A Dragon Lives In That Scholar's Deep Spring - Chapter 16

– CHAPTER 16 –

The clothes and hair of the thoroughly wet woman had dried out neatly in no time. 

“Sorry.”

“…Why?”

Although it was still an unfamiliar behavior, Eon decided to overlook this kind of rudeness generously. Of all the most important ceremonial occasions in a person’s life, what was the point of talking to a stranger when a marriage, the biggest event in a person’s life, had gone wrong?

He had thought about dying and carrying it out, so there wouldn’t be anything to see. Above all, wasn’t the royal son, Eon himself? Eon didn’t know what to do with his guilt and despair.

“I sincerely repent of your and your parents’ sincerity. I heard that many people avoid marrying their children or promoting them even if they receive a decree of marriage…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that there was already a designated Crown Princess. After a moment of hesitation, he untied the flashy hat strap shaking under his chin, removed some decorations, tied up his hair, and fixed it. Then he handed it to the woman.

“Please don’t die. And postpone the marriage. This will protect you and your lover.”

The hat strap made of turquoise and gold sparkled on the woman’s white palm.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Protect me? Do you mean to wear it like this?”

The woman suddenly grabbed the end of the hat strap and tried to twist it around. Eon instinctively leaned his upper body back.

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

If she were normal, she should be able to guess his status just by looking at the hat strap. However, the woman seemed not to have noticed Eon’s identity or status at all.

“It’s a token. Show it when you are chosen as the Crown Princess. Then I’ll make sure you’re not chosen.”

Even if she didn’t have a token, she was beautiful enough to recognize instantly, but Eon wanted to make sure. He adorned his sleeves with the right amount of decorations.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but this is necessary…”

The woman, who seemed about to offer something to Eon, suddenly closed her mouth and hugged the hat strap tightly.

“…It’s here. I like this watery jewel.”

Whether she liked it or not wasn’t the issue, but Eon didn’t say anything further. He took off his coat and wrapped it around the woman’s shoulders.

“So don’t think about throwing away your precious life recklessly. And don’t go out like this in the middle of the night.”

“It’s not that, I…”

The woman, who seemed to want to say something, sighed and lowered her head.

“No, humans seem to believe whatever they want even if you show them directly.”

The somewhat listless woman looked up at Eon.

“Anyway, I thought I’d break the promise by tonight because I wasn’t feeling well, but you saved me.”

“What promise? Saving you?”

“A promise not to harm.”

The woman spoke only words that Eon couldn’t understand at all.

“It’s not me who should be thanked for hiding, but the people who passed over you and me earlier.”

“…What?”

Although he didn’t understand it immediately, what was certain was a strange and eerie feeling. As Eon was about to ask more, the woman suddenly threw up the coat Eon had given her, blocking his view.

“No, what is this!”

Eon tried to catch the coat that had suddenly obscured his vision, but…

“…What on earth?”

The woman disappeared as if she had vanished into thin air. Eon looked around hastily with a bewildered expression, but it was futile.

“It seems like a ghost’s trick.”

Just a moment ago, he was having a conversation as if it were a dream, and now he was alone. He wondered if she had slipped into the water momentarily, but no matter how much he looked, there was no sign of a plunge.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a chill running down his spine. She was dressed in white, her long hair let down, and he had covered her mouth while hiding her body under the coat, but there was no warmth transmitted through his palm…

“Or maybe… I truly saw a ghost!”

With a shiver running down his spine, Eon had no choice but to return to the palace faster than expected. From then on, whenever he encountered the night dew, he always made sure to avoid looking beneath the water.

* * *

“Your Highness, earlier a little beggar boy came looking for food.”

“Did you shoo him away? At least offer him a meal if you did. It’s important to feed those in need.”

“Your Highness, do I seem so unkind? I even set out a warm meal for him. As a way of showing gratitude, the boy read my fortune and told me things. But I’ve heard that he holds grudges, so I’m not sure if it’s okay.”

“Well, you should have taken him along for fishing. Being close to water might have been helpful.”

“Now is not the time for jokes, Your Highness. To think that I would do this if that beggar could help…”

It was that day. On a bright day of the new year, when Do-gyeom went to seek permission from his parents to go play with the prince, his parents were having exactly this conversation.

“You worry too much. What if it’s fire? We’ll raise our son as an excellent servant who will diligently serve the country with passion.”

