465 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.465 Request - 9 "Hee-hee. Indeed, there's nothing like painting to calm the mind." In the dimly lit room, a woman with silver hair and blue eyes chuckled with a sinister smile. Was she plotting something nefarious? If anyone were curious enough to look around her, they would find a canvas taller than the woman herself unfurled before her. Je Gal Hyang applied the final strokes to her painting. "The moment Un hyun from the Saga of the Gallant Heroes attains enlightenment! It's complete." She nodded contentedly at the painting, which was in a style different from her usual work. Un hyun stood alone on a grand river. Though everything in the landscape belonged to him, it was simultaneously an obstacle, an aide, and a friend he had to overcome. Je Gal Hyang successfully depicted a martial artist achieving enlightenment with a single step on the mighty river, signifying that the path ahead was infinite. "I must show this to Master Kang." She was glad she reduced her sleep over several days to complete it. Delighting in her own work, Je Gal Hyang shifted her position, repeatedly nodding with satisfaction. I must boast to Master Kang. She imagined Kang Yun Ho being continually impressed by the painting. If he pointed at a corner of the painting, she would suppress her pounding heart and explain. Perhaps their fingers might touch, and if he gazed at her with passionate eyes... "Hee-hee-hee." Je Gal Hyang couldn't suppress the laughter that bubbled up. I need to show him quickly. Flustered by her cheeky imaginings, she rolled around on the floor, stopping only at the feet of someone. "Miss, may I start cleaning now?" A servant asked with a cold voice. "Huh?! Wh-when?" You've been so engrossed these past few days you didn't even notice the cleaning, the servant thought, contemplating speaking to her startled mistress, but instead maintained a professional demeanor and moved towards the window. "You should at least ventilate while working, not like some child of darkness." The servant briskly pulled aside the curtains. "Aaaaahhh! It's blinding!" Though Je Gal Hyang shielded her eyes from the intense sunlight, the servant was relentless. "Master Kang returned home early today after several days; are you not going to meet him? It seems he's been busy going back and forth between the magistrate's office and the courtesan house." "The courtesan house...?" Je Gal Hyang asked the servant with a puzzled look. "You didn't hear?" "The courtesan house... Courtesan...?! Huh?!" She remembered. Je Gal Hyang was left speechless, as if struck by a hammer. "Miss?" Why didn't I remember? She agonizingly pounded her head against the floor. In truth, part of the blame lay with Kang Yun Ho for not explaining properly. He had been so taken aback by her shocked expression that he had given a vague excuse and hurried out, telling her to take a few days off. "Master Kang told me to take a break, and I indulged too much, ooooooh!" After finally escaping the tedious paperwork that had plagued her for so long... Claiming to assist Kang Yun Ho, the passion for her art, or rather her fandom frenzy, had erupted all at once. Who would have thought she'd forget everything and get lost in painting for days? Je Gal Hyang couldn't lift her head. No, now Master Kang is frequenting the courtesan house. He couldn't possibly be playing with courtesans, could he? Je Gal Hyang shuddered at the thought of Kang Yun Ho in such a scenario. — My, I heard you have a fiancée at home? — You amuse me more than that uninteresting woman. — Oh my. "Aaaaanghhh! Anything but that!!!" Her stomach churned. Her heart ached. This was a crisis of monogamy. Je Gal Hyang was on the verge of collapsing from the distress. "Miss? Should I tell Master Kang you're unwell?" "Nooooo. I-I'll go!" I can't just sit here. Je Gal Hyang rolled her body across the floor to the door and jumped up. 'There must be some misunderstanding.' Without regard to the ink-stained cuffs of her robe, she hurriedly dashed into the living room. Surely, it's just needless worry on my part. The urgency was palpable. Though she hadn't fully understood, he had mentioned it was due to some work. As Je Gal Hyang approached the living room, she heard the voices of Kang Yun Ho and Jeon Gil San. "Did you finally bring her?" "Signed the papers and took her here before any rumors could start." "Why ask me to wait until quitting time in this situation?" "The person I love has always been like that." "He said it's fine. Let's wait and see." Who is that? It sounds like a woman. Curiously, Je Gal Hyang peeked cautiously into the living