Chapter 242
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: If Not? (2)
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"Here, eat up. You need a hearty meal before you set off on your journey."
"Thank you, Lady."
After washing up, Hoyeon had been invited to join them for a meal.
Sitting before a generous spread without a scrap of meat, Hoyeon expressed her gratitude with a reverent air before picking up her chopsticks.
Eon So-young also began eating, stealing occasional glances at her.
'As I thought...'
Even beneath that shady bamboo hat and tattered robes, her beauty had been apparent, but now, dressed in Eon So-young's clothes—which the maids had practically forced on her under the pretext of laundering and mending—her allure stood out all the more.
Despite the profound inner energy one could sense from her presence, she carried an ethereal air that stirred a man's protective instincts.
That was Hoyeon.
Eon So-young shot a sidelong glance at her husband, who was eating beside her, then turned to Hoyeon.
"What position do you hold at Shaolin Temple, Sister?"
"...I manage the Repentance Cave."
"The Repentance Cave...?"
The Repentance Cave was where Shaolin kept those monks who had strayed from the righteous path as Buddhists—a kind of prison.
Even among the ascetics of Shaolin, there were bound to be occasional troublemakers.
But Hoyeon's seniority rivaled that of the abbot himself, which made it puzzling.
Such menial tasks were typically handled by first- or second-generation disciples, not someone of her stature. Why...?
"It's a role I requested myself."
"Oh, I... I'm sorry, Sister. Was it that obvious?"
"No, everyone wonders about it. Why someone of my standing would take on such a duty..."
Meanwhile, Hoyeon was observing Eon So-young just as naturally.
Though they appeared to be of similar age, Eon So-young exuded a refined elegance that was truly striking.
Moreover, there was an indescribable vitality about her—vivid, or perhaps fresh—that was hard to pin down.
'Why am I thinking this...'
There was no reason for her, a nun detached from worldly desires, to care about such things, yet she forcibly reined in her wandering thoughts and spoke again.
"It's embarrassing to admit as a Buddhist, but I had personal matters that required me to settle my mind, so I needed to stay in an isolated place."
"Ah... I see."
Eon So-young felt she'd pried too much.
For a monk of Hoyeon's caliber to need such seclusion, it couldn't have been a trivial matter.
She felt uneasy for forcing such a private confession from a near-stranger, but Hoyeon's words didn't end there.
"Thanks to Young Hero Kang, however, I've found considerable peace of mind. I was planning to step down from my duties soon, so meeting you again like this fills me with joy."
"Pardon...? Young Hero Kang?"
As Hoyeon's gaze softened toward Kang Yun, Eon So-young hurriedly turned to him as well.
Kang Yun, slurping down his noodles, choked under the sudden scrutiny.
"Cough, cough..."
"Oh dear, eat slowly. Here, water..."
Eon So-young panicked at Hoyeon's meaningful look but it was too late—the man had already taken the cup from Hoyeon and gulped down the water.
Something was going on.
The way Hoyeon looked at Kang Yun gnawed at her inexplicably.
It wasn't the gaze of a woman in love, yet it didn't seem like the look one gave an ordinary acquaintance either.
"Young Hero said that a full belly and good rest bring peace of mind, didn't he? No need to rush—eat slowly."
"That's right. Thank you, Sister."
And now they were sharing words only the two of them understood.
Though Hoyeon was a nun, Eon So-young—well aware of her husband's tastes—couldn't let her guard down.
Once under the same roof, there was no helping it. As a wife devoted to one man, she was willing to compromise and get along.
But if the other woman hadn't yet committed to becoming his, Eon So-young intended to keep a sharp eye out.
Considering Kang Yun had already embraced one nun without her knowledge, it was a perfectly sound judgment.
I felt Eon So-young's piercing gaze as if it were slicing into my skin.
'I haven't done anything yet...'
Of course, I did harbor some hope of developing that kind of relationship with Hoyeon someday. So her suspicion wasn't entirely unfounded.
It probably irked her that even Eon So-young's plainest outfit looked stunning on her.
"By the way, what brings you traveling with Lady Namgung, Young Hero?"
"Ah, well..."
I explained our cover story, and Hoyeon nodded in understanding.
"I see. You're close with your foster aunt, Lady Zhuge... Then last autumn?"
"Yes. Mother happened to visit to pay respects, and it seems the two grew quite close then."
Close was an understatement. They'd shared a threesome, after all.
"Staying with the Tang Family might indeed suit you better than here. Though the Namgung family would be preferable..."
