“Hey, this is really a deduction from Miss Zhuge, right?”
The basic deduction method that starts after thoroughly understanding the opponent.
It’s a way of deducing by combining information already possessed, but the opponent looks shocked, as if it was figured out in an instant.
Thus, it was a method that straddled the line between deception and deduction.
“Could it be that Miss Zhuge’s ability isn’t just a fantasy?”
“No way!”
“I heard that Ho Pil has a reputation, but I thought he only caught a few thieves…”
Kang Yoon-ho managed to deduce Miss Zhuge’s reasoning. The Elders’ Council fell into the trap I had set, and chaos erupted instantly.
“Are you telling me that you can deduce like Miss Zhuge?”
Elder Councilman calmed the other elders, then asked me with a look of lingering astonishment.
“I can only mimic Miss Zhuge’s ability.”
I immediately denied it, indicating that my deductions, impressive as they may seem to anyone, still fell short of the standard.
“Mimic, you say?”
“Didn’t you use Miss Zhuge? If we get technical, you’d be the original, wouldn’t you!”
“Deduction is a method I use when investigating, but I merely provide support; I can’t rely on it entirely. Compared to my idealized view of Miss Zhuge’s reasoning skills, I’m just at the level of imitating what I think ideal reasoning is.”
“Such excessive modesty!”
He shook his head with not even a hint of pride.
“This isn’t modesty; it’s just knowing my place. My ability is merely a combination of acrobatics I learned from the tales shared by Ho Pil, who used to see me as cute when I was a child.”
The infamous Ho Pil—a walking disaster. Every day he showed me what deduction really was alongside hardships.
“Acrobatics? You’re saying deduction is acrobatics?”
“Yes, just a small dose of acrobatics that brought me some minor fame in Wuhan.”
Seeing everyone in the Elders’ Council, captivated by my deduction skills, I firmly downplayed it.
“Even if it’s a skill, how can you belittle something so astonishing?”
“It’s a story worthy of bragging about!”
An utterly baffled reaction came out. Of course, the Elders’ Council must have read about Miss Zhuge’s exploits.
But you know,
“To become a son-in-law to the Zhuge family, even if the past was adequate, it still falls short. How can I boast about skills that can’t even earn me a salary?”
I brought up a story I had heard long ago; the Council downplayed my reputation as a mighty Ho Pil. Doesn’t it seem like I’ve got some abilities suitable for a son-in-law to the Zhuge family now?
“That, that’s in the past!”
“Ahem!”
There was no need to ask.
The bewildered expressions of the Elders’ Council were the best reply.
———
“Write as the protagonist of the Zhuge family. At first, I was really at a loss.”
After savoring a momentary, exhilarating sense of revenge, I opened my mouth.
“Hmm?”
How should I say this? The Elders’ gazes, which had been awkward, turned back to me.
“As a writer, I couldn’t bear the thought of just writing a rough version of a protagonist similar to what I usually write. I had to think about it. While pondering, my own writing told me.”
The Ho Pil that you all love is still a bit miffed. Having subtly made my appeal, I thought perhaps I could win the Council’s favor next.
“How about Hyang?”
I nodded with a smile that expressed my feelings for Miss Zhuge.
“Don’t overthink it. Write what you want. Write what you’re good at. It truly felt like my eyes were opened.”
“Did that kid really say that?”
It seemed like one of the elders knew Miss Zhuge well. Their voice edged with surprise came out.
“Who is the protagonist I want to write about in the Zhuge family? I didn’t even have to think hard. There weren’t any detectives or doctors in reality, but Ho Pil’s writing was right before my eyes.”
I had to shake the Elders’ Council to their core.
By showcasing my skills right before them, I’d show off and then dive straight into the behind-the-scenes of the author’s writing.
“Miss Zhuge inspired the writing about Hyang?”
“While staying with Miss Zhuge, I noticed an incredibly unique ability that no martial artist could easily replicate.”
I deliberately gave the elders a knowing glance. A skill that Miss Zhuge possesses, and that others in the Zhuge family could also achieve.
