“Have you heard about the strange incident at the Jo Gasangdan?”
The Da Seogak isn’t just a place for dedicated readers of The Rise of the Tang Family; there are plenty of guests who come to talk about life while reading books.
Sometimes, if I listen in on the conversations of the guests, I hear interesting stories about how the world is turning.
“Jo Gasangdan? Isn’t that the guild that’s quite a powerhouse in Yichang? What happened there?”
“I heard that a thief broke into the guild leader’s house.”
“A thief at such a wealthy place? What about the guards?”
“That’s the strange part! Not a single soul realized a thief had sneaked in all night!”
So, it wasn’t just that the thief got caught; nobody even knew they had been robbed all night long. A wealthy house would surely have security provided by a sect or a post office, and heads would roll for that.
“Looks like the thief is skilled. So, just how much did they steal?”
“Not much, as it turns out, because the story gets weirder. The thief broke in but took nothing.”
A thief who doesn’t steal anything? I mean, even the poorest students would at least snatch a second-hand gaming console if they broke in.
Intrigued by this bizarre news, I leaned in closer.
“Nothing was stolen? What does that even mean?”
“There’s a lot of evidence of rummaging, like jewelry boxes and slips, but in the end, nothing was taken.”
“Then maybe the homeowner just got drunk and opened the safe?”
“The guild leader was sleeping with his two wives that night, so there’s no way he had the energy to get up. And if he had, his wives would have definitely noticed.”
What?!
“Since the guild leader’s not the type to have black hair, he probably didn’t get up in the middle of the night.”
“Also, the safe key was supposedly left in a place only the guild leader knew about. Yet, all the safes were wide open.”
“With the world in such turmoil, strange things like this keep happening.”
More than the strange events happening in the world, I was curious about something else.
What had happened the night he slept with two wives in the same bed? But before I could glean any more information, the guests quickly switched to a different topic.
A thief.
Though it’s been a while since running into sword-wielding bandits, I still have to worry about thieves and pickpockets, especially since it hasn’t been long since a thief broke into the Da Seogak.
I should really step up security.
Fortunately, Da Seogak has a promising up-and-comer who’s said to become the best thief once going through a dark evolution.
“Im Ha-yeon!”
“……”
Did she not hear me? When I looked at Im Ha-yeon, she seemed so deep in thought that she didn’t respond at all.
Was she lost in thought, or was she staring at something? Following her gaze, I noticed she was looking toward the guests I had just focused on.
Surely she couldn’t be interested in the hot night like I was, so it must be something about a senior in the same line of work.
“Im Ha-yeon!”
This time, I called out loudly enough for her to hear for sure.
“Eek! Wh-what is it?!”
Im Ha-yeon jumped like a thief caught in the act, looking at me.
“It’s about the thief.”
“Th-th-th-the thief? Why?!”
I wasn’t talking about you. Why act surprised?
I might have learned to be a thief, but I’m not the kind of ignorant person who would mistake an ordinary worker for a thief.
Sure, I was practically a payroll thief, but just standing still was boosting the store’s sales, so it was acceptable.
“Why are you suddenly so fidgety? I was about to say we should step up security at Da Seogak since it seems thieves are getting more reckless.”
“What? Oh, I… don’t worry about that. I’m always on top of it.”
Once Im Ha-yeon realized it wasn’t about catching a payroll thief, she let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh! By the way, I have some errands to run during lunch; want to go out together?”
The branch manager needs a managerial role to delegate tasks. I’ve been lenient for a while, so today, I’ll have to go out together.
“Can’t you just go with So-so?”
Why is So-so coming into this? Im Ha-yeon turned her head and replied curtly.
“That was just because of tea leaves last time; we won’t be doing that together anymore.”
“Won’t we be going out together anymore? Why?”
So-so isn’t a managerial role, so why would that even come up? I thought about snapping back, but noticed Im Ha-yeon’s expression was looking a bit better than before, so I let it slide.
“It’s because of print shop work, so let’s just go together.”
