Chapter 8

### Birthday (1)

The autumn of fifteen years was almost gone.

They say that as you get older, the seasons change more quickly and the years seem shorter... It seemed that this perception followed one's mental age more than physical age.

Living each day to the fullest, the colorful leaves in the palace had already faded.

Time flies as fast as an arrow. However, it wasn't exactly a peaceful daily life.

"Hey, Taeping. By any chance... has the Lady-in-Waiting...?"

On a day when the birthday of Prince Hyunwon was just around the corner.

Due to the cold, Yeonri, who was wearing a thick red jacket, asked me with a pale face.

...

Every day, various gifts and medicinal herbs flew in from the Blue Dragon Palace, and the personal letters from the Lady-in-Waiting piled up. It was actually more surprising that Yeonri, who was a fellow of the Baekseon Palace, hadn't noticed.

After all, Yeonri was in a position where she should have been aware of the materials coming in and out of the Baekseon Palace.

That's right.

Seoran had said that time would solve everything, but the passing time didn't solve anything.

*

"When did you find out, Seoran?"

"Two months ago... when Taeping first received a personal letter from the Lady-in-Waiting..."

On the evening Yeonri discovered the truth, an emergency meeting was held in front of the kitchen hearth of the Baekseon Palace.

We sat around a basket of sweet potatoes from the Blue Dragon Palace, whispering to each other.

Given the situation, it was really a matter of life and death, so we had to be extremely cautious.

From a distance, it would just look like a group of Baekseon Palace maids, warriors, and a concubine's attendant sitting together, steaming sweet potatoes. It would appear as a small act of rebellion.

"The whole story is pretty much as you expected, Yeonri. When a young lady is still immature, it's common for her to confuse admiration with love..."

Yonri and Seoran were somewhat awkward with each other and used formal language.

In fact, they had no common ground even in the Cheonryeonyan family, so it was understandable.

Yeonri said with a sense of disbelief.

"Taeping may be good-looking, but his actions lack sophistication. He could easily be mistaken for a fifty-year-old man... How could a Lady-in-Waiting, who is so refined, fall for Taeping so easily..."

"Yeonri, that's a bit harsh..."

"Y-Yeah, Yeonri. Taeping doesn't always act like an old man! M-Most of the time, though..."

"..."

Seoran tried to defend her brother, but her tone lacked confidence from the start.

"Besides, girls at that age often fall in love quickly and get over it just as fast. A girl's love is more capricious than the seasonal winds. I thought that if we just waited a bit, it would resolve itself..."

Seoran said this, but Jin Cheongrang's persistent affection was more surprising than expected. She had been sending gifts and letters for two months, almost as if she were the protagonist of a romance novel.

I hoped she would come to her senses, but Jin Cheongrang seemed unaware that her affection could ultimately be a dagger that could kill me. Or perhaps she was aware but couldn't stop... If that were the case, the situation would be even more serious...

At this point, it would be nice if the maids who served her could give her a hint, but the Lady-in-Waiting, who had just returned from a serious illness, seemed to be too preoccupied with her affection.

"Initially, I wasn't sure if just waiting was the right approach, Seoran."

Finally, unable to hold back, I munched on a sweet potato and spoke.

"We've waited long enough. The incident happened in autumn, and now it's winter, and the birthday of Prince Hyunwon is just around the corner."

The birthday of Prince Hyunwon, one of the largest winter events in the palace, was approaching. It was a time when all the maids and eunuchs were extremely busy.

There was no point in dragging it out any longer.

"Nothing will be solved by just sitting here and swallowing our saliva."

"Then, what do you plan to do... Do you have any ideas..."

"This isn't a matter of weighing different options. The only way is to be straightforward and seize the opportunity to say, 'This is not right!!!'"

If the news spread that the Crown Princess was interested in a warrior from the Baekseon Palace, it would be a big problem, so it had to be discussed in a quiet place where no one could hear.

In such situations, it's better to be straightforward and honest rather than dragging things out.

"Specifically, what do you plan to say, Taeping?"

"That's a good question, Yeonri. Instead of hesitating, I will go to the Blue Dragon Palace, stand before the Lady-in-Waiting, and tell her that while her feelings are deeply appreciated and precious, it is against the palace rules for a Crown Princess to have feelings for a mere apprentice warrior, and it could lead to serious consequences."

"...That's very much like you, Taeping. I agree that it's the right approach, but it's a heavy responsibility."

Yeonri, who was also munching on a sweet potato, spoke with a mouth full.

Then, she seemed to choke and patted her chest, causing Seoran to quickly hand her a glass of cold water.

"Heavy responsibility?"

"Phew. Yes. If it could be resolved that way, it would be wonderful, but in my opinion, it's a risky choice. It could worsen the situation. No... Given the Lady-in-Waiting's reactions so far, it will almost certainly make things worse."

"...Why?"

"Think about it. Even if she didn't realize it at first... After two months, how could the Lady-in-Waiting not know such an obvious fact?"

There was a moment of silence.

Looking at Seoran, it seemed she had never considered this perspective. She stared at Yeonri with wide eyes.

"A girl knows her own feelings best. Listen carefully, Taeping. You, being a blunt man, might not understand, but a girl in her prime... often becomes more passionate about forbidden love."

"..."

"Men might not understand this, but there are cases where a girl becomes more emotionally moved by the melancholic charm of a tragic heroine... I think... The Lady-in-Waiting is likely at that stage."

