Chapter 46
A deep longing rose up, like a newborn kitten searching for its mother’s milk.
Even though she knew that her mother was the very one who had abandoned her, she couldn’t control the trembling of her heart.
“C-could I… also go…?”
The words slipped out of Hongseol’s mouth without her realizing it.
“Seola.”
Namgungho didn’t get angry.
He only called her name—but Hongseol could sense the complicated feelings behind it.
“I-I know it would be difficult to take me since I’m not a child of the Namgung family….”
“No, that’s not it.”
There was a hint of regret in Namgungho’s voice.
“If it becomes known that you’re here, that could be a problem. People might spread rumors that you’re a cat beastman, and….”
Her mother might try to harm you again.
Namgungho couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Hongseol hung her head low.
‘Grandfather was right.’
She knew it… and yet…
‘I want to see Mom.’
Even now, the lullaby her mother used to sing before bedtime was still fresh in her ears.
Tears threatened to fall, and Hongseol rubbed her eyes frantically with her fists.
“Child…”
Yuhwa, watching Hongseol, had a heart-wrenching look on her face.
“Th-the porridge is too hot…”
Yuhwa peeked into Hongseol’s bowl. Half of the plain egg porridge, without a single drop of chili oil, remained.
“Child, now that you’ve finished breakfast, shall we go for a walk?”
Considering the child’s feelings, Yuhwa took Hongseol out of the inner chamber.
It was then.
“Father.”
Namgungbaek suddenly spoke to Namgungon.
“I’ll go too, to this year’s <Anhwidoha>.”
Clatter.
The wheels of the carriage heading toward Yuseongmun’s estate began to turn energetically.
Inside, Hongseol’s heart pounded with excitement.
‘I can see Mom’s face after such a long time!’
She couldn’t speak to her mother yet—but just the thought made her a little sad.
“Well, that’s something, at least.”
“Huh?”
Namgungheuk, buried in the seat, suddenly straightened his back.
“What did you just say?”
“N-nothing at all!”
“If you have something to say, say it properly. If you babble like that at Yuseongmun, the others won’t let it slide.”
“Uh…”
“Then stories about your pants being pulled down last year are likely to come up again.”
“Heuk…”
“Yes, I’ll stop.”
Under Bing Yuhwa’s reproachful tone, Namgungheuk buried himself back in the seat.
Next to him, Namgungbaek looked out the window with an expressionless face.
Although he had said he would go, his face showed no particular excitement.
But Hongseol didn’t have the capacity to notice that.
She was too busy calming her wildly beating heart.
‘I almost got caught by Heuk oppa!’
Wearing the blue military uniform of the Namgung family with cloud-shaped ornaments, and a messy, fluffy hair covering the eyes—Hongseol now looked exactly like the youngest prince of the Namgung family, Namgungjeok.
A few days ago, Jeok suddenly appeared alone at Hongseol’s quarters.
“Sister!”
Hongseol was surprised; Heuk, who always stuck closely to Jeok like hooves to horseshoes, wasn’t around.
“Jeok? You came alone?”
“Shh.”
Jeok seemed urgent, like he had something important to say.
“Merran, please bring some tea.”
Hongseol, confused by the situation, first called Merran.
A moment later, what came out of Jeok’s mouth made Hongseol nearly faint.
“Sister, we’re going to <Anhwidoha>!”
“What?”
“You want to go to <Anhwidoha>, right? I don’t want to go. So, we’ll use this…”
Jeok handed over two pale, human-skin-like masks.
These were so-called human-skin masks.
“W-what is this, Jeok?”
Hongseol was startled by their squishy texture. Jeok laughed brightly.
“I secretly took them from the warehouse where the Changcheon Corps keeps them!”
“You use masks made of human skin there?”
Such things would only be used by someone like Heuk!
Jeok shook his head vigorously.
“No! These are made from pigskin!”
Upon closer inspection, rough pig bristles were still visible. Only then did Hongseol relax slightly.
“With these, you can go to Anhwidoha disguised as me!”
Hongseol tilted her head, holding the squishy pigskin masks.
‘How on earth…?’
No matter how she looked at it, just wearing this wouldn’t be enough to convincingly act as someone else.
