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【Book Chapter 5 】
As was often the case after swallowing the heirloom, Nokhee was engulfed in fever, her body temperature soaring as she lay incapacitated and trembling uncontrollably.
Throughout her struggle on the brink of death, she alternated between nightmares and memories of the past. When she dreamed of a massive black snake, thicker than her own torso, biting at her limbs, she would find herself gasping for air. However, dreaming of past events was hardly any better.
Even though she knew it was just a dream, it brought her pain. It seemed like that fragment of the past was the beginning of everything.
・・・・・
The setting of the dream took place around three to four years after she was brought to Hwangju Castle to serve as a scapegoat for the Yoon family. It was just after she had her first menstruation.
After swallowing the strange heirloom and falling ill, her troubles didn’t end there. Forced to frequent the shrine and endure all sorts of bizarre rituals, she began to lose weight rapidly, day by day.
At that time, Kijoon was the last thing on her mind. Occasionally, when she ventured outside her quarters, she would see him surrounded and bullied by lower-ranking servants. Other times, when she was visiting the Grand Sharman at the shrine, she would see him being scolded or getting slapped by the Yoon family. Despite this, he would always carry on with his duties as if nothing had happened, making her think he was truly foolish.
Her own situation was so bleak that she didn't feel sorry for him at all, and since she didn’t know his name, she simply referred to him as "the servant."
One day, Yoon Jucheol invited some relatives and a few local landowners to a feast, and Nokhee was summoned to attend as well.
Having already been stripped naked and put on display in front of men several times before, Nokhee was not particularly surprised when Yoon Jucheol summoned her this time.
What was somewhat unexpected was that the nameless servant was also summoned and made to perform like a jester.
Yoon Jucheol tied the servant up like a dog on a leash in the middle of the courtyard and released several hounds. While the servant struggled against the dogs, he instructed the guests to throw burning pine branches at him.
Contrary to expectations that he would be quickly torn apart, the servant managed to fend off the hounds with his bare hands. However, each time he was struck by the pine branches with talismans attached, he flinched as if he had been burned. Consequently, he was bitten several times on his arms and legs by the hounds' sharp teeth.
That day, Nokhee saw the servant's face clearly for the first time. Despite the stark contrast of him tearing apart the hounds' muzzles with his bare hands, she thought he had quite a handsome appearance.
―Oh ho, indeed, as Lord Yoon said, it is truly a remarkable creature!
As everyone excitedly poured and drank alcohol amidst the bloody brawl, it was then…
―Uh, ugh!
One of Yoon Jucheol's cousins suddenly transformed into a snake monster. Unfortunately, it was the person sitting closest to where Nokhee was.
Since it was the first time Nokhee had actually witnessed a human transform into a snake since Yoon Hocheol, she froze in place, unable to move or think of escaping.
Meanwhile, the old men seated nearby fled in a panic, so it was only natural that the young Nokhee caught the attention of the snake creature searching for prey.
―Kieeeek—!
Just as the monster lunged forward with lightning speed, opening its jaws wide to bite Nokhee in one swift motion, someone grabbed the creature by its hair and threw it to the ground.
Thud―!
With a dull thump, the snake monster hit the ground, flailing its limbs and screaming. However, the person who had thrown the creature picked up a shard of a broken dish and forcefully stabbed the monster's neck.
Then, with a twist, they yanked off the half-severed neck as if uprooting a radish — all of this happening in the blink of an eye.
Only after everything was over did Nokhee realise that the one who had saved her was the servant who had been fighting the hounds.
―Who do you think you are?! What gives you the right? Who the hell are you to butt in where you don't belong?"
Despite the servant intervening to avert a potentially disastrous situation, Yoon Jucheol shouted angrily and slapped him across the face.
Usually, such a scene wouldn't have affected her, but perhaps because he had just saved her from near death, Nokhee felt her heart sink as she watched the servant silently endure the blows.
He must have known that she was the ‘daughter’ Yoon Jucheol had raised with such care. Why? Why did he save her?
‘If it were me, I would have just left them alone whether they lived or died.’
Unfamiliar with the confusing emotions she was experiencing, she struggled to sleep properly for some time.
Instead of feeling grateful to her saviour, she was filled with anger at the sight of him silently enduring the blows. A surge of frustration that bordered on madness welled up within her, but she also felt pity for the servant who had ended up in this wretched place. Ultimately, an overwhelming sadness took hold of her.
The dream shifted from the image of the servant being slapped by Yoon Jucheol to that of Kijoon, holding a brush upright and writing elegantly.
She liked the neat writing on the paper, as well as the rough hands that penned it, the broad shoulders, the thick neck adorned with incongruously beautiful lips, and the dishevelled black hair…
Kijoon.
At times, when that intense emotion felt suffocating, Nokhee would longingly call out to him, encompassing all those feelings.
Although it was a name she had arbitrarily given him and he mostly ignored it, there were rare moments when he would glance back casually, as if to question why she was calling him.
Whenever that happened, Nokhee felt an overwhelming urge to sit down and cry her heart out.
Kijoon. Kijoon.
