Yoo Gyeong visited Yuya’s place of confinement.
Usually, confinement means to cut off social activities and take time for self-reflection. Thus, Yuya was in a position where she had to refuse any visitors while also not leaving her confinement, but exceptions exist in every situation.
That exception was the Emperor of the Huang Nation, Yoo Gyeong.
“I’ve come. Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“How can you come to visit on the very first day of my confinement? The powerful nobles haven’t lost all their power yet, so you should avoid actions that could be criticized.”
Yuya greeted Yoo Gyeong with a wry smile. However, despite receiving her reprimand, Yoo Gyeong couldn’t stop smiling. Even though her words were bitter, her eyes shimmered with joy.
“Haha, it’s the first day, so I must visit! I’ll be coming often, so remember that.”
“Hehe, understood.”
Yuya and Yoo Gyeong sat across from each other and chatted. Although the main topic was the turbulent situation of the Huang Nation, their conversation was warm and cheerful.
“Indeed, the power of the powerful nobles, which had been gradually shrinking, has completely crumbled because of this opportunity. They won’t have any way to endure anymore.”
“They are people who have endured until now. Don’t push them too hard just because you have the chance.”
“I’m worried about how to treat the Jeomchang Faction. If we treat their sages similarly to the National Master, it would cause an uproar.”
“We’ve received great kindness from them. However, it’s more helpful to substitute their public influence with monetary compensation.”
“Hehe. Yes, you can cover some of those costs with your tribute. The young helpers from the Jeomchang Faction would surely want to have Seo Gong dolls, right?”
“Wait! Older Brother! While I’m trapped here, you mustn’t carelessly dispose of the Seo Gong dolls! There are still many dolls I haven’t confirmed yet!”
Seeing Yuya’s flustered response, Yoo Gyeong glanced around her room. Upon closer look, it was adorned with various Seo Gong dolls, wasn’t it?
Feeling Yoo Gyeong’s gaze, Yuya’s face turned slightly red.
“Who would refuse such a request? Thanks to the influx of tributes, the treasures in the palace are overflowing, but I must try my best! The expenses from the golden tribute Samayeom sent were indeed useful for expanding the storage.”
“Ah, that much isn’t necessary…”
“Hahahaha!”
“Older Brother!”
As Yoo Gyeong watched Yuya balling her tiny fists in a mix of embarrassment and anger, he thought to himself. How could he ever hand over such a cute little sister to Ho Cheon-an?
It was true that he owed a great kindness to Ho Cheon-an, but he could repay that in another way.
After all, a person is different when they go in and come out of the bathroom.
Only Ho Cheon-an’s flaws occupied Yoo Gyeong’s mind.
He acknowledged that he had some talent, but in the end, he was a person without a home. The reports about the Seo Gong dolls increasing made it impossible to cover with financial means, but money alone wouldn’t solve the issue of housing either.
And what about relationships with women?
Yoo Gyeong envisioned Ho Cheon-an surrounded by Heukmyo, Miss Yeo Il-ye, Dokgo I-seol, and Moyong Yeon-hwa, looking utterly dazed. He had never actually seen Ho Cheon-an like that, but it was how he imagined it.
‘Handing our Yuya over to such a guy? Absolutely not!’
While Yoo Gyeong pretended to smile, his teeth were gritted inside.
“By the way, it’s a pity. I wanted to express my gratitude to the martial artist Ho Cheon-an.”
“Hehe, you can convey it in a month.”
“That’s true, but…”
Seeing Yuya’s disappointed expression, Yoo Gyeong covered his twitching eyebrows with his palm.
“Hehe, is he really that great to you?”
“W-What do you mean! It’s only right to express gratitude when one is indebted, isn’t it?!”
Seeing her face turning bright red and flailing, Yoo Gyeong felt he didn’t need to push any further. He hid his inner thoughts and continued his conversation with Yuya while leaving her confinement.
A month.
The month in this confinement was indeed a crucial turning point. It was a contest of how much they could delay the marriage between Hyeok Gi-rin and Ho Cheon-an!
Marriage procedures in royal families cannot be rushed.
‘If Yuya and Ho Cheon-an, um, get married, that alone would be an unprecedented situation. There are endless ways to drag it out!’
If Princess Yuya could just get consent in that marriage process, there would still be a chance.
Therefore, Yoo Gyeong urgently separated Ho Cheon-an and Yuya. It was clear that Ho Cheon-an would hasten the marriage, and the moment Yuya and Ho Cheon-an faced each other, Yoo Gyeong’s plans would be over.
