Chapter 74: The Best Swordsman in the Country (3)

I had pushed my strength too far after such a long time.

“Phew.”

I stepped out of the restaurant to cool down my overheated body. I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my breathing.

The intense fatigue made my knuckles tingle. I leaned back deeply on the bench in front of the establishment and muttered,

“…Wow, I really am something else.”

Maybe it was because it had been a while since I had the opportunity to properly cut with a knife.

In less than a minute, I had filleted three fish.

Simply put, in under 20 seconds, I had removed the guts, sliced the three fillets, and prepared the sashimi.

The speed was impressive, but in the end, what matters most in food is the taste. The rapid knife technique had preserved the freshness of the fish.

As a result, I ended up exhausted after receiving mountains of praise and countless handshakes from the customers.

One of them even said I had resurrected the dead fish and called me the Messiah.

“I understand that it’s a great compliment, but…”

I smiled faintly and stretched out my palm. The sensation was still there.

With this level of precision, I felt like I could slice a grain of rice with my eyes closed.

After being used to cutting down monsters and unpleasant people, cutting fish was incredibly pleasant.

At first, I thought it would take me some time to readjust, but it turned out the skill came back quickly.

In fact, I felt as though I had reached a new peak in my ability.

“Maybe after graduation, I should open a sushi restaurant.”

While I was thinking about that, I noticed a presence beside me.

I turned my head to see who it was. Unexpectedly, it was Knox.

“Huh, what are you doing here? Weren’t you busy?”

“The food was served thanks to you, Geom-Ma. The owner said he’d handle the closing. Your friends are helping with the service. I only came out because Chloe told me to look for you.”

Knox said this as he sat down beside me. He removed his headband and waved it to dry his sweat. I looked at him silently.

Although he was sweaty, he had a satisfied smile on his face.

His eyes, which used to seem dull, now carried a different shine.

‘Somehow, I feel proud.’

As I stared at him, Knox suddenly stopped wiping his sweat and flinched.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

His tone was still stiff, like in a historical drama, but his voice lacked hostility.

“By the way, why did you start working here all of a sudden?”

“…Kang Geom-Ma, weren’t you the one who said that you can learn something by working hard?”

I tilted my head, but soon remembered what I had told him.

“Oh, that’s right. I did say that.”

“Did you seriously not remember?”

Knox looked at me incredulously. I shrugged.

“Of course I remembered. Hey, your initiative is impressive.”

Knox scratched his neck, embarrassed. The corner of his lips twitched slightly. When he noticed my gaze, he quickly changed the subject.

“Hmm. It’s not like I’m admitting you were right, but I *have* learned something. Now I understand the value of hard work.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Knox was talking much more than before. He asked me several questions related to work. Seeing his interest, I answered him sincerely.

Most of them were trivial stories from my work experiences, but Knox listened attentively.

“I still can’t believe we’re the same age. Are you sure you’re not lying about your age?”

“…Let’s just say I have more life experience. Does that work for you?”

When I said that, Knox stopped looking at me suspiciously. Just when it seemed like our conversation had ended and I was getting up, he stopped me.

“Wait, there’s something I want to tell you.”

His serious expression made me sit back down.

He moved his lips several times before continuing.

“Normally, revealing family matters to an outsider is a serious crime. I had planned to tell you through Chloe, but she didn’t answer my calls. Anyway, that’s not important.”

Knox took a deep breath. His eyes reflected unwavering determination.

“The Auditore family’s investigation about you has concluded. Fortunately, nothing suspicious was found. Therefore, the request ordered by the council of elders was canceled. In fact, the head of the family has started an investigation against the council. Fabricating accusations is considered betrayal to us. The Auditores are not hunting dogs; we are a family that preserves order.”

I listened silently. It was quite a serious matter.

Knox furrowed his brow and added,

“They will probably form an unprecedented investigation team. Given the objective, it will be thorough. I will also be joining that team. It’s a long story. Anyway, I just wanted to inform you about this.”

“…”

At the end of his words, I organized my thoughts. In short, the Auditore family was no longer after me. There was no need to worry about them submitting to the council of elders.

A troublesome issue that had occupied my mind now seemed resolved.

Although there would now be a larger investigation against the council, that was no longer my concern.

After thinking it over, I extended my hand to Knox.

“Thank you. It must not have been easy to tell me this.”

Knox stared at my hand for a moment before shaking it.

“I didn’t do anything special. In fact, I should be than—”

Knox left his sentence unfinished.

I thought about him and Chloe serving together in the restaurant.

It seemed like their relationship as siblings had improved a little.

‘It looks like things between him and Chloe are getting better.’

I smiled silently and patted him on the shoulder.

He lowered his head, embarrassed. I stood up and brushed the dust off my clothes.

“I’ll head back inside. Take your time to rest… Oh, by the way.”

Just as I was about to re-enter the restaurant, a doubt crossed my mind.

I had never used honorifics with him, but Knox was a student one year ahead of me.

Moreover, he belonged to the Standard Class like Senior Ha-na. I decided to clarify my doubt once and for all.

“Knox, do you know Senior Ha-na?”

“You mean San Ha-na?”

Knox asked vaguely. I nodded and continued.

“Yes, she just joined our club. I thought, since you’re in the same class, you might know her.”

