Translator: Pai_

The Su-ho and Si-ah siblings hurried off to borrow the warehouse key and fetch the tents.

These were tents that read "Virtually Indestructible in Wind and Rain" on the label and translated to "Heavy as Hell" in practice.

"Orabeoni! You've gotten incredibly strong!"

Si-ah marveled at the sight of Su-ho hoisting those heavy things by himself, one after another, and hauling them onto the cart.

Su-ho, too, could not help but marvel. He had long known his sister's professional dedication was ironclad, but who would have guessed her acting chops were this superb?

"Come to think of it, you also handled that cart full of explosives all by yourself earlier. You've been training at dawn every single day, and I was wondering if you'd finally reached a new level. This little sister is endlessly happy for you."

"That's right. I recently had a fortuitous encounter and achieved Level 1 in Qi Refining. Thanks to that, my footwork seems to have naturally sharpened as well."

"What?"

Qi Refining, what now?

It was a peculiar thing. She had merely heard the words, yet from the deepest pit of her core, an inexplicable wave of pure bullshittery surged upward.

A ranking system she had never once heard of in her entire life nearly shattered Si-ah's method acting on the spot.

"Your marksmanship earlier when you sniped that mage was splendid, Si-ah. If you keep working hard, you too shall reach this orabi's level before long."

"Oh, yes! Orabeoni!"

Mun Si-ah decided she must have been hearing things and let it go. Together, the two siblings managed to transport the military-grade tents.

The gatekeeper clansmen were aghast.

"Wait. Aren't these purely military-issue barracks?"

"Why on earth would they......"

The gatekeepers had been bustling about, specially erecting the most splendid and luxurious pavilion they could manage, since the Baron was visiting for the first time in ages.

So their father was the first to panic. He had lent them the warehouse key because they asked to borrow it, but then the kids went and requisitioned completely the wrong supplies.

"Su-ho? What did you bring these fo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌r?"

"It's going to rain today, Father. I've always had this thing where my lower back joints ache like a sixth sense whenever humidity builds up, and just now the feeling hit me hard. It's coming. And it's definitely going to be a nasty downpour."

"Rain?"

Eyeballs rolled skyward. Sunshine blazing.

"Uh, I don't think it's going to rain?"

"Oh, come on, Father. Remember that day you went for a walk by the waterway? It acted like it wasn't going to rain at all, and then it came pouring down. The weather is mysterious by nature; you can never read it easily."

"Hm?"

Si-ah, who happened to be unloading tent materials from the supply cart alongside him, blinked rapidly.

"A walk by the waterway? What are you talking about..."

"Now that I think it over carefully, our son is absolutely right!"

Mun Geum shouted desperately.

"Of course, of course! Rain can fall at any time without warning. Come on now, what are you all standing around for? Going to make the kids do all the work? When there's work to be done, everyone pitches in together!"

Naturally, the fact that Mun Geum had nearly half-drowned after being run over by a hit-and-run culprit while wearing armor was a secret.

If his daughter were to learn of this, her eyes would go dead in an instant, and she would undoubtedly execute a dark evolution into an unfilial daughter, saying something like, 'Oh, so you wanted to die, Dad? I was going to tough it out even if all my brothers died, but you were trying to run away on your own, huh, is that how it was?'

Mun Geum was a middle-aged head of household. He did not want his daughter's nagging, laced with affection as it was, to transform into a gaze filled with despair and resentment. Absolutely not.

"Mun Geum-hyungnim. Why the sudden change of tune?"

Naturally, complaints erupted from every direction.

Since support posts had already been erected behind the outpost for precisely this kind of situation, the setup itself was not difficult. Even so, it rubbed people the wrong way.

"Be that as it may, these things smell a bit musty too. For receiving His Excellency the Baron, they're really not great......"

"Hey now! It might rain, I said! If I tell you to set them up, set them up!"

"Since when did you start listening to that illegitimate brat anyway......"

