The next day,
During breakfast, a disciple of North Sea Ice Palace stood by my side, attending to me.
North Sea Ice Palace didn’t keep separate maids or servant girls.
So when guests came, the disciples acted as attendants.
But that didn’t mean you could really treat them like actual maids.
I spoke to the disciple who was looking after my meal.
“We’re planning to head back tomorrow morning.”
“So soon?”
“Yes. I’d love to stay longer if I could, but I’ve got a lot of responsibilities, and a lot of things I still have to do, so I don’t really have a choice.”
It was about time I went to Hangzhou to gather in everything that needed collecting.
And the Imperial Palace would soon be putting out a notice to recruit Merchant Groups for foreign trade.
“Honestly, I was going to leave this morning, but I figured my brother, Elder Sang Horan, and Protector Seol Seo-yun would be disappointed, so I stayed one more day.”
“Even if I begged you to stay just one more day, that wouldn’t work, would it?”
“No. It wouldn’t.”
At my firm answer, she nodded.
“Understood. I’ll relay that to the Palace Lord.”
There was only one reason I asked her to pass on that I was leaving.
I wanted them to prepare the silver and Elixirs in advance so I could take them with me when we left.
After finishing breakfast, I left my quarters with Lady Seohyang and walked through the garden.
The garden of North Sea Ice Palace was filled with all sorts of rare and strange flowers and plants, a feast for the eyes.
“Aren’t you cold?”
At my question, she nodded.
“Yes. It’s way more manageable than I expected.”
As she said that, her complexion looked very good. I spoke to her.
“May I hold your wrist for a moment?”
“Huh?”
At my words, she blinked in surprise.
“There’s no other meaning. I just want to check your Qi a little, that’s all.”
At that, she carefully offered her left hand, and I took it.
But then…
I really hadn’t meant anything else by it, I just wanted to see if Lady Seohyang’s condition was good.
So why was my heart suddenly pounding?
Wondering inwardly what on earth was going on, I quietly examined her Qi.
Just as she’d said, her condition was excellent.
Even so, I couldn’t help tilting my head.
The cold of North Sea Ice Palace and the Yin Qi here were enough to make not just ordinary people, but most women as well, shrink back.
That’s why the very first training for any girl who enters North Sea Ice Palace is learning to adapt to this place’s Qi and accept it into their bodies.
Yet without any of that training, her Qi was this lively?
Maybe Heaven–Changing Path suits her constitution better than I thought?
Either way, it was a relief.
I released her wrist and said,
“You’re very healthy. That’s good. I won’t get scolded by the Commissioner.”
At that, she burst into a tinkling laugh.
Hey, my lady. This really isn’t something to laugh about.
You don’t know him, but the Commissioner of Land Affairs in Guizhou is a terrifying person.
I still couldn’t forget the sight of him swinging his fist at that man Pyeong Tak from the Five Stars Merchant Group, who’d tried to mess up the land survey.
He hadn’t even trained in martial arts, yet one punch from him had knocked out two of the man’s teeth.
I clasped my fists to her.
“Ah, and I’m late in saying this, but about that White Blood Ducks incident last time – thank you.”
When she said the monster she’d seen was actually a duck, I was a bit taken aback.
I had laughed to myself.
But once I actually saw the White Blood Ducks, it was nothing to laugh about.
If I hadn’t listened to her and taken precautions in advance, the damage would’ve been huge.
She gently shook her head.
“It was only what I had to do.”
“Honestly, since you’re keeping that ability a secret, it must’ve been hard to bring it up.”
“That’s true.”
Especially since she’d nearly been poisoned to death because of that very ability.
“But I hated the idea of someone dying because I kept quiet even more.”
She continued,
“And, I trust you, Deputy Merchant Lord.”
“Huh?”
“Because you’re someone who can definitely change the terrible, ugly futures I’ve seen.”
At that, I scratched the back of my neck.
“You’re giving me too much credit. All I do is try my best.”
Still, hearing her say that felt pretty good.
Just then, the disciple who’d attended me at breakfast approached.
“The Palace Lord is asking for you.”
“Got it.”
I nodded and was about to excuse myself to Lady Seohyang.
“Then I’ll just…”
At that moment, the disciple spoke again.
“The Palace Lord wants to see both of you.”
I headed to the Palace Lord’s quarters with Lady Seohyang.
