“Do you want to receive a drink that I pour for you?”
The leader of the Black Tiger Society, with a face that said “Look at this guy,” raised one corner of his mouth and said to me.
“Yes! This is the Black Tiger Society, a gathering of heroes in the mountains, like the Hwalbindang! I would be grateful if I could receive one drink poured by the great hero, Chaeyoo!”
I knelt down on one knee and raised my cup with both hands.
“Hehe. This black-haired punk! Trying to escape, huh? You barbarian! If you don’t want your skull smashed after drinking, just be honest!”
The leader of the Black Tiger Society stroked his beard while looking at me with a testing gaze. But he couldn’t hide his smile.
I knew it was blatant flattery, but I couldn’t help but feel good about the situation.
It would be foolish to reveal my true feelings here. In this case, I must play along.
“Haha! Then I will boast to King Yeomra of the Underworld that I had a drink with a true hero!”
“Really? You’re willing to give up that gold piece just to drink what I pour? Hehe, this punk is really funny. Fine! I’ll pour you a drink! Hey! Bring the best wine here!”
Satisfied with my response, Chaeyoo poured the newly received wine into my cup, filling it to the brim.
“This wine is worth more than gold and jewels! I will drink it with gratitude!”
I sincerely bowed to Chaeyoo with a moved expression, then turned my head according to Joseon’s etiquette and gulped down the wine.
“Why the hell are you turning your head while drinking?”
“Even though I’m a barbarian, I know the principle from Little Learning that one shouldn’t drink while facing an elder. How could I drink in front of the esteemed Chaeyoo, who is the greatest elder of the Black Tiger Society?”
“Hehehe. You really are a funny guy.”
Chaeyoo laughed as he looked at me with interest.
“Chaeyoo! Please allow me the honor to pour you a drink as well, since your cup is empty!”
I lowered my body, deliberately holding the wine bottle so he couldn’t refuse.
“Don’t give in too much to a barbarian like this, or he’ll get spoiled.”
“Haha. Where can you find a well-mannered barbarian like me? Having received the grace of pouring wine for Chaeyoo, I will remember the opportunity to pour you a drink for a lifetime!”
“Hehehe. Alright, show me!”
I carefully poured the wine into Chaeyoo’s cup with both hands.
“Ahhh. It’s sweet! Sweet! Hey guys! You all should learn from this barbarian! They’ll smash your skull if you can’t tell an interesting story! Or your balls will shrivel up!”
“…….”
The members of the Black Tiger Society stared blankly, unable to respond to this scene.
Uncles, I get it. This is why you dislike company dinners. You can eat delicious food at home, but you’re dragged out to hear complaints while eating for digestion!
But what can you do to survive in society? You have to secretly curse while smiling on the outside and sharing drinks with the manager and the department head.
I poured the drink, saluted Chaeyoo, and quietly stepped back.
Now, here’s where the problem starts.
As I withdrew, the bandit who brought me here approached me.
‘No way, am I being dragged back to prison like this?’
Chaeyoo liked me, and you’re going to take me away? Sure, we had a meal and drank, but ending it like this seems wrong.
“Hey! You guys! Quickly prepare a separate banquet table for the hardworking barbarian! What are you doing? Do I have to say this too?”
Looking at me as if I was about to be dragged, Chaeyoo yelled at his subordinates.
“Yes, yes! Understood!”
“These useless fools. Damn it. There’s no talent here.”
The bandit who was about to take me away quickly ran off to prepare the banquet table when Chaeyoo got angry.
Fortunately, it seems like I don’t have to go back to them as it is.
I began to eat at the banquet table set before me, this time slowly and without paying attention to anyone.
———–
Pouring wine for Chaeyoo and pouring it for him was not just to gain his favor.
It’s the custom of hospitality.
Being treated well by the host means an unspoken promise that neither the host nor the guest will inflict harm on each other.
“Hyung-nims! Please accept my drink!”
I pretended to be tipsy and couldn’t lose my wits, smiling brightly as I stood in front of the Green Forest Members with the bottle of wine.
“You barbarian punk! Go on, pour me a drink!”
“My cup is empty too! Pour!”
“Hey! Even water has a top and bottom! I’ll pour for the hyung-nim with the green hair first!”
“Hehe! Alright! This brat has good sense!”
Since I shared drinks with the leader of the Black Tiger Society, the members were now in a position where they couldn’t harm me indiscriminately.
I took advantage of that situation and actively poured drinks for the Green Forest Members with green hair to win their favor.
“Ugh! I’m getting drunk! The banquet is over, so I’m heading to that prison over there now! Where’s the hyung-nim with the key?”
I staggered along, pointing towards the prison. Uncles, you’re not really going to send me there, right?
Then two bandits from the Black Tiger Society grabbed my shoulders, looking shocked and opened their mouths.
“Are you crazy! What do you mean prison for the main guest!”
“This punk is trying to make us hear some complaints from Chaeyoo! We’ll set up a blanket for you at the lodging, so just talk about the Hwalbindang and rest!”
The bandit uncles stopped me like a junior being dragged out for a drink.
“In that case, there are plenty of Hwalbindang stories left to tell, so I’ll keep sharing until everyone falls asleep.”
