The Granddaughter of the Manhyang Escort Agency Hides Her Magic - Chapter 10

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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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Chapter 10

“Say what you want to say.”

Hyeokho opened his mouth. Shin Ah spoke as if she had been waiting for this.

“I am not only the granddaughter of Grandfather, the head of the So Family, but also someone who will become a member of Manhyang Express in the future.”

“That remains to be seen. Don’t give me lengthy explanations and tell me what you stole.”

As expected, Hyeokho was not an easy opponent.

Shin Ah took a breath and opened her mouth.

“Everything in the So Family Estate and Manhyang Express belongs to Grandfather, doesn’t it? The land, the main hall, even a single roof tile. So I should have paid Grandfather a toll. Of course, it wouldn’t matter if no one demanded the toll, but Brother Mando said I had to pay it.”

Hyeokho nodded briefly.

“But I didn’t pay it. By doing so, Grandfather suffered a loss. I’m sorry.”

Shin Ah wanted to bite her own tongue for spouting such nonsense.

According to her logic, all the other members of the escort agency were practically committing theft too.

‘It’s absurd logic.’

But that wasn’t what mattered now. She had to be unreasonable to move forward.

‘Anyway, I’m 10 years old. I’m at an age where I can cry and throw tantrums unreasonably.’

Hyeokho would see through all of Shin Ah’s logic too.

‘The reason he’s listening quietly even though he knows is probably because he wants me to continue. Whether out of curiosity or amusement.’

Shin Ah was determined not to back down unless Hyeokho broke the game.

So she quickly knelt down and bowed her head in apology.

A strange light appeared in Hyeokho’s eyes as he looked down at the small, curled back.

“Indeed, it is theft. You stole my future profits.”

“However.”

Shin Ah raised her head while still prostrated. She still had more to say.

Hyeokho lifted his chin as if telling her to continue.

“The theft was only this once, Grandfather. Only this once.”

Shin Ah emphasized the frequency.

“That means… you paid the toll before?”

“Yes, Grandfather. I remember exactly. I paid the toll three times. You received it, didn’t you?”

The area under Hyeokho’s eyes twitched.

He had naturally never received it. He had only learned today that Mando had been petty enough to demand tolls from Shin Ah.

“Surely… you didn’t receive it, Grandfather?”

Shin Ah said with wide eyes as if she couldn’t believe it.

‘Not bad.’

Hyeokho saw through Shin Ah’s acting and her true intentions.

‘She’s trying to make it impossible for Mando to escape.’

She probably thought he would say this was just children’s business and to end it moderately without making a big deal of it.

Shin Ah’s expectation was wrong. Hyeokho had no intention of letting this slide, especially after witnessing his granddaughter being beaten down by his grandson.

However, curious about how Shin Ah would proceed, he played along with the child’s rhythm.

“Jang Mu.”

“Yes, Agency Head.”

“Bring Mando here.”

At that moment, Hyeokho didn’t miss the sparkle in Shin Ah’s eyes.

* * *

Mando knelt before Hyeokho and bowed his head.

“I was wrong, Grandfather! I acted excessively thinking I would guide my younger sister on the right path!”

Mando brought out the words he had been practicing all along. It was exactly as Ilbi had told him.

‘Grandfather is extremely angry, so just say you were wrong no matter what. No matter what!’

Of course, it was false remorse without a grain of sincerity.

“Don’t you have anything else to say?”

Mando hesitated at Hyeokho’s urging.

‘What else did I do wrong?’

Mando just blinked his eyes. Hyeokho clicked his tongue inwardly at the foolish appearance.

‘I had expectations since I heard he was quite skilled with a sword, but does he only know how to use his body?’

Baekrim wasn’t particularly skilled in martial arts either, so he had pinned his hopes on Mando, but the escort agency’s future looked bleak.

“Gr-Grandfather, I am still very lacking. Just as I taught Shin Ah, if Grandfather also gives me teachings, I will learn diligently.”

Mando tried to lessen his crime by packaging his violence as teaching. He didn’t even know that Shin Ah had already given him absolution for his violence.

Hyeokho closed his eyes, not wanting to see more of his pathetic eldest grandson’s behavior.

“Shin Ah, tell me. What is Mando’s crime?”

“Habitual theft.”

Shin Ah said calmly. Shocked, Mando whirled around to look at Shin Ah.

“Hey, are you crazy?”

“So Mando!”

Hyeokho shouted at Mando’s rash behavior.

