The Patriarch of the Northern Heavens - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family – Chapter 5

Sa Gong-cheon was a broad-shouldered man who stood a full head taller than me.
His entire body bore scars that spoke of countless battles—a sight that would unsettle most who beheld him for the first time.
Perhaps a stranger would find themselves too nervous to even speak in his presence.
But I knew the truth: beneath that fearsome exterior lay a warm heart and unwavering loyalty.
In my first life, when everyone despised me, he had pitied me and helped me in countless ways.
‘I received so much assistance from him back then.’
Because of this, I held fond memories of Sa Gong-cheon.
As I was lost in these reflections, Sa Gong-cheon lowered his head respectfully.
“It is an honor to meet you, Young Master. I am Sa Gong-cheon, and I offer my respects to the Acting Head of the Bukcheon Sword Family.”
“The pleasure is mine. I am Jin Muyeol. We shall be working closely together from now on, so I look forward to our partnership.”
Sa Gong-cheon’s appearance had barely changed from what I remembered—only slightly younger in age, nothing more.
He still carried that earnest demeanor, that steadfast adherence to principle.
Who would suspect that such a man was a spy sent by Lee Tae-gyeom?
‘Yet the reality is that Sa Gong-cheon currently follows Lee Tae-gyeom.’
I was confident I could win him over to my side, but for now, he remained effectively my enemy.
Nevertheless, I treated Sa Gong-cheon without reservation.
Not only had he treated me well in my first life, but more importantly…
Building goodwill before asking for favors was essential.
“Then, shall we proceed with today’s duties? Would that be acceptable?”
“Of course. My duty is to protect you, Young Master, in whatever you do.”
‘Protection and surveillance, in other words.’
Every action I took while Sa Gong-cheon was at my side would surely reach Lee Tae-gyeom’s ears.
But I was not troubled by this.
Such information would have reached him regardless of Sa Gong-cheon’s presence.
Therefore, it was better to reveal my hand from the very beginning.
It would demonstrate just how completely I had changed.
“First, let us attend to the duties of the Acting Head. Follow me.”
I entered the Administrative Office and began processing the accumulated documents.
Some I signed without hesitation; others required me to summon the relevant parties for clarification or additional documentation; and some I returned entirely, demanding they be rewritten from scratch.
Sa Gong-cheon’s eyes gleamed as he observed my work.
He appeared quite astonished.
“What troubles you?”
“Ah, forgive me. You are quite different from what I had heard of you, Young Master…”
His words trailed off.
I understood well enough what he meant.
Having become Acting Head less than a year ago with no prior experience in such matters, my swift and decisive handling of these duties must have shocked him.
But I was no puppet—I was someone who had managed the affairs of a family head for over twenty years.
I could do this with my eyes closed.
“I didn’t know I had a talent for this either. How embarrassing.”
But I concealed the truth and spoke those words instead.
After all, even if I told him the truth, he wouldn’t believe me anyway, and it was far more convenient to be perceived this way.
Sa Gong-cheon’s eyes brightened as if he understood.
Perhaps he was thinking he now had more to report?
Regardless, I stretched leisurely and spoke.
“Quite some time has passed. It’s late, but shall we go grab something to eat?”
“I’ll have the dining hall prepare a meal for you.”
“No, that won’t do. Today is the day you came to me, after all. Let’s eat outside and make it a welcome celebration.”
With those words, I led him to a modest inn called Sogoo.
It wasn’t excessively expensive, nor was it overly cheap—a reasonably respectable establishment, and one I had frequented often in my previous life.
There, I ordered some fairly high-quality dishes and wine. It was somewhat more than two people could eat, but that was fine.
After the food arrived, I offered Sa Gong-cheon a drink.
“Have a glass with me.”
“My apologies. While I’m assigned to guard duty, I cannot touch alcohol.”
It was a response befitting Sa Gong-cheon’s strict adherence to principle.
I clicked my tongue in disappointment and nodded.
“Is that so? Then it can’t be helped.”
We continued eating for a while.
During that time, we exchanged various stories and came to know each other better.
“Where have you been stationed until now?”
“Originally, I served in the Iron Blood Sword Squad. However, seven years ago when my child was born, I transferred positions. After moving around here and there, I came to serve as the Young Master’s guard.”
“Oh, you have a child? You’re the head of a household. That’s admirable.”
“Admirable, you say? That is…”
As Sa Gong-cheon looked flustered, I met his gaze directly and spoke.
“I mean it sincerely. I respect all parents who work for their families. As you know, I have never had children myself.”
This remained true even when considering my first life.
I had deliberately avoided marriage to avoid passing down a life of being manipulated like a puppet to any child of mine.
‘Of course, there’s nothing left to pass down anyway since the Bukcheon Sword Family has already collapsed.’
I smiled bitterly to myself at that thought.
“Moreover, the Iron Blood Sword Squad is one of the best places for advancement within the main family, is it not? Yet you left such a position for your child’s sake. That alone makes you worthy of respect. It shows just how much you love your family.”
“…”
Sa Gong-cheon fell silent for a moment, his mouth closing.
I chuckled and asked.
“Is it a son? Or a daughter?”
“A daughter. She’s a very lovely child.”
“I’d like to meet her sometime if the opportunity arises. After all, she’s someone I’m responsible for.”
“Pardon?”
Sa Gong-cheon’s expression showed confusion at what I had just said.
“Ah, it’s nothing much. After all, you’re graciously taking on the role of my escort. Of course, as the Young Master of the Bukcheon Sword Family, I believe I must take responsibility for everyone. Especially those who have directly become my people, like yourself—I feel I should pay them particular attention.”
“….”
“So, Sa Gong-cheon, if you ever have concerns about your family, worries, or problems arise, tell me anytime. I’ll help with whatever I can.”
“Thank you.”
Sa Gong-cheon bowed respectfully.
Yet his eyes trembled noticeably.
He had never expected to hear such words from the Young Master who served as his overseer.
Seeing his reaction, I smiled faintly.
Every word I had spoken was sincere.
Having decided to bring Sa Gong-cheon to my side, I intended to take full responsibility for his family to the very end.
‘Well, since trust hasn’t been properly established yet, laying this groundwork now would be wise.’
That way, offering substantial help later wouldn’t seem unnatural.
We finished our meal heartily and returned to the Bukcheon Sword Family.
“Then I’ll count on you again tomorrow.”
“Yes. I shall see you tomorrow.”
Sa Gong-cheon, who had escorted me to my quarters, bowed deeply and began heading somewhere.
I watched his retreating figure with a meaningful gaze.
I had a good idea of where he was going.

