The Granddaughter of the Manhyang Escort Agency Hides Her Magic - Chapter 18

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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 18

The year Mugyeol turned five.

Bandits invaded the small village in Shanxi where Mugyeol lived, destroying the village and slaughtering everyone.

Adults, children, even the livestock kept at home—it was literally a massacre.

The reason Mugyeol survived was thanks to his parents’ quick thinking.

Mugyeol’s father put him in a well. From there, Mugyeol heard the sounds of his parents being murdered and smelled the village burning.

And after three days, he escaped from the well by his own strength.

At only five years old, Mugyeol was speechless at the scene that unfolded before his eyes.

Not knowing where to go, he remained in the village littered with corpses. A wanderer passing by rescued the dazed Mugyeol and brought him to Manhyang Express.

“If it’s your fate to live, you’ll live.”

The wanderer patted Mugyeol’s shoulder a few times, left only those words, and disappeared.

Mugyeol waited for the wanderer near the walls of Manhyang Express.

His parents had always returned at night when they left in the morning, so he thought the wanderer would do the same.

But the wanderer didn’t return after one day, or even after two days. The dried meat he had given quickly ran out.

To survive, Mugyeol instinctively began begging. Then some beggars came running and beat him up.

That’s when Mugyeol learned that beggars had territories too, and that to start begging, you needed money to pay the beggars who had already established themselves there.

The day he was surrounded and beaten by the beggars, Mugyeol thought he was going to die.

Then, Shin Ah appeared.

“What are you guys doing!”

Shin Ah in her pink hanbok was pretty and smelled nice. She clearly looked like someone of noble birth.

But she was just as small as he was.

That Shin Ah stood between the beggars who were beating Mugyeol.

“Young miss, please go on your way. This is a matter that beggars must resolve among themselves.”

“What’s the problem?”

“The problem is that bastard begging in our territory.”

Seeing Mugyeol lying sideways on the ground with blood dripping from his nose, Shin Ah frowned deeply.

“He’s just a child.”

“Even if he’s a child, a beggar is still a beggar.”

“What does the kid have to do to not get beaten?”

“Pay money. It’s a kind of begging fee.”

“I’ll pay for him.”

Shin Ah took out the money pouch hanging from her waist and threw it. The beggar who quickly picked it up and checked inside showed interest in his eyes.

“It seems the young miss has taken a liking to that bastard, so how about buying him instead?”

“Then you won’t beat him?”

“We can’t beat him. He’d belong to the young miss.”

“How much?”

Having heard that much, Mugyeol lost consciousness.

And some time later, he opened his eyes in the slave quarters within the So Family Estate that operated Manhyang Express.

“From now on, wear this and work. Here, no matter how young you are, if you can’t do your share, you’ll starve and be kicked out. Understand? What are you doing, hurry up and move!”

Someone with a nose the size of a fist threw clothes at Mugyeol and shouted.

Mugyeol worked as he was told in confusion, then was called by the chief steward to sign a contract, and thus he became a slave of the So Family.

Initially, he was going to become a slave working at Manhyang Express, but he was too young for that, so he was assigned to help with the So Family’s work instead of the escort agency.

He couldn’t know what had happened while he was unconscious, but he was certain of one thing.

Shin Ah had bought him when he was about to be beaten to death. So his life, his body belonged to Shin Ah.

Even after that, Shin Ah often helped Mugyeol.

When Mugyeol was being scolded for being clumsy at work, she would pretend not to notice and call away the servant girl who was scolding him to divert attention, and when they met by chance, she would give him snacks.

She probably doesn’t even remember.

Like a butterfly’s wing flap creating a typhoon, her small kindness created blind loyalty.

Mugyeol, who had returned to his lodging to pack his things, turned his head toward Biwongak.

He would definitely become strong.

For Shin Ah’s sake.

Mugyeol made a solemn vow.

* * *

Several days had passed since meeting Mugyeol.

Shin Ah’s daily life had changed greatly.

“Young miss, good day to you.”

When Shin Ah walked around here and there, the servant girls would bow respectfully and greet her.

Each time, Danmi would lift her chin and sneer beside her.

“Those girls must finally be coming to their senses. Insolent things. Should I go scold them even now?”

