Chapter 48

“What did you say?”

Bukgung Yoon, who had been handling the manor’s backlog, was jolted by the sudden news.

She was so startled that the neat strands at her temples came loose and stuck out. Without bothering to tuck them back, Bukgung Yoon looked at Seo Nak-il.

“What did you just say, Deputy Captain Seo?”

“The Captain seems to be ill.”

“You mean Yeon Mujin is ill?”

Bukgung Yoon nodded and snapped the papers she had been reading back into order. The strands at her temples stuck out and the pages were upside down, but she maintained her composure.

“Yeon Mujin is ill?”

“Manor lord, you’ve asked that four times already.”

“I see. But… why is Captain Yeon ill?”

“If you’re asking why…”

Seo Nak-il had known Bukgung Yoon for a long time. He’d been at the manor since before Yeon Mujin arrived—back in the days of Jeong Yeo-gwang and Wang Ga-hwa—so it had been quite a few years. Even he had never seen Bukgung Yoon like this.

“Se-gwang said the Captain’s been strangely low on energy since returning from Namsa Lake. He seems to have spent more time alone…”

To be honest, Seo Nak-il wasn’t certain—Yeon Mujin had seemed the same as ever to him.

“It’s true that since his return, Captain Yeon has seemed more subdued.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Isn’t it obvious to anyone who looks?”

“Um… yes, I suppose so.”

“At first I thought it was just travel fatigue.”

“Travel fatigue? The Captain? That man doesn’t get travel fatigue. Our Captain is the fittest in the External Protection Troops.”

“Is that so?”

“Our guess is he may have suffered internal injuries during the Namsa Lake battle.”

“Ah.”

Bukgung Yoon let out a short groan. Internal injuries—she hadn’t considered that.

“Is it serious?”

“Well… it’s not certain.”

“Not certain?”

“We didn’t get a good look at how the Captain fought. It was chaotic. Saying he has internal injuries is only speculation.”

“Why not ask him directly?”

“Do you think the Captain would answer willingly?”

They pictured it for a moment.

“Mm, no, he wouldn’t.”

“Right?”

“Still, since he hasn’t said anything, it might be a minor internal injury. Captain Yeon is very responsible; if it were serious, he’d have mentioned it.”

“Uh, um. That is… Manor lord.”

“Yes?”

“Yesterday the Captain said he might be away for a short time…”

“What?”

The strands at Bukgung Yoon’s temples stuck out twice as much.

“Is it that serious?”

“It seems serious.”

“What should we do?”

“But we can’t tell where he’s hurt, so…”

“Shall we call Captain Yeon and interrogate him?”

“I don’t think he’d answer.”

“Should we torture him until he answers?”

“…”

Seo Nak-il stared at Bukgung Yoon. She flushed and averted her gaze.

“I was just joking.”

That didn’t sound like a joke.

Anyway, the important thing was Yeon Mujin’s health. How could they find out what was wrong and where he was hurt?

At that moment, Hye-ran burst in carrying a stack of papers as tall as she was and set them down in the manor lord’s office.

“Manor lord, I’ve brought the report materials.”

Bukgung Yoon and Seo Nak-il exchanged glances.

“Hye-ran!”

“Ah! Yes! Huh?”

“I have a task for you.”

“Me?”

“It’s an extremely important matter that affects the fate of Flying Swallow Manor.”

Hye-ran trembled as Bukgung Yoon’s looming face approached.

“Yes…? Me…?”

Hye-ran crouched low with a black cloth tied over her head. She’d changed into the darkest clothes she had and melted into the shadows to avoid attention. She muttered an incantation to herself.

I am a lone assassin…

No, an assassin kills people, right? That won’t do.

I am a highly skilled thief…

That doesn’t seem right either.

I am a secret agent on a special mission…

“What are you doing?”

Do-gun, passing by, saw Hye-ran’s suspicious attire and asked.

“Shh, go away.”

“What are you doing in broad daylight, wearing a headcloth?”

“I’m on a special mission.”

