A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 389

389. Suspicion

Sohn-bin and his group’s journey towards the western territory was arduous. It wasn’t just because the city where they were supposed to meet Sa Soo-yeon’s group was farther than expected, nor was it because the midday heat was unimaginably intense.

The problem was that they were desperately short on money.

“Why are we out of money?”

Old Gun grumbled.

“We found all the horses and luggage that ran away, didn’t we? So why are we short on money?”

“We only grabbed what we urgently needed from that luggage, didn’t we?”

Hwang Bang-ju protested, sounding aggrieved.

“You rushed me to pack quickly without giving me any time, Elder!”

Among the hastily packed items, the most valuable ones had to be used for preparing for Sohn-bin and Sa Soo-yeon’s imprisonment and for bribes. They needed to get Sohn-bin, Sa Soo-yeon, and Dang Wol-ah out of prison immediately.

Of course, despite the bribes, they were not only imprisoned but also bound in chains.

“All the really important luggage is hidden in the village. My merchandise is all there too.”

“So, this problem can only be solved if we meet Soo-yeon or Wol-ah?”

At Old Gun’s words, Hwang Bang-ju replied with a reluctant expression.

“That’s right. That is, if the female warriors even thought to bring the luggage…”

“They’ll bring the luggage.”

“Will they have time? The village was attacked by the military…”

“Wol-ah is there. She’s also a woman of the Dang Clan.”

Old Gun asserted with conviction. And Hwang Bang-ju was convinced as well. The Dang Clan was famous for never taking a loss. Not only merchants but even unruly martial artists would tremble at the mention of the Dang Clan.

“Anyway, until we meet Yeon-ah and Wol-ah, we have to endure this hardship…”

Old Gun sighed. The group’s current state was on the verge of becoming completely destitute. Mainly because they had no money.

“Actually, even if we had money, it wouldn’t make a big difference.”

Hwang Bang-ju said with a bitter smile.

“We escaped from prison, didn’t we? There must be wanted posters out for us in nearby territories. We can’t stay in any decent place anyway.”

They had broken through the lord’s underground prison and escaped. As Hwang Bang-ju said, it was natural that they would be wanted, so they couldn’t stay in proper accommodations, and they had to avoid encountering people as much as possible.

Since they had no money, they had to make do with street food, but Seo-rin actually liked it better.

However, the dirty and filthy cheap lodgings were definitely a problem.

“I’m used to sleeping outdoors, so it doesn’t matter much to me, but I really can’t stand the heat. Why is it so hot even at night…”

“I don’t really notice the heat? More than that, why are there so many bugs?”

“Bugs? Were there bugs?”

At Hwang Bang-ju’s words, Old Gun frowned.

“Weren’t we all in the same room?”

The place where Sohn-bin’s group stayed was a large room where several people slept with bedding spread out haphazardly. Naturally, it was hot, dirty, and noisy because of the snoring people.

“You just catch them as you see them. If you feel something moving while you’re sleeping, just press down on it…”

Hwang Bang-ju’s mouth dropped open at Seo-rin’s words.

“You react to bugs moving while you’re sleeping? Is that even sleeping, Young Hero?”

“I hate bugs. I told you, wolves like things clean.”

Ignoring Seo-rin’s proud words, Old Gun frowned and grumbled.

“Ugh, why did we have to agree to meet so far away?”

The road under the scorching sun felt hot just to look at. Even Old Gun was reluctant to walk in this weather. The horses wouldn’t be able to handle it either.

“We couldn’t help it. Did we know that General Scheherazade would become monster food so absurdly back then?”

Hwang Bang-ju also sighed as he looked at the road. Currently, Sohn-bin’s group was huddled under a large tree, taking a break from the midday heat.

“No, more than that, weren’t you the one who decided on that location, Elder?”

Old Gun subtly avoided Hwang Bang-ju’s gaze and fanned himself.

“Ugh, it’s hot.”

Sohn-bin laughed inwardly. No matter how hot the sun was, there was no way Old Gun would be bothered by this much heat.

Still, it was amazing that Hwang Bang-ju hadn’t been bitten by bugs. Sohn-bin had suffered from bugs all night at the lodging.

