Your Identity Is
Your Identity Is
It was the second day since I arrived here.
The inside of the annex was still a complete mess.
It was mostly because I'd only brought the essentials from the main headquarters, leaving no time for organizing or anything else.
Ledgers, seals, boxes filled with various valuables, and bundles of documents I hadn't even unpacked yet.
Compared to the study I used back home, it was no different from a beast's den.
Still, everything I needed to conduct business right away was here.
While processing urgent matters that had arrived while I was away from the main headquarters, I asked the steward who had been in charge of managing the mansion during my absence.
"What were the results of the personnel re-verification?"
They were personnel I had hand-picked myself, but just in case, it was necessary to go through an ideological vetting one more time.
"Upon checking, it appears one of the guards had previously held a protection contract with the Jujak family."
"How long ago was that contract?"
"It was 11 years ago. How would you like to proceed?"
That would be... before Hwari was even born.
Well, it shouldn't be a problem.
"Move him to perimeter security. Since the Young Lady wasn't even in this world at that time, there's no need to fire him."
"I will follow your orders."
I asked the silent steward if there were any other unusual details.
"Nothing else? Is that all?"
"There is one thing, but..."
"It doesn't matter if it's trivial, tell me everything."
Normally, I would have just told him to handle it appropriately and moved on, but since it involved Hwari, I had to eliminate even the slightest possibility of future trouble.
"One of the physicians has had contact with a physician associated with Geumiseong. The person doesn't even know they met someone from Geumiseong. How would you like to proceed?"
"Tell him to cut ties with that physician. Or tell him I'll cut off his livelihood."
"I will follow your orders."
That seems to be it for the personnel.
"What about the rumors swirling around the mansion?"
"Rumors are circulating that it's a noble's villa, a house built by an upstart to show off their money, or a house built by a high-ranking official to hide their mistress."
"Get rid of the last rumor."
I could forgive other things, but I couldn't forgive her name being tarnished like that.
"How would you like me to cover it up?"
"Handle it yourself. I don't care if you use my name, just make sure there isn't a scratch on the Young Lady's reputation. A drop of water falling into a lake doesn't change anything, after all."
"I will follow your orders."
As I finished speaking, the door opened and Woojin appeared, carrying another stack of documents.
He looked quite tired from cutting back on his sleep to transport the luggage, but since I was paying him so much to do exactly that, he'd be fine.
While thinking, I suddenly remembered the conversation from last night and asked Woojin.
"Oh, right. Woojin. What happened to the guys who ran away?"
"We caught everyone except for one Taoist. I've temporarily locked up the craftsmen and laborers in the merchant guild's warehouse."
So that's how it is.
"Bring the Taoist. The work on the earth vein isn't finished yet."
"How should I handle the rest?"
"Give them enough money to keep their mouths shut and send them back. And make sure to warn them firmly that if they go around blabbing, they'll be digging their own graves."
They're small-hearted enough to run away, so if I give them a proper mix of the whip and the carrot, they'll live the rest of their lives with their mouths shut.
"Yes. Understood."
"The one Taoist who escaped... is it a little wench, or a big guy?"
"It's a little wench."
"Catch her and drag her back here within a month, no matter what."
"Does it matter if she's dead or alive?"
"I need her brought back alive. I have to train her and use her again."
If it were a martial artist, they're a dime a dozen, so I would have just killed them, but Taoists are a bit too valuable to just kill off.
I had to squeeze them dry efficiently.
As I was organizing the documents again, Yeon-gyo soon came to find me.
"I've come to report something, Young Guild Leader. It concerns the Young Lady."
I was about to tell her not to waste my time with trivial matters, but I straightened my posture.
If it's related to Hwari, I should make time to listen.
"What is it?"
"The Young Lady said she couldn't sleep comfortably because of the bed."
She couldn't sleep properly because of the bed...
...Hmm, should I have brought a more expensive one after all?
I thought this would be enough. It seems it wasn't enough for her.
"...It seems it was lacking. I understand. How is the Young Lady doing?"
I resolved to replace it with a better bed and asked about Hwari's status.
If I went to see her myself, she would clearly be on guard again.
"She is still very guarded. It seems she is also unfamiliar with treating us as subordinates."
"Tell them to treat her more kindly and gently. So that the Young Lady doesn't feel any burden."
"Yes. Understood. To continue the report, fortunately, she is eating her meals on time."
That's a relief.
"However, she is looking for sweets a bit too often. Her stomach might still be upset, so I wanted to ask if it's okay to let her have so much."
"Is that so."
My heart wanted to tell them to let her eat whatever she wanted.
However, I knew that would be no different from letting her harm herself, so I decided I needed to intervene a little.
I didn't want her to become indulgent.
"Limit giving her snacks to about three times a day."
"Are there any specific conditions needed? Like only letting her have them after she moves her body a bit, or only after she does some studying?"
"No, don't do that. Forcing the Young Lady to do things like that isn't desirable. She should do it when she wants to."
"Understood."
"Anything else? Nothing more?"
"...The Young Lady is inspecting the inside of the mansion."
I stopped just as I was about to stamp the document.
"Tell me in detail."
"Yes. She's looking for things like hidden spaces or basements in the mansion. I didn't stop her from going anywhere, but I did block the kitchen. I judged it to be dangerous."
"You did well, but let her go. Instead, make sure she doesn't go near fire or sharp objects. In case she gets hurt."
