Chapter 142
For poor commoners in the east to go work in the west, most of them have to cross the Peach Bridge. There’s no need to even talk about foot traffic here.
Right in the exact middle of east and west. It has optimal accessibility that can target merchants, commoners, and even noble customers.
The area around it was lined with well-developed commercial streets, and since customers swarmed there, there was no need to worry about flies gathering.
More than anything, the reason I chose that building, beyond all those conditions, was the ‘price’.
Because it was rumored to be haunted, no one would buy it, so even though the price had fallen all the way to rock bottom, no one purchased it anyway, saying it would bring bad luck.
What a windfall.
Since I don’t believe in ghosts to begin with, I immediately asked Ribolto to purchase the building, and not long ago I heard that interior construction had even begun.
Because things like the height of display tables and shelves need to be decided after seeing them in person while considering customer flow, I had to go up to the Empire before the construction was fully finished.
Scribble, scribble.
After sketching out the things I needed to do and the progress of each task with a brush, I folded my arms and sank into deep thought.
“To bring Dongguk ingredients into the Empire… overland routes are too far, and portals are too expensive.”
Hmm. It sounds like it’ll take at least five more years before the roads are maintained enough for wagons to travel regularly.
I should reply in my next letter to Ribolto and ask whether a sea route might be better than an overland one.
Just then, Okhee called out to me, saying dinner was ready.
I opened the door and told Okhee I’d come out right away. When Okhee saw me spread out sheets of hanji all over the floor, covered in my diligent scribbling, her eyes widened.
“That business you said you wanted to do someday, right?”
“Yes. That’s right. I’m planning to go up to the Empire and start it this time. What I learned from watching your tavern really helped.”
“Oh my. Of course. Young Miss, you absolutely must go into business. You’ll succeed in a big way.”
“Do you think I’ll be able to make a lot of money too?”
“How much?”
“At least fifty thousand gold?”
“Oh my goodness… but I think you could do it, Young Miss. That way, you can come back to Dongguk again, right?”
“Yes. Residency isn’t some ticket to heaven. It’s way too expensive.”
Suddenly, Okhee tightly clasped my hands. Then she spoke to me in an earnest voice.
“Make sure you earn lots of money and come back to Dongguk. And with our Jin… get married too, okay?”
“Ahahaha.”
Jin was definitely a good person, but marriage… I wasn’t so sure.
In fact, across both my previous life and this one, I’d never once seriously thought about wanting to get married. I’d never even had a proper relationship, so marriage was out of the question.
In the end, I couldn’t give Okhee a clear answer and just laughed it off awkwardly.
Well. Even if I did want to marry Jin, it was questionable whether Jin, who wanted nothing more than the sword, would want to marry me. Especially here in Dongguk.
* * *
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and winter arrived.
It meant that all preparations to go up to the Empire were finished. All that remained was to leave, but my feet wouldn’t move easily.
Because of the affectionate looks from Okhee’s family as they watched me.
It looked like Nari had been crying since last night, since she could barely open her eyes, and Okhee had cried so much that it soaked her eyes. Deokman stayed inside the house, only clearing his throat and refusing to look outside.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see me off. It was an expression of his lingering disappointment toward Jin, who was leaving behind his family, his home, and the path Deokman wanted him to follow, to go learn swordsmanship instead.
When Jin had finally conveyed his wish to go to the Empire to his parents, Okhee had wrapped a white cloth around her head and taken to her bed for a week, while Deokman had flown into a rage and raised a whip to Jin.
They threatened him at times, and at others appealed to him emotionally, trying to hold onto their son, but even after Jin’s calves were split open to the point where he could barely walk, he still climbed the mountain to train in swordsmanship. In the end, Okhee and Deokman raised the white flag.
They say no parent can ever win against their child.
Seeing their love for Jin so clearly, I smiled softly without a word.
So this is what a healthy family, and love, look like.
As I took my steps to leave, I learned something again.
“Young Miss, please stay healthy. And please… please, please, let’s meet again… meet again, all of us, okay?”
“Of course. No matter how long it takes, I’ll definitely come back to live here.”
Leaving behind Okhee and Nari, who were shedding tears and snot alike, I followed after Jin, who had already stepped out through the front gate.
While I was saying my goodbyes, he had been staring endlessly at his home.
On his usually quiet face, it looked like countless emotions were swirling.
“Shall we go now?”
Jin smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
After stepping back from the gate with one large stride, Jin turned.
Facing the sarangchae, the outer quarters, where his father was, he performed a deep bow.
Kneeling down, pressing his forehead to the ground.
He stayed like that for a long time, offering his farewell to Deokman.
It might not have reached Deokman, who was far away, but I could hear the words Jin murmured again and again.
Thank you for raising me. Please stay healthy while your useless son is away.
At Jin’s heartfelt farewell, my own chest grew tight as well.
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