Chapter 10
Inadvertently (1)
“It’s been about a year since I was hired as a bodyguard by Your Excellency, the Minister of Punishments, for a hefty sum.”
The work wasn’t as much as I expected.
No one with the guts to target Your Excellency, a Minister of a place like the Ministry of Punishments, one of the Six Ministries, has ever appeared.
Back when I was a member of a Murim Assassin Guild, every day was filled with tension.
However, those days ended when I was hired as the bodyguard for the Minister of Punishments.
“A series of boring days.”
It’s been far too quiet for a year.
My salary just kept piling up for simply staying by his side.
Because of this, I was being seized by the pressure to show them something.
Just as I was thinking my senses were gradually dulling from the long peace, a situation worthy of being called a job finally occurred.
“Kiiyaaaak!”
The Young Master is in pain at someone’s hands.
Just how much pressure is being applied for him to twist his body like a pretzel?
‘The time has come to earn my keep.’
Bodyguard Do-pyeong felt he had finally seized his chance.
Now, with Your Excellency, the Minister of Punishments, and many of the household’s retainers gathered, this was the perfect opportunity to escape his reputation as a Salary Leech.
“This bastard! How dare you target the Young Master!”
Fwip!
With a roar, Bodyguard Do-pyeong launched himself toward Mumu.
As befitting a Former Assassin, his Body Movement was so fast it felt like a flash of lightning to the eyes of an ordinary person.
“Ooooh!”
At this sight, the surrounding retainers let out gasps of admiration.
‘He looks to be about the same age as the Young Master.’
The corners of Do-pyeong’s lips curled up.
This is lucky.
Brats of that age are no match for me unless they’re at the level of a famous Rising Star.
Zip, zip, zip, zip!
He could have gone for an immediate suppression, but he intentionally darted around the area.
It was a method to distract his opponent’s gaze, and it also served to look impressive to those who didn’t know martial arts.
‘Now, shall I slowly start the suppression?’
With the brat’s skill, he probably can’t even tell where I’m moving…
Whoosh!
‘……Huh?’
Mumu’s eyes darted back and forth.
However, the direction his eyes were turning perfectly matched his own movements.
In that moment, Bodyguard Do-pyeong got goosebumps.
‘What’s going on? Is this guy seriously watching my movements?’
He was seized by bewilderment.
As a Former Assassin, he was proud that his lightness skill was superior to that of other first-rate masters.
But for him to be watched so accurately…
‘Tch.’
A slight sense of unease crept over him.
Even if he looked like a brat, he might possess outstanding perception.
If so, he should stop wasting energy moving around pointlessly and suppress him at once with his secret technique.
As he moved his body faster to look for an opportunity—
“P-Please, stop! That child is not a dangerous person.”
Mumu’s eyes turned toward his Adoptive Father, Yu Yeop-gyeong, who was shouting urgently.
Do-pyeong did not miss that fleeting moment.
‘This is it!’
Fwip!
Do-pyeong launched himself behind Mumu and unfolded a secret technique from his Assassination Arts.
‘Secret Technique, Dark Fate Slice (暗命刋)!’
It was a technique to instantly suppress the opponent from behind using Seizing Arts while simultaneously snapping their neck.
However, he only intended to grab the neck, not snap it.
He grabbed Mumu’s neck at the same time as he twisted back the right arm gripping the Young Master’s hand.
But—
‘Huh?’
The arm wouldn’t bend.
The part he was holding was hard; it felt like he was desperately trying to break an old dead tree.
This guy might be a master of external arts, greater than he had thought.
But training one’s neck isn’t an easy task, so—
Grip!
He was about to make a threat while gripping it, but—
Throb, throb, throb, throb.
‘……..What is this?’
I’ve never seen this in my life.
From the scalene to the levator scapulae muscles, his veins bulged and moved as if they were alive.
Those tremendous neck muscles were repelling his hand.
No, he couldn’t even get a proper grip in the first place.
‘No. How can you train your neck to this extent?’
Just then, Mumu spoke.
“Hey, why are you unpleasantly fiddling with someone else’s neck?”
‘Fiddling?’
He was trying to choke him so hard he couldn’t breathe, and he calls it fiddling?
Just as he was rendered speechless by the absurdity—
Grab!
“Huh?”
In that moment, Mumu grabbed the wrist of Bodyguard Do-pyeong, who was struggling to grip his neck.
