Chapter 15: The Butler’s Strange Behavior
“Miss, it’s time to get up.”
“Hnnng…”
Seohyo curled up inside the blanket like a chrysalis. She had woken just moments ago, but she didn’t want to leave the bed.
It wasn’t laziness.
Ever since Gongja had disappeared, a lingering gloom had remained.
Normally, she was fine, but opening her eyes brought an unpleasant heaviness. After dreaming of Gongja in danger, the melancholy became even more intense.
Chaon knew this.
Even though she was aware that he was trying to cheer her up, she couldn’t reciprocate his efforts.
It wasn’t because of him.
Why was she acting spoiled and sulking in front of Chaon?
She didn’t want to do this.
“I’m sorry… I have a conscience, after all.”
Yet in reality, she buried herself under the blanket, head and all. Seohyo knew exactly what Chaon would do next.
He would start talking about breakfast, then lunch and dinner. After reviewing the menu filled with only her favorite foods, he would roll her up in the blanket and carry her to the bathroom.
When the thick blanket was whisked away, her body would shiver involuntarily.
Clad only in thin sleeping clothes, Seohyo had no choice but to enter the warm bath to heat herself.
But today was different.
“I know you’re awake. I have work to attend to, so I’ll leave now.”
His tone wasn’t cold.
It was as gentle as yesterday, but the problem was how plainly matter-of-fact he sounded.
“Chaon?”
“Yes, you should rest.”
The door clicked shut.
What was that?
Seohyo’s expression contorted oddly.
“Did he really leave?”
If she turned around, wouldn’t he grin brazenly and say, “You’ve been tricked”? He was notorious for moving silently, so it was possible.
But when she turned her head, Chaon was gone. He had really left.
Listening closely, she heard the faint sound of him moving about the house.
He seemed to be gathering something, walking, and leaving.
“What the…”
Seohyo crawled out of the blanket. She draped a thick indoor robe over her sleeping clothes, buttoned it up, and opened the door.
Through the narrow opening, she caught sight of Chaon leaving for the courtyard.
“He really is leaving…”
She tried to think quickly. Why would Chaon be going out? Nothing came to mind. They had already visited the morning market yesterday, and he wouldn’t be going on deliveries before the pharmacy even opened.
“Where are you going without waking me?”
It was a strange feeling.
Half curiosity, half irritation.
Pouting, Seohyo watched the direction Chaon had gone and quickly changed her clothes. She washed her face and brushed her teeth in a hurry, barely bothering with her lip balm, and dashed outside. By the time she got out, Chaon was already walking down the alley.
For the first time in a while, Seohyo ran until she was gasping for air.
Her heart pounded violently, and her breathing grew ragged. Her head spun, but Chaon showed no signs of slowing down.
“Where are you going?”
She followed him without being noticed.
Chaon couldn’t possibly imagine that his mistress was trailing him—because even Seohyo herself couldn’t explain why she was doing this.
Wouldn’t it be simpler to just call out and ask where he was going?
There was no shame in it, so why was she acting like this?
“Uh… uh?”
Chaon entered the castle.
Was he planning to confront the ruffians again? Or investigate Gongja’s whereabouts?
Most matters could have been handled in the town near the pharmacy. Why he had come to the castle so early in the morning became an increasingly tangled mystery.
About half an hour later, Seohyo’s expression had turned unrecognizably harsh.
She didn’t like that Chaon had entered a building without hesitation.
She couldn’t understand it.
“Why would Chaon go in there?”
The Yahwaru (Night Flower Pavilion).
The name alone made its purpose obvious: it was a pavilion where courtesans entertained men.
“Gongja, please enjoy some delicious food before you go!”
“Although it’s still far from the night business hours, you could try something else…”
“Oh my, how unfair!”
“Sir, come on in. This is Yahwaru, where the food is delicious.”
The courtesans giggled melodiously. This place was unusual: it sold food during the day and received male customers at night. The courtesans who worked in the day were different from those who worked at night.
Seohyo remembered seeing it several times while passing by.
Regardless of season, the flowing garments of the courtesans, waving handkerchiefs, caught the eye. No matter how good the food was, this was a place for courtesans to attract customers. Ladies and mothers with children never entered Yahwaru.
Only men went upstairs, pointing at the courtesans on the second floor with smiling faces.
“Chaon wouldn’t be carrying food from Yahwaru.”
Though she had never tried the food there, Chaon was far better at cooking than most professional chefs. It was strange that he would make the long trip just to carry food.
