Chapter 78
I frowned as I got off the carriage sent by the Geum family.
Perhaps because it was located in the southwest, even though it was late autumn, Gamseokdo felt as hot as late summer, and the sunlight was intense.
It was dazzling, and it felt like the top of my head might burn.
Just as I was about to groan, a shadow fell over me.
“Are you alright?”
It was Hwirok.
My fiancé had created shade with his large hand.
“Thank you. I honestly thought my head would burn,” I said.
Before I could finish, a cool breeze washed over me from head to toe. Watching Hwirok’s faintly scattering magical aura, I thanked him again silently.
I truly felt like I could survive this.
“The sun here is strong; it must be tough for a species with dark fur.”
“Yes. No wonder my uncle didn’t transform into his beast form,” I replied.
The Hyeon family’s fur was famously thick and fluffy. With abundant, dark fur, it was deadly in hot weather.
Hwirok and I chatted as we entered the Geum estate.
It was the largest and most uniquely shaped mansion I had ever seen.
First of all, the floor was entirely tiled.
Beautifully patterned blue tiles covered the courtyard and interior, contrasting sharply with the three-story white building that rose above them.
“I wonder how many rooms there are?” I murmured.
It was hard to even count the arched windows on the side.
The simple yet massive structure initially gave the impression of a palace. But that impression soon dissolved like foam.
“Judgment must be completed by today!”
“Can it be postponed?”
“We need people to assist with this supply transfer…”
“Deliver this letter to the Hwae Sanghoe immediately! It must be done today!”
Unlike the silent, solemn imperial palace, this mansion buzzed with people loudly working and shouting.
Perhaps that was why its grand scale didn’t feel as imposing. Instead, it felt more like a busy market or government office.
“Greetings.”
After standing for a while, Hwirok and I were guided by someone from the Geum family who had been waiting for our arrival.
We were taken to the reception room.
The drapes hanging on the arched windows swayed gently in the occasional breeze. Among the luxurious, exotic surroundings, someone blended into the scenery and looked up.
“Oh, you’ve arrived?”
It was a middle-aged man with golden hair, buried under piles of scrolls.
“Long time no see, Head of the Geum Family.”
“It seems Sobaksan has grown even more splendid,” he said.
It was Geum Irak, the head of the Geum family.
Geum Irak was of moderate height, gentle, and had a slightly vacant expression. His round cheeks and blinking eyes made him look particularly weak.
“Hmm.”
But that was only his appearance.
In reality, he exuded a very complex stench.
I thought such a varied and layered smell would only come from high-ranking officials, but merchants could be similar.
Anyway, meeting him in person was worth it.
Seon Oppa said it was highly unlikely that the head of the Geum family was the culprit, but verifying it directly was definitely safer.
“Now, now, let’s not just stand there. Please, sit.”
Geum Irak stood and guided us to a guest table, brewing tea with practiced precision. Despite his serious expression, he still looked somewhat naive.
“I’ve met Sobaksan occasionally, and Miss Hyeon Hyeon once before, right?”
“Yes, only once, at my uncle and aunt’s wedding.”
It had been crowded then, with many merchants around, so our greeting was barely more than a brush. I had hardly noticed his stench at the time, drowned by the odors all around.
“You’re a truly lovely young lady. Is your family well?”
He asked casually while pouring tea.
The tea was bright red, reminiscent of autumn leaves rather than blood.
I realized he was asking about Seon Oppa’s whereabouts and smiled brightly.
“Of course. Everyone is healthy!”
“That’s excellent news.”
The Geum family head smiled innocently at Hwirok, seeming to predict that Hwirok had personally intervened.
What was frightening was that he shared all this information with us without any protective barriers—a low-cost, high-efficiency approach.
He never said or did anything carelessly.
“The proper hospitality is hard to give because of all my work…”
The only time he revealed a personal feeling was when he complained about being busy. It wasn’t a joke; seeing the stacks of scrolls everywhere, the work truly seemed endless.
Perhaps due to the Harvest Festival, his workload appeared overwhelming.
After just one cup of tea, he sent us off with a slightly sad expression, apologizing for not being able to host us properly but promising to give us a grand gift instead.
Back at my uncle and aunt’s house, I collapsed from exhaustion.
Strangely, being around someone who exuded such a complex stench was far more tiring than dealing with a blatantly evil villain. On top of that, the weather was unbearably hot.
“Is it always this hot in Gamseokdo after the harvest?” I asked.
My aunt shook her head. Apparently, this month was unusually hot.
