Chapter 71
“Then. Let us begin the feast now.”
As Yun-woong’s tears settled, Seol Won-pyeong spoke in a solemn voice.
“Commander. Are you fully prepared?”
“Yes, Master. The food and drinks have been prepared in abundance.”
In place of Commander Wi, Deputy Commander So Chung-jeo stepped forward and replied respectfully.
“Thank you for your effort.”
“Not at all, Master. The chefs did all the preparation, so please reward them.”
“Indeed.”
As Seol Won-pyeong stepped onto the stage, everyone fell silent. The presence of the Seol family head was overwhelming.
Ahem. Clearing his throat, Seol Won-pyeong began to speak.
“To all of you who have joined us on this fine day, I extend my gratitude. Eat and drink to your heart’s content, and pray for the prosperity of Subokgak.”
Prosperity of Subokgak.
“Yes, Master.”
“Long live the Seol family! Long live Subokgak!”
It wasn’t just for the Seol family—it was a wish for Yun-woong’s personal training hall, and more importantly, for Yun-woong’s health.
Feeling Seol Won-pyeong’s wish for more people to bless her for Yun-woong’s sake, tears welled up again.
I shouldn’t cry on such a good day.
Can one really be this happy?
Yun-woong wiped her tears with her sleeve.
“Miss, may you always be healthy!”
“May Subokgak be filled with blessings.”
Surrounded by words of blessing from every direction, Yun-woong smiled brightly and lightly bowed in gratitude.
“Yeong-ah, you must always stay healthy.”
Seol Do-jin, who approached her, spoke warmly.
“Yes, Brother. I will.”
Yun-woong nodded, realizing the emptiness she had been feeling earlier.
“But, Brother…”
“Yes? Huh? What is it, Yeong-ah?”
“Father… is it alright to hold a feast like this when he’s not here?”
“Uh… well, you see…”
Seol Do-jin avoided Yun-woong’s gaze, unable to answer.
“I suggested it.”
It was Seol Won-pyeong, who had quietly approached, who answered.
“Grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“Why…?”
“Because your father was irritating.”
“What? Irritating?”
Yun-woong tilted her head in confusion. Seol Won-pyeong explained.
“Ahem. Isn’t that so? Even the training hall, I tried to build it for him, but he insisted on doing it his way. Even when offered help, he refused. Isn’t that irritating? Isn’t it, Do-jin?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Haha. I see… I see.”
Watching the confident Seol Won-pyeong and Seol Do-jin, Yun-woong felt embarrassed.
Why did this embarrassment fall to me? Her cheeks flushed red.
“Miss, now you should explore Subokgak. You haven’t seen it properly yet.”
It was Hyang-ah, who had interjected, reading Yun-woong’s expression perfectly.
“Ah… alright. Let’s go, Hyang-ah.”
Yun-woong trudged after the energetic Hyang-ah.
“Miss, look here! This… this is jade, they say.”
“Oh, jade?”
Surprised, Yun-woong’s eyes widened as she looked at the door handle.
“Yes, Deputy Commander said it’s called ‘bi-chwi jade,’ very precious. The more it’s touched, the shinier it becomes.”
“Hehe… hehe.”
Somewhere, she remembered hearing about a jade door handle.
My mother’s chamber had a door handle made of jade. As a child, I loved holding it to open the door.
A handle made of jade? Why such extravagance?
Because Father cherished Mother dearly.
Father, the head of Namgung family, was such a person?
Haha. They say he fell in love at first sight. Of course he did. Our mother was truly beautiful.
Is that believable?
He wanted everything touched by Mother to be filled with precious things.
Hah. So Namgung had plenty of money, huh?
No, it wasn’t about the money. It was about the heart. The heart matters most.
‘Ah, this is what I heard from that Namgung brat. I really thought it was wasteful…’
Yun-woong bit her lip.
The one who made door handles out of precious jade? That was her father.
If the door handle was like this, what about everything else? Yun-woong felt a little afraid to see more of Subokgak.
Her father, Seol Ja-dan, had already conveyed his feelings through this single handle.
“Miss, look here too. This is gold.”
