The First Pouch (1)
The situation had come to an end.
I looked at Jegal Kyung, who had turned into a mere corpse.
Gazing at him stirred a complicated mix of emotions I couldn't quite put into words, and a sigh escaped my lips.
Still, now I finally felt some relief.
The disgust I'd sensed from him until moments ago was gone.
Did it disappear because he was dead?
I'd have to ask Master about it sometime.
And depending on the timing, I should inquire about formations too.
"Grandfather! Are you all right?"
The Jegal Supreme Patriarch had collapsed to the floor. I hurried over and asked.
"Are you all right, sir?"
"I'm fine."
But contrary to his words, his face was deathly pale.
"Don't worry about me, everyone."
"But..."
He continued at Jegal Yu-a's protest.
"It's just a bit of depleted inner energy. I rarely feel this drained."
"Then that formation was something truly formidable?"
At her question, the Jegal Supreme Patriarch replied.
"Indeed."
He gave me a peculiar look.
Why is he staring at me like that?
"Young master, thank you for rushing to our clan's aid and helping us like this."
"Not at all. It was only what needed to be done."
"I figured you'd say that. But gratitude is gratitude."
He went on.
"If you have no urgent business back home, would you mind staying at the inn a little longer? I'd love to host you here, but as you can see, we'll be busy cleaning up, and I fear our hospitality might fall short."
"Understood. I'll do as you ask."
"Thank you."
The Jegal Clan had prepared the finest room in the most luxurious inn nearby.
They didn't need to go to such lengths.
I wondered how Chief Steward Yu was faring on his way back.
Having realized there was another black curtain behind this incident, I needed to return to the Jegal Clan as quickly as possible.
That meant I couldn't take Chief Steward Yu with me.
It was a journey requiring full speed, which would be too taxing for someone with his stamina.
Besides, prolonging his absence any further would be problematic. Duties were piling up back at the merchant group.
So I'd asked Master to escort him.
His escort route passed through our merchant group anyway.
As expected, Master readily agreed and set off at dawn.
Two more days passed like that, and I spent them diligently scouting the area.
Now that I had some time here, there were things I needed to take care of.
On the third day, I received a summons from the Jegal Supreme Patriarch.
The place I was led to wasn't his residence, but the clan's main audience hall.
Wa-ryong Hall.
Entering the enormous building, I spotted someone coming to greet me.
"Lady Jegal Yu-a."
"Welcome, young master. Everyone's waiting."
I asked her,
"So you're dropping the act now?"
"No need for it anymore. Thanks to you."
"What did I do? It was all thanks to the clan's efforts and sacrifices."
I entered the patriarch's office.
There sat the Jegal Supreme Patriarch, the clan lord, and a few others.
"I've come as summoned."
I offered a respectful clasped-hands salute, and the Jegal Supreme Patriarch said,
"Raise your head."
"Yes, sir."
As I lifted my gaze, he rose from his seat and spoke.
"Thanks to you, young master Eun, the Jegal Clan has escaped a great crisis. We are truly grateful."
He then saluted me with clasped hands and bowed his head, and everyone followed suit.
Receiving thanks from the Jegal Clan's Supreme Patriarch himself!
I waved my hands frantically to stop them.
"What is this? I've done nothing worthy of it."
"Nonsense. You've done much for our clan."
He continued.
"But first, I have a question for you."
"Please, ask away."
"How did you know trouble would erupt at the main house? My attendant said you warned that the clan was in danger and that a formation would be used?"
"Yes, exactly."
Having anticipated the question, I answered calmly.
"Actually, I ran into him at the teahouse."
"Right, you mentioned going there."
"Yes. He seemed overly wary of me. It wasn't just caution toward an outsider—something felt excessive. Like he was hiding something."
"Hiding something..."
"Yes. He kept watching me warily even as he left. Growing up as the son of merchants who must guard against external invaders and internal traitors at all times, I could read that vibe. It struck me as suspicious."
"But just from that..."
"Decisively, I only remembered seeing him again before leaving the clan—after dining at the inn. If it came out that someone from the same Jegal Clan was behind a poisoning attempt, how would a normal person react?"
"They'd be flustered."
"But he was strolling off leisurely somewhere. That's when I realized danger still lingered in the clan."
"I see. And the formation?"
"Isn't that obvious? He was from the Jegal Clan too."
"Hm..."
"I came back just to give a warning out of unease, only to find the crisis already unfolding. I was shocked myself."
"Understood. That's clear enough."
That ended the questions.
Honestly, I was a bit puzzled. They hadn't asked the most crucial one.
About the Lion's Roar. He'd snapped everyone out of their mutual delusions and turned swords on each other—surely they'd wonder how.
But no one brought it up.
Why not?
He's not the type to overlook that question.
The clan lord spoke up after glancing at the Supreme Patriarch for a moment.
"In gratitude, our clan wishes to repay you. Name anything you desire."
"No, please! I want for nothing."
At my words, the Jegal Supreme Patriarch continued.
"Hoho, even if I say speak freely?"
"Truly, I want nothing. I didn't act for reward."
I pressed on.
"How could I stand by when people in crisis were right before my eyes? I simply acted. Since I didn't move for payment, how can you ask me to name one?"
In truth, if I'd pushed for compensation from the Jegal Clan, I could've claimed plenty.
