chapter 54
Grandmother was remarkably decisive. That very day, she summoned all the family members with military backgrounds.
I swallowed hard as I watched the dark-furred dogfolk steadily fill grandmother’s office.
It was currently early June.
It wasn’t as busy as during the sowing season, but it wasn’t completely idle either. The sun was growing hotter, so everyone took a short break around noon.
“I have something to tell you. Hyeon.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I quickly put up a barrier.
The people who had been tilting their heads in curiosity soon murmured among themselves once they understood why grandmother had called them.
“So in the end, she’s giving us more work.”
Sorry! I increased everyone’s workload!
Unlike me, wriggling in my seat, the gathered adults didn’t complain. They quickly adopted a productive attitude befitting mature adults.
“Relations with foreign nations aren’t bad, but the current military is too large.”
“I had an inkling that the officer ranks would begin downsizing within a few years.”
Many of them still had relatives or acquaintances working in the military, so they resolved to produce good results regardless.
Then, quietly lost in thought, Uncle Baek raised his hand and asked grandmother,
“Lady of the house, how do you intend to allocate the budget?”
It was a pointed question.
If my proposal were implemented, initially it would cost more than the existing expenditures.
On paper, the military personnel would decrease, but the new security units would transfer officers from the military, keeping salaries the same.
Moreover, in areas with local militias, existing facilities could be reused, but in areas without them, new outposts would need to be built, which would be costly.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Chancellor Hong flew in from the capital to scold me.
“Leave that to me.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“I intend to sway the Geum family.”
“Wow! That won’t be easy.”
“Well, we’ll see.”
The Geum family, representing the rat faction, was the wealthiest of the Five Great Families. Because they contributed heavily in taxes, their support was essential for passing the budget.
And to persuade them, a flawless policy proposal was crucial.
Hearing that the plan must be perfected to compel even the fastidious Geum rats to invest, everyone fired up with determination.
“Successfully do it, and there’ll be a bonus and vacation.”
“Just leave it to us!”
Grandmother had designed it so that they had no choice but to burn with enthusiasm. It was the seasoned touch of a masterful family head.
That summer, the dogfolk were worked so hard that their black fur was flecked with white.
I moved busily during meetings, setting up barriers and running snacks, while also massaging the adults’ shoulders.
I did it out of guilt, but surprisingly, the response was positive.
“Oh my, with these tiny hands? Hmm? Feels good!”
“Feels good? Really? Your fingertips are so strong!”
“We should brag about it—Hyeon gave us a massage.”
“Just don’t spill any secrets, keep quiet. Let’s enjoy it ourselves.”
“Smart, too.”
Everyone was pleased, which was a relief.
Besides that, I kept busy studying separately to contribute to establishing the security units and searching for Hetae texts.
By late summer, after encouraging the exhausted adults with nourishing meals and ice cream, the result was clear.
“Excellent.”
The draft policy for the department overseeing all of Heulguk’s security had been completed.
After many meetings, the department’s official name was decided: the Security Bureau.
“I’ll go now.”
Grandmother departed immediately for the capital, carrying the product of the dogfolk’s blood, sweat, and tears.
This made Uncle Baek and Dad’s faces pale.
I asked why they looked so tense when grandmother would handle the rest, and Uncle Baek explained.
“It’s because passing this policy will take a very long time.”
“How long?”
“You’ll be fighting it out for at least the whole year.”
During that time, Uncle Baek, as acting head, would shoulder much of the work, and Dad, as Chief Overseer, would also be overwhelmed.
Only then did I realize the magnitude of the small idea I had set in motion.
I had driven the adults into a veritable hell of work!
“Don’t worry. Hyeon, what you did was necessary for this country.”
Guilt-ridden, I was gently consoled by Uncle Baek.
“Being a former military man, I actually feel proud.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Don’t you?”
“Someone had to do it. Hyeon made an excellent proposal.”
Flushed with pride at the praise from Uncle Baek and Uncle Baek, I felt my cheeks burn.
“Before things get too busy, my daughter, shall we take a short outing with Dad and Mom?”
Dad then made a suggestion that immediately perked me up.
I liked it, though I worried about Dad’s workload. He assured me it was fine.
“If we don’t go now, we may never have time again.”
Perhaps wisdom comes with the ability to foresee the future.
After a brief outing, Dad was held up at Ilwol Pavilion. Feeling guilty, I massaged his shoulders diligently.
As Uncle Baek said, grandmother couldn’t return home for Chuseok either. Rumors of her heated battles in the capital reached only as far as Seolgokdo.
“Sobaksan!”
Yet my lovely fiancé came to see me even during the great holiday.
I ran to Sobaksan, who had tied up his white hair high, and hugged him. The scent of early autumn clung to him.
“I missed you, Hyeon.”
His heartfelt voice brought tears to my eyes.
I felt guilty for breaking my promise to visit him, but Sobaksan said he was relieved I hadn’t come to the capital.
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m serious.”
When I released him slightly to look at his face, I saw genuine sincerity.
“The people in the capital are scary.”
