

“No kidding.”

Worried that we were distracting Cha Seong-tae and the others from their training, I casually made a suggestion.

“You guys too. If you’re feeling stifled, go out on a training journey or something.”

The Lecher asked me,

“What about you?”

“I’m going to behave until my arm fully heals. I’m tired of being stitched up. I’ve been too reckless lately.”

“That’s true. You should’ve calmed it down a bit.”

While exchanging glares with the Lecher, the Sword Demon spoke quietly.

“...The Sect Leader’s enemies have increased too much. It’s troublesome. Even if we leave, I’d feel uneasy, so I guess we just have to get used to it. Whether scholars show up or not, it’s all worrisome.”

So basically, they were sticking around the Zaha Guest House because of me.

It made me wonder—

Should I move the base?

My home had already been restored, but even staying there felt uncomfortable. After all, Scholar Chu Myeong, who had pierced my palm, was still alive somewhere. He wouldn’t show up alone. He’d bring other scholars of similar ability.

I stared at the deceptively peaceful morning scenery and said,

“I once thought—when I was sure I could survive in Jianghu, I’d travel the world and pick out some gifted child to take as my disciple. But here I am, not even choosing, and already one’s shown up.”

The Lecher murmured,

“She’ll probably stop calling us that after a while. She’s too young. Great Master? That’s not even in my fate. Hey Master, is it normal for a disciple to have several Masters like this?”

The Sword Demon replied,

“Rare, but not unheard of. Besides, we’re not exactly ones to fuss over formalities.”

“Right.”

“Don’t know when, but it might not be bad for each of us to teach her one skill.”

I looked at the Sword Demon, surprised.

He continued.

“She lost her parents young. It’s right to teach her a martial art to protect herself. But mine is too difficult to pass on. It’d be better for her to learn swordsmanship from the Six Harmonies. What will you teach, Sect Leader?”

“I’ll teach light footwork. If she wants to survive, that’s the most useful.”

The Lecher chimed in.

“I’ll teach her Ice Blossom Internal Art later. It was developed in the Ice Blossom Palace—more suited for women anyway.”

Even the Great Master teaching martial arts to a young girl didn’t seem strange. Honestly, we were the strange ones from the start.

The Sword Demon asked the Drunk,

“Can you teach her swordsmanship?”

“Not difficult. But she’d need at least ten years to grow into a proper martial artist. I don’t know if the four of us can even last ten more years in Jianghu.”

Just then, Cha Seong-tae, who’d been seated at the far end of the row, stood up.

“I already ate breakfast. I’ll be off to train a bit.”

“Go ahead.”

He gave us a martial salute and walked off somewhere.

For some reason, I kept sighing.

Maybe this was what parents or masters felt—this burden of responsibility.

While I was sighing for the umpteenth time, Jang Deuk-soo came out of the guest house and looked at us like he had something to say.

I asked,

“What is it?”

He wiped his hands on his apron and said,

“Let’s all have a meal together today. No separate breakfasts. Come upstairs.”

At the cook’s command, the Four Great Villains rose without complaint. After all, it’s only right to obey the person who feeds you.

“If the cook says upstairs, then upstairs it is.”

Upstairs, we found a huge round table filled with dishes we rarely saw.

“....”

There were side dishes I hadn’t had in ages, and some we used to eat often, like boiled pork spine. It was clearly too much for breakfast.

Hong-shin, placing down her chopsticks, said,

“Please sit, Sect Leader, Masters. Yoran, come eat.”

As we sat down, Jang Deuk-soo also removed his apron and joined us. Between him and Hong-shin, only Yoran’s small face peeked out.

After taking a sip of «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» water, I asked Deuk-soo,

“Why is the table so elaborate today?”

Yoran answered,

“Me?”

“Not you.”

Deuk-soo chuckled and gestured.

“Let’s eat first.”

We picked up our chopsticks and started eating. Even for someone as efficient as Deuk-soo, the dishes clearly took effort. As I watched, Hong-shin picked out distant side dishes and placed them on Yoran’s rice.

Then Deuk-soo said,

“...Yoran’s name is now Jang Yoran.”

It made sense for adoptive parents to give a surname, so we nodded.