“I don’t think it used to be like this. Lately, the weather has become more unpredictable.”
“Same here,” I agreed.
Fortunately, the unusually scorching weather was relieved by a sudden downpour.
With the air cooler and more breathable, I decided to prepare for the Harvest Festival two days later.
I checked the list of items I needed to buy. My grandmother had written it all on a scroll.
I untied the thick scroll, but it seemed endless.
“Hwirok.”
I called my fiancé over to sit beside me.
“What should we remove from this list?” I asked.
“There’s nothing you can remove…”
“Huh?”
Hwirok’s reaction was unusual. When I nudged him to ask what was wrong, he confessed:
“You have to buy everything on that list.”
“But didn’t you say I’d have a pavilion to stay in after the wedding?”
“That’s true, but literally only the pavilion.”
Even the Baek family had its circumstances.
Hwirok’s grandmother had sold jewelry and ornaments during a financially difficult time. Most family heirlooms were enchanted to only be usable by Baek family members, leaving only his grandmother’s personal items to sell.
The furniture was the same. Just like Hyeon dogs instinctively chew chair legs, Baek tigers and feline-type species would claw furniture instinctively.
Once, a baby tiger was so strong that it destroyed protective enchantments on all the furniture.
“That was young Baeksan,” I realized.
Hence, only bedding, rugs, and wall hangings remained—consumable items that had survived the years.
It was a strange situation: plenty of budget, but almost nothing to buy.
Even stranger, the preference for gold gifts in the Baek family stemmed from their destructive baby heirs.
“Gold retains value even if the babies bite or scratch it.”
“Really? That’s why they gave gold as gifts?”
“And because gold mines made it easy for our family to obtain,” he added.
I was speechless.
In short, I couldn’t remove anything from my grandmother’s list. If anything, I felt like we needed to buy even more, so I sought advice from someone experienced.
“Aunt, help me!”
“I’ll help however I can.”
Her cheerful face soon went pale.
“How long until the wedding?”
“About one year and four months.”
“Sobaksan, draw the pavilion’s scale and layout. Now.”
Indeed, experience made a difference.
She sketched the plan on a large sheet of paper and indicated exactly what size furniture to buy, even adding items beyond my grandmother’s list.
“Oh, I forgot the most important question,” she said, twinkling like a peach seed. “How big is the budget?”
My gaze turned to Hwirok. Since the wedding was hosted by the Hyeon family, all costs for dowry and decorating the bridal chamber were covered by the Baek family.
After a brief hesitation, Hwirok revealed the total amount available.
“Excuse me?”
I initially thought my aunt and I misheard. The amount was absurdly high.
Hwirok tilted his head, sensing our reaction.
“Is it insufficient?”
“Wait, Sobaksan, could there be more?”
“Yes. That amount is just my personal funds. The family fortune is separate.”
And then an even more ridiculous number came from his mouth. My aunt immediately raised her hand to stop him.
“It’s enough. There’s no need to go that far.”
“You can use it if necessary.”
“No, please restrain yourself—I’d be afraid the whole of Gamseokdo would go to the Baek family.”
Hwirok had wisely accumulated profits from the gold mines after the previous generation lacked cash.
Just how rich was the Baek family? My aunt and I were too afraid to ask.
The next morning, after making the list overnight, I dressed quickly and double-checked that nothing was missing.
Hwirok gathered the money.
I couldn’t help but glance at his chest, where a pouch containing blank notes capable of buying all of Gamseokdo was hidden.
Noticing my gaze, Hwirok tilted his head and handed the pouch to me.
“Do you want to handle the payment?”
“I’m too scared to carry this around.”
“But it’s yours.”
“Not yet!”
I hurriedly returned the pouch to his chest.
With preparations complete, we bid my aunt goodbye.
My uncle had gone to the Security Bureau; it seemed many civilians were assisting due to frequent incidents at this time of year.
“Good luck snagging good deals, sis!”
“May it be a huge success!”
“Boom!”
Cheered on by the three adorable brothers and armed with ample funds, I felt fearless, tightly holding Hwirok’s hand. He smiled and leapt, and soon the bustling scene of the festival unfolded before us.
“One day a year! A chance for a big haul! Fabrics! Cheap fabrics!”
“Furniture! Ebony furniture at half price!”
“Half of half for us!”
“You scoundrel!”
“Get these dried herbs on clearance! Clearance!”
The Harvest Festival.
The entire Gamseokdo had turned into a marketplace, endlessly welcoming customers.
