I expected to be confined to the quarters for a day or two, but by dawn, I was released without any trouble.
"You've been through a lot. Go back and rest."
"What about my shift?"
Jo Gyeong-jik let out a short sigh, his weary face looking as if he had aged several years in a short time.
"There's no suspicion on you, so just come to work at your usual time. Are you perhaps thinking of quitting?"
"No." I didn't want to get tangled up in this sort of thing, but backing out now would be the perfect way to attract suspicion or dirty looks.
I had to keep living in the Western Village, and having an awkward relationship with the Dragon Sky Escort Agency would be tiresome in many ways. I had a promise with the Chief Escort Leader, and I should at least complete the month. I changed my clothes and left the Deep Fragrance Pavilion.
The main hall was quiet, the drinking party apparently over. Even the red lanterns hanging in rows from the eaves were all extinguished, but there were still several escorts standing guard nearby. Leaving the strange gazes of the day shift gatekeepers behind me, I walked out of the wide alley.
Diligent merchants were opening their shops here and there, waking the hazy dawn. The street, where the sun had not yet risen, was already lukewarm, making me wonder how hot it would get today.
Not a single one of the Black Night Gang thugs who had caused a ruckus yesterday was to be seen; perhaps they were still sleeping, or perhaps they had died in the night. Though I was heading home after resting comfortably in the quarters, my steps felt uneasy.
Even after I went home, washed up, fell asleep, and woke up in the afternoon, my mood hadn't improved at all. The weather was sweltering, so I skipped my sword art training and headed for the Wind River Inn. Gu-sam came over with a teapot, his eyes sparkling with unusual brightness today.
"I heard an escort died at the Deep Fragrance Pavilion last night, is that right?"
"Where did you hear that?"
"The rumor has spread all over town. It's all anyone talks about when they get together."
With so many witnesses, it was probably inevitable that word would get out, no matter how they tried to keep it quiet. But from what I heard, it didn't seem like a rumor that had spread naturally.
"They're saying the culprit is the same guy who took care of those Black Night Gang bastards, right? Is it true he sent a challenge to the Dragon Sky Escort Agency too?"
"I wouldn't know."
"There's talk that one of the ten great masters of the unorthodox paths has come to the Western Village. Some people say they saw the Fiend Butcher."
I paused as I was rinsing my mouth with the cold tea.
"Fiend Butcher? You mean one of the Three Great Fiends?"
"Yes. That murderer who supposedly tears people apart with his jagged blade. They say he's the most vicious of the Three Great Fiends."
"Why would the Fiend Butcher bother climbing the walls of a backwater town like this?"
A laugh escaped me. The Chief Escort Leader had probably started the rumor, but I figured mentioning a monster like the Fiend Butcher was likely the work of gossipmongers with loose tongues. After eating my fill, I left the inn and headed for work.
Despite the uproar yesterday, two escorts were still guarding the door of the Deep Fragrance Pavilion. They should have been happy to see me arrive for my shift, but the gatekeepers pretended not to see me and looked away. It was the same with the escorts guarding the quarters.
They had been chatting loud enough to be heard from outside, but the moment I entered, the conversation stopped dead.
"Is it that time already?"
"I should probably head back to the agency."
Both of them avoided my gaze and hastily left. Only a gruff, middle-aged escort remained. He was the one assigned to the night shift with me in place of Bang Jo-in.
"Let's go."
When I left work in the morning, the inside of the Deep Fragrance Pavilion had been teeming with more than a dozen escorts. Now, not a single escort was to be seen, not in the main hall or anywhere else. Just a moment ago, there had been only two in the quarters.
"It seems like there are fewer guards than usual."
As I stared at him, waiting for an answer, the escort reluctantly opened his mouth.
"Escort Leader Jo was summoned by the pavilion master this morning, and then he had everyone withdrawn. Said it was bad for business. Internal patrols are on hold for now, too."
From the pavilion master's perspective, it made sense. If security at a brothel was too tight, even esteemed guests would turn away, and all sorts of malicious rumors were bound to spread. If the person who killed Bang Jo-in was Lee Yun-jae or one of the house guests in the detached houses, the pavilion master probably knew.
In that case, there was no more danger, so there was no reason to increase security. Would the pavilion master really seek me out? The Chief Escort Leader had spoken with conviction, but I wondered if anything would change even if she did call me to ask about the situation.
"Has the culprit been caught?"
"I don't know."
This middle-aged escort was a man of few words at the best of times, but now he seemed even more reluctant to speak. Come to think of it, ever since I was isolated in the quarters alone last night, no one had spoken to me. I hadn't known them long, so I wasn't particularly close to any of the escorts.
Still, we used to at least exchange greetings when we passed each other, but now everyone avoided even that. They weren't suspecting me of being the murderer who killed a colleague. They were just keeping their distance for now because it was an uncomfortable situation.