“Look at this! Hehe.”
Jeok pulled out a worn book labeled <Beginner’s Disguise Technique>.
“It’s a disguise technique used by the Changcheon Corps!”
“Disguise technique… meaning it can change one’s face?”
“Yes! Ordinary pigskin masks only hide your face, but with this…”
Ah!
Hongseol clapped her hands in realization.
“I can become Jeok too! But….”
A trace of worry passed over Hongseol’s face. Jeok noticed her hesitation.
“What’s wrong, Sister?”
“Ah, well…”
Hongseol was uneasy about deceiving the adults.
‘Unlike Jeok, I’m not a Namgung child… I shouldn’t cause unnecessary trouble.’
But she also wanted, even from afar, to see her mother.
‘What should I do?’
Jeok, sensing her hesitation, anxiously grasped her collar with a tiny finger and shook her.
“Don’t worry, Sister! No one will notice!”
“But…”
“The Changcheon Corps’ disguise technique is top-notch. I heard the Changcheon Corps master once disguised himself as an inn clerk for days without anyone realizing it!”
Of course, using the Bone-Shrinking Technique helped a lot.
Hongseol’s eyes widened.
Namgung Gyeol, who looked fierce, disguised as an inn clerk?
If that’s possible, then no one would detect Jeok and Hongseol.
“Really…?”
“Of course! Since we’re about the same height and build, it’ll be perfect!”
“Great! What do I need to do?”
Hongseol’s excitement made Jeok spread the <Beginner’s Disguise Technique> book open.
“Hmm, it feels like drawing a magical circle on the face. If we do it like this…”
For a long time, they studied the disguise technique with their foreheads touching.
After two days, they had produced a fairly usable result.
“Sister, how do I look?”
Jeok, wearing the pigskin mask and using the technique, twisted her twin-tailed hair upward and stretched both arms forward.
“Cheonroe God General!”
She was imitating Hongseol during her duel with Namgung Jongwoo not long ago.
Even the high, singing-like voice matched Hongseol perfectly.
“Perfect!”
Excited, Hongseol clapped her hands.
“Jeok, you’re amazing! Practicing the voice was totally worth it!”
“Hehe, thank you.”
Jeok, who always looked clumsy, proudly straightened her shoulders, looking like a proper heir of the Namgung family.
Now it was Hongseol’s turn.
Examining her own disguised face, Jeok suddenly frowned.
“If you tie the bangs with the silk ribbon I gave you like this…”
“Don’t use the blue ribbon. That will hide the face better.”
After much effort, the disguise was complete.
Hongseol looked into the mirror placed nearby. Inside, she saw Jeok with the messy hair covering her forehead, just like the first time she had seen her.
“Success!”
“Great!”
The two children, now in their new appearances, smiled at each other.
The banquet hall arranged by Yuseongmun was a pavilion overlooking a small pond.
True to the sect’s name, ‘Willow Formation,’ the fluttering willow leaves provided a place of rest.
On the tables in the pavilion were all sorts of delicacies and fragrant wines.
“From the Namgung family!”
Before the announcement could finish, the sect master of Yuseongmun ran out to greet Bing Yuhwa and the children.
“Master Bing! It’s been a long time.”
“How have you been, Sect Master?”
“Of course, well enough.”
The people of Yuseongmun welcomed Bing Yuhwa genuinely. She had once cured the sect master’s illness.
“But why has it been so hard to see your face!”
“That’s my fault.”
Bing Yuhwa only smiled.
“Ah, my mind is all over the place. Everyone, greet her properly. This is Bing Yuhwa, the medicinal sect master of the Namgung family.”
“Welcome, Master Bing!”
“Seeing the famed Master Bing in person is an immense pleasure.”
“Since it’s been a while, let’s catch up, ha ha!”
Most were familiar faces.
Everyone seemed eager to exchange at least a few words with Yuhwa.
In Anhwiseong, no martial family would miss the chance to get on good terms with the Namgung family—except one.
‘Myogajang.’
A family that abandoned an innocent child for not being able to learn martial arts.
‘Her mother actually came here?’
Bing Yuhwa scanned the pavilion with eyes that had grown cold.
