The Granddaughter of Manhyang Escort Bureau Hides Her Magic - Chapter 87

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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 87

Mugyeol’s eyes were filled with sincerity.

Shin Ah, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched her cheek with her finger.

Why does my cheek feel itchy?

“Well, not perfect. Then why are you trying to leave?”

“I want to become stronger. I want to become smarter too.”

“You can achieve what you want here too.”

Shin Ah’s words were right. But there were limits.

If he stayed at Manhyang Express, Mugyeol would always be chasing after Shin Ah, only seeing her back.

What you look at determines how far you can grow.

Here, he would only grow enough to reach Shin Ah’s toes.

That wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t insufficient either. However, Mugyeol wanted more than that.

Mugyeol looked at Shin Ah without saying anything.

Because he lacked eloquence, because he hadn’t learned much, he couldn’t convey this feeling with words.

‘Please, understand my heart.’

Did his earnest feelings reach her?

Shin Ah stared intently into Mugyeol’s pitch-black eyes. Time flowed slowly as the two maintained eye contact.

Eventually, Shin Ah, who seemed to notice something, squeezed her eyes shut.

“Go.”

It was reluctant permission.

Mugyeol’s carefully made decision wavered at just one syllable.

“Should I not go?”

Seeing Mugyeol waver at her single word when he must have brought this up with difficulty, Shin Ah’s feelings became complicated.

Shin Ah unconsciously swept away all the hurt feelings she had been harboring.

“No, go.”

Shin Ah opened her eyes.

Her voice was much clearer than before.

‘Actually, there’s nothing to be hurt about.’

Mugyeol wasn’t her servant. He wasn’t a sworn brother bound by blood, and he certainly wasn’t family with mixed blood.

He could fly away freely whenever he wanted.

So before he left.

“Mugyeol, shall we go have some fun?”

She always said she’d do good things for Mugyeol but only made him work, so she wanted to properly play with him once before he left.

“Have fun? Do you have time?”

Thanks to removing the temporary label, there was a mountain of work to do, but time could be made if needed.

“Yes, let’s go have fun.”

“When?”

Mugyeol’s lips twitched upward.

“When would be good? Let me see…”

Shin Ah, who had been thinking deeply, snapped her fingers.

Soon there would be an event where lanterns were floated on the night when the full moon shone brightly.

It was called the Flower Lantern Festival!

It was named after the lanterns floated on the Weihe River that crosses central Shaanxi Province, which looked like flowers.

“Let’s go float lanterns at the Flower Lantern Festival.”

“Lanterns… lanterns… I want to go, I’ll go!”

Mugyeol had heard the chatter of the slaves he lived with.

They said that during the Flower Lantern Festival, the lanterns floating on the water shine like stars, making the river look just like the sky.

His heart was already racing at the thought of seeing that sight in person.

It wasn’t just because of the anticipation of seeing something amazing.

‘Together with Miss.’

Mugyeol liked that.

If it was with Shin Ah, anywhere would be good.

* * *

Three whole days had passed since Mugyeol said he would leave.

It had been exactly that long since Shin Ah became an official Escort Warrior and the Chang’an Branch was officially launched.

The porters who had been diligently making deliveries since dawn gathered at the Chang’an Branch.

“It’s magnificent.”

Juhwa, standing in front of the Chang’an Branch, muttered while looking at the Manhyang Express flag stuck on the flagpole.

The flag embroidered with gold thread was proof that this place was an official branch of Manhyang Express.

“The Lord of the Express must really cherish Miss Shin Ah.”

Chilseon said.

“Why do you think so?”

Juhwa asked.

“If that weren’t the case, would he send such tremendous things to a small branch?”

Chilseon slightly opened the door and peered inside the branch.

It was packed full of boxes with no room to step.

They were all gifts that So Hyeokho had sent to celebrate the opening of the Chang’an Branch.

The gifts included not only items necessary for branch operations like chairs, tables, abacuses, paper, brush, and ink, but also luxury items like fabric and hair ornaments.

Thanks to this, the porters had no place to sit and were standing outside like this.

“You’re right, uncle.”

Juhwa and Chilseon smiled brightly.

Even though they weren’t her gifts, they felt good.

“At this rate, won’t our Escort Warrior become a branch manager of Manhyang Express, and even a representative leader?”

Juhwa was filled with dreams.

Then Chilseon looked around and lowered his voice.

“It would be better to watch your words.”

The higher the sun rises, the darker the shadows become. And Shin Ah was a rising sun.

Many people would come to envy and resent Shin Ah in the future. In times like these, one had to be even more humble, and it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by Shin Ah being careful alone.

Everyone had to be vigilant so that the people around Shin Ah who supported her wouldn’t get entangled in unnecessary disputes.

Juhwa, who immediately understood what Chilseon was worried about, covered her mouth with both hands. Then she nodded quite reliably.

Chilseon smiled warmly. Both Juhwa and Mugyeol were so clever that watching them made his stomach feel full.

Miss Shin Ah was beyond clever—she was admirable.

Honestly, Chilseon’s mouth was itching because he wanted to brag about Shin Ah too.

