One-Hearted Devotion (4)
At my words, Deputy Manager Yu's expression hardened.
But after a moment, he let out a sigh and nodded in agreement.
"You're right."
"……."
"You seem taken aback that I didn't deny it and just admitted it outright."
"Ah, yeah……."
Honestly, I'd expected him to deny it at least once.
Deputy Manager Yu looked up at the carriage ceiling and began his tale.
"It's been over ten years already. Back then, I suffered a grave injustice and was tortured for it."
"……."
"The physician said it was a miracle my tendons weren't damaged, or I might never have walked again."
"Would it be rude to ask what happened?"
Deputy Manager Yu gave a wry smile at my question.
"Since you're curious, young master, it's better I tell you myself than let you hear it from someone else."
I nodded quietly.
In truth, I already knew the whole story from Father.
But every tale changes depending on the teller's perspective, so I wanted to hear it straight from the source.
Deputy Manager Yu began recounting the events calmly.
The broad strokes matched what Father had said.
But hearing it from the man who lived through it carried a raw reality all its own.
How brutally his bride had been murdered. How humiliating it was to be dragged like refuse, barely clothed, bound in ropes.
And the excruciating torture he'd endured at the hands of the authorities.
"But thanks to the Chairman, my innocence was proven."
"That's how you ended up working for our merchant group."
"Yes."
He continued.
"Truth be told, part of me wanted to run from the stares of those who knew. People obsess over the scandal itself—they couldn't care less that the supposed culprit was innocent."
"……."
"Even now, plenty in Beijing who remember the case still think I'm the killer."
His words left a bitter taste.
Gossip grabs attention only in the moment. Once it's old news, no one bothers with the truth.
Because it's not their family, their friend.
Others' tragedies are just fleeting curiosities.
"Is that why you haven't set foot in Beijing all these years? Because it brings back those memories?"
"It's been over ten years. The memories don't haunt me anymore—that's why I can tell you now."
"Then why……."
"But there are still people in Beijing who know me, and facing them terrifies me."
I see. It wasn't the memories themselves that scared him, but the people who remembered.
I recalled our outing together before. Back then, he had zero social graces.
Now I understood why.
It wasn't that he'd never had the chance to build them—he'd cut himself off from society entirely.
"……."
Still, he'd improved vastly since then. That was a relief.
Time to get to the point.
"So…… is it because of that incident that you're rejecting Deputy Jo Yeong-yeong's feelings?"
"……."
Deputy Manager Yu sighed deeply, as if the earth itself might cave in, then gazed out the carriage window.
"The merchant group folks must think I'm a real scumbag."
"Why's that?"
"They'll say I'm toying with her heart. If I have no intention of accepting it, I should cut her off cleanly—dragging it out like this."
"So what's your heart say, Deputy Manager?"
"I……."
"Do you like her? Hate her?"
"……I don't hate her."
"Then you like her."
"It's not that simple. Just seeing her makes me restless. If I tell her to stop, she'll cry, and that would torment me……."
I stifled a chuckle inwardly.
What……?
Deputy Manager Yu had feelings for Deputy Jo too. He just hadn't admitted it to himself yet.
Didn't he realize it was affection?
"Does your dead bride come to mind when you see Deputy Jo?"
Deputy Manager Yu looked baffled.
"Actually…… with other women I've met since, she did cross my mind. It hurt."
He blinked.
"Come to think of it, that's odd. Why doesn't it happen with Deputy Jo?"
How should I know? Don't ask me.
.
.
.
The two-day business trip came to an end.
Thanks to Branch Leader Jeok, I'd carved out time alone with Deputy Manager Yu.
And confirming his feelings was a major win.
"You worked hard."
"No, young master—you had the tough job. Working together like this reminds me of when you were my assistant."
"Same here. How's Il-song doing? He must be getting the hang of things by now."
"Yes, he's really coming into his own."
If Deputy Manager Yu said he was coming into his own, that meant he was handling work well.
Worth bringing Seok Il-song along after all.
We soon arrived at the main branch's warehouse, and stepped down from the carriage. But……
The atmosphere was chaotic, tense.
And……
The Silver Wind Squad moved about with grim determination.
Something had gone down.
Palgap swiftly ran to them, exchanged words, and hurried back.
"Young master! This looks bad."
"Bad how?"
"They were ambushed. While transporting herbs and grain to nearby Yang Eon-hyeon, bandits attacked."
"Bandits? We have good relations with the ones along that route."
