Chapter: 15
A large man wearing a black half-mask.
It’s him…
The person who lived together with Yeonwoo.
Why is he already here…?
“The Demonic Cult really is…”
At the sound of a click of the tongue, Gwan Hyeok flinched and trembled.
“Whether children or adults, not a trace of humanity can be found among them.”
Uncertain of what to do, Gwan Hyeok stood frozen. Woonhyeon casually reached out and lightly pushed aside his wooden sword.
With no strength behind it, Gwan Hyeok’s sword was knocked away.
Startled, Gwan Hyeok hastily lowered his arm and took a step back.
The old man who lived with Yeonwoo.
I’m sure they said… he was a beggar…
If he was a beggar, then by status Gwan Hyeok should have held the higher position.
Yet somehow, the man before him wasn’t someone he could treat carelessly.
Rather…
“Young one.”
“Y-Yes…?”
Without realizing it, Gwan Hyeok hid his wooden sword behind his back and stood with his hands clasped.
Even knowing the man was supposedly a beggar, he couldn’t stop himself from shrinking before him.
“A swordsman must always bear responsibility for the sword he swings.”
Woonhyeon stepped closer to Gwan Hyeok.
“Can you bear responsibility for yours?”
An overwhelming pressure descended over his head.
Gwan Hyeok swallowed hard once more.
“I… I…”
Should he make excuses?
Should he deny everything?
Woonhyeon looked down at the speechless boy fumbling for words before letting out a low sigh.
Yeonwoo…
“Ugh… it hurts…”
He whimpered while rubbing the places where he’d been hit.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have suffered any serious injuries.
Probably because his opponent was only a child of about ten years old as well.
Just then—
“Hyeok!”
Someone came running from the entrance of the training ground.
It was Gwan Yoon, the head of the Gwan family, along with the martial artist who had gone to bring Yeonwoo.
Gwan Yoon’s face was filled with shock and panic.
It was only natural.
While discussing the assassins targeting Yeonwoo, Woonhyeon had suddenly said,
“At this rate, your son will kill him before the assassins ever do,”
and then disappeared.
Soon after, news had reached him.
That Hyeok had dragged Yeonwoo to the training grounds.
“What in the world happened here?!”
Gwan Yoon’s eyes swept across the chaotic training ground.
Two wooden swords lying on the ground.
Yeonwoo crying.
Hyeok, looking as though he might burst into tears at any moment in front of the masked man.
He grasped the situation immediately and pressed a hand against his throbbing forehead.
“Hyeok.”
“F-Father… I-It wasn’t…”
“Silence. This incident is your fault.”
“…!”
“Take Hyeok to my room.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
The martial artist who had accompanied Gwan Yoon led Gwan Hyeok away.
Being pushed along by the warrior, Gwan Hyeok finally broke down and burst into tears.
Watching his son leave, Gwan Yoon then approached Woonhyeon.
Lowering his head, he cupped his fists respectfully.
“I am deeply ashamed that something like this happened so soon after our agreement.”
“Before concerning yourself with outside matters, you should first set your own household in order.”
“I will take your words to heart.”
Gwan Yoon lowered his gaze.
At some point, Yeonwoo had firmly attached himself to Woonhyeon’s side, clutching the hem of his clothes while staring warily at Gwan Yoon.
“Are you alright?”
“I hate your son.”
“I’m sorry. I should have paid closer attention…”
Ever since Yeonwoo had been brought into the family, Gwan Yoon had known that Gwan Hyeok was dissatisfied with the decision.
Still, he believed his son had accepted it as a family decision and would simply endure it, since he had never openly expressed his resentment.
“I was too careless.”
“I hate your son!”
“I’ll grant you anything you want. Would you like lots of snacks?”
“…”
Yeonwoo’s lips twitched.
But he must have still been deeply upset.
Without answering, he turned his head away with a huff.
Still…
Yeonwoo was Yeonwoo.
Food was the most important thing in the world to him.
There was no way he’d miss a chance to get a mountain of snacks.
“Send them to my house.”
“Very well. I’ll send plenty of your favorites.”
“Not the dried fruit… I’ll only eat that in Mister’s room.”
“Of course.”
Have them delivered to me through a messenger.
Gwan Yoon looked at Woonhyeon.
Having snacks will also help with his training.
Ah…
He had requested earlier that Yeonwoo’s meals and snacks be reduced for the sake of training.
Trying to cheer the child up had made him forget their agreement.
Looking troubled, Gwan Yoon answered,
“Understood. Then as for Yeonwoo’s mood…”
“Send them. I’ll make sure he understands the meaning behind it.”
Gwan Yoon gave a short nod before straightening himself.
“Then I’ll return to the family head’s residence. Please travel safely.”
“See that what I asked is done.”
