Gambling. Will You Still Do It?
Gambling. Will you still go through with it?
Once the rumor that the winner of the archery contest would marry me was debunked as false, a good number of hopeful participants withdrew and left. But not everyone departed.
"A tiger-tooth netsuke made from the great tiger that Chaekho Dongja caught himself...! This thing'll fetch more than any ordinary tiger pelt...!"
"If I show off my archery skills, maybe I can get close to Chaekho Dongja? Mom said to do what guys like and reel 'em in."
"This is our chance. We need to leave a deep impression on the young masters. You can do it."
Some had their eyes on the tiger-tooth netsuke, others still hadn't given up on marrying me, and yet others craved the honor of taking first place in the archery contest. None of them imagining one person would claim it all.
"Now! Shoot!"
"...!"
At I-bang's shout, the girl drew back the bowstring with her arrow. Her wrist, protected by a leather guard, trembled for a moment before she released.
Pang!
The string hummed through the air like a musical instrument as the arrow flew. It arced through the parabola and struck the target with a gunshot-like crack.
Taang!
"Hit!"
The announcement of a bullseye made Hyeon-gam's eyes gleam with admiration.
"Ho ho. Impressive. Whose daughter is that girl?"
"Park Hyo-sun's daughter from this county, Park A-jeong, sir."
"?!"
"What's wrong, Si-jin? Do you know her?"
"N-no, Magistrate, sir. I've just heard the name a few times."
Whew, that startled me. For a second, I thought I-bang was dropping some sex joke. I wasn't competing in the archery contest myself; I was just spectating alongside Hyeon-gam. Rattled, I brushed it off and instinctively scanned for Eori.
Huh? Where's Eori?
She was always easy to spot—taller than most girls her age, and for other reasons too, she always jumped out at me. But right now, she was nowhere in the archery field.
"Excuse me for a moment, Magistrate, sir."
"Mm. Go ahead."
Taang!
"Ho ho! Ha ha ha ha! Truly remarkable!"
I left Hyeon-gam—who couldn't care less about me, utterly absorbed in the contest—behind and went off to find Eori. But after just a few steps, a familiar yet unfamiliar face approached.
"Have you been well, Young Master Si-jin?"
"Uh, uh. Y-yeah. Hi. But didn't I see you earlier?"
"Hee hee hee. Indeed."
Kim Jin-sa's introduction: the daughter of Scholar Sin. Sin, Sin, Sin... A-jeong? No, Hye-in. Sin Hye-in. Park A-jeong's impact had nearly thrown me off.
Before chatting, I checked for Kim Jin-sa and Scholar Sin. Confirming they were off somewhere enjoying themselves and out of sight, I asked,
"Lady Hye-in. Do you have something to say?"
"Hee hee hee. Would we meet without reason?"
"It's our first time today."
"Hee hee hee. True. But I don't feel like it's our first meeting with you, Young Master Si-jin."
"I guess I have one of those common faces. Anyway—"
"Nonsense. A man like you, Young Master Si-jin, is one of a kind. But, Young Master Si-jin."
Suddenly, the girl flushed red and twisted her body coyly. She pouted like she was shy, tilting her head up at me with wide eyes.
"M-my turn's coming up soon. Could you... watch my archery?"
What the...? This vibe. I'd felt it plenty of times before. When I saw a family murderer. A con artist prick. Han Myeong-hoe. That catfish bastard. It always gave me this chill.
And I knew exactly what that chill was right away.
"Ah! Master! Hee hee hee hee!"
Eori, whom I'd been searching for, approached with a bright smile. She halted upon belatedly noticing the girl in front of me.
"Do you know her?"
The girl spotted Eori approaching and stopping, her face shifting from blooming-spring-flower red to icy cold.
"Young Master Si-jin truly is kind-hearted. Look at that lowly wench calling him so casually."
What? This fucking bitch?
"If you're from Hwacheok, go play in the hills like one. What are you doing in a place where people gather? Scram! Shoo! Shoo!"
With our village renamed Chaekho Village and folks' perceptions improving, I'd forgotten reality. But from the start, I shouldn't have let my guard down around a friend of Kim Jin-sa's daughter.
"...!"
Deeply hurt by the bitch's words, Eori's lips quivered and drooped. Tears welled in her big eyes, ready to fall any second.
Haah, hold it in. Hold back. Hitting her here would fuck everything up.
I shifted position slightly, hiding Eori behind my back, and scolded the bitch politely.
"Lady. She's someone I've known since we were kids. Mind your words?"
"Oh? My apologies. I spoke harshly."
Good. This one's human after all. She gets it after one warning.
"I had no idea she was a slave wench."
Okay. Game over.
"You little—"
"Master!"
Before I could unleash the profanity, Eori grabbed my sleeve and stopped me. She shook her head, face on the verge of tears. Don't.
"No, Eori."
"I'm fine, Master. Sniff!"
Eori's face said she was anything but fine as she wiped her eyes with my sleeve. When she lowered her hand, her expression had changed.
"Excuse me, missy."
Eori tugged my sleeve, stepping forward with a resolute face. She faced the girl—no, looked down at her and said,
"How am I lowly?"
"Do I have to spell it out? Your very existence is lowly."
"Is that so? But do you know how to shoot a bow?"
"Of course. Better than trash like you, by twice over."
"Pfft."
"Are you mocking me?"
"Sorry. It's just... pfft, so ridiculous, pfhehe!"
