A Golden Student and a Golden Map

"What is it we're supposed to do today again?" dressed in my outing clothes, I asked, looking at Man Hanseok and Gongson Yeongji to double-check.

"I'm going to buy some training robes," Man Hanseok said.

"You said you'd buy me new training robes too... but Chef Yoon, I don't really need any clothes..."

As Gongson Yeongji hesitated, I shook my head and patted her head.

"You need at least one spare set besides those torn ones."

"Still..."

"It's just that I have so much money I don't know what to do with it. I really wish you'd help me spend some of it, Yeongji."

Money? I loved it. There wasn't a soul in the world who hated money. But money was meant to be spent, and since I solved everything within the academy, I rarely had any reason to spend it, which was actually a bit of a problem. It had also been a while since I bought any yang-nourishing herbs for Man Hanseok.

"Please, let me spend my money! I beg of you!"

When I pleaded in an absurdly dramatic voice, Gongson Yeongji let out a soft giggle. See? Isn't it so much better when she smiles? Man Hanseok, who had been watching me blankly, suddenly held out his hand.

"What, punk?"

"If you have that much money, could you spare some for me too..."

"I've already poured at least five silver taels into your herbs alone. What are you talking about?"

"Isn't more always better?"

"Keep it up and I'll start slipping yin-nourishing herbs into your meals. Want to get fat again?"

"Wow, that's harsh."

Even as I bickered with Man Hanseok, who was ten years younger than me, I wondered why Seonwoo Seol was taking so long. I knew women took a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠while to get ready, but wasn't this a bit too much? Just as I was waiting indefinitely—

"You were all waiting for me."

"Huh?"

Hearing that characteristically clear voice, I turned my head, only to see a woman with a heavily freckled face and slightly tanned skin approaching instead of Seonwoo Seol. Even her clothes were the cheap attire typically worn by maids, but there were two things she couldn't hide: her flawless, clear peridot-like eyes and a subtle floral scent. By now, I knew exactly what that floral scent was. Night-blooming jasmine, a flower whose fragrance spreads far and wide even if only a single blossom blooms. The only person who would carry that in a sachet was Seonwoo Seol.

"Your disguise technique has truly ripened."

"You recognized it as a disguise right away?"

"Unless someone is close to you, it would be hard to notice."

"But Chef Yoon recognized me instantly, didn't you?"

"I have plenty of other ways to tell you apart besides your face."

At those words, Seonwoo Seol fell silent for a moment before letting out a smile. Even under a disguise, her smile remained the same. At any rate, we left the academy grounds and headed straight for Poeun. The moment we entered Poeun, the scenery changed entirely. It was even more crowded than during the academy's entrance ceremony. Since this far exceeded my expectations, I asked Man Hanseok, who explained that it was only natural.

"Some fellow students buy gifts before heading home, and it's bustling with escort warriors and merchants signing short-term contracts."

"Even at the fabric shops?"

"Hmm, probably not so much at the fabric shops. People can just get clothes made back home, after all."

"Then we should head to the fabric shop first, just in case."

To buy the training robes, which was our most important goal today, visiting the fabric shop first was the right move. Quest first, adventure later. The fabric shops in Poeun were quite different from ordinary ones. They didn't just sell fabric; they also sold ready-to-wear clothes made in various sizes, much like modern clothing stores. Since many students tore their training robes during spars, duels, and physical training, the shops kept a wide variety of sizes in stock. Seeing this made me realize that clever ideas always spring up wherever money flows.

"I'll look at Hanseok's clothes first, so how about you choose Yeongji's clothes for her, my lady?"

"Shall we do that?"

Since women's clothes were best chosen by another woman, I decided to leave Gongson Yeongji to Seonwoo Seol. As I was slowly browsing through the men's training robes, Man Hanseok asked in a low voice.

"Chef Yoon, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Both for me and Junior Gongson... why do you treat us so well?"

"It's not like I've been grilling gold-leafed pork for you guys. What do you mean, 'treat you well'?"

"You bought herbs with your own money, and in Junior Gongson's case, you even got her into the Dongdo Association despite knowing the student council president would get involved."

"Why ask about all that? Just say thank you and accept it."

"I just felt like there was no reason for you to help us to the point of taking a loss."

I wanted to just laugh it off, but I couldn't help it when Man Hanseok stared at me with such serious eyes. Why was he being like this today? It looked like he would keep staring holes through me until I answered, so I had no choice but to speak.

"Because you keep catching my eye, and it bothers me."

"Pardon?"

"I've been like that since I was a kid. If something was wrong, I always had to say something before moving on."

