14 — Who Am I (4)

The three of them sat with a table between them.

Jin-hyeon handed Seol Hong-baek four books wrapped in cloth.

“I’ve organized it. There’s not much left now.”

“Ah, thank you.”

It should have been a moment of joy, yet Seol Hong-baek’s face was filled only with turmoil.

Before he could even begin the main discussion with Lee Ho-gon, this incident had occurred. From what he’d heard, it was clearly the fault of the warrior from the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild, and it was something that warranted questioning—but the complicated situation had become even more tangled.

Placing the cloth bundle on his desk, Seol Hong-baek sat back down.

“For now…”

The atmosphere was so frigid it felt suffocating.

Seol Hong-baek spoke.

“Allow me to begin with introductions. This is Guild Leader Lee Ho-gon, master of the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild, one of the three great merchant guilds of Sichuan.”

Jin-hyeon bowed silently.

“And this is Teacher Jin-hyeon, a guest of my household.”

Lee Ho-gon did not bow. He only glared at Jin-hyeon through half-lidded eyes.

Watching the two in silence, Seol Hong-baek spoke bluntly.

“We all know this cannot be a harmonious gathering, so let us calm ourselves and speak plainly.”

“…Hmm.”

Lee Ho-gon lifted his teacup and said,

“Very well.”

Instead of answering, Jin-hyeon chose to ask a question.

“Is the White Lotus Unit in training?”

“Yes. Barring any incident, they go out once every half month for group training. They leave in the morning and return before sunset.”

“I see.”

He thought they were being far too easygoing.

Regardless of Seol Hong-baek’s character, this was not a good approach. Seol Hong-baek must have been confident he could resolve this peacefully.

That could not be allowed.

The Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild side would never drag this into a violent clash, but there was always that slim chance.

‘Hmm.’

After wetting his throat with tea, Jin-hyeon reconsidered.

‘If this too was part of a strategy, perhaps it made sense.’

Jin-hyeon’s experience was a century old. People might be the same everywhere, but regions differed, and so did their ways.

He figured there must be a reason. At the very least, the Seol Hong-baek he’d seen, was neither a fool nor a careless man.

Looking calmly at the two, Seol Hong-baek spoke to Jin-hyeon.

“We were just speaking about the state of the world.”

“Were you now?”

Jin-hyeon turned his gaze to Lee Ho-gon.

Lee Ho-gon set down his teacup and spoke.

“Fine hair you’ve got there.”

He was referring to the white-streaked hair on Jin-hyeon’s left side.

“My thanks for the compliment.”

The corner of Lee Ho-gon’s lips curled upward.

“You may be a guest of the Seol family, but not of the Mighty Tiger. Still, I am the head of a great guild, older in years—don’t you think your tone is a little excessive?”

Jin-hyeon smiled as he replied.

“I may lack much, but I am not one who fails to know respect.”

“And yet?”

“To the father of a son who spewed unspeakable insults—about how they built up a ruined clan 70 years ago, about family this and that, and spat out insults so vile they’re hard to repeat—like saying we’d be left licking toes for the rest of our lives. And you expect me to speak politely to the father of such a wretch?”

“!!”

Seol Hong-baek and Lee Ho-gon’s faces stiffened at once.

Jin-hyeon sipped his tea and spoke.

“I’m not even of the Seol Clan, yet my anger rose and I could not stay silent. Had he not been of Mighty Tiger blood, would he even have survived that moment?”

“…Now see here—”

“I have no reason to respect you. At least, not right now.”

Lee Ho-gon glared at Jin-hyeon and tossed his words.

“My third son is reckless, foul-mouthed, and somewhat rude. That much is true.”

“Is that so?”

“But I do not believe everything you’ve just said to be the truth.”

“Even if it were true, would you believe it?”

“You—are you saying you want to fight me?”

“And why are you so confident?”

“What?”

“Of course you wouldn’t be pleased that your son came home beaten. But if you truly knew the full story and intended to resolve this matter properly, you should not have brought warriors with you.”

“!”

“You came not as a father, but as a merchant guild leader. That is the second reason I do not respect you.”

Lee Ho-gon’s expression wavered faintly.

But he, too, had something to say.

“You’re a man ignorant of the world. This matter must be resolved not as a father, but as master of a guild. The same goes for the Patriarch Seol—that is why this meeting was arranged.”

“Then why did you bring warriors?”

“They are my guards.”

“Did the Seol Clan look so weak to you?”

“You—!”

Thud!

Seol Hong-baek slammed his hand on the table.

“Enough!”

“……”

“I know this is a matter bound to inflame tempers. Let us speak with reason as best we can. I, too, am doing so.”

I, too, am restraining myself.

It meant that as Seol So-ha’s father, he was more than angry enough.

Jin-hyeon drank his tea in silence. Lee Ho-gon, too, leaned back in his chair with arms crossed.

After a brief silence, Seol Hong-baek spoke.

“Teacher.”

“Please speak.”

“Guild Leader here wished to meet you, yes. But I too preferred having you present over my daughter. You are a guest of my household, and may speak favorably toward us—but at least, your words will sound more objective than So-ha’s.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“My thanks.”

Seol Hong-baek spoke to Lee Ho-gon.

“Since the matter has been raised, let us go straight to the main point.”

“Agreed.”

Seol Hong-baek inclined his head slightly.

“My daughter’s hand was excessive. In this, as a father, I offer a clear apology.”

Lee Ho-gon looked at him quietly, then sighed in frustration and nodded.

