The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 30

[ … words ]

***

The room was quiet as if cold water had been poured over it.

Not only the hall masters but even the elderly elders tried to say something, but stopped, and instead brought their cooled teacups to their lips, not knowing what to do.

“……Outer Hall Master.”

It was Sect Leader Hong who broke the silence.

“Yes. Sect Leader.”

“Do you happen to have any reliable miners and blacksmiths?”

My father, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded his head.

“Heo Il-nam’s father has always been supplying weapons to our Tae-eul-mun at a low price. And I heard that the father of the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers used to be a miner in the past.”

“Then, as quickly as possible……”

“I will check right now.”

“Yes, and after that, the broker (real estate agent)……”

“I will purchase Seok-ju-san (Stone Pillar Mountain) immediately.”

My father answered readily, even before the Sect Leader’s question was finished.

However, Sect Leader Hong seemed unsatisfied with even that, and stared at me intently. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he spoke with a firm expression.

“Do you happen to have the money to buy Seok-ju-san?”

“Seok-ju-san is a rocky mountain that has had no owner for a long time. Even the slash-and-burn farmers never settled there because the land was barren.”

“Then, purchase Seok-ju-san first; confirm the mine after that.”

“Sect Leader!”

“Do as I say.”

My father looked back and forth between me and Sect Leader Hong, then nodded.

“I understand.”

“Gwae-hwa Hall Master.”

“Yes.”

“Visit Geum-ryong’s father and Heo Il-nam’s father and ask for their cooperation.”

“I understand.”

“Move quickly. Keep in mind that the fate of the sect may depend on this matter.”

“By your order!”

My father went straight to the government office to inquire about purchasing Seok-ju-san.

The officials, who usually asked for bribes when buying and selling government property, only asked for the intended use when told they wanted to buy Seok-ju-san. They did not raise any particular issues.

After Seok-ju-san fell into the hands of the Tae-eul-mun, Heo Il-nam’s father and the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers’ father immediately went up the mountain and confirmed that it was a place where an iron ore mine could be established.

According to them, such cases were rare, but they said, ‘It was easy to check because someone had dug deep into the middle of the cliff.’

Seok-ju-san had been bought, and a mine had been discovered, but they could not start development right away.

Aside from the funds, the Tae-eul-mun had never possessed such a huge asset as a mine, so they did not know what to do.

Furthermore, if someone found out that there was an iron ore mine on Seok-ju-san, they might cause harm to the Tae-eul-mun.

In the end, Sect Leader Hong and my father asked Wang-ga-jang for help.

“Hahaha, they say the heavens help those who help themselves, and in the end, you are receiving such a great blessing.”

“I am ashamed.”

“I was worried that the Tae-eul-mun might falter due to the actions of my Gye-ryong Merchant Group. Still, you are my daughter’s sect.”

“I am grateful just for your words.”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

“The Tae-eul-mun does not have the capacity to develop the mine on its own. It would be perfect if the Manor Lord could help us together.”

“Hehe, to think that those who will become the owners of a large mine are this sloppy. Can you make big money being so weak in human affection? Let’s do this. I will invest in the mine. I will develop the mine and bring miners. In return, you will sell us half of the iron ore produced from the mine exclusively for 10 years.”

Jin-tae-san was astonished. This was literally like taking candy from a baby.

“Can you really do that? Then wouldn’t the Manor Lord be at a loss……”

“I might lose a little in the beginning, but that is all investment. I looked into it separately, and they say the iron from Seok-ju-san is high-quality black iron. The reserves are substantial, so there won’t be any worries for half a century. If we sell half of that amount exclusively, it is a condition that is far more profitable for Wang-ga-jang, even considering the market price.”

When Jin-tae-san was trying to develop the mine in a joint venture with Wang-ga-jang, he had thought about giving up a portion of the profits.

However, the condition Wang Geum-san proposed was a good one that gave the Tae-eul-mun complete profit while completely eliminating the worry about the initial capital.

“I heard that the Hall Master’s son discovered the mine.”

“The kid who wanders around everywhere seems to have found it by luck.”

“Hehe, it seems only the Hall Master doesn’t know the true value of his son.”

“You are overpraising him.”

