The others were all hyped up about someone else’s love story.
Wi Seoryeon couldn’t understand why those tribesmen were so invested.
At least, not until a few days ago.
Suddenly, there was Ho Cheon-an, Black Cat, and Miss Yeo Il-ye. Then came the unexpected intrusion by Dokgo I-seol. Not to mention the ambiguous presence of Hyeok Gi-rin.
Who knew the relationships between people could be this thrilling?
‘There’s a reason why people can’t get enough of others’ affairs.’
What happened overnight at the campsite?
And what drama would unfold today?
Dokgo I-seol wouldn’t just sit back and take it either. What tricks was she plotting?
While Wi Seoryeon was lost in her imagination…
“Seoryeon.”
“Yes?”
“We haven’t been able to see each other much lately, right? Since I have some free time today, how about we share a round of gambling this morning?”
Wi Ji-cheon’s suggestion brought a troubled expression to Wi Seoryeon’s face.
Realizing that she planned to stay at the campsite all day again, Wi Ji-cheon gently reminded her, “Even with familiar faces, is it really good for a guest to show up every day?”
“Hmm.”
Wi Seoryeon stiffened at Wi Ji-cheon’s point.
“Maybe you’re right.”
Wi Ji-cheon nodded.
After all, first times are often clumsy. No matter how much goodwill one has, being too much is worse than being too little.
Using closeness as an excuse to keep crossing lines could easily distort a relationship.
‘At least it’s lucky that I understood it all at once…’
“But I will go anyway.”
“…What?”
“I think I’ll be coming back late today, so I wanted to give you a heads-up.”
How could she possibly resist the fascinating spectacle?
“Seoryeon?”
“Haha, it’s fine. Right now, Ho Cheon-an or Black Cat probably won’t have time to care about my visit. I won’t be bothering anyone.”
“….?”
What is this about?
Before Wi Ji-cheon could ask, Wi Seoryeon hastily left. Watching her disappearing figure, Wi Ji-cheon muttered, “I need to check this out.”
*
“Phew.”
Hyeok Gi-rin sighed as he walked through the forest.
To suppress Dokgo I-seol, he had linked arms with Ho Cheon-an, Black Cat, and Miss Yeo Il-ye.
Dokgo I-seol, who’d been rampaging, seemed to calm down in shock.
But Hyeok Gi-rin was just as stunned.
It feels like just the other day they were all panicking together, and now here was undeniable proof of the growing disparity before his eyes, which left him sighing ever since.
“Hah…”
If only Dokgo I-seol weren’t around, could I have linked arms with Ho Cheon-an?
While Hyeok Gi-rin was lost in such gloomy thoughts, he suddenly heard a rustle.
“There you are.”
As the saying goes, just speaking of a tiger brings it closer, and Dokgo I-seol appeared. Even noticing the complex emotions in Hyeok Gi-rin’s expression, she smiled warmly as she spoke.
Hyeok Gi-rin regarded Dokgo I-seol with complicated eyes.
“We haven’t talked since then, have we?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Ah, I felt a bit upset back then. I’d been trying so hard to get close, but you kept distancing yourself and avoiding me.”
“…That was true.”
Hyeok Gi-rin nodded, recalling the time in Sanghwa Roo.
“No matter what the purpose or circumstances, a relationship is still a relationship. This is also a connection, so I wish to request that we be friends.”
Hyeok Gi-rin pondered her request.
If put negatively, it sounded quite shameless; if positively, it was bold indeed.
Mulling over Dokgo I-seol’s words, Hyeok Gi-rin expressed his thoughts.
“You’ve changed quite a lot.”
The Dokgo I-seol he remembered seemed more refined and subdued. After all, didn’t she relocate her base to Gilu quietly, avoiding any power struggles?
And how about her way of expressing affection towards Yongji Maeng?
To catch a general, you shoot arrows.
There was a time when she was forging a bond with Hyeok Gi-rin to pursue Yongji Maeng.
Thinking back to that, Hyeok Gi-rin recalled how Dokgo I-seol would gaze lovingly at Yongji Maeng from a distance, content just watching instead of forcing her way in.