“It’s rare for you to take an interest in someone.”

“…Is that the impression you have of me?”

“Until now, you never seemed to care about others. It’s not that you were selfish… How can I put it? Rather, you seemed like someone from another world.”

For a moment, I felt exposed. It was uncomfortable for someone to uncover that side of me, especially if it was Knox.

‘It must be because of his assassin instincts.’

Or maybe he noticed something odd during his investigation about me.

With the Auditore family’s intelligence, there was no way they could have missed that part.

Perhaps that’s why he was looking at me with a questioning expression earlier. Since I had tried so hard to conceal my true self, not even Knox could ask outright.

After a brief silence, Knox broke the ice.

“In any case, yes, I know San Ha-na. She’s a quiet student who’s always reading.”

“Even if she’s not particularly quiet, everyone has something special about them, right?”

Knox stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Well, now that you mention it… She’s always right in the middle of the class. In every subject—theory, practice, and training.”

“In the middle?”

“Exactly. It’s hard to intentionally maintain an average performance all the time.”

“I see.”

Knox shrugged, indicating he didn’t have any more information.

I slightly turned my head and made eye contact with Knox.

Our gazes met, and his eyes reflected countless unspoken questions.

Just as he was about to say something, I turned away abruptly.

“…Kang Geom-Ma, you…”

But I had already turned my back to him. A light night breeze blew into the night.

“Anyway, thanks for telling me. I’ll head back inside now.”

“…”

Beyond my gratitude, there was no reason to reveal more about myself than necessary.

It was an extremely practical judgment, not a cold one. I didn’t want to create an uncomfortable atmosphere by speaking carelessly.

I opened the restaurant door, ignoring the lingering gazes. The sharp smell of alcohol filled my nose.

***

It wasn’t until nearly midnight that the lights of Korean Sushi went out.

The customers, who had eaten and drunk without restraint, left one by one with reluctance. Among them, the elderly man who had tasted the first sashimi wouldn’t stop shaking my hand as he spoke.

“Young man, make sure to contact me. I’ll treat you as you deserve.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll reach out when I have time.”

I bowed my torso and head. Only then did the elderly man smile in satisfaction and get into his car. The sleek black sedan clearly reflected his level of wealth.

When the commotion died down, the owner approached me first.

“Master, I’ve learned so much today. Although it’s not enough as a token of my gratitude, please accept this.”

He extended a finely crafted sashimi knife to me. But I frowned and responded in a low voice.

“For a chef, a knife is his life. Is it really okay to hand it over so easily, sir?”

The owner, visibly surprised, waved his hands as he replied.

“Ah, ah, I’m sorry if I offended you, Master. It doesn’t carry any other meaning; it’s just that this knife isn’t suited for me. I’ve always dedicated myself to sharpening and polishing it, but when I met you, I realized something. A true master improves his skill, not his tool…”

The owner clenched his fist and reaffirmed his resolve. With a humble attitude, he offered the knife to me with both hands. I sighed softly and nodded.

“Well, if you put it that way, I won’t refuse.”

As I said that, the owner bowed repeatedly. His eyes sparkled like those of a child.

“Ah, I’m so honored that you accepted my knife, Master!”

“…Could you stop calling me Master?”

“Oh, finding a master to restart my life as a sushi chef feels like finding a father!”

“Just call me like you always do.”

Excessive praise is always exhausting. I let his words go in one ear and out the other, focusing instead on the sashimi knife.

The blade gleamed, clearly a high-quality tool. In fact, its craftsmanship made it look more like a weapon than a kitchen knife.

Although I had said what I did, chefs always long for a good knife. I cleared my throat and gripped the knife by the handle.

“Hmm, hmm.”

Until just a moment ago, this knife had been used to cut sashimi. But knowing that it was now mine gave it a strange feeling.

As I firmly grasped the handle, I remembered my first master. He was a man obsessed with knives.

‘He always said that true masters don’t depend on their tools…’

However, every time he found a brilliant knife, he would give it a name. When I asked him why, he answered like this:

— A good knife is like an extension of the chef. By giving it a name, your determination is transmitted through it.”

He would say those words with seriousness, and then give it ridiculous names like “The Ultimate Sashimi Machine.”

At the time, I looked at him with pity, but now…

“Master, what’s wrong? Do you not like the knife?”

“No, I was just thinking about what to name it.”

“I’ve never thought about something like that. It’s clear you’re different, Master.”

The owner spoke with enthusiasm.

I let out a bitter laugh and spent some time thinking. Several words floated through my mind.

“…Frost.” [1]

I murmured suddenly. Perhaps it was a desire to leave a mark from my parents in this place. The word that came to mind was my family name: Seri. Upon deciding it, I gripped the knife more firmly.

“…Eternal Frost.”

I smiled. Not because the name fully satisfied me.

As the saying goes, “like father, like son.” I reflected on my criticism of my master’s naming sense.

At the same time, I silently thanked the parents of this world for giving me the name Kang Geom-Ma.

T/N:

The term 만년서리 (mannyeon-seori) can be broken down into two parts to capture its meaning:

만년 (mannyeon): Means “eternal” or “thousands of years.”

서리 (seori): Means “frost.”

Therefore, a more accurate translation would be:

“Eternal Frost.”