This Isn't a Riot, It's a Stone Fight!
This wasn't some riot—it was a stone fight! We didn't run into any bears or wild boars on this trip. That didn't mean there were no problems, though.
"Ehehehe! It's a girl!"
"Get over here, you little shit! If you like girls so much, I'll turn you into one!"
Perverted creeps who spotted Eori as a woman and came slinking over.
"Oh ho. So you're from Hanyang, are you?"
"Hey. Why's your hand in my bundle? Take it out? Nah, don't. I'll cut it off for you."
Assholes slyly dipping into our luggage.
"Uhahahat! You bastards! If you don't wanna die, huh? Eori?"
"Uncle? Uncle! You've been here? I'm telling Dad everything!"
Eori's uncle, clinging stubbornly to his old ways.
Stuff like that kept popping up, but we made it back home without any real danger.
"Ma'am. Are we almost there?"
"We'll be there soon?"
"Yeah. Just over that hill, and it'll come into view."
Geum-ok and Eun-ok, holding the reins of the horses they were riding, answered as they led the way. Then she called out to Eori, who was bringing up the rear with the packhorse.
"Eori! Not much farther! Hang in there just a bit longer!"
"Yes! Master! Hehehehe! I'll do my best, Master! Hehehehe! Master!"
The day when Eori would start calling me "husband" wasn't far off now. She knew it too, which was why she kept repeating "Master" like this. Just like she was looking forward to the day she'd call me "husband."
"Alright! Let's get going!"
With my chest swelling with anticipation, I put more spring in my step.
We climbed the hill and looked down on our village, Chaekho Village. It had been over a month since I'd last seen it. The place where I'd lived, where Eori had lived, and where we'd now live together was...
"Fuck. What the hell?"
It was under attack.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Break it down!"
"Smash it all!"
Men wielding clubs were trying to smash through the west gate. There looked to be just over thirty of them, all grinning with excitement.
"M-Ma'am?"
"W-What do we do?"
Geum-ok and Eun-ok, still on horseback, asked with anxious faces.
I thought for a moment, then helped Eun-ok down from her horse. It was Kim Jin-sa's horse, so even if it got hurt, no big deal.
"Eun-ok. Get down. No, I'll help you."
"Y-Yes. Ma'am...!"
I hurriedly got Eun-ok off the horse and unloaded the baggage too. By then, Eori had come up and witnessed the scene of Chaekho Village under assault.
"M-Master. Wh-What's going on...!"
Eori frowned in confusion, just like me.
I unloaded all the baggage, hopped on the horse, gripped the reins in my left hand, drew the eosa-geum at my waist with my right, and said to Eori,
"Eori. Stay here with Geum-ok and Eun-ok for a bit. I'll go check it out."
"I-I'll help too!"
"No. You unload the baggage here. That way, we can escape faster if we need to. And if—god forbid—I get taken out..."
"Master!"
"Run first. I'll catch up right away."
"No! Don't go!"
"Stay put! Watch from there! Stay with the girls! Got it?!"
I ignored Eori's desperate pleas and spurred my horse toward the west gate. The horse snorted, then bolted toward the gate as I directed.
What the hell was this? Another rebellion? The villagers? Were they trapped inside? What if someone got hurt...!
I suppressed the worry, anxiety, and rage bubbling up from deep inside, gripping my sword tight. I hunched low in case arrows flew, but thankfully, nothing came.
"Eek! Eek! Sword! Sword!"
But the presumed attackers recoiled in fear instead.
"W-Wait a sec!"
My eyes met one of theirs. He looked vaguely familiar, and when he recognized me, he shouted to his comrades,
"It's Chaekho Boy, milord! Chaekho Boy himself!"
"Wh-What? For real? Didn't he go to Hanyang?"
"It's him, though? Why's he acting like that? Did he get in trouble in Hanyang or something?"
He wasn't the only familiar face. I'd crossed paths with the others around town too.
"Whoa! Whoa!"
I slowed my horse as they muttered among themselves. Still, I kept my sword out just in case and approached, asking,
"Hey! What's going on here! What the hell is this?!"
The one who'd spotted me first looked flustered and shot back,
"Th-Then what's your deal, Chaekho Boy?"
"Huh?"
"This isn't a riot—it's a stone fight!"
"What the...!"
I was about to argue that it was nonsense when the west gate, which had stayed firmly shut despite the dozens of men, creaked open.
"Young master?"
Kim Ga poked his head out from between the gates. Blood trickled from his temple, bandages wrapped around his head, but he wore the same baffled expression as the men.
"Just getting back now? And why'd you draw your sword?"
I glanced at the club-wielding men, then asked him,
"Uh, isn't the village in danger?"
"Nah. We were just playing."
"You're bleeding from the head, though?"
