The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Can You Handle It?
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“Young Lady Yeon, it seems you’ve encountered someone you know. Would you mind introducing us? I get the feeling… they’re people I should befriend.”
Seomun Jehak’s voice was calm, but his mood was anything but pleasant.
Still, he kept his irritation hidden.
Seomun Jehak, along with Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak, observed Byeok Taesan’s group intently, their eyes gleaming with scrutiny.
Behind them stood a formidable lineup of their family warriors, exuding significant pressure. Yet, not a single member of Byeok Taesan’s group was affected by the display.
Yeon Harin felt a slight unease.
If those men truly decided to act, dealing with Byeok Taesan wouldn’t even be a challenge.
The Seomun family, the Gu Yang family, and the Chu family—all possessed overwhelming power.
While Yeon Harin was contemplating how to respond, Seomun Jehak fixed his gaze on Byeok Taesan and asked directly,
“By any chance, are you the Byeok Taesan who was once Young Lady Yeon’s fiancé?”
Byeok Taesan tilted his head slightly at the question.
“Once?”
He turned to Yeon Harin and asked,
“Did we break off our engagement?”
Startled, Yeon Harin vehemently shook her head.
“Of course not!”
Byeok Taesan had indeed once sought to annul the engagement, but Yeon Harin had resolutely opposed and held her ground.
When she had met Byeok Taesan at Yeon Manor last time, she had been filled with hope.
His health had visibly improved, so much so that she began to dream of a full recovery.
Why would she ever consider breaking off the engagement when the situation had only gotten better?
Byeok Taesan nodded and looked back at Seomun Jehak.
“So it seems,” he said nonchalantly.
Seomun Jehak’s eyebrow twitched. His discomfort was evident, but he restrained himself from openly showing it.
Then, his attention was drawn to the women standing behind Byeok Taesan: Dan Yeong, Chae Wol, and Soso.
Seomun Jehak’s eyes widened.
Their beauty was striking—excluding Soso, of course.
Though not on par with Yeon Harin, the women still radiated their own distinct charm, even in her presence.
This was no small feat.
Most beauties paled in comparison when standing next to Yeon Harin.
Seomun Jehak wasn’t the only one reacting this way.
Behind him, Gu Yangsoo, Chu Yeonghak, and even their guards wore similar expressions.
“Although we met by chance, since I’m your fiancé, why don’t we return to my lodging together?”
Byeok Taesan suggested it casually.
Yeon Harin eagerly nodded.
Even if she had to beg to accompany him, she wouldn’t have refused such a polite invitation.
“You’re heading straight there, right?”
She moved close to Byeok Taesan, looking up at him.
Though she didn’t dare hold his hand or link arms, simply walking beside him was enough to make her happy.
Byeok Taesan glanced at her silently, prompting Yeon Harin to look up with sparkling eyes.
“Why? Is there something on my face?”
“Just curious.”
“About what?”
Byeok Taesan briefly glanced at the three men who were watching from a distance.
“Aren’t their families quite prominent?”
“What does that matter?”
Byeok Taesan didn’t reply further. Instead, he turned back and began walking.
“Let’s go.”
At his words, the group began moving together.
‘Why is she so attached to me?’
It was a sudden thought that surfaced in Byeok Taesan’s mind.
In the past, he hadn’t cared enough to notice, but now that he was paying attention, the question naturally arose.
Aside from their engagement in childhood, there didn’t seem to be any significant connection.
‘Did something happen when we were kids?’
There was no other explanation he could think of.
But that was a question for another time. If curiosity persisted, he could always ask her directly.
For now, he would focus on what he wanted to do.
As Byeok Taesan and Yeon Harin walked off, Seomun Jehak and the others watched them intently.
“What do you plan to do?”
Gu Yangsoo asked.
Seomun Jehak scoffed.
“What else? We’ll secure our lodgings, of course.”
Chu Yeonghak spoke up urgently,
“Then why are we standing around? We need to follow them!”
They had to secure a lodging near or within the same place.
“Let’s move and discuss plans as we go.”
Seomun Jehak, unable to hide his irritation, moved first.
‘As expected, he would look like that,’ he thought bitterly.
Yeon Harin, from the moment she met Byeok Taesan, had been smiling in a way Seomun Jehak had never seen before.
That smile was beautiful enough to stir both jealousy and admiration.
Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak felt much the same.
They followed slowly, their eyes fixed on the group ahead.
Yeon Harin and Byeok Taesan were walking side by side, eliciting grinding teeth from the three men.
Their gazes shifted to Dan Yeong and Chae Wol.
“It feels like we’ve stumbled upon a treasure,” Seomun Jehak muttered, prompting Gu Yang Soo and Chu Yeonghak to nod unconsciously.
When they arrived at the inn, Yeon Harin’s eyes widened in surprise.
She hadn’t expected such a magnificent inn to exist in Xing Province.
Even in Wuhan, she had never seen one of this caliber.
“I can’t believe a place like this exists here,” she murmured, looking at the signboard.
The inn’s name, Golden Moon Inn, was elegantly inscribed on the board, clearly the work of a master calligrapher.
“It must be associated with the Golden Moon Merchants,” she remarked.
If the inn was owned by the Golden Moon Merchants, it made sense.
“This region is particularly significant to them,” the Heavenly Divine Healer chimed in, proud of his knowledge.
His explanation, accompanied by a slightly arrogant expression, caught everyone’s attention.
“The Golden Moon Merchants are the closest to being the number one merchant group under the heavens. They’re a peculiar bunch—they even have three martial sects under their command.”
The group couldn’t hide their surprise.
The idea of a merchant group commanding martial sects was beyond their imagination. How much wealth would it take to achieve such a thing?
Although everyone knew the Golden Moon Merchants were extraordinary, this level of influence was unprecedented.
