Chapter 588: The Young Princess of the North Sea Ice Palace.

When I returned to the Hundred Flowers Trading Company after finishing my work.

If there was one thing I intended to do right away, it was, naturally, to find Moyong Hi-ah.

‘I need to go eat.’

Even though I had just come back from doing something that ruined my appetite.

I thought that was the first thing we should do after meeting for the first time in a while.

But.

“Vice Leader.”

“…Yes, Leader-nim.”

The atmosphere right now wasn’t exactly conducive to that.

“If you have something to say, I will listen first.”

Madam Mi’s chilling words shattered the atmosphere in an instant.

The season was definitely summer, but for some reason, it felt like a cold wave was sweeping through.

“…”

Hearing this, Moyong Hi-ah paused in silence for a moment before speaking to Madam Mi.

“I apologize. It was due to my carelessness.”

There were no excuses.

It was a typical Moyong Hi-ah answer.

‘Judging by the situation….’

She seemed to be getting scolded for letting the Young Lady escape.

‘Hmm.’

Although the Young Lady who ran away was technically at fault.

Not catching her had a fair amount to do with Moyong Hi-ah.

No matter how unfair it felt.

‘That’s what being in charge means.’

If you take responsibility for a task, you have to take the heat when things go wrong.

Moyong Hi-ah knew that too when she took the job, so I had nothing more to say.

Tak-tak-.

It was the sound of Madam Mi tapping the desk.

Was she tapping with her fingers?

Hearing it, I recalled something.

‘That’s the same habit Dad has.’

Dad used to do that sometimes when he was thinking.

I thought it was quite a strange coincidence.

“I’ve received the report and grasped the situation.”

“Yes.”

“You understand that even though it was an unexpected situation, you are in a position of responsibility, correct?”

“I will accept any punishment.”

“Understood. In that case….”

‘…’

Hearing up to that point, I retracted the sensing energy I had released.

It seemed like eavesdropping any further would cause problems.

Leaning against the wall with my eyes closed, time passed.

Kkiiik.

The door opened, and Moyong Hi-ah walked out.

“Ah.”

Moyong Hi-ah stopped when she saw me.

“…What? You were here?”

“Just because I had nothing else to do.”

Even I thought it was a lame excuse.

Hearing this, Moyong Hi-ah asked, slightly furrowing her brow.

“So, you heard everything, didn’t you?”

“…Heard what?”

When I gave that trivial response, Moyong Hi-ah let out a small chuckle.

“You still can’t lie, can you?”

“No, what lie did I even tell?”

“It’s okay. It’s better that you’re bad at it… than good at it.”

She didn’t look like she’d believe anything I said.

Is it that obvious? Honestly….

‘Should I wear a mask all the time?’

It got to the point where I thought that.

As I tried to follow Moyong Hi-ah, she tilted her head, looking at me.

“Is it okay if you don’t visit the Leader-nim?”

“It’s fine.”

It didn’t seem like the right situation to see her right now.

I figured she’d call if she needed me. That was my thought.

“Hmm, it might be better to visit.”

“What?”

“No, no. You want to go eat, right?”

I tried to react to Moyong Hi-ah’s mutter, but she quickly caught on to why I had come and started walking ahead.

“Okay. I was actually quite hungry after getting thoroughly scolded.”

I wondered what getting scolded had to do with being hungry.

This wasn’t the time to pick a fight.

It was obvious I’d get completely torn apart if I did.

No matter how oblivious I might be.

‘I can tell she’s subtly annoyed right now.’

I could tell Moyong Hi-ah was holding back her emotions.

Moyong Hi-ah walked calmly.

Then, she suddenly turned her head and looked at me.

“Speaking of which. What do you want to eat?”

Hearing her, I replied as if it were obvious.

“Dumplings.”

“…”

As soon as she heard that, Moyong Hi-ah scowled deeply.

What? What’s wrong with dumplings…?

---

Despite saying that, we ended up not eating dumplings.

The inn we always went to wasn’t conveniently located.

And Moyong Hi-ah objected.

She really seemed to hate the idea of dumplings.

So, in the end, we had no choice but to find a restaurant located within the trading company.

It was around the quiet evening.

We sat around the largest table, waiting for our food.

Jjoreureuk.

Moyong Hi-ah carefully poured water.

First, water came before me, then before herself.

Finally, after pouring water for Tang Soyeol as well.

“Here you go.”

She handed the water bottle to Seong Yul.

Meaning he should pour and drink it himself.

Watching that, I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘Seriously, her boundaries are still so clear.’

Even small actions towards someone unknown are met with such a thick wall.

