Chapter 15 …
We hurriedly ran forward, and upon seeing us, the Elder laughed heartily.
“Hohoho, you’ve arrived. Don’t trip—come slowly.”
My master, who had been chuckling at our sight, tapped my forehead and raised an eyebrow.
“What’s this? A snowman?”
“Hmph, I’ve heard that one before. How cliché. I’ll give you 2 points.”
His teasing voice made fun of me, and I scoffed back, lifting my chin with a smirk.
“You’re all bundled up, so there’s no need to worry about the wind blowing you away.”
“Hehe, hello, Elder.”
“Elder? Just call me Grandfather, my little granddaughter.”
“Ah, yeesss.”
Grandfather, still laughing, turned to my older brother and asked,
“Is the little one alright? Not too cold?”
“Of course! This level of cold is nothing.”
I stole a glance at my older brother, who shrugged his shoulders with a confident air.
At the same time, our eyes met.
…He nodded.
And silently, loyally, he gave a small nod.
Yes. A boy’s pride must be preserved.
‘Ah, more importantly…’
I looked up at my master.
“Master, why are you here? Are you coming with us?”
“Huh? Oh, I just thought I’d see you off for a bit.”
Master bent down in front of me with a wide grin, and gently pinched my cheeks with both hands.
“Why, is it because you’d like me to come along too?”
A slight raise of the eyebrows, a curl at the corner of his eyes—there was anticipation in his gaze.
“Well… that would be nice, but aren’t you busy?”
“No, I’m not busy.”
As soon as he said that, voices calling for him popped up from everywhere.
“Master! Why are you here instead of reviewing the documents?”
“Master! When will you be patrolling the castle walls?”
Just like that, work appeared!
I tapped Master’s shoulder and said,
“Alright, break’s over!”
“Isn’t that a bit harsh? You’re a cold little brat.”
Master, pouting and frowning at me in mock resentment, reluctantly got up.
“Take care on your journey.”
After patting the heads of my older brother and me, Master turned away.
Haah…
With a long sigh, he trudged back to the swamp of work, looking pitiful…
“Now, let’s depart.”
“Yes!”
“Waaaah!”
Well, anyway! The market exploration begins!
The bustling crowd was overwhelming!
As soon as we left the castle, a noisy and chaotic scene unfolded.
Along the main road stretching from the castle, various shops and inns lined the sides.
“Ughhh…”
Countless people moved busily in front of me.
“30 ryang for a bolt of fabric! Are you crazy, sir?”
“Winter radish special! 6 ryang per bundle!”
Merchants with loud voices shouted to attract customers.
Around the roadside stalls, people crowded thickly.
The sounds of haggling between buyers and sellers filled the air.
It was like another world, packed with people everywhere!
I swallowed hard at the ceaselessly busy scene.
My hand automatically gripped my older brother’s tighter.
“Heh, it’s still lively as ever.”
Grandfather laughed heartily as he walked ahead.
“Perhaps the preparations for the harsh winter make it even busier.”
“I suppose so.”
Grandfather and my older brother wove through the crowd as if it were familiar to them.
‘Ahh, I have to keep up!’
I hurriedly moved my feet to not lose them.
The crowd was so thick that even a momentary lag could make me lose hold of their hands.
“Ah!”
“Oops, sorry!”
As expected, I collided with a man turning around without seeing me and lost my brother’s hand.
I wobbled and fell on my butt.
“Ouch…”
“Are you alright?”
Thanks to my thick clothing, it didn’t hurt, but I was worried because I’d let go.
Amid the dense crowd, I could no longer see my older brother.
I needed to stay close!
I tried to get up quickly, but my layers of clothing made it hard to move.
‘Truly, nothing but a snowman!’
As I struggled to stand, suddenly I was lifted into the air.
“Waaah!”
“Oh dear, that was dangerous.”
Grandfather’s voice came from nearby.
Opening my tightly shut eyes, I realized my perspective had risen dramatically.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Grandfather had arrived and lifted me in one arm.
“Oh! Elder Damdeok, it’s an honor to see you!”
The man I had collided with immediately bowed deeply upon recognizing Grandfather.
“I’m sorry! I wasn’t watching my surroundings…”
“It’s alright. It’s my fault for not taking proper care of the child.”
“I apologize, young lady.”
Grandfather shook his head at the flustered man and then looked at me.
