Chapter 10: . cancer harmony (1)

Two days had passed since the assassin appeared in Seoryeong’s chambers.

According to rumors… not only the assassin Jina captured, but also the maids suspected of colluding with the assassin, had backgrounds that were too clean, making it impossible to uncover the truth about the culprit.

In the end, the only things that had changed over those two days were that Seoryeong was now using a different building instead of her damaged bedroom, and… a red line had been drawn through some names on the list of concubine maids.

“

…It’s surprisingly quiet.

”

“

This much commotion seems to be nothing in the Imperial Palace, I suppose.

”

Seoryeong herself had almost died, yet she responded with an indifferent expression, as if unfazed by the reality that even the investigation results weren’t properly shared… Jina, her escort, clicked her tongue lightly, seemingly displeased.

“

It seems they cut off the tail well… but at least, their guts must have been chilled a bit, right?

”

“

Are you satisfied with just that?

”

“

Of course not. How could I be?

”

Seoryeong, instead, grinned and spoke, as if looking forward to what was to come.

“

It’s going to get interesting from now on, so you can look forward to it.

”

If her prediction was correct, something interesting would happen in the near future.

“

……

”

It seemed Seoryeong herself was starting to find it amusing… but for Jina, who had to guard Seoryeong right beside her, those words were truly stomach-churning.

“

Shamaness.

”

“

Yes?

”

“

Can I hit you just once?

”

Jina, with her fist quietly clenched, glanced at the top of Seoryeong’s head and asked seriously.

“

Are you crazy? Are you trying to kill someone?

”

Naturally, from Seoryeong’s perspective, it was simply unfair.

****

The next day.

“

Ow, that hurts…

”

A day had passed since Jina flicked her forehead, but Seoryeong, who had woken up in her chambers still feeling the discomfort of pain from the bump that had risen between her two horns, was…

“

Good morning.

”

“

…Jina, does this look like a good morning to you right now?

”

“

Yes.

”

After exchanging greetings with Jina, who was waiting for her outside the door from early morning again today.

“

Shamaness.

”

“

What?

”

Still holding her head, which felt as if it were swaying… she replied curtly to Jina’s call, but.

“

Today, His Majesty is said to be visiting the concubines’ quarters.

”

“

Ugh.

”

“

Therefore, maids will soon come to help the Shamaness with her dressing.

”

“

…I don’t want to.

”

At Jina’s continuing words, she had to shake her head, her face pale.

‘

I’m going to die from a hole in my head before I even get assassinated.

’

She had vaguely heard that the Emperor would visit the concubines’ quarters soon, having chatted with the maids responsible for her food, with whom she had recently become somewhat friendly… but she had never in her wildest dreams imagined it would be today.

“

Can’t he just take a few concubine candidates and leave?

”

Although Seoryeong knew better than anyone that this was impossible, she asked Jina, clinging to a futile hope.

“

I’ve heard that His Majesty visits this garden, where the Shamaness eats and sleeps, more often than the concubine candidates’ quarters. Please stop your futile struggles.

”

Unfortunately, what she got in return was… a threat that if she didn’t move immediately, Jina would personally pick her up and dunk her in a water barrel.

“

Ugh…

”

Against someone who could smash a building wall like tofu with their bare hands, all the powerless Seoryeong could do was… quietly comply and accept the impending grooming.

“

Wow, Shamaness… you’re truly beautiful.

”

“

At first, you were scary, but seeing you like this, you look like a celestial maiden again.

”

Thus, inadvertently getting dolled up… Seoryeong, who had somehow been adorned in a magnificent outfit perfectly tailored with a hole near her buttocks to allow her tail to pass through, was…

“

Ah… my fate…

”

Despite the maids’ dissuasion, she dragged the cumbersome skirt and sat on the railing of the pavilion where she always stayed… and began staring blankly at the sky, as if trying to avert her eyes from her fully made-up self.

“

……

”

Perhaps the only fortunate thing was that Jina, who would have long since started nagging, was not present, due to the rule that a warrior from another country, even if Seoryeong’s escort, could not be kept in the Emperor’s presence.

“

Tsk… I want to take a puff…

”

She felt like pulling out her pipe and packing it full of strong herbs to smoke, but she knew that if she did such a thing right before an audience with the Emperor… it would truly be irreversible, so she tried hard to calm herself and waited for a moment.

“

You are, once again, saying something truly unexpected.

”

“

Hyaaaah—!?

”

Seoryeong, startled by the sudden voice from behind her with no prior sign, jumped up… then quickly stepped back, putting a hand to her startled chest, and had to kneel.

