Chapter 41: The Slacker Who Became Cargo (1)
After finishing his business at the Great Scholarly Institute, that bastard moved on to his next destination.
Well, as you might expect by now, it still took him quite a while to drag that heavy butt of his into motion.
Hmm?
You're asking where he went next?
You're rather impatient, aren’t you?
No, it's more accurate to say you still don’t understand enough about the man named Wi Yeonho.
What do I mean by that?
You shouldn't be asking where he went next.
You should be asking what happened next.
Tsk, your comprehension is lacking!
Haven’t I been saying all along?
That guy drags misfortune around with him!
Do you really think nothing happened until he arrived at his next destination?
Exactly. Making assumptions is a dangerous game.
Especially when it involves that guy.
In fact, the story I'm about to tell might be rather satisfying to hear.
After all, it's about the guy who turned him away and got dragged into a river of misfortune.
Hmm? You're asking who turned him away?
That guy.
Yeah, that guy.
* * *
Even after that day, Wi Yeonho continued to freeload at the Great Scholarly Institute for another fifteen whole days.
“You said you were leaving soon, didn’t you?”
“I am going! I said I’m going!”
“…But you don’t really look like someone who plans to leave.”
“Ah, I am going, seriously. It’s just a bit late today, so I’ll go tomorrow. Tomorrow.”
“You’ve been saying that for fifteen days now…”
“Well, it can happen, you know.”
“That may be true, but even so…”
“Is this because of the meals I’ve been eating? Wow, I didn’t expect you to be so stingy. They say the rich are the worst, and I’ve really learned a lot here.”
“Ahem, I didn’t mean it that way, I just…”
“You were the one who told me to take my time and look around slowly, even if I was a bit late. And now, just fifteen days later, you’ve completely changed your tone and are scolding me for being late. I must say, your respect for academic diversity and your flexibility—never falling into dogma—are admirable. But I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed by your lack of consistency.”
Mun Yuhwan couldn’t help but be amazed by Wi Yeonho’s silver tongue, slick as if greased, and his nasty habit of using it to criticize others.
“Where on earth did you learn to talk like that?”
“Oh, from that conman geezer.”
“Right… Well, then get some rest and leave tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
“By the way, where did you say you were going again?”
“I told you last time. Ugh, I’m really tired—do we have to keep talking?”
“…Sorry.”
Mun Yuhwan left Wi Yeonho’s room with a face like the sky had fallen on him.
To be told to cultivate resolve by someone who looked even less scholarly than a stray mutt on the street—such a shock was enough to shatter the calm he had built over decades.
Waiting outside the room, Mun Eunji approached him.
“Father.”
“Ahem, yes.”
As she studied Mun Yuhwan’s expression, Mun Eunji cautiously brought up a concern. At this rate, her father might collapse from stress.
“Shouldn’t we kick that freeloader out?”
“Well, we did receive a favor from him. So, as a gesture of gratitude, maybe we should let him be for now…”
“If you do, he’ll stay here until next year.”
“…You’re probably right.”
“Yes.”
Mun Yuhwan stroked his beard.
They had gone through all that effort to make him a Royal Inspector, only for him to stay holed up in this estate where not even a speck of dust could be uncovered. It wasn’t ideal.
Surprisingly, aside from eating in his room, he didn’t cause any additional trouble, but just having someone like him living under their roof wasn’t a good look either.
‘I’m scared what the disciples might think.’
Everyone has a purpose.
Unfortunately, in the Great Scholarly Institute, a slacker was less useful than dog poop. At least droppings could be used as fertilizer.
“Do you have a plan?”
“If he were a normal person, maybe not—but with a lump like him, there’s definitely a way.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve already taken care of it, so don’t worry.”
“Hmm?”
Mun Yuhwan tilted his head, puzzled by her cryptic words.
The next day.
Wi Yeonho was woken by the noise outside his room.
“Ugh…”
He rubbed the gunk out of his eyes.
Thanks to the Dream Training Technique Baek Muhan had planted in him, Wi Yeonho had no such thing as a refreshing morning—he had to train even in his dreams.
“Why the hell is it so noisy! Can’t a man get some sleep?!”
So now they were pulling these cheap tricks because they couldn’t just tell him to get to work?
Annoyed, Wi Yeonho got up. If he kicked the butts of the noisy ones outside his door and sent them flying out of the estate, peace would return.
He flung open the door.
“Huh?”
Outside stood two men he had never seen before, along with Mun Eunji.
One of the men, who appeared to be middle-aged, had a flag on his back that read “Swift,” and the other stood behind him like an assistant.
“Thank you for calling upon the Swift Dragon Escort Agency, steeped in tradition and history. Now then, what item shall we be transporting?”
Mun Eunji calmly turned her head and pointed at Wi Yeonho.
“This one.”
Her fingertip landed squarely on Wi Yeonho.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The three men—excluding Mun Eunji—stared at each other in awkward silence.
“Please don’t joke around. The cargo—”
Mun Eunji nodded.
“I told you, it’s this one.”
“…That looks like a person, though?”
“It just looks that way.”
The man wiped cold sweat from his brow as he looked at Wi Yeonho, then opened his mouth again.
“Of course, we do occasionally transport people as well, but in those cases, we prepare a separate carriage. And due to timing, we normally wouldn’t allow passengers on a cargo run like this...”
