Forged Sinpae (4)
Baek Wontae tilted his head and asked back, “Ten pieces? That’ll wreck me if I do them all. It’ll take forever, too... You know time is money.”
“Don’t worry. I’m strong enough to handle it, as you can see. I’ll pay extra for keeping you here, too. And wouldn’t it be better for you to unload Baekhyang as fast as possible?”
Baek Wontae stroked his chin as though deep in thought.
“...Two hundred and fifty mun.”
“Two hundred and fifty mun...? ”
“It’s ten pieces, so 250 mun.”
The innkeeper let out a disbelieving sigh.
“If they were all genuine, I’d pay you the equivalent of five nyang in silver. Do you really need to squeeze me for this?”
“Yes. I do.”
That attitude left the innkeeper speechless.
Baek Wontae went on as if it were nothing.
“Don’t tell me you don’t understand. Whether Haomun buys this or not, I couldn’t care less.”
He took the bag of Baekhyang from his chest and gave it a shake.
“I only kept you here because there was a chance it might be real. In that case, the owner asking for compensation is... pretty normal, isn’t it?”
Thud.
The pouch dropped onto the table.
“You pay 250 mun, and there’s a chance I’ll make enough to clear ten thousand mun without breaking a sweat. If that sounds painful, then I guess there’s nothing to be done.”
The innkeeper bit her lip.
It sounded shameless, but it was a fair price.
If she didn’t want it?
She could simply take the five silver nyang and be done with it.
The only reason she was still keeping him here was her own greed.
Baekhyang.
No one in Haomun had ever managed to steal a single dose or sell it.
And of course they hadn’t.
It was a bizarre luxury item that had suddenly appeared in Hamwon one day.
Its source was unknown.
Its distribution route was unknown.
Its export was being watched like a hawk.
The information was scarce to the point of starvation.
It was, in plain terms, a gold vein buried somewhere out of sight.
And that kind of treasure was sitting on her desk right now.
The man who had dragged it out into the world for the first time was about to turn his back on her.
If I let this go, I may never get another chance.
If she became the first in Haomun to broker a Baekhyang deal?
If she could even crack open the route it traveled?
Then her position would never collapse.
No—it would rise even higher.
No one will dare lay a hand on me.
Desire welled up inside her.
What she needed wasn’t pride or dignity.
It was this man.
She had to pin him down right now.
She opened a drawer and pulled out a bundle of coins.
Clink—
Two hundred and fifty mun landed on the table.
“Is that enough?”
Baek Wontae scooped the coins into his bag.
He unwrapped the Baekhyang.
“Good. Pick one.”
The innkeeper’s fingertips moved toward the white granules.
Just before her finger touched them—
Tap.
Baek Wontae’s hand covered the Baekhyang.
The innkeeper’s hand froze in midair.
“...What do you mean by this?”
“I’m telling you in advance, just in case. You might die before you get through all ten pieces.”
Her pupils quivered.
“That’s how it is, isn’t it? Drink too much booze and you die... Baekhyang can overwhelm the body if you overdo it, too. So you have to agree right here and now. If you die, you won’t hold me responsible. We need to keep this clean between us.”
A bad memory flashed through her mind, and killing intent glinted in her eyes.
“...Is this poison?”
“Are you serious? Do you think I’m some assassin here to hurt you? What would I even do with some neighborhood innkeeper?”
She shut her mouth, and Baek Wontae kept going.
“Look, let’s be clear. I was just going to leave. You’re the one who stopped me. If you want to gamble, you should be ready to get hurt, right?”
He leaned back in his chair and shrugged.
“I thought you were strong, so I figured you’d be something like Mandokbulchim. Guess not. If you’re scared, back out.”
“...Fine. I won’t hold you responsible.”
“Good. Let’s make it clear one more time. If all ten are genuine, we settle the payment in Baekhyang instead of silver. Agreed?”
She nodded.
Only then did Baek Wontae lift his hand off the Baekhyang.
He inspected her carefully.
The pile of Baekhyang.
Were they really all genuine?
Or was this man deceiving her?
Either way, the dice had already been cast.
The responsibility for the choice was hers.
She selected them one by one, carefully.
Ten pieces of Baekhyang were laid out before her.
Baek Wontae picked up the smoking pipe and asked casually, “Want me to heat it up for you?”
She grabbed the pipe as it swayed in front of her face.
“I know how.”
She lifted the pipe.
She set one piece of Baekhyang on a plate and held it over the lamp.
Chiiii—
The Baekhyang began to melt.
The fragrance spread through the room.
Sweet, with something deep beneath it.
It was ready to smoke.
Staring at the pipe, she sank into thought.
She could always have the servants outside smoke it for her.
But if she made the underlings do it, her dignity would be worth nothing.
