When the training wrapped up, dinner preparations were all set.
Was it Yohwan’s talent on display? Using the ingredients brought from Cheongho, she whipped up a delicious-looking dish that seemed hard to make outdoors.
“Um… Why are you giving so much?”
“You need to eat a lot to regain your strength. I saw you training hard earlier. Everyone, eat up!”
No one could resist marveling at the delicious appearance and generous portions of the dishes on their plates.
While everyone was in awe, Changju and Yohwan headed toward the Moonlight Squad’s area.
It seemed like the Moonlight Squad was also drinking, though not too much. Perhaps they were planning to share some with them.
In the end, it was just me, Chaejin, and Chaeran left by the campfire.
“I seem to be the odd one out here.”
“Not really. Ah, if it’s uncomfortable, why don’t you two eat separately? You haven’t seen each other in a while, so I bet you have lots to talk about.”
But Chaeran just smiled gently.
Their relationship didn’t seem bad at all…
Well, it’s a bit awkward to speculate on family matters from the outside.
But there’s a much better topic at hand.
While eating the dish that Yohwan made, I asked.
“By the way, where’s this secret realm you want to go to that takes you all the way to Seomhwa Village? Ah, of course, you don’t have to tell me.”
The location of secret realms is often treated as confidential. Can you blame them? After all, it’s hard work to discover these places, and letting it slip to the wrong person can feel like handing fish to a cat.
Especially if Chaeran is personally leading the way to it, it must be a pretty important secret realm.
So, I asked without much expectation, but she replied casually.
“It’s a place called the Vessel’s Throne. If you go a bit further from Yangwiseong, you’ll find it.”
“The Vessel’s Throne… Are you talking about the Vessel of the Moon Palace?”
“Oh? You know about it?”
“I have ears, you know.”
The Vessel’s Throne is a secret the Vessel of the Moon Palace left for future generations. Famous for her beauty, being known as the Moon’s Fairy, she blessed her secret realm with one thing.
Those who pass through the secret will be filled with elegance.
As expected, passing through this realm increases one’s charm a little, as evidenced in Heavenly Bright Moon.
Increase in charm means an advantage when buying items or negotiating, so it’s one of those sought-after realms.
“Oh, so that’s why all the Moonlight Squad members are women.”
“Hehe. Yes. That was info we had about the remaining secret realms in Moonjeong.”
“I see. So all you want from the Vessel’s secret is the blessing? Not interested in any rewards?”
“Well, according to the records, the rewards from the Vessel’s Realm are just a few ornaments left by the Vessel and the Moonstone… Frankly, that stuff isn’t really necessary.”
Well then, it’s an opportunity.
I needed Moonstone.
I could make a talisman with the Moonstone that Ochil gave me last time, but Moonstone is also one of the materials for talismans.
A talisman made from Moonstone restores internal energy when the moon is up, while a talisman made from Moonstone restores health when the moon is up.
So it’s beneficial to make it.
“Then can you sell the Moonstone to me?”
“Huh? Are you going to make a talisman?”
Of course, it’s Chaejin. She knows exactly what the Moonstone is used for.
Well, if she’s responsible for affairs in Moonjeong, she would have this kind of knowledge.
“Yes.”
“Alright, I’ll just give it to you.”
“No, I will pay for it.”
“No really, it’s fine. Well, it feels a bit awkward to say it’s in place of something else.”
Chaeran raised her finger.
“Actually, my father gave me a task.”
“What is it?”
“He asked me to find out a bit about the innkeeper. Ah, did I upset you? If so, I’ll apologize on my behalf.”
“What could there be to be upset about? But why would a mere innkeeper like me be of interest to you, Doje?”
“I’m not sure either. But you looked a bit serious. And honestly, I don’t really want to dig into things. I mean, it’s not like we don’t know each other. The innkeeper has a big debt with our Moonjeong.”
Is it because of Chaejeokyo?
But that’s a tale that’s already done and dusted.
I shook my head, and Chaeran smiled warmly.
“So, can I drop by Seomhwa Village sometimes?”
Chaeran? I looked at her, and she met my gaze unwaveringly.
“Of course. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if you did some investigation. The Hao-mun branch at Yangwiseng has probably already wrapped things up.”
