The Granddaughter of the Manhyang Escort Agency Hides Her Magic - Chapter 17

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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 17

Shin Ah was only able to bring Mugyeol to her private quarters after an hour had passed since she woke up.

Mugyeol, who had arrived at her quarters, greeted her politely. Perhaps due to nervousness, the child’s face was stiffly frozen.

Shin Ah quickly examined Mugyeol. There were no visible injuries.

“Come and sit down.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

When Mugyeol sat down respectfully as Shin Ah instructed, Danmi placed tea and sweets on the table.

However, Mugyeol didn’t even touch them, let alone look at them, as if it was unthinkable.

“Try some. There’s no poison.”

“Po-po-poison? That’s an outrageous thing to say.”

“I didn’t spit in it either.”

“Ah, Young Miss! I would never think such a thing!”

Mugyeol, who was startled, raised his head. His already large eyes widened even more as he waved his hands frantically. Each time he did so, there was a sound of cutting through the air.

‘Oh, he has good strength?’

Shin Ah’s eyes sparkled.

Unlike his delicately pretty face, Mugyeol had a frame suitable for martial arts.

‘He has the makings of greatness.’

Though he was currently malnourished, skinny, and short, his future looked very bright.

“How is your body?”

“I’m fine.”

Mugyeol answered immediately.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Indeed, Mugyeol felt no discomfort anywhere.

Even though he had been severely beaten by Mando, he was strangely unharmed.

Mugyeol, who had no idea it was thanks to Shin Ah deploying a shield for him in the middle of it, simply thought his own endurance had improved.

Shin Ah, who had been watching Mugyeol with satisfaction, nodded her head.

‘The shield worked properly. Now I need to give him the Plum Blossom Pill. As soon as Father returns.’

Should she teach him an Internal Energy Cultivation Method first?

‘For that, I’d need a teacher to guide him.’

Since Shin Ah had only taught magic, instructing Mugyeol would be too much for her.

‘Father said he would assign Teacher Ok Chifung to him, so let’s wait. But when exactly is he coming?’

Seeing the skinny Mugyeol made her feel urgent.

Shin Ah, who had become somewhat displeased for no reason, slightly frowned.

“Um… Young Miss. Why did you call for me?”

At that moment, Mugyeol, who had been unable to make proper eye contact and only rolling his eyes around, asked.

Shin Ah, who had been swinging her feet that didn’t reach the floor, suddenly remembered and took out the slave contract the steward had given her.

“Grandfather gave this to me.”

The slave contract was Mugyeol’s bond of servitude.

Unlike cases where one naturally became a slave by having slave parents, Mugyeol had become a slave after writing a contract to belong to the So Family Estate.

‘Mugyeol wouldn’t have wanted to become a slave. Someone sold Mugyeol here.’

Though it was a sad affair, it was common for parents or village elders to sell children to escort agencies, large estates, or Martial Arts Noble Families.

At least then they wouldn’t go hungry.

“What is… this?”

Mugyeol stared down at the slave contract.

“It’s your slave contract.”

“What’s that?”

Seeing Mugyeol’s blank eyes, Shin Ah felt like she had been hit in the head with a hammer.

‘Mugyeol can’t read!’

This was a completely unexpected obstacle.

Shin Ah, who was a genius that learned to read on her own before age 3, couldn’t understand Mugyeol.

She was even a genius who mastered 3 languages at age 10 and 10 languages at age 15… let’s stop here.

‘He’s eight years old and can’t read? Is this kid stupid? No wonder there was a thumbprint on the contract instead of a signature!’

It would have been quite unfair words if Mugyeol had heard them.

Mugyeol could easily read simple things like the signboard of Manhyang Express or street shop signs.

However, what was written on the slave contract used characters he couldn’t see in daily life. While he could read it haltingly, understanding the content was difficult.

Shin Ah, who had no way of knowing this fact, let out a deep sigh.

‘I’ll have to teach him to read too.’

Who knew that taking in one servant would be such a difficult and complicated matter.

Shin Ah groaned as she got down from her chair. Then she dragged the chair over and sat next to Mugyeol.

Mugyeol, who was startled, hunched his shoulders.

‘What? Do I smell or something? Why is he avoiding me?’

Shin Ah looked Mugyeol up and down. Mugyeol’s cheeks were red.

“Come closer. I’ll read it to you.”

Thinking he must be avoiding her because he was hot, Shin Ah casually pulled at Mugyeol’s collar.

Mugyeol fluttered like a bird about to take its first flight.

The moment she saw him startling repeatedly, a scene suddenly flashed through Shin Ah’s mind.

The image of Mando mercilessly beating Mugyeol.

If he was showing such sensitive reactions because of being beaten by Mando…

‘Since he got beaten because of me, I should take good care of him.’

Shin Ah patted Mugyeol’s shoulder.

“Don’t be nervous. I’ll treat you well.”