Acquiring rights to the print shop was easy, but there’s still a lot to do with moving the printing machines and staffing, so I’ve been running back and forth.
“Wouldn’t it be better to go with someone from the printing shop management team?”
That’s a valid point. But all the printing staff have moved over to the print shop right now.
I pouted slightly and glanced at the Im Ha-yeon, who had positioned herself intriguingly against the wall.
Is she upset about me stopping providing dinner? Or has she just been having a lot on her mind lately?
Keeping my distance from someone in a foul mood is one way to deal with it, but I really needed her for today.
What to do…
“I want to go with Im Ha-yeon.”
I decided to go with the straightforward approach.
“With me? Why?”
What I need is someone who can quickly shuttle back and forth between the print shop and Da Seogak.
“Because I need you, Im Ha-yeon. I’ll buy lunch on the way back.”
“……”
After hearing my answer, Im Ha-yeon stared at me wide-eyed.
“Miss?”
“Okay, I’ll go.”
Did that work?
Though her expression didn’t seem to change much from before, her steps as she turned to walk seemed unusually light.
“Did you call me to move this?!”
As we headed out to the print shop, Im Ha-yeon shouted at me while pushing the cart I was pulling.
“Da Seogak has only us two who practice martial arts.”
I thought I had moved all the paper for the printing machines, but there was still a lot in the corner of the third floor attic. It’s just better to move this heavy paper together than alone.
“Oof! You’re the worst!”
————-
The strange tales of thieves in Yichang weren’t going to end anytime soon.
“I heard a thief broke into the Unri Post Office too.”
“A thief broke into the Unri Post Office? The post office that protects the cargo? Isn’t that just the competition trying to spread rumors?”
“Nope. Apparently, the head of the post office got so mad it nearly blew the roof off yesterday. But it seems like it’s the same thief as before. Again, nothing was stolen.”
“To break into such a well-guarded place and steal nothing? What kind of thief is this?”
“Seems like the result is that wealthy households are tightening their security at night because of this. The government is also sending constables to patrol all night.”
“Ah, that explains why the constables have been stopping me when I try to return drunk late at night. I hope they catch that thief soon, but what punishment could they get if they’ve stolen nothing?”
“Well, at the very least, they should get their legs broken with a stick so they can never steal again!”
Is this bizarre thief making a name for themselves in an unusual way? Yichang was in an uproar about this thief who didn’t steal anything.
“Ugh.”
Turning my head, I saw Im Ha-yeon let out a small squeal as if she had heard nails on a chalkboard.
Was the water for washing dishes really that cold?
Lately, Im Ha-yeon seems off. She looks worn out and haggard. Even without focusing on her appearance, I could see dark circles under her eyes.
Working through the day like a zombie, coming back to life like a miracle at quitting time is typical, but this looked serious.
It’s like seeing Kang Mo, who pulled an all-nighter binge-watching a drama that ends up being a dud, showing up to work like a zombie in the morning.
Is she staying up late these days?
Surely not.
A sudden thought crossed my mind, and I quietly crept up behind Im Ha-yeon while she was washing dishes.
“Are you perhaps doing something late at night without my knowledge?”
Clatter!
Im Ha-yeon dropped the dish she’d been washing at my words.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine! I’ll clean it up!”
Im Ha-yeon hastily waved her hands at So-so, who was approaching, as she sped to pick up the broken dishware.
“Gotcha.”
“What, what, what do you mean gotcha?”
Your eyes are all over the place, and that’s what I mean. Though you deny it with your mouth, your body speaks the truth.
“You don’t need to hide it.”
The circumstances point to everything. I spoke to her as if I knew everything.
“What do you mean hide? I’m not hiding anything, you know!”
“I caught on last evening.”
“You caught on already?”
“Who do you think I am?”
“Ugh…”
“Im Ha-yeon.”
I stepped closer to her, emphasizing the tense atmosphere.
“What is it?”
“I’m disappointed.”
I did not hide my disappointment as I voiced it to her.
“What?”
“Surely, you could have told me, even if not anyone else?”
“How could I tell you? No, how could I… No, if I did, there’s really only one person I could tell….”
