A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 70

70. Invitation

“Hmph.”

Nameless Old Gun, who was sitting on the bamboo mat, frowned.

“What’s that smell?”

“It must be the smell of food,” Sohn Bin replied, looking at Nameless Old Gun as he prepared breakfast with practiced skill. Just then, the savory aroma of freshly cooked rice spread throughout the house.

“No, not that.”

Nameless Old Gun jumped up.

“Something’s burning.”

“Pardon?”

Sohn Bin stopped his busy hands. If a fire broke out in their already meager household, it would be a disaster.

Wiping his wet hands, Sohn Bin hurried out into the yard. But everything seemed normal.

There was no smoke, and no smell. Just in case, he checked inside the house, but it was fine as well.

“Everything seems okay.”

Nameless Old Gun didn’t respond to Sohn Bin’s words, but instead furrowed his brow.

“It’s this way.”

The Old Gun strode out the door. Sohn Bin tilted his head.

“Did someone start a fire outside this early in the morning…….”

In any case, something was burning, so he had to check. Sohn Bin lowered his rolled-up sleeves and quickly followed the Old Gun.

Tap, tap.

Following Nameless Old Gun, Sohn Bin arrived at a neighboring house nearby. Sohn Bin’s house was located in such a secluded place that the nearest neighbor was quite a distance away.

‘Oh, something really is burning.’

As they approached the rather old house, the smell of burning entered his nostrils. Moreover, there was even a faint smoke rising, so it was certain that something was burning.

“It’s here.”

Nameless Old Gun went straight through the door without hesitation.

‘Ah…….’

Sohn Bin hesitated for a moment. But with something definitely burning inside the house, it wasn’t the time to worry about etiquette.

“Excuse me.”

Sohn Bin stepped inside the open door, making a deliberately loud noise.

‘Ugh.’

As soon as he entered the yard, the smell of burning and smoke filled the air. And Sohn Bin could immediately understand the situation.

Amidst the smoke filling the yard, he saw the figure of Tang Worea, standing gracefully in her veil.

The burning smell and smoke filling the house were coming from the small braziers at Tang Worea’s feet, or rather, from the pots placed on top of those braziers.

“M-Miss.”

“Tsk.”

Before Sohn Bin could finish speaking, Nameless Old Gun lightly kicked one of the pots with his foot.

Thud. Flutter.

As the pot floated into the air, Nameless Old Gun’s sleeves danced. The pot spun around at the end of the Old Gun’s sleeve and then gently landed on the ground.

Clang.

“Are you alright?”

Sohn Bin quickly approached Tang Worea. Tang Worea nodded calmly.

“She’s not alright,” Nameless Old Gun said in a blunt voice. The Old Gun was looking inside the pot, frowning.

“Why are you burning innocent rice? Are you torturing it?”

Only then did Sohn Bin look down at the pot. Inside the half-open pot, there was a lot of rice that had been burnt. The bottom of the pot was still red-hot from being heated for so long.

“And what grudge do you have against the vegetables? Why did you do this to them?”

At Nameless Old Gun’s words, Sohn Bin turned his head. He saw various vegetables chopped up haphazardly on one side.

It seemed she had tried to chop them into small pieces, but the sizes were all different, and the way they were piled up was truly chaotic.

“Why are you burning oil in an empty pot?”

There was another brazier. Again, thick smoke was rising from the pot, which was glowing red.

“Miss, this is…….”

Sohn Bin asked cautiously.

Tang Worea lowered her rolled-up sleeves slightly as she replied. Her white wrists, adorned with no jewelry, disappeared into her sleeves.

“I was making breakfast…….”

“You were cooking rice? This is it?”

Nameless Old Gun replied. With a look of disbelief, the Old Gun shook his head and said.

“If you cook rice twice, you’ll burn down the whole house.”

As if she hadn’t heard anything, Tang Worea stood quietly. Sohn Bin sighed softly. He wasn’t cruel enough to just turn away after seeing this situation.

“If you don’t mind…….”

Sohn Bin said. Tang Worea looked up.

∴

Tang Worea stared at the simple stir-fried vegetables for a long time. Then, she slightly lifted her veil with one hand and quietly put it in her mouth.

Tang Worea, who was chewing slowly as if savoring the taste, quietly said after a long time.

“It’s delicious.”

“Thank you.”

Sohn Bin smiled. Nameless Old Gun’s blunt voice cut in from the side.

“Are you eating a meal, or are you appreciating it? No, even if you were appreciating it, you’d be faster than that. At this rate, will you even finish eating today?”

“You shouldn’t take food lightly,” Tang Worea said quietly, lifting the bowl of soup with both hands.

“Sacrificing a life for life is a sacred ritual.”

Nameless Old Gun made a dumbfounded expression.

“Sacred my foot, when you burn everything…… Anyway, I’m done eating.”

