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chapter 02
Playing with a little girl was far more enjoyable than watching the boring tests of the couriers.
The girl, seemingly upset, puffed out her cheeks in a sulky expression and then went inside the courtyard.
“Gone?”
When the girl didn’t reappear for a while, the Sword Spirit (Geomryeong) showed a slightly disappointed expression.
“I guess I was a bit too rough. I should treat her well next time we meet.”
“Are you the Sword Spirit?”
At that moment, a voice called out to him.
“Yes! I am the Sword Spirit. I came to become a courier.”
Jin Seol, the head of the Gangnam Courier Guild, scrutinized Geomryeong from head to toe, narrowing her eyes.
His face, delicate and feminine, didn’t match the image of a courier at all.
“Have you ever done courier work before?”
Her voice carried a hint of doubt.
“This is my first time. But I’m confident I can do it. I have some strength, after all.”
“Then why do you want to be a courier?”
“I need the money.”
Seeing Geomryeong speak so boldly, Jin Seol nodded slightly and whispered something to Chief Overseer Seo Namchun, who also nodded in response.
After observing all the examinees, Jin Seol spoke:
“You’ve all worked hard taking the test. Everyone who applied as a courier has passed. Head Courier, take them and teach them what needs to be done.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The couriers followed the head courier to a small annex on the left side of the courtyard.
“You’ve passed too, so you must work hard.”
“Thank you,” Geomryeong bowed.
“Chief Seo will show you the tasks you need to handle.”
“I will,” he replied.
Once Jin Seol went inside the main building, only Seo Namchun and Geomryeong remained in the courtyard.
“Follow me.”
Geomryeong followed Seo Namchun to the annex where the couriers stayed, opposite the direction the head couriers had gone.
It was a lodging annex where ten couriers shared two rooms.
“This will be your living quarters from now on.”
“Here? I won’t be living alone, right?”
He asked because the room was large enough for one person.
“No. You’ll be living with the other couriers. But for now, since the goods are out being delivered, you’ll stay alone temporarily.”
“I understand.”
“Your job won’t be long-distance deliveries but handling tasks within this trading port…”
Seo Namchun roughly explained the duties Geomryeong would perform.
“From today, you’ll go with me to the market and other areas to deliver goods and run errands. That’s how it’ll be.”
“So basically, I’m the errand boy of this trading port?”
Although Seo Namchun had worded it politely, Geomryeong was indeed an errand boy.
“Don’t think of it so simply. You’ll be delivering goods for them, but isn’t that the role of a courier guild? You’ll deliver goods within the port, while the guild handles deliveries to other regions.”
Geomryeong nodded. It wasn’t particularly difficult work.
“So what do I do once the work is done?”
“That’s up to you. You can rest or do other tasks. But whatever needs to be done that day must be completed, even if it gets late.”
A faint smile appeared on Seo Namchun’s face, as if silently saying, “Just please finish all the work in a day.”
“I understand. Leave it to me.”
Seo Namchun guided Geomryeong through the markets, streets, inns, and pavilions, showing him all the clients they dealt with.
Geomryeong memorized all the locations after just one tour, though he pretended not to. After following Seo Namchun for five more days, he was finally able to navigate the trading port alone.
His tasks were simple. Every morning, he would receive a list of deliveries from Chief Seo and visit the clients to deliver the items.
“Today is a bit busy. I’ll give you extra pay, so even if it’s tough, do your best.”
Geomryeong took the list. Normally, there were deliveries to five to seven households, but today there were twelve — almost double the usual workload.
“Really? Extra pay?”
“Yes. Ten iron coins as a bonus,” Seo Namchun said.
“Can I get the bonus first?”
Geomryeong asked cheekily. Seo Namchun blinked.
“Of course, I don’t think the Overseer would cheat you, but I have no money right now. If you take it first…”
Seo Namchun nodded. Even if Geomryeong ran off after receiving the pay, the work he’d already done would make it no loss to them.
Geomryeong took the ten iron coins, smiled, and bowed.
“I’ll be back then.”
