A mysterious silver coin sent by someone unknown.
An inexplicable letter.
The ripple it created was powerful enough to confuse three heads.
“Could someone be spying on Hongseong?”
At Yoohee’s words, Hongryeon’s lips sealed shut. It was a story with a plausible possibility.
Hongseong was the place where the Sword Saint resides. Naturally, many people in the martial world were interested. Sword Saint Na Yerin was a person who wouldn’t leave her clan unless something extraordinary happened.
The only times she ventured outside were when a great problem arose in the martial world.
Or, when her disciple was in danger.
“I heard there have been many chaotic incidents in the martial world recently.”
Suddenly increasing evil monsters.
Thugs starting to act more systematically.
There were also unsettling movements within the imperial palace regarding the supply of goods, which was mentioned when I went to Murim Alliance to conduct surveillance and investigation duties.
Thus, if there were a hidden force that needed to create chaos in the world, Hongryeon couldn’t deny that one of the first people they would want to keep in check would be the Sword Saint.
“Are they trying to shake the youngest one to create confusion in Hongseong…?”
However, even so, the likelihood of that was rather low. While it was certainly true that Sayoon was the beloved youngest of the sect, asking whether she had any major influence over Hongseong was a definite no.
Even if she was shaken by this one or two letters, Hongseong could easily manage that.
If they were going to intervene this way, they would need to target someone other than Sayoon.
“Right. They need to target me.”
The owner of Hongseong was Na Yerin, but the one who practically managed Hongseong and taught the disciples was Hongryeon.
Without her, Hongseong would shake significantly and collapse.
“Hmm… then, could they have predicted our confused reactions and sent this?”
Sending these inexplicable items to sow doubt and questions, preventing them from acting rashly.
Hongryeon slowly crossed her arms. The mature swell of her chest pressed hard to provide bodily stimulation, reviving her thoughts.
But, there wasn’t a definitive answer.
According to Yoohee, there were too many possibilities, and there were plenty of good methods to hinder Hongseong’s movements without resorting to such means.
“Or… hmm. What if it’s just purely to support Sayoon?”
“Who?”
“…..W-well, someone?”
Yoohee glanced slightly at Sayoon. She seemed unaware, so how would Yoohee know?
“If it’s someone like me or the other sisters who went out to show their skills, that’d be one thing… but the youngest hasn’t even mastered the first half of Hongseong Divine Art yet. How would they support Sayoon?”
“Investing based on future potential…”
“If they were investing based on future potential, they would reveal who they are instead of hiding their name.”
At Hongryeon’s calm remark, Yoohee firmly closed her mouth.
Well, that’s true.
“To keep supporting without revealing their name… Ugh. This doesn’t seem right.”
At Yoohee’s mumble, Hongryeon sneaked a look at Sayoon. Her small hand was gripping a letter.
Just one line written on it: a concern asking if she was eating well, and that small hand was trembling slightly.
A small hand, trembling slightly as it held onto a letter that only had a worried note about whether she was eating well, threatened to overwhelm her.
“Maknae.”
“Yes, yes, Senior Sister.”
“I don’t know who sent that, but if it was meant to harm you, don’t worry about it.”
Thinking that the maknae was anxious, Hongryeon raised her hand. She forced a smile onto her somewhat blunt face and, reaching out, gently ruffled her hair before speaking seriously.
“Under our Master, we are all like sisters. We will all protect you, the maknae.”
“…Thank you…”
A burning red aura enveloped the girl. Joy, and also guilt. With a strange sensation tickling her chest, Sayoon slightly bowed her head.
“Anyway, it seems there’s no big issue with the letter itself… If another one comes, let’s look at it together.”
What remained was this silver coin. Hongryeon stared intently at the coin before handing it to Sayoon.
“Since it came in your name, it would be right for you to use it.”
Sayoon gazed at the silver coin in her hand. She became a disciple under Sword Saint Na Yerin and later entered the Hongseong clan under her guidance.
