Yeon-jin walked softly, her steps light. She arrived at Ye Ryeongdang, where the First Internal Officer conducted her business. As soon as the guards saw Yeon-jin, who visited daily, they stepped aside, clearing the way. Her greenish skirt disappeared as she stepped past the wooden threshold and into the building.
As if no one had been there, the sturdy guards returned to their original posts, standing still.
Seo-mun Geumryeong, who was busy managing the internal affairs of Black Sky Clan, pushed aside the documents at she noticed Yeon-jin's presence. Yeon-jin, bowing respectfully, was directed toward the bowl of porridge that had been set on the table for her. Knowing that there were no special instructions today, she took the porridge and was about to leave.
"How has that person been lately?"
Though she didn't mention a name, it was clear that the only person Seo-mun geumryeong was referring to was Woo.
"There is no one else he interacts with besides the Third Disciple, and he stays holed up in his quarters except for his daily visits to Honamgak."
"I heard he's been keeping himself busy in the kitchen?"
Yeon-jin felt her lower lip tremble slightly at that moment. While she had anticipated that there would be other eyes watching, hearing it directly felt different. A wave of unease rippled in her chest as she wondered if someone had noticed her skimming portions off the food.
But instead of letting her emotions show, Yeon-jin opened her mouth and concealed her shaken feelings.
"He said it was lonely staying in his room and doing nothing all day. I was assigned to serve him, so I have no choice but to give him some tasks so he won't be bored. There were tasks involving sharp tools, but I always made sure to retrieve them."
"Yes, that's how it should be..." Seo-mun Geumryeong muttered.
"You're ensuring that he finishes all the porridge each time, right?"
"He has never refused it." In response to the continued questioning, Yeon-jin shook her head as she answered. She felt as if her words were unintentionally shielding Woo, but Seo-mun Geumryeong merely narrowed her eyes without reprimanding her.
"People can be quite cunning when they need to be, so we must keep a close watch."
"Yes, my Lord."
"It's about time to give the next 'reward.'"
Yeon-jin's eyes widened at the First Internal Officer's words. Seo-mun Geumryeong, with her usual calm demeanor, retrieved a document from the stack of papers she had pressed down beside her. Yeon-jin approached cautiously and accepted it. Since she couldn't read, she had no way of knowing what the First Internal Officer had given her.
"It's a land deed with tenant farming rights and a house. Though it's a bit far from Black Sky Clan territory, it's more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life."
"Why would you give something like this to a mere servant…?"
"Do you plan to serve him for the rest of your life? You'll need to prepare for what comes after, won't you?"
For the first time, Seo-mun Geumryeong smiled gently. Yeon-jin felt her heart drop at the implications of his words. Of course, she hadn't thought she would serve Woo for a lifetime. But the meaning behind "what comes after" was unmistakable.
'His death.'
She couldn't hide her emotions—it would surely show on her face.
"Th-thank you."
Before judgment could even take place, Yeon-jin's instincts made her bow deeply. She was holding a tray with a bowl of food, so she couldn't fully prostrate herself, but she lowered her head so much that it was almost touching the ground. Her trembling voice and slightly swaying shoulders might be interpreted as a result of overwhelming emotion.
"I can't properly reward your hard work, so I should at least show this level of sincerity, shouldn't I?" Seomun Geum-ryeong said in her usual calm tone.
"You may raise your head. And you may leave now."
"Y-yes."
Unintentionally stuttering like Woo, Yeon-jin lifted her body and turned to leave the First Internal Officer's.
"Wait a moment."
At Seomun Geum-ryeong's sudden call, Yeon-jin swallowed hard, as if trying to swallow a stone lodged in her throat, and bowed politely.
"Please, speak."
"Make sure to hide the land deed well. In the future, it will be handled as the inheritance left behind by your great-aunt when she passes."
"…Is that so?"
In her flustered state, Yeon-jin nearly left while clutching the document tightly in her hands. No matter how desperately she tried to suppress her agitation, the tension of facing the First Internal Officer had caused her trembling to escape.
Seo-mun Geumryeong watched Yeon-jin's retreating figure and let out a quiet laugh. It was amusing to see the young girl startled so easily. Although she managed to maintain a somewhat composed expression, someone as experienced as Seo-mun Geumryeong couldn't miss the small pauses in Yeon-jin's behavior and speech.
"Isn't it unsettling to leave things as they are?"
"Hmm…"
Ye Jin-rang emerged from a side room. There was a door hidden behind a bookshelf, visible only from the position where the First Internal Officer sat. Seo Mun-geumryeong would sometimes rest there or, as now, use it to hide people.
"It doesn't matter. Whoever we send, they'll eventually get enchanted with that person. In that sense, the child is a good choice."
"I still have a narrow perspective and do not fully understand the Lord of Black Sky Clan's intentions."
At Seo-mun Geumryeong's exceedingly polite inquiry, Ye Jin-rang spoke up.
"That child came to this path willingly. She won't be able to talk about it to anyone. She's bound by a mix of guilt and pity for Woo's situation, but she doesn't have the courage to stop what she started out of greed. Above all, can't you see how scared she is of Kang-oh?"
"..."