This was... something she alone had to bear, and something whose reward she alone had to seize.
Father would have done the same.
She was also curious.
Baekhyang was said to melt away all the hardships of a lifetime.
What on earth was it like, for all those rich men to be driven mad over it?
She steadied herself and brought the pipe to her lips.
* * *
“Mmm... ”
Sunlight stabbed at the corners of her eyes.
Her eyelids twitched, then slowly opened.
Her vision was hazy.
Something cold and hard pressed against her cheek.
She must have fallen asleep with her upper body sprawled across the table.
Rubbing her eyes, she pushed herself upright.
A familiar scent.
A familiar pile of books.
And one person sitting before the table.
“... ”
At first, she couldn’t make him out clearly.
But the moment her vision sharpened—
Her eyes wavered.
The face she had missed so desperately.
“Dad...?”
He smiled.
That warm, gentle smile he always wore.
“Haha, taking a nap in the middle of the day? That doesn’t suit you. Tired?”
She staggered to her feet.
One step.
Then another.
Her hands shook with disbelief.
She reached out and laid them against his face.
Warm skin.
His warmth passed through her hand and into her heart.
“Dad... how...?”
He tilted his head playfully.
“What’s wrong with you? Had a scary dream or something?”
She lunged into him.
Her arms wrapped around his body.
It felt like something severed had been stitched back together.
A sob burst out of her.
“Dad... Dad...!”
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I missed you... I really did... really... ”
He patted her back.
“You must’ve had it rough.”
“Huk... it was so hard... ”
She pulled her face from his chest and looked up at him through her tears.
“Don’t go anywhere... just stay... stay with me... ”
His hand settled on her head and stroked gently.
“All right. I'll always stay by my Gyeol's side.”
* * *
Flash—!
Her eyes flew open.
A strangled gasp burst out of her.
Her upper body lay collapsed on the table, her shoulders sagging.
She lifted her head, breathing hard.
Her father...
Was gone.
The lamp’s wavering glow. The damp smell of wood.
Reality returned—dark and cramped.
The same hidden room in the inn.
And in front of her, the masked man wrapped from head to toe.
Nothing had changed at all.
Her lips trembled.
Slowly, ever so slowly, her head drooped.
It felt as if something in her chest had been cut open with a rasp.
“Are you all right?”
Baek Wontae’s voice cut in.
The innkeeper straightened and coughed awkwardly.
“...Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”
But his gaze was strange.
He pointed at the corner of her eye.
“Did you cry?”
“...!”
Her arm moved reflexively.
The sleeve swept up to her face.
Wet.
I cried...? Me?
She had always suppressed her feelings. She had long since believed there would be no more reason to cry.
She wiped away the tears in a hurry and sat up properly.
Then she forced herself to recover her composure.
“I’ve shown you an ugly side of myself. I apologize.”
Baek Wontae shrugged and smiled.
“Happens to everyone the first time. Don’t push yourself.”
“This much is nothing.”
She said it, but she had only managed a single piece... just one puff.
She had trained so no one could look down on her.
She had strengthened her body and martial arts, and she had grown used to poison so she could prepare for threats that might come at any time.
But what she had just felt was a hallucination that ruthlessly shattered every one of those efforts.
Her body trembled.
She was afraid.
What kind of illusion would swallow her next time?
And for the very same reason, she was excited.
She immediately placed a second piece into the pipe and melted it over the lamp.
Swoosh—
She drew in the smoke.
The vapor filled every corner of her lungs.
Ring—!
Her head rang.
Her breathing slowed, and her vision blurred.
The space between her brows went numb, then started tingling, and all the strength seeped out of her toes.
But she couldn’t collapse again.
She gritted her teeth and endured it.
The third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
The sixth.
And the seventh.
“...Hah!”
When she opened her eyes again, she was already sprawled across the table.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and her throat felt as dry as ash.
She reached for the teacup, but there was no strength in her hand.
Clatter, clatter.
Her fingers only brushed against the cup.
...Damn it. All this over something like this...
Then the aide came closer.
She gently supported the innkeeper’s shoulder.
Then she steadied the swaying body against the back of the chair and lifted the cup, carefully bringing it to her lips.
“... ”
Gulp.
The cold tea went down her throat, and the numbness in her body loosened a little.
“...Thank you.”
Her voice was as fragile as fallen leaves.
The aide said nothing.
She only looked at her for a moment, then returned to her place by the door.
Baek Wontae tossed out a flippant line that he didn’t mean in the slightest.
“Ha, maybe you should stop here. Watching you is exhausting me. Just take the five silver nyang.”
He leisurely began wrapping up the Baekhyang again.
Clack—
The innkeeper’s hand shot out and seized his wrist.
“Stop.”
She glared at the remaining granules on the table.
“There are still... three pieces... left...”