Chapter 40
The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company Chapter 40
Chapter 40. The Jegal Family (2)
I put aside my doubts and replied.
“Whatever it takes. But there is something you must know first.”
“What is it?”
“If you give up the Jegal surname, you will no longer be a member of the Jegal Family.”
“...I see.”
“Then, will anyone accept your childish behavior? You will be thrown out into the harsh world and will have to struggle to find food.”
“Are you serious?”
Honestly, this is a stretch.
Even if she abandons the Jaegal Clan, her family will not abandon her.
Ah, all the family members who protected her in her previous life are dead.
The fact that the pure girl standing in front of me, who has no brain, has become a woman of no virtue means that she must have had a really rough life.
But that's that, and if you don't get this young lady out of my sight, I'm going to lose my temper.
“And if Miss isn't a member of the Jegal Clan, would the people here treat her with such care? They would want to spank her right now.”
Hearing my words, the people around me nodded without realizing it.
It meant that they strongly agreed with me.
This reckless, brainless, pure madwoman has caused us so much trouble.
Then I hesitated, but it was too late.
Miss Jaegal saw me.
“You're too much!”
You're the one who's too much!
“Anyway! If you weren't a member of the Jaegal Clan, I would feel free to duel you. Even if I lost an arm in a duel, I could handle it.”
“Then join the Jaegal Clan!”
“You are quite ironic. You abandoned the Jaegal Clan, so why do you want them to protect you? And why would the Jaegal Clan protect someone who is not one of them? They would not say anything because you are a complete stranger.”
“Um...”
“What I just said and what will happen to you when the family falls will be more or less the same.”
“...”
She looked at me without saying a word.
Her gaze was strange, but somehow I thought I understood her feelings.
Anger?
What is she angry about?
It's too intense to be anger toward me, isn't it?
It disappeared quickly again, making me wonder if I had seen it wrong.
At this point, something was definitely going on.
She wasn't a clear-headed madwoman with no brain.
Should I probe a little more?
“As someone with the surname Jaegal, it is your duty to protect the Jaegal Clan, but instead, you are destroying it. I must ask you again.”
I asked with clasped hands.
“Are you really a member of the Jaegal Clan?”
“...”
She seemed flustered and trailed off, but I could tell she wasn't really flustered.
That was enough.
I don't know what's going on, but shall we hang out for a bit?
“I don't know why you're crying, but isn't there something you should do before you cry?”
“What are you crying about? Are you expecting an apology? I'm not going to apologize to you!”
“Why do you think I want an apology?”
“Huh?”
“An apology must be sincere. An insincere apology will only make me feel worse. So just step aside.”
I didn't want to go this far with her, but if I just stood there, the situation would become even more awkward.
“...”
“Please take three steps to the left.”
At my words, she took three steps without realizing it.
“Thank you for moving out of the way. I apologize for the inconvenience.”
I said to the maid.
“Please continue to guide us.”
“Ah... Yes!”
She turned around and said.
“This way, please... Ah! It's the Clan Head!”
The maid quickly bowed.
Standing in front of her was an elderly man dressed in luxurious clothes.
Oh no...
The prayer emanating from the old man with a long beard reaching his chest was overwhelming.
This must be the person who invited us, the Grand Master of the Jaegal Clan!
“I am Yoo Mo, the Chief Financial Officer of the Eunhae Trading Company. I have come to see the Grand Master.”
“I am Eun Mo, the third son of the head of the Eunhae Trading Company. I have come to see the Grand Master.”
“Please rise.”
“Thank you.”
We stood up straight.
“You said you were coming to pay your respects, but you didn't show up, so I came to see for myself. What a rare sight. Hehehe.”
So you've seen everything?
I didn't do anything rude, did I?
But I didn't sense his presence at all...
Is this what they call a master?
When she saw the Grand Clan Head, Miss Jaegal ran to him.
“Grandpa!”
She grabbed his waist and cried.
“He wanted to duel me, but I said no. Then he said some mean things to me.”
“I see. I'm sorry to hear that. You must be upset.”
He gave Jaegal Yu-ah some candy and sent her away.
Surely he's not upset because I spoke harshly earlier?
I clasped my hands together and apologized politely.
“I apologize for showing you my ugly side. Please forgive me.”
“Forgive you? You said everything you needed to say.”
“...?”
The Grand Minister smiled gently and continued.
“Don't blame me for letting my child get out of hand. I only allowed him to act recklessly because I knew that he would have to bear the consequences himself. In a few months, Yu-ya will turn fifteen and leave for Jamryong.”
