The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Although Yoon Daehyeop accidentally gave silver coins, they weren’t enough to significantly alter my financial situation. They were too much to give to a storyteller, but not enough to argue about. Considering how much I had been beaten that day, the amount was insufficient to heal the wounds in my heart. I was still hungry for more.

“Here is where my father was attacked by the stranger!”

Prince Hamurin, having defeated the assassins and bandits sent by his uncle, finally arrived at the site of his father’s assassination.

Yoon Daehyeop, despite my aggressive attempts to collect money, remained engrossed in my story.

Now I just needed to find evidence of the uncle’s involvement in the assassination.

But today was different.

“Ah! The evidence, the evidence is too faint! There must be evidence around here, but it’s too difficult for a young warrior like me to find!”

I acted out Prince Hamurin’s frustration, beating his chest in despair for not being able to find proper evidence.

“Why are you hesitating! Even if you find evidence now, it’s not enough!”

“Just grab any evidence and go!”

Audience, please bear with me; this is an important buildup.

“Ah! If only there was a renowned warrior here!!”

I acted as Hamurin, pacing around in frustration. I sighed heavily and started looking at the audience below the stage.

“No! It’s… that person!!!”

I feigned shock, jumped down, and once again stood in front of Yoon Daehyeop.

“I have no more money to give.”

Yoon Daehyeop said with a resigned expression as I approached him.

I know. It was not just money I waned.

I want more.

“The great warrior! Aren’t you Yoon Daehyeop of the renowned Changgeommun!”

“Uh? Yes, that’s right.”

Yoon Daehyeop, flustered by Prince Hamurin recognizing him, responded in surprise.

“I am still inexperienced and lack insight in martial arts! Please help me!!”

Come up on stage, you jerk! I grabbed Yoon Daehyeop’s arm, trying to pull him toward the stage.

Huh? He’s not moving.

No matter how much I pulled, Yoon something-or-other wouldn’t budge.

Was this the thousand-pound lock? A technique to increase one’s body weight with internal power. Although I had learned basic fighting techniques and had decent skills, he didn’t move an inch.

Yoon Daehyeop looked at me coldly. His expression dared me to try and pull him again.

This was unexpected. What do I do now?

That’s when it happened.

“Whoa! What’s that?!”

Suddenly, someone wearing a hat appeared behind Yoon Daehyeop and lightly kicked his calf. With the balance of his thousand-pound lock broken, I easily pulled him along.

Thanks, Heavenly Death Star!

Perfect timing.

“What, what kind of killing intent is this?”

It seemed it wasn’t just a simple kick from the Heavenly Death Star. Yoon Daehyeop glanced back in panic, but she had already vanished.

I took advantage of his shock from the killing intent and brought him up on stage.

“What was that just now…”

How powerful was that killing intent that he couldn’t regain his composure?

That’s why you can’t afford to be at a low level. If you had used a ten-thousand-pound lock instead of the thousand-pound lock, you might have resisted the killing intent. I’m not sure if such a thing exists, though.

Before Yoon Daehyeop could recover, I quickly moved on to the next act.

“Yoon Daehyeop! Come here! Is this mark on the tree from the family head’s sword technique?”

I pointed at an imaginary tree with my fan and questioned Yoon Daehyeop.

“No, how can I identify a sword technique I’ve never seen before?”

“Is that sooooo?”

“Yes, it is! Now, I’ll go down.”

Yoon Daehyeop, seemingly annoyed, acknowledged the question casually and tried to leave the stage.

But it wasn’t going to be that easy, buddy.

“No! This! It’s not a sword mark but a mark made by a bear!”

I pretended to examine the imaginary tree closely and called out to Yoon Daehyeop as he was descending.

“Ha! You can’t even recognize a bear’s mark!”

“Hahaha. Yoon Daehyeop, the great warrior, isn’t so great after all.”

“Can’t Yoon Daehyeop even differentiate between claw and sword marks?”

The crowd began mocking Yoon Daehyeop for his mistake of confusing a bear’s claw mark with that of a sword.

“Eeeek!”

Embarrassed to become the butt of the audience’s jokes, Yoon Daehyeop quickly returned to the stage.

Buddy, you’re already caught in the fishing net. Where do you think you’re escaping to?

Yoon Daehyeop’s temples trembled with suppressed anger. However, he couldn’t vent his fury at me or the audience, as he was a character in the story.

If he showed anger recklessly, it would ruin the mood of the story, and Yoon Daehyeop would become the topic of gossip for a long time.

Being the center of attention on stage was challenging for this reason.