“Hahaha. But still, it’s a bit awkward to ask Hao-mun for assistance since we’re on good terms.”
“Does that mean you won’t call for help?”
“Not exactly. I just prefer to see things with my own eyes and make my own judgments. Besides, I don’t think what my father wants to know is related to the past…”
Chaeran made a brief, strange expression reminiscent of earlier when she saw Chaejin, and then she sighed.
But if it’s not about the past, what could she be curious about?
However, instead of answering, she simply smiled with a fox-like grin.
“Anyway, please don’t refuse when I ask for a room at the inn next time. Of course, I’ll pay for it, so don’t worry.”
“As long as you don’t cause any trouble, I’ll happily show you to a nice room. And I won’t take any payment either. Just as you welcomed me as a guest, I will invite you as one too.”
At my words, Chaeran beamed even brighter.
After that, nothing special happened during our travel. Riding on the official road, we arrived at the inn on schedule, and Chaeran’s eyes sparkled in wonder as she looked at the inn.
“Doesn’t it look nice?”
“Hahaha. No, it really looks cozy and pleasant. Jeomsoi and the servants also seem to be in good spirits. Now I understand why my sister likes it here.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Oh, a store. We have a few things we need before we leave; can we buy them here?”
“Feel free to pick whatever you need.”
Chaeran entered with a smile, leaving Chaejin watching nervously with her eyes darting around the inn.
“It really feels like home.”
“Is that so?”
“Uh-huh. Yes. I’ll be unpacking my things.”
“Ah, before that, could you show me Yohwan’s room? Next to Chaesojin’s would be fine, right?”
“Ah, got it.”
With a bright smile, she awkwardly led Yohwan upstairs to the inn. Meanwhile, I spoke to Changju.
“Your home and workplace will be arranged by the court. I’ll send someone to call the guards, so please wait.”
“Understood. But this is quite a quiet little town.”
“Don’t you like it?”
“Hmm. No. I mean, I’ve been rolling around battlefields, so staying in a place like this once in a while wouldn’t be too bad.”
From what he’s saying, it sounds like he’ll be a drifter again later. But since he’s employed by the court, I can’t really scold him.
After waiting outside for some time while smoking, Chaeran finally came out with her purchases. As we sat down to drink tea and chatted about various matters, a servant I sent arrived with the guards.
As the tea was being served and we were chatting about various matters, my servant arrived with some officials in tow.
“Please tell the local leader that I will visit him this evening.”
“Oh! He mentioned that he would like to have dinner together.”
“Then I must prepare a grand welcome. Alright then, go ahead. Changju, we’ll meet again.”
I waved my hand nonchalantly as Changju walked away. Watching this, Chaeran smiled brightly.
“Looks like you’re getting along well with the officials?”
“Well, there’s no need to have a bad relationship.”
“That’s true.”
Just then, I spotted Chaejin and Yohwan coming down from above. Chaejin, not in her usual Moonjeong attire but dressed casually, brought Yohwan over to me, prompting me to call the kitchen assistant inside.
“Yes? How can I assist you, my lord?”
“This is the kitchen assistant who worked in the palace. Make sure to learn a lot from him.”
“Ooooooo!!”
The assistant roared in excitement. Of course, there would be plenty to learn from a royal kitchen assistant. If he learned well, he could work not just in Seomhwa Village but also in Yangwiseong.
“Oh, ma-m-my lord. I’m not saying I want to leave.”
“Haha. Who would stop someone who wants to gain experience and grow?”
“My lord… I will continue working here!”
“Good. I know your feelings well. Still, make sure to learn as much as you can. I know how hard you’ve worked here.”
I patted our assistant’s shoulder, who was getting teary-eyed.
Honestly, I felt a bit sorry for him too.
After all his hard work, he would suddenly be demoted to a supporting assistant.
But it seems he’s quite satisfied with the current situation, so at least that’s a relief.
“Yohwan. Treat him like a disciple and teach him well.”
“Haha. Got it. Are you prepared?”
“Yes!”
With shining eyes, the assistant followed Yohwan inside. Chaeran, who was watching, smiled.
“Ah, I should get going too. Innkeeper, I’ll see you next time.”
“Feel free to come anytime.”
“Haha. Thank you for your hospitality. And elder sister, let’s talk for a bit. Please see me off outside the village.”