“You must have been very frightened. Sorry, I should have held you sooner. Does it hurt anywhere?”
“Oh, no. My clothes are thick, so it didn’t hurt at all.”
Looking aside, I saw my older brother staring at me, unsure of what to do.
“I’m sorry… I should’ve held you tighter.”
His face immediately clouded with self-reproach.
“No! Don’t worry, I’m fine!”
I waved my arms to show him I was alright.
‘I was startled, but he doesn’t need to feel that guilty about me falling on my butt.’
It wasn’t his fault I fell.
Grandfather smiled, patting my brother’s head.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, little one. Even though you let go, you came back in time, so your granddaughter is safe.”
Hearing that, the boy’s face brightened a bit.
He then shook me gently in his arms.
“See, if I carry you around like this, nothing will happen. How’s that, little granddaughter? You can see much better than before, right?”
“Wow, yes! I can see everything so much better!”
Grandfather had an uncanny ability to naturally shift the mood; he smelled like an expert in childcare.
I looked around from his arms.
Previously, I had only seen people, but now, elevated above the crowd, I could see all the shops laid out clearly.
Cloth shops rolling up various fabrics,
Stalls selling hand-carved wooden dolls…
‘What’s that? Candy?’
The wide variety of goods made my eyes widen.
“Luck charms for sale! Gift good fortune and safety to your loved ones!”
A merchant’s loud voice caught my attention.
I turned to see a stall full of colorful items.
A girl, about my age, sat behind it, showing items to passing customers.
“Did you make these yourself?”
“Yes, my mother and I made them. Sir, would you like a luck charm? If you buy now, I’ll give you one extra as a bonus!”
Perhaps from sitting long in the cold, her cheeks were rosy like apples.
But she smiled brightly, seemingly unfazed by the cold, offering her goods to the customers.
I peeked at the items displayed on the stall.
“Wow.”
They were diverse:
Small pouches embroidered with the character for luck,
Pretty wooden charms decorated with beads,
Knots woven from multiple threads.
“Oh, you’re here. Want to come closer and take a look?”
“Yes, please!”
Grandfather, still holding me, asked, and I quickly nodded.
He carried me over to the stall and set me down.
“Welcome!”
The girl quickly greeted us brightly.
“Is there something you want?”
“Uh… just…”
My older brother subtly asked while scanning the stall behind me.
I examined the items closely, more out of curiosity than desire.
‘Could these really have magic on them?’
“What do you think, Doori?”
[…They don’t really seem like charms.]
I asked silently, and Doori’s reluctant answer came back.
As I suspected, it was a scam…?
Perhaps noticing my interest, the girl showed me a small charm.
It was a tiny, cute charm made with colorful threads on a yellow base.
“How about this one? I think it would suit you!”
“Hmm… yes, it’s colorful and pretty. It would look cute on you.”
My older brother said seriously,
“The color is exactly like a little chick, perfectly matching our little granddaughter.”
Grandfather nodded in agreement and added,
“Shall we buy it?”
“Just say the word.”
Suddenly, both of them reached into their pockets and pulled out heavy pouches.
“Huh? Wait, hold on!”
Suddenly? I tried to stop them. That’s not necessary!
“Or how about this? It’s a hair ornament, very rare, and there’s only one like it!”
The girl immediately offered another item: a pale pink hairpin decorated with jade and mother-of-pearl.
She whispered that it was one-of-a-kind, emphasizing its rarity.
Her salesmanship was incredible for her age…
“Really? Is that so?”
“This one suits you well too. Of course… something small and cute will suit you no matter what.”
“The color is like spring petals, perfect for our little granddaughter.”
Grandfather and my brother nodded and opened their pouches, captivated by the girl’s sales pitch.
“Of course! You have a good eye, sir! Nowadays, even when choosing a single accessory, one must carefully consider the individual’s style and skin tone.”
“Oh, indeed, indeed.”
“Ah, I see…!”
The girl’s eloquent sales talk completely won them over.
Her sparkling, passionate eyes shone like she was the sales champion of the month.
“Young lady, with your airy, bright, delicate aura, this little chick-yellow charm and pink petal hairpin are perfect for you!”
“Yes, that’s exactly right.”
“Oh, this is amazing, Grandfather!”
Both my older brother and Grandfather nodded along, completely enthralled by her words.
‘Are they falling for it too easily?’