“Are you trying to steal food from the kitchen? You’ll get in trouble for that.”

“Do I look like I’d tell on you?”

Do-gun’s eyes widened at Hye-ran’s sharp reply.

“Cook! Hye-ran is here!”

“Hey!”

Hye-ran clamped Do-gun’s mouth shut.

“If you don’t want to get scolded, keep your mouth closed.”

With his mouth covered, Do-gun asked with his eyes: Why are you making such a fuss?

“The manor lord asked. He wants me to follow the Captain for one day.”

“Follow him?!”

“Yes. Follow him all day without being noticed. Observe what he does. Report immediately if you see anything strange.”

“What!”

It was exactly the sort of mission to fire a boy’s adventurous spirit.

Do-gun immediately said, “Let me come too.”

Hye-ran hesitated. If she brought him he might be clumsy; if she left him behind he’d snoop and get in the way…

“On one condition: you must not be seen. Ever.”

“Of course. I’ve stolen kitchen dumplings a few times without being seen.”

“…That was you?”

“Shh.”

Perhaps they’d gained more reliable backup than expected.

Hye-ran and Do-gun moved stealthily through the shadows of Flying Swallow Manor. Their target was one person: the External Protection Troops’ leader, Yeon Mujin.

Though the servants watching them muttered, “What are those kids doing instead of working?” and “There’s nothing to do today; let them play,” the two were serious.

“Found him?”

“Found him.”

“What is he doing?”

“He’s just sitting still.”

Today’s schedule for the External Protection Troops was free sparring. While the members noisily practiced, Yeon Mujin sat apart in a lotus position with his eyes closed.

“Any suspicious signs?”

“Not yet…”

“Hm… Training ground, all clear.”

Do-gun pulled out his notebook and wrote: All clear.

“What’s that?”

“It means nothing unusual.”

“What’s that in your hand?”

“I got this from the Internal Affairs department.”

“What are you going to do with that?”

“You’re an idiot. If we’re reporting to the manor lord, we have to write a report. Haven’t you seen what Internal Affairs does?”

“…That’s more professional than I thought.”

“This is basic.”

Do-gun grinned and pinched a corner of Hye-ran’s black clothing.

“You’re impressive for preparing a night outfit.”

“This is still basic.”

Hye-ran smiled like a professional secret agent and nodded.

The two youngsters waited with considerable patience until Yeon Mujin finished his qi cultivation and rose.

“What are those kids doing over there?” someone asked.

“Leave them be. Maybe the Captain told them to do something.”

Of course, the troops had long since noticed them.

“Oh, he’s moving.”

“Hide, hide!”

Yeon Mujin stood, brushed himself off, and tutted. “Continue the remaining training as you see fit.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have business at the market, so I need to step out for a bit.”

“Please return safely.”

Yeon Mujin strode away from the training ground. Do-gun and Hye-ran trailed him closely.

“Where is he going?”

At the market, Yeon Mujin stopped in front of a flower child—a small, filthy boy with gaunt cheeks who looked no older than Hye-ran or Do-gun. His clothes were tattered, his hair unwashed, but the flowers in his basket were kept clean, as if cherished. He sat in a quiet alley off the main road.

Yeon Mujin addressed the child. “You foolish kid. How can you sell here and expect customers?”

“Who are you? If you’re not buying, go away.”

“If you want to sell, you should go out to that main road. Why sit here and suffer?”

“There are extortion thugs on that road, so I can’t. This is the best I can do.”

Even by late afternoon the child’s basket was still full.

Yeon Mujin snapped his fingers. The child reflexively caught the coin he flicked out. When he opened his hand, a silver coin lay in his palm.

“…!”

“I hate fools. I’ll buy the rest of your stock. Take this and get out of here.”

The child’s eyes widened.

“Don’t waste it. Go straight home and make your mother some medicine.”

Yeon Mujin said this, waved, picked up the basket, and vanished into the crowd.

The child, handed a coin, stared blankly in the direction Yeon Mujin had gone. “How did he know my mother was sick…?”

Do-gun wrote in his notebook: —Bought a basket of flowers.

