The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group – Chapter 237

North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord looked at me and laughed.

Until now, she’d been wearing a slight smile on her face, but it felt somewhat artificial.

But now this was real laughter.

“Really, that child was such a troublemaker when young… I can’t even begin to tell you.”

“You mean my Master?”

To think that Master, who is usually taciturn and rarely expresses emotion, was a troublemaker in childhood!

I couldn’t imagine it at all.

“That’s why that child’s father, Snow Wind Palace’s Palace Lord, would worry and often consult with me. But I’d never given birth to or raised a child. That friend really, consulting someone unmarried like me about such things.”

“…”

So she hasn’t married yet.

Wait…

Seeing how she calls the previous Snow Wind Palace Lord a friend and refers to Master as ‘that child,’ she must be quite old, right?

But the Palace Lord only looked to be in her early twenties.

“I’m curious how that child has changed now. Whether matured or still the same…”

The Palace Lord continued.

“I heard that child’s alive, but since that time… I haven’t seen that child even once.”

“I see. Actually, the Master I know is so taciturn and prudent that I wonder if they’re the same person you’re talking about.”

“Grew up well, I see. That child used to wet themselves out of fear when I scolded them…”

“Kup-!”

I nearly spit out my tea at those sudden words.

But soon I felt bitter.

“That incident must have wounded them deeply.”

“…”

Not only the place where they lived, but most of those who were like family died and disappeared.

It was fortunate they didn’t go mad.

Perhaps they changed as they aged, but they probably changed drastically after the palace was destroyed and they inherited its legacy.

Perhaps becoming taciturn was to suppress those sorrowful emotions.

But there was something I suddenly didn’t understand.

The Palace Lord’s gaze when looking at the Silver Mist Sword earlier.

The emotion in that gaze was clearly longing.

The target of that longing was undoubtedly the previous owner, Snow Wind Palace’s Palace Lord.

In other words, the previous Snow Wind Palace’s Palace Lord and North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord were very close.

Close enough to call each other friends.

Also, considering the relationship between North Sea Ice Palace and Snow Wind Palace, they were practically blood allies.

So why didn’t North Sea Ice Palace react at all when such a place was annihilated?

“Actually, the reason I called Young Hero here is to have various conversations and also to grant one request as a reward for being a benefactor. Since you said you’re leaving tomorrow.”

North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord finally got to the main point.

“It’s fine.”

“No. This is also this palace’s law. So you don’t need to feel burdened.”

Then what should I say?

After deliberation, I decided to demand an answer to one thing.

This answer would be the basis for judging whether North Sea Ice Palace would become my ally or enemy in the future.

Since rumors circulated that North Sea Ice Palace erased Snow Wind Palace, I needed to confirm that fact.

From what the Palace Lord said about the previous Snow Wind Palace’s Palace Lord and Master, I could guess there were some circumstances, but I thought I should address it clearly.

I could ask Master, but it would be cruel to make Master recall those memories.

I wanted to hear it directly from North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord’s mouth.

“In that case, please answer one question.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“When Snow Wind Palace was annihilated, why didn’t North Sea Ice Palace help? You could have at least prevented the annihilation.”

“…”

The Palace Lord’s expression darkened.

Was she thinking about that incident?

What reason could there have been?

I grew tense without realizing it, and my mouth went dry.

I wanted to drink tea, but I couldn’t reach for the teacup. I couldn’t miss a single word.

“I think so too. If this palace had stepped forward, Snow Wind Palace wouldn’t have been annihilated.”

She sighed and continued.

“But that day, we couldn’t step forward.”

“Do you mean it wasn’t that you didn’t help, but that you couldn’t help?”

“That’s right.”

What appeared on her face as she answered was clear anger.

“Why wouldn’t we help that place? That place wasn’t just closely tied to this palace, but it was where our disciples’ children were.”

“…”

“We of North Sea Ice Palace head north once every five years, everyone except the essential security personnel. If we don’t periodically eliminate the spirit beasts of the north, they become uncontrollable.”