It wasn't some idealistic reason like 'it is only natural for humans to help one another,' but literally because it bothered me. Just as seeing a child fall in front of you and not helping them up makes you feel a bit uneasy, failing to help when you can leaves a lingering regret. Rather than endlessly thinking, 'I should have helped back then,' it was much better to just help generously once and be done with it. When I explained my feelings in simple terms, Man Hanseok smiled faintly. He looked somewhat relieved.

"So that was the reason? It's simpler than I thought."

"It's selfish, really. I'm only helping to put my own mind at ease."

"Come on, truly selfish people are those who don't help at all and only look out for themselves."

Talking about it made me feel a bit embarrassed, so I grabbed a random training robe in sight and thrust it toward him.

"How about this color?"

"That's gardenia yellow. I prefer blue."

"Aren't we picky."

In the end, Man Hanseok picked out an incredibly plain navy blue robe. How boring.

"I'll take this one."

"Isn't it too plain?"

"I'm already tall enough as it is. You want me to wear something eye-catching?"

"Wasn't the gardenia yellow better? It makes you look like a Yellow Turban Rebel. It's great."

"That's a bit... rebellious, don't you think?"

What a shame. I missed my chance to see Yellow Turban Man Hanseok. However, because Man Hanseok was too tall, none of the ready-made clothes fit him, so we had to take his measurements and order a custom-made one. After paying for it, we headed over to the women's section, where an entirely different scene was unfolding.

"Let's get a winter training robe while we're at it."

"Um, Instructor... it's hot..."

"Just bear with it for a bit, okay?"

"Okay..."

With training robes of all colors piled up on one side, Gongson Yeongji, now changed into a thick robe, was holding a wooden stick and performing an opening stance. Seonwoo Seol was acting as if this place were Milan, putting on a full-blown training robe fashion show.

"Are you trying to bankrupt me?"

"If you run out, I'll pay the difference! It's not my fault Yeongji looks good in literally everything!"

She was actually getting mad at me instead? It felt like watching an aunt doting over her niece. Seeing a thick quilted winter robe in the middle of summer, beads of sweat were rolling down Gongson Yeongji's forehead. She was going to pass out at this rate.

"Let's just pick two summer robes and two winter robes. We can always come back and buy more later."

"Fine. But let me just have her try this one on one more time..."

"Tsk."

I told you, she's really going to pass out. After some bickering, we agreed on a total of four outfits. We paid for Gongson Yeongji's robes, which had been chosen through literal blood, sweat, and tears.

"Oh, by the way, Chef Yoon. There's an open-air market set up over that way. Would you like to check it out?"

"An open-air market?"

Man Hanseok's words piqued my interest. It didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mean a chaotic brawl, but an unauthorized market set up in an empty lot. Normally, the magistrate of Poeun County would crack down on it severely, but I heard they turned a blind eye on days like this. The local merchants in Poeun County simply couldn't keep up with the students' demands.

"It's bound to be crowded, so Yeongji, hold Lady Seonwoo's hand tight. Hanseok, you take the lead and clear a path through the crowd."

"Are you looking at me as a battering ram instead of a human?"

"When else are we going to use that massive frame of yours if not now?"

Man Hanseok wore a face full of complaints, but there was nothing he could do. His massive build was just too perfect for parting crowds. As we headed toward the open-air market, the bustling and lively voices of the crowd reached our ears.

"Tanghulu! Buy some tanghulu!"

"You there, fellow student! Why not buy this Snow-White Antler Powder as a cure-all gift for your parents!"

"Miss it today, and you'll miss it forever!"

Gongson Yeongji's eyes were wide with wonder. Unlike Liaoning, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a quiet border region with few people, this place had so much to see and explore, which must have made it incredibly exciting for her. As we passed between the stalls, an elderly merchant called out to Seonwoo Seol.

"Hey there, maid. How about buying a piece of jewelry for the little lady next to you?"

"Jewelry?"

To an outsider, it seemed Gongson Yeongji looked like a noble young lady, while Seonwoo Seol, disguised as a freckled woman, looked like her maid. Seonwoo Seol looked at the elderly merchant's stall and narrowed her eyes. The quality didn't seem particularly good.

"Oh, come on, these are all just antiques."

"Ahem, you can't judge the true value of these items just by their appearance. There's even something used by a queen of the former dynasty here."

"Which one was used by the queen?"

"Well, you'll have to figure that out yourself, young lady."

Seonwoo Seol and Gongson Yeongji seemed interested, but to me, they all looked like grimy, stained junk. A bronze mirror looked somewhat high-class, but getting the rust off that would take all day. Since the stall next door was also selling antiques and old books, I took a close look. There were basic texts like the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon—the foundation of medical books—as well as the Analects and the Doctrine of the Mean. Still, nothing particularly rare caught my eye.

"What are those?"

"Maps, of course."