Jo Gyeong-jik said I was cleared of suspicion, but they didn't know what kind of trouble might arise later if they got involved by talking to me. After all, disaster often strikes those who stand next to the ill-fated.
It was the same principle as when a fierce martial artist storms into an inn and points a sword at someone, causing the people eating at nearby tables to scramble away in fright. As dusk fell, a few carriages arrived. As usual, a servant ran out and guided the carriages to the main hall.
Around the time the moon rose above the brothel's roof, Jo Gyeong-jik called for me.
"The pavilion master is looking for you. You should go."
Glancing at the servant who had come to fetch me, Jo Gyeong-jik gave me a silent look. It meant I should watch what I said and did, and not make any mistakes. I nodded to show I understood and left the quarters.
I followed the servant, carefully replaying the conversation I had with the Chief Escort Leader last night, but the servant headed not for the main hall, but for the detached houses.
"Where are we going?"
"The pavilion master has asked me to bring you to her residence."
"Her residence?"
What on earth did she want to talk about that she would summon me to her residence? We passed the spot where Bang Jo-in had collapsed and entered the area of the detached houses, hidden by a wall. The wall, built of stacked bricks, was too high to jump over.
It was dark, and I couldn't see any footholds. At first glance, it seemed impregnable, but one could easily scale it with a rope and grappling hook. Perhaps Bang Jo-in had gotten over the wall in a similar fashion.
"Who is staying here?"
"I wouldn't know. The servants who manage the detached houses are separate from us."
The passage between the walls split in two directions at the end.
"There's more than one detached house?"
When I asked just in case, this time the servant proudly held up his hand, spreading his fingers wide.
"There are five of them. Even at famous brothels in big cities, you'd be lucky to find one or two that are decently decorated, but all five of our Deep Fragrance Pavilion's are top-class, fit to be shown anywhere."
"It must not be easy to run them."
"As you've seen, sir escort, the guests never stop coming. And they're not just anybody, most of them are generous, esteemed guests who don't care about the cost at all."
"That's impressive."
As I made some appropriate remarks, we soon arrived in front of the detached house where the pavilion master was staying. The servant politely knocked on the door three times and announced his purpose.
"It is Cheong-bok. I have brought the escort."
A moment later, I heard the sound of a bolt being undone, and the wooden door opened inward. A young man with a face so pale it was almost white revealed himself. At a glance, he looked like a kept man living off the brothel, but what emanated from his face was not the scent of powder.
For a moment, a chill ran down my spine at his stern presence, which was like a finely honed, white blade. Swallowing dryly at the unexpected appearance of a master, I took a step back. I instinctively grabbed the hilt of the willow blade at my back and shifted it toward my waist.
As I tensed up, the man's eyes narrowed.
"Are you Escort Jeong Dae-cheon?"
"I am."
"Please come in."
The man stepped back, opening the door wide. The servant bowed and left. I couldn't do the same.
Calming my heart, I forced myself to take a step. As I crossed the threshold, the sword hanging at the waist of the man, who had stepped aside, caught my eye.
A swordsman…
Not wanting to have such a difficult master at my back, I kept my distance. The man closed the door and led the way.
"This way."
I followed behind, keeping a generous distance. My eyes had not deceived me. The man's movements and stride were chillingly light and steady.
Even with his back completely exposed, I could find almost no openings. Despite having an unfamiliar, sword-bearing martial artist behind him, the man never once looked back. His attitude, as if he were blatantly showing off the difference in our martial ability, made me feel slighted.
A competitive spirit began to simmer within me. Surely the other martial artists staying in the other detached houses couldn't be this skilled. The inside of the detached house was larger than it looked from the outside.
Passing through a garden elegantly decorated with various stones and trees, the man stopped in front of a building lit by lanterns.
"Pavilion Master. Escort Jeong Dae-cheon has arrived."
"Show him in."
"Please leave your weapon here before you enter."
The man stepped aside and held out his hand. So he was a bodyguard... To employ such a master at a brothel.
Moreover, the man's respectful attitude toward his superior showed a well-established hierarchy, no less than that of any orthodox sect. At this point, I couldn't help but be suspicious. What exactly was the Deep Fragrance Pavilion?
It couldn't possibly be a simple brothel that sold only alcohol and entertainment. I untied my willow blade, handed it over, and went inside. The pavilion master was waiting for me in a spacious and lavish reception room.
I bowed my head slightly in greeting, and the pavilion master gestured to a seat.
"Please, sit. I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"Not at all. I'm on duty anyway."
"Is that so?"
As I sat across from her at the round table, the pavilion master lifted a jade teapot and filled my cup. When I lifted the cup and took a sip, a rich fragrance filled my nose as if flowers were blooming inside. It was a top-grade tea, incomparable to the cheap stuff I drank at the inn.
