Yeong Chunhwa

Chapter 3

Part 1. The Journey

Escape

“Young master, you must behave while I’m gone. Do you understand?”

“Come on, I’m not a baby. You worry too much.”

“If you were a baby, it would be better because I could take you with me.”

“You talk too much for just a seven-day trip. Go on now. Your grandmother must be waiting anxiously.”

So Yun-seo handed a bundle to Yeondeok with an expression of pretend annoyance. Yeondeok clutched the bundle tightly but couldn’t shake his worry, stamping his feet. Seeing this, Yun-seo sighed and grabbed Yeondeok’s shoulders.

“In fifteen days, we must enter the palace. In case anything happens, even you might not easily see your grandmother. So don’t worry about me and enjoy your visit. That’s my wish.”

“If you put it that way… Do you promise?”

“I said I understand.”

Yun-seo waved his hands dismissively and walked out to the courtyard first. When he reached the middle gate, he felt eyes following him but ignored it, stopping to look back at Yeondeok.

“Go now. Travel safely.”

“Yes, young master. Don’t skip meals and take good care of yourself.”

“I will.”

Yeondeok kept glancing back at Yun-seo as he moved away, still unable to completely erase his uneasiness. Yun-seo remained standing in place, quietly watching Yeondeok’s retreating figure until he completely disappeared before turning around.

After sending Yeondeok away, Yun-seo felt relieved. Having taken the first big step of today’s plan, he couldn’t help but feel reassured. However, there was still a long way to go. With a calm face, Yun-seo entered his study while recalling the plan he had revised and mulled over for years.

When the time came, a servant announced the tutor’s visit.

“I greet the noble one.”

“I look forward to your guidance today as well.”

They exchanged polite greetings and sat down. Despite being teacher and student for several years, there was no casual conversation between them. The tutor instructed Yun-seo on how to protect the Dragon Scales as a Yeong Chunhwa after blooming, and Yun-seo, as always, listened with a serious expression but barely absorbed the information.

After the tutor left, another teacher visited the study. Yun-seo received this teacher with the same politeness he had shown to the imperial tutor.

“Do you still see no signs of blooming?”

“No. I suppose I’m still lacking.”

“There are only fifteen days left until you come of age, so there’s no need to be anxious.”

Though he said this, the teacher seemed more anxious than Yun-seo himself. Since Yun-seo had sprouted as a Yeong Chunhwa at an unusually young age, they had expected his blooming would also be quick. But with several years having passed and his coming-of-age ceremony approaching, there were still no signs, making those around him increasingly worried.

In contrast, his father confidently stated that it was natural for the blooming to be slower than the sprouting, considering how great and deep the power would be. Remembering his father’s assurance that the imperial court wouldn’t have made a public declaration without reason, Yun-seo felt a bitterness in his mouth.

“As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, after you bloom, you’ll be able to freely use your guardian power. Guardian power is strength. That means you’ll be able to challenge the Dragon Scales.”

This was something he had heard a thousand times and could recite with his eyes closed. Yun-seo had to try hard not to show his boredom. On the other hand, he almost wanted to laugh.

The reason the Yeong Chunhwa’s power to protect Dragon Scales was called “guardian power” was because it served as a guiding star for the Dragon Scales, illuminating their path. The imperial tutor taught him to use this power generously for the Dragon Scales, while the teacher hired by his father taught that he should not do so and instead maintain superiority.

The former was an actual Yeong Chunhwa who had experienced everything firsthand, while the latter had only overheard things while standing beside Dragon Scales and Yeong Chunhwa, so there was no substance to his teachings. Whatever his father paid this man was clearly a waste of money.

In truth, it didn’t matter whether these teachings had substance or not. He would leave all these teachings behind as soon as he left this place.

“Heui-eon.”

“Yes, young master.”

“I’m a bit hungry and would like some snacks.”

“I’ll bring them right away.”

“Bring your cup as well.”

“Yes! Thank you.”

As soon as Heui-eon left, Yun-seo quickly opened a Japanese chest. Inside were various clothes randomly piled up—items he had pilfered from servants’ quarters over time. This had caused rumors of goblins and made servants blush with suspicion toward one another.

