Volume 5 Chapter 16 – Sword Family Bank

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Luoyang Sword Family, Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

Giants sweated profusely as they carried large chests.

Even though they entered in a line and set down the chests with as much care as possible, they were heavy ironwood chests to the extent that small sparks flew on the paving stones laid in the yard.

Without even a moment to appreciate the otherworldly scenery of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, they were busy gulping cold water continuously from the water bucket brought by a maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

The person in charge of transportation stood beside the chests, stroking his beard, and asked Jeong-ah.

“Will you check them now?”

At the scribe’s rude tone, trying to act tough for no reason before Jeong-ah’s dignity, the twin maids glared fiercely.

“Your words are short.”

“This lady is the Maid Captain of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, the chief personal maid of the Eldest Young Master, and the manager responsible for Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.”

“What makes you so high and mighty that you roll your tongue so carelessly?”

The scribe, who was merely a transportation manager, unconsciously took a step back at their fierce momentum.

“…Ugh?!”

He hastily looked back at the warriors belonging to the transport escort.

Yet despite his look seeking help, the warriors merely stood there blankly, and not a single one stepped forward.

Unless this was outside the Luoyang Sword Family, if it was a matter between ‘fellow Sword Family members,’ there was no reason to intervene in a pride fight of ‘someone like’ the transportation manager.

“H-hey, guys…”

Furthermore, there seemed to be no reason not to fully recognize the maids over there as warriors.

Rather, they were busy stealing glances at the young and beautiful maid swordswomen.

“Why are you looking back?”

The twins, whose noses had grown high at the warriors’ subtle glances, pressed the transportation manager without hesitation.

“The direction you should offer your apology is this way, you know?”

“Do you perhaps have a problem with your cervical spine?”

The transportation manager cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“Ahem. Then, first, the verification procedure…”

Il-ryeong’s eyes shone coldly.

“…”

I-ryeong’s and Sam-ryeong’s hands stealthily moved toward their swords.

In the end, the transportation manager bowed his head deeply toward Jeong-ah and apologized.

“I-I am sorry!”

When Jeong-ah made no reply, the transportation manager felt an even greater pressure.

“I am sorry! Maid Captain! This humble one acted arrogantly without knowing his place!”

The position of a butler or maid follows the status of their master.

One could see that Yeon So-hyeon’s current position was vastly different from the past to the middle-management scribes of the Luoyang Sword Family.

“Please forgive me…!”

As his head lowered almost to the point of touching the ground, and cold sweat dripped onto the paving stones, Jeong-ah opened her mouth.

“Begin the verification procedure.”

Breathing a sigh of relief inwardly, he shouted to the scribes standing far off, lest sparks should fly.

“E-everyone, move quickly!”

The scribes, cursing him inwardly for causing unnecessary trouble, stood before their respective chests and searched their chests.

What they each pulled out was a key that flowed with a dark, heavy luster.

The head portions of those keys were all sealed with paper, on which the red seal of the Bank Director, the general manager of the Sword Family Bank, was stamped.

After mutually verifying the presence of any damage to the seals meticulously with a maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, they tore off the seals all at once.

“Th-then, I will open the first lock.”

Confirming that Jeong-ah nodded, he shouted.

“Open lock number one!”

At that, the waiting scribes simultaneously opened the first lock of the chest they were responsible for.

The seal thickly pasted with glue on the lock was torn by the inserted key.

The lock, larger than an adult man’s fist, fell onto the paving stones, scattering sparks.

Next, the warriors of the escort stepped forward, each pulling out a key.

Once they likewise finished verifying the seals, the transportation manager shouted.

“Open lock number two!”

Similarly, the locks fell to the floor, and the warriors withdrew, returning to their original formation.

Now, only one lock remained.

“Then, the key box you received in advance…”

Maids carried over a metal box.

The metal box was surrounded entirely at its opening area by seals stamped with an imprint, and the transportation manager, having completed the verification, pulled a key from his chest to open the lock.

Thereupon, sealed keys equal in quantity to the number of chests revealed themselves inside the metal box.

It was the key for the final lock.

Having received Jeong-ah’s permission, the maids held a key each, tore off the seals, and opened their respective final locks.

“Open the vaults!”

The giants exerted their utmost strength to open the lids of the chests they were responsible for.

Thereupon, golden reflected light scattered in all directions from inside.

It was a reflected light that caused even the maids of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, who were trained not to close their eyes recklessly, to blink momentarily.

Gold coins filled to the brim in each chest glinted, boasting an immense presence.

“…”

The transportation manager, who had intended to look back at Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s personnel and appreciate their surprised faces for a moment, wore a sullen expression.

For not a trace of agitation could be found on anyone’s face.

All wealth belonged to the master.

Defining themselves as the master’s possessions, they deemed themselves beings who had nothing to do with wealth.

“Th-then, if you could begin the amount verification procedure…”

Jeong-ah cut him off.

“I have verified it. Move on to the next procedure.”

Already, her Dragon Eyes had grasped the entire count before the chests were even opened.

“Yes…?”

The transportation manager, who had thought a scene of maids crowding around to count gold coins would unfold, was flustered.

“Did she not say the Maid Captain has verified it?”

“This person seems to have issues with both his neck and his ears.”

