Chapter 32
There it is!
Steaming rice cakes were neatly stacked near the hearth.
“I just need to take three of these rice cakes.”
Then this afternoon, I could, oh, share one each with Heuk and Jeok while running around the garden.
It was my first time doing this in my cat form, so I was nervous. Still, since this was the first mission Heuk and Jeok had entrusted to me, I wanted to do it well.
“Should I take one for Namgungbaek oppa too?”
The thought crossed Hongseol’s mind, but she shook her head.
“…No. He probably wouldn’t eat it anyway.”
Even though it was obvious what Namgungbaek might say, she couldn’t help but feel oddly concerned.
“…But still, maybe I should take one anyway? If he doesn’t eat it, I can eat it…”
Alright!
Deciding generously to bring a rice cake for Namgungbaek as well, Hongseol carefully looked for the right moment.
The opportunity came soon enough. Sibi Ihwa, who had been fanning near the hearth, left her spot.
“Now’s my chance!”
Hongseol leapt lightly from the window and landed near the hearth.
“Ah, quickly grab the rice cakes!”
She snatched the rice cakes with her mouth.
“Ouch, it’s hot!”
As Hongseol startled and dropped one rice cake, Ihwa returned and appeared at the doorway.
Panicking, Hongseol stuffed the remaining hot rice cakes into her mouth. Trying to carry all four at once, her jaw felt like it might pop.
In the process, one rice cake fell onto the dirt floor.
“That’s for Namgungbaek oppa…!”
Just as Hongseol frowned,
“Thief cat! How dare you!”
She locked eyes with the stern Mrs. Lee. Hongseol froze in place, front paws raised.
“Where’s the poker?”
“Block the exit so it can’t escape!”
No!
As she scrambled to flee, Hongseol remembered the “method” Namgungheuk had taught her.
“Right, Hongseol! If Sibi catches you…”
Now was the moment to use that method.
“Kyah!”
Sibi screamed.
Hongseol had suddenly leapt into the air, landing squarely on Mrs. Lee’s crown.
Thwack!
Stretching out her chubby toes, Hongseol pressed several spots along Mrs. Lee’s back. It was the acupuncture technique (點穴法).
Namgungheuk oppa had told her:
“Press the points I showed you, and anyone will fall asleep in no time.”
Right, with this acupuncture technique, Mrs. Lee should have gone to sleep… Huh?
“Damn cat!”
Uh-oh, something was wrong.
Swish!
Hongseol darted away, narrowly dodging a flying poker. As she ran frantically on all fours, she thought:
“Could it be that all the Sibi of the Namgung family are experts whom this technique doesn’t work on?”
Lost in thought, her feet slowed for just a moment.
“Got you!”
With a swift gesture, Ihwa grabbed Hongseol by the scruff.
“Meow!”
She struggled, kicking her paws, but it was useless. She only ended up getting smacked on her rear.
“What do I do! If I get thrown out…”
Frightened, she meowed desperately for help, but the nobles ignored her.
“My goodness, what is a cat doing sneaking into the Namgung residence?”
“It looks like a baby. Should we throw it out the back?”
Hongseol froze.
“No… this is my chance to stay…”
She couldn’t be thrown out like this. Nor could she transform back into a human.
Her identity as a cat demi-human was a secret known only to the direct line of the Namgung family.
“What should I do?”
As Hongseol whimpered, an unexpected figure appeared.
“Oh! Namgungbaek Gongja!”
Mrs. Lee brightened.
“What’s this thief cat doing in the Changcheon Pavilion kitchen?”
“A cat?”
In her hands, the poker. In the scruff, the limp pink kitten. And the four rolling rice cakes on the floor.
“Aah.”
Namgungbaek immediately grasped the situation.
Hongseol tightly squeezed her eyes shut.
“Of all people, I had to be caught by the most inconvenient Namgungbaek oppa…!”
Still, he was the only ally she could turn to.
“Meow…”
Subdued, she let out a small pleading meow.
Yet Namgungbaek, as usual, turned and began to walk away.
