Entrancing the Veiled Beauty
Four days passed in a hypnosis-induced haze for Hwang Bo-seol. During that time, Bang So-un made a show of belatedly poring over books and bustled around the Golden Dragon Battlefield vicinity, hoping to eavesdrop on something useful about her three questions. But in the end, he learned nothing.
It wasn't that the applicants who'd already taken the test were holding back out of rivalry with later ones. Hwang Bo-seol's three questions were different for every single person. There was no way to predict what she'd ask him.
Thump. Now Bang So-un and Jang Il stood before the grand main gate of the Golden Dragon Battlefield. Contrary to their expectations, they were both extremely tense. Reality always differed from imagination.
"Please show your issued token."
One of the stern-faced guard warriors approached and said.
The token issued by the Golden Dragon Battlefield bore an intricate stamp symbolizing the group at its end to prevent forgery. Jang Il, going first, stiffly extended his with his shoulders rigid.
"All in order. Number three hundred ninety-four... Jang Il from Henan Province's Shanggu County."
"Y-Young master... Ah, yes, that's me, Jang Il."
...Please don't make me tense just watching.Bang So-un muttered inwardly, praying like it was a ritual. I trust you, Jang Il.
Hoo... After finishing her private interview with the three hundred ninety-third applicant, Hwang Bo-seol let out a small sigh. A corner of her heart felt hollow, as if it had been sliced away.
All of them wore fine clothes, had handsome faces, came from good families. That was it. Not a single one had met her standards so far.
By her nature, she wanted to cancel everything right then and pretend it never happened—but she knew she couldn't. Father. The man who had so desperately wanted to see her wedding. She couldn't disappoint him in this situation. Absolutely not.
"Bring in the next one," she said to the maid outside the door.
Soon, a man in black martial robes entered with an awkward gait, like a country bumpkin heading to the big city for the first time. Hwang Bo-seol's eyes, hidden behind the black silk veil, gleamed with interest.
All the previous men had worn spotless clothes without a speck of dust, but this one sported worn martial robes. His face leaned more toward plain than handsome. Something different? She tilted her head and adjusted her posture.
The maid entered with practiced grace, placing Hangzhou's famous Dragon Well tea before the man. He had to finish answering before it cooled. No extensions, even if he ran over.
"Number three hundred ninety-four... Young master Jang from Henan. Pleased to meet you. I am Hwang Bo-seol."
"Ah... Yes."
Jang Il scratched his head. He'd been inwardly curious what the First Beauty of Jiangnan looked like. But her face was hidden behind the black veil, impossible to see clearly. Maybe that was for the best. At least he wouldn't botch things getting distracted by her looks. And besides... if everything went successfully, he'd see every hidden inch of her anyway.
Collecting his thoughts, Jang Il began in earnest.
"You're wearing a veil."
"Ah, I know it's impolite, but I've worn it since childhood to avoid hassles, and it became habit. My apologies."
"No, it's just..." Jang Il smiled at Hwang Bo-seol and continued. "I was worried you might not get a good look at my face."
"No need for concern. Even with the veil, I can see young master Jang clearly from here."
"Ah, really? Then can you see my eyes well?"
"..."
Hwang Bo-seol couldn't fathom why this man was saying such things. But the moment he mentioned his eyes, her gaze behind the veil instinctively flicked toward them.
And.
"Ah..."
They were eerie, bewitching pupils. Black waves rippled left and right within them, like ripples on water from a small boat passing. Endlessly... endlessly... quietly... slowly...
The black waves undulated. Before she knew it, Hwang Bo-seol's eyes were tracking their motion. Left... right... left... right... ceaselessly...
A warning alarm blared in a corner of her mind—this isn't right—but she couldn't stop. Jang Il whispered in a quiet voice.
"Follow them. Follow what you're seeing. Don't blink. Look only at that."
What... is this...? Unease surged; she tried to tense her body and resist, but no strength came to her arms or legs. As if the nerves controlling her body were severed.