Jamryong?
As if reading my mind, Taesang-ga-ju continued.
“That is a tradition of our Jaegal Clan. All he will be given are weapons and writing implements. He must take care of his own food, clothing, and shelter, and spend three years wandering the martial world to build his reputation. The clan will not interfere in any way.”
“He will gain experience in the world under the protection of the clan.”
“You misunderstand me.”
“What?”
“The family will not interfere at all, which means they will not protect you either.”
“...”
“Only those who survive the three years in the martial world will be officially accepted into the Jegal Clan.”
Only then did I understand what the Grand Master had said.
So, the more she acted recklessly, the more harshly the world would treat her, and that was her burden to bear.
“Is that why the members of the Jaegal Clan are so intelligent?”
“Yes.”
The Grand Master nodded.
“Studying books is not true wisdom. True wisdom can only be gained through experience in the world.”
“But they could lose their lives.”
“If they lose their lives in just three years of hidden training, it means they are a disgrace to the family name.”
Come to think of it, I heard that other sects and clans also have something similar to hidden training...
There must be a reason why the great sects and prestigious clans of Murim survive.
It's more ruthless than I thought.
Only then did I understand why no one recognized Jegal Yoo-ah even though she was the daughter of the Clan Head.
The Jegal Family collapsed while she was undergoing the Dao training.
She lost her place to return to without anyone knowing.
I don't know what kind of connection she had in that situation, but she ended up meeting the head of the Yoo Trading Company.
Wait, she's turning fifteen soon?
She's fourteen now...
Then she's only one year older than me.
The Grand Master told me,
“If Yu ever asks you to duel again, don't refuse.”
“Please spare me. I can't handle it.”
“And if you're going to duel, it's not good to cut off a limb, but it's okay to break an arm.”
“What?”
“It's time to prepare you to become a hidden dragon. You're winning every duel, so you're getting cocky.”
The Grand Elder asked me.
“When do you think you need to be most cautious?”
“That would be when I win, of course.”
“That's what I'm saying. And to be honest, I like you.”
“...?”
The Grand Master smiled.
“Even though you have the skills to win a duel, you defeated him with words!”
“Ah...”
“Your refusal to draw your sword recklessly and your politeness until the very end are virtues that are rare in someone your age.”
“I am flattered by your praise.”
Although he replied politely, his doubts remained.
What was the look in Taesangga's eyes when he looked at Jaegal Yoo-ah earlier?
Taesangga's gaze was not cynical.
However, it would be an exaggeration to say that they were warm.
There was something strange about them.
They seemed sad and pitiful at the same time...
The voice of the Grand Master dispelled my thoughts.
He looked at Chief Administrator Yu and greeted him warmly.
“I apologize for the inconvenience.”
“Not at all.”
“I was very impressed by your poetry! Every line is so beautiful!”
“You are too kind. It is just my poor writing.”
“Your modesty is proportional.”
He laughed heartily.
“It will be tiring if we talk any longer, so let's continue our conversation tomorrow. Go and rest now.”
“I'm sorry.”
“No, I'm sorry. See you tomorrow.”
With that, we returned to our lodgings.
I ate dinner and was about to go to bed.
But
why did Miss Song come to see me?
.
.
.
When my maid told me that Miss Jaegal was waiting for me, I headed to where she was.
But
when I saw her staring blankly at something, I couldn't help but flinch.
Her face was the face of the woman I knew as Muso Oknyeo.
When I made a sound, the image I had just seen disappeared from her face in an instant.
What was that?
Miss Jaegal Yu-ah spoke as soon as she saw me.
“Let's have a fight!”
“Miss, I already told you...”
“I don't care! Let's just fight!”
I sighed.
I had the Taesangga's permission, so there was no need to back down.
Besides, I was personally curious, so I nodded readily.
“All right. But promise me that you won't bother me anymore, regardless of the outcome.”
“I promise.”
“Let's go to the training ground.”
“I know a better place. Grab a wooden sword from over there and follow me.”
At her words, I picked up a wooden sword of suitable weight from the wooden sword rack next to me and followed her.
Pal-gap followed behind me, and I whispered quietly to him.
“Try not to make any noise and stay hidden. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
She led me to a place in the Jegal Clan that was quite secluded.
There really was no one else around.
Miss Jaegal pointed her wooden sword at me and said,
“Let's begin!”
