Chapter 25
The man’s long fingers moved delicately to untie the string. Soon he grasped the letter that was about to fall and held it out to Yuseol.
“Where are your thanks?”
Yuseol, who had been watching his fingers as if entranced, reached out toward Mu-yeong to receive the letter.
“Th-thank you.”
Her index finger, trembling for no reason, brushed against his palm.
Intensely hot body temperature suddenly struck her fingertips. Her heart beat madly. The rapid pounding warned her that it might stop at this rate.
Her heart was beating faster than ever, yet the world she saw seemed slow as if stopped.
Flustered, Yuseol snatched the letter and stepped back. Startled by the movement, Yeon spread his wings and let out a harsh caw. At the rough sound, birds from tree nests flew over their heads in flocks.
In the slow, more vivid world, the man was simply looking at her. Yuseol’s last memory was of frantically running away to escape that strange gaze.
***
Yuseol sat beside the folding screen like someone who had lost her soul. Her mind had gone blank as white paper, so she was simply dazed.
She had even forgotten to bring back Yeon who had flown away.
The letter had been clutched tightly in her left hand, but somehow she had lost it afterward. She seemed to have dropped it carelessly.
She searched frantically later but couldn’t find it anywhere. Since it wasn’t near the forest either, it seemed to have been carried away by strong wind.
She felt frustrated not knowing who had sent the letter. Important news must have been written in it.
How foolish. What was so surprising about touching that man’s hand…? She hadn’t expected the aftermath of only interacting with court ladies in the palace to be this great.
Of course she had spent time with Kim Seon occasionally, but it was only about once every few months, and he disliked physical contact. He said it was unpleasant to have his senses interfered with. Naturally there was no contact with him, so feeling another man’s hand was probably Mu-yeong’s the first time.
Mu-yeong’s body temperature, still seeming to boil hotly, remained on her fingertips. She seemed to understand now why Kim Seon had disliked contact.
But Geon’s body temperature, which had been similar to Mu-yeong’s, had only been comforting…
She suddenly missed Geon again. Because she was so tired, she wanted to take a nap while stroking Geon’s soft fur. She would surely have pleasant dreams. Yuseol’s eyes, filled with longing, closed weakly.
Just then she sensed a presence at the door. When the door opened, a box wrapped in silk was the first thing she saw. Myoyeon entered carrying the box in his hands and said.
“I brought the white crow. I heard its name is Yeon—is that correct?”
She who had been bewildered opened her eyes wide.
“Yeon?!”
“Yes. I heard it’s your bird, miss.”
Myoyeon pulled down the silk wrapping cloth. From the square wooden box, Yeon spread his wings slightly as if greeting her.
Yuseol smiled happily for the first time today and took Yeon out of the box.
“Yeon-ah, I’m glad you returned safely. I’m so sorry.”
Somehow Yeon felt lighter than when she last saw him. Well, how many li was it from here to the capital—there couldn’t be any uninjured parts. (t/n: li (리) is a traditional Korean unit of distance.)
Yuseol took out a small bowl from beside the cage and sprinkled peanut powder on the table.
“Eat plenty.”
At that moment, Kim Seon’s voice suddenly rang in her ears. Because Kim Seon had been particularly displeased whenever she cared for Yeon like this.
“Is that damn bird so important?”
It was about half a year after entering the palace. A court lady had accidentally let Yeon fly away while cleaning her room.
She had searched for Yeon all day, and Kim Seon had disapproved of such behavior. He said he disliked both causing a commotion in the royal palace and seeing her disheveled appearance.
“In the future, I hope you won’t show such behavior over a mere bird.”
But it wasn’t a bird, it was Yeon…. Why couldn’t he remember even that name of just one character?
Yuseol, who had been dazed by unpleasant memories for a moment, looked at Myoyeon. It was quite amazing that he knew the name of a bird he had never been introduced to.
“But how did you know this child’s name is Yeon?”
Myoyeon looked at Yeon pecking at peanuts and said.
“Lord Mu-yeong told me. It’s a name that suits him well, so it’s memorable.”
Yuseol recalled calling for Yeon in the inner courtyard earlier.
“Yeon, Yeon-ah, come here. Come here.”
“Yeon, you say. That’s quite an excessive name for a bird.”
Since he had said that, it might be natural for him to remember the name, but….
“You finally have people who know your name.”
Yuseol tried to compose her strangely unsettled feelings and opened the cage door. As if it had been waiting, Yeon went inside.
She drank a cup of flower tea with Myoyeon. Her body that had been frozen from wandering outside all day seemed to thaw a little.
But now she began to worry about the letter she had lost entirely. Someone who recognized Yeon must have written a reply….
When worry appeared on Yuseol’s face, Myoyeon asked carefully.
“But… has something unpleasant happened?”
Yuseol hesitated for a long time before speaking.
“I lost the letter Yeon brought from the capital near the stone wall.”
“Sorry? A letter?”
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.