Chapter 2

Sutaepyeong (2)

"I am Sutaepyeong, an apprentice warrior under the Baekseon Palace! I heard that Commander Jangrae was looking for me!"

Among warriors, a loud and clear voice and the spirit it conveys are considered basic etiquette.

Two guards at the entrance of the Jeokgung Palace scrutinized me. Their puzzled gazes revealed their thoughts.

They seemed curious about why a mere unknown like me would be summoned by the Commander himself.

After instructing me to wait for a moment, the two guards confirmed something and then let me in.

Inside the Jeokgung Palace, a large training ground spread out like a courtyard. Commander Jangrae was overseeing the training of dozens of warriors.

When he caught my eye, he finished giving instructions to the warriors and walked into his office.

The brief eye contact was a signal for me to follow.

*

"Fortunately, you don't seem to have any serious injuries despite fighting such a large wild boar."

Indeed, in a place like the Jeokgung Palace, where rough warriors gather, they don't offer you a cup of tea.

It wasn't out of rudeness but rather the nature of the place. When men who practice martial arts gather, unnecessary formalities tend to disappear.

"Your strength is impressive. Do you usually train a lot?"

"Even as an apprentice warrior, if I want to be recognized as a warrior in this Cheongdo Palace, I must train every day!"

I sat on the wooden chair in the office where Jangrae had led me and gave what I thought was the perfect answer.

Jangrae, who was sitting on his own wooden chair, nodded and replied.

"That's the kind of answer you'd find in a textbook."

"..."

"As you know, the Jeokgung Palace values practical skills over formalities."

He was telling me to be honest, even if it seemed a bit rude.

"Hmm... If I must say, it's my constitution."

"That sounds more like a natural talent or aptitude."

"No, it's my constitution. After suffering from a high fever when I was around seven and nearly dying, I gained more strength."

Jangrae would know better that it wasn't just a little more strength.

However, it's good to have the virtue of modesty.

"Your strength is too valuable to be wasted in a minor position at the Baekseon Palace. Why didn't you try to impress the personnel department more? With that level of strength, you could have been assigned to the Jeokgung Palace and aimed for a higher position."

"The abilities of a warrior and a soldier are entirely different."

My answer made Jangrae look at me with interest.

"If strength alone could make a great commander, all the famous commanders in history would have been giants. A true warrior must possess wisdom, virtue, and physical strength. I don't overestimate my abilities just because I have a bit of physical talent."

"What do you think is the greatest enemy of a warrior?"

Jangrae suddenly changed the topic.

"I will keep it in mind if you teach me."

"It's ignorance. There are plenty of people here in the Cheongdo Palace who, despite being skilled in martial arts, still underestimate wisdom and virtue."

One must recognize their own ignorance to become a commander who can lead an army.

This was a common saying of Jangrae.

"At least you recognize your own ignorance. That is a great talent for a warrior. The strength of your physique is a secondary matter."

"..."

"If you wish, I can offer you a position in the Jeokgung Palace. We are short of capable people."

"The Jeokgung Palace is a place that all the warriors in this vast Cheongdo Palace strive to enter. It's surprising to hear about a shortage of personnel."

"Where would we be short of people? We are short of 'capable' people."

Jangrae crossed his arms and tapped his forearm with his index finger. He seemed full of complaints but tried not to show it. The position of Commander of the Jeokgung Palace comes with its own set of worries.

"...I appreciate your generous offer! However, as someone from the Huayong Xue family, I doubt I would adapt well to the Jeokgung Palace. As you know, I am only here in the palace thanks to the kindness of the princess."

"You're quite skilled at making excuses."

I am from a traitor family that was wiped out. There's no better shield than this as an excuse.

However, Jangrae, with his keen senses, immediately saw through my pretense. He was a man whose intuition was sharper than the sword at his waist.

"Formalities are important, but I already said I value practical skills more."

"...It's not a very noble reason."

"It doesn't matter. Just tell me."

...

After a moment of hesitation, I finally spoke.

"...To do as little work as possible... and earn as much as possible..."

"..."

"...That's my motto..."

"..."

"The uniform of the Jeokgung Palace is something every warrior in the palace might want to wear, but I've heard the workload is quite heavy."

In other words, I was saying I didn't want to work hard.

Well, I couldn't help it. He was the one who pressed me.

It would be futile to get angry now and ask what kind of mindset I had.

"Ha."

However, his reaction was unexpected.

