Red
The morning of Jegal Seyeong’s birthday.
I opened my eyes the moment dawn broke, only to be hit with a deeply unpleasant feeling.
An unease I couldn’t quite put into words.
Since I’d never felt anything like it once I came to the Jegal Clan Manor, the discomfort was tangled up with a little confusion too.
And it wasn’t until I sat up that I realized why.
The bedding and my clothes were soaked through with blood.
I knew what it was, and I knew it wasn’t something to make a fuss over.
So instead of panicking, I actually calmed down.
So this is the kind of thing that comes with my body now, huh?
Wow. Still, it’s a huge relief this happened at the Jegal Clan Manor.
If this had happened somewhere outside, I really would’ve been thrown for a loop.
I should’ve expected this too, once I ended up in a body like this.
I guess I was a little too careless.
Still, I’m really glad it happened here of all places.
Fortunately, the Jegal Clan Manor had prepared spare clothes, so changing wasn’t a problem.
The real issue was the blanket on this bed. Wow. What am I supposed to do about this?
After waiting until the sun had fully risen, I quietly called for a maid and asked for a fresh blanket to be brought.
She politely told me I needn’t trouble myself, then briskly and expertly changed the bedding for me.
And without me even having to ask, she brought me a stack of clean white cloth, too.
Right. I guess this was normal for them. There were plenty of women in this manor, after all.
“Um. Sorry, but I’ve never used these before. Does this manor have a particular way of doing it? If it’s good, I’d like to learn.”
When I said that, the maid smiled and gladly taught me how to use the cloth.
She kindly showed me how to fold it and how to place it in my undergarments.
Out of gratitude, I gave her a small silver coin.
What else could I do? Who was I supposed to ask about something like this?
She’d tried to refuse at first, but after she accepted it, she began to serve me with even more care.
See? People need a little give and take. That’s how things flow smoothly.
In any case, the little morning incident ended well enough, but that wasn’t the end of it.
I’d been mistaken. That had only been the beginning.
My stomach began to ache little by little, as if someone were stabbing it over and over with a knife.
Ah. This is really the worst.
Wow. There’s no way I can do any martial arts like this. Are you kidding me?
So when Moyong Jua came by, I couldn’t even manage a smile for her.
I was in no condition to smile at all. Not even if I forced it.
“Huh? Miss Baek? What’s wrong? Is something the matter? Ah, are you feeling a little awkward about showing yourself in front of everyone later? Right?”
“No, Moyong-sobae. It’s not that…. It’s…. It started.”
Ugh. I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud.
Even though I’d left the subject out, Moyong Jua was a woman too, so she understood immediately.
“Ah! Oh no, that’s such bad timing. But still, this is lucky! The Dang Clan people are here, so maybe we can get something from them! Wait here for a moment, okay?”
And with that, Moyong Jua darted outside.
A moment later, she came rushing back and shoved a small porcelain bottle into my hand.
“Take it! That’s the best! The Dang Clan isn’t the Dang Clan for nothing, you know?”
“This is…. what is it?”
“It’ll make the pain go away when you take it! It’s Jitongsan!”
Ah. So it’s something like a painkiller.
Then I should take it.
I opened the bottle, took out a small pill, and swallowed it.
And before even the time it takes to burn a stick of incense had passed, I had become an ardent believer in the Dang Clan.
“Whoa!”
“Right? Isn’t it amazing!? This one’s even more effective than what they sell outside. It’s for internal use in the Dang Clan, apparently. She said she got it from Yeong-yeong herself?”
“Ah…. I’ll have to thank her later. Though it seems like you don’t really care much for that Miss Dang.”
“That’s true. That picky little brat is so hard to deal with. She talks to people like she’s pricking them with needles. Or should I say her personality’s awful? But here’s the funny part—at first she acted like she wasn’t going to give it to me, but the second I said it was for Miss Baek, she handed it over right away.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, apparently she was really shocked when she caught a glimpse of you last time. She said she wanted to see you again.”
“Um…. why?”
“Why else? Because Miss Baek is mysteriously beautiful, that’s why! If you were just a little pretty, she might get jealous, but this isn’t just ‘a little,’ is it?”
At Moyong Jua’s words, I felt a little embarrassed.
So girls didn’t always get jealous when they saw a beautiful woman?
Then again, not everyone’s that sharp-tongued, I suppose.
In any case, thanks to the Dang Clan’s blessing, my body was much better.
So thankfully, I’d be able to show my face at Jegal Seyeong’s birthday celebration without grimacing like I was in pain.
After a while, commotion rose outside, and I heard the sound of fireworks, instruments, and people cheering.
For that noise to carry all the way to this detached building, the celebration must have been one hell of a spectacle.
Well, they’d gone to that much effort. Of course it would be.
“Shall we go too?”
“Yes. Let’s.”
So Moyong Jua and I left the guest quarters and headed out toward the Jegal Clan Manor’s courtyard.
As we went, the laughter of the crowd swelled louder and louder, along with the crackle of fireworks and the red confetti drifting all the way here.
It was dazzling.
A feast awash in red, so grand that even from a distance you could tell at once how splendid it was.
As expected of the Jegal Clan Manor. Being a prestigious noble house, there wasn’t a single thing that looked cheap or shabby.