Nameless Old Gun said, putting down his chopsticks. Then, he looked at Sohn Bin and said bluntly.

“Why don’t you eat that and clean up?”

“I’m fine.”

There was only enough left in Sohn Bin’s bowl for one more bite. He realized too late after seeing Tang Worea eating so slowly.

‘If I finish eating like this…….’

Tang Worea will be eating alone. It’s a great discourtesy to the guest, and it’s not considerate to the young lady.

So Sohn Bin was also unable to finish his meal yet. Although the result was similar in that Tang Worea was the only one eating.

“Ah, come to think of it, I have some good tea.”

Sohn Bin said to Nameless Old Gun, who was getting bored, and got up to prepare tea.

Tang Worea was still savoring her meal, her small mouth moving slowly. It seemed like it would take a long time for her to finish eating.

*

*

*

“The young lady has settled in Cheongwon.”

“Is that so?”

Tang Hwa-ryun sighed as she received the report from her subordinate.

“Was there anything special? The Hyeokryun Clan [a powerful martial arts clan] or the Soeun Merchant Group…….”

“There were no unusual circumstances on the surface. If you want more detailed information…….”

“No, don’t.”

Tang Hwa-ryun said, shaking her head.

“Don’t interfere, don’t monitor, don’t make contact. Let Worea do what she wants, just leave her alone as she said. This is the first request Worea has ever made to me.”

The subordinate bowed deeply and accepted her command.

“What about the Silver Sword Unit?”

“They are stationed in a small village called Oseong Village near Cheongwon. In case of emergency, it’s a distance that they can reach Cheongwon, where the young lady is, in one go on horseback. The Silver Sword Unit members are disguised as residents, and all the existing villagers have been relocated.”

“The Silver Sword Unit’s code of conduct is the same as during the last escort mission. Do not approach or move carelessly until there is a signal from Worea. But if Worea sends a signal…….”

There would be no one who could carelessly harm Tang Worea. The meaning was somewhat different from the escort mission, but there was always a one in a million chance.

“Then it doesn’t matter if the opponent is the Hyeokryun Clan or anyone else. Even if it means burning down all of Cheongwon, securing Worea’s safety is the top priority. Understood?”

Tang Hwa-ryun’s eyes gleamed.

“Understood.”

The subordinate replied briefly.

“And, a new report has come up regarding the Jiangnan Murim [the martial arts world of the Jiangnan region].”

The subordinate took out a thin letter from his chest. Tang Hwa-ryun accepted the letter.

Rustle.

Tang Hwa-ryun smiled as she read the letter.

“The Jiangnan Yongbong Assembly [a major martial arts gathering], it’s earlier than usual.”

“It must mean that they intend to resolve the chaos in the Jiangnan Murim.”

“Yes. Especially the Namgoong Clan is actively involved. It seems they will hold it on a larger scale than in previous years. On the other hand, the Hyeokryun Clan is taking a lukewarm stance.”

Tang Hwa-ryun said, sounding pleased.

“That’s probably true. The Namgoong Clan’s secret agreement with us was exposed to the world due to this escort mission, and the Hyeokryun Clan is surrounded by enemies. In fact, the opposite is true when you look at the big picture. Hehe. In any case, both clans need a new turning point.”

“What should we do?”

“I heard that a child named Yoo Seong-geom is quite skilled, right?”

Yoo Seong-geom was a young prodigy of the Tang Clan who had recently emerged and was receiving quite a bit of attention. Even though he was young, he wasn’t that much different in age from Tang Hwa-ryun.

“That’s right, but he’s not ready to go to the Jiangnan Yongbong Assembly yet…….”

“Ah, it’s okay,” Tang Hwa-ryun said.

“That level is just right. For this Jiangnan Yongbong Assembly.”

“Understood. I will have him prepared.”

The subordinate bowed and soon retreated. Tang Hwa-ryun turned her gaze to the window. Small flower petals swayed in the wind, bathed in sunlight.

“Jiangnan Yongbong Assembly…….”

It was only a few years ago, but it felt like decades had passed. That was understandable. Tang Hwa-ryun had undergone too many changes in the meantime.

“I feel nostalgic for some reason.”

Tang Hwa-ryun said quietly, lifting her teacup. The fragrant tea scent brushed past her nose.

*

*

*

The moonlight sparkled and shattered on the black waves of the Bukgang River. Through it, the Sword White Dew cut through the blue moonlight, letting out a soft cry.

Buzz.

“Good.”

Nameless Old Gun said, holding a small wine cup as if admiring it. His expression as he watched the trajectory drawn by Sohn Bin’s White Dew was leisurely, as if he were enjoying a refined atmosphere.

“Very good. Wouldn’t you agree?”

The girl wearing the veil, Tang Worea, did not answer.

But the Old Gun could tell that she agreed with his words. Her gaze never left Sohn Bin for a moment.

