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chapter 10
The martial arts tournament was only two days away.
“Is Brother not coming again?”
“No. He says he can’t leave because he’s too worried.”
“So it’s just the three of us eating together again today.”
Anhui was overflowing with people. Notices saying No Vacant Rooms were posted at nearly every inn, and the streets were so crowded it was hard to breathe.
Still, I dressed neatly and continued meeting my friends. It helped lift my mood, and I wanted as many people as possible to see me looking bright and cheerful.
Even today, I planned to go out right after finishing lunch with my parents. I headed to where they were with Yehan.
“I’m here.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
My parents, who had been discussing something seriously, quickly stood up the moment they saw me. They began praising me as if their lives depended on it.
“You look so beautiful today. Whose daughter could be this lovely?”
“Ahem. Green suits you best, as always. I’ll buy more green silk—have a few more dresses made.”
“Thank you.”
I answered with a bright smile and sat down. When my parents sat again, the maids brought out the dishes. Every single one was my favorite.
“Eat before it gets cold. You like chicken, don’t you?”
“Try the abalone. It’s plump and perfectly cooked.”
“You two should eat too.”
“We’re full just watching you eat.”
“I’m already full thanks to you both.”
“What nonsense? You haven’t even taken a bite yet.”
I grinned as I looked at them fussing over me.
After hearing those cruel words from Young Master Yuhan, I had thought I wouldn’t be able to shake off my depression for a long time.
But that worry had been unnecessary.
My family’s sincere concern and care had pulled me back up.
Normally, we all had different schedules and ate separately, but for the time being, my parents insisted we eat together. As I ate the chicken Mother carefully deboned for me, I asked,
“I wonder if Brother is eating right now too?”
“Who knows. No matter how busy he is, he shouldn’t skip meals.”
“Maybe we can all eat dinner together tonight? He said he’d try to make time.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful.”
After finishing a lunch that filled both my body and heart, I headed to Nanhyang’s house.
I was humming as I walked lightly down the street when—
You’re smiling right now? After throwing away the perfect chance to repay their kindness?
“……”
I’m hopeless. My family does everything for me, and I can’t do anything for them.
Dark thoughts kept whispering in one corner of my mind.
No. I can’t be depressed. I can’t make them worry more.
I deliberately stepped into a narrow, dirty alley where no one was around and shouted cheerfully,
“I’m not depressed! I have people on my side—what is there to worry about?”
I’m such a useless daughter. Proud daughter? Please. I’d be lucky if I’m not a disgrace.
Ignoring the whisper, I nodded to myself and muttered,
“I almost had marriage talks with someone that amazing. People might even think I’m impressive.”
They’ve already started remembering you as the girl rejected by the Namgung family. They’re dying to laugh at you.
“……”
I seriously wanted to detach my head from my body for just a moment. Why does my brain always think in the worst direction?
I should hurry to Nanhyang’s place. Being alone makes it worse.
As I quickened my steps, her house—twice the size of ours—came into view. The gatekeepers opened the doors for me, and a maid greeted me inside.
“You’ve arrived, Miss Sojin?”
“Hi. Where’s Nanhyang?”
“She’s waiting with the others.”
As I followed the maid inside, I began to hear the laughter of women. After taking a deep breath, I entered the room.
The laughter stopped instantly.
Three elaborately dressed women were sitting at the table, smiling brightly at me. Only Nanhyang looked slightly uncomfortable.
“Oh, Sojin. You’re here?”
“You all arrived before me. Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I sat down. Their smiles grew even wider.
Nanhyang was the only one I truly confided in, but we met the others regularly for tea—to gather information and maintain connections. And despite their sharp tongues, they weren’t actually bad people.
“So you almost married the heir of the Namgung family? If there hadn’t been any connection at all, that’d be one thing—but marriage talks? I’d be dying of regret.”
“What regret? Sojin isn’t foolish. She knows her place, so she probably accepted it calmly.”
If someone saw my face right now, they’d probably call me a fool. But—
“You’re suited for about this much.”
They really weren’t bad people.