You could practically feel the money poured into this place.
My stomach had settled, and my eyes had been thoroughly spoiled, so I was able to follow Moyong Jua all the way to where Jegal Seyeong was.
Jegal Seyeong was being congratulated by many people.
Today, she wasn’t merely the daughter of a Murim family—she was the granddaughter of the regional magnate who ruled this area.
That meant not only martial artists had come, but also officials and people from other noble houses, so I had no choice but to wait a long while before I could greet her.
Still, while I was waiting, I could feel how many eyes were on me.
Well, that made sense. My white hair stood out anywhere.
It was a little uncomfortable, but I stood there calmly and waited.
There was no reason for me to hide my face or my looks, was there?
That guy—what was his name, Dang Ho-jun? He’d had no choice before because of Jegal Seyeong, but that wasn’t the case now.
Then Moyong Jua glanced at me, looked around the area, and after spotting someone off to the side, she waved and crooked a finger to call them over.
Wondering who it was, I looked over and saw Paeng Jeon-ho, who was a head or two taller than everyone else, striding this way like a wall had started walking.
“Miss Baek, you’re here? Jua. Why did you call me?”
“Jeon-ho. Stand there for a second. No, a little more to the side. Yes, beside Miss Baek. Ah, there. Perfect.”
“What.”
“What do you mean, what? You’re a screen. If you stand there, you’ll block Miss Baek and make it hard to see her.”
Paeng Jeon-ho had just been reduced to a human folding screen, but since it was Moyong Jua saying it, he didn’t seem too offended.
Seeing them like this, they really were a well-matched pair.
I sincerely hoped those two would live long, healthy lives together and grow old side by side. Truly.
But just then, someone suddenly appeared from the side.
When I looked over, it was that girl.
Dang Yeong-yeong. Seeing her up close, she was a head shorter than me and quite slim.
What do you call a body type like that again? Slender? No, that feels too generous.
Petit? Loli? Maybe not quite that either. Hmm.
Anyway, with Paeng Jeon-ho’s size next to her, Dang Yeong-yeong looked even smaller.
“You’re here?”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting to congratulate Jegal-sobae, of course. But why are you wandering around alone?”
“Because I want to.”
She was clearly younger than Moyong Jua, yet she spoke so casually without the slightest hesitation.
Is it because they’re close? Doesn’t really seem like it.
Anyway, Dang Yeong-yeong glanced at me, our eyes met, and she immediately jerked her gaze away.
“Miss Dang. We met once before, didn’t we? And thank you for the medicine. I’d been meaning to say that.”
When I said that, Dang Yeong-yeong sneaked another look at me, then averted her eyes again and muttered,
“I don’t like being in pain.”
Then, unusually, Paeng Jeon-ho—who normally didn’t say much at all—lowered his voice and spoke with a grave air.
“Yeong-yeong. You shouldn’t speak so rudely to just anyone.”
Dang Yeong-yeong glared at Paeng Jeon-ho and stuck her tongue out at him.
Hmm. I get it. So that’s her personality? I’ve got her measured already.
She must’ve been coddled all her life in the Dang Clan, so she was a little spoiled.
“Yeong-yeong. What about Namgung-gongja? Shouldn’t you be over there?”
As I was making that diagnosis, Moyong Jua turned to Dang Yeong-yeong and spoke.
Ah, I see.
Moyong Jua probably wanted to get rid of Dang Yeong-yeong quickly.
If this kid stuck around, there was a pretty good chance Dang Ho-jun would show up.
And if Jegal Seyeong saw that, it wouldn’t exactly be a pleasant sight.
So that’s probably why she was hurrying her along like this.
“Why should I?”
“Why? You’re always trailing after Namgung-gongja.”
“When did I ever trail after him? That’s not true. And I’m not interested anymore.”
“Huh? Not interested anymore!? Namgung-gongja? Why?”
“Do I really have to tell you everything?”
As she said that, she stole another glance at me.
What was that? Why does she keep looking at me like that?
“You really do like Miss Baek, huh?”
“Wh—! No, I don’t!?”
“You like her so much that you don’t care about Namgung-gongja anymore?”
“Ahh!”
At Moyong Jua’s words, Dang Yeong-yeong’s face finally flushed red, and she dashed off just as quickly as she’d arrived.
What an odd girl. Does she just judge people entirely by their looks, regardless of whether they’re male or female?
In any case, after waiting a bit longer, it was finally our turn to congratulate Jegal Seyeong.
There were so many people waiting that I only offered a brief congratulations before stepping away again.
Then Moyong Jua looked at me and asked,
“Miss Baek. Are you going back?”
“Yes. I think I’ll have to.”
“I see. Then let’s go back to the guest quarters together.”
“Why? I can go alone.”
“It’s fine. What’s so hard about it? Right, Jeon-ho?”
Paeng Jeon-ho simply nodded in silence.
Honestly, why were these two so kind?
Just as we were about to leave the midst of the banquet, I heard a murmur rising from the entrance over there.
Wondering what was going on, I looked over, and to my surprise, there were two familiar faces.
“Huh? Those people. Why are they here again?”
Moyong Jua spoke with a baffled expression.
Exactly. That’s what I want to know.
Why are Byeokunja and Gyeokseon here again? Did something happen?