CHAPTER 38……………………………..
The Taoist also stopped eating and smiled faintly. He was not the kind to miss an opportunity like this.
“If you would show me, I would very much like to see it with my own eyes. I want to witness that magnificent view myself.”
“Then by all means. Is showing a single pond really that difficult?”
Permission came more easily than expected. From entering this mansion to staying here, everything was unfolding according to plan—it was almost too smooth.
The Taoist hesitated for a moment, as if something was caught in his throat, and Pyo Wol-san spoke up to assist Mr. Kim.
“Yes, let it be so. I will guide you around. This is my way of repaying you for showing me such a fine item today. Mother will want it as well.”
He glanced subtly at Mr. Kim and took it upon himself to act as guide. Mr. Kim lowered his eyes and drank some water. The Taoist, seeing the two, immediately laughed.
“I am overwhelmed by your kindness.”
“Not at all. I should have been the first to show you around. It is my oversight. I learned another lesson from Mother today as well.”
Pyo Wol-san bowed slightly to Mr. Kim, who gestured as if to say it was fine. Pyo Wol-san chuckled softly and called a maid to bring some wine.
“Then tonight you may stay in the guest quarters, and the pond can be visited tomorrow morning. It is already late, and it would be inconvenient to come again tomorrow. How does that sound? By the way, staying here for a few days is fine as well. If you stay, it would be even better if you could show us more of your fine items.”
He poured wine into the Taoist’s cup as he subtly made his suggestion. The Taoist, feeling a bit embarrassed, accepted the cup with both hands.
“I am only grateful, truly. Then I will trouble you tonight. Also, I have brought something of my own.”
After the Taoist emptied his cup and gestured, a nearby maid brought a long wooden box. The Taoist opened the lid to reveal its contents.
“This is peony wine, made from the white peony that blooms only in Junam.”
“I heard that the white peony from Junam is quite beautiful. Is it that peony?”
“Yes, it is indeed that one. Would you like to taste some?”
“Of course! It would be only proper to do so.”
As Pyo Wol-san held out his cup, the Taoist signaled, and the maid poured the wine from the bottle inside. Pyo Wol-san’s expression relaxed noticeably.
Gahwa, watching the scene, suddenly sensed someone’s gaze and turned her head.
Mr. Kim was staring at his son and the maid with a peculiar expression. The look was so sharp it seemed almost envious, as though guarding against the maid approaching his son.
In that moment, Gahwa realized what Mrs. Cheongju had implied on the first day.
Mr. Kim was indeed jealous. And it was directed at the maid.
‘Then… the death of Jeomsuni must also…’
As Gahwa stepped forward to observe more closely, someone grabbed her hand.
“!”
Turning, she saw Yong. He shook his head slightly and nodded toward her feet.
There was an empty wine bottle there—she could have stepped on it and caused a noise.
Gahwa silently mouthed a “thank you” and raised her head.
By then, it seemed Mr. Kim had regained his composure, returning with an expressionless face. Feeling like she had missed something, Gahwa swallowed her disappointment.
Afterward, Mr. Kim showed no further emotion. He sat like a stone statue, staring at the distant pond until the drinking session ended.
It was only after darkness fell over the mansion that the gathering broke up. Gahwa quietly helped Mr. Kim to his sleeping quarters and then stepped outside.
“Phew.”
She rotated her stiff shoulders and took a careful look around. Though darkness lay thick, the bright moon allowed her to see clearly.
The mansion had grown quiet. Perhaps everyone had finished cleaning up and gone to bed; no sounds could be heard.
Gahwa turned toward the outer guest quarters rather than the servants’ quarters where she was staying. That was where the Taoist was staying tonight.
Although she was worried about his state, having had a strong drink to match Pyo Wol-san’s, she knew that tonight might be her only chance.
Moving quietly to avoid making a sound, Gahwa entered the guest quarters. She knocked lightly on the main door and heard a presence inside, though there was no immediate response.
