A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 53

53. The Start of the Escort (2)

“Haa-aam.”

Son Bin yawned, and the old Chief frowned.

“Did you drink last night or something?”

“Ah, no.”

Son Bin, realizing the Chief’s misunderstanding, said,

“I just couldn’t sleep well.”

“Is that so?”

The old Chief nodded as if understanding.

“Well, I couldn’t sleep the night before my first escort either. I was so excited…”

“It’s not that…”

The Chief chuckled. Son Bin’s words sounded like an excuse to him.

“Then, why? Did your lover cling to you all night?”

At the Chief’s teasing words, Son Bin chuckled this time.

“No way. First of all, I don’t have a lover… well, in a way, is it similar?”

“Similar? Don’t tell me you’re whoring around…”

The Chief’s brow furrowed again. To prevent unnecessary misunderstandings, Son Bin quickly said,

“No, that’s not it. Last night, my sword was crying so much…”

“What?”

The Chief looked at Son Bin with an expression that said, ‘What nonsense is this?’ Son Bin sighed.

“Hoo.”

Last night, Son Bin took out the new iron sword he had bought and practiced. It couldn’t compare to Baekro [his prized sword], but he was satisfied with his training and returned home.

The problem occurred when he went back to bed. He heard a low sound from somewhere.

Woong.

‘Huh?’

Son Bin got up. The sound was heard again.

Woong.

A sound like a small whisper in his ear. It was a similar sensation to when Saja Hyuk had conveyed his will to him before.

A sensation that wasn’t loud but grating on his nerves. Eventually, Son Bin got out of bed.

‘What is this sound?’

Focusing his senses, he quickly found the source of the sound. It was the very place where Son Bin had carefully placed Baekro.

Click.

Son Bin opened the case and took out Baekro.

Woong.

The sound was heard again. But there was no feeling in his hands.

‘What’s going on?’

Son Bin was flustered. And suddenly, Saja Hyuk’s words came to mind.

‘The moonlight is cool, and Paewol cries…’

Outside the window was filled with blue moonlight. Still, he never thought he would really hear it crying like this.

Son Bin shook his head and carefully placed Baekro back in its case. Then he went back to bed.

He thought that since he knew the cause, he could ignore it. But he was wrong.

Woong, woong.

The sound continued incessantly. Eventually, unable to sleep, Son Bin had to take Baekro out again.

Only then did Baekro stop crying. And Son Bin had to rethink his plan to hide Baekro and leave.

‘I don’t know if only I can hear this sound or not…’

Even so, Son Bin’s house is half-open anyway. Maybe the kids will come and play and find the sword.

With that thought, he became increasingly anxious about leaving it hidden at home. In the end, Son Bin decided to take Baekro with him.

“Anyway, well… that’s what happened.”

Son Bin answered vaguely to the Chief, who was still looking at him with a suspicious expression.

Son Bin had the iron sword he bought yesterday on his back, but Baekro, wrapped in cloth, was tightly tied in his bundle.

Rustle.

At that moment, Eun Chobin appeared.

Dressed in light martial attire with an outer garment, she looked like a young warrior at first glance, but she couldn’t hide her vibrant femininity.

“I am Eun Chobin, taking responsibility for this escort on behalf of the Lord.”

She said in a confident voice, facing the gazes of the people directed at her.

“We will now depart for Saryang Escort Agency. There will be nothing special until we receive the consignment, but please be extra careful to avoid any accidents. Especially those who are participating for the first time…”

“Wait.”

A low, hoarse voice interrupted her.

The gazes of the people turned to the owner of the voice. It was a large man with a rather fierce impression at first glance.

He spat on the ground and continued,

“The fact that the Lord isn’t going himself, this is a different story, isn’t it?”

He continued.

“Escorting depends on the Lord’s connections, whether you live or die, but who would follow an escort led by a young girl? Huh?”

At the same time as his provocative gaze, other people looked at Eun Chobin with agreeing eyes. Eun Chobin said in a calm voice.

“So, what do you want to say?”

Her voice was slightly trembling. The man with the fierce impression wore a triumphant smile.

“Since the conditions have changed, the reward should also change. If it’s such a dangerous escort, shouldn’t we get more?”

“Didn’t we already say it would be a difficult escort from the beginning?”

She had already said enough.