* * *

Before returning to his quarters, Sa Gong-cheon made a secret stop somewhere.
It was the Meeting Hall where Elder Council Chairman Lee Tae-gyeom was waiting.
“You’ve worked hard. How was the Young Master on your first day of duty?”
Lee Tae-gyeom, leisurely enjoying tea inside, asked the question.
Sa Gong-cheon answered immediately.
“His administrative abilities are quite exceptional. Apart from that, he seemed rather ordinary. And….”
‘He seemed like a very good person.’
Sa Gong-cheon hesitated and swallowed the rest of his words.
He knew such remarks would be superfluous and not what Lee Tae-gyeom wanted to hear.
“Hmm? Why did you stop mid-sentence?”
“It’s nothing. I was simply surprised by how healthy he appeared. I had heard he was originally sickly.”
“I see. Well, I’ve heard rumors lately that he’s become healthier. But what about his exceptional administrative abilities?”
“He handled every document that came in with such ease, as if he’d been doing this work for over a decade. It was genuinely impressive.”
“Ho. That would explain how he could spot Wang Ho’s embezzlement so quickly. Even a snail has its talents, as they say. It seems he’s been hiding his abilities all this time.”
Lee Tae-gyeom nodded in understanding and continued.
“You may go now. If there’s anything special to report, don’t wait for the regular reporting time—tell me immediately.”
“Yes.”
As Sa Gong-cheon turned to leave, Lee Tae-gyeom’s warning reached his ears.
“Oh, and remember this always: your daughter’s life rests in my hands.”
“….”
Sa Gong-cheon simply bowed his head and left at that final remark, which sounded more like a threat.
His mind was consumed with guilt.
Jin Muyeol had seemed like such a good person today, yet the fact that his daughter’s life was held hostage by the Elder Council members meant he had no choice but to spy on such a man—and that tormented him.
‘But Young Master… I am sorry.’
Sa Gong-cheon thought this with his eyes squeezed shut.
‘For the sake of my beloved daughter, I will continue to betray you from this moment forward.’
Otherwise, there would be no guarantee for his daughter’s life.
Sa Gong-cheon returned to his quarters with a deep sigh.
He wanted to sleep and rid himself of this suffocating unease.

* * *

‘Sa Gong-cheon is probably reporting about me right now. It’s the first day, so the likelihood is certainly high.’
Back in my room, I contemplated Sa Gong-cheon.
What could be called a betrayal didn’t bother me in the slightest.
I had known from the beginning it would come to this, so there was no sense of betrayal whatsoever.
‘But judging from the expression that flickered across his face, he was clearly in considerable anguish. He must have been troubled by his own position as a spy.’
If that were the case, the probability of him switching to my side was quite high—provided I saved his daughter in the future.
Of course, to accomplish that, I would need to build a far stronger bond of trust with him and locate the Moonlit Herb to cure her….
‘But I already know where it is. Finding it won’t be difficult if I can just time it right.’
Such trivial matters posed no problem for someone who knew the future.
Instead, I began to contemplate something else.
‘No matter how much the main family is faltering, we don’t lack talent. But to make them mine, I need to solidify my own position first.’
Otherwise, why would such talented individuals come to me?
They wouldn’t approach unless they had some peculiar hobby of grasping at rotting ropes.
In that sense, raising my reputation within the family was not a choice—it was essential.
‘Then I should make a conspicuous achievement. What kind of matter could I handle given the current circumstances?’
As I was rifling through documents I had brought from the Administrative Office, I happened to discover something promising.
I smiled faintly upon seeing it.
‘Ah, that’s right. This exists.’
The report contained information about a mysterious phantom thief who had recently appeared, targeting wealthy merchants in this area.
And I knew something about this phantom thief.
In the past, this scoundrel had once severely weakened my position.
My eyes gleamed at the memory.
‘This time, there’s no chance of that.’

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