The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 227: Normal Operations - 6

A manager’s job isn’t just about putting bells on cats.

“First-floor display team, gather up. I told you to sort the books that are running low and report them to the print room.”

If you’ve gotten benefits, you should take feedback too. I started pointing out the issues that came up yesterday.

“Sorry. I forgot.”

“The press runs all day, which means the small-batch prints scheduled for the morning need to be done quickly. Don’t let it happen again.”

“Yes, sir! I’ll keep that in mind!”

“I’ve prepared a recommended reading list—read through it when you have time. And print team, same goes for you. Why didn’t you check why there was no report from the first floor yesterday? Didn’t I tell you to ask?”

“Apologies. I thought there were no low-stock titles, so I just followed your day’s plan directly.”

“I understand things are busy. Just try to be a little more thorough. I’m less worried since some of you already have printing experience, but you still need to be meticulous with inspections. If we’re short on materials, we have to place orders early—so report before we run out.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And you cleaning staff, don’t just stand there thinking it’s not your problem. Pick up trash right away, and keep straightening books throughout the day. Everyone makes mistakes, but we can reduce them by following procedure.”

“We’ll keep that in mind!”

Mistakes happen—it’s part of the job. But if someone’s willing to speak up and correct them, even if it’s unpleasant, that’s how you improve.

“I’ll be out checking on vendors today, so everyone focus on your tasks.”

Busy morning. After giving my reminders, I stepped out of Daseogak.

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“The type’s cracking way too often. Isn’t the alloy too soft?”

I’d dropped by one of our suppliers, the one that provides lead type for the printing press, to have a word about the latest batch.

“Well, of course it breaks when you run the machine nonstop! You think casting type is easy work?! If you don’t like it, go order somewhere else!”

“Funny you say that—other places are offering me better prices.”

“What the—! You little—! I went out of my way to make those for you!”

“I’m counting on you.”

Daseogak’s print room can’t cast its own lead alloy type. We can’t be melting lead right next to all that paper and tea—imagine the smell.

Once I start making real money, I’ll need to set up a proper print shop.

After leaving the foundry, I stopped by another bookstore.

“You’re asking if we take print orders? We can, but how’s this price sound?”

The bookstore owner showed me their in-house press and offered a per-copy rate.

“I know what the standard cost is. You’re really gonna hit me with that?”

“Hey now! This is the going rate anywhere these days! But don’t you have your own press at Daseogak? Why’re you outsourcing? Don’t tell me—Volume 3’s coming out?”

“It’s not that. Business is just going well lately.”

“If it is Storm of the Tang Clan, let me sell it in my store. I’ll give you a good price per copy.”

Tempting, but outsourcing cuts too deeply into profits compared to producing books in-house with unpaid labor and our own press.

“I’ll be back another time.”

I asked around at a few other stores just in case, but it was the same everywhere.

In the end, I’ll just have to print as many copies of Volume 3 as possible before launch.

By the time I finished checking vendors, the morning sun was already high in the sky.

Having employees has made things easier in some ways, but the pressure as a manager has only increased. It’s like my arms and legs multiplied, but my brain stayed the same.

I don’t do as much physical labor anymore, but the number of things I have to worry about has doubled.

I need someone I can trust—someone reliable enough to handle real responsibility.

I need a manager.

That’s the problem when you’re a barbarian living in the Central Plains. No blood ties, no hometown connections, no alumni networks, no nepotism. I don’t have anything.

And because it involves money, it has to be someone trustworthy. Someone I can rely on, who’s competent, fast on their feet—someone who can even visit vendors in my place.

There’s someone I have in mind.

But I’m still debating the right time to bring it up.

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“Manager! You came for lunch?”

I’d stopped by the inn to settle the lunch bill for the staff when Ha So-so called out to me.

“Miss Ha So-so. So it’s already lunchtime, is it?”

“Hehe. If you’re here to eat, join us! Ha-yeon unni’s here too.”

She didn’t point, but finding Im Ha-yeon wasn’t hard.

A stunning beauty in a black Chinese dress? Not exactly subtle.

She must’ve noticed me too. The moment our eyes met from across the tavern, she let out a huff and immediately looked away.

If you’re going to pretend not to know me, why were you staring? What a difficult woman.

It really would be great if Im Ha-yeon could take on a management role.

There’s no connection more reliable than being sworn siblings. And lately, with how well I’ve been treating her, it feels like the distance between us is closing—or maybe widening again. I really can’t tell.

If I keep being good to her and we grow closer, I should be ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) able to entrust her with a leadership role eventually.

She wants something from Daseogak. I need something from her. If I give it time, I think I can place her in a key position.

Of course, her obsessive love for Storm of the Tang Clan makes me happy as the author... but as a bookstore owner, it’s a risk.

