Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Each One's Choice
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It's cold.
A dagger flies straight into my chest.
But don't worry.
I swear to the heavens that I'm innocent.
"Hwa-ryeon, it's a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding? So all that gossip the maids were chattering about excitedly is just nonsense? That Hubei's Foremost Beauty snuck into the young master's guest quarters dressed in thin silk robes?"
"Well... that part is true..."
"......"
Her gaze grows even colder.
It's clearly still autumn, and the weather outside is just pleasantly cool, but inside the room, a winter chill swirls about.
Feeling a chill run down my spine, I try to quietly sit across from Hwa-ryeon,
"I didn't tell you to sit yet, did I?"
...and stand back up.
I'm clearly innocent, so why do I feel like a criminal?
Pulling myself together with the thought that I can't let this slide, I open my mouth again.
"Hwa-ryeon, I can explain. Once you hear the story, you'll know I'm innocent. I even have a witness. And there's something even more important than this..."
"Something more important than this?"
"...Something just as important as this."
Hwa-ryeon watches me subtly change my words, then lets out a sigh and relaxes her eyes.
"...Fine, let's hear it first."
Seeing her regain her senses, I quickly sit down and recount everything that happened with Zhuge Seo-hee last night, without missing a single detail.
From how Zhuge Seo-hee was there in thin silk robes when I opened the door after the banquet, to how I just draped my outer robe over her and left immediately—everything.
Hwa-ryeon's expression stiffened coldly and softened repeatedly as the story went on, but when I got to the part about the incense burning in the room, even I shuddered involuntarily.
"...Yeah, I've heard of it. Bewitching Incense, they say it's used to seduce men."
After explaining that, Hwa-ryeon tilts her head oddly.
"But you inhaled the incense and you're fine?"
"Yeah. I didn't inhale it to begin with. I always keep my qi field deployed."
A qi field that spreads faint qi in all directions, allowing me to perceive my surroundings with heightened sensitivity.
With some application, blocking out smoke or incense isn't that hard.
Of course, it can't block direct attacks.
If it could, it wouldn't be a qi field anymore—it'd be a protective charm.
...Honestly, with a little more research, it might actually become one?
"...So? What happened next?"
Hwa-ryeon's words pull my wandering thoughts back, and I immediately tell her about meeting my master.
"After leaving the guest quarters like that, I ran into Master."
"...Uncle? No way... you don't mean?"
I nod silently to Hwa-ryeon, whose eyes go wide.
She lets out an incredulous sigh.
"You think it's ridiculous too, right? I felt the same."
"So the witness you mentioned is Uncle."
Hwa-ryeon's momentum sinks dramatically as she watches me nod emphatically.
She seems to believe me now.
"...Anyway, nothing happened, right?"
The sharpness has vanished from her demeanor, now softened to the point of being sulky.
Sensing it's time to switch from defense to offense, I grin faintly and sidle up next to Hwa-ryeon.
"Wh-what... ?!"
I grab her waist and pull her close.
She turns beet red as she ends up in my arms in an instant.
"Wh-what are you doing? Someone might see!"
"Who's gonna see? It's just us here."
Exactly.
Whether Hwa-ryeon scared them off or whatever, there's not even an ant around my guest quarters right now.
Confirming it with my expanded qi field, I pull her even tighter.
Then, to the flustered Hwa-ryeon, I drop a short, heavy line.
"I'm hurt."
"...H-hurt about what...?"
Hwa-ryeon flinches and averts her gaze slyly, so I cup her heated cheek with one hand and turn her face back to me.
Her face flushes even deeper.
Feeling my lips twitch at that adorable expression, I ask,
"Do I seem like the kind of guy you can't trust? The type who'd leer at any woman and pounce?"
"...No, not that."
"Then why?"
My question leaves her eyes darting about uncertainly before finally settling on my face, and she starts spilling her true feelings.
"...The maids kept saying weird stuff. That since you spent the night together, you're basically married now, a perfect match of handsome man and beautiful woman. So..."
So you got jealous?
I can't hold back my laughter at Hwa-ryeon's whine.
"Puhahaha—!"
"D-don't laugh! I'm serious...!"
"Puhuhu...! Ah, sorry, sorry. Khm...!"
Hwa-ryeon glares at me, her face scrunched up in annoyance as I keep apologizing through stifled laughs.
Comparing her to when she was little, her expressions have gotten so much richer.
Still chuckling warmly, I nod along when Hwa-ryeon hesitantly asks something odd.
"But... was she pretty?"
"Hm? What?"
