Chapter 26
(TL: From here on out, raw chapters need to be purchased from the source. I'd like to take this opportunity thank the gracious donors who have donated so far. And please, keep 'em coming!! Haha.)
In a Mercenaries’ Tavern located on the outskirts of Gangwon Province.
Once upon a time, this establishment was packed to the brim with the voices of drunken Mercenaries, smell of strong liquor, sweat, and sounds of fisticuffs. Back then, 24 hours in a day weren’t enough for the working Mercenaries; and when they were sitting here doing nothing, the Master of the Tavern reminded them of their shortcomings, all in a good camaraderie. (TL: this last line also confused me a great deal. Wasn’t sure whether the author was saying the Master was telling the Mercs off, or it’s the other way around.)
But now… all of that was a distant memory.
No one sought out the singularly 'frozen in time' Mercenaries’ Tavern. A shabby exterior and the worn, broken down furniture, bottles of strong alcohol going through another stage of fermentation thanks to no one buying them - and an empty wooden board made of cork, bereft of any and all assignments.
Like the dying Mercenaries, a Tavern also forgotten and buried in time.
However, regardless how forgotten this place was, there still was one man resolutely looking after it.
He was Kim Yu-Sohn, a middle aged Mercenary.
Just like everyday, he polished the cutlery of the Tavern, cleaned the furniture, and brushed up the empty cork notice board, believing that, one day, this board would be choke-full of assignments.
*SFX for an ill-fitting door sliding open*
The wooden door’s metal hinges made a sorrowful wail as it opened. The half opened door then made more weak noises before breaking up completely. The man who was trying to open it carefully lowered the broken door down and entered inside the Tavern.
"….Dad."
"You’ve come. Take a seat."
Kim Yu-Sohn stopped cleaning the furniture and went behind the bar to receive his son.
"It’s been really a long time since your last visit here."
"…"
The son couldn’t say anything. Even though he had something he wanted to say prepared beforehand, the moment he saw his father’s face… nothing came out of his mouth. As a son, he knew better than anyone what this Tavern meant to his father.
That’s why, the son began talking about his current situation, trying to beat around the bush.
"Dad, I’ve managed to rank up to a Mid Tier Knight in the Goryeo Knights Order recently. My annual salary has doubled as well. Because of that, I’ve decided to look for a house here in Gangwon. Now that I’ve got some breathing space, I thought it was a bit of waste commuting from Seoul all the time." (TL: Hah!! Got you. I bet you thought this was our MC. Haha. You naughty author, you…)
"Is that right? Well done, son. Your mother on the other side will be proud of you."
The father, Kim Yu-Sohn, smiled warmly. The son that was looking at his father with sad eyes, bit his lips and lowered his head.
That was an event of the distant past, long enough ago to cause the memories to become indistinct now.
His mother. His father’s wife. The most beautiful woman for both of these people, lost her life in a manner that was truly depraved and utterly filthy, even to her final moments. The day Kim Yu-Sohn became a Mercenary and not a Knight was this very day. The son’s dream also had changed on that day, too.
The son was always proud of his
father’s dependable back, even if he became a Mercenary and not a Knight. Didn’t matter he came back late at night, leaving behind a young child alone; not even when he failed to return home altogether - the boy was still proud of his father.