Han-yeol's eyes sparkled with excitement as he exclaimed, "Uncle!" He ran down the stairs, his breathing ragged. His gaze darted between Park Jin and Eunuch Shin Moo-hyun before focusing on Park Jin. "Is it true? Was Ha-yun really a soul shifter?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Park Jin's expression turned stern. "You're a little excited, aren't you? Set to spread more rumors around?" he reprimanded, his voice firm.
But Han-yeol was undeterred. "The rumors are already spreading, everyone is talking about it," he replied, his grin still plastered on his face.
Park Jin's anger flared. "You're a mage of Songrim, but instead of practicing, you go to bars and listen to rumors," he yelled, his eyes blazing with annoyance.
Eunuch Shin intervened, his voice calm and measured. "Songrim is not only a place for mages to practice their spells but also a great place to gather information. Besides, Han-yeol will be the next in line to take your place and become the leader of the Songrim household. He should know his liquor."
Han-yeol nodded vigorously, still grinning from ear to ear. He shot Eunuch Shin a look of admiration, thrilled that the eunuch was backing him up. Park Jin, however, looked like he was about to say more, but Eunuch Shin's subtle head tilt stayed his tongue. For now.
Han-yeol's expression turned slightly wistful. "I don't go there as often anymore, now that Woo-jin is not here." His voice trailed off, and for a moment, it seemed like he was lost in thought, memories of his friend and their times at Chwiseonru flooding his mind. Eunuch Shin's gaze lingered on Han-yeol, a hint of a smile on his face, as if expecting more. Park Jin, however, remained unimpressed, his eyes still narrowed in scrutiny.
Han-yeol's grin faltered for a moment before he replied, "You know, Uncle Shin, the makgeolli at Chwiseonru is still one of the best. The way it's brewed with the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess... it's just right." Eunuch Shin chuckled, seemingly pleased with Han-yeol's answer, and shot Park Jin a knowing look, as if to say "see, he knows his liquor."
Park Jin's expression remained unimpressed, his arms crossed over his chest. "Save the connoisseur talk for your friends, Han-yeol. We're discussing the soul shifter, not fine liquor." Han-yeol's grin returned, and he shrugged, unrepentant. "Hey, a good drink can loosen up the best information, Uncle."
Eunuch Shin's eyes sparkled with intrigue as he leaned forward, his hands clasped under his chin. "Woo-jin? The son of the noble Jang's family?" he repeated, his tone laced with curiosity. "I thought he was supposed to be studying at the village school in Yeongchundang." His gaze locked onto Han-yeol, as if searching for answers about the young noble's whereabouts.
Eunuch Shin's words were tinged with a hint of skepticism, well-aware of Woo-jin's reputation as a troublesome young master who struggled with his studies, getting kicked out of multiple schools and tutorships. Despite his doubts, he couldn't help but be curious about Woo-jin's relationship with Han-yeol and the prince's current activities.
"He got kicked out of there ages ago. Right now, he's in Gisan," Han-yeol replied nonchalantly.
"I sent him to receive training from Buddhist Monk Do-hyun," Park Jin added.
"Woo-jin went to train at a Buddhist temple this time?" Eunuch Shin's eyes widened in shock, his voice tinged with skepticism. His tone implied that he was surprised Woo-jin had found another master willing to take him on, and that it wouldn't last long.
"Gisan, huh?" Eunuch Shin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A Buddhist temple? With Monk Do-hyun?" His tone was incredulous, as if he couldn't believe Woo-jin had managed to stick with a master for more than a few days. "How long do you think he'll last?" he asked, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice.
Park Jin's expression remained skeptical, his arms crossed over his chest. "Knowing Woo-jin, he'll probably get kicked out within a week."
Han-yeol chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I've given him a month, tops." The three of them shared a knowing look, their faces etched with amusement and doubt.
The next day.....
As Woo-Jin furrowed his brow, a resolute tempest brewed within his gaze, his eyes narrowing to piercing slits as he decreed, "Today, I shall shatter the shackles of my training!"
Upon the windswept hill, Master Do-hyun's form seemed to wither, his visage a thunderhead of dismay. "Foolish youth!" he thundered, his voice a maelstrom that lashed the very air. "You have barely scrimshawed the surface of mastery! How dare you presume to terminate your tutelage without my sacred permission?!"
Woo-Jin's eyes flashed with a mix of determination and hurt as he stood tall, his voice firm but laced with a hint of rebuke, "Master Do-hyun, you tasked me with expanding my knowledge, and so I devoured hundreds of ancient tomes, unraveling the secrets within. You bade me temper my mind, and so I honed my focus, sharpening blades of thought amidst the fires of patience. Yet, amidst these trials, a glaring truth remains: you have not imparted a single spell to me."
The air hung heavy with Woo-Jin's unspoken accusation, awaiting Master Do-hyun's response.
Do-hyun's fury seemed to erupt like a volcano, his massive frame swelling with indignation as he rose to his feet, shoulders hunched and trembling with restrained power. His face, a mask of wrath, tilted downwards, eyes blazing like co- coals as he glared at Woo-Jin, his very presence seeming to darken the air around him . The silence was oppressive, heavy with the threat of an impending storm...
Woo-Jin's words sliced through Do-hyun's composure, cutting deep. "The only lesson I've learned here," he spat, his voice venomous, "is that you've been stringing me along all this time. No spells, no guidance... just empty expectations. I've learned enough. I'm done."
Do-hyun's face turned a deep shade of crimson, his rage simmering just below the surface.
Woo-Jin's defiant declaration sliced through the air like a honed blade, further enraging Do-hyun: "The sole revelation I've gilled from this forsaken tutelage is that you never intended to impart the arcane arts to me. Now, having unshrouded this grand deception, I shall terminate our pact forthwith."