His Circumstances (2)
The academy head's face twisted in bewilderment at the sight of it.
"No way! Isn't that a withdrawal letter?"
"Yes, it is."
"I told him I'd think of something and asked him to wait just a little longer... Does this mean he's giving up on the imperial exams too...?"
"It seems so. He's already made it clear several times that he's forfeiting this round of exams."
What the hell is going on?
Jeong Ho, his brother figure, asked the academy head.
"Could you explain what's happened?"
The headmaster hesitated, unable to withstand our gazes, and began his explanation.
"His name is Mansuk, one of the top cadets we've produced at Hyeonhwa Academy. He's from Hubei Province."
"Ah, now that you mention it, I remember. Isn't he one of the beneficiaries of our Eunhae Merchant Group's scholarship system?"
"That's right."
"I heard he's qualified as a top cadet and plans to sit for the imperial exams this time."
"Correct again."
He let out a heavy sigh.
"But he's decided to forfeit the exams."
"We heard that much, but I still don't understand. What happened?"
Of course, even if he skipped this round, as long as he held the qualification of a top cadet, he could try again next time.
But the imperial exams weren't held every year—they came around only every three or four years.
Missing one meant waiting an agonizingly long time for the next chance.
And after all the years he'd spent preparing meticulously for this very exam, to abandon it now?
With only a fortnight left until the exams?
"What... what could the reason be?"
"Well..."
The one who answered my question was Mansuk's teacher, the man who had brought news of his withdrawal.
"He has to support his younger siblings."
"...?"
According to his explanation, Mansuk was the eldest of eight siblings.
And recently, misfortune had struck him: his father had died in an accident.
His mother had already passed away six years earlier from illness.
They'd been scraping by, paying off massive debts from her medical bills, when the father met his end. Naturally, the house where the kids lived was sold off to a moneylender.
At least the lender had shown some mercy—he hadn't touched the siblings themselves, just seized the house.
But now the penniless siblings were freeloading at their uncle's place.
"Still, thanks to the Eunhae Merchant Group's scholarship, he was able to keep studying and qualify as a top cadet."
"Then he should take the exams even more! If he passes and becomes an official, even on a modest salary, he could support his siblings."
"I think so too. And Mansuk thought the same, which is why he studied even harder."
The academy head continued gravely.
"He's also one of our cadets with a very high chance of passing this round. He knows exactly how to ace it."
"Then why would someone like that...?"
"He suddenly got a letter from his uncle, the one looking after his siblings. It said he could no longer take them in."
"What's the reason?"
"I don't know that part. Mansuk didn't say..."
He went on.
"But for Mansuk, who was so desperate for the exams, to give them up and head back home... it must be something truly urgent."
The scholarship covered him only up to passing the provincial exams.
Passing those alone qualified him for a low-level official post.
I could guess what Mansuk was thinking.
He probably planned to take a junior official position and support his siblings that way.
Honestly, I'd heard the story, but I could have just let it slide.
After all, he wasn't the only one unable to sit for the exams due to personal circumstances.
But somehow, that didn't feel right.
I stood up and said,
"Jeong Ho hyung, you can handle reading a simple letter from his father on your own, right?"
Then I turned to Mansuk's teacher.
"Where does Cadet Mansuk live?"
.
.
.
It was a small seaside village in Hubei Province, his hometown.
I immediately told Palgap,
"Palgap. Get ready to head out."
"How many days will we be gone this time?"
"Who knows? But it won't be too long."
"Understood."
We were ready to depart less than half a shichen after I gave the order.
"Whoa, you prepared awfully fast."
"I told you, didn't I? I'm always ready to leave at a moment's notice."
The escort warriors nodded in agreement with Palgap's words.
"Hahaha, right you are."
This time, Yeo Eung-am Warrior, who was recovering from injury, stayed behind, and someone new joined the group—Yunbyeok, a cadet from the same region.
"Aren't you busy preparing for the exams? Is it okay to come along?"
"Don't worry about that. The exams test your usual skills anyway."
"True, but still..."
"By the way, I want to thank the Eunhae Merchant Group."
What's this out of the blue?
"Actually, Mansuk and I are alumni from the same academy. Our headmaster wrote me a recommendation letter that got me into Hyeonhwa Academy. But... honestly, studying there costs a fortune."
"It does."
"Mansuk was about to give up on joining because of the money, but he became a scholarship beneficiary from your group. That's why he's grateful. That guy studied like a maniac. We even nicknamed him 'Study Bug'."
It meant he studied so hard even his fellow alumni were in awe.
Cadet Yunbyeok continued.
"Anyway, his uncle must have his own reasons too. He was the one who volunteered to take the kids in at first."
"Is that so?"
Honestly, even a few months caring for seven kids wasn't easy.
And he knew Mansuk was on the verge of passing the exams and becoming an official.
After waiting months, he couldn't wait just a few more weeks?
Weeks that would make him kin to a central official?
About one shichen into the carriage ride,
"Young master."
I heard Seo-u Warrior's voice and opened the window.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Up ahead, someone's walking. Wearing what looks like a Hyeonhwa Academy uniform—probably Cadet Mansuk."
I stuck my head out the window to check.
Sure enough, a figure in blue cadet robes trudged along listlessly.