Usually, a servant girl who directly served the master was considered higher ranking than servant girls who did menial work. The master’s power was essentially the servant’s authority.

However, Biwongak was neglected not only by the escort agency but also within the family because Cheonrim wasn’t properly active. Because of this, Danmi had been the target of all kinds of disrespect and mockery from other servant girls for the past few years.

But things had changed since a few days ago.

After bringing medicinal herbs to Shin Ah from Wolhwa Hall, Danmi’s voice had grown quite loud among the servant girls.

‘Over just receiving medicinal herbs once.’

Shin Ah chuckled.

But there was something Shin Ah had missed—the gift she received wasn’t ‘just’ anything.

Whether it was because Chief Go had visited, despite Cheonrim’s caution, word had gotten out that Shin Ah had received the Plum Blossom Pill.

For the So Family Clan that operated Manhyang Express to bestow a spirit pill had special meaning.

It was essentially like giving internal energy to a child, which meant they intended to raise Shin Ah as an escort warrior.

A small possibility had opened for Shin Ah to become the successor to So Hyeokho, who was both the escort agency head and family head.

“Never mind. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble. And especially at times like this, be good to them.”

“Why?”

Danmi frowned. She knew Shin Ah’s heart was as gentle as silk, but she didn’t expect her to say to be good even to the wicked ones.

“To make the guilty ones unable to sleep peacefully.”

“Pardon?”

Danmi tilted her head in confusion, but Shin Ah just smiled.

Do you know when guilty people tremble most in anxiety?

Right before they’re caught.

Not knowing when they’ll be caught or how they’ll be punished, they can’t help but be afraid.

They say it’s more comfortable to sleep peacefully once you’re actually locked in prison.

Shin Ah had no intention of easily forgiving those who had tormented Danmi and herself.

‘I’ll punish them very thoroughly.’

Shin Ah continued her walk with firm resolve.

* * *

Whenever she had time, Shin Ah checked the condition of her body.

When she concentrated her consciousness, she could clearly feel the presence of the circle positioned around her dantian.

Shin Ah let out a sigh of relief, then sent a bean-sized amount of internal energy flowing into the circle to examine it.

Mysteriously, she could feel the internal energy flowing into the circle and mana becoming abundant.

This was a process she had already confirmed several times.

‘The dantian and circle are connected.’

She didn’t know how this path was created, but what she needed to do going forward was clear.

‘I need to build up internal energy to use magic too. But how do I increase the circles?’

The larger and more numerous the circles, the more powerful magic she could use.

Punishing bad people and taking control of the escort agency would become easier too.

‘If I could just use teleport, taking over the Escort Agency would only be a matter of time.’

Using teleport would allow for fast and safe delivery of goods.

From Seomsu to Hainan wouldn’t even take a day—she could go and return in the blink of an eye.

If that were possible, if she could just prove it, So Hyeokho would undoubtedly declare Shin Ah as his successor without hesitation.

‘Even moving to nearby places requires at least the 5th Circle.’

Shin Ah pondered how she could rapidly develop her magic.

Her delicate face grew serious.

Lost in deep thought, Shin Ah didn’t even notice Cheonrim’s arrival.

“What are you so absorbed in thinking about?”

Cheonrim, who had approached closely, pressed down on Shin Ah’s furrowed brow.

Shin Ah tilted her head back slightly and looked at Cheonrim with her mouth forming a small circle.

“Father? What brings you here?”

The gentle smile on Cheonrim’s face briefly dimmed.

Realizing her mistake, Shin Ah clung to Cheonrim.

“I’ve been waiting and waiting for Father to come.”

Cheonrim’s expression brightened again.

Though Shin Ah didn’t know it, Cheonrim had been busy running around here and there for two whole days.

First, he found out where Ok Chifung was and contacted him. Fortunately, Chifung was near Seomsu. Since he had sent a letter, a reply should come soon.

And in his spare time, he visited the library to search through records, trying to find if there had been anyone similar to Shin Ah.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find even a similar unofficial story, let alone a case like Shin Ah’s.

After that, he went around investigating whether it would be safe to give Shin Ah the Plum Blossom Pill, so he had truly been running around without rest.

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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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