“Then…”
Seohyo’s gaze sharpened.
“No way…”
Her lips twitched, and her fists clenched.
“They say handsome men live up to their looks, and ugly men act foolishly.”
He had been so cold toward the young ladies in town—he couldn’t be wandering in a pavilion like this. Even if a master was careless or lazy, a master was still a master. Seohyo, Chaon’s mistress, had never taught him to enter such a place.
The men entering Yahwaru glanced at Seohyo standing at the stairs before going inside.
“I’ll deal with this fool right now!”
Fuming, Seohyo stormed into Yahwaru.
This was the very edge of indulgence.
Seohyo quickly surveyed the first floor of Yahwaru.
It wasn’t even late morning, yet gambling games were already underway in the corners. Gentle courtesans attended the men eating and chatting, and some were already ordering alcohol.
“Excuse me, do you all know what time it is?”
Seohyo’s eyes rolled.
Chaon wasn’t on the first floor. That meant he had gone to the second floor.
As she tried to climb the central staircase, two courtesans blocked her path. Twisting the ends of their hair and fiddling with their sleeves, they scanned her up and down as if appraising her.
“This area is off-limits to ladies,” they said.
“Please leave quietly.”
Seohyo’s lips twitched as she glanced toward the second floor. Unlike the noisy downstairs, this area served guests who paid extra for privacy. Each room had three tables and a door.
Once closed, the upstairs was completely separated from the chaos below.
“You don’t seem like the type to cause trouble, but if you don’t leave…”
“I came to find someone.”
Seohyo craned her neck, searching for any sign of Chaon.
The courtesans covered their mouths to giggle.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because ladies often come here—looking for lovers, husbands, or scolding a sibling. The list goes on.”
“I’m sorry, but this is a men-only space.”
One courtesan called over a man in the corner with a warning glare for any noisy or tricky customer.
“Go home and wait quietly.”
“Huh?”
Seohyo’s eyes widened.
Through the slightly open door, she heard a familiar voice.
“You fool.”
Without hesitation, she ran upstairs. Behind her, the startled courtesans’ voices followed.
Midway down the hallway, she flung open a door to find Chaon.
He smiled faintly, then froze when he saw Seohyo, blinking in surprise.
His jade-like face bore a look of confusion.
She was about to demand why he was here when she realized the attention of the people in the room.
Five courtesans were seated in seductive poses, seemingly in conversation with Chaon. Despite the cold weather, their revealing outfits emphasized their curves.
“No, you can’t—”
“Oh my.”
The courtesans had started to reach for Seohyo but lowered their eyes shyly when they saw Chaon.
“Chaon-nim.”
“I’m sorry for the disturbance,” he said.
“This lady ran up recklessly, claiming she was looking for someone,” the courtesans explained.
Seohyo was not pleased.
Hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes at Chaon, silently daring him to explain.
“I’ll have them leave soon, Chaon-nim.”
“Don’t touch them!”
Seohyo dodged like a squirrel and glared at him again.
If you have a mouth, speak.
“Miss here is…”
Chaon finally spoke.
“She’s with me.”
Seohyo glared at the courtesans as if to say, Satisfied now? Yet they still looked troubled.
“Chaon-nim, you know, Yahwaru doesn’t allow ladies.”
“If we make an exception, Madame Rouge will scold us.”
In other words, either Seohyo had to leave, or she and Chaon had to leave together. The five courtesans immediately protested.
“No! We haven’t even gotten to the main matter!”
“We have medicine to request!”
“You can’t leave yet, Chaon-nim!”
Ignoring the courtesans, Seohyo fixed her gaze solely on Chaon to see what he would say.
Should she grab his ear like a child and drag him? Or kick him in front of everyone?
The morning gloom caused by Gongja was completely forgotten in her anger.
Seohyo glaring, courtesans clinging—all Chaon could do was smile helplessly.
“Don’t worry. The lady here is…”
Yes, you’ll confess. Tell them she’s your mistress and leave. At home, she wouldn’t speak to you for at least three days.
Seohyo’s jaw dropped at Chaon’s next words.
She had felt it before with Mirang, but her butler was astonishingly good at lying.
“She’s my maid.”
Last time it was a lover; now a maid?!
Seohyo couldn’t say a word, fists clenched. This was absurd.
She felt steam rising from her head.
While Seohyo was dumbfounded, the atmosphere in the room immediately lightened. A lady was problematic, but a maid was fine.
One courtesan, with a purple flower in her elaborately styled hair, glanced at Seohyo as if assessing her.
