A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 223

223. The Day Before Leaving for Exile

Even in their residence on the outskirts of Gwiyang, Sohn Bin and his companions continued their daily routines.

Sohn Bin would wake at dawn to prepare food in the kitchen, while Shin-ui and Old Gun would already be in the garden, enjoying their morning tea.

By the time Seo-rin and the children’s playful sounds echoed from the garden, breakfast would be ready, and everyone would gather around the table facing the garden to eat together.

“I’ll be back shortly,” Old Gun announced, rising from his seat after finishing his meal.

“Is something the matter?” Sohn Bin asked, looking up from his tea. Old Gun rarely ventured out in the mornings.

“I’ll be back soon. I’m just accompanying this fellow on his way,” Old Gun replied, gesturing towards Shin-ui.

Shin-ui was consistently occupied assisting the doctors in Gwiyang. Despite some improvements, he still needed to go out every morning.

“Will you be late?” Sohn Bin inquired again. Old Gun chuckled.

“Why do you keep asking? Do you think I won’t return after leaving?”

Sohn Bin offered an awkward smile at those words.

“It’s not that…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before evening,” Old Gun assured him, turning to Shin-ui. “Let’s go.”

Shin-ui nodded and stood up, carrying the luggage Sa Soo-yeon had packed. He left the residence with Old Gun.

Sohn Bin followed them outside. The carriage waiting in front of the gate whisked the two men away towards downtown Gwiyang.

“Are you worried?” Sa Soo-yeon asked Sohn Bin, who remained outside. He replied with a troubled expression.

“It’s a bit strange. It feels like he’s deliberately avoiding answering…”

However, he couldn’t press Old Gun, who clearly didn’t want to discuss it.

“Don’t worry,” Sa Soo-yeon said with a bright smile. “There’s no one in the world who could endanger Old Gun.”

Sohn Bin gave a wry smile. It was indeed absurd for him to worry about Old Gun, upon reflection.

“Let’s go inside,” Sohn Bin said, returning to the residence with Sa Soo-yeon.

While Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah tackled the endless dishes, Sohn Bin looked after the children with Seo-rin.

He mostly watched them play or stroked their heads, which alone delighted them. Above all, seeing the children, who had become surprisingly healthy, brought a smile to Sohn Bin’s face. Just watching them play with Seo-rin was enough to make him lose track of time.

∴

As noon approached, Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon and Gwigyeon Sura arrived at the residence.

Sohn Bin, who had been teaching Seo-rin and the children how to write, greeted them warmly.

“Welcome.”

“Sabeok [a polite term of address]. Have you been well, Sohn Dae-in [a respectful title]?” Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon said, bowing politely. The red hem of her dress rippled like water with her movement.

“The title of Dae-in is too much. Just call me as you usually do,” Sohn Bin replied.

“Yes, Sohn Gongja [a respectful title for a young master].”

Sohn Bin gave a wry smile. In truth, the expression ‘Gongja’ didn’t really suit him either, but he couldn’t exactly tell her to call him ‘Teacher’.

“I was just about to have a light lunch. Would you like to join me?”

“Thank you,” Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon readily accepted Sohn Bin’s offer.

This wasn’t the first time they had eaten together; she had already stayed at the residence for several days.

Gwigyeon Sura, as always, only glared, offering no greeting. However, Sohn Bin could sense that the hostility and murderous intent that had once been in his eyes had diminished.

After a light meal, Blood Phoenix, holding a teacup, quietly gazed out at the garden.

“It’s improved significantly.”

It was only natural that it had improved. When Blood Phoenix had first opened her eyes here, Sohn Bin and his group had only rented the residence for a few days.

Naturally, the garden was a mess, an eyesore to behold.

“I’ve just done a little tidying up,” Sohn Bin said with a smile.

“Still, it’s a bit of a shame that we have to leave again tomorrow.”

Sohn Bin fiddled with his teacup as he looked out at the garden.

Sohn Bin and his group had completed everything they needed to do here. There was no reason to stay any longer, so they had to leave.

“Seo-won [a private academy] is in Cheongwon, you said?” Blood Phoenix asked. Sohn Bin nodded.

“Yes.”

Perhaps reminded of the children, a gentle smile appeared on Sohn Bin’s lips.

“I’d like to go there sometime too, but I can’t leave my post right now,” Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon explained. She had decided to visit the Namgung Clan of Namchang on behalf of the Blood Phoenix.

