“……So, as for our esteemed ‘Hwaan Tea House,’ it’s a place where you can savor tea, bask in nature, and enjoy a musician’s performance all at once. And the garden is truly our pride—”
“Ah, I see. Truly splendid.”
Moyong Sohae’s smile was tight enough to crack her teeth.
This man, who’d introduced himself as Chae Yeop, the proprietor of the tea house, didn’t seem to know when to shut up. All he needed to do was lead them inside, yet he’d suddenly launched into a bragging spree about his business.
Sohae had to press down several urges to just reach over and clamp a hand over this man’s mouth. She didn’t want to be forced into idle chatter with such a lowly merchant.
Still, at least he wasn’t completely oblivious. When Sohae’s replies grew shorter and shorter, he finally seemed to get the hint and hurried them along. Thank heavens for small mercies.
Sohae threw a glance over her shoulder. Moyong Yeonhwa still hadn’t stepped inside the tea house. Who knew what was taking her so long.
On the way through the garden, Sohae worked to smooth out her stiffening face. Things were starting to drift away from her carefully laid plans, and it grated on her.
Up ahead, young ladies from various noble houses were gathered in a bright pavilion.
As soon as they spotted Moyong Sohae, their warm conversation froze and shifted into beaming smiles. Even Sohae, who’d been simmering with irritation just moments ago, returned their sweetness in kind.
“My goodness, it’s like a fairy has stepped down into this flower garden.”
“You flatter me. Thank you all for coming. It’s been so long, Lady Seong, you look even more radiant.”
“I heard you only recently returned from the temple. To host such a lovely gathering so soon—I simply had to attend.”
“Oh my, sister Ju! How long has it been?”
They greeted each other like dearest old friends reuniting after ages. Silky compliments drifted this way and that, glinting and fluttering like fine silk in the breeze.
And of course, the star of it all was Moyong Sohae—she’d organized this whole event and was gracing this circle with her presence for the first time in ages. Though she blushed prettily, in truth this was exactly how she liked it. She always made sure to arrive just a little late for gatherings like this.
After all, the true star waits until the clowns have drawn all eyes, then makes her grand entrance so the audience can lavish their undivided awe. With her fellow ladies now thoroughly primed, Sohae slowly settled into her seat.
Then a few of them started glancing around and murmured,
“Wasn’t it said that Lady Yeonhwa would be joining us this time?”
“Surely she’s not ill again? Or did she get a blemish on her face?”
Their scorn for Moyong Yeonhwa, who almost never attended gatherings like this, dripped out in the open. Nobody here actually knew her well, which only made them toss around bolder speculation.
Eventually, someone coughed delicately to steer them back—though without much conviction.
“Perhaps there’s simply been some unavoidable delay…”
Sohae finally gave a faint, embarrassed laugh.
“My sister did come with me. It seems she needs a bit more time to adjust. She usually has no interest at all in ‘events like these,’ so it took quite some persuading. I’m just grateful she agreed to accompany me this once…”
Carefully phrased, yet if you listened closely, it was enough to offend everyone present. After all, wasn’t this very gathering ‘an event like these’? Inside, Sohae felt smug satisfaction as she went on.
“My sister only struggles to mix with others. I do hope you’ll all understand…”
At that exact moment, all the ladies’ gazes snapped elsewhere—so sharply it seemed almost rehearsed. They didn’t even wait for Sohae to finish. Nobody seemed curious about her next words.
One young lady’s eyes went wide. She whispered,
“…Could it be…?”
“Oh my…!”
Someone let out a soft gasp. Sohae forgot to manage her expression and whirled around. There stood Moyong Yeonhwa, wearing her usual blank, faintly bored look.
Faced with sudden attention, Yeonhwa seemed mildly puzzled. She even shot Sohae a sidelong glance as if to ask what all this was about. Sohae deliberately turned away, ignoring that look.
In her mind, it was obvious: Moyong Yeonhwa had stalled on purpose. Absolutely. Pretending to have no interest in these affairs, yet finding ways to humiliate people and mock them. Even that dress—she must’ve planned it all from the start!
While Sohae’s head spun with seething thoughts, Yeonhwa spoke calmly.
“Ah, sorry I’m late. My servant’s fuss… I mean, her overprotectiveness held me up.”
…Was that supposed to be mocking me for what I said earlier about my own dress? Sohae’s mind raced.
She bit down on the inside of her cheek and shot Yeonhwa a subtle glare. But Yeonhwa’s face gave nothing away, her expression as unreadable as ever.
