The Granddaughter of the Manhyang Escort Agency Hides Her Magic - Chapter 13

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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 13

With a single sentence—’I want to take the escort warrior exam’—Shin Ah had surprised Hyeokho, turned Mando’s stomach inside out, and astonished Cheondo, then collapsed onto her bed as if she might faint.

“Young miss! Are you alright?”

Danmi came rushing over hurriedly.

“What? Do I look like a thoroughly pickled cabbage?”

Shin Ah replied with only one eye barely open. She had no energy but was in good spirits, so jokes kept flowing out.

“Yes. You have no strength at all. You’re like waterlogged cotton. Your face is so pale… Did the lord scold you harshly?”

Far from being scolded, she had gotten what she wanted. The qualification to participate in the escort warrior exam.

No, in fact she had gained even more than that.

‘Grandfather’s eyes when he looked at me had changed.’

They were gentle and felt warm.

If asked whether she had gained Hyeokho’s trust, it would be difficult to answer.

‘I’m not sure yet.’

But she was certain that she had properly imprinted her existence on Hyeokho.

Shin Ah grinned.

“What makes you so happy?”

Danmi was curious about what had happened at Wolhwa Hall and stamped her feet impatiently.

“Grandfather acknowledged me.”

Danmi’s face darkened.

The other grandsons and granddaughters had been acknowledged long ago, so was she really that happy to be acknowledged only now?

“Just that?”

Seeing Shin Ah happy about receiving something so natural made Danmi’s heart ache.

“Just that? It’s tremendous.”

“It’s not money, and it’s not even something to eat. What good is receiving acknowledgment that has no substance?”

Danmi grumbled.

‘Our Danmi knows one thing but not two.’

Once it became known that Hyeokho was keeping an eye on Shin Ah, many things would change.

First, the attitude of the servants who ignored her would change, and then she would receive the substantial favor that Danmi so desired.

For example, the servants would clean the pavilion more frequently, and the incidents of deliberately or accidentally not replenishing supplies in the pavilion would disappear.

Shin Ah was satisfied with just that.

‘A person can’t be full from the first spoonful.’

“Don’t be too happy. How much discrimination have you faced until now, young miss!”

Danmi became indignant as she recalled past events.

While Hyeokho hadn’t noticeably favored Yuwon Pavilion, he had clearly ignored Biwongak.

But Hyeokho didn’t know what kind of discrimination Shin Ah was receiving within the escort agency because of this. Even the servants ignored Shin Ah to that extent.

“Grandfather doesn’t know.”

“How can he not know? The escort agency lord is the lord, so he should know everything.”

The taller one grows, the harder it becomes to see what’s at one’s feet.

The escort agency lord had many things to do and many people to look after, so he was simply neglectful of the circumstances of various pavilions. He also trusted that his grown children would handle things well on their own.

He probably didn’t know that Baekrim would manage the household so poorly.

“Grandfather isn’t a god, so how could he know everything? But from now on, he will come to know.”

Danmi blinked her eyes.

“How will he come to know what he didn’t know until now?”

Shin Ah smiled wickedly. Color returned to her face that had been pale just moments before.

“Well, you see.”

Shin Ah drew out the suspense.

“Please tell me quickly. I’m so curious I might stop breathing!”

“I’m going to tell him everything.”

From now on, Shin Ah intended to report when she felt hurt, wronged, or treated unfairly.

Then grandfather would become furious and scold Baekrim and other wicked people. He was someone who was definitely fair in such matters.

There was something she had to do before that.

‘I need to become close enough with grandfather to be able to tattle. I need to build enough trust so that grandfather will believe my words unconditionally.’

In that sense, this escort warrior exam was very important.

“Danmi, let me rest a bit.”

Having thought so much, her energy was completely drained.

Shin Ah lay back down after having half-raised her body. She couldn’t endure any longer. She needed to sleep.

Danmi looked after Shin Ah’s bedtime with an expression of unresolved questions.

Shin Ah’s eyes began to close drowsily.

Suddenly, she remembered something she had been overlooking.

Shin Ah sat up abruptly and grabbed Danmi’s hand.

