Volume 3 Chapter 9 – Clumsy People

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The streets of Luoyang where the sun was slowly setting.

The girl who was riding on her reliable father’s back was talking endlessly.

“…And so, the Eldest Young Master looked into my eyes and said: ‘Law Enforcement Envoy, it is regrettable that I intervened as I pleased to stop your ruling. I seek forgiveness.’ So I answered elegantly: ‘It is alright, Eldest Young Master. I think it was an excellent judgment for the Main Family as well.’ Did you hear? Did you hear?”

Yeom Baek-ha covered her face with a shriek.

“Is he not so cool? It was so romantic. I thought I had entered into a famous romance novel, you know?”

Elder Yeom wondered where exactly it was romantic, but he did not ask.

For he was not a fool who would touch a beehive to check on the bees.

“If you ask where it is romantic… Contrary to that beautiful yet cold exterior, does it not already make him romantic just by the fact that someone who harbors a hot heart for the poor actually exists? Right? Is it not so?”

Of course, among the bees, there were those that would fly out and attack even if one did not go near the beehive.

“…And so, as he looked at me like this…”

But on the other hand, he felt his heart ease slightly.

How long had it been since he walked the streets of Luoyang at sunset with his daughter?

With a much more relaxed mind, he could bring up the unavoidable problem.

“…What do you think?”

She did not ask back, “About what?”

She was a clever child, enough to pass that difficult Law Enforcement Envoy exam at a young age.

Although she could not perform that duty outside, none of the rulings she had made inside had a single thing wrong.

She knew very well that all the things her father had built up throughout his life could be shaken because of her alone.

Her voice settled down.

“Father, there is only one thing I wish from you.”

His daughter’s voice was heard clearly through his ears.

“Please do not use me as an excuse.”

That voice was extremely firm.

Just like when she made rulings as the Law Enforcement Lady.

“…I use you?”

At his question, Yeom Baek-ha gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

“I was born as the only daughter under an elder of the Main Family. And embarrassingly, I am also a Law Enforcement Envoy. I lived enjoying everything I could enjoy in my position.”

In her voice, gratitude for what she had enjoyed was present.

“I am not a pitiful daughter who neglects duties while only enjoying those rights.”

She spoke in a firm tone.

“Father, as an elder of the Main Family, and as the head of a family, make your judgment solely on your own. It is unavoidable to be lonely. It is unavoidable to suffer. But the words that you have no choice because of your daughter, only those words are not needed.”

“You…”

His voice cracked.

“As the elder’s daughter, as Father’s daughter, whatever that will is, I will only follow.”

“Is that so…”

She felt her father’s shoulder, that broad shoulder, trembling slightly.

But she did not show any sign.

The two just walked like a father and daughter commonly seen on the street.

After a moment, a much more composed voice flowed from his mouth.

“I understand. I will do so.”

She smiled and hugged her father’s neck.

“A good idea came to me!”

And she began to babble again.

“Father will officially declare disowning me! And I, becoming someone with no place to rely on, will enter Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment as a maid! And I, pitifully unable to do any maid work properly, will be bullied by senior maids! I hide in the warehouse, look at the moon, and shed tears. At that moment! The Eldest Young Master enters the warehouse and discovers me! Ah. It is perfect! Completely romantic! It is another perfect love story!”

“…”

He only focused on his steps.

For the time being, he had to walk even if he was stung by a million bees.

What else could he do?

His daughter was someone who had no friend to talk about this kind of story anywhere.

She was a child who knew her position and behaved better than anyone.

So what else could he do?

Since that was one of the few trivial roles a clumsy father with an excessively good daughter could perform.

* * *

Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment where the moon rose brightly.

In the wide courtyard covered with gravel, bonfires burned here and there, lighting up the surroundings brightly.

Underneath, the nimble shadow of a woman and the reliable shadow of a man clashed.

The sword light reflected in the bonfires flashed in all directions.

Soon, a cheer resounded.

“Oops, this is…”

The Fourth Young Master’s warrior sat on the ground, unable to rise due to the shock.

“I received a good teaching.”

With slightly rough breathing, the one who reached out a hand was none other than the head maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, Jeong-ah.

“No. Rather, I… No, indeed.”

The warrior recognized his opponent as a warrior.

He readily held her hand and raised his body.

He politely cupped his fist to her.

“Rather, I learned a lesson.”

The Fourth Young Master’s warriors who had been surrounding them from a distance approached, clapping.

“Whoa! It has been a long time since I saw a truly incredible sparring. I feel enlightened!”

“Is the martial art the head maid used indeed the famous Flash of Shadow and Instant? To achieve that difficult Supreme Martial Art to that extent is truly incredible.”

Although their colleague had lost to a mere maid, no bad feelings could be felt from them.

As felt throughout the day, the Fourth Young Master’s subordinates were basically extremely cheerful and outspoken people.

Jeong-ah bowed her head to reply to their praise.

“It is a trivial skill.”

The warrior who sparred with her jumped at her modesty.

