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Chapter 10
On top of the soft palm sat a round object wrapped in hanji paper and tied with string.
It was a fragrant pill made by crushing evening primrose with a stone, rolling it into a ball, and drying it under the sun for three whole days.
‘So that’s why she was picking grass that night….’
As if entranced, Namgung Ho held out his hand.
Tap.
Hong Seol quietly dropped the fragrant pill she had made onto it.
The sharp scent instantly wrapped around his nose, and Namgung Ho naturally frowned. Seeing that, Hong Seol hurriedly said,
“I heard that Benefactor dislikes the smell of evening primrose.”
“That’s not true.”
Without realizing it, Namgung Ho blurted out a lie.
“But your forehead….”
Hong Seol pointed at his forehead. Deep wrinkles had already long formed there.
Having had his true feelings exposed, Namgung Ho let out a small sigh.
“Yes, actually, I don’t like the smell of this herb. Still, since it’s a gift for me, thank you very much.”
It was the look of someone hurriedly expressing gratitude in case Hong Seol asked for the gift back.
“Th-this isn’t just a gift.”
“What?”
Namgung Ho asked back with a face that clearly didn’t understand.
“It’s something that will ease Benefactor’s worries.”
Though terribly nervous, Hong Seol strengthened her large eyes and spoke clearly.
“If you burn this beside your pillow, you’ll be able to sleep soundly tonight.”
“Ah….”
Only then did Namgung Ho understand what this was about. Someone must have told her that he had been unable to sleep lately.
‘To think this child personally made fragrant pills for me.’
And while scraping up her knees rolling around to do it.
It was a luxury he had never once experienced even while raising his three grandsons.
With a dazed feeling, Namgung Ho stared at the fragrant pill resting on his palm.
Perhaps his expression looked doubtful, because Hong Seol hurriedly added,
“It might be unfamiliar here at the Namgung Clan, but in my home, we used evening primrose like this.”
Though now… it was no longer her home.
Having accidentally summoned memories she never wanted to recall again, Hong Seol’s face darkened.
“Th-that….”
Namgung Ho was flustered, wondering what kind of comfort he should offer her.
But Hong Seol maturely shook her head, brushing away the bad memories herself.
Then she firmly told him in an adult-like manner,
“Benefactor may dislike the smell of evening primrose, but you absolutely must burn it.”
‘Hoh, the child has already grown up.’
Namgung Ho was inwardly surprised and couldn’t continue speaking. Seizing the opportunity, Hong Seol pressed the matter once more.
“The sharp smell only lasts a little while.”
Her face was so serious that he suddenly wanted to tease the child a little.
Unlike his usual self, Namgung Ho lightly grumbled with a playful tone.
“But what should I do if I really hate the smell?”
At that, Hong Seol looked flustered for a moment, then placed both hands firmly on her waist as if making up her mind. She wore a grave frown.
For some reason, the sight reminded Namgung Ho of the adults who used to scold him when he was young.
“E-even if you hate it, you still have to endure it! I also chewed and ate stir-fried hasuo even though it was really bitter.”
At those words, Namgung Ho became speechless. Then, before long, a helpless laugh burst out of him.
‘Haha, whose child is this to be so reliable?’
“I’m only saying this all for Benefactor’s sake.”
Hong Seol carefully added the words while watching his reaction.
“I understand. I’ll do as you say.”
When Namgung Ho answered readily, the creases on Hong Seol’s face immediately relaxed.
“But there’s something I want to tell you.”
Perhaps because the atmosphere suddenly turned serious, Hong Seol became timid again and cautiously watched him.
“W-what is it?”
The forceful spirit she had shown earlier while insisting he absolutely burn the fragrant pill was nowhere to be seen.
“It’s about how you address me. ‘Benefactor’ sounds a bit too stiff.”
“Then… Supreme Head of the Clan…?”
“No, that also feels too distant, doesn’t it?”
Then what in the world should she call him?
Namgung Ho looked at Hong Seol, who kept tilting her head in confusion.
The corners of Namgung Ho’s mouth, usually stern, slowly softened.
“Yes. Calling me Grandfather would be best.”
Early in the morning, evening primrose was piled like a mountain in front of Hong Seol’s residence.
Standing before it with a bewildered expression was Namgung Suo, the head steward of the Namgung Clan.
The man who oversaw all affairs of the Namgung Clan had just arrived after receiving Namgung Ho’s orders.