At her words, I also grabbed my sword and took a starting stance, and at that moment, she rushed toward me like a bullet.
Thud!
I blocked her sword and at the same time aimed my sword at her shoulder.
She turned around to dodge my sword and at the same time slashed my Trading Company.
I dodged the flying sword with the technique of Cheolpan-gyo.
The basic training that Master had made me do every day was paying off here.
Then I immediately swung my sword toward her leg.
However, my attack was a little shallow, and my sword seemed unlikely to reach her.
But then her leg slipped into my range of attack.
What?
If it had been anyone else, they might have thought it was luck, but not me.
Something didn't feel right.
So I decided to try again.
I withdrew the sword aimed at her leg and aimed at her shoulder.
It was fast enough to dodge.
However, she did not dodge, but instead pushed her shoulder toward my sword.
It was clear.
She was deliberately giving me an opening so that I would injure her.
Moreover, I noticed that her gaze was different from when she had read my mind earlier.
Now, her gaze was completely different from the clear, empty stare of a madwoman.
It was sharp, intent on piercing her opponent.
After clashing swords a few times, I understood.
She was hiding her true abilities.
If I had been inexperienced or unskilled, I would not have been able to notice her true abilities.
But I am not a beginner.
So I stepped back, sighed, and put away my sword.
It was a little fun, but I had no idea what this game was, so I decided not to play along anymore.
“What? Why did you stop suddenly?”
“Miss, why don't you stop?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you really want to duel with me? No, more importantly, how much of this is acting and how much is real?”
“Acting? What do you mean I'm acting?”
“To be honest, I wasn't sure earlier. But now I understand. You're acting.”
“No, that's not true!”
With that, she rushed toward me.
Her eyes were shaking.
She was quite flustered.
Why was she going to such lengths?
I was really curious.
I turned around lightly and dodged her attack.
“I'm just a stranger. And I don't want to tell anyone else, so can we just drop it?”
“...”
She bit her lip at my suggestion and continued to attack me.
I dodged and blocked her attacks while trying to remember.
Come to think of it...
So, two years later.
When I was seventeen, the head of the Jaegal Clan passed away.
The cause of death announced by the Jaegal Clan was old age.
However, some people questioned this.
The head of the clan was a master of the highest order.
That means his physical age was different from that of ordinary people, and his lifespan was also long.
But to die of old age at around 70?
It was extremely strange.
And that was the beginning of the decline of the Jaegal Clan.
Not long after, the Clan Head went into isolated training and fell into qi deviation, and he went mad and killed two-thirds of the clan members.
It was also said that half of the clan members died after being caught up in secret experiments with the Ki-mun formations.
With the Jegal Clan in decline, disaster struck.
That was the end of the Jegal Clan.
There were no survivors within the clan at the time, and since the clan was a very closed community, the truth was buried.
After that, several people appeared claiming to be descendants of the Jaegal Clan, but they did not survive for long.
They were all killed.
All of this happened within three years of the death of the Grand Master.
No matter how significant the death of the Grand Master was, the Jaegal Clan was a prestigious clan that had been around for a long time and was one of the Eight Great Families.
How could such a clan collapse in just three years?
It doesn't make sense.
This means that someone had a detailed plan to destroy the Jaegal Clan.
In the future I experienced, the reason why Muso Ok-nyeo became one of the 100 greatest martial artists in the world was because she was skilled in strategy.
Was that because of what she had learned and practiced?
No.
The statement that she must complete her training and return alive to be recognized as a member of the Jegal Clan means that she cannot access the secrets of the Jegal Clan until then.
Therefore, she would not have been able to access those secrets.
There is a saying about the Jegal Clan that has been passed down since ancient times.
Shinki Jegal (神機諸葛).
It means that before going out into the world for the Dragon Hunt, they are already born as dragons.
The same must be true for Miss Jaegal Yu-ah in front of me.
So Miss Jaegal Yu-ah was a genius from birth.
And when she realized that something unusual was happening within the clan, she started acting like a spoiled martial aunt.
Having thought this far, I stopped trying to dodge her attacks.
Then I raised my sword and knocked the sword out of her hand.
Ta-chaaang!
“Ugh!”
She held her numb hand and glared at me.
I asked seriously.
“Miss, why are you doing this?”
“...”
Jaegal Yoo-ah bit her lip.
“Something is happening in your family, isn't it? That's why you're acting like this.”
Thinking that she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer, she sighed and asked.
“...How did you know?”
Her tone changed in an instant.