Though the atmosphere was strange, we ate quietly, watching Deuk-soo.

He continued.

“If she learns cooking from me, she’d become a cook. But she says she has no interest in that.”

He looked around at us and said,

“My daughter wants to learn martial arts from you Masters. I’m sorry she called you that without proper manners or ceremony. I don’t know much about Jianghu, so I thought a shared meal was best to start.”

“....”

Yoran watched us with big round eyes, and it was hard to say anything. The weight doubled, like a lump in our throats, so we all drank water—and realized we did it at the same time.

Deuk-soo went on.

“I know you’re busy, and it’s a burden. She’s still young, so you don’t have to treat her like a formal disciple...”

He trailed off after glancing at Hong-shin’s expression.

“If I knew martial arts, I’d teach her myself. That’s what hurts the most.”

No one spoke, so I answered for us.

“We’ll teach her slowly.”

Come to think of it, I was the one who asked Deuk-soo and Hong-shin to be her guardians. So if the others could give up the burden of being her Master—I couldn’t.

I accepted the reality and looked at Yoran.

“...With this many Masters, something might stick.”

Not the best line. Normally, I should’ve asked why she wanted to learn martial arts—but I couldn’t. It would only reopen wounds.

So I asked simply.

“Yoran, do you want to learn martial arts from us?”

“Yes.”

“It’ll be tough. Not easy. You’ll feel resentment at times.”

She answered clearly.

“I can do it.”

I looked at the expressions of the Lecher, the Drunk, and the Sword Demon, one by one. We didn’t talk again until everyone had finished eating. Once Yoran finished her meal, Deuk-soo had Hong-shin take her away.

At the table, with only the men left...

Deuk-soo spoke again.

“Does Yoran feel like a burden to you?”

I nodded.

“She does.”

He asked the other three.

“What about you?”

“More or less.”

“She does.”

The Lecher just nodded.

Deuk-soo said,

“She’s a burden to me, too. I never expected to be a father. I agreed because Zaha asked me to, but every day is a weight.”

“....”

He looked around at us and continued.

“Think it’s just me? I bet most fathers in normal homes feel the same. Please teach her some martial arts.”

The Sword Demon asked,

“Is there another reason?”

“There is, but do I have to say it?”

“I’d like to hear it.”

Deuk-soo stared at the food he’d prepared since dawn and said,

“When I look at the four of you, I can tell you live each day prepared to die. I get it—you live in Jianghu. But still, how can a person live only thinking about death? There's no need for that. Dying in battle is fate, but there’s no need to think of death during everyday life. Was I out of line?”

I shook my head.

Deuk-soo said,

“Please take care of Yoran. She’s too young to already be thinking about death. She wouldn’t call you ‘Master’ and follow you around for nothing. I hope... I really hope you stop charging toward death recklessly. Think about your disciple—run away if you must. Live long, even if it’s narrow.”

He gestured to the table and said to our silent faces,

“I’ll clean up. You Masters go rest.”

We all stood awkwardly and left a word each.

“That was a good meal.”

“Thank you for the food.”

“Must’ve been hard to cook all this.”

Deuk-soo responded as he cleared the table.

“Not at all... I’m just glad you enjoyed it.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I headed down the stairs. The four of us descended like we’d just been scolded by Deuk-soo.

From above, we heard another loud clatter and Yoran’s voice.

“I’ll help too! I’ll help clean up!”

In real time, I felt the burden grow from double to triple.

We sat again in a row in front of the guest house, listening to each other sigh.

After a moment, the Lecher muttered,

“Still... I’m glad I’m the Senior Brother.”

“You dumb bastard.”

“Lucky you, huh.”

“Fool.”

Staring blankly ahead, we all sighed at once. To cheer them up, I said,

“I should ask Moyong Baek...”

“...”

“...to find a rare elixir—safe for kids, boosts internal energy quickly, helps with cultivation, little side effects. The more energy, the faster the martial growth.”

The Drunk nodded.

“That’s a good idea.”

The Lecher agreed.

“Yeah. No reason we should be the only ones suffering.”

Strangely, I started to feel a little better.

Not that I knew why.