Why Tsushima of All Places?
Why Tsushima of all places? I'd need a passport and everything. The talk of taking Geum-ok as a concubine got shelved indefinitely. But that didn't mean I was about to leave Eori alone with our daughter either.
"Urp!"
On the morning we were set to depart for Busan-jin, Eori, who had been picking at her food, suddenly dry-heaved.
"Eori, you okay?"
I set down my chopsticks and rubbed her back.
"Urp! Urp!"
Eori clamped her hand over her mouth and bowed her head, looking like she might hurl any second. After a moment, she finally caught her breath and apologized, panting.
"My apologies, my lord. I showed you an unseemly sight."
"No, it's fine. Really."
I moved my hand from her back to stroke her hair.
"Looks like our little Duri's a handful already."
"Heehee, yes, my lord."
Eori's lips curved up at the pet name for our second child. Her shy smile warmed my heart. It was worth dropping our daughter off at her parents' place once a day. Thanks to that, Eori had gotten pregnant with number two.
I gazed at Eori fondly, then turned to Geum-ok.
"Hahp, hahp, hahp."
"Geum-ok, slow down. You'll choke."
"No worries, hahp, my lord. Hahp."
Geum-ok had been shoveling rice since breakfast. Ever since I'd turned down the idea of taking her as a concubine, she'd been like this. At first, I thought it was shock from my rejection making her stress-eat.
"Hahp!"
But soon enough, I realized the truth. She had a clear purpose behind all that eating.
"Geum-ok, have some of this too. I ate a ton of meat when I was your age."
Far from stopping her, Eori piled meat onto Geum-ok's rice like she was cheering her on.
"My apologies, ma'am. Hahp!"
Yeah, whatever. Better than not eating out of shock. I nodded, eyeing Geum-ok, who was even plumper than last winter.
But...
"Unni, eat up. Ahhh~"
"Ahhng, hahp!"
"Mmm! How's that? Tasty?"
"Yesh! Delishish! Sho good!"
I never should've brought her here. Should've just pulled the trigger the moment I saw her face.
"Unni! Me! Wanna! Chicken!"
"Chicken? Here, ahhh~"
Kim So-yeon had been crashing at our place for over two months now. She covered her own room and board, so no real hassle there, but her getting this chummy with my daughter? Major red flag.
"Baby girl! Daddy feed you?"
I called out to our daughter, perched on Kim So-yeon's lap like sisters. She shook her head right away, munching on finely chopped chicken.
"No! Me! Wanna eat with So-yeon unni!"
Ugh! So cute! But so infuriating! But so cute!
Our daughter wasn't some crawling infant forever. Now that she was two, she could express what she liked and disliked. Even if her "dislike" target was me, sadly.
"Here, baby!"
But I was the hero of reversal. Just like how I'd beaten back a hundred barbarians with the villagers, I wouldn't give up. I'd win my daughter's love this time too.
"Airplane chicken incoming! Vroooom! Vroom, whoosh—huh? Why's everyone staring?"
The whole table stopped eating to gawk at me. Caught off guard by the unexpected reaction, I froze.
"What? What's weird?"
"My lord."
Eori blinked her big, doe-like eyes.
"What's an airplane?"
Oh. Right.
"Uh, just some nonsense. Anyway."
I brushed it off and held out more chicken to my daughter.
"C'mon, baby girl! Chicken! Your favorite chicken's flying in!"
"Heeheehee! Daddy! Chicken can't fly! Heeheehee!"
"Can't fly? Okay, then—cluck cluck! Cock-a-doodle!"
I bounced the chicken like a strutting rooster in the yard.
"Ahhh~"
Finally, she opened wide. Rice mush and chicken mashed together in a glorious mess—but to me, even that was adorable.
Daughters are the best.
"Geum-ok."
While I was distracted by my munching daughter, Kim So-yeon whispered to Geum-ok.
"You really gonna be his concubine? Guy makes up the weirdest stuff."
"He loves his kids a lot."
"So? He's not all there in the head."
"Hey. I can hear you."
If you're gonna gossip, at least do it where I can't hear or see.
"Kuhahat! Heard that? Thought I was whispering ant-sized."
Kim So-yeon laughed un-gisaeng-like and owned up.
"Hahp, hahp."
Geum-ok kept eating, pretending not to hear.
"Hah, seriously."
I sighed, but it wasn't a bad sight. I hid my smile while eating and asked Kim So-yeon,
"So when are you heading back to Jeonju? Isn't it about time?"
"Don't worry. I'll go when I go."
"When? You're gonna end up squatting here forever."
