Solo Swordmaster

Chapter 69: Dummy Brains

After the ‘stunt’ he pulled off by imitating Julia’s performance by ear, many things changed about Li’s lessons.

The repetitive pattern of learning the same normal curriculum, for one. But the most extreme change was his teacher’s gaze and lesson progression.

“Hm. So what do you call that thing where you connect the notes?”

“Legato. It’s where you keep the bow connected to the strings.”

“That sounds like there’s also one where you don’t connect the bow to the strings.”

“Do you really not know what you’re talking about? You used saltato and arpeggiando multiple times in your performance.”

“I don’t. All I did was roughly copy what you did.”

“…Li, you do realize that what you’re saying will get you shot if it were another violinist, right?”

“Then tell them to try it themselves. Anyone can imitate a technique with enough time and effort,” Li said apathetically.

Julia bitterly smiled. In the past, she would have said something about his arrogance. She knew all too well about just how many violinists had spent their whole lives just trying to imitate another player.

And yet, she could not bring herself to say anything. She was a musician before a professor, and she understood he had the right to say those things.

‘How could a genius that basically learned my techniques in a matter of days understand such a thing?

Julia recalled just a few days back, after Li had just copied her performance.

She’d practiced again and again until her arms trembled and could no longer hold the bow, as if she was in a trance. Not only did Limon imitate her performance without the slightest difference, he’d taken in all of the techniques she had used in it.

‘His talent is truly demonic.’

Not just that, Li was using her techniques as background knowledge to blast through musical theory. It was horrifying.

You would only believe such a person existed by witnessing him in the flesh.

Julia herself was called the ‘prodigy of the century’, and she had taught countless geniuses throughout her career. Yet even she got the chills.

On top of that, Li was not lacking at all next to players with rare skills.

‘I can see why his past teachers ran away after he performed once.’

Before, she figured that they quit because of how completely and utterly horrible Li’s performance was. But now, she knew. They gave up on him because they couldn’t handle his demonic talent.

It was like a beautifully radiant gem. No one would dare put their hands on it.

Of course, that didn’t make him absolutely perfect.

“But you still can’t read notes, Li.”

Perhaps it was a balance patch from God, or the mystery of talent. He could imitate any small movement from a glance, but couldn’t understand music notes.

She was stumped.

“You try being my age. It’s easier to use your body than your mind.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask… Just how old are you to be saying that kind of stuff, Li?”

“Don’t you know it’s rude to ask a man his age?”

“I have never heard of that, Li.”

“Well, now you have.”

Limon snickered as he organized his notes and got up.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Yep. Like I said, I’ve got a job to take care of today.”

“I’m asking this out of personal curiosity, but what is this ‘job’ you’re talking about? It looks like you have a job to take care of regularly.”

“Hm, I dunno.”

Limon pondered as he stroked his chin, thinking about the ‘business’ he’d done over the past few days. He shrugged.

“I listen to things I don’t understand and nod, I guess?”

“…What kind of job is that?”

Julia was dumbfounded at his joke.

But it wasn’t one. Limon wasn’t joking. It was the most accurate and concise way he could honestly describe it. In fact, that was really all he did with Wei-Ling after his lesson.

“I tried posting a job opening, but as expected, there were no applicants. It was decided Leviathan would lend us any manpower when necessary.”

“Uhm.”

“But we will need to pay them a service fee to prevent any information leaking out externally. An estimate for the additional budgets are on page 57 through 58.”

“I see.”

“And due to the strong opposition of unifying the security systems, it looks like it will be hard to continue the plan. I am considering whether to completely scratch this ‘Guardian System’, or to apply it outside of the subsidiaries for commercialization.”

“Mmhm.”

“Also, complaints are spreading faster than expected. According to a covert investigation, doubts and hostility against Guardian have already surpassed 70%. For detailed statistics, see…”

“Hm.”

Wei-Ling paused her report reading. Her ice cold eyes bore into Limon as he slowly nodded with a grave face.

“…Do you even know what I’m talking about?”

“Nope. Not one bit.”

Her gaze immediately turned into one of disgust, like she was looking at garbage. It was no way for a secretary to be looking at the CEO, but it was only natural for a worker who had put in hard work into the report she was giving.

Even the bluebird that had been dozing off on Limon’s head gave him a look.

‘I can’t believe such a brazen boss exists!’ she seemed to think.

Of course, Limon had his two cents as well.

“Shoulda done a better briefing. How do you expect me to know how things are going with this thing? This isn’t a report—it’s a whole blunt weapon,” he grumbled as he tapped a finger on the report. It looked more like an encyclopedia than any regular old book.

