YCHW Ch 41

The sound of footsteps approaching him made Yoonso raise the corners of his mouth. Because of work, Hwi must have been exhausted from rushing back and forth, so Yoonso wanted to show him as bright an expression as possible. It was the moment he turned around with a laugh, his heart feeling much lighter.

In an instant, the now-close Hwi collapsed into Yoonso’s arms. Yoonso’s eyes widened greatly as he hurriedly spread his arms to catch the heavy weight.

He was startled once by the acrid smell that rushed to the tip of his nose, and startled again by his body temperature like a blazing fireball. As Hwi dropped his head onto Yoonso’s shoulder and his breath touched the nape of Yoonso’s neck, Yoonso could guess that his completely delirious state was far from ordinary.

“Master…!”

“Shall we run away?”

Hwi muttered lowly in a voice like dripping water as he hugged Yoonso tightly as if to crush him. The unexpected single sentence settled heavily, and Yoonso froze pale.

“Throwing everything away, forgetting everything… shall we leave far away.”

He could feel the pain bursting from the end of his words, like the agony of exposing a scar that had hardened over a long time. He was speaking of “we,” not “you and I.”

Yoonso could not know from when he had become a part of Hwi’s heart. But hearing his confession now, the time they had spent together, the gazes he had blankly stared with, the touches that seemed bold yet hesitated in a single moment, all became clearly understandable.

He was a person who had no choice but to leave, and Hwi was a person who had to stay here and protect many things. The situations of Yoonso, who had let go of everything to come here, and Hwi, who had to hold everything in his hands, were worlds apart, so even if their hearts reached each other, it would not have been easy to move.

Having lived trapped in shackles and barely escaped them, Yoonso could not fail to understand Hwi’s heart. It was just that the fact that he existed in Hwi’s chest, the fact that his feelings were directed toward Yoonso, brought forth ecstasy, so Yoonso nodded as he hugged Hwi back.

“For now, Master. You need to rest.”

Though an impulsive wish rose that time would stop like this, the hope that there would be many more days to spend together in the future encouraged Yoonso. The task he needed to do now was to bring down Hwi’s fever first.

Yoonso supported Hwi and took him inside the eastern pavilion, laying him down on the bed. Sweat beaded on the nape of his neck from moving the large, heavy man.

Catching his breath, Yoonso placed his hand on Hwi’s forehead. How had he managed to drag such a body all the way here… Thinking that he had hurried because he knew of Yoonso’s waiting, joy and pity, regret mixed together, making his heart sink as if it would collapse.

“I’ll call a physician… “

As Yoonso tried to quickly turn away, Hwi grabbed his wrist. Yoonso sat down on the bed as if collapsing from the strength pulling his arm.

“It’s fine.”

“Pardon? Your forehead is like a fireball right now.”

“I know my own body well. I’ve already taken medicine, so if I wait, it will get better. There’s no need to make a fuss.”

“But… “

“Stay here. Keep watch by my side.”

The voice full of weary signs gripped Yoonso. Yoonso had no choice but to nod. Then Hwi swept his gaze over Yoonso’s face with hazy eyes and closed his eyelids.

The acrid smell stabbed at the tip of his nose again. It was definitely a smell he had encountered somewhere before, so as Yoonso racked his memory, he recalled the past event and let out a sigh.

It was the smell of tobacco that had filled that decadent tavern. During the time they had spent together, he had never once smoked, so Yoonso could not understand why he had come back covered in such a smell. For a person whose fever had risen this much, why on earth…

The breaths he exhaled in gasps were rough. Yoonso watched Hwi’s condition and then removed his outer robe so that he could rest comfortably. He untied the sword belted at his waist and set it upright beside him, then hurriedly soaked a Yeonggeom cloth and wiped his forehead and nape.

After moistening his skin with the cold thing for nearly half a shichen, Hwi’s breathing became much more at ease. Only then did Yoonso catch his breath and sit down under the bed, following the curve from Hwi’s forehead to his cheekbone and jaw with a pitiful gaze.

Meeting him after such a long time made him feel even more how much thinner he had become than when they had first met. It was the natural result of a person who could not even sleep well moving without rest while handling work. Even though he had been by his side, he had done nothing for him, so he felt nothing but sorry and aching.