Beneath that he added: —A gift for a lover?

If Yeon Mujin had a secret lover, that would be report-worthy.

The two continued following him.

Yeon Mujin’s next stop was a fabric shop run by Mister Hwang, a heavyset man with shaggy leg hair. Yeon Mujin approached Hwang, who was dozing in his seat.

“Welcome!”

“Aah!” Hwang leaped up, startled. “You scared me!”

“Are you not doing business?”

“You could have called quietly!”

“I called quietly several times. You just didn’t hear, brother.”

Of course that was a lie.

“What do you need?”

“A baby wrap. The very best.”

Hwang eyed Yeon Mujin up and down. He didn’t look like someone with a baby, but he couldn’t refuse a customer. He handed over the best wrap.

Yeon Mujin took the wrap and offered the flower basket as payment. “I’ll pay with this.”

“Hey! How much does a wrap cost, and you’re giving me this!?” Hwang cried, flustered, but Yeon Mujin was already gone.

Rifling through the basket, Hwang discovered the silver coin hidden beneath the bouquet.

“Huh?” One silver coin covered the cost of the wrap. Hwang tilted his head and looked around. “Today happens to be my wife’s memorial day, and I did need flowers…”

Do-gun watched and wrote: —Bought a wrap. Why would he need this?

Could Yeon Mujin have a hidden child instead of a secret lover? That would be a scoop. But if he needed a wrap, why buy flowers first?

Puzzled, Do-gun and Hye-ran kept following.

Yeon Mujin stopped by a woman steaming dumplings. A toothless baby bawled strapped to her back. Yeon Mujin handed over the wrap as payment for dumplings and bought twenty of them.

“Count this toward the payment.”

When the woman took the wrap, she found a silver coin inside. Startled, she called after Yeon Mujin, but he had already gone.

“Let’s keep following him.”

Next, Yeon Mujin led them into a secluded alley in Taiyuan. Do-gun and Hye-ran, who knew Taiyuan well, had never seen this hidden spot before.

Yeon Mujin walked deep into the alley.

“If we follow in, we’ll probably be seen. Should we wait here?”

“Good idea.”

Yeon Mujin came back out sooner than expected, and the dumplings he’d been carrying were gone.

“What’s going on here?”

“You stay here and watch where the Captain goes. I’ll check inside.”

Do-gun dashed in and found ragged children greedily devouring the dumplings Yeon Mujin had left. There were enough to feed them all with leftovers.

Do-gun was confused. What should he write in the report?

When he reemerged, Hye-ran motioned urgently. “Quick! The Captain went this way!”

They caught up and found Yeon Mujin entering a shabby pharmacy.

“I know this place. There’s a little peephole around the back where you can peek inside,” Do-gun whispered.

“You know a lot of strange things, don’t you?”

“Hey, if we ever get kicked out of Flying Swallow Manor, knowing this stuff will help.”

The two slipped to the peephole and eavesdropped.

They held their breath as muttering voices filtered through.

“Here again?” the pharmacy owner asked.

“You came in?” the Captain replied.

“I understand it’s urgent, but how can you come every single day?”

“What if someone else comes and takes it while I’m not here?”

“Don’t worry; the medicine you’re looking for is so rare there isn’t much demand for it.”

Do-gun and Hye-ran exchanged wide-eyed looks. The Captain was searching for medicine.

“So, has my medicine arrived?”

“It hasn’t. It will take a long time to come in.”

“I’ll pay any amount for it.”

“Money isn’t the issue. I’d sell it quickly if I had it! But the herb is exhausted, do you hear me?”

Yeon Mujin’s low, hoarse voice flowed through the crack.

Then came the words that froze them.

“I’m begging you. Without that medicine, I’ll die.”

Hye-ran and Do-gun looked at each other through the peephole.

…Did he just say what they thought?

Yeon Mujin’s voice continued. “It’s the medicine that will save my life.”

“Even if you say that… well…”

Thud!

Two children bumped their heads on the peephole and then hurriedly ran out.