"R-right. But if I stayed, it might burden my in-laws..."
"From your son, the Namgung patriarch's perspective, wouldn't it worry him more if his mother were out of reach?"
It was a valid point.
Our plan to head to the Tang Family hinged on Eon So-young's cover of avoiding the Namgung estate.
If anyone questioned why she was so stubborn about it, we'd be out of excuses.
Though in the jianghu, prying into others' whereabouts wasn't common...
Fortunately, Hoyeon seemed to realize belatedly that she'd overstepped and bowed her head to Eon So-young.
"My apologies, Lady. That was none of my business. I beg your pardon."
"N-no, it's fine."
Eon So-young, sweating bullets, managed a response at this unexpected reprieve.
But it wasn't over.
Afterward, Hoyeon kept probing: 'With Lady Zhuge absent, is it alright to take her without permission?' 'Wouldn't it be wise to bring Namgung escorts along the way?' She poked hole after hole in our story.
Eon So-young shot me resentful glances on the sly, but I was the wronged one here.
'I didn't invite her here—I was clearly planning to send her to an inn...'
In the end, Eon So-young and I pooled our efforts to fend off Hoyeon's barrage of questions, sweating so much we barely noticed if food went in our mouths or our noses.
At least watching Hoyeon eat heartily with such relish was a sight to behold. Small mercies.
After dinner, Hoyeon returned to her room.
The food had been delicious, and the conversation with someone she'd longed to see again was enjoyable.
'She seems more casual than I expected.'
Recalling how Kang Yun had scratched the back of his head, admitting he'd misunderstood the young hero's quarters when she'd asked while watching him head off with Eon So-young, Hoyeon chuckled idly.
Though she'd regained some energy since meeting him, Hoyeon wasn't the type to meddle in others' affairs to this degree.
She'd simply found herself intrigued because it involved Kang Yun, and before she knew it, her mouth was running—and so was her interference.
"Getting ahead of myself."
A woman her age fussing over a young man would hardly be welcome.
It had only been a chance encounter during a brief trip down memory lane.
Previously, she'd told him to seek her at Shaolin if he needed help, but now that she knew who he was, she doubted he required her aid.
'Still, I must repay the favor.'
Kang Yun might brush it off as no big deal, but Hoyeon wanted to do whatever she could for him.
Even if it meant bending her Buddhist vows to some extent...
"Hm?"
Just then, a stealthy presence stirred outside, catching her senses.
The tragedy at the Namgung estate flashed through her mind, and Hoyeon flung open the window, leaping out.
"Who's there!"
Spotting a man in all black, she immediately channeled her Prajna Heart Technique.
As she prepared to unleash the Great Power Diamond Palm gathered in her palm to subdue him, she belatedly recognized the face and hastily dispersed her energy.
"Young Hero Kang... What are you doing here?"
"Sister... Well, you see..."
Kang Yun was equally dumbfounded.
His martial arts had surely advanced to a considerable level.
Even back when he was merely first-rate, his stealth skills—honed trailing Mong-a without detection—had improved vastly, yet here he was, caught.
No matter that the rooms weren't far apart, this shouldn't have happened. But there was a reason.
For years, wracked by guilt over her husband and son, Hoyeon had obsessively shunned comfortable lodgings. She rarely rested easy at inns.
Frequent outdoor sleeping had ingrained the habit of periodically scanning her surroundings with her senses—and Kang Yun had walked right into it.
"The moon—it, uh, the moon looked nice, so I wanted to admire it. But I didn't want to disturb you, Sister..."
"The moon...?"
Only after glancing at the full moon illuminating the sky did Hoyeon understand.
"No need to be so cautious..."
"But you're setting off on your journey tomorrow, aren't you? I didn't want to disturb your sleep even a little."
Of course, the real reason was entirely different, but Hoyeon had no way of guessing it.
As long as she saw the man before her as a righteous upright sect member, the truth would forever elude her.
"This poor nun appreciates the joy of moon-gazing too. If it's not a bother, might I join you?"
"Pardon...? Y-yes, of course."
"Then, rather than that way, let's head this way. I saw a nice spot in the rear garden earlier. The position is ideal—it should be quite the treat."
"S-Sister?"
Hoyeon's fingers gripped the hem of the man's black sleeve as she strode forward confidently.
This was wrong. Being with this man made her feel like humming a tune.
Come to think of it, it had been ages since her last moon-viewing. Hoyeon smiled warmly up at the full moon.
