Scout Jia shook San Jin's shoulder saying, "Come on lad, we have schools to visit. You don't have to worry about Junseo he is up testing his leg already."

"He is? Why didn't he wake me?" San Jin rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"In-Yeon wouldn't let anyone come near. He said you nearly burnt yourself out yesterday."

"Like he is the one to talk. I can't imagine where his strength came from. Not with so many elements in play."

"Yet, you are the one still in bed." In-Yeon leaned into the doorway and grinned. "Call it a benefit of youth, old man."

"Who are you calling old?" San Jin jumped up.

"I'm just glad we have another team member to keep you on your toes." Junseo laughed. He tapped In-Yeon's shoulder then squeezed into the room. He put his hand out to San Jin and was swept into a tight hug.

"Bro," San Jin's voice cracked. He had a wide grin but tears were forming in the corner of his eyes.

"I know," Junseo said and patted San Jin's back assuring him, "I'm alright now."

"Come on gentlemen. We have a schedule to keep. In-Yeon you are going to have breakfast at the Inn with the guards. They have cooked up something to be overheard and will teach you your part on the way. San Jin is going to pretty himself up to impress possible recruits. Junseo needs to go home to reassure his family." Scout Jia clapped his hands together and the boys jumped to do his bidding.

After their little show in the common room the guards agreed to run through a set with In-Yeon in the Inn's courtyard. They did a short version common to the capital but different enough to attract a few spectators. In-Yeon volunteered to coach some of their young visitors so the guards left him to it.

"I wondered where my morning class had strayed," a short man with a wispy mustache said.

"Sorry master," the boys bowed in unison. The man frowned at In-Yeon.

"You don't look old enough to be even an assistant instructor. What have you been playing at?"

"They just wanted me to explain the short form I learned in Leuso and I have a bit of time before my colleagues get back." In-Yeon shrugged.

"Come along to the dojo. Then you can show me what I will have to undo." The man had the young boys line up ahead and marched them out of the courtyard. He did not look back presuming In-Yeon would follow.

In-Yeon shook his head at the rudeness then ask as servant about the dojo.

"Don't worry about the Assistant-Master. He thinks he is the king of the roost because he made it to the junior finals years ago," the boy sweeping the courtyard said.

"Thanks. I think I will just check in on our horses. Is your livery stable very far?" In-Yeon got the boy to sketch a map and then left a note for the guards to let the others know where he would be.

If Junseo had known where In-Yeon would be spending his day he might have tried to join him. Instead, he was being alternatively coddled and berated by his female relatives.

"You can't take risks. Not here, and not when you go back to the capital. You are going back, aren't you?" his grandmother said.

"He is not going back until he is recovered," his mother cut off any response he might have formed.

"You are wearing all your crystals." His sister looked him up and down with a smile.

"Somehow my balance got resolved. I don't know if it was from the overload before the blast or something else but if not for my leg still being a bit weak, I would say I'm totally fine now." Junseo smiled bravely.

The discussion then circled back their questions about what had happened in the days he had been away from home. He tried not to worry them too much but his grandmother read between the lines.

"The Governor is not to be trusted. Nor his guards. Who knows what they were really up to. It wasn't just a quake that took apart the hillside." She observed. Before Junseo could respond they were interrupted by a pair of men claiming to be investigators.

"Just who did you say you were working for?" Grandmother Min asked in an arched tone.

"We are confidential agents," one of the men replied.

"Well unless you have credentials from the palace protocol office you can go investigate somewhere else." Junseo said.

"I beg your pardon?" the other man said.

"I am not discussing affairs of state without a member of the protocol office present." Junseo clarified.

"Did you say, "affairs of state"? By what right? You are an ordinary citizen of G'Sang province." The older member of the pair crossed his arms.

"By right of my contract with the most honorable Knight-Master Lie Wen Hou and my position as civilian advisor to the heir to Psyonan province," Junseo responded calmly.

"You also forget Healer Park operates his clinics under royal charter and by extension his household is not obliged to respond to ordinary civilian authorities." Grandmother Min pointed to the gate. "Don't make us call our guards. They have been busy helping quake victims and will not take kindly to being disturbed."

The two men grumbled but then left without needing further persuasion.

"Confidential agents my foot." Junseo's sister scoffed before rattling on, "Whose confidential agents? Like we would fall for something like that. But who do you think they were? Should we be worried?"

"I'm guessing they wanted to check if I could identify the accord breakers. I am certain I saw the tall one at the castle before the blast," Junseo shook his head slowly. "They likely meant threaten by showing me they know were my family lives."

"I wish my father had been here to see you pull off the "affairs of state" claim. You didn't tell me you have a position with the Psyonan heir." His mother smiled.

"I am sure I wrote to you about Jong Tai Yi. I was thinking of going north with him for a while before the accident. He is back home with his brother now but still needs a friend with an outside perspective. He got his brother to give me a continuing position to make is easier to get letters through without having to share them with the full counsel. Poor kid, I just have to register when I get his messages with the protocol office, not their content."

"Don't try to distract us. You just told us you witnessed a breach of the accords." Grandmother Min wagged her finger.

"If you heard the blast, you all witnessed it," Junseo said but then put up his hands. "No. You are right. I will need to make a statement but it's probably not safe for me to do it here. Not unless a protocol officer I know shows up with a full troop of palace guards. Has anyone even seen the Governor since the blast?"

"His crazy wife made a big show of going to the market like nothing was the matter. She carried on even as none of the hillside crumbled. A lot of their inner circle lost homes but she was in a temper over not being able to find her favorite color of embroidery silk." Junseo's sister mimed the way the woman shifted through baskets and berated storekeepers.

"Who knows with her. She could be covering or just not caring." Junseo's mother said with uncharacteristic venom. When she saw their surprised looks she continued, "What?' I am not going to pretend to mourn if that lecher is gone. If he is still alive Junseo should go straight back to the capital." Junseo's mother took in their shocked faces. "Are we all pretending we don't know how he served his wife's perverse appetites?"

"I, for one, would rather not know. Not now. Not ever." Junseo said with a shiver.

"Then you will go back with your team members. If you are up to riding, I will pay the tolls." His grandmother said with a nod.