“Mugyeol.”

Though she had been busy talking with grandfather, it kept bothering her that she hadn’t checked on Mugyeol’s condition after he was hit by Mando.

She needed to check his condition, treat him, and tell him to stay at Biwongak from now on.

“Yes?”

“Please bring our Mugyeol… here.”

That was Shin Ah’s last spark.

Having finished what she had to say, her body drooped like a puppet with cut strings.

Soon, pleasant breathing sounds filled the bedroom.

* * *

“…Shin Ah as an escort warrior… you as an escort… absolutely not.”

“Father, Shin Ah’s will… I couldn’t break her stubbornness.”

Shin Ah’s consciousness gradually returned to the greatly lowered voices.

“Don’t make me say it twice. You tell her you can’t do it. The exam to select escort warriors for Manhyang Express is not so easy. Even when experienced escort warriors are helped by skilled escorts, it’s not easy. Do you think that’s all? Dangerous incidents that are even forbidden during escort missions happen frequently.”

Cheonrim recalled his past experience participating as a supervisor for the escort selection exam and squeezed his eyes shut.

Manhyang Express treated escort warriors better than other escort agencies. As a result, the motivation of exam participants was beyond imagination.

There were cases where escort warrior applicants whose reason was clouded by excessive ambition caused accidents. These were people who gave up proving their excellence and chose to reduce the competition instead.

They would steal opponents’ packages or ambush them to render them unable to continue the escort mission.

Applicants were actually seriously injured in the process.

After that, direct attacks between applicants were prohibited, but interference operations using extraordinary methods occurred.

Hyeokho concluded that prohibitions only create loopholes, so he eliminated miscellaneous rules and left only two.

Do not directly attack opponents.

Do not destroy opponents’ packages.

There were no other restrictions.

It meant he wouldn’t interfere as long as they maintained minimum courtesy toward people and packages.

Things like touching or stealing others’ packages were allowed.

Protecting them could also be evaluated as skill.

‘I know all this too.’

Shin Ah, who had regained consciousness, thought as she stirred slightly.

Normally, Cheonrim would have noticed that she had awakened even from such slight movement.

But he hadn’t noticed Shin Ah’s presence yet, remaining quiet.

Shin Ah was about to sit up abruptly but changed her mind.

‘I want to know brother’s true feelings.’

When Shin Ah asked Cheondo to help with the escort warrior exam, he had answered that he understood.

Since he was an apprentice escort, she thought it wasn’t a difficult request.

The Cheondo that Shin Ah had seen in her past life would make bitter expressions whenever Mando led large escort groups.

‘He pretends otherwise, but brother likes escort work too.’

But now that he heard his father’s dissuasion, he became curious about Cheondo’s true feelings.

“Things you can’t even imagine will happen.”

“But Father, someday I too, and Shin Ah too, must go on our first escort mission. Couldn’t we think of this as practice for that?”

“This is different!”

When a child of the So Family turned fifteen and went on their first escort mission as an escort warrior, experienced escort warriors accompanied them, and several armed escorts followed as well.

Not only that. Additional guards were attached depending on the situation.

“During your first escort mission, you would only play a supporting role, but in the armed escort selection exam, you must do everything yourself. You have to find hiding places on your own too. There’s no one to protect you.”

“I know.”

“Cheondo, didn’t you say you’ve come to prefer books over escort missions now?”

‘That’s right, brother liked books. When I was sick and lying down, he would often come and read to me. Is brother’s dream to become a scholar? Did I misunderstand brother’s expression?’

Shin Ah’s heart grew heavy.

“Cheondo, speak comfortably.”

Cheonrim, who had raised his voice briefly, lowered it again and gazed at Cheondo with tender eyes.

“Father, I…”

Cheondo hung his head. After a moment, his mouth opened.

“I wanted to pursue the scholar’s path because I disliked the Escort Agency, not because I loved learning.”

“What?”

Cheonrim was surprised by the unexpected answer.

Shin Ah also perked up her ears curiously.

“Because the Escort Agency abandoned you and Shin Ah, Father.”

With a voice that felt sadder for being so calm, he revealed his inner thoughts.

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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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