From Beggars to Servants
Clunk—
"Come on in!"
Quite some time had passed since evening business began, but with not a single customer in sight, the drowsy shop boy jolted awake at the sound of the door opening. In walked a warrior from the Damuk Family Estate and a little beggar girl wrapped in bandages. Puzzled by the odd pair, the boy hesitated until the Damuk warrior spoke.
"Fetch your master."
"Y-yes? Ah, right away!"
He didn't ask why, nor could he. In northern Anhwi Province, the name Damuk carried the weight of the land itself.
It wasn't long before the owner of Cheongsong Inn came thundering down from the second floor. "Y-you called for me?"
"I'd like to run a tab. Possible?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
Damuk Hun handed over the silver taels Yeon had given him earlier. "Five taels of silver. Record it, and whenever this child comes, serve her food. Tell her when it's all used up."
Yeon had received four taels from Damuk Jeong, but Damuk Hun had topped it up with one of his own.
"Ah, yes, thank you!"
Running a tab usually meant deferred payment over a month or two, but paying five taels upfront? The innkeeper's face broke into a beaming smile.
"And Yeon, make sure to record whatever you eat each day. That way, there won't be any issues when we check the ledger later."
"Yes, sir."
Yeon had asked Damuk Hun to say this, just in case the innkeeper tried padding the bill with uneaten items. Sure enough, the man's expression clouded slightly, as if the thought had crossed his mind.
"Pack up five dumplings for now. Record them in the ledger under Damuk Hun."
This was Damuk Hun's small act of consideration. A ledger entry under a beggar girl's name versus a Damuk Family warrior's? No one would dare tamper with the latter.
Yeon accepted the warm dumplings and bowed in thanks once more. "Thank you, Great Hero Damuk."
"No need to bow every time. And 'Great Hero'? That's creepy. Just call me Uncle."
Yeon's head shook vigorously. "How could a lowly one like me dare?"
"You're no ordinary child. Don't call yourself lowly."
Yeon thought to herself: This world has already judged my status by the eyes around me. How could I claim nobility in this situation?
"……."
Damuk Hun gazed down at the silent Yeon, pondering. Moments ago, she'd handed him the silver and asked to set up the tab—a wise move, knowing the dangers of carrying wealth. Any other kid would have buried it or hidden it somewhere only they knew the moment they parted ways.
Such situational awareness. Her Go skills that toyed with the young master. She'd dragged every game to a deadlock, stoking his pride until he emptied his pockets. And enduring a strike laced with inner energy without a cry. Maintaining decorum to the end, making Damuk Jeong feel ashamed and flee on his own.
Patience, self-control, intellect—she radiated talent in every way. Damuk Hun felt a growing greed to nurture her. With proper training, she could become a female warrior who shook the world.
Sorting his thoughts, he nodded and asked, "Yeon, have you ever thought of joining the Damuk Family Estate?"
"Pardon?"
The unexpected offer made Yeon pause mid-step, dumplings in hand.
A martial clan? A place for those who wielded swords, killed, and lived ready to die at any moment. It didn't suit her at all. She shook her head. "How could I dare learn martial arts? It's absurd."
"At your age, it's not too late. You'd learn quickly. From what I've seen—"
"Ah, we're here, Great Hero."
"……."
They'd already reached the culvert where Yeon's beggar gang stayed. She smiled brightly and quickened her pace, forcing Damuk Hun to hold his tongue.
"I'm back."
At Yeon's voice, the little shack under the culvert stirred, and several beggar kids tumbled out.
"Yeon!"
"Why so late?"
"What happened to your face? Your leg?"
"Who's that guy?"
Wangcho, Chunbong, Seok, and Samwol rushed to her, fussing and questioning in a clamor. Their eyes flicked from her bandaged cheek and leg to the stoic Damuk Hun beside her. Their gazes sharpened.
"…?"
"Did that uncle hit you?"
Chunbong whispered—or tried to—but it rang out loud enough for everyone. Damuk Hun couldn't help but chuckle.
"Haha."
"Shh, no. He helped me. Brought me all the way here."
"Oh."
"Thank you!"
As soon as Yeon finished, the four boys bowed deeply. It was clear how dearly they cherished her, how tight-knit they were.
Watching them, Damuk Hun heard Yeon whisper just for him: "I have to stay with these kids. I can't go alone."
"…I see. I understand."
