I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 29

 

“Hey kids, where are you going now?”

 

“The Deputy Commander told us to bring food to those bandit children he brought earlier.”

 

“Huh?”

 

In Seo Rin’s memory, the wretched-looking children who had followed behind the trading caravan in rope bonds came to mind.

 

“Don’t tell me those shabby kids who came with the trading company earlier?! They were bandits?”

 

“Yeah! Why do we have to prepare meals for bandits without even getting to rest?!”

 

The trainees grumbled as they passed through the gate in Hyeeumwon’s wall and climbed the stairs leading to Hyeeum Sa.

 

“Hyeeum… Sa? You’re going to the temple now?”

 

Seo Rin asked while helping Gap-i with her load.

 

“Mm-hmm, those kids are in a room at the temple. Monk Hye Gwang gave them a room.”

 

Gap-i said as she carefully climbed the dark stairs.

 

“I see.”

 

Shortly after arriving inside Hyeeum Sa, the trainees were dumbfounded.

 

“…Is this the right place?”

 

The room where the bandits were supposed to be was the nicest-looking room in the temple.

 

“Did we come to the wrong room?”

 

“No, they definitely said it was the middle room of the building across from the Dharma Hall!”

 

While the trainees were bustling about outside the room, the door creaked open.

 

It was Monk Hye Gwang.

 

“Oh, you brought it? Thank you. Just set it down here.”

 

‘Why are the bandits staying in the same room as the head monk?’

 

Through the gap in the open door, they could see the children who had supposedly been dragged here earlier. The trainees awkwardly entered the room to set down the food, then were shocked once more by the appearance of those bandits.

 

‘What kind of bandits look like this?!’

 

And for good reason – to call them bandits, they were all pitifully emaciated like dried anchovies, as if they hadn’t even had porridge to eat.

 

‘What kind of banditry could these kids do! They couldn’t even do needlework!’

 

“Fo-food!!”

 

The bandit children caught the scent of food and their gazes were fixed on the bowls. As soon as the trainees placed the bowls on the dining table, they rushed at the meal like a pack of starving wild dogs.

 

“Aah!”

 

The trainee who was setting down the bowls was startled and fell backward on their bottom.

 

Monk Hye Gwang chuckled as he poured water for the children who were frantically stuffing rice into their mouths, and patted the backs of those who were choking and beating their chests.

 

The trainees quickly gathered up the empty bowls that had been cleaned in an instant and went outside.

 

As the trainees headed toward the kitchen, each of them voiced words mixed with worry and concern.

 

“Isn’t the monk fearless? How can he share a room with bandits?”

 

“Exactly. He should show mercy to those who deserve it, not to bandits.”

 

“…I hope nothing happens to him while sleeping with them like that?”

 

The trainees chattered away as they finished cleaning up and then disappeared to their respective rooms.

 

“Seo, Seo Rin, aren’t you going in?”

 

Gap-i asked Seo Rin, who was packing the remaining lavash into a large basket.

 

“Are we going to eat that?”

 

Da Sim licked her lips while looking at the lavash piled up in the basket.

 

“Oh, this? This isn’t for us to eat.”

 

Seo Rin lifted the full basket with a grunt and stood up.

 

“Th-then?”

 

“I’m going to give some to those kids from earlier. Oh, I set aside some for us to eat over there, so take it to the room and eat.”

 

“S-Seo Rin? You’re g-going th-there again?”

 

“Yeah! Go inside first! I’ll be back soon!”

 

Seo Rin carried the basket, struggling as she returned to Hyeeum-sa again.

 

Faces so gaunt their cheekbones showed, bowls licked clean by tongues leaving not a single grain, skin chapped on their faces. Clothes too thin and worn for the cool autumn day.

 

For Seo Rin, who couldn’t say she lived well in modern society but had never experienced hunger, the earlier scene was too shocking.

 

Seo Rin went back to that room from earlier and knocked on the door.

 

“Who is it?”

 

Monk Hye Gwang opened the door and exclaimed “Oh my!” as he quickly took the basket that Seo Rin was struggling to carry.

 

“Wh-what is all this?”