“I heard that the head of the Soeun Merchant Group regained consciousness this afternoon,” Nameless Old Gun muttered to himself. Tang Worea said in a low voice.

“I just did what I had to do.”

Her voice was slightly rough, but it didn’t feel too awkward. It was a world of difference from the creepy and uncomfortable feeling of the past.

“Is that why you saved the cat that climbed the tree and cured the little boy’s stomachache?”

“I just wanted to do it.”

“Hmph.”

Nameless Old Gun laughed. Looking at Sohn Bin, who was drawing a trajectory in the air like flowing water, Nameless Old Gun said.

“But what you really want to do must be something else, right?”

“I’m not confident.”

Woong.

Amidst the low sword cry of White Dew, Tang Worea replied quietly.

“His bet is like starlight. But can I, even if it’s for him, carelessly interfere with that bet? Perhaps I’m making a mistake that will ruin something truly precious? I’m…… afraid.”

“Heh.”

Nameless Old Gun let out a hollow laugh. But he didn’t give her any answer.

“Then why aren’t you doing anything, Old Gun? There’s so much more you could do for him, right?”

“When you get old, you think too much.”

Gulp.

The Old Gun gulped down his wine.

“And you hesitate. Whether I can dye that guy as I please, whether I can tell him to come down the path I walked. Maybe there’s a better path for that guy, and there’s a possibility I never imagined, and I’m ruining it.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Afraid? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Nameless Old Gun’s shining eyes stared straight at Sohn Bin.

“I look forward to it. For that guy to show me the path I couldn’t take. If there is anyone who tries to harm that guy or break that possibility, I guarantee I will do everything in my power to smash that guy to pieces. But if it’s about that guy’s martial arts…….”

Nameless Old Gun laughed.

“I won’t do anything. Watching that guy is my only pleasure now.”

A moment of silence passed. Only the low sword cry of Sohn Bin’s White Dew could be heard. Nameless Old Gun, who was silently tilting his wine glass, said as if he had suddenly remembered something.

“But why are you still wearing the veil? There’s no problem taking it off now, is there?”

“I’m…… not confident.”

Tang Worea’s words that she was not confident were sincere.

Everyone who had seen her face so far was shocked, and then frowned and clicked their tongues. Even with her face covered by a veil, they frowned when they saw her.

No one wanted to see Tang Worea again. Except for one person, her sister.

Tang Worea knew that such a thing would not happen now, but she still didn’t have the courage to take off her veil in front of Sohn Bin.

If she were to find even a sliver of disappointment in his eyes, she felt like she would never be able to stand before him again.

“Wow, you’re not confident in everything. Then what are you confident in?”

“Martial arts.”

“Martial arts, huh.”

Nameless Old Gun gave a bitter smile.

“Well, if it’s Poisonous Energy Art, you have the right to say that.”

Nameless Old Gun, who had drunk his wine, looked at Tang Worea and said.

“Have you heard of Murim Outskirts [the fringes of the martial arts world, often lawless and dangerous]?”

Tang Worea quietly nodded. Her sister had secretly told her about it just recently.

“Then the story is much easier.”

Nameless Old Gun laughed with a playful look in his eyes.

“I’ll tell you in advance, once you set foot in it, it won’t be easy to get out.”

*

*

*

“Hello, Young Master Sohn.”

Sohn Bin couldn’t hide his surprised expression at the unexpected visitor. But soon, realizing his rudeness, he quickly got up and went to the door to pay his respects.

“It’s been a while, Miss Jeok Se-hwa.”

The person who came was Jeok Se-hwa of the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center. She was the one who asked Sohn Bin to help with the Soeun Merchant Group’s escort mission.

Jeok Se-hwa, who politely paid her respects to Sohn Bin, glanced behind Sohn Bin and said with a smile.

“In the meantime…… it seems like the number of people with you has increased?”

Nameless Old Gun and Tang Worea were sitting on the bamboo mat.

There was only an empty teacup in front of Nameless Old Gun, who had already drunk everything, but Tang Worea was holding the teacup with both hands.

“The Old Gun is staying here, but Miss Worea is staying at a neighboring residence,” Sohn Bin quickly introduced the two to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jeok Se-hwa.”

Jeok Se-hwa paid her respects to the two. But Nameless Old Gun only frowned once, and Tang Worea simply nodded lightly.

Sohn Bin quickly spoke to Jeok Se-hwa, who was momentarily embarrassed by the unexpected reaction.

“But what brings you here, Miss…….”

“Ah, yes.”

Jeok Se-hwa smiled slightly as she looked at Sohn Bin.

“Do you happen to know about the Jiangnan Yongbong Assembly?”

“Pardon?”

Jeok Se-hwa smiled at Sohn Bin’s puzzled expression.

“You promised to show me the training of the Hoyeon Martial Arts Center if I helped with the escort mission, right? This is a much better opportunity than that.”

Jeok Se-hwa said in a clear voice.

“Won’t you come with me?”