Chapter 57 : The Beggars' Stronghold
Haaah—
Looking at the street, Jong Seo-eon let out a small sigh.
'In the end, I brought him here.'
Next to Jong Seo-eon, Namgung Il's figure was also visible.
The place where the two were currently located was Kaifeng.
From here, if they went a little further inside, they could reach the headquarters, which could be said to be the center of the Beggars' Sect.
"..."
In fact, Jong Seo-eon did not want to bring Namgung Il to the headquarters.
It was a bit much to bring a young master like Namgung Il to the beggars' den, and the Beggars' Sect was not in a position to receive guests at the moment.
Still, because of the grace he had received so far, Jong Seo-eon had no choice but to bring Namgung Il this far.
'It can't be helped. I have no choice but to talk to my master as well as I can and spend the time quietly until the school starts.'
In the meantime, it seemed he would have to stay by Namgung Il's side and take care of his convenience as much as possible.
Although it was almost semi-compulsory, Namgung Il was, after all, a guest he had brought.
Jong Seo-eon steeled his heart and turned his head towards Namgung Il.
"Captain, shall we move again..."
...Where did he go?
Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but be flustered at the sight of Namgung Il, who was not visible even when he turned his head.
"Hey, handsome young master! You look rich, so give me a coin!"
It was then.
The sound of begging was heard from somewhere.
Jong Seo-eon turned his head to where the sound was heard without realizing it, and his eyes widened when he found Namgung Il standing with the beggars there.
"Th-that...!"
Because he was so surprised, Jong Seo-eon's voice did not come out properly.
Who on earth were those beggars begging from?
Unlike usual, Jong Seo-eon's impression became quite fierce, and he approached them.
"Hey!"
"...?"
"What are you doing to my guest!"
Jong Seo-eon shouted at the beggars.
At that moment, as if they had recognized Jong Seo-eon's face, the beggars' faces all turned pale, and all three of them knelt down and prostrated themselves on the floor.
"Y-Young Leader!"
"..."
"We were wrong! We really didn't know that the young master here was the Young Leader's guest!"
"Never mind that, what are your names?"
"Wh-why our names..."
"I'm going to tell the law enforcement officer to educate you guys properly."
When Jong Seo-eon said that, the beggars' faces all turned tearful.
'This is another surprising side of him.'
Namgung Il was watching him from the side, as if he found it amusing.
For a brat who was usually quiet to speak in such a strict manner, was this his territory?
He had thought that he would not be good at this because of his kind personality, but as expected, a Hougai was a Hougai.
'I should stop him.'
If he left them like this, only three innocent beggars would be in big trouble.
Just by looking, they seemed to be weak one-knot disciples, and if he left them like this, they would probably be severely scolded by the law enforcement officer.
"Jong Seo-eon, that's enough."
"Pardon? But..."
"I'm fine. So just forgive them."
"..."
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon maintained his silence for a while.
And soon, his gaze turned to the beggars.
Since Namgung Il had said so, Jong Seo-eon no longer felt like punishing them.
"The guest has forgiven you with a generous heart."
"...!"
"If you commit the same rudeness again in the future, I will never forgive you."
"Th-thank you!"
"The thanks should go to that person, not me."
The beggars immediately turned and bowed their heads to Namgung Il repeatedly.
Seeing that, Namgung Il took something out of his clothes and put one in each of the beggars' hands.
"Y-young master! Th-this is...!"
"Buy something delicious with this."
What Namgung Il had given the beggars was none other than a silver coin.
Not even a single copper coin, but a silver coin. Jong Seo-eon immediately noticed that and said in a flustered voice.
"C-captain! You don't need to give these brats money!"
"I'm just giving it because I want to."
"Then a single copper coin is enough."
A silver coin was an amount that was much more than enough to fill the beggars' daily quota.
Jong Seo-eon, of course, knew that, and the same went for Namgung Il.
'Begging is by no means an easy job.'
Namgung Il also had experience of begging in his youth.
After becoming a Hougai, he didn't need to beg, so he didn't, but since he had begged steadily for several years, he knew well how hard it was.
"There should be a day to rest comfortably for a day."
"..."
"Take that and go."
Namgung Il said to the beggars.
And so, tears of emotion welled up in the beggars' two eyes.
The beggars nodded their heads repeatedly and expressed their gratitude to Namgung Il before moving away.
"Captain, I know how you feel, but you don't need to do that anymore."
"..."
"If you give to the beggars here one by one like that, even if it's you, Captain, you won't have anything left."
Although there were beggars wherever one went, the number of beggars in Kaifeng was much higher than in other regions.
Because this was the region where the headquarters of the Beggars' Sect was located.
If one walked a little from here, one could easily find the sight of beggars begging.
"Please don't leave my side from now on. If you're with me, you won't be a target for the beggars."
A person like Namgung Il, who looked like a rich young master at a glance, was a perfect target for beggars.
When Jong Seo-eon said that, Namgung Il nodded his head with a light smile.
"Then shall we go again?"
"Ah, before that, there's a place I need to stop by."
"Pardon? Where is that?"
"You'll know if you follow me."