room. "Master Kang?" "Miss Je Gal." "Who is she?" Je Gal Hyang cast a nervous glance at the undeniably beautiful woman, asking Kang Yun Ho. "Oh! This is the pregnant courtesan I mentioned before. I eventually brought her after settling the papers." "...What?" Once again, Je Gal Hyang found herself frozen in place. ** "I-I'll put my seal! I'll release Hong Ran from servitude, just please tell the Inspector General I'm sorry and that I overstepped my bounds. Please speak on my behalf." With the negotiations concluded, the paperwork for Hong Ran's transfer of registration proceeded smoothly. The conditions I presented weren't overly harsh, and the owner of Hyewollu, after a few days in confinement, was in such a state that the paperwork process was straightforward. Despite a minor misunderstanding at the end. "Brother Jeong!" "Hong Ran." The atmosphere between the two who had managed to meet, like the lovers of the Weaver Festival, was deeply affectionate. "Brother! I'm sorry. Truly, because of me... because of someone like me..." "Not realizing your feelings was my fault, not yours. Don't say such things." "Brother!" "When we return home, let's formally introduce you to my parents... Mm? Mm!" Oho. That's intense. Now that I think about it, it wasn't Hong Ran who was caught, but rather she who caught her man. Hong Ran, as if never wanting to be apart again, marked her territory all over the Inspector General's face. Should I step outside? I briefly considered it, but retreating now might make this scenario shift from all-ages to adult-only, so I endured the lovey-dovey scene with the fortitude of a crow bearing an annoyance. “Ahem. S-sorry to have kept you waiting.” Jeong Mun Won managed to disentangle himself from the still oblivious Hong Ran and sat across from me. “You might want to wipe around your mouth.” There’s a noticeable sheen there. “O-oh dear!” Flustered, the Inspector General hurriedly wiped the area around his mouth with his sleeve. “It was a rewarding scene for the days of busyness, so there's no need to worry about it.” “Thank you…” The Inspector General, composing his embarrassed expression, bowed his head to me. “The registration fee is halved. Instead, we settled with transferring the brewery. There will be no stain on the name of the Inspector General.” “Thank you. Really, thank you. If it hadn’t been for you…” Jeong Mun Won grasped my hands with both of his. “It was just a small trick and some hard work over a few days is all. Here, this is the money returned from the settled registration fee.” I placed a receipt and the money on the table. The amount was sizable, including the Inspector General's assets disposed of to save Hong Ran and the money borrowed from Mangum Bank. ‘Now I'll have to ask him to repay the loan.’ The problem, however, was the accrued interest. Though he borrowed at a low rate, he missed the maturity date. Even a large sum on the table wouldn’t cover much after repaying the principal and interest. The Inspector General would essentially be left penniless. “The money borrowed from Mangum Bank must be repaid. Thanks to you, I can cover both the principal and the overdue interest.” Did he realize I was contemplating the money? Jeong Mun Won pushed the money towards me with no hesitation. “After accounting for the overdue interest, there won’t be much left.” “With the money on this table, you returned my precious woman and child whom I thought lost to me. Why do you feel so apologetic?” Jeong Mun Won glanced with contentment at Hong Ran, who stood happily behind him. “It's fine if the Inspector General thinks so, but…” Even if he didn’t want to, I would take it. But it was important to leave a good impression, to maintain humility and courtesy. I showed a genuine attitude of hesitating because I was worried for the Inspector General, though I had to accept the money. “My salary is enough for living expenses. There is no shortage for me and Hong Ran in Wuhan. Moreover, though I roamed overseas to take up positions for financial gain, my wealth at home is plentiful. So there’s nothing to worry about.” “That's a relief.” It seems he’s wealthy back home, just had trouble with funds abroad. No worries then. “However…” “Is there something troubling you?” I hope he doesn't change his mind at the last moment. Jeong Mun Won's shoulders slumped as if burdened with a worry. Surely it wasn’t suddenly becoming the head of a household with a child in one day that troubled him? What concern could there be? I prayed it wasn’t news that he couldn’t pay back. “What trials my wife will put me through when she finds out…” “What…? Oh! You were married.” Inspector