Chapter 19
The mornings at the Moyong Family estate started a bit earlier than other families.
Diligence and sincerity.
These were the principles that Moyong Guk had upheld since becoming the head of the family.
Even if there had been a late-night banquet the previous evening, it was not a reason to delay the morning meetings.
“Aren’t we giving away too much?”
“There’s no other way. Have you forgotten what kind of scoundrel Namgung Hyuk is?”
“But do we really need to lower ourselves to this extent?”
The meeting that started in the morning could be described as lively, but it could also be called chaotic.
It was all because of the supplies that were to be sent to the Namgung Family.
Since it was an unplanned expense, the heated debate showed no signs of stopping.
“Enough. I understand your concerns, but the decision has already been made, so let’s not argue further.”
“But, Patriarch….”
T/n: better than using Family head all the time, tho I might sometime shuffle!
“It seems that Namgung Hyuk is quite enraged. If we can pacify him with just this, we should consider ourselves fortunate.”
With the head of the family speaking in such a manner, no one else opened their mouths.
‘What trouble am I in because of my son…’
Moyong Guk did not want to dismiss their opinions by relying solely on his authority.
But what choice did he have?
Moyong Chun had already caused such a huge incident.
The Moyong Family had recently been expanding its influence, and the last thing they needed was for this to be hindered by a conflict with the Namgung Family.
As they continued to handle various other matters, Moyong Guk’s gaze fell on Moyong Hye.
‘Hye-ah seems to be troubled by something.’
Moyong Hye was tying and untying her long hair behind her neck with one hand. With each movement, her hair flowed along her slender, fair neck.
It was a habit she had whenever she was deeply lost in thought.
‘Whenever Hye-ah does that, she always comes up with a brilliant plan.’
Moyong Guk looked at his eldest daughter with eyes full of expectation.
His eldest daughter had always been sharp and quick-witted.
Although she was still too young to be directly involved in the family’s major affairs, the opinions she shared often hit the core of the problem.
‘She’s probably considering the current political landscape.’
Being young, she had a flexible mind and often presented bold opinions.
If it hadn’t been for her, they wouldn’t have even considered working with the Jegal Family.
He wondered what kind of clever scheme she was devising.
‘How do I get closer to him?’
However, contrary to her father’s expectations, Moyong Hye’s mind was filled with thoughts of Lee Se-woong.
All she was worried about was how to get closer to him.
From Moyong Guk’s perspective, ignorance was bliss.
“But what are we going to do about the person sent by the Namgung Family?”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems like he’ll be staying here for a while. Shouldn’t we at least keep an eye on him?”
Keep an eye on them? We should be treating them like honoured guests instead.
They seemed completely unaware of the Namgung Family’s influence.
Moyong Hye felt frustrated by the prideful elders of the family.
‘Wait, maybe…?’
A thought struck her upon hearing those words.
An outsider. The family’s position.
This could work.
“Hye-ah, what do you think?”
Seeing his daughter’s bright smile, Moyong Guk asked her.
Although it was a sudden question, Moyong Hye responded as if she had been expecting it.
“Keeping watch is out of the question.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The elders of the family reacted in opposition, likely because her introduction was a bit aggressive.
“I understand why you’re worried. You’re concerned that an outsider might roam around the estate freely, right?”
“That’s exactly it!”
“What I’m saying is that your approach is too unsophisticated.”
There’s a saying that a different approach changes the outcome.
Moyong Guk calmed the disgruntled elders and asked again.
“Do you have a good idea, then?”
“Of course. We should assign an escort to him.”
“An escort?”
“Under the pretext of showing him around the estate, we can keep an eye on him from up close. At the same time, we can build a friendly relationship. Wouldn’t it be better to have someone from the Namgung Family on our side?”
Given the people who harboured ill feelings toward Lee Se-woong, this was the best option. When linked to the family’s concerns, her thoughts flowed like water.