Yeonri's detailed explanation seemed more perceptive than usual.

She seemed to be a great expert in this area, perhaps from reading many romance novels.

"Is that a reasonable statement, Seoran?"

"....It... makes sense...!"

Perhaps there was a mutual understanding among girls, as Seoran, who had been stroking her chin in thought, nodded.

"I've heard that the reason why concubine maids often develop feelings for outer palace warriors is that this atmosphere, which clearly distinguishes between men and women, actually encourages such feelings..."

"Seoran... Even you say such things..."

"The beauty of transgression and disloyalty seems to fuel affection... Indeed... Yeonri's words are hard to ignore... Taeping, considering the reactions of the attendants around me, it seems to be true..."

After saying this, the two girls seemed to have a mutual understanding and nodded at each other.

It felt like a significant exchange had taken place between them. There was a subtle psychology among girls of that age that men couldn't understand. Women, indeed, were complex creatures.

"So... Directly emphasizing the distance between the two is a heavy responsibility. The lingering sentiment of an unattainable person might actually stimulate an unrequited love. The best approach is... to naturally make the Lady-in-Waiting lose interest in you."

"Hmm."

Regardless of the process, the conclusion was worth considering.

"Though it might seem a bit underhanded... I suggest hinting to the Chief Maid of Hwein to spread rumors about you. About how the warrior from the Baekseon Palace has a dissolute private life and a bad temper... If she hears such news consistently from her trusted Chief Maid, she will gradually lose interest and keep her distance."

"...That's a brilliant idea!"

I clapped and patted Yeonri's shoulder.

Seoran also looked satisfied. Indeed, Yeonri seemed to be an expert in this area.

*

"I'm sorry. The Lady-in-Waiting was so angry that I ended up confessing to the lies I told."

The next day, Hwein, who came to the Baekseon Palace, bowed apologetically.

"..."

"The Crown Princess is always supposed to maintain a graceful appearance, exchange beautiful words, and cultivate virtue. How could a Chief Maid, who is supposed to assist her, speak such frivolous rumors and mislead her?"

Sitting on the veranda of the Baekseon Palace, mending the bamboo strips for the building repairs, I was speechless at Hwein's words.

Yeonri, who was embroidering the bedding for Baekseon, also looked equally bewildered.

"Perhaps, the rumors about Seo the Warrior were too unpleasant for her to hear..."

"Y-Yes, but to just spill everything... My life is on the line, as I told you..."

"Seo the Warrior's desperation is understandable, but..."

The Chief Maid Hwein fidgeted and avoided eye contact.

"I cannot go against the Lady-in-Waiting's wishes. The Chief Maids of the Four Palaces are willing to sacrifice their lives for their masters... Moreover, to continue spreading rumors about the person who saved the Lady-in-Waiting... There is a limit to how much I can do. From the Lady-in-Waiting's perspective, it would naturally seem unnatural..."

Seeing Hwein apologize, my head felt even more dizzy.

It felt like I was in a bind.

I sat in a corner of the veranda, trying to clear my thoughts.

If I followed Yeonri's advice, which seemed expert in this area, the best approach would be to let the Lady-in-Waiting naturally lose interest in me.

But... What was I supposed to do?

The Lady-in-Waiting was the Crown Princess of the Blue Dragon Palace, admired by all. Considering the difference in status, the initiative was in her hands. I couldn't act rudely towards her, and any excessive rudeness would violate the palace rules.

I needed someone's cooperation... At least someone who could be on equal footing with the Lady-in-Waiting and could lower my evaluation.

"Seo the Warrior."

Suddenly, Hwein called out to me. My expression, lost in thought, must have looked serious, as he seemed worried.

"Regardless, as a Chief Maid of the Lady-in-Waiting, I have greatly benefited from Seo the Warrior. I will do my best to assist you in times of crisis... However, I hope you understand that I cannot act against the Lady-in-Waiting's wishes."

"Yes, I understand your position. It's always the intermediaries who suffer the most."

"I will think of various strategies, but for now, I might not be able to help much due to the preparations for the birthday."

"Yes, if you're busy, there's nothing I can do. It's not like my head will roll tomorrow, so I'll take it step by step..."

At that moment,

A bolt of lightning seemed to strike my mind.

"Birthday...!"

Suddenly, my eyes widened, and I broke into a smile, startling Hwein and Yeonri.

"Yes... There is such a brilliant idea...!"

Clasping my fists in joy and raising them, Hwein and Yeonri looked at me in surprise.

*

– Clang! Clang! Clang!

The future sword handle rolled on the training ground floor.

After the sword fell from his hand, Jang Rae bowed his head.

"I lost."

"Did you hold back?"

On the opposite side stood Lady Inhyeon, the owner of the Red Phoenix Palace.

After lunch, she led her maids to the Red Phoenix Palace to seek sword instruction from the warrior commander. The process for the Crown Princess to leave the inner palace was more complicated than expected, so Jang Rae was somewhat surprised.

Though it was a practice match, there was no sign of joy on Lady Inhyeon's face after knocking Jang Rae's sword away. She seemed to have noticed that Jang Rae's grip had weakened.

Jang Rae was about to say, "I didn't hold back," but then he saw Lady Inhyeon's straight gaze and held back.

Lady Inhyeon was shorter by a head.

Despite her petite and delicate frame, she had a noble appearance, but her eyes were already those