And he applied force.
C-CRUNCH!
Then, a visceral scream erupted from Bodyguard Do-pyeong’s mouth.
“Kkuaaak!”
It was an unbelievable grip strength.
Before he knew it, Do-pyeong, just like Mo Il-seo, the son of the Minister of Punishments, was twisting his body like a pretzel, ending up in the same predicament.
The retainers, who had been inwardly expecting something, couldn’t hide their disappointment.
It was none other than Guard Do, who always spouted heroic tales about his past, who ended up like that at the hands of a seventeen-year-old boy.
Minister of Punishments Mo Yun also clicked his tongue at the sight.
‘What a Salary Leech.’
There was no worth in hiring him for such a hefty sum.
Still, I thought he’d show something since he was a former assassin, but what is this state he’s in?
Mo Yun’s eyes narrowed sharply.
‘Or is that child the incredible one?’
Minister of Punishments Mo Yun’s gaze turned to Mumu.
Just then, Yu Yeop-gyeong came running out from the main hall and shouted—
“Mumu! Let go of that young master’s hand right now. This is the son of Your Excellency, the Minister of Punishments.”
Then, he hurriedly prostrated himself before Minister of Punishments Mo Yun and bowed his head low.
“Your Excellency. My son has only lived in the mountains and is still lacking in social skills. Please punish me, this unworthy father, and forgive my son!”
At his father Yu Yeop-gyeong’s cry, Mumu furrowed his brow.
But not wanting to trouble his father, he soon let go of the hands he was holding.
Released, Mo Il-seo and Bodyguard Do-pyeong curled up like shrimp, groaning and panting heavily as if the pain had not yet subsided.
Mo Yun’s expression hardened terribly as he saw Mo Il-seo’s right hand, swollen and dark blue with bruises as if it were broken.
Spotting his father like this, Mo Il-seo, despite the pain, started scheming.
“Aigoo. My hand. I’m dying. I’m dying.”
Mo Il-seo rolled around on the floor even more, crying out in pain.
To say he was attacked after he himself had proposed the handshake would damage his image, so it was better to keep acting like the victim.
‘I’m going crazy.’
Yu Yeop-gyeong was burning up inside.
Given Mumu’s personality, there was no way he would have laid a hand on the Minister of Punishments’ son first.
Something unknown must have happened, but with that damn son of the Minister of Punishments making such an uproar, it was obvious that Minister Mo Yun’s rage would soar even higher.
And that prediction was correct.
“Yu Hak-jeong. How on earth did you raise your son…”
“Father~”
Just then, a voice as clear as jade beads rolling across a tray was heard.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward a single girl.
The girl with the pretty eyes was Mo Il-hwa.
She was the one and only daughter whom Minister Mo Yun cherished like a precious jewel.
“Was my pretty daughter here too?”
“Father~ Il-hwa is scared, so please don’t be angry.”
At his daughter’s words, Mo Yun slightly furrowed his brow.
Having raised his daughter so dearly, he naturally knew her personality, manner of speaking, and behavior better than anyone.
But this was the first time he had seen her act so cute with such a nasal voice.
He didn’t know if it was because of the guests, but it was incomparably more lovely than her usual stubborn self.
“Aigoo. My daughter. This father isn’t angry at all.”
“Really?”
“Of course. This father doesn’t even know how to get angry in front of his daughter.”
At the sight of his doting fool of a father, Mo Il-seo glared at his younger sister before grabbing his swollen hand again and crying out in pain even louder.
“Aigoo, Father. I’m dying. I’m dying.”
At his son’s cry, Mo Yun’s expression soured again.
His anger had momentarily melted away like snow at his daughter’s cuteness, but he couldn’t just let this matter go.
Just then, Mo Il-hwa pointed at her older brother and spoke.
“Father. That was all brought on by my older brother.”
“Brought on by himself? What do you mean?”
“My older brother intentionally requested a handshake to test how strong Yu Hak-jeong’s young master was, and that’s how it happened.”
“A handshake?”
“You know. The greeting that the commoners of the Western Regions do.”
“Ha!”
Understanding what she meant, Minister Mo Yun’s sharp gaze turned to his son.
‘You!’
Mo Il-seo, who had been trying to escape the situation by exaggerating his pain, looked flustered and glared at his younger sister.
But it was already too late.
Wasn’t he a father who would believe anything Mo Il-hwa said?