Grumble, grumble.

The gatekeeper clan members griped and complained, but put up the tents all the same. They were large, sturdy, and spacious, but aside from that, they were pure vanilla war barracks with zero DLC or mods attached.

Boooooooo...

The horn trumpet sounded just as the work was wrapping up.

The surroundings fell silent. Banners fluttered as a company of mounted soldiers passed through the gate below.

At the head of the column, an old man rode his horse.

The Obsidian Baron.

With a snort, dozens of cavalry riding on all sides of the Baron scattered in every direction. Then, with practiced precision, they formed a circular perimeter, enclosing the ground where their lord would be received in a ring of horses' breath.

The cavalrymen were expressionless.

"Mun Geum!"

The Obsidian Baron broke into a rather genial smile.

"Where's Mun Geum gone off to!"

While everyone caught in the gate's shadow held their silence, the voice of the Obsidian Baron, well past sixty years of age, rang out alone, hale and vigorous.

"Loyalty! Your Excellency! I, I am present and reporting, sir."

"Oh, our Mun Geum. You've been working so hard lately. So I was having my morning meal today, right? And then from here, from riiight over here, I hear explosions out of nowhere. From the crack of dawn, I wondered what on ea⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌rth was going on."

"My deepest apologies, Your Excellency......"

Facing his liege lord seated atop a horse, Mun Geum bowed his head again and again in a nervous fluster.

"So. None of you got hurt, did you?"

"No, of course not, Your Excellency."

"That's good. That's a relief. Oh, my back. Goodness me. Once you get old, your back starts groaning just from sitting on a horse."

"P-please, this way, Your Excellency."

Mun Geum naturally volunteered to lead the horse by the bridle as he guided the Baron. Several of the Baron's House vassals followed behind.

While gatekeepers were also vassals of the Baron's House and their standing was technically similar, those men were the close aides who attended the Baron at all times. Their rank was on a different level from Mun Geum's entirely.

"Hm."

"......Mm."

Those vassals' brows furrowed. This, these tents were just...

It was obviously fresh out of the warehouse, dust visible here and there as a matter of course, and the smell was unpleasantly stale.

No bodyguard would run his mouth carelessly in front of their liege, but they all shot telepathic glances at one another. We even sent a dispatch ahead, and this is the best you could prepare? they seemed to say.

"Ah, goodness. Now I can finally relax."

The Baron himself, however, sat down in a chair and kneaded his own thighs. His movements were as comfortable as if he had walked into his own bedroom.

Mun Geum, by contrast, felt his knees go weak. His liege lord in front of him, all hearty chuckles. The vassals surrounding them, all laser-beam stares.

The temperature gap was too severe. For someone like Mun Geum, whose courage was constitutionally fragile, he honestly would have preferred they just kill him.

"So. The scoundrels who caused the ruckus?"

"C-captured alive, sir."

"Well done. Now let me see. An explosion goes off and not a single person is hurt? On top of that, you nabbed the wolves and bound them? My, my. Mun Geum, it seems you have a side I didn't know about."

"Well, the thing is......"

Mun Geum's mind went blank. The only thing clear in his head was that he did not want to look pathetic by hemming and hawing too much in front of his respected liege, with the other vassals watching.

Even at his age, the world remained an awkward place for Mun Geum.

"......My children, Mun Si-ah and Mun Su-ho, handled the situation from start to finish."

"Oh? Your children?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Even so, he knew himself well enough by now. He knew that when he leaned on truth rather than falsehood, his tongue did not stumble quite so badly.

"B-both of them are children I am incomparably proud of. It is embarrassing to admit, but I merely took care of the aftermath. Without Si-ah and Su-ho, I would not have been able to prevent the outposts from being destroyed. Your Excellency."

"Oh my."

The Baron stroked his beard.

"Is that so? Very well. Then let us hear what the young ones have to say for a change. You two, step forward."