“If you are grateful to me, please tell So-un to come and play at the Wang estate sometime. I don’t know if it’s because of my mistake during our first meeting, but he doesn’t come even though I’ve invited him several times, so my heart is very uncomfortable.”

Jin-tae-san inwardly spat out curses at his son. When such a person calls, who is he to hold out?

No matter how much he was his own child, Jin-tae-san could not understand him.

“So, you’re telling me to visit the Wang estate?”

“In any case, isn’t he the one who offered good conditions to the Tae-eul-mun? Leaving aside expressing gratitude, it is natural for the Great Senior Disciple to visit the junior’s house and pay respects.”

I glared at Gang Chae-seok’s words.

“You’re not thinking of selling me off to Wang-ga-jang, are you?”

“Keuheum. Who would sell you off……”

“No, when I saw you back then, you looked like you wanted to wrap me up nicely and hand me over to Wang-ga-jang.”

“Ahem. This is all for the Tae-eul-mun……”

“I’m not going.”

“Whaaat!”

“Why would I go there? Even Manor Lord Wang is investing because of his own interests anyway.”

“No, still……”

“Then please recognize that I have completed the Gwae-hwa Hall course.”

“What?”

“Then I will go and pay my respects.”

“What is that out of the blue?”

“There is work to be done. To do that, I must move right now, but if I am to complete the Gwae-hwa Hall course, I need another half year.”

Sect Leader Hong, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth.

“What do you intend to do that you say you can’t do it after half a year?”

I couldn’t tell the truth here. If I said that as the Great Senior Disciple of the Tae-eul-mun, I would lead my junior disciples and take the regular entrance exam, they would look at me as if I were a crazy person, just like Sa-ryeon did when she looked at me.

“I am sorry. I cannot tell you yet.”

“How can I help you when this damn fellow does things he can’t even talk about?”

“I will tell you when the time comes in half a year.”

“Ugh.”

Gang Chae-seok shook his head and began to down his liquor cup repeatedly.

“Is it an important matter?”

“Yes. It is an important matter.”

“How important is it?”

“It is a matter on which the future of the Tae-eul-mun depends.”

“Keheheh!”

“!”

“!”

At my words, Gang Chae-seok, who was downing his liquor, choked and coughed, and my father, who had been quietly holding his liquor cup, also opened his eyes wide and looked at me.

Sect Leader Hong looked at me intently, then looked at Jin-tae-san.

“What do you think?”

“……He is a wicked guy who doesn’t say anything even to his father from the beginning. I don’t know.”

My father was pouting his lips unbecomingly, as if he felt somewhat slighted.

“Does the story about asking to be recognized as having completed the Gwae-hwa Hall mean you have already mastered all the martial arts?”

“Yes.”

“……Hmm. Good. Do as you wish.”

“!”

“Sect Leader!”

Sect Leader Hong continued in a calm tone.

“Everything you have done so far has been for the Tae-eul-mun. I think what you do in the future will not be any different. Since you are doing the work that we should have done instead, at the very least, I do not want to clip your wings.”

“…….”

“…….”

While Gang Chae-seok and my father were bowing their heads, Sect Leader Hong smiled at the corner of his mouth and said.

“Instead, make sure to pay your respects to the Wang estate before you go.”

Staggering.

On the way back to the dormitory from the Dae-hyeon-jeon.

Unlike usual, my father’s gait, having drunk four bottles of Bamboo Salt Clear Liquor given by Sect Leader Hong, reminded one of the footwork of Drunken Fist.

“Please pull yourself together, Father.”

“Let go. You rascal. This father is perfectly fine.”

“Then walk straight.”

“Forget it. This useless father, if he can’t even walk by himself, you’ll just dump him in the mountains, right?”

“Ah, why are you like this?”

“You rascal, the worst child in the world, is a child who doesn’t say anything to his parents.”

“Then what is the best child?”

“A child who comes and chatters and tells you every little detail.”

“Then you should have had a daughter. Why did you have to have a dark-faced son?”

“Even so, when the Sect Leader had a daughter, I wanted to change places right away.”

“Good grief.”

I took out the Seven-Colored Bead (Chil-chae-bo-ju) from my bosom.

Within the Tae-eul-mun, where only moonlight was shining, a brilliant light of seven colors was shining in all directions.

My father’s posture, which had been showing drunken steps, stood straight like bamboo.

