Midnight Guest (1)
A short while later,
Mun Ju-seong entered my room carrying a tray with a teapot and cups.
Confirming no one else was around, I greeted him warmly.
"How have you been?"
"Thanks to your grace, I've been doing well."
"But... how did this happen? How did the inn grow so big?"
"Well, things just kind of snowballed."
He explained the whole story.
"With so many guests, I could use the money you gave me without raising suspicion. So I combined it with the assets I brought and built this five-story pavilion..."
Mun Ju-seong scratched under his ear as he spoke.
"Now there are even more customers, and I'm busy every single day."
Mun Ju-seong's face was full of smiles as he said this, and I felt a swell of pride.
In my previous life, Mun Ju-seong had returned to the Deokhaeng Merchant Group with the Fortune Reversal Jade and become its leader, but he hadn't looked happy at all back then.
Of course not—his bringing back the jade had nearly destroyed the merchant group, and even his mother had passed away.
Was it because of those memories?
I found myself saying to him,
"You look happy."
"Ah, yes."
Mun Ju-seong nodded vigorously in response.
"I am happy."
The inn's massive growth didn't seem like pure luck.
After all, this was the first inn so kind and clean.
My business instincts were telling me something.
The Yeochun Inn wasn't the type to just get famous locally and stall out.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
I wonder what the Deokhaeng Merchant Group's leader would think when he saw Mun Ju-seong succeed later on.
From what I'd heard, when they cast out unlucky descendants from Deokhaeng, they even severed blood ties to avoid passing on the misfortune...
"I'm glad. Seeing you happy and healthy makes me happy too."
"It's all thanks to you. You saved me from that near-disaster with the tiger and gave me advice."
I just smiled at that.
I wasn't sure, but he probably would have survived even back then.
After all, in my past life, he'd made it back to his family with the jade.
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That afternoon,
After eating, I strolled through the garden beside the pavilion.
Creating such a vast, beautiful garden for the guests showed that Mun Ju-seong had real business sense.
As I walked with Palgap and my guards, someone approached.
Seeing it was a woman in her early thirties, I quickly cupped my hands in greeting.
"It's been a while."
It was Pa Du-pa-pa.
"Yeah, have you been well?"
"Yes, and you, Elder?"
"Me? Nothing much. But I've heard a lot about you. Got yourself the title Seonhyeopmirang, huh?"
"Yes, it just sort of happened."
"I figured you'd make a name for yourself someday, but faster than I thought."
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched my cheek.
"But how did this happen? The inn's gotten huge."
Pa Du-pa-pa chuckled.
"The guy you asked me to look after turned out to have some real talent."
"He says it was just good luck."
"Nonsense. I've run inns myself—I know better. Luck alone wouldn't build or sustain something this big."
"True enough. And it's thanks to you too, Elder."
"Me? What did I do?"
"You must've handled unwanted guests or any trouble, right?"
With growth this rapid, rivals might interfere, or martial artists could cause scenes.
She laughed at my question.
"Yeah, I dragged off the rowdy ones and cracked a few skulls to keep things quiet. But didn't you ask me to do it?"
I'd asked Pa Du-pa-pa to protect Mun Ju-seong for five years in exchange for the Fortune Reversal Jade that would save her husband.
Three years had passed since then, so about two left?
But even after our deal ended, she didn't seem like she'd leave the inn anytime soon.
Then, a young man approached from afar.
"Dear, what are you doing over there?"
"Ah! My lord."
Pa Du-pa-pa smiled at him like a young girl.
"This is the Eun young master I told you about."
"Ah! So this is him!"
He smiled warmly and cupped his hands to me.
"Thanks to your grace, my life was spared. I am deeply grateful for the life-saving favor."
"Uh..."
His unexpectedly formal greeting left me unsure how to respond.
Thwack!
Pa Du-pa-pa slapped my back with her palm.
"What're you doing? Accept the greeting."
"Ah, yes. I'm glad you're so healthy. May the two of you enjoy a hundred years of harmony."
"We'll be a hundred soon."
"Uh..."
I panicked for a moment but pressed on with a broad smile.
"Then a thousand years it is."
"Very kind of you, kid."
A sudden curiosity struck me.
"By the way, what is your name, Elder?"
"Me?"
Pa Du-pa-pa laughed as she answered.
"Yeon Ga-hwa."
It meant "beautiful flower of the abyss."
Nothing like her skull-cracking granny nickname—I was momentarily stunned.
But I nodded soon enough.
What woman would want a title like that? The world must have forced it on her.
A world where she'd needed it to survive.
"And my lord's name is Yu Geon."
"Please forgive my rudeness in asking your names only now."
"No need. Honestly, we're grateful you even asked."
As they gazed at each other, I could feel their deep affection.
And something else too.
Elder Yu Geon's internal energy.
Even without releasing it, his presence was palpable.
Like facing a massive cliff.
When had I last felt this?
Ah, right—when my master recently attained enlightenment.
So Master was at this realm too?
