The next day arrived. As I was organizing my thoughts about what to import while watching Hongryeon, Chaejin, Hyunhwi, and Chaeran head to the training ground, I returned to my room.
– Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
“It’s the Innkeeper. Do you have a moment?”
It was Sayoon. She peeked her head in with an awkward smile, and I stood up.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Um, I have a favor to ask…”
Sayoon, who was hesitating, cautiously opened her mouth. She wanted to buy gifts for the Senior Sisters.
Of course, there would be an opportunity to tour Cheongho on the last day, but that meant we would all be together, making it hard to fully enjoy it.
“Actually, I wanted to train a bit more, but the Doje said resting is important too… So, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to come with me. You’d have a better eye for things than I would. Can I ask you for this favor?”
Seeing me eyeing her a little, Sayoon smiled brightly.
“I’ll treat you to lunch today!”
How could I refuse this?
“Haha. I did need to go out again for market research anyway. It’s perfect. Let’s go together. Lunch is on me.”
“Eh? That’s fine!”
“If we save on that, we can increase the budget for gifts, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
“Shall we go now?”
“Yes!”
Walking out with Sayoon, I strolled through the now-familiar streets of Cheongho.
It was Sayoon’s first time in Cheongho’s market, and while she sparkled with excitement, I pointed to one side.
It was a place with small accessories that women would like. Sayoon, gazing intently at them, nodded and walked over.
“Oh! Welcome! What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for something to give as gifts to the Senior Sisters and my Master.”
“What’s your budget?”
After thinking for a moment, Sayoon whispered in a small voice to the young shopkeeper. While the shopkeeper showed her various things, I was startled to see something hanging on one wall.
It was a bizarre wooden doll painted red.
I picked it up to check, and the shopkeeper, who was still with Sayoon, approached me curiously.
“That’s a Ho-wol doll.”
“How much is this?”
“Just ten nyang for the silver. Someone sold it for that before… It looks weird, so it hasn’t sold well. Ah, they say it could yield good materials if you’re lucky.”
“You haven’t tried it?”
“I’m not into testing luck with merchandise.”
I immediately handed her ten nyang in silver. Meanwhile, Sayoon, having finished browsing, came over.
“Did you buy that?”
“Yeah. How about you?”
“Hehe. I’m planning to wander around a bit more.”
It seemed the innkeeper was a bit disappointed, but perhaps because they were sorting inventory, they smiled and saw us off.
“But what is that?”
“It’s called a Ho-wol doll. It’s made in the north…”
“The north isn’t exactly an easy place to get to, right? Speaking of which, Gi Noya is from the north…”
“Yeah. It’s not easy to get things from the north.”
That’s why I bought this doll. In fact, the doll itself wasn’t the main deal; it was the wood used to make it that was important.
I scraped off the paint from the doll with my dagger.
Underneath the paint, the wood that formed the doll revealed a subtle sheen of black.
“What is it?”
“It’s called Wall Tree.”
A jujube tree struck by lightning.
It’s abundant in the north, where lightning strikes often, but it’s hard to find in the south.
“Wow. You’re really impressive, Innkeeper.”
“Haha. What can I say.”
According to the seller, this was a bit of luck too.
Many times, disassembling a Ho-wol doll would just yield a random piece of wood instead of Wall Tree.
Anyway, what I got is what I got; I need to make good use of it later.
“Alright. Shall we head to another place?”
We roamed around the market street of Cheongho, and in the end, Sayoon chose a small accessory for the Hongseong people. It was an accessory made of red jewels and yellow threads.
After buying several, I haggled with the seller since I’m in the business too, managing to get a decent discount.
“Phew… If it weren’t for the innkeeper, I wouldn’t have been able to buy this.”
The quality was a bit lacking, but since it was made from jewels, it still cost quite a bit.
Even after buying this, I still had quite a bit of silver left.
Maybe that’s why? Sayoon had a big smile on her face.
“Since I’ve got some money left, I guess I can use that for pocket money.”
I took a quick glance earlier and it seemed like about thirty liang of silver was left. When I said that with a smile, Sayoon shook her head.
“I still have to buy something for Grandmother Yohwan… and…”
She gulped nervously as she continued,
“I want to give a gift to someone else…”
“Haha. Alright. But it’s getting late, so let’s eat lunch first.”
I headed with Sayoon to a nearby inn.
When we ordered a decent meal there, Sayoon looked at me for a moment and asked,
“Innkeeper, do you perhaps have any worries?”
“Worries? I worry every day.”
To carry out the scenario, there’s always a ton of things to think about.
So, I couldn’t help but mull those over and decide what to do.
“I heard from my master that thinking can complicate things for people. Sometimes, how about just zoning out without any thoughts?”
“Really?”
“Haha. That’s quite right.”
“I always hear good stories from the Innkeeper. I wanted to say something like this too.”
