The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 518

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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 Eun Hae Trading Company Chapter 518

Chapter 518. Ice and Flame (6)

I was momentarily taken aback by the sight before me.
What? Was it asking me to touch its belly?
I crouched down and gently rubbed the tiger’s belly, and it purred contentedly.
“Th-this is… what in the world…!”
The Disciple Attendant gasped, eyes wide with shock.
Was this really something to be so astonished about?
I continued stroking the tiger’s belly as I turned to the attendant with a question.
“Why do you have such an expression? Is it improper to do this?”
“N-no, that’s not it. It’s just that the Divine Beast Tiger clearly dislikes the essence of ice, and yet…”
“Is that so?”
– Whimper…
Sensing that Geum Ryung-i seemed dejected, I chuckled softly and rose to my feet.
I should look after my Geum Ryung-i before someone else’s Divine Beast Tiger.
The moment I stopped rubbing the tiger’s belly, it looked disappointed and tapped my leg gently with its tail.
Just then, I heard the voice of the Chuyong Palace Master from ahead.
“Hwasik! What are you doing?”
“Growl…”
At the Chuyong Palace Master’s call, the Divine Beast Tiger glanced at me before finally approaching the Master.
Ah, so that tiger Spirit Creature’s name was Hwasik.
“Hwasik seems to have taken quite a liking to you. That’s rather unusual. This beast doesn’t typically show such affection to someone it’s meeting for the first time.”
“I see. It’s quite a gentle Divine Beast Tiger.”
“Gentle?”
The Chuyong Palace Master chuckled softly.
“You may well be the only one who would call this creature gentle.”
…
After all, this tiger Spirit Creature is known as the Divine Beast of Chuyong Palace.
Even if it shows affection to me, there’s no reason it would be gentle to others.
But why does this creature feel a sense of familiarity with me when we’ve only just met today?
Geum Ryung-i, you wouldn’t know either, would you?
– Whimper?
A response asking how I could possibly know. This one was sulking.
“You mentioned you were sightseeing the famous places of the Main Palace?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Since we have time to spare, allow me to show you around.”
“Thank you.”
He dismissed the Disciple Attendant who had been guiding us, then personally led us around, showing us various parts of the palace.
Thanks to this, I seemed to be seeing far more than when the Disciple Attendant had been our guide.
Thus, I expressed my gratitude to the Palace Master.
“I’m grateful for your guidance, Palace Master. It has allowed us to see much more.”
“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”
“The Disciple Attendant who was guiding us mentioned there were places she couldn’t enter, so there were several areas we couldn’t see. But traveling with you, Palace Master, I realized there are no such restrictions.”
“Among the places we’ve visited so far, there are areas the Disciple Attendant couldn’t enter? Ha! Would I have assigned someone with restricted access as your guide?”
“….”
From his words, I understood what had happened.
The Disciple Attendant had deliberately not guided us to those places.
Territorial jealousy?
Honestly, I wasn’t angry about it.
I was simply bewildered.
“It seems the Disciple Attendant must have been quite busy.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
The Chuyong Palace Master clicked his tongue as he spoke.
“There’s no need to be so diplomatic about it. To embarrass our Chuyong Palace in such a manner….”
Something felt uncomfortable in my chest.
But thinking about it, leaving such a Disciple Attendant unchecked wasn’t good for the long term.
Who knew when she might stab us in the back again?
Moreover, at this rate, the other Disciple Attendants would begin to disrespect us as well.
“I’ll handle that Disciple Attendant myself.”
“Thank you.”
“What about the Disciple Attendant in charge of the Guest Hall? Is she perhaps the same?”
“No! She has been most attentive and considerate.”
“That’s a relief.”
We continued our tour.
However, we found nothing suspicious anywhere.