Even then, her eyes relentlessly pursued the waves.
"The more you follow... the more you chase... the more tired you get. A heavy weight presses down on your whole body. Sleep pours over you. Unbearably so. Now, keep following... it..."
"Ugh..."
Her eyelids grew heavy. Like iron pillars crushing down. Strength drained from her body as fatigue crashed in like a storm. Sleep overwhelmed her. She'd never felt such a sleep urge in her life. An irresistible exhaustion.
Want to close them. Close my eyes and rest. No... can't...
Her eyes half-lidded, as if barely fighting off drowsiness.
"If it's hard, just close them. Closing them brings immense comfort. You must close them... your eyes... Imagine a very pleasant sleep. You need sleep. Right now..."
Her straining eyelids trembled. Even thinking felt bothersome now. Thoughts wouldn't connect. Everything was a hassle. Consciousness blurred. She just wanted to heed that sweet voice, close her eyes, and sink into deep slumber. Then all would be easy.
Yes... easy... I... right now... what...
"That's it. Slowly like that... Just a bit more. A little further. When you close them and fall asleep, you'll be truly happy. Feel good."
...Feel... good...
That was Hwang Bo-seol's last thought.
Her eyelids fully covered her eyes. She sank into irresistible sleep, still seated. Silence fell over the room in an instant.
Jang Il's body was drenched in sweat. His ability consumed tremendous mental energy. But there was no time to catch his breath. The tea had already cooled halfway.
Hwang Bo-seol was in a shallow hypnotic state now. Not fully asleep, with only the barest layer of her mental defenses stripped away. Dangerous suggestions to such a subject would trigger immediate rejection.
Just a little. Enough to avoid rejection. That would suffice.
"Can you hear my voice?"
"...Yes..."
Hwang Bo-seol answered in a dazed voice.
"Isn't thinking hard?"
"Yes... right now... thinking is... hard..."
"Very hard, right?"
"...Yes... very..."
"How about this? You think nothing and just follow my voice. Then it won't be hard. You'll feel at ease."
"...But... that..."
"You're too exhausted now. You need ease."
"...At ease...?"
"Now... raise both arms forward. You'll soon know my words are true. You'll feel immense... comfort."
"..."
Slowly, Hwang Bo-seol's arms rose forward. They halted mid-air, as if gripped by an invisible force, and her face flushed with relief, relaxing completely. In that brief moment, overwhelming comfort had washed over her.
"My words are true, right? To keep feeling this, follow only my voice."
"...I'll follow..."
Finally, the words Jang Il wanted slipped from her lips.
"Good, very good. Then..."
Pausing briefly in hesitation, Jang Il stared at her veil and nodded—that was it. He continued.
"When you see the next applicant, you must remove your veil."
"...The veil...?"
"I said thinking is tormenting, remember."
"...Tormenting..."
Hwang Bo-seol's face paled, cold sweat beading as she grimaced in pain.
"Clearly: the moment you see the next applicant, remove the veil. Before applicant three hundred ninety-five, Bang So-un."
"...Yes... I'll remove it..."
"Do you know why you must remove the veil?"
"...No... teach me..."
"You've worn it until now from worries that your beauty would cause hassles and trouble."
"...Yes... that's right..."
"With the next applicant, no need for such worries. You're smart enough to recognize it at a glance. So you remove the veil. He's someone you can relax with completely, no worries—someone you feel affinity for the moment you see him. You're wise enough to discern that. Understand?"
"...Yes... I understand... I'm wise... I can tell at a glance..."
The Dragon Well tea had fully cooled. Perfect timing.
This should do it. Now she'd meet Bang So-un in a subconscious state of comfort and affinity, unbeknownst to her. The rest was up to him.
"Now, count from one. When you reach ten, you'll wake from this sleep. But you won't remember anything that happened while asleep. All you'll recall is that I gave terribly unsatisfactory answers to your questions. And I left because the tea cooled."
"One... two... three..."
Jang Il watched her count with closed eyes for a moment, then turned and quietly exited the room.