No Seats in the Reception Hall
The reception hall, where the Baek Ri Clan welcomed its guests, was completely full? Were the family head or his wife hosting some kind of banquet?
Instead of snapping at the nonsense, I replied calmly. "That's fine. If there are no seats in the reception hall, we'll just take him to Father's residence in Cheongdang. He's Father's guest, after all."
"Hah, that's why kids are kids. Young miss, I didn't want to say this much, but we can't let someone of uncertain status into the Baek Ri Clan. I'm telling you this because you seem unaware."
Undu couldn't hold back at the gatekeeper's impertinent nitpicking and shouted, "Hey, enough already!"
"Get lost! Who asked a lowly servant to butt in?"
"No, but this person... Argh!"
Frustrated that he couldn't speak freely in front of others, Undu pounded his chest. I'd grown numb to this kind of treatment during the countless times I'd faced it alone in the Baek Ri Clan without Father, but Undu, as Father's servant, had likely never endured such humiliation before.
Why are they suddenly going berserk like this?
Lately, even the servants have been watching their step because of the rumors that Grandfather is paying attention to me...
Aha!
Realizing what was happening, I calmly held Undu back. "It's okay. Just go inside and let Father know his guest has arrived."
The gatekeeper snorted. "Won't do any good. The Fourth Young Master is out."
"Out? He didn't say anything to me."
Undu asked in surprise, eyeing the gatekeeper suspiciously. Unable to trust these rude fools, he whispered to me, "Young miss, let me go inside and check."
"Yeah. Ask around Father's residence if anyone knows where he went."
Watching all this, Namgung Wan spoke in a voice suppressing his anger. "Enough. You go ahead inside. Since they say the physician is out, I'll wait here alone! He'll come back eventually."
"No, I'll wait with you."
"What?"
"Father's guest is my guest too."
"..."
Namgung Wan furrowed his brow deeply as he looked at me. "Do you even know what that means?"
I nodded with a bright smile. After Father passed away, when I was being pushed around in the Baek Ri Clan, this man had been the one to suggest marriage to his one and only son.
Of course, with Great-Uncle and Great-Aunt meddling, it had naturally fallen through.
It became one of the reasons Baek Ri-yeon clings desperately to the male lead in the story, filling her head with vain dreams...
Regardless, his offer had come from goodwill. To prevent these gatekeepers from causing more trouble, I needed to stay here.
Sure enough, the gatekeepers soured the moment I said I'd stay.
"Do whatever you want."
Before heading inside, Undu said to Namgung Wan, "Please take good care of the young miss."
Namgung Wan waved dismissively, as if to say not to worry. After Undu left, Namgung Wan, who had been scrutinizing me, asked, "What's that?"
I paused, figuring out what he meant, then pulled the box from my embrace. "This?"
"Yeah."
It was flashy enough to catch the eye. I fiddled with it and opened the lid. A fresh peony scent bloomed instantly.
"Flowers! Pretty, right?"
"Flowers? Why keep them in a box?"
Since we had to wait for Undu anyway, I explained to pass the time. "...So that child picked peonies for me. One for Father's study, one for my room, and the last one I'll dry to make a sachet!"
"A sachet?"
"Yeah. Father's birthday is coming up soon, but he's so busy because of me that there won't even be a celebration, and he'll refuse all gifts, I heard. So I wanted to prepare something myself."
A brilliant idea suddenly flashed through my mind.
This could work!
I acted as innocently childlike as possible. "Uncle, didn't you say you're Father's close friend?"
"...Yeah."
"Then, since coming here like this is fate, you'll prepare a birthday gift for him, right?"
It might sound like Hand over my dad's present! but I wasn't saying this out of greed. Namgung Wan had already prepared a gift for Father. But Father would refuse it to the end.
I knew this not from the original story, but because rumors spread that Namgung Wan got angry at the refusal, leading to a huge fight between the two.
