Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Whispers in the Estate
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This won't do.
I was starting to feel like I was blending into the Namgung Family more and more.
Namgoong Hyu often invited me to meals, and Retired Family Head Namgoong Hwan was requesting games of go with increasing frequency.
At this rate, I was going to end up fully settled here in the Namgung Family.
'I need to provoke those who oppose the engagement.'
At first, there had been no need for that.
It was enough to just get those who were friendly toward me to oppose it.
But now, with my efforts to recruit them into the anti-engagement faction(?) having failed twice...
'Time to change my approach.'
Messing with people who hadn't outright rejected me from the start, or those who were favorable, had only backfired.
This was thoroughly proven by Namgoong Hyu and Namgoong Hwan.
So, the only option left was to goad those who already opposed my engagement to Yeonhui into even more fervent action!
The first person who came to mind was Namgoong Seon.
No matter how scripted the whole thing had been, he was the one who had openly opposed the engagement right in front of the family head.
And with his position as the eldest son, his influence was undoubtedly solid.
While gathering information on Namgoong Seon, I picked up on something suspicious.
'The servants are avoiding me.'
After the commotion in the family head's residence, I'd made constant efforts to befriend the Namgung Family servants.
It hadn't been that hard.
Just treating them warmly was enough to win their favor easily.
And slipping them some snacks or a bit of liquor now and then was the icing on the cake.
"Oh dear, if I take this, the higher-ups will scold me!"
"Come on. It's just you and me here—who's going to see?"
Thanks to getting close to a few servants like that, I'd collected plenty of gossip about the Namgung Family members.
Cross-referencing it with what Yeonhui had told me, I'd gotten a good grasp on the family...
"I'll be off first, young master—busy with work!"
Then suddenly, the servants started avoiding me.
It wasn't hostile glares.
They just seemed wary, like they didn't want to be caught hanging around me.
I felt that atmosphere even more clearly the next day.
"Gaga, isn't the weather wonderful today?"
"It sure is. Not a cloud in the sky."
I was strolling around the Namgung Family estate with Yeonhui.
True to its reputation as the mightiest of the Seven Great Families, it was splendidly ornate.
Alongside the smooth, polished marble floors stretched flower beds bursting with colorful blooms.
"Every time I see it, it's just so flashy."
"Mother loves tending the flower beds. Pretty, right?"
"Yeah."
Yeonhui drew close to the flower bed, savoring the scent.
Watching her slender hand gently caress a bud, it was hard to tell which was the real flower.
"Gaga?"
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Why are you spacing out like that?"
"You're blending in so well with the flowers, it was hard to spot you."
"Oh, come on—you're not getting anything out of me with lines like that!"
Yeonhui waved it off with an exasperated look.
I'd just shared my honest impression.
She was funny like that—never shy when she was the one flirting, but the moment I said something back, she'd pretend not to hear.
That was when I spotted it.
"Can you believe it? They say that guy's a notorious playboy."
"For real?"
"Look at him—pretty boy like a gisaeng's escort. Word is he got chased out of his hometown for messing with commoner girls!"
Servants whispering in the corner of the estate.
"Oh no, then what about our young lady..."
"They say even the second young master has fallen under his spell somehow—like he's got some kind of sorcery!"
"Good heavens..."
"What are we going to do?"
It was the kind of juicy gossip that women loved.
Didn't they say even the king gets cursed behind his back?
No big deal if they spread silly rumors.
But Yeonhui apparently saw it differently.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Eek!"
The maids panicked at Yeonhui's sudden appearance.
She zeroed in on the one who'd been badmouthing me.
"Go on. Keep saying what you were saying."
"Miss, it's a misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding? Do I look like I'm joking?"
"That's not..."
"Don't you have work to do?"
There was no rise or fall in Yeonhui's tone.
It was chillingly cold, the kind that made you wish she'd just yell instead.
She was unconsciously building up her presence.
"Do you think we pay you to gossip behind the family's back?"
