The next day.
As I was getting dressed to head to Baekhyun’s apothecary as usual, I sensed a presence outside my home.
“Hmm! Hmm! Is anyone here?”
Curious about who it could be so early in the morning, I opened the door and stepped outside, where I found a middle-aged man I had never seen before standing in the yard.
“Excuse me, who are you?”
The man stroked his beard with a dignified air and replied, “I have heard that there is a person named Ichilbok living here.”
“That would be my name, but who might you be?”
With a look of excitement on his face, the man asked, “Then our conversation will be swift. Didn’t you rescue a girl from the stream in front of the village yesterday around the hour of Yu?”
I felt a sense of foreboding but nodded anyway. “Yes, I did.”
“That girl is the only precious daughter of our master. Thus, our master has instructed me to bring her savior here with utmost respect.”
Pointing outside the yard, I saw a large palanquin behind the wall, along with four strong men who appeared to have carried it here.
Feeling dizzy, I politely declined the man’s offer. “There’s no need for me to ride a palanquin. I can walk just fine, so please take it away.”
The man looked troubled and said, “Could you please just ride in it? While it may be comfortable for you to walk, it would be quite the shock for me and the gentlemen if your savior just strolled by.”
Seeing the faces of the men outside again made my heart soften.
Surely they too were someone’s children and fathers.
Arguing over this seemed pointless and would only exhaust me, so I ultimately decided to close my eyes and accept his request.
“Alright. Let’s do that.”
The middle-aged man smiled brightly. “Then shall we depart right away?”
I almost agreed, but then realized that my attire was not fitting, so I temporarily halted him. “Please wait a moment. I will freshen up and be right out.”
I wasn’t going to meet someone looking like a mess after all!
*
After I cleansed myself and changed into the cleanest clothes I had, the palanquin could finally set off.
Clunk! Clunk!
My first experience in a palanquin wasn’t exactly described as a pleasant ride.
The palanquin, jostling without cease, was large enough to fit an adult man, yet it made me realize why the royal palanquins in historical dramas seem so vast.
There were no windows, and the space felt cramped, making it rather suffocating.
And why in the world was my backside so sore?
The cotton cushions below were not doing their job, leaving me feeling like I was taking small hits from a light punishment stick.
‘This was why I had said I would walk.’
If both the passenger and the carriers are uncomfortable, then who on Earth is this palanquin really for?
As I grumbled inwardly, I merely waited for us to reach our destination.
Clunk!
“We have arrived.”
At the sound of the bearer’s voice from outside, I lightly clenched my fists.
As the door of the palanquin opened, I jumped out without anyone having a chance to stop me.
“Oof!”
As soon as my feet touched the ground, a sharp pain shot up from my backside.
But I was a man, after all, and wouldn’t allow myself to rub my legs in front of others, so I gritted my teeth and pretended it didn’t hurt.
At that moment, the middle-aged man who brought me here spoke up beside me.
“Ho ho, prepare to be shocked. This is the Dokgo family estate.”
“Excuse me?”
I was taken aback by his bizarre statement and looked ahead.
And without realizing it, I let out a gasp.
“Wow.”
Before me stood a wooden mansion of grandeur that put the shabby buildings of the village to shame.
‘I’ve only seen places like this in Chinese movies.’
Perhaps it was because my expected reaction came out, the middle-aged man laughed heartily and nudged me forward.
“Well then, let’s head inside. The master has been waiting eagerly.”
*
The interior of the Dokgo estate was even more splendid than its exterior.
Traditional buildings lined up, koi swimming in ponds, and a well-tended garden; it was like stepping into another world for someone accustomed to the derelict structures of the village.
“Follow me this way.”
Perhaps I looked adorably amazed, as the man smiled proudly while leading the way.
I felt a bit embarrassed, but pride wouldn’t feed me, so I pressed on and observed my surroundings.
After a while, we arrived at the most lavishly decorated building within the estate.
Surely, the owner of this mansion was inside.
Validating my assumption, the middle-aged man who brought me here raised his voice.
“Master! I have brought the savior of your daughter, as commanded!”
Soon after, a heavy voice echoed from behind the tightly shut doors.
“Bring him in.”
The middle-aged man glanced at me and said kindly, “That’s my role done; now you may enter.”
“Thank you for guiding me here.”
As I bowed my head, he waved his hand dismissively.
“I only did what I ought to do. I should rather thank you for saving the life of the lady. If you find yourself in trouble later, just come to this mansion and look for a man named Jang.”
“Yes. I understand.”
I couldn’t tell how sincere he was, but if he could say such confident words, he likely held a decent position in this mansion.
I decided to remember the name Jang as I stepped through the doors he personally opened.
Clunk!
As soon as I crossed the threshold, the wide doors slammed shut behind me.
With no way to turn back now, I slowly advanced, feeling as if I were entering a tiger’s den.
As I passed through a short corridor, I was met by a small red table at the end.
Sitting in front of it was a tall, imposing old man with a very fierce gaze.
“Welcome.”
At that moment, I instinctively realized that this elder was the master of the mansion.
It made sense; it would be rare to find someone in this world who could effortlessly dominate the atmosphere merely by breathing.
In that regard, the pressure I felt when I first saw Dokgorin was quite similar to what the old man radiated.
I found myself overwhelmed by his aura and opened my mouth.
“Greetings, sir. I am Ichilbok.”
“I heard from Rin about what happened yesterday. So, it was you who jumped in to save her when she fell into the water?”
“Yes, but I would like you to know that I didn’t do it with any expectation of reward.”
“Ho ho, I’ve heard that before. Quite thoughtful for a child. Perhaps that’s why my daughter has been talking about you since she returned home.”
…Daughter?
I almost blurted out in shock at the unexpected information.
It made sense; the man sitting before me looked like he could easily be over sixty.
I had been certain he was a grandfather figure.
But perhaps the old man could sense my bewilderment; he spoke in a gentle tone, a smile gracing his face.
“However, it would be absurd to not give any reward to the savior of none other than Dokgojin’s youngest daughter. So, don’t decline—tell me what you wish for. Whatever it is, I will surely grant it.”
“Reward, you say?”
I was taken aback by the sudden blank check, my head spinning.
Such an unreal situation was far too extravagant for a twelve-year-old worried about daily survival.
After much internal contemplation, I finally spoke.
“I want to earn money.”
At this, the old man chuckled and nodded his head.
“That would be easy. I can tell my chief steward to bring gold immediately.”
He moved to ring a bell nearby.
But that wasn’t what I wanted, so I quickly stopped him.
“No! I didn’t ask for money!”
The old man raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to earn money?”
“I certainly do need money. However, I don’t want a large sum. It would be obvious that someone like me, a mere orphan, possessing significant wealth would attract trouble.”
After hearing my explanation, the old man stroked his beard with an intrigued expression.
“Go on.”
“What I need is a place to work. Ideally, a stable job where I can receive my pay regularly. A child like me really only requires food and shelter; I don’t need large amounts of money. So if you wish to reward me, please consider this.”
As I bowed my head, the old man remained silent for a moment.
But only briefly did this silence last.
“Haha! Very well! I shall grant you what you ask! It seems we have a truly amusing friend here!”
He laughed heartily, clearly pleased, and accepted my proposal.
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