Last day at the Sichuan Tang Family.
Even if I could reunite with Hwa-rin, and even if the time could be shortened depending on my reputation or Hwa-rin’s efforts, the inevitable day of parting had come.
I hadn’t brought anything with me; I could return with just a horse, yet it seemed the Sichuan Tang Family had no thoughts of that at all.
Like a grandmother trying to send off her grandchild with just a little more on a holiday, they prepared a carriage and decided to pack me gifts.
I firmly rejected it due to the issues between the Tang Family and me, but when they started mentioning my fake bloodline and Hwa-rin, I couldn’t help but nod.
Of course, the reason was also that the gift sets they were packing were too nice to claim they were trying to win me over with something trivial!
The guard unit’s head came to my room after finishing his preparations for departure.
“The carriage is ready. Hurry… Why is Elder Councilman here?”
I welcomed the guard unit with the Elder Councilman, who had opposed me so fiercely in the council.
“Ahem. I have business to attend to.”
Indeed, the Elder Councilman had quite the business to attend to.
It seemed unexpected for him to run into the guard unit while briefly visiting my room, as he awkwardly coughed and avoided eye contact.
“I’ve completed the signature for volumes 1 and 2 of The Rise of the Tang Family.”
I handed the books to the Elder Councilman with a nonchalant expression.
When I saw him knocking on the door on my departure day, I thought I was going to be assassinated, but who knew he’d show up wanting an autograph!
“Thank you.”
“Elder Councilman?”
Even the guard unit was taken aback, looking at the Elder Councilman in disbelief.
“What? Are you dissatisfied? My son desperately wanted the autograph for The Rise of the Tang Family but couldn’t meet you, so here I am!”
“Weren’t you so diligent in the council?”
That was my point.
The guard unit looked at the Elder Councilman with a gaze that suggested perhaps his face had been hardened by poison and he didn’t know the concept of shame.
“Making me feel awkward! Politics have no eternal allies or enemies. Now that the Deputy Head of Family has awakened, and the heir issue has been resolved, I have no reason to harbor ill feelings towards Ho Pil, the author.”
By not calling me by name and addressing me as the author, was he considering me no longer a threat to the Tang Family?
“Should I take care of your grandson too?”
“Just get his autograph on this new book. I’ve sent someone to fetch the new book.”
The Elder Councilman handed me a stiff new copy of The Rise of the Tang Family.
Is he trying to give his grandson a New Year’s gift? An autograph set beyond the ham set? Just thinking about it makes my heart swell.
“Elder Councilman.”
“I know I’m not thick-skinned. Don’t drop your voice like that! I’ll somehow reward Ho Pil, the author, next time!”
“That’s not it—Elder Councilman, doesn’t your grandson still need to learn how to walk?”
“…I think I’ll be taking my leave!”
With a flustered face, the Elder Councilman grabbed the signed copy of The Rise of the Tang Family and bolted out of the room.
The light body movement of the Sichuan Tang Family is impressive! I watched the Elder Councilman flee so fast he was out of sight even from the window and turned to the guard unit.
“Thanks to you, I won’t be getting harassed while at the tea bookstore.”
“Is that why you did it?”
“There’s a saying in Joseon: ‘Give one more rice cake to the one you dislike.’”
If a simple action can yield a great favor, it’s the virtue of social life.
It’s easy to keep showing disdain toward someone you dislike, but in social life, you never know when that person could be holding the dagger.
“Joseon does have some worthwhile proverbs. I’ve loaded all the luggage outside, and the guard will follow to Yichang. Hwa-rin should greet the child and come out.”
What a surprise—he didn’t belittle the barbarians’ words and even acknowledged them.
“I can feel they’re trying to rush me out of the Sichuan Tang Family.”
I said with a light tone, chuckling.
“…”
“Just a joke. I’m sorry; if you make that kind of awkward face, I wouldn’t know how to respond.”
“The Deputy Head of Family has awakened. Hwa-rin should greet that child and leave before more attention is drawn.”
Once the Deputy Head of Family awoke, cheers erupted within the Tang Family.
The illegitimate child of the Tang Family, Tang Geoh, the poisoner, the Demonic Cult, the Deputy Head of Family, internal purges, all seemed to be getting sorted out, but everything is still not over—what a messy situation.
It would be best to leave the Tang Family before the eyes turn back to me.
“I said I’d be leaving today; that’s why. By the way, I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Hwa-rin. Did you know it would turn out like this?”
The guard unit’s attitude had been suspicious since before Hwa-rin was cured. He must have known what would happen to her. Or perhaps he intentionally kept the Tang Family’s secret garden inaccessible.