"...Hubei's Foremost Beauty. Was she pretty?"
Catching on to her intent after tilting my head at the out-of-left-field question,
She probably wants to hear something like, 'Not as pretty as you,' or 'To me, you're the most beautiful in the world.'
Yeah, that's easy enough.
It's not even wrong.
But just as I'm about to answer honestly, a sudden impulse to tease her bubbles up.
Maybe I'm still a bit miffed at being grilled over such a ridiculous misunderstanding?
Or maybe I just want to see more of her jealous face.
So I give the answer that's sure to irk her.
"Well, yeah? They say she's the most beautiful woman in Hubei, after all."
"......"
As expected.
The atmosphere around Hwa-ryeon, which had softened, turns icy stiff in an instant.
But maybe because I've already seen her pout, it doesn't scare me much.
Her head whips away as she snaps out words that just make me want to laugh more.
"...Pretty, huh? Good for her. Word's already spread all over the clan anyway, so you might as well just marry her. Right?"
This is the critical moment.
If I say even a 'Yeah? Maybe I will?' half-jokingly, things could spiral out of control.
So the teasing ends here.
I soothe Hwa-ryeon gently.
"Aw, come on, that's too much. Why would I marry some other woman when I've got you right here?"
"Hmph, let go."
She snorts at my words and pushes at my chest with her tiny fist.
"Hey!"
I grab her slender wrist to stop her and look at Hwa-ryeon.
Her face is full of sulkiness.
Did I get too carried away with the teasing?
The moment I see that face, I lean in and press my lips to her cheek without thinking.
*Smack*
The sound of lip meeting skin rings out unusually clearly.
Only after pressing for a breath's worth of time and pulling away do I realize what I've done.
"......"
"......"
We stare at each other in heavy silence.
A smile has vanished from my lips before I know it,
and Hwa-ryeon's expression is blank, like she'd never been sulky.
Her eyes tremble faintly with fluster.
Yet a strange heat emanates from her retinas fixed on my face.
I'm probably giving her the same look.
*Thump thump*
My heart races wildly.
It feels like it'll burst any second.
Is it the blood racing faster than usual, numbing my reason?
Following instinct's command, I slowly bring my lips toward Hwa-ryeon.
"...Ngh."
Unable to meet my approaching face, Hwa-ryeon lets out a small whimper and drops her gaze.
But that's it—she doesn't pull her upper body back or push me away.
Emboldened by her lack of resistance, I close in more boldly.
At the monumental moment when my lips are about to touch hers,
*Creeeak*
The sound of my guest quarters' front door opening echoes, followed by quick footsteps heading to my room.
The person moves fast and reaches the door in no time.
*Young Master Goon, did you cough?*
"...Argh."
I squeeze my eyes shut and groan in frustration.
Why, why now of all times?
Just one moment late. No, one breath late...!
Slumping in regret, I release Hwa-ryeon and sigh before speaking.
"...Yes. You can come in."
At my grudging permission, the middle-aged maid enters with a "Excuse me."
She startles slightly at the sight of Hwa-ryeon and me sitting side by side, then casually states her business.
"The Patriarch wishes to see you, Young Master."
"The Patriarch?"
Feigning surprise, I click my tongue inwardly.
Damn, calling for me this early in the morning.
It's not about the Elder Council matter being exposed, so it must be about Zhuge Seo-hee.
Fast, too.
Did they already report last night's incident straight to him?
No real reason to refuse anyway, so I nod.
"Understood. I'll head over right away."
"Yes, I'll wait outside then."
Turning from the maid as she exits, I look at Hwa-ryeon.
"We've got a lot to talk about, but you'll have to hear it from Master."
At my words, Hwa-ryeon tilts her head, her face still flushed.
"...Come to think of it, you said there was something important. What is it?"
"It's a long story. Better to hear it step by step from Master."
I chuckle at her barely contained curiosity and stand up.
"Alright, I'll be back. Straight to your room after, right?"
"Yes."
I nod to Hwa-ryeon and turn to leave the room when,
"Young Master Goon."
She calls out to me.
Turning back curiously, Hwa-ryeon's face—who's now standing—is suddenly right there...?
*Smack*
Something soft and moist touches my lips, then pulls away swiftly.
My mind blanks for a moment before I process what happened.
D-did Hwa-ryeon just... kiss my lips?
Stunned by her completely unexpected counterattack, I hear her voice, small and creeping.
"...Consider that a preemptive claim. No straying, got it?"
"...Yes."
A polite reply slips out unbidden.
Unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, Hwa-ryeon flees the room.