“It’s me.”
When she announced herself, the door finally opened. Yong appeared, glancing outside with an indifferent expression, then gestured for her to come in.
“And the Taoist?”
As she entered, Yong lazily pointed to the bed. To her surprise, the Taoist was lying on the futon, groaning in discomfort.
“You really shouldn’t have drunk so much.”
Gahwa scolded him as she entered. The Taoist lifted himself slightly, one hand on his forehead, his body weighed down by the alcohol.
“You’ve come.”
“Are you able to talk?”
“Wait just a moment.”
Even in his misery, the Taoist winked and took a round pill from his chest, swallowing it immediately.
A white mist like a cloud floated gently around him, astonishing Gahwa.
“What did you do?”
“I took a pill to sober up. It’s made from the fruit of the Hovenia tree—it works quite well.”
“That’s incredible.”
“There’s so much heavy drinking around me… That’s why I don’t lose in drinking contests elsewhere. But Pyo Wol-san—he’s unmatched. Truly unmatched.”
Gahwa shook her head.
“You could have just drunk moderately and avoided this.”
The Taoist quickly protested, clearly feeling wronged.
“Didn’t you see it with your own eyes? Pyo Wol-san’s skill with words! I thought I was fairly capable, but Pyo Wol-san is like a snake—cunning. He feigns innocence while striking and retreating. Even my master was amazed. I said I was tired and would rest, but…”
Seeing the Taoist speaking so earnestly and breathlessly, Gahwa glanced at the door.
Indeed, Pyo Wol-san often behaved simply but occasionally revealed unexpected sides.
But they were never malicious, so Gahwa found it trivial.
“Yes, yes. Enough. Now sit down.”
She answered half-heartedly and approached the table where Yong was seated, when a loud voice rang from behind.
“Gong! You weren’t listening properly, were you?”
“Enough. Just sit.”
Yong, having heard this dozens of times, pointed to the opposite seat with a bored expression.
“You too!”
The Taoist lamented that no one understood his frustration, and was eventually dragged by Gahwa to sit. His ears seemed sore from being grabbed, and he massaged them repeatedly.
“Gong, your hands are rough.”
“Shall I hold the other ear as well?”
When Gahwa raised her other hand, the Taoist quickly declined.
“No, that’s fine.”
“So, how was it? Your impression of Mr. Kim himself.”
Gahwa shook her hands and went straight to the point. The Taoist fiddled with his ears and hesitated, as if encountering an unexpected variable.
“There is something we overlooked.”
“Overlooked?”
“Yes, that the Mirror-Ear was originally human.”
“You mean…”
“Except for the mirrors it possessed, it did not have strong spiritual energy. That’s why it could easily blend in and hide its presence. Even Mr. Kim didn’t detect it from other members of the household. Or rather…”
“The spiritual energy overflows throughout the mansion.”
Yong cut in with the Taoist’s words. Gahwa, surprised, asked again.
“What do you mean? That the spiritual energy flows through the whole mansion?”
“As the saying goes, if you want to hide a tree, hide it in a forest. To conceal its own energy, it placed strong spiritual energy all around.”
“Yes, exactly. The mansion was filled with objects imbued with spiritual energy. Especially, everyone in this house possesses items with strong energy. That’s why strange auras abound everywhere.”
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
Gahwa fell silent in thought. The previous day, when Bok-nyeon changed clothes to sleep, she had been intrigued by the necklace around her neck.
Bok-nyeon had said that Mr. Kim had gifted necklaces to all the servants in the mansion.
Gahwa clicked her tongue.
“Now that you mention it, about a month ago, Mr. Kim distributed copper necklaces to the servants.”
The Taoist sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair.
“That must be it. My oversight. I did not anticipate that Mirror-Ear would conceal its presence.”
“No, it is also my oversight. But still, there is a way.”
Gahwa cast a quick glance at Yong.