"No one seeks out a dragon because they fear a tiger. Likewise, no one goes looking for a tiger out of fear of a dragon. Whoever they are, they'll only make your neck feel cold in the end." Ye Jin-rang chuckled softly.
"What's the matter? You seem like you really don't like the way that servant behaves."
"It's just... I'm worried she might become a variable that could disrupt the plan."
If it was just about deceiving themselves, it would have been amusing. However, the task Geumryeong had entrusted to Yeon-jin wasn't something under her authority but rather a direct order from the Black Sky Clan leader. That servant's ambiguous disobedience left her unsatisfied. She even felt like getting rid of her entirely. After all, she had reached out to Yeon-jin, who had no relatives to begin with, so Geumryeong was more than willing to take action if her lord permitted it.
However, Ye Jin-rang shook his head.
"That's enough."
"But she has been removing some of the porridge before serving it to Woo..."
The fact that Yeon-jin had been discreetly hiding came out of Geumryeong's mouth as if it were a natural part of the conversation. It was as if it had never been a secret at all.
"What a waste." Despite repeated concerns, Ye Jin-rang responded indifferently, as if Yeon Jin's bold actions, driven by guilt, were no issue to him at all.
The First Internal Officer lowered her head, observing the Lord of Black Sky Clan. Even after all this, if Ye Jin-rang intended to wake up early every day to do the same thing, she had no authority to stop her.
"Then I will let that girl continue to serve," she said.
"Very well."
"However, it weighs on my mind that the busy Lord of Black Sky Clan comes here to prepare porridge every day."
"What can I do? It's a task that cannot be entrusted to anyone else."
Ye Jin-rang waved his hand dismissively.
"Then I shall take my leave. You may continue your work in peace."
Seo Mun-geumryeong rose from her seat and bowed politely. A wind blew into Ye Ryeongdang, where not even a single window was open, and soon, Ye Jin-rang was nowhere to be seen.
As if nothing had happened, the First Internal Officer returned to her seat and immersed herself in her work. It was just another ordinary day at Ye Ryeongdang.
***
Yeon-jin came to Woo with breakfast, her face as pale as if she'd seen a ghost. As Woo picked up his spoon, he noticed that the porridge was more than usual. He also caught sight of Yeon-jin's hand, which she had discreetly hidden in the folds of her skirt, trembling.
'It must have been a harsh morning for her.'
Imagining what Yeon-jin had gone through, Woo lifted his spoon. Even though he had told her it wasn't necessary, Yeon-jin had been persistently taking porridge from Ye Jin-rang or his subordinates to give to him.
Considering she made it here without incident, it seemed things were still manageable for now. That being the case, it was better for him to pretend not to notice. Knowing that Yeon-jin was working for Ye Jin-rang, he felt he should turn a blind eye.
In the quiet silence, the only sound was the clattering of the spoon against the bowl. Woo finished the bowl of porridge as neatly as ever, while Yun-jin's eyes followed every movement of his spoon.
Her face, appearing dazed, indicated that she was likely unaware of her own actions. The complex worries etched on her face seemed to make her forget that Woo was even there.
Only after Woo set down his spoon did Yeon-jin approach him closely.
"I'll clean this up."
This was something that could be left alone. Woo reminded himself of that. But as Yun-jin leaned in to pick up the bowl, he noticed how pale her face had gotten. A sudden pang of concern pricked at his side.
Though he was of the lowly status of a servant, Woo realized that there was something he could do-something within his power to ease the burden of guilt weighing on the scales of the one who had shown him kindness. That thought alone was enough to move his tongue.
It was merely something he "could do."
"Next time, please just... bring it as it is. L-like today."
"...!"
Yeon-jin's eyes widened as she stared at Woo. At first, her face was filled with nothing but surprise, but it quickly transformed. Her complexion shifted from flushed red to pale white, then to a sickly green, twisted with guilt as if I had seen through her completely.
Her hands trembled as she held the bowl of porridge on the tray.
"I-I don't understand what you mean..."
Even in front of Seo-mun Geumryeong, she had tried to maintain her composure, but her voice trembled uncontrollably now. With nowhere else to hide it, the land deed she had tucked away pressed down on her conscience like a heavy boulder.
"W-what you're saying right now—"
Woo's voice reached Yeon-jin as she hurried to the door.
"You're walking a very dangerous tightrope."
Today, Ye Jin-rang and his subordinate might have let it slide, but there might not be a next time. The Ye Jin-rang Woo knew was a person of great patience, but he was also a cruel individual.
"..."
Yeon-jin lowered her head deeply. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it seemed there was something red at the bottom of the porridge.
Almost like blood.
Creak—
The door opened without a response, and Yeon-jin's skirt fluttered away beyond it. Watching the greenish fabric disappear, Woo couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"It tastes disgustingly bad, but well, I'm not in a position to be picky."
Yeon-jin had been the one to ladle out some of the porridge that Woo was supposed to eat after Woo protected her once from Kang-oh. While it was an unspoken rule in the martial world to settle debts clearly, she was an ordinary person, and the burden she bore in comparison to the kindness Woo had shown was far too great.
Yeon-jin's kindness was merely returning to where it rightfully belonged. Woo felt a mix of relief and bittersweetness about that fact.
At least until the next morning.