YCHW Ch 3

“Young Master, you must stay put while I am gone. Do you understand?”

“Goodness, I am not a suckling babe. You worry too much.”

“If you were a suckling baby, I could take you with me, so that would be better.”

“You are only going for seven days, why so many words? Just hurry up and go. Your grandmother must be waiting for you with longing.”

Yoonso put on an expression as if he were terribly annoyed and placed the knapsack into Yeondeok’s arms. While hugging the knapsack tightly, Yeondeok tapped his feet, unable to shake off his worry. Seeing this, Yoonso let out a sigh and grasped Yeondeok’s shoulders.

“In fifteen days, we must enter the palace. In the event of an emergency, it will not be easy for you to see your grandmother either. So do not worry about me and go rest comfortably. It is my wish.”

“If the Young Master puts it that way… you, you trust me?”

“I said I understand.”

Yoonso waved his hands dismissively and started walking first, heading out into the garden. As he reached the front of the middle gate, he felt a gaze following him, but he did not acknowledge it and stopped to look back at Yeondeok.

“Go on. Be careful and have a safe trip.”

“Yes, Young Master. Do not skip your meals and stay well.”

“Alright.”

As if he could not completely erase his sense of unease, Yeondeok kept glancing back at Yoonso as he moved farther away. Yoonso stood in place, quietly watching Yeondeok’s receding back, and only turned around when his figure had completely disappeared.

After sending Yeondeok off, he felt at ease. Having taken the very big first step of the day, he could not help but feel relieved. However, the road ahead was long. With a calm face, Yoonso recalled the plan he had revised and mulled over for years and entered the seoheon.

When the time came, a servant announced the visit of the scholar.

“I greet the noble person.”

“I am in your care for today as well.”

After exchanging courteous bows, they sat down. They were a master and a disciple who had been together for several years, but there was no other idle talk exchanged between them. The scholar instructed Yoonso on how to protect the Yongrin after blossoming as a Yeongchunhwa, and Yoonso, as always, let the words flow past him with a serious demeanor.

After the scholar left, this time another master visited the seoheon. Yoonso respectfully attended to the master, just as he had with the scholar dispatched from the imperial palace earlier.

“Are there still no signs of blossoming?”

“No. It seems I am lacking in some way.”

“There are only fifteen days left until you come of age, so you do not need to be anxious.”

Though he said that, he seemed more restless than Yoonso, the person in question. Since he was a Yeongchunhwa who had sprouted at an unprecedentedly young age, it was thought that his blossoming would also be quick, but many years had passed and now his *gwanrye was approaching with no sign of it, so it was rather those around him who were fretful.

On the other hand, his father was triumphant, saying that because his power was that much greater and deeper, it was only natural for his blossoming to be later than his sprouting. The memory of his father, who had questioned if the imperial family would ever make such a public declaration, left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“As I have told you time and time again, once you blossom, you will be able to freely use your suhoseong. The suhoseong is power. Which means, it is possible to have a power struggle with the Yongrin.”

It was a statement he had heard a thousand, a hundred times, and could now recite with his eyes closed. Yoonso had to strive not to show a bored expression. At the same time, he felt like laughing.

The reason the power that a Yeongchunhwa possessed, the power to protect the Yongrin, was called suhoseong (guardian star) was because to the Yongrin, that power was like a star that shone its light and served as a guide. The scholar taught him to use that power unstintingly for the Yongrin, while the master his father hired taught that he should not do so and must gain the upper hand.

The former was a Yeongchunhwa who had actually experienced everything, and the latter was someone who had only picked up things by ear while next to the Yongrin and Yeongchunhwa, so there was no way his words had any substance. He did not know what price his father had paid this man, but it was as clear as day that it was a waste of money.

In truth, it did not matter whether it had substance or not. For he would leave all teachings behind as soon as he left this place.

“Huieon.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“I am feeling peckish, so I would like to eat some snacks.”

“I will bring them right away.”

“Bring your cup too.”

“Yes! Thank you.”

As soon as Huieon left, Yoonso quickly opened the oegwe. Inside, various clothes were piled up randomly; they were the belongings of the servants, which he had been sneaking out of the servants’ quarters of the inner building. Because of this, there had been untimely tales of goblins, and the servants had even suspected one another, their faces flushing.

