Lady Marlin (3)
What the hell is this guy? He just shows up out of nowhere…
The guild master of Small Rock, the guild Cho Hyejin used to belong to.
The moment I activated Mind's Eye, his stats and traits unfolded before me.
Not bad, but not exactly impressive either. The kind of guy I didn’t think was worth remembering.
Of course, I wasn’t in a position to say that, but after seeing so many extraordinary people over the years, this guy just felt… ordinary.
His disposition was…
An ambitious man full of passion.
And his hidden quirk…
A leaf with two different faces.
Somehow it sounded embarrassingly petty. Nothing special, no real bonus effect. I could already start to picture the kind of man he was.
Ah…
I think I could also guess, to some extent, what kind of history he had with Cho Hyejin. The way he’d just interrupted this procession and called out to us told me plenty. To put it bluntly, he seemed desperate to get tangled up with us somehow.
I couldn’t tell exactly what he wanted, but I figured it was either to assert his presence or to keep an eye on us.
He didn’t seem to realize that suddenly stopping Lady Marlin in a procession like this was rude to us.
Then again, maybe it had been deliberate. It looked a little like territorial marking, like he was trying to show he owned this ground.
I wasn’t such a fossil that I’d make a fuss over something this minor, but it still annoyed me.
“Ah, Mr. Song Jungwook.”
Lady Marlin opened her mouth, but I didn’t pay her any mind. I just kept walking, one arm loosely around Jung Hayan’s shoulders, and passed him by.
Naturally, Lady Marlin ignored him and hurried after me instead. From her perspective, talking to me was obviously more important.
“Who was that?”
“Ah. He’s Song Jungwook, the guild master of Small Rock….”
When I glanced back, I caught sight of his face twisting as if he’d been kicked somewhere very painful.
Well, of course he’d look like that after being ignored to his face.
Still, that had nothing to do with me. He hadn’t even been talking to me directly; Lady Marlin had simply run over on her own.
I’d been walking along just fine with Jung Hayan, minding my own business. The awkward situation that had unfolded was not my fault.
“Ah, Small Rock, yes.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard about them. I understand they’re fairly large in Castle Rock. Their exploration record is decent too. Didn’t they clear three Rare-grade dungeons and one Heroic-grade dungeon?”
“Ah… I-I’m not familiar with the details….”
“That’s all right, Lady Marlin. I nearly passed by an important guest. If it wouldn’t offend you, could you call him over for me?”
“Of course. Sir Roderick? Would you please call Mr. Song Jungwook over here?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The knight—clearly someone with decent stats—ran off at once.
For a brief moment, Song Jungwook’s expression darkened further, like someone who’d just been kicked in the balls. So yes, his pride had clearly taken a hit.
Well, nobody likes being treated like a dog being told, “Go here, then go there.”
But he also couldn’t very well refuse.
After all, it was Lady Marlin who’d called him over.
Eventually, I saw him approaching with his lip slightly bitten, as though he was holding back his temper.
“I’m sorry about earlier, Mr. Song Jungwook. I was distracted.”
“Not at all. It’s fine, my lady.”
“The reason I stopped you is that this gentleman is Lee Kiyoung, the vice guild master of the Blue Guild from Lindel. He specifically wanted to speak with you, so….”
“I see.”
I caught him glancing at me warily. The expression on his face practically screamed, Well, what do you know?
He seemed to think there was some special meaning in me calling him over. Then he extended a hand and opened his mouth.
“It’s a pleasure. I’m Song Jungwook, guild master of Small Rock.”
Ha…
“Yes. And where might the Blue Guild master be?”
This asshole…
“I’d been meaning to introduce myself properly someday, so this is rather fortunate.”
Who the hell are you talking to like that?
“And… Hyejin, it’s been a while. I didn’t expect you to be with Blue.”
“Ah. It has been a while, Mr. Song Jungwook.”
Ignoring me, are you?
I was so stunned I was practically ready to take poison like some disgraced noble and vanish from the world.
Still, I understood.
I was only a vice guild master, while Song Jungwook was running one of Castle Rock’s representative guilds.
If you were sorting things by rank, he technically stood above me. He was older too, and had been in this city longer.
So naturally, he’d speak to me in a very casual way.
Does this guy still not know I’m an honorary cardinal?
It seemed the free citizens in Castle Rock hadn’t heard the news yet.
I made a mental note to place an advertisement in the paper sometime.
I had indeed come here for business, but that didn’t mean I intended to bow and scrape. Salesmen weren’t automatically the ones in the weaker position.
Of course, I wasn’t against meeting him halfway and smoothing things over a bit, but he wasn’t on the level of a powerhouse like Cha Heera, and he didn’t have Cho Hyejin’s potential either.
In other words, I wasn’t the one who needed to rub my palms together first. If anyone had to do that, it was him.
It would be stupid to start raising our voices and fighting here in the middle of the street. I didn’t say anything. I simply looked at Lady Marlin as if asking what on earth this situation was, and she startled and spoke up at once.
“P-please show some manners.”
“My lady?”
“Lee Kiyoung is a guest of Castle Rock. That was very rude.”
“La, Lady Marlin….”
“I didn’t realize you were that sort of person. I’m disappointed, Mr. Song Jungwook.”
“That’s….”
“I’ll apologize in your place, Mr. Lee Kiyoung.”
“Ahem. Well, it’s all right. Lady, you’re not the one who should be apologizing, and… could you perhaps forget what I just said?”
“Pardon?”
“What I said about the potion earlier. I’d originally planned to take my time and enjoy myself a little, but… I don’t think there’s any need for that now. Once I’m done with my business, I think it’d be best to head back quickly.”
“Ah!”
Lady Marlin’s face crumpled, while Jung Hayan’s lit up.
