The Eunuch Regains His Manhood in the Second Round

47. The Audacious Kid

Whoosh.

A gust of wind blew between Seoharin and me.

“What do you mean by that?”

I asked Seoharin again, thinking I might have misheard her.

At my words, Seoharin bit her lip.

She took a step back and said.

“If you desire this girl’s body, I will offer it to you.”

“Lady Seo?”

“It is the fate of a woman to eventually marry someone whose name she does not even know. If Gongdongpa loses in this martial arts competition, my fate will be the same.”

“Lady Seo, what are you talking about···.”

“Whether I am sold as a courtesan or become a concubine of a wealthy man, a dreadful fate awaits me. So I would rather entrust my fate to you, sir.”

Seoharin said to me with a determined face.

“In return, you must······. Defeat Heukryongbang in this martial arts competition and become a renowned master in the martial world. If you promise that, I will come to your quarters tonight.”

Seoharin’s eyes sank heavily.

Her sudden outburst made my head spin.

What is she misunderstanding so unnecessarily? And she even said she would come to my quarters at night?

‘Is she trying to make it a fait accompli?’

Even someone as clueless about women’s hearts as I am could see Seoharin’s intentions very clearly.

Seoharin’s words were a deadly move that could only be used in this paradoxical Confucian land.

In the medieval martial world, it was unthinkable for a man to take a woman’s, especially an outsider’s, first time and not take responsibility.

It was not for nothing that old martial arts novels had scenes where a female master, addicted to an aphrodisiac, shared a night of passion with a male protagonist under the pretext of saving her, only to demand responsibility later because her body had been defiled.

—

Through him, I realized that Seo Harin had penetrated the essence of marriage in this world.

Throughout human history, the period when love marriages became common is only a few hundred years since modern times.

Originally, marriage was arranged marriage, and strategic marriage was the norm. And strategic marriage was a transaction in the form of marriage.

As Seo Harin said, in the medieval murim of this world, a woman’s fate was nothing but marrying a man she didn’t even know through matchmaking.

Or she would live her life as a nun or a palace maid, remaining single forever.

Moreover, if she loses in the martial arts competition, her body will be taken by the Sa Young Association anyway. But Seo Harin, a filial daughter, cannot abandon her father and run away.

So she decided to make a fait accompli with me and get married. Indeed, it was a thought worthy of the Cold Sword Maiden, who was called the brain of the Gongdong Sect in her previous life and was responsible for the administration of the Gongdong Sect instead of the head.

But did it really have to be this way?

Defeating the Black Path, proposing a martial arts competition to the Black Dragon Room, and receiving an apology from the Black Dragon were all things I wanted to do.

She didn’t need to step forward like this. I will win the martial arts competition against the Black Dragon Room on my own.

Yet the reason she proposed the transaction is…

‘She doesn’t trust me.’

To be precise, she thinks there is some reason behind my goodwill.

So she proposed the transaction because she couldn’t trust me.

At least if we complete the transaction under mutual agreement and create a fait accompli to grasp my ethical weakness, then she can trust me.

That’s what Seo Harin must have thought.

And there is one more reason she proposed such a drastic transaction.

‘Not caring for her own body, still self-destructive.’

In both her past and present lives, the Cold Sword Maiden Seo Harin had a self-destructive personality.

The fact that she could throw her own body as a tool if necessary means, conversely, that she doesn’t care for her own body.

My eyes calmed down.

My pounding heart cooled down.

Seo Harin in front of me no longer looked like a girl.

It felt like facing a political enemy in the court.

It had been a long time since I felt this way.

So what should I do with this audacious brat?

I pondered.

If I were a lustful demon with a brain soaked in lust, I would gladly accept Seo Harin’s proposal and consummate with her, but I am a grandmaster of the Lustful Path with cold reason and a 50-year career as a treacherous minister.

If I accept Seo Harin’s proposal as it is, I can possess her body, but I cannot have her heart.

Moreover, it would result in me, a 9,999-year-old power minister, losing in a political battle with a brat who still has blood on her head.

—

‘That’s not possible.’

A hollow relationship that seeks only physical pleasure is precisely the kind of indulgence I most abhor.

In the pursuit of sensuality, both physical pleasure and mental connection must accompany one another.

Thus, I had to refuse her proposal here.

No matter how infatuated I was with women, I wasn’t mad enough to engage in such acts with a minor.

“…Why are you hesitating? Is the girl’s body not to your liking? Though tainted with the blood of a color merchant, she has been deemed a rare beauty in this world. Surely, she is enough to be a companion for a sage like you…”

With a voice that trembled slightly, Seo Ha-rin appealed to her merits.

Instead of answering, I flicked her forehead.

Thwack.

“Ugh?!”

Seo Ha-rin stepped back, clutching her forehead.

Tears glistened in her eyes.

“Do I appear to you as someone who seeks a reward? As it is written in the Records of the Grand Historian, a true hero does not shy away from danger in their endeavors. I, too, merely sought the path of a hero as a righteous person.”

Indeed, Sima Qian, the greatest historian of all time.

