Chapter 15
It was rare for Go Jung-gang, who was always busy helping the head of the escort agency, to show up at Biwon Pavilion. Chunrim looked at him curiously.
Standing as if to shield Shina and Chundo, Chunrim spoke toward the entrance.
“Is something the matter?”
“The Master sent me.”
“My father did? Wait here a moment. I’ll come outside to speak with you.”
“There’s no need for a long talk. I was only told to deliver something.”
“Something?”
Chunrim turned toward Shina, wondering if something had happened at Wolhwa Hall in his absence.
Sensing her father’s suspicion, Shina quickly shook her head.
While Chunrim was still puzzled—
“Father, you shouldn’t keep a guest waiting outside.”
Curious about Jung-gang’s errand, Shina spoke up. Chunrim smiled gently and patted her head.
“My daughter is right as always. Please, come in.”
Chunrim sat down—but before he could even settle his weight, he shot back to his feet.
“W-what in the world is all this?”
Jung-gang wasn’t alone. Behind him came a long line of servants, each carrying a large chest.
Shina’s eyes went wide.
* * *
“My goodness, what is all this?”
Danmi’s mouth fell open when she saw the neatly stacked chests in the corner of the room.
Chunrim had gone out after telling Chundo to keep training until Ok Chipung arrived.
“Grandfather sent them.”
“The Master of the Escort Agency?”
Danmi’s mouth somehow dropped even further.
At this rate, she might dislocate her jaw.
“Can I take a look?”
“Go ahead.”
Excited, Danmi began opening the chests.
“Medicinal herbs, and more herbs… herbs again?”
Her voice shrank as her excitement faded. They were good gifts—but a bit disappointing.
“So it seems.”
Shina, on the other hand, appeared indifferent.
“Someone from the household will come soon to collect them. They’ll brew the medicine for me.”
She spoke absent-mindedly as she sat up.
What she was really interested in was the small chest Chunrim had taken away immediately after confirming its contents.
More precisely—the plum blossom-shaped pellets inside.
‘Aren’t those… Plum Blossom Pills?’
‘The Master sent them especially for you, young lady Shina,’ Jung-gang had said.
Chunrim had murmured the words “Plum Blossom Pills” under his breath, but Shina hadn’t missed it.
The Plum Blossom Pill was famous for raising a third-rate martial artist to second-rate in a single step. For those already second-rate, it could push them to the mid-tier.
Not only did it increase internal energy—it also refined the body, balancing the organs and purifying the meridians so one could accumulate energy more efficiently.
‘If I take one, and give one to Mugyul, it could work wonders.’
She’d been worried about how to heal Mugyul after he was injured in her place, but with the Plum Blossom Pills, all her problems were solved.
Still, one concern remained.
‘Will Mugyul’s body be able to handle it?’
It was a mistake to think a miraculous medicine was always helpful. Its effect peaked only when taken by someone whose body could properly absorb it.
Overuse was dangerous; greed could rupture the meridians entirely.
After much thought, Shina had to admit the truth.
‘He’s too weak.’
Mugyul was thin and frail from malnutrition—so different from the sturdy boy who had once come to rescue her from the cave.
‘I should focus on feeding him well first.’
Her eyes sparkled with resolve.
* * *
While Shina was absorbed in thoughts of how to nurse Mugyul back to health—
Sniff.
She turned toward the sound. Danmi was crying.
“Why are you crying?”
“I-I’m just so happy that the Master finally acknowledged you, young lady.”
“When did he ever not acknowledge me?”
“He didn’t, honestly!”
Danmi almost blurted out, ‘Who writes off his granddaughter’s medicine costs as debt?’ but she bit her tongue. She also didn’t mention Biwon Pavilion’s debts.
The rumors that Biwon Pavilion had fallen out of favor with the Master, the humiliation that followed—all of it, she kept buried deep inside.
Tears welled quickly as those memories resurfaced.
“Stop crying. Your eyes will puff up.”
Shina reached out her tiny hand and wiped Danmi’s tears away.
“You’ve worked hard, Danmi.”
Shina could only vaguely—barely, like the size of an ant’s tail—grasp the depth of Danmi’s emotions.
She herself had seen how the servants of Yuwon Pavilion strutted around arrogantly, relying on their master’s favor.
Even when they were cautious around Shina, who was a direct descendant, their attitude was terrible.
