443 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.443 Declaration - 7 "You must entice Kang Yun Ho." Man Geum Jeon Ju watched as his granddaughter looked flustered, perhaps thinking her grandfather must have spoken in error, and recalled the conversation he had with Kang Yun Ho. "Have you shared a bed with my granddaughter?" Once you become my sole heir, look at me properly. In the midst of the audacious proposal and a brief moment spent having tea, Man Geum Jeon Ju nonchalantly posed a question to an unsuspecting Kang Yun Ho. "Pardon? Elder?" It seems nothing happened between you two. From Kang Yun Ho's reaction, which instantly conveyed disbelief, Man Geum Jeon Ju quickly surmised the answer. "You’ve been living with my granddaughter for several months, yet you haven’t felt any desire during that time?" "Elder, how can men and women do such things without marriage?" Man Geum Jeon Ju was left speechless by Kang Yun Ho’s completely unguarded and confident expression. 'Could it be the rumors are true.' The most beautiful woman in Hubei Province sleeps in the next room every night, and yet you’ve felt no desire this entire time. Although it is right that relationships between men and women should naturally follow marriage, they are match-made partners, are they not? If men and women like each other, youthful passion may sometimes lead to unexpected events. Even though the maids of the house claimed there had been little progress, he wondered if it took place secretly in the night. Yet, it seems the maids were correct in their observations after all. "You seem like the type who could easily capture the hearts of four to five women, yet you act like a lifelong bachelor who’s never been in love." Kang Yun Ho offered a wry smile at the oddly precise number, but to Man Geum Jeon Ju, it seemed like the bashful smile of an earnest young man. 'This won’t do.' Were there not two beauties present, enough to dazzle anyone simply by being near? Moreover, both seemed to hold special feelings for Kang Yun Ho. Why had he not crossed the line when he easily could have in such a heated moment? 'It appears he must have an exceptional love for Tang Hwa Rin.' Surely it must have been because he deeply loved his fiancée. Of course, there were issues with the Hao Clan, mutual rivalry or alliances among women, and many more reasons unknown to Man Geum Jeon Ju. "You need to entice Kang Yun Ho," he affirmed once again to his granddaughter. —— "Make Kang Yun Ho see you as his first priority." There’s no need to overstep boundaries. Man Geum Jeon Ju clarified to prevent any misunderstandings. "You want me to be Kang Gongja's first?" "As you know, he already has a fiancée. She's my old friend's granddaughter, currently at the Sichuan Tang household due to illness." "I heard that from Kang Gongja." Je Gal Hyang nodded, still recalling how surprised she was upon hearing that. "They saved the Baekga Bookstore from disappearing and built it into today’s Daeseokak together. They weathered hard times as a pair, so it will undoubtedly be challenging to wedge between them." "Y-yeah, I suppose so..." Je Gal Hyang's shoulders drooped. "Don’t be disheartened!" Man Geum Jeon Ju admonished his dejected granddaughter. "Ah? Y-yes!" "You are my granddaughter and the youngest daughter of the Je Gal family! Be confident." "But grandfather..." "It’s not about being the perfect first." Man Geum Jeon Ju softened his stern expression and spoke with a gentle smile. "Huh?" "All that matters is that he decides to marry you. He should be confident enough to come to the Je Gal family himself and boldly ask for you." Man Geum Jeon Ju didn’t expect his granddaughter to become Kang Yun Ho's absolute number one. As long as she inspired him to make a confident commitment to marriage, that would be enough. "Even for Kang Gongja, that seems a bit challenging though..." There are also the elders in the family, and her father is waiting as well. It won't be easy. Je Gal Hyang imagined what it would be like for Kang Yun Ho to visit the Je Gal household. "If he decides to marry you, won’t he do so? Being his first marriage is enough. How can a full-grown adult wait idly for ten years? Fill the void left by his fiancée. Marry Kang Yun Ho and when he marries a second wife ten years later, get along as sisters. Wouldn’t that suffice?" Wanting a dear departed friend’s prospective son-in-law is indeed a selfish desire. No matter the excuse or courtesy extended for his friend's granddaughter, it was indeed his own greed and fault. A nagging sense of guilt cast a shadow over Man Geum Jeon Ju’s eyes. "Ten years..." "It’s difficult but necessary. Can you do