Free Web NovelI fell asleep like I’d passed out, and when I opened my eyes, it was morning.
It was a rare day off, so I wanted to sleep in, but my head was so clear it felt unfair.
Somewhere along the way, I’d adapted to a maid’s life where I woke up the moment the first rooster crowed.
“Ugh......”
I hugged the blanket and groaned, and Songji, who’d been getting ready to leave, snickered.
“Hey, I’m going. Eat breakfast.”
“Yes. Have a good day, Sis.”
After seeing Songji off while still lying down, I enjoyed reaching a state of oneness with all things.
Meaning, I did nothing but breathe.
I lay there staring at the ceiling, and only when red sunset light began to leak in did I finally wiggle my fingers and toes.
If I was going to the night market, I needed to get up and start getting ready to go out.
I had to go. I really had to......
“Ah. I just want to stay in bed.”
I groaned and rolled around on the bed. Night market or whatever—everything felt like a pain.
“Get up. Sohae. Get up.”
Muttering, I stretched an arm toward the ceiling, and the jade bracelet slid down my wrist. The milky white jade gleamed.
It was the protective accessory Tang Jung had given me yesterday.
Does this come off? I’d really like to take it off when I’m not using it.
The moment I tugged on it out of curiosity, a needle shot out with a sharp sound.
......Yikes.
I froze stiff, still clutching the bracelet. Cold sweat broke out when I saw the poisoned needle trembling where it had embedded itself in the ceiling.
Yeah. I shouldn’t take this off casually.
“Hey. I’m back. The Young Clan Head of Namgung has been waiting for a while—shouldn’t you hurry out?”
Songji’s voice hit my ears right then, and my heart dropped through the floor. freewebnσvel.cѳm
You’re not a tiger, so why did you have to come back right now?!
I shot up and yelled.
“Songji—! W-wait. Don’t come in!”
“Why? Something happen?”
“No! Nothing happened, so just wait outside for a second!”
“Huh? Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
“Just don’t come in—wait!”
I shouted and started hopping toward the ceiling. But no matter how hard I stretched my arm, I couldn’t reach the needle.
“Hey. What is it? Are you still not ready?”
“I’m almost done. Just wait a little longer, Sis.”
“You won’t be late? You said you needed to borrow clothes.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be done soon.”
I brushed her off, chewing hard on my lip, then dragged a chair over. If I left that up there and went out, Songji might get poisoned for no reason.
I climbed onto the chair and craned my neck back, eyes wide.
Around where the needle was stuck, the ceiling had turned pitch-black.
Sir. You said it was a light poison. That looks like an express train straight to the afterlife.
I tried rubbing the stain with my hand, but the poison only spread wider instead of coming off.
I pretended I hadn’t seen anything, yanked the needle out, and shoved it back into the hole in the bracelet.
Songji. We’ll get through this. You can get through this.
......Still, I felt uneasy, so I should make her take an antidote pill I got from the Head Steward before I left.
“Can I come in now?”
“Yes. I’m done.”
“Then I’m coming in?”
Songji, who’d been pacing for ages, finally opened the door and tilted her head at me.
“What were you doing? Why’d you drag the chair out?”
“It’s nothing, Sis. Here—want to take this?”
I pulled out the antidote pills I’d kept under the bed and shoved a handful into her hand. Songji asked,
“What is it?”
“It’s good for you.”
Without a second thought, Songji dumped the antidote pills into her mouth, then rubbed her lips like crazy and made a face.
“Ugh. Bitter.”
“I’ll give you sugar candy too. Wait, Sis.”
“Oh my, look at you. You never do this, and you’re doing it just because I’m lending you clothes? Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
Songji smiled bright.
It’s because I’m scared you’ll get poisoned......
I smiled awkwardly and fed her the sugar candy. Songji puffed out both cheeks, then opened the trunk.
After rummaging around for a while, she pulled out a thin, pale-pink outfit.
“Thit’th not thilk, but it’th thtill nithe.”
“...Huh?”
“Gulp. It’s not silk, but this outfit is nice. I think it’ll suit you. Want to wear this?”
Songji held it against me and ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) asked. I obediently put on what she handed me.
It wasn’t as formal as the long robes the Tang Clan people wore, but the sleeves were still long enough to flutter at my fingertips.
Songji seemed pleased with how I looked too, her face satisfied.
“It looks like it was made for you. Pretty girls look pretty in anything.”
“Ha ha...”
“Come here. Let me fix your hair a little.”
After straightening my clothes, Songji gently combed my hair down, then pinned in a silver hair ornament.
“Sis... isn’t this expensive?”
“I bought it to wear when I get married, but I’ll lend it to you for just one day. It’s an important day, right? Go do well with the Young Clan Head.”
“...What? Do what well?”
“Oh my. I thought things were going well with the Young Clan Head? You weren’t planning on following him back to Anhui? Everyone thought so.”
What are you talking about? Who started that rumor? Simyang again?
I shook my head, horrified.
“No. That’s not it. Where would I even go?”
“Really? Then that’s a relief. It would be a good thing if you married into a good family, but I almost got upset thinking you were going to Anhui without even saying a word to me.”
Songji pouted, acting prim and sulky.
“It’s a misunderstanding. A total misunderstanding.”
Like hell I’d follow Namgung Hwi. I was someone who knew how to value her own limbs and meridians.