“

Y-Y-Your Imperial Majesty…!

”

“

Enough. Observe such minor courtesies in the presence of my ministers.

”

Just as her tail, which had been standing stiffly upright with its white mane, drooped, unable to bear the weight of the decorations… the Emperor’s voice, which seemed a little lighter than before, was heard.

“

……?

”

Seoryeong felt as if she might not actually be facing the Emperor… and, knowing it was rude, cautiously raised her head.

“

Your Majesty…?

”

“

What is it?

”

She then saw the Emperor standing leisurely alone in the garden, along with traces of the maids who had completely withdrawn at some point.

The Emperor, who stood over six feet tall (180cm) with jade-like skin and chiseled features, and a firm body beneath his dragon robe, suggesting he hadn’t neglected his training despite the arduous position of Emperor… looked, at best, to be in his late twenties.

Perhaps he didn’t care much for cumbersome things. The Emperor’s appearance, in light attire with his long hair loosely tied back… honestly, if his clothes weren’t a dragon robe, he might have looked a bit like a loafer.

“

Forgive my presumption, but why are you alone…?

”

Seoryeong, trying hard to erase the rude thoughts that had flooded her mind, cautiously asked, seemingly unable to accept the current situation of being alone with the Emperor in the garden.

“

I came to embrace you. Would that suffice as an explanation?

”

Then, he took a step towards Seoryeong with profound eyes… and proceeded to cup her chin with his hand.

“

……Hic.

”

Perhaps unable to accept reality, Seoryeong, who was trembling and hiccuping with a pale face, was…

“

Hahaha…!

”

At the sight of the Emperor bursting into laughter as he looked at her, she finally seemed to realize that his previous action was a joke. She let out a huge sigh of relief inwardly.

“

As you will soon realize, there are more ferocious individuals in My garden than you might think.

”

The Emperor, who had been observing Seoryeong with an amused expression, then turned his back, clasped his hands behind him, and spoke.

“

Among them, some tend to act up when they see too many people at once… so everyone is discreetly hiding.

”

He implied that while it seemed no one was around, there were far more people in the vicinity than Seoryeong imagined.

“

Seoryeong.

”

“

…Did you call me?

”

“

It seems you’ve done something quite interesting this time. My ears are aching from listening to the complaints of the Head Eunuch.

”

Seoryeong, kneeling beside the Emperor who had called her with a serious voice this time, was…

“

I apologize.

”

“

I am not interrogating you.

”

“

Then…?

”

“

Remember that you are, first and foremost, My property.

”

“

…Understood.

”

Whatever she did, she shouldn’t risk her life without permission. Understanding the Emperor’s words this way, she quietly bowed her head.

“

And, convey this well to your escort. All assets of the Imperial Palace are precious, so if you use them as bait and destroy them again, I will personally make you pay for the costs.

”

She had to answer with the tip of her tail trembling, seemingly not having expected that even her act of using her body as bait to catch the assassin had been discovered.

“

I will gladly permit you to use My name. Since you have taken the initiative, do as you please. The funeral will be held afterwards.

”

With that, stating there was nothing more to say… Seoryeong, watching the Emperor’s back as he instantly left, just as swiftly as he had appeared, was…

“

…Oh.

”

Contrary to her expectations, the Emperor knew everything that happened in the concubines’ quarters… and, perhaps surprised that he seemed to have even caught onto her plans and instead smiled playfully, she belatedly made her golden eyes sparkle brightly.

‘

Perhaps, he might be a surprisingly decent person after all.

’

Along with secretly raising her internal approval rating of the Emperor, she began to smile sweetly.

It was completely different from what she expected. After all, it was just the death of a lowly maid. She naturally thought no one would care.

But the death of a maid, whom she thought no one would care about… remained in the mind of the most esteemed person in the country, and her treatment was being prepared.

If so, the remaining task was… to uncover the truth behind that maid’s death according to the Emperor’s will, and to ensure that those who deserved punishment paid the correct price.

“

So, I can really just go all out now?

”

Erasing all the complicated matters she had originally planned from her mind… Seoryeong didn’t even think about grabbing her tail, which was wagging wildly from side to side near her buttocks according to her emotions.

“

Hehehe…

”

As if the thought alone was amusing… she simply let out a wicked laugh while alone in her spot, until Jina and the maids, who had left, returned.

…Of course, it might also be her karma that the maids, who she thought she had finally gotten closer to, started whispering among themselves and keeping their distance from her again.