it?" They had weathered the hardship together, even risking their lives for love. Man Geum Jeon Ju could create opportunities for his granddaughter but couldn't solve the love part for her. His granddaughter had to be the one. He hoped she could melt Kang Yun Ho’s seemingly impregnable heart. "......." Je Gal Hyang could not easily respond. "Can you do it?" "Y-yes." Je Gal Hyang reluctantly nodded under her grandfather’s pressing insistence. —— "W-what should I do?" Entice Kang Gongja. Returning to the house without Kang Gongja and Ha Yeon by her side, Je Gal Hyang rolled over in bed. "How can I outdo a fiancée?" When in alliance with Ha Yeon, at least they had a chance as a pair. It seemed hopeful. But now alone, it looked hopeless. Je Gal Hyang buried her face into the bed in agony. "Entice Kang Gongja?" Je Gal Hyang recalled what Kang Yun Ho had told her. His fiancée was a bold woman. She was even prettier and more endowed than Ha Yeon. She placed her hand on her chest. Standing alongside Ha Yeon, they looked similarly endowed at a glance, but that was merely an illusion due to Ha Yeon's taller stature. In reality, Ha Yeon was slightly more so. Yet, to be even more endowed than Ha Yeon? Doesn’t that mean she can't surpass her in appearance either? "You are my granddaughter and the youngest daughter of the Je Gal family! Be confident." Her grandfather's words rose in Je Gal Hyang's mind as she teetered on despair. He was right. She hadn’t been wasting her time. "Recently, I've gotten really close to Kang Gongja. For instance, lately......" Exclusively the best! Kang Gongja is the best! I love exclusivity! Thank you, Ha Yeon unni! “Not that memory!” Je Gal Hyang couldn’t shake the embarrassing memory that naturally sprang to mind. Hastily diverting her thoughts, she inadvertently recalled her first memory with Kang Yun Ho. A box? Could you please move? “We completely... messed it up from the start!” To think their first meeting involved a box. Looking back, she realized she hadn’t even scratched the surface of seduction. Did she possess any feminine allure at all? Perhaps she was failing entirely. In a moment of frustration, she buried her head into the bed. “Think of the woman Kang Gongja would fall for.” Determined to shake off her dejection, Je Gal Hyang sat before her vanity. It’s the bizarre expressions causing problems, she thought. If she maintained a neutral face, she could undoubtedly present the appearance of a pure-hearted beauty. After all, her mother often said she was the prettiest among her daughters. Although she added that prettiness was her only redeeming trait, this wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Despite her inexperienced lifestyle regarding allure, she had become able to converse with Kang Gongja. That alone was a significant leap forward. Now she had to aim to be his marriage partner. To entice him, she needed to exude allure. “Yahoo! I’m an alluring woman!” Je Gal Hyang spread her fan, trying her best to embody a seductive image. “Hehe! Hey, Kang Gongja! How about some time this evening? A little drink after our work?” She winked at her reflection as she spoke. “Oh dear! My waistband suddenly came undone…” As she began to untie it, she slumped down, defeated, gazing at herself in the mirror. “This is just a vulgar woman, isn’t it?” She felt discouraged immediately. The notion of an alluring woman was vast. The distance between the most beautiful in Sichuan and the top courtesan in Hubei was immense. She needed a concrete role model to emulate. After contemplating, Je Gal Hyang recalled one person. ‘Ha Yeon unni...!’ She would be a perfect example, someone Je Gal Hyang had observed closely. Ha Yeon had even managed to capture Kang Gongja’s heart. Je Gal Hyang sprang to her feet, diving into her new endeavor. “I am Ha Yeon unni! Haha. I become Ha Yeon unni. I secretly admire Kang Gongja while pretending not to care! Hehe!” Could it be a successful model to follow? Her gaze seemed to take on a faint resemblance to Ha Yeon’s. “Hmph. How long will you make me wait for you to hold my hand?” She reached out to the empty space as if coaxing a man to hold her hand effortlessly. It seemed to be working. She silently rejoiced. “Hmph. Tonight, I'll sneak in like a stealthy cat. Be ready for me.” Je Gal Hyang began to recreate her most striking memories under the guise of enticement. “Didn’t you say you allied with Je Gal Soja?” She awkwardly mimicked a male voice, immersing herself in the dual role. “Hmph. Who cares. The one who climbs onto the roof first claims it.” Success in seduction. Perfect! “Wow, I think I nailed it! I might have had talent after