But all I wanted was for the clan to remain intact.
That way, the Murim Alliance wouldn't dare reveal its ambitions so easily.
This was laying the foundation to bind them later.
My answer seemed to leave a deep impression.
"Hoho! A true gentleman stands before us!"
The clan lord nodded at the Supreme Patriarch's words.
"Indeed. Young though he is, he embodies the spirit of a gentleman."
The others nodded in agreement.
"But refusing when Father insists so warmly would be rude. So speak without reservation."
Under that silent pressure, I finally sighed and said,
"Very well, then I have one request."
"What is it?"
"Truth be told, our merchant group's Chief Steward Yu So-ak became chief steward under complicated circumstances. But at heart, he's a true lover of poetry. And the time he spent with you, Supreme Patriarch, at your invitation was truly delightful. So I humbly ask..."
I clasped my hands and continued.
"Please remain his poetry companion from here on."
At my words, the Jegal Supreme Patriarch's eyes reddened.
Eh?
What's this sudden emotion?
"Ahem! How do you move me so?"
"...Pardon?"
"Have you forgotten, young master? Chief Steward Yu is already my sworn brother. That makes him my daughter Yu-i's uncle."
The clan lord followed up.
"Father speaks true. Chief Steward Yu So-ak is my uncle from now on."
In other words, anyone harming Chief Steward Yu would face the full wrath of the Jegal Clan.
Just like that, he'd gained powerful backing.
All I'd asked was for our merchant group to keep ties with them.
"Nothing else you truly want?"
I nodded lightly at Lady Jegal Yu-a's question.
"No."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"For real?"
"Yes."
Then the Supreme Patriarch spoke.
"Come to think of it, I hear a certain Yeon Pavilion Branch Leader from your house is moving to buy Tieguanyin directly from Anxi in Fujian Province?"
"You know of it."
"Learned of it by chance. We have our own tea fields in Fujian, you see."
"I see."
"I noticed your interest in tea before. As thanks, I'll grant your group perpetual distribution rights to the harvest from our clan's Tieguanyin fields in Fujian."
"Pardon?"
From what I knew, the Jegal Clan's Tieguanyin fields were vast.
In the future I'd lived, the Murim Alliance had swallowed them up.
If our merchant group handled distribution from those immense fields, the profits would be beyond measure.
"No time limit."
"H-how can I accept that? It's too much."
"It's fine. Our entire clan, myself included, owes you a life debt."
"Even so..."
"Just take it! I'd give more, but you might need our aid someday, so I'll save the rest for then."
And so, through this Jegal Clan affair, I'd gained something utterly unexpected.
The result of altering this timeline.
I still didn't know what the future held here, but for now, things had wrapped up nicely.
Time for me to head back.
"Then I'll take my leave. I have duties waiting and can't stay longer—please understand."
"Of course, you should."
Then Jegal Yu-a said,
"Young master Eun."
"Yes."
"Thank you so much. If there's ever anything I can do personally, I'd like to help."
With the family elders present, I couldn't brush her off harshly.
"I'll remember your kind offer. Stay well."
Her cheeks flushed pink at my words.
The clan lord cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Young master, do you have a fiancée?"
"Not yet, but..."
"I see. Understood."
What's the intent behind that question?
Anyway, I saluted everyone.
"Farewell then. My deepest thanks to you, Supreme Patriarch, Clan Lord, and all for your generous hospitality."
Now, truly time to go home.
The Jegal Supreme Patriarch watched Eun Seo-ho's carriage recede into the distance.
His eyes brimmed with warmth.
Is this young master's visit to the main house the grace of our ancestors? Or heaven's will that our clan must not vanish yet?
He drew a small jade plaque from his sleeve and gazed at it.
A token shared with an old friend long ago.
His friend's house had boasted exceptionally pure and refined inner energy, but now it was gone.
Wiped out in an instant by the Demonic Cult.
How heartbroken he'd been upon hearing of his friend's death...
Yet something felt off, so he'd secretly investigated.
In the process, he found a letter his friend had left behind.
That's when he learned the truth.
It was the Murim Alliance's doing.
Bearing his friend's grudge—and suspecting the Alliance—he'd kept his distance ever since.
This time, the Hwan-a An-mak Formation's influence had spared him thanks to that jade plaque.
It held his friend's pure inner energy, shielding him from the formation's baleful qi.
And he'd sensed that same pure, refined energy from Eun Seo-ho.
Meaning some descendant of his friend had survived in secret, preserving the bloodline.
That's why he hadn't questioned the Lion's Roar.
And to protect Eun Seo-ho, the savior of his clan, from them.
I'll need to fabricate a bit of information about this...
Looks like he'd be busy for a while.
Back home, I headed straight to Father's office.
"Your son has safely completed his journey and returned."
"Was it a good time?"
"Yes. Most enjoyable and meaningful."
"I heard from Chief Steward Yu. Something came up at the Jegal Clan, so you rushed back?"
"Actually..."
I recounted the full story to Father, who sighed upon hearing it.
"So that's what happened."
"Yes."
"Still, you're too young for..."
I quickly offered what I held in my hands.
"And Father, this is from the Jegal Clan."
"Hm?"
"They insisted, so I accepted, but I'm not sure we should keep it."
Father took the documents from me and unfurled them.
Exactly three sheets.