322 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Chapter 7 "What on earth is this...?" [When you revealed that you were Ho-pil, it almost brought me to tears.] [Thank you for sharing something you couldn't reveal to others.] [To think the person I praised for Tang Family Winds is actually Ho-pil.] [The fact that the drawings I create are now officially recognized by Ho-pil... I'm so thrilled.] "Huh?! Ka-Kang Gongja-nim?" Oh no, I've read his diary and was so shocked I accidentally spoke out loud. Je-gal Hyang is a warrior. He might wake up. Im Ha Yeon quickly returned the diary to its original spot and dashed out of the room after hearing Je-gal Hyang's sleep-talking. "He's Ho-pil?" Holding onto her restless heart, Im Ha Yeon barely made it back to her room. Kang Yoon Ho is Ho-pil? What on earth is this about? It was hard to believe, but there was no mistaking the exchange diary filled with praise for Tang Family Winds and stating Kang Yoon Ho is Ho-pil. "Could it be that he was boasting?" Im Ha Yeon decided to first deny what she saw. It's common for a man to boast to win a woman's favor. She pondered the possibility but then shook her head. He's definitely not the type to lie like that. Then how could she explain the closeness between the two? She could only come to a conclusion that was hard to believe. Kang Yoon Ho is Ho-pil. And the two share a secret. "Kang Yoon Ho, a fortune teller, is really Ho-pil?" Her heart wouldn't calm down. She couldn't sit or stand still. She wanted to wake him up right now and ask what this was all about. "But I can't ask him..." What if he asked how she knew? I read your exchange diary. Imagining the disdainful look Kang Yoon Ho might give her, she had to suppress her urge to rush in. If she couldn't ask, there was only one way left. Im Ha Yeon began to recall all of his actions assuming Kang Yoon Ho was Ho-pil. "If he really is Ho-pil..." A veil of doubt she had never touched before. As she pulled it away, countless indications raced through her mind, leading her to questions with no answers. "Have I ever seen him go to meet Ho-pil?" Kang Yoon Ho, his closest friend, Ho-pil. Im Ha Yeon had never seen him meet Ho-pil even once. --- "He was called the illegitimate child of the Tang Family." Im Ha Yeon recalled what Chief Yi Chang had said. An illegitimate child of the Tang Family and a man who mastered the family's hidden techniques—he was someone who could write a novel like Tang Family Winds. Why hadn't she been suspicious? "He had a keen eye for reading and a talent for writing." She thought it was just because he discovered Tang Family Winds. In truth, he was offering earnest advice as an author. "If Ho-pil wasn't a comedic pen name to hide his identity, but rather a name to reveal it..." A Joseon man with black hair, Kang Yoon Ho. Could there be a better pen name than Ho-pil? Im Ha Yeon chuckled in disbelief. Why hadn't she realized it before? The time she spent with him, the information she knew about him, all pointed to him being Ho-pil. "Why? Why on earth..." Her most respected author, Ho-pil, being Kang Yoon Ho. Im Ha Yeon couldn't keep smiling at this conclusion she had reached. It wasn't because the image of Ho-pil she imagined was different. Or because Kang Yoon Ho had hidden his identity from her. "Why would he only reveal the truth to that woman?" Why did the man who cared for her more than anyone hide his identity from her? Why would he reveal it to a woman he claimed to have no feelings for? Im Ha Yeon couldn't help but think of a scenario she didn't want to consider. 