Now every single gaze was fixed on Yeonhwa alone. Whispers rippled through the pavilion.
“Good heavens… why has she never shown her face until now? Look at that flawless skin.”
“I’d heard rumors that the Moyong Clan Head doted on her too much. Maybe they’re true—she’s certainly worth it.”
“Where do you think she got that gown? It’s so dazzling and bold, yet elegant.”
“Perhaps it was specially commissioned?”
Though it wasn’t exactly polite to whisper right in front of someone, the awkward air didn’t last. As more eyes turned to Yeonhwa, waiting for an explanation, Sohae bit her lower lip, then forced a bright smile.
“Oh my, listen to me, so flustered I forgot the introductions. I’ve boasted about my sister before, haven’t I? This is the very Lady Yeonhwa. She seldom joins gatherings like this, but today she honored me by coming along for her younger sister’s sake.”
Of course, Sohae had never actually bragged about Yeonhwa to any of them. But the young ladies all nodded like it was common knowledge.
“Lady Sohae is already like a jade beauty carved from ice, yet her sister could truly be called unmatched in all the realm.”
Someone laughed as she spoke, and the others all nodded. Which meant the compliment really belonged to Moyong Yeonhwa—praising her above even Sohae.
Even those who’d been slyly mocking Yeonhwa moments ago were now entirely spellbound.
No one spared Sohae so much as a glance anymore.
Even in the short moment it took for Yeonhwa to sit down, all eyes were locked on her. She seemed completely unaware, settling into her chair with casual indifference. Maybe that was why she stood out even more.
The delicate feathers on her top and the layered gauze of her skirt fluttered lightly. A faint fragrance of petals drifted from her scented pouch.
Finally someone couldn’t hold it in and asked,
“Lady Yeonhwa, your gown is so stunning—flamboyant yet refined. Was it custom made?”
“I was about to ask the same. It draws the eye instantly, yet remains so tastefully done.”
Voices chimed in from all around. A few ladies only sipped their tea in dignified silence, but even they couldn’t hide the spark in their eyes.
Under the curious stares of ten noble ladies, Moyong Yeonhwa spoke in her usual flat tone.
“Sohae bought it for me.”
Her phrasing was oddly clipped, but nobody cared about that.
“Oh my, Lady Sohae did?”
Their surprise was genuine.
Small wonder. The dress Sohae herself wore was a perfectly on-trend pale silk—sheer enough to suggest flowers beneath, without truly revealing anything. Tasteful, delicate.
Meanwhile, Yeonhwa’s gown draped with iridescent feathers that shimmered into different colors under the sun, like turning a pearl. The skirt was even more daring—no heavy satin at all, just layers of white gauze petaled together in lavish folds. It was an audacious reimagining of styles that old matriarchs here might’ve worn in their youth.
A gown so arresting it was hard to look away. Paired with a beautiful face that seemed almost indifferent… she was a breathtaking sight.
“……I just thought a more ornate dress would suit my sister better than me. I’m glad to see my eye wasn’t wrong.”
Sohae managed a playful smile. Her usual charming expression was in place, but she deliberately avoided looking at Yeonhwa.
Who would know how her insides were boiling? Everyone else simply praised her.
“Such deep sisterly affection—how lovely to see.”
“Indeed. And the two of you together, like twin fairies descended to earth!”
Sohae’s lips twitched. Rage clawed up her throat. To her, Yeonhwa’s words sounded like a subtle boast—pretending to compliment her while actually flaunting her own superior beauty.
She lowered her eyes to hide the heat in them.
“You flatter me so. I’m blushing so much, perhaps we should begin our embroidery already.”
Turning her body shyly, she looked like the one basking in all the praise. Meanwhile, Yeonhwa sat there aloof, as if none of this concerned her in the slightest.
Then all the personal maids bustled in, moving in perfect coordination. They set up embroidery frames before their mistresses and slipped back out.
Sohae’s mouth curled faintly as she watched Yeonhwa stare blankly at her embroidery hoop.
No matter how many little tricks Yeonhwa pulled, she wouldn’t be able to handle this.
* * *
I ended up being the first person to set down my embroidery frame.
“Oh my, Lady Yeonhwa. Your hands are so quick!”
“May we see your piece?”
Their eyes were sparkling with eager curiosity—at least, right up until they actually looked. Then they all seemed to regret it so hard you could practically hear it.
