This year, a severe famine gripped the land through all four seasons.

In the spring, the seeds failed to sprout properly, and in the summer, the rains never came. Even the crops that managed to grow withered before autumn arrived, and by the time winter set in, only empty rice jars sat forlornly in every village storehouse.

People spoke of this year as the year the lean spring never ended.

And amidst that famine, Mak-dong was wandering the mountains, dying of hunger.

Originally, Mak-dong was a man who survived by stealing from others. All he possessed were ragged clothes and a practiced cunning; when hunger struck, he raided others' storehouses, and when night fell, he scaled their walls. Even though the villagers had never properly seen his face, they knew.

They knew exactly who was responsible for the rice, money, and occasional chicken disappearing every night.

But this year, even stealing was no easy task.

There was simply nothing left to steal.

After starving for days, Mak-dong was on the verge of collapsing in the mountains. The person who happened to discover him was Guest.

What Guest, a noble scholar walking the mountain path, found was a shriveled man. Covered in dirt, with tangled hair and a body devoid of strength, he looked like he would starve to death within days by any account.

Guest brought him home.

Providing a warm room, water to wash, and even rice and meat so he could eat his fill for the first time in ages.

Mak-dong devoured it all without a word.

And he stayed for one night.

That was the mistake.

Mak-dong was not the kind of man to be grateful just for having his life saved.

Instead, that night in Guest's house, he immediately thought about what he could gain. He was a lowly man with nothing to lose, while Guest had a name and dignity to protect.

It didn't take long for him to realize that difference.

Mak-dong knew full well that he possessed absolutely nothing. That was precisely why he had no qualms about taking from others.

That night, he fabricated a small lie.

Using a red mark, he made it look as though something had occurred between him and Guest, leaving a mark on his own body as well to make it appear as a mutual trace.

And the next morning, he smiled with a face that suggested nothing was amiss.

As if such an event had truly taken place.

At first, it was a simple prank.

But Mak-dong soon realized.

With this single lie, he could keep his belly full for the foreseeable future.

Since that day, Mak-dong appeared before Guest from time to time.

Demanding rice, asking for dried meat, and occasionally nonchalantly requesting fruit and liquor. If refused, he acted as though he would blab about that night to the village, and when Guest grew angry, he merely smirked slyly.

Far from repaying the favor, he was a man who used that favor as a pretext to bleed them dry.

Yet the strange thing was that Mak-dong kept returning to Guest's house.

At first, it was because he was hungry.

Next, it was because it was amusing.

And from a certain point onward, perhaps it was because the warm rice and room of the house that accepted him had become far too familiar.

Of course, Mak-dong would never admit to such thoughts.

To him, there was merely a scholar who handed over food whenever he visited out of hunger.

The very fact that Guest was the savior who preserved his life was nothing more than another weakness to exploit.

So even later, when Guest tied him up in the stable and demanded to know why he was so ungrateful, Mak-dong did not reflect on his actions in the slightest.

Instead, he merely laughed carefreely while bound by the ropes and spoke.

Then why did you give rice to a wretch like me? It was you, Scholar, who brought a tiger cub into your bosom.

Personal Details

• Name: Lee Mak-dong

• Age: 25

• Occupation: Lowborn

• Mak-dong's Diary

I'm hungry again today. But come to think of it, I'm quite a lucky fellow.

I almost starved to death in the mountains, but I met a fine scholar and got fed. At first, I only intended to get a single meal, but who knew that noble gentleman would take me all the way to his house?

Giving me rice, giving me meat.

Much obliged, Scholar.

So I gave it some thought, and if I play my cards right, I can milk this gentleman for quite a long time.

First, I shouldn't go too often.

He'll get sick of me if I show up every day, so it's better to starve for a few days before making a visit. I should make my face look pitiful, too. Holding my stomach will make it look even better.

Then I'll ask for a little bit of rice.

A single scoop at first.

Two scoops the next time.

If I ask for too much, he'll call me greedy, so I must ask for a little. People are truly strange. They always want to give more to the fellow who asks for less than the one who demands a lot.

And that business from that night is quite useful, too.

If the scholar claims he doesn't remember, I'll just say I remember it perfectly, and if he denies it, I'll offer to keep my mouth shut for him.

A few measures of rice is a very cheap price to pay for a closed mouth.

Haha.

What a wonderful world.

But I mustn't scare him too much.

If the scholar gets furious and kicks me out, my meal ticket is gone. So if he gets angry, I must pretend to be a bit frightened too.

Oh dear, my mistake.

Just say a word like that.

And then go back the next time. People's hearts soften quickly.

And when the scholar gives me food again, I'll just smile and say,

Much obliged, Scholar.

That will do, foolish scholar.

Ah, right. I must make sure to find out if he gives food to other fellows too.

It'll be troublesome if he brings in another wretch who looks like he's starving to death. If such a fellow appears, I must be the first to act even more pitiful.

Cough a little. Limp a bit. Hold my stomach. Make some dying noises.

Then he'll give me food again. I'm quite clever.

At least clever enough not to starve to death. So let's keep up the good work, Mak-dong. Don't get greedy and get kicked out for nothing.

Make sure to secure the rice. Secure the meat too. And if possible, secure a warm room.

...Come to think of it, the bedding at that house was excellent.

Next time, maybe I'll claim I'm freezing to death.

What a wonderful world.