But what about Dokgo I-seol now?
From the get-go, she was attempting to call him “Gaga.” She was no longer shy about challenging the group.
Hyeok Gi-rin couldn’t help but wonder if this Dokgo I-seol was really the same one he knew back then.
“Yes.”
Dokgo I-seol nodded in affirmation.
“I had been rejected and thought retreating was the only way, believing pain would diminish if I curled up like that. I was a foolish girl.”
Dokgo I-seol reflected on those times.
After sending Yongji Maeng away, she merely drank to soothe her wounds.
Realizing the aching heart’s need for purification, Dokgo I-seol made a poignant realization.
“I was foolish. If I want something, I must move to seize it. Why did I just wait? If it’s locked up, I should knock; if it doesn’t open even then, I could break it down.”
If one cannot abandon such feelings, what must be done?
The answer was deceptively simple.
Clear away everything blocking between her and Yongji Maeng.
To do that, she needed power and had been steadily increasing it ever since.
To keep Yongji Maeng by her side.
Hyeok Gi-rin, picking up on Dokgo I-seol’s inner thoughts through her eyes, clenched his fist.
Dokgo I-seol was prepared to give up everything, expressing her heart to Ho Cheon-an, who once was Yongji Maeng.
Afterward, she kindled her feelings toward him and transformed herself.
On the other hand, what had he done?
Spending time being fearful of the current relationship breaking while doing nothing, hopelessly let things pass by.
It was wrong for him to blame Dokgo I-seol for missing the opportunity she created alongside Black Cat and Miss Yeo Il-ye.
The real issue was that he hadn’t done anything during all this time, waiting for Black Cat and Miss Yeo Il-ye to create an opportunity.
Hyeok Gi-rin slowly began to analyze the problem.
Why hadn’t he conveyed his feelings to Ho Cheon-an until now?
Separately from feelings, he hadn’t resolved the practical issues. Being a cross-dressing woman and a princess, inserting the word ‘lover’ into that mix was no easy task.
If he became a lover to Ho Cheon-an, he might have to give up one, or perhaps even both, of the identities he was barely balancing.
He might have to present such a choice to Ho Cheon-an, who had managed to allow both identities to coexist.
That was the crucial reason Hyeok Gi-rin had been unable to voice his feelings until now.
Looking at Dokgo I-seol, Hyeok Gi-rin thought to himself,
‘After all, I can’t become like Dokgo I-seol.’
Becoming a lover of a princess while also disguising as a man.
Just the thought of it conjured countless problems.
It might sound ridiculous, but if he became a lover of Ho Cheon-an, it would be burdensome for her.
Hyeok Gi-rin didn’t want to become a burden to Ho Cheon-an.
Then…
If he confessed and their relationship progressed, would that mean burdening Ho Cheon-an inevitably?
‘Then I’d need to give even more than the weight of the burden I might impose.’
Fearful of burdening Ho Cheon-an, Hyeok Gi-rin’s passive mindset began to shift.
“I can guess the reason why you came to see me, I-seol.”
Dokgo I-seol sensed that something was off with Hyeok Gi-rin’s relaxed brows.
“You were hoping we could become allies, right?”
“…I won’t deny that.”
“While I appreciate the goodwill, I want to find my own strength in my own way.”
Upon locking eyes with Hyeok Gi-rin, Dokgo I-seol sighed deeply. Hyeok Gi-rin’s gaze seemed resolute, as though he had already reached a conclusion in his heart.
“How unfortunate.”
Dokgo I-seol realized that further discussion was futile and sighed again.
The Hyeok Gi-rin from the Sanghwa Roo days had been like this, too.
She seemed pure and soft, easily pushed over, but within, her resolve was remarkably solid.
“Well then. I hope you have a pleasant stroll.”
Hyeok Gi-rin left abruptly, his expression light. Dokgo I-seol sighed at the vanishing figure.
Wanting to establish an alliance with Hyeok Gi-rin to better deal with Black Cat and Miss Yeo Il-ye, she ended up awakening Hyeok Gi-rin instead, making things more complicated for herself.
“Not easy at all.”
