episode_0076

“Ah… I’m bored…”

It was a boring day spent alone for the first time in a while.

Heesun was spending the whole day in the living room after being kissed on the cheek by her aunt and chatting,

and because Sari followed Heesun wagging her tail, I was left alone to bask in the sun and pass the time leisurely on the detached veranda.

I wanted to go out with Sari and Heesun holding hands, but… since there was work, we decided to refrain from going out, so there was no choice.

Hmm… We need to rebuild the house quickly so that we can live more freely. Is there anyone skilled at building houses around here?

Even if I leave it to Dopyeonsoo, it’s obvious that a tiled roof house should be built well, but I didn’t want to waste money building a tiled roof house in the countryside.

It’s a new house being built because of the tiger incident, and not only is it made of wood with low defense, but also, is there a need to build a tiled roof house vulnerable to security and privacy protection? It’s better to continue living hidden among people to ensure safety than to do that.

With Sari and Matdol, it would be perfect to build with modern reinforced concrete… but that’s also a difficult task.

It’s not only difficult to find Dopyeonsoo who will design the house according to my instructions with the material I saw for the first time when alive, but even if there is one, I can only expose concrete and reinforcement, large and small, making it awkward to entrust it to someone from Yuldo country.

It seems that Sari and I have to build it together without any other choice…

Hmm… I don’t have much knowledge about construction. Can Sari and I really build a house together?

While pondering about the house like that, Gil Yong-aje, who had been watching me from afar as if pitiful, suddenly approached and made an abrupt comment…

“There’s no one like you… Hey, if you’re going to play and eat like this, you might as well get married soon.”

“…? What? All of a sudden?”

“That’s right.”

“Why are you suddenly telling me to get married without any context? Besides, Sari and Heesun can’t even go out properly, does getting married make sense?”

“Hey! Why doesn’t it make sense! That dog just needs to hide well on the wedding day, and even if the rumor hasn’t spread, everyone knows what the master did, and the girl is pretty enough to stand out. Especially at times like this, you need to get married and make it clear to people that this woman is mine! You need to leave a lasting impression!”

“Oh… I see?”

Wait a minute, but these days, with all the bad things happening, isn’t it too obvious to have a wedding now? So, we agreed to postpone the wedding date before, didn’t we?

Looking at Gil Yong-aje with these doubts, he starts expressing his thoughts as if I were wrong.

“The village atmosphere is gloomy, so we need more weddings. Normally, everyone should be excited around this time of year, but is it reasonable that everyone is so down? Let’s liven up the village for once. Anyway, you were planning to spend some money on the wedding originally. If we have a big feast, things might improve a bit compared to now. I’ll chip in a lot of money too.”

Uncle? .. A big feast? I was just planning to invite acquaintances and serve something delicious in a slightly fancy way, why are you talking so ominously as if inviting all the neighbors.?

“No, how big are you planning to make it? And Gil Yong-aje, remember when Sari and I helped return the lost cattle to the village, we both thought it was a good idea and expected the village to liven up, but it ended up spreading strange rumors for nothing? If we try to liven things up again for no reason and make a big fuss, then if something goes wrong, the couple getting married will be hurt for no reason.”

“Ah, that was understandable because an object with an unclear origin suddenly fell with a thud! Phew… Just thinking about how difficult it was to suppress the rumors! Ugh.. Anyway, this time it’s for real! Hey, where is the person who doesn’t like parties?”

“Well, that’s true… Having many people around is a bit… And Heeseon’s opinion too…”

“Oh my goodness! This father-in-law is so stubborn… Huh? Let’s open it a bit wider! It hurts to see the villagers all huddled together like that… And where is the woman who dislikes grand wedding ceremonies? I’ll persuade her along with your aunt… Huh?”

Ugh! What’s with that cat-like gaze, sir! Your beard is standing upright!

Oh! That village otaku-like man…

In the end… appealing to reason and nodding in agreement unexpectedly led to trouble… Was that the problem?

Huh? Before I knew it, the next day turned out to be the wedding day.