As we approached, the Palace Lord’s voice came from beyond the door.
“Come in.”
“Yes.”
We stepped inside.
The Palace Lord’s quarters always felt overwhelmingly large no matter how many times I saw them.
In that vast space, the Palace Lord was reclining sideways on a long couch that looked almost like a bed.
If she looked like a languid white dragon in that pose, was that just my imagination?
“You called for us?”
At my words, the Palace Lord straightened up and gestured for us to sit.
“Come sit over here.”
“Thank you.”
We bowed politely and took seats across from her at the low table.
Soon a disciple came in and set a teapot on the table.
“Snacks are still a bit much. Given the situation, you understand.”
“In times like these, even the idea of sweets is too much. Tea alone is more than enough.”
“Still, I’m glad we at least have tea to serve you.”
She poured tea for us.
It was the Snow Lotus Tea we’d had before.
“You’re leaving tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ve got too much work piled up, so please understand that I can’t stay any longer.”
“It can’t be helped. I’m well aware you’re a busy person.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Right now Brother Jin-ho was surrounded by his mother–in–law, his wife’s grandmother, and his wife’s aunts, being showered with affection.
Luckily, thanks to the empire’s prohibition decree and the situation at North Sea Ice Palace, he didn’t have to drink.
So we didn’t have to worry about him getting a hangover and delaying our schedule.
“I’ll give you the payment I mentioned before now. We’ve also prepared the Elixirs. But they are quite heavy…”
“Ah, that’s fine.”
“I just ask that you keep what happens next a secret.”
At my words, she let out a small laugh.
“Very well. Besides, even if I wanted to chatter about it, I don’t have anyone to talk to. The only one worth talking with is so blunt…”
Ah, she was talking about Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin.
“There’s not even a chick’s eyelash worth of charm in that one…”
I gave a wry laugh inwardly.
She’s the one who survived Snow Wind Palace alone and has been honing the blade of revenge ever since.
Given that, being blunt and completely lacking in cuteness was only natural.
“Of course I know it’s hard for her, but staying that way will only make things harder.”
I could hear the concern for Young Palace Lord Bing Hae-rin in the Palace Lord’s voice.
“Anyway, what is it that you want me to keep secret?”
“Ah, because of this.”
I took the inkstone from my pocket and opened it.
Lady Seohyang’s eyes went wide when she saw it.
This was the first time I was revealing it to her as well.
Not only was she someone I could trust, I also knew she wouldn’t be able to betray me.
But the Palace Lord’s reaction upon seeing the Secret Vault was a bit different from what I’d expected.
“This is the Secret Vault the Palace Lord of Snow Wind Palace used.”
“What?”
“It’s a treasure passed down from Palace Lord to Palace Lord in Snow Wind Palace. I thought it had vanished when Snow Wind Palace fell, yet here it is, in your hands…”
Speaking in a voice filled with regret, the Palace Lord looked at me and asked,
“How did you come to possess that?”
“This…”
I told her the truth.
That I’d received it as a free extra while buying things at a nearby general store.
And that I’d found out by chance that it was a Secret Vault.
After hearing my story, the Palace Lord spoke with a sigh.
“It seems this too is fate. As is Lady Gwak’s coming to this palace…”
“…Excuse me?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“By the way, was there nothing inside it?”
“Right. It was completely empty.”
The only thing had been a brief explanation about the Secret Vault itself.
“I knew it. In that case, that child’s familiar spirit must have moved everything that was inside somewhere else.”
“Huh?”
Seeing me tilt my head, the Palace Lord explained.
“The only beings who can enter that Secret Vault are its owner and the owner’s familiar spirit.”
Come to think of it, when I first learned about the Secret Vault, Geumryeong had gone inside it and brought me the manual.
At the time I hadn’t understood why, but after hearing the Palace Lord’s explanation, it all made sense.
“And the familiar spirit can, on its master’s orders, remove items from the Secret Vault or store them inside.”
“So that means I don’t have to lug the inkstone around everywhere?”
The Palace Lord thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“The familiar spirit can come and go freely, but for you to enter the Secret Vault yourself, you probably still need the inkstone.”
“I see.”
Then when we siphoned off those Elixirs earlier, had Geumryeong stored them not in its stomach, but inside the Secret Vault?
But there hadn’t been anything like that in the manual.
When I asked about that, the Palace Lord answered readily.