“Uh? Alright, alright. Innkeeper, I’ll be back soon.”
As the two stepped outside the inn, the place became a bit quieter.
Well then, shall I catch up on some pending work?
Returning to my room, I reviewed the tasks that had piled up while I was away.
No special issues, it seems.
Shall I tackle the pending tasks then?
After working for a while, when I looked up to take a break, I heard a knock on my window.
When I opened it, it was the courier.
“I was here a few days ago, but you were away, so I came back.”
“Ah, I just stepped out for a moment.”
Nodding, the courier handed me four letters.
One was the management report for my property and land located in another city.
The other two were from the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild.
And the last one was…
“Oh.”
It was a letter from Sayoon.
I immediately grabbed the letter from Sayoon and sat down in my chair.
Now, what kind of content does this one hold?
*
When Chaeran first witnessed that scene, she was filled with questions.
What am I seeing right now?
Then came shock.
The person who mercilessly taught the Moonjeong disciples, being so gentle? And seriously, why was he so surprised just because they touched hands?
Finally, there was laughter.
Wow. How lucky am I to witness this interesting and amusing scene alone?
I want to show this to my dad and the others!
I want to show you.
Amid various mixed emotions, the end result was pure laughter.
Honestly, it’s because it’s fun.
When something unfolds before your eyes that you thought you’d never see in your lifetime, is it even reasonable to be bored?
Just thinking about how hard it was to hold back my laughter back then.
Anyway, after that, I observed the person who made my sister that way, and Chaeran was able to draw a conclusion.
They’re not a bad person.
Based on the observations since our first meeting in Cheongho, that was her judgment about Yu Wol.
They treat people sincerely and dislike using their position to pressure others.
They understand righteousness and duty and are a person who works diligently and steadily towards one goal.
Plus, judging by how they interacted with Jeomsoi, the innkeeper, and the store workers, they seem to have a solid sense of morality.
So, with that, they could definitely be considered a good person.
“And… my sister might be a fool, but she’s not someone who would be swayed by a bad person…”
Then there’s the fact that they changed my sister.
Just that alone could make them admirable.
After all, Chaejin always pursued extreme pleasure.
Martial arts are something you have to seek alone, believing that it will allow you to surpass everything.
Pleasure is a solo performance.
Thus, in her pursuit of pleasure, Chaejin was able to grow faster than others.
But, dullness?
Dullness is slow.
So while it carries many things, it’s slow but can take in greater and more.
The two are opposites, and having both simultaneously is never easy.
Since Chaejin was used to solo performances and moving forward alone, Chaeran thought she would always pursue only pleasure.
But she learned about dullness and got the Moonlight Isle?
That clearly meant she realized she had to go slowly to gather other things.
Chaeran was convinced that what Chaejin was trying to gather was Yu Wol.
If that weren’t the case, there’s no way Chaejin would have secretly peeked at Yu Wol while moving, especially with the expressions she showed.
Goodness. Oh my goodness.
Then how could I just sit still?
“What are you trying to say?”
As Chaeran brought her sister to the town entrance, her thoughts were interrupted by Chaejin’s voice, making her look up.
She nodded at her sister, who was looking at her with a pouty expression.
Yeah. Love her or hate her, she’s my sister, and I have to help her.
Of course, it’s not for free.
I was thinking of coming around to check out this fun scene from time to time.
“Sister.”
“Hmm?”
“Just trust me.”
“…What are you suddenly talking about?”
‘You can deceive others, but you can’t deceive my eyes.’
Since learning martial arts, Chaejin was her wall and the goal she needed to overcome. Therefore, Chaeran, who had always observed Chaejin, already knew what she was feeling.
That’s why, looking at her grumpy sister, Chaeran thought with a proud face.
Let’s give her one of the traces of the treasure we can get in this hidden area.
After all, men are easily enchanted by beautiful women, aren’t they?
Just like in those countless romance novels I’ve read.
Love is something you seize.
And among all the wonderful weapons in that process, beauty is extremely rare.
So, for my sister, who wouldn’t know how to adorn herself or has never tried, Chaeran pledged to help with one arm.
Of course, I can’t deny that there’s a desire in my heart saying that if I don’t interfere in such a fun matter, what else should I interfere in, but I decided to ignore it for now.
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