“One of them happens to be here in Xing Province. This inn is run by that very sect,” said the Heavenly Divine Healer.
Yeon Harin looked at him with admiration in her eyes.
“You know so much.”
“Ahem. Well, I’ve traveled a lot and picked up all sorts of things along the way. That’s just how a physician’s life is. Wherever there’s a patient, that’s where I must go. Building rapport with patients is essential. Naturally, I’ve been to Xing Province several times. Speaking of which, when I last came to Xing Province…”
Just as the Heavenly Divine Healer was about to launch into another long story, Byeok Taesan raised a hand, interrupting him.
With that simple gesture, the Heavenly Divine Healer fell silent.
“Enough with the explanations for now. Let’s head inside. Judging by the size of this place, it doesn’t seem like we’ll have to worry about room availability.”
When Byeok Taesan and his group entered the Golden Moon Inn, another group soon arrived after them.
“Hah. Golden Moon Inn? Typical of a rich guy to go all out,” remarked Seomun Jehak.
The Golden Moon Inn was infamous for its exorbitant prices.
Even Seomun Jehak had only heard of it and never seen it in person.
Despite being relatively well-traveled compared to others in his group, this was his first time here.
The others, Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak, knew even less.
“It appears this inn was built by the Golden Moon Merchants,” one of them noted.
“Indeed. Those money-grubbing bastards spared no expense, which explains why it’s so expensive. You’d have to pay ten times the rate of other inns just to get a room here.”
“Ten times? Seriously?”
“Let’s go in for now.”
When they stepped inside, they were momentarily stunned by the overwhelming grandeur of the place.
What had merely seemed impressive from the outside turned out to be utterly breathtaking up close.
Everything inside—from the smallest decorations to the overall layout—was flawless. It was a place that reeked of wealth.
Naturally, such extravagance came with a hefty price tag.
The inn’s staff were also far from ordinary.
The women welcoming the guests were so beautiful they could have been mistaken for courtesans, impeccably dressed and exuding elegance.
Seomun Jehak spoke confidently.
“We’re with the group that just entered. Arrange rooms in the same area for us.”
A staff member responded with a calm expression.
“They are staying in a separate annex. If you are part of the same party, shall I notify them? The annexes at Golden Moon Inn are spacious enough to accommodate additional guests without any inconvenience.”
Seomun Jehak frowned as his thoughts raced.
He didn’t want to demean himself by asking to stay with them—it was a matter of pride.
“No need. Just arrange for us to stay in an annex close to theirs.”
The staff member bowed politely.
“Of course. Please note that the annexes cost thirty gold coins per night.”
Seomun Jehak’s steps halted abruptly, his face betraying his shock.
“Thirty gold coins?”
He turned to Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak, who both avoided his gaze.
Thirty gold coins for a single night was an absurd amount, far surpassing the cost of even the finest inns elsewhere.
In most reputable inns, renting an annex for a night wouldn’t cost more than two gold coins.
Sensing his hesitation, the staff member smiled gently, as if accustomed to such reactions.
“Our annexes are divided into three levels. The closer to the center, the quieter and more secure they are. The one near the other guests’ annex costs thirty gold coins, but an annex slightly further away is available for ten gold coins.”
Even ten gold coins felt excessive.
Paying that much for a single night was outrageous.
Two nights would cost twenty gold coins.
“Did the group that entered earlier choose the third-level annex?”
The staff member shook her head.
“They went even deeper. That annex is our most exclusive one, and it’s reserved for very special guests. We only have one such annex, so we can’t offer it to others. I hope you understand.”
“Even deeper?”
Seomun Jehak repeated.
“Yes, sir. That annex costs sixty gold coins per night and is reserved only for the most exceptional guests.”
The phrases “most exceptional” and “sixty gold coins” rang in his ears.
“Hah! Just who are those people?”
The staff member maintained her polite posture, waiting for Seomun Jehak’s decision.
“Hold on. Did you say they were special guests?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Do you call anyone special just to pay more?”
“Of course not. We have internal criteria to determine who qualifies.”
“Then tell me—who among that group made them so special?”
“They requested confidentiality, sir.”
Seomun Jehak scoffed.
“Hah, so you’ll let anyone in if they pay enough. Do you even know who we are?”
The staff member glanced briefly at the group before responding respectfully.
“If I may guess, you seem to be from the Seomun, Gu Yang, and Chu families.”
Seomun Jehak’s eyes widened slightly.
“Not bad. That’s right. We’re direct descendants of those families. Now, are you saying we’re not more special than the people who just went in?”
“My apologies, sir.”
The staff member’s response made Seomun Jehak’s eyebrows twitch. He was growing increasingly irritated.
“Are you apologizing because you’re looking down on us, or because the other group is truly more exceptional than we are?”
For the first time, the staff member looked troubled.
Though she was skilled at handling difficult customers, this situation was testing her limits.
“Just send a message to them. Tell them to switch annexes—we’ll take theirs. Surely, we’re qualified to stay there.”
“Your qualifications are more than sufficient, sir. However…”
In truth, their qualifications were borderline at best.
Under different circumstances, they might have been allowed into the exclusive annex, but this wasn’t one of those times.
“However, what? Choose your words carefully if you don’t want to regret it later,” Seomun Jehak said, his tone sharp.
A menacing aura began to emanate from him, and the staff member turned pale.
At that moment, someone emerged from inside.
“I’m the so-called ‘special guest.’ If you have complaints, bring them to me instead of causing a scene here.”
Seomun Jehak spun around, his expression shifting.
The same was true for Gu Yangsoo and Chu Yeonghak behind him.
Seomun Jehak growled, “Do you think you can handle us?”
Byeok Taesan smirked faintly.
“And do you think you can handle me?”