At my words, Brother Jin-ho tilted his head.
“A play? What do you mean?”
I finished the steamed bun, drank some tea, then explained to Brother Jin-ho.
“Brother, that Heavenly Fragrance Nectar I gave you is priceless.”
“I suppose so.”
“But if you bring it back, won’t rumors spread?”
“They probably will.”
Even walls have ears—rumors spread like wildfire before you know it.
That’s why you hide a tree in the forest, or spread false rumors to conceal the truth.
Especially Brother Jin-ho’s story is the perfect gossip fodder for people who love chattering about others’ business.
“So how do you think people will react to it?”
“They’ll say it’s fortunate he found the elixir so quickly?”
As expected…
It was too straightforward an answer.
“No, there will definitely be people who suspect something.”
“Suspect?”
“Yeah. Think about it. You run off to find an elixir, then come back with one in just a day—do you think people will buy that easily?”
Only then did Brother seem to understand as he nodded slowly.
“You’re right.”
“Of course, since it’s a real elixir, it’ll cure the illness without issue, but people will definitely talk about how you obtained it.”
“They might think I already had that elixir, or that our family had one hidden away?”
“That would actually be fortunate. Worse, they might say we stole it from someone.”
I sighed and said.
“You know too, Brother. There are lots of people jealous of our merchant group as we grow so fast.”
“I know that well.”
At first, people will think it’s amazing that Brother Jin-ho obtained an elixir and saved Escort Guard Ha.
But if those with ill will toward the Eunhae Merchant Group start raising doubts like “Was that really obtained legitimately?” or “Doesn’t the Eunhae Merchant Group have a bunch of hidden elixirs?”, it’ll be a real headache.
People are more drawn to “They had a huge fight last night” than “They’re living happily.”
There’s a saying that three people together can conjure up nonexistent dragons.
The power of rumors is scarier than you think.
Recalling how sales of the Self-Dancing Doll plummeted because of rumors before, it’s no laughing matter.
And once a rumor starts, quelling it takes time and money.
“That’s why we need a play.”
I continued.
“A touching story about you and Escort Guard Ha, so moving that anyone who thought maliciously about it flinches and thinks to themselves, ‘I’m trash!'”
Sigh.
Of course, if we’d exchanged the elixir secretly from the start, we wouldn’t have to go through this hassle.
The problem is Brother Jin-ho made such a flashy mess of it.
With rumors already spreading everywhere, he has to return with the elixir or become a laughingstock.
And at the same time, we need to create a process so plausible that people can’t easily raise suspicions.
“So, what do I need to do?”
“Easy, you just have to catch one mad spirit beast.”
“…What?”
It might sound out of nowhere, but I’d thought of it on the way to find Brother Jin-ho.
I even had a suitable villain in mind.
Since we’re doing a play, why not make it spectacular?
But Brother Jin-ho.
Why are you looking at me like that?
It hurts my feelings.
.
.
.
I had Geumryeong deliver a letter to Father.
It said I’d found Brother Jin-ho and we’d return the day before my birthday banquet, so no need to worry.
This birthday banquet would draw most of the influential figures from the area.
If we can’t stop the rumors, at least we can prevent them from getting twisted.
The next morning.
We prepared to depart at dawn.
“So there’s a mad spirit beast at the foot of Mount Bokryong?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
We headed toward Mount Bokryong. A single spirit beast lived there.
That spirit beast would be the villain in the play where Brother Jin-ho is the protagonist.
It wasn’t about framing and hunting a peaceful spirit beast.
There just happened to be one nearby that needed dealing with.
The Blood Claw Tiger.
A tiger that craves blood.
Not only did it have much sharper and longer claws than other tigers, but it was incredibly agile too.
Up to now, it had survived by preying on other animals, so it hadn’t caused much harm.
But in my past life, after the Zhuge Family was wiped out, the Murim Alliance scoured Mount Bokryong for investigations.
That’s when it swallowed up the warriors who entered its territory.
Apparently, it liked the taste of human flesh that it had for the first time, so it began raiding villages at the mountain’s base.
In the end, after over a hundred lives were lost, the Murim Alliance finally took it down.
It’s ironic.
