The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 371

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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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The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 371

Chapter 371. Young-young Hall (3)

“We need to hurry to Lady Hong Geum-so. She’s in danger.”
Lady Hong Geum-so was in danger?
“Could you provide more details?”
At my question, Seo Hyang shook her head with a troubled expression.
“I don’t know the specifics. I only saw Seo-woo Warrior holding Lady Hong Geum-so and weeping bitterly. And beside him, the Small Guild Master was grieving as well. In any case, we need to go as quickly as possible.”
So that’s why she had asked how many hours it would take. But that alone didn’t tell me why Lady Hong Geum-so was in danger.
“Is there any other clue? Even the smallest detail would help.”
Seo Hyang paused, searching her memory, then spoke as if recalling something.
“Now that I think about it, there was blood… and her ankle was purple.”
Ah…
“Was the location inside a building or outside?”
“Outside.”
I began to understand the situation.
Lady Hong Geum-so had injured her ankle while doing something.
Under normal circumstances, she could manage to get up on her own, but Lady Hong Geum-so was currently pregnant.
And at full term, no less.
So her heavy body prevented her from rising alone.
It was now December, the depths of winter.
If she remained immobilized outdoors for an extended period, she would freeze to death.
Moreover, she was covered in blood, and this was the season when wild beasts were starving.
There was no time to waste.
I leaped to my feet.
“Palgap!”
Palgap responded with quick understanding.
“Yes! I’ll tell the Merchant Guild Leader that you had an urgent matter and went ahead to the Main Headquarters.”
“Thank you.”
I turned to Seo-woo Warrior.
“Seo-woo Warrior, let’s go.”
“I’m grateful.”
“Don’t say such things. Lady Hong is someone precious to me. I won’t let her slip away so meaninglessly.”
But something felt unsettling.
The mention of blood troubled me. And the sun was already setting.
Night was the time of dangerous beasts.
Then a good idea came to me.
“Geum-ryeong.”
“Chirp!”
“Find Lady Hong Geum-so. And if she’s in danger, protect her.”
“Chirp!”
Geum-ryeong launched herself into the air, vanishing in an instant as a mere speck against the sky.
Seo-woo Warrior and I exchanged a glance, then channeled our inner energy and sprinted forward with all our might.