So, she offered higher conditions than they would normally receive, and even accepted people who wouldn’t normally be able to become escorts or porters.

“Ah, that was then. Now the situation has changed again.”

The man squinted and picked his ear. His attitude was full of confidence.

This escort cannot succeed without them. Moreover, others had already agreed to cooperate.

The man smiled bitterly at Eun Chobin.

“I participated because I saw the Lord of this Soeun Escort Agency from the beginning. If the Lord can’t go… well? Shouldn’t we get at least double?”

The man said, looking around at the people.

‘Double!’

Eun Chobin barely managed to endure the moment her legs were about to buckle.

If the wages were doubled, there would be nothing left from the escort. No, it’s a loss.

But at the man’s words, other people nodded and showed signs of agreement.

The way they looked at Eun Chobin was as if they were urging her to accept. Eun Chobin bit her lip.

‘But this escort must succeed…’

She can also look forward to the next request. Escorts can also pick better people.

And the man already knew that calculation.

“Well, wouldn’t it be good for this escort agency to succeed even in that way? We’re taking that much risk, and we’ll work harder as much as we receive.”

They wouldn’t work harder. Morale would go up a little.

It was just then, when Eun Chobin was biting her lip and unable to make a decision.

“Is it that important for the Lord to go in person?”

At the place where people’s eyes were directed, a young man in a scholar’s attire was standing. It was Son Bin.

The man with the fierce impression frowned.

“Is that even a question? Of course, it’s important. I participated because I saw the Lord of this Soeun Escort Agency from the beginning.”

“If it’s from the beginning, you should know the Lord’s name, of course.”

“What?”

The man’s impression was completely distorted. He, who had come after hearing the news that anyone would be accepted, had no way of knowing the Lord’s name.

He almost shouted at Son Bin.

“Ssibal [a Korean curse word]! What does that matter now? The Lord can’t go!”

“I agree that you should receive more reward as much as it is dangerous.”

Son Bin said, looking straight into the man’s eyes. The fierce man’s eyes, directed at the suddenly intruding uninvited guest, were murderous.

“But you already knew from the beginning that this escort was dangerous. Now, bringing up the Lord, whose name you don’t even know, and asking for a raise in reward is the same as taking care of your own selfish desires by taking advantage of other people’s difficulties.”

Even with the man’s eyes that seemed like he would pounce on him at any moment, Son Bin did not back down at all.

“At least I can’t agree.”

At Son Bin’s firm words, the man’s face flushed.

“This bastard… hey! You seem like a guy who doesn’t know anything about the world! If you keep doing that, you’ll get hurt badly…”

“Be quiet.”

Eun Chobin’s clear voice rang out.

The gazes of the people turned to her, and the man with the fierce impression glared at Son Bin with murderous eyes and looked at Eun Chobin.

Eun Chobin had a completely different look in her eyes than before.

“I already said from the beginning that it was a dangerous escort. And the composition of the chief and escorts is entirely the authority of the escort agency. The Lord’s accompaniment was also not included in the contract from the beginning.”

Eun Chobin’s voice was confident and uninhibited.

“I will not raise the reward. If you don’t like it, pay back the money you received and leave.”

Her voice was firm. Silence fell among the people.

“Ah, I swear. Hey! Is this escort possible without us…”

“Who is ‘we’ anyway?”

Eun Chobin’s sharp voice cut off the man’s words.

“Insubordination is not tolerated in escorting. You, and all of the ‘we’ you mentioned, are all fired. So get out of here right now. And be sure to pay back the money you received.”

No one who the man said ‘we’ stepped forward.

After all, the people gathered here were people who had no choice. The money they received was already in their hands, and if they were kicked out of here, there was no way to pay it back.

If they raised the reward, they would cooperate as much as possible, but they were not prepared to risk being kicked out. People began to murmur.

The man with the fierce impression was already terribly distorted.

Now that Eun Chobin had said he was fired, there was no way for him to participate in the escort again.

“Hey, ssiang [another Korean curse word]!”

He threw the luggage he was holding on the floor.

“Okay! I’m leaving! But do you think you can get the money from me? You bitch?”

The man openly ridiculed Eun Chobin.

“Do as you please if you don’t want to pay it back. But there’s one thing you need to know.”

Eun Chobin replied in a calm voice.

