The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Pure goodwill.

I was the sworn friend of a tragically deceased poison human. I wanted to help someone like Tang Hwarin, who reminded me of my friend. I thought this setting and motive were quite compelling.

However, the reality was that while the setting was appealing, the motive was problematic.

Paying for someone’s room and medicine because they remind you of a friend, and even accompanying them on a long journey, was definitely suspicious.

To avoid suspicion of pure goodwill, ironically, I had to create a direct relationship, like a fiancé who came risking their life or a childhood friend who reunited after 10 years.

Of course, if I had continued to act as a good person, I could have maintained the act until the end. But I failed to manage my expression for a moment at the mention of the printing press and was caught acting.

Now that I’ve been caught, should I reveal my true intentions?

‘The purpose of this approach was because of the printing press. I’m sorry for lying. If I bow and enter, it would be a loss.’

In Tang Hwarin’s heart, I must have already been branded a liar.

When a person unilaterally receives goodwill, if they contributed even a little, a cunning aspect inadvertently arose in the relationship.

Though she received a favor from a barbarian, the man was a liar, and in the end, she’d give him what he wanted. I could do as I please. In fact, I’m the superior one. It could turn out like this.

So, what should I do?

“Just create a new situation.”

Because of the truth I spoke, my setting will still be believed. If it was discovered that my goodwill was not pure but had ulterior motives, there’s still a chance for a retry.

Let’s abandon the good person concept and reveal my dark desires through informal speech.

With proper preparation, I can make Tang Hwarin beg on their knees to accompany them.

Tang Hwarin.

I must take control.

To regain control, I needed to prepare to open the closed door of Tang Hwarin’s room.

“Really, barbarian? You’re going to pay for the medicine?”

“Yes. I will pay the money. Innkeeper, please come too. I will also pay for the room.”

After paying the owner of the herbal shop and the inn staff, I secretly exchanged glances with them behind Tang Hwarin’s back.

“Was this good enough?”

“It was excellent.”

Actually, we had conspired together.

I’ll pay the money, so please press Tang Hwarin for the payment in front of her. Even if you speak harshly, because she’s a martial artist, don’t curse.

The dramatic entrance of a prince would make one reconsider, even if the prince was their sworn enemy.

Tang Hwarin would be grateful to me, and their anger would subside. Then, I subtly re-entered Tang Hwarin’s room successfully.

A good start.

Next, I needed to throw an excellent bait.

“How do you have this?”

Tang Hwarin asked with wide eyes about the container placed on the table.

“My sworn friend made this medicine. My friend died before seeing its completion, but I remember the formula.”

I looked at the container with a bitter face.

Naturally, the container didn’t hold a cure. It was a health supplement made of roughly ground grains or dried fish, similar to wall-breaking pills or emergency rations - a kind of meal replacement food.

Feeding fake medicine to Tang Hwarin, who had mastered poison arts, was risky due to the possibility of ingredient detection, so I decided to make medicine out of food instead.

“…If I eat this, will my body recover?”

Tang Hwarin, after hearing about my friend, seemed to notice something and cautiously asked.

How would I know?

I haven’t fully understood how my ability as a Defier of Heaven affected the poison human heroine.

“One pill a day. Just eat it, and the poison human’s pain will definitely disappear. I’m not sure about skin discoloration. By the time this was completed, my friend’s condition wasn’t just skin discoloration.”

I made a face like someone imagining the unfortunate appearance of a dear friend.

How far did the effect of the Defier of Heaven extend? Given the killing intent of the Heavenly Death Star, perhaps the end was merely the cessation of pain. I wondered about the range of any additional effects.

For the poison heroine, beyond the cessation of pain, there could be effects like skin whitening, alleviation of shoulder stiffness due to her large bust, or relief from muscle pain caused by martial arts training.

Then, I might have to charge more money.

“Is this really a cure for poison humans?”

Tang Hwarin extended a trembling hand towards the container on the table.

Where do you think you’re taking it? I pulled the container back into my embrace.

Tang Hwarin looked puzzled as I took the container away, wondering why I would show it only to reclaim it.

I presented an irresistible bait.

Now it’s time to cleanse myself.

“Hey. Tang Hwarin.”

I called out to Tang Hwarin confidently.

“Why?”

“Why did you chase me away earlier?”