‘Then how badly must they have treated Danmi when I wasn’t there?’
“I’m not crying anymore! You’re finally free of hardship, and life will blossom for you, young lady! I should go thank the Master of Wolhwa Hall with a bow!”
Danmi’s tears vanished as quickly as they’d come, replaced by a bright smile.
Indeed, Sohyeokho had shown great kindness today—granting Shina’s wish, delighting Danmi, and sending the Plum Blossom Pills that would help heal Mugyul.
‘Hmm, just taking and saying nothing in return would be bad manners.’
“You’re grateful too, aren’t you, young lady? Shall we bow together?”
Watching Danmi bow deeply in the direction of Wolhwa Hall, Shina felt her determination to repay him grow stronger.
“It’d be best to give Grandfather something in return, right?”
“Of course. But what could you possibly give the Master? He already has everything!”
“That’s true… but there’s one thing he doesn’t have.”
“What is it?”
“It’s…”
Danmi’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
“A secret!”
“Young lady!”
Danmi’s indignant voice rang through Shina’s chamber.
* * *
Shina was busy all day.
Sohyeokho hadn’t just sent herbs—he’d also dispatched a physician that evening.
It was none other than Physician Joo, said to be the best in all of Seomseo, a doctor who had even learned some martial arts to aid in treatment.
“Oh my, you’ve grown so much! I met you when you were very small—do you remember me?”
Shina’s blank stare made the physician nervous.
He tried to make light conversation as he took her pulse—but soon, his smile faded.
He adjusted his grip on her wrist again and again.
Each time he checked her pulse, it took nearly a quarter of an hour. Before long, night had fallen.
Shina, still held by the wrist, kept yawning widely.
Suddenly, Physician Joo sprang to his feet.
“I must see the Master immediately!”
He shouted so loudly that Shina couldn’t even stop him before he bolted out of the room like his tail was on fire.
She blinked at the door he’d dashed through.
“What was that? Shouldn’t he at least tell me what’s wrong after checking my pulse?”
Judging from his reaction, it didn’t seem like good news.
Shina looked into the mirror. Her small frame and pale face were the picture of frailty. Considering she was ten years old, she looked even weaker.
“If I take a Plum Blossom Pill, maybe I’ll get stronger.”
Where had her father gone, anyway?
He’d taken her Plum Blossom Pills with him, and she wanted him to come back soon.
Hopping down from her chair, she closed the window and latched it. Then she peeked into the hallway to make sure no one was around.
‘Danmi’s gone to bring Mugyul.’
Danmi was the only one who came and went from Shina’s detached quarters at Biwon Pavilion.
‘Being ignored has its perks at times like this.’
But word that Wolhwa Hall had sent her medicine would surely spread among the servants soon. Things might get bothersome later.
‘Let’s enjoy the peace while it lasts.’
After confirming once more that no one was nearby, Shina locked the door and stood in the middle of her room.
It was time to practice magic.
She began thinking about what kind of spells might prove useful in the upcoming Contractor’s Exam.
‘Let’s start with first-circle magic.’
At the first circle, she could use spells related to water and friction.
‘Grid should be possible… maybe Water Arrow too?’
She tried forming a water arrow in her hand—but gave up. She didn’t have enough mana to form and fire a projectile yet.
Still, she could fill an empty cup with clean water.
‘At least I can secure drinking water.’
It might seem trivial, but during long escort missions—or emergencies—finding safe water was no small matter.
Crossing deserts, for instance, required bringing one’s own water supply and often several contractor mages just for purification.
So if she could reliably use even basic water spells, it would save the escort agency significant expenses.
Next, she tried a second-circle spell.
A small flame flickered at her fingertip. She smiled, pleased.
‘This will make campfires easy. I can even use Shield too.’
While Chunrim and Chundo worried endlessly about the exam, Shina, after testing her magic, was brimming with confidence. She even felt excited.
‘I wish the exam would hurry up.’
But before that, there was a mountain of work to do.
‘Most urgent is Mugyul. I wonder if he’ll be ready for the exam…’
He looked so weak—like he might topple over from a single tap.
‘Anyway, why am I so sleepy?’
Her small body, exhausted from a full day and the excitement of practicing magic, could no longer resist drowsiness.
‘Just a short nap…’
Yawning lazily, Shina climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.