‘Does he have a constitution that bugs hate?’

If so, it was an extraordinary constitution that was truly enviable.

“By the way, Bin-ah.”

“Yes.”

When Sohn-bin turned his head, Old Gun said with a serious expression.

“It wasn’t in the city we just passed either.”

At those words, Sohn-bin’s expression also hardened. He recognized that what Old Gun was talking about was the ‘mark’ that Gwigyoun Sura was supposed to leave.

“Something’s strange. We can excuse missing it in the first territory, but not finding any even after coming this far is incomprehensible.”

“Could they have gone another way?”

At Hwang Bang-ju’s words, Old Gun frowned.

“Where else? If you’re going west from Seo, you have to pass through this area. No, it should have been in the first territory in the first place. It’s right there after crossing the mountain range west from Seo. But the fact that it’s not there…”

Old Gun bit his lip slightly.

“I’m starting to think we’ve been had.”

“Had?”

At Sohn-bin’s question, Old Gun said casually.

“By Ok-ryong’s trickery.”

At those words, Sohn-bin’s heart sank. If it wasn’t just a petty act but a deliberate attempt to isolate Sohn-bin’s group, the problem was serious.

“Why?”

Hwang Bang-ju asked.

“There’s no reason for him to do that, is there? Weren’t they the ones who suggested we go in the first place?”

His question was natural. However, Old Gun’s answer was clear.

“Because it’s Ok-ryong.”

Old Gun said as if it were obvious.

“No one knows what’s in that guy’s head. He’s someone you can never grasp and should never trust. Who in the world can know what he’s thinking?”

Ok-ryong frolics in the clouds. As Old Gun said, who in the world could know his schemes? He is the very existence who holds even the experts of the Outer History in his hands and manipulates them.

“And I said it back then too, didn’t I? To just stay in Seo. And if possible…”

“He also told us not to come at all.”

Sohn-bin replied quietly. Sohn-bin couldn’t forget Ok-ryong’s expression back then. It was definitely Ok-ryong’s true feelings.

However, Sohn-bin soon shook his head.

“But Ok-ryong isn’t that kind of person. He’s a strange person, but he always keeps his word.”

Ok-ryong is a bizarre, unpredictable person. But he always keeps his promises. He doesn’t play with words, and he certainly doesn’t make excuses.

Since he allowed it, Ok-ryong must have left a mark. Just like he left a letter about the Demonic Sect in Seo.

“So, there will definitely be a mark. But maybe…”

Sohn-bin smiled bitterly.

“He might have twisted something to make it hard for us to recognize.”

Ok-ryong is that kind of person. He never gives anything away easily and always twists and tangles things up. He even enjoys seeing the other person in trouble or danger because of it.

Everyone was silent for a moment when Hwang Bang-ju suddenly said.

“Oh, come to think of it, what he said was right.”

Sohn-bin turned around, wondering what he meant, and Hwang Bang-ju said with an awkward smile.

“If we had stayed in Seo, we wouldn’t have had to go through this hardship.”

That wasn’t all. Sohn-bin could have enjoyed immense fame, wealth, and pleasure. Just like Ok-ryong said, like an emperor.

But that was just a meaningless hypothetical, and the reality was that they were destitute.

“Still, we have to go.”

Sohn-bin said with a gentle smile.

“‘He’ said he would wait.”

Saja-hyuk said he would wait. So, they had to go. None other than him was waiting for Sohn-bin.

“Alright. Let’s look for it a bit more.”

Old Gun said with a quiet sigh. How could he argue with Sohn-bin’s eyes like that?

“By the way, how much farther is it to the city with the lord’s castle?”

“Just a few more days.”

Hwang Bang-ju sighed as he looked at the road.

“But it won’t be an easy road.”

It wasn’t just Hwang Bang-ju. Everyone sighed as they looked at the heat radiating from the road.

They say leaving home means hardship, but without money, their situation was truly miserable.

* * *

The western territory was quieter than expected. Contrary to what they had heard about it being a rebellious area, there weren’t any fierce battles, and apart from the military bases, there weren’t any particularly strict security measures, so the group was able to enter the western territory without much difficulty.