Given Jangrae's serious and ascetic nature, I thought he would be angry. But Jangrae laughed as if he had been caught off guard.

"Ha, ha, ha. Indeed. Now that I think about it, your mindset makes sense."

"...I didn't think it was something to be proud of, so I kept quiet."

"No, it's fine. As a warrior in the Cheongdo Palace, there's no law that says you can't be pragmatic. In fact, it might be fortunate that you won't be taken advantage of elsewhere."

Jangrae uncrossed his arms and laughed heartily again before taking a deep breath.

He was always seen as a brave and reliable figure. This side of him was unexpected.

"There are those who recite the classics about loyalty and patriotism by heart, and there are those like you who question everything. You're definitely not the type to be tied down in the Jeokgung Palace."

I wasn't sure if it was a compliment, so I just listened quietly.

Anyway, if he was going to say something, he should have been more clear.

"You're carrying a sword. Can you use it?"

"It's just part of the uniform. I've never properly wielded a sword."

"...So you subdued the wild boar without a sword?"

"...I did use the sword to cut the throat."

"Let me see your sword."

He wanted to gauge my level as a warrior.

Well-trained and diligent warriors usually maintain their swords in good condition.

I was about to hand him my sword in its scabbard when I suddenly shuddered.

– Flinch

"...Why?"

"It's nothing. Here's the sword."

Jangrae took my sword, drew it, and examined it.

The blade was quite worn out from lack of use. Jangrae lightly advised me to keep it sharp and returned the sword to me.

"The blade is quite worn. Well, it's fine. I can't force someone who has no interest to stay. I understand your intention."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Ah, and there's one more thing I need to tell you."

Jangrae crossed his arms and hesitated before speaking.

"About that... servant girl I saw..."

"Ah... Servant girl Seol? She is truly beautiful."

As soon as I confirmed it was about Lady Ran, I smiled.

"Unlike the high-ranking concubines, she doesn't wear any makeup, but she is truly beautiful."

"Indeed, but... anyway, I really met her by chance. We need to clear up any unnecessary misunderstandings about secret meetings or anything like that."

This was an unfamiliar side of Jangrae.

He, who always showed a stern and resolute demeanor as a warrior, hesitated when talking about Seol.

I couldn't help but have the same impression.

Indeed, being a female lead in a novel is not an easy task...

*

What do warriors do on their days off?

I once overheard palace maids discussing this topic. It was a conversation I heard at the laundry area when I was patrolling near the harem.

The young warriors in their minds seemed to be completely detached from the secular world, deeply immersed in martial arts, like Taoist hermits.

They seriously discussed topics like meditating in seclusion or punishing the ruffians outside the palace. I wanted to point out that warriors are not some righteous crusaders, but it's the nature of a girl's imagination.

In reality, even the brave warriors are not much different on their days off.

Unless they are obsessed with work like Commander Jangrae, they rest when they can.

Some visit brothels outside the palace, some gather to gossip... In short, many are far from the reliable warriors the maids imagine.

What can you do? Men are like that.

In that sense, I am one of the more solid ones when it comes to spending my days off.

– Chop! Chop!

The sound of a cleaver hitting the cutting board.

I had just cut a large leek in half.

I also sliced some green onions and ginger and dropped them into the pot where I was boiling the wild boar's front legs.

The broth I started boiling as soon as I returned from the Jeokgung Palace had already thickened.

The ingredients I prepared with the help of the elder in the inner palace were all in excellent condition. I am always grateful for the support of my only hobby.

Looking up at the window, I could faintly see the round moon beyond the window frame.

It was quite late at night.

The bubbling sound of the broth. Sitting in front of the hearth, gazing at the stars and the moon, I felt a warm, indescribable feeling.

"...I need to eat to have energy for tomorrow."

I poured the broth into a bowl of rice.

Then I sliced the front leg meat, which had become braised pork, and placed it on top. Taking a bite, I found that the gamey smell had almost disappeared thanks to the various spices.

I sprinkled a little Namman grass powder and pepper from the palace. These were precious items that I had to use sparingly.

I stirred it well with a spoon. It looked like a common pork soup, but for a low-ranking warrior, this was quite a rare treat.

I blew on it and took a bite, sighing contentedly. Yes, this is the taste.

"Ah."

Just as I was about to continue eating, the door opened.

"Taepyeong! You said you caught a wild boar and got some meat! Let's make some Huiguyu! I got some leftover doubanjiang from the high officials!"

A familiar face appeared at the door.