“I slept deeply last night without waking up even once. It’s all thanks to the fragrant pill our Seol-ah made for me.”
“Pardon?”
“So go tell Seol-ah to continue making evening primrose fragrant pills for this old grandfather from now on.”
“Yes, understood.”
The loyal steward had bowed and withdrawn first, but in truth, he could not understand the current situation at all. Two things particularly bothered him.
The first questionable matter was the identity of the child called Seol-ah.
‘I heard the Supreme Head of the Clan recently picked up a young girl of unknown origins. Was her name Hong Seol?’
Up to that point, he thought it was understandable. Caring for the weak—wasn’t that the righteousness and chivalry that martial artists ought to possess?
But since when had he become close enough to call the child Seol-ah?
This was the same rigid Supreme Head of the Clan who called even his own grandsons nothing more than Baek, Heuk, and Jeok.
‘Just how did she capture the Supreme Head’s heart?’
The second thing bothering him was the suspicious effectiveness of those fragrant pills.
‘I’m certain the Medicine Hall delivered fragrant pills made from evening primrose to the Supreme Head just last month.’
At the time, he had thrown them away, saying they had no effect whatsoever. Yet now he claimed they worked wonderfully.
The only difference was who had made them.
Suspicious, he had ordered the Medicine Hall to examine the ingredients of the fragrant pills, but the results were exactly as expected.
“The ingredients are identical to the ones we made.”
In that case, Namgung Suo could only think of one explanation.
‘It’s purely because of his state of mind.’
He had clearly been charmed by the antics of a little girl he had only just met. That was why the fragrant pills made by her hands felt especially effective to him.
‘If he keeps doting on a child of unknown origins, the elders won’t stay quiet about it….’
Then again, he had never been someone who cared about such things in the first place.
Namgung Suo forcibly calmed his troubled thoughts.
‘Well, what does it matter? As long as the Supreme Head of the Clan can sleep well, that’s enough.’
To him, the comfort of the Supreme Head’s mind was more important than anything else. Only then could he himself remain at peace.
With the Clan Head away, the highest elder of the Namgung Clan was Supreme Head Namgung Ho.
Which meant the worse Namgung Ho’s mood became, the harder Namgung Suo’s life would be.
That was why Namgung Suo could only feel grateful toward the mysterious child before him.
“Did you have a peaceful night, Young Miss?”
He respectfully cupped his fists toward Hong Seol as he spoke.
“I am Namgung Suo, the head steward of the Namgung Clan. I came under the orders of the Supreme Head of the Clan.”
The maid Maeran’s troubled voice sounded out.
“The Young Miss is very shy around strangers.”
Hong Seol was hiding behind Maeran as though frightened, only peeking her head out slightly.
“Young Miss, you should greet the steward.”
Only after Maeran gently urged her did Hong Seol mumble softly,
“Hello.”
Her fair cheeks reddened as she squirmed her lips, and the sight was rather adorable.
‘Is this why everyone keeps going on about wanting daughters?’
Even Namgung Suo, who was not easily swayed by most things, found his heart momentarily stolen.
“Ahem.”
Clearing his throat, Namgung Suo spoke.
“I came because the Supreme Head of the Clan sent me. Thanks to the fragrant pill you gave him, the Supreme Head slept very soundly last night.”
At those words, Hong Seol’s face brightened as if the sun itself had suddenly risen.
‘I cured Grandfather’s insomnia. I became a useful child!’
“So, the thing is, the Supreme Head would like Young Miss to continue making the fragrant pills from now on.”
As he spoke, Namgung Suo subtly held out a tiny stone mortar.
He had brought it thinking it would be much easier than crushing herbs with stones.
Originally, it was meant for grinding sesame seeds for cooking, but…
It had to be small enough for Hong Seol to handle easily. Real mortars used for medicinal herbs were far larger and heavier.
“The Supreme Head said that only the ones personally made by Young Miss are effective.”
At those words, the child who had been wrapped up in the maid’s skirts answered with sparkling eyes.
“R-really? I’ll make as many as you want!”
Maeran was startled by the energetic voice she was hearing from Hong Seol for the first time.
Namgung Suo wore a generous smile as he held out a finely crafted box.
“And in addition, he sent this over, saying it’s the cost of the medicine.”
Hong Seol’s eyes widened.
“Th-this is….”
