Chapter 10
Sometimes, I dream of the days when I wandered the world.
Although now I can romanticize those days and remember them fondly, back then, it was hardly a pleasant experience.
It was a time when I constantly responded to challenges every day and entrusted my fate to a single sword. I would often sleep in the forest, with only a ragged piece of cloth wrapped around me.
It was hard.
The idea that sleeping outdoors is romantic only applies when it’s a well-prepared one- or two-day camping trip.
Whether it was scorching hot or freezing cold, battling against the weather and swarms of insects was a given. Waking up to find a wolf baring its teeth right in front of me was a regular occurrence.
Compared to those times, am I not living in excessive luxury now?
‘Ah, this feels so soft and cozy.’
Even the guest rooms in the Namgung Family were adorned with the finest furniture.
Soft beds that support your back and fluffy, down-filled blankets.
In a place like this, I could sleep all day if I wanted to.
‘But I should get up now.’
I never needed much sleep to begin with.
Sleeping for about four hours was enough to recover quickly.
Especially after I started staying with the Namgung Family, I made it a habit to wake up even earlier in the mornings.
“Gaga, are you awake?”
Knock, knock. At the same time, I heard Yeon-hee’s voice.
It was a familiar scene of everyday life by now.
“Yeah, I just woke up.”
“You should have slept a little longer…”
Yeon-hee, who spoke with a hint of regret, looked dazzlingly beautiful today. The sunlight streaming through the window served as a spotlight just for her.
“You don’t have to come and wake me up every time. Don’t you have your own schedule?”
“I just stop by for a bit before I head out. It’s no big deal.”
“I just don’t want to trouble you unnecessarily.”
“It’s okay. My mother always said that waking up my husband is part of a wife’s duty.”
While Yeon-hee usually followed my wishes in most things, she was firm about this part.
Was it because of the bridal lessons she had received since childhood?
I couldn’t argue with something her mother had personally instilled in her.
“Gaga, I prepared something light for breakfast today. You’ll have lunch with Grandfather later, so I didn’t want you to be too full.”
Yeon-hee set down a bowl of somyeon noodles on the table and spoke.
I could handle meals on my own, but she brought food to my room like this every time. Namgung Hyuk would surely froth at the mouth if he saw this.
“Is it Grandfather?”
“Yes, he asked for only you to come.”
What’s the old man up to?
When he got too full of himself after beating Hwang Bo-chung, I crushed him with six straight wins, and he told me not to come by for a while.
Well, I’ll find out when I go see him.
“I have to go see my mother, so I’ll be off. Enjoy your meal.”
“Okay. See you later.”
After seeing Yeon-hee off, the room fell silent.
I found myself staring at the steam rising from the somyeon with a peculiar sense of emotion.
‘Is this really okay?’
Since I started staying at the Namgung Estate, I had stopped working.
Apparently, it didn’t look right for the future son-in-law of the Namgung Family to continue working as a mere gatekeeper.
As a result, I became an unemployed man overnight.
These days, my routine goes like this:
Wake up -> Yeon-hee brings me breakfast -> Train or meet with the family -> In the evening, meet with Yeon-hee for a light date -> Go to bed.
And then it repeats endlessly.
Honestly, it’s quite comfortable.
With a cozy bed and top-notch food available whenever I’m hungry, I have all the time in the world since I don’t have to work.
Lately, I’ve grown somewhat lazy, adapting to this lifestyle.
The time spent training in my daily schedule has been gradually decreasing.
‘Am I just a kept man?’
This is exactly the situation of a freeloader leeching off his wife’s family.
No, it’s not that I dislike it. It’s nice, really nice.
But I get this subtle pressure, this feeling that something’s wrong if I just keep living like this.
‘I should either leave this house or do something else soon.’
If things continue this way, I might end up trapped in the comfortable swamp that is the Namgung Family.
***
“Good morning, Elder.”
“Yes. Sit down.”
Did he call me over just to lose again?
I was about to start with a light-hearted comment when I saw the Grand Elder sitting with a serious expression as I entered the room, and I swallowed the words.
Was he still upset about losing last time?
But this atmosphere felt too heavy for just that.
“I called you because I have something to ask.”
“What is it…?”
“I heard you lost your parents early on. Is that correct?”
The Grand Elder looked at me with eyes that seemed to be measuring something.
In truth, I couldn’t remember well.
Even before I became aware of my past life, my home had been a small, secluded alleyway.
“Rather than losing them, I never knew them. I’ve been an orphan from the beginning.”
“Hm.”
The Grand Elder cleared his throat.
Did he think he’d hit a sore spot?
I didn’t really mind, though.
“Then, you must not have any relatives.”
“That’s correct, Elder.”
“You used to work as a gatekeeper, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, do you have any savings?”
“I lived frugally, but it’s not much.”
“That’s enough. No need to hear more.”
The Grand Elder’s questions continued, almost like an interrogation.
It was a bit too direct for questions one would ask a prospective grandson-in-law.