However, due to the clan’s frugality, she had never seen or held such a large sum of money before.
The weight of a single silver coin was heavier than she expected.
Holding tightly onto it, Sayoon presented it to Hongryeon.
“Hm?”
“Could you use this for the sect’s operating costs?”
She had received too much. She was living a life filled with too much joy.
But she felt she couldn’t repay any of it.
So, if she could contribute even a little to the operating costs with this coin?
Meeting the determined gaze in Sayoon’s eyes, Hongryeon chuckled softly and shook her head.
“Hongseong isn’t that poor. Use it for something you need.”
“…Okay.”
With the clear rejection, her spirit sank a bit. Ruffling the small bowed head, Hongryeon pointed to the letter and the bundle of boxes.
“Then finish what you were doing.”
A single silver coin.
For some, it was a large amount, while for others, it was small.
And for Sayoon, who had lived her whole life as a beggar orphan, it was an astronomical sum.
“What are you going to do with that?”
“What, I wonder?”
As she stepped out of Hongryeon’s room, Yoohee asked, and Sayoon pondered.
A single silver coin could buy twenty of those delicious sweets.
No, if she went down to shop at the store, which she had to stop by to buy things for the Hongseong clan, buying twenty sweets would get her an extra one, so she could actually buy twenty-one!
“Well, it’s said you should spend extra money quickly.”
“Extra money… right?”
“Isn’t it? We don’t know who sent it, but it’s under your name, right?”
“That’s true, but… what if something happens after using it…?”
“Oh please~. What kind of problem would arise from this?”
To Yoohee, a single silver coin wasn’t all that significant. Therefore, seeing Sayoon hesitate over such a small amount felt both cute and pitiful.
She patted Sayoon’s head.
“You’ll get used to seeing a single silver coin easily later on. Plus, it’s not good for a disciple of Hongseong to be weighed down by money like that.”
“Umm…”
“Or would you like to go out with me later?”
“…Yes. I’ll think about it.”
Nodding slightly while holding the single silver coin tightly in her pocket, she felt a flicker of determination.
While tightly gripping the silver coin that was one nyang, she nodded slightly.
A few days had passed since receiving the silver coin. During that time, Sayoon, who had been groaning and worrying, finally decided where to use it and resolved to go outside with Yoohee.
As they descended into Seomhwa Village, it appeared to Sayoon as a vibrant and cozy place, like a different world.
The bustling market was filled with stalls selling delicious-looking items and fascinating goods.
When she was a beggar, she couldn’t just walk into the market. That was only natural since the beggars often engaged in theft as well as begging. However, now that she wore the Hongseong sect’s uniform, she was no longer a beggar, and the market’s people smiled at her, eager to sell their goods.
Sayoon felt a tickling sensation in her chest.
She was no longer a beggar.
She was no longer alone.
Yoohee, feeling the grip of Sayoon’s small hand tighten, smiled widely and squeezed her hand even more firmly.
“Um… Senior Sister.”
“Yeah? Oh, right. Have you decided what you want to buy? Do you want to get some clothes? Or maybe an accessory…”
“…I want some sweets.”
With a blush on her face, Sayoon mumbled softly. Seeing her pretty cheeks turn rosy, Yoohee laughed and led her straight to the store.
Upon arriving at the only store in Seomhwa Village, Sayoon’s eyes widened in amazement.
The items for sale at the market were nice, but the things sold here looked even better.
Hairpins made of jade and accessories crafted from colorful threads.
There were so many things that made a girl’s heart flutter.
But among them, there was one thing Sayoon was focused on. Exactly colorful, mouthwatering sweets.
“Um… I want to buy some sweets.”
“Yes! How many would you like?!”
The cheerful shopkeeper asked with a smile as she pulled out some silver from her pocket.
“How many can I buy with this one nyang?”
“Let’s see… Yes, you can get twenty, and I’ll throw in one extra for free!”
“I’ll take them all… please.”
“Sure!”