“Formation…”
It was the correct answer.
“Yes, when Miss Zhuge unveils the formation, she meticulously checks her surroundings. Even in the briefest moment she deploys the formation, she doesn’t miss a single detail. That action was the key to the protagonist I was searching for.”
The reality is a bit different.
But I had my reasons to say that Miss Zhuge’s initiation began with Hyang.
“Truly! Miss Zhuge’s ability to find clues in her surroundings resembles the preparation process of deploying a formation!”
“Ah! So that’s why Miss Zhuge is such a great deducer!”
“Among those who have read it, some may have caught on.”
Exactly. Miss Zhuge’s deductive ability stems from the Zhuge family.
Shocking! UFC champion’s hidden technique is Taekwondo kick? The Hollywood big shot. His etiquette is actually from Taekwondo?
It’s sweetly scratching the itch of the elders.
“Hmm! I had my suspicions. It’s no wonder you’re the protagonist of the Zhuge family!”
“Ah, that’s why it felt familiar!”
“As I looked at Miss Zhuge, I started to wonder. What if there were a child who had been honing my acrobatics since childhood? If someone could sharpen their intuitive deductive ability to unearth a criminal without anyone noticing…”
Next, it was time to mention my skills.
While it was merely an act of imitation, what if there was someone who mastered a skill that could help with investigations perfectly?
I questioned the Elders’ Council with a serious expression.
“From which family should my envisioned martial artist emerge? Which family in the Central Plains can nurture such a martial artist?”
“The Zhuge family… that’s the answer to the problem we posed.”
The answer was set.
Ho Pil’s conclusion: the only clan that could produce talents like Miss Zhuge is the Zhuge family. While answering the Elders’ questions, I raised their pride in their clan.
Just as expected, a bright expression spread across the faces of the Elders’ Council. Great! When they couldn’t hide their smiles, I added subtly.
“Yes, I gave my acrobatics to the protagonist. I bestowed the abilities I observed from Miss Zhuge upon the protagonist. That’s how we ended up with the protagonist named Miss Zhuge.”
“Whoa…”
Miss Zhuge and I make an exceptionally fitting pair.
—–
“In the end, you’ve packed a piece of yourself into your writing.”
Miss Zhuge is in there too. Under Elder Councilman’s warm gaze, I began to speak.
“I couldn’t create a completely new story. And I couldn’t give up on the martial artist story either.”
As I put on my practiced modesty, whether it’s creating something from nothing or crafting a brand new story from personal experiences—are they really all that different?
“Most children who have wielded swords their whole lives don’t know what to fill their sword tips with. Yet you understand what to fill the tip of your brush with at your age.”
“Elder Councilman?”
Moments of shock hit me with a heavy stroke of praise.
Elder Councilman looked at my expression and smiled, continuing his words.
“You know the path you should take at your age, and you walk that path without hesitation. That’s enough. Our questions have reached their end.”
“If so…!”
No way. Are they about to pass a conclusion this quickly!
“Didn’t I say so? We still have to make a conclusion.”
“……”
Geez. I’m in for it now. Elder Councilman, despite his warm demeanor, can be as sharp as a knife.
As I forced a disappointed smile, Elder Oh, who was behind me, spoke up.
“Hey, what if you wrote a volume about the ghost ship incident, but do you have plans for other incidents…?”
“Hey!”
“You finished your question! What are you trying to say?”
Even as other elders tried to dissuade him, Elder Oh didn’t seem willing to give up.
“It’s not about a novel; it’s asking what other incidents you’ve resolved!”
Elder Oh, I see. So you’re asking if I have plans to use other incidents in writing about Miss Zhuge?
I glanced around subtly; the other elders appeared curious, eagerly looking my way.
Alright. I couldn’t come to a quick conclusion. There were opposing opinions still out there. And if that’s the case, I have my own trump card left.
“Honestly, I had quite a bit of deliberation. Among the cases I solved, which one should I include? Should I put in the locked room murder case? No, wait, would it be better to put in the case where I caught a demon?”