“Quite neat for a maid,” she said.
From there, judgmental looks flew from all directions. Someone commented that the outer indigo robe was normally worn by men.
“It suits your appearance,” came a sweet voice.
A compliment or an insult?
Seohyo looked down at her own outfit: a plain white robe with a white skirt underneath, covered by the indigo robe she had worn indoors. It was loose, comfortable, and didn’t cling.
She had originally had a pretty coat, but in her rush, she had just thrown this one on.
Her twin braids with red butterfly knots added a touch of cuteness.
Normally this would look plain, but in this setting, claiming to be a maid worked.
Seohyo approached Chaon, stepping lightly on the top of his foot under the table, and whispered:
“What are you doing, Butler?”
“Call me Chaon-nim,” he said, pulling his foot away arrogantly.
“Or Master, if you like.”
“You really want me to beat you with a broom, huh?”
“Even if you call me Master.”
Chaon gently tugged on Seohyo’s collar. As she was pulled down, he whispered with a smile:
“Do you see the courtesan in the far right wearing light green?”
Seohyo turned her eyes with a scowl.
The courtesan had a delicate waist and pale face, despite rouge on her cheeks. Wearing such thin clothing in the cold, she must have been freezing.
“She’s suffering from a terrible illness. It’s the most dreaded in pavilions. Although medicine and ointment can treat it, it can’t be made public.”
Once known, she would be thrown out immediately, and all her belongings burned.
It was excessive, but meant to prevent contagion. The sick courtesan could not buy medicine and would weaken and die without care.
Chaon included her in the work schedule or sometimes had tea with her privately to avoid drawing attention.
“Today, I came to deliver medicine, but others crowded in as well.”
Ah, so popular…
“Even the lady came.”
“Hmph.”
“Since she won’t leave quietly, let’s play along for a bit.”
Seohyo hesitated but felt concern for the fragile courtesan sitting in the corner. Though small, she was probably in her mid-twenties.
Flowers may bloom brightly, but their lifespan is short.
‘I can’t do this, I’m too soft.’
Seohyo nodded toward Chaon so only he could see.
The illness wasn’t her fault.
“Good of you,” he said with a smile, though it left her with a sour taste—he clearly expected her agreement.
“All right then,” he said, shifting focus.
“Could you tell me the medicines needed in order? I’ll deliver them next time.”
“Me first!”
“I’m in a bigger hurry, sister!”
A line immediately formed in front of Chaon. The sick courtesan, lacking strength, went last.
Each courtesan detailed their ailments endlessly. Their goal was clear: to talk with Chaon a little longer.
He seemed to indulge them patiently.
It was a clear scheme.
Even if the courtesan in green was truly sick, whether Chaon prolonged the interaction was up to him.
“Seems like fun for you, doesn’t it? Nasty butler?”
Indeed, Chaon often involved Seohyo in matters that didn’t require a maid’s help.
“Too light… want me to mix some ink?”
Wasn’t legibility enough?
Seohyo thought the ink was fine, but the “Master” was stubborn. He started giving such trivial tasks.
“Thirsty? Bring some tea.”
“Your shoulders stiff? I want you to massage them.”
Though many volunteered, Chaon still singled out his maid.
Thump thump thump.
Seohyo tapped weakly; Chaon scolded gently.
“Even a bird pecking would be better than this.”
Thump thump thump.
She pounded harder; he clicked his tongue.
“You can do better than this.”
You want me to try? She adjusted the force until the final courtesan, the one in green, received praise:
“Better now.”
“Thank you, Master, I might cry from happiness.”
At the words “Master,” Chaon’s lips curved.
Even as other courtesans complained about her rudeness, Chaon looked satisfied. Seohyo could distinguish between his fake and genuine smiles.
“Always grateful,” the courtesan bowed.
Chaon waved it off.
While everyone was distracted by Seohyo, he slipped a small bag and ointment package into the courtesan’s sleeve. She quietly took them inside.
Watching out of the corner of her eye, Seohyo sighed in relief.
The morning role-play was over.
All that remained was to return to the pharmacy and glare at Chaon until a hole burned in his back.
“Chaon-nim!”
But a huge interruption appeared.
“Since you’re leaving, help us practice a bit!”
“Practice?”
A courtesan with a beauty mark under her eye held up a piece of paper.
“Moving the paper mouth to mouth!”
The others clapped in delight. Chaon smiled awkwardly and glanced at Seohyo. Their eyes met.
A bad feeling settled in her stomach.