"Heads get busted in stone fights."
It wasn't a siege?
"What the...!"
Absurd as it was, it didn't seem dangerous. I waved both arms wide toward Eori on the hill, who'd nocked an arrow.
"Eori! It's fine! No big deal!"
Then I sheathed my sword, took the reins in both hands, and said,
"Father-in-law. I'll go get Eori and the girls."
"Y-Yeah. Young master. Girls?"
"It's a thing! Be right back!"
Better to show than explain. I galloped back to the hill.
Eori waited there with her bow in hand, looking utterly perplexed, the sisters beside her.
"M-Master? What's happening?"
I dismounted and gave a quick rundown.
"Yeah. Stone fight."
"A stone fight, you say?"
Stone fight. In simple terms, it was like a snowball fight, but with rocks instead of snow. Barbaric, sure, but one of those games Joseon folks loved.
"Why would that be happening in Chaekho Village?"
Eori asked, but her lips were already curling up. Her sparkling eyes said she was thrilled our village was hosting one. It meant our standing in the county had risen.
"Hehe. We should've come sooner."
Or maybe she just wanted to join in.
Either way, it wasn't some threat like the Burat uprising. We loaded the baggage back on the horses, got the sisters mounted, and headed to the village.
The mood at the west gate was like a temporary truce. The gates stood wide open as Chaekho villagers poured out, and the men had set down their clubs, casually eyeing us.
"See? That girl Eori went to Hanyang too, just like the rumors."
"But who's those other girls?"
"Heroes get the girls, right? Chaekho Boy must've brought 'em as concubines."
No, I'm not! Even with a three-year gap, what kind of lunatic takes a 13-year-old as a concubine...!
Kim Jin-sa! That bastard!
I suddenly remembered my mom had entered Kim Jin-sa's house as a concubine at 14. My heart raced, worried they'd think it ran in the family.
"Son!"
Among the people coming out the gate was my mom. Someone must've tipped her off.
"Mom!"
I shouted excitedly, but tears suddenly welled up. Even if I hadn't realized it, I'd missed her a ton.
"Mom! I missed you so much!"
I dropped the reins and ran to her, hugging her tight as she came my way.
"Nng! So much! I missed you so much! My son! Let me see your face!"
We broke the reunion embrace and faced each other. She looked thinner than I remembered—must've worried about me a lot.
"Mom. Food? Did you eat well while I was gone?"
"Nng, of course. Ate with the in-laws."
"Eori's family?"
"Who else? Now, you look like you did well in Hanyang. Face all glowy."
"I got my good looks from you. I missed you tons too, Mom."
"Hohoho. Married man missing his mom."
"Not married yet, Mom."
Just like Mom had run out to greet me, Eori's family had come out the gate and were chatting with her.
"Uhahahahat! Daughter! You're the first girl from our family to go to Hanyang and back!"
"Dad. You're bleeding! Oh! And Dad! I ran into Big Uncle! He was bandit-ing up in those mountains!"
"Daughter! You didn't give the young master any trouble, right?"
"Mom! Why would I trouble Master! Oh! And I went to Hanyang and met Crown Princess Her Highness? She even gave me clothes!"
"Whoa! Does that make our sis a noble now?"
"Hehe. You think? Think before you speak, you idiot!"
"Sis! Master's still right there!"
"?!"
Eori startled and glanced my way, but since I knew she was just playing with her siblings, I pretended not to notice. One day, she'd talk casually with me too. I took Mom to meet Geum-ok and Eun-ok.
"Mom! This big sis is Geum-ok, little one's Eun-ok. Sisters."
"Ah, hello."
"Ah, h-hello...!"
"My, so pretty. But, son."
She greeted the sisters warmly, then fixed me with a sharp glare.
"You bring 'em as concubines?"
"No! Why would I take these girls as concubines?!"
"Not?!"
"N-No?!"
"Why are you surprised?!"
I was even more shocked seeing the sisters freak out, like they'd expected it. What kind of psycho takes sisters as concubines?!
"Haa, alright. Let's head in first, son."
Mom said we'd talk details inside. No reason not to, and I wanted to rest at home anyway, so I nodded.
"Got it. But is there food at home?"
"Nng. Got some rice cakes. Eat 'em while we watch the stone fight."
"Huh? The stone fight's still on?"
I thought it'd end when we arrived.
"Huh? Why'd you think it'd stop?"
Mom looked at me like I was the weird one. Not just her—the villagers around us started grinning with excitement again.
"Hahat! Young master! I'll show you something fun!"
"Come on in! Gotta close the west gate!"
"Starts five minutes after we go in! Five minutes after the gate shuts!"
This was insane. The stone fight came before us?
A bit ridiculous, but it didn't feel bad. Felt just like our village.