I'd never seen Eori this bold. She'd usually burst into tears at words like that, but now she wasn't crying—she was straight-up mocking the girl.
"Y-you...!"
The girl's pale face flushed beet red. She looked ready to scream but held back because of me.
"Missy. Want to make a bet?"
Eori smirked even as the girl clenched her tiny fists in rage.
"A bet? With me? With trash like you? Ha! Don't talk nonsense. Know your place before you roll out the mat. Why compete skills with lowlifes—"
"Feeling unconfident?"
"What?"
"Got it. Forget I asked. If you're not confident."
"I'll do it! But do you even have a stake?"
A sneer crept back onto the girl's lips as she yelled. But Eori revealed what she'd kept tucked in her bosom until now.
"Do you know what this is?"
"Y-you! How did you get that?!"
"How do you think?"
The girl's eyes bulged at the tiger-tooth netsuke—far larger and finer than the one I'd offered as a prize. Eori pointed politely at me for the girl's benefit.
"Master made it for me."
"Wh-what? Ha! Ridiculous!"
She'd finally pieced together what Eori and I were. Her successive hollow laughs gave it away.
"Hmph. I see. So that's how it is?"
Her gaze toward me now carried a mocking edge. Revealing her true colors, she placed a hand on her hip and said,
"Birds of a feather, huh? I should've known when Father set me up with a bastard's spawn."
"Excuse me, lady."
"Call me missy! How dare a lowlife act equal and 'lady' me? Gross."
Ha ha. Fuck. This bitch. Does she not see the sword at my waist? I fiddled with the hilt, timing my draw. The thing had only tasted barbarian blood at our house, but it was time for some Joseon blood.
"Wha— Master! No, Master. You can't!"
Eori, who'd been so confident, sensed my intent and blocked me. Now she was shielding the girl from me.
"Ha! Fine! A bet it is!"
Oblivious to Eori saving her, the girl shouted arrogantly.
"If I win, that tiger-tooth netsuke's mine. Got it?"
"Agreed. Then what will you stake, missy?"
"Hmm. Do I even need to? I'll win anyway. Fine. I'll stake this."
The item she proudly revealed was the bow she'd use shortly.
"No, a single bow might not match Chaekho Dongja's tiger-tooth netsuke. I'll add the bowstring, quiver, and this jade netsuke too. What do you say?"
Gambling. Will you still go through with it?
...Not taking this would make me a fucking idiot!
"Yes. Let's do it."
"Ho ho. How can I trust a lowlife like you?"
"Of course! Right this way!"
"Mommy!"
Not knowing when this sucker might change her mind, I hustled her to the tent. There, paper, brush, ink, and inkstone awaited for recording scores.
"Here. Sign this!"
"...!"
The girl eyed my sudden shift suspiciously. Bad vibes kept her from grabbing the brush, but Eori's jab steeled her.
"Scared?"
"Sc-scared?! You mat-rolling trash!"
Her handwriting matched her mouth—bold as hell. She whipped up the contract in seconds, signed it, and sneered at us.
"Ho ho ho. What luck today. Two tiger-tooth netsukes from Chaekho Dongja."
"Tell me about it."
"Why are you agreeing, wench?"
She stared at Eori like she was insane. But her sneer lasted only until Eori's turn, right up to the shot.
"Huuu...!"
At the shooting line, Eori held the bow with a solemn expression. She nocked the arrow, drew the string in flawless form.
"...!"
Pang!
She released instantly, no time to aim. Yet the arrow flew fast, slamming into the target like it was sucked in.
"Hit!"
The girl still smirked, unphased.
"Ho ho ho. Well, hill beasts gotta shoot straight to eat. But luck ends here—"
Crack!
"What?!"
Her second arrow splintered the first and embedded. The girl's composure shattered. The scorer yelped in shock.
"B-b-b-bullseye!"
"N-no...!"
The girl stammered like the scorer. Her already pale face went ashen. But the real shock was just beginning.
Crack!
"B-b-bullseye!"
Crack!
"Bullseye...!"
Crack!
"Bull...!"
Eori tailed her previous arrows perfectly, rapid-fire. The unbelievable sight left scorers and spectators speechless.
"Ugh, hack, cough...!"
The girl, clueless about Eori's skill when she made the bet, turned blue-faced. Grasping at straws, she pleaded,
"Y-young Master Si-jin. C-can't we call it invalid?"
"Uh, well... "
I dragged it out slow, letting her sweat blood. That's when Hyeon-gam, who'd been staring blankly, burst out laughing.
"Ha, ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! This is why Chaekho Village folk can't compete! This is why! What the— ha ha ha ha ha!"
No, old man. Banning Korea from Olympics 'cause they sweep archery? That make sense?
"Hee hee hee hee!"
Eori approached amid admiring gazes. The girl tried buddying up to the confident walker.
"Sister. I was so rude earlier."
"No, missy. Now fulfill the contract."
"No, th-this... it's from my 15th birthday last year...!"
"Is that so? Then I'm your younger sister by a year. Speak casually and hand it over."
"At least until my turn— Y-young Master Si-jin! H-help me!"
She reached for the bowstring again. I paused before intervening. Was this really okay? No choice. Eori and I are good, honest folk. Truly good and sincerely diligent, so we had no choice—really no choice—but to honor the contract good and honestly.
But knowing we'd catch hell, we returned it through Kim Jin-sa.