Vol 2 Chapter 5. Past Ties Part 3

Yeonjin didn’t stop running until she reached the back yard behind the servants’ quarters. After rounding the corner and making sure no one was around, she leaned against a pillar and slid to the ground. The bowl she had been holding tumbled to the floor with a dull clatter.

She buried her face in her knees. It had all begun with something simple. Greed, and maybe ambition. With nothing to her name, she had seized the First Overseer’s offer the moment it came. She believed it was her one and only chance to lift herself from a rootless life.

All she had to do was keep an eye on Woo. For that alone, the rewards had felt more than enough. She accepted everything without turning it down.

It wasn’t as if she were killing anyone. All she did was pass along the occasional update and deliver breakfast each morning. The pay was far too generous for something so small, and for a while, she even considered herself lucky.

But that had been a grave mistake.

The First Overseer’s generous offer was never a reward for a simple task. It was the price of her silence, the weight of her guilt. What she had truly been giving up was not time or effort, but her conscience, slowly being chipped away with each passing day.

She had meant to win one heart by selling herself. At the time, it felt like a chance worth taking. But from the start, it had been a poor bargain. The one buying knew exactly what they were getting. She had no idea what she was giving up.

Yeonjin had been happy just to live a little more comfortably and hold a large sum of money in her hands. Yet only a month had passed, and already, she recoiled at the thoughts her past self had once believed in.

“From now on, just bring it… as it is. Like today.”

She remembered the words of a man who had nothing, not even a healthy body. Under the roof of Heedowon, if anyone had stood lower than her, it was Woo. She had seen the Third Overseer yell at him, slap him, and call for a whip. At the time, she had felt nothing but relief that it wasn’t her.

That thin layer of pity she felt back then had now tightened around her throat like a noose.

She used to believe she could do anything, but that confidence had come too easily. It was the kind of thinking that only made sense when one had never actually paid the price for it. When she took on this task, she had no idea what kind of emotions it would stir in her, or what it would eventually cost her to keep going.

“It’s… what you were doing… you’re walking a dangerous tightrope!”

But Yeonjin hadn’t run away because Woo had seen through her. Nor was it because she was afraid of Seo Mun Geumryeong.

She had run away because she was angry. Angry at everything she couldn’t take responsibility for, and everything she had no right to interfere with.

As she finally gave shape to what she was feeling, the breath she had been holding escaped her lips. She raised her head slightly from where it had been buried in her knees, revealing only her eyes. The view of Heedowon stretched before her, so beautiful it nearly burned. The garden was said to be so full of rare and precious blooms, the only thing missing was the Queen Mother of the West’s divine banquet.

She must have been out of her mind.

She had only ever desired what was within her reach. But this was the first time in her life she had felt such unbearable helplessness. She had always believed she had the right to name what she wanted and pursue it. Now, knowing that this was something she couldn’t touch, something she shouldn’t even try to reach for, left her shaken and furious.

And the one behind it all was none other than the Lord of Heukcheon.

As the truth she had been trying so hard not to think about rose to the surface, Yeonjin let out a bitter smile. It was knowledge she wasn’t supposed to have, something she had deliberately buried deep. On the very first day she brought Woo his porridge, he had already known that she was working for Seo Mun Geumryeong, and that behind her stood the Lord of Heukcheon himself. The only reason he had ever mentioned it was because he wanted her to carry out the First Overseer’s orders quietly, to follow the will of the Lord himself.

People who lived low to the ground, like Yeonjin, developed sharp instincts. It was the only way to survive when danger could strike from any direction at any time. That was why she had noticed the warmth in Woo’s kindness. Even burdened by his own troubles, he had still tried to protect someone else who might get dragged down with him.

His kindness had pierced straight through her skin, seeped into her, and twisted into guilt that scraped against her bones and cut through her chest.

Slowly, quietly, it had taken root.

Still steeped in her thoughts, Yeonjin gazed blankly at the garden, until her eyes suddenly widened.

A sudden, sharp realization struck her.

If it wasn’t something she could take responsibility for, then she needed to find someone who could.

The reason Yae Jinrang, the Lord of Heukcheon, had allowed someone he hated enough to move against in secret to be placed quietly inside Heedowon.

The reason he hadn’t acted directly, and instead used the First Overseer to plant someone like Yeonjin there as his eyes.

This twisted contradiction pointed to one person alone.

The Third Disciple, Yae Kang Oh.

Yeonjin slowly rose to her feet. Whether it was from crouching too long or the tension coursing through her limbs, her hands and feet tingled with numbness.

She reached out for the tray and bowl, straightened her wrinkled clothes, and lifted her chin. A soft smile spread across her face, as if drawn by a careful hand. There was no hint of unrest beneath it, no trace of emotions that should never have taken root. It was the perfect mask.