Yun-seo took out a soft purple robe similar to what Heui-eon wore and hid it at one side of the bed. Then he firmly gripped a medicine pouch inside his breast pocket. With such a significant undertaking right before him, his heart was pounding so hard that it was difficult to maintain composure.

Anxiety and fear about possible failure were raging within him, so Yun-seo closed his eyes tightly and repeatedly took long, deep breaths.

Just as his pulse began to calm, he heard movement outside the door. Soon Heui-eon entered and placed a tray with tea and snacks on the round table.

“Could you organize the books for me?”

“Yes, young master.”

“It’s certainly inconvenient without Yeondeok.”

“Of course—you two haven’t been separated for a moment since your childhood.”

Heui-eon smiled as she tidied up the cluttered desk covered with books.

Yun-seo glanced discreetly at Heui-eon, who had her back to him, and poured tea into both cups. He opened the medicine pouch and emptied its contents into one cup before moving it to the opposite side.

He stared blankly at the white powder dissolving without a trace in the warm tea. When he heard movement, he quickly turned to Heui-eon with a smile.

“Sit down.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Here, eat.”

“You should drink first, young master.”

“Should I?”

While he slowly took a sip of tea, Heui-eon couldn’t take her eyes off the chestnut rice cakes, her eyes sparkling. Yun-seo unhurriedly put down his teacup, took one cake, and put it in his mouth. Heui-eon, as if she’d been waiting for this moment, promptly grabbed and ate a chestnut cake.

“Is it good?”

“Yes. Aunt Yubyeok’s rice cakes are truly the best in the empire.”

“Haha, that good?”

“You couldn’t taste rice cakes like these anywhere else.”

“Alright, drink your tea with it. You’ll get indigestion.”

She blew on the tea, her youthful face smiling. With each movement of Heui-eon’s lips, the blue birthmark on one side of her cheek also twitched. Yun-seo watched intently while tightly gripping his clothes under the table. Soon, Heui-eon gulped down the tea.

After confirming the empty cup, an indescribable emotion surged through him. He closed his eyelids to hide it.

“…Um, young master. I need to go now.”

“Why? Won’t you eat more?”

“Strangely… uh…”

Before even a quarter of an hour had passed, drowsiness heavily descended on Heui-eon’s face as she blinked her heavy eyes. Just as she shook her head and tried to stand up, Yun-seo grabbed her wrist, and her head suddenly dropped.

Thanks to quickly supporting her head with his other hand, he was able to prevent both injury and noise. Yun-seo stared at Heui-eon, who had fallen into an irresistible sleep, being careful even with each breath, then quietly removed his hand.

“I’m sorry.”

She would probably be severely scolded. Still, believing she would be safe as his mother’s favorite child, there was nothing else he could do. Yun-seo deliberately left the medicine pouch spread out on the tray and stood up.

After putting on the soft purple robe he had hidden at the side of the bed, he sat in front of the mirror. He took out a powder compact from the drawer and applied blue powder to his right cheek. Then he untied the black ribbon in his hair and, following Heui-eon’s style, tied half his hair up and left half down with a reddish ribbon he had prepared.

Yun-seo calmly gazed at his reflection in the mirror. Both the way he tied his hair and the powder applied to his face looked natural. This was the result of practicing repeatedly in secret until he mastered it, late at night.

Unlike the firm belief he had held as a child, the man in the mirror did not have such a masculine face. Yet it wasn’t one that could be immediately mistaken for a woman’s either. No matter how often he was praised for his beautiful appearance, a man was still a man. His build was clearly different from Heui-eon’s.

However, familiar and repetitive situations tend to instill certain beliefs in people. A genial young master sitting with a servant making small talk. A master who sends servants away with laundry or books to be kept in the study.

So this time too, the person leaving the room would naturally be assumed to be a servant.

Yun-seo placed his already packed belongings in a large basket and put the tea tray on top. Leaving only one light burning in the room, he headed toward the door.

Just before opening the door, he turned his head to take in the space shrouded in darkness. The space he had not been allowed to leave since his eighth birthday. The world that had confined him. The place that had unintentionally become his entire existence.