I had no idea time would pass by so quickly! I wasted time being absent-minded because people weren’t paying attention! I should have been mentally prepared!

What is this.. it’s scary….

Above all, no one paid any attention to me all this time, but suddenly my aunt and Uncle Gilyong came and said the next day was the wedding day, brought a horse from somewhere, handed me ceremonial clothes, told me to find a scarecrow tomorrow wearing ceremonial clothes, and then chased me away…

Isn’t this too much, Uncle Gilyong? Being driven away suddenly with ceremonial clothes during the mid-autumn festival is so frustrating!

If only Heeseon had been by my side all this time!

My aunt and uncle busily called people and made noise preparing for the wedding for a few days, but just before the wedding, they said it would bring bad luck if we met before the ceremony, so my aunt took Heeseon away and didn’t even show her face.

Ugh, why can’t I see Heeseon when she’s mine! Why do I have to endure this alone!

Well, despite not being able to soundproof properly due to medieval constraints, I did try to restrain myself, but still, Heeseon secretly let loose once in a while!

Every night, cuddling with a soft and fragrant body next to me, trying to sleep but only managing to think of puppies.

I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I transformed into a few people through sorcery, but…

It’s a bit strange to hear a woman’s moans in an empty room, and I was told not to make any noise or breathe heavily, but there must be room for further progress.

Oh, come to think of it, I’m relieved that Heeseon didn’t feel sad about having only me and her conduct the wedding ceremony.

I cautiously asked if it was okay, and she said she promised to hold a joint wedding ceremony with her siblings in heaven. Is that really possible?

But siblings… what on earth does that mean?

Anyway! Our Heeseon is an angel.

Phew. So now, I am preparing to set off early in the morning after spending a night at Dog Poop’s thatched house, dressed in ceremonial attire and ready to ride a horse.

Originally, it would have been proper to depart from our house in the mountains, but since it completely collapsed last time, how could I spend a night there… I had no choice but to go to Dog Poop’s place.

Since I was going to ask Dog Poop for a favor anyway. It would have been better if I had asked a bit earlier…

I felt so embarrassed when Dog Poop saw me being chased away and asked why the person getting married was here the next day.

I was grateful that Dog Poop welcomed me.

So yesterday, I slept closely with my siblings in the cramped thatched house, and although it was a bit uncomfortable, the fact that they welcomed me so readily… even though it was a bit awkward, the smell of people warmed my heart for a night.

And despite the sudden request, Dog Poop readily agreed to lend me a horse, and his siblings volunteered to help with various tasks, how grateful I was…

“Sung! When are we leaving?”

The cheeks of the dog dung, asking while holding the reins.

“Let’s leave at a certain angle. You should arrive just before the sun completely sets. Hey, Dog Dung, I’m the one getting married, why is your face so red?”

“Oh, Sangdo! It’s not a wedding day! Haha! I’ve always envied you for attending banquets in wealthy households… Today, I can enjoy myself to the fullest too! Thanks to you, I feel relieved! And lately, the village has been in disarray, but now that there’s excitement after a long time, I’m thrilled, you know?”

Yeah, I’m nervous, but I’m glad you’re excited too.

It seems like Gil Yong Ajae’s thoughts weren’t wrong. Seeing our Dog Dung so excited.

“Haha, that’s right. Eat lots of delicious food today and have fun with your siblings. I wasn’t just saying this because you helped today, I was planning to treat you all anyway, right? I’ve prepared heaps of food like noodles, rice cakes, meat… so when you go, don’t hold back and eat a lot, okay? Plus, since you guys are the groom’s side today, don’t feel intimidated at all! Oh! And I’ll ask my mother-in-law to pack up the leftover food for you guys, so make sure to take that!”

“Hey, hey, look, look, kids, am I right? Can we eat to our heart’s content today?”

As Dog Dung straightened his chest and looked at his siblings, the third and youngest replied.

“Yeah… Got it, Dog Orabi! But big brother Orabi looks really cool, hehe…”

“Well, I still feel nervous, Dog Dung…! What if we get kicked out like last time?”