As if she had returned from nothing more than delivering a simple breakfast, Yeonjin slipped back among her fellow maids.

“Running a bit late today?”

“The Third Disciple’s guest took his meal a little later than usual.”

Despite the easygoing tone with which she shrugged her shoulders and answered, no one noticed that Yeonjin had become someone entirely different.

But Yeonjin knew. Her today and her tomorrow would no longer be the same.

---

Early that morning, Kang Oh was out walking and picking flowers from the garden. He had once promised to bring Woo a new bloom, but several days had passed since then. A heavy downpour had struck in the meantime, and most of the flowers in the back garden had snapped at the stems and fallen to the ground.

The sight of scattered petals across the garden had been beautiful in its own way, though it left Kang Oh disappointed. He could no longer keep his promise, not right away. And so, each morning, he wandered the grounds, checking the buds to see when they might bloom.

And finally, today, he found one that met his eye.

After a long wait, Heedowon, often called the paradise of Heukcheon, had finally offered him a flower worthy of being placed in Woo’s hands.

His eyes had first been drawn to the vibrant red azaleas in full bloom. As he gathered an armful of them, the soft yellow blossoms of the forsythia caught his eye. Then, spotting a small patch of daffodils, he picked those too. Just days ago, these flowers had looked weak and sparse, but now that they had all burst into color, he found his hands reaching out again and again.

By the end, it felt like a small garden had bloomed in his arms. He told himself he would choose only a few to keep, but he couldn’t help gently brushing his fingers over the petals, reluctant to let any go.

He kept thinking it wouldn’t hurt to bring them all. After all, who knew when it might rain again?

As he walked toward the main quarters of Heedowon with the flowers in his arms, Kang Oh looked up at the sound of soft footsteps. In his line of sight appeared a maid who served Woo. She was entering through the side gate used by the staff, and Kang Oh wondered where she had been so early in the morning.

I don’t usually see her around at this hour.

He figured it was a coincidence, maybe because his walk had taken longer than usual this morning. But then he noticed she was carrying something in her hands.

Porridge?

He remembered seeing that maid bring the same bowl of porridge to Woo before. Once, when he had been about to discipline her. Once more, when he had decided to bring Woo to Honamdan and had encountered Yeonjin in the hallway. And now, again, at this very moment.

It was strange. The food for those living in Heedowon was usually prepared in its own kitchen. Even the ordinary maids ate meals prepared on-site, so there was no reason for Woo, of all people, to receive something brought from outside.

What made it even stranger was the fact that, even after Woo had recovered enough to get out of bed, he was still being fed nothing but porridge. At the time, Kang Oh had found it odd and had even told the maid to ask the physician whether Woo could be given something more substantial.

Standing there with a bundle of flowers in his arms, Kang Oh felt tension rise in his grip. Still, his face remained expressionless. He saw the maid about to step into the main building. Kang Oh launched into motion, his body vanishing into movement and he reappeared directly in front of Yeonjin.

“…!”

The tray in Yeonjin’s hands trembled slightly. A quick glance showed that the porridge inside was cold. There wasn’t even a trace of steam rising from it.

“Is that Woo’s breakfast?”

“Yes, Third Disciple.”

Yeonjin bowed her head and replied politely.

“Still porridge, I see. Didn’t I tell you last time to ask the physician whether he could start eating proper meals?”

“…They said that because he has a weak stomach, it’s better for him to start with something light.”

Her voice was calm, though there was a slight tremor in her tone. Kang Oh gave a small nod. It wasn’t an unbelievable excuse. After all, even after all their morning walks, Woo didn’t seem to be gaining much strength.

But that alone wasn’t enough to explain this maid’s strange behavior.

“And why is it being brought in from outside?”

“I receive it from the medical wing every day. They prepare porridge there by hand each morning for the patients.”

Her explanation came a little too easily, as if she had it ready all along.

“Still, to serve cold food to a guest of Heedowon… It seems the kitchen has fallen apart in my absence.”

“I… I apologize.”

“Hm…”

Kang Oh paused, as if ready to let the matter drop.

The maid stood with her head bowed, so tense it was as if she had forgotten how to breathe. The air grew heavier with each passing second. Kang Oh waited, letting her edge herself closer to the brink. Sometimes, fear alone was more effective than any interrogation.

It was a tactic Yae Jinrang often used, turning emotion into a weapon. Now, Kang Oh was using what he had learned from his master to face a scheme likely orchestrated by that very same master, and the thought stirred a quiet anger in his chest.

“Then let me ask you this. If I were to tip this bowl over…” A crooked smile touched his lips.

“Would that put you in trouble?”