Even though the situation had become slightly more troublesome, the determination in Dokgo I-seol’s eyes remained undimmed.
When had she ever expected it to be easy?
Dokgo I-seol set off in the direction where Hyeok Gi-rin had gone.
She couldn’t afford to fall behind in this evolution of Hyeok Gi-rin.
*
The betrayal by Tang Do-yeon had led to the culmination of events.
Shortly after, Dokgo I-seol’s appearance.
An inquiry and a deprivation of freedom.
Dokgo I-seol’s joining the group.
The confrontation between Dokgo I-seol, Black Cat, and Miss Yeo Il-ye.
What had seemed to be the end wasn’t all there was.
“I’m sorry, but I think it’s best to stop the gambling for now.”
“Hmm. I understand.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“If there’s gratitude, I should be the one grateful.”
“…?”
“Oh, just forget what I said. We can just enjoy gambling together with Tang So-yeol. Isn’t that right?”
“Right. We’ll just enjoy gambling together, so treat it as if I’m not here.”
Such shocking news for me.
Due to all this, Hyeok Gi-rin’s gambling lessons had been suspended, but I was eagerly waiting for them to resume.
It was about the only way to escape the overwhelming tension from Black Cat, Miss Yeo Il-ye, and Dokgo I-seol.
Now that I had a romantic partner, snuggling up or holding hands was out of the question, but anyway, I just wanted the gambling lessons to start again, and here was Hyeok Gi-rin directly shutting that down!
“If, if it burdens you to be physically close, then can we do it the old way…”
I tried to plead using the alias I’d been using since Hyeok Gi-rin joined the group, but Hyeok Gi-rin rejected me with fierce clarity.
“It’s fine. I don’t want to take up any more of Ho Cheon-an’s time.”
No! Please, just let me continue my gambling lessons!
I desperately plead, but all I got was Hyeok Gi-rin shaking her head with more conviction than ever.
I couldn’t help but bow my head before her convincing earnestness.
Was I going to suffocate from that? Am I going to pop, either from lack of oxygen or from being overloaded by too much pressure? I accepted my situation, giving up on the only escape route.
However…
The situation unfolded differently than I had imagined.
Hyeok Gi-rin began to linger around me.
“Here, a towel!”
“I’ll handle the dishes!”
Suddenly, she was flitting about, picking up things around me like a squirrel after acorns, watching my every move, rushing over to help for anything.
Like when I had to retie the tent ropes.
Or fetching water or towels after our frequent sparring.
Even our companions seemed to be subtly giving space to her as if they were enchanted by her cuteness, Black Cat and Miss Yeo Il-ye alike. Dokgo I-seol was also observing the situation quietly.
As a result, Hyeok Gi-rin hovering around me had opened up some breathing room.
“How about a cup of tea?”
“Oh, thank you.”
I sincerely thanked Hyeok Gi-rin, feeling grateful for the comfort after so long.
It had been ages since I could relax like this.
I had been puzzled about how to respond when she rejected my gambling lesson, but now that she’d provided a safe space, my gratitude only deepened.
Was this her way of compensating for ending my gambling lessons?
“Haha, it’s nothing much.”
The princess, who supplied me with tranquility, wore a proud expression in response to my gratitude.
What is this adorable creature?
I barely shook off the temptation to give her a big head pat.
“Phew.”
Could this be the sweet relief of an oasis in a desert?
Instead of maintaining a tense posture, I finally leaned back in a chair.
Worry about Tang So-yeol and Wi Seoryeon, who were whispering and scheming some gambling showdown, nagged at me. Even if they were planning to battle it out now, I still relished this moment of peace.
Since I didn’t know how long this little truce would last, I needed to take advantage while I could.
“I’ll come by again tomorrow.”
As I sighed in relief, grateful that the day concluded without any incidents, I slipped into sleep.
Late at night.
Startled awake by the familiar, yet strange presence of Black Dragon Qi, I bolted upright.
In front of the campfire sat a man with jet-black hair and red eyes, basking in its warmth.
“It’s been a while, Ho Cheon-an.”
Heavenly Demon Wi Ji-cheon had come to visit the campsite.