That made it even more puzzling. For someone like him to get injured meant a tremendous battle.
Then people started approaching from afar, and Pa Du-pa-pa—no, Elder Yeon Ga-hwa—spoke up.
"Well, we'll be off. Wherever you're headed, stay safe."
"Yes."
Elder Yu Geon added,
"If anyone bothers you, just say the word."
"Yes, I will."
I bowed, and they turned and headed into the inn.
"Whew!"
"Phew!"
As soon as they entered, my guards sighed in relief and wiped cold sweat.
"Wh-who the heck were they?"
The peak experts, Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior, seemed especially terrified.
It was complicated to explain, so I kept it simple.
"Ah, just some people I ran into before."
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We spent the night at the Yeochun Inn and headed downstairs the next morning with our luggage.
"Leaving already, sir?"
"Yes."
Mun Ju-seong didn't say it, but he looked quite reluctant.
—I'll stop by again. Stay healthy and happy until then.
He nodded at my sound transmission.
We left the Yeochun Inn.
Everyone chases luck. But luck is just luck.
Like paper, it flies away in the wind of hardship.
To turn paper-thin luck into lasting happiness, you need something heavy.
Family, friends, responsibility, effort—something weighty to anchor it.
I pictured Mun Ju-seong dashing around tirelessly to leave good memories for his guests.
That's why his luck wouldn't end as mere luck but become true happiness.
Leaving the inn, we soon reached the ferry landing.
We boarded a large ship for Shandong, bringing our horses too.
Going downstream, it was fast.
But ships, while convenient, could get boring.
Palgap was already fidgeting restlessly.
"Isn't it better than riding all day, even if boring?"
Palgap sighed deeply at my question.
"Sure, but sitting still like this makes me antsy and itchy."
"Yeah?"
I considered calling Jin Yu Warrior for training, but Palgap's arts weren't for public viewing.
And practicing in tight quarters felt off.
Then a good idea hit.
There was someone here to play with Palgap.
"Geum-ryeong. Come out."
"Kui?"
"Palgap's bored. You too, right?"
"Kui!"
Geum-ryeong's eyes lit up eagerly and charged at Palgap, kicking his face with hind legs.
Thud!
"Urk! Wh-what?!"
Palgap had gotten nimbler from training, but still slower than Geum-ryeong.
And Geum-ryeong's taunts were masterful.
"You little—!"
"Kuit! Kuit!"
"Hah! Just you wait till I catch you!"
Thanks to Geum-ryeong, Palgap didn't complain about boredom again.
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.
While sailing, a familiar mountain came into view.
Mount Tai.
The Central Plains had the Five Great Mountains: Mount Tai in the east, Mount Hua in the west, Mount Heng in the south, Mount Heng in the north, and Mount Song in the center.
Mount Tai was said to be the foremost.
Because it faced the rising sun in the east, the holiest direction.
Climbing it once was said to shave ten years off your age and grant a wish—but I figured it was just the grueling climb.
It looked approachable due to moderate height, but it was no easy feat.
Luckily, we skirted it by river, heading further down.
Sighting Mount Tai meant we'd entered Shandong, so we prepared to disembark.
We got off and stayed overnight nearby.
Ships were comfy, but they wore you down subtly.
Land sickness could hit after long voyages.
Martial artists were less prone, but with riding ahead, we needed to recharge.
Horses, being sensitive, needed time to readjust too.
And we restocked emergency rations and supplies.
There was an inn nearby that I'd often stayed at before, so we headed there.
A frequent stop when passing through Shandong.
"Let's stay there."
"Got it."
We unpacked at the inn.
Everyone rested quietly and set off the next morning.
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.
It was the second day since leaving the ferry inn.
"My lord, we should camp here."
"Sounds good. No need to push."
I nodded at Seo-u Warrior's suggestion.
In the mountains, night fell quickly.
"I'll scout a spot."
"Yes."
The guards found a flat area and swiftly set up camp: clearing, fire, all in perfect order.
We ate rabbit from nearby hunt for dinner, warmed leftover dumplings from lunch.
"Now, night watch rotations."
As Seo-u Warrior spoke, the other three guards and Palgap drew lots—but I cut in.
"I'll take a watch too."
"Pardon?"
"You on watch, my lord? No way."
"Right, young master—just sleep."
I shook my head firmly.
"It's fine. I should pull my weight. You'll all rest more if we rotate evenly."
They reluctantly agreed.
I paired with Palgap, second shift.
First and last were easier, but better us tired than the guards.
Jin Yu and Yeo Eung-am wouldn't wake me, so I got up on time.
"Ah... you're up?"
Their surprise confirmed my hunch.
I said firmly,
"Sleep."
"Yes, sir."
They lay down, soon snoring.
I chuckled.
No need to overdo it—but loyalty made it hard for them.
As Palgap and I guarded the fire,
Tinkle,
tinkle,
tinkle,
Palgap paled at the distant bell sound.
"Eek! Wh-what's that noise?!"