“Miss, also see this. They call it red jade. They struggled to get such a large piece.”
“This chair is made of red sandalwood. If you get tired from training, you can rest here.”
“This is the armory. The head of the manor said it would be filled with weapons.”
Hyang-ah led Yun-woong around, speaking non-stop. She seemed tireless.
Yun-woong, exhausted, was dragged along like a doll with a broken string.
“Hyang-ah, how do you know all this?”
“The Deputy Commander explained. He oversaw the construction of the training hall.”
“The Deputy Commander?”
“Yes. Commander Wi was busy with guild affairs. And it seems the Deputy Commander likes flashy things. But he decorated it exactly as the head of the manor instructed.”
“I see…”
“They said it was the first time in 20 years in the Seol family that they could spend money without restraint, and he was very happy.”
“Ha… haha.”
Yun-woong could only give a dry laugh.
The Seol family, despite their wealth, had maintained a frugal appearance.
The manor itself was old but well-maintained. Yet this dazzling training hall seemed almost too extravagant for its surroundings.
If the Deputy Commander could spend money without restraint, just how much had been spent?
“Miss, there’s more to see.”
“More…?”
Yun-woong, with lifeless eyes, looked at Hyang-ah.
“Ah… yes, but the most important part is still ahead.”
“Alright… let’s go.”
Reluctantly, Yun-woong nodded. Seeing Hyang-ah’s disappointed face, she couldn’t stop now.
“I’ll show you that place.”
A familiar voice came from behind. Yun-woong turned to see who it was, and her face brightened.
“Father!”
She ran to Seol Ja-dan and hugged him tightly.
“Haha. How have you been, Yeong-ah?”
“I… I’ve been well. Did you return safely, Father?”
Seol Ja-dan lifted her with one arm, patting her head and smiling.
“Of course. Is there anything I couldn’t manage? Everything went perfectly.”
“No, not about work. I was just asking if you returned safely.”
“Haha. So that’s it. You were worried about me. Thank you.”
“No, not at all.”
Yun-woong buried her face in her father’s chest, feeling shy, as if she had truly reverted to ten-year-old Seol Yun-woong.
“Shall we go see what I’ve prepared for you?”
“Yes, Father. Please put me down.”
“Are you embarrassed?”
“Yes? A little.”
“Then I’ll carry you all the way. Haha.”
Seol Ja-dan laughed heartily, walking without letting her down.
Sensing she couldn’t get down, Yun-woong relaxed and rested her head on his shoulder.
Her father’s chest was wide and warm. The thumping of his heart reminded her that he was alive and here.
‘Everyone… is alive like this.’
Her heart had always been anxious, thinking she had to protect everyone. She knew her impatience was poison, yet she couldn’t stop it.
But now, she felt she could move forward without rushing.
With her beloved family, everything was going smoothly. Perhaps it was okay to relax just a little.
“Here we are.”
Passing through the indoor training hall lined with blue tiles, Seol Ja-dan set her down in front of a large door.
“Huh? What is this place?”
“Haha. This is a place for you to rest.”
“A… resting place?”
“Yes. When training, you’ll get tired. You can come here to rest.”
“Ah… I see.”
Yun-woong replied, though she felt uneasy. It wasn’t far from Yeonhongwon to this hall. She could have rested there too.
“I wanted to create a place for you to rest.”
“But there’s Yeonhongwon. And the whole Seol manor is my home.”
“…Still, it was my wish to decorate a new place for you.”
“Yes, Father.”
Yun-woong looked around the well-prepared room. The construction period hadn’t been long, yet everything was meticulous.
The room, decorated with luxurious materials, felt different from her quarters in Yeonhongwon. It felt cozier.
She didn’t know her father’s exact thoughts, but she liked the room.
“How do you like it? This is a place where you can rest comfortably.”
“Yes, Father. I love it.”
“Good. Come here.”
Seeing Yun-woong happy, Seol Ja-dan nodded and led her.
A scroll with a landscape was hanging on the wall.
“Now, if I turn this scroll…”
Druk…
With a faint sound, the wall split open on both sides, revealing stairs leading underground.
It was a secret passage.
