Seok Clan Manor's Wedding Banquet (2)
I inwardly marveled at the kui kui cries echoing in my mind from Geumryeong.
It seemed like its abilities were growing stronger by the day.
Which meant it had been devouring plenty of silver, no doubt.
Kui! Kuit! Kui!
For some reason, I felt like I could understand what Geumryeong was saying.
It could find it.
"I'll give it a look."
Pretending to search for the teacup, I headed to a spot away from the others and subtly drew Geumryeong from my sleeve.
"So, you're saying you can find that teacup?"
Kuit!
"How?"
At my question, Geumryeong flashed a faintly smug expression before vanishing in an instant.
Jin Yu Warrior gasped in admiration at its speed.
"No martial art could match that velocity."
"I agree."
And moments later.
Geumryeong reappeared before me, wagging its tail happily.
"Found it?"
Kuit!
Was it because the teacup was made of gold? Anyway, the little guy had a nose for anything valuable.
"Lead the way."
Geumryeong slipped back into my sleeve and pointed its tail in a certain direction.
We followed it.
As I started moving, Seok Chu-gil the student and a few family members trailed behind me.
Soon, we arrived where Geumryeong had led us...
"...?"
The rear garden.
And Geumryeong's tail was unmistakably pointing at the pond in the rear garden.
"..."
Was the teacup hidden inside that frozen pond?
Sigh.
I let out a breath and gathered inner energy into my fist. Then I smashed down toward the pond.
Crack!
As I broke the ice and tried to reach in, Yeo Eung-am Warrior stopped me.
"My lord, leave this to us."
"You're saying the teacup's in there?"
Then Yi Pil Warrior shattered the ice and began searching inside the pond.
But as befitting a pond in a prominent clan's garden, it was quite large.
This would take some effort to comb through...
Out of sight of the others, I turned my body and called for Geumryeong.
"Geumryeong."
Kui?
"You have to find it all the way."
Kui...
"Don't like the cold? You're a creature from icy lands originally. What's with the whining?"
Ku... kuit?
"Fine. One more silver piece, so hurry up and find it."
At the promise of extra silver, Geumryeong perked up and dove straight into the pond.
Moments later, Yi Pil Warrior flinched and pulled out his hand.
"Th-this...!"
In his hand was the exact teacup from the picture.
"We-we found it!"
"Hooray!"
Everyone cheered, and in the excitement, no one noticed Geumryeong slip back into my sleeve...
"Hey, hey! Wipe off first before coming in!"
Palgap hurried over with a handkerchief and dried the water from Geumryeong's body.
It was evening, and not too crowded, so we managed to keep Geumryeong's presence hidden.
Well, anyway. Good job.
Upon hearing the teacup had been found, Seok Clan Lord rushed over and bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you so much for finding the teacup. I was so worried the wedding would fall apart..."
"It's a relief we found it."
"But how did you know it was there?"
I smiled at the question.
I couldn't say Geumryeong found it.
"You'd already mobilized many people without success. So I figured it had to be somewhere obvious yet overlooked—like on the roof or underground."
"Right."
"And it vanished less than an hour ago. Meaning someone hid it in a rush."
I'd ruled out a professional thief from the start.
With far more valuable items around, why take just the teacup?
"Tossing it on the roof is risky in many ways. Hard to retrieve if needed, and you can't control where it lands. So I considered underground. But with the frozen earth, digging is tough, and hiding the traces isn't easy."
I pointed at the pond.
"That's when the pond came to mind. At this time, drill a small hole, drop in the teacup, and traces vanish. It seals over soon enough."
"Brilliant! Of course!"
"But frozen spots like that aren't smooth. I spotted such a mark and searched the pond. Lucky we found it."
I'd checked the pond later—there really was such a trace.
"Anyway, glad we found it. Clearly, heaven was moved by your devotion to your daughter and guided me to it."
"Of course we thank heaven. But to our clan, you're the benefactor all the same."
Seok Clan Lord bowed deeply.
"I'll never forget this grace."
"No need to call it grace. It's fine."
"As expected of Seonhyeopmirang."
Ugh!
I just couldn't get used to that nickname.
I sighed inwardly and offered advice.
"Just in case, you should keep the teacup on you during the ceremony, Clan Lord."
"I'll do that."
With that, Seok Clan Lord tucked the cleaned teacup into his bosom and headed to the wedding site.
"Instructor."
Turning, I saw Seok Chu-gil clasping his hands in a fist salute of thanks.
"Thank you for finding the teacup. I'll never forget this grace."
Hm. Was it my imagination, or did the intensity in his gaze grow even fiercer?
At last, the wedding proceeded, and Seok Clan Lord produced the precious teacup from his bosom.
Tea was poured into it. The groom drank half, and the bride the rest.
The tea tree symbolizes fidelity and unchanging hearts. It also signifies children's blessings and treating each other with respect.
That's why they share the tea.
With the wedding safely held, the clan's fortunes wouldn't decline like in my previous life.
The groom's family held decent influence, so a stable marriage could lead to even greater prosperity.
And they were friendly to us—no harm there.
That said, we'd found the teacup, but the culprit was still at large. The matter wasn't fully resolved.
How to track down the perpetrator...
As I pondered while watching the ceremony, chills erupted across my skin.
This was... killing intent?
I swiftly sent a sound transmission to my guards.
Killing intent!