Unfortunately, I was in no mood to enjoy the tea's aroma and taste. From the looks of it, it seemed the pavilion master was in the same boat. Someone had died in her brothel, and the culprit had not been caught.
There was no way she could be in a good mood. With such a master as her bodyguard, she probably wasn't worried for her own safety, but it was as clear as day that it would have a negative impact on the brothel's business and reputation.
It would be normal for her to be angry, asking what on earth the escort agency was doing. The face of the pavilion master, who boasted an elegant beauty that defied her age even with light makeup, was extremely cold.
Perhaps because she wasn't smiling, she felt less like a world-weary courtesan and more like the mistress of a wealthy merchant guild or family. No, it was something more subtle than that. It was definitely my first time meeting the pavilion master, yet strangely, her voice seemed familiar.
Where had I heard it… I'm sure I'd heard that voice before. After maintaining an awkward silence for a moment, letting me feel sufficient pressure, the pavilion master opened her mouth.
"So, shall we hear the whole story?"
I repeated the statement I'd had to give over and over in front of Jo Gyeong-jik and Du Ja-ryeom, as simply, clearly, and sincerely as possible. The only thing different was that I subtly added the details I had agreed upon with the Chief Escort Leader. The pavilion master, who had been listening silently, tilted her head.
"A man in a black mask… has his identity been revealed?"
"Not yet, as far as I know."
"Hmm…"
The pavilion master frowned, fiddling with her teacup. She seemed displeased with the escort agency's handling of the matter.
"Was there anything else?"
"What do you mean by anything else?"
"Did you see or notice anything unusual at the scene, something out of the ordinary?"
"Well…"
"Anything, no matter how trivial. Feel free to speak your mind."
Her tone was casual as if it were nothing, but the pavilion master was subtly persistent. A cool light flickered in her eyes as she calmly observed my reaction. This is it…
This was the reason she called me, even though she must have heard everything from the Chief Escort Leader. I hadn't seen anything in particular, but what was it that I shouldn't have seen? Or what should have been there?
"I didn't see anything special. It was dark, and with someone suddenly dying, I was in such a state of shock that I didn't have the presence of mind to look around properly."
"I see."
The pavilion master nodded as if she understood, took a sip of tea, and leaned back in her chair. With a light sigh, her shoulders slumped slightly. Only then did I realize it.
The pavilion master had been tense too. It was one thing for her to be relieved that I hadn't seen anything, but why did I sense a strange hint of disappointment? Is the culprit Lee Yun-jae or one of the house guests in the detached houses after all?
If her goal is to protect them, maybe she'll just drag this out and wrap it up vaguely at some point. After exchanging a few more questions and answers over several more cups of tea, I came outside. The bodyguard walked me through the garden to the gate before returning my willow blade.
I turned my back to the closing gate and started walking. I glanced up at the moon-drenched detached house, and only then did I remember. I remembered where I had heard the pavilion master's voice.
The night of Lee Yun-jae's celebration party. A woman had been humming a lullaby from the Hubei region. There were no lyrics to the humming, but that voice was definitely the pavilion master's, whom I had just met.
The next day, Lee Yun-jae had sung that same lullaby while looking up at the moon, and Bang Jo-in had been humming it too. If the three of them had met in one place... All sorts of hypotheses and speculations swirled chaotically in my head.
Every single one of them was the kind of thought that would invite disaster if spoken aloud.
"Huuu."
I sighed and tore my gaze away from the pavilion master's residence. As I turned to head back to the quarters, my steps halted in an unexpected place. In a secluded corner of the wall, about five paces from where Bang Jo-in had collapsed and died.
Something was faintly gleaming, like a cat's eye. Rummaging through the weeds, I found a small jade fragment, about the size of two finger joints. I couldn't tell what shape it was, but it had yellowish tints here and there, as if it were mixed with gold.
Who would…
I was holding the jade fragment up to my eye when something flashed past the edge of my vision. Startled, I turned and looked toward the outer wall at the far end of the opposite detached house. Something swayed greatly, and then someone landed on top of the wall.
Revealed under the moonlight was the back of a figure in black robes, wearing a bamboo hat. While I stood there blinking, the black-robed figure disappeared over the wall. I tucked the jade fragment into my clothes and ran.
The secret to the black-robed figure's amazing lightness arts was a single pine tree growing slanted along the wall. Stepping on the swaying pine tree, I too was able to climb to the top of the wall without difficulty. The black-robed figure was hurrying away down the alley outside the Deep Fragrance Pavilion.
I was dumbfounded. Did the Chief Escort Leader know something when he mentioned the man in the black mask? There was no time to call for people, no time to hesitate.
I checked the ground outside the wall, turned, and lowered my stance. Hanging from the wall to reduce the height as much as possible, I let go. The moment I landed safely on the ground, I drew my willow blade.
Hiding the blade, which glinted coldly in the moonlight, in the shadows at the base of the wall, I chased after the black-robed figure.