“Uh…”
“…It’s really, um, innovative…”
“Yes, exactly. Full of spirit, and a sort of wild… no, that is…”
Everyone was struggling valiantly to wrap the word “disaster” in a layer of silky politeness.
Sohae forced a rather awkward smile and said,
“My sister truly does have a ‘unique’ aesthetic sense, doesn’t she? That must be why her work is so brimming with individuality. I could never hope to keep up. Ordinary folks likely wouldn’t even comprehend this piece’s worth. Who could possibly understand my sister’s genius…”
She kept babbling like that while I bit back laughter and looked down at my own masterpiece.
Chaotic lines of red, black, and yellow tangled together in glorious destruction.
Truth be told, it was just me roughly sketching out a fragment of the Moyong Clan’s Angcheon Sword Form with thread. Naturally, there were overlaps and messy collisions, so to others it probably looked like a toddler’s scrawl.
But memorizing sword techniques and then stitching them was a hell of a lot faster for me than learning to embroider flowers.
Everyone seemed lost for how to respond, fumbling and dodging my eyes. Whatever. I was done with my work, which meant I was finally free.
With nothing else to occupy me, my eyes drifted over to the table of sweets.
Come to think of it, all these ladies were slim as reeds. Probably starving themselves to keep their figures—no one was even touching the food.
Why? It’s sitting right there. Eat it, you fools.
I boldly grabbed a red bean cake. Sweet and sticky, pretty damn good. This place knows their stuff… Maybe I’ll pack a few up for Hyangah. Hell, I might even give Sahyeon one for that bag of peanuts.
I was munching away, half-zoned out, when someone beside me suddenly gave a tiny snort of laughter. I turned to see a young lady looking at me, trying hard to stifle her smile.
“Forgive me. You’re even more delightful than I remembered, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Um?”
“You probably don’t remember me from so long ago, but I’m Dang Iheon’s eldest sister, Dang Choye.”
Holy shit. Internally, I flinched.
Did she know I was about to break off the engagement with Dang Iheon? That was my first panicked thought.
But now that she’d said it, I could see the resemblance. Her features were a bit strong for a woman, but still beautiful, with this sort of androgynous charm. I just stared, dumb. Dang Choye leaned over and gently brushed a crumb of red bean cake from the corner of my mouth.
“I actually really like your piece, Lady Yeonhwa.”
Then she tilted closer and whispered right in my ear, so quietly only I could hear.
“Honestly? I’m sick to death of flowers and butterflies.”
…Alright, that was basically a scam, but hearing someone say they liked my work still gave me this smug little glow. This woman, she’s got taste.
I leaned in and whispered back.
“Well, I quite like your eye for art, my lady.”
Dang Choye’s eyes went wide—then she burst out laughing. Everyone else paused their stitching to shoot us curious looks, but we just laughed harder.
Then I happened to glance at Sohae. For a second, our eyes met—then she looked away so fast I wondered if I imagined it. Her expression was still terrible.
Wait. Was she mad at me, or did she just have a toothache?
* * *
By evening, Hwaan Tea House was more crowded than ever.
Major merchants and scions of noble families packed the place, most notably fathers with unmarried and marriageable-age sons. Which made sense. When else would they get a shot at meeting these sheltered noble daughters who rarely even left their gates?
Still, they must have worried about appearing crass or greedy. They were all dressed tastefully, understated—but with just enough subtle jewelry to flaunt their wealth.
Watching them fuss with their robes and strut in, acting aloof while darting glances everywhere, I thought:
This is basically a flock of peacock males, preening their tails and hoping to mate. All that money stinks in the air. I could probably drain half their money pouches and never want for a meal again. Not that I’d eat spiders, but the point stands.
At that moment, Moyong Sohae shyly stepped forward and gave a modest bow.
“I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to all the heroes and gentlemen who’ve come here today. I’d been seeking a way to aid the common folk of this land, and thought perhaps we could share our humble talents like this.”
She sounded bashful, but spoke smoothly, flawlessly. Everyone looked at her with warm admiration. Earlier she’d seemed like someone nursing a bad tooth, and now she was nothing but grace and beauty.
As Sohae continued, the doors quietly creaked open—late arrivals. Two people stepped inside.
I glanced over without much thought—and my mouth dropped open. I knew them both.
One was Dang Iheon.
And the other was (yet again) Sahyeon!
This time without even a mask or straw hat, decked out in some fancy silk robe he must’ve scammed from somewhere.
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