“……W, what is that?!”

“I prepared this to be the best child. If it’s not going to happen anyway, I’ll just trade it for taffy.”

“Y, you’re giving that ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) to me?”

My father’s expression seemed as if he had already sobered up.

“Forget it. I’ve already become an unfilial child. What’s the use of showing filial piety now?”

My father suddenly cleared his throat and said.

“Do you know this? Above the best child, there is a child sent by heaven.”

“…….”

“A child sent by heaven brings parents a jewel with a brilliant luster.”

As he said that, my father took the Seven-Colored Bead from my bosom and held it up to his eyes.

“Good grief.”

“I, is this real?”

“I don’t have the ability to appraise jewels, so I don’t know, but since Nam-gung-san said he could buy three mansion-like houses, isn’t it real?”

“N, Nam-gung-san? Why would Nam-gung-san do this?”

“Actually, I made a bet with Senior Nam-gung-san. I won that bet and received it.”

“Hehe……”

“Use 70 percent of the money from selling the jewel however you want, Father, and use 30 percent to buy the landlocked plots around the Tae-eul-mun as much as you can.”

I said to use it however he wanted, but that money would eventually flow into the Tae-eul-mun.

Because my father is the kind of person who has lived that kind of life.

“Landlocked plots? Why?”

“Some need to be made into fields for growing famine relief crops, and some need space to install mechanisms and formations. If the number of disciples increases, shouldn’t we also increase the halls?”

“Mechanisms and formations? Do you know how much that costs?”

My father tilted his head as if something wasn’t sinking into his brain.

“If money comes out steadily from the mine, can’t we install mechanisms and formations? I happen to know someone who has good skills but is cheap.”

I said this, thinking of Je-gal Cheon-gi, who must be suffering in Geum-ok by now.

“If you install mechanisms and formations, you can be better prepared for foreign invasions, and you can build strength based on that. Isn’t that the foundation of a great sect?”

“…….”

My father looked at me with eyes as complicated as the jewel emitting seven-colored light.

“Let’s go, Father. This filial son sent by heaven will offer you a drink.”

“……Come to think of it, didn’t you drink secretly earlier?”

“What are you talking about? A filial son sent by heaven does not drink things like alcohol.”

“Anyway, if you couldn’t talk, that would be it.”

Sa-ryeon packed a large bundle and joined the group of Gyeong-seong envoys.

It was to enter intensive training to match the level of those who were taking the regular exam before entering the Murim Academy.

Everyone in the Tae-eul-mun saw me and Sa-ryeon off.

After greeting the hall masters including the elders first, Sa-ryeon teared up in front of Sect Leader Hong and his wife, as if she were about to cry at any moment. It seemed she was quite anxious about leaving her parents’ embrace for the first time.

“Do well. And when you go to the Murim Alliance, take good care of the junior disciples.”

Sa-ryeon only nodded instead of answering.

Following that, the junior disciples flocked around, creating a fuss to greet Sa-ryeon, and only after it finally quieted down did she stand in front of me.

“You really have no regrets, right?”

Sa-ryeon still seemed full of some kind of apology.

“The intensive training period is only half a year. To not fall behind those entering through the regular exam, you will have to train until you are dead tired.”

“……If you think it’s too much, give up the regular exam anytime. I will work hard to succeed enough to take care of all the junior disciples, even if I have to strain myself.”

“Yes. That resolve is enough.”

Even though I smiled, Sa-ryeon stood in front of me for a long time, wiggling her fingers as if she had something to say.

“We will depart.”

Then, as soon as Lee Ja-gon said they would depart, she hurriedly joined the procession, not knowing what to do.

And she looked back several times.

I remained for a while after all the people of the Tae-eul-mun had gone inside, waiting until the procession was no longer visible.

At that time, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers approached me on the side.

“Senior.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Please take us with you.”

“Hmm? Where?”

“You said you were taking the regular exam. We want to follow you there.”

“!”

Where on earth did the secret leak? Only then did I know the reason Sa-ryeon looked back several times while being dragged into the procession.

“Do you think the regular exam is child’s play? Do you know what martial artists call the regular exam?”

“They call it the Hell Exam. Please, you must take us on that path.”

“Please take us.”

“Please take us.”

The three brothers looked determined, as if they would cling to my pant legs.

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