Yoonso took out a pale purple robe similar to what Huieon was wearing and hid it on one side of the bed. Then, he tightly gripped the medicine paper pouch in his bosom. With an event that could be called a great undertaking right before him, his heart pounded so much that it was difficult to remain composed.

Anxiety and fear that he might fail ran wild, throwing a fit, so Yoonso gently closed his eyes and repeated long inhalations and exhalations.

By the time his pulse had calmed, he heard a presence outside the door. Soon, Huieon came in and placed a tray with tea and snacks on the round table.

“Could you tidy up the books for me?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“It is certainly inconvenient without Yeondeok around.”

“It is only natural, since you have not been apart for a moment since you were a child, Young Master.”

Huieon, with a smile, tidied up the desk where books were messily scattered.

Yoonso glanced furtively at Huieon, who had her back to him, and poured tea into both teacups. He opened the medicine paper pouch, poured the medicine inside into one teacup, and then moved it to the opposite side.

He stared blankly at the white powder melting without a trace in the warm tea, and as soon as he heard a presence, he put on a smile and looked back at Huieon.

“Sit.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Here, eat.”

“You should eat first, Young Master.”

“Should I?”

While he slowly took a sip of tea, Huieon’s eyes sparkled, her gaze not leaving the chestnut rice cakes. Yoonso unhurriedly put down the teacup, took a rice cake, and put it in his mouth. Then, as if she had been waiting, Huieon snatched a chestnut rice cake and ate it.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes. Auntie Yubyeok’s rice cakes are the best in the empire.”

“Haha, are they that good?”

“You will not be able to taste rice cakes like this anywhere else.”

“I understand, so drink it with tea. You might get indigestion.”

With a smile on her youthful face, she picked up her teacup and blew on the tea. Each time Huieon’s lips moved, the blue mark on one of her cheekbones twitched along with them. Yoonso watched that sight intently, clutching the hem of his clothes under the round table. Soon, Huieon gulped down the tea.

After confirming the empty cup, an indescribable emotion Hwi-ed and raged within him. To hide it, he lowered his eyelids, concealing his eyes.

“……Oh, Young Master. I think I should be going now.”

“Why? Not eating more?”

“Strangely…… oh, oh……”

Not even a moment had passed when sleepiness heavily flooded Huieon’s face as she blinked her heavy eyes. Just as Huieon shook her head and tried to stand up, Yoonso grabbed her wrist, and at once, her head dropped.

Thanks to hastily supporting Huieon’s head with his other hand, he was able to prevent both injury and a loud noise. Yoonso, careful even with his breathing, gazed at the sleeping Huieon, who was unable to resist, then quietly withdrew his hand.

“I am sorry.”

She would probably be severely scolded. Still, she was his mother’s most cherished child, so he could only believe she would be safe; there was nothing else he could do. Yoonso deliberately left the medicine paper pouch spread out on the tray and stood up.

After putting on the pale purple robe he had placed on one side of the bed, he sat in front of the mirror stand. He took out a powder box from the drawer and spread the blue powder on his right cheekbone. After that, he untied the black ribbon in his hair and, following the way Huieon did it, tied up half of his hair with a pale red ribbon he had prepared and let the other half down.

Yoonso, with a calm face, stared at his reflection in the mirror stand. The way his hair was tied and the powder spread on his face looked natural. It was the result of practicing and practicing in secret late at night until it became second nature.

Belying the firm belief he had harbored as a child, the man in the mirror did not have such a gallant face. Even so, his features were not such that one would immediately believe he was a woman. No matter how much he was praised for being of singular beauty, a man was a man. Compared to Huieon, his build was also distinctly different.

However, familiar and repeated situations tend to instill a certain belief in people. A down-to-earth young master who sits face-to-face with a servant and makes polite conversation. A master who sends them out with laundry or books to be placed in the seoheon.

Therefore, this time too, the one coming out of the room would naturally be the subordinate.

Yoonso put his pre-packed travel gear into a bamboo basket and placed the tea tray on top of it. Leaving only one light on to illuminate the room, he headed for the doorway.

Right before opening the door, he turned his head and took in the sight of the space shrouded in darkness. The space he was not allowed to leave after his eighth birthday. The world that had confined him. The place that had unintentionally become his everything.