“Wouldn’t it be okay when we’re just among ourselves? If we speak quietly. I’m so happy right now I can’t stand it.”

Chilseon chuckled at Juhwa’s statement.

“I suppose so.”

.

.

.

Meanwhile, there was someone watching this scene from afar with spiteful eyes.

It was So Mando in disguise.

‘So Shin Ah as branch manager? Representative leader? Not a chance.’

He had spent the past few days following Juhwa and devising a plan to bring down Shin Ah.

Finally, the execution of that plan was just around the corner.

‘Tomorrow. Once tomorrow passes, you’re finished too.’

A sinister smile crept across So Mando’s lips.

* * *

The next dawn, three small figures busily slipped out of Manhyang Express.

Shin Ah, Mugyeol, and So Mando.

And that afternoon, Soso Restaurant was turned completely upside down.

It all started with soup rice.

“Urrrrgh, hey, owner, ahh, what did, what did you, hup, put in the soup rice?”

Byeongjin’s group, who had eaten lunch at Soso Restaurant, came back.

One was twisting his body while clenching his anus shut, one was dripping with cold sweat, and Byeongjin was pale as a sheet, clutching his lower abdomen.

“Oh my, what’s wrong with all of you?”

Ga Moyeon came running out in surprise.

“Don’t, don’t act like you don’t know? You, hup.”

Feeling something rising from deep in his throat, Byeongjin clamped his mouth shut. The pain of his intestines twisting made everything go white before Byeongjin’s eyes.

“You all look terrible. Instead of staying here, shouldn’t you go see a doctor?”

Ga Moyeon looked at them with concern.

“Should I bring you some cold water?”

The man who had been clenching his anus suddenly opened his eyes wide with alarm.

“Cold water? Ha, it wasn’t enough that you, huk, did something wicked to our food… now you want to poison the water too?”

“What? What on earth are you talking about?”

“Move aside! I need to check, huff, the kitchen, urk.”

“Why are you all acting like this!”

The Dark Path members, half out of their minds with pain, pushed Ga Moyeon aside.

They wanted to wring Ga Moyeon’s neck right then and there, but they didn’t have the luxury.

“Where, where’s the outhouse, the outhouseeeeeee!”

“I’m going first, uurp, I’m going first!”

“Boss, me, I’m going to shit, I said I’m shitting!”

The ones who had been pointing fingers at Ga Moyeon were now fighting over who would use the outhouse first.

They seemed to have gotten sick from eating Soso Restaurant’s soup rice – what a filthy spectacle.

Ga Moyeon sighed deeply as she looked toward the bamboo gate.

“It’s about time for them to arrive, isn’t it? And really, it happened exactly as they said it would.”

Ga Moyeon remained calm despite Byeongjin’s group’s sudden appearance and threats. Someone had given her advance warning that this would happen.

“What a truly remarkable person.”

That person was supposed to visit today.

How could they have known this trouble would happen?

“They did say they’d take full responsibility…”

The loud sounds and smells leaking through the cracks of the outhouse door were truly disgusting.

Ga Moyeon held her nose and craned her neck to look down the street.

Just then, she heard light, cheerful footsteps – tap tap tap.

Ga Moyeon smiled brightly as she welcomed her guest.

“Welcome, Escort Warrior So.”

“Am I too late?”

Shin Ah entered Soso Restaurant with light movements, then frowned when she spotted the people collapsed in front of the outhouse.

“No, you’re right on time. Those lowlifes only arrived a little while ago. But will those people be okay?”

Their faces were so pale and sickly that it wouldn’t be strange if they fainted at any moment.

“Owner Ga, are you worried about those bastards? Even after they tormented you like that?”

The hired thugs Shin Ah had handed over to Geumwa Trading Company were ruffians belonging to a small Evil Sect.

According to what she heard from Yuhyeon later, they had done many terrible things in the name of Geumwa Trading Company.

Eating without paying, extorting protection money, harassing female shop owners, overturning innocent merchants’ small stalls, causing drunken trouble at night, beating up good people, and so on.

Ga Moyeon was one of their biggest victims.

And their current stomachaches were also the result of their own wicked schemes.

‘They brought it on themselves.’

They had eaten the food knowing it would give them stomachaches.

Their plan was to use this as an excuse to swallow up Soso Restaurant whole.

‘Though I did lead them into it somewhat.’

In any case, those bastards didn’t deserve Ga Moyeon’s concern.

They were worse than beasts!

“You have some soup rice prepared, right? Pack that up and follow me. And just tell the truth.”

“Where are we going?”

“To Manhyang Express.”

“What?”

“We’re going to Wolhwa Hall.”

“Wolhwa Hall, you mean… surely not…?”

Ga Moyeon’s mouth fell open.

“That’s right. We’re going to see the Lord of the Nation. Hurry up and get ready. Everyone’s waiting.”

Ga Moyeon’s face was colored with confusion.

She had more than one or two things she wanted to ask Shin Ah, but what she was most curious about was who exactly was included in the ‘everyone’ that was waiting.

‘Surely the Lord of the Nation isn’t there, right?’

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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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