A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 69

69. Local Masters (2)

“Welcome, Chobin.”

Standing before the wide-open gates of Hoyeon Martial Arts Center, Jeok Se-hwa greeted Eun Chobin with a bright expression. Dressed neatly, Eun Chobin responded with a smile.

“Oh? Who are these people?”

Jeok Se-hwa asked, looking puzzled.

“They’re escorts who came with me. They had some business in town, so they accompanied me here.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jeok Se-hwa.”

“P-Pleased to meet you.”

The two escorts, dressed as bodyguards, who stood guarding Eun Chobin, replied with noticeably tense voices to Jeok Se-hwa’s gentle smile.

“Thank you. You can go now.”

At Eun Chobin’s words, the two escorts bowed respectfully.

“Understood, Acting Head. Then we’ll be on our way.”

As they left, Jeok Se-hwa smiled and looked at Eun Chobin.

“‘Acting Head’?”

Eun Chobin blushed slightly and said defensively,

“I can’t help it. The Bureau needs a leader.”

Jeok Se-hwa had already heard that Eun Chobin was acting as the head of the Bureau. Deciding to tease her friend later, Jeok Se-hwa took her hand and pulled her along.

“Let’s go. I’ve got some delicious snacks. And good tea, too.”

“Really?”

Eun Chobin’s face brightened.

She had always had a particular fondness for sweets. As if returning to her girlhood, the two young women walked hand in hand toward the backyard of Hoyeon Martial Arts Center.

The backyard of Hoyeon Martial Arts Center was unlike what one would expect from a martial arts center; it was quaint and full of flowers. It reflected Jeok Se-hwa’s taste, but Eun Chobin also liked it quite a bit.

“I heard what happened. It was very difficult this time, wasn’t it?”

Jeok Se-hwa said suddenly. Eun Chobin, who had been leisurely enjoying her snacks and fiddling with her teacup, gave a bitter smile.

“That’s just how things are for escorts.”

“Still, I’m really glad that everything ended well.”

Jeok Se-hwa’s voice was sincere. Eun Chobin put down her teacup.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”

Eun Chobin’s reply was also sincere.

“Thanks to me? I didn’t do anything.”

‘Didn’t do anything?’

Jeok Se-hwa was the one who sent Son Bin to Soeun Bureau. In other words, she was the one who made the escort mission successful.

“That’s not true. You sent Young Master Son…”

“Oh, by the way, was Young Master Son helpful? How was his swordsmanship? Was he useful?”

Eun Chobin was momentarily taken aback. What was Jeok Se-hwa talking about?

‘Was he useful?’

“No, Young Master Son…”

“Well, I’m curious. Young Master Son is a genius who passed the preliminary civil service exam. When did he learn to use a sword? Jung-oh [Jeok Se-hwa’s younger brother] always talks about his teacher when he comes home.”

As she spoke, Eun Chobin saw the genuine curiosity in her friend’s eyes. Her eyes, as always, were sparkling and fixed on Eun Chobin.

‘This is…’

After pondering the meaning for a moment, Eun Chobin lowered her gaze to the teacup. It was clear that Jeok Se-hwa didn’t know about Son Bin’s true role.

“Young Master Son…”

Clink.

Lifting the teacup, Eun Chobin quietly continued,

“Everyone on the escort liked him. The chief manager, Head Guard Jang, the guards, and even the porters. He was always diligent and worked hard for the escort, and when things got tough, he took up his sword and stepped forward. Without him, this escort probably wouldn’t have been successful.”

“Really?”

It was high praise. Jeok Se-hwa asked back with a slightly puzzled expression, and Eun Chobin nodded with a calm face.

“Se-hwa, did you promise to do something for him?”

“Hmm. There is something I promised…”

“Then treat him well. Whatever it is, give him the best.”

Eun Chobin wanted to thank him properly, but Son Bin declined any reward. Since he refused with a serious face, she couldn’t dare to insist, and in the end, she couldn’t do anything substantial for Son Bin.

“Hmph, something’s strange here?”

Jeok Se-hwa looked at Eun Chobin with a suspicious expression.

“Chobin always speaks so calmly when she wants to hide something.”

Eun Chobin, who had been about to bring the teacup to her lips, flinched without realizing it. She tried to avoid her gaze, but Jeok Se-hwa’s eyes, having found their prey, wouldn’t let her go.

In the end, Eun Chobin had to sigh and surrender.

“That’s right. But this is Young Master Son’s… well, it’s a personal matter.”

“No, I don’t think that’s it?”