Mun Geum was about to turn his head excitedly toward his son and daughter when, wait, come to think of it, Si-ah might manage, but Su-ho had never once been taught how to conduct himself before someone as exalted as His Excellency the Baron, had he?

Thud. Mun Geum's heart plummeted.

But the water was already spilled. Before he could offer so much as a word of advice, the two siblings were called before their lord.

"Isn't that Si-ah! I haven't seen your face since you were little. Ha ha. Have you been well?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. In order to repay the trust placed in us, I have always kept my heart aligned and guarded the gate faithfully."

"Good. And as your father says, you were the one who rendered such distinguished service?"

"It is presumptuous of me to say, but I did not render any great service, Your Excellency. It was my kin here, Mun Su-ho, who did nearly everything."

"What?"

The Baron's eyes widened for the first time.

Until j⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌ust now, the Baron had been deliberately trying to give credit to Mun Geum, the head of the gatekeeper clan.

He had heard the news about the Bear-Light Stone investment, and on top of that, the man had lost his eldest and second sons on the battlefield. As their liege, it was only natural to show some consideration.

And yet.

'I thought he was just being modest to show off his heir, but he's pushing forward his illegitimate child instead of his legitimate successor? And Si-ah, this girl, goes along with it?'

It was beyond strange.

For this to make any sense, the explosion incident would have had to be, from beginning to end, the sole stage of this lower-class gatekeeper named Mun Su-ho.

No, even granting that, it was odd for Si-ah to cede the floor to him. Theirs was a relationship that by all rights should have been one of rivalry over succession. What manner of absurdity was this?

"Very well. Su-ho. Mun Su-ho."

But the Baron did not let his curiosity show carelessly. He knew all too well how much a single glance or smile of his could sway his vassals.

The Baron's memory, not dulled in the slightest despite nearing seventy, instantly found a way to establish a friendly rapport with the unfamiliar young man before him. Just enough to be convincing to those around him.

"Mun Su-ho. That name sounds rather familiar. Let me think....... You were the one who seized the illegally smuggled Crystal Leaf the day before yesterday, were you not?"

"Ye⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌s, my lord!"

Mun Su-ho bowed his head.

It was the first time in his life that he was exchanging words with the master of the house he served.

"Ha ha. As it happens, the Alchemy Fortress sent someone to me separately yesterday to apologize. I heard the story in passing, and it seems you handled the matter quite well. So then, Mun Su-ho. Give me your account of this incident."

"Yes, sir. I humbly report!"

Su-ho spoke boldly.

"At approximately 8:10 in the morning, an unidentified suspect attempted to enter the South Gate with explosives loaded onto a handcart! The suspect was captured alive. At that point, another suspect appeared and attempted to cast a spell at the explosives, whereupon Mun Si-ah sniped and subdued them with an arrow."

As the explanation of the attempted terrorist bombing continued, the expressions of the Baron's House retainers, who had been standing in silent formation around them, grew increasingly intrigued.

'The kid actually speaks with some coherence.'

The Obsidian Baron was no exception.

'Strong voice, too. Clear and precise. Hm, decent build as well?'

The vassals who had been giving Mun Geum dirty looks for hosting their lord in such a shabby barracks turned their heads, one by one, toward Mun Su-ho.

His voice had a vigor befitting a young man of the kingdom, spirited enough to draw the ear.

"Although both suspects were subdued, I was concerned that the handcart might have been enchanted with an auto-ignition spell, so it was immediately relocated to an open area. Two minutes later, the cart exploded. This explosion damaged a portion of the wooden palisade. There were zero casualties!"

"My word."

"At the time of the incident, a full halt order was issued to all freemen who had been preparing to enter the city. A total of 477 individuals are currently standing by under the gatekeepers' control! That concludes my report, Your Excellency."

Several of the Baron's House vassals let out quiet sounds. They were murmurs of admiration.