The Murim Alliance’s actions caused the incident, and then they handled the spirit beast.
Because of that, the leader who commanded the Murim Alliance warriors earned the moniker “Tiger-Slaying Sword Hero.”
Though it later came out that he’d let other warriors wear it down by sacrificing them before finishing it himself.
Anyway, if it ever tastes human flesh, it’s a dangerous beast that could cause casualties.
So removing it early prevents future bloodshed and boosts Brother Jin-ho’s honor—killing two birds with one stone.
Plus, it’s a suitable opponent that Brother Jin-ho can handle without strain.
“But how did you know there’s a mad spirit beast on Mount Bokryong?”
I grinned and replied.
“Geumryeong told me.”
“Oh, that weird pig?”
At Brother Jin-ho’s words, Geumryeong grumbled from inside my sleeve in protest.
I patted Geumryeong and said.
“It’s cute in its own way.”
“Sure, sure.”
We rode all day and arrived at Mount Bokryong. Then I searched my memories for where it might be.
Unlike regular tigers that prefer sunlit rocky areas, the Blood Claw Tiger favored dark, dense forests.
Fortunately, I found it quickly.
“There it is.”
At Escort Guard Seo Wu’s words, I nodded.
Ahead of us, a dark red tiger glared at us.
“Brother Jin-ho.”
“Yeah?”
“Do your best. And don’t worry. If it gets too tough, Escort Guards Seo Wu and Jin Yu will back you up.”
“No, I don’t need help.”
Brother Jin-ho gripped the spear I’d gifted him, the Azure Dragon Spear, tightly.
“I think I can handle it alone.”
His face, facing the formidable foe called the Blood Claw Tiger, was filled with exhilaration.
As expected, Brother Jin-ho is a natural-born warrior.
“Graaah-!”
The Blood Claw Tiger charged at us, and Brother Jin-ho swung the Azure Dragon Spear.
Clang-!
Sparks flew as the Azure Dragon Spear clashed with the Blood Claw Tiger’s sharp claws.
Even though the shockwave made the surrounding trees sway, Brother Jin-ho’s spear remained intact—Elder Yeom…
He made it worth every coin.
As I inwardly admired that, Brother Jin-ho’s battle with the Blood Claw Tiger raged on fiercely.
Escort Guard Seo Wu muttered with a slightly surprised look.
“Second Deputy Merchant Lord’s skills are better than expected.”
“Even better than I thought.”
“At this level… he should reach Peak soon. He seems to be at the boundary between First-rate and Peak right now.”
Seeing him not just train but clash in real combat revealed Brother Jin-ho’s true abilities.
From what I knew, Brother Jin-ho had been First-rate for a while.
And in actual battle, he showed prowess comparable to an early Peak warrior.
As expected, Brother Jin-ho was strong in real fights.
Should I have aimed for a stronger spirit beast?
No, no.
This is just part of the play—no need to overdo it.
There’s a saying in the martial world for that.
Hide three-tenths of your skill.
“And he’s not even thirty yet, but at this level—impressive.”
At Escort Guard Seo Wu’s words, everyone nodded.
I figured his growth was faster than in my previous life because he’d quickly found a weapon that suited him and trained accordingly.
Boom-!
“Huff, huff—it’s done!”
After about 30 minutes, Brother Jin-ho finally felled the Blood Claw Tiger.
“Good work, Brother. Impressive. Taking it down alone for real!”
At my words, Brother Jin-ho looked at the Azure Dragon Spear and said.
“Just… I didn’t feel like I’d lose? That’s the vibe I got.”
I chuckled and slapped Brother Jin-ho’s shoulder.
“Then let’s go now.”
.
.
.
The day before my birthday banquet.
I returned to the merchant group the previous day.
It was a spot where Brother Jin-ho needed to shine, and my presence would just split the attention.
And I had the role of agitator.
As I greeted those who’d come for my birthday banquet, I casually suggested.
“It’s a perfect day for tea outdoors—how about a cup in the garden?”
“That sounds good.”
There was a pavilion right next to the reception room, and from it, you could see the main gate clearly.
As expected, from the Zhuge Family, the Grand Elder and Lady Yu-ah had come.