 

Monk Hye Gwang asked with curiosity at the unfamiliar-looking food.

 

“Those kids earlier seemed like the portion was a bit lacking.”

 

At Seo Rin’s words, the children in the room perked up their ears and looked over.

 

“This is called ‘lavash,’ a food eaten in Dashi Kingdom.”

 

Their eyes widened as they saw the lavash that looked like baked rice cakes, golden brown and well-cooked on the outside.

 

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have made some extra kofta too. They would have enjoyed that as well.’

 

Watching the children eat the lavash deliciously, Seo Rin felt regretful.

 

As she watched the children munching away, Seo Rin realized something.

 

‘But these kids… their bone structure is quite… for children.’

 

They looked small and young because they were thin, but looking closely, their build seemed as large as average adult men.

 

‘Their age is probably… around late teens?’

 

Her younger brother Chang Hee had been exactly like that.

 

His frame that looked small because he couldn’t gain weight later upgraded from size M to XL in an instant once he started putting on weight.

 

Thinking of her younger brother made Seo Rin feel melancholy.

 

‘What’s so precious about him that he comes to mind at times like this.’

 

But seeing children of similar age to the younger brother she had raised like her own child, it was inevitable that he would come to mind.

 

“…Is it delicious?”

 

“Yes…”

 

Oh my, look how weak their response is.

 

Seo Rin, who had been watching the children with worried eyes, felt that if she stayed any longer it would get too late, so she greeted Hye Gwang and left the room.

 

‘It would be nice if I could use Chanseon Bang freely.’

 

Seo Rin, whose heart ached at their skeletal appearance, thought she wanted to keep them by her side for a few days and feed them until their cheeks became plump.

 

As she was coming down the stairs of Hyeeum-sa thinking of her younger brother, she noticed a small child under the large hackberry tree, scribbling on the ground with their finger.

 

‘What’s a child doing here at this hour? They don’t seem to be a novice monk either?’

 

Looking over the child’s small shoulders, it seemed they were drawing animals.

 

“A pig drawing?”

 

“Aah! You scared me!”

p>The little kid was startled by Seo Rin suddenly appearing and fell backward on his bottom.

“How can you just appear from behind like that! And this is a, a person!”

 

“Oh, sorry. I don’t have much of an eye for art.”

 

At Seo Rin’s apology, his guarded expression softened a little.

 

“Well, that seems to be the case.”

 

The child dusted off his bottom and continued drawing the picture he had been working on.

 

“But why does this pi— I mean, person have such a frowning expression?”

 

The person the little kid was drawing seemed to have an angry expression.

 

“…He’s not angry. He just doesn’t smile.”

 

“Huh? Who is this supposed to be?”

 

“But who are you, miss?”

 

The little kid changed the subject while drawing two sticks for the pig’s nose.

 

‘It really is a pig after all.’

 

“I’m someone who works here. What about you?”

 

When Seo Rin picked up a tree branch that was lying around and started drawing alongside him, the little kid glanced at her and readily answered.

 

“…I’m my older brother’s younger brother.”

 

“Older brother? Where is your older brother?”

 

The little one pointed with his dirt-covered finger toward the room where the monk was.

 

There’s no way Hye Gwang could be this kid’s older brother…

 

‘Could it be?’

 

“Your older brother is in that room? Did he come… together with those guys earlier?”

 

‘I can’t bring myself to ask if they were captured together.’

 

“My older brother isn’t a kid! He’s an adult! He’s just skinny!”

 

‘That’s right!’

 

Seo Rin glared sharply toward the room.

 

“How could they involve such a little kid in thievery? Those bastards!”

 

“I’m not a little kid! And we didn’t steal anything!”

 

“…What? You didn’t steal anything?!”

 

Earlier they said they were caught trying to attack the merchants…

 

“We were just trying to get them to share some of what they had!”

 

‘The world calls that kind of thing “thievery.”‘

 

Seo Rin was about to respond with an incredulous expression, but she couldn’t continue speaking after hearing what the little one said next.

 

“Father is lying sick in bed. He’s only been able to drink water for days now. At this rate, he’ll die. I can’t let my older brother… lose family again.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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