This flow—where had I seen it before?
“I’m sure you understand what this means.”
The Grand Elder took out an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table.
It was a thick-looking envelope, to say the least.
‘Isn’t this the classic scene from those morning dramas?!’
It’s the kind of story even people who don’t watch dramas know.
A man falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy family.
The scenario was straight out of a classic story.
A poor man falls in love with a rich woman, and her family finds him unworthy. They hand him a hefty sum and tell him to know his place.
But the man’s unwavering belief stands firm against the allure of money!
While I had been teaching Namgung Hwan how to play Go, I’d started to think that our relationship had become too friendly.
However, even Namgung Hwan, at the end of the day, was the Grand Elder of the Namgung Family. He was bound to consider the family’s honour over personal feelings!
So, it was no surprise he prepared such an amount of money.
‘I don’t need to refuse it!’
What? I can get money and escape from the Namgung Family?
This was a win-win situation!
But, for the sake of decorum, I needed to reject it at least once.
“I cannot accept this money!”
It was a line straight out of a script.
Refuse firmly at first and wait for them to chide me for being presumptuous. That’s how it usually went.
Sure enough, Namgung Hwan frowned and spoke.
“Money? It’s a land deed, a land deed.”
Wasn’t this a bit too big as a farewell gift?
“It’s for a house on the outskirts and a few fields.”
“Excuse me?”
“Even after you get married, you can’t continue to live in your wife’s family’s house, right? A man must have property to earn respect.”
“?”
“If there’s something you lack, it’s the elder’s role to make up for it. Stop talking and just take it.”
It was a relief that I rejected it from the start.
What Namgung Hwan handed me was not a farewell bonus but an anchor meant to keep me tethered.
The moment I accepted it, I’d be ensnared!
“Elder, how could any son-in-law in the world accept a house given by his wife’s family?”
“Elder? How long do you intend to keep calling me that?”
What now?
He said calling him the Grand Elder was too formal.
“I don’t think of you as a son-in-law.”
“Pardon?”
Is he telling me to leave or stay?
I couldn’t keep up with his logic.
“I Consider it as if I’ve gained another grandson. Call me Grandfather.”
What nonsense is this old man spouting?
My head was spinning.
“Poor fellow. How lonely you must have been, living without a single relative in this vast world.”
“……”
“I will gladly be your guardian, so be grateful!”
It was a bit touching.
Adopting someone with no known background and treating them as a grandson?
It was probably his way of showing concern for me, who had nothing.
I appreciated his kindness.
But still.
This isn’t right.
“Elder, I’m grateful for your sentiment, but I can’t accept it!”
“Grandfather.”
“Grandfather! I told you I can’t accept it!”
“Just take it, will you?”
It was a heartwarming battle between the one trying to give and the one trying to refuse.
“Do you think I’m marrying just to receive this?!”
“Oh, is it not enough? I’ll throw in a few more properties!”
His casual attitude toward offering houses like they were side dishes delivered with a meal left me speechless.
“No, thank you.”
“Ugh, would an inn be enough?”
“I don’t need it!”
“You stubborn brat. Fine, I’ll also set aside some gold for you, so stop it already!”
“I told you, I’m fine!”
Someone, please stop this crazy old man!
He keeps piling on more like we’re bargaining at the marketplace.
If I accept this, I’ll become the permanent son-in-law of the Namgung Family.
“Since Grandfather has spoken like this, it only deepens the dilemma I’ve been having.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ever since I came to the Outer Quarters, haven’t I been taking advantage of your hospitality too much? It’s uncomfortable staying here without doing any work.”
I needed to change the subject quickly.
“What kind of family asks a guest to work?”
“But won’t I soon become a member of the Namgung Family? I thought it might be better to familiarize myself with how things are run.”
“Hmmm.”
“Of course, it’s important to visit the elders of the family. But just being treated like a guest all the time makes me feel rusty.”
When you’re bluffing, you shouldn’t just spew out lies.
The ideal ratio is 70% truth and 30% falsehood.
You must hide the lie within the truth to deceive properly.
Just lounging around like this could only last a day or two.
Resting is only enjoyable when you’ve been working beforehand.
If you’re always idle, your threshold for fun keeps rising.
“There are martial artists in the estate, right? Even though I’m a lacking junior, I’m capable of teaching entry-level swordsmanship.”
“……”
“I only want to show a bit of gratitude to a family that’s been kind to me.”
Digging too deeply into the Namgung Family’s martial arts might get me tied down in a different sense.
Although it’s unlikely they’d reveal such secrets to an outsider like me, in any case—
It was safest to just stick to teaching beginners.
“Fine. If that’s what you truly want, I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you, Grandfather.”
“What’s so difficult about that? Now hurry up and take this.”
Ah, so you didn’t forget about it after all.
There’s no chance of the old man getting senile anytime soon.
“I won’t take it. If you want to give it, give it to Yeon-hee!”
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
“Don’t forget what we agreed on! Goodbye!”
I quickly made my escape.
—
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