But the Tang Clan guests were a bit off from my expectations.
Not just the Grand Elder and Tang Jo-ung, but Lady Tang Su-bin too.
Is he finally retiring the Ragged Sage Physician role?
The last time I saw him, he was in ragged clothes, but now that he was in a proper attire—it felt a bit unfamiliar.
Anyway, it was a gathering with heads from major martial families like the Zhuge Family and the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
No one turned down the chance to make an impression on them.
So we climbed to the pavilion with the guests, drank tea, and chatted.
Brother Jin-ho should arrive any moment now…
“Kui kui!”
“What’s that?”
“Eek!”
Sounds of surprise and confusion came from the people.
He’s here.
I called Palgap with an expression like I knew nothing.
“What’s that noise?”
“I’ll check immediately…”
“No, I don’t think we need to. Everyone’s not on guard—they’re just flustered. Seems like someone we know.”
The Zhuge Family’s Grand Elder looked toward the main gate and spoke, and I replied brightly.
“Oh? Looks like Second Brother’s back.”
“Oh! That guy who ran off to find the elixir?”
The elder had heard the rumors too and immediately guessed who it was.
“Yes. We were all worried because he left so suddenly…”
The Ragged Sage Physician focused his inner power on his eyes to look, then tilted his head.
“He looks fine physically. But… what’s he dragging? Looks like a tiger… could it be a spirit beast?”
“A spirit beast?”
“Yeah, rather than talk, let’s go see for ourselves.”
The Ragged Sage Physician moved first, and everyone followed him to the main gate.
I trailed at the end, smiling inwardly.
The Ragged Sage Physician’s moving just as expected.
By then, word must have reached Father too, because when we arrived, he came out as well.
Thud.
Brother Jin-ho knelt before him.
“Father, your son has returned.”
“…What happened?”
Brother Jin-ho’s body was covered in blood. Of course, not his— the Blood Claw Tiger’s.
“It’s a spirit beast called the Blood Claw Tiger. I slew it and obtained the elixir it was hoarding.”
At those words, the people gathered around murmured in admiration.
“What? He really got an elixir?”
“Then it must be real! Look at that fearsome thing!”
“Man, Second Deputy Merchant Lord’s amazing! Slaying a beast like that and bringing back a real elixir!”
As I’d predicted, people’s reactions were enthusiastic.
Then, the Zhuge Family’s Grand Elder and the Ragged Sage Physician, who had been examining the spirit beast closely, spoke.
“It hit the vital points perfectly.”
“Looks like wounds from that spear. Must’ve been tough alone.”
“But no signs of anyone else interfering…”
“Ha… impressive.”
The two exchanged looks and nodded. With their approval, no one else could argue.
Of course, Brother really did handle it himself.
“Where did you catch this one?”
At the Ragged Sage Physician’s question, Brother Jin-ho answered, and they glanced at the Zhuge Family’s Grand Elder.
“Whether elixir or spirit beast, the one who obtains it owns it, the one who catches it owns it—that’s what I think.”
“True enough.”
That’s the truth that holds in the martial world.
From the Ragged Sage Physician’s gaze, it seemed he wanted the corpse.
Hm, how much should I charge?
Anyway, the play’s other protagonist needs to appear soon.
“Deputy Merchant Lord Jin-ho!”
Right on cue.
“Escort Guard Ha!”
“Ah… Deputy Merchant Lord Jin-ho. Really, really—for my sake…”
“It was only natural. A world without you holds no meaning for me.”
At the two’s heartfelt display, everyone reddened their eyes.
Actually, Escort Guard Ha already knew.
I’d returned early and given her a heads-up, asking her intentions.
She admitted she had feelings for Brother Jin-ho too and agreed to go along with my plan.
I watched the two with a pleased smile.
Actually, the actors matter a lot in a play.
We saved Escort Guard Ha’s life and protected Brother Jin-ho’s honor and reputation, but this was thanks to his diligent training.
That’s why I could come up with this plan.
Of course, it was unnecessary hardship, but let’s think positively.
I gave a wry smile and rubbed my nose.
Winter’s coming soon and it’ll get chilly, but for Brother, spring has arrived.
–TL Notes–
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