‘Who knows what that guy Ho Cheon-an might come up with? I must block any contact between Yuya and him!’
After finishing his thoughts, Yoo Gyeong looked up at the place of confinement. Hyeok Gi-rin’s confinement was merely a palace in name. Even though there were excessive troops gathered to guard it, it didn’t seem enough to confidently say they could block Ho Cheon-an’s invasion.
“Strengthen the guards even more so that no one can come near.”
“Yes!”
The already thick barrier made of people thickened even more. Even to Yoo Gyeong, who wasn’t well-versed in martial arts or security, it seemed thoroughly secure, enough that not only would intruders find it impossible to enter, but even a small note couldn’t possibly flutter in!
Satisfied with inspecting the security situation meticulously, Yoo Gyeong turned around with a pleased smile. With guards like this, even the talented Ho Cheon-an would never be able to infiltrate!
“Hahaha!”
Yoo Gyeong left with a refreshing smile.
That night, an uninvited guest appeared in the confinement where Yuya was staying.
* *
“It’s an emergency meeting!!!”
After the decision was made to lighten Hyeok Gi-rin’s confinement, the group that had been joyfully celebrating everything coming together gathered.
“What’s going on?”
I recounted to the group the events that transpired with the Emperor. They all showed a startled expression.
“The Emperor must be planning to use sweet words and flattery to enchant Hyeok Gi-rin and delay the marriage!”
“Wow, his ability to govern the nation is truly among the best of past emperors…”
“Ugh, um… It proves just how much he cares for Big Brother.”
“Being close to your siblings isn’t always a good thing.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa smirked as she opened her mouth.
“First, we need to inform Princess Yuya about this.”
“Even if the guards are tight, isn’t there bound to be some opportunity to sneak in a note? After all, there’s also the Black Cat Miss and the powerful noble involved.”
I shook my head at Dokgo I-seol’s suggestion.
“I just scouted, and it seems quite difficult. The guards have formed a wall of people.”
“You already went on a reconnaissance…?”
“If the Emperor is determined, the security will be impenetrable even for a martial artist.”
“Isn’t there any good plans?”
“What about sending something to the princess?”
“Oh, that sounds like a good idea.”
We decided to adopt Moyong Yeon-hwa’s suggestion. Although I was currently at odds with Yoo Gyeong, causing a commotion within the royal family wasn’t a wise choice.
Moyong Yeon-hwa chatted with Dokgo I-seol, after which they began to get busy with Seo Gong dolls. The two of them skillfully cut and stitched fabric, clearly skilled in their craft, even to someone like me who was clueless about embroidery and sewing.
In this respect, Dokgo I-seol and Moyong Yeon-hwa definitely had the vibe of coming from distinguished families. The skill of making clothes was often considered a necessary refinement for women in this era.
Yeo Il-ye picked up a scrap of cloth, thinking she might help, but ended up dropping a wrongly sewn piece, giving a sheepish smile, while Heukmyo lost interest after just a few stitches.
“I’m envious of your skills…”
“If you grasp the tricks a little, your skills will improve in no time.”
“If I had spent this time learning martial arts instead of stitching and embroidery, I’d be a much better expert by now.”
As I tried to join in and help, I was told that men didn’t need to sew, and I got swatted on the back of my hand, retreating to a corner. As I watched the group’s work, a costume for the Seo Gong dolls emulating the palace maids was soon completed.
“Here we go, it’s finished.”
“If we put a note inside, I bet Miss Geum Myeong-wol, or rather the princess, will notice right away. She loves to hug the dolls.”
It’s true that Hyeok Gi-rin probably would roll around on the bed hugging the doll. The doll crafted through the palace maids was delivered to Hyeok Gi-rin, but the next day, there was still no response.
“It seems like the plan has failed.”
“If we can’t deliver the item, we might have to resort to infiltration…”
Eventually, Heukmyo and I went out for reconnaissance. After circling the palace where Hyeok Gi-rin was confined, Heukmyo said incredulously.
“How many guards has Yoo Gyeong placed?”
Yoo Gyeong had built double and triple layers of human barriers. Due to the extensive and dense distribution of people, it was practically impossible to approach.
It was the essence of human-based tactics; faced with the overwhelming numbers, Heukmyo and I could only feel helpless as we returned to the gathering area.
“Ugh.”
It was a situation where approaching through ordinary means was utterly impossible. Should I really fly in? But then, that would cause chaos, obviously. What if I wrote something in the sky above Nangyang with fireworks?