“No, if the head maid speaks like that, what do I become?”

“What else? It is natural for the one with lower skills to lose. Loser, do not linger, step aside.”

“Yes, yes. We need to talk about the Supreme Martial Arts with this head maid.”

“Rather than talking, we should receive teaching.”

The warrior pushed away by his swarming colleagues wore a hollow smile.

“…Hey, I have not even reviewed the duel yet.”

Already there was no colleague listening to his words.

The beautiful head maid, who had mastered the Supreme Martial Art said to be the most difficult in the Sword Family, was drawing immense popularity among them.

“Gosh.”

Shaking his head, he picked up his sword and short sword fallen on the ground.

That was not all.

On the ground, the iron caltrops, needles, and throwing daggers he had scattered were lying messily.

Excluding the poison that could not be used in sparring, he had mobilized all the secret techniques he knew.

“…To think not a single one of these worked?”

He squatted on the spot.

Looking at the courtyard that had become a mess, he could only shake his head.

* * *

A noisy cheer and bustling voices could be heard from outside.

The Fourth Young Master smiled.

“This younger brother enjoyed an excellent meal. As expected, the ingredients of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment are indeed the best in Luoyang.”

“That is a relief.”

The table was cleared, and the plump maid appeared.

She was the one who had stuck close to the Fourth Young Master all day.

After bowing politely, she placed the post-meal tea for rinsing the mouth on the table.

“Thank you.”

At the Fourth Young Master’s thanks, she showed an affectionate smile and left the room.

“I am sorry that there is still a lack of people in Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.”

“No, Eldest Brother. At times like this, we should help each other. What else is good about having brothers?”

The door closed, and the presences moved away.

Now it was time for the brothers to have a proper talk.

“This project was, more than it appeared, extremely important to me.”

The Fourth Young Master bowed his head in a mature manner.

His tone of voice also changed.

“This younger brother will never forget the teachings you bestowed today and what you did for me.”

Yeon So-hyeon waved his hand.

“…It seems the other two fellows charging ahead is shaking your position.”

The Fourth Young Master sighed softly.

“Yes. Though the scale of this project is a scale, in reality, the most important thing is also a struggle not to fall behind in the succession fight.”

“Do you have the greed to become the Young Patriarch?”

“…”

Yeon So-hyeon lightly enjoyed the aroma and put down the teacup again.

However, the question he threw was by no means light.

The Fourth Young Master opened his mouth in a more careful manner than ever.

“…We cannot hand over the Sword Family to the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master, can we?”

“True.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded lightly in agreement.

“Eldest Brother.”

The Fourth Young Master looked up at him.

“By any chance, even now…?”

Yeon So-hyeon cut off his words.

“Those investors said to be coming from Sichuan.”

The Fourth Young Master immediately bowed his head.

“Yes, Eldest Brother.”

“I heard there are also those who make things difficult for you. Is that correct?”

The Fourth Young Master shook his head.

“Do not even mention it. No matter how much I persuade them, they insist on looking around Luoyang separately from the entire business group moving…”

He placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin.

“Well, what can I do. Since my side is the one in need, I must try something.”

Moreover, regardless of the immediate investment amount, they were important figures who would greatly affect the mid-to-long-term success of this business.

Listening to the Fourth Young Master’s explanation about them, Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“Then I will handle them.”

At his words, the Fourth Young Master’s movements stopped.

“…Eldest Brother.”

“Why?”

The Fourth Young Master’s pupils shook.

“Doing ‘up to that’ will become a completely different story.”

The boy licked his drying lips.

“The relocation of the poor is merely a temporary help you gave for your youngest brother. The share I wish to give you is also a kind of advisory fee.”

“Indeed.”

The Fourth Young Master gulped down the cooling tea.

“But doing more than that means you intend to join me in this business now.”

“It will become a business jointly conducted by the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Master of the Sword Family.”

Yeon So-hyeon wore a smile of unknown meaning.

“And that is also why I intend to present new terms.”

The Fourth Young Master felt his head spin.

“…Eldest Brother.”

The boy looked at the person he loved and respected most.

“Do you intend to end your seclusion now? The Second Young Master, the Third Young Master, and those who dislike you will rise like a swarm of bees to block you.”

Yeon So-hyeon asked back.

“Do you have the greed to become the Young Patriarch?”

The Fourth Young Master sprang up.

The chair was thrown backward.

“No!”

The boy struck the table.

“Absolutely not!”

He shouted.

“The Young Patriarch of the Main Family is a position only you, Eldest Brother, are qualified to ascend to!”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled brightly.

He could not lose any more of the few remaining family members he loved.

So he had to make ‘this business that is bound to fail’ succeed by all means.

He knew the ‘future’ where this cute younger brother suffered so much for his clumsy eldest brother.

“I intend to officially end this seclusion now.”

Therefore, until now, this clumsy eldest brother intended to become the most proud eldest brother to anyone in the future.

“Will you join me?”

It was a question that did not need asking.