Settling into the Damuk Estate
The grand gates of the Damuk Family Estate creaked open with a heavy groan.
“Whoa—!”
Exclamations of awe burst from the children’s mouths unbidden. Of course, they’d known that vast halls lay beyond these walls. But peering over the high barrier was one thing—passing through the main gate and beholding the sight firsthand was entirely different.
“To think I could live in a place like this.”
Chunbong’s voice trembled. He’d only ever begged in front of these walls, never daring to even peek inside.
The paths connecting the halls were laid with perfectly squared slabs of blue stone. Tiny ponds and gardens dotted the grounds here and there, leaving the children—who’d never seen such things—thoroughly enchanted.
Yeon, of course, had seen countless modern buildings, apartments, and paved roads in her previous life, so she wasn’t particularly impressed.
“Come on, this way.”
Trailing after Damuk Hun, they spotted numerous Damuk warriors moving about the halls.
“Brother! Good to see you. Uh... who are those kids?”
“My hidden little ones. Yeah. Where you headed?”
“Haha, gate duty. Your kids take after you—real cute.”
“Greetings.”
“Yeah, hey.”
The warriors bowed politely to Damuk Hun one after another. Seeing this, the children following behind puffed up with childish pride.
Yeon, glancing around like the others as she walked, suddenly locked eyes with a familiar face.
She flinched to a halt.
“Ah.”
“Huh?”
Damuk Jeong, the young master hurrying somewhere, also froze upon spotting Yeon and Damuk Hun.
For a moment, he glared at Yeon and snapped curtly.
“What are you doing here?”
“Ah... well...”
As Yeon stammered, Damuk Hun stepped in front of her and answered for her.
“She’ll be staying here.”
“Why her?”
“Why? The Damuk Family hired her, that’s why.”
“Hired? Oh, so not as a warrior—as a servant?”
“Exactly. Anyway, Jeong. You owe Yeon an apology.”
Damuk Hun shot him a stern glare, and Damuk Jeong stuttered.
He knew he was in the wrong, but he also worried that speaking up here might let others overhear. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to admit it easily.
“Wh-why should I apologize?”
“You used your inner energy on a commoner who doesn’t even know martial arts—and a girl at that. Isn’t that worth an apology?”
Unlike his indulgent grandfather and father, Damuk Jeong couldn’t act cocky in front of the strict Damuk Hun. But he wasn’t quick to yield either.
“That’s because... because that kid played Go so slyly and had the nerve to tell me to go home like she was giving advice.”
“No matter the reason, if you did wrong, you apologize. Now.”
“Tch...”
Damuk Jeong glanced up at Damuk Hun, realizing there was no escape, and muttered reluctantly.
“Sorry.”
His half-hearted mumble, as if pretending it hadn’t happened, made Damuk Hun’s brow twitch.
“Hey now—that’s no way to apologize—”
“Ah, no, it’s fine. I’m sorry too, Young Master. Thank you for your concern.”
Yeon figured this was her cue to step in. Pushing further would only make the boy resent her, not Damuk Hun.
Besides, whether he apologized or not made no difference to her.
“Hmph.”
“Well then, we’ll be off.”
As Damuk Hun eyed Yeon thoughtfully, Damuk Jeong gave a curt nod and brushed past.
Only after he’d vanished did Wangcho, Chunbong, and Seok erupt.
“That the kid who hit you?”
“Dared to lay a hand on Yeon?”
“That’s the young master.”
“Still!”
Samwol said nothing, just staring blankly at Damuk Jeong’s retreating back.
Ignoring the children’s grumbling, Damuk Hun quickened his pace.
“Enough. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
They arrived at a shabby house behind the kitchens, where savory food aromas wafted.
Samwol, who’d been hoping for one of those grand halls they’d passed, let slip an unwitting “Aww,” but Yeon quickly clapped a hand over his mouth—mercifully, Damuk Hun didn’t hear.
“You’ll stay here. There’s a small room and a large one—the small for Yeon, the large for you four. There’s the old servants’ quarters, but I figured you young ones might face hardships suddenly rooming with them. If you dislike it, I can move you there instead. What say you?”
It was thoughtful consideration for a warrior to show, so Yeon nodded.
Bullying would exist anywhere, especially for a young group like theirs—it could get ugly.
“Thank you for thinking of us.”
Then Chunbong shot up his hand.
“But why’s Yeon sleeping alone? We’ve always bunked together.”
Seok nodded along, and Damuk Hun chuckled dryly.
“...How old are you all?”
“Wangcho’s thirteen. I’m twelve. Seok and Samwol are eleven.”
“And Yeon?”
“Probably ten.”
“Ten years old.”
Damuk Hun frowned disapprovingly, as if scolding them.
They couldn’t help their beggar days, but from now on...
“‘Boys and girls separate at seven,’ as the saying goes. You lot keep sharing a room with Yeon, and she’ll never marry.”
“Huh? Can’t have that.”
“But why?”
p>“Don’t know. Do what the hero says, you punk.”
“I wanna sleep with Yeon.”