But Wei-Ling’s answer was cold, like always.

“That is the minimum amount of information a CEO should know. I shortened it to the best of my abilities.”

“…If this is the shortened version, then just how much was there to begin with?”

“I can send a cart over if you’re interested.”

“Absolutely not. Thank you, though.”

***

***

Limon surrendered. The sheer fact she quantified it in carts and not books was already a mental weapon. Maybe it was her scheme to overwork him to death.

“Is the future groom of the princess really showing weakness over this?”

“Documents like these have always been my Achilles’ heel,” Limon answered, unfazed by Wei-Ling’s icy criticism.

“[Why am I always the one feeling embarrassed…]”

Even Yoo Na-kyung lamented as she hid her face with her wings.

But Limon did not bat an eye. Rather, he nonchalantly added on.

“So make it shorter—preferably in ten words or less.”

“Are you listening to yourself?”

“That’s what a competent secretary like you is here for. And I’m sure the princess hired you because you’re able to.”

“……”

“What, you can’t do it?” Limon jeered provokingly.

Wei-Ling gave the old demon a cold glare as she finally crumpled up the bundle of reports in her hands.

“Fine. Then I’ll give you the most concise explanation you want so much.”

“Ooh!”

“Guardian is doomed if we continue.”

“…Eh?”

Limon’s devious smile, full of glee from getting his revenge on Wei-Ling, became stunned in an instant. Not believing his own ears, he space out blinking for a while.

Finally coming to his senses, Limon rushed to ask.

“Wait, what’s that supposed to mean? My company is doomed? Why? It hasn’t even been that long.”

Perhaps he’d felt a shred of responsibility as the puppet boss.

With an icy smile at Limon’s reaction, Wei-Ling explained the situation.

“There are no jobs for us.”

“Why not? You’ve been working hard all this time, haven’t you? It looked like you took care of a lot of stuff just listening to your report.”

“The work I’ve been doing was just preparation for my actual job.”

“You worked to work?” Limon was befuddled.

“…Think of it as sharpening your sword before going out onto the battlefield.”

“Aha. So you worked your ass off sharpening that blade to be a human butcher, but now that you’re all ready, there’s no need to fight anymore, is that it?”

“[…Just how is your brain built to only understand analogies like that?]”

Yoo Na-kyung became baffled as she saw Limon finally nod in understanding.

‘You try doing nothing but swinging around a sword for a couple hundred years. You get the magical power of processing everything in the world like it’s a battle.’

“[Isn’t that more of a curse?]”

Yoo Na-kyung’s comment went in one ear and out the other. Resting his chin on interlocked fingers, he watched Wei-Ling with a serious look in his eye.

“So, who is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“The person who cut off our job. Unless someone pulled some funny business up their sleeves, there’s no way a normal company wouldn’t have any jobs to do.”

Limon coolly came to a conclusion. If the company was under risk because of someone’s doing, all there was to do was to find them and beat their damn ass.

“There is no such thing.”

“What?”

“There isn’t anyone in particular who cut off work for our company on purpose. There are no traces of anyone interfering with us, either.”

“…Then why don’t we have any work to do?”

“Because Guardian isn’t a normal company.”

Guardian was just a startup to begin with. The only employees were Limon and Wei-Ling. Well, it was really more like a ghost company, and no boss in their right mind would leave the security of their business in such hands. At least, not in the Black Dragon Clan.

Especially not when the CEO was Limon.

“Besides, it’s obvious no one would want to leave their security to an inspection unit.”

“So, you’re saying it’s only natural we’re not getting any work?”

“That is correct,” she coldly replied, finally getting Limon to understand. “But there is no need to worry. Until I produce results and pass it on to you, the princess will provide us generously with any lacking funds.”

How comforting to hear that as the executive of a doomed company.

But Limon wasn’t relieved or happy. He simply eyed Wei-Ling, and bluntly spoked up.

“Have you ever been in an inspection unit… Or even any proper business at all before?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“You don’t have to answer that. I’m sure you’ve done nothing but study your ass off and train your Psionics to become a Black Dragon Clan elite at the age you are.”

Limon buried himself deep into his chair. Lost in thought, he tapped the desk with his fingers, and let out a deep sigh. Having been blinded by Wei-ling’s competence, he’d just found out the real reason Li Chingwei put her up for the job.

“Now I see it. This princess just assigned a dummy brain for me to teach, not a competent assistant.”

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