After offering one final salute, Gwan Yoon turned and left.
Once he was gone, Woonhyeon held out his hand to the still-pouting Yeonwoo.
“Let’s go home now.”
Yeonwoo grabbed Woonhyeon’s hand.
“Okay.”
The two left the training grounds together.
Even after leaving, Yeonwoo kept grumbling indignantly all the way across the estate.
Finally, just as they were about to step out through the main gate—
“L-Lord Yeonwoo!”
Someone came running toward them.
It was the young attendant who served Gwan Hyeok.
After sprinting across the wide courtyard until he reached them, the boy bent over, panting heavily.
Then, wiping the sweat from his brow, he held out a small pouch to Yeonwoo.
“You left this behind.”
Yeonwoo accepted it.
“What’s this?”
“The dried fruit you entrusted to me. And…”
The attendant glanced around before stepping closer and whispering,
“The item I promised you…”
“…?”
Promised?
Yeonwoo untied the pouch and looked inside.
“Ah!”
Inside was a handful of dried fruit…
…and three pieces of jerky.
Not the two they had agreed on.
Three!
“You…!”
Yeonwoo looked at the attendant with sparkling eyes.
“You’re a really good guy!”
The attendant scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly.
“Please keep it a secret from my young master. If he finds out, I’ll be in big trouble.”
“Mhm.”
Yeonwoo took out a piece of dried fruit and held it out.
“H-Huh? You’re giving it to me?”
“Yeah. Eat.”
“T-Then thank you…”
Without refusing, the attendant accepted it and popped it into his mouth.
The Gwan family estate stood on the frontier of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, a place where food supplies were difficult to obtain.
Only because the Gwan family had maintained its position within the Demonic Cult for generations could they even acquire snacks at all.
Even then, treats were considered precious, even among the servants.
That was why the available snacks were limited to things that were relatively easy to preserve, such as jerky and dried fruit.
Chew.
Chew.
Yeonwoo quietly watched as the attendant devoured it in moments.
Then he took three more pieces of dried fruit from the pouch and held them out.
The attendant’s eyes widened.
He looked back and forth between Yeonwoo and the fruit.
“U-Uh…”
“Eat. I like jerky.”
“Ah…”
The attendant accepted them with both hands.
His hands trembled as though he were committing a crime.
Watching silently, Woonhyeon gently took hold of Yeonwoo’s hand.
“Let’s go now.”
“Okay. Bye!”
Yeonwoo and Woonhyeon turned to leave once more.
After taking only a few steps away from the deeply moved attendant—
“U-Um…!”
The attendant called out again.
The two turned back.
The boy hurried over and blurted out,
“M-My young master lost both of his older brothers…!”
“Hm?”
“He… he was very close to them… but both of them died at the Marong Hall…”
“…”
“S-So…! He wanted revenge! He wanted to uncover the truth behind their deaths and avenge them! That’s why he wanted to go to Marong Hall…!”
The attendant lowered his head deeply.
Clutched tightly against his chest was the dried fruit Yeonwoo had given him.
“My young master doesn’t hate you, Lord Yeonwoo. He’s just frustrated that he can no longer go to Marong Hall…”
The truth was…
He actually liked children his own age.
Out here on the frontier, there weren’t many boys around Gwan Hyeok’s age.
He had no one he could truly call a friend.
He had grown up cherished by his older brothers.
That was why, after losing them, the emptiness he felt was just as great.
It was also why he kept this servant close despite their difference in status.
“I’ll try to speak well of you to my young master. I’m… I’m truly sorry about today…”
The attendant bowed deeply.
After all, it had been he who had led Yeonwoo into the training grounds.
Feeling guilty, he had even gotten scolded by the kitchen staff while trying to obtain an extra piece of jerky.
Yet Yeonwoo had shared his precious snacks with him.
Four pieces in total.
“I see!”
A bright, cheerful voice rang out above the attendant, whose head was still lowered in guilt.
The boy cautiously looked up.
Tap.
He flinched.
Yeonwoo had placed a hand on his shoulder.
“So…”
“Your young master is a good person, right?”
The attendant blinked.
“…Huh?”
“Your young master. Isn’t that what you’ve been trying to tell me?”
Yeonwoo tilted his head.
Meeting those innocent, crystal-clear eyes, the attendant lowered his head once more.
“…I-I think so…”
“Then that’s enough!”
“…?”
The attendant looked up again.
Beneath the brilliant blue sky echoed Yeonwoo’s bright voice.
“I forgive him! Because Yeonwoo has a big heart!”
His eyes were pure and without the slightest trace of malice.
Standing there proudly with his chest puffed out, shining brighter than anything else, Yeonwoo reflected in the attendant’s eyes like a dazzling ray of light.