Yeonjin’s pale face said everything. There was no need to ask further. Irritated, Kang Oh glanced at the maid frozen in place with her head bowed and spoke sharply.

“Follow me.”

The tray in her trembling hands rattled faintly, but Kang Oh didn’t look back. As he turned and walked away, his steps passed through fallen petals, but something heavier weighed him down. His mood, dark and bruised like a wilted magnolia, clung to him. He swallowed the bitterness and adjusted his grip on the flowers in his arms.

Surprisingly, he didn’t head toward Woo’s quarters but made his way to Heedowon’s kitchen instead.

Though it was still spring, the kitchen was already thick with heat and smoke, as if summer had arrived early. The cooks and kitchen staff, sweating profusely, were rushing to meet the day’s demands.

“Get the oil, now!”

“Where’s the cleaned fish?”

“Have you taken the vegetables out of the steamer yet?”

The bustling kitchen came to a halt the moment Kang Oh appeared. Not a single person moved. Since the day Heedowon was built, this was the first time the Third Disciple had ever set foot in the kitchen.

Some of the kitchen staff widened their eyes in surprise. It wasn’t every day they saw the Third Disciple carrying flowers instead of a sword.

“Third Disciple. Do you have any orders for us?”

The woman who had been directing the others stepped forward and bowed. Her sleeves were rolled up from the heat, revealing arms marked with burns from hot oil and knife scars earned over years of work. Her sturdy frame, built from years of lifting heavy cookware, spoke of quiet strength. She had served Yae Jinrang for over a decade before being assigned to Kang Oh’s household.

“I’ll need one more serving prepared,” Kang Oh said.

At the rare sight of him in the kitchen, and the request he had never made before, a flicker of surprise crossed the head cook’s face.

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

“And this,”

Without once looking back at Yeonjin, Kang Oh took the bowl of porridge from her and handed it to the cook.

“Throw it out.”

Out of habit, the cook raised it to her nose for a quick sniff. She frowned slightly, but gave a small nod and obeyed.

“Understood.”

“From now on, take the bowl from this maid every day and throw it out. Personally.”

She was the head cook. She was busy, but there was no question of disobeying the Third Disciple’s command.

“I’ll see to it.” There was not even a hint of questioning in her tone.

Kang Oh turned sharply and left the kitchen. Yeonjin hurried after him.

He could feel her presence right behind him, and it irritated him. But he didn’t turn around to order her out of Heedowon on the spot. He knew too well what it meant to live in a position like hers. Unable to defy the orders given from above, always bowing her head and obeying without question.

Especially when the one who had given her those orders was his master, Yae Jinrang. Lord of Heukcheon, the greatest among the demonic sects. There were few in the world who could stand against him.

Even Kang Oh had never questioned a single command.

At least, not until today.

Once inside the main building, Kang Oh paused, using his energy to check that they were alone before stopping.

Yeonjin stopped a few steps behind him, holding her breath. He stood motionless, but something in his posture felt tightly wound.

“If you’re ever given anything again, take it to the kitchen. I’ll be checking regularly to make sure it’s being properly disposed of.”

Yeonjin bit her trembling lip. Just as he was about to walk away, she spoke up, unable to hold it in any longer.

“Aren’t… aren’t you going to punish me?”

Her fingers were clenched so tightly they’d gone white.

“If I were to punish you, I’d have to start with myself.”

Kang Oh was clearly angry. But he wasn’t directing that anger at her, because he knew exactly who it was meant for.

Not even for a moment did he consider going to his master to demand an explanation. All he could think about was how to cover this up in a way that would keep Woo from getting hurt.

Punishing the maid would be nothing more than taking it out on the wrong person.

Even if Yeonjin were removed, someone else under the master’s orders would take her place at Woo’s side.

In the end, this wouldn’t be resolved unless Kang Oh confronted Yae Jinrang directly.

“It’s hardly a proper solution, but from now on, Woo must not be given anything brought in from outside.”

Kang Oh knew something about the situation didn’t sit right. If the maid had truly been acting under the Lord of Heukcheon’s orders, she should have been far more discreet. In the past month, he hadn’t once seen Yeonjin bringing porridge in from outside. But today, of all days, he happened to spot her returning from beyond the grounds at the exact time he was out walking in the garden.

There was no proof, but Kang Oh couldn’t shake the impression that Yeonjin had wanted to be caught.

“I… I…”

Her voice trembled, thick with fear and hesitation. It didn’t sound entirely like an act. Still, Kang Oh had made up his mind to toss her a lifeline.

“If I see that porridge bowl in front of Woo again…”

Kang Oh paused briefly, then moved his lips.

“I’ll eat it myself.”

“Wha…”

Yeonjin’s eyes widened. She had expected the Third Disciple to find a way to protect Woo, but not like this.