Yeonri, a maid who assists Elder Baekseon. She is my colleague, in a sense.

She has a great appetite and always rushes to any valuable ingredients.

"..."

"..."

However, the wild boar meat Yeonri was craving had long since become my pork soup.

Staring at my bowl, Yeonri's eyes welled up with tears.

"It's too late!"

"What's this Huiguyu? Just sit down and have some spicy pork soup."

"Stop turning everything into pork soup! How can all ingredients end up as pork soup? I'm so sick of it!"

Yeonri scratched her head in frustration.

"It's my meat, so it's my choice. And what's the point of knowing all these complicated cooking methods that just waste time and reduce the amount of food? If I have that time, I'd rather have another bowl of spicy pork soup."

"..."

I stirred the soup with my spoon, took a bite, and picked up some pickled cabbage with my fingers.

After chewing a few times, I lifted the bowl and drank the broth.

"Ah."

"..."

"Ah. This is life."

"..."

"Damn. I feel like having some white liquor. Should I have a glass... Is there any sorghum wine left in the cupboard?"

...Is this guy really fifteen?

His silent gaze seemed to be asking the same question.

*

The bright moon gently enveloped the Jeokgung Palace.

It was late, and except for the guards on duty, no warriors remained in the Jeokgung Palace.

However, Commander Jangrae was still sitting in his office, reviewing reports.

During the day, he oversaw the warriors' training and focused on protecting high officials and maintaining law and order. Therefore, he could only handle paperwork at night.

"..."

After examining a few bamboo slips, Jangrae suddenly looked up at the moonlit night sky.

– "I've never properly wielded a sword."

This was what the apprentice warrior from the Baekseon Palace said earlier.

Indeed, his strength was impressive, but his mindset and actions seemed far from those of a warrior. He appeared more frivolous than heavy and dull. However, his strength was undoubtedly extraordinary.

However, mere strength does not symbolize a warrior's strength. Strength must be honed through skill to have meaning.

A person who has never wielded a sword would not have such skills.

Perhaps he was not the right fit for the Jeokgung Palace.

However, what troubled Jangrae was not this aspect.

It was the moment when the warrior handed him the sword.

"..."

Examining the state of the sword is the same as assessing the warrior's potential.

As the warrior said, the sword was poorly maintained and showed no signs of use.

However, a seasoned warrior can tell a lot without even examining the sword.

Just by the way the scabbard is held, one can gauge the level of the wielder.

The moment the apprentice warrior grabbed the scabbard, Jangrae caught a glimpse of his hand over his shoulder.

For a brief moment, the warrior's grip was completely different from that of an ordinary warrior.

He had a firm grip with his pinky and ring finger, his middle and index fingers were pressed together supporting the bottom of the scabbard, and his thumb was prominently extended forward.

This was a characteristic of those who had handled heavy black iron swords for a long time. The longer and heavier the blade, the more the center of gravity of the scabbard shifts backward.

'He has wielded a sword. And for a considerable period of time.'

A unique, efficient grip only develops after handling a sword for a long time.

If it had become a habit, it meant it was completely ingrained.

And this was from a mere fifteen-year-old apprentice warrior.

Moreover, before handing the sword to Jangrae, the warrior flinched and adopted a completely novice grip, as if holding a wooden stick.

"..."

It was a very brief moment, but Jangrae noticed it at the edge of his vision.

In that brief moment, the warrior changed his grip to hide his sword skills.

The meaning was clear.

In that moment, the warrior had gauged Jangrae's level and realized he needed to hide his grip.

When their eyes met as Jangrae took the sword, the apprentice warrior was observing Jangrae's gaze, whether it was on the sword or his hand holding the scabbard.

It was a fleeting moment, perhaps a hundredth of a second.

Sutaepyeong's eyes.

In that moment of gauging Jangrae's level, a reddish light seemed to flash in his eyes.

The same eyes he had when he killed the wild boar in the back alley of the Baekseon Palace.

– A mere apprentice warrior was gauging the level of a Commander.

...What was the reason for the warrior's attempt to hide his skills?

– "...To do as little work as possible... and earn as much as possible..."

– "...That's my motto..."

Jangrae rested his chin, deep in thought.

'What is the frivolity meant to hide?'

He looked up at the moon in the night sky, but no clear answer came to him.

Only the faintly shining stars filled his vision.

'Elder Baekseon. What exactly are you harboring in the palace?'

The night grew deeper, helplessly.