General Jeong Mun Won was in his 30s. It didn't seem likely that a successful Inspector General would remain unmarried. “Brother, don’t worry. I’ll do my best to not make the mistress upset.” Hong Ran interjected, grasping the Inspector General’s hand sincerely. “My wife’s temper is no ordinary one.” “Well... it wasn’t intentional, so she should understand.” In this village, even an herbalist doing well could have several wives. A young man who passed the state exam to become an Inspector General should manage. “I just hope my skull stays intact…” A deep sigh escaped Jeong Mun Won. “Haha…” Ah, so he’s henpecked. “Come to think of it, you’re said to have three fiancées?” “What?! Brother, is that true?” "Which Jeon with a big mouth told you that?" Not many know about Hwarin, after all... That Jeon Gil San, the blabbermouth. “Don't be too hard on him. He reassured me, saying you already have three, so having two is reasonable.” “It somehow turned out that way.” Actually, it’s five, not three. But there's no need to mention that. “Do you have any good advice for me?” Jeong Mun Won grabbed my hand with desperation, as if fearing for his future. Advice, huh… A husband travels abroad for work, ends up having a local mistress, and uses the money sent to stay healthy with good food to pay for her registration... There was only one piece of advice I could offer. “Try to delay your death as much as possible…” “Oh…” It’s not like I don’t have my own worries. ——— “Inspector General. I’ve verified the amount. Once you stamp the documents, I'll send everything to Mangum Bank without issues.” After verifying the promissory note, the documents, and the amount of money with the Inspector General, I stamped them and placed everything into a box to be sent to Mangum Bank. The Inspector General smiled with relief after all the paperwork from Hong Ran’s registration to debt repayment was completed. “Thank you truly. I won’t forget this favor.” When the Inspector General bowed his head with my hands in his, Hong Ran also approached and bowed to me. “Master Kang, you are the savior of my life. I will not forget this grace and will teach the child in my womb to be like you.” “No need to mention it. I was glad to handle both Mangum Bank and the Inspector General’s requests.” A second success. Something that seemed difficult enough managed to succeed twice from the unlikely ledger. Even the counterparts from whom I retrieved the money were Samangom Jo Cheol and Inspector General Jeong Mun Won, impressive enough to startle anyone. But there was a sense of lingering regret I couldn’t shake. ‘One more success would feel perfect.’ Though there was some time until the deadline, a significant hurdle now remained. ‘The remaining prospects are incredibly uncertain.’ When I arranged the unlikely ledger by possibility, Jo Cheol was first, with Jeong Mun Won second. There was no need to rank the rest. Given that it was an incredible level of difficulty. Should I be satisfied here? If a report suddenly surfaced saying someone had collected money from dozens of delinquent debtors, it might be problematic. ‘There is a way to collect one more.’ In fact, there is a method. If I have someone's help. “You seem to be troubled.” Have I been pondering too long? Noticing my tense expression, Jeong Mun Won asked me. “It’s nothing.” I quickly relaxed my face and smiled, though his expression turned more serious. "Is there a reason for such reserve between us?" "Pardon?" “You saved my child and wife; wouldn’t I at least hear out your worries?” “It’s just not the kind of worry to speak out loud.” I kept shaking my head, but the Inspector General showed no signs of giving up. “You’ve been looking at me with concern for a while. It must mean you have some business with me.” “...” “You said it’s not something you can say out loud, so it must be a difficult request.” “Haha.” He is astute. I couldn’t outright deny it and simply gave an awkward laugh. “Does the matter require my name?” Jeong Mun Won—or rather, Inspector General Jeong Mun Won—asked me with a rather serious expression. “... Yes. Inspector General, there is something I’d like to request.” I nodded. “Is it something that might sully my name?” “It is not something that will bring dishonor to your name.” “Must I act as your shield in this task?” “Yes. You may find yourself in a bit of a predicament.” To execute my plan, I need to borrow the tiger's skin. Will the righteous Inspector General readily lend it? Jeong Mun Won looked into my eyes thoughtfully for a moment. “Very well.” Then he smiled widely, much to my surprise. “What?” “Go ahead. This time I'll be your shield.”