However, if Blood Phoenix were to leave now, the chaos within the Blood Phoenix might worsen. Even if she were to visit the Namgung Clan, stabilizing the internal situation was crucial first.

“The Blood Dragon Gate has expressed its support, so it won’t take too long. I’ll contact Sohn Gongja as soon as things here are settled.”

“I understand,” Sohn Bin nodded.

It wasn’t just Blood Phoenix who was going to the Namgung Clan. Naturally, Sohn Bin, as the mediator, had to go as well.

“Please let me know the date, and I’ll go to the Namgung Clan by then.”

Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon stared at Sohn Bin, who, meeting her sparkling eyes, looked puzzled.

“Thank you,” Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon said, her voice small and trembling slightly. “Really, thank you.”

“No,” Sohn Bin said, shaking his head at her gratitude. “Compared to Sojeo’s [a respectful title for a young lady] sacrifice, it’s just a small help.”

Sohn Bin could roughly guess the pain and suffering she was enduring. Perhaps that was why he was even more furious with Blood Demon, who was threatening her.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll get up first,” Blood Phoenix said, standing with an apologetic expression.

She politely bowed to Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah, and bid farewell to Seo-rin and the children.

“Goodbye. Let’s meet in Seo-won later.”

“Yes!” The five children bowed in unison, their heads touching the ground, their appearance so cute that it made everyone smile.

“Hehehe,” Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon smiled, her face as bright and innocent as any other girl her age.

The children and Sohn Bin’s group came to the front of the residence to see off Blood Phoenix and Gwigyeon Sura as they departed.

Gwigyeon Sura remained silent until the end, but seemed to lightly bow his head to Sohn Bin as he entered the carriage.

∴

In the afternoon, Namgung Hyang and the martial artists of the Namgung Clan arrived at the residence.

“Guests! Guests!” the children, their faces covered in ink, pointed at Namgung Hyang and made a fuss.

Sohn Bin, who had been helping the children practice calligraphy, stood up.

“Hello, Sohn Gongja,” Namgung Hyang, as beautiful as a flower, bowed gracefully. The flower ornament in her hair sparkled in the afternoon sunlight.

“Welcome, Namgung Hyang Sojeo,” Sohn Bin said, bowing politely.

However, he couldn’t greet Namgung Hyang right away. He had to change his clothes, which were splattered with ink. Of course, the children, also covered in ink, had to wash up as well.

When Sohn Bin returned to the garden, Namgung Hyang, Sa Soo-yeon, and Dang Wol-ah were sitting, enjoying tea.

The martial artists of the Namgung Clan who had accompanied her were given simple refreshments in the guest room. They, who had been about to refuse as they were responsible for guarding her, obediently retreated at Namgung Hyang’s command.

“I heard that Sojeo is leaving today?”

“Yes,” Namgung Hyang nodded, quietly putting down her teacup.

“In fact, the Namgung Clan doesn’t entrust important tasks to women. It’s not as bad as a typical powerful family, but it’s more closed off compared to other martial arts families.”

A small sigh mixed in her voice.

“So, the fact that I was entrusted with such an important task was rather unconventional for the elders of the family.”

Everyone acknowledged Namgung Hyang’s intelligence. However, she was still young and a woman, and her martial arts skills were not very high.

From the clan elders’ perspective, it was a reckless decision.

“If this task had failed, I would have been in a difficult situation in many ways.”

It wasn’t just a difficult situation.

The leadership of the current head of the family, Namgung Kwon, who had appointed her, would have faced a serious crisis, and Namgung Hyang would never have been able to step forward in family matters again.

“Thanks to Sohn Gongja, I was able to return with good results. Thank you so much.”

The Blood Phoenix had fully accepted her proposal. For the Namgung Clan, it was the desired outcome, and especially for the former Thunder Sword Namgung Cheon, it was an even greater achievement, because Sohn Bin would be visiting the Namgung Clan.

“What have I done? I’m just glad it turned out well,” Sohn Bin said with a smile. Namgung Hyang responded with a smile.

“This place somehow reminds me of Sohn Gongja’s Seo-won,” Namgung Hyang said, quietly lifting her teacup.

“I definitely want to go there again…” Namgung Hyang looked at the garden with soft eyes, her hair gently swaying in the breeze.

“Ah, right,” she said, as if suddenly remembering something, and took something out of her bosom.

Clatter.

A small jade pendant was placed on the table.

“Please show this when you come to the Namgung Clan. Then you’ll be able to enter without any problems.”