Now, to get Yoon Daehyeop safely off the stage, he needed to redeem his honor. Yoon Daehyeop tried to calm his anger and then spoke.

“Now that I look at it, it is indeed a bear’s mark.”

Oh, was this the emotional control of a martial artist? Yoon Daehyeop quickly adopted a poker face, stroking his chin and pretending to examine the imaginary tree. Well, then I should play along.

“That’s right. I also thought it was a sword mark for a moment. It must have been a shallow scratch, easy to mistake.”

Even though Yoon Daehyeop was now a character in the story, continuously mocking him could provoke a disturbance. I decided to save his face.

“I see. It’s easy to make a mistake at first glance.”

Yoon Daehyeop awkwardly followed my cue.

“Ah! Here, it’s clear evidence that the uncle used the family head’s sword technique!”

I raised my folded fan, presenting it to the audience as if it were evidence.

“I’ll go down now.”

As I acted as if I had found evidence, Yoon Daehyeop tried to leave again.

“Wait a minute, Yoon Daehyeop! There’s an important issue now!”

I quickly called out to stop Yoon Daehyeop.

“What now!”

“As far as I know, you are a warrior from Changgeommun in Hubei Province, right?”

“That’s right. But why do you ask that?”

“We’re not in the Central Plains but in Joseon. Why is Yoon Daehyeop, who should be in the Central Plains, here?”

“That’s because you…”

This guy was about to break the immersion.

“Could it be! You’re not Yoon Daehyeop of Changgeommun but from Nangnammun?”

I stepped back two steps in shock.

“What’s Nangnammun?”

Yoon Daehyeop looked at me, puzzled.

“It’s the name of the sect that hired the assassins my uncle sent! I heard there’s also a Yoon Daehyeop there!”

“Oh! Was the warrior from Changgeommun an assassin?”

“What’s going on now? Didn’t we just see someone else? What’s next?”

“You just said don’t jump ahead! I didn’t say anything! Every time this scolder comes, the story changes slightly! That’s why it’s always interesting! This time it’s different too!”

The audience was startled by the sudden twist and began to buzz.

“No, what kind of nonsense…”

Yoon Daehyeop was suddenly painted as the villain, showing a look of disbelief.

“If you’re not an assassin, prove it!”

“How am I supposed to prove that!”

“If you are honorable before the heavens, show the swordsmanship of Changgeommun to the heavens!”

I couldn’t let him get off too easily after one round of mockery.

Yoon something-or-other.

It was time to show some tricks.

“The swordsmanship of Changgeommun is not something to be shown off like a circus act to others…”

What was with the long explanation?

“Oh, heavens! If you think the swordsmanship of Changgeommun should be shown to prove this man’s innocence! Please clap along with me!”

I started clapping my hands towards the sky.

“Wooooooo!”

“Let’s see that great swordsmanship!”

“We’ll even give you a round of applause! Hurry up and show us!”

The audience, excited by the promise of a spectacle, began to cheer and clap.

“Ugh!”

Overwhelmed by the thunderous applause, Yoon Daehyeop flinched. He was still resisting.

If he didn’t show his martial arts, I would make sure he couldn’t leave the stage.

“Oh, heavens! I will continue to clap until this man proves his innocence!”

“Quickly, do it!”

“That little swordsmanship won’t wear out just by showing it!”

“Stop just flexing your muscles and show us something in times like this!”

Yoon Daehyeop bowed his head, trying to ignore the clapping, but it backfired. Instead, the audience members started to insult him and clap even louder.

“Fine! Stop it! I’ll show you if that’s what you want!”

Eventually, Yoon Daehyeop declared his surrender.

“Yoon Daehyeop! Are you really going to prove you’re not an assassin from Nangnammun?”

“I said I’ll show you!”

“Great! Yoon Daehyeop of Changgeommun will perform a sword dance (劍舞) for us!”

Nothing beats a sword dance for a show.

“No, I never said I’d do a sword dance…”

“Wooooo!”

“Wowwww!”

“Ah, what’s going on here?”

Yoon Daehyeop sighed softly and eventually performed his sword dance.

I cautiously moved to the edge of the stage, wary that he might swing his sword at me.

Yoon Daehyeop’s dance, while not as elegant as a beautiful woman’s or as profound as a famous sect’s, definitely delighted the audience with its flair.

Better than I expected.

“That’s enough!”

Yoon Daehyeop’s impressive performance came to an end.

“This is the swordsmanship of Changgeommun! As Hamurin of Joseon, I feel enlightened! Don’t you think so, heavens? If it was impressive, please give a thunderous applause!”