"That's just it…… they were strangers."
That narrowed it down.
Desperate vagrants banding together as bandits.
Signs of unrest were mounting.
"Everyone okay?"
"Following protocol, they abandoned the goods and fled."
The Eunhae Merchant Group prioritized lives over cargo in such crises—flee first, negotiate recovery later with compensation if possible. Goods could be replaced; skilled people couldn't.
New hires obsessed over the cargo at first, doubting the policy.
But experience built trust, and they followed orders.
They'd done just that.
"So everyone escaped?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"But…… not entirely good."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"During the escape…… Deputy Jo Yeong-yeong was badly hurt. She's at the medical hall now……."
"What?"
Before I could react, someone bolted ahead of me.
Deputy Manager Yu.
I watched his back and started moving.
"First, to Father."
"Yes."
I headed to Father's office and got the full report.
"She was escorting a letter to the magistrate of Yang Eon-hyeon for cooperation."
"Yeah. Of all times……."
"How is she now?"
"Critical."
"Damn……."
I sighed and rubbed my dry face.
"She's my deputy—why're you beating yourself up?"
This happened because I'd changed things.
In my past life, merchant caravans were hit during unrest too.
But Deputy Jo had never been ambushed.
She'd outlived me.
No deaths then either.
But that didn't guarantee safety now.
"Identified them?"
"Vagrants, about fifty strong."
"What's the plan?"
"Standard procedure first."
Father meant ransom the goods back.
Refuse, and it was extermination.
But…….
"Father, they're rebels. Will bandit protocols work?"
"Even the head of Changin Escort Agency is pondering that."
Rebels weren't proper bandits.
Like green merchants diving in without a clue—not by choice, but desperation.
No reasoning with them.
Attacking fleeing folk showed how amateur they were.
Bandits had an unspoken rule against it.
"They'll probably snatch the goods right in front of them."
The issue was their rebel nature.
Full assault risked women and kids among them.
"Need to think this through."
I stood and headed to the medical hall before my annex.
There, I ran into Deputy Manager Yu standing outside.
"Why're you out here?"
"Well……."
I glanced at his guards. Their subtle headshakes said he hadn't gone in.
He'd rushed here but froze at the door.
He trailed off, sighed, and said,
"I'm scared."
"You said your bride doesn't come to mind with Deputy Jo. So what's frightening you?"
"What if she dies like this? I…… I mean, I……."
I cut him off firmly as he faltered.
"She's in critical condition."
"……!"
"If she passes now, you'll regret it."
He bit his lip.
"Let's go."
I grabbed Deputy Manager Yu's hand and entered.
Moments later.
We saw Deputy Jo.
Lying sideways on the bed, her pale face barely rose and fell with shallow breaths.
"You've come."
Accountant Jo stood by her, haggard and telling.
"I'm sorry. I should've sent more warriors……."
He shook his head at my apology.
"No. You sent plenty. She survived because of them."
"Still sorry."
I asked the physician nearby.
"How is she?"
"Arrows to the back and arm. We removed the heads immediately, but it was a bit late……."
"……."
"The pain's severe—she wakes and passes out repeatedly. We sedated her."
"I see."
Sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down. Feverish.
"Tonight's the crisis."
The physician's meaning was clear.
Survive the night, live. Otherwise…….
Then.
"Uh, Deputy Manager."
Accountant Jo called to him.
"Yes. Speak."
"May I ask a selfish favor?"
"……?"
"I know how backed up your work is. But still…… as a father for his daughter, please."
"What is it?"
"Hold my daughter's hand tonight."
"……."
"You know how much she adores you. So…… I'm begging."
I couldn't fathom a father's heart, pleading for his dying girl.
Accountant Jo probably disliked Deputy Manager Yu—seemed like he was playing with her.
But facing her death, he'd set it aside.
For her happiness alone.
"If you do, Yeong-yeong can go peacefully."
"……I'll do it. I will."
"Thank you. Truly."
"But."
Deputy Manager Yu continued.
"Don't talk like she's already dead. Why would Deputy Jo die? No. She…… she won't die. She won't."
Exactly.
Deputy Jo wouldn't die.
If my changes caused this, I'd change her fate too.
Heading to my annex, I sent a sound transmission to Palgap.
"Palgap. Tell Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior to prepare to leave right now."
Moments later.
I left the annex with the two warriors.
She needed an elixir for recovery. I had the Divine Recovery Chamber, but it was overkill for her.
And luckily, I knew just where to find a suitable one.