While I was seriously considering such fantastical plans, something unexpectedly grabbed at my pant leg.
“…What are you holding onto that tail for?”
Attached to Seo Gong’s tail was a note from Hyeok Gi-rin.
* *
“Older Brother, this is truly embarrassing.”
“Ugh!”
The quarrel between me and Yoo Gyeong ended rather anticlimactically.
Although Yoo Gyeong’s barrier was impressive, it seemed inadequate to catch the attention of powerful martial artist Hyeok Gi-rin or to stop the occasionally disappearing Seo Gong.
Along with my thanks and a note about missing her, I scribbled down Yoo Gyeong’s misdeeds on the back and sent it back to Hyeok Gi-rin. Immediately, Hyeok Gi-rin summoned us in a furious state.
“How could the ruler of the great Huang Nation speak with a forked tongue?”
“I-I never made such a promise!”
“Is a promise only valid if it’s spoken aloud? Don’t disappoint me any further.”
“Y-Yuya! Let’s just live happily at the palace together!!!”
“Speak rationally! Should I dare repeat that again?”
Most likely, that statement translated to, “Older Brother, I really hate you!” Imagining that left Yoo Gyeong with tears welling in his eyes as he lowered his head, admitting his fault.
Seeing this, Hyeok Gi-rin’s heart softened, and he let out a long sigh as he consoled Yoo Gyeong.
“I understand, Older Brother. It’s natural to feel sad knowing I’ll be an outsider once my identity is restored.”
“…”
“Even if I become an outsider, how could I turn my back on the royal family? Don’t feel sad, Older Brother.”
“Will you come to the palace often, even after marriage?”
“Of course.”
“Will you stay half a year at the palace?”
“Well, that’s a bit…”
“In that case, will your home still be in Nangyang?”
“Please, be reasonable!”
Eventually, as Yoo Gyeong was being comforted, Hyeok Gi-rin exploded, leading to Yoo Gyeong leaving the palace with slumped shoulders.
“Phew! I can’t believe such an Older Brother is the ruler of a nation and the father of a family. Unbelievable!”
I could only smirk at the sight of the furious Hyeok Gi-rin. After he calmed down from his outburst of rage, he looked at me and smiled.
“By the way, the Seo Gong doll you sent was received well.”
“Really? Actually, I put a note in it, but it seems like that didn’t work out.”
“Hehe, as long as the doll is cute, that’s all that matters. Although Seo Gong is cuter.”
Watching Hyeok Gi-rin energetically talk about the charm of the doll made by the group, or more precisely, the one made by Dokgo I-seol and Moyong Yeon-hwa, couldn’t help but bring a smile to my face.
This was indeed the part of Hyeok Gi-rin that Jang Yi and the rest of the world wanted to protect.
As I observed Hyeok Gi-rin smiling brightly, she said, “Thank you. You’ve gone through a lot for my sake until now.”
“It was nothing special.”
It was true that I had a hard time. However, considering how much Hyeok Gi-rin had helped me, it didn’t seem all that significant.
The Jeokgwi Daebyeol also moved for me, and Seo Gong was attentive to me as well; there were countless things to be grateful for.
“The true heroes were the citizens who supported the princess.”
“That’s true… I’ll need to repay the support of those who stood by me. There’s a lot of work to be done ahead.”
Hyeok Gi-rin moved a step closer. Her eyes held a blend of excitement and tension. I didn’t refuse as I embraced the approaching Hyeok Gi-rin. The lovely scent that invaded my nostrils was likely one touched by the palace maids.
After all, the Hyeok Gi-rin I had seen while traveling was certainly different from the one all decked out as Princess Yuya.
But Hyeok Gi-rin is Hyeok Gi-rin. Whether I held Hyeok Gi-rin in my arms or Princess Yuya, it was the same. That slightly warm body temperature, the shy squirming movements within my hug, and the always flushed face were all Hyeok Gi-rin’s.
And,
The gradually closing distance between our lips, the soft feeling of her lips touching mine, and the sweetness of completely surrendering to me in a kiss were all Hyeok Gi-rin’s.
It was a long or perhaps short kiss, and afterwards, Hyeok Gi-rin exhaled gently and asked,
“Will you continue helping the great hero Ho Cheon-an?”
To her question, I replied,
“I will serve you for a lifetime.”
A bright smile spread across Hyeok Gi-rin’s face as her tiny hands wrapped around my neck. Then her crescent-shaped lips came closer once more.
What a passionate princess she is!
I thought to myself as I leaned in and kissed her again.
It was a day of sweet reunion after a long journey.