Mugyeol’s eyes widened. The child’s lips trembled, and his cheeks became even redder.

“First, let me teach you about this. This is your slave contract. It means you’re a slave of the So Family Estate, that is, Grandfather’s property. You know that my grandfather is both the head of Manhyang Express and the family head of the So Family, right?”

The corners of Mugyeol’s mouth turned upward. Thanks to this, his plump cheeks looked nice. Indeed, it would be good to fatten him up.

“I’m going to tear this up. Then you’ll become a free citizen.”

“What? You mean a free citizen…”

“It means you can live as you please.”

Mugyeol’s face darkened instantly. His pupils trembled as if hit by an earthquake.

“Does that mean… you want me to leave the So Family Estate?”

“Uh… if you want to leave?”

“No!”

Mugyeol stood up from his seat. With that force, the chair toppled over with a loud noise.

Tears welled up in Mugyeol’s eyes. The child’s chest heaved greatly.

“I, I will stay here. I absolutely won’t leave. I’m fine with being a slave for life…”

Mugyeol misunderstood that Shin Ah was trying to drive him away.

Shin Ah was greatly flustered. She had tried to help, but had become a heartless person trying to cast out a child with nowhere to go.

Not only was it unfair, but seeing Mugyeol silently shedding tears was too pitiful.

Shin Ah reached out to comfort him.

“No, it’s not what you’re thinking. Don’t cry. Okay?”

Mugyeol flinched and turned his head, but couldn’t avoid her touch because Shin Ah firmly held his cheeks.

Shin Ah wiped Mugyeol’s tears with her sleeve.

Even so, Mugyeol’s tears didn’t stop easily.

“I will, *sniff*, stay by Young Miss’s side. I have very good endurance. *sob*, I can take any punishment for Young Miss, and I can take beatings too. So please don’t cast me out.”

Even while crying, Mugyeol insisted on his usefulness.

Shin Ah’s nose tingled.

‘Just how badly did they treat this child…’

Though she had a child’s body, Shin Ah, who had already experienced two lifetimes, felt a heavy sense of responsibility.

“Mugyeol.”

At Shin Ah’s gentle call, Mugyeol’s mind returned to reality a little.

“Live here.”

“…….”

“Live with me. Move your residence to Biwongak.”

Every time Mugyeol blinked his large eyes, tears hanging from his wet eyelashes dripped down.

At the sight of him looking like a forlorn daffodil, Shin Ah’s heart ached.

“And find something you want to do.”

“I want to serve you, young miss…….”

“So think about what you can do for me. Until then, I’ll keep the slave contract.”

Mugyeol shook his head.

“I’m too stupid to know such things. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do. Please don’t cast me out.”

Mugyeol cried even more sorrowfully.

Shin Ah hesitated.

She knew that Mugyeol liked her.

Wasn’t he the child who had gone down a path he shouldn’t have taken to save her in her previous life?

But she hadn’t known he would be this blindly devoted.

“Please tell me, young miss.”

Mugyeol, who had suddenly stopped crying, rubbed his face against Shin Ah’s palm that touched his cheek.

She had thought giving him the choice of how to live would be the best reward, but apparently not.

Then there was a way to postpone the choice. She could increase Mugyeol’s options by telling him what to do until he found something he wanted to do.

“Become strong for me.”

“Yes.”

“And let’s become a musician.”

“Would that be enough?”

“For now.”

Mugyeol nodded vigorously.

“I’ll become the best musician. For you, young miss.”

Mugyeol wiped his tears and clenched his fists, burning with determination.

Shin Ah suddenly became curious about why this child was so desperately attached to her, but she didn’t bother to ask.

* * *

When Mugyeol came out of Shin Ah’s private quarters, Danmi spoke to him as if she had been waiting.

“Did you finish talking with the young miss? I’ve informed the head manager, so go pack your things from your quarters.”

Mugyeol stared at Danmi intently, then nodded slightly.

His indifferent gaze and somewhat stiff attitude were worlds apart from what he had shown Shin Ah.

“I’ll go now.”

Mugyeol gave a curt greeting and crossed through Biwongak.

Mugyeol’s steps grew faster as he wanted to return to Shin Ah’s side as quickly as possible. Soon he began to run.

‘Become strong for me.’

Throughout his run, Shin Ah’s voice echoed in Mugyeol’s ears.

Shin Ah had given him a life goal.

He would become strong. He would become the best musician. He would live for Shin Ah.

Inside his chest, determination blazed like fire igniting dry fields. At the same time, his gratitude and loyalty toward Shin Ah grew even greater.

Mugyeol recalled the conversation they had just before he left his quarters.

‘From now on, don’t get hit instead of me. Your body is yours. You should cherish it.’

To Mugyeol, these were incomprehensible words.

His body belonged to Shin Ah. What he should cherish was not himself, but Shin Ah.

If you asked when this started, it had been this way for three years.

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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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