Jeok Se-hwa grinned.

“You seem to like him?”

“Cough.”

This time, she almost spat out her tea.

“Wh-What?”

“That’s right. I’m sure of it because you’re so flustered?”

Jeok Se-hwa was convinced that she had hit the nail on the head.

“Earlier, you said everyone liked him, but you subtly left yourself out? I’ve been with you since we were kids. I know everything just by looking at your face. Who is she trying to fool…”

As she spoke, Jeok Se-hwa noticed a shadow falling over Eun Chobin’s face. Eun Chobin, who would normally have vehemently denied it, was instead quietly sinking.

“That’s right. Young Master Son is a good person.”

Eun Chobin said in a calm and composed voice. Holding the teacup in her hand, she was looking at the flowers blooming in the garden.

“But I’ve already given up. No matter how much I think about it, there’s no answer.”

“Chobin, you…”

Eun Chobin smiled lightly at Jeok Se-hwa and said,

“Is it because I’ve been traveling with the escort since I was young? I’m very calculating, aren’t I?”

The look in Eun Chobin’s eyes was so sad that Jeok Se-hwa couldn’t help but hug her friend tightly.

Eun Chobin, who would normally have shaken her off immediately, remained still in her friend’s arms for a while.

*

*

*

“Wow, that young lady was pretty, wasn’t she?”

“Right? Our Acting Head is quite beautiful when she dresses up, but she can’t compare to Lady Se-hwa. Her speech and actions are so elegant; she really gives off the feeling of a ‘lady.’ But she’s the precious second daughter of Hoyeon Martial Arts Center. If you foolishly flirt with her on the street, you’ll be in big trouble later.”

The new guard scratched his head and laughed.

“I understand, Senior. Please teach me well, as this is my first time here.”

At the word ‘Senior,’ the guard puffed out his chest.

“Trust me. I’ll tell you about the good courtesan houses in Gwangju later, so let’s go for a drink sometime.”

“Oh, courtesan houses in Gwangju? I’m looking forward to that!”

As the two men walked along, chatting and laughing, a group of children rushed past them. The children were noisily chattering and running around, seemingly excited about something.

“Huh? That kid… looks like the Acting Head?”

“Ah, that’s right. That’s Miss Soso from our Bureau. Oh, and over there is the third young master of Hoyeon Martial Arts Center.”

“Really?”

‘I can’t even flick the foreheads of these passing kids carelessly?’

He was inwardly thinking that he would be in big trouble if he made a mistake when one of the children took a big step and stretched out his arms forward.

Thump!

“I hate double palms!”

It was a very practiced movement. But the children were busy arguing about whether they had hit each other or not.

‘Huh? Wasn’t that a Jingeok step [a martial arts footwork technique] just now?’

“Ah, do you see that smithy over there?”

At the voice of the senior guard, the new guard turned his head.

“The owner of that smithy is quite skilled. There aren’t many types of items, but they’re quite useful. But don’t talk to him while he’s hammering the iron. A hammer might fly at your head.”

At a glance, there was a sign that read ‘Jeongnyeon Smithy.’

“Don’t try to haggle. If you annoy him, you might not even be able to get near him.”

“I, I see.”

“Oh, they sell snacks and sweets over there. That house has been making sweets for three generations…”

As he listened to the explanation and the new guard nodded, he suddenly saw someone walking from the other side of the road. It was a young man dressed as a scholar, and he looked quite sturdy.

‘Is he the children’s teacher?’

The reason he thought so was that the young man dressed as a scholar was smiling contentedly as he watched the children walking ahead.

“Teacher Son!”

But the person who called the young man ‘teacher’ was not the children, but the senior guard.

‘Huh?’

When the young man turned around, the senior guard put his hands together and bowed politely. In a daze, the new guard also awkwardly bowed to the young man.

The young man dressed as a scholar smiled at the two men and politely returned the greeting, then slowly followed the children.

“Excuse me, who is he?”

The new guard asked the guard who was still standing and looking at the young man’s back.

“Who is he? He’s the teacher. Our… ahem, our Miss Soso’s teacher.”

His last words were hastily mumbled, but the new guard didn’t notice.

‘The children’s teacher?’

Since he was the teacher of the young lady, he thought it might be possible, but the senior’s bow seemed excessively polite.

“Do you have to bow like that? That young man looks young.”

“Ahem!”

The senior guard suddenly frowned.

“What does age have to do with learning! Besides, be careful what you say about that young man! If you treat the teacher carelessly, you’ll be severely punished by the Acting Head or Head Guard, or even by me right away!”