I told Yunbyeok to look too, and he peered out his window.
"That damn Study Bug... it's him."
His voice was thick with emotion.
Mansuk had submitted his withdrawal at the earliest a few shichen before I arrived.
And without lightness skill, horses and carriages were naturally faster than a man on foot.
Still, we'd caught up quicker than expected.
"Whoa, whoa!"
The carriage soon halted.
I opened the door and looked out.
"Cadet Mansuk?"
"Who are you?"
His face was etched with wariness.
"Hey! You rotten bastard!"
Just then, Yunbyeok stuck his head out and yelled. Mansuk startled.
"Huh? What are you doing here? Not studying for the exams?"
"You think I'd be studying after you dropped out, you jerk?!"
"I-I had no choice... circumstances..."
"Even so! How could you..."
This was going nowhere, so I gently restrained Yunbyeok and said,
"Get in. We'll take you home."
"N-No, it's fine."
"No need to refuse. And I heard it's urgent..."
He hesitated at my words, then nodded.
"Then, if you would."
Mansuk climbed into the carriage, and we set off again.
"..."
Silence filled the carriage for a moment before I broke it.
"So, what circumstances made you give up on the exams?"
"..."
"I get that you don't want to talk about it. But as the one who granted you the scholarship, I feel I have a right to know."
His eyes widened at my words.
"Y-You're from the Eunhae Merchant Group?"
"More precisely, the third sub-branch leader."
"I'm sorry! I didn't recognize you!"
The carriage I rode wasn't one of our merchant group's—it was a plain one.
So it was understandable.
"Now, will you tell me the circumstances?"
"Well..."
He scratched the back of his neck and sighed.
"My uncle... he got into gambling and lost the family fortune..."
"..."
His face flushed red.
I could only click my tongue inwardly.
Gambling was indeed the root of the problem.
"His friends egged him on, so he played just one round... and won ten times his stake."
The rest was predictable.
"So he thought he'd win big again next time, kept pouring in money, and ended up losing not just his winnings but everything he had?"
"H-How did you know?"
"Winning the first round is beginner's luck—pure chance, not skill."
I continued.
"Luck is just luck. And there's a high chance he got roped into a rigged game targeting naive marks."
"Even so! To do that to someone supporting seven nieces and nephews..."
"That's why those scumbags set up those rigged tables."
"..."
"Anyway, the biggest winner is the one who never steps foot in a gambling den. The second is the one who quits after winning the first hand. The third is the one who snaps out of it after losing and walks away."
I smiled bitterly.
"But usually, people can't leave because they obsess over the money they've lost, convince themselves they'll win it back, or get hooked on that heart-pounding thrill."
I paused, then asked Mansuk,
"So, what is your uncle doing now?"
"He said he's going out on a boat. At least he only blew the family assets..."
Should I call it fortunate he hadn't given up and killed himself?
But what had his family and nephews done to deserve this...?
Come to think of it, that Jae-gyeong Pavilion arsonist from before...
He'd racked up huge gambling debts too and took a job to burn the place down.
Was gambling the problem? Or the people who gambled?
.
.
.
Two days later.
We arrived at Mansuk's hometown.
But... the situation was a total mess.
"No! That's Mother's keepsake!"
"Let go!"
"Aaaah!"
"Mommy!"
"Auntie..."
"Oh no, oh no..."
Several burly thugs were ransacking the house, hauling out furniture and belongings.
A woman called "auntie" sat collapsed on the floor, sobbing, surrounded by several crying children.
But the thugs ignored them, methodically loading anything of value onto a cart.
"How can people be like this?"
"If you wanna blame someone, blame your husband for gambling away the house! Don't take it out on innocent folks like us!"
"..."
I couldn't watch anymore.
I approached them and said,
"Hold on a moment."
"And who the hell are you...?"
They snapped irritably but faltered when they saw my clothes.
They screamed money at a glance.
Worth dressing up carefully today.
"Ahem, who might you be?"
"From the Eunhae Merchant Group. Looks like this house is up for sale..."
"Heh, y-yeah, it is."
"So, how much for the house?"
"Pardon?"
"The house and furnishings. I'll buy them. Your price?"
They exchanged glances, then said,
"J-Just a sec."
One bolted off somewhere. I told the thugs,
"No point putting everything back just to move it again. Take a break."
About one shichen later.
A man came running up.
His face was rough, but his eyes screamed gambling den banker.
He bowed obsequiously with a greasy smile.
"Heh heh, name's Byeon. You wanna buy the house?"
"Yes. House and furnishings—how much? Or rather, exactly how much debt does the owner owe?"
"Well... with interest, it's a hundred taels of silver."
"..."
They really gouged him.
I pulled a hundred-tael silver note from my pouch.
"This settle it?"
"Ah! Yes!"
As he reached for it, I pulled it back slightly.
"Contract first."
"R-Right, of course. Heh heh."
We finalized the deal. I gave the thugs a few extra coins and ordered them to restore everything.
The wrecked house was back to normal in just one shichen.
Mansuk, who had watched silently, sighed and asked me,
"What do you want from me?"
"What do you think I want? I heard you're bright..."
He thought for a moment, then dropped to his knees right there.
"I, Mansuk, pledge my loyalty to the sub-branch leader."
Spot on.
No need to kneel that far, though...