* * *

As her confinement period approached, Hong Geum-so remained at home rather than venturing to the Merchant Guild.
The Eunhae Trading Company graciously allowed its female employees several months of rest when their time drew near.
Yet being confined indoors left her restless, so she decided to take a walk.
Of course, she should have brought someone to assist her, but not wanting to burden anyone unnecessarily, she slipped out alone.
After so long indoors, the fresh air felt invigorating and wonderful.
“Hong-gwa, doesn’t this feel nice for you too?”
She had dreamed of picking red fruit, so she had given her unborn child the prenatal name Hong-gwa.
“Your father should arrive tomorrow or the day after. Aren’t you curious about what your father is like? When you meet him, you’ll love him dearly. He’s a truly remarkable man.”
She could only convey news of the pregnancy through letters. His reply overflowed with joy.
Their child. Hers and Seo-woo’s.
She had thought she would never have this, that Seo-woo would remain forever beyond her reach, but miraculously he had survived, and now they had this precious child.
As she caressed her belly and spoke to the child, she realized she had wandered far farther than intended.
“Oh my! The sun is already setting! I must hurry back.”
She quickened her pace.
But perhaps she had rushed too hastily?
Her foot caught, twisting her ankle, and to make matters worse, she tumbled down the hillside beside the path.
“Ugh…”
She tried to rise, but her injured ankle gave her no strength.
Moreover, being so heavily pregnant made any movement difficult.
Suddenly, she felt the baby move within her.
She gently stroked her belly.
“No, Hong-gwa. It’s not your fault. Mother simply mistepped.”
In this situation, she had no choice but to seek help from someone.
But this was a secluded place, and no one passed by.
As darkness gradually fell, the sun finally set.
A truly difficult predicament.
She reproached herself for having come out alone.
Yet she could not afford to despair.
She had to hold onto her composure somehow.
Fortunately, the child was alive, and she had to keep it that way.
How long had she lain there on the ground?
“Grrrrr….”
A low growl echoed through the darkness. At that sound, Lady Hong Geum-so bit her lip.
Yellow eyes drawing closer to her.
Though everything around her was pitch black, those eyes were unmistakably visible.
It was undoubtedly a wolf.
‘At this rate, I’ll become nothing but wolf food!’
She frantically felt around her surroundings and grasped a stone the size of her fist.
It was her only weapon against the wolf. Just as the standoff between Hong Geum-so and the wolf continued.
“Squeal!”
Then, an strange sound suddenly pierced the air, and at that noise, the wolf hesitated.
“Squeal!”
“Screech….”
As the sound rang out once more, the wolf, seemingly terrified, tucked its tail and fled.
Confirming the wolf’s escape, she released the stone she had been clutching.
‘But that sound just now… I’ve heard it somewhere before.’
Pitter-patter-patter-patter.
Something approached her. A creature resembling a pig, no larger than a fist.
Though darkness obscured everything around her, this pig-like creature was strangely visible.
This was because it emanated a soft golden light from its entire body.
“So you must be the Spirit Creature I’ve only heard about. Did you chase away that wolf for me?”
At her question, the adorable creature nodded its head.
“Thank you.”
At her words, the creature began writing something.
[Geumryeong]
[Sent by Eun Seo-ho]
Thanks to the soft light emanating from the creature, the characters were clearly visible.
Her eyes widened upon reading those words.
It was remarkable enough that the animal could write, but the message said Eun Seo-ho had sent it.
Yet considering his track record, it didn’t seem so surprising after all.
And she recalled occasionally hearing squealing sounds around him.
“Sigh.”
She exhaled deeply and shivered.
“Squeal?”
At the creature’s questioning sound, Hong Geum-so answered.
“It’s quite cold.”
“Squeal!”
The pig Spirit Creature, having identified itself as Geumryeong, squealed and headed somewhere.
About half an hour passed.
Geumryeong returned.
But… it was not alone.
A group of animals had been brought along.
Herbivores like deer and rabbits.
The animals approached Hong Geum-so, circled around her, and settled down.
Feeling the warmth of their bodies, she no longer trembled.
And Geumryeong handed her what she had been holding in her mouth.
“Is this… for me to eat?”
“Chirp!”
“Thank you.”
She ate the fruit, satiating her hunger and thirst.
How many hours had passed like this?
Before long, the sky began to lighten with a pale glow.
“Chirp?”
Geumryeong tilted her head and looked at Hong Geum-so.
For some reason, Geumryeong seemed to be smiling.
Then she vanished somewhere.
“Geum-so!”
And soon after, I heard the voice of the man I had longed to see, and I saw him rushing toward me.
“Ah…”
“Lady!”
Perhaps because the tension had finally released?
She lost consciousness.

* * *

“Lady! Lady!”
Seo-woo Warrior cradled Lady Hong Geum-so in his arms, calling out to her desperately.
Upon arriving at the Hubei Province Headquarters, I summoned Geumryeong, and she guided us to where Lady Hong Geum-so was.
“Kwui! Kwu!”
“Ah, so because she was cold, you intimidated the other animals into helping her like this?”
“Kwui!”
“Well done.”
“Kwui! Kwu! Kwukwuik!”
“You drove away the wolves, and even gathered berries for her so she wouldn’t go hungry?”
“Kwui!”
“I’m truly grateful.”
I stroked Geumryeong affectionately.
I couldn’t imagine what would have happened without her—I was genuinely indebted to her.
I placed a hand on Seo-woo Warrior’s shoulder and spoke.
“There is no need for concern. The Lady’s condition is simply due to exhaustion. Let us move her inside at once.”
“Ah, yes.”
Seo-woo Warrior held Lady Hong Geum-so close, and we made our way to his house.
The household was in complete disarray.
The reason was simple—Lady Hong Geum-so had not returned.
Seeing the servants and handmaidens moving about with anxious expressions, it was clear they had been searching for her.
Yet they had failed to find her because she had been discovered in a secluded place, having rolled off the side of the road.
“My Lady!”
Upon seeing Lady Hong Geum-so cradled in Seo-woo Warrior’s arms, the household servants and handmaidens rushed over in shock.
“Where did you find her?”
“We searched everywhere but couldn’t locate her….”
“This is no time for that—let us bring her inside at once….”
Seo-woo Warrior laid the Lady on a warm bed.
Then he grasped her wrist while biting his lip.
“I shall summon a Physician.”

As I left Seo-woo Warrior’s house, I stroked Geumryeong hidden in my sleeve.
“Thank you. Because of you, I was able to protect someone precious to me.”
“Kwui.”
“You’re saying this is just the basics?”
“Kwui. Kwui!”
“So you’re saying I should express my gratitude with money?”
Truly, that’s Geumryeong for you.

