Ha-hyeon could barely focus on the lesson. Every bit of his attention was fixed on Baek Seojin’s tightly sealed mouth. Truly, a warrior is a warrior. How could he remain so utterly composed with a sharp sliver of metal tucked inside that soft, narrow mouth of flesh?
Yesterday, not knowing the circumstances, it could have been dismissed as an unlucky accident — but now things were different. One wrong move and a hit to Baek Seojin’s face could send blood gushing out just like yesterday. That thought had coiled itself around Sa Ha-hyeon’s mind and refused to let go. Naturally, his body moved more sluggishly than usual, and he had no confidence in himself.
Baek Seojin suddenly stopped moving and looked at Ha-hyeon in silence. Just from the look in his instructor’s eyes, Ha-hyeon could tell what he was thinking.
“I’m sorry. Instructor, I just can’t seem to focus today. Should we take a break?”
Even at the request for a rest, Baek Seojin remained unmoved. Instead, he fixed Ha-hyeon with an even sterner look. It was a wordless push — a silent demand that Ha-hyeon tell him the real reason.
“Don’t be so hard on me. It’s not like I’m entering some grand martial arts competition. I’m genuinely tired. So. Let’s rest for a moment.”
Sa Ha-hyeon tugged at Seojin’s sleeve. Only then did Baek Seojin relent, as if he had no other choice, and followed Ha-hyeon’s lead.
“My lady!”
At the same moment, the eunuch watching them called out loudly in warning. Presumably meaning that even grabbing a sleeve was not allowed.
Honestly, what a fuss. It’s not even his hand — just a sleeve — and they’re being so rigid about it.
Sa Ha-hyeon settled down with Baek Seojin on the open wooden veranda. It was a pleasant spot for enjoying the scenery, open on all sides — and at the same time, a place where the cold winter wind swept in from every direction. Bringing Baek Seojin inside was out of the question — no telling what the eunuchs would say.
The moment the two of them sat down, Wol appeared as if she had been waiting, carrying a tray with warm tea and light refreshments. Perhaps it was just Ha-hyeon’s imagination — but the amount of food placed in front of Baek Seojin looked greater than Ha-hyeon’s own portion.
If she likes him that much, maybe I should suggest she sit down and have tea with him too — Ha-hyeon was in the middle of that thought when he noticed, trailing like shadows behind Wol’s small head, the eunuchs who had followed. They relocated their watch post to the base of the wall on the opposite side of the veranda and stood planted there like stone guardians.
“Even resting doesn’t seem to be comfortable.”
“…….”
Baek Seojin gave a slight nod, as if he understood what Ha-hyeon meant. Ha-hyeon had thought the weather was warming up a little, but the wind had turned cold again. When Ha-hyeon huddled against the chill, Baek Seojin rose from his seat. He might have been about to take off his outer robe again for his shivering student.
That’s a bad idea — if Wei Wuyuan sees, he’ll make a scene again.
Worried another incident was about to unfold, Ha-hyeon spoke up quickly.
“No! Instructor, I’m fine, please stay as you are. I’m fine. If I drink some warm tea——. Hm?”
It had looked like he was about to remove his outer robe — but he had disappeared somewhere instead. When he returned a short while later, he was holding a large animal hide in his hands. Instead of his own outer robe, he draped the fur hide over Ha-hyeon.
“Oof. It’s a lot heavier than I expected? Where did you get this from?”
“…….”
“Ah, right — you can’t speak. It’s cold out, please have some tea.”
The words were already out before Ha-hyeon could catch himself. He bit his own lip and watched Seojin lift the teacup with anxious eyes. Every time Seojin’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, Ha-hyeon’s chest tightened.
The empty teacup was set quietly back on the tray. Only after confirming that no red blood had trickled from the corner of Baek Seojin’s mouth did Ha-hyeon breathe a sigh of relief.
Ha-hyeon pretended to reach for a rice cake on the tea tray, then deliberately let his fingers go slack and let it drop. The small treat rolled across the floor and came to a stop beside Seojin’s thigh.
“Oh my. How clumsy.”
Ha-hyeon naturally bent forward. With one hand braced on the floor, his head lowered toward Seojin’s thigh — and in a voice so small only Baek Seojin could hear, he spoke.
“Has His Majesty been treating you harshly?”
He straightened back up with the rice cake in hand — and found not a single change in Baek Seojin’s expression. He only gave the faintest shake of his head, imperceptible to anyone but Sa Ha-hyeon. Ha-hyeon popped the rice cake he had just picked up off the floor straight into his own mouth.
He stole a sideways glance at the eunuchs — their expressions were disapproving. They were probably cursing him internally for behaving so unbecomingly. Fortunately, though, there were no signs of suspicion between the two of them.
This is actually working surprisingly well.
Sa Ha-hyeon reached for another rice cake. And this time too, it slipped from his fingers and rolled to the other side of Seojin’s thigh.
“My, my — my hands must have frozen stiff from the cold. Ha.”
With that brazen excuse, Ha-hyeon leaned toward Seojin’s legs once more.
“When might I be able to see the record book? Or — please take me to wherever it is kept.”
