722 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

“Please, wait in the study for a moment,” the pharmacy employee implored, grabbing my sleeve with determination upon hearing my name. “What does that mean?” I asked, confused. “You need to discuss the deal, right? I’ll bring the master to you immediately.” "What on earth is happening…?" Uncertain of the reason for the urgency, but needing the controversial ingredients for the improved Honmei Ho-shingong, I decided to wait in the owner’s study. “Ga-Young?” Instead of sitting, she had moved toward an old bookshelf. Wandering around someone else's study could raise unnecessary suspicion. As I rose to guide her back, she pointed to a corner of the shelf with her finger. “My books.” “My books? Indeed, Ho-pil’s books are all here.” There they were, the works of Ho-pil—"Dang-ga Fung-un," "Fung-un Hyup-gak-jeon," and even "Jegal Seollok." The books were stacked not neatly but in a way that implied frequent reading, easily accessible. It seemed they were well-read. My joy as a writer was short-lived when a foreboding thought crossed my mind. "Could it… be because of Jegal Seollok?" There could only be one reason for the surprise upon hearing the name Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold. Unless they wanted my autograph because I was the real-life model for Jegal Seollok. Ultimately. “They must think I’m some detective from a novel.” It likely concerned some incident. “Huh?” Ga-Young turned her head, giving me a puzzled look as I lamented unintentionally. “It’s nothing, Ga-Young. Imitation is not the same as reality.” Using real-life stories to enhance my fame was advantageous, but people misunderstood things far more than I anticipated. “You solved the case, didn’t you?” “To some extent, but no. Let's try to extricate ourselves wisely.” Being a detective who effortlessly solves fictional mysteries is vastly different from a constable who, through sheer effort, cracks cases. Even if I could solve it, the path of struggle lay glaringly open before me. Rather, before getting entangled in a headache, let's find a way to smoothly pull out. I quickly surveyed my surroundings. —— “Jegal Seollok visited our pharmacy? Where is he? Where could he be?!” Just as expected. When contemplation of whether to start reading my book on the shelf was settling in, the owner of Hosanhyukbang appeared. “He’s waiting in the study!” “Black hair?! Oh, truly as described!” Bursting into the study came the owner, a man appearing to be in his mid-30s. “I’m Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold.” “I’m Bang Dae Woon of Hosanhyukbang! Are you truly the black-haired constable who resolved the Ghost Ship incident?!” “...I did serve briefly as a constable in Muhan." No, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I held back the urge to deny and responded with a polite smile. “Of course! I was deeply moved after reading Jegal Seollok! It’s my third time reading it, you know!” “I see.” “Please, have a seat! Why are you just standing? Hurry, bring some tea!” His eyes sparkled like someone witnessing a character from a novel appearing in reality, unable to contain his excitement. “Is Hosanhyukbang a historical pharmacy then?” Engaging in some casual conversation before delving into the main topic is customary. While waiting for the tea, I brought up a small topic. “It’s the third generation. My grandfather laid the foundation, and my father erected the pillars.” I see. I carefully addressed the owner, his spirits high with excitement, with a calculated casual facade. “You haven’t been the owner for long, have you?” “How did you… know that?” Bingo. The owner’s expression darkened. Without answering directly, I moved on to the next topic as if it were nothing. “Your father must have been tall. Compared to you, he must have been at least a head taller.” “Yes, you’re right... I take after my mother and am a bit shorter than my father was. How could you know that?” Another correct guess. The owner was moving from surprise to astonishment. Having guessed correctly, I revealed something trivial now. “The bookshelf.” “The bookshelf?” The owner's gaze followed my finger pointing at the old bookshelf. “The worn part of the bookshelf and the part where Ho-pil's books are placed are different. Since the shelf’s height matches yours where Ho-pil's books are placed, the worn part is the reach of someone taller than you.” Ho-pil's novels were placed at a readily accessible height, while the worn areas on the shelf were at a different height. For the owner, who takes such daily details for granted, it was an easily overlooked sign. “Huh.” “The degree of the bookshelf’s wear suggests it often held something regularly used. Placing items at an inconvenient height would be unnecessary, so I figured it was a trace left by a tall predecessor.” The owner’s eyes shone, his expression nearly breaking into a smile. Meaning my deduction was correct. “What about not having been the owner for long?” “Although the furniture bears the marks of age, there are few signs of a new owner. The furniture has yet to become familiar with its owner.” “This is detective reasoning! You live up to your reputation!” The owner seemed at a loss for words, clapping his hands in admiration as he looked at me. ‘Wrong.’ With an embarrassed smile, I waved my hand dismissively in thought. ‘Psychological trickery. I merely used questions to confirm and unfold my hypotheses.’ It wasn’t intuition akin to a fictional detective who immediately knows all the answers. I had time to search the study, note a few intriguing features, and formulate various hypotheses. Finally, I mixed in some psychological tricks. 一 “You haven’t been the owner for long, have you?” Simply ask in passing. Since they see me as a detective, the answer slips out honestly. Once a hypothesis proves true, I explain why I thought that way. The interlocutor, having provided the answer, becomes spellbound by my reasoning, convinced I figured it out. If my question were incorrect? It doesn’t matter. “Your father must have been tall.” “Oh, he wasn’t”? “I see, I meant he left a significant impression.” Since the question doesn’t assume the answer, it allows for flexible adaptability. In the event of success, the person in front of me would be convinced they were dealing with a detective-like genius. If I failed, it would simply pass as idle chatter. "I have a task I’d like to commission the Constable Kang for," the owner declared, apparently charged up by my little deduction performance, launching into the main topic even before the tea had been served. "I refuse," I replied immediately. "What?! Why?" Having demonstrated my abilities, it was now time to make my escape. "I mentioned when I introduced myself; I am Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold." "What do you mean by that?" "I came as Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold to discuss a potential partnership with this pharmacy, not to resolve personal cases as a constable." Kang the Constable is closed for business. "But still—" I quickly, almost piercingly, interjected toward the flustered owner. "Is it the death of a relative?" "Correct!" Just as I thought. With an heir who’s only recently taken over, and given that Jegal Seollok solves murder mysteries, the nature of the request was predictable. "Even if your late father—" "It’s my mistress who has passed!" "…I’m sure your late father wouldn't have caused such a stir, making a guest wait without even offering tea, over just the death of a mistress." Emergency escape! Emergency escape! It wasn't about the father. It’s difficult to nail the deduction every single time. "Please forgive my staff. They were just overwhelmed by the situation." My capabilities only stretch this far, so please bear with me. "Since my business as Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold is concluded, I’ll take my leave. In future meetings, I hope you'll recognize me as Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold, not the black-haired constable." I’ll extend a listening ear if you provide the medicinal ingredients. "Hey! Wait!" Regardless of the circumstances, it was unreasonable to detain a customer only to make a personal request. Naturally, the baffled guest had every right to be upset. Thanks to that, I managed a successful escape. —— “It seems we'll have to bear with substantial losses for a while.” Though we’ve successfully established ourselves in Pyongyang, the expansion into Hunan Province is still in its early stages. Our meeting kicked off with Un Yeop, the deputy director, giving a grave report. "Isn't the sales from Jegal Seollok booming?" I figured the advertisement benefits would have significantly boosted our sales. Surprising that we're facing losses. "We’ve incurred significant costs establishing a new Mangeum Bookstore in Hunan or converting it into our branch, Daseogak. Although the sales of Jegal Seollok are impressive, the sales of other Ho-pil novels aren't faring well." "There must be some bookstores secretly selling novels, just like in Akhran." “Indeed. To cut costs, we haven't purchased printing machines but instead used supplies from the Muhan headquarters. However, considering the shipping costs to the Hunan branch, it seems we must eventually set up a printing press there, too.” Without the luxury of legal proceedings in this era, tackling unauthorized sales is tricky. At least we managed to reclaim distribution rights, and that’s thanks to Un Ga-young. "And what about the Battlefield of Gold?" "Other than having firmly set roots in Akhua, we’ve barely made any headway. In the trading city of Sangdo, with Un Ga's help, we've managed to secure some small partnerships, but in other locations, it’s a struggle just to pay the staff's wages." "It’s never easy for an outsider to dislodge firmly