A twitch occurred on the transportation manager’s face.

“Th-then, as the final verification procedure…”

In any case, that the other side did not verify the amount precisely was their responsibility should a problem arise.

As he pulled three copies of the receipt verification certificate from his chest, a warrior who had been standing far off with folded arms strolled over.

He was the commander of the transport escort.

“Then, check the contents respectively, and stamp your seal and thumbprint on each verification certificate.”

The three documents, stamped with everyone’s seals and thumbprints, were put into the chests of those three, one copy each.

“Then, with this, I will conclude all procedures…”

Jeong-ah cut him off.

“What of the banknotes corresponding to the remaining half of the amount?”

“In the case of banknotes…”

The transportation manager bowed his head and replied.

“The Bank Director said he would deliver them directly to the Eldest Young Master.”

* * *

Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s VIP reception room.

“Now, Eldest Young Master. Please check the amount and sign here.”

To Yeon So-hyeon who was verifying the banknotes, a middle-aged man with a crafty voice presented the receipt verification certificate.

“…”

When Yeon So-hyeon said nothing and merely stared at him, only then did the middle-aged man beat his forehead as if realizing.

“Oh my, I have dared to be impolite to the Eldest Young Master. Please forgive my rudeness.”

A twisted smile played on his lips.

“It is not as if a person of the status of the Eldest Young Master of the great Luoyang Sword Family would wipe his mouth clean later and demand the banknotes twice just because there is no receipt verification certificate.”

Thereupon, he laughed “hahaha” by himself.

Yet even as he did so, he had no intention of taking back the receipt verification certificate placed on the table.

“Deputy Bank Director.”

A heavy voice called the middle-aged man with the crafty voice, the Deputy Bank Director, from behind.

“Yes, Bank Director. Speak.”

Where the Deputy Bank Director turned back to look, an old man with graying hair was sitting in an upright posture.

“Apologize to the Eldest Young Master for your rudeness.”

As if displaying his temperament, it was a voice that left no room for hesitation.

“Ah, this has indeed become highly regrettable. I hope the Eldest Young Master will show generosity and forgive this lacking one.”

“…”

It was the Deputy Bank Director, bowing his head and apologizing in a tone that subtly rubbed the listener the wrong way.

And even though Yeon So-hyeon had not accepted the apology, he stealthily rose from his chair.

“Now, then, since all business is finished, we should rise…”

The Bank Director, who sat opposite the Eldest Young Master, cut him off.

“Eldest Young Master, first, I apologize for causing you the trouble of waiting long due to our bank’s slow response even under the situation where the emergency decree was issued.”

The Deputy Bank Director stealthily brought his buttocks back to the chair and waved his hand.

“Oh dear, how is that our fault? That was purely because the elders’ meeting resolved to have the Inner Courtyard pay punitive compensation…”

Yeon So-hyeon cut off his words and replied to the Bank Director.

“I will accept that apology.”

“Thank you.”

The mustache of the Deputy Bank Director, who was being repeatedly ignored, trembled finely.

“…”

However, as the occasion was what it was, he did not dare think of acting rashly.

Returning to an upright posture, the Bank Director spoke to Yeon So-hyeon.

“In that sense, if there is a way for our bank to show sincerity with an apology, please tell us.”

His words were polite, yet not a shred of servility was felt, making them dignified.

“Oh, Bank Director. Since you have even apologized, should that not be the end of it? As I said earlier, in the first place, it wasn’t our mistake, but the elders’ meeting…”

“This is about after the resolution of the elders’ meeting was made.”

The Bank Director’s voice echoed softly.

“Normally, it took twice the number of days than it would have taken to prepare the same amount. How is this not our responsibility?”

“Ah, that is. As I said before, the delay occurred due to the individual deviant acts of a few employees, so surely we cannot make this the responsibility of our entire bank.”

Even under the Bank Director’s sharp glare, the Deputy Bank Director finished what he wanted to say to the end.

Even though the direct superior of those employees was the Deputy Bank Director himself.

“Since there was no intentional delay either. Haha.”

“You…!”

At that moment, Yeon So-hyeon’s voice intervened in their conversation.

“Did the Sword Family Bank ask for a way to show sincerity to me?”

The Bank Director replied politely.

“Yes, Eldest Young Master.”

Before the Deputy Bank Director could blabber his mouth again, Yeon So-hyeon spoke first.

“Then, how about granting a loan to me?”

“Did you say a loan?”

As talk of money came up, the Deputy Bank Director nodded and intervened in the conversation.

“Oh my, we can grant as many loans as you like. Since you are a member of the same Sword Family, that much is easily possible. What amount do you want?”

Yeon So-hyeon replied.

“Five times the amount brought today.”

“…!”

A brief twitch occurred on the Deputy Bank Director’s face.

Having rolled the abacus in his head for a moment and finished his calculations, he opened his mouth again.

“At that amount, it is possible, but the interest will likely be high, and the collateral must be solid…”

“With zero interest and no collateral.”

“…”

The mouth of the Deputy Bank Director, who had been blabbering whenever there was a gap, shut tight.

At that sight, a faint smile hung on the lips of Yeon So-hyeon, who had worn no expression until now.

“Is it difficult?”