all—Huh?!” In the mirror. More accurately, just beyond the slightly ajar door reflected in the mirror, was the person she was mimicking, their eyes meeting hers. “Haha. Je Gal Soja.” “W-when...?” Turning her head, Je Gal Hyang saw Kang Yun Ho standing there awkwardly smiling. “I came due to today’s matter and the future introduction to your aunts… I’ll return in a little while.” “K-Kang Gongja! It—it’s not what it looks like!” Kang Yun Ho, seeming to understand whatever odd situation this was, left with a knowing smile. Though immensely grateful for Kang Yun Ho’s considerate nature, Je Gal Hyang was on the verge of tears from sheer embarrassment. —— “Je Gal Soja, I’ll go in first.” “Yes.” A few days later, as they prepared for Kang Yun Ho's introduction to Man Geum Jeon Ju's daughters, who were Je Gal Hyang’s aunts, she went with Kang Yun Ho to Man Geum Jeon Ju’s estate. ‘And here we are, without any progress.’ Je Gal Hyang, embarrassed over the past few days, couldn’t bring herself to talk to Kang Yun Ho properly. Even now, clinging to his sleeve as he walked ahead was an act of courage and determination. “Isn't that Hyang? What brings you here?” “Hello.” As Je Gal Hyang entered the gathering space, her aunts greeted her in confusion. Feeling overwhelmed, she instinctively sought solace behind someone she felt was safest. “Weren’t you back in your hometown? You’ve been here long. And who are you?” When she hid behind the man's waist, they turned to regard the person they had initially ignored. “I am Kang Yun Ho, in a favorable relationship with Je Gal Soja.” The matter of succession was something Man Geum Jeon Ju himself should address since he hadn't arrived yet. Kang Yun Ho merely greeted them warmly, hinting subtly that he wasn't someone to dismiss lightly. “What?” “Hyang, what is this? Are you involved with a man with black hair?” “Ah, well, it’s just that...” Je Gal Hyang struggled with situations where she was the center of attention. The pressure of needing to explain herself rendered her speechless. “Wait a second. Is the reason Father called us here today...?” One of her aunts widened her eyes, staring at Kang Yun Ho. “Why?” “Our family was the only one lacking a successor candidate!” They spoke the name of the one aunt absent from the gathering, Je Gal Hyang’s mother. “What?! Does that mean this man with black hair?!” “We were invited today by Man Geum Jeon Ju. Can we have a seat?” Kang Yun Ho, while subtly protecting Je Gal Hyang, asserted himself calmly, indicating that he wouldn’t easily succumb to derision. “Is Father losing his mind?! What place does he think he’s inviting a barbarian into!” But their indignation was only beginning. “That’s why we said to retire Father to the backroom long ago and handle things ourselves!” “Is Yeong-yeong even thinking straight? Giving her daughter to a barbarian?” “Aunties, please calm down.” Caught off guard by the sudden hostility, Je Gal Hyang trembled. Amidst the encircling adversaries, Kang Yun Ho gracefully absorbed their animosity and spoke calmly. "A lowly barbarian, thinking to interfere!" "We should've known ever since those shady barbarians began keening around Wu Han!" "Unbelievable! Are we to hand over Man Geum Jeon Ju's legacy to this barbarian?!" The gathered women were all high-born matrons, whereas the man before them was a black-haired barbarian, scraping by at the bottom of society. They perceived that this barbarian dared to covet their wealth. Man Geum Jeon Ju's daughters couldn't quell their rage easily. Kang Yun Ho, as if familiar with such scenes, watched with a wry smile. One woman with wavering eyes focused on his face. ‘Kang Gongja is...’ He was being scorned. Je Gal Hyang was left speechless by the sudden development. Her head felt hot. Why should Kang Gongja endure such contempt? Her thoughts vanished abruptly. Her head was burning. "Je Gal Soja?" Without realizing it, Je Gal Hyang stepped in front of Kang Yun Ho. Where had she felt this way before? Yes, it was when she faced off against Ha Yeon unni in the Tang household’s true wife battle. No, this was much more intense. Rage surged from deep within her. The embarrassment that had filled her heart was nowhere to be found. White-hot anger flooded her mind while an unfamiliar courage sprung from her chest. "Excuse me!!!" Involuntarily channelling her inner strength, Je Gal Hyang shouted at the women who insulted Kang Gongja. "H-Hyang?" Her aunts' eyes turned to her. Oh. Her sudden burst of emotions threatened to flee, but she clenched her fists and bravely spoke up. "Kang Gongja is my match-made partner. So, I don’t think anyone should speak of him so recklessly...!"