At my transmission, the guards tensed and scanned the surroundings warily.
But the intent wasn't around me.
Then where?
"My sister's really beautiful, isn't she, Instructor?"
At Seok Chu-gil's words, I turned to look at the bride. She was indeed quite...
Wait!
The killing intent was coming from the bride's side, not mine.
The bride wouldn't emit it, so one of the two women assisting her.
Then, the young woman on the left drew a dagger from her bosom.
And aimed it at the bride's throat.
"Kyaack!"
"What?!"
People shouted in shock upon spotting it.
Thwack!
A hidden weapon struck the woman's hand, knocking the dagger free.
Yi Pil Warrior's handiwork.
I surged forward and subdued her.
"..."
Everyone stared in stunned silence at the sudden upheaval.
Only the subdued woman shrieked like a demon.
"Let go! Let me go! I'm your lord's true bride! My lord! Why have you forsaken me?!"
Gazes turned to the groom, who waved his hands in panic.
"I-I don't know that woman."
Meanwhile, the bride trembled, at a loss.
"H-how could you... how could you do this to me..."
Regaining his wits, Seok Clan Lord bellowed.
"Outrageous! Bind that wench at once!"
"Yes!"
Warriors rushed in and bound her, already restrained by me.
Seok Clan Lord approached me with a sigh.
"Hah, sorry. Once again, you've had to help us."
"I'm fine. And no one was hurt— that's what's important."
Saying so, I glanced at the woman being dragged away by the warriors.
"That woman...?"
"She's a maid from the main house. But why...?"
Seok Clan Lord trailed off, and the groom approached.
"Father-in-law, I truly don't know her."
"..."
"I'm innocent."
Finally composing herself, the bride stepped forward.
"I... I trust my lord."
At her words, tears welled in the groom's eyes as he took her hand.
"Thank you for believing in me, my lady."
The bride addressed her father, Seok Clan Lord.
"Father, I trust my lord. He values honor. He wouldn't do anything to tarnish it."
She knelt before him.
"So please, grant us the sacred union."
The groom knelt beside her.
"Please grant the sacred union, Father-in-law. I swear never to sully my honor again."
Given the incident, the clan lord could nullify the marriage. That's why they pleaded.
It could also become a scandal for the groom.
Seok Clan Lord pondered, then looked to me.
I searched my memories and gave a small nod.
In my previous life, the groom had been trustworthy.
And with such mutual love and trust, there'd be no issue.
"Do as you see fit, Clan Lord."
At last, Seok Clan Lord nodded.
"Hah. I grant the sacred union."
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, Father-in-law."
.
.
.
Even after the bride and groom retired to the bridal chamber, the banquet continued.
As I quietly enjoyed it, Seok Clan Lord approached.
"Young Branch Leader Eun."
"Clan Lord."
"Thank you for saving my daughter's life and ensuring the wedding went smoothly."
"Glad it was nothing serious."
Seok Clan Lord wore a bitter expression.
"I interrogated that maid. She fell in the courtyard, and my son-in-law kindly asked if she was all right and gave her his handkerchief."
"I see..."
"She fell for him after that."
Hah. So a one-sided crush had escalated into this mess?
"Was she the one who hid the teacup too...?"
"Yes. She confessed."
Pitiful, in a way. But attempting to harm an innocent made it a crime regardless.
Too grave to overlook out of pity, especially with so many witnesses.
"I won't forget this grace."
Seok Clan Lord glanced at Seok Chu-gil beside me.
"When do you plan to return to the academy?"
"Whenever Seok Chu-gil wishes."
Seok Chu-gil immediately replied.
"I'll return tomorrow morning."
"So soon?"
"Yes."
He nodded calmly and explained.
"I've learned much from this. I want to return before the outside world's temptations sway my heart again."
Seok Clan Lord looked moved.
"To think Chu-ah would say such things!"
"Thanks to Jeongin Academy's teachings."
At my words, Seok Clan Lord nodded decisively.
"When you go, take a hundred seok of rice with you."
"Pardon?"
Rice prices had skyrocketed due to famine. A hundred seok was no small value.
"It's my father's wish. Please continue looking after Chu-ah."
Refusing such sentiment would be rude.
"We'll gratefully accept. The Director will be pleased."
I returned the fist salute with a bow.
The next morning.
True to his word, Seok Clan Lord provided the hundred seok of rice and hired an escort bureau for our journey.
Thanks to that, we returned to Jeongin Academy much more comfortably.
Riding in the carriage, I gazed at Seok Chu-gil sitting opposite, lost in thought.
Seok Il-song under Manager Yu came to mind.
With the clan stable now, would Seok Chu-gil still end up as my deputy in the merchant group like in my previous life?
No need if the family didn't decline.
Then.
"Instructor Eun."
"...?"
As I tilted my head, he spoke shyly.
"I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"I heard you're the Young Branch Leader of Eunhae Merchant Group."
"Correct."
"So, how do I work under you?"
"Pardon?"
An unexpected question.
"No matter how I think about it, to become like you, I need to stay by your side. And the best way is to work under you."
His words left me flustered; I turned away and met Palgap's eyes.
His gaze screamed, 'What have you done this time?' I cleared my throat.
"Ahem."
I was innocent!
Anyway, talent walking in the door? No reason to refuse.
My earlier worry was needless.
I could hear the sound of talent rolling in.