“Who would volunteer to take on such a task? Surely it should be someone from the family.”
“The one who brought it up should take responsibility, shouldn’t they? I’ll do it.”
This way, she could quell any complaints and have a legitimate reason to stay close to Lee Se-woong. It was a win-win for her.
***
Maybe I underestimated Moyong Hye.
I thought I wouldn’t have to see her for a while.
In a situation where she had to make a sort of confession, not quite a confession.
If it were me, I would have avoided her for a few days at least.
“Sir, have you had lunch?”
That’s why, when I arrived at the family head’s quarters at Moyong Guk’s summons and saw Moyong Hye standing beside him, I couldn’t help but be flustered.
I never thought we’d meet again less than half a day later.
‘There won’t be any trouble, right?’
The events of the morning.
It wasn’t my fault.
Well… strictly speaking, it’s not that I wasn’t at fault, but anyway.
She didn’t seem like the kind of person to run off and tattle to her father.
“Yes. The servants took good care of me.”
“That’s good to hear. Did it suit your taste?”
“Of course. I thought the food at the banquet was quite nice as well. It was light and refreshing.”
At the mention of the “banquet,” Moyong Hye flinched.
She tried to keep her composure, but it seemed she still hadn’t fully recovered from the shock.
“You’ll be staying at our estate for a while, won’t you?”
“Yes. It seems I’ll be imposing on you until I receive a reply from the Namgung Family.”
“That’s actually why I called you here.”
With that, Moyong Guk glanced at Moyong Hye.
Trying to maintain a calm expression, she spoke.
“Young Master, won’t it be inconvenient to wander around the estate by yourself? It’s quite vast, and you’re not familiar with the paths.”
“So?”
“Since there are places we’re reluctant to show outsiders, we’ve decided to assign someone to guide you during your stay.”
“An escort, is it really necessary?”
“It’s fine. I’m already grateful that you’ve provided me with a room. I can just stay quietly inside.”
“But it’s not fine with us! Making a guest stay confined to his room will tarnish the reputation of the Moyong Family!”
Moyong Hye widened her eyes dramatically, as if he had said something shocking, and glanced at Moyong Guk. It was a gaze seeking agreement.
No, from the beginning, I felt awkward walking around the estate.
During the banquet, aside from you and Moyong Guk, no one even came near me.
“Let me explain. Since you’re an outsider staying at the estate, it seems there are many who are concerned.”
“……”
“So I hope you understand. Just consider it as having a companion to talk to.”
I understood.
It was better than assigning someone to keep a direct watch on me.
It might just be a difference in name, but it still felt better this way.
“Hye-ah will be the one accompanying you. She’s my daughter, but she’s a clever child and will be of help.”
“Lady Moyong Hye, you say?”
Click, I heard the faint sound of a trap being set.
“Please take good care of me, Young Master. Wouldn’t it be great if we could use this opportunity to strengthen the bond between our families?”
“Ah, yes. I look forward to your guidance.”
Moyong Guk looked at his daughter with a satisfied expression, as if he were proud of her for taking on the responsibility. Standing beside him, Moyong Hye was smiling brightly.
For some reason, I found her smile a bit irritating.
***
‘I must act confidently!’
Moyong Hye steeled her resolve once more.
Now that her feelings had been exposed to him, there was no choice but to confront him head-on.
That was why she had requested her father to allow her to be his guide.
‘What should I do first?’
She had boldly convinced Lee Se-woong to accept her proposal, which was good. But that was as far as she had planned.
Had she been too hasty? All she had thought about was how to persuade him, and not what to do next once he agreed.
Under normal circumstances, she would never have acted without a plan.
‘The martial arts training hall?’
But she had gone through the trouble of dressing up. What, should they spar?
‘The brewery?’
Rejected.
No matter how much he likes alcohol, taking him to a brewery was a bit much.
‘The library?’
It was practically her own private room, but it wasn’t a place that martial artists particularly liked.