Before Yoon Daehyeop could respond, I quickly prompted the audience’s reaction.

“Wooowwww!”

“That was amazing!”

“No wonder we pay our dues to Changgeommun!”

The audience, who had initially clapped to tease Yoon Daehyeop, now sincerely applauded in admiration.

“No, well, haha.”

Yoon Daehyeop, embarrassed by the adulation and applause of those who had mocked him, blushed.

“Yoon Daehyeop! Thanks to you, I found evidence and enjoyed a splendid sword dance! Thank you!”

I bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle to Yoon Daehyeop.

The audience applauded. I basked in their gratitude.

“How does it feel? Pretty good, right?”

“Cough. I guess it’s all thanks to me. Then, I’ll be off now…”

“Yoon Daehyeop! Are you planning to abandon me now?”

He wasn’t finished yet, buddy.

“Why are you doing this again! Why me!”

He knew why.

“Yoon Daehyeop! I have run out of travel funds! Would you not share some with me!!!”

The gratitude had been just bait.

I signaled for more money.

“Do you know how much I’ve given you today! It’s too much for a story!”

Yoon Daehyeop lacked sense. That kind of talk took him out of character.

Asking for more money here would only spoil the mood of the stage, and he might even draw his sword against me.

Should I relent?

I couldn’t do that!

“Heavens!!!”

“I’m leaving now.”

Sensing my potential antics, Yoon Daehyeop turned to leave the stage.

I couldn’t let him go that easily!

“Here! If Yoon Daehyeop leaves, I must beg the heavens again! If Yoon Daehyeop helps me, I will not have to beg the heavens!!”

I implied to the audience that this guy would pay so I wouldn’t resort to the begging method.

I appealed to them for help.

“If you’re going to help, do it properly! How can you not give a penny for travel expenses!”

“Being so stingy isn’t right!”

“Uuuuuh. Changgeommun knows only how to use swords! Don’t you pity Prince Hamurin!”

The audience started to pressure Yoon Daehyeop for not giving money.

What did they care? They weren’t the ones paying anyway.

This was how you verbally flogged someone.

“No. I’ve already given enough to this storyteller today.”

“Yoon Daehyeop of Changgeommun! If you help me today, I, Prince Hamurin, will never forget your kindness and will remember it forever!”

I prostrated myself in front of Yoon Daehyeop. Yoon something-or-other. He had to sprinkle some money to pick me up.

“Ugh! Alright! This is the last time!”

With those words, Yoon Daehyeop pulled out money from his wallet and threw it before me.

I sneakily peeked to check the money thrown at my feet.

Geez, this guy was stingy. Why did his face look angry, but his hand wasso rational?

“Yoon Daehyeop! I need your kindness to return to the family house!”

Not this dark and rusty stuff, but the white ones.

“Really! What on earth! Sigh!”

Yoon Daehyeop sighed deeply and eventually took out a few white ones from his pocket and threw them at me.

Thank you!

“Thank you, Yoon Daehyeop! I will engrave this kindness in my bones and record it in my heart to pass on to future generations!! Heavens! Please applaud for the generous and skilled warrior of Changgeommun, Yoon Daehyeop!!!”

“Wooooo!”

The audience applauded for Yoon Daehyeop, whose soul seemed to have been threshed out.

I inwardly laughed as I watched Yoon Daehyeop, whose soul seemed to have been threshed out, trudge down from the stage. Though I said I’d remember Yoon Daehyeop’s kindness forever, Prince Hamurin will not.

But I felt the heartache from that day being erased from my bones.

The tale of Prince Hamurin concluded successfully.

“That was fun!”

“There was a reason you were invited to the Gapsu Trading Company!”

“I’ll come again next time!”

As I went down to perform the begging method towards the end of the story, Yoon Daehyeop was visibly on guard, but I ignored him and collected money from other people.

Since I mainly targeted Yoon Daehyeop during today’s performance, in the end, people willingly threw money.

If I could earn this much every day, I’d live without major financial worries.

After confirming that most of the audience had left, I too descended from the stage.

Where could the Heavenly Death Star be?

Today’s story was especially entertaining; I should ask for her opinion. I hope she enjoyed it.

As I searched for the Heavenly Death Star among the few remaining audience members, someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.

Could it be the Heavenly Death Star?

“Huh? What’s the matter?”

Turning around, I didn’t see the Heavenly Death Star; instead, Yoon Daehyeop stood there with a menacing look on his face.

This doesn’t feel good.

In a low but firm tone, Yoon Daehyeop spoke to me.

“Follow me quietly. If you make noise, it won’t be fun.”

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