episode_0174

The sound that used to echo every time I took a step suddenly stopped, as if trying to bury my own in addition to the sound of my own footsteps.

When I stopped walking and looked back at the quiet place, what caught my eye was the figure of Yuan Shao standing with his body as perfectly sculpted as always.

“You say something interesting.”

A face with a thin smile.

At that moment, the wind that came through the wall teased the ends of her hair.

The timing was so elaborate that I even had the illusion that they had calculated that the wind would blow.

Well, common sense tells me that wouldn’t be the case.

“Can I ask why you thought that?”

“I asked the question first.”

“Ah, that’s right. It was like that.”

An expression that seemed to say he had forgotten for a moment.

Won Soo, who was tapping his lips with his index finger for a moment while displaying his natural virtue on his face, soon shook his head.

“I don’t know how you came to have such a misunderstanding… Let me be clear at this point: I didn’t let go, I missed it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Does this mean that no further objections will be received?

The voice that flowed from between red lips was soft yet firm.

The moment it flowed into my ears, I was once again convinced.

‘… It’s true that they let you go on purpose.’

So, what’s important here is what you were thinking when you did that…

What are you thinking?

What on earth was he thinking about that caused him to release that extremely dangerous human being instead of killing him?

It must have been a moment when, because of the status of the other person, I couldn’t do it openly and narrowed my eyes in my heart.

“I’ve answered your question, so let’s go back to the beginning… How did you come to have such a ridiculous misunderstanding?”

A voice that seemed genuinely curious, as if it was now their turn, tickled my ears.

The blank gaze that seemed strangely overwhelming was a bonus.

“That’s right… Isn’t it obvious?”

“Of course?”

“Yes.”

He nodded once and quickly added an explanation.

An explanation of the secret to how we were able to handle the dry stone safely.

“You probably already know this, but… Right now, there is no one on our side who can be called a tactician.”

“Um, is that so?”

“Nevertheless, he predicted that the moment the tide turned, Geon-seok would use some kind of means to escape to the Empress Dowager Hall. Thanks to that, I was able to deal with him safely without missing anything.”

“That’s amazing.”

Of course, I knew that it was just an act to show off, but even so, it was a strangely angry confrontation.

Thanks to this, I had to remind myself of patience several times.

“I understand that there are many famous scholars under Boncho.”

“Thankful people who gathered together just to see my insignificant false name.”

Won Soo tried to ignore my words like that, but I was already convinced.

I can assure you that there is no one in Luoyang who has a group of tricksters as outstanding as the woman in front of you.

It is said that Sunwook, the constellation of the Empty Cupboard, who later became the best strategist of Jojo’s army, was in the youngest position and was doing errands for coffee, or rather, errands for tea.

But couldn’t these people with such great intelligence have predicted that Zhang Yang would make a run?

Of course I would have predicted it.

If they had predicted it, they would have gone before their lord and offered a remonstrance.

The moment the situation becomes unfavorable, Zhang Yang will definitely run away to the Empress Dowager Hall, so be prepared for that.

“From my short insight, it certainly seems like that… Isn’t it?”

Was it impossible to deny even that?

Won Soo smiled and nodded.

It was a very refreshing gesture, despite the fact that I had been acting like a fool until now.

“Sure, such advice did come up. So, I also did some preparation.”

“But whyㅡ”

“Didn’t I already tell you? The time wasn’t right.”

…I have no intention of telling you this.

Well, no matter how close I am to his friend Jo Jo, from Won Soo’s point of view, I’m just an outsider.

Rather, this would be a natural reaction.

“In short, you are saying that you were unlucky.”

“That’s right. How do you understand it now?”

“Yes.”

Actually, it wasn’t like that at all, but I nodded obediently.

There was nothing more foolish than demanding the truth from someone who had no intention of telling anything.

“I’m glad you understand.”

“Isn’t it thanks to Boncho’s kind answer?”

“Is that so?”

After a brief smile, Won Soo began to walk again where he had stopped.

But then he reached the door in an instant and turned to look at me.

“Then I’ll just head back. Thank you for seeing me off.”

“Please take a look.”

“Thatㅡ”

“Yes? Is there anything else you want to say?”

“… No, no. Nothing.”

*****

At the exact same time that Su-hyeon was seeing off Won-won, Jojo, who had tried to see him off together, but ended up being left alone in the room due to Su-hyeon’s timely words, was wandering around the room.

It was none other than Su-hyeon’s actions.

‘why… ?’

Why did you suddenly say that?

Doesn’t that make it seem like he’s trying to get rid of me on purpose?

What reason is there for that?

if… Did the two of you have something to talk about separately?

A sudden thought made me a little nervous.

Apart from the thought that maybe that was really the case, it was because I had no idea what it was that the two of them were talking about separately.

What are the two of you talking about?

Seeing that Su-hyeon did that first, it seems like she is the one who has something to say… What on earth is it that she wants to say to Won So-won, why did they leave me here alone?

He clearly said he would come back soon, but why hasn’t he come back yet?

It felt like something black was swirling inside my chest.

That’s why I couldn’t stay still and started wandering around the room.

I know it’s a stupid thing to do, but I couldn’t help it.

If I didn’t do that, I felt like I would be buried in what was swirling in my heart right now.

‘rather… .’

Should I sneak out… ?

If a person who said he would return soon has no news as time goes by and is worried that something may have happened in the meantime, he makes the excuse that he came out to check…

Was it because of those thoughts that had suddenly filled my head?

My gaze naturally turned to the door.

The next thing I did was point my toes in the direction of the door.

I took steps carefully.

And so, the moment when I finally reached the door and was about to reach out for it…

Drurrr

“Aman?”

Before my outstretched hand could even reach the doorknob, the door opened.

The voice of the person who forced her to move was a bonus.

My heart was pounding loudly, as if I had been caught stealing.

Starting with the question of what the two of us were talking about that took so long, words I couldn’t bear to say out loud echoed in my throat.

Su-hyeon, who had no way of knowing that fact, was busy making incomprehensible comments about how everything was going well.

“Shall we take a walk together for a moment?”

The offer, which I would have gladly accepted under normal circumstances, felt particularly uncomfortable today.

The fact that Su-hyeon was alone with Won So-won just a moment ago and that they might have been talking about something made me feel that way.

So, I started to have doubts that I would never have had under normal circumstances.

Why does he suddenly ask me to go for a walk?

if… Are you trying to say something important?

for example… He said he was going to leave me and go to Boncho…

If the other person had been someone else, I wouldn’t have had to worry about this.

Why is it that the original plant is the opponent?

Although he was a friend, Boncho was a truly brilliant person.

Should we say that famous schemers and military officers are not loyal to her for nothing?

Like that, there was something about Boncho that made people instinctively fall in love with it.

Just by looking at her appearance, isn’t she very bright, unlike other people who are just dull?

What if Soo-hyeon also ended up falling for it…?

So, if you say you want to leave me and go to Boncho… what should I do?

Should I let you go?

···Can you send it to me?

Me, you?

Honestly, I wasn’t confident.

Just imagining you saying you’ll leave me and go to someone else breaks my heart, but there’s no way I can bear it if that becomes a reality.

‘It would be better if that weren’t the case…’

rather···?

It must have been a moment when a thought popped into my head and I couldn’t believe I had thought of it and I was shaking.

As if this was the destination from the beginning, Su-hyeon turned towards this direction as soon as they reached the small, decorated pavilion at the back of the palace.

“Listen carefully, Aman.”

Now, wait a minute, I’m not mentally prepared yet.

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“Don’t trust the elements.”

to···?