“Would you just stand by if a guy with obviously dark intentions claimed pure goodwill while lying?”

“Aha. So my pure goodwill was actually a lie. Is that it?”

I shook my head at Tang Hwarin as if the idea was preposterous.

“What, what. You did lie, didn’t you?”

Perhaps my confident demeanor had an effect. Tang Hwarin spoke with a moment of confusion.

Are you sure you’re not mistaken about me lying? Are you doubting yourself now?

If I were truly lying, I wouldn’t have come back to repay the money and bring the medicine.

Then, I needed to add more weight to that argument.

“Hey. If I didn’t have goodwill towards you, would I have told you the identity of the medicine that night? Would I have intervened when there was trouble with people earlier? Would I have revealed the secret about the poisoner to you?”

Tell me. Try to refute my pure goodwill with your words.

It won’t be easy to refute since I’ve only spoken the truth.

“…… When you talked about your maternal grandfather. I saw your eyes change.”

Tang Hwarin, unable to think of a rebuttal, mentioned what they observed.

‘I need to cleanse my dark intentions.’

Even if I prepared diligently and developed my arguments well, it’s all for naught if I couldn’t cleanse my dark intentions.

That’s why I even transformed my image through defiance.

“Tang Hwarin. What do you think my job is?”

“You’re a storyteller.”

You know it well. You made an effort to find out who I was that night.

“Yes. A storyteller. Do you think a storyteller like me has as much money as a rich lady like you?”

“I don’t know much about that.”

“You’ve lived a wealthy life, so worrying about money must be a very difficult and unusual experience for you, but storytellers like me always worry about money.”

“Hmph. So your goal was money after all.”

Tang Hwarin snorted and then seemed to confess that I was just like the others after all.

“Money was the goal? What kind of thinking is that? It’s ridiculous. Tang Hwarin. Do you really slander those who approach you with goodwill like that?”

“What? Fuck. That’s right.”

Tang Hwarin swore as I showed indignation but seemed unsure as they slightly shrugged their shoulders.

That’s right, Tang Hwarin. You were mistaken. I wasn’t actually harboring dark intentions.

Now I’ll tell you.

“I wanted to help Miss Hwarin, but I don’t have that much money. Still, I couldn’t ignore a lady in trouble like a friend. While having such realistic worries, I heard about your maternal grandfather. Wouldn’t you think about getting your money back then?”

It wasn’t dark intentions. I genuinely wanted to help you but faced realistic issues.

I boldly attempt to wash my dark intentions into something more like a gray heart.

“…… If that was the case, you could have just been honest. Why say it was pure goodwill?”

Tang Hwarin pondered for a moment before passively expressing her opinion.

Alright. I was convinced. Let’s strengthen the argument.

“I’ve been respectful towards you, Miss Hwarin. I actually don’t have much money. You will return it, right? How to put it… And it’s not like you’re going to give the money right away.”

“I can give it when I go to my maternal grandfather’s house.”

Tang Hwarin offered a passive counterargument. I lightly pressed down on that opinion with my finger.

“So, there’s no need to say. When you go to your grandfather’s. Ah! My friend! You’ve had a hard time bringing your granddaughter. He’ll take care of you himself. Am I wrong?”

“He probably will.”

Tang Hwarin reluctantly agreed, imagining her grandfather taking care of her.

“I thought about that. According to what you said, is that a dark intention? Well, dark intention is dark intention. Revealing the identity of the medicine! Solving the money and dispute! Revealing the secret of the poisoner! Even making this medicine! But wanting to be treated well by the grandfather in the end is a dark intention. Yes! Dark intention indeed.”

As I raised my voice confidently, Tang Hwarin bowed her head with a shadowed face, having nothing to say.

Nothing to say, right? You’ll admit my dark intention was more like a gray heart?

Silence lingered for a while.

Tang Hwarin kept her head down and then spoke quietly enough for me to hear.

“…… Still. To have a relationship based on goodwill, it should come from pure goodwill. That’s how you should approach it.”

Just admit defeat. Why say that again?

一 Alright…… Them and everyone else. They’re only interested in what I have.

I recalled what Tang Hwarin said just before leaving the room. Tang Hwarin, did you have some fantasy about a purely innocent relationship?

I needed to use a shock tactic.

