Hwahong’s eyes wavered. Maybe my question caught her off guard—her lips moved soundlessly for a long moment, and then she broke into a bright smile.

“You really are Choryeon’s daughter. You look exactly like your mother.”

“I didn’t come here to hear about my mother—”

“I know. But what can you do? You resemble her so much. Even your temperament is the same—blood can’t be deceived, I suppose.”

Hwahong unlaced her fingers, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at me with a slow sweep of her eyes.

“Your mother also couldn’t ignore the weak. She was a peerless beauty who made all of Chengdu bring gold and jewels to her doorstep... and yet she was someone gentle enough to pity a child stealing scraps in an alley behind a pleasure house, and take that child in as a servant.”

“......Are you talking about yourself, Proprietress?”

“That’s right. I received a new life from Choryeon.”

Smiling, Hwahong reached out and tucked my messy baby hairs behind my ear. Her gaze was affectionate, like she was looking at a young niece. Then, like she was singing, she said—

“The answer is simple. Become strong, Young Lady.”

“.......”

“The martial world is the rule of the strong. In a world where power itself is law, no one listens to the words of the weak. If you have something you want to protect, shouldn’t you naturally cultivate strength?”

It was a basic principle everyone knew, but coming from Hwahong, it landed differently.

Hwahong was someone who had actually done that “obvious” thing. Hadn’t she risen from a courtesan’s servant to the owner of this pleasure house?

“I heard you became the Poison King’s disciple. A seat beside the Tang Clan’s greatest master can’t be easy, so you must be making your own efforts.”

After letting the silence sit for a beat, Hwahong continued in a grave voice.

“But just as clumsy pity is worse than none at all, you can’t accomplish anything with a mindset of doing things halfway. Young Lady. If you want to protect your people... spend every moment becoming stronger.”

The sharp advice made it impossible to lift my face.

I’d been in the one period where I needed to grow strong as fast as possible—yet I’d spent those days whining that training was hard. Shame burned in my throat. I bit my lower lip.

“Your lovely hand will be hurt, Young Lady.”

At some point, Hwahong had come closer. She pried open my clenched fist. Stroking the skin where my nails had bitten in, she whispered gently.

“You don’t need to blame yourself so harshly. Life is simply cruel. Hwahong thinks it’s already remarkable that you were formally entered into the direct line. It means you proved your worth.”

No.

I hadn’t proven any worth at all. I’d just been washing the laundry I was ordered to wash, and I happened to catch Tang Jung’s eye.

I was... just—

When I didn’t answer, Hwahong tapped the table lightly, as if she meant to change the subject.

“If keeping that maid child by your side becomes difficult, you may send her to Moon-Fragrance Pavilion. Young Lady. I’ll keep her near me and teach her.”

“Thank you for the thought, Proprietress. But I will take care of her.”

“Yes. Then... how about teaching her to read and write, Young Lady?”

“Read and write?”

“That child needs a way to protect herself too. Learning letters can only help. She’ll be able to communicate in writing, and even if she leaves the Tang Clan, it will be easier for her to find work.”

“That’s true. Thank you for the advice.”

I nodded.

Gyeonga was smart. It wouldn’t take her long to learn.

She’d once said she wanted to become a housekeeper—so teaching her simple arithmetic, or how to read account ledgers, might help too.

If she wanted, she could someday leave the Tang Clan and become a housekeeper... or even open an inn.

Only then did I feel myself settle. The fog in my head cleared.

Gyeonga wasn’t dead.

I didn’t even know how she felt, and yet I’d been acting like her life was already over. I couldn’t do that.

Seeing that I’d regained my composure, Hwahong smiled softly.

“You’ve come all this way, Young Lady, so I should repay you as well. Would you like to hear a small piece of information from Hwahong?”

“A small piece of information?”

“Yes, Young Lady. Nothing major—just how to make contact with the Hao Gate. You may need to find a Hao Gate branch outside ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Chengdu someday. It’s better to know.”

As she spoke, she lifted the lidded bowl on the table. I straightened my back and sat up properly.

“A lodge or a pleasure house that has a Hao Gate agent won’t necessarily have any special mark. Most of the time, even the owner doesn’t know one of the staff belongs to the Hao Gate. So usually... you go to an agent you already know.”

“Like how I came to you, Proprietress.”

“Exactly, Young Lady. But there are times you won’t have an agent you know. For those times... there’s an agreed signal.”

Nodding, Hwahong flipped the bowl’s lid over and set it at a slant on top of the saucer.

“Place the lid diagonally on the saucer, then lay the chopsticks across it in an X. The spoon goes on the left side of the bowl. Simple, isn’t it? Now—would you like to try it yourself?”

“Yes.”

I took the bowl and copied exactly what she showed me. Hwahong clapped as if pleased.

“You memorize quickly. After you send the signal, wait a moment. A server or a courtesan will approach and ask if you need something. Tell them the bowl is chipped, so you’d like it replaced. Then... they’ll guide you to a private room.”

“Thank you for telling me, Proprietress. Um... does the Hao Gate have many branches?”

