The Imperial Palace Archives
Soun spoke of everything too lightly.
What made it hard to believe was that Jimin had scarcely ever witnessed his true martial prowess with her own eyes.
Even when trouble arose, he would insist—through endless bargaining and pleading—that one must learn how to live alongside the world, yet he would not so much as lift a finger.
It was only those who traveled with him who grew weary.
Fine. Let's try it then. What else can we do? They're the ones chasing after a Hwageong master…
Jimin ran straight to the secret branch office.
She released the fastest carrier pigeon, sending word to Jin Musik of the Jin household.
All she instructed was that the name of the inn where they were staying be delivered.
That alone would settle the matter at Jin Manor.
But they would all come.
Her thoughts were tangled.
She knew the temperament of martial artists too well for her worries to fade easily.
Unaware of her concerns, Soun urged that they climb Namsan that night to watch the moon.
It was the suggestion of a carefree boy.
Late that afternoon, while flipping through books in a shop, Soun suddenly thought of the Compendium.
The story that the book had come from the Imperial Palace Archives, and the fact that he was now standing in the imperial capital, connected in his mind.
The thought aligned swiftly.
He reproached himself for not making such a simple connection sooner.
The very origin of his martial art lay here, in this capital.
He quietly set down the book he had been holding.
Then he looked for Jimin, who was always nearby.
"Why, Young Master? Tired of reading already?"
Usually Jimin sought Soun, not the other way around.
It was more common for her to grow bored first and suggest they go elsewhere.
Standing beside her, Soun asked with bright curiosity,
"No, it's just something that came to me. If this is the imperial capital, then the Imperial Palace Archives must be here as well."
Jimin covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"The Imperial Palace Archives? That's all exaggeration. Why would the palace have some separate 'archive' building? Even children know there's no structure in the palace with a plaque that says 'Imperial Palace Archives.' People mystified it over time, that's all. There's no such place. Hohoho. They say the Shaolin Temple's Scripture Pavilion holds all kinds of wonders, but in truth it's a very small building with only a few Buddhist texts. The Imperial Palace Archives—really, Young Master, you have such fanciful ideas."
Soun tilted his head.
"That's strange. I was told clearly it came from the Imperial Palace Archives. Then do you happen to know someone called 'Mukeoja'?"
"Mukeoja? Do you mean someone who does not speak? A mute? Someone dark inside? That sounds less like a name and more like a nickname."
Unsatisfied, Soun approached the bookstore owner.
A white-bearded old man greeted him with a gentle smile.
Soun asked with visible urgency.
"Young Master, what book are you seeking today?"
"Not a book. Do you know of someone called 'Mukeoja'?"
"Mukeoja?"
The old man pondered briefly, then shook his head.
"It is an unusual name. Nothing comes to mind. I regret that I cannot help. It sounds less like a personal name and more like something symbolic."
"Not a name? What do you mean?"
"Perhaps it refers to a particular trait. It would be strange to give such a name at birth. If such an author exists, it is likely a pen name—an emblem rather than a true name."
The bookseller explained calmly.
"He must live somewhere here in the capital… if he is still alive…"
Soun murmured to himself.
Jimin stepped closer.
"Mukeoja? What is that?"
"The author of the book. I wished to meet him. If I came to the capital, I thought I might."
Jimin burst into laughter.
"You are so innocent. 'Mukeoja' means one who chooses silence. Silent speech. It can mean, 'I have said nothing at all.' Such a person would be hard to find. And the Imperial Palace Archives—there is no such thing. Do you understand?"
"I see… But truly, there is no archive in the palace?"
"Go and look yourself if you have time. You won't find any plaque reading 'Imperial Palace Archives.' That's something out of martial fiction. The idea of a supreme instructor within the Imperial Guards is exaggerated as well. The bureaucracy is far too complex for some mythical rank that transcends everything. Young Master, have you been reading too many novels instead of studying?"
"General Lee would not have lied… And the book was real."
"What book is it?"
"Have you heard of it? The Complete Compendium of Martial Arts Across East and West, Past and Present. We simply call it the Compendium."
At the title, Jimin could not hold back and burst into laughter.
"What a ridiculous name. To encompass all martial arts of all ages and lands? Young Master, what has gotten into you today? Such a fantastical manual cannot exist. It must be fake. The very name declares itself so. In novels, they speak of the Yijin Jing and the Marrow-Cleansing Scripture as supreme manuals, yet those are merely basic cultivation guides. What secret is there to strengthening one's body? Repeat something a million times and you'll grow stronger. Hoho."
Soun did not press further.
Not every curiosity could be resolved at once.
Since he was in the capital, he believed the truth would reveal itself in time.
Though he had taken hearsay seriously, he did not conclude that he was mistaken.
Stories may be distorted, but something cannot arise from nothing.
He still believed that somewhere within the palace grounds there stood a hidden archive, and before it, a man named Mukeoja quietly keeping watch.