He stepped out of the Gangnam Courier Guild building.
“It’s currently the hour of Chen, so it should finish by Si,” he noted.
And just like that, he vanished from sight.
Geomryeong used his pay to buy candies from the market, intending to tease Jin Aseol, the young daughter of the guild head.
For Geomryeong, who had only lived on Heukam Island, playing with someone like a younger sister was fun.
“Bah, I’ve had lots of candy. I won’t eat it,” Jin Aseol said.
“But you want it!”
“Nope, I have something even tastier than candy.”
Until now, the only things Geomryeong had eaten on Heukam Island were strange herbs, multicolored mushrooms, a two-headed, horned snake, golden eels, and tasteless water.
Candy was a delicacy unlike anything he had ever tasted.
“Tastier than candy?” he asked in disbelief.
“See!”
Jin Aseol revealed a hidden ice treat to Geomryeong.
“This is called ice treats, ten times tastier than candy. And it’s so refreshing…”
Geomryeong glared at the ice treat and pouted. He felt like he had lost to Aseol today.
“Aseol!”
“Yes?”
“Let’s trade.”
Geomryeong offered his candy.
“No! This is tastier than candy,” she insisted.
“You should call me ‘older brother,’ not uncle. I’m not that old,” she added.
“Bah, you still have to call me uncle.”
Geomryeong tried to persuade her, hoping to get a taste of the ice treat.
“Come on, Aseol! Trade with me. This candy is specially made by Master Wang in the market. It’s different from other candy. Look here…”
Jin Aseol laughed at Geomryeong’s pleading expression.
“Alright, I won’t tease you again.”
“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore either.”
“Here, take this.”
The girl was a child. Even though she quarreled with him daily, she liked playing with him. Geomryeong, too, enjoyed a warmth and companionship he had never felt on Heukam Island.
He took a bite of the ice treat. Its cold, melting sweetness felt almost heavenly.
“Wow, it’s really good.”
“Right? Isn’t it delicious?”
Then, Seo Namchun appeared.
“Hey, what are you doing here? Isn’t it time to work?”
“I’ve finished today’s work.”
“What?”
“Yes, all the work for today is done. And didn’t you say that once the work is done, I can do as I please?”
Seo Namchun was dumbfounded. He had only handed out the deliveries at the hour of Chen. Even if Geomryeong ran fast, by now he should have only completed two or three deliveries.
“Are you mocking me?” he demanded.
“No, really! I finished everything.”
Seo Namchun, thinking Geomryeong might be lying, demanded proof.
“Then show me.”
“Show you what?”
“The delivery slips for the goods you’ve delivered.”
“Oh, right! I almost forgot.”
Geomryeong pulled out twelve slips and handed them over. Seo Namchun checked them quickly. Each slip bore a verification mark showing the goods had been delivered.
“Did you really visit them all?”
“If you don’t believe me, check. I need to go play with Aseol now, so please stop questioning me.”
Seo Namchun, unable to argue further, stepped back. Watching Geomryeong with Aseol, he hurried away.
Jin Aseol asked, “Did you really finish everything, uncle?”
“Of course! I run fast. Actually, I’m a martial arts master,” Geomryeong bragged.
“Hah! If you’re a martial arts master, then I’m the strongest in the world,” she said skeptically.
Geomryeong felt a bit disappointed she didn’t believe him.
“I’m serious! I’m strong enough to beat my masters in a fight.”
“Liar! You can’t beat your masters. You’re a total liar.”
“Don’t you know the saying, ‘The student surpasses the teacher’?”
She didn’t believe him, insisting she wouldn’t fall for such lies.
“Tch, I told you I wouldn’t tease you!”
“I’m not teasing! Really!”
“Tch, I’m not playing with you then!”
She turned and entered the main building.
“Not a lie… but this little one already doubts people…”
Geomryeong sighed. Though he argued with Aseol, he knew she would play with him again tomorrow, so he wasn’t too worried.
“Anyway, this ice treat is really delicious. From now on, I’ll buy ice treats instead of candy.”