The Records are a historical text worth trading a testicle for. If I were Sima Qian, I wouldn’t have done it.

“But…”

As she rubbed her swollen forehead, Seo Ha-rin trailed off.

Of course, I had no intention of merely playing the part of a pure hero.

She wouldn’t believe that, anyway.

The key to persuading someone with a lie is not to make it 100% false, but to mix in at least 1% truth to blend with the falsehood.

I looked directly at Seo Ha-rin and said,

“It was to prevent harm from befalling not only you, but also the innocent. Yet, shamefully, I could not even earn your trust.”

“That’s…”

“If this martial arts competition ends in our sect’s victory, our name will be widely known throughout the world. That alone is sufficient. There’s no need for you to speak of any price to pay.”

As I spoke of not being able to buy trust, Seo Ha-rin flinched.

“…And I have never harbored any lewd intentions toward you. Even without such an unreasonable proposal, I will win in the competition. I will risk my life to protect you, to rebuild our sect, and to make a name for myself as a great hero alongside my master. That is my goal. For now.”

My words were, of course, 100% sincere.

Naturally, I omitted the part about capturing the hearts of women after making a name for myself as a hero and achieving a legendary status.

The beauty of omission makes lies more elegant.

Seo Ha-rin’s body trembled as she looked directly into my eyes.

—

She realized it too. That there was no lie in my words.

“…Then what should I do? I, who have been powerless and unable to do anything all this time…”

Seoharin’s shoulders trembled.

I approached her and pressed her reddened forehead with the essence of acupuncture, giving her both the disease and the cure, and said,

“Why do you think you are powerless? When I was injured internally, Miss Seo took care of me with utmost devotion. If it weren’t for Miss Seo’s efforts, I wouldn’t have been able to get up so easily. I consider that a great favor in itself. That’s how I feel.”

This is also sincere.

If it weren’t for Seoharin, I would have been nursed by my senior brother.

The thought of being nursed by a man alone sent chills down my spine.

I was fortunate to have Seoharin.

“But…”

Tears welled up in Seoharin’s eyes at my words.

Good.

Now is the perfect time to say it.

Before she could say anything, I smiled gently and spoke to her first.

“If you still think you are powerless, then after this martial arts competition, formally join our sect. If you want to change your destiny, that is. Neither my master nor Mr. Seo will oppose it.”

If the martial arts competition ends like this, there is a possibility that Seoharin will not join our sect, unlike in my previous life.

I cannot let that happen.

A genius among geniuses. Although not as monstrous as my senior brother, who was born with the qualities of a grandmaster and the heavenly martial body, Seoharin also possessed exceptional talent, having reached the state of enlightenment in her previous life.

For the sake of rebuilding our sect, I must bring her into our fold.

Of course, I must prevent her from getting close to my senior brother.

Her reddened forehead cooled down.

I removed my hand from her forehead.

“A girl’s life is determined by herself. Do you truly believe that if I learn martial arts, I will become a renowned heroine in the martial world?”

Seoharin looked straight at me and said.

“If you learn martial arts, you will surely become one. You might even become the best among women. I can swear on my name.”

Seoharin’s pupils trembled at my words.

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She lowered her head and spoke in a small voice.

“…After the martial arts competition… I will think about it.”

It was an answer that was close to a positive consideration.

—

—

Done.

Just getting this far is as good as a success.

“One last thing I must ask of you… Miss Seo. Cherish yourself. Love yourself. I hope you won’t say such things to others as you did to me.”

I was shocked when I first heard her say she would give herself to me.

It’s a good thing I heard it, but what if my senior brother had heard it?

I don’t even want to imagine it.

I can’t let Seo Harin, who will become my junior sister, go around saying such things to just anyone.

“…I understand.”

Seo Harin nodded at my words.

“Then I shall take my leave. It’s still chilly, so you should go inside and rest, Miss Seo.”

“I will do so.”

Hearing Seo Harin’s reply, I leaped away first.

It was late.

It was time for my cardiovascular endurance training, stationary running, hanging exercises, and jelqing exercises.

*

Watching Lee Cheolsu disappear from sight in an instant, Seo Harin bit her lip.

‘It’s not just anyone. It was because it was this young master that I said such things…’

She quietly swallowed her words in her heart.

Thump thump.

Seo Harin’s heart began to beat a little faster.

It was the first time.

Receiving pure kindness from someone without any reason.

Moreover, he even said he didn’t want her body.

Having always received lustful gazes from men, Seo Harin could tell. There was no lust in Lee Cheolsu’s eyes or expressions directed at her.

As he said, he had intended to protect her from the beginning without any compensation.

Realizing everything, Seo Harin lowered her head.

‘…What have I done?’

Blush.

Realizing belatedly that she had said something shameful as a woman, Seo Harin’s face turned red at that moment.

“Miss Seo.”

—

—

Someone appeared before her.

Seo Harin lifted her head.

There stood a beautiful boy in black martial arts attire, with an overwhelming and violent beauty that even Seo Harin, who prided herself on her looks, had to concede to.

It was Lee Cheolsu’s senior, Yoo Jinhwi.