When I pointed to the small scrolls piled in a large basket, the merchant gave a half-hearted reply. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Were maps really allowed to be sold so casually like this? Weren't they supposed to be military secrets or something?

"Are you going to buy a map?"

Man Hanseok asked, finding it strange that I was suddenly looking at maps.

"Yeah. Don't you think it'd look pretty cool hanging in my room? It'd be nice to mark the places I've been to keep track of my memories."

"Oh. That's a great idea. Maybe I should buy one too."

Most of the old maps in the basket were rolled up. To check their condition, I had to unroll them one by one and roll them back up. As I was putting back the moldy or poorly drawn ones, I unrolled a map that was neither too big nor too small. At that moment, something rolled up inside the ancient map caught my eye. It was a half-torn piece of parchment map that looked strangely familiar. No, wait. This wasn't just a map I'd seen somewhere...

"..."

It was that! I hit the jackpot. I immediately rolled the map back up and did my best to hide my expression. Poker face, poker face.

"H-How much is this?"

I accidentally stuttered, but that didn't matter. Hiding my excitement as much as possible, I asked in a casual voice.

"Just fifty copper coins."

"Hanseok, buy yours too."

"Then, if you don't mind..."

Just in case, I bought Man Hanseok's map as well. The final price was a hundred copper coins in total. What an absolute steal. I approached Seonwoo Seol and Gongson Yeongji, who were still engrossed in the jewelry, and spoke quietly.

"My lady, let's go to a teahouse."

"Huh? Just a moment. Let me look at this first."

"It's urgent. Hurry."

When Seonwoo Seol glared at me with a face that asked why I was rushing her, I gave her a look urging her to move quickly.

"What's wrong all of a sudden? We agreed to take it easy today."

"Something came up."

"...Fine, I get it."

Sensing something unusual in my behavior, Seonwoo Seol immediately led Gongson Yeongji away from the stall. I practically dragged a bewildered Man Hanseok along as we entered a nearby teahouse. The moment we sat down in a secluded corner, Seonwoo Seol lowered her voice and asked.

"If this is nothing, I'm going to be mad. What on earth is going on?"

"Do you remember the treas... I mean, the map we found at the Hyeondong Merchant Guild back then?"

"How could I forget! I was so excited back then... Wait, don't tell me it has something to do with the map you just bought?"

At Seonwoo Seol's words, I nodded and pulled out a pouch tucked inside my clothes. It was a pouch I carried around as a wallet whenever I went out. The reason I pulled it out? Inside was the half-torn treasure map we had found at the Hyeondong Merchant Guild branch. Just in case, I scanned our surroundings before aligning the newly found treasure map with the one I already had. And then—

"Uh, wait?"

"They fit perfectly!"

Man Hanseok gasped in surprise while Seonwoo Seol let out an exclamation. Gongson Yeongji looked on, wondering what was happening. It felt like an impossible coincidence, but the torn edges of the two halves of the treasure map fit together flawlessly.

"Chef Yoon, who on earth are you...? Why does a chef have a treasure map..."

"That's chef discrimination. A chef can have a treasure map too."

"It's definitely a map of some terrain, but I have no idea where this is. Do you know where it is, Chef Yoon?"

"I'm not sure either. Since both halves of the treasure map were found here, it might be somewhere nearby."

If I had a deep understanding of the Central Plains' history, I might have understood it, but my knowledge of the Central Plains was practically zero outside of martial arts and medicine. Although the terrain was drawn, there was no scale written on it. At first glance, the markings looked like letters, but looking closer, they were actually a bunch of symbols.

"What does the writing here say?"

"I told you to study cursive script."

"I don't even have enough time to practice martial arts."

At my reply, Seonwoo Seol pouted and glared at me. She was telling me to stop making excuses.

"This looks like something someone wrote separately..."

"A vegetable garden... Was there a vegetable garden around here?"

"I heard Poeun County was just a normal farming village before Mutual Righteousness Academy was established. Maybe it depicts the terrain from before the academy was built?"

They say even rivers and mountains change in ten years, and if this was from before Mutual Righteousness Academy was built, we were talking about decades ago. Would we even be able to find it? Just as I was staring at the treasure map with a complicated mind—

"U-Um... Chef Yoon."

"Yes, what is it? Want me to order some sweets?"

"N-No, not sweets... This symbol written on the treasure map..."

Gongson Yeongji pointed to a small symbol written in the corner of the treasure map.

"This symbol here, or rather... I think I've seen this character before..."

"Huh? You've seen it?"

"Yes, during the West Hall Master's lecture... It was a liberal arts class on history, and she briefly mentioned it in passing."

If she saw this symbol in Dan Buyong's lecture...

"We have no choice but to go ask the Academy Director."

But what should I say to her?