It was the usual Moyong Hi-ah.

Seong Yul didn’t react particularly.

It would be accurate to say he didn’t care at all.

“So. Who is this person?”

“Ah.”

Moyong Hi-ah asked about Seong Yul.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t even introduced him.

“A friend?”

I answered casually because I couldn’t be bothered.

“…Ah, I see.”

Hearing my answer, Moyong Hi-ah looked at Seong Yul.

For some reason, her eyes held sympathy.

“What? Why are you looking at him like that?”

“Cheer up.”

She even offered Seong Yul encouragement.

“Cheer up about what? What am I supposed to cheer up about?”

“When will the food be ready? It’s a bit late today.”

“…We ordered right before you poured the water. Do you expect it to be ready already?”

This is ridiculous, seriously.

“Still, this slave… no, this friend feels a bit different.”

“You just said slave….”

“It’s hot. It’s summer.”

“…”

I decided it was best to say nothing more.

It certainly was summer.

It was so hot, I felt like I would die of frustration.

Since talking more would only put me at a disadvantage, I decided to get straight to the point.

“…Just explain what happened.”

When I spoke with a hint of emotion, Moyong Hi-ah finally coughed a few times.

The reason I insisted on eating together was, after all, to hear the story.

“What explanation should I give?”

“The Young Lady.”

“Hmm.”

Moyong Hi-ah let out a soft hum.

Seeing that, I said,

“If you’re not going to explain, then fine.”

When I said that calmly, doubt flickered in Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes.

“Aren’t you curious?”

“I am curious.”

How could I not be curious?

I was definitely curious, but…

“Even if you don’t tell me, there are plenty of ways for me to find out anyway.”

“…”

Haa.

Hearing this, Moyong Hi-ah let out a short sigh.

“…Those methods probably aren’t peaceful, are they?”

“That depends on individual taste.”

I said with a smile.

Yeah, individual taste.

It’s a difference in perspective.

“People don’t usually package things like that as ‘taste,’ Young Master-nim.”

“Anyway. Are you going to talk or not?”

Even if Moyong Hi-ah didn’t talk here, I would find out eventually anyway.

Since Madam Mi had mentioned this matter was related to me, I felt the need to investigate it myself.

How could the clever Moyong family’s prim girl not know this?

She wouldn’t.

‘But the fact that she’s reluctant to talk…’

…means there’s something going on.’

Ah, of course.

‘Even if I find out, I have no intention of backing down.’

With that sentiment, I looked at Moyong Hi-ah.

“…”

A few seconds passed as our eyes met.

“…What are you curious about?”

Finally, Moyong Hi-ah surrendered first.

It was a relief.

It seemed I wouldn’t have to deal with troublesome things.

“Young Master-nim.”

“Yeah.”

“Even if you hear the story from me now, you’ll end up getting a separate explanation from the Leader-nim later anyway.”

“Probably.”

“But do you still want to hear it now?”

Moyong Hi-ah was right.

I could get an explanation to some extent anyway.

But.

“It’s more important to hear it from you first.”

“…”

Rather than the stories I’ll hear later.

I need to hear the story from Moyong Hi-ah’s perspective first.

Among those who will speak to me, Moyong Hi-ah is likely the most on my side.

“…Seriously.”

Hearing my words, Moyong Hi-ah averted her gaze slightly.

I could vaguely see her ears turning slightly red.

She seemed to have grasped the meaning of my words to some extent.

“What… are you going to ask?”

“Ah, the first thing I’ll ask is….”

It was a question I had decided on beforehand.

Why the Young Lady came here.

How the Hundred Flowers Trading Company, not Meng, ended up being entrusted with this task.

It wasn’t the kind of story I’d hear later.

What I was going to ask was precisely this:

“Why did you let the Young Lady escape?”

“…”

Hearing the question, Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes widened considerably.

Yes, that was the first thing I was going to ask.

“You climbed the wall, didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“When did you climb it?”

“It was a few months ago. Not long after I parted ways with you, Young Master-nim.”

“Hmm.”

Moyong Hi-ah had reached her peak.

The congenital illness she possessed was melted away by the time I spent,

and afterwards, Moyong Hi-ah resumed her martial arts training, allowing her to overcome the wall.

Considering she started training again after years of inactivity.

She must have put in tremendous effort, so it was definitely something to celebrate, but…

“The Young Lady was at the initial stage of the first-rate level.”

Now was not the time for a simple congratulation.

“Moreover, none of the surrounding guards were weak.

Including the personnel the trading company had assigned.

There was no way the North Sea Ice Palace’s Young Lady came alone, so her guards were likely the same.

