麻豆工作室

 Hwa-seo looked at Mok Riwon who was kneeling before her.

 His appearance could be considered… a wreck.

 The blue silk clothes he had been given were smeared with something like seasoning, half taken off, and his hair was all over the place, reminiscent of a bird’s nest.

 That wasn’t all. There were scratch marks on his neck as if nails had dug into his skin.

 It was almost laughable to her that the first thought she had was how his beautiful appearance made him look pitiable.

Hwa-seo sighed deeply, feeling a throbbing headache, then opened her mouth.

“Let’s start with a question. Why did you run away?”

 “…That young lady tried to violate me.”

“I’m sure with your martial prowess, little master, you could have easily stopped her.”

 “How can I use martial arts against ordinary people? I couldn’t possibly lay my hands on her, especially since she was extremely intoxicated.”

 Even while cautiously looking around, he said what he had to say.

 Hwa-seo was utterly dumbfounded and asked further.

 “If you care about the common folk so much, why not let it happen?”

 “W-What do you mean…! How could I share my feelings with someone I don’t love! I’m not such a scoundrel!”

 Hwa-seo’s mouth tightly shut.

 ‘So it’s fine to be a victim of seduction arts?’

 What the hell did he mean? How was it that happily falling victim to seduction arts was fine, but sleeping with someone who showed interest in him wasn’t?

 Hwa-seo had to fight back from voicing her thoughts.

 “Yes, let’s leave it at that.”

 There was no point in continuing since that would only cause her a headache. Since she hadn’t expected him to handle these affairs in the first place, she decided it was best not to create unnecessary trouble.

 Mok Riwon shuddered at Hwa-seo’s expression, which said she still had more to say.

 “I’m sorry. I’ve only caused trouble for affairs you’ve entrusted me.”

 “It is alright. These things happen.”

 “But the impact on the establishment…”

 “It is unlikely. Do you think they would leave alone the rumor of a noble’s daughter attempting to rape a man in a courtesan house? They will silence it themselves before we need to do anything.”

 In fact, the biggest reason Hwa-seo was not worried about today’s events was because the task she gave to Mok Riwon was entertaining the daughter of a prestigious family in Suyang County.

 In other words, she was a commodity being sold in the marriage market.

 Prestigious families did not wish for their ‘products’ to be tarnished, so Hwa-seo had no need to worry.

 “However, it wouldn’t make sense to let you off without any punishment.”

 “Pu-punishment?”

“While no harm was done to the Pavilion’s safety, think about it differently. We have lost a big spender. Consider this. If it were you, little master, would you want to return to a place where you’ve been disgraced?”

 Mok Riwon’s mouth spread wide open.

 “Ah…!”

 “That guest will likely not return out of shame. Sigh… considering they were responsible for over eight percent of our daily revenue whenever they visit.”

Mok Riwon broke out in a cold sweat all over his body.

 The look on his face told Hwa-seo everything she needed to know.

 ‘The more debt piled up, the better.’

 It was just too easy to take advantage of someone so naive.

 “Are you prepared for what’s to come?”

 “That, well, uh…”

 Hwa-seo made a frustrated smile.

Mok Riwon’s eyes shook intensely at that sight.

 Even in the middle of a big crisis, Mok Riwon thought to himself.

 ‘So lovely…!’

 Even Hwa-seo’s annoyed smile seemed beautiful to him.

* * *

 Although meant as a punishment, the task given to Mok Riwon was nothing challenging for him.

 “Is this enough?”

 “Yes, that will do.”

 Mok Riwon had changed back into his original gray martial attire instead of the now ragged silk clothes. Hwa-seo glanced at him, who had once again assumed the appearance of a martial artist, before returning her attention to the book she was reading and saying.

“It’s good to have bodyguards, but the more defenses, the better. Anticipate the possibility that the Sun Society has sought outside masters and stay by my side to protect me.”

 “But…”

 “What is it?”

 Mok Riwon hesitated, ruminating over his words.

 ‘This doesn’t seem like a punishment…’

 The request to guard her by her side, as a martial artist, felt more like a reward than punishment, which made him feel oddly guilty.

 While Mok Riwon was grappling with his conscience and feeling uncomfortable, Hwa-seo sighed heavily at that sight.

 “Being my bodyguard will not be easy.”

 “Hm?”

 “People will cause a disturbance trying to see me. If the Sun Society has invited a master, they might hide him amid the chaos and bring him here. You will have to stay alert and identify the martial artist from the uproar.”

 “By commotion, you mean…”

 “There are many. From outsiders lured by rumors of the seductress’s beauty, merchants from the market district, and dissatisfied customers from the courtesan house.”

 Mok Riwon looked at Hwa-seo’s face again and muttered to himself.

 “…Certainly, that seems likely.”

 Although he hadn’t been in the outside world for long, Mok Riwon was sure that she was a beauty not easily found anywhere else.

 After all, if there were people capable of making one’s mind go blank with a single glance, the world would be filled with fools rather than heroes.

 In the world Mok Riwon knew, there were far more heroes than fools, so according to his rationale, Hwa-seo was definitely a one-of-a-kind beauty.

 “I understand.”

 Mok Riwon nodded firmly with a resolute expression, and then he asked.

“Then, should I start now?”

 “When a disruptive guest arrives. Is that not what I said?”

 Mok Riwon sat down obediently.

 “Understood.”

 Seeing him look at her with sparkling eyes like a well-behaved puppy, Hwa-seo felt uneasy for some reason.