As I revealed the concealed ace of my story.
“What?”
“What, what did you just say?”
Oops! I let slip that shocking story about the elder’s reaction, playing it off with an innocent grin.
“Oh! I must have forgotten to mention it. Just a few days before coming to the Zhuge family, I managed to catch a demon called Baek Myeon-ho-ri, who wielded a vicious magical arts.”
“You caught a demon?”
“During interrogation, it turned out to be a terrifying demon who had committed numerous heinous acts. If it weren’t for my deductions and efforts, I can only imagine the atrocities that demon would have unleashed!”
“Using deduction to catch a demon….”
The elders look utterly bewildered.
Are you able to absorb the story of catching a demon using deduction?
“When it came to incorporating that story into a novel, it was just too much to fit into a single volume. That’s why I had to settle for the ghost ship incident instead.”
I exaggeratedly slumped my shoulders in front of the Elders’ Council to show just how regrettable I felt.
“Well, it couldn’t be helped? Then, is there anything else regarding Miss Zhuge’s story…?”
“There are many tales about the acrobat Ho Kang Yoon-ho that could be included.”
“Oh! So then!”
I had plenty of usable episodes.
“But Miss Zhuge’s story is a standalone conclusion, isn’t it?”
It’s the problem of not being able to write it.
“……”
“I’d made a promise to the Elders’ Council, so I had no choice but to put my lingering thoughts aside and focus on that standalone conclusion.”
The elders might want to let their lingering thoughts go.
Though it would probably be hard to let go.
“Hmm…”
Not getting involved in the novel; merely settling for a standalone conclusion.
The expressions of the elders, caught in the dilemma of whether to revise a promise, looked fairly entertained.
—————
“I’m back.”
“Master Kang! How did it go…?”
Leaving behind the elders who looked like they were about to burst with lingering thoughts, I returned to my lodging, where Miss Zhuge rushed to me with a face full of concern.
“I returned victorious.”
“Really? The grandfathers, too?”
With the cutting-edge magical art and martial disciplines, they said there were no further questions; I was heading out when peculiar sounds emerged.
Miss Zhuge received a positive response from the Elders’ Council.
Having confirmed the kind of reactions that I could proudly share with Miss Zhuge, I couldn’t hide my joy.
“I think it’s fine to expect a good result.”
It’s all thanks to Miss Zhuge. I inched closer to her.
“Mas, Master Kang?!”
Her shadow loomed over my face. His cheeks reddened. I was immediately struck with the urge to hold her cheeks with both hands. What should I do? Should I touch her cheeks? Should I grab her hands and twirl her around? Or should I just sweep her up in a hug?
“Miss Zhuge…”
How should I express my overwhelming joy?
Miss Zhuge’s eyes quivered.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your good time, but how about we have a little talk?”
In that moment…
A spine-chilling voice came from behind.
“J-Jangmom?!”
“M-Mother?!”
Why is my mother-in-law here?
“Ah! No! I-I wasn’t thinking anything like that!”
What thoughts? Miss Zhuge had unexpectedly vaulted behind the bed and was hiding.
“Hyang… go outside for a moment.”
Mother-in-law, you scrunching your face like that makes me feel guilty. I’m simply expressing my affection in a quite decent manner without crossing any lines.
“A-Ah, y-yes.”
Miss Zhuge slumped her shoulders like a kid waiting to be scolded as she left the room.
“What brings you here, Mother-in-law?”
The moment Miss Zhuge’s presence vanished, I carefully inquired from my mother-in-law.
“I heard that the Elders’ Council was passing along good responses.”
“I was on my way back from the Elders’ Council.”
“It seems things are progressing positively, so I thought we ought to address a few points we need to clarify.”
“Points we need to clarify?”
What could she be talking about?
Isn’t the only story left about gaining recognition as a son-in-law? Don’t tell me it’s about marriage arrangements. If it’s about Miss Zhuge, then just her being here is enough.
I was about to speak when she cut in.
“Your fiancée.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s talk about our son-in-law’s fiancées.”