Her words seemed to ask if he'd take in four ordinary beggar boys for one prodigy. Damuk Hun could say no more and departed.
"See you next time, Yeon. And you all too."
"Yes."
"Yeah!"
As he vanished with a leap, the kids—finally noticing the dumplings after checking Yeon's wounds—erupted in cheers.
"Whoa, dumplings!"
"Yeon's the best!"
Damuk Hun watched the children from afar a moment longer before returning to the estate and seeking out Taesang Gajoo Damuk Un. "Please accept five beggar children into the family, Taesang Gajoo."
The man who had built the Damuk Family Estate into what it was—the Anhui Divine Spear—looked down at him with bemused disbelief.
"…Don't you think that's too abbreviated?"
"Ah, sorry. I was in a rush."
"Why did Jeong return alone today, fuming? Did you two fight?"
"No fight."
"Then what? The brat won't even answer his grandfather. You tell me."
Damuk Hun swallowed the urge to say their indulgence had made the boy so arrogant and slowly explained.
"The young master was playing Go in the hills behind the culvert—"
He detailed the encounter between Damuk Jeong and the beggar girl Yeon. The bet. Jeong using inner energy. Yet her poise, manners, cunning, judgment—all laced with his own admiration. Time slipped by as he spoke.
"—And that's how it happened."
"Hmm."
Damuk Un sipped his lukewarm tea, then nodded as if it suddenly clicked. "Ah, right. Those beggar kids sweeping the front gate whenever I went out?"
"Probably the ones you remember. And you should scold Jeong sternly. An heir trained in our family's arts, future family head, using inner energy on an unarmed commoner?"
"Hmm. He's still young; tempers flare. Who hasn't slipped up at that age?"
"I never did."
Damuk Hun's gruff tone didn't faze Damuk Un, who waved it off. "Let's move past the trivial."
"If you keep ignoring it, trivial becomes major—"
Outraged by the elder's attitude, Damuk Hun pressed, but Damuk Un cut him off curtly. "Anyway, a girl among those beggars? And quite clever, you say. Hmm. Where'd she learn Go? Jeong's no slouch among his peers, yet she beat him."
The interruption boiled Damuk Hun's blood, but arguing with someone already checked out was pointless. He grumbled inwardly: You're the ones spoiling him. And she didn't just win—she toyed with him. Winning by one or two points each game? That's mercy, what else?
Either he'd half-listened or dismissed it as exaggeration, but Damuk Un showed little interest in Yeon.
"No, really, she's exceptional."
"So you want to take her as a disciple?"
"Yes."
"But she hinted she can't come alone—you'd have to take all five beggars?"
"…Yes."
"Even you know that's a stretch. You understand the cost of raising a warrior."
"……."
This was Damuk Hun's worry. Yeon was too precious, but was saddling the family with four tagalongs worth it? He could train Yeon as a warrior and set the rest to menial tasks, but from what he'd seen, she'd never accept that.
As Damuk Hun hesitated, Damuk Un waved dismissively. "Fine. If they'll do chores around the estate, tell them to come. Better than beggar life. And that Yeon—you can teach her if the chance arises."
Probably the bare minimum concession for his grandson beating her up. Annoyed, but a tempting offer for Yeon and the kids, Damuk Hun bowed with a fist salute. "Thank you for your consideration, Taesang Gajoo."
"So, here's the thing. Want to do odd jobs in the Damuk Family Estate? No worries about food or shelter. Better than out here, right?"
Damuk Hun scratched his head awkwardly, even in front of the child. Yesterday he'd boldly offered to make her a family warrior; today, a servant? Who'd be thrilled?
But Yeon lit up more than when he'd offered martial training.
"All five of us together?"
"…Yeah."
"Thank you! Truly!"
Unlike Damuk Hun's reluctance, Yeon was genuinely thrilled. A roof, steady—even cold—rice beats starving, filthy street life. Wielding a sword and killing? Utterly against her nature. Servanthood was the better deal.
Wangcho, Chunbong, Seok, and Samwol—whooped and jumped when Yeon relayed it—rushed to Damuk Hun, bowing repeatedly.
"We'll do great! Work hard!"
"Anything you need!"
"Ah, easy. No need to overdo it. Just pitch in."
"Grab your things."
The beggars had little to pack—just their straw brooms for begging. Clutching them, the kids followed Damuk Hun with swelling hearts.