Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Yearning Heart - 2
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Namgung Hye had finally escaped her heart demon, a joyous occasion. Yet the maids' suspicions hadn't ceased.
Those suspicions were now squarely aimed at Namgung Hye herself, who had broken free from her heart demon just days ago. But she paid them no mind.
No, it would be more accurate to say she couldn't afford to.
She was too busy reviewing her realizations from overcoming the heart demon, tempering them until they became fully her own. There was no time to address the odd changes in herself.
That left the maids free to scrutinize her transformations even more closely.
She'd swing her sword, then suddenly freeze in a daze. She'd squat down, deep in thought, only to cover her face and let out a sweet sigh.
Even right after breaking free from a heart demon, this was too strange.
It was hard to believe those behaviors were her pondering some new insight gained from the ordeal.
If that were the case, Namgung Cheon wouldn't have clicked his tongue, shaken his head, and walked away.
No one knew the truth.
In the end, it was Cheonghong—the longtime maid who had served Namgung Hye since childhood—who finally spoke up.
Bowing to pressure from the other maids, Cheonghong approached, plate of sweet Western pastries in hand—Namgung Hye's favorites.
"Miss, why not take a short break?"
"Ah... Yeah. I should."
Her training session was wrapping up anyway, so she popped one into her mouth. But as she gazed at it again, she let out another deep sigh.
That sigh seemed even sweeter than the Western pastry. Cheonghong ventured carefully,
"Um... Miss. Is something bothering you lately?"
"Lately...? Why do you ask?"
"Well... You seem to be sighing a lot. If it's about martial arts or family matters, I couldn't help much... But if it's just some worry, they say sharing troubles reveals solutions, right?"
"Hmm... Maybe. Lately... Ugh. I've been thinking about someone nonstop..."
Namgung Hye clearly hadn't learned any ice techniques. Yet a few short words from her were enough to freeze everyone around her solid.
Not just Cheonghong standing before her, but the other maids pretending to tend the pristine garden, ears perked. The ones wiping down spotless pavilions. The ones watering weedless flowerbeds.
Namgung Hye had frozen them all in an instant. Cheonghong barely kept her composure and asked,
"...So the sighs are...?"
"Yeah... He keeps popping into my head... My chest feels tight. If I think about going to see him, I get all shy... And this spot inside my chest itches."
She went on: dreaming of him, wishing he were there when eating something delicious, and more. Namgung Hye laid out her current state without reservation.
Cheonghong clenched her fists tight.
"D-Dreams? What kind...?"
"...J-Just dreams! Nothing more!"
The moment dreams came up, Namgung Hye's face flushed crimson.
Aha. That reaction tells me everything without asking.
Cheonghong desperately held her back.
As Namgung Hye panted roughly, struggling to calm herself, Cheonghong shot glances at the other maids.
They all whipped their heads away. Traitors!
Regretting stepping forward, Cheonghong steeled herself under Namgung Hye's pleading gaze.
"Um... Could it be... yearning of the heart?"
"Yearning...?"
Namgung Hye tilted her head. Then she shot to her feet, voice laced with bewilderment.
"Y-Yearning? But!! But that's...!!"
"You don't think so?"
Namgung Hye fidgeted, clenching and unclenching her fists, touching her cheeks, resting hands on her knees—helpless. She finally hung her head.
And another soft sigh. Cheonghong fought to suppress her rising smile at the endearing sight.
Yearning of the heart. The young miss who only ever thought of sword and clan. The one who strove endlessly for justice and chivalry. Spring had finally arrived for her!
"No way... It's just, just admiration."
Admiration for that person.
Now Cheonghong was even more curious about who it could be. Just as she opened her mouth to ask, Namgung Hyeok's voice boomed.
"Hye! Come have some tea!"
"Ah. L-Let's talk more later! Hehe. Talking it out really lightens the load. Thanks, Cheonghong."
"Y-Yes!"
Namgung Hye scurried off. The moment she was gone, the maids huddled urgently.
They needed collective wisdom.
No matter who the object was, they had to help their precious miss achieve her first love.
After tea with her father, Namgung Hye returned, mulling over the earlier exchange.
Yearning? No, it couldn't be yearning.
Why would it be? Nothing like that had happened.
She recalled the romance novels the maids devoured, giggling shrilly. She'd checked them out of curiosity, but found them dull.
Of course. How could mere proximity to someone make your heart pound so hard you couldn't speak?
Ridiculous.
Snorting derisively at Cheonghong's words, Namgung Hye nodded firmly.
"Right. It's not some petty emotion. What I feel for him is something far more noble..."
"What's so noble?"
"Kyaaah?!"
The sudden voice made Namgung Hye shriek in shock. Her reaction startled the other even more, eyes widening.
"Wh-Wha... J-Jin Hyun?! Why are you here?!"
"Why? Because this is where I'm staying."
Come to think of it, yes.
Jin Hyun's quarters in the Namgung estate were right next to hers. One wrong turn, and she'd end up heading his way.
Realizing her feet had carried her here unconsciously, Namgung Hye swallowed hard.
"Perfect timing. I was worried since I hadn't seen you lately. Was gonna bring this by myself. Wait here a sec."
"Huh? Uh..."
Jin Hyun turned and vanished into the hall.
Rather than relief at his absence, a deeper regret welled up.
Thump! Thump!
A pounding sound echoed. Was he doing construction?
Come to think of it, he'd demolished the rear garden of his previous hall. Had he done the same here?
The relentless thuds muddled her thoughts.
"Sorry to keep you."
But that low voice silenced the chaos instantly. Every sense in her body responded to it.
"N-No..."
She stared piercingly at Jin Hyun's face, backlit by the sun.
Why couldn't she tear her eyes away?
Why did that sweet feeling make her want to flee his gaze?
Why...
Thump! Thump!
Did her heart pound like this?
Namgung Hye felt her face heat up. She had to say something.
But what?
Thanks?
Sorry?
Or...
"Got a fever? Your face is red."
Sudden closeness.
A hand touched her forehead. The cool, gentle sensation slid from her brow straight to her heart.
Fueled by it, her heart thrashed like a broken engine.
"Ah. Uuuh. N-No! Ra!"
"...Huh?"
Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!
What kind of nonsense was that? She should be thanking him profusely!
But words wouldn't come.
A bizarre sensation she'd never felt before paralyzed her thoughts.
"Ah. Here. Take this."
Instead of mocking her stammering, Jin Hyun reached into his pouch and pulled out something small, wrapped in white paper.
Caramel. The Western candy, her absolute favorite.
"Heard you're busy training. Eat these on your breaks."
The pouch brimmed with Western caramels, pressed into her hand. Staring blankly at them, she looked up—but couldn't meet his eyes.
Her face burned hotter.
No, her whole body did.
"I... I hurt you... You okay?"
Even possessed by the heart demon, it was her who wounded him. Pointing to the bandages peeking from his clothes, she forced out the words, then regretted it.
Anything but dredging that up now.
As she inwardly cursed herself, Jin Hyun shrugged.
"Not really?"
Her expression, wrapped in unknowable emotions, went slack. Her gaze chased him relentlessly.
"Stuff happens. Don't sweat the small things. Ah, gotta go. Got business."
Just like before, brushing off his own harm as a matter of course, focused on what needed doing. Namgung Hye couldn't utter a word.
All she could do was...
"......"
Watch him go, dazed.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Her heartbeat drowned out the approaching maid's voice.
Yet Namgung Hye stayed rooted, watching until he vanished.
Only then did she realize what this feeling was.