Yeom Choran, always dressed in red, pushed a luxuriously wrapped box toward me. Geum Nahwa, in yellow, covered her mouth with a red fan and giggled.
“The three of us made it ourselves. It’s nothing compared to the fancy food at the Namgung household.”
“But we used only healthy ingredients!”
Cheong Okran, in blue, grinned slyly.
My heart pounded as I opened the box.
Mooncakes—clumsily shaped but clearly made with care—gave off a nutty aroma.
“Wow. You made these yourselves?”
“Hmph. Do we look like liars?”
“Thank you, guys! I’ll enjoy them!”
Not only did they offer sincere comfort in their own blunt way—they even gave me sweets.
They really were good friends.
I took a big bite of a mooncake.
No matter how much I care about my parents, I would never choose friends with no manners. If anything, I carefully chose my friends because of the saying: You can know a person by the company they keep.
Choran grabbed a mooncake and stuffed it into Nanhyang’s mouth.
“You eat too.”
“I’m done. That’s my fifth one—ugh, why are these so annoyingly delicious?”
“Right, you look cutest when your cheeks are puffed out like that.”
After finishing another mooncake in an instant, Nanhyang stood up. The others followed and began patting my shoulders more seriously.
“You annoying girl. You look like a blooming orchid again today.”
“If they judged only by your face, you’d definitely marry Young Master Namgung Yuwun.”
“Don’t care about gossip. It’s not worth it.”
“Yeah! You’ve got us!”
I was really glad I came out despite everything.
After finishing all the mooncakes, we went outside. The streets were too crowded to properly enjoy ourselves, but my friends insisted I needed sunlight and fresh air.
“Sorry for making you come out when it’s this crowded.”
“If you apologize one more time, we won’t forgive you. Oh, right.”
Choran suddenly asked,
“By the way, that Young Hero Baek Muwol is staying at Hanrim Inn, right?”
“Yes. I was able to greet him thanks to that.”
It seemed they’d assumed that incident—when Baek Muwol caught me because of the Namgung rumor—was just an accident. Thank goodness.
Choran lowered her voice.
“So? Is he as impressive as the rumors say?”
I instinctively knew she was asking about his looks.
I whispered back,
“Even more.”
“Oh my!”
Choran, Nahwa, and Okran blushed dramatically. When Nanhyang nodded and agreed he was very handsome, the three of them got even more excited.
“Sojin, can we go to Hanrim Inn today?”
“Yeah, we can greet Brother Jinhan too.”
“And maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll see Young Hero Baek Muwol.”
Actually, my parents had asked me to check on Brother Jinhan if I had time. And if I were really lucky… I might be able to properly thank that warm-hearted man.
After a brief hesitation, I nodded.
The four of them cheered and immediately dragged me toward Hanrim Inn.
“Hurry up, Sojin!”
“Slow down a little!”
They practically pulled me along like a cow and burst through the inn doors.
The place was absolute chaos.
Well-built martial artists drank with weapons at their sides, while servers rushed around nervously carrying food.
Maybe we shouldn’t have come… I regretted it too late.
A server who spotted me ran over.
“Oh! You’re here, Miss Sojin!”
“Sorry, it’s busy. Where’s Brother?”
“Ah, the proprietor is—”
“W-Wait!”
Someone suddenly interrupted.
I turned, confused.
A young man around my age, with a sword at his waist, hurried toward us.
“Are you Miss Han Sojin, daughter of the Hanrim Merchant Guild Leader?”
“Yes. And you are…?”
Up close, he was quite handsome. A rare, cute-looking type of beauty these days.
“I’m Joo Jo-wi of the Jongnam Sect. I’m friends with that guy over there… haha.”
So what exactly did you call me for?
Just as I was beginning to feel impatient, he suddenly shouted in a booming voice,
“You are far more beautiful than the rumors say!”
The inn fell silent.
I felt all eyes turn toward me as cold sweat trickled down my back.
Stop it, you lunatic.
But he continued,
“You are truly lovely, like a flower! Really, truly beautiful!”
And thus began the assault of confessions from men who knew nothing but martial arts training.