I immediately went to the Hubei Province Headquarters, retrieved a Physician, and returned to Seo-woo Warrior’s house.
Since Lady Hong Geum-so was pregnant, I deliberately brought a Physician who specialized in such matters.
While the Physician examined Lady Hong Geum-so’s condition, Seo-woo Warrior and I waited outside.
“I truly cannot thank you enough.”
Seo-woo Warrior bowed deeply in gratitude, and I gently shook my head.
“Please, say no more. I was terrified myself.”
Seo-woo Warrior opened his mouth with a serious expression.
“But… what manner of person is Gwak Vice-Manager? She does not seem to be an ordinary deputy officer.”
“That is correct.”
“Does she perhaps see the future?”
I nodded.
“In truth, when I secretly spirited Gwak Vice-Manager away before, I wondered why such measures were necessary. Now I believe I understand the reason.”
At that time, Seo Hyang’s abilities were still a secret. Yet despite this, Seo-woo Warrior and the other Guard Warriors willingly followed my wishes.
“It is a useful ability, but in some ways, it is also quite dangerous.”
Seo-woo Warrior nodded at my words.
“You speak truly, my lord. In any case, I owe Gwak Vice-Manager a tremendous debt. Had it not been for her, something truly… unspeakable might have occurred.”
“I share that sentiment entirely.”
I exhaled deeply.
“Gwak Vice-Manager is a remarkably intelligent person. Because of her ability, she lost her original station, and thus she is quite cautious about such matters. She could have simply let this matter pass without a word. But she did not.”
“That speaks to her inherently virtuous nature.”
“I believe so as well. In any case, having received such kindness from Gwak Vice-Manager, I ask that you ensure this incident does not bring danger upon her.”
“I shall keep it in mind.”
Seo-woo Warrior nodded.
“There is another person to whom gratitude is due. Now that I think of it, had it not been for Geum-ryeong, we would have faced true disaster. I caught a glimpse of it earlier. My thanks are genuine.”
“Squeak!”
At those words, I could only let out a hollow laugh.
Was she really saying this?
“What is she saying?”
“She says gratitude should be expressed in coin.”
Seo-woo Warrior chuckled as he spoke.
“A amusing jest.”
“I am quite serious.”
“Pardon?”
Seo-woo Warrior’s bewildered expression.
I tapped my sleeve and called to Geum-ryeong.
“Geum-ryeong, come out.”
“Squeak!”
Geum-ryeong emerged from my sleeve and descended to the floor. I withdrew a silver coin from my pocket.
“Here, you worked hard today.”
As I offered it to Geum-ryeong, she swiftly accepted the coin and swallowed it whole.
“….”
Seo-woo Warrior’s expression grew flustered at the sight. It made sense—he’d never shown anyone else how he fed money to Geum-ryeong.
“You’re… eating money?”
“Money is all she eats.”
“Ah… being a Spirit Creature, I suppose that’s possible.”
“She’s quite the voracious Spirit Creature when it comes to coin. But she more than earns her keep in return.”
Seo-woo Warrior quickly regained his composure and withdrew a silver coin from his pocket.
He extended it toward Geum-ryeong.
“Thank you for today.”
Geum-ryeong didn’t swallow it immediately as before, but looked at me instead.
Seeking permission to consume the coin offered by another.
Now that I thought about it, she’d mentioned that money from others required the master’s approval before she could eat it.
I nodded, and Geum-ryeong accepted the coin, swallowing it with a satisfied gulp.
She made a pleased sound.
“Kwee-kwee.”
Of course she was delighted.
She’d consumed two silver coins now.
In truth, this deed warranted even a gold ingot—no, a gold bar.
Geum-ryeong had averted a grave disaster.
But if I produced a gold bar now, Seo-woo Warrior would feel pressured to do the same.
That’s why I deliberately offered only silver.
The gold bar Seo-woo Warrior might have given Geum-ryeong should be reserved for the unborn child instead.
I could provide two gold bars myself if needed.
Squeak.
The door opened and the Maidservant assisting the Physician poked her head in.
“Please come in.”
At her words, we hurried inside.
“How is the Lady’s condition?”
The Physician answered my question.
“There are no serious complications. She has some bruising from rolling down the hill, but nothing grave.”
“And the child?”
The Physician nodded at my question.
“The child in the womb is also safe.”
“Phew, what a relief.”
Only then could I fully relax.
“However….”
Hmm? However what?

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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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