BCDC 10

chapter 10

On the soft palm lay a small round object, wrapped in hanji paper and tied with twine.

It was an incense ball made from sundew flowers, pounded with stones, rolled into a ball, and sun-dried for three days.

So that’s why she was gathering the flowers that night…

Namgung Ho reached out his hand almost instinctively.

Tap.

Hongseol gently placed the incense ball on his palm.

Instantly, a sharp, pungent scent enveloped his nose, causing Namgung Ho to instinctively wrinkle his brow. Seeing this, Hongseol quickly added,

“I heard you don’t like the smell of sundew flowers, Eun-gong.”

“That’s not true.”

Without thinking, Namgung Ho blurted out a lie.

“But here…”

Hongseol pointed to his forehead, which already bore deep wrinkles from long ago.

Caught off guard at being seen through, Namgung Ho let out a small sigh.

“Alright… the truth is, I don’t really like the smell of these flowers. But it’s a gift for me, so I’m truly grateful.”

He made it clear that he appreciated it, just in case Hongseol tried to take it back.

“T-This isn’t just a gift,” Hongseol said.

“What do you mean?”

Namgung Ho asked, puzzled.

“It’s something to ease your worries, Eun-gong.”

Though trembling with nervousness, Hongseol squared her large eyes and spoke clearly and steadily.

“If you keep this by your bedside and burn it, you’ll be able to sleep soundly tonight.”

“Ah…”

Namgung Ho finally understood. Surely, someone must have mentioned to her that he hadn’t been sleeping well lately.

And yet this little one went and made the incense balls herself…

Rolling her palms completely raw in the process.

It was a luxury he had never experienced, not even while raising his three grandsons.

Namgung Ho stared at the incense ball in his palm, feeling both bewildered and touched.

Seeing him look incredulous, Hongseol hastily explained,

“It may seem strange here in the Namgung household, but back home, we always use sundew flowers like this.”

Back home… though it’s not really my home now.

Hongseol’s face clouded over with a fleeting memory she didn’t want to recall.

“Um…”

Namgung Ho, unsure of how to comfort her, hesitated.

But Hongseol shook her head resolutely, brushing off the bad memory herself. Then, with an air of maturity, she pressed her point.

“Even if you dislike the smell, you have to burn it, Eun-gong.”

Huh… the child has grown so much, Namgung Ho thought, surprised, unable to continue speaking.

Seizing the moment, Hongseol added firmly,

“The pungent smell will fade if you endure it for a little while.”

Her expression was so serious that he suddenly felt like teasing her a little.

Breaking his usual stern demeanor, Namgung Ho feigned a small complaint with playful mischief.

“But what if the smell is unbearable?”

For a moment, Hongseol looked startled, then squared her shoulders, hands on her hips, wearing a serious expression.

Her stance reminded Namgung Ho of the adults who had scolded him as a child.

“Even if it’s unpleasant, you must endure it! I chewed even the bitter man-year-old root just to finish it.”

Namgung Ho was left speechless at her words, then a weak laugh escaped him.

Haha… such a capable child.

“This is all for you, Eun-gong,” Hongseol added cautiously, watching his reaction.

“I understand. I’ll do as you say,” Namgung Ho replied gently. Seeing this, Hongseol’s tense face relaxed.

“There’s one more thing I want to tell you.”

The sudden seriousness made Hongseol anxious, and she glanced at him timidly.

“Wh-What is it?”

Her earlier confidence about insisting he burn the incense had vanished.

“It’s about how I should be addressed. ‘Eun-gong’ feels a bit stiff.”

“Then… ‘Great Patriarch’…?”

“No, that feels too distant as well.”

What should she call him then?

Namgung Ho watched Hongseol tilt her head in confusion. His stern mouth softened into a gentle smile.

“Yes… you should call me Grandfather.”

Early the next morning, a small mountain of sundew flowers was piled in front of Hongseol’s quarters.

Standing there with a bewildered expression was Namgung Su-oh, the steward of the Namgung household.

In charge of managing the entire estate, he had come on Namgung Ho’s orders.

“I slept soundly through the entire night without waking even once. It’s all thanks to the incense balls Seol-ah made for me.”

“Eh?”

“Go to Seol-ah and tell her to continue making these incense balls for me regularly.”

“Yes, understood.”

Though the loyal steward bowed and withdrew, he couldn’t quite comprehend the situation. Two things troubled him.

First, the identity of the girl called Seol-ah.

I heard that the Grand Patriarch recently took in a mysterious girl named Hongseol…

That part seemed understandable—caring for the weak was the duty of a martial artist.

But when had she become close enough to be called Seol-ah?

Even his grandsons were only ever called White, Black, and Red, as was proper for the strict Grand Patriarch.

How on earth did she capture his heart?

Second, he was troubled by the curious efficacy of the incense balls.

Last month, we brought incense balls made of sundew flowers to the Grand Patriarch. He ignored them, saying they were useless.

But now, the ones made by this girl were incredibly effective. The only difference was who made them.

He had even confirmed the ingredients at the apothecary, and as expected:

“The composition is identical to what we make.”

Then there was only one explanation in Su-oh’s mind:

It’s purely the intention behind them.

The Grand Patriarch was enchanted by this stranger’s sweetness. That’s why her handmade incense balls seemed so efficacious.

Keeping an unknown child around would surely draw the elders’ scrutiny…

But Namgung Ho never cared much for such things.

Su-oh steadied his troubled thoughts.

No matter. As long as the Grand Patriarch sleeps well, that’s all that matters.

With the head of the household away, the most senior figure in the Namgung estate was Namgung Ho himself.

Which meant, the more comfortable Namgung Ho was, the easier it was for Su-oh.

He was therefore grateful to this mysterious child standing before him.

“Did you sleep well last night, Miss?”

He bowed politely, addressing Hongseol.

“I am Namgung Su-oh, steward of the Namgung household. I came by the Grand Patriarch’s order.”

A timid voice from behind a blanket spoke softly.

“Miss is very shy.”

Hongseol peeked nervously from behind the folds, barely showing her head.

“You should greet the steward, Miss.”

Only after Meran gently urged her did Hongseol murmur softly,

“Hello.”

Her clear, rosy-cheeked face and fidgeting lips made her look utterly adorable.

Ah, this must be why everyone raves about daughters.

Even the normally unshakable Su-oh felt his heart captured for a moment.

He cleared his throat and said,

“The Grand Patriarch sent me here. Thanks to the incense balls you made, he slept very soundly last night.”

Hongseol’s face lit up as if the sun had risen.

I cured Grandfather’s insomnia! I’m useful!

“So, if possible, we’d like you to continue making these incense balls.”

Su-oh gently handed her a small mortar.

It was far easier to use than pounding flowers with stones. Originally intended for grinding sesame seeds in cooking, its small size made it perfect for Hongseol to handle. The real herb-grinding mortar was much larger and heavier.

“The Grand Patriarch said that only the ones you make yourself have efficacy.”

Hongseol’s eyes sparkled as she replied enthusiastically,

“Really? I can make as many as you need!”

Her energetic voice surprised Meran, who was watching over her.

Su-oh smiled warmly and handed her a finely crafted box.

“Along with this. He sent it as payment for the herbs.”

Hongseol’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Th-This is…?”