“It would be nice if the future wife were close to water… Ah, what about considering the daughter of Jo, the Chief Minister?”

“Oh, that child’s health is weak, and she hasn’t been formally introduced yet. Moreover, it’s not easy to send a precious daughter far away. It’s not a joke to go flattering and persuading.”

“…I was lacking understanding. Just as our son is precious, other people’s daughters are precious too.”

“In that case, why not send some medicinal herbs or fruits that are good for the child’s health?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. What would be good?”

He couldn’t tell her mother, who always emphasized not to go near fire, that he was going to watch firecrackers. After all, his mother had always been strict about not getting close to the fire.

After much deliberation, Do-gyeom, wanting to play with firecrackers for his friend’s sake, finally lied.

“Father, Mother, I’m going out.”

“Is that so? Are you going to the palace?”

Standing outside the door, young Do-gyeom bit his lips and tightly closed his eyes before answering.

“…Yes.”

Although he hesitated for a moment, how did they notice? Suddenly, his father, Choi Eun-hak, opened the study door and came out.

“It’s a rare opportunity to attend a great teacher’s lesson next to His Highness. Don’t waste it. Do you understand?”

“I will remember, Father.”

Behind his father, who was like a sturdy pillar, his mother, who still looked like a girl, appeared.

“I packed the newly made snacks for you to take. I hope His Highness enjoys them too.”

“…He always ends up taking my share of the snacks.”

“Oh, if you become stingy and don’t share even one snack with your friend, that’s not good.”

“I apologize.”

While speaking sternly, his father’s large hand affectionately stroked Do-gyeom’s head.

“Apologize to yourself rather than to your mother. Don’t narrow your heart, always broaden it, haven’t I told you?”

“Yes…”

“Sharing is good, but you also need to have a reasonable amount of greed rather than being too naive.”

His mother, who supported Do-gyeom’s side, added her own opinion while arguing. As if he had expected it, his father chuckled and agreed.

“Right. In the future, if there’s something you want to eat, tell us honestly. His Highness isn’t stingy, so he’ll listen.”

“…Yes.”

“Your share has been separately prepared by your mother, so don’t worry and just give everything to His Highness.”

Do-gyeom’s mother escorted him to the door. Even with a stomach having a second child, she was still a diligent person who moved around actively.

“I’ll be back.”

That was the last memory Do-gyeom had of his parents. Contrary to the promise, when he returned from watching the firecrackers until late at night, he had to see the sight of his house engulfed in flames like a wave.

“Ah… Father, Mother!”

The fire that shot up at Do-gyeom, who had widened his eyes in dismay, rushed towards him like a wave.

* * *

“Mother, Father… Ugh!”

Just before being engulfed in flames, Do-gyeom opened his eyes. His limbs, which had been tense, relaxed without strength.

“Ha…”

It was another dream. However, it was slightly different from the usual dreams. He usually woke up just as he was about to suffocate in the burning barrel engulfed in flames, but today he woke up before that.

“When did you come?”

Another noticeable difference from usual was the presence of a woman dressed in plain attire sitting next to him. Although surprised inwardly, Do-gyeom calmly got up and sat down. Meanwhile, Farang just stared at Do-gyeom indifferently.

“Is it appropriate for a woman dressed like that to enter a man’s room?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well, you see…”

Do-gyeom, holding a pitcher to quench his burning thirst, stopped himself mid-motion and set it down. The pitcher, once filled by the hall attendant, was now empty.

“Because a woman should maintain modesty. Reckless behavior with one’s body…”

Do-gyeom was about to explain casually but soon lowered his hand. Come to think of it, how many men could lay their hands on Farang’s body in this land?

“No, more importantly, why are you here? I asked Sun-yi to look at the bedding in your room.”

Upon closer inspection, Farang’s demeanor seemed excessively casual to have just woken up from sleep. Her hair, previously tied up by Sun-yi, now cascaded down as if it were about to fall to the ground, and her clothes were also untidy.

“Did you go into the water again and come out?”

“Huh? …Oh.”

Farang, who was twirling her falling hair, suddenly asked Do-gyeom.

“What would you do if I ran away and left you alone?”

“Even if I wanted to restrain you with all my might, wouldn’t you have run away whenever you wanted?”

“…”

“I witnessed your power firsthand. It seemed quite feasible. So, I observed from a distance without provoking you as much as possible.”