“I’ve been buried in work and neglected managing my children. The eldest and second manage to act properly, but the youngest does not.”

“……”

“Truthfully, seeing my third son carried in filled me with rage to the very top of my head. He is a child I scold constantly, yet still—he is my own flesh and blood.”

“I understand.”

“I was truly furious, but what can I do? The ties between your household and mine run deep. They may be a little old to be called children, but at such an age of hot-blooded vigor, such incidents are bound to happen.”

His tone carried notable flexibility.

Lee Ho-gon nodded.

“It would be best to settle this matter here. I will speak to my third son firmly.”

“Since you say so, my heart is much lighter. When Young Master Lee Yong-do recovers, I shall send my daughter to apologize.”

“I would be grateful.”

Lee Ho-gon glanced sidelong at Jin-hyeon.

“I wished to hear a few words from your guest as well, but since the Patriarch has spoken first, I have nothing more to add. Since we are here, why not discuss the Jeongga cloth matter instead?”

It was a veiled way of telling him to leave.

Jin-hyeon chuckled faintly. Seeing it, Lee Ho-gon frowned.

“You, what in the world….…”

“The matter isn’t finished yet.”

Lee Ho-gon looked to Seol Hong-baek.

Seol Hong-baek wet his lips with tea and continued.

“Teacher Jin-hyeon.”

“Speak, Patriarch.”

“Could you recount in detail what happened there before us?”

“Of course.”

Lee Ho-gon frowned as he spoke.

“Wasn’t this supposed to end here?”

Seol Hong-baek smiled. That faint smile somehow unsettled Lee Ho-gon.

“He may not be the Mighty Tiger’s guest, but he is mine. He was present at the incident, so if I dismissed him without a word, what would that say of my regard for him?”

“……”

“Teacher, if you would.”

“It’s no trouble.”

Jin-hyeon explained in detail what had happened that day.

The sudden arrival of a spoiled young master, and the fateful clash that began with Lee Yong-do.

He recounted Yong-do’s posture and attitude—so petty he hadn’t even considered them true rudeness. It oddly felt like tattling to the boy’s father, which gave the account a strangely refreshing air.

Then came Seol So-ha’s rage, provoked by him, that could still have ended well—until Lee Yong-do’s vile curses drove the matter to extremes.

Finally, he laid bare his own actions—snapping Lee Yong-do’s ankle and demanding an apology.

“……”

A heavy silence lingered.

Seol Hong-baek had already heard So-ha’s account, yet hearing it from Jin-hyeon stoked his anger anew.

Seol So-ha, mindful of her own fault, had avoided detailing Lee Yong-do’s curses or behavior lest it sound like an excuse.

But Jin-hyeon carried no such guilt.

He told every moment as he remembered it—truthfully, vividly, with such skill that the two listeners felt as though they themselves stood in that past scene.

Jin-hyeon sipped his tea and spoke.

“I do not know where one ought to draw the line of who counts as a man of the martial world.”

“……”

“If we exclude those who’ve never properly learned martial arts, then yes—he was lucky. Were it the people of Murim, a duel of life and death would have broken out right there.”

Seol Hong-baek looked at Lee Ho-gon.

His face stayed composed, yet the fury in his eyes was tremendous. Even suppressed, it seeped forth with such force that Lee Ho-gon himself felt a chill.

Lee Ho-gon burst out.

“Those words—I cannot believe them all!”

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“I expected you’d say that. Most parents refuse to believe their children’s misdeeds.”

“No matter how worthless he may be, to have gone so far! And his companions, they—!”

“Shifting blame is the least of it—sometimes they even twist it to paint the other as the villain fit to be killed.”

Lee Ho-gon’s cheeks trembled.

Jin-hyeon set down his teacup and said,

“It is a difficult case. After all, it was your side that was beaten. Before even weighing the unspoken laws of the martial world, this is a matter between tied households—one I cannot rightfully interfere in.”

“……”

“All I can offer is the plain truth of what happened.”

Lee Ho-gon ground his teeth.

After a moment of silence, Seol Hong-baek spoke.

“Guild Leader.”

“Speak.”

“You too said you wished to see him, but the reason I insisted on having Teacher here was different. I wish to end this well—but above all, I wanted to know precisely what had happened.”

“……”

“When people rush to the outcome, the unsightly steps along the way are all too easily covered over, turned aside from as though they never were. I, for one, do not believe that is right.”

Strength filled Seol Hong-baek’s gaze.

“I brought Teacher here because I want us to be cautious, to respect one another, so that such a thing never happens again. Even if this account weighs against my daughter, I believed we both needed to hear it.”

“So then, Patriarch, how do you wish to conclude this matter?”

“Do you not wish the same, Guild Leader—to end it well?”

“That is why I am here. Yet you have gone out of your way to summon him, dragging back into light what could have been easily set aside.”

“Then why do you not apologize?”

“What do you mean?”

Seol Hong-baek’s expression dimmed faintly.

“My daughter’s fault was clear. That is why I apologized.”

“Then…”

“And yet, you, Guild Leader, have not once said a single word of apology to this man.”

“!!”

“One word—just one would have sufficed. Whatever you may feel, even if it were only for show, had you spoken it, I would not feel so bitter now.”

Lee Ho-gon’s eyes wavered.

“Are you telling me that the cloth trade matters more to you than our children?”

“Patriarch, listen—”

“Has the bond between Seol Clan and the Mighty Tiger, long maintained, grown so cold? Or is it that my household has now become something laughable to you?”

Jin-hyeon whistled inwardly.

So, he did have a heavy blow to land after all.