“If everything were written in the manual, there’d be no meaning in passing it down. During the succession, the outgoing Palace Lord explains the details to the next one. The items stored inside are passed on to the next Palace Lord as well.”
As expected of the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace, who had such close ties with Snow Wind Palace, she knew the details well.
But her next words made me tilt my head again.
“Even though I’ve never actually seen what the Secret Vault looks like.”
“What?”
Wait…
Come to think of it, other people couldn’t see the Secret Vault at all.
They couldn’t see the door either, but when he saw items vanish beyond it, Palgap had even asked, “Is there a real storeroom back there or something?”
Even my master hadn’t seen it directly, only guessed there was some kind of artifact when my grandmaster’s wealth came pouring out.
“Palace Lord, then how did you know this was the Secret Vault?”
“I knew when I saw the inkstone in your hand.”
“You really can’t see the door right here?”
At that, Lady Seohyang was the one who looked surprised.
“Huh? You’re not supposed to be able to see that white door?”
Wait, so Lady Seohyang could see it?
No wonder she could say it was white even though I hadn’t mentioned the color.
As if to clear up my confusion, the Palace Lord spoke.
“That’s actually why I called the young lady here. I wasn’t entirely sure, but now I am.”
A little while later.
After I stored the payment for this job that the Palace Lord had given me inside the Secret Vault, I sat back down at the table.
The Palace Lord looked at Lady Seohyang and asked,
“You can see the future, can’t you?”
“…!”
At that blunt question, Lady Seohyang flinched, then looked at me, silently asking what to do.
When I gave a slight nod, she obediently acknowledged the Palace Lord’s words.
“Yes. I can.”
“That’s because your eyes are special. It also means your heart is remarkably pure.”
I agreed completely about her pure heart.
When I’d first met her, I’d been moved by how clear her heart was.
Having a pure heart doesn’t just mean being kind.
It means there’s no darkness in that heart, and it looks at all things with a straight, unclouded gaze.
“Here at North Sea Ice Palace, we call your eyes the Ice Crystal Eyes.”
At North Sea Ice Palace, ice crystals hold a very special meaning, truly treasures among the palace’s treasures.
So I could tell just how highly they regarded someone with those eyes.
So this was why the Palace Lord had quietly stared at Lady Seohyang when I first introduced her, her expression brightening.
“Those with Ice Crystal Eyes don’t just see the future. They can see things that are hidden.”
“So that’s why I could see the Secret Vault’s door?”
“Exactly.”
As she said that, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Lady Seohyang was anything but ordinary.
Like someone who’d just found something they really liked…
I raised my hand and used my sleeve to shield Lady Seohyang as I spoke.
“Don’t eye her like that. She’s my person.”
“Hohoho.”
The Palace Lord laughed at me.
“And how did you know I was eyeing her?”
“You think this is my first time doing business?”
“That’s true. But you don’t need to be so tense. I’m not going to eat her, so put your arm down.”
Only then did I lower my arm.
“But you’re right that I’m eyeing her.”
The Palace Lord spoke to Lady Seohyang.
“This place probably didn’t feel all that hard on you. In truth, even though only women can enter here, it’s still rough if you can’t adapt to this place’s Qi.”
“…”
“That means this environment suits you very well. We can also provide martial arts to help you grow stronger, and an environment that won’t be lacking compared to anywhere else.”
She went on,
“If you set aside the one drawback that you can’t marry, it’s a very good place. So let me make a formal proposal. Become a disciple of our North Sea Ice Palace.”
“Palace Lord!”
My voice rose.
She said she wouldn’t eat her, but how was this not trying to devour her?
I was about to protest to her on Seohyang’s behalf.
Right then.
“I’m sorry, Palace Lord.”
“…?”
Lady Seohyang spoke confidently.
“I can’t accept your offer.”
“And why not?”
“Because the safest place for me is at Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho’s side.”
“It’s safe here too, you know.”
“Even without Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho’s help?”
“…”
Left speechless, the Palace Lord burst out laughing.
“Oh my! I really walked into that one. I knew you’d refuse, but I didn’t expect to be rejected quite that painfully.”
See? That’s what you get for eyeing Lady Seohyang.
Lady Seohyang is definitely not someone who goes along easily.
Once she’d stopped laughing, the Palace Lord continued.
“Very well. Then let me ask just one favor instead.”
–TL Notes–
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