The Namgung Clan is one of the Five Great Clans of the world. Not only is it large in scale, but its organization is also vast, so if you were to go there without anything, you would likely run into trouble.

First of all, there are many visitors, and if things go wrong, you might be pushed back by other important matters and have to wait for several days.

If you were seen as an insignificant guest, the fact that you visited might not even be conveyed.

“If it’s a jade pendant, I also have one that the former Thunder Sword gave me.”

The day the former Thunder Sword Namgung Cheon left Seo-won, Sohn Bin received a small pendant made of white jade, decorated with antique patterns. He vividly remembered him telling him to take good care of it, saying it was something he cherished.

“That’s not for use in situations like this,” Namgung Hyang laughed.

She couldn’t help but laugh. The value of the jade pendant that the former Thunder Sword had given him was, in fact, comparable to the entire Namgung Clan.

Sohn Bin, not knowing the details, coughed awkwardly, and Namgung Hyang continued, “Use this jade pendant this time. If you show this, they’ll know that Sohn Gongja has come on important business.”

“I understand,” Sohn Bin accepted the jade pendant. It was still warm, perhaps from Namgung Hyang’s body temperature.

“I’ll be waiting,” Sohn Bin raised his head at Namgung Hyang’s voice. She was smiling as she looked at him with sparkling eyes. “For the time when Gongja comes to find me.”

Sohn Bin gave a gentle smile and nodded.

*

*

*

As evening approached, Old Gun had not returned. While Shin-ui, who had finished his work early, was drinking tea and relieving his fatigue, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Old Gun wouldn’t knock. Everyone’s eyes turned to the sound, and Seo-rin quickly darted out.

“I’ll go see!” Seo-rin went to the front gate in a flash and returned alone.

“He told me to give this to Hyung [older brother or a term of respect]?”

Seo-rin held a thin letter.

Rustle.

Sohn Bin opened the letter.

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong?” Sa Soo-yeon asked. Sohn Bin raised his head.

“It’s a letter from the Blood Dragon Gate’s Moonju [leader].”

The Moonju of the Blood Dragon Gate was none other than the young Okryong. At Sohn Bin’s words, Sa Soo-yeon’s expression changed slightly.

“He says he had to return urgently and left without even saying goodbye.”

“Oh, really?”

Was her reaction a little awkward? Sohn Bin looked at Sa Soo-yeon with a questioning look. She slyly lifted her teacup and avoided his gaze.

‘That’s a relief,’ she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. If it was this bad now, she felt like she wouldn’t have been able to properly look at Sohn Bin’s face if they hadn’t been sent away.

“Hmph, that’s good,” a rough voice suddenly rang out. Sohn Bin and his group quickly raised their heads.

“That guy with the slick face was an eyesore,” Old Gun grumbled, with his long white beard.

“Wow! Grandpa!” Seo-rin quickly ran to Old Gun and hugged him tightly. He frowned.

“Why are you suddenly like this? Anyone would think a dead person has come back to life.”

He was grumbling, but couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his lips.

“Wow!” When Seo-rin went to hug him, the five children also hugged Old Gun.

“Aish, these kids…” Old Gun frowned, but stroked each of their heads.

“Did you wait?” he asked Sohn Bin, as if throwing the words out. Sohn Bin smiled and stood up.

“Did things go well?”

“Whether it went well or not… Let’s eat first. Isn’t it dinner yet?”

“The preparations are all done.”

Although it was a little late, the group sat down together at the table.

Clatter, clatter.

The children were hungry and ate enthusiastically, making noise.

Watching them, Sohn Bin told Old Gun about the people who had come today, while Old Gun leisurely used his chopsticks.

Old Gun, who had been nodding, suddenly said, as if he had remembered something, “I went to look for traces of the Blood Demon today.”

At the words ‘Blood Demon’, Sohn Bin’s expression slightly hardened. There was a reason why Old Gun hadn’t said anything.

“Did you find him?”

“Yeah,” Old Gun nodded. “He was very well hidden. Well, the terrain of this Gwiju is so unique.”

The terrain of Gwiju Province is rugged, with a huge waterfall in a deep valley and a place called Manbongrim, said to have ten thousand peaks.

“If that guy hadn’t told me, I would have passed by even if I had seen it right in front of me. It wasn’t much, though.”

‘That guy’ must be referring to Gwigyeon Sura. Sohn Bin listened to Old Gun’s words.

“But it’s strange.”

“What is it?”