Huh? What’s this about?

“Oh! Youngest, I heard about the big wedding… Ah, it’s nothing special. It’s just that a while ago, when the eldest son got married, there was some business going on…”

Eldest son? The inspiration from that wealthy household?

No, what did that inspiration do on his son’s happy wedding day?

…Suddenly, my heart ached at the anxious look in the youngest’s eyes.

Did they deliberately pressure him because the sharecropping contract ended? What happened there…

“Kids, come here for a moment and listen to your older brother.”

“Yes!”

I gather the children first.

The third and youngest running towards me.

“Didn’t Dog Dung say that the eldest brother appeared before?”

“He did! He was so happy that he got a cool title!”

It was the youngest who answered.

He grew up without eating much, so his cheeks were thin, but perhaps because he was the youngest, he exuded cuteness.

“That’s right! So, now, aren’t we practically family?”

“Yeah…”

“Youngest! When your sister answers, don’t mumble!”

As the third girl scolded the unsure voice of the youngest, the youngest hesitated, then hiccupped and hid behind my leg.

Oh… Her gaze is intimidating… She reminds me of our older sister when she was young.

When our father wasn’t around, I was quite timid as a child. Every time I acted timidly, my sister scolded me with those eyes.

When I was young, I thought my sister hated me for being timid…

As time passed, looking at those children, I began to understand my sister’s feelings from that time.

Perhaps my sister also suffered a lot… recalling her own past where she was hurt by my timid behavior.

Thinking about that, the children who resembled us in our childhood made me even more affectionate, so I hugged and comforted them tightly.

“That’s right, youngest, when you become a man, you should answer confidently! Our third one is really sharp, isn’t she?”

As I alternately stroked their heads, the two blushed and felt embarrassed.

“It’s okay, kids, don’t worry… No one will say anything to you today. The groom opening the feast is your eldest brother, who has the right to chase away the groom’s family? Since you are the hosts of the feast house, eat and play to your heart’s content, okay? Just don’t eat too quickly in case someone snatches it away. Chew slowly and thoroughly, alright? Even if you eat slowly, there will never be a shortage of food. Promise me. Promise not to get a stomachache from eating hastily.”

“Okay, I promise…”

“Yes, my big brothers!”

The two children each promise by intertwining their pinky fingers with mine.

Our youngest is also obedient. It seems like the title of ‘big brother’ has already firmly attached itself to him.

Since the youngest is clever, I remind him again not to eat hastily and to take good care of the youngest to prevent any mishaps.

I suddenly became worried that the children might fall ill.

Food was a precious commodity that the people of Yuldoguk might not see again for a long time.

A concept starkly different from what I felt during modern times.

Growing up poor here made me realize how desirable and precious it truly was.

Despite feeling the strain on my body, I understand the sentiment of forcing myself to eat due to the obligation of food.

If you don’t seize the opportunity to eat when it comes, you may fear when you’ll go hungry again.

There’s a constant worry that the youngest might foolishly gorge himself and fall ill.

But if I say more about it now, it’ll just sound like nagging.

Oh! The sun is already setting? I should start getting ready to leave.

“Hey, dog poop. Let’s go now… Huh? Why are you both staring at me like that?”

Turning around, Dog Poop and the taciturn second guy were looking at me with strange, moist eyes.

“Seong!”

“Oh, why? Let’s hurry up and go before it gets late.”

“Yes…!”

Huh? Why did the voices suddenly become so gruff? And why do the eyes look so fierce again…

Kids, you know we’re not going to fight, right?

Whooosh.

Listening to the horse’s breathing, I swing my leg over its back and settle into the saddle.

As the sun gradually sets, painting the whole world red with dusk,

Dog Poop, with a woodpecker perched on his side, urges me forward as he holds the reins, slowly moving ahead.

The second guy acts as the guide, while the third and youngest walk at the front, holding a lantern and walking proudly.

Seeing their adorable figures, the nervous heart of the groom heading to the wedding ceremony calmed down a bit.