TYDOFC 39

Chapter 39

I told Father everything I’d felt in the moment I collapsed.

About the poison well and my energy core.

…And even about the strange woman who appeared in my dream.

Father held me close and quietly listened to everything I said.

Then—

“Via, listen carefully to what Father says.”

He lifted me up so our eyes were level.

Thanks to that, I could see him straight on.

I nodded.

“Yes.”

“That story will be a secret among you, me, and your grandfather.”

“A secret?”

“Yes. Don’t tell anyone else—not even your uncle.”

“Not even Uncle?”

“If too many people know, words start to leak like sand slipping through your fingers—whether by accident or on purpose.”

Father’s tone was calm but heavy.

“It’s clear there’s something inside you, but for now, no one can say for certain what it is.”

“I see…”

“Things that aren’t understood can sometimes invite jealousy, or even bloodshed.”

Father gently took my hand.

“So, until we find out what’s inside you, let’s keep it secret.”

“Yes, I will!”

“It shouldn’t be anything dangerous,” Father murmured softly, barely audible.

“…because there’s no way that would make you dangerous.”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head.

“I didn’t catch that, Father.”

“It’s nothing important,” he said quickly.

Then he let out a small grunt as he turned me around on his lap.

With his thick fingers, he began combing through my messy hair.

“Via.”

“Yes?”

“Does the cut still hurt?”

“Oh, Father, you’ve asked that so many times. I’m really fine.”

The truth was, it still stung a little.

But compared to Father’s condition, I was perfectly healthy.

Yet he said nothing for a while.

Only the faint sound of his fingers brushing through my hair broke the silence.

After a moment’s hesitation, I admitted, “Actually… it hurts a little.”

“I see.”

“But it’s okay.”

I turned my head abruptly.

“Ah.”

In doing so, my hair slipped out from between his fingers.

“But it didn’t hurt much because you were worried about me. Everyone was.”

When I collapsed, Grandfather, Uncle, Aunt—so many people had been genuinely concerned.

But if it had been my previous life…?

If I had still been confined to my room back then…?

Of course, they would have worried, deep down.

I knew it wasn’t that they didn’t want to approach me—it was that they couldn’t.

Still, they probably wouldn’t have come to see me.

Only Father would’ve been able to comfort me.

That wasn’t bad or wrong.

But—

‘To have so many people worry about me like this…’

It felt strange. Strange, but nice.

‘It’s the first time anyone’s ever worried about me because I was hurt.’

Being stabbed had hurt terribly, and I felt bad for making everyone anxious.

But the gentle hands that applied ointment, the warm voices, the cups of medicinal tea offered to me—

All of it felt so comforting that I didn’t mind the pain at all.

Father gazed at me quietly, then reached out a large, warm hand.

He cupped my cheek and softly brushed the corner of my eye with his thumb.

It felt so good that I rubbed my face against his hand like a cat.

“Hehe…”

Father smelled so nice.

A scent so familiar that I could picture his face with my eyes closed.

“She must atone for her mistake,” Ilhwa said coldly.

Choyo stood beside her, eyes slightly swollen—as if she’d just been scolded.

I looked between the two of them, feeling awkward.

‘So that’s why I haven’t seen Choyo.’

Ilhwa must’ve taken her away while I was unconscious.

Was she punished by her master?

Choyo’s shoulders looked smaller than usual, tense and hunched.

Ilhwa bowed her head slightly to me.

“Choyo failed to fulfill her duty and must be punished.”

“Because she couldn’t protect me?”

“Yes.”

Ilhwa lifted her gaze.

“A bodyguard cannot neglect her vigilance simply because there are other guards within the inner court.”

“But Choyo couldn’t have stayed by my side at that time.”

“Even so, she should have found a way to protect you—wherever, whenever. She did not.”

“So you punished her?”

“Yes.”

I turned to look at Choyo.

As our eyes met, she hurriedly knelt in the courtyard before my room.

“Please punish me, Young Miss.”

“…”

“I’ve come to beg forgiveness for my failure…”

But could Choyo really have protected me?

During the test, no one except the guards of the inner court was allowed near me.

She might have been able to block the attack if she’d happened to stand in the path of the blade—

But that was highly unlikely.

‘If she had managed that, she’d be considered an accomplice.’

So, in my judgment, Choyo wasn’t at fault.

I’d been looking for her to tell her that, but—

‘No wonder I couldn’t find her!’

She’d been dragged off by her master to be scolded.

Then again, Ilhwa was the master of the Twelve Venomous Flowers—strict and precise—and Choyo was her successor.

So it made sense.

But still—

“I was hurt because someone threw a knife at me.”

“…”

“And I collapsed because the guards couldn’t protect me.”

At that, Choyo lowered her head deeply.

“This was clearly the fault of the inner court guards—and yours as well, Choyo.”

“…Yes.”

“But it wasn’t your wrongdoing.”

“…But, Young Miss!”

“Fault and wrongdoing are different. So are intention and accident. That’s why this time, I’ll let it pass.”

I could feel Ilhwa’s gaze on me.

I turned to meet it.

“But there won’t be a next time.”

This was the real start.

Tang Yeong had been captured after trying to harm me, which meant Tang Paejin would resent me even more.

Like a snake storing venom through the winter, he would wait for his chance to strike.

In my previous life, I did nothing—and still, they killed me.

Now that I’d stirred up the Tang family’s nest, they might try to kill me even sooner.

‘Maybe they’ll even try to create the Venom Corpse faster this time.’

Or betray the Tang family earlier.

So, the real battle began now.

“From this moment on, I can’t allow any more mistakes, Choyo.”

I had to protect myself—from the unseen enemies lurking within.

“So I’ll overlook it this once. But if this happens again, I’ll have no choice but to hold you accountable.”

Choyo lifted her head.

“Stay by my side—like my shadow.”

She rubbed her reddened eyes and bowed low to the ground.

“Yes, Young Miss…!”

“I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

‘It all worked out, thankfully.’

I’d nearly died, but in the end, Tang Yeong had been exposed as the culprit. Grandfather’s wrath had weakened Tang Paejin’s influence.

He’d fallen from Grandfather’s favor, and I’d managed to make Ilhwa and Choyo more cautious.

That alone was a major victory.

But—

‘Tch…’

I touched the area where my energy core was.

In the end, I’d failed to store the poisonous energy from the Formless Venom inside my poison well.

It still lingered within me, but I couldn’t draw it out or use it.

‘Still…’

At least I was alive!

Better to see the good side of things.

When I clenched my fist, my wound throbbed faintly.

“Ow, ow, ow…”

I’d pretended not to hurt in front of Father, but the pain was getting worse with time.

Well, I had been stabbed, after all.

Just then—

Flutter.

A butterfly drifted down from somewhere and landed on my fingertip.

Sitting on the wooden floor, I stared quietly at the tiny creature.

It opened and closed its wings, resting there lightly.

Maybe it just wanted to take a short break.

I kept my hand still so it could rest comfortably.

I planned to get up once it flew away.

But—

“…”

“…”

Why… isn’t it flying away?