Im Ha-yeon babbled incoherently and was at a loss for words.
It’s truly disappointing.
Wasn’t I the only one she could talk to about such matters? If something was going on, shouldn’t she have told me first?
I mean, I’m the one who buys her meals and goes out together—hasn’t that brought us closer emotionally?
If she can’t talk about it, then I suppose I can get it out of her.
Just like a detective who persists in bothering the victim throughout the story, I revealed the truth to her.
“If you’re staying up all night writing, you might as well have told me.”
“What? …Ah! Yes! That’s right! I’ve been writing at night.”
Bingo! I must be on the right track. Im Ha-yeon nodded vigorously at my deduction.
Writing while working certainly sounds tiring. Confessing to being a novelist at work wouldn’t earn any points, either.
If she lacks sleep from writing until dawn, it will affect her work, and if she lets others know, they may assume she’s slacking off on the job in order to secretly leave whenever she wants.
However, the Da Seogak team consists of work-study scholarship students.
They wouldn’t have minded much if she said she was writing, but not sharing that bit is a bit disappointing.
“Who can suppress the urge to create? Luckily, it’s not like there’s an immediate deadline, so write to the extent that it doesn’t hinder your work.”
Do it on your days off. Days off. She’s not an author running a daily series for a web novel.
“Okay.”
Im Ha-yeon nodded with a bit of reluctance.
“And if you have any concerns, come talk to me.”
“Why you?”
“Who do you think Ho Pil is?”
“Oh.”
Perhaps realizing what I meant, Im Ha-yeon couldn’t close her slightly open mouth.
“In the next volume 4, not only will I provide plot advice, but I also counsel on various concerns. So if you’re struggling through nights of insomnia, it’s better to ask for advice.”
Being a writer can be a lonely endeavor. I’ve never been in a relationship while writing, so I can’t say whether it’s significantly less painful or not.
Im Ha-yeon may not be the top scholarship student, but as the first subordinate of Kang Yoon-ho, benefits will be bestowed upon her. She should feel lucky.
“Volume 4? It’s already coming out so soon?”
Is that what you’re curious about?
“That’s a secret. Anyway, if you ever have worries, let me know. I’m always willing to help.”
I said with a kind expression, like a consultant who can hear any and all worries.
Im Ha-yeon silently watched me before finally lowering her head and speaking up.
“…Got it.”
———————-
I had told Im Ha-yeon to take her time writing, but that was for aspirants. A serialized author is different.
No matter how busy the workplace is, even when subordinates mess things up or new ventures need to be put back on track, an author needs to write for the next volume.
If she hadn’t mastered the Small Wheel Mental Image Technique and wasn’t in good health, she would have collapsed by now.
Her body is tired, but she has to persevere.
She needs to work harder. I’m going to save the fate of my women.
As much as they put in their effort, I must keep progressing as well. To say it proudly, I must keep moving forward.
Tomorrow, I need to boldly write a letter. Having made that small resolution, I settled in for sleep.
“Who?”
I woke up startled by a presence in the dead of night.
A mysterious figure was kneeling on my bed and staring at me.
Who is it? A thief? A bandit? I jerked up into a sitting position.
They aren’t attacking. They aren’t running away either. What’s going on? The mysterious figure just kept staring at me.
In an outfit made of tights and some rags whose origins I couldn’t figure out. The figure had a mask over their eyes to hide their expression.
“Im Ha-yeon?”
With a disguise that would have made it impossible for an ordinary person to recognize her, the figure’s entire body was covered, but the ample chest and hair color immediately sparked a recognition.
“……”
It’s her. She diverted her gaze as I called out.
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”
I was startled. Why did she suddenly appear?
After all, she no longer brings me dinner; she wasn’t here to demand last night’s dinner either.
What on earth could this possibly be about?
Calmly propping myself up, I inquired, and she just kept staring at me in silence before finally opening her mouth.
What Im Ha-yeon uttered was more shocking than her sudden appearance at night.
“I came to steal your precious thing.”
Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to write that letter confidently anymore.