As Yoonso let out a deep sigh, his eyes caught on the sword set upright beside the bed. The scabbard was smooth without a single blemish, the sword guard had a forsythia flower pattern embossed on it, and as the Grand Heir had mentioned, the hilt made of gold had two dragons entwined as if rising upward, truly carved in a vivid and exquisite form.

The people of Daeyeong loved dragons so much that unless it was the seven-clawed dragon symbolizing the emperor, the five-clawed dragon symbolizing the crown prince, or the three-clawed dragon symbolizing Yongrin, there was nothing particularly special about it. However, one could not use dragons on just any object, so usually, they were used on valuable and precious things and carved accordingly.

‘First. That man is not a simple merchant.’

When he had first heard the Grand Heir’s story, he had thought that for such a wealthy man, what could there be that money could not buy, so it had not really resonated with him. But now, seeing this sword, he felt like he finally understood what the Grand Heir had meant by those words.

Originally, dragons had many curves and complex forms, making them divine beasts that were difficult to carve. To engrave such a lifelike carving on a hilt, not only would a large sum of money be required, but it would have to be entrusted to a craftsman of truly exceptional skill.

Moreover, an undeniable nobility emanated from this sword. The more he looked at it, the more the impression rose that it was not an ordinary object.

Had the Grand Heir meant that Hwi was hiding his status? But what reason would there be to deliberately hide his status?

Yoonso’s gaze turned to the sleeping Hwi. Compared to this sword, the side with more nobility was this man. In everything, his bearing was neat, and he moved without making any noise, as if he had received thorough education. Like a noble.

Doubt gathered in his round eyes. Could it be that the claim of operating a merchant guild was a lie? But that did not seem right, considering the inns and assembly halls… If he were an official, he could not be away from his position for this long either.

Yoonso bit his lips hard and then thought of one possibility. The assumption that his origin might be nobility. Then, the reason for deliberately hiding it?

Because it is not so now.

‘No. No. If a twelve-year-old child ascends to that position, it is only right to suspect and worry. Especially if the existence of this country depends on that one young child.’

Looking back now, Hwi had been hostile toward the emperor as well as toward Yongrin. Why? He had not delved deeply, thinking it was just because Yongrin was nearby…

If his origin was nobility but not now, it meant he had fallen or had his status taken away.

Taken away. Suddenly, the incident from seven years ago flashed through his mind.

While the Golden Lord was away at the Hell Path, the rebellion led by Gong Hwan-cheol, who was then the Minister of War and the Commander of the Sacred Flower Army. He had claimed that the Dragon’s Scion should only exert effort in ruling the Hell Path and that for harmony, the emperor without sacred power should govern the country, and he had installed the Prince of Ye at the time and invaded the imperial palace.

The result was the complete defeat of the rebels. The Golden Lord entered the throne hall alone and in one breath, without even giving them a chance to resist, snapped the necks of the ringleaders, ending the whole affair in vain. Afterward, though traitors should rightfully have their clans exterminated, he had heard that the Golden Lord had shown mercy and spared many lives.

Could he have been involved in that affair? If so, his contempt toward Yongrin would also make sense. Not only extraordinary, but even his unique martial prowess and noble bearing.

The bitter and weary face as he spoke of the shackles on that day when heavy rain poured down did not fade from memory. Perhaps on his shoulders lay burdens far more than Yoonso could fathom.

Would he tell if asked? It would be good if he shared the story, but that was just Yoonso’s wish; he did not want to touch on parts that could become wounds.

Before he knew it, the sky outside the window had darkened to dusk. As Yoonso rose to close the open window, he took in the small houses with lights lit. The yellow lights leaking out reminded him of the lanterns sent up from the water village.

‘Is the reason for going to Yehang to leave this country?’

Hwi’s low voice replayed exactly and sank heavily into his ears.

‘You have no intention of staying in Ye and finding your path?’

Yoonso closed the window and turned around. The river of his heart churned violently, and the firm resolve and goal that had taken root there for a long time shook as if it would overturn at any moment.

Yoonso, heading back to the bedside, gently took Hwi’s hand. It was the first time seeing him asleep. His hand, usually cold, was now lukewarm, probably because of the fever. Yoonso moved his lips and then cautiously let out his voice.

“Master.”

Hwi did not react to the call, as if sunk into a deep sleep. Whether he hoped he would hear his words or hoped he would let them pass unheard, even Yoonso himself did not know.

“Master. Do you like me?”