A moment later, the bamboo box was stacked with sweets. Just around that time, Yoohee returned after buying what she needed.
“Oh, did you buy something?”
“Yes.”
“Let me see… Hmm? Why did you buy so many sweets?”
Yoohee asked, puzzled, and Sayoon laughed a bit sheepishly.
“…I wanted to give some to the senior sisters… and to the Master.”
To the Master who saved her, who had once been a useless beggar.
To the senior sisters of the sect who cherished her like a real sister.
She wanted to give back to those who had become a light for her, someone who had no idea what happiness was and was just tired of living each day.
Sayoon tightly held the bamboo box, and Yoohee beamed at her.
Facing that smile, Sayoon thought.
Was there a way to express her gratitude to the person who had provided her with this ‘opportunity’?
*
A few days had passed since entering this world and living as Yu Wol.
There were no particular problems in living here.
Running the store wasn’t hard at all.
Occasionally, there were some rascals causing trouble at the inn, but those could be laughed off as minor annoyances.
Real trouble was much worse than this.
As I perused the documents, I stubbed out my last cigarette in the ashtray and sipped on some bitter tea. The feeling unfurling in my mouth brought a spark of clarity to my mind.
I rummaged through the documents, crushed the last remnants of a cigarette into the ashtray, and took a bitter sip of tea. A sense of clarity washed over me as the taste lingered in my mouth.
“Hmm… Send this over to the Cheongryu Store. And there’s an issue with the food at the inn. We need to improve the quality of the ingredients.”
“Yes.”
My subordinates stepped out of the room to carry out the orders.
I placed the gold and silver coins on the table into the safe.
Yu Wol had a lot of money. Way more than I had expected.
But still, I had no intention of increasing the amount I sent Sayoon.
Right. The allowance I send her is just one silver a week.
Unless something special comes up, I won’t be sending more than that.
What I, we hope for, is for Sayoon to find happiness and grow stronger, not get swept away by money.
No matter how much they say it’s better to cry in a Benz than on a bench, too much money would only become a burden for her.
The essentials will be provided by the Hongseong clan, so better to send just enough for the occasional sweets.
Plus, excessive support might turn her into a ‘please help me’ case.
I remembered a few days ago when I saw Sayoon heading to the Hongseong clan with her sisters, holding some sweets she bought from the store.
That tiny smile created by just one silver was beautiful and filled with happiness—exactly what we all wished for.
Indeed, it was much better this way than trying to approach her directly and getting caught by the authorities.
If all fifty million of us Sayoon Corps members had seen her blushing and shy smile, we would have been overjoyed.
“Huff…”
I shook my head, recalling her smile, and sat back down at the desk.
I could provide this little happiness, but it was up to her sect, the Hongseong, to help her grow stronger.
Preventing the fall of Hongseong was essential to making Sayoon the protagonist.
Of course, I’d be willing to offer some help here and there.
“So far, no major issues…”
I had been observing the state of the martial world over the past few days.
The Iron Blood Clan had yet to reveal themselves, but their lurking presence was creating chaos.
For instance, evil monsters were on the rise.
And thugs were becoming more active.
The world was gradually descending into chaos.
But no need to worry.
What’s important is Sayoon.
As I pondered the tasks ahead, I lit another cigarette.
Just then, a man dressed in black appeared outside.
“Hmm?”
It was the courier. I hadn’t called for him today?
As I puzzled over this, he politely handed me an envelope and cautiously spoke.
“The recipient inquired about you, but I didn’t disclose anything.”
“Well done.”
“When the sender requested that I deliver this, they insisted… If you prefer, I can dispose of it next time.”
“No. It’s fine. Just deliver it.”
Though it was an unexpected situation, it wasn’t bad.
I flicked the envelope and, much like before, the courier quickly vanished.
Turning my attention to the letter in my hand.
The old, rough envelope bore the inscription:
‘Sayoon from the Hongseong clan sends this to her benefactor.’
A rather small, round little phrase.
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