"I will follow your orders. And... she is also going around asking about you, Young Guild Leader."
I signaled with my chin for her to continue, and Yeon-gyo told me without hesitation what Hwari was doing.
"She's going around asking about your name, age, personality, likes and dislikes, family relationships, what you usually do... and many other things."
Imagining that scene, the corners of my mouth almost went up on their own.
Tapping the walls with her small hands, checking the warehouse to see if there's anything strange, and while being wary of people, grabbing the servants to ask what kind of person I am.
It was something that would make my mouth curl up, but I pressed down hard with the back of my hand to stop it.
Asking the servants meant she didn't want to ask me.
She must assume I wouldn't answer.
I tapped my fingers on the desk.
It was only natural.
At least from her perspective, I had forcibly taken her away from her family who she was getting along well with.
I could guess what she thought of me without having to think about it.
"Where is the Young Lady now?"
"Before I came here, she said she was going to check the west annex. I've assigned two maids to her, so there shouldn't be any danger."
There's really nothing special there.
"Well done."
"Are you going to go yourself?"
As I stood up, Yeon-gyo asked that.
"Yes. Since the Young Lady seems to want to know what I am, shouldn't I tell her?"
The servants must be in a difficult spot too.
Because those guys don't even know who I really am.
"If I may be so bold, I think she will be on guard."
"I know."
To be honest, I was actually happy that she was actively being guarded.
The fact that she wasn't showing an attitude of just accepting things like she was dead, like before, meant I had already succeeded to some extent.
"Woojin. I'll leave the handling of simple matters to you. I'm going to go see the Young Lady, so keep that in mind."
Woojin's mouth seemed to droop slightly, but I decided to let it slide.
He hadn't slept at night. I wasn't the kind of employer who couldn't even understand that much.
As soon as I left the annex and headed to the west annex where Hwari was, I could spot red hair swaying in time with her steps.
It was Hwari.
She hadn't spotted me yet, and as Yeon-gyo said, she was tapping on the wall.
"Not here either..."
I felt sorry for her, but the sight was so cute that I couldn't help but smile.
Seeing her poking the floor with a stick she must have picked up from somewhere, she looked quite spirited.
I wanted to keep watching like this, but unfortunately, I had a lot of work piled up.
"There won't be anything over there, Young Lady."
I approached her quietly and told her that.
As soon as I did, her shoulders jumped; she seemed quite startled.
She hurriedly tried to hide the stick inside her sleeve, but the tip stuck out, so there was no point in hiding it.
As I stared at it, she seemed to give up on hiding it and just held the stick and aimed it at me.
"W-what, who are you! What are you doing here?!"
No matter how much she pretended to be angry, she couldn't hide her scared expression.
What is it.
It seems like she's even more guarded than she was in the carriage.
Did I commit some other mistake in the meantime?
I pushed aside my doubts and continued speaking.
"You seemed to be looking for something, so I came to offer a small bit of help."
"I wasn't looking for anything?"
"That's hard to believe considering you were doing something with a stick just a moment ago."
"...It's exercise, okay?!"
Even as she said it, the way she made a face showed it was clearly a lie made up as a last resort.
Then I should play along.
"Hmm, is that so? That's good. However, please make sure not to strain your body. Moderate exercise helps build the body, but excessive exercise only harms it."
Because I took it seriously, she muttered, "It actually worked...?" as if she couldn't believe it.
I should pretend I didn't hear that.
"I heard from Yeon-gyo. That you are curious about what I am, Young Lady."
"From Yeon-gyo?! I, I asked her to keep it a secret...!"
Oh dear.
It seems Yeon-gyo said something she shouldn't have.
If this happens, Hwari won't be able to trust Yeon-gyo either.
It wasn't desirable for her not to be able to trust her maid, so I decided to add a little more.
"Aha, so that's why she was reluctant to speak. No wonder, she kept hesitating even when I told her to speak."
With this, she'll think Yeon-gyo was forced to tell me.
She's smart, so she'll be able to deduce that much.
"That..."
Hwari tried to move away from me, but realized there was a wall behind her and shrank back.
"Do not worry. I didn't come to scold you."
If I got any closer, it felt like she would run away without looking back, so I kept my distance and raised both hands.
"Among the things I said you could request, information is also included."
"...Yes?"
"The point is, there's no need to go around doing legwork to find out information about me. Just ask me. I will answer you with the utmost sincerity."
"How can I trust... whether that's a lie or not."
She revealed deep distrust and openly declared that she couldn't believe me.
Hmm.
What to do about this.
I wanted to swear on my mother that it wasn't a lie, but unfortunately, I didn't even know if I had a mother.
"Even if there are things I cannot answer, I will not tell a lie. I promise you."
"You said there are things you can't answer...?"
"Yes. Because there are things I don't know, or things that are difficult to talk about."
"...Is that a promise?"
"Yes. I promise. If I break it, I will gladly accept any punishment."
Only then did she lower the stick she had been aiming at me.
She was still on guard, but at least it wasn't at the level it was before.
What on earth is she preparing herself to ask?
"Y-you are a human, right?"
At that question, I was speechless.
Because I wondered how on earth such a question came out.
Regardless, she asked again with an extremely serious look in her eyes.
"Answer me! Are you a monster that eats people?!"
...Where should I start correcting this?