“Grandfather! This is unfair. Habitual theft? That’s ridiculous. I don’t covet others’ wealth. What am I lacking? Theft is something only beggars do. Shin Ah…”

Mando quickly swallowed his words. Given the atmosphere, it seemed better not to say that only beggars like Shin Ah would steal.

Then Shin Ah interjected.

“Brother, I gave you the toll money.”

“What?”

“Did you give that to Grandfather?”

The back of Mando’s neck grew cold. Only then did Mando realize what theft Shin Ah was talking about.

“Th-that…”

Mando’s face turned pale as he shook his head so hard his cheeks trembled.

“Grandfather, I only took the toll to teach Shin Ah. Not because I was greedy. Please believe me. What I received from Shin Ah was only 3 silver coins in total.”

“Only?”

Hyeokho was disappointed in Mando in two ways.

First, while Shin Ah, who was four years younger than Mando, stepped forward to receive punishment herself, Mando was avoiding his crime.

Second, he took money too lightly. One silver coin was equivalent to a month’s living expenses for a family of four who made their living farming.

‘That child is currently the most likely successor to the family…’

He couldn’t help but feel bitter.

“Um, Grandfather.”

Shin Ah raised her small hand, thinking this was the right moment.

“Grandfather, I have committed one more crime. I failed to protect Grandfather’s property.”

The deep wrinkles that had settled in Hyeokho’s brow smoothed out.

“What is that?”

It was a noticeably softer voice than when dealing with Mando.

“All the family’s servants belong to Grandfather, don’t they? I failed to protect Grandfather’s servant from getting hurt.”

Shin Ah laid the groundwork to protect Mugyeol.

A master could teach his servant through beating.

Therefore, Mando beating Mugyeol, who was a servant, was not a crime.

But strictly speaking, Mugyeol was not Mando’s personal servant but a servant belonging to the So Family Estate, making him Hyeokho’s property as the family head.

So Mando never had the qualification to teach Mugyeol in the first place, and in this case, Mando had essentially damaged Hyeokho’s property, Mugyeol.

‘Grandfather won’t be able to easily overlook Mando beating Mugyeol. He’s always shown sensitivity to losses.’

This was the fundamental reason why Shin Ah kept mentioning Hyeokho’s property and stepped forward to receive punishment.

“So?”

“I’ll restore everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ll repair grandfather’s losses.”

Shin Ah spoke clearly and distinctly.

“Losses?”

“Yes. So please allow me to take Mugyeol to Biwongak.”

When Shin Ah made her strong assertion, Mando grabbed her collar and pulled her down.

“Hey, you crazy bitch. You have nothing and act like you’re something special.”

When she should be begging just to be given one chance, Shin Ah was stepping forward to request punishment—she was definitely insane.

Shin Ah shook off Mando’s hand.

Mando clenched his fist in sudden irritation, but froze when his eyes met Shin Ah’s.

Seeing Shin Ah’s brightly glowing pupils reminded him of the lightning that had struck beside his feet.

Shin Ah moved her lips so only Mando could see.

‘You’re the one who shouldn’t act up. Want to taste lightning one more time?’

Something surged up from deep within Mando’s chest.

However, Mando held it back firmly. The words Baekrim had said while holding him before entering Wolhwa Hall came vividly to mind.

‘Shin Ah used Protective Body Energy to save a slave? And she used Lightning Energy that the Thunder Emperor uses? I don’t know what kind of devious techniques she’s learned, but until we figure out what it is, don’t clash with Shin Ah. You might get unnecessarily entangled and suffer losses.’

You don’t avoid shit because you’re scared of it, you avoid it because it’s dirty.

Mando turned his head sharply while thinking thoughts that would make Shin Ah sneer if she heard them.

Regardless, Shin Ah finished what she had to say.

“Since I failed to protect grandfather’s property, I’ll restore it. As for the price that brother Mando, who directly caused the damage, should pay—grandfather can collect that directly.”

Though it left a bitter taste to inadvertently treat Mugyeol like an object, Shin Ah spoke without hesitation.

Shin Ah needed justification to treat and care for Mugyeol.

“What?”

“Please let me treat the slave who was injured this time at Biwongak.”

Hyeokho’s eyes narrowed.

‘I heard Shin Ah protected some slave to the very end, so she must have a connection with that child. Everything she said about punishment until now was for that child’s sake.’

Hyeokho became curious about the slave Shin Ah was stepping forward to protect. However, he didn’t ask further.

The child’s complexion was growing paler and paler. It seemed best to wrap up the conversation around now.

But Shin Ah’s words weren’t finished yet.

“And please give me a chance to repay my debt to grandfather.”

“What?”

“I will become an escort.”

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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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