Im Ha-yeon... Please, just don’t cause any trouble.

“Manager?”

“Ah! I’ve got errands to run. Enjoy your meal.”

“You could’ve stayed for the lunch set...”

It’s fine. I’m used to eating alone. If I get hungry later, I’ll just shoot a solo episode of The Lonely Gourmet: Kang Yun-ho Edition.

Leaving Ha So-so’s disappointed voice behind, I stepped out of the inn.

*********

Meanwhile...

After turning her gaze away from Kang Yun-ho, Im Ha-yeon was deep in thought—tormented by the same problem that had plagued her all day.

I want to read Volume 3 of Storm of the Tang Clan so badly.

She wanted it. Craved it. Needed to be the first reader to see it.

Why did that man have to tell her it was being printed? Why plant this torment in her chest? She let out a soft sigh of frustration.

If only there were actual distance—like between Wusan and Yichang—maybe she could bear it.

But no, it was just one locked door away. One single door. Didn’t it feel like that door wanted her to open it?

Multiple times a day, she found herself staring at that print room door, lost in turmoil.

I know every detail of Daseogak’s security.

Being a modern bookstore, Daseogak had excellent security. Other thieves wouldn’t even consider breaking in.

But she wasn’t just any thief.

In her mind, she mapped out Daseogak’s security and every weakness. Not that she meant to—but it’s hard to ignore what she’s trained to see.

And so, after much inner debate, she reached a quiet conclusion.

I could do it. Even from outside, she could infiltrate the store and reach the print room in no time.

So then, she’d get to read it?

No. No, I have to hold back.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

If a break-in happened and Ho-pil found out... if he got hurt by it... He might actually quit writing. That thought alone was unbearable.

And then—

...That man trusts me.

She remembered his face as he asked her for help.

He knew what she’d been trained in. Knew what she loved. And even so, instead of locking her out, he’d trusted her to report anything suspicious.

—No one dreams of climbing over another person’s wall.

—It’s one thing to know how, another to want to.

Kang Yun-ho... he believed in me.

She’d said she didn’t want to be a thief. That she wasn’t like her master. And he had taken her at her word—had even gently held her wrists as he pleaded for her help.

And then, something strange and fluttery rose up in her chest.

Still... if I just snuck in at night and took a peek...

That warm, fluttery feeling fizzled out quickly under the weight of her internal crisis.

Maybe she could read it fast and leave... But this was Storm of the Tang Clan! You don’t just skim it. You savor every word, every scene. If she were going to read it properly, she’d need to do it in her own room.

And so, despite all efforts to suppress it, the temptation kept clawing at her.

“Unni?”

“Ugh... I want to read it so badly.”

Volume 3. The temptation was massive. So massive she wanted to mess up the perfect hairstyle she’d carefully done that morning.

“Unni?!”

“...Hm?”

Only when Ha So-so called out again, louder this time, did she snap back to reality.

“Manager Kang said he’s not coming to eat.”

“I figured as much.”

“Funny, for someone who knew, you sure put your chopsticks down fast when you spotted him.”

Ha So-so glanced at the chopsticks Im Ha-yeon had nudged aside.

“I didn’t want to sit here watching someone else eat, okay?”

She pouted a little, pretending she’d done it without any thought.

“Unni, are you... maybe worried about something?”

I want to read Volume 3. The words nearly spilled out, but she swallowed them back.

“...It’s hard to talk about.”

Is it a sin to not open a door you can open?

Is it really theft to just... read a book?

No—she didn’t need to betray Ho-pil and that man’s trust.

Wait. No. That man doesn’t matter.

...No. He does. Her thoughts were spinning. It was chaos in her head.

“Sounds like it’s something I shouldn’t hear. Does it have to do with Manager Kang?”

Ha So-so narrowed her eyes and smiled, all too knowingly.

“Why’d you bring him up all of a sudden?”

It wasn’t accurate—but it hit too close. The question made her raise her voice in protest without meaning to.

“Ah! So I was right. Hehe.”

“No, you weren’t!”

Why was she even smiling? Even while denying it, Ha-yeon couldn’t shake the sense that she'd just lost something.

“Then is it the kind of problem Manager Kang could help with?”

Would he understand if she told him?

No. That’s crazy. How do you even say, “I want to sneak into your print room and read the manuscript I swore not to touch”?

“No, it’s not.”

“If it’s Manager Kang, I bet he’d help. Why not tell him? I’m sure he’d listen to you.”

Ha So-so’s grin only widened.

“W-Why would I?”

“Hehe. Don’t you know? Seriously?”

“...Know what?”

What was this girl even talking about?

Im Ha-yeon leaned in, her curiosity reluctantly piqued.

“Manager Kang totally likes you, unni.”

“Wh-wh-wh-what?!”