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chapter 41
Argana ground her teeth quietly. Her clenched fists trembled.
Kartak could tell that she was genuinely angry.
It was a side of her he had never seen before, and for a moment, her words—about returning from death—suddenly felt real.
“Calm down, Wihwi.”
When he reached out to soothe her, the tension in her entire body relaxed.
Some of the anger and pain she had been carrying escaped as a sigh.
A calmer Argana spoke.
“I’ve thought over and over about what was said back then. I even tried to convince myself that maybe it was just poor choice of words. But no. Isshuder was laughing.”
“Laughing?”
“Yes. He was laughing. So my real target is actually Isshuder. Yoshmut is nothing but a small fry.”
Kartak could only understand her point.
It was a feeling hard to comprehend—someone laughing in front of a person whose world had just collapsed.
‘That man must have some unfathomable side. Then again, which prince wouldn’t?’
The returning soldiers, including General Orchai, were commended under the Khan’s authority.
Those who had distinguished themselves were all promoted, some even skipping one or two ranks.
Argana summoned Tuhua to Yeonseodang, a little away from her quarters.
The pavilion rose high, surrounded by a pond, and in season, hundreds of lotus flowers would bloom—a truly magnificent sight.
But now, there were no lotus flowers, only last year’s leaves floating darkly on the water.
Like fools clinging desperately to the past.
Still, Argana had chosen this place for a reason.
At this time of year, no one deliberately visited Yeonseodang, making it easy to speak privately.
Careful yet heavy footsteps approached, and from behind a towering fragrant osmanthus tree, Tuhua appeared.
The moment he met Argana’s eyes, he knelt.
“Lieutenant Tuhua, I greet Your Highness.”
“Stand up. The ground is cold.”
At this season, soldiers wore thick padding on knees and elbows for protection.
But Tuhua had none.
It wasn’t that no one could make them for him; it was likely beyond his family’s means.
“Sit.”
“I am honored, Your Highness.”
Barta brought warm tea, steam rising in the crisp air.
Argana gestured for him to drink, and Tuhua, flustered and blushing, held the cup with both hands and took a sip. His hands were so large that the teacup looked like a child’s toy.
Argana laughed and asked,
“Why so cautious? It’s just tea.”
“I apologize. I feared committing a breach of etiquette, having devoted myself to wielding a sword rather than learning proper manners.”
“Since it’s just the two of us, drink comfortably. If you want, you can drink it all at once like alcohol.”
Though she said that, it wasn’t truly just the two of them. Barta, the soldiers guarding Argana, and the maidservants were lined up in the distance.
Still, Tuhua knew that in this moment, it really was just the two of them. The others would not listen without Argana’s command.
With ears closed, even if something was discussed here, nothing would be revealed.
“At the palace, keep your mouth shut and ears closed. Just observe. That’s the rule for lowly soldiers like us.”
When he first entered the palace as the lowest-ranking soldier, a “Bosa,” this advice from a fellow soldier resurfaced now.
Argana, drinking a sip of tea with elegance far beyond Tuhua, let out a quiet sigh and spoke.
“You’ve been promoted to lieutenant, so ordinarily, congratulations would be in order… but…”
“…”
“I wonder if it truly warrants celebration. What do you think?”
Nervous, Tuhua swallowed hard.
His original rank was Dragon Guard, just one below lieutenant.
Although he had been elevated in title to Staff Lieutenant, it was still insufficient as a reward for someone who had served under the general and earned distinction in a significant war.
“If I had known sooner, I would have petitioned His Majesty myself. What a pity.”
“No, Your Highness. There were many mistakes I made, yet I must offer endless gratitude to the General for forgiving me, and to the Great Khan for his grace and magnanimity.”
Tuhua was loyal. He did what he believed was right, caring little for rank.
Argana knew this well, but…
‘I still need allies among the officials. Military men are easier to handle than civil officers. General Orchai has been acting strangely lately. He wasn’t like this before…’
That was why she chose Tuhua, yet a subtle sense of displeasure lingered, as if she had slipped on the first step.
Khan Astran was a man who clearly distinguished reward and punishment. Knowing Tuhua’s achievements, he should have at least granted the position of Jungnangjang—a military post roughly 5–6 ranks higher than Dragon Guard.
“…Regardless, promotion is promotion. Congratulations. Today it’s just a simple cup of tea, but next time will be different.”
Her words were meaningful. Tuhua, thrilled that such a remarkable and noble princess trusted him so completely, bowed his head as if to bury it in the table.
“I pledge my loyalty and devotion to Your Highness.”
Argana shook her head, smiling.
“Kind words, but it’s not yet the time for that. For now, focus on your duties.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Had he grasped the subtle meaning behind “for now”? As a straightforward person, likely not, but it didn’t matter.
‘When the time comes and I need him, he will come running without hesitation.’
What Argana needed most now was “people.”
It was something she had never considered seriously before her death.
To make one’s own “people”—that was the basis of power struggles. Yet back then, Argana…
‘I was ridiculously naive. I knew about the competition with my siblings but never thought any of them might harm me. Even after seeing Tirsalan’s fate…’
Her concern and attention to the young boy now stemmed from guilt.
Had she not fully separated the child’s death from her own circumstances—even unintentionally—how could she have been so carefree in succession struggles?
This time, she would never make a mistake.
Argana resolved once more to do everything she could, mobilizing all the people and even spirits she could, to protect her position.
‘And I will improve my father’s health as well.’
Snapping out of her long, quiet contemplation, Argana lowered her voice and asked Tuhua,
“What about what I asked you to investigate?”
Before his deployment, she had instructed him to find out whether the diagnosticians could use colorless, tasteless, and odorless poisons.
Loyal Tuhua, even in situations where arrows and swords could strike at any moment, had faithfully carried out her orders.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I was able to obtain some information from the poison specialists among the diagnosticians, but I could not acquire anything regarding the threefold ‘no’ poisons you mentioned.”