'If his heart is swaying.' If, without her realizing it, his heart was directed not towards her but Je-gal Hyang. Unintentionally revealed truth. In the gaps of her heart that this revelation created, anxiety began to seep in. --- "Indeed, we need a carriage, Lady Ha Yeon." During the tea time following breakfast, even if he were the owner of a business, a significant expense requires discussion with the board. To get approval for purchasing the most necessary items, Kang Yoon Ho brought up the topic to Im Ha Yeon, who handled finances. "......" "Are you not feeling well?" Im Ha Yeon's face was filled with worry and fatigue from not sleeping a wink all night. "No, it's nothing. Why do you need a carriage?" Now is not the time to show anything. Im Ha Yeon decided to pretend everything was normal and play her role until the right time to question him arrived. "Running the inn as well as the branch office of the Daseogak requires frequent use of carriages. It seems more economical to own one." "A carriage costs a lot. Isn't it better to hire a driver, even if it's a bit pricey?" "Considering the recent incidents, Lady Ha Yeon's safety should also be a priority. Hiring a trustworthy driver might be best." "Ah… then let's do that." Recalling the incident where Kang Yoon Ho was almost abducted, Im Ha Yeon nodded. "Haha, I thought you'd agree, so I prepared an estimate. Take a look." Carefully, like a husband presenting a computer quote to his wife, Kang Yoon Ho handed her the carriage estimate. "It's not just about buying a carriage. We need to purchase horses, manage them, hire a driver, and finally, buy the carriage. It's a significant expense." It's too much. Im Ha Yeon scowled as she perused the estimate. "Indeed, it's a considerable financial burden." "Then wouldn't it be better to establish a regular carriage service? There are members from the Hyangwoo Association working as drivers. I'll reach out to them." Whether Kang Yoon Ho's heart is really wavering or not, she doesn't know. But that doesn't mean she should let herself be unsettled. Im Ha Yeon advised him sagely, like a wife wisely guiding her imprudent husband. "Excuse meeee." Je-gal Hyang, who had been observing the situation, called out to the two. "Yes, Lady Je-gal?" As their attention shifted to him, Je-gal Hyang bashfully hid his chin behind the estimate and cautiously made a suggestion. "Should I buuuuy it for you?" "You would, Lady Je-gal? Haha, that's quite alright." Kang Yoon Ho laughed off the suggestion. The topic was brought up merely to gain purchase approval, not to ask someone to buy it for him. "If you look at the estimate, it's not an amount one can casually decide to purchase." Im Ha Yeon chimed in bluntly. Given they even had to tighten their belts just to have a meal together at a soup restaurant, estimating how many meals they'd have to skip to afford a carriage was beyond her. Je-gal Hyang blinked in surprise at their refusal, then spoke up again. "But... with the money I've saved from New Year's gifts, I think I could buy it." "...What?" Their expressions froze at his words. "This carriage looks nice, so I'll buy this one for you." Je-gal Hyang pointed to the most expensive carriage on the estimate. "Haha. I showed you the expensive one to get permission for a carriage purchase. What I actually had in mind was this more affordable one." Kang Yoon Ho's strategy included aiming to negotiate even through the carriage estimate. He put forth an estimate that balanced decent quality with a reasonable price. "Since it'll be Kang Gongja-nim using it, I think it's alright to get this nice one." But Je-gal Hyang wasn't interested in compromises. Even Kang Yoon Ho, usually composed, couldn't help but be startled. "Aren't you overexerting yourself?" "Mmm... my mother told me to save for such occasions." Specifically, he was advised to save it for when he got married; she said a woman should know how to give gifts if she wanted to win over a lifelong partner. Though Je-gal Hyang had mostly let such advice slip through one ear, considering it a nag. "...Then, could we perhaps also get some decent horses?" "You!" "Haha. Since the three of us will be riding together, let's get something good. Lady Je-gal, may we discuss this a bit?" "Umm... feel free to get whatever Kang Gongja-nim prefers." "Really?!" "..." Im Ha Yeon silently watched as Kang Yoon Ho, elated, sought Je-gal Hyang's opinion. If she had received a salary, could she have bought him the carriage he wanted? No, it was impossible. She bit her lower lip quietly. He won't let his heart sway towards Je-gal Hyang. Even if he were wavering, she must not. She had just reaffirmed this determination moments ago. Yet, staring at the undeniable disparity with her unwanted rival, she struggled to calm her unsettled heart.