“Sounds good!”
I could sleep comfortably laid down instead of sitting up in prison.
“Wait. Where are you taking the barbarian to sleep?”
Just when I was speaking with a happy face, green-haired members of the Green Forest appeared with serious expressions behind me.
These guys aren’t seriously trying to meddle, are they?
“Haha. It’s not that; we were just saying we’d take him to the prison.”
Wow. Look at that rapid change in attitude, faster than Hong Gildong’s transformation. Must be because a higher-up showed up. The bandit uncles immediately switched to that posture.
The higher-up grinned at the tense bandit uncles and spoke.
“You guys can relax. Why would we take him to your cramped lodging? Hey! Main guest! The higher-up’s lodging is spacious, so you should sleep there.”
The Green Forest members beckoned me over.
“Haha. Thank you!”
Wow. Suddenly upgraded from economy class to business class.
“Yeah. Our lodging has beds, so just tell Hwalbindang stories there for a bit longer before going to sleep.”
“No! You guys are too much! We also want to hear Hwalbindang stories!”
The bandit uncles complained quietly, looking aggrieved.
“But you were going to send him to prison.”
That’s right. In the Central Plains, it’s about being truthful and knowing how to act in accordance with the principle of sincerity.
Just because a higher-up said something doesn’t mean you change everything immediately.
“Didn’t you hear it all?”
“Forget it. You guys listen next time! Let’s go!”
I followed the higher-up into the lodging.
The higher-up’s lodging was certainly spacious due to a recent large-scale forced retreat to the Underworld, allowing me to sleep comfortably.
————
I found myself in an ambiguous situation, neither guest nor prisoner.
In such a situation, being just baggage would surely lead back to prison. In times like this, I must keep emphasizing my usefulness.
“No! If you guys are going to reinforce the fence, do it properly! How can you dig like that? Give me that! This is how you dig!”
I demonstrated how to dig skillfully, putting my weight on the shovel.
“Oh! Not bad!”
“I used to be the top apprentice of the master carpenter before becoming a main guest.”
I spoke proudly, opening my chest with a confident expression.
“Punk, what’s this master carpenter’s dog’s name?”
“You don’t believe me? When the master carpenter would put the lines on the tree, I would hold the other side’s rope for him, so I was well-favored.”
The truth is, I didn’t really do much of that. But in such a field, even a little experience should be exaggerated to get half the results.
“Punk, you look like you’ve got a knack for shoveling. Alright, just help out for now.”
As expected, finding work and helping out in this situation is the best.
I seamlessly started participating in the work site, shifting from being a guest or prisoner to a necessary talent for the Black Tiger Society.
My role wasn’t just working.
“When the young boy who wanted to be a member of Hwalbindang was watching his father, who couldn’t pay the rent, getting beaten by the henchmen of the landlord while shedding tears…”
“Is that a story we’re hearing?”
During lunch break, I sat in the open space and began recounting Hwalbindang stories, causing the bandits of the Black Tiger Society to gather around me excitedly.
“As Hong Gildong embraced the boy’s shoulders and shouted, who dares to make the future of Hwalbindang cry, doesn’t Hwalbindang appear like clouds!”
“Wow! That’s awesome.”
“How did the kid know to look for Hwalbindang?”
“You idiot. Hong Gildong can find anyone with his magic! Isn’t that the guy who appears everywhere?”
“That’s true. I want to join Hwalbindang too.”
“Me too. I want to do righteous stealing, not this bandit stuff.”
The bandits of the Black Tiger Society seemed to be imagining themselves entering Hwalbindang with vacant expressions.
This is an opportunity.
I had a chance to provide targeted moral education to the bandits.
“Hyung-nims! Is Hwalbindang anything special? Aren’t all of you heroic figures just like Hwalbindang? Righteous stealing isn’t that hard! You just don’t kill the helpless people like Hong Gildong and rob only those who seem rich! If you share some of the excess with the village, that’s righteous stealing!”
Especially among the helpless people, there’s a very unfortunate man, who while leaving a prestigious family in Joseon, lost his childhood friend and dear childhood friend due to cruel fate, resulting in him being a mere main guest.
Even if the ransom isn’t paid, such a poor man must never be killed, you all know that, right?
“Is that all it takes to be Hwalbindang?”
“You mean you can become a righteous thief just like that?”
“Yes! You can! What reason do you have not to? Just keep the lines!”
As long as I’m included within those lines. If not, then get me out of the Black Tiger Society.
With a desperate heart to survive, I started giving a crash course on how to become Hwalbindang to the bandits of the Black Tiger Society.
“According to the main guest, it looks like we can easily become righteous thieves!”
“It seems being a righteous thief isn’t a big deal!”
“You mean we could be respected like Hwalbindang just by doing this?”
The bandits of the Black Tiger Society clenched their fists in joy, as if they had realized something.
‘This enthusiasm is a bit too much, though.’
The atmosphere heated up excessively, contrary to my intentions. I was only trying to give a simple moral education!
I had thought they would take it lightly, but they all seemed focused and listening.
As I looked at them, I shrugged it off, thinking it must be because they were impressed by the story of Hong Gildong.
But I wouldn’t realize something was off until they got too carried away with their newfound excitement.
