Seok Clan Manor's Wedding Banquet (1)
I glanced at Seok Chu-gil the academy student's face, then lifted my head to look at the plaque hanging above the main gate.
Sanghyeon Seok Clan Manor
This academy student in front of me was Seok Deputy Officer, the right-hand man to the successor chief steward of Yu Merchant Group in my previous life?
I couldn't believe it.
But he was undoubtedly the youngest son, and his name was Seok Chu-gil.
Honestly, when I first saw Seok Chu-gil at the academy, I just thought it was a coincidence—someone with the same name.
There are so many people in the world with the same names, after all.
The reason I'd dismissed it as a namesake was his face.
Seok Chu-gil's features were a bit delicate, but the Seok Deputy Officer I remembered had a rugged, burly face.
So... that face of his would grow into the one I knew?
No, I just couldn't picture it.
As I pondered internally, Palgap asked me with a puzzled expression.
"Why do you look so serious, young master?"
"Huh?"
"Your face looked grave, so I asked."
"It's nothing."
I sighed inwardly. First things first, we should head inside.
A long line had already formed in front of the Seok Clan Manor.
These were people here to greet the Seok Clan Lord upon entry and make their presence known.
But since I'd brought Seok Chu-gil with me, we could just go right in.
"Gasp! Young master?"
"Young master, you're here?"
The household servants recognized Seok Chu-gil and bowed to him at once.
"Yeah, I'm here. Where's Father?"
"Over there, sir."
Seok Chu-gil nodded and turned to me.
"Instructor, let's go pay our respects to my father first."
"Sounds good."
We headed toward where his father was standing.
The Seok Clan Lord was at the main gate, greeting the guests.
It's been a while.
I approached with that thought.
"Father!"
"Well, if it isn't my little Chu-a!"
"Yes, Father. I've come home briefly for my sister's wedding."
Seok Chu-gil spoke more properly than I'd expected.
Another reason I hadn't recognized him as that Seok Deputy Officer was his speech and demeanor.
His polite manners were so impressive that everyone in the merchant group liked him.
So I'd never even considered he might be from Jeongin Academy, the reform school for delinquents.
I followed suit, bowing politely to the Seok Clan Lord.
"Congratulations on your daughter's wedding."
No sooner had I finished than Seok Chu-gil quickly added,
"Father, this is Eun Seo-ho..."
"Gasp!"
But before Seok Chu-gil could finish, the Seok Clan Lord's eyes widened.
He'd recognized me.
"No way! Who do we have here? If it isn't Young Chief Steward Eun! The Grand Steward arrived a little earlier."
So Father is here too, as expected.
"I see. Actually, due to some circumstances, I'm working as a temporary instructor at your youngest son's academy. That's why I brought him along."
"Seonhyeopmirang himself says so?"
The Seok Clan Lord looked deeply moved, while Seok Chu-gil wore an expression like that's not it at all...
"Don't just stand there—come inside and enjoy the banquet."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Clan Lord."
"I'm the one grateful you've come."
The Seok Clan Lord called a servant to guide me further inside.
"Chu-a, stick close to Seonhyeopmirang and learn from his words and actions. Serve him well."
"...Yes."
And so, Seok Chu-gil and I headed to the seats of honor in the banquet hall.
It took a while to get there, as people who recognized me along the way came up to greet me.
Finally seated, I left Seok Chu-gil there and went to see my father.
No matter how important the academy student was, it wouldn't do to not greet Father when he was here.
"Father."
"Seo-ho! You said you had business and haven't even come home— what brings you here?"
"Well..."
I explained the whole story to him, and Father nodded.
"I see how it is. Alright, go on then."
"Yes."
I paid my respects and returned to my seat.
There was much I wanted to talk about, but this was a banquet hall full of people.
I had to be careful.
A single slip of information could turn into a big problem.
I sat next to Seok Chu-gil and started eating.
But his expression didn't look great.
"Isn't this your sister's wedding day? Why the gloomy face?"
"..."
I gave a faint smile and whispered softly.
"Were you planning to complain to your father about the academy and me, but it didn't go as hoped?"
"...!"
He flinched at my question and waved his hands.
"N-no, of course not!"
"Heh, it's all over your face."
"..."
I asked calmly, looking at him as he bowed his head silently.
"Do you know why things turned out like this today?"
"That's..."
"It's fame and trust. I've built a good reputation and earned trust through all I've done so far. What have you built and earned, Seok?"
"..."
I smiled.
"Honestly, I'm not a good person. Can't really call me a good man either. But the good reputation I've built makes people see me that way."
I continued.
"Of course, building a good reputation is hard. Much harder than gaining infamy. But what helps your life is a good reputation. Infamy just shortens your lifespan."
I offered him a cup of liquor.
"...!"
His eyes wavered at the sight.
"Take it. A day like today, one drink is fine."
"For real? You won't hit me for drinking this...?"
"How can a man go through life without a single drink? The reason I stopped you before was to build your self-control."
"Self-control...?"
"Yes."
I nodded.
"If you can't even abstain for a few days or weeks, what can you accomplish?"
"...I see."
He picked up the cup, and I poured for him.
Honestly, I expected him to down it in one gulp.
