Chapter 35. Ahem, it's not right to disregard sincerity.
Seo Mun-ung struggled to open his mouth.
“Kill me…… please……”
When he finally managed to stammer out the words, tears welled up in Seo Mun-ung’s eyes. Pyo Ryeo-chan sobbed along with him.
“Elder Brother, what are you saying?”
“No…… Please, have mercy on me…… Ugh……”
Seo Mun-ung couldn’t finish his sentence and let out a strange groan.
Pyo Ryeo-chan seemed to be sobbing, but his eyes were smiling.
In all the years he had known Ryeo-chan, this was the first time he had seen such a bright, emotional smile.
The smile was familiar.
It was the same smile he himself had worn while looking at Ryeo-chan not long ago.
“Ugh……”
Pyo Ryeo-chan shed tears of joy.
“Elder Brother, life is precious. You must live a long, long time.”
“Ugh…… Ugh……”
As Pyo Ryeo-chan gently stroked his head, Seo Mun-ung shrank back, trying to avoid his touch. But there was no escaping it. The touch was so gentle it felt maddening.
“Elder Brother, you really don’t understand people, do you?”
“Ugh…… Ryeo…… chan……”
“You will live a long, long time. Seeing you like this truly excites me.”
“Ugh……”
“You bastard. Hehehe……”
Pyo Ryeo-chan’s smile deepened impossibly further.
**
Four days later.
Guests began arriving one after another at Cheonhwa Seogo.
The first guest was Elder Seo Mun-bong of the Seo Mun Family.
After meeting with the family head, he sat down with the Great Lord.
“You must have many matters to attend to. Why have you come in such a hurry?”
“Hoho, I simply came to take care of the most urgent matter among all those tasks.”
“Haha, I see.”
The words rang true.
Elder Seo Mun-bong had not only brought the treasures of Cheonhwa Seogo that Seo Mun-chu had stolen but also carried a golden chest as a gesture of apology. Despite the chaotic situation, he had shown sincerity.
“Have the past damages been assessed?”
“The crimes are grave. Five families and sects were wiped out. They committed acts worse than beasts. It’s hard to fathom how we can make amends.”
‘Acts worse than beasts? With this level of self-reproach……’
The Great Lord felt no need to add anything further.
A prestigious family isn’t built in a day. Even if some parts are rotten, not all are lost. There are still many outstanding individuals within the family.
The Seo Mun Family is prepared to accept criticism and will help rebuild the families and sects they destroyed. The treasury will be emptied for reparations.
For the next decade or so, they will endure grueling hardship akin to scraping their bones clean. Elder Seo Mun-bong’s words conveyed their readiness to bear this burden.
The next guest was the Deputy Chief of the Continental War Hall.
The Continental War Hall had been in marriage negotiations with the Seo Mun Family, and since the groom-to-be was Seo Mun-ung, this wasn’t just a matter of ten years of hardship but a pivotal moment for the family’s rise or fall.
“I don’t know how to express my gratitude. I am truly thankful to Cheonhwa Seogo and to you.”
“You flatter me. It is we who should be grateful. If not for the help willingly offered by esteemed families like yours and the Continental War Hall, our library would have faced great difficulties.”
“Haha, if watching from the sidelines counts as help, then everyone in the world would be laughing. But indeed, a favor is a favor. Right now, our hall is in chaos over the Seo Mun Family’s affairs. Some are relieved and delighted that the marriage alliance fell through; others shudder at how much worse things could have been if not for Cheonhwa Seogo. As for Wang So-han, that kid has been throwing tantrums every day.”
The image of plump Wang So-han puffing out his cheeks in anger made the Great Lord laugh aloud.
The Deputy Chief pulled forward a box he had brought and placed it before him.
“As a token of gratitude, I’ve prepared this small gift for you.”
“……?”
The Great Lord tilted his head in lieu of a question.
If this was a gift, it should have been given to the Cheonhwa Seogo family head, not to him. Yet here it was, being offered directly.
The Deputy Chief burst into a hearty laugh.
“I’ve already spoken to the family head. To be frank, calling this a ‘gift’ might be misleading—and for that, I apologize.”
Apologizing while calling it a favor?
This wasn’t the time for modesty.
Calling it a gift while implying it might not be one—what did that mean?
The Great Lord struggled to guess.
The Deputy Chief continued.
“Some time ago, I heard Cheonhwa Seogo was seeking rare medicines. Money was no object—you asked if anyone possessed such medicines or knew how to acquire them. But around that time, the Chief’s assets were frozen, complicating matters, so we pretended not to know.”
“You’ve brought a rare medicine?”
“Indeed. One that’s exceedingly difficult to obtain.”
It seemed they’d first inquired among prominent figures when seeking the medicine.
There was no reason to refuse a rare medicine. Yet doubts remained.
“But why say it might not qualify as a gift? Does the Deputy Chief desire something from Cheonhwa Seogo in exchange for this medicine?”
The Deputy Chief hastily waved his hands.
“Desire something? Preposterous! The Continental War Hall may love money, but we’re not ungrateful scoundrels.”
“Then…?”
“The reason it might not be a gift… lies in the herb’s peculiar nature. You may have heard of it. Sigh… This is…”
“……?”
“Yeongakcho. Its efficacy is remarkable, but its stench is intolerable. It’s virtually impossible for humans to consume. Eh? Great Lord… are you… alright?”
The Deputy Chief stammered.
