Chapter 211
Chapter 211
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: The Returned Scoundrel (6)
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Father's stern voice echoed through the hall, commanding a search of the Jingang Depot.
The Pearl Eon Family's elite guard unit, the Bi-eon Corps, stepped forward.
At the front, Chief Steward Gam snapped his arm up in salute and spoke.
"By your command."
The other warriors of the Bi-eon Corps echoed his words.
"By your command!!"
As the Bi-eon Corps finished their salute and prepared to head to the Jingang Depot...
The Murim Alliance Leader, Gong Son Mu-gyeol, rose from his seat and spoke.
"I'll accompany you as well."
Of course, the reason Gong Son Mu-gyeol had come to the northern region was because of the Moyong family's movements.
'The place where they exchanged signals with the Moyong family was the Eon Association's Jingang Depot. It makes sense for the Alliance Leader to join.'
However, since this was fundamentally the Pearl Eon Family's internal affair, he was asking out of courtesy.
Father nodded readily, as they had already discussed the Moyong family beforehand.
"Very well."
But Gong Son Mu-gyeol didn't stop there and made one more request.
"Would it be alright if Yong-un here came along?"
"Me?"
"You were just startled at the end there, but you're not injured anywhere, right?"
"That's true, but..."
I wasn't injured, but I was tired, that much was true.
With the Bi-eon Corps and Gong Son Mu-gyeol, they didn't lack manpower, so I wondered why he insisted on bringing me.
'Is it because I showed him opening the gate with the Blood Manipulation Technique last time?'
As I thought that, Gong Son Mu-gyeol winked at me and spoke.
"Don't you have good instincts? It was thanks to you that we found traces of the Demonic Cult in Hobuk, and you saved the Righteous Martial Academy this time too. If we hadn't noticed their signs because of you, it would have been a disaster."
At his words, the clan elders and retainers present at the verification assembly began to murmur.
"Does that mean... all the rumors are true? That he noticed the demon's plan in advance, cut one down, that impossible story?"
"It seems so?"
"...Muwi just confirmed it, but even so, all those things are true?"
"Why would the Murim Alliance Leader boast like that in a place like this for no gain?"
It seemed the Alliance Leader was personally vouching for my deeds to solidify my and Father's positions.
'No, I'm grateful and all.'
But with the clan elders and retainers suddenly looking at me with sparkling eyes, I felt a bit embarrassed.
'...It might be better to step out with the Alliance Leader for a bit. Wait, did he even calculate my personality like this?'
In any case, I decided to join the search party for the Jingang Depot and retrieved Regret from Jeong Hyeon.
"Then we'll head out. Alliance Leader, Young Master."
"Go ahead."
"Yes."
And so, with the Alliance Leader, I followed the Bi-eon Corps to the Jingang Depot.
The Jingang Depot wasn't far from the Pearl Eon Family's main estate.
Chief Steward Gam pounded on the gate—thud! thud!—and it cracked open slightly as an old servant poked his head out.
"Who is it?"
"The Bi-eon Corps."
"B-Bi-eon Corps?"
The door, which had opened just a crack, was flung wide open by Chief Steward Gam's strength.
Screeech!!!
"By the Family Head's order, we are here to search the Jingang Depot. All retainers in the compound, gather in the front courtyard without exception!"
As our warriors burst in...
The guards protecting the Jingang Depot came rushing out in a group.
One of them, who seemed to be the leader, spoke to Chief Steward Gam with a hardened face.
"Even if you're the main house's Bi-eon Corps, you can't just barge in and bully us like this! Do you not know who the master of the Jingang Depot is?"
"At today's clan assembly, Elder Eon Gil-hoe of the Eon Association was stripped of his elder status."
Chief Steward Gam replied with an equally stern face, conveying Father's decision.
But the Jingang Depot's guard spoke as if that couldn't be true.
"What? That can't be...?"
I, who had been watching the situation, spoke up without waiting for him to finish.
"Hey, guard."
"?"
"The answer's in what you said. Think about it backwards. Common sense says that couldn't happen, right? So why would the Bi-eon Corps come to search the Jingang Depot?"
At my words, the Jingang Depot guards all looked dumbfounded.
Gong Son Mu-gyeol pulled out his identity token and spoke.
"I am Gong Son Mu-gyeol, who holds the position of Murim Alliance Leader. Here's my token."
"......!"
"I guarantee that everything Chief Steward Gam here has said is true. Moreover, since various matters are entangled in this, know that any reckless actions could make you enemies of the murim world."
With even Gong Son Mu-gyeol stepping forward...
The Jingang Depot guards froze in place.
No will to resist was felt from them anymore.
"Search every inch!"
"Yes!"