After several days of riding their horses, avoiding the midday sun and people’s eyes, the group finally arrived in Lahore, the central city of the western territory.

“Oh, this place is quite decent?”

Old Gun exclaimed as he entered the city. As befitting the central city of a granary area with a vast plain, Lahore was bustling with people. There was a lot of traffic of people and goods, as well as foreigners.

It truly felt like a metropolis.

“The people look clean too.”

Seo-rin said as she looked at the people passing by. Indeed, the people coming and going were all wearing thick cloths, turbans [headwear], on their heads and had long beards, and they were all very neat. The streets alone were the cleanest of all the Cheonchuk [ancient Indian] cities they had seen so far.

“Oh, this place is strongly influenced by a reformist sect within Cheonchukism [ancient Indian religion].”

“What, another religious issue?”

Old Gun frowned. Hwang Bang-ju said with a bitter smile.

“Still, it’s quite good. As far as I know, there’s no discrimination based on status, they don’t force any particular religion, and they don’t make you follow complicated precepts [religious rules].”

Old Gun looked at Hwang Bang-ju with a skeptical expression. Sohn-bin felt the same way.

“It’s true. There’s almost no discrimination against women here. And as I said before, they can’t even imagine untouchables [lowest social class].”

“That’s really a good thing.”

Sohn-bin said with admiration. If what Hwang Bang-ju said was true, it was truly the right thing to do.

Old Gun, who was next to Sohn-bin nodding, said with a bitter smile.

“Geez. It’s amazing that such obvious words are so surprising. What the heck is wrong with this land…”

Sohn-bin couldn’t help but agree with those words. He didn’t want to judge this culture, but if it was for the sake of the people, shouldn’t it be like that?

“Anyway, we need to find a place to stay first, right? That way, we can leave a mark for Soo-yeon or Wol-ah.”

“Then let’s stay in a good place! We don’t have to hide here anymore, do we?”

Seo-rin immediately perked up. But Hwang Bang-ju shook his head.

“But we don’t have any money.”

To Seo-rin, who was looking dejected, Hwang Bang-ju continued as if to comfort her.

“But it’ll be better than now. The temples of the reformist sect here will let foreigners and travelers like us sleep there for free. And they even give us food.”

“Temples?”

At Seo-rin’s question, Hwang Bang-ju nodded.

“It’ll be incomparably cleaner than what we’ve had so far. In fact, the biggest precept of this sect is ‘Please wash and clean yourselves.'”

‘Please,’ Sohn-bin thought, wondering if that was really the case, but anyway, it was true that most of the people walking around were neat.

“Then let’s do that for now. I’ll look for the mark that Gwigyoun Sura left behind.”

That ‘mark’ hadn’t been found in any of the cities they had passed through so far. But they couldn’t give up entirely.

“Ok-ryong might have played a trick, so it’ll be even more troublesome to find.”

As Sohn-bin said that to Old Gun, who was grumbling, he asked.

“Will Young Lady Soo-yeon and Young Lady Wol-ah be here soon?”

“They’ll be here soon. They weren’t that far away from us. But…”

Old Gun clicked his tongue and continued.

“It’ll be even more difficult for them. They have to hide their identities like us, and they won’t be treated properly just because they’re women. It’s a relief that there’s no worry of being harassed by strange guys…”

This land is not very kind to unfamiliar foreign women. Moreover, Hwang Bang-ju had often heard stories that because of the backlash against strict regulations, the men here would severely harass foreign women who were outside the regulations.

If Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah didn’t have strength, their beauty would have already caused a great disaster.

“Don’t worry too much. They’ll be here soon.”

Old Gun said as if to comfort Sohn-bin, who had a troubled expression. But Sohn-bin’s expression didn’t ease easily. He felt sorry for Sa Soo-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geom-hui for the hardships they would endure, and because he thought it was all his fault, his heart ached.

* * *

Contrary to Old Gun’s words that they would be here soon, Sa Soo-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geom-hui did not arrive in Lahore easily.

As a result, Sohn-bin became increasingly anxious and worried with each passing day.

“Why aren’t they coming?”