Yet, the Young Lady, who was at a first-rate level, escaped through their surveillance?

“That’s usually impossible.”

“Hmm.”

“How did that happen?”

These words weren’t meant to blame Moyong Hi-ah for incompetence.

It was such a strange event that I had to ask.

Especially….

‘Back then. The sensation I felt from the Young Lady.’

At the time when light emanated from the Young Lady’s body.

Along with the light, I should have felt a strange energy.

She seemed to be trying to do something, but…

It kept bothering me.

As I asked with a question in mind, Moyong Hi-ah cautiously began to speak.

“What you’re saying is correct, Young Master-nim. It was a situation where she absolutely couldn’t be let go… We even deliberately assigned more personnel for that reason.”

“But.”

“The situation wasn’t particularly strange either. We were walking surrounded by people. I was right beside her.”

Just hearing about it, it was a situation with no apparent escape route.

If it were someone else, maybe, but Moyong Hi-ah never lets her guard down.

Knowing what kind of person she was, it made even less sense.

“But… at some point, when I looked beside me, the Young Lady had vanished.”

Hearing that, I tilted my head.

“Vanished?”

“Yes, she vanished in an instant. Without even a chance to sense her presence….”

“Hmm.”

Suddenly vanished like that.

In that case, as expected…

‘She must have done something.’

What she was trying to do to me. It seems she used that to escape.

What was it? What method did she use?

‘Was it a treasure?’

That seemed the most likely possibility.

‘If that’s the case here…’

Why on earth did the Young Lady run away?

What reason could she have for coming all the way to the Central Plains just to run away?

Such questions arose, but these weren’t things to ask Moyong Hi-ah.

She probably didn’t know the answers yet either.

“Is that all you wanted to ask?”

Since I wasn’t asking any more questions, Moyong Hi-ah said this.

“No, there’s still one more thing.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t time to end the questioning.

The most important thing remained.

“The Young Lady’s face. It looked a lot like yours.”

“Ah….”

Moyong Hi-ah’s expression changed slightly upon hearing the question.

I didn’t miss that.

“Was that… just a coincidence?”

It could be considered a strange question.

It’s like suspecting something is going on just because they look alike.

Even if they were half-siblings, Moyong Hi-ah was also from the North Sea.

Her light blue eyes proved that.

While the relationship of the North Sea’s Young Lady is unknown,

she was also born of the Palace Lord, so it’s natural that the two resemble each other.

It’s just that they resemble each other a bit excessively.

It seems stranger to find it strange, but…

I could tell by looking at Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes.

“That….”

She also had something bothering her.

“I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

“Yes. When I first saw her, I was really surprised.”

That makes sense.

If it were me, I’d be surprised to see someone who looked like me.

And I’d feel bad about it too.

“But, conversely, the Young Lady didn’t seem surprised.”

“Hmm.”

This part bothered me a lot.

Moyong Hi-ah was surprised the moment she saw her, but the Young Lady was fine….

“Instead of being surprised by my face, she simply asked me a question.”

“A question?”

“Yes. The question she asked was definitely….”

[Really… you’ve escaped the Ice Crystal’s curse?]

That’s what she apparently said.

‘The Ice Crystal’s curse?’

Hearing those words, I paused for a moment.

Ice Crystal. I’d heard of such an item.

I think they said it was a symbolic treasure of the North Sea, containing immense condensed cold energy.

The curse of the Ice Crystal?

And directed at Moyong Hi-ah?

Tuk-tuk-.

As thoughts surfaced, I tapped the table with my fingers.

‘Could it be related to her constitution?’

The Meridian Obstruction condition Moyong Hi-ah had.

I wondered if that’s what she meant, but…

‘How would the Young Lady know about that?’

The person who mentioned it was the problem.

Furthermore, mentioning that the curse was lifted meant she knew Moyong Hi-ah had received treatment.

Seeing this,

‘It means she didn’t just come here for a casual outing.’

It seemed the reason the Young Lady sought out the Central Plains involved something heavier than expected.

Questions piled up.

I had a strange feeling.

As I continued to ponder these questions,

“Excuse me.”

Someone approached us and spoke.

“I have a message from the Leader-nim.”

It was an employee of the trading company.

Everyone looked at him, wondering what was going on.

He delivered the message in a calm voice.

“‘The Young Lady has regained consciousness.’ That is what the Leader-nim asked me to relay.”

Hearing that, I had to frown.

The person involved in this matter has opened her eyes, so come up quickly.

That was clearly the meaning.

The problem was.

“…The food isn’t out yet.”

The fact that I wouldn’t even get to take a single bite of the food I ordered.