The Granddaughter of Manhyang Escort Bureau Hides Her Magic - Chapter 88

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 88

“Ilbi, let’s go.”

Mando grinned broadly. Ilbi’s expression as he followed was the brightest it had been in recent days.

“Did you really do the job properly?”

“That’s why Grandfather called for us. It’s not just us. Father went ahead already, and Chief Go and the captain, ah! Uncle was called too.”

“What about Shin Ah?”

“She rushed off somewhere about an hour ago. Where do you think that could be?”

“The place she delivered to today?”

“Oh my, our Ilbi is so smart. The head of Geumwa Trading Company will come too. We just need to sit back and watch. Watch that Shin Ah get humiliated.”

Chuckling, Mando clasped his hands behind his back and strutted ahead pompously.

The way he walked with his belly pushed out and chest puffed up looked like a scholar who had just passed the highest civil service exam.

“It’s not that I don’t use my brain, but when I do, it’s brilliant like this. I’m already looking forward to what excuses that girl Shin Ah will make in front of Grandfather.”

For this matter at least, Ilbi acknowledged Mando.

‘How did he think to secretly add poison that causes stomach upset to the ingredients?’

Anyone could have the idea, but the courage and execution to sneak into Geumwa Trading Company’s warehouse and sprinkle the medicine deserved applause.

“So Ilbi, just trust your big brother. I’ll get the Geumwa Trading Company distribution rights and give you a share. We’ll finally become official Escort Warriors!”

‘It’s all mine. So Shin Ah, you’re finished now!’

Ilbi and Mando were filled with dreams.

But dreams are meant to be broken.

Shin Ah properly shattered their dreams.

* * *

“N-no, Grandfather! I, I didn’t do it!”

Mando dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Shut that mouth!”

Everyone froze at So Hyeokho’s fierce shout.

Mando looked around pleadingly for help. But no one would meet his eyes. Even his father Baekrim had his eyes tightly shut.

Mando had sensed something had gone wrong the moment he stepped into Wolhwa Hall.

When Shin Ah, who he expected to be crying and wailing, looked at him and smirked.

‘What do I do… I think I’ve been caught…’

Mando chewed the inside of his lip nervously.

How could he escape this crisis?

“G-Grandfather, please listen to me…”

“Did you truly tamper with the package?”

“That is…”

“No lengthy explanations needed! Answer only yes or no. Lies won’t work. There’s someone here who can prove your wrongdoing.”

“A-a witness, you say?”

That couldn’t be.

He was sure no one followed him, and he confirmed the warehouse was empty!

Did the walls and ceiling have eyes and ears?

* * *

Like a cow backing up and catching a mouse, Mando sometimes stumbled onto the right answer through random thinking.

This time was correct too.

The head of Geumwa Trading Company, Yuhyeon, had become the eyes and ears on the warehouse wall.

“Head Kim, sorry but could you come forward and tell us what you saw at dawn today?”

Though Yuhyeon was much younger, he was the owner of Geumwa Trading Company, so Hyeokho showed appropriate courtesy.

Yuhyeon swallowed and stepped forward. Everyone’s gaze focused on him.

“Late last night, an Escort Warrior came to see me.”

At the words “Escort Warrior,” five pairs of eyes turned toward Yuhyeon.

Baekrim, Cheonrim, Mando, Ilbi, and Shin Ah.

Yuhyeon let out a small sigh and quickly corrected himself.

“Ah, I mean the Chang’an Branch head.”

Hyeokho looked at Shin Ah. Shin Ah was forcing a sad expression while trying to suppress laughter.

Hyeokho swallowed a sigh.

“Why did the Chang’an Branch head visit the trading company head?”

Chief Go asked.

“The Chang’an Branch head warned me that there would be problems with the package.”

Ilbi and Mando flinched slightly. It was a very subtle reaction, but since most people present had learned martial arts, everyone noticed.

“Don’t ask questions from now on. Head Kim, please tell us in detail and comfortably what you saw.”

“Yes.”

Yuhyeon’s explanation began.

* * *

Yesterday, Yuhyeon had been looking over the trading company’s account books until late at night.