Sohn-bin asked Old Gun. In fact, there was no way Old Gun would know, but Old Gun was the only person he could turn to to express his frustrated feelings.

“I don’t know. I don’t think anything happened…”

Old Gun also frowned and tilted his head. If it was Sa Soo-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geom-hui, there was absolutely no need to worry even if something had happened.

He would rather worry that they had caused some kind of accident and destroyed some lord’s palace.

“Could it be that they’ve already arrived but we haven’t been able to meet them? The city is quite large…”

“That can’t be. We’ve put up marks at every entrance to the city, and Seo-rin is scouting around the city, isn’t she? Soo-yeon has good eyes, so she would never miss them. If you go out looking for them, you’ll just get lost and suffer more.”

Old Gun’s words were right. Sohn-bin sighed quietly and tried to calm his worries.

“How’s the search for Gwigyoun Sura’s mark going?”

At Sohn-bin’s words, Old Gun shook his head.

“There’s no progress. I’ve been looking with my eyes wide open, but it’s nowhere to be found. And there are no rumors that seem like it…”

Old Gun, who was muttering, frowned.

“Should we just go west?”

“Oh no, you can’t.”

Hwang Bang-ju quickly waved his hand and interjected.

“The western region is all wilderness or desert. And there are even sandstorms. If we go west without knowing the way, we’ll die before we can find them.”

Despite his vehement opposition, Old Gun had a reluctant expression.

“There must be people living there, right? Then…”

“No one lives there.”

Hwang Bang-ju said firmly.

“No, they can’t live there. The west is that kind of place. There’s a reason why it’s called the abandoned land.”

Old Gun still had a dissatisfied expression. Still, he understood that going west without a plan was reckless and inefficient.

“How did that Ok-ryong twist the mark like this…”

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]! Grandpa!”

Seo-rin’s urgent voice interrupted Old Gun’s words. Old Gun and Sohn-bin quickly raised their heads and saw Seo-rin running into the temple as if flying.

“They’re coming! The sisters are coming!”

Sohn-bin, who had been sitting on the temple floor, jumped up. Old Gun and Hwang Bang-ju also quickly stood up.

“Really? Where did you meet them? Are they all okay?”

Sohn-bin quickly asked. Old Gun felt the same way.

“At the entrance to the city! But that’s not important!”

At Seo-rin’s urgent words, Sohn-bin’s expression changed.

“Why? What’s wrong? Did someone get hurt?”

“That’s not it!”

Seo-rin shook her head as if frustrated. And shouted.

“Elephants, elephants!”

“Elephants?”

Sohn-bin’s heart sank for a moment. The word elephant reminded him of the war elephants he had seen before.

Sohn-bin couldn’t understand why Seo-rin suddenly said the word elephant. Hwang Bang-ju, who knew this place well, had the same expression.

“Elephants are coming! Very white, very, very big elephants!”

“What?”

It was natural for Sohn-bin to ask that. Suddenly, elephants, especially white and big elephants, were coming. He didn’t know what this meant.

“A white elephant is quite a rare animal, isn’t it? Is it really white, or was it painted white?”

At Hwang Bang-ju’s question, Seo-rin shook her head vigorously.

“Oh geez, it’s not that, but Soo-yeon sister, Wol-ah sister, Geom-hui sister, and even Parsha and Gatra…”

Seo-rin, who had been listing names in an instant, screamed.

“They’re all coming! All of them, all of them.”

This time, he couldn’t even ask. With the names of Parsha and Gatra coming out, Sohn-bin couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Let’s go quickly! Quickly.”

In the end, Seo-rin said as if pushing Sohn-bin.

“You’ll know when you see it. Elephants! Very, very big elephants!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… Let’s go for now.”

Old Gun said that and grabbed Hwang Bang-ju and kicked off the ground. Seo-rin also hugged Sohn-bin and flew off.

Thinking that he could meet Sa Soo-yeon again, Sohn-bin’s heart suddenly started to beat faster.

(Author’s words)

It’s definitely not because of Seo-rin that my heart is beating.

*The tail has gotten shorter, but we’ll still go with 3 chapters a week for July.