Where on earth was Namgung Il planning to stop by before going to the headquarters?
Although Jong Seo-eon had such a question, he moved along with Namgung Il for now.
"...?"
Looking at the place where Namgung Il had stopped walking, Jong Seo-eon was at a loss for words for a moment.
"Delicious candy for one copper coin! If you buy two, you get one for free!"
"Give me twenty."
"Thank you!"
With a bag of candy in one hand, Namgung Il approached Jong Seo-eon.
Jong Seo-eon, who was still looking at him with a blank face.
Just then, Namgung Il held out a candy to Jong Seo-eon.
"Want one?"
"Pardon? Ah... thank you."
Since it was something Namgung Il was giving him, Jong Seo-eon accepted the candy.
But for some reason, Namgung Il did not eat the candy, and Jong Seo-eon looked at him and asked, as if he were puzzled.
"Aren't you eating, Captain?"
"Yeah, I don't really like sweet things."
Then why did he buy the candy?
He surely hadn't bought it to give to him... Jong Seo-eon could not understand the reason why he had bought so much candy when he wasn't even going to eat it himself.
"Then shall we go now?"
A strange sense of excitement was felt on Namgung Il's face as he said that.
* * *
"Oh—!"
As soon as he passed through the entrance, such an exclamation flowed from Namgung Il's mouth.
A familiar landscape that he had seen for decades.
Namgung Il felt as if he had returned home after a really long time.
'This stench... I never thought I would miss it.'
As expected of a beggars' den, a faint stench was wafting inside the headquarters.
Usually, he would have frowned at this stench, but Namgung Il was smiling as if he were smelling a fragrance.
"Captain, then shall we meet the leader first?"
Just then, Jong Seo-eon asked Namgung Il.
Wherever one went, it would be basic courtesy to greet the leader of that group first.
Although he had been the leader of this place in the past, Namgung Il was now aware of the fact that his position had completely changed.
"Yes, we should greet the leader first."
"Then please follow me."
Namgung Il roughly guessed where Gae Du-sik would be.
Still, since he had come here as a guest, Namgung Il obediently followed Jong Seo-eon's guidance and moved his steps.
"..."
While walking along with Jong Seo-eon, Namgung Il was constantly looking around busily.
'Has it been twenty years since then?'
Although it didn't feel like that much time had passed, that much time would have passed in reality.
How much had the Beggars' Sect changed during that time?
The entrance area didn't feel much different... just then, Namgung Il's two eyes widened slightly.
'What is this, is it just my imagination?'
Looking around the inside, he felt a sense of inexplicable incongruity.
Although he couldn't say what it was, it was a feeling that he couldn't just ignore.
The more he looked around the inside, the more Namgung Il could be sure of that fact.
'The pavilions... there seem to be a few missing.'
No matter how much time had passed, Namgung Il clearly remembered the structure inside the headquarters.
But why was the pavilion that should have surely existed in his memory not visible now?
Of course, there might be some changes in the interior due to the passage of time, but even considering that, there were many parts that looked empty.
"..."
That wasn't all.
Just by looking around roughly, Namgung Il could tell that the condition of the remaining pavilions was also strange.
'There's a hole in the roof over there...? And there's a door missing over there?'
Namgung Il could easily find pavilions in such a state.
And so, his mind was momentarily confused.
Although this was the headquarters of the Beggars' Sect that he knew, he could not understand why there were such shabby pavilions.
"..."
No matter how much it was a beggar group, the Beggars' Sect was a prestigious sect that occupied a place in the Nine Sects and One Union.
So at least the headquarters was equipped with the appearance to the point where it did not feel like a beggars' den.
But what was this... except for the main gate, the more one went inside, the more it was a spectacle.
'Why has it become such a beggar's den!'
Ah, this is a beggar's den.
Still, even a beggar has dignity.
In other words, it meant that the headquarters, the center of the Beggars' Sect, had to have a status that was by no means inferior compared to other sects.
"Captain? Why did you suddenly stop?"
Jong Seo-eon turned his head back and asked.
But Namgung Il, who was silent and did not answer.
Just then, Namgung Il suddenly opened the bag he was holding in his hand and began to chew on the candy inside.
"...?"
Seeing that, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but be puzzled.
Didn't Namgung Il say that he disliked sweet things?
But to suddenly eat candy like a person crazy for sweet things... Namgung Il was chewing on the candy to the point where it was scary to even talk to him.
Crunch— Crunch—.
In fact, this candy was something Namgung Il had prepared for Gae Du-sik.
"Du-sik, I bought you some candy."
"Candy!"
"Just kidding. Go back to sleep."
Gae Du-sik liked candy so much that he would jump up even in his sleep at the mere mention of the word 'candy'.
He had specially prepared it because of that memory, but seeing the headquarters made into such a beggar's den, Namgung Il didn't think he could give this candy to Gae Du-sik.
Thud—
Soon, the empty bag fell to the floor.
Namgung Il wiped the corner of his mouth once with his sleeve and said to Jong Seo-eon.
"Let's go."
"A-are you alright?"
"..."
Not alright.
A sweet smell was vibrating in his mouth.
(End of Chapter)