“Weren’t the spirit beasts of the North Sea handled by Snow Wind Palace?”

“They can’t handle all the spirit beasts of the North Sea alone. So we take this side, they take that side. It’s just that this side is our North Sea Ice Palace’s territory, so others couldn’t know about it.”

“I see.”

“That day was when we headed north to deal with the North Sea’s spirit beasts.”

“…”

Her words continued.

“We successfully subjugated the spirit beasts and returned, then sent a letter. Suggesting we meet after so long and have a drink. But… what the disciple who went with the letter found was Snow Wind Palace reduced to ashes.”

“When they were attacked, wasn’t there a signal requesting help or something?”

At the very least, even Forest Bandits of significant size have systems to send signals.

Places like North Sea Ice Palace and Snow Wind Palace couldn’t possibly not have such a thing.

“Of course there is. But… it wasn’t activated. If the signal had been activated, this palace’s security personnel would have rushed over, or we would have hastily retreated as well.”

At the words that the emergency signal that should have been activated wasn’t activated, I bit my lip.

I suddenly recalled the mad warrior Yu Deok-jin I’d met when I discovered the Silver Mist Sword in Yunnan.

And the contents of the letter in that person’s possession.

[As I told you before, bring that sword to me.

Then, I’ll acknowledge you as my son.]

So why did Yu Deok-jin’s father tell his son to bring that sword?

Because he coveted the sword?

No, more than that, he must have worried that erasing Snow Wind Palace might fail because of that sword.

In other words, preparations to erase Snow Wind Palace had already been proceeding meticulously.

Probably on the day of the attack, they either bribed or dealt with in advance whoever would send the signal requesting help.

Or else…

“We investigated the aftermath ourselves and learned that the device for sending that emergency signal had already been broken.”

So there was a traitor after all.

By the way, didn’t Master say there was nothing left?

When I asked about this, North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord bitterly smiled.

“No matter how thoroughly you destroy something, if you leave in a hurry, you can’t leave no traces at all.”

“…”

“And we personally collected and enshrined the remaining bones.”

“That’s why Master couldn’t find the bones.”

“That’s right. But don’t tell that child about this. That child doesn’t know about it.”

“What?”

I blinked. I didn’t understand those words.

“But those must include Master’s family. So why are you telling me not to mention it?”

“Because if that child learns this fact, that child will definitely come here.”

Of course…

“We can’t definitively say the eyes of those who annihilated Snow Wind Palace aren’t here in the North Sea.”

“Ah!”

Snow Wind Palace is currently hiding its identity and barely maintaining its existence.

As such, it was dangerous for Master to come to North Sea Ice Palace.

Knowing this, Master must not have come to North Sea Ice Palace.

I recalled when Master asked me to look into the traces of Snow Wind Palace remaining in the North Sea.

If Master hadn’t been injured then, Master probably would have moved even at some risk.

It was a situation where many were heading there since North Sea Ice Palace’s gates had opened.

I clasped my hands and bowed my head to the Palace Lord.

“My thinking was short. Thank you for your wise judgment.”

“I’m grateful for your heart that thinks of that child.”

“Of course, since Master is my teacher.”

A moment of silence passed, and the Palace Lord and I each lifted our teacups.

Our throats felt parched.

But perhaps because I learned North Sea Ice Palace wasn’t an enemy, the tea felt refreshing.

“What I just answered was something I naturally should have told you, his direct disciple.”

“What? Direct disciple? I’m just…”

“You’re a disciple directly taught by Snow Wind Palace’s Palace Lord. Are you saying you’re not a direct disciple?”

I felt somewhat embarrassed and scratched the back of my neck.

“So request something else.”

“Then…”

As I recalled the request Master had asked of me before, a name naturally came to mind.

“I’d like to send a simple letter to one of those who entered North Sea Ice Palace this time.”

“Seems to be a disciple you have a connection with.”

“Yes.”

I told her about Han Jae-in, the younger sister of Young Warrior Han Jae-ik from Hanga Martial Hall in Henan Province.