Kijoon.
‘That day... why on earth did you save me?’
As she groggily opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Eokbun’s face.
"My lady, my lady! Are you coming to your senses?"
"...Eokbun."
As she called out in a hoarse voice, Eokbun stopped what she was doing and rushed over.
"Can you sit up? Please have a spoonful of porridge before lying back down, okay?"
"No, I can't get up."
Noticing her unusually weak tone, Eokbun looked like she was about to cry.
"Oh dear, our lady is so ill. Should I bring some porridge for you to eat in bed while you rest?”
"No, I'm not hungry. But I’d really like to wash up..."
She had sweated so much that her clothes were completely soaked and uncomfortably damp.
"You haven't eaten for four days ― how can you say that?"
Despite her words, Eokbun quickly went outside to boil some water. A little later, when she called out that the bath was ready, Nokhee struggled to get up.
However, a dispute broke out when she stood in front of the bathroom. Nokhee insisted that she could manage bathing alone without any help, while Eokbun argued that she couldn’t possibly manage by herself in her condition.
In the end, Nokhee yielded to Eokbun's insistence that she could wear a jeogori while bathing, and that a new set would be brought out for her to wear afterwards. Normally, she would have refused even that, but having been so ill, just standing there arguing made her legs tremble.
As she immersed herself in the warm water, she felt somewhat revitalised. Nokhee, who had been letting out a weary sigh, instinctively flinched when Eokbun poured water over her shoulder with a ‘splash―’.
No matter how she was clothed, the fabric was incredibly thin. With the water soaking through, it was clear that everything beneath was completely visible.
The newly formed scale was on the inside of her left wrist. In the past, whenever she discovered it after recovering from an illness, her hair would stand on end, and a wave of nausea would wash over her, making it difficult to even look at it properly.
But the human heart was a fickle thing, and ultimately, knowing that it belonged to Kijoon, she didn’t feel as devastated as she had before.
At first glance, it appeared to be just a dark, dull fragment of a scale, but depending on the light, it shimmered with iridescent hues, which was rather fascinating.
As Nokhee quietly gazed at her left wrist, she was suddenly interrupted by Eokbun’s voice. “Please let me see your arm for a moment, my lady.”
"...Isn't it disgusting?"
“What do you mean, my lady?”
“I mean my body.”
"Oh please, it’s not disgusting at all. If you go out to the wilderness, you’ll find truly revolting creatures crawling around everywhere."
Eokbun responded lightheartedly to Nokhee's words.
"Really?"
“You wouldn’t believe what I saw — creatures with the head of a feral dog, the body of a hedgehog, and the limbs of a praying mantis crawling around everywhere. I was so startled when I saw one..."
Seemingly reassured by Nokhee’s indifferent expression, Eokbun began to ramble on.
But really, what kind of maid, born and raised in Hwangju Castle, whose only duty was to attend to the cherished daughter of a noble family, would have any reason to encounter such grotesque things in the wilderness?
Eokbun had undeniably changed over the past four or five years. Although she had always taken good care of Nokhee, there had previously been a clear sense of distance and formality between them — understandable, given that she had been appointed by Yoon Jucheol to serve Nokhee.
But now, that sense of distance had vanished completely. Perhaps they had grown close over the years... or maybe...
"...Eokbun, there is something I wish to ask you.”
Nokhee began to speak slowly. Eokbun, who had been absorbed in washing her, suddenly flinched.
“W-What is it, my lady? If you’re looking for Kijoon, I truly have no idea where he is.”
“Did I really ask about that guy again while I was sick?”
"Huh? O-oh, no, that’s not it…”
Perhaps realising she had misspoken, Eokbun hurriedly cut herself off mid-sentence, whispering, “This damn mouth, this damn mouth!” while lightly slapping her own lips in frustration.
Nokhee wasn’t sure if Eokbun thought her words wouldn’t be heard, but they were so audible that she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
"That’s not what I wanted to ask."
"Th-then what is it?"
“Why is it… that whenever I’m sick or asleep, you sneak into my room to scarf down bags of carrots, cabbage, and even grains of rice?”
The hand massaging Nokhee’s shoulder froze mid-motion. No matter how discreetly Eokbun tried to be, the sight of her devouring food like someone who hadn’t eaten in days was impossible to ignore, especially after years of it.
Nokhee had pretended not to notice until now, but thinking about the trouble the kitchen maid, Osan, must have gone through trying to track down the missing food made her feel a little guilty.
Eokbun stammered, her face pale as if she’d been struck by lightning.
"M-my… my lady, Th-that is…”
"Seeing as you’re too scared to step foot outside, you must be a rabbit or something like that."
The maid trembled pitifully like a quaking aspen at those words. Nokhee had only tossed them out as a casual remark, yet Eokbun took the bait all too easily.
"Now, let me ask you my real question.”
“...”
"Do you know how to return a plucked reverse scale to its original owner?"
It was reported that the Crown Prince's procession departed Hwangju immediately after Myunghoon's funeral. Whether the discussion with Yoon Jucheol concluded favourably remained unclear; however, it was evident that the Crown Prince was eager to return swiftly to report all he had seen and experienced to His Majesty, the Emperor.