He had said everything he needed to say. Any more talk and it would invite unnecessary suspicion. Ha-hyeon had just reached down to pick up the rice cake he had dropped — but Baek Seojin’s hand was faster. Without any expression on his face, he picked up the rice cake — and without hesitation, brought it to his own mouth.
“Instructor!”
What if he hurts himself eating it?!
Unlike Ha-hyeon who was horrified, Baek Seojin himself was perfectly calm. He even picked up the teapot and refilled his empty cup, taking a slow sip.
Sa Ha-hyeon stared, mouth hanging open, at what could only be described as a feat of skill in eating. A moment later, Sa Ha-hyeon understood. Baek Seojin’s action was a yes. If he’d known it would come to this, he should have asked just one question.
But Ha-hyeon asked no more. It was an answer Seojin had swallowed at the cost of his own life. That was enough.
Whatever the case — he would find a way.
“Instructor. Starting today, I would like to discontinue the martial arts lessons. I have learned so very much. Thank you.”
Baek Seojin’s eyes went wide. And no wonder. Had Ha-hyeon not just whispered to him asking to see the record book — to be taken to where it was kept? And now, out of nowhere, he was saying he wanted to stop the lessons. Without the lessons, the two of them would have no legitimate grounds to meet at all — it was only natural he’d be taken aback.
Ha-hyeon knew that in order to accomplish their goal, they needed to keep meeting under the guise of lessons. But the cost was too steep. Now that he knew Baek Seojin came to every meeting with a blade in his mouth — he couldn’t allow things to continue that way. No matter how desperately they needed those meetings.
“Thank you for everything.”
Ha-hyeon bowed deeply toward Baek Seojin. This is the right choice. A way will come.
“My lady, the wind is cold. Let us end here for today and rest.”
At the watching eunuch’s words, the two of them had no choice but to rise from their seats.
That evening, Wei Wuyuan appeared accompanied by a cart the size of an ox. The eunuchs trailing behind him unloaded the cargo from the cart and set it down on the floor. An impressive line of quite heavy-looking chests was stacked in a row. The silk wrapping cloths were embroidered with the crest of Seoran’s royal family. These were things that had come from Ha-hyeon’s homeland.
“What is all of this?”
Sa Ha-hyeon asked in surprise. The row of ornate chests filling one side of the room looked unfamiliar. Wei Wuyuan removed a silk wrapping cloth and replied in a playful tone.
“A gift, apparently, from my father-in-law in Seoran.”
“……Father-in-law — d, does that mean Father has sent a gift?”
Father — that’s the first time those words have ever come out of my mouth.
“I had everything checked in advance along the way in case any dangerous items had been mixed in — all of it was in order. You may use it without worry.”
“Why on earth did he send so much.”
Wei Wuyuan opened one of the chests and pulled out a garment. It was a robe-like piece of clothing that women of Seoran typically wore. He unfolded it, then put on a deliberately troubled expression.
“Hmm…… It seems my father-in-law has no idea his daughter has been growing up so splendidly here. The fit looks quite small.”
Wei Wuyuan went even further, holding the garment up against Ha-hyeon’s shoulders to measure it, and clicked his tongue.
Growing up splendidly? At my age? The one who should be growing up splendidly is you, Emperor.
There he was, warning Ha-hyeon just the other day that if his identity was exposed he would have to have him beheaded — and now, with so many eyes around, he was casually remarking that the clothing was too small.
“Not at all. How could that be. There is something Your Majesty is unaware of.”
Sa Ha-hyeon gently pushed the Emperor’s hand off his shoulder and took the garment himself.
“How interesting. And what is it that I don’t know?”
“Women’s fashion, Your Majesty. I’ve heard that in foreign lands, it is currently fashionable to wear clothing fitted precisely to show off one’s figure. It seems that trend has spread all the way to Seoran. Here, look. If I lose just a little weight — won’t it fit perfectly?”
Sa Ha-hyeon shot back shamelessly, then demonstratively pressed the garment snug against his body. Watching this, Wei Wuyuan’s throat bobbed visibly.
“Enough.”
“Yes.”
He snatched the garment from Ha-hyeon’s hands and flung it at the eunuch.
“Put all of this away inside.”
He issued the irritable command, then announced he was going to bathe.
“Yes. Please do.”
I win!
Watching Wei Wuyuan stride off toward the bathroom, Ha-hyeon thought to himself. For someone who threatened to have people’s heads cut off at every available opportunity, Wei Wuyuan had moments like this — soft spots that showed through.
They say it is human nature to be weak toward the strong and strong toward the weak. Perhaps Wei Wuyuan was no exception.
There was a reason Sa Ha-hyeon had come to think this way. Wei Wuyuan had known that Yeong-ui Songbaek was not the princess of Seoran — and that she was even a man — and yet he had not killed him, had simply left him be.
He had put on a grand front, saying he was not afraid even of an enemy who was as good as poison — but Ha-hyeon knew that wasn’t the reason. If it came to light that the concubine he had shared every night with and even administered fertility medicine to all this time had turned out to be a man — the Emperor’s dignity would be in absolute ruins.
It’s mortifyingly embarrassing for him. I get it. At that age, face is everything. Even the Emperor is still young, after all.
That was what Sa Ha-hyeon thought.