Mun Eunji waved her hand as if to say Not to worry.
“No need for concern. Don’t you carry cows or chickens in that wagon?”
“Uh, well, yes, we do, but...”
“He may look like this, but he’s really no different. Just plop him on top of the cargo and give him three meals a day—he won’t complain, and he won’t cause any trouble either. I’ll pay you the rate for transporting a person. No, make that double. So please, just take this freel... I mean, this man away.”
“Even so, this really is...”
“Triple!”
“There are still regulations...”
“Four times!”
“We’ll gladly escort him. Right this way.”
Finally realizing what was happening, Wi Yeonho burst out.
“What are you saying?! You’re shipping me off like cargo?!”
“At least you’re quick on the uptake.”
“Unbelievable! I’ve heard that the code of honor in the Martial World is dead, but this?! I saved your life, and now you’re selling your savior like a sack of goods?!”
Sure, people could be ungrateful, but this was too much! Wi Yeonho trembled in righteous anger, but Mun Eunji remained completely calm.
“I’m helping you.”
“Helping me what?”
“You said you’re headed to Hubei, right?”
“...Yeah?”
“Then since this route goes to Hubei, you can just go along with the escort company heading there. You don’t want to walk all the way to Hubei by yourself, do you?”
“Right.”
Wi Yeonho admitted it without resistance. When it came to acknowledging the truth, he was honest regardless of the situation.
“You get to ride in a wagon pulled by horses, the escort company earns a tidy fee, and we get to offload you. Everyone wins!”
Wi Yeonho found himself nodding.
“That’s… very convincing.”
“So no more complaints. Just go with these gentlemen.”
“My mom told me not to follow strangers...”
“It’s fine. They’re trustworthy, and their credentials are in order. Just go with them.”
“Still...”
“Trust me. No one with half a brain would try to sell you off. You’d probably burrow into a mine and sleep there. Who would even take someone like that? So in a way, you’re the safest person in the world.”
“Ugh...”
And so, Wi Yeonho succumbed to Mun Eunji’s logic.
“F-fine!”
“Good choice.”
And with that, Wi Yeonho was officially registered as cargo with the Swift Dragon Escort Agency.
“Well, I’m off.”
He received a modest farewell from Mun Eunji and Mun Yuhwan. The massive cargo wagon behind him said everything about how he was being treated.
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Scholar Mun.”
“Don’t forget—the Second Prince has his eye on you.”
“I’d rather he didn’t...”
Wi Yeonho looked clearly uncomfortable, and Mun Yuhwan smiled at the reaction.
“Even if he’s keeping an eye on you, he’s royalty. He can’t exactly go meet you directly. So don’t worry too much.”
“Thanks, even just hearing that helps.”
Mun Yuhwan smacked his lips.
‘Surprisingly polite, this one.’
Wi Yeonho turned to him.
“Are you going to the imperial palace?”
“Looks like I’ll have to.”
“I hope we meet again.”
“Is that your way of telling me not to die?”
“You really are sharp.”
Mun Yuhwan chuckled softly.
“Don’t worry. I may not look it, but I’m hard to kill.”
“Good. Well, if it gets dangerous, don’t hesitate to pull out. Pride won’t do you any good if you’re dead.”
That heartfelt concern coming from someone not even half his age brought a quiet smile to Mun Yuhwan’s face. If anyone else had said it, he might have found it arrogant—but he knew how rare it was to receive concern like this from Wi Yeonho, and that made it meaningful.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Wi Yeonho turned to Mun Eunji.
“I’m going now.”
“Take care.”
“You look very happy about this.”
“Oh, it shows?”
“Ugh.”
With a long sigh, Wi Yeonho trudged onto the cargo wagon. Climbing up onto the load, he sprawled out flat on his back.
“Let’s go.”
The escorts chuckled as they looked at the man lying atop the goods, then set the wagon in motion.
“Hey!”
Wi Yeonho responded from his reclined position as Mun Eunji called out to him.
“What?”
“Stay healthy!”
“Now you’re giving me medicine after giving me the disease? You could’ve just not kicked me out in the first place!”
“And maybe fix that laziness, too!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The wagon carrying Wi Yeonho slowly disappeared into the distance.
Mun Yuhwan quietly watched the scene unfold before speaking.
“Let’s head back inside.”
“Yes, Father.”
But despite her words, Mun Eunji didn’t move. She continued watching the wagon as it disappeared from her sight.
“Regretful, is it?”
“Hmm?”
Mun Eunji smirked and replied.
“Regretful? Not at all. It’s like having a bad tooth pulled out.”
Her attitude, so utterly satisfied, left Mun Yuhwan speechless.
‘I thought maybe she’d grown fond of him...’
Well, if not, perhaps that was for the best.
“Alright then, let’s go.”
“Yes, Father.”
Mun Yuhwan walked slowly back into the estate.
As she followed behind, Mun Eunji glanced over her shoulder.
The wagon was already vanishing far off in the distance.
‘Still... maybe a little regret?’
She smiled faintly.
‘Goodbye, you strange slacker.’
A brief encounter could be a coincidence, but when paths crossed, it became a connection.
No one knew when, or even if, the thread of that connection might be tied again someday.