“Scary how?”
“I wore my hair up every day, yet marriage proposals came in.”
“What?”
I was startled, and Sobaksan recounted everything that happened in the capital.
He had visited the imperial palace and met the crown prince, which wasn’t bad at all.
However, as soon as he appeared in the capital, marriage proposals from various families came pouring in.
“Suddenly?”
“Yes. The Baek family checked it out, thinking it was unusual, and discovered it was all because of me.”
They had assumed his son would have a similar personality to Sobaksan, so they had intentionally refrained from proposing. But seeing Sobaksan, the youngest high-ranking sorcerer, they realized he was an ideal, polite, and well-mannered groom.
Families with good intelligence knew Sobaksan’s fiancée was Hyuntae-rang’s granddaughter and refrained from proposing.
But other families, lacking sources or impressed by Sobaksan’s appearance and abilities, were different.
“I had to repair the Seomun seal, but people came every day.”
“Gasp.”
“So I had to stay calm and composed.”
“Well done! My fiancé, you did great!”
I quickly kissed Sobaksan’s cheek. His previously gloomy face brightened immediately.
Ah, no wonder people flocked to him.
I realized I had to visit him properly next time.
“No.”
But Sobaksan blocked my intentions.
“What if everyone in the capital knows how adorable Hyeon is? I’d be anxious every day and lose sleep.”
“Why would you be anxious?”
“What if you find someone even more amazing than me?”
I could hardly believe my ears at his concern that I might leave him for someone else.
Nonsense. There’s no face prettier than Sobaksan’s in this world.
I concealed my astonishment and diligently reassured him before sending him back to the capital.
I resolved to boost the self-esteem of my fiancé, the finest tiger in the world, upon his return.
Busy autumn passed, then winter.
Grandmother was still busy in the capital swaying the Geum family, and other noble families were being pressured—but joyous news came.
“Our bride. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Uncle, the youngest uncle, brought the prospective aunt!
The surprised Hyun family members rushed out immediately.
“Humhum. This is Geumna-san from the Geum family.”
The prospective aunt was elegantly beautiful.
Her dark ash-colored hair was intricately tied up with lavish ornaments, giving her a refined and graceful appearance.
She was a silken-furred rat, a branch family of the Geums.
How they met: grandmother was persuading the Geums, and the youngest uncle happened to take a holiday, was grabbed for errands, and during this came-and-go, they fell for each other. The family elders were moved.
“Thank you. I don’t know what you saw in me, but thank you for taking her in!”
“Your heart is as gentle as silk.”
“…Am I really family? Why do I only hear complaints about me?”
No one defended the uncle. They were too busy greeting the pretty prospective aunt.
I greeted her with Mom and Dad.
“Hello! I’m Hyun Hyeon, the youngest uncle’s niece!”
“Oh my.”
The usually composed prospective aunt exclaimed.
“I heard your niece was beautiful, and it’s true.”
“Right? She’s our family’s pride.”
The uncle lifted me up with a smile, adjusting my posture comfortably.
“Oh.”
The prospective aunt’s expression showed realization.
“You care so much for our small-sized family because of your niece, don’t you?”
“Did I care?”
“Hmm. That’s admirable, but it’ll get even better.”
“Huh? Oh?”
Startled, the uncle received a radiant smile from the prospective aunt, like a hibiscus flower.
“You’ll hug our child every day too, won’t you?”
“…!”
Wow. I admired my uncle, now flushed, realizing he had truly met his match.
The uncle’s wedding was scheduled for March next year.
Both were old enough, so engagement was skipped, and the wedding would be before the farming season.
My identity would be revealed the day before the wedding. The prospective aunt would be surprised, but once she became family, there was no choice. The golden ring would be provided by Sobaksan.
Speaking of Sobaksan, by year’s end, Baeksan and Sobaksan had perfectly repaired the Seomun seal. Ten months had passed.
Upon Sobaksan’s return, I launched the operation to boost my fiancé’s self-esteem.
Initially confused, he gradually reddened and eventually bowed his head in embarrassment.
“H-Hyeon.”
“You need to hear more. Sobaksan is the most wonderful and handsome tiger! His animalized ears are so cute! I have so much to say!”
“…Do you really like me that much?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Really?”
I placed my hands on my hips and declared,
“Sobaksan! I love you more than anyone in the world!”
Love, love, love…
I shouted so loudly it echoed. Soon after, Sobaksan laughed heartily, collapsing with amusement.
I may have turned red, but my fiancé laughed, so it was fine.
The Security Bureau’s establishment was approved the following spring.
Since the uncle and aunt had held a grand wedding, it was a double celebration.
However, the process afterward was still challenging.
Raising the budget took a year, setting up the Security Bureau across all of Heulguk took three years, and completing personnel transfers took another year.
“Miss! Hyeon, Miss Hyeon!”
So passed the long years.
“Your fiancé is waiting!”
“Yes!”
Called from outside, I finished dressing and stood up.
The mirror reflected me—tall and grown.
Sixteen years old.
I had succeeded in growing into my age.