We passed them by and began a full search of the Jingang Depot.
"Find anything?"
"If you're asking about Demonic Cult stuff, skimming isn't enough—we'd need to comb through the ledgers carefully... Nothing jumps out right away. But evidence of dealings with the Moyong family is overflowing."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Searching the Jingang Depot took about half a day.
We returned to the Pearl Eon Family pulling a cart loaded with documents we'd gathered during the search.
But as the sun began to set, the estate seemed busier than ever.
"You fool! When did I ask for this, and you're just now bringing it?!"
"Was the request to bring it quickly? I heard to get the meatiest one."
"The meatiest one quickly! Anyway, over there. Hurry and take it there!"
It was nothing serious.
People carrying slaughtered cattle and pigs on their shoulders and others hefting liquor casks were busily crossing the Pearl Eon Family's threshold, making it look hectic.
- Looks like they're preparing a feast?
'...Yeah?'
As I thought it was no big deal...
Among the bustling retainers, old man Wang, who had served the Pearl Eon Family the longest, spotted me and spoke.
"The Young Master has returned!"
At his shout...
The retainers who had been moving busily stopped in their tracks.
Then they set down their work and began gathering at the main gate one by one.
'Jeong Hyeon, little So-rung, Sister So-jin, Brother So-cheon, Cheon Jang-ho, Yong-myeong.'
Among those gathered were my Eon siblings.
And retainers like Wang Sam who had tended to me when I lived at the estate.
'He packed jerky for me the day I left Jinju.'
I wasn't sure if he stayed because of the feast.
A fair number of Eon clansmen I'd gotten to know during the clan assembly were there too.
'Those people haven't left yet?'
And pushing through the crowd, Mother and Father emerged.
Mother and Father stood at the forefront of the gathered people.
Mother's eyes suddenly reddened with emotion, and she dabbed them with her sleeve.
"...Hic."
The maids from Plum Blossom Hall attending Mother wiped their eyes as well.
Father fidgeted beside her until Mother jabbed his side with her elbow while pouting.
"Madam. Wh-why show tears...? Ahem."
He cleared his throat and spoke.
"...You're back safe."
"......"
Unlike the public's view that I'd endured humiliation by playing the wastrel while chasing the Demonic Cult, I was a possessor who had taken over this wastrel's body.
So I had no particular attachment to the Pearl Eon Family.
Neither good nor bad feelings.
'Until now...'
But seeing all these people lined up, I suddenly recalled the day I left the Pearl Eon Family.
'Mother who gave me silver ingots, Chief Steward Gam who gave me Regret, Yong-myeong who gave me the map, Wang Sam.'
Many had packed things for me, but due to the stern Family Head's order, no one came to see me off.
The situation had been similar when I'd arrived back here a week ago.
Mother and Father had welcomed me, but at the time, I had returned in an ambiguous status without reinstatement.
So only my parents could greet me.
'Even they couldn't welcome me wholeheartedly.'
They felt sorry, and subtly worried about people like the Jingang Depot master.
That had left a unique sentiment in my heart.
"......"
In that moment...
Gong Son Mu-gyeol patted my back.
It meant, what are you doing?
I took in the Pearl Eon Family's name plaque once more.
And gave the delayed greeting to Mother and Father.
"I'm home."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cheon Jang-ho spoke with his mouth full of food from the feast table.
"Are you really going to adopt him or something?"
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Swallow first then talk, swallow. Just like a mangy mutt."
At my words, Cheon Jang-ho gulped down the meat in his mouth and spoke.
"I was thinking adoption might be the way to go."
At his words, Woo So-rung and Paeng So-jin spoke in turn.
"...They won't accept you from the start."
"Even if they did, are you confident about the verification assembly?"
To their words, Cheon Jang-ho licked his greasy fingers and replied firmly.
"Canceled!"
But the mention of the verification assembly seemed to bother him, as Yong-myeong visibly deflated.
"......"
"Why bring up the verification assembly all of a sudden, Sister? Yong-myeong's gonna blame me again."
I chuckled to lighten the mood and teased Paeng So-jin.
Then Brother So-cheon jumped in enthusiastically...
"You always say I don't think, but you don't either, Sister!"
"Hey, it's that kid Yong-myeong who's weird! Everything worked out fine, why's he like that?! Wait, but it's not Yong-myeong, it's this pig climbing up?"
"......"
...Paeng So-jin glared with fierce eyes, and he shriveled up.
Seeing Brother So-cheon, who was three times bulkier, frozen solid...
Laughter erupted from here and there.
I was one of those laughing.
As I laughed, Paeng So-jin's words that everything had worked out sank in once more.
"I acted on impulse thinking if reinstatement doesn't happen, whatever. And it all worked out. Isn't this a blessing in disguise, Jeong Hyeon?"
