Chapter 15: A Fine Line
“If that’s all you need, I, Palcho, can give you as many Eight-Inch Blades as you want!”
At Cheong’s words, Palcho boldly thumped his chest with his fist.
Watching this, Cheong smiled victoriously.
This was exactly what she wanted.
“Then, can you make medical needles for me?”
Before treating Haewon, there was another problem to solve: the needles.
Unlike the modern world, where civilization was advanced, reusing needles here required many steps.
There were still a few needles left for today, but they couldn’t keep cutting branches from the Golden Flower to make more.
The biggest issue was that the divine power in the needles disappeared after one use.
How did she find out?
‘Simple. I tested it myself.’
She pricked herself with both a new and a used needle.
The new needle gave a cool, refreshing feeling, while the used one did nothing.
They needed to make as many needles as possible from the Golden Flower branch Haewon gave them.
But Cheong couldn’t do this alone.
This was the real reason she provoked Palcho’s sense of justice.
“N-Needles?”
Despite his bold words earlier, Palcho now looked troubled.
He seemed worried that helping Cheong openly might anger Byeoljubu.
‘Then I’ll have to use this method.’
After thinking, Cheong deliberately lowered her lips and eyebrows, making a pitiful face.
Her round, deer-like eyes looked like a sad, wet puppy.
Palcho’s expression shifted from troubled to downright distressed.
“You’re refusing my request again. Well, I guess someone who rejected me once wouldn’t hesitate to do it twice.”
Her words made Palcho break into a cold sweat.
“F-Father! Is what the doctor said true? Did you really treat her that way?”
When Paljae joined in, Palcho’s face turned red like a ripe jujube.
Cheong didn’t miss her chance.
“Of course, even if Teacher Palcho refuses, I won’t think of him as ungrateful. Don’t worry.”
“G-Gah! I mean, I—”
“Really, it’s fine. I’m just a lowly human woman. Who would blame anyone but me?”
Under her guilt-tripping, Palcho finally gave in.
“This is all my fault! I’ll make the needles for you with all my heart! Please forgive me and my son!”
He looked ready to kowtow on the spot.
Cheong raised a hand to stop him.
“Good. Then, melt all those Golden Flower branches and make them into needles.”
Palcho jumped up.
“Leave it to me! I’ll make all kinds of needles—thick, thin, long, and short!”
His confident thumping of his chest made Cheong feel like she’d gained an army.
And just like that, she successfully recruited another ally.
“I’m honestly starting to fear you.”
After Palcho left with the Golden Flower branches, Gahwa suddenly spoke.
Cheong, who was planning Haewon’s treatment, turned her head in surprise.
“What do you mean?”
“That wicked tongue of yours.”
Gahwa tapped her own lips in frustration.
“I’m afraid you’ll bring down a whole kingdom with those three inches of yours one day.”
“Oh my, is that a compliment? Thank you!”
Cheong smiled brightly and bowed.
Gahwa looked genuinely stunned.
“How is that a compliment?”
“It is! It means my words have a huge impact, right?”
Gahwa sighed at her shamelessness.
“More like a disaster.”
“Disasters and luck are just a fine line apart.”
Gahwa shook her head in defeat.
Meanwhile, Cheong went back to thinking hard.
She still hadn’t figured out Haewon’s chronic illness.
“Lady Gahwa, do you know anything about His Majesty’s condition?”
“A lowly maid like me only knows he has a chronic illness, not the details.”
Gahwa pouted and shook her head.
Of course—royal matters weren’t for a minor maid to know.
“Then tell me anything you know about His Majesty.”
Cheong changed her approach.
“Even small things. Rumors among the palace maids are fine too.”
“They say he hates noise. There were rumors he banned movement in the palace after a certain hour.”
‘Very sensitive to sound… Maybe an ear or head problem?’
Cheong nodded thoughtfully.
“And?”
Urged on, Gahwa strained her memory.
“Um… Oh! He barely sleeps. The maids guarding his chambers say it’s exhausting.”
“Sensitive to noise and barely sleeps?”
Cheong fell deep into thought.
“But should you really be doing this now?”
“Huh?”
Cheong looked up at Gahwa’s question.
“Didn’t His Majesty say to come by Yushi (5-7 PM)? It’s almost time…”
“Oh no! Lady Gahwa! Hurry! Let’s go!”
Cheong grabbed her needles and the herbs they’d gathered and rushed out.
“You’re such a handful.”
Gahwa clicked her tongue but followed eagerly.
“Wait for me! Don’t get lost again!”
She chased after Cheong—and oddly, she looked happy doing so.
Thanks to Gahwa’s shortcuts, Cheong arrived at Haewon’s chambers just in time.
“I’ve come to examine His Majesty’s condition.”
At her words, the eunuch guarding the large sliding door silently opened it.
Inside was another identical door, guarded by two maids.
Following the eunuch’s gesture, Cheong stepped in carefully.
When she reached the second door, the maids opened it quietly.
Beyond it, she saw a third door—more ornate and grand than the others.
‘That must be it.’
Her instincts told her Haewon was there.
She was right.
The third door revealed the king’s bedchamber.
The dazzling gold-decorated room held Haewon.
But there was one small problem…
‘Why is he like this?!’
Haewon, in his inner robes, looked extremely… distracting.
Whether he was dressing or undressing, his upper half was partly exposed.
His broad shoulders, firm chest, and defined abs were breathtaking.
The sight of Haewon’s half-bare body was enough to make anyone dizzy.