Like how a late-learning thief doesn’t notice dawn breaking, Yuhyeon didn’t realize how deep the night had grown while studying trading company business.

He was barely keeping his heavy eyelids open while looking at documents.

A shadow fell outside the window.

Was it Oh Bangja?

There were rumors that Oh Bangja, who had been kicked out of Geumwa Trading Company, was grinding his teeth in resentment, so the guards had been worried.

Yuhyeon held his breath tensely.

Just as he reached for the bell to call the guards, the window opened with a clatter and a round face suddenly appeared.

“Hello. May I come in?”

The uninvited night visitor with the clear, cheerful voice was Shin Ah.

While Yuhyeon let out a deflated breath, Shin Ah nimbly climbed through the window like a flying squirrel.

“What brings you here? And at this late hour?”

“I don’t have time for long explanations. Something will happen tomorrow.”

* * *

“What kind of thing?”

Hyeokho, who had said not to interrupt, couldn’t help but ask.

“She said someone would sprinkle an unidentified medicine on Geumwa Trading Company’s goods. I asked the Chang’an Branch head who was plotting this scheme.”

As the story grew long, Yuhyeon caught his breath.

“Who did she say it was? Hurry up and tell us.”

Baekrim urged impatiently.

‘Please don’t let my son’s name come up… please…’

Baekrim prayed desperately inside.

“She told me to see for myself. So at dawn today, I went to the warehouse. I set up a partition wall and hid behind it to watch.”

Yuhyeon had expected Oh Bangja to come. But an unexpected person appeared.

The fat masked figure was clearly around his age.

“Who was that person!”

When Baekrim raised his voice, Hyeokho glared at him fiercely.

“Yuwongak Master, control yourself.”

Baekrim bit the inside of his mouth and looked at Mando. Mando, who had turned pale, was on the verge of fainting.

Baekrim gulped down his saliva.

“I apologize. Please continue your explanation.”

At Hyeokho’s request, Yuhyeon nodded.

“The masked person moved according to the Chang’an Branch chief’s words. He opened the packaged Target Object Box and sprinkled medicine on it.”

“G-Grandfather! Wait a moment!”

This time Mando cut off Yuhyeon’s words.

Mando poured out his rapidly surfacing thoughts like machine gun fire.

“Proceeding with an Escort Mission despite knowing there were problems with the package shows disqualification as an Escort Warrior! The Chang’an Branch chief did something an Escort Warrior should never do!”

Before departing on an Escort Mission, it was the Escort Warrior’s job to check the condition of the package and instruct proper packaging methods.

Escort Warriors were responsible for damages caused by failing to do this job properly, and would be punished if it caused disruptions to the Escort Mission.

“It’s even written in the escort regulations! So Shin Ah! Won’t you come here right now? Quickly kneel down!”

Yuhyeon frowned at Mando’s unreasonable argument.

“That! Was something I insisted on. Isn’t an Escort Mission about transporting the package that the client requested? I asked the Chang’an Branch chief to just deliver it as a favor.”

“Why did you do that? If problems arose from the goods, it would severely damage Geumwa Trading Company’s credibility, wouldn’t it?”

Ha Ilju, who had been closely watching the situation, asked.

This time Hyeokho didn’t stop Ha Ilju’s words either. Everyone had the same question as Ha Ilju.

“I thought Oh Bangja had orchestrated this. I thought the person who came to the warehouse was one of the Dark Path groups that Oh Bangja commands. If something went wrong with the goods and an incident occurred, I planned to use that as an excuse to drive Oh Bangja out of Seomsu. However, I didn’t convey all of these thoughts to the branch chief.”

Yuhyeon looked at Shin Ah and smiled apologetically.

“Still, even so, if you’re an Escort Warrior, you should have stopped it for the client’s protection! Even if it meant abandoning the Escort Mission!”

Mando persisted in attacking Shin Ah to the end.

“If we abandon the delivery, it’s not just our trading company that suffers damage. Many shop owners who would have to give up business that day, and all those who came seeking a bowl of food would all suffer harm.”

Yuhyeon’s explanation was correct.

That’s why Shin Ah proposed a method that could minimize damage while respecting the client’s wishes.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————