“If Yeon can’t marry, you gonna take responsibility?”
“Heh heh. She can just marry me!”
Chunbong grinned cheekily, earning a solid whack from Wangcho.
“There’re rooms, so guys and girls sleep separate unless you’re married.”
“Ow... fine. Don’t hit me.”
Damuk Hun couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
No wonder they’d refused to come without Yeon—these kids were thick as thieves.
He ruffled Yeon’s hair.
“Clothes are inside. Wash up and change. There’s a wooden tub and well out back—fetch water and clean yourselves. I’ll come by around dinner.”
With a grin, Damuk Hun departed, leaving Yeon’s cheeks burning.
He’d emphasized “wash” twice for a reason.
He hadn’t said anything outright, but their beggar stench was unmistakable. Long street life had numbed them to it, plus survival left no luxury for bathing.
But now? Not washing would be pure laziness.
Once he was gone, Yeon herded the protesting beggar crew and kept hauling water.
“Wash till no more black water comes off. Got it?”
“It’s too cold.”
“I wanna stop.”
Grumbles arose, but Yeon didn’t flinch.
“Stay dirty and smelly, you’ll get kicked out. Wanna go back under the bridge?”
“......”
Silence fell. Only splashing and scrubbing echoed from the makeshift bath.
Yeon barely stifled a laugh, setting another bucket by the door and wiping sweat from her brow.
“Yeon! Why aren’t you washing? Come on together.”
Thwack!
“Why’d you hit me?!”
“Since when do you bathe with Yeon? Quit the dumb talk and scrub your back, punk.”
“Sheesh—.”
“Kyahaha.”
Yeon burst out laughing at Wangcho and Chunbong’s bickering—then startled herself.
When was the last time she’d laughed out loud here? She couldn’t remember.
Suppressing her smile, she kept fetching water. It wasn’t tiring.
# After the Wangcho gang finished washing, Yeon scrubbed herself vigorously in the tub. It had been so long since a proper bath that the grime she sloughed off defied imagination.
Feeling reborn, she shook water from her hair, donned the hemp clothes Damuk Hun had left, and emerged—to odd reactions.
“Whoa...”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Wangcho, Seok, and Samwol gawked. Chunbong flushed and looked away.
“What’s up?”
“Yeon, your skin’s always been that pale?”
“Yeah, super white. Sniff sniff. And you smell nice. Why? Do I?”
“Nah, go wash again, punk.”
“Weird. Why only Yeon smell nice?”
The kids spoke purely as they saw and sniffed, but Yeon, a bit embarrassed, straightened her clothes and murmured.
“You’re all paler too.”
“Us?”
“Nah, we’re still dark even after washing.”
“...Than before.”
“Oh.”
Then a voice called from outside. The sun dipped low—it was dinnertime, and Damuk Hun had returned.
“All washed up?”
“Out you go. Hurry.”
Not wanting to keep their benefactor waiting, Yeon shoved the kids outside.
Creak—
“You’re here?”
As the rickety door opened and the children tumbled out, Damuk Hun—standing with hands clasped behind his back—turned with a smile.
“You rascals. I brought dinner special today. Starting tomorrow—”
He hefted a bundle of roasted potatoes and chicken playfully, then froze as his eyes met Yeon’s.
How could she change so much?
Good grief. I didn’t notice in her beggar rags, but now... she’ll grow into a peerless beauty. Enough to torment countless men with her looks alone.
Her jade-white skin gleamed softly. Eyes like deep wells held a clarity that seized the gaze. Her straight nose blended perfectly with small, refined lips—on a face just past ten, every contour was sculpted perfection.
How had such a gem lain buried in filth, dull and unseen? It beggared belief.
Damuk Hun stood stunned until Yeon tilted her head and approached cautiously.
“Hero? You okay?”
As she neared, a faint breeze carried a subtle lotus fragrance through the yard.
And this scent? At her age, already like this—what will she be like later?
“Hero?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry.”
Yeon called again, snapping him out of it. He handed over the bundle, and the kids swarmed it with cheers.
“Whoa! Potatoes! Meat!”
“Chicken!”
As Wangcho and the others dashed to the porch with the basket, Yeon bowed gratefully.
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Please forgive my friends—they haven’t eaten properly and can’t mind their manners.”
“No matter. Don’t worry. Actually, you join them quick.”
“Yes.”
Yeon sat with the kids and picked up a potato. Seok tore off a drumstick and offered it.
“Eat some meat, Yeon.”
“No, you have it.”
Starving beggars couldn’t easily prioritize others over themselves—especially when food might not come again anytime soon.
Yet these kids, famine-hardened, still looked out for each other. Damuk Hun found it endearing and sat beside them.
“From tomorrow, meals at the dining hall over there. I’ll assign someone to show you your duties—just follow him.”
“Yeah, got it.”
“Eat first before answering... no, no need to answer.”
“Huh.”
Damuk Hun chuckled helplessly as Wangcho crammed another potato in his mouth.
Thus time flowed like water, and a full year passed since Yeon and the children entered the Damuk Family Estate.