When I recoiled so hard, Songji giggled like she understood.
“Fine, fine—so don’t make that face. Oh, right. The Seventh Elder told me to give you this. He was right out front. Running an errand for the Grand Elder, right? What did he tell you to buy?”
“Huh? Y-yes. That’s right.”
Thanks for misunderstanding on your own.
I nodded and took the silk pouch Songji handed me.
It was heavier than I expected, so I checked inside—coins and silver coins mixed together.
I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading at the amount, and Songji rolled her eyes.
“Happy because you’re going out to have fun? You’ll be late. The Young Clan Head is waiting, so hurry and go.”
“Yes. Thank you for lending me clothes, Sis. I’ll buy snacks and bring them back.”
“Okay. Buy something tasty. But can I eat one more piece of sugar candy?”
“Of course, Sis. Eat a lot. You can eat all of it.”
“Really? I’m eating all of it, okay? You won’t take it back later?”
“Yes, yes. Eat it all. Here.”
I shoved the whole bundle of sugar candy into Songji’s arms, then checked myself one last time.
Not in maid clothes, got my entry pass, pouch nice and full. Good. Let’s go.
“Sis, I’m heading out!”
“Mmm. Baa-bye.”
I greeted Songji, who was chewing on snacks, and left the room.
*****
Namgung Hwi stood with his back against the wall. Like Songji said, he looked a little bored, like he’d been waiting a long time.
I crept up and poked his shoulder. Namgung Hwi jolted, reached for his sword, and snapped his head up.
“Who—! ...You’re here?”
“You came out early. Did you wait long?”
“No. I just got here.”
He answered fast and straightened his posture.
Unlike how he usually tied his hair up high in a single knot, Namgung Hwi wore it in a loose half-up style, and he had on a faint sky-blue long robe with no embroidery.
He looked like he’d tried hard to seem plain, but he still looked like a rich young lord.
Because there was no hiding that unusually rigid posture and his natural air of refinement.
Namgung Hwi blinked his big eyes like my appearance—without a maid’s outfit—felt unfamiliar.
“It suits you.”
“...Pardon?”
“You look like peach blossoms.”
“Do I? Thank you. Then... shall we go?”
I answered without making a big deal out of it and left the gate with Namgung Hwi.
The streets at sunset cast long shadows, announcing night’s approach.
In the darkening sky, red sky lanterns were already floating up one by one.
“Looks like they release sky lanterns at the night market.”
Namgung Hwi’s eyes sparkled as he pointed.
I smirked at his excited voice—then immediately had to run to keep up with him as he quickly pulled ahead.
“Young Clan Head. Let’s go together.”
“Ah—yeah.”
I grabbed the hem of his robe in a hurry. He flinched, then slowed down.
Soon, the night market came into view in the distance.
The night market stretched along the riverside, bright as midday.
Every street was packed with stalls glittering with lanterns, and there were even people selling goods from small boats.
The street where barkers and customers tangled together crawled with all kinds of people.
When we slipped into an alley selling snacks, food was everywhere.
Candied-fruit skewers I’d only heard about, the fried glutinous rice cake I’d eaten last time, steaming dumplings... and some lump that smelled wrong.
......A lump that smelled wrong? Is that stinky tofu?
I sniffed at the sour, musty smell and glanced sideways—Namgung Hwi had his sleeve over his nose too.
We exchanged a look and quickly escaped the stinky tofu zone.
The moment we ducked into a quieter corner away from the smell, Namgung Hwi stopped dead.
“Young Clan Head, what is it?”
“What’s that?”
I turned to where he was pointing and saw a stall surrounded by a crowd.
“I’m telling you, the dice sounded different. It’s Big, Big.”
“Big my ass. It’s Small. Small!”
“Alright, alright, stop fighting. Why don’t we just check? Let’s open it.”
A sly-looking man soothed the crowd and lifted a jar that had been turned upside down.
“See?! Big!”
“Hahaha! Big! Big!”
“Big! Alright—those who bet on Big, come collect ten pun.”
“Tch. I really thought it’d be Small this time.”
A man kicked the ground and stomped off, grumbling. It looked like a small gambling round had been going on.
Namgung Hwi’s eyes filled with curiosity.
Even dressed plainly, he still screamed “son of a noble house,” and the moment he started peeking at the stall, the man holding the jar hurried to speak to him.
“It’s a game called Dice Duel, Young Master. Would you like to try?”
“Dice Duel?”
“Yes, Young Master. You guess whether the sum of two dice will be a large number or a small number. The rules are very simple.
If the sum is one through six, it’s Small. If it’s seven through twelve, it’s Big. What do you say?”
“Fine.”
Namgung Hwi, taken in by the man’s lure, answered and opened his pouch.
What do you mean, fine. It’s not fine.
I hurriedly tried to stop him.
“You’re going to gamble?”
“Oh, don’t say something so dangerous. This isn’t gambling—it’s a game, miss. A game. If you win the game, we simply give you a small prize.”
The man looked at me like I was being ridiculous.
That’s gambling.
While I sat there with my mouth half-open at his shameless answer, Namgung Hwi was already handing him money.
“Here. Ten pun.”
“Haha, yes, Young Master. You’ll enjoy it very much.”
Seeing Namgung Hwi smile so innocently made the back of my neck go rigid.
Hey. Don’t. You idiot.