 ‘…Is this okay?’

 Maybe she should have just trained him to work as a host.

 She started to feel regretful.

* * *

 Three more days had passed.

 Mok Riwon guarded Hwa-seo’s side at all times and observed her closely, except when he slept or trained.

 And he had come to a conclusion about her. Hwa-seo was such an outstanding person that she deserved to be called a woman of virtue by the world.

 ‘Lady Yeonhwa truly has a heart of gold!’

 Her days were busy.

She ran the courtesan house from late afternoon until just before sunrise, never stopping her work until all the staff had finished theirs.

 She swiftly read through various letters filled with complex words, issued precise orders, and even stepped in to take over the hard tasks herself, concerned that her subordinates would struggle.

 Even her meals were squeezed in as she worked, yet she generously allowed her staff ample time for theirs, leading Mok Riwon to think of no better way to describe her.

 “What is it?”

“I was just thinking, Lady Yeonhwa is a truly virtuous person!”

 “All of a sudden?”

 As she narrowed her brows and questioned him, Mok Riwon began to ramble on. It was mostly praise for her.

 With his completely shameless face saying all of this, Hwa-seo felt embarrassed seeing him simply standing there smiling.

 She didn’t take it as mere flattery.

 After spending these past few days together, she realized that Mok Riwon was incapable of lying.

 “Enough…!”

 As Hwa-seo’s face turned red and she told him off, Mok Riwon finally stopped speaking. She started breathing heavily, trying to calm herself down.

 ‘Just what sort of person is this…!’

 She wanted to curse him out, but it wasn’t easy.

 Of course, it was because of his face.

 Every single one of his actions frustrated her to death, but every time she looked at him, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it.

 These past three days had taught Hwa-seo how important a good-looking face could be in quelling anger.

 “If you have nothing to do, meditate. Or read a book if meditation is not to your liking.”

 She said those words because his gaze was too distracting for her to work properly.

 Mok Riwon let out an ‘Ah’ and then asked a question.

 “May I read a book?”

 “If there’s nothing urgent, do as you please. Just keep to your post.”

 ‘So he likes books, too.’

 Hwa-seo watched Mok Riwon as she had that thought.

 Upon receiving permission, Mok Riwon immediately pulled out a book.

 “…Tales of the Martial Heroes?”

 “Oh! Does the Young Lady also know of it?”

 Hwa-seo nodded her head.

 That was no surprise, as this book ‘Tales of the Martial Heroes’ was quite famous in the martial world.

 “It’s quite popular among the children of prestigious families.”

 Of course, once they grew up a little and started thinking for themselves, they would realize the book’s exaggerations and begin to distance themselves.

 She withheld the rest of her thoughts when Mok Riwon responded with a bright smile.

 “Ah! It’s definitely a book worthy of its popularity! I’ve been rereading it for over ten years, and it still moves me every time.”

 “…That book?”

 “It’s my one and only book!”

 The words ‘one and only book’ were surely meant literally.

 Hwa-seo felt a sudden realization dawn on her.

 ‘They say you should fear someone who has only read one book and not someone who has read none. It seems that saying isn’t wrong.’

 She could instantly see where Mok Riwon’s ignorant and frustrating personality originated from.

Hwa-seo shook her head in disbelief as she watched Mok Riwon, engrossed in opening and reading ‘Tales of the Martial Heroes.’

 ‘As expected, he won’t live long.’

 With such stupidity, she started worrying that he might end up tragically dying somewhere.

 Hwa-seo didn’t realize, that at some point, her feelings towards his ignorance had changed from ridicule to concern.

* * *

 Two more days passed, and finally, the moment came for Mok Riwon to take action.

 “I said, BRING ME THE PAVILION LORD–!”

 A drunken cry echoed throughout all five floors of the establishment.

 Hwa-seo raised her head upon hearing it.

 “It seems what you’ve been waiting for has arrived.”

 “Should I go now?”

 “Wait a little longer.”

 Hwa-seo closed the book she was reading and rose from her seat.

 By her side, her confidant Sohyang had already appeared and was kneeling.

 “They’ve come in a group. Drunkards make up seventy percent, and the rest are merchants from the marketplace who’ve joined in the chaos.”

 “Oh my, it seems they believe I am the neighborhood bitch. How could they think I would obediently allow them to behave this way?”

She had already guessed the Sun Society’s tactics.

 The first step was to double the protection fees, inciting resentment among the merchants and channeling their anger toward her to endanger her position.

The second if she did not back down was to use force and make her submit.

 ‘As long the clan’s name is not involved.’

 That was the reason she had endured so far.

She had to be a greedy Pavilion Lord who knew nothing of martial arts, a small evil that could exist anywhere.

 But that was now coming to an end.

 Now, she had a satisfactory sword at her disposal.

 Hwa-seo turned her gaze to Mok Riwon.

 “Find the martial artist. The expert they invited is likely a late-stage first-rate master. Young hero, you and a few of my bodyguards should be able to handle that.”

 If the Sun Society could be dealt with, her identity could be completely cleansed.

As she contemplated, Mok Riwon opened his eyes, which had been closed for a while.

 “Peak.”

  Flinch–

 Hwa-seo’s body stiffened, and her eyes widened significantly.

 “…Excuse me?”

 She was stunned.

 So Mok Riwon repeated himself, casting a chill aura she had never seen before.

 “Down there is a Peak Master.”

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