I smiled at her puffed-up pride, then grabbed my chopsticks as the dish was served.
“Alright. Shall we eat and then explore more? I think Yohwan would be happy to get some ingredients for herbal dishes as a gift.”
“Oh! Then we should head to the herbalist!”
I filled my belly enough with the meal in front of me. After finishing lunch, we left the inn.
We went to the herbalist to buy a gift for Yohwan, and then headed to Cheongho to get a present for the ‘Mister.’
There, Sayoon picked out a gift.
A blue dragon statue—a piece created in hopes of invoking the dragon that lives in Cheongho—seemed quite valuable even just as decoration.
In fact, it was an item of value in Heavenly Bright Moon, and just owning it raised one’s power.
Despite spending almost all her money on it, Sayoon looked quite satisfied, and I nodded in agreement.
Since I’m getting more gifts from Sayoon, I should probably get a bigger vault.
“Oh! Innkeeper! Would you like that?”
Cheongho, known for its many sights, had plenty of snacks for onlookers.
Pointing to a stall selling warm red bean buns, Sayoon said, and I smiled as I walked alongside her.
“I won’t buy it.”
“Hehe. I have a few coins left.”
“What will you do if you spend them all?”
“I’ve bought everything I need! Hmm… When I go back, I need to make incense bags and work hard on growing herbs!”
Her vibrant demeanor was refreshing. Using up all her remaining coins, she bought two red bean buns.
While walking towards a spot near Cheongho to sit and eat them, our steps suddenly stopped.
What is that…?
“Uh… that monk.”
Our eyes focused on an old monk sitting beneath a large tree, dressed in worn and shabby robes, blankly staring at the frozen Cheongho. As we approached, we heard it.
– Grumble grumble.
From the monk’s belly came the sound. Upon hearing it, Sayoon approached the monk without any hesitation.
“Monk, monk.”
“…Hmm? Haha. Young lady, what brings you here?”
“Um, you seem a bit hungry. May I offer you some food?”
Sayoon politely bowed her head and offered him a red bean bun.
As the monk stared at the steaming, delicious bun she had just purchased, he smiled and shook his head, making Sayoon flustered.
“It’s so cold out today, and if you’re hungry sitting here, it won’t be good for your health. How about you eat this and go to a warm place to warm up?”
“Namu Amita Bul. But, isn’t that all you have?”
“I’m full…”
“Also, it’s my first time seeing you, Si-joo.”
“What does it matter that it’s our first meeting? I know someone who purely helped others. Isn’t it wrong for me, who received help from them, to help someone else?”
At Sayoon’s question, the monk fell silent. Then he smiled gently, bringing his hands together in a prayer pose and bowing his head.
“…I remember a saying from the Buddha: ‘Compassion lies within the world.’ I don’t know how to express my gratitude for Si-joo’s generous heart.”
When Sayoon urged him again, the monk accepted the red bean bun with a smile. Watching him chew on it made Sayoon beam, and once he finished, he got up from his seat.
“Unexpected mercy has appeared in an unexpected place, and I’ve met someone who knows the value of sharing. How can this Museong just leave?”
Saying this, the monk pulled out a small mirror from his robe and handed it over.
As Sayoon took it with curiosity, I stepped closer and spoke.
“I am honored to meet the Museong of Shaolin.”
“Haha. No need to be so formal with a humble monk who has achieved nothing. Namu Amitabul.”
The Shaolin Museong.
He was of the same generation as the previous Shaolin Abbot and was the head of the eighteen arhats, but after retiring, he wandered, claiming the Buddha’s compassion lies in the world.
Even in the Heavenly Bright Moon, you might spot him here and there, and when you do meet him, it’s like an event that you just have to participate in because he often gives out good items.
I knew this and was ready to act, but Sayoon had no idea and just went for it.
The Museong smiled brightly at Sayoon, who tilted her head, holding the mirror.
“I believe when Si-joo grows, she will spread great light in the world. That mirror is the key to seeing oneself. It will surely help you as you learn martial arts.”
Packing up his belongings, he said goodbye to me and vanished into the distance in an instant.
As Sayoon watched him disappear in a daze, she turned to me with a befuddled expression.
“Um… That person was quite something, wasn’t he?”
“Indeed. After all, he was one of the eighteen arhats and the one who defeated a former head of the demon cult, the Thousand Deaths.”
“Wow… But… what is this? A key?”
Astonished, Sayoon tilted her head while looking at the mirror the Museong had given her. I chuckled.
It was a rare item called the ‘Simhon-kyung,’ a key to enter the ‘Mirror Realm,’ where one could meet their Simma based on their mental imagery. Passing through that realm allows one to advance their martial arts to a higher level.
By the way, it’s hard to find these items as there aren’t many around. Yet, she got it with a measly red bean bun worth just a few coins.
I smiled at the wide-eyed Sayoon.
Every time, I feel rewarded for my diligent support. Truly.
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