The new guard quickly lowered his head at the senior’s scolding, who was even blushing.

“I, I understand, Senior.”

Judging by the way he was angry, he wasn’t just the young lady’s teacher. Considering that he mentioned Acting Head Eun Chobin and Head Guard Jang, it seemed that Soeun Bureau had an unusual relationship with him.

‘Do they even learn to read and write at this Bureau? From that young man?’

If that wasn’t the case, there was no way they would call him ‘teacher’ so respectfully. The senior guard started walking again, but his expression wasn’t very good, as if he was still upset.

How long had they been walking? The senior guard, who had been walking without a word, suddenly stopped.

‘Huh?’

The senior guard’s face was stiff. Not only that, but his face was turning blue.

‘What…’

The new guard turned his head and looked in the direction the senior guard was looking. There, an old man was walking along.

White hair, white beard, and even white eyebrows. It seemed that he was going in the same direction as the young scholar from earlier.

‘Nice eyebrows.’

The new guard thought to himself. But there was nothing in the scene that would surprise the senior guard so much that he turned blue.

“Senior?”

He called out in a small voice, but the senior guard didn’t even think about moving. Then suddenly, the old man turned to look at them.

The frozen senior guard immediately bent over and bowed politely.

This time, the new guard also quickly bent over and followed the senior guard in a polite bow.

The old man only twitched his eyebrows once at their bow, then turned his head again and went on his way.

But the two guards remained bowed and motionless until the old man disappeared.

“Excuse me, Senior.”

The new guard said in a small voice.

“He’s gone.”

The senior guard quickly raised his head and confirmed that the old man had disappeared.

“M-My goodness. I hope my eyes aren’t deceiving me?”

He muttered as if he couldn’t believe what he had seen. The new guard watched the senior’s expression and asked.

“Do we have to be careful of that old man too?”

But the senior guard had no time to answer.

“Wait, this isn’t the time for me to be doing this.”

Muttering, the senior guard hurriedly turned his steps toward Soeun Bureau. He had to report this news to the Bureau as soon as possible.

In his haste, he ended up running, and the new guard had to run after him as well.

‘Why are there so many people to be careful of in this neighborhood?’

The new guard shook his head and grumbled as he chased after him, not knowing what was going on. Judging by the look of things, it was clear that he had to be careful of that old man too.

“Be careful of the young lady, be careful of the kids, be careful of the young man, be careful of the blacksmith, and be careful of the old man, damn it.”

Whether he heard it or not, the senior guard was running without stopping. The new guard diligently chased after his tail.

*

*

*

It was Soso who discovered someone this time as well.

“Huh?”

Soso, who was writing with a brush, jumped up and shouted at Son Bin.

“We have a guest, a guest!”

“A guest?”

The children’s gazes all turned to the door, and Son Bin, who had been reading a book, also raised his head. A person was standing in front of the old door that was always open.

“L, Lady?”

A slender girl standing gracefully with a white veil. It was none other than Dang Wol-ah.

“Wow, what are you doing here?”

The first to react was Namak Old Man, who was sitting in a place away from them, basking in the sun. Dang Wol-ah quietly bowed to Namak Old Man.

“What brings you here, Lady?”

In the meantime, Son Bin approached and greeted Dang Wol-ah.

“I’ve come to stay in Cheongwon for a while. So…”

Dang Wol-ah trailed off. But Son Bin understood why she had come. Of course, she had come to say hello.

In fact, it would be a great thing for her to have such an ordinary conversation.

“I see. I’m glad to see you again like this.”

Son Bin said with a smile.

Dang Wol-ah looked at Son Bin’s house and the children for a moment. The children were looking at Dang Wol-ah with curious eyes.

“It’s a nice house.”

Dang Wol-ah said suddenly.

“Is that place, empty?”

Dang Wol-ah’s gaze was directed at the empty of the two buildings.

“Ah, that’s…”

“That’s my room. Don’t covet it.”

Before Son Bin could answer, Namak Old Man said as if throwing it out.

“I’ve already found a place to stay.”

Dang Wol-ah said. Then she quietly muttered to herself as if talking to herself.

“But, it’s a nice house.”

Dang Wol-ah’s gaze was still directed at the empty room.

“Thank you.”

Son Bin bowed lightly and replied. And Namak Old Man’s words flew in like a tail.

“It’s best to get rid of regrets quickly.”

Dang Wol-ah, who had been standing still as if she hadn’t heard anything, finally turned her gaze elsewhere.