Panicking, Hongseol cried louder.
“Meoooow!”
Help me, oppa! Even for Grandfather Namgungho’s sake!
“Hah.”
From afar, she saw Namgungbaek sigh slightly and shrug.
He was probably just going to leave.
“Meooooow!”
The more she cried, the more pitifully she meowed. Then, a miraculous thing happened.
“Really, this is such a nuisance.”
Turning back, Namgungbaek reached out toward Ihwa.
“Give it here. This is a cat raised by the Patriarch. I’ll take it.”
“The Patriarch keeps a cat?”
Recently he had brought in a cute girl, and now a cat?
And yet earlier, he had ignored it, planning to leave. Even the Sibi, who carried food and tea through the pavilion daily, had never heard of this. But when the eldest Namgung says it, one must comply.
If he says salt is sweet, it’s sweet. If a wolf demi-human keeps a cat, so be it.
“Take it here.”
Ihwa handed over the cat to Namgungbaek and clapped her hands.
“Oh, Gongja! I heard Namgungdo of the branch was looking for you?”
Namgungbaek paused.
Hongseol noticed it: the faint crease on the usually impassive forehead of Namgungbaek.
“Namgungdo… the young master of the branch? Oppa must dislike him a lot.”
“Tell them I’m out if they ask again.”
“Yes, yes.”
Confused, Sibi took a step back.
Mrs. Lee looked at Namgungbaek with pity. He adjusted the small cat in his arms, then paused at the kitchen door.
“Ah, grandmother, give me a rice cake wrapped in bamboo leaves too.”
“Of course, you shall have it!”
The eldest son, who usually eats very little, wanted food first? Mrs. Lee smiled brightly. Namgungbaek tucked the bamboo leaf-wrapped rice cake under his arm, held the cat, and disappeared.
Namgungbaek walked steadily toward the garden. Hongseol, crammed awkwardly in his arms, was extremely uncomfortable.
“This is neither being held comfortably nor not held at all.”
To avoid being thrown out of the Namgung residence, she had reluctantly gone into his arms, but she couldn’t relax fully.
Stretching her front paw toes, she pushed against his arms, trying to avoid close contact. Yet his arms were so strong it didn’t seem to matter.
“He skips training often, but oppa’s surprisingly sturdy.”
Was this innate martial strength?
Lost in thought, Hongseol didn’t notice that Namgungbaek had reached a secluded part of the garden.
Even here, many Sibi passed by, but Hongseol was unaware.
“I just want to get down now…”
She flicked her tail in displeasure, still in his arms. In the kitchen earlier, she had no choice but to cling to him.
In truth, asking him for anything made her uneasy.
“Meow.”
She murmured softly, but he just kept walking.
Disheartened, she shut her mouth tight.
“I don’t have the courage to ask him to put me down…”
Then?
“I… I’ll have to use the acupuncture technique Namgungheuk oppa taught me!”
Apparently uncomfortable, Namgungbaek adjusted how he held her, face-to-face. Stretching her front paws, she pressed on his sleeping points.
Press.
Nothing happened.
“Strange? Why isn’t he falling asleep?”
Even in the kitchen earlier, it hadn’t worked. Her paws pressed the points, but Mrs. Lee hadn’t even yawned.
Puzzled, she tried again.
A low voice interrupted:
“To use acupuncture points, you must inject inner power.”
Ah!
Hongseol’s paws froze mid-air.
“Ah, that’s why it didn’t work!”
She gaped, frustrated.
“Namgungheuk oppa never told me that!”
Exhausted, Hongseol gave up and rested fully in Namgungbaek’s arms.
Her body relaxed immediately.
It reminded her of when he gently covered her eyes at Dacho Mountain.
“Oppa’s arms are warm. Even if he speaks coldly, he’s a good person, isn’t he?”
Even without pressing the points, she felt like she could drift off to sleep.
“Aigo, who’s this?”
An unpleasant, phlegmy voice spoke. Hongseol’s eyes snapped open.