Old Gun picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

“According to that guy, the Blood Demon, who suddenly appeared in the village, killed all the villagers and then captured him. He must have thought that he wouldn’t remember because he was so young, but that guy remembers everything.”

Gwigyeon Sura had an excellent memory. He, who was only six or seven years old, clearly remembered what happened in the village and even the fact that the Blood Demon had killed his parents.

“And then, well, he trained him until he was on the verge of death. He used all sorts of heretical methods.”

The Blood Demon thoroughly raised the young Gwigyeon Sura like a tool. Starting with forcibly making him undergo the Beolmo Sesu [a technique to change one’s constitution], he forced him to undergo hellish training that a young child could not possibly handle.

Gwigyeon Sura, who had outstanding talent and constitution that the Blood Demon had noticed in the first place, endured all the training and reached the pinnacle at a young age.

However, he could not cross the wall beyond the pinnacle.

“The Blood Demon, who had been forcibly raising him like that, suddenly disappeared. Without even a letter or a word, he just left the Blood Wolf Sword.”

Through that Blood Wolf Sword, Gwigyeon Sura was able to cross the wall of the pinnacle. He had entered the realm of ‘Outer Affairs’ that the Blood Demon had been talking about.

“But the Blood Demon would never leave the Blood Wolf Sword behind,” Old Gun tilted his head.

“So I went to check it out. It certainly seemed like the Blood Demon had been there, just like that guy said. But I still don’t understand. As a result, it’s like he let Arang go, but there’s no way the Blood Demon would do that.”

“Arang?” Sohn Bin asked about the unfamiliar name.

“Gwigyeon Sura, that’s his name. Did Blood Phoenix give it to him when she picked him up?”

“Picked him up?” Sa Soo-yeon asked. Old Gun shrugged his shoulders.

“What happens when a guy who doesn’t know anything about the world comes down to a village and eats this and that without paying? Someone must have yelled at him, and he wouldn’t have stood still with his personality, so he must have fought back.”

Sohn Bin gave a wry smile. He could almost picture what had happened, just like Old Gun said.

“If things get out of hand like that, some people might die or bleed. And then, in the blink of an eye, he’d be called a murderer or something. He barely survived by meeting Blood Phoenix right before he became a real murderer.”

What greeted Gwigyeon Sura, who had come down to the village, was the incomprehensible hostility of the people.

The moment Gwigyeon Sura was about to respond with blood to the blatant hostility of the world surrounding him, only the slender Geum Sa-ryeon understood him, accepted him, and stood in front of the people for him.

If it hadn’t been for her, Gwigyeon Sura might have really become a blood-soaked murderer. And he gained the name Arang and someone to whom he would dedicate his life.

“You can hear the detailed story from Blood Phoenix later, but anyway, in the end, he doesn’t know where the Blood Demon went. I feel like I’ve been scammed somehow. Tsk.”

Old Gun clicked his tongue. In the end, he didn’t know the Blood Demon’s location or current state at all, so it was understandable that he felt cheated.

“In that case,” Dang Wol-ah, who had been listening quietly, said in a low voice, “Could he have been subdued and taken away by someone?”

“Leaving the Blood Wolf Sword neatly next to Arang? That doesn’t make sense. Besides, there were no traces of a fight at all,” Old Gun said, as if throwing the words out.

“Even if it was Hwanghak Jin-in [a powerful martial artist], he couldn’t have subdued the Blood Demon so easily. Whatever happened, it seemed clear that the Blood Demon had left on his own.”

Old Gun, who had been groaning, shrugged his shoulders. “Anyway, it’ll take decades for the Blood Demon to regain his strength, so we’ll know when we go there then. We can worry about the future later.”

True to his nature, Old Gun came to a simple conclusion. Putting down his chopsticks, he asked Sohn Bin, “You’re leaving for Seo-won tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

“What should I buy for the kids as a gift?” Old Gun muttered, stroking his beard.

‘Come to think of it…’ Sohn Bin also suddenly thought of Jeok Se-hwa. The children were children, but he had to give something to her, who had worked hard to take care of Seo-won while he was away.

Since he was thinking about it, it would be nice to buy gifts for his uncle and aunt for the first time in a while.

‘But what do the young ladies like?’ If it were him, he would like books, ink, or brushes, but he didn’t think Jeok Se-hwa would like those things.

Feeling helpless, Sohn Bin unknowingly looked at Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah, but soon sighed again. It seemed difficult to expect common sense from them.