“Ah... it’s difficult for me to tell you where other branches are and how many there are. I have business rules too, you know.”

“Oh. I see.”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly at the gentle refusal, and Hwahong waved her hand quickly.

“Instead, you may freely trade on my name. If the Hao Gate tries to refuse a deal, answer that Chengdu’s flower will pay the price. Then the Hao Gate will gladly help you.”

“......Yes. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s my joy to be of help to you, Young Lady.”

Hwahong answered with a bright smile, then flicked a glance behind me and made an embarrassed face.

“Oh my. It seems your guard is quite angry. I may have kept you too long, Young Lady. You should return and rest now.”

I turned, belatedly alarmed.

Deokju was there, wearing a terrifying expression. She glared at Hwahong—and when our eyes met, she erased her face in an instant.

I waved at Deokju to say it was fine, then spoke again.

“Um... I want to ask one more thing.”

“As much as you like, Young Lady.”

“My fourth older brother—Young Master Juyeop. I know he comes to Moon-Fragrance Pavilion often. Do you happen to know what he does here?”

“You mean you’re wondering if he’s plotting something suspicious?”

Her blunt reading made me feel a little awkward. Had I been too obvious?

“Young Master Dang does have an appearance that invites misunderstandings... but more often than not, people’s outsides and insides are different things. You needn’t worry.”

He looks like a mastermind, but he’s an idiot, so don’t worry...—Hwahong wrapped it in prettier words as she withdrew the Energy Barrier.

It was the signal that I could leave.

I nodded lightly and rose slowly from the chair.

I felt like I understood—at least a little—what I needed to do when I returned.

*****

When I got back to the annex, what greeted me was Tang Jung’s scolding.

“Where did you go with a body that sick? Was it fun, playing with your old grandfather’s heart like that? Tsk—your forehead’s a furnace again. Get inside and rest.”

He’d been about to lecture me, but the moment he pressed his fingers to my forehead, he fidgeted and let out heavy sighs.

I looked at him with a bitter smile.

There was no doubt that Tang Jung cherished me. As my protector, as my master, he was doing everything he could.

But I had to accept that he was not the same kind of person as me.

I couldn’t measure a man who’d lived his entire life in the martial world by my values.

That, too, would be arrogance.

Seeing my downcast face, Tang Jung’s eyes rounded, and he cupped my cheeks.

“My child. Why are you looking like that? What happened? Deokju, come here. What did you two do outside?”

“W-well, that is—”

“No. Grandfather. I’m just... just a little dizzy, that’s all.”

I cut Deokju off and mumbled an excuse, then bowed my head low. Tang Jung stared down at the crown of my head, swallowed a sigh, and suddenly swept me up into his arms.

“You’re upset, aren’t you?”

“...What?”

“About your maid. She was your friend.”

Clicking his tongue, Tang Jung patted my back like he was soothing a child, and started walking through the rear garden.

“H-how did you know?”

“Do you think I’m so old I can’t read my granddaughter’s heart? I send food so you’ll put on some weight, and the servants scarf it down first every time—how could I not know?”

I hadn’t expected Tang Jung to understand my feelings at all. I bit my lip hard.

At his gentle voice, the stone that had been crushing my chest all day felt like it was melting away. The tears I’d been holding back spilled out again and again.

“I told you before, didn’t I? If you keep it in, you’ll get sick. Just cry.”

“H-hng... I thought if I showed I was upset... you’d hate it......”

I sniffled and mumbled, and Tang Jung chuckled softly.

“I thought you didn’t mind my mood anymore... but it seems you’re not that fearless.”

“I watch your mood a lot......”

“Good. I won’t scold you for taking care of the people beneath you—handle it as you see fit. What can you do? That’s your nature.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Honestly—sometimes you’re so much like the Tang bloodline I think blood can’t be deceived... and then at moments like this, I wonder where on earth something like you came from.”

“...Snff. You just insulted me, didn’t you?”

“What? Ha—so who exactly claims to be watching an old man’s mood? There’s only one person in the world who speaks to me like that, and it’s you, Sohae.”

Tang Jung lifted one corner of his mouth and ruffled my hair.

I laughed too, and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. Tang Jung’s familiar scent hit me so hard I almost cried again—relief surged up like a flood.

As he soothed my sobs as if it was all right, he whispered gently.

“My child. What’s already happened can’t be helped... but we can stop something similar from happening again.”

“Yes.”

“To protect something, you must be strong. I’ll teach you step by step so you can protect—so don’t be so upset anymore.”

“Yeees.”

“But you can’t whine that it’s hard. If you do, you’ll run straight to that Un boy and badmouth your grandfather.”

“Hehe. You heard that?”

I laughed awkwardly and wiggled my fingers, and Tang Jung stroked down my back.

“Stop crying and get some sleep now. Your fever keeps climbing—you need to rest.”

Before I could even answer that I understood, Tang Jung’s fingers pressed the back of my neck.

In an instant, my consciousness blurred. My eyelids grew unbearably heavy.

“At an age where it’s a miracle just to keep this old body going... what are you trying to protect... Tsk.”

For a moment, I thought I heard Tang Jung’s sigh.