“So I’d like to send a letter saying that since Magistrate Ma, who was oppressing that family, has been punished according to national law, she needn’t worry about her family.”

At my words, the Ice Palace Lord looked at me steadily.

Why is she looking at me like that?

“Young Hero really… doesn’t know how to care for yourself.”

What?

I take very good care of myself though?

“Don’t you realize how great an opportunity it is to make a request of me, North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord?”

“Of course I know well.”

Although my help was a great help to them at the time, it wasn’t such a big deal to me.

“Didn’t you already give me three Snow Pills back then? Plus, you’ve treated me so lavishly and even allowed my brother to visit. Also, although you said it was natural, my long-standing curiosity has been thoroughly satisfied.”

I continued.

“What more could I want?”

As they say, excess is as bad as deficiency—if I desire more than this, I might burst.

A merchant should know how to set an appropriate price. And the appropriate price I think of is up to here.

At my words, the Ice Palace Lord smiled.

Not artificial, but a truly bright smile welling up from the heart.

“Your Master is quite blessed. Or perhaps Snow Wind Palace is blessed.”

She continued.

“I’ll make sure to relay the news to that disciple Jae-in. But that’s something we should have done anyway to keep that disciple from falling into inner demons. Do you really not have any other requests?”

“Then… I’d like to visit where Snow Wind Palace’s remains are enshrined. As Snow Wind Palace’s disciple, and in place of my Master, I’d like to pay my respects.”

At my words, she thought for a moment then nodded.

“Do so.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I clasped my hands and bowed my head again.

“By the way, I heard you have an Ice Guardian Beast.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“May I see it for a moment?”

I readily nodded and took Geumryeong out from my sleeve, placing it on the table.

“Kui?”

When I suddenly took it out, Geumryeong looked around then gazed at the Palace Lord and flinched.

Then it slowly backed away, clearly frightened of the Palace Lord.

So this creature has beings it fears too.

“It’s grown quite a lot.”

“Yes.”

“It still seems young, but to have grown this much already… How much money do you feed it?”

“Well…”

I scratched my cheek.

“I’m not really sure. I just give it money whenever it asks while running errands. When it does big tasks I feed it gold taels, and even with just silver taels, I think I feed it about ten per month.”

“…”

North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord fell silent for a moment.

“Can you afford that?”

“Ah, of course.”

That much is nothing…

“That creature is quite blessed. By the way, when and where did you meet it?”

“I met it when I obtained the Silver Mist Sword in Yunnan.”

I briefly told her about when I obtained the Silver Mist Sword and met Geumryeong.

She seemed to need to know about this too.

A while later, I withdrew from before the Palace Lord.

Returning to my room, I was thinking about what I needed to do next when Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin came to visit.

“She said to guide Young Hero to that place.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“And, I’m personally grateful.”

“What?”

“Actually, she’s been spending sitting idle. Thanks to you, she enjoyed herself.”

She’s talking about the Palace Lord.

Come to think of it, they said Central Plains would be shaken if North Sea Ice Palace’s Palace Lord moved.

That’s why she doesn’t move from the Ice Palace, and instead the Young Palace Lord handles matters, I heard.

She walked with me for quite a while.

I’m not sure exactly, but it seems to be westward—did she prepare a place as close to Snow Wind Palace as possible?

Soon I faced a structure made of stone.

It was a stone carving of a building with splendid, beautiful roof tiles.

“This is what Snow Wind Palace originally looked like. We recreated it scaled down to about one-hundredth.”

“Ah…”

“We enshrined them inside.”

Just then, Geumryeong suddenly jumped out from inside my sleeve and stamped its feet on the ground.

Then it looked at me with earnest eyes.

In cases like this, it wants money… Is it hungry?

Though it has a strong desire for money, it wasn’t a creature that asked for money without reason, so I took out a silver tael and held it out.

And I couldn’t help but be surprised by Geumryeong’s actions.

–TL Notes–
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