I tugged Hayan a little closer, and she clung to me as if showing her claim to the world.
That expression doesn’t really suit her.
More than the overjoyed look, it was the air of someone whose nose had just gone a little too high. She wanted everyone to know she was the most loved of all.
She was probably trying to put on something fatal and alluring, but to me she just looked adorable.
It was only natural that the lady’s face had gone pale.
Not because of Jung Hayan. She’d probably understood the subtext of what I’d just said.
I don’t need the sales pitch, or the potion deal, or any of that. I’m just going to get my business done and leave. I was looking forward to this trip to Castle Rock so much… but this is below expectations. My mood’s been ruined by rude people. If I’d known this place was like this, I wouldn’t have come.
She was probably hearing all sorts of negative lines in her head.
“Mr. Lee Kiyoung, that’s….”
“Come now. Let’s head back, Lady.”
What choice she’d make was obvious. Not long after, I saw her turn toward Song Jungwook and open her mouth.
“Please apologize properly.”
“Pardon?”
“Please offer a proper apology for the rudeness you just showed Mr. Lee Kiyoung, Mr. Song Jungwook.”
“Th-that was rude?”
It’s not exactly an overreaction.
“I believe Mr. Song Jungwook understands better than anyone what I’m referring to. Please apologize properly for the rudeness you showed Mr. Lee Kiyoung earlier. If you do not, I will never see your face again.”
He looked unfairly wronged.
Still, it was fortunate that the High Bishop wasn’t here. If he hadn’t been wandering off into the distance with Kim Hyunsung, the man would have been surrounded by the Temple’s faithful by now.
“You don’t need to go this far, Lady Marlin.”
“No. Mr. Lee Kiyoung is a guest of Castle Rock.”
Not really as a guest, but….
“Anyone who is rude to Mr. Lee Kiyoung is being rude to our family as well. I don’t know what my father would say, but I believe an apology is absolutely necessary.”
“My lady.”
It would only be right for me to look moved at this point.
Whatever else, it was true that Lady Marlin was going out of her way for me.
And truth be told, Castle Rock probably wasn’t thrilled about making an enemy of a guild like Small Rock either.
The only reason she was still pressing him like this was that she was being stubborn on my behalf, like a spoiled child throwing a fit.
Of course, if we were sorting things by who held the upper hand, the lady was technically the one with the leverage…
But it’s going to sting his pride, isn’t it.
From Song Jungwook’s perspective, this was a bolt from a clear blue sky.
“Mr. Song Jungwook. Really!”
“Lady Marlin, it’s all right.”
The mother-in-law yelling and the sister-in-law holding her back.
Even to my eyes, the whole picture was infuriatingly irritating. The situation itself was bad enough. In the middle of the street, free citizens and Empire subjects alike were all watching.
Song Jungwook, as the representative of the free citizens, was being made to bow his head to me.
Perfect.
It wouldn’t be a bad chance to make the hierarchy between our side and his side perfectly clear.
The only question was whether he’d actually lower his head to me.
He looks proud enough.
I had no choice but to think he’d try to smooth things over and let it go.
If I’d been in his place, I would’ve made the same choice. Our dear Cho Hyejin, who’d once been a guild member, was watching, and I could also see a few current guild members nearby.
Not to mention the imperial citizens, and even the unaffiliated free citizens, were all focused on the sudden spectacle.
Just as I was thinking the teasing could stop here, I saw Song Jungwook slowly bow his head.
Whoa…
It seemed like an apology that would earn me nothing.
And yet, when I saw him lower his head anyway, I somehow understood why he was doing it.
It’s because of Lady Marlin…
There was no other answer. He simply wanted to look a little better in her eyes.
“Please forgive my rudeness, Vice Guild Master Lee Kiyoung.”
“Ah, it’s all right, Mr. Song Jungwook.”
“I was discourteous to you on our first meeting.”
“Hahaha. No, I’m at fault here too. It seems there was some misunderstanding between us.”
“…….”
“Lady Marlin, that’s enough now. It was just a misunderstanding caused by a mistake. I think it’s only right that I forgive him.”
“…….”
The image of me, the Blue vice guild master, forgiving the guild master of Castle Rock’s Small Rock guild in the middle of the main road was beautiful.
And not just for that guild. I’m sure most of the guilds, clans, and individuals watching the situation right now were taking something away from it.
You really can’t mess with that bastard.
They had to be thinking something along those lines.
Still, that wasn’t the only thing I gained.
“I’d actually been planning to visit Small Rock Guild myself, Mr. Song Jungwook. I’d appreciate it if you could stop by the lord’s castle sometime soon and look for me. Or rather, I’ll come to you myself.”
“…….”
“Hahaha. Now there’s another pleasant connection made today. Well, since there’s nothing else you’d like to say, I’ll be on my way. Lady Marlin, don’t you have anything else to say?”
“No, Mr. Lee Kiyoung. I, um, don’t think it’s important… Mr. Song Jungwook, then I’ll see you another time….”
“Hayan? Hyejin, you should head back quickly too.”
“Yes, Oppa.”
“Yes, Vice Guild Master.”
“And… hmm. Hyejin?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what happened back when you were in Castle Rock, but you don’t need to bow your head to anyone.”
“…….”
“And there’s no need to be overly respectful to the guild master of another guild, either. You’re with Blue now, Hyejin. You’re the face of Blue. Always remember that bowing your head to another guild or clan means Blue is the one bowing its head.”
“Ah….”
“I’m not asking for much. But for now, that’s enough.”
“Yes. Understood.”
As I thought about how to pull Cho Hyejin further to my side, a few ideas began to surface after seeing Mr. Song, who was trying and failing to call Lady Marlin back.