“Ha. Really. You’re talking like a flower in a greenhouse. Hey. Tang Hwarin. Honestly, you don’t have friends, do you?”

I scratched my head with my palm in frustration and spoke with an annoyed voice.

“What, what, what! Fuck, what did you just say! I, I have friends!”

Tang Hwarin’s face turned red instantly.

Tang Hwarin. That expression. It’s like when you’re among friends and someone says, “Yun-ho, you’re a virgin, right? Fuck. Hey, I’m not!” pretending with that expression.

Tang Hwarin. You really had no friends.

Given your skin condition, no one would have approached you. Living only indoors, you only had people approaching because you’re from a wealthy family.

Alright. Then there’s a way.

“Tang Hwarin. People approach for various reasons. Then, among them, you grow closer to someone you resonate with, and that becomes the relationship based on goodwill you talked about. You don’t have such relationships not because the other party didn’t approach with pure goodwill, but because you didn’t gain their trust, right?”

“…….”

Tang Hwarin, having been confronted with many truths in her life, shut her mouth.

It’s not right to keep pushing her like this. Maybe it’s time to throw her a lifeline.

“Hey. Tang Hwarin.”

“What.”

“If you want to see pure goodwill. From now on, I’ll accompany you with pure goodwill.”

“What? You’re here because of my maternal grandfather…….”

“It’s not pure goodwill towards you. It’s pure goodwill for my deceased friend.”

I placed the hidden medicine back on the table.

“What are you talking about?”

“This medicine. My friend was researching this medicine but died without completing it. After dying, my friend asked to have his body dissected for research. Can you imagine? Bringing many doctors to dissect my friend’s body and research the medicine from it.”

I looked at the medicine container with a somber expression.

“You dissected the body?”

Tang Hwarin looked at me and the medicine container in shock, her mouth slightly open.

“My friend believed that I would complete this medicine even after his death. And I couldn’t betray my friend’s trust, so I completed this medicine. Thus, my friend’s legacy, my goodwill towards my friend, will accompany you to see you healed.”

“…….”

Tang Hwarin looked at me with a shocked face.

How about it, Tang Hwarin. Suddenly hearing a dark yet noble story. Must be hard to grasp, right?

Having sufficiently shaken her, it’s now time to take the lead.

“In return. From today, you try to earn my trust.”

I pointed at her with a faint smile on my palm.

“Why should I buy your trust?”

She asked in a somewhat brusque voice.

“Because I helped you when you were at your lowest in life.”

“What are you talking about?

“I helped you out of trouble without expecting anything in return, and even though you rejected me, I still wanted to help you and made a cure. Because I’m someone who is completely unaffected by your appearance. To you, I might be a failure, but I was the person who came closest to that damned ‘pure goodwill’ you desire. Because I can be the first and last person to approach you with goodwill in your life.”

“Uh…….”

Tang Hwarin froze like a lagging kiosk in response to my rapid-fire logical reasoning.

I took a moment to catch my breath before speaking for the last time.

“So, at the very least, try to buy my trust. Then, the relationship you want. It might be possible.”

In the original story, Tang Hwarin suffered from the side effects of poison which spread poison dust all over her body. A derogatory nickname was given to her, Poison Butterfly Tang Hwarin.

She committed evil deeds amidst people’s laughter, cursing the fate of the poison family, the Sichuan Tang Family. There could not have been anyone who approached her with goodwill in the original history.

I was the one extending a hand to her.

The lonely poison user. Poison Butterfly. Tang Hwarin.

If only you could reach out, I would grab it.

“…… What happens if we can’t build a trust relationship?”

She turned her head slightly and spoke to me as if unsure.

Good. Almost got her.

“When we arrive in Yichang, if we’re just companions, let’s get the money from your grandfather and part ways.”

“If we build it?”

“Ha ha. Well, should I split it like a friend?”

“What? What are you saying?”

“I can’t think of anything right now. Let’s think about it later. So, how will you try to buy my trust? Will you?”

“Are you going to come with me or not?”

I pushed the medicine container in front of her as a sign of agreement.

“You know what it means if you grab that, right?”

She looked back and forth between my face and the medicine container, pondering, then finally opened her mouth.

“……I’ll try.”

Tang Hwarin naturally picked up the medicine container.