established insiders." Though we successfully dislodged the entrenched competitors in Akhua with the hammer of Eoreushin Siwang, we couldn't deploy the same tactics everywhere else. "This is a bit of a pickle." I uttered a small sigh as Gil San looked at me with a skeptical gaze. "Gil San, what's troubling you?" "Can I ask now?" "About?" "I was curious too. About the young lady who has been standing behind you." “…” Both men had their eyes on the silent woman standing behind me. "Aha. She’s Un Ga-young, the granddaughter of Eoreushin Siwang." I wondered what he meant. Now it was time to clarify. I introduced her with confidence. “…” Ga-young, it’s time to introduce yourself again. Why are you just staring unwaveringly at me? “Ga-young, let's refer to you as 'lady' when introducing you to others.” "Okay." “Ga-young? Eoreushin Siwang’s granddaughter? Hey, Kang Yoon Ho." Gil San, why does your expression seem more grim? It’s not what you’re thinking, I swear. "She’s battling an incurable disease and undergoing advanced treatment. My skills from having traversed realms beyond are needed, so I’m helping temporarily." “Then why the master-servant dynamic?” I replied to the skeptical stares directed my way with an innocent, sincere smile. “It sounds like a flighty affair if I say ‘lover,’ don't you think?” “…” "What’s with those looks that say 'there's not much difference'?" Given that even guys with fiancées having women around can seem suspicious. This was the most sensible conclusion I’ve reached after much deliberation. “Whatever. Just make sure it doesn’t reach the Jegal family’s ears.” "Be careful with the Tang family too." “I'm telling you, there's nothing—” “Sure, sure.” "Fear not, Gang Gongja-nim. I neither see nor hear anything concerning Un Ga-young, Lady." This feels unfair. I’m genuinely helping without any ulterior motives, yet it feels like I’ve committed a substantial blunder. —— "In the end, we must sell more books and secure steady partnerships where the Battlefield of Gold can regularly extend loans." Gil San, you pin things down so clearly. This isn't the smooth sailing business venture I envisioned. A sense of urgency is looming. "It's easier said than done." Jegal Seollok has exhausted the promotional tools available. Beyond this, word of mouth is probably the best we can hope for in terms of promotional success. The Battlefield of Gold is in a more difficult spot. Should I perhaps solicit Eoreushin Siwang to dismantle a few more factions engaging in monetary operations? "Having announced to the world that Kang Yoon Ho of the Battlefield of Gold is expanding into Hunan Province, it would be a disgrace to return having succeeded only across the river in Akhua." "Un Yeop, are we looking at severe losses?" "For now, we can manage with the income from Akhua. There aren't any major expenses expected, so you can focus solely on the business.” The talk of large expenses is a bit worrisome. "It seems I can’t afford to handle personal expenses involving substantial money." "If it's needed for business….” "No, it’s fine." "Managing the successor's skincare requires a lot of money. How could I possibly ask for that?" "Businesses are unlikely to easily change their main financial backers. Without a special reason, there's no real motive to switch," I mused. He had a point. While we could propose low-interest loans as a competitive strategy, declaring financial war on all established banks in the Hunan region wasn’t a move to make lightly. "Unless we offer something that exceeds the ties of established relationships, it's hard to get them to switch," Gil San remarked. "Something that exceeds those connections…" A compelling reason for a VIP client to choose a new bank—it's not something that just appears out of nowhere. "Gang Gongja-nim," Siwi appeared suddenly, interrupting my train of thought with good news. "What is it?" "The pharmacy has managed to procure all the medicinal ingredients." "Really?!" It's hard to believe, given the reluctance of other pharmacies to provide those ingredients. Even Siwang Eoreushin understood when I said they were unavailable. "They respectfully wish to meet again as an apology for the debacle during your last visit." Although it's good news, there's a problem. The funds I have are meant for the business. Can I really use them for personal reasons like this? As these thoughts flashed through my mind, "The payment for the ingredients… Hang on!" A realization struck me. "Why?" "Hosanhyukbang is one of the top pharmacies, right?" "Yes, easily within the top three." “What if…” “What?” There is a way. I’d been overthinking this. There was a way to solve the payment issue and find a new avenue for the business, all while boosting Jegal Seollok’s sales. "If Hosanhyukbang were indebted to Kang Yoon Ho from the Battlefield of Gold, they might consider any business request, wouldn’t they?” It's fine, I'll just have to put in a bit more effort.