RHDWK 4

Chapter 4

I Gained a Disciple (Slave)

Thump, thump, thump.

Thump, thump, thump.

“……”

The rhythmic sound of the kitchen knife hitting the cutting board echoed pleasantly.

Sima Jin, who had asked to be accepted as a disciple, was currently in the kitchen chopping green onions.

Have you ever seen the Heavenly Demon chop vegetables?

Well, I certainly haven’t. Today is my first time.

“You’re… really good at chopping vegetables.”

Sima Jin, who used to chop people to pieces, was now slicing green onions thinly and neatly.

Watching the scene in complete fascination, I blankly opened my mouth to speak.

“I don’t know the reason, but I seem to handle a sword well. When I woke up, I even had a sword strapped to my waist.”

Still focused on chopping green onions, Sima Jin spoke with a faint smile.

It seemed his memories were truly completely wiped out. He couldn’t even remember why he was good with a sword or why he had one at his waist.

Furthermore, even though I hadn’t given him an answer about taking him as a disciple yet, he was already addressing me respectfully.

At first, I shook my head and declined. However, since he insisted he had nowhere else to go and stubbornly hovered in front of the medicine shop, I eventually brought him inside.

Looking into Sima Jin’s eyes, it was hard to refuse him coldly. Who knew when those eyes might go crazy again and kill me?

“And above all, as a fellow vegetable, I understand them well. I am more confident in chopping vegetables than anyone else.”

‘If you’re fellow vegetables, aren’t you committing fratricide right now? As expected of the guy who ruthlessly killed me.’

The statement from Sima Jin—believing himself to be a vegetable—was ridiculously foolish, but hearing a guy who firmly believed it say such a thing was actually quite chilling.

“This is a green onion.”

“Anyone can see it’s a green onion.”

“Master, what are green onions used for? I heard they are good for a cold.”

Let me repeat this: I never accepted Sima Jin as my disciple. He is just calling me “Master” on his own whim.

“No, those are ingredients for my dinner.”

“I see.”

Having finished his questions, Sima Jin moved his hand holding the kitchen knife again with rhythmic tap-tap-tap sounds.

“Um, Young Master…”

“Please address me comfortably, Master.”

“I don’t even know your name in the first place.”

Of course, I knew his name was ‘Sima Jin’.

However, if I pretended to know his name for no reason, he might become suspicious, or even worse, his memories might return if he heard his name.

Well, since I was hiding the fact that I was the White Snake, it wouldn’t be immediately dangerous even if his memories returned. Still, wasn’t a foolish, harmless Sima Jin much better to look at than a cold and ruthless Sima Jin?

“You’re about to build a mountain of green onions. Could you chop some onions as well?”

“Yes, Master.”

At my words, Sima Jin began chopping onions, tears trickling down his face.

Lately, the medicine shop had been doing well, so I was thinking that we were short on both medicinal herbs and helping hands.

Herbs sold at the market were expensive, and going into the mountains to gather herbs was quite exhausting and inefficient. There were also many times I was on edge, worrying about running into bandits.

If I had someone like him—who knew how to protect himself, had great physical strength, and listened well—the supply of medicinal herbs would be completely taken care of.

“That word, ‘Master’… I haven’t said I’d accept you yet.”

“Is it really too much to ask?”

Stopping his chopping, Sima Jin looked down at the cutting board.

“Well, of course…”

“I will do anything, whether it’s knife work or whatever else.”

“K-Knife work?”

When you say it like that, it sounds terrifying.

“I have nowhere else to go, and no one else to rely on.”

“……”

What is this? Why does he look so pathetic?

I was confused about whether he was pretending or genuinely depressed.

“First, I will hurry up and prepare before dinner time gets too late.”

Sima Jin moved his hand holding the kitchen knife once again.

I quietly watched Sima Jin as he dexterously spun the kitchen knife like performing a trick while chopping green onions.

Even if I were to run away from this place, he would eventually find me.