Returning to my quarters, I called out to Geum-ryeong.
“Geum-ryeong, come out.”
“….”
She was truly sulking. Not even a twitch of movement.
I reached in and forcibly pulled Geum-ryeong out.
“What is the matter, Young Master?”
Palgap, who had been watching quietly, asked, and I explained what had transpired today.
“…So it seems she sulked because she dislikes how you favor that Divine Beast Tiger called Hwasik.”
“This creature is quite greedy, isn’t she?”
“Pardon?”
“Trying to monopolize the Young Master, no less.”
“Can it be seen that way?”
“Though the Young Master is Geum-ryeong’s master, you are also my lord. And you are the lord of the Guard Warriors as well, and the lord of those in Hyunpung too.”
“That’s true.”
“With so many serving the Young Master, it is unreasonable for her to attempt monopoly over you.”
At Palgap’s words, I let out a soft laugh.
He was right, after all.
“So this creature is indeed greedy.”
At this, Geum-ryeong protested.
“Kwui! Kwui-kwui!”
“What? That’s not it? You have no intention of monopolizing me? You simply dislike how that creature acts familiar with me?”
I asked in return.
“Why?”
“Kwui. Kwui-ik! Kwui!”
“You simply dislike that creature?”
Do Spirit Creatures harbor competitive instincts among themselves?
Yet in all this time, she had only suppressed others through sheer force—never displaying such behavior before.
I smiled gently and stroked Geum-ryeong’s back soothingly.
“I understand. I won’t be friendly with that creature.”
“Kwui.”
“Here, eat this and stop your sulking.”
I offered a silver coin to Geum-ryeong, and she snatched it up eagerly.
Indeed, silver is the greatest treasure to Geum-ryeong.
“Kwui. Kwui… Kwui….”
“Don’t misunderstand—it’s not that money tastes delicious. Yes, I understand.”
The way she clutched the silver coin while protesting didn’t inspire much confidence, but well….
“By the way, Geum-ryeong.”
“Kwui?”
“You could have warned Hwasik to stay away from me, yet you didn’t. Why not?”
Geum-ryeong’s expression grew dejected as she spoke.
“Screech. Screech… screech….”
“You’re saying you’re weaker than that one? You’ve even been bitten by that beast before?”
Now that I thought about it, I had first met Geumryeong in Yunnan.
Specifically, in Muchul Musan of Yunnan.
“So you two had met before in Muchul Musan?”
At this, Geumryeong nodded.
“Screech. Screech.”
“Back then, Hwasik was trying to kill that Madman Warrior and steal his sword, and you stopped him? You fought in the process?”
“Screech.”
So that had happened.
Which meant Geumryeong-i didn’t like the fact that I was getting along well with a creature that had once been her enemy.
That was only natural.
“Screech….”
“You wanted to warn that beast, but you’ve been hiding because you were afraid of getting bitten again and it hurting, right?”
“Screech.”
“I understand how you feel.”
I stroked Geumryeong-i and sympathized with her.
But this creature seemed to be misunderstanding something.
“Hey, Geum-ryeong.”
“Screech?”
“Have you ever received money from anyone back then?”
“Screech… what?”
“Before coming to Yunnan, I wouldn’t know, but after that, you never received money from anyone else, did you?”
“….”
“Ever since you began serving me as your master, how much money do you think you’ve received from me?”
“…!”
At my question, Geumryeong-i’s ears perked up sharply, and her tail stood rigid as well.
Had she only just realized that?
“Listen, Geum-ryeong. You’re not weak at all right now. You’re more than strong enough to win.”
.
.
.
That night.
I lay in my chamber, recalling what Geumryeong-i had told me.
That the Divine Beast Tiger named Hwasik had coveted the Eun Moo-geom that the Madman Warrior possessed.
That detail bothered me.
I had already found it strange that the Madman Warrior had come to Yunnan in the first place.
Could the father who had sent the letter that the Madman Warrior carried have been someone from this Chuk Yung Palace?
I would need to investigate further.
There was one place I hadn’t visited today that weighed on my mind.
I had eventually visited the places the Disciple Attendant hadn’t shown me at first. But there was one location that even the Chuyong Palace Master hadn’t guided me to.
It was cordoned off with sacred rope, forbidden to outsiders, yet I needed to verify it to satisfy my curiosity.
However, having come as the Lesser Palace Mistress of Seolpung Palace for these negotiations, being caught sneaking there could create serious complications.
What should I do?
As I pondered briefly, I sensed a familiar presence.
The aura of the Chuyong Palace Minor Lord.
Hmph, still haven’t given up?
Suddenly, an excellent idea occurred to me.
I could use the Merchant.

* * *

Maeng Hyun walked through the night, rubbing his aching backside. Hae Hong was in the same predicament.
All the buildings in Chuyong Palace were at least on the first floor level.
The Guest Hall was on the first floor, so they had leaned a ladder there to infiltrate Eun Seo-ho’s Residence, but suddenly a killing intent shot toward them, causing the ladder to topple and them to land hard on their backsides.
An ordinary person would have suffered fractures in the hip or legs.
But as members of Chuyong Palace who had trained in martial arts, they escaped fractures.
Yet they couldn’t avoid severe bruising.
“Damn! This hurts like hell.”
“Tell me about it. But why are we back here again?”
“Because I, Maeng Hyun, cannot give up after failing yesterday.”
“Impressive. You bastard.”
Hae Hong sighed and muttered thus.
“So, you want to infiltrate the Lesser Palace Mistress’s quarters again?”
“This time, I’ll use a different method to deliver a warning.”
Maeng Hyun pulled out a pouch.
“A Three-Step Fire Snake.”
The Three-Step Fire Snake—a serpent from Yunnan bearing deadly venom, said to kill within three steps of a bite.
Since Eun Seo-ho claimed to be the Lesser Palace Mistress of Seolpung Palace, he shouldn’t fall to such venom.
A warning was a warning, and we couldn’t afford complications.
And even if discovered, we could claim the snake had infiltrated the quarters on its own.
Maeng Hyun opened the pouch and grasped the serpent within.
Just as he was about to hurl it into Eun Seo-ho’s Residence—
“What are you doing?”
“Eek!”
A figure emerged from the first floor space.
It was Eun Seo-ho.
He was Eun Seo-ho.