“The money you received is the money of Saryang Escort Agency, or more precisely, the Tang family. If you don’t pay it back, I have no choice but to hand over the documents with your signature to the Tang family. Then the rest will be taken care of by the Tang family. You know how much the Tang family hates losing money, right?”

The man’s complexion changed. The ruthlessness and tenacity of the Tang family, along with their poison, were already common sense.

“You better pay it back before I hand over the documents. If you understand, get out now.”

When Eun Chobin gestured, several escorts from the existing Soeun Escort Agency approached the man.

“Get out of the way! Ssibbal [yet another Korean curse word]. Hey, I’m just unlucky!”

The man spoke harshly, but his voice no longer had the same momentum as before.

As the man disappeared out of the escort agency, Eun Chobin looked around at the people and said,

“Is there anyone else who wants to leave?”

No one answered.

“As I said before, insubordination is never tolerated during escorting. If we don’t help each other, no one will help us.”

Eun Chobin said in a confident voice.

“When the escort is over, we will prepare separate rewards according to each person’s contribution. Depending on the case, it is also possible to become a formal escort of the escort agency.”

The atmosphere of the people improved at her words. Eun Chobin said with a satisfied expression.

“Then, shall we depart?”

As soon as Eun Chobin’s words were finished, the escorts shouted.

“Raise the flag!”

“It’s the Soeun Escort Agency’s escort!”

The flag of the escort agency soared into the sky, and the loud sound of gongs filled the escort agency. The escort had finally begun.

‘Hoo.’

Eun Chobin inwardly let out a sigh of relief. At the same time, anxiety about the upcoming escort came over her.

She had to lead these people and succeed in a dangerous escort.

“You did well, young miss.”

Eun Chobin turned her head at the old Chief’s quiet voice. The Chief cannot participate in this escort.

Not only is he old, but someone is needed to take care of the fallen Lord and manage the escort agency.

“If the Lord saw the young miss’s current dignified appearance, he would have been really happy.”

The Chief said with tears in his eyes.

It could never be a compliment to say that a flower-like girl is dignified, but Eun Chobin felt like she could feel the Chief’s heart, and her heart was touched.

“Please take good care of Dad, Chief.”

“Yes. Don’t worry. I will take care of the Lord even if I have to give my life. When you return after finishing the escort, the Lord will welcome the young miss.”

Hoping that would happen, Eun Chobin nodded. And she glanced at Son Bin, who was visible in her sight.

‘It’s a relief.’

When that man called for double, she thought she had no choice but to accept it. She was the one cornered on the edge of a cliff, and they were the ones holding the knife.

But listening to Son Bin’s words, she was able to regain a cold perspective.

She was also able to realize that not everyone was agreeing with that man, and she also thought about their situation, where they had no choice but to participate in a dangerous escort from the beginning.

They and she were equal contracting parties. And that man’s words were a wrong action that broke the basics of the contract and a dangerous element that threatened the entire escort.

‘Even if I accept it in that way, there’s no way the escort will succeed.’

Now she could see it too clearly and surely. It was a demand that should never be accepted.

How can an escort succeed if trust and leadership are broken?

If the trust and leadership in Eun Chobin, who leads the escort, collapses, failure is already determined.

In that sense, the man’s words that the Lord is important are, in a way, an accurate point.

‘Still, he’s smart.’

Eun Chobin thought so, turning her gaze away from Son Bin.

Although it wasn’t what he intended, Son Bin gave him at least some breathing room and provided a clue to look at it from a different perspective.

“It’s the Soeun Escort Agency’s escort!”

“It’s the Soeun Escort Agency’s escort!”

The escorts shouted at the top of their lungs. Eun Chobin renewed her determination.

The future of all the members of Soeun Escort Agency depends on this escort, on her shoulders.

‘Wow.’

Son Bin was inwardly impressed. He had seen escorts occasionally, but seeing them actually depart like this was surprisingly amazing.

“Have a good trip.”

The Chief patted him on the shoulder.

“I’ll be back.”

“Please take good care of the young miss.”

The old Chief said. Son Bin nodded. In fact, what he could help with was limited.

‘Well, she seems to be doing well…’

Her firm appearance just now was quite impressive to Son Bin as well. Even now, he can see the back of her riding on the horse in the distance.

Step.

Son Bin moved his steps along the procession. The iron sword rattled next to Baekro, which was tightly tied in his bundle. It was the beginning of the escort.