Of course, being best friends, they made up eventually. But wouldn't it be better to avoid the fight altogether?
"Father will probably refuse your gift, Uncle. But don't get mad—just make sure he takes it, okay?"
For the record, it was absolutely not because I coveted whatever amazing gift Namgung Wan had prepared.
Namgung Wan said in an incredulous tone, "To think I'd run into a bandit right at the Baek Ri Clan's front gate."
"Bandit...?"
I chuckled sheepishly, feigning embarrassment. He reached out as if to pat my head, then hesitated and crossed his arms instead.
After a moment's thought, Namgung Wan spoke. "You said you'd make a sachet?"
"Yes!"
"Make one for me too."
"Huh?!"
"Then I'll make sure your father gets his gift, no matter what."
What kind of logic is that!
I gaped in shock. Seeing this, amusement crept into the corners of Namgung Wan's eyes.
"Do you know how to sew?"
He sure got right to it. Hoping a pitiful expression might earn some leniency, I looked up at him. "Not very well."
"It has to be handmade by you. I'll check later."
"..."
I'd never planned to have someone else do it. But his earnest plea oddly made me want to delegate it now.
No, Father would appreciate it cutely even if it's messy. But giving Namgung Wan a total disaster... wouldn't that embarrass me?
I mumbled, "Well... I do know how to sew, but mine are really bad. It takes a looong time to make them—really looong."
"I'll wait."
Damn, I'd just created more work for myself. Still, if one sachet could prevent a fight between them, it was a bargain—
"What the hell?"
A very ominous voice rang out.
"Why is that half-wit still here?"
"She said she was too sick for lessons, but she looks fine. Playing hooky, huh?"
It was the twins, So U-ak and Baek Ri-pyo. Behind them was Baek Ri-myeong, just stepping down from a carriage.
Our eyes met, and Baek Ri-myeong looked awkward. But he didn't stop the twins.
And none of them spared a proper glance at the man behind me.
They hadn't recognized Namgung Wan.
Baek Ri-pyo sauntered over and pointed at the box in my hands. "What's that?"
"...Flowers."
"Oh? Let me see."
I hesitated for a moment, and Baek Ri-pyo immediately yelled, "What? Can't open it? Not flowers after all? Give it here. If you can't, I'll open it."
I could already picture him harassing me until I did. With a sigh, I opened the box.
Peering inside, Baek Ri-pyo's face fell openly in disappointment. "What? It really is flowers?"
"I said it was flowers."
"Ugh, why put something lame like this in a box? What a letdown."
He kicked irritably at the dirt. Then So U-ak appeared behind him.
"Why? They're pretty."
"What are you on about all of a sudden? You sick?"
Despite Baek Ri-pyo's scolding, So U-ak grinned slyly and pointed at the peony. "Give me one."
So U-ak reached out to me. "It'd be perfect for Ri-ri. She was sick today and missed the academy."
True to form as partners in mischief, Baek Ri-pyo caught on to So U-ak's scheme. He grinned wickedly and changed his tune, barking at me, "Yeah. You wouldn't refuse to give even one flower to your brothers, right?"
"Exactly, exactly. It's not like it's precious."
And then, having watched it all, Baek Ri-myeong finally spoke for the first time. "Pyo-ya, Ak-ya. Don't bully her too much. Yeon-i understands. Right, Yeon-i? We're cousins. We should share nice things."
Sigh, I'd had a bad feeling from the moment I ran into them.
I glanced at Namgung Wan. I couldn't see his face under the hood, but the veins bulged on the back of his hand gripping his sword hilt.
"What a simple request. I didn't know my brothers were into flowers."
With an unaffected expression, I pulled out one bloom.
One flower... whatever, can't be helped.
The moment I handed it over, the peony in Baek Ri-pyo's hand dropped with a plop.
His stepping foot crushed the fallen flower.
The vibrant pink peony lay pitifully trampled, rolling in the dirt.