Chapter : 21
Swarming Worms (1)
Jo-yeong fell ill for several days, as if by some cruel coincidence.
It wasn’t a fever or anything like that, yet she writhed in pain, her body and mind both suffering.
Jiman-il was in Bisan Fortress.
And he was waiting for her.
Realizing this directly made her shiver with fear at how great a sin her actions had been.
On top of that, the upcoming banquet felt like a heavy burden.
Could it be that Jiman-il would attend the banquet? The thought made her anxious, and all she wanted was to run away.
With no appetite and plagued by nightmares, she tossed and turned in bed, her whole body shivering from a severe fever.
Bukyung explained that the princess’s fatigue from travel had not yet fully worn off, and that she had suffered greatly along the way, making her excursion too much for her health.
Upon hearing this, Yeonho felt guilty, thinking that the princess might have fallen ill because he had pushed her too much.
“How are you feeling today?”
Yeonho, who had been visiting every day just to ask after her from outside her door, came into the hall today.
Jo-yeong had told him to come in.
“Thanks to your concern, I feel better. I’m sorry for troubling you while you are busy.”
“No, it seems I should be the one apologizing. It feels like you became ill because of me. You must be uncomfortable in many ways. But first and foremost, your recovery is what matters, so please tell me if there is anything you need—anything you wish to eat or do.”
Jo-yeong lowered her head hesitantly, as if she had something to say.
The truth was, she had asked Yeonho to meet her because she had a request.
“There is… one thing.”
“Please speak freely. You may give me orders, Princess.”
At that, Jo-yeong’s expression darkened further, though Yeonho did not notice.
“It’s about the banquet. I must attend, right?”
“It is your welcome banquet. If moving around is too difficult, at least showing your face would be enough. Otherwise, we could postpone it until you feel better.”
Though Yeonho spoke considerately, Jo-yeong heard it as if there was no way for her to avoid attending.
Her complexion grew even paler, and Yeonho noticed.
“Does attending the banquet feel burdensome?”
“…Honestly, yes.”
“Is it because you couldn’t bring yourself to refuse me after the welcome banquet, afraid of breaking off the marriage?”
There were other reasons, but since his guess wasn’t entirely wrong, Jo-yeong bowed her head even further.
“….”
A brief silence fell between them.
Yeonho looked down at her frail shoulders, which seemed even more diminished than before.
Honestly, he felt a twinge of anger.
Seeing her sick now made him realize it wasn’t his fault but rather Jeong Jae-in’s, and the guilt vanished, replaced by a pang of frustration.
Then suddenly, he wondered:
During the time she spent with him, her expression had been bright. Could it be that she felt guilty toward Jeong Jae-in?
Was she afraid and blaming herself because she had grown even slightly closer to him?
If so, isn’t it ultimately because of me?
The mere thought that he was causing her distress made his frustration melt away, replaced by a sense of calm.
“I understand.”
“!”
Jo-yeong looked up at him in surprise.
She hadn’t expected him to accept so calmly, without anger or reproach.
“Relax. That is the most important thing. I will take care of the banquet, so you needn’t worry about it.”
“But it’s my welcome banquet. If I don’t attend, your majesty’s honor…”
“If anyone dares use your illness as an excuse to force you out, I will not forgive them.”
“Thank you. I only feel sorry that I keep causing trouble.”
“You have not caused trouble. You’ve given me a great gift. Thanks to you, the misunderstandings about my mother have been cleared. The truth is not yet fully revealed, but even that gift alone conveyed her feelings completely.”
“I am truly glad to have been of help.”
“Yes. So the debt is mine. Do not feel sorry for me anymore.”
Jo-yeong lightly nodded.
Hearing him, she realized that since arriving here, she had apologized countless times, and she decided not to say it again.
The princess’s welcome banquet was only two days away.
Yeonho told Yulbok that it would be better if the princess did not attend.
“No. The suspicion that the princess might be absent has only just died down.”
Yulbok didn’t jump in outrage but firmly opposed the idea.
“I understand, but it can’t be helped. The princess is in no condition to attend forcibly. It would be too much for her.”
“On that day, she need only show her face briefly. Bukyung says it isn’t a serious illness, so she should be able to manage that much.”
Though it may seem that those in the royal family can do as they please, the reality is different. Even the emperor had to fulfill critical duties despite illness.
Yulbok would understand, as would the princess, if she could only move around a little.
“If it were possible to force His Majesty to attend, we could try that.”
“Do you mean the princess has refused to attend her own welcome banquet?”
“It seems he feels burdened to be welcomed while he must soon depart.”
“Ha! Then why did you promise the last three months? You should have just held the wedding!”
Frustrated, Yulbok hit his chest.
Yeonho remained silent.
He had delayed the wedding out of concern for the anxious princess, but now he slightly regretted it.
Had the wedding occurred, perhaps the princess would have let go of Jeong Jae-in more quickly.
“For now, the banquet will not be canceled. On that day, we will announce the wedding to the princess. That way, for the next three months, there will be no trouble from those who demand to see her.”
“Yes. Well, it’s not my wedding, so do as you wish. No, it is the princess’s order, so we must follow it. But we will keep her absence secret for now.”
In the end, preparations for the princess’s welcome banquet continued grandly, even without the guest of honor.
Meanwhile, Jo-yeong’s heart was anxious with other preparations.
All day, the bright blue sky gradually deepened into a rich crimson, like dyed silk.
Inside Bisan Fortress, red lanterns were hung everywhere.
As the sky darkened, the lanterns shone brighter, as if stars had fallen to the ground.
Today, Kang Yeonho, ruler of Bisan Fortress, held the princess’s welcome banquet in grandeur.
Normally indifferent to ostentation, he only made a show of appearances when necessary. But today was different.
He distributed stored grain to the citizens, and provided meat and wine to the soldiers.
He spared no expense decorating the banquet hall.
Uniquely, the outdoor hall had lattice-patterned walkways above water, with koi swimming among lotus flowers.
It seemed as if the land floated on water, and from any position, one could see the pond. Lanterns were placed even on the water.
The hall, decorated with curtains, tassels, flowers, and lanterns, reflected not Yeonho’s taste as a ruler, but a woman’s.
It was clear that the banquet’s real host was the princess, and every detail had been carefully prepared for her—even though she would not attend, her presence was honored in every way.
Soon, guests invited to the fortress began arriving, making the busy grounds even more chaotic.
The maids, overwhelmed by the influx of guests, left the princess’s quarters quiet.
Even the remaining maid briefly left to prepare medicinal decoctions.
Jo-yeong had been waiting for this moment, even while ill for several days.
Though she had fully recovered since yesterday, she had pretended otherwise, eating little to keep the appearance of illness, so her face still looked pale.
Because of that, when she suddenly rose from her bed, she felt dizzy. But there was no time to wait for it to pass.
She hurriedly changed into the clothes she had first worn upon arriving here.
Though they had almost been discarded by Bukyung for her pallor, she insisted on keeping them because they were a gift from her mother.
For today.