As Nokhee was updated on the events that occurred during her time bedridden, she spent a long time washing herself with Eokbun’s assistance. Afterwards, she dressed and finished her grooming, and by the time she was done, night had fallen.
The moon rose high and bright in the sky. Eokbun followed her to the back gate, whining pathetically, but once again, she couldn’t bring herself to cross the threshold after her lady.
In contrast to her earlier act of ignorance, Nokhee surprisingly discovered where Kijoon was located with ease.
After walking along a secluded path for some time, she came upon an abandoned pavilion located at the far edge of the castle — closest to Mount Bohyeon.
Nokhee, who had scoured various corners of the castle to avoid the Yoon family, had visited this place a few times. She recalled the ominous and dreary atmosphere, with thick grass and overgrown trees surrounding the pavilion, perched above a dried-up pond, making it feel eerie even in broad daylight.
In contrast, the inside of the pavilion was surprisingly tidy for a place that had been abandoned for so long, which struck her as odd.
‘So that’s why.’
It seemed this was a place Kijoon frequented. If she had known, she would have come here a few more times instead of wasting entire days cooped up in the archives.
Just as Eokbun had said, a dark figure lay stretched out along the pavilion’s railing. Nokhee set down the lantern she had brought beside the stairs and moved closer.
A soft light illuminated the pale face, which was gently resting with its eyes closed in peaceful slumber.
She had believed she was fine. Even when she swallowed the reverse scale in front of Kijoon, she felt calmer than she expected. She had assumed that, as always, she could put on a brave face and push through.
But the moment she saw his face, her legs trembled, and a wave of dizziness swept over her. Before she could catch herself, her heart crumbled helplessly.
—Please don’t place too much blind faith in the shaman.
What must he have been thinking when he said those words?
—Those things that transform grotesquely, donning a snake’s skin — do you even know what’s born from their death?
Look at her, playing the part of an innocent lady locked away in her chambers, while the elders were so worried that they even fed her the heirlooms to keep her alive.
Nokhee slowly raised her trembling hand and brought it close to Kijoon's face. She had no intention of touching him; she wasn’t in a position to do so.
She would just sweep the air a couple of times before complaining loudly, trying to rouse the slumbering servant. But…
Thwack―!
Before she could even get close, her wrist was seized, as if to indicate that such a gesture would not be tolerated. His grip tightened around her wrist, and in that instant, his closed eyelids fluttered open, revealing golden eyes beneath — clear and sharp, as if he had never been asleep at all.
When those eyes met hers, Nokhee felt her heart plummet into her stomach.
After a prolonged, chilling silence, Nokhee forced herself to speak.
"...So you no longer care if your master finds you, do you?"
“...”
"Impudent brat. Why won’t you let go of me already?"
She shouted defiantly, shaking her wrist still caught in his grip. However, in contrast to the roughness with which he had seized her, his hand now loosened without resistance, leaving an odd ache in her chest.
In the darkness, a pair of golden pupils pierced through her, unwavering. Normally, those eyes would have shifted to black by now, but tonight, he made no effort to hide them.
Still sprawled out shamelessly on his back, Kijoon stared up at Nokhee. After what felt like an eternity, he finally sat up, moving slowly and reluctantly, his tall silhouette rising like a coiled serpent stretching itself awake.
He let out a deep sigh, his voice low and heavy as it echoed in the air.
“…How did you find out I was here?”
"You don't need to know that. I came because I have something to say."
As she struggled to steady her trembling heart and prepare to broach the subject, Kijoon brushed past her and started to walk away. Flustered, Nokhee hurried after him, gripping the hem of his clothes tightly.
"Wh-where are you going?"
"The night is late. I’ll escort you back to your quarters, so it’s time for you to leave.”
"I came here because I have something to tell you."
“Send a message during the day through your servant.”
With those cold words, he turned away sharply, slipping out of her grasp as if her desperate hold on his hem meant nothing. In an instant, he had reached the steps of the pavilion, standing beside the lantern she had left behind.
So, he really intended to leave. This unexpected turn of events caught her completely off guard. Biting her lower lip, Nokhee watched his retreating figure and suddenly blurted out a response.
“The heirlooms I’ve consumed all this time.”
“...”
“That… are they really yours?”
Kijoon, who had been reaching for the lantern, suddenly froze. Without a word, he slowly turned to face her again. Although his expression was still as inscrutable as ever, Nokhee could tell she had captured his attention.
Perhaps prolonging this conversation had been a mistake from the start. The moment she swallowed the reverse scales, any possibility of friendly words between them had vanished. She had been fooling herself all along.
“Yes or no? When your superior asks, shouldn’t you answer promptly?”
She spoke with deliberate coldness.
“Ha.”
A scoff was heard in response.
Kijoon had laughed.
It wasn’t the kind of laugh she could write off as a figment of her imagination; it was a genuine, unmistakable laugh right in front of her.
Knowing it wasn’t a joyful laugh, the sound of it pierced Nokhee’s heart painfully.
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