* * *

“Gack! Ugh! Ughhhh!”
I sighed as I watched Maeng Hyun flailing about with a crimson serpent in his grasp.
What was he doing?
Moments later, he stomped the snake’s head and killed it, then spoke to me.
“Hmph, hmph, where did this snake come from all of a sudden…”
“I see.”
I knew full well he’d been trying to throw that serpent into my quarters, but I pretended otherwise.
“It seems you’ve had something to say to me since yesterday, have you not?”
“Hmph, hmph. That’s right.”
That’s right?
This man’s words were sparse.
“But why do you speak down to me? I am not your subordinate.”
“Well, you are the Lesser Palace Mistress of the Northern Sea Ice Palace Guardian Family, are you not? So naturally you are beneath me.”
“Does that mean the Northern Sea Ice Palace is subordinate to Zhurong Palace?”
At my question, the young man standing behind him interjected swiftly.
“No! That is not what was meant, so please do not speculate.”
He handled that sensitive question well.
“And who are you?”
“Ah! I am the Small Patriarch of the Zhurong Palace Guardian Family. My name is Hae Hong.”
Hae? The External Chief Manager who greeted us was also of the Hae family.
“What is your relation to External Chief Manager Hae Dal-man?”
“He is my father.”
“I see.”
“To explain, our Guardian Family also serves as vassals to the Zhurong Palace Master. Therefore, the Lesser Palace Mistress was speaking from that perspective.”
“I understand. But it seems there is a misunderstanding.”
I continued.
“Seolpung Palace and the Northern Sea Ice Palace are equals, not in a relationship of lord and vassal.”
“Equals, you say?”
Maeng Hyun questioned me.
“Yes.”
Did this man have no sense at all? Despite my warning, why did he continue to speak so curtly?
I would warn him once more, and if he still did not come to his senses…
“The Palace Master of the Northern Sea Ice Palace treats me with courtesy. Therefore, if you are not superior to the Palace Master of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, would it not be better if we showed mutual respect?”
“….”
At least his mind was not entirely lost—he corrected his tone and showed proper courtesy.
“I have been rude.”
“It is fine. Simply be mindful going forward.”
“However…”
He spoke to me.
“You came merely as an escort for Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master?”
“Why do you ask?”
“It troubles me considerably. As you know, in our Chuyong Palace, the strong may choose their companion as they wish.”
“I’m aware.”
“I have marked Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master as my companion. Yet you continue to interfere.”
“That’s only natural.”
I continued.
“Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master belongs to the Northern Sea Ice Palace. And the women of the Northern Sea Ice Palace do not marry.”
At my words, he let out a scoff.
“They simply don’t marry officially. Do you truly believe I’m unaware that they entangle themselves with other men if their hearts align?”
I nearly let out a derisive snort at the sheer absurdity.
This was a blatant insult to the Northern Sea Ice Palace.
Even Hae Hong, standing behind him, seemed visibly uncomfortable.
This fellow clearly needs some proper education.
I’ve already secured a promise from the Palace Master, so there should be no issue.
“I cannot tolerate actions that Bing Haerin, Young Palace Master dislikes.”
“She may say she dislikes it, yet harbor feelings for me regardless, no?”
Conversing with this man was like talking to a brick wall.
“From what I understand, Chuyong Palace is a place where the law of the strong is strictly upheld.”
“That is correct.”
The duel-marriage custom he mentioned earlier was part of this very principle.
“Excellent then. Since this verbal sparring only exhausts our mouths, let us settle this with martial prowess instead.”
“That is precisely what I desire.”
No matter how impenetrable this wall before me might be, it mattered not.
I would simply batter it until it crumbled.
“Then, might there be a spacious location where we could avoid the gaze of others?”
As he pondered my question, I added softly.
“During my tour of this place earlier, I noticed a secluded spot over there.”
“That place is….”
I nudged him once more as he hesitated.
“Surely men cannot allow interference from others during a true blade duel, can they?”
“That is true.”
He turned his body with the resolve of one who had made his decision and spoke.
“Follow me.”
Inwardly, I clenched my fist and exulted.
He took the bait.

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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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