No More Regrets
Just so I don't have regrets. My prank seems to have landed perfectly. Sohwi's ears were burning bright red as he hurriedly turned his head away, avoiding my gaze. He even let go of the hand he'd been holding all day, straightening my hair in front with trembling fingers. Unlike his usual composed demeanor, his hands were shaking badly.
"You're asking for a spanking... haa..." He muttered something under his breath, but it was too quiet for me to hear. Whatever. This is way more fun than I thought. I'd always been on the receiving end, but now that the tables have turned, I get why Sohwi always teased me like that.
"Oh my, oh my. How indecent."
"Whoa. I quit being a fox starting today."
I ignored the maids' dramatic fussing from behind. I hadn't even shown anything weird, so why the overreaction? I just stuck my neck out a little.
"Looks like we'll need some training soon."
"Uh..., Hwaya, when did you get here?"
Hwaya, who'd stepped away to check on something, had returned unnoticed. She was staring at us like she wanted to bore holes through our bodies.
I'm in for it. Big time. My blood ran cold at her words about more scolding when we got back. It already felt like I'd been lectured for thirty minutes, and she still had more to say.
"Ah, found it."
Sohwi, who'd been watching my scolding with amusement, was now listening to something from Jeongi, who'd approached.
"My lady, I have to step away for a bit on business, so stay close to Hwaya."
"I'm not a child..."
"Says the one who got scolded last time for not listening. I'll be right back, so behave and stay with Hwaya."
Sohwi, who'd earnestly warned me never to wander off alone, took Jeongi and left.
"Hwaya, I want to check out over there."
"Over there? That's the central square in the market—nothing there."
"I've seen people gathering that way since earlier. It's bothering me, so I want to take a look."
With free food being handed out, crowds were natural. But it seemed unusually packed. And for a charity event, not everyone holding wooden bowls looked shady.
"In that case, let's go. There are plenty of escorts watching from around today anyway."
"...How many?"
"Me and two maids. Two more at about thirty paces, and three watching from farther away."
Eight people just for me. Overkill? Or, thinking back to my first outing, maybe just right? Either way, eight should handle most trouble.
"Then let's hurry."
Reassured, I headed toward the crowd. As we neared the square, more people appeared clutching bowls of gukbap, eating heartily. It really looked like they were distributing meat stew. Some shoveled it down like it might be snatched away.
"Mom's full, so you eat more."
Others even gave their share to their kids. Seeing everyone eat normally, maybe I'd overreacted.
"Looks like some wealthy merchant guild doing relief work."
"Yeah, good people."
I'd always thought charity had strings attached back home—usually for PR. People don't do good without gain. But maybe it's different here.
Nearing the square, I spotted a huge cauldron and people ladling out gukbap beside it.
"Come on! Plenty to go around—no need to push!"
"The lord said he'll keep sending more food, so no worries!"
Cheerful shouts echoed through the square. Everyone waiting for food wore smiles. It looked like plain old charity.
"Ma'am, it seems like real relief efforts."
Even to me. But something nagged at me.
"Ma'am, since we're at the square, shall we stop by that laundry you missed last time?"
"..."
A vague unease kept drawing my eyes back. What was it? Why couldn't I look away?
"Ma'am?"
Hwaya called worriedly at my fixation.
"Wait..., just a sec."
I half-answered, focusing harder. People waited, got food, ate happily. Waited. Got. Ate...
"...!"
I realized it. They looked fine eating—savoring it even. But the moment they finished and set down their bowls, their faces drained of color instantly. Not regret over empty bowls. If it tasted bad, they'd show it while eating. No anger, no sadness. Just, post-meal, faces turning yellow regardless of expression.
Not food poisoning exactly, but something was wrong with the food. Clearly.
"Hwaya, people's complexions are off. Something's in the food."
Before Hwaya could reply, I stepped forward. Maybe I was wrong again. I'd freaked out needlessly before, embarrassed myself. Rushed on my first outing, caused trouble. Judged hastily yesterday, moped alone. Could be that now too—yellow faces my imagination, food just normal gukbap.
But if I ignored it and real trouble hit, would I regret it? Yeah, definitely.
"Excuse me, who's handing this out? Is it verified safe?"
"Huh? Who are you, miss?"
"Is it confirmed safe to eat?!"
My sudden shout stirred murmurs. People stared, wondering what was up.
"Who are you to cut in line and throw a fit?!"
Some resented my cutting ahead. The distributors looked flustered at my questioning the food.
"This all came from the sangu. No way it's bad."
"What...? Which sangu..."
"The Horyeongsan sangu, obviously. This is his domain. He prepared it all this afternoon!"
Horyeongsan's sangu was Sohwi. But the Sohwi I knew had waited at the gate, primping, all afternoon.
"How dare you impersonate!"
At "Horyeongsan sangu," Hwaya roared, and nearby escorts drew swords to their throats in a flash. The momentum made distributors and even lined-up folks flinch back.
"You say that seeing us? Daring to invoke the sangu before foxes?"
"W-wait...! What do you mean? Foxes?"
Under Hwaya's interrogation, they panicked like we'd spouted nonsense.
"Isn't Horyeongsan's sangu a black tiger? Then who did I see...?"
Alarms blared in my head. Stop people eating that suspicious food...
"Urk, uek!!"
The flustered man suddenly vomited black sludge. It gushed endlessly from his mouth—stuff no human should expel.
"Ma'am!"
Hwaya urgently shielded me, pulling away, as the sword-wielding guard beheaded the vomiting man in one stroke. A head rolling before my eyes.
"We must get ma'am out of the square. One of you, report to the master."
"Hwaya..., it was weird, but killing people..."
"Ma'am, that's no longer human."
No longer human? Hwaya's pointed finger showed the headless body writhing on the ground.
"Uwek!!!"
"Aigoo! What's wrong, kid?!"
"Guek!!"
Others around started spewing black sludge too.
"Ma'am, it's a jaeng. We need to evacuate."
"They can't grow in a domain..."
Facing the jaeng Jeongi had only described, I felt why it was called disaster. Countless people vomiting black sludge everywhere—it was apocalyptic.
The pooled vomit began moving on its own once enough gathered. Slowly, but surely toward healthy people.
"Wh-what is that?!"
"Run!"
"Move! I don't wanna die!!"
Screams erupted as people fled in panic. I wasn't running either, mind blank.
"Hwaya..."
Still, I'd be safe. Eight protectors. Two guards were already slashing approaching sludge and possessed.
But they only guarded me. Not others.
Just stay protected—safe. Safe.
"Can a few escorts block the jaeng heading for others?"
Fleeing now, every day here would be regret. Living with good people, regretting daily—no thanks.
Foolish words slipped out.
"Ma'am."
"I know it's reckless, dangerous."
"Ma'am, your approach is wrong."
Not the flat refusal I'd expected from Hwaya. Wrong approach.
"...How many minimum to keep me safe?"
"Two, including me."
I recalled Jeongi's order on my first outing: "Not enough." Hwaya's words clicked.
"...Leave two, send the rest to protect people."
"As you command, ma'am."
If you desire it, give orders—not requests.