The Great Lord’s eyes had widened, his pupils shaking violently. To anyone else, he might have seemed enraged.
The Deputy Chief inwardly lamented.
‘Ah, I should’ve brought something else. Of course Cheonhwa Seogo’s genius would know of Yeongakcho—and that it’s unfit for human consumption. What have I done…?’
Yeongakcho was the most potent medicine the Continental War Hall possessed, hence their decision to offer it. But potency meant nothing if no one could stomach it.
The Deputy Chief’s regret stemmed from personal experience.
Years ago, the hall had acquired two roots of Yeongakcho.
One root had been eagerly divided among family members. They’d braved the bitterness, claiming “what’s good for the body is never sweet,” only to vomit everything up moments later. Even Wang So-han, famed for his iron stomach, had refused food for ten days afterward.
The remaining root had become a white elephant—too precious to discard, too vile to use. Hence the Deputy Chief’s hesitant presentation. But judging by the Great Lord’s expression, the “gift” had backfired spectacularly.
Yet the Great Lord’s shock was born of elation.
Yeongakcho—one of the Three Evils alongside Yukgakmang and Dokyangchung! No greater gift existed.
“G-Great Lord… My oversight. Pretend you didn’t hear this. I’ll return with a proper gift.”
As the Deputy Chief reached to reclaim the box—
Snap.
A hand gripped his wrist.
The Deputy Chief looked up to meet the Great Lord’s blazing eyes.
“It’s not right to disregard sincerity.”
“Y-You can disregard it! This is really…”
“This is the greatest gift.”
“Y-You’re sure?”
“Of course. It’s Yeongakcho.”
“But… it’s Yeongakcho…”
“Nothing could be better.”
“……”
The Deputy Chief closed his mouth, swallowing further questions.
‘How can someone so young possess such magnanimity?’
All he could do was marvel.
The Great Lord pulled the box closer, wearing a serene smile—not forced, but genuinely concerned the Deputy Chief might feel embarrassed.
‘Even if he vomits it all later, he doesn’t bat an eye. Our So-han would’ve thrown it away immediately…’
Had the Deputy Chief known of the Three Evils—or witnessed the Great Lord sucking Yukgakmang’s blood—his perspective might have shifted. But to him, the scene resembled a benevolent Buddha accepting poison with grace.
Moreover, he remained unaware of the Great Lord’s quest for Dokyangchung and Yeongakcho.
“Great Lord, don’t consider this the final repayment. We’ll prepare a proper reward.”
“Of course. I’ll await it eagerly.”
“Hahahaha!”
—That Cheonhwa Seogo’s Great Lord isn’t just clever! Overflowing with consideration, and such a man! To know full well what Yeongakcho is yet still appreciate it so—how many could do that?
Naturally, the Deputy Chief returned home and extolled the Great Lord’s virtues until his family’s ears burned.
**
Visitors continued flooding into Cheonhwa Seogo.
Had they drawn lots to schedule their arrivals?
After the Continental War Hall came the leaders of Yeomhwa Pavilion and Baekhwa Manor, each arriving separately in the afternoon and evening rather than together. Their gifts—Cheongaju wine and premium antidote wine—were treasures beyond monetary value.
In just three days, the gifts included:
The Seo Mun Family’s golden chest
The Continental War Hall’s Yeongakcho
Yeomhwa Pavilion’s Cheongaju
Baekhwa Manor’s antidote wine
Had this deluge continued for a month, Cheonhwa Seogo would’ve become the wealthiest force in the realm. But the world rarely grants such ease.
Not all visitors brought gifts.
The night Baekhwa Manor’s lord departed:
“Cheonhwa Seogo—we’ve arrived!”
“Open the gates!”
“Brotheeeer!”
Three beggars led by Chwi Un-gae stormed in. Unlike others, they brought no presents—only demands for meat. Declaring Cheonhwa Seogo’s meat the finest, they feasted raucously, stayed the night, and left at dawn.
One might assume the visits would end there. They did not.
The Iron Forge Union’s leader arrived with his son—Dan Gangmu, whom the Great Lord had met at the Seo Mun Family’s banquet.
“Hahaha! Brother Beom! You’ve been well!”
“Brother Dan, it’s good to see you again.”
Dan Gangmu, once stoic and reserved at the banquet, now seemed a different person entirely.
‘Could he always smile like this?’
Some people radiate warmth once close—apparently Dan Gangmu’s true nature. His camaraderie now bordered on brotherhood, leaving the Great Lord slightly flustered.
‘Ahem. The Iron Forge leader must’ve praised me as his lifesaver to Dan Gangmu.’
Once seated, the Union leader showered the Great Lord with gratitude, repeating thanks like a song’s refrain until the Great Lord had no choice but to reciprocate humbly.
“You honor me too much. As the Union aided Cheonhwa Seogo, we consider you our benefactors.”
“Great Lord, my gratitude isn’t merely personal. This old man forged the blade for the Seo Mun Family head. How many unjust deaths did that sword enable? Had the truth remained hidden, I’d have crafted more blades of death. My sins weigh heavily.”
The Union leader sighed deeply.
In that sigh, the Great Lord sensed a craftsman’s pride and integrity. Those who work with metal rarely tolerate falsehoods—men who hammer steel with single-minded focus, believing stray thoughts become impurities in the metal.
“Great Lord, I’ve prepared a small gift to repay my debt. I hope it pleases you.”
Three large chests were placed before them.