But he just sipped and set it down.
"I'll be satisfied with this one today."
"Good thinking."
"And I... want to become like you, Instructor Eun."
The look in his eyes was completely different from before.
What? Suddenly?
This is getting heavy.
***
Seok Chu-gil looked at Eun Seo-ho sitting beside him.
He wasn't thrilled that his plans had fallen apart completely.
But...
His father's expression kept floating in his mind.
"No way! Who do we have here? Young Chief Steward Eun!"
The way his father welcomed Eun Seo-ho was more enthusiastic than he'd ever seen.
To his family, including his father, he'd always been the cute youngest.
Cute no matter what he did.
Seok Chu-gil had started wishing for something more in those eyes.
But that gaze never changed, so he'd begun acting out bit by bit.
Just to see different expressions.
Yet his father's look today felt strange.
What he'd wanted from his father and others wasn't "cute"—it was recognition.
He wanted acknowledgment, praise.
And now, his ideal figure had appeared before him.
Was that why?
Eun Seo-ho's words had lodged deep in his mind and heart.
So he asked Eun Seo-ho,
"I want to become like you, Instructor Eun. So... if I build a good reputation like you, can I become like that too?"
Eun Seo-ho nodded readily.
"Of course."
Seok Chu-gil thought Eun Seo-ho's smile looked incredibly cool.
.
.
.
As dusk fell, it was time for the wedding ceremony to begin.
But...
Something seemed to have gone wrong; the commotion had been building for a while, and as a family member, sitting idle felt awkward.
Seok Chu-gil excused himself to Eun Seo-ho.
"Instructor, something seems to have happened. I'll go check and come back."
Eun Seo-ho nodded without hesitation.
"Go ahead."
With permission, Seok Chu-gil headed toward the hubbub.
"What's going on?"
"Ah, young master."
"It's been noisy over here for a bit, so I came to see... Is it serious?"
They blinked at Seok Chu-gil's polite speech, so different from their memory.
Normally, he'd say something like, "What's all this racket? You ××! Ruining the booze..."
But this courtesy threw them off.
"Is this something I shouldn't know?"
"N-no, it's not."
The servants exchanged glances, and one spoke cautiously.
"Well... one of the betrothal gifts from the betrothal ceremony—a teacup—is missing."
"What?"
The betrothal gifts were the formal presents sent once the bride's side agreed to the marriage.
The Sanghyeon Seok Clan always exchanged teacups as part of the betrothal.
And at the wedding, they drank tea from those cups—a clan tradition.
Failing to do so could invalidate the marriage entirely.
So the missing teacup was a grave matter.
They couldn't just use another.
Using a different teacup was said to make the wife a widow early.
One might call it superstition, but as a time-honored rule, no one dared break it.
That explained the frantic search.
What to do?
If they couldn't find it and the wedding was voided, his sister would be heartbroken.
The whole clan was already searching, to no avail.
How could he find it?
Then a thought struck him.
Maybe Instructor Eun Seo-ho knows a way.
With that, Seok Chu-gil returned to Eun Seo-ho and knelt before him.
"What's wrong? Why suddenly...?"
"Instructor Eun, please help."
Seok Chu-gil looked up at him.
"Something's lost. We have to find it."
***
I sighed inwardly.
I already knew about the lost item—a teacup—because I'd overheard.
But I hadn't expected Seok Chu-gil to kneel before me to ask for help finding it.
I said seriously to him,
"A man shouldn't kneel so easily."
"I know. But this isn't trivial. My sister's future life is at stake. Please, I beg you."
He bowed his head to me.
Onlookers watched us with interest.
I chuckled lightly and patted his shoulder.
"Alright. How can I ignore my student's plea? I'll lend a hand."
"Thank you. Truly."
I stood and said to him,
"Guide me to where the lost item was last."
"Yes."
Seok Chu-gil jumped up and led me inside.
He explained the situation.
"Ah..."
From his account, I understood what had happened at the Sanghyeon Seok Clan Manor before.
This incident had earned them enmity, leading to the clan's decline.
The bride's family was quite influential.
And that must be how Seok Chu-gil ended up as a deputy in our Eunhae Merchant Group.
As I thought that, Seok Chu-gil said,
"You might think it's excessive. But it carries the meaning that our Seok Clan descendants should have happy marriages."
"A tradition like that should be upheld."
In any case, the culprit clearly knew about the Seok Clan's strict customs.
Motives could be grudge or twisted affection.
Word must have spread that I'd stepped in, because the Seok Clan Lord hurried over.
"I heard Seonhyeopmirang is helping."
"Yes. How could I ignore a student from the academy I'm temporarily with?"
The Seok Clan Lord looked surprised at Seok Chu-gil.
"You asked him yourself?"
"Yes, Father. It might spread, but he's Seonhyeopmirang. I trust he won't speak recklessly."
"Since you trust me so, I must live up to it."
The Seok Clan Lord sighed in relief at my words.
"I'm deeply grateful for your personal help."
"Then, tell me what the teacup looks like."
At his order, a servant soon sketched it on paper.
A gold teacup.
That was when it happened.
"Kkwi! Kkwi!"
Whoa, Gold Spirit... You can use sound transmission too?