Wouldn’t it be better to just keep him by my side, make him do chores like this, watch over him, and just hold a funeral for him when he dies from his chronic illness?

If that happens, the Heavenly Demon will never be born, so the Central Plains will have peace, the male and female leads will live happily for the rest of their lives, and I will survive.

Taking in Sima Jin, who lost his memories, might actually be a good thing for everyone.

“…By any chance, do you know what a White Snake is? I heard there’s a very strange creature.”

“Pardon?”

At the out-of-the-blue question, Sima Jin turned around with a face that seemed to say, ‘Suddenly?’

“Just, I happened to hear about it before.”

This was a final check and a gamble.

Since Sima Jin’s memory loss was pretty much an established fact, I needed confirmation regarding my safety.

“No, it is my first time hearing of it.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. A white snake… it must be very beautiful.”

Seeing Sima Jin’s expression, which showed no hint of deceit, I finally felt relieved.

Alright, there is no threat for now.

“Right then. Your circumstances are quite pitiful… so I will take you in as a worker. What should I call you from now on?”

At my words, Sima Jin’s expression brightened. He then closed his eyes and didn’t answer for a long time, seemingly pondering the question.

“Since I was originally the Cheonma [Heavenly Demon/Hemp]…”

No, young man, you are not the Heavenly Demon yet.

Anyway, why do a vegetable and its title have the exact same name? It’s confusing to tell what he even means.

“I think it would be fine to just call me Cheonma.”

Gasp, you can’t say such things in the Central Plains, young sir!

I shook my head violently.

“No, no. That really doesn’t seem right.”

“Is that so…”

“Hmm, Cheon… Cheon-dol? How about Cheon-dol?”

Even I thought my naming sense was terrible.

“Sounds good. I like it, Master.”

“…That’s a relief, then.”

“Also, please do not use formal speech with me. I am the learner, so you do not need to show such courtesy.”

“Ah, yes… I-I see.”

Sima Jin sniffled as he went back to slicing onions.

Right, the villain rolling into my lap was also the will of heaven. Since it came to this, let’s work him like a dog.

With a slight sense of revenge, I decided to run Sima Jin ragged as an errand boy.

This is all for my survival and the peace of the Central Plains.

If his memories ever show signs of returning, I must meddle by saying, ‘Weren’t you a vegetable?’ or if worse comes to worst, I must prepare to strike his neck before he snaps out of it completely.

Although I hope even Sima Jin won’t have to lose his life…

How dare you kill me right after I transmigrated?

I will work you so hard that you’ll want to run away to the Demonic Cult’s headquarters crying.

“…It’s actually delicious.”

“What a relief.”

At my words, Sima Jin smiled happily.

Sima Jin served stir-fried vegetables and thin noodles using the ingredients he had diligently chopped himself.

Since he had lost his memory and usually would have had servants cook for him, I felt extremely uneasy about leaving dinner to Sima Jin.

As if lightly brushing that anxiety aside, the taste was downright fantastic.

Shouldn’t he enter a restaurant as a disciple instead of a medicine shop? He would be a completely beloved disciple there.

Why is a cold, cruel villain so good at cooking?

He’s great at swordsmanship, handsome, and even good at cooking—isn’t that cheating?

Why on earth isn’t he the male lead?

My chopsticks, holding a piece of bok choy soaked in sauce, trembled uncontrollably.

“Why is a guy who should have only eaten fertilizer and sunlight if he were a vegetable so good at cooking?”

Even I was now playing along with this self-proclaimed vegetable.

It was an effort to maintain his foolishness by any means necessary.

“I am not sure. I have no memories at all. Besides, it is not that great of a skill.”

Sima Jin shyly rubbed the back of his neck.

Damn it, how frustrating!

He’s even humble.

After my mother passed away, I cooked hard, but in the end, I only ever ate burnt objects.

Fearing I would die from eating burnt food, I bought all my meals after that.

Food expenses were no joke… to think a villain would have talent even in such minor details!

“It’s, it’s quite impressive work, Cheon-dol.”

“You overestimate me, Master.”