Blink, blink. Mun Geum, the father, could only stare blankly and exercise his eyelid muscles on repeat.

'He... he might actually be better at giving reports than me?'

The fretting over whether his son might somehow commit an offense before their lord had long since vanished without a trace.

Mun Si-ah, standing at attention beside him, was equally taken aback.

'When did he even count the freemen?!'

'They weren't even lined up properly; he just had them sit down wherever. Wasn't he too busy helping me set up the new tents to have had time for that?'

Of course, Su-ho had not had the time.

What he did have was the [Customer Satisfaction Survey] he had purchased from the Prophecy Newspaper's Advertisement Section. Naturally, catching a bomber did not make the item disappear.

-Passerby 199: 'I can't let the nobles notice me.'

-Passerby 313: 'This gate is way too intense.'

-Passerby 475: 'Mommy's arms are so warm.'

-Passerby 675: 'The crime of treason is truly terrifying!'

There was no need to count heads one by one. The [Customer Satisfaction Survey] automatically displayed a number for each person within Su-ho's field of vision.

Cross-reference the highest and lowest numbers among the passersby who had been herded to one side after the incident. Give it a quick scan to check for any missing numbers in between, and done.

Su-ho had already climbed the watchtower and finished this task before the Baron even arrived. While his other clansmen were toiling away erecting those heavy tents, he had slipped off and completed this side task on the sly.

"Hmm."

A glimmer of interest appeared in the Obsidian Baron's eyes.

'I see. So the gatekeeper clan has banded tightly together as one.'

'Adversity forges unity, as they say. Instead of tearing at each other's throats over who recommended that Bear-Light Stone investment, they've embraced the illegitimate child as a member of the clan.'

The Baron himself, to say nothing of his other vassals, could not help but inter⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌pret the scene this way.

The clan head had ceded the floor to his heir, and the heir had ceded it to the illegitimate child. And the illegitimate child had reported the incident articulately, as if he had been waiting for his turn.

Without considerable unity and execution, this kind of display could not have emerged so smoothly!

'What admirable youngsters.'

If that was the case, then there was no longer any reason for him, a noble, to be cautious about showing goodwill.

A hearty laugh blossomed across the Obsidian Baron's wrinkled face.

"Ha ha! Mun Geum, you have yourself a very sharp youngest son."

"Oh. Y-yes, Your Excellency......"

The other gatekeepers, who had been craning their ears from outside the barracks, stood slack-jawed. Because of the words "youngest son" that had just come from their lord's mouth.

That was tantamount to their lord publicly declaring that, from this point on, he recognized Mun Su-ho as a member of the gatekeeper clan!

"Si-ah. What good fortune for you as well. How reassuring it must be to have a sibling who has turned out so upstanding. No, wait. Which of the two of you is older?"

Mun Si-ah's eyes turned cold for an instant.

Of course, she had accepted 20 Sita from the illegitimate child earlier. Mun Si-ah was someone who strictly distinguished between public and private matters, and she was willing to perform little-sister duties in proportion to the money received.

'But clarifying who's older and who's younger in front of the lord... isn't that outside the scope of the job?'

At that moment, Mun Su-ho spread his fingers behind his back. Si-ah, who always kept a vigilant eye on the illegitimate child's every move, caught the gesture.

Two fingers. Ah, an extra 20 Sita? Hmm.......

'Not enough.'

Then Mun Su-ho's fingers spread wide open. In this kingdom, all royals were born with six fingers, but Mun Su-ho was an ordinary human, so he had five. 50 Sita! Fifty gold coins!

"Yes, my lord. He is my proud orabeoni."

What Mun Si-ah was thinking was this: who but a fool invests in something like Bear-Light Stone? In this harsh kingdom, what kind of sister would go through life without having a personal human ATM starting with "orabi" right there in her own household?

The patience of a virtuous gentleman knows no shortage, however long the wait. The day she would recover her fortune was not far off.