"Sounds good to me."
"......"
"......"
Eori and Geum-ok stopped eating to stare at her. Their blank expressions were subtly terrifying.
"Ha, haha. Joke. Just a joke."
Even the great Kim So-yeon stiffened. She waved it off as a joke and explained her plans.
"Sent word to Jeonju for someone to come get me. Few days after you leave, my lord, and I'll head out then."
Lucky you. Staying longer than the homeowner. From Jeong-eup to Busan-jin was at least a week, two if you played it safe. Part of why the Tsushima posting pissed me off. Damn it. Munjong, you bastard. With my connections, send me somewhere nice. There's even Gobu-jin half a day away. Why Tsushima? Passport hassle and all.
Next time I submit a plagiarized work, maybe Macbeth. Something about killing the king. Or a movie script spotting traitors by physiognomy. That'd be fun. Perfect era fit. A warning too.
"Heh heh heh heh."
"Tsk, Geum-ok. You really doing this?"
"He doesn't do it every day."
"Heh, heh, heh, heh."
"My lord. Your daughter's imitating you. Please stop."
And just like that, my departure for Busan-jin loomed closer.
The inner chambers of the Shimazu clan (Tojin branch) were filled with a chill, heavy air. Banners emblazoned with the main family's crest hung on the walls, and candlelight flickered dimly between thick wooden pillars.
"......!"
Ichiki Daki-hiro of the Shimazu branch couldn't calm down for a second. No enemy had ever made him tremble like this. But Shimazu Takehisa managed it.
The clan lord ate his morning meal with his guest seated before him.
"Hm."
He set down his bowl with a clink of dishes.
"Smack, smack."
Satisfied with breakfast, he smacked his lips and stroked his beard.
Shimazu Takehisa spoke as the attendants cleared the dishes.
"You there."
"Hai! Ichiki Daki-hiro reporting!"
"Hoh hoh hoh."
His booming response echoed through the chamber, drawing a pleased laugh from Shimazu Takehisa. He eyed Ichiki Daki-hiro steadily, then asked,
"So, you're the master of Iaijutsu?"
"Hai! Indeed!"
"Oh ho? Care to demonstrate?"
"Hai! Gladly!"
"Come show me."
"Hai! At once!"
Ichiki Daki-hiro rose without lifting his bowed head and scurried forward. Shimazu Takehisa watched him kneel before him, puzzled.
"What is this? I asked for your iaijutsu."
"Th-that is......!"
Only the main family lord was worthy of the branch hero drawing his blade. Ichiki Daki-hiro bowed low, struggling to steady his breath.
But Shimazu Takehisa's gaze was merciless, his words crystal clear: Strike me. If you can.
"F-forgive me!"
Ichiki Daki-hiro prostrated until his forehead touched the floor.
"I cannot strike the heavens! To draw steel on you, my lord, is to defy the heavens themselves!"
"Hoh, do I seem like a man who called you for word games?"
His tone was light, but the intent was deadly serious. Ichiki might be hailed as an iaijutsu master lately, but one casual flick from the main lord could erase the Ichiki line.
"I see. So that's how it is."
Shimazu Takehisa picked up a teacup nearby and held it out.
"Behold."
Ichiki raised his head to look.
"Can you strike this?"
"Hai! Yes!"
"Then do it."
He tossed it over as he finished speaking.
"......!"
Ichiki Daki-hiro's heart pounded. The flying teacup slowed in his vision as his hands flew to the katana at his waist.
Clang!
It was over in the blink of an eye. Ichiki crouched low, blade extended. The teacup shattered mid-air into two pieces, shards tinkling across the floor with a clear ring.
"Ho, ho! Hoh hoh hoh! Hoh hoh hoh ho! Magnificent!"
Shimazu Takehisa clapped, beaming.
"Your reputation is well-earned! You'll be a great asset to the Shimazu clan!"
Ichiki exhaled deeply in relief and bowed.
"I shall redouble my efforts to meet your expectations, my lord."
The approval eased him a bit, but not fully.
"Good."
Shimazu Takehisa's laughter faded, eyes gleaming.
"Ichiki Daki-hiro. I'm putting you in command of the 150-man vanguard to Tsushima."
"H-hai! An honor!"
"It won't be hard. The Joseon force you'll face is just 30 men. Use this chance to become a true member of our clan."
Ichiki already knew. Those 30 Joseon troops were all armed with strange new gunpowder weapons. Failure meant he and his branch would be discarded. Success meant elevating his house.
"Hai! I shall obey your command faithfully!"
And a way to shield his men from their bullets.