"M-Miss."
The maid gasped for breath like she was suffocating.
Yeonhui didn't flinch even as the woman's face turned pale.
"Fine, you've worked here seven years—about time for a break."
"Miss?"
"You've had a good run."
"Miss! I'm sorry—please don't fire me..."
Yeonhui was as sharp as the day we'd first met.
The complete opposite of her bubbly self moments ago.
I was about to step in before things got even more tense.
"What's all this commotion?!"
Namgoong Hyeok's third son, Namgoong Jin, came rushing over, bellowing.
"Perfect timing, brother."
"Why are you harassing the resting maids?"
"They're getting disciplined for screwing up, aren't they?"
"You lot, get lost!"
Namgoong Jin shouted at the maids without even hearing Yeonhui out.
They scattered in groups of twos and threes the moment he gave the order.
Now it was just the three of us.
"Do you want rumors spreading that we mistreat our inferiors in the Namgung Family?"
"Should I just take them insulting Gaga?"
"Gaga my foot. Bringing in some nobody without roots..."
"What did you just say?"
"I don't want to hear any more!"
He issued his unilateral declaration and stormed off without waiting for a reply.
Not forgetting to shoot me a glare as he hurried away.
'What was that?'
The way he'd aggressively pushed Yeonhui...
To me, it didn't look like anger—it looked like fleeing to hide something.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "I mean, seriously—unbelievable!"
"Yeonhui, calm down."
"How can I calm down right now?!"
The moment we got back to the room, Yeonhui started fuming.
"Gaga, aren't you mad?"
"Mad about what? It was so ridiculous I could only laugh."
"Does it make sense for them to slander people with made-up nonsense?"
"Isn't that what gossipy maids do—make a fuss over rumors?"
Having read so many knightly novels in my past life, that level of fabrication was laughable.
"By the way, does Third Brother hate me?"
I changed the subject to Namgoong Jin.
There was something nagging at me.
"He's opposed it from the start."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Though I just ignored all his weird ramblings."
Weird ramblings, huh.
From the bits about "roots," I could guess.
"Does he care a lot about status and lineage?"
"No... He's not usually prejudiced like that. He's just super picky about anything involving you."
"Hmm..."
I had a pretty good idea why.
Namgoong Jin was a total daddy's boy, molded in his father's image.
"Guess I should set up a meeting soon."
"Do you have to?"
"Can't avoid him forever."
This might actually be useful.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Deep into the night.
I quietly made contact with one of the servants.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"No need for formalities between us."
"Gotta wake up at dawn. Headin' out."
Park Chun-sam.
One I'd put extra effort into befriending.
"Hey, Chun-sam. How much have I slipped into your pocket?"
"Th-that won't scare me!"
"Scare you? Don't say that—it hurts. I just want to talk."
I placed a hand on Park Chun-sam's shoulder.
"Lately, the servants have been avoiding me big time."
"..."
"Did someone give orders?"
"N-nothin' like that."
As if.
His voice was already shaking.
The way he desperately averted his eyes confirmed it.
"What? Third Young Master ordered it?"
"I-I never said that!"
"Sure you didn't. Your face says it all."
I'd barely probed, and Park Chun-sam was already showing his hand.
A gap had opened.
"If you keep denying it, I'll go straight to him myself. 'Brother! Chun-sam already spilled everything!'"
"Aigoo, young master! They'll kick me out!"
Park Chun-sam jumped in alarm.
"You really can't lie, can you? Since it's come to this, why not come clean with me?"
"Young master, even so..."
"Man to man—I promise I won't let on you told me."
I slipped some coin into his hand as I said it.
"Talk from a distance first. You've got sweat all over!"
"Aw, it's just a little work sweat. Don't mind it."
Park Chun-sam sighed deeply at my words, then gave in.
"Hoo, alright. You're right, young master. It was the third young master's orders."
"Exactly what?"
"Well..."
Through Park Chun-sam's confession, I pieced together the full picture of what was going on.