Minister Mo Yun walked straight up to his son.
“Is it true?”
“F-Father…”
“I asked if it’s true.”
“W-Well… I heard he was Yu Jin-seong’s younger brother, so I just wanted to see how great he was…”
“So you requested a handshake or something?”
“I-I just meant to do it lightly. But this guy—”
Thwack!
Before he could finish, Minister Mo Yun mercilessly struck his son on the head with his fist.
“F-Father?”
His father’s fist, untrained in martial arts, couldn’t have hurt that much.
But for a father who never laid a hand on him in front of others because of appearances to hit him now, he couldn’t imagine how angry he must be.
“I sternly told you not to act so recklessly, trusting in your petty martial arts. And you’ve done it again.”
“B-But, Father…”
“I don’t want to hear it. You bastard are a disgrace to the face of this father, who holds the position of Minister.”
At these words, Mo Il-seo hung his head low and couldn’t say anything.
Leaving him be, Minister Mo Yun helped the prostrated Yu Yeop-gyeong up and said—
“Yu Hak-jeong. Please forgive me. The one who failed to discipline his son was not you, but myself.”
He was unexpectedly calm in admitting his fault.
To this, Yu Yeop-gyeong replied—
“Not at all, Your Excellency. This humble one’s son is not without fault either.”
“I will punish that bastard harshly and teach him a lesson, so I only hope you are not displeased.”
“Your Excellency…”
Yu Yeop-gyeong, inwardly moved, looked at Minister Mo Yun.
He even felt a sense of respect that such a high-ranking official possessed such fair character.
At that moment, Mo Yun’s daughter, Mo Il-hwa, approached and bowed shyly.
“This girl, Mo Il-hwa, greets Elder Yu Hak-jeong.”
“To have raised such a fine daughter must be a great fortune for Your Excellency.”
Thanks to her, he had escaped a difficult situation, so Yu Yeop-gyeong praised Mo Il-hwa, partly to save Mo Yun’s face as well.
“Oh, my.”
At his words, Mo Il-hwa lowered her head, feigning shyness.
Seeing this, Yu Yeop-gyeong smiled and said—
“I am truly envious, Your Excellency. I wish I had a daughter like this too. Indeed.”
“Hahaha. Well, this man is quite something.”
The atmosphere became warm and friendly again.
At this, Mo Il-hwa, who had her head lowered, raised the corners of her lips and cheered inwardly.
‘All according to plan.’
Selling out my older brother was worth it.
If she could make a good impression on Yu Yeop-gyeong, who would be her father-in-law in the distant future, it was a cheap price to pay.
With her head still lowered, she peeked at Mumu.
More than that, it was unexpected.
She had expected him to be Yu Jin-hyeok, the biological younger brother of Lord Yu Jin-seong, who would be her future husband, but he was clearly called an adopted son named Mumu.
‘Thanks to my older brother, I’ve saved myself some trouble.’
She was willing to be friendly with the biological younger brother, Yu Jin-hyeok, for the sake of the future, but if he was an adopted son, being nice to him probably wouldn’t help much.
An adopted son is, literally, an adopted son.
It was then that Minister Mo Yun opened his mouth.
“In any case, through this incident, I have learned that your adopted son also possesses great martial prowess, so I am somewhat relieved.”
“Yes? Your Excellency, what do you mean by…”
“Have your second son and adopted son work together to look after my daughter so that nothing happens to her at the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.”
At those words, Yu Yeop-gyeong’s expression stiffened.
His second son was one thing, but he had no intention whatsoever of sending Mumu to such a place.
So he cautiously began to speak—
“Your Excellency, however, my adopted son Mumu, at a place like the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy…”
Before he could finish, Minister Mo Yun pointed at his son Mo Il-seo, clicked his tongue, and said—
“With that son of mine’s hand like that, how can he take the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy entrance exam in a few days? As a father, my heart breaks at the thought of this delicate and weak daughter of mine having to endure it alone in a place where her older brother won’t be.”
“Ah…”
“So, I have no doubt that your sons will watch over and take good care of her. Isn’t that right?”
The tone of his last words was very strong.
‘……I’ve been had.’
Minister Mo Yun was not someone who ever took a loss.
Yu Yeop-gyeong looked at Mumu.
‘My son. What are we going to do?’
He was now, in a whirlwind, set to enter the place called Changcheon Martial Arts Academy.