"Less a blessing in disguise and more things right themselves. Still, it's surprising this happened under a benevolent man like the Family Head without any Demonic Cult schemes."
"Yeah. That's why we need to get stronger..."
It was then.
As I talked with Jeong Hyeon, through the open window, I saw Mother personally serving food.
Yong-myeong, spotting it too, stood up immediately.
"Mother's still..."
I reached out to him and said.
"I'll go."
"Ah, that'd be good, Brother."
"Yeah. You guys eat."
Leaving Un-eon Pavilion, I approached Mother and spoke.
"I thought the lady of the house hosting the feast would just show her face, but you're still doing this? Tell them to serve themselves. Don't they have hands or feet?"
To my words, Mother just smiled gently.
"I'm doing it because I want to. Our eldest son has returned to my embrace so valiantly and proudly—what's a thousand plates to me?"
"......"
With that, I had nothing to say.
Just then, a helper appeared—none other than old man Wang.
"Please stop, Madam! The Young Master is back. Please take him and go! You never listen to us!"
"...He says."
"Egad. Then what should I do?"
"Shall we take a walk in the rear garden?"
"That sounds good to me, but won't your friends miss you?"
"I've seen those guys all the time anyway."
And so, Mother and I began strolling through the rear garden.
I'd come to the garden thinking of escorting her away from the lively area, but no words came to mind.
"......"
So we just walked, and Mother spoke first.
"You went to Shaanxi, right?"
Ah, right—there was something to say after all.
Telling her about my youngest uncle had been one reason I'd decided to come to Jinju.
'But should I tell her about my youngest uncle?'
It was hard to guess her reaction.
Still, maybe hearing it now while in a good mood would soften the sadness.
With that thought, I began recounting what happened in Shaanxi.
"...And he said he wanted to convey his apologies to Young-i as well, then breathed his last in front of Uncle Yoon-young and me."
When my story ended, Mother was sobbing quietly.
"...Hic. Hic-hic."
I waited a long while for her sobs to subside.
"So he passed like that. Brother Kwon-young."
Mother looked up at the night sky and spoke after composing herself.
"Brother Kwon-young and the little father of the Jingang Depot too. Blood is thicker than water, they say, but sometimes bonds become thinner than with strangers."
"......"
"Don't let that happen between you brothers. I don't think a rift like that could form between you, Yong-un, and Yong-myeong, but as your mother, I worry and must say it."
"Yes."
As I answered, Mother took a deep breath—hmph!—and wiped her eyes one last time.
Then she suddenly glared at me.
"By the way, seeing your skills this time, it really seems you were just acting the wastrel while at the family. Do you know how much it burned your mother's heart? You could have given a hint. You rascal."
Just then, footsteps approached from the garden exit.
I immediately stepped in front of Mother and raised a lantern.
"Who's there?"
The face that appeared was one both Mother and I knew.
"Hm? Isn't that the Jingyeong Depot Master?"
Jingyeong Depot Master Eon Jeong-gyun.
The Pearl Eon Family elder who had spoken frankly to Father and left the training grounds was there.
"Greetings, Plum Blossom Madam. I came because I heard the Young Master went this way, but I didn't know you were here. It seems I've interrupted family time. I'll come back later."
"No. You came for Yong-un, it seems—speak. Ah, shall I step away?"
"No. It's not something to hide from the Family Head or Madam. Since you've permitted it, I'll be direct."
With Mother's permission, Eon Jeong-gyun spoke with a serious expression.
"When we sparred, your movements seemed to blend the Beggar Clan's palm techniques with a separately learned footwork. That footwork suits swordplay more than fists. Did I see right?"
"Yes. Something like that."
"The main line of the Eon Family Fist truly requires devoting your life to it to reach the Family Head's level of mastery. We branch family members lack the conditions, so we look elsewhere—one result being our Jingyeong Depot's Cloud Ascending Style."
"I see."
For a moment, I wondered why he was suddenly talking about the origins of the Jingyeong Depot's fist techniques.
"I've been long-winded, but if you're willing, I'd like to teach you the Jingyeong Depot's Cloud Ascending Style. In my humble opinion, it would definitely help you."
Eon Jeong-gyun offered to teach me the swift fist from before.
"I'll speak to the Family Head separately... but your will matters too, so I came to ask first."
Even Master showed interest in the Jingyeong Depot Master's proposal.
- It would mesh better with the Heaven-Splitting Twelve Steps or Shadowless Heaven-Splitting Steps than the main house fist techniques. Of course, the result would be entirely different from that mere drizzle of Cloud Ascending Style.
There was no reason to refuse.
I grinned and replied.
"Sounds good."