“Shall we go for a walk to help with digestion?”
After racking her brain, she finally came up with the idea of a stroll.
She had heard it somewhere before.
Apparently, lovers could enjoy each other’s company just by walking together.
If that was the case, then maybe there was something about it that could foster affection between men and women.
‘Maybe it’s not such a bad idea.’
The Moyong Family’s walking path was well maintained.
It had a gentle slope, not too steep for walking, and it was flanked by snow-covered mountains on either side.
It looked like a picture-perfect landscape.
‘Am I getting a bit too excited?’
Moyong Hye never particularly enjoyed taking walks.
She always thought it would be better to read one more line from a book instead.
She hated wasting time.
For her, a walk was a pointless activity.
‘But the breeze feels nice.’
But not today.
She was simply walking alongside Lee Se-woong, yet for some reason, her steps felt lighter.
A floating sensation.
‘What is this?’
Usually, a man’s stride is longer than a woman’s.
If Lee Se-woong had started walking ahead of her, she would have had to use some footwork technique just to keep up. But he matched his pace with hers.
Whenever it seemed like they were drifting apart, he stopped and waited for her.
Such small acts of consideration made her heart flutter a little.
‘Maybe walking isn’t so bad after all.’
Rustle, the sound of leaves falling.
The breeze gently brushed past her ears.
Even though they were only walking silently, she didn’t mind the quiet at all.
Moyong Hye had already forgotten her original purpose and was just enjoying the moment.
“Grrr!”
Then, a beast blocked their path.
It seemed to be searching for prey, a wolf with bloodshot eyes growling menacingly.
“Kyaa!”
As soon as she saw the wolf, Moyong Hye screamed and clung to Lee Se-woong’s back. It was a creature she could kill with a mere gesture.
‘So, they really do show up on the walking path sometimes!’
It was a familiar sight to her.
Wild animals occasionally wandered around the estate grounds.
Since they posed no threat to martial artists, the estate left them alone to preserve nature.
Now, it seemed that she was being rewarded for that decision.
Thanks to the wolf, Moyong Hye found her opportunity.
The opportunity to show her delicate, frightened side!
“Here, have this.”
“Grrr…”
Lee Se-woong pulled a piece of dried meat from his pocket and tossed it. The wolf took it in its mouth and ran away from them.
The situation ended anticlimactically.
“Lady Moyong, isn’t it about time you got down?”
“Oh, I’m sorry for my rudeness.”
It would have been nice to stay like that a little longer.
With a hint of regret, Moyong Hye released her hold on him.
“Lady, don’t you think that was a bit excessive?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your martial prowess is obvious. Who would believe that you were frightened by such a small animal?”
Lee Se-woong laughed as if he found it absurd.
“Was it that obvious?”
“Don’t try to deceive anyone with your acting. You’re terrible at it.”
“Who was the one saying I was putting on an act before?”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing!”
If he had noticed, he could have just let it go.
Did he have to point it out so bluntly?
She didn’t want to back down like this.
“A friend of mine told me that men’s hearts race when women show a vulnerable side.”
“?”
“Did yours beat a little faster?”
Moyong Hye looked up at him with her head tilted back.
“Not at all.”
“Not even a little?”
“I swear on my name.”
“……”
His nonchalant expression was frustrating.
She had gathered her courage to try, but…
Did he think it was easy for her to put on such a transparent act?
“I’ll do better next time.”
“Do better at what?”
“At making your heart race.”
“What do you—?”
At her sudden words, Lee Se-woong was flustered.
He had already humiliated her enough, so he had gone along with her obvious tricks out of sympathy.
‘It’s just a fleeting emotion.’
Time would take care of it.
He thought it would be fine to humour her until she sorted out her feelings.
He didn’t expect Moyong Hye to come at him so persistently.
“I told you before. I’ll make your heart flutter.”
Moyong Hye’s efforts to capture his heart.
This was only the beginning.
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