I looked at the guard unit with a hint of suspicion.
“…It was the ‘human-faced tree’ and ‘Thousand Year Old Poison.’ The highest possibility was that she would pass away. No matter how much effort I put in, I thought it wouldn’t yield the results you two wanted.”
The guard unit looked at me with an apologetic face as if something he was unable to say had occurred.
“I know you did your best.”
So it was as I feared—it seems nothing could be done. But that’s fine.
Though the guard unit looked apologetic, he achieved the best outcome. Hwa-rin was neither dead nor would she have to lead an ordinary life forever.
Ten years. If my reputation rises during that time, we could be together sooner.
As I nodded readily and comforted him, the guard unit looked at me in surprise, as if he didn’t expect I wouldn’t be angry.
“Will you not meet the Tang Family Head before leaving?”
“Now that the legitimate heir has awakened, there’s no need to draw unnecessary attention. An illegitimate child should quietly withdraw.”
“In that case, Hwa-rin is waiting for you. Go on.”
“Thank you for all your help and hard work.”
“It’s I who should apologize; I’m the one who has caused the trouble.”
We parted with a refreshing farewell unlike our twisted first meeting.
———-
How should I say goodbye?
I stood in front of Hwa-rin’s door, pondering for a moment.
When I open the door, we’ll probably start with an awkward greeting, trying to hide our sad faces due to our unfamiliar parting.
An awkward silence will follow.
Should I lighten the mood with a light joke? Or should we part in a sea of tears?
I opened the door after heavy contemplation.
“Hwa-rin! What’s with that outfit?!”
All my worries shattered the moment I opened the door—due to the shocking outfit in front of me.
“D-Did I wear something strange?”
A luxurious purple dress. The skirt was a mini-skirt. The luxurious black underwear line on her shoulders raised doubts about whether it could even counteract gravity at that thickness.
Hwa-rin asked me with a blushing face.
Technically, it wasn’t a strange outfit. If another woman wore it, it might have been a bit revealing. But the impression of the outfit dramatically changes depending on who’s wearing it.
What’s going on? The owner has gone crazy.
I was overwhelmed by her stunning appearance. That wasn’t just cleavage. While others might just call it cleavage; this was a breathtaking ravine.
In that overwhelming chasm, she’d win battles no matter who stepped up to face her.
“Aren’t you being too bold?”
I managed to gather my thoughts as best I could. I had to say something.
Who told her to wear something like that? Should I say something?
The mere thought that others might see the chasm I had the privilege to gaze upon together made me feel uneasy.
“Hehe, I wore this because of you. I wouldn’t wear something like this in front of other people.”
Realizing my daze, Hwa-rin seemed to have noticed my discontent and laughed. Well, if that’s why she wore it, I’d welcome the gesture.
“That’s fine then.”
“Come here.”
I approached the bed where Hwa-rin was sitting and sat beside her. Naturally, my hand found its way to her waist, and we gazed into each other’s eyes.
Words eluded me. I had said all that needed to be said.
All that remained was the farewell. But wouldn’t saying goodbye mean we’d have to part ways?
When two people with nothing to say and who don’t want to separate confirmed their reflections in each other’s eyes, there was only one thing left to do.
“Why… are you so good at kissing?”
With a flustered face, Hwa-rin glared at me as if suspicious.
“Do you dislike it?”
I had the “experience” with two other people, but saying that would make conversation difficult, so I could only chuckle.
“Ugh… seriously, do you need to ask that?”
Hwa-rin’s face came closer again.
“I’m going to write to you often.”
I sighed regretfully and spoke to Hwa-rin in a gentle tone.
“Yeah. I’ll also train hard.”
“If you don’t work hard, I’ll definitely cheat on you. You have to work hard for real.”
I replied playfully with a mischievous smile.
“…”
Hwa-rin said nothing and darkened her expression.
“I was just joking. Just a joke.”
Hwa-rin, please don’t feel anxious over one joke when I’ve already assured you so often.
“Yoon Ho.”
“Yeah, I messed up.”
“No, it’s not that. Before we part, there’s something I want to apologize to you for.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Did Hwa-rin have something to apologize for?
Was it about sneaking snacks in the printing room during lunch? Or that she promised to wake me up but let me oversleep? Or that she tried to butt in on my scenes in The Rise of the Tang Family?
I have things to apologize for, but I’m confused about why Hwa-rin would have anything to apologize for.
Hwa-rin looked at me with a sad expression for a while before finally speaking up as if confessing her faults.
“Your best friend. The illegitimate child of the Tang Family Master.”
I was left flabbergasted by the unexpected topic.
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